creativity at its finest

Yesterday my creative juices were flowin' and since going to the pool was out and I didn't want to clean the house, well, I got out my sewing machine & worked on this little number for Grand Duchess.

Isn't she a doll!?  I SO love how it all came together. 

This little girl LOVES the camera.  After taking a picture she'd run to me and say, "I see!" And then she'd run back to where she was and pose again. I honestly think my favorite one is of her looking out the window, waiting for Popeye to come home tonight.

I *heart* her!!!

Thank you Dr. Ruth!

Popeye comes home tonight.  And we all know what that means!  Put on the sexy make up, shave the legs and get the kids to sleep!
As I was dolling myself up, Princess Monkey Eyes was watching me.
"Why are you putting on make up at night?  You're not supposed to wear make up at night."
"Daddy and I have a date. I want to look nice.  I haven't seen him in awhile."
"Who's gonna watch us while you're on your date?"
"No one. We'll stay here."
"Oh. So you're gonna watch a movie and maybe kiss a little?"  (She totally knows I love to kiss him.)
"Probably."
"You know, Mom, you should wear a really pretty dress on your date."
"Oh? You think daddy would like that?"
"Yeah.  And then you can just relax and chill."

So there you have it.  I need to get into my black cocktail dress, put on my sexy eye make up and relax and chill.  And THAT is how you have a good time.

A Rose is A Rose crochet hat by Auntie M

There has been much turmoil in the crochet world about this hat pattern.  I was lucky enough to find it before the turmoil began.  So many people want it!
I was feeling a bit of a conflict brewing inside of me.  On the pattern I printed off it says, "All patterns on this site are my copyrighted original patterns unless otherwise noted.. You may copy them for your own use, and links back are always welcome. Please do not post the patterns to any other site. Thanks!"
I want to make it a little easier for people to make this ADORABLE hat and put the pattern here.  But if the author says, "No." Well then, I shouldn't.  Thus the conflict.
However.
After much searching and cutting and pasting, I found the site.  It IS up and running.  The pattern is still there.
Do you want the link?  Huh?  Do ya?
Well, then.  Here you go.
http://web.archive.org/web/20040204220123/http://webpages.charter.net/basheera/rosehat.html
I did find one small inaccuracy with it, though. She creates her hat in multiples of 8.  The pattern stitch needs to be done in multiples of 5. So if you're making the hat, I suggest you make it in a multiple of 5 so that it all comes out even in the "pretty stitch" section.
I hope this helps any of you who have been looking for this pattern.  It really IS very pretty.  I have one in brown for me. Grand Duchess has a black one. Princess Monkey Eyes has a pink one...
Enjoy!

I'm going to be in a whole new world of pain tomorrow morning, I'm sure.
Today I went to the indoor swimming pool to swim laps for the first time in years. It was a wonderful workout.  Swam 100, kicked 50, swam 100, kicked 50, walked 50... (yards, not laps) I kept that routine up for a half hour.  Since a friend had the munchkins, (and it was my first time back) I thought I'd take it slow.
Man oh man if you're wanting to switch up your exercise regime, I highly suggest you find yourself a swimming pool and get in there!
Being in the pool made me reminisce about the glory days of swim team. Not just high school team but the community summer team, too.  Boy, I was fast.  Backstroke was by far my best stroke - even though I loved breaststroke with all my little girl heart.  I just wasn't fast at it, no matter how much I worked at it.  There was a fundraiser one year - a swim-a-thon.  I remember going around asking for sponsors.  There was a lady in my ward who sponsored 25 cents per lap because she thought all I could do was about 30 laps.  I did ten times that!  I couldn't bring myself to go collect the money because I felt so bad.  I loved swimming!  I was a natural fish!  And I still considered (notice the past tense wordage there) myself a natural fish - until I got into the water and started swimming.
I thought to myself while I was swimming, "I look so great! I'm a natural!  That pool manager is going to ask me to come and teach swim lessons and coach the team!"
Didn't happen.  In fact, I realized as I was doing my best stroke, I seemed to be sinking a bit.  I wasn't on top of the water like I used to be.  *Gulp*.  Looks like I need a little work.
So, this is my new goal.  To do a 100 backstroke in record time.  Scratch that.  I just don't want to get winded after a 50.  Winded after a 100 is okay though.  I plan on heading there at least 3 days a week - if I can find childcare for Grand Duchess and Thor.
Wish me luck!
Until then, I might be hobbling around town because this new routine combined with Jillian and my new butt-shapers will be reshaping my legs in ways I never thought possible!
Try it, you might like it!  (Not.)

My dad used to say that it's not good to be proud.  He would say he's pleased.  I used to have that same mentality and then I started having kids and we all know how it is to be proud of them when they make good choices, get good grades, have a clean bill of oral health...  You get the idea.

Well, Popeye's been gone now for a long time - I'm not even counting anymore.  I just know we're coming up to six weeks left of this madness.  Anyway.
This week they've been fighting.  (Re)Learning tactical moves, crowd control, you know... stuff like that.
The first day, Monday, he was pretty sore when it was all done.  Not because he got beat up - it was just a lot of exercise and moving in a way that he hasn't done in awhile.  I don't blame him.  They were all pretty sore by the sound of it. As they were scuffling around, his role was to get the other trooper's gun & that guy was supposed to keep Popeye away from his gun. 
Yeah.  Popeye got it right away.  The guy asked Popeye's buddy how he did it so fast and his buddy just said, "He's been doing this a long time." 
First proud moment for me.
second proud moment came when he reported his gun was not taken. (Insert dreamy sigh here...)
Then yesterday he reported to me that they got to fight the instructors.  You know that whole thing of "Payback being, well, unpleasant?" Yeah, it was.  (Let me just say really fast that the instructors at this academy are totally awesome and the best Popeye's ever had, hands down! So it really wasn't payback at all - just lots of pent up frustration with the classroom stuff being let out...)
Anyhow - continuing on.
Popeye's scenario:  He's a trooper approaching 2 truckers. The truckers jump him and try to take his gun.  (Both men each weigh over 200 pounds.) 
Popeye wrestled with both of them, shot one of them but couldn't get his gun around to get the other one.  He said this guy was leaning on his widpipe and he was about to pass out when in a last ditch effort to survive he struck the instructor in the head with the butt of his gun.  His instructor was wearing a helmet, so he was pretty sure he would be okay.
He wasn't.  Popeye missed the helmet and cut the guy's head open.  He needed 4 stitches.  Popeye got a scratch below his right eye.
He felt so bad but the instructor was cool about it.  He wants Popeye to take him to dinner, but he was cool.

Now, I may be tooting horns over here - but there's something to be said about a man holding his own when it comes to things like this.  I've always been jealous of my girlies with their hubbies who can build cabinets, fix cars, and know how to build a house from the basement up.  But man, can my man hold his own when it comes to guns and fighting. 
And it brings a sense of pride that far outweighs any cavity-free report from the dentist.
I just wish that they were allowed to videotape it so that I could see my man in action.  You know those old westerns (or any lovey-type story) where the men fight over the women? It's no wonder the women end up with those men in the end.  It's SEXY seeing your man sacrifice his body like that!  There's something about brute force, sweat and skill that sends my heart racing a little faster.
So Dad, while I know you meant well when you said that we should'nt have pride - I didn't learn that lesson well.
What does YOUR man do that makes your heart all a-flutter? (And carpentry is perfectly acceptable. :D)
(BTW, he did text me a pic of his eye but threatened that if I posted it he wouldn't come home.  And I SOOO want him home.  So you'll have to trust me on this one.)

Today I got all gussied up and ready to get sweaty with Jillian.  I went to the computer, saw Jillian smiling at me & I smiled back.  I pulled up my workout and skimmed over it to see what she'd be having me do today.
Not to bad, I won't want to cuss too badly.
And then the thought hit me, "I should really clean the house".
And not just the lets-get-this-place-straightened-up kinda clean.  I'm talking "Her Royal Highness" clean.  So I plopped the kiddos infront of Max and Ruby and got to work.
I got the whole upstairs (minus the bathroom and kitchen floor) HRH clean by lunch time - laundry included, mind you, got the kiddos fed & Grand Duchess off to la-la land.  I went downstairs and started tackling the boys' room and family room.  About an hour into it I got sidetracked and headed back upstairs.
I really dig how the house (any house, really) looks when it's dusted, washed & sparkly.  Oh, if only I could keep it this way.
So, I bribed the kids.  "Hey kids!  if you keep the house SUPER clean and finish cleaning what I started downstairs, I'll take you all swimming tonight!" (Forget that it's 10 degrees outside.)  Cheers were heard throughout the land and I have proven to be awesome!
So, they proved to be forthcoming on their part of the bargain, it's only fair that I reciprocate, right?
and then the witching hour began.
You know - when kids start to get hungry and have homework and are getting a little tired and just want to be held or left alone or whatever but I am just one person trying to make dinner and keep the peace without losing myself...  Yeah, the witching hour. When all my little angels turn to witches - me included.
I was on the brink of saying, "Forget it! We're not going!"  When I got a(nother) phone call.
It was the realtor who manages the house we're renting.  "Can we show the house on Wednesday?" 
(Nevermind that it isn't - and hasn't been - listed since forever.  Nevermind that I'm pulling single-parent duty for the next 8 weeks. Nevermind that I lose my mind everyday and don't know how I haven't been reported yet to CPS.) "Sure, what time?"  (WHAT?!?!  Can't I just tell her no?)
So we have it all set up.  They'll be here Wednesday afternoon while I'm at cubscouts.  I just have to keep it clean until then.
Can I just say, I am SOOO glad I cleaned the house today because tomorrow and Wednesday are out.

I'm not making any new year's resolutions this year.  Really because I can't focus past one week at a time right now.
Popeye goes back to the academy tomorrow and I'll be flying solo for the next 2 weeks until he can come home for another 36 hours.
So.  That being said - I suppose my resolutions will be to survive each day and week without him.
No visible bruises.
No emotional scars.
No major melt downs.

yeah, those are my resolutions.

I guess that in order for those things to happen I should pray and read some scriptures each day to try and help me along.  Because, hey, going without those things right now aren't helping the sitch any, are they?
So maybe I'll do more of that, too.  But I'm not making it a goal, mind you.
And I definitely need to continue my work-out regime.  And healthy eating.
But since those goals were made a few weeks ago, they don't count.

Yep.  No resolutions for me.
And then I won't kick myself when I don't complete them. 
I like it.

Happy new year everyone!  If you have resolutions, I'd love to hear them!  Unless my logic just made you throw out your list.  And if so? Well, then we'll be rebels together!