It had to happen..

I'm officially, a "wanna-be"...

Photographer that is. Hmm, photographer sounds so professional and experienced. I mean, I do have roughly 15 years of "mommy photography" experience... but that isn't going to cut it.



I've received compliments on some of my shots. And, well- I guess those kind words have fueled a fire. So, yesterday I began work on a photography website.

I know, there's one around every corner in the "WWW" but hey... what's one more? Right? ...uh, Right? ahem, RIGHT!?!? Okay, nevermind. I enjoy taking pictures...so a picture taken I will do. I bought a couple of new lenses, but haven't had the chance to put them work as of yet.


I don't even know if people will pay me --I'm not sure that I care. Well, maybe I do, but right now--I mostly care that I have willing (or semi-willing) subjects. I love it that much... I have a lot to learn and a long way to go..

but, you just never know until you try.

A Lil' More About Something "Big"

I was a little surprised when more than one of you inquired about a Christmas present Hannah received this year....





Hannah ♥'s to cook, bake, decorate, sautee', stir fry, boil, broil, -shrimp kabobs-oops sorry, thought I was in the movie Forest Gump there for a second. Anyway, my girl loves to be in the kitchen. This Christmas, she asked for "baking and cooking stuff." In particular she mentioned that she'd love to own the proper equipment to make a Big Top Cupcake.



So, a few of you had some questions about this Honey I blew up a cupcake:



First of all, I mentioned that it took for-ev-er for this cake to cook. (Like double the time of the box directions.) The result after baking it--a very well done outside, with a barely done middle. We chose to use two {boxed} cake mixes to make our Big Top Cupcake (the directions said to use 2 for a larger cupcake)--so that was possibly why it took much longer-with less than perfect results. For a smaller (BIG) cupcake you can use one cake mix-halved into the top and bottom pan. We haven't tried it yet, but I'm thinking that we might have more desirable results by using only one cake mix.



How did we cut it, or did we all just grab a fork and dig in?!?! Well-now, if I would have thought about just grabbing a fork and digging in.... We might have done that-- However, my very neat and tidy (soon to be) Sis-in-Law was present when the cake cutting began..... So, we just sliced it in very thin slices -pie slice style. So we had long -thin slices of cake.



Would I recommend it?!? It was -fun-different-a neat baking experience for Hannah. She can't wait to make a new cupcake and use the filling insert next time. It wasn't difficult to put together -put the icing on...and fun for decorating. So, even though the baking time was a little much--if you've been thinking about adding it to your "fun" or "creative" baking supplies---I think you'll be happy.


I am not compensated in any way by the makers of this product. Just providing more F.Y.I.-because I'm cool like that . :)

Friday Fragments!

Got so much floating up there in your noggin' that you're looking for some quick relief for your mental constipation? Well, sign right up... you don't have to be one of the first 100 callers--or even drink prune juice. Just head on over to Mrs. 4444's where you can participate in the weekly cleanse that will make all of your wildest dreams come true....make you feel 10 lbs. lighter.

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No one should be allowed to participate in, or accompany someone to an MRI, and then be allowed to drive afterward. Seriously--after Miss Mae's MRI last week--I literally felt like I had narcolepsy on the way home--and had to pull into the nearest 7-11 for a caffeine fix. I'm used to running around like a crazee lady everywhere--so, when put into a dimly lit, tight space for almost an hour-- I nearly gave myself whiplash from all of the winks I was trying to catch-but not trying to catch--because there was a guy in another room--performing the MRI who could see the whole freak show through a window. Yeah, and this was the day I had "Cousin It" hair, so I'm pretty sure it was a sight to see....
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Hannah Grace made her first "Big Top Cupcake" this week. She had a blast! Let me just tell you, in case you've been dying to get your hands on one of these babies. The bottom takes forever to cook. It says to follow the box directions--but we seriously cooked it double time. Leaving us with a crispy outside and fairly cooked inside. However, being lovers of cake--we did enjoy the tasty treat.

My Lil' Cutie niece Jaelynne helped by putting the sprinkles on. :)
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Last weekend, I was coughing and hacking and feeling pretty close to death warmed over. I decided to take a nap at around 1 on Saturday--when I woke up around 4, I was informed that Big Daddy had invited some people over for a Barbeque.
"Excuse me?! Do you not :cough: realize :hack: that I'm sick here?" I mean, it doesn't take a genius to realize that:
Me+Sick= NO COMPANY!
So, yeah--company came over anyway--because "HELLO! The cowboys were playing..." Let's just say I wasn't a great person to have to live with for the rest of the weekend.

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The results of Mae's MRI: Torn meniscus (a body part that I would have known nothing about otherwise), but it's a small tear--It will need to be repaired sometime in the future (surgery), but for now--she's good with icing (not to be confused with cake icing) and ibuprofen. She's allowed to finish the season and we will re-evaluate in March.

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My Christmas tree is still up. Yes, January's more than 1/2 over. Yes, I'm staring at it right now as I type. No, I'm not quite sure why I don't just take it down. {Lazy} Isn't it funny how Christmas already seems forever ago?!?

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Miss Mae had a big heaping of teenage girl drama at school this week. I. wanted. to. BANG. my. head. against. a. wall. Just when I was so fed up with the situation that I thought I might lose my mind--guess what?? I know you have to know what's coming next? Don't ya??? All parties involved in the girl drama--are now BFFL's (best friends for life) again. Something tells me I'm just stepping onto the crazee emotional roller coaster that is being the mom of a teen {girl}. The ups and downs of deciding how to talk to your daughter about issues--encouraging her to stand up for herself, and/or handle conflicts on her own.... all while wanting so badly to intervene--but not wanting to be the crazee mom who ends up on the 10 o'clock news.

Yes, it's been quite the experience, and lucky me...

oh joy oh joy--in two years I get to start all over with Hannah Grace. Wonder if I'll be any the wiser?!?! Probably not, Oh... for the love of margaritas.

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Hope your Friday is hoping! Go on out and have yourself a good time. Weekends are too short not to enjoy! :)

Cousin It

I flat-ironed my hair this morning--but, didn't really have time to get it all completely--so I look kind of like cousin It, I'm not going to lie.

I also didn't have time to put on make-up, so that only adds to the beauty of the situation.

I've worn the same pair of jeans for three days straight-because who has time to do laundry.

Thank heavens for clean shirts.

Maeci had her Dr. Appointment at 8 this morning concerning her knee.

She acted like a 2 year old when the Doctor said the words: MRI this afternoon, possible tear, and possible surgery.

Big Daddy got called this morning to go on an out of town job.

I found out today that we have to pay up-front for most of the diagnostic tests, even though we have "good" insurance.

I slept in my contacts last night and woke up this morning not able to see out of one eye. I couldn't deal with that because I had to flat-iron my hair.

I took the contact out just now-cleaned it, and put it back in and just like magic--I have sight. That took about 20 seconds--but I didn't have time to do it this morning. ?!?

I'm feeling stressed. Trying not to. Things aren't bad..or even close to it. Even if Miss Mae has to have surgery. Even if I look like cousin It. Even if I wear the same pair of jeans all week (Gross- I know), Even if I have to pay a gazillion dollars (that I don't have) for medical procedures... Things are really peachy. I just like to complain apparently.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

She Does Love Me :)

Since about mid-November, I have been looking forward to Mondays. {Any other time of the year, Mondays and I aren't that tight} In particular, I would have to say Monday nights-because Monday night is Jr. High Basketball Game night. And, oh boy.. does Miss Mae love playing some basketball. (If I haven't mentioned it a time or four). So, as much as I look forward to parking myself amongst the other spectators and cheering her on while she and her teammates take the court-- it pales in comparison to the excitement, passion and drive that my daughter has for the sport.

Sometime, early this Fall...Mae told me that her knee was giving her some trouble. We talked to the coach about it....iced it regularly, did stretches...and other excercises to help foster a 'bum' knee...and pretty much chalked it up to growing quickly- and sore muscles. To no one person's fault-we avoided taking her to the doctor--because we thought it would go away...

Unfortunately-that's not what happened. By mid-second quarter tonight.... she was out of the game for good- Ice on knee....tears running down her face. After the game, she came and sat on my lap-in front of a gym full of people, and just cried and cried.

I just hugged her and cried along. Now, I know that this isn't really what one would consider a crisis situation.... but as a mom, it's difficult in any capacity to see your kids hurt physically or emotionally. I'm not certain if her tears were the result of physical pain, frustration or a mixture of both. I just know that my normally "tough cookie" of a kid was hurting-so I did all I knew to do and joined in. However, I have to admit--my tears were very bittersweet. When your kids are younger...nearly every day is spent kissing "boo boos" or just holding them to make them feel better. As they grow, well--those times become fewer and farther between. Now that Maeci is a teenager and oh so independent- I had thought that maybe she was too mature to run to mama, curl up in my lap and have me just hold her when she was hurt or sad. Do you know how both heartbreaking and heartwarming it is..... to see not only your kid hurting, but also when your teenager shows you they still need you, and not only that--but in front of their peers? Wow.

I love that girl. And, I'm pretty sure she loves me back.

And, there's me stepping away from crazee for a second or two to be sentimental... which I find myself doing more and more these days.... I'm an emotional wreck :) Which just makes me crazee'er. It's a cycle, I think! Ugh...I do know one thing for certain..
Kids grow up too fast.

Fragmentin' on a Friday!

Ever had a crazee week.??. You know-where you didn't know if you were coming or going or lefting or "writing" or spelling mom or wow, sick or a little too hopped up on Robitussin? Yeah, me either. Let's just say if I had--there would probably be a lot of things I forgot to blog about this week. That is why Mrs. 4444 rocks and never stops with her crazee lil thing called Friday Fragments....

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Let's start with a confession..it's good for the soul and all ya know:

Miss Mae's been begging for a pair of Uggs for quite a while now. I lectured and lectured about how kids with no job-don't need $300 boots. Especially, when Target sells a pretty good equivalent for 30 bucks. Granted the quality is probably not the same-- but seriously, $300 for boots?!?! I told her {countless times} she couldn't have them unless she saved the money herself.


...and then I turned around and bought her a pair for Christmas this year. Yeah, I did. I'm all about teaching my kids about financial responsibility and the fact that money doesn't grow on trees and all that...but, I couldn't help myself....


Now, you tell me:

Is this a look of gratefulness...or an "I got 'em right where I want 'em mwahahahaha!" look?
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Confession #2:

One of the things I look forward to most about subbing in public schools is one of the things I used to loathe the most when I actually attended a public school. CAFETERIA food. Seriously for under $3...I get a hot meal-that I don't have to prepare-clean up afterwards-leave a tip for- or even put on my own plate. It's like mystery meat has suddenly become filet mignon. I get almost giddy standing in the line.
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Big Daddy talked me into watching "The Hangover" with him last night. Well, I should say...we started to watch it--after the girls went to bed, and then I remembered that I had forgotten to put the clothes from the washer into the dryer, so we put the movie on hold for just a bit. After I put the laundry in the dryer-I went in to check in on the girls-and did some other piddly stuff around the house--and well, when I got back to my bedroom to watch the movie with Big Daddy--he was out...snoring . So, I did the only thing that seemed reasonable at that point.

I watched it by myself.

Have you ever watched a really funny movie by yourself? It's kind of awkward. For some reason I noticed at the really funny parts-I had no one to share the moment with--I found myself talking to my snoring hubs myself.. "Ha ha, they're crazy! That's really funny..blah blah blah." So, here's my advice. Comedies are meant to be interactive--so they're at least a two person event. Unless of course, you want to feel crazee-and talk to yourself in a dark room. Just saying.

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Today, my sweetie 'lil niece turns 5!! Happy Birthday Jaelynne!!

A little birdie told me that my niece Jaelynne-is fairly close to being banned from watching the movie, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" because it makes her super hungry! She spent yesterday afternoon making countless requests for various food items such as "a steak" and "yellow jello"...and became very upset when her requests weren't immediately filled. Now, there's a girl after my own heart. ;)

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I almost called 9-1-1 last night because I thought my neighbors were having a domestic dispute. I walked outside to go to my car, and I could hear neighbor man sounding pretty menacing-yelling profanities, and overwhelmingly- "this is B*@# S*#)!!"... and neighbor lady saying over and over--"Please calm down..honey, it will be okay, just calm down!" They were inside their home-with the front door closed. So, this was rather loud. Luckily for me, before grabbing my phone (and trying to be a hero) -I realized that neighbor man was very upset with the outcome of the Texas vs. Alabama Rose Bowl game.

Wow, that might have been embarrassing!

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That's it for me, kiddos. Hope your weekend's rockin'!

Peace.....Out!

Wow.

Did you know that upside down Wow is Mom? Oh you did? Sorry--I'm all spaced out on Robitussin today-and I'm feeling a little random. Big Daddy used to joke that he was going to get a tattoo of a "W" on each of his bun cheeks, so when he bent over it would spell WOW. I don't think I was supposed to tell you that. (It's okay--we'll blame the Robitussin).
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Speaking of things that make you say WOW. Or, was it Ow? Yeah, I think it was more ouch--but a nice transition nonetheless, wouldn't you say? I got a panicky phone call from Maeci's basketball coach during school yesterday.
"Julie, Maeci fell and hit her head in the gym--she's gotta bump and it just doesn't look normal--I think you need to come and check it out."

Can you guess what kind of crazee chaos insued after that phone call?
Long story short- I called Big Daddy (the voice of reason in crisis situations) and we sped to the school.... She's okay. She was running for a basketball, slipped and ran into a bar across something in the gym. She fought the bar and the bar won. So, she has to proudly display that battle wound on her forehead, which is pretty much up there with having your mama dress you in ruffles and bows in Jr. High--embarassment.
So, that was an excitement that I could have lived without on the first day back after Christmas break.
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How's life in your neck of the woods?