Creative Sparks

Sweet and cute perfection...

That's exactly her.  She is a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e in every way.  I just can't get over her eyes, her mouth, her smile and her giggle.  Her sweetness is contagious and she just glows...don't you think?

Her little personality is really beginning to emerge.  We are understanding each other.  She is just such a sweet baby and already such a girl.

Five words to describe her?

• perfect
• in
• every
• single
• way

These pictures are so much better bigger. Click on them if you want to see those baby blues up close.....

:)

It's his turn...

Yesterday, Benjamin started his three year old Mother's Day Out program.  He's a bit bigger too and didn't even look back when I dropped him off....already playing and having fun.

He is such a funny little boy.  So gregarious, outgoing and happy.  He's also pretty loud!   I remember Colin being three years old and thinking that the threes were much harder (as in tantrums and defiance) than the "terrible twos" you always hear about.  I still think threes are harder but also fun, fun, funny.

Benjamin in five words:

• joyful
• attached
• funny
• sensitive
• determined

My little baby who is now my "middle one."  He has a good temperament for being a middle child - content to play with or without anyone near.  He's always quieter when Colin isn't around and sometimes, I have to traipse around the house to figure out where he's playing.  He's usually in their closet or in Gillian's room and sometimes, playing in the bathtub (of course with no water for those who now think I'm a neglectful mother....) One time I found him in the dishwasher.

He watched me taking Colin's pictures on his first day of school, and as soon as I got the camera, he wanted to wear his backpack and sit in the exact same spot as Colin.  He adores his older brother.  Emulating him in every way (which is sometimes a good and a not-so-good thing!) and missing him when he's gone.  He is home with me today but was sad when Colin left for school.  He said "where is Colin going?" and when Russell said "to school!"  he said "Oh no! Not school again!!"

I would say he was adorably cute but he will tell you "I NOT cute.  I sweet."

Yes he is.

On this day...

he's a bit older.  The first day of school of his first grade year.  So exciting and momentous and wonderful!  We are so proud of this young boy and his many, many talents and abilities.  We were asked to describe him in five words to his teacher.  Colin is:

Energetic

Sensitive

Intelligent

Kind

Curious

But he is also sweet, thoughtful, imaginative, loving, boisterous, dramatic, and wonderful in every way. 

Today was an anxiety-filled day for me.  I love being able to stay at home with my children and when they are away, I am a bit nervous and anxious....especially on this first day.  I cleaned and straightened up around the house to try and keep my mind away from wondering and being sad at how fast he's growing.  By the time I look up again, he'll be starting college.

*big sigh*

BUT he came home all happy and jumpy and excited about going back tomorrow and that makes me even so happy and at ease all over again.  He loves his friends.  He loves his school and I am so glad.

So...here's to the first day of many first days!!

:)

Hear ye! Hear ye!

just a quick note!  I just posted a bunch of new Annie and Olive items in my shop over at Etsy! :)  A quick peak a the cute lil' things:

I'm in love with this lovely shade of olive dutch felt I've been using.  It's so yummy! And thick! And olive-y! :)  I also decided to add some fun and cutie  purses to my line over there....have more to put up in the next few weeks (see below for more info on that.)

I've really been loving my little felt pendants too.  So cute and simple and different and unique and fun and whimsical and pretty and dainty and lovely..... :)

That schedule?  Went down the tubes today....but that is my plan for future shop updates.  Spend one entire day putting a ton of things in instead of a little bit here and there.  I plan on updating my jewelry shop Creative Sparks Studio next Friday.  Annie and Olive again the Friday after that....and so on.  We'll see! :)

Shoulda,Woulda,Coulda...

make a nice long blog post.  BUT I should be playing with the kids in the last week of summer. 

We've had a great one although it has flown by and I'm a bit sad that next week, Colin will be somewhere else more than here.  I like having my children around even though sometimes they drive me up the wall!  Especially when it's so mosquito-y out.  We all had fun at our local Wonderland Park this past week...it was nice and cool and not too many crowds.  I've been going there since I was there age and it's still fun...even more so when you get to watch your children have a blast.

I've been working very hard on some large Annie and Olive orders lately....mostly that's the reason I haven't been around here as much!  It's been fun making all of these and they were so cute all packaged up, I wanted to keep them (sort of....) I was very ready to get these out the door! 

I've also been really working on having some type of schedule.  I have it written down and have tried to schedule time slots for things such as checking email/correspondence,  packaging and shipping items, and creating.  I'm dividing my day up in a pretty strict manner and so I hope to actually make it work.  I'll be heading back to TVWeekly.com soon and so must use my time more efficiently so I can get my projects completed without pulling my hair out or letting my children or my dh (dear husband) starve.

I'll let you know how the schedule works!  Right now, I'm two minutes late for being OFF the computer for the afternoon. :)

Bye!

Garage Sales are fun?

They can be when you actually sell things and make up games and play and laugh and sit next to each other and hold hands.

We worked hard and it was HOT - luckily we have a nice big oak tree that shelters part of the driveway.  We stationed ourselves in the garage with a cool fan blowing our way.  Gillian was a cute and pudgy diapered baby and the boys had fun running in and out and sneaking the bags of chips we were offering for sale.

We had scooter races around the tables during the slow times, I worked on my hair clippies and jewelry and otherwise, enjoyed the weekend.

Who knew a garage sale could be fun?

Here is an old picture of Benjamin's various treasures from around the house.  I have an old stroller that he was pushing around one day filled with all of this stuff.  Cute.

I'm posting it now because I've been so busy and haven't even really thought about ye olde blog in a while.  W'e're having a garage sale (tag sale, sidewalk sale, yard sale to those not familiar with "garage") in a bit and I've been pricing and collecting old stuff and pricing some more.  We're excited to have more room in our garage (again...not familiar?  Place where you keep your junk...um...car) and make some cash on the side.  Yay!

I'm getting rid of a bunch of old sb stuff (gasp!) and craft items...must make room for the new! Toys and clothing and knick-knacks.  If it doesn't sell?  Goodwill, baby.