PROM PICTURES WITH MY BOY!!!

It was so awesome to be able to do a photo shoot with my boy.

He has turned into such a fine young man.

the next time he dresses up this sharp will probably be on his wedding day..lol

ALSO if you can hop

Cherished Memories face book page 

CLICK HERE FOR THAT

and be sure to LIKE 

Chris's pictures...thanks so much guys for letting me share

The First Day of School Pictures 2012

Amelia Earhart~ kinda performed by Sophia Gianino

Sophia was Amelia Earhart in the celebrate America skit for 2nd grade in Mrs. Bell's class.
we were not able to go. But I still was proud of her for learning her lines that I tried to re-create the moment, with no luck however....

I gave up trying to film this and let Gabby take over......

My First Born is 16!!

~~the First Day of School Pictures~~2011

I will just say now, that it is very hard to take pictures of Christopher. I generally have to corner him, beg him or just take a quick shot while he smiles.

For the First Day of school Christopher opted for the typical teenage boy look. Hair brushed with pillow it looks like, old shirt with small holes, comfy jeans and he was wearing brand new tennis shoes of course.

Gabby and Sophia were fashionistas.


I must admit I did worry about the kids all day. Wondering if things were going good for them, did they meet new friends??????

However while I was doing this worrying I was in the comfort of a 2 hour long bath!! Wow, it was so nice just take a very deep breath, relax and scream for calgon to take me away.

Back to the grind today. Here in the next few days I plan on finishing up dolls. Also, the dolls that were listed on the prim nest on 2nd will be found on ebay tonight so be sure to take a peek.

School Of thoughts

***updated...this rambling mess hopefully makes more sense now. In the midst of my tear stained face and blurry vision from crying like a baby I was just trying to get my thoughts down quickly as possible before I forgot it all.*****
P.S. I am originally from TEXAS..that explains the HUGE HAIR

Well, the familiar sight and sounds of the beginning of the school year are flying by at Warp Speed. When summer first started it seemed so long before the kids had to go back to school. With all of the Back to school Sales, cooler temps and signs of Autumn in the horizon, it is enough to give me butterflies!!

My Oldest, Christopher will be starting high school. Before my eyes he has transformed from my first born baby son to a young adult who is taller then me and has a very startling deep voice. I am asking HIM to lift heavy things for me and saw my spindles in half ; cheap labor, however the trade is pretty fair, free room and board, clothes, games, food, hot showers and i am the mom and thats that!!

With having
3 kiddos, all dispersed at different schools there is going to be alot of running around. Sophia in 2ND at the Elementary School. Gabby in 7Th at the Jr. high. Christopher in 9th at the High school, Open House was a blur and race to go from one school to the next with about 3 hours, it was an up hill battle.

It would have been more work too if Christopher did not insist that I should not go with him.

Mom (Me) : Why


Christopher: Mom...everyone will know I am a Freshman.



the last time he was in my eye sight he was high fiving it with a few friends saying "wuz Up" Then never saw him again.



**Sigh** i guess this means he is well adjusted....which is a good thing but i feel like he is a bird who just wants to fly out of the nest and i wonder if he knows how to use wings.

Gabby has decided to get a new look for the new year. Now that she is in middle school there are things that you can no longer wear because they are not "cool" So, Now she has got a new look. A whole new make over. I see her being so confident and really enjoying her self and not taking life to seriously. She is grown up way beyond I was at the age...or maybe ever will be.

Then My Baby....Sophia....My Greek goddess of Wisdom....her Name serves her well. She catches on so quick....and shoot, forget about spelling stuff out now if you don't won't her to understand. Also with having older siblings things that are now babyish for Gabby are now babyish for Sophia too. And what ever came from Gabby's wardrobe that was "cool" Sophia is like "I am wearing this the first day of school."

Going to open house with Sophia was wonderful. The smell of play dough crafts, little water fountains lining the walls. Friendly teachers who let little kids be kids. I saw Kids with bags of supplies and nervous parents asking lots of questions.
Now, I too am a nervous parent. but not with Sophia. She really can command attention and strive academically with out even trying to achieve to do so.
I took it all in feeling confident that we are going to be fine


All 3 of my kids are at 3 Different levels. Everything is so brand new and moving so fast at the same time. It seems like it will be slipping away soon. The kids become older and more independent with each passing day. I feel as though that I am just on the side lines to keep them in bounds and let them make the the best decisions that my husband and I have taught them , and if they veer out of bounds I am going to be the referee in their face, yelling, "DIDN'T I TEACH YOU DIFFERENT."

As a parent coming from an abusive household my main goal's to raise kids who are happy with themselves and have high self esteems and there is no limitations or boundaries they can do. To raise kids to come to us first before they go to their friends. And for me, is to be honest with them and to let them know what I really think and morally what matters and what doesn't.

I recently became one of the 85% of people who now own cell phones and have now become aware of the annoying mean messages kids can send.

I am also now aware of the possessive power that these phones can have over my children, It seems that they cannot live without them. I think they just need to get it implanted right by their ear, or better yet right in there hand. Both Chris And Gabby when carrying in groceries apparently have one arm they can use to bring in the groceries and the other for holding the phone, I am sure Awaiting an urgent phone call or text.



all in all.......................................


Life is Good..Gotta love it all...but with each passing second I am trying so hard to hang onto to what is going on now because the future is rapidly moving forward and the past is so often forgotten.

But here is to a new year. I am going to miss them dearly I may actually even feel lonely......BUT.....Their sleeping in all day, feeding frenzy while being plugged into a game system won't be missed.

Lemons & Loopholes

Well, What do you do when life gives your lemons with Funny Bumps on them? Of course Draw a funny face on it
( I think I played way to much Ink Blotz as a kid. You can take any object and I have this habit of turning it into something else....so tell me, what do you see?)

( I think I see Big Birds love child.....).....

Anyway

Christopher got up early, nope no way was he going to get stuck doing the dishes this morning. He rose at a decent hour, 8:15.

he looked at the sink, and checked on Gabby, she was still fast asleep. I went ahead and told Christopher to take the trash out and poop scoop. He did with out any lip.

At 9:15 Gabby rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She noticed she was going to be the one stuck doing dishes.

This is where Christopher felt like he found a loophole. In his mind, he figured Gabby was the last one awake she would be stuck doing dishes, which is true. BUT HE WAS GOING TO HIT SNOOZY LAND as soon as Gabby Got up.

I told him..you have to help dry.......

Christopher was all like " I am tired"


I said 'take a nap later, but if you go to sleep now you will be the last one up and will have to dishes. '

Christopher "well, I won't be tired later......"

See, one kid may have to wash, but the other one has to dry.

Well lets just say


score
Mom 1
Kids 0

~*~ New Friends ~*~

I'll Keep...........

I will Keep My Guns & My Freedom
You Can Keep the Change
(if you want)

Me shooting a .30-30 Lever action.

sohpia and a bb gun




a pistol semi automatic 22








Hoping next time we visit we can shoot the AR and the shot gun..which frankly scares me!

No, I have not been hiding out in some bunker somewhere with my food rations....

Speaking of food however the garden has been a slow go with the weather.
it really has been a whirl wind, when spring started it was going along fine and dandy...then the midwest got pelted with major storms and lots of rain.

this year my goal for my garden is to harvest alot for canning . It will be hopefully a fun adventure.

We have been teaching the kids how to respect and handle guns. We visit a family friend and shoot on their land.

I will be finishing up a new dollie this week for sure!
Hope all are doing well

Heidi

It was SPOOKTacular!!

It Was BOOTastic!

A Day At The Beach

............NOT...............

No, It was not a day at the beach. We live in the Midwest and have never traveled very much outside our city limits.

It All Started When...

K-mart had these "easy set up pools" on sale.

Grandma thought it would be a good idea to get one for the kids

and sprang for the cost, I thought ok, I will buy the sand. (no biggie right?)

I thought 8 bags was enough, Then after opening and spreading the bags I quickly learned it was not. Christopher had a 25 dollar gift card from Wally World and sprang for more sand. another 8 bags was 25.59.

In the morning we spread the sand, it was not enough.

Ran to Wally World again. Like a drug addict I stood at the register buying more sand. I only had so much money.

I initially bought 10 bags..my card was denied.

I told the lady to ring me up for 8 bags. My card went through.

I thought, we need more sand.

I told her to ring me up for one more bag.

I dug up the change for 2.89 plus sales tax

I pushed my luck. I said run me for one more bag and I will use my card, it went through.

Perfect..now with all of this laid we have had a total of 36 bags of sand.

I started to set up the pool, I blew up the ring, formed the circle and put the hose in.

GROUND IS NOT LEVEL...

Really?

Yes..Really.

The slightest incline will throw it all off.

I prayed. My face was cupped in my hands as I asked what I should do. Looked in the yellow pages and found the closest topsoil distributor.

Called The sand man. I asked how much is sand. Well, a ton of sand is only 15 dollars. I was like holy crow, that is great then he said Delivery was 75..

******Sigh*******

Not having a truck I had to have it delivered. Not having money..had to Ask Grandma to borrow some.

The man to deliver the sand was promptly there with in the hour.

He backed in our drive and dumped the sand.

Ok, Now, when you think a TON you think ALOT?

RIGHT?

WELL, let me tell you that a TON OF SAND is nothing. I think he saw the bewilderment on my face. It was about 2 feet high at the highest point and and maybe 3 feet long

Being a gentleman he offered to bring more, but deliver it in his own truck.

Sure, sounded great right? I mean he did seem sincere.

I did not think he would actually follow through, so in the mean time me and the kiddos spread 1 ton of sand.

Put the tarps over the sand and put the pool in place.

We proceeded to fill the pool.

It was still not level..but it was better, so it did not bother me.

THEN LOW AND BEHOLD A GENTLEMAN PULLED IN MY DRIVE WAY WITH ANOTHER TON AND THEN SOME OF SAND.

My jaw dropped.

I was like, I knew you said you would come by..but I thought you were just being nice and saying that. I did not think you would actually come by.

We drained the pool (only a couple of gallons was in there..) moved the tarps..he backed his truck in and started to SHOVEL the sand out of his truck (almost 2 tons of it).

I offered the gentleman soda, tea, coffee, water..Pie..anything..He said he was fine.

I tried to pay him the money for the sand, he would not take it.

He proceeded to say he might not have enough to help people out monetarily..but said you can give more then money. (meaning your time)

He gave his time, He gave his sand...

He conveyed he was 1 of 4 kids when growing up and if someone would have brought sand (and a pool) to his family he would have been so grateful.

He simply just said "pay it forward."

Happy Birthday Christopher!!

Happy Birthday Christopher!!

HAPPY 13!!!

wOw..a teenager!!

Here is a picture from Christopher's FIRST B-day! lol