Busy Kids!

Well, Jason and Sarah are keeping me busy! haha
I am signing Sarah up for her first dance lessons! She starts next Wednesday. She is going to be so cute in those little leotards and dance shoes! I can hardly wait! She is very excited about it, too!

Jason is growing up so fast. He is really getting good at playing his electric guitar! Today, I had to take it to his school for a practice. They are having a mock TAKS test next week and he is leading the "pep rally" for it to get the kids excited about it! He gets to dress 50's style and play his guitar on stage in front of the whole school! He is really pumped up about that!

I am posting a few pics of him with his cowboy hat on practicing his guitar! He doesn't even wear this hat, but thought it was funny with his guitar! haha Needless to say, I think Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney and all those other little Nashville boys better watch out! Jason is a star on the rise! haha (He at least looks really cute in the hat!) Also, this is a logo I made for him to put on a t-shirt! It's just like the "iPod" logo, but with his guitar! I was impressed that I was able to make it look this good and he wants a huge poster of it for his room! haha

Hope you all are having a great day!

Sharon

Mocha Mama!

Well, I finally got an Espresso Machine! I AM IN LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the best invention since high heels and control top pantyhose!!!

Tonight, I made the kids tiny little hot mochas (hot chocolate) before bedtime. I put them in the tiny little espresso cups and they loved it. They are so cute! It's so fun to see them like what I like. They take pleasure in the silliest things...like me!

We had fun. We love the sound it makes as it steams the milk! We love the smell that fills the kitchen as it brews my espresso! We are going to have lots of fun with this. It's worth brewing just to fill the house with that Starbuck's aroma! I did get the Starbuck's Espresso at the grocery store and I have the complete recipe to make my own "Cafe Mocha" which is what I always buy at Starbuck's! I am so excited!

I feel like a Barista! (Definition: barista refers to one who has acquired some level of expertise in the preparation of espresso-based coffee drinks.)
I am by NO MEANS an expert..........but give me a few days! I can't wait to have friends over to have a Cafe Mocha or a cup of espresso! I want to learn to make "Froth Art" which I watched an ENTIRE episode on once on TLC or something like that! haha That's where when you pour the steamed milk or froth into the espresso, you do it in a way that makes a design! It's so cool! I am wayyyyyyyyyy far from that but I am GOING to learn it! My new goal! haha The top photo is one I found on google of some examples of froth art! Don't you know the kids would LOVE it if I can make a monkey face on top of their hot cocoa!?! I will not rest until I can! haha

I found a new website called coffeesnobs.com where you can read about all kinds of fun coffee stuff and tricks! I am loving it! I wish Todd liked coffee. This is fun, but I'd LOVE to be able to make him special coffee drinks. The art is lost on him. He kinda likes the smell, but that's about it. Me, I could set up a tent in the middle of Starbuck's, live and work there and I'd be thrilled! haha It's like walking into a long lost friend's house when I enter through the doors of our local coffee shop, Starbuck's or even Target nowdays where there is a full service Starbuck's! YIKES! Todd almost didn't want to move to Sherman based only on the fact that I may never leave Target! haha Two of my most favorite things under one roof! YIKES! If they put in a Chick-Fil-A.....me and the kids may actually live there! At least from 8 am until closing! haha

Well, I hope you all have a great week! Mondays are awful, but at least it's a holiday and the kids are out of school! Woohoo! If you're lucky enough to be off work today, do something fun and if you have to work.........try to have fun doing that! Love to all! Sharon

Here are the photos of my precious little friends with their "espresso"!

Here are some photos of Sarah playing in her Rose Petal Cottage. She loves that thing! Also, there's a few of Jason playing around. He got a helicopter from my dad for Christmas that he LOVES! Todd loves it, too! haha In one of the pics, Todd actually landed the helicopter on Jason's head! Jason looks a bit nervous!
There's also a picture of Jason with his newest best friend! HIS GUITAR! He loves this thing!

Love to all!
Sharon

Under the Sea Macaroni & Cheese!

Okay, so this is ridiculous, I know......but the kids LOVE it. I have to make this about 3 times a week! haha

You take a hot dog, heat in microwave. Then, cut it longways on both sides. Do not cut all the way to the top. Leave room for the "face". Spread on top of some mac & cheese and dot eyes, mouth, hair, etc. from mustard. You can sprinkle colorful goldfish on it to jazz it up, but we don't always have those in the cabinet! haha
Jason wanted me to take a photo of theirs this time. I made a boy and a girl octopus!
Enjoy & Have fun!

Sharon

Sarah's Ballerina Days...

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

If you click on the play button you can see pictures of Sarah learning to be a ballerina!

Crazy? ....Possibly.

LADIES, UNITE! CLUTTER IS CALLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Okay, so I'll admit, it may be possible that I have lost my mind. Today, for some reason, I woke up with the overwhelming desire to organize my house! ICK!

So, I started small......the coat closet by the front door. No big deal. I can handle this and knock it out in 15 minutes, tops, I say to myself. HA!
After dragging out every single thing that both of the kids had stuffed into it when I've told them to "clean up" without me watching them and then the things we drag in from the car, games, etc........The closet was clean...And then the living room was a wreck! Sarah was "helping" me by dragging everything out and playing with it. She colored, pulled out her dance mats and started dancing, dressing dolls and putting assorted hairbows that we had just found into her hair and her dolls' hair.

SO, I get the closet back in order......and the living room.....by taking all items to just whatever room they belong in. Basically, just setting them in the floor in that room and leaving them to tend to when and if I make it to that particular room.

Which, I may admit at this point...does not look like it will be today. (Especially since I decided that this attempt at organization was "blog worthy")

So, I moved onto my Laundry Room. Can you say it with me...."CHAOS!" "CHAOS, I TELL YOU!"

I managed to get any piece of laundry that had been misplaced to behind the dryer by falling off of the top after being piled on top of the dryer. Then, I managed to get the cabinets over the washer AND dryer cleaned and organized and even labeled! I am super-woman at this point! Invincible! Get back, clutter.......I'm coming after you! Do you know that I am embarrassed to tell you that I had not one, not two, not even three empty laundry detergent or bleach bottles in my laundry cabinets and room........but NINE empty containers!~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is no excuse for this and I don't know what I was going to do with all of these containers, but somewhere in my twisted little domesticated mind, I thought I may "need" these eventually for some reason! hahahahahahhahahahah HA!

Needless to say, I tossed em!

Now, I'm onto the kitchen to tackle mountains of canned food that I keep buying and forgetting that we already have in the cabinet. Anyone out there need some Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken soup? I am guessing by looking in the cabinets that I must purchase at least 2 can of each every single time I go into a store without realizing it! I told you I was crazy!

I hope that I am not the only mom who battles the cluttery mess that is my home! As soon as I finish the cabinets, I am going to tackle the mysterious "junk drawer"...all 14 of them! haha.........

Hope your day is going well! I'll post more when I feel more sane and more accomplished as a domestic diva!

good day!

Sharon

Makeover Day!

Today, Sarah & I had a "Makeover Day"! I put real makeup on her and we all dressed up. Even her poodle, Fifi got involved. She loved it! We had so much fun. She even put the tiara on me and a bow and a boa. SO silly...I know.....but Sarah had a blast. She loves her vanity that her Mimi & Pop got her for Christmas and she sat and stared at herself after I put the mascara and lipstick on her. She is so much fun and she is such a girly girl! Enjoy the pics! (I had on absolutely no makeup at the time of this photo........so sorry for the scary image! haha)

Top Ten Things you DON'T want to hear come from your child's mouth...(Besides bad words)

10. (from the bathroom) "MOOOOMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need help!"

9. "Somebody called while you were taking a bath, but I told them you were on the potty."

8. "Where's my pet frog?" (or lizard or hampster or snake! ICK!)

7. "What does this red button do?" (In any store or anywhere!)

6. "My eye itches."

5. "I need a kleenex!" (through a muffled sound because their hand is covering their face!) In the middle of church.......when you have NO Kleenex with you! On the front row.

4. "I drew up, mommy." (from a toddler whose been playing in the playland at Chick-Fil-A as you hear other kids come running and screaming to their mommies that someone threw up! Can you say "Time to GO?!")

3. "Look how pretty my blue liptick is, Mommy!" or "I painted the walls pretty for you, Mommy!" (only to find out it's non-washable ink)

2. "Why is there smoke in the kitchen, mommy?" (while you have forgotten you're cooking dinner and folding laundry at the same time!)

1. When you ask "Where did you get that gum?" and they politely tell you "From the bottom of my shoe!"


Okay, not my children have done ALL of these things........some of them are with inspiration from other friends' children! Thanks, guys! But kids can seem to say the perfect thing to make you want to hide under the nearest floor mat or area rug.
I know that my little darlings never cease to amaze me! I just thought any of you moms out there could relate to this and enjoy a moment of laughter as you ponder the things your children have said to you that would top this list! If you have any, please email them to me.......I'd love to post them on my blog. I can add your name...or not......whatever you want! BUT....the most outrageous one will win a prize valued at ZERO dollars....sorry........I'm broke! haha

BUT, I will post it with your name and photo of you and your kids on the top of my blog for a few days! That's something! Not much...but something!

Maybe someday, I'll be famous for this blogging thing (yeah, right...don't hold your breath) and you can say you were featured on it once upon a time!

My email is sharonswan@yahoo.com and I can't wait to hear from you all!

Happy Blogging! Sharon

Happy 2008!

Welcome to the New Year! TWO THOUSAND EIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!! WOA!

Just a few things I thought about tonight...

Jason will be permitted to drive a car in the year 2015.
Sarah in the year 2021.

Jason will graduate in 2018.
Sarah will graduate in 2024.

Jason will be of age to be married in the year 2024. (if he graduates college first!)
Sarah in the year............who are we kidding..........never.
Okay, just kidding...we'll let her marry..........someday. Maybe.
But no way am I putting an acceptable year in print! She'd hold me to it someday!

As if all of that's not quite scary enough....
Our grandkids will most likely be born between 2025 and 2040.
IN THAT CASE, they are going to think we are WAY old because we'll have to say...

"When I was born in 1972 or 1975....." Which will mean to them :
"WOA...you were born in the nineteen-hundreds?"
"Man, you really are old!"
hahahaha

Todd and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary in the year 2047!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so I hope I'm not the only one who looks at those year numbers and thinks....WOA...........is that possible? I mean, that looks REALLY wierd. I know 2000 looked wierd to us when it came, but I don't know what 2047 will look like!
By then, Apple will have invented some of the following...

iEat....A device that plugs into a USB port in your abdomen that in less than 3 seconds gives you an entire day's supply of nourishment and nutients ALONG with a variety of songs tailored to your daily routine.

iExercise...A machine which you can step inside of like a hampster and be completely tone and buff in a matter of minutes by attaching electrodes to specific power points on your body thus stimulating muscular movements and excercising your body without ever going to a gymnasium!

AND WITH ANY LUCK AT ALL.....And this is the one I hope for the most...

iLaunder...A hamper the size of a kleenex box that traps all the dirty clothes you can imagine and shrinks them to the size of a popcorn kernel, automatically detects the setting and temperature in which they should be laundered, sends those that must be dry cleaned through a teleport to the nearest iCleaners of your choice, after which within minutes recieves them back, folded, pressed and then pops them out into the ready and willing hands of your iDoItAll Robotic Maid (mine's going to be named Rosy!" and she will put them all away for you. Without complaining or claiming that there aren't any more clothes hangers.

Ahhh..........yes............the joys of hoping! I actually don't hope for any of these things. I hope only for love and peace and happiness. (Okay, maybe I still hope for the iLaunder.........and the robotic maid).....you all know me too well to believe I wouldn't hope for that!

At any rate, I hope you all have a great New Year and can look forward with anticipation to the years that lie ahead and do something in this new year that will help you prepare yourself for all the ones to come.

Love and Peace to you all!

Sharon

Christmas 2007

Well, Christmas has come and gone....again. Whew, how time flies! The kids got a lot of fun toys, we spent a lot of time together as a family and had a great visit with a lot of our family members and spoke to the ones we couldn't be with over the telephone.

We were thankful to have such a sweet Christmas this year. Our children had a blast and enjoyed every minute of it. Even the car ride to and from Lufkin was pleasurable this time! We may be making progress! I hope.

Todd got me a new iPod Nano for Christmas so I have been spending lots of time downloading my favorite music and photos! I haven't gotten to the "video" part of it just yet.......I'm good with music & pics, though!

We went to Lufkin for a few days before Christmas to spend time with Todd's family and to visit my Dad & Carol as well! We got to go to my Dad's church and listen to him play piano which I loved and then to their house for visiting which was a real treat. At Todd's parents we had the traditional Christmas feast on Christmas Eve before packing up and heading home. Christmas Eve night, Todd grilled steaks for us! They were so beautiful that I took a picture of them! See below!

On Christmas day, the kids woke up around 7:30 which is LATE for Christmas day! We enjoyed watching them see their presents from Santa and then opening gifts from us. They had so much fun. Then, Todd & Jason watched movies while I started preparing a Christmas dinner for us and my Grandparents! They came over for dinner. It was great! I made a HUGE turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and my very first Pecan Pie! (which, I also took a picture of!) Sarah & I got matching aprons for Christmas and wore them. She loves to "help" me cook. She's only mixing water and flour, but look how happy it makes her!

We probably had one of the best Christmases EVER this year. We got to spend a lot of quality time with those we love. I did wish we could have seen some more of those who weren't here, but there's always next year! I missed my sisters and brothers, my mom and some of my closest friends during the holidays, but they were with me in my thoughts.

I hope each and every one of you had a great Christmas and I hope your New Year is great as well! Love and peace to all!

Love, Sharon

Is there a Santa Claus?

Well, it's that time of year that the age old question dances around in little ones' heads........."is there a Santa Claus?" My eight year old is surely questioning this thought in his mind even if he wouldn't admit it.........if you don't believe, you don't recieve! SO, our pastor sent me a link to this editorial from September 21, 1897 regarding this question. I think this is such a great editorial! I personally know that the spirit of Santa is alive today; in every mother who asks for help in getting gifts for her children because she cannot work, for every father who works overtime this time of year to provide special treats for his family on Christmas morning, for every family that takes joy in giving of their time and gifts to others who are not as fortunate........this story is for you! Merry Christmas!

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.


"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.