I love chocolate pudding

Well, I didn't win the contest that I was working on for my Top Secret Blog Project. Bummer!

BUT

I did finally get my birthday present hung on the wall.  [Yep, my birthday was in March.  Ahhhhh, well at least it's done.]

Here it is.  It's awesome! 

I've been struggling for months with all of my jewelry getting tangled up in piles in my jewelry box.  I actually have two jewelry boxes that sit on top of my dresser and it still isn't turning out to be adequate storage for all of my necklaces, bracelets, and rings.

Sell some of my jewelry, you say?  Well, I already did that back at my gold party in March.  I made over $300 and sold a few of the pieces I never wear anymore.  I still found that I wasn't wearing a lot of my necklaces because they were buried in a tangled pile of mess in my jewelry box. 

I knew I had to do something about it but I didn't want to spend money on yet another piece of furniture that we didn't even have the room for (like those freestanding jewelry boxes that a lot of people have these days).  I asked my mom if she'd make me a jewelry display board to hang on my bedroom wall and for my birthday she did!

She used an old frame she already had and then covered a cut piece of foam board with a piece of fabric. It fit right inside the frame.

I hung my necklaces and bracelets on push-pins I stuck into the foam board and then hung the entire thing on my wall.  It's so pretty and much, much easier to see all of my stuff now.  

Thanks, Mom!  You're the best!

overheard

Overheard in my house recently:



Jules: (scooting over on the couch behind Jonathan) Dad, do you want a massage?
Jonathan: Sure
Jules: (placing her hands on his back) Well, I don't really know what a massage is.
Jonathan: That's okay. I like to have my back scratched better anyway.




-----


Me: Josh, it's time to go take a nap.
Josh: No night-night!
Me: Yes, Josh you have to go to sleep so we can go outside later.
Josh: No!
Me: (heading over to pick him up)
Josh: (flopping on the fireplace) Josh sleep fireplace


-----



Me: (yapping away on the phone to my sister)
Jules: Nanna, Mama's gossiping.
Nanna: You're right Jules, she is!


-----


(Jules was getting her hair "cut" after we all had ours cut and this conversation took place with Jonathan's step-mom.)

Sharon: Jackson got a sweet letter from you yesterday, Jules. Do you like writing letters?
Jules: Yeah.
Sharon: Do you practice reading and writing each day?
Jules: Well, not really.  Yesterday I just finished entering 152 Pokemon into my database.
Sharon: Oh you did?! So let's talk about where you're going to go to college!

there's a good reason I never became a beauty consultant

Over a month ago, the kind folks at Mary Kay sent me a fun package.  I was so excited to see what it was.

 

 When I opened the box this is what I found.

 It was a gift bag full of fun products and a new catalog. 

 I received the Beautiful Brown Mineral Eye Color Bundle and Mineral Cheek Color.  It came with the three eye colors for brown eyes, cheek color, eye applicators, and the Mini Compact shown below.  I have to admit that this was a delight to assemble.  I'm not even a huge make-up wearer and I still had an absolute blast putting the colors in the compact.  It was like Christmas!  The make-up is held in by a magnet and then the eye color and cheek color palette lifts up to reveal the brushes tucked away underneath.  Score!

I've used this several times over the last month or so and I have to say that I'm enjoying it.  I'm getting better at applying the eye color [certainly not good enough to post a pic on the blog though!] and maybe learning a little about wearing make-up.  [Mom: Yes, I know it's about time! Yes, I realize I'm 33! Yes, I am enjoying taking better care of ME!]

Thanks Mary Kay and BlogHer!  Y'all are awesome!

two seconds

That's the amount of time it took me to turn my back tonight and hang up his towel. I turned around and found this:

heavy stuff around here lately

picture from Amazon

The Kid by Sapphire was the latest book I read for BlogHer's Book Club.  You may have heard more about her first book, Push. The movie Precious was based on that book and this book, The Kid, is the story about her son.  Head on over to my post at BlogHer Book Club to read my thoughts after muddling through the book.

twenty-one months

Dear Joshua,

You're twenty-one, brother! No, not twenty-one years. Twenty-one months. 

In the next couple of weeks when you go back to school, we're in for some rough days. I just know it.  And I'm already dreading it.  You have become quite attached to me as I've been home with you this summer.  You cling to my legs and say "Hold you" to me all the time.  You cry the silent, open mouthed, horrible face cry whenever I leave you with anyone. You want no one but mama. I know that will change after a week or two of school but it will be rough getting into the routine at first.

Thank goodness you having been eating better than you used to.  You are always going to be the child of mine that doesn't eat, I fear, but at least this month you've been eating some.  [I don't want those baby rolls to disappear just yet!]  I can almost always get you to eat a hot dog now and the yogurt/cheese/dairy standby usually works.  Plus, you'll still eat lots of different fruits.  I suppose I'm satisfied with that.  It's just not worth the battle that ensues to try to get you to eat more.

Your sister and I have spent a lot of time outside playing in the water with you this summer. You absolutely love it.  We can get your little legs to move pretty fast if we suggest we go put your bathing suit on.  It's also kinda like when Daddy asks if you want to go for a ride in the truck.  You'll high-tail it anywhere at the mere mention of either of these two things. 

Speaking of riding in the truck.  Your father has been letting you ride on his lap and "drive" his truck around the neighborhood as well as the lawn mower and you are enthralled with both tasks.  You're a total BOY and it's hard to be mad at him for letting you do something so dangerous when you look so stinkin' adorable doing it with him.

You also had your first trip to the dentist a few weeks ago.  You are such a brave little man.  You only had to be gently coaxed to have your teeth counted and then cleaned.  You did great and I was so impressed.  I thought for sure someone who does this:

a the slightest clap of thunder would be scared to death of the hygienist's tools.

Anyway, like most kids your age you love everything outdoors and don't even mind mosquito bites on your head as long as it means you get to go outside and play.  You play a mean croquet game, just ask Uncle Seth to tell you about that one someday.

You love to climb.  Daddy and I have started talks about when to switch you to a real bed instead of a crib. Thank goodness your legs are short.  Even though you've hit a growth spurt and grown over 1.75 inches in the last month and a half, you're still shorter than most kids your age.  Completely different than your sister.  I think we'll keep you anyway.  I mean, you can't climb out of your crib so that's worth something, right?

Last week we took you to get a short haircut.  The funniest thing was that you didn't cry or protest until I sat down to get mine cut after you were done.  I don't know if you didn't want me to get my hair cut or what but it was kinda funny to hear you cry over that after you had sat so still while your own hair was buzzed.

Next week we go back to the hospital to get your eye checked out again.  It still runs all the time so I'm sure we're headed for surgery.  My only concern is them putting you to sleep in order to hold you still for the doctor to fix it.  I know you'll be better off after all is done, but a mama still worries.  I suppose I always will worry about something.  That's just one of the not-so-good things about being a mama. Joshua, thank you for giving me the never-ending list of good things.

I love you, Buddy!
Love,
Mama