The March Hare

This is a great title to my post. Why? Because I am going nuts over all the stuff happening this month here at Casa de Aggie. This week brings dental appointments, tax prep, birthday party, and then, just when I thought Spring Break meant just that, I find that two kids have ROTC commitments and then family portraits, and then Son’s birthday, and after that I may be able to go out of town to visit family and deliver last Christmas gifts.

And this is all before the 18th of this month.

And after they go back to school, it’s Spring Concert season. YAY ME!!

This is what I look like, only with a sweatshirt. And clean shaven.

Sadly, the one thing I had to look forward to is no longer on the schedule, but at least the year is winding down, and the countdown goes on.

I’m just grateful to have coffee.

When is Easter?? 😉

Why-Oh-Gee-Ay: YOGA!!

As most of you know, I am not the most active gal around. I hate exercise. Well, I hate running. I hate doing the stair machine. Elliptical is the devil’s work. You get my drift. Even Sweating to the Oldies was a bit too hectic for me. I used to have a membership in a gym a long time ago, and while it was nice to get away for a while, I always felt intimidated by the people working out. It seemed to me like I was crashing a Gold’s Gym commercial.

But I’m growing older, and I’m starting to feel the aches and pains that come with the grey and the wrinkles. Several friends have suggested I try Yoga. Now, I’m in no shape to be twisted like a pretzel so that I can achieve inner peace. I have balked at trying it because I don’t have elastic ligaments and don’t relish the thought of trying to do a Chinese split or bend over backwards to touch my toes with my nose. However, my new friend Elizabeth (who photographed me for the TRD) is getting her certification as a Yoga instructor, and it just seems like Fate is pointing me in that direction. Either that, or this Lent thing is really playing havoc with my head.

So, I think I will try Yoga, with the possibility of either becoming very fit and flexible (SHUT. UP!!), or relegating myself to Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum as the world’s only living pretzel.

I’m hoping for the former. But the latter could bring fame and fortune. It’s a toss up 😉

I Need an Intervention, or More Space in My Closet

So y’all are familiar with my quest for the perfect tote bag, and how it happened that Vera Bradley finally had a print that I really, really like. Well, I didn’t just buy the tote. I had to buy the stuff that matches, too. And they also had another print I liked, one that was more… autumn. Anyway, now that I have acquired my tote bags and purse and stuff, I have to make room for them in my closet, which means I have to get rid of the stuff I don’t use.

Last night I started to clean out the “purse stockpile”. Now, I am not one to buy purses just because they are pretty and have a fun print or it’s on sale. Ok, maybe the “on sale” bit is true. But I did go through a period where I was looking for the “right” purse. My sister has a really nice one that looks like a tote bag (heh!), one I gifted her (double heh!), but one that would be way too big for me. As I took stock of my purses, I noticed that they were all roughly the same size, and same color: small to mid-size, and shades of brown. Brown goes with everything, see? So does black, but I only have one, and it’s an evening bag. Go figure.

Now, I have made a rule for myself: for everything I buy, two things of equal volume and/or mass have to go out*. Hubby can’t stand having a lot of “stuff” in the house, so this rule will help with the clutter. I wanted to count furniture in that rule, but our furniture he likes, so that’s out. But pretty much knick knacks and sundry is fair game. This Spring will sure be fun….

*Except fashion jewelry. That’s on a one-to-one ratio 😉

Irony: I Have It

And it’s apparently a supplement for me.

Yesterday I was telling y’all about getting back into cross-stitching. Today, I have to put it on hold. A friend of mine is having a rough time of things, and we decided to get together to scrapbook this week. We got nothing done yesterday, since we decided to be more of a support group. But today, we took inspiration from Jennifer McGuire:

Courtesy of Jennifer McGuire

So, cross-stitch on hold, until my version of this beautiful collage is done!

Southern Cross

I used to do cross-stitching a long time ago. In fact, I still have several projects going.

Projects that have been years in the making.

As much as I like doing scrapbooking and altered art, I think it’s time I got back into cross-stitching. It’s something I can do while sitting with the kids, and let’s face it: the mess is minimal. Besides, Hubby bought me a ton of embroidery floss and it’s a shame to see it sitting at the bottom of the closet, a riot of color peeking up accusingly at me every time I go in to get paper or glue.

That is the alphabet, designed from a sketch Hubby made waaaaay back in 1988, while in college. You will notice the date I finished it. I’m a bit slow, but hopefully I will get the rest of the projects done this year.

I just need to not start any new ones 😉

Steampunk’d

As y’all may or may not know, I am a fan of Steampunk. I love the look of it, and apparently Eldest does, too. Today we are starting to change her room around to accommodate all of her junk the new decor.

I have plans….

She doesn’t know it yet, but a lot of the stuff I plan to use will be coming from the local flea market, as well as Lowes™. We are talking copper pipes, fittings, ventilation ducts, PVC, faucet knobs, pulley wheels, and any random stuff I can find to give an “antique” look.

She may or may not agree with my take on the room, but I know what I’m doing. Some would argue that I am living vicariously through her, since I can’t do it to my room. And some would be right 😉

If Only I Were a Metal Detector

I’m 45 years old, and it just came to my attention that I have a rather nice gift: I can find things. Well, most people have that talent, but I seem to excel at finding things for other people, especially when I am not familiar with their particular environment.

I remember coming home for a visit. Sister #3 had moved into the back bedroom, leaving my youngest sister (#4) to enjoy the front bedroom all to herself. Anyway, Sis #3 had plans to go to a friend’s house and couldn’t find her keys. She was looking everywhere, even in Sis #4’s sanctum, which wasn’t well met. Sis #3 was frantic, asking everyone if they had seen her keys, because she HAD to go to Laura’s house like right now!!! I got up from the breakfast table, went to her room (AKA, the the DMZ), stood right by the closet, dropped my arms as if I were dropping my purse, and looked down through the debris to find her keys. Sis #3 couldn’t believe it, but since she was already late, she threw me a kiss and flew out the door. I did that twice again for her that weekend, looking for a lipstick and her favorite pen.

And just this morning, Eldest was once again running late, because she couldn’t find her uniform cap. She swore she saw it with her uniform just yesterday morning. I asked her where he uniform had been, and she pointed to the smallest pile of crap in her room. So, I looked perpendicular to it, finding yet another pile, which incidentally contained the bag that she used for her AFJROTC shindig last week. I opened the bag, and extricated numerous articles of ROTC value, the last one being her cap. Suuuuuuuuuure she looked all over for that… Oh, and yes, she will be cleaning her room and doing her laundry today.

It never fails. If something needs to be found in this house, I’m the one to do it. Probably because I am the one who knows where stuff goes around here 😉

Yelling at Paper, and Why I Don’t Run With Scissors

I’m trying to be more involved in scrapbooking this year, so I joined a little club on Facebook that has been a lot of fun. One thing we do is card swapping: we all make a few of the same card and then exchange them. It’s fun, and amazing to see the amount of creativity on display, not to mention we learn new techniques and shortcuts.

Normally, this is not a big deal for me. Making cards is therapeutic, and I enjoy knowing that someone appreciates the effort put into it. But sometimes, nothing goes right.

NOT my room, but close enough. Courtesy of Carfter.org

I had purchased lovely heart embellishments, since we are making Valentine’s Day cards, and now I can’t find them. Usually I resort to doing my scrapping on the floor, since I don’t have a nice, large, comfortable table from where to spread the destruction. As I was looking for the little hearts, I realized that my precious Tonic™ scissors are missing. These are teflon coated and sharp, and I tell my kids to always put them back when done. GAH!!! On top of that, as I sat on the floor to cut the paper I needed with the paper trimmer (which I call Bladerunner™), the bottle of my favorite glue tipped over against my thigh, and as I moved, my thigh was attracting all manner of pieces of scrap paper laying about. My frustration knew no bounds this morning, manifesting itself as I screamed bloody murder to sheets of paper, who in turn were lucky that I couldn’t stab them with my scissors.

So, here I sit at the kitchen table, preparing another mess, and wondering if I could convince Hubby to get a new pub style table for the breakfast area so I could use this one for my scrapbooking. There is always a plan 😉

Cleaning Day

Here are a few tips to make cleaning your home for guests more enjoyable!

Dirty windows: Leave them be! The dirt actually filters harmful UV rays that can cause skin cancer, acting like an SPF 25 for you and your family.

Cobwebs: They act like a dimmer switch on your lightbulbs. Best romantic light, ever!

Dust: It’s your very own Etch-a-Sketch™ on every surface. It will keep kids entertained for hours.

Messy kitchen: Don’t sweat it. That’s a sign of an industrious person. Simply pat some flour on your face and light a food scented candle, making sure to serve coffee cake you picked up at the bakery the hour before.

Pet hair: Simply sweep it to the corners, and let everyone know you are collecting it for stuffing for the pet toys. RECYCLING WIN!!

Stained carpets: Regale people with stories of the wonderful parties you have hosted, making sure to point out how Aunt Minerva spilled her wine from laughing so hard at your wit.

I hope you have enjoyed the tips and tricks I use for a fabulous Cleaning Day. Remember: don’t sweat the small stuff 😉

Apparently I Shouldn’t Be Trusted With Wine, Either

Last Saturday night, I was invited to a wine party hosted by a friend, where we would be participating in a gift exchange involving ornaments. We had a great time, and if anyone ever gets the opportunity to form a wine club, do so!! Yes, it’s mostly ladies who meet, but the gentlemen also have to opportunity to be fawned over and treated as kings of the moment.

Wine does that to women, you know.

Anyway, because I am the only one of the group that doesn’t live in the neighborhood, I have to drive, so my alcohol intake is very minute. At most, I drink maybe half a glass, and then just have water. When I get home, I will then have a glass of wine before bed. That’s pretty harmless, unless you happen to get a phonecall from a friend.

Friend: I was wondering if you could do me a favor.

Me: Sure, what’s up?

Friend: I have a gift exchange coming up, and I would like to give something more personal than a gift card.

Me: What did you have in mind?

Friend: Well, one of your canvases would be perfect.

Me: Oh sure! I can do one. Any theme in particular you would like?

Friend: Christmas, or Harley Davidson?

Me: Christmas it is…

So now I have yet another project to do this week. That makes about 20. But most of them are ornaments like this one:

Busy week for me, but at least I’ll be doing something I love, right?

I just hope I don’t glue myself to the chair…again…. 😉