Easter

We had a wonderful Easter weekend here in beautiful southeastern Idaho! Saturday and Sunday were gorgeous days! A nice change from snow, wind & cold.

Enjoy this lovely video!

Oh Frabjous Day!

Oh my, this fabric is a-mazing! And themed just for my neck of the woods! *stretching* *cracking knuckles* Let's get this fabric party started!

1001 Peeps; Fabric line by Lizzy House
Find it here!

Guess what?

Guess who got glasses today?

JACQUI!!
She loves her new glasses! She likes these frames because they are pink & purple and have flowers on the sides.

And she picked these because they are pink & the stems are sparkly! She loves her new glasses and, believe it or not, likes seeing everything clearly! Once she got them, she wouldn't quit pointing out "new to her" details; "Look, that grandma has a smoothie!" (said about the lady at Sam's Club, 4 tables over) Everything she brought to our attention was a good 20 feet away; amazing what glasses will do for a kid.

We knew this day would eventually come. I mean c'mon, with parents like us, I'm amazed we've made it this far without one of our offspring sporting glasses yet! Spence got glasses in high school & I got glasses in third grade. Last April, I had laser PRK surgery and went from 20/400 vision to 20/20!

Exhibit A:

(that's my wee sister, Hannah. i was 15, she was 7 months)

When we were running the medical clearance gauntlet for Bahrain (last spring), Jacqui failed the eye test. They do a structural something test, no letter or shape reading. So she had to go to an independent optometrist for a "real" eye exam. Long story short, the Dr. said that glasses weren't necessary right now, but if she started having headaches and complaining about her vision, to get an eye exam. Fast forward about 6 months, Jacqui starts having headaches. So what is the first thing I do when we are evacuated? Make an appointment at the optometrist's office. She's got an astigmatism (which the dr. said she showed symptoms for 'classically': meaning that headaches are a big red exclamation point) and is near-sighted.

I am a bit in mourning. Don't get me wrong, I think she's as cute as a bunny's tail & twice as delicious as a cream puff with those itsy, beensy glasses! But I will miss the way she used to look. I'm in mourning for the independence she's lost. Believe me, I know what it's like to suddenly have glasses, then have to decide whether I like sledding blind or just watching everyone. (I sledded blind) The same with swimming. And glasses are *so* much more adorable these days and have such variety, gone are the windshields-posing-as-glasses.Might I also add that they are a lot more tough; springy hinges & flex frames.

Exhibit B:

(isn't everyone so cute? and yes, i picked those glasses out myself. they were mostly clear. to my 11 year old self, that seemed the best way to make them invisible.)

Keep on keeping on

A person is predictable.

Interesting observation: Everyone seems more purposeful in the morning. We all know where we're headed; to work, school, wherever. By afternoon, this purposeful thread has unraveled and everything seems more random. Or maybe I'm just more random.

I'm not an extremely crafty person. I'm just very scattered. I like doing a wide spectrum of activities and it just so happens that craft stores fill all of my random past times.

If I had to pick the number one thing I miss about being stateside, it's a close tie between craft stores & Target. I can go in a craft store with a half-formed idea & come out with a complete one & an empty shopping basket. I don't always buy something when I go to JoAnns, Porter's, Michael's, etc. There isn't as much "homemaking/crafting" window shopping to be done overseas, or more specifically, in the Middle East. Though, in Bahrain's defense, their fabric souk is a-mazing! Their notions shops are my lifesavers! It's just that access to it isn't as quick & easy. I mean, nothing is as quick & easy as in your home country (don't ask me why, I'm still figgering on that one), you just have to get used to the challenges.

I had a particularly pleasurable and carefully calculated trip to JoAnn's on Tuesday. JoAnn's is having a great Spring sale; 50% off coupons, 30 & 40% off other inventory! I just loved the bottom of the receipt where it says how much I saved. Mine said, " $64.35". Even more satisfying was that the 'saved' amount was almost equal with my 'spent' amount, within $10!

Top row, L-R: Book, 'Let's draw Happy People' - 30% off ($7.85); Book, 'Artful Paper Dolls' - 30% off ($12.45); super cool double sided notions storage case. See how it opens? 40% off ($7.95);
Bottom row, L-R: Book, 'Wee Wonderfuls' - 40% off ($13.45); light tracer that I have *so wanted* forever!! Used my 50% off coupon - usually $50, now $23.95; Book, 'Crochet Boquet' - 40% off ($6.95)


I felt like an 'Extreme Couponer' on that TLC show! I've been pacing myself, once the Spring Sale is over, I'll only go once a week. Twice, no, only every other day. Er, I'll get back to you on that one . . . .

You sickos . .

Dear Panda Express Fortune Cookie writers,

You have a sick sense of humor.

I got nothin'

It's April and it's snowing. Though it is Idaho, so it's all par for the course.

(and what does that mean? i mean, i know what it *means* but maybe it's because i don't play golf. a lot of people use that expression, but i'll bet 3/4ths of them don't play golf.)

I want to plant things. I want to dig in the dirt. Not dig through suitcases barfing clothes all over the floor. I'm trying to get things organized again after moving from the hotel in Rexburg to a better one in Idaho Falls. (we have a full size fridge, a two ring stove and a kitchen sink.)

I want a yard. I want to build a tree house. Why can't I be all put together enough to run an etsy shop like this? sarahjanestudios

Instead, I'm sitting here in a recliner, watching Star Trek: Next Generation reruns and blathering on about nothing on my blog. Hmph. And I think the Dairy Queen commercials are trying too hard. They seem like they're just trying to copy the Old Spice success with randomness.



Life is in a slump. Oh, and the institution that signs our paychecks may be shutting down for a while. I'm satisfied to just eat trail mix & drink a Diet Coke. While the kids veg out on cartoons & go all 'Lord of the Flies' on each other.

Oooh look, a snowflake! I think I need a blizzard, even though I hate the commercials.

They're ba-ack!

Dun-dun-dun. The pink is back and I'm loving every minute of it! And have I said how much I love the camera on my phone! It rocks.

Dream a little dream

I have never been "into" cars. I like cool looking ones and the colors are very pretty. But I have never pined away after a certain model or year. I think it's a boy thing. Though to be fair, I was never really a girly girl. Most of my friends were boys; that was probably due to my involvement in TaeKwon Do from the ages of 13 to 18. Most girls didn't last longer than their yellow belt, i.e. about 3 months; so I was always around boys & considered "one of the guys" and I was okay with that. It felt like a group of brothers.

Anyway, back on topic, I'm not really a car enthusiast. I can't spot a car and go, "Oooh, the '73 Porche, now that's a sweet ride!" I'm more like, "Ooo, look at that . . . Porche?" My husband would sweetly reply, "That's a Ferrari, honey." Whatevs.

There is only one car that makes my heart go pitter-patter. And that is a '67 Ford Mustang hardtop base nose. Almost the same as the one Steve McQueen (heart goes pitter-patter again) drove in 'Bullitt', except is a '68 GT Fastback.

The point to this whole backlog of info? I was driving back from picking the kids up, when we rounded a curve in the road, and at that curve is a car dealership. It seemed as if the cars parted, like a shiny wave of metal, and a spotlight fell on the newest addition to the lot. A '67 Ford Mustang. Hardtop. Base Nose. I think the whole world just went into slow motion & some dreamy music started playing. I called Spencer (I had just gotten off the phone with him) and managed to communicate what I was *touching*! (yes, of course I pulled over and ran with open arms toward him) ((him, her, what is a proper car's gender?)) It was an exhilarating afternoon. He even smelled like new car.

So it wouldn't take a genius to guess who is the proud new owner?


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Not me. *sob* April Fool's! Though everything else in this post is true. 'Except for the 'Me Owning a '67 'Stang'. Again, *sob*