Birthday Greetings to the Fifth McGarvey (or is she the first?)

Thinking of you today. Hope you had a fantastic birthday!
Love you,
The Four Other McGarveys

Layout Share.

This page started out as an assignment for BHG. They didnt like it so it sat on my desk about a 1/3 way done for about a week. When I began making the layout again last night, the page ventured into a different direction than what had previously been created. The BHG assignment was very specific about the colors I had to use. However, once the page was rejected I was able to go in whichever direction I wanted. This is where I ended up and I like it.

The picture (which I love!) was taken in the Puerto Vallarta airport after our Mexican vacation last summer. I remember the moment exactly: we were waiting for our plane and I had my camera out when my mom came behind Finn and pulled him in for a big hug. His face at first kind of grimaced, but then quickly turned into a huge, authentic smile.Good memories. I journaled on the back quite a bit about Finner and his unique personality.

Happy Monday everyone. :)

Do You Know The Way to Mataguay?

My boys are back!
Matt and Finn participated in their first cub scouts campout this weekend. They had a great time but were seriously tired and dirty upon arriving home. The short hand notes from Matt are as follows:

Finn enjoyed:
BB gun range
camp fires
night hike
arts and crafts
being with friends

Finn did not like:
long lines
food
skits

The last thing on Finn's dislike list actually turned out to be a good thing. Apparently Finn became highly anxious and terrified about doing a skit with his den one evening. He got himself really worked up about it - at first complaining and later crying. I am told the skits are a big part of being a scout. Matt says they are used to build confidence in the boys. Finn definitely lacks confidence so I understand why he would be freaked out about performing in front of hundreds of strangers. Thankfully, there were some really sweet boys in Finn's pack that coaxed him into the process. In the end, Finn ended up doing the skit with his den and actually enjoying it. :)

Matt bought a small point and shoot camera specifically to take pictures for this weekend. Im grateful. When he showed me the pics earlier today he said "I know its not much but I think I have enough for a scrapbook page. Do you think?" Totally. Its gonna be neat scrapping my first scout page. Here are a few of his photos.

Were they Really That Small?

I did a bad thing this morning. I was trying to find an old picture on our external hard drive when I stumbled upon some older pictures of the boys. I cant believe they were ever that small? Look:



Seeing Finner with that little bowl haircut and Seamus with those missing teeth sent me into a state of longing for those early years. Its such an odd feeling seeing them like this. When this picture was taken Seamus was in 1st grade. I know because he lost his first tooth in first grade. It was his top one. They all started falling out quickly afterward. Seamus was five in 1st grade so that would make Finn 3. My God how they have grown.

And then I found this one of Finner:



Look at his grubbly little hands cupped around Matt's face. He still does that - he grabs our faces and rubs them with his dirty little fingers. He's our touchy feeling boy - he's always been like that. I can actually smell him when I look at this picture. He always had a distinctive little boy smell: a musty smell of grass and dirt and little boy saliva.

But the real kicker was this shot of Seamus:



We are having one helluva time with Seamus right now and seeing this picture actually brought tears to my eyes. I thought I had it so tough back then. HA! Stupid me. I had no clue what was coming. Shea didnt have his eyebrow scar yet. That happened in 2nd grade when he fell out of a small tree and hit his head on a rock. Twenty one stitches. I always thought his face looked like a merry little elf - heart shaped with pointy- ish little ears. He used to play like I imagined an elf would - always busy, determined, and with 100% enthusiasm. His eyes seem rounder in this picture, but that look he is giving me is the same as today. Actually, no... the look in the picture is a bit more pleading than today. Not as angry or accusatory or irritated. That look says "Mama... I neeeeed to do whatever you are asking me NOT to do. Im going to do it. I have to. " Oh my sweet Seamus. Where have you gone?

Im reading this horrible book right now where the protagonist's daughter tells him that he lives too much in the past. Its a problem. He likes to sit and revel in his past experiences at the expense of living his life in the present. When I see these pictures I can understand how people get caught up in things they cant ever get back. I can honestly say that Im not sure I want to go back and re-live my early years with the boys. From one standpoint I do. It would be a gift to undo the mistakes Ive made and try again with new found wisdom. But that kind of reverie isnt what Im talking about. When I look at these photos I dont think of the things I could I have done better. Instead I think of the things I didnt appreciate more - the little things. I feel an overwhelming ache to experience those little details just one more time. And this time I'd enjoy it. Idl slosh around in those moments like a fat pig does the mud. I would love to sit among my young sons and listen to them laugh. They used to feed off each other's laughter: the sound like captured moths hitting around in their chests, rapid and wild. I miss how they used to speak - their intonations and the squeakiness of their voices. I miss the days when they would play outside all day - long before they knew what videogames were, before the computer.

I should stop this now. Im starting to get sucked in.

If I Were President.

If I were President by Finn McGarvey, Grade 2.


Ok... I know the handwriting isnt really neat. But you have NO IDEA how much neater this is from his norm. I can tell he was really trying hard to write legibly on this assignment. And yes... the paragraph is basically a huge run on sentence. It'll come in time. If he keeps writing, it will most certain come in time.

But the sentiment. (((sigh))) Isnt he just adorable? He is such a sweet boy.

Sing Me A Song, You're the Piano Man.

I saw this image today on a favorite design blog called design is mine.



The image was shown to pimp out the food, but i coudlnt get past that gorgeous looking piano. Wow.

I have always had a thing about the piano.

-I took piano lessons for a few years. I cant remember how many now - but it was more than a few. Mrs Williams and Mr. Crocker were my teachers. At first I really loved it. My mom would make me practice everyday. But towards the end it became more of a chore than something I enjoyed so I stopped.

- After taking piano lessons, I would play "air piano" to the music at church. They usually sang the same 30+songs and I knew them all by heart. However, I had never played any of them on a real piano. In church, I would wait for the hymn to start and then I play it by ear on the pew in front of me. I did this until my junior or senior year in high school. Once I became an upperclassman, I took a typing class. Instead of playing the air piano to the church hymns, I would air type what the priest was saying.

-I am very instantly drawn to artists and music where the piano is dominant. Elton John, Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright, Tori Amos, David Gray, Bruce Hornsby, Coldplay. I love hearing those piano melodies. They suck me in.

-I would like to have a piano in our house someday. I know its a crazy idea considering our home is so small. There is absolutely no room for it... but a girl can dream right?

-I grew up with a piano in our house. I think it might have belonged to one of our relatives originally?? Im not sure why I think that - probably something I heard as a kid. The piano was very modest looking and the color of blonde wood. Im sure I played it more than anyone else in our family. When my parents built their house in the 1990s, the piano disappeared. I have no idea where the it went, nor have I asked. I think Im afraid to know the answer. I breaks my heart to think it was given away to goodwill or something.

- One New Years Eve back in the early 90s I attended a party at Sally Struthers house in LA. I was with Kira and Linnea. Ms. Struthers wasnt there, but there were a handlful of us who were. Dont ask me how this all came about. I honestly cant remember to save my life. What I do remember is Sally Struthers had a big, black, shiny grand piano in her house. It was beautiful. When I saw it I gasped - it was that beautiful. Sometime during the evening, this bald, 30 something guy sat down at the piano and started playing songs by heart. The songs werent anything I recognized, nor were they sing along tunes. Instead they were long, melancholy melodies that seemed to roll out of this man and take over the room. I remember watching him play. He was totally into the music - tuning out everything and everyone else in the room. I had been introduced to this guy earlier in the party and he didnt strike me as anything fantastic, but when he sat down at the piano and began to play he suddenly became the most interesting man in the whole house. I was mesmerized by him and highly attracted. I remember trying to talk to him after he played, but he was totally not interested. Picture it: me following around this much older man trying to engage him in any kind of conversation. It was very pathetic. I thought about that guy for weeks after the party. The way he played that piano was captivating to me.

Good Advice

Finn: Mama, you really shouldnt take pictures of me when you're driving.
Me: Im not driving. We're at a stop light.

Cute Questionaire

I was on Facebook this evening waiting for Matt to come home and I saw that my friend Jennifer did an interview with her daughters. I decided to do the same.

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Seamus: I love you. She always calls me Seamito too.
Finn:I love you. You're the best 8 year old in the world.


2. What makes mom happy?
Seamus: When I eat my lunch.
Finn: Scrapboking

3. What makes mom sad?
Seamus: When I dont eat my lunch
Finn: When Seamus hit me with a shovel.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Finn: When she reads us the Fudge books.
Seamus: Yeah... the torturous Fudge books.

5. What was your mom like as a child?
Seamus: She looked like me but a girl
Finn: Nice, a girl, freckles, funny

6. How old is your mom?
Seamus: 38
Finn: 35

7. How tall is your mom?
Seamus: small
Finn: tall

8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?
Seamus: nothing
Finn: Jon and Kate plus Eight

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Seamus: scrapbook, run errands, work in the school
Finn: go on the computer

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Seamus: scrapbooking
Finn: making people clean their rooms real good

11. What is your mom really good at?
Seamus:caring for us, doing two peas, typing, packing a lunch that is impossible to eat, like, we get the biggest lunch in the class. I like it but its hard to eat everything.
Finn: scrapbooking, being picky about homework and neatness

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Seamus: being nice sometimes, baking,
Finn: playing videogames, running, being mean (Seamus' reply to Finn's answer "that means you need to be meaner to him, Mama.")

13. What does your mom do for her job?
Seamus: scrap
Finn: nurse's office

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Seamus: I forgot. Wait... BRUNOS!
Finn: Panatone or something like that.

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
Seamus:That she always helps out at the school office and that everyone at school thinks she's nice.
Finn: That she bought us webkins, that she loves me.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Seamus: Mickey Mouse
Finn: I dont know

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Seamus: nothing cool ... we're always together. We went to Tahoe together. And Pennsylvania. And Mexico
Finn: We went to Joshua Tree, we go to school, we go to Seamus and my games, we go shopping

18. How are you and your mom the same?
Seamus: we look alike; sometimes she's mean and sometimes Im mean, sometimes she's nice and sometimes Im nice.
Finn: We love each other. We both get mad at Seamus when he lies.

19. How are you and your mom different?
Seamus: Our hair cut is different, and hair color is different, and Im good at running. She's not.
Finn: I like videogames and she really doesnt; Im young and she's old

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Seamus: I dont.. no. Im joking. Cause she buys me stuff and because she's nice. And because she cares for me.
Finn: Cause she lets me play videogames even though she doesnt like them. She makes me dinner and cares for us.

3.17.09

Gulty Pleasure: Design Blogs

My guilty pleasure? Design blogs. I check them almost everyday. Design blogs are like design magazines (think Domino or Home and Garden) combined with an IKEA catalog. Not only do the blogs share really beautiful, inspiring images/ideas but they often times link you up with a place you can buy the items online.

There about six design blogs I frequent regualrly but the following images are from a blog called sfgirlbythebay. Today I went and checked out her recent entries and I was soooooo excited to see her showcase various rooms using bookcases. I LOVE bookcases. I have been begging Matt about getting a few for a long time. Unfortunately, bookshelves = money and in our house we have to pick and choose the money we spend. Bookshelves never make the cut. The thing about book cases that I love is they are practical pieces of furniture that can be displayed in really artistic ways. Look at these cool examples:





Dont you love it? That first one looks like a room I could lock myself in for an entire day. Love the color of the dark books and the pink wallpaper. Love the way the books are wrapped around the top of the room - it looks so old world and mysterious to me. That idea probably woudlnt work here in California where we have earthquakes from time to time, but it sure looks neat. Something I adore that these two images have in common is books coupled with the artwork/framed pictures. I LOVE that look. For some it might be cluttered, but to me it looks so worn in and real. When I see such personalized spaces like these I cant help but wonder about the people who inhabit them.

I loved looking at these images on sfgirlbythebay so much that I went into my "inspirational" file and picked out a few other bookshelf gems I had tucked away for future reference.

These next two bookshelf examples are from another design blog named Design Sponge. My favorite part of the blog is the "sneak peeks" section where they showcase images of stylishly, individualistic homes. Real creative stuff.

I recently told matt I wanted to do something like this next image, but instead of that fugly picture, I want to put our tv there. Im pretty sure its impossible, but I can dream right?


I think its so neat how the bookshelves act as the wall. Im sure there are people out there who would hate this kind of thing. Too cluttered or messy. I adore the look. I think it looks lived in and it has character.

Last one:

When we were in Italy, we visited a house where the owners had a bookshelf like this. I had never seen anything like it and was totally drawn to it. Theirs was taller than the one shown and reached more than half way up the wall. I think its so cool seeing the books seemingly "floating in space" like this. How original.

Hopefully some day in the future I'll get myself a couple bookshelves. With all these great examples (and more saved on the computer) I shouldnt have a problem with ideas.

Layout Share.

This page is in the Creating Garden at twopeasinabucket.com

I cant find half of this layout. One day it was there by the computer, and the next it was gone. My guess is its trash bound. I have a habit of throwing away stuff without always looking thoroughly through it. Im very hesitant to call it a bad habit because in our house its important to get rid of the stuff we dont need and/or use. If I dont purge the excess crap, Matt and the boys will hold on to it forever. I cant live like that. Im far from being a neat freak, but the stacks of returned school work, junk mail and assorted paper crap drive me insane. However, I will admit that sometimes important stuff gets caught in the shuffle and I end up throwing away things I should not have. The free airline ticket instantly comes to mind. I still hear about that from time to time. And uncashed checks. Ive thrown away one or two of those.

In comparison, the 1/2 of my layout doesnt seem that grave, but damn it bums me out. Oh well. Such is life.

Have a happy Monday.

Drama Geeks

I went and saw Miranda's play today.


She plays a nun in Mehshuggah- NUNS. It was entertaining. The audience seemed to really enjoy it. It kills me that Mandy can get up in front of people and perform. She sings and dances and the audience at Patio Playhouse is very close. You can see everyone in that theater. Can you imagine? I could never do what she does. Just the idea of doing drama makes me feel uncomfortable and sick to my stomach. I dont have the talent or gumption to get on stage in front of anyone. Heck, I dont even really feel comfortable dancing and singing in front of Matt. Ok... thats a lie. I have no shame in doing that. But still... what Miranda does is pretty amazing. I may not like drama, but I can appreciate what it takes to do it.

Ok... bed is calling. This weekend went by entirely too fast.

Im So Excited... and I Just Cant Hide It!

Guess what came in this box earlier today?
No... not the kid. I already own him. hee hee
A brand new, functioning dishwasher!
YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
I have been without a dishwasher for months now. Recently I was getting quite grumpy about it. I grew up washing dishes for my family so its not like I cant do it. I did it for years - every single night. I am no stranger to washing dishes. But when I was living at home, I rarely did dishes alone. Jennifer did them with me and when she didnt, my dad did.
In Casa McGarvey, I have been doing all the dishes by myself. Every stinking one. Day after day. Month after month. Actually thats not true; Matt has helped every so often, but the boys have been useless. Our family of four does not eat out multiple times a week. We eat breakfast and most dinners home. I make the boys lunch each day. There are always dishes in our sink and, frankly, doing them all myself had become a serious drag.
But today I have someone to help me out again. His name is Whirlpool.
Im soooo excited!

edited: Matt read this and he said I made him sound like he's lazy. Matt is anything by lazy. The idea of that is laughable. To set the record straight, Matt and I have an agreement: I do kitchen duty, he does laundry. Matt totally helps out with dishes from time to time, but our agreement absolves us from having to do each others job. Matt does not do the dishes because I do not do laundry. And let me tell you, I am soooooo glad I dont have to do laundry.

Homerun Hitter.

Seamus hit an inside the park homerun tonight. It was so exciting! He hit a line drive over the third baseman's head and down the line to the fence. I was freaking out. I stood up in the stands and was yelling my head off, "RUN SEAMUS! RUN!" There was no hesitation on his part. He was flying around those bases.

Matt was in the dug out and he told me after the game that the homerun brought him to tears.

Congratulations Seamus!!! We're so proud of you.

I Love To See You Smile.

A couple weeks ago I got a call from my friend Tina saying that she was going to sign up her two sons for indoor soccer through Vista Parks and Rec. She wondered if Finn might be interested too. My first reaction was no... he probably wouldnt. Finn played two years of soccer through Vista Soccer Club and it was during that time he coined his now famous phrase "I do not like the sun. I do not like to run." Soccer wasnt Finn's thing. In fact, any kind of physical exertion (aka - sports) wasnt his thing.

Upon second thought, it occurred to me that beyond the actual act of playing soccer, Finn would absolutely LOVE seeing his best friends, James and Jeremy, again. Indoor soccer meets twice week and that meant that he would be able to play and interact with them on a bi-weekly basis. There is no doubt in my mind that the thing that has been most difficult for Finn this year has been the loss of his Beaumont friends. I was certain that he would endure soccer as a means of ensuring that he might see James and Jeremy on a regular basis.

Boy was I right. When I suggested the idea of playing indoor soccer with his friends, Finn was all for it! I reminded him that he was required to actually listen and run and play the sport. His reply was "I can do it. Its indoors so I wont be running in the sun." ha ha And... to sweeten the deal Finn's other best friend from Beaumont, Ryan Hilder, ended up joining the indoor soccer class too! A trifecta!

We have had two classes so far and Finn is doing remarkably well. He is engaged and listening to the instructor. He is trying his best. And most of all, he is not complaining at all - a rarity. By all accounts Finn is having the time of his life playing with his old buddies again.

Its so nice to see him smiling and giggling again.

Feeling Special

I meant to post this in the last post but forgot.

Finn made his first reconciliation on a Saturday and the the day before he received two cards from kids at his school congratulating him. Both of these kids were strangers to him, but apparently the other classes at St. Francis send out congrats cards to the second graders when they receive their sacraments. When I picked Finn up from school that day, he was beaming. In his arms he proudly held a very elaborate, Dr. Seuss looking card. It was from a 6th grader named Matthew, Finn told me, and he had another one in his backpack from a 1st grader named Dante. Dante's card was in the form of a bookmark. Finn was talking a million miles a minute - very, very excited. This seemingly, simple gesture meant so much to him. When he got into the car Finn said something under his breath. He often talks to himself, so I didnt think much of it. When he continued, I asked him what he was saying. He replied looking at his card "Im special Mama. Im very special."

Bless Me Father, For I Have Sinned

This past weekend, Finn celebrated a milestone in his Catholic faith: he participated in his First Reconciliation. For those of you who are scratching your heads wondering what Im talking about, reconciliation is when Catholics confess their sins to God. Its a lead up sacrament to Holy Communion. For many individuals, confession is pretty lame. I have spoken to MUCHO people - Catholics and non Catholics - who think reconciliation is an antiquated and unnecessary tradition. They dont feel a middle man is needed to convey their misdeeds to God and I totally get that. I actually believe that too. Others get nothing out of the act of speaking to a priest about things they struggle with and/or topics that bring out their worst side. Its understandable. Personally, Ive always enjoyed confession. I realize this makes me pretty weird, but I swear its the truth. I dont go often and I actually went more than 15 years without confessing, but its not because I hate it. Its because Im lazy and I dont feel its absolutely necessary for my spiritual growth.

Going for the first time can be really scary for a little kid. It was for Finn. On the way to the church, he peppered me with questions. When did he have to say the act of contrition - at the beginning or the end? Would the priest yell at him? Which sins were serious enough to confess and which werent? I told him he could talk about anything that made him feel bad and that no matter what it would be fine. Finn gave me an anguished look and then he began to cry. He lamented that he didnt know what to say and that he was terribly afraid. I did my best to soothe him and let him know it was going to be fine, but Finn tends to be a bit dramatic. He was sobbing. I decided this was a perfect time to tell him the story of my first reconciliation. I too was afraid when I had to confess for the first time. Every kid is! I went into the booth and said a couple sins, but after I was done the priest wanted more. After each thing I said, the priest would say in a leading tone "and...???" but I didnt have anything else to say. It became very still and quiet in the booth... awkward. Thats when it happened: before I knew what I was doing I lied (in the confessional!) and told him I pushed my sister off a roller coaster. I didnt understand it at the time, but that stopped him from asking for more. He gave me my penance and a blessing and I walked out of there a clean and satisfied 2nd grader.

Finn pulled himself together before I dropped him off at the meeting point. When it was time for him to confess to Father Mike, he did great! He was very quick and solemn looking and I even snuck a few pictures of him during his confession. I wish I could say the tears stopped in the car, but Id be lying. Finn got upset again at the end of the service, but it wasnt because of anything the priest did. It was because the entire service ran long - 1.5 hours. Finn was grumpy and mad by the end. Thankfully, Grandma and Tia took him to Burger King afterward and that seemed to cheer him up.

Congratulations Finner!

Congrats to Lt.Col Curtis!

Matts very good friend Joe just got promoted to Lt. Col.
Its a big deal and we're very proud.
Congrats Joe!

Isnt Everyone's Fridge Like Mine???

Recently I was reminded that not everyone's fridge is like my own. I cant recall the specific situation, but it involved someone seeing our fridge and saying something along the lines of "OMG. That is a mess!" Ummm, yeah. I guess it is, though Ive never thought of it that way. Interestingly enough, I wasnt really offended by the remark. The truth is, I like my fridge and Im very confident about how it looks. I woudlnt have it any other way. However, it did make me think: some people actually like a nice, orderly fridge. Or better yet, some people dont like anything on their fridge at all. To each his own, I say. You say potato and I say pa-tah-to. Its all good.

Here is the play by play of my fridge. I love it.

A. Valentine magnet made by Finn last year in 1st grade. I eat this kind of stuff up. It will be up there until it falls off the magnet.

B. Picture of Grandma Nena and Seamus at Disneyland. I was pregnant with Finn when this pic was taken. Grandma just turned 85 yesterday.

C. One of my favorite pictures ever. This is of Matt's best friend, Joe, and my best friend Linnea. It was taken at our wedding shower. Linnea had just blindfolded Joe and upon finishing she swatted him a couple times with a fly swatter. Joe was enjoying it and had this huge sh** eating grin on his face. Its a wonderful memory for me. Seeing this picture always brings a big smile to my face.

D. There are two things here: a small envie holding a snippet of Elijah's hair. It was taken from his first hair cut. The other is a paint swatch from Lowes. On the front of the swatch is a picture of a bedroom; the paint chips are on the back. I have it showing the picture because I LONG for my bedroom to look like it some day. Very simple. Very plain and serene. Clean. Fat chance that happening. HA!

E. One of many mangets. My sister Miranda gave me this one and I pointed it out cause its pretty funny. Its of this 50s looking mom and her kids and it reads "Who are these kids and why do they keep calling me mom?" Cracks me up.

F. List of phone numbers, including my own cell phone number, which I havent got memorized.

G. Notes written by Finn and Seamus that say "I love you, Mama." I save all this stuff. Getting notes like this is becoming increasingly rare these days.

H. You mean everyone doesnt have an old 2007 Padres baseball schedule on their fridge? Well... sucks to be them, eh?

I. An essay Seamus wrote about our Mexico holiday last summer. He wrote this in his first week of school this year. I was so surprised and happy to see him writing essays that it went straight up on the fridge.

J. My friend Tina sends out handmade Valentine cards every year. Such a good idea! I took that picture of her and her family on the front .

K. A "gold slip" earned by Seamus last year. Last year at Beaumont the teachers would give out gold slips each month to good students. Seamus earned this one for "making good choices." God, I wish he would do that more often.

L. This is an autographed baseball card addressed to Seamus and signed by Bruce Bochy. My brother in law, Barry, got it for Seamus. We were sooooo excited by this at the time. Now Bruce Bochy manages the Giants. Damn those Padres. They never keep anyone for long.

M. Cluster of pictures: one of Matt's parents on our wedding day; me and my oldest friends at the Moonlight Amphitheater; Matt and I leaving the church after being married.

N. Caelan Noblit- our great niece.

O. Another old sports schedule - this time the Steelers. I like the graphics, ok. I know the schedule is over and done, but I like seeing it up there. Is there anything wrong with that? Stop. Dont answer that.

P. These are two magnets - one of Finn and the other for the pizza place we order from here in town.

Q. More pictures of babies - these two are Alison Abercromby and Gabriela Noivo.

R. Pictures of Kim, Mike and Michael Noblit with Seamus. Kim passed away a few years ago so I like seeing her everyday on my fridge.

S. A hand drawn picture of our family - by Seamus. I think he might have drawn this several years ago - perhaps in 1st or 2nd grade.

T. A magnet of my favorite quote "Be the change you want to see in the world" - Gandhi. Love it!

U. Another hand made craft by Finn. This one is a butterfly made from tissue paper, yarn balls and a clothes pin. It had a magnet on it so it sticks to the fridge. I love this kind of thing: hand made lovin' from my boys.

V. Photographs of our neice and nephew : Sam and Michael Noblit.

Put Me In Coach... Im Ready to Play!

Seamus officially started baseball season a week ago and Im just getting around to posting about it. His team is young this year, but the coach is great and Matt has been helping out a lot. I love seeing Matt out there. I know it means a lot to Seamus and I think Matt enjoys it quite a lot too. When Matt worked in San Diego, he was lucky to get to the games on time. There was no chance of him helping out with coaching. The commute was too much. But now that he's based here in Vista, he's able to spend more time with Seamus on the field. Its pretty cool.



Today the boys played the Cubs and they lost. I had to scorekeep today up in the booth - a first for me. I hadnt done that since high school, but it came back quickly. This team reminds me a lot of Shea's team last year. They're starting off slow; 1-3. But Seamus is enjoying himself and I think he's improved some this year. He's playing infield more than he ever has and he even has some pitching under his belt.

Here's hoping for a good season. :)



If you're wondering, Seamus the second from the left in that last photo.

Layout Share

This was in the 2peas garden last month. The theme was "sewing" but I dont sew on my pages. Instead I used a bunch of my papers that had faux sewing. Most of these papers are from the new Vintage Yummy line from Sassafrass Lass.

Ok gotta go.

Busy Day Today.

Today is going to be a doozer of a day. Im going to be running around with my head cut off, but I'll be back later tonight to recap.Also... I dont think I can keep up with the Matt countdown. I might try to put it in the margin. It would be easier for me to maintain that way.

Have a good Saturday.

Damn that Sundance Kid!

What do all these words have in common: Robert Redford, Utah, film festival. Have you guessed it? Sundance Catalog.

I freaking LOVE the Sundance Catalog. Love, love, love, love, love, love! Id guess that about 80% of the things they sell are items I would have in my home if money were no object. Unfortunately money is an object and the Sundance Catalog is super expensive.

I have a couple jewelry items from Sundance. These two rings I wear every single day.




Both rings were given to me by Matt. Awwwww. He gave me the Jes MaHarry ring for my birthday and the silver band came that same year for Mothers Day. The Jes ring was such a surprise. I love her rings - love all the neat designs and sayings she puts on them. I had been talking about that particular ring for weeks prior to receiving it. Matt and his mom had this huge act going on that prevented me from even thinking this ring was intended for me. It still makes me smile to think how absolutely shocked and excited I was when he gave it to me on my birthday.

But its not just the jewlery at Sundance that I love. Oh no. I wish it were that simple. Its the clothes, the furniture, the accessories. Like this item for example:

Dude... I LOVE this. When I saw it recently online I actually gasped out loud. I love the urban-ness of it. Is that a word? Its so utilitarian and schoolish and old looking. Its like a total throw back to the locker rooms that my mother and her friends used to dress in before gym. I adore it. You would think that I might be able to find this kind of thing for $15 at goodwill or a yard sale. But no. I live in California. This kind of "junk" has a hefty price tag. This particular one in the Sundance Catalog is $2495.00. Can you believe that? Crazy expensive... but its soooooo coooooool!
And this quilt:

It should be said that I have a huge weakness for quilts. I have a good sized collection of them in my home and I have absolutely no problem spending money on them. Recently my mother in law sent me some AWESOME quilt covers that Matt's grandmother made. I cant wait to get those quilted. They're heirlooms - a part of Matt's history. I think that's what I love the most about quilts. They are tangible, everyday items that share the past with the present. This quilt in the Sundance Catalog is cool looking and different with the strips. I acutally really love the unique style vs the conventional square. Normally if I found this in a resale shop, Id snatch it up without blinking an eye. Its the history thing, you know? But considering that it was mass made and costs $500, Im going to have to pass.

And then there's this skirt:

I just like it. I do. I love how flowey and feminine it is. I love the patterns and the colors. It speaks to me.

For about 7 years I have lusted after the pickle barrel bed. The simplicity of it is totally my style. I imagined me taking a little pocket knife and carving L+M inside a heart on the head board. Its a lovely fantasy I have a had for several years. But lately, Ive turned a corner. I no longer want the pickle barrel bed. Im upgrading to this:

I can still carve our initials into the headboard, even if its just in my dreams.
Happy Friday.

Matt Countdown- #7

I wonder if I actually have 40 pictures of Matt. I guess I should have thought of that before I started. lol
An oldie but goodie. When Matt was in Iraq, he sent me this image to put in the boys' Easter basket.

Practicing to Be Like Jesus

Last week was a busy week. It seems like the Spring always does this to me. We have lots of extra curricular commitments with the boys (speech, baseball, martial arts, cub scouts, soccer) and they all feel a bit too much to manage when March comes around.

As I said in an earlier post, to add to the busy week I also got behind on my volunteer work. If I wanted, I could definitely stay busy at the kids' school every day of the week. There is that much work to do. But I have learned that I need to give myself a couple days off in order to deal with commitments around the house. At the beginning of the '09 year, I decided that I would volunteer on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and allow myself Tuesday and Friday off. However, last Friday I had to go in and finish up some important work that was needed by the first of the month. I was there most of the day and I was not particularly happy about it.

The work I do for the first of the month is very tedious. It takes a lot of time and zero brain power. I had sequestered myself in a small storage closet when Mary (the office manager) came in saying the principal needed to see me in the church. I looked at the time. It was 2pm. I had only 30 minutes to finish my work and depending on what was needed at the church, I wasnt sure I was going to get it done.

I really had no idea why Mrs. McCotter was calling for me. Im pretty sure this was the first time I have ever been summoned to church by anyone other than my mom. But as I was making my way over there, it occurred to me that the kids would probably be doing the Stations of the Cross. During Lent the school participates in the Stations of the Cross which is basically a cliff note version of the events leading up to the death of Jesus at Calvary. It gave me a cool feeling thinking about it. I used to do the same thing with my classes when I was a student at St. Francis. It made me feel both sentimental and lucky that my own kids were experiencing it too.

When I walked into the quiet church, it was immediately clear why I was asked to come. The fifth grade was in charge of the Stations of the Cross and Seamus was acting out the role of Jesus. Let me say that again: my son, Seamus, was acting out the role of Jesus. He was robed in a white tunic and was standing alone in front of the assembled school. On his face was the look of absolute decorum and respect. As I sat in a pew behind our principal she asked "Did you know about this?" and my reply was "No." Honestly, if I had known I would have called my sisters and Matt and my mom to make sure they were there to see it. It was already the 9th station by the time I entered the church. How did I not know about this? How did it slip my attention that Seamus was acting the role of Jesus in the Stations of the Cross?

It took me a few minutes for the pieces to come together. Seamus got in trouble the day before for running up the aisle in church. I didnt understand it at the time but now I realize they were practicing for the stations of the cross. He also told me about two weeks ago that he was "practicing to be like Jesus." I thought that was a great idea. I think I might have even said "That's great Seamus. Im proud of you." But sheesh, I didnt realize that he was actually playing the role of Jesus during his class's rendition of the Stations of the Cross. That's huge! You can go through 8 years in Catholic school and never play the roll of Jesus. There's only one of him and all the boys are in the running for that part. Shea will most likely never get that privilege and opportunity again. I had almost missed it.

I sat quietly while stations 9 thru 13 were completed. I was constantly on the verge of crying - overwhelmed. My peaked emotional state could have been chalked up to the nostalgia of experiencing an event I havent witnessed in more than 25 years. But that was only part of it. It was Seamus. My son looked so sweet and small up there in front of the church. He was really playing the part well too. You could tell he was taking it seriously with a very sad, resigned look on his face. My heart was surged with love and pride. It confounds me how Seamus can give me grief on a daily basis, and at the same time he is one of the only people in the world who can make me feel staggering parental joy.

Once the service was over I caught the eye of Shea's teacher, Mrs Skraby, and mouthed "thank you." I really am sooooo grateful. I never in a million years thought I would experience my child in this manner. For a moment on Friday I was the luckiest mama in the whole world.

Holy Cuteness!

I saw this bag on the poppytalk design blog. How stinking adorable! You can find it at the MOMA store online.

I think I can... I think I can... I think I can...

So... for Lent I gave up diet coke.

This is a huge thing for me and something I hope will continue through the 40 days of Lent and beyond. Ive been drinking diet coke almost daily since I was a teenager. I drink on average about 4-6 a day. I cant believe I just admitted that. Uggggh. Its not a good habit and Im not proud of myself. Lately, Ive come to the realization that I have a serious problem.

When I hear myself talk and I look at my behavior I truly believe I am addicted to diet coke. In my defense, Im pretty confident there is something bad in it... like, beyond the obvious stuff. I think there is something sinister in it; something elicit they're not talking about. Im being serious! Conspiracy theories aside, it doesnt take a brain surgeon to realize that when a liquid is brown, fizzing and includes phosphoric acid, it cant be good for your body. I know this. In my head Ive known this for years and yet its been sooooo hard for me to give it up. The times that Ive tried to break away from dc, my body goes through major withdrawals. I get serious headaches for the first 72 hours. My body craves it badly. But mostly, I think its my head that cant let it go. Yep. Im sure its mostly in my head.

Some bad facts about me and diet coke:

- I "chain drink." Yes, this sounds similar to "chain smoking." It is in fact the same. Often when Im drinking dc I will drink one can after the other without really thinking about it. I just do it. Before I know it, Ive consumed a six pack. Not good.

- I almost always drink in habitual, everyday situations. Like when I get in the car, I drink diet coke. When I sit down at the computer, I drink diet coke. When I get up in the am, I drink a diet coke. When I scrap, I drink diet coke. Im not thirsty - its jut a bad habit.

-I drink diet coke when Im stressed or bored. I drink diet coke for emotional reason. Recently my friend was going through some tough times and as I was talking to her and listening to her, I found myself really wanting a diet coke. Again... I wasnt thirsty. I just found myself wanting one.... badly.I actually found myself going to the fridge to get a diet coke, only to stop myself as I was reaching for the door.

-I dont even like how it tastes. I never have.

-Ive been watching this reality show on VH1 called Sober House. Its about recovering drug and alcohol addicts as they cope with sobriety. When I hear them talk, I can relate. This has been a huge reality check for me. Instead of meth or alcohol or cocaine, my addiction is diet coke.

There it is again: Im addicted to diet coke. My body is definitely addicted, but mostly its my mind. I think drinking it is very damaging to my health but mostly I dont like it having so much power over me. That is wrong. Im stronger than that! Im going to start off with Lent and we'll see where it goes from there.

Wish me luck.

Matt Countdown - #6

Matt in one of his most favorite places in the world: Joshua Tree.

Matt Countdown - #5

Matt Coundown - #4

Four is my lucky number.

Here is Matt and our niece (and his god daughter) Abbey Road.

The whole family gets such a kick out of this little girl. She is going to rule the world someday. I love seeing Matt with her. Its like seeing the little daughter we'll never have.

Cute side note: when we were in Tahoe, Abbey would get up early and two of the first people up with her (other than her parents) were Matt and Barb. She got to know both their names pretty well - one syllable "MATT" and "BAR." For weeks after Tahoe, when Abbey would see Matt she'd say "BAR" and then follow up with "MATT." It was adorable.

Great Weekend and Matt Coundown #3

I have pictures to share of my weekend with the girls.
But here is a pic of Matt. I fogot about my coundown.
More later tonight.
I gotta run.

Happy Monday!