Happiness is..............

pedaling home from the store before your ice cream melts. bwahahaha! Scaring people on the sidewalk because #1 you aren't paying attention to the stuff they have strewn acrossed it *sigh* and you almost go ass over teacup.double sigh., #2 you're belting out songs no one else can hear, #3 you ride like a drunken sailor (according my darling sweet son). ALL over the sidewalk. bwahaha!!! It takes a peculiar talent to do all that simultaneously while balancing on two wheels. Alas the almost skinny singing bike babe strikes again!!! snort.

WE are FREE Because of YOU!

This is dedicated to my sweet son who volunteered for the Army - right out of high school, AND for all our sons, daughters, husbands and wives that have volunteered to lay their lives on the line to keep us free.

Be safe, be alert, and be proud.

All of you hold us in the palm of your hands and despite this awesome responsibility YOU hold true to your faith, training and values. Mighty responsibilities fall on your shoulders and you carry it well. You show the world every day how great America is. Thank you for everything you do, for us, yourself and our country.

You rock the freedom! Come home safe!

Journey

I completed this album yesterday and got waylaid by an all day NCIS marathon. It was GREAT. LOL!!! I'm soooooooooo easily distracted *insert eyeroll*. I'm so not happy w/their cliffhanger either. OH OH and Criminal Minds I believe I gasped and reran the ending. TWICE. My surprise. sigh. Ack. Off track again.

Anyway, you may remember this book/album started out as my grateful album. Which sat on the shelf. Of course I have alot to be grateful for it just got bypassed. SOOOOO....I was looking for something for my San Diego trip and WA-LA why re-invent the wheel when there sat a WONDERFUL album made from scraps of MOSTLY Basic Grey. My all time, FAV-go-to LINE. smirk. This is just a smattering of pages. I could of bored you shown you the wonders of the entire album but blogger would've banned me forever and I know that would've broken your heart. snort. Anyway, this is a rustic, hands on, journal inclined, informal type of album that I am sooooo coming to love. It's sortof Ali-esqe with a Lynn twist. Love that.

TAKETHESHOT..TAKETHESHOT...TAKETHESHOT...

has become my new mantra especially when I'm behind the camera lookin, hopin and prayin for that perfect shot. snort. It's not only a mantra its a snarl, a cuss word, its about NOT always looking/waiting for that perfect shot.snort. Actually I go for that perfect shot NOW by taking a bazillion pictures because the odds are really really really great not bad on getting that one really awesome one. And being an amateur er..ahem... fly by the seat of my pants photographer. [Oh I have all the cool tools because my wonderful DH keeps me up-to-date, its just that well why THINK when AUTO OTTO (might as well name it) smirk. can do all the work. bwahahaha! So OTTO and I do just fine when you have a bazillion byte chip to work with.] Anyway I was getting kinda REALLY aggravated at the monkey cage because they are behind glass and EVERYONE is in the way. Makes it tough not to get a photo of YOU taking a photo of THEM. LOL!!!! And then EVERYONE who gets in your way (did i mention that???)....So with my mantra TAKETHESHOT.. TAKETHESHOT... TAKETHESHOT... running through my head, I bent down and started snapping away. And what happens - EVOLUTION! Oh yea the mom of this pretty little girl will wanna hear that one. bwahahaha! Anyhoo, I honestly couldn't have planned this shot, really. I'm so not that good or patient. I love that the artist slant. I could even say I planned this artistic slant. But I'd be lying. This is what happens you just taketheshot and you get really really lucky. REALLY.

Happy Belated Mother's Day!!!!

This is an older/double lo (which doesn't come off as my older ones usually do under the what was I thinking category some are really really awful) of my two kidlets about the same age. I normally don't do 2 pagers because well I really really really don't like them or do them well. This was a challenge or something. bwahahaha. Anyhoo, I had a really great mother's day where I did absolutely nothing. Well more nothing than my usual doing nothing lol! Except I did burn the rice so something was accomplished. smirk. It was good as long as you didn't SCRAPE the bottom of the pot if you kwim. I completed a book I was reading and that's a plus. Hate cliffhangers and watched a bunch of reruns and hung out w/my guys. My eldest called which is fun in itself. *insert eyeroll* For some reason all the chattiness he had as a boy didNOT move into adulthood and every conversation makes you want to stick bamboo shoots up his nails or waterboard him to get ANY tidbit of information out of him. So after the first painful 20 sec. (10 were to wish me a Happy Mother's day so that was sortof scripted lol) and the last 10 were me firing EASY questions, that for some reason he felt compelled to put Melissa on who thank goodness knows how conversations work. I am a chatty person (ifyoucan'ttell) but you can only take it so far. Well Melissa not only can hold her end up she can actually do a monologue which is pretty cool because I get to nod, snort and occasionally or throw in some words of wisdom which as a really cool MIL I toss in just for good measure and to show I'm actually paying attention. I sometimes have focus issues. *insert eyeroll* bwahahahahaha!!!!

One of the grandbabies is a boy!!!

And this is his first photo. Is he not just too adorable sucking his thumb??? And, wow! the photos are amazing these days. sigh. Sounds like back in the day bwahahaha! but I digress- as usual. This is Connor Mason Collins and he's lookin to debut on Sept 22 in New York. Can't wait!! Of course he's gonna be cute, he has my genes. bwahahaha! Of course he's gonna be sweet. smirk. Can't wait, Can't wait, Can't wait, Can't wait, Can't wait, Can't wait, Can't wait. Really. lol!!!



Our other grandbaby (the Duffy baby's first photo also) below is our loose cannon scheduled for Sept 1 in New Jersey. We'll see if said baby hits the mark. Won't it be FUN!!!! love love love it. Seriously. I just need wings and lots of prayers for the safe and healthy deliver of both. Oh and I need a really cool grandma name because well I plan on being a really cool grandma. bwahahaha!!! snort.

Kicking OUNCE!!!

get it??? bwahahaha! I have been participating in a lifestyle change as you may know and I am having success. However, in reaching my 14.8 lbs LOST, I am so not getting there by leaps and bounds, but by ounces. Is it frustrating??? Only if I let it be and a minus is a minus! And honestly, its really not. I'm doing Weight Watchers if you haven't guessed and I really really love the plan. Because seriously??? I don't feel like I'm on a diet. If I want something I eat it and mark down the points. Of course it results in only OUNCES lost, but that's ok. Because I don't feel like I'm on a DIET. I feel great, I have energy and making better choices. And there's a problem with that???? ummm...NO! I also exercise ON PURPOSE, riding my bike everywhere I can - for example, yesterday I rode to Walmarts - at least 3 miles and maybe closer to 4 ONE WAY. woo hooo. Coming home was tricky as I had 20 lbs on my back and a head wind. snort (and a side note???? back packs do NOT carry as much as the Publix shopping bag). But me and my Jersey boys(and i LOVE a Jerseyboy) rode tough and sang LOUD ( I have to remember NOT to burst into song while having an IPOD in my ear) because well people really don't appreciate it. lol! But its tough, riding.....singing.....riding.....bwahahaha! I'm soon gonna be known as the singing bike lady. smirk. THE skinny singing bike lady!!! Love that!

Baby bumps!!!!! got to love them.....

totally!!!!! This is Kevin, Liz and baby that came down last month (canubelieveititsmayalready) to spend some time with us. We decided to relax on the east coast and spent some time on the boat. We even got to swim. It was mildly cold umm...absolutely freezing in the water so you had to go in one inch at a time especially if your brave err..chicken like me. Anyway it was fun, we had a great time, and we stopped in as a goof to see Gatorama. bwahaha...yes my DH went to a tourist trap. snort. and we had a great time. I know ya'll w/be breathlessly waiting for those shots!!

What lurks under a desk......

see that -->?

it became one of my favorite inks thanks to my pal Brooke, yes, even more favorite than my distressing inks *gasp* well sortof, Ranger does rock. Ahem..anyway I was using said ink when the cover just flung itself OFF MY DESK and disappeared into the sock dimension. Seriously. I hunted everywhere for that lid - not to be found. Then I went on a mission to find and purchase said ink. To no avail. Well imagine my surprise when my acryllic block that was momentarily misplaced, leaped off my desk, bounced a few times. AND, you guessed it, FOUND THE EVIL, ROTTEN, LOW DOWN, DIRTY DUST BUNNY THAT HAD MY LID IN ITS EVIL CLUTCHES and was in the process of acquiring my acryllic block to use for it's dastardly plot. to make me crazy. snor. as if. Imagine my surprise (said sarcastically). I do clean under the desk but evidently not enough.snort. It's poor Roxie's been contributing to these evil dust bunnies on a regular basis., and it really really surprises me that she has hair left on her body. SO with my HUGE flashlight in tow I fearlessly snatched my lid and block from the jaws of the evil dust bunnies. And the happy ending??? you so know there's one. The baggie I was keeping the ink alive in, well kept it safe and moist. bwahahahahahaa. Then I found my broom and dustpan, dispatching those evil dust bunnies with glee.