It's A Crazy Life, But It's My Life.....

Sounds familiar, huh? Yeah, well, maybe I stole it from a certain not-so-popular couple that may or may not have eight kids between them. It popped into my mind, since I can't seem to get things done these days. I keep trying and trying and seem to never have enough time to do everything that I would LIKE to do! And yes, that means blogging and blog reading.


Sigh....


So, I am going to have to do a bunch of random thoughts and happenings, just so I can get it all down in the short time that I have.

And YES-----I do promise to get back on track! It just might take a few weeks.....and.....or......uh......then there is Christmas stuff to get done......oh, crap....it might be the beginning of the year?

So----here goes randomness:

****I watched the finale of Jon and Kate-----which was one of the saddest things that I have ever seen. Jon sat there talking about how he needed to just get away from things and learn to grow up. Wha' the? Grow up? That is his excuse?

Gag me.

And then Kate just keeps apologizing. For being demanding, for trying to have normal kids, for maybe leaving too much. It was rather pathetic and oh, so sad. I think that those kids will be the ones to watch in the future. How will they handle life without a camera crew in their lives every day?

Only time will tell. And the biggest telling moment about how Kate feels about Jon's "mid-life---I was too young and just needed to get away" words? When she told us that she didn't think that his new relationship would last.....nope......probably not. May I say that I agree? These boys....


***This past weekend was the last weekend for "Rookery Nook". the first adult play at my theatre, I don't know if any of you were around----a little over a year ago, when I started my own theatre, The Cannon Theatre. It has been a LONG journey to get to where we are now. Lots of hard work----my hubby and I doing all the work, and just literally using every extra cent that I made, to put into this theatre. No grants. No loans. Just hard work, and a lot of faith.

I am just so grateful for those great people that have come out of the woodwork to support this effort. I had a great director to work with, a fantastic cast, and a superb tech crew----lead by my hubby, of course. I also discovered new friends and found new supporters in the folks that came out to see the show! We got lots of great reviews and sold out the last two weekends----so it was a real dream come true for me.

Onward and upward from here!

The space----before......

...and now.....after!

The whole cast and crew----and yes, I did the costumes, as well as being Producer---
that's my head attached in the back row----three heads from the left.

***I am constantly being plagued by mice again this year. Is it just me or do you detest them too? A few weeks ago, we returned from a late tech rehearsal to find a squished bloody mouse at the top of the stairs and then around the corner, another one----with no head at all!

Well----that was disturbing enough, but something was definitely wrong with Shadow----our two year old cat----and the next morning, she was lying on her side----panting and having a hard time breathing. So----into the vet we went----only to find out after about $650.00 worth of testing, that they couldn't find out what was wrong with her-----maybe gastritis?

Huh? What? In other words, it was something she ate.....

And I'm thinking that it was a mouse head.

And yes....this one was just a few days ago....ugh.

***Well, this year we have decided to do something out of the ordinary for Thanksgiving. We have all worked hard and had little time off, so we decided to road trip to see my youngest daughter in Columbus, Ohio. Yes, she is there because of her friends----and perhaps because of an ex-boyfriend----either way she is slumming it there, working minimum wage and doing band gigs-----selling her CD's once in a while. She's young. She can do things like that. I think that I have mentioned how much I miss her, so I am excited to see her. She is my baby girl, and I am excited to give her a huge hug.

We are going to go out to dinner to eat turkey dinner. It will be interesting, the food may not be that great, but it will be fun----because we will be together-----and we will love to laugh and just hang out and catch up. My older son, Clayton is going to come also----and I am excited about that. It will be like old times---when we took road trips together. The only one that won't be there will be Brinna----well, of the kids that aren't married. She has to do her gigs this weekend and couldn't take off. So, we will miss her.



***That said, I will be not doing any more blogging this week. I will have internet at night to check my e-mail, but won't have the time to read blogs. That said.........I want to wish everyone a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving!! I am thankful for so many things----from my Heavenly Father and all He has given me---to my talents----to my family----to my health-----and for the most amazing friends----ones that I have known in my life, those that I have discovered while blogging, and even those that are new friends from the theatre.

Life is good. I still have the off day----you know, those tantrums that all women take, and I still yearn for a house of my own someday, but all in all.....


Life is good.

Catch-Up!

I realized today that I have been remiss in keeping up with my life on this blog. I didn't even share my trip to Utah, as I have been running as fast as I can as soon as I got home.... And no,....I don't mean in a marathon!


So, bear with me, as I recap the past month in pictures, and moments in my life. I have to brag occasionally about my G-babies---they are so amazing and the most adorable children that I know----well, except for my own little guy. I had an absolutely fantastic time with them over their short fall break----and Aydan and I spent a few relaxing days.

But before we left, we had a visit from our old friends----who moved to Georgia---
here is Sydney with Aydan----they have known each other from birth!

Here is my amazing hubby with Ryan.....

.....and here I am with Alicia and her littlest one, Melanie.

Now.....on to Utah.....and the most gorgeous eyes of my little twin, Lucy.

Lane, with her beautiful eyes....so sweet.

Lucy, having fun with Mimi and her camera----we laughed a lot!

Lucy and Lane----so alike, yet so different....

Lane finally had to put on her princess dress also, to show off to me.

After seeing Haileys show, "Little Shop Of Horrors"-----here is Ethan, Mila,
Hailey, and Aydan with the large eating plant!

We got to go back stage and wait for Hailey to get ready to go home---theres Mila
and I with Hailey.

A few days later, we went to lunch at Thanksgiving Point----here's Aydan and Lane.

Lane is my little sweetie----she loves pictures as much as her Mimi!

All of us at the lunch table---the food was YUMMY, by the way!! And I even had
a bit of dessert! Here's Lucy, Mila, Ethan, Aydan, Lane, and I.

We then went to a Fall Outdoor fair----here is Hailey with Lucy on the pony swing.

Mila and Ethan climb around on a wooden train.

The three scarecrows---in the corn maze! Aydan, Ethan and Mila.

Hailey and the twins at the Chicken Show----we waited and waited----but
never saw the show.....

And here is the Cow ride! Yes, you heard me----it was rough getting my booty
in one of those little cow carts----there's Hailey and Lucy in front of Lane and I.

Now shift to a few days later-----this is my sister, Margy's new dining room----she
just redecorated it----isn't it PHENOMONAL?

And Hailey is happy to sit in this amazing place, even though the rest
of my family is outside having dinner. (and yes, the twins were afraid of
Margy's dogs, so they had to stay inside...)

Here is my brother, Patrick, with his oldest daughter, McKayla, and my Dad.

Against the backdrop of my sisters fantastic garden, my nieces Sariah and Cami, give me a smile---they are daughters of my super sister, Janene----another blogger.

This is Patricks wife, Angie, holding McKayla now, as she wasn't feeling well.

All too soon, it was time to go home----as Hailey drives us to the airport.

Smiling for the girls, but inside I was starting to freak out, leaving my G-babies again.

I bought the twins little crowns for an early birthday present----Lucy wasn't
feeling well----but she loved the crown, nonetheless....

...and Lane had to show off her new crown also----so precious!

Back in New England, and a week later, we are carving our pumpkins
on Halloween.

Aydan wanted to cut his pumpkin all by himself this year, but I was close at hand.

LOVE this picture of the scary look Aydan is giving his pumpkin!! (He's such a ham
-----don't know where he gets that!)

And finally......the last day of the month....right before we left to go Trick or Treating---here
is Aydan in front of our scaaaaaaarrrrrry porch!!
If you want to see OUR costumes, you have to check out an earlier blog----
yeah-----you remember the one.....

Thanks for bearing with me to get these memories out----if I don't put them on my blog----they might be lost forever.

I am still feeling guilty because I am two years behind in doing my family blog----so I have to try and get some things down on this one.....


.....Or lose it forever in my external hard drive abyss!

Fabulous Find For A Friday-----Shade Shirts

As I was getting dressed this morning, I automatically reached for my usual layering shirt----a Shade shirt. Now------what is a Shade shirt, you ask?

It is a knit shirt that is fantastic-----fitted and extra long even on this body which has the longest waist ever. It comes in every color, has short sleeves or long sleeves, and if you really want it, they have it in the three quarter sleeve! They even have a long john, waffled style for the winter.

I have tried many brands of this type of shirt----but after trying them out, I usually come right back to this Shade brand. Its hard to describe the reasoning, but one of them is that the bottom of the shirt stays in place. You know how it is when you layer something over a shirt that is always riding up underneath the sweater that you have on.....it is SO annoying!! You have to keep reaching up under your over-shirt or sweater and pull the offending garment down and keep adjusting it!

Well, worry no more! These shirts are fantastic----so comfortable! AND they are fitted to the body, so they stay smooth and sleek under all those over-shirts or sweaters.

They have a website where you can buy them online----but they also have them at Costco in Utah, if you are ever in that area. I always get me several packages of them when I go visit my daughter. I don't know what I will do when she moves away from there.....

Here is the cap sleeve style.....

...and the crew neck long sleeve style.....

....and one of my favorites for winter, the scoop neck. longsleeved style-----
aren't the colors divine?

So, check it out----indulge in layers! Don't fight to keep your shirt down over your low rise jeans or pants again!


Get yourself some Shade.

Question For Thought...

I hope that the amazing Tiburon and the phenomenal Melissa don't mind that I borrowed this image..... They do a question for each week, but I couldn't possibly keep up with that----but every once in a while, I would like to post one.

Well....this week, my hubby told me about a person that we know----that decided just this week that he was going to quit his job and become a professional photographer.


He has never taken a class in photography.


He is not an artist.


He does Photoshop.


So, this brought to my mind this question:

Should a self-claimed "photographer" admit that they are really a photo-shop-ographer?
And should they be charging the same for their sitting fees as professional photographers that have studied?......

Just curious about YOUR thoughts.

(Ok, so obviously I am a bit partial to the studied photographer.....www.bbsnaps.net)

Oh Yes, It Has Definitely Been Heck Week

I have tried to get working on this post for four days now. I wanted to do a post on "what my week was like", but haven't had a MINUTE to do it!

Yes....that tells it all.........about what my week was like. Trust me, I haven't gotten to bed before 3:00 a.m. yet this week! Sigh.


BUT.....I did want to perservere and keep you all up to date on a few hap---hap----happenings!


FIRST!

Remember Mia Michaels and my tribute?


Well, I DID IT! This is my version: (taken in my hotel room in NY)



Then.....last week, I met several SUPER bloggers for lunch down in Conn. These ladies are so adorable and fun-----have fantastic kids and are such great women! There were supposed to be several more woman that were coming also, but they had small children "happenings", that result from being amazing moms, so they couldn't come. So, after the hour and 15 minute ride, I met Rhonda, from Conn. (her blog is private now----or I would share it with you!) and got to see Susette again. She was visiting Rhonda---and here to see her new grandbaby. What fun!


Here we are----laughing outside, as we tried to get all our faces in together----in the brisk windy day......and take turns holding up our cameras---it was pretty funny---trying to get a good enough picture.


I also was very flattered to get another award a few weeks ago from the FABULOUS Redhead Riter----her blog is so insightful, fun and I learn so many things from it....


I know that I need to give this great award along to some worthy bloggers.....but quite frankly----I am soooooo far behind on just getting this post done, as well as reading other blog.....well....you get the idea.....and to make it even more difficult----there are SO many deserving blogs that I read.


Lets just say that I would give this award out to all of them!



Hope your week was a bit more relaxing than mine....