Hangin around…

Posted on June 13, 2010 by attraversiamodarmaz

 

It doesn’t take much to make me smile.

This little fella makes me smile all the time…and he smells good too.

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Falling in love again…and again and again.

Posted on June 2, 2010 by attraversiamodarmaz

 

Just when you think you will throttle them if they do one more ornery thing…

Just when you are certain you can’t worry one bit more…

When your brain might explode if you hear even one more, “MOM!  MOOOOOOOMMMMM!”

It happens.

That moment…

Those moments…

When you see your children…

All on their own.

Just being who they are.

Connected to one another.

And you fall in love all over again.

Just when you think your heart can’t take anymore…

They push you right off the cliff.

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Helping Hands

Posted on June 1, 2010 by attraversiamodarmaz

Deep cleansing breath.

Nope…still pissed.

I go to my sewing machine to alter a swimsuit that is too big (waaahooo) only something is amiss.

Some little someone has been playing in my space with my sewing machine.

GASP.

He cannot help it to a small degree…

naughty by nature…

mischief is his modus operandi…

But STILL.

Damn!

So, for today, I decided my grateful picture should be these little hands that are so very curious.

I go to the backyard to capture a shot of the hands of mischief.

The boys are swinging in the hammock.

I say, “Hey BB, come here for a second, would you?”

MC says without hesitation, “Mom, he didn’t even do anything yet.”

Classic.

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An amazing imagination is not always such a great thing…

Posted on May 31, 2010 by attraversiamodarmaz

View Image

nasty nasty nasty.

Just writing this might cause the same problem I am about to share with you!

Eeeeesh!

I love pickles…LOVE them!

Always have!  When I was really little, my bored parents gave me a spoonful of dill pickle relish just to see a silly face, but haha I liked it!  have ever since!

BUT…

There was a window of time…

That I could not eat a pickle.

No matter how hard I tried…

What a horrible thing, yes?

I KNOW!

It was all because of these two men!

Go to fullsize image

Well, actually…it was just Mr. Green Jeans, but it was Captain Kangaroo’s show after all so I hold him responsible too!

Mr. Green Jeans was doing his little science and nature segment on the show and talked all about Sea Cucumbers.

That nasty thing just looked too much like a pickle.

ahhhhhhh!

It totally made me sick and every time I tried to eat a pickle, all I could see was that gross Sea cucumber!!

gross gross gross!

and blech!

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If you give a girl an idea…

Posted on May 30, 2010 by attraversiamodarmaz

 

I had a GREAT idea.

This is how it always begins.

In my June Bon Appetit, they talked about Limoncella…a lemon liquer that is amazing and fairly simple to make.

Once I get curious about something, it is usually a done deal.

This gave me a reason to purchase a lovely giant bottle of vodka, that is so pretty I think I must try infusing vodka with other flavors in that very bottle!

I gathered supplies.

I saw a window of time, and took it!

Only, I couldn’t just start the limoncella (by peeling 16 lemons and putting the peel in the gallon jar with the vodka to sit for many days)…

I had to whip up a batch of spicy pickles, because I needed the jar for the limoncella.

Pickles get a cute new jar!

So we have spicy pickles, we have limoncella ready to go…

But wait!

NOW I have 16 lemons peeled!

Mon dieu!

What to do???

Well, whip up some basil infused lemonade of course!

So I did…which is how I came to have all these jars piling up and waiting for their proper place!

I ran out of energy before I could try making pickled grapes or my carmelized onion goat cheese tart…

Another day!

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Ooops

Posted on May 29, 2010 by attraversiamodarmaz

When is the last time you found something you love…but forgot all about?

That is not quite right…

I did used to hula hoop…but not very well.

Zumba helped my hips I think…so it is ever so much more fun now!

I bought a 3 pound hula hoop to strengthen my core…ok…and to have a blast circling round with music in my ears too!

Did I read the directions?  Really?  Of course not!

It was so much fun!!!  I could only go one direction, but I wasn’t worried about that!!  The music was just right and I was rockin the hoop…only…after a few songs…my sides started to feel a bit tender.

I reluctantly quit for the night…went to bed…and woke up to BRUISES on my side!!!  Only one side mind you (one direction= a bruise free side I guess).

Man!  It hurt too!  I thought I did something wrong, so I googled “bruises from hula hoop” and what do you know?!!!  There were tons of comments.

Turns out you are supposed to start by doing about 2 minutes at a time and get yourself used to the weight of the hoop.  ooooops!

I waited a few days and slowly started back figuring out how to alternate sides and do just a few songs at a time.

It works.

This morning is the first venture back to Zumba since my hula hooping began…interesting to see if the hoop helps the shake…

We shall see.

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How do YOU feel about sex in the city?

Posted on May 28, 2010 by attraversiamodarmaz

 

Sarah Jessica Parker struts her stuff on the poster for 'Sex and the City' 2. Some people think she looks a little too good to be true.

Recipe for a great Thursday night? 

Kids to bed early…check!

Friday girls good to go…check!

Sex in the City 2 opening…CHECK!!!

Not one to do things in a conventional way, I wasn’t concerned that I hadn’t seen the first movie yet.

I have watched a bit in and out of the seasons.

This movie, just like the series made me laugh…a lot!

Fashion, friends, laugher, Lawrence of my labia…what’s not to love?

Oh, and yes…it is not possible for me to leave the theater without taking my trash with me to the proper trash receptacle…I know!

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Just Painting

Posted on May 28, 2010 by attraversiamodarmaz

I love painting.

LOVE IT!

I don’t love the sound of many walls waiting for me, but the act itself, and the instant gratification I absolutely adore.

As I was working my way through our trashed hallway woodwork, I had many thoughts.

Since my mind is not a quiet place, certain activities busy my thoughts and allow a bit of quiet to creep in…painting is one such activity.

After the quiet, I moved on to big and deep ideas.

look out.

The way you paint might just be a life philosophy, you know?

The color you choose…the act of covering over to start anew…how you actually operate the brush…broad smooth strokes…slow and steady…fast and furious…you see?

Color choice lends itself to much interpretation. 

On and on the connections rolled through.

Until…I shook my head…cleared the muddle…and remembered

that

sometimes? 

Painting…it’s just painting.

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Diamond Maxee Mae

Posted on May 17, 2010 by attraversiamodarmaz

 

Oh Maxee girl…

14 years is a long time.

You were one of my first impractical purchases, but a very sound investment all the same.

Only the size of a guinea pig or so…sneaking into purses and swiping what you could drag away.

How can one tissue cover an entire room?

I had to sneak you out to go potty, because no one would leave you alone and let you go if they saw your adorable self!

I watched you grow…hiding in the grass, tummy level with the grass, and finally above and beyond.

I named you well…absolutely precious and no less costly!

All the ailments!  Girl, your medical record was as odd as my own;)

Nothing kept you down for long though…me neither.

You kept me company when I was in the big bad city all by myself.

You couldn’t get close enough to the babies, so you even sat on BB once as he napped.

Sorry the whole boyfriend thing didn’t turn out so great…I know…he was a pain in the ass.

He just loved you a bit too much.

Me too.

I’ll see you around, mama.

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The Bedazzler

Posted on May 12, 2010 by attraversiamodarmaz

 

10mm Rhinestone Letter Z

Did you ever have one of those days?

Reflective?  Pondering?  Soul searching?

Yeah, me neither;)

Last night I was feeling particularly grateful for wonderful friends helping me through unfamiliar territory.

It led me to this wondering…about what it is…what do I do?  What might I have to offer?

I know that I can help with education stuff, there is that.

I can make delicious things, or sew, or create messes, or build something rather simple.

I am pretty good at growing things.

These were just not satisfactory.  Didn’t feel right.

I started wondering if maybe I should learn a trade, you know?

Something very useful and all that.

I could study to be an Esthetician!  I could get my own IPL machine!

This would be VERY apprciated and USEFUL too!

Well, there might be mishaps and some things it is really just better to pay others to do I guess.

So here I am again…wondering.

And then it strikes me…I said to someone recently…I am not practical.

This led me to my thing.

I am good at BEDAZZLING! 

This can be very complicated.

It does work well for anyone though – whether you are my child, mama, sista, love, neighbor, friend, neighbor in line at the store…and on and on it goes.

I can dazzle you with nonsense and silly tales, or just be quiet and hold up a mirror and let you dazzle yourself.

Okay, being quiet is hard for me…but I can do it. 

I am better about recognizing these moments than I used to be.

I just can’t help but look for the sparkle in your eye.  If it is dim I can help you find it…

If it is bright I will just stand back and admire…then there is the holding up the mirror so you notice and remember – this is a very important job.

If you have no time for such, perhaps I am not for you.

That’s ok. 

Sparkles have a very long shelf life and can be brushed off after many years of neglect…

I know this firsthand!

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