"Daee's Home" 58/365

"Daee's Home" 58/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Those are the words I heard right before Michael came through the gate. The kids and I spent most of the afternoon playing on the swingset and drawing with chalk while their daddy was gone. Michael has been home the last year since being he was laid off so Phoebe is not used to him being away.
Every year he judges the regional science fair, so he was gone the whole day but arrived home to a very happy little girl.

Playing Favorites 57/365

Playing Favorites 57/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Another lovely shot of my son..He did not want his picture taken, but I was fast..he was faster..He loves these jeans and this silly shirt and I think they are kind of cool..Oh, yes, these are my favorite dishes: Wedgewood Nantucket.

this is how uninspired I am these last few days...

The Birds 56/365

The Birds 56/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

This is a lot different for me, but there is a reason. I took this shot from my backyard. You look and think, wowie, cute little birdies. NOT me, did you ever see the movie, The Birds? Well I did, and I am freaked out by a bunch of birds in my yard. I also have a bad history with birds.


My family calls me "The Bird Killer". I can't help it, but on more than 4 occasions birds have been killed by my van. One bird was hit by meas I was taking my Emily to school, it did not die but when I turned around to get the bird it was gone. I was so sad and felt horrible for what happened. An hour or so later, I was in my kitchen doing dishes and there was the freaky crow with the broken wing sitting on my fence in front of my kitchen window. Needless to say, I was afraid to leave the house for the day.


The other times, birds just flew in front of my van and got hit. The final straw came when Katy and I were driving down the road, we were coming to a stop light and a bird flew into my front window. Thank goodness, he was okay, but then he flew to the ground and the truck next to me ran him over. So, that is why I am known as the bird killer and why I am now afraid of crows.


btw: I like birds and would never hurt a bird on purpose.

12 years old 55/365

12 years old 55/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

This is my son Hawkes, he turned 12 yesterday. He is my loner, my thinker, my comedian, my future engineer. This guy made me wait for him, when his birth mom was pregnant we were told he would be born Dec 20th. Well, my family and I flew to Florida from Texas to wait for our son to be born.

December went by January went by and finally after 5 weeks of waiting and wondering we were told we could go home. His due date was changed to March 3rd. We returned to Texas to wait some more, On Feb 22nd I flew back to Florida with my 2 yr old daughter, leaving my hubs to care for our other two children in Texas.

I was staying 5 minutes from the hospital and finally at 2:15 am I received a call to get to the hospital, I went to the bathroom to put on some makeup and brush my teeth. Left my baby with my in laws and drove to the hospital. When I walked in the room, my son had just been born and I missed it by 2 minutes. He weighed in at 9lb 9oz and looked like a linebacker for the Bears. The funny thing is, he is a really tiny little guy now.

I love this red haired, freckled faced, blue eyed handsome little dude. He still makes me wait for him, always running late for school..I guess if you come out late, you're always going to be late...

I love you Hawkes.....Mom

Little Ballerina 54/365

Little Ballerina 54/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

After the shots from the last couple days I thought I was doomed with the little miss. Today, we played in her bedroom, she was "reading" Snow White to me..Between you and me, I had no clue what she was saying except for the fact that the Queen was mean..Yesterday, I was mean..Hmmm. maybe she sees me as the evil Queen.. Oh well, such is life as a Mom.

I promise to get some of the other kids this week..They are so unwilling to get their pictures taken..I will try to be sneaky or bribe a few of them to get a shot or two...They really do exist, I promise.

Tomorrow is Hawkes birthday so that will be a great opportunity to see a smile or two on his cute little face. Wow, 12 years old tomorrow. Seems like he was a little toddler just yesterday, time goes by way too quickly. I don't like it much, I wish it all would just slow down a bit. He starts junior high in the fall...WOW..

Hope all you lovies are doing well. kiss kiss and big hugs from Texas..I need to call Katy and see if she really got 6 inches of snow..If so, it will be a record setting event..

B/W Ballerina

B/W Ballerina, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

this is the black and white version. Not sure which shot I like better...

TIME OUT for Bebe ~ Bench Monday 53/365

TIME OUT for Bebe ~ Bench Monday 53/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

This is what happens when we get in Mommy's pantry and climb the shelves to get into the sugar..Very naughty little girl...This is NOT meant to be a great picture, just a reminder not to break the rules...

Does Anyone SeeThe Problem Here??? 52/365

Does Anyone SeeThe Problem Here??? 52/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

1. eating pizza outside the kitchen
2. sitting in front of the tv while eating the pizza
3. who's watching the baby?
4. are those my pearls she's wearing?
5. a purse on your arm while you eat the pizza outside the kitchen?
6. where is your Dora The Explorer pull up?
7. WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THE BABY WHILE I WAS AT THE STORE?

This is how I find my child when I return home from the grocery store with milk..Clearly, no one was in charge and I use this picture as exhibit A that someone failed to mind the Little little while I was gone....Hmmmm.....

The House In My Dreams... 51/365

The House In My Dreams... 51/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

would have a red chair on the porch..I think it stands out and says here I am..Nothing too spectacular, but against the snow and the white house it makes me smile.

You Are My Sunshine 50/365

You Are My Sunshine 50/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

I just adore this little one...She challenges me more than any child I've ever had, she refused to walk, she refused to call me momma until 16 months, she still refuses to give out kisses, but yesterday before bedtime she threw her arms around me and said, "Mommy, I wub you". This just about brought me to tears...

"Phoebe, I wub you too".

A Swing and A Smile 49/365

A Swing and A Smile 49/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

I was about as creative as a stick today, but I am determined to keep up with my 365 project.The weather was gorgeous this evening so I was out playing with the little kids on the swingset. We had a blast, but I stil needed a shot of the 365. I finally took this shot of Caroline as I she was swinging on the tire swing. I liked the smile so here is the shot.

Backseat Driver

Backseat Driver, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Just a quick pic of Phebes while we waited for the kids to come out of school. We were rockin to the tunes of the musical, Mama Mia. The cd is one we all really love to sing to, every day.

My Flowers... 48/365

My Flowers... 48/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Okay, so the hubby gave them to me at 9:30 in the evening. No, there was no card or pretty wrapping, but he has never been the romantic type. I am sure he decided at the last minute, hmm it's Valentine's day. Still it was his way of being thoughtful. They are pretty..

Really though, i stand by my earlier statement that I prefer thoughtfulness throughout the year. Load the dishwasher, bathe the kids, make dinner or let me sleep in once in awhile, NOW that is romance. This IS best way to woo a woman who has children.. You do that, and Baby, I'm yours for the night..Ooh la la.
:)

A Sign It's Gong To Be A Bad Day!! 47/365

A Sign It's Gong To Be A Bad Day!! 47/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Big kids stink some days.Funny as anything, but naughty.. Caroline came down from a long nights sleep the other day, and as she went to get a cup for milk I saw this beautiful sign on her back. Clearly one of the older kids tagged her before bed..Judging by the writing, a red haired, glasses wearing, freckle face boy did this to his little sister. Don't feel too bad, I am sure she will be doing the same thing to Phoebe soon enough...

I did not tell her why I wanted the picture and I did remove the sign and throw it away before she saw it. I should have found the culprit and stuck in on his or her back before school yesterday, but I resisted the temptation.

The Snow of 2010 46/365

The Snow of 2010 46/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Here it is...the snow that made our winter super special. Eight inches of wonderful white snow. More snow than Dallas has seen in a decade.
We started our day by walking home from school in the snow, no wimpy driving for us. We went sledding, we rolled down hills, we made snowmen, we had snowball fights, some people only wore shorts(weirdo), we enjoyed our two days of winter bliss..

Yes, we will miss all this cold fluff, but I will not miss all the wet mittens, shoes, coats, jeans, socks and dogs..I will not miss the mud that got tracked through the house or the endless baths to warm hands and feet. I will not miss finding my 11 yr old in the tub in his jeans(because he thought wearing his clothes would warm him up faster). Ok, I do wish I had photographed that image. For now, I am grateful for the snow we got and grateful I don't have to deal with this for months on end. It was clearly the best of both worlds...

Happy Valentine's Day 45/365

Happy Valentine's Day 45/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Why we put so much emphasis on one day of love I will never understand. I think everyday should be filled with attention, affection and love. Money spent on flowers this holiday amazes me, I would rather have flowers out of the blue on an ordinary day.

Does that mean I would turn down flowers or a great box of chocolates, Heck no. In fact, I think the day after Valentine's Day is the best. That is the day when women all over the world can go to the store and buy all that chocolate for 50% off, now that my friends is LOVE.

I do however wish you a wonderful day filled with love, romance, nuzzle time, dinner(that was prepared by anyone but you), flowers and a HUGE box of yummy chocolates.

Just Shootin The Bull

Just Shootin The Bull, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

These are the calves I saw near Southfork Ranch. They were so great about letting me photograph them. Although Mom and Dad got a little testy at first, then they calmed down and let us shoot for about 10 minutes..

Plan to see more of these guys.

Run Free And Naked, But NOT With A Pencil In Your Hand.. 44/365

Run Free And Naked, But NOT With A Pencil In Your Hand.. 44/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

That's the motto at my house.. That's just the way we roll here in Texas. Okay, not really, if you come over, the rest of the family is usually fully dressed. Phoebe, not so much. She loves to run free and wild. Yes, I do dress her, but she takes the clothes off and this is the result. The rest of the family will be snuggled under blankets but not Baby Godiva.

We do not however allow running with scissors, pencils, knives or small fluffy animals. We also do not allow children to leave the house naked, you must wear at least a diaper to go to the mall. I'm serious about this rule!

p.s. No toddlers were injured while running with a pencil in the making of this image.

The Walking Trail...43/365

The Walking Trail...43/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Snow and more snow. About 6 inches of beautiful snow. The path is completely covered and used today for making snowmen and sliding..I guess that means I can't walk today.Oh well. Right? Ok fine, I can still get my exercise in today...

"Aye, Aye Matey, It's Snowin Here In Texas". 42/365

"Aye, Aye Matey, It's Snowin Here In Texas". 42/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Here is how I spent my day. Yes, there were loads of laundry to be done, floors to be cleaned, toilets to be scrubbed and beds to be made. I did none of it today. I spent my day, first making a snowman, playing on the sled, getting a friend to play and make snow angels, taking pictures and just acting like a child for the day.
After school, I walked to pick up the kids and we walked home and rolls huge snowballs, played in the yard and had a blast together. To top it off, NO SCHOOL TOMORROW!!!! Sleeping in. AAaaah.

Snow Mamma

Snow Mamma, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Took a few minutes to play on the sled..Very careful not to mess up the snow in the backyard, saved that for the kiddos. Glad to report that I did not fall on my butt making this shot. I have clearly turned into a idiot.

Snow Angel....

Snow Angel...., originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

My friend Bonnie and I made snow angels. She was such a good sport..

Beauty..

Beauty.., originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Finally, I met a new friend.. He was a beautiful and BIG guy..

Mutt and Jeff 41/365

Mutt and Jeff 41/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

15 years age difference. Hard to tell who's tthe toddler sometimes. Jefferson adores Phebes and clearly, she adores him.
I ask for a nice shot of the two of them and I got a series of these. I am so glad they are both a couple of smarty pants

Our Perfect Companions Never Have Fewer Than Four Feet. 40/365

Our Perfect Companions Never Have Fewer Than Four Feet. 40/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Here he is, my favorite dog, Yogi.. He is less than thrilled about having his picture taken.Can't you tell by the furrowed brow..Even the dog gives me attitude. I finally had to use the whole I am master you are dog to get him to sit for the shot. I even bribed him with food, I am not above bribes to get what I want...

Yogi is 10 years old now, and becoming a grumpy old man. He put up with so much gruff for years from the kids that now he just grumbles when they bother him. He steals food from the little one and stands at the top of the stairs trying to trip me at night.The minute I try to step over him to go down the stairs, he pops up like a Jack in the Box. If my body is ever found at the bottom of the steps..Yogi did it!

Grandma's Rolling Pin 39/365

Grandma's Rolling Pin 39/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

I love this rolling pin, it is loaded with memories. When my grandmother died it was the only thing I wanted of hers..I spent endless hours as a child in the kitchen with my grandma.She was quite a lady, she canned pickles, made an assortment of jams but my favorite thing was helping her make pies. She made apple pies, rhubarb pies, pumpkin pies and cherry pies and they were delicious. My memories however revolve around her giving me pie crust to roll out and she would have me add cinnamon and sugar, bake it and a few minutes later. YUMMY...It's funny I had not really brought that visual to mind in years, but I can almost smell her pies baking now..

Too bad, I can't bake anything to save my life..I guess I missed out on the baking gene and only got the eating gene..Oh well, I do eat better than your average Bear. I can guarantee if I eat at your house my plate will be licked clean...

The Rise and Fall of a Dancer

The Rise and Fall of a Dancer, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

This was shot about an hour ago. Miss Priss in her outfit of the day. Thank goodness she gave up the Princess dress for today. She has been awake since 2:30a.m. and had that crazy hyper before the crash and burn.She would dance and dance then fall to the ground. Ten minutes ago she passed out cold in my arms. It's not easy partying all night, eventually what stays up must come down..

Hold On.... 38/365

Hold On.... 38/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

There are times in life when we are just trying to hold on. I know I am like this leaf in my yard, I hold on to that olive branch that God holds out for me. I pray and wait for his response, frustrated that he isn't doing things in my time but his own. I am impatient and quick to anger but I hold on to the fact that my heavenly father loves me still. I hold on to hope that he will continue to bless me with a beautiful family and friends. Although family is so far away, I know that my family will be there in an instant if I needed them. I hold on to the blessings that are my children, yes having kids can be trying at times but there is no greater gift.

Finally, I hold on to hope that people, including myself will not throw up when they read this dribble I just wrote. Truth is, it's cold, dark and dreary here and no kids wanted to be a part of my 365 project. Even the dog ignored my pleas for just one picture, he walked out of the room when I tried to take his picture. There was not a single bird in sight, only a dead squirrel on the neighbors shed and that didn't seem very pleasing. So all that was left was this poor leaf holding on to a branch even though it should have fallen days ago. Stupid leaf. So there you go, Hold on to which ever part of my story you want, but either way that's all there is...

I Have What? 37/365

I Have What? 37/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Okay, the day starts out like every other day. Kids at school, do the laundry, feed the little one, make beds, clean house, you get the point, work. I feel a little out of breath and tired. At the early evening I go to Sam's to get necessary supplies and realize on the way home I still feel like I can't get air and decide oh what the heck and drive to the CareNow place..Four hours later and four breathing treatments, blood draw and a chest xray I find out I have asthma and pneumonia.

Here's what got my attention.."Mam, your blood pressure is 190/72, and you need to be taking something for your high blood pressure". Me, hello, I exercise, I eat pretty well(even my veggies), I am still only 115 lbs at 5"3,HOW CAN I HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? Now, I feel really old and so I plan to get my a** moving and take even better care of this Old Fart body..

Music Is The Wine That Fills The Cup Of Silence. 36/365

Music Is The Wine That Fills The Cup Of Silence. 36/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

~Robert Fripp
There is something so beautiful about watching a person playing an instrument..I love the way the fingers and mind move to create beautiful sounds. It is the one thing I wish I could do, of which I have zero ability. I can't read music and I have no rythm for music, but I LOVE the sound of a guitar being played by someone with the gift.

I would be more than happy to sing you a song if you so desire..Everyone knows that's my real talent. I will say, I never understood why I was not chosen for choir with such a God given gift..Sure the music teacher asked me not to sign up again, but did he really have an ear for my singing, I think not. Oh well, I will just have to share my voice with my children as I sing them a lullaby..Now, they appreciate my voice..

While You Were Sleeping

While You Were Sleeping, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

While you were sleeping,
I sat by your bed.
I watched you
as you smiled through your dreams.

I traced your perfect shell ear,
Touched every curl
On your little head.

I tried to sleep
But the sound of your breathing
Drew me back to your room.

I couldn't resist
The magic which tugged
At my heartstrings
And brought me to your side.

I settled on the floor
Once again.
Back against the wall,
Holding your tiny hand in mine.

While you were sleeping
I fell in love with you all over again

~Tara Simms

Homework and a Snack 35/365

Homework and a Snack 35/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Everyday is the same, come home, sit down at the kitchen table and do homework. This little one likes a glass of milk and a few cookies for dipping..I am so grateful that I don't need to push her every time, she does this automatically. There will come a day that homework may become a fight, but for today it's a blessing.

This is what a Diva looks like during a temper tantrum!!!!!

This is what a Diva looks like during a temper tantrum!!!!!, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Another fine moment at the homestead. This is what happens when Dora the Explorerer isn't on as requested by the Diva Princess.. Dora has taken over our home, I now HATE Dora.

The Human Spirit Needs Places Where Nature Has Not Been Rearranged By The Hand Of Man. 34/365

The Human Spirit Needs Places Where Nature Has Not Been Rearranged By The Hand Of Man. 34/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

I love the outdoors in it's natural state.Yes, cities are beautiful, but there is something special about seeing the earth untouched. It reveals God's handiwork at its finest..

I Love Delicate and Feminne 33/365

I Love Delicate and Feminne 33/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

Shocker, I know..Anyone who knows me probably just fell on the floor dying, but it's true. Underneath the sweats, tennis shoes and jeans is a woman that loves very delicate fabrics on the skin. I love pearls and high heels and I would love to be this woman once in awhile. Alas, I have spent the past 20 years as mom so the other me has been put on the shelf. I am saving this secret about me so please don't tell anyone. There are some things a girl wants to keep to herself.
btw, this is the silk gown I wore 22 years ago and I still pull it out an admire it sometimes..

No Need To Cry Over Spilled Milk ...but spilled candy is a whole different story. 32/365

No Need To Cry Over Spilled Milk ...but spilled candy is a whole different story. 32/365, originally uploaded by krispycrunch6.

LOVE is my theme this month..Here are a few definitions of the word.
a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection
sexual passion or desire.
a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.
Okay, so you get the idea..No where did it mention food, but I think we can all agree you can LOVE food and can feel great love for all things..Either way, I think humans are sooo blessed to be able to give, feel, know and want LOVE. Needless to say, by golly there will be pictures that I think show or define LOVE. If you are up for it, lets start this month off right..