Giddy doesn't even cover it folks...

Ok things are good today... I haven't felt like this in so long. It is amazing how one lil' thoughtful thing (ok not so lil') but one thing can make you feel soooo stinkin' good and then reflecting on the rest of the week... well I am blessed.

Let's face it - it's been a long road lately. This week - I had a couple little scarey post-op moments on Thursday (was that really yesterday?) morning (started Wednesday night) but seemed to get better after I rested.

Then the best news...at the post-op appointment Thursday:

BENIGN

Oh music so sweet to mine ears... but seriously it was... I hadn't realized that I've been holding my breath since we originally received the words explaining that I had this growth! But phhhheeew there it all went out after I saw...in black and white... typed across the page...BENIGN - in one big exhale. That is a super long time to hold your breath folks. A realllllly long time!! Apparently my 'growth' was Dr M's "problem polyp"! HA! Well there ya go! So there Dr M! Pfffblll! Teach you for trying to remove it without anesthetic! HA!  I have to grow them bigger and better and most problematic - because heck - that's how I am!! Gotta be unique right??

But then... Thursday after the good news appointment, while I was struggling with a new pattern...ahem (excuse me)... while I was engaging myself in creating a new pattern - my WONNNNNNNDERFUL, super thoughtful, endearing, gorgeous, attentive, caring, husband of the year - Mr Safety Man surprised me with  a gift of one of my dreams...

No folks... not pregnant again (darn) - but another super, awesome thing!!!

I 

 GOT 

        A 

           MAC 

                    BOOK 

                               PRO!!!!!!!

o yeah...doing the cocky happy dance... oh yeah... i'm giddddyyyy... look at meeeeee oh yeahhh!!!!

you may all be jealous... that's ok - really. 

I was once like you.

hehehehehe ok ok ok ok - sorry... just. so. stinkin'. goofy with giddiness (for a change).

It is a nice feeling to have finally again!!! I missed it. And it's not just because I got something... but because my Mr Safety Man thought of me...knew me... worked on this for awhile to help me be happy. To give me some joy...

THANK YOU SWEET Mr Safety Man... I absolutely adore you!!!!

Oh how I have coveted MACs... oh how I have dreamed about owning a MAC!!! And I got one!  Mr Safety man  bought me a "sparkly" (a story for another time)...needless to say it doesn't go around my neck or on my finger... but looks beautifully under my fingers as I type!!! I love my early mommy's day, anniversary, Christmas, & birthday gift!!! hahahahah

Usually when Mr Safety Man gives me an unexpected, HUGE prezzie... I don't know how to handle it well and I call him something that is not so nice. NOT to be mean... it just slips... like when he gave me my first car... after only being together for 4 months... " oh youuuuu... poop - I can't believe you did this"  came from these beautiful lips... not my finest moments... BUT like I said... I don't know how to handle big surprises I guess...

SOooooo yesterday upon receiving this wonderful...dashing... creme de la creme surprise?? I just plain cried. I was actually speechless... (and so was he - he felt sure I was going to call him some bad name again or something...and actually had to make sure I was happy)!! Imagine that?

So I've been playing... and my girls have been playing... and I took my beloved MAC - like a newborn baby  - my 3rd child -  to my resident Apple guru - Amy and we played some more and I soaked in her teachings. And her wonderful friend iTech Mick helped me some more... and I am just soooooooooooooooooo excited... sooooo pumped! And my sweet, Sweetpea made me a Keynote presentation on my beloved MAC (and if I figure out how to post it on my MAC... I will do so soon because it is the sweetest thing EVAHHhhhhhh). I think my MAC has been just as exciting for my girlies as it has been for me. But o dear sweet children of mine- THIS IS MOMMMMY'S and ONLY MOMMY'S MAC... Sorry but I shall not share. And guess what? I don't have to!!!! ;}

          I am in the cool club now folks... 

watch me fly today...it's rather nice up here -i've missed this feeling!!

 wish you were me don'tcha?

 Goofing around with the photo booth application!!!

I LOVE MY NEW MAC!!!!!

Thank you so much my sweet, caring Mr Safety Man!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

Something to be excited about...

With all the stress and all the craziness over the last few weeks I figured out that I was not only down but wasn't really happy about anything. I mean don't get me wrong... I love my family to the moon & stars and back again... but I have just been doing MUNDANE things since we got back from Maine. I've been keeping busy, sure. And it's helped keep my mind occupied - for the most part. These chores and things I have had to do - have actually started to stress me out and have taken over my life.

Then I got to thinking... why am i so stressed? besides the obvious reason with Mr Safety-Man's mom so sick... why do i feel an overwhelming sense of no accomplishments, no highlights, no happiness. Heck it's been hard to even make myself get out of the house... BUT "I've been busy". Then it hit me... perhaps i feel this way because i am doing nothing with my creative outlet. And that always helps me maintain balance... especially in times of stress. It is an outpouring of emotion for me.

BOOM! I felt some of the weight release from my shoulders. I have been missing creating my jewelry- anything for that matter - out of clay, I have been missing making things. I miss sewing. I miss doing wonderful things for my girls. I miss being creative. It is not enough just to do chores, errands, cook, clean, etc.

I knitted a pillow for my MiL. I felt so good. I had a purpose. My girls wanted one to match their Grammy San's. What better tribute to their Grammy San. So while in Blue Hill, ME at her house - we got Alpaca wool yarn for them...I started one for Ky and finally finished it this week! I have started Boo's...now as well. That has helped... with the creative flow.

But it didn't seem enough. I wanted to tackle a really BIG project. A fun, challenging one. So a good friend of mine has been doing some new, fun stuff with fabric & sewing and we got talking at our book club... and it hit me. I want to get back to sewing again. I felt inspired to make pretty things. To make thing for my girls... aaaaahhh yes. I want to turn the back part of my family room in to a studio. A studio to do our clay, to do my sewing, scrapbooking. WHATEVER - but somewhere where I can have all my creative stuff in one area.

Boo's birthday is coming in July - and instead of waiting until last minute - where there would be no time - I found this awesome fabric and a voice in my head said 'go! you can do it - make her a dress'. Unfortunately, the designer of the fabric also made awesome patterns - but only to size 7. Too small. After much looking around etc. I e-mailed the DESIGNER herself, and she actually e-mailed me back and helped me out tremendously - like she was a friend next door. I found a wonderful woman who sold the fabric and when we started to discuss patterns... she told me she had a wonderful group of patterns that went up to size 10/12!! "PERFECT" i said... and looked at them.

I fell in LOVE. They were exactly my little girls' (yes both of them) styles. They WERE absolutely PERFECT. But then deciding on just one - would not do. So I chose three (but wanted more...).


Here is the dress I decided on... It is called the Lydia dress. It will be a challenge that is for sure - for the shirring in the bodice looks difficult. But a challenge I wanted... a challenge I received.

(all photos are from MATERIALGAL - go see her etsy shot (link below) she's fantastic)

This next one is an adorable skirt. But when I saw the name... I knew things were happening for a reason. There seemed to be Divine presence with me. See, I follow this blog about a young mother who was involved in a plane crash with her husband. I have been reading this blog for a long time - pulling for, praying with her and for her. Well her nickname happens to be NieNie... and so does the name of the skirt... The Nienie skirt. As I read further part of the proceeds go to help Nienie with her constant health costs. I KNEW that I had been sent here for a reason. That this is EXACTLY what I needed to be doing - sewing things for my girls!! To follow where I was lead was to help myself and to help in a small way Nienie. I couldn't believe it.
Isn't the skirt just darlin'??
That skirt name and what it represented just sold me (literally i bought it hehehe) - that I was doing the right thing, that this is what I should be doing. I was lead here and I followed. I was given an idea... it was popped in to my head... and I faithfully went for it.

And then I saw the shirts... fun, funky, different... SO my girls!!! These are the Juliet shirts... and I fell in love. I chose which girl would have what... and funny enough Ky chose the same way I did. She loves the one left and she thinks Boo will like the one on the right... YES!!! I think Boo will love that for her birthday!! (Shhhhhh she doesn't know of course...) So how cute are they? Right?!?!

So I picked out some patterns from PINK FIG. And the material... ahhhhhhhhhhh the material... a beautiful array from a designer named Patty Young. And it is ALL different palettes. The reason I fell in love - 1 palette is the mustard palette. ALL different yellows (Boo's favorite color) and one of the fabrics is DANDELION (Boo's favorite flower). The Flora & Fauna collection has butterflies, birds, bees, flowers (both girls love nature). It has a raspberry palette (Ky's favorite color is pink and purple and this is kind of a mix of both!!!). It is just wonderful. Here's a little sampling of some of the fabrics. I got the image from the etsy store I bought the patterns and material - MATERIALGAL!!! Just gorgeous! SO different than what I would normally choose!! I LOVE it! BEAUTIFUL! I am starting these shirts first... I cannot wait!!

I have to say thank you to Patty Young... designer of the fabric & the help she gave me to find her mustard palette fabric. And Stephanie at MATERIALGAL (http://www.etsy.com/shop/MaterialGal) for her tirelessly answering SO many of my questions and her kindness!!! She's a dream to work with and I suggest you see her online etsy store - she has got a TON of fabric!!

The Secret's Out...

These photos just crack me up... they were jumpin' and movin' so much - SUCH EXCITEMENT!

Oh I am sooo excited... I mean so excited!

See Kyra has loved this singer since the singer FIRST came out. She knows each and every song beyond 'by heart'. Taylor Swift is her idol and since Ky is Boo -my youngest's - idol well Boo loves Taylor Swift too. Both girls have taken to going to sleep at night listening to the sweet songs by a sweet country singer. We got a special surprise for our girls, a really special surprise! We decided to take both our sweet baby girls to their FIRST EVER CONCERT...TAYLOR SWIFT 2010 FEARLESS TOUR!!!

We just could not NOT take our girls. They just absolutely ADORE Taylor Swift. Ky wants to be a singer later in life and just totally wants to be like her. PLUS Chris and I both really like her songs and positive influence. I haven't been to a concert since... oh jeesh... a long time. OH WAIT - actually it was RECENTLY (I swear if my back didn't have screws in it now I'd lose it...Get it? get it? Just a little post-op humor there hehehe) DEPECHE MODE of course! But before that - it's been a LONG time!

We cannot wait to go as a family. We're going to make a poster this weekend - Ky's idea!!! We'll get them early from school (shhhhh). I'll do the girls hair really pretty. We'll wear awesome, fun, maybe even new outfits. We'll grab some dinner together and SING OUR HEARTS OUT!!!

The girls were beyond excited when we went to dinner tonight & presented their tickets to them... can you tell from the photos?!

But I think I am JUST as excited to see them this happy.

I am so excited...

More to come in the next few days since we are finally on vacation... but just something really quick... I AM SELLING OVER 25 of my Holiday Jewelry Line!! A wonderful friend of mine wore something I gave her to the hospital where she works today and had TONS of people coming up to her asking her about them and if they were for sale... She called me up and said that she wanted me to get 'em ready and she would take them to work tomorrow!! I am so giggly with excitement! I worked a long afternoon giving EVERY piece (52+) my attention and finishing them up (will post some photos tomorrow...)!! I hope some sell tomorrow... wish me luck!!!

Here's the write-up I created for the pieces...

HOLIDAY EARRINGS & PENDANTS
Earrings and pendants are made from a beautiful white porcelain clay body. They are light and fun to wear! Each one is stamped using my own handmade molds, hand-shaped and smoothed, kiln fired, and meticulously hand-glazed – using a variety of techniques. Finally they are finished with a clear glaze to give it that extra Holiday SPARKLE!
They feature playful, whimsical holiday themes. The backs have been left unglazed ~ especially with the pendants so that, if you like, you can spray it with your favorite perfume or cologne; making your scent last longer and diffusing it by the warmth of your body. They hang from delicate Sterling Silver hook, clasp, & fastenings.
Earrings - $15.00
Pendants - $15.00
Earring & Pendant sets - $25.00
Please make checks payable to Kymmie Marriner!
Thank you so much for your interest and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Here's hoping... Christmas is here... bringing good cheer...

First Day of School... and all is well!

HOLY COW! We made it... it was a bit crazy after our vacation to BOOM! just start school one day later... but we did it! And I am happy to say we were able to iron out out who gets what for uniforms/supplies (ouch those both cost a bundle this year), but also a GREAT schedule that works for everyone.

I really wanted to get this schedule nailed down (minus the extracurricular activities that happen weekly) so that the girls could start from the get-go, a very structured day. In this way they would know what is expected of them and what they needed to get done. Last year was a little too chaotic for me. On top of everything else - I will be having spinal surgery this Fall and I wanted Daddy to have something that he can rely upon - to help him get through the days that I am recovering... Anything to make the entire "school process" go easier on us all.

The family theme for the year really seemed to excite the girls and Daddy - and seems to be working rather well (so far!!)!! At one point Ky didn't really seem to be listening to something at dinner and a gentle reminder that we are Listening and Following with our Hearts seemed to bring her right back and focus. Now don't get me wrong... I still had repeat things a few times, and there were constant questions... "What's next on the schedule (to-do) list?" - which cracked me up! BUT at least they were really feeling involved in the planning and participating in the execution of our family plan! So neat to watch them become a bit more independent each day.

Morning before 1st day of school!

Walking the girls to their classes

We dropped the girls off at their classrooms and they were a bundle of nerves and excitement. Boo's teacher was the same from last year and same class - so she really felt right at home. Ky's 4th grade was ALL new and she was a bit anxious - but really determined this was going to be a fun, exciting year. She is thrilled to have so many of her friends in this class!! I think it was harder on Momma seeing them off (as usual) but I got through it and had the support of Daddy there with me - so that was good!

Ky going in to her new FOURTH grade class!

Boo going in to her FIRST grade class!

Watching them come home and get off the bus was just so rewarding. Two girls were just ALL smiles and happy to see Mommy and Daddy... it was so sweet. They both just started talking ALL about their day. Ky's comment on her teacher... "she is the best teacher ever"!!!. So sweet!! I am so relieved to have my girls in such a FANTASTIC elementary school and that they have such wonderful teachers and great support from friends!!!

Boo has "Buchu Bunny" to help her ride the bus... happy to be home!

Ky...such a big girl now... sigh!

One day down... how many to go?

School musing...it can't be time for this already can it?

TRAVEL TRAVEL TRAVELING!!

Oh the excitement... the anticipation... the joy at the preparation (NOT!!!! Come on my friends are you kidding me? I HATE the prep...) - HOWEVER - I do like the trip (albeit tiring) and just the fun of traveling.

We have done this wonderful trek to Garden City, SC (south of Myrtle Beach) since I was about FOUR or FIVE years old... 31-ish years!!! WHAT a tradition! This is something that as a little girl I would look forward to alllll year long. We would take that long trip down from VT/NH... And it was so easy to pack then - I just needed music, books, and whatever else in my carry-on but now... BOY do I know what my mom must have gone through - now that I am doing it!

Ahhh the tradition continues with the Marriners now... MY FAMILY! My parents fly in from UT and we travel all together. It's fun to catch up and visit before we leave. I really miss them -we're a very close knit family! Then we get up at an incredibly AWFUL (early) hour in the AM and travel 10ish hours north. My girls have been going since they were born and it creates such memories... Now I view the anticipation in their faces. I hear how they speak of it... And it reminds me of the innocence and just fun of vacation and traveling!!

Just tonight little Boo asks me "Momma are you excited for the beach (always how we refer to our vacation). And I could unequivocately answer YES!! Everything was packed and ready to go and now the excitement to get outta dodge and just go relax at a house, right on the beach, TRAVELING to a new, yet familiar place is just AWESOME!

I dislike the preps for traveling. I get nervous and stressed a bit (Chris would say A LOT more than a bit). However - I love to go places, I love to do new things, I love to see new places, eat and drink in the culture...

But right now - I love going to "the beach". I love being with friends & family. I love that we go EVERY year and I have only missed going twice (1st - 16yrs old - I was in Zimbabwe, Africa on a mission trip & 2nd I had just had my 2nd baby girl and she was only 2 weeks old). I even went 3 days after my surgery on my back last summer!!!

Our family loves "the beach". It's true. The travling, the fun, the excitement, it is alll part of vacation!!!!

This is a bit choppy and rambling... but I just am excited and wanted to write a little about our TRAVELING!!! It's been a wonderful summer... but we need our VACATION finally!

musing on travels... my mind wanders on allll the other places i want to go sometime soon....