Love, Laughs, Tickles, Teases. Frogs & Jelly Beans

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Crop Talk

I went out scrapping again last night and had alot of fun! We kept calling it "Almost a Crop" and that's what it turned out to be. There were only 3 of us there and yet we had a ball! Thanks so much to T for hosting it! We just gabbed and talked and played and ate. I think K was the only one of us who really got pages done but we sure had fun!

I think I just stumble thru life from one crop to the next sometimes. but that's okay. Lucky for me the Frog seems to understand what I really need... time and space away or I go nuts.

We are currently watching him closely because of an infection right now and unfortunately things don't seem to be resolving themselves with antibiotics and pain meds. So yippee for me at least 2 trips to the hospital this week. Yuck! I was teasing him agian that he's the worst husband I've ever had....not to mention the only one. LOL But you just gotta love someone who is such a goof.



Thursday, June 22, 2006

the BIG Picture

So I've been hearing so much about the online classes that BPS is offering I decided to sign up for one. Looks easy enough.supply list is pretty basic so no purchases involved except the class fee. guess I'll see what all the fuss is about.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Family Portraits

Family Portraits.... you gotta love them right? After all they capture the moment so well. Those of us that come in large economy size desparately trying to hide behind the more "normal sized", cousins pulling faces at each other, closed eyes, open mouths...... there is no perfect shot.

Try 1 mom, her eight children with assorted spouses, umpteen grandchildren one great grandchild and two on the way! It was hysterical to say the least. I of course spent way too much! I had the photographer take some photos of The Frog and I. first time in 10 years. When you don't have kids there doesn't seem to be a real reason for more formal sittings of how life changes cuz it's not as noticeable. They look pretty good. Then since I splurged last year and had my photo done I got some of the Frog alone.

May I just say this guy did a fabulous job of capturing my guy?

Of course he always smiles with every tooth showing, which of course is what you do when you are a Frog. But in the Photos it shows his marvelous Potential to be a Handsome Prince. For one of the few times in 18 years I'll have a photo of him that doesn't make it really obvious that he's in a Wheelchair. He captured some super fun stuff too So I got one of the Frog with all his sibs and his mom acting goofy.


Sunday, June 18, 2006

Family, Friends and Fun!

Last night we had a fun BBQ at my aunt's home. How fun it was to see my cousin S & his wife L and their 4, no make that 5 children after they spent the last 2 years in Guam! The children have grown so much! Miriah is 12 now and very much the young lady. She was wearing a beautiful white coral dolphin necklace to remember her adventures there. Which were many and we had alot of fun just visiting and hearing about them.

As I mentioned they now have 5 children. S & L applied and became the Legal Gaurdians of a young 7 year old boy named Reminder who has some hearing loss and was one of her students at the Deaf School where she taught. He fits right into the family and is about the same age as Adam and is a very bright and polite child. I played ball with him for a bit and he was happily signing away. He does have some hearing because he could hear me when I laughed....(it is rather distinctive) and he would giggle too. They are trying out different more American names for him but he will tell you his name is "r-minder".

Another big plus was I got to hold my cousin C's little baby boy. He was born on Monday so he was literally a "NEW BABY" with the little cordy thing still on and only 7 lbs. But little Benjamin Dee is darling. He doesn't have that squishy look like some little babies have. He's just plain cute! But I'm sure glad I'm not her. She had Sarina turn 2, the 2 older boys get out of school, they've moved into a new home and had a new baby all in the last few weeks!

Rew and his wife S announced that they are expecting another addition just before Christmas as well so Aunt C and Uncle G are getting 3 new grandkids this year!

Tonite we went to MIL's for another BBQ....isn't it great to have someone else do all the cooking? Poor Frog was so worn out he couldn't even sit up straight. So he went to bed as soon as we got home. We are meeting up with them all again tommorrow and having the first family portrait done in 10 years! It will be quite the crowd but it will also mean literally everyone will be in the picture ecept for the new great grandchildren that are expected later this year. The Frog and I will get one of just us too so that will be really nice as well.

Into the 21st Century

I have now moved into the 21st century and after 10 years of being rather satisfied with my pokey old slow dial up service. I am on a DSL modem.
Of course there are a few bugs to work out. But all in all Better, Stronger Faster is the way to go. How fun to click and there it is no waiting for pages to load.
Still haven't quite gotten the whole Email thing worked out and there is a goofy buzzing on the phone line....most likely from the Frog's I've fallen and Can't get up alarm. Oh well it will give me somthing to do tommorrow

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Dream Date

I woke up from a deam last night which was so incredibly real. When I realized it wasn't I began to cry.......again. Just when you think you're all cried out and you really are doing a good job of holding things in check.

Why is it always the little things which make you whack yourself upside the head and realize that being in control is all just smoke and mirrors?

Not a big dream as dreams go. The Frog was walking from the mailbox to the porch where I was sitting....in this house.....which has NEVER happened! He had four on the floor when we moved in. He's never seen the basement since it actually had a wall. Never even saw the house as we were building it except once when his brother came over and helped to get him in after it was framed. The rest of the time he sat in the car and just accepted everything on the faith that it was right for us. I remember wishing back then that I had the kind of faith in me that he does.

Perhaps that's why we still date in my dreams.....little glimpses into an eternity, where I'm still cute (but skinny) and he can walk, no run to open the door.

Tinker Belle Bear


I do believe in fairies I do I do
I do believe in fairies I do I do
Chloe got sent her darling little TinkerBelle outfit anounomously awhile ago with instructions that she wear it to the Anniversay Crop. I think this is one of the few times I've worn something besides pink to any crop. But my shoes were pink so that counts.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Chloe Abuse




Chloe was slightly abused at the crop Last weekend and I'll be the first to admit it was me who caught her swinging from the chandlier. But it was Rachel who Bearnapped her and gave her candy, caffeine and champagne and Ri who almost stabbed her withe scissors because she was being so obnoxious and screaming at me " Take My picture! Take My picture!"

I'm thinking the Zoloft might not be working so well if I keep hearing Chloe talking.

Bad Little Blog Watcher

I've been very, very bad. I've been reading Stacy Julian's blog and she posted a picture of a new cabinet she had gotten from Pottery Barn. It was soo cute!
I found one on line and bought it
It was my evil scrapbook fairy that forced me to get it. But I'm sure I'm going to love it so that makes it okay right?

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Croppin' with Chloe





So there we were about 35 women from 4 pm Friday to midnight Saturday night. Chatting, snacking and scrappin'. What fun! What a much needed Break for me! I played. Chloe got her picture taken with everyone there at least once. She had 4 different outfits to sort of mix it up. Her Pink Fun day shorts, Her nightie and robe after 11 pm, her cute bikini with wrap the next day and then at 7pm her last change into her TinkerBelle outfit that came in the mail with instructions that she wear it to the Anniversary Crop. Still no one claimed to have sent it.

She and Tracy won raffle prizes of stickers, Blane won some paper. Caralee and I nothin'. But I did get the items I really wanted at the Auction and betwen that and the raffle we raised almost $1600.00 for Jenny and her family while she goes thru Chemo and Radiation to try and help with meals and cleaning and stuff.

It was so awesome to see the variety of things that were donated to help raise the funds. So pretty and so much work....booties and baby stuff, page kits and hotel passes. fun time and I got stuff done! Chloe made alot of new friends and I put faces to names on the computer screen.

Adventures in Parking

We went to the Gateway for Lunch after the Frog's clinic visit the other day and when we got back to the van there was a Camry parked right up next to us in a clearly marked No Parking Wheelchair Access spot next to a Fire Hydrant. I was soo mad.

We had gone the rounds inside the Parking garage and couldn't find a spot. Finally lucked out on the one on the street and then that happens. I had to completely pull out of my spot, flip on the hazard lights and load S all while blocking traffic on a one way road!! I was so mad I wrote a snarky PO'd note and slipped it through the window of their car. It did have a handicap tag on the rearview but it had expired in January. How hard is it too look and see a van with a lift parked in the Van HCA stall next to you? Since I was blocking everyone else a security guard came to see what the honking and crap was about. I pointed out my problem and the fact that not only was the tag expired it was a normal car without hand controls and was not used to transport a passenger since the back seat was covered in junk and trash & so was the front passenger seat. Evil aren't I?

He was really sweet, explained what was going on to the other vehicles waiting. Then called the parking PD guy who not only wrote out 3 tickets, illegally parked, expired tag and blocking Hydrant access he also Booted the car! I heard him tell the Security guy that since it had probalby taken me about 15 minutes of hassle to load the Frog in & secure the wheelchair to count that into the hour and if the car was still parked there in 45 minutes have it towed!! I felt sooo vindicated. I should have slid open the door and just deployed the ramp down on their roof then blamed it on the remote and the fact we didn't see their car til we heard the crash cuz the van's so big and we were coming from the wrong direction. LOL

Friday, June 02, 2006

Chloe's Closet

I've been so busy no time to post but I'm so excited. I get to go play today and tommorrow with my SIU gals for a Scrapbook weekend. This will most likely be the only break I get this summer so I've been looking forward to it for months! We had such a fun time yesterday that the Frog better not complain at all about me leaving either.

Went to Mc Grath's for lunch after his clinic visit where he ended up eating most of my lunch too. (note to self...never go to the restroom B4 ordering again) Apparently he told the waitress what he wanted, then proceeded to tell her I like everything! I do. She suggested the Seafood combo which he said sounded good and that's what I got. Unfortunatly everything was battered and fried. I ate the stuff with cornmeal but gave him everything else and since it was all on the same plate got a little cross contamination thing going there. Not too fun a night for me! but he did do the red potatoes instead of fries and coleslaw which was the best I've had dining out.

Then we walked along the Gateway to Build a Bear to get a swimming suit for Chloe. He is worse than I am! It was so funny to see him looking hard at everything then choosing between stuff by saying, " Chloe will like this one better" One of the guys that worked there told him that if Chloe didn't like stuff she could exchange it, thinking we were buying for a "real little girl!" S laughed and told him "Chloe is my wife's bear!" by the time we left Chloe had gotten new shoes, swimsuit, PJ's with a robe, another outfit for summer, beach chair, beach tote, new hair ribbons and pantywears! She's not Spoiled a bit!

It was another really special glimpse into what a great Father he would have been to our kids if only things had worked out a bit differently. What a guy! When he asked me what I wanted for my Birthday next month I just told him I was preety sure I already had my present.......but I'm soo putting down a new Friend for Chloe on my Santa letter to see what he comes up with!! LOL