525,600 minutes

GAH!

2011-05-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Ever had one of those days that pushes you to the brink of sanity? Yeah, it's been one of those weeks for me. I've had to question my parenting skills on every, single level and realized...I suck at being a parent. I really think I do.

I've wanted children since I was old enough to play with dolls. I always wanted to be the mommy surrounded by my brood of 20 stuffed animals that were my kids. It made me happy to be surrounded by love. It made me happy to have so many things to love.

I grew up not quite sure if I was loved. That's not a pleasant thought...but it was my thought. My little 8, 10, 12 and 14 year old mine was SURE my mother hated me and only adopted me to do her housework. (warped thinking? nahhh....)

Now I know.

Yeah, I had to do housework. It taught me skills. Yeah, I had to do my homework without my parents nagging me (well, after they told me do it and "I shouldn't have to nag you to do it"). Yeah, it taught me self-reliance, and to be a self-starter. Sure I was on restriction 80% of the time but that taught me accountability (and usually my mom forgot I was on restriction within a few hours).

You know what?

I'm doing the same things to my kids.

and you know what? They think I hate them and they're only here to do my housework.

damn karma.

My heart was crushed last week after stumbling across a post my daughter flippantly made on one site she visits. She was depressed. Really depressed and had some pretty terrible thoughts. I knew she was sad here and there but she didn't talk to me. Well, after finding this out...we talked. At length.

Strike one for sucky parent award.

Then tonight my son isn't sure if I love him. "Well, there are lots of ways you can show me but you doooooooon't" he wailed.

There are lots of ways we show it that kids aren't aware of. Things I wasn't aware of when I was a kid when I threw that same hateful, barbed phrase at my mom.

I prayed while driving him to the ER last week for God to let him get air and be okay till we get to the hospital.

I slept (well, laid) on the couch within inches of him so I could watch his chest rise and fall so I knew he was okay. I timed how many breaths-per-minute he was breathing (asthma parents know that one).

I pray every morning and every night for God to protect and watch over my children.

I let my child walk to the store with her friend because I knew she wanted to and would be safe even though the overprotective mom inside me was screaming "no, no, no....if I can't see her ALL the time, she's not safe!" I squelch that inner freaked-out ocd mom all the time for the betterment of my kids.

I'm trying like heck to cut my hours just so I can focus more on my kids, their schooling and their activities. I'm tired of my family taking a back seat to my paycheck.

but I never show them I love them.

I was a rotten, rotten child. I said every mean thing in the book to my mom TRYING to get a reaction from her. Trying to hurt her like I felt she was hurting me.

Boy was I wrong and boy, oh boy am I getting it back two-fold.

Oh...I forgot, strike three on sucky parent award....my daughter has stopped eating dinners and lunches. She still snacks but she thinks she's overweight (she's so not) and wants to be thin.

WHAT??? Who told my daughter she's fat and let me at 'em. She probably looks at me and thinks "oh god...please don't let me be like my mom!"

*sigh*

So I'm spent. I'm done. I don't know where to go from here. My heart is breaking for my son who is the most lovable, caring boy ever but can't make friends at school. He can charm an entire office full of grown women in 2 seconds flat but doesn't know how to make friends his age. I don't want him to lose his lovely spark. His joy. However, every day I see it getting less and less as he's more aware of how kids are treating him. It maddens me. I just want to throttle them and say "Are you aware how AMAZING my son is??"

My daughter is so painfully shy and she's reached an age where it's glaringly apparent that she's behind her peers in social areas. All her friends have boyfriends. All her friends are growing up but she's terrified of growing up. Unsure what's out there for her after high school. She's such a loyal friend, a giving person, a silly, funny, wonderful girl but doesn't seem to see any of that even though I tell her on a daily basis. I would do anything to be able to have her SEE what I see. To look in the mirror and realize how beautiful and amazing she really is. To have that confidence and believe in herself like I believe in her.

So..it's Tuesday. Dare I ask what the rest of the week holds in store for me? oooh....I think not. I'm thankful for today. I'm thankful my family is under one roof, safe and sound. I don't think I should ask for more.

Open your heart......to being a kid again.

2011-02-18T20:46:00.001-08:00

Open your heart......to being a kid again., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

for MCP's project 52. Week 7: theme "open your heart"

www.MargaretSmithPhotography.com

using the "mini fusion" action by MCP

Cheerio Lei

2011-02-07T20:38:00.001-08:00

Cheerio Lei, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

my sons newest creation....

when good toys go bad...

2011-02-07T20:37:00.001-08:00

when good toys go bad..., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

ians mystery lego men are multiplying...

and....lovely socks!

2011-02-05T19:17:00.001-08:00

and....lovely socks!, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

one of my favorite shots from a Valentines Day session today!

Aye Carum-ba!

2011-02-04T19:17:00.000-08:00

Aye Carum-ba!, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

My son is earning a little item each week he is good at school. He's really loving the "mystery" lego guys. You never know what you're gonna get. This week we got a Mexicano version guy!

burgled

2011-02-03T18:44:00.001-08:00

burgled, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

here comes the sun

2011-02-02T14:43:00.000-08:00

here comes the sun, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

My Muse.... {for project 52}

2011-02-01T19:21:00.000-08:00

My Muse.... {for project 52}, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

my daughter. I am adopted. The day she was born she was the first person I'd ever met who looked like me. Two seconds into this world the doctor delivering her said "she looks just like mommy!' My whole life shifted the day she entered this world. She is so much like me...but better.

Arg!

2011-01-31T17:52:00.001-08:00

Arg!, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

this is what happens when I try to take a picture of my darling son....

California Winter

2011-01-30T19:19:00.000-08:00

California Winter, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

i'm being lazy with the photos this weekend...using my daughters itouch :)

Hair-do

2011-01-29T19:20:00.000-08:00

Hair-do, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

girls day...Em and I getting are hair done :)

pea soup....

2011-01-28T10:17:00.000-08:00

pea soup...., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

ready....set....

2011-01-27T20:19:00.001-08:00

ready....set...., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

mirror mirror....

2011-01-27T06:19:00.001-08:00

mirror mirror...., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

...or roof of the car.

ah....colors

2011-01-25T21:09:00.001-08:00

ah....colors, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

my mini-rose bush leaves are showing signs of...fall?

i heart Shawn the sheep ♥

2011-01-24T20:22:00.001-08:00

i heart Shawn the sheep ♥, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

dandelion

2011-01-23T16:20:00.001-08:00

dandelion , originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

macro...a'la fish eye attached to 50mm

spidey...

2011-01-22T18:47:00.003-08:00

spidey..., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

fisheye attached to my 50mm lens

spidey...

2011-01-22T18:47:00.001-08:00

spidey..., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

fisheye attached to my 50mm lens

branching out...

2011-01-21T12:36:00.001-08:00

branching out..., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

..in front of the moon

bus meets bug

2011-01-20T18:34:00.001-08:00

bus meets bug, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

more fun with Ian's {formerly Papa C's} toys

drip line

2011-01-19T19:02:00.001-08:00

drip line, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

always carry a spare...

2011-01-18T19:03:00.001-08:00

always carry a spare..., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

fenced

2011-01-17T20:47:00.001-08:00

fenced, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

coming through...

2011-01-16T17:39:00.001-08:00

coming through..., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

we hear trains daily. Nightly. They're not so close it's a problem or irritating. They're just a lovely sound off in the distance that you can hear when things are just quiet enough in the house.

early morning...

2011-01-14T18:35:00.001-08:00

early morning..., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

Saw this scene as I dropped my daughter off at the bus stop....I had to go home, get my camera and get a picture.

you talkin' to me?

2011-01-13T06:21:00.000-08:00

you talkin' to me?, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

magnetic poetry

2011-01-12T06:22:00.000-08:00

magnetic poetry, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

♫ all you need is....♪

2011-01-11T20:29:00.001-08:00

♫ all you need is....♪, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

believe it or not...this is my first "light writing" experiment. haha. When pressed the shutter I realized I had no clue what to write....so I wrote this ♥

frosted....

2011-01-10T20:19:00.001-08:00

frosted...., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

yep, got a wee bit cold for us Californians {cold=29 degrees}. EVERYTHING was coated in ice including the roads!

bubbly...

2011-01-08T16:53:00.001-08:00

bubbly..., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

one of the remnants from the vintage Christmas I grew up with. These used to sit on the trees but I couldn't find the pieces you needed for that. I DID, however, find a handy "faux" candle stand to twist it into...now it sits in my window in all it's day-glo-red-and-green-vintage-ish. :)

more of Emmaline's work...

2011-01-07T17:56:00.001-08:00

more of Emmaline's work..., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

again...she drew and colored this sitting on the couch one night after dinner. Utilizing the new manga pens Santa brought her. It took her about 30mins.

6-365 Emmaline's art

2011-01-06T20:36:00.001-08:00

6-365 Emmaline's art, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

My daughter loves Anime'. Lives, breathes and dreams in Anime. She's always been good at drawing but just in the last year she's really come into her own. She whips out these drawings (colored and everything) in 20 minutes. Just blows me away.

♪when marimba rhythm starts to play...♫ 5/365

2011-01-05T19:01:00.001-08:00

♪when marimba rhythm starts to play...♫ 5/365, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

....dance with me...make me sway♫

street lights 4/365

2011-01-04T18:56:00.001-08:00

street lights 4/365, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

♥ 3/365

2011-01-04T18:06:00.003-08:00

♥ 4/365, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

*sigh*

tree line 2/365

2011-01-03T18:06:00.000-08:00

tree line 3/365, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

fun with my new funkified action...

2011/ 365 The "do-over" year!

2011-01-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

Cheers to 2011! 1/365, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

I think this is my fourth year doing the photo a day {or project 365 as some know it}. I can't say I've been perfect at it. I think my first year I did the best, the others were just...eh. Hit and miss.

Let's give it a go again this year and see what happens!

yup, i did

2010-11-02T21:37:00.001-07:00

yup, i did, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

can't believe it's been a year...

2010-10-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

It's October 21st 2010...nearly a year since my Dad took in his last breath. One year since he looked into my eyes. One year since he squeezed my hand to comfort me as I cried knowing that he would be gone soon. I can't believe it.

It truly seems like that horrible week in October just happened. I remember my family doing everything we could to give him permission to let go. It killed all of us to see our strong, vibrant father melting away cruelly in front of our eyes. Still, he held on. We brought all the grand kids over. He held on. My brother visited, I visited, my husband visited, his friends visited and he still held on. Finally, on the afternoon of the 22nd, less than 12 hours before, what would have been his 83rd birthday, a couple of men and a priest came from the church. The priest gave him last rights. Giving him permission to let go. God was telling him it was okay and it was time. Being the ever faithful and vigilant Catholic, that was the "okay" to go. I came over to visit Dad around 2pm, they left around 1pm.

He passed sometime in between.

It was hard to be the one to find him. I walked to the back bedroom where he was and knew he was gone without stepping foot into his room. The air was still. His presence was gone. There was a definite vacancy in the air. Still, knowing he was gone, I walked over to him, closed his eyes, held his hand and kissed him one last time. My mom was sitting in the front room. I shouted for her to come to the back room. Hearing her approach I simply said "he's gone mom." She had a confused look and replied "no he's not, he's still breathing. see?" My eyes never left her "no, he's gone mom. His fingers are blue. He's gone." She never walked into the room, she turned on her heel and walked into the den across the hall and called the funeral home. This is her way of coping; get the details hammered out..don't stop for two seconds to realize or ponder the fact that the man you loved, the man who completely adored you and had for over 50 years, has left this world. I, on the other hand, was simultaneously devastated and relieved because his long fight was over.

My Dads long illness started to drive a wedge between my mother and my brother and I. Well, not his illness, rather our mom's way of dealing with (or being in denial about) his illness. See, my Dad had Alzheimer's; a disease like no other. It slowly and systematically erases the one you love. Erases everything about them that makes them them. My Dads short term memory started showing holes in it about 15 years ago. progressively over the years the short term became null. He would start a conversation with you and within a minute of finishing he would start all over again like it never happened. He was stuck in some infinite loop he didn't realize he was in and had no way of getting out of. Most of us never let on that, yes, we have already heard this story 12 times. My mom was not one of those people to let it slide. She would call him out on everything like he was a three-year old. "Vern, you already said that!" in her shrill, sharp-edged tone she has. He would throw back some wise alec reply to her. It's how they communicated. At least when he was sending the verbal volley back at her, you knew he was still there.

I wasn't the best daughter. I should have visited more, hung out with him more, seen him more but I tried. Once you lose someone so close to you you start reaching back for something tangible to hold onto. You want to think about happier times and that's the time you sometimes realize, yeah...I missed a lot of opportunities with my Dad. Fortunately and sadly he had no recollection of visitors. You could spend 10 hours with him but five minutes after you're gone he'd ask, "Where's Margaret? I haven't seen her in a while."

It was heartbreaking.

I think I had a moment with my Dad a few days before he died where he was there. He looked me in the eye and I saw my Dad. I went to his room to visit him. I knelt on the floor and talked to him. He looked like he was asleep which helped me say what I needed to say. I don't think I could've been so honest if he was looking right at me. How sad is that? My Dad is dying and I still can't say what's in my heart? What was I afraid of? I don't remember everything I said but the gist was I was so sorry for anything I'd done. I was sorry I didn't visit more. I told him he was the best Dad to me. I was so blessed and lucky to have him as my father. It was then that the sobs came; big, sloppy, loud, sobs. I couldn't even talk. I felt my Dad grab my hand and squeeze it. Hard. I looked up and there he was. Clear-eyed and sharp minded. He couldn't talk but that look said so much. It was okay. He heard me. He loved me. He knew I loved him. I just wanted to curl up with him and tell him everything will be okay like I was talking to my seven year-old. The moment passed and he fell back asleep. I am forever grateful for that last glimpse of my Dad. I prayed so hard that week, his last week of life, for God to please take him. Please end his suffering. he's fought for so long and so hard...why are you making him suffer more? But God and my Dad were already talking I think.

When those visitors came they mentioned that as they prayed my dads eyes flew open and he gasped. Not in a scary way...but I think that was Dad letting go and getting his first glimpse into Gods eyes. He would be gone within the hour but I think his spirit was gone right then. His body was just hanging on. That gives me some measure of peace knowing the God he loved, fought for and lived for was there waiting for him when he was ready to let go of this world.

I miss you Dad. Happy Birthday.

train

2010-10-12T21:17:00.001-07:00

train, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

stuck at the railroad crossing waiting for the train to pass...

not the typical family

2010-10-08T23:34:00.001-07:00

not the typical family, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

but i love 'em ♥

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

2010-09-29T21:26:00.001-07:00

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

I {accidentally} opened a package and was really surprised to find a lens all wrapped in bubble wrap. As I'm starting to unwrap it my hubby walks in.. "NO! oh....you weren't supposed to see that." It was delivered to the house while we were out.

He saw my facebook post about this mug from photojojo and bought it for our Anniversary present {last month}. When he found out it was backordered...he figured, HEY great December birthday present. Well, until I opened it! ;) I LOVE, love, love it. All the little parts move too {squeal!}

I ♥ it

2010-09-27T18:46:00.001-07:00

I ♥ it, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

www.seasanddesigns.com/

The sign I won arrived today...I hung it up immediately :)

This is the closest I'll get to a beach around here. Ha.

time for some...

2010-09-26T21:47:00.000-07:00

time for some..., originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

"..and now goodnight, it's time to sleep so we will sleep with our pet Zeep. Today was good, today was fun...tomorrow is another one. Everyday from here to there, funny things are everywhere." - Dr. Suess

baby shower for baby Colt

2010-09-25T16:42:00.001-07:00

baby shower for baby Colt, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

with only 6 weeks to go...time for another maternity session!

visiting papa

2010-09-24T19:08:00.001-07:00

visiting papa, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

can't believe it's nearly been a year..Ha'o wau ia 'oe (i miss you), Aloha wau ia 'oe (i love you) Pops.♥

lil rascal scouts

2010-09-22T21:00:00.001-07:00

lil rascal scouts, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

you know....sometimes an *oops* is a good thing. I didn't have my flash on and this pic was nearly round filed which was a real shame because the faces...oh their faces just crack me up! Then I had an idea of what I wanted it to look like and here's the result. :)

good day sunshine

2010-09-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

good day sunshine, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

the sky was crazy bright blue today with awesome clouds!

scentsy

2010-09-16T18:38:00.001-07:00

these are my favorites from the new scents out of Scentsy. I love the names too...."my dear Watson" (hmmm...and how does that smell?).

to me and my hubs ♥ 20 years today!

2010-09-15T23:23:00.001-07:00

to me and my hubs ♥ 20 years today!, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

beware of random Ninjas

2010-09-13T18:27:00.001-07:00

good advice, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

yeah...it happens

last days of summer

2010-09-12T17:58:00.001-07:00

last days of summer, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

Ian enjoying his Sunday and the last few days of summertime.

Never forget

2010-09-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

Never forget, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

SacAnime 2010

2010-09-04T20:53:00.000-07:00

SacAnime 2010, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

cosplayer taking a break @ the convention

rocking the shades

2010-08-29T18:17:00.000-07:00

Ian rocking the um....look while we were at Party City!

play time

2010-08-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

play time, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

just having some yogurt in his bus/ tent

8-29-10

2010-08-29T09:52:00.001-07:00

8-29-10, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

It's moments like this I love. They're quiet, they're happy and they love each other.

8-27-10

2010-08-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

8-27-10, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

mostly a full moon....I wanted to capture it before it was gone.

8-26-10

2010-08-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

8-26-10, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

just playing with the light on the palm tree..

I love it when a plan comes together!

2010-08-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

8-25-10 (purchase date..not picture date) ;), originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

As Hannibal from the A-Team used to say..."I love it when a plan comes together!" Found this at a local thrift store and it matched my wall color perfectly! and...fit neatly on my bare wall by my coffee area. :)

8-24-10

2010-08-24T22:16:00.000-07:00

8-24-10, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

ian found a cute book at his school library called "10 minutes to bedtime".

We've read it every night this week ♥

Oh no! Domo

2010-08-24T08:16:00.001-07:00

Oh no! Domo, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

this gave me a chuckle....my hubby was going to string a ball so I'd know how far to pull my car into the garage. Well, apparently my son absconded with the ball....so this was the next best thing. :)

nummy

2010-08-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

nummy, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

Sonics coney dog...really, really, really yummy!

8-21-10

2010-08-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

8-21-10, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

driving home with the family I made them stop the car so I could photograph this sky. Sure, it was with my point and shoot...but I LOVE the results!

first day of school 2010!

2010-08-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

first day of school 2010!, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

My "junior in High school" and big "First Grader!" Off they go.♥♥

I'm absolutely stunned at how fast time has flown by. When did my baby girl become a Junior in High School? UG! slow down....please slow down. Ian is finally in first grade and sprouting a bit himself. We're expecting a growth spurt vertically or horizontally because he's eating everything in sight lately. Usually when that happens it means soon his shoes won't fit and his Jeans will magically shorten overnight. In honor of starting her Junior year I let Emmy get the red highlights she's been nicely asking for for about a year. I think they came out great and afterwards she said she was finally excited about going to school. Done deal!

Full Metal Alchemist Costume

2010-08-17T07:37:00.000-07:00

Full Metal Alchemist Costume, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

Emmy finally got her new costume for the upcoming Anime convention.

Linde Lane's Tearoom

2010-08-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

tea cup, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

what you see when you first walk into Linde Lanes tearoom in Dixon, CA.

legos

2010-08-05T17:46:00.001-07:00

legos, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

Ian built this this morning....I found it at lunchtime. i ♥ it.

cupcakes

2010-07-31T15:14:00.001-07:00

cupcakes, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

we watched "DC Cupcakes" back to back last night so, naturally, we had to make some today. Sure they're not nearly as pretty...but they're pretty good!

Uber cool

2010-07-29T15:18:00.000-07:00

saw this the other night on Facebook.....I want one! :D

sacramento sunrise

2010-07-24T15:20:00.000-07:00

sacramento sunrise, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

Taken by my daughter as we zipped by at 65+mph on our way to Clarksburg at O'dark early for the 3rd Annual Photo Walk

backroad sunset

2010-07-04T10:04:00.001-07:00

backroad sunset, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

getting closer...

2010-06-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

walrus , originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

oh the lovely mirrors

2010-06-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

funky family picture

fly the friendly skies...

2010-06-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

heading back to Sac from San Diego

aunt stacy and ian

2010-05-31T06:53:00.000-07:00

stacy and ian, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

Ian trying to talk his way out of Jail with Aunt Stacy

military

2010-05-30T06:53:00.000-07:00

miltary, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

If you can see it...everyone is standing for these guys to pass. That did my heart good!

valley clouds

2010-05-28T12:39:00.001-07:00

valley clouds, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

{fish eye attached to 70-300mm lens}

wheeee.....Glee!!

2010-05-24T21:05:00.001-07:00

wheeee.....Glee!!, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

Thanks to my hubby ♥

mmmm.....slushie

2010-05-23T17:08:00.001-07:00

mmmm.....slushie, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

my Em

2010-05-22T19:27:00.001-07:00

my Em, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

heading to her Best Buddies Prom

let the games begin

2010-05-21T21:14:00.001-07:00

let the games begin, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

it's not a photo but it makes me smile :)

2010-05-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

Field Trip to the San Francisco Aquarium

2010-05-17T19:10:00.001-07:00

group shot!, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

Daddy took mommies Xti to SF to the aquarium on Pier 39 for Ian's field trip. They had a blast...Dad just let me know he needs some "training" on my camera. LOL

Ian's Herb Garden

2010-05-15T16:43:00.001-07:00

Ian's Herb Garden, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

we have sprouts!

I ♥ his little signs

5-14

2010-05-14T16:22:00.001-07:00

5-14, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

i took this for a friend who used to work here. it's all "fancy-schmancy" now ;)

mmmmmm...she's waited three years for this!

2010-05-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

mmmmmm...she's waited three years for this!, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

my daughter FINALLY got her braces off yesterday. Think she's happy? uh..yeah.

chair

2010-05-12T19:15:00.001-07:00

chair, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

Dixon May Fair Ribbons

2010-05-10T19:01:00.001-07:00

2nd place, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

These are my fav pics...I'm thrilled they placed

♥ Happy Mommas Day ♥

2010-05-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

So....moms day at my house started off yucky. For the first time my allergies are REALLY,really getting the best of me. My lymph nodes in my throat are quite swollen and painful. The rest is do-able (watery eyes, sniffly, cough...). It's the throat that's sending me into overdrive. I'm living on ibuprophen to tolerate the pain. They say it'll go down. Eventually. Hmph.

So, my darlings welcomed me as I stumbled half-asleep into the room, with open arms and cute cards and presents :)

Ian was VERY excited about two cards he made me...so sweet. Emmy was excited for me to read the card from them that Daddy bought ("mothers day is a chance for us to treat you like a QUEEN...a Queen with really lazy subjects who don't listen") haha!

Mike bought me a cool, touch-screen digital frame which holds more pics than even I could fill (and that is saying something!!)

We all proceeded to go to the Smiths fav breakfast hangout...Country Waffles and arrived JUST before the rush.

Happy moms day to all the moms and moms-to-be out there!

Happy Birthday Auntie wink

2010-05-04T20:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Auntie *wink*, originally uploaded by MaggieRDA.

Even though Ian had been under the weather...he insisted on attending his Aunt Dee Dee's birthday party at Chevys.

and I quote,"Mom, I HAVE to go. Aunt Dee Dee with think I've FAILED her if I don't!!"

gotta love that boy.