My birthday girl

Yesterday was Cheyennes birthday. She is now 14. Unbelievable. Where has time gone?

always with the goofy faces

She is in 8th grade and doing great. She has some huge plans for her future and she is working hard in school to make sure she gets what she wants in life. As of today she wants to dedicate 7 years of her life to college at Boston University. She wants to become a Forensic Anthropologist. (What the crap does that even mean?!)

Cheyenne, daddy and I are incredibly proud of you. You are so loving and sweet. We love you very much. You can do anything you want to do in your life. We will support you in whatever you decide to do.

opening her gifts that dad wrapped in Christmas paper

We had a little family party. Gramma, Papa, Uncle Doug, Aunt Shellie, Logan, Maddie, Kiersti, Bella and Uncle Pumbaa all came. Aunt Lid came early because she had to work at the time of the party. Also the night before Uncle Paul came over to see her and wish her Happy Birthday since he was also unable to be there.

How NOT to broil fish!

This is what happens when you broil something in a glass pan. Apparently glass is not safe to use under, in or on direct heat. not even Pyrex. Glass should never be used at temperatures above 400*.

I was making dinner for myself and my brother last night and when I took the fish out of the oven the pan shattered in my hand. It may have been one of the scariest moments in my life. My heart was still racing and pounding out of my chest when I went to bed at 3am. I did this at 10pm. I am still a lil shaken by it today and unsure that I want to go near the stove for a while.

My very own Etsy shop

I decided today to set up my own Etsy shop for some of the fun things I have been making. I would like to see how people react to them before the craft fair in October.

If you want to check it out there area  few of the bags I have made listed and some pillowcases so far. I have other things to add but I am waiting to borrow a couple cuties for models first.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/dizzyblonde1028

Will Dance for Food

This is Teq dancing for treats. Dakota made him the sign around his neck. You cannot see it well but it says "Will dance for food"

Uncle Pumbaa

Drew and Dakota decided that we will not risk Uncle Pumbaa ever moving away and leaving us. Dakota had taped his feet together but he cut the tape off before these pics was taken.

THANKS FOR BEING SUCH A GOOD SPORT UNCLE PUMBAA. WE LOVE YOU!!!

More fun bags

I have been creating lots of messenger bags for the upcoming craft fair. Here are a few more that I have made. I do not have a clue how to turn them right side up so turn your head sideways ;)

Black and white checked

mini flag purse

ruffled owl trick or treat bag

scrappy owl trick or treat bag

Safety and Protection

Drew and I have talked a lot about safety and personal protection and debated when would be the right time for us to purchase a handgun for me to carry. Drew has had one for a while but I have been a little reluctant myself because the idea scared me a little bit. A few months back I had a scary situation happen so together we decided that the time has come for me to get and learn to shoot a handgun. We really could not afford it but we also knew that we could not afford to be without one. Especially with him being gone such long hours for work. This is the little beauty who I have affectionately been calling Fiona. Her name needs to change because that name belongs to a friends guitar. But for now, meet Fiona...  

Back in July before we moved from our old house into our new house I was in PO for a doctors appointment. On the way home I needed to get a few groceries. Since there is a grocery store right by my doctors office, I stopped there. When I pulled into the parking lot I noticed a guy just kind of lingering around his car. When I parked he walked right next to the truck and across the parking lot a few rows then back, right near the truck again then went and stood by his car. I got out of the truck and quickly walked into the store. I am a unusually paranoid person anyway so I was thinking I was being overly cautious. I was in the store long enough to get 12 or 15 things and I see this guy watching me the whole time. I hurried and got checked out and walked out. he was right behind me the whole time. I stopped at the Coke machine and bought myself a soda just to see if he was still watching me. He walked to his car and just stood there. I hurried to my car, got in and locked the doors. The whole time I was watching him in my rear view mirror. He got into his car and sat there. I drove out of the parking lot and onto the highway. He was right behind me the whole time. If I changed lanes he did too. I drove fast, so did he. I drove slow, so did he. I was freaking out. I had dialed Drew's number on my cell phone just in case. He ended up following me about 12 miles on the highway before he finally exited. I have wondered since that day if we hadn't lived so far from where I stopped for groceries if he would have followed me all the way home and what would I have done once we got there. I had all sorts of things planned out in my head but I don't know what I would have actually done.

This is Dakota and I having a shooting lesson from Drew. Knowing how to shoot Fiona comfortably is a big concern for me. I am not good under that kind of pressure and I need all the practice I can get. Dakota just really loves to shoot, just like his daddy.

Here is one of me doing some target shooting. Please don't laugh at my hair, I was working hard all day. Its impossible to look beautiful when you are doing hard physical labor ;)

Sew Busy

I have been sewing like crazy getting ready for a craft fair at the little mall here in town at the end of October. The new house has been great because the basement is only used for laundry so I have taken over the whole downstairs with my craft room. I am loving every minute of it. It is pretty hard on my neck and back though.


My friend Becca has brought her stuff over and set up shop with me. When she gets a chance she comes over and we sit downstairs and sew while the kids play (or bug us). We seem to get more talking than work done when we are together. :D She is a far better seamstress than I am so she has been teaching me a lot. My sewing is getting much much better.


So far we have made messenger bags, tutus, baby blankets and crib sheets, aprons, pillow cases and super hero capes. Here are some of the things I have made....

Pink and white messenger bag

Sparkly purple and black messenger bag with treble clefs and stars
(This is part of Cheys birthday gift that she already knows about)

Piano messenger bag

Batman Logo (off superhero cape)

Superman logo (off superhero cape)

Snowman pillowcase

Bah humbug pillowcase

Chicken apron (plus size model)

First Day of School

The kids started 8th grade today. They came home excited and said they loved school. On Monday it will probably  be a different story when kids don't want to get up.
The End!

SUGAR FREE

I have been (almost) sugar free for 6 days now. I say almost because I sampled a tiny bit of cookie dough this morning to make sure I had just the right amount of flour. It hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be but right now I am dying for one of the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that are sitting on my table. Being a sugar free cookie baker is a bit of an oxymoron. :)

I decided to go the sugar free after a couple of scary incidents last week. I ate cookies and within about 15 minutes my heart was racing, my head was throbbing and I was sweating bullets. I thought it was weird but didn't attribute it to the cookies. The next night the same thing happened again. I got really freaked out and have been very careful to watch my sugar intake ever since.

3 1/2 years ago I had a whole series of blood work done, including my A1C levels (3 month blood sugar) it was slightly elevated (145) and the doctor told me to have it checked every 6 months. Well I have yet to have it rechecked. I kind of have that opinion that I didn't want to know. I also didn't have medical insurance and blood work and doctors visits are extremely expensive.

I had already made an appointment to get some other blood work done when kids go back to school on Wednesday anyway so I will be having my A1C level rechecked then. If nothing else it will relieve my fears that I am diabetic. With my weight issues and my family history, diabetes is a very real possibility for me.

Cheyennes New Hair

On Memorial Day I let Cheyenne color her hair black. It seemed like a good compromise because she wanted to do something and Dad said NO to pink and/or blue. We went to Rite Aid and bought a couple of boxes of dye for $5. Our friend came over and dyed her hair. She loved it. At first. Then it grew out and she had a skunk stripe. That does not make for a happy girl. It also makes for a bit of anxiety about going to a new school where she knows exactly 4 people.

You can't see the stripe clearly here but in real life it was very noticeable.

Aunt Lid told me of her friend who she referred to as a "miracle worker". I was told we would never get the dye out so I was very skeptical. It took a lot of wavering back and forth because said "miracle worker" charges big money for her services. Money we did not have. After much consideration of both our pocket book and our girls feelings we decided we needed to go ahead and let her get it done.

7 hours of hair dying can take its toll on a young girl

We went over on Tuesday and talked tot he girl who said she could do something. We went back today and after 7 and a half LOOOOONNNNG hours she was finally finished. She had to have the black stripped out, then bleached, then colored and finally cut. She is thrilled with the final results. Daddy is much happier too.

I LOVE IT! I think she looks much more mature and girlie too.