Another outing to Taste Addison

This is one my most favorite things to do in Texas. I look forward to it every spring. Taste Addison is ...great restaurants selling samples of different items at reasonable prices (love that Indian food)... cool art booths to stroll by.... great music and like this year fantastic weather. I have some very fond memories of every time we have come. Here are some pictures from our day.

The French Like Him

This is Nathaniel's third year of high school french. It has been an interesting class to say the least. It has always been one of his favorites...as his first teacher was "nice" and "never gave homework" and "could easily be swayed" off topics. Leaving it to be an easy class and very minimal French being learned. However, this school year, at the end of fall semester Madame Ramone decided to leave. This left us a bit nervous as to who would replace her and be left with a group of 3rd-4th year french students who had not been learning and still needed to pass the class.

To our surprise, it has been a wonderful teacher from Nigeria, Monsieur Fougere. This teacher has came in and has done a decent job getting these students close to where they should be....speaking some French. Nathan says the class is tough....and yet, this is one of his favorites. Monsieur Fougere has put enthusiasm back into class, the French Club and organized the first group of students being accepted into the National French Honor Society. We have heard compliments from Nathan towards his instructor and the other way around. I must say that it has been very refreshing to the ears.

Mr Fougere and Nathaniel

May  20th, 2010

Nathan lighting his candle before taking the NFHS pledge

You know you have no life when...

...when you spend many many days playing on your blog. Well, its not that I have been posting...it is me trying to figure out how to become shabby. Wanting to do more than just write. Being curious as to how the backgrounds are made....wanting to figure out how to make buttons...getting caught up reading other SHABBY/AWESOME bloggers blogs. It is not that I don't have a life; I have just placed it on hold. Avoiding dishes, laundry, cleaning my floors or helping Nathan look for his missing retainer. My list of really having a life can go on and on. And quite frankly, I must try to resume it tomorrow as we are out of drinking water...and faucet water sounds and tastes very unappealing.

Sooooo....if you are one of these bloggers or readers that knows how to do this creativity...and you can tell me where to turn for creating signatures, cool tabs (where i can paste links to pictures, crafts, etc),  and making buttons..........PLEASE help me, so I can refocus on my life.

Nathan and his summer job

I hope to get a real picture of Nathan working this summer

Yes, it is true....I am big meany mom at times and I made Nathaniel get a second job for summer. Last summer he had willing wanted to work as a lifeguard at NRH2O....and unfortunately his age interfered. This year, I heavy handed him into applying for a second job (sorry son, your not sitting on the computer all day all summer long). And after all, he has great swimming skills. So the past couple of weeks, he completed lots and lots of training.  SADLY, most without pay. All so he can save a life or two; or at least get a nice tan trying.  However excited mom has been for him to have this job...well Nathaniel has been very...ummm....lets say less excited.

Well today was his official first day at the water park and I did not think he would actually make it. He awoke to his trunks not fitting. Left with plenty of time to arrive early and took a wrong turn only to arrive late. I was almost sure that he would call it quits before ever actually taking post.

Sigh...I was left waiting far too many hours to hear about his day.

After finally arriving home this evening, the first thing on my list of course was to ask Nathan a zillion questions about his day. Maybe teenage girls are different...I do not know....but my teenage son finds my excitement and curiosity a bit annoying. Happily, I heard that he now has a uniform that fits, about every location he had duty (being a deep water guard) and on his very first day...

Nathan had to jump into the wave pool to rescue a little kid.

Now how about that for a first day. At least his tone has changed and he now sounds a little more okay with where he will hopefully be spending a good part of his summer days.

Another Picture Frame

I was cancelled from my shift tonight so I had decided to make another picture frame (as I had one left). Again my goal was to use supplies that I had on hand....here is my outcome.

Plain photo matte

Supplies used: scrapbook paper, craft flowers, sequins, rickrack ribbon,

cutting knife, glue stick and glue gun

I did not have any lettering that I liked...I might add that later

Final Product

Picture taken when Nathan was around 12 or 13 ( I think)

Easy Picture Frame Project

I have found that I have a  love for creative picture frames every time I hit the stores. Unfortunately, I am way to cheap to want to pay the price for these beauties that would hold my lovely memories. I have also came to accept that I have an addiction of buying scrapbook paper without doing much scrapbooking. My solution was a fun and easy picture frame craft that I did yesterday. Only supply that needed purchased was a basic picture frame for 8.99 ( an impulse buy as I did not shop around or wait for a sale like I would normally do). Here is my outcome:
                                                   

    Step #1 boring mat

Supplies used: paper of choice, blade for cutting, glue stick, cricut for lettering

(stickers can easily be used instead) and one sequin

Final outcome: custom frame for next to nothing

Mothers Day 2010

taken this morning before church    

notice the cute bracelet on my wrist

This morning I decided that I would awake Nathaniel by bouncing on his bed until he gave me a kiss and a happy mothers day acknowledgement. It did not too long and he even somewhat smiled. Then while I was getting ready for church, Nathaniel brought me my gift (not wrapped of course). It was a pretty bracelet with dark red gems. I had noticed that it was missing a few gems and decided that I would not mention it...as I knew that I could fix it with the help of a craft store. Then during church, Nathan leaned over and had a pouty expression and pointed out the missing spots. He then replied that he was sorry but that the store sold it to him for a bargain price as he could not afford one with all the gems. All I could do was smile at his frugality and creativity of knowing that I would be happy that he did not forget today. Although, I did have to ask him teasily if it was stolen.

Church was nice today and all of those that I consider friends were there. During relief society we had a short lesson and then it was time for the lovely feast of goodies that the men had provided. Nothing like going to church and having a visiting social that did not interfere with anyone's lessons.

After church, Nathaniel and I went to Taco Casa for some good grub and conversation. Today has been a very nice day. How I will miss this in a few years if he is gone. So I will just relish the calm of today.

Memory Monday

I have far too many pictures that sit in boxes, on disks or on computer hard drive (hopefully computer will not crash before day they make it to a disk). All these pictures long forgotten or feeling lonely as they are not ever looked at. Today, I have been in a real reflective mood and want to share some of these memories that have had some effect on my life...which has contributed to who I am now.

the hunny that I love....not a worry in the air

my friday pal who has helped save my soul

a new and better beginning...or so we thought

my little girl who I miss everyday of this life

(a very happy time and the start of a very sad and dark time)

Nathaniel building my deck which I enjoy daily right now

a rare picture of just me and my brother...i love this guy

Hunter and Nathaniel family vacation in Pittsburgh PA

one of my favorite pictures and Nathaniel

(taken and Brody and Stephanie's wedding)