Lil' Rose Monster Doll . . . #23 - Turn Two

"Love is the most important thing in the world,

but baseball is pretty good too." 

~ Yogi Berra

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this doll while I was working on it . . . and I kept changing my mind as I was adding detail to him.  Now that it is finished - I like it better than I thought it would.  

#23 - I am naming him "Turn Two".

I have my little hippie monster listed in my ETSY shop -  clarehelen and will list this little monster soon.  

Today I choose JOY!

Challenges are what makes life interesting ~

Overcoming them is what makes it meaningful.

I have been away from here for too long.

It hasn't been by choice . . . life keeps getting in the way.
But along with life getting in the way . . . . life is also giving me plenty to enjoy and celebrate.
I refuse to let life's challenges get the better of me.  I look at these beautiful children and know for sure that life is precious and wonderful . . . and meant to be lived with joy and passion.
Life doesn't always make that easy . . . but attitude makes that possible.
Today I choose JOY!

photo challenge 1/31/16 . . . self

Just be yourself.  

Let people see the real, imperfect, flawed, 

quirky, weird, beautiful, and magical person that you are.

 My final post for my January Photo Challenge.  It has been fun and gave my creative side the little bit of a kick start that it needed.  I like messing around with photo collages . . . just a simple one of me and some of the things that I like.  Clare, Sis, Mom, Planet, Clare Helen, Amma  . . . whatever name I go by - it's still me.  From baby to nearly 57 years old - it's still me.  

I've changed a lot over the years - its' still me.  

Sometimes I look in the mirror and wonder where that young person went . . . but it's still me. 

 I can say I lost myself a few times along the way . . . but not for long.  

I have learned that I have to be true to myself . . . 

I just have to be me.

LIVE FOR FUN!

 I've been back to work for a couple of weeks, but tomorrow is actually the first day of school.  

 It has been a busy couple of weeks . . . so a fun weekend was in order.  Homemade salsa . . . time with Charlotte . . . a baseball game . . . a Totoro puzzle . . . watching The Wizard of OZ (more than one time).  Charlotte is very much into playing dress up these days.  She told me that she needs a Dorothy dress and a scarecrow outfit . . . and the tin man, and the witch.  I will be making a trip to the fabric store this week.  I think I will start with Dorothy . . . 

Fun is easy when you are with the people you love.

I am looking forward to tomorrow.

I love the first day of school!

walking and other good stuff . . .

"Joy is what happens to us when we allow

ourselves to recognize how good

things really are."

~ Marianne Williamson

Yesterday was full of good stuff . . . 

. . . walking home with Lily.  Oh, the conversations we have while we are walking.  She is full of questions and wonder, and knows that if she asks for something Clare Helen is apt to say yes . . .  

There is a lot to be said for spending time with a child.

. . . a letter from Aunt Sue

She wrote her letter on ads that she cut out of the newspaper.

I love this idea!

I have had so many students from room 12 stopping by my desk for help with folding paper cranes.

PEACE ~ LOVE ~ CRANES

 . . . and MadBum was brilliant. 

"Hitting is timing.  

Pitching is upsetting timing."

~ Warren Spahn

Happy April

"There is a road from the eye to the heart 

that does not go through the intellect."

~ Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Not a very good tasting beer . . . but I love the bottle.  I was thinking they would make really great glasses.  Richard has been wanting to try cutting bottles and making them into glasses.  This would probably be my choice of bottle . . . I would just have to find someone else to empty them.

Richard surprised me with this t-shirt yesterday.  He gives me a very hard time about liking Bumgarner . . . especially this year.  He has even called me a traitor - (but I am still a Cardinal fan.) But hey . . .  I read that his first word was "ball", he owns a bassett hound named Bohunkus, he got married in blue jeans, and he is a stud pitcher
 . . . I love this guy!
  Opening Day of  baseball is Sunday.  We will be watching the Cardinals/Cubs game.
GO REDBIRDS!  
Easter may just have to include some hot dogs/polish dogs this year.  I remember one year - Opening Day . . . and Richard wasn't home for one reason or another.  He told me later after he had called me and I told him I was making polish dogs, drinking a beer, and watching a game . . . that he just kept thinking . . . that is what we do - and that he loved me and that he just wanted to be home.  You have to love baseball!

 Walt Whitman once said, "I see great things in baseball. It's our game, the American game. It will repair our losses and be a blessing to us." You could look it up.  
 ~ Annie Savoy, Bull Durham

This is obviously something I would notice . . . 

I love simple days . . . and simple pleasures.  

This week has been like that and it is exactly what I need.  

Happy April!

Saturday . . .

Spring has arrived and what a beautiful day!  We took advantage of the wonderful weather and played some tennis . . . found a blue heart . . . and had a great lunch.

I love weekends!

Throwback Thursday . . . 2008

Bye Bye Birdie . . . 

 Sweet, young Sadie . . . 

 Happy Halloween . . . 

 Along came Lily . . . 

 and along came Jack . . .  

 KC . . .

. . . and #23

Pumpkin Carving Night

 Richard had the back yard looking great . . . pumpkins, skeletons, and Halloween lights strung.  The little ones were so excited.  Me too . . . I think Pumpkin Carving Night is more fun for me than Christmas.  My family thinks that is a little weird . . . but they go along with it . . . or maybe they are just used to me by now.

It was also a night for watching baseball.  Unfortunately the Cardinals are not in the World Series, but the Giants are . . . I think Brent is the most excited about that, but because of Sarah, and just for the sake of the National League, we are hoping the Giants win. Unfortunately though, it meant that Sarah could not be with us.  We had a special SF pumpkin in her honor.  

 Lily has started bringing me pretty leaves when she finds them.  I love that she brings them to me, and that she sees the beauty in them.  

"If we all could see the world through the eyes of a child, 

we would see the magic in everything."

Chee Vai Tan

 I don't know how anyone drinks a Red Bull . . . but I do like this can.  I am thinking I need to cut that skeleton out and make something out of it.  I'll have to think on that one a little while.

Jake also brought pumpkin spice coffee , , , he knows what I like!  

Way better than a Red Bull.

 Last year Jake and Kasey arrived with patterns and carved very detailed pumpkins.  This year Jake's pumpkin was more simple . . . their initials - their first pumpkin as a married couple.  

Dinner was delicious and once the pumpkins were carved . . .

A fire . . . Jack-O-Lanterns . . . s'mores with giant marshmallows , , ,

after the game - an outdoor movie . . . it was a great night!

Even better . . . the Giants won!  

I believe I said that Brent was excited about the Giants . . . I love this crazy young man!

On Halloween the thing you must do

is pretend that nothing

can frighten you.

And if somethin' scares you 

and you want to run . . . 

Just let on like it's Halloween fun!