Promised Fluff And Stuff...

:::::::::::::::A Walk In The Park:::::::::::

At lunch today I walked from the house to park, and back. It was a bracing walk due to the cold temperatures. Fortunately, my toes were happy to be in their new big square box.

After the walk I drove to Eve's preschool and had to wait out in the hall for just a few minutes because the girls were having dress rehearsal for their upcoming ballet recital. All the girls were excited to wear their costumes and all shrieked when we, the parents, walked in, to not look up at the front where Ms. Brooke had their costumes. Such excited little girls!

::::::::::::::::::::::Dawn Inskip C.T. Layouts::::::::::



My oldest DS, Aaron, with a Blue Morpho on his shoulder. He was thrilled!

Credits:
Font: DJB NICOLE by Darcy Baldwin at The Digichick

Dawn Inskips: Colour My World kit coming to NDISB,
TTS, and SSS on Friday!
Typecast Alpha
Font: Ck Cursive

NDISB
http://www.ndisb.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=58&zenid=6f749e8e3eef36755bd930bff3df535c
TTS
http://digistore.treasurestoscrap.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=20
SSS
http://shop.scrapscandistyle.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=43

My family and I having fun petting stingrays and small sharks at the Tennessee Aquarium.



:::::::::::::::::::::::::Suspence and Sensibility


This book by Carrie Bebris is her second in the series of mystery stories using the well-known characters from Jane Austen's works. The main characters are Elizabeth Bennett Darcy and Fitzwilliam Darcy the beloved couple from Pride and Prejudice. Bebris writes in wonderful Austenian style, so as you read you are comfortable with the characters and the atmosphere she creates...or continues in this series. This book is like Nick and Nora Charles meet The Picture of Dorian Gray. The creepy Sir Frances Dashwood is introduced to the reader immediately, then comes into play later in the book. We also get to "witness" the budding romance between Kitty Bennett and Harry Dashwood.
I liked this book a bit more than the first. The supernatural underpinnings of the books are expected, now, and Bebris explains the historical background to the stories she weaves in the this much beloved couples' life. This was an engaging read and I enjoyed it. If you want Austen with a twist of the supernatural give this book a try.

Later, gators!

Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Part Deux

::::::::::::::::Yellow River Game Ranch:

Here is a layout with Aaron feeding the docile deer at the game ranch:
_{Credits: BYOC for April at TLP, Spring Fling by Rachel Young, Kate Hadfield, and Michelle Godin, Jenna Desai: Swirly Photo masks, Frame It Up,Doodle Borders, Font: DJB LENA, DJB NICOLE, DJB TRACYL by Darcy Baldwin at The Digichick additional font: CK CURSIVE}

:::::::::::::::::::New Boogie Shoes::::::: Actually they are walking shoes, but with a little music you never know... I got these shoes at Shoebuy.com I haven't bought a pair of close-toed shoes in about 10 years. I went to SAS and had my foot sized and found I was a 7 triple W, or 4E. The translation of this information in other terms means that, instead of a cobbler, I need a farrier. Luckily, Shoebuy had a Fred Flintstone shoe fitter on staff, so I am an owner of these SQUARE babies: I put them on and wore them around for 4 hours. Michael kept laughing and saying, "I'm just not used to you wearing shoes!" That sounds a bit back woods, but it is the truth.:) The toe box was just perfect. The usual squished and aching feeling I get when putting on shoes was gone. YEAH! Rachel, my square-footed daughter, thought they were cool and asked me to buy her a new pair of square-footed shoes. I'll have Shoebuy put their farriers on notice.

::::::::::::::::::More From the Botanical Gardens::::::








Untitled from Victoria Taylor on Vimeo.


This is a video of the sweet baby quails keeping track of their mommy:


Untitled from Victoria Taylor on Vimeo.

Rachel in Mr. McGregor's garden:










Michael in the Zen garden pretending to go through the portal from the Star Trek episode that sent Kirk and Spock back to The Great Depression and Joan Collins:























::::::::::::::::::::::When Did Noah Get Tall Enough To Do This?:



I hope y'all have a fun weekend! :)

All Tied Up:

Hooray for Noah! He learned to tie his shoes! I'm so proud of him!


Amber Clegg: Date Stamp
Nancy Comelab: Cluster Frame
Kate Hadfield: Doodle Alpha, Doodle Border, Birthday Boy
Doris Castle: School ALpha
Fhunglie: Cloud Nine clip element
Natalie Braxton: bead Element, Get the Point arrow
Linda Gil Bildal: Arrow Element
Font: Ash94, Teacher Kim
Gina Cabrera: Background paper and heart element from Simply Irresistable
Summer Simmons: Mardi Party border element

I will edit to add more photos later.

My days with Aaron:

are a lot like this:




::::::::::::::Stupendous News:::::::::::

Noah learned to tie his shoes! I had to use the word stupendous because if you are a Calvin and Hobbes fan you are aware of Stupendous Man!
Back to the subject...I took Rachel to get her bangs trimmed, so while Noah, Eve and I waited the time was spent in lacing practice. Noah was born with sausage shaped fingers, so his dexterity is minimal. He has always loved to tie things together with multiple knots. One day he, accidently, tied a bowline on a bight successfully attaching the rocking chair to another chair in the room. Unfortunately, shoe tying has alluded him until yesterday. Noah practiced with his flat laces, which are the best in staying still and tied. I abhor the round laces, which were probably designed by the same heathen who created pantie hose and dark meat chicken...Oh, the rant...
Calm down, Bessie!!!
Noah told me his teacher would have a party the day he figured out how to tie his shoes. He asked me this morning if he should go to school with his shoes untied, so he would be ready to surprise her. I said no. I explained he would end up like his favorite robot, Iron Giant, with a big dent in his head from tripping over untied laces and then he would forget how to tie his shoes. He agreed with this line of logic and happily tied his shoes.

The Year of the Watermelon:

_{Gypsy Rose Paper (melon) and tag (Summer Whimsy kit) by Michelle Coleman, paint strokes by Rhonna Farrer, black prong by the Shabby Princess, Grunge frame by Jessica Sprague, Fonts: Artistamp Medium, Bored Schoolboy, Pea Alisha, Pumpkinseed Medium, CAC Shishoni Brush, Mailart Rubberstamp, Stamped DSG, Sketchy}

2006 is really the year of the watermelon. Every seedless watermelon my mother has purchased is ripe, sweet, and juicy! Totally high on the Yum-O-Meter! My daughters are loving the process of cutting into the watermelon and then munching down on large chunks of juicy, ripe goodness and allowing their chins to drip the stick nectar of the gods...that would be the Southern Greek gods, I believe (maybe Zeus' cousin Cletis or Bubba?).





::::::::::::::::

I'm sporting a lovely blister on my heel from walking in a, mostly new, pair of sneakers. The kids were mashing on it in sacrament meeting. I was told it was "COOL and WEIRD". I just laughed and thought about how weird my kids are. Michael and I are trying to do a lot more walking at the local park. We took the kids by there last night to check out the bullfrogs and the ducks.

::::::::::::::::

Aaron and I went to see The Pirates of the Caribbean II: The Dead Man's Chest. I thought it was an interesting romp. I, especially, loved the sword fighting scenes. There is a great scene with Johnny Depp and fruit that I found hilarious. I suppose everyone of the cast has resigned for another sequel because this movie ends with a cliff hanger of what happens to Cap't Jack Sparrow. My favorite characters were the guy with the wooden eye and his companion. They were used to explain things that would, otherwise, have taken too long. The other thing I found about macabre, yet funny, was the running gag with shooting the immortal monkey.

The Psychological Reason Kids are Exhibitionists:

Have you wondered why your kids find it hilarious, even necessary, to run around n*de? Making you chase them and threaten to put them in time out. I have the answer...as it pertains to 3 year olds...it is all about SHOES. Yes you have read correctly! Their propensity for running around without their clothes on is simply because they can't find the right pair of shoes to go with their clothes that they will be wearing...but do not actually have on their person! I learned this fact when I could not get my daughter to put a clean pair of un*erwear on and her purple ballet outfit (just cause she is a princess...that's why!) until she found her sparkly shoes. It didn't matter that the neighbor girl was over visiting...No...it is all about the SHOES! I think I hear a faint "Amen, sister!" from Imelda Marcos and those girls from that t.v. show I've never watched, but I've heard they were way into shoes.