When the mother is the least mature person in the group.....

We attempted to take a family picture at Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday.  I have had a request from my dear friend, Geri for a family photo.  She's got some plan for it.  Whatever she comes up with will be totally cool, that is if I could grow up for like what 2 seconds.  Not likely.

Every year I think I should send out Christmas cards with a family photo.  I love receiving cards from all of my friends.  Seeing pictures of the whole family is fun.  I like to compare myself to all of them and really critique whether or not I look older than any of my peers.  Not really, well kind of.  So, since Geri requested the family photo I was thinkin'  "two birds with one stone."  Let's knock this bad boy out and get to Wal-mart, STAT!  I'll get some photo cards printed and out before the mad rush.  My mailing list will be super impressed with how on top of it I am.  They'll open those envelopes and be all, "That Jen, she's so organized and look at how cute her kids are and DAMN, that girl looks good.  Not a day over 28!"

Well, that's all fine and dandy if once again, I would grow up for like what 2 seconds.  The proof is in the pudding......

and, then

 oh, wait and this

There are others but whoa, they don't get any better.  We are going to have to give this another go I'm afraid.  Yes, the mailing list would definitely say, "Wow, that Jen, she sure doesn't look any younger but she still acts like a 12 year old."

Oh well.

Hey Mom, Are you thinking about making a Turducken? Nope, I'm not.

* See that question mark up there.  Pretend it's a cartoon bee preparing to carve a Thanksgiving turkey. It's a smiling bee and deliciously roasted turkey.  It's totally random..... now, go ahead.  Read.

I'm probably so not supposed to be using this image.  You know because it's so cool and it makes so much sense.  Can't you hear the creative department, " We should totally draw a bee showing off the turkey it cooked all day, the bee should have a big grin.  It's awesome.  I love this.  It'll be a huge seller."

Okay random, while flipping through images attempting to be inspired I found it.  I am most likely the ONLY person that has looked at this image and thought, "Well, that would work."

Whatever, the damage is done.

Happy Thanksgiving.  I can't believe we are here already.  Sooooo,  thankful.  Hmmmm.  I am thankful.  I have so much. 

House- love it and hate it all at once.  It's cute, it keeps us dry and comfortable.  It's expensive to maintain.  It's always dusty.  We are so lucky to have it.  I like it, I love it, it's alright.

Family- We have family nearby.  Mr. Handsome's family and my family live within 20 minutes of us.  We are lucky.  So many of our friends rarely see their families.  Our parents are healthy and alive and available to engage their grandchildren.  That's cool.  Brother and sister-in-law are rocking in Southern USA.  Wish they lived closer.  Thanksgiving would be different.

Friends- love them.  We have great friends.  Jen and Ker, hilarious.....laugh out loud at 1:00 in the morning.  Fuzz and LeeAnne are steady, solid and FUNNY!  Hil and Jay, she's my personal physician.  He's my social media guru.  Their kids... my kids besties.  

Pets- Emma is old.  Old, old, old.  I worry.  She misses "That Naughty Dog."  I miss "That Naughty Dog."  Sheba, the cat with mange because she is too old to clean herself , is dear to me.   I love her but honestly when is she going to kick the bucket?

Mr. Handsome and my children- probably should be at the top of the list.  love his patience, his tolerance, his understanding that he's the luckiest lucker in the whole lucking world.  Little bees.....Ladycakes - perfect.  Q - challenging beyond challenging but just because he's perfect too.  Elvis-hilarious, silly, strangely out there... but only because he's perfect.

Blog-  I love my dear blog.  I dig the folks that read, watch, wonder, question, criticize, encourage, laugh, point, barf or just show up.  This is fun.  

A few other things I am thankful for....Tervis Tumblers, Dansko clogs, Jolly Ranchers, Advil, Rubber Cement, gumballs, bird feeders, hashbrowns, Adam Richman, Seagram's 7, talcum powder, the ability to forget, a sense of humor, almonds, jeggings (not because I wear them, just because they exist and it's hilarious) Crest Pro-Health toothpaste, Phineas and Ferb and any kind of platypus, i phones, popcorn, slippers, corks, hot glue guns, words, spelling and playing with words, big televisions, imagination, very dark nail polish, loud music (Nelly is a fav.)  ohhhhh, sooo many things for which to be thankful.

My family wishes your family a very happy Thanksgiving.  If you are reading here, you some how relate and we relate right back at you.  It's not always easy, we know.  We live it daily.  Here's to being thankful for what we have, it's way more than we realize!

Creative Happenings Here at the Hive

I have been working on being creative here at the hive.  It's not easy to fit it into the schedule but boy do I love to find the time.  It's refreshing for me and good for the soul.

These are my alpaca felt bird ornaments.  I love how they turned out.  They are very sweet and are delectably soft.  Peace doves and other birds.  The felt comes off the felt machine using my mom's alpaca fiber.  It is really fun to play with it.

Painted bottles.  I have been working on these for a while.  I love them.  They are really fun to create and the results are fantastic. I will be working up 150 of these bad boys as wedding party favors for a wedding in Colorado.  They will make an incredible statement.  I can't wait to get started.


What do you like?  What could I improve on?  Is this stuff lame?  Is it likable?  Talk to me people.  Talk to me!

Happy Blogiversary to Me!

As of November 9,  I have been posting this drivel for one year.  Okay, it's not drivel.  Some of it is serious.  Some of it is just plain stupid.  A lot of it is just plain indicative of this family's life.

I enjoy blogging.  Sometimes I really struggle with a topic.  Asking myself, "Should I talk about going to the grocery store, because that is really ALL I accomplished today?"  or "Is cervical cancer an off-limits conversation?"  It does require that I soul search a bit.  But for the most part,  I just let it rip.  And rarely do I offer an "excuse me."

For my one year blogiversary,  (I am embarrassed to use that word, I mean really blogiversary? Does Hallmark make blogiversary cards?)  I got a present.  No it isn't a notebook, or a sketchbook, or personalized stationary or anything paper.  Which would be totally ironic since the only writing I find myself doing doesn't happen on paper at all.  Hmmm.  weird.  Guess what I got?

I got a blogging job.  I KNOW, crazy huh?  Remember this?  Well, out of 700 applicants, I was one of 10 chosen to blog for Park City Mountain Resort as a "Snowmama."

To say I am excited is an understatement.  I am thrilled, exhilarated, totally psyched and over the moon.  It is sure to be an amazing experience.

So to all of 15 friends out there (and I know a couple of you are the same person!)  thanks for hanging out with me.  Thanks for commenting and encouraging and laughing!  Maybe year 2 will be even more entertaining with less run-on sentences.  That would be good.

Cheers, dears!

Get on that pig and hold on tight.

For Mr. T.  A man who inspires 11 to 12 year olds.  God love him.

Add this to my Life Soundtrack because in a matter of 15 minutes I have heard it 330 times.  Baby monkey, Baby monkey....I'll tell you, it's catchy.

Ghouls, Ghosts and Gumballs

Ghouls (Mr. Handsome totally gets into it!)  Hilarious.

Ghost.  Pretty, shimmery, not too spooky ghost.  NAILED IT!  Thank you very much.  She was so happy and grinned like this the entire time.  If I run into a ghost, it better look just like this!

Gumballs.  No better way to decorate than a TON of gumballs.  Black, purple and green.  Yummy and lovely.

52 people at our home that does not hold 52 people.  Lots of costumes, fun and plenty of memories.  Thank you all for showing up and making Halloween 2010 very memorable.  It was so busy I did not take pictures of Elvis or Q or Mr. Handsome (the swamp monster 2) or myself (swamp monster 1.)  We were too busy entertaining.  That's okay.  It was awesome.

on to more serious business. by golly it's November.