Projects!

I like projects! Always have. My latest though has turned out to be a bigger project than I had planned. We didn't own a video camera when Jace was little but we used to rent a video recorder each christmas. The videos at this time were very grainy, hard to see, and usually boring because it was hours of Jace doing what a baby does! When Jace was 4 we finally bought our own but we only have 13 tapes full. I always worry about the tapes stretching or getting broken so my current project was born. I am transferring all these tapes to DVD.

When I started transferring these I realized how many clips I have that other people might like to have. So, I did a little research and started breaking out clips for friends and family. I have now been working on this for 2 weeks. I am only through 8 tapes. Well 8 Hi8 tapes, and 3 VHS tapes. You know, it has been fun to watch the kids grow up again. Jay and I watched the early videos all weekend while they were being transferred to DVD. Jaron and Jace were such sweet little kids. Jace has always been more studious, quiet, and structured. Jaron has always been a little comic, happy go lucky, funny boy. It is easy to forget how lucky we have been with the two great kids we have, especially now that they are teenagers. But they are so cute... then and now, if I don't say so myself.

Those are some big Bombs!

The Diorama is done and Jaron is hiding behind it. As you can see by the three tiny men on the left, those are some pretty big bombs. Lil Boy, The Gadget, and FatMan have never looked so good. :)

Truthfully though, I think I had more fun with it than Jaron did. I learned a lot too. I didn't know the first test in New Mexico wasn't dropped from a plane but exploded from a tower. Jaron is more interested in bombs than I am I guess.

Have you ever heard of a Diorama?

Jaron has an assignment in school to create a Diorama... I have never even heard of a diorama so I had to look it up on the internet... The definition: A diorama is a mini-world, an entire landscape in a box or glass case. Jaron has to make one for school, on of all things the Manhattan Project! It couldn't be something easy like the ocean, or dinosaurs, or even a volcano. It has to be about the making of the atomic bomb. How did we luck into this one?

During dinner yesterday, Jaron laid out a drawing on paper of what he wanted in his landscape. His drawing was hard to make out but his ideas were very good. So after dinner we got out a box (must be 11 X 20 of course) and started working on it. We tried to carve the bombs out of Styrofoam but they were so small that the Styrofoam kept breaking when we were almost done. So we got out the paper mache. I forgot how much I liked working with paper mache. We made the paste, and then couldn't find any newspaper. We haven't had newspaper for years at our house, we don't like the newsprint all over the house. We traveled up and down the block looking for a neighbor who took a paper... We never did find any.

We decided to use discarded printer paper. Jaron and I got started, but the first time Jaron stuck his fingers in the paste, he said " Ehhhhh" and wouldn't touch it again. Jace came over to see what all the noise was about and ended up helping me make the 4 bombs Jaron needed... They look kind of cute if I don't say so myself. Now they are in the windows sill to dry.

I broke it to Jaron this morning that he has to paper mache again tonight to make his landscape. He wasn't at all excited about it but it is his project after all. I will get him to the painting stage and he will think it is much more fun.

How do you feel successful?

Jay and I had a conversation yesterday about how each individual is different when it comes to feeling successful at life. Every person has multiple facets in life: social life, spiritual life, financial life, etc. But we all want to be a success. We all want to show that we are successful to the world. Jay and I are very different when it comes to success. What brought up the subject is Jay loves toys... By toys, I mean cars, bikes, boats, big house, basically the material signs of success. I think a lot of men are that way, at least a lot of my friends spouses feel the same. I just don't think that way. I don't want a lot of junk to lay around the house looking shiny and unused. I don't want a big house to have to keep clean and organized. This differences is one of the few things that Jay and I don't agree on in life. It comes up more often than it should.

So I decided to figure out what makes me feel successful. I guess, what makes me feel a success isn't something anyone but me can feel. I really don't care what other people see most of the time, (as anyone that has seen me on Saturday morning in a grocery store can attest too.) What makes me feel successful is a project done well but completed, and children that have grown up to be successful mature adults. What makes me feel successful is the experiences I have had traveling to: India, London, Japan, Oregon, NYC and Washington DC. These are all places I have read about but never dreamed as a teenager I would actually experience for myself. And other experiences as well:

• Creating a family that has lasted 20 years and counting.....
• Seeing my newborn children for the very first time, knowing God has entrusted these little miracles to me.
• Watching each of them struggle to learn to walk, to talk, to read, to swim, and to actually master it all.
• Taking on something that is really scary to me and actually making it through the experience. (Standing in front of an audience, moving to a new environment away from all I have known, etc.)

I guess it could be a sign of growing old (hey, each of these wrinkles were earned over the years) but material stuff just doesn't cut it to me.... They are fun for a while but after a time, it is the experiences we have with the material toy that make me feel successful.

Cheating Deliciously

I couldn't get the correct picture but this is close... I promised the boys that we would go out to Chili's while their Dad was gone. Tonight we decided to go. I had my usual salad but did a little cheating on my diet... And it was wonderful!!!! Chocolate cake, fudge topping, caramel topping, and vanilla ice cream. You see, Jace wanted dessert but didn't want to eat it all himself. I could share a little bit...

One bite and I realized I haven't had chocolate, real chocolate, since early november! All in all, it was one of the nicest things Jace has ever shared with me.

I also decided that I needed that dinner tonight... Yes, I had to walk extra long on the treadmill tonight but I think it gave me renewed resolve to continue this diet. It is hard to change a habit, or a lifetime of them. However, I am determined to live the next 20 years in the best possible health I can... I told Jay that for mothers day we will be going back to Chili's, just for dessert!~ Something to look forward too - only 3 months away.

Talk about a good night! I also got my nails done and one of the best pedicures I have had in a long time. They used hot black rocks during the massage portion of the pedicure. I haven't ever experienced that but it really did feel good. I could have fallen asleep in that chair!

Family time with just mom

Jay is traveling today to Boca Raton Florida for work. He isn't one that is excited to travel but it comes with the job. You would think that when Jay leaves for a few days, the boys and I would just relax and do nothing. But it doesn't work that way. For some reason when Jay leaves I make a list. The list consists of everything I plan to do while he is gone. Currently THE LIST is over a half page of a 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. Nothing is too small to appear on the list, things like: Jace turn in applications for a new job, Figure out ceiling paint color, clean kitchen, water plants, etc. It is just that when Jay is out of town I get a great urge to do all kinds of little projects. Now, if only the boys would get the same urge.... Maybe I can find a way to bottle the urge and give it to them as well. Jace and Jaron like the first idea better, just relax and do nothing!

Today we also had to get the pool pump fixed. Yesterday we noticed it was leaking a bit. Luckily it wasn't much, just an O-ring. That was a relief. We also got improved by the HOA to put stone accents on the front of the house... What fun... Another new project for Jay to work on.

Talk about a weird weekend!

Usually long weekends are my favorite, but this has been a really strange one. We have been busy doing things but nothing seems to be working out right. Over the weekend we painted the boys bedrooms. The boys rooms were the only rooms in the house that hadn't been repainted since we moved into the house. Jace's room was a lot of fun. We wanted to make it a little darker, more restful, and more grown up. We painted the room a dusty blue with on accent wall of brown. Jace helped me paint it but it was a much bigger job than I thought it would be. Of course, that could be because we were also tiling our last display nook on the main floor between jobs. His room looks really good and definiately more grown up. He has decorated it in different things from Japan. All we need to do is make him a new comforter with a dragon on it. Jaron's room we painted a lite blue. His room is smaller so it can't be a dark color. When it was done, Jaorn insisted that everything be put back up just the way he had it. He is kind of a funny kid. But he knows what he likes and how he likes it.

I am tired after all the painting but I found out I kind of messed up! I didn't know my work didn't have the day off for the holiday! I didn't find out until I logged onto my mail at 8:00 tonight. Now I am trying to get reports finished at 12:00 midnight. What a thing to miss. I haven't worked at many companies that don't have President's holiday off. That is definiately a new one to me.

While I was painting I was trying to come up with a list. A list of things I don't like to be exact. Hate is to strong of a word, but I did come up with a few.

1> Intolerance
2> Poor customer service
3> Spilling light blue paint on the white carpet!
4> Dust
5> Being Tired