almost

I'm still not myself...but things are definitely looking up. I hope to have more to report soon. It's so hard to post when I'm not myself.

One of these days, though, and hopefully soon...I'll be back.

Sugarville 101

Guess what! I'm teaching a class!

Here are the details:

Sugarville "Home Sweet Home" Wreath by Amy Powers
Come on a little journey with me to a sweet little town called Sugarville. We'll create your very own property, glitter it in true Sugarville style, and make it the center of a very special flowerful glittery wreath. Add a little bluebird of happiness and a banner declaring "home sweet home" and you have a perfect accessory for your home.

Seating is limited and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Click here for more details and to register.

and we're back...

I'm feeling much more like myself these last few days. It was really horrible feeling like someone else...my nerves were jumping right under my skin and I was biting everyone's head off.

But, the point is...better now.

I had some help today which meant I could do a little shopping for my sister's and niece's birthdays (also to be celebrated this weekend)...

While out, I bought this for myself...

Isn't it sweet? There's one for cream, sugar, honey, and...
SPRINKLES! Well, you know that sealed the deal for me. Happy birthday to me, indeed!

I bought Maggie, who will be 5 next Saturday, this magical jewelry box...you know the kind where the ballerina twirls to the music when you open it. Every little girl should have one. Well, I thought so. And I also thought that the ballerina should look as much like the little girl as possible....

So here's the box, all blinged out, with a more wonderful ballerina to twirl about.

The glue's still wet, but you get the idea. I think I want one too. And I do think Miss Pink, who so admired Maggie's, should get one too. You should've seen her looking at the ballerina twirl around while smiling at her own reflection. Too sweet.

So have a good weekend, everyone. And please help me celebrate my day by eating a cupcake tomorrow. And as you do, hold it up and say cheerfully "Oh, that Amy!"

See? I'm back. Whew...

p.s. The jewelry box is from Pottery Barn Kids...and the sugar, creamer, etc is from regular old Pottery Barn.

spilling it...

Things are starting to look up a little bit. I haven't been myself in a long while but I'm just this week starting to get my groove back and feel more like how I'm used to feeling.

My birthday is Saturday...you know I haven't been myself when I haven't even mentioned my birthday yet. We're trying to get respite care for the weekend for the little ones...if that works out, Rich and I will go to my folks' house for the weekend.

The picture on the left is a sneak peek at something exciting...Details will come soon, I promise.

And I think it's safe to tell you the super exciting news. Our little baby is going to come spend some time with us this summer. His father, who was just awarded custody, recognizes how important we are to him (and he to us). He wants to honor that. At the same time, he's having a bit of a hard time and needs a little help.

The timing of when this will all happen is a bit in the air...but we're just so thrilled. Can you believe it?

"okay, now I'm really worried..."

Oh gosh, guys! You all are so worried when I don't blog!

On top of being busy (overwhelmed, really!) I'm really struggling with my hormones being all out of whack. It's sort of a case of an old lady swallowing a fly...and then swallowing a spider to catch that fly...and so on and so on. I'm on a medicine that has made my hormones all crazy. So the doctor put me on medicine for my hormones. And now I think I need something for my frazzled nerves. It's a crazy mess...and the timing couldn't possibly be any worse.

I'm hanging in there...taking one day at a time, one tantrum at a time. I don't feel even remotely like myself. It's not a good scene.

I should be able to spill the news about the good news soon...sorry to keep you hanging.

nice work, if you can get it

The little ones are all napping on this beautiful Spring-y afternoon. I napped too and I have that lovely foggy just-after-a-nap feeling. After this, I'm going to have a cup of tea and a little bit of chocolate.

I smiled to myself when I set this little guy to work shoveling frosting on a {fake} cupcake and I thought you might like it too.

I think this afternoon I'll start work on a top-secret project...something pretty exciting and new for me. I have a lot of quiet lapwork to do, something easily done while watching the little ones play all around me.

I'm feeling pretty good...even though there were lots of episodes, I kept it together and managed to solve problems with such finesse it was as if I were holding a magic wand.

Now where's that lovely cup of tea?

p.s. I have the best news ever. I can't wait to tell you.

ready, set...

I love this little chair so much! Believe it or not, it's just $89 (free shipping!) from Target. It's so darling and Miss Pink loves it too!
Here's her bed, all ready for her to hop in tonight. The polka dotted heart is a paper mache form from Michael's, painted and dotted and shellacked by me.
And I never did show you how I hung the ribbon chandelier, did I? I used a wire wreath form as the base, tying lengths of ribbon all around. I used 3 Christmas ornament hooks (you know, the real pretty curlyque ones), 3 lengths of chain and a cup hook. I think this would be a great way to make a mobile too.
These blinds are the el cheapo ones from Lowe's...they are just $6 each. I added some polka dot wall stickers (from Target) and ta-dah!

Here's a look in her closet. I want clothes like these. The red dress has a poodle on it and it is her favorite. She looks like a little doll in it. It's a hand-me-down from Maggie.
These are her princess shoes, her preferred footwear. As you can see, some of the magic has worn off.
This fabulous corner cabinet was a gift from my friends Ann and Linda at the Cottage. I love it so much...the Spring green in the back is perfect!

And here's the boys' room. If it looks familiar, it's pretty much the same as when Baby was here. He's everywhere in that room...his memory is seeped into every little thing.
Here are their beds. They are both just recently out of the crib so they're in the tiniest of toddler beds...so sweet.

The rails and the top portion of this bed come off but I had to hastily take the one rail down before bedtime last week. The morning before I found the little rascal out of his crib. I put him in and asked him to show me how he did it, and let's just say his new nickname is Houdini.
Here's a little detail in the corner.
And a few little delightful things on their dresser...


I'm off to finish a dozen or more things before I go pick them up and take them to the visit with their parents.

healing

Yesterday, I got that much needed massage, redeeming that gift certificate from last year. I needed it more now than then so I'm glad I waited. I was feeling as stressed out as I've ever felt in all my days. My poor body needed a little care and the massage was just what the doctor ordered. I felt like a newborn baby when the 50 minutes were over, and I was already scheming a way to get the same treatment once a month.

I'm starting to feel more myself. I've had a bit of a rough patch lately, due in part to the new medication I'm on but mostly to this big life change that was standing on my doorstep. All I can say is that it is so much more difficult than I ever dreamed to take care of 3 broken little ones at once. Perhaps more than I can handle.

I find myself missing our little Baby so much. You'd think as busy as I've been that it might not be the case. But my heart still breaks wide open at the thought of him so very far away. And as I make preparations for these little ones, sorting through the toys and books he left behind, sitting on the floor of what was his room, the echoes of his laughs and cries and songs still vibrate in the walls and I ache for him. Sometimes I imagine myself floating above his world in California, watching him play and learn and grow. I've even found myself tapping his address into Google Earth, hoping to see a vague shadow of my little boy chasing a ball.

The other day, when I was feeling especially blue, a small parcel containing this little jewel arrived. Lynn Krestel made this sweet memento of our Baby as a gift to me. I can't tell you how much I love it and how special it is to me. It helps me to replace the sadness and emptiness with gratitude.

I'm busy today getting the house together, throwing laundry in and out of the washer and dryer, and doing a million little things. And all that I do today, I offer as a prayer for strength and love and patience. And I pray that my heart will continue to overflow with gratitude. Gratitude for what has been given and for all that's sure to come.