Raggedy Old Annies

April already?

Dang...where is time going? I swear, the older I get, the quicker time moves! It's April...It's my sons birthday month! He's going to be 14! What? 14? Crap! when did that happen? That means he's going to be driving in 2 years. I'm NOT ready for that!!! Even though he's getting older...and at times has a bit of an attitude....he's still a momma's boy. There are days when I wish I could just hold him, sit him in my lap and rock him! omg..the other day at baseball...this lil boy, who's voice reminds me so much of Christopher at the age of 2 was asking his mom if he could "hold her" which really meant that he wanted her to hold him. Christopher used to say the same thing, "mommy hold you, mommy hold you". my eyes filled with tears!!! there are times I want that back. don't get me wrong...i don't wanna go through my life again and live through all that hurt again, but I would take having him a baby again..because he's growing up way too fast! he's almost taller than me. Not sure how I'm feeling about that. In less than 2 months, he'll graduate 8th grade and be entering high school. REALLY not sure how I'm feeling about that! I'm just trying to soak up all I have of him now, because in a short couple years....he'll be too busy for me. Thankfully at the moment I am able to enjoy all his baseball games. although he didn't get to play in his baseball game last Saturday. He "caught" a full game on Thursday night, got hit in the hand with a bat, and had a swollen thumb. It was his choice to not play. I didn't want him to either. But I made him dress in uniform and go support his team. And that we did. And it was TOUGH for him...he wanted to be in the game! Not watching it!

 

 

he's so sick of me always having a camera in his face. ugh! I tell him, if you just go with it, no one will even notice, but the minute you start fighting it, you're drawing attention to yourself. duh!

I've been busy working on dolls. It "was" warm out, so everything was drying nice and quick. Now it's cold again. What is up with the weather? weird! anyway, here's a sneak peak of what I just put on my WEBSITE. You'll have to go visit to see everything!

 
 
 
 
 
I want to thank everyone who sent me emails and comments about my last blog entry. Times are really tough right now, and I'm struggling to get through it....and I have alot of support but there are times when I break down and cry, and that has been alot lately. But all your support means EVERYTHING to me! I know that I'm not the only one going through this, I know this world is a complete mess.....but sometimes when I look around, I do feel like I'm the only one in this mess. With gas prices...I don't know how any of us can afford to go anywhere. And they say it's going to get worse? how? how much more can we take? really?

enough negative huh? I'm going to go make some more dolls....they make me smile. And Christopher has a game tonight if it doesn't rain.....crossing fingers for no rain! Have a wonderful day everyone!!!!! Love ya!

It's been nice here the past few days. And it feels GREAT! I'm lovin it! It motivates me to sew! And that I've been doing!

 
I just added her, and a few others on my website.

It's baseball time! I'm so excited to see Christopher play, since he didn't get to last year and only half the season the year prior due to his fractured wrist TWICE! They had practice at the batting cages the other night....so I snapped these cute pictures!

 
 
 
I LOVE this cool "app" on my iphone that takes these vintage looking pictures!!!! having fun!

I colored my hair again. All by myself again! and I'm lovin it too! It's dark...but I'm liken it! I feel like a different person! new life, new look!

 
alrighty...off to sew up some more dolls!

a day to remember........

and it's a day I will never forget. It's a day that I hate when it comes around. The news is plastered with all those images again. It scared me. that day. I kinda thought the world was coming to an end. No one knew what else would happen. I was scared to be without my son. He was 4 at the time in preschool. So I yanked him out of preschool. I think I didn't take him for like a week. I don't even remember leaving the house. I don't even remembering showering that day. I was so glued to the tv. But them I remember the American Pride. All the sudden everyone had HUGE flags on their cars. I mean pickup trucks with big flag poles standing up tall in the bed, flapping in the wind from their speed. Flags on car antennas. Flag stickers on windows. Flag murals on the whole back window. And everyone had their flags proudly up on their homes. that made me feel a little bit better. And I had a craft show that October. And I remember questioning what it would be like. Because everyone was scared. No one was spending money. No one was going anywhere. And the show came....and I remember it being HUGE! Everyone was soaking up "handmade in America"!!!! Since my son was so little at the time, he was very impressionable. And we all know it was plastered ALL over the news....very hard to keep a little one from seeing it. I remember at times, I would find him standing up tall the empty cartons from his dads "Coors light" cans, and then he'd take one of his toy planes and crash them down. I HATED it. But he was 4, and he didn't understand what was actually happening. So I stopped him each time, trying to explain. And he loved to draw....so this is what he took in, and then put out on paper.

 
I'm so glad that I saved it. At first...it was an image that I wasn't happy that was planted in my 4yr olds mind. so I just left it in his spiral notebook. Then years later I found it while cleaning out his desk, weeding through all the spiral notebooks he would color in. I immediately pulled it out and put it in a clear sleeve....KNOWING that this was something that I needed to keep, if not for me, but for him.

Because I hate this day, I hate posting postive stuff on it. I guess it makes me feel a little guilty. Because my personal life was actually physically touched by this day, just emotionally. But...I need to change those thoughts....and I need to understand that life does go on, and that we need to show them that they cannot stop us and we will survive!

Last night, I updated my website with a couple more dolls, and some kitties too!

Have a nice weekend! We are without kids again.....but yummy boyfriend is working today...so I guess maybe I should too!
 

{some updates}

Okay...really GOOD NEWS first! My mom had a pet scan done (for her Lymphoma) and the doctor called her that same day and told her everything looks GREAT! So they'll do bloodwork in 3 months and another pet scan in 6 just to make sure everything stays the same. This news makes me so happy!!!!

School is going great for Christopher. He's "big man" on campus this year. And he was asked to be a "teachers assistant" for a PE period as one of his electives. He's loving that! Messing with all the "scrubs", enjoying having to take something from them when they need "loaners" for PE clothes. ugh. I guess he forgets being the newbie on campus. His age right now is like a roller coaster. It has its ups and downs (just like his voice). He can be super nice (usually when he wants something) and then flip and give me such attitude (usually when he doesn't get what he wants). So far this week, he has lost his cell phone...because I check up on it..and found that he was texting during school. BIG NO NO! He said it was in band class....down time because she was fitting students for uniforms. So being the nosey mom that I am, I emailed her and asked her if she allowed that during down times. um...."no" was the answer. Just what I thought. Busted. It's been actually nice though, being able to sit down at the dinner table and have a conversation, without him so worried about his phone buzzing in his pocket, unable to answer it because I won't allow it at the dinner table. It sits here on my desk, and I periodically check it to see what he's missing..lots of text's.....does he not tell his friends he's lost it? And then the girl situation. ugh. Ups and downs with girls. He wanted ME to buy him something to give her! um NO! And then just like that, they broke up. yeah, saw that coming, even though he didn't believe me. When it comes to advice on all this, he doesn't want to listen to me, like I'm stupid or something and have no clue what he's talking about, and then he just tells me that he doesn't want to talk to me because "i'm a girl". yeah, a girl who's been there for him through EVERYTHING and a girl that would do ANYTHING for him, but I don't see him asking someone else to help buy a present for me! ugh again! These boys need to learn that if they treat their mommas like gold, girls will LOVE them for it! Get it straight! duh! It makes sense right? so anyway, I've told him NO MORE dating girls! He can like them, have a crush on them, think they are cute, call them and text them, but until he can financially and physically take them on a date, do not call her a girlfriend! I know, I'm mean! But after hearing what I heard this week on what these teenagers are doing, and seeing a girl not too much older than him preggo at the store with her mom....I WILL HAVE NONE OF IT! alrighty...here's a cute picture of took of him at the beginning of summer.

 
 

I finished up some new dolls and put them on my website last night. It felt good. REALLY good! I was inspired to make more. So I went and bought some much needed supplies. Then off to good ole icky Walmart for stuffing...and guess what...NONE! ugh! And I needed ink for my printer, so over to Target for that...and guess what...NONE! what is up with that! Stores are just not stocking stuff anymore..and I get that, I understand it...but why does it have to be the stuff I NEED and USE? Anyway......back to my dolls. I put them on my website last night...and fully intented to blog it this morning...and got sidetracked. whoops. Here is what is new. and you can hop over to my website to see them.

I was looking through some old Raggedy Old Annies pictures the other day and came across some old show pictures. I MISS THESE DAYS!

 
Well, since I can't stuff because I don't have enough stuffing, I guess I'll go make some doll dresses and take advantage of this extremely HOT weather that I'm melting in! I'm not running the a/c, my choice, because I can't afford it...and well...it's not helping with my motivation. I get very heat sick and it's making me drag!

Stay cool everyone!    

{thank you}

omgosh! it brings such a sweet smile to my face when I read the comments ya'll have left me. And the sweet emails too! I'm so glad that ya'll understand. I know we all get in ruts, and burn out. I just feel like I'm not snapping out of it. Christopher starts school on Monday, so I'm thinking that will be good for me, get me back into my routine. these lazy summer mornings don't get me going! I feel like such a lazy bum!

But lazy bum or not...my arms are a bit sore today! one of my BFF's got a new table...and she gave me her old one. yes...you heard me....GAVE me! The table of my dreams! So I went to visit her on Thursday, loaded it up and came back home on Friday, after doing some fun shopping with her, and she followed me home...well not exactly followed...we kept bouncing back and forth on who was in front cause of traffic. But anyway, so yummy boyfriend and his friend unloaded it for me. Kim and I loaded it because we are strong woman but since there were men in the house to unload...I figured they needed to use their muscles! so first thing Monday morning...I ran over to Joanns and bought fabric to recover the chairs to match my decor. and I'm even more in love with it now!

 
Isn't it so pretty? Thanks Kim! you rock!

Another birthday party this past weekend. geesh! I think we are done now for a bit.....until mine. which is still a few months away! anyway, it was a friends birthday, and thats why Kim followed me (sorta) home, because she was coming to stay with us and go to the party. And of course...I wanted a picture of her, yummy boyfriend and I.

 

Back to Christopher starting school......he's an 8th grader this year! omg!!!! last year before high school! How did that happen? I lost a battle last week...and ended up buying him a pair of shoes THAT I DID NOT WANT TO! and why? because they were $15.00 cheaper than all the others. And when your kids shoes are in the price range between $55-$70, you'll take any discount you can. And since he was so DEAD SET on these...I decided to be weak and give in. And alot because my mom kept reminding how I dressed like Madonna and had rainbow brite makeup and flock of seaguls hair and bracelets up to my armpits and never said a thing! so...here's what he just HAD TO HAVE.

 
 can you just hear me saying "ugh"? cause I am! how are those going to match anything? really? And then purple 80's style sunglasses with mirror lenses were required too, if I wanted to get him to work with me for a photoshoot before school. hoping to get that in tomorrow. This morning we had our first Orthodontist appointment. Tomorrow morning xrays. I'm super excited for him to get braces! Not excited about the cost...but ohwell....my kid is #1 to me! Debt will be there no matter what right? So soon we'll have pics of him as a "brace face". Some bling bling in the mouth. a nice silver "grill". and he's already warned me that they'll be purple bands. What is with the purple! geesh!

Alrighty. off to remind the boy to change his laundry around. I'm trying to teach him to do laundry. My moms idea. She told him he has Sun/Tues/Thurs to get his laundry done. Well he missed Thursday because we left out of town, and he didn't think about Sunday, and of course it's all my fault now. You should see the piles in the hallway. I wish I had half the amount of clothes that boy has! And thats NOT including the new shirts for school! He's easy to buy for though. me...NOT SO MUCH!

okay..until next post.....goodbye...and I'm hoping to have the 4 dolls I stained dressed.

some lazy fun.....

I'm in love with my sons iTouch. Kids are so lucky these days. We were content with our silly Merlin and football handheld games. But kids these days....laptops, cell phones, iTouch iPods and on and on! I like to wind down in bed playing on Christophers laptop...yes, his laptop....I can't afford one for myself! But lately, I've been grabbing his iTouch because there are a ton of free apps. My favorite game is Mahjonng! But I love to play solitaire too. Last night I was browsing around the free apps section in the photography category and found some cool apps where you could distort pics! I was having too much fun! Laughing so hard that I was crying! I even woke up yummy boyfriend to show him a pic that I did of him. I don't think he thought it was funny. I did though! I'm glad I can make myself laugh. Here are some pics that I did of Christopher. He has given me permission to share. the first one is I just replaced someones head with his...wow...now would I ever let my son jump out of a plane? I think NOT!

These next 2 crack me up! This is where the laughing so hard I was crying started......

so after playing with his iTouch...I'm really itching for in iPhone now! I knew I should have bought one back when I started my plan last June! darn it!

Okay..enough funny stuff! I have been actually working too! And I just put 3 new ones on my website this morning. (2) more Lucy Anne's. I love her just as much as I love Tilda and Big Head Betty!

 

 And I made another Big Head Betty Nurse. I had an order for one...and she's so cute...why not whip up another?

 

This weekend my baby turns the big { 13 } !!!!!! omg...I cannot believe it! A teenager in the house!  He's planning on having some friends over...just to "hang out". no party decorations...no themes...just to "hang out" and play video games! He wants yummy boyfriend to bbq up some burgers....and lots of junk food to munch on! I'm sure this will be an all nighter! and I'm going to try and keep up with them...but of course, doing my own thing! My friend Kim is coming over...and we are going to scrap all night! or at least try too! I'm sure a Starbucks trip will happen too! Be fun to do that in our jammies! but the one closest to my house isn't a drive through! darn it!

More dolls in the works! And lots of cleaning to do before this weekend! and crossing my fingers they all let me take pictures!

Chat later friends!

Love.....Nicole! 
 

the last few days......

last week was a crazy week. I do not know what was up with my emotions...but it wasn't a good week. So far, this week is starting out better. But it's cold. And I am so sick and tired of this cold weather! And it's so cold in my house. I am miserable!

On Wednesday, I ditched the cold house to hang out with my friend Marcie. Marcie and I have known each other since I had my craft store, way back when I was preggo! We parted ways for a few years....and I have tons of regrets for that...but she has told me no worries! She's such a sweetheart! I looked her back up when yummy boyfriend bought his truck, because Marcie's hubby was the sales manager at the Ford dealership..and he was no longer there, so I was curious. I'm so glad she responded back to my facebook friend request! Oh how I have missed her and her "sweetness". So anyway...back to what we did. She told me about this AWESOME scrapbook store in Ontario. I've always seen it while flying by on the freeway, but have never stopped. Maybe it's a good thing that I didn't! I could do some serious damage in there! But I was good. I had a plan! Something that I have learned from Marcie. Buy for what you want to work on. I wanted to make a mini album for my 40th birthday, like the one I did for my 39th. So I only bought things for that! And I'm dying to use it! This Wednesday....going over to Marcies!

And while we were down there, we went to this really neat store called Tai Pan. It's all decorative and floral. Gosh I wish I were rich! I wanted a certain floral arrangement, but it was $140.00!!! I sneaked out with only spending $10.00 on this one. My table really NEEDED something!

  

We had all the boys this year for Easter! It was great! Christopher is approaching 13 this April, so I wasn't sure if he'd be into the whole "egg coloring", but he was, and it was fun and all 3 had a good time! Christopher got caught mixing colors.....he was going for "grunge". I'll post pics of them with their easter baskets in a bit. I didn't use my good camera...battery was dead. Hoping they even turned out. I HATE my little point and shoot camera!
 

I am finishing up some dolls today. I actually just cleaned off my sewing table! And now I'm ready to go! Here are closeups of Lucy & Lloyd. The first pic of Lucy, she's bald. But she has some hair now! I should have them on my website by Tuesday. The weather is icky today, which means I cannot go outside and take their pics! So hoping for nicer weather tomorrow!

until my next post! bye bye! 

feeling out of sorts......

even though I'm not feeling the greatest, I feel like I'm coming down with the flu.....but still managed to finish up some dolls! I was excited to finish them up, as they were turning out so cute! And I have already updated them over on my website!

I took pictures at my friends Kim's daughters 7th birthday this past weekend! She takes riding lessons, so naturally, she wanted her party at the horse ranch! And what a beautiful ranch it was! And the trainer was just the cutest thing ever...sweet as ever! Here is Kaitlyn during her lesson.

 
and here is a cute pic of her and one of her friends on the fence watching all their friends get  mini lessons.

I'm off to try and get some rest. I'm hoping this is just my body adjusting to this darn time change. I hate when we spring forward. And this old body obviously can't handle it! So I'm hoping to wake up feeling much better because I had a scrap day planned with my friend Marcie!

goodnight all!

an update, a birthday, and a little fun!

yes, finally, after a couple weeks, I have updated my website! I finally finished up a pile of dolls that have been sitting on my sewing table. And I noticed that my kitty tried to get involved....I found that she was kissing one of them! ugh! so that cute lil Annie has a birthmark now! I think my kitty likes the coffee smell!

so...hop on over to my dolls page on Raggedy Old Annies to see what new babies I have put up!

We had a birthday party this past weekend for Yummy Boyfriends youngest Scotty. He turned 8!

 

We invited family over. We ordered tons of pizzas. We had this oreo ice cream cake (his request) and then we bought some cupcakes because we knew this cake wouldn't last...and it didn't. He enjoyed opening all his presents! Everyone spoiled him! It was a great day!

I grabbed all 3 boys to get a pic together. And I told them to give me some "attitude". So cute! I think Christopher is trying to hide his cast. He is completely sick of it! It had tons of signatures on it, but at our last appointment, they needed to fix it, so it was casted over. As his mom, i was glad to see some things covered up. Some girl wrote "Chris is sexy".  And then there was "ILY". Apparently, that is "I love you". I am soooo NOT ready for this!

Then Christopher snapped a pic of Yummy Boyfriend and I. Christopher was taking pics of me showing off the cutest purse ever that my mommy sent me! so then I asked yummy BF to yump in! but isn't that purse just the cutest? Thanks mom! I love you! You are so good to me! And you listen to me!

 

And I'm going to close this with some funny pics that I stole from an email that Sharon sent me. It was titled "why boys need parents". And I grabbed a couple pics that I just thought were the funniest!!!!

my son thought this one was cool and looked fun. OMG...NOT! But I could totally see Christopher wanting to do it!

And this one cracks me up!!!!!!!

note.....THIS IS NOT MY SON!!!!!! copied from an email sent to me!

I'm outta here to get started on some new stuff! Have a great day!
 
 

{ Positive }

That is the word for the year. Last year I chose "happiness" and yes, I did find it! I was lucky! but not only did I find it.... I also tried very hard to live it. And "positive", well it just doesn't come to you, it's a choice...and so yummy boyfriend and I have made that choice! And hoping we can pass it on to the kids too! I won't lie, it will not be easy. There will times when I will want to be negative, it comes easily to me, but I will just need to remind myself.

So...since I am thinking "positive", I have decided to NOT close down my website! I am "positive" things will turn around! They have too! I have downgraded my website a little bit, and most of you will not even notice, but there are some pages missing...along with some old patterns that I've decided to discontinue. Sadly, no new dolls yet...I'm working.....first I have these to finish......

and then I pulled out these..........

I love making Valentines Dolls! So I'm getting started today! 

We've already had a birthday bash in this New Year! Yummy Boyfriend had a birthday on the 2nd. Don't ask how old.....cause it makes me feel old (just call me a cougar). LOLOL The kids and I bought him this cool jacket...and my brother bought him the cool hat!

Off to start this "positive" new week! Happy New Year!