Crafty Lil' Leprechauns

Being that St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow we decided to have a little fun with paper and glue!! I used my Cricut Machine to cut out a few clovers and some pots 'o gold. Then I punched out some star shapes on gold paper (surprisingly I don't have any circle punches!!) Then we used about six different color card stock sheets and I traced the cutest little hands, then cut them out. Gave the kids a blank sheet of paper and helped with the glue and this is what we got ....

blank paper and sticker are GREAT FUN!!

And of course our Art Galley, decorated nicely for St. Patty's Day  ...

I'm still here!!

Just wanted to say I am still here, life is pulling me in a million different directions lately ... maybe I should have some sort of a goal or theme that will help keep me on track with this blog, cause seriously I WANT to make this a regular thing, but sometimes life has me so exhausted I can't think, almost like I'm on auto-pilot...as soon as I figure out how to disengage this auto-pilot, I'll get back to posting rather than thinking about posting!!

The Dora ~vs~ Tinkerbell Dilema

      For quite some time now, talk about birthday parties has been going on around here, since the middle-ish of October to be somewhat exact. We have talked about and put into action a certain McQueen party for "L", and we even chatted-up then celebrated a Little Mermaid party for "A" and although four years old is not happening for another 11 weeks or so - well technically it has happened twice, but never mind that, I'm talking about the three year old, you know that sassy strong-minded beautiful little big girl that we call Na-Na - a certain Dora party has been excitedly and enthusiastically discussed. She has been adamant that for her birthday, there was going to be a Dora cake complete with Boots and Swiper, and if you know this girl, you know that she knows what she wants and likes. She already knew what this cake looked like, you could tell by the way she talked about it. I thought Dora was a little young for a four-year-old birthday, but again if you know this girl you know that she knows what she wants and what she likes, and there is no convincing or bribing her otherwise. I did however, unsuccessfully try to change her mind, each attempt was met with a detailed description of that cake, you know the one with Boots and Swiper on it. I knew I was not going to change her mind so a Dora party it would be, complete with that cake, the one with Boots and Swiper on it. Then suddenly something happened, she got real big girl on me and decided she did not want a Dora party, but that she would have a TinkerBell one instead, with lots and lots -and we are talking lots and lots- of sprinkles. Suddenly four seemed real big girlish, not like her normal big girlishness, but really, really big girlish, you know like a big girl without the need for the word big in front of it because it has been so long since she was "little". Trying to hold on to that little big girl in her I said to her that we can do lots and lots of sprinkles for a Dora party too, yes that Dora party that I thought was sort-of young for a four-year-old. Suddenly I wanted to hold on to all that was little about her, all that was not quite real big girlish, and that Dora party the one with that cake, you know that one with Boots and Swiper on it, was all I had left! A simple "no thank you" was what I got. I questioned her further, but what about that cake the one with Boots and Swiper on it? It wasn't working all she talked about was this TinkerBell party. She told me with such enthusiasm, that all the fairies will be there, Silvermist, Vidia, Iridessa and Terrence too. I guess Fawn and Rosetta will be there too, however she did not mention them. Oh and Uncle Bernie is going to bring the Pixie Dust so she can fly. I mean seriously how did we get to FOUR years old so fast?

What are you doing NOW?!?!...

      For starters, let me introduce myself, I am Michelle via offical certification, I am Shelly to those that love me unconditionally, I am Michie to those that support each other unseen, I am Mommy to the most amazing little girl in all the world, seriously she is, if you don't believe me just ask her dad ;) and currently I am "Mommy" to two of the most resilient little people I know, because of circumstances out of their control "L" and "A" have been in our home for 15 months ... so in short I am myself, family, friend and mommy, both forever and temporary (I was thinking this last part about "forever and temporary" to be about the Mommy gig, but I suppose in certian situations it can apply to all of the above? okay that was my sad attempt at humor, please forgive me ;} )...


So why am I writing this?
Mainly because I am thinking about keeping up with a blog, this blog to be exact ... yep I'm just "thinking" about it, when I actually post on the regular then I guess we can change that to "I am keeping a blog" ...
 
Well then, why am I "thinking" about keeping this blog?
I guess the short answer is to share, to network and for a creative outlet ... I love to talk, don't believe me ask my brother, he calls it "running my mouth" I like to call it "networking" or "socializing", but whatever you call it, I can do it right here and hey if you want to "listen" read on and if not well then don't ...
 
What exactly am I "thinking" about sharing, networking, outletting (is outletting a real word?) and talking about?
I suppose that depends on my day, so basically everything in my little corner of the world. Crafts, hair care, foster parenting, family, school, weather, wine, maybe even some creative writing, ect...
 
Why "Except When it Rains" for a title?
Well because when it rains it pours, right?!?!? No, the truth is I really dont have an answer for that one, I just kinda pulled that outta nowhere, therefore the title of this blog is subject to change, then again I kinda like the name :)

What's next???

Advanced Creative writing is next for me. Seems I have a ton of stories in my head, I forget them before I can get them on paper. I would love to be able to capture all the things that are in my head and put them on paper...so that is what is next for me, another writing class and the hopes that I can become as good a story wrtiter as I am a story thinker...

My thoughts on "Killing Yourself to Live"

At first the book was interesting, but the more that Chuck talked about rock groups and music artist the less interested I became. Not because he related everything to music, but because I was unfamiliar with some of the references. It became difficult to stay interested and focused, because I could not relate to the his musical references. Where I did know the music and the artists I felt interested to read on, so it was an on off relationship. Towards the end of the book it got interesting, I wanted to know what happened to Quincy and why she stood him up. Also his ending helped put the book in perspective, after he tells us the book is really about the love. Thinking back on certain parts of the book it made a little more sense. I would not reccommed this book to just anyone, it just is not that kind of book. However, I would reccommed it to someone who likes music as much as Chuck...

Two Mothers Love...

My daughter is loved by two mothers.
It is a love that is hard to understand by others.
One gave her life and breath.
The other gives her values that ensure she never forgets.
One held her tight when she let out her very first cry,
It is not for us to question why,
Another mother’s arms she was placed,
by the one who held her first with dignity and grace.
We both loved her from the start.
One mother holds her in her arms while the other holds her in her heart.

What was the inspiration for the poem? My inspiration was adoption and how the love that a birth mom has for her child is often thought to be non-existent.
What challenges did you face? finding words that rhymed, but that fit into what I was trying to convey.
How did you overcome these challenges? by finding words that I wanted to use and rhyming them with words that made sense to the topic and rearranging the sentence structure to fit the rhyme.