I've been letting ...

...my eyebrows grow.

I normally have EXTREMELY thick eyebrows and I like 'em that way!  I mean, I like them LUSH...not Al B. Sure-ish!  (For my R&B-challenged peeps...PLEEEEASE Google "Al B. Sure"...you're in for a treat 'cause I REALLY look like that if I let my 'brows go untamed!)  But because I'm not a professional, I have times when I cut one too thinly and then have to cut the other to match.  So, I've been letting them grow for the last month so I'll look cute in my sister's wedding pix!  Plus, my 40th is in November and I'm gearing up for a big celebration.  TODAY, I got to the point where I just COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!  Bushy brows bring me back to high school when the only taming I was allowed to do was a spit-and-slick!  Plus, I needed to take a picture for the aforementioned event.  So, I prayed real hard...used a SLOOOW and steady hand and got to cuttin'!  It's STILL not a professional job but I think it's decent

I think I'm still gonna go and try the threading (has anyone else tried that?) before the wedding.  I just saw on the Today show Friday that reapplying lip gloss is an addictive behavior...Kathie Lee said she wakes up from a DEEP SLEEP to reapply it!  She's a LIIITLE more obsessed than me but like my brother-in-law says...my lip gloss be POPPING!!!!

Do you know we can still smell it?  Marsh fires my BEHIND...there's something much more sinister going on out there...DUN DUN DUHHHHHH!!!!!

I've had these two projects 

recently featured over at Platinum Scraps.  We don't do the whole trick or treating  thang but we do dress up and go to the Children's Museum.  Kea 1st wore the doggie costume right before he turned two and he was LIVID!  He didn't want that CRAP on his head...his hands...he wanted OUTTA THERE!!!  We took advantage of the fact that he could still fit into it last year so we recycled it.  Man, what a difference a year makes!  When I asked him to pose for pictures, he really hammed it up...he was HEElarryous!!! With the double page spread, I happened to be going through our family box of pictures and ran across several different photos of me and  my older boys.  We used to take pictures a few times a year.  I thought for sure that once my family was complete we would go like ONCE A MONTH for pictures but that hasn't happened...my littlest hasn't taken pictures since his christening a year ago;  BAD MOMMY!  I've been kinda holding out because I wanted to take some on location shots. But, since Sears sent us a coupon for a free photo session plus $50 in pictures, I broke down and made an appointment. Hopefully I'll still get my outdoor shots before my birthday!

Lastly, if you like scrappy stuff hop on over to Kreatorville for the opportunity to win a prize valued at over $200!!!!  Don't miss out!!!!

Thanx to all of you...

...who were so concerned about our well-being due to the marsh fires!  Even though it's rained consistently for two days, we're still keeping a low profile because the smell is still pretty bad.  My husband said he heard it's actually remnants from the BP oil spill burning and it DOES kinda ring true; if you could SMELL this crap you'd understand what I mean!  The great thing was that we got to just laze around yesterday...talking, laughing, NAPPING!  John couldn't get the grill cranked up in the rain so he made an assortment of chicken wings for us in the oven.  Ahmad is a chicken FANATIC...remember the page I did as an ode to his seasoned fowl obsession???  Well, one of his favorite ways to eat it is swimming in hot sauce.  A lot of places call them Buffalo Wings...we just call 'em HOT WINGS!!!  We normally buy him a large bag from Wal-Mart for about $11.  In the last month, that price has risen to almost $15!  That, coupled with the fact that Wal-Mart had packs of chicken wings on sale last week prompted our experiment today.  I mean, the sauce is WAAAY too easy to make for us to keep throwing money at the millionaire Waltons when Mahd is craving them! And did I mention that the teenaged disposal dude can eat an entire bag in TWO sittings????  YEAAAAAAH!  So the hubbs did a large batch of wings (like close to forty) and left some unembellished (HOW YOU LIKE THAT, my scrappin' sisters???).  He put BBQ sauce on some and made hot wings with the others.  The guys had fries with their wings but I ate mine with a spinach leaf salad.  They were DEFINITELY yummy for my tummy!  Have you ever been in a situation where you KNOW one more bite will make your belly POP all over the furniture but your mouth is still watering from the yumminess you've just experienced????  YEAH...that's how I felt last night! I'm proud to say that I resisted...there's always today,right??? ;)


I still can't access my beloved Kreatorville (SIGH) but I'll survive!  I've been busy playing with the September kit.   I actually have three pages that I've finished...I just have to print the pictures to put on them and do the journaling.  Is that weird...sometimes I design the page first and THEN stick pix, a few more  embellishments and journaling on them.  There's some GORGEOUS Fake Bake Shimmerz Enamelz in the September kit!  I haven't used embossing powder in YEARS!  My issue is this: I love when an artist has used it and it's all thick and LUSCIOUS looking!  And I didn't know how to achieve that effect...so I moved on to the next technique.  Well, out of the blue my girl
sends me a package with one of her beautiful handmade cards with a HUGE jar of this

included!!  The card said that she noticed that I gushed about commented on her using this on one of her cards so she decided to send me some.  Yeah...that's the kind of heart she has!  So I HAD to up my embossing game then!  Through trial and error I've realized that, if I add more powder to the embellishment while it's still warm and reheat (and repeat...and repeat...and repeat!) I can achieve that thick look I love SOOO much!  I can't wait to share how I used the embossing powder on my September projects!

I see that the September Page Maps newsletter has gone live!  'Member I was telling you that I'm one of the featured artists this month? I was TOO excited to see my double 8.5x11 layout on this page!

Didn't like that my name is misspelled at the top. I've been called "Kendra" soo many times in my life...don't like it, though!  It IS right further down

 

I laughed when I looked at the actually layouts next to the sketches. I think I had the ONLY project that isn't identifiable as having been inspired by the sketch!

I PROMISE you that I DID use the sketch to kreate it...even though you may not be able to see it!  OH WELL!!!  Becky told me to make the sketch my own...and ya KNOW I did! I'm obsessed with origami hearts right now so I thought the center of the life preserver we were photographed with was the perfect spot to stick one!

I've had this piece of Hambly transparency

for about FOUR years...glad I finally got to USE IT!!  Here you can see the cluster of STUFF I threw loving placed on the left side

along with my VERY SCIENTIFIC tear at the top of the page and the cluster of stuff on the right side

 

 

I don't know WHAT was on my mind when I put the collage of these two pages together because I actually cropped the ENTIRE right side OFF!  Here's the right page and a closeup

in case you want to read ALL of the journaling


OH!  I actually found the picture that was missing from THIS page...here's the revised version:

(To me, it's just 100% better with those beautiful eyes staring back at you!!!)

I HAVE to get some rest...I've gotten maybe 12 hours in the last three nights!  I have layouts to finish today and a little painting to do...IF my husband can stand it!  And of course...some chicken to eat!!!!

In the last twenty days I've...

...enjoying talking to/spending time with the teen.  He just got an Iphone from his father so I've heard a LOT of "C'mon Ma!"  in the last few weeks

(You KNOW I'm lovin' that!!!!)  

*been playing around with party decor 

My sister is getting married in October and we're celebrating my 40th in November.  I was soo excited when Ray told me that she wants a vintage feel for her reception decor!  Add to that the fact that our celebration colors are almost the same!  I'm decorating Mason jars for her party and with a few changes, I'll use them the next month...can you say WINNING???

*Speaking of winning...this sweetie peetie has given me this

If you've never met Cindy...go on over!  She is the CUTEST lil lady I've ever seen!!!  To answer the twelve questions:

Favorite color: Red
Favorite song: I love SOO many songs!  One of my faves right now is I Give Myself Away by William McDowell
Favorite dessert: Oreo cookies WITH Lay's Original chips!  Yep...TOGEEEEETHER!!!!
What wizzes you off at the moment?People who make promises which they don't keep!  Just tell me "I MAY be able to"  DON'T say you promise...TICKS ME OFF  
My favorite pet: Somebody else's
Black or white? Both,please!!!
Biggest fear: Not using up every ounce of my kreativity!
Best feature: My kreativity!
Everyday attitude: Don't ever look back and regret that you didn't live each day to the fullest
What is perfection? Good food and good times with good folks
Guilty pleasure? Pinterest, scrapbooking
When you're upset. . . it shows all over my face!

So, I have to give this award to six peeps who interest me and {{GASP}} they're not all scrapbookers!!!

Charity who has a beautiful blog design with beautiful pages displayed there!

Amy who works like a ROCKET LAUNCHER to churn out beautiful kreations!

kidtropolis.  They continuously inspire my desire to give my boys rooms like movie stars' kids!

Pinterest.  I'm continuously caught up and forget to feed my family inspired by this site!

Miche who amazes me EVERY.TIME. with the versatility of her art!

Milla and Kahli. I don't know these ladies...I just ran across  their blog yesterday.  But I love their blog design and the CONTENT...these ladies can wring a thrift store DRY!!!  Plus, I think they're beautiful (IDENTICAL TWINS!) and sweet as 7up cake!!!  I've been so inspired by their decorating already!I guess they ACTUALLY count as two people, bringing my count to 7!  Oh well...this IS my blog! 

If you can, check out these blogs and let me know if YOU think these ladies rock as much as I do!  And thanx for the award, Cinds...love you, lil lady!!!!

*I FINALLY finished stenciling the walls in our bedroom and bathroom.  The teen was soo amazed he asked me to do his walls too!  I'm not sure I like ANYBODY enough to do more stenciling right now!!!

*We've been celebrating a few birthdays.  My niece

turned 20 a few weeks ago and we celebrated my sister's 40th with a dinner last night.

*Of COURSE I've been kreating!!! You can GO HERE to see some of the projects I made with the August Kreatorville kit.  But I also made this page

for the vintage sketch challenge.  I love that I was able to incorporate one of the handmade titles 

from the July kit!  Remember you still have two days to crank out a page to participate in the challenge and be in the running for a scrapbook.com gift card!  C'MON...you can DO IT!!!

*I've had a few pages and cards showcased over at Platinum Scraps; my last page (as August Guest Designer) was revealed this past week at Color Combos Galore; I finished the two page spread 

 which will be featured in the September Page Maps newsletter.  I'm also preparing some pages because in October, I'll once again be MASTERFUL!!!!

Today I'll be twisting the teen's hair...his dreds have to be FRESH for school tomorrow (ahhh...the life of a high school football player!!!) Afterwards, I'll do a little cleaning before turning in early. After my sister gets married in October, she and her husband will stay with us for a week.  My goal for the next few weeks is to completely clean/decorate/organize before that time.  I have a party and the holidays to prepare for at the end of the year and I want that to be my sole focus...pray for me PLEASE!!!!

It feels good to know...

...that there are people who understand and support what you're going through.  In addition to the great comments from you, I had the Man's support.  I was typing the last post when he walked in the back to check on the littlest.  I finished the post...burst into tears and the Man walked back into the room simultaneously.  I fully expected to hear, "What the hell????"  but he walked over, hugged me and asked, "Are you thinking about your Dad?"  Now THAT'S love!!!

I decided to keep myself EXTRA busy this past week to push away the blues.  In addition to projects the hubbs and I are completing around the house, I found a FEW minutes to get kreative!  Sassafras' design team sponsored a few "we're at CHA but don't forget about us" challenges and I did pages for a few (of COURSE I forgot to post these in time to be in the running for any PRIZES but it's all about the PROCESS...right???):

For Megan's challenge to focus on the journaling I kreated this page

of myself and my aunt last summer.  I LOVE when I'm able to get an older picture put away in the books!  I'm not sure if this counts as focusing on the journaling since I still added circles and STUFF around the page!!!

Kimberly's challenge was to scrap your summer traditions which was EASY AS PIE!!!   

We don't visit the same vacation spots every summer; we don't always complete the same activities.  But two things are GA-RON-TEED to happen EVERY summer: the Man steps up his barbecue'in and as SOON as they're in season we partake of the crawfish!  We love to eat...don't judge!  BONUS: I got to utilize one of the handmade embellishments from the July Kreatorville kit...SCORE!!!!

Michelle challenged us with a color palette which inspired me to scrap these older pix of Kea:

I found an entire pack of these 35mm pix while transforming my studio into Kea's bedroom a few weeks back.  I'm glad because a lot of Noonie's baby pictures were lost on an old computer.  I LOVED-ED that bouncer when he was a wee tot because it knocked him out ALL.THE.TIME. 

I also scrapped some of those same 35mm pictures using the last palette from Color Combos Galore.  I started off making the base of the page first...I didn't know what pictures I would use.  But when I looked at those sweet cheeks and little teeth peeking out...I couldn't resist scrapping my baby boy.  Hence the girly colors!

 

I'm not too pleased with myself right now.  There's actually a front facing shot that I left room for where you can SEE those little teeth...you know...so you get the full effect of all his cuteness!  But, I've misplaced it!  Guess I'll repost this once I add it to the page!

My twin is giving birth to a little girl right now so I used those same colors for a congrats card

I'm practicing my card-making skills.  I have a sister who'll be married in October, another whose having a baby in February and 90% of my friends will turn 40 this year...lots and LOTS of cards in my future!!!

I have a cool post up at Kreatorville  on a stash-busting technique I use a lot on my kreations.  In other scrappy news, my webinar has finally been posted on Masterful Scrapbook Design...you should really consider signing up to hear all my wit, charm and sage advice!  (I'm a comedian...what can I say???)  

I've saved my best scrappy news for last:  Debbi just announced that I'm the August Guest Designer over at Color Combos Galore...say whaaaat????  I'm soo excited...I've already finished two of the pages!  Here's a sneaky peaky for you:

 
I'm hot as a cat on a tin roof right now!!!  Keep it coming, Lord...keep it coming!!!

Every year for the past five...

THIS has been the hardest week I endure all year.  My Daddy was born on July 15th...and died on July 22, 2006.  Normally, I'm soo down during this week.  We couldn't really fully enjoy Daddy's last birthday because we KNEW his time was short.  I start working myself up in June, dreading what's coming.  But...it didn't happen this year.  I mean, I still felt down in June.  I always think about the fact that Daddy never got to meet my husband or youngest son so every time they (or the older two boys) accomplish anything my first thought is: Daddy would have LOVED to see that!  As I type this...is the first time I've cried this week.  My Daddy was an awesome artist and I always think about how he would be the only one of my family (beside my husband) to truly celebrate my kreative accomplishments.  Before this week arrived I prayed: "God...please...give me strength to focus on the positive during Daddy's week so that I'm not soo down in the dumps.  In Jesus' name...Amen."  And it worked!  I had soo much goodness in my life this week that I only smiled when I thought of my Daddy...thought of how proud he would be of me.  When I read this comment from Debbie

It hit me...HE DID IT!!!  My Daddy had a lil discussion with God: "Say Big G...I was thinking: why don't we give Face (what Daddy called me!) a break this year.  Nothing but goodness this week." And that's why I've had such a blessed week.  Thank you, Daddy...and God for such a spectacular week...and for helping me hold back the tears until it was over
 

Do you ever get that feeling...

...that when it rains it pours?  I don't mean in a Katrina-sweeping-away-lives rain.  I mean a warm, gentle "wanna-put-on-my-rain-boots-and-play-in-a-puddle rain.  So, I logged into Facebook the other day and saw the following poem on my son's wall:

One day when I get to your kingdom
and finally understand the true meaning of freedom,
I will only have one question to ask
Please allow me to look at my childhood past
to finally and truly see
that the truth will set you free
and that evil is only within the mind
that we must leave the faulty errors behind
for when we see Your rod
we know it is You, 
our only hero,
God.

I like it.  So I asked who wrote it and he responded, "me".  I am SOO proud of my kreative kids!!!  I love that he said it "just came to me and I had to write it down!"  and I was INSTANTLY inspired to scrap document this!  The current challenge at Color Combos Galore was the perfect palette for me to quickly complete this layout:

This is the one I made for Mahd to keep...I'm still working on ours.  He smiled when he saw it today...I don't know if that really means anything since he smiles when you LOOK at him!  I also happened to visit Sassafras' blog and saw that the July challenge is to mix and match different Sass lines.  RIGHT UP MY ALLEY!!!  Those letters on the page above?  They're Sassafras circa 1914!!!  I exaggerate but they ARE at least five years old!  I've been doing really well with using my stash this year and letter stickers for journaling helps me out quite a bit!  My goal is to attend summer CHA next year with a clean slate!  I mean, I have some papers and embellies that I'm just stocked up on (like Scenic Route graph papers and alphabet stickers!)  But I wanna do away with the stuff I'm HOARDING!  Someone else can use them and I can use the SPACE!  I'll get off my soapbox now and show you the page I made:

This picture was taken during one of Mahd's football practices.  I almost always take the camera because I never know what memories I might capture!  This particular day, Kea had tried several times to run out on the field and join the practice and I kept reeling him back!  I guess he wore himself out (it WAS about 95 degrees!) and sat down on my lap in submission and I pounced with the cam!  I LOVE messy pages so this really makes me happy!  I just saw that Sass has a few challenges going on this week while they're away at CHA so maybe I'll get to play some more with them...IF I get two minutes to rub together!!!


The July kit has been revealed over at Kreatorville (go SEE!!!)and two of the pages I completed were featured in the post.  But, this kit inspired me so much that I actually did about TWENTY pages, some cards AND some home decor items!  I know having a trillion pix from the Man's birthday party  inspired me and I did a few 8x8's for his book:

But I just also loved the papers and colors SOO much!  Crate Paper ALWAYS makes me swoon and the Campy Trails line by American Crafts...ahh, the MASCULINITY of it...LOVE! Coupled with the AWESOME handmade Aptly Kreative embellishment for the July kit they're PERFECT for this Mahd page:

My son LOVES chicken!  It's kinda like Bubba from Forrest Gump with fowl instead of shrimp.  He'll eat it any way; he'll eat it any day.  He'll eat it on bread or standing on his head.  It's late...the Dr. Seuss comes out in me!  I actually took these pix one day to time him and he finished EVERYTHING on his plate in THIRTY ONE MINUTES!  DAAAYYYYNG!!!!  Dude is serious about his chicken!  I'm glad I was able to use those corrugated Rusty Pickle numbers too.  I love them...a lot...but since I scrap mostly 8.5x11, they tend to overwhelm most pages I do!  I also got to use bits and pieces from vintage Kreatorville kits so this page makes me REALLY happy!!!


I'm soo excited but NERVOUS about tonight!  Remember when I told you that I was asked to participate in Masterful Scrapbook Design's July webinars?  Well, my show is scheduled for tonight (Tuesday, 19 July) at 9:30 EST...which is 8:30 my (Central Standard) time.  You can go HERE to subscribe to the webinar.  It's really an awesome deal: for $12.50 you have access to my webinar as well as the other three teachers for July (Celeste Smith, Vee Jennings and Lynnette Penacho) as WELL AS a free 12 lesson e-class!!!  I mean, I'm excited about dissecting my work with like minded individuals but what if I choke...literally.  What if all I can remember is "Hi my name is Kean".  Debbie will ask, "so on this page, what inspired you to tear the paper in that manner?"  and I'll be like giggle, giggle "did I tell you my name is Kean?"  It's just that I kinda have stage fright around peeps I don't know.  Here's my confession: when I was a little girl, I had an EXTREMELY raspy voice.  The doctor told my parents that when I was learning to speak, I obviously got a cold and started speaking with my false folds instead of the true vocal cords.  (Did you know you have false folds?  I didn't either.  And this has been your medical lesson for the day...you're welcome!)  So I was teased a lot when I was younger. My Daddy would call me Whispers which would have been cute if my classmates and the dude I had a crush on when I was six weren't telling me I sounded like a man.  Don't worry...I'm TOO cute to still be bothered by what some idiots said to me in 1865!  I'm not that little girl...dude, if God allows...I'll be forty in a few months!  It's just that I always get that twinge when I have to talk to people for the first time like, what will they think???  I'm sure it'll be fine because this lady (who makes me cry real tears when I laugh and this chica (who I happen to think is sweet as honey) will be there for support so I should be FINE...riiight????  I'll be back tomorrow to share some of the pages I kreated especially for Masterful Scrapbook Design!

There's just never...

...any rest for the weary mommy!!!  About two weeks ago, one of my aunties had surgery.  John and I visited her the day after and I promised to check on her again in a few days.  A couple of days later, Kea had a dentist's appointment so I decide to get the most outta my gas tank and combine trips.  After we left the dentist and took care of a few errands, we dropped Ahmad at football practice and utilized those two hours to visit my aunt.  We sat with her for about an hour and a half and went back to the field.  Mahd still wasn't finished when we arrived so I settled in to talk to my sister in Texas while we waited.  Kea climbed on my lap and I remember telling my sister that he felt like a hot box.  Now, I wasn't alarmed because his body temperature is naturally high (hence one of his nicknames...HOT DADDY!)and it WAS 100 degrees out that day.  Plus, he never stopped playing...he wasn't lethargic like you'd expect.  Well, we got home and he was zonked out and I just thought he was TOO CUTE so of COURSE I snapped a picture:

 Well, we got inside and he was still warm so I stripped him naked...that's how he normally rolls anyway!  After we had been here for about twenty minutes, he climbed into my lap and he was STILL a hot box and I knew.  He either caught something from one of the kids at the dentist's office or at the hospital and his temperature was 102.8.  So, we did what we normally do and alternated Tylenol and Motrin.  He never stopped playing but he woke up a couple of nights soo congested and once his nose was running all over the pillow...niice!!!  But, the fever subsided and we were just dealing with the congestion and cough.  Well, I fell asleep on the sofa Friday night and John awakened me around 3am with Kea in his arms and said, "Listen".  When Keanohn coughed he LITERALLY sounded like a puppy...or a seal barking.  It scared the HIZZIE outta me.  I took it for as long as I could...about 30 minutes...and then we packed him into the truck and drove to Children's Hospital...where the doctor told us he had croup. 

Croup (or laryngotracheobronchitis) is a respiratory condition that is usually triggered by an acute viral infection of the upper airway. The infection leads to swelling inside the throat, which interferes with normal breathing and produces the classical symptoms of a "barking" cough, stridor, and hoarseness. It may produce mild, moderate, or severe symptoms, which often worsen at night. It is often treated with a single dose of oral steroids; occasionally epinephrine is used in more severe cases.

The doctor told us he has a very contagious virus which brought on the croup.  So, we've kept him inside as much as possible which means...of course ...Mommy is all caught up!  I HATE being sick...especially because I'm in the middle of painting our house and reorganizing.  It's a good thing that I recognize how busy the devil is when you're trying to accomplish something so I just keep pushing on!

I can't believe this 

is one of my final assignments for the Examiner.com!!!  I have an assignment to turn in today and then one next week...THAT'S IT!!!  Irene  has been SUCH a pleasure to work for...I'll really miss it!  But, where one door closes...yada yada yada!!!  You can check out some of my work on the Platinum Scraps challenge blog (this

is my latest project for them)and of COURSE HERE.  I haven't forgotten that I promised to share pix of my hubb's birthday celebration but it'll have to wait a little longer...Mahd's birthday is this week and I have another celebration to plan...told ya...no rest!!!!

What did you do...

...for Easter?  I have to keep it real with y'all...I thought I was TOO cute!!!  I have an affinity for linen & lace so I feel EXTRA diva-ish when I'm wearing either!!!  I happened to have a linen dress and jacket that I bought last year for Kea's christening.  But when everyone else couldn't find outfits to coordinate...I wore something else.  And I had THESE SHOES

 'cause ya KNOW how I feel about the animal print.  So, I'm prancin' all up in da chu'ch house with ma cute self and I look down and see these BLACK CHUNKS all around my feet...what the HIZZIE????  At first I thought Kea dropped a few crayons on the floor...until I saw the chunks FALLING FROM MY SHOES!!!  HAMMERCY!!!!  I'm not by ANY MEANS shallow but my nerves were TAUT thinking about parts of my shoes under the pew!!!  I really had to admonish myself to concentrate on the word and the meaning of the day...but I kept imagining my shoes just IMPLODING when the entire congregation walked out!!!  Kea had diarrhea the day before so when he asked during service to use the bathroom I had to take him HOME!!!!  I have a thing about other people's toilets!!!  While he was occupied, I ran around like a headless chicken looking for another pair of khaki sandals.  I found ONE shoe to at LEAST three pairs...the DEVIL!!!  And I KNEW I couldn't put THESE 

 

back on!!!  Yeah those ROCKS melding with my soles...NOT SEXY!!!  I finally got it together and just threw some casual sandals on and returned to chu'ch...'cause it was about the Lord not me!!!  Seriously though, I was glad I got back in time to take pix with my in-laws who THOROUGHLY enjoyed their visit to our worship place

 

and because my mother-in-law and I share a love for plants they gave me a beautiful Easter present:

God, please give me the strength to NOT KILL THIS PLANT.  In Jesus' name...Amen.

 

 

 

 I got a shot of the two littlest grands

 and my parents got a shot of all the kids and most of their grandsons (my two oldest boys were off on their own adventures!)  

 My Mom had three girls and FINALLY a boy so MAYBE she'll finally get a granddaughter one day! Do you know my Daddy and I took a picture by this SAME pole in front of our church on Easter Sunday in NINETEEN SEVENTY EIGHT???

and I HAD TO take a picture of him alone...no really... he MADE ME!

my Daddy will be SIXTY NINE in September and he's still gangsta sooo...he GOT THAT!!!!

John and I decided to take the littlest to see

 before visiting my Granny's for dinner.  We were the only ones in the theatre until the previews started so Kea had the BEST TIME running around

 

and

 around!!!  I must admit...I love children's movies but this was one I thought I would just tolerate so that Kea would have a good time but I REALLY enjoyed it!  Like I'd buy it on DVD enjoyed it!  And the theatre was remodeled after Katrina so we stopped for a few shots

 And I ALWAYS have fun talking, laughing...eating with my extended family!!!  I got to see my cousin

 who's moving home for the first time since Katrina.  And my big baby and his little brother

 came over because Jamani was looking for his Easter basket fix!  WHAT?  You thought because he turns TWENTY in a few months that he no longer wants a basket?  LIES AND GARBAGE!!!!  My Mom made a basket for me until I was WELL into my thirties!!!  I REALLY need to get with her to find out WHAT MADE HER STOP!!!  My siblings got baskets from me until about TWO YEARS AGO...and they're STILL mad about that!!!  I think you're NEVER too old for an Easter basket!!!

Speaking of which:  I pulled the older two boys' baskets out of the closet 

and they made me smile.  I was SOO anal when Jamani and Ahmad were little that whatever I did for one I did for the other.  So we often had a problem with them knowing what was for whom.  Munchkin's favorite color is blue and Mahd's is red so the little ribbons tied around the handle were so I didn't have to referee if one ate every piece of chocolate in two hours and then claimed the other basket was his!!!  AHHH...sweet memories!!!

I love holidays and celebrations but sometimes they can be SOO stressful!!!  The next extravaganza will be for my husband's birthday in June when he turns 45.  I'm working on everything right now so that I'm not pulling my hair out!!!  What are you looking forward to?