I finifshed the necklace!!

So I finished the necklace and it turned out great, its not exactly like the LV one but I still like it!! I was so easy to do but took about a hour. I will say that I had to play around a little to get it finished. I just ordered some new fabric so I am excited to make one with brighter colors. I already have 2 neighbors that want one!! YAY!!! I posted a pic of the final product!

Our Little Star....

Ethan has started his first ever sporting event.....Soccer!! It is hilarious...let me tell ya. They have 30 minutes of practice and then 30 minute game. They basically run around in circles while there crazy parents jump around on the sidelines!! Ethan does pretty well during the practice but about 15 minutes into the game...it was meltdown city. But I still think that is pretty good for a 3 year old to make it 45 minutes. We are super excited about soccer and look forward to many more games. I will keep you posted.

New project!!

Most of the people close to me know that I LOVE to sew. I have never taken a proper class....and now I think that I should....I am pretty much self taught. I will examine curtains and pillows to see how they are made and then I attempt to make them. After reading an old friend, from high schools, blog today, I am inspired!! I am itching to go to the fabric store right now!! But I have a hair appointment at 4....and by that I mean that I am doing someones hair!! My other LOVE!! HAIR!! Sooooo, after Jason get's home tonight I am going to run to the fabric store and purchase fabric to make this knock off LV fabric necklace. I will post pictures later of the finished project. But here is the tutorial if anyone else is interested!! Doesn't it look fabulous!!

Anyway, I just learned that my old friend, Gina Lapiejko Allen is selling her bags at Hip Chicks in Clemmons, her bags are called GinaBean. It is one of my most favorite stores....so go check it out and her bags!! Super cute!!

A wonderful week!!

We have had a great week at the beach with the Lott's. We had 3 houses and lots of wonderful family around!! To start off with there was Nana and Papa Lott, Kristen and Mike and thier 3 kids; Ben, Jay and Sarah; and Jason and I as well as Ethan and Sophie...and last but not least Jason's Aunt Laurie and her family from Philly. Oh, and my parents came down for 3 days!!

We had wonderful weather and the kids had a blast....there were enough of them to keep each other busy. And I have to say that this has been a pretty low key summer for the LKN Lott's, so running all over the beach and back and forth to the houses wore me out and I was asleep by 9:30 every night. It was a bit of a surprise to the rest of the crew, as I am usually one of the last ones up. I will have to say that it is nice because I actually got plenty of rest and felt rejuvenated when we got home. So here are a few pics from thr trip!!

On Sunday we went to Dick's and got all of Ethan's gear for the upcoming soccer season. This is his first season playing and we are so excited!! I am sure that I will have more pictures and post about it in the future!! Now I am on to preparing for the preschool year. This will be Ethan's 3rd year and Sophie's first. I am looking forward to having Monday's and Wednesday's all to myself...well, for 3 hours, that is!!

This has been a much better week!!

My mother in law, Linda, saved me last weekend and gave me a three day break. Thanks, Linda!! It was wonderful!! And ever since Ethan has gotten home...it has been great!! We have had our usual meltdowns but over all....GREAT!! My girlfriend Melissa came last night to get her hair highlighted and after Ethan fell asleep on the couch and I carried him to bed, she said..."I don't know how you do it!", And I said 'What?", and she said,"All the questions that he asked!" She couldnt believe it. I said,"this is normal for us...I guess that I am used to it." But he does ask A LOT of questions, usually about nothing. And I try to make them the shortest, easiest answers possible. It seems to help!! He is just a very curious little boy and had to know exactly how and why of everything!! Can't fault him for that!!!

We had a wonderful weekend after Ethan came back. Chuck and Linda brought him back and Kristen and her kids came down as well. We went on a boat ride and beached the boat on one of the islands and let the kids swim. It was fun for the kids but as anyone knows who has ever been out on Lake Norman, the lake floor is very slimy and muddy!! YUCK!! So for us ladies we were very squemish!! ( is that how you spell it...hummm????) But all and all it was a great day!! Then on Sunday we had a family fun day a went to the mall and furniture shopping. The kids probably didn't love it as much as J and I but they survived. Ethan got to play at the mall play area....which I have avoided like the plague....but his daddy thought that it was a good idea to let him climb all over that germ infested place....but he loved it...and was Lysoled down when we got home!!

I wish had pictures from both excursions but I dont....hopefully next time I will remember!!

So I feel energized and ready for a fun week at the beach!! I will surely have pictures from that!!

Can someone help me, PLEASE!!

This has been the week from....well, you know where. Not sure why, but apparently it is in the stars because my sweet sister-in-law, Kristen, is going through the same thing. Whew..makes me feel better!! Anyway, this is the scenario. Ethan has become my boss, a very controlling boss...plan and simple. Here is a typical conversation....Mommy, can I go outside?....yes, but you need to put a shirt and shoes on!...okay, go get my shirt and shoes!....No!, you get your stuff!...NO!!!! you get it!!...NOOOOO!!! you get it!!...And so on and so forth!! So I am not sure if this is just the mind of a 3 1/2 year old...I tell myself that but I know that it is really not true, its just my child.

I can take the bossing around for about 1 day...and then I am over it!! I don't just roll over and take it, I try to correct the behavior. Tell him not to talk to me like that...time out, take toys away, wooden spoon...none seem to work, for very long, that is! So this is the advise that I get...be consistent, stand your ground, don't let him boss you around. Well, I do those things and it's just plain HARD!! Ethan is an extremely active child. Loves to play, I love that about him!! He does not watch a lot of TV, or sit and play. He wants to be outside running, skateboarding, things like that!! I think that it is awesome, I love that he is so active. But when it comes to being quiet and having some down time....its like another child takes over. He all of a sudden becomes this child that cannot do anything for himself and needs constant help. Which we all know that he does not...when he is outside doing what he loves he is completely independent!! So you might say, well keep him busy and playing. Well, easier said than done. There is this one other little thing called his sister, Sophie. Who takes naps eats lunch and dinner at the same time everyday..is on a complete schedule!! So its the balance between the 2 that comes into play. For me its not a hard concept to grasp, but for a 3 year old...is devastating! So here I am STUCK..with no real direction!! Keep doing what I am doing is what's going to happen. Oh and Kristen is going to do some research for us...

My sweet Mother-in-law, Linda is taking ethan for 3 days....HALLELUJAH!! She sensed that I needed a break. Thanks God for family!!

This one is for Ashley!!

I have been getting crap from my dear friend Ashley about my blog....or lack thereof!! So here I sit reading my sweet, sweet friends blog who is battling cancer and thinking that if she can update her blog weekly and go through all the crap (sorry for the use of that word, again...but it is the best way to describe it) that she is going through (ie treatments) then I can get back on the ball with this.

So my latest annoyance it my neighbors kids!! Sorry if you are readying this Jackie....BUT!! I have never in my life met a child that inhales as much sugar as this child does....I mean, juice box after juice box, popsicle after popsicle, cookie after cookie....you see where I am going with this. But my issue is not about the fact that his parents are going to have an outrageous dentist bill one day, its that when the IV of sugar runs out at his house, where does he go you ask??? MY HOUSE!! Now I have to preface this by saying that we have a refridgerator out in the garage and its sole purpose is house drinks, juice boxes, popsicles, beer(the most inportant one, really!!), and things alike. So it is known in the hood that such things are there. So this was just the conversation that I heard while I was in my house and the back door is open.....

Mind you its 10:30 am at the time....

"Ethan, you want a popsicle?" ethan says no. "Ethan you want a juice box" ethan says no. "Ethan you want a shake,shake(this is what ethan calls chocolate milk)" ethan says no. Then not 2 minutes later here they all come in the door.....Ethan says, "Mommy, can we have a popsicle"

Hmmmm.....now I just heard Ethan say he didnt want one...so why is he now asking for one?? I will let you guess!! And maybe you are asking...Why do you care, Katie?? And honestly, I dont know. What I do know is that I want Ethan to be a very polite, respectable child. I want him to know that if he is at someone elses house and is thirsty or hungry then he knows to ASK for it in a polite way. Not demanding. And from what I have heard he does do that.....but I am afraid that through influence those things might change.

Yes, I know that this is the difficulties of raising children....having friends that are raised differently that my child. And finding a balance in the middle. I had a friend growing up that I loved playing with, her name was Jaymee Reavis. She was such a rebel....I loved being around her. Her babysitter would give us cigarettes, would let us cuss and be everything that my parents had raised me NOT to be!! But I loved being with her...in my eyes she was so cool!! Well after about a year of being her BFF my parent forbid me to ever play with her again. And that was kind of hard seeing as she was my neighbor. But so it went that we never played again. And now at almost 32 years old....I am thankful that my parents did that because fun, rebelous, cigarette smoking, cussing Jaymee is a heroin addict and has been in and out of prision since high school. I digress, sorry...well a little digression is alway the root to another story!! Right?? So where do I draw the line with these kids?? My rules and constent nagging are not getting anywhere with these kids and they ignore what I say (well let me correct myself...they obey until I am out of sight and the breaking of the rules begins)....so I am at a loss.

And may I add that its also hard to explain to a 3 year old why he cant play some days with them.....he just doesnt understand. Nor should he...they have fun together. He just has a crazy mom who cant stand it!!

So anyway...there is my rant for today!! I have another blog already brewing in my head about religion and Facebook and how they holier than thou are about to drive me batty. That may be a long one...HAHA!!!