The LaBelle 6 Pack

Here It Is our 2010 Christmas Card (well sort of)

2010-12-21T17:10:00.000-08:00

Well, look what I found in my bedroom yesterday...last year's Christmas cards...hmmmmmm
I'm gonna send them. I bet NO ONE will notice. Unless you live around here, you'll never know that Annsley no longer has 2 front teeth missing. Everyone else still looks the same. If you don't tell, I won't :)

Let's see if anyone notices ~ if you're the first, I'll give you a prize ;)

2010-12-21T15:34:00.001-08:00

Here's a fun way to keep your kids occupied while you wrap gifts: :)

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

10 Things To Put on Your Gingerbread House

2010-12-19T07:51:00.000-08:00

The gingerbread village that is laying all over my kitchen table got me to thinking that there must be other over-achievers out there. Please tell me I'm not the only one :) And sure enough, a few clicks through google images and there you have it...

It’s that time of year when we use food as decoration and no one yells at us when we leave it all over the house. That’s not dried spaghetti and tomato sauce on my floor, it’s tomorrow's garland.

This year we made a gingerbread house and it’s spectacular. We live in Trout Towers, so of course there are flying buttresses, a bell tower, a ballustrade, a campanile, a rotunda and several turrets, just like our house. With all that architectural glory, we had a lot of decorating to do.

Here is our Top Ten List of things to put on your Gingerbread House:

1. All the leftover candy from Halloween. It’s just like Sculpey, but less delicious.

2. Fiber-optic lights, because you can.

3. A quarterboard. Gingerbread Houses, like all homes, should be named. Pick something holiday-related, like “Hortensia’s House of Ho-Ho-Hos.”

4. An alarm system. Your house may be next door to a gingerbread crack house.

5. A gingerbread man, skewered with a stake to the roof as a warning to the others.

6. Leed certified insulation and a composting toilet.

7. Gargoyles.

8. A storm cellar, especially if your gingerbread house is in Kansas. When a tornado picks up your house and drops it in a big giant’s teacup instead of smashing a witch’s sister, you better hope your ruby slippers have some serious traction.

9. Arsenic. I asked you several times to stop leaving your underwear on the floor.

10. A lien. Even Painters of Light Frosting go bankrupt sometimes.

borrowed from www.trouttowers.blogspot.com

May your day be filled with all things gingerbready,

2010-12-18T08:50:00.001-08:00

This is the book that Nicole is referring to in this video...

and the amazon link

http://www.amazon.com/Churches-Judith-Dupre/dp/0060194383/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292691223&sr=8-1#_

I know quite a few "mommies" who could use this type of encouragement this time of year

{{{{HUGS}}}}

Do You Ever Feel Invisible?

2010-12-17T19:29:00.000-08:00

I received this email the other day, you know the kind you almost always delete before reading. But this time I read it and it changed me. I think it will touch you too!!

The Invisible Mom ~ It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?"

Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof; No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Mom. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Keep persevering moms! Especially at a time of year when a lot goes unnoticed and we are feeling burnt at both ends.

The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

I would love to find out the title and author of this book. Anyone know?

Following My Dreams

2010-06-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

i have had a dream for ten years of working in the event planning industry...it is a dream that isn't going away...i'm a teacher by degree but the last 5 years have proven very hard to break back into public school education after staying home to have my 4 beautiful girls...so now i find myself at a crossroads...which way shall i go...while i will keep my eyes and ears open for just the right teaching position, i will no longer live my life as if it depends on my finding a teaching job...i refuse to let my happiness ride on the chaotic waves of the public school system...i will follow my dreams and who knows where they will take me...it took one little status update on my facebook page to generate a request for assistance in planning a birthday party...i took it...i will continue to follow each and every lead that is presented to me...this is what i know, i love and am energized by planning events...it is one of my passions...i am good at it...people are made happy by my work...i will continue to follow my dream...see my newest blog at http://www.notsoshabbychicevents.blogspot.com/ and tweet me, blog me, facebook me, or email me if you want me to plan your next "not so shabby" event :)

SWEET 16!!

2010-04-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

AWWWWW!!! Sweet 16!!! Happy BDay MOLLY-DOLL!

Molly and Kensie and I are going to spend the day shopping for Moll's bday. Then dinner at Outback Steakhouse...More later!

Did I mention that I LOVE having another driver!!!! xxooo Molly!

Faith 'n Begorrah! Et's ben ah year!!

2010-03-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

Around here we LOVE St. Patty's Day! I don't know of any specific Irish roots on either side of the family but you might think there are some, based on my girls names (McKensie Elizabeth, Molly Shannon, Sadie Grayce, and Annsley Jayne). Anyway, we thoroughly enjoyed this day and all the fun it had to hold.

One of the highlights over the years has been making Green River Floats, just Green River Soda and vanilla ice cream made into a float. When I made these for the kids at school today you should have seen their faces, "You expect us to drink THAT green stuff!" But as soon as they taste it ~ YUMMYOLA!

Next on our list of fun was making a graham cracker treat which included a pot of gold :). A friend at school, Laura, gave me the makings for this fun project. All you need is a graham cracker rectangle, white frosting, Thin Mints GS Cookies, Fruity Pebbles cereal or some mini-M & M's, and some sprinkles. Oh, did I happen to mention that I am the "Queen of Everything". Do you know anyone else who has a BIN of sprinkles? The girls had fun making these and promptly eating them.

My highlight of the day was creating Reuben Panini's. It was simple AND delicious! Corned Beef from the deli, Brick Cheese, Spicy Ranch dressing, Sauerkraut, and Lite Rye bread. Then I had a brainstorm about using my George Foreman grill to create a panini. It worked great! I made Irish potatoes and served the sliced corned beef to anyone who wasn't brave enough to try the panini. Then I put on some iTunes Irish music and we chowed down! Molly (15) loved them and claimed it was her idea!

I'm really behind in blogging so am going to try and catch you up over the next few days, no promises! Enjoy Spring wherever you are! We enjoyed the last 3 days of flip flop/capri weather and then woke up this morning to about 3 inches of snow! Good day to stay inside and blog :)!!

GREAT Back to School Give Away TODAY

2009-08-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already go on over to my friend at Teaching Heart Mom's blogspot http://teachingheartmom.blogspot.com
She is doing some AWESOME giveaways for Back to School ~ but HURRY, today is the last day to enter :)
One of her giveaways is a $25 Walmart gift card. If I won that I would use it to buy some curtains or fabric to cover up my shelving units. I would choose something that goes along with my classroom theme - Cat in the Hat. I love back to school time! It's such a fresh start with new supplies and new shoes :) We have some special traditions in our family such as: getting new shoes before each year begins, shopping for school supplies with Daddy (he loves to do that job), and the first day of school, which is usually a shortened day, we go out for lunch as a family and hear everyone's experiences of the morning and their thoughts and feelings about their new teachers and the friends in their classrooms!
You'll love this blog ~ go on over and check it out!

Fill A Bucket

2009-04-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

My friend over at teachingheartmom has started a contest and it's one you should know about. It's sort of a "pay it forward" kind of thing, and what better day to start it than the day that the Greatest Someone Who Ever Lived filled all of our buckets ~ Easter Day!!

You can check out the contest at http://teachingheartmom.blogspot.com/
The whole idea is to use our words or random or intentional acts of kindness to fill someone's bucket. Of course the lesson is that we can also empty other people's buckets by being unkind, unloving, or uncaring. Whose bucket can you fill today?

I'll tell you about someone who fills my bucket every time I'm with her and that's my sister-in-law, Nancy. Somehow she can always see through to my heart. She always has the right words to say. She always points me back in the right direction and points me to God. She reminds me that God is always in control even when it seems like the world is rushing in to steal my faith away. She is the true sister I never had and I love her :) I think I'll send her this link so I can fill her bucket :)

And while I'm at it, let me tell you about 3 bloggers that I just love so I can fill their buckets:
Organizing Junkie @ http://orgjunkie.com/
This one has awesome organizing tips and lots of pictures to show you how she does it. I organized my van junkie's way and it was great!

The Pioneer Woman @ http://thepioneerwoman.com/
LOTS of great recipes and wonderful photography

Teaching Heart Mom @ http://teachingheartmom.blogspot.com/
Well, I can't say enough about this blog and her website teachingheart.net. I could spend hours there!!! Teacher friends, I have several of her teaching CD's and they are the best I've seen!!!

You can order the book "Have You Filled A Bucket Today" from Amazon. It's a good one for teaching your children about filling the buckets of people in their lives.

Happy Bucket Filling!

slide show fun

2009-04-11T08:29:00.000-07:00

SP.09 Part 2

2009-04-01T17:17:00.000-07:00

Ladies & Gentlemen, get your twang on cuz we went to the Carolina Opry. Actually it wasn't too awfully twangy :). It was the Good Vibrations show that was all music from the 60's, 70's & 80's. I think I knew every song! What a blast!!! Here's a shot of the inside of my bag before entering the theater...something for everyone :)

Afterwards we got pictures with the hotties from All That, well Molly & Annsley did, they wouldn't let me be in the picture. :)

Yesterday, it was a little cloudy so we spent the day at a real mind-stimulating place ~ the Ripley's Believe It Or Not Aquarium.

And The Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum!!!

Just Another Fun Chillaxin Day :]

I think we'll swim tonight and then maybe I can finish reading Twilight.

That's all for now!

SB.09

2009-03-31T17:28:00.000-07:00

So, I always told the girlies, when I get a real job (aka go back to work :) ) we are getting out of Chicagoland for Spring Break! This is the year!!! We are in Myrtle Beach, SC. It was a 16 hour drive in the car but SOooooooooooooo worth it! We have had 3 days of bright sunshine and our condo is RIGHT ON THE BEACH. The night after we left they got 10 inches of snow at home! Today someone texted me and said it was rainy and cold at home. We SO made the right decision!!

I really want this to be a memorable time for us. McKensie is 18 and we never know when the last vacation is that she'll be able to spend with us, Molly is 14 and soon will start driving, Sadie and Annsley are still my "little girls" but we all know how fast time goes by!

So, tonight I'm taking them to a SURPRISE! They have no idea what it is! You'll have to check in on us tomorrow if you want to find out where we are going :)