My 23rd Birthday...AGAIN!

We had big plans today, and I have to admit, I woke up in a bitter mood.  Simply angry at the world...for lack of better words.

As we headed into the mountains though, the mood faded, and by the time we got down to The Natural Bridge I realized that even though sometimes I feel as if the world took away the most beautiful person in my life...there's still SO much beauty...if I'd just look for it!  Ok, that's about as philosophical as I get...on to the day's adventures!

First stop was the gift shop (where the tickets are purchased), I paid for our tickets and went looking for the kids who were browsing.  Here's what I found...

Yep, in the 2 minutes they were unsupervised, they had found guns, hats and a victim!  Pictured is 3 of my foursome...and even though Ashley isn't pictured she was laughing hysterically...just as guilty!

Gangsta Daniel Boone...5 minutes in to the trip and I was worried we were going to get kicked out!

I herded up the group and headed down to the butterfly gardens.  The lighting was TERRIBLE and this is the only shot that was decent:

These butterflies were HUGE!  They were flying all around and landing all over us!

On to the main event...The Natural Bridge!!

And then there's the wild life:

Snake #1 of the day!!!

Awesome metallic green beetle...complete with tiny silvery dots!

It's actually a six spotted tiger beetle.

Snake #2...snake #3 (I think they are rat snakes) was a little camera shy and wouldn't come out of his hole in the rocks!  And yep...my 4 poked and prodded...

I'm not sure what these creatures are....

And it doesn't matter where we go my crew ALWAYS ends up in the water!!!

Even the Mr.....

...tried to give me a heart attack with his "I'm falling" fake-out!!

And a few artsy/scenic shots:

Moobie's Converse...she's my rebel!

Thatched fence around the Monacan Indian village.

The Lost River

Flora

Of course we can't be so close to the AT and not at least take a short hike!!

One day I'll complete a thru hike!

So I came home and ordered myself these...as I'm not a tennis shoe girl and wearing my son's outgrown hiking boots (that are still too big for me) just aren't working out!

And the sweet man who made the trip possible...he's an absolute doll!!!

One of the rare pictures of us!

I have a few cavern photographs, but I'll save those for another time!!  So, all in all...although there were a few tears...I had an awesome Mother's Day & birthday!

So, I Thought I'd Get A Reprieve...And She Thinks She's Grown!

Finally, after 4 proms with my 2 oldest girls, and just as many homecoming dances, I thought I'd get a short respite this year, as my next daughter isn't old enough to attend prom, and she's pretty low key when it comes to homecomings.  **Thank you Dear God for giving me a tomboy in between my girlie-girls!**  To be honest I was looking forward to a stress free, no teenage drama meltdowns, and no need to pull my magic wand out of the closet this year.

Enter my niece...and a sweet request last weekend "Aunt Tania can you make me a corsage for prom?"  Course I would, when is it?  "Next Saturday!"

         

But who could have said no to that face?

Please keep in mind this dear, sweet child lives a state away...not around the block.  I literally ran to the closet and started digging like I was looking for Narnia...I found a pair of my favorite sandals, one crutch (not sure where that came from...no one here has ever needed them), and a kitchen sink.  No, really.  My husband is a plumber and we have a new one...because our "under the stairs" closet is the most logical place to store it! *Can't do anything other than shake my head.*  Hmmm...where did I put that damn wand???


Sight unseen (dress wise that is) this is the final result:

And her dress:

But, rest assured, it was shipped off yesterday afternoon, and should (cross everything that the post office doesn't screw this up) be ready for Cinderella's debut on Saturday!

And...while I'm at it, last year's pic of my two girlies:

Lauren & Mariah - Senior Prom - 2011.  My daughter is in white, and my "adopted" (but don't you try to tell me she's not mine...those are fighting words) daughter in the pink.

These two...Geez you can't take them ANYWHERE!!!

We recycled my wedding dress for her to wear....

And last year's creation...

Maybe, I'll get next year off??

To top the day off my oldest is the big one-nine today!  She thinks that she's grown...  I explained to her this evening that by the time I was her age, I had a 1 month old and a house...she wasn't impressed! LOL!

Self portrait of Lauren

Told you she thinks she's grown...as she asks "what's for dinner, ma?" :)

Although she sometimes acts like she's 10!

And yes, that's a "real" tattoo...she gets it honestly...

But, in my eyes she'll always be perpetually 6!!

Happy Birthday Lauren!!

It's Moobie's Day!

So very hard to believe that my baby Grace is 10 today!  I still can't account where the time has gone.  She stole my heart then, and continues to do so every single day.  If it wasn't for her, chances are I'd be back in an office working, and still complaining about being miserable.  Would you like to hear the story?  There's always a story...

A little over a year ago (March, 2010 I believe), I was sitting on the bed (no studio at the time), making beads, and playing with the polymer clay that I'd had for years.  She came in, sat down beside me and asked me what I was doing.  I distinctly remember my exact words to her; "playing with beads and clay when I should be looking for a job!"  Sweet thing that she is, she gently took the piece I was working on (an epic fail, I might add) and said to me in the most confident voice "you don't need a job Momma, you have talent!"  That was all it took.  If a 9 yr old can have that much faith, why couldn't I?  It didn't matter to her the logistics of it all, or any of the hundreds of reasons why it wouldn't work out...she simply saw what could be.  She still teaches something new every day (in fact, all of my kids do.)  So, it was only appropriate that we coined the business after her nickname gone horribly wrong!

Anyway, today is her day!  No more single digits!!  Happy birthday Moobie Grace!!  Keep shinning "Baby Moo!"