Shoe Shopping, every girls dream.......

While having a nice chat with our our oldest daughter and our cub scout.  Our teenager eagerly told me that she thinks  about two things single everyday. . .
First, she dreams about our trip Disney, she can't wait to go!
and before she could say "second" my cub scout pipes up with...
"Let me guess, second is shoe shopping, every girl dreams of shoe shopping."
 

Paper Mom Showcase....

 
Tonight is the night!  I will be displaying my paper creations at Bearingstar Insurance.  Gift tags, wine tags, bookmarks, designer paper wreaths and fun paper treat holders.  It's a ladies night out!  Join me and also shop for fun jewelry with Lisa from Creative Obsessions.  See you soon! 

Paper Mom takes the show on the road.

Paper Mom takes the paper crafting show on the road.

I will have many paper craft creations on display at Bearingstar Insurance on Tuesday, February 26th from 6:30 - 8:00PM.  I would love to see you.  I am showcasing with Lisa Lavado who makes beautiful jewelry.  You can visit her at www.creativeobsessionllc.com
I hope you visit on Tuesday.
The Bearingstar office is at 352 Salem Turnpike.

My next creative paper class is scheduled for March 16th at the Salem Public Library.  Registration is required.  Please visit the Salem Public Library for more information.

Recharge, Regroup - L-O-V-E -

The World's Greatest Husband and I had no kids for 45 hours or so.... I can't describe what this no children time does for us.  Simply put, it's like having a full tank of gas on a Monday morning.  The connection and time brings peace, strength and silliness that somehow seems to carry us through the noise and chaos on a typical day.

I am always amazed at what life looks like with no kids around.  We joke about what the future will look like without nightly dinner for seven and taxi cab service leaving every 25 minutes between the hours of 3:15 and 7:00 PM on any given weeknight.  I've typed it a trillion times before, our life is busy.  I've learned many things about myself and this journey over the years.  The biggest of all is... I know I couldn't have done this blended  family, second marriage gig with any other man on this earth.  The World's Greatest Husband rarely lets an almost 9 year old cub scout, two 12 year old tweens, and two high schoolers rattle him or us.  He goes with the flow - slow, allows for proper amount of space, knows when to shut up and give up.  He is more concerned about being married than being right and truly is the kindest man I know.  I, on the other hand, am detailed oriented, don't miss a trick observant, sometimes keep score, have a hard time holding back emotion and my tongue and generally do more negotiating, picking up and worrying before 8AM than most women. I navigate the role of Step-Mo with no real plan other than an open heart.  Together, our styles seem to compliment one another and we mostly have the home team covered.  Like I said, there is no other person I could be thriving and surviving in the blender with.

Now having said all this.... it only takes about 15 minutes after our little break of alone time to be with the whole gang and be on the verge of tears wondering "How the hell did this happen and what the heck are we doing?"  The noise as I type this post is overwhelming, lucky for us they are laughing and enjoying one another rather than ranting and raving like many blended families.  That being acknowledged, it's loud and wears on every nerve in my body.  Whoa - yippee - Only to be rescued in an instant........Ahhhh the World's Greatest Husband just stepped up his game and announced "QUIET TIME from now until 2:30 PM.  These are my peeps and I love them.  I think I will close my eyes for a minute and revisit the 45 hours of cooking together, long dinners, drinking wine and sleeping late.  

10 Things you don't know about me...

Ten things you don't know about me.
Ok, so there are probably more than ten things but here are a few that may make you say hmmmmmm, that paper mom is cra-cra.  (And oh by the way, do your kids say cra-cra instead of crazy, too?)

1.  I don't know how to dive and I can't stand water in my ears.  Plunging into the pool isn't my idea of a good time although soaking in our pool is quite high on my list of favorite things.  I've always thought a good long soak solves most problems.

2.  The Penguin Plunge is on my bucket list.  This makes no sense considering I hate winter and cold.  Yet the thought of cleansing your body and soul in ice cold water has some appeal.

3. You may already know this one.... I have a fear of math.  I've had adult nightmares of skipping Mrs. Kowalchyk's high school algebra only to have to then attend and not know anything.  I've had this dream people and I have had it more than once.

4.  Despite being a good Catholic religious woman who looks forward to spring each year, I hate easter decorations.  The whole spring, pastel, colored egg, bunny thing just annoys me.

5.  I am slightly afraid of visiting zoo's. I am not an animal girl and the thought of those tigers jumping a fence or a lion crashing through a glass barrier seriously is on my mind while visiting.. . . . and if I am truly coming clean? birds scare me and I have opinions about squirrels.

6.  My cub scout and I have a special kiss each night.  lips, cheek, cheek, forehead, nose, lips, chin, lips.  I hope we continue to do it when he is 30.

7. I am blind as a bat.  I've worn contacts for 27 years.

8. I have an amazing sense of direction and can practically get you from here to there no matter what and I am not talking about mapquest peeps.

9.  I miss working full time.  I know, call me cra cra.

10. I could eat pizza day and night.

I had a feeling I had written a similar post awhile back.  After a quick search, I did a similar blog post in April of 2010 with a post called "Get to know Papermom"  so I guess I have officially blogged too long, I am now repeating myself.

Cubscout or science guy?

As my eight year old cubscout was contemplating his career, he asked, "Do teachers get paid?" I thought that was so innocent and out of the blue.  It made me giggle.  Only to be followed up with, "I am not sure if I want to be a science person, like a scientist in a lab or like a science man as a teacher." 

This kid makes my heart sing everyday.

A Love Letter to the World's Greatest Husband

I've taken the BlogHer challenge and wrote my lover a love letter.  As any long time Paper Mom reader knows, I love this guy - writing this letter was easy peasy because he evokes mushie, gushie, lovey, dovey feelings in this paper mom everyday..... I am a lucky duck.

February 14, 2013

Dear World's Greatest Husband,

Every week when we hold hands in church, I am reminded of all the blessings that are in my life.  Blessings, much like our days, start and end with you.  Church provides 6o minutes of reflection, appreciation and peace and it is when I feel the love of family and the strength of you.  I feel it throughout the week when you hold me at bedtime.  I feel it when you give me a kiss in the morning or hug me from behind when I am doing the dishes.  It seems to be the one true thing I can count on.

Your love is special for about a million and one reasons, thank you.  I am grateful that you are willing and able to show me your love, I feel it in a very deep and personal way and that gives me confidence, strength and hope.  The fact that you are willing to embrace my love in return makes it all so much sweeter. 

We’ve got history.  I think we have rewritten our definitions of what love and family are.  I am happy that you have given me a second chance at building a life based on love, respect, trust and friendship. Our partnership is so much more than I could have ever imagined 7 years ago.

With all my love,

Paper Mom