Love Leigh Things

Happy 16th Anniversary!

To my everything!

More Mail Bragging and a Thieving Primate!

I just had to pop on and share the great mail that I have received lately!  First off, "Zelia the Talented" sent me one of the most fabulous packages ever! 

It included some real goodies!!  YEAH!!!!!!

A Headband!!!!!!  With complete instructions to make my own!  Of course, mine will never be as perfect as Zelia's!  This is not the best photo of it, my stylist pulled and tugged quite a bit to try and get more it in the photo!  But, you can see how pretty it is!!!!  Just in case you are wondering, I do not have gray hair yet, soon, (thanks to the "B" man and teen years) but not yet.  Just a bad photo, haha!

These goodies were also in the package!

Zelia, thank you for so many reasons!!!

Next came a surprise package from the wonderful Kai!  There was one problem with this box though.  Bentley found out about it.  I was able to sneak Zelia's in without the primates knowledge!  (He likes to sleep after watching As The World Turns!)

This is how it happened, I tell ya!

We had a lengthy conversation about just who's name was on the box!

It was mine, it was!  But, a certain primate has selective reading! When he thought no one was looking, off he went!

Can you imagine?

A disappearing gift box?  Nothing is safe when you take on a primate of Bentley's abilities (I did not want to use the word that really fit here)!

After showing him the evidence, we agreed to share, if he returned the box!

Can you imagine such a selfish primate, wanting first choice!

But, after seeing the great goodies in the box, I can totally see the fight is worth it!

WOOHOO!  Kai, thank you soooo much!  Hubby even wanted to lay claim on an item!   Can you imagine now I have to fight off a monkee and a hubby!   Kai, that "cat" saying is the best!  I adore you for many reasons!

Zelia and Kai, I cannot thank both of you ladies enough!  I sincerely appreciate your friendship and love!

Hubby survived his dental surgery just fine, thank goodness.  The testing is ongoing, did you really expect me to say anything else, haha!?!?  Now, I am off to organize ALL my recipes and coupons!  Yep, still nesting!  But, this I can do from the couch!  I will be around soon, love to you all!!

WooHoo, sorta back!

I have been overwhelmed to say the least!  I will try to make this a quick catch up post, and then try to get back into the swing of blogworld in a few days!  I have missed it and you all sooooooo much!

Well, I knew I had been away too long when Bentley asked if I was on a writers strike, ummmm no dear monkee just crazy busy!

I want to say (a very late) Happy Mother's Day and a (late) well wish for Memorial Day!  You can blame my Mother's Day for part of the reason that I have not answered all of my emails!  More on that in a second!

I have almost got the whole house cleaned out.  One bathroom to go and the basement!  I took everything out of every room then cleaned and sorted it all!  I even did this with my kitchen, which had me running a little scared.

This was the least scary photo, most of the items are now gone!  It was a good timing because the postman had a food drive in middle of this cleaning and he racked up!

All of the carpets are nice and clean now!

I have to give hubby most of the credit.  He did the carpets and he is staining the decks!  One down and one to go!

This is just some of the piles that went to GoodWill!

I really was a lucky lady on Mother's Day! 

 

Meet Audrey, we have a love hate thing going on right now!  I can answer my phone now, score one for me!  Most of my time is spent trying to get take her battery out, where I have jammed her up.  My fault not hers.  Now for the great part!  I can check my email with her.  But, I managed to delete almost all of my emails, I thought I was saving them.  Not to mention that I did not know how to page forward so I only got a few lines, before they went to cyber heaven.   So, if you are owed an email please forgive me!  If you asked me anything that needs answering, could you resend it????  I do know that one email was from Laura, to answer the one question that I remember, I am 5'6". 

We did accomplish other things as well!  Boo finished confirmation class, yeah!  My boys informed me that they wanted a tougher curriculum for the upcoming year, so a quick trip to a homeschool fair was in order!  We have a great curriculum on order for fall!  Yes, it has kick mama's butt  great SAT scores written all over it, haha!

Of course, I would not be me without saying, I have more doctor appointments this week, on both Wednesday and Friday.   I will be visiting more soon!  I just needed to get my house in order, nesting to the umpteenth degree, haha!  I love you all!

More Great Mail and More Spring Cleaning......

I am one of the luckiest bloggers ever!  Thanks to blogland I have met three lovely princesses from across the pond!  If you don't believe me, I have proof, just look at the stamp on the package I received from them, teehee!

I am talking some serious goodies, in this package from the royal girls!  Just look!

I LOVE everything!  I was so excited, I almost wet myself! Please remember that I have had two children it can happen!) I was squealing!  WOOHOO!

Then for some total inspiration!  I know what you are thinking!  But, I will be able to do more than scarves one day, I will!

I was so perky at this point, I am pretty sure that hubby thought I needed to be sedated!

Oh yeah, my first ever English tea!!  Delicious!!  Uh Ah, ribbon bits, LOVE them too!!

Can there be more, you bet ya!  Needles and my weakness, babies!!  The red needles are gorgeous!  The smaller pack holds my first DPN's!  Yes, I am a little intimidated, but that has never stopped me!   

The larger of the two babies is a Little Schmoo, (I think I got that right!)  I  have wanted one since The Queen (aka Scarletti) made her first one!  I tried to convince her to sell her goodies, she is a total talent I tell ya!  So, I AM TOTALLY EXCITED TO HAVE ONE OF MY VERY OWN!!  The smaller of the two, is just perfectly adorable!  I have named her Dimity.  She has lavender in her from an English Garden!!!

With all of that being said, you must hear the rest of the story!  Yep, Bentley had to get involved!  Can you imagine?

Wait!  What is this?  No jealousy?  Instant love?  Hey monkee, what is up?  Oh, I get it!  He loves their accent!  It does not hurt that they are pretty girls that like hugs!

The very next morning they had to show him that they arrived the same way that he did

What a cute trio!

Now I have to tell you the best and the most horrible part of this story!  There were two more things in that package.  Bentley's and my favorite things to be precise!

He got this very own artwork card!

He even let us read it!

I am pretty sure this is one of the sweetest things that Bentley ever got in the mail (me too for that matter).   

All was great, until......

l got to read the second card!  It was for me too!  I was thrilled, more so than getting a bloggy-award-thrilled, I tell ya!  But, that brought up an issue!  Bentley refused to share.  He said that it was his, all his!

I am here to tell you that under that little primate hand it says Leigh, it does!  So now we battle!  I put the cards out for everyone to see, and he steals them.  I find them, put them out, he steals and hides them!  I will win! 

Rose, Saffron and Alice - Bentley and I thank you girls so much!  Your artwork is gorgeous!  We do love the cards and ya'll too. Charlotte, thank you for the goodies, offering your shoulders and being my psychic twin!  I am in our parallel universe giving you the biggest hug ever!

Let's see, is there a way to get Leigh to excercise more?  I do believe hubby found the way!

Isn't she gorgeous?

I have a white basket to go on her, that way YaYa and Bentley can go too.  But, I really want a wicker basket!  Yippee, thanks and love ya honey!  I hope I have time to ride on her this weekend!

Now for one of the scary parts of my life......

All of this, plus more not shown came out of Boo's closet!  I am still cleaning out the house.  It is going to take me longer than expected.  Please bear with me until Spring cleaning is over and I am back to blogland in force.  In case you are wondering.  We got his closet all cleaned out, nice and neat!

Leigh = Broken record.  I have more doctor appointments this week.  This sounds like last week.  I thought I would be through cleaning and having tests ran but I guess not.  I will be around soon though, love ya and thanks for putting up with me till this is over!

 

Spring Cleaning and Mail

Wow, I have received some GREAT mail over the last week or so!  The talented and understanding Laura of My Little Orange Kitchen fame, sent me an AWESOME feel good package!  I can truly say that I adore everything in it! Laura, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the package and just knowing things!  She is truly one of those people that I am going to be able to say "I knew her when"!  You just wait and see!  I am going to be such a name dropper!!!!

Are you asking "what is in that gorgeously wrapped package"?

My latest weakness!  Tea! 

and......

My girl!  Isn't she BEAUTIFUL, in the truest sense of the word?!?!?!  I am "obsessed" with her!

With the last week or so, I can say that this package was SO perfect!  Great smell good things, Great feel good things and a Great book to read while waiting patiently (bull@^!*) in waiting rooms for someone to call out my name!  How hard is it to say Leigh?  Apparently pretty hard.  I have been called Leaha, Lay and my favorite Leg!

I ordered one of Beata's Mariska dolls!

 

I have one word for her - adorable!!

As most of you know, I am a huge fan of Alicia Paulson's of Posie Gets Cozy!  When I found out that she had more kits to make clothespin babies, with a spring theme this time, I had to order them as well! I had a ball making the Santa Lucia ones last winter!

Yummy packaging!

That cute little box held a doll made by the master herself!  Yes, I had to have one that she made and signed!!!

And...here is Willow in all her Posie glory!

Now that the pretty pictures have been shown, you have to see one of the reasons that I am not playing in blogland as much!

I am cleaning out my house from top to bottom!  So, hopefully next week I will be back to my normal happy blogging, crafting, painting self, haha!

At some point I asked myself, what happened to the boys that used to fit in these barely worn sometimes new clothes!

We are having a neighborhood yard sale/give to Goodwill day in a few weeks.  I will be ready this year (for the first time ever, haha)!

We survived Boo's birthday party but Bentley pretty much summed up the few days of birthday activities!

The rest of the week will include more doctor appointments and tests as well as cleaning and cleaning out, so bear with me! To lure you back for my next post, just wait till you see what three special princesses and a dear hubby got/made for me and Bentley! Now how many people do you know can type that sentence and mean it, teehee!!!! 

This Is Not My Good Mail Post...

but it is coming soon.  This is a pouty post to explain where I will be for just a few days!  My Boo is turing 15 tomorrow!  Someone just shoot me now!  I did not realize can you say TOTAL denial what all was going to take place over the next couple of days, so I will be away from blogland for a short bit again!

Look!  This is what happened at my house, to my baby this week!!!  Okay, he took this way better than I did.  Oh alright, he was pretty excited! 

Did I mention that he discovered aftershave too!  Oh, poor me! 

Wow, 15!  When I think about that, I must have been what 14 when I had him, teehee!  Yep, I am going with and sticking to that story!

I survived my doctor appointments.  Now, it is just sitting and waiting for some kind soul to read, look at, laugh over and spill coffee on my tests and send me the results!

Well, I have to tell you that I have felt three earthquakes over the past week!  I have never been in one so that was an experience!  We are about 200 miles from the epicenter.  No damage just moved pictures and a shock to the heart!  I wish I had a video of us, did I mention that Leigh and Stoic do not go together?  Have you seen the cards with the animals with huge eyes?  I know now they were shaking in an earthquake when those photos were taken!  (Laura and Janice...boy do I have a story for you, teehee!)

I am normally a person that wants time to slow down, but I sure wish I had a life remote control with a fast forward button for this week!

Thank you all for checking on me, for those that I owe an email to, I will be sending it out tonight! 

Love ya'll!!!

Don't Blame Me!

If you did not win!  It was the boy I tell ya!

The excitement was building....the names were cut out!

Placed in the bowl!

There was some shaking!  Yes, it was me, watching my antique bowl swirling in mid air!

Then in went the grubby little hand!

DUMMMMDEDUM!!!!!  Out came!

CURLY POPS!

You try telling a little man, we are only having one draw!  So, we decided a consolation prize was needed!

Rue, you too will be getting a little something from me!

Sorry about the poor photos, someone was a little excited and could not be still.  Yes, I was a little hyper, haha!  In full disclosure, these are probably not even the original pics, we had to pose a few times, just to get these out this good, hahaha!!!

Okay, ladies I will be back in a day or so!  I have to go to the three (gasping with total displeasure and self pity) doctor appointments tomorrow!  Please do not hate me out of jealousy, remember I have THREE doctor appointments tomorrow!  However, I will have some more delicious mail to show you all!  Well, ladies I have to roam through blogland now, to get my mind off of tomorrow!  Did I mention THREE appointments!  Stoic - Leigh um nope, doesn't go together! 

This is one is about you....

I was lucky enough to receive two more awards please insert an excited, thrilled, happy, squeally, southern high-pitched voice in your head as you read this!  This post is all about passing them on to much deserving blogwonders! 

First off, Sarah from Sarah's House gave this one to me.  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.  I adore you and your blog!  Your pictures and your words are amazing!  Plus, the music on your site totally rocks!  I could listen to it instead of the radio anytime!

The first one is the Arte y Pico Award, woohoo!

This one comes with a few rules, five to be exact. 

1.  Pick 5 blogs that you feel are deserving of this award based on their

(a) creativity,

(b) design,

(c) interesting material, and

(d) contribution to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2.  For each award giver: Include the name of the author and a link to their blog, so they can be visited.

3.  For each award recipient:  Show the award with the name and link to the blogger from whom it was received.

4.  For both giver and receiver:  Show the link of the Arte y Pico. (http://www.arteypico.blogspot.com/)

5.  Publish these rules.

Here is what Sarah said about me

Leigh www.loveleighthings.typepad.com for being a knitting pal. For having a lovely blog with nice pictures and encouraging me with my knitting.

I swear she said that, I am not making it up!  And for you smart ones out there, I did not pay her either, so there!

This is hard for me.  But, I decided to give this one to the artists out there who create, love, share and put up with me.

1.  Laura, My Little Orange Kitchen for being a true talent.  Just look at her ETSY shop.  She has the most generous spirit and true heart of anyone that I believe I have ever met!

2.  Janice, Goddess Findings for making beautiful jewelry. Her soul is just as gorgeous as her jewels!

3.  Kai, The Party in Kai's Head because her heart is as big as Texas!  Plus, she is a real artist using many different mediums.  She can create anything out of anything and it will be beautiful.  She says that she can't sew though (don't believe her).

4.  Jan, Daylily Lane Her heart is as pretty as her paper art!

5.  Barb, Life in the Sunshine Photographic beauty, gallery worthy art!  Plus, she is my blog fairy!

This next one, I received from Rue!  She is taking the blog world by storm, with humor, love and grace.  Thank you, Rue for thinking of me.

I really think this one is cool, because you ladies really do make my day!  It is for being fabric artists/queens/hoarders, having a sense of humor, showing more talent in a days blog entry than most people have seen in a year.  It is for the laughter, the love and mainly for caring.  I feel privileged to pretend know you all!  I am going to put your links, no names.  That way folks may see a cute blog name and visit you.  This is in total random order!

1.  Sarah's House

2.  A Culpa E Da  Sophia

3.  Curly Pops

4.  Crafty Conundrum

5.  Laughing Mouse

6.  Nasty Wench's All Things Crafty

7.  Cinders Muses

8.  August Street

9.  Lille Meg

10.  Momma's Goodies

11.  Peeking Thru the Sunflowers

12.  23 Beech Hill

13.  Shanny's Day

14.  Mumi Stitches

15.  Moogsmum

16.  Monkeemaker

17.  Yours 'til Niagra Falls

18.  Vintage Amethyst

If you are still here.  I thank you, as does number 18, teehee, get it!  I have decided to have a very mini giveaway!  I am in the process of mailing out more of my Pay it Forwards, birthdays and thank you's.  So, I thought why not mail an itty bitty just totally random package.  So, here it is.... I have several back issues of Cloth Paper Scissors to go to a new home.

If you are interested just leave a comment saying that you would like to win.  I will have a random drawing this Saturday.  Who knows,  I may throw a little something extra in there.

If I owe you an email, I am hanging my head in shame.  If I owe you a post, I will be around in a bit.  Just know that I am playing single mama this week, packing one son for a trip, receiving visitors, yes, people really do come visit me!  fighting the frost I believe my Japanese Maple, Crepes and Azaleas will live another day.  The allergies are still here, but I decided to not whine about the them, hahaha!  Anyhoo, to make a long story short, I will email and or visit very soon!  Love ya!

 

 

Introducing Lola

For me?!?!?!?!?

You gotta love any man who gets you a pink computer and mouse! I have a habit of naming everything.  So here is Lola......  My new baby!

Her screen is even pink!

I am in love with hubby and Lola!!!  I know that a lot of you are not pink fans, but boy I am!  So this is perfect!  If only I could see it through non-allergic eyes!  Even though we have a laptop, it is connected to tons of things, this one makes me portable, teehee!

To brag on my man a little more, he also got me these!

They opened beautifully!

Things were made even brighter, when I received my giveaway from Wee Wonderfuls!

WOOHOO!

Isn't she the cutest?!?!?!?!?!?  She is going to have a great home here!!!  Thank you again, Hillary!!!!!!!

Now for the much anticipated in my own mind Bentley Meme!  The tags came from the lovely and talented Jan and beautiful and sweet Rue.  Thank you both for thinking of me and Bentley!

   

I asked him 10 questions and here is his response!

L.  What is your favorite song?

B.  I am sure this was written just for me, so of course I adore it!

L.  What is up with you and sharing?

B.  Life is too short to share.

L.  Do you have any girlfriends?

B.  Yes, many.  But, each one thinks she is the only one, so I will go on record as saying I have one.  I even get fan emails.

L.  Have you ever thought of starting a fan club?

B.  Yes, I am not opposed to being close to my fans.  I am not your typical famous primate.

L.  Where did you get your name?

B.  Charles Dickens, Bentley's Miscellany, get it, somewhat of an orphan from England.....Well, do you?  If not, try this one on.  My humans are named...BENjiTyLeighjeffrEY.  See, the caps spell Bentley.

L.  Do you like your humans.

B.  I have seen worse.  I have spent a lot of time training these, too late to get new ones.

L.. Do you enjoy having so many pictures taken of you?

B.  People really need to lay off this, I am tellin' ya the camera adds 10 lbs.

L.  What do you do all day?

B.  Next question.

L.  What is your favorite drink?

B.  ummm..... milk?  But, do not ask Janice she knows the truth! 

L.  Is there anything the world needs to know about you?

B.  I wish everyone had more of a sense of humor, grace and compassion.  Oh and watch out, monkees are going to take over the world!

If you want to play along, just email me!  I will post about it!!!  I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

I AM A WINNER

WooHoo!  I am still in the mist of a pretty hefty allergy pity party and barely able to see, but I am a happy blog camper!  I was in shock when I received an email saying that I had won a blog giveaway from Hillary Lang, yes the Hillary Lang of Wee Wonderful fame!

She is in several books that I have, so yes I am pretty star stuck!  For you fans of the Softies book, this is her page!

She is one of the most creative ladies in blogdom, if you ask me.  Just look at her pattern in the book!  You gotta love someone with that much creativity, plus she is a nice person with great timing to boot!

I just can't thank her enough and I promised to not stalk her, teehee!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Hillary!  If you get a chance pop over and see her blog it is GREAT and check out what I won!

I would also like to thank Kai, because her timing was impeccable also!  I received these little goodies in the mail, with pure delight!

I am sorry for the horrible I am pretty sure, that shadow is my big ol' head picture, but aren't the primates adorable? Oh, and that light bulb is ingenious!  It has all sorts of little goodies in it and a tag for the swap she did.  She really put some work into the swap and I really appreciate her!   Thank you Kai, for everything, all of the time!  I really have to thank her for the email of a lifetime also!!  I love you, lady!

Now you know that I love all my primates, one can never have too many!  But, The B Man has a some jealous tendencies!

Once, I retrieved them and he had the primate talk, once again everything was fine!

Kai, Bentley wants to thank you for sending more primates to rub his ears and feet.  I figured out that is the arrangement he makes with all of the cute friends that he gets in the mail!  l was tagged with a Meme from Rue, but Bentley has decided that it should be about him.  We will post it very soon, promise.

I was tagged with a different type of meme from Scarletti, but, she makes me feel like a bore after reading hers!  But, I will post it soon too, even if mine makes you bleary eyed from boredom.

I know that I am way behind with emails, awards, posts and comments.  I have lots to share, so bear with me as I get caught up.  It is tough because  my eyes are all itchy, burny and watery.  It makes looking at computer screens icky!  I want to thank everyone for caring about me, you all ROCK!  It really does mean the world.