(de)Facebooking

It is with mixed emotions that I have decided to break up with Facebook to a large (but not total) degree. I have thought about quitting all together several times, but I just can't seem to take the leap.  Everyone that knows me knows that I LOVE Facebook.  It is such a convenient and easy way to feel like a part of the outside world when the only people you see all day long are under three feet tall.  The social aspect has been a real treat in my life as a stay at home mom.  But then again, I frequently find myself lost in the abyss of Facebook; you know what I'm talking about.  It goes something like this: oh, there's a friend from high school I haven't seen in 47 years, I wonder what she is up to.  Oh look, she has a friend that I don't know, but I'm somehow intrigued and I must go look at her pictures.  But wait, this perfect stranger has a cousin that I should look at.  That stranger's cousin likes horses and chocolate ice cream...blah blah blah.  You get where I'm going with this.  Or maybe it's 39 hours of playing Bejeweled Blitz, because heaven forbid I let Sara Jones beat me.  (She usually does despite my best efforts.)  Or at the most basic level of all this nonsense, I must check for status updates every few minutes lest someone post something earth shattering and I miss it.

Having illustrated all the ways that I don't need Facebook in my life, I will say that I actually DO need it for a few important reasons.  Those reasons include communicating with my bookclub besties, my church besties, my Irish besty, and my all around besty-besties.  Facebook has sparked some wonderful new friendships for me, and rekindled some old ones.  Plus, I need Becky Higgins to give me daily P365 suggestions.  Clearly I can't go on without any form of Facebook in my life.  However, it's clear that some drastic modifications are necessary.

So I did it this morning...I deactivated my big Facebook account.  Will I survive?  Am I still a valid person if I don't have 240 Facebook friends?  (My new mini-FB account is down to just 15!)  Will I start growing a beard, and leave my family to go live by myself in the woods?  It's doubtful.   Maybe I'll spend more quality time with my kids.  Maybe my house will be cleaner (hope hope), and maybe I'll feel FREEDOM without the constant pull of Facebook distracting me from my real life.  We shall see. . .

Henri Matisse Dahlias

I'm so proud of the first graders in Cole's class, and the artwork they create.  Here is my art docent lesson for the month.

Henri Matisse's dahlias



My dahlias

First graders' dahlias



Cole's dahlias



I asked the kids to fold paper in half and cut along the fold to make a vase and flowers with symmetrical sides.  We completed the decoration of our vases with gel pens...gel pens are very, very exciting to these little people.  Sometimes the projects that I think are too simple end up being their favorites, and this one was a big hit! (I love how Cole's flowers are so big that they don't fit on his canvas.  Way to be unrestrained, Cole!) 

This Makes Me Happy

Just so happy!

Thing and Elmo

Sometimes it's fun on a rainy day to throw on a costume and get a little crazy.

Breakfast Of Champions

I asked the boys this morning when I was making their breakfasts if they ever wonder who makes food for me when I'm hungry.  (I'm not sure that it ever occurred to them that I, the resident food maker, would have occasion to be hungry myself.)  It was clear by their less than interested responses that this wasn't something they'd given much thought to, and they didn't seem deeply concerned about it one way or the other.  But after I ran upstairs to get Cole's outfit for school, I came down to find that they made me breakfast, complete with a peanut butter waffle, a Diet Coke, and a Valentine's place mat!  (Can't say I'm the best example when it comes to DC, but at least they don't drink it.  And they know what Momma likes.  They might not realize that I, too, eat food, but they are very aware of my favorite beverage.)

I'm so proud of these thoughtful boys.  They absolutely made my day.  LOVE THEM!!!

Return To The Land Of The Living

It was for many days that I was so sick last week with many noxious diseases to my ear, nose, and throat areas.  I am happy to report that I am finally (but only just finally) starting to feel better.  After a variety of medicines and the loss of 8 pounds of my human body...I am on the mend...finally.

I realize that I look terribly hideous in this picture, but I love it for two reasons.  1.  I don't usually swath myself in sheets and blankets and soft pink pigs when I'm laying on the couch, but Chase brought these things to me because he knows that's what makes a peson feel better.  I love when Mister Fiesty Crankerspanks himself shows his compassionate heart.  2.  Although I believe my appearance in this picture just about says it all, I love that Chase and I are really driving the point home with simultaneous thumbs down!  Thumbs down, people!  Two giant thumbs down!


(This picture really is so super ugly, I can't believe that I'm publicly sharing it.  But here it is.)

The boys were experiencing some serious cases of cabin fever (Daddy included), so Chad took the boys to the dog park with Tessy.  Here are some pictures of their adventure that I missed while I was trying to return to the land of the living.

Thank you to my Chad for talking such great care of everyone, me included, during this most hideous (really, obviously so hideous) time.  We ♥ you!

My One Little Word

I came across Ali Edward's One Little Word idea, and thought it seemed like an interesting way to be reminded throughout the year of what my goals are.  As I thought about what I might choose for my one little word, I came up with ideas like athlete, self-discipline, photography, or creativity (I know what you're thinking...athlete?...that's a stretch.  But it's my word to choose, don't judge).  As I put more thought into it though, I realized that my words were so self-centered in nature.  Hello, self absorbed!   And then it came to me.  My one little word for the year is....drum roll, please....OUTWARD.   This word doesn't always carry a positive connotation with it, but in this case, it does.  The idea being to be the opposite of inward and thusly, the antithesis of self absorbed.

outward:  belonging or pertaining to external actions, as opposed to inner feelings; proceeding or directed toward the outside or exterior, or away from a central point. 

You see where I'm going with this.

I'm not so into the New Year's resolutions, but I do like to set goals (year round, really, depending on when the moment strikes...it doesn't necessarily have to be at the stroke of midnight one day a year).  With "outward" in mind, here are my goals for 2011.

1.  In a nutshell, I want to think more outwardly, instead of inwardly.  How freeing would it be NOT be so consumed with ourselves?  (By "ourselves", I really just mean "myself".)  Instead of:  what is best for me, what do I want to do, how do I feel, how does this affect me; I want to think about these things more from my husband's, my childrens', my friends' perspectives. 

2.  Along those lines, what can I do to be better wife, mother, and friend?  Everyone knows how I love my Shanna, and let me just say that she is a wonderful example of the type of outward thinking person I am talking about.  Are you hungry?  She'll bring you food that will last a week.  Do you want to complain discuss something that you've already talked about 7000 times?  She'll listen with an open ear and never show signs of weariness.  Does your son want rainbow silly bands?  She will hunt for silly bands until she finds rainbow ones, deliver them to you, and not even require proper credit be given when you hand said silly bands to a delighted young child.  Do you need a kidney?  She has two.  She'll probably give you one and a half of hers' if that's what is necessary.  This is the kind of "outward" that I am referring to.  How can I meet the needs of others?

3.  I want to be more outward with my faith.  I'm always nervous that people won't approve, or they'll think I'm weird, or they'll ask questions that I won't be able to answer because I don't feel I know enough.  But this all points back to that self-absorbed situation that I'm trying to steer clear of.  The focus of our Bible study right now is about sharing our faith.  "Sharing" implies that we have to be outward with it.  In another nutshell - this is not my strong suit, but I want to be better about this.

So there you have it.  My outward proclamation of my one little word for 2011.

Shanna's Bananas

I am deliriously excited and highly pleased to announce that the lovely Shanna has decided (after much coaxing, prodding, persuading, and peer pressuring by me) to join the world of blogging.  This is really just the best news ever.  I know she is going to thrill and delight us with Welch family tales.  With that, I am proud to introduce to you Shanna's Bananas.  I can't wait to see what you come up with, Shanna love.  I know it's going to be *epic*.  (Shanna and I recently discussed how much we dislike the word "epic" to describe events that really aren't that epic, but in this case, it is very appropriately used!)   Hooray for Shanna!

Feelin' So Artsy

I have recently become familiar with the joys of spray paint.  While I'm waiting for some paint to dry on frames recently color-enhanced by the magic of spray paint for Cole's outer space room, I'm going to show you the artsy prints I made in Photoshop to go in said frames.  

I'm quite excited about these artsy prints.  I've been looking around for the perfect pictures for Cole's room, when it suddenly dawned on me that I could try creating something in Photoshop.  I hope they look cute when I pick them up from the print shop.  I'll post a picture of the finished products when they're hanging on the walls (if they turned out properly).  In the meantime, you should come to know the joys of spray painting, if you aren't familiar.  My new favorite thing?  SPRAY PAINT!  Try it.  It'll make you feel artsy too.

December P365 - That's A Wrap!

I can hardly believe it's come to an end, but here is my final P365 post for the year.

 I am so happy that I did this project; I really loved it so much.  I love that I'll be able to look back at my album and see the stories that a picture a day tells.  And I must give a very big shout-out to the wonderful Sara Jones for making it all possible by providing me with an extra photo sheet to complete my project.  My kit came a page short, which I didn't realize until about three days before the end of the year...nearly at the end of my project!  I was really mad  (an understatement) when I discovered that I didn't have space for the last two pictures of December.  All that work throughout an entire year only to end up with a Project 363?!  I was distraught!  Thank you, Sara, for rescuing me!

Click HERE to see December's pictures.

On to a new year and a new project.  I can't wait to get started!

Chad's Gone Rogue

It pains me to announce this, but Chad's gone rogue!  He has recently declared that he needs his own personal blog; a place where he can freely and without good taste  judgment and persecution by others me, recount his manly adventures.  Apparently he doesn't feel at liberty on our family blog to write about whatever subject matter his little heart desires.  (I believe a recent [terrifying] picture he posted on Facebook that received some [deserved] negative feedback is the impetus for his departure from BWBB.) I will miss his occasional cameos, but I do understand that a man doesn't want to be censored.  If he wants to document his enterprises in the wilderness and highlight the raping and pillaging of nature that he undertakes, far be it from me to stand in his way.  Thusly I present to you Boyds Will Be Boyds - Special Ops ...uninhibited stories of the life and times of Chad Boyd.  I will also confess that I did indeed design his blog's look, and yes, (at his request) I made a post divider of bullet holes.  What can I say...I'm a Boyd.

(Love you, Chad.  I hope you will continue to moonlight on my blog every once in awhile.  I'm actually quite excited to see how your blogging endeavors unfold.  You will flourish with this new, unencumbered space to share your tales,  and you will probably have more followers than I do.  I probably won't enjoy that part very much.)

Ringing In The New Year

I was so excited and happy that I got to ring in the new year with some of my favorite people at one of my favorite singer's concerts. 

I ♥ Tyrone Wells!  I ♥ these friends!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!