one year older...

Happy birthday to my dear mother! She's beautiful, as you can tell. What's more is that she's even better looking on the inside! She's always putting herself last. Always. She really is an angel.

And she's my best friend. *B

happy day(s)

Happy birthday to my daddy (yes, I still call him that. And you know what? I think he likes it...)!!! The big five-o, today. Wowza. It also happens to be my mother's bday in a few days. So here's a picture (or two) of both:

I'm pretty sure I have the cutest parents in the world.
I am one lucky daughter. *B

do you believe in miracles?

Because we sure as heck do! HE PASSED!!! Oh man alive, he passed. Whew. I think we're still numb from it all, but dang it, he passed! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. I know they were answered...

The test is split into two sections; two 50 question, 3 hour tests with a 30 minute break in between. According to Brad, he didn't do too well that first half. Each question was a doozy (we're talking like a full page for one question!) and the answers were near impossible to find. He feels like he had bombed it, it was that bad. So what did he do? He prayed for a miracle. And here's where you come in. Here's where God came in.

In all of the practice tests prior to that fateful day, the best Brad was getting was a 70%. Not great, but it was a passing grade and that's all that mattered (he only missed it by two points last time, bah). So he knew going into those last 50 questions that he needed to get at least a 90% in order to make up for the bombing before. You see where this is going? So he prayed. I was praying. We, you, were all praying. And God heard our prayers. Because each question on that second half was short and to the point. And each answer Brad either knew off the top of his head or was able to quickly find it in the MPEP, word for word. There was even one question (this gives me chills) where there were two very right answers. And he was distinctly "told" that this question was a trick question. It was a test question just thrown in there but would not count toward his overall score. Seriously. So he was able to move forward, answer each question and had 15 seconds to spare. And he believes, by the grace of God, that he got every question right. It was a flat out miracle.

And now he's a patent agent!!! He even gets a pay raise (he has a job at a local patent firm in Malibu, which is also a miracle in and of itself. It's perfect for him --for us as a family, really)! And now we can get rid of his pile of books (I don't even have a picture of the MPEP, but it's the size of those two yellow books put together. No joke.)! Hallelujah.

I cried out of relief and thanksgiving. It still makes me tear up. We are so blessed. So, so, so, so blessed.

Thank you. And thank God. *B

PS- I didn't win. But that would have been silly. I'm pretty sure I've reached my quota of blessings for the week...

something to occupy

my mind, that is. Although I would throughly enjoy my body occupying this quilt, cuddled up on my couch, watching Star Wars whilst knitting and sipping on some tea... today is the last day to enter this motherload of a contest! A fabulous quilt with Free Spirit fabric (LOVE it!) and some yummy handmade natural bodycare. Oh how I wish I could win it and call it mine. It would so make my day (my mind and my body, too) oh so happy. You can help, by hopping on over to the Old Red Barn Co. and mentioning my name ;)

I don't know if many of you know this about me, but I have a serious obsession with quilts. If I had the space (and money!), every closet would be stuffed with them. Sure, I've pieced a few in my day, mostly unfinished tops... but whether by my hand or the hands of others, assembled (and stippled) fabric makes me drool. We're talking some serious eye candy here, my friends. This infatuation I speak of, I'm pretty sure it's in my blood.

Anyway, today is THE day; Brad's taking his test as I type and I'm trying to find ways to keep me busy from fretting... yay for FAB quilts, blogging, knitting and miscellaneous chores! Hopefully we will have some happy news to share tonight... but in the meantime, keep sending those positive vibes! And thank you, very much.

Occupation over. *B

if you're in the mood to pray...

then please say one, or two, or a thousand, for my hard working man. He's taking the Patent Bar tomorrow and needs all the help he can get. I figured a few prayers offered on his behalf is bound to get some sort of divine response. It's a six hour test (two 3 hour sections), 100 multiple choice questions. And a lot of those questions are half page to full page questions!!! It took me and my mom a few hours just to make the flash cards... this test also happens to have a lower passage rate than the CA Bar! Hence, his second time taking it. Anyway, he needs this. We need this.

Thanks. *B

happy pinch day!

Thanks for all your sweet comments about my new place. I love it, and I'm glad you do, too :) And happy St. Patrick's Day! Apparently it was moved to last Saturday (?), but I'm not much for parties and booze, so we're celebrating it today, just the same. My family came to town so we're just chilaxin' and enjoying each other's company. I'm thinking we need to pick up some beer, raspberry ginger, that is! How I love a good holiday...

And here's just a little somethin' somethin' (a FREE 8x8 quick page to be exact!!!) to help put some bounce in your Spring!

Good for a good scrappin'... so hop to it! *B
page credits? they're here

welcome

to our new, humble abode :)

Feel free to visit!!! *B

new place: storage

Gotta love it! *B

new place: (yummy) outside

look at what we did:

and look at what I made:

{recipe here}

I'll be back with pictures of the inside later (today?)! *B

old place

I love -- no, check that-- LOVE our new apartment!!! I'll get some photos up of it soon. Very soon. But before I do, I'm going to have to show you some pictures of our old place:

In case you can't tell from the pictures, it was cramped and quirky (the ONLY furniture that we owned in the entire place was the loveseat, coffee table and crib. That's it. And no, those are not my paintings. They just happened to be the ONLY ones that I could not move...). It definitely had its perks, though. It was quaint and quiet. It was our home for a year and a half. Will spent a lot of his life growing up there. But...

I'm glad we're gone. *B

accessories of a happy slob

I'm glad y'all like my purse. Because it makes me smile each time I throw it over my shoulder. I feel cuter when I wear it, even if I'm still wearing my pajamas (sans bra) that consist of my brother's Quicksilver t-shirt with holes along the neckline and armpits, and a pair of sweat bottoms with the word EAGLE splayed across my wide-side --making my way to Walmart at 3:00 in the afternoon. AND still showerless, regardless my failed attempt at running this morning...
Thanks mom for my happy bag.

Sorry, still no lipstick. *B

happy bag tag

Good news everyone! I found my battery charger! Which means this blog may now be graced with pictures again! Huzzah! And to celebrate, I'm crossing off another tag from my list of tags-to-do.

Behold, my purse:

and its stuff:

1. wipes in a baggie, and might I add that diapers usually accompany them...
2. gum
3. chapstick in a tube NOT lipstick. Do I look like I wear lipstick?!
4. mirror (mostly for the kiddies, not me)
5. bobby pins
6. pretzels, and usually a few more other treats for Monk, including his sippy cup
7. PEZ, to hyper the kid up before Nursery. I wonder where the dispenser is...
8. half a sheet of stickers, usually accompanied by a mini notebook and crayons
9. dinosaur finger puppets, minust T-rex. He's being washed.
10. tissues
11. trash (just one piece, surprisingly)
12. fake plant for the now dead fish. Who, by the way, was named after THE Sheldon J. Plankton. Anyway, the cheap greenery is waiting to be returned.
    

And there you have it. It's definitely a mama bag. And there's usually more crap (and some emergency feminine products) shoved in there. I wonder where it all went... and no, I did NOT clean it out before sharing it. You're not supposed to. Thanks to Mary for the fun tag. I tag Lindsey, Lace, Kelly, Stie, Holly and Allie.

And tomorrow, I start sharing pictures of my new apartment!
I know you're all dying of anticipation, right... about... now... *B