Thursday Ramblings

I have seen more of my beads grow up this week and I am so pleased!  I was chatting with my friend Tabitha the other day and she asked if I was ever displeased with how my beads grow up and I couldn't think of one instance.  Most of the time I look at the end results and think, "Wow! They made my beads look super gorgeous!"

Kristi of Dreamsome used my melon raku beads in this gorgeous necklace.

Lorelei used my red and silvered ivory bead in this beautiful bracelet.  Love those silver coins along the right side.

It feels so good to be getting on the torch again and making more than just eggs when I sit down.  The torch is pulling me and I love it.  In turn, it is also helping me enjoy making eggs more which is fun, too.  It feels good to making new things, showing them off and getting them in my shop, too.  I feel like it has been months since I have regularly added new sets of beads to Etsy.  After several years off from hollows, I am having fun making them again.

I wonder what the point is when certain bloggers reach a point where it is okay to judge them for being human or tell them how to operate their blogs.  My gut feeling is that it is never okay, yet I see comments (often anonymous) being left on some of my friends' blogs and it makes me sad and wonder if I am wrong.  A comment I read several weeks ago continues to resonate in my mind.  Visiting someone's blog is no different than being invited into the person's home and should be treated as such.  Respectfully.  Kindly.  It is their space to make as inviting or real as they please.  I struggle with this because in the two years that I have been blogging, I have never had anyone leave an unkind, judgmental or self righteous comment.  I think my blog visitors (so many who have become online, or even better, personal friends) are the best.  You all are so supportive and encouraging.  I can't imagine not wanting to know each of of you in person.  So it makes me wonder...what do you see in the blogosphere and how does it rub you?  Do you feel compelled to jump to the blogger's defense?  Do you shake your fist or shake your head?

I took my disposable water camera to the nearest photo developing place (the highly sophisticated Rite Aid pharmacy) last night and found their equipment was out of commission.  Hoping to find the time tonight to go elsewhere to have the pics turned into a CD so I can upload the pics Tabitha and I took on the raft and in the river.  And then finish uploading pics to artscow.com to make a book for everyone who went on the rafting trip last weekend.  Can you believe you can make an 8x8 book with 20 pages for less than ten bucks?  I couldn't either, but you can!  What a great memento for everyone who went on the rafting trip....so excited to finish this little project.

The girl child has stayed fever free and is behaving good in school.  We had a dentist appointment (we being the kids and me) earlier this week and found that I (yay!) am cavity free, as is the girl child (another yay!).  The boy child has one little cavity (not his fault, he was told he is a good brusher! he just has really deep crevices in the molars that are hard to fully clean) and will get that sand blasted out soon without any shots or drilling and then filled with a composite.  Relief! 

However.  And this is a big however.  The girl child.  She has three broken teeth.  She has been telling us since this summer when she went on a field trip at summer camp that she broke her teeth and they all fell out.  Mmmmmhmmmm.  Sure they all fell out.  Every.  Last.  One.  Of.  Them.  Do you think we have heard a few too many 'stories'?  Well give me a Parent of the Year award.  Sigh.  She had three broken teeth.  One of the top front ones just had a tiny chip.  But a bottom molar was missing a bit of the side touching the cheek.  And an upper/side tooth (number 4?  I dunno, I'm not very dentally savvy) was so broken that the dentin was visible.  Do you see me banging my head on the desk?  At least the dentist said that it didn't need repair as long as she isn't feeling any pain...which she isn't.

I have been asked to schedule minor periodontal surgeries for both kids to remove the frenum (that silly little piece of tissue connecting the upper lip to the gums between the top, front two teeth).  It is a simple procedure and will heal quickly, which is good.  Apparently my husband and I produce children with gaps bigger than Madonna's teeth on the top, which will later create major dental issues and the need for braces because the teeth can't grow together as they need to.  As a former child shark and needing 7 teeth pulled BEFORE they could put braces in my head, I will take the blame for any/all wacky dental genes.  But.  My stomach is churning.  BOTH of my kids need this done.  This will require shots and anesthesia.  Churning, I tell you.  Look at my little monkeys.  They're too little to be going through surgery and getting knocked out.  Sniff.

There is an awesome countdown for many wonderful things that is being kept track of in the back of my mind and has me excited.  In 11 days, my Grandma will turn 92.  Wow!  In 15 days, my boy will turn 8.  How did that happen?  My baby is turning eight!  In 21 days, we will celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary and 12 years from our first date.  It really doesn't seem that long since I first poked fun at Todd in the elevator lobby in our office and he asked me out.  In 23 days, my other baby will be turning six!  In 35 days, I will be flying up to Syracuse to visit Lorelei.  I am beyond stoked to visit for a weekend, meet her husband (and her cat Marley!), see where she works and sit in her studio.  And a little farther off, I will be turning 35.  That same week, I should be flying out to San Diego to see a good friend and meet her newborn second child (woo hoo! I get to photograph a newborn!).  The week after, we are planning a family vacation to Orlando with multiple grandparents to witness the wonder of Disney for the first time with our kids.  My first time since I was six and Todd's first time ever.  The rest of this year is just going to fly.  I can feel it.

So.  In honor of my excitement over good things to come this fall.  And because I hit 500 sales in my Etsy shop this week.  And because I love you, leave me a comment.  I'll choose a random winner this weekend and will make you your own worry stone.  You choose 2-3 colors.  I promise I'll get it made faster than the last time.  No, I'm not linking back to the last time for you to see how long it took me.  It was disgraceful.  And not to be repeated.  

Tell me something good.  Share your thoughts on blog etiquette.  Where is the farthest place you have traveled?  If you could move somewhere else in a heartbeat, where would it be and why?  Something.  Just don't do it anonymously so I know how to reach you if you're the winner! :)