Orthodontics in Baltimore City

The other night when we were going to 34th street in Hampden, Tyler told me his splint (glued in retainer) broke and that the wire was poking him. So, I did what any other mom would do...pulled out my scissors that I happened to have in the car.

Checking out the damage.

Seeing if I could simply pull it out.

Hoping he doesn't move quickly.

Got it. Sorry about the bad lighting here...I was working under a street light.

Pulling.

I am so thrilled that I can add Orthodontist to my list of skills.

15

It' s officially December 12, 2010. Happy 15th Birthday, Allie!

We love you very much (especially Tyler)



Hope you have a GREAT day!

I Always Knew Having 5 Kids Would Come In Handy!

So yesterday I came home to this in my driveway...

This morning, my kids woke up to the fun job of stacking the wood.

No one fought. ( a miracle)

They used their creative thinking skills to figure out how to move the wood from the driveway to the back of the house. (by the way, trash cans work really well...much better than my Pottery Barn basket that one of the kids grabbed from the house!)

The work ethic was amazing...no one was slacking.

Tyler was the stacker.

Isn't this a beautiful sight?



The best part of all, I didn't have to lift a finger!

Help Support Tiny Sparrow Foundation

Going to Disney? Check out these personalized Disney shirts. A percentage of your purchase will be donated to Tiny Sparrow Foundation! Available at Shoppe Ray of Sunshine (etsy.com/shop/shopperayofsunshine) Tell them Tiny Sparrow Foundation sent you! Other vendors that will donated a percentage of your purchases are:

Arbonne
www.arbonne.com
Contact losack5@gmail.com to place order.

Close to my Heart
http://alisontunison.myctmh.com/
Please mention that you are from Tiny Sparrow

Cookie Lee
http://www.cookielee.biz/esuite/home/carolkern

Froggy Pants Creations
www.froggypants.com
Put TS after your name in the shipping address box.

Juice Plus
https://www.juiceplus.com/nsa/content/Home.soa?site=lh23565
Under shipping information put your fist name followed by TS (“first name/TS”)

Mary Kay Cosmetics
http://www.marykay.com/lshively

Ray of Sunshine – Custom and Personalized Appliqued and Monogrammed Shirts and Baby Products:
www.shopperayofsunshine.etsy.com
Please note that order is for Tiny Sparrow in the message to seller box when checking out.

Silpada
www.mysilpada.com/ninawetzel

Stampin’ Up
www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/scrappinriri
Contact scrappinriri@verizon.net to place an order.

Stella & Dot
www.stelladot.com/rene
Click “Find Hostess”. Type “Tiny” for the first name and “Sparrow” for last name

The Pampered Chef
www.pamperedchef.biz/chefmarian

Willow House
http://www.janapearcy.willowhouse.com/

Word of Wear-personalized hand-painted hats, coasters, baby headbands and tutu’s
http://www.mywordofwear.com/
Please select Tiny Sparrow under “Where did you hear about us?” on the order form.

Just An Ordinary Day

With each day that passes, my oldest is getting closer to leaving for college. UGH! How did it happen so quickly? Came across this video today...it made me cry. So worth watching though!

The Gift Of An Ordinary Day from Katrina Kenison on Vimeo.

One of THOSE days

I'm having one of those days...actually weeks!

Halloween

Hair for a Cure

The latest rage...

Pink hair extensions.

Hey, it's for a good cause!

How I Spend My Saturdays

And Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Ammy plays for Team USA...

Tyler coaches Team USA with two other guys.

Kellen plays on Lutherville Grey...

This was an awesome goal--his second goal of the game and his third in 2 games!

And Tristan plays for the McDonogh Varsity Team.

Now you know why my e-mail is sportzmom!

It's Been Awhile...

Lots going on lately. Will post soon, but came across this today on Vicky Bell's blog
and it is way too good not to share. Below is an excerpt from a letter she wrote to her college-age daughter.

You may or may not have heard about the NJ college student who killed himself last week because his room-mate had posted videotape of him having sex with another guy. A terrible, senseless tragedy.

My mommy job requires that I remind you of two essential things:
One:
Nothing ruins your life forever. NOTHING.
Two:
Nothing ruins your life forever. NOTHING.

If that young man had only waited a couple of weeks nobody would have cared- he'd have gotten past it. People have short memories- life would have gotten better, much better. His parents and friends? They loved him prior to the tape- they would have loved him afterward too. A few awkward moments and then life goes on.

But when you are young you don't know that even the awkward moments are fleeting. On this, you just have to trust the old people. Remember when you were really small and cried and cried over something? Well, it didn't last. That's kind of what it's like- awful things happen, you feel like there's a rock in the pit of your stomach, somehow time goes by and it gets better. I promise you, it ALWAYS gets better.

The students, a girl and boy, who were involved in the taping and posting-- they are being charged with bias crime, invasion of privacy and possibly other things. Their college life is over. They will have to live with this death the rest of their lives-- and their families are devastated. What they did was so wrong- but also so kid-stupid. Not to mention mean. And so their lives will be different forever- but even so- their families will love them and they will have time enough to hopefully live in such a way as to make meaning from their mistake.

So, my beautiful girl, never, ever think something is unfixable. NOTHING you do will ever keep us from loving you. NOTHING you do could be so awful you can't get past it.

And if someone is mean to you, and it isn't something you can ignore-- seek out people to talk to about it. Surround yourself with people who are supportive. If you ever need help and don't know how to ask- try writing a letter instead. And right now- before you might need such help- think about who you would talk to if needed. In the midst of turmoil sometimes we don't always think as clearly- having a plan makes it easier to find help in crisis. And remember there are always alternatives. Always.

Finally, don't be mean. Don't let other people be mean. Stand up for the underdog, protect those who aren't as smart or confident or easygoing as yourself. Treat people's feelings like fragile little puppies- if you play with them- be gentle.

I love you so much and I know you really don't need me to tell you this stuff.... but it's my job.

Love and hugs,
Mommy

So, so true! Please share this with your kids.

Can You Say Soccer Mom?

After 14 years of driving a SUV, I am driving a mini-van again! We have found that we rarely all drive in one car anymore and at $75 per tank of gas, we've been spending a small fortune.

Last week I traded in my Ford Expedition for a Toyota Sienna.

I LOVE IT! It has two sunroofs, windows that open in the second row, a dual screen tv (so you can watch a movie and play a game system at the same time (which won't be happening since all of my kids are big pukers in the car and that would put them right over the edge), reclining captains' chairs in the second row, and a navigation system that was great the other day when I got lost.

The kids LOVE it! As do their friends. Every time someone new gets in the car, Kellen acts like a salesman pointing out all of the cool features. The twins also let their friends ride in the reclining seats!

Yes, those are snacks you see, but I didn't let them eat in the car...at least not this week!

The Newest Member of Our Family

Meet Oreo...

She joined our family the last week of August. I hesitated to mention our latest pet because I wasn't sure that she would make it past the 14 day guarantee. We were in the pet store getting Allie a fish for her room and we saw this hamster running on a wheel in the cage. The hamster was rather hyper--she would hop off the wheel, run around the cage and then hop back on the wheel and run, run, run. Kellen fell in love with her and just had to have her for his birthday.
Since we already have Charlie, I figured it was no big deal to get another one.

As we were getting the hamster to take home the employee told us that she was so happy we were taking this hamster because she was constantly picked on by the other hamsters in her cage. To get away from them, she would run on the wheel ALL THE TIME!

She spent the first 24 hours in our house running on her wheel. She was completely freaked out. The second day, every time we tried to touch her she would run away and get back on the wheel. When we tried to pick her up, she would bite us.

A friend suggested we wear socks on our hands when we pick her up. These pictures were taken yesterday--we've had the hamster for a month and we still can't pick her up without them! Kellen also wears a dress shirt so that his arms are covered.



It's a good thing she's so cute.

You've Got to be Kidding Me

This is what greeted me this morning when I went to have a muffin....

Really? You couldn't eat the rest of the muffin?

Calling All Letter Writers

To all of my blog readers...

Please help me out...These beautiful young girls are undergoing cancer treatment and would love to receive mail from you! They have to spend a lot of time away from their friends and families, and getting mail makes their days!

This is Cami. Read about Cami's story here.

And this is Millie. Read about her journey with childhood cancer here.

Please take a moment to send a postcard or a letter! Leave me a comment and I will email you their addresses! Thank you internet!

Sunflower Fields Forever

Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues
all the utilities of the world. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have lived in Maryland for 21 years and until last weekend, I never knew that this sunflower field existed. Yellow as far as the eye can see.

Yesterday, the kids had off school so we drove up to the corner of Jarrettsville Pike and Hess Rd, parked the car and got out and walked around.

Kellen and his friend, Tucker.

Tyler and his girlfriend, Payton.

Allie--her friend had to go home early so she missed out on our sunflower adventure.

Me and my girl, Ammy.

If you have the chance to go see these flowers, I promise you that you won't be disappointed.

Can You Ever Have Too Many?

Ammy's collection of Silly Bandz.

Do you think she needs more?

French Braids

Many years ago, my friend, Andie, taught me how to french braid hair. I have been waiting for 14 plus years to have a child of mine allow me to french braid her hair. It has finally happened!

Ammy asked me to french braid her hair today!

So cute! That is until the posing started!

This one is going to be the death of me!

Biscayne Bay

On Friday, Kimberly and I went out on a 78 ft. catamaran, the Caribbean Spirit ,with other people who were attending the conference.

We sailed around Biscayne Bay and dropped anchor in an area that was about 6-7 feet deep. We got off the boat and swam with noodles and played on a trampoline that was tied to the back of the catamaran. People also swam to a nearby sand bar where they could stand.

Kimberly and I hanging out on the deck. At these meetings, we are always together--we are often mistaken for sisters.

These guys were swimming and playing around the boat. Unfortunately as soon as we got in the water, they were gone.





On the way back to the dock, we were leaning against the windows on the front of the boat. Someone took this picture of us from inside the boat! Very cool.