Mo Ask MO!

Dude, I am loving this! I don't even have to think up what to say or what I am going to blog about. You are just feeding me the ideas. Sa-weeet!

So onto the next 10!

Question 11: as in Jake's favorite number 11, Melissa, I should send you a prize! Email me your addy and I think I just will! You are my only environmental engineer/ toxicologist friend anyway! Have you thought about making a toddler jewelry line and putting it in your Etsy shop?

Well, Melissa. Staci actually makes more kid sized jewelry than I do. I love how she always has little Maddiboo in sweet necklaces. I whipped Ellie's out the other night, I swear, in about 2 minutes! It was then that I thought, YEP, I am going to make more of these! So, Yea, I likely will start making more toddler sized items. When I do, I will let you know they are posted in the Etsy shop. I think I mentioned that I opened a new clinic in Monroe, and hired a new PT to work in Ruston. Guess what that means.... much less time with Jessi. Guess what that means... no one to help me load things onto my Etsy shop! So, what I need is a little free time. I don't have much of that at all! This, being a 3 day weekend, is already pretty much taken, but I DO intend to make some of the custom canvases that have already been ordered, so I can catch up. Be watching for that kid jewelry.

Question #12: from Rhonda, my little Jonas Brother loving friend!

Where did you get that funky camera strap?

Rhonda, yep, that appendage in all my photos is a camera strap. And as you should KNOW, I bought it on Etsy. I have no idea which site. I DO know there are lots of sites that make them. Just search for it on the homepage. I think Emily Falconbridge makes some cool ones. Search her too! You and I must just really dig busy patterns! I want to go to Canton with you, by the way. Let' s meet up!

Question #13 from Sammie

Do you ever sleep?

No!

Just kidding. I do go to bed late! I am a night owl. I wish I could go to work late (like 10ish) every day. That would be cool. However, my patients start rolling in around 8! I always apologize to my first patients that I am usually a little more "peppy", and recommend they try to make a later appointment if they would like to get to know the real me! Seriously. I am a zombie in the morning! Now that my girls are sleeping through the whole night, I probably get about 5-6 hours of sleep. I am not a napper. Too much to do. Really just too much I WANT to do! Wish the days were longer!!

Question #14: from Lisa, mom of twins:

How do you make the sandwiches you mentioned in that previous post.

I have to say that I am guessing that you are referring to the pistolettes. I am on the phone with Paula right now, as she was the cook that night. She says take a pound of sausage, a pound of hamburger meat; brown it and drain it. Then, add a pound of Velveeta and teaspoon of oregano, worschestire, and garlic powder. Mix it all up and stuff it in a pistolette. Take out the center part of the roll to make room for the stuffing. There are rolls that we buy at the grocery store called pistolettes. Maybe you have them too. She said she cooked them on 350 for about 15 minutes. She had actually intended to make Polishman's steaks, but didn't have any rye bread. So, she used the same recipe and stuffed them in the pistolettes instead! Cool.

Question #15: from McKenzie, author and founder of a cool newzine that I will be linking you all to soon.

HOw did you come up with the names Ellie Sue and Gabbi Lou?

Mckenzie, surely you know that Todd loves LSU. And surely you know that Gabbi was not my favorite name. (Sorry Gabbi, for when you read this one day!) Todd wanted Gabbi to be Ellie's name. It was the day we were taking her home and I said, "Hey, Todd. If you say Ellie Sue it sounds like LSU." I could see his wheels turning! He said, "How bout "Ellie SHoe?" I told him by NO MEANS would I give my baby girl the middle name of "shoe". And because my middle name is Susanne, Ellie is Ellie Susanne. She cheers her name in a rhythmic, "ellie sue. ellie sue" like she hears us cheer at the games! It is funny!

As for Gabbi. well, I kinda just gave up the fight. I wanted Piper Annabelle. And as Gabbi has grown, I have thought Annabelle would have suited her fine. And I loved "Ellie and Annabelle". But, Todd would NOT have it. He stood FIRM on Gabbi Groves being the ONLY name he liked for a girl. We took Gabbi home from the hospital without a name! She was named the 2nd or 3rd day she was home! All the girls in our family have "ann" in their middle names. JinJin is Virginia Annette. I am Melanie Susanne. Staci is Staci Leanne. Maddi is Madison HopeAnne. Ellie Susanne, and Gabbi Louanne. So, there you have it.

And... Question 16: "How did you get interested in jewelry and art making?

Well, I told you already about me and my Nannie doing jewelry together. But actually, when I got out of high school and headed to college, I took only art classes. I was an art major at the time, and I absolutely loved it. I have been drawing forever! I always LOVED markers! I loved drawing cartoons, and was the banner painter for our cheerleading squad. Just always loved it, and was always encouraged by my mom and dad. I think that is pretty critical!

Question #17: Angie from Arkansas

Can you tell me the essentials for a starter scrapbook kit for my daughter?

Ok, you MUST have a good paper cutter! I prefer the Fiskars. You need cardstock and patterned paper. I think if I was just starting, I would get a paper pad that has coordinating papers from a single line. Then, match the papers in the paper pad to cardstock. I like to ink the edges of my papers, as it adds a lot of depth, but an ink pad is not "essential". Decide how big you intend to scrap. 12 x 12? mini book? 6 x 6? Because you are going to have a book of some sort. I think a mini book is fun to start with ! You need an adhesive to stick the paper on with. I like a tape runner by Scrapbook Adhesives. It is red. But you can also use a glue stick or double sided tape. I LOVE basic colored (black and white) letters, as they usually go with anything. I like them in all sizes! I think scissors are needed, and I love my Cutter Bee scissors, but only the ones with the black blades, as you can cut sticky stuff without ruining your scissors. Hmmm....I like ribbons to tie on the rings/ spiral bind of a mini book and coordinating little stickers for the inside of the book. Oh... and good markers for doodling. Gelly Roll brand! LOVE the white one! Question # 18 from Snekcip, about to fill her empty nest!

How do you intend to tell your girls about their adoption? Would you believe that a potential answer just came to me about a week ago in the form of a patient of mine sharing with me how she told her adopted son. I think God put her in my path to help me with this dilemma. I definitely will tell them as soon as the situation arises. I don't want that "anticipation/ excitement/ mystery" of "ooohhh, what is my birth mom like" and "ooooh, I have got to find her" and all that when they are 18. I would rather it just be a part of who they are and no big deal! My patient said her son was about 5 when he was asking about being in her belly. She said, "You didn't grow in mom's belly. You grew in another lady's belly. Sometimes mama's bellies don't work, so other women have to grow the baby for them. And when you were born, you grew in a lady , ____, who is called your birthmom. We met her up at the hospital, and she gave you to us to come be in our family." Her son said something she wasn't expecting... "Why did she give me to you?" She said it just came to her, and I love this ! "She was just obeying God. God has a 'Book of Families' and in it, it says, 'Todd, Melanie, Ellie and Gabbi Groves." We obeyed God by coming to get you so our family could be complete, and your birthmom obeyed God to let you grow in her belly , then give you to us." Don't you think that is a sweet story? I don't have any idea how it will go down for us. I will cross that bridge when I get there. But I did think I should share that story. It is a goodie!

Ok, well, girlies are needing to go to sleep, so I think I will have to end the Q and A tonight. See what I mean about needing longer days? It is going on 11:00 pm, and I just have so much more I want to do! But... 6:30 ish will be early, if I dont' get off this computer!

So, I leave you! Tomorrow, lap band, northern trips/ accents, conception woes, how'd I meet Todd the Bod, and much more!

Gabbi can now pull up! Woo hOo!

Thanks for all the encouraging words! Mo