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The Bionic Valentine bio picture

Welcome to my Blog!

I'm Michele aka Shelba.   I'm a mom, a wife, and I fancy myself a photographer.   I'm trying to figure out how to do all of these things and keep my house clean.   I have two pugs and I live in Austin, TX.

Canceled

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Our dinner guests canceled for tonight! Yes! Even though I have a massive pot of spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove, I’m quite happy that they can’t make it. Off to do a little celebratory dance!

On Your Mark

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Tomorrow morning marks the start of a few very busy days for me. Dinner guests tomorrow night. And then two days away from my girl (I am excited to stay in a hotel room by myself, but I’m really going to miss her). And then home again to get ready for my cousin J’s arrival! J’s arrival is the treasure waiting for Z at the end of my going away for a couple days. That and she gets to spend Monday with her best bud, R, only she doesn’t know it yet!

Spring

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I Hear Angels Singing!

Ahhh! Monday! I love Mondays so much! It is my day to myself! And it is heaven. I came home from dropping Zorba off at school and then I did a thorough clean on my kitchen. Gosh, I love a clean kitchen! And now I’m sitting down to my computer to work on a project. Man, I love Monday! I just freakin’ love Monday! This is my day to recharge so I can be a better mom to my girl for the rest of the week.

Some images from the Farmer’s Market this weekend. Love, love, love going there! And I can’t wait to go back next week. I already have a list in my head about what I’m going to buy.

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Hope your Monday is as kick ass as mine!

Friday

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Mailed off our home study update to the USCIS today. I hope to hell that I mailed it to the correct location, because they have made some changes that left me confused. I contacted my agency, but didn’t hear back from them, so I decided to wing it. I am choosing to believe that it will work out in the end. If I sent it to the wrong location, I’m sure they we employees will be kind enough to forward it on to the proper people. I’ve had great luck with our local USCIS, so I’m not TOO worried. And as long as this last bit goes okay, we are done with the latest 1600a renewal process. I’m looking forward to getting those special envelopes in the mail! They don’t hold the same thrill that they used to, but I’ll take what I can get, you know?

My Table

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You can see notes on this picture at flickr.

I didn’t have much time on the computer today. Which is good! School, cleaning, and a little bit of sitting on the couch. We didn’t have to go anywhere, so we didn’t.

Tidbits about today:

1. Received our homestudy update in the mail today, so I’ll be shipping it off to San Antonio tomorrow.

2. Messed around with my off camera lighting and was not surprised to find that not practicing does not not improve your skills. When it comes to off camera lighting, I feel like I’m back at square one with my camera.

3. The Lorax chokes me up every time.

4. I let Zorba watch Beauty and Beast today and she said it was too scary. She asked me to put a notice out on the internet to see if anybody out there that likes scary movies would like her dvd.

5. We’re having people (from Ray’s work) over for dinner in a week. I have not cooked for strangers in years, so I’m nervous.

6. My cousin, J, is coming to visit for a week very soon! Am so excited to see her and to be able to spend time with her. I need to start planning some fun Austin stuff to do with her.

Let’s Dance

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It drives me crazy that I cut her toe off in this photograph, but it is cute, so I’m overlooking it.

Zorba started Chinese dance lessons tonight and it could not have gone better. She had a great time, learned some moves, got to see one of her Beihai sisters and make several new friends. And I got to sit in the lobby talking with the other moms. Sometimes it can be comforting to talk with other moms who have been through the China adoption process. Sometimes not! But tonight, it was comforting and enjoyable, so it was a good time for both Z and me. Score!

Hipstamatic, Baby!

I have a close relationship with my Iphone and I love me a good app, so I was tickled (I sound like my Nana) to find the app for the Hipstamatic. It takes fun pics with your Iphone. Well, fun for me anyway! I love that I can change lenses! Love it! I took this one with the Hipstamatic after Z’s swimming lesson.

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I’m working on getting my Photobloggy Days for Saturday up. Hopefully it will be up tomorrow, but I’m a procrastinator, so I don’t know.

Photobloggy Days – Friday

I woke up and checked my email. Luckily there was an email from Shannon that reminded me to photograph my day for her Photobloggy Days.
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Zorba has her Chinese lesson on Fridays, so after getting her up, and getting everybody breakfast it was time to go. Zorba had to give Cat-Faye one last cuddle.
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Waiting for Zorba outside her teacher’s house. She prefers that the parent’s leave while they do their lesson and that is fine with me because I love my hour in the car. One mom insists upon staying. Why, I’m not sure. I’m thinking maybe she does not know the pleasure of Words With Friends! Here I’m playing TheladySurf. I don’t know her, but she was the first person I played and we have been playing game after game ever since. She beats me every time. If you play Words With Friends, my name is Shelbaloo!

After her lesson, we drove across the street to Subway and ordered lunch. I had a veggie delight. Zorba had a spicy Italian with extra cheese and one pickle. We used the bathroom before leaving. This is the image I used for my 365 picture of the day.
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Z and I opened up some fabulous boxes that a friend sent us. We had a great time!
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We took a little break. Zorba rode around the house on her scooter and watched a little TV. This picture made me remember that I want to make a silhouette of my girl.
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We did some school and then we made my bed. While we made the bed Zorba kept diving under the sheets.
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More school.
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Started to make dinner. Cutting up onions for omelettes.
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Cut the hell out of my finger while cutting up cantaloupe for Z! She put the band-aid on for me. My finger was starting to turn purple here.
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This is the knife that I was using! Ouch!
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Time for Zorba to go to bed.
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I sat down at my computer to work on something.
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And that is about it!! Wow, exciting stuff, right?

Stinky Bubbles

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Our sweet, Cat-Faye. She is a beauty and she knows it.

I cleaned all day today and I’m so glad that I did, because now I don’t have to do it tomorrow! Especially since tomorrow is the day that Zorba goes somewhere else for school. I love, love, love Mondays. I do. Now that the house is clean I will have all of that time for myself. Sweet!

At the dinner table Z said, “I know what toots are made of. Stinky bubbles. They float out and then they pop and that is what stinks.” Well, okay then!