Puddin' Sugar

Cabinet Redo!

2010-10-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

So we have this little brown cabinet.

Boring, right?

And we have no clue what happened to those missing knobs.

So I dismantled it, took it outside, did a light sand and spray painted it.

Ahhhhh!

The power of Spray Paint!

(the plastic bags are so I don't get any paint on our precious rocks)

For some reason, the color photographed more "cobalt" but in reality its a totally rad shade of teal.

Think peacock.

When it was dry, I rubbed some sandpaper along the edges and got some new knobs and

Voila!

(Sorry the pic is crooked, don't know what was wrong with me today!)

Also, if you would like some super cool canvas float wraps, click HERE.

Close up of the destressed edges. I do think the shot on the left is a little truer to how the color reads in person.

All in all, I'm super happy with it. The spray paint was Valspar and had enamel in it so I only did one coat. I also chose not to put any polyurethane on it. I want the distressing of the paint to continue and I know that will happen around here!

The Canvas has a Home!

2010-10-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I think I found a permanent home for my landscape. Originally, I wanted it to go above the bed in our Guest room and ordered it knowing that the 30x40 is the perfect size to go above the Queen sized bed that is in there. The more I looked at it, the more I realized that I really wanted to look at all the time. I can't help it, its just so lovely!

So this is the wall behind my couch. Previously it was FULL of framed pictures, some of my kids, some of just things that I photographed that I happen to love the image.

What else are you gonna do with such a huge amount of space?

So, I removed a bunch of the photographs and hung the canvas.

I adore being able to look at this piece all the time!

I do plan on filling in the empty space above the top with more photographs, I was just making sure that I like the canvas there. Its hard to tell, because I cropped it out, but there's at least 4 more feet above the top of all this pictures. (We have extremely high ceilings, must be a Vegas thing)

As Shown: Albuquerque Landscape, 30" x40"

You can purchase this canvas and others like it HERE.

Happy Friday!

2010-10-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

Jake's been wearing his Captain America Halloween costume, everyday since we got it on Monday. Its absolutely hilarious!

Photography

2010-10-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

Another e~~xcuse~~ reason for my absence this summer is that I've been working my tail off trying to get my photography business off the ground here in Vegas.

This is what you get when you ask Shelby Claire where her dimple is.

Its been a lot of work and trying to keep up with a website,business blog, personal blog, Facebook Fan Page and now an Etsy shop, something had to give and unfortunately, it was my personal blog. I did take a little comfort in the fact that most of the people that read my personal blog are friends with me on Facebook so I knew that they would know that I was still alive.

So in honor of my triumphant return to the blogging world I'm having a sale on my fine art canvases in my Etsy shop.

Don't miss it! The sale starts tomorrow, October 8th, 8am PST and will end Monday, October 11th 8am PST. Please help me spread the word to make this sale a huge success and there just might be a give away!

As shown: Albuquerque Landscape in 30"x40"

(which happens to be the perfect size to go above a queen sized bed)

just sayin'

This really doesn't do the canvas justice! I promise to get a picture of it hung on the wall when I decide where I want it. Originally, I ordered this one for above our guest bedroom bed and it looks perfect there

but

now that I have it here, I kinda want it out for the world to see. No one ever goes into the guest bedroom. In fact, the door stays closed most of the time to keep 2 certain little monkeys away since I keep all my crafting junk in that closet.

Anyways, I will decide where its permanent will home will be and I will show you a picture of it in the room so you can see the full impact of this stunning piece.

And, we're still here.........

2010-10-03T22:48:00.000-07:00

Ok,

so Y'all,

I swear, we are alive!

We didn't die of heat exhaustion.........

(.....or "The Vapors" if you're Southern)

barely.....

So, its come to my attention, (I'm lookin' at you McCall!) that I haven't posted since June,
yes June.

And, what's that you say?

Yes, I do realize its in fact, the month of October.

(Am I the only one this happens to?

You're just coasting along and then, WHAM!, its October!

Please click on "Wham!" link to totally kick ass your day)

********************************************************************

So, let me just first paint a picture of what life has been like since June:

~July was the hottest month on record here in Vegas.

Like, no kidding. For Realz, Dawg!

Everyday in July was in the triple digits. In fact it actually started around June 22nd.
Our power bill for the month of July was $408!

Yep, I vomited in my mouth a little when I opened the envelope from Nevada Power.

Now, I'm no Weenie

I grew up in Mississippi!

Um, Hello?

Mississippi is synonymous with Sauna

But let me tell Ya'll,
All those people that tell you that," Oh you'll be fine! Las Vegas is a desert, its DRY heat!"

Obviously have never lived through a 117 degree day.

In the Desert.

That just happened to fall on grocery day.

And you can no longer get away with the mindset, "Hmmm, wonder what kind of meal I can make with Spaghetti noodles and Peanut Butter..."

Las Vegas is a de-sert People, so its full of sand. And wind! So stepping out of your house during that time is like putting your face up against one of those nasty hand drying machines in some groty gas station,

(yes, I said groty! Gross + Dirty =Groty)

but add SAND!

So, instant facial!
Don't even get me started on the fact that I wear contacts.....

Also, a fun little trivia fact about my kiddos:

Apparently, they have a built in barometer, if you will,

that anytime the temperature rises above 104
one of them WILL PUKE
in the car.

Seriously.

Every time

No matter how far we go.

Like even, less than 2 miles.

Less than 5 minutes.

For Realz Dawg!

So, now its almost always Shelby Claire but occasionally it has been Jake so he has been lumped into this statement as well. Apparently this is quite common to the Peeps of Las Vegas or rather people that haven't lived here long. I had one friend tell me, "Yeah, it took us 2 summers before my kids stopped doing that"

Say, What?!
Um, yeah, that's not going to work for me.

The kiddos either need to grow out of it and/or we need to "ghetto tint" the windows of Vanna, according to all the advice we have been given.

OR

We could just stay home.

Which is what we did.

Sucked Ass, but hey, it was free, right?

So, we were stuck inside the house.

All day.

Every day.

We have been suffering a SERIOUS case of cabin fever!

I know that seriously doesn't give me an excuse to quit blogging because, hey, I'm here in front of my computer, right?
But it actually has forced me to come up with more activities to do with the kiddos during the day.
The ole, "Disney movie and popcorn" in the Home stretch/Witching hour was no longer cuttin' it, every day.
So its been me trying to be incredibly creative (there's a reason I didn't major in Elementary Ed, Y'all)
in a city where there is theoretically everything at your fingertips but its too far of a driveable distance so that puke will ensue and/or down on The Strip.
Let me also just point out while there might not be all The Crazies out on the Strip at say, 10 am, there will be guaranteed a few. AND the hotter the temps, the less clothes people wear.

Pair that with an ALL BOY 4 year old and you end up answering questions.

"Why is that lady dancing on that Fireman's pole?"

"Why did that lady forget to put on the rest of her clothes?"

"I see her underwear!"

at nauseum

So, you see my dilemma. We're stuck way up in the 'Burbs with limited indoor activities.
Bummer.

On a Good Note:
The temps have finally started cooling off. We're out of the 100s and maybe even out of the 90s for good.

Its supposedly only going to reach a high of 74 today.

*squeal*

Happy Sunday!

2010-06-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day

2010-06-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

"It is both relaxing and invigorating to occasionally set aside the worries of life, seek the company of a friendly book...from the reading of 'good books' there comes a richness of life that can be obtained in no other way."

— Gordon B. Hinckley

So I bought my next book (A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick) for book club this morning and Yeah, I'm halfway done. I can't wait until the end of July for our next book club discussion because its gonna be a good one! So much for my grandiose plans of scrubbing toilets today......

And yes, cute baby picture has nothing at all to do with this post, just a nice little additive to brighten up your dull Saturday.

Books #15-18 Done!

2010-06-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

So, I've been way behind on my blogging lately, so here's kind of a catch up post. My photography business has really taken off here and I've been (happily) very busy doing photos. Unfortunately, I haven't been reading as much, I'm not averaging a book a week. I'm gonna need to do some serious catching up if I want to reach my goal of 50 by January 1st.

#15 was Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell

This was a great book, about a woman who is going through a divorce and how she tries to put her life back together. Its actually very humorous, full of great one liners. All in all, a pretty fast read.

Book #16 was Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson

This book was for my book club and it was absolutely riveting!

In case you can't tell from the title, the book is about the assassination of Lincoln and the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth. For some reason, it took me a while to read this one, not that it was boring or anything, it just took me a while. This is great, especially if you like history.

Book #17 was Lifeguard by James Patterson and Andrew Gross

This book was classic James Patterson although not about any of his usual characters. Fast, easy read with lots of action. He never disappoints me, but always causes me to lose a little sleep because I stay up late saying, "Just one more chapter and I'll go to bed"

Book #18 was Santa Fe Dead by Stuart Woods

This novel is in his Ed Eagle, the prominent New Mexican attorney, series. I don't think I've ever read anything by Stuart Woods before, I know I haven't read any of the Ed Eagle. I really enjoyed it. Its another fast paced, crime mystery (shocking, I know!) and Woods has a similar writing style as James Patterson, which of course, I love. I'm pretty sure that I have a few more Stuart Woods books tucked away on my shelf so I will be getting them out next.

Princess Puddin' Sugar

2010-06-20T17:05:00.001-07:00

This is a classic Shelby Claire face...... Couldn't you just eat her up?

Who's Stupid?

2010-06-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

Me that's who! Anyone know what this is?

Yep, its Rosemary folks. And guess what? Its growing in my very own yard and I had no idea!

So, here's what happened. I was at a friend's house last night and she and her sweet husband were grilling out. Everything tasted so good because it was all seasoned with fresh Rosemary. Stacey said, "See thoses bushes out there?" and pointed to some huge Rosemary plants in her backyard. Well, the lightbulb clicked on. That was the same plant that Tim and I were all, " Man that shrub is ugly, I think we need to prune it before we get written up by the Homeowners' Association" I mean, in my defense a little bit, it does look different that it does in the grocery store, its much bigger in my yard. And you can't even smell it unless you actually pick up a piece and sniff it.

So when I got home, I look a little closer at the ugly desert landscaping in our front yard that I tried to ignore before and sure enough, there are 4 Rosemary plants in our front yard!!

Sorry about the cruddy picture. I was already in my neighbor's yard and I still couldn't seem to get far enough back without leaning against the wall of their house. Didn't want to get yelled at by the Neighborhood Watch, they're a little nutso around here!

Yep, so I feel like a big ole Dummy for not putting this together sooner and for trying in vain to grow my own fresh herbs in pots inside the house. Anyways, I'm already starting to plan my meals around this herb!

So Precious!!

2010-06-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have seen this on Facebook already but just in case you haven't.....

She has him SO wrapped! I'm gonna get this mounted to go in Shelby Claire's room.

2010-06-13T17:51:00.001-07:00

Playing around with Photoshop.....

Yay For Summer!!

2010-06-11T20:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are alive! I promise I will catch up on blogging this weekend :)

2010-05-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

Update....

2010-05-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

Still using the dinosaur of a computer that is almost too slow to run Photoshop. It will run it, it just takes 10 years to do a simple edit/resize for the web. I got a new portrait lens for my camera (YAY!) and have tons of lovely pics of my kiddos, yet it is just taking too long to go through them all. We are still alive! Its funny, I never really realized how much I played around with Photoshop until I didn't have it. Its especially boring around here with Tim working nights and no pictures for me to edit. On the flipside, my house has never been so clean :)

Quote of the Day

2010-05-03T18:09:00.000-07:00

"Having children is like living in a frat house - nobody sleeps, everything's broken, and there's a lot of throwing up."
— Ray Romano

Just When I Thought I Couldn't Love Martha Any More......

2010-04-30T15:13:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Martha Stewart used to be a model in her 20s? Seriously.

This lady will never cease to fascinate me. I would love to hang out with her for a day or two (or 30), preferably at her house because I'm sure its kick ass!

Quote of the Day

2010-04-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

"Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong"

— Murphy's Law

We haven't been around much......

2010-04-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

So 2 weeks ago, Tim's mom was in town so I didn't do a lot of blogging. Then the following week, we got a "fatal virus" on our computer. Why is it called a fatal virus, you ask? Because it seriously killed our computer. Like, we had to take it to the Geek Squad just to get some files off of it, and by files, I mean pictures and by pictures, I specifically mean these pictures. I know, I know, professional photographers everywhere are cringing. So lesson learned, back up your photos every time you upload. Seriously, I do copy my photos onto an external hardrive every so often but not often enough. Boy, have I learned!! This advice goes for everyone!! We are in a digital society where if you are anything like my family, all our pictures are on the computer. So much so that our hardrive would be one of those things I would immediately grab if there was a fire.

So anyways, I'm done dishing out advice for today.

Oh wait, if you decide to update an expensive photo editing program by downloading the upgraded version to save money by not buying the disc version.... DON'T!! Go ahead and fork over the money for the disc, that way WHEN your computer crashes, you will then have a copy of that expensive program on disc. Did you know that when your computer gets a "fatal virus" that The Geeks can't salvage whole programs? Yeah, hard lesson learned. I really don't know how to go about getting another copy for download, maybe begging Adobe?

Ok, now I'm done with the advice.

No wait, one more... When buying/downloading presets for said expensive photo editing program MAKE A COPY of these files and save on your external hard drive, so WHEN your computer crashes you won't find yourself weeping at the fact that your fabulous secret to awesome photos is locked and installed into a program that you can't retrieve off a dead computer. I think these presets have been the most devastating, just because I have loved them so much. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Sweet Shana Rae over at Florabella will let me have another link to download her coveted actions, I will contact her about this..... and beg....... and beg...... And really if worse comes to worse, I will re-purchase these because that's how much I heart them.

Ok, I'm really done for the day. Seriously. This is a hard lesson learned but I vow to be super psycho about back-upping (yeah, that's an official term) and copying everything into triplicate and hoarding all my actions and textures from now on.

#14-Done!

2010-04-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

14 Down-36 to go!

My 14th book was the Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. This book was sort of "assigned reading" for a book club that I had joined. The author decided to find a way to boost her happiness, in a sense. She stated that she wasn't depressed or unhappy in her life, but thought that she could be getting more out of her life. She says, "the days are long but the years are short" which is really an impactful statement. She definitely lays the groundwork for some things to try in order to make my own life run a bit smoother and the ensure that I am getting the most out of everyday. I mean, you turn around and in a blink your oldest is 3 1/2! When/how did that happen?
This book is full of sentences and paragraphs that make you go, "Oh, wow, that applies to me" or "Man, that is life changing" like this one:
"One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to make other people happy is to be happy yourself."
And also: "Sleep is the new sex" which is funny because in the beginning she talked about vowing to get enough sleep. This really struck a cord with me because there is absolutely no reason that I stay up late, none! So I've started with absolutely lights out by 10 since my kids wake up at 6 on the dot, that is 8 hrs. Let me tell you it has made a world of difference, mainly I'm a much nicer person to be around, thus not as short with my kids in the mornings and our whole day starts off smoother. I know it seems like a real "DUH, Erin!" moment but it took reading that part of the book (along with Gretchen's type A personality and tons of research as to why I should be doing this) to make it really hit home. I think because after the kids go to bed, I feel like I'm off the clock so I veg out, watch TV, play on the internet, read, etc. None of this is really a good reason to stay up late but I guess I just cherish that time to myself. So its been a bit of an adjustment to make that effort but what a difference it has made! Thank You Gretchen Rubin, if anything, you have sure enabled our household to run a bit smoother.

Book #13-Done!

2010-04-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

13 Down- 37 To Go!

My 13th book was The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc by Lorraine Despres and it was great! It was recommended to me by a friend (Thanks McCall!) and I really couldn't put it down, I read it in about 2 days. Its basically about one small town Louisianna woman's summer of scandal, the title says it all. One the first page of the book, it says that her husband buys a gun, so the whole rest of the book, you're taken on a journey of twists and turns to find out why exactly her husband buys that gun and what he does with it. You learn more about Sissy's life as she "flashes back" and she really is a victim of her own mistakes but you can't help but to like her, and root for her. If you love a good piece of "Chick Lit" this one is definitely one for you!!

This book is full of Sissy's Rules to live by which she calls the Southern Belles's Handbook:

#39- A girl doesn't have to give in to temptation, but she might not get another chance.

#102-When making a life decision, you can't trust your head.

And my favorite:

#59- Its okay for a woman to know her place, she just shouldn't stay there.

My Moo Cards...

2010-04-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

My Moo Mini-Cards came in the mail yesterday.If you've never heard of this company, check it out from the link. The Moo Mini-Cards was funky and unique. They're tiny, think a regular business card cut in half. And they let you customize them anyway you want. I was able to upload up to 100 different images, although I think I stopped at like 40 something, so that way the back of your card can have something different. I feel like a grown-up. I totally love my new business cards. They're small, yet eye catching so I'm hoping that will give me some kind of edge. Anywho, it put me in a good mood yesterday, especially when Jake insisted he put one in his Lightning McQueen Velcro Wallet.

Cuteness

2010-04-11T11:52:00.000-07:00

This one is my favorite, she was looking up at her Daddy....

A Little Checked Out....

2010-04-10T11:19:00.000-07:00

So, the following 2 posts, you're gonna think, Geez Erin, get a life, is that all you do is read?! Well, I finished these books a while ago, I've just been a little behind on posting. So it just looks like all I've done is hole up and read. I've just kind of "checked out" this week, don't know why, just have been putting all kinds of things off. I've been concentrating fully on getting my photography business up and running so I guess that's where all my energy has been channeled lately. Maybe I'll get some pictures up of the kids later today.....

Book#12- Done!

2010-04-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

12 books down- 38 to go!

The 12th book I read was "The Sugar Queen" by Sarah Addison Allen. This was another book that I picked up on a whim. I was in Barnes and Noble, getting some last minute Easter things for the kids, and had to wait in line for a bit. Well, they very smartly put the Bargain Bin right there so I had time to browse and skim over those books. I found this book with its Bargain Bin price of $4 and picked it up, again since it had an intriguing cover, and when I read the jacket, it said that it was set in North Carolina, sold! So I brought it home and also went right through this one in about 3 days. Its just another light hearted read, set in the South, exactly what I've been reading a lot of lately. I surely will be getting more of Sarah Addison Allen's other works, I think she only has about 4, because I love the dreaminess of her descriptions of things. I know that didn't quite come out as beautiful as Ms. Allen could have said it, but read one of her books and you'll see what I mean.
One of my favorite quotes from the book:
"Books can be possessive, can't they? You're walking around in a bookstore and a certain one will jump out at you, like it had moved there on its own, just to get your attention. Sometimes what's inside will change your life, but sometimes you don't even have to read it. Sometimes it's a comfort just to have a book around."
— Sarah Addison Allen

That quote really jumped out at me because thats exactly how I discovered these last 2 books I've read! Funny how things work out sometimes.....

Book# 11 Done!

2010-04-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

Thats 11 Books down-39 to go!

The eleventh book I read is "The Cougar Club" by Susan Mcbride. I know the old saying, "You should never judge a book by its cover" but honestly, I do. That's exactly what caught my eye and drew me to this book when I was in Target. I mean, its hot pink, a lady holding a fabulous black bag while wearing some chunky, sparkly jewelry. What's not to like? Also, it had one of those stickers that Target puts on the books they recommend, so I didn't need anymore convincing! I threw it in the cart, brought it home, cracked it open and read it in about 3 days. Its just a fun, lighthearted read about friendships and getting older, that you would surely love if you are a fan of the T.V shows "Cougartown" and "Sex and the City". Susan McBride has also written a few others and they are on my "To-Read" list. I really love her witty, easy style of writing. Also its set in St. Louis, so Conner you might like this light read, its always fun to read books that are set in towns where you recognize streets and restaurants etc.
My favorite quote from this book:
"Here's to our enduring sisterhood. May it bind us together more tightly that the Lycra in my Spanx underpants."
— Susan McBride

A Few Easter Pictures....

2010-04-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

I never seem to capture great Holiday Pictures of my kids, I think its because I'm distracted by watching them that I forget to actually snap pictures! But here's a few of them opening their baskets. I didn't even get any of them dressed up this year because we were in such a rush to try to get to church on time. Oh well, maybe next year will run a little smoother!

Shelby Claire figured out real quick that there were M&Ms in her Easter Eggs!

Friend Referral

2010-04-05T13:58:00.001-07:00

Also, when you refer a friend to Erin Norman Photography, YOU receive a free 8x10! Can't beat that!!!

Spring Launch of Erin Norman Photography

2010-04-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

Since I finally feel as though I am settled here in Vegas, I'm very excited to announce the launch of Erin Norman Photography here in Las Vegas. I'm running a special just for Spring, NO sitting fees, a free 8x10 of the pose of your choice and 10% off already LOW prices using coupon code SPRING2010 at checkout. Call or email me today for your appointment. This offer expires May 31, 2010.

Easter Conversation

2010-04-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

Tim: What are those pink things in Shelby Claire's basket.

Me: Peeps

Tim: Oh. What are Peeps?

Who IS this person I married?!?!

For CeCe

2010-04-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

What Did You Say?

2010-04-02T16:40:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny is coming THIS Sunday?!

Rain Gutter Bookshelves

2010-04-02T16:22:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to taking a picture of Jake's Rain Gutter Bookshelves. My dad helped me out with this little project while he and my Mom were here visiting. It was super easy and cheap! HERE is the complete tutorial. I would like to spray paint them but it is too windy here right now. If I ever get a chance to paint them, I'll let you know how it looks.

Sweet Faces

2010-03-31T12:58:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day

2010-03-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

"dogs and angels are not very far apart"

— Charles Bukowski

Great Easter Post for Kids....

2010-03-31T07:27:00.000-07:00

I came across this Easter post this morning on someone's blog. (Read the part titled "Easter Cookies"). Its basically a recipe for some simple cookies that you make with your children while reading the Easter story. The recipe tells you what passages to read where. Its a great way to teach your child the story of Easter. While I think that this will totally sail over Jake's head right now, I'm definitely writing this down so I can have it in the future.

Love Fresh Flowers?

2010-03-30T11:31:00.000-07:00

I love having fresh flowers in the house, so much so that I occasionally buy a grocery store bouquet for myself just because. Well, I'm going to share a trick with you that my Dad does in his jewelry store. What you do is go to Lowe's or Home Depot or wherever you like to buy plants and pick up some potted orchids. I got these babies for about $6 a piece. You then buy a decorative pot and just put the orchid inside it, you don't even have to repot it! Then you just water it and keep it alive best you can. They always last for a few months this way and you'll get nice fresh flowers, beautiful colors and its a lot cheaper than a regular ole bouquet. And if it dies, you're only out $6 instead of $20 for a bunch of flowers. Give it a try, I guarantee you'll enjoy it!

I Heart Faces

2010-03-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

This Week's Challenge: Dramatic Black and White. (and yes, I read that right this time)

Here's my entry:

This is a picture of a friends daughter taken at one of my favorite places, Mississippi University for Women Campus. I think we have a future "W" girl on her hands, look how at ease she is in this photo. Comments are welcome.

2010-03-29T21:40:00.000-07:00

I was messing around with my big flash and caught this picture of Jake and it is too funny not to share. I caught in mid-question, "What is that? Why did you put that on there?.... etc.

"No More Monkeys Jumpin' On The Bed"

2010-03-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

This was after I had just washed the sheets on our bed. As you can see, I never have to do anything by myself because I have to helpful helpers to assist me with every single task. Try to fall asleep from the bordem of the master bedroom. Our room is the only room that we haven't done a thing in, pictures on the walls, stuff on the dressers. Nada.

Don't you wish you were free to have this much fun?

Lazy Sunday

2010-03-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

Can I just say again how much I'm lovin' these vintagey pictures right now?

Bigfoot Has Been Found!!

2010-03-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

Look no further folks, Bigfoot has been found living comfortably in Las Vegas.

Ever since Jake was born, he's been all feet. I remember in the hospital, they did his footprint on a certificate and Tim and I were looking at it saying, "Geez, his foot looks long!". His feet were always curled up in the sleeper pjs and none of the cutesy little newborn booties, socks and shoes fit. We could always tell when it was time to move up a size in sleepers, not because of the weight or even length of his body but because he would get holes in the feet, and you would see a big toe peeking out. We faithfully have to buy him shoes every 3 months but thankfully it has slowed down somewhat. Finding him socks that fit always seem to be a chore, for some reason if they fit in the feet, they tend to be knee socks. Weird. Jake isn't necessarily super tall for his age, he just has big feet, so I'm wondering if he'll end up being big like my brother who is 6'4". I keep hoping he'll be tall because if he's short, with super huge feet, he might look like a Hobbit or something. Minus the hair.
So what size shoe do your kids wear?

Quote of the Day

2010-03-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

"Everyone needs to find the one thing that brings out her passion. It's what we do and share with the world that matters."

~Beth Hoffman

Alice Katherine

2010-03-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

This is one of kiddos that was at our house yesterday. Isn't Alice adorable?

Lazy Saturday

2010-03-27T09:59:00.000-07:00

THIS Cannot Be My Child!!

2010-03-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

Yep, Folks, that's Jake. And that is a tray of vegetables. And that is half of a carrot stick in his right hand and the other half is in his mouth.

He was only eating the carrot sticks but Hey, he hasn't touched a vegetable in years!

Note to self: Keep a supply of carrot sticks and Ranch dip in the fridge.

Diego, R.I.P.

2010-03-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I hosted a playdate. Poor Diego didn't fare very well. Three 3 year old boys..... he never had a chance!

You Must Read This!

2010-03-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

You must read this blog post!!!!
This is something that is very near and dear to my heart.
This post was written by a lady named Kelle Hampton and the story is the birth story of her daughter Nella and the moment she realized that Nella was born with Down Syndrome. Its very raw and honest and if you are able to get through that blog post without shedding a tear, then you need to see a Doctor because you were possible born with out a heart!

BTW: How precious is that little crocheted hat and booties Nella is wearing in the photo of her and her pediatrician?

Little Apple Pies

2010-03-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

Mmmmmm, is your mouth watering?

I have the most delicious recipe to share with Y'all so grab a pen and write this down!!!

Little Apple Pies

3 tubes (8oz each)
1 can Apple Pie Filling (15oz)
1/3 cup of sugar
2 Tablespoons of margarine spread
3/4 cup of Mountain Dew
Ground Cinnamon (optional)

1. Unroll all of the crescent rolls and put a spoonful of the filling onto each triangle. Roll them up and place into a greased 13x9 baking dish
2. In a bowl combine sugar and butter; sprinkle over the top of the rolls. Carefully pour the soda around the rolls. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon if desired.
3. Bake uncovered at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve warm with vanilla icecream.

This recipe is super easy and I'm going to play around with some different fillings. Don't leave out the Mountain Dew Y'all, that's the secret to keeping these little rolls moist although I suppose you could substitute with some Sprite or Ginger Ale. Also, After I took my rolls out of the oven I immediately transferred them onto a plate and that kept them from getting too gooey by sitting in the juice/leaked out apple filling. Anyways, give this simple recipe a try, you won't be disappointed!

Book#10 Done!

2010-03-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

10 Down-40 to go!

My latest book was Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman. This was a wonderful story, just the warm and fuzzy kinda story that I needed right after reading Edgar Sawtelle. I genuinely loved this book, probably because it was another book set in the South. I just really loved the cast of women and their eccentricities. This book is full of wonderful heartwarming quotes you are sure to love. Be sure to put this quick read on your reading list!

2010-03-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

Hmmm, Shelby Claire..... you have a little something on your face..... Yep, right there.......

So I knew something was up when I took a quick trip to the bathroom and Shelby Claire (who is my little 16 lb shadow) didn't immediately follow and slip her fingers under the door and scream Why did you leave me?!
So when I got out, I quickly tracked her down and found out why she didn't feel the need to monitor my bathroom behavior. Someone apparently got a hold of one of Jake's markers. Someone, I'm not naming any names here.....

I Heart Peacocks!

2010-03-24T12:29:00.000-07:00

Its no secret, I LOVE peacocks! I can't really say what exactly the draw is other than I find them breathtakingly beautiful. I mean, really, isn't it amazing that such vivid and beautiful colors are found in nature? I love them so much that I have fantasies of living in a big Southern Antebellum home, preferably on an old Plantation with lots of acreage, and having peacocks strolling along the grounds. So until that dream becomes a reality, I will just have to settle on stalking any peacock I can find at a zoo or wherever.
These pictures are from our trip to the Las Vegas Zoo, which if you live in the Vegas area and haven't been yet, you really aren't missing anything. By far the most fascinating animal to me was this peacock (and my ostrich buddy) and I followed him around quite a bit to try to get some more shots of his beautiful plumage. He was very cooperative and spread his plume a few times. He also let me get pretty close, but I tried not to invade his space too much. If you've ever gotten really close to a peacock before, they have quite the pointy beak and some viscous looking claws so I was leery about ticking him off. Thank God for zoom lenses!!

Quote of the Day

2010-03-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

"Laugh at everyone, especially yourself."

— Grace Brown

I Heart Faces

2010-03-23T13:11:00.000-07:00

Ok so I'm finally taking a leap and entering the challenge over at I Heart Faces. This week's theme is "Focusing on Angels" and so I thought I had the perfect pic of my Angel Face to enter. Here's my entry:

Wish me luck!
Which by the way, if you've never ventured over to that site and are super passionate about photography (Sarah Sharp!) then you must go and check it out. I've been obsessively reading this site for a while now (it has some great tutorials) and finally worked up the courage to enter one of the contests.

UPDATE/DISCLAIMER: Ok, so I'm stupid! Once I posted this to my blog and then linked up to I Heart Faces, the "Oh Crap" realization just hit me. I just got so excited once that I actually worked up the nerve to enter this contest that once I started looking through my folders of pictures I kind of forgot what the actual contest was about. I blame being blinded by the extreme cuteness of Shelby Claire! So although the theme is "Focusing on Angles" and while this is a sweet Angel Face, the whole point of this week's challenge is interesting angles! Yep these folks are gonna think, "Gee, that poor girl over at Puddin' Sugar can't read..." Seriously, one little letter switcheroo and whole contest changes in my mind! And not only that, this picture was taken straight on, not really what anyone would call and interesting angle. So anywho, I've just embarrassed myself royally in the blogosphere, seeing as though anyone that has entered that contest, the judges as well as the general public can click on my link and then see that yes, I am in fact a complete ditz. I guess I can dye my hair brown all I want but the blonde with all the blonde moments will always be here! But I'm gonna keep giving myself a pep talk and work on next weeks theme, "Dramatic B&W". Surely I can't mess that up, right? And I promise I Heart Faces People, I do have a college degree, I really can read, I promise......

Date Night

2010-03-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

The Hubs and I got to go on a date while my parents were here. Isn't he handsome?

Shelby Claire at the Park

2010-03-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Can you tell it was a little windy that day?

Seriously, I think this might be my favorite pic of Shelby Claire, ever. I don't know why, something about her expression, I guess. And yep, that's a plastic Easter Egg she is holding. Who needs expensive toys? This kids is perfectly happy with Tupperware and Easter Eggs!

Park

2010-03-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

So, we're pretty fortunate that our neighborhood has small parks all around. I guess its the community's way of making up for the postage stamp sized Yards O' Gravel. Its really just a short walk, or in Jake's case, a short bike ride. He convinced his Pop to take him down to the park everyday, he was in Heaven!

I just love how Jake's hair is all staticy from coming down the slide.

Book# 9 Done!!

2010-03-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

For those of you counting, that's 9 down- 41 to go!!

My 9th book was The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. I bought it just because it was an Oprah Book Club Selection, can't go wrong with one of those, right? Ok, so let me just say that I really don't want to write anything negative about any of the books I read because I understand that a book is a result of months and months and sometimes years of an author's hard work and outpouring of one's soul. So, that being said, I agree with one reader's review of this book on Goodreads where she said that this book "is a tragedy.. a cross between King Lear and Old Yeller". I think that I'm too much of a "happy ending" girl and I really expected this to be a warm, fuzzy coming of age type story about a boy and his dogs. But, that being said, if you like a good tragedy, this may be the book for you. It really is beautifully written. The descriptions of the dogs and their relationship with their owner is almost magical, I think any dog owner/lover would love that. It also is a very haunting tale, I actually finished this book up 2 days ago and I'm still mulling it over in my head. Isn't that what every author or artist wants, to create a little controversy? It will keep people talking!

Hiatus

2010-03-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm back. I was on a little hiatus because my Parents came in town last week. I'll try to catch up on blogging because I have lots of stories and pictures although I really should be cleaning up, all those little things that I didn't do last week because I used my Parents' visit as an excuse. Amazing how much laundry can pile up in a week when I don't get in my "load a day". Really, who wants to be folding laundry during "vacation"?..... or cleaning bathrooms.....or dusting. Did you know that Las Vegas is the Dust Capital of the World? No? Well, not really, I totally made that up but it really could win that title if there was one. I need to dust, seriously, every other day. Its so frustrating when I see that fine layer of dust on all my furniture, not to mention BLINDS and think, "Didn't I just do this?" And really, why is it that I am so drawn to dark wood finishes? The dust just jumps out at cha!
In other good news, Tim is back on a Day shift so things will be semi-normal around here. If the kids want to run around and screech like Howler Monkeys, (really what 3yo and 1yo doesn't want to do that?!) then they are free to do so since Daddy isn't sleeping in the next room.
So, stay tuned Folks, I gotta a lot of posts coming!!!

Typical

2010-03-11T19:16:00.000-08:00

So yesterday, I got the camera out to try to snap a few pictures of the kids, since I hadn't been blogging that much lately. The results I got were typical, sweet faces from Shelby Claire like this:

and this:

and this:

From Jake, I got this:

And this:

Yep, that pretty much sums their personalities up right there.

Congrats are in Order!!

2010-03-11T12:54:00.000-08:00

A BIG Shout- Out to the Cochran family who welcomed Elizabeth Catherine "Ellie Cate" on Tuesday morning. At least I'm pretty sure it was the 9th, to be honest Tim's night schedule has our whole routine messed up, I don't know if I'm coming or going! Anyways, Ellie Cate has arrived and is just perfect! Ellie Cate weighed a whopping 8 lbs 6oz, which may not sound all that big, but for those of you that know Conner personally, she is a TINY little lady, so an 8 lb-er is BIG! Ellie Cate is just beautiful and has an amazing set of chubby cheeks! I hear Ruby Jane is thrilled about being a big sister, Conner is resting and recovering nicely and Jason couldn't be any more thrilled to be the Daddy of 2 such gorgeous daughters! Here's to a speedy recovery and we are praying for your family.

Sleepy Girl

2010-03-08T15:13:00.001-08:00

Shelby Claire was a little sleepy in this picture but hey, at least she wasn't crying!

Book #8- Done!

2010-03-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

8 Books Down- 42 To Go!

So, my 8th book was In My Dark Dreams by J.F. Freedman. This was the first book I've ever read my Mr. Freedman and I really enjoyed it. The book is about a man that gets arrested and the case against him is largely circumstantial so I spent the whole book going back and forth, did he do it or not? Really great writing and I love stories that I can't figure out until the very end. If you like a good legal drama and don't mind all of the courtroom proceedings, which I actually found very interesting, then this is a good choice for you.

No Cost Cork Board Makeover

2010-03-02T09:03:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I got A LOT of home catalogs, awesome. It was like Christmas morning for me. So I started flipping through the pages and the ideas started coming. I sawTHIS cork board from Ballard Designs.

Pretty cool right? The Damask print is printed directly onto the cork itself, I mean I could do that right? Well, I went out to the garage and got out my old cork board, I mean, this thing is ancient. It used to hang in my room from about middle school on.

See, basic cork board, not in the best shape but its what I had and my plan was if this didn't look somewhat presentable, I would cover it with fabric. So, while I LOVE Damask stuff, I really didn't know if I would have the patience to freehand a pattern, then draw it all over the cork board. Also, as I said, this cork board has seen better days so I knew that it was going to be hard to get a perfect line. So, I started flipping through Crate and Barrel and found THIS print.

Well, Heck, that's just a bunch of circles and the effect is really lovely. So I had my plan. I used an overturned martini glass to make my circles, tracing around the top with a brown sharpie. I just kept going until it got the way I wanted it. I do like how the circles are thicker in the print and you could probably get that same effect if you had a bigger marker but, again, I was using just what I had around the house.
So, circles done, the actual frame of the cork board was starting to bother me. So I stained it, and by "stained it" I really mean I just took my brown Sharpie and colored all over the wooden frame. Ah, Much better! Now it didn't look quite as funny but it still needed something so I went through all my ribbon. I found this dark wine color that had a white stitch around the edge and started making a criss-cross pattern with the ribbon, securing it with nail head tacks. Then I hot glued a ribbon around the inside edge of the frame, just to give it a more finished look. Almost done. I then sanded the edges of the wooden frame to give it a more rustic look and by "sanding", I mean used an emery board, because that's all we had. All about using what you got, People! Sorry about the lack of pictures for step by step but I really wasn't sure how much I would actually like it but I think it turned out great! Here's the finished product:

It hangs on this little dividing wall between the kitchen and our living room, above our telephone.
Here's a close-up:

The edges of my circles are not perfect, but my cork was pretty bad since it is like, 100 years old. I think it adds to the rustic charm. And see? The Sharpie actually does look like wood stain. I may go back later and buy some more trim to go around the edges of the frame, just to give it a little more Oomph but for using stuff that I had around the house, this ain't bad!

Quote of the Day

2010-03-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
— Dr. Seuss

My Mom is gonna kill me for putting up such a sad picture! I took this yesterday because I was trying to get a pic of Shelby Claire in a new pillowcase dress that a friend made her. She wasn't happy at all and yes, I'm that Mom that just keeps taking pictures regardless of her child's feelings. Since it is Dr. Seuss' birthday, I found that quote and knew that I had the perfect shot to go with it.

Shelby Claire

2010-02-27T15:41:00.000-08:00

The Many Faces of Jake

2010-02-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

Quote of the Day

2010-02-26T12:44:00.000-08:00

"A military wife's life is easier than you think. All you have to do is accept the impossible, do without the indispensable, bear the intolerable, and be able to smile at anything."
~ Anonymous

And We're Back.....

2010-02-23T14:42:00.000-08:00

Not that its really been noticeable to anyone else probably but we've been M.I.A. for the past 2 days. Somehow our computer got a NASTY and I mean NASTY virus that took us FOR-EVER to get rid of. Seriously I was all for taking it to the Geek Squad at Best Buy which is what my Bro, the resident family Computer Geek suggested. But alas, with Tim working this late shift right now, running errands with 2 kids to a place like Best Buy is really not high on my list. I mean, they will be good for a little while in Target or the Grocery Store but at least there I can bribe them with food! So, things just don't get done. We sit around the house and try to be quiet-ish some Tim can sleep. So Tim finally was able to sit down and try for the second time to remove the virus since he had a day off, and by day off, I really mean night off so he had nothing else better to do in the middle of the night than to mess around with the computer. Anywho, like I said, probably no one noticed that we weren't online for the past 2 days, but boy I did! I mean, what did we ever do before the Internet, Blogs and Facebook? And an even better question to ask would be how the heck would we survive if we had to be without the Internet. I shudder to think about it!

Book #7- Done!

2010-02-23T14:01:00.000-08:00

7 Down- 43 to Go!

So, this last book I read was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Mrs. Stockett from Jackson, MS and I believe this is her only novel so far. I really can't say enough good things about this book. Its set in Jackson in the early 60's and deals with the complicated race relations, relationships between women and good ole Southern Society. Its beautifully written and was an incredibly fast read. My only negative comment is that I want a sequel!! I became so attached to these women, I'm dying to know what else happens in their lives. I encourage anyone to read this book but ESPECIALLY all My Peeps from Mississippi, it truly is a MUST.

And please Mrs. Stockett, get working on that sequel :)

Saturday Cuteness

2010-02-20T12:18:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I just don't know why I even bother trying to stage pictures when my kids seem to have the attention span of Goldfish. Today was one of those days, like trying to herd cats, but here are the best ones.

Ok Family, in this last picture I totally see my Dad in Jake or even pictures I've seen of my Dad's Dad. Am I the only one that sees this?

Lost Socks

2010-02-19T14:56:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder where socks wander off to? I mean, you wear them in pairs, you take them off in pairs. That is, unless you are Shelby Claire, who occasionally likes to go around with only 1 sock on. But for the most part, socks generally make it into the laundry basket so how is it when I'm doing laundry that I always have leftovers? I got this basket and made a quick label (because I'm obsessed with this scrapbooking paper I bought) and put in on a table in our laundry room.

Hopefully this will help us with our sock crisis but I still think that matching up baby socks will remain the bane of my existence!

Dining Room Hutch Makeover- Part 1

2010-02-18T14:43:00.000-08:00

I love, love, LOVE my dining room furniture but the hutch is a bit of a black hole. It just needed a little something in the back to really make my dishes pop out.

So I wallpapered the back of the hutch, well, not exactly. I used pieces of scrapbooking paper and some double sided tape.

Ok, so I ran out of paper, that's why I don't have a full on view. The top left squares aren't papered. Darn, I guess I gotta go back to Michael's! I love the way my white dishes pop off the colored paper now. Ideally I wish that the pattern on the paper was bigger but this looks great until I can find the exact print that I have in my head. That's exactly why I used tape and not a glue adhesive, no commitment!

See, isn't the pattern cool? Almost has a Celtic feel, just wish it was a little bigger.

Also love the apple green against that terracotta color.

I will definitely post about this again when I get those last pieces of paper :)

Another Quick Little Project

2010-02-17T15:27:00.000-08:00

Since I moved my candlesticks around yesterday, I had to replace them on that other table. Well, I didn't have to but I had some candles and more paper of course so I thought, What the Heck?

So here it is, I also added some ribbon.

A little further back to show you the chairs I was also talking about yesterday. (the bookself is on the far left wall) While I'm still not super crazy about what is going on on this table, like I said, it seems to be the only child proof table that the kids leave alone so its been collecting a lot of items. Now excuse me while I go clean out that basket full of magazines!! I have such a hard time parting with catalogs, I betcha I have many duplicates in that there basket! Must. Purge. The. Clutter!!

Book #6-Done!

2010-02-17T11:04:00.000-08:00

6 Down- 44 to Go!

So, I'm steadily trucking along with my New Year's Reading Challenge. This last book was Slipping into Darkness by Peter Blauner. This was the first novel I've read by Mr. Blauner and I can honestly say, he has a new fan. I love a good detective/murder/mystery and this book didn't let me down with the twists and turns and fast pace. I had read some reviews on Goodreads and some people were saying negative things, like that it was fairly obvious who the killer was early on and I have to whole heartedly disagree. I had NO clue up until the very end and those are the best stories, in my opinion! I will look for more Pete Blauner novels to add to my collection.

No Cost Entertainment Center Makeover

2010-02-16T14:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I can't believe I'm showing you this, its so embarassing! Our entertainment center is in need of a serious overhaul!

Eeek! See what I mean? When we first moved, before I bought our bookcases, I had all of our books on these shelves. I mean ALL of them, like they were stacked 2 and 3 rows deep!

Anyways, when we got our new shelves, I cleaned this baby out and then the empty shelves became a catch-all of junk. See the laptop, baby lotion and toy juke box?

So this was my inspiration from the Pottery Barn catalog. This Logan system has very similar lines and we also have tall ceilings so there is plenty of space to accessorize on the top of our entertainment system as well.

Here's what I did. And look, I did it all while watching reruns of Bravo's Shear Genius. This was the one where the dude got hair bleach in his model's eye!!
While I'm not finished I really love the difference it made and better yet, it was Fuh-Ree!
Can't beat shopping in your own home! I just went around collecting some accessories and placing them on the shelves. I really love the moss pots and the prints at the top of the Logan center, gotta get brainstorming to do my own take.

Recognize the candlesticks? I switched out the holders to some silver ones (real sterling, I might add! Gotta love a good heirloom) because they were shorter but also I thought the silver looked better with the frame and the urn.

This is one of my favorite pics of me and my hubby. We don't get our picture taken together often, usually because I'm the one behind the camera. Isn't he handsome?

Also, the glass vase is so gorgeous in person, the photo doesn't even do it justice. Its something The Hubs and I got on our Honeymoon almost 5 years ago.

Hope you enjoyed the little peek into my living room! This is a work in progress so there definitely will be more to come soon!

Design Tip

2010-02-16T13:46:00.000-08:00

This really stems from a conversation that I had with my brother this morning. We were discussing DIY projects and I was suggesting that he try to take a project of doing built-in bookshelves on either side of his fireplace. His reply was, "Well, we have 2 chairs there". I was assuring him that this is a common design misconception, you don't necessarily have to put furniture just in front of bare walls. Here's what I mean:

Here's a shot of one of my book cases, also flanking a fireplace. My original plan was to have a book case on either side of the fireplace with a leather club chair in front of each, creating an intimate, almost library feel. We found a couch that we fell in love with and have ordered and due to the measurements of this space we had to shift things a bit. I now have my leather club chairs perpendicular to one book case and the couch will go perpendicular to the other case. Pictures too follow soon.

But, I digress.

Here's a side view. And Jon, I took some measurements for you. The bookshelf actually is only 15" deep and then there is about 15" of space between the edge of the chair. Its a little snug, just at that point, because the chair is at an angle.There is plenty of space behind the chair and on the side to look through my collection of books. Really I would recommend 18" of space between your bookshelf and your chair. So really, if you were to build in bookshelves, it probably would only effect your traffic pattern by about 33" or as in my case 30" which really isn't that big of a deal.

So, don't be afraid to place your furniture in front of other pieces. Take a risk, that's what decorating is all about!

Quote of the Day

2010-02-16T11:39:00.000-08:00

"My little dog—a heartbeat at my feet."

— Edith Wharton

If you need a good laugh.....

2010-02-16T10:40:00.000-08:00

Go to Awkward Family Photos. This site always cracks me up!

I especially love the cheese-tastic posed pictures, like in a photo studio. Hilarious!
You gotta wonder what people were thinking sometimes. And even better, what if you walked into someone's home and there was a giant 24x30 print of one of these babies over the mantle?

I think the Christmas PJ ones remain my favorite Family Awkwardness.
Here are some Honorable Mentions:

And don't we all have a pic like this? Remember The Great Christmas Card Fiasco of 2009?

Another Project..

2010-02-15T19:01:00.000-08:00

I got these monstrous cannisters a while back from, you guessed it, Target.

Normally I don't like things on the countertops because your kitchen can look really cluttered, really fast however this kitchen is big enough to support some things on the countertops, especially in this deep corner. Like I said these cannisters have been sitting here for a couple of months and they just look so boring, even with my fun turquoise scoops in there. So I used some of the scrapbook paper from THIS craft and some ribbon that I had in my hairbow supplies and a little hot glue and......

Much better. I do realize that they don't need labels because they are glass but I had to do something to jazz them up.

A Little Taste of Spring

2010-02-15T15:43:00.000-08:00

Since Vegas is like one of the only places that is experiencing Spring-like temperatures (65 degrees!), I've been in a very "Springy" mood. I decided to try to perk up the house a little. I've seen this on a few different crafting blogs and am sorry to say that I can't remember who to give the credit. Anyways, here's this simple way to update your home and it packs a lot of punch!

You take some pillar candles, just whatever you have. Can you believe that the little wooden candle holders were a find on the dollar aisle of Target a couple years ago? I wish I had bought more.

Then you just wrap the candle with some scrapbooking paper or wrapping paper, any kind that you like, and secure it with some tape. Most of the blogs that I saw this on was holiday papers and then you just change them out for the next holiday. I just happend to see this scrapbooking paper when I was shopping today and thought it was fun and bright and would go with everything else in my house.

The little leather and bead thingy came on the candle and I liked it so I decided to keep it on there. It seems to be getting a little lost so I may have to rethink it a little.

Right now this is its home. I don't really love what's going on on this table but so far this seems to be one of the only flat surfaces that the kids leave alone. I do like that when I glance across the room, I see that pop of color. I definitely will be doing this more and more!

My Husband Loves Me......

2010-02-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day with those you love.

Nestle Tollhouse Dark Chocolate and Mint Chip Cookies

2010-02-15T14:12:00.000-08:00

If a Double Fudge Brownie and a Super Decadent Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie got married and had a kid, this would be their love child:

I found that Nestle's makes a mixture of Dark Chocolate chips and Mint chips, so, since we love all things Mint and Chocolate around here, I bought a bag. I used the recipe on the back of the package and believe me when I tell you, they are FAB-U-LOUS!! Granted, my cookies don't look all that appealing, well, lets be honest, the kinda look like blobs of Poo with strange green chips in them. In my defense, I had a 3 year old "helping" me bake them so what can you do? I totally encourage everyone to go out and buy a bag and try them out for yourself, you won't be disappointed!

I Think Its Safe To Say......

2010-02-13T17:59:00.000-08:00

That Shelby Claire has the prettiest eyes. Ever. And yes, this is a completely objective opinion.

You Can Practically HEAR the Eye Roll!

2010-02-13T17:39:00.000-08:00

This morning Tim and I were trying to explain the whole concept of Valentine's Day to Jake. We were telling him that it was a special holiday where you tell people that you love them and of course, eat candy and cookies.
I asked Jake if he was going to be my Valentine for Valentine's Day. This was his response.

Seriously, he knows how to make a gal feel loved!

"Holy Bed-Head, Batman!"

2010-02-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

This was Shelby Claire's hair after she woke up from her nap today. Wow.

Just Because...

2010-02-13T12:53:00.001-08:00

Just When I Think I Have This Kid Figured Out......

2010-02-13T08:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was unpacking some more of our boxes, you know, the stuff that just ends up getting moved from house to house because you're too lazy to go through it all. This isn't stuff that we need however, I can't bring myself to just chunk the whole box without me going through every last piece of junk. Or, is that just me?
Anywho, I came across some "Cars" temporary tatoos that I guess I bought a while back thinking they were stickers. So I tried to explain them to Jake but it was much easier to just show him, so I put one on his arm, and not just any one, Lightning McQueen himself. Well, the kid Freaked!! I mean, I thought this was right up his alley, the child will put a sticker on anything, including his little sister, but he just Freaked Out because he couldn't get it off. He was rubbing and scratching at his arm saying, "I don't want it! I don't like it!" Tim thought this was hysterical and so did I except I couldn't laugh because Jake was so upset. Did I mention he Freaked? Tim said, "Kid, I hope you remember this when you are a teenager."

"Look at Me, Mommy...."

2010-02-13T08:06:00.000-08:00

"...I'm upside down!!"

Iron Man

2010-02-12T11:45:00.000-08:00

Heroes Aren't Born, They're Built.

And in typical Jake fashion, he was "shooting" me with Iron Man. He'll do anything to avoid having his picture taken these days.

Happy Friday!

2010-02-12T11:03:00.000-08:00

Poor Shelby Claire, she's had a rough morning. She's woken up with a fever, scratched her face (Again, Darn those sharp baby nails!) and hit her head on the edge of Jake's play table--Twice. But boy, is she in a good mood! Oh, to be as resilient as a toddler...

Guest Room Lamp Re-Vamp

2010-02-11T21:24:00.000-08:00

So I got this lamp at Home Goods a while back and I have it in the Guest Bedroom. Can we just observe a moment of reverence for Home Goods.........

So I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! the shape of the lamp and the shape of the shade is a nice compliment but, its always bothered me that it is stark white. I mean, it just screams Lampshade!

So I found this fabric piece that was buried within my crafting stuff and started covering the shade.

Here's what it looks like, a big improvement but I still think it needs some trim or something. There were a couple of slits in this fabric and I need to clean up my edges some way. Also, while I do love the black I kinda think that it might be a bit harsh in this room. I'm thinking of doing some sort of wash or glaze or something.... my wheels are spinning. Thoughts?

This is a little bit further back, just so can see how it looks with the bedding. EEK! I know, this room needs some work!

Baby Hollyn

2010-02-11T16:46:00.000-08:00

My friend from college McCall asked me to help her with her picture for her birth announcement for Sweet Baby Hollyn. Since I obviously can't be in Mississippi to photograph her myself, McCall emailed me a photo to work a little Photoshop magic. Hollyn is already a month old so McCall really wants to get the announcements out A.S.A.P!

Here's the original. Cute right? But poor Miss Hollyn has 2 little scratches on her face (Darn those sharp baby nails!) and McCall wasn't super wild about the Kitty Ballerina, while cute, just maybe not birth announcement cute.

So, Voila! Kitty, BE GONE!

I think this one is my favorite

So, there you go. Subtle changes but I hope you decide on one you like McCall!

Quote of the Day

2010-02-10T09:58:00.001-08:00

"I hate housework. You make the beds, you wash the dishes and six months later you have to start all over again."

— Joan Rivers

Rain Rain, Go Away....

2010-02-09T12:57:00.001-08:00

Its been cold and rainy here in Las Vegas today, something that doesn't happen often.

Dear Ikea....

2010-02-09T09:49:00.000-08:00

Dear Ikea,
I have been covetting your Trollsta Sideboard for a while now and I'm totally bummed that it is not one of your products available to buy online. I don't understand why half of your inventory is available online and half isn't. Even more of a bummer, there isn't an Ikea here in Las Vegas. What's up with that? Las Vegas is certainly a big enough town to support an Ikea. Please build one here immediately or at the very least, open up ALL of your inventory to purchase online. I already have a perfect place reserved for my Trollsta Sideboard. Ikea, the ball is in your court!
Thanks,
Erin

Ribbon Topiary

2010-02-08T18:01:00.000-08:00

So, I came across this amazing idea while reading one of my crafting blogs, Brown Paper Packages.

Here's the link to the original Ribbon Topiary. (She definitely gives better instructions)

First I stuck a florist's ball on top of a dowel rod and stuck it in a bucket. The bucket was a little find at the dollar aisle of Target a while back and I had the dowel already in my craft supplies.

Then I selected my ribbons from all my hairbow supplies, that would match Shelby Claire's bedding. I cut 3 inch pieces and then looped them over and attached them to the craft ball using a straight pin. (some of my really wide pieces took 2 pins)
So I just kept working and attaching until I ended up with this:

A full Ball O' Ribbon!

I made a bow to go on the side of the bucket, just to add my own touch to it. I also used some silver, sparkly, scrapbooking letters for her initials.

And here's the finished product:

Voila, Easy Peasy! Most all of the supplies I already had, I just bought the ball and the fake moss that I filled in the bucket with. So I think the whole thing cost, maybe $4, can't beat that!

Thanks so much Brown Paper Packages for inspiring me!!!

Quote of the Day

2010-02-08T09:31:00.000-08:00

"The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one."

— Erma Bombeck

Book #5- Done!

2010-02-08T08:39:00.000-08:00

5 Down- 45 to Go!

My 5th book was S is for Silence by Sue Grafton. This actually was my first Grafton novel and I feel like I've been missing out. My father really likes this series and I remember starting one of these novels, way back, and not really getting into it for some reason. But, this one was great!! It was well written and just the network of characters, I had no idea "Whodunit" until the very end. VERY good, if you like a good mystery. I now must start back over at the beginning with letter A so, you may be seeing a lot more Sue Graftons in my Reading Challenge posts.

Super Bowl

2010-02-08T08:05:00.000-08:00

So Tim ended up not having to go into work last night so we watched the Super Bowl. This by far was the funniest commercial, well, really the only funny commercial. What happened? I remember these Super Bowl commercials being a lot funnier in past years. Also, the half time shows aren't as good as they used to be. I totally blame Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson for screwing that up. They haven't had anyone remotely relavent since those 2 performed and had a "Wardrobe Malfunction". Yeah Right!