So much to say...

Do you ever feel like you have so much to do you don't know where to start? I do. Typically I do nothing when I get like that. That's how I feel with blogging, way behind so I don't know where to start. So, I'll start with a cute pic of baby c.





What happened? When did he almost get to 2? He's acting 2 even though he technically isn't there yet. When he gets mad, he will throw himself on the ground and roll around crying. I just walk away. Don't know if that is good pArenting but thats how it goes at my house. I've also noticed that he will stiffen his body and straighten his arms above his head when he doesn't want me to pick him up because he realized that made it harder for me. It's quite irritating.

Did I tell you that i. Teaching 3 classes and not really working at the firm anymore? I want to figure out how to get some design work back in- especially on days like today when in my class of 3 students, 1 had car troubles and didn't show up and the other 2 didn't bring their projects that are due cause the didn't understand the directions... Which is bull. I don't think they realize what is going to happen when I take 50% off for being late. Most days I like it though.

There's more to say but I better get back to class. More later.

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Best. Movie. Ever.

Okay, maybe not the best but it's up there. I was sitting in church on Sunday wishing the choir would bust out in this number. If our music minister decides to add it to the repertoire then I will be there to do the rap part. It's my dream.

I'm serious- I'll do it.

New Addition

Check out the new addition to our living room on my design blog. 

Reality

I was flipping through pictures to find the most perfect and beautiful pictures of our Christmas decorations and I found this one.  It wouldn't be right to show my clean house if I didn't show you this first... since it is how the house looks 99% of the time.  Please tell me I'm not the only one.

Make Your Own Wrapping Paper

I'm so behind on posting.  I'm a little overwhelmed by that.  I have a bunch of Christmas pictures that I intended to post as they happened and now Christmas has come and gone and no one cares about our family Christmas but I'm going to post them anyways.  Baby steps.  Maybe by March I can knock it out.  I'm overwhelmed by a lot right now to be honest.  I have projects I want to do, goals I want to accomplish, things that need cleaning, folding,straightening, cooking and crafting.  I feel like I'm constantly moving and working yet I'm not getting very much done.  Then at night when I want to crawl into bed and watch TV like a zombie I feel so guilty that I'm not up accomplishing things. 

Deep Breath.

Now to what I wanted to tell you.  This Christmas I tried a craft project with Cason.  I love crafts and I'm sure some people think we have a daily craft time at my house and let me assure you- one day we will- but for now, I'm too afraid to bring out the paints and markers for fear of the mess. 

I got brave and decided we could paint the brown craft paper I was using to wrap presents.  This way we could wrap grandparents presents in personalized paper.  I stripped cason down, covered the entire kitchen table in the brown paper and got out my silver and gold paints.  Red and Green would have made more of an impact but you know what happens when red and green paint gets mixed (ugly) and those colors didn't match my other presents (and we can't stray from that). 

I even made a potato stamp so C could stamp hearts on the paper. 

 I had to make some of the marks because C only really wanted to color in one spot.  Hand prints were the most fun and probably the part grandparents would want to see most. 
            As I'm typing this I realize that I should have cut out a hand print for me and put it in a little frame.  Now I'm irritated at myself for not having that little treasure.  Ugh.

 Very proud C with his finished work.  He went straight to the bathtub after that!

I also should have had a picture of the wrapped present but I don't.  Here is a pic of some other stamping I did on the brown paper. 

I stamped the LOVE on one package then outlined it in glitter pen.  The package below it is the one we wrapped in C's paper but you can't really tell.

I encourage you to try this project next year.  Lots of fun and really quite easy.  It cost $0 since I had all the supplies.  Just remember to save yourself a hand print!

Before and After

Just wanted to show you some sweet pictures of C and a little photoshop stuff. 

The boy that lives next door is in high school and is interested in photography.  He's got a great camera and loves taking pictures so I love letting him use C as his model.  He shot some photos while cason was playing in the yard the other day and let us have them.  They turned out so great- I really have no idea how he got shots like this and every photo I take C has his eyes closed. 

Here is one shot:

I love it but I thought I would try to give it a little boost. 

Now I really love it.  Boost is exactly what it is called in Pioneer Woman's Actions for Photoshop.  It's super easy, just the press of a button and bam- lots of color pop.  If you are not reading this womans web site, you really must.  Packed with great stuff. 

Here's Another:

I think this one is cute but I don't love his facial expression.  To me, when people are not smiling in photos it looks too "directed"... Like the photographer is in the background saying- "Give me a sexy face" and the person in the photo immediately wipes away the smile and pokes the lips out.  Hello, smiles are sexy people.  You look nice, approachable and pretty when you smile. 
Sorry, excuse my rant.  I guess I have been looking at too many senior pictures lately.  I know he isn't being directed here, I mean, he's not even 2!  I picked this one to play with because I thought I could get some good color pop. 

I boosted and sharpened this one using her actions but I also sharpened his eyes and added a little color to his lips.  I think his bright pink lips look so cute in the other shot and he was looking washed out in this one.  I was trying to make sure he didn't look like he was wearing makeup.  Then I added a little blur around the edges and I like how it turned out.  Oh, and I cropped it before I did anything.

What do you think?

Soup

With fistfuls (yes, that is plural) Cason waved his hands in the air. Waved them like he didn't care.



I have some cleaning up to do.

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Home Office Help?

You can read this article.  You might recognize one of the names... it's mine!  Someone called the Art Institute and wanted one of the design instructors to comment for their article in Panache magazine.  Since I am the only design instructor, I got interviewed.  I made it clear that my experience is in commercial work and I don't deal with as many residential clients but she didn't care and said I had very good points.  I believe this magazine has been out for a couple of weeks and I have recieved 0 (as in zero) calls, emails, texts, facebooks, or other sort of communication to tell me how much they learned from my insightful office commentary.  I have also recieved 0 (as in zero) people begging me to create the perfect home office design for them.  I'm sure all those messages were left at the school and I will get them when I get back.  I will say that althought I have recieved 0 (still zero) calls, the author did a great job putting my comments in a way that made me sound somewhat intelligent- which I can promise you I did not on the phone. 

Enjoy the article!  Home Offices- Panache Magazine

Is it just a stage?

Cason is obsessed with Finding Nemo.  Obsessed.  Every morning when he wakes up and walks through the den he begins requesting "nemo, nemo".  after breakfast he continues to request until it turns into a screaming fit of rage.  Same thing after nap and any other time of the day we are in the house.  I don't know how long this will last or if it is the beginning of him falling in love with the TV.  If so, I need to put a stop to it now.  If it's just a passing thing, I will avoid the screaming fits and let him have a little Nemo.  It's frustrating because he never really watched TV until last week when I put nemo on so I could finish cooking. 

Please tell me some of your kids have had similar things. 

Wish List Shoes

I live a happy normal like with my clearance rack jeans and my target shoes.  I don't need more... I rarely want more.  But I do want these.  Really bad.


Are they practical?  Probably Not.  Are there other sequin shoes out there?  Probably so.  Why do I want them?  I seriously have no idea!

They are sequin UGGS. 

I blame my mom.  When we were growing up we were not allowed to get the brown leather jacket with the map on the inside... or Jabeau jeans... or even a hypercolor shirt.  I was deprived of all these things that made someone in Jr. High cool.  Now I need the approval of the jr. highers.  So really i NEED these shoes... or else I shall go the rest of my life seeking the brands that will make you popular to fill the void in my life that a lack of Guess jeans left.

I have no idea how much these shoes are.  I cannot look.  I'm thinking they cost more than I spent on my kitchen table. 

Disclaimer: I was not deprived as a child.  Please do not judge my mother for not providing me with these things.  It is mostly not her fault I was not cool in jr. high.  We were dressed just fine in our Gap clothes....unfortunatly Gap was not that cool for Jr. Highers.  Even though I am aware of my issues, I'm doing the same thing to my child.  The sales are just so good.

Disclaimer 2: I will not be getting these for Christmas.  I already know that.  It just helps me to share sometimes. 

Christmas Ideas for Little Ones

If you are looking for something for your little one, these are a few things on Cason's Christmas List.  He won't be getting all of them...and he doesn't even know he has a list, but hopefully it will inspire you if you don't know what to buy.

Mini Dyson Vacuum. 

Um, how cool is this?  It really works and apparently they can empty the canister too.  It looks like the Amazon one is sold out but I found this one at http://www.leapsandbounds.com/ for $34.  I think that's reasonably priced considering other Dysons are un-reasonably priced.

I have never purchased anything from Pottery Barn Kids before.  I love most everything there but the prices are a little high.  I think the prices on these are pretty good too.

We have a long hallway and this foam bowling set would be perfect.  I think Nana might get this one for him, she doesn't know it yet but Cason would love it.  It's on sale right now for $39


The golf set is also from Pottery Barn Kids and I think I might get this one for Cason.  It's only $19 on sale which is actually the same price as the fisher price golf set at Target.  Now I know what you are thinking, a 1-1/2 yr. old is too young to play golf.  Well, we are looking at the next Tiger Woods folks (without the adultury!).  He takes Mikes club and swings it at a ball and i'm certain if he had clubs his size he would be a brilliant tomorrow.  Ok, I'm not totally certain but for $19 I'm willing to take the risk.


I'm pretty sure every kid needs one of these... a magna doodle.  We had a tiny one that just appeared at our house somewhere which probably means Cason lifted it from another kid.  That one broke but he would carry it around everywhere and make me trace his hand.  Much safer than markers and paper at this age. 


I got this board book for Cason at the Modern Art museum and I currently cannot find it in my house.  Very frustrating because I was really looking forward to it.  It has pictures of Andy's paintings and identifies the colors.  The perfect gift for a future brilliant artist. 


Another book.  Apparently this book has paintings from modern artists and it's a touch and feel book.  It encourages the kids to feel the art in a 3-d kind of way.  I've had it on my Amazon wish list since before Cason was born but I have not seen one in person.  The Reviews are good Though so I may just have to get it.

Todays Snapshot

Its still warm enough to play outside so that's what we are doing. I wish it was a little cooler but I'm sure that will come!





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Cookies

Martha's version:



My version:




They may look different but I bet they taste really similar.

This is my first recipe of Christmas cookies for the year. I freeze the dough then can have homemade cookies whenever I need them for events!

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I can't stop!

Taking pictures of C that is. Love that we can manipulate photos so much from a phone!




He's started fake smiling now (see below) so I have to try and get a good shot when he is not looking.



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New project

I got this...



And now I want to make this...



Yes, those are cookies. I think I should start now because it will take me till Christmas to get those made. By the time I'm done I won't want to eat cookies ever again so I hope someone wants cookies as a present!

I'll keep you posted on my progress.



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