New look for the New Year

Just wanted to share with everyone my new business look. Just in time for the New Year! More changes to come on the website soon.

(Un)Productive use of time

Little Man has been battling his third cold/infection over the past three months. Yep. That's one per month people. Do you know how tired I am of hearing "Bugga, Mommy." as he's pointing to his face. On the bright side, he could be wiping it all over his shirt so I'm semi-thankful for that.

Since he's been sick, there hasn't been much naptime/mommy time. I've tried to make a list of things that I really need to do and make sure to complete those tasks first as soon as his head hits the pillow. Most of the time I manage to complete the necessary items, but other times they seem to run into something else. Especially if they involve my computer.

For the past 4 days, I've had a list of 4 things on my to do list. Only 3 of them have managed to be completed (although the 4th does involve shopping for myself so that gets put on hold). When I log onto the computer, I'll check my mail and all hope of completing my list goes out the window.

Last month, when Wenderina joined the Facebook band wagon, I decided to hop on for a ride since another friend asked me to be a "friend" as well. I didn't think anything of it. Just something else to try and keep up with, like this blog. It wasn't until last week that I really started to use it. Why? Because all my friends are doing it!

Yeah, I know stupid reason. But to me, who is constantly moving from state to state and losing touch with all my old friends, this has been really nice. I've been able to find all my college buddies. It's so nice to see who they have become since the last time we've spoken. Who has a new baby girl, who has really turned their riding/love of horses into a career, or who went in a completely different direction.

We did manage to get out of the house today though. Mainly to go pick up antibiotics for LMA since we don't think that he's getting any better. We also stopped by our local mall's kids' club who was having a playdate with Gymboree today. And mommy got a gift too...


Direct from Oriental Trading Company, it's a fleece scarf with pre-cut ribbon. Tie the ribbon on the ends, tie the fleece ends so the ribbon doesn't fall off, and voila! Cute little scarf which is keeping me very warm in this frigid house, might I add.

So, at least I got one thing done today. Time to go finish the rest of the list before he wakes up.

New hobby

Okay, so I don't have the month in review for you yet, but I do have something else.

I have a confession.

I have a new addiction. And I have someone whom I love very much to blame for this new obsession. You may know them as Wenderina and Uncle C.

Now, I'm sure they probably had no idea that this would cause such a disturbance in my life, but it has.

What, precisely am I referring to??



I received this beloved program for Christmas. And I promised myself that this would be mine (oh, yes, it would be mine) even if I had to buy it myself. But, alas, someone caught on to my hints and bought it for me! Yeah! Thank you, thank you!!

Because not only can I edit my photos (which I haven't read that part in the tutorial I received from a good friend's hubby), I have instead created this...



and this...



All in about a 20 minute times frame! And boy does that feel good to get 2 layouts done in that short amount of time. These of course are not my designs, but rather downloaded from Digital Freebies and Marie LaFrance.

This makes scrapbooking too easy!

A yummy herb

I? Love mint. Especially like this....




Last night I had mint hot chocolate with a chocolate covered mint candy stick mixed in and mint double stuffed oreo cookies.

Needless to say, losing 40 pounds is NOT a new years resolution.

But did you know?

Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains, and it is commonly used in the form of tea as a home remedy to help alleviate stomach pain. During the Middle Ages, powdered mint leaves were used to whiten teeth. Mint tea is a strong diuretic. Mint also aids digestion. The taxonomic family Lamiaceae is known as the mint family. It includes many other aromatic herbs, including most of the more common cooking herbs, including basil, rosemary, sage, oregano and catnip. (Wikipedia)

Learn something new everyday.

Tunnel of fun! ... or fear?

I know. It's been a long time since I posted. Happy Belated New Years to everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season as well.

I'm not prepared to put together a month in review for December (not to mention the 300+ photos that I have to go through just for Christmas alone), but rest assured it will be coming. Maybe tomorrow if you're lucky. Nor am I prepared to really put in writing any new years resolutions. I read an article yesterday about how we always pick goals/resolutions that are never within reach. Like lose 40 pounds, not to swear in front of my child (although I'm actually good, er, semi-good about that), or take my dog for a walk everyday. The only goal that I would really like to accomplish and I know IS within reach is to finish LMA first year album. I only have 3 more layouts for the book. So, I'll have to think about it a little more.

Anyways, I really wanted to share a story from today. We were on our way home, or at least attempting to go home, after picking Daddy up from the train station. Apparently, a horrible accident backed up traffic the entire length of the only road that could take us home. 35 minutes later, only 5 miles down the road, and a very angry/hungry child in the back seat, we decided to stop at McDonald's for dinner. I really didn't feel like getting LMA another toy, since he's not really playing with the ones Santa brought him, so we opted for a dollar menu McChicken grilled sandwich for him instead of a happy meal (even though now you can order apple slices instead of fries and milk).

Before we left, we decided to head down to the child's play area with the tunnels and slides. LMA had never been in one of these, and with screaming children added to the situation, he was curious but not overzealous about it. It took him a good 15 minutes to even climb into the first square past the steps. All the while other children are passing him up the stairs, which of course would set him back even more each time.

The one thing that really enticed him to go further was an "airplane" set up that he could see from the outside right by the steps. The kicker of it was that he needed to climb through a tunnel to the right about 5 feet long and then through another one about 2 feet long before entering the "pilot's seat". These measurements don't sound like much to an adult, but to a 36 inch child, it's like climbing Mount Everest.

The entire time I'm watching him and encouraging him to go just a bit further, I had flashbacks of Catwoman's Little Man in McDonald's play room with two African American children. Although my child doesn't have the vocabulary to ask, "Is that black?" yet, I still couldn't help but laugh to myself while reminiscing.

Anyways, my other thought while he was climbing around was what would happen if he started crying and needed me? Or if he seriously injured himself? Am I allowed to climb in to retrieve my son? Will the tunnels hold my fat ars? Would he really remember how to get out? Would I stay calm and collected or would I freak out because I can't reach my child?? Part of me started to panic while watching him have fun.

I love watching my son discover new adventures, but I hate the mommy paranoia that always follows it.