NEW YEARS CARD 2009

You know you haven't made the LIST when you...

This year I had cut people off my list to add new ones.

This is what my criteria is

1. Don't get cards from them
2. Aren't friends anymore

How I got 90 cards done in a few weeks.

My kids baby sitter cut and paste and I did the rest.

Each year they get more and more elaborate, I think for next year I may need to find a more simple way of presenting.

Lola's dentist appointment

Lola's going to the dentist in the afternoon. I hope that she has no cavities. Seriously- if my dad would stop giving her candy- I may not have to worry about anything.

Oh crap- I forgot to tell her to brush her teeth today.

Domestic Goddess on Valium...

Do you think this fancy woman (with great brows) was referring to cooking skills or her fabulous other skills?

FAST- she's a good chopper
FUN- she sings while cooking
FANCY- she puts little sprigs of herbs on her food

Crazy...but I sort of wish that I could be that woman. Stay home and raise our kids, grocery shop, take care of the bills, clean the house, bring the kids everywhere, have ironing day, have baking bread day, be dressed up- no pants with elastic, wear a dress that is red and has white polka dotes, matching Crinolin, and a black 1950s style belt- The idea of vacuuming in a dress and pearls sounds like fun, have cookies for kids when they get home from school, I would love to have dinner and a drink waiting for my husband when he got home from work. When I wake up tomorrow I'll get right on it.

HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE

Home Economics High School Text Book, 1954

• Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal, on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed.
• Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so that you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.
• Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the home just before your husband arrives, gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.
• Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair, and if necessary change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.
• Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, dishwasher, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad he is home.
• Some don'ts: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he is late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day. Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.
• Listen to him. You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.
• Make the evening his. Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.
• The Goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

Thanks Millie for photo inspiration.
http://flickr.com/photos/milliemotts/

A fun new favorite

www.polyvore.com

A seriously funtastic place to play!!!!

"Mix and match images from anywhere on the web, to create outfits, interior designs, or any kind of collage."

AND YOU CAN SHOP WHILE YOU MAKE COLLAGES!!!!!

I hope you understand how cool this is

I love to discover new places to waste more time but there are so many things I could be doing right now:

1. Dinner dishes
2. Holiday cards
3. Laundry
4. Watching House
5. Finding images of Tiara's
6. Andy is sleeping, so one thing to take off my list
7. Putting away all crafting supplies
8. Yeah, sleep would be good

Tomorrow I'll post all the frames that I have made in the past week. I'm to tired to work on anything complicated. You know where I am going to be- WWW.POLYVORE.COM- come find me!!!!

Costume Jewelry Christmas Tree!

Christmas, that festive time of year when we bring out the good china, dress in holiday finery and spend countless hours looking for that perfect gift and that very coveted costume jewelry christmas tree.

Whether your passion is collecting, decorating, entertaining or making homemade treasures, the possibilities are endless when it comes to celebrating Christmas with a costume jewelry christmas tree, brooches and nostalgia; as far as collectors are concerned, they're the icing on the..........tree!

I have a client who gave me this tree that her mother had made for her some years back. It's super kitchy and tacky- I guess that's why it's so fabulous! She told me that she would bring it out during the holidays because it had become tradition and because of everyones reactions that had always made her laugh.

I wanted to make something speacial for her to give to all of her children and grandchildren, a piece of history made from Granny's old Christmas Tree.

So here is what I created-

Anniversary

Andy and I are celebrating our anniversary today- we've been married for 6 years today. It's amazing how the time has flown by and the memories have accumulated. We have been together a total of 6 years 7 months. We had one date and I moved in with him on that night. I am sure you want to hear all about it and I'll write the juicy details some other time.

It's been an amazing 6 years- filled with good times, amazing babies and only a few not so good memories. I am madly in love with Andy and I am thankful that he is the father of my children- I couldn't have asked for a better man to raise 3 children with. He is fair, affectionate, generous, funny, laid-back, sexy, athletic, successful, and loving. He enjoys providing us all with everything we have ever wanted. He maintains a very busy lifestyle, balancing work and play. But always making time to attend ballet practice or an important event at school.

I'm so proud that I am Andy's wife, his love for me is powerful and totally unconditional. Andy is always telling me he loves me that I am sexy.

Ok enough of the sappy crappy-Check out what he got me for our anniversary- He love me long time!

It's late and I'm not sleeping

Expensive dry cleaning bill and car detailing to get out coffee stain

I drank coffee today. Well most of it. I was so excited to go to Homegoods that I pulled into my parking spot, gathered all of shopping supplies - CREDIT CARD. I grabbed a handful of garbage (2 empty water bottles, a coffee, napkin, a snack baggie of apples, an empty baggie that had cookies in it (funny how cookie bag is empty while the apple bag is full) and a big paper clip) So all of this is in my hand and I am trying to get out of the car slowly but deep down inside I just want to run inside and see all of the holiday goodies. Is HOMEGOODS nationwide www.homegoods.com Anyhoo- I feel something sliping out of my hand and instead of letting the paper clip fall gracefully onto my car seat, I have a spasm and spill my coffee all over myself and the car seat. I had obviously too much coffee.

Expensive coffee at Starbucks Manhattan, NY

13 shot venti soy hazelnut vanilla cinnamon white mocha with extra white mocha and caramel. It cost a total of $13.76 (with tax)

Expensive Ice Tea Avenue Des Champs-Elysees, Paris France

We had an Ice Tea in Paris which cost $15.00. No receipt shot, oh yeah, most French cafes don't give you receipts- they charge you whatever they want. Even if you come in the same day, your drink, sandwich, or chicken could have a swing of $5.00 or more. I AM NO NAIVE AMERICAN!!!

Expensive non fancy coffee in Moscow, Russia

In Moscow a coffee is $10.19, including service. I wonder if a glass of Vodka is cheaper?

Neurotic and Germ-Obsessed

Sick, Sicker, and Sickest

I've had some illness spreading it's dirty work all over my family. All three of my kids are sick, with various degress of sickness. I've been in and out of the doctor's office for weeks. I cringe when I think about how nasty and germ infected these places are. I don't know if they get sicker after going to find out why they are sick to begin with.

I was watching tevo the other day and Oprah had people who had sever OCD when it came to germs. The way to overcome their neurosis was to confront and attack it. I had a hard time watching these people sticking their hands in garbage cans and then licking their palms. There was a group that had to lick toilets. As if this sort of "therapy" would break them of their issues. Needless to say- I gagged through most of the show!

How my my neurotic, germ-obsessed brain works- can you relate?

1. You don't get why I have to shake a snotty person's hand
2. You carry have at least 3 different types of Anti-bacterial's in your purse
   
3. You wait until someone pushes the elevator buttons
4. You put your jacket behind your back when at movie theatres, (Hair can't touch the seat)
5. You consider a mask to be appropriate airplane attire (Before you fly, purchase a portable air filter that you can snap on to the overhead air vent at www.airright.net)
6. Toilet paper on a public toilet- DUH
   
7. You have an exit strategy that resembles a NFL playbook when you hear a sick person within 10 feet of you
   
8. You carry your own pen- You have to sign credit cards receipts, doctor office paperwork, etc.
   
9. You worry when you touch the shopping cart handle laden with E. coli and then sample the deli turkey, your life could literally be in your own hands
10. You look at a door handle and think there's probably a trace of pee on that- Grab the paper towel and if there isn't- toilet paper works. There is never a garbage can by the door, so I usually just throw it on the floor behind myself...when will they catch on?
11. You hesitate to have olives, lemon's, or any other condiments in your drinks because the bartender touched it with the same hands he takes money with. There's probably a trace of pee on them
12. You have spend $1,000 on Tamiflu 3 years ago and it's still sitting waiting for the bird flu to arrive
    
13. You are skilled at detecting fecal threats at restaurant buffets
14. You smear hand sanitizer all over an orange before peeling and eating it
15. Your make your family wear water shoes at public pools
16. You freak out when your kids touch hand rails
17. You clean your silver wear at restaurants and pack plastic wrapped utensils and straws for your children
18. You think of excuses when your kids want to put coins in their piggy banks UGGGGHHH
19. You look forward to winter so you can wear gloves when opening up doors
    
20. I can't even get started about hotels!!!!
    

Oh My G-D after making this list, I just realized I have obsessive-compulsive disorder with extremes of anxiety that involve obsessive attempts at cleanliness and related germ fears.

Sick Boy

Feel Better Josh
Mama Loves You!!

A Few Of My Favorite Things...

1. Living on Lake Minnetonka
2. Genuine hugs and kisses from my three children
3. Dinner with girlfriends
4. Marie Antoinette
5. Pilates
6. My mama’s cookin’
7. Hagan Daz Chocolate Chocolate Ice Cream with milk poured in it
8. Tequila
9. Rhinestones
10. Glitter
11. Laughing so hard I start crying
12. Café Au Lait
13. Traveling
14. Getting flowers
15. Pineapple, mushroom, tomatoes and artichoke are my favorite pizza toppings
16. Good hair days
17. Fast cars
18. Warm laundry
19. Mahjongg Monday’s
20. Great idea’s unexpectedly
21. Snowmobile rides
22. Dark chocolate
    
23. Watching my kids excitement after getting gifts
24. Chanel perfume
25. Pedicures
26. Good deli’s
27. Watching Lola dance
28. Watching Josh play with the boys
29. Watching Sasha sit still for more than 5 minutes
30. Watching Andy play softball and getting home runs
31. Art supplies
32. Chick flicks
33. Giggling children
34. Borscht
35. Sunglasses are my favorite accessories
36. Text messages from Andy
37. Wednesday is my favorite day of the week
38. Anticipating something
39. Rhinestone pins on just about anything
40. Dinner with 3 kids at a restaurant and nobody fights
41. Antique shopping trips
42. Cool words
43. Earl Gray tea
44. My favorite daytime shoes are my Rhinestone Havaianas
45. Watching Tevo with Andy
46. Making stuff
47. Trying to give my kids creative answers as why things work- Like where to shells come from?
48. Avocadoes
    
49. Pomegranates
50. Checking off on my to do list
51. Having Andy check off on his to do list I have given him 3 years ago
52. Peanut M&M’s and sunflower seeds
53. A really good glass of Champagne
54. Songs I can sing to
55. Boating
56. Getting compliments about our kids from someone
57. Puppies
58. Snowflakes on kid’s faces
59. Fireplaces turned on- even in the summer
60. My family and my life!!!!!
    

Who I am

Wife

Mother of 3

Food Maker

Booger picker

Diaper changer

Archiver

Collector

Preserver

Lover

I am a blogger

My hope is that I will be a blogger. I have tried for years to keep journals, diaries, and calendars. And for years I have made an excellent attempts at preserving written accounts of my daily activities. All of these attempts usually last a matter of weeks and then I get lazy or pre-occupied. I tell myself I'll write tomorrow and then tomorrow comes and then I've forgotten all of the details of what I wanted to chronicle. This I am sure sounds very familiar.

OK, so why should this Blog be any different. I don't know. Maybe because I have young children and I want them to know me and our lives together. I am going to leave them all of my journals from the past and I hope they read through them and can relate to me better. I am sure after reading, two things may happen- 1. They think I am really cool or 2. They may need therapy. Or they could find them and get scared that my crazy life is also part of their DNA and one day they make get the same wild genes that I inherited.

I want to be a blogger, I want this to be a place in which I could share my family, my friends, my art, my life. Today I am a blogger.