destracted spit clean

can i mention something quite embarrassing? for those of you reading, i sure hope you can relate, because this is a true testament to the sever level of my distraction when the kids are in full tilt, and i still haven't had my 2nd cup of coffee :)

background item #1: foster has glasses. he's been wearing them for almost 9 months. he wears them all day, everyday.
background item #2: kids in glasses are too adorable for words :)
background item #3: rowan does not wear glasses. he dabbles in sun glasses, but usually wears them upside down and then pokes himself in the eye.

scenario: in the middle of what can on be described as mayhem, foster says: "mom, my glasses are all smudgy. can you clean them? mom, they're smudgy. can you help me? MOM! M-O-M!!"

i say, "sure buddy. sorry, i couldn't hear you over the vacuum cleaner, the recorder your brother is squawking and the sound of my thoughts hitting the side of my brain" (ok, so really all i said was the vacuum part :)
i quickly do a spit clean and shirt wipe, and then remember that my little ones need my full love and attention. afterall, my motto is "it's their day, too". i think to myself, "what a great mom i am. i know just when to pay attention. i'm quite amazing, yes, that's me. amazing."
i kneel down, look into his sweet eyes, kiss his little lippies and say, "here you go buddy! no problem...all cleaned up." as i put his glasses on.

giggle, giggle, giggle....

i look around from my own little world of amazingness and see foster (standing on the other side of the room NOT wearing glasses) laughing hysterically.

i look at the child standing right in front of me, looking oh-so-googlie and cute...giggling uncontrollably...wearing glasses. yes, that's right. i put glasses on the wrong child...and it didn't even cross my mind that i was eye glassing the wrong eyes.

[in all seriousness, i have done this going on 4 times. clint will come home from work and ask how our day went. i'll say, "well, i put foster's glasses on rowan again today, so it was a rough one."
it's our new gauge for days that tighten our patience.]

my amazingness is put back into perspective. i'm not amazing...i'm destracted.

my house echoes with the giggles of little boys...so i give up on cleaning and i laugh too. i chase rowan around in his googlie big brother glasses, and we all laugh at their silly mama who puts glasses on the wrong boy.

and our day lightens. i put the vacuum away. we sit. we picnic. we pretend we are camping and lay on the floor with couch pillows and sheets. we snuggle.

in this case, i'm thankful for my distraction. sometimes it's just what i need to get my focus back.

the internet made me

have you ever seen a project tutorial that convinced you of success? toting beginner-intermediate difficulty. spouting lovely photos of in process items. i'm all for googling just about anything, but little did i know, googling this tutorial would set my sewing stress capacity to its full limit.
about a month ago, i got all gung-ho on making a clutch bag. not just any clutch bag, mind you, but one of those fancy ones with the purse frame.
(my inspiration bag from redrubyrose)

the bag construction seems simple enough. nothing too scary. but the frame attachment. i was intrigued. i bought a few frames. i read countless blog tutorials.. my scrappy determination had lofty ideas of whipping up a few little clutches over the weekend.












fast forward 1 month. i discovered there lies a clutch bag frame conspiracy. they seem to prey on the lofty and otherwise naive purse makers and crush their very motivation to survive. after spending countless late midnight hours, ruined no less than 2 purse frames, i was completly stumped as to how to proceed. i gave up.  i moved on. it was over.

but every time i entered my sewing room, and saw them laying astray and bent on my work table. i could feel those seedy little frames taunting me with their insubordination.  at one point, i chucked a wayward frame across the sewing room out of spite for their defiance. dirty little frames. who do they think they are?? :)

but tonight, my friends, the wayward insubordination has been conquered. perhaps it was purely out of fear that those little grippe fellows cooperated...for fear that they would see the underside of my mini-van tire if they continued their strike.

i think i could write a book on what NOT to do when making one of these.
like how this "amazing" craft glue should have further disclaimers boasting cement-like properties, and inability to stay off of my new pants.

oh, and what kind of tool is meant to clamp the frames closed? if you know, please do share. i stumped my carpenter husband as well as an 8 year home-depot veteran.
i ended up with this

(thanks to clint's extensive tool bench the size of a barn. literally). it's a bit past crafter grade...i feel very rugged using it :)

after finally reaching sucess, i was half tempted to never make one again. and then i got an order for this...

a wedding clutch...and i couldn't resist. it's quite an honor.
and although it was still drying when i snapped this picture, it's stunning in person. though  more bedazzled than i've done in the past, there is something i love about it. i hope she does too :)

baby chicks

there's nothing like the sweet peeps of these soft fluffy lovies. my rowie is quite the chicken charmer. i'm sure he would have tucked one in his pocket and carried it around all day if i let him. i'm half considering getting baby chicks of our own just to see the delight on his little rowie face. and look at that gentle finger posture...well versed from all of our summer frog holding, no doubt. this little chickie owes his local frog community for such tender treatment :)
the neat thing is, my dad grew up on a chicken farm. i love introducing things to my kids that are in their history. i bet my dad sat exactly the same way, giggling over their little feathers fanning his nose and their little tiny "peep, peep" when he kissed their fuzzy head.

thanks penny & eleanor...we love you...and your baby chicks :)

sea worthy

i'm very shamed to admit we went to our local library for the first time this past week.

horrifying, i know.  i have no idea why i've yet to take advantage of it's polite sharing capabilities, except to say my good intentions don't always amount to actual reality.

my boys are avid bookies and haven't let my lack of library exposure effect them detrimentally.

so on thursday, much to their delight, they discovered what a library was.

it was fun showing them how much there is to learn and how fun it can be to discover so many new books.

much to my chagrin, there was a row of 8 computers lined up with 8 kids playing video games right next to the reading area, which, in my opinion does not inspire curious library newbies to concentrate on their love of book reading. i'm not so into my kids playing video games just yet, and my plan is to hold them off as long as i can because i know it's inevitable...

but video games in the library? isn't there something wrong with that scenario?

ok, i'm done video game bashing.

back to the library...amongst the stack of books we checked out along with a video rental of Wally (which i found out i am in LOVE with now), we got a book called "the little toy boat".

they were mesmerized by the little boy who build his very own boat and set it sail.

we found it quite inspiring.  

seriously, does a video game inspire boat building?

i think not :)

and yes, we were wearing only our underoos under our art smocks. that's how we roll :)

my picnik obsession. look out...it could be yours, too.

i don't have photoshop. no uber-cool iphoto. no critically-acclaimed lightroom. just lame-o "paint" and whatever else came standard on my laptop.
to a lover of all things in picture, the absence of these tools is closely related to torture. sheer photography torture.

somehow i never knew about picnik.
it's clever "cross process", noteworthy "curves" settings, and drama adding "vignette"...
the ease of cropping just the way you want it, changing the exposure, or the magical "auto-fix"
i'm totally addicted.
i've yet to come close to trying all of the features, and i've used it everyday for the past 2 weeks.
oh, and did i mention it's free?!
AND pulls your photos from picasa, photobucket, or wherever you have them??

seriously, i should get paid for this glowing review...i'm gushing over in positive compliments...picnik, are you listening??   :)


so. i'm telling you, in case you're like me...no photoshop. no iphoto. no lightroom.
i'm sure you'll be so delighted, that all of your photos will be picnik'd to perfection :)

during my recent picnik-ing, i discovered that i love making new pictures look aged.
perhaps even dusty.
there's a "Polaroid" setting that i am in love with! along with an airbrush feature that is the coolest thing i've ever seen. (check out the food on penny's face that i airbrushed off!! amazing!)

oh, and towards the bottom...rowie holding a newspaper? yep, that's a "spray tan"! my kid has never been so med-beige in his whole life!

the new weldons

a few weeks back, i had the honor of taking some shots of these two...
the future mr. chad & mrs. becky
it was a most beautiful day, and a most beautiful couple.

i just can't stop looking through these shots...and praying joy and happiness over two such amazing and inspiring people. have you ever seen such an electric smile? you can't help but feel joyful when you look at them. it's like looking into the face of love!
it's such a pleasure to be family with them, and i can't wait to witness their most special day!
10.10.10 what a fun wedding date!

 

____________________

oh, and the owners of the property had two fantastic dogs who followed us all over the amazing estate as we photo shot. seriously adorable, right?

what's in your cart?

this week i'm trying 2 new items. the first, i'm not even really sure what it is...pasta? rice? cornmeal? suggestions?
i always see them cooking it on top chef, so it can't be half bad, right?
well, whatever it is, i'm making it for dinner on monday.

it goes with this (never bought it before either...but i'm excited to try it) which will be sliced thinly with fresh hebs on top of chicken breasts. add a side of grilled kale, and we've got monday.

i picked up a bag of these, too. the healthiest cheesecurls i can find, if cheescurls can, in fact, be considere healthy :)
plus i love the name!

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