In LOVE!!

I've had my Thirty One retro metro fold over for a while now. For whatever reason, too many to choose from, I'm just now using it. OMG. I'll never use anything else again!! (At least for a few weeks!) 

It's so beautiful and comfortable and it completes me!!

Instead of spending morning nap pinning about working out. I think i'll actually work out!

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Fun times on a dreary day

Princess T and I tried an experiment today. I had extremely high expectations and was probably way too excited about it. It was supposed to be fireworks in a glass, it was a fairly simple project to put together and T really enjoyed doing it, and that is what matters. But it didn't work. And mommy was disappointed. So now I'm on a mission to figure out why! I will find a way to make it work. Pictures of that to come!

I found the idea on Jugglingwithkids.com,
 http://www.jugglingwithkids.com/2011/08/fireworks-in-glass.html.
Which is a super great site that I have gotten lots of fun ideas from.
Her instructions were,
Supplies:
-Tall glass or vase
-Oil
-Food Coloring
-Water
-A smaller cup/glass
-Fork


Directions:

Fill the tall glass/vase almost to the top with room-temperature water. Warm water is ok, too.  Then pour a little oil into the other glass.


Add a couple of drops of food coloring to the oil. I used one drop of each color (red, yellow, blue and green), but you can use any color combo you wish.  Don't be tempted to add lots of food coloring, your water will turn dark quickly. I am only telling you from experience. =)

So I had gel food coloring. I didn't know there was a difference. We tried that first and although it was very pretty it did not work. 

Here's princess T trying to taste the oil. 

And all this hard work made her thirsty. 

So we finally realized we should be using liquid not gel. So we mixed up a few colors. T loved stirring. 

Here's what the droplets looked like before we stirred. So pretty, I sense a photography project in the future.

and stir stir stir

poured them in waiting for the magic to happen... 

and a big fat nothing. Back to the drawing board. 

So while the project didn't do what it was meant to do, it was still the most fun. Princess T got to mess with things she doesn't normally get to mess with, so it was the best thing ever for her. Great memories were made by all. 

Your camera must be really nice!

Picture this, a surgeon just operated on your dying family member and saved their life. As the surgeon is telling you how things went you are thanking them and you say, "You must have a really nice scalpel!". Sounds a bit silly doesn't it?  Or a race car driver wins the Indy 500 and the headline reads, "he must have a really expensive car!"  Ridiculous right?

Seems silly right? 

Then why do so many people look at a photograph and say to the photographer, "wow! You must have a really nice camera!" or " Your camera must have been really expensive"!  Why yes, yes to both. They probably do have a nice camera, and it is expensive, so why don't they just hand it off to you and you take the exact same photo.  Right? Yeah, that wouldn't happen. While it is true that with a good SLR camera you can take even better pictures than you could with a point and shoot, if it weren't for the eye of the person behind the camera, that nice picture would never happen. 

I am a hobbyist. I in no way take even remotely professional pictures. It's just something I enjoy. But I do study it, and try to learn and I make a point to never shoot in automatic. Because it's disrespectful to my camera. But I have several friends and family members who are professionals and it is their living. They work very hard at what they do and they are fantastic. And nothing is more insulting than when someone says to them while looking at the work that they poured blood, sweat, and tears into, that judging by that picture their camera must be really nice. 

Holiday Crunch Time!!

Seven days until Christmas and I am just now picking my cards up today. And absolutely RUSHING to mail them out. Otherwise they become happy new years cards! I also have not started shopping for Tenley at all. She has two little things in her stocking and that's it. But I did get all the nieces and nephews taken care of so that's something right??  And my tree is up. So go me!
So I will be one of those people contributing to the mad rush of shopping a week before Christmas. I thought this year would be different. But maybe I can try again next year. Be a little better prepared.
But probably not. I am a born procrastinator. Although the second Tenley was born I became a little anal retentive and a big planner. But only when it comes to places we have to be. I start planning who's houses we are going to for holidays a month in advance. And you know what? I'm never stressed out the day before. I get all the politics and hurt feelings out of the way in advance! Because holidays are supposed to be fun. Not stressful. And even though I haven't gotten my shopping done, I'm not the least bit stressed. And I count that as a WIN!!

The most perfect, imperfect Christmas tree..

I am a little obsessed with our Christmas tree.

It's bare in some parts and full in others, and it pricks the absolute piss out of me every time I touch it. But I love it.
What do I love about it? It's rustic and simple, and it's ours. It's not only our first tree as a family, but it's the first tree Rob and I have ever had as adults. The last tree either of us had ever had before now was when we lived at home. So that makes it extra special. We're starting family traditions and that is a wonderful thing. Honestly it makes me tear up as I type this.
Saturday morning we loaded up in the truck all bundled up for our big journey into the woods to find the perfect tree. Princess T was jumping up and down with excitement and yelling "Yea!" at her Daddy as he opened the gate to our property. We had barely gotten out of the truck when we spotted a pretty great tree. And upon looking at the rambunctious 17 month old we decided it was probably not in our best interest to go trekking off in the woods. I don't think we would have gotten very far.
So he got to work and started sawing the tree down. T cheered him on as I watched and asked a million questions. This was new for me, we'd always had fake trees. So I was pretty curious about what was going on. He got it down in 2 minutes. Literally. I was shocked. We loaded it up and took pictures to commemorate the occasion.
We headed out to home depot in search of the perfect ornaments. I tried not to go too crazy, because if you buy your stuff all at once rather than build it up over time I would imagine it can get really expensive.
Princess T picked out our new Santa tree skirt, and Rob did the manly job of picking out a tree stand.
We got it up and mostly decorated while T napped, and saved some for her to do when she woke up.
She loves her tree and likes to Ooo and Ahh at it. But for the most part she doesn't mess with it. Unless she's feeling extra mischievous. Then she'll walk over to it and reach for it all the while looking over her shoulder to make sure I am seeing her.

This tree will probably always remain the favorite, and always on my heart, because it's the beginning. It may be a little rough around the edges, it may not be the perfect Southern Living Christmas tree, but it is perfect and wonderful in it's imperfection. Just like us.

Stop it with the Susie Freaking Sunshine already!!

Do you have that facebook friend that seems to just emit sunshine and lollipops constantly? Do you want to just punch them in the throat? I know I do. I have a friend or two like that. And I love them, if I didnt' I'd delete them. Also I enjoy stalking them. But it always makes me wonder... Is their life truly that perfect? Do they take their morning poo and fill the toilet up with pure gold? And then donate it to the less fortunate?
Or are they hiding something.
Do they have to say constantly how perfect their life is so that they don't have to admit that they have problems?
Or do they just want to make sure all us common folk know they eat, sleep, and breathe amazingness. . .

For some people I think it's the latter. They just need people to know how awesome they are. But guess what? We're all making fun of you. Because it makes you seem like a douche. Every once in a while stop smiling, show that you are human and that you have a bad days like the rest of us.
Cause constant happiness is creepy. It makes people uneasy.

(disclaimer, I know sometimes I post about how awesome my life is, because it is!! But I also do my fair share of bitching!)