Moxxie

CHA (Craft and Hobby Association trade show) is at the end of this week - yeah! It's fun to see all the new product companies are coming out with. Of course I have a mental list of all the things I've seen that I can't wait to get my hands on!

A unique opportunity actually presented itself. One of the companies, Moxxie, had their product printed in Cedar Rapids but didn't have enough time to get it and send it out to their design team so sample projects could be made for the show. Because of their time crunch they asked if the design team at All About Pictures could step in and create some layouts and ship them to them first thing this morning. We spent some time this weekend coming up with some ideas and ogling the yummy new products!

I'm looking forward to seeing what makes the show and if they alter any of the pages. Anyways, some of you had asked to see what I created - here are 5 pages. Sorry that the prom page has photo "placeholders." None of the photos are mine or of people I know - they just fit the design :)

(Click on a photo to enlarge)

Productivity

December has been a total blur - honestly I'm looking forward to Christmas just to have a few days to decompress. Between Thanksgiving, events and the trip to Phoenix, we were so glad to just be home and be still this weekend....well not too still I guess. Ever have one of those weekends where things just click and stuff gets done?

We cleaned, ALL the laundry got done, tons of books got read, many cars were crashed on the coffee table, closets were cleaned, piles for Goodwill were made, shopping was done, presents were wrapped, crafty things were crafted, gifts were bagged for travel, blizzard warnings were observed (and then ignored), church was attended, a lunch date was had, Santa was visited and so were the Dinosaurs, parents were called and a blog was actually typed.

What more could a girl want in her weekend?

Looking at my blogging track record I should say Merry Christmas while I'm here and Happy New Years!! And just in case....Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Easter while we're at it :)

PS - No Christmas cards were done this year...again....I know....but before anyone feels left out or unloved we're still thinking of you all :)

Twilight

Well first I suppose I should say ouch -- it's been a while, huh? Too, too much fun to catch you all up on life so we'll just go forward from here.

Today's excitement...Twilight the movie! Just got back from the midnight showing. Jill and I braved the packs of (pre) teens and caught the premiere. Nothing like putting the baby to bed, taking a nap and then heading out for some mom time!

The book is always better than the movie - no need to have that argument. BUT if you can appreciate the movie for what it is then you'll have fun. I'm glad we went and love that it's wide open for a sequel. There were some great scenes and actors and there were a handful that could stand to sit out for the next round. The important people - Edward and Bella - turned out well, so it all works.

Jill told me today that she heard the movie was a smaller budget $39M and they made that back with pre-sales of tickets already. There have been several interviews with the cast saying to see it multiple times (ha-ha) and if they get the cash they'll do part 2. I have no doubt that the teens will support the endeavor and with a higher budget I bet movie 2 will be even better!

Oh -- and they passed out fangs while we were in line -- gotta love that!

Planes, Trains and Trucks

Alex and I got a chance to make the final selection for the "big boy" room makeover. We're going with Olive Kids Planes, Trains and Trucks. And yes, he really did help make that decision -- he sat with me for almost two hours while we poured over Pottery Barn and Land of Nod and tried to decide what was cute, too babyish, and what would work to prevent another re-do before he's 7 or 8. He didn't stick around long enough to finally choose what would constitute his first "big boy" bed, but then again it didn't have anything that went "vroom, vroom" on it. Oh well, one out of two. The bedding shipped today so when it gets here it will be off to the paint store.

This weekend is set aside to work on the invites, so hopefully I'll get the majority of that wrapped up. I am thinking I don't need them out until the first part of September so I have a couple weeks to play with.

And I suppose the bedroom redo is seeping into other areas. We're thinking its about time to get the kitchen floor updated, so we got the ball rolling on that. The contractor is supposed to come and measure tomorrow and we've picked out the material. We'll see where that leads us to.

Otherwise we've been enjoying the nice weather and hanging out around at home. Matt thinks he'll take Alex golfing this weekend so he came home with Alex's first golf club tonight. It's a miniature little club, just like the real deal. He grabbed a pack of practice balls (like wiffle balls) and they hung outside practicing their swing. I've been dealing with some unpleasant neck pain today (I guess I slept wrong??) so I opted to lay on a bag of ice while the boys practiced putting.

As soon as we can convince Alex it's time to close his eyes I think we're off to bed too!

Team Vampire

So I have a VERY good reason I haven't been posting - actually I have 4 very good reasons: Twilight * New Mood * Eclipse * Breaking Dawn --- I absolutely LOVED these books and devoured them one right after the other. I am very happy to report that there seems to be a lot of online therapy to treat my addiction as it appears that I haven't been the only one "bitten" -- it's truly a pandemic! In all "seriousness" though, if you haven't read Twilight by Stephenie Meyers yet it's a good book and if you pass the "twilitmus" test you'll very quickly stumble onto books 2-4. For some of you who understand the scrapbook obsession, let me just put it this way, it was almost a CHORE to go to a crop last weekend because I had to put the book down!

These books have been on the best seller lists for weeks and weeks and I finally thought I'd just give it a whirl and see what all the fuss was about. I've already informed Matt that he may need to step aside and make room for Edward because much like Bella, I don't know that I could live without him :) I do have to give him credit - he does seem vaguely interested in reading the books. And to try and make myself not sound so crazy, there is actually a "Twilight Moms" website I stumbled across.

I Googled to see what else Meyers has written when pages upon pages popped up with website after website of info. AND outtakes and extra chapters, etc. Which was really just so fun to read through. I learned two things I was oblivious of: she's writing Twilight from Edward's perspective now and it will be published, titled "Midnight Sun" AND that Twilight has been made into a movie that was to be release 12-12-08. Because Harry Potter got bumped to next summer it's now being release 11-21-08. Very excited! I think Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart will make a good Edward and Bella.

BUT, I suppose I have to admit that these 4 jewels aren't the only reason -- we had a week of vacation in there, which was great! And then of course life in general.

So the latest and greatest with us is all about getting ready for Alex's 3rd birthday - which I suppose to anyone other to me, may not make sense. First a theme and then a place and then what to do about invitations, etc. Well, reasoning this out with a two year old wasn't going anywhere :) So theme and place are picked and invitations are in the works.

We had also said that we'd re-do the nursery for his 3rd birthday and transition into a big boy room. So, we've been looking at bedding and trying to decide what we like. I think that as of tonight (read: Mommy finally put her books down) we've picked our gear and just need to get it ordered.

A final thought? Go get Twilight!

Bits and Pieces

So I'm sure this is just the first of many future apologies to come: sorry for not blogging for a bit. I have to give a "shout out" to my blog harasser -- she'll remain anonymous for now but I have to say the emails about my lack of posting really do remind me it's been a few days.

So why haven't I been here...well there should be some really big, cool reason but I "got nothin'." Here's what we have been doing:

*I just finished my last pre-req for the MBA program. I registered for classes Monday and I officially start in mid-August.

*We took Alex to the BBQ Roundup and did what I assume everyone else does: we had lunch (so-so) and then tried to avoid the carnival workers pitching to our 2 year old...we almost got through them until Alex saw the duckies. You know, floating ducks...pick one win a prize, type of deal. Alex had to pick one...or five...I think really it was just a ruse to play in the water. He won a spiky yellow ball thing. Then we came upon the rides and he got to cruise on some motorcycles, in a boat, in a monster truck and ride the carousel. We finished with a crying jag as we carried him back to the car. Ah, but don't feel too sorry for him, he stopped crying in just enough time to ask for ice cream as Daddy was driving by DQ.

*We camped out at Aegon's parking lot around 9:30p on the 4th for the fireworks. That was a hard concept to explain to a 2 year old, it's much more of a see than explain it type of event. Grandma Julie was holding him when they started and he had a moment of panic at the loud sounds and was holding on for dear life. Eventually the pretty colors won out and while he stayed VERY close in case he changed his mind about fireworks the oohing and aahing began. Since then we've had a request for fireworks daily. I tried to explain that we'd see more on Labor Day but for some reason Alex just looks at me like I'm not making sense...go figure.

*CHA is at the end of next week. I realize this is really only excitement for me, but come on!!! It's going to be a massive amount of people spending lots of money on paper...what could be better!! We had a design team meeting last night and the owner of the our local store said I should send her "my list" of things to look for and things I didn't particularly care for. Again, only I would be excited about this I suppose but I feel important :) Just wait, when I get my list together I'll post some of my favs. I know, you can't wait.

*T minus 3 days until summer vacation!!! We're leaving this weekend for Omaha and I feel like I have a million things to get done before being gone for the week. Laundry is all caught up...don't ask me why but for me this is a must. The list of what needs to be packed is starting to form in my noggin and I suppose I'll actually start doing that tonight. I need start a list. We have several "to-do's" while there: zoo, children's museum, gondola ride, Archiver's, and the list goes on.

*It's official: Alex's daycare is turning in the paperwork to move him from the 2's room to the 3-4's room starting next week. They say he's ready to start the pre-school program. He's been spending a lot more time over there and they say he's doing really well in the program. I think there are more things to keep him occupied and a more formal day than the daycare program. He doesn't turn 3 until September, so we're just a bit early. I wonder if they make bumper stickers to celebrate such an occasion :)

Okay...so blog stalker, does this quick but general update earn me any points?? :)

A Daily Ritual Gone Awry

After a hard day at work and what I choose to picture as a perfect day at school Alex and I head out of La Petite. As a daily ritual Alex always stops by the cracker basket near the front door. In this cute little wicker basket are individual packages of club crackers (I think that's what they're called...the "elves" make them??). The ritual continues as we play 'can you find mommy's car' and we count to 3 and take a big jump off the curb into the parking lot. I open the backseat of the car and Alex in his "I do it" stage proceeds to climb into the backseat, scale the car seat and then plop into his car seat with a happy "I did it!". I should mention that he "delicately" throws the wrapped crackers into the floor board before his climb and gets to munch on his snack on the way home once mommy buckles him in. Of course this another opportunity for us to practice "may I please have my crackers mommy" and a "thank you for my crackers mommy"...really - that's what I hear him say (and then monkey's fly by and and m&m's fall from the sky...blah, blah).

ANYWHO to the "awry" part of this ritual. Today we have our perfect days, grab the crackers in said cute wicker basket, count and jump off the curb, find our car and then Alex realizes there's another car next to ours...but it's about his height...and the windows are down...and they have a floor board, so I am guessing he reasoned why not put the crackers there today. So with all his 2 year old might he chucks the crackers and they land perfectly in said strange car...but this doesn't stop the rest of the routine. "I do it" climbs into his seat and then demands his crackers..ugh, I mean he politely requests a snack of crackers... I look at the other car for a very brief moment contemplating the potential meltdown about to ensue vs. just sticking my arm into said strange car for the crackers that would, at this point, "save the day." Ugh...okay I can't do that...and I can't have a "melty' child. So a quick diversion into the promise of chicken nuggets and french fries for dinner 'saved' the night.

I finish the night, certain that it was intentional, for nights just like this that the daycare was built right next to McDonald's.