Etsy

Ever since I read Charity's Etsy post I have been wanting to peruse around Etsy and see what some of my favorite sellers are creating. Here are a few goodies:

Some cards from the Frantic Meerkat:

Original Jewelry from BirdsNBeez:

Funky Finds from Cocoandmilkweed:

And traditional nose warmers from Flyingfly:

Flashback Friday

Senior Winter Dance

2000/2001

Back Row: Nate, Jess, Haley, Jared

Front: Aimee, B.J.

(you gotta love the decorations,

especially the piece of trash by Jared's foot)

Move Over Paula Deen

So, this week school pretty much demanded my undivided attention and I have let everything else fall to the wayside. Thank goodness for a subway card, a patient husband, and the fact that my kids are pretty low maintenance. Well, tonight I decided to redeem myself by making dinner--and let me just say it was delicious! We started with a green salad topped with carrots and bell peppers, and then homemade BBQ "chicken" pizza. Maybe it was because we were both starving, or maybe it was because Sweet Baby Ray's barbeque sauce is like mother's milk--whatever the reason the pizza was amazing and we shared a moment of content silence after we had licked our plates clean. Nate had to go to a meeting so that gives me time to whip a little something up for dessert. (Apple compote drizzled over vanilla icecream--so much for winning the biggest loser contest at work.)

Taco Town

I love their faces 30 seconds in!
I alway have about 5 different cravings after I watch this.

Flashback Friday

Haley, Jess, Ronald, Laura
Park City
August 2001

(P.S. This post is dedicated to Travis Miller)

They grow up so fast...

A few cat highlights from 2008:

-Charlie taking a mini vacation to Wendover without telling me

-Fritz climbing onto the kitchen table nightly because he knows it wakes me out of a deep sleep

-Charlie and Fritz having a total of 4 abscesses (3 for Fritz, 1 for Charlie)

-Fritz having to do extra chores to work off his vet bill

-Charlie still wearing Fritz' name tag

-Charlie bringing a dead bird onto our bed

-Fritz not wanting to be seen holding hands with his mom anymore

-Charlie not immediately running under the bed when people come over

-Charlie and Fritz watching me pull 10 toy mice out from under the dryer

-Fritz realizing that the bathroom sink is a comfortable spot for a nap

-Charlie getting stuck in the neighbor's shed

-Charlie getting stuck in the bathtub

-Fritz sitting in front of the heater with the warm air blowing on his face

-Fritz sleeping on his suitcase every night

-Charlie making the strangest cat sounds known to humankind

To Charlie and Fritz: Thanks for being the best cat-kids ever!

With Love,

Your parents

Smells like Hope

Hurray for this historic day! As I was driving home from school I was listening to a segment on NPR about the Obama collectibles that people were selling at the inauguration. My favorite was a clip of a man selling Obama air fresheners--he said, "Get an Obama air freshener....you open it up and it smells like hope!" I had to laugh but it's true! We are all hoping for a better world, hoping the economy will improve, hoping for the war to end, and hoping for people to have food on their table and a roof over their head.

As far as electing the first bi-racial president goes... it really put things into perspective for me when Obama stated that, "...a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath." We certainly have come a long way and still have a long road ahead of us. Here is a big toast to Hope, and to President Obama!!

I have a dream...

As a future social worker one of my goals and responsibilites is to be an advocate for social justice. Every time I watch this video I feel inspired!

Cateye Collection

For Christmas I got some more magazines from my supplier in Michigan (thanks dad!) and I have been working on some cards to freshen up my supply at Frosty Darling. Here is a sampling of the new inventory:

One of the dangers of having things on consignment at Frosty Darling is the fact that the store is always brimming with all sorts of fabulous funky nick knacks, handmade treasures, awesome old fashioned candy, and a vintage record player that soothes me with its scratchy tunes. When I dropped off my cards Thursday I knew I was in trouble because Gentry, the owner, had just filled up the candy jars with new sweet treats from an order that had just come in. Here is what I came home with:

So I realized that I collect cards. Something inside me just can't pass up a funky local made card. I need to think of a cool way to display the ones I have so far. (about 20) The above pictured Lima? bean in its whitey tighties and the dancing state fair foods are the newest additions to the collection. I also can't pass up the chance to try some candies that I have never before tasted. Nate and I had the Pop Rocks chocolate bar tonight and it was surprisingly good! Decent chocolate and then pop pop pop! I haven't had the Ice Cubes yet.

Now about the Sen Sen. I guess people used to eat Sen Sen breath fresheners to hide smoker's and/or alcohol breath. I don't know how they managed to tolerate this stuff because holy awfulness! If you want to know what they taste like go grab a bottle of your grandma's old perfume and spray several squirts in your mouth and then go lick your bar of Dove soap! ICK!! I only put two little tablets in my mouth and I immediately started gagging. I had to go brush my teeth and use Listerine to get rid of the taste. Unfortunately after watching me Nate could not be coaxed into trying the Sen Sen.

Flashback Friday

Party Crashers

1999

Elisha, Jess, Heidi, Brooke, Aimee

Bumpus Hounds

This is my Aunt Koreen getting "dinner" ready her canine kids and grandkids--minus Brandy who was in the other room. It was so fun to have dogs running around all time --especially Hurley who loves to snuggle. Nate and I definitely want dogs when we get a little more space. Anyway, the whole reason why I posted this picture is because I saw this video and it totally reminded me of my Aunt Koreen!

Check it out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/backinthepack/2431445042/

Constantly Amazed by Creativity...

Saw this idea on Poppytalk and loved it! We used to get these types of trays consigned at Abode quite frequently and I always thought they were lovely but didn't ever have a use for one. Now I do! Poppytalk also featured the most darling crocheted covered rocks from Resurrection Fern. Wouldn't they make a precious paperweight?

Been listening to...

Camelot

The day before we left California we decided to head to Camelot to play some family golf.

Camelot was kind to me. Not one, not two, but three whole-in-ones! I'd like to thank my family for all the support and encouragement they gave me while I tested the wind and contemplated my shot. Also a shout out to my caddy Nate.

CaLiForNia

Cali Continued...

Of course the California experience is not complete without a trip to In-N-Out! It was a great meal to start out the "get healthy" resolution don't you think? : ) The three veg gals got grilled cheese burgers with grilled onions--it was delicious.

Flashback Friday

St. George

2001

Haley, Aimee, Jess

Auld Lang Syne

***I'll give a blog high five to anyone who can tell me what "Auld Lang Syne" means--

without having to google it!!

We welcomed in 2009 at my Aunt Koreen's house in Placentia. We had tons of food (thanks Aunt Koreen!), 6 bottles of Martinelli's, and a lovely assortment of party poppers.

Jacob and I kept trying to shoot the streamers from our poppers up onto the fan--good times with the little bro.

Check out my face!! So, shortly before the ball drops my uncle Kim goes out to the garage and comes back into the house with a handful of fireworks that I'm sure can only be purchased at one of those spooky Phantom Fireworks shops on the Wyoming border. When we are all outside with our sparklers he lights a couple of those bad boys up and a few flashes of light and an explosion later I think my left eardrum exploded! Hence, the face in the picture.

...

I haven't made any resolutions yet but I think they will include some of the following:

Get fit, take a photography class, eat more fresh vegetables, practice the piano, commission Maggie to paint a picture of the cats, organize the office, learn some different crochet stitches, keep in better touch with out of state family, take a tropical vacation, breath deeply and remember how short and wonderful life is before I throw a tantrum when mad/upset/frustrated, collect more letters for my alphabet, get my 2008 photo book printed, spend more time with grandparents, plant cucumbers, focus on enjoying school, resist the urge to cut my hair, do something kind for someone daily, sort through old clothes and purge, enjoy every moment I have with Nate.