And she's off!

Elli definitely is favoring her feet rather than her knees now. She's realized how fast she can get around. She is a maniac! She's crazy! It's hysterical! I love it! I have been trying all evening to post a video of her walking, but it isn't letting me- so instead of throwing my computer around, I will try again another time.

I really do love it (her walking)....except when I am trying to get ready for this stupid craft fair this weekend. I seriously don't know why I do this to myself. I think this time, I may really have something sellable....I think that everytime, though. But really - this time I am selling diaper and wipe holders for your diaper bag. I got one and copied it - mine are so much cuter. I've embellished them and I am going to sell them for $10. Then I've made this clip thing that can hold shoes, pacifiers, or create a bib out of a towel for all of those times that you've forgotten your baby (or husband's) bib at home...selling those for $2.50. And ofcourse I have my silk play wings and baby legwarmers I'm selling too.....gosh...I hope that I sell something. PLEASE GOD!! Let me sell something!!!! I am driving my family and myself crazy!

Anniversary trip

Mike and I packed up our little girl and headed out for a few days to celebrate our 4th anniversary. It was a really nice time away from the regulars of life around here. We went to "Amish Country" in Ohio - about 2 hours away. Elli was great in the car (as usual). We are truely blessed. Here is a picture of our little "villa" that we stayed in. It was really nice. It was 2 story, had a kitchenette, and was so clean! I felt okay with Elli crawling all over the place in it. She loved the stairs. We were glad that we brought our baby gate by the end of the trip.


So there isn't much to do in Amish Country except shop, eat cheese, and look at horse-and-buggies go by. Seriously... all there is to do is eat cheese...and see how it's made...and sample and buy cheese. We didn't realize this until we went out looking for something to do. We went to Heini's Cheese Chalet and watched them mix up stuff and then we ate some cheese - all while avoiding the hundreds of senior citizens that swarm this place. Well, sortof avoiding them. I got SO mad at the old people there - listen, those of you that I know who read this, I mean no disrespect by saying "old people" ...I actually LIKE you. :) They were so rude! I had a baby in a stroller and seriously, no one held a door for me. Not once. But boy did I get looks for bringing a stroller and having such a big thing in the way - excuse me?! Why don't you get your big cheese eating rear-end out of the way?! THEN you can look at me about taking up space. 95% of the "old people" were self absorbed and nasty and looking to buy cheese and crafty crap with all their money and not care who they trampled if someone's in the way. So we quickly exited the buildings - Mike could tell I was NOT happy...and looked for lunch.
Everywhere was packed, but we ended up in this little place that actually wasn't crowded, played Christian music (God knew I needed it), and had nice senior citizens in it...I was pleasantly suprised. Elli showed off her cuteness and got lots of smiles. We took this picture BEFORE we were atacked by big bees wanting to sting us just because it's the way our day was going. We seriously fought them for at least 5 minutes in the parking lot. Everytime we would shoo one out of our car, another one would come in another door...it was rediculous.


We decided it was time to go back to our shack and take a nap. We all slept for at least an hour or so, woke up, gave ourselves a pep talk and got out to face the crowds again. Everything was closed. Apparently Amish shops don't stay open long. So we window shopped, walked around, and then headed back to the villa ordered pizza and watched food network until bed. That was my favorite part of this whole trip. Just hanging out with no one calling us....oh yeah....except that one time when Jackie called to tell me that someone broke into my little red car and her car the previous night while she was house sitting and getting awakened at 2 in the morning with the police banging on the door. GEEZ!!!
But it was a great time without work or schedules and just time to be us.

Art lessons

Today I tought are lessons for a couple of home schooled families. It was pretty, um, caotic. There were 11 kids from the ages of 4-16. That was pretty challenging...that is, to find an art project that the kids of ALL ages could work on. They were really good though. We did some printmaking. It was a lot of messy fun. We first drew some pictures onto styrofoam plates so there was the image in the plate, painted it up, then transferred that image to a piece of paper. It was so messy! But then, we used some cd cases and painted on the back side of those, and wiped away some of the paint to make prints of those images on the paper. One of the moms bought some cheap canvas bags that we got to paint on as the last thing using one of the techniques they learned. I hope that they enjoyed it. I think the kids did. I am just worried that the moms expected more. I could just email and ask them, I suppose. I stressed myself out about it leading up to the whole thing, and now I am worrying about whether or not they liked the class. I need something to help me relax. I worry too much. Here are a few pictures from the big event!

Elli plays football

Oh yes... she loves to throw things! I bought her this football from Old Navy (which I can't find anywhere right now - so if it's at anyone's house that I go to, lte me know). She thinks it is pretty fun to toss, suck on, hug, or give to Cali. This evening we were playing with it - she was having a great time. Ignore the fact that I am in my pajamas and looking like a slob, please. :)

Sleeping heads

Seriously...how sweet is this?

Elli's new toy!

So this is Elli's new toy! It is the Playskool Busy Ball Popper...so fun! She just absolutely loves this thing. She is at the point now where she will collect the balls and put them in all by herself! Woohoo!!! She likes to do that to - she get's upset if I try to help...so she collects them all and puts them down the hole in the top...she hasn't really figured out how to start it though (pushing the red button), so I get to help her with that. It is a good time because when it's on, it plays music and there's a small fan that blows the balls right out the top - and if we are lucky, some will land in the tray and roll down the slide back into the base and come out again. Usually, we chase them. :) It's all good.

On a side note...aren't her leggings cute with her bibs?!

Elli's birthday list

Okay, so Elli is going to be having her first birthday in a little over a month! How incredible is that! Time has FLOWN by. I have told her that her birthday is coming and that she needs to tell me her birthday wish list. So, I know that some of you may care (some not), but I thought I'd post things that she's told me she wants.
Like this hat....
or this one.


BTW - (By The Way) - I am going to step down as an assistant manager and instead of working 4 days a week, I will work 2 days - only work on visuals - effective after a two week notice which I will do today. I am not going to lie - I am a little nervous about the whole thing because I have been a manager there for 3 years at least now and it will be hard not to act like one while I am there. We'll see how long I last after this change.

The goings on of lately

Nothing too exciting has been going on lately. Nothing that I have felt "blog worthy."
Things have been all about the same...crazy....exhausting....yadda yadda yadda.
I have started painting my cabinets. I think I am doing the right thing. It is a little late to go back now, so I am going to finish this one set and tell myself that it looks fantastic. It will. I will like it when it is finished. I am just so stressed and exhausted that I don't like anything right now.
I am trying to get my cabinets painted, house organized and cleaned, laundry done, dishes caught up, groceries shopped, upstairs cleaned out for my in-laws (need to start now, it's a nightmare), cook dinners, be a mom to a baby with a sinus infection who constantly wants me to hold her every waking moment of her little life right now, be a wife, work at Pier 1, and on and on and on. I am a little overwhelmed and stressed and I think a little depressed about it all.
I am thinking about quitting my job at Pier 1. I mentioned that to my boss a while ago and she approached me tonight with the option to step down from a management position (because you have to work a minimum of 20 hours) and work with visuals only. I would work maybe 10 hours a week to help get our trucks processed and any floor transitions. I wouldn't have to mess with customers and all of their crap and thus wouldn't have to worry about any of the expectations involved at the register or whatever. So I may think about it. It will be a significant pay cut, I will still get my discount, but I won't work as much and will have less responsiblility. I have been worried over quitting for a long time. This may be a good step down option to gradually wean me out of there....or this may be all I need. I don't know.
Elli got a new toy...she loves it! I will post about that tomorrow (time granted) - I got some cute pictures. :)

Days off? (Today)

So today was full of plans. Half of them did not get done because *suprise!* I pulled a piece of glass out of Elli's mouth this morning. It was in her cereal! She is okay. I was confused this morning when after a few bites of cereal, she was making a funny face and almost gagged on one bite. Next thing I know I see a piece of glass in her mouth. What the flip? How in the world did a piece of glass get into her cereal?! I always wipe out my bowls before I put anything in them - I have a dog, her hair is everywhere no matter how hard I try to keep clean. So there was nothing in her bowl when I poured the cereal into it. I used tap water, and nothing can get through that filter. I then walked to the table and started feeding Elli. Tell me how a 1/4 inch piece of glass randomly jumped from my kitchen to my table into her cereal and into her mouth. Seriously?!

So I started calling people. I was on the phone with mom when I found it. Called Mike. Called my doctor, left a message. Called Gerber and told them and asked what they were going to do about it...nothing...come collect the "evidence" and "test'(dispose of) it and let me know where they think it came from. Then I called Mike again. Then I called my lawyer friend and asked him what I should do. Called my doctor again, left message. Called my doctor friend since I couldn't get through to the pediatrician - he said "this too shall pass" and that if she isn't acting like herself, bloody stool, and/or not eating - then to worry. She is acting fine and ate some fruit for breakfast easily, so I didn't worry. Now we wait to see if she passes it....that is, if she ate any. We didn't get an x-ray or anything because it wouldn't show up and he said that our bowel and digestive systems are so strong, that she will probably be just fine. People eat glass...some people eat glass....wierdos.

I am so lucky to have the connections I do. More importantly than that...the FRIENDS that happen to be in the positions they are to help people like me. It is a relief and a priviledge that I don't take lightly. Maybe I'll paint them something.

See? She looks fine. :)

Days off? (Yesterday)

So I have had a couple of interesting days off....or not so interesting....well, today was interesting.

Yesterday was the first day that actually felt like fall. The temperature was around 68 degrees...perfect temp to be outside cleaning up the flowerbeds. But I can't do that now, because I am a mom. :) I did however go to this market & greenhouse over in Belpre and bought some pumkins and HUGE mums for $5! I just bought a half dead mum at Lowes for $4 that is half the size of these ones. I am so bummed. I should take it and the other punie ones back and go buy the nice ones. I won't though. It is too hard. I have learned my lesson. Next year.

So my front stoop is nice and autumnized. :)

I did the dishes yesterday - here's my stack :

and *tried* to bake an apple pie. Usually I don't have any issues with this. But this time for some reason, kharma was against me. I bought some apples, sliced and diced them, and went for my crust. Expired. So I had to make some. No shortening. So I made some other kind of crust with extra oil or something instead of shortening. It was all good until I realized I didn't have a rolling pin to roll out my dough. (If anyone would like to buy one for me - that would be great. I need a mini-muffin tin too.) So I pressed my crust into my pie pan, which wasn't as bad as it was annoying. So I finally get that done, put my apples in, put it in the oven, and wait. Half way through the baking process I realize I didn't add sugar. Hmmmm.....yeah, it looks a lot better than it tastes. It's a pretty dry and unflavored apple pie. Argh....what a waste.

And I finally got a sewing maching that works! Or so I thought. It's doing the same thing now that it was doing when we took it in to get fixed... so if anyone wants to buy me one of those I could use a new one.

nice website

I was looking over some blogs yesterday and on Emily's she had posted this link to this website that searches the 'net for good deals and sales and printable coupons and things. It is updated regularly and often - you should check it out! I was too late to get the free pizza from Dominos, but I have seen some other things I can take advantage of!
www.bargainist.com

Click and Give!

It's so easy to do this and since I added this link to my "favorites", it is an easy reminder.

All it takes is a click and you have donated a bowl of food (provided by sponsors) to an animal in need - you do nothing but sit in your pj's, click a little link since you are already sitting there, you are helping make a difference, and not spending a dime.

Here's the link -

Click to give @ the animal rescue site

Raspberries

So the funniest thing that Elli is starting to do it to blow raspberries on my arms or on my neck. I always blow them on her belly when I change her diaper to make her giggle and to be silly. So she is not unfamiliar with them! She was laying in my arms one day and turned to look at something and blew out and made the sound - and she just thought it was the funniest thing!!! She giggled and giggled and then kept trying to do it again. I'm going to try to catch her doing it on video sometime because it is so funny...it's hard to hold her and the camera and operate it all at the same time.
She's been putting toys on her head and trying to balance them too. She thinks that's pretty funny too. In the car where she can see right in the mirror above her seat, she does it and just laughs and looks at my reflection in the mirror and it like "See what I'm doing?! Isn't it great?!" She has just really been cracking me up lately.
She is still not walking yet. I'm not complaining or anything because it is still easy for me to chase her around. She's still testing the walking waters though. She hasn't given up yet.
Now she's playing with the computer mouse, so I have to quit bragging about her...lucky you!

Needed to read this!

I have been really struggling lately with the fact that I am not using my "gifts." I believe that God has given me this artistic and creative gift....and I feel like it is going to waste. I desire to paint or pastel some things and build my portfolio so maybe I can show some things around here, or something. But I am doing nothing.

I keep hearing on TV, on the radio, in church, everywhere basically that (in essence) if you really want to feel happy and fulfilled in life you need to follow your dreams, use your gifts, chase your desires. I think this has some truth to it. I have even had customers from work telling me this. It is funny how something like this keeps pounding me over the head lately.

I still don't know what to do about it. I know that if I quit at Pier 1, mom will watch Elli for me while I paint and whatever. I just don't know if I am really really ready. I think I am. I say all the time "I want to quit." Now that I can, I am scared to. I can't let it be about money...which I think is why I am hanging on.

Anyways, I "stumbled" across this blog this morning and thought "Hmmm. How interesting...something else telling me to be myself."

Yard Sale

My neighbors had their second yard sale of the season yesterday and today. This time I actually put some stuff in it - and I made out pretty good! I made $120! On junk!!! Love it! Ofcourse, I bought some things ~ so I ended up with around $100. I did buy some things for people, that hopefully I will get some of the money back....but still! I am good with money and only 1 basket of junk leftover. (I took up 4 and a half baskets to begin with.) Everyone loved Elli. Here, she is sitting on my dear neighbor Ann's lap. Ann lives next to me - I couldn't ask for a better neighbor. She taught Elli how to use the calculator...and to use only 1 finger. It was cute!
One more funny thing -- there was a lady that came through and bought this little stuffed rabbit that I stuck in the sale. She turned around and gave it to Elli! So we got a giggle out of that. Then I turned around and marked it up to 25 cents to try and sell it again. I did! Ha! I guess maybe you had to be there.

New Rugs

I got a couple of new rugs last week. I really like them. And suprisingly enough, Mike likes them too! He actually said right away that he likes them - that he feels like he's in a carpeted home - only the rugs cover up the nice part of the wood floor. I guess we can't have everything. Usually he doesn't tell me right away because he is mad at me for changing something...hee hee....that doesn't stop me though (does it, honey)...I keep going and going and going!
I like them... and they were really reasonably priced! I got them at "Ollies" - a Big Lots kindof store. I HATE their commercials, but their prices and merchandise are pretty good.