I shop because I have to

I heart Costco.
I also heart Harmons...
but I don't shop there any more because the closest location... is not close.

I don't love shopping. My feet and back get tired, I hate watching the $ decrease so quickly, I have kids to tow along, and I hate trying on 800 things to find the two or three things that are keepers... and here we come back to decision making... which I hate doing esp with a price tag attached. So I hang on to things as long as I can. The most shopping I do is for necessities. You know Food.

But I do like the office supplies, paper, stickers, scrapbook, sewing and needlework, craftyand such isles. :)

Kids page update Videos

Olea rides her bike

Olea with her ChainSaw (a piece of wood) while camping, this was not her original piece of wood which hand handles and such like a chainsaw, she was pretty upset when she realized it had been put in the fire. I thought this was so cute though, too bad I didn't get video of the best chain saw log.

Zurich learning to sign... not scream.

Zurich tickles

and Zurich and his push cart

because I need a new purse

My handle to my purse broke off when I was frantically trying to get in the car and leave our house guests with what they needed and my baby boy and make it to the hospital where my daughter (4years) and my husband were after she'd been rushed there in an ambulance for emergency surgery back in May... I still don't have a new purse. For women who love their purses, this is a tragedy, for me it's also really really frustrating! So a new site is being started, can't say I love ALL their purses, (can't please everyone on EVERY purse, that's why there are lots right?) but some really look like something fun... http://www.handbagplanet.com/ Check it out so you can register to win a handbag, as they are giving 24 away in 24 hours on their Oct 15th launch.

blowing off steam

today I thought about having a link list on the side called, "People who piss me off..." but decided that didn't sound nice and it might traffic more people to their site. The whole reason for this negativity is because, well, some people routinely do upset me... but more recently I looked up a site of a photographer that took my brother's wedding pictures. I did their announcements... and now on her site is a "revisited" version of the announcement design I did, being claimed as her own. It's just too much alike... and done after their announcements were sent out which she got one, because she is the bride's friend. My husband says to take it as a compliment that she is copying my design (over and over) but it pisses me off, I can see what he is saying, but I don't have to like it. I guess the reason I am bothered by it the most is because she is copying it and making it look like she was the one who did their announcements, among others and is now selling invitation "design" as a service bundled with her photography. The end.

Opinions NEEDED

Ok friends and neighbors, readers...
I need opinions. I do photo editing. I have some examples on my other site corettadeesign.blogspot.com but I need to know what is a reasonable charge for normal people who have a picture that they wanted fixed. Here are some examples of fixes I have done... Just so you know, I actually can fix them, not like some people who say they can and it looks like they cut scraps out of magazine and glued them together. No offense.

For these kinds of fixes: What would you pay? What would be a reasonable asking price? What would it be worth to have a picture fixed?

#1 This one the bride wanted her slip not to be in the picture... Left is original right is fixed. #2 This one was two family pictures (top and middle inset) which had good and bad of everyone between the two. She liked the top picture best but a few people had eyes closed (me) and kids had funny faces. She wanted the best of the two put together. Also the first one had warmer tones and looked better overall. The one on the bottom is the edit. The little snips to the side are the major issues she wanted fixed in the picture. Click for larger view.
#3 Vingnette and contrast fix. This one was to match a stylized photo that the photographer had originally done, but she wanted one to match with her and her daughter too. #4 Engagement photos, no one wants a pole growing out of their head... and come to find out they wore the wrong colors... so they wanted an after the fact wardrobe change to match the invitations (which I did)These are all from the same batch because they were currently the easiest ones to find on my computer. I do this kind of fix all the time though. But I can't keep doing everything for free, as much as I would like to. Help me know what is fair.

girls, boys, contests

Yesterday we hung out with some friends for the evening. We always have such a good time and everyone gets along so well. Olea has oodles of girls to hang out with and Zurich has his buddy McCord who is two months younger. Love the American flag waving Olea. We had the two mobile boys corralled in the living room so we could chat without having to run after them. Gary thought this was so funny.Zurich likes to swing. No, he loves it.

I just finished submitting a piece to the International Art Competition for the LDS church. Why do I do that? Why do I ever enter any contests? I'm used to disappointment. I guess part of my need to enter this contest is something a friend's dad said to me once. He was waiting for the day he'd open up the Ensign and see my name on an art credit. This is likely YEARS if not eternities off... but I still feel the need to shoot for it everyonce in a while. I had hoped to make a more recent piece but nothing came and so I entered the one I had originally planned on. I'm not even bothering to cross my fingers to be on the online exhibit. I don't even want to count how many contests I have entered with my photography, poetry, painting, drawing etc. Granted, I have won some awards, some are pretty cool. But more often than not, I'm just not spectacular enough. I can handle that it's a fact of life. But I've been given tallents, and I'm supposed to share those right?

Zurich

Ok so my Zurich is a mischievous little boy. I am sure this is a totally new idea to 99% of mothers out there who have perfect children. ;)
So we have a LARGE collection of plants in our bedroom. Like 16 or something. Zurich is a mobile guy and so he will dash off to that end of our room and grab a fist full of dirt, at first he tried to eat it, but just got a bunch of bark and that wasn't so great, so now he just likes to dump fistfuls on the carpet. The other day Gary and I were lounging in our room and Zurich abandons his pile of toys and takes off over there halfway there he turns back and looks at me, I tell him "No" and he smiles and raises his eyebrows and takes off in a dash. I grab him and put him back in front of the toys before he can get there. This happens quite a few times, he thinks it is a game, and he's so cute about it. Eventually he gets closer and closer...So he sneaks over again and waits with his hand raised just a few inches above a pot and looks at me. At "No" he smiles again and grabs a fist full and giggles. The little stinker.

He has sooo much personality. He is a momma's boy though, so I am trying to work on that. He is full of smiles and mischief. He also likes to open the cupboards in the kitchen and empty the tupperware, dishes etc. I have decided I will not "babyproof" my cabinets. Nothing will make me swear faster. Our first apt had everything babyproofed and it irritated me to no end, one handed trying to get things done and having to drop everything to open the dumb cupboard catch or lock to put in one measly towel or whatnot. I just can't stand it... so I will repeatedly pull Zurich away from my kitchen and set him infront of the play kitchen where he can open/shut/bang/fill/empty the cupboards to his hear's content... and then dash back to mine.

The other day Zurich was being a pooper about eating dinner. Gary decided to go to the next level and put Zee's mashed potatoes all over Zurich. Zurich wasn't in good humor. Save me Mommy!Afterward we realized why... he had some sort of stomach bug and just layed around on my chest the rest of the day and the day after, and then puked volumes. Yay. But it was so cute to have him so cuddly. This picture is misleading, he was really wiggly with Dad.
Then Gary and I got sick. Olea had already had it earlier in the week. It hit me really hard. I was out for two days. Ick. It's always worst when Gary and I are sick at the same time, the kids really suffer.

Zurich can climb stairs and has done so without real incident until today when he decided to come back down them. Thankfully Gary was sitting on the landing and was able to catch him before he really started going. I heard it and jumped, this is really scary for me becuase when I was very pregnant with Zurich my neice who was almost 4 at the time fell down the stairs and I was at the bottom and caught her before she landed on the concrete. The memory of watching her fall and only being able to catch her before last dreadful impact has really stayed with me. Esp knowing what actually hitting the concrete would do headfirst after a fall of cartwheels. So we need to teach Zurich about coming down, more seriously than we have been. He wasn't hurt just shook up and just wanted Mommy.I pulled out the squirrel costume thinking I would have to make major modifications on it since Zurich is quite a bit bigger than Olea was... I went so far as to take off the false legs, but couldn't hack away at it knowing what a perfect peice it is... and so I just undid the arm holes thinking maybe his arms were just too long and that is what put the strain on it last time I tried it on.... That is mostly it. I think we can pull it off. So I will put the false legs back on. It looks much better with it. Here are some pics Today... and the first time I tried it on him before taking off false legs and opening armholes.Oh but we have our fun. And a lot of it. Zurich fish. Olea takes Zurich for a ride on her fourwheeler. Zurich before the attack on mommy.

ventures

Ok, I had Morgan on the brain this week since she teaches preschool for real... and I don't. But we are doing a neighborhood preschool for Olea. Five kids and us mom's each take turns teaching. This is my first week. We do Tuesday and Thursday. It was fun, it went well, we ran out of time, so I figure that's better than twiddling my thumbs. So to make sure we get to the fun part tomorrow I have a plan. I have to surpress my pride though in my little Olea. She was super motivated and task oriented and listened really well. (This is surprising since we were in her own house with her own mom...) Most of the other kids are at a similar level, but one must play video games all day. The kid didn't do anything unless you sat by him and kept him on task and practically traced the letters for him. It blows my mind. I am so used to Olea who can follow instructions (though of course she doesn't always) and is excited about paper and pencil or coloring activities.

We did the letter K and the number 9. I explained that the number nine was like a helium balloon on a stick that lost it's helium. the kids thought that was SO funny. It helped them imagine it and they did a good job writng it because of this image. If I'd had an endless supply of money and time I would have got ballons fresh and wilted on a stick so they could see but they have good imaginations. It worked out. I found out that there are a lot of online worksheets for preschoolers and that has been nice. A friend also told me about starfall.com. Olea loves to play on that site and it's good learning stuff. It's cute and has worksheet download area too.

So I feel some success especially after last week, the mom whose kid doesn't do anything (mean, I know) taught and none of the kids wanted to go back to school on Thursday becuase they were so bored on Tuesday. I was worried the bad attitude would last and I would have very difficult kids, but I didn't take the excuse they used with her (My hands are tired). Hands don't get tired unless you are milking a cow, I told them. I used to milk a cow by hand. I know. And then you keep working and they get strong.

Where has my life gone?

Title here has a twofer meaning... Happy belated birthday to myself. Which is funny because we actually celebrated my birthday days before my birthday, due to the fact that Gary would be hunting the week of my big day. So, now it's over and I'm 26 ladeda. Did I think I would have two kids at this age? In some imaginings yes, and in some I didn't think I'd even be married. Where has my life gone? I wonder it more as I look at my daughter who is 4 and I see all the progress she has made and I think where has the time gone? It didn't slip past me, I think I have done a good job enjoying it with her but still life just keeps going and things keep changing. This is good, but it's also amazing.

Gary complained that I never let him surprise me for my birthday. Case in point: Last year I told him I wanted a cordless persimmon electrolux vacuum and if he didn't get it I was going to buy it anyway. So duh he got me the vacuum, he did thow in some surprise items from the kids. So this year I didn't have anything on my mind in particuar so he got to have his wish. He did a great job. He bought me a t-shirt that makes me laugh. I typically don't like shirts with attitude but this was just funny. You can see it on Snorg Tees. It's the light blue shirt with the lamp on it. If you don't get it you probably haven't seen the movie it is from and that's okay. The kids "got" me a gift card to Old Navy for clothes. Much needed. We had a little cake and ice cream while we were at his parents house. I got a puzzle and a puzzle storage roll from them. I like puzzels. I really do, so the storage roll was GREAT. I have wanted one, his parents know me pretty well. It was a good time and then the next day we had more cake at my friend's house in Orem. It was super cute she is a great cook but had never made Angel Food cake and she had one flop before a perfect cake, I guess that was like 24 eggs later or something. :) She really loves me. She also spent the week making me a quilt. It's super cute, purple with butterflies. I also like butterflies. Are these things news? Anyway I got a bunch of fun cards as well. Gina specifically, I laughed out loud, thanks. Olea also enjoyed it and carried it arround pressed to her ear while I steam cleaned the carpets (so she could hear it). She laughed because she also thought it said, Mustard where it says, " a lesson you must learn."I feel loved and now I'm over the crest of 25 officially. woot.

Since Gary's family had not seen the movie that my shirt quoted he and his brother decided to go rent it. But of course they had to go in style.... er something, they got all nerded out. Karate pants wigs, etc and rode thier mom's scooter into town to get the movie. They pulled it off, I couldn't have, I would have been laughing but they really had people thinking they were serious. It kills me Gary's bandana says MEXICAN. We were all laughing so hard. This is a side of Gary people who don't know him very well never see... One of the things I love so much. He really doesn't care what people think, he knows how to have fun.And for fun here is my little Lynus with his piano. Riding the train with Zurich. Olea in the train she put her chin on the burning barrel (not hot at the time) and got soot all over her chin. Grandpa was driving the train like a crazed lunatic, the kids LOVED it. of course.And the awesome Southeastern Idaho sunset.

Camping because we can

We went camping for Labor day with my sister and her family. It was good times. We went to the Uintas, and yes, it rained. It rained hard. We left Sunday night because we were getting flooded out. But we had some glorious days as well. Zurich really needed to crawl so he got some good play time in the dirt and in the tent. Olea was ingenious and got a large branch that she used as a chain saw. She and her cousins chased after butterflies, and held a few hostage for a while too. Olea got to try fishing with her cousins and Gary practiced archery. It was a pretty place. And we got to see an incredible full rainbow. Zurich had to wear a pink suit to keep warm but he is a brave boy. :) The kids were great wood gatherers. We got a big new tent for the occasion because we had been camping the week before with friends and it was just too much with the two kids in a 3 man tent. I had told Gary there was no way I was doing that again for three nights in that tent. The new one was nice and big, big enough for a queen air mattress, well for two. We ended up putting a portacrib up for Zboy in the tent, it worked rather well.

Quirky Me

Tagged by Gina...

The Rules:
Link the Person who Tagged you.
Mention rules on your blog.
Tell about 6 quirks of yours.
Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same.
Leave a comment to let them know.

NuMbeR 1. I hate to make decisions that involve other people. I can handle it though, as a mom and wife, I have to do this quite often, but I much prefer to discuss it with someone first and let them make the final call. I have the worst time with it though when my thyroid levels are off. Like they have been the past weeks. I am rendered almost completely useless, it's like suddenly I don't have an opinion, or my opinion is so strong I don't see reason, because I am so agitated.

nUmbEr 2. I rarely pay full price for clothes. I can't justifty it. I don't like shopping for this reason, and it's hard to do clothes shopping with two kids. It comes down to the decisions thing again, unless it's totally good deal, I can't make the decision. I often end up leaving a store with out anything because I'm just not sure it's worth it.

NumBEr 3. I have too many hobbies. I blogged about this a while back. I love to learn new skills and feel lots of success at being good at so many things. But then I have a lot of unfinished projects... currently: a painting (which my mom loves, but I don't think is done yet), a comfort cloth I am crocheting for my baby boy, tatting a bookmark for a friend who lent me the dreaded Twilight series, designing business cards for my little brother (this, I actually won't let go undone for long because it is business, I get it done asap.), a half done card for my cousin who got married a.... CRAP! a month ago. blogging, etc etc.

NUmBeR 4. I am easily distracted. I can't help super-multitasking. I love computer time, checking email, designing, blogging, photo editing, and usually get on and get a lot done, but rarely what I sat down to do. For instance I sat down to dump pictures off my camera and I still have yet to push the little button to start the trasfer.

nuMBeR 5. I enjoy, or feel the need to organize. To keep a record of pretty much everything. I keep a detailed health record, and journal for my kids. I like to label my pictures before burning a cd, though sometimes I don't get to it. I always feel the need. This kind of organizing and journaling/ record keeping is one and the same for me,

NuMbEr 6. I bite my nails. I have stopped many times in my life. Only to get in a project or a book and concentrating on something and feel a snaggy nail and oops it's gone, long gone. The state of my concentration can be seen often in my fingernails.

p.s. While writing this blog I got three other things done. Checked my email, finished designing business cards, emailed final files, emptied my camera and read a few blogs, cleaned a DVD and entertained my baby... ok that was more than three... supermultitasking. Now, it's time for lunch.

I tag Angie J, Kristol, Morgan, Joanie, Erin, Marci.

Tuesday Tell All-Fave school class/course

This seems so obvious I feel silly writing it. My favorite classes/ courses in college were art. It's hard to choose between calligraphy, bookbinding, stained glass. They were so hands on and different than any art classes I'd taken before. It's also fun to have evidences and tangible things from them. The stained glass hangs in my loft, some calligraphy hangs in my daughter's room, and the bookbinding evidences have been gifted, or currently serves as my own journals, and a clam shell box for our Mini Collection books. But still I can't forget my design classes, I LOVED my Visual Arts Communications class, where we worked a lot with fonts and heirarchy. I have a deep love for fonts now and it was an aspiration to make my own font, which is a goal I have completed. VA Comms was my real college experience into graphic design (I'd done some in High School). Good memories.