Mish Mash

Where are my commenters? I know, I have nothing exciting to say. Sorry. My life really isn't all that boring right now. I swear. It's pretty un-boring, actually. Today Noah, Maia and I began making a gingerbread house. I forgot how long it takes because if you don't follow the instructions and let the icing/glue dry, well, it will fall apart. Lesson learned. So we'll finish decorating it later.

I've been spending so much time on work, like every waking hour it seems, that this week I'm trying my hardest every day to make quality special time with my kiddos. Just me and them. And it's been such fun. I love my babies. (Even though yesterday, on the way home from school, Noah informed me again that he's not my "baby" but my "big kid". *sob*)

Yesterday, Maia and I made a quick trip to D-town to buy a giftie for one of my blogging pals and new shoes for the wedding I'm shooting Saturday. Maia was such a good girl. She got so many compliments on how well-behaved she was. What can I say, she is never imperfect. (Hahahahaaaaa!!)

So yes, I have my last wedding of the year on Saturday, and so I finally get to wear THE dress. (I'm not so sure how sexy I feel right now after still feeling bloated and slightly frumpy from Thanksgiving and all the leftovers.) And, I did find some kick-booty shoes to go with the dress, so I think the outfit is finally complete. Nothing like waiting last minute. That's how I work if you forgot. ;c)

I think the shoes are very simple, yet hot :c) And they are quite comfortable. A must when you're on your feet for 10 hours. They're by Joan & David if anyone cares.

I'm quite excited for this wedding Saturday because I get to see my love, Johanna. I can't wait to hang out (during any possible "down" time) with her. But I'm hoping (and praying) that Saturday is a nice day weather-wise . . . at least no snow or rain . . . please?!! . . . so I can stay busy with my cool photo ideas. Brandon and Holly (my couple) are the cutest, prettiest couple. I can't wait to catch them radiating on film (I mean, compact flash).

This coming week, drumroll . . . Alexis is coming "home". So it's not really "home" to her anymore since she's been in NC for over a year now, but to Jamie and I, we say "home" because we hope it'll always be a "home" for her. I might not see her much till Wednesday, but that's okay. She's going to the Christmas walk with mom, Heather and I, downtown. And then Thursday I get to take her to the airport. We're leaving early and mom's watching the kids so that we can do what we do best . . . talk, shop and drink coffee. I'm really excited for our time, even though it'll be short and sweet, it's absolutely better than not seeing her at all. What a great Christmas gift I'm getting.

Sad news. We aren't going to Oklahoma for Christmas. :( After tossing and turning over what we should do, Neil and I decided together that we couldn't go. We still have not sold our lot. It sits there, sadly. I wish we could keep it, but having to be making (in a way) two mortgages, is hard. Very hard for us. We are barely scraping by. (Thank GOD for my business lately!) We just can't afford the trip this time. We hope by the time baby A.C. is born in Feb, that we can go to OK to meet her. So, now we're staying home for Christmas, but that's exciting for me because it's our first Christmas here in our new home with the kids. It should be a really fun Christmas. Neil and I decided that we aren't doing anything at all that day but having a family day, just the 4 of us, in our jammies. And I can't wait. We're going to really miss doing this with our bro, sis, Ella & O'ma, but thankfully they understand 110%.

So, the next few days I won't be posting much as I finish up on some major orders, deliver 2 wedding albums, shoot a wedding and proof a wedding. Monday I think we're going to take a family day and finally put out our Christmas decorations and go get our tree. So I end with this . . . from keri @ flickr . . . I love her stuff.

Never forget that there is no day but today.

Off to decorate the gingerbread house!

With love, in the Spirit of Christmas,

~ me, Val ~

P.S. Neil's cousin just found out she is having a baby boy in April. Congrats, Kara and Josh!

Today's jabber

I'm really not even sure what to talk about today. Maybe I will just share the nonsense in my head? Oh what fun, eh? Oh well, bear with me.

First, something exciting . . . sorta. Neil, get this, stayed in the same hotel for two days as THE ROLLING STONES! As of yesterday when I talked to him, Neil hadn't seen any of them, but his boss did!! He saw them driving away in a Mercedes with people and paparazzi chasing the car with cameras! How insanely crazy is that?! I think it's pretty cool minus the fact that Mick Jagger could be my grandpa, but who knows how I would act if I actually saw them in person, because my excitement level sure rose when I met Willie Nelson, and of course now, he is my all-time favorite. (*giggle*) They preformed in concert in Hamburg and I looked up tickets on ebay . . . the starting price was $300 a pop. Um, no thank you. Dad, how bout you?

Exciting news here in Illinois, well, for our family, that is. Hubby comes home tonight!! He just called and he's boarding the plane in London. I can't wait to see him. Maia and Noah talked to daddy yesterday on the speaker phone and they both were really excited. Maia's answers to all of Neil's questions were "yesh", "yesh", so Neil said "is your tongue purple?" and she answered "yesh". He said, "I knew you'd answer with that". :c)

The week actually hasn't been that bad. It helps when you fill your week up with a busy schedule. Yesterday we took the kids to a new aquatic center nearby and that was really fun. Noah had a blast yelling constantly, "look at me! Look at me!" I got some pictures but they are on Leann's camera, which I hope to get tonight to start downloading. But then we headed over to my good friend, Mike Judge's, studio. I got to see his new kick-butt place (they just redid the entire place) and visit with him and Nora. Noah hung out with Tyler, their grandson. It was so nice to see them.

Not big news to you, but to me . . . We had about 50 broken down cardboard boxes just laying outside my back door. We had been taking a handful to set with the garbage each week. It would have taken us months to get rid of all of them, so my friend, Leann, came over and we carried all of them to the curbside and the garbage TOOK ALL OF THEM! You know how nice that feeling is to get rid of garbage that has just been laying around?! It was like a huge weight lifted off of me. That was worth noting, right?

I'm not usually a Kohl's fan for clothes or shoes, but I was there earlier in the week looking for towels and wandered into the shoes, and found some really cute Adidas running shoes I liked. So I bought them, for, get this, $34.99! Is that not a great deal for these?Sunday we are trying out a new church. They are suppose to have an amazing children's program, which as we all know, is a must. A great church overall from what I have heard. Very similar to the one we left. I already know a few girls that go there. I'm excited to find a place to call "home", to make a network of friends in a church, and a network for my children, so I hope this is the one. I'll be updating Monday!

I have so many pictures I need to update ya'll with. I also have tons and tons of work to do since I haven't done a single thing all week (well, really for 2 weeks now that he's been gone for about that long total), but I am going to try really really hard to get both my work and play photos done this weekend. Wish me luck. Send some positive *get-your-work-done-Val* vibes.

My weekend starts today since Neil is not going into work tomorrow, so happy weekend, dear ones!