Documenting the past week in pictures

I haven't been blogging much at all lately (posting or reading) and it's because on top of work stuff, I've never been so busy in my life. I'm thankful for not only the technology of cameras and preserving moments, but for my love for doing so.

One week ago Noah participated in his first ever Christmas program. He was a shepherd. I think every student in the school participated, which means pre-school through junior high. It was a really awesome experience for Noah and just as much of an awesome experience for his mommy, daddy and O'ma.

We were so very proud of him. I've never seen him appear so grown up. I've also never cried before for being this proud of him being so grown up. It was bittersweet and so hard to keep from crying. The last time I remember having that overwhelming feeling of love and joy for him was the moment I got to see and hold him for the first time when he was born.

Here is Noah's class right before the program. I took it upon myself to take a pre-school picture and a kindergarten picture. (hehe) :c) Do you see my Noah? He loves to observe people which is exactly what the camera catches him doing here.
(click on the pictures and you'll see them way bigger)

Then here he is during the program, singing. What really got me was when he spotted me on the floor taking pictures and that look he gave me just melted my heart. His eyes sparkled as he was watching me as though he was saying "mommy, look at me being a big boy. I love you so much, mommy". That's how I felt in that moment. Sorry for the cheesiness, but it's so true.

Afterwards, since O'ma is heading to Oklahoma for Christmas, we went out for ice cream and then she came over to give Noah and Maia a couple presents. Here they are unwrapping a few. Noah was mighty excited of his new undies!!


Then Friday and Saturday we got hammered with snow. Lots and lots of it. 9 inches to be exact. I loved it; it was so beautiful. So we stayed in all weekend playing games, decorating the house, working (well, I was working), and making food for Sunday.


Sunday we had our dear friends (Nikki and her family and Leann and her family) over for a Christmas dinner at our house. Neil was given an 8 lb ham as a gift from one of his customers, so we made that along with other yummy fixin's. It was really nice.

Vanessa is 10 months old and has very little hair. So Leann and I sneaked back into Maia's room and put her hair up into this little pony tail. Nikki almost cried when she saw it! Mommy and daughter . . . aren't they cute?!

Then Monday after I picked Noah up from school, I drove out to my favorite park in the world because I just knew it probably looked heavenly after the snowstorm. The main entrance was closed, so I drove around to a side entrance. I'm actually so glad it was closed because I saw some spectacular views back there. Here's just a couple out of many I hope to post later at flickr.



The rest of the week we went to the retirement party, I delivered a 30x40 sized canvas of a photo I took (see below), I goofed around with a reflection in an ornament on our Christmas tree (see below), and then today I had to cancel two appointments with clients because Maia and I are bundles of yucky-wucky-uckies now.

We both journeyed to the doctors today and we were both put on antibiotics for an ear infection (Maia) and a UTI infection (me) which has made both of us feel really miserable. I've been fighting this for a couple months with OTC things, so hopefully it will now be gone for good. I'm praying because they're no fun!! And right before Christmas . . . both of us . . . why of course!
(click on the picture . . . I dare ya! . . . then you'll see me in the Christmas bulb!)

I'm so so so thrilled, though, because last night I finished my last wedding album of the year (honestly, I didn't even think I'd get this 4th one done before Christmas). I delivered it today on the way to the doctors and I feel SUCH a huge huge weight off my shoulders . . . so much so I just want to run outside and scream it at the top of my lungs, but it's freezing outside and I am not feel all so swell, so I'll save that for another day I suppose :c) But but but but but! I can scream it here, right?!?!

I'M ALL THROUGH WITH ALBUMS AND ORDERS FOR THE YEAR ----- WOOOOO-HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

5 days till Christmas! Now I can really be excited and happy. I can concentrate on those things that are really important now like my family, friends and remembering the birth of Jesus! :c)

Merry Christmas!

My weekend . . . in pictures.

So I know we are already to Hump Day, so also almost to the next weekend. But let's just pretend for a minute that I'm on top of things and that this is Monday, k? Just humor me :c) I'm not even doing WW today. But wait, it's not Wednesday, it's Monday! (wink) So that means I am on top of things. Way to go, Val!

Last weekend . . . a great weekend . . . and one of my less stressed and hurried weekends in a long time, and I know in a long time to come as well! So I thought I'd post pictures since I kinda photo-journalized my days anyhow.

Erin had asked what books I bought while at B&N last week. Here they are. One is country, which if you know me, I don't scream "country", however I have a strong love of vintage style, and this book had quite a bit of it, hence, why I bought it! The other one is totally me. In-style, but in a less expensive type of way!

Saturday morning my mom and I did Race for the Cure. We walked in honor of my Grandma Libby, mom's mother. I had done the Race before, mom had not. She was so glad she had that opportunity. We had over 4100 in our race here in town. It was empowering, yet so very emotional. Here we are in pictures after the race. I forgot my camera, so these were taken when we got back to my house. And the one picture on the top right is our bag of yummies. I love freebies!

Then I drove to Springfield to meet up with Jen. Jen use to live on my block. We became the best of friends. I know God put her on my street for such a short amount of time so that we would meet and be friends forever. She and her family now live in Hattiesburg, MS. I haven't seen her in almost 1 year. And I've missed her. A lot. This is me on my way to visit Jen. I had NO KIDS IN THE CAR (Amen to that!) and I got to listen to my music (Regina Spektor) and I got to think quietly in peace. It was heavenly.

Here is Jenny-Jen and myself! We had to get coffee (why of course!) and we also hit the stores (um, hello, duh!). Jen had to get a dress for a wedding she was going to that evening. This picture here is of one she bought. She bought two and she called me later saying this was the one she wore (it was my fave!). And, as you can see, I had such fun with the 3-way mirrors! It was so great seeing her. Time was way way way too short, though. We're planning on getting together again late summer or early fall.

Then I hurried home to freshen up for dinner with Mandy & Heather. When I walked into my house, I saw this. I guess this pile of newspapers kept the kids occupied while Neil packed some boxes. Whatever it takes, I guess? I was just glad I could turn around and leave again!

Dinner was great. I know both Mandy and Heather from grade school . . . kindergarten through our senior year of high school, actually! Wow, that is a lot of years. Mandy is now in Cincinnati, and she came "home" for the weekend. So we all got together for Mexican food and 'ritas and had an absolutely wonderful girly-girl time! So up above are some fun pics of my girl, Heather. And the one on the bottom right is a picture I took of a picture on her camera of her at her zoo taking care of her Cheetahs. Yep, those are hers!

Halfway through our 4-1/2 hours at the restaurant, we called my best boy friends, Jeff and Brian, to see if they'd join us. Of course they did! We had such a great time, too. Jeff and Mandy got into some heated - yet friendly - arguments over evolution and Christianity. Jeff, a Christian, tried his best to give his argument and she tried her best to give hers on evolution. Mandy is going for her doctrine and her study is in evolution. It's really really hard to get her to understand how we believe that God is the creator of all things and that once we die, we will forever live again. But, then I understand that it's hard for her to believe it when she has had such in-depth study of evolution, and have been taught by professors who are not Christians. I cannot judge her or what she believes, and I won't. Jeff didn't either. He just tried to help her believe. (That's what we are suppose to do.) I love Mandy so much. I just pray she will one day change from Agnostic/Atheist to becoming a Christian. I pray very hard for this, actually. My heart aches that she feels she is going to hell and laughs about it. I so badly want to change that. But I know it's out of my hands.

On a lighter note, we had lots of margaritas. Lots. We had a wonderful time and I look forward to more to come. We're trying to talk Mandy to moving back home! (Hint, hint if you read this, Mandeline!)

Then Sunday we got to get back into our very-soon-to-be house to try and decide on colors for the house. In the kitchen we were trying to match up light yellows to paint over the mustard-y color. And then I found some master bathroom decor which I just stumbled upon (the best kind of buys!) which were way on clearance at Bergner's and are the perfect match to the color we are painting the master bedroom! I love good buys and pretty things!

Happy 4th of July to my readers! Friday we close on the new house! I am so so so excited! Offer still stands for the weekend painting fun! My mom is making Italian Beef and I'm bringing other food and of course, drinks! We may even be without kids thanks to O'ma! Let's kick some wall-painting booty! :c)

Oh, and I got my computer back with a new hard drive. I have yet to turn the darn thing on. The thought stresses me out.

Asian, vintage or both?

Oh . . . Amanda. She did it again. (See her comments from my previous post.) She has now made me think more and put my creative juices to work. At least my my mind's eye brain.

Amanda sent me a link at kukunest for children's bedding and they have the most adorable little girl decor ever. I love the boys stuff also, but their things only come in twin and we hope to move Noah out of his toddler bed into a full, which is what his convertible bed goes into. I'm still leaning towards the "Arrrrr" pirates! because they're just so cute and boy-ie.

So my two faves that I am now leaning towards are the Lantern Festival and Around the World. I really really like both and think they both fit my Little Miss's personality.

But, I'm totally into vintage things as well, which is what her bedroom is now. Vintage-y, chenille-y and a bit shabby chic. Here are some pictures:



I would really like to be able to use her current rug in the new room. Do you think it would work for either of these cute-sie rooms above at kukunest?

Here is what her room did look like as of earlier today before I took it down. (*tiny tear)

This rug is actually darker than what it appears here. It looks more like the colors in the rug in the above picture. I also wanted to note that the twin bed in her room was for mommy or daddy for middle-of-the-night wakings when she was tiny, but that bed is still in there, not to confuse anyone or anything!

So I want you to be honest. Will my vintage-y decor fit in one of these rooms? Most of the things for her room are things from my past and my moms (vintage dresses, toys, pictures), and then there is that rug, which isn't actually a vintage piece, but it's big and is an expensive rug, although I got a great deal on it at their outlet (from Land of Nod, one of my very favorite stores ever). I love vintage, but I also love different and modern. I'm really just 100% eclectic, yet I still like to match.

If I go this route (kukunest), I am thinking bright walls like red and bright pink. I love to paint, so once I pick the theme, I can then pick the colors and then get my wall ideations going! :c)

Thanks for your help!

Thoughts residing in my head right now.

* I have to pick out a new comforter set for both Noah and Maia. Noah says he wants dinosaurs. I'm thinking plain ol' white or pink for Maia. We'll be switching Noah to his full-size bed and Maia to a twin. I can't (well, I don't want to) pick out paint for their walls until I have exact matches to their bedding. I know, I'm anal in that way. (So, I really think this is cute. It's Pirates, though. But I think I can add some dinosaurs in there. He already saw this and really liked it. I think matching wall color would be fun and he'd like this theme for years to come. But I also found this which is similar but way cheaper, and just about as cute. I am having troubles finding dinosaurs that I like in a full size. Your thoughts?)

* I really really really want my computer back. Or, at this point, any computer. If it has to be new, so be it. I'll just be even more in debt. Sigh. Since I have to have a mac (all my software is for a mac) and since I have to have a computer that is fast but has a lot of storage capacity (it seriously is a must with what I do), and *if* I have to buy a new one, I will probably get this one. I just pray I can do a lot of biz this year to pay for it. *deep breath* (Fellow mac-ies, what do you use?)

* I need to return a cable to a photography place (Tallyn's) in Peoria because it didn't fit in my lighting system and I'm waiting to hear back from the place first to see if they even have what I am needing. (Please respond to me! Please. You are usually so quick. Don't let me down now!)

* I need to make a list of all the places that I need to do change of address for. The ones that I know there will be dozens (probably hundreds) of, are my work-related contacts, businesses, catalogs, vendors, etc. Ugh. I almost forgot about doing this.

* We begin painting on the new house the 6th. I will be doing most of it myself. Any ideas on how to keep my kids entertained (in a house that has absolutely nothing in it yet) and not be in my way? (You and I both know they'll want to "help" and then would make a huge mess doing so. They're kids. It happens. What can I do to distract them for long periods of time?)

* I get to see Jenny-Jen on Saturday!! She is coming "home" from Hattiesburg, MS. I cannot wait to see her. It's almost been an entire year. We're having lunch and shopping. Girls day out, no kids! I have missed her so much.

* Packing up my office, especially packing up all my client files, old negatives, etc., is going to be a tremendous job. I'm already in denial that it has gotta be done. I can just pick up the office and move it like it is, right? The file cabinets. Man, that will be a huge job. How do you recommend I do that? (I've never had to move my business before!)

* I want to be back on vacation.

* I need to go through all the magazines that I have not read in months and months and throw them out because I am not moving them to the new house. I guess I will get off of here and do that next. Anyone in need of Parents, Child or Family Fun? I want to read them, but I never ever have time to. I'd honestly rather read a book. I'm discontinuing my subscriptions to save some trees and piles of waste collecting in my house :c) (Btw, did you know that Child is discontinuing it's magazine? I love that 'zine, too. Parents is taking over it's subscriptions. Shoot, that stinks. But they will still have their great website packing with parenting info.)

* My list of to-do's and thoughts going through my head is just way way too long.

Buttons Galore

I have some sewing bits-n-pieces that were my grandma's. I don't sew. Neither did she really, but she liked to keep everything. Most of what I have are buttons, and there are a lot, plus some spools of thread, and then tiny bags of odds-n-end thread. Anyone know what I could do with all of these? Cerella, since you're a sewing/knitting diva, do you know? Or do you know of anything creative I could do to showcase the buttons? Here are some pictures of what I have. The buttons are all in smaller individual plastic bags. I love all this old stuff and would love to have it "out" rather than put away in boxes for years to come.And then I have this mechanism that I'm not sure exactly what it does, but it looks like perhaps it aids in making button holes? I am right, Cerella, do you know? Again, what can I do with this? (It's really kinda cool looking!)
And then I also have this old sewing machine accessories tin box. Which is really neat and looks to be in perfect condition, as all of these things appear to be. I love the color of this. Isn't it neat how things from this generation tend to be turquoise? Since that is my favorite color, I looooooove it. I might just have to set it this somewhere in the new house. I just am in need of some really creative ideas. My interior decorating brain is not working right now. Too many other things on my mind, which is why I need all of your help!