Crafty Tuesday

Posted on October 14, 2008 by carrievoris

I owe so much of my “craftiness” to my mom. I think I inherited some of her artistic genes and the rest I absorbed through osmosis by just growing up around her. Although the cake decorating does still allude me. I must have been doing too much of the tasting of the frosting – and not enough observing because I still cannot manage to decorate a decent cake.

But flowers, and putting together bouquets – that I do have “down.” My mom and I did the flowers for my wedding, my sister’s wedding, my brother’s wedding…and a whole bunch of other ones. Plus, I love flowers, and a chance to play with them? Yeah, that is really fun for me. When I used to work in San Francisco we used to visit the flower mart every few weeks and I’ve always loved having fresh flowers in the house.

Last week I got to visit the LA flower mart. Holy flowers, Batman! It was overwhelming, to say the least. But we found a lot of roses for cheap and put together some simple, elegant bouquets for Debby and the girls and boutineers for the guys. (This is the last of the wedding photos, I promise!)

For Debby’s bouquet we just used 2 dozen cream colored roses and wrapped them up with ribbon. The roses were (are!) stunning with just a touch of pink to them. They still look amazing on my dining room table!

And for the guys and the girl’s bouquets we used yellow roses with a little bit of baby’s breath. Did I mention that I really loved doing the flowers? Hmmm…maybe if this gig I have going on doesn’t work out, I could adopt wedding florist as a new career.

And for my next crafty endeavor…I will be attempting to make the girls’ Halloween costumes. We visited the fabric store today and it was so fun to watch Em and Ad – they were like kids in a candy store. Of course they picked out the most expensive, silkiest, glittery-est fabric for their costumes. Between the time I will be spending making these costumes, and the extravagant wishes of my “Project Runway wannabe” girls, these are going to be some seriously expensive costumes. So help me, they had just better turn out.

Anyone else have some craftiness to share today?

Two flowers ~ Best Shot Monday

Posted on October 12, 2008 by carrievoris

Our two “flowers” who continue to rock my world (for better or for worse) every single day – and my new favorite photo of them.

Stop over to Tracey’s to see some other rockin’ photos today.

Our Exciting Week – Part 2

Posted on October 11, 2008 by carrievoris

No, you haven’t missed anything – as in a “Part 1.” But I have just finished the photos for Bill and Debby before they left for home today, so I figured I’d write up about the wedding excitement (part 2 of our week) first, since I have the photos done already. (I posted all the photos up in our Flickr account, but you need to be a friend/family to see them – so if you are not able to see them, let me know and I’ll add you! The photos were a little hard since we shot most of them in the shade, and at 1:00pm, bright sunlight on the beach. Shesh…but there are some good ones, I think.)

So, on to the wedding…

Debby and Bill have been engaged for a few years, but they have been “together” for many years. In fact, they have been a couple since before J. and I got married, so quite a long time. We all knew they’d get married eventually, and they finally decided to “get around to it” while they were out here.

We were shooting for a simple, sweet, barefoot on the beach sort of affair – and I think we pulled it off. We found an officiant who recommended Point Dume State Park in Malibu, and was available for a mid-week, middle of the afternoon ceremony.

So we all headed to the only slice of shade on the beach, next to a big cliff (that you may recognize from several movies and commercials, Planet of the Apes perhaps?).

Nena helping her flower girl across the hot sand. Actually, the girls didn’t seem to mind the hot sand at all, it was the grown-ups that were complaining the most.

We ended up getting the girls’ dresses downtown near Santee Alley. When Nena asked them if they would be her flower girls, I thought Emma would explode, she was so excited. She wanted to wear her Belle princess dress, and the one we found her was actually pretty close. She is in love with it. I’m surprised we haven’t tried to wear it again today, in fact.

We shopped for the dresses and flowers in a two-hour window we had between dropping Addie off at school and when we needed to pick Em up after school on Tuesday. The flowers we found downtown at the Flower Mart. Lots and lots of roses – we just put the bouquets together on Wednesday morning before the ceremony. (I think you may be seeing more of the flowers, like say…maybe on Tuesday? It is the only thing Crafty I have done in weeks!)

My friend Michelle donated her craft to the ceremony and not only played amazing music for us while we were walking over, but also adapted (transcribed? Is that the correct musical term?) Pachabel’s Canon in D (a piece usually for string quartets) and played it at the beginning of the ceremony. It was incredible. The cliff gave the beach some pretty amazing acoustics and the cello music on the beach really was the perfect touch.

We gathered around Debby and Bill and witnessed the sweet (not too long, not too short) ceremony.

Emma took her role very seriously and tried to school Addie on the proper way to be a flower girl. (Where she learned this, I have no idea!)

She did a great job with Emma’s guidance and made us very proud.

Although there was definitely some monkeying around, Bill and Debby didn’t see any of it until we watched the video, so while it was funny and we captured it, it didn’t disrupt the wedding. A little light-saber action going on here, I think.

Then it was official! They are married!

And it was time for some fun. A little dancing…

Some toasting…

Much kissing….

And playing in the water…

Or hiding from the waves…

Nena taking the plunge (for the second time that day!)…

She was a beautiful bride and I think had a good wedding day.

She wanted sandy toes, and she got ’em…

After the beach we headed to Ruth’s Chris steakhouse and had an incredible dinner with some wedding cake and called it a day.

It was a pretty incredible day for us, and I hope it was for you (Debby and Bill), too. Thanks so much for letting us be a part of it, guys. We wish you much happiness and love for the rest of your days.

———————

(Stay tuned for Part 1 of our Exciting Week, which was also made possible by Debby and Bill! Gotta go get those pics downloaded now.)

We’re Baaack…

Posted on October 8, 2008 by carrievoris

Hi.

Still there?

Thanks to all who called and emailed to make sure that we are still alive and kickin’ over here. We definitely are – but just had to take a little hiatus for a few days to get everything under control. We’re close, soooo close.

So to get everyone up to speed, this soccer mom thing is kicking my butt. Apparently I cannot say “no” to anything, and apparently anyone who is the head of a committee has figured out that I cannot say “no,” therefore…I have been “volunteered” for just about everything. And between two different schools, ballet, soccer our calendar is always in flux and always crammed. And I’m tired.

Also our sitter had to leave the country to get her visa renewed, and did not return as of yet. So I have been interviewing sitters. Not a very fun job, but I think we have found a really good girl, and she starts next week. Just in time since I have several projects in motion and two more on the way.

Let’s see. Debby and Bill have been here since Friday, I think they are having a good time – I know the girls are loving having them here. They allowed Jamie and I to get away for a night last weekend so we headed to SF.

While we were there we did a potentially incredibly irresponsible thing as parents – we went on a Great White shark dive. I’m downloading the pics right now, and will fill you all in on the details perhaps tomorrow. (You’ve waited this long, surely you can wait one more day?)

Oh, yeah…and also?

Debby and Bill decided to tie the knot while out here in California. So we threw a wedding together and they got married, barefoot on a beach in Malibu this afternoon! It was pretty exciting – and more on that later, too!

Right now, I’m heading upstairs – very tired. I can’t really type or talk in complete sentences, so I’ll leave you with a photo of the girls and Nena frolicking in the surf after the ceremony today to tide you over. I promise I won’t let this photo be the only thing up to look at for a week.

Congrats Bill & Debby! We love you and wish you a very long, happy life together!

Beyond Barely

Posted on September 30, 2008 by carrievoris

Not even going to pretend we have it barely controlled. We are officially beyond chaos now.

We’ll be back to play another day.

Un-Crafty Tuesdays

Posted on September 30, 2008 by carrievoris

I have to postpone CT this week and next. I just don’t have time to craft anything or post it in the next few weeks. (My mother-in-law will be here this weekend and next, so I don’t forsee any time to craft then either!)

But I know that Stacy has some goodies today, so go check ’em out. And as always, if you have something to share, let us know!

Super Em ~ Best Shot Monday

Posted on September 28, 2008 by carrievoris

Our very own superhero…

Em was awarded the “Super Cougar” award for the month of September. Super Cougars are good leaders in the classroom, exemplify good citizenship, are helpful to their teachers and classmates, and complete their work correctly and on time. (And have never had to sit in the “thinking chair” – which unlike the thinking chair from Blues Clues – is not a chair you want to be sent to!)

So pretty much, my girl is a “brown-noser.” I am so very proud of her. (I’m sure I’ve been called that a time or two in my life, as well.)

Well done, Ems. I’d say that is pretty good work, three weeks into school already kickin’ butt and takin’ names.

Stop by Tracey’s for more super shots.

Out of the Mouth of My Babes

Posted on September 26, 2008 by carrievoris

We have had a touch of the sassy molassys around the house lately. Mostly from one little three-year old girl who shall remain nameless.

She got sent to the steps for yelling “I don’t want that for dinner! I don’t LIKE red peppers!” (at the top of her lungs!) earlier this week.

When I went in to release her from timeout, we had this little conversation –

A: Mama! Mama! I DO like red peppers! Can I get off the step now?
M: I did not put you on the steps because you don’t like red peppers! I put you on the step for talking to Mama like that.
A: Oh. Ok. Can I get off the step now?
M: What do you say to me?
A: I love you, Mama? (Oooh, the girl is good.)
M: Noooo, you need to look at me in the eyes and apologize.
A: (Silence. Chirp, chirp. But a few tears welling up in the corners of her eyes)
M: You say, ‘I’m sorry for talking to you like that Mama.‘
A: I’m sorry for talking like that to you Mama.
M: I do not ever want to hear you talk to me like that again, got it?
A: (In all seriousness) I do not ever want to hear you talk to me like that again, got it?

Emma is cracking up in the living room, and yes, it was hard to maintain a “mad” look after that little stunt.

Cheeky monkey.

Idleness? ~ Theme Thursday

Posted on September 25, 2008 by carrievoris

I laughed out loud when I saw that this week’s Theme Thursday was idleness. Dear, sweet Stacy – so optimistically suggested that we find some idleness to shoot this week.

It is so not happening around our place this week, much to my chagrin. Poor J., when he walks through the door each evening – he doesn’t know whether he is going to get a completely wasted, staring off into space, brain-dead wife, or one in tears. It has not been one of my finer weeks, for sure.

So I went to the archives. These photos were from the week of Ad’s birthday. I caught her in a moment of idleness, just off in her own little world.

Her new puppy, bear, blankie, favorite sundress, and a fresh Ariel tattoo. Just lying in the sun. So gorgeous.

This week has been a little “Addie-heavy,” I know. Perhaps I am subconsciously trying to make up for the “car door to the middle of her poor forehead” incident. But that is a story for another day when I have a little more energy to deal with it, and maybe a touch more of that elusive idleness.