Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow~Best Shot Monday

Posted on January 21, 2008 by carrievoris

Remember our little discussion nearly a year ago now…what to do with Ad’s hair? I held out as long as I could. I really did listen when people told me “don’t cut her hair, it is beautiful, she’ll lose all her curls!”

But after fighting for the past three weeks with a crabby 2-year old and clearly not winning the battle, I mean…look at the dread-locked, baby mullet, hairdo she had going on –

Detangler wasn’t working any more, and the back was getting too long and heavy, it was actually pulling her curls out! And it just looked really frightful.

So, we took Ad for her first haircut on Saturday. I was going to pick this photo for my BSM because I love the expression so much.

She actually did really, really well. Of course she is just sitting there thinking, “Hurry up already lady. Where is my lollipop? Cuz, I was told…that I could have a lollipop.”

And I took a bunch of pictures and with every snip of the scissors was thinking, “OH MY GOD! I said to trim it up – you just cut like 3 inches off!”

But when it was all said and done, Addie was happy because she got a lolly and a balloon and Mommy was happy because if anything she has even more curls now, and her hair just looks SO.MUCH.BETTER.

Of course she is crabby for other reasons now. Like…um, she is 2. And she has a runny nose again. And…she is 2!

I tried desperately to get a good shot of her sporting the new hairdo but it just wasn’t happening today. But I like this photo a lot, so it will be my BSM for today.

Don’t forget to stop by Tracy’s to see other Best Shot Monday photos.

The real reason for our 3-day weekend…

Posted on January 19, 2008 by carrievoris

After I picked Em up from school yesterday we discussed why she didn’t get to go to school on Monday.

E: Mama. You know why we don’t get to go to school Monday?
M: Um…why?
E: Well…

(I love that she starts all her “explanations” with a ‘well..’ – J. says she gets it from me. Well…I don’t know about that, but I do love it.)

E: ...There was this man who was a king. And there were bad people who were not nice. So the King told them that it didn’t matter what people look like or if they are different. We have to all just get along.
M: Mmmm hmmm.
E: And some people look different, like Denise. She has brown skin, but we have light skin. But we love her and she is like us, right Mama?
M: Yep. That’s right. I think it is just important to remember that everyone is different and that is what makes us all special, but we need to treat everyone how we want to be treated.
E: That is the big rule, right?
M: Yes, it is called the Golden Rule. Did you learn this today in school?
E: Yes. I’m just so sad I can’t go to school.
M: Well it is a holiday and on holidays schools, banks and some businesses are closed. But, Gracie, the man wasn’t a king…
E: Mom! Yes! He was a king!
M: His name was Martin Luther King, but he was not a king like you think of a king. It is his birthday, so we celebrate that.
E: Oh. Well…Happy Birthday, King!

We all just have to “get along.” So simple, huh?

Good Fortune ~ Winner!

Posted on January 18, 2008 by carrievoris

And…we have a winner. I was starting to get a little worried, that nobody was as “naturally attracted” to J as I am.

But Rosey was spot on!

So, here are the answers and why I think they are so fitting:

You are a person of imaginative, yet honest intentions ~ Carrie
Most of you correctly picked me for this one. Although it certainly is applicable to anyone in our family. J. is incredibly creative and the girls have some of the best imaginations around.

You are only starting on your path of success ~ Addie
You know…”only starting.” She’s only 2. Emma is far past just “starting” at the ripe old age of 4 (almost 5 you know!). And in a few weeks J. will be joining me on the other side of the mid-30s…so we definitely aren’t “only starting.”

You will reach high levels of intelligence ~ Emma
Again, could have been Addie here, too. J. has already reached a crazy high level of intelligence, and me…well, I actually feel like my level decreases by the day. So Emma it is on this one.

People are naturally attracted to you ~ Jamie
That would be my charismatic hubby. It is true, people are naturally attracted to him. Mostly because he is so funny and charming, but he is pretty darn cute, too.

So there you have it. Thanks for playing along. We will return to our regularly scheduled blogging tomorrow. I just need a leeetle bit more time to get my act together.

Good Fortune

Posted on January 17, 2008 by carrievoris

I didn’t get a chance to take any photos for Theme Thursday today, but if I have to skip one, this is probably a good one to skip. The theme is winter, and well, you don’t all need to be getting any more jealous of our winter.

Today was a balmy 72 degrees, sunny. Beautiful.

But do make sure to stop over to Stacy’s to see everyone else’s winter wonderland shots.

I do have about twenty zillion stories and photos to share, but I am swamped with working on a major project that is due soon and already feel guilty enough just trying to post photos and keep caught up with all my friends and family. Soon…soon…I promise!

Just a fun little game for today before I head out to tackle work, though.

Almost every weekend we go to Pei Wei, one of our favorite places to eat. It is the cheap version of PF Chang’s, just really yummy Asian food. And Emma’s job is to pick out fortune cookies for everyone. A few weeks ago I got a great one that read, “You and your spouse will spend many happy years together.”

Totally appropriate! I loved it. And then promptly lost it, of course.

The weekend before last she picked out these fortunes for us.

The crazy thing is that they all really did fit the person that ended up opening them.

See if you can guess which fortune goes with whom. Keep you busy while I try to get through the mountain of work and chores that are piling up around here. And maybe we’ll make it a little contest and I’ll think of a fun prize.

Dancing Fountains ~ Wordless Wednesday

Posted on January 16, 2008 by carrievoris

(2 days in a row…that I have posted photos of something other than my girls. It is a record, yes.)

Crafty Tuesday

Posted on January 15, 2008 by carrievoris

I have goodies to share today, but they were not crafted by me. Far from it, in fact.

I must say I have been doing very poorly on a few of my resolutions, and the “making time for scrapping” is at the top of that list. I just haven’t found the time. There is always next week, I guess.

But, check these out…

They are handcrafted porcelain teacups hand-carried to our home from China!

The photos really don’t do them justice. They are each just a little different, but all that beautiful porcelain robin egg blue color.

Our friend Davin, who was visiting from Chicago this weekend, brought them back from his travels to China. He says he purposely picked ones that were a little “sturdier” so that we would use them, especially with the girls. Although I think their intended purpose is tea, he suggested we could use them for ice cream dishes, maybe?

That just might work around this house!

They come stacked in this little basket and just look so pretty on our countertop.

And they are so pleasant to photograph. No running away, or quick motions. No goofy faces.

What about you – any craftiness this week? Or maybe someone else’s artistry that is brightening up your house that you’d like to share?

A Girl and Her Bear ~ Best Shot Monday

Posted on January 14, 2008 by carrievoris

A rare quiet moment from last week.

My favorite photo of Ad. She and Bear are just sitting in the swing and watching Em play baseball.

Get your fill of Best Shot Monday photos over at Tracey’s today.

Happy Birthday Nana!

Posted on January 14, 2008 by carrievoris

Sheesh. Yes, we have had a LOT of birthdays lately. Today is Nana’s birthday, and we are not done for January, yet!

Apparently, one of the many things I learned from my mom was how to elude the camera. This photo was taken the day Addie and I came home from the hospital, the day after she was born. That would be two years and four months ago. (But tell me Emma isn’t freakin’ a-dore-able in that photo!)

I just don’t have many pictures of my mom to choose from, but every one that I do have she is either cuddling up with one of my or one of Meesh’s girls. I think it is safe to say that she loves being a mom, but she adores being Nana.

What is that saying? You can’t really appreciate someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes? Um, maybe I just pieced two different sayings together, I’m not sure. But at any rate, I think I have always had a healthy appreciation for my mom, but after becoming a mom, that appreciation has risen to a whole different level.

She has taught me so much about being a mom. And she passed on to me, some of her creative genes. (You think I’m crafty? There is not a craft that this woman has not tackled, and been successful at!)

Today we celebrate our Mom and Nana. And we are wishing you many more happy years. I’m hoping for a lot more time to learn even more from and with you.

You should probably know, though – the camera is coming out next time we are together. And I will get photos. 🙂

Happy Birthday, Nana! We love you.

You don’t forget how, right?

Posted on January 11, 2008 by carrievoris

I had a whole long, boring post all cued up about our long, not so boring week, but it bored me just thinking about it, so I’m sparing you the details. Here is the condensed version.

Went to ob/gyn. Had a little procedure. Passed out cold and did that little freaky seizure-y thing I do. Pretty traumatic on my body. Was puking sick all day Tuesday and Wednesday. In the midst of keeping girls happy, shuttling to school and finishing two projects. Finally back to normal. I think.

Much more succinct and a little more fun to read it that way, believe me.

Anyhow, the biggest news for the week is my new baby!

My Christmas present. My guess is it is a bit difficult to do a triathlon on a spin bike or an old mountain bike. So I am the proud new owner of a road bike.

I haven’t taken it out yet, just around our house and in the driveway. You’d think I’d be out on the road all rarin’ to go, right? Why haven’t I been?

I’m terrified of it.

Seriously. Look how skinny these tires are.

And the first time I get my shoes clipped into the pedals and forget to unclip when I stop….I’m so going to bust open my head or break a body part.

They say you never forget how to ride a bike, right?

We’ll see. We are going to test that out this weekend. But I do think it needs a name. Anybody got any good ideas?

Contrast ~ Theme Thursday

Posted on January 10, 2008 by carrievoris

I know I’m kind of “phoning it in” this week. And I promise an update and many excuses as to why I have not written anything of substance this week (not that it is that different from most weeks!), but I do have a picture to share for Theme Thursday. Today’s theme was any interpretation of contrast.

I was going to play with some b&w photos and work on contrast, and then I saw this on Tuesday – I thought that this is a pretty cool contrast. How often do you see palm trees and snow in the same shot? Yep, there is snow on our mountains, well, there was anyhow…

Stop over to Stacy’s to see some other contrast-y shots.

BarelyControlledChaos

Chaos Controlled.Barely.

Monthly Archives: January 2008