Monthly Archives: December 2009

This & That Thursday

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So we’ve been a few Thursdays without a crazy pic from Addikins…

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…and there we go.

Because I didn’t have enough junk to do on my “to do list” I decided I’d try to get a new photo for the header last night.  After we spent a good 20 minutes looking for the second Santa hat – I gave up and promised that I would Photoshop a Santa hat on whichever girl ended up hatless, and then we took turns with the hat.

Yeah, so that was a small white lie, since I (obviously) did not take the time to do that for the header photo. Sorry, girls. I’ll pay for the years of therapy you’ll most definitely need later in life.

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That of course is not the only little white lie going on around here. The whole Elfie (Elf on a Shelf) thing is pure gold. I just have to look at the creepy little Elf and the bickering and whining stops as abruptly as it starts.

I am making a little bit of headway on my Christmas list – well, I have ideas for everyone. Still working on the execution of most of them. I’m really struggling with the girls and J. though. Seems like they should be the easiest ones to buy for since I am with them 24/7 – but I’m not finding anything good.

Of course it doesn’t help that Addie is telling anyone who will listen that she is getting a “new Smokey” – a real new kitten.

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Yes. That is not happening. Even when they flash me those “puppy-dog” eyes.

I’m making a bit of headway on my “other” Christmas stuff too, like the cards. Well, again…I have an idea. I’ve bought the paper and envelopes. Still working on the execution.

All this generating ideas is hard work. I think I’ll go figure out where all the mint M&Ms have disappeared. Maybe I’ll set up a videocamera to try to catch our M&M thief. Surely J. and I could not have eaten an entire bag in one night.

(Seriously…if you have a few minutes you have to go watch the “Creeper In my Apartment” video, it is freakin’ me out right now!!)

Have a great weekend. I hope you are all very productive and get further on the execution of your Christmas than I am likely to!

Crafty Tuesday

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Today’s Crafty Tuesday I would like to dedicate to my mom. As I was sewing like a mad woman today I realized that I learned many things from my mom, but what an incredible gift she gave me by teaching me to sew. Not only is it a very useful hobby/craft to have – but I can make money doing it, too!

Okay, so there is no chance J. will be quitting his job and retiring just yet, but I did make a tidy little profit at the Boutique last Friday – enough to make a pretty big dent in our Christmas shopping bills. I was pleased, and it was very fun, too.

Here was the dress lineup…

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We sold all but four of them. And then Em claimed one of them when I got home, so I have three left. I might just give them as Christmas presents.

My absolute favorite dress (made from an Anthropologie tea towel) sold as I was pulling it out of the bin to hang it.

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Two of my other favorites sold, too.

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So the dresses sold well. And Jamie sold a bunch of her aprons. She also sold some personalized Christmas jammies, too. Addie got the sample pair – she has worn them every night since she got them. She loooves them.

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I also took orders for SUPERcapes. So I’m supercaping this week to try to get the orders done in time for Christmas. I finished three today, so I think I have six more to go? I am loving the princess capes lately, though. I found these rhinestone beads for the top of the crowns…they are pretty sweet.

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I had a lot of fun putting together the marketing and merchandising goods for Two Birdies, too.

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So those are the goods from over here. Thanks again, Mom for the many sewing lessons and trying to teach me to be patient as I rip out yet another seam. I appreciate it very much.

How about you? Got some good stuff to show today?

Helpers ~ Best Shot Monday

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Little by little the decorations have been trickling out.

Back when I had all kinds of time, I would be the first one on the block to get the Christmas stuff out – the day after Thanksgiving.

Now, with the appearance of children, and chaos, I’m considering it a minor victory that both trees are up and we are decorated – with twenty, nineteen, uh… eighteen days to spare even!

Although you’d think I’d be able to get done twice as fast with two extra pairs of hands helping out.

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Right. Although I do love the fact that each and every ornament went on our tree in the living room.

In the past I would have the “bottom layer” of ornaments that were deemed “unworthy” for our tree. They were either kind of falling apart or just not “nice enough” to put on the tree. But with the girls, each ornament is a treasure to behold. I think that the little tag Addie made for us that was on our present from preschool last year now has a prime spot on the tree. Whereas before? It would have been relinquished to the bottom of the box.

It is those little treasures – and the reminder to appreciate them – that truly make this the most wonderful time of the year.

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Checkin’ In

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So…we’re back in action. It was a bit of a whirlwind weekend, but I think we are up to task for this week.

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I won’t say it is “cold” here (since I already get called on that as it is — yes, my blood has thinned!) and Ems is modeling her winter gear above because we were just leaving the ice skating rink, BUT…it is chilly around these parts! And I am loving it. It really feels winter-y! Sweater and scarf weather. And it is definitely helpful with the holiday spirit front. But when we had a few really chilly nights (low 50s/high 40s) and our heater wasn’t working last week, that was not so fun to wake up to.

The Daisy troop didn’t seem to mind the cold. We had an ice skating outing on Saturday and it was a lot of fun. The girls all did pretty well – many of them were on skates for the very first time. I was proud of all of them for fearlessly flinging themselves around on the ice. We all know how hard the first time (and sometimes only time – right Papa?) on skates is. I didn’t get any photos – but I know J. did. So I’ll have to sneak onto his camera and see if he got any good ones.

Let’s see. What else rounded out our weekend? My mind is still a little foggy – I think from exhaustion. Friend Jamie and I also had the Holiday Boutique on Friday night and did really well – I’m sure I can lump that wrap-up into Crafty Tuesday somehow. Emma sang in church this morning. Daddy and Addie were talked into being our surprise “star guests” in the Christmas pageant by our director. We had a birthday party. A date night out – where we were both kind of tired so we never even made it to a movie – but it was nice to shop and have a dinner with just the two of us. And somewhere in the middle of all of that we managed to finish our holiday decorating and get the two Christmas trees up. It was busy, but all very, very good.

Although I think Daddy is looking forward to traveling this week, to get a little bit of peace and a rest for his back.

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Friday Funny Stuff ~ Addie Style

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I won’t even bore you with all of the crushing details of our incredibly insane life right now. Just the fact that I’m couldn’t even manage a bullet-list T&T Thursday this week can probably give you an idea of the mayhem around here.

But there is one conversation Addie and I had today that I decided I must sit down and document because it is just too, too good! So I decided it has been too long since we have done a Friday Funny Stuff entry – and here is one for you…

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We were on our way somewhere today and Ads had brought both Cookie (the ratty, filthy-even-though-I-wash-him-at-least-weekly, orange cat that she has taken to dragging around with her) and Bear. I had to wrap them both up in blankets because “my babies are going to be so chilly, Mommy!” and finally got the three of them to the car. Then Addie had to buckle Bear into Emma’s seat and Cookie got stuffed into the pocket behind the driver’s seat.

A: “You have to buckle all your babies up, don’t you Mama?”
M: “Yep. So they can be safe.”
A: “Babies need lots of good food, protein, and eight cups of water to grow, don’t they?”
M: “Yep, but I know something else they need…”
A: “Sleep?”
M: “Yes, well that, too. But something else.”
A: “I dunno, what?”
M: “LOVE! They need hugs and kisses. Don’t you need love from your Mommy and Daddy to grow?”
A: “I guess so. That is a lot of stuff. It is hard to be a Mommy all the time.”
M: “Amen. It is hard work to get your babies to grow up strong and healthy.”
A: “I think it is too hard. I think I will just stay a kid. All babies should stay kids so they don’t have to work so hard.”

If only it were that easy…

Crafty Tuesday

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And along comes another Tuesday….

First of all, first bit of crafty – anyone who received the Emma/Addie calendar from us last Christmas, you need to turn the page to December today. It is indeed December 1st – not November 31st.

Yeah, November only has 30 days.

Gah. Add it to the list of corrections for this year’s calendar. Apparently I have a really lousy quality control department over here at Chaos. Any other corrections (I got Aunt C’s & Uncle M’s correct anniversary date – sorry!) should be sent to me asap, since I am working on the calendar right now.

Well…I’m thinking about it.

Ah, who am I kidding? The calendar is very low on the to-do list right now. But it is there. We’ll see.

The holiday boutique…that one that (friend) Jamie and I have been frantically sewing for? It is this Friday evening. Yikes! So I’ve been sewing and honestly, I have not had one minute to photograph any of the creations. I’ve completed four or five more dresses. And one (and a half!) superhero capes. Will get photos, most definitely.

Emmy’s teacher, Mrs. K., has not only learned of my penchant for all that is crafty and artsy, but also for my inability to say “no,” especially when it comes to something for the girlies. I have become her “go-to Mom” when she needs anything pretty, crafty, or made with some form of construction paper.

This week she needed her door updated since it still had the Welcome to School tree with apples on it. So Addie and I put together a wintery door for her class complete with a festive snowman and snowflake classmates.  The kids practically came unglued when I finished it and closed the door. They were supposed to be in reading groups but all had to come over to investigate and find their names. The littlest things get them so excited, it really is a lot of fun.

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And Mrs. K. and I have talked about doing a little famous artists art lesson every few weeks, too. That could be a lot of fun (or maybe a lot of work…not sure which). I am not complaining, though. I think I may have been an art teacher in a former life and this way I get to do all the fun teacher stuff, without all the crappy teacher stuff.

Plus when I was helping last month, I was at the back table drawing some faces for the kids to use on their pumpkins, and I heard one of the boys say, “Emma what is your mom doing back there?” She answered, “She is an artist! She is really artistic and I am going to be like her and an artist, too!”

And then she just looked at me and beamed with pride. That girl is one heck of a peach, I tell you. And that my friends? THAT makes it all worth it.

Now back to the sewing machine to see if the boutique will be all worth it.