Watch #1

Turquoise and wood, with tall rectangular face

What do you think of it?

I am psoting it on Etsy right now, so if you want it, go get it! I don't have enough beads to make another like it, but I can make something similar if you want it and it is gone by the time you see this.

I am crazy

So, tommorrow is Thanksgiving. Since we just moved into a new house, and it has a big kitcken and lots of room, I decided I was goping to have Thanksgiving here this year.
I am crazy.
Me, Anthony, Neils, Tony, Cait, Atreyu, Minnie, Stuart, Mom, Dad, Liz, Chris, John, Luke, Kirstie, and maybe Weasel.
I am making dinner for 14 people and two babies. Wow.
My list of things to make:
Regular turkey
smoked turkey
regular mashed potatoes
rosemary mashed potatoes
wasabi mashed potatoes
cornbread stuffing
regular stuffing
green beans with bacon
corn
relish tray
2 pumpkin pies
2 double layer pumpkin pies (the best things ever!!!)
um...
my mom is making rolls and chocolate cream pie
my dad is making ham, gravy, and yams
Stuart is making cinnamon rolls
Minnie is making fruit salad
I could have delegated more to more people, but I really like doing things on my own.

Yep.

Working at a bead store/ interchangeable watches

This is an interesting job. Sometimes it is boring, but then I can just make stuff ,or do this, or he gives me a lot of things ot do sometimes.
Something I have noticed...
There sure is a craze for interchangeable watches! Has anyone else noticed how many people there are with these things? Geez...I have never physically encountered anyone who makes them or even has one outside of this store, but I do know of a lot of people who do it. So, what do you think, should I try?
I am going to anyway, but just one or two for now. I think I will just make the bands, though. I'm sure people already have the watches, but if you like teh idea, and you like my bands, but you don't have a watch, I'll get you one. I'm just really curious about it now.
For those of you who read this, who are reading this, PLEASE answer these questions for me. PLEASE:
Do you know anybody who wears these watches? How many people?
Do you know anybody who makes these watches? How many people?
Are you interested??

Thank you friends!!

Zion National Park

On Friday we decided to do something fun and go see Zion. I've been wanting to go for so long, so we finally did it. I was disappointed, though, because it was colder than I expected, and I didn't think about the cliffs and how that would give is only a few hours of sun shining on us to keep us warm. Grr. but we did well, and I WILL go back when it is warmer and do more.

Market research reports

I was doing an assignment, and I thought about looking at some research in teen demographics. All the sites I find, you have to pay to get information. one site, has documents for thousands of dollars. Grr. This sucks. There is one I am intereted in, and it is $3,750. Wow. Market research is a good niche...people go to them for info, and they WILL spend that money to help them better understand and reach their target market. These reports help companies develop better campaigns, better products, and better marketing.
Last night I was just thinking about communication research, and how excited I was to do my content analysis paper (for a different class). I think research is awesome, and I was wondering if it might be a good idea to try that, but I have been in school long enough...I would only have to be in a little bit longer since my major is advertising and they are both under communications...maybe I can do a composite major instead....I'll go look up some stuff...

oh, all the thoughts that run through my head....


I just discovered...they don't have a major in communication reasearch, but there is one in communication studies. I am not sure they are similar enough for me to do it, but, there is a lot of research in advertising. Maybe I am okay. Maybe....I don't know....is it possible to have a double major, and still have a minor?? hmm... Maybe I can go on to the graduate program, too.

I love being a student. If you couldn't tell. Just last week, I was thinking that I could be a student my whole life, and I wouldn't mind. Anthony said "We are students our whole lives. We learn things everyday." But, I was thinking about being a student in academia....I'm crazy.

Custom Christmas Stockings!

$7 each - Customizable with names of your choice in 5 colors: red, blue, green, silver and gold.

50% off everything on my site!

Coupon sites...

There are all these sites where people have a bunch of coupons to print out and use, but there are so many that you have to search so hard for, and put a lot of work into it. My problem is, I don't have the time to sit there and figure it all out so I can just do it easier each time. I really want to be able to do it, I see all the HUGE savings some of them have, but it seems so hard and time consuming, too. Grr.
Does anybody know how to explain it better to me??

Photo taking ideas

I got these from the Studio 5 website. They are from a photographer named Patrick Webster.

Tip #1- Concentrate on one subject
Ask yourself three questions:
1) What's my subject?
2) Pay attention only on that subject and
3) Simplify the subject (nothing should distract from the subject)

Tip #2 - Let kids be themselves-
1) Expect the unexpected
2) Have your camera ready
3) You won't usually get a second chance

Tip #3 - Let older kids become involved in what they're doing
1) Older kids lose child "innocence"
2) So photograph them without their becoming self conscious
3)Try to use natural light
4) Avoid direct sunlight

Tip #4 - When shooting more than one child, show relationship between the children (or adults)
1) Should be looking towards each other
2) Should be interacting w/ each other

Tip #5 - When shooting outdoors, use fill-flash

Running shoes

What's the point in spending $70 on running shoes if I don't go running?

I will. I sure will. They are awesome, and I feel awesome when I do it, but it is so cold! I will get my fees paid off in the next few days and I will go to the school gym, at the indoor track, and run. Yes, I will do it!

Little Neils is 9 months old

And today the doctor says, "Yeah, he has TWO ear infections." Grr. No wonder he has been so mean to me lately. He is almost constantly fussy, and he always needs me to hold him. Nobody else. And usually when I'm holding him, he is arching his back and whining. I hope it gets better now. I thought maybe it was teething, since his top right tooth just barely broke through yesterday. He has had the left one for a few weeks, and the right one just kept playing with him. Mean tooth. But now, it is out and everything should be getting better now. Yay!

So, more about Neils...

• He can stand on his own, for like 8 seconds at a time.
• He waves "hi" and "bye, bye". Today in the hospital (where the clinic is) he had to have his own chair so he could stand there and say "hey" and wave to everybody. It really sounded like he was saying "hey!", too. He was so funny, I just laughed at him the whole time.
• He weighs 19 1/2 lbs, and is 29 1/2 inches long.
• He has 4 teeth now!
• He really likes to feed himself. He is so good at using his fingers, that I think he could really pick up an ant if I'd let him.
• He likes to eat whatever I'm eating. He shares my oatmeal with me in the morning, and I usually have to give him tastes of whatever I am eating through the day.
• He plays peek-a-boo all by himself. He will hold something up over his face, you say "Where is Neils?" and he will pull it down. He is so cute and so good at it.
• He shakes his head "no" all the time, but I don't think he is really saying no. I think he just thinks it is fun.
  
• One of his favorite people ever is my brother Luke. He always smiles when he sees "Uncas" (I abbreviated Uncle Lucas just for Neils. Yep.)
  
• He shares all the time. When he has a teething biscuit, he will usually put his hand up to you, and you taste it (or pretend to) and say "Thank you!" and he gets the biggest smile.
  
• He knows how to get down from things (butt and legs first) and how to climb on things. He tries to climb into the bathtub all the time. He can even climb up stairs. Wow.
• He fake 'coughs' when I cough or sneeze, or when anybody around him fake coughs.
  
• He isn't afraid of anything. We tried to see if we could scare him with masks and stuff on Halloween, but nope. My brother even jumped out form behind the door the other day, and I was startled, but Neils didn't even blink. He just looks at you with a blank stare.
• He is so interested in everything. If he wants something, he will reach his hand out toward it and pull it back. He'll even make a little noise (uh) and do it again. I have to lift him up to touch pinatas and balloons in the store all the time. Even the signs on the aisles. Anything above his head, he just has to touch.
• He has a lot more hair now. It is blonde, (duh) and has a cute little curl on the left side by his ear.
  
• He still doesn't sleep through the night...but I bet it is mostly because of those stupid ear infections, and that tooth!
• He can push a car along the floor, while crawling along with it.
  
• He LOVES squash. It is his favorite thing to eat, whether it is baby food squash or real squash. Mmm. He also likes apples and pickles, but I don't give him pickles anymore because he bites off big chunks and I am afraid of him choking.
  

Hmm...that is all for now. :)

Finished Halloween Costumes

My piglet cosutme...It was supposed to be shorts, but I messed it up and had to make it into a dress.

This is the swedish maid costume, in the middle. I had two days notice...

This is luke's. I made the nurse dress last year for anthony when he was the nurse (Elle Driver) from Kill Bill, and I had to make it skinnier for Luke and make him a belt.

I made this for Luke a few years ago, but had to post it because Kali wore it and I think it is awesome.

This is my mom in law minnie (I didn't make anything for her) and Chris, as Old Greg. I made felt seaweed for his hair, spray painted his coar silver, fashioned a tie out of white fabric, and made the tutu.

Ugh. gross. I just don't like it.

This is cait as a flapper. I think her face was funny, so I had to post it.

And the three of us. Piglet, Pooh, and Christopher Robin... He is also wearing short shorts. I'll find it.


Ha ha ha...I kept pulling them up to make them shorter, because that's what they're like, but he didn't like it.
He is dancing, by the way. He does that a lot.

Artichoke Chicken Recipe

This is off the top of my head, I hope I get it all! This is one of Anthony's favorite recipes that I make. I found the recipe a few years ago when I was living alone, but I have changed it a lot. See what you think.

Artichoke Chicken

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can artichoke hearts, marinated or not, chopped
2/3 cup mayo (I use light mayo, to be healthier)
2/3 cup sour cream (I use reduced fat, sometimes fat free. All work fine.)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, plus 1/2 cup more
1/4 cup shredded or grated parmesan cheese, plus 1 tbsp more
2 cloves garlic, chopped (optional, if you like garlic. I love it!)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Rinse and pat dry chicken, and place in bottom of a casserole dish. In a medium bowl, mix chopped artichokes, sour cream and mayo (you only have to use as much as you want, if you like less, use less. As long as you have enough of the mixture to cover the chicken in the pan, it will be fine. I promise!), 1/2 c mozzarella and 1/4 c parmesan cheeses, garlic and salt and pepper. Spread the mix over the chicken. Bake, covered, in the oven for 20 minutes, then uncover and sprinkle the rest of the cheeses on top and bake for another 25 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

I usually serve this with couscous. If you don't know what that is, look for it near the pastas. My box says to mix (for 2 people) 2/3 cup couscous with 1 cup water. I usually add a little bit of bouillon for more flavor, but you could just use broth instead. It is excellent with the sauce form the chicken.

Mmm. I hope you enjoy this, let me know if you try it!

New house

Right now, I am sitting in my new living room, watching a DVD and relaxing. It is a neat house, it was remodeled 6 years ago, so it seems practically new to me. Expecially compared to my old house, which seemed so old and dingy. The carpets were just washed today, too. I still need to do some cleaning, and I need to put everything away. Nothing is really set up, we're just hanging out for now. We have 3 bedrooms upstairs, and an unfinished basement that is about half as big as the main floor. It is really cool though, because I have so much more storage space. It is a lot bigger, and everything will feel better. Neils won't have to crawl around on hard wood floors, and I know the floor is really clean, and I will try really hard to keep it clean. I am happy about our new place :)