A Special Promo

Throughout the entire month of March and starting today, I want to extend a special discount for my readers and their friends and extended families. If you purchase from my etsy store, you will receive a 25% discount off your entire order. I also ask that you leave some feedback for me too!!Now, this discount on etsy won't show up right away, you need to purchase your item, then I will refund your discount through paypal. (This will exclude shipping prices because postage is pricey!!) Tell your family and friends...to put this code: MARCH08 in the note to seller and you will receive this special price.I have many many more items to add in the next few weeks, so just keep checking back often.Happy March!

Get Your Mind Out Of the Gutter

So my son is throwing an everloving FIT as we speak. He loves the icecream truck...I mean LOVES it. He ran to his sister's window to watch it as it passed and played the "Muffin Man" song. Then, well, then, he wanted icecream.
Mommy says NO. He is fussing sooooo hard right now it's hilarious...and this lead me to remember an eventful walk I took with him about a year and a half ago.
I passed this house in my neighborhood. Very unassuming house. Had the front window open. And I heard someone inside grunting and groaning. I walked faster and thought terrible thoughts about that dirty person in there getting their jollies in front of the opened window.
Back to now..in Sissy's room, with the window opened...I have a grunting and groaning little man...so angry that momma won't get him icecream.
I wonder what the neighbors are thinking.

Boy: "Memmmber? Member da truck?"
Me: The firetruck you were driving at the pizza place?
Boy: No. (Totally staccato followed promptly by) Meemmmmber? Da truck da music, I heard it.
Me: Oh, ya, the truck it went vrooom vrooom... ? ***losing a tad bit of confidence. maybe I don't
"member"***
Boy: No. Member da music da truck I heard it Icecream truck.
Me: *lightbulb* Oh, YA!! I remember the icecream truck!! Did you hear it?
Boy: No.


Boy: Member Cramma?
Daddy: Gramma?
Boy: No. Member at church? Cramma?
Daddy: Was Gramma at church? Did you see Gramma? (She was NOT there, by the way)
Boy: No. Meeeemmmmber? Da yight, the cramma, at church?
Daddy: ***Ding Ding Ding**** Yes, I remember!!! The camera at the church today!!

In other news, baby girl got her first hair trim this weekend!! I can't believe how improved she looks after cleaning up a few stragglies!! I did it myself too, so even though half the time I have no earthly idea what my son is talking about, I at least know I can trim a headfull of baby hair.

Lastly, I am working on cotton crochet sponges..I am actually really excited about them. I have been using them for washing dishes and am very impressed with their effectiveness. My only problem is they are not super duper attractive...I am thinking about naming them Ugly Scrubbies. I will let you know how that goes.

A little shout out to my man...

I don't know if it is just age, or having children or what it is that makes you reflect and say, "Where have the last ten years of my life gone."

Seriously, I think those words have filled my mind at least on a weekly basis since having my first child...I think it is a combination of looking at the newness and promise and potential in a new life, the realization that life is so fragile, and that life here is temporary. I have gone through many emotions ranging from grief to joy to frustration to contentment upon reflection of this very subject, and have finally just come to peace with where I am right now.

Well, I think this whole idea and concept has come crashing on my husband like a giant wave this week. He seemed sad and melancholy and after a few times of asking him if he was okay or not...I just got down and dirty and asked him what was wrong. He told me in not so many words that he was sad that the last ten years were gone and he wasn't further in his music career. Now don't get me wrong, he is not sad about the last ten years...he loves that we started dating almost ten years ago and we were married, and that he had beautiful babes with me. He even has no regrets about the "missed opportunity" to be an up and coming Spanish to English crossover artist's guitarist in 2001. I think the wind has been out of his sails since recording has come to a standstill and NONE of the original bandmates are in the band with him. (He's silly because recording starts again on Sunday!!)

Yesterday I took some photos for him, we played with them and put them up on his myspace...I think it looks great...He's got some new opportunities to gig out coming up really soon...he's encouraged. And I am happy. If you haven't taken a listen to his music ever, or lately, you should...and give him a little shout out here http://www.myspace.com/abiekayemusic I know it would mean a lot to him...and to me!

MINE all mine...

This is really a quick little blog about me, but as I was writing the title down, I was reminded of how my little Tot is in this very stage. He will see his sis pick up a toy...her toy, albiet, and he runs over, takes it from her and says, "That's my toy.." Or even today when my dad, Papa, was here. Little man was looking at Papa's boots and said, "That's my shoe, my shoes.." Uh, neeeww.

Here's what I wanted to write about. I purchased some labels from a fellow etsian http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=82743 in December. I was so pleased with the finished product...but had since to make a sale of any of my products, whereby needing a label. Well, today, I finished a ladybug hat for a wonderful woman who designed my little bug's birthday invitiation. Aaaaannnd...I sewed in my first label. I'm only blogging about this because it felt really good! I had no idea how accomplished I would feel after seeing MY label in an item I created. And so without further ado may I present to you...

A Pocket full of Lovies

I usually have neither the time, nor the energy to create a special Valentine for mine...I usually just do the commercialized thing...
Not this year!! My new and improved crafty self went all out!! Yesterday it was melting dark chocolate pieces to dip fresh strawberries in, and today...while hubby was at work, it was finishing his special V-day card!!
I made a very simple card with some very simple hearts...ya know the ones from elementary school where you fold the paper and cut out the heart? I made a pocket in the heart on the inside. I printed out a list of things I love about my Honey, and cut those into strips. On the end of the strips I glued more of the simple hearts and arranged them in the pocket. I am so excited for him to come home from work and read each little love line...Some are silly, some are sweet...

To all of you, hope your day is special. Lots of love to you!!

XOXOXO me

So I just whipped up the cutest thing ever...

Ya, so I had never even heard of or seen one of these little numbers in all my life until a girl on my birthboard posted one that she had made. I HAD to have one...and since I am up to my ears with yarn right now, I asked her for the pattern..(Couldn't hurt, right?) There are quite a few out there bouncing around on the internet, so she pointed me to this one. http://www.geocities.com/crotiques/origcradle.htm I was a little hesitant...I thought it may just be too girly and lacy for my tomboyish mind to create...but I DID IT!! I'm really happy with my results!!!

Here it is. The cradle purse.

Is that not the cutest thing ever?? I was kinda suprised at how quickly it whipped up too...maybe two hours top!!! YAY for long naps for the babes!!!

All Grown up...no not really...and The Cake Truffles

Toddler Story:



So, any time anything breaks or doesn't work just right, I have always told the boy, "Let Momma fix it." Since my son has been speaking for quite some time, this has been one of his phrases he uses...but it comes out more like: "Momma, fissick." Lately, he has known that he is saying it incorrectly, but that hasn't changed how he says it. He'll ask me to "fissick" and I say, "Oh, okay, Momma will fissick." and he gets this little impish grin...and a sparkle in his eye..and sometimes I get a little giggle from him. Yesterday, however, I got sad. I was in his sister's room, feeding her, and he was getting frustrated with this table top makeshift drum set he was creating. He grunts, he groans, he turns around, looks at me, and says, "Momma, fix it." I said, "What did you say?" "Momma, fix it. Fix it." Booooohohoooohoooooo hoo.


On a lighter note, having kids sure helps you see which words or phrases you overuse, especially since they are little parrots of their parents. Little lady's newest phrase is, "Let's see." I think that was actually one of Little Man's first phrases too. Yes, I say that one entirely too much...I've even caught myself talking to myself saying, "Let's see.." Time to bust out the thesaurus.


On to the cake truffles. I found this idea on Little Birdie Secrets http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2009/02/valentine-treats-for-your-sweets.html so it is in no way my own. I totally took the easy way out...I bought cake mix and premade icing.. I did Red Velvet with Cream cheese frosting, and Lemon with lemon frosting.

Baked my Red Velvet and Lemon cakes (the beauty is, they don't have to be pretty!!)

When they were cooling, I totally raked the heck out of them with a fork

Added them to a big ol' mixing bowl and really made sure all the large chunks were gone. Then I added the entire tub of icing.

I came back to it when it had cooled down completely, and formed the mix into balls. Placed those on wax paper and refrigerated.

Came back to these when they had firmed up in the fridge. Melted some chocolate and white chocolate bark.

Used two spoons to handle the dipping and placed them back on wax paper. Hubby sprinkled with happy Valentiney candies, and we let harden.

Today, I sent my Honey to work with a platter of yummy cake truffles!!!

Finally a February post!!

Funny toddler moment:
Saturday at the mall.
Hungry two year old.
Free samples...of toasted candy coated almonds...
I get a sample, and bite it in half because I don't want my son to choke on a whole almond..the coating kind of releases from it, so I give him the nut, with the candy coating separated in his hand. Like the picky little eater that he is, he holds it until the candy coating is more a syrupy goo mass in his hand...and dad just sees the mess. We enter into a particularly busy shop...the government run pet adoption center, and Dad gets out the wipees for our boy's hands. (Has no clue the almond piece was still being clutched) He starts cleaning up the mess, and the almond falls to the ground. In the midst of numerous people, in his outside voice, little man starts shouting. yelling. screaming. "MY NUTS!!!! UH OH, MY NUTS!!!!!!!!! MY NUTS FELLLLL DOWN. MY NUTS. UH OHHHHHHH. ON THE FLOOR!!!!" I of course missed the scene as I was in the "cat room" with my baby who was blowing kisses and meowing at the kitties.

I have been a busy bee with my crochet...I have absolutely fallen head over heels in love with cotton yarn...I can't seem to get enough of it, and I am constantly drooling over more. I have like five one pound spools and at least five balls of cotton yarn at this moment, and I am already planning out my next purchase. My mom is totally on the same fixation right now and we are both hatching a scheme to order some online and split the insane shipping for like 10 lbs of yarn. ha. I found out my childhood friend is on baby number two, and it's a girl, so I am so thrilled to purchase some soft organic cotton yarn and whip up a few things for her baby shower.



So far I have been making "spa cloths" or large cotton washcloths, towel holders to loop over your stove bar, and now, Swiffer sweaters! I love them...almost enough to buy a Swiffer...ha. We may still have ours out in the garage, but I'm kind of afraid to go in there. My biggest accomplishment this weekend was to actually finish my college bf's birthday gift. Her birthday was in November. I think she will be pleased as a peach!!



My project this week is to make goodies for my hubby's team at work. I found some fun little how to instructions for cake truffles, and that is what I am going to do. I will post pics of the results when I get around to actually doing it...quite a process, but I think if I just start by baking the cakes today...that would be a good thing.



I have got to get my butt in gear when it comes to birthday party planning as well!! Shheeesh. My baby will be one in almost exactly a month...I have a wonderful lady who wants to make her birthday card too, and I just can't seem to take the right picture for the card..boo. I'm needing help with the theme too. I guess not the theme for the party, because I don't really make the party a HUGE deal for the 1st...but mostly for the card...okay help with the card design. I am thinking ladybuggish...that's something I love for her. I also thought of tea time theme on the card, but I would really want to do a tea party if I did that...and I don't want to do the princess theme...but I am going to make her a tutu!! :) If you have any ideas, let me know!!


Hey all...I know you read this because my ticker keeps changin....ya'll have just been giving me the silent treatment lately...so holla when you get a chance!!




Okay, I must go, and I will leave you with a pic of one of my latest projects...I promise more pics next post.