plain and simple

oh...

any recommendations for a sewing machine??  I really want to get a new one that sews more than a few stitches and that can make button holes... not too pricey.. does anyone have a favorite sewing machine??  Thanks! 

don't ask me about the weird spacing... ask Typepad

Let’s see, lets see…lots of stuff going on J

We’ve been busy since we got back from

Florida-

we had a super time in

Florida

with Aunt Linda and Uncle Steve, loved seeing my grandparents, loved going to the beach- got lots of work done.  My lease is up on my Xterra next week- Brian and I have been really stressing about this..finding a new car that I want, one that has good gas mileage since we are going to be living in the “country” (no more SUV for naynay),  I want to buy this time, so reasonable payments are definitely a necessity.  Brian found THIS and showed it to me, and even though all my life I have sworn to never own a wagon, I really like this!  My dream (of course) is the XC 90, but maybe next time…  So, within a week, I should have a new car- a pretty black one .. and it will be nice to finally get rid of the quirky Nissan.. although the other day I was thinking about how much I would miss it- --we brought both kids home from the hospital in that car,  took them so many fun places,  a few hospital trips, lots of times to the mountains, drove across country in that car a few times.  Dog slobber and loads of doggy hair flying around when they went in the car with us.  Going on dates with Brian in that car while Aunt Chelle took care of the kids.   Just so many things.  So, I guess I will miss what the Nissan represents – so many memories wrapped up in that silly car.  We are officially moving on to the next stage…

The kids are doing fab- Aislin has started to swim underwater!  So proud of my little mama- just a few months ago, she would not even stick her head underwater, and now she can hold her breath longer than *anyone* - just like her Mimi!!!  I am going to keep taking her to the pool once every week or two (indoor, of course, now that summer is over) so she can keep practicing, because although she practices going underwater in the bathtub, that is just not quite the same!  She starts school next week- totally excited about that!  She is such a smart little one, always wanting to learn- she has been practicing writing her lowercase letters lately- doing pretty well, but still needs more time.  Yesterday, she told me she made a “capitalist” L… nice.  She has started to refer to herself in 3^rd person… saying “Aislin wants this” or “baby wants to eat” or “baby bird is tired”…. Ok, at first, I thought it was cute, now it is just driving me crazy!  What if she keeps this up and turns into one of those adults who talk about themselves like…“Aislin is very happy”….Noooooooooooooooooo!!  She has a great imagination, the names she makes up for her babies, or animals/people in her drawings- too funny!  I had to write down a few this week- the girl can make me laugh :::   Alania (I think this one stems from Charlotte’s Web Arania ),Pugminhead, Lolly, Fishah, Talia (this is a favorite of hers), and my favorite : Dandy Olfulmyer.  Of course, I could be spelling these wrong, but I’m pretty sure I am close.

Declan is little chatty man- the dude has started to talk SO much!  One thing he has been saying a lot to his family ::   “<insert name here>, I love you”  SO sweet- he will just come up and say it.  While he is eating dinner, playing, whatever.. he just pops his little head up and expresses his love J  He also starts school next week- he needs some little friends to play with!  While we were in

Florida

, Aunt Linda took us to a spot where motorcycles gather every Thursday night (well, obviously the motorcycles don’t gather, their riders do)… I was thinking she was talking about 20-30 , when we got there- 100’s of motorcycles were parked- just one big party!  Declan was *speechless*.. he is in love with motorcycles!  We walked around, looking at all of them, cautioning the kids not to touch- I was thinking in my head, it would be like us to do the TV thing- Declan would touch one and then they would all fall like dominoes.  Pictures later of his cutie exciting face.  He actually got to ride on a motorcycle with his Uncle Jeremy a few weeks ago- a little tiny one with training wheels- so great for him- had his cousin’s helmet on, and his Uncle Jeremy on the back!  As soon as I get pictures from my sister, I will post!!

MOD MOD MOD.. that is what has been on my mind lately…. These new lines are shaping up to be my faves so far- really- the colors are so fun- so very *me*, it seems!  (not like I am saying I am fun, but the colors are fun, and remind me of me.. ok, you know what I mean).  I want to get the OK to post a few sneaks here before they hit the show in October…  we’ll see! 

Went shopping at REI the other day- Brian’s dad was officially still an employee there, so we got the killer discount on THIS (the brown/blue one) for me- how cool is that?  Love

Timbuk2

bags- and this one is just perfect for going to shows, etc.  Also got some new capris on sale- some really cute blue Rei ones and a pair of great North Face red ones.   Love capris.  Especially red ones J

Working at the Scrapbook Expo this weekend with Lori Scroggins - she is so great!  I think it will be fun- teaching one class while there- can’t wait for that!  It will be nice to see (buy) some new product that I don’t have yet!  Yay! 

SO ready for a date night with Brian- we are going to get the grandparents to babysit soon so we can go out.  Need that.

Got my first “assignment” for a magazine- totally thrilled about that!  Have to get started this weekend on it- I want it to be perfect and I want to get more!!

Ok- that’s enough for now!!  J

Georgia peach and a sweet ham

Thanks to a re-introduction by her Grammie, Aislin now has found a new love in peaches.  Last year (last year??!!!) , I gave up trying to give Aislin fresh peaches, partly because she would never *never* eat them and partly because I cannot stand them... they smell good, yes, but that fuzzy exterior always reminds me of eating a teddy bear.  ick.  A few weeks ago, Aislin ate quite a lot (in my book, a lot of fruit means more than two bites) of cut up peaches served by Grammie.  She had one today at lunchtime, bypassed the Pringles and went straight for the peach.  Ate almost the whole thing.  yay, girlie!  I guess now that we are in Atlanta, she is becoming a true little Georgia peach.  Now, if we could only get her attitude to improve...  oh, and little ham , I mean little man was begging for me to take his picture, too .. with Pringles in his mouth.. I finally got one when he was done chewing!  cuties!

mama ghost

The kids and I are in Florida right now- we came down yesterday to spend the week with my aunt Linda and Uncle Steve and to see my grandparents.  I just have to say that after making the 25-27 hour drive from Denver to Atlanta, this 8 hour trip was a breeze for me!  The kids did great- only minimal fighting, they each had a little nap, and we only stopped once for gas and two times for potty breaks.  Aislin ate 1/2 of a green crayon (the big kind) ...well, later I found the big bite she had taken out of it, so I guess technically she didn't eat it... she tasted it... 

It is nice to be here- they own the house next door to them (which is empty right now), and they have set it up for us- just so sweet!  The fridge was stocked, the beds were brought over and made, and they even hooked up cable tv for us! I have a nice table to work/scrap on …I plan on getting lots of work done while we are here (oh, and my laptop picks up the wireless connection from next door- how cool is that??!!) !  We are taking the kids to the beach for the weekend, which will be so much fun!

Declan has started to call me "mama ghost" and while I think it is because he has been pretending to be a ghost lately with a blanket on his head, I feel that my lack of a tan contributes to this new name.  :-)  who knows.

Brian is in Boulder for the week- miss ya babe!  Here is a new favorite pic of us-  love his laughing smile! 

another one???

Looks like I am ready to catch up .. at least for tonight!  Here are those pictures I promised:::

ok I just have to..

post some pictures of the new MOD- I am excited about it shipping soon !!  :-)  Mom, here are the new lines!

Citrus

and Fancy Pants

She's Gone Oh I, Oh I'd..

....better learn how to face it      

hee.. remember Hall & Oates? 

My youngest sister went back to college yesterday and I have to admit I kinda like it :-)  only teasing, Erin!  We moved her (and her 1,000 loads of stuff) back up to North Georgia yesterday and I was a little sad last night when i didn't have her to hang out with after Brian went to bed.  She can make me laugh *so* much- and can make me mad in an instant!  Being home with her has really been nice, though.. here are some things I will miss with her gone ::

her killer hairdryer

writing funny messages to her friends through IM- they probably think she is a weirdo by now

trying to keep the kids quiet in the morning so they don't wake her (ok, well, I wont really miss this)

going to Blockbuster at 10 pm to grab a movie and staying up cuddled on the couch during the scary ones

eating loads of popcorn with her (even though she likes that nasty cheese kind)

trying to get a better tan than her.. well, I had one the week after Sanibel, but that has long faded ( I know, not healthy- but I just love laying out in the sun!)

arguing with her over pointless things.. she has a tiny bit of a temper!  (YES, you do, Erin!!)

having her yell at me for sleeping under the covers and on the sheets in her bed- for some strange reason, she likes to sleep on top of her comforter and under another blanket- doesn't want to get the sheets dirty ;-)

watching her type *so* fast on the computer- with just two fingers- that just kills me! 

hearing her cell phone ring (all the time) with a song that I only know the first 4 words of :: "had a bad day"  (which, by the way, now I know is a Fuel song)

making her pb&j's- she likes almost no jelly on hers *gag*

Ok, so she will be home some weekends, probably every one since she will miss me so much :-)  But I will miss the every day...

Erin- I am looking forward to having another late night true confessions with you and Laurell again!

here it is

seems I have found myself again :-)   After not posting *anything* in so long, i have been dreading coming back here to catch up... so, what I will do is give a short run down (hee hee, I just almost wrote rub-down).  here's what's up::

house (still) for sale in Denver * living in Atlanta with the parents  *  contract on house to be built in Atlanta (YAY!!!- more on that later) *4 months til it is ready(eeeee) *  both kids start preschool in a few weeks(not sure how my little guy will do, but I should have Wednesday mornings completely free- what in the world??) * went on vacation to Sanibel and had so much fun! LOVE the beach ...pictures later...*  CHA in Chicago with two new MOD lines- loved seeing my friends & all the cool new stuff  * having a fun summer (is it almost over?)

Ok,well, that was pretty quick :-)  I'll get some cute pictures up later!