imaginary, unreasonable, daydreaming birthday wish list...
1. an eames rocking chair in red.
2. a TON of cash
3. Instarsia Striped Dress from Orla Kiely
4. a housekeeper
5. red Mary Jane shoes with a kitten heel
6. a gym membership with a personal trainer
7. a spa day. massage, manicure, pedicure, facial- the whole 9 yards
8. champagne & strawberries
9. a bike with a basket and a bell
10. the perfect pair of pajamas
11. magically longer, prettier, perfect hair
12. a trip to NY in the fall
13. a TON of cash
14. a green roof
15. a landscaped yard with pretty ornamental grasses
16. a deck
17. porch swings
18. a vacation to the beach & a healthy looking tan
19. a new way to communicate with my husband
20. my husband to read my mind- when its convenient for me.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
birthday woes me
* this post is one of my rough drafts that, funny enough, i never posted. now, months later, here it is. *(see the post where I ask you to bare with me...)
so my 28th birthday is coming up. next Saturday, august 30th. birthday celebrations are a HUGE deal to me. i love celebrating. i love finding the perfect gift for someone (which is not always timely but i like it that way too. i hate a forced or rushed gift. a gift months after your birthday is common from me...) i love making a nice card. i love, LOVE making birthday cakes and cupcakes. (for those who don't know, i really love baking cupcakes. i have a double oven in my kitchen and can really crank em out. one time, for a friends baby shower, i got carried away with the different flavors and decorations that i all of a sudden looked up and realized that i accidentally made 112 cupcakes! that's right, 112!) i love celebrating with people through out the week in different ways. i love a good theme party. i love getting spiffied up for a night out for dinner and drinks. i love birthdays.
the problem is that i love birthdays so much that i tend to have high expectations and get stressed out when it comes to planning my own. i kick butt at throwing a party for someone else. i enjoy the decorating, the baking, the shopping, the invitations, the phone calls... i like every part that goes in to throwing a party for someone else. i love the details and most of all, i love that i am creating a special party for someone that i care about in a way that shows their personality at the party. but i HATE planning my own. it stresses me out.
last year for example was a disaster. for starters i was majorly pregnant in the middle of a heat wave, exhausted, hormonal and terrified of what our lives would look like in a few short months. i had high hopes that on that magical day of august 30th i would miraculously feel some sort of relief from the realities of life. most of all, i had hoped that i wouldn't have to make any decisions. i wanted desperately for someone to swoop in and say, "hey, let me plan your birthday in a way that highlights who you are to me. let me organize a party where you will be surrounded with people who care about you and want to help you celebrate...."
yeah right. who does that?
as I'm writing i realize that it might sound like i want to be the center of attention but that's not it either. i just want to feel comfortable, at peace and content with people who i care about to celebrate the passing of another year. i want to mark it as a day that is different from the (sometimes) mundane passing days. why wouldn't everyone want to celebrate the day that God gave us life here on earth. how cool is that? i want to rejoice in that. i want there to be good food, good music, white wine, flowers (mums and peonies) and lingering conversations. no small talk. i hate small talk. i am no good at it.
i cant help but wonder if my hang up with planning my own birthday is mostly due to
finances. i know that i can throw a great party on a tight budget but it takes a TON of effort. i don't want to put that work and money on someone else. i function on guilt. last year Stephen kept on asking me what i wanted to do on my birthday and i didn't know what to tell me except that i didn't want to plan it. everything that i could think of that i might want to do required more money then we had. i knew that if i told Stephen what i wanted to do he would insist (sort of) that we do it anyway and worry about it later but i just don't function like that. i wouldn't be able to enjoy it knowing that we couldn't really afford it ("it" being just about anything last year since we were saving every penny that we could in anticipation of Finnegan).
anyway, all of this to say that i hate that i get like this every year the week before my birthday. it's silly, right? wait, don't answer that. i don't really want to know your answer. i just want to have these feelings go away. maybe by writing them down and putting them out there for all to see, these thoughts will leave me. ? yeah right. hahaha.
so my 28th birthday is coming up. next Saturday, august 30th. birthday celebrations are a HUGE deal to me. i love celebrating. i love finding the perfect gift for someone (which is not always timely but i like it that way too. i hate a forced or rushed gift. a gift months after your birthday is common from me...) i love making a nice card. i love, LOVE making birthday cakes and cupcakes. (for those who don't know, i really love baking cupcakes. i have a double oven in my kitchen and can really crank em out. one time, for a friends baby shower, i got carried away with the different flavors and decorations that i all of a sudden looked up and realized that i accidentally made 112 cupcakes! that's right, 112!) i love celebrating with people through out the week in different ways. i love a good theme party. i love getting spiffied up for a night out for dinner and drinks. i love birthdays.
the problem is that i love birthdays so much that i tend to have high expectations and get stressed out when it comes to planning my own. i kick butt at throwing a party for someone else. i enjoy the decorating, the baking, the shopping, the invitations, the phone calls... i like every part that goes in to throwing a party for someone else. i love the details and most of all, i love that i am creating a special party for someone that i care about in a way that shows their personality at the party. but i HATE planning my own. it stresses me out.
last year for example was a disaster. for starters i was majorly pregnant in the middle of a heat wave, exhausted, hormonal and terrified of what our lives would look like in a few short months. i had high hopes that on that magical day of august 30th i would miraculously feel some sort of relief from the realities of life. most of all, i had hoped that i wouldn't have to make any decisions. i wanted desperately for someone to swoop in and say, "hey, let me plan your birthday in a way that highlights who you are to me. let me organize a party where you will be surrounded with people who care about you and want to help you celebrate...."
yeah right. who does that?
as I'm writing i realize that it might sound like i want to be the center of attention but that's not it either. i just want to feel comfortable, at peace and content with people who i care about to celebrate the passing of another year. i want to mark it as a day that is different from the (sometimes) mundane passing days. why wouldn't everyone want to celebrate the day that God gave us life here on earth. how cool is that? i want to rejoice in that. i want there to be good food, good music, white wine, flowers (mums and peonies) and lingering conversations. no small talk. i hate small talk. i am no good at it.
i cant help but wonder if my hang up with planning my own birthday is mostly due to
finances. i know that i can throw a great party on a tight budget but it takes a TON of effort. i don't want to put that work and money on someone else. i function on guilt. last year Stephen kept on asking me what i wanted to do on my birthday and i didn't know what to tell me except that i didn't want to plan it. everything that i could think of that i might want to do required more money then we had. i knew that if i told Stephen what i wanted to do he would insist (sort of) that we do it anyway and worry about it later but i just don't function like that. i wouldn't be able to enjoy it knowing that we couldn't really afford it ("it" being just about anything last year since we were saving every penny that we could in anticipation of Finnegan).
anyway, all of this to say that i hate that i get like this every year the week before my birthday. it's silly, right? wait, don't answer that. i don't really want to know your answer. i just want to have these feelings go away. maybe by writing them down and putting them out there for all to see, these thoughts will leave me. ? yeah right. hahaha.
Friday, August 22, 2008
STUDIO TIME
well, my paints are in order...
my fabrics are color coordinated...
and texture coordinated...
project coordinated...
and material coordinated...
and neatly (for me) placed on my new shelving system.
my flat files are somewhat organized and i now have a designated sewing/computer area. i bought the industrial metal shelving systems (x2) from a local bakery that went out of business. the owner also sold me two bread racks (as seen below) that fit my smaller screens perfectly for storage and/or drying! i have one in my studio and one in the safe (my darkroom). somehow i thought that if i put my studio together i would be motivated to work too... that has yet to come. crap.
my fabrics are color coordinated...
and texture coordinated...
project coordinated...
and material coordinated...
and neatly (for me) placed on my new shelving system.
my flat files are somewhat organized and i now have a designated sewing/computer area. i bought the industrial metal shelving systems (x2) from a local bakery that went out of business. the owner also sold me two bread racks (as seen below) that fit my smaller screens perfectly for storage and/or drying! i have one in my studio and one in the safe (my darkroom). somehow i thought that if i put my studio together i would be motivated to work too... that has yet to come. crap.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
mr. legrand
im sorry but i think that i have the cutest little boy there is. he looks like a cartoon in this picture. does it get much better than this? i cant imagine anything better! i think that it actually captures how happy he was that afternoon too. he was thrilled with his new little wooden police and ambulance cars and the sound that they made on the metal high chair. he is such a little boy. i love it!
just look at those little big man shorts pulled up way high with squeaky clean hair! i think that he looks like a little cupie doll. he was going to town on his little piano during this photo session. its so neat to see him take new interest in toys that he could have cared less about just last week. he is really playing now too. he is totally content playing on the floor in his bedroom for much longer periods of time now. his enthusiasm is contagious.
this last picture is actually from april but he is wearing the same shorts. they fit then and now, as you can see above they are too big in the waist and ride up super high! he isn't even sitting up on his own in the bottom sailor photo. what a little moose. man this poor kid is going to have a TON of embarrassing photos of himself in costumes etc. hopefully he will have a great sense of humor and grow to love it. 
BLOGGING TIME!
ALRIGHT! it has been way too long since i last posted. i told my friend amber the other day that i have been writing, i juts haven't been posting. the problem is that i got into the habit of sitting down to write when i had a few minutes to vent, spill and/or brainstorm and would inevitably get to a point in my writing where i would share too much information that i really wasn't interested in sharing with the masses. ok, so maybe i only have like four readers but for the idiot strangers that leave comments on my blogs asking me to check out some link, i dont care to share my life with them in that way... plus, i have had some trouble getting my iphoto to work on my new computer etc. etc. etc. what good is a post about your kid/family without pictures though, right?
SO. this summer. i have been busy to say the least. i think ill just list and add photos where appropriate...
1. we have been plugging away at the million and one projects in and around our house, quickly attempting to baby proof. not quickly enough i might add but we're making the best of it. finnegan is not really crawling. well, he isn't interested in getting on his knees at least. he, as one of our friends from church says, just flounders around on the floor happy as can be. he has become quite speedy at an army crawl of sorts and rolling. he pulls up on furniture every now and then and occasionally has taken a few side steps while holding on. it generally seems like more of an accident but the practice is there so i will call it progress.
2. we celebrated stephens 30th bday this july. per stephens request we had a low key day, just the three of us, doing some of his favorite things. we went to mckays bookstore, americas thrift store, a music store, took a walk, ate chinese food and i made him my apple pie that he loves so much. it was a nice day had by all. we plan to celebrate a little more extravagantly sometime after my birthday with a mini family vacation, just the three of us. we have yet to do that and i am looking forward to it.
3. we planted a mini garden that has been providing some yummy veggies, pretty sunflowers and herbs. i cant wait to tackle a 'real' garden next season. the side yard by the back door is calling for it. we also planted some white oleander bushes, four chinese dogwoods on the side of our driveway and four viburnums in the front. we still have quite the blank slate but it will have to wait for some cooler weather in the fall. i cant wait to landscape!
4. finn was baptized! actually, it was before the summer but i am really behind! he wore a gown that stephens aunt pat made for him before he was born. she took a special class just for it. she always says that it must have been a mistake that stephen was born to sue because he is really her son. she is super sweet and finn looked quite dashing. i look forward to passing it down to our kids and grandkids someday.
looking back at this photo is kinda shocking. i cant believe how much my little moose has grown already!
anyway, the baptism was beautiful and special to us. we were so glad to have been able to share it with some of our family. afterwards i planned a lunch at my moms house where we also celebrated nona (my mom's grandparent chosen name) and grammi's (stephens mom's grandparent chosen name) birthdays. their bdays are just a few days apart so we thought it fitting to have finnegan baptized the weekend between the two. it was a wonderful celebration all around however certain family members were sorely missed.
by the way, as nursing babies often do, finn hadn't pooped in over THREE days the morning of the baptism. the moment we put the gown on him i ironed and packed an emergency back up outfit by the look on his face. stephen and i were just convinced that the moment that we handed him over to our pastor he would let it rip up the back. we were a nervous, giggly wreck the whole time. i couldnt get that lovely outfit off of him fast enough when it was over. we made it out alive and clean, but just barely! what good is a post without a good poop story, right? here is a picture of both dada and finn looking very nervous before the ceremony...
5. so as you can see in the above chubby picture of myself, i now have glasses. as my grammy used to say, "girls with glasses dont get passes sarah!" never more have i felt her words ring so true. just kidding, sorta. i must say that glasses are not the fun fashion accessory that i once dreamed they might be. at least not for me. i see plenty of other women who look dashing, funky and fashionable in them. i just feel silly in them. but, no more migraines = a good thing. it turns out that i have a relatively rare depth perception problem where my eyes work 10 times harder then most everyone else's eyes and i've prob. had it my WHOLE life! geeze. so when i get tired, my eyes especially, is when i start knocking things over, falling up steps, running into parking meters etc. etc. etc. when my eyes are tired i see things about 10 inches farther then they really are. hence my frequent accidents... sorta. i'm prob. just a hot mess too.
6.speaking of hot messes, i taught art classes this summer for AVA. i had 14 six to eight year olds for a week in the afternoons. may not sound like much to some but it was crazy for me. it might not have been so crazy had it not been a last minute gig and i had been able to plan five solid lessons in advance. what i hadn't anticipated was that they would soar through about 5 projects in half of our time if i wasn't careful. i had to over plan every day. i eventually got the hang of it and ultimately had a great time. for flying by the seat of my pants i think that i did a pretty good job... they seemed pretty pleased.
SO. this summer. i have been busy to say the least. i think ill just list and add photos where appropriate...
1. we have been plugging away at the million and one projects in and around our house, quickly attempting to baby proof. not quickly enough i might add but we're making the best of it. finnegan is not really crawling. well, he isn't interested in getting on his knees at least. he, as one of our friends from church says, just flounders around on the floor happy as can be. he has become quite speedy at an army crawl of sorts and rolling. he pulls up on furniture every now and then and occasionally has taken a few side steps while holding on. it generally seems like more of an accident but the practice is there so i will call it progress.
2. we celebrated stephens 30th bday this july. per stephens request we had a low key day, just the three of us, doing some of his favorite things. we went to mckays bookstore, americas thrift store, a music store, took a walk, ate chinese food and i made him my apple pie that he loves so much. it was a nice day had by all. we plan to celebrate a little more extravagantly sometime after my birthday with a mini family vacation, just the three of us. we have yet to do that and i am looking forward to it.
3. we planted a mini garden that has been providing some yummy veggies, pretty sunflowers and herbs. i cant wait to tackle a 'real' garden next season. the side yard by the back door is calling for it. we also planted some white oleander bushes, four chinese dogwoods on the side of our driveway and four viburnums in the front. we still have quite the blank slate but it will have to wait for some cooler weather in the fall. i cant wait to landscape!
4. finn was baptized! actually, it was before the summer but i am really behind! he wore a gown that stephens aunt pat made for him before he was born. she took a special class just for it. she always says that it must have been a mistake that stephen was born to sue because he is really her son. she is super sweet and finn looked quite dashing. i look forward to passing it down to our kids and grandkids someday.
looking back at this photo is kinda shocking. i cant believe how much my little moose has grown already!
anyway, the baptism was beautiful and special to us. we were so glad to have been able to share it with some of our family. afterwards i planned a lunch at my moms house where we also celebrated nona (my mom's grandparent chosen name) and grammi's (stephens mom's grandparent chosen name) birthdays. their bdays are just a few days apart so we thought it fitting to have finnegan baptized the weekend between the two. it was a wonderful celebration all around however certain family members were sorely missed.
by the way, as nursing babies often do, finn hadn't pooped in over THREE days the morning of the baptism. the moment we put the gown on him i ironed and packed an emergency back up outfit by the look on his face. stephen and i were just convinced that the moment that we handed him over to our pastor he would let it rip up the back. we were a nervous, giggly wreck the whole time. i couldnt get that lovely outfit off of him fast enough when it was over. we made it out alive and clean, but just barely! what good is a post without a good poop story, right? here is a picture of both dada and finn looking very nervous before the ceremony...
5. so as you can see in the above chubby picture of myself, i now have glasses. as my grammy used to say, "girls with glasses dont get passes sarah!" never more have i felt her words ring so true. just kidding, sorta. i must say that glasses are not the fun fashion accessory that i once dreamed they might be. at least not for me. i see plenty of other women who look dashing, funky and fashionable in them. i just feel silly in them. but, no more migraines = a good thing. it turns out that i have a relatively rare depth perception problem where my eyes work 10 times harder then most everyone else's eyes and i've prob. had it my WHOLE life! geeze. so when i get tired, my eyes especially, is when i start knocking things over, falling up steps, running into parking meters etc. etc. etc. when my eyes are tired i see things about 10 inches farther then they really are. hence my frequent accidents... sorta. i'm prob. just a hot mess too.6.speaking of hot messes, i taught art classes this summer for AVA. i had 14 six to eight year olds for a week in the afternoons. may not sound like much to some but it was crazy for me. it might not have been so crazy had it not been a last minute gig and i had been able to plan five solid lessons in advance. what i hadn't anticipated was that they would soar through about 5 projects in half of our time if i wasn't careful. i had to over plan every day. i eventually got the hang of it and ultimately had a great time. for flying by the seat of my pants i think that i did a pretty good job... they seemed pretty pleased.
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