circa today, the year 2001

I was 21 years old.  He was 10 months & 10 days old, and it was his very first Halloween.  I was in Disneyland 2 months previous, in August, and found the cutest, plushest, littlest Tigger costume I'd ever seen and bought it then and tucked it away for my baby's first Halloween.  When the day finally came, I put my little baby in that soft costume and for reasons now unknown to me ~ I put on a witch wig, metal headbands, placed rhinestones under my eyes, added ungodly amounts of black eyeliner, layers of dark lipstick, cut some holes into black nylons to wear as gloves ~ and took me and my little baby to Wal-Mart for a portrait.  yes.  Wal-Mart.  In my defense, I lived in a very small town.  It was about my only option. And right now, today, I am so very happy I did.  I'm so happy the memory is preserved, because time flies by so fast.  And things change.  Tonight is the very first - of probably many firsts - that I will not spend with my baby, as I have for the previous 10 years [Ten Years.  A Whole Decade.] because, he is going with his friends, and mom's aren't invited.  ::sigh::  I am a little teary eyed this morning.

BEP & U2 in BC 10-28. Wna go?

3 years ago, on October 10, 2009, Rhett and I met.  

10 days and a date later, I sent out a text:  

"BEP & U2 in BC 10-28.  Wna go?"

He replied "Sure"

We left Portland at 4am, were camped outside the Seattle Passport Agency's door at 8am so Rhett could renew his passport, entered Canada at about 11am, and spent the afternoon snapping pics in Pre-2010 Winter Olympic Vancouver BC {I have a photo, that I can't find right now ~ boo,  in front of this } and then we headed to BC Place Stadium for the show.  It was Epic.  I dragged him as close as we could get when Black Eyed Peas hit the stage, for about 10 minutes, and then we went to the back of the floor and had our very own dance party.  At one point the Wave went around and around and around that Huge Gigantic Stadium and I remember pointing my finger and following it around and around, twirling in circles.  I'll never forget how huge it felt.  And Then, something happened that may be the hinge that holds us together, forever.  U2 came on, and we left.  Who does that?  Who drives 6 hours for a show and leaves when the legendary headliner comes on?  Me & Rhett.  We got a little bored.  We both wanted to go do something else.  So we did.  We left the stadium, crossed the street over to where The Flag of Nations stage was set up in anticipation of the Olympics, climbed up on it, and to the booming of U2 from BC Place, we ran around and danced some more.  

An Epiphany! or wait ~ was it just Pinterest?

I found the trunk last weekend at the Salvation Army and I was so happy, I about peed myself.  {channel Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, after seeing the Opera.  Yes.  I was just about that happy}  I had to Have it. And I knew that it Had to be incorporated into my 10 foot wide by 6 feet deep holiday bazaar space that I am participating in November 3rd.

My mind has been conjuring and storing random tid bits of what I wanted my selling space to look and feel like.  and then, yesterday, I was hit upside the head with an Epiphany.  Well, it was either an Epiphany, or a luckily timed cruise through pinterest where I saw a pallet headboard and the Vision was found, and the rest is what you see above.  Although, in between the rest, I had to run as fast as I could past Rhett thinking it was a bad idea, hurdle over a male co-worker trying to convince me cardboard would work just the same + be way easier [Men], throw myself as hard as I could into charming a man with a truck to let me borrow it for 35 + 25 minutes so I could go secure myself some pallets, and pierce a dagger through my fatigue to get 'er done.  But I did it.  And I'm damn glad I did. :) Still much to do, but I am loving where it is going..

If you have any suggestions, likes, don't likes, please do let me know!
Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend.  XO  -m-

come to Krispy Kreme with me

Tristen, Karley and I spent about an hour in Krispy Kreme last night.

In other news, I started the 17 Day Diet today.

Light through the Darkness

The dark you see.. those have been the skies over Portland for the past few days, and those same dark skies will be here for the next few months.  But yesterday, as I crossed over the Columbia River from Washington to Oregon, there were bursts of rays literally pushing their way out behind that dark thickness, causing layer upon layer of fluffy brilliance to fill the sky.  And I broke out a cheer and grabbed my camera.

Sometimes just looking up and seeing the light is enough.  

~Terri Guillemets

ps.. do you see a face up there, or am I just craxy?

lesson learned ~ take care of yourself & get more done

I slept in Sunday, for the first time in a looooong, long, looooong time.  My weekday schedule these days    consists of rising by 530, out the door by 640, in my desk by 7, and on the weekends ~ I just can't break    my body's urge to be being productive and active by 7am.  But not this past Sunday.  This Sunday I slept.  And slept.  And slept.  Till TEN.  Ten AM.  Holy Mother, it was Wonderful.  I needed it.  I've been feeling tired, and depleted, and when I woke up from my sleep in, I felt rested, and refreshed.  

When I awoke at Ten, I found that my babe had been up cooking.  He made that amazing Quiche above ~ the crust, and everything, by hand.  What a start to the day.  And it got better and better from there.  I accomplished more by the end of the day then I do on most Sunday's.  Cleaned, shopped, flea market, basketball, dinner with the fam, designed a new frame, T's homework, and most important:  Enjoyed the whole darn day. 

Lesson Learned.  Sometimes, taking care of yourself First, by doing something as simple as sleeping in ~ can yield big time results in productivity. 

[weekend highlights]

I .
Birdie on the Schwinn and Smoothie bike.
You pedal blend yourself a smoothie!  how cool
II.
Mom & Dad's Chicken Adobo.  SO GOOD.
III.
The Shabby Chic lover in me came out
via my latest jewelry display design
IV.
Fall.  It gets even better with age

In my opinion..

In my opinion, Fall is worth stopping the car, 

getting out, and snapping pictures of.

In my opinion, every once in a while,

 it's okay to substitute meals, with candy.

In my opinion,
$1 Hot Pot N Sushi Happy Hour is one of the best happy hours,
Ever.  

In my opinion, Shannon is right,

taking pictures with your papooshka, 

is so very very important.  

In my opinion, bright colored scarfs and stripes,

breathe some heat into the crisp fall air.

In my opinion, my sissy is right ~

adding a little "Lip" 

is a sure way to brighten your day.  

Lala's List ~ In My Opinion

Curtain Rod Fabric Organizer: genius!?

Now I'm sure this has been done before, but I'm feeling just a little smirk'ishly genious about myself, and I'm feeling REALLY satisfied and happy deep down inside over the solution I put into action yesterday to organize my fabrics.  Previous to the installation of the $11.99 Curtain Rod from Ross, my fabrics were Everywhere and giving me fits.  I wanted to see them, touch them, be able to stand back and look at them, AND I really wished to be able to hang them to avoid creases and wrinkles.  Curtain Rod, clasps taken off of plastic hangars (original use was for pants hangars), and that's it!  The black clamps came out of a bag of clamps I bought at Home Depot for $6.99.  Granted, this is the first time I've had a room dedicated just to crafting/designing, so this may not work for everyone, but what do you say, Genius?!    

i'm selfish and vain, when it comes down to it

credit goes to Sherwin for this awesome photo of my dip ~ TY!! 

I can always count on my girlfriend Heidi to make sure I'm covered.  I told her I needed a fall recipe to make for a fall party, and she came through again, big time, when she sent me a link to this Pumpkin Fluff Dip .

It met every single one of my very high, strict standards:  

1.  Easy, Peesy.
2.  Looks Great.
3.  Tastes Good.

Note:  Easy and Great Presentation come before "Good" only by My standards.  Really, the "it was Good" part could and arguably should be number one, because it Was very good.  I am just selfish and vain when it comes to my food preparation and I won't lie ~ Easy & Looks Great come #1 and #2.  If it tastes good too ~ Touchdown!! ;)

It was perfectly fluffy, and lightly pumpkin'y ~ the pumpkin flavor cut in half by the cool whip was where it was at ~ even the non-pumpkin lovers, loved it.  Rhett handled the squash cutting and scooping, as I whipped up the dip. The dip was enough to fill 3 gourds.  I served one platter with cinnamon cracker sticks, one platter with sliced apples dipped in lemon juice and sprinkled with cinnamon, and one platter with caramels because... it is October, and every fall table should include some caramel, in my opinion.

It's just as easy as it looks..