First Piece of Exciting News!

First of all, thanks to all of you who have mentioned me in your blog, and a particular thanks to those of you who have put a permanent link! Exposure is always good.

That said, I know all of you who have mentioned/linked to my site, but today someone who doesn't know me has asked to feature my shop! How awesome is that?!

Go and check it out--I'm even offering a discount!

www.thecutestshopsonline.blogspot.com

Woo hoo!

Baby Book

Here are two new pages from Mac's baby book. I go in spurts, so you'll likely see a few more in the next couple days. That, and I am not working on any Etsy orders so far this week! (Time for me, but no money for me!) Anyway, I'm to her 5th month! Only six months behind is not so bad!

Ihope to have several exciting things to be posting about in a couple days. I have several things I have to wait on, but again, hopefully in a few days. I'm about bursting at the seams about all of them!

In the not-so-exciting news section, I will probably be changing my entire Etsy store. There has been some legislation passed (actually in August 2008) that will make it impossible for me to sell things for children. This is sad, as it's what I've gotten into and what is the most fun for me, but perhaps I'll find something else to do with fabric. If it comes to that, I'll put Plan B or C into effect. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you might go check out CPSIA on Google, or go straight to the CPSC for more info. It's all to do with lead and phthaltes in children's items--mind you, only children's items mass produced in China and elsewhere have tested positive, but they have come down with some pretty stringent rules that would put me out of business.

Anyway, if I must change, I'll let you all know, and perhaps you can tell me what you'd most like to see out of the handful of ideas I've got. Warning: Shameless Plug-- If there's anything you like, and want from www.spicedsugar.etsy.com it will only be there until February 10 unless things change!

Enjoy your day, and I'll let you know about my happy, exciting things in a few days!

Mac the Shark and Leiden the Hoodlum

I found these pictures on my memory card while getting some other stuff off, and they made me laugh. Mac is a tooth making machine! She has 8 teeth currently, and is working on #9. By 1 year, Leiden had 11 teeth, so she was even more prolific early on! (I can only hope that her permanent teeth will come in early and fast, as well and we can get rid of that big gap in her mouth!)

This is a good pic of Mac's toothy grin:

The other day Leiden asked me for a popscicle after dinner. I told her no (they're pure liquid--not before bed!), and remarkably she just said okay and took on her 'I'm thinking about this' face. A minute later she says, "Mommy, a popscicle looks like this," and I looked up from my plate to see this:

I grabbed the camera, snapped a (VERY yellow) picture, and then we had the talk about things we aren't supposed to do.

No Sleep 'Till Brooklyn!

So, we got Guitar Hero--World Tour for Christmas, and Leiden really likes to play the drums and use the 'phone' to sing. Evidently she's been playing a little too much, because this morning she was singing, "No sleep till Brooklyn"! For those of you who don't know, it's a Beastie Boys song, and it's a darn good thing she doesn't know any of the other words! She sure has a broad repertoire. From Beethoven to Beastie Boys. She also hums the Utah Fight song, shouts, "GO UTES!", and recognizes the University of Utah 'UTAH' logo on t-shirts. She'll probably go to BYU.

Mac is also starring: she has started laughing a lot more easily. She will laugh sometimes when you just look at her! She is very ticklish on her legs and feet.

Freezing Cold

Just a little note to let you know that our outdoor thermometer is not working this morning. It stops working at -20. That's twenty degrees below zero. We checked weather.com and the current temperature is -21. With windchill, it feels like -42. Hello. Unfortunately, we still have things to do, today. Leiden has preschool this morning. I even called the hotline to make sure. They'll be playing inside, today.

Mac Stuck

I found these on the camera. When I moved the couch out to get the Christmas garland off the banister, Mac zoomed in there quick as a wink, and got stuck. Poor girl. I made her lay there fussing while I ran to get the camera.

Snow Bunnies

Last Saturday was the last day in the 20's, so we took both girls out for some fresh air. (Only here do the 20's constitute going outside for fresh air.) We've never tried to bundle up Mac before, and she didn't like it too much. She was only good for about 5 minutes outside.

As a reference, today when we left the house to take Leiden to preschool, it was -13. That's without the wind chill. Brrrrrr.

All Dolled Up

Leiden wanted to put her makeup on me the other day, so I said sure. Always seeking to 'trick' her into doing something I like, I asked her if she'd like to do my hair. This is what we came up with. Stunning. The third picture was another attempt at beauty a day or two later.

Primary

Well, I'm finally feeling better, so I thought I should update the blog! Last Sunday was Leiden's second Sunday as a Sunbeam in Primary, and her first talk! We thought about it all week, and finally sat down to write it on Saturday, and she practiced talking really loud. Her friend Ella had given her talk the week before and the microphone died, so we thought we'd be without one. At home and with those she's comfortable with, she's incredibly loud, but put her in front of even one person she doesn't know very well, and she clams right up. If you can get her to say anything, you can't hear it, so we knew that it was entirely possible that no one would hear her! We kept telling her to yell! And she would tell us that she couldn't yell in the church.

We got there, and she sat as still and quiet as can be up in the 'talk' chair, waiting for her turn, and lo and behold, the microphone had been fixed (rigged). Hooray! She was very excited to get up and talk into it, but she was not fidgety, she spoke clearly, and so sweetly. I felt very silly about getting so emotional, but I will admit I was teary eyed! She was so earnest.

Brad attempted to tape the talk, but his class and the other kids around him were distracted by the camera, and it picked up far more white noise than Leiden's voice. So, when we got home, we taped it there. Even in the quiet home, it is hard to hear. If you care to, turn up your sound!

Daily Life

I'm so glad we're home, and able to get back into a routine, but unfortunately, we haven't been able to do that, yet! Sunday was a good day, with church, and Leiden went to Primary for the very first time! Her teacher said she did great, and of course commented that she is very quiet. Yep.

Then on Monday, Leiden started acting funny. Like she was uncomfortable, not feeling well, that sort of thing. She kept telling me that she wanted to go lay down, so I figured we were starting in on the flu. (Our family had it in Utah, really it was only a matter of time.) Of course, Brad left on Monday morning to work in Atlanta for 2-3 days, so I didn't go to bed until about midnight, just waiting for Leiden to get up and be sick, or start crying because she had already been sick in her bed! Everyone was fine, but yesterday, Leiden was still not quite right. She has hardly been eating, and we ventured out to Target, as we have no food, and she turned quite green a couple times, but no symptoms. She was a bit sick last night at about 11, so again, I laid there awake, waiting for her to get up sick. She didn't, but when the girls woke up at about 6:45, I wasn't feeling well. And so it goes. Maybe tomorrow will be better. Mac appears unscathed, so far. Lucky duck.

Yesterday evening, while I was giving Mac her bath, I said, "Mac, we're taking a bath!" Trying to emphasize 'bath', I said it a couple more times, and then she looks at me and says, "Ba!" That's the first time she's recognizably tried to say something. If it was a fluke, it was one heck of a coincidence!

Last night, Leiden seemed a little more stable, so we went to the grocery store. On the way home, Leiden said she wanted to read a Christmas book for bedtime, and this was the following conversation:

"Oh, sweetie, we already put all the Christmas books away for next year!"
"We can't read them?"
"Well, not until next Christmastime when we get out our boxes again."
"Will it be Christmastime on this day?" (That's how she says 'today')
"No, it won't be Christmastime for MANY days."
"Like, 10?!" (From her tone of voice she thought 10 days was a lifetime.)
"No, lots more than that."
She practically yells in disbelief, "TWENTY?!"

I suppose to a 3 year old, twenty days is unfathomable.

Booming Business

I don't know what has happened, but I am seeing a lot more action on Etsy the last two days! I'm not even really doing anything! Just thought I'd crow about two more sales today--and it's only 3:20! There is something very satisfying in finding out that there are other people who like your stuff enough to pay money for it! I'm done patting myself on the back, now. Before I go, new in the shop are big girl applique shirts!

Funny Mac

If you have been to my shop in the last day or two, there are two applique tees up now! This was my favorite outtake of Mac's.


Today was a good day for my store. I made two sales today! If only I could have two every day! Of course, if I did, I'd have to hire out, and that's not allowed on etsy! I'm going to settle for my camera by the end of the year. Look for some new stuff hopefully this week. I'm waiting for my serger to be repaired, and it really puts a cramp in my style. It had better run when I get it.

Well, we're all caught up, so ta-ta for now. I think it dates me that I type it all out instead of acronym-ing. Not that I would ever claim to be cool. TTFN!

Happy New Years!

New Year's Eve was spent at Brad's parents' house, with all three of his brothers and their families. We hadn't seen Rob and Adria since June or so, so it was nice to see them, again. We just stayed up playing games, and as soon as the clock struck midnight, we went to bed. It's just not the same anymore. Brad celebrated the next morning by smearing his brothers with whipped cream. Andy wasn't around, so he was spared.

Later in the day, we went ice skating. Leiden had never been, and she did pretty well, although she kept wanting to just let her feet go out in front of her while we held her up. As long as she kept her feet moving, she did great. Ice skates hurt Brad's feet, so he only lasted a little while. They hurt my ankles, so I only lasted a little while, myself. Emily mainly stuck to the wall.

We are in an ice-skating rink. Where are my daughter's socks? Oh. They're in her mouth. Of course. She couldn't keep socks on if she had to. I'm sure the people in the stores see me bustle in with her, who won't keep a hat on, who won't keep her little arms under blankets, and who won't keep her socks on, and I'm sure they consider calling DCFS.

Mac and Bapa

My dad is totally in love with my children, and it is so fun to watch him. I don't know if he was similarly excited when my brother and I were little, but he LOVES my girls. I understand he is an avid reader of this blog, or perhaps I should say he is an avid picture-watcher on this blog, so I try not to get too far behind for his sake, as well as mine! I know he's looking for his latest fix. Right before we left my parents house to go get Brad and go to his mom's, I handed Mac to my dad while I did something else, and I returned to this.

Christmas Morning

Finally, Christmas morning came! Here's Leiden viewing the haul.


For months, Leiden has been telling anyone who asks that she wants a bike for Christmas. Looks like she was on the nice list, because Santa came! Unfortunately, we can't take it outside for another SIX MONTHS. Oh, well.


Even though Mac had another cold, she was happy as a clam, and very intrigued by all the to do. Particularly the wrapping paper.


Happy girl. She loves to bang the colored balls from one of her toys together.


Leiden experimenting with her make up from mom, dad, and Mac. We'll have to get some practicing in between now and 16. Adria, if you read this, Leiden really wanted to show Addie and Maycie her make up because she had such a fun time playing with theirs last summer!

It was a wonderful morning, which soon got harried as we decided to risk the trip to SLC on full flights. Packing ensued amidst the mess, and we left the mess behind!

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, we ordered pizza, which is a very un-Christmas Eve-y thing to do, but we were planning on leaving town on Christmas and didn't want leftovers. We ate, and then opened a couple presents. Mac wasn't sure what was going on,

but she sure liked her jammies! Leiden was pretty thrilled, too, that they had feet!

Before we put Leiden to bed, we read Luke 2 and Brad provided visual aid using our Nativity. Leiden had been playing with Baby Jesus all month, so she knew what was going on!

This is the general splendor before Brad and I did stockings for each other. I got to put out Brad's stocking last this year, which is always preferable because I don't cheat and look at my own stuff. He has been known to.

Fancy Santa

I'm so mad. This was the best we got from Santa, so of course I ended up spending the 15 dollars to get a 5 x 7 taken by the professional photographer, which is highway robbery. (Then again, I am the poor sap who spent it!) It's a great picture, but it's blurry! I'm not even sure I know where the purchased pic is!

Honestly, though, I was just glad when I showed up at the Mall and Santa had on a traditional red coat. The last two years we've gone, he's been wearing non-traditional Santa wear. The girls looked darling, and everyone wanted to know if I sold my stuff. Yep. Just not these!

Weights

Brad's going to get serious about weight lifting this year. The girls sure put him through his paces.

Standing

In just the last couple weeks, Mac has figured out how to stand. It seemed that everywhere I looked today, I found Mac standing up on something, and grinning to beat the band!

Under the table:


At the ottoman:


In the crib:

New Spiced Sugar Item!

Yay! After being dormant for some time, I have finally added another item to my shop, Spiced Sugar, on Etsy! See the link to the right. Here are some of the photographic outtakes.

Isn't it cute?! Mac will be modeling a different style soon, just in time for Valentine's Day!

By the way, my goal this year for my shop is quite modest. I simply want to make enough net income to buy myself an awesome camera! Tell your friends to visit! That's http://www.spicedsugar.etsy.com/ Look for some more new items this week. (I'll post it here, of course.)

Also, there's Christmas and our SLC visit to catch up on, so I'll be making another monster post either tomorrow or Sunday.