pictures from Virginia Beach

THE tent. UGH.(shaking fist and muttering bad things under my breath)

It was a giant two room tent that was about 50 years old. It was a great tent...until it rained.

DO they even MAKE tents like this anymore?

Look at that awesome climbing tree though. Finn had a field day on that baby!

The actual beach around 34th street. This is right around where I got pulled over for a ticket. Thanks officer.

(it went from 50 mph to 25. Apparently I didnt slam on my brakes to 25 as soon as I passed the sign. I was in the process of decelerating when she pulled me over. $182 later...)

My nephew, Cade, buried up to his neck in sand. He is the cutest thing. He is 2 and he is so tiny. He reminds me of one of those Baby Gap mannequins you see in the windows. I just want to snatch him up and eat him!! He has a new baby brother who is just adorable.

Here is Finn "surfing". He is a little fish. He LOVES the water. No fear of the waves, no fear of going under. He is really a water bug.

Peter is not quite the water afficianado as his brother Finn. He will go in and enjoy as long as there is someone to help him. He isnt as strong as Finn and his weak left side gives him a hard time in the undertoe and and waves. But he did a good job trying his best this year. He is getting braver!

If you can't tell, Finn was NOT happy with me. He got too far away and wasnt listening. So I told him he was out of the water for 15 minutes. So he was mad at having to play in the "stupid boring sand" He practiced that face in the mirror before leaving home, so he has it down pat.

I cant tell you how many of THESE pictures we have. "The Squints" I didnt follow the photography rule and take pictures in the golden hours.(we werent at the beach right after sunrise or right before sunset)

My pendants on your wrist...courtesy of an etsy seller

Before I left on vacation I had made a trade with Bamabelle over at etsy.

I made her 13 pendants from images she had sent to me. She has listed 2 of her AWESOME cuffs using these pendants so far. I think they look GREAT and I was really pleased with the way the pendants turned out. I really loved some of the images she sent me.

Bamabelle is awesome. Here is a snippet from her shop announcement:"At Bamabelle, we are dedicated to providing quality vintage clothing, accessories ,dishes, and jewelry. "

This first one is her Lizzie Borden Cuff. Here is the listing description: A wild and crazy Lizzie Borden adorns this cuff made from the deep red velvet of a damaged vintage evening gown. I topped it with more scavenged vintage fabric, this time drak charcoal gray netting with glass beads. White lace was sewn to all edges.the cuff closes with 2 elastic loops and vintage glass buttons.

The second one she has up so far is her Emotional Miranda Cuff "Miranda, from The Tempest, stands on the rocky shore with her blue dress blowing in the gale, lovely red hair streaming. Miranda sits on a wide base of blue velvet, recycled from a damaged evening gown.The ruffling is vlue lace, hand sewn.I used the pale lavender acetate lining of the dress as a contrast band, then sewed vintage beige lace to that. Miranda is attached to the top, and adorned with a vintage recycled rhinestone earring that is missing one teeny stone. 2 strips of the acetate lining form a tattered bow under the jewel.the cuff closes with an elastic loop and a vintage blue glass button."

She also has a plain cuff for you to put your own brooch or custom pendant. Imagine your own customized pendant on this cuff.

Check out bamabelle and tell her Blueboygifts sent you!!

And out rolled the dead spiders

I am not much of a camper. In fact, my idea of "roughing it" is having to sleep at a HoJo instead of the Hampton Inn. The Great Outdoors really holds no magical allure for me.
About once a decade I try to go camping, thinking maybe I just didnt have the right circumstances. Every time I am bitterly disappointed and cursing the day I was born(as well as those around me for dragging me to this godforsaken wilderness) When It comes to camping I am a Laman and Lemuel kind of Gal(book of mormon reference). I murmur, I complain, I lose faith, I murmur some more. Then i see the light and it lasts only a little while and I go back to murmuring and complaining again. I didnt camp much as a kid. If we did go camping, we usually had a cabin of some sort. It was never the tent and sleeping bag king of experience.

In 1990, I went to Girls Camp. My age group went a few days ahead of time to do some backpacking and camping. I actually had a great time. THEN we joined all the other girls at this pit of hell campsite. EVERY SINGLE AGE GROUP (except ours) got nice, cooshy cabins and dorms with toilets, bunk beds, air conditioning etc. MY age group got to sleep in Spider infested Platform tents. I dont mean one or two spiders, I mean the inside and out were COVERED in Big ole Daddy Long Legs. We would brush them off,(jumping and doing the blech blech spider dance) clean out the tent and 2 hours later could hardly see the canvas through all the legs and bodies of these bugs. It was horrible. I had visions of being suffocated by these Daddy Long Legs. WELL, most of the girls decided that these platform tents were not for us. So we had the option of sleeping in leaky, pup tents. Which was fine...for a day. Then the rain started. It poured. It blew. It galed. it rained sideways. It was miserable. To make it worse, these tents leaked. Everything got soaked. Clothing, bedding, shoes, accessories etc. EVERYTHING was wet. Then it started to smell like laundry that had been left in the washing machine for too long. It was a rank, wet, mildewy, moldy kind of smell. My toothbrush started growing mold that I am quite positive could have cured strep throat. My contact lenses got all clouded up and I couldnt wear them anymore. I had it. It was the last straw. I came home 2 days early, only to hear "wimp". Whatever. I was sleeping in a warm dry bed, wearing clothes that smelled fresh and not having to worry about spiders carrying me off in my sleep. As I was trying to explain to my mother about these horrible conditions (she thought I was being over dramatic) I started unpacking my gear and backpack. The mildewy smell hit her nose and as I pulled out my belongings dead spiders were falling out everywhere. I was semi-vindicated.

I have been camping 2 times since that fateful girls camp experience.
1999(middle of the desert in Wyoming with winds that would knock you over and mosquitos so thick your arms would hit them as they swung while you walked) and last week (virginia beach...lets just say it rained...HARD. Leaky tent, mildewy clothing. It is all coming back to me why I hate camping)

As my dad says "I am a Koch. We Koch's are NOT campers...we are Hotelers".

Laundry Laundry everywhere, but not a shirt to wear

I got back from Virginia Beach on Saturday night.

I am sitting surrounded by a mountain of dirty, sandy, damp ,salty laundry. (UGH the bane of my existence)

WHo knew that camping and going to the beach would bring me such a headache afterwards??

I have lots of pictures and lots to blog about...just not today. I REALLY need to get to that laundry before mold starts growing and the clothing picks up and walks away.

It IS good to be home, back in my own bed, eating my own food, in my house with air conditioning, TV and internet access. It is good to be back home with white and nerdy. I can only take so much family time before I start to go crazy. And it isnt just my husbands family. It is the same with my family as well. After about 2 days I am ready to just pack it in and go home. But I survived intact, sanity only slightly less then when I left.
I am, however, COVERED in bug bites that itch like crazy. I have 15 hours of programming to get through on DVR. I have grocery shopping to do. I have Peters baptism to plan. (August 2nd!!) I told the boys we would make a paper countdown chain to Disney World, too. (We got the official confirmation from Make a wish on our dates. )

Gadzooks Batman I have a ton to do today. So if I want to go to bed tonight I better hop to.

what I REALLY need are some Suzie Q's to get the sugar roaring. I havent had a Suzie Q in AGES.

happy monday

P.S. It is true what people say :I need a vacation from my vacation.

Jelly Belly observation...kind of stupid i apologize.

So at home economist the other day I bougth my kids some jelly bellies. They had behaved while I did boring stuff and didnt run up and down the aisles, crash into stuff, poke produce, stick their hands in the bulk bins or beg for nasty vegan energy biscuits. (they LOOK so appetizing. Then you try one and it is like eating sawdust flavored with figs).

So Finn got Cinnamon (who invited that kid?? Cinnamon?? Try a flavor I enjoy Finn!!)

Peter got the mixed. Every flavor of Jelly Belly ever made in one giant mixture.

So here I sit, nibbling his jelly bellies...I come across very cherry(my personal fave), mango, pink cotton candy, pink lemonade, sour blue raspberry,banana(meh), pineapple, pina colada, toasted coconut, marshmellow...yum yum and more yum.

THEN i bit into what I THOUGHT was another mango. No, it was not mango, it was Buttered popcorn.

Blech, i have lost the taste for jelly bellies. How does ONE crappy flavor manage to ruin the whole bag??

buttered popcorn, you are the devil. How you manage to be one of the most popular I will never know.

What is YOUR favorite and least favorite Jelly belly??

Happy Birthday To Me

So my birthday was yesterday.
I went to bed on Saturday looking and feeling like this:

I woke up one day later, another year older, feeling like THIS:

Birthdays suck.

However I did get to go see a movie. I wanted to see Mama Mia and almost made Charles take me .(But he hates ABBA and he called me "a cruel Mistress" for inflicting it upon him.) So I chose something we could both be happy with. We went to see Dark Knight on Friday. It was GREAT. Heath Ledgers Joker was sadistic, yet AMAZING. It is such a shame he passed away, his Joker will be legendary. I don't know how they will replace him in the upcoming movies. The movie is very dark and NOT for kids under 13. (that was the #1 question I was asked this weekend) So, I got My Christian Bale with no shirt on and he got a comic book movie. It's a win-win.

Yesterday after church we went to my mom and dad's house for my birthday lunch. Every year my mom makes me italian sausage and green peppers, pasta sauce and rice. She asks every year "What do you want for your Birthday dinner?" and I just look at her and say "You have to ask??"

So it was a good day.

Today My day is filled with laundry and packing. I am taking the boys to Virginia to go camping and to go to the beach. Charles family reunion is this week and I am leaving tomorrow morning. I HATE the day before a trip. I always get stressed and ugly and mean and my fuse is shorter than ever. So my kids are hiding in their rooms, it is as if they sense danger (Danger Will Robinson, Danger!)

And for those of you in Charlotte, come by Kia of Monroe this week to see my husband and buy a car from him!! (He cant go to his own family reunion, sad isn't it??) Ask for the white guy with the peeling nose. They'll point you his direction.

But he has promised he would sell 2 cars this week, so I am FULLY expecting a big paycheck when I get home Red and Nerdy!! Mama needs Lasik eye surgery!!

I will be back to Blogging again on Monday the 28th.

Happy week!!

Sorry if I am boring you

charles told me yesterday evening "No offense Hon, but your blog today was kind of boring".
Apparently Southern Lit was not his cup O tea and wanted to read more about himself.

whatevuh.

NEW SEASON OF PROJECT RUNWAY!!!!
Ok my feelings thusfar:

1. Suede (blue mohawk) needs to stop refering to himself by his own name when he talks. he sounds like "The Rock" if The Rock were a jean jacket queen with a blue mohawk.
2. Blayne needs to step OUT of the tanning salon and go get a haircut and quit making giant leotard diapers. i really was NOT sure what the heck that was he made in challenge one.
3. The guy that went home was so full of himself. His outfit looked like Patrick Bateman in American Psycho before Killing his co worker to Huey Lewis and the News.
4. The rock star woman who made the garbage bag dress, I am still not sure how I feel about her yet. She kind of looks a little old to be wearing her own clothing. I feel as if i will one day see her on Rock of Love 12, the Geriatric years. But hey more power to her. She seems to have a good personality, so I can't fault someone on appearance.

I am really looking forward to this season of Runway.
Make it work!

Blog Patrol result

So in my Blogpatrol I discovered that someone ACTUALLY googled "Corey Feldman Birthday" and found my page. (This post)


It kind of makes you wonder who it was...was it C.F. Himself?? Things that make you go hmmmm.

I got a kick out of it.

Southern Reading Challenge

So a few weeks ago I took up this challenge. Tricia over at Library Queue posted it on her blog and I really liked the idea behind it.

Since I do live in the South and have lived here for almost 10 years, I found this challenge right up my alley.

The Rules are these: Choose any 3 Southern Setting books by Southern Authors and read them by August 15th.

So far there are 92 people participating. You can sign up Here.

There are so many good southern authors and so many great books set in the south. You can read anything from Ya Ya sisterhood to Gone with the Wind.

MY 3 BOOKS:

1. Widow of the South by Robert Hicks. Carrie McGavock, The Widow of the South, did indeed take it upon herself to grieve the loss of so many young men in the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, which took place on November 30, 1864. Nine thousand men lost their lives that day. She and her husband John eventually re-buried on their own land 1,481 soldiers killed at Franklin, when the family that owned the land on which the original shallow graves had been dug decided to plow it under and put it into cultivation. This is a true story(with some fictionalized events thrown in) based on an extrordinary woman who took it upon herself to create a cemetery for these soldiers killed in action. I gave it 3 stars out of 5.

2. Cant Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg. Fannie Flagg, the incomparable Southern writer and actress, returns to Elmwood Springs, Missouri, to paint and portray feisty, inquisitive octogenarian Elner Shimfissle. Elner falls out of her fig tree and is presumed dead. While her family and friends mourn, she makes a "temporary" visit to heaven, where she runs into her deceased sister, Ida, as well as Ginger Rogers and Tom Edison. When she "returns," she shares details of her experience with her niece as well as communicating her thoughts on the wisdom of life and its meaning with townspeople.

3. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. In this luminous debut novel, Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tend it.

So I have about a month to finish 2 more books. I know I have "Breaking Dawn"(4th Book of the Twilight Series) being delivered on August 4th, so that will cut down on my Southern Reading time. I wish Stephenie Meyer was from the South, then I could put the Twilight Books as my Southern Reading Challenge!

If YOU were to do the southern reading challenge, which 3 books would YOU choose??

Happy Birthday Corey Feldman

When I was 11, 12 an 13 I had the HUGEST crush on Corey Feldman. He was just my favorite person in Hollywood. I saw all of his movies, I recorded every single Entertainment tonight piece that may have even mentioned his name, I watched MTV all day to see the Video "Baby you can Drive my Car" just to see him. My walls and doors were PLASTERED with every magazine page from Tiger beat, 16, Bop etc. I had pictures of his crazy side, his sensitive side, his meloncholy side.(I mean look at that picture. How could any tween during Corey Mania resist that mug??) I had all the articles about him, I knew his favorite color, I knew he didnt eat meat(That was OK, I could eat my steak in private) I was OBSESSED. If anyone joked about him, made fun of him, talked bad about him, I was his #1 staunchest defender. Nobody crossed Sarah on Corey Feldman Rampage. And for those girls that were the Corey Haim girls. Pfft, hand to the face.

Then 1990 rolled around, Newsies was released in theaters and my new obsession was born. Christian Bale. I am still a diehard Balehead to this day, and he is still #1 on my list.

I am sorry Corey, I just outgrew you, but thanks for the memories! ( and thanks for not responding to the 15 letters I wrote to you, thus breaking my 12 year old heart. I will bill you for THAT therapy session.)

I wonder what happened to all my posters??

----------------------------------------------------
ANYWAY onto my REAL story

As many of you know Charles has two colors. uber white and lobster red.

yesterday at work they were outside all day. ALL DAY! It was a nice sunny day with a deceptively cooling breeze. With a breeze you always think "Oh hey, this isnt bad, I'll be fine!". You never think about the UV index or the suns scorching rays when there is a nice breeze to keep you somewhat comfortable. You cant feel the sun searing your flesh when the wind is gently blowing your hair and keeping your pits dry.

It wasnt pretty.

Charles came home and was a GLOWING Neon Red. All he needs are rubber bands around his hands and can go join his comrades on someones plate at Red Lobster. YOWZA.

His face is so burned his skin is puffy and his eyes are practically swollen shut. His skin is tight and shiny and red.

Luckily being a balm maker I had some pure aloe butter I scooped out and shmeared all over his visage. It seemed to help a little bit and now his skin is as smooth as a baby's butt!!

But thanks to his adventure without sunscreen, he has a new nickname.

So, please to enjoy Red and Nerdy's sunburn. This picture hardly does it justice You have to see it in person to appreciate the "Glow". Even his lips are sunburned.

Maybe I can call him "Old Glory". He has the red sunburned face, and the rest of his body is still super white, and the blue eyes. He isnt a human being, he is an American flag masquerading as a salesman! Do I have to take off my hat and put my hand over my heart when he walks by??

eight is enough...revisited

Last month Lindsey posted a great tag on her blog. It was called 8 is enough, unless you are talking about cookies. You can find hers here
Since I am feeling a little tired and uninspired this morning, I am stealing that meme for myself and using it.

Eight things I have a passion for: (Like Lindsey I am not doing the obvious, like God, kids, church, friends etc)
1. Reading: I read every day. I am a speed reader, and if given the opportunity can polish off the biggest Harry Potter in less than a day. I read 2 to 3 books a week.
2. Traveling: I have been blessed in my life to have had the opportunity to travel quite a bit as a child, a teenager and an adult. Domestic or International, I LOVE TO TRAVEL. If I know I am going somewhere, I will research WAY ahead of time and have a complete schedule and itinerary in hand, every minute of every day planned out. From Paris France to Paris in the Epcot Center at Disney World I am passionate about seeing new things.
3. Gardening: There is something so thrilling about planting new life in the ground. Tending, watering, composting, weeding. I love watching all my plants grow and thrive. I love learning from my mistakes. I think the most satisfying of all is eating the fruits of my labors and knowing there are no chemicals, there are no waxes or sprays. And there is nothing better than the smell of a tomato plant in good soil. The earthy smell of the good soil mixed with the spicy smell of the tomato leaves. One of my favorite things.
4. The Beach. If I could live on the beach or near a beach for the rest of my life I would die a happy woman. East Coast, West Coast, Polynesia...I Love the beach. The sound of the waves, the sun, the sand, the salty sea air, the smell of the ocean. I could go to the beach every single day and be completely content.
5. Blogging: My new years resolution was to start journaling. I had journals as a child(and now looking back through them I want to rip my eyeballs out when I read it. I was so stupid) and had a journal or two as an adult. But I REALLY wanted to get into journaling and scrapbooking etc. SO I started Blogging and found that I can keep a record of my daily things, pictures, ideas and ideas. It is a perfect way for me to record my life for my posterity. I have found new friends through blogging and it has helped me come out of my shell a bit. Plus having it online and public keeps me from writing anything I will regret.(except that one post about my ex sister in law called "Whore"...dont go looking for it. I erased it. Although the sentiments havent changed much)
6. Music: I am a piano player. I love good classical music. Beethoven gives me chills. Mozart makes me happy. music of the 80's can dramatically improve my mood. If I put on a playlist I can get the house cleaned in an hour because I am just so into the music and moving and shakin my groove thang. I love going to concerts, I love a good bass(giddyap a giddyap a uhm papa mao mao) . I could have Josh Groban singing to me all night long(as long as I am not looking at him) Lindsey wrote Good Percussion and I am lumping this into music. A good drumline and good percussion is definately something that makes me excited and happy.(and yes that drummer at mcDoogals in B.C. was definately good percussion worthy) I adore Broadway Musicals and musical Theater and I listen to the soundtracks and sing at the top of my lungs. My dream?? To be Reno Sweeny in "Anything Goes".
7. TV and Movies: I watch a lot of TV after my kids go to bed and dinner dishes are done. i DVR everything and then skip through the commercials etc. I still watch the Nanny reruns on Lifetime. I love movies as well. Not going to the theater and paying a zillion dollars a ticket(unless it is something like STar Wars, Lord of the Rings, X-Men or some big epic movie that REALLY needs to be seen on the Big screen), but renting movies and being able to just forget about the real world for an hour and a half.
8. Comedy. (stealing this word for word from Lindsey)"Laughing really hard is a requirement for a fulfilling day. I don't understand how people with no sense of humor can be happy, and I hate it when someone takes themselves too seriously." I couldnt have said it better myself Lindsey. There are certain people I love to hang out with because I always know I will have a good laugh, or snot milk through my nose or laugh so hard I went myself.

Eight things I want to do before I die:
1. Get back down to a size 10. I am so tired of struggling with my weight.
2. See Machu Pichu and the Great Wall of China
3. Go back to school and get a Nursing Degree
4. Publish a book that would make me rich and famous!(or at least pay the bills)
5. Find a way to get my children to love each other and always get along with no fighting
6. Be on Jeopardy..better yet be a returning champion on Jeopardy.
7. Be on Oprah's Favorite Things Episode(either as a recipient, or she chose my lip balm to give out making me instantly rich and famous in the Lip Balm World)
8. Get a Boob Lift. 3 kids has not been kind. I want to be able to shop at Victorias Secret again.

Eight things I say a lot:
1. WHat is wrong with you kids!!
2. gimme kisses
3. You KNOW what we have for snack, now tell me what you want!
4. Charles, time for Jeopardy!
5. It aint happenin tonight
6. I have a headache
7. Te amo (Peter and I have this whole ritual of saying stuff in Portugese before he goes to bed)
8. Oh He** no. (I have never been able to break myself of that one)

Eight books I've read (instead of recently, we'll say more than 8 times)
1. Morning Glory, Lavyrle Spencer
2. Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret Georgo
3. Anne Of Green Gables Series by L.M. Montgomery
4. A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford
5. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
6. Twilight series by Stephenie Meyers.(Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse. the 4th is coming out August 2nd!!)
7. All of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling
8. The Weaver Takes a Wife by Sherri Cobb South

8 Movies I have seen at least 8 times:
1.Strictly Ballroom
2. Amadeus
3. Napoleon Dynamite
4. Princess Bride
5. Pride and Prejudice(A&E Miniseries with Colin Firth)
6. The Scarlet Pimpernell(with Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymore)
7. Star Wars(All)
8. Dodgeball: A true underdog story

I am not going to tag anyone, so if you want to do it, you go ahead. I know it is hard coming up with stuff to blog about. Thats why I love these tags is they are an easy out on a day where your brain doesnt want to cooperate!!

The beach, a memory and a little red bikini

Next week I am off with the boys to the Beach for the McBride Family Reunion.
The Theme of the event is "Water you doing in Virginia?"
(we are going to a beach in Virginia for the reunion and it is a water theme reunion)
Well each family is supposed to prepare some sort of water talent, i.e.: water balloon juggling, lip synching Splish Splash or something like that.
My mother in law wrote a group e-mail that stated, "Papa Jon can eat an entire watermelon by himself...and I can cut it for him" We all got a good chuckle, then realized she was perfectly serious.
So it got me to thinking what I could do as a talent in front of 40 people that wouldnt completely humiliate me. I cant juggle unless I want a concussion,(though thanks Lindsey for trying to teach me) I dont lip synch or do dance routines and throwing water balloons at people is just plain mean unless it is a water balloon fight.
So I thought long and hard and kept going back to my Mother in Law's email about the watermelon.
I decided to make everyone a lip balm. It will be watermelon flavored and I am designing a custom label for it. That way they have a nice souvenier for the reunion, yet get some yummy lip balm in the process. I will take a radio or something with me and play wipeout or something as we pass them out. Who knows. So my talent is lip balm and Charles' talent is standing back and letting me do what I want. (Just the way a good marriage should work.)

So The flavor name?? You guessed it! Water(you doing in Virginia)melon

Here is the first draft of the label I made up:(For privacy issues I am blocking out some of the details)

Yes As you can see I really like this picture so I have it in my new summer themed Blog Header as well.

Now to quote Bill Cosby "I told you THAT story to tell you THIS story"

All this getting planning for the beach reminded me of when I was little.

Every year we went to Nags Head for our Summer Vacation. The year this event takes place I was 6 years old. I had a red one piece bathing suit that had a little cluster of yellow flowers near the leg, kind of like a "Speedo" mark, but it was flowers. Anyway there was another little girl on the beach who had a bikini. The green eyed monster in me took control. I wanted a bikini, and I wanted one bad. My mother wouldnt let me get one. So I tried my dad. He wouldnt let me get one. I didnt have enough in dimes, Nickles and pennies in my piggie bank to go to Ben Franklin and get one myself either. So I was stuck for 2 weeks, miserable without a bathing suit like the other little girls on the beach had.

As fate would have it, 3 days later, my parents left me to the charge of my older brothers(ages 12 14 and 16) while they went for a walk down to the pier. They said they would be back in a half hour or so. I siezed my opportunity. My brothers were outside on the beach and left me to my own devices and said "we're out here if you need us... you better not need us". My brothers had a system: One would keep watch while the other two flirted with Edith, the pretty girl on the beach. When they would see mom and dad coming , the oldest would race back to the house like he had been there the entire time. This way they didnt have to watch me, yet made mom and dad think they had been there the entire time watching me like they were instructed.

I didnt mind their absence, in fact I found the solitude perfect for my undertaking. (I guarantee had my brothers actually done their job of watching me this never would have happened) I found a pair of scissors and I CUT my red bathing suit in half. By gosh if they weren't going to buy me a bikini, I would make my own. I would sure show them. In my 6 year old brain it really was a good idea. Now looking back more than 25 years later, I see the flaws in my plan.

The deed was done, my new red bikini pretty as can be. Todd came rushing in and flopped on the couch, turning on the TV, as if he were engrossed in Days of our Lives. I knew it would be only minutes before mom and dad came walking in.

The came back to find my creation lying on the kitchen table. My mother got the tight lipped "Im trying to control my temper" look. My dad shook his head and tried not to laugh. Then they came up with a BRILLIANT plan. Instead of getting mad, my dad said "Come on, lets get your new bikini on and head out to the beach!"

I thought I had gotten away with it. I was actually giddy. I had vandalized my clothing and gotten away with it.

So I put on my newly designed Red Bikini with the little yellow flowers on the thigh and grabbed the raft and walked out to the beach with my dad. I was so proud of my ingenuity and skills as a fashion designer.

I took my raft and ran out into the ocean only to be bombarded with a huge wave that knocked me to my knees...and pulled the bottoms OFF my bottom. SO I pulled them back up and they immediately fell down again. I tried rolling the waistband, which helped a little, but with every wave the bottoms would fall off. Eventually even rolling the wasitband wasn't enough and my bikini bottom was sagging around my rear and I was showing all of my tush to the entire beach.

I ran back to the house and told my mom I needed to go buy a new bathing suit. She said No. That was a brand new bathing suit she had bought from JC Penny's and I ruined it on purpose. So I was stuck with it. i had to wear that homemade bikini the rest of the vacation.

Eventually I got some safety pins and was able to secure the waistband tight enough around my bottom and waist to keep it up...although I looked quite silly with a bathing suit full of rusted out metal. The salt water and sea breeze had caused the pins to corrode, leaving my little red bikini with brown stains where it was pinned.

Having a two piece wasnt as fun as I thought it would be. I learned my lesson and I learned it well.

So thank you mom and dad for making me wear my Sarah Original bikini and not buying me a new one. It was a unique punishment and I never tried to customize my clothing again after that day.

My new layout

I FINALLY got the elusive 3 column blog. I have been wanting one for awhile as I have lots of sidebar "stuff".
I did it myself by finding a site that walked me through it and editing the HTML code.
I will be re-photoshopping my header to fit, and making a new background as well.
But these things take time...

So pardon the renovation, while I rework my blog and move stuff around and find spots for everything.

ALSO-Thank you to everyone who has been visiting, reading or commenting on my humble little blog. I started it as a way to kind of promote my etsy shops and it turned into a daily journal of sorts. All the support and kind words has really kept me motivated and kept my New Years resolution alive and well. Good Karma points coming your way (fling fling fling)
So again, Thank you!!

If you found me through etsy, through a friends link or through a google search, please know I appreciate your time!!

Hay is for horses

ISn't that the sweetest face you have ever seen?? Don't know whose horse it is, but he sure is a beauty! I love horses so i am THRILLED for tonights events.

Today I am driving with Peter up to Raleigh to the 2008 Equine Extravaganza benefitting North Carolina Childrens Hospital. Another Childrens Promise event that Mr.Ambassador will be attending. He is like a little mini socialite! At least we dont have to dress up or have a photo shoot for this.

It is a 3 day horse show, vendors, trainers etc. Then at night they have a separate Equus extrordinaire. Lipizzaner stallions, (picture at left) Roman Riding(picture at right) and more. It is a hugely popular event, so it must be something amazing. All I know and care about is that I get in free, and a portion of every ticket sold raises money for N.C. Childrens Hospital.

Tonight at the Equus Extrordinaire show they will have Peter sitting on a wagon being pulled around the arena by Clydesdales while he waves and takes a bow. I am sure he will channel his inner ham and be as cute as can be. He usually knows how to work a crowd, especially if they are clapping and cheering for him. So expect muscles being flexed, clapping, faces being made and silliness to ensue.

I will take lots of pictures.

have a great weekend!!

Boutique Bracelets

I have been kind of toying with an idea the past few weeks. One of those ideas that get stuck in your head and wont go away. So in I jumped. I have learned over the past few years to never second guess myself. If I have an idea, I need to do it or I will fret and contemplate and "what if" the rest of my life.

So here was my idea:

I wanted to make a cute, inexpensive bracelet for every month of the year, coordinating with said months birthstone color. So instead of real gemstones and sterling silver and bali silver and really shocking price tag, I used Czech Firepolished faceted rounds in a variety of sizes and used sterling silver and pewter spacers and bead caps. Each bracelet is finished off with a toggle clasp of some sort and are only $12. I have seen similar items at my local boutiques and gift shops for $20 or more.

I love Boutique jewelry. It is really pretty and festive, yet affordable and with no worries that you are losing a fortune should it go missing. If you are active or hard on your jewelry then the boutique style jewelry is the way to go.

I apologize in advance for the pictures. I need to repair my lightbox and have not yet done it.

I will be listing these periodically throughout the month in my shop. Each bracelet is 7 1/2 inches long but can be shortened or lengthened for a 50 cent charge to cover wire and crimp beads.

I am also going to take them to my craft show in October and hopefully they will make excellent stocking stuffers.

Now I just need to make coordinating Moo Cards to go with them. I figured I would have each month with its own moo card and have the month listed and what the birthstone is and what it means etc. So if I can just channel my inner adobe illustrator goddess and design those moo cards!!

Happy Thursday.

4th of July Pictures

For the 4th of July we went to the Baseball Game and Sky Show at Knight Stadium.(yes I know it is the 9th and I am JUST NOW getting the pictures up and talking about it. I am a slug)

A few years ago they moved the Skyshow fireworks from Uptown Charlotte to the baseball stadium.( We have a minor league team called the Charlotte Knights)
Skyshow is the largest fireworks display in the Southeast and they are AMAZING!
.
We went for the first time last year and just had so much fun we decided to make it a yearly tradition.
This year, instead of sitting in the nice seats right behind home plate, we waited until the day of to buy our tickets. That meant we were sitting on the lawn. But hey, for $5 a ticket, you cant beat it.
We spread out a picnic planket and watched the game and then had perfect seats for the fireworks. All we had to do was lay back and they were right over our heads. It was incredible.
I am really glad we went.

Can you tell what Finn enjoyed the most?? That Blue Cotton Candy turned his poop green.

I have to admit I myself enjoyed a bag of Pink cotton candy. Nothing like pure spun sugar to make you enjoy an outdoors event!!

I am not quite sure what this expression is. Fear? silliness? potty time? I guess I'll never know.

The fireworks started off with a big bang and both the boys had their ears covered at first.

Just me and my boys after the show. It was almost 11pm, the humidity had its way with my hair, Finn looks drunk and Peter has on his typical 8 year old smile: the tightlip.

We will be going back next year as well. I think we may just stay in the lawnseats. You cant beat a family outing , fun time and fireworks for a mere $20.

Pretty Ballerina

A few months ago my mom gave me a list of songs to download and make into a mixed CD for her. Every now and then she will just march over with a ream of paper FULL of old obscure songs, forgotten songs or songs no one even remembers. Sometimes she doesnt know the name of the song or who sings it. She only knows snatches of words. So I will have something written like "show me a man...good woman??"

WHAAA?????

WELL, Perusing the list I see tham many of them I own personally or know someone who does.
Crazy by Gnarls Barkley. Ok no problem.
Bernadette by The Four Tops. Again , pretty easy.
I heard it through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye.
So far, so good.

THEN she started throwing in stuff like Kenny Ball's Midnight in Moscow,
The Village STompers Washington Square or My very favorite SHRIMP BOATS by Jo Stafford.
Ever heard of that one?? It took me FOUR MONTHS to find that song for her. You're welcome Mother. "The shrimp boats is a comin' there's dancin tonight!"


Then further down the list past Brooks Benton, Glenn Campbell, Gordon Lightfoot and Dionne Warwick was a song I had COMPLETELY forgotten about. This song by Left Banke.
I remember my mom listening to it when I was a kid. It is one of those songs that gets stuck in my head for a week at a time. Kind of like "It's a small World" or "Bubbly" by Colbie Caillat.
But in the past few weeks it has since become one of my favorite songs, again.


Hope you enjoy!

An Utterly FABULOUS give-away

Sew Gracious is having a giveaway.

Be sure to check it out!!

You can win THIS tote bag.

Just go to her blog post HERE, read the directions and leave a comment.

I already own one of her tote bags and it is FABULOUS. This is a giveaway you dont want to miss.

I get compliments on it just about every day.

I also have my eye on her BUDS tote.

So get on over to Sew Gracious and check out her blog, her etsy shop and her giveaway. You wont regret it.

She is amazing!!

My Precious

I am so in love with Amy Butler. Let me just clear that up and get that out in the open. I am ADDICTED to her fabrics.

Her lines are just so amazing, and I love to go to the quilting shop that carries them and go have a look. Here is her "NIGELLA" line. Couldnt you just dive in and drown in the beauty that is Amy Butler Fabric?? (In case you can't tell I am COMPLETELY addicted to Fabric. It is a sickness, really)

Here are some of my favorites from her LOTUS collection.

This one is Tea Box:

This one is Damask Rose:

Well the other day I was at Michaels with a 40% off coupon burning a hole in my pocket when I stumpled across THIS :

It is K&Company Specialty Paper scrapbook Pad with AMY BUTLER PAPER! It is from Nigella Collection and is the Tea Box set. It is 24 sheets of Double sided paper. (2 pages of each type). So there are 24 designs in this set. So at 40% off it was a mere 9.00. You can get a yard of her fabric for $9. But I got 24 pieces of her glorious paper. It is so crisp and beautiful and sparkly and "purdy". Oh Amy Butler how I love you.

This paper is so scrumptious and beautiful. I am absolutely infatuated with it. I dont know whether to save it for a rainy day, or get busy cutting and creating!! I have an itchy paper cutter finger and am feeling antsy!! I keep looking through it, touching it, stroking it and calling it "My Precious".

So moral of the story: If you see me with scraggly hair and a wild look in my eyes, throw me into Mt Doom and let me perish with My Precious.