SEW y'all

Sew y'all...that is the name of Big Connie and myself's new sewing adventure. I am in the process of building an etsy site, a blog, and a website. We are both VERY excited. Maybe we will become rich and famous, ha! But I'm hoping to make a little extra money if nothing else.
I asked my friend, Amanda, to design a logo...she is totally amazing. And this is what she came up with:

I think it is just perfect. However, I think it might look better without the ruler/cutting mat below the sewing machine. Still working out all the details. I'm stoked to get this off the ground and (finally) running.

Plus, Jack is entering a BBQ cook-off in October, in Canton, and SEW y'all is going to get a craft booth. Sew (hee hee, I hope I don't wear this out) everything needs to be ready by then. More on that to come later. The cook-off I mean. Not my overuse of the word "sew" instead of "so."

Sam loves to talk and eat...at the same time

I love this. Especially because I do this too. Obviously, he loves the puffs (and they didn't make him have fish face either.) He is too cute. Seriously.

Fish Face

I have never seen him do this before, and I couldn't stop laughing! I was feeding him Green Beans for lunch and he started making a fish face. Unfortunately, by the time I got the camera, there were no beans left. But you get the idea.

Dancin' Sam

Sammy, apparently, LOVES to dance. And the boy has rhythm. See him in action:

Photo shoot

I had an impromptu photo shoot while watching Sammy today. I think the photos turned out great! However, it's not too hard when he is soooo cute. And today, he told me I was the best aunt in the whole wide world. Yeah, he loves me lots.

I am so glad I finally bought Adobe Lightroom. It is almost just as much fun editing my pictures as taking them. And it is very user friendly. Here is a link: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom/passionate/?sdid=EPIHW

I started by downloading a FREE 30 day trial. Any pictures you edit in those 30 days get saved to your hard drive, so you don't have to worry about losing your work. (plus, you can download it again after 30 days with another email address....secrets, ssssshhhh) However, I thought it was well worth the investment, so I was honest in the end, and paid for it. I'm still watching tutorials online and trying to figure it all out. But so far, I couldn't be happier. It is MUCH easier for me than Photoshop.

Anyway, back to Sammy, here are the pictures:

Sicko Sammy

Wednesday, I was watching Sammy for the day because Lindsey's mom, Daphne, had surgery, and as she normally watches him, I have been getting to keep him lately. It's unfortuante she needed surgery (everything is okay and she is on her way to a smooth and quick recovery!) but I am thankful for the time I am getting to spend with the little man.

However, while watching him, my ever so keen maternal instincts kicked in, and I could tell he was not feeling well. So, first order of business was to call Big Connie. That's a maternal instinct, right? To call your mom? She came home at lunch and confirmed my thoughts by 1st, taking his temperature. (hello, kim? you know where the thermometer is, right?) and yes, he was running a temperature of 102.1. Well, the thermometer said 101.1, but apparently when you take a temp under the armpit, you add one degree. News to me. I guess that is more comfortable for the patient, than up the bum, however. So we called the Dr. and they said to bring him in. Upon hearing this, I of course freaked out, and insisted Big Connie join us for the trip. Not because I am scared of the Dr. (ok, maybe that's 50% of it) but I have never driven a car with a baby as a passenger. And he's not my baby. Watching him at the house is one thing, but getting in a car, to go the Dr., that was too much for me. Plus, the little booger didn't feel good, I didn't need to go into a panic attack to top it all off.

Anyway, we got him to the Dr. and he said all Sammy has is a sore throat, and not to worry, just give him Motrin. (the Dr. prefers Motrin to Tylenol in babies over 4 mo. old) Another lesson for me.

Here are some pictures of him when he is feeling better (and his friend Ashley too.)

Tubing in Helen

A couple of weeks ago, Jack and I took Grace and her bestest, Camryn, tubing in Helen. It was so cute, because we surprised Grace with the entire weekend and she was so excited, I thought she was going to have a stroke.

We went on a Friday, to avoid the crowd, thank goodness. I had been up to Hiawassee the Saturday before, and when I crossed the river in Helen, you couldn't even see the water for the tubes. It was not so bad for us, nor was it as cold as I was expecting. And other than the fiasco of Jack losing his Maui Jim sunglasses (ouch!) there were no incidents. (He decided to stand up from his tube just up-stream from the largest white water experience on the river, and fell, went on his butt down the fall, got trapped by the current, blah blah blah, and incidentally, lost his glasses. Yeah, he was pretty ticked.)

Anyway, the girls had a blast, myself included. Jack said he is never going tubing again, imagine that.

Coincidentally, the girls had matching bathing suits...

Love it!

seriously....

it's already the middle of july?

how the heck did that happen?

where has the summer gone?

inspired by my newest most favoritest blog, i am going to try to be more diligent regarding my blog as well as take better pictures and start cooking. and wash all of my jadeite that is in my cabinet and start using it too.

check out her site: http://thepioneerwoman.com/

the kiddos

we FINALLY all got together (minus Jamie GHG and Lexi, who we greatly missed) to celebrate Mary Emma and Shep's birthday. The kids all had a great time playing together, and they are all too cute. Really. It is hard to believe how precious they are. And I can't wait to meet the 2 new additions, Charlotte and Briggs. Yams is having another boy, due August and Jessica's little girl will be here in October. YEAH!!!

Oh, and I LOVE my new lens. It takes really great pictures. And I downloaded a free trial of Adobe Lightroom. I just need to go ahead and buy it, but I somehow need to find $300 laying around, anyone?

And here is a picture of Grace at the pool on Friday, she is getting so big. It is hard to believe she is already 7 (and a half). However, she acts like she is 11 or 12. I asked if I could take her picture, and she started posing. Hilarious.

how has it been almost 6 months...

since Sammy was born. That is ridiculous. And he is ridiculously cute; here is the proof:

This is my favorite!!!

Critter Control....again

How come everywhere I go, I am surrounded by critters?

A few months ago, there was the bat in the house (see earlier post and associated video). And then there is the rat story from when I lived with the roomies on Ashford Dunwoody. (Remember, Monty ate my bed, and chewed a hole in the wall). Oh, and the nasty wharf rats (honestly, they were HUGE) at my old office that we saw on a near daily basis. And a few years ago, there was the baby opossum in the house that we caught and set free.

Well, they are back. Almost all of them.

The other day, whilst hanging out on the deck enjoying the weather and a cocktail, Gerdie became obsessed with a particular area. Specifically, she was staring through the deck boards, clawing at the deck, and not leaving that spot. I poured water on the deck in an attempt to remove any smells, etc. that she couldn't seem to leave alone. Which didn't work. So Big Connie decided to go under the deck and check it out.

And she found this:

Yes, that's a bundle of bats, baby bats, and they are living under the deck. GROSS!!! There is a huge pile of poo under them too. But Jack said to leave them b/c they eat mosquitoes and such. So, I guess they are going to stay for now.

Oh, and Big Connie said she saw them flying back in for the day when she was running on the elliptical machine the other morning, at daybreak. Freaky.

And by Freaky I mean:

A. That she saw them on the move.

B. That she was up that early AND working out.

So that is critter number 1 back to haunt me. Now on to critter number 2.

Yesterday, Jeremy had stopped at CVS on his way home, and nosy that I am, peaked in his bag at his prizes. To discover a mouse trap. I said, "Oh, do you have mice at home?" (while feeling sorry for him and his critter problems). And his reply, "No, you have mice downstairs."

Um, excuse me? Pardon moi? Repita por favor?

I think I stared at him for a good 2 minutes with my mouth wide open (good thing I was not outside while the bats were on the move....)

He said he was just laying down for bed, heard something, flicked on the light, saw the mouse on top of the entertainment center, threw his wallet at the mouse, which scared the everliving poo out of it, and it was trying so hard to get away, it was just skidding and sliding all over the place. Again, FREAKY. No, actually, GROSS.

So he set up the trap, I assume. I did not see him again last night or this morning, and he is gone until Monday. Great, Monday...that is 4 days away! So I guess we will have to wait and see until then...unless I hear a loud slap of a closing trap or smell something rotting. Because there is no way I am going in there.

Critter numero tres, the opossum, has stayed away....for now. And lets hope it stays that way!

alyssa, this is for you

jennith's sister, alyssa, is in Ghana! and she is going to try to bring me back some more new fabric (if she can find it)! yeah!

here is a picture of what lindsey and emily brought back:

it is labeled: veritable real wax afroget. happy hunting! oh, and i would like a LOT of it...but at least two yards. (lindsey and emily brought back 12 yards total, which is an entire bolt.) 1 yard is enough for a purse/bag. 2 yards would be enough for a blanket/quilt. so, if you find something cool, i could make you something too!

Wow, I need to learn time management skills

So, I keep hearing from people, "when are you going to update your blog?"

Not only am I amazed that I hear this from people other than my mother, I am disappointed with myself for not taking the time to keep up with something that I love doing (telling people the ins and outs of my life like anyone cares, heh!)

Seriously though, I can't believe how occupied and busy I can keep myself while not holding down a full time job. I have a new found respect for stay-at-home mothers! (And I don't mean that in a cynical way, either).

Since I am at home most days (i.e. unemployed), and have been playing nurse-maid to Jack since his surgery (I will blog about this later), there always seems to be a need to run to the grocery store, wal-mart, the gas station, do laundry, dishes, take out the trash, mow the grass, decorate, rearrange furniture, go yard selling, etc. Okay, so maybe those last three are an indication of things I would like to do full time, or as a paid occupation, rather than things I "have to get done" on a daily basis, but either way, I have no idea how I did any of these things while working a 40+hour/week job.

And in case you were wondering about my last blog post, no...the interview did not go as well as planned. Well, I shouldn't say that. The interview itself went well, in my opinion, but the fact that I got no return call/email, as promised, I might have been a little to hopeful. Oh well. My un-employment check is well received each week.

The sad thing is, that since getting laid off, there has only been one job posting anywhere on the internet for a Landscape Architect in GA, and apparently everyone I know applied...as to be expected. And since the hiring company is looking for someone with at least 8 years of experience, even though my resume and credentials are impressive (according to the HR manager), I am not even going to be considered for the position...since there was SO much response to the job.

No shit. Between Brent (former boss/co-worker) we can name at least 25 LA's that got laid off in the last 2 years who are looking for a job. And we can name 6-7 people, that we know of, who applied for this job. So, if you are looking to hire, you are in luck, b/c there is an endless pot of well qualified and skilled people who NEED a job. However, if you are like me, and are one of the many LOOKING for a job...well, see above.

Regardless, I am keeping a positive outlook, looking for ways to make money (watching kids, side-jobs, sewing, etc.) and trying not to stay too worried or anxious about it. There is a plan for me and it is ultimately out of my control, so I am not sweating the small stuff. And when you consider the "small stuff" a steady income, then you must be doing pretty well in the sane department.

Or smoke too much crack.

P.S. (to my Grandparents who read my blog, or at least I think you may occasionally read my blog, I have not, nor ever will, smoke crack...its just a saying among us young "whippersnappers!" And pardon my french)

P.P.S. (more blog posts and pictures to follow...SOON, I promise this time)

new career?

i have a job interview tomorrow. i don't want to give details yet, though. might jinx it. but the job itself could suck too. we shall see....

hiccup head

lindsey walker was here today and she had sammy really going. listen when he starts laughing, with the hiccups, its sounds like he's saying "hiccup"

Little Sammy

okay, so one more good thing about unemployment is getting to baby-sit Sammy. here is a video of the cute little booger. (please ignore my singing!)

oh, and i am not shaking the chair either, that's just how fidgety he is!

Job-less

so, yes, i have officially lost my job. sux. however, if we do get any new work, i am going to get paid on a job by job basis. unfortunately there are no jobs in the landscape architecture world right now. each week, i feel like i hear of someone else who has lost their job. its really scary.
however, there are some benefits:

• going out on a wednesday night to east atlanta to see a band play (thanks rodney) and not having to worry about getting up early the next day
• sewing all day
• catching up on my stories
• getting even more addicted to facebook (wait, that is a con)
• becoming an expert at my new wii (wait, is that a con too?)

okay, maybe not SO many benefits.

i'm trying to stay positive though. but going to the unemployment office on wednesday didn't help. there must have been a couple hundred people there. and i was shocked at how many of the people looked like the "corporate" type. they were even calling people to the back for "orientation" in waves of about 35 due to the # of people there. if you go to the department of labor's website, it lists the national unemployment rate at 7.2% while georgia's rate is even higher at 8.1%. i had a meeting with a client, former client, last week who works for goldman sachs. he said, unemployment was only going to get worse, even if the economy starts to turn for the better. he explained that it is the last thing to "crash" so to say. employers wait too long to lay people off-not wanting to face to truth, hurt people, etc....and then, once things start to get better, employers are more slow to re-staff. it makes sense, but it makes it even harder to see the light at the end of the tunnel knowing this.

so, if you shop in the alpharetta area, you may see me bagging your groceries! if they are even hiring....

i'm still here

so i know it has been forever...no real excuse. its not like i have been busy with work. quite the contrary, i don't really have a job anymore. as of next week anyway. so, the job hunt begins. and maybe a few more posts to my loyal readers, ha!