The State of Denmark

• Today JD went into the bathroom, did his business and, as always, yelled for someone to come and wipe his bum. Then he added, "I pooped in the State of Denmark." This is what you get when you let a 3 year old repeatedly listen to Veggie Tales' take on Hamlet (which is called "Omlette"). He even said it with the voice of the character from the tape.
  
• At the dinner table tonight, JD was telling us all how brave he was today when he had to get a shot in his bum (poor kid is having all sorts of issues right now) and his finger pricked for a blood test. I was drinking my smoothie and, as I remembered Lauren telling me how it took three people to hold down this normally easy-going, brave kid, I laughed unexpectedly and shot smoothie across the table. Classy.
• I just finished reading Mindy Kaling's book. It was fun and a quick read. What surprised me was this little gem (found under "Best Friend Rights and Responsibilities"):

IF YOU'RE DEPRESSED, I WILL BE THERE FOR YOU
As everyone knows, depressed people are some of the most boring people in the world. I know this because when I was depressed, people fled. Except my best friends. I will be there for you during your horrible break-up, or getting fired from your job, or if you're just having a bad couple of months or year. I will hate it and find you really tedious, but I promise I won't abandon you.

This hit close to home, as I know I have been nothing but tedious and boring over the last few years. It's practically why I hardly blog anymore, because I don't even want to know about the lame things going on in my life (or lack thereof). But my friends still read this blog even when I whine. And my friends still answer my phone calls and let me say everything I need to say. And I don't even care if they turn around and tell their husbands how boring and tedious I am right now and how they wished I would get out of this rut, in fact, I kind of expect them to do just that, because that's probably the only way they will continue to answer my phone calls until I stop being all depressing and start being fabulous again. So I guess what I'm saying is, I like my friends. Thanks for sticking to the code.

• I'm going to see Breaking Dawn at midnight with a bunch of 17 year old girls. A week later I'm going to my 10 year high school reunion. Then I'm going to take a cruise ship to the moon because apparently I live in Crazy Town.
• Today one of my best friends had her first baby. It's true. I'm excited for her but sad for me because I just want to go snuggle that baby! My friends all live so far away, which sucks anyway, but for them to start having all these babies that I don't get to meet and spoil, well, my single-hood just seems kind of robbed. Why can't I spend my time traveling around the country, hanging out with my friends and spoiling their children? What's that? I need money? And food? Phooey.
  

This is a little late...

And it isn't the full effect, just trying things on, but I love this picture. There's a whole series because they were laughing and goofing off so much we couldn't get a good one of them just looking and standing still. But there you have it, Jango Fett, Princess Leia and R2D2

oops

I confess it is not Friday.

I confess that I'm still going to confess a little.

I confess that I have spent the better part of my day watching TV because my head hurts real bad.

But I also confess that I have been doing laundry, so that makes up a little for the TV, right?

This and That

I can't even think of a good title anymore. Ugh. I don't know what's wrong with me. My desire to write is kind of gone...although I'm trying to just keep doing it anyway hoping it will kick back in eventually. But that's not what I came to blog about.

I didn't really sit down to blog about anything in particular now that I think about it. Boo.

I did think I lost my Halloween spirit. Is that possible? Like a Halloween Scrooge? While it may be diminished, I've recovered some of it. Although I realized that I have lost TWO WEEKS of listening to my Halloween playlist! Tragic! It's my favorite playlist. I may have lost some of my steam this year because I decided not to try to make the boys' costumes all by myself...I knew I wouldn't have the energy. But their costumes are coming together...simple but cool. And I'm recycling my Fates costume by adding snakes to my hair and being Medusa. Should be fun.

I'm also looking more forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas now that I know what days I will have off from work. And I'm stalking some new holiday albums to add to my collection so that's always fun.

And then in January there's a new baby! I can't wait to cuddle Finn. I need to move out of his bedroom first. That might be a good idea. Lots of things coming up! Exciting things!

Including the Doctor Who christmas special. Yes. This is a thing I am looking forward to now. Should be a great Christmas.

time to confess

I confess that this is a little sad confession post because I'm having a horrible week/month.

I confess that I spent three nights marathon tv-watching and crocheting.

I confess that I am scared about a lot of things right now. Scared as in nervous/worried/panicked/impatient. Everything in my life right now is unknown and that is super scary.

I confess that my excitement for the holiday season is diminished due to inability to appropriately celebrate. That's a fancy way of saying there's nothing to do and no one to do it with.

I confess that I'll still dress up and attend parties because I always convince myself that something great could happen.

Chicken Nuggets

Today I made the perfect Hollandaise sauce. It was heaven. Creamy and delicious.

I also have a good handle on what I'm making and getting people for Christmas this year. Now I just need to make a list so I don't forget the awesomeness.

My sister and I went to Costco today and it was so relaxing. Not too many people, just enough time to wander, just enough yummy tasters.

JD says size is measured in "largest, smallest, and smally-smalliest." I posted this on Facebook, but it's so great I had to share again.

Monkey is really into drawing and being creative lately, a nice side-effect from school. He is getting so detailed and specific about his drawings. Today when we got home from the store, he was drawing with sidewalk chalk and kept saying, "I'm making a surprise for mommy! I'm an artist! It's beautiful!" He was covered head to toe in chalk, but he was so happy and proud of himself. I love seeing that.

I Confess...

• I confess that I forgot about confessing until right now, when I read Megan's (also belated) confessions.
• I confess that I am stealing one of Megan's confessions because it applies to me as well. I'm addicted to Pinterest. Mostly right before dinner when I got on my app and repin all the delicious recipes I want to eat. Tis a glorious site, Pinterest.
  
• I confess to missing my friends more than I think I probably should. I still think about them in terms of living next door (or sharing my room) and they don't. They haven't for such a long time, but that doesn't keep me from thinking about how much fun it would be to go do such-and-such with Megan and Miri or to watch a Friday night movie with Jamie and Mike or to hit up a matinee with Corynn. Or whoever you are that I am missing. Just know, when I want to go do something, I usually want to call up one of my friends that lives thousands of miles away and make them go with me. Does this mean I'm lame? Need new friends? Probably so. Oh well.
  
• I confess that I am currently crocheting a birthday cake (chocolate with white frosting and strawberries and raspberries) as part of my awesome Christmas gift for my niece this year.
• I confess that I am probably going to buy a Kindle. There are several reasons, first and foremost being I want to read a lot of books but don't have the money to buy said books. "But, Lindsey," you say, "There are establishments called libraries where books are loaned to you for FREE!" And I say to you that I live in West Virginia. Try finding your books in a double wide trailer sitting in the middle of a field in West Virginia and then get back to me on that one.
  
• I confess that I enjoy this confession session more than I ought. It's refreshing.
  
• I confess that this week I was a bone fide crazy person, but it wasn't really my fault.
  
• I confess that I am so very happy that my time as a crazy person is coming to an end, as I am almost done taking the medicine that is making me crazy.
  
• I confess that maybe I can't stop confessing, but perhaps I should save some for next week when, let's face it, I'll probably forget again until the last minute and then get carried away. Again.
  

Confessions

Megan started doing this and it's something I look forward to now, so I thought I would use it to motivate me to write. So here is my first installment of Friday Confessions.

I confess...

• I'm actually writing this on Tuesday night because I acknowledge my tendency to forget and/or be lazy at the end of the week.
  
• I have a new found love for crunchy peanut butter...especially if it's spread on salty crackers. So good.
  
• I just joined Pinterest and I'm already addicted. And I want to throw a Halloween party just so I can make themed recipes I found on there.
  
• I walk in the door from work every single day, go to my room and put on a pair of yoga or pj pants. I don't see the need to be uncomfortable for one minute longer than is absolutely necessary.

Okay. That was a lame confession session, but I'm sure they will get juicier as time goes by.

Coyote Genius and the Meeper

That is how JD refers to Wile E. Coyote ("suuuuper genius") and the roadrunner and I think it is fantastic.

Other fantastic things:

• My sister is having another baby boy in January and two of my best friends are having babies (one in November and one in February). This means I'm making baby gifts like there's no tomorrow. It's a little sad how much fun I'm having.
  
• Also a little sad, how totally happy I am that Fall TV is back and I get to see my Hulu queue fill up with awesome shows (I'm looking at you, Parks and Recreation. Oh how I missed you!).
  
• While I'm still making my nephews' Halloween costumes, I actually am going the simplest route available...crocheted hats and t-shirts. And maybe a little card board and duct tape thrown in for good measure.
  
• I love October. Have I ever mentioned this? I don't even think I realized how much I love the month of October till a few years ago. I love wearing my fall clothes, I love watching scary movies (it's pretty much the only time I do), I love getting ready for Halloween and I love the anticipation of all the upcoming holidays.
  
• I watched Wuthering Heights on Netflix Instant today (Masterpiece Classic) and I still just don't get that story. Why do people love it so much? Pretty much every person is crazy and/or horrible. HORRIBLE. Anytime I get close to feeling any sympathy for Heathcliff, he goes and does something psychotic and I'm done. I keep trying to re-read the book (bc most people tell me that is what I need to do whenever I bring this up), but I can't get past the craziness. Someday, world, I am going to re-read that crazy bananas book and I'm pretty sure it will only give me more solid reasons why I don't like it.
• I need to freshen up my October playlist. *cough* Megan *cough*. HINT HINT.
  
• I'm also getting closer to watching Lost and Friday Night Lights, neither of which I have seen before. Maybe you are surprised by this, but I have this habit of resisting movies and shows that become uber popular simply bc they are uber popular. My brain just kind of turns off and tells me I don't like it. Same reason I still haven't seen Avatar. And will probably only see Avatar when I end up at someone's house for a movie night and everyone else decides we are watching Avatar. But Lost and FNL made it to my Netflix queue so maybe they have a fighting chance of being viewed by me. If I can stop re-watching episodes of Doctor Who, Buffy, 30 Rock and Parks and Rec.
  
• Seriously, people, if you are not watching Parks and Rec, I think we can't be friends. I've watched the show through three times and it's only in the third season. It's gold. GOLD.
  
• This summer I wanted to learn how to read a crochet pattern and also learn the names of the stitches I've been using for the past 15 or so years. So we found an amigurumi book and I'm hooked (pun unintended, but left in for my personal enjoyment). I just finished sewing the main part of a crocheted birthday cake. To go with the tea set, cookies and cupcakes. Lauren is getting a crocheted animal mobile for the baby. I've made a stuffed bunny and a little baby doll and an adorable little dog. I can't get enough. It may be a disease. But at least I achieved a summer goal this year.
  
• Reading. I still do that, you know, even with all the crocheting and TV watching. I'm still on a Sarah Dessen kick, but I took a detour with Rick Riordian and Tina Fey. I loved Bossy Pants and would love to listen to it on tape.
  
• Finally, you should all know, I'm totally addicted to this Tumblr.
  

Driving in the car with Burpy McGee

Hey! Remember how I went on a girls only vacation to Cape Cod for a whole week and I was the youngest person present (which is a good thing)? No? Yeah...probably because I never blog. But here I am blogging about it now for those of you who may have missed my Facebook updates and Tweets while events transpired. And, yes, by "events" I mostly mean "eating food."

Did you not catch the part about it being a girls only vacation? We sat poolside, went to the beach, shopped and ate. And read a lot of books. And crocheted. Because that's how we roll in my family.

So my mom and my sister and I drove up with my mom's cousin, Nancy, and met my Aunt and my cousin's wife, Sherri, at the house. My cousin, Kim, joined us for a couple of days in the middle of the week.

Here we all are at an awesome tea place up the street from my Aunt's house. It's some kind of renovated meat barn that now serves as an art gallery and serves tea parties. It's pretty much amazing. Apparently I like a place that serves dainty tea cakes while I look at location-specific art and giant meat hooks hanging from the ceiling. The thing is, the art is gorgeous and the food is so incredibly tasty...and giant meat hooks! Who doesn't love that?

(and this is where I tell you to please overlook the fact that these are all cell phone pictures. my camera is broken and our life is not properly documented when my camera is broken. end disclaimer.)

Mom and Lauren posing, even though they didn't really want to. How I love them.

L to R: Aunt Sharon, Nancy, Sherri and Kim

Me and my sissie.

Extreme close-up, but the other one is too blurry and gives me three eyes. Which is not a thing that I have. So close-up is what you get.

I didn't get any pictures, but the first day there we all went to brunch and I got to do the one thing I wanted to do on this trip (besides tan and not work), eat delicious Eggs Benedict. Along with a lot of other delicious things, but the Eggs Benedict was divine. And then, Nancy taught me how to make my own AND she put crab meat on them. So my life is pretty much complete.

The second day there (after a day at the beach), I was cooking dinner on the grill (another new skill I learned...but will henceforth claim I did not learn bc I never want to be in charge of grilling things), and I realized how great it was that we all basically did the same things at the same time. We came home, cleaned up, then sat down and picked up a book. I walked into the living room and everyone but me and whoever was in the shower was reading a book. All happily enjoying the peace and quiet of a house free of children. So the week basically went on like that and we were all so happy.

And now a selection of random photos:

The lobster thingy that vibrated when our food was ready at Seafood Sam's.

Eating delish ice cream.

Oh thanks, Forever 21. Thank you so much for this awful mannequin pose. And by awful I mean great.

Dwight K. Shrute.

My mom is awesome. The end.

These statues were every where in this one shopping place we go to. They reminded us too much of a Weeping Angel, so I took a picture and then avoided all the others. This is what happens to you when you watch Doctor Who 75% of the time.

I ate a lobster roll. And it was good.

Annie's doing a giveaway!!

And now I am sharing this with you, friends. Not because I want you to go and comment on Annie's blog and therefore take away precious chances for me to win the giveaway, but because I want to be able to enter the giveaway myself as many times as possible. I kid, I kid.

Kind of.

But really, I love Annie's stuff and spending $50 in her shop would be a dream.

Africa! Africa! Everything is better with the letter A!

To truly enjoy that title, take a look at this:



There are so many things I love about this particular Veggie Tales song (the accordion, Larry's outfit, the fact that it's about homophones, etc.), but my favorite part is how easily it gets stuck in my nephews' heads. They walk around singing, "homophones! homophones!" and when they aren't singing those words, they are making up even more awesome songs to the tune of homophones. Like, "Africa! Africa! The letter A is such a charming one!"

Charming! My five year old nephew uses words like "charming" in his made up songs. I think that is actually the definition of charming, amiright!? I'm a big fan of his vocabulary.

And it's finally time for a real update

So there was a lot going on that I wanted to talk about, but couldn't yet and now I can! So here's an update.

• I remodeled Lauren's master bathroom. My dad helped (A LOT, he did like 90% of it) because I had to work, but it came together so nicely! And it was a complete surprise. I started planning it way back in February, people. FEBRUARY!! For a birthday surprise in JULY. For my SISTER!!! Maybe those all caps and exclamations don't truly convey how difficult it was not to tell my sister about the whole deal. My sister...who I live with and talk to every. single. day. It was torture, but it was worth it.

BEFORE (and these photos make it look darker than it was. this was one bright bathroom)



AFTER

• I applied for a promotion. I'm not really sure I'll get it, but I applied and now I'm waiting to see what will happen. It's a pretty big question mark in my life right now because it will mean a lot of change either way, but we will see.
  
• I'm going to Cape Cod on Saturday! Cape Cod is one of the only places on this planet where I can feel truly relaxed. The beach and the sun and the peace and quiet - even when you are in a little house filled with family - it's all just so relaxing. I cannot wait.
  
• I'm working on a new birthday surprise for my daddy. Not as hard keeping a secret from him since I don't see him every day, but just as exciting!!
  
• Finally, I just signed up as an Independent Consultant for Thirty-One Gifts. I'm looking forward to trying this out and I'm hoping it goes well. The products are awesome and pretty and useful so they should be an easy sell. Plus, it will get me out a little more and help me earn some extra cash to pay off some bills. Because my goal in life right now is paying off bills. Super fun, right?
  

Every little girl should have a tutu.

*Yet another repost from Zeelightful. Mostly, look how little Hailey was!!! And this was the beginning of my tutu making.


I made two tutus for Christmas this year. The first was for a friend's niece (1 year old) in Alabama. Apparently she liked to wear it on her head. I consider that a hit.




The second was for my niece. I made it a little big so she will be able to wear it for a very long time, so right now it's a little long and the ribbons wrap around twice. Still I think she liked it and she looked so adorable wearing it.


I am totally addicted to making these. I bought some material this weekend to make a tutu for my niece's American Girl doll so they can match. I love sewing these tutus.

Journals

*I imported my Zeelightful blog so my craft posts will be reposting. I hope you don't get bored with this...I forgot I made some of this stuff. haha.




These are so easy and fun to make. Lauren taught me. She's amazing. It's just a composition book made pretty with scrapbook things; paper, ribbon, etc.

I made these using paper from themed packs but you can pull together different patterns from anyplace. Then you trim the paper and Mod Podge it on there (matte Mod Podge is best).




Once you have your paper on the way you like it, on the front and back as well as on the inside, add ribbon and stickers and embellishments where ever you like. I made ribbons extra long to serve as bookmarks. Lauren staples cute ribbon to different pages throughout the journal. I also put quotes and things throughout the pages - inspirational quotes or something that goes with the theme of the journal; I used Shakespeare with the Fairytale theme and travel quotes with a travel themed journal (not shown here).