Thursday, July 31, 2008

Barnum and Bailey's

We did the circus this morning.
After five minutes Leila said, "I want to go home."
Rob and I looked at each other pathetically, defeated.
As we are just about to to leave the building she started crying,"I want to stay here!"
"Okay, Leila but we're not doing this again. If we go back up [the gazillion stairs] to our seats we're going to stay there awhile."
"Okay" (with a smile through tears).

She loved the white horses, then the tigers, she laughed at the clown/bubble act and her favorite was the girl who would change swings.

And the bangs? Let's just say we had a little scissor incident. So yes, now we have bangs.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

So, about me.



My first photography job is at this VBS next week!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Three Cinderellas and an Aurora




The party was hot and abundantly sugary but a good time was had by the birthday girl and her court. Some of the highlights included a real, live, storytelling Cinderella, small bouncy house, cakewalk and bean bag toss. Leila's favorite place was right by the food table.

I realized yet again how fortunate we are to have so many sweet people in our lives. Unfortunately, I didn't get many pictures of them on this day. But there will be other times.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Come Join Me

Too much icing this weekend, so I'm off to SparkPeople.

Because it is the most character-building, two-letter word in the English language, children have the right to hear their parents say "No" at least three times a day.
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Children have the right to find out early in their lives that their parents don't exist to make them happy, but to offer them the opportunity to learn the skills they will need to eventually make themselves happy.
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Children have a right to scream all they want over the decisions their parents make, albeit their parents have the right to confine said screaming to certain areas of their homes.
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Children have the right to find out early that their parents care deeply for them but don't give a hoot what their children think about them at any given moment in time.
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Because it is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, children have the right to hear their parents say "Because I said so" on a regular and frequent basis.
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Because it is the most character-building activity a child can engage in, children have the right to share significantly in the doing of household chores.
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Every child has the right to discover early in life that he isn't the center of the universe (or his family or his parents' lives), that he isn't a big fish in a small pond, and that he isn't the Second Coming, so as to prevent him from becoming an insufferable brat.
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Children have the right to learn to be grateful for what they receive, therefore, they have the right to receive all of what they truly need and very little of what they simply want.
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Children have the right to learn early in their lives that obedience to legitimate authority is not optional, that there are consequences for disobedience, and that said consequences are memorable and, therefore, persuasive.
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Every child has the right to parents who love him/her enough to make sure he/she enjoys all of the above rights.

Friday, July 25, 2008

What I See at 1:30 AM


so someone can have Garden Cupcake Frostings at her party.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Eyes of Compassion Earrings


Artist: my very new friend, Laura. Get them here.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Adventures in Insanity Installment 87452

At 2:45 I was working on fluffy party decorations when I sense a commotion, simultaneously hearing a frantic scream from the other room and then a hot-potato hand off of baby while former mentioned bellower high tails it down the road (3 blocks) after a sprinting five year old (this child being our own-- running as fast as his spindly legs can carry). Miraculously, he stays on the sidewalk.

Another day survived, if only by one blond bouncing hair.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

My Stud

Rob biked 25 miles today.
He rocks.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Cakewalk and Bean Bag Toss

  • Last year I mentioned I was going to get involved in a life group. Needless to say it never happened, BUT better late than never and we were and invited and did attend a meeting on Wednesday. It is such a great group of people. They bring take turns bringing dinner and eat together. I was hoping there would be other kids at the group and there are two little girls just around Leila's age. Basically, it's a group to go through life with. Since our church is so huge, they have us split up into smaller groups during the week so we can actually meet others and connect. I'm really looking forward to our family becoming a part of it.
  • We went to our neighborhood block party and Leila had her fill of cupcakes and bubblegum. But we met some interesting neighbors and found out a three-year old little girl lives across the street from us. Meeting people, so that's what happens when you go out. Now I get it.


Goodnight,
xo
gina

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Zoo Day

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

My Mystery Child


Another page for the book.

Speaking of Birthday Parties



"Catching up" (or not catching up) on Luke's album. This is a two-page layout of his second birthday party. Yes, I said second.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Mickie's Banana Pudding


I was craving the banana pudding my grandma used to make and with one bite I was magically transported to the backseat of Grandpa's Thunderbird.
I could smell the leather seats.
I could see Grandma's large-knuckled-ringed fingers resting on her white pants and Grandpa in his fishing hat.
We were crossing the Cooper River Bridge into Charleston for a picnic of cold fried chicken and tomato sandwiches on the Battery.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Three this month. It can't be so.


Sunday, July 13, 2008

Beautiful City

Sunday mornings are long. Church doesn't start until eleven and son one wakes at six. So we're calling in the troops. With the assistance of my trusty sittercity by my side. Tell me that isn't just the greatest idea EVER! It will find you a child sitter, yes. But it doesn't stop there. Need a pet sitter? House sitter? House cleaner? Senior sitter? It's all there at your one stop shop. No, I don't have stock. But I'm thinking about it.
Life.
Saver.

Move Over Giada


Given the accent, how could you not fall in love with Nigella?
But then I am an Anglophile through and through.

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

The Artful Plate


Notice the goat cheese beard which I think is safe to say a stretch. Being the good daddy he is, Rob insisted that this distinguished gentleman must not be without his protein. He was right of course.

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Basic Everyday



  • Shameless plug for my sister and her husband's awesome carpet and flooring business. Wasn't this a cool idea? Door to Door Floors. They come to you. Check them out.
  • I've enjoyed babywearing the last few days in my Sleepy Wrap. I didn't really care for it too much when Liam was a newborn because he didn't like his head all tucked in and there was then very little support for his neck. It's been nice to get a little freedom for my arms and give him the feeling that he's being nuzzled all the same.
  • Motor for the fountain was purchased making the backyard so much more fresh. I'm excited about buying some more trees to spruce it up again.
  • I've picked up the book Titan (the biography of John D. Rockefeller) at the library and have found it facinating. I'm not sure why I picked it up other than I remember my brother reading it years ago. And it some ways I think it makes me feel close to him and his precious family even though they are 5,000 miles away.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

A Few at Four





I feel like I've known this tiny person all my life. In some ways, perhaps I have.

Photo ideas stolen from...errr....inspired by h&b.