Friday, November 30, 2007

Has Your Opinion Changed??

This is a terrible photoshop job.... but I was doing it quick just to get the gist. And never mind the Halloween photo. It was the first current pic I saw of myself. I don't even think I notice the cat whiskers anymore....:)

Do you still like red?



How about "go darker"?


Or stay the same?



I didn't even try to "go lighter" because I guess it's not really an option. I have to say that I might just add some dark blonde low-lights. I can't bring myself to do the dark hair. Plus, I think it'd wash out in about 2 days since I'm so light already. I would consider doing some strawberry blonde hair though......???? Hmmm......

Friday, November 23, 2007

EVERY WOMAN

Eli has been gone again and will be back tomorrow morning. As usual, I am cleaning tonight:) I'm going through a box of "office" stuff that hasn't been unpacked and I find a folder from about 6 years ago of things that I wanted to save. In this folder is an email forward that I must have loved. Here's why:


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE:

An old love she can imagine going back to..... And one who reminds her how far she has come.

Enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to.

Something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour.

A youth she's content to leave behind.

A past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age.

A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.

One friend who always makes her laugh and one who lets her cry.

A good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family.

Eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored.

A feeling of control over her destiny.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW:

How to fall in love without losing herself.

How to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.

When to walk away.

That she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents.

That her childhood may not have been perfect, but it's over.

What she would and wouldn't do for love or more.

How to live alone.... even if she doesn't like it.

Whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally.

Where to go.... be it to her best friend's kitchen table or a charming inn in the woods.... when her soul needs soothing.

What she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month... and a year.


I obviously received this back in my single days.... but I still like how a lot of it reads. Another thing a woman MUST have is a 7 month old son that is THIS CUTE!!



I downloaded a trial version of Photoshop Elements and have been messing around in there a little bit. It's probably why I haven't blogged in 10 days!! That and both my kids are teething. Dane is CRAZY... worse than a newborn at night. Ugh.... Thank God Eli will be here to help soon!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Kids Pics

Well, let's just say that I'm not dying over the kids pictures. There are a couple good ones but.... crap. I was wanting a little bit more than that. I have NO good pics of them together (I know, I can photoshop a different head in but.... there really isn't anything to choose from!). And I think there is 1 picture of Naydine that I like. Well, that's not true.... but, there should have been WAY more than this.
The session I did with Naydine in MN was a 15 minute mini session and they turned out much better than this time. So I think I was expecting something very good since I was doing a full session. Um, not so much.
I went to visit the photographer today. She's really nice, I like her. She shared with me the shots that I didn't get to proof online. I was looking for a few in particular that I thought were going to be great but weren't in my proofing album. Well, the reason they are not there is because Naydine's eyes were closed! Ugh.... I just can't believe it!! Is it because she was just too late on the trigger or is this just normal to have that many eye closers on the ones I was going to fall in LOVE with??? Ugh....
I guess some sessions are great and some just aren't. I think I'll try again when Dane turns 1. He didn't give that many smiles on picture day but there are some cute shots of him. I can't show them to you..... because I have no idea how to get them out of the proofing album. Any ideas??
Well, all in all, the pictures I'm going to order look good. I just wanted more selection. That's all.
Thanks for letting me vent.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Ooooohhhh man!

I'm ticked. This is the email I got tonight....

Hi Jaime,
I have gotten behind this week and sincerely apologize, but it looks like it may be the first of the week before I get your proofs out to you. Again, I can't apologize enough and if I can, I will get them done this weekend, but I am booked solid with sessions right now and just took on too much right now...so I am sorry.
I will let you know as soon as I get these up for you! Again, soooooo sorry!
Thanks!Dana

This isn't cool..... This is the 2nd time this has happened to me with the pictures. Not the same photographer but..... still, the same... 2 weeks turns into 3.

I better have some Friday night wine with Eli.....grrrrrr.......

Am I crazy?

Ok.... I need to know if I'm crazy!!???!! Wait... I know that I am so maybe I'm just venting.

I had the kid's pictures taken 17 days ago. The photographer told me they'd be ready in 2 weeks (she really said they'd be ready in "about" 2 weeks) and I still don't have them yet!!!! This is like missing your due date when you are pregnant! Kind of. She said I would definitely see them this week. So.... I'm going to have an anxiety attack if they aren't here by the end of the day.

I just need to calm down. What's the big deal anyway?

Also, I wanted to give a report on Kohl's. How many out there LOVE Kohl's? I used to love Kohl's. Then last Christmas, they ran this HUGE toy sale with all these "great" deals. Eli and I went to the store to see about getting some Cmas gifts for Nay and the cousins. There selection was terrible and even though prices were marked down 65%, the prices didn't seem that great. After shopping Kohl's and buying 2 items, we ran over to Target to see if we could find some other items. Browsing through the toy aisle we noticed that Target's regular priced items were the same or LESS than Kohl's huge sale items. Screw it!!! It just ticked us off.
So yesterday we were at Kohl's because I have a gift card and wanted new sheets. I picked out a sheet set and a couple extra pillow cases. They were $100. I brought them home, washed them and put the fitted sheet on my bed. That's when I noticed that one of the corners was ripped out. So I checked the other corners and one other was starting to rip out as well. WTF?? Is $100 not enough money to spend on sheets to insure that get a nice set??? I'm so disappointed! I called there to make sure I could return after washing and I could. But this Kohl's is 1+ hour from my house. If I get another bad set, I'm going to be so pissed. Of course, I was saving 50% on this item. BS. I'm sick of these marketing schemes. They just piss me off!

WHO LOVES KOHL'S AND TELL ME WHY.

WHO WAITS IN ANXIETY TO GET THEIR KIDS PICTURES BACK?

Friday, November 2, 2007

Consumer Report

When one moves to a different town or state, you give up your hair stylist, nail tech, babysitters, bank, cell phone company, etc. So, it got me started on this post.

Ah, the stuff I love. The stuff I don't love..... I'm a consumer. We all are. Let me tell you what works for me and maybe why it does. We'll see how this goes down. There could be something on this list you are in need of... and then maybe not. Just take a peak:)

Health and Beauty:

  • Loreal Tanning Wipes: Great for the winter. I like them better than mystic tan because they are WAY cheaper and I think work better. Normally, I will just apply to the face but, purchase the "body towelettes", it's a better buy.
  • Pureology Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner (purple bottle): Works great on my hair type, which is colored from light brown to blond. I have a lot of thinner strands of hair so my hair isn't that strong. If this is you and you are looking for a great shampoo, you need to find a friend that goes to the Beauty Supply Store and can get this for you at 1/2 the price of the salon.
  • Arbonne Not-S0-Basic Skincare: I just started using this. Definitely satisfied with the face line. DID NOT LIKE THE SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER! The only thing I don't really care for about the face line is the scent. Well, there isn't really a smell to it but.... I wish it were a "nicer" scent. That's all.
  • Cover Girl eyeshadow in Mink. I used this in high school. I still use it. I also use Mary Kay and I love the eye primer but.... there's something about this Cover Girl eyeshadow that I just love. It's a light brown/bronze color.
  • Hot Tools curling irons: Again, when your friend is picking up your Pureology, have her grab you a Hot Tools curling iron for the holiday parties you are going to. The more heat, the longer the curl stays in. And remember, when you are curling your hair start at the base of your lock, leaving the end out, and gradually get to the ends. This way the heat is distributed along the entire lock of hair. Did that make sense?? That will give you that Hollywood type hair. You can get these for about $30.
  • Revlon black tweezers: Sharp and gets at the 'stubborn' eyebrow.
  • Hylands teething tablets: A great option for the teething baby. Or, if you think they are teething and they really aren't, then you feel like you went with the 'natural' approach and, no harm done:)

Wow, do I think I'm the health and beauty expert? No.. not really. I just kind of got carried away with it....

Clothing and Jewelry:

  • Hanes Her Way: These undies are GREAT. Well, if you have a flat ass and hips, they are GREAT!! hehe.... Love them, minimizes the wedgy.
  • Calvin Klein Perfect Fit Bra: This link might not be exactly right. But, if you are in the B, C, or D range these bras make your boobs look fabulous. I haven't had the best of luck with Victoria's Secret bra shopping. They just seem to not have enough support, more for show.... kind of. You might give these a try.
  • PINK Sweats and Flip flops: From Victoria's Secret. Love them both. The flip flops are high quality rubber, not like an Old Navy flip flop. Loved them this past summer. And the sweats..... what's not to love?
  • I once wore a fake wedding band with my wedding ring for over a year. Maybe it was 2 years!??!! I don't remember. I can't find the website right now but... what I wanted was an eternity band like the one Jessica Simpson had. Of course, not THAT big! So, I ordered a CZ copy of her band to pair it with my ring and see if it would look good. I liked it.. just what I wanted but it was too large. So, I went back to the website and ordered a smaller eternity band and tried that, of course CZ. When I was ready, I went to the jeweler with a custom order and had the ring made. And the reason I had to go through all this was because a lot of jewelers won't make a prong set eternity band. They want them channel set because they are afraid of losing diamonds, etc. and then having to replace them. So, don't be shy to wear a CZ.. nobody will know:)

Home and Decorating:

  • According to a previous post, if you love Potterybarn you can find a very similar look at Target!! Especially great for organizing your kids rooms, girls!!
  • Upper Case Living: Has everybody heard of this?? I've never used it but I think I'm going to find a very appropriate place in my home and try this out. I think it could be a good thing. And you need to see the catalog, the website just doesn't do it justice.
  • I love TILEX SOAP SCUM REMOVER for pretty much all my cleaning! And, of course, DAWN DIRECT FOAM for doing dishes. Rock on... try it.
  • Spice Islands Lousiana Seasoning: YOU WILL LOVE. Great in pastas!!

Just dumb crap....

  • Wells Fargo Bank: Has the easiest online banking. So EASY and organized. Plus, the have great rewards. I know of a lot of people that haven't been satisfied with WF. Something about getting charged all these different fees for banking with them. I have never had a problem with fees or anything like that. So... watch out for the hidden fees but otherwise the online banking and rewards are GOOD! WF isn't around here so... I'm going to miss you Wellsy.
  • Verizon Wireless: Man oh man am I going to miss Verizon now that they don't really offer coverage in this new area. Their website and account management, GREAT. Customer service... never had a problem. I think between Eli and I, we've tried all the companies. We are now going to be on Altell simply because they offer service in our new area. But their website sucks and I haven't been impressed with much but their service. Of all the companies, VW was the best to us.
  • LG Cell phones: So far, I like LG phones the best. They seem to 'bounce' off the ground a little bit better than most:)
  • Britax Car seats: If you can't figure out how to use these car seats, you must be drunk. They've made it so dang simple. I just love how they work and their fabrics. We bought this other Eddie Bauer type seat for Dane and we just about had a meltdown trying to get it into the vehicle. It was falling apart and we couldn't figure it out!! I just brought it back and ordered up another Britax. Naydine has the Roundabout but we went with the Marathon for Dane. He's a little bit bigger boy than Nay... it's gotta last!

This post turned more into my opinion than a Consumer Report. But sometimes you just want some feedback from others on the products we buy. These work for me.... I'm not trying to be a know-it-all, just trying to eliminate some trial and error.

Now, I'm off to drink some Friday night wine with my husband.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Happy Halloween

I'm going to get a little carried away with the Halloween pictures here but, remember, all our family is out of town and I need to show them my children:) And... I just can't decide what pictures I love best, they were all so cute. Eli was snapping shots all night. Good job, honey!

We did a little trick-or-treating and then we went to a little Halloween Party that the Park and Rec Dept. had put on. It was lame... but free so... it's all good.

Our cheerleader...

Our Sniper...

A little pre-game warm up...



Family portrait...

Run kids... MORE CANDY!!

Naydine was pretty cute. A little slow but, cute:) I remember the days where we would just run from house to house getting as much candy as we could. It's kind of programmed into your brain. So, I think I was trying to go as fast as I could and Naydine just was slow. Then I remembered I was just supervising trick-or-treating. Oops.

Eli was going to dress up as Batman and then I would be cat woman, but he chickened out at the last minute:) We just wore the stuff we had. I had this cheerleader outfit for Naydine from Gymboree so I figured we didn't need to get her anything different, it'd do the job. And Dane... yeah, he was a sniper/soldier/cammo boy... who knows??