wedding weekend

My brother is getting married this weekend. And today I am running around wrapping up some work stuff and doing last minute things for the wedding while Monkey Pants hangs out at Gunnie's house. I got my nails done. I bought tights for Monkey and shoes for myself. I've got to pack, return some client phone calls, get some stuff in the mail and tonight..go spray tanning. I'm in the wedding and my dress is strapless so mystic tan here I come. I tried it out last week to see how it was and I must say I'm impressed. It works. It is quite the experience there is lots of prep and its pretty intimidating when you step in the booth. When I got out I was thinking well, my lungs are surely a deep shade of bronze. Its hard to breathe in there. But I was happy with the results so I'm off for a second round.

I'm outta here to get stuff done but I will leave you with some photos from a recent shoot. This is my business blog right? Sometimes I forget. This is little Waylon. Love that name and loved this little guy. It was so cold outside but he sure didn't mind....

Ahhh that's better

Yesterday was much better than Monday. Sure, there were hiccups and frustrations but I didn't feel the need to disappear under the covers so that is a good sign. I got some work done, got a ton of collages packed up for shipping with Beth, and with the help of my friend Amy and this bloggin lady Kristal bought not one, but TWO cardamom candles on ebay. I had looked there before and not found any and then these ladies looked for me and there they were. Thanks guys that was so great of you.

In the afternoon I snagged some time to take Monkey Pants for her first haircut. I had avoided it as long as I could, but look at this kid. It was time.

My brother's wedding is this weekend and she is going to be a flower girl so it was time to shape up that mop. She was amazingly good. I couldn't really believe that she just sat there.

When she got a little wiggly they gave her a lollipop and she was happy. Of course then it turned in to a very sticky hairy lollipop which was pretty gross.

At first I wasn't so sure about the cut. My stomach kind of sank when they were done. My mother in law was with us and she said "Well, she kind of looks like Price Valiant." Oh yeah, that is exactly the look I was going for. But this morning it looks better and I gotta say its nice not to have to keep getting those bangs out of her food. She looks like a little girl instead of a baby. Sigh.

Today I have some help with Marlie so I'll be running errands and wrapping up some work. Amazingly I am almost done with the bulk of my busy season editing. I was careful to make sure this year that my insanity with work would be mostly over by the time Shane's insanity with finals comes around. Thats the way it needs to be because our family does not do well if we are both losing our minds. Shane needs a calm clean house and dinners and treats during that time and I going to do my best. For the first time in a long time I can see the end in sight. And at the end is Christmas and I love that.

Happy Wednesday.

Monday schmunday

Today was craptastic. For lots of reasons. There is no other word for it. I stayed up until 1:30 and Monkey Pants woke up at the butt crack of dawn. That is not a good way to start the day. She is on cold #2 for the season and is a crusty little thing. Then throughout the day I dealt with a big crap bag of things that made me want to put on my sweatpants and curl up in bed forever. I’m not going to go in to it, but it stunk.

However there are good things to talk about and be thankful for. I stayed up late but that means that I got a ton of editing done and now I feel like I am actually almost on top of things. That feels nice. Marlie was crusty but also snuggly all day. That’s the only plus of a sick kiddo, the snuggles. And the name collage business is picking up for the Christmas season so that is encouraging. This is the first year that I have Beth helping me and boy is that something to be thankful for. If I didn’t have her help I would have had 5 breakdowns by now instead of 1 or 2. You’re the bomb diggity BB and you know it.

Speaking of name collages just a note to all my Kirkwoodian customers. Some of you have faithfully purchased signs at Moonbeams in downtown Kirkwood. I just wanted to let you peeps know that they aren’t there anymore. There are some collages there for sale that look very much like them so it would be easy to mistake them for mine, but they aren't. However, you can purchase them here on my website or at The Painted Zebra. They make a great Christmas gift. Especially the new color ones. I am so happy with they way the look!

Another thing to be thankful for is the smell I am smellin right now. I am enjoying the last few hours of this candle.

And I better take it all in because it has been discontinued. It is the best smelling candle I ever sniffed so I have no idea why they stopped making it but continue making those stinky fruity scents. I have googled it and froogled it and schmoogled it and cannot find one measly cardamom candle left in this world. Sadness. If anyone can find one for me I’ll marry you. Or at least reimburse you for it.

Alright its late and its been a long one. Peace out Monday. You can kick me but you can’t keep me down.

jello?

About once a month we have dinner with a group of friends from our old neighborhood. We take turns hosting and this was our month so on Friday night everyone came over to our place. It is always fun to catch up with these folks who were gracious enough not to kick us out of the group when we moved. Its funny to think back over the last few years and see how much everyone has changed. Not everyone has kids at this point, but we have gone from only one couple having a little boy to having 4 toddlers, a baby and one on the way. It has definitely changed the way dinner looks. I had to laugh after the night was over at how the evening unfolded.

6:15 - Marlie throws a ballistic fit as Shane and I try to get her dressed and do last minute dinner things.

7:15 - Half way through dinner Marlie chokes on a tortilla chip (which we clearly shouldn’t have let her have and yes it was terrifying) and when I grab her to help she throws up all over the dining room floor as everyone watches from the dinner table.

7:20 As I’m cleaning it up I see these weird gelatinous chunks in it and freak out because it looks like she has eaten some pills or something so I’m yelling at the people eating dinner “Wait, did anyone have bath beads or gelcap medicine in their purse?!”

7:30 - After talking to Shane’s mom on the phone about what Marlie had for lunch I come in to announce in relief “Its OK, she had jello earlier.”

7:45 - When I finally sit down to eat and apologize about the puke fest I hear that the topic of conversation is baby poop.

8:00 - My friend Jen sitting next to me is trying to keep her little boy from spilling lemonade on the floor for the third time.

8:15 - Everyone except 3 of our friends head out the door with sleepy kids.

8:45 - My friend Katie who stayed says to me “Man we should probably go, we are keeping you guys up. What time is it anyway?” We laugh when I tell her its only 8:45.

Hmm. Not exactly how I had imagined the night going but still a good time. I love my South City dinner people.

Monkey Pants at 18 months

This last month I have been determined to set aside some time to do a real photo shoot of Monkey Pants. I do real planned out photo shoots for everyone else's kiddos but mine. So last week I bought her a little outfit at Lass and Laddie, this awesome shop in Kirkwood. Shane came home from work early and we set out for a shoot.

Marlie is definitely going through a stage where she does not like it when I have my camera out so it was pretty difficult to get some good shots, but we did.

I can't believe I got this shot. This is the face that Marlie makes when she gets scared or embarassed. She was looking at some doggies and one barked when she wasn't expecting it. Oh my goodness I want to hold her forever and make sure that face never happens ever again.


But this is how I will remember Monkey Pants at 18 months. Running arms wide, squealing with delight.

Oh Monkey, I love you to pieces.

Even when you give me the stink eye like this...

Which is is a lot.

chocolate chocolate

Every fall I try not to think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving is over. I get annoyed with stores that graze over Thanksgiving and display all the Christmas stuff in September. I love fall. The sounds, the smells, the colors, the brisk feeling in the air. However, I can't help it this year. The last few days I have been thinking about Christmas like a giddy kid. Maybe its because I know Christmas means that Shane will be done with the semester, my busy season will be over, and the three of us will be in jammies making up for lost time. I keep thinking about the smell of pine, wrapping presents and decorating our new place. But, I have been trying hard to slow down and be happy right where I am so the pumpkin candles are still burning.

Today was busy with playing and working. It was a no shower until bedtime kind of day. The house is a mess and I'm not cleaning it tonight kind of day. And you know what? Thats OK. Instead of cleaning I made cupcakes. I didn't have time for both and I think I made the right choice. Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing with sprinkles because I don't bake very often anymore but when I do I don't mess around.

I am knocking out my editing as fast as I can so if you are waiting for photos they are coming. I promise! Here is the shoot I finished up tonight. Olga asked me to do her senior photos and met me down in my neighborhood last week.




I don't think she had any makeup on and she still looked this beautiful.


I'm jealous. I wish I could redo my senior photos. I was an ambassador for a studio where there were huge numbers and fake lockers. Just a note to you seniors out there. Be careful of what those places can talk you in to. Somewhere in the archives of that studio and in some box in my mom's basement is a photo of me and my high school boyfriend and his dog. Yikes. Thats good blackmail material.

the big winner and catching up

Monkey Pants is asleep and I keep forgetting to have her draw a name while she is awake so I had Shane do it this time. I tried to convince him to at least wear his glasses and let me take a photo of him picking the winner, but he refused. Every party has a pooper.

Drum roll please... The winner of the color name collage is....

WENDI CUPP!!!

Congratulations Wendi! Shoot me an email and I will get your address.

Thanks for everyone who commented! Its always fun to see who is reading this thing.

And now I have some catching up to do. Here are a bunch of my favorite shots from last weeks mini shoot day with the Nolting Real Estate peeps ...






Nighty night.