Photography and Homeschooling (Roadschooling as often as we can)
Hey everyone, I’m being featured today at MomDot! It’s a great site that features different bloggers and boutiques. They are using the whole month of August as their grand opening by highlighting bloggers and giving away 1000s of dollars worth of prizes. Yes, I meant to write that many zeros. In fact it’s more like somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000.
So head over there (click the picture below), read my interview and give me some luvin!
I’ve been raking in the awards lately. It’s high time I start passing them along. And apparently Jaci thinks I’m too busy to post a meme.
I have y’all so totally fooled. I’m not busy homeschooling or cleaning or playing with a toddler or running a business (wait, I’m really not running a business anymore…I’m in the R&D phase of the business.) Really, all I do is sit around all day and pet my cats while watching soaps. And eating junk food. I have all the time in the world to tell y’all 6 weird things about me and give away blog awards. In fact, I threatened Jaci, and in effect, my whole readership with turning it into a Friday 13 where I tell everyone 13 weird facts about me. I reconsidered though as all I could imagine was a bunch of you drinking Windex to stop the madness.
6 Random, Weird and Unspectacular Things About Me:
I know, gross right? 6 days before Ashlyn arrived. That left little room for my poor innie. I guess she stretched my skin too far; and it had less elasticity. My stomach now looks weird with a half and half.Now, to award the awards!
Let me just tell you right now I feel a little like Michael Scott handing out the Dundies. Please laugh at my jokes, if I tell any. Please applaud for all recipients. Please, no making fun of me or feeling sorry for me. Oh, and I don’t care if you’ve received these awards before, or if you hate getting awards. Just accept them will ya?
The first award of the day is the 
Excellent Award. I have to pass this onto ten other blogs. Holy cow. I’m just going to spit ’em out all at once, in alphabetical order. If you choose to accept this award please stab yourself with a pencil, in the eye, while you too think of ten blogs to pass it along to. Congrats!
The second award of the day is the 
Brillante Weblog Premio!! My Italian Stallion! This one comes with its own set of rules:
Once an award is received, the rules are as follows:
1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate at least seven other blogs.
4. Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.
OMG, seven more blogs? Where’s that pencil? Don’t we remember that I broke up with several blogs I read? This award will go to the awesome family blogs that we visit in order to catch up on the latest of our long lost friends.
Moving on, we come to the last award of the day. I rarely cuss y’all. And I’m not even saying this one in my head. Ok, I am, but only because Reagan and I discussed it’s meaning the other day. The last award of the day is the 
.
Here are the rules:
-Choose 5 bloggers that you feel are “Kick A$$ Bloggers”
-Let ’em know via email, twitter or blog comments that they’ve received an award
-Share the love and link back to both the person who awarded you and back to Mamma Dawg
-Pass it on!
I must also say that with this one you can sign Mr. Linky at MammaDawg’s site to show that you are indeed a recipient.
And the winners are:
**************************************
Ugh! I did it! Please tell me you’re not drunk on Windex.
I hate being cold. I’d much rather be hot than cold. It has been hot as an oven down here and I haven’t minded a bit. In fact the heat is what is saving my life. This is what is prompting my:
OPEN LETTER TO THE MEAT LOCKERS
(OTHERWISE KNOWN AS STORES AND RESTAURANTS)
Dear managers of any store, restaurant or public area (especially Old Navy and Applebees),
Is this some form of a joke? Or are you really clueless as to how core body temperature works? Maybe it’s just me, but I’m the one suffering, so here goes. When it is really hot outside, people tend to dress for that weather. Hotter temperatures = less clothing. You get that part right?
Now, when we’re out and about in the summer, in our summer clothing, it is nice to get some relief from the heat. But do you really think we need to be cryogenically preserved for patronizing your establishment? Really? It’s not easy on a body to go from sizzling hot to meat locker cold. Who would have thought, right? Now a little burst of cold air would be nice to take the edge off the summer temps. I’m just saying a little though. We don’t need a never ending supply of frozen air blown on us continually just because it’s close to 100 outside.
Here’s another lesson. Your walls actually do a pretty good job at insulating. Just because it is so freakin’ hot outside doesn’t mean that we’re still going to feel that freakin’ hot once we step in from the heat. A little bit of air conditioning would do. You know, just to drop the inside temp to the low 70s. Let me ask, are you really comfortable with the thermostat set at 47? And actually, I’m acquiescing a bit here. I’d prefer the ambient temperature to be somewhere around 75 to 78, but I understand that most people wouldn’t go for that. But below 60? Really? When I enter the store there’s about one second of a feeling of relief. Then the chilliness sets in. Once I’ve been in there for about ten minutes I start to shiver. By the end of my stay I’m shaking so hard people nearby are wondering if I have some medical condition. This is not my idea of a good time shopping or eating. If I sigh out of relief and begin to actually dethaw upon exiting your building something’s wrong, right? If I’m relieved to be leaving that’s not good for you, is it?
Let me ask you this. Once we enter your place of business you want us to stay there and spend our money right? What good would it do then if I can’t even feel my fingers enough to pull the money out of my wallet? If my fingers are frozen I can’t sign the credit card bill. Will you pay for all the stuff I bought/ate?
Don’t tell me you’re doing this for your staff. I’m still in awe at how they can survive working in Siberia for hours on end. Yes, they may be moving around and active trying to give us great customer service, but they haven’t just come in from the heat either… They don’t need to be chilled to the bone because they don’t really know how hot it is outside. I’m the first one to admit that shopping is a sport; eating too. But I don’t come close to working up a sweat when I’m searching through racks and racks of clothes, or sitting down eating the latest version of chicken, Asian sauce and lettuce mixed together. I just don’t get hot doing these things. I’d venture to say that most normal people out there don’t either.
And don’t tell me to bring in a sweater. Do you know what all I have to remember already? I can’t think for myself because I’ve got someone talking to me 1000+ words an hour. That’s in my right ear. In my left ear I’ve got someone screaming because I’m not letting her bounce through the roof. I have to remember to bring my purse, my keys, my phone. I must remember to wear shoes. Oh, did I brush my hair? Did I brush the kids’ hair? Did I turn everything off? Are both cats still in the house? See? You want me to remember a sweater as well? In the summer? Shut up and turn down the air. The cold has frozen that part of your brain that affects judgment.
Your faithful (frozen) patron,
Vicki
*Happy first day of the Olympics. That’s all I’m going to say about it because I’m boycotting it.*
Whew, thanks for letting me take the breather last week. I’m back, refreshed and not “having my moon” as Insane Mama so eloquently and euphemistically calls it. I am adopting that term for forever, or at least until Jesus returns. ‘Cause in Heaven, since it’s perfect, we won’t have moons.
Living for about three decades allows one plenty of time to get particular about what she likes. Actually, living for about 4.25 years allows one plenty of time for that. My daughter has long since been telling me such and such is her favorite: “I like it 100”. I tried to explain percentages to her, because she really means she likes it 100%. But her way is so much cuter. Maybe I should adopt that saying as well.
I like not having my moon 100.
There are plenty of other things that I like 100 too. I’m going to list them for you, at least 13 of them.
Friday 13: 13 Things I Like 100
If I could eat body butter I would get fat on this. I could open the lid and sniff the jar all day. In fact, I need to find this in a candle scent. Whoever the genius was that decided to mingle chocolate and orange, I’d like to pay him or her great respects right now. Come to think of it, chocolate covered orange sticks were one of my favorite treats when walking around any town in France….but that’s another story. I’m depressed that this is no longer in stock. Now I’m going to have to use what’s left sparingly.
Is it weird to want to smell yourself all the time? ‘Cause I do. I can’t get enough of this scent. I discovered this (and my lovely chocolate/orange potion above) on my 30th birthday (shopping) trip to NYC. The bad thing is that I keep having to spray more and more on myself in order to be able to smell it. I love France and all, but I never want to end up smelling like a French…ahem. A close runner up would be Champs-Elysées by Guerlain. French as well. 
The perfect lipstick in the perfect color. Once you put it on it does not come off: on his collar, on her little cheek, on the rest of your face when you’re eating. I used to be a lipstick groupie (I really don’t care to call myself a *ho*e of anything, not even French perfume), but after finding Endless I am fulfilled. Complete. I do change shades though.
Yummy. That’s really all I should have to write to describe it. The perfect combination of vanilla cola and tingling mentha. And this doesn’t get sticky on my lips. If only the real Coke were as good for me.
The waterproof kind. I neverwear mascara that is not waterproof. Why take the chance when these buckets could start pouring at any moment? I like to pretend that I’m not very sentimental, but show me a Kleenex commercial and I’ll be darn relieved that my waterproof mascara will stay put. Définicils never clumps, and it separates my lashes perfectly. I don’t even have to curl them (like I’d spend time doing that anyway…on a daily basis). I’m using an impostor brand right now and regretting every clumpy, crumbly swipe of it. Sometimes it pays to not be cheap.
Another yummy scent. At some time or another we’ve had the hand soap, the lotion, the pillow mist… B&BW touts it’s powers as “Stress Relief.” It truly is. When I’m feeling stressed I just go wash my hands. My hands have never been cleaner.
This is probably the best color I’ve ever found for my face. I even got a compliment on it. By another woman. She was my stylist and was about one foot away from my cheek as she was washing my hair, but hey, who would know better than someone who stares at ladies’ faces all day right? Yeah so, that’s the only reason it’s my favorite.
aka Mignon Fogerty. Girl knows some English! And she’d probably freak to see how I’ve been writing in this blog. Oh well, it’s always good to know the proper way. And she has a book out. I should buy that. Maybe it would learn me a thing or two. I blog as though I were speaking, not really writing. (Hey Grammar Girl, I used “as” properly! I didn’t use “like”!) And no, I don’t really speak like this.
or a Crème Caramel 
, just serve it to me s’il vous plaît. The original plain vanilla please–don’t debase it by adding anything, not even chocolate. I can’t believe I just wrote that. This is another hold over from France for me. Every restaurant we ate at had either crème brûlée or caramel on the menu. Il n’y a rien de mieux. Ooh la la.
; the 90s: Elizabeth 
; the 00s: The Passion of the Christ 
. I told you I was diverse.
But do you know what? I haven’t seen the latest episode. I know! I can’t believe our tv decided not to give us the channels we weren’t paying for in the first place! I hope to visit YouTube soon to see the latest. So please, no spoilers in the comments. I really won’t forgive you. Well, I eventually will because Jesus tells me to. But I’ll never forget. Project Runway has got to be the best show ever (don’t argue with me here, it’s my blog). The sewing. The competition. The personalities. The masterful designs. The horrible ones. It’s so fascinating to me to see how the designers can bring their concept to design to actual garment within a day or two. A girl can aspire. A close second would be The Office 
, although we’ve never actually seen an episode on prime time tv (enter Netflix, Blockbuster and NBC.com). “Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam.” The jokes, the looks! There’s nothing funnier than the facial comedy on that show. I think that’s why we like it so much. And we so totally get the humor. Steve Carrell is just about the funniest physical comedian out today (I do love another Steve too who’s perfected the facial expressions: Steve Martin) And who doesn’t heart Jim and Pam? PB&J forever. Sigh. We’ve even made converts of my mother, brother and sister-in-law.Don’t you like how I provided shopping experiences for each product? Please know though that I rarely pay full price for anything. Even the best of the best of the best. There’s always a deal to be found somewhere. I didn’t go searching those out for this post though. I’ll leave that to you if you’re serious about trying out some of this awesomely fabulous booty.
What about you? What are some of your favorite things? Some things that you like 100?
I almost forgot! Then when I remembered I was traipsing around the city playing in a splash park and eating yummy food at the best hole in wall. Yep, I took my girl out of homeschool to spend a day with friends. So, without further ado, this week’s Story Time: Interactive Style!
Whew! Have fun with that one!
*************************************************
As for last week’s pic. It’s pretty obvious we were still in the moving in phase. I believe I had already gotten the new iPhone and Ashlyn was appropriating my old phone. I have a feeling we’re going to have a lot of chatting going on at our house when the girls get older. They’re both already breaking their allotted 20,000 words per day and the 250 words per minute that girls are supposed to speak. Those scientists weren’t at this house, let me tell you, when they came up with those numbers.
I started Sew Petit last fall in order to fulfill a desire. The desire was (and still is) multifaceted. I wanted to be a business woman running my own company. I wanted an outlet for my sporadic creativity. I wanted to be able to create nice things for people. I wanted to be able to link up with a charity or some other organization where I could donate some of my wares or earnings. And all of these things I still desire.
However, my desire for a more stable and God-centered household for this next year are trumping my business yearnings. We plan to move again in a year and the process of getting a business set up in Alabama is no small thing, nor is it cheap. So, as of now and for the next year Sew Petit will be on hiatus. I have a Sew Petit blog over at Blogger, which I set up when I was changing site hosts, and I hope to make that active. This way people can stay informed as to what I’m doing by way of brainstorming and sewing.
I’m taking this one year opportunity to hopefully relax a little more, spend quality time with family, homeschool without distractions (yeah, right) and sew for myself and my girls. I do hope to still fulfill friends’ orders, but I’m not sure how to do that when I’m not a legitimate, license-holding, tax-paying business. When I was researching starting a business last summer I had originally wanted to be an online boutique only (like on a blog, website or Etsy). After talking with an attorney I realized that even in selling only online, I should technically and legally still get licensed within the state I was living. So, does anyone have ideas how I can legally still sell to friends (you know I only want to take their money when I’m taking a break, haha) while not being a business?
I’ll post the address of the Sew Petit blog as soon as I have it ready. Thanks to all the support I have received over the last year!
Not So SAHM 
