Friday, September 17

30th Birthday Party Menu























Vegetarian Chili Verde
Grilled corn and hot dogs
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies {thanks to The Lovliest Day for the recipe and image via Martha Stewart}
Voodoo Donuts
Spiked Apple Cider
Banoffee Pie 

Any other ideas???

Tuesday, September 14

CtrlP is Awesome!

Have you heard of CtrlP? They're a new etsy design business that has the raddest invitation suites for your wedding! And...... the creators are Lizzie and Isaiah from this blog that journals their Chicago wedding planning on a $10,000 budget.

Check out some of these fab, can't-find elsewhere-designs:












































I recently worked with Lizzie on customizing this invite for my 30th birthday party coming up in October






















I liked the playfulness of the font mixed with the warm, dark fall colors, perfect for a pre-halloween bash!

Check them out if you're looking for something fresh and eye-catching for any event!

Monday, September 13

I was alll the Buzz























Okay I'm making light of this situation, but it was seriously scary. Have you ever been shocked? I mean like whole-body-taken-over-by-robotic-aliens-who-are-frying-you-with-their-zappers shocked? Of course I was stupidly hanging up christmas lights barefoot on wet grass and picked them up near broken bulb/exposed wire which didn't immediately make contact until I had a hammer and nail in one hand and looped the string of lights around my finger to nail to a tree.
For the first few seconds of not realizing what was happening it felt just like the description above. According to my husband and daughter I was screaming bloody murder so the whole neighborhood could hear. I couldn't see anything until it clicked in my brain that I was being electrocuted and I pulled off the lights with my other hand. I have no idea if I clenched my eyes shut in reaction to the sensation freaking the crap out of me or if the voltage zapping my body caused temporary blindness?
So I ran, I screamed, I was shaking, my arms muscles hurt for a bit, then my legs, then I folded myself on the ground and cried a bit. I do that, I cry to release freaked-out-ness among plenty of other emotions. I had a red slightly swollen hand for a bit, and a burn on my finger, and even yesterday woke up unable to make a fist and my left arm got tired easily and couldn't take much pressure before aching. 
Household voltage is not that dangerous, but the force of a zinger is dependent on how reactive your tissues are, whether you're wet or dry (duh) and how far and where the current travels.
 I managed to supply the right conditions for a whopper of conductivity!

Oh maiya, it was all worth it, your birthday was lovely.

Friday, September 10

13














                          { age 8}
Ack. I'm only 29 and my oldest turns 13 today. That many years ago I was an oblivious 16 year-old huge in the belly and ready to pop. That morning I sat up in bed at 9am and felt all this watery stuff coming out of me. It feels like a soft liquid that you can't stop if you try, like stopping your pee, nope doesn't work.
I showered, dressed, called my mom, called my boyfriend who picked me up and took me to my doc appt that was scheduled for that morning anyway.
I can't imagine what we looked like in the waiting room, me with a towel between my legs having contractions and my husky (read: tubby) black boyfriend sitting next to me. Haha! I bet it was shocking!
They sent me down to the hospital right away.
I had visions of walking up and down the halls during my labor, squatting, what-have-you. But sheesh the moment I got on that bed I didn't move except to turn side to side. I had a "birth plan" which I doubt was looked at by anyone, I swear they're just to make the mother feel like she has some ounce of control in the situation. I refused the 20 million offers for an epidural, but accepted some other narcotic shot to the hip a couple time. Not bad, made me sleepy.
I was there all of about 4 hours before I wanted to push and they told me NOT TOO. Crazies. Give me a woman who had a sensible hospital experience and I'll give you 10 more that didn't. I tried not too, but then I pressed the nurse call button a little bit later and yelled into it "I don't care, I'm PUSHING!!" and about 4 people scrambled into the room to assist her birth.

I won't go into the details of the rest, but she arrived safe and sound, sweet and pink and gorgeous, with wavy black hair that eventually fell out and allowed for her curly blond locks to come in. And then I blink and she's 13 and we're sharing clothes and acne products.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAIYA!!!!!
May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!


Thursday, September 9

I pulled out my scarf hanger

Yes, I have a scarf hanger. I figure I may as well continue to write about my humdrum and fabulous life.
I have many places I stash "things". Whatever they may be. So as I dug out the next size up from laila's hand-me-downs that I've hidden in a trunk in the living room, it meant I had to make room in the big gray bin tucked next to her crib for all of the too-smalls to go. And so, I found at the bottom my scarf hanger affixed with many colorful and some hand-created neck wraps.

It is too bad that a week ago I would be freak to don one of these and go out in public, but our weather has already turned and that means I can do whatever I please.

There is one I'm toying with tossing ~ remember when funny yarn was so popular? That polyester thread yarn with all the little hairs that when knit together made this fake-furry-boa looking thing? I made one out of black sparkly yarn. It truly is hideous and fantastic at the same time and only appropriate for a drag queen or a costume.

My sugar bean had a rough night of sleeping and was prompty awake by 6am this morning, and I begrudginly fell out of bed, lifted her out of the crib careful not to slam her lengthening legs against the bars and turned on Dora after she shreaked so loud it must have woken the neighbors. Erg. I got a few seconds of blurry-eyed rest on the couch before giving in to coffee and the start of my day.

As we speak she is pulling at my shirt and touching my nipples while wedging her feet in my armpits and wrapping her body around my side trying to get into nursing position. erg. That's how good weaning is going. I think she's frustrated at her ever growing body and how she doesn't fit into places as well as she used too which = more abuse to me.

Wednesday, September 8

Who Am I Kidding?

I love weddings! I love looking at them, they still make my heart swell and my eyes a little watery. I can't help myself........

With the kids starting school, and throwing myself full force into work it is good that I don't have too much time on my hands, otherwise I just might try to plan another wedding.

My daughter's 13th birthday party is this Saturday. Let's see what I can pull out of my hat. She brought home a small chocolate fountaing (tacky! and I have no idea where it came from) a few years ago and I've refused to bring it out of hiding. But, this is the right occasion. What do I put inside it? Chocolate chips? Almond bark? I feel like there some special melting chocolate, hmmm off to a decorette shop to do some scavenging.

















                       {circa 1 year ago}

My little bean is cuter than ever. She finally decided to walk on her own and her personality has skyrocketed!  Besides getting up at O'Dark thirty she's a loveable, hilarious little gal. That and we've officially weaned, which I occasionaly feel a tinge of regret over but not really.

Oh, and I'm about to run smack into 30. Oh. Frick. I don't even know what to do with myself. I feel like I should have a killer party, a costume party even, as I've never done that before and was born the day before Halloween.

If I had the money I would rent out The Press Club, a literary cafe/crepe house in Se Portland that is declicious and small-ish but would be an ideal venue. Alas, maybe for my 40th?

And I'm feeling really boring lately. The constant job of motherhood and house cleaning and wifedom makes for a dull Jasper. I haven't figured out how to bring myself into the social scene again, it costs twice as much to go out now w/out kids cause I have to pay for a baby sitter too! Grrrrr
Or, if I leave my husband home and fun w/out him and vice-versa, and we don't get any socializing time together, it leads to seeing each other as boring, or maybe just I feel that way. But I don't see the point of getting to know someone and having a great time with them and then you get married/have kids/work to hard and all you can do is try to have a great time w/out them cause someone has to stay at home with the kids. Or I'm too tired to go out anyway cause i've been up since 5:30am. Just venting a reality check for y'all thinking of breeding. It truly is the best thing though, don't let my pity party disuade you.