We're Back

What a fabulous weekend we had! Hubby and I left little man home with grandma, and went to...Egypt. Yep, you read that right we went to Egypt, just for the night. It was fabulous.

It was so great to be just me and Shane for awhile, and since grandma was sleeping at our house with the litte guy we didn't even have to worry about him. In fact after being in Egypt for a few hours I have to admit that not only did we not worry about him, we didn't talk about him, and I spent entire minutes not even thinking about him. Now dearies don't get me wrong you know I love the little man, but you know sometimes I worry that parenthood has completely eclipsed couplehood, which is fine I guess, but its nice to know that Shane and I still have things to talk about besides what new words we learned today, and how much little man ate that day (or even better how much little man pooped that day).

I learned this weekend that motherhood has put me into a constant state of hurried/stress mode. As we left for our romantic get away I couldn't shake the feeling that we needed to hurry and get there, I realized that I feel that way, because every other place I ever go is done in the company of the ticking tantrumy-grabby-breaky-things 18 month old time bomb that is my little boy (hence my new resolve to do all my shopping on the internet from now on, because paying the extra shipping cost is better than the looks I get for the 17 yr old store clerks who will have to clean up the mess that my toddler just made while my attention was averted for a whole 4 seconds). It took realizing this to help me to really relax, and after I did it was wonderful. We had a great time, and I am so glad that I am married to such a wonderful man. Happy Anniversary Love.

Busy, busy, bee

That's what I have been lately a busy, busy, bee (or momma take your pick). I have been cleaning my house in preparation for two different visits from family; entertaining the the family; taking care of little man all by myself while Shane is out of town again, doing research on a subject I know almost nothing about so that I can pick out the perfect anniversary present for hubby (more on that later); preparing the primary program for take off, and filling another order (woohoo!) for my website. Wowser I am tired, and the weekend is just getting started.
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Hubby and I are celebrating our anniversary this weekend, by leaving little man home with Grandma (thank you Grandma) and heading off for a night in Egypt. We are going to this fun little theme room bed and breakfast, and staying in the Egypt room, its like a mini vacation I am so excited, and will tell you all how it went when I get home.

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Like I said before I got to fill another order for the website this week. I was so flattered that Stephanie from Princess Mom let me make her some baby announcements for her new baby. I really had fun making these, they turned out cute and are also posted in the gallery on the website.

This one is a nice girly design.


And this is the one that she decided to print, I just love that sweet little sleepy baby picture.


(Of course Spider's name is not Marianne or Avery, I like to change all names when posting them on my site.)

Good News and Bad News

Well folks, the good news is that is a monstorous pile of clean laundry, the bad news is that somebody's got to fold it and put it all away. So in other words it may be awhile, before I have time to post again.

That kid!

Little man is getting so big. He is walking and running all over the place, and recently he has started to talk a lot. It so amazing to see his vocabulary grow daily. The other day when we were at the park from the grassy spot where I was sitting I saw Mason intently playing with something small and dark I casually asked him what it was (not really expecting a reply) and he said to me clear as day "bug, mom." Shane says to me, "it sounded like he said bug," I say "it sure did." And sure enough Mason puts the little thing down and it CRAWLS AWAY, all the while Mason is hopping around it pointing and saying, "bug, bug, bug!" It was a lady bug to be exact. I didn't even know that he knew that word, the kid never ceases to amaze me.

Khalid M. Shahid

Septemeber 11, 2001 Khalid M. Shahid went to work. I imagine that he didn't feel any differently about this day than another, but this day was different this was the day that would change the world, but Khalid didn't know that. He didn't know how he would be a part of it, and he didn't know how much he would be missed.

He just went to work that day and was his usual self. His usual self was the person that everyone loved so much. His usual self was the person that would have this said about him:

"I'm very thankful to God that I had the opportunity to have had such a special friend like Khalid in my life. Khalid made me become a better person and see the good in all. He touched my life in a way that I will always be grateful of his love, kindness and appreciation."

"KHALID WAS A VERY GOOD HEARTED PERSON TO ANYBODY..."

"Khalid never said a bad word about anyone, just about as gentle as they come."

"He was the most compassionate and caring soul, and I miss him."

"Khalid had a positive impact on anyone he met"

I feel humbled to have had this opportunity to write about someone so special, and wish the best to his friends and family may they be blessed and comforted on this day of rememberance.

Bumps in the night, and lumps in my bed...

Shane has been out of town all week this week. I hate it when Shane goes out of town because in all honesty it. freaks. me. out. This is something they don't tell you about marriage. They don't tell you that once you get married you will be petrified to sleep in your house by yourself, or worse with your defenseless toddler sleeping down the hall, you being the only one there to protect him from the boogy man who is no doubtedly lurking just outside, and waiting for you to turn the lights off. Seriously, I have got to stop watching CSI.

One thing I was excited for this week was to sleep on "the cloud." The Cloud is the most wonderfully soft and lovely bed I have ever slept on. It was a wedding present from my mother who works at a furiniture store thus getting a great discount and so she was able to slpurge a little on this one. I love this bed, the only problem with it is that Shane is quite tall 6'7" to be exact, and so the queen size bed was a little small for him. So after a few years of sleeping with his feet hanging over the edge, he decided that we really needed to upgrade to a larger bed the California king. Now Shane fits just great in bed his bed, but oh I still miss the cloud bed. The big one just isn't nearly as comfortable and soft. So I thought this week since Shane was gone, and I was sleeping by myself anyhow, that I would sleep on the cloud downstairs in the guest room (oh those lucky guests). So the first night I went to sleep down there, and I chickened out, the basement seemed, well way creepy to me. I just couldn't do it. So I've been sleeping in my regular bed all week, but oh you are thinking at least I get to sleep in the middle instead clinging to one side all night right? Oh, no no no, I rolled over to the middle and felt like I was sleeping on a barrel! Yep you guessed, Shane and I each have our own respective body divets in the bed. So I settled into my own little body impression, and soon fell fast asleep, oh wait I mean laid awake all night listening to all of the weird noises that my house makes, and hoped they were not the boogy man.

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In other news Song Bird Design (my little business) got another order this week. Beth from Total Mom Haircut (don't you love that title) was one of the people that responded to my coupon offer a little while ago, and this week I made her a new address announcement card. This is the first moving announcement that I've done, so it was really a fun project to do. Here are the designs I made for her to choose from:






And this is the design that she decided to print.

Big laughs ahead... (I promise this is a good one)

Ok I ran into this handy contraption over at Chris's blog, and I laughed so hard I had to share it on mine too, because some of you might have missed it and hello! this is freakin' hillarious.

Is it bad that I think it might not be such a bad idea, I mean really I can just see it I have to pee, oh wait, let me hang my kid up.
I remember in my childless days explaining to Shane (because for some reason this doesn't happen in men's rooms) how I hated it when I had to use the restroom while a lady with a toddler was in there also because while you can't fault the mom because come on even moms need bathroom breaks, its rather disconcerting when (inevitably) her toddler sticks his head under the stall wall just to see what's going on in your stall. Well now I am that mother and let me tell you what: moms DO need bathroom breaks, and seriously holding onto a screaming toddler who is simultaneously trying to unroll all the toilet paper, roll on the floor, and yes inspect all the other potty goer's stalls, while replacing the seat protector because it got flushed by the automatic flusher for the third time before I even got to pee, is well, difficult.

And seriously think of all the other uses...oh too funny.

Work, work, work

I am so happy for the return of My Life Monday...


I have had many jobs over the years. Some of them have been very memorable, but I would have to say that the best story comes from my first job.

Ok I blame it on my parents for not preparing me better for the real world (no way is it my fault), because when I graduated from high school I had never had a job before, and I finally realized that I needed one. So I started looking it was very stressfull and I admit I was a little picky about where I wanted to work...at first, then I started to get desperate. Finally I applied for a job at TJ Maxx, and was hired. Oh I was so proud of myself. So my first day I went to work, we learned about company policies, and other such things, and then it was time for us to learn how to use the cash registers. So there I am standing there at the front of the store listening to how to use the cash register, and I start to think "oh my, I have terrible cramps." Yes of all days aunt flo had chosen this one to show up, so I am standing there trying to listen, to how to ring up a sale when I think to myself, "these cramps are really bad, ouch, ouch they really hurt, oh man am I uncomfortable, I think I will just lay my head down on the counter and rest a minute, hey why is everything all dark and blurry..." A few second later I woke up with several of my new co-workers standing around me. And one very helpful customer shoving a lifesaver into my mouth. Yes I had passed out, now that was embarrassing enough (pretty much I wanted more than anything to find the nearest hole to crawl in and die), but then the lady from the customer service desk yells for everyone to hear, "THEY WANT TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY WAY SHE COULD BE PREGNANT!"

Huh? who wants to know? Why the 911 people of course, don't worry Nicole, the ambulance is on its way. By now EVERYONE is looking at me, the not so helpful customer is trying to swab my head with a dripping wet paper towel, and I am actually praying that the earth will just open up and swallow me right there on the spot. I try to explain that I am not pregnant I just have cramps. They don't believe me. About then the ambulance shows up. Well to be exact the ambulance, and TWO firetrucks show up, and it must have been a slow day for emergencies, because out of the emergency vehicles streamed every paramedic in town I think. They take me to the back room (thank goodness at least that lady will stop trying to get me to eat candies), one of the paramedics starts yelling questions at me. THis guy is actually yelling at me.

"Hello! I am having a bad enough day with out you yelling at me, and for the last time I am NOT pregnant! I just have cramps! Will somebody please get me an advil."

About then my dad shows up, he is relieved to see me after having to navigate through the ambulance and firetrucks, and paramedics just to get to me. By then the paramedics are realizing that I might really be telling the truth, and are unhappily packing up to leave. I think they are really dissapointed that I am not actually dying or something. I go home, but not to worry the next day I return to work. Yes I was absolutely mortified at what had happened, but I really needed a job, so I had to go back.

I worked there for two months until well,... IT HAPPENED AGAIN! Yes I am standing there at the cash register having bad cramps again and then the next thing I know I wake up on the floor and the customer service lady is asking me AGAIN if I am pregnant. Oh the shame, this time they believe me when I say that I have cramps, and the ambulance is called off, but I decide that I am allergic to working at TJ Maxx and having cramps at the same time, and I quit on the spot. I am hired the next day to work at ZCMI in the Trim the Home department(translation: overpriced Christmas crap). I spend a great deal of time at the cash register and don't pass out once (woohoo!) Although on the days that I have bad cramps I call in sick, just to make sure.

Under construction

Well folks its happened. My computer is broken. BRO-O-O-KEN. As I type this I am hoping that it will be able to limp along unitl I get everything important backed up.

BLAST YOU CYBER VIRUS MAKING STUPIDHEADS! DON'T YOU COME NEAR MY COMPUTER ANYMORE! I DID NOT INVITE YOUR LOUSY VIRUS, AND I AM NOT KEEPING IT.

Sorry I just had to get that out...Honestly who makes viruses? Their mothers must be so embarrassed, going around messing up people's live like this. Grrrrr.

I have to totally rebuild my computer so I may be busy for a day or two, but not to worry I'll be back.