Happy 4th of July!

(Image from Bakerella - a fantastic baking website that everyone should check out for yummy inspiration.)

Have a safe and happy 4th of July everyone!

The Good Old Days!

(Me, Kristyn, and Jessica)

What a riot! A girlfriend from high school just sent me these photos. The one above is the summer of 1989, right after we graduated. We went to San Diego for some celebrating. The hair and the outfits crack me up. Could our shorts BE any longer (and not in the good way)?

(Brandie, Jennifer, and Jessica)

This picture was taken in 1994. We were having lunch at the Ceasar's Forum in Las Vegas (where we all live(d) ). I remember this day well because I had just gotten my hair cut off and I was heart-broken. I hated this hair cut! It was supposed to look like a cute pixie cut and ended up looking like Pat Benatar. I blame my beloved Kelly for this mess. He had been bugging me for years to get my hair cut off, telling me I could carry the look. Kelly knows that if he bugs me enough and strikes on me when the mood is right, he could basically convince me to jump off a cliff if he wanted. Don't deny it Kelly. You know it is true!

God, I look so young. We all did. Well, Jennifer essentially looks the same. I swear that girl doesn't age one bit. She should be a spokesperson for Noxema or something. I have always been jealous of her skin and squeaky clean face.

Interview with Jonathan Adler for Father's Day

(Incredibly talented Jonathan Adler)

I think one of the more creative people alive today is Jonathan Adler. I absolutely adore him. Not only is he a talented potter, but he is an excellent interior designer. I realize that some might feel his taste is a bit too wacky and bright, but that is why I love him so much. He does not take home decor so seriously and he allows himself to have fun with it. You might also recognize him as the lead judge in Top Design.

I stumbled across a very interesting interview on NPR.com with Jonathan Adler and his husband Simon Doonan (famous window dresser and author). They were discussing their father's and how they influenced the famous pairs creativity. I found it very interesting, especially Simon's bit. You should check it out.

Click here for Jonathan and Simon's interview.

Hey Geese, Get the Flock Out!

(image taken from the New York Post)

Not my headline, but one from an article on the New York Post. I understand that these geese pose a threat to many lives since they get caught in the plane engines. But I just can not believe that there is not another option to resolve this issue (yikes, what a way to go). It breaks my heart to think about 30,000 geese being exterminated. Poor geese. It seems to me that this migration route was in place before our airplanes took the space. Why do they have to suffer? I find it hard to believe that our planes can't find another route. Really???

Sucked Into a Big Black Hole...and I Can't Get Out

(Image from Riolento.com)

Wow! It has been longer than I thought since my last post. I am sure you all thought that I have vanished into some deep, dark black hole in the blogosphere. Honestly, I had no idea it had almost been two months since my last post. I kept intending to write a quick blurb, but time has just been so slippery lately. I just can not believe how quickly the hours tick by...especially since I don't "go to work" anymore. Let me tell you, days have NEVER flown by as fast as they have lately.

Why so busy you might wonder? Well, lots has happened:

First- I FINALLY finished my window shade that I was making in my class. I am so proud of myself! It ACTUALLY looks like a nice London shade!! I will post a picture for you all to admire. :) That took up a lot of time since there was so much hand work that I needed to do.

Second- Phillip and I FINALLY made arrangements for our vacation. We are leaving in the beginning of May to go to Antigua in the Caribbean! A whole week of high thread count sheets, no baby, sleeping in, and the beach! Complete and total bliss and relaxation. (Heavy sigh) Phillip's parents are flying into Minnesota to watch over Parker while we are away. It is such a blessing that they are willing to do that (though I am quite certain that they can't wait to spend a whole week with Parker), but at the same time, I am working my butt off trying to get the house put together, baby proofed and organized so it will, hopefully, be easier on them. Yikes!! Lot's of work. By the time I am done with all of that, I will most definitely need a vacation.

Third - I joined a book group. Not that I actually have time to complete a book (unless it reads like a teen book like the Twilight series does). I have been wanting to do that for some time, but just could not quite get it together. I remember that I used to read ALL THE TIME (before I discovered New Wave music), and I missed it. I hope that this group will give me a chance to read some of the wonderful books that are out there currently, reread the classics, as well as force me to read books that I would never consider reading before. We just finished reading Manhunt - The 12 Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer (well, the group finished it...I have about 100 or so pages to go still). I never would have picked this book, but I must say, it is quite interesting. I will fill you all in on that once I actually finish the book.

Fourth- Phillip is working his butt off trying to get the family room project completed in the next week or two so that I have enough time to pull the house together and baby proof it before we leave for vacation. So all of his extra time is going to the project, which takes away the extra time I would usually do stuff like blogging.

Fifth - Phillip and I just decided to have someone redo our kitchen cabinets. They seriously need to be redone. We thought that we would have to throw out all of the existing cabinets and get all new (which is $$$$$), but after talking to a home contractor at Home Depot, we have found out otherwise. So now Phillip and I are trying to pull all of that together; picking a back splash and counter top...etc. I will update you on that project as well once it starts gaining momentum.

Sixth (as if the previous five were not enough)- I signed up for another "How To" class. This time I am going to learn how to make drapes. That class will start in the middle of the month. I have all ready ordered my fabric and will update you all on that project soon as well.

On top of all that I mentioned, Parker is starting to take his first steps! So far he can't make it past three steps in a row, but we are working on it. I have also been trying to do different projects with him on a daily basis. That has probably been one of the things that takes most of my time lately. I blame that all on a new baby book I got that comes up with different daily activities for the toddler for every day of the year.

Whew! I am all ready pooped and I haven't even made it to the gym yet (another thing Parker and I do at least three times a week)!! But I will start posting again (she says while holding her breath).

I Must Have Been Smoking Crack When...

I decided to sign up for a Window Shades Class.  That's right.  I, who have just barely learned to sew a straight line, signed up for a "How to Make Your Own Window shades Class".  The class is designed to help you learn how to create Roman, Balloon, London, and other various types of shades.  We can bring our projects to class with us and the instructor will help us create them.  Depending on how much time we can devote to the project on our own, we should be able to complete 2 or 3 shades (I have 4 for the room I am focusing on.  The same room that Phillip is working on right now).  Actually, the project will not require a sewing machine - everything is hand work.  YIKES!  I can barely sew on a button...and it certainly does not look good when I finish.  This is going to be interesting to say the least...

I guess I better hurry up and decide on my fabric story.  Which means I also have to hurry up and make a final decision on the wallpaper.  I have to have all of this decided and the fabric purchased for the shades by next Wednesday evening's class.  What have I gotten myself into??

Do You Ever Look Up?

Oh My Goodness!!  I was in the kitchen feeding Parker breakfast just now and for some reason, I looked up.  What I saw absolutely grossed me out.  I noticed that the ceiling fan in my kitchen was piled with a ton of greasy dust, probably collected over the past 3 years or more.  I know I certainly did not clean it when I first moved in (morning sickness got in the way of a lot of my moving-in cleaning).  I realize that our house has pretty high ceilings, but this was unforgivable to not notice earlier.  I immediately thought of all of the entertaining we have done in our home and was mortified to think of all the people that might have noticed the filth but where too polite to say.  

Needless to say, today I am on a mission to look up EVERYWHERE.  So far, I am not liking what I see.  If you haven't looked up in your own home for a while, be prepared.  This stuff sneaks up on you! 

Happy New Year's!

Please be safe and have a great New Year's Eve!  I look forward to talking with you in 2009!!

17 Random Things About Brandie

A girlfriend of mine tagged me with this list on Facebook. I thought her list was hysterical and wanted to share with you all my own list of 17 random things about me. If you haven't tagged me with your list on Facebook, why don't you email me or leave your 17 random things in the "comments" section. I would love to learn more about each and every one of you!

The Rules: Once you've been tagged you're supposed to write 17 random things about yourself. Then tag 17 people. Tag the person who sent this to you b/c I want to know more about you!

1. I used to eat cat food when I was a little girl.
2. I can't force myself to burp.
3. New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle" is STILL my favorite song to dance to.
4. I insist that Taco Bell's Pepsi is the best soda drink around.
5. I have had red, blonde, and black hair...and I still like being a brunette the most.
6. I prefer eye-glasses over contacts.
7. I am currently obsessed with the Twilight book series.
8. My celebrity crush is Ewan McGregor...I especially love it when he sports the New Wave look with eye-liner .
9. I think the sexiest thing a man can wear is a pair of Converse sneakers.
10. I hate going out in public without my lipstick/gloss.
11. I took off my second pair of braces with a pair of plyers and a bottle of vodka.
12. I had 3 sets of braces before my teeth were finally perfect.
13. I am training for a marathon.
14. I thank God every day that I was blessed w/ my son, Parker.
15. Parker was named after my favorite indie actress Parker Posey. Love, Luv, LUV her!
16. No matter how hard I try, I can't get out of Target w/out spending at least $50.
17. I like being stressed out and get more done that way, but I still complain about it.

Our Weekend

This weekend, Parker stayed the night at a friends house. He absolutely loves staying there. He is always so tired when he comes home. My guess is from all of the constant interaction he gets. Between our friend Deb and her husband and kids, Parker doesn't have a moment to play by himself...and he loves it!

My shopping trip with the girls was great. We were at the mall from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. I know that is a LONG time. There was a private sale at Sephora (my favorite beauty store) that I wanted to go to. My girlfriend Katie and I even got makeovers. All day she walked around with a really pretty blue eyeshadow (not the 80's kind) and I had rocker chic heavy eye-liner. If you have seen the last two episodes of Gossip Girl where Little Jenny has totally rocked out her look, then you know what my eye make up looked like. It was a lot more than both Katie and I were used to, but it looked really good. Darn, it didn't occur to me until just now that we should have taken a picture!

Phillip took the afternoon that he had to himself to play poker at some card hall he found. He played for 6 hours and left with enough winnings to pay for our dinner that evening! Now if he could have won a bit more to cover my shopping...

All in all, we had a nice weekend. Even though we spent most of it separated, it was still nice to go back to who we were before Parker. By 12:00 pm on Sunday, we were both ready to pick up Parker and see his smiling face. I hate not seeing him all day and night. As soon as we walked into the door, he gave us a big smile.

Ahhh...

Have a Great Weekend!

I am looking forward to this weekend. Tomorrow, Parker is staying the night at one of our friend's house. He has occasionally slept over there and has had a lot of fun, so we will see. It is definitely much needed on mine and Phillip's side. I am spending the day with the girls at shopping. It is a real treat to go shop without Parker. I will actually get to try clothes on! I think Phillip is planning on going to the local casino and play a few hands of poker. Later, he and I will get to have a real grown-up evening with a nice dinner and get to sleep in on Sunday! Yahoo! But...as much as I crave adult time, I miss Parker after a couple of hours. I especially hate not being able to give him a kiss good night. But I just keep telling myself that these sleep overs are good for both Parker and me.

Hope your weekend is great! Any exciting plans?

So Long. Farewell.

(image from Brisbane Times.com)

I can not believe it! Joaquin announced in a surprising red-carpet interview that he is retiring from acting!! The movie Two Lovers, with Gwyenth Paltrow was his last movie. Joaquin says that ever since he learned how to play the guitar for his role as Johnny Cash in Walk the Line (excellent movie by the way. He should have won the Oscar), he has discovered that he has a passion for music and wants to pursue that. He is all ready working on a music project with front man Tim Burgess of The Charlatans UK. I am interested to hear what he will come out with...I am guessing it will be a bit moody and perhaps a bit like Jack White of the White Stripes. I only with that he would have won an Oscar one of the two times he was nominated. He always picked strange characters. I loved the darkness that he brought to them. Best of luck to you Joaquin! For more information, check out the brief interview here.

Alive and Kicking

As Simple Minds once said, I am "alive and kicking". Parker and I are both fine now. We had a VERY nasty cold and ear infection. Poor Parker had an ear infection in both ears as well as in one of is eyes. The whole virus came out in a nasty diaper rash as well. Thank God for antibiotics. He has been good for a few days now and I am finally starting to feel normal and catching up on missed sleep. Now I am WAY behind on my HUGE "to do" list this month and of course I am in a panic. Send positive wishes my way that I can make it through this weekend without getting myself worn out and sick all over again.

I Hate Angelina

I am hating Angelina right now. Here I am, busting my butt every day working out at the stupid gym when I have had no sleep (thanks Parker), and eating boring diet food (no mac & cheese for me) and still can't get over this 15 pound wall I seemed to have hit. And then there is Angelina!!! Looking smokin' hot and she JUST had her twins like a minute ago. I had Parker almost 9 months ago! All I am saying...IT SHOULD BE ME!!

What a Week!

It amazes me how quickly the weeks fly by! This week was particularly busy since Phillip stayed home two extra days since he got his wisdom teeth pulled out. I am happy to report that he is fine now, just a little sore.

I have a huge checklist for this weekend - I want to get most of the Halloween decorating completed (which means I will need to purchase a few extra things). I also need to figure out what to do with all of those apples we picked last weekend before they go bad...I am thinking apple butter. My Grandma Hazel used to make the yummiest apple butter. Imagine how scrumptious it would be on homemade waffles or scones on a cold winter day (Lord knows we will have PLENTY of those!). I also need to start planning our Halloween Gothic Dinner Party. Lot's to do, so I better get to it. Have a fantastic weekend!

Oh, by the way, the picture above when Parker was about 3 months old. He and Pete are hanging out in Parker's nursery chair. It was a REALLY cold day, so Pete had to have his sweater.

Paper Tiger

I saw this on my friend Jennifer's blog, and it looked like fun. You use your ipod's shuffle feature to answer the list of questions. (Read through to the end so the title of the post makes sense!). Some of the random answers are pretty funny.

If someone says “is this okay,” you say? Heartbreak Beat
How would you describe yourself? Touched by the Hand of God
How do you feel today? Stay Now
What do your parents think of you? Laid
What do you often think about? Love Cats
What do you think of the person you love? I Want You
What is your life story? Should the World Fail to Fall Apart
What do you want to be when you grow up? Can't Feel a Thing
What will you dance to at your wedding? Tantalized
What is your biggest fear? Hope Your Happy Now
What is your biggest secret? Sunlight Makes Me Paranoid
What do you think of your friends? Mine for Life
What did you see outside your window today? Indian Song
What motivates you? Fade Together
How would you describe your high school years? Sooner Then You Think
What are your hopes for the future? Sour Times
How would you describe the way you look? Evil and a Heathen
What is the purpose of your blog? Souvenir
What goal are you currently working on? Firesuite
What will the title of this post be? Paper Tiger

Why Can't We Copywright Names?

(Picture from People magazine)

Sorry I missed the last two days...Parker has been waking up a lot in the middle of the night and I just can't seem to get enough energy to do much else other than function because of it.

Who does Clay think he is?? Naming his son Parker and all!! Now, I know that I did not dream up the name and such, but we know how it goes. As soon as everyone hears what celebrities name their kids, everyone wants to copy. I haven't met a bunch of Parker's in my lifetime, so I thought we might be safe just meeting one here and there over the years. But Clay had to go and ruin it! As it is, when people ask me what my son's name is, they always comment that they like the name and don't hear it that often...you can just tell that they put it in their "mental list" for later when they are choosing a name for their child. But thank you Clay - now it will be all over the media again. And with the latest accessory this fall being a little baby or a baby bump, you can bet that there will be a lot more Parkers. I swear it will be the whole Lisa Loeb and the eye glasses thing all over again (I said it 100 times before I had my eyeglasses WAY BEFORE Lisa anyone knew who she was when she came out with that stupid song "Stay" from Reality Bites).

Now about the article - who cares that Clay is gay? Didn't we know that all ready? Why does it even have to be an issue. Let him be and live his life. If some celebrity were to announce "Yes - I'm straight!" do you think it would merit a cover on People? It should only be news to people that know him and love him.

Besides all that - who really cares about Clay anymore anyway? I have always been a fan...but come on...he's doing Spamalot. I am sure Brittany is doing something far more interesting.

Pet Emergency Kit

(Picture of Pete, last summer, at the UP)

Hurricane Katrina was awful. But one of the good things that came out of it was the realization that the Emergency Evacuation Plan needed to be improved. One of the benefactors of this realization were pets. Because of Katrina, pets are now able to be included in emergency evacuation support. There is no longer a need for thousands of animals to be left behind because of an unexpected emergency situation. The next step as a pet owner is to make sure that we are prepared, not just for our family, but for our pets. I found this list from ASPCA of items that every pet owner should have in case of an emergency. And don't think an emergency is only a natural disaster...it could be a fire, robbery, anything that could - God forbid- happen to any of us. I know that one of my goals for myself this year is to not only have an emergency plan for my family, but to have one for my pets as well. I hope and pray that I will never need it.

The ASPCA would like to offer the following list of essential items to pack for your animal companions in advance, should you be faced with evacuation:

• Pet first-aid kit and guide book
  3 to 7 days' worth of canned (pop-top) or dry food
  Disposable litter trays (aluminum roasting pans are perfect)
  Litter or paper toweling
  Liquid dish soap and disinfectant
  Disposable garbage bags for clean-up
  Dishes for food and water
  Extra harness and leash
  Photocopies of medical records
  Waterproof container with a two-week supply of any medicine your pet requires
  Bottled water—at least seven days' worth for each person and pet
  Traveling bag, crate or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet
  Flashlight
  Blanket
  Recent photos of your pet(s)
  Pet Grab ‘N Go Bag (can be crucial to protecting your pet’s paperwork)
  Especially for cats: Pillowcase or EvackSack, toys, scoopable litter
  Especially for dogs: Long leash and yard stake, toys and chew toys, a week's worth of cage liner
  

For a more complete list of emergency planning tips and the Ready Pets brochure on pet-friendly evacuation, visit the Disaster Preparedness section of the ASPCA website.