Wed

So... these two are married now. We went to Sacramento last week for the jubilant event and I managed to not take a single photo of the entire week. Which is sad, because you are going to want to see a picture of Vanessa's dress. There is one that managed to get snapped here
Cute right?

We had a really fun time though and hopefully David's family wasn't too sick of us by the time we were done messing up their house, eating their food, and waking up at an obscenely early hour and not doing a great job of keeping Avery quiet. Also, the wedding was fun, but what was really fun was the week before the wedding when we got to hang out with Vanessa and her new inlaws Jenny and Grace and do wedding stuff. Flowers...decorations...sewing a veil (OK I may have done that at 5 am on the actual day of the wedding, which made it slightly less fun)...shopping for tiny metallic shoes for the babies. And Jenny taught me how to put on fake eyelashes (which I managed to not actually quite get on on the actual day of the wedding... nobody was looking at me anyway) and introduced me to a new organic (so totally healthy) sucker that I used to bribe Avery through shopping trips the entire week... so I pretty much think she is the coolest person ever. For lots of other reasons too. We were sad to leave them. Really sad.

And Vanessa and David are living it up on the beaches of Thailand right now so I would miss them too, but mostly I just hate them. Just kidding. I only hate them a little. They will back in our neighborhood in January so we are excited.




So I have lots of laundry from the trip still and my house is a mess so naturally instead of cleaning it up I took Avery to the craft store and then came home made this little...I'm gonna call it a pom-pom garland, for my window. I was in a bad mood and needed to do a craft. And I am so annoyed by all the crazy Christmas stuff out already. Geez Christmas...you already get all of December...stop being so greedy. So in protest I did something Fallish. In my world blue walls + marigold orange= fall. Plus I don't really care, I like it so well I'll probably never take it down. And it brightened my day so much I might actually get the laundry done now.

I got the idea here. But the directions are wonky and don't work. I did 6x5 inch squares and used 8 or 9 sheets of tissue instead. Doesn't it look like Pom-pom fringe? I love it.

OK off to do sort the laundry. What are you doing instead of cleaning your house?

Nope

So my dress didn't win, but there are some really cute dresses that did.
Check them out, and vote for your favorite.
I like #1, 2, 11, and 12.

(As an aside, and not to be too sour grapey, but I am surprised by a few of the finalists that were chosen...a few seem like we have seen them already 100 times. I clicked the links to several people who had entered and left comments and were not chosen and there were so many really interesting dresses that I would have love to have seen make it. Oh well.)

It's funny because it seems they have a sort of specific silhouette in mind...more of a pencil skirt 1940's influence and I am kicking myself for not just sketching up the one that I had in mind.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda.

Anyway, I thought this was so fun!

Cause I'm a rilllly good mom part 2

I was just browsing through some more photos from the past few months and thought these were too good not to share.

Yep...That's onion dip and ice cream sandwich on her tray. Please don't call CPS.

This one's pretty self-explanatory.

Just standing on her high-chair unattended.

Just watching a little PBS kids...that never hurt anyone. The bad part is that I am pretty sure its PBS kids that's teaching her to read and not me. And she also watches it enough that when Wyatt says, "Hands in Super Readers"...she puts her hand in.

Cause I'm a rilllly good mom

Avery:
can clearly say both,"pop" and "french fries", and asks for them when we pass by McDonald's which she recognizes by sight,
and can feed herself two sticks of butter at once OR two suckers at once.
We like to change things up.

Shabby Apple Dress Contest

I love dresses.

I would probably wear one everyday if my obnoxiously long torso didn't prevent them from ever fitting me correctly. I am so inspired watching Mad Man, which takes place in the late 50's and early 60's, and what I love is that women wore dresses that were perfectly tailored and detailed, instead of sloppy knits all the time. I truly watch the show just for the wardrobe. I wish we still dressed that way.

Did you hear that Shabby Apple is having a dress design contest? They are. So because I love dresses... I designed my perfect dress, inspired by Mad Man:

The "Betty Draper Dress"


Here is what my dress design for Shabby Apple dresses includes:

A pleated bodice that provides substantial structure to help coax a tummy into a more lovely shape, with pleats that open into a ruffle of sorts which nicely frames a delicate feminine collarbone.

Flattering elbow length sleeves--perfect for any season.

Generous pockets, because I firmly believe that all dresses should have pockets! Don't you?

Lovely hour-glass shape with its gathered skirt easing up on the gathers as it approaches the hips in order to provide just the right amount of fullness becoming on a woman's figure.

Full skirt hits just below the knee, and sports a peek-a-boo of colorful lace at the under-skirt slip lining.

Is made of stretch cotton poplin, so it's cool and breathable, and comfortable.

Its structure is one of form, with seams strategically placed to fit oh so well.

Is simple enough in its detailing to provide ample accessorizing opportunities...like a vintage broach perhaps.




(So... I didn't quite get a zipper put in....its not the easiest thing to do on a half-sized form...use your imagination.)



And even if I don't win, I might make one in several colors for myself anyway.

Wouldn't this color combination be nice for Spring?

Ohh...with these heels:
I only wish I'd had enough time to make a Joan Halloway inspired dress too.

What would your perfect dress look like?

Utah Winter...1984?

(me, ryan, baby vanessa)

and how rad is my coat?

also my friend linked this article on healthcare reform I liked it a lot, because its actually about healthcare reform and not just insurance reform.

Capturing the Everyday

"Caught Red Crayon-did"

"Avery's creative exploits are keeping my magic eraser busy, but I love those little visual reminders that she is here...her own little independent self...part of our family."

I was never really that motivated to learn to take good photos until I had Avery. And although I have a long way to go in the good photography department, what really matters to me is capturing those little everyday moments that make up our life. Its hard for me to let her grow up. I love being a mom. I love our days. I just want life to stay like this forever. But since she can't, I try to at least capture the feeling of this time, with photos of the little faces she makes, or the little messes she makes, or the things we do together. And I don't really care if the photos are great. What matters to me is the memory.

I love having a little glimpse into the everyday lives of other families too. Isn't that why we love blogging? They had a little "capturing the everyday" photo contest over at Bloom. Mine didn't win, but there are so many cute ones to choose from. Click on over and vote for your favorite photo. It's hard to choose!