Some befores and afters.

Well, I finally got my pictures done! Here are some of my pieces as they appear on my website now...very basic, one dimensional, blah.





Here they are after many many tries and re-tries to get it right! I think I did a pretty good job in the end.

A lot to catch up on.

Just realized it's been much too long since I've updated. I'm just doing my best to stay busy here and Teddy helps out with that quite a lot. I will try to cover the last few weeks over the next couple of days. In the meantime, I will share with y'all my newest creations in my beading ventures. It's been quite awhile since I have worked with my beloved beads, just never enough hours in the day and little hands grabbing at my supplies just doesn't excite me. LOL. Ed's manager, Matt, just got married a couple of weeks ago and I thought these would be nice to give as gifts. They are wine glass charms. The pictures are my attempt at a more professional presentation, not sure how much I like them. I am still playing at all the settings on the camera and since the charms are packaged up, these pictures will have to do. I am trying to retake pictures of all of my pieces in preparation to move my domain and in the process, I am learning just how exhausting taking staged pictures can be. Anyway, enough of my babble, here's the latest...

A very exciting weekend coming up.

My sister from Montana is flying in tomorrow until Monday!!! We (my other sister, me and Teddy) will be going to the airport to pick her up, I can't help but wonder what Teddy will think of the airport. Teddy and I get to spend some time with Marianne during the day on Friday while Garnet works and then us girls (and Teddy) will have some fun down the shore for a wee bit Friday afternoon/early evening. While that is going on, at some point, my mother and grandmother will be pulling into town!! I am so looking forward to seeing my family that I have not seen in two years, especially since Teddy can solidify these important people in his mind. He already knows Marianne through Skype and my mom by a picture, but to see and touch them in "real" life I think will be a different memory for him, it has to be! I hope to get lots of pictures to bring here (as long as everyone says it's okay to post).

So, that's all, just a fly-by entry, but an exciting one for me! YAY!!!

I'll leave you with some recent pics taken at a different playground we just found!

More tub fun...and not so much fun.

I miss baths!! The only part Teddy doesn't like is the water running over his face when we rinse, but he's getting better...or maybe my technique is. I rinse as much away from his face as I can so it's just one cupful over the front of his head. Anyway, that's beside the point. He's taken to bringing his Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars in with him. Here's some vroom vroom shots. After he tired of playing with them tonight, he decided to test the waters by putting a little of his face in...and got bubbles instead. I've really come to the conclusion...he hates his picture taken. I've really had my suspicions before but tonight really took the cake.

A sleep study.

One of my very favorite things to do is watch Teddy sleeping. It's probably one of the reasons that I rock him to sleep midday for his nap. There is just something angelic and peaceful, something you just don't see when he's awake, he's far too active and animated then. So, here's my many pictures taken of him sleeping, from newborn up until just the other night.

July 4th at Auntie's

These were pictures taken in my sister's backyard on July 4th. We had beautiful weather and spent a few hours enjoying a yummy meal and great company!!
Not sure why, but this one just cracks me up!


Flying the helicopter backwards...


A typical Teddy face.

Couponing...a non-Teddy experience.

Many years ago, I got into the couponing game and it really was a game. How many items in one shopping trip could I get free or close to it? I did good with stockpiling soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. I didn't do as well with the food items, but I did fair, I just didn't stockpile with food. Then, I started noticing I wasn't clipping as much as usual and I ended the subscription I belonged to for trading. The game faded away and we started buying more store brands. I always had my eyes out for decent "Q's", but I didn't have a nice thick organizer I once did. Fast forward to about a month or so ago, I got the itch again to try my hand at it, I found a wonderful site (www.weusecoupons.com, for reason it's not letting me put in the hyperlink) and joined. I felt the hook set once again and I'm obsessed!! On this website, they have lots of different forums for the members to post their good deals, people trade coupons for other coupons or stamps, proofs of purchase, rebate forms, etc. They even have a 'Live Auction' board where people present what they have (it can be actual items or large lots of coupons). I happened in that particular board one day and found a woman auctioning off a lot of 500 coupons and then would add to it as the bidding got higher. I ended up winning her lot of 600 (she added another 100 coupons at the $5 mark). Now, it did cost me $11 with shipping, but I did one heck of a shopping trip with what she sent me. I posted a wishlist of brands I use (not that I'm particularly brand loyal, but if I find brands that I like and can get them at a price I like I'll buy it) and she sent me coupons from my wishlist. This is a picture of some of the things I got with the coupons she sent.


This trip, without my store card and coupons, would have cost me $75 and some change. After my coupons and store card it came to...drum roll please...$19.38!! The mustard was free (on sale for 2/$3 and I had $.75 coupons, doubled--FREE!). The mayo came to $1.30 with my coupons, the sour cream $.50, the cheese $1. The cookies I had a free print out from the store, the 1/2 and 1/2 was full price as was the bread (although it was on sale). After all was said and done, if you want to average what it cost me, less that a buck for each item!! (23 items for $19.38) Not too shabby if I say so myself.

If anyone needs any mustard, just let me know, I have some!!! LOL