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So I got paid to talk about chocolate

Life is good

As I mentioned yesterday, I got called to participate in a focus group discussion last evening.  I've done these before, but it's been awhile - while they call every couple months, I tend to bomb out halfway thru the questioning process.  All it takes is one wrong answer to fall out of the demographic that they are looking for. 

So I was pretty excited to have made it to the finals in the one pertaining to chocolate! I felt as if I validated my personal education in the subject by having all the right answers.  I know my chocolate.

The first thing a participant does upon arrival is sign in and then sign a paper saying that they won't reveal or talk about anything that takes place inside the focus group to the outside world, so I can't really talk about that. It was about chocolate - and I got to take some with me for the ride home. They never tell you what brand they represent tho, because that would sway the research.

To my memory, I've participated in two groups before - one was such a long time ago that I'm not recalling the subject matter at all - but it was a large group, we sat at a long table and a full fledged on a stand with lights video camera was pointed at us whenever we spoke.  That was my first experience and it was a bit daunting - but fun.

The second one was more local, and had to do with the changing of the name of our local hospital - this was before we knew it was going to change names.  That one was interesting, especially when the name did change a few months later.

Both of those discussions were larger groups (12 people maybe?) and we sat around a table.

Not last nights.

There were four of us - and we sat in cushy type chairs. Facing the two way mirror.

Boy. Was that awkward.  I hate mirrors.  bah.

So the eye was automatically forced to look at our homework (we had LOTS of homework) or at the questioning lady (she was about six months pregnant and had a loose hair on her shirt that kept bugging me).  Anywhere but the mirror - because it's a fact that people are behind it watching and recording.

But it was fun. A night out. Chocolate. And a hundred bucks for my thoughts.

Stage 2

Here were the before shots

the color/final shots will come when I get my curtains made/bought - my laundry baskets made/bought...you get the idea.  :)

Also - after my marathon laundering yesterday trying to catch up, I realize I'm going to have to go ahead and put the bar back up - I was rather enjoying that open window - but Pa wasn't too happy with me hanging all the clothes from his just below the ceiling train track bridge that he made in our hallway.  Grump.

So the rod will go up, the curtain/valance - and some baskets and something bright to hang over the fuse box....but for the most part, it's done.  We did change our minds about a few things along the way.

Originally I was going to have a tall pantry where that sink was - but we don't have a laundry tub or sink in that room and I decided I'll give up some storage for a sink.  Rather than a full blown laundry tub, we went this route, kind of a happy medium type thing - I'm happy with it.  The kids wash their hands here now on their way into the house and whereas before they both fought over the downstairs bathroom - now they both fight over this.  You'd think ONE of them would have been tickled to finally get the bathroom to themself, but nooooooooooooo.

So that's how it goes.

The washer and dryer are lovely, but they do feel a bit large in my small room. There was really no other way to maximize the space tho.  I was a little bummed that I hadn't thought to put the counter across the top of the two machines - but then I measured it out and that wouldn't have worked either - they are just too big and I wouldn't have had a space for my laundry baskets. 

It dawned on me while playing with Brian this week in the sandbox that the sandbox is larger than my laundry room.

That just seems wrong, somehow.

:)

be good

Tuesday ramblings -

So much stirring upstairs these days -

• First off, Congratulations to Mary Bright! My son pulled your name from the bucket this morning.  I so wished he could have pulled each one of you, I love all your comments! 
• It's 31 degrees out this morning
• My eldest worked on homework from 4-11 yesterday - it was not a happy thing.
• But he woke up smiling, that was the deal - and he held up his end of the bargain
• Brian is now doing a bit more walking along furniture - and walks thru the kitchen by way of pushing a chair ala learning to skate style. His legs don't bend at the knee when he walks, but he crawls fine.  Little by little
• I'm participating in a focus group discussion this evening (ever do one of those?  they're fun) and, oh sigh...have pity on me, this one is all about chocolate. I don't know if I'll be able to stand it!
• I'll be doing another link send soon - I forgot a few that you must see
• Mom - the 6 million dollar home is a camera bag :)
• Erica - the painting things were a gift, but they say Squeeze 'n Brush washable paint and I seem to remember the package said they were an Elmer's product - Brian loves them
• I need a nap
• I think I'll go study for my focus group discussion instead.....
• Oh..and, I'll try really hard to share laundry pictures today.  It's hard for me when I still have to accessorize, but we'll just call this stage II, deal?

Happy Tuesday!

A photo, some rambling and some link sendage. Oh...and (wooohooo) it's Monday, how about a celebratory giveaway too

Happy Monday - I hope everyone had an excellent weekend!

Me? Yep. What I'm the most happy with right now is that I'm making headway thru the piles that accumulated this past five/six weeks and starting to find normal again. I need that routine, that feeling of somewhat caught-up'edness. I'm getting there.  I still have emails to answer, thank-you cards to write (goal is before that postage goes up) and a laundry pile so high I could bury my whole family in it - but getting there. My dryer was set up this weekend, so that'll begin humming first thing this morning - I think the timing was right on because the forecast for the week is cold (40 right now) and rainy/snowy/yuck.

How about some link sending to happier places, eh?

• One thing I got done yesterday was some major photo organizing.  In the last five weeks I've taken both RAW and jpeg, but I've had no time to post process or sort.  I didn't wake up yesterday planning to organize, but I needed a photo for a birthday card and it just kinda happened - I went thru the whole last five weeks and beyond and post processed, organized, deleted like mad, and began uploading them to Adorama for an order..I'm anticipating placing a very large order
• For the record, I do a lot of printing at home using both my HP8350 and my A716 Compact Printer  - but about twice a year I become overcome (heh) by the need to print off the last six months of my life - which equals a few hundred photos....then I place an order. It's a good balance.
• Speaking of laundry hampers (what...we weren't talking about hampers?) I need this. Actually - four of them, 3 1/2 feet high each.  sigh.  Once I saw that, nothing else will do - but I can't afford them.  I shall have to learn to make them, that's all there is to it.
• The photo above?  I took it yesterday morning, it was what he was doing, what he needed to do, after doing this.
• And did I ever show you my brother's foot? Okay - I did, but you had to be quick that night - I was trying to edit and accidentally deleted.  So there it is again.  Does he not have the longest toes? And here I was, so excited to see pictures he took of Portland...and he shares his foot?  My brother has an odd sense of humor
• And while I was uploading photo upon photo upon photo yesterday - I had time to browse around in blogland.  I love this project that Debbie shared.
• And whenever I browse Debbie's blog, I come away lusting after Copic markers again.
• But for Mother's Day this year, I'm hoping to get this six million dollar home - it's not too much, is it?
• Speaking of Mother's Day - I've already made a card for my mother. Yes..yes I did.  It's going to be part of the festivities, challenges, games and tutorials over at Scrapsupply this coming weekend for National Scrapbooking Day - and it's going to be fun!  Plan on it! 
• Also on the scrappy side - I very impulsively signed up for - oh crap - she's got a brownie in her banner and now I'm hungry - Stacy Julian's keynote address at our local megameet in a couple weeks.  I'm excited - I've never heard her speak, but have heard literally hundreds of testimonies of how worth it is to listen to her speak if one has the chance...so I signed up. That was two days before I balanced my checkbook...it was meant.
• Okay - the boys are starting to fuss....so I have to bring this link send morning to a close - oh, but wait...there's still a giveaway. Okay.....you've all read me rave about Debbie Hodge and her classes before....and her Scrap Your Events class begins this week - and I, along with Paula Gilarde, Amber Ries, Erin Campbell-Pope and Shaunte Wadley will be guest designing.  We've been having a lot of fun over in the forums already and now I'd like to give away a free class pass to someone who posts on this entry. I'll pick and email a winner tomorrow morning - 6:30 am EST.

Now back to my mom job

HAPPY MONDAY!!

-----

It was so hard to only be able to choose one winner - I have a hard time with this part - I passed the bucket to my son and had him choose. 

Congratulations to Mary Bright!  See you in class!!!! 

Upper Michigan in early October

of this year
these two will be wed

outside.  but with a backup plan - because in Upper Michigan, it could be a beautiful fall day, or - it could be snowing.

Teresa is Pa's youngest sibling (he has 9, you know), and the last one to get hitched up. And for the past few years she's mentioned on more than one occasion that when she gets married it's going to be cozy, small, private, family only - and outside.

So we're excited - it's been awhile since we've had a family wedding - and as of this weekend - the planning officially begins.

fun times, happy times

Wishing you....

115/366, originally uploaded by Torm1.

a beautiful day

I didn't, you know.....

put a brick in his swim trunks.  I just thought I'd better clarify that.  I just felt like it.

What we did do today however...

• Got my dryer hooked up - at long last.  The stacking kit finally came in. My brother swung over to help heft it up and I immediately gave it a test run on Pa's work shirts.  Hums beautifully and even sings a little song when it's done
• Pa took Brian swimming in an effort to help strengthen his legs. 
• I went out and picked up a tricycle - and he practiced on that a bit as well - he's getting stronger.  He still seems quite a ways off from walking - but little by little.
• Finished a project for NSD (National Scrapbooking Day) festivities over at Scrapsupply next weekend.  Be there or be square!
• Mending - trying to get back on track with my Saturday sewing.  I made this blanket for Allan years ago already and the bottom binding blew out. Allan has mentioned it everyday this week as he's getting tangled in it at night.  So today - we got 'er done.
• Reinstalled the second carseat back into the van - it had been in the hallway ever since Brian's accident - it's feeling good to get things back where they belong

hm. that's 'bout it I guess -

The way mom does things vs. the way pa does things

Mom

MY plan was to very quietly dig out some swim things and then get a feel for the lay of the day and decide 15 minutes before departure time who would actually go to the pool.   And I most definitely wasn't planning to tell the kids four hours previous that this was even a consideration.

The not mentioning it is based on years of experience because all that will become of mentioning it early is impatient and whiney children.  Seriously. And who would actually go with dad then would be based on chore completion, the whininess level, the parents own patience by 1pm amongst other things.

Pa

9:00 am this morning

"Hey Brian - I'm going to bring you to the pool today!!"

Wendy:  CAN I COME???

Allan:  CAN I COME?????

Brian:  nonstop for the past 1/2 hour - I want to go to the pool NOW, I want to go to the pool NOW, I want to go to the pool NOW, I want to go to the pool NOW, I want to go to the pool NOW, I want to go to the pool NOW, I WAAAAAAAAAAANAAAAAAA GOOOOOOOOO TOOO THE POOOOOOL NOW

And Pa just left me to go to Home Depot

I think I'll stick a brick in his swim trunks

I could learn a lot from this kid

I've been really absorbing this past couple days - it's been fun to watch Brian's progress back to normality.

What strikes me the most tho is how he's not frustrated by what he can't do (as I imagine is the case with older children/adults) but it just so darn tickled and excited about what he can do.  Take this shot, for instance.  When he learned that he could crawl/climb in and out of the sandbox he did it over and over and over - and grinned ear to ear while yelling "Look Momma!"

Charged.

In the house, while it's hard for him to stand up steady against the couch yet - he's able to quickly pull himself up and onto the couch.  Again, he did this a zillion times, so fired up.

I also caught him, when he was sitting in my chair here watching the kids play computer last evening, pushing his back up the back of the seat by way of working his knees and then letting himself back down again.  He was so focused on what the kids were playing that I don't even know if he really realized what he was doing - but then I said to him, "Hey Brian - what are you doing" and he turned to me and grinned ear to ear

Excited about what he can do - not even thinking about what he can't

I love that - I could learn from that

***

In other stuffs - I put the house back together yesterday evening.  It was akin to taking down the Christmas tree and all the decorations - our house feels nice and spacey now - a good illusion to appreciate for a few days.  I'm hoping, now, that I'm not regretting it today as it looks to be rainy so it won't be a sandbox day

And boy - a little boy crawling in the sandbox sure can pack a lot of sand into his shirt and trousers.  wowza.

Pa got home last evening just in time for a serving of cold pancake dinner.  He was thrilled.  I was glad he wasn't in Chicago so long that he couldn't really grasp or appreciate Brian's progress.

With any luck - Pa will have the weekend off...fingers crossed

Happy Friday!

A calamity shared

So. Let's discuss the polls.

I had a few this past week or so. In the first one, I learned that 69.4% of you come here for the stories - and another 20.7 percent come here to find out if I'm going to lose my bottoms, again, in some embarrassing fashion anytime soon. I just may not tell you if that ever happens again, but I probably will.

In this current poll I learned that 69.7% of you know me by way of the scrapbooking world.

Now - the part that has kept me up at nights, besides the fact that the polls also told me I have several mothers, is the fact that only one ONE of you comes here for my layouts and cards. Not even one percent - but one single person. Oh wait....take heart - I see now that it's two people!

Now - I can analyze this in several ways.  1. The scrapbookers already know where to find my layouts and cards online, therefore...the stories were the obvious answer. or 2. You still want to see my layouts and cards but you want to hear the stories behind them. 

I have decided that is certainly what you all meant, for how could it be otherwise?

Now. There's a joke up at Technique Tuesday headquarters about how they can never ever under any circumstances give me assignments using the sets Calamity Jane Capital Letters - Large or Calamity Jane Lowercase Letters - Large.  My brain simply can't process doing an assignment with these two sets.  It's hard for me - because I love what others do with them,  I love the look on other people's layouts - but there is a skip in my brain that needs for my titles and words to all have matching letters.  I've tried to fight it, but I can't - I end up tossing my layout in the trash and redoing it with something much more familiar and me, like Main Street and then I instantly feel better and can breathe normally again.

So, when Technique Tuesday then came out with Large and Extra Large in the Calamity Jane font, you can just imagine Eileen's suprise when I declared, I Need Those.

And I've used them several times already - as shown above here.  And they've become my favorite number set.

But the letters?  Those are being packaged up and mailed to a friend who can actually really and truly use them - I've admitted complete and total defeat.

So am I right?  It was the story with or behind the layout that you really come here for, eh?

be good