Moving Day!

Yep...I'm making that switch over to typepad. I just can't deal with the crashes while I try to compose a post anymore. Hope you all change my link and enjoy the brighter colors on my new blog, I really like it! :o) Thanks for reading~

http://ameliasfb.typepad.com

Amelia

The Perfect Color Morning

This is a post about the way my mind works (that is my warning line really, you might never read my blog again after this).

It's not that I am a cheesy person really, I just seem to think artistically. All the time, I'm only logical when I make it a point to be that way, I think. I seem to be driven by visuals and thoughts that build upon each other, I might even seem slow or ditsy to some because I daydream a lot.

The picture you see is of my clothes all laid out for my departure trip from SLC to come back to Houston. I slept great Saturday (morning)....I awoke to the sun streaming in through off white curtains, casting a luminous glow across my sparkling white down comforter(s, yes I had two because it was SO cold). I looked at the ceiling and the same buttery yellow sunshine painted it above my head. I literally thought in my mind and said out loud "It's the perfect color of morning!"

Megan caught me in this moment of artistic silliness, I was snapping pictures of my clothes laying on the bed, they looked too beautiful to not shoot!



This is Denver...on my way home. I just love the snow on the mountains, so I had to let you all see it.


Amelia

Fresh Tears

I've been trying all night (this is my 4th time) to post about the weekend. I will get a good way into my post and then my laptop likes to shut off on me losing it all. I'm having serious anger issues right now. I feel like I'm being given involuntary blog rehabilitation treatment. I'm starting to sweat and twitch....similar to what I imagine an addict of a stronger stimulant feels when it's ripped away from them.

So, I'm trying just one picture....

This is Megan, me, and Daria on our last day together. *sniff* Miss you great girls!!!

Amelia

Tackle This!

I have been trying (obviously to no avail) ALL day to post some pictures from Salt Lake City on here. That was my Tackle it Chore! LOL, well I have finished a little portion of that job, I made a link page....so click here and you can see ALL the pictures, but come back soon to read more about it, I will be writing later once I have put my girls to bed.... I consider myself "half tackled" today, so I'm okay with that. ;o)

Amelia

A Full Sigh

SPC week #4, The Body.


This picture is the last in The Body Challenge, to learn more click here.

I chose this to show my emotions and physical state right now.


It's been a weekend I will always remember fondly, but now that I am home, now that I have washed more laundry than I can even believe myself, all I can do is take a deep breath and let out a full sigh of contentment and exhaustion.



I will be posting details and pictures from the trip to Salt Lake City, Utah on here soon, but for now I have lots of catching up around my house to take care of first. Thanks for reading and I can't wait to chat with you all!

Amelia

Takin' To The Road....

Sorry I've been more quiet than usual. I have been preparing to leave for the Boutique Cafe girl's getaway weekend....and sadly I got SICK!!

Just a note to say why I am gone and where I will be....talk to you Monday!!

Amelia

Facing The Music

SPC "The Body" Week #3

Yeah this Self Portrait Challenge thing gets more terrifying each week! Ha-ha, actually I'm pushing myself a little more each time, trying to face the things I have always considered impossible to face.


This week, my nose. I don't abhor my nose, but I don't like it. I'm not contemplating surgery, but I do say mean things about the shape and size of my nose. That's not something I am proud of, I want to stop complaining about my nose (maybe when my purple bracelet gets here that will help)...


I placed a challenge on myself through this months "The Body" theme on SPC, to really put my camera in my face (yeah, pun intended) and share the good, the bad, and the ugly. All of this in hopes that I will see and become more comfortable in my own skin and even my not-so-button nose.


So about this photo...I really like it, I think my nose is actually better in this picture than in real life. LOL I love the light, it's almost "rock star" but still really natural. I wanted to show something very close and to feel like I have literally opened up to the camera without restraint or pose. Once again I've captured more of my freckles, I always like those, not sure why, but I do.

Amelia

Quiz With Me

Take the Quiz here!

I just came across this fun quiz on a blog by another Amelia. Since Jane Austen is one of my all time favorite authors I had to know which heroine I am....

I must say, the results astounded me! I have always seen myself to be more of a Marianne. That could be due to the fact that when I was about 14 one of my good friends used to call my sister and me "Elinor and Marianne." Since then I have heard that once more and felt like it must be true...I mean twice in one life. LOL

The quiz I found says this:

"You are Emma Woodhouse of Emma! You like being the queen of your social circle (small and provincial as it may be), and feel it's your duty to help those less influential than you. You often meddle in the affairs of others, though you do it with a pure heart. You are often deluded in your flights of fancy, but your good intentions and creative spirit make you someone anyone could like. "

There are some similarities in this whole "Emma" comparison to myself, but I really am only going to accept it because Kate Beckinsale once played her and I think she is divine.

Amelia

By further knowledge and in conclusion.... go with your first instincts when taking this quiz...my more accurate results are as follows:

Take the Quiz here!

"You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of silliness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed."

Maybe I just have a little of each...I find the latter to match me much better, actually it's scary close. Flaws and all.....

Amelia

Preparations and Fear

Tonight I am practicing my talk for the Boutique Cafe Girl's Getaway Weekend. As much excitement as I have whirling around inside, I'm also finding some butterflies fluttering around in me too!

Daria has bravely asked me to speak little bit about being a Hot Mom and summer style... Okay don't blush, it's just a term to express that a mom shouldn't lose herself or her sense of style and fun just because she has children! ;o) I know some of you just blushed when you read "hot mom."

As I was saying, I am supposed to talk about these things. I'm getting a bit nervous, maybe more than a bit....LOL. Will I ramble and stumble all over my words?...am I even "hot" enough to give this talk?....then I take a deep breath and remember, I'm just sharing "me" and there aren't any expectations that I have to meet, just relax and let myself come out in my words.

I must tell you all that my nerves find other areas now to stress over. This will be my first time to fly alone to any place of significant distance. I've always flown with someone and just sort of saunter behind those who know what they are doing. Will I get lost in the airport and miss my plane?....Will I have to dump my perfume out because it's too big?....Will I be embarrassed when I have to throw out my Paris Hilton travel spray?... Once more...deep breath. Hey just pack it all in the checked luggage and be there really early, my mantra: "I CAN fly alone, I can!"

Now I'm off to write some more (to bore you ladies longer at SLC!) and find some more music for my iPod, I'm getting ready and maybe, just maybe, by Thursday night I can say "I'm all ready to go!"

Amelia

My Love Has Come Along

No, Matt isn't home from work yet...although that would also make the Title true. However...this post is about my favorite piece of jewelry.

My very most treasured necklace, purchased from Tracy of Junk 2 Jewels. You have to check out her stuff on PoshTots and also eBay.

What I adore is the personalized touch and my girls names engraved around a circle, it's poetic jewelry....accessorizing with touches of love and what is special to me. Thanks Tracy, I hope many more Mama's find you and get to enjoy your amazing creations!

Amelia

Tag...But Where Is My Gift?

I didn't see this coming, but I've been tagged again! It's a new game, Show Your Desk challenge. Erin tagged me with this little game, which I'm kind of excited to share because I LOVE my redone studio/office!! Thanks for picking me Erin...your desk looks great.

Here it is, in all it's former wet bar glory....

So, now it's my turn to tag someone and have them share their desk....I'm going to tag Tracy, Michelle, and Sandi. Can't wait to see those desks. :o)

Amelia

A New Perspective On Me

My photography skills are in need of honing and I've long admired the work my friend Erica with her Self Portrait Challenges. As scary as this is to post, I really loved the challenge.

SPC week #2: The Body

I love the shadows and my freckles, I feel like this is elegantly personal.

If you're interested click here, but I have to let you know that there are some pictures that show a lot more than what you see here, it's all as art, I just felt like letting you know upfront so that you wouldn't be shocked if you choose to visit the site.

Amelia

Pixel Perfect?

I just changed my profile picture, as it was extremely outdated. Considering that I change my hair at least once every 2 months, I'd say that picture was a good 4 or 5 months old...if not older.

In the process of changing pictures I encountered a problem: my thumbnail is all pixely. I have tried everything I know (which isn't much, but still took a good 30-45 minutes) to get it to look clear. However, it does look okay in the actual "profile" section...

The above is the real one, and if you have time please take a gander at the little one on the right side of the screen. Can anyone tell me what is up with that? Why is my chin in two separate places?? LOL

Oh, I need to give a little shout to Matt, he took this picture tonight, thank you sweetie, you did a great job!

Amelia

Tips For Play Dates

In every pot of hard boiled eggs, there must be some great story....


This adventure was the idea of my friend and fellow blogger Morgan. Upon seeing the dye and potential mess (and let me assure you the girls lived up to their full potential) you might assume it was a bad idea. I have to disagree...it was a blast! A few toddler disputes had to be settled and many cookies lost their lives to obtain the happiness of a screaming Evy...and that was the worst. It was a fun day and the girls were very proud of their lovely *work with me* eggs.

A few tips for a successful play date: 1. Have coffee or other legal stimulants for the grown ups.

2. Stickers, markers, and dye are good for entertaining kids. Don't bother with rubber gloves, then you won't have the fun of rubbing pink dye off chubby little fingers later.

3. Read instructions as you go, not before....it provides bonding time for parents when they learn something new together.

4. Take pictures of random things, like for instance...cracked and abused eggs.

5. See tip #2 and you will understand why washing hands can be a fun time!

Thanks for looking and if you want to see a few more candid shots click here. Thank you to Morgan, Maddie, and Isabelle, for sharing the morning with 3 such messy ladies as my girls and me!

Amelia

Playful Irony

Tonight Matt and I played Scrabble. I am not an overly competitive game player, but I do love to play games. To my enjoyment and surprise I did win, not by a huge margin, but I did win. *Grin*

Something funny and ironic I decided must be shared with several friends and an unknown amount of strangers, is that for my very last word, I placed the tile "I" right in the middle of Web and Splint....creating my final word....W I N...sweet, ironic victory.

Now, my pride is shattered when I admit to you that Matt couldn't stand the loss and had to kick my tale at PS2! Thanks honey, I appreciate you keeping me humble.

Amelia

Tackle Time...

As corny as this is, I cannot escape from the song "Hammer time" playing in my mind. I think I just badly dated myself. LOL

The ugly picture above and a few below have nothing to do with that song or the artist. This post is a follow up to the Tackle It Tuesday challenge I have joined on board with, you can see my previous post today for details and links.

Upon inspection of my house as to determine what needed tackled the most, I knew almost at once that my playroom would need the TLC. However...the playroom is in such a bad way that I am tackling it in baby steps, as a true FlyBaby would. The daunting task then set before me: Clear off the bar in the playroom!

As you can see from these pictures, it's a magnet for everything from golf attire to children and their chairs. Yes, this bar is filled with items that have NO reason whatsoever to be on it. Let me not forget to mention the horrific amount of dust.....*A-choo!*

So.....here we are.... cleared, wiped, child free counter top ready for something decorative I should say.

Thank you for the shove off the diving board!!

Amelia

I'm On Board

So, thank you to Morgan who told me about Tackle It Tuesday (I'm going to suggest that we not abbreviate this, I tried and well it just made me giggle...). I'm off to take some pictures of my horrifically messy playroom. It's been cleaned several times recently, I clean it, they destroy it...I know you can all relate.

Tackle It Tuesday is a neat idea about making something that is challenging more fun and a good incentive to actually finish it....it's easier when you know you have to show it. LOL... it will also allow for something new to share on your blog, and if you're like me (a serious journal addict) you are constantly looking to add something new and interesting to share with friends on your blog. I hope there aren't too many other sick puppies like me out there who are so hooked on blogging. ;o)

So, I'll be back later with pictures...thanks for reading!

Amelia

You Heard It From Me

Yep, I'm giving my stamp of approval to Pink Ink Boutique (formerly BabyBallyHoo).

A fellow eBay seller whom I have made several purchases from. She sells uniquely designed an personalized paper items. Everything from note cards to luggage tags!

Before Christmas she sent me a sample of her photo cards and I was very impressed. I just wanted to take a moment to recommend her to you in case you need a special gift or just something neat for yourself. My favorite are her address labels, I am spoiled now!

Happy browsing, I hope you enjoy looking over her items...

Amelia

One More Thing...

I love a lot of things about Springtime...but this has to be one of the best advantages to the warming weather and pollen in the air.

Actually, this rose looked better yesterday, but I didn't have a chance to snap a picture. Today it's still gorgeous and I found myself wanting to sit and stare at it for a long time. Hmm..."maybe I should take a picture" finally rang in my mind. Funny thing was, I knew that the moment I grabbed my camera I was going to need to share this on here. Some flowers are just too pretty to be kept to oneself.

Also, I have to note that a rose is on my TOP 5 list of favorite flowers. I adore them, no matter how ordinary they seem to others and how cliche it sounds....there is nothing quite like a rose (except a Peony, I love them more.....). Yes, a rose has it's thorns, and therein lies so many "life lessons" and metaphors. My mind swims with poetic comparisons.

Check out this lovely cluster Floribunda, Sexy Rexy (and that name holds special meaning to me as a past addict of the corny flick Empire Records). I would love to have a big section in my garden devoted to these! Maybe when I retire and have more time for gardening....

Amelia

Rock Stars

Two little rockers having a great time in their duds after a day of shopping and spoilin' at Libby Lou's.

This is Avery (on the left) and her good friend Elaina, I just think they are the cutest. I had to be home with my little ones today, but Elaina's mom whom I think has reached "Rock Star" status herself now, took both girls to the Mall for an all-about-me kind of day. The treasures of the trip include (but are not limited to):

A tiara, sunglasses, jeweled hair clips, a backpack, a bathing suit, charm bracelet, headband, Libby Lou membership (I think that translates to "Authorized Junk mail), and a sweat band with a smile on it.... I am sure more but I sort of lost track after the sweat band (I'm wondering WHEN Avery will actually wear that). I'm amazed that Avery was sent with $40.00 and came home with so much, I think a very big "Thank You" card should make it's way to Elaina's house....

Amelia

Did The Bunny Come Early?

Every Easter until about mid July, I fight to rid my house of Easter grass! It has come early this year. Today I found my living room littered with shreds of pink (well, there is one great thing about it) grass. It looked as though Barbie Eagle might be building a nest in the middle of my den, but in reality it was just Masyn trying to help set the atmosphere for the Easter bunny.

Two vacuum sessions later and many individual pick ups...and I think my floor is free. I can never be sure, it seems like each time the light comes through the windows I notice one more piece lingering behind....*sigh*

Amelia

That Time Of Year Around Here

This time of year in Texas it is not at all a strange sight to see a family pulled over on the side of the road shooting pictures in a cluster of Bluebonnets. Such was the case with me today....

Since Avery was 6 months old I have taken pictures of her in Bluebonnets, and only this year did that become a huge task. Having 3 girls to sit down and try to keep somewhat still was really a big feat. Masyn, oh sweet and wild Masyn.... She was somewhere new in every frame, and sometimes trying to move others!

She did manage to sneak in a good shove and knock Evelyn to her back.

Matt and I have decided this night, after having tossed the idea out jokingly many times...Masyn should go into acting. Check out her rendition of "Field Of Poppies" from The Wizard of Oz. No, Masyn is NOT really asleep in this picture, although she could fool anyone with her fake snores and steady eyelids.

Masyn finally gave up on me and left me to take pictures of Avery and Evelyn while she played around in the State Flower (shhhh....she even picked one, but we left it there and explained about the law against picking bluebonnets). So it was pretty easy to snap a picture of just two girls, I love how Avery and Evelyn are both looking down in this one, they almost favor each other (almost...).

I would say it was worth the effort, I treasure these pictures each year and since I missed last year there is quite a change in the girls from 2005 to 2007! Hopefully next year will prove to be a little easier since I will be a more seasoned mom of 3.

Amelia

The Undoing...

This is the story of the end of my normal "Tomato" pin cushion...

Once upon a time, in a very small and foreign only to those who didn't abide there land....

There lived an ordinary pin cushion. She never aspired to much, but little did she know that her life would become something unique and displayed for many to see.

Never expecting for a moment that she was going to encounter big changes that night, the little pin cushion sat on the top shelf of a newly painted cabinet in Amelia's studio. Red and green, like all the other cushions she had seen in her life. Amelia sat before her, sewing and seemingly unaware of being watched. Suddenly, the pin cushion was plucked from the shelf, and undressed piece by piece. Amelia began to craft a new dress for the little cushion...and the cushion's excitement began to mount. These fabrics were far more striking and full of color than her previous red ensemble. The seamstress before her added stitching and patches, tied her up tightly (the cushion believed she lost s full dress size!) and poured a fantastic fray resistant liquid on her loose threads.

Happily clothed in a new array of prints and feeling like she could conquer the world, our lovely little cushion was placed back on the shelf drifted off to sleep. Lulled by the sound of Amelia's sewing machine she dreamt of the adventures to come in her new outfit.

The next day Amelia woke her and began to snap photographs...she wondered what they might be used for. She overheard the plan....she was going to become a post on Amelia's blog. The place where Amelia shared her thoughts, her observations, and even some of her projects....the little cushion, now placed back on the turquoise shelf smiled to herself at the thought of being seen by so many.

The End.

Parenting 101

Lesson 1: Let your kids run in public fountains....oh wait, this might not even be legal! LOL

Yesterday marks the second time Masyn has gone, fully clothed, into a public fountain. Not the same one mind you, two separate locations. I'm beginning to feel like I need to put her on a leash when near water....

We had a good time and that's what truly matters (right?). So here are some fun pictures to let you all have a peek at one way we play in our free time.

Sweet sisters...

Evelyn being a little dream girl...

And from a different day at the fountain here in our town...Masyn being super sweet. I have to note that the ribbon in her hair was totally her idea and she thought she was the Cat's Meow with it on.