oh those eyes...

I'm already a sucker for these innocent, sweet eyes. 

She's going to get away with murder when she's older because all she has to do is give me that sweet puppy dog look and I will crumble.

We love this little Soosy (as Jack calls her) in our life! I can't believe she's almost 7 months old!

it's not that bad...

I'll admit.  I had my hesitations about 30.  It just seemed so old to me. 

 

I kinda wanted to hold on to those 20's for as long as I could.  There is something great about that decade.  It's like the bridge between adolescence and adulthood.  It's where all the magic happened.  Freedom.  Fun.  New, exciting adventures.  

Everybody keeps saying that 30 is the new 20?  But really, should I buy that?  That's like saying stretch marks are the new sexy.  but whatever. 

At any rate, I've "tried on" 30 for 3 days now and it doesn't feel that bad.  I think this new decade will hold a lot of goodness for me and I'm looking forward to it. 

 

And my b-day couldn't have been better.  Thanks friends and my sweetie for easing me into this transition.  Here's the highlight reel...

1.  A day in the OC with my ladies at a fantastic creperie.  Loved it.

2.  A night out on the town with my other ladies.  Let's just say undisclosable (I don't think that's a word?) amounts of sweet rolls and honey butter were consumed.  

 

3.  A night at Disneyland sans kids.  Just picture my husband and I like these folks....dumbo ears, pins...the whole nine yards.  (me...three pounds skinnier than this woman!) 

We went with big plans to paint the town red, but 30 got the best of me and I was tuckered out by 10pm.  

  

4.  A Saturday morning hike with our kids and some friends.  We got to witness Jack scoop up some fresh wildlife feces on the trail.  Delightful!

5.  I got to do  what I love.  Take a peek here. 

 

6.  Went to my favorite girl's club, called Relief Society, and heard one of the best talks EVER.  Left with a resolve to be a better person.

7.  Hung up this awesome banner for myself.  Made by Heidi...put in your orders NOW!

8.  Enjoyed a homemade dinner delivered to my doorstep by a friend. 

 

I'd say I'm a pretty lucky 30-year old!

Bringing it back - Throw it out Thursday

My house is begging me to reincarnate  "Throw it out Thursday".   It can only handle so much negligence.  

Since, for some reason, I find strange motivation from my readers out in blogland I thought I would see how this goes.  Take two.  So, promise to check in on me to make sure I get my chores done?!  And feel free to join in on your blog!

Here are the results from this week's project.  My baking cupboard.  (This is VERY important to me since 90% of the cooking I do consists of baked goods...remember...I could survive on cookies and cinnamon rolls alone.)

Next week's project:  Art/Craft supplies.

  I never think of myself as a packrat until I organize and discover that I have a hard time letting go of things that "I MIGHT use one day".  Among the hardest things to purge are my old teaching supplies and materials!  Wish me luck.

mr. happy

Now, don't get me wrong about this. There are many names my sweet jack could be called. Like:

Mr. Sits on his Sister

Mr. Can Scream Like a Girl

 

Mr. Closes His Eyes to Avoid Discipline

Mr. Take this Lame Toy I Brought You and Give me your Awesome Toy before I Push You Down and Take it.

But most of the time I think I can non-biasedly say that Jack is generally a really happy boy. Which is why my eyes were drawn to this 3 dollar "Mr. Happy" shirt from the Target clearance rack. The moment Jack laid eyes on it, he begged to wear it. (something I've never actually seen him do) So of course, since when jack asks for a pony I always give it to him, I obliged and slipped the shirt on over his existing shirt. He was so happy wearing Mr. Happy. So happy, that the lady at the register had to reach across the counter to scan the tag under his armpit. 

I love this shirt. I think because it seems so fitting for his personality. And what I love even more is that when I asked him to make the Mr. Happy smiley face, these are the faces he made. 

Cute smiles, Jack! Nothing awkward about those!

I got to do this today....

...and i loved every minute!


I'll be going back again during naptime.  I have visions of a sleeping baby that can be folded and contorted into the most dreamy positions.  

I don't want to rub it in.....but....

We got her. We fanagled her into taking our family pictures.

Who is she, you ask?

Well, she has been called:

"The Goddess of Light"

"The Queen of Flare"

She is....SHEENA from the famous Sheenanigans (if you haven't read, you better start!)

She is an amazingly accomplished photographer.  She has a natural eye for beauty.  She can even make you look  20 pounds thinner  and a  cup size bigger.  (sorry.  did I make you uncomfortable?  I'm just saying, objects in the picture may appear larger than actual size.  And I am not talking about Troy.) 

I took her to one of my favorite spots.  Now I don't know if I can ever go back for fear that my pictures will never measure up!

So without further ado, here is her art.  Our art now.  Thank you, Sheena.

If you are green with envy, I have a hunch that Sheena would travel to take your pictures.  If you got a group together in your area, maybe, just maybe she would come to you.  I think she can be bought with See's Candy, too?

Poor, poor Lucy.

She's in for a life of torture.  A life of noogies, indian burns, fart jokes and gross pranks.

We hosted another playdate yesterday. Three little boys gathered in our home for fun and games. I turns out, the triple two year old testosterone was a little much for my little lu. 

It started off on my bed as playful energy. All three boys were running around Lucy on the bed laughing and bouncing. She seemed to be enjoying the action.

Then then energy levels increased. Jack was in her face and the other boys were still running around. She started to fret.

Finally, she had had ENOUGH. She had been stepped on one too many times. She had tipped over from bounce rebounds more than she could handle. And she was begging for a rescue.

Don't worry Lucy.  I will always rescue you...after I take just one more shot.  

because I have a habit to support...

I am telling you all right now...this is soooo OUT OF MY BOX!

So much so, that it gives me the nervous you-know-whats (or maybe you don't know...in which case, you are better off!)

At any rate, I have come to a point in my  humble exploration of photography that I need and want equipment.  good equipment.  expensive equipment.  the-kind-I-can't-afford equipment.

So, that's where this comes in.  

Enter fancy flyer with fancy "business" name. 

breathe, ali.  breathe.  Ok.  So here it is.  Something that looks semi-official.  I have decided to try and round up some local Christmas business and charge, what I believe is a pretty darn good price.  

But here's the better part.  For all my friends, or blog readers, or blog reading friends, I am discounting this price from 99 bones to only 75 buckeroos.  With that you will get a CD of 10-20 images!  

Please don't feel obligated.  When I see you next, don't run the other way.  I am simply throwing it out there because on occasion people ask if I can take their pictures.  And while I love giving freebies, I just can't afford the time it takes and well, I like getting paid too.

So there you have it.  I said it.  It's out in the open.  

Now please excuse me while I go un-knot my stomach.

**and PS - if you live in the OC, San Diego, or elsewhere, arrangements can be made, but it will probably cost a bit more seeing as how 75 dollars might only cover gas expenses.  

a word about goals.

I make a lot of goals in my life.  

Some of them I actually keep.  Like the time I ran a 1/2 marathon.  and didn't walk.  remember that?  That was awesome.  and hard.  and awesome.

But many goals of mine don't ever see the finish line.  Like the time I said I would organize my whole house week by week...and I only made it to week 3.  Or the time I said I would read the Bible cover to cover and somewhere around Isaiah I may have gotten confused.

Well, after I had Lucy I made a goal to lose 30 pounds by 30 years of age.  That became my mantra...30 by 30!  I would chant it to myself.  Tell it to my friends.  Hear it in my head.  I was set to do it. 

 BUuuut, somewhere along the way I lost track of my progress.  Somewhere around chocolate chip cookies I lost sight of my goal.  And here I sit with less than T-minus two weeks until my birthday and how many of those flubby L.B.'s have I really lost?  not many.

As the weeks have rolled by, my mantra has changed.  a few months ago it was 20 before thirty. A few weeks ago it was 13 before 30.  Now folks, we are looking down the road of 3 before 30!  

Raise your hand.  How many people think I can do it?!?!  Let's hear it...three cheers for me.

3 before 30!

3 before 30!

3 before 30!

I will try real hard.  This means no more late-night banana cream pie parfaits made from cupboard finds.  This means more aerobics and weight training.  I can do it right?  3 is an attainable number!

So for my early b-day present, I want you to please share a goal that you are having trouble accomplishing.  Just so I know I'm not alone...

my head is in the clouds

surprise. surprise.

I don't want to hear any comments from the peanut gallery (aka Troy) on this one. 

But really. I am deep into the clouds. kids? who are they? Husband? what's that? Friends? where?

I'm sorry. I know it's wrong, but I am addicted. I am addicted to all things photography right now. I am knee deep into photoshop. Knee deep into Flickr. Knee deep into Lightroom. 

Knee deep into trouble, I tell ya, and spinning out of control! I just want to learn more and more and more. But there has to be a happy medium. I limit my hobby time to naps and nighttime, but that means household chores are being neglected and my husband, especially. (i love you, honey) 

I just want to take this time to say sorry for those i've offended and to publicly thank my husband for letting me eat, sleep, and dream about this right now. and the church is true. amen.

I am posting some pics from our fun family weekend together...the last moment I can remember that I wasn't thinking about pictures. (just kidding. maybe. maybe not.)

Riley Farms - Raspberry Picking

(and sorry lucy...you're always getting cut out of the pictures)

Photoshop practice is underway...

If you care, please stop by  to critique.  I need all the help and advice I can get!

get out your GI Joe's, son!

What can I say?  He wants to get all the same privileges as his sister and if that means wearing bows, then by golly, that means wearing bows!  

I've tried to tell him bows are for girls.  He doesn't care.  The weird thing is, I swear he knows he looks pretty.  And he does!  Those blonde curly locks look irresistible draped softly over the lacey band.  

Just keep your fingers crossed that we can avoid taking him out in public with the bows!  So far, so good.  

If you like this headband, then you need to check out   

The Pickled Pumpkin!

(click on the store name above and it will take you there...in case you didn't know that)

This was made by one of my favorite college roommates.  I love all the bedazzling that she does by hand!  They look great on babies, toddlers, adults and 2-year old boys.