a bit of meandering through my days...

If you want to blog...

2009-08-15T15:19:00.004-04:00

And I really think I do - I should probably add it to my to-do list. Since apparently that is the only way things get done in my world...

Consider new blog post - with pictures - to be number 6,147. Currently I am on 3,468. Working my way there... see you again in October?

Grosgrain: Musette Bracelet GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-07-10T11:48:00.000-04:00

Grosgrain: Musette Bracelet GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

This blog and giveaway are both wonderful... take a look for yourself.

On another note, my grandmother turned 90 yesterday - 1 day after my husband and I celebrated our 9 year anniversary. We are celebrating in Maryland with friends and family. We are enjoying glorious weather and company and could not feel luckier. Pictures soon... I promise!

Another Contest!

2009-06-13T09:42:00.003-04:00

I found the best thing to get me back blogging... another contest! One of my favorite blogs is having a birthday party starting Monday and I want to go. And I want you to go so head on over to Tip Junkie and check it out. There is a button on the right to make it extra easy for you. The prizes are all from "mompreneurs" and should be fab. If nothing else, you will find a great blog full of fun tips and tutorials.

In the mean time, I am still on a work trip to Ocean City, Maryland. We head out today and boy am I ready to get home! I miss my kids and my husband and my bed! I also have a bunch of pictures I need to get off my phone and my camera and get in a post.

In the mean time, enjoy your weekend.

It is Official

2009-05-29T19:54:00.006-04:00

My little girl is growing up. Today was the last day of pre-school; the last day of VPK. It was a bittersweet morning for me and I am glad I was busy with work so I did not have to dwell on it. The reality of having a kindergartner may be more than I can handle right now. I think I will ease into this new phase with a kid that goes to camp 3 days a week this summer. Less emotional somehow.

I did realize I wanted to mark the milestone though and took a picture. Here you go.

And just for the fun of it, here is a picture of her 2 years ago as we started this journey... Amazing to me how much has changed in that short period of time. Amazing to what has not - my gratitude that we are in this together.

Bad Blogger

2009-05-26T22:02:00.003-04:00

I feel like I have been a bad blogger lately... and I have only been doing this for a few weeks. Hmm, not the best start, but I believe I may have mentioned this topic before.

Anyhoo, back to my life. It has been crazy. CRA-ZY. A pre-k wrap up, camp plans, pre-school plans for one, big kid school for another, a trip to Maryland to visit family (promise to post on that this week) and prepping for a trip to Disney next week. And did I mention I need to get some work done too? Ugh.

So needless to say I am a bit behind on the "little" things like relaxing and writing and getting some sun. I am also trying to redo my office on a shoe string (no!) budget. Again, I am sure it will be the topic of a future post.

Really just wanted to stop in and say hello. Hope your week is a bit calmer than mine.

Swap Fun!

2009-05-12T21:13:00.004-04:00

Button swapping that is! One of my fave blogs is hosting a button swap and I have signed up. I love getting treasures in the mail - especially when I don't have to buy something to get the lovely parcels... Plus, I have such a massive stash of notions and threads and fabrics (I believe I may have mentioned my, cough cough, issue, cough, before) that swaps are a great way for me to get some new crafty goodness without any guilt what so ever!! And look for pics of the treasures I give and treasures I receive when the time comes.

Want to join? Wander on of to Wondermommy's site and sign up!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T10:17:00.010-04:00

So I think these pictures are a good representation (aside from illustrating the mess they can make as fast as I can blink my eyes...) of Mother's Day at our house.

Step 1, Jack pretends he wants to sit next to Annie.

2. Jack waits until all is calm then he pulls Annie's hair.

3. Jack says sorry by giving Annie love.

4. Wait 5 minutes and repeat.

Mother's Day

2009-05-06T20:00:00.003-04:00

As I sit here eating dinner (finally - I am starving!!) by myself (since the rest of the clan ate hours ago) I find myself thinking about Mother's Day and what I would really like to receive. After pondering a day at the spa, something shiny or perhaps some great new purse, I have settled on one thing: time.

Time is really what I am lacking in my life. I feel so fulfilled with my work and family, my friends and my hobbies. I live near the ocean and can listen to surf whenever I please. I have a house I am comfortable in that even has a place just for me to sew and create in.

The problem is I feel like I don't have the time to enjoy my life. Work is so demanding, the kids are so busy, the house is always a mess and the laundry keeps piling up. I could really use a few more hours in the week that were just for me. I promise to use them wisely - to spend some of them on keeping my life in order, some of them flexing my creative muscles and some of them simply enjoying the blessings I am so lucky to have.

If any of you know where I can find these precious hours, please let me know. I promise to make you something fabulous as a thank you :)

Finally Got To Sew A Bit...

2009-04-28T22:23:00.011-04:00

And it felt great! My sewing to do list is long. Really long. Longer than I will likely get to anytime soon. At least my stash is large too so if I actually get to all my projects one day I will actually have the fabric I need to make it all.

But that is really the topic for another post...

THIS post is about a few finished items. It has been a long time since I have been this productive. Amazing what a childhood friends baby shower, a few orders and some great scraps will do. I must however apologize for the poor picture quality. In my haste to enjoy the fruits of my labor, I was over exposed and out of sunlight. Still, I wanted to share.

All in all, I added a few snack bags, a pillowcase for Annie, a handful of paci keepers, a bunch of ponytail holders, 3 tissue keepers, 2 necklaces, 3 onesies, a blanket and a burp to my completed pile. The paci keepers, a few of the ponies, one necklace, one tissue keeper, the blanket, burp and all the onesies have arrived or are headed to their new home. The remainder may make it to my Etsy shop or they may find a permanent home in the Carbonneau household.

I think up next will be some napkins for the kitchen with a few matching dish towels and perhaps a new insert for my coffee mug. Whatever I end up deciding, I will be sure to blog about it here!

Back to Counting

2009-04-21T22:12:00.002-04:00

Points that is. Funny how eating like you have the metabolism of a five year old while not working out will pack on the pounds in a big way. Figured it was time to do something about it and Weight Watchers won the contest.

This week was my first back on plan. I got more exercise than I have in months and ate better too. Even before I knew the results of my weigh in, I was feeling much better about myself. Funny how a little self control ups the confidence. Turns out I lost a little too. All in all, I call the first 7 days a success. Now onto the next 7...

Any of you counting points too? Please leave a comment with your best trick, recipe, web site - you get the drift! Maybe we can face these week long challenges together!

Trying this again...

2009-04-19T20:04:00.000-04:00

Fits and starts. That is how I do things as life has this awful habit of getting in the way of my life. Ironically amidst all the chaos I am running through I feel like I am at a good place. I have been working on being kind and being aware of my many many blessings. It is amazing what a slight shift in perspective will to change your attitude - how remembering that my children are a treasure, that my family is a treasure, and the hard work it takes to support them comes back to me a thousand fold.

I think this blog will be good for me. I am going to work on adding bits here and there. If nothing else, I hope it will be a reminder to me just how lucky I am.

thankful

2009-03-11T22:18:00.000-04:00

That is how I am feeling right now.

Thankful my kids are finally well, or close to it. Thankful to have a job that intrigues me and makes the days fly by. Thankful for my family and the love and support they always provide. Thankful for my dog that sits on the floor in front of me and keeps my toes warm. Thankful that the plants in my kitchen are still alive.

Thankful to have this venue to say thanks.

So I decided to start a blog...

2009-03-01T22:48:00.000-05:00

Because I apparently don't have anything more pressing to do. You know, like work or sew or play with my kids or hang with my husband or clean the house or do some laundry or maybe make dinner once in a while. Nah, nothing more pressing so I might as well start a blog.

But where to start? That very question has plagued me since I began thinking about blogging. It is a daunting thing to ponder, especially when I consider the amazing bloggers already posting. I guess making my first post is a good first step. Guess we shall see what my next post brings. Either way, thanks for joining me.

xo,
Allison