Charles Knox

baby

Cecily Blanche

baby

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Great Day Graphics Etsy Launch Date

If you haven't had the chance to check out my creative blog, do so now! Have fun looking at all the fabulous, creative things I can make and personalize for you!

I am currently in the progress of setting up an Etsy storefront, for a hopefully easier option of ordering your customized items. I have established Tuesday, July 7th as my "launch" day, so be on the lookout for the storefront web address!
UPDATE: Etsy Storefront has been launched! Check it out here!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Alice in Wonderland--The Hollywood Version

Alice in Wonderland is my all-time favorite Disney movie, so when I stumbled upon this (click on this) on Yahoo! News today I got a little excited.

Now Johnny Depp is not ugly, but he is quite odd, so I guess this makes him a great Mad Hatter.  Tim Burton, the director, is equally as odd but LOVED Willy Wonka, the fabulously remade version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (of which I have the DVD of the original, so I guess I love it as well!)

Anywho, that is all for today!   Other than I am praying for a fabulous Thursday.  (I'll elaborate at a latter date!  :)

Friday, June 19, 2009

Puddin' Pop in Trouble

We have two of the sweetest puppy dogs ever.  Knox absolutely adores them:  loves hugging them, chasing them and watching them wrestle each other.  Tallulah Belle, aka Lula, is the skinny white one that is much more energetic, but less likely to stay still for Knox to love on.  Chloe Kahne, aka Chloe or Puddin' Pop, is the slightly overweight, lazy one but will lay still for lovings until Knox drives her crazy.  (She's the one that rides cargo in the stroller for walks.)

I say all of this to preface that despite how loving Chloe is, she's definitely the black sheep, so to speak.  Our couch and oversize chair have holes chewed in the corner of nearly every cushion.  Our carpet has seen better days--when she has to go, she HAS to go.  We've gone through multiple packs of pacifiers, since the little sneak will grab them off our chair-side table and chew (and eat) them.  You think we'd realize by now that she needs to be in her crate whenever we're not home (that is the time she reeks havoc), we've just gotten out of the habit.  All of this we've taken somewhat in stride, but yesterday she almost broke the camel's back.  Well, actually she did, but my tears and pleading saved her.

I came home from running errands and picking Knox up from school to find this:
This is the scene of the crime.  Can you tell what it is?  I should have left the "murder weapon" where I found it, and you might be able to tell.  Guess I wouldn't make it for long on CSI.  It's black ink from the pen Chloe was chewing on, smack dab in the middle of our living room carpet.  I know the pen was NOT on the ground.  I had just picked up the downstairs, so I guess she got it from the table?  Once she burst the ink cartridge, she managed to step in it and track it EVERYWHERE downstairs.  Each of the following pictures are different areas of downstairs she managed to massacre.
She looks a little ashamed/scared in this one.  Another image of the originating crime scene.

Behind the recliner and front door entrance.

Walking from originating point to the kitchen.

And on to the dog bowls.

Lucky for her, the trail was easily cleaned from the hard floors.  Removal from the carpet was a little tougher.  Prints came up for the most part using a Magic Eraser and baby wipes.  The origination was much, much tougher.  I got up as much as I could using a sopping wet Eraser and towels.  When Keith got home, he managed to get the kinda-broken steam cleaner to work with the attachment brush.  Our carpet has been stained previously, but this was the icing that it will have to be removed.  This fiasco just confirmed the fact that I want hardwood throughout the downstairs--don't you agree???

Friday, June 12, 2009

Mucho Fabuloso

So here's a few random fabulous things that are happening and will happen over the weekend...

First thing's first.  Knox had his 18 month check up yesterday, and is healthy as a horse.  A whopping 29 1/2 pounds heavy, and a tall 33 3/4 inches long.  As of yesterday, he still hasn't said his first word yet.  Michelle, his NP, still isn't too concerned since Knox is able to communicate without using words.  (Turns his hands up like he's
 asking a question when I ask him where something is, etc.)  Well last night I SWORE he quacked at his duck when I asked him to find it in the tub, which he always picks right up.  This morning when he was eating his applesauce, I asked if he wanted some cheese, he looked at me and said clear as a bell "cheese?"  So I think it was clear as a bell, but he wouldn't say it again.  30 minutes later I asked him if he wanted to watch Jay Jay The Airplane, and again so clear he said "Jay Jay" and has said something similar to "Jay Jay" three other times I've said it.  Of course, I called my parents crazy when, over a month ago, they SWORE Knox said about 3 different words with them.  We'll see if he continues to do this, what I think is talking!

Another great thing is that our back porch garden is doing wonderfully.  We just picked our first zucchini and about two handfuls of green beans.  There are tons of squash, cucumbers and tomato blooms, so we'll have tons of veggies in the next month or so.  Check out the "before" and "after photos below.  Before pics were just taken on May 2nd and the after pics were taken today, just about 5 weeks later!

You can't tell how tall the tomato plants are but one is almost a foot taller than the cage.  I have one Better Boy plant and one Sweet One Hundred.  The smaller plant in the green pot is a pepper plant, but I thought it was the Sweet One Hundred.  I can tell better now that the little blooms are popping out!



Fab thing number three:  Keith is finally home from a four day out-of-town business trip.  While away, we sweetly set up a massage for my BFF Holly and I to enjoy.  We're going to have some great girl time tomorrow getting pampered at the spa, following it up with a great lunch somewhere.  The later is still to be determined!  :)

Last, but definitely not least:  Knox and I get to go meet Molly on Sunday!!!  On top of meeting/loving on Molly and getting to see her amazing parents, we also get to spend some time with Tutu and LindseyToo!  We'll be invading Lindsey's apartment, an invitation that she graciously offered, since they live only 45 minutes from Jayma & BJ.

Hope your weekend will be as equally fabulous as mine will be!





















Wednesday, June 10, 2009

MOLLY IS HERE!

Molly Katherine Bowling has made her grand entrance into this world.  The only stats I know are that she is 6 lbs. 10 oz and 20 1/2 inches long--and that she is awesome (direct from her daddy!)  :)

I'm so excited for Jayma & BJ!  They have waited a long time, and gone through much heart ache to finally become parents to an amazing little girl.  Hopefully, I'll get to go love on the beautiful little thing this weekend.

MUCH LOVE TO ALL THREE OF YOU!  XOXO!!!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

The Space Between...

is what's driving me insane! Well, not literally, but almost.

Today is only the second of four days that Keith is on a business trip. Knox, thankfully, attends "school" for four hours, four days a week. If I didn't have this time to get work done, grocery shop and just regain mental strength, I don't know what I'd do.  It's not that Knox is terrible, though he can throw a pretty mean tantrum, it's just the mental stress of being a temporary single-mom.  All you single moms out there get some major props--you are all very strong women and must have amazing support groups around you to raise a child on your own.  It's just so hard when ALL of your family is four to four and a half hours away, and your friends that live the closest are 30 minutes away, others being an hour or more away. On top of that, the only people we trust with Knox (to babysit) are our amazing next door neighbors who won't let us pay them, so we don't want to take advantage of them by asking too much from them. We've visited churches in search of a Christian community were we feel we belong, but the only one that we felt welcomed at is 30 minutes away--even 45 minutes during the weekday due to commuter traffic. It gets frustrating when you know a place of worship is were you want to be, but don't feel totally welcome when you're there. And if you don't feel welcome there, you don't feel comfortable exploring groups where you could potentially meet new friends--especially if you can't even find if and when the small groups meet...

So basically, it's just been Knox and I for almost 48 hours (he, luckily gets a reprieve from me by seeing "school" mates and teachers.) Only about 48 more to go...

Maybe Molly will come tomorrow, to at least break up my monotony. Oh! Noah Clark Moss, one of the tickers on the right hand side, made his debut today. From what I hear, he was breach at Cacey's appointment yesterday, so they scheduled a C-section for today at noon! He weighs a healthy 7lbs 10oz! Congrats to my SATL!