Marine Corps Ball

We haven't really managed to ever get a good picture of us going to the ball - but here's this year's. I doctored it a bit so it doesn't look AS bad. But, the mere fact that I am pregnant makes the picture all that less attractive to me. Really, can you even buy a decent maternity dress that doesn't make you look as big as a house?

The ball should've been more fun than it was. The commandant of the Marine Corps spoke, there was a MC band there to play the service hymns, etc. However, the acoustics were terrible - we were in a cavernous airplane hangar type space and they had some carpet strategically placed but as far as being able to hear anything - forget it. And don't even talk to me about how drafty it was - I hate being cold! Oh, and did I mention we didn't get served dinner until close to 10 PM (2 1/2 hours late)!? Once I found out there was no cheescake for dessert we left 'early' (11 pm). Oh well, I guess I wouldn't feel so bad if they didn't totally overcharge us for an event of such low quality. So my advice to anyone planning a banquet type event - don't do it at the Fredricksburg Expo Center.

On the plus side, it is always nice to see all those Marines (especially Nick!) dressed in their blues. So handsome! The Marine Corps really does have the best dress uniforms.

Opera?

Brain, Child Magazine

My friend gave me a subscription to this great magazine Brain, Child that I like to call the New Yorker for Mom's. It's full of essays, articles and features relating to the world of motherhood - well, Parenthood, really. It's subtitle is, The Magazine for Thinking Mothers. Half the time I feel like my brain doesn't work and reading each issue makes me feel a teeensy bit smarter. I also love that it is published out of Charlottesville, VA and that it only comes quarterly. So I actually get it read before the next one comes!

One of my favorite sections is where readers write in to answer a question. This month's question was "What lies have you told your children to avoid explaining something you weren't quite ready to address?" The following response I thought was hysterical, and maybe it's because I am pregnant and my body has been taken over by this little guy.

Parting Gift

I've always tried to make it a policy to be straight with my kids. My son's first word was "dog," followed closely by "mama," his sister's name, and "Kotex."

However, not long after he was born, my then two-and-a-half-year-old daughter was watching as I got out of the shower. She looked at me closely and said, "Mommy, you have a really big butt." Without hesitating, I told her that when you leave the hospital after having a baby, they give you the baby to take home along with a big butt. All mommies get one. She looked pretty skeptical until I added that every grown-up's butt looked big compared to hers.

Read more responses to this question here.

If you would like to explore the current issue you can click over to their site here.

Projects in Progress

My fabric was starting to pile up so I decided I needed to get the projects done to get rid of it insteading of finding a place to store it! (And so I can start new projects!) So here are today's accomplishments.

I bought napkins at Target in the spring to make pillows for my couches. Well, I hadn't gotten to them yet and then I saw the placemats on clearance last week. So I opened up one end and stuffed it and sewed it back up! VOILA! a pillow! It looks cute. So this is a project in progess because I have several more pillows to make. I'll take pics when they're done.
This is a bag for my sister-in-law's pink iBook. She loves pink. She has a pink scooter. She loves Paris (click on pic to see interior fabric). This bag has her name all over it. I just need to find something for the strap and it will be finished! I think I need to get more fabric so I can make one for myself.

While we're at it

Meet Amy Simpson...see what you'll look like at Simpsonizeme.com

My Celeb Look-alikes

My friend had this on her blog and I decided to check it out for fun. Then it was so flattering that I thought I would share it! Click here to do it yourself! (Philippa you have to try this)

New Hobby

I had a short stint at a local bead shop helping them with their inventory on the computer. Nothing related to beading - just paperwork. Somehow I managed to get caught up in the fun of making stuff! It's really great. I draw inspiration from working behind the jewelry counter at the Sundance Catalog outlet. Here's a few things that I made.

THis is the first bracelet I sold - Thanks Gia!
Turquoise howlite and red coral with sterling silver accents.

I just loved this center stone - labrodorite or something. The rest is sterling, peridot and smokey topaz. I think the green and brown are so nice together.

Red and Turquoise are big this season - this necklace is the sibling to that first bracelet.

I love these earrings, I wear them all the time. I even learned how to make earwires. Turquoise and smokey topaz.

And this, is my favorite! Not only is it my signature color but it's been dubbed the "betty rubble".