Giveaway!

Just when you think you're done decorating your house, your sister has a KILLER deal on vinyl, and you just can't stop yourself:

My front door, if you can't see it, it says:

"You are Welcome... but your shoes are not."

The Boys' room. The map goes over the entire wall. Both the map and compass were custom order.

Isn't it AWESOME?!

The plane has nothing to do with the vinyl. Got that at Home Goods. Ignore the dust.

Their room has a "transportation" theme, and the map really completes the look.

The boys bathroom. I have 15 custom "bubbles" all around the room on the walls...

... and mirror.

I also have, on the boys' bathroom mirror, a custom vinyl in an "etching" color. It's awesome. I would post it, but I don't know if I am allowed to post a poem due to copyright laws... Hmm.

Perfectly spaced was awesome to use. Their products applied easily, shipping was FAST (Seriously. Fast.), and customer service was great. As you can see, I got several custom items. They designed quickly, and with each revision, I got an e-mail and was able to make changes as needed. I know it's my sister, but seriously. If my childhood is any indication, favoritism had nothing to do with my service. (Sorry, Sami... had to say it.) Also, pricing was VERY competitive.

So, why should you care about my great deal??

This is also good for you, my loyal readers. In an effort to get more traffic to their site, Perfectly Spaced has authorized me to do a GIVEAWAY!!! The rules:

Send an e-mail to 3 of your friends/family (who may be in the market for vinyl...) and get them to go to the site. Or post about this post on your blog.

Post a comment here, on this post, telling me why you deserve $15.00 in vinyl product, and who you sent information to. (Funny entries are good... I am not above emotional bribery.)

Get to it! As soon as I have enough entries, I will let y'all know who the lucky winner is.

www.perfectlyspaced.com

P.S. Everyone is a winner when you get a great product for a low price, even if you don't win... I'm just sayin'.

My new favorite quote:

"We don't have a dog right now. We have a Mason."

-Sloan

Dinner Party

If I could live in one era of my choosing, I would definately pick the 1950's. I think that I missed that portal. I love the idea of fancy dinner parties, wearing ironed dresses all day long, T.V. shows with built-in commercials, soda shops, and Rock n' Roll before it was just Rock. Ah. The simplicity of it all. Or perhaps I have been mislead by popular culture and Hollywood.

Nah.

I decided that it would be fun to time-warp for an evening, and enjoy a nice, quiet, elegant night with friends, complete with "The Newlywed Game".

Boy was I right. This is the life:

I started with hand-made invitations, (which I would share with you, except I managed to blow up yet another computer. (I really don't know what I do to them...)) Erasing the photographic evidence that I had made them. mailed out per ettiquette, 4-5 weeks in advance. Dinner was Italian-themed and four courses.

All-in-all, even with my car dying on me as I was trying to take my baby to the sitter, it was a good night. I don't know that I'll do them frequently, but I do think that I'd like to do another party sometime.

Thanks again to all who came! It was awesome.

Little Fish in a Big Pond

Just dropped my BABY off at KINDERGARTEN! Unreal. I didn't cry, and I am proud to say the neither did he, though I do think that a tear or two would have been a nice gesture...

Here's how it went down:

Stoically entering the gates of education.

Mingling with fellow students. (Doesn't he look the gentleman, hands all in his pockets??)

Trying desperately to keep a brave face.

Trying to let Mom down easy.

Failing to let Mom down easy.

Resolutely walking toward the unknown.

Saying his tearful goodbyes.

Entering the institution of Education.

Good Luck, Ethan! We're so proud of you!

Love, Mom & Dad

Oh, and while I'm at it...

Mason Smiles!

What a stud!

And it... was awesome.

Did you ever think that you knew your own mother better than you actually did??

I did.

Background:

My parents hail from the great state of Illinois, which also happens to be the home of Krekel's, the birthplace of the best frozen lemon custard in all 50 states. I spent many a dinner time at Grandma's house, eating only what was required to earn some of that tasty treat. Ah, Krekel's. A long time it's been, my friend.

12 years, to be exact.

Desperate for some of my favorite frozen treat, I devised a way to make it... substituting lemon pudding for vanilla in my favorite homemade ice cream recipe. It was divine! After tasting the dessert for himself (after 6 years of waiting...) Josh suggested that we make it for my mother as a surprise while visiting in August. What a great idea! Or so I thought...

After keeping the recipe under wraps for 2 months, lying through my teeth to keep it a secret, and a secret shopping trip to Bed, Bath & Beyond to pick up the only ice-cream maker left in Post Falls, Idaho, our mission was accomplished.

Mom sat at the table quietly, her ice cream in front of her. Josh, Brookie, and Jana all peeking over their bowls and snickering with anticipation for the scream of excitement that surely would follow, "Lemon ice cream?! How could this be?! It's all I've ever wanted and more!"

After moments of agonizing silence, I decided to prompt her: "How is your ice cream, Mom?"

Mom: "Well, it's good, but it tastes like lemon."

Brookie:"Yeah..."

Mom: "Well, I'm trying to find the Brickle" (She was expecting the original recipe, "Brickle-Frickle" with Butterfingers candy bars.)

Brookie (laughing): "We changed the recipe, what do you think?"

Jana: "Oh, no. This isn't going well."

Mom: "Well, it's good, but I don't know why you'd make me lemon ice cream."

Brookie: "You don't think that it tastes like Krekel's?"

Mom: "I wouldn't know. I've never had Krekel's lemon ice cream."

Brookie: "What?!"

Josh (snickering): "This is awesome."

Jana: "Oh... I want to cry for you."

Brookie: "What?!"

Mom: "I always had the strawberry or chocolate ice cream."

Say what? My mind is still reeling. I guess I still have a lot to learn.

*If you want to try the recipe, I'll have it posted on another (not so long) post, later.

Adventures in Babysitting

Hi. My name is Kennon. I like water.

Lesson learned: Never trust two quiet two-year-olds even if they seem occupied with two boxes of raisins and reasonable company.

Für Meine Mutter...

Dear Grandma,

We're thinking about you.

We can't wait to come and see you.

We're brushing up on our German.

Love,

Ethan, Sloan, & Mason