a wink and a smile | -m's- weblog

november!

...can't believe it's November!  This year has been a bit crazy for us, so I'm a bit excited for 2008 to arrive.  For many people, like myself, this is the start of crazy, hectic, exciting season.  For the children, Halloween marked the beginning of the 'fun' season.  I love the fall season, especially in places where there is actually a fall season :)  Coming from SoCal, there isn't much 'autumn' in fall.  I haven't taken much pics this year yet, so I had to pull out some pics from past years to document Herbst in Germany.  I'm still missing it there...

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B is back, and it has been crazy-fun since!  We finally have our 'real' tv set up, and this place is a huge mess once again.  Everything I shoved into the storage room and b's office are seeing the daylight, LOL!  Good news is, I don't have to deal with them myself.  Actually, I haven't had to real deal with them since I've got my *kronky* doing all the work, LOL!

Halloween was fun!  I meant to come here and post a halloween banner in my post—obviously, that didn't happen.  The worst thing is that I've a Halloween felt banner started, but never got to finish it.  Next goal, finish it in time for Halloween 2008, LOL!

This past weekend marked the 1st annual Digital Scrapbooking Day (3rd November).  Unfortunately, I missed out on most of the events going on all over the web :(  I did get it on a couple of great deals very late in the evening—very early morning, actually.  I still had a bit of fun, I guess.  I love shopping, and ironically, didn't get to do much of that.  Good news is that I only spent a quarter of what I put away for this—although, the feeling isn't all that great, LOL!

yikes...gotta go...

-m

• credits: Scraplift Saturday no 36 on dd's blog hosted by Lynn G :) Scraplift of Vinnie's page. {Lynn Grieveson} Golden Bay paper pack; {Jesse Edwards} Fall into Fall paper pack; {Katie Pertiet} Tall and Thin Alpha Brushes-n-Stamps; {Fonts} al uncle charles; vni-hlthuphap

better days

Had a little bit of fun this past week. 

First off, I met Katie for lunch on Thursday!  So cool, and we got to chat and laugh.  They put us at the very back wall of the restaurant, LOL!  I guess, where they put people who laugh a lot!  Anyway.  That was funny...especially since there was some kind of birthday surprise thing going on with some younger people, LOL!  Katie's is so nice, online and irl.  Oh, and I now proudly display this...

   

in my scrapbook room.  Pretty cool, eh!?!  I totally love it :)

To get the Halloween mood going.  We've decorated a bit—nothing much, orange and purple lights on the balcony, and a couple of hanging signs on the front door.  The coolest thing, though, are these pancake mold from Williams-Sonoma.  They are too cute and awesome!

We've used it already, and the first batch turned out...well...awful, LOL!  The second batch were too cute to eat!  The kids love them :)  I made them whole wheat banana pancakes with maple syrup.  Yum!!  We are planning to make some sugar cookies soon.  Unfortunately, the cookie cutters that Megan wanted is now no longer available.  I'm sad that I waited to get it, but I guess it was a summer product at WS.  It would've been so cute, especially since the kids love little ocean creatures.  Anyway, I'm sure we'll find the perfect cutters soon.  Snowflake ones would be totally awesome.  Of course, I'm not sure that they exist.  I guess I should go googling :)

I'm a huge dork when it comes to adorable packaging, and clever gadgets.  I don't deny that I buy things because they are "cute."  I can resist them, though, usually...just gotta get find that will power, LOL!  Anyway.  I found the new Reynold's Handi-vac at Target.  I'm so darn excited about these, LOL!  B thinks I'm a dork...but he already knew that long ago!  I've been wanting something like this, but I don't think that having another big gadget in the kitchen would be a good thing.  This, however, is small, and the bags are perfect (since they are like zip bags).  I couldn't wait to try it out, and here is my first use of it, LOL!

Before...

After...

...voila!!  So far so good :)  I even tried opening it, then re-vacuum-sealing it...and worked awesome!  I've also tried it out, of course, in the kitchen...and so far so good :)  I like to buy fresh veggies (frozen-able ones) is that a work, LOL!, and cut them up to freeze (like bell peppers...).  Haven't tried it yet, but I think these bags will work perfectly.  Also, with my Lush addiction, this may just be the perfect way to keep them fresh.  See the pictures above, with It's a Pleasure Treasure massage bars :)  I don't usually stash the products since I like them fresh, but those are one of my favorite products from Lush, and it happens to be, now, a discontinued product.  I only got four of them—used one up already—because I wasn't sure how to keep them "fresh."  I'm tempted to buy a couple more of my lovely massage bars before they are truly gone.

Okay.  So, last night, I realize how "out of it" I've been.  This totally proves to me, not that I need proof from myself {LOL!}, that things have been chaotic!  This is the way my desktop look right now... {excuse the mess}...

...didn't even realize until last night that I'm calendar is way off {notice red circled months}!  If there is one things I'm good at, it's keeping my desktop organized and updated—I'm always on top of this.  I'm so 'good' at this, actually, that even despite my desktop being 'good' for two months, I usually update the calendar months monthly, anyway.  Love Katie's Calendar Brush set for this—makes it so easy!   And, I've had the same design (from Gina Cabrera's Simply Irresistaible, Corina Nielsen's little jewel, and Natalie Braxton's ribbon).  As you can see, however, my desktop is stuck on June/July.  :(  So sad!!  This is on my to-do list tonight, especially because now that I noticed, it's really bothering me!!!!  I gotta update that—so sad!

Okay.  Craziness...over.  LOL!  Happy weekend!! -m

mandy moore...

she is a totally cutie pie with great speaking and singing voice.  Anyway, this morning on yahoo's homepage, they have her right in front...I clicked, and wow...I love her version of Rhianna's Umbrella song.  I totally wish I could get this from itunes, but since I can't, I've decided to add it to my blog for easy access :)

enjoy!

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oh...got to go to Lush today.  My first stateside Lush :)  Just love that store!!  I've already used up most of the stuff I got in Switzerland, and I'm soooooo happy to have found a Lush store here.  Today, I got a couple yummy soaps, Figs and Leaves, and Mud Flats.  I also got Sweet Japanese Girl to try, just because I love Baby Face, and want a little exfoliating :)   This totally makes me happy!  LOL!

ah...better get my beauty sleep!  xo.  ciao!

-m