THE QUEEN OF QUIRK

au revoir!

I'll be leaving tonight until next Wednesday! :0) About to head downtown to finish up some last-minute errands and then I have to finish packing. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Saturday. Our girls are making the best of the dusting of snow we got last night. Ciao!

pants on fire

Ok, I have seriously GOT to get off this puter. I am SO NOT PACKED. I don't even have all my laundry done (and I am NOT showing up in Paris with 3 day old jeans!) I didn't even make it to the cleaners so now my house is going to covered in soggy sweaters and it'll smell like a wet sheep in here. Oopsa doodle doo.

And to top it all off, who am I kidding? I finished up another kit yesterday and am halfway through another one today. Everyone and their Grandma's uncle has a Valentine's kit coming out and for some reason I have this intense urge to jump on the wagon and make one, too. Except mine will be totally different. (Doesn't everyone say that?) But really, mine will be. For starters...there's not an ounce of pink to be found in it..or red...or even hearts. Still, it's for Valentine's day and I think people will like it....

At first I was gonna call it "CUPID SHOT ME IN THE ASS" but then I changed my mind. Orange you glad?

So, I need to go now. LOTS to do...and maybe, just maybe I'll rip myself outta this chair. But I doubt it. Wish me luck! :0) Ciao!

give it away now

Alrighty, that's it! I'm tired of this poo poo attitude and it's done with! No more of this ick! I am officially pulling myself out of this slump!

Last night Lara and I went downtown to do a little shopping for my Kimbo that's coming to Paris! We went all over downtown and Lara is the cutest thing...

L~ Mommy, does Miss Kim have kids?
J~ Yes, she has 2 daughters...don't you remember them from their Christmas card?
L~ Oh yeah!
J~ Why do you want to know?
L~ Because...they're pretty and I think they will want this. Maybe they like bunnies.

Lara then shows me a pair of bright pink journals with the playboy bunny on them.

J~ I think...maybe...those are GROWNUP bunnies.
L~ Well, I THINK it's for kids, Mommy. Look, it's pink. When I am a grownup, can I have this kind of bunny?
J~ errr...We'll see.

Gosh darnit, that innocence is adorable! So in order to lift her spirits, we went and visited the Hello Kitty aisle and scoped out all the Valentine's goodies. Poor thing! She wanted a Playboy journal so bad! But how cute that she wants to buy things for children she's never met. Such a giver! :0)

So I have this silly surprise for Kim and Cori and it really does show just how cheesy and ridiculous I am...but I don't know why, I just feel like they're visiting MY HOME. Even though they're not...heck, we won't even be in the same country. Still I take it as my duty to give them a grand welcome! It's times like these that make my dream of owning a bed and breakfast seem so logical. I really and truly love to play hostess...even in the smallest way. And I am just bouncing off the walls excited!

And even though I've been to Paris several times, I've never gone like this...just to shop, hang out, and take in the city. No kids, no schedule, no itinerary. We're going to be hitting the flea markets and thrift stores...and I simply cannot verbally express my excitement. Colin KNOWS how much I love antiques and vintage yumminess. It will be very hard for me to NOT come home with a suitcase full of treasures!

So today I am taking some sweaters to get them cleaned and then I am wrapping up gifts, finishing up some designing and then packing. Fun fun fun!! I need to get going though, because if Norah wakes up I'll never get it all finished! :0) Happy Thursday! Ciao!

Also...I want to say thank you to all you spirit lifters out there. THANK YOU. Your kinds words mean so much to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

worn out

I really hate times like this...where I just have no energy. The kids are sick, I feel like crap everyday, I am breaking out like a 15 year old, and the laundry keeps piling.

I am trying SO HARD to be upbeat and cheerful, but things are just not happening the way I want them to right now. Designs are getting kicked back to me (after MUCH hard work and attempted mind-reading), conflict and strife with people I barely know...and I get so upset when my kids are sick. I just want to help them feel better and I can't, so I sit here helpless. So much for strength.

There ARE 2 things, however, that are helping me right now. Saturday night I am heading to Paris to meet some fabulous women. That is my light at the end of the tunnel right now. And we just got a webcam in the mail from Drew Katie. I simply cannot wait to chat with them!! And the girls are thrilled to pieces to be able to 'see' them! What a perfect gift for us! The excitement mounts!

Strike that. There are 3 things. Colin....this man...oh this man is a blessing.  He's just so...GOOD. That's about it. He's just wonderful and he makes the days better.

I am slowly packing for Paris and crossing my fingers that my design work won't be a complete waste...I guess I need to get used to the corporate world.

I guess that's it for now. I need to go pick up Lara and Mia. I hope everyone is having a wonderful Tuesday!

human puke rag

Today has been awful to say the least.

Norah was up until 3 a.m. coughing. I brought her into bed with us to snuggle with her and she vomited all over me...disgustingly copious amounts...and then she did it again. So we got up, changed the bed linens, bathed Norah, changed her, and got her to go back to sleep.

I had a friend coming over for coffee this morning and I hadn't cleaned the house yet...the plan was to get up at 6 a.m. to do that...clean. Joy. So I cleaned til I woke the girls up at 7:15. Lara complained of a tummy ache and said she didn't want to go to school.

Norah was chipper and in good spirits, so I sent her to daycare as usual for a Friday. Then I got Mia dressed and walked her across the street to school. Lara hugged the potty for dear life. I came back with my friend, Vega, and we chatted and had coffee. Lara had some toast and water. She then proceeded to retch at the table and I barely got her to the bathroom on time. This continued til 10:30.

By the time I picked up Mia, Lara was exhausted and spent. She took a nap while a chipper Mia hung out. I had to cancel the girls' playdate to much screaming and protest despite the icky tummy. Lara woke up from her nap around the time Norah came home. She couldn't keep down water (more cleaning for me) so she didn't have anything else. :( The poor kid was starving.

Norah seemed like she was in a good mood and the report from her daycare provider was that she had a typical day. Of course, the child saved the best for dear old mommy. Copious vomiting ensue as well as 2 outfits changes.

Colin came home around 3 and everything seemed under control. I saw that Mia's pants had mud on them and asked her to change them for me and to bring me the hairbrush so I could fix Lara's hair (we'd had to give her a bath...she was rather icky).

Mia comes back to me with the brush...but sans pants. I noticed TONS OF RED DOTS ON HER LEGS. I made her take off her shirt and sure enough, hives galore...along her entire torso, neck, face, legs, and rear. Joy. So I'm slightly freaking out (must remember to eat more on days like today) and we're looking up Mia's symptoms in our Take care of Yourself book. We cross our fingers, hoping it's hives and head to the doctor's office.

I take Mia in, get scolded by the receptionist for not making an appointment. Apparently when a rash is involved, they will fit you in that day with an emergency appointment, but you must ring the downstairs doorbell twice so a receptionist can check the child outside to deter possible infections. But fortunately, Mia didn't have the plague. (So, la ti freakin da on the pissy receptionist. BOO receptionist!!) We were seen in about an hour and the doctor informed me she did have an allergic reaction (to what, I have NO clue) and prescribed her some antihistamine. So we race to the apothecary before they close only to find out they don't have it. They'll have it in the morning. I walked down the street to a different apothecary and they could have it to me by tomorrow afternoon. SO, I head back to the first one (viciously cussing them out in my head because Mia is suffering) and place the order for tomorrow morning. I then, of course, receive an onslaught of questions using medical jargon and simply cannot answer. (frustration mounts)

It was 6 p.m. and we raced home to make dinner because we're all starving and wiped out. I cooked while Colin put Noodle to bed. We tested Lara to see if she could keep down water. She could and then received some dry toast and a bit of couscous. And now I am sitting her typing this pathetic entry and Colin has just informed me that his tummy is icky.

JOY

I will be bald, grey, and bleeding out my eyes by the time I am 30. I just know it.

MARINARA

A new kit is up in the DigiChick boutique! 20% off today only!

I just adore this kit! So red and fun! There are also some kick butt labels and a really cool plastic clip! You can get the entire kit HERE. You can also buy separate the paper and the embellishments separately! EMBELLISHMENTS    PAPER  and here are the previews for those:

I've just been playing around in Photoshop lately...just stretching my digital legs and seeing what I can create. SO MUCH FUN! And I am really excited about all the new stuff that is coming up...notice the new logo? That's another surprise, too. Can't wait to reveal all this fun stuff!! Have a happy Thursday! Ciao!

wednesday blech

Colin and I are dragging today...eyes are burning, and we are oh so sleepy. Norah got 2 post-midnight baths last night. It was so gross. Puke everywhere...and SO MUCH! It just seems like it never ends...and the funny thing is that I was almost caught up on laundry..I had one load left. Well, now I have 7 and I'm bummed. :( Her little tummy is so upset, though. And she was so pitiful and cranky and she just couldn't stop crying. I hate that! when there's just nothing you can do and you just sit there and hope they get better. :0(

A highlight of my day, though, was getting to talk to Leah for the first time. She is just amazing! SO much fun!! Thanks for chatting with me, Leah! You rock, sister! :0)

One last thing...my super-friend Kim made the most amazing journal entry...it is seriously the most beautiful thing I have seen in a long time! The painting she used is one of Albrecht Duerer's. SO COOL. We actually went to his museum here in Germany. I need to dig the photos out from that trip and see if there are any good ones. Fingers crossed!

Alrighty, I'm outta here...need to snuggle with a certain Noodle. :0)

don't get all jealous now

Oh just admit it. You want to have TANG coming out of your faucet like me. It's ok. You can say it. I don't mind. I mean...come on...this is the epitome of fabulousness.

I know not everyone's as lucky as me...but one day you, too, could be blessed with such happy gifts. Mmmm...doesn't that look nummylicious?

Right from my faucet...life is good.

(actually this is nasty rust water....just so you all don't think I'm being snooty...this is the most disgusting thing to come out of our tap)

lucky girl

Thank you all so much for the well-wishes yesterday. I am actually feeling MUCH better. I did absolutely nothing yesterday...I wanted to, but I just rested. It was nerve-wracking at first because I felt like I wasted the day, but considering how tired I was in the evening after doing nothing all day, it was obviously the right choice. The chest pain never came back which leads me to believe 100% that it was just gas pain from the food. And my neck is still stiff and I have limited mobility, but I think it stemmed from me being so tense during the pain...I think my neck cramped or I possibly strained it. It still sucks and it is draining my energy because my neck is so tight,  but at least I can move now and when I turn my head I don't cry. That's always a good thing. :0)

Despite all this, I am feeling wonderful mentally. I seriously have the most wonderful husband. Colin is way too good to me. Last night around 8 I was so tired and was contemplating just heading to bed. He asked me if I wanted to take a bath. I reluctantly agreed (I'm not a big fan of bathrooms). So, he scrubbed the tub for me. SUCH a sweetheart. I never in a million years asked him to do that. So I took a scalding hot bath and my entire body was relaxed. I felt like I'd had a massage. After that, he gave me a foot massage and then rubbed my neck for over an hour. This morning he let me sleep in and then brought me breakfast in bed. I don't know what to say. He is just awesome and I am one lucky girl.

And since I'm feeling better, we're going to go shopping. I suggested we just head downtown here, but he wants to go to Frankfurt where the shopping is better. I'm not gonna argue with that kind of logic. I can't push the stroller or carry Noodle for very long (I actually still can't bend over easily) but I CAN walk around. Plus I love stopping by Starbucks for a Frappuccino. So, he's cleaning up the house (SO LUCKY) before we go and I think it's going to be a lovely Saturday despite the other stuff.

I'm such a pain in the neck ;0)

I can't wait til I'm back to myself again! Have a wonderful weekend! Ciao! :0)

ra ra ra yeah

That was the first thing out of Norah's mouth this morning. RA RA RA YEAH. Way too cute!

Speaking of chubby babies, my neck hurts. Whu? Yeah....it REALLY hurts. I look like Joan Cusack in Sixteen Candles...that scene where she's 'drinking/lapping' from the water fountain...you know which scene...I am in serious pain.

Ok, so last night I went with Jenny to the Aussie bar and we ordered an appetizer of coconut chicken strips. They come on a bed oraw bean sprouts with a sweet/sour dipping sauce...I ate ONE. Ok, so I'm sitting there sipping on my Strongbow, and someone lights a ciggy....no big deal, but it kinda turns my stomach. I just really don't like the smell...especially when I'm eating. THEN I have to stop talking (trust me, it takes some serious pain to get my mouth to stop working) and I'm clutching my chest cuz it feels like someone has my sternum in a vice...so NOT cool..it was intense, sharp and there was so much pressure. ICK! It came in waves and would recede for about a minute and then come back full force..it was almost like I was having labor contractions..only in my chest...and in my bones. Trust me, it didn't feel good. And as bad as it hurt, I think it was just gas. Crazy. I burped a few times (just stop reading right now if this gastronomical adventure grosses you out) and everytime I took a sip of my drink (which is carbonated) the pain would come back and I would have these teeny tiny burpies. I've had these chicken strips before, but I'm not sure if I ever munched on the sprouts before....but I'm Korean...I LOOOOVE sprouts. So I really don't know. I think that's what it was, though. So, after the pain lets up I turn around to look at a really loud obnoxious table...and I can't. I can't turn my head. The pain was so bad and it felt concentrated by my right shoulder blade. Could girls' night out GET any worse?!?!!?

OK, so after we paid, we walked to the street tram and it was raining, so I opened my umbrella. It's brand new. The WIND bent it. So, it's raining, my brella is broken, I can't move my neck, and my chest hurts. No big deal. I gave birth naturally- I can deal with this...I'll just sleep it off and I'll be fine in the morning. WRONG.

The pain is the same as it was last night..it hurts to just stand and not do anything. It hurts so bad I can't pick up Norah. It hurts so bad that Colin is taking a half day so he can be home when Noodle gets home so he can take care of her. My body is so tense that my forearms are starting to hurt just typing this right now. SO, that's my cue. I need to get off the computer...I guess I'll just watch some movies. I don't know, but I feel like the whole day is wasted now.

Seriously, what is UP with me (I KNOW what you're gonna say, KIM!! LOL!) Colin even asked me if I had a stroke. God, I hope not. :0(