Hope Never Abandons You;

Pictures!

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 01:59:02 GMT

La Babe, on the way home first week of daycare. Her teacher did her hair, so I didn't recognize her right away when I picked her up. But how cute is that?

Coloring eggs on Easter. If you draw with a white crayon before you color them, your picture shows up.

A fake smile she gives us when we want pictures. So cute!

The egg kit this year came with glitter/sand crap, so she's painting glue on the egg to glitter it. Bad idea manufacturers; when you open the egg the sand gets all over! She liked it though, even though her eggs turned out to be mostly just covered in sand.

My brother Luke was home for the weekend, and he brought his cats (our mom is taking care of them till he gets out of the Army). Jacelyn LOVED them, and they responded very well to her harassment. This is Pandora.

And Hara. Hara responded better to the maltreatment, but they were both good. They're sisters, about eight months old.

J and me, just lounging.

Giving kisses.

I made a dress a while back, and here J is playing with the extra fabric.

New Catalog

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:58:53 GMT

Yesterday I received a catalog from Body Central. Why? I have no idea, as I've never even heard of them, much less made an order. They sell clothing and some jewelry, targeted toward young women. I flipped through, and was actually quite impressed.
My first thought - there is cultural variety in the models. Alongside the white women, there were models of African, Asian, Hispanic, and Indian descent. +1
Next - each model appeared to have augmented breasts. I doubt they all do (or even many), but the editing was such that even in skimpier tops where wearing a bra is impossible, they had perfect, perky, nipple-less, round breasts. +0
Also - while there were plenty of v- and scoop- necks, bare shoulders and backs, and most items are form fitting, I didn't get any did-you-pick-her-up-on-the-corner vibe. +1
Then - they're called Body Central. Am I the only one a little bothered by that? Could we center ourselves on something else? +0
With a bit of online checking - their size selection is actually kind of lame. With the random few items I clicked, the options were S, M, L. Jeans were size 3 - 13, no inseam options. Shoes 6 - 10. +0
Last - the prices weren't bad. Not that I ever pay full price for an item, but tops average around $15, pants around $20 (jeans a bit higher), and dresses $25. +1

If they send me a clearance catalog and it contains a few items that I want, I would consider buying from this company.

Oreo Cakesters

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:55:19 GMT

Thank you, Nabisco, for making women look like idiots. Am I the only one offended by this? Even the dog is looking like the women portrayed are retards. I actually like Oreo Cakesters (as far as prepack junk food goes) but somehow I think I'll find something else when I don't feel like baking.

End of the World?

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:23:35 GMT

Katy, Dave, and any friends who have an opinion:

Do you think Obama is the anti-Christ? Tell me all about it.

Comments are screened and won't be posted without permission.

ETA: Thank you all for your responses! I appreciate your opinions.

Picture Post

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:09:38 GMT

Here Jacelyn is painting her toe nails.

And painting her pumpkin before Halloween

The completed pumpkin

Cleaning up

She fell asleep before trick or treating was over

She was a parrot (I was a pirate) but she was actually pretty cranky that day, so eventually I'll get some good pics of the costumes.

Product Reviews

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:50:51 GMT

Rosebud Salve is one of my favorite lip balms. Smooth, colorless and creamy, with an amazing rose scent, I give this a 5 out of 5.

Minted Rose salve, I was thoroughly unimpressed with. Just as smooth, colorless and creamy as the rosebud salve above, with a nice scent, this one doesn't moisturize at all. In fact, I felt like it made dry lips worse. I have no idea where they went wrong on the fabulous product above, but I give this a 1 out of 5.

Super Shield Skin Saver SPF 15 smells sort of rain forest-fruity. Which is cool if you like that sort of thing, but I prefer not to smell like food. It left a greasy residue on my face though and caused me to break out. Also, you have to apply VERY GENEROUSLY for it to work. I give it 2 out of 5.

Philosophy Make Up Optional was really fabulous - for the first month. It cleared up my skin, is nicely (lightly) scented, and goes a long way. However, now I'm breaking out more than usual, so I'll try something new next time. 3 out of 5.

Philosophy Microdelivery Peel is amazing. A two minute treatment that I can use in the shower, my skin is immediately softer, smoother, and more even. However, since the results don't last very long, I give it a 4 out of 5.

Korres Lip Butter in Quince is a nice color, but too waxy for me and not moisturizing. Also, it comes off with a kiss - which would be okay if I bought clear, but is no good in color. I might wear it for semi special occasions, but for everyday use I'll stick with Rosebud Salve. It has an odd "flavorless" flavor; I give it 2 out of 5.

Bare Escentuals get started kit is nice, but the lightest shade included (not the lightest available) is too dark for me, so the coverage makes me look funny and yellow. The Skin Rev-er Upper smells like Elmer's Glue, but if you can get past that it does make for smoother application of creams and make up. Having SPF is nice, but wearing that much powder makes my skin feel dry and tight. It also falls into blemishes and makes them look worse. The bronzer is also too dark for me, but I do like the Mineral Veil alone. That said, I think the set was worth buying just for the good deal on the brushes, which are very high quality. 3 out of 5.

Congratulations,

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:57:00 GMT

You're a Woman Now!

I don't have any cool period stories to tell (in fact, I don't even remember my first period), but if any of the ladies on my list have something I would love for them to submit it.
I talk to editor Suzanne Reisman and read her personal blog, and she's just fabulous - I have no doubt that this book will be as well. :D

(I kinda feel like an advertisement now. And Gabe, you may not submit a story you made up, although I have no doubt it would be hilarious. Women only.)

Why?

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:09:19 GMT

Why? Why?

Why?

Why?                               Why?                              Why?

Why?
       Why?

    Why?                                          Why?

Why?
Why?

My dear child, you are not old enough for this!

Cupcakes

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:39:21 GMT

You know the drill.

From ghostlove - Meme

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 04:18:49 GMT

The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed. Well let's see.

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you LOVE.
4) ~~Reprint this list in your own LJ so we can try and track down these people who've read 6 and force books upon them ;-)~~

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible - not all of it
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne - Is it weird that I've never read Winnie the Pooh?
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

Would you like to pee...

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:40:51 GMT

... on something very sophisticated?

Lol!

Cakes and Such

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:59:31 GMT

LiaSophia.

LiaSophia.

Mom's birthday.

Amy's birthday.

Frog.

Rainbow.

Out for Mother's Day. Grandma Sue (my dad's mom), myself + baby, my mom.

My sister's boyfriend Leeland with my baby at the Detroit Zoo. May 31 08.

Jacelyn and I made cookies together a few weeks back.

The finished cookies.

Resting outside an attraction at the zoo. From left: (My) Uncle Doug, me with baby, great Aunt Shirley, Aunt Kathy. Doug is my mom's brother and married to Kathy; Shirley is my grandma's sister.

My maternal grandma with Jacelyn at the zoo.

Leeland and Jacelyn playing with bubbles in my messy kitchen. A couple weeks ago.

?=7

Photo Preview, Random

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:35:40 GMT

I had a photo shoot in Frankenmuth on Thursday. When I get the rest of the set I'll post each category behind a cut.

Part of the costumes I made; the reason I did the photo set.

This set was just for fun. I wore this costume to my freshman homecoming.

Hosted a LiaSophia party tonight. It was okay. A bunch of the people who told me they'd show up did not, but it was nice anyway. One of the guests' husband sells this interesting health juice, Mona Vie. So we chatted for a while, and their almost-two year old daughter played/fought with mine. This party was rather small, but I think I'll do it again anyway - it's a nice excuse to get people together. And make cake. ;)

Le Sigh

Wed, 28 May 2008 03:24:32 GMT

The play is over. It was fabulous, but so. much. work. It's a relief to be completed, but I'll miss my hot box girls.

+2

Details.

Details.

I took a few pics of myself in and out of my makeup.

Partially made up for the show.

More make up, faded after the show. Yes, I was driving in this picture.

Washed and pj-ed after the show, and ready for bed!

Look!

Somebody got me a rose! You'll never guess who!

It wasn't my parents. It wasn't any of the guys who stalk me.
...

Oh yeah. My chiropractic, of all people, brought me a rose after the last show. I thought it was about the sweetest thing. (Not creepy; the first picture in this post is his daughter, she starred in the show. And he's nice like that.)

Guys and Dolls Work

Thu, 22 May 2008 19:38:11 GMT

A prop. Details.

Details.

Skirt, wrap, necklace. Details and closeups.

Skirt, wrap, bracelet. Details and closeups.

More later. Tonight is our second show, tomorrow night is the last... Yesterday went well. :D

(Anti) Sex and the City Meme

Wed, 21 May 2008 16:50:45 GMT

What's the cheapest pair of shoes you own?: Are you kidding? The most I've ever paid for shoes was $30, and those were from Hot Topic (platform maryjanes). My cheapest I believe are a strappy purple heel that I got on clearance for $4.

What's your favorite piece of jewelry, if you own any?: My hope necklace. I got the charm for $5 and the chain I use I got free from the extras of Guys and Dolls jewelry.

What's your favorite t-shirt?: Good question. I wear sweaters a lot, but recently I've gotten a handful of "go green" sentiment tees. Organic cotton, too.

If you could wear jeans every day, would you? Yes, the only thing that stops me is my inability to find jeans that fit well at a price I'm willing to pay. Someday I'll get around to making them.

Do you comb your hair every day? Yeah. Not usually until well after noon though.

You know you want to check out the original article.

Play

Mon, 19 May 2008 15:25:45 GMT

Happy Birthday mmaso001!

In total, I made 26 costume pieces for the play, modified a wedding gown and made cake for the cast and crew. Pictures eventually. But that's where I've been - we have dress rehearsal today and tomorrow, then Wednesday we open the show at 7. I should have a life again next week or the following. I tanned (from a bottle - no cancerous rays for me) and polished my nails for it too. O.o

Junk Food

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:50:24 GMT

Details.

Details.

Details.

Details.

I don't know where the jpg is of baby's birthday cake, but here it is, and here is a shirt I modified.

Poop...

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:01:59 GMT

... Is suddenly a lot more exciting than I ever imagined.

Jacelyn has been sitting on the potty semi-regularly since she was about 18 months. Sometimes she'd pee, sometimes not. Recently, she's been peeing almost every time. Tonight she was on the potty while I was getting ready for bed, which is normal, and when I was finished I got her down and started to diaper her when I noticed she pooped in the potty! "All done!" she announced when she saw me looking.

She's still not dry, but w00t! for progress!

Assorted Christmas Pictures

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:31:11 GMT

With my cousin's baby, Laura.

Having a treat.

With my maternal grandmother, my uncle in the background.

My dad and baby.

Emptying the stocking.

My mom and baby.

Me, baby, Amy, my dad.

She enjoyed passing out the gifts on Christmas.

New Hair

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 05:41:27 GMT

I went to a wig shop! Go ahead and laugh, but I am obsessed with curly hair. So I tried some on, and I still love it! I considered cropping the store out of the photos, but decided that would be far too much work.

Two half-extensions, each 18". This was my least favorite of all I tried on, and this is the best shot of it.

My favorite of all. If I ever bought new hair, this would be it.

Another...

Like the tag showing? But it's more of my favorite.

I don't have anything cool to say about this one. Neither does Luke.

I thought this hair was kind of renaissance wench-ish... Maybe I'm just too white. "Or not wench-ish enough." (Luke) But I thought it was a good shot.

This was the first I tried on, and in the store I didn't like it. Maybe it's too blond for me. But now it's my second favorite.

Cake.

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:05:59 GMT

Details.

Details.

I'm afraid...

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:50:34 GMT

...that I have just made a terrible mistake.

Brother Rant

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:55:41 GMT

Adam drives me nuts. The fact that my parents don't give a shit also drives me nuts, although at this particular moment my parents are gone, so it's just Adam.

Jacelyn just poured a bag of slivered almonds out. This doesn't bother me as much as it should, because I'm too busy being bothered that Adam calls me to tell me about it instead of doing something. When I finish what I was doing and come back to the living room, I notice she poured them halfway in his lap, and he still does nothing. It looks like he stood to brush them off, then went right back to his game.

I don't mind cleaning them up, and I'm not in a hurry - but he won't do it ever. If I hadn't been here, they'd still be here tomorrow, next week. Next year probably. :eyeroll:

Whatever, I can clean up the almonds, and whatever else needs cleaning. I just get so irritated because he's so rude, thoughtless and lazy. Not that I'm perfect, or even terribly active, but when I see shit that needs to be done, I do it. Imagine that! Even to get him to do something simple like set the table or put away the dishes, mom (or occasionally I, when I bother) have to argue with him for a lot of minutes, and IF he does it at all, it's not for several hours. He whines about everything. (This is venting. I'm told it's healthy.)

But venting doesn't make me feel better, because he's the same jackass he was before, and my parents still ignore it. He's seventeen now, but it's not like this hasn't been going on for five years.

</rant>

The Past Few Days...

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 05:34:23 GMT

Today:
I give up on butter cakes. They all suck. Box cakes ftw!

Yesterday:
Met a friend from grade school in Midland and we hung out for a while. Way cool.

Saturday:
Michael took me to Taganai, which, by the way, was amazing. I tried to get backstage, but no one knew anyone who knew what to do. If I knew the place better I would have just sneaked back alone. Ah well. Perhaps next time.

I don't remember anything before that, but

Cake for church. Details.

Failed commission skirts. Details.

Peaceful sleeping baby, on one of the rare days that I wake up first.

Sleeping again, right in the middle of dinner. She missed her nap that day.

My baby loves to read! And those are my parents.

Helping cook...

I got dressed...

...all by myself!