me?

I looked for a photo of me. Not much to choose from. I am the family picture taker person. Wanted something a little more attractive. But, instead, I found something super real.

When I look at this picture I feel a little guilty. I get mom points for sleeping outside with my son when he had croup (in the middle of the summer?!). The cool summer air calmed him and helped him sleep. I get those points taken away when I see that I have hogged all the covers. He looks so cold. Especially that strip of his back.

Today I learned that there is a town called Cerda in Italy that has an artichoke festival. A festival for one of my favorite foods ever. There is even an artichoke restaurant. I want to go there. I need to go there. Tomorrow.

I found these cute little Martha Stewart craft sets at Big Lots for $2. Perfect for the kids. So cute. So cheap. So I buy 15. What? Yeah, I decided every kid I know needs some. This is something I do. I find something on sale and want everyone I love to have some. Or that I need 2 or 7. Then, that great deal ends up costing a lot of money. The positive is that I get to share my bargains and I am prepared if, by chance, 15 kids show up and want to do crafts.

My toe nail polish needs to be changed. I hate it when the polish is all chippy and grown out. I hate it so bad that when Eva was born three weeks early and I had absolutely nothing ready because I wasn't expecting it, I remember rolling around in pain on the hospital bed AND being bugged that my toe nails weren't pretty on such a special day.

I want to do a bunch of cute Halloween decorations but I am such a procrastinator. Thing is, Halloween waits for no one. So the longer I wait, the less time we have to enjoy my efforts. Then I walk into the store and there is Christmas stuff all around. Then I think, "Oh great, more stuff for me to procrastinate."

I once was in the cell phone store, in line behind a couple that seemed to be taking forever. Their complaint was that the wife's phone wasn't working. When she pressed auto dial, it wouldn't call the person that she was trying to reach. After checking several things on her phone, the cell phone store guy looks in her phonebook to make sure she has programmed the numbers correctly. "Why do you have all these stars before and after the phone numbers?" Too bad for her that it doesn't work when you dial a bunch of stars before a phone number. "Because they are pretty," she answers.

I don't like winter. I don't like cold. In the last few weeks I have made 6 kinds of soup: Pasta Fagioli, Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder, Tortilla, Butternut Squash, Potato Broccoli and Tomato Bisque (twice). Soup is one good thing about winter. But I really really really prefer salad weather.

What is the point of exercising in the morning if it just makes me sleepy all day long? "They" say it is good for me. Whoever "they" are, will they come take care of my kids while I crash on my couch?

Went to a restaurant. It was okay. Got home and found that I had a coupon for the place for a free meal. I hate that. I hate paying full price for things. I hate that I paid for my mediocre meal. Hate that it wasn't good enough to go back and get my free meal. I did this last week AND the week before. Note to self: double check coupons before going into a potentially mediocre restaurant.

I think I remember every scary story that I have ever heard. For that reason, when I am alone and it is dark outside I get kind of nervous and glance in back to make sure no scary guys are back there (while making sure the scary guy under the car doesn't get me, too). Then I get my heart rate down by telling myself, "It is just a story, there is not going to be anyone in your car, you are fine." Cops came for (the night formerly know as) enrichment to tell us a little about their jobs and our safety and what not. Nice police man tells us about the lady that got in her car and drove then realized there was a homeless guy sleeping in her car. Just great. Fabulous. Now I have to do a homeless guy check when I get in the car and figure out a new, more accurate mantra to calm my nervous heart. We had donuts for refreshments.

When I left my house today, it was drizzling and I saw my cute red polka dot rain boots. Eva was wearing her cherry ones. Samuel was wearing his cool fire dept. ones. I asked my sister, "Am I skinny enough to wear these in public?" Some people can wear rain boots and look all J Crew, fashionable, "I am wearing these on purpose." Some people can wear rain boots and look like they forgot to change their shoes after they were gardening or they are trying to make an, "I will not conform" statement. I wanted to look like the first description. With the encouragement of my very fashion conscious sister, I wore them. First public comment I got went something like this, "Is it really raining that hard?"

It is almost 3 am. Karl is tiling the kitchen backsplash, I am watching Martha and blogging. Nothing unusual here. For us, at least.

***********************************************************************************

I just signed up for a bunch of classes for Nicole Hill's The Art Weekend. I love going to classes. I love getting inspired. I love learning how to do more stuff that I can start and send to the "to be finished" bucket. I have taken many classes in my day and Nicole's photo class has been BY FAR the most inspiring. Book binding, paper cutting, screen printing, photoshop, photoshop actions, how to start an etsy shop (I debated about this one but if I am going to take 5 classes, might as well take six, right?)... all things I know nothing about besides that I have wanted to learn for a long time. I am kind of embarrassed at how crafty nerdy I am. I found someone to join me for photoshop but I need someone else to join me for the other (more nerdy) classes. If someone joins me, I am more likely to not fall asleep. I have been known to doze off, no matter how fascinated I am by the topic. Huh? What do you mean everyone doesn't have a secret desire to bind a book?

***************************************************************************************