*caution* VIEW AT YOUR OWN RISK

OK Here are some of the before photos!

{do you think the Black is obvious?}

Demolition begins!

{yeah, it's stuck}

Let's start workin'!

Demolition has begun!

We have started ripping out our black bathroom!!! I can not tell you how EXCITED I am for this! We have lived in our house for 5 years now and every day for 5 years I have asked myself {why} is this bathroom still like this? Well, this weekend Brian ripped it out. It is down to the bare walls-- no trim-- the black ceiling has a thick layer of WHITE primer on it and the black vanity has moved out. Oh yeah, did I mention the black wallpaper with funky purple, pink, and green flowers is in a big ol' trash bag?! YAHOOOOOOO! I ordered the new floor (to cover the black tile) yesterday and cannot wait for it to come in. We bought a new vanity, wainscoting, and new wallpaper, medicine cabinet and lights. It's all new! and updated and NOT BLACK! I will post pictures tomorrow (as it's getting late) but I just had to say...demolition has begun! :)

Cover Girl

My sister, Rita, has been scrapbooking for a couple of years (this time around) and has made a big impression in most places she has been. She is a designer for Prima and was for Scrapologie. She does fabulous work that lots of people admire {me included}! Well, today she sent an email with her new *cover* for Scrapbook Trends. She was asked to be on their cover and she did a layout of my niece, Ella. Isn't she cute? It should be in stores for April. Isn't that neat!! Yeah Rita! Good job! I love what you do and admire it all so very much!

The Parent Meeting

Tonight I had the "parent" meeting for Garrett's modeling. There were about 15 parents there to hear about what it is your child will be doing. I looked around and thought to myself 'what am I doing here?' but I stayed to follow it through. They gave you a lot of information~ what you need to sign, where, and when. What you need to do to schedule and more of the paper work. I brought it all home to show Brian before I sign anything but I think I will try Garrett out at it and see how he does. They don't pay the kids much $75.- $150 an hour but then I thought 'that's a lot more than I get an hour and I have a bachelors degree!' :) I brought the 16 photos that Kendra helped me put together for tonight's meeting {Thank you Kendra} and handed them in so they could make his "Laser" sheet- basically an
8 1/2 x 11 sheet with 3-4 photos (after giving them 16!) of Garrett with his stats on it -height, weight, clothing size, ect. Too funny. He has to bring one of these with him to the shoots as well as his new "model bag" which will have to have a pair of jeans, white t-shirt, white keds, and khakis (oh yeah-- powder and consealer just in case haha) and some quiet toys.
We should get the Laser back in a couple of weeks and then he will be in the pool for work! I laugh every time I say it.
I will be sure to share when he gets his first job!

It's my Birthday

Yesterday was my 34th birthday. Is it possible to be that old already? :) I know I know people say we are so young but it is strange to turn 34! I had a great day. Brian was home and let me sleep in. Garrett and I went to the mall for a little bit-- it was a freezing rain mess outside all day so we couldn't do too much outside. Then in the afternoon we went over to The Wirig's house. Kendra is the fabulous photographer who took Garrett's pictures in the fall so we went over to see if she could get some more. Unfortunately, 4pm is not a good time for most kids. Her three and Garrett were all on the edge so we didn't have much luck. So, we're going to try again today. :)
I got home to Brian making dinner ~ Crab stuffed salmon with asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes ~ Yum! It was delicious! He had roses and party hats and all. It was fun. He did bring balloons but I am really allergic to latex and they were latex balloons so Garrett has taken to them more than me. I am just trying to stay away from them so I don't stop breathing! ha A beautiful cake too! Oh my! I think it is one of the prettiest cakes I have ever had! It is from this new cake store call The White Flower Cake Company They make beautiful cakes! I loved it! and it tastes soooooo good!

I got some wonderful gifts~ a manicure and pedicure {yeah!} some money, and gift certificate to the new stamp shop I mentioned before. :) Thanks Sweetie!

Thank you for making the day wonderful. You always make me feel special!

bummer :(

Well, I didn't get the job I was hoping I would get. After waiting three weeks for an answer I finally got a voice mail Friday (but didn't listen to it until Saturday) saying they were sorry for not getting back to me earlier. They decided to go with someone with a little more experience than me. It was between me and one other person. I guess that is good {trying to stay positive here} I made it that far and it was the first time I had interviewed for such a big job...but I have to say I am disappointed. I really wanted this job and thought I would do a great job at it. I am mad. Sad. Feeling defeated. Mad and sad. But hey, things happen for a reason and when I get over it {give me a few days will ya} I will be fine. I will look for another position that I will do just as good a job at.

To keep my spirits up I went out to this little stamp shop I found. I actually found a stamp company called A Muse Art Stamps and looked for a store who carries them. Well, I found a diamond in the rough. It's this little hole in the wall and when I say little I mean little. Two people can not fit down the same aisle. You get to know the other customers while you are there. The store is called The Rubber Stamp Studio and it's in South Euclid, Ohio. They have some scrap book supplies and lots of stamps. They have classes and the owner was so nice. She offered me to email her with the stamps I like from AMuse and she will order them! How sweet is that! Anyway-- if you have time, and like to use stamps, check out http://www.amuseartstamps.com/ They have really cute stuff! I bought the camper and a tree with a tire swing. :)

Oh. I work with a doctor who is so generous to our family. He has been giving us hand-me-down toys from his kids for Garrett. His family is so sweet. I love his wife. She is so cute and so friendly and great. They are so kind and really love giving us stuff (for lack of a better way to put it). We on the other hand are so very grateful. Garrett loves to hear that Dr. Fedele gave me toys for him...so this is what moved in the weekend. Sponge Bob Squarepants bed tent. It is suppose to go on a twin bed but since Garrett is still sleeping in his crib, we put it in the living room for now. Thank you Dr. Fedele & Sharon! He loves it!!

A star in the making!

Ugh...it's been a rough start to the week. I got sick on Saturday with the cough, runny nose, I want to puncture-my-sinuses-and-let-them-drain-feeling, achy, fever, YUCK YUCK YUCK. I hate being sick. I have been so lucky the last few years that I haven't been too sick but this seemed to knock me down. We were suppose to go visit our friends the Pedersen's on Saturday and I had to cancel. Thinking I would feel better Sunday, I told them we would come up then. Well, I woke up Sunday feeling and sounding worse! ugh!!

I finally feel better today. I am still blowing god-awful gunk out of my head but I have my voice back (which I lost Monday afternoon) and Garrett and I made it out of the house. Of course, where did we go...Target. heehee! Where I found the cutest clock for our kitchen! It's a faux cuckoo clock but I love it!! Oh and we've gotten about two feet of snow over the last two days. We're making up for lost time.

We have a new toy...a basketball hoop. Brian went out and bought Garrett a basketball hoop because Garrett has been taking all about basketball lately. He has a dance he does that he calls 'basketball' too. It's really funny. He's pretty good. He gets baskets from across the room...it's funny!

My sister Stacey is a wee bit competitive when it comes to sports and she and my cousin Nathan have had this rivalry on Easter where they play one-on-one basketball. It's the funniest thing to watch. So we taught Garrett to use her slogan. He says: "Bring it on Auntie Stacey!" You'll have to play him next time you're visiting! ha!