Y3W: Girl Gone Design

It isnt' even up and running yet. I haven't had time. I have been so busy with .. well .. designing things for family.

A graduation announcement!

The cousins 30th Birthday invite. That is actually HER in the cup; a pic from the NKOTB concert!

A 30th Birthday Beer Bottle Label.

Our save the date for the family christmas party!

busy busy busy.

Happy Friday.

Another nanny bites the dust....

And this time, it totally was NOT my fault! I didn't fire her, she put in her two weeks.

So? Onto daycare we go.

Jade will finish out this week and be done next Friday on October 7th (she gave us more of a notice than that, but it works better for us to end on 10/7). Lyla's first week of daycare will start 10/10. I just so happen to have off work that day {thank you very much Mr. Columbus}so she will go half day Monday - Friday (10th-14th) And the following week she'll start full time.

Today on my lunch break, I am going to pick up her enrollment papers.

Lyla is officially starting school! This is a very exciting time. She is really going to grow and learn so much. She is going to have fun. Make friends. Be TIRED. Play! and be the happiest baby EVER! This is definitely the best thing for her.

I'm sounding pretty damn positive for a mom who is about to send her kid off to daycare for the first time in a week and a half huh? Well that's because I did my mourning. I cried. I drank wine. I cried some more. I talked to anybody who would listen to me that night. And I even talked to those who weren't listening, and I knew they weren't listening...but I didn't care, I kept talking. I drank more wine. And then I cried more. It seemed the more I drank the more I cried. But? Wednesday morning I woke up {puffy eyed and all} brushed myself off, smiled and went and got my baby out of the crib and moved on with our day, smile and all.

I'm not an idiot {contrary to popular belief} I KNOW this is going to be hard. I also know I don't know how hard this is going to be. But what the hell is the point in being sad about this? It's going to happen whether I want it to or not. So I'm going to embrace all the positive and ignore all the negative. I'm going to drop Lyla off that first day with a smile on my face and make my daughter feel as comfortable as possible. I will give her a kiss, say "buh buh" blow her a "muah" and walk out with my head high....

crawl dramatically on all four to my car while bawling my eyes out and sobbing so hard I gasp to catch each breath. sit there and wait for the entire three hours and fifty nine minutes only to run like I have never ran before back into that daycare and grab her and hug her and kiss her and go buy her toys

go shopping for a bit. Then go back and pick her up. And all will be fine while I am gone.

That is my plan. And I'm sticking to it.

What?

Action

The other day I was bored. No seriously. It was a gorgeous day, I refused to stay inside cleaning or doing anything of that nature, so I was bored and got out the ol' camera that I haven't had a lot of time to play with lately. and so...my little models and I had fun on the deck. I played with my aperature. Shutter speed. Exposure...etc. and look at what I made!!!!!!!

First three photos have a few minor edits in photoshop. I just can't get enough of the quick edge burn.

These eyes need NO photoshop work.

Are YOU talking to meee?

If I drink will it make coping with Brutus easier mama? No. No honey it won't. He's a pain.

He may be a pain, but isn't he a cutey?

Here mom. Hold this.

 This happens more times than I would like but I guess it's part of being a mama.

And the infamous one year old look that I know every single mom either knows like the back of their hand or remember from when they had babies.

Gawd. It's so wrong snapping a picture while she is melting down.

14 months and 3 weeks old

30 Years....and going strong.

I haven't had much time to write lately and the reason i couldn't write I couldn't post about!

My cousins surprise 30th birthday. Oh my goodness ... now THAT was a party!

We are only about 2.5 months apart. We grew up together. We are now growing old together. We are sisters from different misters. We are.....inseparable.

My best friend. My own little "team amanda". The one I know I can always talk to ... no matter what. The one who I have drifted away from and always knew I could come back to. And? she thinks I'm pretty cool too.

The one who just gets me....whether she agrees with what I'm doing or not.

My very best friend. Happy 30th birthday (on Wednesday)! ::see you at Red Robin::

She loves Edward. She is slightly obsessed with the Twilight series, so am I...but she takes it to a whole other level.

Check out her kick ass party!

Birthday girl in the left bottom row with the grey sweater. Me in the middle bottom row with cowgirl hat and black shirt. Edward...well....if you can't pick him out, you should go see a doctor.

The comment may or may not have been made by one of the waitresses "There are a bunch of older ladies out their groping on Edward" and our waitress may or may not have said "Rock on ladies...rock on"

Thank you pinterest for inspiring me to set up a photo booth with him with costumes - they freaking rocked the party.

Her dad even joined in on the fun.

I loved the colors of these decorations (her favorite color is purple)

Gift table/photo booth table

Sign made by me (Girl Gone Design) telling the guests what to do with Edward.

Happy Monday all!

Toddlerhood is fun!

This weekend. It was a good good weekend. I got to spend a lot of time with GOOD friends, Great food and even better kiddos.
Friday we went to celebrate a very good friends new job! Lyla did well, but got antsy at the end. It's too hard to manage a one year old at a dinner and take pictures, so? I have none. But she did sport her glasses almost the entire time! She loves them.

Saturday morning we got up and tackled some chores, the biggest being the grocery store. I am a super planner and may even be up for the mother of the year award. My timing? it was impecable. I fed her breakfast, changed her diaper and out the door we went. I arrived home just in time for her nap and while she napped I unloaded the groceries and got them all put away. L was up. I showered and off we went to The Whitaker Center KidsPlace. Sure, it was tough getting there. Parking. Whiney 1 year old who was all nice and rested and ready to roll (not be stuck in a car) but it was totally worth it once we finally got there. Lyla wore herself out!

I couldn't take nearly as many photos as I would have loved to because, well, lets face it. Controlling a one year old on your own, in a place like this is nearly IMPOSSIBLE. But I snapped when I could. And this place? We will definately go back to! Without a doubt.

Saturday night I put Lyla to bed and enjoyed a fire with the hubby along with some football and beer. OSU isn't look too hot this year so it was a rather quiet game in our house.

Sunday we went to breakfast together and then to Kohls for some much needed winter PJ's for Lyla, a fleece jacket and socks. No shoes in her size, and we definately need them. J says she "mushroom tops" out of the top of her shoes right now. He's right. I guess. Her size is just so hard to find. But this mama is now on a mission to find them. I must! She needs some boots to go with all the leggings that are in style this year. right? RIGHT!

When we got back home L went to bed. J washed and waxed cars. I got some laundry done and some other things off my chore list. Then, L was back up before I knew it. And She isn't just "up" now. No n o no. When L is up...mama is on the run. No need for weight watchers, jenny craig, the shake it weight...no no no....I just run. Non stop. All over the place after her. We must go go go to keep this girl entertained and happy.

Later in the day L and I went to visit a friend and then over to my cousins for dinner. Where Lyla continued to play her little heart out (and eat her little heart out).

Home. To Bed. And now back at work.

Is it Friday yet????

Somethings you are doing now?

yelling at me: "ma ma ma"
pointing at pictures and telling them they are me "ma ma ma"
yelling at me: "ma ma ma"
Pointing to what you want - THANK GOD!
handing me things you don't want - this gets rather interesting.
kissing.
more kissing.
waving.
kissing.
and when you don't feel like kissing? we all get a hand to the mouth and a big loud muah! You love blowing kisses and when anybody (even nonhumans) are "going bye bye" they get kisses.
crawling. Speed crawling actually. if there was an event in the Olympics I know for a fact you would win.
more crawling.
Playing.
talking. Up. A. Storm. - you may not look like me, but you certainly got my babble mouth. God bless your little soul.

I could go on and on and on. Everyday its something new. Something interesting. And you crack me up or drive me mad.

Every night I read you books. One of my favorites ends with "I love all that you will be and everything you are" and every.single. night I read that to you I tear up. I couldn't come up with more perfect words than those. I will always love you. No matter what.

Everyday you take my breath away (mostly from laughter) I can't imagine loving you anymore than I do today, but tomorrow I know I'll wake up and look at you and then it happens. I'll love you even more.

Of course. Who wouldn't love this little face!

The Great Flood of 2011

yep! that's right. We survived it!
As my last post read: An earthquake, A hurricane and now a tropical storm that caused flooding. We are just waiting for the locusts now.

Hersheypark? Well - that was under water along with all the rest of Hershey. The river flooded, people were evacuated. Water was shut off to homes, along with their power. It was concidered a disaster.

We didn't beat the record numbers that the flood in 1972 created, but we were pretty darn close.

The first two days of the flood I was glued to the television. I could have recited all the counties that were under flood warnings, the other counties that were under flash flood. What the level of rainfall was for each county and what level each river/creek was expected to crest at. Then? Well. Lyla got an ear infection. The dog needed attention. There was clean up to be done. Now? Well I can't find a darn thing. But when I do, I will be sure to record it on here....we made history.

Although we did get water, we survived and our damage isn't even compariable with those who lost their homes. Literally....homes floating down the river. We will keep those families in our thoughts and prayers.

Here are some photos.

Hoss's on Rt. 322.

So much water it actually buckled the road! Crazy!

The garage.

 And my freaking adorable toddler. (too much?) nah!)

That is all for today. I am being distracted by The Electric Slide playin' over the radio in my office right now! ::bops head to beat::

An Earthquake, A Hurricane and A Tropical Storm

And? I don't even live on some tropical island.

This is getting ridiculous. Everywhere is flooding...including hershey! Yes. Hershey....where the yummy delcious chocolate is from!

This was this morning on the way to work!

This road is now closed because it is completely underwater. And? the guy on the bike....god only knows how he will get home!

Enough of this already. let's flash back to the weekend. shall we?

To the beach Lyla and I went. Girls weekend away. We left dada at home.

Pap bought Lyla a seat so she could ride on the cruiser with me!

We went and got a helmet and took a spin....a few times!

She found Paps cigar (she may or may not be saying mmmmm when I snapped this)

Her and her bff cuz fed eachother breakfast, and for the most part played really well together.

And this is just L...doin' her thang like mama in the morning.

And in closing. All L and I have to say is

"rain rain go away come again another day" - or not at all.