Way Too Hot!

It's entirely too steamy this time of year. I LOOOOOVE the fall but really, September is just as bad as August. By the way, the average first day of a cold front hitting is September 21. Last year the first one hit Sept 19 and it was 75 during the day and 60 at night for a few days. (I keep track of these things!) I already have dibs on an outdoor photo shoot with Kelsey the first weekend it cools off. I am just DYING for some shots of Aiden outdoors in natural light! But I'm not willing to risk heat stroke trying to take them now....

I can't get a grip on how fast the year is coming to a close. I had Aiden in March, only the 3rd month into the year, and now we're 3.5 months from the end of it. I simply cannot believe how time flies when you have a baby! Worse, my schedule is filling up so quickly. I just bought a 2008 planner today because my I know my parents will soon be asking what we are doing for new year's. (They always do that. Any year they don't see us at Christmas they nearly have a panic attack and insist on seeing us for New Years. I'm so glad all us kids are married this christmas. Now we can force my folks to grow up!)


Cool Link: www.Woot.com
Everyday one item is at an awesome deal. And it's always something completely random.

For your outdoorsy guy: www.SteepandCheap.com
Same idea as Woot but it's always camping & outdoor gear. Brian LOVES this site!

It Doesn't Bother Me!!!

I love working in Photoshop. I love doing invites, birth announcements, cards and digital scrapbooking. On most days I enjoy playing in the bead room. But for my friends, no matter what the activity, I always enjoy helping. (Yes, even with earrings Kelsey!) What good is a talent if you don't share it? Sure, maybe I could make a fortune off my photoshop skills, but it's more fun to "donate" my time and create for my friends the gorgeous cards that people our age often cannot afford at full price. I know I really enjoy my best friend and her generosity with her photography talent. For the rest of my life I will have Aiden's beautiful, professional baby pictures and unlike my friends in Dallas, I didn't have to pay $300 per session. Really, aren't I getting the better end of the deal?

I really like our group of friends. We are some creative gals. (And for those of you who don't feel creative, we love you a ton any ways!) I am greatful that I have so many good friends that encourage my talents!


Cool Link: www.ImprovementsCatalog.com
This is my new go-to site for great gifts for parents & grandparents who already have everything. (Can you tell I'm getting some Christmas shopping done?) This site has gorgeous holiday decor and some truly handy outdoor items. I can't think of anyone over 50 who wouldn't adore a nice copper bird feeder. Use coupon code ENT2007 for 20% off orders over $50.

Bragging Rights!

Well, I competed in an online scrapbook contest called Digital's Next Top Scrapper and got 4th place out of 100 participants! I'm pretty proud of myself, especially since I have only been digiscrapping for 5 weeks!!!

I am really enjoying digital scrapbooking and I especially like how cheap the kits are and they never get used up! Of course, there are about a dozen kits I want to buy at all times and THAT could get expensive!


Cool Link: http://www.babycheapskate.com/
This gal has dedicated her blog to helping other moms find the best diaper and formula deals for the week. Great site!

MEN! *eyeroll*

Guys have a hard time communicating their feelings OR if they do communicate anything, it's usually anger, because society says that's one of the only feelings that are okay for guys to show. So everything is expressed angrily. It wasn't too long ago that I figured out men are like infants. They will fuss or scream in their most loud and serious voice all because they want you to come pay attention to them, pick them up and love on them. Fast forward 30 years and not much has changed for males. They want to be on the receiving end of our sweet female emotions but they refuse to be "vulnerable" and just ask in a direct way. No, they always have to be the overgrown, angry infant. The only thing that seems to work at getting them to finally stop being angry while you try to guess what they want is to flat out ask, in your most patient, sweet mommy voice "Is this getting you what you really want?" and wait for the very loud, defiant "NO!" so you can ask "What do you want, sweetie?" and wait for the sheepish reply. The answer is almost always more of your attention in one way or another. So just sigh and love on him. The argument about how much of the laundry, vacuuming and housecleaning you didn't get done while paying him and his children attention will come tomorrow!


Cool Link: www.CreativeCorners.net
Brian and I saw these being used during a house remodel on TV one day. They're a really cool way to add interest and modern style to square openings that you wish were arched. Just another odd little link in my never-ending list of random internet places!

Friends?

Have you ever known anyone that seemed to fit in your group of friends and yet no one in the group could really get past this one bad flaw of theirs? You find yourself wishing that they could read your mind and just change!

On the verge of an impending ward split I find myself not liking how our clique is already splitting up. My dearest friends in Summerwood are beginning to band together, leaving us in Eagle Springs to accept the new, slightly severed group of friends and move on. This could be good, in that it would break up strong cliques like ours and force us to widen our circle of friends. (Kelsey, you're especially good at this. I think I would just remain socially wounded for a while before I stumbled out to make new friends....) But for now it's sad to know the change is coming. Having lived through this once before, I know first-hand that once these cliques are somewhat disbanded and reform, the new cliques in the new wards will be even stronger and much more difficult to join.


Cool Link: www.CandyCrate.com
Online Retro Candy store that has lots of old-fashioned favorites. This is a great gift idea for dads & grandpas in the family that are IMPOSSIBLE to shop for! Call grandma and ask what their favorite old candy is. I know my dad loved the bubble gum cigarettes and the 1960 Retro Candy Gift Box has all of his favorites and some I'm sure he's forgotten about! (Shhh...he's getting a box shipped to him for his b-day!)

Teething is only traumatic for parents!

Aiden woke up around 1 am screaming and he didn't quit until he was exhausted just before 8 am. We thought it was gas and gave him everything we safely could. When he finally nursed, I noticed he was using an odd new latch-on so I checked his bottom gum and saw two faintly lighter color dashes in his swollen pink gums. TEETH! Baby Oragel finally calmed Aiden down so he could sleep. It's 1 pm now and he won't let me lay him down but he will sleep in my arms so at least my ears aren't ringing with his crying...


Cool Link: www.ColicCalm.com
The absolute best anti-gas, anti-spit-up, anti-hiccup medicine we have found. Note: it doesn't work for teething pain!

I heard it was free....

Everyone is blogging these days. I've done it before, but no one really seems to check the pages on my website. So I figured I'll start writing here since everyone seems to be on blogger.com and it's free. But I want my blog to serve some function. I have decided, that since I seem to always run across the most obsqure but helpful websites, that my blog will be a cesspool of things I think my readers might like.

Why "Tay's Days"? Brian thinks all I do all day is play on the computer. (Despite the loads of clean laundry and freash vacuum tracks!) Why not just give up and plead guilty!


Cool Link: www.RetailMeNot.com
Reliable coupon codes and ratings from real people on how sucessful the coupon is!