Ombre

You need to do something for you. This was the advise my therapist gave me amongst all the divorce chaos and stress. So I decided I wanted to start getting my nails done. Except I didn't want acrylics. And I ruin most manicures withing 72 hours. Enter Shellac. Two weeks of pretty, shiny nails. Sometimes longer if you can stand the length and don't abuse your nails. I fail on both counts. Long nails annoy me. The clacking on the keyboard, the interference with texting. Plus, I have crappy natural nails so the longer they get the weaker and more likely to split or crack they become. So, I started getting Shellac manicures wherever was convenient. I found places I won't go back to, some that were okay, but never one place or person I would commit to, or specifically recommend. Then around Christmas I decided I wanted to add some fun to my nails to help get in the celebratory mood. I asked around and one name came back. Melissa Finch at Estilo Salon. Destiny. She is awesome. I don't have a photo of the manicure she gave me then (red with gold glitter swirls) but I am so in love with what she does, and the experience of just being with her for that hour that I haven't looked back. I see her every two weeks. Usually it's just a basic Shellac manicure, I pick a color (or colors because Shellac can be layered to create new colors) and just sit back and enjoy for the next two weeks. This last week I decided I wanted to try something new I saw on Pinterest. The ombre manicure. You can do this two ways, a fade on each nail, or a fade from nail to nail. I chose the nail to nail. We went with grey after discussing purple and red possibilities. It's awesome. Love it. Love her. (FYI, we added glitter to the pinky nail because I didn't think I wanted an all white nail. She has a glitter the color of my thumbnail that I think would look cool just faded in towards the tip of the pinky instead of all over the nail.)

The Painted Pumpkin

The tradition we decided to start last year was painting pumpkins instead of carving them. (Yes, I'm talking Halloween on Thanksgiving Day.) Due to various reasons that didn't happen before Halloween this year. The kiddos had picked out their pumpkins and were adorable and Uncle LeRoy's Pumplin Patch, and were even more adorable as a bumble bee and Captain America on Halloween, but we hadn't gotten to the most fun part. Yet. So, last night, Thanksgiving Eve, I decided to let the kids paint their pumpkins. Figured they would get 30-60 minutes of fun, I'd get quiet, and we'd have pretty pumpkins the last weeked of November. You know, just in time to put away the fall decor and bring on the Christmas. Ya'll didn't know I was a procrastinator? Oh COME ON! 

Any way in which it came about, the kids DID have fun. Painting their pumpkins, themselves, and the tub. Yeah. There was no containing the creativity juices once they were flowing. That's okay, we were able to get some practice with being responsible for your mess that way. Cause I'm trying to teach them that. You know, clean up your own mess and such. Cause I'm a responsible parent like that. Hahahahaha. Okay, because I'm tired of cleaing up the mass of messes they make every damn hour. I'm lazy like that. Didn't know that either, did ya ;) 

It all started out clean and tidy....sorta.



E painting her pumpkin



...and M painting his.



Moving on to body art.



Full body art I should clarify.



And then to tub art.




I think her theme was TRIBAL.




Max's completed pumpkin. (He was fascinated that combining all the colors made BROWN!)



E's final version.



Final Step, Operation CleanUpChildren

Snip, Snip....Snip

Miss E. had her first haircut Satuday (11/19/11). She didn't do as well as I hoped, but I guess I should have expected that. I wanted her to sit by herself on the booster in the chair. You know, how you're supposed to. But she wouldn't. For anything. Each time we tried she turned into a boneless mass of scream. So, in my lap she went. And sat perfectly still, thankyouverymuch. All that to explain why I don't have in-progress pics. Just the final version :)  We didn't really change anything, just cleaned it up.  I thought maybe her hair would lose some of the curl with the lengh shortened, but instead it seems to have made it curlier. Yay! Curls are here to stay!

And for my future Miss E (from your 21 month old self), see girl. You were ahead of your time ;)  Long sleeve red shirt, blue striped pajama pants, red plaid swimsuit, grey socks, and brown shoes. Such a trend setter.*

Oh yes. I definitely let her leave the house looking like this. Always making sure to have photographic evidence. She's too stubborn to let me change her into something she didn't pick out.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

People are funny.And stupid. Never forget society as referred to in general is STUPID. But, the peeps who made the following are exceptions. Because they made me laugh, and not through their stupidity.
So, today I bring you the funnies that saved my days this week. Enjoy. Happy FRIDAY!

I guess that was the problem with Mike and I. Not enough wine. Did you know? We've filed for divorce. No pity please; none needed.

And finally, the answer to the title question:

My 18 month old Fashionista.

My 18 month old Fashionista.

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Max Draws Himself with a Rocketship

Max Draws Himself with a Rocketship

Max Draws Elly

Max Draws Elly