life with ego

Free Friday

I'm coming out of the closet.  What I've been working on for a while that has kept me from blogging in my free time and kept my laundry room full.....

I'm taking pictures. I know what you're thinking, holy front page news, Mallory takes pictures.  But the new part is that they are not of my kid.  That's right, after much pressure I'm branching out of my front yard and taking pictures of others.  It's just something small, babies, kids, and families the things I know, no engagement, weddings or anything crazy -- it will keep me busy when preschool starts and allow my laundry room to grow more.  It has been so fun so far and I already have so many things lined up including 2 newborns (both born this week),  kid sessions, a couple session, twins, birthdays and more! (Great friends get great discounts! :))

I have a little website (that is severely under construction, so don't laugh at me).

And I'll be doing what I do best and blogging my sessions.

And since I spend majority of my away-from-Photoshop-time on FB anyway...

So that is it, I've outed myself...and I'm super excited. :)

Free Friday

I had another marvelous Friday with my Mama!  I asked her bring me shopping, and she did!  I have this one eating out of the palm of my hand (note to self: shop around toddler tyrant book idea).  She mentioned something about wanting to get me some white sandals so I figured that was my opening to try and milk this excursion for everything I wanted in the entire world.  Truth be told, I have these cute little silver gladiators that I really like and I think they go with everything so I'm not exactly sure why I needed white sandals too.  Whatever, I'm never against expanding my shoe collection.

We started out at the Houston Premium Outlets, have you been there?  I hope so, they are fun!  We always go there first when we need something because my Mama hates driving all the way to the mall.  Anywayyy, we started out at BabyGap.  Did I mention we were also working on a birthday gift? Oh ok, well we were.  So we looked all around, got the birthday girl a dress and got me 3 tops and some white sandals.  We made the big lap around the outlets and picked up two tops from Carter's and one from Gymboree.  Mama was not impressed with the selection they had today.  Did I mention that I got to do 0 exploring?  Yeah, that woman made me sit in my stroller, like I'm bad or something (I only threw all those shoes on the floor that one time!) -- have you seen this innocent face, how could she ever think such a thing.

(That's me practicing for my Charlie's Angels audition.)
 

So after leaving there mildly disappointed we decided to stop my TJ Maxx and see if they had anymore Melissa and Doug stuff like we saw the other day, and they did!  They had the food cutting set for like $5 on clearance because someone ripped off half the label, psst.  So we scooped up a bunch of that stuff and then after much begging and pleading she finally took me to get something to eat.  I think she was trying to starve me.  I mean she possibly could have fed me breakfast and 2 snacks that I refused..but that's beside the point.  I've been on an eating strike for a few days, I can't tell you why because I'm not quite sure myself but I'm sure it could only be for a legitimate reason.  So in order to try and toy with my emotions she brought me to my favorite place on Earth to eat..Luby's!  Yes, the place with the senior citizens.  But I love it!  And I did eat, you see you have to learn to pick your battles -- that's a little tip from me to you.

After we left there we went to the car wash.  The CarSpa to be exact.  I love that place!  Lots of room to run, lots of people for me to entertain with my vast array of skills.  Everybody wins!  Once the car was shiny and smelled good we came back home.  My Mama had promised if I was a good girl that I could play in the sprinkler!!  Well, I wasn't very good, but like I said, palm of my hand.  Here is the trick, you have to act super casual and pretend like you could care less.  So I held back my emotions for a bit..

 
I went ahead and let the kiddies have a little fun first..

While they were playing, I decided to go sit on my swing and work on my beat boxing (I'm not sure if that is one or two words, cut me some slack I'm not even two yet).

 After working on my skills I decided to go ahead and have my turn with the sprinkler..

It wasn't long that my dog "Charlie-boy" tried to snatch my swimsuit.  He does that a lot, tries to snatch things you carry.  My Mama says I can't be mean to him when he takes my things but she doesn't let me take things from other kids, fair?!?  It was pretty funny at first, but it quickly turned into a sunscreen bottle ad.

Oh and today is my 21 month birthday!  Please do not feel obligated to send gifts, my Mama says I'm too spoiled as it is.

  

Free Friday

Have I mentioned how much I love this age, and the exploding personality?  Have I mentioned how much I hate surprises?  Buuuut this age comes with surprises, and I like them, even  love them. 

Surprises that remind me she is a future celebrity stylist...

Surprises that remind me that toddlers think outside of the box..

Surprises that remind me that she is capable of sharing...

Surprises that remind me that I should take those few extra steps and stop leaving my shoes by the door...

Surprises that sometimes blend in...

and surprises that show she is always paying attention to her surroundings...

Not surprising though is that she is still over the camera in her face constantly.  It takes the right mix of miracle, belly tickles, and bribery to get her to even look in my general direction.  Oh well, I like a challenge.

 

Free Friday

If you noticed my post yesterday, you also noticed that I have house guests.  A house full, with more coming tomorrow.  This would explain my silence absence from the blog/FB/twitter/internet world lately.  My Aunt/Godmother from Wisconsin had to meet with the top Lymphoma doctor in the country to devise a new plan of actionway to kick cancer's ass.  This doctor happens to be located at the wonderful MD Anderson -- just a hop, skip, and jump from my 'hood.  So my whole fam is coming and going to visit with her while she is in town.  So in case you were concerned I had been kidnapped by some sort of pirate/gang member...I'll be returning soon.

Free Friday

I had two deja vu moments in the same day this week.  When I flashback to previous pictures I've taken of her sometimes I don't think she even looks like the same person. Her eyes aren't blue anymore, and her face is not nearly as Charlie Brown round as it used to be -- but if you stare at them long enough they all seem to blend together perfectly. 

 

Free Friday/Saturday Salutations/My Life Monday

Due to some technical publishing errors, I have a 3x super sized post for you!

Friday --

I have a lot of ideas floating in my head.  Some of them come to life, most stay in my head.  My MIL's (mother-in-law) birthday was coming up and I was trying to think of something to get her.  You know the kind, one of those people who pretty much has everything.  And then it came to me.  A coffee table.  She has a pretty mod coffee table but the top is glass and she nears an anxiety attack when the baby visits.  So I looked for a coffee table but was pretty underwhelmed with what I was find.  Then I found a blog made my an ordinary stay at home Mom that happens to make her own furniture.  Not just any furniture but super cool knockoffs from the big wigs at Pottery Barn and Land of Nod.  So that was it, I decided I was going to make her a coffee table. Make. Me, who doesn't even make beds.  I made the mistake of telling the husband my idea.  He thought it was brilliant of course but then he began to think it was his project.  So it slowly transformed into a team effort.  He wouldn't allow me to use the saw so he cut the wood, I assisted with the construction and even drilled, countersunk, and put screws in.  We both sanded and stained.  And in the end after a few leveling difficulties we had a coffee table.  A pretty awesome one if I do say so myself.

(This is the crappiest finished project photo ever, it was raining and I was trying to take a photo inside the garage, but it didn't capture the color at all and I couldn't get a good angle. Blech)

 


Here is the pottery barn inspiration.

I've already purchased the wood to start our next project!

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Saturday Salutations --

Dear Sprinkles Cupcakes, your website has been saying you were coming to Houston for over 2 years now.  You teased me with your deliciousness when we vacayed in Cali.  I wept for you when we left but felt secure since your website said you were arriving in "Summer 09".    Summer came and went.  You changed your website to "Fall 09" then "Winter 09", then finally a more exact date (not that it means anything to you) was given: "February 10".  So I once again have checked your website hoping for an exact date and it now reads "March '10". Seriously?  My stomach is growling.

Dear Jamba Juice, why don't you have a drive-thru?

Dear C-Phen DM, why don't you list on your little side effect handout that you could possibly make a normally sweet 19 month old into an evil being?

Dear Sickness, if you could please go away at some point during this week, that would be fabulous.

Dear Kitchen Drawers, thanks for just sitting around while I was trying to organize you and your contents, you could have at least given me a hand.

Dear Georgia & Labopotamus, if you could stop this shedding nonsense that would be terrific.

Dear Inventor of Snack Trap, you really deserve to be rich, I hope you are.

Dear HOA, I really hope that when you sent me a letter about the 3 little weeds in my front mulch (that are dead none the less, it's winter) that you also sent letters to the builder about the unsold lots that are overgrown.

xoxo, Mallory

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My Life Monday --

Busy week this week! 

1. We have about 4 things on the playgroup calendar that we will be participating in this week. I'm also attending a friends Scentsy launch party at the end of the week.  Around those activities I need to make a trip to the outlet mall, grocery store, library, CarSpa, and some other places that will probably pop up along the way.

2. We are wayy into the Olympics too.  I didn't think I loved them as much as the Summer but as long as I DVR ahead of time I can fast forward through the dull parts.  The Girl is fascinated with, I think it's called Alpine Downhill (?), where they ski down a bit and then jump, she thinks they are flying and loves it.

3. Operation Deep Clean and Lysol begins this week too.  We have family coming in next week that cannot stay with us if we are still sick, due to transporting germs to MD Anderson, so on top of attempting to get well at warp speed I also need to hose down the house in Lysol to try to rid of all of these upper respiratory germs we have floating around.  I need to do a triple vacuum of the carpet and the furniture to try and get as much dog hair out of the air as possible.

4. I did a mega batch picture order last week; I realized I don't have any pictures post her first birthday up around the house so that needed to change.  I'm doing a picture wall on our main eat in kitchen wall since it's a pretty big focal point when you enter the house through the courtyard.  I hope to have the husband hang everything this weekend and then all that will be missing is the dining room table that we are in the process of making.  My next photo project will be our bedroom, we have two very large walls that are blank, I need to pick out new bedding before I start on that project though.

Time to get started on our week...

Free Fridays

Fridays in 2010 are fair game for whatever I see fit.

The park is one of E's favorite places to go. As soon as we head into the parking lot she knows exactly where we are and screams "Mama! Sweeeeeeeeing!".  She has a swing and two slides at home but she still loves the park more then any other place on Earth. 

We arrive at the park, I make her hold my hand in the parking lot and as soon as we reach the sidewalk and runs towards the playground equipment.  Our park only has 2 baby swings, which happen to be her favorite thing.  She ran over to the swings pointing and exclaiming "Swing Sweeeeeeing!!".  I told her that there were two babies in the swings and we had to wait our turn.  She made her disdain for this known to the whole park.  I tried to direct her towards something else, and she would be content for a few minutes but then ask about the swings again.

Twenty.minutes.later, a swing finally opened up.  There were basically no people at the park but us, two two other toddlers (in the baby swings) and two older kids riding their bikes.  This is a hugggeeee pet peeve of mine.  I hate when other parents are oblivious to "sharing" the baby swing.  I guess their mindset is first come first serve, but I just simply don't understand  that.  If there are other kids at the park that are baby swing age, I let E have 5 minutes.  Then, I tell her we have to share and we will swing again later.  Sure, she doesn't like it, she doesn't understand, but she will one day.  

So plenty of time was spent playing in the tunnels while waited our turn for the swings.