I'm Still Here...

... I told you Mr. Pretties burns up a lot of my time when he's home. I miss you all and will have plenty to blog about soon. Maybe I'll get a few moments to myself tomorrow to do so. Let's hope.

Two more tutus are leaving me, both to good homes. You can check them out since I have nothing exciting for you.

How Cool Is That...

...I just wanted to say hi to my readers from Guam, Australia, Bermuda, Croatia, and South Africa. I think that's so cool that people from so far away stop by to read the blog! When I see they've stopped by and I haven't posted anything new it actually makes me feel bad!

This is not to say if you're not from a different country you're not cool and I don't appreciate you, I totally do. I love all my readers. With the exception of readers with rude comments, yeah, don't love you so much. It's just exciting that countries that I have no experience with can relate to things I'm writing about. With the exception of Bermuda, my family is from Bermuda and I'm fairly well versed in that subject.

So, if you're stopping by from one of these places please leave a comment letting us know a bit about you, since you know so much about us! (I mean the pretties, I haven't yet started referring to myself as 'us'. Yet.)

This is also to let you know Mr. Pretties is on vacay this week. I know, what the heck, eh?! This means I will not have nearly as much time to blog. The blog may become stale this week because Mr. Pretties doesn't understand the importance of daily/multi daily blogging. I'll try to do as much as I can though. No doubt I'll have something complainy to post about with the vacay situation going about!

You Know What I Hate...

... people who list their cats on Kijiji and then follow up their free ad with 'And if no one takes them I guess I'll be hauling them off to the SPCA...'

Seriously.

I. Hate. You.

Do you know what happens when I read things like that? It activates that little voice in my head. I then have to have the follow discussion. With myself. Look, if you want to know why I talk to myself go read the 'insane' post. Thanks. My conversation with, well, myself goes like this:

LV (Little Voice): Mama noooo! Not the SPCA! Jenn, you can not, I repeat CANNOT let those precious little balls of love go to the SPCA, you know what happens there!
Jenn: Yes LV, I know what happens there! But are you aware that we already have too many cats? And that Mr. Pretties is threatening to move out if we obtain anymore?
LV: And your point is?
Jenn: No point, just saying. Hmm... I wonder if they'd rather me buy them chicken or fish...

MmmHmm. Do these people understand how much trouble they cause me?! Do they know how much flack I take from Mr. Pretties because it is my job single handedly to ensure no felines of my knowledge end up at the SPCA?

I think not.

Now I have a lady wanting to drop me off two orange cats... Yes, orange. Again.

To those people who use the SPCA threat, I have three words for you:




Enough said.

Simple Woman's Day Book...

...We're going to try something different today. It's from this website. Apparently I'm supposed to do this on Monday, so, we'll pretend that it's Monday, okay? And then I'll do it again Monday. Sounds good.

Here we go.

Outside My Window...It's gray and the leaves are changing
I am thinking... LBP, please, please take a nap today
I am thankful for... My children, my cats, french vanilla mix and apple cider mix, and sometimes Mr. Pretties. I guess.
From the kitchen... I know there is a mess waiting for me, doh! And I have to clean it up inorder to make my bread and cookies. Crap.
I am wearing...my new comfy beige shirt and jeans that are still a wee ( By wee, I pretty much mean alot...yeah...) bit too tight from LBP's arrival. I have the plumbers crack thing going on, which I hate...
I am creating... More tutus. More and more and more. I've had to turn orders away which is also creating a headache.
I am going... To take a nap, provided everyone else cooperates then bake bread (with no bread machine folks!) and oatmeal cookies. Yay me.
I am reading... Nothing right this minute. I finished a cheapy love story lastnight, I'll start a new one at nap time this afternoon.
I am hoping... That I'll check the mail tomorrow and there'll be a letter from some long lost relative who left me a small (Or big, I'm totally okay with big too) fortune as well as their 100 year old victorian house.
I am hearing... LBP and LLP goofing around in their room when they should be napping.
Around the house... There are cats. Too many cats. I am constantly tripping over/stepping on/kicking one of them. All. The. Time. Ugh
One of my favorite things... Those long sleeved V-neck shirts from American Eagle, they're softest things ever and so comfy like.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:

*Finish my tutus in time for Halloween

*Finish BLPs Halloween costume

*Visit the bird aviary

*Attend a pumpkin carving party

*Obtain a pumpkin for said party

*Pick up dinner bunnies (as pets)

*Have company for dinner Sunday (not serving bunny, FYI)

Here is picture thought I am sharing

(I'll share two because they made me laugh. Again, complete with tears):

Meet Dinner...

Could you eat this face?

Me either.

Thus, Mr. Pretties and I have to take a 1.5 hour drive to pick them up. At $20 a piece (There are only 5...)

I am such a freakin' sucker it's unbeliveable. I'd love to spend the day as someone who doesn't care about things like this. I'd love to just go 'Oh well, too far away'. But no. The sucker lobe of my brain says 'Save the bunnies, they're too cute to be dinner!'

Good grief... I'll let you know how this goes. If anyone would like an adorable pet bunny that's not for consumption please let me know.

And, as one might assume, Mr. Pretties is not so impressed by this turn of events... But atleast he's being a good sport about it... Sort of.

Farewell Sweet Pretties...

...Two more cuties are on their way home now.

I called them 'Miss Kitty'

and 'Witchypoo' They'll be spending their days with two little girls who'll prance around thir house feeling all cute like in their new tutus! Yay!

*I'll seriously get my act together and come up with a real post. Soon. Hopefully...

Another Sweetie's Heading Off...

... To her new home

BLP was majorly po'd that I wouldn't let her keep it. Even more po'd was she that she had a perfectly good store bought costume in the closet that she picked out last week. She does not want that costume, she wants to be a princess with a tutu. Didn't I know that we just bought the princess costume to beautify the closet?! What is wrong with me?!

I digress... I will now be spending this week assembling a new and much improved princess tutu for Halloween. I told Mr. Pretties she wouldn't roll with a costume from the store... But, what do I know?

The Goblin Did It...

... You know the small spoons you get with your silver (or metal, just saying) ware? Those are my fav. I do not use the larger spoons. They are simply too big and too clumsy. I refuse to eat with them. I use my small spoons to eat soup, make a cup of tea, eat my cereal, etc... you know, your average everyday spoon jobs. I am now down to one small spoon. Did you hear that? ONE. I am almost positive I purchased TWO sets of the same silver (metal) ware from Ikea, meaning, in a perfect world there should in fact be eight small spoons. Where are the other seven? The BLP takes a spoon to preschool for her snack, but, I have purchased special colour coordinated spoons that match her containers in an effort towards small-spoon-loss-prevention. Mr. Pretties claims he doesn't use them and does not take them in his lunch. I know the latter to be true because I make his lunch and make absolute sure he doesn't take a small spoon or fork (I also lurve me some small forks, but this thread is about spoons mmkay?).

So. Where the flip do they go?! I made myself some soup just now for my 11pm dinner and I had to dig in the drawer for 10 minutes just to come up with one freaking small spoon. This is not acceptable. I want to know who is taking my spoons and where they're going with them!

I asked BLP if she knew where they might be. You know what she told me? Goblins. Ah, yes. Ofcourse. Why on earth didn't I come to that conclusion myself?! It's so obvious that the goblins are doing some B&E while we're sleeping and slumping off with my small spoons. It explains why it's the smalls and not the bigs. The bigs would clearly be too big for the goblins to haul off. Sometimes, you just need a three year old to point out the obvious things in life...

Camera Repair 101...

... What should you do when your cheap piece of crap camera dies the day before a planned farm extravaganza, and you're on the verge of cancelling all future outings until a suitable replacement can be found?

That's easy.

1. Clearly you should try turning it on and off several hundred times. You want to be absolutely sure it is dead and not just taking a rest. Once you confirm that it is 100% not going to work you can proceed to step two.

2. Taking the camera in your preferred hand, walk with it into the kitchen/bathroom/bar - basically anywhere you have a counter or hard tile floor. Now, you have to be very precise about this process. Carefully lift the offending camera in your hand and bash it full force on the counter/floor repeatedly. It helps if you use your angry voice and yell 'Why aren't you working you piece of s**t?! Why! Why! Why!'

Once you've done this, try turning it back on. You may be presently surprised to find that it now works perfectly fine. I know mine did...

And Sometimes There Are Words...

... To decribe being a parent.

Pure Sweetness.

I'm trying to bleach my house (I like to bleach my house, it makes me happy and feel all clean and productive. I also love the smell of bleach. Mmm.... Mr. Pretties hates this habit) but as anyone with kids knows, as soon as I'm cleaning one room another room is being ripped apart. Kind of a lost cause really. So while BLP and LLP are sabotaging my living room LBP is in my room wailing away. He doesn't like not having my complete undivided attention for more than 30 seconds at a time. He gets pretty peeved about this.

So in an attempt to stop the sabotaging and the wailing I asked BLP to keep LBP on her bed and just talking to him. He's happy as long as he has someone's 100% attention. BLP loves playing with him so we were good to go.

As I'm cleaning the bathroom I hear BLP 'LBP, you want hear stowie? Okway, you just way wight daiw. Okay. Dis a sewcle, dis a skare, dis a ty-angle, dis an obal - wike an egg. Dis wellow, dis wed, dis owange, dis pewple...' while laying beside him showing him the pictures. I'm not sure whether it was this picture of adorableness or the bleach that was making my eyes water, but I'm going to go with the adorableness. It kind of makes up for the times when they do 500 horrific things and a row making me want to run away from home.

The only annoyance I have now is that Mr. Pretties has still not retrieved my camera from wherever god-for-saken place he put it, thus, I could not capture this rare moment of good behaviour for future cherishing. This alone is almost unforgiveable. That, and the other moms on babycenter think I'm 32. Not. Even. Close. Ouch... I told Mr. Pretties I was starting to age unkindly... Oil of Olay and Botox here I come...

You Know You're Losing It When...

... I have decided I am officially losing it. My marbles are gone, the lights are out and nobody is home. Not kidding. Here are some signs that I have indeed lost it and should be waiting for the men in the white coats to arrive anytime now...

* Dream about reading email replies you haven't gotten. Then be unsure the next morning whether or not that was a real email and if you should respond or not...

*Spend the day asking Mr. Pretties 'Did I already ask you...' and having him answer yes about 90% of the time.

*Following up the above question with 'I know I already asked you this, and you anwered me, but I don't remember what the answer was...'

*Asking questions like 'If the moons really bright at night, does that mean it's a nice sunny cloud free day on the other side of the world?' (Mr. Pretties likes to answer these questions with a look of disbelief...)

*Being easily convinced that the new orange cat that keeps showing up on the porch is Ralphie reincarnated. Then hold said cat on lap while sobbing tears of sheer joy. I so wish I was kidding.

*Asking Mr. Pretties if he ever dreams in black and white. Ask this because you just had a dream the night before in black and white, taking place in the 60's and his mom was there...

*Realize Little Boy Person has pooped out his diaper and filled the entire leg of his sleeper. Start laughing hysterically, so hysterically in fact that you have tears streaming down your face. Then proceed to carry him back and forth between the bedroom and the bathroom trying how best to tackle this situation.

It's getting a little bit scary actually. Don't you lose a certain amount of brain cells with each child you have? Thank god we're done, I don't think I can stand to lose anymore and still function safely... Hopefully in a few months my sanity will come back to me.

*Where am I going and why am I in this hand basket?!*

Totally Cracks Me Up...

... This video about Fainting Goats totally cracks me, like I'm talking tears streaming down my face laughter. Seriously. It seems kind of mean, I mean, poor goats, but it's still funny. To me.

Would You Like a Little Salt {Box House} With That...

... I certainly would! Let me preface this post by saying that I hate magnets. Seriously. Those promo magnets you get in the mail? In the garbage. Magnetic business cards? In the garbage. Pizza place magnets? Definitely in the garbage. I'm a magnet snob. But I do have two on my fridge for decor purposes (I do not hang things on my fridge, I junk up a bulletin board for that) one I can't remember what's on it (It's only be hanging on my fridge infront of my face for the last year...) and the other I had on the side of the fridge I couldn't see because it says 'A Wonderful Life...' and for some reason I find myself wanting to flip the magnet the bird everytime I see it. What can a magnet possibly know about life, really?! But I decided to give it a go for a change of pace. It's real primitive with Saltbox Houses, weeping willows, and primitive sheep. I love ALL of those things! I had totally forgot. And yes, I am completely capable of forgetting what I like!

Now, I don't mean I want to go out and buy an actual Saltbox House out in New England or anything. I'm a big fan of clapboard and the likes, but when we buy a house it will be a 100 year old Victorian:

Or, a 100 year old Farmhouse:

Either way, we're not buying a Saltbox House to live in. I'm not even sure if there is such a thing around here, I'm thinking not.... But I love primitive Saltbox House decorations, there are so many varieties now and I could just eat them up!

There's just something but those ugly, primitive little sheep that makes me all warm and fuzzy. I do have a love affair with crows and barn stars as well. Believe it or not I do not have any of these things in my house. Why? Because I don't know what my freaking style is. If I used pieces of everything I liked in my house the word 'eclectic' wouldn't even begin to cover it. I just love odd, different, old things, they make my day (Hmm... a lot like Mr. Pretties, except for the make my day part... yeah...)

I really wanted to share a picture of my moss star topiary and my old barn board bird house but Mr. Pretties was helping me bring stuff in the house, including my camera, and it has since disappeared. Much like my address book, glue gun, Febreeze, and my nail clippers. Mr. Pretties 'helped' with all of those, but now can't remember where he put them. Three words for you. Leave. It. Alone.

ETA: Did you know Canada has a BabyCenter Site? An Ontario area BabyCenter?

Also, if you're in the area and looking for Playdates www.JustPlayDates.Ca, and www.MomsTown.com are great sites for the area!

Are You Out There...

... Okay, now that I've gotten Feedjit, I know some of you are out there!

So. What do you think about the blog? What do you like/dislike and what would you like to see? I'd love for everyone to enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy writing it.

So, if you read, please leave me a comment letting me know where we're at. Even if it's just a 'I'm here and I read' it makes me feel better. I like to think I'm not the only one who reads my blog (Yes, I do read my blog, we've talked about that already) I'm really bad at leaving comments too so don't feel bad. I probably have 10 blogs I check daily and I almost never commented. That is bad bloggership though so I'm making an effort to comment atleast once a week because I know how good it feels to get comments and now you're not writing to the wall.

To sum that up: Let me know you're out there. Leave a comment. Unless ofcourse, you want to leave such comments as 'You suck!' then I'm happier not knowing you're here, I'm the only one allowed to say I suck. Sorry.

*Getting Off My Fancy Pants Soap Box... For Now...If there continue to be few comments nagging with ensue again...*

I have a whole post coming up about Saltbox houses, Primitive Sheep, and Weeping Willows. It will be today. I hope. The Little Boy Person is being very demanding today and requires my constant undivided attention, making it hard blog. But there will be a real post today, even if I have to let BLP type it for me, what the heck, she uses the computer at preschool, I'm sure they must've taught her spelling/typing and all those basics...

I Have Given Birth...

... To the most adorable tutu. I haven't named her yet, but she definitely deserves one. I so love making these tutus, they bring me so much joy that it's a little unhealthy no doubt... I will be listing Halloween tutus and korkers on Etsy this week and this is the first of the bunch:

This sweetheart will fit approximately 18mos - 3T. Don't you wish it came in your size?! Me too... oh wait, is that another one of those things normal parents don't do? Yeah probably... Forget I said anything. But I have had requests for adult tutus which is totally cool, if you need an adult sized tutu just let me know!

I'll be taking custom orders this week so that I can get them out in time for Halloween! I'll be posting the cuties as I get them so keep an eye out ;) And if no one wants them, well, I guess I can keep them right? Excellent...

Stomach Bugs and Apples...

... Well we did it again. Family time. With the stomach bug.

Do you know why we did family time with the stomach bug? Because I felt badly that I hadn't had a half decent post all week and had totally been slacking as far as pictures go.

So, after I stopped throwing up at 1pm I got up, got dressed, tried to make myself look half presentable for the welfare of the public and dragged Mr. Pretties, the Little Pretties, and The Little Boy Person out to yet another farm. I lurve me some farms.

This time we went to an apple farm. We were going to pick apples, doesn't that sound like fun? I'm sure it would have been. I personally wouldn't know. Why you ask? Because this farm had a playground. I didn't get to see anything else but the playground. Doesn't anyone have anything better to do on a farm then play?! And again, they had those jumping ball things. I didn't even try this time, something about bouncing up and down just didn't sit right with my pal SB (stomach bug).

I've decided we need to purchase three of these bouncing things with handles. One for LLP, one for BLP, and one for... me. You thought I was going to LBP didn't you? Nope. I desperately want one for myself, they're a ton of fun! Both times we've gone to farms that have them I so badly wanted to jump around on it, but I try really hard to come off as a normal parent in public. None of the other parents were bouncing around, so it must not be something you should be doing... Really though, what's not to like about these things? You can bounce on it, kick it, throw it, hit someone with it, use it as a birthing ball (or not, just sayin...) so many uses for such a cute little ball it would totally be money well spent. I'm getting a pink one. FYI.

Now, I don't know if I'm the only one who encounters these issues when they're out with other kids, but does it seem like 80% of the other kids are being obnoxious little buggers and their parents don't care? At this farm there was a hay stack (layers of hay bails piled up, not loose hay) and there was a ramp going up to the first level of hay so that the small children could get up on it. Fun, right? They also have all sorts of ride on toys with wheels. Also fun, right? So then some parent decided it would be hilarious to let their 3 year old son drive the said ramp in a ride on car. Mature, right? The kids does a face plant on the ramp and cries. What do the parents do? Pick him and the ride on toy back up and place them back at the top of the ramp, clearly this calls for a do over... So now all the kids think this is a great idea and are grabbing riding toys left and right, lining up on the bails of hay waiting for their turn to do their very own face plant. Where are their parents you ask? Why they're at the bottom of the ramp waiting with their cameras! Doesn't everyone want to record little Susie's first broken nose? Obviously I was the moron for not wanting to get in on that sweet action! We mostly ignored the entire situation and went about our business of bouncing on balls, riding spring horses, toting around hay

and playing in the sand. Good times. When we came out of the corn maze

BLP was running towards Mr. Pretties to tell him about the corn she saw when WHAM! she gets flattened out by a little crap on a trike flying down the ramp towards mommy waiting to capture Super Dave's first stunt on camera. Oh. My. God. Are you serious? So I pick BLP up, dust her off and march my barely-containing-my-need-to-barf self over to this woman and politely (I do not do confrontation IRL) ask her if she really thinks letting her little guy run other kids over is such a safe idea. Her answer? 'There's no sign saying not to, I don't think it's a problem' Okay then... She must've graduated Sigma Phi Dumbass (not pointing insults at sororities by any means).

So. If you happen to see a cliff and there is no sign stating 'Do not jump, danger!' rest assure that it is more than safe to go jumping off of it because no one actually expects you to use your own good judgement in life. Clearly.

Korkers, Korkers Everwhere...

... Okay, not quite everywhere... but it seems like it. Did you know it's really hard to keep cats and kids alike out of newly korkered ribbon? It's like a magnetic attraction that just can't be stopped. I had to drag BLP out of a pile of korkers about 600 times lastnight. Due to this I only got five korkers done. I hate me and my slowness, I'm a lot faster in my head...

I was looking into another mom sale next weekend, I'm like addicted to those. I'd go every day if I could, even if I do spend whatever I make. Anywho... I was looking at their website (did you know some mom sales have websites? Yeah, they do) and there was a mom there selling clippies, just clippies. That's cool, right? Sure! Despite the fact that that was my purpose in going... BUT she was selling them for $4 EACH. Oh. My. God. I was like wow... they must be some pretty amazing clippies, I may need to purchase me some (I am not above buying clippies from other sellers, I like having things that are different than what I make) so I check out the website, which I shall not post here. Honestly? They were no better than mine. They even had check hard plastic flower things stuck to them. I think she said they were made to match some Gymbo lines but they sure didn't look like it. I even laughed when the website 'and for ONLY $4 each!' Wow... seriously...

Now don't get me wrong, I have seen $4+ clippies on Etsy that are definitely worth $4+ each, and I personally would pay that because they are either a) unique, b) gorgeous, or c) both. So, totally worth it. But when I see clippies that're very basic and then have a cheap plastic flower hot glued on with a $4 price tag I kind of want to go to the sale and ask what she's trying to pull. We live in an area where it's hard to find trendy things at a reasonable price and she's totally taking advantage of buyers because of that. They don't know $4ea is a rip off. Not to mention I saw them at an upscale children's salon a couple months ago for $7 a pair and they were excellent quality and very, very cute. What the heck people?! Hmm... I might just go to this sale anyway... sometimes people make me so mad!

This post kind of turned into a rant... didn't mean for it to and it's not going to result in my writing angry emails and then apologizing or anything, but what is with people? I charge $2.50 for a pair of clippies that were a little bit more work than a basic and that's because, in all honesty, they aren't that hard to make and don't require that much time. Korkers are a little more time and effort intensive so I have to charge more. But I charge $2.50 not because they're an inferior quality product, but because I don't think I need to be gouging anyone, aren't we all mommies? Doesn't every mommy want a fun and functional hair pretty for their sweetie? So why gouge other mommies just because you can? Do you like being taken advantage of because you don't know how to make something or don't have the time? I very much doubt it... Okay, sorry. Getting off my soap box, we're so done talking about this. I promise this time. And no not a 'I'll post clippies tonight' kind of promise, the kind I can actually keep. So done. This seller even has a fancy website that looks all fabbity fab, but why have a fab website when you have a not-so-fab product? Okay. Really. I'm totally done this time.

On that note I'm going to take my aggrevated self and go felt some roving... now that is labour intensive. Stupid plastic flowers... honestly... I swear I could see the seams on the plastic from the moulds, you know the really cheap stuff you get at the dollar store? Like that. Yuck. I really shouldn't knock other people's work, but it really bugs me when people are all about the money, especially with a product made for mommies. Jerks. Okay, I'm going now. We shall never discuss this again. Maybe...

Yes, Yes I Do Make Clippies...

... I do, honest! I've been receiving emails wanting to know why I haven't listed anything new on Etsy. They've been like 'Where are the clippies?' 'Why haven't you listed anything new?' 'Don't you love us anymore?' Okay, that was a stretch... Here's the reason, are you ready? Okay.

*Deep Breath*

I've been saving them for the mom2mom sale.

*Hangs Head In Shame*

I'm sorry. I shouldn't be holding out on you like that! I know, Iknow, I'm a bad Etsy blogging mommy. I'm going to finish some up tonight and post them on Etsy. I promise. I can always take what doesn't sell on Etsy to the Mom2Mom sale.

I'm also waiting for my 'Made To Match' Gymbo lines ribbon to come in so I can have some M2M Gymbo korkers. AND I've even hauled out my roving to felt some fancy flower clippies. Woohoo! Are you proud? I might actually need to order more clippie cards!

I'm actually in the middle of assembling korkers, and soaking my roving, so I'm going to get on creating. I promise I wont hold out anymore, clippies are the reason for this blog, sometimes I forget that... not that you could tell or anything...

Want To Win A Silver Pretty...

... By Lisa Leonard. Not me. When I start cranking out silver hair pretties I wont need a blog anymore!

Lisa makes gorgeous silver necklaces, cuffs, rings,earrings, baby spoons, and key chains. They're so unique, and simple. In an understated gorgeous kind of way. Over at The Nesting Place Nester is taking names in comments for a give away from Lisa. This is what she's giving away:

Lisa's prices are great and her work is so original, I think I'll be buying that necklass anyway. I'm all about incorporating my little pretties initials in anyway I can.

Lisa also made an original piece for the CFHusband. So she's kind of a blog celebrity... This is The Gwenyth Rose:

Now that you're totally in love with these gorgeous silver baubles, what're you waiting for?! Get on over to The Nesting Place! You have until Thursday at midnight. If you just want to mosey over to Lisa's shop and take a look-see you can do so here . Much like the Nester I really love the simple silver rings too. I'd lurve me some silver rings but my ring size is something rediculous like a 3.5 and I'm thinking you can resize those puppies... I shall be leave Lisa's shop address somewhere where Mr. Pretties can conveniently check it out and scope out some Christmas ideas...

EtsyKids BOGO Sale...

... BOGO Me Baby!!

Friday October 24th and Saturday October 25th be a part of a massive Etsy Street Team event. An EtsyKids BOGO sale of monstrous proportions!! With over 175 EtsyKids’ shops participating you’ll be sure to find huge deals on what you need this holiday season for children big and small.

A La Mode Fabric - http://alamodefabric.etsy.com/
Ali Bug Bowtique - http://www.alibugbowtique.etsy.com/
Baby Friendly Beads - http://bfbeads.etsy.com/
Baby Hangers - http://www.babyhangers.etsy.com/
Baby Kay's - http://www.babykaysboutique.etsy.com/
Baby Peas And Carrots - http://www.babypeasandcarrots.etsy.com/
Bam Designs - http://bamdesigns.etsy.com/
Black Eyed Susie - http://www.blackeyedsusie.etsy.com/
Boo Roo's Bowtique - http://www.booroosbowtique.etsy.com/
Bossy Baby - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5430401
Bows & Things - http://www.bowsandthings.etsy.com/
Bumble Belly Designs - http://bumblebellydesigns.etsy.com/
Chichi Boulie - http://www.chichiboulie.etsy.com/
CiCi Art Factory - http://www.cicifactory.etsy.com/
Ciuccio - http://www.ciuccio.etsy.com/
Coco and Milk Weed - http://www.cocoandmilkweed.etsy.com/
Cozy Cabin Creations - http://www.cozycabinmom.etsy.com/
Cute And Sweet - http://cuteandsweet.etsy.com/
Daisy Chains - http://daisychains.etsy.com/
Deedaloos - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5137032
Designs By Michele - http://www.designsbymichele.etsy.com/
Dine.N.Doodle - http://lilbdesigns.etsy.com/
Doodies Booties - http://www.doodiesbooties.etsy.com/
Doodle Designs - http://doodledesigns.etsy.com/
Ellie Beans - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5202542
Flora and Nicole's - http://www.flowernicky.etsy.com/
Francisbel Boutique - http://www.francisbel.etsy.com/
Going-Ga-Ga - http://goinggaga.etsy.com/
Grandmas Girl - http://www.grandmasgirl.etsy.com/
Griffin Gear - http://griffingear.etsy.com/
Happy House Quilts - http://happyhousequilts.etsy.com/
Hip Kids Tye-Dye - http://www.hipkidstyedye.etsy.com/
Hot Fudge - http://www.hotfudge.etsy.com/
Hullabaloo Boutique - http://www.hullabalooboutique.etsy.com/
I Luv U TuTu Much - http://iluvututumuch.etsy.com/
Itsy Bitsy Bunny - http://www.itsybitsybunny.etsy.com/
Jennifer's Bows and More - http://www.jennifersbowsnmore.etsy.com/
Joey And Aleethea - http://joeyandaleethea.etsy.com/
Jus Shar Designs - http://psbbdesigns.etsy.com/
Kaching Design - http://www.kachingdesign.etsy.com/
Kathy's Lil Creations - http://www.kathyslilcreations.etsy.com/
Katie Bean Kids - http://www.katiebeankids.etsy.com/
KeiKi Boutique - http://www.keikiboutique.etsy.com/
Kim's Stitch In Time - http://www.kimsstitchintime.etsy.com/
Kissie Girl - http://www.kissegirl.etsy.com/
Knit Style - http://knitstyle.etsy.com/
Kuddle Bugz Threadz - http://kuddlebugzthreadz.etsy.com/
Lemon Cadet - http://www.lemoncadet.com/
Lilly Rose Bow Company - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5095159
Little Bird Creations - http://www.littlebirdcreations.etsy.com/
Little Bit Designs - http://www.girliemomma.etsy.com/
Little Butterbeans - http://www.littlebutterbeans.etsy.com/
Little Duckies - http://littleduckies.etsy.com/
Little Empress - http://www.littleempress.etsy.com/
Little Prairie Designs - http://littleprairiedesigns.etsy.com/
Lizzy Pops - http://lizzypops.etsy.com/
Loco Mo Momma - http://www.locomomomma.etsy.com/
Loopy 4 Ewe - http://loopy4ewe.etsy.com/
Love 2 Sparkle - http://www.love2sparkle.etsy.com/
Luca Bella Designs - http://www.lucabella0522.etsy.com/
LuLu & Peep Children's Shop - http://www.luluandpeep.etsy.com/
Madaline Jane - http://www.madalinejane.etsy.com/
Mami Girl Boutique - http://www.mamigirlboutique.etsy.com/
Mary Had A Little Party - http://maryhadalittleparty.etsy.com/

Meaghan-Marie Hair Pretties - http://MeaghanMariePretties.Etsy.com/
Michele's Jewelry Designs - http://micsjewelrydesigns.etsy.com/
MJD Boutique - http://mjdboutique.etsy.com/
Mom N Mia Quilts - http://momnmiaquilts.etsy.com/
Moochies Mama - http://www.moochiesmamma.etsy.com/
My Kangaroo - http://mykangaroo.etsy.com/
My Sugar Plum Baby - http://www.sugarplumbaby.etsy.com/
Nana McQuilts - http://www.nanamcquilts.etsy.com/
Ninkey - http://www.ninkey.etsy.com/
Odannysgirl - http://odannysgirl.etsy.com/
Olive & Ollie - http://www.oliveandollie.etsy.com/
On Cottage Way - http://www.oncottageway.etsy.com/
On The Sweeter Side - http://onthesweeterside.etsy.com/
Once Upon A Cloud - http://onceuponacloud.etsy.com/
Oscar and Theodore - http://www.oscarandtheodore.etsy.com/
Painted With Heart - http://www.paintedwithheart.etsy.com/
Petit Debutant - http://petitdebutant.etsy.com/
Petunias - http://www.petunias.etsy.com/
Pink Dixie - http://pinkdixie.etsy.com/
PJ Hill Co. Crochet - http://www.pjhillco.etsy.com/
Pretty Baby Boutique - http://prettybabyboutique.etsy.com/
Pumpkin Head Baby Co. - http://pumpkinheadbabyco.etsy.com/
Punky Fae Designs - http://www.punkyfaedesigns.etsy.com/
Punky Fae Designs - http://www.punkyfaedesigns.etsy.com/
QB Tots - http://www.qbtots.etsy.com/
Reilly Belle - http://reillybelle.etsy.com/
Retro 80's - http://www.retro80s.etsy.com/
Retro Family Works - http://msliesenfelder.etsy.com/
Ribbon and Ruffles Boutique - http://www.ribbonsandruffles.etsy.com/
Rosey Posey Bowtique -http://www.roseyposeybowtique.etsy.com/
Rozzis Sweet Peas - http://www.rozzissweetpeas.etsy.com/
Scandeez - http://www.scandeez.etsy.com/
Scissor Stitch -http://www.scissorstitch.etsy.com/
Seaside Quilts - http://seasidequilts.etsy.com/
SewSoNancy - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5198033
Sheeps Clothing - http://sheepsclothing.etsy.com/
Snap Dragon Design House - http://www.snapdragondesign.etsy.com/
SoBright Designs - http://www.sobrightdesigns.etsy.com/
Stella Bella Designs - http://www.stellabelladesigns.etsy.com/
Sunny Day Tags - http://sunnydaytags.etsy.com/
Sweet Beets - http://sweetbeets.etsy.com/
Sweet Pea Boutique - http://happygrandma402905.etsy.com/
The Bird & The Bean - http://www.birdandbean.etsy.com/
The Clever Kitty - http://thecleverkitty.etsy.com/
The Quilted Lion - http://thequiltedlion.etsy.com/
Thumbelina Boutique - http://thumbora.etsy.com/
Tiki Tales - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=41608
Trendy Tot - http://www.trendytot.etsy.com/
TuTu Cute & Moore - http://www.tutucuteandmoore.etsy.com/
Tweet Tweet Boutique - http://www.jabstweettweet.etsy.com/
Twinkle Star Art - http://twinklestarart.etsy.com/
Whimzee Baby Boutique - http://www.whimzeeebaby.etsy.com/
Wild Olive Kids - http://www.wildolivekids.etsy.com/
Zwei Baby - http://twinmommy.etsy.com/

*Sale/sale items vary per shop, please read individual shop announcements before purchasing*

Mr. Pretties Has Another Wife...

.. I am almost positive. There is just no way that two different people can be described this way. I just read this description of Clever Girl's husband and it describes Mr. Pretties to a tee.

'when he gets in a crummy mood, you'd think he had to live in the gutter and french kiss sewer rats while simultaneously changing old people's diapers and donating his paycheck to pedophiles, all while wearing a polyester suit and shoes that pinch. At those times, NOTHING is right, EVERYTHING is wrong, and I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. At those times, my mother-in-law and I refer to him as Eeyore. (That is, if Eeyore managed to look sad while also looking as though he wanted to kick Christopher Robin's scrawny ass.)'

Now you've realized compared to Clever Girl I'm really not funny. at. all. I actually debated whether to link and/or post about her because after reading her I'll look like the dictionary. She cracks me right up.

I really have nothing hilarious to ad, other than I cannot wait for Mr. Pretties to get home so I can tell him exactly what he is. An ass-kicking Eeryore. Am I the only one laughing out loud?

A Bun In The Oven...

... Oh wait, it's just dowels full of ribbon ;) Yes indeed, I am baking ribbon to fashion some wonderful korkers tonight and tomorrow and they'll be all set for purchasing at Etsy Wednesday night!

I personally love korkers, they're my favorite. They look equally adorable on little girls with no hair as well as those with loads of it. LLP hardly has any hair as you can see. I put a teeny tiny pony tail in tree style on the top of her head with an ouchless clear elastic and then alligator clip a nice fluffy corker infront of it and it is adorableness personified!

I love to adhere fun buttons, felty balls, flowers, etc... in the middles because it just makes them more unique and wonderful. LLP was sporting a navy and baby blue super korker with one of those freakin' cute caboodles in the middle and it was to di(v)e for. Literally, one of the other little girls at LLPs play group tried to take her out to steal it... BLP has the same problem at preschool. I have to sew the korkers together super tight because if I don't they end up getting sabotaged when they're fighting over them! That's what BLP is taking for her Halloween treat at school. Korkers for the girls, and who knows what for the boys. (So yeah, if any of you have any great ideas for boys... LET ME KNOW!) I know we live in a what's good for girls is fine for boys too kind of world, and I see no problem in dolls/kitchens/etc... for little boys but I kind of feel hair clippies step over that line a little. Remember I said I had a hard time making mommy friends because I look meanish? Yeah... don't really need help in the deterring other people department...

I shall return, hopefully with some cute pictures of what's going on Etsy tonight/tomorrow. Then I have to make a colour co-ordinated bento for BLP for preschool tomorrow... Did I mention I also have to bake a grandparents day treat? Apparently they want me to issue food poisoning to the sweet dears if they're asking me bake something. I think I'll put that on Mr. Pretties things to do, he's actually an excellent baker/cook. I've already given him specific guidlines, they went like this:

*I want something that is better than everyone elses. I want everyone to see them and say 'Wow, LLP's mom is the best! She's practically Martha Stewart, but way younger and totally cuter!' It would also be really good if they actually wanted to be me... and maybe it could make all the other treats look crappy...*

Sounds easy enough, don't you think? Now I have to stress for the need to be understood, I would never want another mom to feel badly about something she brought. I've been there. So I was 110% kidding about that, I was just being me. In truth if someone actually said that I'd probably cry and then punch my self in the teeth for being such a knob. But you get the point, I want something totally good and impressive to take. If they think I'm a young/cute Martha, that's even better...

ETA: There will be no cute-irrific pictures tonight. My starch has failed me and made my corkers super crispy. *Alright, who ordered super crispy?!* They still look cute but they feel crunchy, like a bad 80's hair do. Not cool. These will not be for sale (Unless you have a crispy fetish, in which case email me). I will however make LLP wear one to her playdate tomorrow...

Rude...

...Until today I under the impression that if you said something rude it was, well, rude. I'm huge about rude, totally anal about it. I'm always on the little pretties about what's rude, Mr. Pretties for being rude, and complaining about rude people (aka 'ruditudes'.) So now we've got it covered that I'm totally anti-rudeness, for sure.

Now Mr. Pretties exercises a technique which he believes exempts him from being rude. Yes folks, apparently there is a way to dodge the 'R Bomb' once something less than polite exits your mouth. It's really quite simple. You quickly follow it up with either 'Hahaha, just kidding!', 'I'm only teasing you, you have no sense of humour!' or, my personal favorite, 'I'm just telling it like it is.' Yes, it is that simple. Let's review some examples shall we?

Ex 1: 'Wow Jenn, it looks like your pant pockets are screaming, maybe they don't quite fit yet after having the LBP...'

*Insert Angry Face Here*

'Hahaha, just kidding!'

Sure you were...

Ex 2: 'Wow! Does your butt ever look big in those pants!'

*Insert Really Angry Face Here*

'I'm just teasing you! Geez you have no sense of humour!'

Rriiigghhhttt....

Ex 3: 'Damn it Jenn! Sometimes you can be such a slob/knob/snob/blob/corn cob/etc...'

*Insert I Can't Believe You Just Said That Face Here*

'Well, I'm just telling it like it is!'

And that makes it right because......

So there you have it ladies and gentleman, the lamo's way out of being accused of being rude. When they are in fact being rude...

Some Days There Are No Words...

...To describe being a parent. I don't mean in a 'it's so magical that I just cannot describe it' sort of way either. More of an 'They simply haven't invented a word bad enough to describe this feeling' kind of way. Don't get me wrong now, I adore my children. But whoever coined the phrase 'You may not always like your kids, but you'll always love them' was dead on. I'm not so much liking them right this second. Love 'em to death, like, not so much.

*Sigh*

This all actually happened yesterday, but I couldn't blog about it because I was too busy going between cleaning up and trying to decide whether running away from home would just be easier. Then I remembered Mr. Pretties cannot dress the girls. They'd end up going to preschool in pink pants and orange and blue stripped shirts. Not to mention he probably wouldn't even remember to brush their hair, let alone haul out the corkered ribbons 45 seconds before going out the door and assembling an amazing hair clippie work of art in record time. What kind of life would they have without me? I just couldn't allow them to find out, it would be too horrific. Clearly.

I believe their personal agendas were like so (please keep in mind I was either in the bathroom, in the laundry room, or, in one instance with marker, sitting right beside them - I should've been concerned with their quietness...):

1. Give Cookie Monster a bath. In the bathroom sink. Which will over flow, dripping excessive water into the basement. - Check

2. Scale the gate to the kitchen, the one into Mommy's bedroom, climb onto tall dresser, obtain very sticky bum cream. - Check

3. Climb onto long dresser, apply bum cream liberally to entire mirror, wall, and stereo surfaces.- Check

4. Climb onto couch, then onto cabinet, then onto mantel and retrieve forbidden markers out of hard to open container. - Check

5. Proceeed to colour eachother orange in our entirety.- Check, and Check (there are two of them)

6. Hear Mommy say she's going to bath us, try to help out by putting LLP in bathroom sink and washing her, overflowing said sink and dripping water into basement. Again. - Check

7. Scream like a vicious raccoon while getting orange marker washed out of hair. Make sure the neighbours are a little concerned. - Check

8. Scale kitchen baby gate. Again. Climb onto counter. - Double Check

9. Remove all tupperware, sippy cups, and steak knives from said cupboard.- Check

10. Try to pour ourselves some milk from the pitcher. I'm sure we can handle it! - Check

11. Poor said milk all over clean kitchen floor that's no longer so clean. Make sure it's the last bag (I am Canadian, my milk comes in a bag) - Check

12. Remove all DVDs from cabinet, and then remove them from the cases.- Check

13. Throw all small toys into toilet, along with soap. Right after pooping in potty - Check

MmmHmm.... A days work well done. For them. I mostly wanted to ground myself to my room. And stay there. Forever. Or, atleast until they move out.

Who is this child and where is her mommy???

(This is right after bath time, thus, no clothing)
This is LLP at Pre-PreSchool, she's not always bad...

It's A Bird, It's a Plane, It's a Bat, It's a...

Mr. Pretties and I had the following discussion this morning in the car on the way to the store:

Mr. Pretties: Oh yeah I forgot to show you something I saw this morning!
Me: Oh yeah? What is it??
Mr. Pretties: A bat, up in our tree.
Me: Wow, really?! A bat? Why didn't you wake me up?!
Mr. Pretties: Wake you up? hahahah I don't think so.
Me: Why? For a bat I would definitely get up! Are you sure it's a bat?
Mr. Pretties: Would I mention it if I wasn't?
Me: Hmm... was it furry? Did it have it's little arms wrapped around it's body? Was it hanging upside down??
Mr. Pretties: I should hope so...
Me: Wow, that's so cool. Let's turn around and go home now...
Mr. Pretties: No. We need groceries, it'll be there when we get home.
Me: Groceries... who needs groceries?! Do you think I could pick it up? I mean I know they have rabies and stuff but wouldn't it be worth it? Then I'd have a rabies shot and wouldn't have to worry when I pick up strange animals...*secretly envisioning walking around with my new pet bat on my shoulder...*
Mr. Pretties: You're sick. There is definitely something wrong with you...

*We Arrive Home*

After seeing two pig heads for sale at the grocery store I had sort of put my bat excitement on the back burner. Honestly, who eats pig's head, and why?! It was so sad to see their little sad piggy faces wrapped in seran :(

Mr. Pretties: Come on LBP, want to see a bat
Me: Oh yeah! Is it still there? I'm coming to see it!
Mr. Pretties: Uh... could you finish changing LLP's bum first? I mean you're kind of in the middle of it already...
Me: Yeah, so? It'll still be here... fine!

*I finish diaper duty, grab my camera, my memory card, my first aid kit for when I pretend to be the Crocodile Hunter and climb the tree to get it, the phone so Mr. Pretties can dial 911, and dash outside*

Me:Where is it?? Is it still there??
Mr. Pretties: Yup, rigghhttt uppppp there...


*Silence*

Me: Uhh... I'm pretty sure that's a clump of dead leaves...
Mr. Pretties: Oh no, it's definitely a bat!
Me: Mr. Pretties, I'm fairly sure that's just some crusty old leaves...
Mr. Pretties: It can't be!

*I throw a rock up at the 'bat' and funny enough, dead leaves come down. Uh huh.

Mr. Pretties: Oh. It was just leaves. Nevermind...
Me: *Big Sigh* I'm so disappointed...Dead leaves... honestly...

I guess so...

31 For 21

Today marks the first day of '21 for 31' to raise awareness about Down Syndrome. Now that doesn't mean I'm going to be blogging about Downs, it just means that I have to make sure I post a post every. single. day. Now those who follow the blog know I have good intentions, but am not always so good at the daily blogging. I will do it this month though. I will also try to make sure they are quality posts too, none of that 'Today is Wednesday... ' garbage, I'll make sure I have something to talk about. Even if that means I have to go looking for drama.

This isn't even my post for today, nope this is just so you know what's up and that I can't get the 31 for 21 button to work in my side bar. Somedays Blogger just gives me so much attitude I could smack it! If smacking inanimate objects didn't have the men with the white suits peaking around the corner...

So now you know what I'm up to, if you want to join 31 for 21 you can do so here, everyone is welcome and it's not too late! I bet you could even sign up tomorrow as long as you posted two posts... Just sayin...