Halloween

Halloween around here is always fun. The kids have a huge collection of "dress-ups" and costumes from Grandma Dee, and there's always something great for the kids to wear. This year, however, Violet really wanted to be Violet Incredible. No problem. Check out Disney Store.com - but they are sold out. That's fine... I would go to the Disney Store in town and pick up the costume. Except for one problem. Apparently all the Disney Stores in town have closed. Oops. When did *that* happen???

That's fine. I'll check out eBay. Well. The Violet Incredible costume that was her size was going for $160. Um, no thanks.

I decided to hunt around town to see what I could come up with. I did find and Incredibles costume at Wal-Mart, but it wasn't the really cool form-fitting one that Disney was selling. Oh and of course they didn't have one in Riley's size, and if Violet was going to be Violet, he wanted to be Dash. Ack.

That's when I saw it. Jasmine. PERFECT!!! She could wear her black wig, and we already had Aladdin, thanks to Grandma Dee. Fabulous!


Like the wig? Yep. It's the same one I was wearing when I was the Elsie-wannabe ;)


Violet loved it that I put fancy makeup on her :)


I could not believe he was actually wearing the wig. My son cracks me RIGHT up.

Violet loved wearing her costume to school. And her teacher, Mrs. Piccininni, loved it, too! For Halloween, Mrs. Piccininni becomes Mrs. WITCHininni!



Of course this weekend a big box arrived from Grandma Dee for Riley. Inside were more costumes - a firefighter, a tiger, Beast (from Beauty and the Beast), and SpiderMan. Riley has not taken off SpiderMan since it arrived. He even slept in it last night. So the costume choice may change by the time the 31st rolls around. I'll keep you posted as to what they wear when trick-or-treating ;)

Haircut Photos... and a few of Riley too

Here you go. I'm not *that* upset anymore. I mean, after I counted to... I don't know... a thousand... it wasn't all that bad...



And it's only one side. That's a plus, right? RIGHT??



And of course Riley is there to add a little comic relief to the mix. He is forever running around with a pull-up on his head, declaring that it is his "cooker hat!" and offering to bake things for us.





Well tonight he took it a step further... and decided to make himself look like a Power Ranger.
Um, ok...





Ahhhh yes. The things one boy can imagine with a diaper on his head. :)

Memo to Emily,

our next door neighbor little girl.

Don't come to our front door wanting to play with Violet when you are holding your kitten.
Barabbas will run out the door and try to eat it.
The kittie will claw you to escape, and hide under the neighbors bushes.
I will have to rescue the cat while restraining the dog and trying to calm the hysterical 4 year old girl.
And I hate cats.

That is all.

It was only a matter of time

before Violet decided to try her hand at cutting her own hair.

Indeed.
No photos yet. Still too upset.

Always fun! And cool too!

Find out the meaning in your name

here's mine...

Jessie

Wealthy one, He beholds : Hebrew

You are an inspiring leader whose originality, creativity and wisdom are applied to creating practical solutions to "unsolvable" problems. Humanitarian and idealistic your vision is to make the world a better place and you will work to this end. Hardworking and tenacious people admire you for your honesty and integrity. You are a loved and loyal friend and partner. You have the potential to achieve enormous success in the world.

and here's the info for my full name, Jessica:

Jessica

Wealthy one, He beholds : Hebrew

You are charming, talented and have a very positive attitude to life so it is hardly surprising that you attract success and recognition. Focussed and patient you understand that material rewards are a result of discipline. Being so creative and with a need for self-expression you may be drawn towards the arts, travel is also likely to be important. A loyal friend, you are a person who must be allowed freedom and independence.

Let me know what yours says!! :)

Phase 2 of the new 'do

Now I have Puerto Rican hair. :) :) :)

Cleaning out

my scraproom. Val, aren't you proud of me??

I am listing a bunch of stuff on ebay. Check it out...
My Ebay Listings

If you know anyone who wants this stuff, let 'em know of my fabulous ebay deals!!

New hair... Phase 1 - brown

It will be darker on Tuesday, but this is Phase 1 of the New Hair Process...



I am digging the brown so far... ;)

Tomorrow afternoon

I am getting my hair done. Time for a change. Hopefully it won't look like crap on a stick.

If I like it, I will post before/after pics.
Well, I will probably post them anyway. Just cause. ;)
But I am ready to have a different look. Stay tuned............

Melissa, whom I love

Some girls have all the luck.
In my life, that girl's name is Melissa. You may have read of my adventures with her in previous posts (Star Search and My Fabulous 30th Birthday), and I don't think I was blogging when she and I ended up BACKSTAGE with her AT THE RADIO MUSIC AWARDS in 2003...

Yes. Melissa, whom I love. She's amazing. And the luckiest girl ever. She is forever winning things off the radio, getting onto game shows (she was on Wheel of Fortune and won TONS of cash & prizes... even hitting the $10,000 space!!). Well, two years ago she won a shopping spree at the Venetian with Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray... this is what subsequently led to our ending up at the RMAs, backstage, as his special guest, meeting allllllllllll sorts of fabulously famous people. It pretty much rocked.

Fast forward to September 15, 2005, when Melissa called me on the phone. She told me to keep the night of the 22nd open CAUSE SHE JUST WON TICKETS TO SEE SUGAR RAY. Yes. She won them off the radio. AGAIN. I love her. Cause not only did she *win* the tickets, she thought she should take *me* with her.

And of course, when Melissa and I get together, something FABULOUS is bound to happen.

So. Thursday night. The 22nd. We are going to the Nina's Night Out concert to see Sugar Ray and Vertical Horizon to benefit the Rape Crisis Center. SWEET. But unfortunately we found out that we did *not* get the VIP tickets, just general admission. So no pre-concert VIP party. No free food. Melissa thought of a long-shot technique at getting in the VIP event, and sent an email to Mercedes, the girl from the radio station that went shopping with Mel & Mark McGrath in 2003. The text of her email read:

Hi Mercedes! My name is Melissa, and a couple of years ago, I won the shopping spree with Mark McGrath, where you and I shopped with him at the Venetian. A couple of days ago, I won tickets on your show to the concert on Thursday night, but apparantly they are not for the VIP party ahead of time. I was really hoping to have a chance to get Mark to sign my picture from the shopping day. Is there any chance you can get a friend and I into the party--at least long enough to get his autograph on my photo? Please let me know. Thank you very much.

Mercedes emailed her right back (how cool is THAT?) and told her that she wished she could do something, but it wasn't possible and she was totally sorry. We knew it was a long shot, but I was glad Mel tried.

Mel & I decided to meet at 5 p.m. and get a bite to eat at Garduno's or another restaurant at the Palms while we waited for the doors to open at 7 p.m. for the concert. The VIP party started at 5:30, but we knew we weren't getting in there. We saw the table with info for the VIPs to check in and go up to the Ghost Bar (on the 51st floor of the Palms). We picked up a brochure and saw that they were actually doing a silent auction with some really great stuff to bid on. I thought, "we've GOT to be able to go up there to at least *try* and bid on some great stuff!" So I decided to risk it. I walked up to the bouncer and showed him our tickets and asked if there was any way we could go upstairs to bid on some of the silent auction items. AND WOULDN'T YOU KNOW IT... he looked at the two of us and said, "Sure!"

I nearly peed my pants, but had to remain calm as Mel and I went to the big fancy elevator with bouncer #2... oh jeez. But all he did was ask to see our IDs, which after much fumbling, we produced. And then we were going up the elevator. To floor number 51. To the GHOST BAR. To the VIP party where everyone but us paid $100 to get in the door. YESSSSSSSSSSSS.


Us at the Ghost Bar at the Palms

When we walked in the door, a cute girl standing with her hubby saw us and waved and said, "Hi Melissa!" And since we were not expecting to see *anyone* we knew, it was a bit of a shock. Soon we realized that it was MERCEDES! She came over and talked to us and said she was so excited that we got in anyway. She was so very sweet and said how she had tried so hard to get us up in the VIP party and even contemplated how she could get a hold of Melissa when she got here and realized there was a back way to the elevators. It was so cool! She totally remembers Melissa from the shopping spree and said that if we ever wanted any sort of hook-ups like that in the future to call her and she would see what she could do. RAD.


With Mercedes, our new best friend ;)

Soooooo we browsed the floor, checked out the auctions (some of them were really great, but all of them too rich for our blood!), ate some horse doovers, and looked around for famous people.

Oh and we saw some!
The guys from Vertical Horizon were there... Matt and Keith. We walked up to them and said hi, shook hands, and talked to them for a bit. They were so very cool. I asked a girl nearby to take a photo of all of us together. I think she was scared of my huge camera cause this is the pic she took of us:



Notice, Keith is not in there. Keith is just to the left of Melissa. Did she not see him, I wonder?? I was so sad, cause I showed them the pic and Matt laughted RIGHT OUT LOUD about Keith being missing, and then they had to go warm up and I wanted to get another pic but it ended up being too late... and they were gone. I didn't get a pic with Keith. Sigh.

So we walked around a bit more and found Nina Radetich, the host of the event, and thanked her for a great party. She reminded us to drink up while the alcohol is free.

*WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY????*

Okay we are dorks. HOW did we miss out on THAT one?? Well, we weren't gonna miss out on an opportunity for free champagne!!!



So we had one... or two... each... ;)

At about 7:30 the party was winding down so we headed to the concert. As we got to the elevator, we got our VIP goodie bags with T-shirts, info on the Rape Crisis Center, and free movie, drink, and popcorn tickets!!! YESSSSSSS!!! AWESOME!!! Being a VIP rocks.

When we got into the concert venue (at the RAIN nightclub in the Palms), lots of people were already there and had staked out all the available seats int he joint (which were very few). It was a standing room only concert, which was fine with me. And oh... look. There's a spot for us. RIGHT AT THE STAGE. RIGHT THERE. Sweet!!!



Did I mention cameras weren't allowed in there? Thank GOD for 1600 ISO. Since my big ole camera didn't need a flash, I got away with taking quite a few photos. And since we were VIPs, my purse was never searched so no one knew I had it. ;)

Here's a few of Vertical Horizon:




Matt, the lead singer


Keith! I just thought he was adorably cute. I swear he kept looking at me ;)


Mel and I both decided we need to buy these guys' CDs. They were that good!

And then it was time for Sugar Ray. WOOOOOHOOOOO! Here are a few photos from their set, which was just awesome-spaz-tastic. Mark McGrath is a complete spaz - but seriously so entertaining!!








mmmm. ;)


loved this dude's pants. ;) (Melinda - remember my overalls like this?)


CAN YOU SEE HOW CLOSE HE WAS TO US??? He was seriously sitting INCHES from us.


Melissa was *so happy*...
(I need to add that she posed for this photo... although there were plenty other moments when she was not posing and they mostly looked like this... lol)


I think this shot is cool...

So as you can see the concert was completely great.
Afterward we were trying our hardest to figure out how to see Mark again. We knew he was staying on the 20th floor... but we couldn't get to the room elevators without a key - and by this time the bouncer population had multiplied tenfold... they were everywhere. We were kind of out of luck. Oh yeah - and starving. We hung out around the area where people were lined up to get into the clubs, cause the Palms is famous for its celebrity sightings. And of course Mel and I were pretty good at that. ;)

And that was when we saw Keith! We walked up to him and he TOTALLY REMEMBERED US and laughed about being cut out of the first pic. I asked if we could try another photo again and he was completely cool and let us take one (and even stuck around to be sure it was a good one!)...



and then he spent several minutes talking to us about the show! We told him how much we enjoyed it and he talked about the venue and how he wasn't sure if it would work and it was so cool and like he was our friend and not a celebrity. We didn't want to take up his time, so we thanked him and left and that is my only regret of the night. WE *SO* MISSED OUR CHANCE. All I needed to do was say, "Hey, are you going into the club? Mind if we join you?" He would have totally let us. But I wasn't quick enough on my feet. Sigh. So I had to just settle for the fabulous night we had.

And it was fabulous. Culminated by a lovely burger and shake dinner at In-n-Out Burger. I love Melissa.

I totally

have to share what I did on Thursday night... but it'll take awhile to put together the post and photos that go with it. So I will leave you with this little gem from Riley as he was watching The Little Mermaid this morning.

"Mommy... I like Ariel's booboos."

Chair

There is a store in Phoenix called Annalis Scraptique where they feature chairs in their workroom that have been designed by different artists. The store owner, Suzy, asked me to do one for her store, too. This is what I came up with...




The seat reads: The personwho sits in this chair is an artist. She paints her pictures with words and photos onto a 12 inch canvas of paper. Her heart spills onto the page as she shares what truly matters most in her life. She is creative - MORE CREATIVE THAN SHE BELIEVES. She tells stories with her hands - and her heart. When she is deep in the throes of her work, time does not exist. Nothing does except the photos, the words, and the LOVE that pours from her soul. She is an ARTIST. She is a SCRAPBOOKER.


Create what matters most.


Listen to the artist within.


Hang your art from the clip on the back ;)

Technique Tuesday Stamps

are so freaking amazing I am trying to hold myself back from getting THE ENTIRE COLLECTION. Seriously. I love them more than any other stamp EVER MADE. They are clear acrylic and they come on clear acetate sheets that are hole punched - so you CAN KEEP THEM ALL TOGETHER IN A HANDY DANDY NOTEBOOK. I swear this company is freaking BRILLIANT. Check out their stamps here: Technique Tuesday

So of course I did a page with the stamps this weekend - I used them for the title here, as well as those dots and flower accents on the page.



I had a fabulous time at CK-AZ Phoenix this weekend. Spent Saturday night at my friend Alana's scrapbook store, scrapping, breaking things, scrapping some more, and breaking more things. I think she's glad I live several hundred miles away... LOL

School Girl

Violet's a Kindergartener!



Her special lunchbox from her Aunties... we used some Big Honkin Stickers to put her name on it. :)


No fear at all... she walked right into the crowd like she owned the place. Didn't she know she was supposed to cry?? But the only one with tears in her eyes at this point was Mommy.


Her room is AMAZING - it's all decorated like a Bug Garden. Bright and cheerful and full of ladybugs, bumblebees, butterflies, and other fun little creatures. Violet found her seat right away, and humored me with this photo... but then told me it was time to go now, Mom.


And we survived the first day - and first WEEK - of school. She's in her element. Riley's adjusting to life without Violet at home. At least he gets to play with Ashlyn and Reece three days a week... gives him something to do. He calls it his "school." :)

Tagged!

I thought I was free from this whole "tagging" business by being unlisted in the blog world, and then April got me.

So without further ado, here is the List of Five Random Things You May Not Know About Jessie:

1. I have been kissed by Mark McGrath. Yes indeed. I have. At the Radio Music Awards. When I was backstage, hanging out with alllllll sorts of famous people, like my friend Melissa ;)

2. If you give me a street address in Las Vegas - any street address - I can tell you the major cross streets within a block or two. Apparently this is a quirk and not many people can do it. But I can. I used to deliver flowers when I was in high school, and I got to know the streets in Las Vegas pretty well. So throw away your maps, kids!! Just rely on Miss Jess to get you where you need to go ;)

3. The use of the term "Whole 'nother" g~r~a~t~e~s me to no end. The proper term, if you'd like to use it, is "an whole other," which also sounds dumb. So find something else to say, please. I keep various running lists: Words That Annoy Me (i.e. moist, slacks, whimsical, delicatessen, paradigm, shellac, discharge, airy....), Ordinary Words to Use Someday in the Dirty Novel I'll Be Writing with Melissa (i.e. shaft, rod, staff, member, organ, mound, thrust, heave...), Words That Riley Says in a Super Cute Way (Violet=dot, eyelet, diet; Breakfast=brekkis; Love=yuv; Fork=shork...), and many more.

4. I have to read novels in the accent in which they were written. So Harry Potter must be read in a British accent, Bridge to Terabithia in a southern accent. Of course the accents aren't perfect, and neither am I. But you still love me!!!

5. I can white-girl rap like no other. Seriously. Give me a mic and a stage and I will be all over Mr. Wendel, Ice Ice Baby, and more. Let me remind you that I am *very* White Girl. But it does promise to be entertaining!

And now, I tag Liane and Melinda. Oh and Shontell. ;) (I would have tagged you, Melissa, if you *had* a blog, thankyouverymuch.)

Survived

The first week of school for me as an art teacher is over... and I survived. :) I don't have a classroom. They finally found me a cart that I wheel from class to class and it's workable for now. Of course I need to order supplies to go *in* the cart... but those will come soon. I even have an "office"... okay, it's a walk-in closet between two classrooms and it has no power, and it barely fits the wardrobe and a student desk in there, but it's MY PERSONAL SPACE and I really like it! I got an extension cord adn power strip, found a desk lamp with integrated pencil holder, and even got myself a lime green rolling chair and sassy lime green mini flip top trash can. I need to hang some stuff on the walls so it feels more like an office and less like a closet. Oh and music. Somehow I need music in there. I think I need to get an iPod with my first paycheck!!

Tuesday I taught a 7&8 grade combo class first - 16 students. Good times. We discussed teh question "What is art?" and then they made a page using words and drawings that described art. they actually came out quite well :) Next was second grade - we talked about how art related to the 5 senses and we did a drawing activity to illustrate that. Some of their projects were really great! I also had third graders on Tuesday. They did the 5 senses, too.

Wednesday started out with 5th grade doing What is Art, then 1st grade doing a Favorite Colors assignment, then 4th grade doing the 5 senses.

Thursday was the 6th graders with What is Art, then kindergarten with Favorite Colors.

The teachers are really cooperative and great. I only have half an hour for the k-4th, so it's barely enough time to do anything. I will be doing a LOT of stuff that requires more than one session, but it's all good.

Next week I'll be teaching color theory stuff. Starting with the color wheel. Should be fun ;)

Picasso

for our tenth anniversary dinner (I know what you are thinking... "didn't you already *have* one of these?" and maybe I did but the 19th was our *FOR REALS* anniversary so we went out again. PLUS it was our tenth anniversary, and that deserves to be celebrated as many times as possible!!).



We had the most AMAZING dinner at Picasso at the Bellagio. We sat on the terrace and enjoyed a lovely prix fixe multi-course meal with wine while we watched the fountains. And we walked through the restaurant and got to see all the incredible works of art by Picasso himself. I mean - THERE IT WAS - the canvases HE PAINTED ON. Right in front of us. WOW. I was in *heaven.*

Old hair, new 'do

So we were at my mom's house yesterday when we came upon one of her old wigs. Yep. She used to wear it back in the early 70s, so she wouldn't have to "do her hair." LOL.

We all had a laugh trying it on... Luke looked especially precious in it. HAHA. And then I tried it on. And I loved it. I think it makes me look like Elsie Flannigan. And I *heart* Elsie. So I decided I needed to keep it. And wear it when I needed to feel extra sassy and creative. So yeah. Don't be surprised if you see me with short black hair sometime. And don't point and laugh like my family does. ;)

My fun hair!


Rick's reaction:


Riley's reaction:


Violet's reaction:


I love my family. :)

Check it out!

http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/scrapbookfun/category.ihtml?idx=117 Mine is the second one down. Hey Liane! Can you see yourself? LOL

Thanks to April for the link. :)

Harvest!

We have watermelons in our backyard!


The kids were thrilled to pick the two that were ready today...


Riley loved his so much! He kept thumping it like a drum...


and he didn't want to wait for me to cut it open to eat it!
But he did... and we had it for dessert tonight.
YUM! Nothing like fresh watermelon right from our garden.