Tuesday, October 27, 2009

A sneek Peek

This years family theme:
Toy Story

Mr. Potato Head


Boo Peep's Sheep
Stay tuned for the rest!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Shabby Apple Dare to Design Limoncello Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Shabby Apple Dare to Design Limoncello Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

I wish I could live in Shabby Apple clothes... You do too, I bet!

In unrelated news... we should be back to our regular blogging goodness soon. Everyone is on the mend... just got to get Boy over the hump and we should be good.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Yellow Finch Designs GIVEAWAY!!!!

Yellow Finch Designs GIVEAWAY!!!!

Hoping one of these days, I will enter enough of these things to actually win something. I so love all the stuff I find on the internet.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Keeping it real

Dear grocery store costumers in Aisle 7,

In case you were wondering, yes, I did see all 10 of you today, when you stopped to glare at me for disciplining my children. Just wanted to make sure you were aware your increase in frown lines wasn't in vain. Thank you for taking an interest in how I raise my children. I hope when you go home tonight and tell your spouses about the 'woman at the store with WAY too many kids, that were out of control,' you won't forget any of the thrilling details.

And sir; yes, you over there, who I don't think was quite loud enough with your disapproving exhalation of breath; next time I will a little harder not to block your view of the salad dressing selections as I run full hilt down the aisle--in heels -- to stop my five year old from knocking the juice boxes off the shelves.

Oh yes, lest we forget, let me just clear it up that it was my five year old who was screaming at the top of his lungs for me not to spank him, after stopping the juice box incident. After all, I wouldn't want all his hard work at figuring out that screaming such a thing would be much more dramatic to go to waste. Given that, I wouldn't want you all to be confused with the little boy, whose mother was absently handing her little darling anything he reached for off the shelves, while she was busily giving me a good once over. We don't want to make that mistake now, do we? So just in case you forget, it was my son. And yes, I did tell him he was silly to think I'd spank him in public. Of course I wouldn't do that... spanking comes at home.

But don't worry, I won't be offended when you take that the wrong way and reach hurriedly for your cell phones, to mostly likely call your friend, "sally" and then Child Protective Services ( in that order). Because being an 'enlightened adult' I know that there is never under the entire sun anything that would ever warrant a spanking. Especially, one that is not given in the heat of the moment, but at a later appointed time after careful weight of the punishment to the crime, by the terribly negligent mother. I totally understand that because, of course, having been spanked myself as a child for my misdeeds, I am now a damaged, low esteemed, part time convenience store robber.

So again, dear grocery store shoppers in Aisle 7, I'd like to thank you all for taking a vested interest in our little moment today at the store. I hope I lived up to all your expectations of 'those kind of women,' but gosh, do remember that at least by being parent enough to actually discipline my kids, I'm saving you the trouble in a few years, of having to complain about 'those disrespectful teenaged punks' over in aisle 9.

Sincerely,
The perfectly in control mom of four normally well behaved kids.

EDIT: After hearing from a few friends that they thought I should submit this as a letter to the editor for our local paper, I decided to give it a go. After all, with a few tweaks here and there, I found it a rather tongue in cheek piece. Sadly, it was longer than their allowed word count. :(
Maybe if I'm feeling brave I will look into submitting it as a guest columnist piece.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Spoiled


Yesterday, I had a root canal. I don't recommend that anyone get one, even though the pain from the dying tooth was way worse than anything the root canal tossed my way. The actual root canal itself wasn't bad at all. I just popped on my head phones, cranked up the music on my phone and couldn't feel a thing.

And since my dentist told me he and his wife read my blog, I'd like to give a shout out to the wonderful Dr. Wood, for making my tooth thoroughly root canalled. Next time I'll aim for a less annoying tooth.

So, as I said, yesterday I had a root canal, and had been having really icky tooth pain since last Saturday. Leave it to the amazingly wonderful Mr. C to take care of me, and yet again teach his sons how to treat the important women in their lives. Upon getting home he cuddled everyone up to snuggle for a while, and then seeing that my head was going to explode, he took all the boys out for a car ride so that I could rest.

I'm not really sure how long they were gone, since my mom was chatting with me on the phone most of the time, to keep my mind off the discomfort, but a while later my bedroom door swings open and a wild band of men come charging into my room declaring that they've brought me 'surprises'.



This is apparently the bounty you get when you have a root canal in our house. A new back massager, a mini food processor, and a Snuggie-- specially picked out for me by Frog Prince, since he saw an infomercial for them on TV. I also got good smelling candles, and the boys played their guitar and sang a 'get better, I love you so much' song for me.

Am I spoiled or what!

Sadly, this is all you get from Mommy, when she has a root canal.



A very messy house !



And yes, this is me rocking my snuggie. Say what you will, I think this thing is the most comfy lounge about the house thing I've ever had... you know you all secretly want one too!

So, my friends, the moral of the story: Root Canal= icky badness. Family who treats their mommy/wife way better than she deserves= all time win!

I Looked out the Window and What Did I See?..




Sheepie swinging, as cute as can be.

Autumn's brought me such a nice surprise,





Boy gazing at me with his crystal blue eyes.

A handsome picture of FP, so slick and neat,




Him surviving til Kindergarten; quite a feat.

It may not quite be so,
But it seems to me,
Like we're living the dream here,
at Chez Carleski.

My April Snow GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

My April Snow GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Here's another amazing give away for all you classically beautiful fashion lovers.


And as a side note... since I'm hoping she's reading this, now that we've reconnected. Many of my friends and readers have commented on how they think its interesting and fun that I tend to wear skirts and dresses- along with things like high heels and bright red lipstick-- all the time. Well, I'll let you in on a little secret, then, friends and readers. My love of beautifully feminine and classic clothing came from a woman named Betty Rainwater. Betty has had a very special place in my heart for many years,and when I was a young teenager, one of her passions influenced me forever. Vintage hats.

When I was just gaining a budding sense of fashion, Betty shared with me her great love of antique and vintage hats--truly things of a by gone world. One day when I was out, I wanted to find Betty a vintage hat as a present (sadly in this I failed, since as a preteen I was poor, and had no idea how much they often cost). However, upon entering the vintage clothing store, my world was rocked by the beautiful and feminine clothes of eras past. Never again were my fashion sensibilities the same. In the beautifully tailored fabrics, I realised how a woman was supposed to dress. Beautifully, modestly, and classically.

Sadly, I will admit I've had years of some truly strange fashion tastes, but recently another woman (Stephanie Nielson, of the NieNieDialogues) reminded me of that love that Betty's hat collection once sparked. Happily, friends, that is why, and how I came to dress as I often do, because I believe that within every one of us, as women, is a truly beautiful daughter of God, and through dressing in such a feminine and timelessly classic way, I feel it is a refection of such.

So thank you, Betty, for sharing your hats with me, and thank you Nie Nie for reminding me of something I knew once a long time ago.

Post Script: Yes, I do wear pants and blue jeans quite often.... so do not think I think people are any less of a woman for doing such.... I love you all.

Orange Poppy Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Orange Poppy Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!


Can they get more lovely ladies... if you want some amazingly necklaces (most of which remind me of NieNie) check out this give away.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Applesauce


Tis the Season....










Thanks to the lovely Apple Lady for letting us come harvest our apples from her house for yet another year.  She even lent us that amazing strainer that is pictured with each of the kids. It saved me easily an hour, if not more, of cutting, peeling, and de-seeding the apples.

User Error


Boy doesn't know how to use crayons without eating them... so I thought maybe markers would be a better idea, since you can't actually eat a marker.





Apparently, I was wrong... Did you know you can bite off the tip of a marker and swallow it?

Instead of colouring... Boy went out back to swing with Daddy... much safer plan.

Transformer....more than meets the eye!



Meet my children... the transformers.



The king of the Decpti-sheepies



Optimus Froggie

And I have no idea... they just wanted a picture of him taken.