come in....

here's to living winter vicariously through photos

(the sheep??...it was white)

“If you are a dreamer, come in…

…if you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!”

     — shel silverstein

don't be fooled....

...I no longer look like this.

it was a good 4 weeks ago.

I haven't gotten to taking another side shot, but from based on my (very tactful) neighbor's jaw drop when i told her I wasn't due until Feb....I'm guessing I am popping out quite a bit more.

For all of you who can't wait until February, here is a creepy baby morph that i did online (which is better than the one we did seven years ago in Vegas, where our daughter looked like a 10 year old neanderthal)...

....meh.

and for the sake of this half mexican baby experiment I'll set aside my exasperation with J.LO

*("but she knows what she did") and bring you this next combo......

ay caramba....maybe not.

(plus then her little soul would be partially addicted to one piece denim rompers 

or playing the "Bronx" card...and that might put me over the edge.)

Have a fabulous weekend my friends...

(*as in make any career moves outside of her Selena role.)

more mexican memories...

How gay is that shirt? 

Adam bought it for halloween last year....when I told him i hated it, he cut off the sleeves and started wearing it as an even sicker beach shirt.

What we learned in Mexico...

1. don't let your kids do flour relay races when they have braids in their hair (water plus four equals glue in your scalp)

2. try not to get hurt in mexico or you will end up in an doctors home office with a mystery shot in your arm and your genitals feeling like they're on fire.

3. pregnancy skin sensitivity will still allow blotchy sun damage through 50 spf on my forehead. 

4. there is nothing that will stop the scrappy mexican birds from shanking food practically right out of your mouth.

5. there is endless privacy for Matthew McConaughey style "beach time"

6. Sheamus has the most awesome perma mad scientist beach hair ever.

7. there is no better way to ensure quality family time than on a remote resort on a stretch of mexican coast....ARRIBA!!

whip it good.

Every year i get so jazzed for Halloween

and every year I am so frigging sick of it by late October.

Mostly because my house is cluttered and dark with moss and skulls.

...Or is it my kids 47 costume changes?

I fully intended to put together a Bearded Lady gettup.

Or (in me and an my friend Summer's fantasy) members of a roller derby team

But after the Halloween party burnout

I was a little depleted,

and just lucky to not smell like a burlap sack.

{*side note: how awesome was the movie Whip IT ?

how much did it wish you were really really good at roller skating?

and do it while wearing fishnets and red lipstick?

and a reason to have neon streaks in your hair and an alter ego??

For this might be my undiscovered talent...

in that it'd justify my tendency to fall like 900 times while i play sports,

....and also I could elbow people in the face.

oooh and Kristin Wigg and i could finally be BFF's.

And isn't it relieving to see Juliette Lewis pick a movie role around her regular one piece jumpsuit wardrobe and akwardly awesome personality?

Maybe people could call me "Thunderstruck"...

oooh or "Team Bruise"

plus look how much fun they're having...

Wait, what were we talking about?? 

OH yes....Halloween was fun. Though I didn't dress up, my sweet kids did.

see how cute they are...

How to launch yourself into pre term labor...

1. Agree to head up decorations for a church party

2. Hold said party in an enormous basketball court on a $250 dollar decor budget...(thank you appliance store dumpster) using cardboard, paint and tree branches (without putting ANY new holes in the wall)

3. Decorate party for two days straight

4. All the while bending to paint and jumping up and down a stage 67 times

5. Drink only Pepsi Max for both those days

and VOILA!

...you will find yourself in the hospital triage in no time.

So even though the party was a total success,

as was my body's ability to not dilate through two days of premature contractions, basically I learned

pregnant chicks need to have more helpers and drink more water when throwing a party.

(oops.)

All is well.

(Though I might be swearing off soda for the remainder of my pregnancy)

Mexico is the new black.

We back.

And right up front...my apologies to our friends who were subject to my embarrassingly too small bathing suits all week.

...all week where I horizontally sipped mango smoothies, and ate poolside nachos...tucked away on a private beach with not one pregnant dog or drug lord in sight. who knew?

thanks for your prayers ;)

(more pictures to come...)

presenting...our vacay soundtrack:

-Jay z (forever young remix) about 73 times in a row the 4 hours there and back (thanks to husband liking the repeat button as much as the children do.)

 -The resorts mexican dance song of the year at least thrice daily "follow tha leada, leada, leada...follow tha leada, woot woot!"

-and Sheamus's rendition of Bon Jovi's "Shot Through the Heart" as follows...."shock to da heart and you're too lame, God give it alooooone a BAND-AID"

By now we are pool side in Mexico.

Don't be scared.

(or do.)

we'll be back soon ;)

date with the night.

What do you do when you arrive at the Build a Bear birthday party a day early?

...you hit up the MAC make up counter, and slather your 6 year old in hooker lipstick shades, of course.

(*also, I am the worst picture-kiss-facer ever)

the Wolverine-est

How is it that before an ultrasound, one can drink 32oz of water and pee out 82?

*Sheamus wanted the baby in Mommy's tummy to be a girl because he was under the impression that if it were a boy, that boy would be another Sheamus....and he would have to start all over being a baby again. 

*Elyott wanted a girl because....well she is a girl. and girls are awesome. (va jay jay power!)

*Mommy wanted a girl because...she feared another boy could only be more crazy and inevitably less sweet than the boy she already has.  Plus...she's a girl too (and she has had a girl name burning a hole in her brain for years!)

*Daddy wanted a girl because he drinks things like this...(see below) and having a family of girls would make it seem to make more sense??

So guess what??

ITS A BOYIEE!!!

*Sheamus asked if his name would be "Sheamus".  When I said no, he needed double clarification that he is now, and would always be, the "WOLVERINE-EST" and "Logan-est" of ALL!  (but i think he has it in the bag...see above)

*Elyott cried a teensy bit...but is now excited (cause she's the best most understanding big sister of all)

*Mommy's heart melted at the thought of a baby gorilla #2, and then punched herself in the face for ever thinking that she could be less excited by another boy (but damn those boy names!)

*Daddy (who is, by nature, the worst reaction giver of all) is jazzed too, and has absolutely no shame from his drink preferences (if he were a drinker, you better believe it'd be Appletinis all night long)

...and giggling fourth graders all across the land are glad to have another boy who will carry on the Dikefest namesake!

homies, lovers and friends

{via 9000}

Even though you always use my toothbrush, cause you forget mine is the green one, and that you happened to have a green toothbrush like 2 years ago (again, french kissing and wiping your tooth scum onto mine are not the same thing)...

...even though you listen to the lamest music, like 2001 style R kelly, so much that our preschooler makes regular requests for the "freakin' weekend song"

...even though you'll willingly let your softball leg wounds ooze into our sheets

...I love you through and through

♥ Happy anniversary lover.

(*and just as two wrongs don't make a right, 

I realize some random drawing and a silly backhanded post don't make a suitable anniversary gift

...but that's how we roll ;)

(p.s. the wedding photo above is basically opposite day of what we looked like at our wedding. I don't even think Adam could have grown a mustache yet....think pregnant teenagers ;) 

fat bottomed girls.

{via 9000 }

As a teen I went through years of insecurity and body image craziness, and it wasn't until after i got married  to a supportive (and completely biased husband ;) that i was slapped into the reality of what my body could do:

I had a baby.

I know it isn't that way for everyone, but for me, something about that transition in my life completely changed my views on what it means to have a healthy body.  I like to feel good, and look good, but mostly....I just love being around.

Yet the problem that lies with public outlets and me, is that I am way to tempted to use self deprication to make connections. And my self loathing thoughts on pregnancy might be my favorite subject (well...that and inverted nipples and pointing out my occasional lesbian sounding voice). Fabulously, I fear this has caused less of you to want to grab brunch, and more of you just want to punch me in the face.

For it has been lovingly brought to my attention that my "chubby thigh" and "acne mustache" symptoms might be the anti feministic way to celebrate this miracle....and hell, it's possible they're simply a figment of my imagination (a profession of how i feel rather than the way i look) . So I promise I won't hold it against you if you have recently thought anything along the lines of...

"For the love of Angelina and her overflowing maternal willingness, someone get this girl a muzzle!"

But before I ditch my M.O. and start reciting positive affirmations in the mirror, I'd like to profess that it's humor that gets me through these long months of suffrage. Allow me to be frank...I love myself! I looooooove my babies, I love myself an optimistic confident woman, but I do not love pregnancy....i think it was designed to keep a girl humble.  I consider it my bodily donation to take on the single most honorable venture there is in this life.  And despite the more socially responsible coping techniques that exist, the best way i can think to survive pregnancy (and sometimes just straight up motherhood) is to laugh at how ridiculous it can be.

This way, instead of pretending my third trimester double chin is glorious (or worse....not there) I rest assured that since not permanent, it is simply more hilarious than tragic.

But as always, thanks for keeping me in check friends!

{tie-dye.

 worst adult clothing invention ever?

or

maternity clothing amazingness?}

wanna hear a way smarter version of this?

...listen here, it is so awesome.

I have been naughty....

Longest hiatus ever!  Even my friends have begun to ask me what the heck was up.  I think it has been playing tricks on me too. I can no longer rely on my online rants to preface a story, I actually have to keep track of who I have told, which for me is like keeping track of how many times I've opened the refrigerator in the last month (after I've forgotten what i walked in the kitchen to do)....for i might be the queen of re-telling worthless information.

And I couldn't be prouder of all my stalwart readers who have stuck by my side! You guys are champs....really ;) I just hope I haven't built this all up too much, cause now i feel all cobwebby and out of sorts. Like an (abnormally chubby) baby deer learning to walk. It may take me a minute to gain some momentum, but in the meantime may i tell you a few tidbits:

-mystery gendered baby and I are both growing whole heartedly (thanks for the well wishing and concerned emails)

-October is maybe my favorite time ever

-My "baby" is 4 today! ...not my fetus baby, rather my baby whose head rests on a well formed neck instead of directly on its shoulders (Quasimodo?).

-today I'm "back" ...and tomorrow NIE is on Oprah!! (I am so Farrah to her Michael ;)  I SO can't wait to watch!

Hooray for comebacks!!!!!

So tired....tired of waiting.

It's hard being super....just take it from this kid. 

No, I am not dead... but i'm also not super.

....therefore, by about 11:00 in the morning, this is how i feel.

Since my "resurrection" or "exorcism" (whichever way you wanna slice it) I have been tending to the (literal) piles around me, the lists, and dangerously backordered attention giving.  I thank you all for not un-following me, as it hurts my blogging soul when i take a break and peeps bail. I have been enjoying the non-computer brain stimulus. 

**Also, forgive me for my total pump fake last week when i posted the Steoffrey/Mangie photo shoot pics. They were burning a hole in my draft box and I just had to share...but then I TRICKED YA cause I'm still on a blogging staycay. That is when I don't post, but I am never too far from my laptop cause...come on. 

I promise, i will be back soooooon.

good old fashioned lover boy

Remember Stacey and Geoff?? (aka "Steoffrey ")

well....just when you thought they couldn't be any cuter....here is another reason to envy their love .  They drew us in with their yellow balloons and wedding headbands and now vow to keep us enchanted by their suspenders and innocent vintage picnic togetherness! It is no secret that I am in love with loving the love of these two...lovers. Or that my mind is (clearly) running on mere fumes every time I sit down to blog, and that the fusion of those two ingredients (not to mention my savage jealousy of all things un-pregnant) makes my brain feel swollen and tired.

Of course neither photo op would have been half as amazing if it weren't for Matt and Angie Sloan, the visionaries that make up Sloan photography (aka "Mangie") whose behind the scenes adorableness is enough to make me want to kick puppies.  And their talent....oh the TALENT!!  Hey Mangie...if you ever have any artistic vision for an out-of-breath-resentful-chubby-girl-in-maternity-pants photo shoot, you know where to find me ;) Or if you just have some advice on how to convince my husband to dress in something other than basketball clothes for the sake of a old world lovers photo shoot, that would work too. Here are a couple gems of inspiration to get to get your ball rolling...

you're welcome.

And Steoffrey...if you ever want to like...hang out, or even just let me sit on your couch while I watch you giggle and make frozen pizzas together...Mangie knows where to find me.

Love, Paper Style...

Behold...my very first guest Blogger!

Meet Renee from Mommy BlogYay 

Here are some reasons why I am honored to post her words here...

-she is hilare.

-her daughter is named Lennon (after a Beatle)

-is known to express herself via barbie dolls and stick people (don't be scared...or do)

-she makes the title "mommy blogger" way more awesome.

-How totally sick are we all of seeing my nerdy glamour shot when my page loads??

...before all this text scares you off, stop acting like you have better things to do

(as my 3 year old would tell me..."FOCUS")

and meet the awesome Renee....

I'm standing in for Team Boo today while our favorite blogger (I'm talking about Carolyn.  Keep up, people) takes a blogging vacation.  It's possible she thought that there only so many ways to keep readers interested in, "I'm stuck in bed, building a baby."  So, let's all laugh at her, because c'mon now.  There are at least seventeen more ways to say that before you have to resort to asking Renee from MommyBlogYay to creep out from the dark, lonely shadows of the far corners of the internet, and come over and muck up your beautiful blog.  Oh also, Hi, I'm Renee, and I have a blog that I muck up pretty regularly at MommyBlogYay, and you should go there (Shamelessness, ACTIVATE!) because... it's a blog? And you're maybe stuck in bed, building a baby?  I really can't think of any other reason.

Have you guys seen Paper Heart yet?  I should disclose that Team Boo does not necessarily endorse my endorsement, but she might.  And if she doesn't, that makes her really dumb.  (I can say that, because she's not here, right?)  If you've seen it, you know that Charlene Yi does a few "home movies" that tell the stories of how some couples knew they were in love, and I was inspired to make one of my own.  Enjoy:

 Love, Bob Dylan Style from MommyBlogYay on Vimeo.

Yes, that was the best I could do, despite a minor in Media Arts, and yes that story is 100% true and 100% as nerdy and awkward as it sounds.  All That You Thought You Knew about me (which probably wasn't much, was it?) has been shattered, hasn't it? Broken into a million pieces and then trampled by a giant buffalo (whose presence, I have to say, HAUNTS me... what does that even MEAN, Carolyn?)

 

It's videos like this that explain why Carolyn gets nominated for blogging awards, and why I am going to slink back to MommyBlogYay and subject my readers to the outtakes.  Amor Fatis, said Nietzche.  

(Also, if you have not yet made paper dolls of you and your significant other, I suggest you get right on that.  Like yesterday.)

Thanks Renee!

{FYI: you killed that Charlene Yi impression}

my wig bangs are for balance.

so here i am

 in all of my soft focus glory.

(my husband's finger always gravitates over the flash...

editing in exposure helps me be more dreamy....and visible)

I'm almost 4 months along, going on 7.

some things you can't tell from this picture are:

how my boobs are actually still quite bigger than my belly

my kids are running around like rabies infested dogs

my house is a total disaster

I am uncharacteristically ready for a date night a half hour early 

...trying to catch a moments peace in our "worthless room" 

{every house has one}

Nothing was gonna get in the way of this pregnant girl's night of tacos and creme brulee.

And now friends, I am signing off for a bit. 

Taking a little computer break to catch up on the things I've been missing out on in real life.

like talking to friends in-person, riding bikes with my loves....and having a fridge that doesn't smell like death.

Go enjoy your families!!

{sing some songs together...}

chop it up.

(via Michael Surtees)

A few of you have requested some pregnancy pictures.  But considering the amount of photo ops I've had in my bed the last 3 1/2 months you might just have to wait a smidge longer ;)  Please take the above photo as a replacement until I have one that meets my public criteria. 

Also it seems the mommy blogging contest will be virtually impossible for me to win.  It would appear that between the hours of 12:00 and 1:00am  is when my toughest competitor gets all her "votes"....which means no "dong eared" stuffed animals for me (or you) but I am amazed at your abilities to help my little blog get so far... thank you for all your support!!!! you guys rock...and now I release you :)

Now, I am off to watch me some Mad Men.  

(I would give some links but i am waaay too tired and/or lazy)

clean slate.

  

I need to reclaim my bedroom.

donate unused stuff.

paint some rooms.

I'd love to knock out some walls.

then I want to open the blinds and have my house magically look like this.

anyone want to help? sponsor? no?

cause this isn't the 1970's...

A few months ago I was at the splash park with some friends

where there was a lady who had her new baby in a sling.

he was obviously hungry.

(as babies tend to unremittingly be)

and much to this baby's delight...he had a vip ticket to "perma snack"

which co-incided with his mommy's giant (and i mean giant)

up-top "lady bidness" being slung out for all to see.

 for the entire two hours we played, including when the baby slept

Now maybe i was being prejudiced...

because I have a very low tolerance for adults who sport pigtails

(which she was)

...so just to be clear that i am not one of those people 

who will stare you down in a restaurant if your kid so much as sneezes,

I will list off a few things she might validly use in her defense:

-nursing is a wonderful natural part of life

-it's possible her chafed nips were having a cotton aversion

-it was hotttttt

-maybe she likes tan boobs (and tan babies)

-she couldn't care less what the judgmental mom groups were saying ;)

I nurse...my boobs get out of control ginormous. I nurse in public. (As a rule babies eat and have poop explosions at the most inopportune times) But I also know there is usually a way to be a little more discrete. Please ladies continue to nurse...and not only locked away in some 1950's mothers lounge, don't let any yuppy boob snob tell you any otherwise. But please, for the love of all ten year old boys wandering eyes...the wonder of your lactating miracles should stay shrouded in mystery.

and here is where i tell you how...

really, this was just my very round about way of telling

nursing or soon to be nursing mothers that:

for a limited time Udder Covers is offering a promo for a free nursing cover ($32 value)

when you buy one online (enter "backorder1" in the promo code)

you pay a $8.95 shipping fee and voila!

...you are all set to keep those puppies in check.

and you really can't put a price on that ;)

*also resist the urge to wear pigtails.

thanks kami :)

what's in your tool belt?

Today sheamus and I looked after my sweet niece Jemma...

She laughed and cooed on the bed while sheamus impressed her with his super hero somersaults. When her attention started to wane, i reached for the next closest form of entertainment....a bottle of anxiety pills from my nightstand I gave her to use as a makeshift rattle.

...marker tattoos, prescription noisemakers...we likes to keep things simple 'round here. And as usual...good times were had.

Shame or no shame....its probably time i restock my baby toy supply ;)

*does this "DQ" me from the mommy blogger competish??

back in the saddle.

{picture via Delighted...who is rather delightful herself}

This weekend I made three public appearances (All of which i felt way "too pregnant" to tell people i was only 3 1/2 months along).  I showered, I curled my hair to cover to monster blemishes that are now gracing my complexion, i ate, i laughed, I got the bakery guy at Whole Foods to give me a free Creme brulee (which along with orange creamsicles is my new favorite treat...a sure fire way to be much more ashamed to announce how far along i am next week) I wore makeup, I organized my pantry, the list goes on....

And despite my new rear view renaissance silhouette...it's great to be back!! (FYI: just as two wrongs don't make a right...non elastic jeans and a jersey top don't make an flattering maternity outfit for me)

I made a promise to myself that I would make some changes...inspired by Polished Pickle and Owwy's summer to do lists I am gonna do more of the following as a "back to school list" of sorts:

-begin plans for halloween costume party...if you live in AZ you are invited ;)

-finish 2 concepts on my poster art idea

-learn one three chord song on my guitar

-make a quilt 

-actually plan something special for husband (our 7th anniversary is approaching)

-make dinner for my family three nights a week (this one is haaaaaaard!)

wish me luck!

*Also...look at what you did at the voting polls this week ! To that i say...

"a BOO yah"

"someone just got SERVED a BOO sandwich"

"that's what i call getting BOO-slapped"

see what i did there?? now make a momma proud and don't make me regret coming up with those "catchy" one liners, which by losing will make sound really stupid...but otherwise are very cool ;) 

keep voting!...

we have a wieeener...

Congrats to our first and second place Project boo summer video contest winners!!!

1st: Brittany - {basking in the sun }
 has won this adorable custom necklace courtesy of Buffalo gal designs.

2nd: Lindsay - {Hoedown Throwdown)
recives one custom tee design by Franko and Leks.

You guys all rock for playing and voting!!
...and thanks for keeping me occupied throughout one of the sickest times of my life ;)
huge thanks to Buffalo Gal and Franko & Leks for your awesome prize donations!
{remember: mention "team boo" at checkout and receive discount on any Franko & Leks design}

(Brittany and Lindsay email me at 
csdike@yahoo.com
with your mailing info)

Go share some love this weekend!!

{and don't forget to vote for me ...i am slowly moving up in the ranks thanks to you!}


*then i promise i will start posting about things other than flipping contests...holy crap, right??

you can call me Garth (cause I'm shameless)

Here's the deal.

I know how many visits I get a day

I know how many votes i am behind in the mommy blogger contest 

and I know that most of you are holding out on me 

So now i am resorting to the ugly face of "informal palm greasing"

{which according to my computer thesaurus, is WAY more awesome way of saying "bribery"}

and here's how it will go down:

The grand prize for the mommy blogger winner is a bunch of awesome free shwagg 

{no disrespect...but is my mind in the gutter, or does that creature have wiener shaped ears??}

But there are, like, lots of things in this swag bag 

and it just wouldn't be right if one girl were to keep it all that jazz to herself

{whomever she may be}

and i, my friends, am all about sharing the love!

So each day that you vote for me here 

leave me a comment below {in this post}

you can leave as many comments as you leave votes
{you can vote once a day}

the more comments you leave 

the better your chance at being the lucky beneficiary to something special in the prize package

{and there will be more than one of you}

so from today until the 31st of August...

{and only if you truly think i am qualified to win this award, of course}

...freaking vote already !

also if you leave a comments here without actually voting,,,

well...that totally defeats the purpose, you know ;)

I didn't want to show you the pitiful face of my "wretched bad taste"

{which according to my computer thesaurus is another way to say "desperation"}

but as of now I am in the top three, but still pretty far behind

and the gloves have to come off

thats where you come in.

{but I promise i won't punch you in the face}

Don't let me down friends-o-boo!!

it's all in the eye.

{image via ffffound}

today i am feeling calm.

maybe it's because my house is clean (5 of my amazing friends showed up at my door to clean it on Monday)

maybe its because I showered and went to dinner with a few girlfriends last night so i finally felt like a human being.

maybe its cause both my kids are at school!

or because the neighborhood gardeners finally stopped buzzing their machines from hell outside my bedroom window for what felt like hours.

maybe it is because Nie hiked the Y, and is so inspirational i am without words. (One of my other favorite bloggers Kelly wrote an account of visiting with Stephanie after her hike, and you need to read it...cause it's amazing, and any dose of Nie's goodness is a step in the right direction.)

I am going to try and see these long months in my bed as moments of cleansing. Of course not literally, since my stomach feels like i drank a rotten gallon of milk. But figuratively; considering all the time I have had to think of the ways I'd like to improve my spirit. To serve. To love. To move my body. To create.

The internet is such a fountain of inspiration...and i have had more than my fill....soon it will be time to put things into action. Thank you so much to all who have offered encouragement...I feel like my laptop has kept me afloat. You all have kept me afloat. I am excited to work on myself so that i might be even an ounce as good as the people who inspire me (like Nie and Kelly).

I am grateful to my Heavenly Father who gives me these moments of peace. The world is so crazy. I am so far from exemplary, but he is always there...giving us reminders that we are loved, and that we are here to lift each other up. And i am no exception. That believe it or not, somewhere in my sarcastic poo poo pee pee talking brain, there is a sensitive and thankful girl that sincerely loves people!!

Which leads me to overcoming my first slacker attribute...writing out the thank you cards stacked on my nightstand giving me the LAZY eye.

*(who am i kidding...i feel calm mostly because my kids are at school ;)

What inspires you lately?

search here for more inspiring ladies...

*also vote for me here today if you please :)

wishful thinking.

Today my sweet boy started pre-school.

...cross your fingers with me that he doesn't crap his pants.

:)

{three is the best age to play tootsies cause of all the characters they love to be.  

Sheamus, like so many other little boys his age, loves to be a superhero.  

It makes "this little piggy" way more interesting for the parent to play after the gajillionth time}

drum roll...

The Project Boo countdown is creeping by and there are a few of you in a pretty close race.  

so without further ado, I'd like to introduce 
Project Boo's first place prize!!

Brought to you by Buffalo Gal vintage inspired jewelry line... 

this adorable charm necklace:
I love it!
its so delicate and sweet...

{i just wish my camera didn't blow so the photos could do it justice}

{gold plated chain with 3 vintage gold plated leaf charms and a green tear cut stone}

good luck to all the finalists!

and remember to go here today to vote for yours truly ;)

basically, i need a miracle!

franco and Leks

Remember the other day when i posted about sweet Lindsey 

who got shafted in my Project Boo contest...?

Well let this be a testament to how freaking awesome and nice this girl is

for Linsey has offered a custom t-shirt design to Project Boo's SECOND PLACE winner!!

And if that wasn't enough,

for the rest of us, Lindsey has offered a discount to any orders who mention "TEAMBOO" at checkout

{off her already totally reasonable prices}

If there were any way to gauge my spastic oversight...

it would be by its opposite in Lindsey's sweet counter of generosity.

So go check out Franco and Leks on etsy 

{inspired by her niece and nephew}

or visit her blog here .

it is such cute and simple design 

with tons of adorable fabric and colors (and sizes) to choose from.

...and if you are feeling reeeeeally jazzy...

vote here today for me too !

(you can vote once daily)

*Also, are we all SOOO sick of my posts on contests yet?? I assure you that it's better than me posting pictures of all the food stains on my bed...or the constellations I can make out of my pregnancy acne...and sorry for being such a link whore in this post ;) 

...hang in there friends.

so check it.

Today I am being featured right here .

K but here's the deal

it turns out my competition is rather fierce.

like hundreds and in a few cases thousands of followers fierce

and basically it would be a miracle for me to be a blip on the radar

so if you could head over to Project Mommyhood and VOTE for me starting today

vote, and vote and then vote some more

( i actually don't know how the voting works...once a day maybe??)

and then tell your friends about this super rad mom you "know" and that they should vote for her too :)

if by chance you don't think i should win for Mommy blogger of the year award 

then you can suck it

then swallow your judgements and vote for me anyway ;)

(i'll close my eyes)

and then when you come to your senses

you can go back and vote for me again

and again :)

...my stretch marks thank you.

{also...in terms of legitimately awesome moms, don't you wish you could go hike with NIE today? she is SO amazing...}

i suck.

I feared this would happen

but i'm such a gun-jumper

that i made it a reality, cause i'm a total spaz...

My sincerest apologies to Lindsey Walker

for submitting her adorable summer video that got smothered and lost in my email :(

and not even an hour after i posted the finalists.

so take a look!

 it's a shorty
and is to the tune of one of the greatest summer songs of all time.
Lindsey forgive me!!!

day at the lake by lindsey

*also check out Lindsey's sweet little shop link on the right
home of custom made t-shirts for baby...

   

franco and leks on etsy

{more on this shop later....}

and remember to vote!

Project Boo FINALISTS!

{via ponygraph}

This was a tricky list to narrow down

{cause this wasn't an easy leave-me-a-comment kind of contest}

 making a movie is time consuming.

and you all did an amazing job!

but alas I picked my top 5 based on the following criteria:

song choice

editing efforts

creativity

unique subject matter

and 

my inclination to watch it more than once :)

So without wasting any more of your time with the boring crap

here is this years Project Boo's top 5 in no particular order.....

{just click the movie link to refresh your memory}

- "carol" by Megan {polished pickle} 

- "to my lover oh so far away" by Kera {running mommy} 

- "hot july" by Laura B 

- "hoedown throwdown" by Lindsay 

- "basking in the sun" by Brittany A. 

Voting begins right now and and ends next Thursday Aug 20th.

{that gives you a week to get your admirers to cast their votes too}

but you can only vote once (i think??) so review the choices first and make it count:

...and while you're in the voting mood...go here to vote for Team boo (thats me ;) for a "mommy blogger" award!

Thanks to everyone who played

now you have a video memory to keep foreverrrr!