Fringe Of Sanity: 2009

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Christmas Puppy

B-Man had been begging us for months to get a puppy. After our last puppy fiasco ended in me lying to some unsuspecting woman about how great Makita (Cairn Terrier) is and what a lovely little pet he will make, both Hubs and I were a little leery about making the jump back in to the doggie world. But B-Man was persistent so we started doing our research... I think I read countless pages about every breed out there, so if anybody is searching and needs an expert opinion, don't hesitate to ask.

Finally we decided on a Staffordshire Bull Terrier or 'the nannydog' as it affectionately called. After searching for a few weeks and finding nothing under $500 (sorry in the end it's just a pet, don't think I can spend that much for an animal that I'm going to have to pick up poop and scrub carpet for). We changed to our #2 choice: a boxer. Great with kids, very gentle and easy to train. Doesn't shed much, so won't bother my allergies to bad. Sounded pretty good. The search started again... and low and behold... we found Harley. (He's not full blood boxer. 1/2 Boxer, 1/2 Husky. But he's adorable and so far holds the looks and temperament of the boxer.)

Hubs and I were playing Wii and he just laid on his foot and went to sleep.

So far we are extremely happy with our new little friend. He's picking up potty training really fast. He is great with both boys, and helps me wear B-Man out in time for bed. All in all, I guess B-Man was right, it was time to take the jump again.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Foam & Felt Letters

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 12:21 PM

So I always try to be really creative over the holidays. Something inside this crazy head of mine screams "It ain't Christmas until somebody is getting something homemade." So for the last few months of ignoring said voice, I gave in and made these letters and envelopes for B-Man.

He's been really into writing letters to everybody. We've gone through a whole pack of paper (you know the plastic wrapped ones you get from Staples... yeah, a whole one of those). So to save the environment and add my little sprinkle of "go green" to the world, these are my contribution.

The letters are made out of foam. A full white sheet for the back (letter portion) and cut strips for the words. They have velcro and are all interchangeable with each other. So he can write to anybody he wants and say whatever he wants. (Well as long as I wrote it out, but I guess we could always make more if he was needing something new.)

The letters are made from felt. One full white piece just folded in half and then a half of the colored sheets for the back. The names are from the same foam as the letters and those too are velcro and can be changed around from one envelope to another. I can't wait to give them to him for Christmas. I think he'll really like them!

Monday, December 21, 2009

Random Thoughts On Santa

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 12:18 PM

What a strange tradition sitting on Santa's lap is really, if you stop and think about it. We talk our kids up all year about never talking to strangers. Then come the holiday season, we seek out an old man in a red suit and fake beard and beg our kids to sit on his lap and share their inner most desires... And then we wonder why when they turn 30 they need therapy? Hmm..

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Blizzard of 2009

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 12:11 PM

So the Carolina's don't get a lot of snow. (Go figure huh.) But, they do get these crazy things called Ice Storms. I almost looks like snow, but not quite. It falls slowly like snow does, but it looks more like hail. Then when it hits the ground it creates more like this slushy stuff. It's really weird. It's really heavy too. In fact, during a big Ice Storm, thousands of people lose power because the tree branches can't hold the weight and break off onto electric wires.

Snow panic is an annual tradition in the South. We don't get very much of it, therefore its arrival is treated with the same reverence and fear as the announcement that aliens will be stopping by for a visit. Today, Bi-Lo and Ingle's will no doubt be overrun with locals stocking up on bread, milk, beer and white powdered donuts. And when the flurries start early tomorrow morning, drivers will slow down to a crawl, hugging their steering wheels and peering fearfully through their windshields. Despite the self-imposed 5 mph speed limit, there will be about a thousand fender benders on the roads.

I've done some research into it and according to southern customs, tonight, schoolchildren across the state will continue some time-honored traditions. They will wear their pajamas inside-out. They will put an ice cube in the toilet. They will place a white crayon in the freezer. And then go to bed and dream of snowmen. And thanks entirely to their efforts (or so the legends say), when they wake tomorrow morning, there is likely to be SNOW falling.

And without further Ado... Dun Dun Dun...

The Blizzard of 2009...

B-Man didn't care though, it was close enough to snow for him!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Dear Santa...

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 8:16 PM

Since he was a little boy, maybe even from day one, B-man has been obsessed with the color orange. He wants it on everything! From the color of his walls, to the clothes he wears (right down to shoe laces), to the food he eats. So I wasn't completely shocked when he specifically demanded something orange for Christmas this year. The part that got me was the object: a pillow. An orange pillow.

Now if he were a fourteen year old teenage girl looking to redecorate his bedroom with that new pink and orange retro scheme, I would at least understand. But people, we're talking about a 4 YEAR OLD boy who's always been into fast cars, planes, and anything else that makes noise or moves.

In one hand, I'll admit I'm grateful. But in the other, I know I have to do something a little bigger for him. Of course, come Christmas morning he'll have his pillow nestled under the tree, but I'm thinking Transformers, or Dinosaurs, or even Lego's. I'm not sure, anybody else got any funny stories about Christmas Wishes? lol. He's full of surprises, but I never saw this one coming!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Our Christmas Tree

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 12:00 PM

'Tis The Season. Snow begins to fall, carols start playing on every radio station in the country, children begin writing their never-ending lists to Santa Claus, and Christmas Trees pop up in the houses...

Ok... So the plan was to set up the tree the day after Thanksgiving... and then Dec. 1,... and then... Ok so it was a week later, but shoot people, it's up! And it's been decorated twice, so I think we've more than made up for the delay! (Married almost 7 years and yes, I only have 1 box of decorations. It's always a, "next year I'll be ready, we'll get a bunch of stuff that all matches and our tree with just be the cat's meow!"... next year.)

This is Baby M's first Christmas. He loves to lay under the tree at night and drink his bottle. He loves to look at the lights. He never tries to touch them, to my surprise, but he loves to watch.

He looks so peaceful and calm. I love this picture!

So I took some pictures of our tree from that angle. I think they turned out great! It looks almost magical and surreal, like out of a children's book.

Absolutely Gorgeous!!!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

School Time

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 8:43 PM

B-Man is very excited to start school. He's more than ready and very eager to learn. So everyday we have "school time". It takes anywhere from an hour to two hours, depending on how fast I can come up with stuff to do. We start by going over all our letters and their sounds and have started on learning our "sight words" (ie. the, they, he, see, she... etc.) We also go over numbers and are working on counting to 100. He's getting really good at all of it!

This time we worked on our sorting and graphing. (Thanks to Hubs for the use of his poker set. LOL.)

I pull out random amounts of 4 different chips. Then mix them all up and B-Man has to sort them out. Count them. Color the appropriate number in the column.

Then answer a few questions about what he just did. All in all it's really good for him. He's learning so much and loving every second of it. I love being a mom and watching my little guy improve an grow up.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Dig Deep Design Studio

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 3:49 PM

I am a designer by trade, graphic layout designer to be specific. Recently I started my own business, www.digdeepdesignstudio.com (you know 'cause as a mom I have tons of spare time...). I created Dig Deep Design Studio, LLC for my business identity as a freelance graphic designer. I also use it to showcase my ongoing portfolio of work that I have crafted.

It's been said that great ideas come out of nowhere. Coincidentally, that is where my home town is located; hence, great ideas are in my blood. I originated from "West of the Rockies" and went to a small art college where I honed my design skills through their graphic design department. Since then, I have worked as an in-house designer for a number of local businesses while simultaneously maintaining my own business as a freelancer.

When all is said and done, I love to design and create. Whether it's finger-painting with my children or sitting at my computer creating the perfect brand for a company - I enjoy constantly seeking new ways to marry creativity with functionality to provide compelling user experiences.

Logos. Posters. Brochures. Business Cards. Invitations. Announcements. Post Cards. Letterhead. T-Shirts... You name it, chances are I have designed something in that category over the last six years.

Have a project that needs some quality design? Contact us to get an idea of what it will cost, how long it will take, and what I can do to help you better market yourself.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

HUGE A** Spider!

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 7:18 PM

We all have our little phobias right? I'm not just the crazy person am I? I've always had this intense fear of spiders. I don't have any extreme stories to back it, just the constant fear from when I was little and would see one crawling up my wall or even outside on the sidewalk. Being from the West, you see a few little black ones, or maybe MAYBE the occasional Black Widow, but I'm telling you.. The bugs here in the South are HUGE! That's the biggest change I've noticed. Perhaps that's because this particular change could carry me away on it's back.

Look close and you'll see what I mean... There's a black dot just to the left of the crooked tree and above that garage roof... I'm standing about 10 feet away and you can see it. That's just ridiculous!!

Can't see it... Here let me zoom in...

This thing was huge! I almost put a leash on it and let B-Man keep it as a pet. I mean seriously, this thing had hair!! Gross!! I made Hubs go out after he got home to kill it (yes, I was afraid that it would swallow me whole.) He had to hit it 3 times and I swore I could hear the bones crunch! We probably should have had a funeral afterward it was like killing a small animal. Nasty thing!!!

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving Y'All

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 6:11 PM

We were joined this Thanksgiving by my grandmother, grandfather, my mom and my dad, Hub's dad and a friend and, contrary to the expectation put in our heads by every modern "home for the holidays" movie out there, it was great. I restrained myself and didn't try to make everything perfect until I dropped from exhaustion and for the first time in memory, B-Man didn't throw a royal fit and make a mess befitting a king.

So this Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for family members who are willing to watch two very active and restless little boys and the spend hours playing on swings, wrestling, and entertaining. I'm thankful that we had eight days together that were fun and controversy-free. And I'm thankful that Thanksgiving, and all the cooking and preparation that comes with it, is only once a year.

I'm thankful that only once a year I am required to shove my hand inside a turkey and feel a crazy twinge of jealousy that it gets a better massage than I do.

I'm thankful that only once a year I have to envision where the stuffing is 'stuffed' and how inedible that really makes it for me.

I'm thankful for grandparents who are willing to play umpteen games of 'Sorry' with 'new and improved' rules per B-Man's every whim.

I'm thankful for two amazing little boys that are the light and life of my world. I can't imagine my life without them. I'm thankful for super cute PJ's that just make me smile and allow me to not worry how long he's wearing them, and instead focus on the many hours of cooking in my near future.

I'm thankful for an amazing husband that loves his family and puts up with incredible amounts of craziness from me and loves our children with an intensity that you only read about in books or see in movies.

I'm thankful for parents that are willing to fly across the country to spend a holiday with us. Pretending it's a vacation when in reality I'm sure they were busier here with their grandson's than they would have been had they stayed home and really relaxed for the holiday.

I'm thankful for great friends who are constantly polite, charming, and understanding and always makes me feel important by never forgetting me during the holidays regardless of their own rush.

And of course in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for the great food that was prepared and all the help that I had.

I hope everybody else had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Plymouth Rock

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 1:20 PM

B-Man loves to make crafts. And this Thank-You Tree has become a tradition for us.

It's so cute!! It becomes the centerpiece for our Thanksgiving Dinner.

First, we gather a bunch of different leaves from outside.

Then we write the names of people that we're thankful for. B-Man insisted that he do all the writing by himself. I just had to help with the spelling. lol. What a cutie!

After our Thank-You Tree, we went into the media room and watched a little Food Network Channel. After all, I got to introduce at least one new recipe every year. (As a side note: Sweet Potato Crunch was a HUGE hit this year.) I was sitting on the couch and B-Man was laying on his belly on the floor. Suddenly he turned over and sat straight up.

"Mom, why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?" he asked. "We eat every other day, why is Thanksgiving so special?" He looked truly perplexed, but I still had to laugh that he'd made that connection already. He's 4 people!

"Well B-Man," I started, "Thanksgiving is an American tradition. It started a long time ago when people from Europe sailed across the ocean looking for a place that they could be free from the unfair rulers of their homeland. When they got here they landed at a place called Plymouth Rock. It was in the fall and they didn't have much food and weren't ready for the harsh winter that was coming. They were very hungry. That's when Pocahontas found them and brought them..."

"Roasted chicken, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, honey ham, and green bean casserole." he interrupted.

I tried hard to hold in my laugh, "Yeah, something like that. Anyway, she saved their lives and they were really thankful. So that's why we celebrate thanksgiving."

The answer must have satisfied him because he laid back down and went back to his book. After my show on Food Network was over, we went outside to play. Baby-M and I were making our way over to the swings, when B-Man came running toward us.

"I found it, Mom" he was so excited, "I found Plymouth Rock! We need to paint it so that the people across the ocean will be able to find it."

And so... we painted Plymouth Rock.

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Time To Thank Jesus

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 1:27 PM

Our house has been a little crazy lately with the continued remodeling and the never-ending list of visitors we are preparing for. It's been a constant running around to make sure things are done and taken care of. So today was one of the calmest days that the boys and I have had in a few weeks.

I had just finished making lunch for B-Man and was feeding Baby-M some baby food when B-Man slammed his spoon on the table and said, "Momma, we haven't said thanks to Jesus in a million days."

"Ok B-Man. What should we do about that?" I asked as Baby-M spit another spoonful of mushed bananas down his chest.

"I will pray if you promise not to open your eyes. No peeking or Jesus won't listen cause you aren't following the rules." Wow, that Jesus is demanding when it comes to rules, I thought. But obediently folded my arms and closed my eyes.

"Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for my family and for letting me be the big brother. Please protect me from mountain goats and monsters and swamp things. Help me grow up to be a pirate or a cowboy. Bless Baby-M to learn to walk and talk cause I don't know what he's saying and I get so frustrated. Bless Mommy to make a good dinner and feed us. Bless Daddy to be happy at work. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

Goodness, sometimes, my child blows me away with his constant imagination and grasp of the adult world. So, yes Jesus, help me make a good dinner to feed my family. Help B-Man and Baby-M continue to learn and grow. Bless Hubs to find happiness at work. And please protect us from all unforeseen and unknown evils and dangers in this world. Amen.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Date Night

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 8:55 PM

Hubs and I finally got to go on a really fun date! We really appreciate Hubs Dad for watching the boys for us so we could go! We've been wanting to try out a local coffee shop since we've moved here. It's called Coffee Underground. Obviously it's under another restaurant on Main Street downtown. We finally got our chance on Wednesday evening.

It was so much fun. Made us feel like real locals.

The atmosphere was amazing. I almost expected to see Hemingway walk through the doors at any moment. There was exposed brick everywhere (which I absolutely love!) What is it about low lights and exposed brick walls that makes you want to bare your souls and then make out? :o)

We walked in and got to sit anywhere we wanted to. We chose a cozy little love seat with a coffee table in front of it. The menu items looked really good, and had we known they served more than coffee, we probably wouldn't have eaten before we left home. I ordered a Strawberry Cake (AMAZING!) with a Carmanilla Coffe and Hubs had a Mocha Cheesecake and a Chi Tea Latte. All of them were delicious!! I already can't wait to go back and try something else! I think we found a new favorite date spot!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Flowers For Mommy

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 1:24 PM

B-Man loves to take pictures. So occasionally I will let him take the camera and tell him he can take a certain amount of pictures then he has to tell me about them when he comes back. Here's what I got this time:

"I found this pretty flower for you, and I wanted to pick it, but it would die."

"So I took a picture so you could see it forever." Seriously can you say CUTE!!! I almost cried. What a thoughtful little boy!

Then he found his shadow and took a few pictures of it "doing different things"

He's so cute! I just love watching him grow up! I'm pretty sure I won the lottery with him! :o)

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Getting To Know Me... Getting To Know All About Me...

0 comments Posted by Fringe at 11:39 AM

Ahh, the beginning. Who doesn’t love a fresh start? Speaking of fresh starts, I could use one right about now.

I guess I should start by introducing myself. For The purpose of this blog, my name is Fringe. I’m a 24-year-old Mom originally from "West of the Rockies." I have two amazing little boys: B-Man and Baby-M and a wonderful Hubs that has put up with me for well over 6 years.

Apparently blogging is one of the mandatory activities of motherhood. I think they are fun, but I have resisted in the name of "free time" and personal privacy. I was thinking today of all of the things that we as moms are supposed to accomplish in a day. Workout, spend ample quality time with our children, meaningful conversations with husbands, clean house, meditate, shower, prepare 3 nutritious (no trans fat- organic) meals, get 8 hours of sleep, journal.... Then the list for the general necessities; food storage, date night, organized house, sex, keep up with correspondence, reading, service, time with friends, grocery shop, scrapbooking, paying bills, entertaining, holiday plans, meetings, church...the list goes on and on.

Not that I don't enjoy most of these things. I actually enjoy them all (except maybe the meetings) But there is no possible way that anyone can do them all without literally going insane :) Yet, here I am blogging during the precious hour of TV time that B-Man gets.

I am a transplant in every aspect. Allow me to explain: I grew up in a small town (pop. apx. 1000) west of the Rocky Mountains and north of the Grand Canyon. 18 months ago, Hubs company transferred him some 2400 miles across the country. We now lived in a big city in the south (pop. apx. 56,000). It was a REALLY big change, but welcomed and needed. We love our new life here in the South! (Did I mention it was a change though? lol)

;;

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