Happy Halloween!

Practice Makes Perfect?

Ahhh, a fresh design.  Sorry for any inconvenience, but I needed a new look.  Not that I didn't like the old one, but it was... well... old.  And I needed to look at something fresh.  This might be just a temporary look, however.  I found a nice template over at Smitten Blog Designs and I hope to add it soon, but it's 6am and I've been up for hours... I'm going to try to get a little sleep, but the baby will probably wake up soon, so I'm pretty much SOL today for sleep.  Oh well, I'm just practicing for the lack of sleep I'll be getting during November with the NaNoWriMo event.  (as if I don't lack sleep enough already with a 14 month old! ugh!)

Sketch of the Day

Ok, so I've decided to start a bit early with the sketches... I just did a quick little sketch earlier in the day and then put it in PhotoShop and added some color... nothing major and no details, just a quickie, so it's not a masterpiece.

Here we go again...

It's coming up on November again... and again, I'm trying to take on more than... well, I don't want to be negative, but I'm certainly taking on a lot.  NaNoWriMo which is a 50,000 word novel written in 30 days (just the rough draft, of course) then there's NaBloPoMo which is posting on your blog every day for 30 days... a goal which I've tried many times, and have failed at miserably each time.  And as I was surfing around, researching and whatnot, I came across a very interesting site that gave me personal inspiration.  The site is: The Sketchbook Project 2012 World Tour and it led me to a desire to add to my 30-day goals... a Sketch-A-Day in my own sketch book.  I don't think I could get one done in time for the world tour and I don't like the thoughts of not getting my sketchbook back... (but what an opportunity it would be for people all over to see one's sketches!)  So, I'm tossing that idea onto the pile o'thirty and see what comes out on top. 

Now, to go out and buy a new sketchbook! 

November is...

NaBloPoMo and I thought I'd try to make a cool badge for it.  So, here's my first attempt.

Enjoy!

Sally Marshall Is Not An Alien

(A movie review)


Sally Marshall Is Not An Alien - a 1999 Australian family drama

I just finished watching this movie and I really enjoyed this movie quite a bit.  Enough so that I felt the desire to write a review.  I don't review movies that often, but when I come across a movie that isn't in the mainstream (like Harry Potter or Star Wars, etc.) that happens to catch my interest, I love to give kudos and bring it to the attention of others.  Now, on with the review...

It started out a little slow at first, maybe even a little dry, but that was what I expected from an unknown title on the BYU channel.  But I was caught unaware and found myself immersed in the movie.  The story of friendship that this movie gives the viewer is delivered very well.  The girls are terrific actors and have no problem portraying their characters.  I was crying at the end... sad, yet joyful tears.  It's really a feel-good family movie.  Very wholesome with a good message and a wonderful ending that will surprise you.

Pip is a young girl who is a little bit of a loner, doesn't quite fit in.  Rhonnie is a horrible bully of a girl who tries to manipulate everyone fiendishly.  Sally is the new girl and becomes the newest victim of Rhonnie's nastiness.  I think just about everyone will be able to relate to the kids in this story. 

Rhonnie concocts a story of Sally being an alien and Pip, who is fed up with the bullying, tries to stand up to Rhonnie, taking the side of Sally, who, despite being her neighbor, she doesn't know at all... yet.  Rhonnie bets Pip that Sally is an alien and she goads Pip into betting her telescope and then forces her to prove that Sally is really human or she loses her most prized possession.  To add insult to injury, Rhonnie twists Ben, a friend of Pip's, into doing some of her dirty deeds throughout most of the story.

The friendship that forms is heart-warming and the deceit that follows is just as heart-breaking as the kids make some bad choices.  But never fear, it does have a happy ending, though with just a touch of bitter-sweet thrown in to bring on the tears, so bring a tissue. 

Missing In Action...

(A personal reflection)
I just don't get it sometimes.  People disappear off the face of the web without so much as a kiss my patooty, or anything.  I was playing WoW the other day and came across another hunter character as we were both interested in the same rare pet (Arcturis) and for a couple days, we would each check in and chit-chat a bit, we were also under the agreement to let each other know if one of us got the pet and what time, etc. (for spawning timer info.)  Then, he up and apparently deletes his toon.  No longer on my friends list, no longer on the website armory database.  Just gone.  And he was a high level toon, so it's not like a new character where a lot of time hadn't been invested... this was a level 76-78 character.  *scratches head in thought*

Then I just happened to think of a RL ("real life" for those non-gamers out there) friend whom I hadn't seen around Facebook lately (she lives across the country, so it's not like I can just drive down the street to her house) and so I looked for her.... and she's gone!  Now, I know FB has changed quite a bit... and I know that some people prune their friend lists now and then, cutting out those people who aren't the most active in their lives.  Hence, I would probably be one of those.  But to not find her at all?  That means either she blocked me or she deleted her FB account.  I really can't see either one of those happening.  I certainly hadn't done anything to upset the applecart and get myself blocked.  I suppose she could have deleted her account, but she had been an active person on there, so that reason would make me concerned.

*sigh*

Then again, maybe it's me and I should get off the computer and actually participate in the world outside my house!  Hmmmmm...... nah.......

Well, maybe that would help.  If I actually got some fresh air and saw a few friends on a regular basis.  Which we did today.  We took Buggaboo to the park (can you believe I didn't get any pictures?!?!)  and the guys played with the little one and us girls sat and talked.  It was so nice, especially since the weather isn't so blasted hot. 

Then we got home, I put Buggaboo down for a snooze (he fell asleep in the car ride home) and I immediately got on the computer.  Not that I'm addicted to the internet or anything.


On a side note:  I'm getting supplies ready for the Gardening Craft, but I'm having a hard time finding one thing, so I'll keep you posted.  I may need to rethink a few things if I can't find this elusive item. 

FYI...

Well, I always start out with good intentions... But then crap out early in the game.  Missed yesterday for posting and I really wanted to get in a post every day for a whole month.  Missed the 3rd day!  Geez.  I really wish I had good time management.  Oh well, there's always next month...

Speaking of November, it's NaNoWriMo month next month!!!  I've been looking forward to this all year!  Last year I fell very short, but I got farther in writing a book than I ever had before!  This year I'm bound and determined to finish with full force!  So, stay tuned for more on that during the month of November.

Also, just an FYI, I'm planning a craft day and have a great idea that will combine my new features of Arts& Crafts with Gardening... and since I'll be posting pics, it'll have the photography feature with it too.  I'm very excited about the craft and hope to be uploading that this sometime over the next week.  I just have to get some supplies first.

My Personal Garden

Ok, so I got some tomato plants from one of the women at church a couple weeks ago... one is an indoor tomato plant, the other two are outdoor tomato plants.  All three are still in my house.  Sigh.  I just really don't know what happens to my time.  Well, yes, I do... I have a one year old.  But I honestly don't know how other mothers do it all.  I hardly accomplish anything during the day and I'm exhausted.  My days are filled with chasing after Buggaboo and playing with him and then squeezing in a few dishes or maybe a pile of laundry (which is never ending.)

But at least the plants are still alive.  That's an accomplishment in and of itself!

We're finally starting a compost pile, so once we get that going, that will certainly help out too... if we ever get those two plants moved outside, that is.

But for now, the two tall ones sit patiently in our windows, yearning for the fresh outdoors.

To be continued... (My Personal Garden will be an ongoing project that I will periodically blog about, one of my new features.  Enjoy!)

Growing Pains

Well, between teething and growing pains, we haven't gotten a good night's sleep in our household for a while now.  When I say "We" I mean me and the one year old.  Hubby works night shift and the teenager is on the other side of the house.  It's a small house, though, so I have no idea how he could ignore his baby brother screaming and crying.  And at some moments, I'm not sure who's screams and cries are the loudest, mine or the baby's.

It usually only lasts about an hour or less, but it seems like an eternity.  I now understand why my mom always said she wished it was her hurting instead of me.  And I can't wait until my little boy can actually talk so he can tell me what hurts.  And maybe then, I can explain to him (and hopefully he'll be able to understand) why he's hurting.

It's not that I want him to grow up quicker.  Lord knows he's growing up fast enough as it is.  But watching him with tears rolling down his cheeks and looking at me with that "Please make it go away!" look, just about kills me.

But then, when the pain goes away and he curls up in my arms to go back to sleep, with that unconditional love and trust... I know that he'll be ok.  And maybe so will I.