1st Halloween

Halloween is pretty much a moot holiday for someone who can't chew, let alone digest large amounts of free candy. Despite this, Tamsine got into the spirit of things by dressing up as Phoebe. Isn't my poppet adorable?


( I made the ears by hot gluing some black and pink felt onto a black knee high stocking that I cut the toes off of.)

Phoebe was supposed to get into the spirit of things and dress up as Tamsine, but instead she chose to be needy and whiny! Honestly, how did I end up with a cat like this?

A Different Lament

My offspring does not look like me. Its true. For some reason instead of choosing to have flowing amber locks, green and other colour eyes, a 34 inch inseam, and a delightful South African/English/American accent, she chose to look and sound (she grunts alot) like her other parent, right down to her hairline.


I'm not complaining though, I think her other parent is pretty darned sexy!

Penguin Lament

Last week I worked a pretty cool shoot. It was a green screen shoot for a music video for a little song called Penguin Lament. It was written and directed by Sandra Boynton. What a superbly talented, yet incredibly down to earth lady. It was great watching her work. John Ondrasik, lead singer of Five for Fighting was the talent for this shoot.

This was my first music video, and I was the official CCG, (cue card girl). As the CCG, I took my title very seriously, and held up my cards with flair and polish. Not once were there any forgotten lyrics or stumbled lines. A job well done if I say so myself.

It was just alot of fun being on a set again (and eating the craft services non-stop).

I snapped these pictures with my cell phone, just so I could prove that I was CCG to a celebrity and cause the green screen was very cool.

I'm acutally quite excited to see the finished video, especially the little animated penguins doing their little jig. Oh joy!

Tootsies

Two days ago, Tamsine found her toes. She has been completely fascinated by them ever since, and gets really frustrated that she can't put them in her mouth just yet.

Oh the joys of these little milestones. (Actually its a relief to know she's developing on cue).

Single Parenting

I guess you've noticed my lack of posts recently. Well that's because for the last three weeks I've been a single parent. Mack was on military training where he couldn't contact us for the full three weeks. Let me tell you, I have new respect for single parents. I am so grateful that Mack is back safely, that he missed us (the thrill of action runs strong in that man's blood), and that I now have someone to hold and occupy Tamsine when I have a potty emergency. Whew.

Thankfully, and with all my appreciation, Mack's sister Sara was able to help out while I was at work. Sara is 8 1/2 months pregnant, so you have to know what a trooper she is, lugging Taz around with her for three days.

We met Mack at the airport last night, and Taz was wearing a shirt that said. "I love Daddy". It was really cute, and when she saw Mack, she gave him the hugest smile, then got all shy and hid her head in my shoulder. My heart just melted and so did Mack's. Man we have an adorable child.

Its good to have you home honey - single parenting is for the birds!

Peace Yo!

Night Light

When Mack and I were first married, I bought a martini shaker. I just couldn't resist, cause it was in the shape of a penguin. I've held on to this martini shaker knowing that it would come in handy some day (what for I just didn't know). Anyway, the other day I came up with the brilliant idea of turning the penguin martini shaker into a night light for Tamsine. I made Mack drill a few holes in the back, bought a light kit and installed it, and voila - penguin night light. It stands on the window sill in her bedroom in front of a white/red vase, which helps bounce the light into the room. Are we brilliant or what?

No Words

I married him willingly. I shake my head and sigh!

Rain, Rain

Rain, Rain, go away come again another day!

We used to chant this little ditty when we were kids, and funny enough I found myself repeating this over and over again this weekend. Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love a good rainy day. A day where I can snuggle under a warm blanket with my hands wrapped around a mug of something steamy and delish. A day where I don't feel guilty watching cheesy chick flick after cheesy chick flick, or even (dare I say it) the Hallmark channel.

The rain this weekend however did not find me snuggling under a blanket. Instead it found me anxiously chanting the above rhyme as some sort of mantra. You see, the rain this weekend earmarked the beginning of winter here, and I am really - REALLY - not ready for another Utah winter. The snow is very pretty - on TV!

This winter brings a new set of obstacles for me too. This winter I get to experience lugging a car seat over ice and snow with a 20lb infant inside and learning how to use the snot suction device in the little baby first aid kit as my child gets sick and cranky for the first time. Oh the joys that are swirling around in my mind at the moment.

So you see, when I chant - Rain, rain, go away, come again another day, I'm chanting it almost as a prayer. I'm just not ready yet. I need more strength!

Purple Pointers

This post might be a bit graphic for some, but I figure if I can write it, you can read it.

I have a yeast infection in my boobs. Its true - who knew it was possible. Anybody that might have experienced such an infection would know how excruciatingly painful it is - especially when you have a munchkin chomping on your nipples multiple times a day. I have tried numerous creams, homeopathic remedies and supplements, but all to no avail. When in Mexico, Tamsine developed the same infection in her mouth. We were told a good dosing of Gentian Violet would cure the infection. It worked as they said, and did a bang up job of clearing her mouth, which helped her feel better and enjoy herself a little more.

Anyway, after not having any luck with prescription creams or ointments, I decided that perhaps I should try this purple wonder dye on my aforementioned affected area. There I was standing in front of the bathroom mirror with bright purple nipples staring back at me. I have often had to tell certain ungentlemanly type people that "they're not alive,they don't talk back", so it was really strange standing there, having my bosoms take on an expression (or so it seemed). I just knew that if I looked away from the mirror, they would blink at me.

Eventually I was able to pack my little purple pointers away, but in my minds eye, I still see them staring at me, and every now and then the cheeky little monkeys dare to wink!

Merida, Mexico, Part IV

Uxmal (pronounced oosh mul (USA: oosh mall): These were the most authentic Mayan ruins we saw. It also covered the largest area, meaning we walked up and down alot of stairs.




After trekking around the ruins what do you think we did - you guessed it. We went for dinner and a swim to cool down. This is where my little poppet had her very first real swim. She thoroughly enjoyed it and smiled the whole time, except when I was taking pictures. That night we went back to the ruins for a light show.




This is not the best photo, but the traditional dancers wouldn't stand still so I could get a decent picture.

Our last day there we went swimming in the Cenote (sea note a's), which are these big underground water filled caves, where sinkholes developed. You had to climb down into them. The water was so clear, and gorgeous and refreshing. There were three cenote which were spaced quite far apart, so we were taken there by a small horse pulling us in an old cart on a really old rickety track.
(The cenote were pretty dark inside, so to get these pictures I had to open my shutter for 30sec - cool huh?)





And then we came home. It was so much fun!

Merida, Mexico, Part III

Tulum - now these Mayan's knew how to pick their location. These ruins are right along prime beach on the Mexican Riviera. If I were a Mayan, this is where I would stay. It was absolutely stunning.

You can't really see it very well, but on our way into the ruins, there was a python wrapped around an iguana ready to eat it. It was seriously interesting to watch. I really wanted to get a better picture, but wasn't about to step closer to a ginormous feeding snake just for the sake of a photo.

I just loved how this tree trunk and roots were integrated into the wall.

Tourist photo.



Just around the corner were stairs leading down the cliff face to a beach where you were allowed to swim. Once again, a tourist sight with a place to cool down. I'm telling you the Mexican's know how to do things. This particular beach however was a nesting ground for sea turtles.

After a long hot day of walking around, we really did feel this way.

We stayed the night at a hotel right on the beach. It was stunning. The beach sand was soft like icing sugar and really white. The sea was the perfect shade of turquoise. Mack went in for a swim promising me he would be back to to let me take a wander down the beach with my camera. Two hours later (after we were about to send a search boat out for him), he wandered up the beach smiling. He had found a small coral reef and was chasing a ray about, to try and get its picture. I was so mad, because the group was just waiting for him to come in so we could leave. I never even got to take a swim. And don't mention my lack of photos of one of the most idyllic spots we went to. (fume!)


The ray and a few other things Mack got to see on his swim.




Karma has a strange way of working things out though. Mack got a really funky sunburn and was in large amounts of pain the next day. If he had just come in he would have been spared the agony. Sympathy - I feel nothing!

Merida, Mexico, Part II

The place with the unpronouncable name: These were ruins that we were allowed to climb and walk over.



The bug looks like its suspended over the leaf, but it was actually sitting on it.

This was a water hole (cenote) at the ruins that tourists were allowed to swim in. I think every national monument in a hot country should have a swimming hole, don't you?

Progresso Beach:


This was Munchkins first visit to a beach. She didn't like the sand between her toes, but loved the water.