i'm a dummy

and a sucker. I love the look, the feel, of knitted things. And I really need to suck it up and learn the how to. I always leave Anthropologie (feet dragging) completely inspired and envious of all the latest knits: throws, hats, scarves, cozies (little display elephants with their snuggled-up trunks; the N and O of their sign even! Who does that?! Anthro does, that's who.), and the countless items of gorgeous clothing. It's enough to drive one crazy with creative coveting!

And I've always been able to teach myself how to [blank]: cross-stitch, sew, embroider, digi-scrap, etc. But not so with knitting/crocheting. It does not come easy for me. Yet the desire to learn is still strong. I also want to participate in this. So, I'm going to do it. I'm going to knit.

Who wants to be my personal knit wit? *B

spreading the love, not STD's

Today's the day folks! This is the LAST day to sign-up. Yup, it is indeed January 31st, 2008. What? It's the end of January? What?! It's 2008?! It's all true my friends. All true.

Now that you've restarted your hearts, it's time to refresh your brain. Little ol' vulnerable me is hosting my very own, first ever, SWAP! And it's all for you babes. Seriously. Just join already! You know you want to. You may hate the upcoming love-month/holiday, but who doesn't love getting mail?! Seriously.

I hope you hop on the love-wagon with me and help me spread the love. For more information go here, here, oh yeah, and here. If you've already signed up, well then, THANK YOU.
From the bottom of my heart. *B

credits: all this darling matchy-matchy swap scrap stuff is due to Miss Michelle Godin's talents. Praise her and her GirlExperiment kit.

stranger danger?

Thanks to Leslie for bringing this to my attention. I never quite thought of it that way, but for many it is a valid concern. So, if some of you are paranoid about random strangers having your address, I may have a solution for you...

I know that many of you do indeed know each other personally, or have built up a confident friendship via the web. But perhaps being partnered up with a complete stranger wigs you out. No worries! Just indicate if you are willing to swap with strangers OR if you would feel more comfortable being paired with people that you do know.

Does that help calm any qualms out there? *B

i can't believe it's not butter!

I am NOT an advocate of margarine (that discussion is for a later post). However, I do believe in a thick spread of love, aka. friendship. I think if it were to have a flavor, it would be strawberry-swirl cream cheese (of which I am an advocate of). Blogging, if anything, has reminded me of the importance and need of friends. And in honor of all my dear buddies out there, I have set up this fun-loving (and cheap!) swap.

The aforementioned swap is (cheap!) all about spreading the love; with family, friends (old and new), and even strangers. That's the point of it. I have 6 lovely ladies who have joined already along with 4 new and delightful friends that I've had the pleasure to "meet" -- this is why I love swaps. And why I've been planning this particular one for months. I know many of you love making new friends, love each other, and love making cards. So why not combine the three (it is a love triangle, after all)? Here are a few specifications that might help persuade you to join:

• you can make 3 different cards OR 3 cards of the same design. That decision is up to you.
• you can make your Valentines out of any material you like, using whichever method you prefer. Whether that be scraps of paper or fabric; digital or hybrid. It just needs to be mail-able (and cheap).
• have I mentioned that this is a fun-loving CHEAP swap? We're not talking packages people. We're making and mailing Valentine's Day cards.
• if you don't want to want to join, that's fine by me. But if you know of someone who might, then please, pass it along. I am NOT trying to win some popularity contest. I honestly want people to share their talents, and love, with others. Is that really such a bad thing?
  

With all that being said, sign-up deadlines are this Thursday. So if you've been wondering whether or not this is something you'd like to try, then by all means, join! Please. The more the merrier. love always, b

credits: papers from MGodin's Girl Experiment; stitch and doodles from Weeds & Wildflowers; and, NRJ's inked edges.

blah-dee-dah

I'm just not feeling in the highest of spirits today. I don't feel like being social. I don't even feel like blogging anymore! *GASP* I know, I know. I blame it on the hormones. Maybe I'll have Brad cut my bangs tonight. That always makes me feel better... but I do feel loved. Thank you, all you dear-hearts, for your sweet, comforting and upliftings words. Everything you said is true. And I know that. Sometimes it's just good to be reflective every once in a while.

Not so fun: pity parties. *B

standing a little taller

Our beloved prophet returned to our heavenly home and Father last night. I may not have known him personally, but I do know that he was a wonderful leader, a loving grandfather, and admired by many. And while I am sad to see him go, I am glad to see him reunited with his loved ones.

A couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to hear his voice one last time. He spoke with a strength beyond his own. He truly was, and is, a prophet of God. And I will be forever grateful for his teachings, his guidance, his wisdom and wit, as I'm sure many will be.

"Let us all try to stand a little taller, rise a little higher, be a little better. Make the extra effort. You will be happier." --Gordon B. Hinckley

(“The Quest for Excellence,” Ensign, Sept. 1999)

it just hit me...

The other day I realized that it'll be at least a year until I can hold another baby of my own. I've made it this far, but it'll be another few months before we can even start trying, again... and I know of at least ten people who are pregnant right now. Which reminds me that I would be 24 weeks along, or six months pregnant; almost through my second trimester, almost in my third trimester; more than half-way through my pregnancy and the upcoming arrival of my baby (May 11, 2008). And if we wanted to know, we would know what we were having. The way I see it, is if everything goes according to plan (barring further complications), the soonest I get to kiss my baby's hand will be next February. And William will be 3.5 years old (hopefully potty-trained and cribless). He'll be a great big brother. He needs a little sister/brother. I already have names planned out. I already have room/decoration configurations in my head. I'm just waiting.

I'm ready for my baby. *B

Why... so... serious?

Apparently three hours ago, Heath Ledger was found dead. I don't know about you, but this shocked the heck out of me. Seriously, the room was spinning and my head is still feeling topsy-turvy. Just shocked me sick.

It's not like I was completely infatuated with him (although I've always loved his looks, accent, talent, etc.). Mostly, this came clear out of left-field. And I've been admiring his past roles and looking forward to his upcoming movies. Especially this one:

Whatever was bothering that poor man, I hope he's found some peace.
That is all. *B

the {love} triangle swap

To a world that seems to grow more spiteful by the second, hear my plea: "Can't we all just get along?!" So, I suggest that we spread the love and make new friends! With cards.

As a participant, you will be asked to create three cards (OR valentines) to send to three people. That's right, you will have multiple partners! Hence, "the {love} triangle." You will, in return, receive three cards (OR valentines) to lighten and brighten your day. Smiles and love, all around! That's the idea anyway...

Want to hop on the love-wagon? Please email the following to bethsummers{at}gmail{dot}com:

• your name.
• mailing address.
• email address.
• website / blog / flickr
• a little something about yourself.
• please indicate if you are willing to ship internationally.
• please indicate if you are willing to swap with strangers OR if you would feel more comfortable being paired with people that you do know.
  

Sign-ups will be open until Thursday, January 31st. Swap partners will be emailed to you shortly after the sign-up deadline. The delivery date for this swap is February 11th... please have it postmarked by then.

Once you receive your love notes, be sure to post photos here, for everyone to enjoy! If you don't have a flickr account, email me your photos & I will post them for you.

So spread the love and spread the news!!! The more the merrier! *B

it's all about the love

Indeed my friends, V-day is fast approaching, just like this here love-fest (aka. swap), I'll be posting about soon... Just thought I'd make note of a few up and coming happenings that are somewhat related to THE day. First off, Kelly's hosting another fabulous swap: wish i was there. Okay, okay, while it may not be entirely Valentine related, it is promoting friendship and good feelings. Go Kelly!

Secondly, the lovely Michelle is organizing a RED & WHITE fat-quarter exchange! Fabric is definitely one of those things that cheers everyone up (think about it; it's EVERYWHERE. Clothes, quilts, etc. I know Anthro's clothes make me happy... And who doesn't like quilts?!). Go Michelle!

And last, but certainly not least, my oober talented brother has a comic blog up and ready to entertain! So, it is with great pride that I introduce to you A Hair in the Spaghetti. A story about one man, Frankie "The Hair" Pascetti, living between two worlds. The running comic itself may be about murder, but his latest piece is all about a messy little dish called love. Check it out. Go Adam!

So yeah. Have fun browsing :)
Go bloggers! *B

where dreams come true

Ta-dah! Our pics from our trip to D-land with the Schooley bunch. While viewing the following series of photos, take note of 1.) I don't do well with rides --hence the sick look on my face (never mind me looking pregnant), while on a carousel! A carousel, of all things... but most of Disney's rides are pretty tame. And always magical. Both reasons for why I love it so; 2.) Will's cute face; and, 3.) my son's current infatuation with Buzz Lightyear (whose glove so magnanimously patted his head... the heavens sang).

There were also yummy Monte Cristoes, crazy train rides, and lots of baby holding. Fun times. Fun times. *B

{my favorite picture of that day, of my favorite boy}

{and then we locked-up our little monkeys... they didn't seem too worried}

to infinity and beyond

Sorry, but we've been busy these last few days...

like, fighting the Evil Emperor Zurg, Sworn Enemy of the Galactic Alliance, etc.

I'll be back with more, real photos later. And a swap! Who wants to put an end to all the meanness and spread the love instead?! I do. That's who. *B

what makes me smile...

Don't tell me he hasn't got you smiling too!!
And this is how he goes down for a nap (most of the time)!

I love him. *B

simply tea

And cookies. Yes my friends, tea and cookies for breakfast. With a fried egg for good measure. One of the first things I do in the morning (after saying prayers and brushing teeth... so I guess that makes it the third thing I do) is fill up my little tea pot. Some of you may be asking, "do you really drink that much tea Beth?" Yes, I do. I have a cup of my favorite Yogi Tea: Breathe Deep, in the morning (helps with my asthma and the licorice aftertaste is wonderful -- especially with gingersnaps in the morning!); two cups of raspberry leaf tea throughout the day, usually mixed with some Emergen-C (to help me heal); and finally, a cup of Traditional Medicinals (I love that word combination!) EveryDay Detox tea at bedtime. "Wow, that's a lot of tea you drink there Beth," you might say. And my husband would add, "aren't you afraid of it becoming an addiction?"

Uh, no. In all honesty, I don't care for the flavor of most teas (unless it's Celestial Seasoning's Sugar Plum Spice Holiday Herb Tea. Mmm.). Hot and herby water just isn't that tasty. In fact, it's pretty gross. However, it is good for you (and if I need something to warm me up, I figure it's better than hot chocolate, sometimes. Say it with me, sometimes...). And that is the reason why I love tea. And my teapots.

Cookie-love, on the other hand, is a different story. *B

For more beautimous breakfast pictures, check out simply breakfast. I have one word for you: magical. Dude, she even has Anthropologie and Real Simple as clients. Dang gina.

feats of bravery

I'm trying my hand at an old favorite: babysitting. To tell you the truth, I've never been a huge fan of it. Actually, I'm not a huge fan of kids. I know, I'm such a terrible person! Honestly, I was worried when Will was on his way, because I thought I might not like him. But that turned out to not be a problem! And being a mom has helped me warm up a bit more to the rest of the children population. What's really helped me though, has been my calling in Primary. Looking back, what I learned most from my little class of 6 year olds was how to love them. How to be more comfortable with kids. Between that and my own humbling experience as a mother, I've learned to be more patient, more accepting and more loving. And now, I'm watching someone else's kid four days a week.

Needless to say, Will loves having a little playmate around. He was pretty sad yesterday when he woke up from his nap to find out that his friend had gone home. And it's been good because Monk is also learning how to share. How to apologize. How to be a friend. But really, there is so much that we can learn from our little ones. It's no wonder God admires them so much. They're innocent. They're enthusiastic. Their love has no bounds. All this time, I thought I was the one who was setting an example... So, I guess you could say that the lessons I'm learning from watching these two are worth it, in and of itself. And that's why each day I'm taking things in stride. *B

what rhymes with joy

There's nothing sweeter than watching your sweet little man's hands at work, and hearing his sweet little voice making his very own sound effects! I love it.

And I love wooden toys (trains especially)! We decided to be good and not buy the expensive and monstrous train-sets out there. But lucky us, we found one at Target for 20 bucks (love that place)! Thank you Santa ;) More on the steal of a table we snatched, later.

What a wonderful toy for my wonderful boy. *B

PS- you're all a bunch of sweeties! Thanks for all your kind words. And yes, I am lucky to have a man like mine! Hey, I'm not complaining.

lost and found

And guess where it was?! Where I put it: in our new hallway closet, on top of the camcorder and next to the games. There's a Beth moment for ya! Anyway, I've realized that the real challenge will not be taking pictures every day, but taking only ONE picture a day. I'm the worst at taking TONS of photos, in order to get ONE just right. A sickness perhaps? Perhaps...

Behold, my lovely skirt from Anthropologie (I simply adore that place). So, I tried it on a while back, during its expensive days, and instantly lusted after it. My husband did, too. Almost more than I did. So, when we saw it on the sales rack a couple of months later, I hearkened to the pleas of my hub and agreed to buy it. We then spent the rest of the evening driving to yet another Anthro to find it in my size; and the rest of the month trying to find a top to match. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the place and everything it has and is, but I have the darndest time coming up with outfits from there on my own. So weird. Long story short: those fashion gurus of my beloved store really do know how to mix and match styles, colors, fabrics, etc. And expensive stores like my beloved, along with Banana Republic, really do have nice clothes (what a novel concept!). And I like it. I may never go back...

It is, by far, the most expensive outfit I have ever owned (besides my wedding dress). But it's also the prettiest (besides my wedding dress)! The pictures do not do it justice. And that, my friends, is all my fault. *B

PS- the shoes are from Ross. I tell myself that to make myself feel better about myself...

still missing

I can't find it. I've looked high and low and to no avail.
And I can't do this unless I have this:
Has anyone seen it?
Maybe y'all should come visit me and help me look for it...

Just a thought. *B

copy cat

Who, me? Sure. If I feel like it. And I feel like copying her, and her. I think my mother would LOVE a photo every day (am I right, or am I right?). Besides, who doesn't like picture posts?! Well, we've been busy moving and I'm exhausted. Annnnnnnd, I can't find my camera. I'm sure it's somewhere amidst the rest of these unfinished and yet-to-be-organized boxes of clutter... sigh. I'll probably unearth it sometime later today. BUT, no one said anything about computer screen shots not counting -- HA! And voila.

Just a little glimpse of what we've been up to, and what I'm usually up to while on the comp. We're still trying to sell our contract. I think we're close to closing the deal. Soon. I hope. *B

newness

Lots to report. Lots to share. Lots to do.

Be back soon! *B