Free shipping on pics

I know it's a little late for this, but Snapfish is offering free shipping with the coupon code NOV30 until midnight. They only charge 9 cents each for 4x6" prints, so if you want to print your pictures really cheap and have them shipped right to you at no cost (and much cheaper than even Wal-Mart, which is what, 16 cents a print? The shipping is what usually tips the scales for snapfish), go to snapfish.com, quick!

I ordered some pictures to update Jamie's baby book. It will be nice to be more caught up. I wish I could order a ton more, but a lot are on the laptop, which Jason took with him.

I think the email I got said they'll be doing lots of offers this month, so I'll keep my eyes peeled and let you know about any other good ones.

Meow

So Jamie started making this high-pitched noise amidst his normal babbles, and besides thinking it was cute (which applies to most of what he does), we didn't think much of it.

Any long-time readers of my blog might remember our cat, Max. I like to say that he didn't go through puberty because he's little and squeaky. The other day, he whined at us at an octave reminiscent of Mariah Carey, and Jamie looked at him and squeaked back!

So now we make meowing noises to him and he happily makes them back, to us or to Max. So blasted cute. Jamie is also exclusively crawling now, and enjoys Cheerios. It's so cute watching him carefully pick them up and then cram them in his mouth.

By the way, I won't see my husband for over a week and might be blogging a lot more out of boredom and need for distraction--when Jamie's asleep, anyway. The longest Jason and I have been apart since we got married is four days, and only hours since Jamie was born. To all you single mothers out there, or those who have had to be for a time, I DON'T know how you do it and I give you mad props. (You deserve much more!)

I didn't do Jamie's 10-month stats on here. Is there anyone who would actually like me to? If so, please leave a comment and I'll gladly provide. Otherwise I'll just tell cute things here and there.

The 4-1-1

So here's what's goin' on.

We spent a little over two weeks at Jason's parents' house working on his dad's paperwork for his business, and Jason went out and did some fix-it/handyman/construction jobs with him. Cheryl is teaching again, and she said that they're desperate for substitute teachers in that area. So she pushed a few things through more quickly, and Jason will be starting as a substitute teacher ASAP. We came back to Sacramento for Thanksgiving as planned, but Jason will be driving back to SoCal tomorrow to start work, and Jamie and I will follow by plane probably next Thursday. After that, it's all up in the air (even more than usual). Jason will probably work for his dad on days that he doesn't get a sub job, and we don't know how long we'll be there. Maybe awhile. Maybe not long. No idea.

I'm trying to focus on the positive, so here's a list for you:

1. It's not Milwaukee.

2. It's not Rexburg.

3. We do get to have some family and a couple of friends nearby.

4. The weather is almost too nice (the leaves don't even change color--sorry, that's negative) there, but that's much better than being awful.

5. If we stay very long, we'll hopefully get a visit from our friend Jina, who is moving to AZ in Feb.

6. We'll be closer to our friends Rick and Elizabeth in San Diego.

7. IT'S MONEY.

8. If we do stay awhile, hopefully we'll be able to at least get our own apartment, whether we get to take much of our stuff with us or not.

9. We don't have to stay forever. It can be a money-making or education-getting period and then maybe we'll come back. Who knows?

10. Once we get even a small cash flow, we can feel like adults again by paying our own way more, if not completely.

11. This ends my calling in Primary. (I'm not great with kids and I've found that I absolutely stink at trying to teach them the gospel, so if I'm honest, this is definitely a pro. It hasn't been all bad, but it's so stressful and intimidating for me at times that it's a relief to have a legit escape.)

12. We'll get free rent and food from Jason's wonderful parents as long as we need it, so we don't have to worry about finding a place to rent and all the stress that goes with that.

13. The ward there is okay. I like this one MUCH better, and I'm going to miss all my friends a lot, but there are some kind people who have even remembered my name from when we lived there.

I really don't want to go. All sorts of stuff is running through my head, begging to be typed, but what good will it do? I've been trying to think of military wives, pioneers who moved and knew they'd never see their families again, homeless people who don't have food or shelter, etc., etc. This is not that bad. I know. It's just hard. But that's why I'm trying to focus on the positive.

Movie Review: Disney's "A Christmas Carol"

On Friday night, Cheryl watched Jamie so that Jason and I could have a date night. After FINALLY being able to make a little money this week, we splurged: we had dinner AND went to see a MOVIE! In the REGULAR (not cheap) theater!! Not only that, we each got our own plates at Red Robin instead of just sharing one meal! Also, Jason got me a chocolate-covered strawberry at a candy shop. So sweet of him. (Ha, ha.) We did use CostCo movie tickets, though, the two for fifteen deal they have there. Movie prices in CA are so nuts. It was SUCH a nice night! I think we both allowed ourselves to feel more carefree than we have in a long time.

Anyway, I know I'm a dork for doing three posts in one day, but I'm at someone else's house, Jason is off visiting friends, and I'm bored.

We were pretty skeptical going in to see "A Christmas Carol," because the previews really make it look cheesy, like it's just Scrooge flying and falling all over London to make the most of the 3D. Not at all!

We really liked it, for these reasons:

(1) The animation was incredible, and the 3D was really well-done. It was worth paying extra.

(2) The story and language of the Dickens novel were kept very much intact. I expected it to be changed for kids, but it wasn't. We actually wouldn't recommend this movie for very young children, because the ghostliness was almost suprisingly well-done, the story accurate, and throughout, you feel the fear that the ghosts strike into Scrooge's heart much more personally than when Scrooge McDuck or the Muppets have portrayed it.

(3) I loved the music. The score was beautiful, and incorporated lots of Christmas carols, beautifully performed, that actually speak directly of the Savior! (Have you ever listened to the Chipmunks' Christmas music? I love it, but never a religious word. They even change religious ones to stay neutral. Grr.) To hear it actually made me teary.

(4) The actors did great. I was afraid I'd be annoyed with Jim Carrey's ham-iness, like when he did The Grinch, but he just made himself sound like a grumpy old British guy, and he did lots of voices besides Scrooge and I didn't even notice. Also, you can't help but love the goodness in most of the characters.

(5) It was a feel-good movie. I mean, yeah, you have to go through the haunting and face Scrooge's past mistakes with him, but you rejoice with him at the end and want to be a better person, too.

So head over to CostCo, and then to your local theater! :)

Craft Fair Report

The craft fair went reasonably well. I sold just under half of the bows I entered (which was my entire stock), and since a bunch were Halloween ones, I didn't expect them to sell anyway, just wanted to try. Sister Diamond told my mom when she picked up my leftovers for me that they did really well, and that a fair amount of my friends showed up looking specifically for my stuff! So, I don't know exactly who went or what they got, but if you're reading this,

ThAnK yOu!!

I really, truly appreciate it!

So I didn't make a ton of money, but there's still another elementary school craft fair that I plan to enter. Money aside, it's just very gratifying to me that I had fun creating things, truly tried to make them attractive and of good quality, and people--some that I don't even know--paid money for them and will wear them. It's a really nice feeling.

I really wanted to just have this playable right from this post, but I can't get it to work. Check it out anyway. ;) Create

Sweet Memories

When we were driving down here, Jamie was so patient about being stuck in his seat most of the time. It's an 8-hour drive at best, extended significantly with a baby. When he did start getting fed up about four hours in, I broke out a Baby Einstein Travel Melodies CD that my mom gave me at one of Jamie's baby showers, and it helped a little until we could find a place to stop. It's basically classical music that sounds like it's coming from a baby toy, but it's nice.

"Remember when we used to make this drive before Jamie was born, and before we were married?" Jason said to me. "We'd talk, and speculate about what our lives would be like, how things would change. Now we're driving along with a big ol' car seat in the back, listening to little baby babbles and to Baby Einstein music! Things certainly have changed!"

We laughed together, and before I could say it, Jason smiled and said it first.

"But it's a precious change."

It certainly is.

Holiday Boutique

I tried to scan the flier, but it won't work, and Jason isn't here so I can't whine for his help.

Sandy Diamond's 10th Annual

Holiday Boutique

Fri. Nov. 13th 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 14th 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

10506 Italia Way (Inside) Rancho Cordova

No Early Birds, Please! (No Credit Cards)

Handcrafted Home Decor, Gifts & Decorations

Rain or Shine! Candles! Door Prizes!

Kristina Noall's Bows!!!! (That was on there. Really.)

(Map here. Sorry. It's off Zinfandel, between where Zinfandel hits Folsom, and Sunrise.)

I've also started a website (I felt bad having to bother Robin so much when she has so much to deal with--don't worry, she knows and we're cool). I don't have a lot on it yet, and we're going out of town for two weeks starting tomorrow, so I'll have to work on that when I get back. Maybe I'll even have a giveaway.

http://www.tinasbows.etsy.com/

My good friend Stacy, who was one of my bridesmaids, is getting married in Utah in January. I'm hoping I can earn enough money with my bows to at least partly pay for the trip (just for me; there's no way we could pay for Jason or Jamie to come).

So, I hate to beg, but...if you guys could help me spread the word and drum up some business, I'd be so grateful. Tell your friends, blog about it briefly, Facebook...anything would be appreciated. Thanks so much!

Gotta go pack.

Ugh.