While you were sleeping...

It was the best of times...

And not really the worst of times, if you overlook heat stroke, a lost son, a flowergirl with the flu and two skinned knees, and a horde of relatives!

Actually, when I look that last sentence over, it actually just sounds like a typical family vacation, doesn't it?

Things are actually very fine here in Phoenix. My niece (my husband's older sister's oldest daughter, if you follow...) is getting married tomorrow, and my hubby's whole family is here to celebrate. Quite a showing! My kids adore being around their big cousins (my three are the youngest), and it's so interesting to see where John came from and commiserate with the other Ehmann wives over the particularly unique Ehmann traits. If only there were a Starbucks a bit closer, all would be just fine. :)

We're staying on here in AZ a few days to hit the Grand Canyon on Tues. Figured we should do it while we're in the area. As the kids get older, it sure gets harder to get away (as it is, we brought with us back packs full of homework... Not that it's getting done!).

I've been reading a ton and working on socks for Socktoberfest and the Sock-a-Monthalong. I did buy yarn last week (gasp!). More on that when I have my camera and can upload pics.

What are you doing this week?

She's Here!

I'm overjoyed to announce the birth of my latest baby. After much discussion and deliberation, the name I've chosen is...

SCRAPHAPPY (thanks, Aby!)

As with most newborns, the naming was difficult. And also as with most newborns, she's not all that gorgeous to start out with -- but we have high hopes that she'll fill out as she gets older!

Please come and visit us often.

Out of the silence

I've been so quiet - sorry! Just dealing with kids and the like. Monday was Callie's first day of preschool. Ack! Maybe it's time for another one??? (Good thing my hubby STILL doesn't read this blog... if he only knew the things he could find out!).

Here are two funny stories that I sent to Stacy Julian, queen of Big Picture Scrapbooking. I wanted to tell her how much her Library of Memories class has impacted my life:

YOU NEED WHAT??? BY WHEN??

Last night (Sunday) at 8:30 pm, my third grader pulled a much-wrinkled and abused sheet of paper from his backpack. "Here, Mom," he said nonchalantly. "This is from my teacher."

I unrolled the crumpled page and almost wished I hadn't... "Dear Parent: Your child is our next student of the week! Please create a picture board highlighting your child and bring it Monday morning."

ACK!

Fast-forward past the shrieking (by me) and the rolling of eyes (by my son). Two hours later, once the household had quieted down, I made my way upstairs to my photo stash. Did I wail with annoyance and pain as I waded through years of unsorted photos and memoribilia? Did I gnash my teeth and flog myself, wishing I'd fulfilled my New Year's resolution to FINALLY get those pictures in order? NO!

I simply went to my School of Life file and flipped through the large manila envelopes, pulling a photo or two from each year. Then I grabbed my trusty letter stickers, a tape runner, and VOILA! I was finished!

The best part? Now I have a great justification for my husband regarding exactly why I have to spend so much money on my scrapbooking supplies. :)

THREE IN A ROW

This morning was my daughter's first day of preschool. Because she's my youngest, the moment was a bittersweet one... and of course as all good scrapping moms do, I ACCIDENTALLY LEFT MY CAMERA AT HOME WHEN I WENT TO DROP HER OFF! Ack #2!

Never fear, though... Because of Stacy's great training, I'd already snapped a photo that morning of the three lunchboxes lined up on the kitchen counter, waiting to be filled. That small slice of my daily life is just as representative of her first day of school as a million photos of her walking into her classroom!

NOTE: I still haven't figured out why my program centers certain things. Anyone know the HTML code for center justification? I don't want to take out some code-like DNA chromosome thingy, thus giving my post some genetic disorder that will manifest itself as turning all my writing into Chinese characters or something like that. Not that I have anything against Chinese characters -- I just can't read 'em.

Name the baby

Help! I have a new baby I need to name.

No, it's not a dog.

No, it's not a real baby.

It's a new website/blog I'm launching that focuses on scrapbooking humor.

I know. Scrapbooking humor?!? you are probably asking yourself. What's so funny about scrapbooking? It's a really serious business!

Yes, scrapping is serious. But there's a lot to laugh about, too. And that's where I want to focus. I want to make fun of all of us (and yes, I'm one of them!) who have more children just so they have more photo opps. Who spend all of their waking hours (and some of the sleeping ones, too!) thinking about new ways to customize chipboard. Who are thinking about moving to Utah just because the scrapbook stores are supposed to be better there.

But before I can launch the site, I need a name! I want something distinct. Something that people can identify with. Something that's not too serious, but not too goofy. And here's where I need your help. Please review these names and submit your vote to me by Wednesday. And if you have any other suggestions, please feel free to send those, too! To make the whole thing a little sweeter, there will be a fun prize if I use the name you submit!

-ScrapGirl (ScrapGrrl)

-ScrappyGirl (ScrappyGrrl)

-Lignin-Free

-Life in the Fast Lain

-It's Just Paper

-The Sassy Scrapper

-Tickled Pink

-???

DIY Hell

My girls are going to be in a wedding at the end of the month. I was instructed to buy two white headbands and send them to the MOB (mother of the bride, for all you out-of-the-loopers). I looked at several chi-chi children's stores (the kind I never shop at seeing as my children look like they've been wrestling hogs fifteen minutes after they are dressed in the AM -- I *swear* they start the day in clean clothes, though I'm beginning to wonder why I bother... but I digress).

The going price for a white child's headband is $28. That means, for the math-impaired, I would have to pay $56 plus tax for two.

Fugeddaboutit.

I'm a scrapper, I said to myself. I know how to wield a glue gun. I am familiar with the ribbon aisle at Michael's. No prob.

One hour, $7 worth of ribbon, $6 worth of headbands, two third-degree burns and a few expletives later, I know why those @#$@ headbands were $28.

But they're done.

More Knit Stuff

I know, I know... I've been on this knitting kick and you guys are probably getting sick of it. But I have good news... I'm going to be moving my scrapping to a larger forum and creating a specific blog just for that! More news on that later, as it's still in development. This has something to do with the "something BIG" I mentioned a few weeks back.. stay tuned for more!

In the meantime, we're still on the knit kick. Or the knit stitch. Or whatever you want to call it (obsession?). Here are some of my latest FOs... cozy socks, a scarf for Maria (in the dreaded Railroad Yarn!), and a small sweater for Spik-O, Kinsey's class bear.

And, the moment you've all been waiting for... THE YARN HARLOT!

The whole evening at Full Thread Ahead was so fun. There were about 350 people (mostly women, of course) gathered to hear Stephanie speak. And she did not disappoint! She was so darned funny. This was one of the best sights:

Click on the photo for a better view... but just get a gander at all those knittin' mamas! So funny.... to look over the crowd and see all those needles flashing.

And look at this one! There we are, the Harlot herself and me... and you know what the coolest part was?? When I met her and said, "Hi! I'm Lain!" She said, "I know you!" She RECOGNIZED MY NAME! "It's because your name is almost like wool in French." And that's true -- "laine" is wool in francais... how way-out is that??? (Of course, that is something only another knitter could appreciate).

Okay, enough knit talk for now. What are you working on???

Can someone please tell me....

...What is the proper disciplinary tactic when your child sets the kitchen on fire?

Finito

I did it. 10 projects. Haven't done the finishing on the last little one (a baby kimono that needs to be seamed and blocked) but all the knitting is done! 10 projects. Woohoo. What am I going to do now? Go to Disney World? Order tons of sock yarn from Knit Picks (is that an unfortunate name or what?)? Get a massage? Ah, it's all so tempting. But instead, I think I will...

-Clean the house (John's coming home from Italy today)

-Troll about for more magazine assignments

-And knit!!!! Yes, I'm working on a scarf for a special someone. Funny how that ball of yarn that's been sitting in the back of my stash so forlornly, just looking for a home, can suddenly become Just the Right Thing. Although, I have to say -- I HATE KNITTING WITH RAILROAD YARN. Does anyone else have this sentiment? It takes twice as long as a normal knitted item because my needle keeps getting stuck in the little areas between the "tracks." It makes it impossible to knit without looking at it (which means I can't knit while driving which just might be a very good thing). Ugh, it's frustrating.

ANYWHO, I'm a'cleaning and a'knitting. And I just might go buy some yarn.

SPEAKING OF YARN (aren't we always???) I am going to go see the Yarn Harlot tomorrow night at Full Thread Ahead! Really looking forward to it. For those of you not down on the fiber world, I want to do for scrapbooking what she's done for knitting. 'Nuff said.

Okay, off to knit. I think I've gone past the Point of No Return.

Irony is...

...making a pact not to buy any more yarn until you finish 10 projects... and then running out of yarn when you are 75 percent of the way through your tenth project. And having to buy yarn to finish it.

Houston, We Have Winners!

Okay, is anyone else out there getting grief from their kids about what they pack in their school lunches? I don't really want to get started on this topic because I will go off on some three-page rant and have to be shot with a tranquilizer dart to bring me back down to earth. So.

On to the good stuff... The winners!

According to my very scientific and Deloitte & Touche-approved randometrical methods, here are the lucky ladies:

The winner of the school memories contest is.... DAWN!

The winner of the quote contest was... Actually, no one got my reference to one of my favorite movies of all time, "The Three Amigos." But LISA B. named Toy Story II as a movie with a very similar line, so she's a winner!

And the winner of the "What in the Heck Does On the Road Mean?" contest is a certain graphic design chick who e-mailed me the complete CliffsNotes... I hate to say that they didn't help much, but at least I tried. Maybe I need to take psychotropic mushrooms before reading it...

Remember, though, that you are ALL winners in my book. And stick around -- you never know what's going to happen While You Were Sleeping. Hehehe.