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Friday, April 10, 2009

Birthday Calculator

My mom forwarded me an email with a birthday calculator.  Since my birthday is tomorrow, I thought I would check it out and see if there was anything cool it had to say about my birthday.

What I found most interesting was the information on my Life Path.  It is based on numerology.  I'm a one.  This is what it has to say about me and frankly, it is pretty darn accurate.

The Life Path 1 suggests that you entered this plane with skills allowing you to become a leader type rather easily. Your nature is charged with individualistic desires, a demand for independence, and the need for personal attainment. Many of our military generals, corporate leaders, and political leaders are men and women having the Life Path 1. When you display positive 1 traits your mind is capable of significant creative inspiration, and it possesses the enthusiasm and drive to accomplish a great deal. You are very good at getting the ball rolling; initiating new projects is your forte. You are at your best when confronted with obstacles and challenges, as you combat these with strength and daring. This is both the physical and inner varieties of strength. With this strength comes utter determination and the capability to lead. As a natural leader you have a flair for taking charge of any situation. You have a tendency to do this, even if, at times, it is not appropriate for you to do so.

Highly original, you may have talents as an inventor or innovator of some sort. In any work that you choose, your independent attitude can show through. You have very strong personal needs and desires, and you feel it is always necessary to follow your own convictions. You tire of routine and highly detailed tasks rather quickly.

You are ambitious and assertive in promoting yourself. Although you may hide the fact for social reasons, you can be self-centered and demand to have your way in many circumstances. That said, for the most part, you are considered very good company, friendly, good-natured, and a wonderful conversationalist. People like you and are drawn to you. It is a good thing they are, because you are very sensitive to disapproval and you don't handle it very well.

There are several ways that the negative side of the 1 can show up. The 1 always has the potential for greatness as a leader, but they may fail as a follower. Unfortunately, sometimes you have to follow for a while before you are allowed to lead and this can be a difficult time. When the 1 Life Path person is not fully developed and expressing the negative side of this number, the demeanor may appear very dependent rather than independent, particularly in the early years. If you are expressing this negative trait of the number 1, you are likely to be very dissatisfied with your circumstances, and long for self-sufficiency. This might be defined as the weak or dependent side of the negative 1 Life Path. On the strong side of this negative curve, the 1 energy can become too self-serving, selfish and egotistical. Avoid being too bossy and demanding.

Did you try the birthday calculator out yourself?  What does it say about you?  Are we compatible?

I love you, iPod.

I've had my iPod Touch for a few weeks now and I can't even begin to tell you how much I love it.  I seriously don't know how I functioned without it.  I am attached and there is no getting over it.

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Windows Live Writer

I've received a few emails lately asking me about my blog posts and I thought I'd let you in on a little secret. 

 

I've ditched blogger.

 

Not really, but I don't use blogger to write or publish my blog posts anymore.  I use Windows Live Writer.  It is fast, easy, and best of all—I can publish to almost all of my blogs using just one interface. 

I can upload photos, tables, videos, and maps.  I can even crop, tilt, frame, resize and watermark those pictures.  IMG_1826

If you blog as much as I do, a program like this saves me lots of time.  I love it.  Why don't you try it out?  While you're at it, go and check out the blog post about this awesome play smock Eva is wearing.  There's even a discount code you can use.  

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

This Post Brought To You By Pillows. Awesome Pillows.

Last month, some pillows arrived at my house via UPS.  I was in contact with a rep from Natura World and was in the market for a new pillow.  Three pillows arrived at my house and just in time.  My mom was coming to visit.Aloe Dream Mate Pillow

My mom won't travel without her own pillow.  She's had that pillow for as long as I can remember.  We don't like to think about what is inside that pillow but for her, it worked.  Or so she thought.  I let her try out one of the new pillows.  She chose the Aloe Dream Mate Pillow. 

In her own words, this is what she had to say about the new pillow:

I ALWAYS take my own pillow with me when I travel.  I have had a favorite for years.  It is a down pillow that I can manipulate to support my neck. I have arthritis and it is very hard for me to get comfortable at night. Not long ago I spent the weekend at my daughter's house in Lincoln NE. We really look forward to our visits there but know we will be sleeping on a blow up mattress in the basement.  When we arrived Christy showed me some pillows that she was reviewing and asked me if I would like to try one.  I was concerned that I would not be able to really know if I like it or not considering that I was sleeping on the air mattress. The pillow was feather like and said the outside fiber kept you cool.  At
my age wow..I needed that.  But again I was not too optimistic because I am really stuck on the pillow I take everywhere.  Well I really liked the pillow!  Christy sprayed it with the freshener that was included.  It was like a fine hotel touch!  It really helped me not notice that I was sleeping on an air mattress.  It was firmer than what I was used to, but still pliable so that I could have it nestled in my neck.  Christy gave me the pillow to take home and I have continued to use it.  My husband's comment was that I am not tossing and turning and pounding my pillow like I used to do! It is true that it does not heat up as you lay on it.  To sum it up,  I love it!

Ultimate PillowThe first couple of nights, I tried out a Dream Mate, too.  I liked it but wanted to give the other pillow a try as well.  When I switched to the Ultimate Pillow, I knew this was the one for me!   It has a latex core that is anti-microbial and is covered in terrycloth.   It is true when they say the smart wool layer wicks away moisture.  Before using these pillows there were times I would wake up and one side of my face would be all sweaty and gross.  That hasn't happened since I've started using these pillows.  I also wake up feeling well rested and my neck has been thanking me.  This pillow conforms to my neck and back but doesn't fold in on itself so I'm constantly having to rearrange it through the night. 

NaturaWorld has all sorts of sleep products including organic crib sets, mattresses, and even pet beds.  I definitely value my sleep time and my bedding, mattress, and pillows aren't things I will normally skimp on.  I spend more time there than almost anywhere else and when I'm well rested, everyone is happy! 

If you'd like to keep up with this company on twitter, you can  follow them here. 

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Eva Goes to the State Capitol

I took Eva to the Nebraska State Capitol building yesterday so we could go on a tour with Grandma and Grandpa Nelson.  Eva thought it was a castle.  She had a great time.  IMG_1822

Monday, April 06, 2009

Chicks Who Click

Deb and I are going to be speaking at the Chicks Who Click conference in Kansas City in May.  We are really excited about it and would love to see some of you there! 

From their webpage, here's the overview:

We are Chicks who Click -- Minds that are creative, connected and looking to collaborate – with dynamic women- to be the best in our fields through social media. Chicks Who Click not only know tools such as blogging, social networks, conversations and communities, but understand the smartest ways to use them to achieve personal and career goals.  We are also educating our communities on the importance of encouraging girls and young women to pursue careers in technology.
At every Chicks Who Click event, we will share how to make your relationships count, we will empower you to use your social toolbox and we will help you refine your personal brand.

Registration opens today!

Friday, April 03, 2009

Carl Went to NASA and All I Got Was This

For years I've been trying to tell Carl that my love language is Receiving Gifts.  They don't have to be expensive or even cost money at all.  I just appreciate it when someone has thought enough of me to get me a little something special. 

Carl had to work for just over a week at NASA.  This happened to fall during Caleb's Spring Break.  It wouldn't have been so bad except we've been having to adjust Caleb's medications and things haven't been so fun around here.  He's difficult anyway, but add in no school, change of schedule, one less parent, etc… and you have a recipe for disaster.

The kids did not disappoint.  I talked with Carl every night and I said, "You better bring me back something really good".  He said, "Don't worry".  He always says that and I always worry.  I knew he had the whole weekend off.  They had cars.  It wasn't like he was stuck at a hotel all week.  I was hoping for the best. 

This is what I got:

a keychain!  Isn't is amazing!  It is solar powered. 

IMG_1788

It gets even better!  Here's the other side.  It blinks thanks to the power of the sun. 

Off:

IMG_1790

And on.  Isn't that so romantic?  It's a blinking keychain all the way from NASA! 

IMG_1789

But wait!  Even better… it came all the way from CHINA!

IMG_1791   

This present is EVEN BETTER than the pack of cards he got for me from some conference vendor when he went to Las Vegas.  He has to go to Phoenix for a week at the end of April.  Maybe I'll just have to give him some suggestions.

Thursday, April 02, 2009

Create.

Every six months in April and October, our church holds a worldwide conference.  It is always inspiring and I look forward to it each time.  Last conference there was one talk that stood out to me more than any other.  I've watched it and read it many times.  I can't imagine there being another talk that resonates more with me, but we shall see. 

There is a short 2 minute video featuring some of this talk that I've watched at least once a day since I found it.  I imagine most of you will enjoy it too. 

CREATE- Dieter F. Uchtdorf

World Autism Awareness Day

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Coming Home

Carl will be home in about 8 hours.  This is good news.  I could use some backup around here.  And, I really want to do this. 

Autism Awareness Month

It is that time of year again.  For the past two years I've used this blog as a platform during the month of April to raise money and awareness for autism.  I'll still be blogging about autism this month.  I just won't be asking for donations….YET.  Our Nebraska Walk for Autism isn't going to be held until September so I didn't feel like soliciting donations this early.  We might just need to make August the crafty conservative's Autism Awareness Month.  Save your pennies for Caleb's Team and Autism Speaks! 

Monday, March 30, 2009

Martha, Martha, Martha

Cover Encyclopedia of Crafts (2)

 

It's time!  The Martha Stewart Encyclopedia of Crafts giveaway is finally here!  Head on over to christynelson.net because I've got five copies of the book to giveaway so I hope you'll go enter and spread the word. 

It's a good thing.

 

 

Sorry.  I can't help myself sometimes.

Hoping to Adopt

I certainly know the feeling when you're ready for another baby but there are so many things out of your control.  One recommendation that was always given to us was to let everyone know that we were ready to adopt.  You just never know when a friend of a friend or a cousin's beautician or your uncle's stepsister might be looking for a family for their baby.  For this reason, I'm happy to spread the word.  

Nels and Amber are hoping to adopt #2.  


BlogHer Hotel

I'm going to BlogHer in July.  I am really looking forward to it and I won my ticket so that's a bonus.  My airfare was discounted because I was able to help out a United agent back in February when I attended Mom 2.0.  I guess it is a good thing my kids woke me up in the middle of the night because I might not have found this great giveaway.  It is from ZRecommends. 

They are giving away a 3 night stay at the conference hotel.  This isn't just for any room.  It is for the super-plush deluxe executive room.  I'm hoping that if any of my readers win this, they'll invite me to stay with them. 

Did you know that you don't even have to be registered at BlogHer to win?  You can just go and enjoy the swankiness of the hotel on those particular dates for the fun of it….and still invite me to join you.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Scripture Charades

If you have young children and you want to read scriptures with them, you know it can be a struggle.  Even the versions made specifically for kids weren't quite cutting it with my kiddos.  The other night I had an epiphany.  I would use my all-state acting* skills.

Doing a one woman show acting out scriptures isn't as easy as I thought.  But...it was a hit!  They love it!  I try to add a new one every night.  It is kind of difficult to come up with some ideas of how to act them out.  Any suggestions for me?  

The kids favorite by far is Noah.  I get out my pretend notebook and check off all the animals that get on the ark.  Then they pretend to be an animal and I check them off the list.  I make it rain and rain and then I tell them about the promise of the rainbow.  

Tonight I broke out the story of Enos (in the Book of Mormon) that prayed all night.  The jury's still out on that one.

It's kind of nice having the kids beg for scripture time now instead of the usual kicking and screaming from before.  Do you all have any good tips on how to study the scriptures with little kids? 

*I totally won a medal in high school for my role in a one act play contest.  I was playing a really popular girl that this boy obsessed over.  It was full of his dream sequences so it was really fun.  

In Print

The Lincoln Journal Star contacted me for an interview last week because of my affiliation with the local Etsy Team.  I woke up this morning to find the article in the 402 section of the paper.

Check out this from their online media page. I wish they could have included even MORE etsy sellers!  We've got a really good group here in town.


Saturday, March 28, 2009

I'm Tired

I'm making a list of things I want to do when Carl comes home on Wednesday. This is how bad it has become that I'm thinking of a time when I'll be able to do the following chores:

1. laundry
2. organize my craft room
3. vacuum
4. cook something adults like to eat

Granted, I could be doing a few of those things at night when the kids are in bed.  But those things can wait a few days and other things (aside from posting on this blog) are a little more pressing at the moment.  I really, really love my work but I'm starting to feel like I need a vacation! 

Carl will be home one day and then we have houseguests.  He said he won't skip work but that he'll do my bidding from 5:30pm-midnight to get the house to an acceptable level of cleanliness.  I'm just hoping for a clear spot on the floor big enough for an air mattress.  I think we might be able to handle that.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Hang Out With Me, Please!

Dear friends…

I need some kids to play with my kids.  They are driving each other batty and need some fresh blood of their friends to keep them company.  The only thing we have planned tomorrow is from 9am-10am and other than that, we are free to go and do anything. 

I could have your kids play over here.  I could meet you at the Children’s Museum or Lost in Fun.  Is it too cold to go to the Omaha Zoo?  I’m certainly open for suggestions.

Eagerly awaiting your replies.

Thanks,

Christy

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Eye Can Art

I did a post over at Family Eden about crafting with Eva.  Why don't you take a look?

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Universe on Speed Dial


Just this morning I posted about how I was doing all in my power to get an iPod Touch. The stars aligned and the US government decided today was the day to dump a bunch of cash-ola into our account. I took it as a sign.* I headed down to my local Target and bought it.


*For the record--Carl is about to buy a new bike and I've been asking for more than just today. It is part of my birthday present from him and any and all funds I receive for my birthday go straight back into our account for other things....like the electric bill.

Read & Share DVD Bible Review

Read & Share DVD Bible Vol. 1 was my latest item to review from Thomas Nelson publishing.  My son is a very visual learner so I thought this would help him comprehend some of the Bible stories a little better.  We sat down as a family to view it and I hoped we would be able to make it through one or two of the stories at a time.  

The first thing I noticed about the DVD is that the animation is very basic.  We get so used to Disney and Pixar that it is sometimes easy for us to forget that not all animation can be that kind of quality.  The kids didn't seem to mind one bit.  

Caleb made it through one story before it lost his attention.  I think he was expecting some music.  Eva, however, was totally enthralled.  She loved it and watched all 60 minutes at once.  She loved the stories of Jacob and Esau and the birth of Jesus especially.   There are 13 stories in all and they each last about 3 minutes.  They stick to the Bible and are very general in their terms so these stories appeal to a wide range of denominations.  

If you're looking for something for the kids to watch and be able to discuss for family night, this might be a good choice for you.  I can tell that it appeals more to the younger kids so if you've got some toddlers or preschoolers, they might enjoy it.  

I give it 3 out of 5 stars.  

My Field of Dreams Secret Law of Attraction

If you ask for it, it will come.

I'm using all my powers and summoning up The Secret.

I'm entering every contest I can find.

My latest obsession.

I'm visualizing myself with a 16GB iPod Touch.

Let's make this happen.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Q & A about Caleb

The last piano post generated a lot of questions in the comments.  Yet...the biggest question remains---WHAT IS THAT SONG????  

Heather:  You should ask the school what song they play in the lunchroom. They should know right?

Yes, they should know.  I called them last week to ask but nobody got back with me.  I'll try again after Spring Break.  

Aunt LoLo:  How old is he?

He turned six in January.

Sharon:  Was he playing that by ear?  Does he take lessons?

He plays everything by ear.  He takes lessons but doesn't seem to get much out of them.  I guess I shouldn't say that because he is improving.  He now knows the names of the notes (can't read music, yet) and can tell me whatever note I am playing...whether he sees it or not.  He has perfect pitch.  

Mindy-- didn't have a question, but I just wanted to say that I wouldn't expect Abel to break out the Beethoven anytime soon.  Caleb's got this splinter skill thanks to autism.  Something in his brain just makes music "click" for him.  

Anne- I'll make sure and get you and your husband tickets to his first concert!    


Sunday, March 22, 2009

Name This Tune



I have no idea what this song is that he's playing.  I know it is one they play in the lunchroom at his school during quiet eating time.  This is what we wanted him to play for the talent show the other night.  Below is what he actually played.  We were happy he chose a church song to play.  He doesn't seem to enjoy playing in front of big crowds of people.  That's too bad, because he is awesome!

 

So, does anyone know the title of his Lunchroom Song?  



Friday, March 20, 2009

Twitterati

There are some really fun people you can follow on Twitter.  Have you not signed up?  My mom's doing it.  Wendy signed up today.  

You can follow Ashton, Demi, Martha, and Ellen.  

How you use it is entirely up to you. It's fun.  Did I mention that almost every single blogging job and opportunity has come my way because of twitter?  

Thanks to m.writes' blog post today, I can now follow NEIL freakin' DIAMOND!  

If you follow me, you'll be able to see awesome tweets like this one.  

Thursday, March 19, 2009

The Birth of Cornelius Review


I joined a group called Music Moms that offers CDs and other music information to mom bloggers in return for a review (positive or negative).  Our first CD arrived last week and it is called The Birth of Cornelius.  Corneille has such an interesting life story that helped make his music more interesting to me.

Corneille's parents are from Rwanda and after a short time in Germany, they moved back to Rwanda when Corneille was a child.  Several years later, his parents and other family members were killed in Rwanda during the genocide in 1994.  He escaped all alone to Kinshasa, and then to Germany where some of his family friends took him in.  I'm sure you can imagine that has been a big part of his life and music.  He later moved to Canada and has been a successful recording artist there with some French language music.  This is his first English language debut.  

The music is soulful R & B.  Not necessarily my favorite style, but I can certainly recognize that this guy has a great voice and a lot of talent.  I listened to the cd for the first time while I was crafting.  It was nice background music and I can imagine putting this on at night after the kids go to bed for a little mood music...you know, music to help me pick up dried up playdough and dirty clothes.  What were you thinking?

For more information about Corneille, you can go to www.corneillemusic.com.  




Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Spinning

Eva loves her new birthday dress. I picked out the fabric and Kelly, from refibered, made it. Make sure you check out her blog tomorrow because she's the next one to host a giveaway for Lincoln Handmade. Today you still have a chance to win ANYTHING from Chimera Crochet's shops. And Julie's St. Patrick's Day inspired giveaway is going on until tomorrow.

Dancing and Spinning

The dress is totally reversible and can be switched between front and back so there are four possible ways to wear it.

reversible farbenmix Anna

She even got a reversible purse to match! Eva is one styling girl lately.



Dancing and Spinning

Keepin' It Real

This month has seriously been so full of good fortune for me.  Christynelson.net is doing really, really well.  I'm getting paid (still not much, but enough for now) to do what I love.  Professionally, things couldn't be better.  

Today I'm in the dumps.  You see, Caleb's behavior is starting to take a turn for the worse.  It is like he is regressing to that time I still call "The Summer from HELL".  Yesterday was one of his worst days ever.  He was exhibiting some decidedly unsafe behaviors.  I just deleted a bunch of stuff I wrote---let's just leave it at that.

I'm feeling back at that stage where I am a totally clueless parent.  I'm doing everything in my power to help him but we haven't found anything that works.

I'm also depressed because Carl has been having a lot of work and church things to do lately and hasn't been home to help as much.  I got a 15 minute break last night when he was home to eat between work and church.  Tonight he has another church obligation.  He'll also be gone from Mar 25th-Apr 1st to do some research down at NASA.  This coincides with Caleb's Spring Break. I'm going to be calling in the calvary for that week, for sure.  

So, there you have it.  My keepin' it real post for today.




Tuesday, March 17, 2009

HSM3

A while back I won a giveaway from Kris for a HSM3 DVD and some extra goodies. As you can see, we've been enjoying them. I've been crushing hard on Zac Efron and Eva's been a dancing fool. Fun times! Thanks, Kris!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Giveaways

I've got a bunch of giveaways to talk about today.

First off---Lincoln Handmade Etsy Team (my local team) is hosting a week of giveaways. You can get all the details at our team blog. My giveaway is first and it is a 3 month subscription to the craft challenge! You can enter to win by commenting on the giveaway blog post.

MandM Studio is giving away 4 YARDS of fabric. Wow! That is one generous giveaway! Go to this site for all the details. You don't have much longer to enter this one.

Last but not least (by a mile), is the KraftFirstTaste iPod Touch giveaway. You have every day this month to enter because they are giving away one iPod Touch PER DAY until March 31st.

Good luck!

Weekend Review

Eva's Birthday Weekend


We had a most excellent birthday weekend for Eva and my mom. She danced, opened presents, had a fun morning with her birthday twin, Whitney, and got a lot of new clothes and toys. She's in heaven. She keeps telling me, "I love my birthday!".

We think about Eva's birthmom a lot but especially on her birthday. We are so very grateful to her for giving our little girl life and choosing us to be her parents!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Makeup with Grandma



My mom's birthday is today. She was here for the weekend and Eva loved hanging out with her. I love this picture of them together that I took this morning. They did their makeup every day. My mom did my makeup everyday, too. Thanks, Mom! Hope you had a great day!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Happy Birthday, Eva!


My baby is four years old today. She's been wearing this dress (I made it!) for three days straight. She got a birthday crown (made from my craft challenge supplies), and some ruby slippers and toto in a basket from her Grandma. We're celebrating tonight with a dinner out on the town. My mom's birthday is tomorrow so we've got double celebrating to do!
Favorite color: Pink
Favorite food: Potatoes
Favorite movie: Bye Bye Birdie
Favorite toy: Barbie
Favorite thing to say: "OKAY, THEN!"

Friday, March 13, 2009

My Kind of Ads

I decided to go with a theme this week and am sharing more of my favorite internet sites. 

A while back, Kirtsy started a partnership with YouData.  Because I do almost everything the kirtsy girls tell me, I signed up on the spot.  Since then, I go to the YouData site once or twice a month and they pay me to look at a few ads.  Mind you, this is not for a lot of money.  In fact, you usually earn less than a dollar each time.  However, I don't go there for the money.  You see, these ads are targeted especially for my demographic and I have found some really cool things through these ads.  

YouData was a sponsor of the Mom 2.0 Summit and we got a chance to learn a little more about what they do.  They are partnering with some non profit organizations and the great thing about it is that I have a choice of how much of the money I earn can go to these organizations. So, not only am I finding cool new sites and products from the ads...I'm able to contribute to a good cause as well.  How's that for win/win?  

Full disclosure:
YouData just started a referral program and the links to YouData I have in this post are linked to my profile.  If you sign up and use YouData, I'll get a penny everytime you click on an ad up to $1.  I just didn't want you to think I'm writing this post just to get referrals...because it is clearly not about the money.  I just think this is a great program and deserves a little publicity.  So, go and try it out!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Closing Shop

I've decided to close my etsy shop.  It was getting too hard to keep up with it and my new endeavor over at christynelson.net (and THAT etsy shop).  There are only 4 items left in my shop and I'm going to leave them there another day or two if anyone wants to snatch them up.  A few of the items I've stocked in the past will end up over at my new shop but not many. I just realized I need to start prioritizing how I spend my time and what is actually most profitable for me.  My Sticks & Stamps etsy shop served its purpose and now it is time to move on.   


Wednesday, March 11, 2009

A Little Mood Music

I thought I'd share another online tool that I love with you guys.  This one has been around a while but I'm sure at least a few of you haven't heard about it.


This is a free service and I love it.  You sign up and can then start to build your own personal radio stations.  If you don't want to take the two seconds it takes to do that, you can listen to any of the preset stations but that isn't as fun!  

I currently have two stations.  One I made during the holidays features just Christmas music by my favorite artists.  The other station I named "My Favorites" (original, I know) and all I did was list some of my favorite artists and songs.  From there, they grab music from their huge database and play the music I love in addition to songs that I might not be familiar with but are similar to my tastes.  

When it plays music, you have the option of giving the songs a thumbs up or down.  If you give a song a thumbs down, it won't play it anymore on that station.  It is one of my favorite features.  I have found some great new artists because of this site and I love how I can just let it play in the background while I'm working.  It is a nice break from my iTunes when I'm in the mood for discovering some new music.

On my Pandora station right now:  Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N' Roses*.  You know you love it, too.  

*I was just talking with a friend today about how I hope Adam on American Idol sings this song.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

SpringPad It!

Something that wasn't on my to-do list yesterday was to find an online space for me to manage my to-do lists.  As much as I love writing things down and crossing them off, I realized that a lot of my organizing needs to happen on the computer.   I found something that I really like yesterday so I thought I would share.

Spring Pad is a site where you can make free online notebooks.  They have basic 'Plan Your Day' lists to use or you can get fancy and use their weekly meal planners, date night planners, or trip planners.  They have SO MANY applications!  

I needed to make a few different notebooks for some of the online work I am doing.  Here are a few of the notebooks I created:

Pitches Received for National Craft Month
Craft ideas for christynelson.net
eBook tasks
Paid blogging deadlines/tasks/ideas
Plan Your Day (my basic--stuff to do that day like laundry or piano lessons)

They have great drag and drop capability so if I have a deadline with one of my paid blogging jobs, I can also drag that deadline into my "Plan Your Day" notebook.  

There are also a few different ways to view all of your tasks and lists together.  They have a weekly view where all of the things you list with deadlines for that week appear.  There is also a monthly calendar that shows what you have scheduled.  

I will still carry around my notebook so I can take notes and make lists while I am out and about. But for all the work I do online, Spring Pad seems to fit the bill.

Now, if I could just stop playing around with all the features and start actually DOING the things I have listed....

Want to read what other people are talking about today?  Go to Talk About Tuesday.

Monday, March 09, 2009

To-Do Lists

I am in serious need of a to-do list.  The stuff in my head keeps swirling around and I have so much to do I don't know where to start.  

I need to make a to-do list for the household duties.

I need to make a to-do list for my website duties.

I need to make a to-do list so I'll make a to-do list.

Vicious cycle.


Saturday, March 07, 2009

Purple and Plum Giveaway Winner

I finally got around to drawing a winner for the giveaway.  Thanks for all your comments and suggestions for the Purple and Plum etsy shop. 

The winner is:  Heather from The Holdaways.  You don't have to do anything except check your mailbox!  I will send your address to them and the hair clips will be on their way.  Enjoy!

 

Friday, March 06, 2009

Last Meal

Steak Tacos

If I knew I was going to die, this would be my choice for a last meal. I blame my missionary service in Mexico for this obsession. I used to go and eat tacos al pastor every Friday with Catherine and then Kerry at Taco Rico in Lafayette, IN. I miss them and have yet to find a good substitute here in Lincoln--except for my own homemade steak tacos.

Homemade corn tortillas-- 2 parts maseca to 1 part water and a small palm of salt. Press them out and then cook them on a griddle for a minute or so each side.
Flank steak--cooked rare/medium rare
White onion--raw and diced
Cilantro--chopped, including stems
Lime--liberally squeezed

Heaven on a plate. Eat at least three.


Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

I was on a roll last night and made this for desert. I used the strawberry shortcake recipe from the Betty Crocker cookbook. I substituted vanilla yogurt for sour cream. We ate them as soon as they came out of the oven.

Clutter Diet Update

I haven't completely fallen off the wagon.  It was dragging me around for a couple of weeks but I hopped back on!  I did a MAJOR purge of my bathroom today.  If anybody wants some brand new bath & body works lotion, come by and get some.  Seriously.  I realize that I have more lotion than I can use in my lifetime and it needs a nice, new home.


Clutter Diet Laundry Room/Bathroom


I had a really good time using my brand new Method products. I won a bag of goodies from Brand About Town when I was at the Mom 2.0 Summit. I can see in my mirror again and the sink is shining. Good times.

Clutter Diet Laundry Room/Bathroom

My laundry area really hasn't suffered too much since I cleaned it up last time. I've been able to keep up with that area and I'm really pleased about it. You'll notice that the Tide is gone. I've replaced it with Soap Nuts from Laundry Tree. You'll be hearing more about that in another post for another day. Suffice it to say, that I love them!  

Find out more about the Clutter Diet by clicking on the button in my left sidebar.  

Don't forget to enter the Purple and Plum giveaway here.  

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Purple and Plum Giveaway



Almost eight years ago, I was teaching high school in Monticello, Indiana.  I taught Spanish III & IV and really had no idea what I was in for.  I was young and excited.  It was an awesome experience.

One of my Spanish IV students needed a TA position and asked if she could be mine.  I didn't have a class that period but she assured me she would stay out of trouble and do whatever I asked.  She became my "chuzma".  She found the word in one of the dictionaries and it means "galley slave".  

That student is now grown up and is older than I was when I was her teacher.  Now I get the chance to be her chuzma and help her introduce her shop to my friends.  

Jennie opened up an etsy shop with her friend, Lyndsey, and have been making headbands, clips, and all manner of cuteness.   

To entice you to check out their shop and give them some feedback, they are offering up these great hairclips as a giveaway.  



To be eligible to win:  Go to their shop, look around, and then come back here and leave a comment.  In your comment tell us what your favorite item was, give them a suggestion to help them with their shop, or ask them a question.  That's it!  If you can ask your question in Spanish, I'll give you bonus points.  :)  I'll draw a winner on Saturday, March 7th.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Winding Roads

I started blogging in 2004. It was a diversion, at best. I blogged about knitting, tv, and my family. Most of the people I told about my blog had no idea what I was talking about. I assume they figured it was just another one of my "things".

In 2007, I decided I would blog every day. I did that for over two years and it changed my life. This may sound overly dramatic, but it is true. I knew this was something that I loved to do and it was a big part of my life. I never thought that it would bring me anything more than a fun way to connect with people.

Last year I decided to start exploring some options and see if there was a way for me to turn this blogging habit into a career. I started writing for Type-a-Mom, making new friends on Twitter, and making myself more available to opportunity.

I made a plan. I started christynelson.net. I stopped waiting for opportunity to find me and I started looking for it on my own. I'm working really, really hard to create the kind of career I've always dreamed of. And, I'm starting to see it pay off.

Awesome.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Lucky

"Lucky" Official Video With Colbie Caillat


Jason Mraz is coming to Council Bluffs, IA on Cinco de Mayo and I'll be there to watch him. I'm lucky. The tickets are general admission so if you feel so inclined to join me (and Wendy, of course!), get a ticket! You can read about the last time we saw him in concert here.

*I'm feeling better now. Still no desire to eat Thin Mints, though. I'll keep you posted!

Monday, March 02, 2009

Cookie Status

Two or three years ago, we took the Nelson side of the family to see the church history sites here in Nebraska and western Iowa. We stopped to grab a bite to eat at a Wendy's in Council Bluffs. My brother-in-law and I were the only ones to eat hamburgers from there and we were the only ones to suffer the consequences. I haven't had a hamburger from Wendy's since.

I'm not blaming Thin Mints or the Girl Scouts for my current condition, HOWEVER, the last thing I ate before I got sick were Thin Mints. Could this be the end of my love affair with Thin Mints?

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Under the Weather

Not feeling so hot today. I don't know what happened but at about 8:30pm last night, I was down for the count. Chills, aches, general blechiness. It came on so quickly. I was in bed and asleep by 9pm and hoped that I would sleep it off. Didn't quite happen. I woke up still feeling bad. I've napped another 3 hours or so since 7am. I've eaten a little bit. I'm glad I have the laptop so at least I can blog and check in on facebook while I can sit upright.

Eva's so cute. She's not feeling well either and I asked her if she would stay home from church today to take care of me. She's been bringing me blankets, kleenex (not really needed) and toys. She took a long nap, too.

Carl and Caleb will be home from church soon and we'll see what the afternoon brings. I'm starting to get tired again so I hope the house will be at least a little bit quiet.

Is this post bringing you down? Will it help you to know that March is National Craft Month? You can read some of my more upbeat posts about it here.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Yanni Voices on PBS


-306, originally uploaded by YumYumTree.

I blogged a few weeks ago about Yanni. I was sent a preview CD and DVD of his new project called Yanni Voices. Then we were surprised to see one of the "voices", Nathan Pacheco, at the Mom 2.0 Summit. This picture is of him being very gracious while I say stupid things. I have some sort of gift for that. It was probably just as well Ender Thomas (the other male "voice") was sick and couldn't make it to the conference. Who knows what I might have done.

Anyway, I thought I should let you know that the PBS special is going to be airing starting next week. Check your local listings and all that jazz. If you watch NET Nebraska, I've done that for you and it will be on Monday, March 2nd at 7pm. Set those DVRs. I think you'll really like it. You might like it so much you'll want to see them live on tour and rumor has it, I might have a special group rate to share with you sometime in the future.

Love Can Move Mountains But It Might Get You Frostbite

A few months ago I was on twitter and I saw @tothink tweet about needing someone to go to the Celine Dion concert in Omaha. I was all over it. Celine (I've seen her twice now so I think we can be on a first name basis) had to postpone her November concert until last night so I had to wait a few months to take advantage of this awesome gift. Don't ever let anyone tell you that blogging and using twitter don't have amazing perks---because that would be a LIE!

My husband is fluent in French and has loved Celine for a long time. He was jealous when I got to see her in Vegas for girls weekend. So, I knew I had to take him with me.

We left a little late. I was nervous because I had will-call tickets and wanted to make sure I got there to get them in plenty of time. We made a plan. Carl would pull up to the Qwest Center. I would get out and get the tickets. He would park the car. We'd meet at the intersection.

This was a BAD idea on multiple levels.

First off, I had all the cash with me in my pocket. I didn't realize this until I was back standing on the corner waiting for him. I didn't want to move from the corner because I thought he might drive back around to get it from me.

After about 20 minutes of waiting on the corner...in the BITTER COLD...I started to worry. I couldn't feel my forehead. Thank goodness for my cowl and mittens or I might have died. I was starting to question my judgment. Here's what I was thinking...

If you're lost, you're supposed to stay in one place so someone can find you. Carl is an eagle scout and a Scoutmaster so I thought he might be thinking the same thing. What if we were both staying where we were and then we would never find each other?

The cold was starting to get to me and I was considering hawking my tickets...I mean, I was already on the corner... and paying a taxi to take me home. Oh, wait. I left my wallet in the car. Can't do that. Instead I start to cry.

There was another little girl crying on the sidewalk and I heard her mother say, "Stop crying or your tears will freeze to your face!". Good advice. But, I couldn't stop. I decided to tell one of my new "friends" (selling tickets to both Celine and the boat show) that I was going to walk down to the restaurant where we were planning to go. I thought maybe Carl might be waiting for me there--even though I told him to meet me on the corner. I realize now that meeting on the corner was a STUPID idea. I should have said I would meet him INSIDE somewhere. Too late now.

The walk to the restaurant was refreshing. I was still crying a little bit but to cheer me up I started to think about how at least this is giving me something to blog about. It didn't cheer me up enough. Still crying. It is hard to walk and cry at the same time--especially when the breath from my cowl fogs up my glasses.

He wasn't at the restaurant. I stayed long enough to feel my fingers and wipe off my glasses. My forehead was starting to really sting. I came up with a new plan. I'd walk back down towards the corner, go into the Qwest Center towards will-call, and then back to the corner.

By this time, it had been almost 45 minutes since we separated. All I had on me was $15 cash and my drivers license. I left my purse, phone, wallet, etc...all in the car. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

I cried to the lady at the will-call booth like a lost child. She couldn't help me. I cried some more. I was SO COLD! I was going to head back to the corner.

I was surprised that I wasn't mad at Carl. It wasn't his fault. I felt bad for him, too, because I'm sure he was stressed about getting to me. I was just upset that our plan to save time had backfired...big time.

On my way back to the corner, Carl found me. He had just barely parked the car and had an adventure of his own---but at least he was WARM! I started crying even more because I was so relieved. By this time, it was only 15 minutes or so until the concert was scheduled to start.

We went inside, grabbed some overpriced, nasty tacos and a cold-stone ice cream. I know I just blogged and blogged about how I was freezing (which was true) but I can't resist a waffle cone after a traumatic experience. I stopped crying. We ate the tacos and took the ice cream to our seats. A few minutes after we were seated (SO CLOSE to the stage!), the opening act came out.

We had a great time. Carl loved it. I did, too. After a craptastic American Idol this week, it is refreshing to hear someone that can REALLY SING!

I didn't cry again until the end of the show. It was Celine's last show of the tour. She got emotional. I got emotional. I think it was because we both just wanted to go home.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

It's All Coming Back to Me Now

Babysitter will be here any minute. Dinner is almost finished. Carl will be home soon.

We're going on a date tonight.

Celine Dion is in town and I got some free tickets.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Eva's Birthday Requests

This video is for Grandma Nelson and anyone else that is interested on what Eva wants for her 4th birthday (Mar 14th). She didn't mention clothes but she could also use some dresses and plain color t-shirts in size 5/6.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Rex by Cathleen Lewis




When I signed up to be a book review blogger for Thomas Nelson publishing, this was the book that I most looked forward to reviewing. This book is about a young musical savant, Rex. As the mother of a child with autism and also extreme musical capabilities, I was intrigued by the story. Cathleen Lewis outlines her struggles and joys from pregnancy to present day.

Rex is an extraordinary boy with great talent but the first few years of his life were an intense struggle. From a mother's perspective, I can totally relate. Admittedly, my son has different obstacles, but the feelings a parent goes through are the same. I could feel her pain as she thought about her son's future. Wondering whether or not he will live a rich and fulfilled life. Mourning the loss of your own expectations. Some of the things she wrote hit really close to home and I must admit, it was a little difficult to read at times.

The description of how Rex found music was a bright light in the book. It marked the beginning of hope for Cathleen and Rex. I've always known that music brings people together. With my son and reading about Rex, I can now see that music brings more than that to some.

I might be a little biased, but I enjoyed this book. It is hard for me to know whether or not a person not so closely affected would feel the same. If you are curious about autism, savants, or raising a child with special needs, I'm sure you would enjoy reading this tale of a mom and her amazing son.

Monday, February 23, 2009

More Mom 2.0

Mom2Summit Mosaic

Just a few more of my pictures from Mom 2.0 Summit. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Meeting some of my favorite bloggers and then meeting some of my new favorite bloggers and more and more!

2. We lucked out on roommates. Surabhi owns Click and Climb. It is a site that provides online math tutoring. Erin owns Schlosser Designs and has her own line of clear stamps. Keep an eye out for them over at christynelson.net in the future. We also had a great time with Dina of Big Honcho Media. She wasn't officially our roommate but she may as well have been. Deb and I had a great time getting to know all of these awesome ladies.

3. Four Seasons Hotel at Houston. We didn't know the rooms were only equipped with twin beds. I probably should have asked about this before I assumed we could fit four people in a room. They brought in a rollaway bed and then Surabhi and I took turns on the ample chair (it really wasn't that bad). The room wasn't anything to really write home about...but the service was SUPERB! They catered to our every whim. I think the concierge might have been sick of me, but he never showed it. I had all sorts of computer issues and one of the employees offered me the use of his laptop for the day! Can you believe it? Luckily, I didn't have to take him up on his offer because I had a flash of inspiration and figured out what the heck the problem was. Thanks, Four Seasons. Oh, and the Dallas Mavericks were staying at the hotel too.

4. I have a lot of great ideas on how to make my blog better and how I can partner with other bloggers and companies to get great information and products in your hot, little hands!

5. Three days of grown-up conversation was priceless! I'm counting down the days now until I can attend BlogHer with Toni Lyn from Crafty Nation.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Mom 2.0 Summit


000_5070.JPG, originally uploaded by gillat.

I think I had a bit of fun at the Mom 2.0 Summit. So much fun that I need a day or two more to process everything. I'll be sure to write a comprehensive blogpost about it here (or on http://christynelson.net) in the next few days. For now, just know that I had a BLAST!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Happy Hour

When this publishes, I'll be on a plane. But I thought I'd share this funny thing that happened yesterday.

I needed to go to the bank to get some cash for my trip. I don't know why I waited until Caleb was home, too, but I did. We all got into the car and I bribed them with slushes from Sonic. Gotta love Happy Hour!

Caleb is a really good reader and can sound out just about anything. He loves to find words on signs, buildings, whatever. After we got our slushes, he was reading the cup. He sounded out "Your Ultimate Drink Stop". Then he started saying, "Happy whore! Happy whore! Hey, Mom! This says happy whore!" Once I stopped spitting my slush all over the dashboard, I explained that the "h" in "hour" is silent. He now pronounces it correctly but I don't think happy hour is ever going to be the same for me.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Houston. No Problem.


image of Houston from eflon on Flickr

In less than 24 hours I'll be well on my way to Houston with Deb. We'll be attending the Mom 2.0 Summit and hobnobbing with the likes of Design Mom, Guy Kawasaki, Kristen from Cool Mom Picks, and Jordan from Oh, Happy Day. I can only imagine it will be lots of fun, informative, and worth the time away from my family.

I have quite a bit to do before I leave and I don't know if I'm going to finish. One thing I know I won't finish is a shirt I was making. As soon as I was to the point of just finishing up the shoulder seams and the hem, I tried it on. Oops. I need the yoke to be about one inch longer so it doesn't squeeze my armpits to death. Other than that, the shirt is awesome! It should be a relatively quick fix but I'll have to go and buy some more fabric for the yoke and I just don't have time today. I'll just have to rock that shirt at BlogHer.

I have several blogging commitments that I need to take care of today as well. I should probably try and finish my February craft challenge as well. Oh, and pack. And feed and nurture these little people that live with me. Little things like that.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Buttons

If you placed my button on your blog, THANK YOU! However, I had to change where it was hosted so you will need to replace the code that you copied and pasted from my site. The new code is in my sidebar. Please replace those. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Monday, February 16, 2009

I Want It All

Sometimes I think I have it all under control. When this happens, I usually get humbled. Quickly. I'm at one of those times in my life where things are going pretty well. Of course, some stuff could be better. I wish I knew how to keep Caleb and Eva from physically harming each other (and me). I wish I could make the perfect yeasty dinner roll. I wish I could reach the top shelves. I realize I can't have everything and it is really okay because what I do have is pretty darn good.

Should I be anxious about what humbling experience is coming my way or just enjoy the ride?

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Have a Heart

Hodgepodge Hardware Pendant

Friday, February 13, 2009

More Winners!

I just received the other 4 prizes for the Build-a-Bear giveaway. Four of you will get a free download of David Archuleta's song "Let's Talk About Love". You will also get a code for a free Let's Talk About Love Tee for your online Build-a-Bear character.

Here are your random numbers:

15 3 29 16 

Timestamp: 2009-02-13 21:49:42 UTC


Sarah, Heather (Holdaway), Mel, and Karen--contact me via email and I'll send you your codes to redeem this prize. sra_nelson AT yahoo DOT com

Congrats!

Analyze This

I'm a big fan of google analytics. I use it to track my blog stats. I never cared too much how many people came to my blog, I was mostly curious about keywords people used to find my blog via search engines. It provided me with lots of entertainment.

Now that I use blogging as a way to supplement our income, I pay more attention to the numbers and where people find my blog. I'm also able to see which blogs refer readers to me so I appreciate all the links. Thank you!

However, the reason I'm writing this post is because I'm really proud of my work at christynelson.net. This might not mean a lot to many of my readers but today was the day that christynelson.net overtook the crafty conservative on visits, page views, and average time on site (measured over 1 month). Christynelson.net has only been up for a few months and I can only imagine what is going to happen in the future when I have even more content up over there. Needless to say, I'm one proud mama of that website and I thank all of you for helping to spread the word about it.

Build A Bear Winner!

Here are your random numbers:

26 

Timestamp: 2009-02-13 14:15:10 UTC


Lucky winner is Stevens Girl! Congrats, Heather. Email me your mailing address and I'll send it to you.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Tiki Tiger and Pippa Pig

In Caleb's kindergarten class they use music and animal letters to introduce the alphabet. Caleb loves the songs and he often comes home and plays them on the piano. All of the songs are familiar but they sing words that go along with that particular letter.

Here are a few videos of Caleb playing Tiki Tiger and Pippa Pig.





Can you all believe how big he is getting? He just turned six and I had to go and buy him size 3 1/2 shoes. Is that big? It seems like it.

If you haven't entered to win the Build a Bear certificate, you can still do that here. You have until Friday morning to enter.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Win a $25 Gift Card to Build a Bear Workshop

Huggy Monkey Build a Bear

I hope you don't mind all the product reviews lately on this blog. It is just that I've been getting offered some great things to try out and I want to share them with you! I will never promote anything on this site that I don't believe in and I'm always honest with my opinions.

The latest thing to arrive at my house has an added little surprise for you. Eva got a Hugs for You Build a Bear monkey. You get the chance to win a $25 gift card to Build a Bear Workshop.

How to enter:

1. Follow this blog. See the little widget in my left sidebar? Click it to follow me. You can set it to follow me privately if you're worried about your street cred. I understand.

2. Already following me or subscribe via a reader? Great!

3. Leave your name and link to your blog, twitter, cnn.com, whatever via Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post.

I'll pick a number on Friday with a winner. I actually have 4 other small prizes to give away as well so your chances are much improved. Good luck!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Yanni Voices


Just after Christmas, I received a cd and dvd to preview. It's Yanni. I don't know whether you'll admit to loving Yanni or not, but I will. I'm sure you all saw Yanni: Live at the Acropolis back in the day and loved it! This new project has Yanni partnering with four talented young artists and they are going on tour this year.


Over the next month or so I'll be able to bring you some more Yanni information and host a giveaway here on my blog. So get ready to embrace your inner romantic and admit to loving Yanni.

In the meantime, I'll be singing along with Chloe and Ender. They sing my favorite song on the album: Until the Last Moment.

Monday, February 09, 2009

My $12 Outfit


The past couple of weeks I've been bemoaning the fact that most of the staples in my wardrobe either don't fit or have holes in them. I decided to go and check out the mall to see what I could find. I found a crazy sale at Sears. I don't usually shop there because I hate the way it is organized but that is a post for another day. Anyway, the sales were so good that I sucked it up and shopped there anyway.

My $12 Outfit

The shirt was $5.99. The skirt was $5.99. The shoes I've had for about 3 years now.

Twisted Silver Earrings

These earrings were free from Twisted Silver when I signed up for their newsletter.

Quite the bargain outfit. Even Carl was impressed.

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Finding My Personal Style

I went shopping today. I was in desperate need of some new shirts and a khaki skirt. Why is it so difficult to find a khaki skirt? Is it because it isn't 1995 anymore? Possibly. But in my world, a khaki skirt is a staple. A classic.

Instead of finding a khaki skirt, I came home with 7 shirts, 2 pair of pants, 1 skirt, 1 sweater, and 2 pairs of socks. I spent under $100. I'm too lazy to take a picture tonight but I'm sure you'll see them around the blog soon enough. I did a quick internet search for some khaki skirts. I found this one for $295, this one for the over 65 crowd, or this awesome jumper (available in a multitude of colors) from 1989.

I also splurged to get my eyebrows waxed. I rockin' a short bang now so I deemed it necessary. It's only the second time I've had it done and it hurt more than I remember. Beauty is pain.

Speaking of fashion and hair, I should mention that I did not wear my hair like the class clown picture on a daily basis. They suggested I do that for the photo. I was just taking direction from the cameraman. I should remember to put that on my application for ANTM---takes direction well. Oh, who am I kidding? They would never take me for that show. I still don't have a khaki skirt!

Friday, February 06, 2009

Humor Me


I guess I'm not as funny as I used to be. Hardly any of you guessed correctly!

I didn't know whether to be glad or disappointed that you chose me for Best Personality. I'm glad you all think I have a good personality---or did you think I wasn't awesome enough for Best All Around or Most Likely to Succeed?

I gave a really good hint in my last post for the people at knitting group--but you had to be pretty quick to catch it. I mentioned "beans".

At knitting group this week I told a story about how when I was a senior, I went on a blind date with a guy from a different school. It was a double date. We went out to eat Mexican food. I was talking about something and my date laughed so hard that beans came out of his nose. I'm pretty sure that put me over the edge in the senior voting process--because someone reminded everyone else about that incident. What can I say? Small school.

Were any of you voted class clown? Or something else?

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Best Looking

You know how most high schools let the seniors vote for the "best of" in the class? Here's your chance to guess which one I got. If you happen to have known me in high school and remember the answer, don't spill the beans.




I'll post the answer tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Eva's a Superstar

I've got a lot of video of Caleb playing the piano and Eva does her fair share of awesomeness around here, too.

Here are some videos of her. This first one is her copying me. It is one of her favorite games lately. You should know that she LOVES peanut butter.



Here's another one of her. I heard her singing and playing the piano. I got out the Flip and taped her without her knowing. She is doing "Mississippi Hotdog". If you've ever done the Suzuki method, you should be familiar with this one...although she seems to take some creative license.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Oops...I Did It Again

I dropped Eva off at preschool today and my car went on automatic pilot and drove straight to Joann's.

I came home with this.

It's a business expense.

Right?

Monday, February 02, 2009

Virtual Stamp Workshop*

Stampin' Up's Sale-a-Bration is going on now through March 31st. With every $50 order, you can choose one item from the sale-a-bration catalog for free.

It is the BEST time of the year to buy products from Stampin' UP. You can order online at my website or contact me via email to place an order.

If you're interested in hosting a virtual stamp workshop, leave a comment with your contact information or email me at christy AT christynelson DOT net. I think it would be fun to do during this promotion.

What You Do:
  • You "host" on your blog by inviting your readers to order from my Stampin' UP website.
  • You don't have to clean your house, collect orders or money, or deliver product.
What I Do:

  • I will post a special stamp project on your blog.
  • I will send you a brand new Spring/Summer idea book and catalog
  • I will give you 20% off anything you want to order regardless of whether or not anyone else orders.
  • I will give you hostess benefits based on the sales generated from your blog.

*cross posted at christynelson.net

Rare Quiet Moment


My picture is one of the finalists in the January contest over at Picture My Camera. It is this picture of Caleb and Eva that I took on our trip to California over Thanksgiving and it is titled, Rare Quiet Moment. I really, really want to win first prize. It is for a 1 TB external hard drive that I could really use.

Can you take a second to vote for me? The voting is only open until Feb 4th.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

For Rill

I've never lived in Utah, but apparently I can rock a Utah accent. Maybe I should blame my Utah heritage? Carl has been trying to teach me for years the "correct" pronunciation of certain words and now that I live in the accent neutral state of Nebraska, I'm feeling the pressure to change. Yes I can!

Whale and well are pronounced exactly the same in my world.

I read someone's tweet last night and it said, "I hate dealing with the bill after a big meal." If I say it, this is what it sounds like: I hate dilling with the bill after a big mill.

Just try and have me pronounce windshield.

Actually, I am getting better.

Maybe.

Now I overcompensate a bit and that confuses Carl even more. Sale and sell used to both be "sell". Now they have both become "sale" because I'm trying too hard.

Is being able to pronounce windshield all that important anyway?