Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Salt Dough Part II... or why we need a new couch.

** Note: no photos accompany this post because I actually do draw the line somewhere for inappropriate things to post on the internet... at least for photos... I'll still write all about said inappropriate things**

So I had a mom of the year morning... like really.  Not sarcastically.  Last night I made a batch of salt dough, cut it all out into round ornaments, and baked them for Corbin-o to decorate.  I even painted a base coat on about 3 dozen little round salt dough ornaments and had them sitting out on the kitchen counter, drying like perfect little sugar cookies.  [Insert First Giant Sign That Things Were Going to End Badly] Mr. Incredible came home and commented on how I had time to make cookies... but I corrected him before he could break his teeth.

The next morning I got Corbin and his high chair all prepped for a mess and let him go crazy with the paint and the slat dough ornaments.  And everything went swimmingly!  He painted about 20 of them and they were super cute, albeit abstract as all get out, original little ornaments that I had great ideas for using as little gift tie-ons, decorations for our tree, grandma stocking stuffers, etc.  I also painted about 10 of them just for kicks.

[Insert Second Giant Sign That Things Were Going to End Badly] I then got the brilliant idea to give a Corbin-o original to each of his little play group pals.  I slapped some modge podge on about half the ornaments, grabbed the hair dryer, and dried them really quick.  A little ribbon and bam- super cute little ornaments.  Once again, everything was going swimmingly... which I should have realized was a bad, bad sign.

Fast forward to this afternoon when I arrived home.  The bean had fallen asleep in the car so I planned on bringing things into the house and quieting Nora before attempting to put him into his bed.  I walked into our dark house and Nora greeted me without her usual raucous bow-wowing but with her head down and ears back.  As I felt around for the light switch, my nose was assaulted with a slightly beefy smell.  I found the light right before I nearly stepped in a puddle of slime and brightly colored dog puke.    Nora took off at this point.

As I covered my mouth and nose and followed after Nora, I had to dodge several puddles down the hallway.  The hallway of horror as I will now refer to it as.

Approaching the kitchen I forded another giant, rainbow colored puddle o' puke and found Nora cowering near a piece of tinfoil and one- only one!- Corbin ornament.  Conclusion: Nora ate nearly 3 dozen salt dough, painted and modge podged ornaments... my one-of-a-kind Christmas memory/gifts/heirlooms.  And she was sick as a dog.  Literally.

I sent the dog out with a big bucket of water (salt makes you thirsty) and set about cleaning the hallway of horror and the kitchen.  And I prayed Corbin would stay asleep until I finished sterilizing the floors.

I cleaned everything up but the thought occurred to me that there was just not enough rainbow-colored chunks to make up 36 salt dough ornaments.  So I looked around outside but didn't find anything.

I came back in the house and was about to collapse on the couch for a recovery moment (deserved, I'd say) when I discovered the rest of the salt dough ornaments...digested and covered in stomach slime of course, and 'deposited' oh-so-convienently in our couch.  Like buried in the cushions.

So for the rest of the afternoon, I wrestled the covers off the couch, scrubbed the parts that are not removable, and did copious loads of laundry.  Corbin woke up right as the last load was going in the dryer and all dog puke was removed from the house.  Whew...

So I'm setting up a paypal donate box if you'd like to contribute to our New Couch Fund.  If you're planning on coming over and sitting on our couch anytime soon, I promise its clean... as clean as it can be at least!

Picasso he is not

A fun morning activity of painting salt dough ornaments...
Don't ask me how he got the black nose... I missed it...


...but I did see how the blue paint got all over his ears later...
All was well until the cursed paint got on his fingers!


Bah! Paint!  On my fingers!


Whatever shall I do?


By the way, I may have a source for rare, first edition Salt Dough Art by Corbin, from his abstract period if anyone is interested in investing in an up and coming artist....

Thursday, December 6, 2012

S.A.N.T.A

Last year we skipped the visit to Santa Clause for Mr. Corbino.  He was around 5 months old and the opportunity never really arose for him to sit on the fat man's lap for a photo.  

Mr. Incredible grew up believing in Santa and receiving gifts from him but my family didn't really do the Santa thing.  So when we had a kid, I deferred to Mr. Incredible on the Santa issue- if it was something he really wanted to do for our kids, then we could do it.  With a 5 month old, it hardly seemed like an important issue though.

This year, the Santa Topic came up again, especially now that the Corbin-o is understanding and speaking a lot more than at 5 months.  We decided Santa was not going to play a big role in the Nielsen Family Christmas - Corbin wouldn't be receiving lavish gifts or be regularly told that Santa was coming etc, etc.  

But one can hardly ignore Santa Clause in America now a days... so if asked what Santa says, Corbin will say 'ho.'  And sometimes 'ho ho.'  But never 'ho ho ho.'  He recognizes Santa on TV or in stores...

And we were wandering around a Christmas tree lot that happened to have a Santa Clause.  For free.  And there was no line.  And Corbin said 'ho' unasked.  So I felt like the Christmas fates were telling us to take The Santa Photo.  

And I LOVE when kids cry on Santa's lap.  Like I think its one of the best photos ever.  So I had my hopes up!


everything seems ok...


wait for it...


wait for it...


and....


cue tears....


yes!


Thank you Mr. Clause for terrifying my son!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

hello...

Hello long lost blog...

Its been awhile... I fell like I've been cheating on you a little.  But I can explain.  In a very round-about, rambling way (as per usual!).

So first off, the realization that I turn 30 next year struck me recently.  I decided to make a list of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30... for a little motivation to get some things done or step out and take a risk that I've conveniently avoided for a long time.  But so far I've only come up with 10 things.  So hopefully I'll fill in the rest sooner rather than later and I'll actually get to all those. (but even if I don't, if I can get to some of them then I'll still be happy...or something like that)

So here's the list thus far:

30 by 30

1. start a business
2. host a dinner party
3. paint/refashion shoes
4. photograph and hang big family portrait
5. pack up Corbin's baby box
6. establish a house cleaning schedule
7. attend food truck festival...eat from multiple trucks
8. crochet something other than a hat
9. take a class
10. go to Romania with Corbin (or purchase tickets to go to Romania with Corbin)

That's what I got so far.  More to come.  I promise!  And actually I already get to cross one off- numero uno- Start a Business.  Here's where I get to the cheating on the blog thing.  Since November, I've been working on launching a photography business (and if you read through all my recent posts, you'll see my subtle (ha!) (parenthesis within a parenthesis within a parenthesis-double ha!) attempts at 'advertising.')  And I did it!  I navigated the State of California and County of San Diego and all the other local government agencies that require paperwork, fees, and more paperwork to legally conduct business and I've been pretty busy for the last few weeks taking family and baby portraits, mostly for friends, but, hey- its a start!  (If you'd like to check out my *new* website, go to www.christmastreeface.com)  And yes, my business is called Christmas Tree Face Photography!

So that's where I've been... on the inter-not for the last few weeks.  Instead of blogging to my heart's content, I've been designing a website, editing photos, dealing with government websites, more editing... fun!

But I'll be back here still, giving you your regular dose of Corbin-cuteness and Anna-weirdness.  And you can always keep up with the day to day weirdness by following my on Instagram (@christmastreeface)!

Stay tuned for more excitement!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Friday, November 9, 2012

boooots

Our little lost boy...


...with new boots!



helicopter sighting


still for a moment...


...annnnd we're outta here!


Thursday, November 8, 2012

Tim and Pam!

I had a fun photo shoot this past weekend at a local park with friends Tim and Pam and their little dog Lacey.  Loved the rustic buildings and old trains...









Tim and Pam look good in black and white too:





Contact me if you're interested in family portraits of your own!
-CtF

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Halloween 2012

Fun at the pumpkin patch....







Space Invasion time...









Happy Halloween!

Monday, October 22, 2012

beach babes

A quick camping trip at the beach with friends...


A little rainier and cooler than originally anticipated but still a fun adventure.


camping right on the sand...


Corbin's favorite part- playing with other kid's trucks!


Oh, and the birds too!


"birds" sounds something like 'bahd"


Some of Corbin's friends...





Playing on the sand dunes...





our little old man....