Green Weaves

I LOVE this purse! So cute! One of the many unique purses my friend, Marylou, makes for her business GreenWeaves.com, which offers a variety of gift, home decor and personal items all fashioned from recycled materials. This purse is made partially from recycled newspaper.

Now you may be thinking - how does that hold up? It's very durable actually. I've tested one out. She has a special process she uses with this newspaper, but it's top secret, so I won't say another word about it.

Her website is new and under construction, so she only has three purses displayed on-line so far, but I highly recommend her work. It's inspired by the Brazilian craft (she's from Brazil).

I'm really excited for her. She has shown her work to galleries and boutiques and interest is sparking, so I wish her much success and I know I'll definitely be one of her clients. She's making me a purse for my birthday. I'm SO excited!!! I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

I've started a new list on my blog. It's called "Shout Outs". I know a lot of you out there are very crafty. I know who some of you are. Some of you are still a well kept secret. I'll be seeking you out, promoting you on my site, and adding you to my list. If you have a website you'd like me to promote, just post a comment on this blog with your site and I'll do a story and add it.

So many talented people!

Fall Fashion

It's time for the fall fashion line up. House Of Sylvie is at it again - this time trying for bold and edgy.

Now, I know what you're thinking - where are the pants?

Right?

That's the bold, edgy part - THERE ARE NO PANTS!!

Think it won't catch on?


It already has.

It already has...

Are You Kidding Me?

Forgive me, but I must vent. Jennifer Garner Affleck is up for "Mother Of The Year". I'm not kidding. Celebrityland is posting it everywhere - magazines, celebrity news shows, etc. Now, I love Jennifer Garner. Well...not LOVE...but, you know what I mean - I like her. I respect her. I'm sure she had nothing to do with the nomination. She might even agree with my rant.

Anyway, I decided to do a little research and find out what the big fuss was about. I came to discover that Jennifleck (Couldn't use Bennifer - that was wasted on J.Lo) is being nominated because:

1. She takes her daughter to the park.
2. She doesn't use a full-time nanny.
3. She takes her daughter to the park. (I know, I already said that - I'm proving a point)
4. Her daughter always looks so happy.
5. She takes her daughter on set and spends time with her in between takes.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?! THAT'S what it takes to get a "Mother Of The Year" nomination?

(Violet is cringing because even SHE knows that's just wrong!)

Well, heck! I'm up for Mother of The Universe for:

1. Taking my kids to the play area at the mall three times a week.
2. Not using a nanny or a babysitter or anything because I can't stinkin' afford it!
3. Taking my kids to the play area at the mall THREE TIMES A WEEK!
4. My kids always look happy - 'cause I let them eat fruit snacks three times in a row just to get them off my back so I can get some typing done for a second!
5. I have to work a full time typing job with two toddlers destroying my house and fighting with each other all day long and I haven't killed them yet!!

Here, Jennifleck! Here's a little poem I wrote about my life to help you understand why I laugh at the idea that you're up for Mother Of The Year! Try this on for size:

When mommy has to work
The kids destroy the house
I never know they're doing it
They're quiet as a mouse

When John John goes to see his dad
The dishes don't get done
The trashes don't get taken out
'Cause those are not my job

My job is just to sit here
In this office chair and type
And type and type and eat and type
And type all day and night

I'm trying not to go insane
From all the children's "FUN"
But when mommy stops dead in her tracks (with disbelief and her head starts to tic and her eye twitches and her jaw drops)
The children better RUN!!!!!!!

As you can clearly see - they're not afraid of ME!

A Memorable Day

Time to be serious. But only for a minute.

My son, John, turned 12 on July 26th and received the Aaronic priesthood on Sunday, July 27th. He was ordained by his Grandpa Done and Bertrand got to stand in the circle, as well as Grandpa Poulsen. John was so excited to have his family on all sides there. Some of them had to travel quite a distance (1 1/2 hours), but we were so happy to have everyone there on his special day.

(John with Grandma and Grandpa Done)

(John with Grandma and Grandpa Poulsen...and Sylvie because she wouldn't let go of Grandma's hand.)

I am so proud of my son. He's my oldest. I always wanted a boy first because I envied friends who had a big brother. I wanted a big brother to be an example to his younger siblings. And a protector. He has proven to be both. His little sisters on our side and little brothers on his dad's side look up to him and love him to death! He's so great with his little brothers and sisters.

On our end, I can say he's a HUGE help at home. I often say, "I couldn't do this without you, John". He's my right hand man. He keeps the ladies in order and aids in getting drinks and helping them out of predicaments. Most of all, he loves to chase them and wrestle them and also jump out at them and make them scream in fright, which sometimes gives me that psychotic twitch in my eye, but as long as they're all having fun, I guess I can deal with it.

John got a full weekend of birthday fun.

On Thursday we met up with Aunt Sonia, Ashton, Dalton, Sutton and Peyton at Chuck E. Cheese for 2 1/2 hours of pizza and fun! Whew! It was fun to see the cousins all running around together- having a blast. The only downer was Sylvie-Faye asking non-stop, all the way there, "Chuck E. Cheese not bite me, huh mommy? He nice, huh mommy?" After the 20th time and John John sighing and rolling his eyes and holding his head in his hands and moaning, and me responding with "He won't bite you" (20 times), I answered, "YES, SYLVIE-FAYE - HE'S NICE! OKAY!?!?!?!" Luckily he did not make an appearance. Thank you, Chuck E. Cheese, for saving me from insanity.

On Friday night he and I met up with some Queen Creek friends, including his friend, Nate, who turns 12 four days after him. We watched the new Batman movie at the IMAX...and had to take potty breaks - some of us more than once (not me). Then we went for dinner at Chili's afterwards, which was followed by a trip to the bathroom to purge because we ate WAY too much. On top of free large popcorns at the IMAX, we ate a full meal afterwards. YUCK!

THEN came night number two - Batman at the IMAX with John, me and Bert. Again - free large popcorns all around and large drinks to accompany. And yes - bathroom breaks AGAIN! (Hey, it's a 2 1/2-hour movie!) We presented John with a pocket watch with his initials engraved on the front and a little message on the back. He's been begging for this for two years. I'm not kidding. It was pricey and could be a family heirloom for him, so I told him he had to wait until he turned 12 and received the priesthood. I was excited to finally present him with it.

Oh, it's not over! SUNDAY morning, he woke up to a room full of balloons. It's become a tradition. I stay up until 1:30 AM the night before blowing up as many balloons as I can until I break my first blister and then I stop. This time I made it to 47! Pretty impressive. A little better than last year's numbers. Then, he got to go with his dad and the Done family after church and have cake and presents.

I love my boy, John. He's a good kid. Very smart. Very handsome (Duh! He looks like me!). Very kind. Very obedient. Almost perfect, except for the fact that sometimes when I want to spank him for encouraging Sylvie to spit, he won't let me and he's stronger than me and he won't let me win, which he should because I'm the mom. Anyway, it's fine. I'm working out and kick box training, so things will change one of these days.

Happy Birthday, John!

Oh, The Things We Inherit!

My girls just love music! We pretty much have it playing 24/7 around here. It plays while we clean (makes it more fun), plays while we eat (we don't want to have to actually talk to each other), plays while my girls sleep, plays the second the car turns on (sometimes before the A/C button gets pushed - Bertrand - yes, I'm referring to you)....

Here they are doing a duet.

It seems they've inherited our love for music.


And here they are jamming with their daddy - practicing to be in a band someday.

Oh my! That smile is positively frightening, my dear.

Yikes! There it is again.

AAHHH!

And again! It really is scaring me now.

Honey? Is it possible to smile without baring all of your teeth like that?

Just once?

(SIGH) That's what I was afraid of.


I'm sorry, babe. It's just that you look like a cross between Jack Nicholson in "The Shining" and...


...The Joker....also played by....Jack...Nicholson....

Hey! Wait a minute! Are you two related? Is that like one of those secrets you've been keeping from me that you're going to surprise me with later? He's your uncle, isn't he? I guessed it, right?

He was probably like Jacques...Nico....or Notre Dame...or something like that. Something French. And Hollywood was all, "Umm, you're gonna have to change your name" and so they just made him into Jack Nicholson.

I figured it out! HA! You just didn't want me to know right now because I'd sit around thinking about all day it instead of cleaning the house and making you food and stuff. And he could probably live for like another 20 years with all the fancy stuff rich people have access to these days.



I mean, look at Mick Jagger. He's like...what? 250 years old? Something like that. Anyway...older than anybody else on this earth.

Okay, can you stop looking at me like I'm stupid? Thank you.

What was that? Did you just call me an idiot?

Oh, that is it! I'm telling your mother.

I know she only speaks French! That's why I'm signing up for French 101 at MCC and then on the first day of class I'm asking the teacher how to say, "Your son called me an idiot" in French. And then I'll drop the class and get my money back. DUH!

Anyway, that's beside the point.

The point is - you were gonna' surprise me one day when Jack Nicholson died and I read about it in People Magazine. I bet you were gonna' let me read the whole article and then be like, "Hey. Guess what. He's my uncle. We just inherited 50 MILLION DOLLARS!"

(Sigh)

I knew it! I knew we wouldn't struggle forever!

What?

Why are you mad?

You DO look like him. That cheesy smile of yours is a dead ringer...

Oh, I'm a jerk now, huh? I'm a jerk?

Fine!

Well, at least there's plastic surgery.

When Jack Nicholson dies and we get that big inheritance someday, you can probably get some cosmetic procedure. Not a face lift, though. That will probably just exacerbate the problem.


You don't wanna' look like THIS, do you?

WHAT?!?!?!

My GOSH! You're so sensitive!

I can't even talk to you anymore. You get so mad about everything!

(SIGH)

There he goes. He's ticked. I was just trying to be helpful. GEEZ!!

How do you say sensitive in French?

Fine! Don't tell me! I'll just ask the French teacher THAT one too!

Okay, I'm sorry. This always happens. We end up getting into this random fight. I'm so sorry you just had to witness that.

ANYWAY...

Luckily that's one things our kids didn't and hopefully won't inherit from him - the cheesy smile thing.

NOOOOOOOooooooooooooo! DANG IT! I spoke too soon.

I should have known that was asking too much.

Oh well, at least they don't do it while they're sleeping. (Note to self - only take pictures when Bertrand and kids are sleeping so as not to scare people.)

Birthday Wishes

Okay, so my birthday is next month and my husband is going to be asking me soon what I want for my birthday. So, I decided to make a post about what I want 'cause I know he totally reads my blog, and then that way he can just give me what I want without having to ask and then it will be like he just knew what I wanted. And then it will feel like something out of a movie and then I can be like the happiest housewife in all the land.

So, with the help of Victoria Dollington, her husband, Kenneth, and their adorable twins, I have created a display of my perfect birthday surprise.

(Gasp) Breakfast in bed? Oh, darling, you shouldn't have.

Wow! You're taking the kids out for the whole day? You are the BEST! Have fun! Look at him run! He really wants to hurry up and let me have the house to myself.

Ohhh yeaaahh! Now THAT's what I'm talkin' 'bout! I know it's a lot of food, but I'm watching the entire Roswell series. It's three seasons long. It's gonna take awhile and I don't wanna' have to keep getting up.

Woo hoo! Giddyap, horsie! Hey! Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

Wheeeeee!!!! I love birthdays!

Oh, also I would like dinner out at my favorite restaurant followed by a gondola ride at Gainey ranch and a new wardrobe from my favorite on-line rocker chick store! YAY! Thanks in advance, honey. Love ya'.