Catching Up

Hello Friends!!!
I'm writing from Flu Central here.  My husband got it first.  Noodlebug has it. Grandma is fighting it and I am using my entire arsenal of remedies to avoid getting it. Not much rest for the wicked! However, we managed to get have a few nice moments this past weekend. I did make it to Halloween and Vine and saw so many wonderful things. I couldn't afford any big ticket items but I bought a cute bat wand that I will post a photo of later. We also made it to the Walt Disney Family Museum preview event. It has the feel of a presidential museum as it provides a chronological view of Walt Disney's life and the evolution of his animation. There are so many wonderful items and pieces of memoribilia including the famous Oscar and seven mini-Oscars from SNOW WHITE and the earliest known drawings of Mickey Mouse.

I'm getting ready to pull out my Halloween decorations. I am attending a Good Witch/Bad Witch party at the Woman's Club in a few weeks and I have decided to go as Samantha from BEWITCHED. I'm going to wear a black shirtwaist dress with this apron that I found on Etsy:

It was made by FlapperGirl and is so cute!!!  I'm still working on Noodlebug's Halloween costume. He is going as Charlie Brown.  I just need some black shorts and I'm thinking of making a small sheet with "holes" all over it to go with it.  I'm so excited that it is starting to feel like Fall around here!!!  Now, if the stores would just let me enjoy it and not start forcing Christmas on us already!!!

Etsy Find of the Day

Still a bit under the weather but I had to share this with you.  You all know how much I love Etsy. Well, I found a handmade nap mat for Noodlebug at Allie's Nap Mats shop and I just love it!!!  Allison provides a very high quality handmade product.  The pillow and blanket are attached and the cover can be easily removed for cleaning.  The whole thing rolls up and velcros shut with two tabs. Allison even includes a carrying handle. It is just so adorable!!! Head over to her Etsy shop to see more patterns.  Being a Texas girl, I had to get Noodlebug a cowboy print!

(photo borrowed from and owned by Allie's Nap Mats)

Under the Weather

Hello Friends!

I am a bit under the weather so posting will be sporadic this week. I have to rest up to be prepared for the big weekend ahead.  My husband's birthday is on Saturday and we'll be stopping by the Halloween and Vine show to check out the marvelous creations. Then, it's off to the Walt Disney Family Museum on Sunday for a sneak preview.  I have a three-day weekend this coming weekend so I will have to plan something good to do with Noodlebug. I'm still working on his Christmas present and I am now finished with Mary, Joseph, the shepherd and the manger.  I figure I'll do Baby Jesus next because that way, if I don't finish, it will still be a semi-complete Nativity scene.

Hope you are all well!!!

My Current Blog Addictions

I have been reading blogs and writing blogs since 2003 and I go through phases in my blog addictions.  I try and read the blogs in my sidebar every single weekday so I don't miss one exciting thing.  They are all wonderful. But I tend to get addicted to certain blogs.  I find myself checking in twice a day just to see if they have posted something new.  These are some of my current addictions in no particular order:

1. Daisy Chain

2. Inspire Co

3. Little Bit Funky

4. Room Somewhere

5. Juicy Bits

6. Maya*Made
And then there are my favorite bloggers who feel like friends to me.  (friends I have never met but friends nonetheless!!!)

1. Hippie Dog

2. Elizabeth Holcombe

3. Queenly Things

4. Daisy Bouquet

5. Whimsical Notions

Of course, I love ALL the bloggers in my sidebar!  I learn new things and get inspired every single day.  Thank you so much for all you do. And keep blogging!!!

There's Something About Gyo

When I was little, my parents bought me all the Gyo Fujikawa books that were currently available. I loved those books!  The variety of children within the stories and the wonderful illustrations completely drew me in.  I have saved those books all these years (they were published around 1975) and now Noodlebug is enjoying them.  He focuses so intently on each page and looks carefully at the pictures. 

I have to be at work at 7am so I am not around when Noodlebug wakes up each day. My husband tells me that usually the first thing he does is either:

1) Kiss his 2 ft "Where the Wild Things Are" monster

2)Grab a book off his bookshelf to look at

He has A LOT of books already since Mommy is both a book person and a library worker.  He invariably selects a Fujikawa book from his shelves.  I don't know what it is about the captivating illustrations but clearly children love them. It's nice that he and I have that connection.

Meet Vera, the Vampire Bride

My friend Charles has made another new creation in preparation for the upcoming Halloween and Vine show.  Isn't she something?  If you are in the Northern California area later this month, I highly recommend heading over to the Halloween and Vine show.  It is filled with wonderful artists like Charles and Johanna Parker.   This year's event will take place on September 26.  There is such a crowd that many of the artists have almost empty tables after the first hour!!!

After you do your Halloween shopping, you can head over to the annual Taste of Petaluma.  This event benefits our local theater and you can taste some of the wonderful food that exists in our little town. We go every year and have a blast!!!

You can find details on the event here.  These two events would make for a lovely day in Sonoma County!

Waiting for Fall

Hello Friends.

I hope you all had a lovely Labor Day weekend.  It was such a treat for me to spend three whole days with my family. I struggle all the time with being a full-time working mom.  I wish I didn't have to.  Sometimes, I get jealous of my friends who get to be stay-at-home moms. I know the grass is always greener on the other side but I often sit at my desk and try not to cry as I think of all the special moments I am missing.  I don't get to do playdates or playgroups or Gymboree classes or storytimes at the library.  I don't even really have any mom friends with small children. It can be lonely.  So, when I get three uninterrupted days with my family, it can be really really hard to come back to work.  But I just do the best I can.

I break every speed limit after work racing to get to Noodlebug from daycare or Grandma's.  I try to spend every second with him until bedtime. (and I tend to forego housework so I can do this)  I feed him, give him a bath and sing him his special good night lullaby ("Dreamy Side of the Moon" by Erin Ivey).  Every moment is precious to me.  Maybe that's why life worked out this way.  So that I would never take my time with him for granted.

In other news, I managed to get two tickets to a special preview weekend at the new Walt Disney Family Museum.

The museum officially opens in October and I'm taking my hubby there for his birthday on September 27. I wish I could have gotten extra tickets so Grandma and Noodlebug could got but it will probably be a madhouse. Gary and I will go scope it out and then come back another time with the rest of the family.  We are big Disney fans in our house so I'm really looking forward to this.  I have almost convinced Gary that we need to take Noodlebug to Disneyland next year.  Maybe in May for his second birthday and my 35th?  We'll see.

The weather is starting to turn and it is getting me energized. Fall is my absolute favorite season. I love the colors and the crisp air.  It makes me miss home.

Something Special

I had the privilege of booking of a photo session with Wendy of Blue Lily Photography on August 21 in Sausalito.  I had seen her photos on the Nie Nie Dialogues blog and just loved them. 

I take most of the photos in our family so I am never in them.  Plus, I hate having my picture taken. It is embarrassing to admit this but I do struggle with body image issues.  I just don't like seeing myself in photos. Or even a mirror.  But I decided that I didn't want Noodlebug to grow up without any photos of him and Mommy.  I just had to suck it up.   And I am happy with the results. If Blue Lily comes anywhere near you, I highly recommend their work.

So, if you would like to view our photos, I invite you to see me and Noodlebug in the flesh:

LINK

Go to "Clients" and enter my name as the password:  amy malaise

Be sure to put a space between my first and last name.

I'd love to hear your favorite.

P.S.  The bunny in the photo was bought for me by my father when I was a baby. The Radio Flyer wagon was my mom's when she was a little girl.

(all photos copyrighted by Blue Lily Photography)

Wendy Addison Open Studio

Wendy Addison is famous for her glittery creations.  There used to be a wonderful little store in town that carried her products.  After reading my current issue of Country Living, I discovered that Wendy Addison's studio is in the same general vicinity of my home and she will be having an open studio over Thanksgiving weekend. I'm very very tempted.  What do you think? Should I go?

Find information here.

(photo borrowed from and owned by Country Living)

Jenni Bowlin September Project Kit

How cute is this? It gets me in the mood for Halloween. I just love Fall!!!

I couldn't resist ordering the new Jenni Bowlin kit although I already have plenty to keep me busy.  I especially love the little moon floating above the cards. 

Get your own kit here.

(photo borrowed from and owned by Jenni Bowlin)