Sunday, October 21, 2012

Pumpkin Patch 2012

October has flown by! I can't believe we are nearing the end of the month. The weather here has changed big time. Cold and rainy. On Saturday the rain parted and we decided to hit the pumpkin patch, kind of at the last minute, not sure when we would get another opportunity. We decided to go somewhere here in Olympia instead of our usual spot near Shelton. Closer. Easier. It was great fun. We drank cider, ate caramel corn, looked at animals, rode kid trains, picked out pumpkins and almost left in time to miss the torential down pour......almost. Instead we carried our big heavy pumpkins through the muddy, muddy parking lot and got absolutey soaked. It rained so hard it was comical. Like I said, it was almost perfect timing with that!
This was a big year. Brendan carved his own pumpkin! Like with knife!!! I was scared. He was not scared, and actually he was very safe and did a great job. ...growing up.

2011
a fun one in Phoenix

2009 
a fun one in Pennsylvania


tired annabel got to ride in the pack

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

So Much To Do!!

....and so little time, as the saying goes.

Since I started seriously planning to go into business with my Mom last May I have tried hard to keep up with my blogging. I obviously see great value in using my blog as my family's record/journal/memoir and I have kept it up over the last 5 and a half years pretty well with some slower times here and there. This is just one of those slower times! When to squeeze it in???

As things have progressed with my business, its time demand has grown exponentially. But since we have "publicly announced" our plans (via facebook) I thought I would document the process here as well....at least some.

In May, my mom and I decided we wanted to open a "Paint and Sip" studio. We had first heard of the idea a couple years ago when visiting my sister, Rachel, in Wichita. She had found one and attended several classes and it was so fun! The idea was brilliant as we had put on our own "art nights" over the years with our family and friends. Since researching for opening our own, I have found that they are downright popular and opening right and left all over the place. We are thrilled to be the first in Oly!
The idea is to sign up for a class via our website/calendar/online registration system (which is not ready to go yet!). Join us with your friends, date, etc. on the night you registered for and come prepared to have fun! We will have a wine bar with wine, beer and other non-alcoholic beverages for sale. At your seat you will have an easel with a blank 16X20 canvas, a jar of water, paint brushes and a palette. We will walk through the selected painting step-by-step until each person has completed their own! We will have light snacks and fun music and it will be a party. It is a perfect place for dates, girls nights out, private parties, kids birthdays....and the list goes on!

Last week, after a couple weeks of negotiating, we signed the lease on our space right in downtown Olympia. Olympia is pretty artsy and does fun things like First Friday and a couple Art Walks a year and we are so excited to be a part of it!

We have at least 4 weeks of projects to do before we can open our doors. The bathroom is getting remodeled, we are having a bar/registration counter built. We are painting the walls, building a stage, installing vinyl stickers to the back wall and front windows. We are hanging display bars, lights and other things from the walls. Not to mention PAINTING! We are coming up with all the classes ourselves and would welcome ideas on what YOU would want to paint!

I am still blogging! I know some of my long-distant family is looking for kid pictures often and I really do consider it a priority. So keep looking. Kid pictures coming soon! Until then. Here are some "before" pictures of the Studio.

Our Website: letspaintoly.com
Like us on facebook: facebook.com/letspaintoly

 
 
 

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Kid Quotes::Vol. 49

when Brendan is trying to think or remember something...

Brendan: Hmmm. I'm looking through my brain.....through the memory part. I don't know where that is, but I'm looking through it.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Annabel::8 Months

Big month! Little miss Annabel got her 2 bottom teeth. Annnd she is on her feet constantly. She thinks she is oh so cool when she lets go with one hand and swings it back and forth showing off her mad balancing skills. She loves to eat "real" food. I mean LOVES it! She joins us at the table for dinner just like a big kid!

She is horrible at sleeping. That's all I'm going to say about that. "This too shall pass....."

2 new teeth!
 
 
 
Little sweetie-pie
 
 
getting some nice hair!