Exciting to MEEEEE!

* I woke up this morning and got an email from Digital Memories Magazine saying that my "Cherish" LO was accepted for their next issue! Yay! My first publication! So everyone go right to the site and sign up for the magazine. It's free and it's scheduled to be released on January 15! The funny part is that Erick told me last month that he predicted I would be in a magazine sometime in 2006. So when I woke him up this morning with the news he said "Wow, I predicted it would be in 2006...I didn't know it would happen within the first four days though!" LOL!

* Gina Miller's designs are now for sale at SBB and man did she decide to debut with style! She has 3 brand new product lines and some of her best sellers have been re-packaged. Definitely hop over and do a little shopping. And if you're tossing stuff into your cart, I highly recommend picking up the "Decorative Edges" and the "Pretty Petals" because these element sets are unique, beautiful, versatile and can easily complete any page.

* Whilst on the subject, Gina is hosting a special crop chat THIS Saturday at 10:45pm EST in the Scrapbook-Bytes chatroom. (Log in as a guest if you have any trouble getting in). She's got a freebie for you just for showing up. Plus some trivia with prizes. Not to mention the fun of getting to chat with some fun chicks and scrap, scrap, scrap! Be sure to stop by! I plan to!

* Isn't this the cutest? I want one.

* Potty-training is hard work. McKenna does wonderful when we're home. Lately she's been great about wearing p.a.n.t.i.e.s (thanks for the idea to keep the dirty pervs away G!) and remembering to go on her own. And when we're out, she's always in a diaper but lately she'd been asking to go potty while we were out. So we decided we'd give it a try and go to the mall and have her wear p.a.n.t.i.e.s instead of a diaper. My Mommy friends forewarned me to bring extra clothes and to plan on accidents. What I was not prepared for was how often we'd be heading to the bathroom in such a short time span. Before we left, I asked her if she had to go to the bathroom. No. So we get to the car. She says she has to go potty. Take her back in the apartment and she pitches a FIT when I take her to the potty. "Do you have to go?" No. Ok, back to the car. Get to the mall, go up to the food court for lunch. "Do you have to go?" Yes. So we get to the bathroom, she tries but no success. We decide to try again later. We finish eating and I ask "Do you have to go?" Yes. So we go and she succeeds! Yay! So her and Erick go to the pet store and Kyla and I go shopping at Express. They meet up with us a few minutes later and McKenna had peed her pants sometime between when Erick set her down and I picked her up. No biggie. We were prepared for accidents. We didn't make a big deal out of it. Just a "Oopsie. Well, it was a good try. We'll change your pants when we leave the store." So I ring up my purchase and Erick brings McKenna over who is tearful. He says she feels bad because she wet her pants. Awww! Poor thing! I hate that she felt shame at all. I know it wasn't anything we said because we were nothing but encouraging to her. But she still felt bad. Sweet little thing. So Erick and I told her that everyone has accidents when learning to potty, even Mommy and Daddy did when we learned and that Kyla would when she learned too. That seemed to make her feel better. So we get to the bathroom to change and SHE says she wants to go again (so that made me proud that she wanted to "get back on the horse") and she is successful! We put her in fresh pants and p.a.n.t.i.e.s and leave the mall. We decide to make one more stop before going home but as we're driving she tells me her belly hurts and she seems to be pushing. So I ask her "Do you have to go poopoo?" She says YES! Uh-oh. So we tell her to hold it and we'll be home very soon. We decide to skip the outing and just go home but when we get there, she'd peed again (luckily she didn't poop!) So two successes, two accidents and a couple of false-alarms...all within 3 hours. Whew! But its just our first try being out and about so I will consider it a successful start!

* Our plans fell through for lunch with my friend yesterday so we figured we'd take a trip to Disneyland. The weather was gorgeous - clear and cool. It was a Tuesday so one of the best days to go (less crowded). And we'd been promising McKenna for some time and Kyla hadn't been yet. So we made a day of it. First we had lunch at The Rainforest Cafe and then we went to CA Disney (there was still a pretty big holiday crowd so we chose CA Disney since it's less crowded and more walking space for the stroller). We had a blast and Erick filled up our memory card on the new camera. He gt a TON of fantastic pics. Here are a few of my favorites:

Erick and the girls at Rainforest Cafe:



My kid who normally gets nervous around animals and strangers ASKED to take this picture. And she even held the girls hand:


Daddy and Kenna about to enter "It's a Bug's Land":


A pretty one Erick took of McKenna:


This one cracks me up. She's not allowed to sit on my lap for this spinning ride. Look at her little paw waving at Daddy:


If you squeeze Kyla's cheeks and say "Boom Chicka Chicka Boom":


You get this:


Sisters, waiting in line for the carousel:


The carousel is the traditional "first ride" when we take the girls and my nephews to Disney for the first time:


If this face doesn't say "FUN!" then I don't know what does:


And the last thing to share for the night is a new LO I completed. Some friends of ours are expecting their first baby soon. For the baby shower, a book is being made where everyone is to decorate a page with a photo of themselves and some words of advice. So I made mine digital. = ) I have no idea if Lindsay reads my blog or not but I don't think this is a surprise? She may not even read my blog so I think I can post it:

Credits: Papers and Elements from Gina Miller's "Uptown Girl" collection, available at SBB. Font is Ashley.
Journaling: Cory and Lindsay -
There is so much that could be said to a new parent. But the truth is, nothing will prepare you for this adventure. I believe God wants us to be a little unprepared so that we can turn to Him for His direction. And He will surely give it if you ask. Remember that no two children are exactly alike, no two parents are exactly alike - therefore, no two parent/child relationships are exactly alike. So when you’re getting advised by every well-meaning friend and family member, keep in mind that no one knows your baby like you do. Proceed with confidence and know that we all question if we’re good parents. If you let God be the true Father to you all, then you are in trusted, tender care. Blessings on you as you prepare to encounter one of the most breath-taking moments God could ever grant us. With love - Shannon

And here is a random closer....why do I love Eminem? I mean, he's a little weasle who thinks he's a bad ass right? And he's offensive. Yet I love The Eminem Show. I find this happens with me a lot. I love music that logically I should not because it's either just DUMB ("My Humps" or "Milkshake") or it's offensive. But the MUSIC. It's the production of it that I love. Anyway, I promise you that I listen to these things on my ipod because I don't need to hear McKenna repeating these lyrics. But here I am, sitting here typing my blog up and listening to "Till I Collapse" by Eminem and I hear:

Fa shizzel my wizzel, this is the plot listen up, you bizzels forgot,
slizzel does not give a f***.

I'm a mother for God's sakes. I don't even know what that means. To quote Joy on "My Name is Earl" that could be "Chinese, Japanese or Chuck E. Cheese." I have no clue what he's saying. Chew on that for a bit.