While I am in work mode...

Here is what I am currently working on:

What you are looking at is a column that sits on top of an island in the kitchen at MustardStone. The column is rough and I have sketched what the panels are going to look like in pink. If you look closely there is a maze of ceiling beams around it that is making me pull my hair out. I finally finished my drawings yesterday and sent them in to be manufactured. I will of course post the before and after of this column and it will just blow you away!!!!

♥ Elliemae

The Barn Kitchen is Complete...

Do you remember this job I was working on:

Barn Kitchen Rendering

Kitchen Floorplan

Kitchen Elevations

Well...

Here is a photo of the kitchen during installation:

And...here is a photo of the completed kitchen...

Isn't is bea-u-tiful? Hope you enjoyed seeing the progress! This is what makes my job so fulfilling!

♥Elliemae

An effort to help a fellow SITSta!

The featured blogger at SITS (Secret Is in The Sauce) today is:

Lattes & Lipstick

Gina's husband is battling cancer. He was diagnosed at 50 and is 57 now. They are currently at a treatment center right now in California and all of the expenses are out-of-pocket.

Gina has put together a cookbook that you can purchase for $1.

I think we can all spare $1 for Gina & George!

Please visit Friends of George to help them out!!!!

♥ Elliemae

SITS November Giveaway...

I have been visiting SITS (Secret Is in The Sauce) for about 2 weeks now. They feature a blogger everyday. For the month of October they are giving away Photoshop Elements 7. I blogged about this giveaway here. For the month of November they are giving away a Bissell Healthy Home Vacuum! Who doesn't want or need this!!!

"How do you win?"

• Go to the new to SITS page first! Read what their all about!
• Put their button on your sidebar: you have to do this to get entries to win
  
  
• Visit SITS everyday and comment. Everyday you leave a comment = 1 entry!!

It's that simple! I have already found some wonderful blogs that are really fun reads. I have also enjoyed visiting Tiffany and Heather. They are the creators of this wonderful site of support!!!

I decided not to add them to my Reader (we all know how cluttered Reader can get), so I subscribed by email. (you can find the sign up here)

I get an email from them everyday. If I don't get to it, I just delete it. (no stress, just let it go) For days I have the time, I go to my email and there is my reminder and I make my visit!!

LOVE THIS SITE!!!!

hope you do to!

♥ Elliemae

Wordless Wednesday...

For more fun photos check out 5minutesforMom!

♥ Elliemae

Letters to Lil'D...

We took you out for dinner on Monday night to Soup Plantation. We got our money's worth because of you. We had a buy one get one free dinner coupon, we paid $15+ and you made it the best meal of the week. First you started out with 2 large pieces of broccoli. Then, you ate salad with ranch and croutons. You guzzled down the strawberry lemonade and just couldn't get enough. I got you a piece of focaccia bread and myself some cornbread muffins. The first thing that came out of your mouth was "muffin!" Pam, at daycare, must make muffins for you to know that word, because Daddy and I don't make muffins. You gobbled that muffin up. The whole time saying "mmm, good muffin."

You ate a couple of bites out of the pizza and saw my tomato soup. You asked for a bite, you liked it and wanted more. We tried to get you to say soup and you came up with "goup," "poup," and "thoup." You finally decided on "more thoup, please." Daddy went and got you 3 strawberries and I got you a blueberry muffin. After you ate a couple bites of the muffin and polished the strawberries off, you asked for more.

Daddy & I were cracking up at how much you were eating. Either you didn't have lunch today or you were going through a major growth spurt. I gave you a couple more strawberries and asked you if you wanted ice cream. "Ice cream!" I got you a little mini cone with chocolate yogurt. I got myself some vanilla yogurt, chocolate syrup and some peanuts. You loved the cone, but saw what I had and wanted a bite. You asked for more and more of mine, so I finally gave in and gave it to you to finish off. You took your time with the ice cream and you really enjoyed it. This was the first meal that Daddy and I were waiting on you to finish.

You finished the rest of your strawberry lemonade on the way home. You and Daddy played ball until 8pm. I don't think we wore you out at all that night. You had tons of energy. What a fun and memorable night that was.

We went camping this weekend in Borrego Springs with Grandma & Grandpa. We watched a parade and you loved the horsies!! For lunch you ate 2 containers of yogurt, some french fries and salad. You entertained us all throughout the meal. We headed out to the festival. We had a huge cherry snowcone. You had fun hiding behind the trees and peeking out. You even danced along with a couple of songs. We saw some metal sculptures that looked like life sized elephants, dinosaurs and other creatures. We went to the motorhome to put you down for a nap. We were all exhausted from the 100 degree weather. You slept really good. I worked on your new afghan.

This past week was a week of eating for you. I think you were going through a growth spurt. You are growing so fast. I wish I could push a pause button. Funny thing is you are still wearing some 12-18 month shorts, so you are obviously growing up and not out.

♥ Mommy

Last VOTE post

I am so done with NaBloPoMo's theme this month: VOTE.
My heart just isn't into it and I can't think of anything else to talk about except for my opinion.
Which I'm not goint to do!

So, Don't forget to VOTE!

♥ Elliemae

Wordless Wednesday...

For more wordless wednesday fun visit 5minutesformom.com!

♥ Elliemae

VOTE 411...

Election information you need!

Launched by the League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF) in October of 2006, VOTE411.org is a "one-stop-shop" for election related information. It provides nonpartisan information to the public with both general and state-specific information on the following aspects of the election process:

• Absentee ballot information
  
• Ballot measure information (where applicable)
  
• Early voting options (where applicable)
  
• Election dates
  
• Factual data on candidates in various federal, state and local races
  
• General information on such topics as how to watch debates with a critical eye
  
• ID requirements
  
• Polling place locations
  
• Registration deadlines
  
• Voter qualifications
  
• Voter registration forms
  
• Voting machines

You can also sign up to receive personalized information, updates, and voting alerts that matter to you by email.

♥ Elliemae

For your California VOTING convenience...

Here is a site that provides you with all the information you need to decide whether to vote

Yes OR No

on all the propositions.

California General Election Voters Guide

♥ Elliemae

Letters to Lil'D...

This week has been so much fun with you.

On Sunday, we celebrated your Uncle Randy's birthday. As soon as we arrived "birthday cake" was all you could talk about. You love being the center of attention. You are becoming such a ham. You also impressed everyone with your Wii skills.

I was sick on Monday and Tuesday, that was not fun. But, when you got home from daycare, you were so concerned about me. Getting in my face and asking ever so softly "momma, sick?" Even after I had gotten better a day later, you pointed to the blanket I had covered myself with and asked "momma, sick?"

Your favorite books right now are:

• The Foot Book
• Bears on Wheels

Your favorite tv programs:

• Imagination Movers
• Blue's Clues
• Doodlebops
• Thomas the Tank Engine

Your favorite movie is:

• Finding Nemo

I took you to the doctor this week to look at the rash you have been having for the past couple of weeks. Daddy & I thought it was either heat rash or eczema. It would flare up at night and go away during the day, that's why we thought it was heat rash. This week the rash got bigger and spread to your other thigh and a little on your chest. Dr. M said it was definitely eczema. We are going to be changing to Tide Free, your skin might be irritated by our laundry detergent. We will also be using hydrocortisone 2x a day for 2 weeks. It is definitely working because today the rash is almost invisible!!

You also got your flu shot since we were there. The nurse brought in a sucker for you. I timed it so that when the pinch of the shot happened I opened the sucker and gave it to you. I could see the pain in your eyes, but it was replaced by the excitement of getting that sucker! You are one tough little boy. Not a single cry or whimper. The nurse was quite impressed. By the time I got you in the car you had figured out you could take bits of the sucker. By the time we got home you had polished of that entire sucker. (We live about 5 minutes from the doctor's office)

You have started playing more games on the Wii. You prefer playing Wii Sports in the training mode and choosing your activity. "Ahh, this one." You have gotten really good at baseball. You really like playing golf and when you play the bowling mode with partitions in the way, you stand on your tiptoes and try to throw the ball over it. You crack me up.

I took you to the Mira Mesa highschool football game on Friday night. Daddy had a soccer game. Your cousin Andy is a senior in highschool and is in band. I really wanted to watch her march in the halftime show. (she plays the clarinet, I played the clarinet) You and I parked quite a ways and had a nice walk to the stadium. You were talking almost non-stop the whole walk. I only understood half of it, but you had a lot to say. We bought our $6 dollar ticket and we were at the football game. We found Uncle Randy right away. The band was already warming up and Auntie E was passing out plumes. The percussion instruments are pulled across the track by a trike cruiser motorcycle. He needed someone to ride with him. Auntie E volunteered you, so off you went to ride a motorcycle. (your cousin Z went with you) This was the best photo I got. That's you on the back.

I think you were stunned by all the people in the stands. He had a classic bicycle bell next to your seat. You sure knew how to ring that bell. It's the same kind on your tricycle:

When you got back. You called the motorcycle a tricycle. You didn't really realize that you had just taken your first ride on a motorcycle. Everyone at the game was so enamoured with you. You had seen some girl give a lady that was sitting in front of you a hug. You asked her for a hug. How could she resist? You were mesmerized by halftime. I don't think you moved a muscle. Once the band had come back into the stands, your cousin Andy grabbed you. She just happened to be sitting behind the drummers and hooked you up. You got to bang on the drum a couple of times. It was so much fun to watch you. There was so much going on you were in overload.

Today we made a trip out to Bates Nut Farm for some pumpkin pickin' fun! I love the background and of course intended to get some great photos. You were an excellent poser. I took 270 photos and got 9 perfect shots! Here are my favorites from today:

What a joy you are and I can't wait to see what next week brings!

♥ Mommy

Electoral-VOTE.com

This is a really cool site:

Electoral-vote.com

You can track the election with a red/blue map of the US updated daily using the latest state polls. It has all the latest and greatest of what is going on in the elections right now. You can also see what was happening in the elections on this day in 2004.

♥ Elliemae

Send a VOTE ecard...

If you want to send some fun cards out to all your friends, why not send out some vote themed ecards.

It's really silly, but they are out there. Here are some ecard sites that have vote themed cards:

• Care2
• Millan.net Greetings
• eGreetings.com
• Hi! Greetings

Have fun!!

♥ Elliemae

Do you base your VOTE on who is funnier...

McCain Tries His Hand at Stand Up on David Letterman

Obama Does the Top 10 Countdown on David Letterman

♥ Elliemae

The Secret Is In The Sauce...

I just found a new blog:

THE SECRET IS IN THE SAUCE

These ladies are all about supportin' your sista' blogger!!!

If you would like to join me in this support and love journey take these first steps:

1. Go to this post at SITS (Secret is in The Sauce).
2. Subscribe to their posts!!
3. Leave a comment in their "rollcall"...love that!
4. Then return everyday and leave a 'rollcall' comment, then leave comments on the featured blogger's top 3 posts. I'm sure to get some love back!!

For the month of October they are taking entries to win PhotoShop Elements 7!!!

oooo...yummy! I love me some PhotoShop!!! I just started using it this weekend and am already addicted. I have like the original old version! I could really use the latest and greatest!!

Go here to read all about how you could win too! So this post is my 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th entry! I got my first entry by commenting on this post. Then I will return everyday for the rest of October for an extra entry for each day I return!!! Good Luck to you and I hope you find some new and special bloggy friends through this! I know that I will.

♥ Elliemae

Wordless Wednesday...

For more wordless photo fun visit 5MinutesForMom.com

(I'm not going to link to WordlessWednesday.com because I have to shut my computer down every time I visit their link)

♥ Elliemae

Do you know who you are VOTING for by now?

Tonight is the third and last presidential debate:

• 9pm eastern, 6pm pacific time and last for 90 minutes.
• aired on every major broadcast network such as CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX.
• They will also be aired on cable outlets such as Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and many others.
  

♥ Elliemae

VOTERS use gut feeling...

to pick the next US president.


You can see the entire article here. Here are the highlights:

• At the 1950s-style Silver Diner in Rockville, a suburb of Washington, Sean Collins, a plumber, was tucking into an Obamalette -- an omelette filled with many of the ingredients of the deep-dish pizzas that are the signature of Chicago, where Obama began his public service career.
• With three weeks to go, Obama was leading McCain by 1,288 Obamalettes to 612 McCainlettes, or 67 percent to 33 percent.
• At 7-Eleven convenience stores across the United States, customers vote for Obama or McCain by choosing a cup of coffee or another hot drink in a blue Obama cup, a red McCain cup or a generic cup, if they still haven't made a choice. The partisan cups each have a McCain or Obama barcode, which, when scanned at the cash desk, registers a vote for the candidate.
• The results of 7-Eleven's election are tallied daily and posted on a specially created 7-election.com website, where a map of the United States showed a swathe of blue states -- the color of the Democratic Party -- stretching from coast to coast.
• The 7-election, which is being held for the third time, has been uncannily accurate in predicting the outcome of the past two real presidential elections.
• With three weeks to go before the November 4 showdown between Obama and McCain, nearly three-quarters of a million votes have been cast in the 7-election.
• Furin's bakery in the swank Georgetown neighborhood of Washington was urging clients to cast their vote with a cookie -- either blue for Obama or red for McCain. "We haven't been keeping a close count but we've sold several thousand cookies, and the vote is probably running about 60 percent for Obama, 40 percent for McCain," owner Bernie Furin, a McCain supporter, told AFP.

Would you have the Obamalette or the McCainlette? Drink your coffee in the blue or red cup?

♥ Elliemae

VOTE for school lunch...

It is National School Lunch Week (October 13-17).

Visit VoteForSchoolLunch.Org and vote for your favorite candidate.

• Biff Burger
• Gloria Grilled Cheese
• Larry Lasagna
• Petunia Pita Pocket
• Pete Pizza

I voted for Gloria Grilled Cheese.

I love grilled cheese!

♥ Elliemae

VOTE for books...

Visit VoteForBooks.Com and cast your vote for your favorite books:

*Green Eggs and Ham VS. The Polar Express

*Diary of a Wimpy Kid VS. Charlette's Web

*Goosebumps VS. Captain Underpants

*Harry Potter VS. Little House on the Prairie.

Once you vote, you will see what is in the lead so far.

Have fun!!!

♥ Elliemae