Giveaway!

I've been working with yo yo designs lately. It's been fun and a nice break from sewing. I've been making everything from scarves to evening wraps to jewelry. So as promised, here's the giveaway! It's a necklace and earring set. It's a silver taffeta with fresh water pearl accents. The necklace is 21 inches long. Both the necklace and earrings are lead and nickel free. Perfect for work, evenings out, or Mother's day is coming up!

Close up of necklace

Close up of earrings

So to get a chance at winning the set, you have to leave a comment with your name and blog address, unless I already read your blog, then just leave a comment. I'm always looking for new blogs to read! Private blogs are not eligible unless I have an invite-I actually want to READ these blogs. I'm closing the contest next Saturday, May 1st, at midnight PST. I'll announce the winner the following Monday morning. Good luck!

If it wasn't in Utah and if it wasn't twice as much as we could afford....

Justin and I used to live right next to this house in the Avenues. It was GORGEOUS but run down. I used to walk by it everyday on my way home from work. Sometime in that year, someone bought it, spend over a half million renovating it, and then put it back on the market for $1.8M. Since then, the bottom fell out of the market, and it's been for sale ever since. I check on it occasionally because I thought it was such an awesome house. Today, I looked at it and found that the price had dropped to 560K. Sad. I felt bad for the owner because they are obviously going to lose a bunch of money on it. Someday I dream of owning an awesome house like this, but it will probably never happen.

If I sound bitter

It's just because I am.

I had one of those days. One of those Oh-my-hell-I-don't-want-to-be-Utah-anymore-and-it's-taking-all-my-strength-not-to-pack-up-the-kids-and-head-off-for-my-sister's days. And if she hadn't been gone this weekend, I just might have.

I could barely get up this morning. I didn't take the kids to their class like I was supposed to because I looked outside and there was snow. Crap. I've spent most of the day watching Sesame Street and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (one of those was when the kids were asleep, I'll let you guess which). Double crap. Luckily, tonight is a crock pot dinner and then I plan on vegging and contemplating how next month marks the beginning of the absolutely last year I have to spend here.

I just might have to give up

and buy new shoes. I hate shoe shopping. I didn't like it before I had kids and I absolutely HATE it now. Chasing two kids around Payless isn't my idea of a fun time. So below is all the shoes that I own and the reasons they need to be replaced (starting in the back with the boots, heading right and down)

Boots: I'm not much of a boot person, but I decided with the 40 feet of snow we get around here, I probably should have some. However, I decided this sometime in March one year, so I got like two choises. Still, keep.

Black buckles: These shoes don't fit; they have 3 inch heels which aren't really conducive to chasing two kids around, and I've had them since high school (seriously). Toss.

Black ankle boots: Don't fit, pain to tie them, and I've had them since jr. high. Seriously. Toss.

Brown: I actually love these shoes, but the backs are wearing out and I used to wear them to the lab that I worked in, so I don't want to think about all the bodily fluids they're probably covered in. Toss.

Red heels: I bought these because they were so ugly I loved them (they had these Grecian ties that wrapped up the leg; I cut them off). They are filthy and the silver liner is coming off. Still I think I'll keep them if I can fix that. Keep.

Black heels: I love these ones too, but the lining is coming off these too. I need to find some good glue. Keep.

Black flats: I've had these shoes also since high school. They are extremely comfortable since they're Keds, but you can see where I cut off the bows from the front, and they have holes in them. Toss.

Black heels: The only closed toed heels that I own. Keep even though they're kind of ugly and uncomfortable.

Black athletic: I love these shoes but they're really dirty. They're very comfortable and I can wear them most places, but not to church which is where I secretly do want to wear them. Keep even though it looks like I spilled flour on them.

Gold ballet flats: These shoes got my through my pregnancies. They are filthy. Toss.

Green athletic: I bought these because I loved the colour. They looked like melted pistachio ice cream. They are filthy, worn out, and don't go with anything. Toss.

So I'm left with a pair of knee boots; three pairs of heels, two of which need fixing, and a pair of black athletic shoes. Hmmmm, think it's time to go shopping.

It's straighter this time

This is the cake that I made for my neighbour's shower. It was a French vanilla with a almond-lemon curd filling and lemon buttercream frosting. It was very well recieved (I had two pieces leftover).

Stay tuned....

I know my posts have been sporadic and blase lately, but I'm working on some really cool stuff and I'll probably be having a giveaway in the next week or two, so keep checking in. New Doctor Who tonight!

Why is it

I can dust, sweep, vacuum, and then swiffer and Alana will STILL find old crackers on the floor? I swear that she caches them somewhere for time such as these.

Awesomest petition ever.

Go sign this petition. Unless you've never seen the Doctor Who episode "Fear Her". Then it won't make any sense to you, you'll think I'm a major geek and avoid eye contact at all cost if/whenever we meet. But sign it anyway. We don't want any holes punched in the universe, now do we? New Doctor Who on Saturday!

Well, it's official

Alana is walking. Pray for my sanity.

In which I ramble. A lot.

Yesterday was my birthday. I wasn't sure what do for a post because I wasn't exactly happy about turning 25. I told Justin that even though I was married and had two kids, at 25, I might just have to start being an adult.

As usual, it snowed on my birthday and as usual, I was sick. This year it's just a slight cold, not pneumonia like my 11th birthday.

It was a good day still. I went up to Faith's sister house where her mom and sister proceeded to stuff me full of soba noodles, dukk boki, and ho dukk. I also got lunch and show watching a Korean household. Then for dinner my mother in law took us out for Thai food. So instead of the bitter "I'm gettin' old" post, I've decided to re-introduce myself. I know there are a lot of new readers to this blog.

Hi. My name is Miranda. At least my English name. My name originally was Baek Song-Hwa, hence the blog address.

I'm married to Justin. It'll be six years next month. Yes, all you people that did that math, I was 19 when I got married. I was a child bride, what can I say? This is our wedding picture that I uploaded on our crappy scanner. I made my dress, so I'm proud of it. My mom made the veil, which was my favourite part. It was 2 1/2 yards of embroidered chiffon with a rolled ribbon edge. This picture was taken at the Brigham Young Academy (Provo Library).

I have two fat babies, Liam (2) and Alana (1). They are 18 months apart. I stay at home with them, and they most definitely are a handful. People assure me it gets easier, but I think it's all a collective lie, just like Santa Clause.

I live in Utah. I hate it. I hate everything from the politics to the weather. When I finally move, I'll miss a few people, most of whom plan on moving out of the state too, and Rhodes frozen rolls. I currently am sitting my parents's house because they're in Korea and won't be back until next year. When they come back, we plan on moving somewhere else. The UK would be my first choise with Seattle being a close second.

I'm from Korea originally. I was adopted by an American family when I was two, but we continued to live in Seoul for a while after that. Then we moved to Singapore where we lived for four years. I actually didn't move to the US until I was almost 12, and the only place I've live is in Utah, which might be why my idea of Americans is a little skewed.

I'm good at sewing, a decent cook, and a lousy photographer. I'm a liberal, a feminist, and a smart-ass. I'm also Mormon, but hate green jell-o and Twilight and hunting, so I'm likely to be excommunicated. I went to BYU and hated every minute. That's pretty much me in a nutshell, but feel free to ask me reasonable questions!

It was worth a shot

Alana was born with a mullet. She has yet actually outgrow this mullet. So I was getting excited when it looked like she was actually getting enough hair for pigtails. Oh well. I think we will wait a little longer, no?

The only clear shot I got of the pigtails where I noticed they're a little, well, crooked.

This picture I took by bending over, holding the camera upside down, and snapping as fast as I could as she crawled through my legs at top speed. When I rotated it 180, it actually wasn't that bad.

It is really hard to get kids to hold still for a picture if they don't want to.

Ignore the snot coming out of her nose. We all have colds.

A conversation with Justin

Me: (crying) @#$%^&@#$!!! I sewed the wrong ruffle on this nightgown!
Justin: Uh oh. Why do you sew anyway?
Me: Because it relaxes me, damn it!