Gigi&#039;s Blog &raquo; Tales of the Mortician&#039;s Wife

January 12, 2010 - 2:16 pm

Anne – I love, love, love that you blog your life and share it with all of us……..having never met you I can only say that those beautiful girls are sooo lucky to have a mommy like you….I’m sure you feel just as lucky. Your gilrs are going to remember all of the fantastic things that you do with them…….cheers to 2010, oh yes and love the necklace too!

January 10, 2010 - 1:52 pm

Stephanie – Patience! That was my New Years resolution also!

January 9, 2010 - 11:02 pm

Mandey ; } – I love checking your blog out daily! Always doing fun stuff with your kids…awesome! I love the necklace & I too have those dreaded hours some days with having 2 year old boy/girl twins along with 10 & 9 year old girls! Thanks for keeping it real! What a cool giveaway!

January 9, 2010 - 10:44 am

Mich – What a lovely necklace this is….would love to win it…I think it is going to be my new mantra with the twins arriving soon…and you know I can relate to the witching hour(S)!! at my house. It certainly tests my patience level on a daily basis but us moms can do it. We are warriors right!!

January 9, 2010 - 10:17 am

Jennifer – Oh Gillian, at our home between 4-7, the Crankerellas rather than Cinderellas comes out! So I can totally relate!=)

January 8, 2010 - 2:29 pm

Debbie – I have checked your blog every day for over a year, and it always makes me smile! I love love love seeing the pictures of your beautiful little girls, and I hope someday to have my own. We are currently going through some infertility struggles, so that necklace would be a great reminder. Thanks!

January 8, 2010 - 11:42 am

Wanda – I love the necklace! and what a great reminder (shhhh) that I sometimes need.

January 8, 2010 - 8:50 am

Michelle – Love the necklace!

January 8, 2010 - 12:48 am

Victoria – I LOVE that necklace! Cute! 🙂

January 8, 2010 - 12:16 am

Vanessa – Amazing Necklace!!!!!!!!!! I love your blog!!! Your an amazing photographer!!! I’m a photographer as well..my photography blog is http://www.vanessaloyerphotography.blogspot.com

Enjoy! Thank you again!!

January 8, 2010 - 12:04 am

Christine Jensen – What an awesome pendant…and a reminder that I totally need! THanks 🙂

January 7, 2010 - 11:32 pm

Candice – Oh my absolute cuteness!! I gotta start following your sweet blog! Ok- how long have I drooled over this necklace and saying- but I’ve never seen it in FUSCHIA!!! Ekkk- pink’s my fav too! Gotta have it 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway 🙂

January 7, 2010 - 11:14 pm

Tricia Nugen – I have asked for the same thing this year PATIENCE. I don’t care if I don’t make my health goal but lord grant me patience before I buy stock in Sally’s to cover all the gray hair these two precious children have caused… ( and I try to say precious like a wicked witch) it makes me laugh and brings me back to my happy place!

January 7, 2010 - 11:14 pm

Anne – It’s all in the attitude. it would be a great little reminder! annemolino at hotmail dot com

January 7, 2010 - 11:08 pm

Amy Priddy :||: Priddy Creations – Love the crafts you and your kids did. I need to find something cute like that to do with my three monkeys!

Love the necklace. It is totally fitting for me right now as all three of my kids have been passing around a virus and have been home all week (which makes for 3 weeks home). SERENITY NOW!! I like the simple jewelry so this would be perfect if I won!

Thanks so much for the giveaway!

January 7, 2010 - 10:42 pm

Amy – I definitely know what you mean. All I asked for Christmas from Santa was some patience – and I’m still trying to decide if I got it? I do know that I’ve become really good at tuning out crying children. I love the crafts that you’ve done with the girls – I’ll have to make a trip to dollarama myself. Love the necklace.

January 7, 2010 - 10:39 pm

~love – you know i can relate. especially about the part of better patience w/ kiddos than hubby. working on that! he deserves my patience, too. (especially when he hasn’t been the one toying with it from 3-4:30.) =)

January 7, 2010 - 10:21 pm

ROSE:) – O.M.G…..first of all YES YES YES I can relate to these moments when I wanna join in and cry too(which I did at 2:00-4:30 this morning) with my 2 year old who just wants MOMMIE!!!! Secondly, I felt bad today and went to the famous Dollarama…and bought ALL the same stuff as you did for Valentine’s Day and started painting already!!!! Too funny..they almost all look the same!LOL
I luv the necklace quote…if I don’t win it I will make one and wrap it around my neck to remind myself!

January 7, 2010 - 10:21 pm

Barb Mason – You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance. ~Franklin P. Jones

I think everyone completely understands where you are coming from Gillian!!!

Lovin’ that necklace!!!

January 7, 2010 - 8:32 pm

Janet – coming from a mother of two, who are now 24 and 22 I am glad to say they are now that age. I personally think that it is programmed into their little brains (all of them) between the hours of 4 – 7, ugh…Gillian, this too shall pass…keep strong and carry on!
and one day they will love you forever….and no crying!

January 7, 2010 - 7:54 pm

Maredyth – Yah I am pretty sure you are talking about my house also. Everyone is burnt out and hungry from a long day at school and work. Not a good combo. I have a sign in my house with that saying and it has become somewhat of a mantra for me. We all need a little patience. You are not alone my friend!

January 7, 2010 - 7:51 pm

Catherine – Oh, do I ever know what you’re talking about! It’s good to hear that I’m not alone. What is it about kids between home from school and bedtime? It’s just CRAZY!

January 7, 2010 - 6:00 pm

Rachelle Hlaj – Oooh Gillian! I can really relate to this! The witching hour is a perfect name for the hours between 3:30-8 that I just want to flee and run screaming into the hills! You’re not alone and we can all use just a little more patience. What a beautiful necklace-hope I win!

January 7, 2010 - 2:28 pm

Sarah – It sounds like you’re describing my house….why is it that the kids start acting up RIGHT when dinner needs to be prepared and put on the table??? My poor hubby walks in at 5pm with at least one of the girls crying or screaming!!…sometimes it’s me that wants to go on a time-out!!

January 7, 2010 - 1:58 pm

Lori Collins – Your life isn’t all lollypops and bubblegum?! hehe I LOVE the valentines crafts and I love that necklace! Words to live by, but I wish it was easier to do!

January 7, 2010 - 1:38 pm

Carry – Our “witching hour” is 5-7 here, I just try and remind myself to breathe and remember that they too are just as frazzled.(which is really hard sometimes) I want to thank you for all your craft ideas, they really help warm the winter months at our house too! Have a fabulous week Gillian.

January 7, 2010 - 11:08 am

Keri Kitto-Fast – To be honest it’s nice to hear that your life isn’t always pink sparkles and cozy fires!! lol!! I too need more patience this year. Especially with hubby, he seems to come home right at our witching hour when I am done!!! It’s a beautiful {crazy} life with 3 little girls!!!

January 7, 2010 - 10:45 am

Heather Rivlin – OK Gillian, you totally wrote that as if you were living my life…so glad to know I am not the only one. With three boys running around, that tile could save my life…or someone else’s when the going gets rough. I wonder if they’d make me one with my kids names on it? hmmmm so adorable!

January 7, 2010 - 10:17 am

katlott – I think I will use this as my new mantra!

January 7, 2010 - 10:15 am

Sherri Smith – ((HUGS)) I feel for you Gillian. Patience is a virtue (not an automatic gimmee in life)because it is so hard to come by and hold onto. Your ‘hubalicious’ needs some too, not just the girlies. My friend has her husband take her kids for the first 2 hours after he gets home so she can defrazzle. It makes patience a little easier for her to come by. LOVE the necklace(s).

January 7, 2010 - 9:49 am

Monica – I love this necklace…think I will visit their site more often!! Thanks Gillian for sharing!

January 7, 2010 - 8:24 am

Jen – Of course you are not alone..I don’t know you but I can totally relate as Iam sure a million more mommies can too 🙂 I have four children and well I am sure you can imagine MY witching hours 🙂 Yes patience…where are you?

January 7, 2010 - 2:05 am

Chelsey – Okay, this is seriously crazy. Minus the Valentine Day Crafting (we have bday’s galore that month … hmmmm, maybe that’s why I never really think about Valentines!) … this is my life. You have stepped into my parlor. Hello, welcome. 😉

January 7, 2010 - 12:10 am

Kerry – As women we tend to put too much pressure on ourselves to be the perfect mom, daughter, wife and friend. Sometimes, we do need a gentle reminder to say to us that we are doing the best we can for today.

January 7, 2010 - 12:06 am

Michelle Quinton – Thanx for the link. Checked it out…. AM thinking one of those tiles should go on hubby’s keychain – or a tattoo on his forehead. Luvd it. Good pricing too, considering USA. Nice stuf! Thanx for keeping us connected to the good side of life.

January 7, 2010 - 12:01 am

Kari – When my son is in school, Mackenzee is an angel.. but once he gets home… that’s when the witching hour begins, and it ends after they go to bed… which mackenzee continues to come out until i finally threaten to take away her babies.. then she will settle… and I have my peace.. That is a really good saying.. Keep Calm and Carry on… I really like that.. take a deep breath.. count to 10.. and carry on!

January 6, 2010 - 11:51 pm

pammelah – I don’t know what this witching hour thing is.. my children are all perfect.. they walk thu the door bursting with helpfulness and love for one another, and my babies.. well in between giggling like cherubs and feeding themselves healthy snacks, they nap. sigh. poor you. lol I’ll pray for you. just for you, because I love you so.. I’ll escape..er..leave my perfect home and we’ll go get coffee with double yum shots and I’ll regale you with stories of my perfect angels.(If I can un-crazy glue the car keys from the toilet seat)

January 6, 2010 - 11:44 pm

Rebekah Peterson – I think any mother can relate with you!!! As long as we can focus on the joys through it all too!

January 6, 2010 - 11:34 pm

Jenn – As a mom of four, I totally relate. Like the others have said, this too shall pass… I 100% agree! Either I inherited(over time) great patience or the kiddo’s outgrew the witching hour(s).
Hang in there, the best is yet to come

January 6, 2010 - 11:11 pm

Mom – Awh, Gillian…. I know the feeling too as I remember it well. Thanks for being honest and for letting us know …. we will pray for you and other mommies 🙂
I HAVE that necklace and LOVE it. But I would still love to win one. Thank you Gillian, and Home Studio for your generosity.

January 6, 2010 - 10:45 pm

Charlene – This too shall pass. Really it does! But in the event that it seems like it never will might I suggest a large glass of mummy-juice (red or white)?

January 6, 2010 - 10:41 pm

Tanya Frew – I love this necklace. The Britts had it right!!! In December i bought their matches. They arrived quickly and my friend loved them! So fun:)

January 6, 2010 - 10:41 pm

Tara – Gigi, my hours are 4-8pm. patience is something you and i are both apparently not so hot at 😉
many tears are shed during these hours, i can relate for sure. Let’s hope the following months ahead I can absorb some patience from my daughter, who is an expert at waiting and staying calm. Loving all your photos you post and the cutest stories to go along with them. Keep it up!

January 6, 2010 - 10:41 pm

melissa – I totally understand… Ms. Lily’s witching hour is from 5 – 6:30 when her father comes home and miraculously she is no longer cranky, tired, grumpy, upset, crying…. and he doesn’t understand why I am stressed out cause she is happy 🙂 I love all the crafts that you do with your girls.

January 12, 2010 - 4:26 pm

Mondays. » Gigi Blog – […] last Monday? The Keep Calm and Carry On kinda day. Well, I’m glad I am not alone in that battle … a lot of you guys responded on the blog […]

January 8, 2010 - 12:50 am

Cupcake Pops! » Gigi Blog – […] P.S. Don’t forget the giveaway below!!!! […]

Plans to change.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Tonight, I had big grand intentions. Big plans. Big goals. They included proofing the night away to catch up on the session over the holidays.

But my Sweet Pea Lucia had other plans… you see, tomorrow, she turns two … yes, TWO. I can BARELY believe it myself. I don’t know WHERE the past two years have gone! I guess Lucia decided her last night as a one year old should involve a party and snacks and major, MAJOR awake time ….

So she’s here, beside me, holding my hand, not letting me proof. I can’t say that I mind too much.

(Be sure, I’ll be posting pics of her tomorrow to celebrate her Second Birthday).

In the meantime … couldn’t resist this cutie …

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by Gigi

4 comments

January 7, 2010 - 10:37 pm

~love – CUTE! cute, cute, cute!

January 4, 2010 - 11:03 pm

Melissa – love the baby legs!!! Happy 2nd Birthday to your dear Lucia…

January 4, 2010 - 11:01 pm

Shannon – Love baby legs!!!
Happy 2nd Birthday to sweet Lucia!!!

January 4, 2010 - 8:53 pm

Mich – Love this pic…what a cute baby…the legs are just so adorable. Happy 2nd Birthday Lucia, I am sure it will be an awesome day!!!

Welcome, Twenty10.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Eeekkk! I am so excited for 2010! Did you all have a fantastic New Year’s? We stayed home, chilled with the kids, played Monopoly and ate Thai food with great friends. Loved it. PERFECT night, in my books.

This week has been A.MA.ZING. I have LOVED every second of the holidays – they have been so relaxing and lovely! Um, but can anyone relate to the MAJOR itch to redo and clean and organize and throw out and declutter? I’ve been doing just that all week long…. feels good but it’s also exhausting.

It’s also been fantastic just hanging out with the girls … making homemade playdough (scented, of course) …

playdough

Yes, that’s marker all over her face.

playdough2
Oh, did I mention that Santa brought me a sewing machine for Christmas??????

sewing

Yeah, me. Sew. Hmm. Well, let’s just say, if you knew me two years ago, you would just LAUGH if someone handed me a needle. And, well, you’d still laugh to this day because I don’t even know how to sew on a button properly. But now that I have this fine, handy, dandy machine staring me in the face every morning, I think …….. I THINK …. *cringe* ….. I MIGHT just try to learn how to sew in 2010.

In 2009, I learned how to cook. In 2010, I will learn to sew a straight line.

So I had this horrible itch to get to the fabric store in town after opening this lovely present over the holidays. I can’t even BELIEVE I’m saying that. The fabric store? Seriously?

I walked in and immediately felt like a five year old child in a china shop. I had no clue what was what and what I could touch, unroll, or whatever. All the clerks had bifocals on and as I walked through the aisles, I could see them, lower their chins, peer over the top of their glasses, and shake their head … I don’t even want to guess at what they were thinking.

I continued to be ‘casual’ – pretending I knew what I was doing, what I was looking for when in reality I had NO clue. Immediately drawn to PINK (gosh, surprise, surprise!), I walked over to the pink fabric spool (is that the right word) and pulled it off the shelf … and within seconds, a domino effect of falling spools of fabrics rippled its way around the fabric “cart” … I struggled, I fumbled, I held on to the pink bolt and leaned quickly over to the multiple falling bolts and tried to save them from landing on the dirty cement floor … all the while, the scary intimidating employees were glaring at me over their glasses, clucking their tongues in disbelief.

Oh my gosh. So embarrassing.

I hung my head in shame as I piled 25 bolts of different fabric together in a five foot ridiculous pile (couldn’t figure out how to get them back on the rack) and walked over to the Table of Humiliation, where the Bifocal Ladies ask the dreaded question: “What is this for and how much do you want?” Well, I had no clue what it was for and I had no clue how much I wanted. I babbled on about how I just got a (squeal!) sewing machine for Christmas and was excited to just try something out …. yeah, long story short, I bought the pink fabric and scooted my behind out of the store as fast as I could, feeling like a fish out of water and feeling the burning of their eyes on my back as the store door shut behind me.

Lesson learned about the fabric stand though. NOT making THAT mistake again.

So, what, you ask, did I do with the fabric? Oh, no. I didn’t sew. I glued. Yes, glue. But look – how fun!

A homemade magnetic message board for my studio:

board11

board41

See those scrabble magnets? Those were old scrabbles tiles I found in the basement and just stuck magnetic tape to the back. Voila. Fun times.

scrabble

And I had fabric left over so I turned this stool from white:

seat

into a pink stool:

chair2

No sewing required so far.

Just a staple gun.

chair3

and the next project is this chandelier, so sweetly dropped off at the studio by Bethany Lee ….

chand

Guess what color we’re painting it? (I say, we, because Hubalicious is involved in this.)
Yup, pink and white. It’s going to look so cute!!!!

Oh, and I added candy to the studio, too. I told my kids it’s fake candy and they believed me. Sweet.

candy

candy2

Ahhh, candy, pink, kids, playdough and a scary seamstress??? All makings of a fantastic week so far!

personal

by Gigi

6 comments

January 17, 2010 - 12:55 pm

Krista – We all begin somewhere! I just got my first sewing machine after chrismas and have yet to use it not sure what to do yet. However I have made quilts for the boys and Eric. I’m going to send you photo’s, these are far from perfect but perfect in every way.
The boys I used there recieving blankets and Eric’s I used the old army pants that had holes everywhere and he won’t give them up so I cut them up and made him a blanket.
Use the girls old dresses, hats stained cloths that you don’t want to part with you will be amazed with what you come up with.
I’ll send you photo’s so you can see.

January 6, 2010 - 2:30 pm

Jenn – I know the EXACT ladies in Fabricland that you’re talking about! They’ll warm up a bit as you go in more often…and they look more intimidating than they are!

Good luck with that sewing machine!

January 2, 2010 - 3:24 pm

Kristi – Love the stool!! Too cute! and the candy, what a great idea!!

January 2, 2010 - 9:59 am

Brenda (Gillian’s mom) – Gillian, this is hilarious!!! You have such a knack for writing … loved the fabric store episod e! I’m suprised the ladies weren’t more helpful to you 🙁 Iwould love to help you learn to sew but you will learn, just like you learned to cook!! Love the stool, it looks awesome … and the magnetic board too! See how creative you are, with just a glue gun and stapler? Imagine how fantastic you will be, when you learn to sew! 🙂 Can’t wait to see the studio makeover (take before and after pictures) xo

January 2, 2010 - 9:42 am

Catherine – Pick up some Christmas fabric and make Christmas bags! It’s better than wrapping paper, and it makes Christmas morning much more fun and tidy! We take everything out of the boxes and assemble it, and put it in the bag…. voila! no tinkering on Christmas morning!

I think you’ll be great at sewing! If I can do it, you can too!

January 1, 2010 - 11:28 pm

~love – you’re funny! why didn’t anyone help you?! help you find what you need AND help you pick up the bolts?

everything is super cute! [per usual!] =)

A New {Year} …

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.

~Oprah Winfrey

I have SO much to blog about … so many exciting things happening … so many new pages to be turned … and I’m SO excited for 2010!!!!! This is going to be an amazing year!!!! Can you feel it?!?!?

Before I can post some of the thoughts in my head, I have to download my card with the photos on it and I’m being lazy. The card is in my studio in my camera and my bum is on the couch in my living room. And it’s 1:35 a.m. and I don’t want to get up. So I’ll post those pictures tomorrow. 🙂

Here’s just a quick sneak peek of one of my beautiful clients that visited the studio recently … such a glow! I’m working on getting some galleries up that were shot during the Christmas season … yours is one of them!

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Do you guys have big plans for tomorrow?

personal

by Gigi

3 comments

December 31, 2009 - 7:16 pm

Chelsey – SO excited to hear what you are cookin’ up over there! I’m very excited about the year to come too … you can just feel it in the air, can’t you?! Happy & Merry New Year to you!

December 31, 2009 - 10:42 am

MummyMaggie – Nicole – you look amazing! This photo just exudes peace and contentment. Such a lovely picture!

December 31, 2009 - 9:00 am

shelley – I THINK I know what your going to be blogging about soon, I just have a feeling <3 an intuition if you will, hehe.

{Post} Christmas Loving.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Hey guys!!!!!!

How was your Christmas? Can you believe it’s come and gone already?! Seriously. Can time go any faster!?

We had a BEAUTIFULLY blessed day filled with family and food and fun … !!! Such an awesome day. I LOOOOOOVE Christmas … (but I think you guys know that by now) …

Guess what Hubalicious purchased? Oh yeah. He scored BIG TIME ….

dec2536

And yes, it’s a working phone and yes, I promise, promise, promise I will be RUNNING to answer it (I have a bad reputation of not answering my phone – seriously, e-mail is quicker for me!)

Isn’t it the cutest thing ever? I loooooooooooooooooooove it!

dec2531

I recently purchased this sweet, adorable chalkboard from Etsy …

il_430xn90312173

… and now the pink phone and chalkboard are hanging side by side in the kitchen … the girls love it!!!

Yes, besides the phone, the day was fantastically wonderful …. and I feel so blessed to have such a loving family to spend the day with …
I found these dresses Christmas Eve’s eve – on sale – I couldn’t pass them up. Sadly, they didn’t have one in mommy size.

dec2545

But I have to say … by December 26th or 27th, I am anxious and READY to declutter and take down the decorations .. seriously. I despise too much stuff in one house so … today was the day. (Well, I did half of it yesterday) and now I’m sitting in a treeless living room, with a clean, crisp mantle and a decluttered living room and I am happy.

I know.

I am weird.

I decorate and get all excited for Christmas …. and then bam, it’s over and I’m done.

{But note, I decorated for Christmas on November 1st so that’s almost two full months of festive garland and red cranberries and gingerbread man. I’m ready for a crisp, clean house and a new start. Bring on the new year!}

Oh man, I am SO excited for 2010! I know God has some AMMMMMMAAAAZING things in store for this upcoming year … and gah!! I want to share them so badly on the blog but I have to wait, wait, wait until the time is right.

And I also was JUST inspired tonight to redo the studio – yehhhaw!! – so I am going to be working on that over the next few weeks. Haters of pink will have to avoid the studio because I’m afraid it will be rather girlie ….

I hope you all had and are having a beautiful holiday …..!!!!! Can’t wait to see what the new year will bring!!

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by Gigi

5 comments