What kid says that?

The other day I was cleaning out Dresden's back-pack. He had all his Valentine's still in his backback so I removed all the cards from the candy and then threw the cards away and put the candy in a pile on the table for him. He walked past the garbage can and saw all his Valentine's cards in the garbage and got really upset with me. I told him I saved all the candy for him and he said, "I don't care about the candy, I only care about the Valentine's" in a really sad "how could you do that to me" kind of voice. I felt terrible because he was so emotional about me throwing the cards away. I retrieved all the cards from the garbage can and he immediately put them all back in his backpack. Seriously, what kid cares more about the silly cards than the candy??? DRESDEN!!!

Logan, on the other hand, could care less about the cards. He's all about the candy!

Economic Woes

When the economy starts to bottom out people tend to spend less on things that are not necessary. I happen to work in the "want" not "need" industry. I work with many talented artists' licensing their artwork to manufacturers that use their art on anything from placemats to calendars to shower curtains to wallpaper and hundreds of other products. Well, the phone calls started right around Thanksgiving. Companies unable to make it through the tough economic times. At first, it was just small companies that we worked with that were going under. Soon, larger companies that have been in the industry for 75 years started going under. Well, last week I got a phone call from one of our top companies that we license to. The company had been trying to refinance but the bank denied their request and took over their accounts. They have thousands of items in China that were being sampled and some of those products just happen to be our designs. It's such a tragedy, the people I worked with from this company have lost all their retirement because it was tied up in the equity of the company, which now turns out to be worth nothing. I feel terrible for the many people that are without jobs and have lost their retirements.

My company has felt the same pressures that many in the industry have felt and in an attempt to ease some of their costs they have decided to move to a four day work week. Instead of laying off some people they have chosen to take this route. I am fortunate because this won't have much of an effect on me, don't get me wrong, I will have to budget better and spend less money on the things that I don't absolutely need but I have a husband that is a good provider and can take care of our family if things get worse here. There are a few single mothers that work with me and I know that things will be tough for them. I feel so fortunate to have Larry and his job, even though the newspaper industry isn't very stable we feel he is in a department that is the future of the paper, online news. I am excited to be able to spend more time with my kids and I will finally have a day that I can clean without having both boys in the house distracting me. I will be able to go to lunch with friends and I may get a good workout in atleast once a week now. Anyway, I am grateful that even though Larry and I are both in industries that are volatile we both still have jobs that are taking care of our needs.

Here is a sample of what licensing artwork is...

This is the original artwork from the artist

These are product mock-ups created using the artwork

This kitchen collection was picked up by a manufacturer that got placement in Shopko stores. If you shop at Shopko you may have seen these designs.

Fourth File, Fourth Picture

This is a fun tag...What you need to do is go to your photo files and pick the fourth file and the fourth photo, then explain it.

My family went to Bear Lake last summer and this is a picture of Dresden eating a banana that we opened up, put Rolo's in it and then wrapped in tinfoil and tossed it in the fire. Dresden was a fan of the treat but I don't think it was the best tasting campfire treat I have had...I'll stick with S'mores.

I tag Natalie, Soupie, Nikki, and Rachel

I haven't downloaded pictures for sometime so I thought I would post some fun things that I have seen around the web...

Bucket List.

Place an X by all the things you've done. This is for your entire life!

( ) Gone on a blind date

( x ) skipped school

( ) Watched someone die

( ) Been to Canada

( x )Been to Mexico

( x ) Been to Florida

( x ) Been on a plane

( x ) Been lost

( x ) Been on the opposite side of the country

( ) Gone to Washington , DC

( x ) Swam in the ocean

( x ) Cried yourself to sleep

( x ) Played cops and robbers

( x ) Recently colored with crayons

( x ) Sang Karaoke

( x ) Paid for a meal with coins only

( x ) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't

( x ) Made prank phone calls

( x ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose.

( x ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue

( x ) Danced in the rain

( x ) Written a letter to Santa Claus

( x ) Been kissed under the mistletoe

( x ) Watched the sunrise with someone

( x ) Blown bubbles

( x ) Gone ice-skating

( x ) Been skinny dipping outdoors

( x ) traveled on a train

( x ) Gone scuba diving

( x ) gone on a cruise

( ) gone skydiving

( ) speak a foreign language

Au Revoir

This has been going around Facebook and I thought it was pretty clever. Some of my answers actually worked for the questions...

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put your iPod or other music player on shuffle.

2. For each question, press the NEXT button to get your answer.

3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!

4. Tag friends who might enjoy doing this as well as the person you got this from.

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?

-Whatever it takes ( Leona Lewis)

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?

-One, Two, Three, Go! (Belanova)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?

-World Falls (Indigo Girls)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?

-Cecilia (Simon & Garfunkle)

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?

-Hollaback Girl (Gwen)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?

-Homebird (Foy Vance)

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT OFTEN?

-Gumboots (Paul Simon)

WHAT IS 2+2?

-Thank You (Natalie Merchant)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?

-You and Me of the 10,000 Wars (Indigo Girls)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?

-Pretty Good Year (Tori Amos)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

-Ray of Light (Madonna)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

-My Skin (Natalie Merchant)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?

-Whisper (A Fine Frenzy)

WHAT WILL YOU/DID YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?

-Think About It (Flight of the Conchords)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?

-Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me (George Michael & Elton John)

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?

-Details in the Fabric (Jason Mraz)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

-The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face (Leona Lewis)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?

-Wind of Change (Scorpions)

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?

-Life In Technicolor (Coldplay)

HOW WILL YOU DIE?

-I Hate Everyone (Get Set Go)

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?

-Death and all His Friends (Coldplay)

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?

-I Me You (Jim Noir)

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?

-Take a Bow (Leona Lewis)

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?

-How To Save A Life (The Fray)

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?

-Better In Time (Leona Lewis)

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?

-Make It Mine (Jason Mraz)

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?

-Monster Hospital (Metric)

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?

-Shadow of the Day (Linkin Park)

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS NOTE AS?

-Au Revoir (Flight of the Conchords)