Comic Con is 4 weeks away, and I've never felt so unready.  EVAR.

I feel a panic attack coming I swear.

I have costume work out the yin yang to do, a bunch of admin work, and so on.

As usual the DH is going to go right down to the wire cause of Del Rey.  YIKES!

*breathe*
*breathe*
*breathe*
*breathe*

I know people are close to semi-panic with me, so I'm not alone.

Dammit...I got caught by Miana_dude's meme...

1. Anyone who looks at this entry has to post this meme and their current wallpaper.
2. Explain in five sentences why you're using that wallpaper!
3. Don't change your wallpaper before doing this! The point is to see what you had on!

Why?

1)Cuz I likes it. 2)I had fun that day 3)It's Lego R2--who wouldn't want that. 4)Its all my best buds in the picture with me. 5)See #1

This picture was taken last week at NBC Studios where I went with Rachel, Dennis, and Edgar to do a promo spot for Lego Star Wars Weekends...

:)

After taking a year or so hiatus from any form of sewing, I'm finally back on the wagon and deep into some new costumes.

On the block:

Helping Miana with her Royal Guard and a secret project :-P
Refitting the Bail Organa costume for someone smaller (if I can ever get him to hold still!)
Working on my primary Con project
Plotting (and hopefully finishingn) my second Con project...
Helping my husband do up a set of battle damaged stormtrooper armor
Refinishing/repainting my Royal Guard helmet.

DANG.  That's a whole lotta list.

For my primary project:



I'm so crazy.  But, I've wanted to do this dress for literally years, and it's really difficult to do correctly.  I'm keeping progress photos on my flickr account here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/briekalan/sets/72157616144496976/

I need to take more pictures, but I'll update it pretty often.

My next project after I make Padme's dress is this one:



I've wanted to make this dress since I first saw Prince Caspian in the theater.  I was such a costume nerd that I was trying to take reference pics with my iPhone while watching the movie.  Getting screencaps from the blu-ray disc helped so much!

I originally thought the blue overdress was a silk brocade, but in looking at the caps further, it's not.  There's no sheen/shine to it.  It's something else, but I don't know what.  The underdress I thought was muslin...but no, it's thicker than that.  So I'm thinking it's either rayon or plain white/natural silk.  Fortunately Ihave a good resource for the rayon or silk at a decent price, so I'm not worried about that part.  I did notice in this picture that the underskirt is pleated...



I'm not going to worry about the pleats.  While I like to be accurate as I can, I'm not going to do that...I hate pleats.  Fortunately, this dress doesn't have a train.  The sleeves are fairly simple, and I've already been looking for the trim on the sleeves/overdress.

I just have to find something reasonably close on the blue fabric... *sigh* the hard part.  Might need to go to LA to the Fabric District...

So, if no one sees me for a while, or hears from me....look for the pile of fabric by my sewing machine.  That's probably where I am.

:)

Well...so where've I been?

Over the past six weeks since Kaitlin (now called Katie) was born I've been going at a pretty good pace, getting things done...but not trying to kill myself doing it.

Katie was born Feb 13th

Feb 17th my Mother in Law arrived and stayed for about two weeks, leaving on the first of March.  The poor dear got sick within 2 days of getting here, so couldn't be around the baby much.  That depressed her alot, but she did spend time with the older ones.

During my MIL's visit, I took Katie to her first fanforce meetup.  She slept through it, but everyone was glad to see her.

On March 1st, I stepped down from CO of my garrison and handed that to Scott R.  I took up (re took) the mantle of XO and have been having a good time with it.  I am greatly appreciating the reduced workload as XO!

On March 5 I went out with the gang to see Watchmen.  WOW.  I'm looking forward to the DVD so I can watch it a few more times trying to get the whole story straight.

March 6 my mom arrived from Nebraska, and we spent 10 days doing stuff all over San Diego and toting baby along.  Most of it was doing photography stuff, since Mom is an amateur photographer, and I just got a new digital camera setup (much better than my old one!). 

During Mom's visit, I took Katie to her first 501st meeting with SD Squad.  That was fun because other parents with their new babies were there also.  Different too, but that's probably because of the change of office...

Mom left for home on March 16th, and Paul reported to his new ship, the USNS Navajo on the same day.  Yay. really...Yay.  So far it hasn't been bad, because the ship is in the yards.  However, they'll be doing sea trials shortly, which wont' take long, and then will be leaving for Hawaii on April 23rd.  For approximately 7 weeks.  BLECCH.  That's going to suck really.  He'll be gone during some important events. 

March 19 I went with Rachel and we attacked Disney with the baby.  That was a great time.  In the afternoon we were joined by Kit, Lori and Dan, and then later in the evening by Scott and Lawrence.  I finally got to see the fireworks there!  LOL, they were awesome.

Since we went to Disney, I haven't been going out much.  I have been working around the house on a variety of projects.  I've been uploading new pix to flickr, backing up computer files, reorganizing my office, playing on facebook, reorganizing the upstairs, cleaning the garage (Oh GROSS), and digging out costumes.  All this in between spending my days and nights with Katie and the kids.  And of course Paul.

We did finally get a Wii.  We're having too much fun with it.  We also got Wii Fit.  GRRRRR.  That game is MEAN!  It told me I'm fat (DUH).  and OLD.  It calculates an age based on a "body test".  ON that age, I 'm 53.  Thanks a ferking lot.  Wanna give me a coronary already?  But I am having fun with it!

In the near future?

We have a 501st event this weekend that we are looking forward to, I'm still working on computer stuff and photos.  We're almost finished with the garage.  I've also started costume rehab!  Got out my RG and Black Scout to clean them up and get ready to wear them now that I'm not preggy anymore.  I've also started on this years CCI project.  My green velvet Padme' gown.  OMG...so excited to finally start it!

I go back to work in middle may, just after my Auntie comes to visit.  Looking forward to an interesting spring and summer.

:)

So last night we (me and Kaitlin) went out for her first FanForce meeting at Lolitas.  Poor kid, 10 days old and already going to meetings with her mom.  Squad meetings next in about a week!  That will be a funny one...

LOL--everyone loved the baby.

Some laughs for the night:

I'm eating one handed with Kaitlin in one arm, and Jess looks over at me and says, "You really want to eat one handed?" and I ask.. "Is that a hint you want to hold the baby?"  She just nodded with a big smile on her face!!!

Brandon was running the meeting and wanted to introduce her, but was fouled up on our last name thinking it was her first, and didnt know that she's a girl!!!

Edgar was enchanted by her, although wasn't keen on holding her.  He's kinda afraid of hurting her!  LOL.  He did keep watching her a lot of the night!

And then Rachel and Kaitlin got a good picture...sort of!  Katie's sticking out her tongue!

Snuggling with someone who isn't very demanding--wanting only luv!~



I will say newborns are fun this way!  Plus...there's an added bonus.  When I'm holding/snuggling the baby, I get more hugs and love from my other three kids!  HEE HEE!

Well, it's almost official.

In about (checking watch..) 5 hours 44 minutes, I get to head of on a mini vacation for 3 months.

Aye--it's not really vacation.  But, I get to stay home, focus on my family, get paid for it, and not have to go to my office.  I guess I can't argue with that too much.

Not that I plan to get much done.  I don't really.  Until the baby arrives I'll still follow a pretty normal schedule.  Get up--get the kids ready for school/daycare, drive them out, come home and rest.  Around the house I'll still have laundry, dishes and chores, boards to read, facebook to play on, LJ to spam, and Flickr to mess with. 

After baby arrives, I'll have more help.  Paul will have two weeks off, then my mother in law will visit for 2 weeks, and my mom for 10 days.  Each one staggered their time off so that no one overlaps.  (and I don't get overwhelmed with too much help!)

I do plan to attempt 1 costume project during my leave.  I have the Padme green velvet gown materials and pattern, I've been wanting to finish it forever, but I wanted to take my time and get it right.  No one in SCG or Sunrider currently has this one, so it's unique for the area... and one of the few Royalty costumes I can conceivably carry off.  I even have the correct wig for this...LOL. 

Paul wants to rehab his TK armor while on leave too.  We'll see.

But, unlike past babies, we have no trips planned, no major issues--since the kids have school and we don't want to disrupt their routines. 

I'll probably be stir crazy by May when I go back to work, but I figure I deserve a break.

I just wish 5 pm would come faster!

The past two days have been interesting for sure.

I went out with the girls on my team for lunch yesterday and they surprised me with a baby shower.  LOL.  It was fun, we're a small team (only 4 folks).  I came home with baby clothes, neat toys, the softest baby blankets evar, and lots of socks.

For those of you who've never had kids (yet) baby socks are one of those things you can have a million of and still never have enough.  The darn things are so small they get used by your other kids for finger puppets, the cats will chase them (they make great little fuzzballs for chasing), the washer and dryer eat them, they fall off and get lost (darn slippery baby feet...) etc.  I proabably have close to 30 pairs of socks for him right now...and by the time he grows out of them...I'll have four pairs left.  Murphy's law...baby socks are not meant to survive or be kept.

As part of getting ready for leave, I've been telling my agences and underwriters that I'll be out.  One of my underwriters surprised me this morning with a neat baby gift.  2 9 month size jumpers that are adorably cute, and a box of 200+ diapers.  Neat!  Diapers rock as gifts really--cause you do run out and they aren't cheap!

The next two weeks should be very interesting...to say the least.

Well, here I go, neglecting my LJ for Facebook.  Wow...it became an addiction quick.

But, I'm back, and will do my best to keep up both. 

This weekend was a blast!

Bowling was really fun.  Twas fun watching so many things: 

Emily Dancing
Edgar and Rachel drink racing
Rachel losing the race
Edgar bowling for a change
Watching the scores go down as the alcohol levels went up
Photographing the group...tee hee!

Saturday was also a great time. I can't remember when an event went a) so well, b) when they did so much to take care of us, c)when I've had so much fun.

The guys were really having fun trooping and taking pictures.  Who knew that drunk scrapbookers could be so much fun! Seriously...some of the TK's were really being hit on...  The comment that made my night was when I was herding them back to the break room for dinner, I pushed Scott A out the door and told the lady following him "I'm taking Vader to dinner, but he'll be back." she said, "Damn.  I'm jealous!"  LOL...I about died laughing, and the whole group got a laugh out of that a little later.  Aidan was really a hoot too.  He was grumpy at first, but really thawed out and had fun.  He and Edgar were playing with an E-11, he was attempting to tickle me (and actually succeeded), I taught him how to use my camera and he took pictures of Chris' droid, and Chris showed him how to operate the droid controls.  It was a serious laugh when Aidan was using the controls and squirted himself in the face with canned air.  Dinner afterwards was so funny.  It was 1 female (me) and 5 men.  What was really funny was the men drooling over the girls (never saw so many high heels and fancy dresses in one place!) and then watching them try not to be embarrassed about it cause I was there.  I finally told em--"Look guys--I'm married to a sailor who works with Marines!  There's nothing I haven't heard or seen..."  That got them to thaw out.  And truly...there IS very little that I haven't seen.  Im as dirty minded as they are.  LOL.  After dinner was over we all walked back to the parking garage.  Edgar and I were parked on the same level, so we were walking together and managed to get slightly lost.  His car we found easily.  Mine...not so easy.  I knew exactly where it was parked--at the end of the row where his car was--turn right and I'd parked by the wall on the next row over...well...the ramps kept screwing up our sense of direction, and it took 10 minutes to find my car.  LOL...I hate parking garages.

Sunday was fun, I stayed home.  We worked on the garage, cleaned the kitchen, did some laundry, and minor housework.  Then we had Rachel over for dinner, carne asada burrito night.  I was mad at the carne asada...it wasn't the best batch this time.  GRR.  But we had fun playing games.  Disney Scene It with the kids, Harry Potter Scene it with me, Rachel and Paul.  Then an old VHS game called Atmosfear with Rachel/Paul after the kids went to bed.  Rachel also made me the cutest onesies for the baby!  (with her mom) They have imperial cogs and rebel birds on them, embroidered!  She also brought a really neat baby shirt from Prague.

Monday was Dr day.  I went to fetal assessment and then my obsetrician.  Yikes...we'll see.  Not much time left.  Thank goodness.

Now, I'm off to facebook again...tee hee!

For 9 to 5 cubicle dwellers like myself, "Friday" is the most popular word in the dictionary.  Just like "Monday" is a swear word...

So how can a Friday start out so bad?

Rain...
Slipping on sidewalk (not falling) but getting a serious back ache out of it...
Having a nasty argument with your son...
etc etc etc

So I fear to ask "What's next?" LOL. 

Hopefully everyone else will have a good--and SAFE Friday out there in the rain (if you're here in Southern Cal..)

And when happy hour comes--WOO!

I just realized today, when I looked at the calendar, that I only have 5 workdays left before starting leave!

Friday this week and Tues through Friday next week.  Wahoo!  Tuesday next week will be cake too, the girls are taking me to a "baby lunch"  Yay! 

This week is going to be busy from here on out.

Tomorrow is work in the daytime, and fanforce bowling in the evening.  And no...I am not picking up a bowling ball--my balance is too off for that.  I'm taking my camera and photographing the indignity of my comrades--while they are all hosed and I'm sober.

Saturday I'm trekking up to Anaheim for an event.  Not costuming--as if.  I could cry cause I cant' fit into a single costume right now.  WAAAA.  I'll be photographing that one and being wrangler.

Sunday we are cleaning the garage in the morning [sarcasm] YAY [/sarcasm] but I'm having a "create your own carne asada burrito" dinner for me, Paul, and Rachel (plus sithlings)

Monday I have a double header doctor appointment...and they'll be trying to induce labor by trying a couple of passive things.  I dont expect them to work...but, you never know.

After my Dr appt, I get to go home and take a nice long nap to recover from the previous days...and thats exactly what I'll do.  :-)

It's countdown time...

Saturday was our day of work.

Got up early, went to the commissary, came home--put it all away, then went out for trip 2 to Ikea (for their Sale) and Wal Mart.  Did pretty darn good getting everything done.

Sunday Paul had duty, so it was a day of rest for both of us.  Sunday duty for him is rather boring unless some idiot gets drunk and gets caught...or sets something on fire.  Both seem to happen regularly for him.  I stayed home with the kids and we watched movies, did some housework, relaxed, played toys, etc.

Today, being a day off, was planned for a huge amount of work:

Get the locksmith out to our storage shed to break the lock.
Replace the lock
Get the baby crib out
Clean garage
Hang new curtains in upstairs hall
assemble crib
clean closet
go to the grocery store (for stuff forgotten on Saturday)
Do a bunch of legion stuff
clean the kitchen/sweep/mop
general pickup
crafty projects

HA.

HAHAHAH.  Ha on me.  Murphy said.."No Way babe."

We did get the locksmith out, got the lock fixed and got the crib home.
We did get the upstairs curtains hung (but only after I rehemmed both the sheers and drapes...)
Went to the grocery store.
General pickup/sweeping/mopping was done.
cleaned the kitchen (but more remains..)

The closet, garage, and crafty stuff soooo didn't happen.

Crib assembly?  Um..yeah.  First we didn't realize that we'd thrown the mattress out and only kept the frame.  So, on the theory that if we assembled the crib and didn't have the mattress for it, Murphy would make me go into labor tomorrow and the kid would have no place to sleep...off to Ikea (second trip) we went, to get the mattress replaced.

Got home with the mattress, did some more work, and attempted to assemble the crib.  Then realized halfway through...we are missing half the bolts for the crib.  Funny thing being...we put all the hardware in a bag and taped the bag to the crib leg so we wouldn't lose it.  ...The bag was there..bolts were there too, but not enough...  by this time its 430.  THe kids need a bath, dinner, Stefan still has homework to do, we haven't hit half the list, and we have a half assembled crib blocking our way into our bedroom.  *arghgrowlysigh*

So here we are, fixing dinner, then we'll put the kids into the tub for a wash/rinse cycle, and you guessed it...off to Ikea for the 3rd trip this weekend to buy replacement bolts.  Yeah...for a crib that's 8 years old.  Fortunately, Ikea uses these bolts still or we'd really be screwed and have to buy a new crib.  But wait...that could still happen as we haven't gotten to the store yet to check and see if they have the bolts.  News at 11...

Nesting instinct is a pain in the ass...

*** Edit ***

Yes...Ikea did have the right bolts--Murphy was kind to my wallet.

I read a lot...LOT of books.  You name it, fiction, non fiction, comics/manga, history/art...etc.  If I don't have a book in my purse or car on any given day...I'm sick.

I found one in a book the other day that really grabbed my attention:

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength
While loving someone deeply gives you courage. -- by Lao Tzu (founder of Taoism)

I also have others, but I'll have to dig for them.  Some are english, a couple are Latin, etc.

In the meantime, share yours if you will, and any thoughts you have behind them!

MAH ICONS.

default	oldest	newest
saddest	happiest	angriest
cutest	sexiest	funniest
	src=" http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3087/3175063122_c4b86a79da_o.jpg"/>
fave ship	fave fandom	fave animated
best quote	best textless	best stolen idea
use the most	favorite

HOW MANY ICONS DO YOU HAVE: 100 OUT OF HOW MANY AVAILABLE ICONS SPACES: 105 IF YOU COULD BUY SPACE FOR MORE, WOULD YOU: Already Do DO YOUR ICONS MAKE A STATEMENT: Yup…not sure what. WHAT FANDOM DO YOU HAVE THE MOST ICONS OF: Star Wars! AND THE SECOND MOST: Naruto WHAT SHIP DO YOU HAVE THE MOST ICONS OF: ??? ARE YOUR ICONS MADE MOSTLY BY OTHER PEOPLE: Yup DO YOU MAKE ICONS: Sometimes ARE THEY ANY GOOD: Occasionally ANIMATED ICONS ARE: Too much fun! DO THE MEME. Coding can be found here

Wow.

Can I just say this year seems like it's gone so fast?

I can't even summarize the year and everything that happened in it, cause it would take a book to do it, not just one LJ post.

I learned a lot this year...about human nature, about politics, about costuming, and so many more things.

I dealt with a lot of bs also, that I wish I hadn't have had to...club b/s, real life b/s, family b/s, etc.  Strangely I learned a lot from all that as well.

I really learned patience and perseverance this year as well, and those both served me well.

I invite all my friends list to tell me about the best/worst of their year, and any hopes for next year!  Even post those resolutions (LOL), by supporting each other some of us might even keep those resolutions!!!

Me?  Hmmm...

I think the best of the year was getting so deeply involved in the 501st.  I know that sounds weird really--but its helped me a lot.  I truly used to be a terrible hermit that never left my house or got out and did anything.  Yea, it brought me stress, drama, tears of anger, and lots of frustration, but it also brought me some beautiful friendships and new relationships, laughter, fun, tears of joy and appreciation, and helped me develop more confidence, patience, and positive growth.  It also helped my spouse and I find a way to get away from the stress of our careers.  The Navy is not an easy master, and having a hobby like the 501st helped him as well, even if he couldn't indulge as much in it as he wanted--because he was making a sacrifice so I could.

The worst thing has probably been problems with my family.  I had a big ruction with my sister in law that will never heal.  My brother divorced his (hell on meds psychotic) spouse finally, but married a truly wonderful lady later in the year and adopted her 5 year old son who is adorable.  My son struggled this year, a great deal, in school.  I've felt bad for him because he was struggling, and there is only so much I can do to help--he truly must cope with some of it on his own, and it's terrible to see that burden on a 7 year old--and a school system that is unsympathetic to it due to certain idiotic federal acts...  My mother got fired at age 63 and struggled for months to get a job...  Yikes.  Fortunately some of this has turned out for the better, and some of it is improving.  Not all of it though...

The resolutions?  UGH!  Truly it's the weight thing.  I've been stable at 290 for almost 10 years since my weight loss surgery.  But, I could be so much better.  I really want to lose the last 100 pounds so that I might be able to do different costuming things, play more with my kids, etc.  It'll be hard with 4 kids, job, hobby, a traveling spouse, etc.  I need to find some way...not sure how.  I don't have a "diet" or "plan" to follow--I just want to eat better and get more exercise.  Most plans/diets fail anyhow.  It's a lifestyle change really.

The second one is just recovery--from pregnancy, two busy busy years on the run for a variety of things, and getting back into good habits!

Anyone else want to share?

Okay...so since I did this last year, may as well do it this year. 

( my 2008--messy and busy! )

Okay...so this is worth recording for me.  Chargers slaughtered the Bronco's on Sunday night 52 to 21, earning us a spot in the playoffs.

Trez Happy!

I can't wait for this Saturday's game against the Colts.  I'll be at the Garrison party though, so unless Mike has a TV all us football fans can gather round, I'll have to either watch the recording of the game when I get home, or just mug Edgar at the party to get his Sirius satellite radio to listen...  Tee hee!