Note: Build-A-Bear Workshop® is is now partnering with Michaels Stores to feature their brand new line of crafts called Build-A-Bear Craftshop™ which will be introduced in all Michaels Stores in September. The new and unique Build-A-Bear Craftshop line includes 24 fun make-your-own projects such as a jewelry kit, hair accessory kit, painting projects and Make and Share kits containing a wearable craft creation for you and your furry friend. I was sent a box of Build-A-Bear Craftshop™ kits and was able to invite a ton of friends and their kids over to make bear-and-kid t-shirts this week. Everyone loved the kits and special time to get their craft on!

Guess what? Great news! My kids got the teachers that I was hoping they’d get. I get along with the kindergarten and 2nd grade teachers famously. I am so excited to work with them again this year! What’s going on in your neck of the woods this week?

Psst–I am frantically trying to iron out the rest of my blog changes, so I apologize for the craziness that is currently going on.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

To play Give Me Your Best Photo Story Friday, check this. Copy this code into your post and sign the link list:
<a href=”http://mychaosmybliss.blogspot.com” target=”_blank” <img src=”http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2526/4235120634_71d9399b5f_o.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”PhotoStory Friday” <br></a>;Hosted by <a href=”http://mychaosmybliss.com/” target=”_blank”>Cecily</a> and <a href=”http://www.betterinbulk.net” target=”_blank”>Lolli</a><br/> <div> </div></center>

Related posts:

1. Photostory Friday. Bursting.
2. Give Me Your Best Shot!
3. Trapped? – Give Me Your Best Shot

I wish I could take credit for the vision, but I have to admit that it was my friend, Liz, who came up with the idea of displaying the vintage candy jars with all of the candies representing my kids in them. And of course she had the vintage candy jars. She also had two gorgeous vintage cameras, and I thought it would be appropriate to stick a camera in the shot to represent me: The lady who’s crazy about candy AND photography.

I’ll also readily admit that I drooled over the vintage cameras on her shelf, wishing that someday I could start my own collection. What is it about vintage items–especially vintage in my area of expertise (or at least interest)–that send chills up and down my spine. I love antiques.

So you can imagine my giddiness when a friend approached me this week saying that she had a few old cameras that she had rescued out of a house before they were sent to Goodwill. She knew that they needed a good home with someone who appreciated them, and not a 25 cent sticker on the back.

I followed her home to her house and inspected the box. “A few” cameras turned out to be a life-long collection of priceless antiques. The cameras dated back to the 1910s and up to the 50s. Not only were they taken care of like a collector would, but many of them still had their original leather case and instruction manuals.

I am giddy.

I am shocked.

I feel like I’ve just been handed the keys to a gold mine.

Below is the oldest of the cameras, the Kodak No. 2 Folding Cartridge Premo, manufactured between 1916 and 1926. Despite the fact that I was taking these pictures at 8:00 at night…aren’t the beauties?

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

To play Give Me Your Best Photo Story Friday, check this. Copy this code into your post and sign the link list:
<a href=”http://mychaosmybliss.blogspot.com” target=”_blank” <img src=”http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2526/4235120634_71d9399b5f_o.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”PhotoStory Friday” <br></a>;Hosted by <a href=”http://mychaosmybliss.com/” target=”_blank”>Cecily</a> and <a href=”http://www.betterinbulk.net” target=”_blank”>Lolli</a><br/> <div> </div></center>

Related posts:

1. Mommy Play Date (PSF-GMYBS)
2. Thoughtful Boy, Silly Boy – GMYBS
3. Butterfly House – GMYBS

The bloggers here in New York City are different than I was expecting. Wetter, in fact.

Actually, we are all wet and sweaty from the extreme heat and humidity here today. Hot doesn’t even begin to describe New York City today (and I’m an East Coaster, used to a humid climate).

The atmosphere at BlogHer so far has been very positive and excited. Not like this guy:

And I’ve only just begun. Tomorrow, my roomies and I will be heading on the BlogHer 5k (at 6:30?!) and then to a day full of classes and more parties. If I’m alive by the end of the day, I’ll update again with more details and pictures (I’m having issues tonight).

PS–the completely unedited pictures in this post were from the I Heart Faces photowalk that I went on this afternoon. It was fantastic to meet Angie from I Heart Faces (she is a doll!).

PPS–I have some exciting news! Cecily (the wonderful host of Photostory Friday) and I have decided to combine our memes a little more permanently.  It seems like there are many who participate in both GMYBS and PSF (and we love that you do!), so we figured it made sense. On the last Friday of every month, Cecily will continue to have a rotating guest host and I will have a simple Give Me Your Best Shot (of the Month!). We’re excited to bring our blogs together (I really love Cecily, in case I haven’t mentioned it lately).

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli 

To play Give Me Your Best Photo Story Friday, check this. Copy this code into your post and sign the link list:
<a href=”http://mychaosmybliss.blogspot.com” target=”_blank” <img src=”http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2526/4235120634_71d9399b5f_o.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”PhotoStory Friday” <br></a>;Hosted by <a href=”http://mychaosmybliss.com/” target=”_blank”>Cecily</a> and <a href=”http://www.betterinbulk.net” target=”_blank”>Lolli</a><br/> <div> </div></center>

Related posts:

1. Best of BlogHer 2010
2. Babies
3. Cooling Off….GMYBSPSF

This week’s set of favorite shots is from Saturday’s very HOT (107 degrees!) but very fun and relaxing wedding reception. The groom is a personal favorite of CandyMan and mine, and the bride just happens to be Reese’s counselor at camp. In short, we love these guys and their family. Despite the heat, we enjoyed the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay, good food, dancing, and a boat ride (AJ’s first!). But most of all, we enjoyed a few hours with friends (we were even willing to put up with a few hours of beach traffic to get there!). PS–click the thumbnails above to see the entire pictures.

Now it’s your turn. What did you do this week? For those of you who haven’t played along before, Give Me Your Best Shot is not a contest, and it’s for any level of photographer. It’s simply a fun way to show off the favorite picture (or favorites) that you’ve taken this week. Read to find out more about Give Me Your Best Shot….And come back to leave the link to your best shot below (please link to your actual Give Me Your Best Shot post). And Grab my button(s) here and link to me so that we can get more people to stop by!

PS–happily linked to Cecily’s PhotoStory Friday, too!

PPS–I finally have the winners of the Fracture Me giveaway! Congrats to: C @ Kid Things, Angie @ Seven Clown Circus, Mary @ Lil Bit of Us, Rory from The Sirius Black Attack, and Emily @ Baby Dickey!

Related posts:

1. Butterfly House – GMYBS
2. The Best Field Trip Ever – GMYBS and PSF
3. Thoughtful Boy, Silly Boy – GMYBS

Speaking of the pool, I invited two of my favorite twins with me to the pool this afternoon (and their mom, sister, and cousin…). They did swimmingly well for their first time in a pool this year.

Safire, Mommy to those adorable little guys, and I have been exercising together! After exercising on Tuesday morning, we found ourselves together again that night. After visiting our friend in the hospital, we decided that ice cream was the perfect way to top off a warm night. In the middle of eating my enormous waffle cone from Bruster’s (the best ice cream in the world) the humor in our situation dawned on me. Doesn’t it figure that I finally start exercising, and I celebrate by pigging out on ice cream?

It was totally worth it!

And you can believe that Safire and I will be pigging out some more when we go to BlogHer together in two weeks. Woot!

Today, Give Me Your Best Shot is once again teaming with Photostory Friday. Yay!

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

To play Give Me Your Best Photo Story Friday, check this. Copy this code into your post and sign the link list:
<center><a href=”http://mychaosmybliss.blogspot.com” mce_href=”http://mychaosmybliss.blogspot.com” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2526/4235120634_71d9399b5f_o.jpg” mce_src=”http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2526/4235120634_71d9399b5f_o.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”PhotoStory Friday” /></a><br/>Hosted by <a href=”http://mychaosmybliss.com/” mce_href=”http://mychaosmybliss.com/” target=”_blank”>Cecily</a> and <a href=”http://www.betterinbulk.net” mce_href=”http://www.betterinbulk.net” target=”_blank”>Lolli</a><br /> <p><br /></p></center>

Related posts:

1. I Can Feel It In The Air! GMYBSPSF
2. Percy Jackson in Washington DC? GMYBSPSF
3. Babies

This week, I caught a few pictures of my kids at the pool. If you haven’t heard me mention this before, I’ll mention it again: I adore my underwater camera. While it doesn’t take the greatest photos, the underwater shots can’t be duplicated any other way. And I certainly don’t want to get my nice camera anywhere near the water.  This week, AJ discovered that his goggles are magical. They allow him to go all the way underwater with his eyes open. Incredible! He couldn’t get enough of the pool once he figured that out.

Now it’s your turn. What did you do this week? For those of you who haven’t played along before, Give Me Your Best Shot is not a contest, and it’s for any level of photographer. It’s simply a fun way to show off the favorite picture (or favorites) that you’ve taken this week. Read to find out more about Give Me Your Best Shot….And come back to leave the link to your best shot below (please link to your actual Give Me Your Best Shot post). And Grab my button(s) here and link to me so that we can get more people to stop by!

PS–happily linked to Cecily’s PhotoStory Friday, too!

Related posts:

1. SOOC – Give Me Your Best Shot PSF
2. Trapped? – Give Me Your Best Shot
3. Yesterday. Give Me Your Best Shot

These pictures were not taken this week (or even this month), but since I’ve been been spending so much time on them, to get them edited and uploaded before tomorrow, I felt like sharing a few of my favorites from the special day.

Now it’s your turn. What did you do this week? For those of you who haven’t played along before, Give Me Your Best Shot is not a contest, and it’s for any level of photographer. It’s simply a fun way to show off the favorite picture (or favorites) that you’ve taken this week. Read to find out more about Give Me Your Best Shot….And come back to leave the link to your best shot below (please link to your actual Give Me Your Best Shot post). And Grab my button(s) here and link to me so that we can get more people to stop by!

PS–happily linked to Cecily’s PhotoStory Friday, too!

Related posts:

1. Yesterday. Give Me Your Best Shot
2. Trapped? – Give Me Your Best Shot
3. SOOC – Give Me Your Best Shot PSF

Last week, I was riding on a historic train, looking out at some of the most beautiful scenery in the country, and floating down the Lazy River on an inner tube.

Last week, I hardly blogged, I hardly worked, and I spent all day with my family.

Last week, I caught some amazing pictures, but even more importantly I captured some incredible memories.

This week, we’ve jumped into summer with both feet. The kids are in camp, I am trying to catch up on my to-do list, and our schedule is intense. I don’t think I took more than 5 pictures this week.

Instead, I’ve been packing lunches, doing laundry (I still haven’t caught up), driving kids here and there, cooking dinner, and all of those other things that Mommys do.

And now I am washing dishes by hand. As if maintaining the dishes for seven people weren’t bad enough with the dishwasher working, I have now deemed the dishwasher worthy only to hold clean, drying dishes. I spent no less than 2 hours at the sink tonight washing cups, bowls, silverware, pots, pans, ice cream scoops, measuring cups, plates (you get the picture) in hot soapy water that I had to renew every 12 minutes.

You can bet I’ve wished that I could relive some of last week again. And again.

PSST…don’t forget to vote!

What have you been up to this week? Have you caught any pictures that made you proud, or captured any memories that you don’t want to forget? Link up with your posts below!

Related posts:

1. Butterfly House – GMYBS
2. Give Me Your Best Shot (A Little Late)
3. Trapped? – Give Me Your Best Shot

On Wednesday, temperature mid-90s with high humidity, we set out for a morning stroll through the Hershey Gardens. Despite the heat, we were able to enjoy ourselves, especially during our walk through the Butterfly House. Botanical gardens are a photographer’s paradise. Since I’m away from my normal computer and my regular editing program, I will leave you with just one of my favorite shots:

Now it’s your turn. What did you do this week? For those of you who haven’t played along before, Give Me Your Best Shot is not a contest, and it’s for any level of photographer. It’s simply a fun way to show off the favorite picture (or favorites) that you’ve taken this week. Read to find out more about Give Me Your Best Shot….And come back to leave the link to your best shot below (please link to your actual Give Me Your Best Shot post). And Grab my button(s) here and link to me so that we can get more people to stop by!

PS–happily linked to Cecily’s PhotoStory Friday, too!

PPS–Today (Friday) is the LAST DAY to vote for Reese in the Ronzoni Pasta photo contest. Remember– anyone who votes is entered to win a $25 gift card. The first time you visit the site to vote, you will have to “register” your info, but for any subsequent vote you will just have to enter your email. It took me less than a minute. If you’re not sure which one is Reese, check out her animated photo on the announcement post. Thanks!!

One more thing: don’t forget to enter my latest giveaway, for $50 worth of great movies!

Related posts:

1. Summer Reception – GMYBS
2. Little Miss Expressive
3. The Best Field Trip Ever – GMYBS and PSF