Oh...you guys. Summer was LONG this year. And I love summer. I love having my kids home. It wasn't them. It was me. To be perfectly precise...it was me taking on too much. WHAT?! Who does that? Surely none of you - ever! But now they are back in school. Projects are ending and I am READY for some fun and excitement!!! Are you with me?! I thought I would throw it back old-school to my very first challenge ever and go with a Cutter Challenge! But instead of making you all use the same shape... you get to choose from all the cutters I've designed this year!! Before I tell you the rules...let me tell you about the prizes! Because...well..prizes. So much more fun.

When I was in fourth grade, we learned fractions with the help of the future. And by that I mean - Laser Discs. They were a precursor to DVDs...but were the size of a record. FOR THE LOVE DO NOT ask me what a record is. In my ten years of wisdom, I was absolutely certain that these Laser Discs were going to change the world. They were going to be everywhere. I was going to have an entire collection of Laser Discs at my disposal and I would lie on a couch somewhere desperately trying to get them to "scan" through to the next chapter and finally achieve half-hearted success and be thrilled out of my mind. My young brain could see it all.

Oh... I bet you guys thought I forgot about Fantastic Finds! I totally didn't. I have an entire basket full of fun finds that still need to be tested to determine whether they are fantastic or not. But after trying the PenBlade this week to hand cut some cookies....gah! I couldn't wait any longer to share it with you!

Is there any chance I could talk you all out of the "Ugly Sweater" thing again this year? I am prepared to offer you this pajama tutorial, half a box of frozen yogurt tubes and the 17 cents that I found under the couch last night in exchange for your support in eradicating a trend that brings back holiday sweater fashion that even the 1980's refused to accept.

Hello. You have reached the LilaLoa blog.

Sometimes (always) at the end of the day, I just want to lay down on the couch and look at pictures of beautiful cookies and pretend that feeding my kids popcorn for dinner is totally a legit parenting decision. And sometimes I find a picture of gorgeous cookies that makes me completely forget all of my parenting decisions -- good and bad.

Can we just talk about play-dough for a minute? I just need a little help understanding how in the world this...this... playtime plague came into the world.

You guys. I think I need an intervention. My plant habit is out of control. I'm like a child waiting for the tooth fairy. Every morning I run outside to see if my seeds have come up or if my plants have any new leaves...and just like that poor, sad, nameless child...nothing seems to have happened in my sleep. (I mean...hypothetically, right? The tooth fairy would NEVER EVER forget to come and replace that piece of oral debris with shiny, magical treasure of love and excitement. Never.....ever.....ever.)

Oh my goodness. It's like winter JUST won't go away this year. I mean...I like the guy and all, but sometimes he's just a little too clingy, you know? Like, maybe take some time to find yourself and get a hobby. YOU'LL be happier, I'LL be happier. And when we finally come back together again...in say NOVEMBER...our relationship will be all the more stronger for the time away. But this insecurity, this weird need to remind me over and over again that you still exist? I'm over it. Take your snow and go.

Do you ever look back at your past self and wonder what they would think about your present self?