World According to Shia

Today was my niece Marissa's first day of kindergarten! My sister Nicole sent this to me this morning.   Notice her cute damask bookbag.  Last year I bought her a black and white damask book bag ...this year she picked out brown and purple but she still picked damask...she is indeed mini Shia!

So before blog posts become posts, they start off usually as a list of ideas, possibly a rough draft I hand wrote when I was feeling inspired but not sitting in front of my computer, possibly an idea from an article from a magazine that I felt like I wanted to add my own spin to, etc.  Needless to say, I have notepads, articles, drafts, lists, etc all over the place.  Until now!  With the help of a file folder I snagged from work my blog stuff has become EXTREMELY organized.  Here comes the crafty part...I took this ugly blue folder which screams...WORK...and transformed it into a masterpiece.  I know what you are thinking...damask damask damask...hold onto your seats folks...I stepped outside of the box! Here is what the folder originally looked like.... Now here is the front... Marissa helped me pick out the paper =) There are quiet a few separating sections ... here is the first one... To the left are some drafts of an article I am wr...

My niece, Marissa (aka Mini Shia), is five.  I can't believe how big she has gotten, it just seems like yesterday when my mom was calling me to tell me that Nicole was in labor.  When she was born and I held her for the first time I thought...one day you'll be riding in my car listening to music and chatting up a storm.  Well those days are here.  =)  I told her not to long go that one day she will be too cool to hang out with her Auntie Circle.  She told me that she'll be my best friend forever.   1) This was her first ice cream cone...well her first taste of an ice cream cone...it was actually MY ice cream cone and I had the hardest time getting it back from her....she wasn't even 1 yet! 2) Cuteness at the pumpkin patch! 3) Marissa has won several beauty pageants this was her after her first one with all of her trophies and her crown. 4&5) Christmas pictures from last Christmas.   Happy Birthday Marissa!!!! Love Auntie Circle...

{click on the collage to see it bigger} Last Sunday I went to the zoo with my sisters and all my nieces.  We had a blast.  Marissa and Leah wore their matching outfits I got them.  The whole time I kept saying....I should have gotten Kaelyn one too!  Kaelyn was so cute.  She kept saying I see I see...and when I would kneel down to look with her she would  kneel down too.  She would tell all of the animals...bye bye when we were leaving I think she thought they would actually say bye back.  Kaelyn peeking through the wood posts was hilarious....Debra leaned over to get the pic of her lil face smooshed between the posts. Nicole asked me to stop on the way and get Leah some sunglasses!  They were the cutest thing ever!  She loved wearing them!  Leah was also wearing one of the bibs I made for her...it said ... My Aunties love me! Marissa and I walked around and I one point she was amazed that I knew all the...

So Nicole emailed me some before and after photos of Marissa's room aka her office...lol. Yikes!  Her room isn't normally THIS bad! So I am thinking this is the mess required for the organization. You know pulling everything out to organize and put away. Here's the after!   I imagine Marissa is looking under her bed in amazement... NOTHING under there!!! Mad props to my sister (of a 4yr old and a 7 mo old) to find time to make this magic happen. Don't forget if you have office decor or before and after pics...send them to me! shialovesherpurses@gmail.com

Marissa being silly. We went to McDonalds and this is her happy meal toy.   After countless requests for a different my little pony she finally  ended up with one that she liked. I just love her style..don't you?  Also, notice she couldn't take her eyes off the cake. Leah  Diet coke addition starting young? Marissa wearing the necklace I gave her for Christmas.   You can't really see it in the picture but it has a tinkerbell charm and a M charm.  

So here are a few pictures from that exciting day with the zoo trip, playground...more playground....

The amount of energy my 4 year old niece has is amazing.  Today she got up early like 7 am to meet have Christmas pictures taken...then trip to Santa...more pics...then Circle and Marissa off to the zoo...playground....more zoo...ride to Circle's house...napped in the car for about 45 mins....playground...played on the steps in the pool...more playground....now she's running around the living room with Daisy.  How does she have all this energy?  It is INSANE!  Nicole we need to figure out how to bottle this and become millionaires.  Now the Wizard of Oz is on TBS...hopefully this wears her down...PUH=PLEASE...Aunt Circle can't keep up!!

She had to steal the show at gift opening time and show off her horse. This thing really moves! I just love her cute lil face! When Marissa rides in my car she wants to hear the "Barbie Song" so I made her a CD with the "Barbie Song" (Barbie Girl by Aqua) and some Disney Princess songs. So she got a gift too at Kaelyn's birthday party. Plus, you know Aunt Circle...I had to jazz it up. I couldn't use puff paint so I decked it out with some Disney Princess stickers.

Starting position Her "solo"...she's the blurry one in the front..."no flash photography allowed" ...I'm just surprised these pictures came out at all. After the show, Marissa posed for the camera...too cute!

Simply Mad about Marissa! I adore my little niece Marissa and today is her 4th birthday. The first picture was taken when she was just 2 weeks old, it feels like yesterday but she's growing up. I'm getting her a bike for her birthday! So Happy Birthday Monkey ~~~ Love Auntie Circle! Can't wait to give you a big hug Saturday when I see you at your birthday party!

Marissa and Kaelyn - Kaelyn's First Christmas

Frosty, Me, Kaelyn, Paul and Marissa