Baby!!!!

Well as most of you now know, Dave and I will be having a little bambino in May! Due date is May 16, 2010. We are very excited! I realize now, more than ever, that our families are so far away. I would love to have them share in this amazing experience with us.
So, will will try to post more often so that you all can join us in this adventure.

Update:
I am currently 16 weeks along. We had our monthly appointment with Dr. Barrett today. It was a quickie. Listen to the heartbeat and answer any questions. The heartbeat was super strong. Dave said it sounded like a choo choo train. It is still sitting pretty low.
She gave me an ok to take Claritin D for my sinus headaches. Very thankful for that because the Benedryl knocks me out.
She also gave us my glucose drink. Due to the fact that mom had gestational diabetes during both of her pregnancies, I am more at risk. So when we come in for the next appointment, i have to drink the sugar water and get my blood taken.
But thats fine with me, because our next appointment is a special one. We will be getting our big ultrasound and will get to find out the gender!!! That appointment will be on Dec 23, just in time for the Holidays! We are heading to Baton Rouge right after the appointment to spend some time with the La family!

This is old but we get a new one soon!!!

A home for my paintings

Its late so this will be short. As some of you know, I started painting this year. And as most of you also know.. I am a beginner!! I have made a blog to show off my now projects. I'm running out of space, so if you see something you like, let me know!! Also, ANY feedback is good feedback!

http://melissalapsley.wordpress.com/

Is anyone out there???

By the way, all of my Europe pics are on Facebook, its was just too much trouble to put that many pics on here.

And, I plan on posting much more in the near future so... Look out!!!!

I'm headed to Europe!!!

So I will be leaving for Europe in 2 weeks! London, Paris, and Frankfurt. So excited and nervous. I will be going for work so I will be real busy. I wish David could come with me!!
I will do my best to post pics as I take them while I am there! I am so excited to have something REAL to blog about. So come back soon!!!!

Blackberry Curve 8330

Got my new Blackberry Curve this weekend. I love it soooo much!

It took Dave and I, about 3 hours to fully program it. But, Now we are good to go! If you have a Blackberry, send me your BB Messenger address or pin!!!

Paintings revealed

This past weekend I went home to Louisiana for Easter. We had a great time and actually ate crawfish 3 times (restaurant once and boiled twice). Dave also enjoyed his first Snowball. His favorite flavor is now Wedding Cake with Cream (2 layers).
We were actually able to spend time with old friends while we were home. We are usually strapped for time or without a vehicle.
Friday, we had lunch with mt old roommates Ashley & Natasha. They are both sooo pregnant and soooo cute. We had burritos at Izzo's! I would post a pic but I forgot to take one...grrrrrr.
I was able to give Ashley her painting. I was so excited and happy that she liked it! Check out pics at her blog!



Saturday, we went to Candice & Gary's and enjoyed some boiled crawfish and ring toss!





On Easter Sunday, we had a crawfish boil at my uncles house. We had a lot of fun "Bopping Eggs", an Easter Family Tradition.






I was able to give my cousin her painting/ wedding gift!




We had amazing trip home!!!

Painting #3

So I read today that you are not really an artist until you have done at least 50 paintings... so 3 down and 47 to go. So if you have any ideas or objects to inspire me... please send them my way. If you inspire a painting and like it, I'll give it to you! If not, someone else may claim it or I'll just paint over it and try again!! Pretty simple! No hard feelings!!

So the 3rd painting was inspired by my cousin Marcie. She envisioned an ever growing oak tree. Well after attempting many oak trees... this is the end product. (Note: NOT an oak tree!)
The original had roots growing from the heart. As in saying that strong, beautiful, and wonderful things can grow from love.





But I didn't like the look of the roots so I took them out. This is the tentative end product.

The red is still a little wet so it will dry a little bit darker and a may add a few final touches.

Update: Received an email from Marcie & Chris Buckle:
Approved! ;
We like it!! Of course Chris says you must sign and date it!
I love that you took my conceptual idea and expressed it in your own way…now THAT’s an artist!
Love you much dear!
Marcie

So the "Growing Heart" is taken!
More to come!

Hanging with the Lapsley's: Painting #2

Hanging with the Lapsley's: Painting #2

Painting #2

Well painting Number 2 is complete. I was working on something else and was having a hard time wrapping my head around out so this came out instead. It is an African symbol: BIN NKA BI.
This one is for David!
This is the finished product but its hard to see the detail because the polyurethane makes it so shiny!

And here is Mom's first painting during our visit last weekend!!!!!!

I'm an Artist... well on my way at least

AS most of you know, I am a hobby trier. I have started many hobbies through the beginner phase.
Lets see, There was working at the Humane Society. Then there was Bike Riding. Then there was jogging. Then there was Wii & Wii Fit. Then there was cake decorating (although I still do and enjoy that). I enjoy cooking. Recently I have wanted to buy a sewing machine to begin sewing (or learning how to sew). There are most likely more that I am forgetting...
Well the Hobby of the week is Painting. Acrylic on Canvas.

It all started when my oldest and bested friend, Ashley found out she was going to be having a baby. I remembered something she used to say when were were, like 4 years old.
And I knew that I wanted to get her something with that on it. Well It was easy enough to find bits and pieces of the saying but not all the aspects that I wanted.
So that led to the idea "Hey, I'll just paint it myself"
So I went to the local artist supply store and stacked up all kind of stuff that I had not idea how to use..
Then I just did it! So far, I have loved the process of painting.
Today, my lovely husband help me set up a little studio space so that I dont have paint laying around the entire house.
Here is a pic of my studio:



And here is a pic of my starting my first paint project "Hayden's Moon"





I will allow Ashley to post the final pic once she has recieved it, so no sneak peaks. I hope it is perfect for Hayben, but if not at least I had a blast doing it. On to Project #2!!!
Love
Mel

My new favorite dairy free milk!!

Well as most of you know, David and I are pescetarians (Vegetarians that eat fish). Although we currently still use eggs and milk and other animal products, just not meat.
I took my first trip to



It was not all that I have heard it was but it was pretty cool. There are lots of things that you can't find very often at very reasonable prices. Especially for us vegetarians.
Anyway, I have discovered my new favorite milk beverage. I have been wanting to stop drinking milk for a while but I HATE Soy Milk. Something about it just doesn't do it for me. I decided to try Almond milk. Tonight I tried




and it was wonderful.
So for all of you vegetarians or lactose intolerant folks (Ashley). Give it a shot. You will not regret it. Oh, and while we are talking about almonds and Blue Diamond products...you gotta try these also.

Jalapeno Smokehouse Almonds

 

Just wanted to post a pic from my cousin's wedding last month! Marcie and Chris Buckle are offically married! Yay! It was a great wedding and it was great to spend time with the family in Baton Rouge!
Aren't we pretty!!!???!!!

Facebook!

My homies Zach & Collie rockin out with Ashley Arrison!
Check em out! Word

Oregon

Well, we are back from our vacation to Oregon. Wow, What a trip! The Lapsley family is a hoot!
Itinerary:
Dave was in LA, so Sat we both flew to Vegas. Hopped on a plane and headed for Portland. From there we picked up our rental car (I won't go into that story..ugh) and headed on our 4 hour trip to Redmond!
This is what the road looked like on the way to Redmond...



Once safely in Redmond... we hung out for a few days. We were snowed in on Monday, so we spend the day playing games and catching up.



On Tuesday, we went skiing at Hoodoo. It was a great day. Snowed the entire day which kept fresh powder on the ground.
You can go to www.youtube.com/thelapsleys to check out some video footage!



The rest of the week, we just hung out with family and played Wii!