Something new...

In case you haven't noticed I haven't been blogging much lately.

It's not because my belly is a-growing by the second.

It's not because I'm planning something AWESOME with Blessed Nest and BYOG. (trust me you'll love it!!)

It's not because I have some fun videos coming out with She's Crafty and She's Cookin'.

It's not because I'm prepping for the OC Marketplace with Sweet Lily Tutus this Sunday. (4/18 in Costa Mesa. Come visit!!)

Or because the weather is finally good and I've been kicking it at the park with Bosh Images!

It's because something new is coming at Eli's Lids!!

A new website.

A new beach tee.

And a new Summer Lid!

Forget those lame bucket hats...

You expect more out of us right!?!?!?!

You'll love our new style... but I can't show you yet!

Stay tuned: Our Summer Lid will debut the first week in May.

Dumb Donald - Wordless Wednesday

Cora Jane loves puting Lids on all by herself.

Sometimes they are inside out...

Sometimes she is just silly!

Does that remind you on anyone?

Who knew?

I should have known Cora Jane's fashion was inspired by the 70's after her love of the jumpsuit when Eli found the Easter bunny's house last year!!

More Wordless Wednesday fun visit Angry Julie and here.

Happy Easter from our eggs...

Eggcellent time this year decorating eggs with feathers, googlie eyes  and glitter. (Finally found a hard boiled egg recipe that works!!)

 Got up for the 7am service. We were actually on time... shocking!!

We (us and the family we went with) were the only people with kiddos. But they did great amidst all the older folks.

I  even broke out the pearls...

Pretend City and Bosh Images Photography Worshop

We have winners!
Monica from Modern Peanut won the Family 4 pack to Pretend City!

Soni from the Stringbean Company won the Bosh Images Photography Workshop!

Thanks for playing everybody. 
I wish I had prizes for all.
Speaking of prizes...
I have a little secret (no mom, we aren't having twins!). Blessed Nest, BYOG and Eli's Lids are planning something fun especially for our fellow Mom Bloggers. 
Details coming at the end of the month. 
Launch date Mother's Day!!!

Easter at dippin' dots

Our first Easter activity was last Sunday over at dippin' dots in Fountain Valley!

The Easter bunny was there!

The crew was all there...

 Have you heard of dippin' dots??

It's ice cream in little balls.

Super Fun.

Super Yummy.

Everybody loves em'.

I had banana split, Hot Hubby got Snickers and the kiddos got their usual... RAINBOW!!
Here is a lesson on how to eat them so you are prepared:

Most folks can just eat them with a spoon...

If you have a little trouble, you can fill your spoon then pick the dots off the spoon with your fingers...

Or you can just use your fingers...

Or forget everything and do this...

"You're Welcome!!!"

You never know who you'll spot at dippin' dots.
Of course you'll see Debbie the dippin' dot woman and if you're lucky you might catch Angry Julie with Angry Toddler chomping on some dots! (Adam the Dad was there too!)

Thanks for the Easter celebration dippin' dots! Can't wait to visit again!

Need some last minute Easter basket tips. Check out my post over at Blessed Nest here!

Anniversary review

I like my hubby.

A lot.

People always comment on how happy we are.

Probably because we make-out in public

Really.

Our marriage is a huge priority.

Someday our kiddos will be grown up and we'll just have each other... gasp!

We gotta stay connected now so we won't be in therapy later.

Really!

On our actual anniversary we went to:

Sushi Box is a TINY hole-in-the-wall place in Costa Mesa. A friend recommended it as a "cheap good sushi place." We got all this food for under $20...

It's about 10 square feet and the decor was... unique. But the place was hoppin'.

Then we headed on over to the Orange County Performing Arts Center to see the Bolshoi Ballet in Don Quixote. We (yep, we) love the Performing Arts Center! There is just something so fun about getting dressed up for a live performance... no matter what it is! (FYI Hairspray will be there April 6th-11th & The Lion King, May 26th- June 13th!)
After the show we cruised to The Melting Pot for dessert!

$15 gets you a small fondue pot and loads of goodies to dip into it. Yum!!

The highlight of our anniversary was taking a weekend away in Palm Springs.

Sans kiddos.

As in lay out by the pool all day with a book.

It was awesome... REALLY!

We stayed at the Andreas Hotel and Spa.

It's beautiful (think old Hollywood meets Mediterranean) and downtown so we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go... unless we were at the in-house pool or spa of course!

Read all about it in my whrrl story... Warning: a giant bathtub is involved!

Powered by Whrrl

Eli's Lids - How to shape the brim

The shipping and the wash can flatten or curve the brim on our Snowboarder Lid. Here's how to get your brim looking perfect! 

The more your lil' guy (or gal) wears the Lid the better shape it will have!

Eli's Lids - Shaping the Brim from Kara Noel Lawson on Vimeo.
(Did you notice Eli's shadow on the left??? He is picking his nose at the end!!! How can I not be inspired by that little guy?)

Shop Lids here!

Bosh Images Workshop Giveaway!

Remember Bosh Images? (If you don't get updated here.)

I'm beyond excited  for this giveaway!

REALLY!!

Do you want to learn how to take pictures like this:

or this?

After a hands-on-all-day-workshop from Noel and Mali at Bosh Images you will be able to!

Or at least be closer than you were before!

Win this workshop right now!! (you don't need a blog to enter just leave a comment)

Here are the workshop details...
When: Saturday, April 24th
Location: Orange County exact place TBA
Time: 10-2pm
Includes: Hand-on Class, Delicious Lunch, Practice Photo shoot, and endless encouragement from Mali and Noel.
$175.00 value!!!
Go here and click on "the class" at the bottom for some Q & A about the workshop!


Here's How You Win...
*****MUST be a Southern California Resident or willing to travel to Orange County, CA for the workshop!!!*****
Main entry (mandatory): Click on over to Bosh Images blog OR Bosh website OR the Anytime Art site, OR Mali's site (whew!) then come back here and let me know one of your favorite shots in a comment! (note: you just need to go to one site... just giving loads of options to see their AMAZING work!!)
In addition to the main entry you can get loads of extra entries if you...
~Subscribe to the Bosh Images blog RSS Feed in the navigation bar. (3 entries)
~Follow Bosh Images on twitter HERE! Leave your Twitter ID in the comment or let me know you already follow (2 entries)
~Tweet about the giveaway, can be done daily. Copy and paste this for the tweet: "So Cal residents!! Learn how to use that camera with this free photo workshop w/ @boshimages here http://bit.ly/dcjk8J $175 value!" (3 entries per day)
~Facebook about the giveaway with a link to this post! (3 entries per day)
~Follow the Eli's Lids blog (2 entries)
~Follow Eli's Lids on Twitter, leave your Twitter ID in the comment or let me know you already do (1 entry)
For every extra entry, be sure to leave a separate comment on this post! i.e. If you tweet about the giveaway leave 3 separate comments.
***Giveaway open one week! Ends Thursday April 1st 9:00pm PST. Which leaves plenty of time to buy the workshop if
Whether you win or buy the workshop, it won't be long till you are doing this...

We Are Everywhere!

My picture graced the pages of OC Family last month.
When I showed my mom, her exact words were,
"Is that it?"
The picture is the size of a postage stamp...
but it's still there!!
Here is the cover with my lovely friend Suz on the cover and my cute lil' postage stamp...

This month I was also in the magazine. This time my pic was more of small label size.
I'm moving up!!
Maybe if I get any professional shots I'll get to be centerfold!
(Any photographers want to shoot me for free?)
Ha!
Cover and me with my blogger friends...

Pick up a FREE copy of OC Family almost anywhere. I get mine at Juice it Up. They are a great resource for OC moms!!
Click on the She's Crafty button in my sidebar to see all my posts!!

I've just started writing for the new Orange County Moms Blog.
Check out my first post. It's a tongue and cheek Guide to NOT Parenting.
I'll be posting there a few times a month. Click on this button in my sidebar for a direct link to all my posts.

You know I love the gals at Blessed Nest!

I've just started sharing tips there about living debt free. Getting into debt doesn't happen overnight... it's all those "Little Things" that add up. Visit Blessed Nest often by clicking on the button (pictured below) in my sidebar for quick tips you can use to get out of the red and into the black!

My first post is about the awesomeness of buying used on the Net.

Eli's Lids was featured on Scout - A Mom's Guide to Stylish Living.
Who can blame them?
Our Lids ROCK!!
See the post here with our Lids included in a list of Cool things for little boys.

Whew... we really are everywhere!!

From my lil’ Leprechauns

If leprechauns come to you house on St. Patty’s Day they may…
… Flip things in the house upsidedown
…Make all the potty water green (thanks for that tip Andrea!)
…Cause the morning eggs to turn green
See:

Will you be wearing green or orange today?
We’ll be in green because of the American tradition with sprigs of orange because of our religious views!
Have no clue what I’m talking about? Read this and this.

Happy Birthday Katie B!!