Jewelry Box

Goodbye.

2011-10-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

To be blunt - I don't want to blog anymore.

I'm sure you know my reasons without me having to write them down.

Perhaps one day in the not so distance future, if we've moved to Chicago or Johannesburg or Mumbai, I'll dust off the ol' girl and share our new world with the, uh, world. But for now, I'm just going to focus on the happiness of this:

Our Happy Trio

Low Budget Halloween Make-up

2011-09-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

Learn from us:

Eating an entire bag of dried blueberries makes your mouth look a little scary. With this face, who needs a Halloween costume?!

Santa is Real. So is Elmo.

2011-09-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Watch this video.

I bet you'll forget in five seconds flat that Elmo is just a puppet manipulated by a man. I did. I watched this and cried. Yes, cried. I think every expectant mother would do just about anything to have a picture of her pregnant belly being hugged by Elmo. Wouldn't that look amazing in a nursery??

I can't wait to see the the documentary "Being Elmo" that opens next month.

Seasonally-Challenged

2011-09-13T19:32:00.000-07:00

4pm at the Cook House

Nikki hunts for Halloween decorations in the garage.

Nate plays in his backyard pool.

Pumpkins become pool toys.

We're seasonally-challenged.

To New York, With Love

2011-09-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a day of mourning and remembering. But today, I honor New Yorkers for their plunky spirit. There's nothing quite like The Big Apple (do only tourists call it that??).

PS - after watching this video, click on the red box in the right corner to see a previous improv video that's equally as awesome!

A Milestone

2011-09-02T23:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Nate,

I wish you could stay small forever. I want to wrap you up in a blanket and cuddle with you -- yes, I know, I know --you didn't even like doing that when you were a baby. Still, I can't help it. You'll always be my little peanut. I know it's inevitable but try not to grow up SO fast, okay?

Hugs and Kisses,

Mommy

Honest Abe

2011-08-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

Earlier in the summer I read the book With Malice Toward None which is a biography of Abraham Lincoln. It was written by Stephen B. Oates in the 1970s and is often cited as the best one-volume biography of our 16th president. I found it to be very interested and haven't stopped thinking about the book and poor Mr. Lincoln since I finished it. I say "poor" because, to be blunt, his life stunk. Hardship after hardship. He endured it all for the love of his country. Very, very admirable but, seriously, he must have felt miserable most of the time. I wonder what he would think about this book? Or (more importantly - ha!) what he'd think about this (note: not suitable for children):

Good grief. Okay, ignoring that - I'm excited about the upcoming Steven Spielberg movie that stars Daniel Day Lewis as Mr. Lincoln. That should be good. Just call me a history nerd.

Thursday Threes.

2011-08-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

There's a theme to today's installment of Thursday Threes.

One.

Via

We have become addicted to the Food Network show "Chopped" this summer. If you haven't watched it, let me explain the premise: 4 chefs compete to create a dish using mystery ingredients 3 times (appetizer, entree, dessert) in 20-30 minutes. At the end of the dessert round, there's only 1 chef remaining and she/he wins 10 grand. The show moves at a fast pace (typical game/reality show) but our favorite aspect is the mystery ingredients because most of the time Lee and I say out loud "what the heck is that?!" And then they throw in weird stuff, like the time cherry-flavored cough drops were in the "mystery basket" (you know, the candy-like ones that aren't really medicinal).

Two.

Aaron Sanchez - my favorite Chopped judge

Via

Gee, I wonder why my pants have become tight? Could it be because I watch one episode of "Chopped" every night? Watching cooking shows around 9pm makes me hungry and I inevitably end up grabbing a snack during the commercial break. Soooo, in summary : our summer of "Chopped" + slower metabolism of a 40-year old = weight gain.

Three.


These are sunchokes. I'd never heard of them before Chopped. See, tv is educational!

Via

It's also a tiny bit gratifying to see trained chefs make simple mistakes that I make all the time such as overcooking pasta and not thoroughly cleaning artichokes. Apparently, even CIA graduates can still have sloppy cooking techniques....that makes me feel better. I'm mean, I know.

The Sun Sets on My Sunflowers. Sniff, Sniff.

2011-08-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

Well, my sunflower garden has been a lovely addition to our backyard the last 3-4 months but things are starting to wind down. Most of the flowers have withered and the leaves are starting to brown due to the current heatwave. I've really enjoyed my sunflowers and am sad to see them go. Here are photos I've taken of them over the summer....you can enjoy them while I shed a tear and play sad music in my head:

Our {Summer} World

2011-08-11T06:52:00.000-07:00

What we're up to these days:

Painting.


Swimming.

Sheet rides on the grass.


Cleaning the house exterior.


Drinking root beer floats.

More swimming.

Is There a Support Group for California Residents?

2011-08-09T22:43:00.000-07:00

We have a love-hate relationship, California and I.

On the day it took me 45 minutes to drive to and from my local post office (2.9 miles each way), I was ready to call the moving van company.

But then I see a video like the one below and I remember how beautiful, how enchanting this state is. Ugh! Oh California -- why do you treat me so poorly one day and then act all sweet and innocent the next? You're like a bad teenage boyfriend.

A Day in California from Ryan Killackey on Vimeo.

I Thought We Got Lucky. Nope.

2011-07-29T20:09:00.000-07:00

Somebody promptly turned three:

and the next day,

began the Terrible Twos phase (late bloomer??).

Boys: Dirt Magnets

2011-07-28T12:20:00.001-07:00

Soap is our friend.

Herb Quinoa

2011-07-22T02:35:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for any recipe containing feta cheese and herbs. Combined, they deliver a punch of flavor. Add in any type of grain or pasta (quinoa, couscous, barley, etc) and I'm sold. That's why I saved this recipe. Oh and it was a big plus that I didn't have to turn on the oven :)

Quinoa Toss with Chickpeas and Herbs

(courtesy of Good Housekeeping Magazine)

1 C. quinoa

2 C. chicken or vegetable broth

2 ears fresh corn or 1 C. frozen corn, thawed

1 15-oz. can chickpeas

1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese

1/4 C. finely chopped sweet onion

3 Tbsp. snipped fresh basil

2 Tbsp. snipped fresh Italian parsley

1/4 C. olive oil

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 C. diced, cooked beets

Romaine leaves

Rinse quinoa in fine mesh sieve under cold running water, drain. In saucepan bring broth to boiling. Add quinoa. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 15 mins. or until broth is absorbed. Remove from heat; set aside to cool.

Cut corn from cobs. Rinse and drain chickpeas. In bowl combine quinoa, corn, chickpeas, cheese, onion, and herbs. For dressing, in bowl whisk together oil, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add to quinoa mixture; toss to coat.

Cover and let stand at least 1 hour, or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving. Stir in beets just before serving. Serve in bowls lined with romaine leaves. Makes 8 (1-cup) servings.

My notes: This was a little more time consuming that other recipes I've put on my blog. First of all, who has a fine sieve for quinoa? Quinoa is too tiny for my normal sieve so I had to use a teeny one I use mostly for straining tea leaves and lemon juice so I had to rinse the quinoa in portions (it looked ridiculous). That was a little annoying; I hadn't read that part before starting the recipe. Also, I ended up having to use frozen corn (it was fine) and a regular purple onion (the sweet one would have been better). The other time consuming part was the chopping/snipping -- have I stated before that I stink at chopping? I'm slow and I don't cut up everything evenly. I'm trying to get better but I'm still slow. It takes a while to snip 5 tablespoons of herbs. Maybe I was being too particular. Anyway, Lee looked alarmed when he saw me add the beets at the end (he doesn't like beets -- I did not know this. It's funny how you continually learn things about your spouse). But the beets were really more for color than flavor, in my opinion. Lee didn't have a problem with them.

Who Needs a Dog When You've Got a Bear?

2011-07-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

Nate and Ruby are still best friends (go here for more on their relationship). Doesn't the baseball cap make Nate look like a little BOY and not a toddler??

Nate and Ruby: The Early Years

Park Talk

2011-07-15T20:00:00.000-07:00

Boy at the park: "We're playing Harry Potter tag. Don't let Malfoy touch you -- he's it and he's evil."

Me: "Are you going to see the movie this weekend?"

Boy at the park: "Yes! Is he seeing it (nudges toward Nathan)?"

Me: "No, he's too little."

Nate, wanting to join the conversation: "Hi Harry Potter!"

Boy at the park: "Even the PG one?"

Me: "Uh, yeah, he's still too little."

Boy at the park: "He could see Winnie the Pooh... "(then he runs away)

Nate: "That was interesting!"

Whatever you say, little man.

Mmmmm Meatloaf

2011-07-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

I've tried several meatloaf recipes over the years and I believe the one below is the best. It's incredibly basic but flavorful. The key ingredient: horseradish. I know, it's a little odd but trust me when I say it's really good. Give it a try - you won't regret it (and if you wrinkle your nose as you measure out the horseradish, that's okay because that's what I do too.) Here's the recipe and my alterations are below:

Full disclosure: mint sprig added to make this photo look somewhat professional

Mom's Meatloaf

(courtesy of FoodNetwork.com / Diners Drive-In and Dives)

1 tsp. prepared horseradish

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 lb. ground beef, moistened

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 egg

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 C. bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the horseradish, mustard, salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix ground beef, onion, egg, and Worcestershire sauce. Add contents of small bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the bread crumbs and combine well.

Place mixture into a 1-lb. loaf pan. Pour ketchup over top and place in oven. Bake uncovered for 45-60 mins. Makes 4 servings.

My alterations: I've made this with 1 tsp. horseradish (as directed) and with two. I think doubling the horseradish is the way to go. I also have made this with beef and with ground turkey. We prefer the turkey version. I've only used regular bread crumbs but I'm thinking the Italian crumbs might be interesting. I also use whatever onion I have on hand -- yellow, purple, etc. And if you're in sweltering weather somewhere else in the US (it was a lovely 76 degrees here today - not to rub your nose in it or anything) and you don't want to eat hot meatloaf, use the leftovers for cold meatloaf sandwiches; they're yummy!

Swag Bag

2011-07-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

I went to the Hallmark store a few weeks ago to buy a bunch of birthday cards. This is the paper bag my purchase came in:

Isn't it sweet? I just loved that little bird and that yellow-purple -white combo. I couldn't toss the bag in the recycle bin. But what to do with it? I thought about it for a few days and came up with this little hostess gift:

I cut out the bird portion of the bag, typed out that little "for you!" balloon, and glued the whole thing on a glass jar (that used to contain peaches). Inside the jar are herbs from our garden -- mint, basil, and rosemary. Simple...and somebody else now gets to enjoy little Chester (couldn't help it - I named the bird).
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I'm linking up this post to:

Thursday Threes.

2011-07-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

One.

(source)

Yippee for a new season of "So You Think You Can Dance." It's hard to believe this is Season #8. There have been so many fabulous dancers on this show over the years and I've sat in front of my tv and cried a few times over the emotional routines (anyone remember this dance about surviving breast cancer? I balled my eyes out at that one). And, of course, part of the fun is tuning in to see what Cat Deeley, the show's hostess, is going to wear. I like Cat. I think we could be friends. We could go out to eat and she'd take me shopping at Fred Segal and I'd take her shopping at, um, Sears and JC Penneys. Hmm, maybe this friendship isn't destined to be....

Two.

(source)

For those of you outside of the Los Angeles area, let me fill you in on a little bit of local news. This upcoming weekend will be a challenging one for Angelenos. In fact, it's being nicknamed Carmageddon and Carpocalypse (we like drama or sound bites or nicknames....or anything else that gets us attention). Basically, a 10-mile stretch of one of our busiest freeways will be closed down for 53 hours (Fri thru Sun) for a construction project and people are talking about it as if the entire city will crumble before our very eyes. Over 50,000 cars normally drive on this freeway on a typical weekend. So will the shutdown bring LA to a standstill? In my opinion, probably not. But it will cause a lot of driving headaches as people seek out alternative routes. OR maybe it'll turn out to be the Y2K of 2011 (remember that bag of hot air???)

Three.

This is what 95 looks like. Not bad, huh? Nate and I attended a surprise party on Wednesday for our dear Auntie Ruth (our next-door-neighbor, relative, and friend). Lighting 95 candles on a cake isn't an easy task. Blowing them out is even harder. (poor Ruth). I think Nate said "Happy Birthday" and "Surprise, Auntie Ruth!" about 50 times. That boy loves a party.

2011-07-10T01:37:00.000-07:00

We've watched this video maybe 50 times. That's a lot. Lee and I were waaayy over it back around the teens or 20s. Nate, on the other hand, still requests to see it. Every day. "Nate to watch baby laughing," he says excitedly. And now Nate has to rip paper along with the baby in this video. He rips it, looks at me and does a fake hysterical laugh while the video plays. This must be the 21st century version of what I used to do as a kid -- insist on eating a carrot while watching Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Favorite Summer Visual

2011-07-07T02:32:00.000-07:00

When I see this, I feel happy:

I love seeing bathing suits hanging in the bathroom to dry. It means summer is here and ~~kids~~ everyone is having fun in the sun!

No Crusts

2011-07-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

One morning I was about to tell Nate "hey buddy, the crusts are the best part of cinnamon toast!" when I noticed Lee's plate. Like father, like son??

Flourless PB Cookies

2011-06-25T07:41:00.000-07:00

I happened upon the Food Network show "5 Ingredient Fix" by accident and was intrigued by the idea of using only 5 ingredients for every dish of a meal. As long as you're not sacrificing flavor or nutrients, who doesn't like shortcuts?? Of course, the first recipe I wanted to try from the show had to be a sweet treat. Actually, I thought these cookies sounded slightly healthier than store-bought cookies.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

1 C. natural peanut butter (no added sugar - yea!)

1 C. sugar

1 lg. egg, lightly beaten

1 Tsp. vanilla extract

coarse sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients except sea salt. Place rounded scoops on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten each scoop a little and make hatch marks on the top using a fork. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. Bake for approx. 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.

*My adjustments: I used almond butter instead of peanut butter because of the added nutritional benefits of almonds. Note that almond butter is more expensive than regular PB. I also used 1/2 Tsp. almond extract and 1/2 Tsp. vanilla extract in place of the whole Tsp. of vanilla. I used Trader Joe's organic sugar because we had it in the pantry and it worked out fine, although it may have produced a "grainier" cookie than if I had used regular sugar. Some reviewers on the Food Network website had success with Splenda for a sugar-fee version but that would be grainy too. For decoration I placed 1 chocolate chip in the center of my cookies before baking. The recipe says it only makes 18 cookies but I believe I made mine with smaller scoops of dough -- I think I got 24-30 cookies (hard to tell since we've eat a lot of them).

**Review: All 3 of us liked these cookies a lot! Nate is satisfied with just one after dinner and Lee & I will eat 1 or 2 with a cup of coffee. The flavor is intense because of the lack of flour and we liked that. The salt was a nice touch but didn't make or break the cookie so you could skip that part if you wanted. Overall, I think we've found a new PB cookie recipe.

We Interrupt Your Midlife for a Crisis

2011-06-22T15:40:00.000-07:00

It's official. A few weeks ago, this happened:

(source)

That photo above is not actually my cake. Remember, I was going to ~~over~~ indulge in this ~~monstrosity~~ deliciousness? It took 5 adults and 1 child to eat 2 pieces of that cake. We survived. Just barely. I have the tight pants to prove it.

Anyhoo, my birthday was lovely. There was music, family, gifts, food, and a little bit of alcohol (to numb the pain). So now I've moved on from this monumental achievement (ha!) and, no, I'm not having a midlife crisis. That title was just to get your attention.

I'll be back soon with a couple recipes, a craft or two, and more family stories to share....in the meantime, remember: Life is Beautiful.

Happy Birthday Song

2011-06-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

We love you, Aunt KJ! Have a happy birthday!

Where a Kid Can be a Kid

2011-06-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Nate ran up to Lee and stated very clearly:

"Chuck E. Cheese is a proud supporter of PBS kids, Daddy."

That's what he hears every day when he watches Sesame Street. Just another example of the power of marketing, even from public television. And, no, Nate has no idea who or what Chuck E. Cheese is.

City Slicker at the Farm

2011-06-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

Nate here. I love the farm.

There's so much stuff to do!

I climbed to the very top of the hay pile.

I don't know who John Deere is but his "truck" is cool.

My friend Avery and I ran and ran.

She runs a lot faster than me.

Daddy and I picked strawberries.

I love strawberries.

Bye Bye.

Thursday Threes.

2011-06-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

(source)

1. Smoothing Souffle from Origins is rockin' my world right now. I am experiencing the worst case of dry skin ever in my life (hormonal changes as I reach you-know-what?!) and I've bought every available brand of cream to ease my itchy skin. This is the only stuff that works. A couple applications after a shower each morning and I feel back to normal. Here's the only downside: you smell like a giant stick of Wrigley's Spearmint Gum. Yes, it's mint-scented (that's one of the ingredients that makes you *tingly* too.) If you prefer your lotion to smell like a giant bouquet of flowers, this isn't the cream for you. I personally like the smell of mint. Plus, I'm so itchy, I'd use this even if it smelled like that rotting flesh plant (see here). Translation: I'm desperate.

2. What is going on with all of these tornadoes?? I pray that I never, ever experience a tornado firsthand. Earthquakes are bad enough, thank you.

Belle & Daniel :: A Fairytale Love from bliss* productions on Vimeo.

3. I know, I know. I need to give the wedding stuff a rest. I promise this will be the last wedding-related bit I share. But I couldn't help it. This video is sooo pretty. Recognize the song? Can you name the film it's from? Hint: it's animated.

Stomach Trouble Looms for Elmo and Abby

2011-05-31T20:19:00.000-07:00

The following conversation occurred during bath time tonight after Nate set Elmo and Abby on the edge of the bathtub....

Nate: Elmo and Abby are eating dinner together.

Me: Really? How nice. What are they eating?

Nate: Fish sticks, french fries, chicken nuggets, cake (still thinking)

Me: What about veggies? It would be nice if they ate fruit and veggies.

Nate: Elmo and Abby eat fish sticks, french fries, chicken nuggets, cake, and okra.

Me: Uhh, okra??

Nate: Yea

--------------

Well, bonus points for Elmo and Abby. I've never eaten okra and I don't plan to. If Nate wants to try okra, I'll have to consult with my Southern friends on how to cook it (fried!!)

I Dig I Dos

2011-05-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

I have wedding fever....

Exhibit A: We watched the latest Harry Potter movie this week. I love the unusual wedding dress worn by Fleur Delacour. Don't know that I would have been as brave in real life to wear such a unique dress. But still, it's beautiful in a movie.

Exhibit B: I found the shoes I wore in my wedding buried in a box in the garage and am in the process of having them dyed a dark color. No sense wasting perfectly good shoes. Of course, these shoes are over 5 years old now so they're not in style (were they ever??).

Exhibit C: Lee officiated at a wedding last weekend. We had the BEST time at the reception despite knowing only a handful of the other wedding guests. I think we looked particularly nice and the environment was beautiful at the Langham Hotel. A memorable date night (yes, I actually will count it as a date night). "Nothin' but the best for my baby," says Lee. Ha!

Exhibit D: Have you seen this marriage proposal on YouTube? Very cute.

Show and Tell

2011-05-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what your friends and family do all day? If they work outside of the public eye, don't you wonder what their work environment looks like? Well, I'm about to show you what I see every Tuesday and Thursday. If you feel inclined to share your own work site on your blog or website, please do....because, if you don't, my active imagination is going to assume that you're really an agent for the CIA. I digress...

My work day starts with an early morning commuter train (7:30am):

Followed by a quick walk through historic Union Station. Isn't it beautiful?

This is the LONG hallway at Union Station that takes you from the commuter trains into the hub of the station. It's so long and cavernous that I've often imagined the Wizard from the Wizard of Oz is at the other end (remember, active imagination!) Since I took this picture a long time ago, a Wetzels Pretzels & Starbucks has been added to the left side of this picture. You don't know how badly I want a pretzel every time I walk this corridor now.

From there, I catch the subway for a short ride. I've seen some pretty crazy stuff on the subway. And I've also smelled some pretty bad b.o.

Four stops later, I arrive at my destination. Two or three yards away is my office building -- historic, beautiful, a sight to be seen.

And -- ta dah -- the lobby. Oh the lobby. These pictures cannot do it justice. The lighting inside is poor so it's hard to capture the details but, trust me, I catch my breath every time I walk into this lobby (it's even more beautiful at Christmas with garlands and a large Christmas tree):

Ding! The third floor brings you to our suite. Here is one view of our lobby/sitting area:

The first door on the left is my office. Yes, this is where all of the magic happens (lol). Notice my color-coordinated and organized binders. Notice my boring view overlooking an alley and bank parking garage.

That pretty much sums it up. There are 3 other offices in our suite, a conference room, and a break room. Typical office stuff. Now look at these pictures in reverse order and that's my commute going home. I hope you enjoyed the tour!

Stack It Up

2011-05-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

There was a period of 6-9 months when Nate would line everything up. Books, toys, whatever. He'd systematically put multiples of things in a row, horizontally or vertically. I started taking pictures of them. I was a little worried about OCD but now he doesn't seem as interested and, in typical boy fashion, prefers to mess stuff up instead of tidy up. Here's what I'm talking about:

Blocks.

Crayons. He wouldn't use them, just put them in a line.

Alphabet squares.

Spools of thread.

Even poor baby Jesus has to stand in a line.

My pots and pans. Personally, I think he's trying to cover up the hideousness that is our kitchen floor.

Outdoor chalk.

This one is my favorite. Nate was eating lunch and I went to my bedroom to get something and discovered this line of film rolls (remember film??) on the floor. It surprised me and I almost stepped on it. I kinda felt like a farmer discovering a crop circle....

Summer Goals, Version 1.0

2011-05-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

In 2006 I took the leap and upgraded my camera to this:

Yes, that's a Nikon D40X. Going from a point-and-shoot camera to a SLR camera is akin to painting with oils after scribbling with crayons. Big time investment. Big time return....IF you know what you're doing. And, honestly, five years later I still don't know what I'm doing. I'm embarrassed to admit that I really don't understand 85% of the features on my camera. I just jumped in and started taking pictures without doing any prep work. Back then, it was easy -- vacation photos looked great (you don't need to be Ansel Adams to take a decent shot of the Grand Canyon). Then we had a baby and, boom, a new subject to photograph. A sleeping baby is fairly easy to photograph too. Skip ahead and I've got a squirmy almost three-year old who doesn't like to smile for the camera. The time has come for me to expand my photography skills. So I'm committing the next several months to reading up on my Nikon and practicing with various settings. I hope to take some awesome pictures this summer.

Garden Update

2011-05-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a brief update on what's going on in the Cooks' backyard:

Tomato mania is about to commence! Lee has planted 4 or 5 different types of tomatoes and even went to a tomato-growing seminar at Descanso Gardens....he means business this year. I'm looking forward to eating the smaller, grape-sized tomatoes. Incidentally, this bad boy turned red this week and was eating last night in homemade calzones.

While Lee has focused on tomatoes this season, I have focused my energy on sunflowers. This is the start of what I hope will be a beautiful sunflower garden. I bought 6 different varieties of sunflowers from a seed catalog and planted them a couple of weeks ago. I'm hoping the end result with allow us to have some pretty sunflowers in the house and (more importantly) block the horrible glare from our neighbor's white fence, once the flowers grow to 4-6 feet.

On a sad note, my gardenias are looking bad. They've been in this full-sun spot for over 2 years and survived 2 hot SoCal summers. I don't know why this one is struggling so early. He's yellow, he's brown....I don't know what to make of it. I'd like them to survive but I'm already imagining lavender in its' place. No offense, gardenia.

So while I'm babying my poor gardenias, this giant bouganvilla that gets no attention is absolutely thriving. If you look behind Nate, you'll see that this plant isn't even in the ground -- it's busting out of a plastic pot; it's too big for us to transplant now. I think all of the early Spring rain made this thing go crazy. Seriously, we never water it. In fact, the thorns are so horrible and have scratched me so many times while I've trimmed it, that I say bad things to this bouganvilla. It's obviously not getting the hint. Or it's growing just to spite me.

Lastly, here is a picture of our garden mascot. He's suppose to be protecting our garden and yard. But he's not doing a very good job. Notice the bird poop on his left wing. Fellow birds are mocking him, poor guy.

Stella Awards

2011-05-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

For your reading pleasure....long, but SO worth it. This was emailed to me by a co-worker and I had to share:

STELLA AWARDS: It's time again for the annual 'Stella Awards'! For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico, where she purchased coffee. You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right? That's right; these are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. You know, the kinds of cases that make you scratch your head. So keep your head scratcher handy.

Here are the Stella's for this past year --

*SEVENTH PLACE* Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son.

* SIXTH PLACE * Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles , California won $74,000 plus medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps.

* FIFTH PLACE * Terrence Dickson, of Bristol , Pennsylvania, who was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT days and survive on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish. Keep scratching. There are more...

*FOURTH PLACE* Jerry Williams, of Little Rock, Arkansas, garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun.

* THIRD PLACE * Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. What ever happened to people being responsible for their own actions?

*SECOND PLACE* Kara Walton, of Claymont, Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000....oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure.

* FIRST PLACE * This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was: Mrs. Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who purchased a new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home, from an OU football game, having driven on to the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down? $1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home.

Chocolate -- My New Foe

2011-05-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

I ate a handful of chocolate covered raisins last night. That was a bad idea. I'm extremely susceptible to caffeine in the evening. The caffeine in the chocolate kept the wheels of my mind spinning until 2:30am. Boo. I couldn't stop ~~obsessing~~ thinking about how I haven't picked out a preschool for Nate. Double boo. So this morning I woke up feeling like I'd been beaten up and knew immediately that I wouldn't be on top of things today. That's an understatement. Things went downhill very quickly...

I packed a snack/lunch bag as I do every Friday morning before our toddler class at Descanso Gardens. I put it next to the front door. Then I forgot to take it to the car. Oh my. I didn't discover my giant mistake until we were in the midst of storytime. Nate was already moody this morning so this just threw him over the edge. He couldn't understand how I could have forget to bring his snacks. I think he wants to trade me in for a new mommy. Look at his face here:

I explained my mistake and told him we'd eat when we got home but it didn't matter. Every time we saw a bench or table, he'd hurry up to it, sit down and ask about his snacks. There are a lot of benches at Descanso Gardens. It got old really fast.

I will not be eating chocolate again at night. Actually, I'm so shell-shocked I might not eat chocolate at any time of the day for a while.

Batter Up

2011-05-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

I wonder if this is how Babe Ruth got started...playing t-ball while wearing his mom's ~~ugly~~ big sun hat.

Prepare to Salivate

2011-05-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

I came across a blog the other day that, I guarantee, you'll be addicted to. It's titled Whisk Kid and is written by a 20-year old student at Michigan State University (where does she find the time??). This blog is pure sugar. Literally. Beautiful photos, yummy recipes, and endearing stories. This is the go-to blog if you need to "wow" your friends & family with a beautiful cake or sweet treat. What were you doing at 20? I certainly wasn't doing anything this professional....

whisk-kid.blogspot.com

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This is a photo of one of Whisk Kid's fun creations.

Final Wedding Post

2011-04-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

Well, as you know, a mother typically gets put at the bottom of the list so my desire to watch the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday morning was delayed because other people (Nate & Lee) and things (breakfast, errands) come first. I ended up watching most of the footage yesterday afternoon during Nate's nap and at the end of dinner time.

I will only add these comments to the overwhelming amount of commentary already on the internet:

* When William and Harry drove away from Clarence House for the church, I cried. I couldn't help it. It doesn't seem that long ago that they were little boys walking behind their mother's coffin. I shed happy tears for them. They looked so grown up and so relaxed on this joyful occasion. Don't we all feel maternal toward these two??

* Harry - your mischievousness is refreshing. Can't wait for your future wedding. PS - love your messy hair.

* LOVED the maple trees in the church. Wish they could stay there. Beautiful.

* Teeny bit disappointed that Kate didn't wear her hair up in a chignon but her hairstyle seemed to suite her.

* Fashion: Sad for Allister McQueen that he missed out on this exciting day. Loved that Kate's mother wore Diana's favorite designer, Catherine Walker. Sad that Catherine Walker missed out on this exciting day. Baffled by Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.....ugh. What were they thinking??

* Two kisses on the balcony. Awesome. He should have dipped her. Women everywhere would have swooned.

* Dear ABC: I get it - the Beckhams are cool but did you have to spend so much time talking about them while other equally interesting people walked by? And, Barbara Walters - you made me wish I had taped BBC instead.

* Nice touch with the Aston Martin. Made William look a little like James Bond ("Windsor. William Windsor.") And here's what I just read about the car (on loan to William from Prince Charles): "the prince {Charles}, who is a respected environmental campaigner, converted the car in 2008 to run on 100% bioethanol fuel distilled from surplus wine." You go, Chuck!

And with that, my royal appetite has been sated. And least until their baby comes along. And Harry's wedding...

Here Comes the Bride

2011-04-26T23:35:00.000-07:00

Royal Wedding mania has started!

Will Kate wear her hair up? What tiara will she wear? Will her train be as long as Diana's? These are all pressing questions (questions that make my husband go "yyyaaawwwwn" but what does he know...) Only 3 more days until all is revealed, including Kate's dress -- my favorite part.

Friday morning, I will be sitting in front of the TV at 7am (bless you DVR!) with a cup of tea and perhaps a scone. Maybe my little party-of-one will celebrate with these cuties:

They're available as a printable PDF for $7 here on Etsy. Some people are soooo clever.

Candy Hoarders

2011-04-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

Candy doesn't move quickly in our house....and now our candy bag has acquired a new layer of Easter sweets.

"Chocolate bunny, I'd like to introduce you to SweetTarts."

"SweetTarts, have you met Fruitcake Mints?" (Yes, there really are Fruitcake mints in that bag - it was a gag gift.)

If the Valentine's Day Hershey Kisses eventually mingle with Halloween Candy Corn, then it may be time to say goodbye to the candy bag.

My teeth hurt just looking at this photo.

Easter

2011-04-25T14:53:00.000-07:00

We had a nice {but exhausting} Easter weekend.

Hope yours was lovely too!

Camilla and Charles get Jiggy

2011-04-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

The royal wedding countdown is on!
Wouldn't it be awesome if it began like this....

Nate Update

2011-04-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

Here's what Nate is up to these days:

Instead of saying "yes," he says "rigghhht!!" very loudly.

Instead of saying "no," he (sometimes) says "mmm, maybe not." Cracks me up.

Tells me his favorite color is orange (mine too).

Tells me that his favorite song to sing is "Ishy Bishy Spider" (that's how he pronounces it anyway).

Tells me his favorite song for me to sing to him is "Old Macdonald Ate Some Pancakes" (I was improvising).

His favorite book is The Big Book of Trains.

He gets upset if he doesn't get to say "hi" multiple times to the people who work at the market, the post office, the car wash, etc.

Constantly asks me during the day "mommy, what are you doooooing??"

I've started calling him our "Closet Catholic" because he's obsessed with the Catholic church down the street. We can see the spire from every window on one side of the house and he wants to check on it multiple times during the day and right before he goes to bed. "There's Saint Finbar's!!!" he yells. Lee and Nate have even walked down and gone into the sanctuary a couple times. "There were candles on the mantel," Nate told me.

Women Can Have it All - Just Sacrifice Personal Hygiene

2011-04-04T17:50:00.000-07:00

I received three more of those "maturing women" catalogs today (go here to read about them). I looked at one of the catalogs and had to share this item with you:

Wow. Until now, I've only had an opinion about texting in an automobile (don't do it!). Now I've got to add this: please do not shave your legs in your car. I don't care how busy you are. In fact, if you can't squeeze an additional 4 minutes into your day to shave your legs in the shower, then you have my sympathies.

Thursday Threes.

2011-03-31T20:08:00.000-07:00

One.

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Okay, this totally spits in the face of last night's healthy dinner post. Last Sunday, my brother offered us a slice of Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory that he had leftover from a party. I thought "I don't really like cheesecake but, okay, Lee and I can take a few bites and then toss it out." People, I licked the plate clean. Thank the Lord we only had one slice. It was without a doubt one of the best desserts I've ever had. I think I've discovered the dessert I need to help ~~numb the pain~~ celebrate my 40th birthday. Here's the kicker and it will make you laugh and cry at the same time...a single slice of the Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake contains 1250 calories. Leaves you speechless, doesn't it?!

Two.

Eric is also responsible for #2 and, thank goodness, this one doesn't add cellulite to your thighs like #1. For years he's been talking about Mint.com and how it's a great website for keeping track of your finances. I finally gave it a whirl this week and was very impressed with the ease of pulling all of our credit cards and banking information onto one secure website. Now we can see where we spend the bulk of our money (Gas! Groceries!!). For future budgeting, Mint.com is going to be super helpful. Since I'm a bookkeeper, this stuff gets me all giddy (almost as giddy as I was with the cheesecake).

Three.

I'm starving for a little feedback. Please leave comments on my blog. It's no fun talking to myself. Don't know how to leave a comment? Easy -- at the bottom of each posting, it says"no comments" or "1 comment." Click on those words and a window will pop up. Follow the directions in the window - they're fairly self-explanatory. A girl can get real lonely here in cyberland....sniff sniff.

Tonight's Dinner Was a Winner

2011-03-30T22:28:00.000-07:00

I've been cooking more than usual lately. The recipes I've picked out have been a little out of my comfort zone (usually "drop pasta in boiling water") and have generally been healthier. My expectations for tonight's dinner were pretty low -- it was a recipe I pulled out of Good Housekeeping Magazine. So imagine my surprise when it turned out to be pretty great. "I want to eat this once a week," Lee said. Okay, that's a great sign! The ingredients may sound boring or unappealing but the flavor was truly fabulous; the dish also comes together easily. Just so you know, I don't like olives and only eat raw cauliflower dipped in ranch dressing (ha!) but I really, really liked this dish. I think I've said that enough so onto the recipe:

Chicken with Carmelized Cauliflower & Green Olives

1 head cauliflower (2.5-3 lbs.), trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch chunks

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1.5 lbs. chicken breast tenders, cut into 1.5-inch chunks

1 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel

1/4 c. slivered almonds

1/3 c. pitted green olives, rinsed well

1/4 c. packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus additional for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In 18" by 12" jellyroll pan, combine cauliflower, 2 teaspoons oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until well mixed. Spread cauliflower in single layer on pan. Roast 20 to 25 minutes or until cauliflower is golden brown.

2. While cauliflower roasts, in large bowl, combine chicken, lemon peel, 1 teaspoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Push cauliflower to one side of pan and arrange chicken in single layer on other side. Roast 10 minutes longer or until chicken just loses its pink color throughout.

3. Meanwhile, in food processor with knife blade attached, pulse almonds until finely ground. Add olives and parsley and pulse until almost smooth. With machine running, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil until it's fully incorporated, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add mixture to pan with hot chicken and cauliflower and stir until well combined. Transfer to serving plates and garnish with additional parsley.

Lame photo (I was hungry and in a hurry to eat):

(No, I did not serve this to Nate -- I wanted to test it out first. He'll be getting it for dinner soon. The taste was mild enough that I think kids would like it. And see that paper in the upper left corner of the photo? That would be my jury duty summons. Doh!!!)

Serves 4. Each serving: 360 calories, 45 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 15 g total fat, 6 g fiber, 99 mg cholesterol, 660 mg sodium

Thursday Threes.

2011-03-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

One.

(Source)

I think every American woman in the early 1990s owned a bottle of White Diamonds or Passion and that's mainly what I associate Elizabeth Taylor with. But I do love some of her films too -- so mark April 10th down on your calendar because Turner Classic Movies will be having a Liz Movie Marathon. I plan on setting my DVR for Father of the Bride and National Velvet.

Two.

Gotta send out some love to Fresh & Easy's "day old" section because I bought a loaf of Il Fornaio sourdough bread this week for 94 cents. I can't put into words how much I love sourdough toast and Il Fornaio really does make fabulous bread.

Three.

Expectations // Illustration from Cross Point Church on Vimeo.

I've become a huge fan of Pete Wilson and Cross Point Church, based in Nashville. Both Lee and I watch Pete's sermons via podcast on iTunes (Lee wants to be Pete's new BFF). He recently started a new sermon series on relationships. This video of Pete and his wife Brandi is honest, funny, and clever. I think you'll find it enjoyable and I hope it encourages you to check out the rest of the series here.

Cruel, Cruel!

2011-03-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I was walking to my car after leaving the office and I had one of those moments -- maybe you've had them too -- where you just feel really content and thankful. The afternoon breeze and the other people on the street added to the electricity. Things just felt good. If I had been wearing a hat, I would have done this:

(Source)

(If you don't know who that is, you might want to stop reading because the rest of this post won't really mean anything to you). Anyway, I felt good about myself -- working mom, balancing all the balls in the air, feeling youthful, yadda yadda.

Then I get home and check the mail. If I could insert a sound effect in this post it would be right here and it would sound like a record needle scratching to a halt because this is what was waiting for me in the mailbox:

As We Change -- a mail order catalog for maturing women. As I've mentioned before, I'll be turning 40 in 2011. BUT do I really need to start shopping in this type of catalog? And who came up with that name?? It should be called "You're About to go Through THE Change." I was no longer feeling youthful after looking at this catalog. Lee thought it was ~~hysterical~~ rather funny and I eventually laughed with him. So I scanned the catalog cover and thought I would share it on my blog. But I forgot about it....until this arrived on Saturday:

Oh come on!!! This is not good for my self-esteem. Sigh. The post office hates me. Or I'm on a really weird mailing list. I expect to see an AARP magazine in my mailbox on April 1st.

Fabric Love

2011-03-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

I bought fabric this week to make some new pillows for our bedroom. Our room is severely lacking in style...it's the final resting place of mismatched furniture. So, I'm making minor changes to spruce it up. I'll share more details soon...

Thursday Threes.

2011-03-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

One. Two. Three.

Only one thing needs to be shared this week...

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Earthquake relief donations can be made to World Vision here and to Unicef here.

Batteries Not Required (or Wanted)

2011-03-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Dear Santa,

Heads-up, 9 months in advance: don't bother bringing fancy toys to our house. We prefer the basics...

Signed,

Nate's Mom & Dad

Mom Tip: Clothespins

2011-03-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

I keep a stash of these in my car now:

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Why are clothespins in my car? Well, if you have a young child who likes balloons, they're the perfect "weight" to keep a balloon from flying away. When we're out doing errands, Nate will occasionally be given a balloon at Trader Joe's, etc. Once we're back at the car, I can grab a clothespin from my stash and quickly tie the string to it (I guess if I was SuperMom I'd keep a clothespin in my purse but I'm not, so that's not going to happen). Once we get home, it's fun to play outside with our weighted balloon in the front yard too. It stays just enough above the ground to float around but won't blow away.

Chicken Spaghetti

2011-03-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

We cooked the Pioneer Woman's chicken spaghetti over the weekend. You can find the recipe in her cookbook and here. The final product looked like this (PW's picture on her website looks WAY better than this):

It serves 6-8 but it felt like we ended up with a ton of food. I've been serving it for leftovers now for a couple days....we're ready to move onto something else. Overall, I'd say it wasn't the best dish I've ever had but it was pretty good and one I'll keep in rotation. I'll end with this little story: the recipe calls for a fryer chicken that's been cut up but I didn't pay attention to the "cut up" part and wrote "fryer chicken" on my shopping list, thus I had to cut it up myself (I'm not smart). I've never done that before and was tempted to become a vegetarian after doing so. "You've never cut up a whole chicken??" Lee asked me with astonishment when I told him about my disturbing experience with a large knife and a chicken carcass. I guess I've always bought chicken in its respected parts -- a package of breasts or a package of legs. Judging by Lee's face and response, this is weird. Maybe it's a California thing...

My Little Half Table

2011-03-11T07:23:00.000-08:00

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

I bought this little table at an estate sale months ago. It just called out to me "take me home!" despite the fact that I really didn't need a little table like this (note to self: don't make purchases without really thinking about where the item is going to go in my house). I knew immediately that I wanted to re-stain the top and paint the bottom two shelves white. Jumping ahead -- what did I learn from this project? Here is what I took away:

1) Spindles stink! They were a giant pain to sand and were difficult to paint evenly (I'm not particularly patient). It got better with each coat, but at the beginning I thought "what have I gotten myself into?!" Not an easy project for a beginner.

2) I followed the directions on the back of the stain container and left the walnut stain on the table top for a minimum of 30 minutes. When I wiped down the top, the stain was way too dark. It was practically black. So I re-sanded and wiped the stain on and off in under 5 minutes. The results were dark but not too severe.

3) Clean, clean, clean! I was lazy (again) and didn't do a very good job of dusting off the piece between coats of white paint (done over several days). Every time this table sat in my garage, dust would settle on the table. If I had been more diligent about cleaning the table very carefully between coats, I wouldn't have had to do so many touch-ups. Lesson learned.

I'm linking this post to:

Thursday Threes.

2011-03-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

One.

I've had this picture saved for a long time so, unfortunately, I don't have the source. But I saved it for inspiration because I love the idea of taking a simple charm bracelet, attaching pretty ribbon at both ends and turning said bracelet into a necklace. Cute and clever, no??

Two.

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My favorite color is orange, although you wouldn't know it because my wardrobe is definitely lacking in orange these days. So I think as summer approaches, I may add some orange here and there. These sandals are new from Lands End. I kinda like them.

Three.

Ahh, Daylight Savings Time starts this weekend. Lee refers to DST as "the harbinger of doom." Yeah, he's dramatic like that. He doesn't like that it signals hot weather is on its way (roughly 4 months away, ~~Drama Queen~~ Lee). Anyway, I say bring it on! DST is a gift to mothers everywhere. It means we have 1 extra hour of daylight for our kids to run around outside and exhaust themselves so that maybe they'll go to sleep a little earlier. Here's hoping!!

Good Intentions Remain Empty

2011-03-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

I'm going to come clean and admit that I have a problem. I am a container addict. Yes, I like to purchase bins, boxes, tins, etc. all with the intent of storing various things in them. I see a container and -- whamo -- I'm drawn in. My head starts imagining the following: Nate's toys put away in large bins, my craft & sewing supplies arranged in cute vintage suitcases, and various kitchen knick-knacks stored in some sort of order that would allow me to actually find that missing slotted spoon. Soooo, after my daydreaming is over, I purchase said container and head home. Then the nightmare begins. The container gets shoved into a closet, up onto a shelf, or (gasp!) stuck in the garage. See all of those pretty things in the pretty picture above? They're empty. Yup, empty. I've had a couple of them for at least a year. I know, it's shameful. My daydreams have not come to fruition because I'm lazy. Or because I procrastinate (I'll decide which one later). And yet I continue buying containers. That's probably not going to stop. But I can commit to actually using my boxes, etc. In fact, in preparation for this post, I was inspired to do this:

That would be all of my cookie cutters, birthday candles, and cookie decorating gadgets stored in one place. It looks so tidy, doesn't it? Well, that's just one thing crossed off the list. I'll keep you abreast of my progress [or not, because (a) I won't have made any progress or (b) this topic is just too boring for any of you to care about.]

One of These Things is A Lot Like the Other

2011-03-09T14:49:00.000-08:00

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I spend a lot of time reading books about Elmo and other Sesame Street characters. I know this is going to sound odd, but whenever I see a picture of Elmo's dad (above), I always think of this guy:

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That's the husband from Sister Wives. I've never watched that show but for some random reason, I know what he looks like. Please tell me I'm not the only one who sees some sort of resemblance?!

Weekend Wishes.

2011-03-04T06:00:00.001-08:00

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. -- Winston Churchill

Thursday Threes.

2011-03-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

One.

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My new addiction. They're like a Junior Mint but in reverse. I love you, mints.

Two.

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March Madness is here, baby! Who's got basketball fever? Me! And Nate -- he puts his clothes in the laundry basket every night with a slam dunk move*. Will my Bruins go all the way? We'll see. There's pivotal games tonight and this weekend. If you're a Bruins fan (and I know there are a few of you out there), check out Bill Plaschke's column here from last Sunday's Times. It'll warm your heart and bring a tear to your eye.

*Lee does not participate in basketball fever. He takes issue with college jocks getting a "free ride." My opinion -- Lee just needs to get over it. I'm tired of his whining ;)

Three.

#3 is something that's been on my mind lately.....how do we balance the good and bad on the Internet? Good: I can watch streaming live video of people demonstrating for equality. I can smile at a video of a baby hysterically laughing at ripped paper. I can discover new blogs that help me make healthy muffins or teach me to sew or open my mind to new ideas in my walk with the Lord. Bad: I can read the agonizing words of a mother who just lost her daughter to SIDS. I can visit an online journal for a baby born prematurely due to his mother's death in a car crash. Cancer, strokes, earthquakes, rape, you name it. All of it can weigh so heavily on your heart. My heart. I pray for all of these people but there are moments when I feel the sadness is too much. Does anyone else feel this way?

L.A. Winter Wonderland

2011-02-27T19:41:00.000-08:00

You may have heard that we had snow in Los Angeles yesterday. Last week we were given advanced notice by local meteorologists that this was going to be a chilly weekend with a lot of rain -- they were right! A low in the 30s is pretty rare for this part of the country. We've had that for the last couple of nights. And yesterday, by around 2pm, it rained buckets and buckets. Buckets of rain and more hail than I've ever seen or heard. It kept up for 4 hours. The ice from yesterday didn't melt until 8am Sunday morning when the sun emerged. Having not grown up in a snowy climate, I don't understand why it rained at our house and snowed (legitimate snow, not ice) about 8 blocks away. If we're at the same elevation, why wouldn't it snow here too? Boo. I really wanted a picture of Nate playing in California snow. Guess we'll have to wait another 30 or 40 years. In the meantime, this is all I got:

No No No No No No No No

2011-02-26T14:15:00.000-08:00

Hi. I'm Nate and I'm taking over my mom's blog again. I thought you'd like to see what I've been doing this week.

Mommy, Daddy and I went to the Natural History Museum. I got to see dinosaur bones. I asked to touch them but I was told "no." People say that word a lot to me. I can say it too, listen: no no no no no no no no. That's sooo fun!!

I did get to touch some stuff at the museum. I really liked that place. My daddy was mad that we had to pay $8 to park there. Is that a lot? I thought everything was free. Oh, my mom doesn't like the school that's across the street from the museum. She made me yell out "go Bruins!" as we drove away.

My mom and I went to Descanso Gardens. Here is the Japanese tea house. I don't like tea. I drank juice while I was there. I ran around a lot. I think it made my mommy tired.

This is a picture of me and Molly at church. Molly is pretty. Do you see that I'm holding a cookie? They didn't run out of cookies this time - yea! I like Molly but I think I like this cookie more.

There was snow on the mountains near my house! I didn't get to touch it. I want it to snow in my backyard.

Daddy makes my hair look silly when I take a bath.

I get tired after we do fun things. Night night!

Weekend Wishes.

2011-02-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and I could say, "I used everything that you gave me." -- Erma Bombeck

Thursday Threes.

2011-02-24T14:04:00.000-08:00

One.

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First, big prayers going out to New Zealand from your friends in California. We know what damage earthquakes can do but this is really horrible.

Two.

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Hard to move on to utter silliness after #1 but....I finally got around to watching Downton Abbey on PBS Masterpiece Classic. I set the DVR to record it a month ago and since I'm the only one around here interested in British dramas, it was difficult to find time to watch it. But I did this week and I love it! It's 4 parts and I have one last hour to go. If you liked Upstairs, Downstairs, you'd love this series.

Three.

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The Academy Awards will be on tv this weekend. I haven't seen many of the movies but I'm always interested in seeing the gowns. I love the draped silk chiffon dress that Grace Kelly wore in Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 classic To Catch a Thief. That's what I'd wear if I was invited to the Oscars (Colin Firth, call me! I'm free to go on Sunday!). Here's a bit of trivia -- Edith Head was nominated for a Best Costume Design award for To Catch a Thief but lost. She was nominated 35 times during her career and won 8!

Brand New Bangle

2011-02-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

I made a quick dash into a thrift store a week ago and came out with this:

That's a plastic bracelet covered in bright yellow dots. Very 1986. Cost me $1.25 (they must have considered it retro!). Anyway, I've been wanting a bangle bracelet so I took this one, found a scrap of fabric in my craft drawer, covered it using Modge Podge, and finished it off with a quick spray of Poly. From start to finish, it took me 1 hour. Here's the final results:

I think it turned out pretty nice. The inside where the fabric overlaps isn't super tidy but who's going to know besides me?? Wouldn't this also make a cute napkin ring? It wouldn't be difficult to find 6 plastic bracelets and then cover them in a pretty fabric for Easter dinner...just an idea! And here's another tip -- if you want designer fabric for small projects like this, look on Etsy under "supplies" and "fabric scrap pack." I bought a bag of scraps for $10 and received some decent pieces. You just have to accept that it's a grab bag so you may not like everything you get.

I've linked up this post to the following. so hop on over and see what other creative people have been up to this week:

Weekend Wishes.

2011-02-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. -- Dr. Seuss

Thursday Threes.

2011-02-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

One.

(source)

Anthropologie launched their bridal line on Valentine's Day. Be still my heart. I have a huge crush on Anthropologie and an even bigger crush on wedding gowns. Combine the two, and, well... there are no words. Except this -- you're five years too late :(

Two.

The duo known as "The Civil Wars" has gained a huge following recently. I heard about them via a Nashville blogger and now I see that their album is a current top seller on iTunes. I love it when singer/songwriters get the recognition they deserve for their writing and vocal talents (this is where I'd insert a negative comment about Justin Bieber but I'd rather not receive any death threats from his fans.)

Three.

(source)

We rented Sunset Boulevard this week. I had forgotten how fabulous it is. Billy Wilder is a genius.

Not Feelin' The Love Right Now

2011-02-14T12:50:00.000-08:00

Nate (in car): Nate wants more juice.
Me: When we get inside in a minute, we're going to have lunch. Would you like milk?
Nate: Nate wants juice!
Me: Well, you can pick - juice or milk?
Nate: Juice!

Now inside, I put his juice and lunch on the table. He takes a sip of the juice then looks at me in horror.
Nate (crying): This not milk!!
Me: You said you wanted juice.
Nate (still crying): Mommy take it away!!
Me: Okay, okay, I'll go get milk.

I think this is how kings and queens treated servants back in medieval times. Or Bettie Davis. I think she probably yelled at people. My life has become Mommy Dearest in reverse....

Hello. My name is Nikki and I'm the parent of a toddler. Is there a support group out there???

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Santa Fe, NM - 2007

The door 

  was marked, "you."

I walked

  through it and

          found the

          better part of

myself.

Weekend Wishes.

2011-02-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow. -- Alice Mackenzie Swaim

Thursday Threes.

2011-02-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

One.

(source)

I've heard Nancy Pearl on NPR. She's been a librarian for years and her book reviews always make me think "oh, I've got to read that book!" If you've struggled with finding books you like, pick up Book Lust. I saw it at Costco in December and quickly put it on my Christmas List. Book Lust organizes books into over 175 lists (biographical novels, coming of age books, cold war spy novels, etc. etc.) Now I have too many things to read!

Two.

(source)

I've already shared how much I love Friday Night Lights here. Well, the final episode aired last night on DirectTV. Big sigh. NBC has committed to begin showing the fifth and final season on April 15th. And in a weird twist, season 5 will be released on DVD 10 days earlier. Oh NBC, you are such an odd duck...

Three.

(source)

I'm in the process of framing several pieces of art. I wanted to do the framing myself because having it professionally done can quickly cost a bundle. I've looked at Ikea frames but they weren't the right size. Michael's selection of wall frames left me wanting more. Thankfully, Aaron Brothers is located across the parking lot from Michael's. Aaron Brothers has a great selection of frames; I felt like I had many options that would work. I love that they have 40-50% off coupons all the time. My only complaint is that the coupons apply to regular priced merchandise and my local Aaron Brothers does a very poor job of marking which frames are on sale and which aren't. Every frame I brought up to the cashier ended up already being on sale so I couldn't use my coupon. It was more than a little frustrating.

I Can't Count Up to 35

2011-02-07T13:51:00.000-08:00

This is Nate. I'm taking over my mom's blog to tell you about my weekend. It was cool! We celebrated Daddy's birthday AND the Super Bowl.

On Saturday, we went out to brunch with the family. It was a warm day and we ate outside. Everybody said the food was good but I stuck with fruit and orange juice.

Then we had cake. Look at all of those candles! I helped Daddy blow them out. Daddy is old. All of the smoke bothered my eyes.

The cake was really chocolate-y. It was good. I ate a huge piece and got frosting all over my clothes. I don't do the laundry so what do I care?? I still don't understand why I had to eat my piece of cake outside. Whatever.

Then Dad opened presents. He didn't get any toys. Poor Daddy.

Back at home, we had fun with balloons. My parents used the balloons to make the hair on their head stand up. They thought it was funny. I think they're strange.

The next day was Sunday and I went to church. I like the cookies at church but they ran out before I got one this time. They need to fix that. Later on, we ate dinner in front of the tv and watched a football game. I learned to say "touchdown!" and put my arms above my head. It was fun! I like football. I don't like Christina Aguilera. I think she sings too loud. Anyway, that's my weekend!

Weekend Wishes.

2011-02-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing more artistic than to love others. -- Vincent Van Gogh

Thursday Threes.

2011-02-03T20:12:00.000-08:00

I'm going to try and post regularly every Thursday. Thursday Threes will highlight three things on my mind -- books, music, news items, and other randomness. I'll include recently discovered favorite items and things I've long enjoyed. So, here we go:

One.

I'm loving all of the Cylamens I've seen around town. I've spotted them at the bank, at the gas station and I'd love to spot them in my front yard! I think I'll be doing a little planting this weekend. Our weather will be lovely on Saturday (sorry Midwest!!). They're the perfect Valentine's Day flower.

Two.

(source)

Dry, cold weather has left my skin looking, well, blah. So a week ago I started using Jergens Natural Glow moisturizer. Presto chang-o! A tiny hint of color on my face - yippee! There's a Jergens product designed specifically for your face but I'm too lazy to buy 2 products so I'm using this body moisturizer on my body and face. So far I haven't experienced any breakouts but we'll see what happens as I continue to use it every couple of days.

Three.

(source)

Do you know what thru-hiking is? I didn't either until I started reading AWOL on the Appalachian Trail. This isn't a book I would normally read as I'm not, shall we say, athletically inclined. But when I read a review of the book on my Kindle homepage I thought I would give it a try. Wow, thru-hiking is fascinating! The book's author quit his day job to hike the Appalachian Trail -- it covers 14 states, 2100 miles, and takes 5-6 months to complete (and, yes, he left his wife and kids at home!). While I would love to see America by foot, I think I'll leave thru-hiking to people like David Miller. I enjoy a hot shower and my comfy bed a little too much to partake in this particular sport. But reading about it is sure fun!

Art Gallery

2011-02-01T22:55:00.000-08:00

What type of artwork is hanging in your house? Do you prefer modern, traditional, or vintage? Photos, prints, paintings, posters? I tend to like a real mix of everything. Here's a little vintage vignette I have hanging in our hallway:

The larger piece at the top is a sunday school certificate for my great Aunt Rose. I discovered it in a scrapbook she gave me years ago. It's dated 1925. I had it matted and framed and I enjoy looking at it every time I walk by.

I bought the sweet print on the left at the Rose Bowl Swapmeet (I think) ages ago -- long before I became a mom. Little did I know then that I'd have a little boy just like this one.

On the right is a vintage New Years postcard in an old frame. A few years back I began collecting vintage postcards that had an illustration of a church on them. My goal was to have a rotating display of my postcards but I have earthquake putty on the back of this frame -- that stuff sticks! So I can't really move it around too much.

Now it's your turn....what's hanging on your walls??

Happy 1/2 Birthday!

2011-01-26T20:47:00.000-08:00

In typical Nikki-fashion, I'm 2 days late posting this...

Dear Nate.

Today is your 2 1/2 year old birthday. You have changed SO much over the past six months. Where has my little Nater Tot gone? He's been replaced by such a big boy.

Your vocabulary has grown by leaps and bounds....your dad and I can't keep up! Every day you surprise us with a new word or phrase. These are some of my current favorites that you say pretty frequently:

"I say cheers sometimes."

"Tinkle Tinkle little star, 'ow I under ut eee ahhh."

"That's sooo wonderful." (or sooo cute or sooo sweet.)

"Nathan can do it."

"Mommy go get the chocolate."

You are still on the timid side and aren't sure of things outside of your comfort zone. I completely understand & can relate to this side of you but I hope to help you grow into a confident, self-assured young man.

On the homefront, you love being outside, don't mind taking a bath, and are a fabulous sleeper. As for eating....well, challenging is the word that comes to mind. We'd love to get you to eat things like pasta, pizza, and a PB & J sandwich, but you'll have none of it. I hope the future brings some changes in this area :)

Nathan, we couldn't be prouder of you and are so blessed to be your mom and dad. Our hearts burst with love for you.

Texas Forever

2011-01-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

(source)

Friday Night Lights.
Yes, it's a show about high school football.
Yes, it's a show about a drab, little Texas town.
But....it's also a show about people. I love these people.
Seriously, I have become totally vested in the people of Dillon, Texas.
I love their big hearts, their determination, bad choices, good choices, funny moments.
Friday Night Lights has become my Lost, my 24, my Six Feet Under.
When the show ends in 2 weeks, I'm going to need to seek grief counseling*.

Let's backtrack -- Friday Night Lights started on NBC in 2006. It immediately received critical acclaim but had trouble finding an audience. That remained the story for the next four years. To date, media giants like Time Magazine have called it the best show on television. I didn't discover this show until last year. Yes, I was late to the party. I had certainly heard about it and have been a fan of Kyle Chandler (one of the show's main stars) for a very long time. But I never made any effort to watch it. So now I'm getting caught up. I've watched the first four seasons on Netflix since last Fall. The fifth season is airing right now on DirectTV and will replay on NBC over the summer. And then it ends. That's hard for me to believe. I hope my enthusiasm for this show encourages you to seek out the "little ~~engine~~ show that could."

*Lee will be joining me in my grief. He just started watching the show (I think he got tired of hearing me say "you've GOT to watch this show!") and just gave in. He didn't like it at first -- and that led to a whole discussion about why women like tv dramas more than men but that's an entirely separate post -- but now he is hooked.

Ahhhh.

2011-01-21T14:10:00.000-08:00

The highlight of my week was Nate knocking on our large, outdoor trash can and saying, very sweetly, "Oscar? Where are you?" over and over.

Have a good weekend!

Peach Fuzz???

2011-01-19T13:56:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to forget this conversation. I'd like to but I won't. Thank goodness he's adorable and charming.

Nate, pointing to Lee: "Daddy has beard!"
Nate, pointing to me: "Mommy has moustache!"
Nice.

Garden 2011

2011-01-19T13:52:00.000-08:00

I'm wearing a t-shirt, shorts and sandals today. Yes, it's a lovely 80 degree day in SoCal. This isn't typical -- we usually have mild weather in January but nothing like this. I'm enjoying it very much but it does play with your mind a little. I have to remind myself that this does not mean that Spring is around the corner. We'll probably see more rain and chilly nights in the coming months. In the meantime, I can't help but daydream about planting some more herbs and flowers in the backyard. Do you remember our sunflowers from 2 years ago? Check them out here. I'm going to order a variety of sunflower seeds from Baker Creek this year and plant them along our fence. I'm excited to try some different kinds and see what pops up. Baker Creek, incidentally, is amazing. If you plant tomatoes or flowers or anything else, you've got to check out their catalog. After looking at the beautiful pictures and reading the seed descriptions, trust me, you'll want to tear up your yard and create a massive garden. I would -- but I don't think my landlady would appreciate that ;-)

Thank You Randomness

2011-01-16T15:19:00.000-08:00

Nate has developed the habit of picking up things he knows he's not suppose to handle (mommy's sunglasses, daddy's phone, etc.) and bringing them to us. He says "thank you!" very loudly as he attempts to hand us the contraband item. So the other day, while I was standing at the stove and making french toast, I heard his voice behind me. "Thank you!" he says. I turn around to see this:

That would be part of our floor furnace. I don't know why he felt the need to take it off and bring it to me but whatever. And let me tell you, that sucker is heavy. If he had dropped it on his toes, well, he would have been one unhappy camper. And if you're freaking out about it being hot -- no need. The floor furnace doesn't work and hasn't been used since this old house had forced air/heat installed years and years ago. It's now just a lovely thing that collects dust bunnies.

Nate's Table

2011-01-13T23:11:00.000-08:00

A very long time ago, a sweet lady from our church gave us a child's table with 2 chairs. She had it in her house for her grandchildren. I appreciated her generosity and was touched that she thought of our family. That being said, the design of the table didn't really match the decor of our house so I decided to strip the table & chairs and repaint them. I didn't have any idea what I wanted the table to look like when I was done so it took me a while to come up with a plan. I only hoped to have it finished before my son reached high school(!!) Also, I only had about 3 hours a week to work on it...and that had to be during decent weather since the table was in our {unattached} garage. So here is the before picture that I took -- I kid you not -- back in April 2010:

Noah's Ark themed table & chairs. Plaid blue/green & yellow.

And -- ta da -- here it is after I finished -- again, I kid you not -- in January 2011 (that would be 9 months. Sick, I know):

The colored detail is heavy-duty fabric, glued on with Modge Podge (my fist MP project!). I had thought about sewing seat cushions out of the fabric but chickened out. I'm really happy with the results! Of course, Nate hasn't even given it a second glance but that's okay. (actually, he cried when he saw it because he was mad that he didn't get to help me glue on the "1" and the "2". Sigh.) I hope he'll eventually use it for working on art projects, reading books, etc.

I'm linking this post up to:

A Cozy for My Kindle

2011-01-06T22:04:00.000-08:00

I'm a very lucky girl. For Christmas, my family conspired together and got me a Kindle and a couple digital books. It was an unexpected and delightful surprise! I still love the feel and smell(!) of printed paper but, I must say, digital books are pretty great too. I used it today on my commute to and from work and it was so easy to pull out of my purse on the train...my lightweight Kindle will come in handy when I eventually tackle Mark Twain's 760-page autobiography (3.7 pounds -- ouch!)

Now I need to get a protective case for my Kindle. Obviously, I can pop on over to Amazon and buy one. Or....duh, I could make one. A bounty of tutorials are at my fingertips via the Internet. So, what do you think of this one:

(Source)

It would be fun (and practical!) to use up some fabric scraps for this mini-quilt case but I'm not a quilter. I know, I know -- it looks basic but remember my skills are subpar. It would also require more time than, say, this one:

(Source)

This one is a little easier to manage. Plus, she laminated the fabric to keep it from getting dirty-- how genius?? Here's another:

(Source)

Nice contrasting edge to this one. Clean lines. What about:

(Source)

I love that this one resembles a book but, again, it may be out of my range of expertise. Which brings us to the following -- if I was a sewing maverick, I'd make this...

Isn't she beautiful? The extra pockets take my breath away. Of course, I can't find the source of this picture now - my apologies to whoever made it. Just as well since its design is WAY beyond me. Oh well. I hope to get started on my Kindle case soon. And, with any luck, it'll be done and ready to use by June or July. Yes, it really does take me that long to complete a project....

Hello 2011.

2011-01-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

source

If you still have your Christmas tree, I just read about a neat tradition: cut a small block off the bottom of your tree, save it, and then burn it in your fireplace next Christmas. You could burn it on the first day of Advent or Christmas Day and talk about the true meaning of Christmas or your favorite Christmas memories from years' past. Doesn't that sound lovely? I hope to share more traditions on my blog this year. In the meantime, enjoy this first week of 2011!

Christmas Highlights

2010-12-29T19:38:00.000-08:00

We had the BEST Christmas.

Hope yours was special too.

Last Minute Wrapping

2010-12-23T11:50:00.000-08:00

It's the 23rd...if you are in the midst of wrapping gifts and need some help, look no further.

Whisker Graphics has some super cute download-able gift tags available here. Other gift tags are available via one of my favorite design blogs, How About Orange, and The Long Thread.

Also, for wrapping inspiration, check out all of the images on these two sites:

The Decorologist

Stylish Eve

Happy wrapping!!

Christmas Rewind

2010-12-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos taken in our house back in the early '60s.

Short and fat -- cute tree! I think I see a few Shiny Brite ornaments that are a lot like mine. And isn't it nice seeing wrapped boxes under a Christmas tree instead of gift bags? Call me a traditionalist -- I prefer boxes to bags.

Our tree is in the same corner of the living room right now. This is my Aunt Sharon. What a cutie.

Okay, this is great. For all of you Christmas crafters in 2010 -- here's a reindeer made out of dishwashing detergent bottles. My mom made this in 196?. I think it's kinda cute. I believe it's sitting on top of a television or hi-fi (Google "hi-fi" if you don't know what that is).

7 Days of Rain

2010-12-22T17:09:00.000-08:00

Wet clothes.

Dirty floors.

Stinky car interior.

Cabin fever + toddler = not fun.

Rainbow. Breathtaking.

Jingle Bells and Other Stuff

2010-12-20T15:25:00.000-08:00

Santa -- Still Bad

2010-12-17T14:42:00.000-08:00

He was excited before we got there.

He was excited as we waited in line.

He was excited at the 6-foot mark.

Then he wasn't excited anymore.

Ha! Sorry, but it makes me laugh.

I was hoping Ruby the Bear would help. Nope.

Here are a few more...

If you're keeping score at home,

that's 3 Santa, 0 Nate (proof here).

Have a nice weekend -- only 8 shopping days left!

Simple App

2010-12-15T18:35:00.000-08:00

We took this appetizer to a party last night and everybody seemed to enjoy them. My only gripe is that I went by the recipe in the Pioneer Woman's cookbook and not by the recipe on her website. She neglects to tell you in the cookbook to buy small jalapenos -- I just picked out what was at the store and they were too big. So big that we ran out of filling before we were halfway done filling them up. She's also made a few modifications in the cookbook by adding cheddar cheese & green onion to the filling and brushing BBQ sauce or apricot jelly on top of the bacon before putting them in the oven. Can you say yum?? Click on the recipe name below to see PW's glorious photos.

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

(source)

DR Dolls

2010-12-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

After making this doll, I kept going. Here are four more....I couldn't help myself. It's addicting. Anyway, these little ladies are on their way to the Dominican Republic. My mom's work is sending a huge box of toys to a school in a remote area of the DR. These kids have never had a Christmas party before so they're in for a special treat. I'm so happy that four little girls are going to have these dolls! Eeek, it's so exciting I can hardly stand it.

Ahoy Santa!

2010-12-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

We've already seen a train covered in Christmas lights so what's next? Boats! Lots of boats during the Christmas boat parade in Marina del Rey on Saturday night. Nate danced and ran around in between looking at the boats (he said he liked "the ones with music and guitars"). That kid has an abundance of energy. He entertained many of the parade attendees and I think most of them were thinking "wow, that is one crazy kid. Good luck to his parents." I used to think that too when I was single and now I AM that kid's parent. Oh boy.

Christmas Home Tour

2010-12-12T21:02:00.000-08:00

Our Vintage Christmas in 2010

Let me show you around (ps -- if you're new to my blog -- I live with my husband and 2 1/2 year old son in the house my grandparents built in 1941 in Southern California).

Welcome to our home! Here is our tiny entry way. A couple Christmas birdhouses sit atop my Grandmother's childhood desk.

The entry takes you directly to our living room. We have a 6-ft. Noble Fir in the corner covered in vintage '50s Shiny Brite ornaments I've collected the last few years. And, yes, we store toys in our fireplace. We're strange like that.

A close-up of our fireplace mantel.

This is one wall in our dining room. I love Christmas cards but have never found the right way to display them. This seemed like a simple solution -- draping a garland around a framed print and tying on the cards. That way I get to look at them all the time.

My '60s Santa light purchased for $5 at a thrifty store. He sits on the hearth. Nate was scared of this light last year (go here for the story) but this year, he's done a 180 -- LOVES Santa and kisses him goodnight.

A little Christmas vignette on our built-in china hutch.

The Man Cave needs a little decorating too.
~~Go Santa~~! Go Saints!

It's going to be a very Merry Christmas for us

and, we hope, for you too!

If you'd like to continue the home tour, click on the links below and keep the party going!

and

Kelly's Korner

It's Santa! -- Choo Choo!

2010-12-04T22:22:00.000-08:00

We saw Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive tonight by train.....

Lots of lights. Lots of people.

I know most women don't want to hear this,

but she looks like she could be his mom.

Couldn't they find an older santa??

~~Soap bubbles in the air~~.

Snow -- California-style.

One last shot of the train before heading home for dinner.

Shoes that Shine (in my mind)

2010-12-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

Nate's first real pair of shoes.

He wore them practically every day as he learned to walk.

I just tossed them in the trash because, seriously,

they're gross (and I never want to be on that Hoarders show).

But I love these shoes for what they represent.

I had to take a picture of them.

Aren't they beautiful?

The Ugly Side of A Toddler

2010-11-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

It's such a pain being a rock star and having people always wanting to take my picture. Maybe if I hide behind these glasses, they'll won't recognize me and I can go to preschool like a normal kid and be left alone. Wait, am I wearing these right? Mommy, help me! Help me but don't touch me because I also want to do it by myself. I said help me! No, don't help me! Ugh, why is it so hard for you people to figure this out??

CSI - Plymouth Rock

2010-11-27T21:59:00.000-08:00

What happened here? You make the call.

Meet Myles and Rose Standish.

As the only Thanksgiving decorations in the Cook house, Myles and Rose take their roles seriously. They represent their fellow Pilgrims with great pride. But behind those gentle expressions lie a dark secret...

Good Gracious Rose! What happened to your head? Was it:

A) Myles became violent and whacked her with a turkey drumstick after she asked if he would kindly hold her basket of fruit too;

B) She's allergic to tryptophan and her head exploded;

C) She got tired of listening to Myles talk about "those Native people" and bashed her own head against a wall;

D) Nikki dropped her in the garage while rearranging her holiday decorations.

If you answered D, well, you're wrong. It's B. Poor Rose. She should have stuck with the Tofurkey.

A Thanksgiving Day Prayer

2010-11-24T13:57:00.000-08:00

We take so much for granted

of life and liberty,

and think tht we deserve it;

that all was done "for me."

Think how they must have struggled,

new pilgrims in this land.

So many died from hardships

yet still they made a stand.

When all the work was finished,

new crops sowed in the ground,

they gathered with their neighbors,

asked blessings all around.

Oh, God, help us be grateful

for gifts you've sent our way.

For these we want to thank you

on this Thanksgiving day.

- Kris Ediger

Scarry World

2010-11-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled to find this 1968 book a few weeks back:

Richard Scarry was a BIG part of my childhood. I didn't have this particular book but I had others and I can recall vividly how much I loved pouring over every page and every illustration. This story book has been a real hit with Nate. Some of the poems and tales are a little old for him so I can see how this book will grow with us for years to come. Currently, Nate has his favorite 4-5 stories that we read over and over. One of them is a lesson in numbers/counting and I have to share one part of it with you to give you a laugh:

The first time I read this and saw the handsome husband sitting on his behind while he was suppose to be doing housework, well, I thought that just sounded like someone else I know....ah-hem. When we get to number 7, the handsome husband is trying on his wife's hats. He's kind of an odd duck, this handsome husband. Not unlike, uh, you-know-who (who has never tried on any of my hats, as far as I know).