Thursday, January 27, 2011

ahh, to blog or not to blog...

this whole blogging "thang" is an interesting beast.  each of us in the this community have undoubtedly thought about the "why" behind our public writings.  and it IS public...unless, of course, we make our blog password-protected and allow only those we want to read to have access.  if we choose not to that...well then it is out there.  for anyone.  and everyone.  to read.  and this is something that should be remembered.  because when it can be anyone who read these words, then what we put out there should probably go through a "filter".  there are certain things that go on that really do not have a place on this blog.  certain topics or subjects or happenings that i might rant about to a friend or two, but not in this public forum.  falls in that category of "not appropriate".  unless of course you are intending to come off as passive-aggressive and take zero responsibility for your actions/words.  then by all means:  put it out there!  but don't in the same breathe make yourself out to be "holier than thou".  such juxtaposition in real life makes you seem more like a hypocrite who believes you are truly are better than others and thus, that would make you not quite as "christian" as you make yourself out to be...just sayin'...

on a different note...i heard a snippet of anita renfroe's bit about "if mom's were in charge" (my title, probably not hers...but i can't remember the title...)...if all the politicians followed the rules that moms have:  "hey senator, can you come out and play?"  "nooo, not until this budget is balanced..."  it was funny - way more funny than my writing...so if you have a chance to hear it, do so!  your ears and funny bone will thank you!

and speaking of funny...the 4-yr-old is seemingly on her comedic tour these days...and the funny just exudes from her tiny little frame!  the other day she said:  "momma, you are sillier than indigo and funnier than mexico".  no i do not know "where" that one came from.  and if i am not listening, or she perceives me to not be listening to her, she will say this"  "momma...hear this momma..." to get my attention.  it works.  and rather than ask if we can tell each other stories, she will say "let's tell stories with out mouthes".  that one really cracks me up!  especially since she has retained some of that toddler-lisp.  hy-ster-ic-al! 

but when she is not cracking me up, she is being quite responsible.  she adores alice and volunteers to take her out to do her "business", feed her, water her and give her tummy-rubs as needed.  unfortunately, alice has returned that attention and affection by poo-ing in her room (to be noted:  alice is not fond of cold weather and "businessing" outside...we just have to be vigilant of her where abouts and take her out on schedule b/c she is not vocal about telling us she wants/needs to go out...and she has been in 2 short-terms homes before coming to us and that has to be a bit stressful on a poochy...and she is 2, which means she is technically still a puppy...and you can totally see that in her bursts of rowdy energy!  again, hy-ster-ic-al!).

and, then there is her sister...this one is close to turning SIX.  and we are in "party prep mode" as i write this (which really means that i have 2 bathrooms, 3 bedrooms, 1 kitchen, 1 living room, 1 basement and 1 entry/mudroom to get cleaned today...are you as excited about that as i am...yeah, all that in this one day...good thing i got the diet coke chilling, huh?!):

 so, apparently this is what a beautiful almost six year old who is having an artist party looks like. 

(and in the words of vector:  OOHH YEAAAAAH!)

so, she chose an "artist party" and that has been super fun to plan...i made her invitations and found some great "artsy" crafts for her guests to do together...painting, making frames and doing "caricatures" of each other...she is really excited for saturday!  and so am i!
this is wren in her new dress from gram and grandpa...and she luvs it b/c: 1) it is a dress, 2)  it has sparkles, 3)  it has a ruffly skirt with what look like butterflies (actually bows, but who am i to correct her?!) and 4)  it meets the ever important "twirl factor"!
wren and i completed the 3 big ole posters of her that will be displayed at her school next week...it was fun to go back through all the photos we have of her from the past 6 years.  but it was hard to choose which to include!  so i finally went with one poster of photos from birth to today, the 2nd poster has the sheet music of tim mcgraw's "my little girl" behind different "faces of wren"...and there are some doozies!  and the 3rd one is all of her and that sister of hers!  those 2 are so adorably funny together!  and the best part?  they really are best friends...they enjoy one another's company, get along really well (with the occasional bicker, b/c they are humans and all that...) and their giggles?  are just about the best sound in the world.  i can record it and send you a copy if you need a little "pick-me-upper", 'kay?

okay...i have successfully put off cleaning long enough.  successfully tossed together a rambling and random post that has no thread of continuity in it.  oh well. better post next time, eh?

Saturday, January 22, 2011

alice

UPDATE:
NIGHT #2
alice is asleep on my lap.

life is good!

wren is reading her 4 homework books to the daddy and the little sister.

life is good!

snow is piling up outside, but we are at home all warm & toasty.


life is good!
**********
this was alice last night.
her "foster mom" brought her to us to meet.
and make sure that everyone would get along.
people and furry cats all.
and everyone is good!
alice was not exactly sure what the cat was...
but was very curious of him!
and after about an hour we were sure...
sure that she was a member of our family!

so with her sweater, a toy and some paperwork:
ALICE HAS HER FOREVER HOME!
first photo of our new girl...very tired and a bit overwhelmed
she is delightful!
she is adorable!
and so...she got to sleep in our bed last night...

and her first full day at her new home?

well......i think the photos will answer that for you!
linnea, alice & wren in the "new" old chair from aunt sue
(this chair is another project:  recovering!)

wren & alice gettin' their snuggle on!

umm, yeah, not sure who was more comfortable!

"how adorable am i in this sweater?"
ahhhh, it is good to have a pooch back in our home!

Friday, January 21, 2011

laughter is calorie free, dear.

“she’s got this real funny idea about a diet: you don’t get fat if no one sees you eating.”


― Gloria Naylor

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

gettin' my craft on...

so, i'm ready!
i have organized the basement.
got all my craft supplies on a shelving unit.
(that used to be in our bathroom.  holding towels.  it was too rickety for that use, so i took it out and put up some "hotel shelves".  those shelves are a vast improvement!  you'll just have to trust me on that one, because the likelihood of you actually seeing our master bath?  slim.  to never.  sorry.  so the rickety shelves - which i should add have been around for awhile...long enough to have been silver when bought and then as they rusted i decided to spray paint it a nice bronzey color...which is the color it remains.  i took it to the basement thinking it would be useful in the storage room.  oh, now THAT is a place that could use more shelves.  i digress...SO...instead i decided that those rickety shelves could work for my craft supplies...and with my table pushed up against the shelves?  genius!  they are not rickety.  they are ever so useful.  and heck, it doesn't even look like it was bathroom shelving.  at least that last one i'm telling myself.)
and i have our big old kitchen table for my workspace.
so i.  am.  ready.
thus far, i have crafted tags for christmas gifts.
made a really cute birthday card.
and made wren's birthday invitations.  2 versions.  the first for her friends.  the 2nd for family.  she wanted an "artist party"...so it did take a little extra searching for a caricature of a blond artist...but i found one, downloaded and whaaaa-laaa.  she loved them!
now...i know that i'll be there again doing valentine's in a few weeks.
but in the meantime...here are some projects i really, really, really want to do.  some i already have all the supplies on hand.

via susie harris "where friends become family"

via gus+lula
via jones design co.
seriously - i have one of these that i primed last summer...just needs a coat or two o' paint, some UL numbers and...done!
via jones design co.
via jones design co.

via jones design co.
via jones design co.
a couple of the above will require my sewing machine (obviously), which means i will have to actually clear it off, dust it off, and thread it up and get it going.  i have not used it since we moved (bad me. bad. bad. bad.)

so...beyond that...there is the dresser in wren's room that needs to not be dark brown any more.  the armoire in our bedroom that needs some paint.  more walls that need paint, too.  so, there should be enough to keep me busy until warm weather, right?  i'll post photos as i do these.  stay tuned!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Wren Turns 6!

Monogram Dotted Lavender Birth Announcement
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View the entire collection of cards.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

somtimes...

...when you pick up your child you can feel the map of your own bones beneath your hands, or smell the scent of your skin in the nape of (her) neck.  this is the most extraordinary thing about
motherhood
 - finding a piece of yourself separate and apart that all the same you could not live without.  it is the feeling you get when you place the last scrap of the 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle; it is the last footfall in a photo finish race; exhilaration and homecoming and stunned
wonder
...caught between those stubby fingers and the spaces where baby teeth have given way...

-jodi picoult, author
perfect match

everyday people

i'd completely forgotten this song
and then heard it earlier today
catchy tune & all
simple lyrics
and yet, when you read those lyrics...
it really makes you wonder
why it all can't be that simple:

everyday people
by sly & the family stone

sometimes i'm right and i can be wrong

my own beliefs are in my song

the butcher, the banker, the drummer and then

makes no difference what group I'm in

i am everyday people (yeah yeah)

there is a blue one who can't accept the green one

for living with a fat one trying to be a skinny one

and different strokes for different folks

and so on and so on and scooby dooby doo-bee

(oh sha sha) we got to live together

i am no better and neither are you

we are the same whatever we do

you love me you hate me you know me and then

you can't figure out the bag i'm in

i am everyday people (yeah yeah)

there is a long hair that doesn't like the short hair

for bein' such a rich one that will not help the poor one

and different strokes for different folks

and so on and so on and scooby dooby doo-bee

(oh sha sha) we got to live together

there is a yellow one that won't accept the black one

that won't accept the red one that won't accept the white one

and different strokes for different folks


Sunday, January 9, 2011

stripes!

 the girls HAD to be in the finished photo of "their" basement...2nd strip color done and some of the uppercase living up on the wall (despite my hubs making a comment about "aren't you supposed to wait 2 or 3 weeks after painting to put those up?"...ummm...).  so here is the one corner:
these 2 crack me up!

 this one is a close-up of the corner before putting the couch back where it should be...
i have a shel silverstein quote, a letters canvas, numbers poster and a couple other cool things to put up, but am trying to decide what to do with the shelves at the other end...need to have them where they will stay before the rest goes on the wall. 

******
this week has been a long one.
shootings at my niece's school...luckily she did not hear or see anything.
and
a gal i was really good friends with in college and was a bridesmaid in her wedding sent an email that her husband was just diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

hoping for better days ahead. 
for all.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

last & first...

our basement
is my last project of 2010...
and
1st project of 2011...


will be working on 2nd stripe in the next couple days...
since this part of the basement is
the girls' "playroom", it took me awhile
to decide on color(s)...
they wanted pink and purple (their fave colors),
but i wanted to do something that could
grow with them...
so, i chose ("chose" based on what was on the "whoops shelf"...)
neutrals...and when it is all painted, i have some
colorful "stuff" to add...
canvas, framed posters, uppercase living quotes and graphics...
that way, if i want a change, then i don't have to re-paint...
we can just take down the wall stuff and put up new!

happy new year!