Favorite Things #2

I posted some of my fav things a week or so ago. At the time, I mentioned posting about my front porch. After being neglected for a week while we were beaching, it was looking a mess. For that reason, you get the 'far away' view of the porch. You can't see my rod-iron window boxes that are full of ivy and impatiens, and that is a really sad thing. You also can't see all the tree bark, dead leaves, and miscellaneous debris that remains unswept. That is a good thing! So, there you have it! My front porch!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jog

Ben and the boys taking one last look at the beach before we left yesterday.

Happy to be home. Sad to not be at the beach.
We made it home after a late flight, threw the kiddos in the tub, whipped up a quick bite to eat (at a really undecent hour), and put the kids to bed. Our last flight was delayed, and that really made for a chaotic airport wait. However, the Memphis airport is much like a shopping mall, so we were not necessarily bored. It ended up being pretty cool, since we flew in the dark. The world is a beautiful place from way up high, in the dark.

We have so many good vacation memories from our beach trip. DH took his portrait camera, and we were able to do some really neat beach pics of the kids, of his sister's family, and of his mom. Once the proofs are back, I'll post some kid pics. In other news, I celebrated my 33rd bday at the beach. It was weird to have a birthday away from home, but it was nice. Mostly I just really missed my grandmother who passed away a year ago. We shared the same birthday, and I feel so sorry for myself on our day. She was something so special to lose. I hate that for me.

On a happier, kid-related note, Jack got to sit in the cockpit on one of our flights, got his very own surfboard that he LOVES, and got to visit an Air Force Armament museum before we left Florida.
Sam stood naked on our beach balcony and shouted to his brother 3 floors below in the pool (through an empty toilet paper roll that his Aunt says he used as an attachment at some point in his exhibition), "Attention! Attention! Hey, Jack! Look at me!!"
Sophy got to swim in the ocean, swim in the pool, pretend swim through the hotel/condo wearing goggles, AND she saw her very first dolphin show at an aquarium we visited. (She literally BEGGED us to let her swim with the dolphins. I have no doubt she would've if we had allowed it.) If you haven't followed my other online journal, you've missed my entries on the swimming skills of Sophy. We call her Aqualung. Once my thoughts are more organized, I'll update more about the trip. There is too much to try to post now.

Sam and I made a batch of muffins filled with strawberry jam this afternoon to help comfort our vacation deprived souls (er, tummies.) Before I had my little teapot perking and the butter out, the boys had relieved me of 4 of the muffins. Looks like there will be no post-vacation comfort for Daddy once he gets home. Better go start some supper~
Ciao (as Sophy says~)

Favorite Things #1

Wouldn't it be neat if I post a different "Favorite Thing" every Sunday? Uh-huh, you say. Cool. So, I'll try to remember to do that! Today's favorite things are actually 2 things. First is my tea stuff (very technical terms only, please and thank you.) None of it actually matches or is actually elegant, etc. Still, it's really mismatched, which is pretty much what I'm all about. See the little chick planter/holder thingy? Well, it was my grandma's. Over the years, I have found several others on Ebay (don't get me started) of varying color schemes. For now, I have 4 of them, but I'm always on the look out for more. If one is good, 2 is great...right? I use this rule to apply to the green, vintage kitchen utensils that are fixated around my kitchen walls. I have some really neat contraptions (potato peelers, canning tongs, melon ball scoopers, etc.)

My other favorite thing, for right now, is my toaster cover. I am not particularly fond of chicks/roosters (or toast for that matter.) It was more of an accidental roostering. What can I say? My kitchen is pink/green, so it worked. Still, I love the little stitching on it. Most people sort of stare at it in wonder. As in, "I wonder what she was thinking when she bought that...."

Next week, my front porch. I just hope I remember!~!

"Gee. Your feet stink."

(First, please pardon if this blog looks a mess for a while. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. Hopefully, I'll get the hang of this soon. Question: How do I do that cute little column where I can post the blogs that I read? Is that a dumb question?)
My friend had her baby this morning. She's adorable, pink, and nameless (for the time being..I do believe they intend to name her...right? Just kidding.) I'm pushing for Bella Jane. Is that not the cutest name ever? Well, I think so anyway. I'll just call her that no matter what they name her. I want to post a pic of the baby wreath my friend made. It's so cute! I'll try to get a pic of it later to post here. You won't believe how cute it is.
DH has a photo shoot this evening at the azalea gardens, so we'll all tag along. The place is huge (40+acres, I think), so we'll get lost (and sweaty) while he takes pics. The last time we were at this garden we saw a family (pack? herd? gaggle?) of red rox that live there. Too cute! Of course, the kids start screaming, SWIPER!! Ug.
Speaking of "Ug".....
Strange comments from the D's House, July 23rd, 2006:
1. Sophy, don't lick the television. (Daddy)
2. Gee. Your feet really stink, Sam. (Jack)
3. Can I take a shower with you tonight, Dad? (Sam)
4. I hate this vacuum. (Sam)
5. **EDITED**(Previous #5 comment has been replaced...)
#5. Mom? Mom! Can you wipe my butt? I don't like to do it.
Later~

Rose Colored Glasses

Here you see a lovely photo of my darling Sophy Claire wearing her rose colored glasses! I thought it only appropriate that I add her pic here today, since she had the darned things on all day long! If only I had my own pair of rose colored glasses. Sigh.
She went to the garden and picked my only Gerber daisy, demolished a stump of Zinnias and then proceeded to place them in a bowl full of water for the kitchen table. What a girl! Already trying her hand at floral arrangement and home decor! I should have a really healthy garden in a matter of days. See, Sophy took an entire container of Osmocote, calling them 'seeds', and planted the entire container in a single hole...and then gentley covered it up with dirt. There is no telling what we'll grow now!

2 cool things.
Cool thing #1: I bought a doll body (sounds odd, I know.) It's a cloth, doll form that you embroidery a face on, stuff, sew up, make clothes and hair for, etc. It was only a dollar! Yes, I'm gonna do it. (Just keep telling yourself that!) I have this crazy idea of making it into a mermaid for Soph. We'll see how adventurous I get.
Cool thing #2: I finally finished embroidering the silk bag that I started at CHRISTMAS for my niece. Keep in mind that I bought 5 of these bags (one for each niece.) I've finished one. So, 4 to go. At this rate, I'll be finished...what, 2.5 years from now? HAHA! I'll try and post a pic of it next time.
Ta~

Let's see if this works!

BEACH 2005


We're in the last minute crunch of getting our things together for our trip to the beach. We fly out next Wednesday. Those who know me well know that I am a paranoid freak. So, you can imagine what an upcoming flight is doing for my nerves. It's not so much that I'm afraid of flying. That part is actually exciting, and I'm looking forward to it. However, there are a few (ok, 10 or 20) things that have crossed my mind that could go wrong. I'm trying not to think about any of them! Still, it will be really nice to not have to drive 9 hours (with one child who gets car sick by just thinking about wheels.)
So, here's a project worth mentioning. I'm currently in the planning stages of switching my kid's rooms around. Sophy is currently in the bigger room (hey, it has a pretty window seat, so she got that room by default.) The boys initially chose the smaller room when we moved into the house, but they are to an age/size now where they need more space. So, we'll be switching rooms. I'm thinking I'll start the transition once we're back from the beach. The move will consist of repainting both rooms (the boy's room right now is painted Fire Orange), moving every stitch of clothing, toys, and furniture from one room to the other. I'm also taking this opportunity to replace their toddler-ish bedding in favor of more big kid like bedding. Also, Sophy's bed is a full-size bed, and we'll need to get her a twin with a trundle for the smaller room. While I'm at it, I've decided to get the boys both twin beds. They are in bunk beds right now, and I am so tired of the hassle of making up the top bunk. And heaven help you if someone gets sick in the top bunk. UG! What a pain in the neck. Once I start getting stuff together, I'll be sure and post pics of it all going down.
Better bust a move and make today happen. We've got errands to run in town, and I promised Sam I would take him out for pancakes for supper.
Later~

My garden

My tiny, magical garden. This is where my Sophy and I plant, weed, pluck, and plot. After this pic was taken, I lost several things you see in a big storm. Not long after that, we had a week of 103+ degree temps. So, our sweet little garden baby is in need of lots of love and rest!