The Sweet (and Sticky) Ones

The Birthday Cake

The Free-for-All

The Triplets

The Nomad

Taking care of our needs, one graham cracker at a time.

She is screaming. It's early...maybe 7:00 am? She usually doesn't stir before 8:00. Dad-nabbit, I think. What's the deal? I groggily stumble out of bed to grab her, and find her standing in the corner of the crib in frustration. I notice that she's got a real dirty face. Huh. You need a bath, baby. When I pick her up, I realize that dirty isn't the best way to describe her. It's more...crumby. I rub my eyes. What I then discover is she is standing in a small mountain of graham cracker crumbs. Huh?! Why the crap is there a huge pile of graham cracker crumbs in her crib?!
Fast forward a couple of hours.
Allan strolls through the door an hour before church. "Hey Babe?" I inquire, "Why was Joe wallowing in graham cracker crumbs this morning?" "She was hungry. I just tossed some in before I left for my meetings." Oh. Of course.
She was hungry.

Happy Father's Day.

And ps. If you're wondering if she went to church with that 'do, the answer is no.
It was a whole lot worse.

NEW! Sort of...

You'll be thrilled to know that I reupholstered this couch! Many of you know that I've been pining for a new couch, and a few of you also know that I have set my cap at re-upholstering one. Well, the opportunity just came, and I seized it. My friend Trine's brother (I think?) gave her this couch, which she then very generously passed on to me. It was comfy, and a nice style, but really really really...not white anymore. Well, anyhow--now it's green. What do you think???



P.S. Stay tuned for Josie's birthday pics and other family treasures!

Matriarchal Pride

Top Ten Things Josie Does When I'm Not Looking

10. Attempts to reorganize the plastic-baggy drawer by emptying out the contents...she's right--they would be more handy for her on the kitchen floor.
9. Likewise reorganizes the hand-towel drawer.
8. Methodically de-shelves the bookshelf
7. Shreds entire rolls of TP (which thanks to Allan are in every room of our home)
6. Tips over the garbage cans, rummages through, finds and gnaws on slimy banana peels
5. Mysteriously--no seriously, this IS a mystery--unscrews bottles of lotion and consumes what she doesn't rub into the carpet
4. Climbs INTO the fridge when I'm putting away groceries. Yeah, she's real quick.
3. Rips out pages of my scriptures
2. Dumps out the contents of a lentil bag that I taped shut for lack of a rubber band.
1. Speedily makes a B-line for the bathroom whenever I leave it open and fishes in the toilet. She's a real opportunist. Gross.

Yeah, she's good. She's real good.

And...she walks!!!

She's into Spaghetti in a big way

This was a recorded letter home from my mish......yeah--tears. *note the hand-towels in the background and the tortilla scraps all over.

I like this picture because my bicep looks really big.

My heart is full, and my wallet empty.

Guess what, friends?!?! I got a new SEWING MACHINE!!!!
Her name is Gene, and she's a Singer. I met her for the first time last night at the Cotton Shop. Let me explain. No, there is too much; let me sum up. As some of you know, I've been in the couch market lately. To tell you the truth, I've been living in the couch market...HAUNTING the couch market. I've pretty much kept KSL and Craigslist up continually on my computer, and although I've found plenty of couches that would do, I haven't found the couch to meet my every couch need. Too expensive...not comfortable enough...too far away......ET FLIPPING CETERA. So, when my sewing machine broke the other day, and Allan suggested I buy a new one INSTEAD of the money we budgeted for a couch, I wasn't entirely opposed to the idea. In fact, I thought it was a brilliant plan. So the above mentioned Cotton Shop was having an amazing annual sale, and I went intending to look and see if anything jumped out at me. Gene didn't exactly jump out at me, but after a detailed LD from the salesperson, I decided to take her for a test drive. I can't say that it was exactly a spiritual experience, but something like unto it... I felt this exhilarating joy LEAP from my heart, and I'm pretty sure I heard a a Hallelujah Chorus. After I sampled the first 10 stitches or so, I was smitten. I can't explain it in any other way. I was head over heels for her. She's digital, and has 100 stitches, and is so smooth and sleek and...sturdy, that I couldn't help but give my heart away. I got an amazing deal on her, and although I spent a little more than I'd planned, I knew I wouldn't regret it. And I haven't. And I won't. Here's a bad photo of her capabilities. A new camera is somewhere on our horizon...maybe next tax return. And by the way, I'm thrilled to be out of the couch market.

A whipped these babies up today to play with the tulip stitch.

Ok, go ahead. TELL me how cute this dress is, and how Josie looks like a dream in it. Em had whipped up this dress for her little Milly, and so I yoinked the pattern and made this for my Joe.

I added this criss-cross back so it will fit her longer...

Here's a baby shower gift I made for my friend Irina who is having twins. A boy AND and a girl.

I dressed up a lamp for my living room...

I just got this chair off KSL. Really classy I think, but not what you would call comfortable. I don't want to talk about it.But I DO want to talk about this pillow I made for it.

And this mirror I gave a face lift to.

So, basically, the world is at my fingertips right now. I feel like I can sew anything, and I just might. I just might.

In honor of the season...

Take the Quiz here!

2 years, skinny jeans, and Jane Austen

Last night Allan and I celebrated two years of marital bliss by eating until we were physically handicapped (meaning, we had to lean back in our chairs, walk slowly, and ditch our big plans of going bowling). Tuccano's treated us right, folks. Just like it always does. AH!!!! MEAT!!! I'm part carnivore, ever since my return from Argentina. They learn how to BAR B QUE before they learn to crawl, I'm pretty sure. So anyway, the long and short of it is last night was tender, savory, bliss. And I'm not just talkin' bout the meat... Heh, heh...


To commemorate our happiness (or really just take the opportunity to show a wedding photo) here is oneof the big day two years ago.
I loved my Allan that day I said "yes" to eternity, but I love him even better today. He has made me happier than I ever knew how to be, and who knew he would make me laugh so much?! I'm pretty sure, I didn't. Pleasant surprise, right?

Speaking of marriage, I always swore I would never wear tapered jeans as long as I live. As you all know, the style has slowly crept up on us all, and before we know it, our cute cousins are sportin' them and looking great. And we think..."ok, on her they look good." And then... "I actually think they're kind of cute, but I could never sport them." And then, "man, I wish I had the legs and booty to sport those skinny jeans!!" And finally we are in the dressing room for a half an hour trying to decided whether we do or do not have that booty. I'm still undecided, but I went ahead and bought them. And I like them. A lot. Here's how it happened. I was having the above conversation with my cousin Laura (who incidentally was the FIRST girl I had to concede looked pretty rockin' in the jeans), and I said something about how you had to be skinny minny to look good in them, and how I thought they were cute, but never on me, and she said something like, "that's what everyone says, until they try them on." So I then I had to find out for myself, and I will say this: although the jury is still out about whether or not have sauce enough to sport them, I haven't felt so hip since I busted that purple net shirt in kindergarten...every other day.

And lastly, I have something to say concerning our favorite authress, Miss Jane Austen. As many of you know, I may or may not be obsessed with her novels/subsequent movies right now (thank you Masterpiece Theatre). Within the last six months I have read P & P, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and am now enjoying Persuasion. I have watched, goggled, drooled, and poured over the delightful movies again and again....and again. This Jane fest, although wonderful, has not been without it's sorrows, due to the heckling, boo-hooing, moaning, groaning, jeering, wailing, gnashing of teeth etc. that my husband and almost every other male within my acquaintance contribute upon the mere mention of any of Jane's books/movies. WHY?!?!? I don't get it, boys. TRIVIA QUESTION: Do we, or do we not practically THROW ourselves at you upon finishing any of our friend Jane's books/movies?! Do we not forgive any/ALL your shortcomings and become instantly giddy and affectionate?? Let's be honest--Jane really knew how to get a girl worked up! Is this not reward enough for any ballroom dance scene you may have suffered through? So, here it is: the day you endure an Austen classic, without the post-game foo foo, is the day I give you permission to moan and groan about repetitive plots and the lack of explosions.