Masthead header

sweet

i just loved this.
i don’t even have this memorized!

Marcia - Congratulations on a year of blogging. Every time I visit it cheers me up, like reading a favorite magazine where you know all the people in the pictures. Lots of love.

Marcia - Congratulations on a year of blogging. Every time I visit it cheers me up, like reading a favorite magazine where you know all the people in the pictures. Lots of love.

Patricia - Thank you so much for sharing! That is just priceless!!

Shawn - I’ve seen that before but never get tired of watching it. She’s just the cutest sweetest thing ever. Amazing. 🙂

cynthia - i saw this a few months back and it’s adorable! my son just learned this entire verse at school last week and to hear those words is like sweet music!

Jennifer P. - Oh, by the way, don’t you know you’re suppose to put clips like this and the man cold one over in your sidebar so I can come steal them first :)?!

Jennifer P. - Somebody needs to clone her! It is amazing what kids are able to memorize.

traci - not only is it impressive that she has it memorize but she is just flat out ADORABLE!!! How her father is not laughing and shaking the camera I dont know! How darling!

Share on Facebook•Tweet this Post•Pin Images to Pinterest•Back to Top

the other game

this is the other game we play
that lets mommy have some time on the computer
while still playing with annie.
(multi-tasking)

first she closes the swinging door…
(sidenote: this is our Three’s Company door.
you know how jack always ran into someone else
with a big platter of food and it smashed in his face?)
anyway…this is how i know we about to play.

Img_8461_3

knock knock knock.
“come in!!!” i say to the door.

Img_8462_3

“Oh hello annie! what are you doing here?” i ask.
to which i always get the quick reply…
“i not annie. i the mama.”
“Oh…hello mama. who is with you today?” i ask.

Img_8463_2

“”this is my baby….maya. she was in my tummy. want to hold her?”
“Of course i do” i answer.
“she need a bottle. feed her her bottle.”
“OKay…i think she’s tired. she must need a nap in her bed” i tell her.
(this is the part where i get the computer time)

Img_8464_2

“yeah…she ti-yerd. she need a nap.
i betta be doe-in’ now.
BYE!
half a dood day!”

annie leaves to put maya for a nap.
then 3 minutes later she reappears to do it all again.
i just love a little one’s imagination.
every 3 minutes.

chris - I am glad I found you too, like you I found you before and never found my way back.
Tile is worth doing it is not hard but can , rent or buy a good tile saw and that helps a great deal , that toughest part is after the grout is applied waiting and wiping the excess off , I have not mastered that guite yet , it is a timing thing, I am completely self taught.
Thanks for stopping by
Chris

Ainslie - Ooh, it’s good to hear someone else uses little ‘diversions’ for their kids. I love the way you write Annie’s dialogue as she says it….it’s so adorable. I could listen to ‘little people’s talk’ all day…it’s just so darn cute!!!

jeanetta - super cute. and i love the door. and the 3’s company reference

chris - Love your home is is so wonderful, I have always wanted a swinging door, you are inspiring me.

Brenis - LOL! Meg I swear we were separated at birth! My daughter and I have played the same game for years. She’s mostly outgrown it now – and now the game is “here’s a book, how much can you read all by yourself??” lolol
And just want you to know.. our son (now 11) couldn’t say his “g’s” – and he would say good= dood. Well… we’ve never been able to let that one go! LOL Hubby will call on the phone and say how are you? Answer is always “I’m dood!” 😀 “it’s all dood” 😀 and occasionally I’ll slip and say that to adults outside of our family and they LOOK at me like i’ve grown 3 heads. LOLOL yah. so. there ya go. LOL
Have a great day! Hope ya’ll are feeling much better!!!!
blessings,
bren

mrslimestone - Just stumbled upon your blog. You have some gorgeous photos in here. Your family is very lucky to have someone capturing all these little moments so beautifully.

meg duerksen - a bible verse is the white…1 Peter 1:13-15.
and the purple is a preschool paper of questions to ask about their day…that annie covered with pink pen.
nothing interesting at all.

Emily Loria - I love Three’s Company. I had a crush on Jack for the longest time…
Glad you are feeling better!

Jennifer P. - come and knock on our door! We’ve been waiting for you!…… (I loved your 3’s Company reference:)!).
Annie sure is a cutie. Love that you type just the way she talks. You’ll want to remember that for sure.
Traci got me curious too about what is written on those papers. Hmmmm……

traci - she is just tooooooo cute!!!

traci - First of all you have THE CUTEST little girl in town, second I LOVE your house!! What are the pieces of paper on the wall next to the door with writing on them?

Share on Facebook•Tweet this Post•Pin Images to Pinterest•Back to Top

much better

i took the morning off.
i got a sitter for annie…left craig sick in bed…
and got to barnes & noble as fast as possible.
do you know how quiet it is there at 10 AM on a weekday?
blissfully quiet.

Img_8508_2

luxury to me.

Img_8512_2

i slowly looked through these books.
sipping my coffee
and soaking in the beauty.
my mind was overflowing with so many ideas.
for the house…for crafts…for the garden.
this book was my favorite.
on the cover is a fire pole in the house
and a slide alongside the stairs.
how fun!
ms. kristin and lorel…you’d love it.
i wrote down 2 sheets of notes in my idea book.

the rest of my day was a breeze…
since i ‘d had a taste of freedom.

i baked.
a quadruple recipe of pumpkin muffins
my favorites.

Img_8526_2

Img_8531_2

i arranged flowers.

Img_8537_2

name that movie….
“it’s a 12 lemon centerpiece gary.
i can’t make a 12 lemon centerpiece with 3 lemons.”

look how cute the gerbera daisies are all cozy in their hairnets.

Img_8524_2

i brought color back to the kitchen
trying to fight those winter blues.

Img_8541_2

scott remains healthy.
last man standing.

not that craig is anything like this…
but it is funny.

Andria - Love the post. Your flower arrangement is so beautiful. Please post your pumpkin muffin recipe. My best friend’s grandmother used to make the best pumpkin bread, I haven’t found a recipe even close.
You bring joy to my day!

Tonya - those books look fabulous…
I am a HUGE Amy Butler Fan…
looks like a nice relaxing day…
I need more of those…
Tonya

Adla - Hi there,
what wonderful pictures captured. loving the citruses in the vase 🙂

traci - I agree with Liz…this is just the most cheerful blog ever!!! You definately have a the gift with a camera. I love the flowers, bumball machine, flowers with little hairnets on as you worded it and everything else!!! Soooo glad you took time off to just relax in the midst of the sick storm your family is going thru. Tell Scott to hang on and be STRONG..

cynthia - love love love the lemons in the centerpiece! just beautiful!
and i couldn’t help but admire the gumball machine on your counter as well…now i want to take ours off it’s stand and put it in the kitchen!

danelle - I absolutely LOVED the video. I laughed outloud and that feels good!!!

carissa - that video is hilarious!
girl… you make my jaw drop each & every day with your beautiful… insightful posts! thanks!

Jennifer P. - Oh please invite me along on your next outing to Barnes and Noble. I’ll be quiet I promise :)! A little peace and quiet and a stack of decorating books looks sooooo nice. It’s been so loud and crowded in here lately. I think I’ve got cabin fever.
And I’m only like a hop, skip, jump and airpline flight away from Kansas, right?!
LOVE your display of the flowers, apples, and gumball machine. Such color! Thanks for giving me so many ideas.

Mom - The video is terrific. Would you come and put some flowers on my table?
Comment from Talby last weekend: She was looking at the arrangement on my table which is a candle in the big glass vase and fake snow around it and says: Grandma, why do you always have to be so fancy? I said: Because it makes me feel better and it looks pretty.
Runs in the family – huh.

Mrs. Fox - Loved the video! Nick Frost is so funny.

Liz - This might be my favorite post of all time. Seriously. I dont know what cheered me up more… seeing your cheerful flowers and cute gumball machine or watching that video. That was eerily accurate of man sickness. Cant wait to show that to Matt…

traci - what a great day for you. absolutely love the bookstore. you need to give the recipe for your pumpkin muffins – they look wonderful. what great decorating bits. the flowers are beautiful. very springy!!

prairie daze - i WOULD love that. more than much i can think of.
i’m so glad you got a date…

eryn - It’s from “The BreakUp” with Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston, right? I love that you put the citrus in the vase…so pretty!!

eryn - It’s from “The BreakUp” with Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston, right? I love that you put the citrus in the vase…so pretty!!

Kamee Nuzman - Darling. Darling. Darling. I love everything you got to do on your day off. I also am inspired by your angles! 😉 Loved the visit!

Share on Facebook•Tweet this Post•Pin Images to Pinterest•Back to Top

man down

craig just walked in…
11:00 PM.
“I have the flu”

it will be a miracle if scott doesn’t get this.
how are you feeling mom?

**************************************************
random quote: talby asks me…
“why were those girls here at wal-mart in the day?”
“they are homeschooled…their mom is their teacher.”
“ohhhh…is that why the mom wears glasses?”

carissa - OMG… I just laughed hard out loud. your kids are so funny!

Liz - That’s funny. You can tell your daughter that I often wonder the same thing, “Who are these people that wonder around WalMart in the middle of the day?” I dont know, but I want to be one of them! 🙂

traci - kids perceptions are so funny!! I dont know about with Craig but with most men they are the WORST when being sick…no one feels as bad as them..lol…hope this is all over soon.

Mom - This is day 3 and I’m still pretty bad. Kids bounce back so fast. It’s not fair. How are Annie and Talby and Craig?

prairie daze - i really am laughing

Jennifer P. - That must be why I needed glasses about the same year I started homeschooling! Do you think if I stopped I could get my 20/20 back?
Hope your husband feels better soon and that the flu makes its way through your house quickly. I think that’s easier to deal with than a couple of weeks of it at 2-3 day intervals.

Share on Facebook•Tweet this Post•Pin Images to Pinterest•Back to Top

one month later…

Img_8495_2

so yeah…it’s january 22nd
and i decided to take down my christmas tree.
only a month later than everyone else.
and everything still looks so pretty even in the box.

Img_8502_2

11 months in a box.
(or 10 if you are lazy like me)
it’s a shame.

Img_8486_2

new for us…
each child now has their own box for their special ornaments.

Img_8488_4

clearly scott prefers big ornaments.
he is going for volume.
i guess he will need another box.

i am feeling much better today.
thank you for the get well wishes.
but as of 6:45…
the exact minute we started dinner…
talby has it too.
and then there were 2.

**********************************************************
random quote: annie shouts from another room
“mom…i have a runny nose…can i wipe it on your shirt?”

Ainslie - I love the idea of the boxes for each child’s ornaments. We do have a few ‘disagreements’ when it comes to hanging the decorations as to who gets to hang which ones. I think I’ll have to steal this idea from you if you don’t mind. I promise if anyone asks, to tell them it was your idea though!!!

cynthia - not to worry…mine stuff goes up around the first of november!
and doesn’t come down until way after new years…

jerusalem - Our last Christmas box just went out to the garage yesterday…you are in good company! Hope you continue on the mend – best wishes!

carissa - all your Christmas goodies look SO pretty!
it IS a shame how little time we have them out to enjoy… so i think it’s awesome you kept your tree up longer.
here’s to a wonderful wednesday & everyone getting better!

Beka - What a great idea for the kids’ ornaments. My kids are always asking where their particular handmade ornaments are, and I just have them amongst the crowd of others. Your Christmas goodies look gorgeous.

jeanetta - my tree is still up. dont think i’ll get to it today. lol

prairie daze - okay, i want to do this.
a box for each kid, that is. : )

Jennifer P. - See, THAT’S why I take all my stuff down on Dec. 26 :)!!! If I leave it up just a little too long, I completely stop noticing it. (Not that you didn’t notice yours, or maybe you didn’t–I’m just saying that’s how the story ends with me!). The one thing I didn’t get to–the snow paint on my front windows–is still there.
But the ornaments do look so pretty. I wouldn’t want to part with them too quickly either.
Hope little one feels better soon! Hope you wash all your shirts!

Dana D - I’m so glad I’m not the only one!
If it makes you feel any better, my goal for tomorrow is to take down our Christmas tree! It was also my goal for today, but it didn’t happen!

Kamee Nuzman - i love love love all of your pictures. you are so creative! congrats on getting the tree down! 🙂 thanks for stopping by; I love making new blogger friends!

traci - those ornaments do look gorgeous in the box!!! I too LOVE the idea of each child having a box of ornaments…Im so stealing that idea 🙂
SOOOOOO glad you are better

Andrea - I love the idea of having a special box for each child’s special hand made ornaments. Thanks.

Share on Facebook•Tweet this Post•Pin Images to Pinterest•Back to Top

sick

Img_8445_2

this was my weekend.
totally miserable…
i got to watch plenty of tv.
some shows i’d never seen.
miss america reality check
my big redneck wedding…wow this was something else.
kids by the dozen
and i watched the nanny diaries before bed.
more tv than i have seen for a long time.
annie got sick at my mom’s.
throwing up in the movie theater.
sorry mom…thank you so much.
sean got sick starting at 5:30 AM sunday.
motherhood means you get to clean up throw-up when you are sick yourself.
lovely.
so only 3 left who haven’t caught it yet.

but before i got sick we went to scott’s games.

Img_8437_2

his first time playing on a team.
they lost both games but it was good to play.
he didn’t like losing but who does?
it was fun to watch.

if i wasn’t sick i would’ve helped with this.

Img_8450_3

we started a new project but craig was on his own.
stripping wallpaper is so annoying.
and even worse to find out it’s 3 layers.

Img_8456_2

Img_8458_2

goodbye blue flowered wallpaper and matching drapes.
we will not miss you.

Enna Grazier - Love your family chronicles… your pictures are great! The details help tell the stories that you write about. Nice!

carissa - oh no!!!
i hope you are “back” soon! hang in there!
get well wishes!

traci - When you had not blogged in a WHOLE 2 days I knew you MUST be sick!! So sorry…I know here in Okiehoma (haha) everyone is sick. My husband was the first in line for a flu shot and still got sick, I declined the flu shot and feel great, hmmmmm.
Tell Scott to hang in there, the first games are always the hardest.
Taking wallpaper down is always a bear plus that room looks HUGE so that will make it even worse….you have awesome style so I cant wait to see where you take it.
Get better sooooooon!!! Big blogger fan.

Blanca - Get well soon! Removing wallpaper is not fun I’ve done my share. I had similar walpaper in my old house but the colors were mustard yellow and avacado green with some dark brown. Hideous to say the least. I can’t wait to see what becomes of that room when you are done.
Blanca

Liz - Hope you feel better soon! Good luck with the wallpaper.

traci - hope you’re feeling better. bummer that you all are getting sick. yea, i’d say bye bye to that wallpaper too. sorry. can’t wait to see what you do instead, i love your decorating style.

Heather (aka Digby's mom) - Wow! You must save those drapes and make Sound of Music style playsuits out of them! (I’m sure Lauren would love that!)

jeanetta - feel better soon.
yes removing wallpapper is the devil. i rented a steamer still was a pain.
was the nanny diaries good. i read the book and was in tears crying and since i hate books or movies that make me cry i am leary of seeing the movie.

Jennifer P. - I am so sorry you are sick, but so excited to see what you will do with the playroom. Somehow you made that blue flowered wallpaper work–but I think you’ll make something else work even better!
And as for peeling wallpaper–that is what someone could do to torture me. No spiders. No Chinese water torture. No solitary confinement–just making me strip old wallpaper. Looks like your hubby is handling it pretty well though!
Hope that’s the end of the stomach flu around your house. Vomit is never, ever, ever fun.

Share on Facebook•Tweet this Post•Pin Images to Pinterest•Back to Top

quickly

Img_6243_2

just a quick post today.
i dropped talby and annie off with my parents for the weekend.
i stopped in 2 very small town antique stores on the way home.
there was so much cool stuff.
lauren was sick but is feeling better.
sean and craig are at wal-mart getting the oil changed.
then we are off to watch scott’s first basketball game in a few minutes.
i am nervous for him.

this is a picture from the craft room a few months back
i liked how the word create is in a shadow on the counter.
the beaded word is hanging from the shelves above.
my favorite picture of craig in the background…
with many others and drawings and quotes from the kids…
have a fun saturday!

traci - I just love your creative space…no wonder you are so creative!! I just love your blog

traci - what a great space to create in. very inviting. love all the pictures and little bits of life on the board right in front of you.

Jennifer P. - That space looks like it could produce so many great ideas! I would love a place to just pin up anything and everything that inspires me. The ‘create’ shadow is cool!

Share on Facebook•Tweet this Post•Pin Images to Pinterest•Back to Top