Hawk & Mercy

December, January, February

2012-02-11T19:36:00.000-05:00

We have been experiencing some technical difficulties at our house, thus no blogging (or Christmas cards in case you were wondering).

We have had a fun and delightfully mild winter. Plenty of bike riding and our little Lu learned how to ride without training wheels right before her 5th birthday. We ingested near lethal quantities of food coloring for her birthday (thank you pinterest). We all had a delightful time at the Lodge for New Year's and some unexpected friendships were formed, as often happens at the Lodge.

Fun times spent with our cousins too!

More to come.

Lisa

2011-11-03T21:49:00.000-04:00

Halloween night. Dorky mom made us wear jackets.


Lucy's own idea for a costume, blood woman.

And a beautiful ballerina

Christmas gift bags! I'm so ahead of myself this year. I actually have gifts purchased!

Happy November!
Lisa

What I did this summer: Part III

2011-09-18T18:11:00.001-04:00

: : A special painting for some special people.

: : I have done a lot painting this summer. I had big ideas for the girls' room paintings but so did they. A cat eating ice cream? A dog eating an ice cream sundae while sitting on a rainbow? How could I not fulfill those requests?

: : I made a Superman skirt for a not-so-girly girl. I love her style.

: : Another lamp! Pottery barn, eat your heart out. I made this is just a few minutes (and a trip to target). I had this sitting on the kitchen counter (note banana) on a grey day and it was so lovely.

: : A trio of HP pillows. This was a craft project with my niece who took 2 of the pillows off to college with her.

I have a little girl here requesting glitter. Gotta go.

Lisa

What I did this summer. Part II

2011-09-11T22:38:00.004-04:00

And now for the scary adventures. In June a quick and fierce storm blew through our neck of the woods. It is the first time we have had to get in the basement during a storm. Have you seen our basement? Have you seen Silence of the Lambs?

These are just a few of the many, many trees in our neighborhood that fell during the storm and the one on the tree service truck fell two days after the storm. Most of the trees were 100+ years old. One was 220 years old! Our next door neighbors lost two huge trees that shade the east side of our house and we miss them very much.
Other than the truck and the tree LIMB that fell on our neighbors guest house, there was not much damage to our close neighbors homes and thankfully no one was hurt!

Lisa

What I did this summer. Part I

2011-09-10T22:34:00.000-04:00

Our swimsuits are trashed, it was a great summer. Looking back, I can honestly say we didn't waste a day. Some days were playing on the porch in our jammies kind of days, but that was just what we all needed. We had lots of adventures, some fun, some scary.
I am not making any apologies for the long blogging break, my time was better spent having a good old fashioned summer. Don't you agree?
Lisa

Debbie

2011-05-11T21:55:00.002-04:00

These photos, except for the last one, were made at my sister's house. She has a way of collecting odd little things and arranging things and flowers...she's gifted. I love to look at all of her collections. She is a wonderful gift buyer. The two dolls in the last photo are gifts I have received from her and I love them. I love her a lot too.

Lisa

Anticipation

2011-05-10T21:54:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the long break in blogging. As many of you know I have had some health issues. I'm feeling better and I hope to one day be back to normal. Well, normal for me.

There have been lots of end of the school year activities. This is from field day. Anna is in the pink shorts. She came in second place in the 50 yard dash, the apple has clearly fallen far from the tree! Here she's getting ready for a race called 'shoe find' or as I like to call it: a sock that will need bleach.

Lisa

The fast is fast approaching

2011-03-08T22:22:00.000-05:00

My computer fast is here, well in a few hours anyway. I was so worried about it last year and this year I am looking forward to it! I have spent hours and hours on the computer working on a cookbook for the daycare at our church and now I'm OVER IT.

As promised:

Cute kids. They both just learned how to swim. Ahhhh. I'm looking forward to a summer of " WATCH ME MOMMA".

New-ish purse I made on a snow day. It is great fabric though very hard to sew.

My life = Babydolls everywhere

Rain of Biblical proportions brought on strange sproutings in the compost pile - kidney beans I think.

Well it looks like I'm going to leave you all dangling with that great photo of a pile of ... garbage. Nice.

Call me! Come see me! Let's have coffee!

Lisa

For you Leslie Graf

2011-03-05T10:38:00.000-05:00

This is where Barbie learns that Pooh Bear had a very tiny waist.

I'm not sure what prom this was from but I do recall the fella had on a ruffled tux shirt.

Lent is approaching and I am embarking on my internet fast again. I would like to be saying my 'computer' fast but I have some work to do on the computer so I'm going to just avoid the siren call of social media, blog trolling and general time wasting! I'll do some posting of the children (for the grandparents) and projects completed lately (for the rest of you) before I sign off for 40 days.

JC is giving up sweets and alcohol for Lent. He's telling me this one evening and Anna walks through the room and breaks into "Blame it on the a ah uh a alcohol..." There goes my Mom of the Year award.

Lisa

This is what I get for being nosey

2011-02-22T15:54:00.001-05:00

The house next door to us has been recently vacated. I decided to poke around a bit. (are you surprised?)

The moving out was entertaining for us neighbors. Especially the water bed mattress that I was sure contained a dead body. Thankfully my neighbor Elizabeth is up on her Dr. Bass non-fiction books and was able to ascertain that the water bed bladder only LOOKED like a head, shoulders and back.

So, I am examining the beauty in shards of broken glass from a patio table.

I turn to continue snooping and I see this:

yes, I screamed. As you would have too. The previous inhabitants were in cosmetology school.

At least the kitchen didn't look like a meth lab.

That is one BIG tree right on the west side of our house. It is the main reason why I don't enjoy storms.

Next time, cute stuff, not scary heads. Promise!

Lisa

ta da

2011-02-10T08:04:00.000-05:00

Jonathan has an old telescope which is very cool but needs a new lens. In the meantime I took the neat old wooden tripod and made it into a lamp. Yes, I did the wiring and did not electrocute anyone. Fun. Of course now I want to make lamps, lamps, lamps.

Lisa

That's better

2011-02-09T21:40:00.001-05:00

DSC_0325, originally uploaded by lisacooper100.

I finally put a bed skirt on our bed. I have been putting this project off because I knew I would have to hem a king size bed skirt, ugh! It turned out to be so easy and elevates our bedroom from the "grad school squalor" look we were rocking.

Tomorrow I will show you the cool thing I made with electricity!

Lisa

Spring hopes eternal

2011-02-08T12:20:00.000-05:00

After a brisk walk this morning I snapped some shots of signs of spring around the yard.

Lenten Roses ready, daffodils peeking, foxglove holding fast...


Looking ahead but enjoying the moment

New things

2011-02-02T19:51:00.000-05:00

Today I followed some great advice I received when Anna was a baby. "Sleep when the baby sleeps". I never followed the advice when my babies were babies so I decided to put it to the test today. My girls still (thankfully) willingly take naps. I know, I know, don't hate me. Well, especially don't hate me when I tell you that I took a lovely 2 hour nap with them today.

New things:

Swim lessons and a note from Anna to her Daddy about what she "lund" (learned)

I bought an old suitcase at the thrift store and recovered the inside and added some ribbon trim. As I suspected, the girls love it. I am amazed at all the the things it becomes.

Lucy whispered to me the other night: "sweetie baby is half doll, half human". (sweetie baby is up on the left) I think Jonathan has been reading Stephen King to them at bedtime.

Why, why, why does she already give me this look?

See you tomorrow.

Lisa

Let's think about summer

2011-02-01T10:16:00.001-05:00

Here are some photos of my yard from this summer. I have plans for enlarging a flower bed this spring. I need more sun in my yard for my plant taste.

I made the above photo to remind myself that the inpatients next to the hydrangea need to be white. Those two colors together are like fingernails on a chalkboard. Of course the hydrangea hasn't bloomed until this year and I wasn't even sure what color it might be.

I still think about our great yard on East Scott. Wasn't it great??

Enjoy your day and for my friends in the blizzard, please be safe!
Lisa

Cooper Camp

2011-01-29T20:56:00.002-05:00

No camping at this "Cooper Camp". The annual congregation of the Coopers and their respective electronic devices and their families. (in that order). I cannot make too much fun, my sister in law and I were having fun with the ipad into the late hours.

I tried to get some photos of all four Cooper grandchildren without too much luck

It seems like just yesterday it was just Anna and James.

(how cute)

Anna and Lucy thought Esther was just like a real live doll. I see lots of good times in the future.

Lisa

And I was disappointed by a hedgehog

2011-01-29T20:56:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Lucy and I went to the Zoo. I heard that there was story time at 10:30 where a zoo animal would make an appearance.

Here she is waiting with excitement! Me too! I'm not sure what sort of "animal visitor" I was expecting but I can tell you that I was sorely disappointed with the hedgehog. Even if we were allowed to pet it.

After the let down I did notice all the very young kids, toddlers and infants and, well, nursing going on. I guess a more *exciting* animal would have been too much.

I hope that your weekend lives up to all your expectations!

Lisa

Bloggin' everyday

2011-01-28T22:53:00.000-05:00

I'm going to try to blog everyday for a week. Can I do it? Probably not but here goes.

What I have been doing lately:

I made GIANT fabric buckets to hold all the ten billion toys we have. If I put anything in the girls room remotely rectangular it is turned into a "baby bed" not an "organizer".

Promoting peace and sisterly love and cute tights and a skirt made by Momma (on Lucy)

Lisa

New Year's Eve at the lodge

2011-01-06T08:16:00.043-05:00

After some detours we arrived at the lodge for our first New Year's Eve at the lodge in 4 years. It was great. Great friends, great food and lovely winter colors.

The kids had a great time together. Thankfully they were all pooped out at bedtime and, as Sterchi Lodge seems to make you, they slept in a bit too.

Happy 2011 to you.

Lisa

Christmas day

2011-01-05T08:16:00.000-05:00

This was all cute and fun until both girls got a little freaked out by the baby "pooping". They don't want to feed the baby anymore. Actually, they don't even want to play with the baby anymore!

Sweet Anna made us all gifts - even though we had been shopping to buy gifts. I got a duster made from a big pom pom and a Popsicle stick, Jonathan got a book mark and Lucy got some feathers. She wrapped them, put tags on them and put them under the tree. That little girl has a big heart.

I hope yours was special!

Lisa

Ho Ho Ho

2010-12-23T14:38:00.000-05:00

Where was I?

I feel like I could start all of my infrequent blog posts like that.
The Christmas season is upon us. The Coopers, some and all, have had a birthday, made advent crafts, sung in a Christmas program, been shepherds or angels in the Church Christmas pageant, dressed in costume and handed out Bethlehem bread in "walk through Bethlehem", faithfully moved around the ELF, organized the kindergarten class party and crafts and been on the nighttime drive to look at lights. Whew. I'm ready for the drudgery of January (did I really just say that??).

This sweet thing turned 4! Can you believe it?

Party fun. We allow the kids to bring as many kids as they are years old, thus Lucy could have invited four friends. True to form, she just wanted two.

Anna got a medal for knowing all four lists of sight words. She's reading!

On the crafty front, I have finally managed to make something that Anna loves! A twirly skirt. She normally wears it with leggings.

A monster stocking for a monster-lovin' girl I know.

And I made this for my front door. I already had the Santa. I love his little nightmare-before-Christmas spindly legs. I wrapped a wreath with fabric and used some wool felt balls I made last year to make holly berries.

Merry Christmas!

Lisa

My Mom Can

2010-12-06T15:18:00.002-05:00

Lucy and I were in Hobby Lobby and she spies some hoochie-mama sparkly, slinky fabric. She clutches it to her chest and begs for a dress. I am thinking that this fabric is 1. U G L Y 2. pricey and 3. will be a pain in the you-know-what to sew.

But she looks at me.

She thinks I can.

I want her to think I can do anything. More importantly, I want her to think she can do anything.

Lisa

Busy times

2010-12-04T15:18:00.000-05:00

Here's a few things I have been working on:

Sorry, that's all I can say or show. A gift, you know.

A fun painting.

More later.

Lisa

Dusting hands free of Halloween

2010-12-04T15:13:00.000-05:00

Well, I would dust them if they weren't covered in glue...I mean A LOT of glue.

I just finished making monsters for Halloween 2011. I meant for them to be finished by this Halloween but it just didn't happen. Now they are set aside for a fun painting project next October.

They are made with paper mache, fimo clay teeth and glue-soaked fabric for the outside. I checked this book out of the library four times during the project.

While I was working on these early one morning I was wondering when my girls will decide their Mom is weird.

Never, I hope.

Lisa

October

2010-11-15T10:16:00.000-05:00

Where did October go?
Is it really NOVEMBER? Halfway through Novemeber too? Why can't February go as fast as October?
I know what you are thinking, enough with the yakking, where are the photos?

Halloween. If Sue and Mr. Shue had a family...

Neigborhood Party. The ZOMBIE PROM.

(I'm embarrassed to say how much fun I had making this backdrop)

You may think that your neighborhood has the cutest kids...sorry...you're wrong.

But you may have us beat in the "the most normal adults" department.

How did I manage to not get a photo of O'Zombie Bin Laden?

How charming is my garage?

Lisa

That's my girl

2010-09-26T18:26:00.000-04:00

Last week we took off the training wheels at Anna's request. I knew that she was ready, she knew that she was ready....

And she was off, like she had been doing it forever. It took one night to get over the wobblies and the next night to learn how to get started on her own. Now she's unstoppable.

I think the Scuut helped. She and Lucy both ride this thing through the house at speeds that scare me.

Getting the Scuut for Christmas a few years ago.

Riding it wearing only your raincoat? Fabulous.

We are so proud of her. She's changing everyday.

Lisa

What I did this summer

2010-09-19T16:27:00.002-04:00

I was busy. I made lots of stuff somehow.

Before

After

.

Purse #2

Halter attempt #2. Meh.

This was for a little friend. I love it. I want one too.

You know you love your child when you make them a dress out of fabric that drives you a little batty. What is Hello Kitty anyway? I mean, is there a cartoon or what?

More stuff later.

Lisa

PS what do you mean you don't want ice from my red cooler in your drink? Do you think a child has had their naked bottom in there or something? ( I have no idea what was going on here)

Growing

2010-09-18T09:19:00.002-04:00

Anna's growing. Her legs look like they have grown 3 inches longer since May. Kindergarten ideas, cafeteria food, homework, it's all good.

No seizures for almost 7 months. We are so grateful.

Scenes from our daily walks

2010-09-17T09:17:00.000-04:00

Big sticks. Big spiders. Riding the snail and learning lessons about the death of one of our friends, Peter Rabbit.

Yes, Lucy got a haircut. It's quite a bit shorter than I planned but she looks adorable anyway and thankfully, it grows quickly!

Lucy's first day

2010-09-08T09:36:00.000-04:00

Not to leave out our little one, Lucy started preschool this week. ( Yes, I made the dress ) That little thing is growing up! It makes me feel sad to see her sitting there with all the big kids at pick up time instead of finding her asleep on her mat in a dark classroom.

She's a smart one. Knows all of her letters, upper and lower case, all of her letter sounds. She has been writing her name for months and knows her phone number and address. Not bad for a 3 year old!

Sorry to be so sketchy with the blogging, I have had some technical difficulties posting photos. Note to self: right click on image, click on "view image info" and there is the URL.

Lisa

The first day

2010-08-26T16:57:00.000-04:00

Her favorite part of the day?

Lunch, of course. She had a taco, chicken nuggets, applesauce, pink milk and a cookie. The chicken nuggets were in fact tater tots.

I can't believe we are here already.
Lisa

Land Snorkeling

2010-07-07T20:26:00.004-04:00

OK, she wasn't without some water, but hardly enough to warrant the mask.

How cute are they? Tell ME. Cute, No?

I am procrastinating on this project. I need to be working on it RIGHT NOW. sigh. I'm not a very good self motivator am I?

Except that I made this:

It turned out perfect if I don't say so myself. I bought the yardage recommended and followed the pattern to the letter and, viola!, a purse for the summer.

Lisa

Summer

2010-07-02T15:43:00.001-04:00

DSC00032, originally uploaded by lisacooper100.

Oh it goes so fast. First there was the Pawleys island trip then on to Sterchi Lodge, then VBS then the fathers day cabin/fishing extravaganza. We have been to the pool A LOT.
I have managed to get in a few fun trips in too and some sewing and crafting.

Photos to follow.

Lisa

Pawley's: The views

2010-06-02T09:08:00.000-04:00

It was perfect!

Lisa

Pawley's island

2010-05-31T10:32:00.001-04:00

Pawley's island, originally uploaded by lisacooper100.

Please don't go

2010-05-27T07:18:00.001-04:00

DSC_0012, originally uploaded by lisacooper100.

This is a commission for my neighbors who, I fear, may move.

Sorry for the bad typing on the past few posts. I'm still trying to get a feel for this iPad thingy.

Sometimes it just changes words without asking me.

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Lisa

One of my favorites

2010-05-24T13:11:00.001-04:00

DSC_0003, originally uploaded by lisacooper100.

I painted this ten years ago for my next door neighbors. I hadn't seen it in a few years since we moved. I had the great fortune to go to Bri and Steve's for a plant swap where I unloaded bee balm and ditch lilies in exchange for trillium and herbs and crazy little plants! I took the opportunity to get some digital shots of my paintings they have and I had forgotten how many they have. I was pretty prolific back then. This is a painting if their lovely back yard and pond, complete with giant bird-eating frog.

Lisa

Halter

2010-05-19T15:59:00.001-04:00

DSC_0016, originally uploaded by lisacooper100.

I made this halter by the Amy Butler pattern, the cabo halter. I lined the top with thermolam, not such a great idea. i made the tunic about 5 inches shorter, more just a top. You see, the bottom hem wouldnt fit around my hips. I did learn how to put in an invisible zipper, which I love and was so easy!

Lisa

The first pool of summer

2010-05-18T15:05:00.001-04:00

DSC_0040-1, originally uploaded by lisacooper100.

Floating

2010-05-18T15:02:00.001-04:00

Maybe if we lie really still she will put more than 2 inches of water in our pool.

Anna update

2010-05-14T14:09:00.001-04:00

Anna & E, originally uploaded by lisacooper100.

We took Anna to see the neurologist on Wednesday. She hasn't had any more seizures since she started her medicine. The doctor said that she still doesn't fit any one particular seizure diagnosis. At this point it's just wait and see and hope that they eventually go away and she can go off the medicine.

The doctor has a reputation for being cold and having a bad bedside manner but he calls Anna "the beautiful girl" and is very talkative and nice to us.

This is Anna and our neighbor Mr E. We ran into him at dollywood and she was in heaven. There's a lot of love there.

Have you noticed my multiple daily posts? It's because I'm trying to blog from my mothers day gift of the iPad. So much for cutting back on the Internet... Did you read the lengthy post a while back? Please do, if you have time, it was a great experience. So great, that I'm thinking of having a computer free summer. Thinking.

Thinking

Thinking

Would anyone join me?

Lisa

I hate Dollywood

2010-05-14T13:54:00.001-04:00

DSC_0091, originally uploaded by lisacooper100.

Really, I do. The food, the decor, the aw shucks attitude. It's like 30 acres of Cracker Barrel. I have managed to avoid going for 25 years until this year.

But then there is the pure joy of those smiles on the scrambler that make it worth it.

mother's day

2010-05-14T08:28:00.001-04:00

DSC_0127, originally uploaded by lisacooper100.

5 Weeks?

2010-05-12T20:18:00.000-04:00

Has it been 5 weeks since Easter? I looked up in Church yesterday to see "5th Sunday of Easter" and I thought: No way. See, I'm too lazy to even look now, but I figure it is time to finally write about my fast from the internet. I'm hoping that writing about it will remind me to decrease my screen time that has quickly reestablished itself in my life.

Grab a cup of coffee, it's a long one!

I had an interview with my neighbor Betsy about our fast. Here's how it went:

Q: How does fasting from the computer fulfill a spiritual purpose.

Betsy: Initially, it fulfilled none for me. I ended up doing my daily email check during the time I had previously spent doing my Bible reading. After a week or two, however, I began to notice a spiritual impact that was two fold: first, I had more time throughout the day to pray about and/or reflect on ideas and things going on around me. I wasn't frittering away the margins of time on the computer instead. Second, I kept up with mundane tasks better (getting the laundry actually put away after it was folded, wiping off counter tops, and so forth) because I used my time margins more effectively than when I surfed the web 10 minutes here and there. This allowed me to be ready to serve someone at a moment's notice since I was "caught up" with my to do list. Case in point: we found out at 10:00 p.m. that we needed to leave the next morning to go see E's grandfather. I was ready by 9:00 the next morning (and didn't stay up all night) and was able to be gone for 7 days.

Lisa: The idea of "fasting" for lent, I think that is pretty well understood by most but I kept searching for some deeper meaning to giving up the internet. A few weeks in I discovereda verse in 1 John about keeping away from "idols". My commentary for my Bible study explained "idol" as "things that are illusory" ok, I had to look up illusory. (In a real, bona fide, paper dictionary) based on or producing illusion That's it exactly what the internet is to me, especially when I look at blogs of other stay at home Moms who are writing books, making extraordinary things, cooking, traveling,running marathons, blogging... generally making me feel crappy and I DON'T KNOW THESE PEOPLE. Furthermore, I feel that many of these bloggers intentionally or unintentionally present and illusion of perfection.

Q: How did you feel initially?
Betsy:Virtuous by slightly deprived. Had to think about what to do with those margins of time (10-15 minutes between activities) that I'd hitherto spent checking email or surfing the web and so forth. Oh yeah--I can fold a load of laundry! Or, maybe I'll finish hemming that dress. It's amazing how many little tasks I put off that really can be finished in 10-15 minutes.

I was also struck those first few days with my "need" to narrate everything--to write it down--and wished I could blog about my internet fast--how ironic!!! But, I think our culture today feels this need to narrate immediately what's happening instead of taking the time to ponder and reflect on what's happening and THEN write someone a letter or make a phone call.

Lisa: I felt "itchy" for the computer. I would stand in front of the dark computer after breakfast and feel...lost. The house felt quiet and I did find that I had time to do those chores that I like to put off, like laundry. I found that a to-do list really helped keep me focused. I don't consider myself a procrastinator but I used computer time to keep me from doing tasks that I dislike or felt overwhelmed by.

Q: Did you ever break the fast?

Betsy:Unfortunately, yes: my "rules" were to check email once a day, still be able to bank online and use my online library account, and that's it. I broke the email part while Ethan's grandfather was in the hospital since that's the only way they could communicate from the hospital. I also broke it a few times to email Ethan; sometimes that's the only way I can get in touch with him at work since he can check email in the mist of a 3-hour-long meeting but can't answer a cell phone. I also reviewed for my PRAXIS test online and sent some pictures out (of our new piano).

Lisa: Oh yeah. When everything was going on with Anna I researched epilepsy, Rasmussen's encephalitis and focal seizures. I realized a few hours in that what I wanted most was comfort, reassurance and peace. Thankfully, I realized that that was never going to come from mere information. Sometimes, information is not power.

How have others responded to your fast?

Betsy:Has anyone noticed? Apparently, taking 24 hours instead of 24 minutes to respond to an email is not noticed by most people. One friend, with whom I have a blog, has noticed and longed for my online presence to return, but we've had some great phone chats in the interim!

Lisa: This is what has truly surprised me! Comments ranged from calling me a "communist" (that was a joke) to saying "why don't you just give up oxygen?". I got audible gasps! from many, many people, including a 9 year old girl! The thing was the number of people who outside of job dependency who just "couldn't" (you know who you are). What does that say about our dependency on something that barely existed 20 years ago? I mean, I didn't ask them to give up electricity or fluids...

Q: What have you missed the most?

Betsy: Shopping
Writing the odd blog post here and there (didn't miss this too much after the first week or so)
Lisa: Shopping. I had to buy a gift for my sister at Target. Lame-O. I had to call Jonathan one day to have him print out necessary forms for our insurance. I had to hand-write directions to my house. I had LOTS of overdue books because I couldn't renew online. DH had to make hotel reservations for our trip to Atlanta.

Q: What did you find that you didn't miss at all?

Betsy:Other people's blogs--blogs of people who I don't know in "real life." To be honest, I didn't even really miss looking at crafty web sites either.... I was too busy with my own crafty life!

Lisa: Really, all of it. Facebook, Flicr, blogging...even e-mail. I wonder if it is because I do remember a time before all of that. What about teens and twenty-somethings who have never been without constant access to everything.

Q: Surprises? Revelations?

Betsy:I was surprised by how much I wanted to narrate this experience at first. Then, surprised at the end as I reflected on these questions by how much that "need" has abated. I've also been amazed at how much more calm my life is when I don't take up the margins of space with needless computer use. I'm more aware of the under-the-surface needs (like when one of my children is having a bad day but hasn't really voiced that yet) as well as just more on top of things that need to be taken care of (not putting off phone calls or ironing or cleaning up the kitchen, but getting them done!). The biggest revelation: how much I enjoy the way things are now. Another outcome of this "fast" is the renewing of my old letter-writing habit and the beginning of a great correspondence with an old friend of mine. I enjoy our letters more than our scattered email conversations and interrupted phone calls. If someone sends me a long email, i"m likely to skim it at best. If I get a long letter in the mail, I can't wait for a quiet time/spot to read it and savor it. I guess, too, I've refined my intentions regarding email: I made a few phone calls during this fast that ended up being great because I actually spoke with the person and and found out more needs/issues in her life than I would have if I'd sent a quick email. On the other hand, there are some very legitimate uses of email/internet that really do save time: coordinating the food for baby shower I'm hosting this weekend. I can send everyone an email at the same time and list the food options. They can all email everyone back with what they're going to bring. It's simpler than calling a million people a million different times. I think I've spent more time these past 6 weeks thinking through the uses and abuses of our computer-related technology. Sometimes, it's very useful (printing off a map to a place you've never been or looking at a house you want to rent for your vacation) and sometimes it's just a time-killer (surfing someone's blog) and sometimes it's downright destructive (inferring that I must have the same priorities/skill level/artistic energy/etc. as someone I'm reading about). And here's the clincher: I wish I was discussing these ideas with you via phone or in person so I could hear your feedback and then continue to discuss/formulate ideas. (sigh) email is so limited.

Lisa: How 3-5 minutes ( or were they 30+ minute chunks) of time on the computer eat at my day, make me late and the house messy. Overall, just how EASY it was, and nice. I was so productive during nap time and honestly, so much LESS tired. I was so addicted to the computer.

Anna's issues made me talk face-to-face with people rather than e-mailing and talking with someone during a crisis, let me tell you, is so much better than an e-mail!!
I found so much more time for just thinking, letting my mind wander at will, visiting some back streets of my memory, mulling over things I have heard. Which led me to this:
I was thinking about how writing killed the oral tradition, how actually our brains changed so that we don't hear and remember as well. What are we losing now? Now we have so much information, some true, some speculation... there is really no direction on how to use all the data we can access - except as a tool for consumerism or making money. How many times did I get on the computer to see something and suddenly feel the need to own/purchase something that .0001 seconds before I didn't know even existed and I was living just fine without?

How long until you fall back into old habits?

Betsy:I don't know. I hope I won't. It would be easy to do, however, especially if/when the kids are sick, it's raining, we have "nothing to do," ....

Lisa: Hopefully I won't.

Q: What are your plans for computer use in the future?

Betsy:I'd like to keep email to once a day, for a start. I now sit down to check my email with an agenda: who I need to write, what I need to take care of, and so forth.

I'd like to be more targeted in general when I use the computer: asking if I can take care of the same thing in a better way without the computer (perhaps getting a book from the library or making a quick phone call) or if there's a better time than "now" to take care of that need. Perhaps it would be good to set a time limit and make the computer an "activity" that is worked into the to do list instead of letting it be there whenever I feel a "craving" or am "bored." Then, when the kids are down for naps or Ethan's out of town and I have a blank evening ahead, I might sit down and browse through blogs and crafty sites. If I give myself a time limit--even as much as an hour--I'd still be better at discerning what's really worth reading. I'd push on to the sites I'm really interested in and read the articles that really are worthwhile.

Lisa: I know that there are a few people who miss my blog - especially family members far away who like to see the girl's antics. So I'm thinking of having a regularly scheduled blog post day once a week. Monday? Something to look forward to? I want to kill my facebook account. I won't, but I want to. I really need to cull my Google reader. It's killing me with juicy options to read.

::

So there you have it? Are you still reading? I know many of you don't post much but I would love some comments.

Lisa

What I learned during 40 days computer free, Part 1

2010-04-23T14:13:00.000-04:00

Hello old friends

2010-04-22T20:25:00.000-04:00

Here are some photos of what I did during my computer fast:

I hosted a baby shower.

We went to the circus.

We sorted clothes, Lucy decided to wear Anna's bathing suit bottom on her head.

February was long wasn't it ?

I did this shadow box for my friend Gina. These are some buildings we saw in Prague

and some Czech stamps.

I finally finished this painting for my friends Jeff and Gabe. It's huge 3' x 4'.

I made Anna a dress. I followed a pattern - to the letter. A first for me.

Another painting, for my friends Duane and Angela. It ended up being a watercolor but I liked it just like this.

My 42nd birthday. A wonderful day.

Easter. Our cousin James and, not pictured our new cousin Esther.

I learned how to knit.

I got yarn bombed!

Our first "real" pony.

For those of you who don't know. My Lenten period was a trial indeed. Anna's EEG did turn up a focal seizure. The doctor ordered an MRI. Shortly before we had that test we noticed that she was losing function in that left hand. She couldn't hold anything small, pick up things and she was holding her hand in a claw position. Panic. You know. The MRI was negative, and though we should have been relieved, the doctor thought her symptoms looked like Rasmussen's Encephalitis. It is a terrible, terrible brain disease. The treatment is removal of one hemisphere of the brain. Yes, removal of half of the brain. I can not even begin to put into words how we felt. I felt the fringes of a very dark place. She was immediately started on anti seizure medication and went from having 1 -15 seizures of her hand to NONE. She hasn't had one in almost 6 weeks. A week into her medication the doctor ordered a 23 hour EEG (she did awesome) at that time, based on her amazing decline in seizures and returning function of her left hand, he felt like she probably "just" has some form of epilepsy. It is an answer to so many prayers, all over the country. Thank you!

She's doing great with her medicine. Her left hand looks like it's working fine, but you know I'm going to get it checked out at her next check up. Today she turned 5. So much to be thankful for.....

I do plan on writing all about my Lenten, computer free experience. It was the best Lenten fast ever. My fellow fastee posted on her blog The Tarnished Teapot about her experience. She's a great writer and she puts thing so well. Go read. I'll post our thoughts next time.

Lisa

Signing off?

2010-02-15T12:46:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure that I will be blogging tomorrow. Anna is having an EEG and must be sleep deprived, thus her parents shall be sleep deprived too. Sorry that I won't be able to post the results of the EEG/doctors appt but you know that you can call. As the day of the EEG draws near her seizures (?) are fewer and fewer. She hasn't even had one today!

I'm feeling a little nervous and excited about my computer fast. My friend Betsy is joining me and encouraging me that it will be great for us. And it will. The internet is not so much a presence in our house, but when the computer is dark, I feel an absence. I'm sure that I'll get over it.

I have been busting out some lingering projects and tackling things quicker, trying to find a groove of productivity.

I did these fabric buckets and banner for a baby gift and upcoming shower.

I have worked on many, many other things but I can't show you - because some of you might be on the receiving end. How's that for a teaser?

Anna gave herself a haircut. I thought we would miss this milestone of childhood, but no. She looks sweet still.

Well, as I post this she comes to me saying that her thumb is "twisting" which looks like a little focal seizure to me - we will see. Prayers appreciated!

See you on EASTER SUNDAY!

Lisa

Preparing for the fast

2010-02-09T19:08:00.000-05:00

I had no idea my internet/computer fast would generate such visceral responses! I thought I was the one with the problem but now I think lots of people (you?) out there are a tad too dependent on the computer, blackberry, etc. Am I right?

I'm already in the process of weaning, which is a cross between actually cutting back and binging.

I won't be blogging during the fast but hopefully will have lots to show afterward. I'm thinking of keeping a journal with a pen and paper *gasp!* maybe I'll scan them in when it's all over.

Here's some creative ventures of late:

A painting of Reyna. A noble dog.

For Christmas I was gifted a linoleum cutting set. This was my first attempt. The linoleum block was hard to carve so I purchased some speedball easy carve. Oh it cuts like buttah. I love it! I made these birdy Valentines for Lucy to give to her classmates. I was so proud until I picked her up from school and realized that today was the last day she would be at school before Valentine's day. Cards? At home drying on the table.

We are so ready for next year.

Confession. I want to bite the ez-carve, it's the texture and the smell.... Do I have pica?

Changing the subject, I will cry when no one can wear this gown. It is one of my favorites

They are just so darn cute aren't they?

Too bad I'm ignoring them while I blog.

See you later.

L

Our Day

2010-01-30T11:35:00.000-05:00

Big Idea: home made cinnamon rolls:

(don't worry I only had to use the glue gun a little)

I took a little break to nebulize Lucy.

TA DA:

Hmf. Now to deal with this:

When you are too sick to go outside you get to lick the beaters!

I'm hoping to finish this project - in my lifetime.

I hope your Saturday is productive or restful, whichever you need most!

Thinking ahead

2010-01-22T15:56:00.000-05:00

This is a painting I did last week for my father in law. He's an entomologist/chemist and an avid gardener. I thought this caterpillar was perfect. When he opened it there was some confusion about what the painting subject was, someone thought penguins. Really? Penguins? I'm trying to imagine the circumstances of me doing a painting of penguins. It could happen.

This year I sent out New Years cards. I loved coming home to a stack of Christmas cards to open. Then it occurred to me: I didn't get mine done before I left the country. OH NO!

These were inspired by an article in my favorite magazine Smithsonian. (ok, my second favorite after People). I love, love, love a time capsule. I have always been fascinated with them and have actually made a few for myself and I made one for each of my girls. The ones I made for my girls are full things from the year they were born that I hope will be very interesting in 30 - 40 years.

So, the card is a photo time capsule of our year. I think I like this idea and I might make it a tradition.

+++++

Lent is on my mind. I didn't give up anything last year but I have given up everything that can be given up: caffiene, alcohol, meat, t.v. and sweets (that was harsh). My favorite was giving up listening to anything in the car. Ahh the silence, I could use that now.

So, for 2010 I am going back to 1995, I'm giving up the computer. No checking of e-mail, no blogging, no facebooking, flickring, allrecipes searching and no following rabbit trails from blog to blog.

There, I said it.

Would anyone like to join me? If you do, I will have you over for dinner, coffee, dessert - whatever during lent, I mean, after all we are going to have so much time.

Maybe I'll even start dressing my kids in clothes that match!

Flying by

2010-01-08T23:05:00.000-05:00

The other night while I was out for a chilly tricycle ride with the girls I ran into my neighbor who commented " Oh I'm sure you're glad to have them out of that stroller". I felt like I had been stabbed. Really. I miss those days. Those two sweet girls in the double stroller. I got some sustained cardio for sure but I'm reminded that I wished it away at the time.

Looking through all of my photos for a picture of Betsy I saw some photos made on hard, trying days.

But there were so many more days that were sweet and lazy. I'm afraid of the school year/organized sports/ I'm too cool for you Mom years . kindergarten. I want to savor the minutes. the days. the mornings of jammies till Sesame street, just wandering around the neighborhood trying to find something to do.

My mom tried to tell me that these are the the best years of my life. Why is that so hard to recognize when you are in the midst of it?

Time is flying by.

New Year's Resoloutions 2009

2010-01-07T23:20:00.000-05:00

Last year I needed a new "mom friend". As many of you reading are aware...YOU LIVE TOO FAR AWAY.

Ok. now that I got that off my chest. I resolved last year to make a new mom friend and did I ever. My neighbor Betsy. I love her. Today is her birthday. I'm not even sure which one. 32 maybe? She's so wise it's hard to believe that she's so young.

Between Betsy and I are 6 houses, it's a short walk. Between us are 5 children under 5. Betsy has a 4 year old daughter and twin two year old boys. Whew! The odds of all five being well at the same time- slim. So we talk on the phone, e-mail random thoughts at random hours and read each other's blogs. She's an excellent and economical cook. (She's the source of the granola). She gardens, sews and budgets. She has a servant's heart and her faith is the center of her life. My kind of gal - oh and of COURSE she's a Dansko wearing fiend.

Looking through my bazillions of photos I have just these of her: (are you wearing the same shirt, green shirt project eh?)

And here are all of our kids together. See why we talk on the phone during "tv time?" There's a lot of needs there.

I admire and appreciate her on so many levels

But this year, more visits please.

Happy thirty-something birthday!

Nebulous New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-06T14:59:00.000-05:00

I am still trying to decide just what I am resolved to do in 2010. My recent trip opened my eyes to how differently other people live, how "soft" I am both literally and figuratively.

As soon as we arrived in Munich we took the subway to our hotel, dropped off our luggage and headed back out. It was 5 pm on Friday, people were everywhere. We headed to the Christmas markets in the heart of downtown. As we walked around enjoying it all, it slowly dawns on me, no one is talking or texting on a cell phone. Not. one. single. person. We had been on two long subway rides and now were in a big crowd of hundreds of people. This happened in Munich, Nurenburg, Prague and Vienna. I started really looking for the arm cocked up to the ear and the loud, obnoxious talking... out of 12 days I might have seen/heard 6 people on cell phones.

You know me, I had to get to the bottom of this. After talking to some locals in all the cities I realized that cell phones are expensive, the people I talked to said phones were seen as for "emergencies" and another person I talked to said that they (Austrians) think that it is more important to talk to the person that you are with than to be on a phone with someone else. This person also commented that chatting endlessly on the phone was very "American" and it made it easy to not have to listen or pay attention. I had to think on that one for a while. But she's right. How many times do I call people for the last directions to their home instead of listening the first time. I never walk out of the house on my way to the grocery store without telling my husband " I have my phone in case you think of anything else". Why can't we just "think" now? Why can't I remember where people are going or what they might be doing instead of that usual phone call of : "whatchadoin'" or worse, "where are you?". It became so clear to me the other night that we I use cell phones because I am so impatient. I call the husband if he's 20 minutes late. I want minute by minute updates if I have to meet someone, pick up the kids etc so that I might be able to squeeze that last errand in. The other night I called my sister from the movie theater because she was 7 minutes late. Not late to the movie mind you, 7 minutes from the time we said we would meet. How long would I have waited 10 years ago? By the way, she was about 30 feet away from me when I called her.

Am I giving up my cell phone? No. I am giving up using it as a crutch. I am making plans and sticking to them. I'm going to listen to directions, people's plans, I'm going to remember what I tell people and I am going to try to be more patient.

The American infection. The American sickness. That's how several different people from several different countries described the influence of American culture and capitalism. I realized that I am a trained consumer, my thoughts about my purchases in Europe were dictated by getting a *good deal* on something *unique*. Not on quality, utility, durability or, heaven forbid, necessity. Just looking at the attitudes toward Christmas gift giving the second I got back home - those people are right - we are sick. (please feel free to disagree) A few years ago I helped a co-worker pair up "secret Santa" for her church womens group. (for the record I hate secret santas but that should surprise no one). I was appalled, appalled I tell you, that under the hobbies section of the questionnaire people wrote: shopping. Really? That's a hobby?

I would argue that I'm not a huge consumer, but my bank account would argue otherwise. 2010 is going to be the year of doing, not consuming. For so long it's been hard to do lots of creative things because of the kids but it's always easy to buy supplies and sometime just looking at a stack of fabric or a blank canvas gives me the idea that I have done something. That, my friends is a lie. Doing something is doing something. Buying something is just preparing to do something.

My goal is to be out of supplies by Jan 1. 2011.

Good night what kind of weirdness is going to be made. I can't wait.

I have nebulous ideas for keeping it real in 2010. That one scares Jonathan. He thinks I'm real enough!

Next up: Back to our regularly scheduled photo-heavy programming.

Lisa

December. What happened.

2010-01-04T20:50:00.000-05:00

So, blogger tells me the have some new format which will help with my photo uploading. So here goes, I'll let you know at the end of the post if it is any better. (I know, I know, you can hardly wait to read ahead)

So Christmas happened here. The girls had fun, enjoyed lots of activities at our church and I think next year everyone will be big enough to really have a good time.
Oh and I plan on being in the country next year too.

With all of the planning for Christmas, the end of school, my trip, baking and making I forgot one important thing. I forgot to let Anna pick out presents for us. On Christmas Eve she was running around the house, picking out things for us, putting things in bags and sticking them under the tree. On Christmas morning she stopped opening her gift and gave us our "gifts".

Oh that girl!

Little Lu had her birthday celebration in early December. She looves some icing, just like her mama.

We had the pleasure of lighting the advent wreath one Sunday morning. Look how sweet:

Now for the reality:

I remember so clearly when she was my girls' age. Here she's joking about this baby of Anna's being her "American Girl" doll.

The final thoughts are that I may like this new interface. Maybe I'll post more!

Ok. let's not get crazy.

Next up: Resolutions inspired by Europe.

Lisa

Digging out

2009-12-30T16:30:00.000-05:00

I'm thinking about making a list of all the things I should be doing right now... but let's have some fun and talk about my European adventure.

These photos are not in any kind of order because I'm too lazy to rearrange them. Confounded blogger interface!

The above loveliness is Vienna. ahhh Vienna. We were fortunate enough to spend a few extra days in Vienna courtesy of the Austrian Airlines. More on that later.

This is Gluwein. Mulled wine. Ymmm. I also had a variety of "punshes", orange, amaretto - delicious! I also had the best hot cocoa ever in Nuremberg. These saved me from certain hypothermia.

I was fascinated by the summer houses tucked at the edge of towns, near the train tracks. The little houses are so charming and the yards and gardens look interesting. I need to do some looking around on flickr to find about more about these little areas.

This was another love, the apfel (apple) pretzel.

Cute stuff in the Christmas markets.

Expensive stuff in the Christmas markets. These are little stuffed hearts. The small is 4.90 Euro, or around $8. That's crazy.

Love. Love. Love.

Digging the tiny cars.

No matter what country we were in, when you mention that you are from Tennessee there are two things people say: Jack Daniels and Elvis Presley.

This is coke mixed with JD in a can. You could drink one of these for breakfast and no one would bat and eye, 'cept for the uptight 'merican tourists.

The night we arrived in Prague we got lost. Seriously lost and unable to figure out where we were. I mean, where-in-the-world-are-we lost. We got off the train too soon. I smelled cow manure. Gina couldn't read the signs. We didn't have any of Czech crowns.

I think I had a panic attack.

We had a very expensive cab ride from a man listening to Al Jazeera (what if he hates Americans).

We arrived safely, the cab driver was a gentleman and was extremely patient while we changed our money.

We had a delicious dinner.

Then it started snowing.

We walked across the Saint Charles bridge.

I was in love with Prague.

Prague sucks you in. Well, literally, you can't find your way out but it is beautiful everywhere you look.

This was right in front of us... these nice men just asked us to wait a moment and out stepped the Czech prime minister! He got in the car and sped away before I could nab a photo of him or ask a few questions.

It was a long trip, 12 days. Our flight out of Vienna was canceled due to all of the snow at the D.C. airport so we had and extended stay in Vienna which we packed with museums and churches and wearing some really, really dirty clothes. Our return trip via the Polish airlines was long and interesting. The Polish people are a very active sort of people. I have NEVER seen a plane board and disembark so smoothly and quickly. I have never been on a 9 hour flight where most of the people were standing or walking around during the flight... or helping themselves to the beverages in the flight attendant kitchen. Thankfully we got home with the only major glitch being that Gina had a box of pretzels checked for being explosives. Really, on the tiny flight to Knoxville. (I think the guy just wanted to eat them)

Anna has let me know that she doesn't want me to be gone for "lots and lots of days" again. Christmas was a blur, probably because to me it was all happening way too close to my European bedtime. The girls are happy and well, that's all that matters.

Miracles

2009-12-10T06:31:00.000-05:00

For the last month I have been praying with my girls for a miracle for our friend Jennifer. Just the other day Anna asked why we weren't praying for a miracle anymore. That's a hard one to answer.

I believe that miracles do happen.

We just celebrated a miracle.

3 years ago:

Our little Lucy just 2lbs 8 oz.

Doing the kangaroo care. Skin to skin contact helps the baby grow. Keeping all those wires connected and trying to keep from flashing everyone in the NICU was a little tricky.

Anna and Paps looking at the Christmas tree, we didn't have one that year. I'm so thankful for Nan and Paps. What would we have done without their help?

Indeed our little Lu came home and after a few minor trials, she's normal. Never underestimate the miracle of normal.

Oh, some of you remember the agonizing over breast milk and my brutal pumping schedule. In the end I had this much left over. A full garbage can - oh and I think my parents had ( or do they still have it? ewww) just as much in their freezer. That is a miracle too.

Oh Lucy, how we love you! I never forget how blessed I am to have you.

Lisa

Yoo Hoo

2009-11-26T22:19:00.000-05:00

Testing. Testing.

Is this thing on?

Sorry to leave you all hanging, wanting more, more, more exciting photos of junk food and ironing boards.

Let see, where was I? Oh yeah, the exorcism by Lysol did not get rid of the vomiting demon. It hit us all. Lucy ended up with pneumonia. We are all fine now, though a few pounds lighter.

Is it really December 3rd? In 8 short days I leave for my European world tour. Really, what am I thinking? I have so much to do before then:
Teacher gifts?
Gifts for people who don't want some sort of handmade goodness from a Christkindle market?

What am I doing? Oh obsessing over making my own luggage tags. Gee, I have a problem PEOPLE!

I am purposefully throwing myself at a number of projects to keep my mind of the recent death of a dear friend. Tonight is her funeral and every time I think about her I have that real pain in my chest.

As a gift to her, I was asked to paint this painting with words that describe her. The words were all given to me from the people in our Sunday school class. Really, the words make it. Don't you think? It was so therapeutic - and painful - to paint this for her but I'm so glad that I did, she passed away just a week later. And yes, she truly embodies all of those words a phrases.

That girl was amazing.

So you see, my hands and heart and head have been full and my blog has been empty.

More later.

Lisa

Things I swore I would never do: Part 3

2009-11-14T16:42:00.000-05:00

I kid you not, the first four items on the list of ingredients are: corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, water & sugar.

Anna picked them out. You all have seen her, how can I refuse?

Neither child would eat them and now Anna totally blames Lucy for picking them out.

Lucy keeps asking for the America. I just realized she's talking about the harmonica.

Anyone want a snowball?

Beauty that is impossible to capture on film

2009-11-14T15:11:00.000-05:00

I love that Japanese Maple at the corner of the house. For the past few weeks it has been providing a spectacular show and red glow to the sunroom. Now, that harsh light of winter is beaming in.

The harsh reality of "that stuff that's going around" also set in. I have just performed a Lysol exorcism and thanked God for my high capacity washing machine.

L

This is for the grandmother

2009-11-03T18:39:00.000-05:00

I overheard Anna telling Lucy just how that baby got in Aunt Sara's tummy.

Anna: First, you get married. Then you decide to have a baby so you go to the doctor and he says "Say AAAAAH" and he puts a tiny, tiny, tiny baby, one so small you can't see it, down your throat and he says "looks good" "all done". Then the baby comes out (she was a little vague here) and THERE YOU GO.

Some good mispronunciations of words in songs:

Lucy in Holy, Holy, Holy thinks it says : Lord God and Mattie. (Mattie is her friend from preschool)

Anna from Amazing Grace: That saved a witch like me.

What a blessing to hear them sing the whole hymn though.

We are in serious coloring mode here. Stacks and stacks and stacks and stacks of coloring sheets.

this is maybe two days worth.

Anna's is on the left and Lucy's is on the right. You will see at the top of Lucy's that she's trying so hard to write her name. Smart girl.
Anna helped me carve pumpkins but this pumpkin resisted. It had such a tiny cavity that carving was futile. Anna decorated it and wrote H H for Happy Halloween!

Gratuitous kid shot.

L

Would you let your kids take candy from this man?

2009-11-01T18:32:00.001-05:00

Apparently our whole neighborhood has no problem with this look. (black fingernails not shown)

Halloween is always more fun when you dress up.

We had the Adam's family. The princess and cheerleader and goth Mom & Dad. Really, I think J could pull it off everyday.

Too bad we had rain. Cinderella ended up in glass rainboots, a rain slicker and umbrella.

L

Out there

2009-10-28T22:01:00.001-04:00

We are making the most of it. Outside, pumpkin patching, leaf jumping, fishing, biking, leaf collecting -

This past Sunday Anna had her first experience singing in front of the Church. She and the other boys and girls did great. Too bad her Momma is too lazy to learn how to work the camera in low light and this is the best shot I got of her and it's in the car on the way home.

We had a fun time at our neighbor's birthday party and I made her this birthday crown. Directions would have been nice, but it turned out cute.

Happy Halloween!
L

Thinking

2009-10-28T21:47:00.000-04:00

Maybe it's the change of seasons but I have been doing a lot of thinking lately. I get the sense that I'm not the only one. What have you been thinking about?

For your entertainment.... 1987

2009-10-28T21:31:00.000-04:00

Isn't it fun to reconnect with old friends? I recently talked with one of my favorite people from college, well she's one of my favorite people period. We went to college together and oddly enough her nephew and my niece are friends at the same college. Ah facebook what would we do without you? Jenny was, hands down, one of the most hilarious people I had ever met. Just thinking back to things that she used to say and do still makes me laugh today.

Here is a photo from a sorority party in 1987

That's me and Jenny on the back row. Jenny's date has his hands up where you can see them. No funny business! Those dresses can only be described as frocks.

The dress I was wearing:

My Mom made this dress because we couldn't afford a *real* Laura Ashley dress. I joke that some Moms put their daughters on the pill, mine just dressed me like a Quaker.

I have no photos to prove this but I'm sure that I had on off white hose and bone-colored pumps. And I GOT DOWN to salt-n-pepa (or something) in that dress. And I thought I was hot!

Here is what I wore to another fraternity party:

Clearly, I had nothing to hide under the yards and yards of polished cotton! I think I am wearing banana earrings and my date may have on pastel flowered jams.

Great, now I have this song in my head.

All you fly mothers get out there and dance.

L

The adrenaline hangover

2009-10-11T20:18:00.000-04:00

sigh.

I haven't been to a concert, a stadium concert in a very, very long time. I do recall saying that the only band I would brave a huge venue for would be U2.

I was too chicken to schlep the SLR with me since we were on the floor. I have mixed feelings about that decision. I was shocked by how everyone held up a "device" as soon as the band came on stage. Everyone around me was looking at their 2 x 2 inch screens and not at the awesomeness in front of them. So sad really. (or is it sad that I was watching them, watch their I phones?)

My pal Jeff made these photos with his little point and shoot. We were soooooo close. I could see Bono's lifts. Love him.

What would I have made pictures of? The absolutely ridiculous footwear worn by some women at this concert.

On the craftacular front I made a new tote bag for my things for my drawing class, and of course a pencil holder.

time spent on tote and pencil wrap: 3 hours
time spend actually drawing: 0 hours

Since I had all that Ikea fabric out and I was on a roll, I whipped up another bucket to make as a gift. I love those two fabrics together but those little black and white lines made me go crosseyed at times.

Coming back to earth now.
That concert blew my mind a little.

L

Amy, this is just for you.

2009-10-02T19:57:00.001-04:00

What? YOU want a post dedicated to you?

E-mail, comment or facebook me and I will make an entire post dedicated to the topic of your choice.

So, Amy and I had a discussion today about our crafting/sewing spaces and how we need lots of room and we are, well, messy. I know that others must have problems keeping their hobbies orderly when not in use. My problem is that I have so many "thing-babies". There's the painting: easel (s), paint, brushes, gesso, gac of all sorts. The other passing fancies such as calligrapy, jewelry making and origami. Then there is a whole bunch of watercolor paints, THOSE brushes, pastels, mixing wells, sketchbooks, pencils and a mat cutter. Geez. Oh, and the box under the bed full of paper? eek.

So, here's some photos of the spaces that are taken up with my junk. This looks quaint enough, but upon closer inspection, it's a wreck. I used the surface of this poor table as my cutting mat for 20 years. This is also the repository for anything that needs to be out of little hands.

I just realized that I didn't upload a photo of the dining room table covered in fabric. Shut your eyes and imagine...

This is actually great storage for fabric etc. Yes, I am in the living room. My paraphernalia is hidden in just about every room of the house.

Niiiiiice.

Now, let's end on a happy note of successful organization shall we?

I made this little book to hold all those on-line patterns and tutorial. Just a notebook with clear page protectors.

I even cut out newspaper patterns because apparently I can't cut fabric straight without some help. This little pattern book was inspired by the now famous, recipe book.

How many things will my kids eat out of all these delicious recipes? (Crying softly to herself again) not many.

The OCD comes naturally. While I'm making these photos my girl is outside doing this:

Cleaning up. Love her.

L

Ah Ha!

2009-09-30T21:34:00.000-04:00

Some of you have been asking about how I made the fabric boxes and I finally stumbled across the directions again. They are from the incredible sometimes crafter. Check out her blog, she makes many cool things.

L

Food of the gods

2009-09-29T12:54:00.000-04:00

Ahh, what do you eat before a 5 mile hike in the pouring rain?

Boiled peanuts and a fried pie all washed down with a Mello Yello?

Me too!

I met my friends Jodi and Lee Ann for a fun-filled weekend of hiking and rain and food.

Punkin' stackin' at Burt's. No profanity allowed.

Please note the large cloud to the right... that was not a happy cloud.

Like magic, it seems, my girlies grew while I was gone.

Happy fall!

L

The last hurrah

2009-09-20T20:43:00.000-04:00

Doesn't this remind you of a powdered sugar doughnut?

Love her, she did not want to get in the ocean but she loves the sand.

We had a wonderful time at the beach. No mosquitos, jellyfish, seaweed, hurricanes or traffic!

These poor little frogs and toads were caught daily, sometimes several times a day. They were a huge source of fun for us. We read A LOT of Frog and Toad books. I give toad a good 'ol East Tennessee accent and Frog, for some reason, is full on British. So of course I had to narrate the thoughts of these frogs and toads just like the book. good times.

"Fraawwg, she's a-touchin' me!"

On the creative front, I made the girls some travel clip boards out of a bulldog clip and a piece of black foam core. They worked great. I made them just big enough to hold a sheet of paper and that worked out well in the small quarters of the backseat.

Generally, I'm not a fan of crayola stuff, especially not the color-wonder junk. But these new slick-stick crayons are awesome! I love them but they are a bit messier than regular crayons or markers.

I made some of these buckets from the mayamade pattern. Determined as usual, to make use of fabric on hand I made these out of dark denim and some Ikea canvas. They turned out really cute and sturdy.

Do like Barbie's hair cut? I didn't realize it had happened until the hair was in a uniform layer over most of the floors of our house.

Now we are back home, where it looks like everything is just tired of growing. I'm looking forward to fall.

L

Heavy Metal

2009-09-03T09:42:00.001-04:00

This weekend we attended a party for our friends George and Deb who are moving across the country to Seattle. Boo Hoo! I love Seattle, the rain is charming during a visit but I would bet that it gets old ... quick. The party turned out to be a little gathering of theGladyses (Gladi?) that I have painting over the past 10 years. I made this one for G & D as a going away gift.

While getting ready for the party I pulled out my Granny's recipe for cheezy pineapple. Written in her sweet handwriting. As always with her recipes, no oven temp, no time. Love it. I also have the cool wedding band that my Papaw gave her back in the 80's.

My hand looks old.

Speaking of old, check out this ironing board.

This almost went to goodwill! I'm glad that I took the time to open it up and appreciate it's awesomeness. This is the sturdiest ironing board you will ever see. I think that it could easily hold my one-hundred and mumble, mumble pound body. Don't you hate it when you are ironing something and you feel like the board is wobbly? Not with this bad boy. It is some serious heavy metal!

At the last count, there are 12 covers on this ironing board. I am not about to disturb them. I'm sure that it would mess up the perfect surface. I wish I could have asked Granny when and where she got this ironing board. Who knows? It may be 60 years old.

Yes, those hooks do scare me a little.

Aaaaand, of course, the gratuitous kid shot.

Winding down

2009-08-28T21:39:00.001-04:00

There is still a lot of summer left. Right? We actually still have a beach vacation to take.

And Bikes to ride.

This is our back to preschool shot.

I wish that someone would write a note like that about me.

*Congratulations K & C on little CJ ***

Done and done

2009-08-17T14:18:00.000-04:00

I love pastels, especially the purple. What a mess though, I forget. I also forget the methods of moving from top to bottom to avoid dragging your arm across your finished work. It all came back to me after a few sketches. I wanted to do more, but I was afraid that the little artists would discover how insanely fun pastel can be. That's for a few years down the road.

This was for my friend Maaaaata to give to another friend.

We had a dinner party Saturday so I had to make some sort of quick covering for the bathroom window. (operative words: HAD TO and QUICK) Everything I hate about linen in clothing is exactly what I love about it in curtains, pillows and slipcovers. I like for it to be wrinkled and schlumpy.

This curtain - well - it's a little too Country Living for me, but I can live with it. ( it's the rick rack right?)

And here's Champ. For Katie. I feel intimately acquainted with your dog's nostrils now.

This photo is for Jodi

Do you think you could score those tubs for me the next time you are at the in-laws?

I do love me some water lotus.

Do you hear what I hear??

The ice cream man!

Today I'm thinking of K & C who are off to Texas to adopt a little boy. Let's keep them all (including the birth mom) in our prayers.

Lisa

the latest projects

2009-08-01T20:56:00.000-04:00

My niece is headed off to college. My Alma Mater no less! For her graduation gift I offered to make a duvet/curtains or whatever she wanted for the dorm room. She liked the fabric boxes so she picked out some fun fabric and I have been sewing all manner of boxes, buckets and trays.

Here are some very LARGE boxes. They are 12" cubes. I thought they would be good for all those fraternity and sorority t-shirts.

So, here's what I learned. The box on the far left is lined with just craft weight fusible interfacing on the outer fabric. It's fine, but a little mushy for me. The far right box is made with sew-in thick interfacing. It's better but I wanted it stiffer still, but I was running out of supplies. The center box is made with craft-weight (pellon) fusible interfacing on both the outer fabric and the lining. Perfect.

These are are some small boxes for little whatnots.

With all of the little scraps I made a bunch of random things. I did order the Mayamade bucket pattern from Etsy. It is really great and easy to use, except that I had nothing round in the dimension she called for so I was trying to remember how to figure out the circumference of circle if you know the radius.

Quick, do you remember? Is is pi r squared or 2 pi r? Is your brain a veritable "room of requirement" like mine?

Aren't the little pinch-cornered trays cute? Hello cell phone charging station.

I am going to whip up some more buckets and follow the directions to the letter. I took some liberties and, well, you see what happens...

I am putting the scissors aside and moving to the pastels and acrylics. I have some things that must go out in the mail this week. eeeek.

L

Whatchadoin?

2009-07-30T09:07:00.000-04:00

We are enjoying the lazy days of summer. The park, farmers market, the UT trial gardens, playing "potty" with a basket (hmmm) it's all good.

I have been busy. I'll show you next time.

Lisa

Ah Nashville

2009-07-21T09:07:00.000-04:00

Yeah, it's usually all about the kids, but this time. Other than this sweet thing, It's all about me, me ME!

So, I had myself a very nice visit to the lovely Shaughnessy/Lambdin household. (See painting above) I made them a little painting for a gift. Did I get photos of it? Again, no. My friends live in the lovely/hip/happening neighborhood of twelve south.

Right down the street is this house.

I'm not a knitter, and honestly I have no desire to knit - except that I would like to do something like this. I mean, she has knitted a fence in her garden. Look back there around the tree. How cool is that? She's entrapped a washing machine in her web!

I tell my friend Lee Ann that if I lived there, I would beat a path to meet the creator of all this. So, I'm out for a nice walk and I see a gal in the yard. It has to be the genius behind all this, I mean, she's all green knee socks and she's smoking a cigarette. Suddenly I'm feeling a little too... too... Volvo wagon-driving, sun visor-wearing, suburban housewife. You know?

mmmmmmmmmm. I would like to have one of these babies in front of me right now.

What great fun, laughs, political discussion, and some very un-pc jokes from this fella.

Along with garage sale trolling, there seems to be another activity that goes along with my visits to Nashville. Party crashing.

This was an opening party at imogene + willie. It is one cool place. You can have custom made jeans sewn for you - right there in the shop. Did you hear me? Custom made! Awesome.

They also sell amazing vintage jeans, belts and new things like this skirt and the shirt below which I was totally coveting.

These are the jeans patterns hanging from the ceiling. You know how I loved that.

My posts may be few and far between but when I decide to post, I decide to post.

L

Dealing with it

2009-07-10T10:59:00.000-04:00

This is how Scully is dealing with the loss of her 12 year companion. She destroyed the screen door. Poor girl.

Thank you for all of your kind words about Flash. He was a great dog. Here is the last photo I took of him, cuddled up with Sculls. I didn't want to make photos of him lately because he was so very thin and I just couldn't bear to remember him like that.

When he was a puppy we trained him to ring a bell when he wanted to go outside. It was our best parlor trick when we had guests. Scully caught on quickly when she was a puppy but I still remember the day that it dawned on Flash, "if I ring this bell the door will open".
When we moved into this house they quit ringing the bell, maybe because we didn't really need it anymore since I always knew exactly when they would want to go out.

Once, at the cancer center where I worked, we had a patient who could not speak so someone put a bell beside his chair so that he could ring it if he needed our attention. It was the same sort of desk bell that the dogs used. Every time that man rang the bell I had the urge to go open a door.

Now I ask you, who was trained?

Keeping busy with "homework"

I love a cute skirt, knee socks and tennies.

I inherited some neat things from my little Granny. In helping clean out her apartment I could not bear to see perfectly good towels getting donated. I guess all of her lessons in thrift and economy paid off because I took some towels and made some cute hooded ponchos for the pool. The girls are too small for a full size beach towel, they just drag them on the ground and through various unsavory puddles in the pool changing room. They need something to slip on quick that will stay on by itself so here we are.

I even made the blue bias tape myself. Don't look close, I really didn't know what I was doing where the tape meets. The opening looked a little Dementor-ish but on the girls it's cute.

Do you see my new dishwasher in all the photos? Yeah!

I have lots of projects to complete, the least of which is not this:

Jeff, I know that you are reading and just so you know, when I look to my right, there it is staring at me.

I am really a bad sewer and a crap drawer, so ... let's combine the two! These were fun but I was afraid that I was going to sew through my finger without the presser foot.

Have a great weekend.

L

Putting on a brave face

2009-07-06T15:09:00.000-04:00

First, I want to post about my fun, fun weekend last week. Nothing like a bunch of old friends to lift your spirits.

Look at all that gorgeous hair. I wonder how many salon dollars that all represents?

Funny comment of the weekend:

Car full of young boys to our friend Suzanne: "Hey cougar, are those your daughters in the backseat?"

Suzanne was a bit put out as some of the "daughters" in the backseat are older than her.

After the super fun weekend I returned home to find that our sweet dog Flash is not doing so well and by Wednesday things were bad. The vet gave us still more medicines to try but it was clear that he was failing fast.

I have never understood why people wait until their dog is half-dead to put them to sleep. Well, now I do. Even sitting with him in my arms in the vet waiting room this morning I was trying to convince myself that I just needed to try harder to get him to take his medicine, that maybe he could get better. In the end I did what needed to be done. It was heartbreaking - all of it.

The Winchester Waterslide

2009-06-29T15:00:00.001-04:00

Two weeks ago the me and my girls went to the happenin' town of Winchester Tennessee to visit our friends. We had so much fun on the "Winchester water slide"
I even helped Jodi make a few things. I think she was bitten by the crafty bug while I was there.

When we came home we had a few days of that giant yellow orb shining in the sky. Finally.

We had breakfast on the gazebo.

Anna things the baby monitor is a two-way radio. Here she's yelling at Lucy through the monitor.
L

You always think that there will be time

2009-06-29T13:59:00.000-04:00

My sweet Granny passed away last Tuesday. I took for granted that I was a grown woman with a Granny who was present and availible in my life.

Today I was washing up some Tupperware from her house thinking about how she just wasn't able to wash her dishes as well in the last few months and wondering why I didn't go and wash them for her.

I thought there would be time, because there had always been time.

So, if your Granny is still living.

Call her.
Go see her.

Wash her dishes.

L

Magical

2009-06-17T15:29:00.000-04:00

The neighborhood, you just never know what you might find.

You never know what you might throw away that will be rescued, painted red and used for yard art. (We all tried to make the push mower work, it just wouldn't.)

Max Patch

2009-06-16T09:27:00.000-04:00

The small version just didn't do it justice. Please click on the photo to see the full photo.

The lodge and the patch are two of my favorite places on earth. It looks like the girls are loving it too.
Rocking on the porch.

Enjoying music with Daddy.

The sweet smell of ... mushrooms? Hmm. She's really into mushrooms, this was one of many that she picked on our hike.

Future entomologist?

Sorry that the posts have been thin. There has been lots of traveling and it looks like the next few weeks will be the same but most of you we will be seeing in person during the travels!

Happy Birthday Jodi

2009-06-02T22:28:00.000-04:00

Sorry I could get you on the phone yesterday or today. But you know that I'm thinking of you and now it is preserved forever on the blog.

It's Pool Time:

I really thought: I'll just put the water hose in the pool on full blast, take the girls in for a second and come back out when the pool is full.

hahahaha Like my memory holds for more than 5 minutes.

I'm sure the pool was overflowing for 20 minutes by the time Anna reminded me to turn the water off. What would I do without her?

Today I found her sitting at my art table adding to my sketchbook. Not something I want her doing all the time but it was so cute.
Updates on everyone: My Granny is still in the hospital. She needed a blood transfusion and then she will have to go to a nursing home for a few weeks.

Flash is having another bad day. With pain meds, nausea meds and some antibiotics he was perking up a little but now he seems worse. Some tough decisions are going to be made.

On a happy note the baby I mentioned made it through the heart surgery - 7 hours! He's doing much better.

Thanks for your kind words and prayers!

Beauty in the garden

2009-05-29T22:13:00.000-04:00

I am so blessed to live in a neighborhood of master gardeners. These are the gardens across the street.

My yard has some pretty little flowers too:

We have a variety of sad things to report from our home. Though I am often frustrated with Flash and joke that I'm ready to be dog free - I'm not. We just found out that he has a mass on his spleen which is most likely cancer and he has about 6 months to live. He had a really bad day today. My Granny fell today and is in the hospital, our good friends are moving across the country and some other people I know are waiting for their baby to come out of serious heart surgery. Today was not the best day to sit down and watch Heidi with Anna. Pass the tissues please.

imagination

2009-05-28T15:33:00.000-04:00

I want my kids to use their imagination. I really try not to have too many toys out at once, but these photos show the background noise of garish plastic that is our lives. There has been a long-standing love affair with the laundry basket.

What's she got there?

Oh, just Lucy, trapped under the basket, wearing a princess dress.

I managed to get a play by play on how to accomplish this.

Step one: assume the position:Step two: Carefully place basket over (or not so carefully...)

Step three: Cram those little feet under.

This is the "baby bed"

The "baby" is probably losing circulation in her feet but it's fun while it lasts.

Updates on kids, flowers and such

2009-05-26T10:58:00.000-04:00

David, the milkweed is doing great. It's about 3 feet tall now. Can you believe these foxglove came up from seeds that I planted 2 years ago? Foxglove may be my favorite flower but it is so finicky.

My favorite time of day. Everyone is fed, tubbed and scrubbed and ready for some book reading. I'm partial to Richard Scarry (who doesn't like something where watermelon and octopi mingle?) but Dad likes Dr. Seuss.

So, this morning I'm sitting here, minding my own business when little lu walks through with my psudo-pod on and jamming to some music. LOUD. Heck, I can hardly figure out how to turn the thing on.
This is a true love/hate relationship. They never feel just so-so about each other. Either everything is fantastic (!) or terrible. After I shot this photo Anna started crying because e. said the hedge wasn't pretty anymore.
As you can see, it's not so pretty anymore, but it needed some serious pruning to save it.

See Anna's twirly skirt. She loves it, she wore it 2 days in a row. Lucy's is cute too - I decided against the embellishment - it is quite fluffy and brings to mind clogging, or as the guy at Home depot said, square dancing. More photos soon. Amy, tell me how much easier these would be with a serger?

L

Some stuff to look at

2009-05-17T13:34:00.000-04:00

Fueled by this home made pizza I was able to knock out some things in the sewing pile.

Love these fabric boxes. Easy and small enough to use up some leftover fabric. They are great for catching small clutter.
Or they make a snazzy hat.

This is a skirt I made from one of the many tutorials to be found. I don't know if I like it better with or without the embellishment.

Another box make from left over curtain fabric.

For the first time in a long time I'm feeling inspired. I have a few little sewing projects to wrap up and then I'll work on some paintings that I've promised.

The rain made me do it

2009-05-12T21:37:00.000-04:00

Finally, the sun is out and things are drying off. To keep from going cuckoo for cocoa puffs we have been playing in the laundry and making homemade bathtub paint. The paint is just kid's bath soap + cornstarch + water + food coloring. It was a good half hour of fun and they were all clean at the end. I was proud of my thought to put the step stool in the tub to keep the paint out of the water, and to keep from having to hold the muffin tin up for half and hour.

Everything is just kinda gross. The "fronds" from the oak trees make a satisfying... or sickening depending on my mood, squish when I step on them.

Don't cha just want to pick up that cold, dirty sponge and give it a good hard squeeze? you do? will you come and do it for me? I'm thinking of leaving it right where it is until July.

Due to all the rain, yes I am blaming it all on the rain... and Betsy, but that's another story, my computer fast hasn't gone so well. I'm going to really crack down this week.

On Friday I had the pleasure of learning that I need four new tires on my car. I selected the tire store based on what they were listening to on the radio:
Car talk: yes
Country: no

I also found out ... from the sandwich shop owner down the street that most of the employees at the tire store are ... vegetarians. Crazy.

To add to things I learned: only 17 year old boys write reviews of tires online.

I did finish a little painting for the babysitter's graduation gift. Did I get a photo? Nope.

Lisa

The park

2009-05-05T07:48:00.000-04:00

We are having a discussion over who is the big sister, Tate or Charlie. I think Anna will be an attorney, she can sure argue a case.

I am fasting for the month of May. From the computer, not food! I spend so much time looking at things I would like to make, getting ideas for paintings and then... nothing. I need to spend more time doing and less time trolling for ideas. I am going to check my e-mail once a day and I'm going to try to blog every other day because I'm going to have so much to show. right?

See you soon.

Lisa

Loss

2009-05-02T20:09:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the crickets you have been hearing from my blog. As many of you know, we lost Jonathan's grandmother last week. Her memorial was yesterday. She was a sweet soul.

She was 96 years old. Had her eyes not been failing, I feel certain that she would have loved my blog and no doubt probably had a blog of her own. She e-mailed me faithfully right up until her stroke near Christmas. How many other 95 year olds do you know that e-mail?

In this photo she was 94. Look at her beautiful skin and those perfect nails. They were always perfectly manicured.

This is her wedding engagement photo.

I think I see lots of Lucy in this photo. Do you? I think it is the full lips and the high forehead.

I hope Lucy is that beautiful.

As you can tell I lost my momentum on the photo-a-day of the neighborhood. Here are some of the last spring shots I took.

After being away from home for a few days we returned to a very green, very wet yard. The azalea blooms are dull and the dogwoods have lost their flowers.

xo,

Lisa

How can it be?

2009-04-22T21:08:00.000-04:00

She's four. Where did four years go?

I told her that these had been the best four years of my life and I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

Lucy is hiding her eyes too - for the "big" surprise.

I was really worried because the bike was red and not pink, or purple or yellow...
I'm just a wee bit worried because the bike was assembled by Daddy.

You see who is the first to hitch their little leg right up there.

A beautiful day with friends for my girl. She makes everyone happy.

xo
Lisa

It happened

2009-04-20T14:57:00.001-04:00

The oak tree and wisteria are doing their thing. It is so pretty.

Anna looked like a little spring flower yesterday but this is the only photo I could get.

I took the girls out for a pre-dinner, drizzley walk last night. Not only was it beautiful to look at but we heard all kinds of birdsong and the church bells were playing. It was wonderful.

Dad gum paint cans. You see I moved them from the bedroom to beside the front door where they managed to ruin another photo.

must. get. them. to. the. garage.

xo

Lisa

Lisa

This is for all the dansko lovers. (I mean lover of Danskos)

2009-04-16T22:28:00.000-04:00

Anna: Whyyyyyy do I have to wear these shoooooes. I don't liiiiiiiiiiiike them.

clump clump clump

They're making me fall!

Oh mom! Why do you like them so much?

Abandoned.

I tried.

xo,

Lisa

Please ignore the paint cans

2009-04-16T22:24:00.000-04:00

Ta da. This is the *new* bedroom. The color is nice but it does suck the light right outta here. I need to do some new paintings too.

Comments?

The kitchen is almost ready for it's close up.

Lisa

Today

2009-04-16T22:20:00.000-04:00

It was a beautiful day. I didn't make it outside with the camera until after dinner. The light is not the best, but it is great to make pictures with the sun shining. finally.

The Dogwood trail

2009-04-14T14:10:00.000-04:00

I took a walk with Lucy on Monday and we saw some beautiful things.

There is a reason I keep making photos of this tree. Do you see the vines? Do you see the faint purple in the tree? Oh, just wait.

I likey me some contrast

2009-04-14T10:07:00.000-04:00

How's that for contrast. The curtains (they are 60% finished) are going to further add to the fun of this corner.

We had a nice Easter. The girls had fun.

I'm off on my first trip to Toys R Us with both girls. I'm not excited. A doll must be purchased. Wish me luck.

Do you hear me laugh out loud often?

2009-04-11T22:23:00.000-04:00

I'm not so much LOL as I am LQTM (laughing quietly to myself) but I have been laughing so hard at this that I had to share.

It's all the things I enjoy, real estate listings, bad photos and sarcasm.

Enjoy.

Lisa

More teasing

2009-04-09T12:14:00.001-04:00

That's some lively green. No more dead kitchen for me.

Now don't you all want to see the completely finished project? When I turn these 22 yards of fabric into curtains with wavy hems and on an uneven curtain rod?

Well, you will just have to wait. I'm on a roll.

Thanks buddy for ruining my photo!

It's coming, can you feel it?

Lisa

Gulp!

2009-04-08T13:43:00.000-04:00

Here we go with the painting.

It already looks so much better. The dead kitchen is brought to life.

xo,
Lisa

Giving credit where credit is due

2009-04-07T08:32:00.000-04:00

I went outside to make a picture of the snow on my flowers but the camera battery was dead. Imagine that. So you'll have to make due with photos from Saturday. I'm falling a little behind.

Is is just me or is that second photo huge? See, I'm still getting the hang of this.

This is what Anna wore to school yesterday. Is she cute or what?

So, I need to give some credit for some projects posted here.

The little doll is found here.
The coffee/soda cozie is here- though I modified mine to fit a soda bottle.
The pink pig idea came from here
The peg board organizer came from this GREAT blog

From now on I plan to include the site/book with the project, in case any of you get the crafty bug.

The painter was coming yesterday to start on the "big paint project of ' 09" or as it may be known: The demise of my marriage. The painter has tennis elbow so the project has been pushed back a day or two.

Every time someone, including the painter, looks at the paint chips, hears the ideas, they all say the same thing: "What does Jonathan think about this".

I'm starting to get a little worried because in reality he does not know about... well the blue ceiling for starters.

Elizabeth, you'll help me out won't you?

xo,

Lisa