Your Mother Should Know ...

Tour of Homes

Last Sunday we did Tour of Homes.  We've done this a number of times over the last twenty years. It was a nice way to get outside, enjoy the weather, and see styles and colors. I learned some new things:

Hardwood floors are not solid but composite with a vaneer

Hardwood floors are very popular and very dark (not my fave shade

Indoor trims were painted.  I loved the white-painted trims but there's no way I'm painting over our solid-wood trim,  and I don't feel like replacing it either.

Wrought-iron trim on garage doors is popular.

Floor plans are open concept (not my friend Linda's favorite but I sure love it.  And, lastly,

I have no desire for 3000+ square feet.  Yikes.

My favorite new construction this year was the 'green home', a Craftsman, built by Scott Homes Inc. I loved what he was doing (Heat your home for less than $200 a year; where can I sign up?), and I
was impressed with him. My favorite remodel was done by Dickey's Remodel and Repair. They updated a 1970s condo or garden home, and it was lovely.

I came away with a couple decorating ideas.  Loved this basket for holding towels in a bathroom.

I was reminded that I love candles around the tub.  And I have ... well, a few.

and that I like the tan/beige/sand with white right now:

I don't want to scare anyone ...

but I thought I'd actually post to my blog!  I always know it's past time when my girlfriend mentions the blog hasn't been updated for a while!  :)  What can I say?  Life gets away from me.  It seems like the everyday is full to the brim.  I would love a 30-hour day -- provided I didn't have to add job hours to it.  That would give me six more beautiful hours every single day.  Like that will ever happen.  Retirement will come first.  LOL

Summer seems to have gone by in a blur.  I woke up this morning, and it was cool -- as in 'fall' morning cool!  It's been a while since I felt a cool floor with my bare feet.  I am NOT complaining!  Yes, it's been a very HOT summer in the PNW, but I love summer.  I love sunshine.  I love temps around 75 degrees.  And we had much of that and more.  I'm gidding with spring, I enjoy the fall colors; but summer is my season.  Winter ... well, winter blows!

In my effort to get out and enjoy the sunshine, I treated the mister; our latest excursion had a road that looked like this:

What can I say?  He loves railroads, trains, anything related to trains, dogs, young children, ice cream, and sometimes even me!  He's a 'kid with a camera' on trains and doesn't care if there's a destination; just that he gets to ride.  He doesn't sit, just goes back and forth, smiling and taking pictures.  Me?  I sit with a cool drink, a snack, a book in case I want to read; I watch the scenery and the people.  And the mister.  It's, well, slllooowww.  But sometimes slow feels good. 

 

Time Flies When You Surf!

I'm sure this is not news to anyone, but the internet can be scary! One page leads you to another and then another and yet another ... it kinda reminds me of this Direct TV commercial:

The result certainly isn't the same as re-enacting scenes from Platoon with Charlie Sheen (thank goodness), but my time disappears; and that feels like a wasteful thing sometimes.

I'm trying to clear my to do list so I can catch up with my 2012 Project Life. My first seven weeks are complete and even photographed; I just haven't uploaded them yet. Weeks eight through 15 are partially done, and I'm anxious to finish them. I'm not sure how I'm going to upload them to my blog since the upload feature isn't working!

I am missing our lovely spring weather. It's only been raining for a day, and I already miss the sunshine and 70 degree weather. :(

 

But what do they do?

Have you ever wondered what a bunch of women do when they go to a scrapbook retreat or a crop?  Yes, we make pretty things.  And we eat and laugh.  We sleep.  We take breaks for Starbucks and craft stores and Sonic!  If you're curious, you can watch the video I copied from Jennifer Evan's blog.  Jen, Craft Warehouse Design Team Leader, put together this crop; and it was awesome!  Thanks, Jen. 

 

I met some great women there and look forward to building friendships with them.  I also finished a couple layouts that I'll share, but I need to get pictures of them first.

Mad March!

March has been crazy -- crazy busy, crazy weather, and crazy fun!  While I enjoyed much of it, I'm glad to look at my April calendar and see some free weekends!  Three of the last five weekends were spent in Oregon with scrapbook friends; now I need to tackle those things at home that sat while I was out playing.  Thank you, husband, for allowing me the time to gad about like a person with no responsibilities!  LOL

Spring is slow in coming, but we've have bursts of sunshine.  The trees are beginning to bud and blossom, the tulips, peonies, calla lillies, and poppies have broken ground; but nothing is blooming yet.  I'm anxious to see what our poor bent and broken trees will look like this summer; right now the damage rom the January snow and ice storm is still very apparent.  I am ready to put DONE on the most unusual winter we've had here in twenty years!

Here's a layout I finished using Webster's Pages "Spring Market" line.  I loved the colors, and (even though this is a photo of a group of my scrapbooking friends taken at Christmas time), I thought it was fine for my photo.

Here's another using pictures of Brenna that are more than twenty years old!  Loved playing with some old photos.  This layout usings basic Bazzill cardstock, strips of various patterned papers, an old plastic doily for a mask and Mr. Huey white spray mist.

Yep, Still Here!

Thank you, blog readers, for checking on me.  Yes, I'm still alive and well; just enjoying a very full life.  Yes, I'm doing Project Life in 2012; in fact, my first seven weeks are complete and the last three are partially done.  I will try to get them posted soon.  I have quite a few scrapbook layouts completed already this year.  I think the layouts are stress therapy!  Some women shop; I scrapbook.  :)

December gets a little crazy around here!

And I bet everyone knows what I'm talking about!  LOL  We are immersed in Christmas shopping, Christmas social events, Christmas church events, and Christmas crafting!  And that's above and beyond the schedule we already maintain.  I don't have a lot of time for scrapbooking right now, but I intend to make up for that after I'm squared away for Christmas. 

Here's another layout I created last month.  It's a simple one, and doesn't have a picture.  It's a postcard I picked up during one of our weekend treks into Vermont when we lived in Massachusetts.  I've saved the postcard for almost twenty years and ran across it recently, reminded once again our maple syrup time and a family outing.  I wanted to capture the memory for the kids, and the postcard worked just fine. 

TIP:  If you have something you want to capture but don't have pictures to help tell your story, Google it!  Google has many images that are free, and you may find something there.  Or you can use a postcard like I did here.  You can also document your story without photos.  :)  Is the postcard acid and lignon free?  I doubt it.  I used it anyway.  If that is a concern for you, scan the postcard and print it out on photo paper.

 

Then there's this one!  The photo was taken in 2004 when we were re-landscaping the yard at our old house.  Large jobs require large equipment, and we rented a BobCat (bigger than a shovel but probably considered small by many standards).  Our adventurous baby girl wanted to learn how to drive it!  She is sitting in the cab with her dad standing on the bucket, instructing her how to make it work! 

And on the Topic of Blogs ...

I do remember that I have a blog, honest.  August was busy; September was, too.  October was also busy, and I tore the meniscus in my left knee.  THAT little event brought me to a standstill.  And when a busy woman's energy is tapped just doing ordinary life things, like showering and dressing, she gets very behind!  I'm doing better, thank goodness, and getting things done.  Next on my list is to finish my Christmas shopping.  I'm thankful, however, that it's started.

For Project Life fans, I'm current again, I've taken pictures up through week 46, and I'm in the process of editing the pics and uploading them to my 2011 Project Life gallery (there's also a link to my PL gallery in the left sidebar).  I will edit the last half of the photos and get them posted as soon as I can.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, enjoying your favorite foods with your favorite people.  We had a lovely one here. 

Here are a couple of recent layouts I created using the Dixie Pieces November kit called Sweater Weather:

This is my favorite grandson, photo taken in October at a school event.  I used Bazzill cardstock, Crate Paper Farmhouse and My Little Yellow Bicycle Hello Fall patterned papers. 

Another favorite, taken the same day and using the November Dixie Pieces kit is Father & Son:

 

The person who updates this blog!

Yes, the person who updates this blog (that would be me) is among the missing and needs to ask for further indulgence.  Life seems to be getting in the way -- nothing bad, mind you, just a lot to get done. 

Drat that my body requires sleep every day! 

And to the next person who says, "but of course you have time, this will only take you 15 minutes"; my response is this:  "You are correct; I do have a few 15-minute slots open in my daily schedule.  Unfortunately, I have 83 84 items on my list to fill them.  I will be happy to add your item to the list."   OR

"Everyone makes time for those things the WANT to do.", my response is this:  "Right!  And I WANT to get all those things I NEED to do done so I can have some FUN!"

I'll try to get my life back under control quickly!  :)

 

A Mother's Failed Attempt ...

Today, another mother (thanks, Sharyn) repeated a brief conversation with her daughter, who was questioning whether the blueberries in the pancakes were chocolate chips, and Sharyn said they were.  Sharyn knew her daughter didn't like blueberries, and her daughter probably figured out these were NOT chocolate chips before the pancakes were eaten!

It made me grin, because I remembered a similar conversation with my young daughter. 

 

My young daughter did not like liver.  To be fair, she had tried it once.  Heck, I can remember that I didn't like it as a child either!  Although it wasn't my favorite, I could eat it; my husband loved it -- browned, smother in onions and gravy, simmered til done, and served over mashed potatoes (if I remember correctly).  So, I'm in the kitchen, working at the stove, with my back to my daugher:

Daughter:    What are you doing?
Me:    Making supper.  [thinking:  uh oh, she doesn't like liver and probably won't eat it]
Daughter:  What are we having for supper?
Me:    Food [if i don't tell her it's liver, will she try it again?  maybe she'll like it this time]
Daughter:  What kind of food?
Me:  Meat and Potatoes [if I call it something else, will she try it again?]
Daughter:  What kind of meat?
            AND THEN THE LIE!
Me:  Steak.
Daughter:  Steak?
Me:  Yep.
Daughter:  Smells like liver!
Me:  [crap!]

My attempt to sneak liver under the radar didn't work; she still didn't like it.  My recommendation now?  Keep staples like peanut butter and jelly in the house for situations like this.  Oh, and it doesn't look any more appetizing if you bring it out the next morning for breakfast!

Foods I didn't like as a child but like now:
Chili
Acorn Squash
Sweet Potatoes and Yams
Steak
Cucumbers
Asparagus
Peas
and probably more

Foods I didn't like as a child and still don't:
Beets
Pickles
Eggplant
and probably more