TWO Steps Forward...

Quite a few months ago THESE steps were removed and reset one by one (oh the joys of an "old home")...

Now Michael (realizing that his "Winter To Do" list has been sorely ignored) has begun to tackle the stripping of each step... he's been doing good... moving FORWARD 2 steps a night... using a razor blade to scrap off the varnish and then sandpaper to smooth the wood... revealing BEAUTIFUL OAK underneath...

Once ALL the steps are stripped... and sanded... he'll caulk any "gaps"... and then RESTAIN and VARNISH the steps... paint the risers and bottom half of the stairs and be able to check off a "Winter To Do" project!!! YIPEE!!!

I thought it would be "fun" (and rather unexpected) to either paint or stencil the risers 1-14 (the number of steps on the staircase)... we'll see though.. I've seen similar projects on other blogs and LOVED the results... I think it would add a touch of "whimsey" to an otherwise "boring" passageway (how exciting can a staircase be???)...

MY part of this project was to remove all the old carpeting/padding and tack strips on a whim (OK... not REALLY a whim... more like a "last stand")... when Michael was on a business trip... I guess I'm considered the "destructor" and Michael is considered the "REstructor"...

In keeping with the "theme" of this post... we had been experiencing some rather "Spring"like weather in these parts over the last few days... enjoying the "warmer" (low-mid 50*s) weather... and woke up to a heavy "dusting" of snow and 20* temps this morning...

As long as "we" (ok... Michael to be more specific) keeps moving FORWARD in the project progress I know (the REAL) Spring can't be too far off!

WHAT???...

OK... so I pick up this SUPER CUTE skirt pattern today at JoAnns... I favor a very specific TYPE of skirt... a bit A-line... with a little swing at the hemline... VERY FIGURE FRIENDLY... I get home and look (more closely) at the sizing measurements on the back of the pattern envelope... and about have a MAJOR STROKE...


HERE are my HONEST TO GOD measurements (and according to ANTM and TYRA BANKS I AM considered to be PLUS SIZE)

HEIGHT 5' 4"
WEIGHT 135-138
WAIST 33" (I have a bit of a "pooch")
HIPS 41" (OK... and I carry a little "pocket full of sunshine" too)
I TYPICALLY wear anywhere from an 8-12 (in MISSES) on the bottom (depending on CUT, manufacturer and TOM)

So... according to THIS pattern... it won't fit me??? SERIOUSLY???

Memories...

AAAAAAhhhhhhh... SALTINES... I'm sure for a lot of us these brings back memories...

Slathered with peanut butter and "fluff" (the marshmallow kind)... or peanut butter and jelly... crushed up in a bowl of chicken noodle soup... the eternal cure for a rumblie tumblie... or the dreaded "morning sickness"...

I couldn't resist buying these at the grocery store when I saw them in MINIATURE... and reliving some fond memories!

CAUTION... be CAREFUL eating things in miniature... before I even realized it HALF the box was gone!!!... I wonder if miniature size means miniature calories???

I SPY... and I'm TRYING...

A turtle... a mailbox... a feather... a flute... a horseshoe, beetle and basket of fruit; Seven pinecones... an apron and key... A turtle, a swing... and the letter B...

I SPY signs of Spring... greener grass... warmer temps and "longer" days... crocus', daffodils and tulips... Fat robins visiting our birdfeeders and new tenants moving in under the front eave...

I SPY a "stinkie" attitude... that I have been DESPERATELY trying to shake... hopefully as Spring moves in to STAY... my current mood will MOVE OUT!

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!! :o)

I was ONCE...

considered "cool"... a DEAR FRIEND had come to visit... and upon seeing my "old ride" in the driveway exclaimed "OH... People who drive THOSE are cool and don't even have to be TOLD"... Hmmmmmmmm... REEEEEEEEALLLLY??? Well... THAT "old ride" is going to sit in our driveway now FOREVER... because on THAT DAY... for ONCE... I was "coooooooool" (and apparently didn't even know it!)


I don't aspire to be cool much anymore... not that I wouldn't WANT to be again... for just a moment... maybe THESE will help a bit? Although I was informed by a VERY KNOWLEDGABLE 7 year old that they DIDN'T make me look COOL... they made me look "SPARKLIE"

Damn...

YES!!! Yes I heard you "calling me" from the 2nd shelf of the pantry... but I THOUGHT if I pretended I didn't hear you... you'd stop... but... you didn't... OK... maybe you DID stop calling me and I was just IMAGINING I was continuing to hear you calling... Yea... let's go with that scenario...

DAMN YOU!!!! DAMN YOU CHEESIE GOOD PUFF'N CORN! WHY WHY WHY do you have to taste SO GOOD?

String... Strang... Strung...

I always LOVE visiting other blogs... LOTS of neat people doing SUPER NEAT and CRAFTY things... I have had THIS particular craft (from Artsy-Crafty Babe) saved to my favorites since around Christmas... and have spent the last few nights completing it...

I bought the PomPoms at the Dollar Store (I bought 10 bags)... and used COTTON CROCHET THREAD (I didn't have any upholstry thread around)... I used 6 bags of PomPoms and ended up with about 18'-20' worth of garland... it'll go on my "All Season Tree" during Spring/Easter... SUPER EASY (although I DID jab myself a couple of times with the needle... OUCH!)... and it gives me something productive to do while watching television in the evenings... I have plans to make MORE garlands in different color combos...

Thanks to everyone out there who inspires me!!! :o)

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss...

Today Lilley-Kate's school hosted a "Birthday Celebration" for Dr. Seuss (part of the Read Across America program)... it was an afternoon of everything "Suess"... The kids all sported "The Cat's Hat"...

And were served "green eggs and ham" (a bit TOO GREEN for about 98% of the kids... I think the lunch ladies went a bit too "seussie" with the food coloring!)...

We spent part of the event reading a Dr. Seuss book together... Lilley-Kate's favorite is "Fox in Socks" (Although I am NOT a "Seuss" fan... my favorite is Sam I Am)...

It was a fun afternoon... seeing the "Cat's Hats"... the GREEN eggs and ham... and spending time together READING (something we do OFTEN in our home)...

In the BLINK of an Eye...

Our FAVORITE GIRL has turned SEVEN!!! HOW is that POSSIBLE?!?! I am the Mother of not only a 7 year old... but a soon to be 21 YEAR OLD TOO! I found today ironic in a weird way... it took SEVEN LONG YEARS to get pregnant with Lilley-Kate... and today we CELEBRATED her 7th BIRTHDAY...

She told me tonight before heading to bed... "Mommy, Today was the BEST DAY of my WHOLE LIFE!"...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our FAVORITE GIRL! Thank you Lilley-Kate for being everything that you are... our dream come true! WE LOVE YOU!

Counting the "Lasts"...

I have become keenly aware recently that I need to pay CLOSE ATTENTION... to the "Lasts"... because they are becoming more frequent now than the "Firsts"... My Favorite Girl is growing up... and will soon be celebrating a birthday... Lilley-Kate has become "Miss Independent" all of a sudden... wanting to do EVERYTHING herself... *sigh*...

I remember the last time Nick wanted me to sing "You are My Sunshine" to him before bed... the last time I insisted on "holding hands" while walking in a parking lot (it was the LAST time... and I knew it would be... so I felt justified in the insisting)... when I became "Mom" instead of "Mommy"... the last time kissing him "goodbye" in front of the school wasn't met with a roll of the eyes and a shushed "ugh"... the last time HE TOLD ME "Mommy... you are the prettiest girl in the world"... all tucked safely away in my "Last" Memories"...

We so anxiously await the "Firsts"... First smile... first "coo"... first steps...

I'm NOT anxiously awaiting the "Lasts"... but I am keeping my eyes WIDE open... because I know... they will arrive... I want to remember them... the "LASTS"... as fondly as I remember the "FIRSTS"...




Never underestimate the value of the little moment- Anonymous

Vincent Said It Best...

' I never get tired of the blue sky' - Vincent Van Gogh

Errands to be run... Sewing to be done... Cleaning too (before the Health Department cites my bathrooms!)... A "Go Fish" tournament planned for fun... but I have been distracted... hypnotized really... by the BLUE SKY beyond my window...

Hope Everyone has a nice weekend!!!

Forever...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY HONEY!!!!

FOUND... not LOST... Yet...

Nick came home for the weekend... announcing yet again ANOTHER REMOTE had "disappeared" out of his school suite... that is TWO this year (he seems to think someone is playing a joke... a not so funny one in my opinion!)... Michael and I were able to do some errands and shopping ALONE (a real treat)... and found Nick a REMOTE that will be HARD to lose!

Michael found it... I thought it was HILARIOUS... it is HUGE measuring 5" across and 11" long... it looks like a prop from "Honey I Shrunk The Kids"... we laughed so hard when we saw it people were giving us concerned looks in the store!...


If THIS remote decides to "take a little walk"... Nick will just have to make due "the old fashion way"... GETTING UP to change the channel on his television!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!!

WARM and STORMY...

66* today... SIXTY-SIX DEGREES... can you BELIEVE that... 2 days of mild temps have ALMOST completely erased any traces of the 16" of snow we still had on the ground! Seeing grass... sidewalks... and our paved driveway seemed almost surreal... but a much welcomed sight! We are WELL AWARE that this will not last forever... and that truly warmer temps are a ways off (for our area)... but what a nice (and much needed) treat!

Unfortunately though... along with the good... does come some bad... FLASH FLOODING (due to the rapid melting of the snow)... and a major icebreak in a neighboring town has resulted in evacuations of homes... we've also had POURING RAIN (in between much welcomed glimpses of the SUN!)... and just avoided some SEVERE thunderstorms this evening (which skirted to the South of us)...

I'm sure soon enough the temps will dip again... and the snow will fall... but these past couple of days (although VERY WET) have been WONDERFUL!

By the Light of the Silvery Moon...

We have beautifully clear skies tonight... Good thing... because...


We wouldn't want the TOOTH FAIRY to lose her way finding our house (although I DOUBT she would get lost... it's her 2nd visit this weekend ALONE!!!)

WHEW... ok... 2 more SLIGHTLY wigglie teeth... on each side of the front "gap"... We are thinking it'll be a while before THEY come out... although Lilley-Kate has become "obsessed" with "wiggling" now... LOL... so it MAY be sooner than we think!

One BUSY Fairy!!!...

For the THIRD TIME in the span of a WEEK The Tooth Fairy will be visiting our house tonight!!!

Guess WHO #2...

That TOOTH FAIRY is becoming a frequent visitor to our house!!! 2 teeth lost within a WEEK!!! AND... two more wigglie ones left to come out!!! Thankfully the Tooth Fairy "stocked up" on a few little gifties!!!

Mind Games...

Have NEVER been so much fun...

*sigh*... Simon Baker... *sigh* aka Patrick Jane... YOU make me LOVE Tuesday Night TV!!!!

Education First?...

Not only do we get off for the first day of HUNTING SEASON... city schools are on a 2 hour delay today since "we" won the SUPERBOWL... gotta love it...

Estrogen Issues... Got 'em???

10 WAYS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE 'ESTROGEN ISSUES'
1. Everyone around you has an attitude problem.
2. You're adding chocolate chips to your cheese omelet.
3. The dryer has shrunk every last pair of your jeans.
4. Your husband is suddenly agreeing to everything you say.
5. You 're using your cellular phone to dial up every bumper sticker that says: 'How's my driving-call 1- 800-'.
6. Everyone's head looks like an invitation to batting practice.
7. Everyone seems to have just landed here from 'outer space.'
9. You're sure that everyone is scheming to drive you crazy.
10. The ibuprofen bottle is empty and you bought it yesterday.
*Your short term memory loss caused you to skip #8*

Blue and Gray...

FINALLY... FINE ALL LEE... we awoke to BLUE SKIES!!! Althtough the temps were still COLD... the sky was BLUE... we went outside for a bit... Michael knocked down all the icicles that had accumulated... scraped off the driveway (I had forgotten that it was PAVED it had been SO LONG!)... it was WONDERFUL to SEE the sun... to look up and see BLUE SKIES... it wasn't that WARMING type of sun though... but hey... BEGGARS can't be CHOOSERS right???


And being SO SICK of seeing GRAY (skies)... I HAD to cover THIS up today...

No big SUPER BOWL plans... We are considered "outcasts" (and we CHOOSE to be on SHEER PRINCIPLE)... GO CARDINALS!!!

No Toast on the Side...

My stomach feels rumblie... like scrambled eggs... not soft boiled... hard boiled... poached... coddled or fried (although a sunny side up sounds YUMMY!)... nope... scrambled... kinda moist and glisteny... plopped in the middle of a vintage Pyrex plate... *UGH*

Never Ending...

OK... I have decided to look on the "BRIGHT SIDE"...

And REFUSE to be "defeated" by the seemingly NEVER ENDING snowfall...

THINK POSITIVE THOUGHTS... THINK POSITIVE THOUGHTS...

The NEWEST SNOW is covering up the UGLY "OLD" SNOW... is THAT positive enough???

I have a new mantra for my 15 minute meditation... "It WILL stop... It WILL stop... It WILL stop"... I hope...

GUESS WHO is Coming to Visit???

Can You SEE ME Now???... Blinded by THE WHITE...

One of the yucky things that winter brings is a FILTHY CAR... snow, sleet, sand, road salt and freezing temps wreak HAVOC on your cars appearance... covering it in a haze of gray to "salt white"... let's not even talk about the interior!


Yesterday one of the Moms I know (from school) was REAR-ENDED while waiting to make a turn into the Grocery Store Parking Lot... the person that hit her told the police officer that they could not SEE the taillights were lit up because of all the "road build up" on them... (let me mention at THIS point that the person that REAR-ENDED said Mom was 83 years old... a topic for another time)... anyway... the police officer DID NOT issue a TICKET (to the 83 year old)... but DID "strongly suggest" to my "Mom Friend" that she keep her taillights (and headlights) cleaned off... so she could/would be more visible to other drivers... GOOD ADVICE (I think)... but the 83 year old driver SHOULD have been ticketed...

I came straight home from school and took the advice given to my "Mom Friend" and cleaned off MY taillights AND headlights

So... take a walk around your car... would YOU be "visible" to "other drivers" (maybe an 83 year old driver that probably SHOULDN'T be driving anyway??? Sorry... I did say THAT topic was for another time!)...

Take a few extra minutes to clean off your taillights and headlights... better to be safe... than sorry!

We are under another WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY... forecasted for 6-8" of the WHITE STUFF by tomorrow morning.... so far... so good... NOTHING is falling from the sky... YET...

Disney Distraction...

Thankfully lately I have been given a distraction from the NEVER ENDING white stuff falling from the sky and the FRIGID cold temps... I have made a "mini-wardrobe" for "the girls" (Ruthie and Julie)... with "help" from Lilley-Kate (ok... not really help... but company... she loves to sit with me while I sew... she plays with the fabric scraps and buttons and ribbon... we sing little songs and just chat)...

One of my "projects" was to "pimp up" some premade garments sent to me by a friend... they are going to "escape" the cold and head South for a "Disney Distraction" soon... and her little one couldn't go without some "Disnified" duds... so I got them done lickety split and had a "Disney Singalong" with Lilley-Kate...

I'm trying REALLY hard... I can't remember the last time we had a sunny DAY (the sun HAS peeked out a couple of times... but sadly not for long)... I'm hoping this week the weather will co-operate and I can "get outta Dodge" to a neighboring state for some shopping! Keep your fingers crossed!

Perspective...

I have realized that in the grand scheme of things... it COULD be a LOT worse... Spring WILL come... Spring WILL come... Spring WILL come...

Off Kilter...

Exactly how I have been feeling... like I'm going to fall off the edge... struggling to stay upright...

Made Me Laugh...

And right now... I DESPERATELY NEED a GOOD LAUGH...

Body Statistics
It takes your food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.

One human hair can support 3 kg (6.6 lb).

The average man's penis is three times the length of his thumb.

Human thighbones are stronger than concrete.

A woman's heart beats faster than a man's.

There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.

Women blink twice as often as men.

The average person's skin weighs twice as much as the brain.

Your body uses 300 muscles to balance itself when you are standing still.

If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.

Women reading this will be finished now.

Men are still busy checking their thumbs.

BUTT COLD...

Yep... it's COLD... beyond FRIGID... to BUTT COLD... you know the kind... that kind of cold that when you breathe through your nose you can feel your nosehairs freezing... and the kind of COLD that makes your BUMS cold...


0* here people... Z E R O... and that doesn't factor in the windchill... Which is another type of cold ALL TOGETHER...

Hope everyone is staying WARM and COZY... and keeping their BUTTS COVERED!

Cyber Play...

Lilley-Kate had a VERY SPECIAL Play Date today... a CYBER PLAY DATE with a VERY SPECIAL FRIEND!!! They were so cute chatting it up and decided to play "Hair Salon" together... VERY SPECIAL FRIEND is quite the hair stylist and Lilley-Kate listened intently to the instructions and followed along... Styling first Julie's hair... and then Ruthie's hair...

The girls have already made a date for their next "Hair Salon Session" and Lilley-Kate is excitedly looking forward to it!

A Reminder of "Home"...

Lilley-Kate is an AVID bird lover... I think she probably inherited it from her PAPA in Virginia... Her most favorite bird is the cardinal... the official bird of our home state (ok... Michael and Lilley-Kate's home state by way of the Virginian Creed)... My parents got her a beautiful Audubon puzzle for Christmas... 500 PIECES!!! Slowly and methodically Lilley-Kate (with a little help from Daddy) completed the puzzle... When she finished she said... "Isn't that the most pretty cardinal you have ever seen?"... yes... yes it is...

Hope EVERYONE had a WONDERFUL weekend!!!

Building a Wardrobe... And Snowman

Today was spent watching the rapidly falling snow... AND helping out Lilley-Kate's "girls" (who according to her were seriously "wardrobe challenged")... sewing a few simple skirts... and outfits for "the girls"...

WE had a break in the snowfall and Lilley-Kate and Michael headed outside for some fun... of course... a snowman was an order...

We currently have around 10" of the white stuff... more forecasted overnight... the plows (that stopped plowing earlier in the day) have resumed their routes and the sounds of snowshoveling and snowblowers can be heard throughout the neighborhood... we'll see what the morning brings as far as additional snowfall... HOPEFULLY not much!

White Stuff...

We are in the middle of the first "major" snowfall of the season in these parts... it started snowing yesterday evening around 6ish... and has continued ever since... according to the weather reports we are averaging 1 1/2"-2" an HOUR... so the plows have stopped plowing... once this is over we could end up with anywhere from 12"-16" of the white stuff!!!! I ran outside and took some pics to share...

Luckily it is light and powdery so far... so shoveling and getting around isn't too much of an issue!

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!

SHAM...

Lilley-Kate was INTENT on getting the SHAMWOW for Michael for Christmas... so we did... and yes... Lilley-Kate made ABSOLUTELY SURE that is was MADE IN GERMANY (taking heed to BEWARE OF IMITATORS)...

After having INTENTLY read the instructions (at Lilley-Kate's urging) before using... Michael and Lilley-Kate have come to the conclusion...

The SHAM is not so WOW...

Baby It's COLD Inside...

Well... HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Man... is it just ME... or do the days between Christmas and New Years seem to DRAG ON FOREVER??? I'm glad to be done with the "holidays" and looking FORWARD to the New Year... and warmer weather to come!!!

Back to school today for Lilley-Kate (and back to Dance after a Holiday break)... she was SO EXCITED about going to school this morning... I think she was really starting to miss her classmates and Mrs. Pfeiffer... Nick is still on break... but I think is planning to head back to school on Saturday...

So... we woke up this morning to a CHILLY house... not thinking much of it though... since it's not unusual... we trun the thermostat down during the night (trying to keep 3 levels comfortably warm can be expensive)... but I realized that the house was going from CHILLY to COLD... so I checked the thermostat... yep... 58* and dropping... so I call the "heat guys"... they are SUPER NICE and came right out... replaced a bad FAN BLOWER BOARD... so we are warming up now...

We planted the Narcisuss bulbs about a week ago... kinda an after Christmas Tradition... they had already started sprouting in the box (kinda nervous about that)... HOPEFULLY in about 6 weeks we'll have fragrant paperwhites to enjoy!

I have some "goals" set for 2009... I figure goals are easier than resolutions... We'll see how it goes as the year progresses!

Hope everyone is enjoying the "back to normal" normalcy!!!