goodness gracious

easter 2011...

2011-05-12T12:30:00.000-04:00

The children after church on Easter Sunday. (A rare shot of The Boy)

I know, I know Easter was several weeks ago. Just thought I'd stop by and post something on this poor old blog. I guess it's really been a while because I'm feeling really rusty. (What size photos do I usually post? Why is the cursor there? Why can't I download multiple photos at once?) I'd like to get back to posting regularly. I wish I could make that a goal but life is still a bit too crazy to make any promises.

Easter was lovely. I was relieved that it was late this year. I still didn't do everything that I wanted to but it was nice to have the extra time to get ready. The Husband was actually home for a few days while the children were on spring break prior to Easter. We crammed a lot into that little week! Yard work, house work, an overnight trip to Boston, a visit to our favorite local children's museum. It was fun and exhausting. I should have some photos on my camera that I'll eventually get around to posting. For now, here are a few shots from Easter Sunday.

Pinky stops to smell the flowers.

Cha-Cha and Princess adore Pinky.

Pretty Princess.

Charming Cha-Cha (love those freckles!).

A bird's nest found in the bushes at Grammy and Bippy's house. Such pretty Easter eggs!

l is for lamp...

2011-03-07T09:11:00.002-05:00

Crazy weekend. I waved the white flag. The children laughed. I hid away for a bit and doodled while they continued their siege. There is much carnage on this gray Monday morning. Ah well. I'm posting Meredith's 'L' page and then I'm off to attempt to set things right.

Meredith chose the lamp in the living room for the letter 'L' in her alphabet hunt. She thinks the lamp is pretty and loves when her mother puts flowers on the table with it. This time they're dahlias from her mother's garden. (Apparently it's summer in Meredith's dreamy world!)

Click here for more of Meredith's Alphabet Hunt Coloring Pages.

To print the coloring page now just double click on the image above and select 'print' from your file menu . Or you can right click on the image and choose 'Save Picture As...' to tuck it away in your files for future use. (Don't choose "Print Picture..." from the right click menu unless you want a teeny-tiny version to print in the corner of your paper)

goodness gracious coloring pages by laina kay are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.;

k is for kite...

2011-03-02T11:07:00.002-05:00

I know it's not Monday but here's the coloring page for 'K,' finally! Meredith chose her beloved kite for the letter 'K' in her alphabet hunt.

I finally sat down and doodled a bit. It's been bugging me that I haven't done a coloring page in so long. Princess and Cha-cha will be thrilled, they've been asking.

Life is hard right now. Ten million things that I should be doing but I needed a little break. I will certainly pay for it later, really in the next few minutes as soon as I finish posting this. As I speak Pinky is scribbling on the fireplace hearth with a pencil. I should mention that she moved onto that after knocking over a small potted plant that I bought as a gift for a friend. Not only knocking it over but scattering the dirt across the end table and smearing it into the carpet and several toys nearby. I let her do all this while I doodled. There are so many messes around here right now, what's another two? Not sure if I'll ever get caught up with my life again. The children certainly aren't relenting any time soon. Surrender? Do children accept surrender?

Anyhoo, sorry for the whine. Cha-cha's birthday is tomorrow, Pinky's was Saturday and still no husband to speak of, so I probably won't be around again for a while. Who knows, maybe I'll be defeated enough to sit down and just doodle again before Monday. Letter 'L,' anyone?!

Click here for more of Meredith's Alphabet Hunt Coloring Pages.

plush play...

2011-02-25T02:57:00.000-05:00

This fun play rug caught my eye. The contrasting textures are so smart, visually and practically. I want to play with it! Don't you!? There's a farm and a dollhouse, too! Check them all out here.

via lmnop

lovely little lions...

2011-02-23T07:42:00.002-05:00

Aren't these lion cookies darling? My mind is bubbling with ideas based on these sweet creations. Oh, and there are penguins, too. So many clever ideas in blogland!

via Chez Beeper Bebe

on this day...

2011-02-22T05:11:00.002-05:00

February 22, 2010

Cha-cha and I baked carrot cake from scratch for The Husband's birthday on this day last year. Carrot cake is his favorite, actually I think it's become a toss up between carrot cake and my go-to chocolate cake. Anyhoo, he loves carrot cake, so carrot cake it was. With thick yummy cream cheese frosting (see Cha-cha lick the spoon -yum).

The children gave him a jar of mixed nuts with a personalized label for his desk at work. We all had a chuckle when The Boy added a padlock to the jar's latch. He also got a pair of Tevas and a couple of sweet handmade cards.

We're missing him today as he's away for work. It's the big 4-0, too. Crazy big birthday to be away for. Luckily he's near two of my sisters and their families so they're helping him celebrate. We look forward to our chance to celebrate with him, we'll have to do something even nuttier when he returns! Happy Birthday to the best husband and Dad around... or not around!♥ XOXO

a place for everything...

2011-02-21T16:35:00.000-05:00

The husband and I are discussing the possibility of refreshing and updating our kitchen in the next few months. Of course, this has me daydreaming about kitchens every chance I get. I love all the little details.

I ran across the photo above while perusing my sister-in-law's back issues of BHG yesterday. I'm loving that bread box. It would be nice to find an authentic old version but I'm thinking that this shiny new one is pretty cute, too. You like?

fit to be tied...

2011-02-18T21:57:00.001-05:00

The Boy turned twelve this past weekend. Twelve! He is now part of the young men's group in our church. I'm the mother of a young man. Wow. When did that happen? This means white shirts and ties on Sunday as that is the suggested attire for men participating in services in the church. Gone is my cute little boy in pastel gingham shirts and matching vests *sniff*.

We're shopping for some smart looking ties which can be hard to find for this age group. Looks like we've hit the jackpot with etsy though. Such a great selection of sharp ties for my handsome boy *ahem*, I mean young man! Which one's your favorite?

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where to begin?...

2011-02-18T17:41:00.000-05:00

Please forgive the spotty posting lately. Life has been a tad hectic. The Husband's work has changed recently and requires a great deal of travel. He basically lives elsewhere and visits us occasionally, at least for a while that will be the case. It's definitely taking some adjustment. I'm working on connecting the dots... as soon as I figure out where to begin!

I know some people have asked about the Alphabet Hunt coloring pages. My girls are waiting patiently for Meredith's letter 'K' page, too. I miss making them. Hopefully I'll find some time to sit down and doodle again soon!

Bear with me!

image via That's My Word

buried...

2011-02-03T16:35:00.001-05:00

We're buried here. For real. I don't remember ever having this much snow in my life. The kids have had at least six snowdays in the last three weeks or so. I can't say how many exactly because I've lost count. It's a good thing that I like snowdays.

I spent last week in Texas where it was sunny and 60 degrees or more (though I've heard it's not like that this week - I got lucky!). When I left on my trip I thought we had a crazy amount of snow. Little did I know that it would continue to snow and snow and snow while I was gone.

See, here's a shot I took one morning a couple of weeks ago. That's a lot of snow, right?

Not so much compared to the shots I took this morning (I laugh every time I look at that pile of snow on top of the portico - it's taller than the roof of the portico). I think we've added two-feet or so to our original pile. It's a bit surreal. Actually the barn across the street collapsed under the weight of the snow last week - before we added another foot. The snow on the sides of the driveway is piled as high as my shoulder. I can't shovel because I'm too short to throw the snow over the piles. Darn.

A lot of people are complaining but I kind of like it (maybe because I'm not shoveling it all). I'm an indoor girl anyway so I enjoy LOOKING at it while puttering around my cozy house. You can't deny how pretty it is, that sparkling white against the blinding blue sky. Magical.

Of course the children love it, though it's difficult to play in because they can't even walk in it anymore. They can only play around it and burrow through it. They're not complaining. They've amassed an impressive collection of icicles, mostly from the neighbor's house. We have seen some pretty impressive icicles in the last few weeks.

Pinky's loving her first real snow experiences. We bundle her from head to toe and she waddles happily through the tunnels of chilly white stuff. Every time the older kids leave the house she wants to follow them. Here she is all ready to "go 'side" this morning as the kids got on the bus (after two days off). As long as she's got her boots on she thinks she's good to go. Luckily she can't open the doors by herself yet!

Ah well, I caught her and convinced her to stay inside with me by tempting her with a giant batch of steel-cut oats and lots of fresh honey. How could she resist? See, it's not so bad having the house buried in snow when you get to snuggle up inside with a warm bowl of yumminess.

on this day...

2011-01-21T07:48:00.034-05:00

January 21, 2010

A rolie-polie Pinky frolicked on the couch, I snapped a few shots before she confiscated the camera!

on this day...

2011-01-14T07:34:00.002-05:00

January 14, 2009

A quiet morning of Legos captured by Cha-Cha back in her photo-journaling days.

new year, new banner...

2011-01-06T01:34:00.001-05:00

Welcome 2011! Time for a bit of a blog facelift. The banner hasn't been changed in quite a while. Since January 2008, to be exact. Wow, it's about time, eh?

Say goodbye to the simple dots...

and hello to some sweet gingham.

I even made a pretty little button for you to put on your sidebar if you're so inclined.

Here's the code. Copy and paste to your heart's content!

santa snapshot...

2010-12-26T11:51:00.001-05:00

Here's the photo I mentioned a couple posts ago. The children with Santa. I was so happy with this shot that I designed our Christmas card around it. All the kids are looking (okay - well at least facing the camera), no one is making a strange face or crying, the Boy is actually semi-smiling (he hates having his picture taken) and Santa & Mrs. Claus are pretty cute, too... what more could a mom want?

the christmas story...

2010-12-24T20:58:00.000-05:00

It's Christmas eve, we've read the Christmas story and watched this sweet nativity. My kids adored it and would like to make one of their own with their cousins someday. We'll see! Merry Christmas!

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2010-12-23T13:04:00.001-05:00

The children were looking particularly festive this past Sunday so I snapped a few photos on the front porch. Even The Boy was somewhat willing.

Then we stopped to see Santa on our way to church. He was visiting the historic one-room schoolhouse in town.

The one with a separate door for the girls...

and the boys. (My kids are endlessly amused that they used separate doors)

Santa was a right jolly old elf. Princess even whispered as we walked in the door "I think it's the REAL Santa, not one of his helpers!" I got some great photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus. One was so darling I featured it in my Christmas cards so until those are delivered I won't post it here, but isn't this one of Pinky on Mrs. Claus' lap sweet? No fussing, just a shy, tentative cuddle with Santa and his wife!

We've visited Santa here before, several years ago. It's a lovely, quiet, activity. Only three other families stopped by while we were there. Santa gives each child a tiny chalkboard ornament personalized with their name and the year. We snacked on cookies and punch before we headed off to church. It was a delightful little detour.

Merry Christmas to all if I don't stop by here before then. The Husband will be returning home in a couple of hours after being away since the first week of December so, needless to say, I've got a few more things on my list to accomplish before Santa arrives at our house. Wish me luck! Hope you're all enjoying your Christmas Eve eve.

ribbon candy is eye candy too...

2010-12-23T12:06:00.000-05:00

on this day...

2010-12-21T07:36:00.004-05:00

December 21, 2006

The children registered their gift requests at the head elf's office....

chatted with Santa for a bit...

and checked out his sleigh on their way out.

Look how little they were! Oh time...

portico in progress 3...

2010-12-20T05:22:00.001-05:00

Ah the portico, all decked out. It's been a while since I've shared the progress on our project. The portico is mostly complete and has been since just before Thanksgiving. I've always wanted a pretty porch to dress up for the holidays. Merry Christmas to me!

There are just a few things left to do. The screen door is going to be replaced, I'm on the hunt for new light fixtures and there's some touch-up painting to be done. Those items are all on the agenda for spring when the weather warms up a bit. And then we'll move on to landscaping. Poor neglected landscaping that has been waiting ten years for the ever-promised portico. It's time has finally come. Good-bye sad, scraggly bushes! A few boxwoods, some pachysandra, several hostas... I'm going for green and lush. Thoughts?

j is for jack-in-the-box...

2010-12-20T04:17:00.000-05:00

Monday, Monday, merry Monday. Finally a coloring page for you. 'J' is for Meredith's Jack-in-the-Box. Her Aunt Betsy brought it for her the last time she came to visit. Meredith's baby sister giggles every time the little clown pops up.

Click here for more of Meredith's Alphabet Hunt Coloring Pages.

To print the coloring page now just double click on the image above and select 'print' from your file menu . Or you can right click on the image and choose 'Save Picture As...' to tuck it away in your files for future use. (Don't choose "Print Picture..." from the right click menu unless you want a teeny-tiny version to print in the corner of your paper)

oodness gracious coloring pages by laina kay are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.;

on this day...

2010-12-19T07:21:00.001-05:00

Stopped for a treat while Christmas shopping with Cha-Cha. Wow, she was two. I remember that day like it was yesterday. Weird.

December 19, 2006

on this day...

2010-12-17T07:01:00.002-05:00

December 17, 2008

The Boy and I danced at my baby sister's wedding (note the belly - 7 months pregnant with Pinky!).

Happy Anniversary Brit and Ben! Two years!

a bit of coldplay for christmas...

2010-12-16T11:00:00.006-05:00

Pinky's dancing to this as I type. On the desk. In just her diaper and red patent-leather shoes. With my car keys. I gave up the fight. Too tired to fight. Lots to do today. I'm trying to conserve my energy. Enjoy! We are!

stovetop potpourri...

2010-12-13T10:46:00.000-05:00

I'm up to my eyeballs in holiday craftiness this year. So much so that I haven't even had a chance to take photos to share. Or to draw up our next Meredith coloring page and it's Monday, AGAIN. Forgive me. I'll be back soon with some holiday happiness and Meredith's letter 'J' page. For now I'm loving the idea of this stovetop potpourri. Isn't it festive? Holiday smells make me happy! I'm definitely going to put some of this together as soon as I can get to the grocery store. Here's to festive holiday prep!

on this day...

2010-12-13T08:46:00.019-05:00

We strung lights on our Christmas tree while Pinky basked in the glow. Such a sweet little elf.

December 13, 2009

'tis the season...

2010-12-06T10:18:00.000-05:00

Oi vay! Could this season be crazier? Sorry I missed a coloring page. The letter 'J' may have to wait until Christmas has passed. We'll see. Here are a few of my favorite Christmas songs to tide you over. A couple are missing since last year... like "I Heard the Bells" by the Carpenters and "I Saw Three Ships" by Sting... but there are still some good ones to turn up while you wrap presents and deck the halls! Enjoy...

on this day...

2010-12-05T08:59:00.003-05:00

Princess and Cha-cha attended an American Girl Christmas Tea at our favorite library.

December 5, 2009

i is for iron...

2010-11-22T02:54:00.000-05:00

Another Monday... another coloring page for you!

Meredith chose iron for the letter 'I' in her alphabet hunt. Her mother has been teaching her how to iron, so far she's only ironed little things like handkerchiefs and pillowcases. Today her mother ironed Meredith's favorite party dress and let her help.

Click here for more of Meredith's Alphabet Hunt Coloring Pages.

on this day...

2010-11-21T08:40:00.005-05:00

The Boy, our Lego maniac and Harry Potter afficionado, posed with Hagrid at the Lego Show. What a great show. So many amazing things. My favorite thing was the little Lego city with this colorful row of houses.

November 21, 2009

it's almost time...

2010-11-16T15:34:00.003-05:00

Can you believe it? Halfway through November already. (Are you sick of my constant amazement at the passage of time yet? I know I am. If it would start moving a bit slower I'd happily be un-amazed. Let's start a petition.)

It'll be time to pull out those advent calendars before you know it. (Yes, so you can start counting time with treats, there has to be some consolation for it's rapid disappearance, right?) And if you want to make a lovely new one, like this one from Purl Bee, you'd better get crackin'! Like, right now! Isn't it pretty? So cheerful and bright.

And if you're looking for more advent calendar loveliness feel free to peruse the advent calendar countdown that I posted a few years ago. There were quite a few fun crafty ones in the mix that you might still have time to make. Here's a list of the do-it-yourself ones and I've even checked out the old links for you. I'm nice like that sometimes. Enjoy...

a bright, felty coin garland countdown

the garland of boxes advent calendar

a crisp modern advent calendar (sadly the original link no longer works but you can read the directions here - be sure to scroll down)

a cookie sheet countdown (another funky old link but this one seems to work)

some darling stocking and mitten garland countdown ideas

a colorful tag calendar (here's an updated link to her inspiration complete with candy)

peppy little advent calendar pockets from Allsorts

a set of smart looking countdown boxes for your wall

P.S. I just had to include the image of materials needed for the Purl Bee calendar because... well, just look... so orderly and happy. I can always use a bit of orderly and happy, can't you?

h is for house...

2010-11-15T07:12:00.005-05:00

Monday, Monday... such a fun day or not. Well, either way we've got a new coloring page for you!

Meredith's Alphabet Hunt is going well. She's up to the letter H. It was a toss-up between hat and house. House seemed more interesting so "H is for House!" This is Meredith's house, isn't it lovely? I love the portico. Imagine that! *wink* Meredith's favorite spot is the window seat in the front room where she and her sister watch for her father to come home each evening. Happy coloring!

Click here for more of Meredith's Alphabet Hunt Coloring Pages.

yule yarn...

2010-11-11T15:35:00.001-05:00

An easy-peasy holiday craft, almost as simple as those delightful candle jars from the last post! Yarn ornaments. Simple styrofoam balls wrapped with nubby yarn in pretty colors. I did this once years ago to fill a decorative basket but never thought of them for ornaments. Don't you love that thick colorful yarn. Simple and kid-friendly, that's happy!

via Bloom

get your holiday craft on...

2010-11-10T07:21:00.001-05:00

I don't know about your house, but around here the holidays just aren't quite as festive without a bit of glitter and glue, pom-poms and paint, ribbon and ric-rac. We gotta craft! Right now we're gearing up and can't get enough of the online magazines filled with brilliant ideas, free printables and pretty pictures. So much inspiration... we're eating it up!

I've been perusing Amy's glossy new issue of Inspired Ideas. It's chock full of Christmas craftiness. The darling glittered village above is made with milk cartons and a bit of magic. You know you want to make tiny, sparkly houses. Don't you!? What could be happier? Except maybe a yarn ball wreath or yo-yo trees!

Then I came across Gifted Magazine the other day and immediately fell in love. Pretty galore. Creative tutorials, behind-the-scenes glimpses of artisans preparing their holiday wares and a fabulous gift guide. I'm in love with the achingly beautiful and simple vignette of jars filled with candles and "snow" below (pg 94). Go flip through, you'll find much to love, too.

I'm inspired, now I'm off to straighten my craft table so I can fill it with new bits of crafty goodness. What fills your house with holiday cheer? Are you craft-obsessed, too?

g is for garden gate...

2010-11-08T07:41:00.004-05:00

Phew... it's Monday again! Where did last week go? Hope you had a happy weekend. We had family in town for my nephew's baby blessing. So nice. Anyhoo, time for another coloring page!

Meredith is still happily alphabet hunting and chose the garden gate in her back yard for the letter 'G.' I think she should get extra points for alliteration, don't you?!

Click here for more of Meredith's Alphabet Hunt Coloring Pages.

To print the coloring page now just double click on the image above and select 'print' from your file menu . Or you can right click on the image and choose 'Save Picture As...' to tuck it away in your files for future use. (Don't choose "Print Picture..." from the right click menu unless you want a teeny-tiny version to print in the corner of your paper)

goodness gracious coloring pages by laina kay are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.;

on this day...

2010-11-08T07:13:00.005-05:00

The Boy and Pinky wandered the hallways together after church. So sweet.

November 8, 2009

f is for fish...

2010-11-01T07:16:00.012-04:00

It's Monday again. Oi. And it's the first day of November, that means Christmas will be here before we know it. Double oi! Anyhoo, Monday means a new coloring page! We're up to the letter F and "F is for Fish!"

Our friend Meredith chose Finn her pet goldfish for the letter F in her alphabet hunt. Her Uncle Ted gave him to her for her birthday last year. She keeps his bowl on a bookshelf in the living room along with a favorite shell from her collection. Meredith loves to feed Finn every morning before she leaves for school.

Click here for more of Meredith's Alphabet Hunt Coloring Pages.

To print the coloring page now just double click on the image above and select 'print' from your file menu . Or you can right click on the image and choose 'Save Picture As...' to tuck it away in your files for future use. (Don't choose "Print Picture..." from the right click menu unless you want a teeny-tiny version to print in the corner of your paper)

goodness gracious coloring pages by laina kay are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.;

ghosts in the yard...

2010-10-29T19:06:00.003-04:00

'Twas the eve of the eve of all Hallow's eve...

and all through the yard four creatures were stirring...

they flitted and floated in and out 'mongst the trees...

whisp'ring Happy Halloween to all...

and to all many treats!

portico in progress 2...

2010-10-29T11:31:00.005-04:00

The portico is all framed! Now the eaves just need to be built, roofing installed and then it will all be covered in white azek. That's all! That's all? Not sure if it's a lot to be done or not. We'll see...

Here's a shot of the partially finished walkway kissing the freshly finished stoop. Aren't they a lovely pair?

The husband and I nearly completed the walkway last Saturday with lots of help from the children. Really! They actually were a great help. The Boy transported stacks of brick from the driveway to where we were installing them and Cha-cha handed me bricks and ran for various items as needed. Princess babysat Pinky in the house which was a very difficult and crucial task as Pinky was unrelenting in her effort to escape. Ocasionally I did have to work with my 25-pound baby on my hip. Ah, the joys of motherhood! But with everyone's help we made great progress.

We worked late into the night, 12:30 to be exact. We only stopped when it began to rain and we realized that we were going to be short by 16 bricks. Argh! We used this tutorial from This Old House. It's a great one and worked smoothly once I convinced The Husband that yes, we did need to follow instructions of some sort. What is it with men and directions? So cliche! We wasted a nice chunk of the day trying to do things The Husband's I-don't-need-to-follow-no-stupid-directions way. That's okay it all worked out in the end... once I stomped my foot and took over. It's okay, too because in the end The Husband sheepishly grinned and told me I was right. Let's all remember that... I'm always right.☺

Pinky and I took all of the above photos yesterday morning in a balmy autumn breeze. I swept some more stone dust into the nooks and crannies. We'll have to do that repeatedly over the next couple weeks. Don't mind the ugly wood braces they'll come off in two weeks and be replaced by edging that will buried under the back-fill. And all the messy strings and piles of stone dust and various accoutrements will go away, too. It'll be all neat and pretty. Yes, it will.

This is a scan of my inspiration portico. It's from the August 2000 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. That's right 2000. I've been drooling over this page for ten years. Actually in August of 2000 we were still shopping for houses. We nearly bought some land and were going to build a sweet little cape like the one in the article. It didn't work out which is good because we would've outgrown that cape a long time ago. Darling, isn't it though?

For your viewing pleasure, a close-up of the inspiration portico detail. Hopefully mine will look like that except for the railings. We decided we didn't need them as our stoop is lower. Ah, now I've immortalized the photo by posting it to the internet. It's a good thing because I think The Husband and my Dad would probably like to torch the magazine, They seem to be pretty tired of me clutching it and pointing and saying things like "Is that trim going to be as wide as the trim in the picture?" and "Are you sure those columns are the same size as these ones?" I'm a bit of a control freak that way which is okay 'cause I am always right.☺

inspired ideas...

2010-10-28T11:55:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited! Amy over at inspire co. has published a new little e-magazine called Inspired Ideas. You should definitely check it out. I've always loved Amy's aesthetic... fresh and cheerful with a vintage vibe. Go get a little eye-candy today, it's healthier than the stuff the kids will be bringing home in a couple of days!

I'm especially enamored with the pom-pom sheep. Just precious. I'd like to make a bunch to use as baby-gift toppers. I'm sure Princess and Cha-cha would love to help me whip up a few one of these days!

blooms of wool...

2010-10-27T15:47:00.001-04:00

Oh. My. So pretty. Handmade wool felt jewelry.

via a room somewhere

manifesto...

2010-10-26T07:42:00.016-04:00

I've been seriously contemplating killing our t.v. lately. It would be so good. Really good. Can I give up "What Not To Wear" though? That is the question. Shallow or what?

How great is this aardvark manifesto? I'm thinking we should come up with one for our family. What would it say? Things like... eat more jello... siblings = friends... maintenance is key... ride your bike... march to your own drummer... choose healthy food... be nice to your mother. Good stuff like that. What would yours say?

manifesto via Aesthetic Outburst

e is for envelopes...

2010-10-25T07:53:00.019-04:00

The fifth free coloring page in our Alphabet Hunt series and still going strong! Can we make it to 'Z?' We think so! The girls and I have got a good list going and I'm enjoying drawing up the pages so far.

"E is for Envelopes," don'tcha know?! Meredith hunted around her house. It wasn't so easy to find something that started with the letter 'E' but then she found this colorful stack of envelopes on her father's desk.

What items start with an 'E' in your house? This was a tough one for us. The girls and I would love to hear what you come up with!

happy weekend...

2010-10-22T10:39:00.012-04:00

Some seasonal eye candy for you today.

I'm looking forward to a happy and productive weekend. We'll be working on our portico and laying the brick walkway. Wish us luck. Hopefully it'll be another spectacular autumn weekend. Autumn in New England = happiness. Perhaps we'll even get to enjoy a brisk picnic or a bit of leaf peeping after church on Sunday.

I'll be back on Monday with the Letter E coloring page. Have yourself a cheerful weekend wherever you are!

image via crooked tooth

portico in progress...

2010-10-22T08:13:00.096-04:00

Ten years. We bought our little yellow house ten years ago this month. Ever since that day I've been aching to add a portico. Well, we've finally gotten around to doing it. A bit of curb appeal to celebrate our tenth year in the house!

Here's a photo of the house taken this summer after we tore out some giant arborvitae bushes, and before we embarked on the portico project.

It's still a work in progress but some of the pretty part is done and I'm excited to share it with you. I won't bore you with photos of all the digging and concrete pouring but we expanded the concrete stoop by about a foot all the way around.

The mason finished installing brick and bluestone on the stoop yesterday morning. It was like Christmas, Pinky and I ran out and shot a couple of photos in the cold October drizzle.

We chose a tumbled brick for the sides and risers and thermal bluestone for the treads and landing. So much prettier than the crumbly painted concrete that was there before.

My father designed and is building the actual portico structure and has contracted and worked with us on everything so far. I know, how lucky are we?! The bases for the columns are in and the roof is started. It's exciting to see the beginnings of what it will be.

Here's a basic rendering that I made for my dad of what I want the house to look like when it's done. I'll have to scan my dad's finished blueprint for you one of these days. I love me a good blueprint. It's much more detailed, but this is the general idea.

We'll also be replacing the cracked asphalt walkway (ick, I hated that thing) with a tumbled brick walkway and finally working on the much neglected landscaping. I can't wait until it's all done, I've been dreaming about it for ten years. It'll be such a relief to check it all off the list of to-dos and a bit of pretty always makes me happy. I'll keep you posted on our progress...

like clockwork...

2010-10-21T09:15:00.002-04:00

I'm looking for a new alarm clock. The Husband is resigning the position. Do you think one of these vintage alarm clocks would do the job?

trifling with candy...

2010-10-21T09:10:00.000-04:00

Have you seen this irresistable trifle-esque candy display. So festive!

More Halloween delights where that came from right here.

take on me...

2010-10-20T10:30:00.003-04:00

Oh, A-ha... how I loved them. Didn't you? And the 'Take on Me' video *swoon.* Are you with me eighties-girls?

My brother sent me this article with the original version of my favoritest video ever and the above "literal" version. I laughed my way through the "literal" version and, I dunno, I think I kind of like the original version of the song (not the video - though those boys look pretty good in that, too). The released version was better but the original could've caught on. What do you think?

d is for ducks...

2010-10-18T08:02:00.005-04:00

Here's hoping your Monday is just ducky! Enjoy our "D is for Ducks" coloring page.

Meredith is still on her alphabet hunt and chose this sweet ducky toy for the letter "D." Her grandfather made it for her when she was a baby and now she shares it with her baby sister. For more of Meredith's coloring pages click here. Happy coloring!

To print the coloring page now just double click on the image above and select 'print' from your file menu . Or you can right click on the image and choose 'Save Picture As...' to tuck it away in your files for future use. (Don't choose "Print Picture..." from the right click menu unless you want a teeny-tiny version to print in the corner of your paper) I'm still new to posting documents on the blog so let me know how it works for you.

goodness gracious coloring pages by laina kay are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.;

c is for cupcakes...

2010-10-11T08:08:00.010-04:00

Something sweet for you on this fine Monday morning..."C is for Cupcakes!" The latest free coloring page.

Our friend, Meredith chose cupcakes from her baby sister's birthday for the letter "C" in her alphabet hunt. Cupcakes with sprinkles and gumdrops, yum. Her mother's apron, her sister's party balloons and now cupcakes from the party, too. Enjoy!

To print the coloring page now just double click on the image above and select 'print' from your file menu . Or you can right click on the image and choose 'Save Picture As...' to tuck it away in your files for future use. (Don't choose "Print Picture..." from the right click menu unless you want a teeny-tiny version to print in the corner of your paper) I'm still new to posting documents on the blog so let me know how it works for you.

goodness gracious coloring pages by laina kay are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.;

more kitchen pretty...

2010-10-08T08:29:00.001-04:00

Another lovely little nook found in my files of favorite photos. Sorry, once again, I neglected to note it's source. There are so many things to love in this kitchen corner... the plate rack, the cabinetry, the banquette. I'm taking notes for someday...

greetings in bunting...

2010-10-06T07:59:00.000-04:00

I never seem to tire of bunting though I've made plenty. I've sewn large bunting for parties in fabric, in paper, in plastic. I've incorporated tiny bunting in designs for cards, for flyers, for bulletin boards, you name it. But it's never occurred to me to make tiny bunting as the actual card.

I am so loving this clever idea from Cathe Holden that I think I may even whip one up today for my niece's birthday and then maybe one for my newest nephew. What a fun and festive way to use up lots of paper or fabric scraps.

it's still a small world...

2010-10-04T10:13:00.002-04:00

Pool print from here via How About Orange

Aren't those tiny umbrellas precious? I posted about tilt-shift photography a couple years ago but it still fascinates me.

Now there's even a tutorial for faking the tilt-shift technique with photoshop. Go ahead, miniaturize your own world. You know you want to!

Faux tilt-shift from here

b is for balloons...

2010-10-04T07:53:00.005-04:00

We've got just the thing to brighten a Monday morning... balloons! "B is for Balloons," the second Goodness Gracious alphabet coloring page

The girls and I are enjoying the process of picking and choosing just the right item for each letter of the alphabet. We've got a bit of make-believe inspiring our decisions. Our behind-the-scenes story is about a little girl named Meredith who's on an alphabet hunt. All the items are things she finds in and around her house. It's been fun seeing what she comes up with. The balloons she's holding today are from a birthday party for her baby sister. She chose her mother's apron last week. So far we've decided on everything up through "E." Who knew there were so few things around the house that start with the letter "E?" Ah, the challenge. You'll have to wait a couple weeks to see what we came up with!

To print the coloring page now just double click on the image above and select 'print' from your file menu . Or you can right click on the image and choose 'Save Picture As...' to tuck it away in your files for future use. (Don't choose "Print Picture..." from the right click menu unless you want a teeny-tiny version to print in the corner of your paper) I'm still new to posting documents on the blog so let me know how it works for you.

Two pages down and twenty-four to go! Happy coloring!

goodness gracious coloring pages by laina kay are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.;

a bit of kitchen pretty...

2010-10-02T10:37:00.000-04:00

I found this pretty photo in my files. I don't know where it's from anymore but it's got me daydreaming about a kitchen with a little baking nook. Mmm... that would be nice.

a is for apron...

2010-09-30T18:26:00.014-04:00

We love to color around here. A few good coloring pages with some crayons, markers or colored pencils and my girls are good to go for hours. Literally. Even Pinky gets in on the action. Really, who can resist a nice coloring page and some fresh sharp crayons?

A google search for "coloring pages" frequently yields new fodder for fun. Lately though it seems we've exhausted our options and the girls have been looking for something new. Mommy to the rescue. I've begun drawing an alphabet's worth of pages for my little ladies and thought you might enjoy a bit of coloring, too.

Introducing Goodness Gracious' very first coloring page, starting at the very beginning with "A is for Apron."

Just double click on the image above and select 'Print' from your file menu to print immediately. Or right click on the image and click 'Save Picture As....' to tuck it away in your files for future use. I'm new to posting documents on the blog so let me know how it works for you.

I'll post a new coloring page every Monday for hmm... the next 25 weeks if all goes well. Happy Coloring!

goodness gracious coloring pages by laina kay are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.;

a little shopping...

2010-09-29T18:15:00.004-04:00

Pinky and I had a bit of time to spare after book club the other day. On our way home we took a scenic detour so that we could wave at the baby cows along the way. It wasn't quite naptime yet so we decided to stop in at a darling little toy store that was on our path home.

We'd never been in before and oh, what a treat. We explored every nook and cranny, oohing and ahhing all the way. Pinky was beside herself with excitement running from one pretty thing to the next. We spent lots of time ogling a giant display of Calico Critters all decked out for Halloween. Too cute! Then we found our favorite thing... a Melissa and Doug grocery cart. She squealed happily when she saw it and immediately took it for a stroll. I was impressed with how sturdy it is and adorable, too! I think this may be on Miss Pinky's Christmas list this year. (I just love when they're little enough that I get to tell Santa what they want) And Pinky and I have a new favorite place to visit along our scenic detour.

bathing beauties...

2010-09-24T07:54:00.016-04:00

Summer Memory - August 2010

Visiting Shaka and family. A hot summer day. A dip in a pool. My girls and Thing 3 pose in their pretty pink suits.

stainless style...

2010-09-24T07:42:00.003-04:00

Love this stainless steel pitcher. Pretty and practical.

shh...

2010-09-23T14:57:00.000-04:00

Don't tell anyone, because I want it for myself, but Twig and Thistle is giving away a Silhouette Digital Cutting System.

I have dreamt about owning one of these every day since I first heard of them three years ago. Truly, I have. I've researched it and it's the one for me. Being able to digitally cut out any font I desire... having a machine cut whatever my little head dreams up and designs... oh the joy! No cartridges! The alphabet project I posted about the other day would be a breeze with this little machine!

The things I could make! I think everything in my house would probably end up monogrammed. The details I could add to cards without fretting over handcutting would be divine. There would be personalized gifts for everyone I know. Oh, and the church bulletin boards I could embellish. See, others would benefit from my good fortune if I had one. I should have one, right?!

lunchtime love...

2010-09-23T01:56:00.002-04:00

A bit of spork goodness. These are the ultimate. Actually my kids call them 'spifes' for the bonus knife on the side. So colorful and sturdy! They're handy in the kids' lunchboxes but I bought them for the simple reason that I love the way they look. Turns out that bright unusual look also ensures that they return home each day. We still have all of ours after two years of lunchtime love. Bonus!

fair fun...

2010-09-22T20:31:00.004-04:00

Summer Memory - August 2010

A visit with Shaka's family. Carload night at the country fair. Unlimited-ride wristbands. Tons of cousin fun!

Pinky's first carnival ride. Hmm... I think she liked it.

Lots of naughty fair food, of course.

The big girls tried the slide.

Shaka and Thing 4 tried it, too.

Ooh, firetrucks with shiny bells.

And a cute firefighter, too!

A caramel apple coated with coconut for Cha-Cha. Yum!

Pinky's first corndog. I think she liked that, too.

Not too many shots of the big boys as they went to ride on the wilder side with Shaka's husband.

The Orange Whip. A favorite for all, even the big boys. I think the kids each rode it three or four times.

Around and around and around again. I'm dizzy just remembering. And I was only watching!

Phew! We were all beat by the end of the night! I think we had our fair fun for the year!

toys to treasure...

2010-09-22T16:15:00.002-04:00

Beautiful things over at imagine childhood. Those plush geese are so charming that they may even be the exception to my no-more-stuffed-animals-in-this-house rule.

wooden handled glass magnifier • mother goose plush • wooden canoe

♥ felt...

2010-09-18T07:58:00.014-04:00

Alicia's done it again. Felt ornaments so delightful it makes me want to cry. Look at that red coat. The red gingham... the tiny stitching. Could it be more darling?

The last three years she's designed these felt ornament kits and each year I drool and then hem and haw over them until they are gone. I have no embroidery skills. Would I massacre their heirloom-worthy loveliness? Would this fear cause me to leave the kits in their bags indefinitely? How sad would that be?

I was actually slightly relieved when I saw the new kit. I can't possibly buy it since I never actually bought the previous kits. Right? Can't not have a complete set. Then I scroll down. Oh... oh! It's the cottage with the sweet beaded lights from last year, the tree with the perfectly placed sequins, the charming pink cocoa cup and... *sigh* the beloved, much-remembered ice skate. She's re-released the last two year's sets. My heart beats faster. Now a new reason to hem and haw... should I spend $75. on ornament kits that may suffer the horrible fates listed above?

Oh, but look at that ice skate. Can I resist?

easy as a-b-c...

2010-09-17T07:41:00.003-04:00

Check out this great playroom. So cheerful and crisp. Do you think it's always that neat? Wish mine was!

And those alphabet canvases... simple but eyecatching. Perfect for a kid's bedroom, too. Wouldn't these be great in a bedroom shared by a sister and brother? Girly fabrics and boyish fabrics all working together to make the alphabet. Fun!

via ohdeedoh

life=risk

2010-09-17T05:54:00.000-04:00

This video is getting me going today...

via The Lettered Cottage

caravan...

2010-09-16T05:38:00.025-04:00

I am still so enamored with this sweet bunny lamp. It would be so perfect in Princess and Cha-Cha's bedroom. My heart beats a bit faster each time I come across it, hoping that this time it will be within my grasp. Alas, once again it is out of reach. This time I came across it in kind of an odd photo. But it led me to Caravan, a quirky shop with a very clever website.

Where I even get to see it all lit up.

And I can check out other interesting items, like these bug magnets. So not me but I am strangely drawn to them. Aren't they lovely?

I really want one of these birds. I don't know why, I just do.

The Caravan shop looks like a place I'd love to peruse... you know, on my next trip to London. And while I'm there I'll finally pick up my rabbit lamp. Wouldn't that be nice?

cabinet craving...

2010-09-15T07:12:00.004-04:00

I think a sunny yellow kitchen like this would make me cheerful every day. (Do you think The Husband can be convinced?)

And these bathroom cabinets. Yes, please...

oh deer...

2010-09-14T13:06:00.000-04:00

This set of fabric decals is making me smile today. Isn't it sweet? Removeable and repositionable, too. The chubby pink bird is my favorite.

back to school?

2010-09-09T10:22:00.002-04:00

The children returned to school last week.

Can that be right? I still haven't posted the summer. Glorious summer. Where did it go? Every year it slips away faster. It's frightening. Seriously, I'm scared. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Time is not my friend...

The Boy started middle school last Tuesday. Middle school.

Sixth grade. Wasn't he just in kindergarten?

Yes. Yes, he was. Look, here's proof. This photo is still on my hard drive. I believe this was taken yesterday.

Same tree... same boy? Right?

Throwing this one in for good measure. Can you stand the cuteness? Look at those cheeks!

Ahh... memory lane. Look how little Cha-cha is. Do you see this Laurel? Does this configuration look familiar? Kindergarten today... middle school tomorrow. It will happen to you, too!

Anyhoo *sniffle* middle school. The Boy's going to a science and technology magnet school. Experiments, robots, legos even! So far he loves it. Uniforms. I love it. He's always been a polo and khakis kind of boy anyway. Now it's just like garanimals. Four shirt colors, three pant colors... mix and match... easy peasy.

Princess and Cha-Cha had a one day reprieve. Their school didn't start until Wednesday. They slept late while the Boy waited for his bus. No bus photos for the Boy. I don't think that's allowed in middle school. No waving either.

The girls enjoyed their extra day of summer and then they were good and ready for their first day. I wasn't, but they were. Fourth grade for Princess and first grade for Cha-Cha. Wow.

They're growing up too fast, too.

Look how tall Princess is getting.

A pretty, smart 9-year old girl. The chubby baby cheeks are gone. Only two more years in elementary school. Let's not talk about it.

Cha-Cha gets to go to school all day now. She's thrilled. No more half-days with Mom racing home to catch the kindergarten bus. That part is nice but I miss her happy chatter in the afternoon.

Her only complaint is that "they still treat us like babies, Mom." Can't blame them, she was just a baby yesterday...

Look at those sweet sisters. Big girls. And of course, their must-have new shoes for the new school year.

There's Pinky. At least she's not going to school yet. She really is still a baby! A baby who plays in the dirt while she waits to wave goodbye to her sisters. She loves dirt. Perhaps I need to get her a sandbox before she heads off to middle school.

See she's still a baby. Rolie polie wrists, smooshy cheeks, nibble-able toes. A baby. No school for her. See the chubby baby feet in her big sister's flip flops? No baby feet in flip flops allowed at school. I think that's a rule.

Note the averted eyes. She's tired of me taking pictures of her. I'm sorry baby, I can't help it. You've got a lot of photo ops ahead of you... just look at all the pictures your siblings endure. Buck up baby.

Uh-oh. There's the bus. Taking the last moments of summer with it. Whisking my big girls off to another school year. A school year that will likely pass too quickly. Anyone know how to freeze time? Just for a little while...

cake on the brain...

2010-08-16T14:52:00.002-04:00

This Petite Cupcake Kit from Meri Meri is darling. The packaging is precious and I love that these sweet little papers are for mini cupcakes. It's not always easy to find cute wrappers to fit the teensy cupcakes.

If you don't know Meri Meri you should take a peek. Their cupcake kits are so clever. You could plan a whole party around them! And their children's boxed valentines... oh my! I'll have to remember to show them to you when I see them next year. They go fast!

A few of my favorite cupcake kits.

birthday goodness...

2010-08-13T04:39:00.004-04:00

Count those Good n Plenty's and you'll know how old I turned on Sunday. Yikes! Let's just say it's my last year as a 30-something. Really?

It was a happy day anyway. The Husband brought me breakfast in bed, his famous cheesy eggs and a tall glass of orange juice. Pinky and I shared them while she chirped away happily and then toddled off to see what her siblings were up to. I lingered in bed and read. Princess and Cha-cha brought me beautifully hand-drawn cards accompanied by lots of hugs and kisses. The Boy designed me a clever Lego cake on the computer. Pinky and I snuggled together for an afternoon nap.

I woke to the smell of something vanilla-y baking. Yum. The Boy casually came upstairs and asked me how to make "cream." I told him you had to buy cream and that we didn't have any. He was crestfallen. I wheedled. He admitted he was making a cake and wanted cream for the top. I told him frosting would be good, too. He left the room and returned with a printout of a frosting recipe with odd amounts and measurements but amazingly accurate ingredients. I asked him where he got it. He told me he'd made it up. I suggested looking in one of my cook books or online for a recipe . He came back with a printed recipe that he'd googled. We agreed it looked good and he left to complete his masterpiece.

Didn't it turn out great!? It was delicious and he was so proud. I was proud. My sweet 11-year old boy. So thoughtful. We gobbled it up with cherry-vanilla icecream before the Husband made us dinner. Lasagna, salad and rolls followed by a family wii tournament. Not a bad way to celebrate the day, wouldn't you say?

Mom I love you
You make me happy
even when I'm cranky

blueberry baked goodness...

2010-08-06T14:14:00.001-04:00

Cha-cha's "smooshy blueberries" of the last post made lovely blueberry baked goods.

First came the blueberry muffins, using this recipe. And yes, they were "to die for." A perfect muffin. Moist, not too sweet, high rounded tops, coated with crunchy, sugary goodness. Yum. I froze a cup of blueberries and saved the extra streusel topping (there was lots) so that I can make another batch in a jiffy. Mmmm... maybe tomorrow morning.

Next came the blueberry crisp using this recipe. It was good. Can blueberry crisp be bad? Not great, but I didn't include the pecans, perhaps that was a mistake since it appears to be a major ingredient. A generous scoop of vanilla bean icecream made it great. Next time I'll try it with pecans or perhaps you have a great crisp recipe to share?

blueberry bliss...

2010-08-03T09:38:00.003-04:00

So lucky. There is a pick-your-own blueberry farm right down the street from us. A charming old farmhouse flanked by rows and rows of blueberry bushes shrouded in netting. It's open until 7:30 in the evening. What's happier than harvesting blueberry goodness in the soft, cool air of a summer evening?

It was Pinky's first time. She didn't quite believe that those little blue treats grew on the bushes. She repeatedly sat down in the grass and attempted to eat the fallen fruit. Placing a tray on the ground and stocking it with her very own blueberry goodness solved that. Happy toddler.

Princess was a productive picker. Me... not so much, as I entertained Pinky and chased Cha-Cha, the explorer of blueberry rows near and far. We went with friends and upon arriving instead of being directed to a particular row to pick, we were given the option to pick wherever we wanted. Thinking that the children would stay within a row or two of the adults we gave them free reign. We thought wrong. Cha-cha and her friend soon were across the farm on their hunt for the biggest, juiciest blueberries.

The adventurers were eventually captured and we continued our picking together in the row that they proclaimed had the best berries. They were right, there were lots of fat juicy blueberries in that row. That's why I was surprised when we arrived at home with so many soft berries in our tray. When I asked the girls what happened Cha-cha enthusiastically exclaimed "the smooshy ones are the best" and unapologetically admitted that she had picked as many as she could! Mmmm... smooshy blueberries, delicious on day one. Day two... hmmm... I see lots of blueberry baked goods in our future...

I think we're all okay with that!

rootbeer cupcakes...

2010-08-02T16:14:00.002-04:00

I love me some rootbeer. Don't these cupcakes look fun? I wonder if they taste as good as they look...

via twigandthistle

frilly fence...

2010-07-30T07:14:00.003-04:00

Chain link fence gone fancy. Not quite right for my yard, but it sure is fun to look at.

indoors or out

unseasonably sweet...

2010-07-29T07:44:00.004-04:00

The latest mini Boden catalog arrived in the mailbox last week and although the temperature outside is hovering around 90°, this perky green coat with it's pink polka-dotted lining lingers in my mind. Sweet.

the lower lights...

2010-07-29T01:22:00.000-04:00

This looks good... music the children can agree on for the ride to church on Sunday?!

The Lower Lights // A Hymn Revival from The Lower Lights on Vimeo.

bauble babble...

2010-07-27T07:48:00.007-04:00

The smooth, colorful stones in these necklaces from Tweak are calling my name. And their happy prices are cajoling my wallet.

mini rockstar

duet and quintet

sharp sheets?...

2010-07-27T06:14:00.007-04:00

Thinking about new bedding for the Boy's room. These sheets caught my eye. Don't they look sharp, in a circle-y sort of way?

pretty in pink 2009...

2010-07-23T07:12:00.150-04:00

Pinky (7 weeks) looking quite apropos in this photo taken of her in her pink abode in April 2009. I promised photos of her nursery long ago and had actually snapped a few one morning. Well, I never quite finished and therefore never posted them before my little blogging hiatus. They're still incomplete --as are some of the projects in the room-- but here they are. I figured you wouldn't mind since you've agreed to take a few trips down memory lane with me. And since you're so nice, perhaps I'll get around to taking more photos and actually posting them in the near future...

Here's big sister, Cha-cha in her pajamas that morning, playing with puzzles on Pinky's rug. The rug is so cushy and soft, and the room is so sunny and pink that I often find the girls playing on the floor in there. That rug was a happy surprise found during an impromptu stop at one of those odd lot stores. Such a lucky find! It was the first thing I bought specifically for Pinky's nursery and was the inspiration for the pink and taupe color scheme in the room.

This is Pinky's wee reading spot. The tiny rocker was one I'd found at a tag sale and painted pink for the older girls' bedroom. They'd since outgrown it and happily passed it on to their baby sister. The bookshelf was made by my father based on one I fell in love with in an old issue of MS Living (The Boy has a huge one in his bedroom, too). I know, lucky! I envisioned Pinky sitting in this cozy corner flipping through her sweet collection of hand-me-down board books and she does exactly that (I didn't know it would make my heart go pitter-patter the way it does though).

I made this butterfly mobile that hangs over the crib after ogling this one at Pottery Barn Kids. I designed a much smaller version because the room is rather tiny with low ceilings and I wanted the mobile to hang directly over the crib. I'm so glad I did because Pinky loved to watch it flutter when she was tiny. Apparently she still does because just the other morning I peeked into her room, when she didn't wake me at the usual time, and there she was contentedly lolling around and pointing at the butterflies blowing in the breeze from her fan. So sweet. Oh, and you can see a little snippet of the drapes that my mother and I sewed for the room in this photo, too.

Here's another corner of her room. A little pink letter "A" that I decoupaged for Pinky, whose real name obviously isn't Pinky! The Husband bought me that rocker when The Boy was born and I've rocked all my babies in it. I plan to rock my grandbabies in it someday, too. The darling shoes were also a gift when The Boy was a baby, handstitched by an old friend. All four babies wore them.

That pretty fabric on the back of the rocking chair is actually a dresser scarf that belonged to my grandmother. (I wonder if she embroidered it, I'll have to ask my mother.) It was in my bedroom growing up and I love it. The little curio was a roadside find, the lattice caught my eye and I snatched it up! It sat in the garage for several years until this perfect spot came along. A little white paint and voila, it's one of my favorite things in the room.

A close-up shot of the curio...prime perch for various baby tchotchkes. The little tea set is from Ikea. Princess and Cha-cha each have their own tiny tea set. Pinky had to have one, too and I loved the candy colors. The blocks were leftovers from a wreath I made announcing The Boy's birth eleven years ago (I wonder if I have photos of that somewhere). The blocks have since been played with, and I've used some for other crafts here and there, but we managed to form a sentiment fitting for Pinky with the letters that remain!

So, that's it for now. A sweet sentimental nursery. The room hasn't changed much in the past year but I missed photographing a couple of corners, and there really is a crib in there that Pinky occasionally slumbers in, so I'll be back with more one of these days. If we're lucky I might even get a few current shots of Pinky in the room that inspired her blog pseudonym, possibly even wearing a bit of pink? Oi...

the perfect party...

2010-07-21T08:00:00.002-04:00

The Husband's annual company picnic is one of the highlights of the year for our little family. The kids ask about it all year - kind of like Christmas or their birthdays.

It's no wonder, it's a child's dream come true--complete with pink balloons to clutch...

rock walls to climb...

contraptions to bounce you into the treetops...

tattoos to decorate every appendage...

mini golf to play...

pretty pictures to be painted... on your face...

"pies" of whipped cream to be eaten... messily...

ponies to perch upon...

more time to climb...

play areas to explore...

ice cream and cotton candy to devour...

amazing balloon creations to love or battle with...

and more rock walls to climb!

Not to mention egg tosses and water balloon fights to join, pools to swim in, magicians to watch, d.j.'s and bands to dance to, and tables of favorite foods to eat... to your heart's content!

It's enough to make any kid silly with glee! Makes Mom & Dad pretty happy, too...

pencil and paper...

2010-07-20T08:10:00.011-04:00

Pinky adores writing utensils. Whenever she can get her hands on a pencil, a pen, a marker, a crayon.-- which is far too often in a house full of older siblings -- she makes her mark! On the walls, the floor, or on herself. Yikes!

She can frequently be found wandering the house intently scribbling into whatever little notepad she finds lying around. We joke that she's keeping tabs on everyone.

One of our favorite Pinky stories involves a quick jaunt to a local five-and-dime shop. You know the type, with various sundries displayed haphazardly throughout the store. We let Pinky toddle along down the aisles with us, contentedly perusing the wares. The next thing we knew she was happily jotting away with a pen and notepad, found completely on her own! What were the chances that she'd find those items within her reach, that quickly, amongst the miscellany?! Much giggling ensued. Our little reporter!

luggage love...

2010-07-19T08:15:00.004-04:00

Ogling these fun retro suitcases. I'm thinking I might need to get one of these for Cha-Cha since she's getting a bit too old to share Princess' now. Though then I might just need to replace Princess' too because this one is so much cuter. Gotta be fair with the cuteness. Uh-oh.

via ohdeeedoh

handmade hangers...

2010-07-19T07:42:00.006-04:00

I think I've got a crush on this clever custom hanger...

pretty maids all in a row...

2010-07-17T10:21:00.001-04:00

Loving this sweet vignette that Princess & Cha-Cha set up on their dresser.

borrowed bounty...

2010-07-16T13:39:00.011-04:00

Grandma and Grandpa are away for a couple days so we've been selected to reap some of the rewards of their gardening prowess!

Last night, in the cool, dusky light of past-bedtime, Princess, Cha-Cha and I wandered the garden hunting and choosing. We took turns on the wooden swing in the old apple tree until the mosquitoes found us. Then, for good measure, we borrowed a few of the burgeoning buds from the front yard to brighten our kitchen table. A perfect summer evening.

Mmmm...zucchini bread and buttery sauteed squash...

remember me?...

2010-07-12T17:02:00.011-04:00

Hey there... if anyone's still there!? I'm still around, just crazy busy. I've finally joined facebook after much reluctance. I guess it's a good way to keep up with lots of people quickly. Well, I figure that if I can post there on occasion, I can stop here and update the blog too (which I actually prefer).

Anyhoo, I'd really like to catch up with photos and such from the past year that I've missed blogging. Perhaps you'll indulge me and let me go back in time for a while. Warning there will be lots of baby, baby photos of my now 16-month old (when did that happen?).

For now though, here are some semi-recent photos. Shots from Memorial Day 2010. I thought it was apropos since I seem to recall falling out of step with the blog after my Memorial Day 2009 post.

Yessir... that's my baby. Pinky at 14-months, getting ready to watch the parade while noshing on a donut and attempting a wink.

Princess played soccer for the first time this spring and was thrilled to march in the town Memorial Day Parade with the soccer club.

Cha-Cha was an enthusiastic Daisy Scout this year and loved marching with her troop in the Parade.

The Boy adores vintage vehicles and posed for a shot with this beauty.

The blanket was quiet with just Pinky and the Boy to watch the parade with us. We missed the big girls but it was fun to watch them march.

Another shot of Pinky. Sorry (not really). Can't resist those delicious cheeks. She's mine, all mine...

oh blog, how i've missed you...

2009-11-16T09:31:00.006-05:00

I miss my happy little blog and it's happy friends, who I'm sure have long since moved to greener pastures or blogs that actually post. Alas, time is not my friend these days. In fact we're not even on speaking terms. No time in the schedule....

Checked my endless email today and saw that I received a lovely email from Coldplay, such nice boys. Anyhoo I dallied a bit at their website (while Pinky tore apart my pile of papers to be filed -- I pay for all dalliances from her specific care) and came across this lovely video. I'm quite sure it's been around for a very long time and I just missed it but it made me happy this er... lovely Monday morning. Thought I'd share some of the happiness with anyone who's still stopping by.

P.S. I think of you often. I see things all day every day and think... the blog would love that. Just. can't. find. time. to. post. anything. Maybe someday?...

ooh, ooh, ooh...

2009-08-18T20:10:00.002-04:00

Look at these pretty punches I just saw in my email today!

modern myrtle...

2009-07-10T13:05:00.010-04:00

In our family it's a tradition to give each child their very own set of scriptures when they are baptized. A scripture tote or case goes along nicely. So when Princess was baptized last week I was looking for something cute and fun for her. I did a bit of googling and came across the sweet little tote pictured above.

It's from a site called Modern Myrtle and they make very cute stuff! Right up Princess' alley. It's totally customizable and the array of fabrics to choose from is mouthwatering! I'm just glad I let Princess have her pick... she's a bit more decisive than I. If it were up to me I'd still be waffling on a combination.

She chose these two fabrics on the left. Both designs are Heather Bailey(see her in my blog sidebar,too), a favorite of fabric designer of mine! Princess has such great taste! Lovely choice, now we just can't wait for the finished product to arrive! I'll let you know how it turns out!

2009-07-10T12:38:00.003-04:00

I just deleted four nice comments. Hi Laurel, hi Alissa, hi Kim. Thanks for saying hello. I must be dim because I seem unable to delete a spammy comment without losing the good ones and blogger allows no recourse. One false move and finito, sayonara, au revoir...

my little pinky...

2009-07-08T16:30:00.004-04:00

isn't so little anymore!

Pinky had her 4 month pediatrician appointment yesterday and weighed in at almost 17 pounds! Oi! Her siblings didn't hit this mark until they were at least 9 months old. Seriously, I checked! I had begun to think I was just getting old when I struggled to tote her around in her carseat. Methinks it's a combination of old mama and big baby!

tile flashback...

2009-07-08T13:29:00.007-04:00

Loving the look of this tile. But now that I think of it, isn't this the same tile from the 70's that we loathed in orange? Ah, powder blue... much nicer.

superhero...

2009-07-08T13:10:00.009-04:00

Picked up this book for our favorite little Superhero. I happened to read about it in a magazine this weekend. Seemed like a perfect book for Spencer.

It's a story written and illustrated by Daxton Wilde, a little boy who had cancer. From what I understand a portion of the proceeds go to the Daxton Wilde Foundation which works with hospitals and doctors’ offices to identify and help children with cancer and their families by providing assistance to ease the financial burdens associated with treating cancer. Sounds good to me.

holiday weekend...

2009-07-08T12:52:00.006-04:00

Thank you for all your nice comments on the last post. We got to play with Spencer this weekend! His blood counts were too low to start his second round of chemo on Thursday so he got to spend the holiday weekend at Grandma & Grandpa's with lots of cousins and family. He was in good spirits and it was fun to see him enjoying the normalcy, or rather the insanity, that is a weekend of 16 children playing together!

Not only did we celebrate our nation's independence with fireworks and picnics but we also enjoyed the baptisms of Princess and Spencer's older brother and also the church blessing of our little Pinky. A really special weekend!

Hope you had a happy fourth!

memorial day...

2009-06-23T15:29:00.008-04:00

Some photos from a glorious Memorial Day weekend. The weather was spectacular, we spent the whole weekend frolicking with cousins and friends. We attended the local parade with my sister and sister-in-law and the fourteen children we have combined! All the children are around the same ages, spanning from my Pinky at 3-months old to my brother's oldest daughter at 11-years old.

It truly is a joy to have so many cousins nearby. Between The Husband's family and mine, our children have 25 cousins and only 6 that we don't get to see regularly (and miss dearly). So many people to love and be loved by, such a blessing.

Anyway, it was a lovely weekend. Everyone left on Monday evening to return to their regularly scheduled lives. Fast forward to four days later, Friday. My brother's youngest son, Spencer, a happy busy 2-year old went to the pediatrician for his regular checkup where they found a lump in his abdomen. He was immediately sent for an ultrasound and two grapefruit sized tumors were found in his tiny body. Long story short, he was admitted to the nearest children's hospital that night and has been there basically ever since. So far the diagnosis is Stage-4 Clear Cell Sarcoma. It's fairly rare as only about 20 new cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S. Spencer's treatment has had to be rather aggressive as it appears to have metastasized to his skull.

I'm still reeling from the realization of how quickly the world can be turned upside down. One weekend this sweet little toddler is wandering around exploring the world and roughhousing with his siblings and cousins and such a short time later he's living in a hospital room being poked, prodded and enduring the ugliness that is cancer and chemotherapy. It's very scary.

I've been away from the blog all this time as I've hesitated to tell you this story that isn't really mine. But at the same time I've been conflicted about coming here to write about trivial whatnot's while my brother and his wife endure this extreme hardship. The difficulties they've encountered in just these few weeks are things I've never imagined. They are an inspiration to me as they struggle through this trial with humbling faith.

Anyway, I'm here now because life does go on. As I speak, my children are happily playing with my brother's other five children. And as I renew my resolve to spend quality time with my family I realize I would still like to document the fun times here. I also recognize that acknowledging and appreciating some of the pretty incidentals in life isn't a bad thing. I am thankful to have the luxury of sitting here with my peacefully slumbering baby on my lap, writing about the good and the bad.

Thanks for being there and for listening and if you would send a few prayers Spencer's way...

felt alphabet...

2009-06-05T08:21:00.001-04:00

This felt alphabet is just yummy. Don't you agree?

via famille summerbelle

prints for preschoolers...

2009-06-04T08:39:00.001-04:00

How charming is this Alphabet 'Where's M?' Print? Check out Famille Summerbelle's other Learn for Fun Prints, too.

If you purchase all three 'Learn for Fun' prints you get a discounted price AND free shipping. How nice is that?

lapin lamp...

2009-06-03T08:16:00.000-04:00

Remember this sweet rabbit lamp I was ogling a couple years ago? Well it appears to finally be available a little closer to home! More accessible geographically... now for the price...

via papier mache

fit to be tied...

2009-06-02T10:27:00.006-04:00

How spiffy are these personalized neckties for Father's Day? I don't know if I'll have time to whip one of these up this year though.

Do you have any great Father's Day gift ideas?