I added one more little item to Brittany's room today. I decided to make her lamp a daisy lampshade. I got the shade at the thrift store for $2 and three stems of small daisies from the dollar store. This is a great time of year to look for the colorful silk flowers, they are a lot easier to find in the Spring. I just pulled them all off and hot glued them all over the lampshade.

Here it is in the roomIt also makes a great hat!

Geisha, A Life

As I have mentioned I have been in a bit of a book slump. When this happens, I have found it helps to switch genres. So I went back to my old favourite, autobiographies. I was wandering the stacks at the library and found this one. I thought it was really interesting. I read Memoirs of a Geisha which after reading this one I realize really was fiction. This woman was hailed as the best geisha of her generation but eventually left it after finding it too demanding and confining. I learned there is a misconception of what exactly a geisha does. As she puts they were selling art, not bodies. Customers come to be entertained by dance, music, excellent food and conversation. She does make it clear that romantic entanglements did sometimes occur. The sort of "entertaining" portrayed in Memoirs of a Geisha occurred in another area completely and while those women were similarly trained they also underwent a ritual which consisted of her being ceremoniously "deflowered" after a customer had paid for the privilege. This has led to some of the confusion as to what it means to be a geisha. I found it fascinating to learn the rigorous training she went through to become a very famous dancer and the top geisha for many years. I would reccomend this one, especially it you want something really different.

A Fun Week-Sunday Update

We started this week off with a fun bang. The kids were out of school for a teacher prep day so we took advantage of the chance to go up to the Children's Treehouse Museum in Ogden. Monday is a discounted day. I think it cost us $14 for all of us to go from 10-noon. Which about the right amount of time for me anyway. I love this museum, there is a fun one at the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake but it is a lot more expensive and always packed.

They have a big fire engine, always a big hit.

Brittany has loved to plant this flower garden since she was about Josh's age.

Matthew loves to play scientist.

And what two year old boy wouldn't love a bunch of train tables?

It was also the fourth grade program at school this week. Can't tell you how happy I was when they sang "Utah, it's the best State!" It's sure good to be back home! Brittany did a great job and sang at top volume with full enthusiasm the entire time.

New this week is the discovery of marble games. I found bags of marbles at the dollar store complete with instructions for games and "shooters". Brittany and Matthew have been squeezing in games all day, even before church.

Hope you had a good week too!

The Kids Rooms

This week I have been working on getting the kids rooms together.

Here is Brittany's before. She had a cute quilt, but it was getting a bit ratty.

I found her a new quilt and made new curtains. You can't really see how cute they are, the sun was really quite bright coming in today.

I am so much happier now that I have some pictures hung on the walls!

The lucky girl is now the proud owner of some of my favorite blog friends' work Miss Vanessa's and Miss Emily's. I am thinking that when we move her to the basement I will get this room and then I can enjoy them too. I wanted the frames to be a soft sort of whitewashed pink. It took me more coats than I can count to get them right.

Matthew is in the bonus room for now, that means he doesn't have a closet so he shares with Josh. It would never work with girls but isn't too bad with boys. This was his before.

His comfortor was really old too and I wanted more color in here. He has a terrible desire to tape his wonderful artwork to walls so I am hoping that board will work for him instead.

He wanted these posters from the book fair so badly. They are really bright and colorful so I decided if I framed them they would be okay. He loves them.

It is really hard to photograph a room. I am starting to feel the urge for a better camera too. That feel so disloyal though, I have loved my old one and it has served me so well. Anyway, we are getting there. Now if we can just get the blinds ordered!

I love you Mr. Rocky Mountain Power Guy!

I just had to say thank you to whomever it was that had to go out tonight and fix the circuit breaker that was "locked open at the substation" causing us to be without power right at bedtime. Nothing with make clear to you that your children are from the modern age faster than having this happen. No nightlights, sleepmachines or music players. It was not pretty. And we had no idea where the flashlights were. So after everyone piled in Brittany's bed to play with her book light and make monster eating lizards with their hands while Dad went out foraging for flashlights the blessed moment came when it all came back. Thank you power guy, I really didn't know how I was going to get them to sleep. Not to mention how happy I am to have my computer back to blog on, my dishwasher humming in the background with Hubby watching television. I love the modern age!

Inside the Pantry

I hope you aren't getting tired of seeing spots around the house, that is what I have going right now so that is what you get! Today I am showing you my favorite shelf of my pantry. I haven't had a real pantry in a long time so just its existence is exciting for me. Every now and then I happen across a good idea, this is one I think.

I bought rubbermaid containers for things we eat a lot of like pretzels and goldfish crackers. We eat a lot of cracker in this house! Then I found the cutest tins at the thrift store. After a thorough cleaning my Ritz, saltines and graham crackers are much cuter!

This is my favorite tin I found. I put all the Little Debbie snacks that are in there for after school snacks. I love my new system, I don't have to look at as many boxes. Plus I can pretend I don't really buy the Little Debbie snacks! Now I just need to find some more tins!

What is your favorite organizing tip, I need all the help I can get!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday. I just had to post a little post in her honor. This sort of seems like an odd choice of pictures but it captures my childhood perfectly. It is Mom and me at an Easter egg dying party my mom had when we were kids. My mom made my childhood magical. It was full of fun, make-believe, love and discipline. Perfection. See the apron my mom is wearing? She still has it and I hope she never gets rid of it, it means childhood to me and reminds me of yummy chocolate chip cookies and Sunday dinners. Most of the crazy/fun stuff I do with my kids comes from my desire to be just like my mom and give them a magical childhood too. Happy Birthday Mom! We are so glad you are ours!

Working on the Family Room

My mom has been over yesterday and today helping me work on the family room.

Here is before. See that ledge up there? That is one of the few features of this house I didn't like.

But after my mom helped me, now I like it a lot more! I found the bird houses half off at Hobby Lobby. I rescued the copper pot and suitcase from my grandparents house years ago and the architectural details as my mom called them on the ends came off of my in-laws old house. I made the quilt two houses ago. I think it is safe to say no one else in the neighborhood has a ledge like mine!
This was the after. Until Hubby came home and told me he didn't like the black table under the window.

For some reason he thinks the kids might wipe it out. I did finish the other pillow there on the sofa.

We are getting there, now if we could just get the entertainment center fixed and in its permanent home!

A Lovebox Giveaway!

My friend Tiffany is having a giveaway. You must go over there and comment, no one will ever send you a more fun package than Tif! Really, get over there!

Book Shortage

Have you noticed it has been awhile since I blogged a book? That is because I just haven't found a really good one in awhile. You know, one that I liked so much I had to tell everyone I know who is a reader. I am open for suggestions.

I did read a sequel to a book I liked awhile back. The first one is called The Friday Night Knitting Club. It is about a group of women who become friends through their knitting. It is an unusual book for me to like. The reason is a bit of a spoiler. My mom is a breast cancer survivor so any book that involves people getting the Big C is a turn off for me. So there, I gave a bit away, but the point is that I still liked the book.

My sister discovered that there is a sequel. Knit Two. I just finished it this weekend. I liked it even better! Maybe because there was no Big C, but I think it was really because the characters developed more.

I spent an hour at the library during Brittany's ballet class. I just can't seem to get excited about anything. I don't want super serious but that seems to be leaving me with fluff. Anyone read anything great lately?

We Love High School Musicals!

We do love High School musicals. And I don't necessarily mean the Disney series that is so popular, although we have enjoyed those too. No, I mean the Spring musicals that most High Schools are putting on this time of year. This is one of the things I missed while we lived in California. The local High Schools here in Utah, at least in my area, do fabulous productions. The kids are really talented and the folks helping with the productions must be too because the end result is just great

So last weekend we went to Showboat. I was torn between it and Peter Pan that the other local High School was doing. I probably should have taken them to Peter Pan but I felt so familiar with it I wanted to see something new. This is my absolute favorite way to expose my kids to theater and teach them how you behave at such an event. The tickets are usually down right cheap ($6 for the kids) so I don't feel so uptight about it being a perfect experience, and the crowd is usually pretty laid back so I don't worry about their behavior being perfect either. Although it was Saturday, they were great companions. Josh stayed home with Dad though. Now I want to call around and see what else is playing at the other local schools!

Late Sunday Update

Last week was a fun week. This week we are not off to a good start, spent the morning with Josh at the doctor for an ear infection. So I am going to post this late, just to remind myself that we did have fun!
It was lovely, sunny and almost warm Friday. Josh didn't take a nap(the beginning of the ear infection I think) so after much begging and pleading from the kids we went off to the park.

Nothing makes a boy happier than pushing your truck through the sand.

Or jumping off of things while yelling, "Mom, take my picture!" Followed by "Are you going to put that on the blog?" Here you go son. Your jump is now famous.

Brittany was giving lessons on how to make the perfect sand meatball.

I love that all three of my kids can all have fun at the park. I can't help but wonder for how much longer.

Lots of reminders that Joshua is growing up fast. He had his first real dress-up session with the kids. Have you ever seen a more adorable Mr. Incredible? His dress-up team is pretty good at hamming it up for the camera too.

After bath time the other night Brittany tried to reclaim our baby by swaddling him. Looks a little nervous doesn't he?

So welcome Spring, lets have some more this week!

Workin' on the House

I have been dying to post this all day but the computer was giving me fits so I had to wait until the man of the house came home and made it behave. It is just killing me not to go at the house full speed and decorate like crazy. But there were some things that were damaged in the move and we can't fix them until the movers send their people to look at them, and it is hard to hang things on the wall when you don't know where large items are going to go. So I have had to make do with smaller areas. Of course I had to take before and after pictures to bore you with.

First the kid bathroom. Notice I didn't even edit the shampoo and toys for you? Because that is what was making me crazy. So yesterday I finally got around to making the shower curtain I have had planned. My mom had this fabric which I have loved for a long time. I am still looking for some really neat hangers to hang it with so the twill tape I made to tie it up there with will have to do for awhile.

I am much happier now! Plus you can sort of see this bathroom from the front door so I wanted it to look nice. Now if I can just get a picture hung in there!

One think I am learning this move is that I have a lot of old stuff, I mean we have been married almost 16 years and some of this stuff looks it. I am tired of the old stuff. So I have purged a lot lately. But some of it just needs a face lift.

See this pillow? I made it and its partner about 3 years ago. I love the vintage buttons but there are supposed to be three of them and they were always falling off.

I went bopping around the web and got inspired to make this one. My mom had given me a bunch of swatches she picked up so I used them for the squares. In fact the whole pillow was made from things I already had. I am really quite happy with it. Even if I did spend more time on that square with the word home stamped on it the the whole rest of the pillow! Now I just need to make another to go with it.

So that is my progress so far, not much but we will get there!

Some Fun Movies

When I read or go to the movies it is a bit of an escape for me. I want to go somewhere different from where I am. Preferably somewhere nice. Have you seen the previews for that new Nicholas Cage movie? Something about predicting all the horrible things that could happen to the earth in the near future. Why on earth would I want to see that? The world is a scary enough place right now without our inventing more! But that is just me. I have actually seen several cute films that fit in this category for me.

Marley and Me. One of the fun things about moving back here is I get to go to late movies with the girls I grew up with sometimes. Circe and I saw this one last night. I can't imagine that you haven't heard about it, we have been waiting for it at our house all winter being big fans of the adult book and the kid version. It is basically the story a couple, their dog and how they all grow up. Very funny, but although Circe and I had both read the book and were sure we wouldn't cry-we did. I did a lot. But I also wanted to come home and kiss my hubby and kids. I am glad I previewed it though. Brittany loves the kid version of the book and has been dying to see it. There are a couple of scenes that were a little inappropriate for a nine year old but it is just not targeted at kids. I think she might get a little bored in places when they are exploring the people relationships. But I will rent it for her someday and do a bit of editing, she will love the dog scenes.

Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. I love a good period movie. This one is set in the 40's and stars Frances McDormand and Amy Adams. You know, the girl from Enchanted? Had to point that out, she is just so cute. Oh, and the Pie Man from Pushing Daisies for those of you like me who are still in mourning for that show. To quote Netflix: After losing yet another nanny position because of her gruff demeanor, Guinevere Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) mistakenly lands an assignment as the assistant of an American starlet (Amy Adams) and finds herself swept up in a dizzying world of glamour and high society. It is fun, because you see Mrs. Pettigrew accomplish things for this Delysia ( the starlet) just because Delysia is so certain that she can. If it weren't for the unnecessary showing of a bare bum (why do they do that?!) I would say it really reminded me of an old classic film.

And last but not least Leatherheads. William and I watched this last weekend. I figured the football in it would counteract the romantic comedy for him . Netflix again: Hard-nosed sports reporter Lexie Littleton finds herself at the center of an acute 1920s love triangle when an aging football hero and a rising college star go head to head to compete for her affections. It was a little predictable, but light and fun. I think it is such a kick when George Clooney does stuff like this, not taking himself very seriously. He directed this one and it did remind me of Oh, Brother Where art Thou.
So there you are, if you are looking to escape all the incessant talk of the economy. Try a movie!

Where Do You Keep Your Cars?

Anybody out there hating daylight savings as much as I am? I tried putting Josh down for his nap at 1:30 instead of 1:00, hoping to split the difference and get him back on track. Things were quiet, I was downstairs unpacking and came back up about and hour and half later. Little noises were heard. I went in to check and sure enough Mr. Joshua is wide awake! Errrgh! He is patting his bum so I figured he had pooped and that was our problem. I have a cold so I couldn't smell but I peeked in the diaper and I could see darkness. So I got him out telling him all the while he was getting his bum changed and then he better go to sleep. Imagine my surprise when instead of poop I found three cars! Yeah, he still hasn't gone to sleep. But at least I had a good laugh!

A Winner!

That was a fun giveaway, I had forgotten how fun they are. I will definitely be doing another sometime soon. Thanks for all the votes for Miss Gingham. I think I will try and start some new ones this week. Especially not that I found the cord for my sewing machine! According to Mr. Random Number Generator, my good friend Tif at Loveboxes is my winner! Congrats Tif!

Spring is Coming! Really, it is!

My sweet friend gave me these beautiful primroses this week! They are so lovely and bright I just had to share. I had to stick them in the snow for a picture when I got them home because I love the contrast.

She told me when she gave them to me that primroses are the promise that Spring will come.

Looking at them in my kitchen window I can just about believe it!

Oh, and don't forget, you have a few more hours to enter my giveaway here

We're Playing Hookee!

So today I decided that the kids and I would play hookee (have no idea how you spell that-spell check had no suggestions). I have the crude and they had dentist appointments and I figured by the time I took them to school and then got them out for the dentist they would only be there a few hours and today it just wasn't worth it. I am so glad we all stayed home together! Brittany and Josh got out all of her Littlest Pet Shop gear and had a ball for most of the morning. Matthew discovered a Lego set when we were unpacking that he is much better at now than he was in CA. So he had a grand time being Lego man. We had to take all these pictures so we could show Dad and still take them apart to make more.

Bonus, everyone did great at the dentist. Even Josh for his first time. It was a great day to spend time with my kids. My good friends have been having a major crisis with their little girl they adopted from China. There was a pretty well founded fear that she had cancer of the eye. Today they found out that although she cannot see in that eye, it is not cancer. It is always nice when someone elses trial provides me a lesson in appreciating my wonderful little world. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Return of the Gingham Girls and a Giveaway!

I can't believe how long it has been since I have posted a crafty post! In celebration of my new house, innumerable unpacked boxes, and just to thank you for putting up with all these moving posts I decided to have a little giveaway. That and I actually found the box full of my Gingham Girls!

I decided to give away one of my little Gingham Girls. She is very excited to go to a new home!She is just little, about 10 inches. Don't you love her pink hair?

I was so excited to find this box. I was wanting to get some of my girls back in the shop. Imagine my surprise to find two of my favorites still in the box! I am really wanting to start some more soon though. So here is how you enter my giveaway. Leave me a comment telling me which kind of doll you think I should start with this time around. The original Gingham Girls like these two, which by the way, are now in the shop.

The Babushkas

Or the Nesting Dolls

Thanks for your help and good luck! I will draw a name Saturday night. Oh, and let me know if you mention this giveaway on your blog, I will enter your name again.