. . . that's where i wanna be

since josh and i began having babies, we have only been away from them a few times and it was usually to bring home a sibling. but, two years ago, josh surprised me with a trip to los angeles. due to his strict vacation schedule with his previous job, we left after work on friday and returned sunday evening. since then, we have always wanted to go back and stay a little longer. when some friends were leaving for a cruise from los angeles, we decided to fly over and see a little more of the city.

i think there are two types of travelers-people who like to vacation like a sight seer and people who like to vacation like a local. josh and i are typically the latter. and, we LOVE to eat. so, lots of our vacation revolves around food. by the time our friends landed, we had already planned the day.

we started here.

then, we headed here because we couldn't wait . . .

for this . . . rows and rows of beautiful fabrics. it was total eye candy. we (um, the girls) just wandered in awe trying to selectively choose what we could pack and carry home.

it was a hard decision.

at first, at least one boy, was entertained by taking pictures, but then we were told that was not allowed. huh. so, they waited patiently. patiently, knowing that once we were done, we would finish our day at the farmers market. and, enjoy this . . .

oh.my.goodness.
so yummy.
followed by mango yogurt with fresh fruit from pinkberry.
more goodness.

and, that was day one.

now, you are probably expecting day two, but we apparently didn't take very many more pictures so that might be a little difficult. so, it went a little like this:

yummy brunch at john o'groats
a little ferris wheel at the santa monica pier
some random wandering at the promenade
a little visit with a friend of our friends
followed by a swanky dinner at firefly
until 1 am
uh, that was 3 am our time
we were so tired
because we have 5 children between the two couples
and we are usually only up at 3 am
when someone is sad or sick

but, that is okay because we could sleep in and it was still only 9 am
that is why i love la

so, on day 3
we hit wahoo's fish taco
dropped our friends at the boat
shopped ikea
shot an engagement shoot
dropped the film
and ended the day where we began on day one.

because on day 4
we returned to reality.
and, this is reality . . .

three weeks

the last two months have been a blur. when i thought about this summer, i saw it as this amazing time where we would squeeze in all these fun activities knowing that this would be carter's last summer before she started school. in the dream-laden haziness, i saw josh being home to spend time with us and taking one day a week off for us to do some family filled trip to the zoo or the sprinkler park or the gardens or somewhere. anywhere. but here. trapped inside our house because the heat and randomness have gotten in the way of us packing up and heading out.

let me back up. so, when i last left you, we were living with my parents for a few days while we waited to get possession of our new house. days turned into weeks. three. to be exact.

in those three weeks, carter attended a morning camp two weeks. summer camps are great because they get your kid out doing something fun for usually a week so they don't get bored, get to try something new for not too much money, and you get a small break. except you have to entertain the younger one because he is sad he didn't get to go to camp, too. and, you have to make your day fit the camp schedule.  therefore, cleaning and painting our new house wasn't exactly the top priority those days.

in those three weeks, josh and i took a little trip to los angeles. by ourselves. that's right. 

but, we left my parents with the same three children that had already overstayed their welcome because when we planned this trip last october our house was supposed to go on the marked in january, not march. because i know you are wondering, all my children and my parents survived. even the one who is as cute as she thinks.

in those three weeks (and a few extra random days since), we painted every single room in the house except josh's office and the hallways. every single room.

in those three weeks, my children watched more tv and movies than should be allowed. ever.

then after three weeks, when we realized how long it was taking, we decided everyone should pitch in and pull their own weight.

we decided three weeks was long enough.

we decided what was done was good enough.

and we moved in.

most of these photos were found on our point and shoot camera. apparently two little somebodies did something other than watch tv while we were working ;)

she said

we went to los angeles for a few days and my parents kept our kids. when we returned, i was told the following story:

carter had been tattle taling on my dad all day. she walks into my parents bedroom where my mom is and proclaims, "papaw is wrong."

my mom: "wrong about what?"

carter: "he says i am not as cute as i think i am!"



hahahahahahahahahahaha! oh, to be that confident.

lost

there are some things i can't live without. there are some things i can't imagine waking up and not being a part of my life. and, occasionally, something sneaks onto that list without me even knowing how dependent  i have become. like diet coke.

sometimes, i fight the relationship at first. sometimes, i refuse to believe how needy i am. but then, when i let my guard down, i realize that the opportunities are immense, the possibilities endless. and, suddenly, the love affair begins.

at first, it was just a picture or a phone call but then it was directions no matter where i was or the ability to make a list when my 5 year old had ganked every pen within a 5 mile radius. and, even when i didn't handle it with care, even when the impact forced little spider like veins to scatter across its body, it continued because it knew i needed it. it knew i couldn't make contact with the outside world unless it was in my possession. but, everything has a breaking point . . .

and, a concrete floor was its demise. now, it just glows.

and, i can't do anything. i can't call or be called. i can't text or be texted. i can't make a list or find out where i am or check the weather in los angeles (which i needed because i was in los angeles!) or take a picture when my baby fell asleep on the floor the other day or check email or entertain children with various games or function. somehow, slowly, over the last two years, my entire brain was transferred into various iphone apps. and now, it is gone. all gone.

goodbye, friend. i will miss you.
well, at least until the bigger, better version of you enters my life.

really?

as some of you know, i'm not a fan of jeans on my kids. i just don't see how they are comfortable for babies  and i feel like they make my little ones look too grown up. i know i am in the minority here. trust me. 

but who knew the demand was so great? huggies did.

no, this is not a snl skit. though i really thought it was at first. and, according to this, not only am i in the minority in not putting jeans on my kids, but i may be in the minority if i put pants on my kid at all.

thrifty thursday

there has been very little estate saling to be had this winter. maybe it was because of the freezing cold temperatures (not anymore . . . 90 degrees in may. so sad.) maybe it was because there weren't any sales to hold. but, a few weeks ago, i had some luck at a few . . .

what you see:
a sweet pink dishwasher basket
a milk glass spice bottle (for my mom-she loved it!)
a few children's school books
a stack of flashcards
some old valentines
a dogwood handkerchief (love the colors)
some vintage christmas
a stack of craft fruit baskets
a collection of golden books with no cover
a metal grid (for flower arranging?)
a silhouette in a sweet little round frame
a metal tray (with hand drawn mushrooms?? random.)
and a tole pendant light

i was really excited about the pendant light. i see it all shiny and new after a few coats of spray paint hanging in one of my girls' rooms. and, the metal tray will get the same treatment followed by someone's monogram, maybe. so many possibilities with all these new rooms to decorate . . .

and on the home front, we are still crashing with the 'rents. (bless their hearts.) the only day my kids slept past 6:30 a.m. was the morning after my parents had spent the night away- as in away from us. we will start painting today. ahh, gallons and gallons of new fresh light colors of paint are waiting for me and anyone who knows how to use a roller. see ya there!

mi casa es su casa

i have a really good reason why i have been such a blog slacker since march. i was so excited to be all caught up after disney and was ready to get back in my memory documenting, crafty showing routine when something unexpected occurred. well, i think unexpected is a lie, it's probably more like inevitable.

see, when baby numero tres entered our world, josh put the brakes on private school. not that we are private school only people, but due to the location of our current home, it was private school or jail. i say jail because if you don't take your kid to school, then they are truent. if your child is truent, the po-lice take you to jail. (that's what happens, right?) and, well, home schooling is not a current option for carter and me. she needs to go to school in the fall.

so, that means we have to move. and, in order to buy a house, you need to sell a house. or, in our case, you accidentally put a contingent offer on a house and attempt to sell your own that is not even on the market in less than a month. and, well, i can't make a story any shorter than i just did.

there is one thing we have learned that when in our circumstances, we all have to make sacrifices.

example 1: when you miss your realtor's call because your baby had your phone and your husband texts you to say she is standing on the front porch waiting for you to leave and you throw everyone in the car while sweeping up the play dough mess and every one is complaining that they still have on their pajamas, sometimes you have to wear your sister's pants.

even if they are a size 18 month.

example 2: when you spend the entire afternoon working on birthday sewing because your parents graciously take your children for the afternoon and your mother gives them all a bath, but they have no current pajamas at her house, but all of their past season clothes are being stored there, sometimes you have to wear last year's pajamas.

or the year before that. whatever.

example 3: when it's been three weeks since you put a contingent contract on a house and you really only have another week to sell yours in order to have enough time for all the processing and junk and you are having an open house in an hour, everyone has to pull their weight.

even if you're a baby.

and sometimes, or at least this time, it all works out. 

and you wait until the last minute to pack and find out one day before closing that you won't get possession of your new house until five days after you give up possession of your current house. 

so, now, we are homeless. 

and, we are all having to make sacrifices. (especially my parents!)

i guess we can always hire spencer out if we need to.

random photo friday

picture taken december 2009

it's a pirate's life for miller

so, somebody had a birthday which means somebody also had a birthday party.

miller made his birthday theme request not long after his last birthday party. most of their requests have been unique; a fun challenge to create as at the time, no one else was planning something similar. but, this request has been done. over done. well done. done.

his request: a pirate party. he had very specific requests including activities and decor. for me, the challenge this time was making it unique.

i began like i do every party planning event-i asked my mom what she might already have i could use. she is a wealth of all things. she provided me with yardage of several fabrics. these fabrics became the foundation of the party. they also became sashes, booty bags and buntings.

when the children arrived at the party, they choose a sash, a booty bag, a hat (ordered from oriental trading co) and an eye patch.

once they were geared up, all the buccaneers hung out on the ship for further instruction.

to create the ship, we used the plans and rivets from mr. mcgroovy and graciously received the boxes from a local independent appliance store that has since gone out of business. and, by we, i mean my husband and my father.

the first activity was walk the plank:

after successfully escaping the dangerous waters, each buccaneer received a compass for their booty bag.

then, an announcement was made that captain miller was ready to read the treasure map.

look how cute they are using the compass to read the map. 

captain miller leads the way . . .

buried in the sand, the children found necklaces, rings, jewels and coins.

after filling their booty bags with loot, it was time for some fish and chips, served with frosty ale (root beer), crocodile's blood (sprite with hawaiian punch ice cubes), 

and some fruit skewers.

then, it was time for my favorite part-cupcakes!

making a big wish . . .

they were red velvet with cream cheese icing. yummy.

besides telling me that a pirate ship must be present for it to be a pirate party, miller was also insistent on a pinata. though i didn't necessarily think the custom went with the theme, finding a pinata that fit the theme was a breeze. some how there are no pictures of the actual event.

our last activity was the canon ball pop. the goal was to keep your canon ball from being popped. after outfitting each child with a balloon canon ball, the fun began.

some of them ran to protect theirs,

while others ran to pop them, 

 but, everyone was sad to see their's go.

after successfully making most of the kids cry when their canon ball was popped, we called it a day. (hmm, maybe, the buried treasure should have been the last activity.) all the buccaneers left with their booty bags full of loot that they had pillaged and plundered for.

yo, ho, ho, it's a pirate's life for miller!