give the man a hammer

and he will build it.



in all honesty he built it about a year and a half ago. but we only now got around to doing the upholstery. i thought i would do it myself. we had the fabric (you know it steph!). but my little machine wasn't up for the challenge. and quite frankly with all that is going on neither was i. (the little time i have for sewing i try to fill with manageable and fun projects. things i can get done in an evening for two and reap that immediate satisfaction! pillows to go here are on that list.)

so for a year and half it has been a stage platform for the girls. many theatrical productions have debuted here. and it has been much needed storage for puzzles and games and lego and lego and lego. and gift wrap. (my own special long drawer for gift wrap!)



i thought the girls might miss the stage. but they love the space to cuddle, lounge, nap, read and more, more. we have another couch around the corner - in front of the fireplace - but this space here is meant to be very kid-friendly. a spot to hang out in while i'm in the kitchen.

it is just what i imagined it would be. goes with the other storage solutions too. and just in time for the holidays. thanks d. along with the hammer i'll give you a big kiss. you deserve it!

on a completely unrelated note i need your help. what do you give to the teachers in your life for the holidays? last year we made these - which e loved putting together. i think that they were well-received but i never really know. i'd love to add some ideas to our arsenal... thanks!

twas 21 nights before christmas

and so the countdown begins . . .



the advent activities have begun:
day one - hot chocolate with all the fixings
day two - paint everyone's toenails (green was the color of choice this year)
day three - decadent bubble bath in the new tub! . . .



and my childhood favorite - that standby of Clement Clarke Moore, illustrated by Florence Sara Winship - has been pulled out for reading. i know it by heart. can sing it even. the girls pour over the illustrations as my brother and i did what seems not-so-long-ago. (he was always the mouse sticking out his tongue. mine was always the pink boot stocking.)




hold on tight to your family. and keep this family in your thoughts and prayers...
12.04 good news
12.06 james kim has been found deceased in the oregon wildernenss. prayers and peace to his family and friends. . . donations may be made here. and watch for other ways to help the family from lisa, stephanie and their mom.

day thirty - 07:25 done

oooh. thanks again carol for the inspiration! and i think it was just what i needed...

random
thirty for thirty...

1. taking pictures every day is hard.
2. i didn't really realize how important socal lighting is to my pics. until we had some grey days.
3. the quality of the shots was much more erratic than i had wanted.
4. but it was honest. and that is important to me too.
5. i miss film.
6. santa please fill my stocking with film.
7. 35 mm and Polaroid. please.
8. most of my pics are taken with someone pulling at my sleeve. or calling my name.
9. i rarely have a moment alone.
10. for thanksgiving d gave me an unexpected day to myself. my first since e was born. thank you!
11. when i had a day to myself i didn't know what to do with it!
12. it is my nature to want to "take care" of people. hence my job taking care of someone. and my mothering. and my joining the pta.
13. this pta thing can get the best of ya. be warned.
14. it is important to step back and see the big picture. it makes it much more rewarding.
15. my dad used to always say "you can please all of the people some of the time; some of the people all the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time." he was a smart man.
16. i still lie in bed at night and wonder if we should have made a different education choice.
17. shanna is constantly inspiring me. not only artistically. but spiritually. thank you my friend.
18. i feel so lucky to be able to say that.
19. i am so ready for christmas. and my mom's arrival. mostly my mom's arrival.
20. i am absolutely in love with my dear dear friend's pink tree. and her son's too. the apple - or should i say vintage ornament - doesn't fall far from the tree!
21. i love the direction hannah is taking this year. i want to follow her lead. set limits and challenge expectations of what gift giving means.
22. i think that shari's compound word project, and her handmade for the holidays posts are brilliant.
23. i am in love with my 2007 calendar. is it wrong to want to caress your calendar??
24. i still must make a trio of these.
25. and finish these. (does advent really begin on friday?!)
26. oh these posts are good.
27. i am fighting an overwhelming urge to pack up the family and move north(north vancouver please) to the snow.
28. i am canadian after all
29. i obviously have had a hard time being quiet for thirty days!
30. thank you for sticking through this with me.

see you in december!

day twenty-nine - 11:41

day twenty-eight - 08:59

day twenty-seven - 08:12

day twenty-six - 16:07

day twenty-five - 13:17

day twenty-four - 12:48

day twenty-three - 22:35

hope you and yours had a beautiful day. i am thankful for so much... happy thanksgiving

day twenty-two - 14:21

day twenty-one - 11:17

day twenty - 06:23

day nineteen - 12:20

day eighteen - 08:03

day seventeen - 10:04

day sixteen - 09:37

day fifteen - 07:35

day fourteen - 00:22

day thirteen - 07:58

day twelve - 14:13

i love you cowboy

day eleven - 12:48

day ten - 12:44

day nine - 11:16

day eight - 09:19

as seen out the window on my way to work

a true love (old movie theatres)



and it almost slipped me by unnoticed.
this is my one year anniversary

i have learned so much more than i would have imagined.

thanks for continuing to inspire me...

day seven - 07:45

day six - 07:03

day five - 13:03

day four - 15:42

day three - 13:48

day two - 07:14

30 days of living... day one 07:50

i love this idea. and will be giving it a go myself. (thanks for the inspiration carol!) i will be showing images from my everyday life. could be kids, activities, thrifting, crafting... and hopefully it will help me move a little more slowly. and take the time to look a little more carefully. (and perhaps even do a little less blogging and a little more getting other things done!)

happy november!

BOO!

perfect weekend {busy week}

the tour of our neighborhood happened yesterday. almost 500 people trounced up and down our little streets, checking out our "spectacular vernacular". (click on the photo gallery.) the sky was blue. the leaves turning yellow. the girls sold lemonade. (made a killing!) we met one of the architects of our tract. and got to see his blueprints and the original sales brochures. and the day ended with a neighborhood party with a group of dear dear friends. all who live within a block. ages 9 mos to 90. it was awesome. it was perfect. we. are. so. lucky.(at the after tour party i met some of the moms who were on the pta in 1956! the year the school opened. what an inspiration!)

tomorrow. a parade of ghouls and goblins around the school. hopefully with lots of neighbors in attendance. then trick or treating up and down our little streets with a sweet group of mice, cats, witches, supermen, and a waitress. can't wait!

community
community
community

(my new mantra. it gives me strength. really.)

busy week ahead. relying on that strength. {i'll be in and out.}

hope you have a spooktacular 31st!

{bright} blues

coming back...

(i know that was quick but...)

because my mama and my c don't flickr



i'll be posting some photos here as well.

be well

oh - and take the challenge...

going...

i think i need to take a blogging break. i am (once again) feeling overwhelmed and not able to put forward what i would like to see being put forward here. instead of sounding like a broken record i'll give this space a rest. i'll still be over at flickr. and checking in with you.

ahhh life! a good friend, when asked how he was doing, once told me that "life is full". i have always held on to that. no matter whether it be good. or bad. it does seem to hold that constant. full. and i am not really sure that i would like it any other way.

see you soon...

nada zip zero zilch

on the crafting front. and a growing number of requests (read demands). is hallowe'en really only 12 days away?? eeeek is right!!



and the weather. southern CA in the fall drives me mad. though the skies are gorgeous - the santa ana winds have moved in. bringing temps back in the 80s.

and of course the kids insist on wearing winter hats...



i hope to have the bulk of pta organizing done by this weekend. and we can move on to more exciting things. like witches and scarey pink kitty-cats...

to temper all this i received the loveliest, most unexpected birthday present from the loveliest lisa s. thank you so much. (the light in our house isn't ever what i want it to be when i find the time to photograph anything... plan on getting it down this weekend to share. it really must be shared!) lisa just completed her DRAWING A DAY series. this too is too good not to check out. you can find it here... sifting through these gorgeous images is the respite i have needed...

have a great weekend!