Fall decor

If I did not have any kids I'm pretty sure the below perfectly illustrates how I would decorate for the Fall holiday season. A couple of metal or ceramic pumpkins on the coffee table and call it good.....

BUT...since I do have kids I've noticed my approach to holiday decorating has included a bit more craftiness. I swore I would never get all crafty but there is something about kids that has made me want to do just that.

First off here is my favorite decoration. This decoration moves all around the house & never stays where I put her. She's one of the faves for sure....very festive.

This year we thrifted & hand made many of the decorations. The banner was old books spray painted with chalkboard paint & then hung over trim. Bring on the holidays I say.

Las Vegas..viva full house style

You know the saying, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas"...well not in this case. I brought it all home with me 2 girls & a husband in tow.

All I have to say is good thing husband ate 10 plates of food @ the seafood buffet (in which he took his merry old time finishing I may add) because he needed all that food to make him strong. Little did husband know but he would need all of his strength to rush two little girls off a crime scene on the Las Vegas strip. "The crime", you say....Treasure Island changed their pirate show. No more little family friendly pirate stunt show. With the girls hoisted up onto our shoulders, we stood there waiting patiently for the show to begin all while packed into a tight little crowd. It was earlier in the evening & I had everything planned out. Early dinner, hit the pirate show, the volcano, Belagio water show & then back to our non-LV strip hotel with plenty of time to swim before bed. Surely we would be safe from any foul scenes because it was only 7pm & the kids (or parents) would love all of this free entertainment...not so much. We made as far as the first 2 minutes into the apparently new & changed pirate show before we realized all of our Las Vegas dreams (haha) were going to be crushed right there within the first 10 minutes of arrival. Apparently in the new pirate show the pirates were really lonely & needed some lady friends if you know what I mean. The whole show was cheesy & a party foul if you ask me & thats even if we didn't have under-agers in our party. Well it didn't matter that we were packed into the crowd like a can of sardines because there was no getting in husbands way as he forged a little path for his precious little chicks to high tail it back to the chariot. I could hardly keep up & that is the reason for all of the blurry photos as I tried to document a protective Dad in action.

Lesson learned though...outside of Circus Circus there is a reason why there are hardly any kids in sight on the Las Vegas strip...no matter what time of the day and if I can save anybody from wasting their time, energy & eyes from seeing the new pirate show that used to not be so bad..then mission accomplished. Or was the old pirate show really any good? After all I am trying to recall events that happened 7+ years ago & I'll admit my little brain isn't as crisp as it used to be pre-kids, I mean I think I used to also think the buffets were good too. Man, things have changed.

The below is a common sight to behold. Little girls love their Dad.

Couldn't get out of there fast enough but we've finally made it to the car.

Husband made us get out to observe the progress on the bridge that will soon change the travels over Hoover Dam as we know it. It's a part of history his says because 20 years from now when the girls travel to Las Vegas they would not even remember the old route. I wish I were better @ being more sentimental as husband. If it were up to him we would have a history tour every time we travelled up to see Grandma & Papa. He especially loves any historical sights that have to do with Butch Cassidy..I know go figure.

Have I mentioned how much I do love the Arizona State flag?

Glad that we got to go but glad to be back home.

{friend & photographer}

Thought I'd share....

I have this brilliant friend name Michelle who came up with a brilliant idea....she is offering FREE shoots to ANY engaged couple that requests it... that's right folks... F-R-E-E, free! No obligations to buy anything and in exchange for your time she will provide you with (1) 8x10; if you would like more of the photos from your session she is also offering 50% off any product, print or disc of images.

Just another thought but family Christmas pictures are around the corner. Michelle also designs some pretty neat cards. Go here for more details.

Did I mention that Michelle is a really great friend as well.  Anyway she is.  She has come to my rescue on many occasion & offered her services....like when somebody asked me to take their engagement photos when I clearly am not a photographer & then Michelle came to help me out.  Michelle everybody would be so lucky to have a friend like you.  If you have a need for having any sort of event captured via photos I clearly suggest hopping over to check Michelle out over @ Sweet Moments Design.  

Classic...

Classic move @ Full House:

Mom makes bed.
Son jumps right in.

Mom doesn't make bed.
Son doesn't jump in.

Perhaps I should consider making my bed more often to observe such cuteness. Too bad I am on the 20/80 plan...meaning 80% of the time the bed does not get made. Oh well.

Speaking of classic......House Beautiful sends me emails.  They think the below is considered classic.  I think it's lovely. 

scarf pillows

For years I have never been able to get the above images out of my head.  I instantly started searching ebay for Pucci scarves after I saw all of the pillows in these photos.  I still search for Pucci scarves when I am thrifting.  No such luck yet.  Hmmm....I do however have a healthy collection of other random scarves.  I think I may just need to considered making good use of my scarves & turn some of them into pillows. 

{ images : 1, 2 H & H via This is Glamorous}

Popping Amaranth

So we have already established that I love quinoa.  I buy it by the 25 pound bags.   I thought I would mix it up a bit & try using another seed that acts like a grain called amaranth.  I give it the thumbs up & so does my Mr. Men.  I had read that you could pop it like popcorn so we gave it a try.  Next time I will try an air-popper because it was a little tricky in my pan.  So far as usual our favorite way to eat this is just to pour a bit of honey or agave nectar on top.  I found this fabulous recipe that uses popped amaranth & can't wait ti try it.  I think it would be such a delightful snack.  Seeds aren't just for the birds even though the below kind of looks like it was solely created for our little flying friends.  Let's just say the recipe calls for maple syrup so you know it can't be that bad. 

Go here to check it out and to find out more about Amaranth.

Next up on the list to try is Teff.  

Anybody else have any experience with Amaranth?

A colorful Sunday

When we go on Sunday walks we always take a map.  Usually it is a big & colorful map so we will not get lost.  Who doesn't bring the Candy Land board on their walks?

Smiley let's us know we are almost @ the end.  Yes he is on the map.

We made it to the Candy Land castle.  

No not really but doesn't this look like an ice cream parlor house...it brings warm & fuzzy feelings as I refer back to childhood memories of dreaming what kind characters lived inside...kind of like Disneyland.  It's pink.

Of course I was crowned Queen Frostine because I always win in my tale.  Wait isn't that the lamp shade I finally finished this weekend.  YEAH, one more thing mark off to finish the girl's room.  I kind of like it.

Here's the rest of the Sunday story.....

HIGHLIGHTS:

Burdens were lifted for a bit as I basked in the uplifting words @ church.

The girls gave a talk & scripture in church.  Made me all happy inside.

Lots of blue teeth from the push up pops Dad rewarded the girls with.

Crock Pot dinner.

Long Sunday nap.

Frolicking outside.

Sunday walk.

Desert.

Sometimes I really like Sundays & sometimes I don't but today I did.

Speaking of Candyland, I wish we had tickets to the below adorable party found here via Party Perfect.

A room frozen in time...

As the story goes, There were 2 princesses who shared a bedroom & it sat frozen in time for over 2.5 years.  Their Momma started out decorating a new big girl when the news of their cribs needing to be put to use else where at the arrival of 3 new little brothers.  Mom worked hard & even recruited Baca to put paper up behind the beds.  Being 3 has it's temptations because some little princesses found great joy in ripping the paper off of the wall even though their Momma said NO THANK YOU.  Then Momma decided to wait the princesses were a little older & much more mature to repair & finish the room to avoid any harsh feelings because surely they would mature when they hit 4.  Now Momma has to paint the bookcase, make a chalkboard, have Nana sew some bolster pillows, make & hang the new light shade, make a cushion for vanity chair & repair the paper behind the beds.  Then & only then when Momma is through then all parties involved can all be whisked off to the ball.

Seriously I am hoping that if this blog is good for anything then it will be good in the accountability sector.  I really need to get motivated to finish the girls room.  I thought that if I threw it out there I would surely have to come back & report on the status.  Probably sooner than later, right?

At least I got the mirror frame painted & ready to be converted to a chalkboard.  Next is the cushion for the vanity chair....

While painting the frame a dragonfly showed up again.  I think this is a sign of great decorating luck.

Time to get crackin...

Messy Face Contest

Votes are in:

34% - Big "W"

33% - Crazy "C"

33% - Baby "B"

Hands down here is the winner of the messiest face contest!

Good job son!  Very competitive.  Congrats on the big win.

Incorporating masculinity into the juxtaposition equation

juxtaposition equation:

feminine + masculine = different

different= good       

 

As my girls watched Bambi for the first time many questions arose like (ok maybe just one question asked over and over), "Why are people trying to kill the animals."  I had a tough time explaining this one to my sensitive four year old as I still remember being in those very same shoes.  Bambi made me cry when I was a little lass (still does) & I could not understand why anybody would hunt.  You can imagine the looks on the girls faces when I finally pronounced, "You know Dad is a hunter".  With looks of horror little "M" said, "He is...my Daddy is a hunter".  I felt kind of bad dropping that bomb on her but that fact of the matter is, well that it was true.  Trust me I was actually in denial the first couple years of our marriage about the hunt.  What made it worse was that I was working for Sundance & helping out with some NFPA (North Fork Preservation Alliance) stuff.  Husband & I had many debates on the hunting subject matter during that time.  Finally one year I decided to be a good little open minded wife & go up on the hunt to see what all of the hype was.  I was the only girl for miles & miles as far as I could see.  I really was hoping to put an end to all of my judgements.  The trip didn't really help me change my mind but after I saw how happy husband was basking in all of his manly glory up in those mountains I called a truce.  I'm not even going to try & figure this one out but just let it be, I told myself.

Well when little "M" came into the kitchen dressed up in the above get up I thought, "Well there's a piece of Sweet Home Alabama".  You see I can relate very well to that movie...well sort of...not really but for the sake of this post just go with it.   You know the part where she wants to be a designer in New York & he is pretty much just a redneck, country bumpkin.  I better add that we all know in the movie he turns out a bit more refined as the lead actor creates works of beauty from glass.  I really like that movie.  

It's hard to believe that 2 people that are so vastly different could stand side by side & go together even with all of their contrasts but in the end if having those contrasts would obtain results like in the above picture then sign me up.  Oh did you know the definition of juxtapose is to place close together or side by side, esp. for comparison or contrast.

I also hope to master that same skill of setting contrasting things side by side & having them mesh as I decorate my home.  Problem is I need to throw in a few more masculine items to set next to the already existing feminine items....or a few more modern pieces to set next to the already existing antiques. 

So here's to masculinity....

{via Nate Berkus}

{vi Nate Berkus}

{via Robert Passal Inc.}

Alright who's embracing the boyfriend blazer?

{via This is Glamorous}

P.S - I really do not think my husband is a redneck but if he were then it's pretty much safe to say I love rednecks.