Paige's 2nd Birthday!

Happy birthday Paige #2! It just seems like yesterday I was nudging Chris to wake up in the middle of the night to take me to the hospital "I think my water broke", and him rolling over stating "not tonight, I'm too tired". If my memory suites, we delivered our second beautiful daughter two very long hours after!

Today we celebrated with Elmo, our friends, and all of Paige's favorite foods: pizza, sushi, (processed) meat and cheese tray, chips and dip, fruit and veggies...and not to forget the cukcakes (cupcakes). Ohhh, so fun we had!

She had a real difficult time being the center of attention and begun to cry as we sang "happy birthday". But no problem blowing out the candle!

~Happy weekend and Happy Birthday Paige!

Dancing Queen

Paige's friend Amelia invited us to dance class today while Piper was a preschool...and we are soooooo coming back!!!

Paige had so much fun with all the kids and new teacher Mrs. V, that we are headed to the mall to pick up ballet shoes and a tutu in preparation for next week!

~Happy Thursday

Smile :)

Smile

Smiling is infectious

you catch it like the flu.

When someone smiled at me today

I started smiling too.

I passed it around the corner

and someone saw my grin

When he smiled I realized

I'd passed it on to him.

I thought about that smile

then I realized its worth

A single smile, just like mine

could travel around the earth.

So, if you feel a smile begin

don't leave it undetected.

Let's start an epidemic quick

and get the world infected.

~Karen McLendon-Laumann

Mr. & Mrs. in Russian

Isn't it cute (our name written in Russian)? Could have saved us a lot of money for Mr. & Mrs. wedding napkins if we would have known our new friend a tad bit earlier!!!

Date night/fairy fort '09

Chris and I haven't been on a "date" in over 5 years(outside of work functions/Christmas parties etc)...until tonight!!!

Katie instant messaged Chris this morning and to my surprise they arranged a fun filled evening out with our friends for some needed mommy and daddy time. We had an absolute great time!

When we came home we were greeted with a tinkerbell fort (brought me back 20+ years) and two very tired fairies...to say the least, we will absolutely do this again....and in the very near future!

Piper's half birthday!

Since Pipers birthday lands right in the dead of summer vacation...she was able to celebrate her "half" birthday at preschool today. We brought yummy chocolate doughnuts-her favorite!

To make the day even better everyone wore their PJ's, made blueberry pancakes, and her teacher made her a white crown (she got to choose the color)! It is also her turn to take home the "letter" can and fill it with things that begin with the letter "F" and bring it back on Tuesday. I wish we all could have "half" birthdays...because mine was yesterday...Chris (we need a new bedroom set)!

P.S. Any "F" ideas for the letter can?

~Happy Thursday!

Peanut butter and birdseed open house!

My first Mothers Day, Daddy and Piper (Paige was not born yet) bought me a red birdhouse with a white roof. This was absolutely my most favorite gift because I thought it would give me and the girls many years of fun relaxing mornings with my cup of coffee watching the sunrise and birds...however, we have yet to see a bird.

At first I thought it was the location, then we moved and still no birds. Then I thought it was the hornets, spiders, etc...-but after we took care of the bugs, still no birds. Then when we moved to our current house I thought it was the color, after I painted it (the same color we painted the house), still no birds. I for sure thought we sealed the deal after we bought Baxter in August...we will never have a bird morning! (But, that doesn't make sense because my backyard neighbor has dogs (big dogs to be exact) and they see beautiful robins, blue jays, etc...hum?) We've tried birdseed, peanut butter, honey..to name a few.

Today Piper made a bird feeder at preschool, so down came the birdhouse to which a peanut butter-birdseed feeder took its place. Piper and Paige both did the bird call and invited all to the open house/bird feeder extravaganza! At this point we are desperate and would even accept a seagull!

Princess stories...part two!

Again I came home to see more beautiful excerpts from the princess story fable created by Piper and Paige (with a little help from their nanny Katie)!

To be continued...

American toe dreams.

Today Kelly and I went to a well deserved pedicure/manicure at the mall (aka a toe fungus parlor)! For only $35 we walked away with the most beautiful nails/toes and possibly the most terrible resistant fungus ever. We didn't care one bit because the immediate gratification completely outweighed the long term effects we may have coming in the future...the American dream, right?

Baxter's new do and new valentines ribbon!

Johnny Mathis & Banana Crackers

Yes, I admit it-I was born in the 80's. I love everything that has to do with the 80's, but think cherry red pumps, leg warmers, side ponytails, and white wash tapered jeans should stay there, and the music should live on forever! Spoken from a true "Material Girl".

As we (Paige and I) were driving Piper to preschool, I came up with this revelation, "I should have been born in the 70's-thus I would've been able to enjoy the 80's even more and wouldn't have to listen to all my "big hair" "make out music" to reminisce, (mind you, my Toto CD is playing)! Will my girls think of my music the same way I dreaded long car rides with my parents and their Johnny Mathis tapes? Is there a reason all my girlfriends have always been 5-10+ years older?" Does this mean I am going to die 10 years younger?"

As we drove up to preschool, I was taken back by the simple words of my oldest "I wonder what they are going to have for snack today?". Some of the biggest of life lessons I learn from my children. I should not try to live in the past-I cannot change what has happened. I should neither live in the future, because usually the things I worry about don't happen either. I should live for right now, and I think we will have banana crackers and milk for snack!

~Happy Thursday

Swimming in the deep end...

Every year at this time I get very impatient with cold and rainy weather and decide to redecorate...(thanks Mom, I think I get this from you)! And if you read my previous blog, my new piece of furniture has kick started my "spring fever" a little early (2 am to be exact). Chris thinks he either woke up in the wrong house or his wife has gone off the deep end, again!

So my new addition in my home has started this new fire under my bum, now that I am this self proclaimed "wine connoisseur" and "master decorator" (remember "Rate My Space 1/5"?). I have transformed my dining/eating area into a little piece of Heaven with my ultra modern wine bistro. And if you come over a little early, we can sit in our PJ's and drink (as Paige would say) coffey!

P.S. I know the pictures are a little off center to the left, they were fine before I put in the wine cabinet. I cannot fix them until Chris calms down about the transformation (he HATES when I put holes in the walls)! :)

It finally arrived...

...and I still haven't heard from the Fed Ex man!! We received it really late on Monday night from UPS and I couldn't wait for Chris to assemble it. It is real interesting the things you can get your husband to do after some negotiating , especially on a Monday night after a long days work. But after all-is so worth every minute of it-the wine cabinet, that is!

Piper & Paige helped their daddy put the wine cabinet together-our way of family time/therapy!

After all was said and done, we put the girls to bed and enjoyed a nice glass of wine from our new piece of furniture! You all are still welcome to come and join us whenever!!!

~Cheers!

Ode to Norman...

...Rockwell, that is. The new theme for my basement remodel (thanks again to the generous charity Paula gave the garbage lady and the nice email from my boyfriend in cyberspace).

Last week I decided to post my desperately needed decorating disaster to the HGTV site "Rate My Space"-hoping the designer would come to my house and give my basement a face lift (I heard the remodel is over 20k). But instead, I have received a bucket of emails trashing my space, and giving me a rating of 1/5 :( I know I need some help, but it's very hard with a budget of $0.00 (all who know my husband know why...cheap-oops! did I really say that!) One nice gentleman told me that "all I needed was a theme and then everything would fall into place". Nice, that's what I need to hear-some encouragement. So Norman (and Paula), here goes...the start to my own remodel one day and one antique at a time.


I think things are starting to come along, while I patiently await the arrival of HGTV's designer. What do you think?

Princess stories...part 1

Piper & Paige work on a daily princess story with their nanny Katie. She is so wonderful, and an absolute expert in fingernail painting, princess story telling, play dough guru, Elf expert, master colorerrrr, certified monster catcher, etc...Needless to say, we love her and are not sharing!

However, we are willing to share the first of many stories, enjoy!!

2009 Resolution

I admire how my friend Jenn comes up with a "word to live by" every year for her resolution and I have been contemplating about what could be a good word for me and help to make me a better person for the upcoming year. ( Sorry Jen, I seem to copy you a lot, I guess you just have good ideas!)
Being January 9th, I did not come across a word, but yet a saying from an email I got from my Grandmother Rosie. I usually just delete most "junk" forwards (sorry), but I think God wanted for me to see this-and of course I sent it forward to everyone (thanks Mary-yeah right)!!! I will post it to my blog and continue to try to live by it daily.

"God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED - To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be."

In light of the situation...

.....Piper & Paige remain calm, ready and dressed for the weather-whatever it may be!

Flooding in Western Washington

Just some pictures our friends sent us of all the flooding so close to our home...so very sad and also very scary!!! All that snow continues to melt and the rain continues to downpour.
Schools were closed again today, of course-Piper was bummed. Many were without power, electricity. We are so fortunate to live on a hill, as of now. How ironic would that be, we just finished our basement.
We all will keep our fingers crossed and continue to pray for sun and spring to come early!

Golds here I come...

After some real strong peer pressure at work tonight, Jenn and Kelly have convinced me that they are trying to save my health (and sanity) by making me join the gym. To be brutally honest, I don't think I have actually "worked out" since before I was pregnant with Piper (she will turn 5 this summer-scary)! So, here goes to a new year and new figure. Watch out world (and treadmill), cause here I come! :)

P.S. I still haven't found the Fed Ex man, but heard that my neighbor (not mentioning names Jenn) did! :)

Ride a horse, save a Daddy!

Ever since Santa brought this fun new ride and spin zebra, Daddy's back has been doing so much better! He is now down to just 800mg of Advil a day and no more visits to the massage therapist thanks to Fisher Price!

Christmas a little late...

I received the best Christmas gift today from Piper...a little late-but worth waiting for! I absoultely love it and will leave it on my fireplace mantel forever!!!!

Has anyone seen the Fed Ex man?

After Chris told his doctor (which whom I work with) that I drink enough wine for the both of us and having no where to put my vintage bottles of wine but on the counter top, I took it upon myself to order a wine cabinet from Crate & Barrel (I already have the matching piece in my dining room which stores cute baskets)! However, no one has seen the Fed Ex man! The original delivery date was scheduled on the 2nd, which was Friday. So I had to prepare my husband for the anticipated delivery. Needless to say, he wasn't that happy with me-and big old brawl broke out-and still no cabinet!

I tried to download a picture from the web site, but no go. As soon as it arrives you might all have to come over for a glimpse of my new furniture and a glass (of wine that is), if we ever find the Fed Ex man!

~Happy Tuesday!

Garbage Lady

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the "finish the basement" project. Chris and I will continue to take collections ( just do not tell him because he thinks I am the garbage lady)-just joking. I just like everyone's antiques, they tell a pretty cool story to add to ours!
So we pretty much are complete with the basement except the trim-the supplies is bought we just need another long weekend-hopefully the presidents will help us out in February. We now have a place for everyone to stay-so there are no excuses anymore!!!!! We are taking reservations for Easter.

P.S. Keep in mind the small bubbles that appear when we just take pictures of the brown wall in the basement-"I see dead people"-scary? No, I just think their angels watching over us! And I wanted to post the new vase I got 75% off at Pier One. Isn't it cute?!!!

~Happy Sunday