pin cushion obsession

I finished one row (of three) from my quilt!

And to celebrate I made a cute little pincushion.

I have been wanting to make this forever and I finally ordered the pattern.

I think I will have to make a few family companions for this pear. And then I may have to make some cousins. Ha ha. Is there something wrong with me that I have a mild obsession with pincushions? Every time I get a new crafty book I want to make the pincushion first. I've been drooling over Anna Maria Horner's pin cushion caddy ever since I got the book. But I have plenty others. So I wouldn't make it. But... if I start a pin cushion collection, then I can make as many as I like guilt free!

Today I'm thankful for collections! I knew something key was missing from my life. This must be it.

things that don't go together, things that do

Nail polish + applique=

not good.

Especially because I forgot my topcoat. Or maybe this new brand is not good. The color is a dark purple. But it looks black, right? I'm probably too old and granny-ish to be wearing dark purple (could be confused with black) nail polish. But I think it's kinda fun.

Snow days + applique=

Very good! Look how much I've gotten done! (More than half of the smallest row.) Chris asked last night, "Is that your last row?!" (NO) Well maybe it would be if I hadn't devoted most of my snow days to sleep. Or if I were faster. But I'm pretty sure I can feel the speed gaining!

And well, I did bring dinner to my neighbors, the Birds. And I probably wouldn't have been up to it if it weren't for all the glorious sleep I've gotten.

sleep+good deed doing abilities= most excellent

P.S. I love that I live in a place that can be completely shut down by 5 inches of snow. It's like a spontaneous gift from nature!

You just can't make stuff like this up!

Today I did something I'm not too proud of...but I'm blaming it on the cabin fever resulting from a week of solitary confinement due to Chickie's swineflu/strep combo. How's that for a long sentence?

So we're eating lunch. Bentley says, "Mommy, why is she naked?" I look out the sliding glass doors in front of our kitchen table and see a rather large woman collecting walnuts from under our tree. She is holding a grocery bag. If she had been wearing the bag it probably would have been more modest than what I was seeing. She was wearing what looked like a bra and panty set. And she was bending over. And over and over. The bra was too small and it had a hole in it. I shut my curtains to protect the innocent. I peeked out for a moment trying to solidify if what I was seeing was really and truly real. It was. I contemplated saying something, started to open the door. I stopped myself because I knew it wasn't going to come out very nicely.

At this point I should probably explain that we live in a condo with a big shared backyard. And this naked lady is one of my neighbors. We haven't officially been introduced.

I call my other neighbor and bid her to look out her window. We start laughing hysterically in disbelief. Annie points out that she probably thinks it's ok since she is wearing a sports bra and what might possibly be bikini bottoms. We discuss complaining to the homeowners association and decency laws in our town. We laugh some more and hang up.

I go to my fridge and open the door. I have the sudden thought flash through my mind. I failed the test. When I was a teen/twenty something I was obsessed with magazine quizzes. It all played out in my mind.

Question: Your unsightly neighbor decides to pick walnuts in a makeshift bikini in the fall in your backyard, you...

A. Explain that there are children present, and would she please wear some clothes. Offer her an extra grocery bag and bring her a fresh batch of pumpkin muffins to thank her for being such a great sport about the whole thing.

B. Shut your curtains and laugh it off, people are quirky.

C. Call a friend and laugh at your neighbor together. And blog about it later.

D. Take a video and post it on YouTube.

E. Call the police.

In my mind, when filling out the answers in the magazine, I would think I'd be person A. Maybe B would have been the best thing to do. But no. In actuality I chose C. I'm a terrible person. But in my defense... it was one of those moments so unbelievable that it really had to be shared.

So maybe my neighborhood is kinda worse than I thought it was. And I have never had one moments second thought about moving here. Everything has been really great. Except one thing. I miss living in a town where we can afford a really nice house. Kind of a lot.

I'm thankful for the weather today it was really nice...maybe a little too nice.

So seriously though! What would YOU have done? I really want to know.

Salty the Dog

I put an empty salt box in Olivia's art supplies.  I thought it would be fun to use for crafting. She found it this morning.  Dumped the salt onto a napkin.  Tasted it.  Invited Bentley to have a taste.  Then she ran off with the salt carefully cradled in the napkin.  I said, "What about this?"  Pointing to the salt box on the floor.  She said, "OH!".  A few minutes later she came back with a new pet dog named Salty. 



Not exactly what I had in mind.  But hey, whatever works!



Woof, woof.

Today I'm thankful for creative kids that make me laugh!

forward slash

My eyes hurt from staring at the middle of my forehead a little too long in the mirror this morning.  I just noticed a new wrinkle that looks exactly like a forward slash \.  Hmmm.  I'm wondering what expression I make that got me that mark?  Smack dab in the middle of my forehead.  My eyes hurt.

proof that we actually did have fun!

While we were in Utah we went to This is the Place Heritage Park.  I don't remember ever having gone there before.  We had a great day there!  I am such a sucker for historical stuff and there were so many fun crafts for the kids to do.  We went with my Aunt Darcy and her girls Maddie and Sophie.  I love them!  

Bentley ended up getting this hat and he wears it around everywhere.  Even sleeping with it sometimes.

What a stud!

The drug store was so pretty! 
Chris and his mini-me.
Of course Bentley was all about the train.

Sophie girl!
I love how happy Chickie looks here.
Sweet kid!  Maddie is an amazing artist!  She even has her own blog.





This cracks me up!  Look at Bentley's expression!  Summer school, ugh!

because I like making lists

Well if I was disappointed by the smooth sailing of our drive to Utah not giving me any good fodder for the blog, the ride home most definitely did not disappoint.  Let me tell it in lists.  For kicks.

 

Funniest Quotes:

"I think you would look good in a straight jacket!" ~My brother in law (as we were leaving Idaho--because it was bad before we even got in the car to leave)

"I'm SO glad I'm not a mom right now!" ~Olivia (you don't want to know)

"Thanks for all the memories!  Good and bad!  It was a great trip!" ~Buffy (she slays me!)

Phrases most often repeated:

"Zeke.   Zeke, Zeke!!!" ~anyone wanting to talk to Zeke.

"Malachi, look out the window!" ~Buffy

"Bentley called me a wienie head!" ~Malachi (He learned the hard way that if you teach a kid a dirty trick he may use it against you)

"Keep your hands to yourself!" ~ Buffy and I equally

Number of times we had to stop at the side of the interstate:

4 ~twice for someone to pee and twice to clean up vomit.

Speaking of vomit:

number of times my kids puked:  5

diarrhea: once....but it should have counted for more.

Number of movies I steadied the mini DVD player on a large stack of pillows so all kids could see:  4 ~slightly painful but SOOO worth it.

injuries:

2~Chickie has a gimpy foot.  She is walking on the side of her left foot.  She sat in the back of the van which was pushed unusually close to the seat in front of it in order to fit all of our things in the back.  She had this condition when we arrived in CO and for I think four days after.  I thought it was from something else until she got it again after our first day of driving home.  

Malachi bit his own finger and made himself cry.  I'm pretty sure it was so he could get a band-aid.

Good things that happened on the drive home:

Buffy singing.

Cotillion by Georgette Heyer ~SO GOOD!  So funny! Go read it.

Things this last bit of the trip was worse than:

labor

nine months of pregnancy

Calling 911 when Chris had a kidney stone and we thought his appendix burst

being stranded after a football game when I was 16 because my dad forgot to pick me up or maybe he was just really, really late.

I'm SO not kidding.

I wanted to die.  

And I almost cried.

Things I left:

vegetable peeler

paring knife

bentley's neenee (blanket)

cd case with all our best kids DVDs  :(

toothbrush

Things I love about being home:

Being with my kids!!! I feel like I didn't get to see them over the past three weeks they were always off with cousins.

The humidity!  Crazy I know.  But this is the first time I was actually over the desert.  

Green!

The sounds the bugs make at night. 

I love that the crazy people around town seem normal because they are crazy in a way I understand. 

Things I did today:

finished reading my book

went shopping

tidied up my itunes library

returned library books

Things I was supposed to do today but did not:

clean out the fridge

mop

do laundry

unpack

I can't wait for:

Chris to get home in a bit!  We saw him for 30 minutes before he had to leave.  He is off in MN dancing!    And he did AMAZINGLY well, again!  They got 2nd place in Rising Star this time!  And 5th in the open pro!  I almost can't believe it!  Except that I saw them and they are amazing!  

If you read this whole thing I'm sure you are thanking me for NOT including pictures.  It would not have been pretty.

In fact if you are still reading this I would like to offer you a sticker for being so good!  Something I tried with the kids.  They shared all they had very willingly for about 15 minutes until it got to hard to keep track of sticker giving, toy opening, and lunch ordering, and that's about when I made the giant pillow tower for the movies.

Can anyone guess what made Olivia say her funny quote at the top?  Because I ended up telling you anyway.

The end. I promise.

P.S.

Whew, this was very therapeutic for me.  I now have closure from the trip.  

Camping is lame. PS is there an app for blogging with my iPhone? I can't figure out how to get to the main text area. I wish I had a shower and book.

road trip!

OK.  It's after midnight right now.  I'm still packing.  My sister-in-law Buffy and I are leaving at 4 a.m. with our 5 kids.  We are going to try and get all the way to CO, watch Chris and Lindsey compete and then on to UT.  We will be gone for 3 weeks!  I'm so excited.

Things are about to get a lot prettier around here I just got a new camera!!!! hallelujah people! I will try to keep you updated.   As there are sure to be some funny stories over the next few weeks.  Wish us luck!

rained out

Today was not the best day. boo. And I took my kids to the pool for a play date with friends.  The minute we got there it started to thunder and lightening.  So we took one little friend with us and headed home.  When we pulled up my neighbor was out running around in the rain with her kids and singing.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE my neighbor?  She has made living here sane for me.  She talks to me like I'm an old friend thank heavens!  Small talk makes me crazy.  She had gone to the pool also and gotten rained out. So her husband manned the hose and we all ran around in it.  It was so great!  Just what I needed.  To feel like a kid again.  Even just for a little while.  

My neighbor's name is Annie.  When I first met her she was outside redoing a chair.  I knew I had to introduce myself.  Then when she told me about her love for yellow and how she thinks it really is a neutral...I knew I would love her.  And she used to be a ballroom dancer.  How random is that.  She's quirky in a lot of the same ways I am.  A million crazy ideas running around in her brain, too.

I tried to take a picture of us but the camera fogged over.  It was super humid out there.  So this time you'll just have to use your imagination.  Just picture lush green everywhere.  Soggy underfoot.  Lots and lots of laughter.  Lightening shmightning!

couch time

I'm not usually a big fan of the ol' bube tube (or is it boob tube?).  But...there are exceptions.  Like the Oscars.  And So You Think You Can Dance.  Holy Awesome.  We got Tivo again just because of you.  And it was SO so worth it!  Isn't it amazing what a strong healthy body can do!  I'm in awe.  What can I say!  

Hello Summer!

We're glad you're here!

language

Olivia:  Mom, where is the pink?

Me:  Pink what?

Olivia:  Pink paper

Me:  I don't know.

Olivia:  Rats!

Bentley:  What does that mean?

Olivia:  It means, Awww, man!

I love observing kids learn what things mean.  This cracked me up!  Maybe you had to be there.

Happy Mother's Day to me!

Look how exhausted I looked!  Being a first time mom sure was a shock to the system!  Now I have these two gorgeous kids and I'm able to be a mom and have some artistic fun on the side.  I never would have believed that was possible 6 years ago.    
Chris took this sweet picture.  He's got a great eye.  I need to teach him to use my camera and then maybe there will be a few more pictures of me around.  I don't have many of my mom from when we were little.  

I have had the best day!  The kids brought me the greatest cards and coupons.  I redeemed the one for breakfast.  Olivia brought me a tray with the potted flower she made for me at school, an empty glass, a bowl with a little cereal and a whole lotta milk.  It was spilled all over the place.  Best breakfast I've ever had!  She had to go back for a spoon, napkin, and drink.  Meanwhile I redeemed my coupon for a foot rub from Bentley.  It was a little painful.  He scratched at my toes, tried to pull them off, and tried twisting my legs!  I was laughing so hard.  Chris was nice enough to finish it off.  They totally pampered me today and I feel very loved and appreciated.  

I'm so grateful for the moms in my life.  I get to see my mom later this week!  I'm so excited.  And I will get to see my grammy in June!  

O W the S go M

Chickie has a new favorite song.  And even though you can't hear her singing it full volume around the house, I'll bet you can still guess what it is.  

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:  He said it was relaxing.  And he's asleep on the couch right now with the stickers still on his face.  It makes me laugh.

Edit:  It's 6 pm and the stickers are still there.  It's a good thing he doesn't expect us to take him seriously.

I.N.D.E.C.I.S.I.V.E.

Andrea Indecisive Larsen.  Yes, it should be my middle name.  It has a nice ring to it, no?  So I have maybe too many Martha Stewarts.  But a few years ago (ok, 8 or 10),  I had the Martha Stewart Wedding issue with the instructions for making paper flowers and I threw it away.  I cannot count the times after that I had wished for that issue.  Dang.  Anyway...we live in a tiny space.  I want to bring Olivia's art stuff from way up in her closet (too high for her to reach) down where she can reach it but someplace not too easily accessed by Bentley.  So that means they must take the place of my Martha's.  And where should they go...in her closet?  In storage?  In the recycle bin?  I love magazines.  But I love blogs more.  So I don't look at magazines as much anymore.  Maybe I should take to them with scissors and only save what I love?  

When we lived on Goddard (as we like to say) we had the perfect built in bookshelves on the second floor landing.  There was beautiful light coming in through the windows.  I would plop down on the cool wood floor and pull out issue after issue.  Heaven.  But that was before or just after Mandee introduced me to the blogging world.  

Change.  Change.  Change.  The one thing I have learned is that there are no perfect options in life.  It's all about measuring the tradeoffs.  Took me a while to figure that out.

So what should I do?  

Choices, choices, choices...

Or a black and white polka dot one.

I can't decide.  But I know I need one because it's been raining for the past 4 days and the forecast says 2 more to come.  I don't mind though.  I like the rain.  And I like any excuse to stay home.  We're organizing stuff today.  And by we I mean me.  

Dear Earth,

I made a pretty grocery bag just for you.  Happy day.

Love,

Andrea

show and tell

I bought a flash from someone on craigslist.  I am SO happy!  I couldn't sleep because of the excitement.  But now, I'm sleeping even better knowing I'm all set to shoot Kate and Henry's wedding this Saturday!  I'm starting to feel like a real photographer with this bad boy atop my camera!  Hooray!

sometimes things just don't work out

First of all take these "Easter Baskets"  for example.  Holy smelly mess!  What a disaster.  I used to make these as a kid.  The sugary string dries, you pop the balloon.  Cut out a circle and wa-la!  Cute basket.  Didn't work so much this time.  Does anyone know how to do these?  


And then poor Bentley and this super cute dolphin swing.  It looked cute.  He wanted in.  But it kinda freaked him out.  

Other than that all is well.   Egg hunting, candy eating.  Super happy kids, and etc.  Although, I am feeling a little homesick today.  For my old town where everything was easy and comfortable.  I knew people they knew me.  etc. etc.  We would go to Chris's mom's house and she would make a lamb cake.  For next year I must order myself a lamb cake mold.  Yes, I must.

Happy Easter everyone!