things with feathers

Popi and the Choo-Choos

2010-06-08T23:26:00.003-04:00

(What? What's this?? A new post from me... amazing.)

Bug's Popi has a basement full of trains and really cool train displays—a 3-year-old's dream grandpa. But Popi had a recent infestation of bugs in his basement, which required poison treatments, so the trains are currently off-limits.

Tonight, Bug and I were talking about Popi’s choo-choos, and he was lamenting this current predicament. Here’s our conversation:

Bug (crestfallen): I want to see Popi’s choo-choos.

Mommy: I know, but why can’t we see them right now?

Bug: Because of all the bugs.

Mommy: Yes, Popi had to spray poison to kill the bugs, and we have to wait until the poison goes away.

Bug (impressed...with mounting enthusiasm): Popi did kill ALL those bugs! He did hit them and kick them. He did say NO! and NO FAIR! to those bugs.

I can just see, in his little mind, Popi whoopin’ up on those bugs like the Karate Kid, giving them the what for with his mean right hook.

I *heart* the mind of a 3-year-old.

A laugh :)

2010-03-11T15:58:00.002-05:00

I bet these dinos had a 3-year-old and a 5-month-old at home. This would sooo be me:

:-)

Tiny Tables I Adore

2010-02-15T11:21:00.015-05:00

We have an incredible shrinking house. I swear, when we moved in, it was MUCH bigger. The cabinets held more things, the drawers were more spacious, the cupboards plenty big enough. But now? Not so much.

So, we have two options: sell and buy a house with double the square footage (haha) or be smarter with our space.

There's a little spot next to our back door, for example, that just struck me as a great place for a tiny table or mini desk to hold some of the things that clutter up our kitchen counters-- invitations, cell phones, outgoing mail. A clutter catcher! We'd have to rig the door with one of those little stopy thingies on the hinge so it wouldn't bash into whatever it is. But I think it's doable. See what you think...

Here's the space:

Here are the options:

Anne Secretary by Ballard Design s
(I'd probably get this in black, since we have a lot of
distressed black in our family and dining room.)

Pottery Barn Charlotte Bedside Table

Ballard Designs Piccola Cabinet

Ballard Designs London Low Console
(This comes in black, too.
And I bet that drawer would be perfect for little Bug shoes!)

So....now to decide! I'm always GREAT at the virtual window shopping, but not so great when it comes to pulling the trigger. Any input you'd like to provide would be greatly appreciated!

Everything I ever wanted.

2010-02-04T17:13:00.009-05:00

The other day, I time traveled. Here's what happened: I was just driving along with Bug and Bean in the backseat of the SUV when all of a sudden, a song came on the radio. You know those songs that have such strong links to the past that they immediately transport you back in time? The songs that remind you of eighth-grade dances, old boyfriends and summers at the beach? Well, this was one of those songs.

It came on the radio and BAM! I was 16 again, driving down the road with the tape blaring from the tape deck of my black Chevrolet Cavalier, windows cranked down, unglued red ceiling upholstery rippling in the breeze.

I can remember this scene clear as day. I remember feeling free, unfettered-- the world was mine for the taking.

I snapped back to the present and glanced in the rear-view mirror at my two children, both of whom had fallen asleep in the backseat. "I'm definitely not unfettered, now," I thought, looking at my sleeping fetters. And that's when I had a rare moment of clarity.

At 16, when the world was mine for the taking, do you want to know what I wanted to take? Everything I now have: loving husband, son, daughter, cozy home, energizing career, car with upholstery intact.

In other words, I have everything I always dreamed of. Which was quite a moment of clarity, considering I tend to keep a constant tally of what I'd like to have but don't (new couch, granite countertops, trip to Italy). Looking in that rear-view mirror, I was honestly overwhelmed with the reality that I am absolutely, unequivocally, without a doubt BLESSED.

And I realized that if, at age 16, I had been able to time travel forward, into that exact moment of time, and seen myself, driving down the road in my big ol' SUV with my two precious fetters, I would have been blown away by how incredible my future was going to be. (Not to mention the complete awe I would have felt at my six-disk CD changer.)

The truth of my life--and I bet it's the same for yours--is that we are WAY more blessed than we generally take time to acknowledge. So, go ahead. Acknowledge it.

first smiles

2009-12-08T15:40:00.005-05:00

Mia celebrated her two-month birthday this week by doing this:

SMILING!!

I know. That's worthy of a big ol' awwwwwww.

Be anxious about nothing

2009-11-23T17:57:00.008-05:00

Swine flu, a crapped-out economy, uncertain legislation, decline of the dollar...Sheesh, a girl can kinda get down these days (in a very non-Soul Train way). Especially a girl who is living in a postpartum, sleep deprived, hormonal haze. (That'd be me.)

So, today I was having a little chat with God about it. In the shower. Which is where God and I have most of our chats. I finally cut to the chase and told God that I am sick of worrying. Sick of fretting about all of the what-ifs and why-me's. Sick of walking around like Charlie Brown, wondering if someone's gonna yank away my football right when I gear up to kick.

And you know what God was kind enough to point out? That worry is a choice, and I can opt out. "Be anxious about NOTHING," He says.

"How?" I say, thinking of swiney germs and my newborn. Thinking of plummeting investments. Thinking of health care legislation that makes my skin crawl.

"Here's how," He says. And then He gives me three ways to do so.

1. "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4) Okay, so I haven't been much into rejoicing these days. And I'm really not sure why because I have a LOT to rejoice over, starting with the aforementioned newborn.

2. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Phil. 4:6) I also have to admit that while I've been working on my Ph.D. in Worry and Stress, I'm barely passing when it comes to asking God for help. And let's not even talk about the "with thanksgiving" part...

3. "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (Phil 4:8) Yes, there are real concerns and devastation and frustration in the world. And it's not like we can go around oblivious to it all. But we can choose to balance our thoughts with all of the admirable and noble things out there, too. So, for every worry I ponder, I'm going to try to think of something grand and lovely, too.

Starting now. I'm off to enjoy a grand and lovely evening with Hunk.

He's not a boy. He's a dog.

2009-11-19T22:29:00.006-05:00

Tonight Bug helped Mommy give our dog Munson a bath. When Munson's normally white, fluffy fur was all wet, Bug gave Munson's tummy a quizzical look.

Bug (bending over and looking at Munson's belly): Oh, look! A poop coming out!

Me: Oh, no, Buddy. That's not a poop. That's Munson's wee-wee.

Bug (sounding delighted): Oh! His ee-wee!

Me: Yes, Munson has a wee-wee because Munson is a boy.

Bug (condescending): No, Mommy, Munson is not a boy. He's a dog.

Guess the birds-and-the-bees chat can wait for a few more years.

Mia's First Modeling Debut

2009-11-11T17:17:00.008-05:00

Thank you, Summer, for these BEAUTIFUL, artful photos!!!

Our Best Issue Yet!!

2009-10-30T17:16:00.005-04:00

The fall issue of LBD/LRW hit mailboxes this week! While I'm not the most objective person on the subject, I think it rocks. Here's a little sneaky peek at our covers:

Read it here.

The cover beauty is Angela Richardson. Who is a mom of two. Who is the wife of Paul Richardson, Pastor of Outreach at West Ridge Church in Dallas. Who proves that you can be a mom of two AND a pastor's wife and still be hot. Nice to know, eh?

Wanna know who does our rockin' design? That'd be Tiffany Westbrook of Gala Design.
And what about our photographic talent? That'd be Summer Adams of Captures by Summer (covers and interior stories) and Jennifer Harris of Photographic Creations by Jennifer Harris (interior stories).

Hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed creating it!

Brotherly Love

2009-10-23T16:48:00.006-04:00

This is Bug love:

just in case Mia wanted to build anything

Tagged

2009-10-22T17:54:00.007-04:00

I've been tagged by a fellow beloved blogger to play this one-word game below. Now, if this was an e-mail forward, I might have deleted it, but some bizarre blogger loyalty is compelling me to play along.

So here are the rules:You Can Only Use One Word! Pass this along to 5 of your favorite bloggers. Alert them that you have given them this award. Have Fun!

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Your hair? up
3. Your mother? Ph.D.!
4. Your father? Popi
5. Your favorite food? chocolate
6. Your dream last night? interrupted
7. Your favorite drink? mojito
8. Your dream/goal? family
9. What room are you in? bedroom
10. Your hobby? reading
11. Your fear? cancer
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
13. Where were you last night? newborn....
14. Something that you aren’t? grudge-holder
15. Muffins? please!!
16. Wish list item? SLR
17. Where did you grow up? Marietta
18. Last thing you did? e-mail
19. What are you wearing? jeans
20. Your TV? GilmoreGirls
21. Your pets? fluffy
22. Friends? awesome
23. Your life? all-i-ever-wanted
24. Your mood? tired
25. Missing someone? my-not-tired-self
26. Vehicle? shrinking
27. Something you’re not wearing? shoes
28. Your favorite store? jcrew
29. Your favorite color? blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? Mia-birth
32. Your best friend? many
33. One place that I go to over and over? fridge
34. One person who emails me regularly? dad
35. Favorite place to eat? Asian

I tag: Blooming in the South, Kessler Kido, The Kitchens Family, Kessler Family, and Crumbs in my Butter. :-)

A Little Girl's Room!

2009-10-22T16:50:00.019-04:00

Here's the story of our nursery transformation, from Bug's blue-and-brown template to little Mia's pink infusion.

BEFORE:
(there's a 12-week-old Bug on the changing table... :-)

AFTER:

BEFORE:AFTER:

In place of the wooden "B's" (for "Bug," of course), I made French message boards by covering cardboard with quilting fabric, ribbons and pearl-head straight pins. Voila! Form and function!

This IKEA pillow-- a gift from Mia and Bug's uncle-- was the inspiration for the theme, which Hunk dubbed as "chirpy."

A chirpy little mural above the crib...

Another chirpy detail...

Her name:

Welcome, Mia!

2009-10-15T12:16:00.004-04:00

Mia was born October 5 at 3:00 a.m. So far, she has mastered sleeping, eating, staring, pooping, peeing, crying, cooing...and stealing her mommy and daddy's hearts.

Big Boy Room

2009-08-29T21:39:00.008-04:00

I have completely fallen off the blogger wagon. This is partly because we're running around like headless chickens getting our house ready for Baby Mia's arrival in six weeks. It's also partly because I'm running around chasing our two-year-old while also preparing for the arrival of Baby Mia. And partly because we've been working on our magazine's fun new Web site (check it out here) and putting out our summer issue (here), while chasing our two-year-old and preparing for the arrival of Baby Mia...all completely headless, mind you.

The irony is that our life is CHOCK FULL of awesome blog material these days! From creating Bug's Big Boy Room to working on decorating the nursery to getting hardwood floors and searching high and low for area rugs--my nesting craziness has been blogger's wonderland. But alas, the life of a pregnant nester leaves little time for recording or reveling in the results. I can't tell you how many blog posts I've written in my head (when it's attached) in the shower only to have them swirl down the drain with the suds.

Here's a little peek at our nest these days. Let's start with the big boy room, shall we?

Here's Hunk with a little helper, putting up the moldings in Bug's room. Bug is obsessed with any power tool that could potentially inflict a mortal wound.

Moldings going up:

And the finished room:

Bug approved!

A Bizarre Baby Dream

2009-08-01T18:48:00.004-04:00

Had a weird dream about baby Mia this week. Put on your Freud goggles and help me analyze this one:

I looked down at my huge stomach (okay, so that's easy to analyze; it is huge in real life), and I realized I could see Mia through my skin. My skin was all stretched out around her, and her little feet and little hands were poking through; I could see them clear as day.

So, I said, "Hunk! Get the camera; this has to be a miracle! I can see her!" (but in my dream I called Hunk by his real name. That would be weird if I called him Hunk in my dreams). And he grabs the camera, but he really just grabs a camera phone, and I'm mad because I know the quality isn't going to be good, and this is-after all-a Guinness Book moment here. But, anyway, he's snapping away, and then I realize I can see her face, too. Her features, her eyes. She is so cute. And I momentarily worry that the flash from his camera phone (not sure why his camera phone had one, but it did) might blind her.

But then I look at her face and she's smiling at me. And then she reaches her little arms out to me. And I sit there and hold her, even though she is still under my skin. I know, that sounds so gross, but in my dream it was just really sweet.

Okay, so that's it. I'm going to sit up from the couch now and leave you to interpret that one.

Saggy Boobs

2009-07-21T21:12:00.005-04:00

I love children. I love having children. I love raising children.

But I do not love what having and raising children does to the ol' girlish figure.

And so I appreciated this joke (which, appropriately, was sent to me by a pregnant girlfriend today):

One saggy boob said to the other saggy boob,
'If we don't get some support soon, people will think we're nuts.'

(I know it's crude, but I also know you laughed.)

A name!

2009-07-20T10:58:00.010-04:00

We have been literally burning the midnight oil these days. The summer issue of Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon Magazine hits mailboxes this week! In addition, we're launching a brand new, awesome website in a few days. And, I'm in full-blown nesting mode (translation: every unorganized place in my house fills me with rage). I'll post pics of all of our house projects soon (our downstairs now has hardwood floors, and Bug’s big boy room now has moldings! Just needs paint…oh yeah, and a bed).

In the midst of all of this, a portion (okay, the majority) of my brain has been trying to process the idea that soon I'll be Mommy to kids. Did you catch that? There's an "s" on the end of that word. KidS.

I would be lying if I didn't say I am sooo excited about the upcoming arrival of our little girl in October. But I'd also be lying if I didn't say it scares the poop out of me. (Well, at least my potty language is in prime condition. Major mommy-is-funny points from our potty-training toddler for using the word poop in any context whatsoever).

While my brain is still processing the idea of two, my heart is really falling in love with this little girl. And, speaking of which, we have decided officially on a name. Mia Elizabeth.

For you etymologists out there, Mia means "mine" in Italian, and Elizabeth means "dedicated to God" in Hebrew. So, her name means that she's mine, but she's really God's. Which feels exactly right.

Nest image by mosswood.

Carbilicious

2009-06-26T22:49:00.004-04:00

Oh my goodness, am I ever glad to have passed my three-hour gestational diabetes test. After having GD with Bug, I became painfully aware of what limiting sugar does to me. It's not pretty. If I have one addiction in life, it's chocolate, and although I know this doesn't compare to, say, detoxing from meth, my chocolate withdrawals can be pretty intense.

If I had been diagnosed with GD this go-round, I would have had to take drastic measures. Like buying stock in Breyer's Carb Smart ice cream. And removing Bakerella from the sidebar of my blog.

So I was extremely relieved to get the all-clear today! When the nurse said, "You passed!" all I heard was, "Go get yo'self a big ol' Hershey Bar." And so I did.

I'm off to eat popcorn. Or maybe ice cream. Or maybe both.

It's Official: She has a Name!!!

2009-06-18T08:45:00.002-04:00

Baby 2 officially has a name. Well, according to Bug, anyway. He has dubbed his little sister "Tubby" and "Ah Mee" from the main characters in his current favorite book, Tubby and the Lantern. He tells anyone who asks that she is "Tubby" or "Ah Mee," depending on the day (or his mood).

She's not even born, yet, and her big brother is already giving her a hard time.

:-)

A Daddy's Heart

2009-06-04T18:46:00.006-04:00

Hunk loves Bug. He loves being Daddy to our wild little boy, and watching them wrestle and tackle on the family room floor is one of the highlights of my day. But you should have seen his face as he stood by me in the ultrasound room and found out Baby 2 is a girl.

He is already completely and totally in love with her, as documented by this letter he wrote her (which he was nice enough to let me post, with the caveat: "My heart on my sleeve--take care of it.") Hope you enjoy glimpsing his Daddy heart as much as I do.

5/27/09

Little Girl,

Yesterday, I saw you for the first time. As the ultrasound tech diligently scanned your mother’s abdomen, carefully documenting your miraculous and perfect development, she shared the news of your gender with us, and we celebrated your identity—a girl! And I must confess, I was instantly and totally smitten with you. Your mom and I shared tears of joy as the ultrasound monitor displayed the four chambers of your tiny heart, your arms outstretched, your tiny hands balled into fists, your adorably crossed ankles (taking after your mom), and your beautiful smile (you turned to look right at the camera)! Our hearts were overjoyed, and we thanked God for you.

Mostly, you rested during the appointment (except we poked and prodded you a bit to get a better look around). You were quiet, save for the wondrous sound of your heart beating—so strong, so full of life, intention, and spirit. And when I least expected it, something happened. Although you could not talk, you…spoke to me. In sacred silence, I heard your voice. As I looked into your eyes, your voice spoke deep into my heart with a simple question, “Do you see me, Daddy?” Immediately, my heart lept, and I answered back softly, “Yes my darling, I see you. You are beautiful, you are perfect. You are a blessing, and you have mine already. You are my beloved daughter… you are my girl."

Don’t tell mommy—I’ve fallen for a younger woman.

Already Wrapped Around,
Daddy

Help! Tick Invasion 2009

2009-05-30T09:27:00.007-04:00

The woods behind our house are TICK CITY this year. Seriously, they should put up a sign with blinking lights and apply for a liquor license. They are EVERYWHERE. In all the years we have lived here (seven to be exact), I have seen ONE tick—on our dog Munson—several years ago. This year, we have picked SEVEN off him in the last TWO weeks. Just picked another one off him yesterday. AND, we use Frontline Plus on poor Muns religiously, which is supposed to help with that sort of thing. What gives?

Looking for answers, I googled "ticks" and discovered that there are two types that could be invading our woods. Brown dog ticks and "paralysis ticks." Now that doesn't sound good. Bad news: these ticks we're finding ain't brown.

Oh, and I got a lovely chigger already this year, too. Nice.

If anyone has ANY ideas for limiting ticks on your property, PLEASE SHARE! I'd love to turn Tick City into a ghost town. SOON.

It's a....

2009-05-27T21:38:00.006-04:00

GIRL!

We found out this week that Baby 2 is a girl! We are so incredibly happy and feel doubly blessed to have a delightful little Bug and now a pink little Bean.

I'm a happy mama. :-)

Where I am today...

2009-05-22T20:24:00.006-04:00

In Colorado with my siblings and mom today! Here's my day in photos:

You Know You're Pregnant When....

2009-05-17T21:22:00.005-04:00

Okay, so I was sitting here on the couch, minding my own business when suddenly it hit. You know: the random, unavoidable, highly irrational, completely inconvenient, second-trimester craving. I just ate dinner like two seconds ago, and already my brain has been completely hijacked by my stomach (or is it the other way around??), and I can think of nothing but Nabisco Harvest Crisps 5-Grain crackers.

What are Harvest Crisps? Well, until about five minutes ago, I couldn't have told you. They are a cracker that, also until five minutes ago, I wasn't even sure still existed. I probably haven't eaten them in over two years. Maybe three. But suddenly a vision of their little hexagonal goodness popped into my mind, and there you have it.

Luckily for Hunk, I am not one of those pampered, self-indulgent pregnant women who forces her spouse on midnight runs to Wendy's to satisfy a fry craving. Or to Brewster's for chocolate-chip ice cream. Or to Publix for Harvest Crisps. No, luckily for Hunk, I just ran to the pantry and downed the remaining contents of a box of Carr Whole Wheat Crackers instead.

I totally had to put up with the fact that they're round. But I think, shape aside, my stomach (or is it brain?) is fairly appeased.

For now.

Happy Hubby, Ugly Walls

2009-05-14T12:05:00.005-04:00

Hunk talked me into getting the family room wired for surround sound and (gasp) the TV mounted above the fireplace- something I swore I’d never do. He convinced me by pointing out that we could then move the TV armoire to Bug’s soon-to-be Big Boy Room for toy/book storage and move the couches around to make room for a couple new chairs and, hence, more seating for guests. So, he got me on three fronts: nesting, shopping and hospitality. I totally got played. Now our TV is above the fireplace, three unsightly speakers are adorning my mantle, and the walls are completely butchered with rough drywall. Oh, well. It’ll look good in a few weeks when all the pieces fall into place… And in the meantime, I’ve got a happy hubby: worth its weight in A/V wires.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom

2009-05-09T16:39:00.005-04:00

For teaching me to ride a bike. For teaching me to cook. For teaching me to use my creativity when I was bored. For teaching me I could aim high and reach it. For teaching me that a mom can be an awesome mother and still be successful at something other than being an awesome mother. For charging us 25 cents when we were mean to each other. For paying us to do chores. For coming to my room in the middle of the night when I was scared. For coming to all of our school ceremonies and recitals. For coming to our classrooms dressed up like a witch and teaching us how to make bread sticks called witch's fingers. For taking us on vacations. For taking us on summer picnics at the river. For taking us to state parks. For taking us to the pool. For letting us pick our own friends. For letting us pick our own colleges. For letting us pick out our own clothes and never commenting that my purple and yellow shirt didn't really match my pink sweatshirt. For letting us get whatever pets we wanted, even if the cats ate the pet mice, the gerbils had 87 babies in 6 weeks, the cats ate the pet chicken, the hermit crab died and stunk, the fish spent more time swimming in the toilet than in their bowl, the cat ate the gerbils, the hamster wheel squeaked all night, and the parakeet went through more newspaper in a week than a recycling center. For insisting on blinking, colored Christmas lights on the tree. For insisting on early curfews. For insisting on always knowing where we were and when we'd be home. For making us homemade cakes. For making us homemade Halloween costumes. For making us whatever meals we wanted on our birthdays. For making us real hot chocolate on snow days. For making 300 gingerbread men every Christmas and inviting every child we'd ever met to come to our house and decorate one. For making our house a creative, secure, loving place to grow up.

Thanks, Mom.

First Question

2009-05-05T21:50:00.008-04:00

Bug asked his first real question today. His first, honest-to-goodness inquisitive question. Now, I know that within a few months, he'll probably be a font of inquisition so constant I'll feel like I'm on trial in The Crucible, but today was a first and thus worthy of an atta-boy.

In Sandra Boynton's book Doggies, there's a picture where the dogs howl at the moon. The other day while reading this book to Bug, I explained that some dogs howl when they see the moon. Tonight, he was looking at a set of alphabet cards before bed, and he pointed to a picture of the moon and said, "The moon is outside. In my other book, the dog book, the doggies howl at the moon." (Okay, he actually said, "Moo's ow-eye. In oh buk, doggie buk, doggie ow ah moo."-- but I took the liberty of interpreting).

And then he looked at me with this inquisitive face and asked, "Does Munson howl at the moon?" (Munson is our dog, whom Bug actually calls Mai, so his question was really, "Mai ow ah moo?") I know what you're thinking: I've got a freakin' genius on my hands. Oh, sorry- that's what I was thinking.

:-)

Potty Party

2009-05-03T20:37:00.021-04:00

We had an extraordinarily busy week with the second issue of our little mag hitting mailboxes. My inbox has been flooded with encouraging e-mails-- most of which are from people I have never even had the pleasure of meeting! How nice! And the response to our two giveaways has been overwhelmingly positive so far. Yea! Two lucky ladies are sure going to be in for a treat. :-)

So, after our busy week, Hunk and I decided that a nice quiet Sunday was in order. Unfortunately, Bug did not receive the memo on this one, as evidenced by how he greeted us when we went to get him out of his crib. He was sitting there with his footy pjs half off, his diaper completely off, and two fists full of the contents of his diaper. (Let's just say it wasn't pee.)

"That's it!" said I. "We're doing it! Today! It's time for the big boy potty."

Hunk looked at me incredulously for a fleeting moment, made some comment like, "Shouldn't we read a book about this, first?" and then, thinking better of arguing with a woman scrubbing poop from the spindles of a crib, obligingly trekked to the garage to retrieve the training potty I purchased a couple weeks ago (but had been procrastinating about bringing inside the house).

We announced to Bug that we were going to have a Potty Party. He was all ears. First, we put together the potty. Then, he got to pick out which pair of big boy pants he wanted to wear (it was a close call between Thomas the Train and a green brontosaurus, but Thomas won out). Then we broke out the apple juice (a rare occurrence in these parts).

Bug drank to his heart's content, promptly peed all over Thomas, plunked down on his potty, announced he didn't have to pee pee, got off his potty, put on brontosaurus, climbed on the couch, and promptly peed all over brontosaurus (and the couch).

So we abandoned the big boy pants in favor of going buff. Which worked! After one more accident, Bug caught on to the goal and began fervently broadcasting (about every 15 minutes), "B make pee pee!" He would then run to his potty and make good on his proclamation, to the jubilant glee of Mom and Dad, who showered him with kisses, praise and M&Ms.

By the end of the day, Bug only had one more accident (in his high chair during dinner--that was fun to clean up), but about 10 more successful trips to the potty! We're so proud of him!

And to celebrate his success and cap off our Potty Party, we had cake. Which Hunk declared to be more for the parents than for the kids. Let's just say we all needed a little sugar buzz after today.

Amendment, posted on Day Two:
Only one accident today (in the high chair, again-- but it was Mom's fault. I had the dog in the utility sink in the laundry room, washing off his muddy paws, and didn't hear Bug asking to get out of his high chair to go pee pee...until it was too late). And- no pee pee on Thomas, today. Go, Bug, go.

Cute Little Fishie

2009-05-01T16:53:00.008-04:00

In our magazine’s current issue, we landed a very big client: The Georgia Aquarium. They're offering a special discount to Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon readers.... Just click on the cutie beluga whale below to save!

We're going for Mother's Day!

Spring Issue is Here!!!!

2009-04-24T22:20:00.010-04:00

Check it out, check it out! The spring issue of Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon Magazine is OUT!

Once again, I have to give credit where credit is due. Our designer Tiffany Westbrook and our photographers Summer Adams and Jennifer Harris did an AMAZING job.

Tiffany: Your talent amazes me. You always knock it out of the park. Way out.

Summer: The covers are BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! I love them, love them, love them. I can't thank you enough for the beautiful job you did capturing Kristin and Madelyn. (And I really like how you captured the wooden giraffe on the Unique Gift Guide, too. He looks so... noble. :-)

Jennifer: Awesome job!!!! I can't decide which of your pages is my favorite! I think either the fashion layout or the Femme Phenom feature. The lighting in your studio shots is amazing. LOVE them all!

And, without further adieu.... here it is!! (click to read it!)

Take a Style Quiz!

2009-04-23T16:01:00.012-04:00

I am a schizophrenic when it comes to furniture styles. When I walk into a shabby chic room, I suddenly love all things Rachel Ashwell. But then I'll go stay at an inn in Charleston, and I'll covet anything refined and antique. And then I walk into my family room-- where I'm apparently a huge fan of Fisher Price. (We call it the Great Bug Invasion of '07). It seems I know what I like when I see it, but until I see it, I have no idea what I like! See, schizophrenic.

Which is a problem given that I'm planning a little redo of my family room furniture this year (I hope, I hope). I am having the hardest time nailing down a style to direct my choices!

So, I found this little online quiz from Sproost to be very helpful. (Wendy at the Shabby Nest clued me in about it.) It helped me categorize my craziness into three distinct styles:

I'm 36% French Eclectic:

36% Classic:

and 28% Wine Country:

I guess that makes me a classic French drunk. teehee.

But Sproost neglected one very important design consideration.

I am, after all, 100% Bug:
:-)

Chasing Blessings

2009-04-21T15:02:00.007-04:00

It is a beautiful (understatement) spring day here. Sunny, breezy, warm weather. Azaleas, dogwoods and daisies in profusion. lovely.

Bug and I spent the morning on a long walk with a friend and then stayed outside playing until lunchtime. (Bug is all about the tricycle these days.) On a day like today, it's hard not to feel blessed. Life's true pleasures are simple but rich, aren't they?

Yes, today I feel blessed. Of course, we really are always blessed, but sometimes my feelings don't align with this truth. Sometimes, I find myself striving, wishing, waiting for the next milestone (Baby 2), promotion (go, Hunk, go), purchase (new couch, pleeeease?), vacation (Colorado in a month!).... But the constant longing for future blessings causes me to miss out on the blessings of NOW. And NOW is where life really is, you know?

Reminds me of a Joyce Meyer devotional Hunk has had taped on the bathroom mirror for years:

"Instead of chasing after blessings, we need to chase after God. If we chase God, He will chase us with blessings.... If we want blessings, we must get our mind off of them. God knows what we want and what we need."

So, today, I am not chasing blessings. I am just committing to chase the present moment. And to chase a little Bug on his tricycle.

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the (wo)man whom You choose and cause to come near. Psalm 65:4

Fun Spring Things

2009-04-20T21:18:00.014-04:00

Dontcha just love spring? Here are some of my favorite spring things.

First, some fun little things for the kitchen table...

A little birdie nest....
And a little birdie for the nest.

A pretty little terrarium...

Easter egg hunts...

And chocolate bunnies!!! (or chokut bubbies, says the Bug)
Long live spring!!!

Spring Issue Hits the Presses (including GIVEAWAYS)!

2009-04-16T15:38:00.011-04:00

We're so excited! The spring issue of Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon Magazine hit the presses today and will be in mailboxes next week! While I've been sworn to strict secrecy regarding the contents, here's a fun little preview:

Here is our lovely cover model, Kristin Owens, with darling daughter Madelyn:

photograph by Summer Adams

We're also featuring two fabulous giveaways for Georgia gals.

1. Win a SPA DAY at the gorgeous Medalyn Salon and Medspa in Kennesaw, including an Aveda Calming Soothing Facial and a haircut and design with a master artist. What girl doesn't need a little FREE pampering?

To enter: Click here.

2. Win a makeover with celebrity makeup artist Lisa Revellese Mirante. I first met Lisa at an ice cream shop near my house. We struck up a conversation about the magazine, and she casually mentioned being a makeup artist from New York who recently moved to the area. Thinking this may provide a fun partnership with the magazine, we exchanged contact information. Well, I went home and Googled her. Ladies, she's the REAL DEAL. She's worked with more celebrities than I can list, including the Country Music Awards, the Grammys and the Obamas. So, I called her to see if she'd like to be the magazine's beauty contributor, and while we're chatting, another call comes through on her end. "Excuse me, Elizabeth," she says, "Denise Austin is on the other line. Could I call you right back?" Apparently, Lisa had done Denise's makeup for a television appearance the day before, and Denise's husband loved the look so much, she called Lisa to find out exactly what products she had used. Now, wouldn't you like Lisa to do your makeup?

To enter: click here. The winner will receive a free makeup lesson and application with Lisa PLUS a free haircut, style and color with Sandra Schell from Panosh Salon. A FULL-ON makeover! How fun is that??!!!

Stay tuned for more on the spring issue.... I'll post the link to the digital version next week!

furniture purgatory

2009-04-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

Eight years ago, I loved my family room. Hunk and I were newly married. Our love was new and so was our furniture. While time makes love deeper and stronger, it makes Rooms To Glue couches weaker and creakier. Add an overgrown Westie and a toddler with a penchant for peanut butter to the mix, and it's safe to say we need new stuff.

That is--as soon as we finish Bug's big boy room, redo the nursery, fund the birth of Baby 2 and pay off our SUV (we're doing the best we can, Dave Ramsey). So, barring a lucky lottery ticket, family room plans have been relegated to the b-a-c-k burner.

If I can't buy new stuff, I can at least do a little window--er, Web--shopping to collect some wish list possibilities. These things make me happy.

This couch is from American Signature Furniture.

Hate the accent pillows but love the nailhead trim, the beige peanut-butter-camouflaging fabric and the price ($800--which is about $400 cheaper than my taste usually runs ;-).

This chair is so sweet.

It's pretty, but not stuffy. Looks comfy. And the neat little table next to it is a nice balance. I don't love the chair with the couch, though.... :-(

Pottery Barn strikes again. Sweet little casters, nice ruffle trim. Don't like the fabric with our decor, but it comes in lots of options.

...But! Hunk hates it. So it might be relegated to Blog world forever. What a sad fate.

This bombe chest is from Pottery Barn, too... and unfortunately costs almost as much as the couch. But isn't it lovely?

And this is the one piece of furniture in our family room that I still like. (Ours isn't this shiny in real life. :-) I know it's huge, but it's the most comfortable chair in the universe and worth every square inch. And, since it's Hunk's happy place, maybe it can be a bartering tool to get that ottoman back on the list.

Okay, I feel better, now. These items are safe and sound on my blog: their furniture purgatory.

Vintage Easter Decor

2009-04-10T21:21:00.014-04:00

My grandma was a ceramic artist. At least, I guess that's what you'd call her. We just always said she "made dolls"-- even though, as you'll see, she made much more than that. Every summer, we'd visit her in West Virginia and spend hours in her basement, making trinkets out of ceramic and porcelain and firing them in her kilns. It was grand fun.

My grandma passed away when I was a senior in college, but every holiday she is memorialized in my house through our holiday decor. Like these little treasures here...

Surprise! It's not a dozen eggs!

Look at this little cutie.

And this little bunny is my favorite ~

She also made me and my three siblings personalized bunny mugs. (We have Santa ones, too. :-)

These treasures from Grandma make me happy each Easter when they come out of the box: little pieces of my childhood that have been reborn in my own family's traditions.

Happy Easter, everyone!

"God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”-Romans 5:6-8

News Flash

2009-04-08T08:34:00.013-04:00

Bug spelled out a message with his blocks, below....

That's right! He's going to be a big brother (on or around October 16).
We are very excited!!!

THANK you, once again, SUMMER, for capturing this shot for us! This was all her idea (the photo shoot...not the baby).

Spring Pictures!

2009-04-06T15:13:00.009-04:00

Summer Adams, one of the awesome photographers for our magazine, called this weekend, asking if Bug, Hunk and I wanted to be her "test subjects" for a new location (the Marietta Educational Garden Center) that she wants to start using with clients. Eager guinea pigs, please raise your hands? Us! Us! Us!

We had so much fun with Summer (it's hard not to), and I really love the pictures she took. She totally captured Bug.

Summer, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
We will treasure these pictures always.

To admire more of Summer's artistry, go here. :-)

an inexpensive little decorating project

2009-04-03T17:31:00.009-04:00

Sometimes I get an urge to add something new to my home, but I don't want to add something new to my budget. So that's when a girl's gotta get crafty with what she's already got.

A few years ago, I made these pillows for my bed. The shams are made from a distressed, linen/cotton toile that was so lovely I saved every scrap. And good thing. Because in my recent urge to get crafty, I pulled out the scraps and made these:

I took two dated floral prints that used to hang in our guest room and removed their contents. Then, I simply wrapped the cardboard backing with a bit of the toile fabric and taped it in place.

One of my favorite verses has always been 1 Corinthians 13:13 ~ "...and now these three abide: faith, hope and love, but the greatest of the these is love." So, I printed out the words "love abides" on khaki linen-textured cardstock, attached it to the fabric with double-sided scrapbook tape, and voila! A meaningful little message for the top of the barrister's bookcases in my bedroom. And all for not a penny.

The font, by the way, is Bleeding Cowboy. (I know, so dramatic). I downloaded it for FREE from Scapvillage, the site that has the BEST FONTS EVER.

Got any inexpensive decorating tricks up your sleeve these days?? If so, please share!

Cha-ching!

2009-04-02T15:17:00.008-04:00

Adorable surfer dude outfit for Bug... $4.

Polo plaid preppiness...$6.

Cabana boy cuteness...$5.
Scoring 11 pairs of shorts, 18 shirts and 2 pairs of shoes from the likes of Polo, Guess and Baby Gap so Bug can represent at all his play dates, and Mama can bask in the glory of consignment sale bliss....
Priceless.

Changed for Good

2009-03-25T13:12:00.007-04:00

My friend Laurie lost her grandmother, Lila Parker, to lymphoma the month before Laurie's daughter Katie was born in 2007.Laurie with her "No-No."

This year, Laurie is fighting back by serving as a Relay For Life team captain. (All Relay For Life monies support the American Cancer Society's research and patient programs). To raise support, Laurie's team is making these inspiring (and super cute!) bracelets. They feature inspirational words (Hope, Inspire, Friends, or Family) in Relay's signature color: purple.

If this is a cause that speaks to you, you can visit Laurie's Relay page and click on "Donate" to make a donation. Then you can e-mail her directly (laurie_entrekin@hotmail.com) with your bracelet order and address. (The bracelets are $8, including shipping, and all proceeds go to Relay For Life.)

Or click here to join Laurie's Relay team: Changed for Good. Cobb County Relay For Life is being held at Miller Park in Marietta on May 8-9.

Just wanted to share Laurie's story and this opportunity. It's good for all of us to get outside of our little orbits once in a while and be a part of something bigger than ourselves. :-)

Sweet Somethings

2009-03-21T08:46:00.010-04:00

photo of "cupcake pops" from Bakerella

After my recent pupcakes adventure, my sister hooked me up with the most awesome sweet-treats blog ever: Bakerella. After reading through the creative cooking posts and browsing the delicious photos, I want to go inhale a ton of something cakey and gooey.

Which makes me think it's only fair to issue a little warning...

WARNING: Bakerella will cause intense, unignorable cravings for chocolate cake, frosting, and sprinkles and an unexplainable desire to craft high-calorie miniature bits of edible cuteness.

You can satisfy your craving with the recipe for the cupcake pops, above, courtesy of the Martha Stewart show (which featured Bakerella queen, Angie Dudley, last April).

And look at her adorable little Hello Kitty cake bites! And you guys thought my pupcakes were cute.... I ain't got nothin' on these. Nothin'.

Pupcakes

2009-03-11T21:21:00.027-04:00

Since Bug loves our very patient Westie, Munson, we decided to honor their sweet little relationship in Bug's second birthday theme.

The party was at Gymboree, where Bug could be his buggiest.
The invitation (sans dogs) came from a wedding kit (go figure) I found at Michael's that included the cute little striped sleeve that moves up and down. I added the puppies with help from my crafty neighbor Sandy.

The food was great fun to make: just think like a little doggy!

We had dogwiches, dig-up-the-yard pudding cups, puppy chow, fruit (for vegetarian doggies, of course)... and...PUPCAKES (in honor of Munson). Got the idea from this YouTube video.

After partying hard, Bug was plum worn out. Dog tired, you might say.

true story

2009-03-06T21:33:00.012-05:00

I see you. You who think you are invisible. You who did not want to follow your father to a strange new world so far from the hiss of tortillas in the iron skillet. You who walk to school trailing a tangled kite string of too many brothers: Jose, Luca, Esdras, Rogelio. You who slink into my classroom every morning and sit, gray and still, like a chameleon hiding against the cinder block wall. But I see you.

You resent this harsh new language that sounds to your ears like clinking marbles in a rusty metal pan. You tighten your jaw when I speak to you and reluctantly get out pencil and paper. You never turn in homework or finish an assignment, and you ask in your new tongue (now the marbles are rolling around in your mouth) what age in America allows you to quit school. You begin to count down two years.

Months fade, one season melts into the next. You despise the cold of winter but love your hoody sweatshirt, a personal retreat of fleece where two worlds colliding can't reach you.

You stare out the window as your classmates diagram sentences. You pick your nails as those around you read Voigt's Homecoming. World history is an oxymoron; this is not the history of your world, the one that is fading from you too fast, like your warm breath on the frosted window as you turn away. Because you are sharp, though, you begin to learn. Syllables crack open to reveal the flesh of meaning. But still, your hard shell remains.

And then it is spring. I stand before the class and write poetry on the board. I ask for a definition. "Boring," "babyish," and "boot-legged" echo back to me from groaning students, a few of whom you're suddenly beginning to like.

But as we read Angelou and cummings, Pablo Neruda and Langston Hughes, something in you zings like heat lightening. Poetry gives you a chance to experiment with this new language, to roll the marbles around in a velvet-lined box, if you want. You put pen to paper and a poet is born. Your colliding worlds cease their banging and begin to intertwine like fingers folded in prayer. Words, old and new, flow from you. As a final chunk of stubborn ice slides down the classroom's window, something in you--the part that has been silent and silenced for too long--finds its voice.

One day you bring me a stack of poems you have written. You apologize that they do not rhyme but explain that you like them better when they don't. So do I. I read and try to mask my unbelief at the beauty of your words, the shiver up my spine at the depth of your thoughts.

At my suggestion, you sit on a stool at the front of the class and read your poems. The chameleon takes center stage. The hoody sweatshirt is replaced by a jaunty black beret (a beret!), the sullen eyes replaced by soulful ones. You read and your classmates are not as good at hiding their shock. They gape and exchange glances. And then they begin to applaud. Their applause mirrors your voice: hesitant at first, then growing stronger. You duck your head, but not before I see the grin cracking your shell in two.

Mario, welcome home.

And welcome to what you would later call a milestone moment in your life, and what has surely become one in mine. One that guided me as a teacher for almost a decade. Every year, as I wrote poetry on the board, I would look around at my small sea of groaners and wonder: which of these chameleons has a poet lurking inside? At least one always did.

A Familiar Face

2009-03-02T22:00:00.005-05:00

Bug is now officially two! For his birthday, he received many great cards, gifts and generosities in the mail, which were all met with much delight. In one of his cards, he found someone QUITE familiar on his five dollar bill. Watch and see...

Kitchen Inspiration

2009-03-01T20:44:00.002-05:00

Hunk and I have been talking about economical little ways that we can improve our kitchen (which would make Mama very happy) while not causing too much strain on the ol' budget. Keeping in mind that we will inevitably outgrow our home within a few years and (if the economy is behaving itself by then) move, we don't want to do anything too...radical. But I'm in the mood for a little sprucing up in the meantime.

So, I took to blogworld for some much-needed inspiration. And I got it: beadboard! Check out the beautiful little beadboard backsplash in Heather Bullard's kitchen. (Her entire site is peppered with inspiration landmines. Watch where you step or you may find yourself blown to DIY land for a year's worth of weekends!)

Here are some more photos for my inspiration files:So pretty, right? And since installation would really only require a can of paint, some caulk, and a nail gun, Hunk approves!

Ka-Boom! Pow! (and other heroic lingo)

2009-02-24T07:00:00.002-05:00

Man oh man, did I ever want to be Wonder Woman when I was little. What girl in the 80s didn't want to take down bad guys in smokin' red boots, gold cuffs and a tiara? Lynda Carter made it seem so...twirly. Not to mention the killer vocabulary inherent in comic book hero-ness. Whamm! Zing! Ka-Pow! Life just sounds more exciting in onomatopoeia, doesn't it?

Well, if you can relate at all to my comic book identity envy, I have a site for you. You can customize your own superhero here! I know, I know, Lynda had it better: one twirl and she was transformed. But, with just a few clicks, you too can become heroic!

Check me out:

Thanks Jenni at One Thing for helping me fulfill my childhood dream.

Buzz! Whiz! Bang! Reality check: my two-year-old is reminding me that life, indeed, is NOT more exciting in onomatopoeia. (i'm off to become baroness von dual-chambered vacuum)

Hey, if you create your own hero, tell me! I wanna come see... !!

Another Backward Glimpse

2009-02-22T15:40:00.028-05:00

After posting about my great grandma's recipe book discovery on Friday, I found another little treasure inside one of my old books! A small red volume called The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come fell open (actually, to be more accurate, Bug flung it open... have I mentioned that he's turning two this month? He's practicing.)

Well, inside the book was a darling card:

On the back it says:

Pray think of me when flowers you view.
Their beauties all expressed in you.

Being a sucker for anything nostalgic or romantic, I like to imagine that this little memento was given to the book's owner by her dearest friend, as a token of her devotion. I love it. It's so... Anne and Diana!

A Sweet Treasure

2009-02-20T11:02:00.020-05:00

We have collections of old books all over our house: on the mantle, our nightstands, even in our powder room! Hunk's grandfather's calculus book, my mom's Uncle Wiggly series from her childhood, an old family Bible, my grandparent's Reader's Digest volumes....and many more I've picked up at antique stores through the years.

One especially raggedy volume that sits beneath a picture frame on the back of the piano caught my eye the other day. Its spine has deteriorated beyond recognition, and I suddenly realized I had no idea what its contents contained. I opened it and was thrilled to discover a treasure: my great grandmother's hand-copied recipe book!

Here it is:

In its pages are recipes for many interesting little items, like Crisco Salmon Treats (I should make those for the next shower I host. ha!). I also now possess recipes for homemade catsup and four different types of pickles.

Also tucked within its pages are clippings from old magazines and newspapers, which offer such an intriguing glimpse back in time. Check it out:

Tuna squares, anyone? ...Anyone?

Love her 'do.
(And is it just me, or are several elements of this ad...suggestive??)

These next two pics were featured in an article on "modern kitchens." Check out that lovely light fixture! Actually, I think I saw that at IKEA a few weeks ago....

Since Bug LOVES to cook ("gook! gook!"), we decided to try my great grandma's recipe for "Sunshine Cake." Although I overcooked it a bit (couldn't quite figure out what "bake in a moderate oven for 30's-40's" meant), it was pretty good! Kind of like a pound cake.

Bug approves of the batter...

...and the cake!!

The Cutest Shoes on Earth

2009-02-16T20:15:00.018-05:00

Bug is tough on shoes. His current go-to little suede pair has been rubbed to a patent-leather polish on the toes. Time for a new pair.

But, see, here's my dilemma. Our household's current economic stimulus plan (no bail-out included) does not accommodate for new shoes for... me. Which is quite a sad story, given all the super cute spring styles out there right now (more on that here).

Yeesh, I'm cringing at how selfish that sounds, but I'm just having a little honest maternal moment and admitting that I sometimes find it difficult to shell out major bucks for a teensy speck of a cow (a mere bovine iota, really) that Bug will inevitably outgrow in the next six weeks.

But, the cuteness factor of baby shoes does help to compensate for the fact that my oblivious tot has more fashion sense, literally, in his pinky toe than in his mother's entire wardrobe these days.

Check out the edibleness of these little pairs...This little red suede number is "Avery" by See Kai Run (my favorite little boy brand). And for just $32 on www.tinysoles.com, they're a comparative STEAL.
Oh, Bug would flip if he saw these. Let's just say that he loves dump trucks almost as much as vacuum cleaners. Which is a lot.
Robeez Tredz "Trucks," $34.95 @ tinysoles.
Two words for you: PENNY LOAFER.
Pediped, $31 on tinysoles.
And there is something incomparably cute about a tousled toddler boy in Polo.
$53.10 at Zappos.

Reviewing these top picks, I'm suddenly feeling a strong, STRONG urge to call one of Bug's grandmothers.

Now that's an economic stimulus plan that I can live with. ;-)

Deep Thoughts... on Wallpaper

2009-02-15T15:23:00.019-05:00

I have NO wallpaper in my house. It's all paint, paint, paint.

But most of my favorite spots in the world (the historic home in Roswell where we held our wedding reception, the bed-and-breakfast where Hunk took me for our first anniversary, my friend's sunny yellow kitchen) are all wallpapered. Coincidence? I think not.

We are getting ready to transform our guest room into a Big Boy Room for Bug, complete with a walk-in-closet-converted-to-play-space, and I'm toying with the idea of wallpapering the play space.

I've been seeking a little cyber-inspiration, and here's what I've got so far. Not all are kid's rooms, obviously, but all serve to satiate a little of my wallpaper curiosity.

I like this living room. The wallpaper print looks formal to me, but paired with the casual furnishings, it looks put-together and timeless. And I like how it's papered just above the chair rail, too.

Too bad my living room is two-story. I don't think Hunk would ever forgive me. It would be worse, even, than when I eat his leftovers without permission. teehee.

Now check out this nifty little idea. Just a stripe, please! A little radical for me...but I appreciate the originality! (and I really like that funky yellow chaise thingy)

Now we're getting somewhere!

(Of course, leave it up to Martha to come through for me. She and I have a long-term love/hate thing going on....)

I love how just the closet is wallpapered. It's inviting and fresh... and close to what I want to do in Bug's room (but not so floral-y or Martha-y).

And, for the finale photo: look at this cutie-pie kid's paper! Can't you just picture it lining the walls of Bug's Big Boy closet?!

Now I just have to convince Hunk of my idea (and stay away from his leftovers... for awhile.)

A Little Spring in Your Step

2009-02-13T13:05:00.001-05:00

All this warm weather we've been enjoying has made me long for pastel pedicures and strappy sandals. One of my favorite things about spring is new-found foot freedom! And since a girl (and her closet) can never be too prepared, I decided to do a little snooping online to see what spring-y delights are in store....

Look at this paisley cutie from Unlisted by Kenneth Cole. It's "all girl" with a cork-covered heel and a charming bow... for $50 at Piperlime.com (free shipping and free returns). Long live the peep toe!

Now here's a versatile little sandal: Snopea by Nine West. This one is light gold leather (love it!), but it comes in seven other shades. And unlike with the heel above, my ankle will not give way when Bug gives chase. $58.95 at Zappos.com, which also offers free shipping and returns.

Check out the awesome color of Marc Fisher's "Glow" Wedge. A great match with jeans, skirts, shorts... so much potential in this kicky little orange number! $51.75 at Macys.com.

Okay, enough tootsie temptation for one day! My constricted, boot-clad feet are crying uncle.

Something Hilarious

2009-02-12T17:07:00.006-05:00

I noticed that someone from the UK read my blog today. Curious, I checked out their referring URL. Wanna know how they found me? They googled: "the simpsons plate of eggs pierce bronson robot house." If you google that exact odd little combo, guess what's your first hit? MY BLOG. Ha ha ha ha!!! (if you want to know why, read the post below this one... ;-)

You've Gotta Try this Recipe!!

2009-02-12T08:46:00.013-05:00

My dear friend Jeanette is having a little boy (Bug says Yippee!) in about a month, and I had the honor of helping host a shower for her this past weekend. Aren't showers great fun? There's so much joyful anticipation floating around...not to mention FOOD.

Did you ever see the Simpson's episode that's set in the future? No?! You don't watch that silly garbage? Well, let me enlighten you: the Simpson's futuristic house robot (with the voice of Pierce Brosnan... can I get one of those, please?) prepares everyone's favorite dinner every night. Marge has filet mignon, I think, and Bart has a hamburger and fries... and Homer has a plate of "various eggs." A lump of scrambled eggs, a little hard-boiled one, a fried one. Hilarious. Well, my Brosnan robot would definitely make me a plate of tiny shower foods: little sandwiches with no crust, petit fours and at least three items whose main ingredient is cream cheese.

Speaking of cream cheese, here's one of my favorite shower recipes. I get more requests to share this recipe than any other. The best part? It's super simple and can be made a day or two ahead of time.

Ingredients:
2 8-oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 6-oz pkg. dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided

In mixer, blend cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Fold in cranberries.
Dump half of pecans into a round bowl with high sides. Dump cream cheese mixture into bowl, on top of pecans. Mold into a ball-like shape (it will be messy). Sprinkle and press remaining pecans on top and sides of ball. It's okay if it's a mess; you can reform it better after it firms up in the fridge for a few hours.
Refrigerate until firm (or overnight). Form into a more presentable ball.
Serve with gingersnaps, butter crackers or graham crackers.

You can substitute low-fat cream cheese, but the original version is worth every calorie, I promise! (Homer would definitely agree).

The Elusive Baby Handprint

2009-02-10T20:18:00.010-05:00

About a year ago, a couple of Bug's little friends enrolled in a local childcare program, and all of a sudden, artwork started appearing on their refrigerators. Colorful shapes, funny finger paintings and indiscriminate scribbles provided magnetized proof of all the wonderful things these young ones were learning.

I started to fear that keeping my son at home with me might be putting him behind in life. Because while he could talk on a cell phone, bang a computer keyboard and fold some mean laundry, the craft projects were few and far between in Bug's world.

So, we bought some chubby crayons and alphabet magnets, and Bug went to town coloring and gluing and having a downright grand old time decorating our fridge. I felt better.

Until I noticed the handprints. Bug's little childcare-attending pals regularly carted home perfectly captured little handprints stamped onto their artwork. Try as I might, I could never, never seem to get Bug's squirmy little digits to cooperate with my plans to capture their cuteness for time and eternity. Whenever I attempted a handprint, it ended up looking like an inkblot gone wrong.

And so, alas, Bug has tragically few handprints preserved in the baby book. Until I checked out a friend's blog the other day, that is. She had the most ingenious idea for memorializing tiny fingers. It's called the copy machine. No more inky smears. No more fists full of paint. I finally have a way to preserve the preciousness! Check it out:

And please, please, please nobody tell me that copy machines cause cancer. I might just be forced to enroll Bug in preschool tomorrow.

The Weird Things We Do

2009-02-09T15:49:00.006-05:00

Kids make you do weird things. Like wipe someone else's little snotty nose with your bare fingers (and not even flinch). Like tackle the dog under the highchair to remove a stray grape from his mouth. Like invent songs about rainbows and meowing cats to keep a cranky toddler appeased in the backseat.

Or like climb the ladder to the attic and hang out up there. In the attic. That's Bug's current favorite place to hang, especially with Dada. "Up agee!" is the rally cry as soon as Hunk comes home from work. And so my patient husband pulls down the attic steps and helps our delighted son clamber up. Then they just sit up there, at the top of the steps.

Yesterday, I asked Hunk, "What do you do 'up agee,'?" and he said they "talk about life." Really? "Yeah, about furnaces and insulation and Christmas decorations. You know, life," he said.

Ai yi yi. Kids make you do weird things.

Knowing Your True Self

2009-02-06T16:56:00.013-05:00

When I was expecting Bug, the most common comment I received when people would gawk at my over-sized belly was, "Oh boy, things are about to CHANGE!" They always said it like that was a bad thing, like I should go fill my pantry with canned goods and hole up for the inevitable nuclear fallout I was about to experience.

They were right that things did change when Bug was born. Everything changed! But, and I know every mom out there would agree, my life changed for the better. It morphed into something richer and deeper than I knew possible. As cliched as that sounds, it is so inexplicably true.

I honestly feel like I am more "myself" now than I have ever been, and while I am not sure if my comfort in my own skin is due to becoming Mommy, to having recently completed another decade in my life (grrr), or just to natural maturity, it feels nice to be a little more kindred with myself.

Here is a prayer by George Appleton, shared with me by a dear confidante and mentor, which speaks to this...

Give me a candle of the
Spirit, O God,
as I go down into the
deep of my own being.

Show me the hidden things,
Take me down
to the spring of my life,
and tell me my nature
and my name.

Give me the freedom to
grow so that I may
become my true self,
the fulfillment of the
seed which You planted
in me at my making.

Out of the deep
I cry unto thee, O God.

Amen.

Here's to learning our natures and our names. Here's to becoming our true selves.

All Dressed Up... and Somewhere to Go!

2009-02-05T15:48:00.028-05:00

Valentine's Day is only nine days away. Having a little Bug running around has made date nights less common than Hunk and I would like... but Valentine's Day is an exception! It would just be too depressing to stay home with Netflix and popcorn (again), so for one night, my anal self will concentrate very hard on not cringing when I hand over the babysitter's money and head out for a little rekindling of all feelings pre-Bug with my hubby.

But, what to wear?! I decided to do a little searching for date night duds online, and while I doubt my conscience (i.e. my husband) will let me purchase any of these items, lookey at what I found!

Lauren by Ralph Lauren Vega Silk Turtleneck Halter Dress
What is more romantic than a silk, sleeveless, turtleneck dress? One that's also a halter, that's what!

Check out the back:

$135 at www.macys.com

J.Crew tissue rolling-ruffles tank
Isn't it sweet? Flirty but casual. I think it'd look super cute with a fitted pair of dark denim jeans, a casual blazer and heels... me likey!
$44 at www.jcrew.com

GAP t-shirt scarf dress
A cozy little scarf attaches to this t-shirt dress... which can be worn alone (yeah, if your legs looks like hers in mid-February) or over tights or skinny jeans. Gotta love a multi-tasker!

$48 at www.gap.com

Okay, so I'm out of time, but I think that's a nice little start for some date night ideas. Regardless of your plans next weekend, I hope you find something fab to wear... even if it's just for Netflix.

A Cuppa Tea

2009-02-04T14:27:00.017-05:00

After yesterday's "deegup" post, I seem to be in tea mode. But few things in life are as cheerful as a cup of tea on a cold afternoon, right? (Bug says RIGHT-O!) My favorite brand is Harney & Sons. Every blend I've tried is great; I have yet to be disappointed. But I must admit that my favorite part is the pretty little sachets. I am a sucker for packaging.

Here are my faves:

Just add a tad of honey to Canton Green Tea. Antioxidant heaven!

White Peach...Being a Georgia girl, I'm a sucker for peach teas. And see what I mean about those cute little sachets? I wanna stuff them in my sock drawer!

African Autumn: The first Harney & Sons tea I ever tried. It won me over.
It says it contains "herbal redbush, cranberry and orange." Not sure what herbal redbush is, but it sure does taste g-o-o-d.

In honor of the season, I've got this next one on my wish list. I haven't tried it, yet, but "chocolate tea and rosebuds" has me way too curious to pass it up. Besides, look at that packaging!

I promise that next time I'll post about something besides tea! Maybe I'll get wild and crazy and move on to coffee.

Superbowl Deegup

2009-02-03T20:26:00.008-05:00

What do blenders, vacuum cleaners, toothbrushes and teacups have in common?

Give up? They're all Bug's current obsessions. (That's "bubba," "vagoo geegee," "toobup," and "deegup" in Bugese, by the way).

Take the latter, for example: deegups. On Sunday night, we watched the Superbowl at a friend's house. It was a football frenzy in the family room, but where was my son? Trying to sneak into the formal living room to snatch a teacup. He was hanging over their baby gate chanting, "Deegup! deegup! deegup!" It wasn't at all embarrassing.

I have no idea why he likes teacups. It can't possibly be because the child has been overexposed. I mean, we've only done this a couple times:

One, two, five times max. But-- in my defense--notice the bib!! He's exposed to guy stuff, too.

Sometimes.

Vampires and Werewolves: Could they be real?

2009-02-02T15:51:00.015-05:00

I was never a fan of Buffy. I just didn't get the whole vampire allure. And you know what? I still don't. What's so intriguing about creatures that suck blood? And then there are werewolves... even better! I mean, come on: men that morph into wolves and go around snarling and growling and shedding and molting? (sounds like some of my ex-boyfriends-- ha!)

If this post seems incredibly random to you, then you obviously haven't been sucked (no pun intended) into the whole Twilight craze. Well, good for you. Take it from me: stay away from those books. Far, far away. Because once you start reading Stephenie Meyer's bestselling series--even if you never liked Buffy, even if you thought Michael J. Fox was the ONLY good thing about Teen Wolf--you will find yourself developing an uncanny fascination for these mythical monsters.

My sister gave me the first book for my birthday, and now I have the third on hold at the library. I must admit that I just got a WHOLE lot more motivated to take Bug to story time this week.

And, I'm not alone! If you google "vampire," you'll get 18,400,000 hits...including several articles on how Meyer's fictional series has bolstered the economy of real-life Forks, Washington. Apparently Twilight fans from around the world are flocking to the book's setting to try and spot... you guessed it... a real vampire or werewolf. NOT kidding you. You can read about it here.

So, take my advice. If you've never caught yourself standing in the shower, bar of soap in one hand and washcloth in the other, pondering whether or not vampires and werewolves might be more than myth, don't start now. It's a downward spiral.

Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon hit mailboxes today!

2009-01-30T16:05:00.007-05:00

After months of planning, creating, selling, writing, strategizing, scheduling, interviewing, writing, photographing, designing, tweaking, writing, proofing, editing, mapping, writing, circulating, meeting, marketing and WRITING, we proudly announce the premiere of Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon Magazine, which officially hit the first round of mailboxes TODAY!

We will send out the online flipbook version SOON, but here's a little sneak peek at our covers:

Aren't they grand?! The cover model is my dear friend Jenica, with her son Owen. (See, it pays in life to have beautiful friends. You never know when you might need to slap one on the cover of your magazine!) And didn't Summer do a GORGEOUS job with the photography?

Thank YOU, again, to our awesome designer, Tiffany, and our two talented photographers, Summer and Jennifer. You guys knocked it out of the park. WAY out.

Need a Laugh?

2009-01-28T14:45:00.005-05:00

Why you should always double-check your child's homework.

A first-grader handed in this drawing for a homework assignment:After it was graded and the child brought it home, she returned to school the next day with the following note:

Dear Ms. Davis,
I want to be very clear about my child's illustration. It is NOT of me on a dance pole on a stage in a strip joint. I work at Home Depot and had commented to my daughter how much money we made in the recent snowstorm. This picture is of me selling a shovel.
Mrs. Harrington

(I got this on an e-mail today and thought someone else might enjoy the humor.... ;-)

Whole Raw Chicken: A Rite of Passage

2009-01-26T17:59:00.015-05:00

Raising four kids, my mom was Master of the Chicken. I can't remember a week that didn't involve me eating a chicken part of some kind, and most of my childhood memories are infused with the aroma of boiling livers on the back burner. (Being the days of pre-cholesterol awareness, my parents actually paid us to eat them! The abuse we suffered.)

So, as I have made my own way into adulthood and now into motherhood, I always knew I could count myself as a "real woman" when I mastered The Chicken. I quickly discovered that chicken breasts are a breeze, but every time I encountered an entire bird in the poultry aisle, it always looked so...well, chickeny. I prefer denial when I eat my meats. If it looks like it might bock at me, I shy away.

But, in these economic times, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, and so one day in Walmart, feeling brave, I put a couple whole birds in my cart. Actually, to be accurate, I put them in produce bags in my cart. They looked like they might ooze something onto my hotdog buns.

I took home my little featherless friends and after scouring Allrecipes.com, Barefoot in Paris and Southern Living, I came across a winning combination. What joy!

Here it is, my passage into womanhood, my recipe for a WHOLE chicken!

1 3-5 pound chicken (devoid of gross inner parts)
olive oil
1 lemon
fresh or dried thyme
lemon pepper
1 whole onion

Preheat oven to 400. Rinse chicken inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels. Arrange breast-side up in lightly greased dish (13x9x2). Tuck wings under and tie legs together with kitchen twine, if desired. (It tastes the same spread eagle.)

Rub outside with olive oil. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice all over chicken, including inside cavity. Put lemon halves into cavity.

Rub (or put sprigs of) thyme under chicken skin on breast meat. Sprinkle more thyme on chicken, including legs and wings. Sprinkle thyme (or put sprigs) inside cavity. Sprinkle lemon pepper all over outside.

Slice onion into skinny wedges. Separate onions, sprinkling in pan around chicken and tuck a few inside cavity. Slide several onion slivers under skin on breasts, too.

(You can also put potato wedges and carrot slices in the pan to bake with the onions: a one-pot wonder!)

Bake for about 18-20 minutes per pound. Check for doneness: when juice runs clear when a knife is inserted between body and leg and when meat is white throughout depth of breast.

Not only does this chicken taste unbelievably good, but it's like a really yummy aromatherapy session while it's baking. (Yes, I just totally set myself up for a Jeff Foxworthy one-liner.)

Welcome to womanhood!

Dare to Reclaim Your Chosenness

2009-01-26T16:08:00.010-05:00

Bug is sick today. But his runny nose and congestion have not depleted his energy level any. He's finally down for a much-needed nap, and I'm stealing a moment of alone time at my desk. The gray morning has turned into a beautiful afternoon. A sunny window, a quiet house, a sleeping son and a new journal: it's the small pleasures that make life rich!

In my journal, I've copied a passage from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Life of the Beloved. Here's what I'm pondering on this sunny Monday afternoon:

"We have to dare to reclaim the truth that we are God's chosen ones, even when our world does not choose us. As long as we allow our parents, siblings, teachers, friends and lovers to determine whether we are chosen or not, we are caught in the net of a suffocating world that accepts or rejects us according to its own agenda of efficiency and control.

"The great spiritual battle begins--and never ends--with the reclaiming of our chosenness.... Our preciousness, uniqueness and individuality are not given to us by those who meet us in clock-time...but by the One who has chosen us with an everlasting love, a love that existed from all eternity and will last through all eternity."

Hmmm... I've just added another (not-so-small) pleasure to my simple afternoon: knowing I'm chosen. That's quite a nice thought for a Monday.

Timeout (for Moms)

2009-01-25T21:32:00.015-05:00

Bug has turned two early. He hasn't technically reached his second birthday, but for all intents and purposes, he's already there. Being "two" has brought with it many grand ideas (like climbing on the stool to reach the light switch to reenact Saturday-Night-Fever-strobe-action in the kitchen). And being two has also brought many Bug frustrations, particularly if he is unable (due either to inability or parental intervention) to carry out said ideas.

And so Timeout has become a new visitor to our household. Just tonight, for example, Bug was visited by Timeout when he let fly his noodles at dinner. One of my friends used to say that their child was two and "very, very ridiculously good at it." Ditto.

As proud Mommy to this accomplished tot, I have discovered that I, too, need a timeout on a regular basis. Or, more accurately: time outside the house. I need time to reconnect with the still, small Me dwelling below the surface of Mom-me.

And so, on a fairly regular basis, I schlep a book and a journal to a retreat center near our home. Wooded, secluded, silent, sacred. Perfect.

Regardless of the place, I hope you have a sacred spot in the midst of our bustling world. A spot where you can be alone, be quiet, be still. Just be. A place where you, too, can take a timeout.

Vagoo Geegee!

2009-01-23T17:01:00.011-05:00

Well, today I signed Bug up for a two-day preschool program for the fall. I think it will be great for him to be around a group of other children in a semi-structured environment. He's a very social little guy. Hunk asked me what I hope Bug will learn at his new school, and I said, "Sitting." High hopes!

We went to the school this morning to register, and Bug had fun running around everywhere. He poked his head in all the closets and asked, "Vagoo geegee? Vagoo geegee?" Apparently, his greatest concern is whether or not they have a vacuum cleaner.

Extra! Extra!

2009-01-22T16:32:00.004-05:00

We approved the first official proof for Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon Magazine today, and the presses are rolling! We should be able to pick up our copies within a week. (Yes, Mom, I'll mail you one). We'll send out the link for the online flipbook version SOON!

I have to give a quick shout-out to three very talented ladies who helped to make this issue happen: our gifted (and patient) designer, Tiffany Westbrook, and our two incredible photographers, Jennifer Harris and Summer Adams. Ladies, you ROCK! It's been an honor to work with you on our premiere issue.

Check 'em out:
Tiffany
Jennifer
Summer

Today's Episode

2009-01-20T12:31:00.007-05:00

Hunk and I have this little thing where he'll call during the day and ask, "What's today's episode?" Over the past (almost) two years of Bug's life, the episodes have ranged from "Giggles and Grins" to "Holy Crap!" and everything in-between. (I'll spare you the details of that latter one....)

Today's episode is: "Fling the Food." Dog food, that is. Across the kitchen floor. Now, normally the dog food is very much OFF limits, but this game produced so many shrills and peals that I couldn't resist snapping a few shots before calling it to a halt. This game, in case you want to repeat it at home with YOUR kitchen floor, goes like this:

Toddler finds a plastic cup in the laundry room. Mommy is checking e-mail in the kitchen. Toddler fills the cup with dog food. Mommy is still checking e-mail. Toddler runs, laughing, into the kitchen carrying the cup, with the dog in hot pursuit. Toddler takes a piece of food out of the cup and flings it with glee across the linoleum. The dog scurries--fur flying, paws skidding--to chase it down and scarf it up. Squeals of delight issue from toddler. Repeat.

Hilarity all around.

All About The Box

2009-01-16T12:08:00.012-05:00

Bug was thrilled the other day when I went to Garden Ridge and came home with a big, beautiful box in the back of the car. Mommy was thrilled about the big, beautiful (on-sale) chair inside the box, but to Bug it was all about The Box. So, this was our afternoon:

And then, because I'm one of THOSE moms, we had to go make some text-to-life connections. We read:

Christina Katerina was my FAVorite book when I was a wee one.

My wee one's FAVorite book.

Vroom-Vroom-Vroomy-Vroom-Vroom! Buggy at the Wheel!

My favorite new nailpolish!

2009-01-15T18:08:00.007-05:00

A classic red from OPI, named... Little Red Wagon! A big thanks to Angela (www.crumbsinmybutter.com) for sharing this with me!

spa day at the dentist's

2009-01-14T18:01:00.011-05:00

You know you're a mom when you walk out of the dentist's office after an hour and feel like you've just had a spa day. An uninterrupted hour, lying down in a chair, watching a TV, reading Star-- are you kidding me?? They could have shoved an elephant in my mouth and I would have said thank you.

the one thing

2009-01-12T15:43:00.011-05:00

When I was in third grade, we took a "following directions" test. My teacher handed us a piece of paper with a list of directions on it, numbered one through ten. The numbers were instructions of things to do with the paper, like number one said, "draw two lines down the middle of this paper," and number two said, "fold the paper in half and then unfold it," and number nine said to cut the corners off the paper.

Well, I went to TOWN on that paper. I got out my ruler and I was drawing the straightest lines you've ever seen. And I had the crispest creases for step two, and I was like Edward (Safety) Scissorhands on step nine. Looking around the room, I could tell I was doing The Best Job.

Now, a couple kids, I noticed, at the very beginning, just got up and turned the paper in whole (gasp) to the teacher. Idiots.

And then... I got to step 10, which said, "Ignore steps one through nine. Put your name on the paper and turn it in."

I was furious; it was all a trick! Then I noticed the tiny directions that, in my Quest To Be The Best, I had failed to read before I began. A line at the top of the paper said, "Read all the directions before you begin."

All my effort, for nothing. My perfect creases and measured lines didn't matter. Only one thing had been required: put your name on the paper and turn it in. It was such a simple assignment, and I had made it so complicated.

The other day I was driving home, and a rainstorm had just passed, leaving the late afternoon sun bursting through storm-drenched clouds. Rays of sun were streaming down, tracing their way from heaven to earth. It was so glorious. It was one of those moments in life when clarity strikes. It was like God was speaking to my heart, saying, "Only one thing is required."

I got it. Maybe for the first time ever, I got it. I can put away my ruler and my scissors. I can stop looking around to see how everyone else is doing. In life, there are no steps one to ten to follow. Only one thing is required, and for me, that one thing is to know God. To realize His awesome love for me. To write my name in the Book of Life, so to speak, and turn it in.

A wise man said it this way, "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" Not much. What an epiphany for this student of perfectionism. Only one thing is required, and it's the simplest task of all. Just be still and know that He is God.

little black dress, little red wagon

2009-01-05T21:07:00.010-05:00

Our biggest news of the year is... no, no, we're not expecting, silly. We've started our own business! This past fall, the local magazine I had been editing for the past three years suspended publication, and instead of throwing in the towel, we jumped at the opportunity to publish our own magazine. In early February, we're launching a local woman's and parenting magazine called Little Black Dress/Little Red Wagon.

Check us out at: www.blackdressredwagon.com. (You can click on "read us" to sign up for a free e-subscription!)

holiday cheermeister

2009-01-01T13:30:00.010-05:00

Know what I've discovered? Christmas is a heck of a lot more fun when you have a toddler in the house. It's not easier to decorate (the ornaments were on permanent rotation on the bottom branches), and it's not easier to shop for gifts (I'm sure Banana Republic appreciates the 85 Cheerio souvenirs left in various and sundry corners). But it is more FUN. We have vicariously rediscovered how to really "do" Christmas. If you're ever lacking the holiday spirit, try Bug's recipe: Get your mom and dad to sing Rudolph 81 times in silly voices and then eat five cookies for dinner. Guaranteed glee.

The Matrix

2009-01-01T09:11:00.002-05:00

Okay, so where have I been? My brother thoughtfully set up a blog at Bug's birth two years ago, and I kept up with it for a bit, but never really got into the whole blogging thing. So, I was kind of reluctant the other day when Hunk suggested I set up a blog to go along with our magazine. I let him set one up and started dabbling around with it...and know what I discovered? There's a whole blog UNIVERSE out there! It's like this whole Matrix world. So, I've plugged into the Matrix, but I think it might be a good thing. At the very least, maybe I can keep everyone posted on our comings and goings a little easier...