...serendipity...

Maine Kitchen Phase 1

2010-02-11T14:12:00.012-06:00

We had just moved in last July when I shot this picture of our kitchen and breakfast room.

Our kitchen, breakfast room, and family room run the entire width of the back of the house.

The kitchen is not nearly as dark as these pictures show... it is poor photographer skills.

After pondering how to use limited funds to renovate this area. I came up with the following priorities:

Remove the 37 "wall separating the two rooms and move the slider next to the existing slider

Add a window and baseboard heating to the breakfast area

Replace the 1980's tile and carpet with hardwoods

Remove soffit/furdown above upper cabinets and build a "box" above the cabinets to imitate the lines of the existing cabinets

Paint

We also chose to replace the range and microwave. Today our new space is so light and bright that we don't even notice the chipped formica counters, the dinged up lower cabinets, the big hole next to the fridge,mismatched furniture, the walls that need to be decorated.... those will be on the Phase 2 list. (oops when editing I saw old microwave on counter)

Here are some pictures of the new kitchen family room space:

Going to take a break between kitchen phase 1 and phase 2. Moving onto the living room. Any suggestions?

,

Rachel is turning on the lights !

2009-09-16T15:43:00.003-05:00

As soon as the new Rachel Ashwell book came out..... I rushed to the bookstore in Portsmouth NH, expecting a huge Ashwell display greeting me as I came thru the front door.

Did not happen.

I went to the desk and asked for the location of the new Rachel Ashwell book....

"Who?" asked the lady at the counter.

I was aghast... but then my husband had just asked me the same question... oh well it was not gonna dampen my spirit...

As I repeated my request, the counterlady began typing on the computer and responded.... "all I see is a book titled Shabby CHICK Interiors and it is back-ordered until October 3. Would you like for us to call you when it comes in?"

I still don't have my copy of the book yet...

but today I received a mass email from Rachel ... letting me know that she is turning on the lights at her 2 original stores. The store in Santa Monica re-opened Sept 12!

here is a link to her blog with the details.
http://www.rachelashwellshabbychic.blogspot.com/

I am a huge fan of Rachel's design and have used her philosophy in making our house a home.

Today I am so happy to hear of her return and wish her success.

hanging onto the last days of summer

2009-09-04T08:15:00.009-05:00

Last week I arranged the last of summer hydrangeas into the blue willow ginger jar in our bedroom. It is so late in the season, these flowers can dry in the ginger jar, retaining their muted color well into spring.

As I began writing this post, my eye caught The Wentworth-by-the-sea hotel in the mantel picture. I love the Wentworth and its rich history. The Wentworth was built in 1874 in New Castle NH (Portsmouth) and served as an east coast resort for many years. In 1905, Teddy Roosevelt brought the peace talks between Russia and Japan to the Wentworth. These peace talks resulted in the Portsmouth Treaty and brought the end of the Russo-Japanese War. TR won a nobel peace prize for overseeing these peace talks. Sadly, during the 1980s-1990s the hotel was closed and scheduled for tear down. Yes tear down.. however, the local community founded the "Friends of the Wentworth" which eventually became the catalyst for saving this wonderful piece of history from destruction. Today, the Wentworth-by-the-sea has been totally renovated and operates as a full resort and a wonderful piece of history.

Finding myself still hanging onto the colors of a summer garden.... but knowing that here in Maine the mornings are crisper, the sun sets earlier, and believe it or not Halloween is 47 days away.

Not quite ready for pumpkins yet.... but soon.

... a little help from my friends....

2009-08-29T18:26:00.014-05:00

This summer my love for reading design blogs has returned with a vengeance. After spending the last 12 months immersed in renovating a little 1930's stone house from top to bottom, I am thirsty for inspiration. The blogosphere never disappoints with the wealth of shared creativity and generosity of bloggers .

Kitchen renovations have been at the top of my viewing list lately... although deficits in attention cause me to linger on ALL posts pertaining to design.

Anyhoo... on a budget with 2 in college and trying to get my mojo going... I was elated when I stumbled upon the Southern Hospitality Blog and sweet Rhoda's post about staining a banister with a polyshade product. As Rhoda says "The beauty of Polyshades is that it’s stain and poly all in one." Well the banisters in my house are fine... but my kitchen table was in serious need of an UP-DO as evidenced in this picture.

Oh wait.... it is so icky.... I kept a tablecloth on it and didn't take a before picture. BUT.. go ahead... use your imagination to picture a honey-colored 1970's era LOVELY piece of furniture.

I used the polyshades black stain... no sanding , no priming, just took the tablecloth off and cleaned off the surface a bit. So with one coat of a $7.00 can of black polyshades stain... this is my result :

I am so happy with the results! Even got an exclamation (positive) from the college princess when she saw it. I also spray painted the chairs white... they were turquoise.

Thank you Rhoda and thanks to all of the design bloggers out there who inspire us with their wonderful posts. Hopefully I can inspire someone with my little project.

This project motivated me so much that I have since painted the kitchen cabinets and the walls... TWICE .... but that is a different post!

A NEW DOOR

2009-08-11T07:44:00.004-05:00

It is a new door for us, both literally and figuratively... another new chapter.

The little stone house in Fredericksburg has sold and we have moved our summer belongings back to the seacoast of maine into a 1980's fixer upper. We will slowly renovate this seacoast home while high school princess.. now college princess attends university up here. The eldest princess is seeking employment here as well . Both are determined that I do NOT find another reason to sell . Squatters rights?

Anyhoo... the front needed a quick makeover with some purply blue paint on that green door. ................................ah...now it feels more like our home.

*9 Months Later...

2009-02-14T13:15:00.014-06:00

....A dining room is born.

Here is a picture of our dining room when we viewed the house to buy it... so this is the WAY BEFORE picture.

Notice
* awkward arch in the wall,
*the carpet (that was covering up plywood, and beautiful wood floors that had been mistreated)
*acoustic ceiling tiles (we found plywood underneath those)
*wall papered thin wall board

The next photo was shot looking into the dining room from the living room and in it you can see the workmen are enclosing the lovely hole that existed between the dining room and kitchen. Also notice the turquoise shelves.... and the lovely arched opening is GONE!

A view from the kitchen into the Dining Room before the opening was enclosed

and the dining room as it looks today... you can see a big influence from my favorite blogger,
Joni, from Cote de Texas who writes a blog I visit daily. As I told her, I am not a consistent blogger, nor am I a consistent commenter, but I am a consistently huge fan of Joni as well as several other design blogs out there.

The wall color is Ralph Lauren Putty, trim is Pratt and Lambert Seed Pearl. The zebra rug was purchased online from overstock.com, the white slipcovered chairs I picked up from the antique mall for $25 each.... and the McCoy vases I have collected for years.... the fireplace is from Lowes 75% markdown and the mirror was purchased from RED in Fredericksburg Texas.

Here are a few more shots... one from the living room into the dining room

and from the kitchen into the dining room

It has been a L-O-N-G nine months, but I am so pleased with the results of our labor and the whole house renovation. Thanks to my mom for taking the pictures and thanks to all you design bloggers out there who filled my head with inspiration!

More pictures to come!

Mother's Day Remembered

2008-05-15T19:27:00.011-05:00

My eldest daughter has the name of my mother.

My youngest daughter has the name of my mother's sister.

This Mother's Day, my two daughters, my mother and I traveled to meet our cousins in the heartland of America. We gathered in the old family cemetery where my daughters' great-great grandmother and several of her babies are buried. It was always my aunt's wish that she would return to the farmland of the midwest, to be with her grandmother. Her wishes were honored on Mother's Day, with 4 generations of her family clutching umbrellas in the Eel River Church Cemetery.

Afterwards,we all gathered at the only place in town.... Dairy Queen. No matter though... the conversation was rich as 4 generations shared story after story that only a family could love.

The old family home built in early 1900s is for sale. We had fun daydreaming about buying it !

Great great grandmother's farm

House my mom lived in during grade school

My grandfather built this house. We lurked out front for so long that the owner came out and invited us in.

The old movie theatre

Sisters of a new generation on the steps of an old family home

We toured Mom's high school..looks like a movie set.

Does your high School have a natatorium ?

I think it is a good SAT word.

It was a happy- sad- cold- warm Mother's Day we will remember....forever.

Tuesday Morning Coffee

2008-05-12T22:16:00.004-05:00

This is the last month of my son's last year in high school .

After drop-off on his first day of kindergarten a group of overanxious moms met for coffee to hold hands, share, cry and laugh.
Today is Tuesday.... and we are still meeting for coffee.

And guess what ? Next Fall, after college drop off....on Tuesday ...we will gather over at my house... or maybe Becky's house
to hold hands, share, cry, and laugh.

Ahhhhhhhh the power of friends dropping by for coffee.

You can read more about Tuesday Morning Coffee here

Thelma and Louis...part2

2008-05-05T20:02:00.008-05:00

Awhile back I posted about my friend "Laverne" here. Well fast forward from then to now ... and a few bought and sold houses... and next thing ya know.... we are next door neighbors (week-ends)... in little 1930 cottages side by side in the hill country.

Here is Laverne's casa. She had a head start... so her house is in GREAT shape.

Don't you love her bright blue shutters ?

A view of my house from her yard.... well as you know... a total work in progress

( and I am loving the process)

Yesterday in her barn we found an old old cabinet original to her house that we are going
to use as an island in MY kitchen. Thanks LAV!

Can you see it that beautiful old chippy beadboard cabinet in my vintage kitchen with

shiny gleaming floors and beautiful white cottage cabinets ? ??? .
.... stay tuned !!!!

Grow..PRETTY PLEASE...

2008-05-02T08:40:00.005-05:00

During the past few weeks I have visited so many beautiful garden posts from fellow bloggers, Joni at Cote de Texas, Brin at My Messy,Thrilling Life, FiFi at Chez Fifi, Cindy at My Romantic Home,Nancy at Shab-n-Chic... and I am GREEN with envy... because my thumb is brown and is coupled with the disadvantage of deer and hot hill country weather.

BUT we are trying to change the brown thumb trend this year!

So armed with the garden expertise of my MOM and the muscle of my DH and HS SON.... here are a few not so good pictures of the outside garden fun we have had in the past few week-ends.

Brand new Belinda's Dream roses along the wall

Birdhouse... no green thumb required

Bouganvillas... They grow like weeds at Nancys... but I will have to baby these

Front porch.. no flowers due to deer

Ladies on the front porch

   Geraniums from High School fundraiser

   Hibiscus in the big pots

   Lavender... supposedly grows well in the hill country

   Secret garden....aka sideyard.... but secret garden sounds more artistic

  But if the gardening efforts fail...we can always sit back and enjoy the view !!

These are the garden BEFORE pictures.... can't wait to post AFTER.... keep your fingers crossed !

Demolition and Dirt **

2008-04-28T10:17:00.003-05:00

"Would you like a pedicure this week-end ?" my DH asked on Friday.

What a sweet man..

Ladies....he had no clue what was on the agenda for the week-end..... demolition ...

We continue our demolition in the hill country house...discovering layers upon layers of surprises....some happy surprises.... some not. Here are a few:

WE WILL BE DOING A WHOLE LOTTA SHEETROCKING IN THE R RATED BEDROOM ( see bad word above door?)

THERE ARE WOOD FLOORS IN THE MASTER BEDROOM.... under the carpet,the plywood, the linoleum, the black glue

THERE IS BEADBOARD ON THE WALLS IN THE KITCHEN.... but how do we match it ?

THERE IS AWESOME DINING AND GOOD FRIENDS IN THE HILL COUNTRY ... after demo eating place

SOMEDAY MY KITCHEN MIGHT LOOK LIKE THIS....kind of..

So no pedicures for now.... but it will be totally worth it...uh maybe !!!!

Hey God.... it's me... diana

2008-04-24T09:45:00.003-05:00

The remodeling continues.... but has moved slightly down on my list of things to do...

High school son is making last minute college re-visits. We made 3 last week. The deadline for decisions... is May 1... and he is waiting until April 30. Tad stressful.... but we will survive and come May 1... we will all have happy faces !

**Be VERY careful what you say....

2008-04-10T07:59:00.006-05:00

As soon as I published my last post a YEAR ago... my world went topsy turvy and before I knew it... I was too stressed to be blessed. As I look back on that last post i shake my head and realize the gentle... no BIG BIG reminder life throws us to not be so smug, so content, so confident in our circumstances... as circumstances can change in a second. Yup, they really can.

And so I return today wiser, more reflective, but happy, enthusiastic, and eager to continue in sharing with my cyber sisters. I will continue my search for humor,love, truth and beauty in my little life with my DH, my HS and College Princesses and HS son.

Here is a new project I have undertaken in the beautiful hill country of Texas. I think I will call it.... design a house around this chandy.
Here are the "bones" of the project. A Sunday House to be

A stone patio
A cutie little german stone house ...exterior
The interior of the stone house.... complete with wall to wall 70s sculpted carpet,lovely wallpapered wall boards, layers of 70s linoleum
I am in heaven... why???? because I don't really see the sculpted carpet, the wall papered wallboard...the linoleum. I see something very different... because I just know there are beautiful patinaed oak floors, cream colored walls, crisp white trim, and that beautiful chandy in store for this baby !

And HS princess says I have lost it... she called me INSANE . Can you believe she said that ?

More soon and much much love to my cyber sisters. xoxo diana

Too blessed to be stressed...

2007-03-02T20:57:00.000-06:00

High School princess wanted to watch the academy awards this past week end. It wasn't on my list, but since I had been sick in bed all week and since she was sweet enough to want to be with her sick mama... i did her a favor and watched the whole enchilada... barbara walters,the red carpet, and then dozed thru the actual awards show.

High school princess loves watching the stars arrive on the red carpet and to me the best red carpet moment was when John Travolta told Joan Rivers his life philosophy " I am too blessed to be stressed."

Yeah.right.John.Travolta.is.blessed,

but as the night drug on, I mean passed by... I kept thinkin about that cute John Travolta.... and ya know..just like John, I am so blessed...we all are...

And so once in awhile... I am gonna dance a little dance and sing a little song with John...

I am too blessed to be stressed. I am too blessed to be stressed.

Please dont call HS Princess to see how this is goin... i'm workin on it...k?

Rock solid

2007-03-01T15:46:00.000-06:00

My college princess is a gentle giving soul. She is my first born and came out of the womb smiling,talking, and reaching for her mommy. During the years she has bestowed me with many gifts in quite a celebratory fashion: dried weeds, love notes,imaginary food she cooked in her baby kitchen,songs,artwork, pottery... the list goes on and on.

The summer after my father died, she and I were in a little giftshop when she spied a group of rocks. Each rock had a word of inspiration on it. She immediately picked up one and presented it to me as a gift. All of the love gifts this child has given me have melted my heart... but this rock melts me to my core. I keep it on the coffee table.

This rock of love is my daily reminder of the importance of rock solid love... unconditional love that I yearn to give to my children, my husband,my friends and family. If my legacy is this rock-solid love then I will leave this earth an eternally happy woman.

These are a few of my favorite things...

2007-02-27T07:56:00.000-06:00

We girls love to surround ourselves with family memories and treasures . Here are a few of the treasures I keep on the white bookshelves opposite the desk in my studio.

a few favorite design books

My mom's Sogetsu flower arranging items

Lunchbag..... very 60's

darling daughter's artwork

and my dear Daddy's pipes

I love having my favorite things all together in my creative space. What are a few of your favorite things you have kept ?

Ooops!

2007-02-22T18:10:00.000-06:00

The other day I was reading a fellow bloggers post in which she congratulated herself for finally getting all of her Christmas decorations taken down and put away. As I read her post.. I smiled to myself thinking.... oh girl I had those down the day after Christmas!

After I finished my round of blogs, I went into the kitchen and saw this:

(those would be my Christmas dishes)

Then I went out to check the mail and saw this in my entry

(that would be my Christmas wreath)

And we wont EVEN go into the Christmas Closet

oops.... guess I better wipe that smile off my face !

RDQ

2007-02-21T18:19:00.000-06:00

"Mom, did they have the SAT test when you were in School? "

"Well yes they did my darling... SON."

" Did you have to take an SAT prep course ?"

"No I didnt have that opportunity ....SWEETIE ."

"What did you do to get ready for the test ?"

"Well.... I got a good nights rest, ate breakfast and my mom drove me to the test. Just before I got out of the car, my Mom reminded me to RDQ."

"RDQ... what's that ?"

"Read the Damn Question".

"Oh"

Why did life seem so simple back in the dark ages when I was in High School ?

EXTREMELY RIGHT

2007-02-20T09:17:00.000-06:00

(photo bysluggo)

Last month the TV*Crew*EXTREME*MAKEOVER*HOME*EDITION* came to the hillcountry for a makeover. The home chosen by *TY*and*company* belonged to a family I knew... in fact I taught 2 of their children.

This sweet family has 6 children,5 of whom are diagnosed with autism. The parents are good,dedicated, HARDWORKING parents, but they were in jeopardy of losing their house. *TY*and*company*came to town and paid off their old house, leveled it, then built a new paid for furnished house, and arranged for the new home's taxes to be paid.

Last night as I watched the TV show, I was so moved at how the *HOME*MAKEOVER* staff researched autism and used the advice of experts to design five unique bedrooms for children with austism. Tears filled my eyes as I watched the reveal of the house...

and in the end.... I say Hooray for *TY*and*company. They got it right ..*extremely* right.

Daily Walk

2007-02-19T22:35:00.000-06:00

Outside my front door
Fresh air feeds my mind,my spirit
Return full,renewed.

For the Love of McCoy

2007-02-16T09:30:00.000-06:00

The Nelson McCoy company began manufacuring clay pottery in the Roseville area of Ohio around 1910. Mccoy pottery covered a realm of uses from functional jars to sophisticated vases and jardinieres. There is something about old McCoy pottery that makes me swoon, especially pieces in the old creamy white matte finish. Through the years I have collected a few uh I mean several.. NO... way too many pieces. You probably caught a glimpse of my McCoy in my creative space shot.

I also have a few pieces under the sideboard on the sun porch

On my desk

On my dressing table

And a token seaglass green piece in the kitchen

What do you think ?? Do I have too many ??? Can a girl really have too many things she loves ???

Hearts To All

2007-02-14T09:06:00.000-06:00

20 years ago today I found out I was expecting my first child. My husband was in college and we did not know how we would be able to handle college AND a baby......but,.actually it turned out to be a blessing and the best thing that ever happened to us.

Happy Valentines Day to all my cyber sisters xoxo.

Therapy Needed

2007-02-08T16:07:00.000-06:00

I was STRESSED when I made the call yesterday.

"George, I need to make a therapy appointment asap ". I said.

" I am free any evening this week except for Thursday" she said.

We quickly set up a date and time.

I hope this will help I thought.

I have to tell you... office buildings in the hillcountry are not your run of the mill clinics. To illustrate this, here is a picture of my favorite therapy clinic.

(photo Ken Wang)

What do you think ?
I think sipping on a mango margarita is the perfect medicine for my stress .
You know what I'm talkin about ?

TAG

2007-02-07T11:10:00.000-06:00

Sweet Cindy from Romantic Home tagged me and here are my answers.

1. If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be? New England coast
2.What's your favorite article of clothing? I love shoes
3.Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex? Eyes and teeth
4.What's the last CD that you bought? Norah Jones
5.Where's your favorite place to be? any place with my family
6. Where is your least favorite place to be? gym (hah!)
7.What's your favorite place to be massaged? dont like massages (should have that on weird list)
8.Strong in mind or strong in body? Mind
9.What time do you wake up in the morning ? 6- 7 a.m.
10. What is your favorite kitchen appliance? my new fancy stove
11.What makes you really angry? unkind people
12.If you could play any instrument, what would it be? I play Piano
13. Favorite color? Blue and white
14.Which do you prefer...sports car or SUV? Sports car, I drive a little red convertible 15. Do you believe in an afterlife? yes
16.Favorite children's book? I loved them all but guess Goodnight Moon is my favorite
17. What is your favorite season? Fall
18. Your least favorite household chore? bathroom cleaning
19.If you could have one super power, what would it be? read minds
20.If you have a tattoo, what is it? not gonna happen
21.Can you juggle? No, I lack co-ordination
22. The 1 person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to? my Daddy
23. What's your favorite day? Friday
24. What's in the trunk of your car? Christmas decorations i forgot about, a return I need to make, shoes, blanket, tennis rackets, tennis balls
25. Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger? I have never tried sushi

I am not good at tagging, but from me to you : please feel free to tag yourself !

Conversations...

2007-02-06T09:34:00.000-06:00

with my family while I was gone last week.

"Mom, I thinkwe get along better when you arent here ."(brother and sister)

"Mom, Dad is going to bed everynight at 8 ."( great. hope the party is fun)

"Mom, we have had pizza for 3 meals now."

But when I got off the plane the first thing they asked me... "Mom, what's for dinner ?".
I think that means they missed me !

The hydrangeas in the vase are the last summer hydrangeas from my garden last year.
I am drying them in a vase in my bedroom.

Creative Space

2007-01-30T15:03:00.000-06:00

I am usually the last to catch up on reading a new good book and this is one of them. In her book, Where Women Create, Jo Packum interviews and photographs the creative spaces of 26 different women. The creative spaces in the book are sure to imspire and vary from small nooks to large rooms. After reading the book I have informed my family that henceforth my creative space would be called the studio...... instead of the study... now I need to commence creating !

Here are a couple of shots of my STUDIO

You can see in the first shot the studio houses my piano from childhood and my books and momentos. The second photo is shot to show the opposite side of my room ... the desk was my moms. Bad lighting today... the walls are much lighter .... all in all it is a work in progress, but a great place for this woman to create.

WEIRD

2007-01-23T19:18:00.000-06:00

I have been tagged to list 6 weird things about me... only 6 ???

1. I am left-handed and my 3 teens and DH are also lefties.

2. I am an excessive worrier... not the big things, but the little things. I spend way too much time worrying and then solve the problem quickly BUT.... then I reach into my worry databank and add another one to the neverending worry list.

3. I have a strong dental phobia and have to be sedated when I go to the dentist's office.

4. I still own and use most of the furniture and dishes from my first apartment ... and I still love all of the pieces.

5. I taught myself to knit when I was in 2nd grade which was a feat because I was a leftie and had to do everything in the knitting book backwards.

6. Even though I strive to make my teens great drivers like me (HAH) the truth is I FAILED my first driving test.

Picture: the 4 barrel-back chairs are from my first apartment and the wicker screen was in my room as a child... told ya I am
a sentimental girl.

Newspapers and Stoplights

2007-01-22T12:19:00.000-06:00

This morning a white convertible drove up beside me, slammed on the accelerator and sped up, cutting me off as the 2 lanes diverged into one. "Hmmmm, she must have an emergency, we'll let her go first" I said to the 2 teens in the car with me. I am constantly making these "MOM" statements with hopes of brainwashing my kids into becoming great drivers... just like their mom.

After I dropped the teens off at school I went for a walk. As I walked along one of my favorite streets I saw flashing firetrucks and ambulances ahead..... and as I approached the scene... I saw the little white convertible parked in front of the house where the medics were loading a little old man into the ambulance.

I knew this man, not by name, but I knew him. When I first moved to the 'hood with 3 babies I used to rise early to walk before DH went to work. Each morning I would pass by this man's house in the dark and each morning he would stand in his driveway greeting the walkers as they passed by. I said good morning to this man for 10 years. As he greeted the walker-bys he would also go around to each of his neighbor's houses , fetch their newspapers, and gently lean them up against the neighbor's front doors so that they would not have to step too far to retreive their morning news.

What a sweet man !
My thoughts and prayers go out to this man and to his relative in the little white convertible.

The Christmas Closet

2007-01-17T11:28:00.000-06:00

Our hill country town has been shut down for THREE days now due to a LIGHT dusting of snow and ice.... which I am sure those of you from the north of us find hilarious.

By day 3 I was stir crazy, the newness of the situation had worn out. So when my friend Pattie called yesterday... I practically begged her to let me come over and help her clean out her closet. Pattie is one of those fun people who makes ya feel so good about yourself.... and she thinks I am soooo organized, so I happily headed over to her house yesterday determined to organize. Within an hour and a half we made major closet progress... enough to fill my car with a huge load for goodwill.

So Pattie thinks I am just the best most helpful, most organized friend ......

But what Pattie does NOT know is that this is what MY Christmas Closet looks like

So really I am a big fake... a person who lived in denial yesterday..... oh well.. maybe when the kids go back to school I can turn my attention to the Christmas closet and once again be organized.

Brrrrr....

2007-01-16T12:54:00.000-06:00

Cedar pollen has left the hill country.... tiny pellets of sleet and tiny flakes of snow are falling on the ground... school is cancelled...

college princess is back at scool...

high school princess is curled up reading a book..

teen age son is riding on cardboard down the hill at the junior high.... reminds me of using cafeteria trays to go down Daisy Hill in college.

hubby and I just got back from a long walk in our winter wonderland lite-

HS princess just announced she is making brownies.... yummm brownies and snow...

Cedar Fever

2007-01-08T18:55:00.000-06:00

For the third straight day the hill country has seen abundant levels of cedar pollen. We are droopy,sniffly,cranky couch potatoes at our house.

Be back soon !!

Thats what friends are for...

2007-01-07T15:06:00.000-06:00

Just when.....I think I have nothing more to write about.
Just when.... I think what I have to say is silly....
Just when.... I think maybe I wont blog anymore...

Out of the blue... this happens::

My sweet sweet friend Corey sends me one of her beautiful photos as a loving housewarming gift....she took the above photo of the Shabby Chic window in San Francisco last summer.

And those awesome bloggers down in San Antonio, Chasity and Jana, invite me to lunch next week.
Hugs to you Corey and Jana and Chasity. You all are just the BEST !!! Thank you so so very much. I am amazed at the wealth of knowledge and friendship I have gained from the blogosphere. Thank you so much sister-friends.

I. HEART.YOU !

Is it really January 1, 2007 ??

2007-01-01T14:21:00.000-06:00

Dear God,
Thank you for this beautiful sunny convertible top down day. Please help me remember to make each day sunny this year . Please guide me to embrace differences, build tolerance, to reach out, to savor each day, and to take better care of myself.
Love,
Diana

Happy New Year you all !!!

picture: last of the day lillies on a sunny summer day.

Feliz Navidad

2006-12-24T14:56:00.000-06:00

Feliz Navidad
to all my bloggy friends.

Behind the blue curtain...

2006-12-18T14:41:00.000-06:00

Before :

During:

After:

This was a MESS.... but oh so worth it. Our family room had potentially the best view in the house... but there was only a small door in the room. Last week we had a wall of windows installed. Thank you... Santa Baby !!

Santa Baby

2006-12-17T14:43:00.000-06:00

Santa Baby,
Just slip a sable under the tree
For me
Been an awful good girl
Santa Baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa baby, a '54 convertible too
Light blue
I'll wait up for you, dear
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa Baby, I want a yacht and really thats not
Alot
Been an angel all year
Santa Baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Too funny...
I laughed too when I read Corey's Christmas List.

For moi ? Santa Baby ( aka DH ) painted my bathroom for Christmas.
How about you what is on your Christmas list ?

Rockin around ...

2006-12-13T14:49:00.000-06:00

Rocking around the Christmas Tree at the Christmas party hop
Mistletoe hung where you can see Ev'ry couple tries to stop

Got the mistletoe hung yet girls ???? Dont forget the mistletoe and holiday hugs.

You will get a sentimental feeling When you hear voices singing
"Let's be jolly; Deck the halls with boughs of holly" Rocking around the Christmas Tree
Have a happy holiday
Everyone's dancing merrily In a new old fashioned way

Done a little Christmas boogie yet girls? Dont' forget to sing and dance !

Rocking around the Christmas Tree Let the Christmas Spirit ring
Later we'll have some pumpkin pie and we'll do some caroling

Ok... I am going to try not to eat so much pumpkin pie this year...

You will get a sentimental feeling When you hear voices singing
"Let's be jolly; Deck the halls with boughs of holly"
Rocking around the Christmas Tree
Have a happy holiday

Note to self: Dont forget to enjoy the moments..... those are the memories.

Happy memories to my bloggy friends.

When you cant go to french flea markets...

2006-12-12T19:01:00.000-06:00

"I can't believe you are painting something five days before you move" said my neighbor.

Yup, right before the move, DH and I were in the garage painting a hutch I had just bought from Craig's list .

"Dont you have other things you need to do ? " they asked.

Sure I did... but come on there are priorities here...and I had my straight...a girl has got to have a place to showcase her blue and white flea market finds....

So for $100.00 , a can of leftover paint, and new $4.00 knobs from Home Depot.... voila I had a cabinet to hold all my dishes.

I. heart. Craigs. List !

Ripples

2006-12-11T06:59:00.000-06:00

Yesterday during my beautiful but chilly walk on the beach I thought about a post about ripples.

Tis so true our words send ripples out into the blogosphere. So today I am sending warm fuzzy ripples to my bloggy friends as we proceed into the holidays... now slow down girls so that you can feel a ripple or two !! Thank you to Annie for your comment and the ripple.

BLOGGY LUNCH

2006-12-08T13:18:00.000-06:00

Yesterday it was 50 degrees in New England.

Today... snow and ice.
That would close down the hill country.

"You'd better not get out on the roads" said my neighbor. I did not listen to him... WHY??? because I had a lunch date with my blogging friend Susan . I manuevered slowly across the icy roads and made it to Rochester and Susans lovely art gallery. ARTSTREAM.

After touring her gallery and purchasing one of her awesome paperdoll calendars we went out to lunch and talked and talked... about teens, new england, blogging friends... and more . AND THEN after lunch we went back to the gallery and Susan taught me how to link. OMG friends.... this is BIG... I can link.... yipee !!

So much fun to meet a blogging friend. Thanks Susan for the gracious hospitality and the tutoring.

MAKEOVER

2006-12-06T20:38:00.000-06:00

BEFORE

AFTER

The sunporch is my favorite room. We use it as the sunset sitting room as well as our 2nd dining area. The first photo was taken the day I toured the house when it was for sale and the last 2 were shot yesterday.

A Good Kick

2006-12-04T20:11:00.000-06:00

"Mom... do you know what I would love to do this afternoon ? "

I am thinking she is going to say... put on our jammies and watch a movie together since I was out of town ALLLL day yesterday.

"I really really want to go to our favorite restaurant in our favorite little town in the hill country"

The restaurant is 65 miles away.

"How about we go to our favorite restaurant in town ?" I offer.

"Nooooo Mom"

"How about we wait for your Daddy and brother to get home first" I counter-offer.

"Nooo Mom... just you and me... it will be fun... we can play our favorite CDs and talk all the way... it will be fun."

So we sang to our favorite CDs and talked and talked as we drove thru the fall colored hill country. And while we ate at our favorite little restaurant in our favorite little town in the hill country... she said "See Mom.. sometimes you just need a good kick to get going and have a good time. "

As we drove back towards home with the moon and city lights in front of us she said,"This is my favorite part. when we drive over the bridge back into the city. Aren't you glad you went Mom ?"

Yes sweetie... I am very very glad I went.

picture: my Daddy's boots... he knew how to kick up his heels ..abit.

Yesterday

2006-12-01T11:00:00.000-06:00

TODAY

SOUTHERN COMFORT

GRACIAS MI AMIGA

2006-11-30T20:01:00.000-06:00

Thank you to my sweet bloggy friend Laura. Last summer I sent her a few things from the flea market in Maine after she had a major foot injury. Well Laura has been working on a secret project and over a week ago ( I know I am late) I received this lovely pincushion, seam ripper, and lavendar chocolate bar from her. I love the pincushion, I love reading Lauras blog bc she always makes me laugh, and I love the fact that the fabric she used to make the pincushion was from Lawrence Kansas ! Go Jayhawks !!

Notice my restraint ladies... I have waited over a week to eat the Lavendar chocolate bar ?? I was not gonna eat it til I took a picture...

Thank you Laura for your sweet friendship .

Little Brown Bag

2006-11-27T20:02:00.000-06:00

"Mommy, are you sure you aren't hiding a little brown bag with a bottle in it ?" my darling College Princess asked me last week....

WHAAAAT?? I was stunned... no, I was sore... sore because I had just fallen... AGAIN. I have had 5 mishaps-falls in the last 6 months..no wait.6 mishaps if you count the stabbing.

Anyway... 8AM Friday Mom arrived... armed with black duct tape... and this is what she did with that duct tape:

She marked the steps in the kitchen.

And speaking of the kitchen... here are some more pictures. Pardon the dry vac and the plastic at the end of the room.... the Alvarado Brothers are at work on the laundry room.

GOOD NEWS !!

2006-11-27T19:14:00.000-06:00

The news ????? fall is here.... and I am in the closet ! Look at those fall colors in the valley behind our house... ahhhhhhh love it !!

The biggest news in my life is this: DH and I moved our clothes into our NEW closet last week end. Seven weeks of living out of boxes and the hall closet....over ! The Alvarado brothers worked on this space for 2 weeks but oh it was worth it ! We still have to put something on the floor, but for now I have a rug in there over the concrete. Here is a peek into our new closet.

I am in heaven !! More pictures out of the closet tomorrow.
Thanks to each and every one of you for your encouragement these past few
weeks of chaos... hugs to you !!

Night Life

2006-11-08T20:34:00.000-06:00

I heard from 4 bloggy friends today and those sweeties Amy, Corey, Alicia, and Laura each gave me a gentle nudge to post a few photos. Alicia took a night walk the other night and so in keeping with the nightime spirit, I went out tonight and shot a few pics. If you look closely into the front room pictures, you can see all of my master bathroom supplies on my piano....we are still living out of boxes here.. remodeling and moving furniture from room to room as we attack each new project. BUT.. at the end of each day are the fabulous sunsets out the back door...

I truly HEART our new home.... and now so do all of the teens who live with me.... and that my friends is BIG !!!

Crime and Punishment

2006-10-23T18:05:00.000-05:00

Every Mom has been there.... the one final sibling tiff that sends her over the edge. For me... it was last night around 11 PM... 2 HS kids fighting.... I let DH handle it last night.... but that did not stop me from plotting....er I mean thinking about it.... until 3 AM... and by 7:30... I had my speech ready. What did I say ?

Well this morning I told my 2 HS kids that I was on strike and that I was not going to be there to pick them up from school.... they would have to walk home( it is less than 2 miles)... my daughter looked as if I had told her I was going to take away her straightening iron for the rest of the school year.

So did it work ? Well 45 minutes after school dismissal, Fred and Ethel ( as we affectionately call the 2 darlings ) came thru the door just laughing and chatting as if they had been to a party. " Oh Mom we had so much fun walking home...we want to do it all week... and you wouldnt believe how many people we saw and talked to on the way home"

hmmmmmmmmm I guess my punishment worked... they spent 45 minutes together... not fighting....

picture: the view from my car everyday at HS pickup

IN THE CRIB

2006-09-29T15:39:00.000-05:00

Crib
all
gone now.
Teenson room
ipod, discs,cellphone
Hip teenson real crib for chilling

THINK PINK

2006-09-29T15:32:00.000-05:00

Sweet
Girl
Loves PINK.
Pink, since birth.
No tomboy room here.
Sweet happy pink chic college room .

She-roes!

2006-09-28T19:26:00.000-05:00

Babe
room
no more.
Princess zone.
Lillly double bed
She-roes pictures cover teen walls

she-roes= female heroes

No Time to Paint the Barn

2006-09-27T22:44:00.000-05:00

The barn was finished by the time I made it up there.... Bob and Pam finished it the week-end after they took their first and only born daughter to college...so I was treated to a boatride up and down the coast. Ahhhhhhhhhh... it was a postcard perfect !!

Stabbed !!!

2006-09-21T20:24:00.000-05:00

This morning as I was slugging my tired achy body out of the grocery store I ran into my mom.

"Whats wrong with your hand ?"she asked.

"I stabbed myself"

"What?"

"I stabbed myself as I was making salad for dinner last night"

In one split second my mom pushed her cart away and said "We are going to the hospital right this minute "
So 2 hours later.... I am all fixed up.....deep gash about 1 inch from the jugular... I will be packing boxes one handed.

PS yes i really did stab myself...it was the all american scene at our house that early evening... hubby outside grilling , I was inside chopping veggies for salad, and the teens upstairs doing homework... when all of a sudden I decided that my knife wasnt sharp enough... so I began sharpening the knife... and on one of the sharpening swings... the knife went into my wrist instead of onto the sharpener.... aghh.... blood everywhere... and suddenly the all american scene at our house looked like a murder scene instead.

Picture: Bouys in New England last week

Time to paint the barn

2006-09-13T10:01:00.000-05:00

My friends Bob and Pam have been working on their new house and barn since last spring. I am off to New England to help them paint their barn...and do a few other things ! More to come !

LOOK!!

2006-09-10T09:51:00.000-05:00

I love friends ! Look what my friend Linda does with her photos... she has a huge tray on her coffee table filled with snapshots.... current and old snapshots... for all of her family and friends to look at while they sit in her cozy family room and sip iced tea .... or perhaps margaritas! Great idea Linda.... I think I will copy it!

MY BOYFRIENDS BACK and....

2006-09-09T13:28:00.000-05:00

I have been obsessing about my boyfriend lately..

It started the other day when my girlfriend Linda called me and asked me if the DH on my blog stood for Dumb Husband....

and I just started laughing...

then I said " no Linda... that would be DA"...and when we both stopped giggling.....

I told her that DH was blogese for Darling Hubby..... later that day I posted something on Andreas blog about our "boyfriends that we married years ago "...after that entry it came to me that during the next few years as my babies prepare to leave the nest and go off to college...maybe I just need to fill my time and thoughts with going on dates with my "boyfriend".... just like I did 20 years ago..

I wonder if he will still like me ?????

Picture: My boyfriend (DH)... 20 something years ago...

Clouds

2006-09-06T19:11:00.000-05:00

Some moms are good at making creative breakfasts for their kids and others are....not.
I.am.not.

Last week my friend Pam-Sue was telling me how she had surprised her HS girls with"clouds" for breakfast....

on.a.school.day.

Well my HS princess has drooled over that story for a week... so voila.... today I made "clouds".

Clouds are made from refridgerated biscuit dough... filled with a chunk of cream cheese that has been dipped in melted butter, sugar , and cinnamon. The biscuit is pinched at the top and cooked in a muffin tin at 350 for 15 minutes. They smell heavenly !

Me ??? My favorite breakfast is Special K in my antique blue and white cafe-au-lait bowl.

I prefer to reserve my special culinary skills for dinner.... sometimes...
Thanks Pam-Sue for making me look like an awesome mom this AM !!!

I'M So Excited....

2006-09-04T03:57:00.000-05:00

.... and I just cant hide it... (are you singing with me Capello ??) I think we have hit a growth spurt in my College Princess' life... she is NOT coming home next week-end.... WHY????? because she has a date to the midnight yell and then to Saturdays football game. This is BIG... not because she has a date... but because she wants to stay at the university and have FUN instead of coming home for the week end and do all of the things we did in high school. You see last year... my college princess was soooo homesick... she called several times a day crying,,,, sobbing... because she was sooooo homesick... it was heartwrenching...She has called a few times this year teary.... BUT nothing like last year. Sure I would like to wave my magic wand and rewind a few years... but in the meantime... I am gonna savor this moment !!!

BLESSINGS...

2006-08-31T21:54:00.000-05:00

This last week I managed to work myself into a tizzy...the temperature has been over 100 for 2 weeks and the buyers of our house had 4 different inspections over the course of 2 days...so what does a girl do when she has worked herself into a tizzy???
She calls her MOM.... and after about 5 minutes of mom-talk.... I was fine... we concluded that all of the events of the past week had been a blessing.... but truthfully... the BIG BLESSING of the week was my MOM ! Thanks MOM !!!

Picture: Old French Armoire that my mom gave me when my parents made the move from their big house to their small house.

BIRTHDAY SON

2006-08-30T15:08:00.000-05:00

My house smells good today... there is a cake in the oven... and the aroma of chocolate has spread thru the downstairs. HS son is another year older... wow ! When we returned to the hillcountry in August... I noticed that he was now a hair taller than my 6'3" DH... At 17 he has a big booming voice... but often slips and still calls me mommy... he is driving the car some... but still plays basketball with whomever comes into our yard, regardless of their age.... going to the movie theatre is still his most favorite treat...he's playing golf with his Dad on the weekends... no girls yet... he's still a little shy.... but I know that could change...any minute !! Happy Birthday HS son !
Now I better go get that cake out of the oven before a different aroma fills the house.... and by the way... where is the #*!@ box of kleenex ????

WHY ??? CHAPTER 2

2006-08-21T20:28:00.000-05:00

TALK IN OUR HOUSE LAST MONDAY :

College Princes : Why are you selling our house ?

HS Princess : That doesnt look like the right house for us.

HS Son : I like the house we live in.

DH : Why are you kids torturing your Mom ?

Me: Maybe I am buying the new house for ME... and your daddy....

CAN YOU BELIEVE I SAID THAT ????? In the 19 years that I have had kids I have never uttered the words: maybe I am doing
it for ME.... reminds me of Toby Keiths song.... every once in awhile... I wanna talk about me me me me me ! (CAPELLO)

Things have calmed down quite a bit since monday... and one of the reasons is that our new house has one of these

WHY ???

2006-08-20T19:54:00.000-05:00

My week in a nutshell :

7= number of nights we ate out
6= number of days the temp was over 100
5= number of times i threw up
4= number of BLOCKS i am moving
3= number of kids who started school this week
2= number of days it took to sell my house
1=number of times i went to the grocery store
0=number of times i slept thru the night.

WHY???? do women torture themselves so ???? This whole real estate move was a spur of the moment thing.... kind of...I love to look at houses... in magazines, on hgtv,on blogs, driving, walking, and in the newspaper. So when a realtor friend called me for the 3rd TIME about a house in our neighborhood that was for sale.... I acquiesed and went to see it...fell iin love... so I took a gamble and put our house on the market the next day . SOLD IN 2 DAYS.... so either I sold way too cheap or........... it was meant to be... I am going with......it was meant to be....serendipitious... I thought of you A. this week !

picture: my piano from childhood... in a room designed to be the dining room... but it is our piano room... and see the white bookshelves? They used to be 3 separate wood colored shelves...we screwed them together, added some trim and painted cream.... being on a budget forces creativity !!

MY Table

2006-08-19T07:22:00.000-05:00

This is the table that my mom bought for me at a garage sale years ago.
This is the table where I write to my bloggy friends
This is the table where I eat with my dh and teens
This is the table where we have celebrated 16 years of holidays
This is the table in the heart of our house....
our house that I just SOLD....

I think I am happy, I am sad, I am anxious,
I am confident... I am a little crazy...
but then you all know what I am talkin about !

Guest Blogger

2006-08-15T14:56:00.000-05:00

My friend Pattie emailed me the other day .... "if I only had a blog ", she said.... "I would write about how grateful I am for all of these bikes" Pattie has an only child, a young teen son, and at the moment she shot the picture... she had a house full of teen age boys...teen age boys who had found refuge from the hill country heat in her home sweet home...... so no... they didnt come to my house... they went to hers...which says alot about what kind of mom she is.... and the fact that she is grateful for all of those bikes says alot about what kind of person she is..... and the fact that she is my friend, well I am a pretty lucky gal !

I miss you Andrea Edwards !!

2006-08-12T00:41:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite bloggers was Andrea Edwards, artist, humorist,mother to 4. Her writings made me laugh, her pictures made me ooooh and awe, and her comments always made my day. She stopped blogging suddenly.... and I miss her! She loves pale walls and white slipcovers and bright art and I always wanted to show her how similiar both of our living rooms are. So here ya go A. if you are watching..... I took some pictures of my hill country white slipcovers.... just for you .... and all of my other sweet bloggy buds too !

Serendipity.... indeed....

2006-08-11T14:37:00.000-05:00

In July the teens and I flew back to the hill country to attend a wedding. We left the mid 70s of the New England Coast for the high humid 90s of Texas ! It was a special wedding for us... the bride was the teens first babysitter and the mother of the bride was the teens kindergarten teacher and one of my bestest friends. It HAD to be a special day to get me to fly back to this heat.... I never come back here in July.... I usually wait until the day before school starts to come back to the heat. BUT during my July wedding visit, I looked at my DH and announced " I am going to change my reservations and come back 2 weeks early"... well I got full eye conact from DH on that one ! "Why ?" he asked. " I dont know... I just have to get back home "... and I was shaking as I said it.

I won't bore you with the complicated details... but we did get back to the hill country 10 days ago.....
And yesterday morning when I woke up and saw the terrorist airplane plot news.... I was soooo glad I wasnt at the airport with 3 teens...yesterday was the day we were originally scheduled to fly back home..... serendipity indeed.

JUNK IN MY TRUNK

2006-07-17T15:06:00.000-05:00

Junk
in
my trunk.
Time to clean.
Clean guilt, sorrow, funk .
Reach to forgive,share, shine....clean .

Photo: old buttons collected from junk jars at flea market

Perfect Party

2006-07-13T16:10:00.000-05:00

Going through my pictures today I found this one which reminded me....

Last year The Girls on the Block (well one in particular.. tee hee) asked me if I would have the 2006 New Years Party at our house. I thought: HOW FUN... we were going to be gone for the 2 weeks but, due to fly in on the afternoon of New Years Eve.... a little tight on scheduling... but that is how I tend to live my life.

This was the easiest party that I ever did give, all I had to do was provide the house... everyone else was bringing the food. So I set everything up before we left...easy . The friend (feeling like she owed me....love that hah !) picked us up at the airport, we came home, did a few loads of laundry... and 3 hours later... The Girls on the Block showed up with all of the food and drink. Easiest party evah... we had a blast and DH even made it to midnight !

Picture: my kitchen dining all ready for 2006 !

PS: I get to have lunch with THAT friend this Friday ... havent seen her for a month. We have lots to catch up on and lunch will be on me because now I owe her...hah!

Home Sweet Home

2006-07-12T08:43:00.000-05:00

Little blue house... big blue house...
Old house....new house...
In the city.... out of the city
Many rooms...... one room...
Own it...rent it
Fine furniture .... flea market finds...
Stuffed .... sparse...
Flooded with light... dark and cozy
Music...books...art...love
Food...laughter...companions....
Many companions.....one companion
So many possibile combinations to make a
Home Sweet Home...

What is your combination for a Home Sweet Home ? How much or how little do we need to have a happy home ?

Picture: sweet little beachy blue bird house in my front yard

Blue Day

2006-07-11T21:19:00.000-05:00

Blue
Day
For me.
Garden girl
Hiding in flowers
Prays for sun,water,nourishment.

A Surprise a year ago..

2006-07-09T20:33:00.000-05:00

The College Princess in our life loves surprises. She is frequently planning surprise brithday parties for her friends and I knew she secretly yearned to be surprised herself. In our house it is next to impossible to keep birthday plans a surprise... so I knew planning a surprise birthday for her would not work.

Instead I planned a different surprise for her last year as she was preparing to graduate from high school. I planned a party and invited all of the special people who had a gentle hand in her development during her 18 years. The guests included favorite teachers from preschool, elementary school, junior high, and high school and some of her favorite babysitters . I asked each person to write a short letter to her with their favorite princessmemory and words of advice for her first year away from home. It was soooo top secret... I never made any phone contacts from the house... I told DH at a location away from home.... and miraculously... I pulled it off... the princess was surprised... and almost as important... the younger princess was also surprised.. if you catch my drift.

Anyway... what a special evening we had...we met at an outdoor restaurant in the hill country... we shared we laughed we cried and we celebrated sending our young girl into the world.

Picture :hs teacher,2nd grade,junior high teachers, kindergarten teacher, babysitter..i love them all !

Goodnight Moon

2006-07-07T22:19:00.000-05:00

Warm
Day
Perfect
Slow, lazy
Drags into cool dusk
Deep orange moon says goodnight all

Today was what my DH calls one of those "chamber of commerce days " and while driving thru the port tonight... the moon was incredible...alas I did not have my camera with me.. so I downloaded the image from a local inn.

Happy Son

2006-07-07T19:53:00.000-05:00

Sweet
Son
Driving
Growing fast
Summer beach,bike, golf
Now camping three weeks no sisters !

Enjoy !!

Aqua Sea

2006-07-05T16:02:00.000-05:00

cool
sea
aqua
blue water
too cold for wading
instead walk, gaze, imagine, dream

I love reading Paris Parfait Tara's haikus using the Fibonacci sequence of 1, 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 syllables:. Thank you Tara for helping me to think and stretch. Haikus could be addictive !

PS I DID NOT TAKE THIS PHOTO... DOWNLOADED IT OFF THE INTERNET AFTER TAKING ABOUT 100 PICTURES OF THE OCEAN AND THE OCEAN LOOKING GREY IN MY PICTURES...EVAH HAVE A DAY LIKE THAT ??????? LOL !!!

Red White and Blue Spirit

2006-07-04T05:53:00.000-05:00

Let freedom ring....In our hearts, our spirits, and our deeds. We are blessed . Happy Independence Day !

The Quilt

2006-07-01T15:26:00.001-05:00

Recently I was ALONE for a 45 minute drive on the highway. NO TALKING ...just me alone with my thoughts ....and my thoughts wandered to my blogworld.

Lately I have been amazed at the TALENT, creativity and richness of my cyber-friend's blogs. Its enough to make a plain jane like me feel a little intimidated. As I thought about the diversity in all of my blog friends, the image of a quilt came to mind.... a patchwork quilt.... with each blog friend representing a square in my lifequilt... and I tried to imagine what it would be like if all of my blog friends met to make a quilt ?

Well, Alicia from Mayfly would come with the cutest fabric , Tara from Paris Parfait might bring some of her european fabric, Corey from Tongue in Cheek would bring some of her french fabric and arrange all of the pieces in the most artistic way for us, Susan from Artstream would come too and bring lots of praise for us budding artists along with her retro fabric, Laura from No Appropriate Behavior would bring great fabric and keep us all laughing while we quilted, Janna would provide the music, Sophia would bring her fabulous secret brownies, Chasity would take photos and make a layout for us... Julie from Suburban Kitchen would bring fabulous things to eat......Andrea could bring her paintbushes and paint a fabulous picture of the quilt... and ME ????

Well we can quilt at MY house and I will make margaritas uh I mean iced tea !

So now I dont feel like such a plain Jane anymore because I know we would have a fabulous time making a quilt at my house ! BUT.... I was so deep in my quiltblog thoughts....
that I missed my exit !

The photo: quilts and vintage fabrics on the bottom shelves of my bedroom armoire

Someones in the kitchen

2006-06-30T00:22:00.000-05:00

Summer 06 Teen Cooking School continues. Todays dish is a family favorite...

Jim's Spaghetti

1 lb hamburger
1 box noodles
1 can tomato soup
1 soup can of water
1 can Rotel ( tomato with green chili)
1 grated zuchinni
1 chopped onion
shredded cheese for topping

Cook hamburger,drain and add onion and zuchinni. Add soup and water.. simmer 15 minutes, then add rotel and simmer another 15 minutes. Boil noodles,drain, and pour into oblong pan. Pour hamburger mixture over noodles. Cover with cheese. Bake 350 for 30 minutes. ( Note: I have used a variation of noodles, and sometimes I use more meat and an extra can of soup... teen boys ya know )

Yum..

10 Things that made me smile today

2006-06-28T22:43:00.000-05:00

1.The fog this morning.
2.The sun this afternoon.
3.Teens who know how to get places better than I do.
4. Lunch at the pier in the above picture.
5. Having to move inside at the pier bc it was too chilly...can ya believe that ?.
6.Teen Son taunting.. I mean ..encouraging teen daughter to ride bike to play tennis
7.News that IRS building in DC was experiencing flooding...
8. College princess is finished with summer school.
9. Pink toes.
10. Giggles and gossip with my friend Pattie and George tomorrow.

Aging

2006-06-27T14:19:00.000-05:00

George Carlin's Views on Aging

1.Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER : Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

The photo: my eldest princess preparing for her senior prom... as I clicked the picture... it took my breath away.. and I instantly passed into full fledged middle age... ready to send a new generation into the world.

Beach Walk

2006-06-26T01:01:00.000-05:00

Walking on my beach route today....

Beautiful antique victorian home

Beach condos

Sea roses by the marsh

This homeowner has awesome garage sales... I go every year

5 star restaurant... I have never been though

The scenery is definitely an aerobic inspiration.

Babysitting

2006-06-23T20:18:00.000-05:00

The teens in our house love to babysit and I love for them to babysit. Usually babysitting is seen as a benefit for the parents of small children and a financial benefit for the teen, but I believe that the biggest benefit of babysitting is for the parents of teens. No..... not because it gets them out of the house....... here are a few of the benefits from my perspective:

*teens are always glad to come home after a babysitting job... in fact they come home saying things like..." wow I am sooo glad to be home Mom" ...or "omg that food looks so good mom"

*teens reassure me that it will be years before they have kids..."kids are sooo much work Mom"

*teens come home with questions about interactions with the parents and their young charges... "Do you think that is the best way to handle it Mom?"

*they see how other families live, how they interact, their values, their strengths and their weaknesses.

*they see how parents treat their spouses, their children, and their babysitters and they take it all in... and dream of how they will treat their spouse, their children and their babysitters.

* they learn how to be quick thinkers and problem solvers... how to get that shy child to interact or how to get that spirited child to comply with her mother's rules.

*they learn that work is hard, mistakes are made, but rewards are great.

One of the moms told my teens this week that her kiddos watch everything that the babysitters say and do... which is true... it is also true that the teens see and hear everything that happens in the families they care for .

Babysitting has been a treasure chest of life lessons for my teens and I.

Visit To ARTstream

2006-06-22T13:38:00.000-05:00

I promised Susan 2 weeks ago that I would visit one day .....and today I snuck away to go 30 miles to visit her art studio in Rochester New Hampshire. It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for a drive, although it was 70 here and 84 there.
Weird, huh ?

Anyway... it was kind of a big trip for me...I had been all the way from Texas to New England and thru cyber - blog land by the time my little car pulled up in front of the ARTstream Studio. I was pretty proud of myself as I walked past the pretty window boxes and up to the front door of the studio... then I saw this sign :

Uh-oh as I giggled to myself.. I thought they were open on Thursdays... but now that I am a "bloggie", I whipped out my everready camera and clicked some photos and peered thru the front window at all of those delightful pieces of art I had seen on her website... as I had my nose pressed up to the window ooohing over the art inside.. a man came to the door and to let me in ... seems they WERE open.. he just forgot to take down the closed sign.

Ah her studio is just lovely... old worn wooden floors, with crisp white walls, and bright contemporary art pieces, with soft day light pouring in. Saw so many things I loved, but decided to come back when I knew Susan would be there and she could show me around. I know some teens who will love some of those earrings she has for sale ! You can view Susan's art blog at http://www.artesprit.blogspot.com/.

Thanks Susan for pulling me in the direction of a new town and new art ! I am so glad I hung around even though the closed sign was up ... only next time I will let you know for sure when I am coming ! Here are a few exterior shots

Simple Things...

2006-06-21T19:00:00.000-05:00

Its the simple things in life that can bring you happiness.

Last week when our friends from the south were visiting i mentioned that I loved going to the beach at dinnertime. The crowds are gone, the sun is lower, the breeze is stronger... and it is heavenly. So we gathered the beach chairs and ordered pizza to be delivered to the beach. We were the only ones there !

Of all the things we did last week... this is high on the list of favorites.

Wedding Cake House

2006-06-19T19:04:00.000-05:00

Seen while strolling in the New England sunshine .

This beautiful piece of architecture is called The Wedding Cake House and it does resemble a wedding cake, doesn't it ? The local legend is that the architectural ornamentation pieces were carved at sea by a lonely sea captain who had to leave his bride as soon as they were married. Before writing this post, I did a wee bit of research to find that the legend was in fact a fairy tale which was perhaps concocted by an overzealous entrepreneur.

The Wedding Cake House ,originally Federalist in style , was built in 1825 by a shipbuilder for his bride. The architecture of the house was altered in 1852 after the barn attached to the house burned. The shipbuilder was retired by then and decided to rebuild the barn in a Gothic style. He then added all of the spires and trim to the house so that it would relate more to the barn. So alas... it was merely modern day home improvement.... 4 years of home improvement as all the ornamentation was made by the shipbuilders own hands. What a fabulous artist he was ! Today the home is privately owned and impeccably maintained.

Daddy

2006-06-16T14:57:00.000-05:00

He
..spoke four languages
..broke an olympic record
..designed secret runways
..served 3 wars
..played in 2 bands
..served as mayor pro tem
..was grandpa to my 3
..yelled at crazy drivers
..made me laugh !

I miss you Daddy !
I think of you when I look outside and see the birdhouse.

Happy Fathers Day Daddy !

BTS

2006-06-15T06:20:00.000-05:00

One of my summer goals is to teach my teens how to cook. We have started with the basics and this week we created one of their favorites: BTS Cake (Better Than Sex Cake ) Not sure if it is their favorite because of the name or because of all of the chocolate.... probably all of the above. Nevertheless.. they made it on Tuesday and it was gone by Wednesday.

Lobstah !

2006-06-14T08:30:00.000-05:00

When southern friends come to visit New England.... they love to eat lobster. This southern girl is clueless as to how cooking and lobster go together...remember the Woody Allen movie Annie Hall ?

So... with a little help from my New England neighbor Cindy... we made it happen.
Here are some shots

THE VERDICTS :
CollegePrincess: Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
HS Princess: Enjoyed the process.
TeenSon:Ate all of his and then his sisters'
Visiting Friends : Loved it !
DH: Wish I was there !
Moi: Grateful for fun, friends and lobstah !
Thank you Cindy for making a special night for my visitors !!

Happy

2006-06-12T16:27:00.000-05:00

I am sooooo happy....

*happy for 2 days of sunshine !

*happy to see the neighborhood outside playing

*happy to smell the fragrance from my lilac bushes as I worked in the yard

*happy for my loooong walk

*happy to ride in the convertible with the wind blowing our hair

*happy to teach daughter how to make peach cobbler... yumm

*happy to see teen son playing basketball,football and tennis

*happy for teens going to the pool

*happy TV was OFF all day

*happy sitting on neighbors porch drinking wine last night

*happy preparing for friends coming to visit

yah... the endorphins have arrived... finally !

(hoping Alberto stays away)

10 Things I am gonna do when the RAIN stops.

2006-06-09T19:04:00.000-05:00

Picture of my friend , Rosemary's new garden center

IT HAS BEEN RAINING HERE FOR ALMOST 4 WEEKS !!!

10 Things I am going to do when this *#@@!!** rain stops.

1. Go outside and enjoy the fresh air.

2. Sit in an adirondack chair in my yard and read a book

3. Visit my friend Rosemary's new garden center and buy some plants.

4. Take some pictures of all the beautiful things on the seacoast.

6. Walk, walk, walk and never stop !

7. Go to the beach.

8 Go to the outdoor flea market.

9. Use my outdoor grill .

10. Send my kids outside and lock...oops I mean accidently lock the door.

FLEA MARKET FINDS

2006-06-07T18:31:00.000-05:00

FLEA MARKET CHAIR : $40.00

FLEA MARKET TABLE CLOTH : $10.00

SLIPPED CHAIR LOOK : timeless

DAUGHTERS RESPONSE : priceless

DOOR : Before and After

2006-06-06T15:49:00.000-05:00

Recent renovation conversation at our house at the seacoast .

ME : I am thinking about painting the front door a new color... what do ya think ???

DH:" umm"... as he stared at me with a "I've just been captured by the Iraquis " look.

ROSEMARY : "I think you should paint it a purply-blue color "

TEENS: " Oh gaaaaaaaaawd... do NOT paint it PURPLE ... that is sooooo bad MOM "

So... guess what I did ?

Yup.... it is purply blue... and I just love it. Thank you Rosemary !

What do you think ? Doesnt it say come on into this fun house ????

As for the family.... DH is thrilled that his consulting services are no longer needed... and the teens... well its growing on them.

Chandy In The Shed

2006-05-30T15:09:00.000-05:00

What does a girl do when she has an extra chandy ?

She tries to find a home for it...

So my shabby chandy now hangs in my garden shed.

I think the electrician thought I was a little looney...

but ..... I love it !!

Being Mom

2006-05-12T23:34:00.000-05:00

by Anna Quindlen, Newsweek Columnist and Author

If not for the photographs, I might have a hard time believing they ever existed. The pensive infant with the swipe of dark bangs and the black button eyes of a Raggedy Andy doll. The placid baby with the yellow ringlets and the high piping voice. The sturdy toddler with the lower lip that curled into an apostrophe above her chin.

All my babies are gone now. I say this not in sorrow but in disbelief. I take great satisfaction in what I have today: three almost-adults, two taller than I am, one closing in fast. Three people who read the same books I do and have learned not to be afraid of disagreeing with me in their opinion of them, who sometimes tell vulgar jokes that make me laugh until I choke and cry, who need razor blades and shower gel and privacy, who want to keep their doors closed more than I like.

Who, miraculously, go to the bathroom, zip up their jackets and move food from plate to mouth all by themselves. Like the trick soap I bought for the bathroom with a rubber ducky at its center, the baby is buried deep within each, barely discernible except through the unreliable haze of the past.

Everything in all the books I once pored over is finished for me now. Penelope Leach., T. Berry Brazelton., Dr. Spock. The ones on sibling rivalry and sleeping through the night and early-childhood education, all grown obsolete. Along with Goodnight Moon and Where the Wild Things Are, they are battered, spotted, well used. But I suspect that if you flipped the pages dust would rise like memories.

What those books taught me, finally, and what the women on the playground taught me, and the well-meaning relations --what they taught me, was that they couldn't really teach me very much at all. Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it is an
endless essay. No one knows anything. One child responds well to positive reinforcement, another can be managed only with a stern voice and a timeout. One child is toilet trained at 3, his sibling at 2.

When my first child was born, parents were told to put baby to bed on his belly so that he would not choke on his own spit-up. By the time my last arrived, babies were put down on their backs because of research on sudden infant death syndrome. To a new parent this ever-shifting certainty is terrifying, and then soothing.

Eventually you must learn to trust yourself. Eventually the research will follow. I remember 15 years ago poring over one of Dr. Brazelton's wonderful books on child development, in which he describes three different sorts of infants: average, quiet, and active. I was looking for a sub-quiet codicil for an 18-month old who did not walk. Was there something wrong with his fat little legs? Was there something wrong with his tiny little mind ? Was he developmentally delayed, physically challenged? Was I insane? Last year he went to China. Next year he goes to college. He can talk just fine. He can walk, too.

Every part of raising children is humbling, too. Believe me, mistakes were made. They have all been enshrined in the, "Remember-When-Mom-Did Hall of Fame." The outbursts, the temper tantrums, the bad language, mine, not theirs. The times the baby fell off the bed. The times I arrived late for preschool pickup. The nightmare sleepover. The horrible summer camp. The day when the youngest came barreling out of the classroom with a 98 on her geography test, and I responded, What did you
get wrong? (She insisted I include that.) The time I ordered food at the McDonald's drive-through speaker and then drove away without picking it up from the window. (They all insisted I include that.) I did not allow them to watch the Simpsons for the first two seasons. What was I thinking?

But the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs.

There is one picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the
getting it done a little less.

Even today I'm not sure what worked and what didn't, what was me and what was simply life. When they were very small, I suppose I thought someday they would become who they were because o f what I' d done. Now I suspect they simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a thousand ways that I back off and let them be.

The books said to be relaxed and I was often tense, matter-of-fact and I was sometimes over the top. And look how it all turned out. I wound up with the three people I like best in the world, who have done more than anyone to excavate my essential humanity. That's what the books never told me. I was bound and determined to learn from the experts. It just took me a while to figure out who the experts were...

By Anna Quinlann, Newsweek colunist

Once Upon a Time..

2006-05-09T21:15:00.000-05:00

I believe in fairy tales . Once upon a time 20 some years ago...

Back then, Laverne and I were young teachers who loved to go dancing on Friday nights. We had it down to an art; always arriving early in order to get half priced drinks and chairs close to the dance floor . We had a rhythm .. one would dance and the other would hold court in our prized chairs .... and then we would switch. And so it went Friday after Friday after Friday until one August evening .

It was my turn to hold court in our prized chairs and I had allready turned down a certain cowboy several times...Finally in desparation the certain cowboy demanded "Why wont you dance with me ?"

Seriously frustrated, I raised my finger non chalantly into the air and pointed without looking where I was pointing... "Because I promised that guy I would dance with him."

Mission accomplished cowboy disappeared.

Minutes later ...as if I had waved a magic wand when I pointed my finger blindly into mid-air... a tap on my shoulder....

and I turned in my prized chair to see a tall blond handsome guy smiling down at me with a twinkle in his eye.

" I think you promised me this dance " he said.

...and so I danced...

.and the rest is truly a miracle. I met my tall blond handsome husband on that August night. Once upon a time...20 some years ago.

Do you believe in fairy tales ? I do !

Hydrangeas make me happy ....

2006-05-08T20:02:00.000-05:00

Happiness keeps you sweet,

Sorrows keep you human,

Failures keep you humble,

Success keeps you glowing,

But only God keeps you going.

Hydrangeas from my 2005 summer garden... I can't wait for them to bloom again !

What makes you happy ?

Stones

2006-05-06T08:24:00.000-05:00

To find what you seek in the road of life,

the best proverb of all is that which says:

"Leave no stone unturned."

Edward Bulwer Lytton

I keep this container of beach stones on the table next to my bed
to remind me of this and to remind me of my love for the sea.

I will be there soon....very soon.

Gratitude

2006-05-05T09:23:00.000-05:00

Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.

I found this quote on Sophia's blog and it grabbed me right in my heart.

Thank you Sophia .

IT'S RED !!

2006-05-04T21:34:00.000-05:00

ONCE UPON A TIME...on a b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l hill country day in April 2006

DHubby : " For you my bride ".

HS Son: " Cool ".

College Princess: " Oh my god... oh my god... it's awesome... i LOVE it ! "

HS Princess : " Oh gawwwwd.... can you be any more OBVIOUS ? Do NOT pick me up from school in that !"

Bride : I kissed my hubby, put that top down , picked up my friend Pattie, and off we went ! I couldn't have been more OBVIOUS with my glee AND my joy, on that April day. It was both awesome... and cool !
Gracias mi hermano !

Private School Interview

2006-05-02T08:06:00.000-05:00

My children were 6,8 and 11 in the spring of 1997 when we decided to apply to a small private school for our eldest daughter. Part of the private school application process involved a family interview. So one Saturday morning I spiffed up my family in their nice,but casual attire, combed the sweet boy childs hair, put a bow in my darling 6 year olds hair, and oohed and aahed over the wonderful outfit my precious 11 yr. old had chosen. Off we went to the office of the headmaster where the five of sat in the 5 leather chairs lined up in front of the headmaster's large desk.

Most of the interview involved questions for my hubby and I and our 11 year old daughter. The 6 yr old and 8 yr old spent the time swinging their legs as they sat perched on those big leather chairs. Towards the end of the interview the headmaster asked each family member "What do you like about the school you are going to ?"

11 yr old : " I like the beautiful new library ."

8 yr son : " uh.... I like playing with my friends "

DH: " I think that is a well run school and the teachers work hard. "

Moi: "(suck-up) I like that our school has enriched the curriculum with a Spanish program . Our children have had Spanish since kindergarten with a teacher who really tries to make learning Spanish fun. "

6yr old : Yeah... and we just HATE her. Her name is Senora Smith ... do NOT hire HER "

Headmaster: " I cant wait to have that child in my class ! "

After the interview we had a family discussion about using the word HATE . It didnt work... not then and not now. I have consoled myself with the fact that maybe she just lives life large.... large and in charge !

Schools out for the summer... almost !

2006-04-30T10:46:00.000-05:00

19 more school days
countless activities , finals, swim parties,wedding showers,ball games
and then..... summer vacation

is it
VACATION !!! (YAY)
or is it
VACATION ???? (YIKES)

OK.... its going to be VACATION !!!!! (3 kids remember???)

This summer I want to-
...listen more... talk less
...remember the word gratitude
....read more books
...learn how to take better pictures
..teach my kids to play spades
..get my sewing machine out
...cook more...eat less
..continue working out
..stay in touch with my sister-friends
and relax

How about you ??? How will you spend your summer ?