I Married Mr. Rogers

For the LOVE of TYPEWRITERS!

2012-02-06T11:17:00.000-08:00

Two nostalgic things from my childhood come in the touch and sound of typewriters and rotary phones. Do other people have such fond memories of machines or does that reveal just what a relic for history I am? I've been wanting to get a working rotary phone for my kitchen desk for a while now, it seems much more reasonable than having a clunker IBM Selectric there. However, it would be simply grand to punch out thank you notes to people and send them off in the mail. Still, even on my laptop I relish the sound of my fingers clicking away on the keys but it doesn't compare to the click and clack of a typewriter with its low humming in the background and that brilliant zip and ding when you hit the return key. My heart is captivated with merriment by this fabric...I know, I know, it's ridiculous! But I do confess that I've caught myself gazing these typewriters with admiration more than once!

The TYPEWRITER Tee in Pomegranate on an Organic Cotton American Apparel Shirt

The TYPEWRITER Tote on an American Apparel Canvas Tote

The TYPEWRITER Tank in Natural on an Organic Cotton American Apparel Tank

The TYPEWRITER Tee in Natural on an Organic Cotton American Apparel Shirt

The TYPEWRITER Tank on an Organic Cotton American Apparel Tank

The TYPEWRITER Tee in Natural on an Organic Cotton American Apparel Tank

This AMAZING fabric is a Japanese Import from Kokka Fabrics. From the collection Ruby Star Shining by Melody Miller, printed on a wonderful linen and cotton blend. To say it is hard to get is an understatement but through my new found swashbuckling skills, thanks Jack, me's been able to plunder a bit o' each of thar three colors it's available in.

A Valentine's Day Card for Mr. Rogers

2012-02-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

I've just spent the latter part of two cups of coffee scouring etsy for the perfect handmade Valentine's Day card for Mr. Rogers. The clever creations of the letterpress handmade community make me giddy! These are my finalists and I'm having a "heart" wrenching time trying to decide which one to put into my shopping cart!

Complete Me Letterpress Card by d.sharp

Letterpress Valentine's Day Card - YoU MeLT MY BuTTeR by echoletterpress

Crazy For You - Valentine's Day Letterpress by TabletopMade

Jack the Pirate

2012-01-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

Lincoln, Maggie and myself have spent much of January helping Jack fulfill his self-proclaimed status as Jack the Pirate. He started out as SHARK-BAIT, has worked his way up to COOK, soon he will be PEG-LEG-ATTACHER, and ultimately CAPTAIN Jack! We've been working out of the hilariously witty Pirate's Log: A Handbook for Aspiring Swashbucklers that we picked up at Twee!

Unfortunately for Lincoln and Maggie, one must read and write to work the log but they've settled for honorary swashbuckling status, as they've been working side by side with Jack completing various Pirate-type activities like...

...the knot-tying challenge

...how to befriend a shark

....choosing a ship name

...the day without a bath challenge (they smelled like this!)

...and here Honorary First Mate Maggie demonstrates how to steer a pirate ship!

Phew! As you can imagine we have been awfully engrossed in embracing the life of swashbucklers. Jack has taken to his journal like a fish to the sea. It will be sad to see him venture off to the high seas once he becomes CAPTAIN. However, Mr. Rogers and myself have been participating in some of the pirate training challenges we thought might help us visit our soon to be pirate son on his ship - like the scurvy challenge and the salt water challenge. Of course, I've also been purchasing this book for all the little boys in our lives so maybe they can form their rogue nation of pirates together off the Pacific and us dear old parents can crack steamed crabs on shore and drink ale while we wait for their return!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2011-12-25T16:39:00.000-08:00

Thank you to SillyMeDesigns for working with me to create our Christmas card!

Remembering the reason for the season!

Three Pairs of Moccasins

2011-11-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

Three of the many things Mr. Rogers and myself have to be thankful for today.

Happy Thanksgiving

and a special

Thank you to SLOVLY for sharing your wonderful talent with us!

Maggie's Acorn Skirt

2011-11-23T15:16:00.000-08:00

This is Maggie's Thanksgiving Day skirt! Usually, I hem and ha over purchasing fabric because of the cost but I bought that acorn fabric on the spot! It is paired with a LizzyHouse fabric that I love but after I finished the skirt I had a "McFly!?!?!?" moment because I meant to pair it with a tan corduroy to make it feel more fall like...uhhh! Part of me really wants to make another one, the way I originally intended it, but that rational side is trying to convince me to just let it go!

The Woodlands - Acorns in Teal and LizzyHouse -1001 Peeps Illusion in Orange from The Intrepid Thread

Thanksgiving Corn Pudding

2011-11-22T16:23:00.000-08:00

Or more...

It's good, promise!

Rain.

2011-11-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

When it rains my go-to activity is reading a book on the sofa wrapped in a blanket like a caterpillar in a cocoon! I want to be alone, with a warm beverage of some sort in one hand and my book in the other hand. Then I want to fall asleep on the sofa for three hours or so of uninterrupted sleep. It rained yesterday. Did this happen? No. What did happen? Lots of jumping in rain puddles.

Lincoln is pretending to be a dead shark...they thought that was hilarious!

Turkey Finger Puppets

2011-11-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

Really, what is Thanksgiving without turkey finger puppets? Printed templates from Martha Stewart served as the kids blank palette to color up some turkey fun. Not to mention the 30 minutes of mental health time while they strategically selected their colors and colored their templates. When Mr. Rogers got home, I raided my felt scraps and whipped up a turkey to order - one each for Maggie, Lincoln, and Jack.

Turkey finger puppets give kisses!

And they get sung to in gobble gobble intonations!

Gobble gobble fun for kids and turkey finger puppets alike!

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

2011-11-11T23:06:00.000-08:00

This summer I once again found myself strolling the rolling hills of Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. We spent a particularly long time at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, watching the changing of the guard. What captivated me was a group of veterans off to my side, mostly sitting in wheel chairs. These were veterans mostly from World War II and some from the Korean War. American troops served in WWII from 1941-1945 and in Korea from 1950-1953, so these guys have seen their fair share of life. They were part of a program called, Honor Flight, their mission is to sponsor veterans to come visit their particular war memorials in Washington, D.C. at no expense to the veterans. Words cannot capture what was going on in the minds of those veterans at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. One can only imagine the closure that a trip like this would mean, especially for soldiers involved in wars post-WWII where things have not been so cut and dry.

Taken by me at General Robert E. Lee's former plantation in Arlington, VA now known as Arlington National Cemetery

If I could've taken the kids to Arlington today I would have, to walk through the WWII, Korean and Vietnam monuments in D.C. and to walk around the Iwo Jima monument and show the kids how it looks like the soldiers are raising and lowering the flag. Instead we hit our local parade to put faces to the meaning behind this holiday. We found a pleasant grassy hill to view the parade from, had some peanut brittle and the kids (seven total) sat and watched the parade for over an hour. It wasn't a fancy parade, far from the Rose Parade or Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but it was a parade of heroes and the kids were captivated.

Being Thankful for Veterans

It's been a long time friend....ship bracelet [egads!]

2011-11-09T15:31:00.000-08:00

Oh no, the boys are all about friendship bracelets right now. It took me a good half hour of youtube tutorials to jog my memory and stretch my fingers back into their former years of elementary school friendship making glory. The first bracelet bracelet took me about an hour to make, with Jack "checking in on me" every couple of minutes wondering why it was taking so long.

I've been busting out these basic breaded ones to calm the masses in between the more tedious patterned ones. In the meantime it's possible that early onset arthritis might be around the corner for me if I can't shake the kids from this crazy friendship bracelet mania!

Fig Season is almost over...

2011-11-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

Mmmm, I love fig season especially since I discovered fresh figs! California is a fig haven and you can pluck figs from the trees and pop them right into your mouth. Often I look longingly into my backyard envisioning just a place for a fig tree but alas there is none. Therefor, I must rely on the kindness and generosity of my fellow Californians to hook me up with fresh figs. My niece, also a lover of figs, was telling me about this amazing goat cheese and fig jelly she made this season. Consequently, my mouth was watering for weeks on end! Obviously, she enjoys the torturing of my taste buds because although she told me all about this wonderful jelly she failed to deliver any to my doorstep tied with a bow and card that said, "World's Best Aunt!" Much to my relief I found some Fig Butter at Trader Joe's, minus the goat cheese.

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell are always up to no good..

2011-10-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

While being held for a candy ransom by Hook and Mr. Smee this afternoon, I spied Peter Pan and Tink mischievously investigating the innards of this abandoned building by way of the mail slot.

They were also discussing how kind their "mom" Wendy was who slaved away in her sewing room all week for them to have some new handmade duds for today....wow, she must be a REALLY nice mom! Mr. Smee's outfit also seemed freshly stitched and although a portly pirate ripe in age, he drew a striking resemblance to my eldest son. Mmmm, very odd day indeed!

Hope you all had a fabulous All Hallows' Eve!

creepshi [kree-pee soo-shee]

2011-10-27T06:32:00.000-07:00

This Halloween we are rolling out our new favorite holiday Peeps treat, Creepshi! Indeed this delectable combination of gummi treats, fruit by the foot, rice krispy treats and Peeps, of course, is surprisingly delicious and has become a fan favorite around our house. First seen on SeriousEats.com, Mr. Rogers and I patiently waited until Peeps season and excitedly created our own Peepshi. Originally we thought we were creating an Easter tradition but I have a sneaking suspicion that it is becoming a year round Peeps tradition. So putting a Halloween spin on Peepshi, Mr. Rogers came up with Creepshi...the creepy Peeps sushi!

We raided the candy aisle and came up with these good eats!

Very disappointed that the straws and gummi worms didn't look like cucumber and carrot slivers like we were hoping...but we still put our gummi body parts to good use!

Jack and I made all of these and he came up with the whole brain oozing out of the pumpkin head...clever!

Jack even put together some creepshi for his teacher...he picked the best ones he made for her and his cousins. Safe to say his teacher was properly creeped out!

Frankenstein, so misunderstood!

2011-10-25T06:42:00.000-07:00

Frankenstein hasn't always been my Halloween BFF, but the past five years have come with a growing affection towards the misunderstood monster. Poor guy, his name wasn't even Frankenstein, that was the name of his creator, he was simply referred to as "The Monster." So what is it about this monster that I love so much? Is it that leathery stitched skin, the tattered clothing, or perhaps his jerky, arthritic movement that bewitches me? Nope, it is mostly just pity, like an abused puppy dog who lashes out at people because he is hurt and misunderstood. Did I really just compare Frankenstein's monster to a puppy dog?!?!? Upon creation, The Monster didn't start off a tyrant, he just wanted love - primarily by his creator and then in the creation of a female companion like him. Of course, neither panned out too well and it all ends with tragedy in true Shakespearean form. Then again, he wouldn't be a token Halloween character if he found true love and lived happily ever after, right?

A handmade ode to my favorite 8 foot monster, if you will...

Frankenstein doll made from Upcycled sweaters Eco-Friendly by Ollie and Rose

LEGO Frankenstein Minifig Cufflinks by KorpseCrafts

Frankenstein Altered Book Purse by bibliobags

Frankenstein on a Stick by MaroDesigns (this image is copyrighted - do not reproduce without permission of MaroDesigns)

Frankenstein Portrait Plate - Altered Vintage Plate by BeatUpCreations

This Halloween season finds me once again enthralled in the pages of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. If you promote equality of all monsters than Bram Stoker's Dracula is also a good read. However, it doesn't carry the same philosophical undertones for me as the story of Victor Frankenstein and his monster.

Three things that I LOVE about October

2011-10-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

ONE

TWO

THREE

City to the Sea Half Marathon

2011-10-10T21:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I ran a half marathon! Nearly thirty-six hours later my legs remain crippled in pain and I am most certainly walking in true gimp fashion. This morning during class I dropped something on the ground and I thought, "Crap! How am I going to pick that up when I can't even bend my legs!" Part of this is my fault because stretching became a secondary issue when we barely made it on time to the race and afterwards it was hard to find a place to stretch because it was so crowded. Although well prepared for the 13.1 miles on FLAT land, being well prepared for HILLS was not quite the same and I am now paying for my running ignorance. Oh well, my amazing running partner and I powered through those dang California coastal hills to the crest of the Pacific Ocean regardless, and were able to finish our first half marathon in 02:04:03, with a 9:28 pace. We weren't really going for time as much as just not finishing last or falling into the Pacific Ocean at the end of the race!

By no means is this an actual placement medal but more of a "thank you for self-inflicting torture on yourself at our half marathon. Here is a small participation token to make you feel good about yourself" kind of medal!

For more info go here: City to the Sea - awesome experience!

Notes for my next half marathon: remember ipod (seriously, can you believe I forgot this!), wear sunscreen (both our faces got sunburned), show up extra early for stretching and using restroom, and wear a visor. As an early morning runner I forgot about the unpleasantness of running in full sun!

Things remembered and quite useful: GU Energy gel (best flavors Espresso Love and Vanilla Bean) - they were giving out GU but it was grape and any of those citrus flavors make me want to dry heave, and SPIbelt for storing GU and car keys.

Something that I am considering next time: The water stops really held us up and we fell behind the 2 hour pacer guy dressed in the sweet Professor Dumbledore outfit. Seriously, contemplating a belt with water on it to get the GU down and stay hydrated with for next race.

Coco libre...honestly, I bought it because of the name!

2011-10-06T06:47:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for things with clever names, those mad men get me every time! Not to mention I was super parched while we were picking up some groceries at Whole Foods last night! Two bucks, I bought!

Enjoy chilled! Don't mind if I do!

Hmmm, very subtle coconut flavor, heavier than water but not as thick as coconut milk, definitely better chilled then room temperature, and refreshing!

A little West Coast East Coast LOVE for you!

2011-10-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

California LOVE ... I know, I know always promoting California (and New Mexico when I can)!

However, Lincoln is a fan of Niagara Falls, Subways, and Coney Island, hence some New York LOVE

The kids loved incorporating the places they know into their own little shirts. I loved using American made shirts for them, felt that is recycled from plastic bottles AND made in the USA, and creating something that allows them to develop their little geography skills!

Get some Coast-to-Coast lovin'

California LOVE + New York LOVE = IMarriedMrRogers on Etsy

little boxes with silver trinkets

2011-09-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

Throughout our marriage Mr. Rogers has used these little boxes to mark special moments in our lives together. Over the course of ten years I've gathered a small army of these boxes...not to mention the silver trinkets inside but I still remember what each one celebrated. Some of the trinkets have little engravings to help me remember, like "Jack," "Lincoln," or "Magdalena"....those are some of my favorites.

The only gift really on my mind this summer was a bike, not diamonds but a bike, but Mr. Rogers snuck in another one of those little boxes with a small silver trinket in it to remind me that I have so much more....

WASABI Roasted Seaweed Snack

2011-09-07T15:33:00.000-07:00

Jack loves them. Maggie loves them. I love them.

Sometimes they make you breathe fire from your nose. Sometimes. That's our favorite part!

Donner Lake, Squaw Valley and North Lake Tahoe!

2011-09-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

As a little fourth grader I was captivated by my first taste of California history. It's kind of weird because history was never my "favorite" subject but I always loved looking at pictures and plotting the day that I would visit the places I saw in my textbooks. Not surprising, since fourth grade I've had a long mental list of places to visit in California but DANG, it's a big state! Thankfully, I've been able to successfully brainwash Mr. Rogers to go on these crazy California adventures with me. For our 10th anniversary this summer we headed to Squaw Valley, home of the 1968 Winter Olympics, outside of North Lake Tahoe. Simply enchanting but to get there one must crest the Sierra Nevadas by driving over Donner Pass, just over 7,000 feet. It was just below the crest at Truckee lake, now Donner Lake, that the ill-fated Donner Party was caught by an early storm and subsequent storms making it impossible for the entire party to crest the Sierra Nevadas in 1846, a couple years previous to the Gold Rush. Running out of supplies they resolved to cannibalizing their dead in order to save their families until a rescue party arrived. As I type this I realize how disturbingly unromantic this might be for most women to visit on their 10th wedding anniversary but this followed with a performance of Twelfth Night at the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival was right up my alley! Not to mention I had some tasty meat that night....no, just kidding! Although only steps away from some of the infamous cabins Mr. Rogers was not harmed taking these photos....mentally traumatized, perhaps!

Mostly we just wanted to be nestled in the mountains, be away from the kiddos, and ride our bikes for our anniversary. It was awesome! We went spelunking around Donner Lake, rode our bikes from Squaw Valley to Tahoe City and around the shores of North Lake Tahoe, and then relished in relaxation at the resort we indulged in for our tenth! The whole area is charming, peaceful, and a wonderful place to enjoy nature.

Of course, it's wonderful when it is just us but those crazy kids always sneak there way into our thoughts. Soon we were plotting all the places we were going to take the kids to when we came back. It was so kid friendly and full of fantastic paved bike trails edging the Truckee River, which was slow and shallow enough for even Maggie to wade in without fear of being swept down river. We've been looking for an excuse to get back up there and I kicked myself today when I saw this Donner Lake Run because we would have totally done it if Labor Day Weekend wasn't two days away. This line alone makes it worth running a 6K at 6,000 feet!

You won't starve though, as a complimentary full catered breakfast is served after the event right on the scenic point. -Donner Lake Run

Plus they have a kids 1K run...awww, would have been so fun! Kicking, kicking, kicking myself!

Not Your Everyday Bacon and Eggs!

2011-08-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

Mmmmm, sweet and savory...God's taste bud gift to the world. Perfect for a morning play date...in this case, the last one of the summer [whimper]. These were so delicious that I think maybe I ate more than the kids! Not to mention they went so well with the lattes I made - for the mom's not the kids. Is it gross to mention that I'm salivating a little bit right now? Okay moving on, I love making things for other people and my friend, Steph, is ALWAYS finding the coolest little food creations for kids, which is where I saw this awesome version of "Bacon and Eggs." I was trying to track down the origin of this recipe but it looked like a recipe that had been around for quite some time but whomever came up with it was dead on!

A little logistics if you will. I used one bag of Honey Wheat Pretzel Sticks from Trader Joes', a bag of white chocolate (melted in 30 second intervals, stirred, and melted another 30 seconds in microwave), and purchased a large bag of M&M's. For the most part I got approx 2.5 dozen "Bacon and Eggs" until I ran out of yellow M&M's and then I got about another 1.5 dozen with various "rotten" eggs as I liked to call them!

...and yes, always a straw with coffee for the preservation of white teeth and lip gloss!

The First Day of School

2011-08-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

You are Braver than you Believe Typography Word Art Print by RawArtLetterpress on Etsy

I've kissed my summer good-bye and embarked on yet another school year. Ten years ago I got the keys to my first classroom. It actually makes me a little teary eyed as I think about that first year with 175 awkward little 7th graders that I was charged with teaching Medieval World History to. Most of them are beginning their third year of college this year and a few I'm still in touch with and I'm so honored that they value me enough to keep me in their lives (okay, I'm actually crying now as I type). Some classes I remember so well that I see them all staring back at me in their little seating charts smiling as if they were pictures hanging on the wall of Hogwarts. Sometimes my job super sucks, let's be honest ... under appreciated, bureaucratic crap, overworked, stacks of papers, crazy parents who don't understand why their child got a "C" on a paper when the parent themselves actually wrote it, or the worst which to me is the loss of a student. Last year one of my amazing students, who I had helped get into college, died in a car accident on her way home to visit her family Easter weekend...just tragic. However, you take the good with the bad and you just can't put a value on the interactions in the classroom on a day to day basis. I start this year as always, passionate about the subject I teach, slightly burned out from last year, yet still excited about this year for being trusted with the job of building better people. How much U.S. History are those 11th graders going to absorb into their brain [hardy chuckle], who knows! Most of all, I hope they feel loved and valued each day when they leave because they are ... at least by this adult.

Back-to-School Demands...I kind of have big hair doesn't that qualify for Diva status?

2011-08-11T08:29:00.000-07:00

While waiting for the kids to get their back-to-school hair cuts on Monday something possessed me to pick up some type of People magazine, normally a Newsweek or Architectural Digest sort of girl. While thumbing through, I landed on a list of what famous individuals demand when they are hired for their talents. Not like I believe anything written in those, nonetheless, I thought "Hey, I have award winning talents too!" why is their talent valued so much more in society than my talent? I've been working on my talent for a decade and half...really perfecting it for the past ten years. This is my talent: I have the unique and rare ability to manage thirty plus seventeen-year-olds in one 20'x30' room. Via a combination of historical storytelling and tongue and cheek, I'm able to teach the principle arguments between the Anti-Federalists and the Federalists AND manage to only have one student fall asleep through the course of the day. Then using a fog machine and strobe lights, I tap my inner performance arts skills with a one woman song and dance of The Preamble by Schoolhouse Rock, "Hey, do you know about the U.S.A.? Do you know about the government? Can you tell me about the Constitution?..." After that, I use Freudian hypnosis strategies to help students memorize any possible way a Constitution or Bill of Rights question might be phrased on a standardized state test (that student's have no personal stake in doing well on other than personal achievement). Mind you, this test is taken nine months later and student performance determines my job security and cash for my school. That takes some serious skills and by golly I have some demands for when I return back-to-school tomorrow...yes, on a Friday!

First off I would like these waiting for me in the classroom....mmmmm! These ones specifically, don't think you can fool me with some grocery store donut that we all know is far inferior!

2 Dozen Apple Cider Doughbabies by donutandmore

Since I sip on my coffee between classes it needs to stay warm to keep those vocal chords in check and at full alert to make sure no one is texting in the classroom! A cozy is essential for optimum alertness!

MADE TO ORDER Hot or Iced Coffee & Tea Sleeve: An Apple A Day by PlaidCupcakeDesigns

After I've spent hours of my own personal time creating a phenomenal lesson plan, students can show their appreciation for me with a material token of gratitude....

Gold Leaf and Apple Green Stone Lariat Necklace by DanaCastle

or cash donations work just as well!

An apple and money for teacher, cute 1950s by PassionateKitsch

These I would like to keep in reserve for after school because some days, teenagers are just straight up rotten! Also, let's be honest on rare occasions my "brilliant" lesson plan leaves even me bored out of my mind for fifty-three minutes. In either case a pick me up is most necessary!

Martini Lollipops in Apple, Blueberry, and Pomegranate by sweetniks

I'll store them in this, no one will ever suspect those lollipops are spiked. Hmm, maybe I'll let the janitor in on my little secret because only God knows what his job is like while cleaning those restrooms! Wait, is there even still a janitor or did that luxury go out with the last round of budget cuts? Either way these charming vintage canisters will spruce up my thirty year old desk!

Vintage Krischer Aluminum Apple Canisters by TheBountifulBird

These talents are performed four times daily before lunch on average of 180 days a year.

Ahhh, I have a feeling it's going to be a good year!

I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle

2011-08-09T07:55:00.000-07:00

My new ride, an Electra Townie and I love it! I needed a bike that could roll around town with the kids but then could clime the rolling hills of the beautiful California Coast and Yosemite Valley. The Townie is a cruiser BUT has 7-speeds....we were meant to be! I've added some fresh leather streamers from the handlebars but it still needs a basket in the front and some fenders but I think its love.

Is it lame that Mr. Rogers got the men's version of this bike but in chocolate? I don't care because they are awesome and this is what we bought to celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary with this summer. We hitched them on the car, drove to Lake Tahoe sans kids, and rode the wonderful trails between Squaw Valley, home of the 1960 Winter Olympics, and the north shore of Tahoe...it was fantastic!

Peek-A-Boo Kitten Ruffle Bloomers...they're the cat's MEOW!

2011-08-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

This wonderful fabric is a tribute to Tammis Keefe, a mid-century artist. Her drawings are so delightful and are often featured on wonderful linen hankies from that time period....really, they are so cute they make you want to swear off Kleenex for good! It's taken me a long time to cut into this fabric...a cat here, a cat there but I've finally created something for Maggie that I wanted to carry in the shop to spread this kitty cat goodness!

Peek-A-Boo Kitten Ruffle Bum Bloomers by PinkyBleu

The haphazardness of the ruffle juxtaposed with the world's cutest kitty is beyond me! It's as if I walked into my sewing room to find that kitty rolling around in a bolt of fabric but it was just too cute to be mad about!

Ooooooooo, so cute it hurts!!! Perfect for the summer to fall transition as Maggie rocks it with her yellow jelly shoes now BUT come fall we'll throw on some leggings, her red cowgirls boots, and a long sleeve underneath!

(Maggie's adorable bracelet is handmade from ModernBird)

Sherlock Holmes, I presume?

2011-08-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

The boys are currently obsessed with espionage. While in Washington D.C., they insisted I get them two things, 1) an Albert Einstein bobblehead from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum (which they saw in Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian), and 2) something to spy with from the International Spy Museum they read about in their This is Washington D.C. book by M. Sasek.

This year the boys had their birthday party at a local treasure called Storyland that features children's literature play areas. The kids love Storyland, so keeping with the literature theme and their love for espionage work, we came up with Sherlock Holmes.

Ummm...how amazing are these handmade party goodies? All the children had tweed hats and mustaches, designed by OhMyGluestick, that I then put on a stick to help with their disguises. Goodie bags are always a party favorite but I wanted a party favor that would be fun to get but not another piece of mass produced plastic made in China that would just be thrown away. The mustache soap was handmade by CreativeLoveliesbyJ and they were awesome, useful and they promote bathing...which is always good for children [wink]!

You know your kid is a nerd when...

2011-08-01T07:45:00.000-07:00

There are lots of indicators that I'm raising nerdy children, which I take much delight in. It was pure motherly joy the other day when I caught Jack eavesdropping on a conversation at Starbucks as one woman described her recent visit to Mt. Vernon to another woman. As I noticed Jack gazing at his book but sort of leaning towards our neighboring table I asked him, "Are you listening to their conversation?" Coyly he answered, "yes" and when I asked him why, he replied with guilty pleasure, "They're talking about Washington, D.C.!" with a gleeful smile.

So was I surprised when Jack wanted to face paint flags on all our faces today....no! If you can figure out which flags Jack painted then I am going to be pretty impressed. Mind you a fat paint brush and kindergartner painting skills do not make for easy flag identifying.

If you can identify any of them I'm going to be really impressed! Lincoln selected Switzerland and Japan. Maggie selected Italy and Mexico which, not surprisingly, ended up looking identical. Jack selected the British and German flags for our second session of flag painting. Mr. Rogers sported the Philippines flag and myself a French flag and we both had the good fortune to get some imaginary flags by Lincoln on our cheeks.

July was Impromptu Computer Boycott Month at our house

2011-07-31T20:51:00.000-07:00

...but August is a new month!

I'm in Washington D.C.

2011-06-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

It's hard to think of a better place for an American History teacher to be! For the past four years I've been part of an AMAZING grant out of my local office of education, the Teaching American History Grant. It is federally funded to provide teachers with a solid content of American history in low socio-economic regions. I've spent countless hours dedicated to this grant and have savored every nerdy moment of local, state, and national history that has been imparted on me. So here I am in D.C. loving every minute but it is bittersweet because I've been doing my part to raise good nerdy children who are so sad that they couldn't come with me. Of course, as is my fashion I had to leave a book behind for them for Mr. Rogers to read while I was gone.

Written in the 50's and 60's, I've been collecting this series of books from M. Sasek for the kids. Always with a meaningful inscription they capture the time and place of our family at that moment.

One thing I never thought I'd ground my son from....

2011-06-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Jack is passionate about his skinny jeans but those darn jeans have resulted in what I'm sure culminates into hours of whining. Why the whining when he loves them so much? He thinks it is just completely unreasonable that he cannot wear them EVERY DAY. We had to limit him to only wearing them 2-3 school days, depending on if they got washed, and even then it was still a battle before school on the days when his skinny jeans were not available. If it was not for the fact that I paid full price for them at the GAP, which I rarely do but he wanted them so badly, we would have just thrown them away.

Again last night he was whining about what to wear. This time he wanted to wear his baseball uniform to bed, then all day today, play a game in it, and then wear it to bed for all we know! He is only slightly less passionate about wearing his baseball uniform than he is his skinny jeans. After receiving a warning and then continuing to whine we resulted to the "grounding" ultimatum, regardless, he kept whining resulting in a week grounding. I don't know about you but I like to select something that is already a pain or inconvenience for us that the kids love, to kill two birds with one stone, being grounded shouldn't be punishment for me. The usual suspects are sweets, Wii, or t.v. but now we got a new one. As Mr. Rogers and I contemplated a just punishment, Lincoln piped in, "Ground him from his skinny jeans!" It took everything within me not to crack up and Mr. Rogers and I immediately agreed. In hindsight we should not make it a habit of letting siblings select punishments but Lincoln hit the nail on the head!

Eating A Grapefruit

2011-06-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

Picked fresh from the in-laws grapefruit tree and I plan on eating them ALL over the next few weeks!

It is a rather torturous fruit to eat because with each bite one experiences an array of emotions. This is what it is like eating a grapefruit: as teeth break into the first slice, it is overwhelmingly sour, then overwhelmingly bitter, then an onslaught of acidity feels as if the enamel is being eaten off your teeth. After that you begin to adjust and the taste settles in your mouth and is somewhat enjoyable but not completely enjoyable. Finally, the sweetness emerges just as the slice is nearly consumed and that is really the only delightful part of eating a grapefruit. Then, like a gluten for punishment, you eat the next slice. Perhaps more than the grapefruit itself, I just really like eating it cut in half using a grapefruit spoon with those little serrated tips.

Another school cupcake delivery...mmmm, yum!

2011-06-02T16:54:00.000-07:00

The whole family had the good fortune of being able to drop off birthday cupcakes for Jack's class. I've sort of been a little obsessed with baking and decorating cupcakes lately and my heart was almost broken when Jack told me he wanted store bought cupcakes, "...because that's what the other mom's bring!" Thankfully, I was able to convince him to break status quo and be a non-conformist. He was ecstatic at the way his cupcakes came out...the best part, we made them together!

SillyMeDesigns put together these wonderful cake toppers per Jack's Mario and Toad request. Jack and I made chocolate cupcakes for the yellow/red toppers and blue cupcakes, thanks to a ton of Wilton's blue dye, for the vanilla Mario cupcakes. Slightly chilled whipped cream cheese frosting (I use Duncan Hines) is always the easiest to work with, although it would be pretty awesome to say that I made my own frosting. On another batch of cupcakes I also discovered that the Wilton's sugar crystals on the edges do not bleed into the whipped cream cheese frosting if made the day before.

The Carmel Mission

2011-05-31T20:58:00.000-07:00

You know you're a nerd if you have a top three list of California Missions. I'm a nerd and here is my top three list, 1) San Juan Capistrano in Southern California (I would have converted to Catholism to get married there but my in-laws would have gone into cardiac arrest), 2) La Purisima de Concepcion in Central California and, 3) San Carlos Borromeo de Carmel in Northern California, more commonly known as the Carmel Mission.

This picture of the Carmel Mission from the 1800's is in the gift shop. I just love how it positioned on the coastline.

Mr. Rogers and I are both rather fond of the Carmel Mission and never go to Monterey without stopping at the mission. It is pure delight to watch the kids frolic around the beautiful garden, to re-discover the "secret passage" to the restrooms which is not really a secret at all but they find it quite mysterious nonetheless, to run, skip, explore as they zig-zag through the enormous courtyard and gaze into the fountain.

Ummm, the kids aren't suppose to climb on the fountain...oops!

Cannery Row and Steinbeck

2011-05-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

"Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream. Cannery Row is the gathered and scattered, tin and iron and rust and splintered wood, chipped pavement and weedy lots and junk heaps, sardine canneries of corrugated iron, honky tonks, restaurants and whore houses, and little crowded groceries, and laboratories and flophouses..."

- John Steinbeck, Cannery Row

Books! Ahhh....the smell, opening them, holding them in your hands, marking them and collecting them are all elements of reading books that I religiously embrace. Classics are my vice but there is something about Hemingway and Steinbeck that keeps me reading and collecting them. Last time we were in Monterey I hung my head low in pure shame that I had not read Cannery Row. Then and there I shook my fist to the sky and vowed to the John Steinbeck bust not to let it happen again. So each night last week I nestled in bed and read Mr. Rogers' copy of Cannery Row, circa his high school sophomore English class. Steinbeck did not disappoint and it made our trip to Monterey last weekend that much richer as we tried to figure out buildings and locations from Steinbeck's Cannery Row. Certainly with industrialization, immigration, the Depression, and WWII, the Cannery Row of the first half of the twentieth century stands in sharp contrast to the Cannery Row of today and Steinbeck does a fine job of painting this picture for his readers. Definitely not a book for you lovers of female herioines but what can I say, I'm just sort of a Hemingway/Steinbeck kind of girl.

I think I left my heart in San Francisco...

2011-05-17T06:26:00.000-07:00

At the mouth of the San Francisco Bay is Land's End which is, to say the least, tranquil, picturesque, and rich with history. Relishing in an amazing lecture organized by the San Francisco Historical Society and Museum, as part of the Teach American History Grant, this is a place I can't wait to take Mr. Rogers and the kids back to. This very trail that runners and dog walker's use daily, was originally a steam railroad track that was used to haul day trippers out to this recreational area developed by Adolph Sutro, today known as Golden Gate National Recreational Area. Umm, would you think any less of me if I told you I have a top ten tree list? I won't bore you with the details, but Cypresses are up there, in particular these Cyprus trees that grow along the northern California Coast. Those trees look like they've been on the cliff's edge for hundreds of years but really just since FDR's New Deal when they were planted as seedlings but I prefer to ignore that small factoid.

I've been having this problem lately where breaking out into a trot, and possibly song, lurks inside me...think Sound of Music. This trail was taunting me by whispering sweet nothings in my ear, "Run, frolic, and be merry!" My brain was doing double time as I soaked in copious amounts of history while giving every passerby malicious looks loaded with pure envy as I was not able to take off into a gallant trot with them.

How can something so cute make you soooo sick?

2011-05-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken right before we were plagued with some mighty mega illness just before Easter! Little did I know that as I snapped this picture those relentless viruses were lurking in these cute little bodies. Not only did the kids get sick but Mr. Rogers and I were flat on our backs for days! Only a few times in my life have I been as sickly as I was the past several weeks. The fact that I lost 6lbs. justifies just how sick I was...and is also serving as a nice consolation prize for all that misery. Finally, everyone is back in good health and all children are as cute and happy as ever!

We've been sick, sick, sick....for those of you wondering what's going on!

2011-05-05T16:43:00.001-07:00

Peepshi...or in layman's terms Peeps Sushi

2011-04-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

We are big time Sushi fans in this household! My heart skipped a beat last year when I ran across the wonderful creation of Peeps Sushi at SeriousEats.com but it was too late to make them. Peeps tortured me throughout the year as we went from Halloween to Christmas and then to Valentine's Day but I held Peeps Sushi dear to my heart waiting, anticipating for Easter time! Mr. Rogers is a superior rice krispie treat maker so together we burned the midnight oil creating these for the kids Easter baskets this Sunday.

We HAD to sample some and to our surprise they were actually quite tasty!

(Of course, we only had kid chopsticks)

Hmmm, hopefully the kids won't notice the bite....errr, we'll give that one to Maggie!

Super easy to make and so much fun to eat...or just look at! It took us about two hours and a double recipe of marshmallow treats, three packages of Peeps and a box of fruit by the foot, this yielded approx three dozen. Here are some tricks that helped. First, we spread wax paper and buttered it, we then placed the marshmallow rice krispies on right side of the wax paper using the left side to fold over and then rolled out flat with a rolling pin. Once they cooled down a bit (20 min.), I used that left side of the buttered wax paper to help me roll and shape the sushi. A single chop from a large knife did the trick, but don't saw through, think like a Sushi Chef! The last thing that I wish we had done was diversify our Peeps and fruit by the foot selection. We should have gotten green fruit by the foot in addition to the red and green Peeps for avocado and wasabi. I like the orange and purple used in the original recipe....the colorblind Mr. Rogers picked out the Peeps we used so what can I say!

A certain special birthday boy....

2011-04-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

....close to my heart got to take twenty-two of these little guys to school for his birthday. It hurt that a more historical theme was not selected [wink, wink] but Lincoln really wanted Toy Story...so I threw in one of our handmade Wooden Peg Presidents in the pictures for good measure! Lincoln is so easy going and doesn't really ever want much, so it was with pure delight that these cupcakes were Toy-Story'd up for him on his special day!

The cupcake recipe are these wonderful Colorburst Cupcakes from Our Best Bites. Each cupcake had these fabulous party circles from SillyMeDesigns and the super cute Yellow Cupcake Liners are from SweetEstelle

Singin' In The Rain

2011-04-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

We are in the thralls of spring, that's for sure. Rain one day, hail the next day, then it's time to pull out the shorts only to find yourself busting out the rain coat the next day. Mother nature was really cruel because after weeks of rain she gave us a week in the high seventies/low eighties and the kids were relishing the long days full of riding bikes and shooting hoops. It was just a teaser! We're back inside but they've already had a taste of the good life and have shed their contentment of the winter table activities like play-doh and drawing. So, we've turned to baking and we snuck these pictures in after a morning of rain. These cookies are delicious and we've been dying them different spring colors.

Always impressed by my neighbor's amazing sugar cookies it was magical upon securing the Best Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe and successfully duplicating it! Mmmmm, like manna from heaven! My go-to cookie recipe can be found here but this is by far the recipe for my fellow cookie conesuier. More time consuming but just perfection to the palette. This recipe is best when the dough can chill overnight but it is easy to roll out, color (above: Wilton's golden yellow), use with cookie cutters and a speedy bake time.

A Special Something for my Special Girl

2011-03-31T21:13:00.000-07:00

After Maggie was born, Mr. Rogers bought me a delightful handmade necklace from a favorite Etsy shop, Modern Bird. It was a Mama Bird and her Little One necklace with Maggie's name stamped on the back. Maggie has always been fond of it and is tickled when I remind her that it is my Maggie bird necklace. For her birthday I wanted to get her an heirloom piece that was symbolic of our relationship. Something handmade, something to be treasured by her for years to come, and something for her to pass down when she is older. Thinking that all little girls strive to be like their mothers, Maggie was simply ecstatic when she realized that she had a bird bracelet of her own...dangling bird and all.

It's immeasurable what that sweet little girl brings to my life and to our family. Her personality makes her shine and her personality dazzles us all, her grins and smiles, her ability to perform pure physical comedy, her hearty laugh, an excellent sport ready at a moment's notice to do any athletic task her brothers do and yet she balances it all with her own dainty walk, hands floating in the air. One of the greatest gifts from God this one has been.

A heartfelt thank you to Laura, the metalsmith behind ModernBird, who designed this most treasured Personalized ID bracelet for Maggie with, of course, the dangling bird that Maggie is so fond of. Thank you for sharing your talents, time and most importantly love. That is why I buy handmade.

Make It! Mini-Coloring Books!

2011-03-28T21:36:00.000-07:00

Originally the plan was on making teeny tiny notepads for Maggie's party favors. However, before starting I ran into a stack of copies I had made from Lincoln's Disney Ice Capades coloring book. Hmmm, I suppose that was illegal for me to do but what was happening was Lincoln would color a page in his book and then be crazy irrational when his favorite characters were no longer available for coloring. [side note: Maggie is also happy/sad/irrational at the exact same moments her brothers choose to be. So considerate of her because the only thing better than one kid throwing a fit would be two or three!] Can you blame a mom? Out of NECESSITY I made like a dozen of the Mad Hatter and Alice sheets for him and Maggie, since she too had taken up Lincoln's cause, but of course they lost interest shortly thereafter. Stuck with these papers, and not wanting them to go to waste, it seemed necessary to revamp the mini-notebook plan and make mini-coloring books. It took a while to figure out how to fold them since we were creating them on the fly. Jack was also hard at work trying to perfect "his" mini-coloring book as well. Once I created the best folding strategy, they were easy to crank out. We made the girl's mini-coloring book opened to Alice and the boy's to the Mad Hatter.

After Jack and I finished, both Maggie and Lincoln were still napping....really, what would you have done? Is it totally weird that I made an extra one to color myself? Errr, I used it as a lesson on how to shade with crayons for Jack!

Really, you could make these out of anything but I loved those mini parcel tags and had to justify my purchase at Knot&Bow somehow. For the boys' Sherlock Holmes birthday party, I'm going to do the mini book using the library cards that I also purchased from Knot&Bow....can't wait!

Make It!

1. Supplies: Mini Parcel Tags, Baker's Twine, Glue and 8x8 paper. 2. fold all mini parcel tags in half and cut 16" twine for each tag. 3. Take one 8x8 sheet, image up. 4. Fold image in half, folding upwards (mine had the Mad Hatter on the back, don't let it confuse you!). 5. Again, fold in half going upwards. 6. Unfold and prepare parcel tab at corner. Paper should have 4 horizontal segments. 7. Place glue on part of tag that you are going to attach to paper, leave a little space free of glue near folded edge. 8. Secure tag to corner of paper, making sure that it is centered within first segment 9. Fold paper upwards back into previous four segments from step 6. The turn so that back side is facing up. 10. Fold in half, upwards. 11. Take the segment folding in step 9 and fold only that segment in half BUT this time fold back. 12. flip booklet so tag is on table and fold last segment in 13. Double knot baker's twine in mini-tab circle, leaving a 4" tail on the short end and the other 12" on the other end. 14. Wrap longer end around booklet twice. 15. Meet back at original double knot and secure with a bow.

1950 Studebaker Fire Truck ...pretty cool!

2011-03-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

Lincoln has been pulling all-nighters studying transportation at the preschool! We went on the culminating activity the other day - an Amtrak ride, the post office, and a ride in this beautiful 1950 Studebaker fire wagon. Today Lincoln told me that riding in this fire truck was his favorite part of the day. I can't believe the fire truck trumped the locally famed Superior Dairy Ice Cream AND his first train ride. It could be because we had to wait at the train depot for two hours since our train hit a car on the way to our stop...yes, that's right!

The fire truck really enchanted me but not as much as that little boy with his standard funny face does! Studebaker's are classic cars and you gotta love them for the name alone. Note the speedometer in the truck - it goes up to a whooping 100mph! Look out Speed Racer!

Seeing as I'm a history geek, I began reading up on Studebaker when I got home from the field trip. Here is a little synopsis or go to Studebaker History for fun (to nerds) pictures, ads, and timelines. Studebaker was an Indiana family who began in the wheelbarrow business during the 1848 California Gold Rush. Later they supplied wagons to the Union during the Civil War. They apparently had developed a battery run automobile but switched to gas after partnering up with some oil companies, interesting. The company had specialized in automobiles, wagons and in defense vehicles for Spanish-American War, WWI and WWII. Manufacturing of these American cars ceased in the 1960's but apparently there is still quite an active Studebaker enthusiast community. Neat.

I HEART my family

2011-03-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

I'm a real creature of habit. Listening to the same CD in my car for 6 months straight, eating the same breakfast or lunch for weeks on end, or getting the exact same drink at Starbucks at the exact same time until I run out of money two-thirds of the way through the month. These are all "norms" that I abide by. Sometimes I get so into my routine and endless quest for efficiency that I cramp the style of the people I love the most. Trying to keep structure but also listen to what the kids want has been something I've been trying to re-balance into my life this past month. Not many items have been crossed off my list lately, a painful sight for people like me, but I've been doing A LOT of the following: shooting hoops, drawing pictures, building trains, playing Wii (Jack is amazed at my SuperMarioBros skills which I can attribute to being an only child and having lots of alone time, lol), and reading stories, among other things. In general, the five of us spend a lot of time together but I need to be better about not letting my "to-do" list dictate the family schedule. What did I "need" to do this past weekend? Work on any of the half dozen projects running amuck in my sewing room. What did I actually do? Impromptu road trip to San Luis Obispo. Lincoln, the child who never requests anything, kept asking if we could go to the Coast and it is as if my list vaporized before my eyes! I just can't say "no" to that cuteness!

...And how much does that cowl rock? My dear friend Kara handmade it for my birthday, perfect gift! Speaking of birthday gifts, I had a treasured $15 Banana Republic birthday card that I had been carefully savoring. When we went to BR, Jack some how swindled me into buying him that hat with my birthday card...ah, it was so hard not to be selfish!

St. Patty's Day Rock Candy...A BUST!

2011-03-17T22:46:00.000-07:00

-Maggie brought me those flowers while I was taking these pics!

What?!?! Can't see the rock candy? Oh, that's because our St. Patrick's Day rock candy has looked like Nightime Nyquil since the first night we made it - 7 days ago! Look hard, no crystals...boo hoo!

Despite our confectionery disappointment we still had a great day full of creative stories involving leprechauns, gold, and a green tea latte for me! Hope you had a wonderful St. Patty's Day as well!

Etsy Finds: Mad for the Mad Hatter!

2011-03-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

A while ago Maggie's birthday party theme hit me like a bolt of lightning. Something that the kids love playing is "tea"! Confession - In my heart I just wanted it to be a girls tea party but the boys would be shattered if they didn't get to be a part of Maggie's birthday party. Mr. Rogers and myself concluded that a Mad Hatter's Tea Party would be something all three kids would be super into and so far the boys are totally geeked up! The last few weeks have been spent searching Etsy trying to find things to build our little shindig around.

Antique Red Queen of Hearts Hand Knit Ruffled Four Button Spats by VoKnits

Vintage Raw Brass Tea Cup Flower Charms by EpochBeads

High Tea for Alice Custom 3 Tiered Tea and Cupcake Stand by High Tea for Alice

Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland Sticker/Seals set of 10 by AnistaDesigns

12 Alice in Wonderland Inspired Things on a Stick by Joosycardco

Alice in Wonderland Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum Treat Bags by TimeLess Things

CROQUET Party Fine Photography Art Print by SugarLily

After all that perusing, it seems slightly embarrassing that we haven't even seen Wonderland, my next click after this should be into Netflix, but at least I have read the original by Lewis Carroll.

Tweedle Dee Dee! What's Maggie's birthday theme to be?

2011-03-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

Words Are Powerful...Why I blew $120 on books to teach the kids about their heritage.

2011-03-07T16:06:00.000-08:00

Somewhere along the way I became a major nerd and I've never looked back. Do you remember those teachers who were sickeningly in love with the subject they taught...that's me. I try to pretend like I'm a normal person and not regurgitate copious amounts of historical information with flailing arms and a zealous excitement on those around me, but it's hard. My love for understanding the people of the world, the countries they live in and the country I live in has inundated every part of my life.

My last four days were spent in pure bliss at the California Council for the Social Sciences 50th Anniversary Conference in Sacramento...finally, people like me! We promote history...we can't help it! In addition to history, books are like kryptonite on my self-control. So all it took was a niche publishing press and a nudge from my history peeps and I dropped $120 big ones at the East West Discovery Press booth...although I've hinted to Mr. Rogers that I spent a lot on books the full amount has yet to be disclosed.

What got me? This press house focuses on children's books for the multi-racial American community with a ton of Asian-American children's books. I'm a Asian? No, but Jack, Maggie and Lincoln are! A quarter Filipino as a matter of fact. It is with that pretext that I bought a Tagalog/English book for each of the children. If only I could have stopped there! I picked up two more written by the two authors manning the booth and a beautiful Korean/English book for a friend who is a Korean adoptee and her three sweet daughter. Hopefully these hardback books get lots of reading time, bring a sense of heritage to the children and are past down to the next generation.

My Rollerskating Birthday!

2011-03-02T21:09:00.000-08:00

This was my birthday wish: 1) to go rollerskating sans kids, 2) to skate hand in hand with Mr. Rogers in pure marital bliss to Journey, and 3) win a race and collect a free small soda card.
Mr. Rogers snapped that pic after my race...pure jubilee on that face! Is now the time to mention that I'm still rockin' my maternity clothes eventhough I had my last kid almost two years ago?!?!? You know you do it too!

1) check, no kids 2) Wow, when Mr. Rogers told me he couldn't skate I thought he was just kidding BUT the man really can't skate! After he fell the second time it was hard not to take pity on his rapidly bruising knees and excuse him from skating the rest of the night! and 3) Taking pride in my first place 1 for 1 racing record, in the 18+ bracket, I was slightly perturbed when the rollerblading nurse took first place and I came in second. Should I take my defeat like a real woman or blame the crazy rollerblading man who almost made me eat rink around the next cone? Regardless, I came in 2nd which still qualified me for that free Dr. Pepper!

My Roller Derby Debut The Last Ten Pregnancy Pounds

Library Cards, Mini Gift Tags and Baker's Twine....soo cute!

2011-02-28T16:08:00.000-08:00

I happened upon the cutest shop, Knot & Bow on Etsy, a while back. For weeks I raked my brain for things I could make using those library cards to justify a purchase from Knot & Bow. With the kids birthday parties rolling in back to back over the next few months I got some party favor projects to bust out. Sooo, I'm going to make some mini notepads with the library cards and baker's twine and then some teeny tiny notepads with the parcel gift tags. It was estatic unwrapping all these when they came in the mail!

As for the heart stickers...I have not project! They were just too cute to pass up!

Maggie's Tea Party Dress - Make It!

2011-02-24T18:05:00.000-08:00

About a month ago Maggie pointed to this TEA fabric and said "Tea" followed by "dress," I asked, "Do you want mama to make you a tea dress?" "Yes," she responded. Knowing toddlers, I probably should have asked a couple more questions to make sure that she wasn't just saying "yes" to anything I asked, like "Do you want to take a nap right now?" or "Would you like to sit at the table and eat a bowl of brocolli?" However, my heart was like a love-sick puppy at the possibility that my daughter just requested me to make a dress for her and I went right to work.

Maggie had been sick for several weeks and this was one of her first outings after being housebound for almost a month. Although giddy about her new dress and heart cookie she still wasn't her chipper self but I'm glad to say that she is now back to her normal wonderful self!

It's really hard to take all three kids out and only get a picture of one. It is inevitable that the others will jump in at some point only being able to contain themselves from doing so for maybe...um, 5 minutes or so. Lincoln had brownie stuck in his teeth and a two-week old POM tattoo on his arm. It was the day before Valentine's Day which is why both boys are sporting some heart action on their tees.

How to make Maggie's dress, what you need: Half yard (back -High Tea by Micheal Miller), half yard (front-I used part of a sheet we had), half yard quarter inch elastic, 1/16 yard Heat'n'Bond, and this basic peasant dress pattern (I wish I could direct you to a FREE pattern but they are usually just in one size and you have to figure out how to adjust. For me, it is just easier to purchase a pattern that comes in all the sizes I need with the help of my printer and scissors!) Go here for applique and pocket tutorial Make It! Tea Bag Applique on a Pocket

Make It! Tea Bag Applique on a Pocket

2011-02-24T18:02:00.000-08:00

This post piggy-backs on Maggie's Tea Party Dress. It is for all my crafty peeps who have basic sewing skills but doubt their ability to make a piece of clothing...especially with sleeves, eeek! We are at that point where baby showers and little people birthday party's are abundant. In my effort to go handmade this year for all my gift giving I'm passing along my recipe for heart felt gifts.

Applique is a useful tool to have in your chest of sewing skills. It's a nice way to add a personal touch to a basic piece of clothing. Usually I make my appliques from scratch, creating my own from handmade sketches and then layering additional appliqued fabric to get my final product.

This tutorial doesn't go into that, although you can tell by the bird on the branch that using several layers of applique can create a unique look. One thing that really adds to the look BUT is quite time consuming is top-stitching after each layer of applique but it's worth it and that's what sets handmade apart...plus I just use my scraps which is very cost efficient! This tutorial covers the easiest kind of applique and that is one already printed on fabric...fast and easy, yippeee!

The Tea Bag Applique:

Words of caution. BEFORE you cut on STEP FOUR, using a sharpie you could trace whatever image you wanted to make for your applique. Be certain to position your applique correctly before cutting. For example, if I want my bird on the branch to face LEFT, I need to make sure to trace/cut my applique with the bird facing RIGHT. Sometimes my brain goes on automatic pilot and many times I've traced/cut whatever it my be in the wrong direction and have to start over again, this results in mental verbal abuse!

If you were going to make a pocket you would need to make it now, so that you have something to affix your applique to. Of course, you can always just affix it straight onto whatever you are making, which is what I most often do.

The Pocket: Maggie loves pockets and it just seemed right to add two pockets on the front of her dress. A white sheet was used for the front, sleeves and pockets of this particular dress. The perfect, not to mention totally easy, pocket was created by, first, tracing about 4/5ths of a CD on to the top part of the sheet. Second, before pinning and sewing pocket onto dress, fold the top over about 1/8th and iron, then fold over another quarter inch-iron for a crisp edge. Third, sew across that clean top edge for a nice hem. Lastly, pin the pocket onto the dress and sew making sure to back stitch at each edge where the arrows point, which is shown in picture below. The pocket is perfect for letting Maggie's hand in but not to wide to let things come tumbling out if she bends over...soooo easy!

Whoop, whoop, whoop [think Aresenio Hal] ... DONE! First time learning curve it would take approx. 2-3 hours from making the dress to finishing the pockets but really you've create an heirloom, something to be saved and cherished. I fall off the bandwagon and babyGap get's the best of me from time to time but for someone who doesn't verbally express love too well this is my way of showing my love to the special people in my life.

However, this is one little munchkin' that I don't have a problem expressing my love to!

Call me bias but I think that little number is tops! Happy Sewing!

*Wonder Under vs. HeatnBond. For whatever reason every tutorial I've seen on appliques uses WonderUnder and that is the go-to at the fabric store as well. But in my experience WonderUnder is very tempermental for the following reasons: the iron temperature has to be JUST right in order to work correctly, the texture shows through on thin fabrics, and it can be a bear to separate from the fabric when you get to STEP FIVE...I've left many corners frayed as I try to separate the iron transfer from the fabric on various tie onesies! These issues just seem to not exist with HeatnBond and I can move from ironing fabric with a hot iron to making an applique and it doesn't effect the outcome of the applique like it would the WonderUnder. Of course, you should always follow the manufacters instructions but hey, things happen and I'm just sayin'...

Five Presidents and A Lady - Our Historical Action Figures

2011-02-21T20:48:00.000-08:00

Jack, Maggie and myself worked on our Mini Presidential Figurines this afternoon....but I'll be honest, by the end of the afternoon it was mostly me! Jack was super excited and most exuberant in executing his Presidential plans but shafted me in the blink of an eye to go help Mr. Rogers coach baseball. Maggie bailed for a nap and I was left outside to finish "our" figurines, at least it was a beautiful day. Lincoln had no interest in helping "create" our historical action figures but he said he plans on making "all the President's villians tonight"... hmmm.

Full craft project available here How-Tuesday: Mini Presidential Figurines by Heidi Kenney

Lincoln selected [dramatic pause] well Lincoln, not surprising. Jack selected Washington, Teddy Roosevelt, and Kennedy. In honor of Black History Month, I selected Obama for my President and I had to throw in a woman action figure for Maggie and since we've been going over the Civil War in my A.P. U.S. History class Harriet Tubman seemed the natural choice.

[trumpet sounds]

Welcome historical action figures to our pantheon of action figures!

We tried our best but I think that Lincoln draws a similar apperance to Jack from the Nightmare Before Christmas, JFK to George Bush, and Teddy Roosevelt to Bill Gates ... or 70's Crocodile Rock Elton John!

More on my thoughts about teaching young children history found here, President's Day Everyday!

Wooden Peg President's Day

2011-02-21T09:36:00.000-08:00

Everynight when Lincoln is "suppose" to be going to sleep his room turns into a world of play figurines. It is adorable and one is puzzled by the amazingly creative things he does with them. During the day he asks me questions about the plethora of his actions figures, their skills, their friends, their enemies and so on. However, I'm probably the ultimate joy-kill mom because then I have to reiterate that they are not real and then add a nerdy commentary on some "real" hero like Harriet Tubman. My children are either going to loathe history and embrace history but atleast they will know it!

So this morning we are taking a road trip to Hobby Lobby where we are going to embrace the world of wooden peg people. We are going to come home and make REAL action heroes for the kids to play with and incorporate into their world of imaginaton this President's Day. The history books are going to be stacked on the table for the kids to choose who they would like....one President is mandatory...yes, it's true sometimes I run more of a dictatorship in my home than a democracy. I would also like them to select a woman and an African American to celebrate Black History Month...have I gone too far?

[image via Etsy's Storque]

Today's President's Day craft is inspired by this amazing woman Heidi Kenney and her book Everyday's A Holiday: Year Round Crafting With Kids ...there were only 4 left, errr, 3 left because I just bought one...giddy up! Craft Tutorial available here on Etsy's How-Tuesday: Mini Presidents Figurines

Super Awesome Handmade Camera Straps That I Want Around My Neck!

2011-02-16T09:05:00.000-08:00

Jack loves to take photos and he HAD always been really responsible with our camera. Hense, the word HAD as his streak came to a crashing end when the camera hit the concrete in the backyard. We were able to salvage it with some tape for a while but ultimately it bit the dust. With my birthday money in hand I painfully passed up some Gilded Herringbone TOMS I had been REALLY wanting for months, along with an amazing custom drawing of each of the kids by SLOVLY, to purchase my first "real" camera. Mr. Rogers pulled through with the TOMS for Valentine's Day but my Slovly drawings will have to wait until the kid's birthday...where I will take beautiful pictures of the kids with my new Canon Rebel! [whoop whoop]

Quick Release HIPSTER Camera Strap - Rasta by PhatStraps

Camera Neck Strap Tribal Ink in Coral by SimplyStrapping

Camera Strap Red and Pink by PaisleyPeepers

Paisley Party with Minky Lining and Swarvski Crystals by LuckyStraps

Sassy Camera Strap Yellow Blossom by SassyStrap

...this one just might make me too hungry for one of my favorite foods...

Bacon Strip dSLR Camera Strap by TheSweetStrap

Canon or Nikon wasn't an option since I was restricted by a tight budget, which eliminated even the thought of a Nikon. However, these camera straps add the perfect element of handmade to go with my camera. For days I've been going back and forth with which one to grace my neck with and I still cannot decide!

Love Is In The Air...da-da-da da-da-da....

2011-02-14T08:16:00.000-08:00

Happy VALENTINE'S Day!

This is the footwear I'm sporting today...I even just did a little spontanous light gardening in them.

Share the love and buy some TOMS this Valentine's Day (I wish they paid me in shoes to type that!)

Mr. Lincoln Meet Mr. Lincoln

2011-02-12T11:48:00.000-08:00

Lincoln did not like the previous design on this gray top so I revamped it into something special just for him! Lincoln and Washington silhouettes are abundant online among many different teacher resource sites. So with a little scrap black fabric, some heat 'n bond, top stitching for long term durability this applique was made in no time at all. The large white oval is covering up the bulk of the old design that good ol' Abe just couldn't cover. Happy Birthday Mr. Lincoln!

(If you don't sew here is a really cool tutorial on MADE using freezer paper)

Treasury: Love That 'Stache

2011-02-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

The Curator rational for creating this treasury made me burst into laughter while ordering coffee this morning...at least the coffee wasn't already in my mouth when I burst into laughter!

Sweet Buttons

2011-02-07T16:04:00.000-08:00

Maggie and I scored these German made buttons today at our favorite old school craft store. It would not be surprising to find out they've actually been there since the seventies because I don't think the button selection ever changes on the display racks. They just sort of stand there frozen in time quite like Han Solo frozen in carbonite! Maggie has not yet decided how to use her buttons but you've probably guessed which ones she selected. My red and white buttons will be used on a handmade red cardigan.

Etsy HEART Finds from Shops I HEART!

2011-02-02T06:49:00.000-08:00

I HEART hearts, I HEART February, I HEART Etsy, and I HEART the following shops...

...for Maggie...

Hearts Abound by TheBloominBoutique

...for the boys...

Mini Hearts Glycerin Soap Trio by CreativeLoveliesbyJ

...for Mr. Rogers..errr, okay I guess that would really be for me...

Carve Your Initials into a Tree Hand Carved Rubber Stamp by CupcakeTree

...I guess I can't get away with claiming this one for Mr. Rogers either, can I?

Custom Heart Tree Print Pillow Cover by CozyBlue

...definitely for me!

Bowl of Hearts Ring by ModernBird

These are all shops that I've purchased from and have had been simply delighted with their wonderful handmade goodies! It's not too late to go handmade for Valentine's Day for the people you HEART...or for me but I wouldn't want you to feel obligated or anything!

A Robot + A Mustache + A Heart = El Muchacho Roboto Romantico ♥ Handmade with Eco-Friendly American Products!

2011-02-01T22:12:00.000-08:00

Oh, that robot is muy guapo!

Buy handmade this Valentine's Day for your little roboto at my shopito!

Reusable Cone Coffee Filters by EvelynFields

2011-01-31T16:09:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite magazines is Sunset, perhaps only people in their fifties should actually make that claim! It is regional, it features AMAZING recipes with seasonal ingredients, and it places a strong emphasis on discovering your local area, ranging from hiking in the beautiful Yosemite Valley to some crazy whole in the wall restaurant you might find along the California coast. Recently they wrote this article, The zero-waste home and it blew my mind. Literally this family allows a handful of waste to go to the landfills each year....what?!?!?!? How is that even possible? However, this article has infiltrated my brain and is now holding it hostage.

There are many things I've been wanting to do to change our waste output for quite awhile now. There are stacks in each closet of my house where clothes await their transformation into new wonderful items, scraps of fabric piled into like colors longing to be made into reusable napkins, socks with holes waiting to be mended (instead of throwing away and replacing with a new pair), making produce bags and my list goes on....

Yesterday I ran out of my last coffee filter. Usually I would pick up a bulk box of filters at Costco but this time these filters I've had my eye on for quite some time crept into my mind. Melissa, the shop owner of Evelyn Fields and an Etsy featured seller, is inspiring and has incorporated so many elements of what I only dream of doing into the life of her family, read about her "unplastic kitchen." Let me just also say that she has been refashioning her clothes and has only bought a couple new items in the last couple years...oh, how I wish I could do that!

Reuseable Cone Coffee Filters by EvelynFields

All that said, it was months later after first seeing this shop and coveting these coffee filters that I realized Melissa and I went to college together...that is the second time that I've randomly stumbled upon the Etsy shop of someone I know and I like that!

The Fashion Advice of a Toddler

2011-01-26T20:55:00.000-08:00

This morning Lincoln walked in just as my shoe selection was under way. Foolishly, I suggested he select some shoes to go with my outfit. Dressed in various tones of brown, the goldish ballet flats were the pair of shoes that my feet were about to be adorned with until Lincoln entered the closet. First, he selected the black moccasins that I wear around the house. Second, my red TOMS...hmmm, not the look I was going for with my brown Banana Republic slacks. Redirecting him to my work shoe section he lit up and pointed to the black and cream giraffe print flats, "those, Mama, THOSE!"....oh man, I just didn't have it in me to shoot him down a third time. I love those shoes but to show up at work with a cream dress shirt, brown slacks and beige coat was just not going to happen...grocery store, yes, errands, tolerable but work, no. I mustered, "Excellent selection" and gleefully put them on asking him what he thought, he smiled and ran out of the room leaving my outfit in matching chaos. I couldn't bear the thought of changing my shoes behind his back and having him notice as we marched out the door. Like Superman in a telephone booth I quickly swapped brown for black slacks and was on my way and my outfit became perfection. Phew, situation averted...happy mommy but more importantly happy Lincoln! Do I dare ask him to make tomorrow's selection?

reading is sexy

2011-01-24T15:32:00.000-08:00

Picked this up at Twee last week....this must have played a part in how I ended up with three kids!?!?!?!

Homemade Gift Wrapping by the Kiddos

2011-01-19T15:02:00.000-08:00

It has been birthday central around here! Trying to give all handmade gifts this year it seemed only natural to include this in gift wrapping. Wrapping gifts in itself is becoming a lost art, it's just SOOO much easier to throw it in a bag with tissue paper but that's expensive and this way of wrapping gifts is crazy cheap and more importantly, heart felt!

It's about $10 to pick up these supplies but they easily last well over a dozen gifts if not double that. Not to mention that the kids love it when I roll the drawing paper from one end of the table to other so they can draw on it for fun. When they are done it is simply rolled back up and then is there when needed for a gift...surpringly children do not always want to make wrapping paper on demand so this serves as a nice reserve for those non-cooperative moments that parents cherish! It is always fun to include a "treat" with the bow. When the See's candy fundraiser comes around at school a box of lollipops are purchased for just this purpose but we were out so a pirate eye patch had to do on this particular gift!

Supplies : IKEA Mala Drawing paper - Medium/Large Paper Tags - Ribbon - Markers/Watercolors/Crayons

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2011-01-17T18:13:00.000-08:00

Lino Print, 'I Have A Dream" 8X10 by The Letter Studio on Etsy

...and aren't you glad he did?

Chimayo - Red Chile and Holy Dirt!

2011-01-12T22:14:00.000-08:00

Built in 1865, this little church nestled in the hills of Northern New Mexico is sacred to Northern New Mexicans. Each Easter a pilgrimage takes place from Santa Fe to Chimayo to this holy site where it said to have holy dirt that has healing powers. This isn't just a Catholic thing, Protestants and Catholics and many tourists trek to this remote village to visit El Santuario de Chimayo daily.

All are welcomed to pass through the church or stay for mass. The altar is similar to many found in the Spanish churches of New Mexico with wooden carvings of santos from floor to ceiling amidst the small adobe walled church. Walking up to the altar there is a doorway to the left. There are two rooms one filled with crutches, wheelchairs, and pictures and the other with a small pit in the ground. This pit, carved from the stone floor, holds the dirt to have sacred healing powers. It has been blessed by the Father and people scoop it up to take it to the sick or kneel on the stone to rub the dirt on their ailments. It is a tranquil spot where prayer is abundant, voices are kept to a murmur, it is a true sanctuary. It is with this back drop that I must preface our Santuario experience.

On many occasions our family has gathered for meals at Rancho de Chimayo, a must for anyone visiting the Santuario. There are so many places that I've yet to take Mr. Rogers to and with Jack and Lincoln's interest in California Missions we thought the Santuario would make for a perfect outing to celebrate my mom's birthday. Lunch was fabulous, Mr. Rogers experienced his first stuffed sopapillas smothered in delicious New Mexico red chile only to finish it off with the traditional sopapilla and honey...mmm, a true New Mexican treat.

We headed to the Santario, less than a mile away, and began to walk the grounds with my parents and the kids. Through the Santuario we walk, up to the altar and into the rooms to the left. I had Maggie in my arms and decided against squishing into the teeny tiny room where the holy dirt lay.

Directing Mr. Rogers and the boys into the room mostly concerned about Mr. Rogers bumping his head. I note some women scooping holy dirt into containers but what catches my eye is Jack who all of a sudden tumbles into the pit! Absorbed in the crutches and other odd relics around the room he seemed oblivious to the fact that there was a hole in the middle of the room. Unsuspectingly he takes his tumble, it is as though he is having a bout with quicksand as well because that kid just couldn't get himself out of the pit. Holy dirt was pouring into his shoes and no doubt he probably took out a hand or two in who were in the process of collecting this sacred dirt. The look on his face was sheer terror and Mr. Rogers had to swoop down and pull that sand loaded kid out of the holy dirt. At this point all I can do is hide my chuckling in the other room, really I should have been upset and embarrased but I couln't help but find the humour in it all. We trekked to one of the holiest sites in New Mexico and my son biffs it right smack in the dab of it all! It is a good thing my little Spanish Catholic grandma wasn't there because I'm sure she would have yanked Jack by his scalp out of that pit as she cried "aye, dios mio" and then made him do "Hail Mary's" all the way back to Santa Fe despite the fact that we're Protestants.

A picture of the pit moments after a shell shocked Jack was retrieved. Can you see that someone is already back at work collecting the dirt again?

The drive from Santa Fe to the Santuario is a wonderful outing only complete with a meal from Rancho de Chimayo. One could easily make this a side excusion on the way to Taos from Santa Fe. Beautiful Georgia O'Keefe country surrounds this area and whenever I make the drive from Santa Fe to Taos, along the Rio Grande, it feels as though I'm traveling through one of her pictures. With a copy of Bless Me Ultima it captures the Spanish culture of Northern New Mexicans perfectly.

Snow Ice Cream Recipe

2011-01-11T17:27:00.000-08:00

A treasured winter memory, here is the recipe our family uses for fresh snow ice cream.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

½-1 cup sugar

½-1 cup half & half

Big bowl of snow

Splash of vanilla

Time: approx 30 minutes, eat immediately

The general taste is a custard flavor but you could a splash of any extract for the flavor you want, I prefer vanilla. My kid warning is this: It smells like eggs when you make it so I would suggest that you serve it in a different room than where you prepared it so that the smell doesn't thwart your efforts! Enjoy!

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for SNOW ICE CREAM...or apparently only I do and Mr. Rogers out of sympathy!

2011-01-11T17:07:00.000-08:00

There is nothing more exciting then waking up, looking out your window to find a sea of snow AND then finding out that it is a SNOW DAY! Yippeeeee! My heart used to skip a beat when Uncle Mel would announce that he was making a batch of snow ice cream. So this Christmas I anxiously awaited the snow while visiting my family. Sure enough, a storm came through and there was about four inches of fresh snow. The kids were so geeked up to try snow ice cream! Jack and I went and collected snow and I went to work hoping to produce a wonderful childhood experience for the kids.

Foolishly thinking kids would proclaim "World's Greatest Mom" for making such a wonderful treat!

Excitedly announcing, after risking frost bite after collecting snow with no gloves, that the snow ice cream was ready Jack and Lincoln ran into the kitchen with squills of glee. Jack sniffed the air and then his smile turned crooked as he continued to sniff, "It smells like eggs, yuck, I don't want to eat that snow ice cream," in classic younger sibling fashion, Lincoln also announced "it smells like eggs, yuck, I don't want to eat that snow ice cream," and they turned around to continue playing in the other room [long mental health pause]. Just like that my merry memory making efforts were down the drain...literally! No one ate my snow ice cream except for Mr. Rogers who took pitty on my broken spirit. Of course, I took the opportunity to indulge myself in two helpings of snow ice cream. Later Maggie woke up wanting some snow ice cream, I should hav known she would pull through for me, but it was down the drain so she just got a bowl of snow and she was pretty excited about that!

Those kids don't know what they were missing!

Snow Ice Cream Recipe

Our Snowy Visit to the Historic Santa Fe Plaza

2011-01-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

My kids had never been in snow until we spent this Christmas in Santa Fe. We live an hour away from snow but for the past five years we've either had a newborn or been pregnant and just not up to tracking down snow clothes for the kids and chains for the car. Not to mention that I openly mock California drivers who are required to use chains with a millimeter of snow on the ground - that's just a SLIGHT exaggeration! Spending most winters throughout my life in the snowy mountains of Northern New Mexico, never did we own or use chains but I digress. I guess when it comes down to it Mr. Rogers isn't really a snow person. His mom is from the Philippines and his dad is an old time Oklahoma farmer....they just didn't grown up doing snow!

With that, one can see that the definition of snow for Mr. Rogers and myself are very different. My high school was a huge campus that could literally take the entire 10 minute passing period to walk from one end to the other and you would barely make it to class on time. We had to walk through whatever elements happen to be raging upon the high school at any given moment. I also had to walk about a mile on any given day when I worked on the Plaza during high school or winter and summer breaks in college. A little snow is a warm welcome to my heart, especially with hot chocolate in hand!

Regardless, a trip to Santa Fe is not sufficient without visiting the Santa Fe Plaza. One of the best things about Santa Fe is the food.....amazing! We had breakfast at Tia Sophia's, a place I spent many mornings my junior year of high school instead of being in my first period Spanish II class, which attributes to my horrific Spanglish! While downtown we headed to the Plaza where I began wheeling and dealing with the Native Americans (I MUST buy art and jewelry whenever in Santa Fe) who sell their handmade goods on woven blankets under el portal at the Palace of Governors, where the Spanish governed Santa Fe in the 1600's. After breakfast it began to snow and the Mr. Rogers and the kids took the opportunity to add to an existing snowman leftover from the last snow.

They proudly added that freakishly small head to this pre-existing snowman! It was just beginning to snow.

It really was a perfect morning thus far. Mr. Rogers and the kids were only about 100 feet away from me and with every glance over my shoulders to check on them they seemed to be enamored by the snow. About fifteen minutes had passed since the snow had begun to pleasently fall on the Plaza. Estatic over my purchases I turned around only to see Mr. Rogers yelling my name about 50 feet from me like a deranged lunatic! Jack was holding his hand over a cut he obtained by slipping on the ice, while Lincoln and Maggie were caked with snow from frollicking and falling down in the snow...Mr. Rogers was mad, perhaps furious, a rare thing indeed. I look at my phone to see three missed calls from him and observed the snow was falling much more heavily, you know that feeling when you realize you have done something wrong. Guiltily I say, "So did you guys have a great time playing in the snow?" Looking around I notice that the snow is sticking but am thinking it is not too bad and I notice lots of people still walking under the portals all around the Plaza. However, in Mr. Rogers' head we are in a down right blizzard and I am selfishly drooling over the Native American goods while my kids are battled wounded, cold and do to the packed snow on their clothing becoming wet....a little true I must confess! Freezing children in hand we rushed off to the car and I was only able to snap a picture of the scene while we drove back by.

The snow cut our Plaza visit short. I wanted to take the kids to the St. Francis Cathedral, since they have been into California Missions, and to he miracle staircase at the Loretto Chapel but needless to say Mr. Rogers was not willing to venture downtown in the snow again...next time! Santa Fe is so unique and dating back to 1590 is has many of the oldest sites in the nation, being established by the Spanish in the late 1500's and early 1600's. Other cultural and uniquely Santa Fe events at the Plaza include Indian Market each August, Spanish Market every late July and Fiesta's each October and in Albuquerque is the International Balloon Fiesta every September. Hopefully over the years the kids will embrace their Spanish heritage and learn to love Santa Fe and it's nostalgic downtown too. This visit was the first of many....deranged Mr. Rogers and all, ha ha ha!

Happy Holidays To You and Yours

2010-12-26T09:10:00.000-08:00

Picture by Michele Visser and card template from Frank and Frida on Etsy

Making Foxes...

2010-12-20T09:03:00.000-08:00

These foxes are finding their way into the loving arms of my children and their cousins this Christmas. Growing up, Roald Dahl was one of my favorite authors. For about three years straight I made my annual elementary bookfloat on one of his books, I always placed first. I feel the need to brag about that since I have NEVER placed first in anything else...apparently bookfloats are my forte! Mr. Rogers was not as familiar with Roald Dahl but between my love and his good friends recommendation he finally checked out The Twits from the library. Soon after, and much to my delight, he surprised us with Fantastic Mr. Fox for movie night. The kids feel in LOVE with Fantastic Mr. Fox and it only seemed necessary to make them foxes this year for Christmas. For days I searched out some of my favorite fabrics that I felt captured each of my three children's personalities and purchased them for their fox. They are still on my sewing "to do" list but they will be done by Christmas.

It's not to late to make these for your loved ones, what you need: Finnegan Fox Pattern for $10 by Bit of Whimsy on Etsy, 1 bag of batting, quarter yard fabric, and 2 colors embroidery floss (eyes/nose and mouth) and a couple hours of time. If you have a sewing machine you probably have these laying around and don't have to make a dreaded stop to the cut counter at your local fabric store! With basic sewing skills you can make these but DON'T use chenille on the face like I did because it was a pure nightmare to embroider!

I'm really not a fan of stuffed animals because I feel like they are giant germ balls but I make an exception for handmade and IKEA ones, both of which can be thrown in the washing machine and dryer. Just put in a garment bag and voila! baby drool and kid boogers are washed away!

Handmade Holiday Lincoln - His Handmade Vest

2010-12-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

For our family pictures this year I wanted to try to hand make as many things as possible. Of course, I only got a fraction of the grandiose visions in my head through the sewing machine but am still quite pleased with how they came out.

Maggie had her yellow corduroy dress, both boys had their bow-ties, and I wanted to get them both in vests but I was only able to get Lincoln's made. The vest came from this wonderful, and easy, free vest pattern from Leila and Ben. Lincoln, normally a 3T needed a 4T, but just ended up wearing Jack's 5T as I never got around to completing another one for Jack and Lincoln was much more passionate about having "his" vest....you know how that goes!

It was really a great pattern. I lined the brown corduroy with blue so that it would match with more things and more importantly match the blue converse he wore for the pictures. Don't be intimidated by button holes because they are really quite easy. You just need the proper foot attachments that came with your machine and your trusty owners manual ...and make sure you practice a couple before you do it on your main project. The pattern is unisex so even if you have a boy and a girl it is worth checking out, 6mo. to 5T.

Our Weekend Vintage Finds!

2010-12-13T16:12:00.000-08:00

Mr. Rogers and I scored these vintage finds at our local historical society sale this weekend. Hoping to find some old local books, maps and artifacts we instead found these awesome goodies from what I'm guessing would be the 50's, 60's or 70's ("way to narrow it down history teacher," I say to myself sarcastically)! Our bill was ten George Washington's...score!

The tablecloth leaves me ecstatic as I've been waiting to buy one for my dining room table for about five years. They are just so expensive that I'm always putting off the cost but I could not say "no" to this purchase. I love the texture of the linen, the thick trim of lace and the color that is sooo rich and bold. The glass syrup dispensers leave nostalgic feelings of my grandma's house. Those sliding aqua plastic lids kick a** and match perfectly with my wooden kitchen table chairs. Chairs that I painted red and then re-painted aqua so the red peeks out perfectly with each loving scratch the children make on them, ha! For a whopping dollar each, Mr. Rogers and I agreed that they are a must for our weekend family breakfasts.

Like Totally R-R-Radical Eighties Toddler Top!

2010-12-08T16:08:00.000-08:00

This pattern was love at first sight, KWIK SEW pattern 1244, 1983! It reminds me of something I would have worn as a girl in the eighties and I just couldn’t pass it up! Since I have been trying to hand make all of Maggie’s clothes I’ve realized that cool pants and cool everyday top patterns are a rarity so I was ecstatic when I ran across this puppy!

Pattern purchased from Storeybooks on Etsy - lots of great vintage patterns!

This was my first clothing item using a lightweight interlocking knit. Next time I need to use more of a sweatshirt weight on the view A and B because in order to get those sweet eighties Mad Max’esque vertical wings to stand up - you need that heavier weight fabric. The hardest thing about constructing this top was working with the thin knit fabric. The knit ribbing for the neckband, waistband, and sleeve bands was a piece of cake thanks to the help of my serger (a must if you regularly sew clothing). The only problem I ran into with the pattern was that the top was a little on the short side, even though I made her the T1. The pattern for Maggie’s chest size was much to short for my Maggie’s viking built body. She loved her top but her tummy kept popping out as she walked so next time I’m going to add a couple inches to the bottom hem. Regardless, worn with her leggings and moccasins my heart skipped a beat! I can’t wait to make more of these, especially view C, and have been searching the ends of the internet for some great knit fabrics.

This pattern is awesome! It works for all four seasons and if you sew and have a special little girl in your life you have a moral obligation to track it down, purchase, and sew [wink]! Want to know the icing on the cake? It goes from a T1 to a T4: chest size 20”-23”, so you can use it for YEARS on end!

New Mexico + Etsy = Things Mr. Rogers Can Wrap Up Under The Christmas Tree This Year!

2010-12-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

For around my neck...

Santa Fe Vintage Map Necklace by The Weekend Store

To wear and rock my "City Different" style in this golden state....

70s Knit Ethnic Print Tunic Sweater S Donkenny Vintage from Little Things Vintage

To match with my the tunic above...

Santa Fe Vintage Boots from damamima

To cook all the wonderful New Mexican food that your stomach desires...enchiladas, tamales, posole, green chile stew, and red chile. Not to mention that I could totally multi-task and teach the children New Mexico state geography at the same time! Well worth it, Mr. Rogers!

Snow in New Mexico Apron by FresaStudio
side note: It wasn't until asking permission to include the apron in my blog that I found out the shop owner, Claire, and I graduated high school together...small world!

For our home. As a memento of the time we have spent together, a reminder of the uniqueness of Northern New Mexico, to show the children where my roots are and how it has shaped me into a woman who marches to the beat of a slightly different drummer.

I'll Fly Away by Sara Norris

and let me just say, HOW AWESOME IS THIS?
Yes, right across from the kitchen table is where it wants to live!

NEW MEXICO license plate guitar by Running on Empty

Mr. Rogers, it's tough being a dislocated New Mexican! Leaving was just supposed to be for my Bachelor's Degree, not long term, but you captured my heart and now you, along with the help of three little munchkins, are holding me hostage in California. Give a girl a little slice of her land of enchantment this holiday season and maybe you'll find a warm basket of homemade sopapillas at dinner next time I make enchiladas!

Teeny Tiny Lady Apple Punctuation!

2010-12-03T17:08:00.000-08:00

At the grocery store today the boys spied these teeny tiny apples with their little eyes! Of course they wanted to buy some and really how could I say, "no" to these teeny tiny apples...

So before we were to partake in nibbling our teeny tiny fruit I wanted to snap a picture.

Then Jack, who has been somewhat obsessed with The Electric Company on PBS, busts out with the idea of making punctuation symbols out of the apples....seriously!?!?!? Oh, Electric Company how you have given my children a passion for grammar, I heart you! Maybe it was a double whammy of learning about the exclamation point and seeing this LL Cool J punctuation clip that led him to such an idea. So, quite inspired, Jack designed the following punctuation for your viewing pleasure and I snapped the pics!

These apples are just so cute and so teeny tiny that I think I might go back and buy a pound ~~just to gaze at in my fruit bowl this week~~ to pack in my kids' lunch for a balanced meal, only $1.99 lb. at my local market! That deserves an exclamation point!

Giving Thanks for The Bloomin Boutique Giveaway! - Winner

2010-12-02T16:35:00.000-08:00

Jacki and me are thankful for those of you who participated in The Bloomin' Boutique giveaway. Many of the comments blessed me and brought little tears to my eyes. So many times we forget to stop and give thanks and I love that you all stopped in and took a moment to reflect on some of the blessings we've been given. With that, the winner of the $25 shop credit goes to Melissa! (imagine a trumpet in your head)

Melissa said...

I love the Santa Claus is coming to town - it matches my daughter's Christmas dress perfectly!
I am thankful for eyes that open every morning to greet a new day. I am thankful for legs that carry me wherever I need to go. I am thankful for a heart beating with love. For a husband who is always there when I need him. I am thankful for my daughter who is pure joy. and for the multitude of blessings that fill my life. I say often that I wish there were a word bigger than "thankful" as I find myself searching for it often.

However, I must confess something! I fell in love with a comment. It really hit home with me because it perfectly explains how I feel about Maggie. Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for knowing me so well as to give me my hearts desire without me even knowing that it was something I was missing. Really content with my two boys I was looking forward to Maggie being my third boy and was actually a little sad when I found out she was a girl but that all ended the day she was born! I just can't resist the temptation to buy Stephanie the Red Hot Floral, her favorite, so her little girl can wear it for the holidays.

Stephanie said...
I love all the pink ones and the Red Hot Floral!

Having a daughter has rekindled my own sense of femininity. I love the ability to be tender and strong at the same time, to wear a flower in your hair, twirl in a skirt, and have a sparkle in your eye. I am thankful to have a more full appreciation for how the Lord make both male and female in His image. Girls Rock!

Happy Holidays to all of you and to our winners!

[original post below]

Whoop! Whoop! (think Arsenio Hall and throw that fist up if you are feeling a little bit crazy!). Perhaps you have been lured by the delicious bloom clips that Maggie has sported in a couple of my postings (here and here) from The Bloomin' Boutique! Well, this is going to make your mouth water more than that turkey this Thanksgiving! Jacki, the shop owner, is giving away a $25 shop credit to The Bloomin' Boutique! This makes me happy because I love supporting handmade goodies and Maggie and I have gone crazy over these hair clips...here are just a few from our personal stash!

How to enter: Please go to The Bloomin' Boutique and select your favorite bloom. Then come back here and write a comment (leave your email when you submit your name so it becomes a link for me to contact you if you win) on which one was your favorite and something that you are thankful for this year (the comment that touches us the most via laughter, tears, or warm fuzzies) will receive the blooms of their choice. The Bloomin Boutique would be quite thankful if were to "Heart" The Bloomin' Boutique by adding it as one of your shop favorites on Etsy, follow The Bloomin' Boutique blog, and "like" The Bloomin' Boutique on facebook but we're not going to twist your arm over it.

Etsy has also started a coupon code and Jacki will be offering 10% to my few, but precious, readers. Enter COUPON CODE: imarriedmrrogers. Giveaway is available to those living in the U.S. and Canada. The Giveaway ends Wednesday Dec. 1st and the winner will be posted on Thursday. If the winner does not claim their prize then it will be forfited to another reader that made us laugh, cry or gave us a warm fuzzy! This giveaway is now closed.

My Boys and their Belts - Handmade Kids Belts

2010-11-29T07:10:00.000-08:00

It seems like the boys have a few months of bliss in every pair of pants/shorts they own...you know when the length and the width are just perfect and they are toddler heart throbs! Then the awkward stage sets in and I can't help but curse the clothing from shrinking in the laundry or mutating in the closet. As if overnight they are too short, too tight and it appears as if I am raising Tom Selleck wanna-be's (minus the facial hair, of course!). So then they go into the next pair of pants that are too long or too loose at the waste and as the boys run off to play their pants slowly creep down until the moon shines! Jack has become very self conscience about his underwear showing from his pants being too loose and he told me that his teacher told him that he needed to get a belt. Away we went to our favorite craft store Beverly's and the boys picked out what they wanted for their new belts.

Tutorial found here: Super Cool Boys Belt Tutorial

Lincoln's belt (the one with the alphabet) was intentionally made less sturdy. It still does the trick but I didn't want it to be as hard to slip the ends in and out of the D-ring because his hands just can't manuver things quite as well as Jacks. After I made these I found this really cool tutorial using velco Penny in my Purse Kids Belt Tutorial and snaps Elsie Marley Boy Belt Tutorial for the younger ones.

Make sure to enter the $25 shop credit at The Bloomin Boutique here Giving Thanks for the Bloomin Boutique Giveaway. Ends this Wednesday, Dec. 1st

What I'm Thankful for this Thanksgiving.

2010-11-26T19:58:00.000-08:00

The Lord my Savior - the faith of my family - Mr. Rogers who is amazing - the boys - baby girl - the familial clan - friends new and old - health - the natural beauty of the Earth - our home - the food in our fridge - having a job I love (most days at least) - education - democracy - an intellectual pastor - history nerds - paintings - books to enrich my mind and heart - automatic opening doors (despite the fact that they are attached to a mini-van) - flowers in the yard - handmade goodies - red chile - carmel and sea salt hot chocolate - baby wipes - vintage sewing patterns - and matching Maggie and Mommy Minnetonka moccasins...just to name a few.

Our Giving Thanks Giveaway from The Bloomin Boutique has had the most beautiful comments of thanks on it so far. The blossom clips are simply wonderful and the $25 shop credit is most generous- go and enter as the giveaway closes on Wednesday, December 1st.

Handmade Holiday Maggie

2010-11-22T16:17:00.000-08:00

You might say that my two new obsessions are vintage patterns and corduroy! My first project was Maggie's cape and this little number completes my second project. Done in a wonderful yellow corduroy this dress just melts my heart with its short hemline and puffed sleeves. Seeing as it is yellow, I think it will work for all the winter holidays plus will carry on into spring. Also, it has a zipper in the back which allows for longer use because it allows for easier accessabilty to get over head and shoulders. I'm thinking this dress will easily clear next winter and spring as well as this one!

This dress was made from the Simplicity 5993 pattern, circa 1973, but would I love to make one for the little girl in your life? YES! If you measure your sweet one's chest and it is 19-21" across then this little dress would fit but I could even take it in a little more! Light brown, medium brown, red and even more yellow corduroy just waiting on my fabric shelf to be sewn into this little dress. Eventhough yellow really works for Christmas I was thinking about sewing a red one too that could also be used on Valentine's Day!

To complete my handmade holiday Maggie, Jacki at The Bloomin Boutique surprised me with this bloom clip and headband to match with Lincoln's bow-tie. Her cowgirl boots are Pediped and she LOVES wearing them. Her foot is a size 5 but I bought size 8 so that she would out grow them too fast (since they are a splurge) and also it REALLY helps with putting them on and off. Oh, how I wish I could find a pair of matching red boots for myself...if only I could handcraft some up in my sewing room!

This year I've been trying to give only handmade gifts that I either bought or made. There is something special about handmade items and I really like the idea of giving the people I love something that was made with love. As the shopping season gives way I'm going to do a couple of posts on handmade items that I've purchased and have loved.

Happy Fall! From Jack

2010-11-18T21:30:00.000-08:00

Having a child on the prowl for fall leaves makes for a lot of containers around the house stuffed with changing leaves. Jack has been learning about leaves the past few weeks at school which has put him on a one-child hunt for every leaf in the color spectrum. Is now my opportunity to teach him about ROY G BIV (don't mind my geekiness creeping in there!)? Upon picking Jack up today, I ran into a friend and of course taking the opportunity for a quick tete-a-tete, we let the boys run around. Almost as fun as seeing my friend was turning around to see Jack and his sweet little friend in the midst of some eager leaf collecting and color sorting. Jack couldn't bare to leave without some of those leaves so he began to assemble a bouquet for his teacher...how he even knows what a bouquet is still perplexes me. We went home, tied a bow around the bouquet, made a card, and took it back to school where it awaits for his teacher to discover tomorrow morning in her box.

On his card he wrote:

Happy Fall! From Jack

Being Thankful for Veteran's

2010-11-11T09:01:00.000-08:00

Growing up I was always well aware of the Vietnam War since my parents and the majority of my friend’s parents were all baby boomers. My Uncle Tom would tell stories about fighting in Vietnam and I loved listening to them. My dad went to med school to avoid fighting in a war he did not believe in, my stepdad enlisted but then was dismissed because of his lousy feet and his brother was laying telephone lines in the jungles of Vietnam while his wife was engaged in Anti-Vietnam War activities at home. All baby boomers have a commentary about the Vietnam Era, other generations have some of the Korean War, or the Gulf War, and a few remain from WWII. I'm always a willing ear when it comes to Veterans and who doesn't appreciate when someone is there to listen to their story.

U.S. Air Force Military Merit and Good Conduct from IndigoHeirlooms on Etsy

This year Veteran’s Day has taken on a deeper meaning since it is a little closer to home. My dear friend Kara saw her husband deployed to Afghanistan in September, he is a Navy chaplain. Since then fifteen men have died in his battalion and forty-nine remain wounded, their deployment ends in April. These are men with little children who will never really know their fathers, wives who have lost the love of their life, and parents who have to bury their sons. Can you imagine losing those that are irreplaceable? It's easy to be upset by the political policies of war especially when it comes to the Vietnam War and the two current wars that the United States is engaged in, especially when they are long and drawn out and especially when you think about the lives being lost. However, these men have willfully given their lives because that is how much they love America. There are a lot of ungrateful Americans, and sometimes I am one of those, sometimes ashamed by the stereotypes that are put on Americans, sometimes ashamed by the actions of the American government, and there are elements of America that straight up disgust me but nothing is perfect because humans are flawed and no country anywhere in the world is enjoying utopia. As I have taught American history the past five years, I’ve grown incredibly devoted to my country in ways that I never thought I would. Studying the history, relatively short as it is, there are a lot of awful things that America and Americans have done but what I love most is the self-reflection and self-correction of the American people. A constant state of revolutions, some peaceful and some not, to make the country a better place and through it all the country has stayed united and through it all people have given their lives for the benefit of others.

Today on Veteran's Day I think about our currently deployed men and women and I think about the Vietnam Veterans. These are two groups of Veterans that are part of unpopular wars but who have still given the same sacrifices that the men of WWII gave and they should not be underappreciated or undervalued.

Handmade Wood Needle Felted Dala Horse Clip for Maggie

2010-11-10T15:22:00.000-08:00

We are taking our yearly family photo this weekend with a large Swedish Dala Horse, I do realize how curious that sounds! I've been busy this week assembling the kids outfits for the picture...the handmade vests and bow-ties for the boys and a sweet white dress from a vintage 1971 pattern I purchased last week. Of course, hair accessories are a big part of Maggie's outfit and I just couldn't resist this wonderful Swedish Dala Horse Clip by PammyDawn. I've been drooling over her handmade felt clips for a while and I simply LOVE the needle felted wool details on this Dala Horse. Here is a previous posting I did about Pammy Dawn's Etsy shop: Please Nestle In Our Hair

Bow-Tie-Licious!

2010-11-08T22:04:00.000-08:00

Jack on the left + Lincoln on the right = Bow-Tie-Licious!

So excited for the boys to wear these for our holiday festivities this year! Hesitant on whether the boys would go for this look, seeing as one of the words is "bow" which they only associate with Maggie, I let them select their fabrics. Jack chose his self-named "New Mexico" fabric which made my heart jump with glee. Lincoln was equally excited about his fabric with orange circles on it, orange being the only word he knows how to spell...seriously, he learned how to spell orange before his own name! Thankfully when I went to wrap them around their necks upon completion there was nothing but giggles and no tantrums and throwing of bow-ties, phew!

How to Make a Bow Tie and Bow-Tie Hardware from Prudent Baby

All Things Pistachio

2010-11-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

On any given day you will find at least three types of nuts in our pantry...at the least! If you are an urban dweller you may not realize that we are in the throws of nut harvest season. Since September I have been regularly playing Frogger on my way to and from work as I dodge between moving Almond, Walnut, and Pistachio farm equipment, regular vehicular traffic, and your various stray dog, cat or quail. When I'm on the verge of road rage I just think of those cracking shells and the taste of yummy green nuts and it is worth driving 15 mph to work any day!

Mr. Rogers brought some fresh roasted pistachios home the other day...mouthwatering! He also brought some fresh off the trees and much to my surprise they have this beautiful outer almost rubbery like shell that encloses them while still on the trees. All Lincoln wanted to do was peel off those soft outer shells and eat the pistachios, but raw pistachios are the exact opposite of mouthwatering!

Lincoln hands are one thing that are more scrumptous than pistachios!

The following is an evening with pistachios when left to my own devices:

First, I want to eat salt and pepper roasted pistachios, then I want this for a little sweet to contrast the savory...

Fresh Pistachio Nougat Bars by HaveItConfections on Etsy

Lips licked clean, they will need to be promptly smothered in some creamy pistachio lip butter...Pistacia - Creamy Pistachio -shea lip butter by Soapopatamus on Etsy

Alas, few evenings pass without time spent at a desk to hash out lesson plans. Being greeted by a cheery pistachio corkboard would be lovely ...mmm, I'll take a piece of that Rhubarb Crumble as well!

Small Round Pistachio Board by NewLeafHandmade on Etsy

The boys would dig a little earth science lesson of their own with this very cool pistachio and raspberry colored beetle from the Philippines....we'll throw in a little geography as well!

Real Snout Beetle Weevil by RealButterflyGifts on Etsy

We don't want to leave Maggie out and if she doesn't need this swirly hat then

I don't know what on earth she does need because it's starting to get cold!

sweet pea PISTACHIO GREEN swirly ice cream hat by SwirlyHats on Etsy

We wouldn't want to leave Mr. Rogers out since he is the one who got us thinking about all things pistachio and so it would be most thoughtful of us to throw in a Pistachio Wood Pen for him to pay the bill for our crazy pistachio Etsy finds!

Pistachio Wood Ballpoint Pen by KConnorMills on Etsy

O' Pistachios, who knew what wonderful things you've inspired!

I VOTED!

2010-11-02T19:51:00.000-07:00

This sign made me smile as I approached the little neighborhood church to vote this morning. Secretly I think that some people vote just for that little "I voted" sticker you get but if that does the trick then so be it!

El Día feliz del Muerto a usted!

2010-11-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

Hands down my favorite Day of the Dead alter I saw at school today was for Tupac Shakur! What I failed to understand was why 2Pac's altar had fresh donuts on it, yet not a single donut was presented to me today for being such an outstanding teacher...those ungrateful heathens!

Day of the Dead Felt Skull Garland Banner at Raw Bone Studio on Etsy

What I love most about Dia de los Muertos are the brilliant colors that are always strung to and fro!
This handmade garland is fabulous!

My Halloween Treat...it just doesn't get any better than this!

2010-10-31T20:59:00.000-07:00

My sweet little Maggie red riding hood

Would keep you young forever if I could.

You're not quite able to say "Trick-Or-Treat"

regardless your giddy as you waddle down the street

at each door and excitable "T-ank Ooh!" you bellow out like never before.

Your chunky thighs, Your silly smile, Your sense of humor

My heart you've captivated with your quiver.

Maggie's Handmade Cape with an added hood to keep her extra warm on her riding adventures!

Jack's Halloween Bats

2010-10-25T21:14:00.000-07:00

The next couple of days involve me frantically trying to finish Jack's mummy costume and Maggie's Little Red Riding Hood costume. Thankfully, Lincoln has settled on a repeat performance of a pirate costume that just needs some minor touches to become Captain Hook!

During today's quiet time, Jack wanted to make some Halloween bats. As luck would have it I just saw some awesome bat action on a blog I follow, BATS! Hmmm, Jack's version is much more...colorful....and he insisted that the bats have faces! As much as I would love for trick-or-treaters to be greeted with an artistic rendition of black bats, this colorful kindergarten rendition is what our resident artist has created this year!

Children of the Corn

2010-10-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

Roseola Maggie, Sibling Play, Red Cowgirl Boots, Handmade Apron and her new favorite Yellow Flower!

2010-10-19T21:28:00.000-07:00

The boys love playing "Tea" with Maggie. They sit in a circle, take turns drinking and serving tea to each other, and sing. During the summer it was a daily occurrence but since the hustle and bustle of school it has dwindled down to a couple of tea parties a week, much to Maggie's dismay. There are a couple of play activities that captivate all three kids into playing together. Really trying to capitalize on this "sibling play" I recently purchased the Melissa and Doug Bake and Slice Cookie Set as a new addition to our play food and have started an apron project as well...personalized chef hats are only a matter of time!

Maggie's Tea Apron

Unbeknown to me, until her giant rash appeared the next day, she had Roseola and was feeling miserable at the time of this photo.

The thing that I love about this activity is that it is differentiated for each child at their point of development. While Maggie engages in imaginary tea drinking, Lincoln "prepares" food in their play kitchen, and Jack takes orders on his notepad or prepares menus for all. The thing that is most precious about "Tea" is that the boys have created a whole play period around something that Maggie loves.

What I love about my Roseola plagued Maggie, tuckered out after tea time! Maggie's High Tea Apron - Fabric: High Tea by Michael Miller/Pattern: WhimsyCouture Half Round Apron. The apron pattern is modified a little but it is an easy pattern that any beginning seamstress could complete and the fabric is just scrumptous! Maggie loves shoes and how could I not get these Pediped Red Boots ...especially

with a coupon and grandma flipping the bill! Maggie is a conscientious objector when it comes to wearing shoes without a bow. My friend recently opened up The Bloomin Boutique on Etsy and I can't get enough of this headband and flower clip that she made.

Vintage 1970 Toddler Girl Cape Pattern

2010-10-06T01:48:00.000-07:00

Maggie has become a VERY tall girl the last six months. That means all of her dresses come up ridicuously high and reveal those chunky little legs that I love so much! After hours of browsing on Etsy my decision was made only to realize that someone else had already purchased the beloved cape pattern thirty-eight minutes before! NOOOO! Heartbroken and somewhat frantic my fingers slammed down on keys doing endless searches for my dear cape and dress pattern. Finally I found one and snatched that pattern right up....oh, I can't wait!!!

Here is the one that was ruthlessly purchased from under me [wink]! It is so cute that perhaps a larger version should be made for myself....I would never hear the end of it from my friends!

Vintage Dress, Scarf, and Cape Pattern from The Vintage Wren on Etsy

Gray's Anatomy by Henry Gray, 1858

2010-10-04T21:19:00.000-07:00

Our dear and quite obsese guinea pig, Mr. Franklin, died within moments of Denny during the season two finale of Grey's Anantomy. Despite our emotional connection, we ditched Grey's after the writer's strike along with a handful of other shows...just made life simplier.

Despite my break-up with Grey's, there were no grudges to be held and was still quite tickled to realize this little play on history while at the Civil War Revisited in Fresno this weekend. While engrossed in what the historian was explaining about battlefield amputations, a double take occurred after a quick glance to the edge of the table? A surgical guide book for medical doctors that was commonly located within the medical tents of Civil War battlefields in the 1860's. You guessed it...wait, did everybody already know this?

The Educational Soccer Mom!

2010-10-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

I loathe t-shirts. They never fit me, the fabric is always too stiff and uncomfortable and they are often so long on me that I might as well sport them as a dress! However, I make an exception for historical shirts and I sported this one, picked up at Mission Santa Ines, to Jack's soccer game this morning.

I'm on a one woman campaign to make educational shirts fashionable! Paired with low-rise 3.5" inseam khaki shorts, gold thin strapped havaianas, and a side braid, my educational soccer mom look was complete!

Workin' the vineyard for some fresh California grapes!

2010-10-01T15:32:00.000-07:00

The vineyards are dangling with grapes all around us right now! There is a U-Pick vineyard close to our house and it is one of my favorite places to take the kids in the fall, $.45 a pound! They are perfectly sweet, beautifully colored in bright chartreuse, and perfectly sized from petite Maggie grapes to plump table grape.

Accompanied with some good friends, the kids loved going into the fields armed with their scissors to cut those long chains of dangling grapes. Running up and down the dirt rows they resembled little worker bees. These worker bees only lasted about twenty minutes, though. While making bee references it is only right to compare Maggie to the Queen Bee who was dutifully waiting for the worker bees to bring in their harvest only for her to immediately consume grape upon grape. Thankfully the grapes were organic as there was no way that the Queen Bee was going to patiently wait until all grapes were washed and ready to eat.

Mmmmm, California grapes fresh off the vines ...and they were delicious!

Not to mention Maggie rocked the fields with her Ruffle Bum bloomers!

Polka Dot English Tea Rose Ruffle Bum Bloomers!

2010-09-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

The shop is open! The long-term future of the shop is yet to be decided as juggling mom, wife, friend and nerdy history teacher duties have kept me on my toes this fall. However, after much hemming and hawing I'm going to open the shop for October and November or until I run out of supplies. I won't be restocking any mini-suitcases, onesies, ribbon or fabrics during this time so once it's gone...it is gone!

Here is my lastest little creation! My favorite part is the red and light blue in the English Tea fabric that is accented by the light blue middle eastern geometric print. Normally, not a geometric print fan this one reminds me of the beautiful Spanish architecture built by the Moors between the 900-1400's. Also, the white ruffle just gives it that clean and classic element.

Polka Dot Ruffle Bum Bloomers by PinkyBleu

My Roller Derby Debut...

2010-09-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

...oh how I wish that were actually true! Really, the only sport that I've truly excelled at in life has been roller skating. Growing up in Southern California, it's just what we did year round. Extra-wide endless sidewalks were abundant, the weather was pleasant year round, and we could get anywhere we needed to, in particular, the Seven-Eleven where we would indulge in a "suicide" Slurpee and some $.05 Bazooka Joe gum. It was the 80's and accompanied with my faithful collection of fanny packs in neon colors, we rocked the elementary afterschool scene!

Sunday night I once again found myself rocking the elementary rollerskating scene at my nephew's 8th birthday party! The wind from the centrifugal force blowing in my face, rounding corners at death defying angles, and fully utilizing the carpeted rink walls to stop my high speed and possibly wreckless skating. It's been ten years since roller skates have coddled these feet but it was quite the welcomed reunion. I felt like a real bad ass out there last night...untill I saw the pictures in which I look totally normal...LAME! Maybe it was all in my head but RollerTowne has not seen the last of me and as those Roller Derby girls took to the rink I could only mutter and shake my fist in the air while quoting our great Governator, "I'll be back!"

...errr, that must have been my warm-up lap because I felt like I was skating at the speed of light!

My wannabe Roller Derby name is...BabySkin, since I would be the only one without a tattoo marked body. It only seemed appropriate!