Lower Your Expectations December 2, 2008

Bleh.  I am sick, will try not to wallow in my self pity for the majority of this post.

As I set this plate in front of my little guy yesterday I thought I should start an experiment, the “Eat What He Eats” project.  Of course I would tinker with the rules so they weren’t retroactive.  I AM NOT eating a cigar.

Do as I say boys, not as I do!

And because I feel compelled, the table top is the wonderful faux bois tin table top I got at Brimmfield.  Are you like that?  Do you feel compelled to tell the story of every item in your house or that your kids wear?  Especially if it was procured in a thrifty fashion?! I actually have a voice in my head (doesn’t suffer from lack of company, btw) that tries to remind me not to add, “Oh I got it at the thrift shop!” to the end of every sentence.  Not because I am embarrassed.  Nay, I thrift proudly.  But because nobody cares like I do.  I can’t help it though.  That’s just what a compulsion is I suppose.

And if you are wondering why there is photo of my computer screen on my blog it is because I crave to show you (hello Cindy) how clean my desktop is, well my virtual desktop anyhow.  We had friends over a few weeks ago and I did the “oh crap, they are coming in 15 minutes” clean up thing and was rather pleased with the illusion results.  But then sometime during conversation my friend says, “You take the prize for messiest computer ever.”  or something like that.  Yikes.  So I didn’t tuck away my dysfunction quite as well as I thought.

So last night I organized my virtual house.  The house I spend the most time in these days (I’m talking to you Etsy, Flickr, Facebook, Picnik, this blog, and the 5 real estate sites I follow).

It’s a start.

edit: I am so used to those bagels, a favorite among the guys in this family, that I didn’t think about it. But now that you mention it the bagel does fall somewhere on the turd spectrum.  But don’t fear, it’s just good old pumpernickel or pumperpickle as my 6 year old used to say.  He would always ask for “pumperpickle olie”, translation pumpernickel bagel with olive pimento cream cheese.  My guys are not afraid of flavor.

How is YOUR Day Shaping Up? November 21, 2008

Family Fun :: Open House Style November 18, 2008

I don’t know about where you live but where I live the cost of a house is KAH-RAY-ZEE.  It’s come down, a little tiny bit with the whole economy in the crapper thing but not that much.  At this point we’re “following the market”  doing a little research and tracking prices, narrowing down which town it is we want to settle in, balancing the pros and cons of condo verses single family and really figuring out what we can afford (hard to with unknown factors like employment for me – that’s a stress filled posted for another day).  Last week, while obsessively checking researching, I fell in love with a house.  It kind of feels like I’m participating in online dating.  (NOT speaking from experience on this one folks)  He looks great in the photos most of the time but you figure once you meet for coffee the magic may wane.    Not this time.  We were 1 family of a kazillion at the Open House.  People were snapping photos (me included), measuring, and walking around with intense faces that led me to believe a few of the folks were prepared to knife someone for the place.

Excuse the  blurry kid in the moustache shirt (Freezer paper stencils for the win), I was focused on the thing of beauty behind him!  Isn’t it beautiful?!!! It has a yard, a BIG yard for around here standards, a little kid playhouse, a garden, 2 swings, a picnic table and a 2 car garage that could be turned into work and/or play space in the future.     A great backyard.  And the front and inside are not too shabby either.  The owners have great style.  I wish I had gotten a shot of the fabric on the pillows in the chair in the living room.  It was vintage amazing and my first thoughts were, “I bet she has a crafting blog”!  The house is on a big busy street but not abutting the highway like another single family we looked at .  To quote my husband, “If it were any closer to the highway we’d have to pay a toll”.

It’s a 2 bedroom but with character and break out spaces.  The closet in the kids’ room  was huge and funky and could be turned into a playspace or sleep space down the road.  The “master” had a little office connected that would be perfect for etsy and crafting.

It was funky with tons of character.  Not what usually pops up in our price range.  We went to 8 Open Houses on Sunday and some were down right depressing.  One was cute, perfect for a gnome family with a polka dotted mushroom garden out front and a mini-deer for a pet.  Not so much for our family. Being sold “as is” for $379,000 I believe.  It did have an amazing view of the Boston skyline off in the distance.  Someone is going to buy it, knock it down and build up something new.  Betcha.

My scanner, the fussy diva that she is, just decided she no longer wants to obey me. I was going to scan the sheet from the OH with more photos and stats. Ugh.  Basically it’s a 2 bedroom (the first house not the hobbit abode above) with 1 1/2 baths and 1130 sq. ft of homey goodness.  Not a huge house but one that feels like a home we could happily live in.

I wish I had thought to take photos of some of the other clunkers.  In summary, we looked at a condo located above a chiropractor, a townhouse sandwiched between the high school and a grocery store parking lot, the house on the highway, a crime scene looking single family with a layout designed by monkeys, the fairy cave with the view, an overdone condo conversion with a laughable asking price, a tiny house apparently occupied by a cigar smoking dog and the house of my dreams which is now under agreement after 3 days on the market.

It’s probably best that we weren’t ready to buy because I feel certain it will go for well over the listing price ($399,000) and that’s a bidding war we would have lost.  I will work to not compare all future homes with this one but it will be a difficult.

I’ll update with the final SOLD price.

Fill ‘er Up November 17, 2008

My brain is everywhere at once and no one place with success.  I think it’s because I let my monthly calendar lapse and am now trying to hold everything in my head.  All appointments, playdates, soccer practices, teacher conferences, etc.  It is not working for me.

Here was my brilliant idea.  A while ago I bought one of those dry erase calendars from Staples.  One of the HUGE ones.  It’s just a grid and you fill in the information yourself (this will be important later).   I figured it would save money as I’d “never have to buy another calendar again”!  And good for the earth to boot.  It was good for a spell but then I fell behind and then, well:

See those months there?  Let’s just say it’s less than current.  We’ve patched things in here and there and I have used other methods, like scribbling on scraps of paper!  I am trying to back peddle and make it not so bad but I can’t.  It’s bad.

All this sharing of my calendar failure was supposed to lead up to my filling the car up with gas story which showcases my current state but now just feels like I flashed a boob or something.  Whatever.

I am slightly phobic about filling up the car.  Luckily Massachusetts is mostly a gas station attendant kind of state.  Usually my husband deals with filling up the car (how very stereotypical of us).  Today I was feeling brave, and running on empty, so I pulled in to the station.  The WRONG way.  Had to get out to check which side the tank was on.  It’s funny because I always remind my husband which side it’s on when he’s pulling in to the station but I panicked or something. Instead of tearing out of there, I turned around to deal.  I was proud of myself until the guy I thought was pumping gas into my car said he was waiting for me to release the lever for the tank.  Uhhhhh.  “Do you know where it is?”  He just looked at me funny.  I wanted to shout, “I have a Masters degree.   I have trekked in the jungles of Thailand and done many daring things by myself!  Please don’t judge me.” Then I just accepted that this man was now and forever going to think me a weak dingbat and so I asked him for directions.  He spoke slowly for me.  He did everything but pat my hand and say, “bless your little heart”.  I had to laugh as I pulled out of there with a full tank and the directions being yet another thing filling my head.

I think this lack of calendaring is one of the ways I don’t take care of myself.  So in addition to my newly implemented earlier bed time (which is slowly increasing my brain power), I am going to update the calendar and write all the things down that are sliding around my brain. Tonight, after packing up some Etsy sales, I am going to write lists.  Lists of things to do around the house, a list of folks to call to make and or confirm appointments for us all, a list of stuff to donate, give away, store and sell, and maybe if it’s not bedtime by then, I’ll write a little list of my hopes and dreams!

I welcome any and all suggestions for how you keep your family or personal information stored.  Do you use a program on your computer?  A hand held device?  Old school calendar you’d like to reccommend?  Write it on handmade paper using a pencil you crafted from spit and crushed rock?  Help a blogger out.

Last Day of Book Week November 15, 2008

Thanks again Anne for organizing Book Week.  I have enjoyed sharing some of my favorites and adding to my list of must reads from your site and the other players!

My last book I’m sharing is Ooh-la-la, Max in Love by Maira Kalman.  Really it’s a Maira Kalman love-fest and I recommend any and all of her work.  She is the author & illustrator of many children’s books.  My favorite is actually Max Makes a Million, but I couldn’t find it.  Oh-la-la is the sequel.

She is also an designer and an all around kick ass artist.  Check out her webpage and watch The Elements of Style short movie.

I wish I were as cool as Maira Kalman!

Book Week:: Day 4ish November 14, 2008

I just sorted through the boys books, pulling out a big box to donate to my son’s school.  In the process I came across this book I want to share.  It’s The Wonderful Towers of Watts by Patricia Zelver pictures by Frane Lessac.

It’s the true story of Sabato “Sam” Rodia and his
amazing sculptures/towers made over the course of 33 years using found & repurposed  materials.  I’ve never seen the actual Watts Towers but hope to one day.

The illustrations are done in a folksy way that works well with the subject.

I’m guessing he didn’t care much what other thought of him.

When I taught first grade I read this to the class and it often inspired the kids to do amazing mosaic sculptures of their own.  There are many good lessons to take from this book, read it to your kids and see where it takes you!

Book Week :: Day 3 November 12, 2008

Back to vintage.  I found this little beauty on the 3rd day of a rummage sale.  The day they are practically giving stuff away and still there are no takers.  I couldn’t believe it was still there and I stuffed it into my brown paper dollar a bag  and happily made my way out of the dust and slim pickins.  The book is called My Very Own Seasons and it was published in 1967.

And my favorite illustration.  The faces on the snow flakes blobs are fetching.

edit:  Blurry eyed and sleep deprived = not so witty post with depressing photos.  Come back tomorrow for more of the same, if nothing else you can come for the sport of watching my readership TANK!

Book Week :: Day 2 (okay, NIGHT 2)

I had a stack of vintage children’s books by my computer to share this week.  I am a sucker for vintage books.  Old books that have been held by many hands, books with crazy inscriptions, antique books with their letterpressed illustrations, books with timeless concepts and books with antiquated ideas and dreams.  I love them.  But then I read Anne’s posts and got actual suggestions for books to buy my guys for Channukah and I realized maybe I should share some books that can still be bought at your local bookshops or everyones’ local Amazon.

One of my all time favorites is called What! Cried Granny : An Almost Bedtime Story by Kate Lum and Adrian Johnson .  In the story Patrick comes to stay with Granny but does not come that well prepared.  I do not want to ruin it for you but Granny is very crafty and builds a bed, plucks feathers and stuffs a pillow, makes a quilt, whips up a softie and is an all around patient and pretty cool Granny.  I like it because it makes us laugh, because the Granny is resourceful and strong and because the grandson gets away with a little trickery which always makes the kids smile big.

And now from smiling to big sappy tears streaming down your face.  Patricia Pollaco writes meaty kids books and I love her for it.  Mrs Katz and Tush is my favorite.

From Amazon,

In this special Passover story, Larnel Moore, a young African-American boy, and Mrs. Katz, an elderly Jewish woman, develop an unusual friendship through their mutual concern for an abandoned cat named Tush. Together they explore the common themes of suffering and triumph in each of their cultures.

I always choke up at the end of this one.  I haven’t been able to read it since my husband’s grandmother died but maybe it’s time to pick it up again.

And in case you haven’t read The Keep Quilt, get it out of your library.  Fabric + history = A quilt.

I recommend P. Pollaco for kids who are 7 years or older.  While beautiful picture books, they are also text and content heavy!

Enjoy book week. Please feel free to leave your favorites and/or suggestions in the comment section!

Book Week :: Day One November 11, 2008

Anne from Green Jello has planned my blog this week and I’m ever so thankful.  It is Book Week on her blog.  Check out GJ for a list of other bloggers playing along and to get some tips on good Children’s books.

Here is a book from my childhood.  I love the illustrations.  My aunt Donna gave me this book, so says the inscription!  Thanks Kindred.

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I also have some thank yous to catch up on.  First I need to thank Paige from Funny Magic for sending me the most delicious box of homemade cookies.  The reason I do not have a photo is NOT because I ate them all too quickly.  By myself.  It just isn’t.  Moving along.  Thanks to my pretend childhood friend, you rock and happy 38th!

I also owe a thank you to Anne from Book Week fame at Green Jello for sending me my very own Mold-O-Rama lion.  I think this is a regional thing.  I had never heard of Mold-O-Ramas before Wonderfalls (why they canceled that I do not know, I thought it had legs!).  Then Anne featured one on her blog and I commented on it.   I can’t actually remember.  I think I may have kind of asked for one.  But in a classy, non-tacky way.  Here is my little molded plastic cutie, I love him.  Thank you!

Oh Happy Day November 5, 2008

I’m just going to keep adding today as the spirit moves me.

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I woke up with this happy sight greeting me in my inbox this morning!

And as I took down the haunted house and the rest of the Halloween display this morning, I was inspired to put these up in the window.  Maybe there is a metaphor in there somewhere…

And another thing, if you haven’t checked out the incredibly creative, witty and slightly twisted mind and photos of Ms. Eartha Kitsch on Flickr you really should.  Her wedding set is pure perfection, her house set makes me ooze jealousy and her “son” jack set scares the bejeezus out of me.  Late last night she posted this collage and she’s given me permission to post it.

She says, “Right now I feel about as euphoric as a young and beautiful, perfectly proportioned, highly paid 1950’s era Jantzen swimsuit model being showered in Hershey’s kisses while being serenaded by beautiful chalkware birds! I want to buy the whole world a Coke right now. Or a sweet tea. Yes, that’s it – sweet tea for everybody!”

What she said!