Crystal B. Then & Now

Sewing Bee

2012-02-14T18:12:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago, over a particularly delicious dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, Julie H., Julie L. and I made plans for a sewing date. For one reason or another, the plan never came into fruition -- until today.

Julie H. and I actually made it happen, which was a good feeling. I taught her how to make pillows.

Look what she created!

The best part about sewing with a friend are the conversations that take place as you work. The problems of the world can be solved around a craft table. Plus there's a lot of laughing and Diet Coke. I always go home feeling so up lifted.

Maybe we need to replace war rooms, with creativity centers.

On My Desk

2012-02-10T12:59:00.000-08:00

I've been making this dress, on and off now for two years.
I was recently motivated to finish it -- for a sweet new baby that I have not yet seen.

It's hard to get a good shot of a baby gown.
I hope her mother likes it.

Did you know it's a tradition to embroider on the slip,
the name and baptismal or blessing date,
of every baby who uses the dress?

I love that.

Calling all Crafters

2012-02-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

A few of my friends from are getting together in Arizona for a weekend of fun.
A crafting, laughing, shopping and eating.
We are renting a house that occupies 12.
We have three spots left.
Do you want to come??

Look at your calendar and see if you are free the weekend of April 14th.

Email me for details: crystalbeutler@msn.com

Boo Google

2012-02-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

I just read that Google Friend Connect is going away in April!
And Picnik!!!
Is that true?
If so, then I am very sad.

How are we going to keep in touch with our blog friends?
Does this mean that "buttons" are the way to go?
Or links?
Any thoughts on this?

And what about Picnik?
Best place ever to make a photo collage.

I think I'm mad at Google, are you?

Who wants to picket HQ?
Me, that's who.
I'd probably look stupid standing out there all by myself though.
I can picture it now:
Groovy Googlers staring out the cafeteria window
at the old woman holding a sign that says
Bring Back Picnik and Friend Connect!!!!
They'd snicker and go right back to eating sushi.

I can't sit back and let it happen without at least writing a letter.
The squeaky wheel get's the grease after all.

Go here if you want to jump on the Boo Google band wagon
and write a letter too.

Book Worms are the Best

2012-02-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

I sent out a call, and many responded.
Look at this list of books!

Wildflower Hill
The Blue Castle
Saving Cece Honeycutt
Stargirl
Roses
The Walk
Cranford
Rainwater
The Paris Wife
Room

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

My Name is Brandy

The Kitchen House

Austinland

Goosegirl

Book of a Thousand Days

The Saturdays (children)

Gone Away Lake (children)

These Is My Words *

The Glass Castle*
Her Fearful Symmetry *

13 Reasons Why (young adult)
The Future of Us (young adult)
Some Girls Are (young adult)

Looking for Alaska (young adult)

Paper Towns (young adult)

Some of them I've already read. I put a star by those.
If you haven't read them, do, they were so good.

As for the rest, I'm off to the Barnes and Noble site to check them all out.

Thanks so much for sharing!
I knew I could count on you.

P.S. What was your favorite Superbowl commercial? Mine was the Dorito's dog.

The Vortex

2012-02-03T17:29:00.000-08:00

I got sucked in to the swirling mass of chaos again.
But it was necessary.
It was d-day for my friend Dana.

A few years ago, my living room looked like this too.
Biggest nightmare.
It made me feel like one of those hoarders you see on television.
This is what happens when you sew for a dance studio.
Your life turns upside down for a good 6 months
and your family has to eat dinner standing up
because the table is covered with sewing machines.

I retired 5 years ago,
but my dear friend Dana kept the sweat shop going.
This year she made 300+ costumes, which included 9 bear outfits.
When I heard that, it made me shiver.
I went down the bear road in 2004,
and it was ugly.

That year, we had to make 18 bear suits,
which included bloomers, hats, and aprons.
Have you ever sewn fur?
Awful.
My vacuum never recovered.

Today I called Dana to see how she was coming along with the sewing project from you know where.
She said: We have our first competition this afternoon and I'm not done.
So I had to help.
Dana is the person in my life, who helps people in need
no matter how busy she is at the moment.
Really.
She would probably donate a kidney if I asked.

I dropped what I was doing and drove to her house,
which is out in the boondocks -- high up on the top of the Temecula Hills.
I got lost twice.

I opened her front door and there it was . . .
a vortex of lycra, feathers, an sequins.

We had fun running our machines at warp speed.
I love working with Dana.
She is hysterical.

I could tell you some hilarious stories
about our trips to Las Vegas for Nationals.
But I won't.
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,
including the time I almost ran over a homeless man
who popped out of a manhole cover
just as I was driving through an intersection at 1:00 a.m.
Our kids are still talk about that incident.

We finished up the last of the costumes just in time.
Dana threw everything in the car and sped off into the sunset
while went home covered in thread.

When I walked in the door Claire took one look at me and said
Dana?

And I said Yep.

Wired

2012-02-02T21:44:00.000-08:00

It's Eden's turn.

I think he looks really cute.
{It bugs him when I say that.}

But he needs a haircut.
{It bugs him when I say that too.}

Funeral for a Friend

2012-01-29T22:35:00.000-08:00

Looking around at the people sitting in the pews was surreal. Some were familiar, while others had changed drastically. Hadn't I sat next to that guy in English my Jr. year? Why can't I remember his name??

There was a time when my life intertwined with this group daily -- sitting in classrooms, cheering in stadiums, roaming through hallways lined with lockers. Three years of dating, loitering, dancing, laughing, studying, working, and playing made us a close clan. I loved these souls like family. It never occurred to any of us in those days, how the choices we made then, would affect our future lives.

Today was an accounting of sorts, as we stared at the pine box at the front of the room. Minds deep in thought as each of us pondered who we were then, and who we are now; how our personal actions had influenced, for better or worse, the friend whose life was cut short as a result of addictions.  The answers could be seen in the bowed heads, and shoulders that shook in sync with heavy sobs, while teenage daughters stood at the pulpit and paid tribute to their father. Daughters much too young to be picking out caskets and writing eulogies.

A woman sat down at the piano and began to play -- a melody we all used to sing in unison at the top of our lungs: Sing us a song, you're the Piano Man, sing us a song tonight . . .

It transported me back to an 8-track tape player mounted to the dashboard of a yellow Maverick, and it's driver, a blonde haired boy who wore surgeon pants to school. He was so carefree then. A good soul who made me laugh with his telling of funny stories. A friend who would listen when you needed to pour your heart out. He saved my life once, on a summer day when we were cliff jumping at a lake. I was injured and too tired to swim. He pulled me out from under the water just as I began to drown. I'll be forever grateful that he rescued me when I was in trouble. How I wish that I could have saved him too.

I don't know when it first started, but there came a time in high school when the boy started drinking, and using drugs. Sadly, like friends who died recently under similar circumstances, the boy couldn't stop.   As the years passed, his addiction became rope-like, binding tighter and tighter, until he no longer had the power to break free. His body grew weary, and last week, his heart finally rebelled.

How did this all happen in the first place? Why did a sweet boy from a loving family turn to drugs? Was there too much pressure to fit in? Did he have feelings of worthlessness? Were drugs an escape?

I wish I had answers to make sense of it all. But I don't, and never will.

What I do know is this: It was a huge price to pay -- those choices at 16. If the boy had understood then, that this is how it would end, he would he have done things differently.

If he realized just how much he was loved by the people who sat in the pews, he would have fought for himself, and the chance to see his beautiful daughters grow old.

Farewell Brett the Camel. You were a wonderful friend.
Your memory will forever be in my heart.

P.S. If you have a child in trouble, visit here.

It could save their life.

Recommendations Please.

2012-01-18T20:39:00.000-08:00

Sitting at a red light yesterday,
I had the thought that I didn't read much last year.
Could it be due to the disbandment of Book Club #1,
and the un-organization of Book Club #2?
(BC # 2 met approximately 3 times last year --
we were all just too busy to get together.)

I need to get going again.
Listening to the Hunger Games trilogy over Christmas motivated me.

What have you read lately that you just loved???
Don't say anything si-fi, or fantasy, not interested.
And don't say The Help -- I've been there, done that, and really liked it.
Haven't seen the movie yet, can you believe it!

Has anyone read The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson?
If so, what's your opinion?
I'm starting it tonight.

If you haven't read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Up Close,
you have to get on that before the movie comes out.
I mean it.
It's such a good book and if you do the movie first,
it will ruin it, I know it will.
Isn't that usually the case?
(Thank you to the Lurker who recommended it.)

M.I.A.

2012-01-16T14:02:00.000-08:00

I know, I know . . .
I've been missing in action for a few days
But it's January and I'm in purge mode
My "to do" list is a mile long
And you know me
If I don't focus on that list
It will haunt me all year

So excuse me for a week or so while I
clean out closets
organize a garage sale
relocate my studio
oversee the painting of bedrooms,
ripping out of carpet
and other fun stuff

I'll be back
I promise

And hopefully
I'll have something to show for it

Happy Martin Luther King day

Hooray for Hollywood

2012-01-10T15:20:00.000-08:00

Friday night was an official girls night out --
with big girls and little girls.
It was fun, fun, fun.

We drove up to Hollywood,
had dinner at Cheesecake Factory,
and went to see the play Wicked.

Wicked is the best,
no matter how many times you see it.
I love singing along under my breath during the performance.
I'm sure my neighbor thought it was annoying,
but she was singing too, so maybe she didn't even notice.

After the play, we followed the stars
on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to the back door of the theatre,
and as we did, we played a game --
saying whether you did, or did not
recognize the name on the star.

It wasn't as easy as you might think.
The stars near the Pantages are some of the oldest on the Walk.
Names like Jackie Gleason and Buster Keaton,
(which, in case your wondering, I recognized.)

Then I came to the last star on this section of the Walk:

How cool is that,
I have my own star!!!

(Not really, but I'm counting it.)

When we got to the back door,
we waited in line to see the actors come out.

Sometimes, if they are nice, they stop and talk to you.
Tonight we got lucky.
Elphie and Glenda were the nicest Elphie and Glenda yet.
They spoke with every single person in the line,
including the people at the very end --
us.

The little girls in our posse were thrilled.
It was so cute to see their excitement,
as they held out their Playbills for an autograph.

I should have given the little girls my autograph too,
since I have my own star and everything.

P.S. CB stands for Cecil B. Demille, producer of epic film The Ten Commandments.

Random Thoughts on January 4th.

2012-01-04T19:51:00.000-08:00

What happened to winter???
For the past week, it's been 75 - 80 degrees outside.
Ultimate California weather.

Although it's hot outside,
the temperature inside my house is 64 degrees.
It seems stupid to run the heater when feels like summer.

I tried opening the doors to let hot air in.
Didn't work.
I'm wearing sweaters and drinking hot chocolate
and pretending there's a blizzard outside.
I bet you wish you could trade places, huh!

Today is my maiden voyage on Craig's List.
Can you believe I've never been on that site?
I'm getting Eden to help me list sofas and bedroom furniture.
We are using the money for his Eagle Scout project.

For sale:

Trundle Bed - perfect for a boy's room, or a guest room.

Bookcases - handcrafted by Matt.
I'm sad we no longer have no place to put these.

Down Sofa - I designed this slipcover myself. It hides an Ethan Allen sofa that was once owned by my Great Aunt.

I'm shopping my house today and rearranging.
I like this spot -- a little ledge on the way into our TV room.

Pretty paper in a frame,
cardboard alphabet letters in a jar,
old books,
and a chalk dog.
Why do these things make me smile so much?

I decided to move my office upstairs to the TV room.
I think my family is going to have a cow when they see the change.
They won't like sharing that space with me.
We all know I have slob issues when it comes to my office.
But we need a guest bedroom.
People never visit because there's no play to sleep.

I can hardly wait until 8:00 p.m.
Downton Abby is on T.V.
I'm hooked.
Last week I stayed up until 2:30 a.m. watching Season I.
Masterpiece Theatre is the best.

What did you do today?

It Begins

2012-01-03T17:14:00.000-08:00

It's only the 2nd day of the new year
and we're already busy with projects.

I love that about January.
You have that feeling that you want to clean out, fix up, and organize.

Matt got started on the orchard.
{How many trees must you plant to technically have an orchard anyway?}

Claire assembled an end table for her bedroom,
and painted it off white.

I love the way it turned out,
don't you?

Stay tuned, we have lots going on around here.
Painters are coming in a few days.

Sources:
table - Ikea
lamp - Homegoods
candle & glass jar - World Market
rock salt - Grocery Store
books - Penquin Classics

Goodbye

2012-01-03T16:59:00.000-08:00

Farewell 2011,
you were bitter-sweet.

But there were lessons learned,
and memories made.

The End

2011-12-31T12:05:00.000-08:00

Last day of 2011.
Time sure flies, huh?

I should be reflecting,
and making my "year in pictures" collage.
That's not happening until tomorrow.

Today is all about five things:

Tear-down
I'm always so sad to see them go.
My house looks so much cuter with holiday decor.

Delimmas
Once the Christmas village is put away, I need to figure out what to do with my fire place mantel.
It needs help.

Mountains
They are all over the house.
The price of a long vacation.

Packaging and Delivery.
I fell so behind before we left on our trip that I had to let this go until today.
I hope my friends appreciate a Happy New Year present
in lieu of a Christmas gift.

Napping.
I need to gear up for New Year's Eve.
Mexican food is on the menu.
What are you doing to celebrate?

Until next year,

A Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T15:36:00.000-08:00

We made the decision to leave home for Christmas.
It's definitely not convenient.
My kids were not happy about it at all.
But something amazing happens when we leave the familiar.
We have adventures like this:

Listening to Hunger Games in lieu of television.
Talking as we drive.
Presents that sat around a Christmas lamp.

A Christmas eve dinner reminiscent of the Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra scene in A Christmas Story.
Delivering treats to the people working at the front desk of the hotel.
Walking through Temple Square to look at the lights.
Make shift cookies for Santa.

Giving gifts to the homeless at Pioneer Park.
Opening presents by the giant fireplace at the hotel.

Playing games with extended family.
And skiing!

As much as my children complained that they never want another Christmas away from home,
I know that this will be a year they remember more than others.
It was more about giving,
than getting,
and spending time with people,
instead of technology.

It was worth it.

Breakfast

2011-12-25T14:53:00.000-08:00

I met up with besties today for breakfast.
We haven't seen each other in a long while.
I miss these women so much.
We were joined at the hip when we were young.

We laughed about old times, and shared new stories of motherhood, and wifehood, and work.
It's like healing balm as I listen.
These women understand because they've been there too.
I know they love me unconditionally.

Girlfriends are the greatest gift.
I am thankful for an abundance.

The Search

2011-12-25T14:46:00.000-08:00

The window of our hotel room reveals a bright sunny day, pefect for skiing.
Eden, Claire and Matt head for the slopes early in the morning, while I make ready for a day downtown. It's full of life during the holidays -- shoppers, streets lined with trees that twinkle with tiny white lights. I somehow forgot to pack a coat, stupid, I know. So I don my heaviest sweater, load up a back pack full of pens, my camera, and computer and make my way to the Trolley station right outside the hotel.

I sit down on a bench by a girl with a U of U letterman jacket. It's cold outside which makes waiting miserable. I feel so sorry for those who sit on curbs holding signs that say: Need Work. How do they stand this freezing air?

Within minutes the Green Line pulls up and the doors open. I hop aboard and ride to the end of the street where it stops at Temple Square. Across the street from the Square is a three-story building that houses The Family History Center, one of my favorite haunts. I've been frequenting the place for over 30 years now.

Funny that in the 80's a girl in her twenties would have the desire to visit once a week to look through reels and reels of microfiche searching for familiar names, I looked so out of place with all the gray haired seniors wearing bifocals. I don't know what it was that fueled the desire --maybe it was the deaths of my grandfathers, and father at a young age, or the fact that no one left a record, or journal about their lives. I remember how it felt, the moment I found that first name (my 5th great grandmother), I cried. I felt such a connection, and I knew that I had to keep going. I'm now one of those gray haired seniors, and I'm still going, and still excited when I find more pieces to the family puzzle.

If you've never done genealogy work, it may sound daunting. That was true thirty years ago, but not so now in this ever growing age of technology. Today, it's miraculous what you can find if you know where to look.

I walk into the building where a tiny woman with grey fluffy hair sits behind a desk. She has twinkling eyes and a kind face and I image this is how Mrs. Santa Claus would look if she were here. Mrs Claus hands me a name tag which I paste to my sweater.

She says Do you need help?
No thanks, I know exactly where I need to go today, I reply.
Good luck, she says as I walk into the computer lab which is surrounded by bookshelves that contain personal family histories.

I sit down in my front of a computer near my lucky spot -- the shelf where I found a personal history which lead me to my ancestors. My fingers take their place on the keyboard and type Civil War Records. My eyes scan several screens and look through lists and lists of records with the name Thomas Farish. There are so many, but I am looking for a particular Thomas -- my 5th great grandfather. Two hours pass by, but I am patient because I know it takes time to find what you are looking for, sometimes years.

Looking for ancestor's is a little like fishing, sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you don't. But, if you are passionate, you keep at it, even if you go home with nothing on a particular day.

Today was a good day, a bountiful day. I finally see a record I recognize -- Thomas L. Farish, Charlottesville Virginia, and I whisper a triumphant YES to no one in particular. The lady next to me whispers back: Sounds like you had some luck! I smile at her and turn my computer screen in her direction -- a photo of amnesty papers signed by Thomas at the end of the civil war.

A few moments later, I find the name and death date of a another -- my 5th great grandfather whom I've been looking for for a long long time. Tears come to my eyes as I learn that he died in an assylum at the end of the Civil War. What must that have been like for his wife, to watch his mind leave because of the things that occurred during the war? It makes me think of the millions of other women throughout the ages who have experienced the very same thing.

I pull out my family history chart and fill in a blank -- the name James Overland Harris. It makes me happy to see his name beside the name of his wife.

The sun is low in the sky, so I pack up my things and leave. I cut through through Temple Square to make my way back to the Trolley stop. There temple casts shadows everywhere, which means the Christmas lights will soon shine in the dark.

On the way to the Trolley, I get a text from Claire who writes: We are at The Lion House Pantry. Come eat with us. Perfect timing. The Pantry is only a block away so I make my way in that direction.

I must tell you that if you ever visit Temple Square, make sure you duck down the alley next to the J.S. Center and find the Pantry. It's a fun place to eat. Home-cooked food in a casual cafeteria style setting. There are several places in town with better atmosphere, and fancier cuisine, but this place reminds me of eating dinner at Grandmas. It's become a tradition to eat here every time we visit Utah.

As we make our way back to the car, we cut through the Joseph Smith Center. Christmas music floats through the air as people bustle in and out of the lobby. Claire sees an area where you can take a souvenir picture, so we stop to take advantage.

We spend the evening at a family party. The cousins reconnect and swap stories of their adventures over the past years.

We laugh ourselves sick playing Charades and Big Booty.

The night ends with Christmas carols, hugs goodbye, and promises to get together more often.

It was a perfect day with family, past and present.

P.S. If you are interested in learning more about searching for your ancestors, visit here, or email me at crystalbeutler@msn.com

Stories on the Road

2011-12-21T15:03:00.001-08:00

We left for Utah late last night.
As we pulled out of the driveway, Matt said
I loaded Hunger Games on my I Touch so we could listen to it in the car.
You guys are going to love it.

This is amusing for three reasons:

1) With the exception of magazines, Matt is not a big fan of reading, yet he read all three books in the Hunger Games series non-stop. He LOVED them.
2) I am a huge fan of reading, but for two years now, I've totally resisted reading Hunger Games,
mainly because it sounds futuristic, and I don't like futuristic books.
3) I'm usually the one trying to get everyone excited about listening to a book on tape during long road trips and I'm met with resistance.

An hour ago, we had just finished Chapter 10 as we arrived in Salt Lake, and unloaded our bags at the Little America Hotel. I have to tell you that I really didn't want to get out of the car. Neither did Claire. We are hooked. I think we might spend part of the evening in front of the big fireplace in hotel lobby listening to the end of the story.

Old Book Club, I should have read this last year when it was one of our monthly selections.
Matt, I should have listened to you when you said, that it's a four star and I would definitely love it.

Books on tape are the best.
Can't wait to see this movie.

Making a List

2011-12-18T10:36:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that as of this post,
I haven't bought one Christmas gift!
{Except for Wheat Thins -- to accompany Jalapeno Jelly}

Yikes.
I'm a little behind schedule.

I did venture into Hobby Lobby yesterday.
It opened here in Temecula last month.
Super excited about it.
It's so organized!

And clean!
{JoAnn's looks sad in comparison.}

Although I did hear that the service is ultra slow - sku numbers are entered by hand.
What's up with that?
Strange, in this age of electronics.
It's torture for all,
especially if you want to purchase 50 different colors of embroidery floss,
which I didn't.
But, it was tempting.

I'm sticking to my list.

Twin Sons

2011-12-16T17:35:00.000-08:00

We went out for fish tacos the other night.
I stood at the counter and ordered while my son found a table.
When I finished filling up my soda cup, I took a look around to see where Eden was sitting.

I started to walk in this direction . . .

Just as I was ready to sit down
I realized this wasn't my son.

I saw Eden waving at me from across the room.
He mouthed What are you doing???
I pulled up a seat in front of Eden
and said That guy looks so much like you he could be your brother!!

Eden looked at his twin and rolled his eyes at me.
He thinks I'm nuts.

In looking at these photos, I think he might be right.
Maybe it was the hair.

Reindeer Games

2011-12-14T23:31:00.000-08:00

It began with Debbie's annual holiday recipe exchange last week.
I make a cookie I found on Pinterest --
Gingerbread cheesecake bites.
Big fail, all three batches.
I had to resort to frosted gingersnaps using refrigerated dough.
Matt offered to put them in the car for me,
but he didn't realize they cookies were on a slippery plate.

Enough said.

The party was fun though.
LOTS of great food.
My favorite was bacon brittle.
Yes, bacon brittle.
If you use the recipe in the above link, try pecans instead of cashews.
Yum!

Next came the open house at the Green Thumbs.
Why did I have to lose my camera memory card that night?
Their house is stunning beyond words.
I need this upside down tree in my family room.

There were decorations everywhere . . .
rivaling Macy's in New York, and Roger's Garden in Newport,
but better because they were in a cozy house,
with good snacks.

I didn't want to leave.

I loved watching all of the little kids giddy with excitment.

And yesterday, Julie had her annual cookie exchange.
She was really nice and let me join in the fun
in spite of the fact that I didn't make any cookies.
{These days my time is consumed with jewelry and boutiques.}

We ate a delicious brunch that included Eggs Benedict, my favorite.

Then we played games --
a Present Exchange using a deck cards to determine the picking order.
It's the first time I've done it this way.
I liked it.

There were several holiday Minute to Win It competitions.
Have you ever done this at a large gathering?
Hilarious with a capital H.
I missed out on some great photo ops -- the memory card is still stuck.
But I did get a few with my phone camera.

Stacking bolts using a candy cane.
{Is that what those things are called?}

The Gingerbread Man Drop - my personal favorite.
Kids, this is what moms do while you are in school . . .

You can find the games here.
I can hardly wait to play them with our extended family on Christmas Eve.
But beware, someone might end up wetting their pants --
the laughter gets pretty intense.

Julie, Christine, Scott and Debbie, thank you so much for your hospitality.
You made my season very merry.
{Hey, that rhymes.}

Tis the Season.

2011-12-12T14:16:00.000-08:00

I woke up to pouring rain,
which normally I wouldn't mind,
except today I had to move a bunch of stuff to a storage unit.
Moving boxes in the rain is no fun.

I spent the afternoon taking photos of earrings to list in my shop.
I took the memory card out of my camera,
and put it into my computer,
but I put it in the wrong slot.
Now it's stuck in there,
which means I have to find someone who can perform surgery
and get that card out without wreaking havoc.

I should start doing something else,
but I'm having a hard time getting motivated.
I'm weary.

In reading several blogs yesterday,
I'm realizing that I'm not alone.

I think it's because women carry the weight of all that happens
during the holidays.
Three months of planning,
cooking,
shopping,
parties,
wrapping,
decorating
{sigh}.

All that can really get to a person
if they don't take time out to feel the spirit of the season.

I haven't been taking the time,
so I'm going to,
right now.

I need a blanket,
hot chocolate
and Handel's Messiah.

Maybe I'll even sing along.

Ta-Da

2011-12-10T15:18:00.000-08:00

They are delicious.

Tonight I'm going to try making s'mores using
short bread cookies,
dark chocolate
and peppermint marshmallows.

Recipe here.

Candyland

2011-12-09T19:43:00.000-08:00

Last night on a whim, Channin and I decided we should make candy.
The subject came up when she stopped by to pick up my new apprentice.

Channin said: Hey we need to make Divinity.
I said: We do! But we better get going because I'm leaving for Utah next weekend.

We began mulling over dates and Channin said: I'm free tomorrow.
I said: Me too! {In spite of the fact that my house is a disaster and I should stay home and clean.}
The plan was made.

I went over to her house this morning armed with pans,
Karo Syrup and other supplies and gave a knock on the front door.
A little snowman was there to greet me -- an ornament I had made years ago.

I love visiting her home in December.
There is Christmas in every nook and cranny.

I especially loved this simple snow globe made by a friend.
So cute, and very easy to make.

Channin was busy chopping nuts as I set my stuff on the counter.
I put on my apron and we got to work.

Have you ever eaten homemade Divinity?
If not, it's probably because it's super hard to make -- very temperamental.
Conditions have to be just so, and you must follow the recipe with exactness,
which is both exciting and nerve wracking,
because you never know how it's going to turn out until the very end.

My grandmother made it when I was a little girl. It was so light and airy.
I tried following in her footsteps, but all I ever achieved were dry crumbs.
I gave up trying about 20 years ago.

But Channin has made it successfully several times.
She learned the secret from an elderly Swedish friend.
The method is old school, but it works like a charm.

The sugar must be cooked to 252 degrees.
No more, no less.

Just to make sure, we used our digital thermometer and our standard thermometer.
Mainly because we've always wanted to know if there's a difference. Both worked fine, but I liked that the digital beeps at you when it's at the exact temperature, which is good for me because I can never see the mercury climbing on a standard.

The egg whites must be whipped by hand on a cold platter using a flat whisk.

If you are a weakling like me, you really need two people to do this right.
We tag teamed, and in no time at all we achieved soft peaks.
It was exciting. I've never whipped whites by hand.

When the hot sugar is at the correct temperature,
you hold the pot high over the egg whites
and pour it in a thin stream
ever so slowly into the whites -- while whisking.
Have you every tried holding a hot pit in the air with one hand,
and whisking with the other?
Me either.
Good thing we tag-teamed.
It really does take two people to make good Divinity.
No wonder mine never worked.

Then you mix and mix and mix until the Divinity is smooth, glossy, and starts to set.
We were nervous there for a minute, but it all worked out just as it should.
The only part that failed ever so slightly --
we waited too long to form the candy into balls.
It got a little dry so they didn't look as pretty as they should.

But they tasted heavenly.

Then we made homemade peppermint marshmallows.
We had a little elf, dressed like a ballerina help us with that.

We have to wait until tomorrow to see if they turned out.
I'm looking forward to a cup of hot chocolate with a giant marshmallow.

The Jeweler's Apprentice

2011-12-08T20:06:00.000-08:00

For reasons unbeknownst to me,
girls old and young love visiting my studio,
even when it's so messy you can't open the door.

Maybe it's the lure of all the jars --
buttons,
ribbons,
and other do-dads.
I remember feeling that way about my grandmother's sewing box.
The minute I opened the lid and peered inside,
my mind started dreaming about all the possibilities.
I couldn't wait to create something out of the chaos.

This afternoon I pulled out tools and began to work,
the faint sound of clanking sent out a call those who hear their music.

Within moments, the neighbor girls popped in,
and asked if I would make them a bracelet with horse hair.

Another friend came over to buy some earrings, and share buttons she found at a thrift shop.

And then Grace called and offered to help me work -- for free.

She loves to create as much as me.
So I had to let her.

We passed the time
gluing,
and sorting,
and making beads.

She was such a help,
I had to make her my official apprentice.

Maybe now I will have the time to organize my office.

Decking the Halls

2011-12-07T13:20:00.000-08:00

One of the things I love most about the Christmas holiday --
opening up my boxes of ornaments.

They are old friends.
Each one brings back a memory of a person,
or a place from my past.
Like this one.

My grandfather gave it to me when I was a little girl.
He brought it home from a business trip.
When I see her sitting in my tree,
I am transported back to my living room on Melbourne Street
when first I opened the box that contained her.

Then there are the vintage glass balls I've collected over the years.
So many memories hunting for them.
I remember shopping with my friend Candi, when I found this one.
I bought it for Claire when she was four year's old.
I can still see her face when she put this on the tree.

This one is really old.
It hung on my grandmother's tree.
It reminds me of her yearly Christmas party back in the 60's.
She used to make me listen to A Christmas Carol
on the record player while we waited for guests to arrive.
I thought it was so boring.
The minute she left the room,
I switched Dickens for The Chipmonks Christmas album.
I can still see the red vinyl record spinning as the Chipmonks sang
Christmas, Christmas time is here . . . ALLLLL-VIN!!!!
I laughed my head off, every time I played it.

These are from my folk art phase.
I made each one.

There was a time that I would make a new ornament every year,
and tie them to the presents I would give my friends.

Remembering this makes me smile.
My kids were so little then.

Sometimes I'm tempted to throw the handmades away.
They seem so out of date.

And then I think about what my children would be missing
years from now if these weren't in the box.

What will they remember when they see them on their trees?

I hope they think of the hands that made them,
and the heart that loved them,
more than they will ever know.

Eve and the SoNo

2011-12-06T11:44:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, my friend Eve and I spent the day at the SoNo Park Holiday Festival and Chili Palooza -- an amazing street fair in San Diego. We were vendors there.

In my book, the So No is ranked right up there with the Grilled Cheese Invitational as far as fun goes.
It has everything -- great food, music, crafts, raffles, a kid zone, and handmade creations for sale.

It was great having a whole day to talk to Eve. She's one of the most creative people I know. You should see the cool quilt she made for her son -- it has a road that winds around the quilt so it can be used to play cars. I forgot to take a picture of it, but I need to, you definately need to see it.

But I did remember to take a shot of the adorable little boy ties she made out of vintage men's ties.

And these cute little croched bow rings.

While SoNo shoppers looked over our wares . . .

Eve and I listened to music and ate yummy cupcakes,
created by this winner of a Food Network Cupcake Challenge.

Our booth was parked right next-door to the stage,
where local bands performed throughout the day.
Sometimes it was head-achy,
but most of the time it was wonderful.

I wanted to try some of the homemade chili
presented in handmade ceramic bowls.
Alas, I waited to long and they were sold out.
I settled for a patty-melt.
Delicious.

{By the way, all of the bowls were made by the artisans of The San Diego Ceramic Connection, and you got to keep one if you purchased chili.}

I have to say that the SoNo is the best street fair I've ever attended, and I'll tell you why:

It is organized by dedicated parents and the San Diego Ceramic Connection, a local artist guild.
Local business participate -- they even held part of the event on their properties.
Residents of the South Park and North Park communities of San Diego support the event -- it was packed!
Proceeds of the SoNo benefit the arts and music program at McKinley Elementary School.

What a wonderful, wonderful thing -- that parents, and a community would come together
so that children will be able to create.

It's a win, win for all.

I love that.

Kudos to you Jen, and the rest of the McKinley PTC.
I can't imagine putting together a fundraiser of this magnitude.
But if I ever do, you are the people I'm coming to for advise.

P.S. I'm giving away a hand crafted cutting board. You need to enter!

P.S.S Several of the photos here are courtesy of the 2010 SoNo Park Holiday Festival. I was too busy eating cupcakes to walk around with my camera.

First Things First

2011-12-04T22:22:00.000-08:00

It was a crazy busy weekend.
I can't write much about it until I get my house in order.
If you need a place to lurk until then, visit my giveaway blog and enter to win stuff. :)

Chaos

2011-12-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

December 1 ushered in with a host of chaos:

A house full of boxes that contain Christmas decorations.
A half decorated tree.
Three Christmas parties this week, which require food.
{ I'm making gingerbread cheesecake bites as we speak.}
A dance recital, where I must watch over middle school children back stage, and make more treats.
A craft market, the preparation of which has kept me up all night.
An empty refrigerator that requires I go to the store.

Yep, the inside of my home looks like a bomb went off.
I gotta get back to work.

Leftovers

2011-11-29T16:25:00.000-08:00

Day one: Turkey Sandwiches
Day Two: Turkey Puffs
Day Three: Turkey Soup with homemade noodles.
Day Four: Turkey Pot Pie
Day Five: Stuffing Strata
Day Six: Turkey Enchiladas

I think we will proclaim tomorrow a turkey day of rest.

P.S. Never take food photos at night. The enchiladas taste a lot better than they look. :)

Busy Creating

2011-11-28T17:06:00.000-08:00

It's been a day of creating,
and photographing
new things for my shop.

Did I tell you I'm moving from Etsy to Big Cartel?
I am.
I'll be selling jewelry kits and supplies on Etsy,
but all my handmade items are being relocated.
I'm excited about the change.
Hope you will be too.

P.S. If you're wondering why I'm moving . . . most of the traffic that comes to my store from Etsy are people who want to create, buy supplies, and get ideas. So, I'm going to sell supplies there, and put my hand made creations elsewhere -- for those who want to buy jewelry.

The Good Humor Man

2011-11-27T23:57:00.000-08:00

Late afternoon on Saturday, Matt, Eden, Elphie and I were in the back yard frantically trying to finish projects before the sun went down.

Eden was on the slope pulling weeds with Elphie at his side, while Matt and I mixed cement. We had just finished scraping the last bit of goo into an urn when the faint sound of music began in the distance. The minute Matt heard it, he dropped the shovel and ran like a mad man for the front yard.

Eden and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes as if to say
There goes Pavlov's Dog.

Any time Matt hears the sound of the ice cream truck on approach, he drops what ever he is doing and heads for the street. It's been going on for 18+ years now, and I still find it amusing.

On many occasions I've driven down the block to find the ice cream truck parked in front of my drive way -- with a line of kids under 8, and one man with a tiny dog on a leash.

As I've said before, Matt loves the ice cream, especially if comes from a musical truck covered in stickers. Don't ask me why, I'm still trying to figure that out myself.

So on Saturday, as Matt made his way to the curb, I followed behind, camera in tow.

As I was snapping away, Matt said When you mock me on your blog, I hope you include the fact that you asked me to buy you a Sunday Cone.

It was delicious by the way.

Did I mention that Matt is a good sport?

The Macy's Parade and other Random Thoughts about Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T12:55:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was good.
We did what we usually do when we stay home -
spent 7 hours in the kitchen cooking good food
and 15 minutes eating it.
Then I took a nap courtesy of carb overload induced fatigue.

A few hours later we ate turkey sandwiches
and watched boring television
because all of our favorite shows were on vacation too.
We had to settle for the anniversary show about the Macy's parade.
I have to confess, it was pretty interesting.
It left me thinking:

With the exception of the parts they show on the news, or TV commercials,
I've never seen the Macy's parade. Why is that?

I'd love a job at the official MP workshop making moulds and designing the floats.

How do they build all those huge balloons?
How do you get to be a person who helps pull the balloons?

What do all those marching band people, and float riders do when they have to go to the bathroom? Are they so freezing cold that their worries of hypothermia make them forget about the urge to pee?
I bet steam would rise from their behind, if they had an accident.

I don't think I would ever get to ride on a float because I always have to go to the bathroom.
There would definitely be steam.
Bummer.

Next year instead of staying home and taking naps, I want to visit New York and go to the parade.
But, I will have to come up with a way to avoid Manhattan Black Friday,
which might be hard with two kids who are dying to shop that day.
I refuse to leave the house on BF.
Not worth it.

I did BF Manhattan in 1985 and it was terrifying.
I'm not kidding.
You basically go where the crowd wants to go,
I don't even remember seeing a building,
just a lot of coats, and people pushing.
I got pushed into Macy's
onto a moving escalator
but people weren't getting off.
There was no where to go.
Horrible.
Mass panic ensued
which involved a lot of screaming
and falling.

Plus the sales people that day were really rude.
One lady refused to let me look at a purse
locked in a display case.
She said, I'm not going to bother getting it out,
you can't afford it!!!
That was my only attempt at making a purchase.
I had to go back to Salt Lake City souvenir-less
which made me really mad.

A thank you to B. Braun for risking his life
to take me to Manhanttan that day.
The carriage ride in Central Park was fun,
even if the rest of Black Friday was awful.

P.S. I forgive you New York sales lady, wherever you are. Working retail on BF is stressful. I know, I worked at Nordstrom for 5 years.

Thankful - Part 2

2011-11-24T19:09:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for many things.
I keep a running list in a blank book I picked up about 25 years ago,
so I can remember my blessings
on days when I'm not feeling so thankful.

I haven't written in the book lately,
but I need to
so I can remember
the Thankfuls of 2011, like:

A husband who carried my luggage up and down hundreds of subway stairs while we traveled through France.

The smiling face of a beautiful daughter who knows how to do hard things, like making fire with two sticks.

A son who shares my sense of humor, and is passionate about horses.

Friends old and new who inspire me, and make me laugh.

The chance to view incredible paintings up close in the Musee d'Orsay

Candy corn in October and November

Blue Lily and the Go Pro gang who taught me how to use my camera.

Scrapbook weekends with my buddies.

Public toilets that don't cost money to use.

Craft Weekend.

Pandora.

Good books by a fireplace, and hot chocolate.

Cool phone apps.

Dinner at Sundance with college friends.

Chocolate Eclaires in French bakeries.

A road trip to Utah with Eden and friends.

Normal results on a mammogram.

Hires with Shauna.

Kind neighbors who fix my car, take in my trash cans, and give Eden rides to the ranch.

Bible Study on Thursdays.

Surviving two ski weekends without serious injury.

Thankful

2011-11-22T15:48:00.000-08:00

November is a good month.
There are great deals at the grocery store.
It's cold so I can wear sweaters 24-7,
and wellies when it rains.
The kids are out of school for a week so we can hang out together by the fire
and watch lots of movies.
We get to eat turkey sandwiches for a week straight.

November gets me thinking about things for which I am grateful.
I'm sure that's the case for most people.
I'm glad about that because sometimes,
it's easy to get caught up in thinking about what I lack
rather than what I have.

This year when asked What are you grateful for?
I'm going to put a little more thought into my answer,
which means I need to do a little pondering in advance.

I'm visiting my closet, and counting the number of hangers that have something on them,
the number of cans in my kitchen cupboards,
and the medicine in my bathroom,
the list of people who touch my life on a regular basis -- including the teller at the bank,
and the doctor who gave me a host of shots last week.

I'm going outside to view the flags
at the homes of my neighbors,
who have a family member deployed.

Then I'm going to watch the sun go down
and stare at the stars,
with my family,
while we sip hot chocolate.

Thank you Thanksgiving,
for the yearly reminder.
I have so, so much.
And I am truly grateful.

P.S. I still have Halloween decorations hanging from my front eaves. {Heavy sigh.}

Physical

2011-11-16T13:01:00.000-08:00

October is the month that I schedule all of my annual checkups.
I try to do it before the big rush hits.
This year I procrastinated.

Now I have a week is full of appointments and tests.
Right before Thanksgiving.
That was a bad idea.
But I need to get it done before the year ends.
So I'm on my way.

I hate them, don't you?
But it's worth it in the end (no pun intended).
It's a blessing to catch problems early.
And for that, I'm grateful.

Fungi

2011-11-15T12:12:00.000-08:00

I went outside this afternoon to take out the trash and discovered something new.
Claire was with me, and she called out

Hey, look at the grass!

It was covered with mushrooms.
Toad stools the size of pancakes!

There are so many and they appeared overnight.
It's never happened before.

Never!

How did they get here?
Did it have something to do with the rainstorm on Saturday?

I wish they weren't poisonous
It would be so much fun to pick them all
and make mushroom soup.

Instead I took this picture.

I love Gnomes, don't you?

P.S. If you have little ones who like fairies or cars, The Gnome Mobile, an old Disney movie is a must. A little hokey in this age of technology, but one of my favorites as a kid.

Jamming

2011-11-13T22:14:00.000-08:00

I have a new assignment at church -- music director at girl's camp next summer.
It's a little ironic, that I keep getting music assignments
when I don't read music.
You may recall that a few years ago, I was the choir director
I had no idea what I was doing then,
and I still don't.

I've been thinking that it would be fun to have accompaniment
as we sing around the campfire with 300 girls,
so I'm forming a band.
Not a rock band,
a campfire band,
with guitars, ukeleles, tambourines,and a wash board.
It's going to be fun playing under the stars
with all those voices singing in harmony.

I can hardly wait.

But for now, I need to recuit a few band members.
So I bought pink ukeleles as an enticement.
It worked much faster than I had anticipated.
When Haley and Claire saw them, they were all in.

Saturday we had our first group lesson at the local music store.
We joined 4 boys under the age of 10 and jammed,
sort of.

I think we are going to like playing ukes.

When our lesson was over
we went to Rosas, our favorite Mexican restaurant
for fish burritos and carne asada nachos.

It was a good Saturday in spite of the pouring rain.

Who would have thought that a church assignment,
and pink ukuleles
would give a mother and a teenage daughter
a chance to bond.

Nothing

2011-11-10T14:09:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have days where you've got nothing to say?
That's me today.
I've got nothing.

Shocking,
I know.

I guess that means I better get busy and make food for the football game tonight.

Multi-tasking

2011-11-08T15:03:00.000-08:00

We had dentist appointments today.
Not something we look forward to
At. All.

Eden and Claire weren't too happy about leaving math to visit the dentist.
That tells you how much they dread it.

But that's only because they forgot about our new dentist --
Dr. Huston.
He's awesome.

His office is located above a Subway sandwich shop,
so we smell bread baking as we sit in the waiting room.
Much better than the smell of fluoride and teeth being drilled.

Best of all, in every exam room
there's a TV screen by the chair,
and on the ceiling,
so patients can watch movies while they get a cavity filled.

I love it.
No more awkward conversations as I try to talk to the hygienist,
while her hand is in my mouth.

No more panic as I hear the sound of dental tools.
I didn't even have to frantically grip on the arm rests today
because I was too busy watching Up.

Movies and the dentist,
so nice to kill two birds with one stone.
Three if you count lunch at Subway.

Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?

Now if we could only get gynecologists on board . . .

P.S. at 3:30 - I just now noticed I wore two different flip-flops to the dentist! I have no idea how that happened! I blame Claire -- the shoe thief.

Saturday

2011-11-07T10:44:00.000-08:00

Saturday, Matt and I did something we haven't done in a long time.
We drove to Orange County and went to the OC Swap Meet.
I think the last time we were there,
we were pushing a stroller with two crying kids.

The Swap has changed a bit,
or so it seems.
Most of the tents with As Seen on TV products have been replaced
with Hookas, car dealers and beachcomber bicycles.
Matt stared at the new Fiats, while I admired a yellow beachcomber.
I want one in the worst way.
I can just imagine it parked outside of my dream beach house.

But in the real world, I know I would never use it.
I can't see myself beach combing on the Redhawk loop.
What would I do when I got to the hilly part?
I'd have to call someone for a ride home.

We didn't buy anything today except produce.
Kind of a bummer when you drive all that way.

But on the bright side,
look what $10.00 buys you at the Swap.

Can you believe it!
I was thrilled to get such a deal --
even though I used a whole tank of gas,
and sat on the 91 freeway for 2 hours,
which made the $10.00 produce more like $80.00.

We made up for it by going to lunch at Fashion Island.
I haven't been there in a long time either.
Things have changed there too.
It seems like the new thing to do at F.I. is
parade your pet.

EVERYONE, execept us, had a dog with them.
There were canines all over the place.
It felt like a dog park, more than a mall.

Shopping and dogs don't mix if you ask me.
I don't want to step on a Yorkie
while I'm looking through the Anthropologie sale rack,
or dog poop either.
That would ruin the whole Anthro experience.

Ironically, when I got home,
I made Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad,
which doesn't call for any of the vegetables I bought.

How dumb was that?
I was craving tabbouleh though, so what could I do?
Have you given quinoa a try yet?
Don't let this picture dissuade you,
it's surprisingly good.

I'll use the Swap vegetables today.
I want to make a grilled egg plant dish I saw on the cover of a cookbook I saw at Amy's house.
That's adventurous for me, just so you know.
I'm a comfort food girl,
but sometimes I branch out.
My kids hate it when that happens.
Wish me luck.

Pay Dirt

2011-11-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

It's a rainy day here in Temecula.
Amy and I planned to go to the salvage yard today,
but we had to change our plans.
We went to the indoor antique mall instead -- junk haven.

When I go on a junk hunt, I'm usually looking for something in particular.
Today it was vintage glass jars -- for candle making,
and an old butter crock to hold my collection of kitchen spatulas.

I struck out on both accounts,
but I hit pay dirt when I came to a few other things
on my list -- Stuff I Want to Make Someday.

Boxes of vintage Christmas ornaments for $7.00 each. Such a deal.

I'm using them to make a wreath. I saw one last year in a boutique selling for $120.00.

Vintage yard sticks for $2.00.

I want to make a table top out of them, for my family room.

and maybe jewelry holder with the left overs.

I also found this little cup.

Perfect for holding a little feather tree,
or pouring a candle.

Trash Talk

2011-11-04T00:03:00.000-07:00

Driving home from the post office today,
a black Toyota zoomed past me,
just as I turned onto the Redhawk loop.
As it did, the driver threw a drink out the window,
cup and all.
It was a half finished venti frappachino from Starbucks.

Frappachino hit my car.

I can't even think of a word to describe how I felt right then.
It wasn't anger,
more like shock mixed with a little sad -- shad.

I couldn't believe that one of my neighbors could really be that disrespectful,
tossing garbage on the ground when they were a few yards from home.

Why did he do it?

With the exception of my kids, who drop candy and food wrappers all over the house,
I haven't seen anyone litter in the longest time.
Years and years.

I felt like performing a Citizen's Arrest,
but I didn't.

Instead, I honked my horn for a good 3 seconds,
as the Toyota pulled into a gated community and disappeared.
I wanted the driver to know that in spite of feeling shad,
I found his littering offensive.

It got me thinking.
Am I teaching my children to honor the Earth,
and our home?

If they think it's ok to disrespect the house,
they too might throw trash out a car window
when no one is watching.

Next time I see my kids drop a wrapper on the ground,
we may have to spend an evening
picking up trash at the Sports Park.

Inspired by ... Linky Party No.5

2011-11-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

My neighbor Amy and I took a stroll through Anthropologie last week.
Love that store.
I could live there and feel at home.

Amy was looking for a shower curtain,
and I was on the hunt for my favorite candle --
a green vintage jar with the Volcano scent.
They were out,
which made me sad.
But it lead to an idea.

I'm making candles today,
using vintage treasures as containers.
I'm giving them out as Christmas gifts,
and selling some at a boutique next month.

The hard part is trying to figure out a scent that isn't offensive.
Me, I don't like flowery scents, I like fruity.
Is fruity ok?
Or should I use chocolate chip cookie dough, or pumpkin pie?

Such a delimma.

Before I start,
I need to go hunting for more jars.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Now it's your turn, share what you've been creating.

Four Words

2011-11-02T10:35:00.000-07:00

Four words to describe today:

Ironic.

Right after I posted about getting bombarded by telemarketers,
they found my cell phone number.
Two texts, and one call
all within a 60 minute period.
How did that happen?
So buggy!!!

Adorable.

Elphie got a hair cut.
And a new sweater.
I love her to pieces when she looks like this.
Even when she barks too much.

Shameful.

Make that Shame. Full.
My studio is out of control.
Which means I ~~will~~ should stop posting
and start cleaning.
Hate cleaning do you?

Windy.

I love it when a warm wind makes flags and falling leaves dance.
Fall weather is the best.

Stop the Madness

2011-11-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it finally happened.
I was pushed over the edge
on Halloween night.

It wasn't the incessant door knocking
by large groups of teenagers looking for candy.
Although I did think it bad form to knock
when the house was pitch black.
Isn't that the universal sign for
"We Are Out of Candy?"
In case you think I sound like a party-pooper,
I was cleaned out in three door dings.
Forty kids within the span of 20 minutes.
Poof, it was gone.

Anywhoo,
The madness I'm referring to began with telemarketers.
Six calls on Halloween night.
Are they kidding -- Halloween night?

Then when all the trick-or-treat hoopla settled down,
and the streets were quiet,
I snuck out to the mailbox.
As usual, it was packed full of junk.
I had to yank on it to get it all out of the box.
I flipped through it all just in case
there was a nice note,
or money,
or an invitation.
Nothing but junk.

I made my way back home and in the process,
slipped on a discarded gooey piece of candy,
a cast-off from someone who dislikes DOTS.
I don't like them either.
Hence the reason I handed them out this year.

I'm so sick of it -- not the Dots -- the junk and the phone calls.

This morning as I was coming down from the Halloween sugar high
I felt motivated to do something about it.
So I spent a hour online hunting for names and numbers to stop the madness.
And I'm sharing just in case you are sick of it too.

To get rid of sales calls:
Go here and enter the phone numbers you want to block, including your cell phone.

To get rid of junk mail:
Go here and enter your information.

To prevent credit companies from sharing your information with banks and insurance companies -- who then solicit via telephone, mail, and email, go here, and fill out the form. You have to mail it via snail mail, but I think it's worth it.

I'm hoping that in 30 days my house is quieter,
and the waste in my recycle bin is reduced by half.

Going Green on Halloween.
Hey, that rhymes.

Costume Palooza

2011-10-31T13:01:00.000-07:00

It was a weekend full of Halloween celebrations . . .

Our church carnival/chili cook-off

The Dance Team fundraiser at Applebees

The horse show at Green Acres.

As you may have noticed, all of these events included a costume contest.
I'm always amazed at the cleverness of those who make their own.
This year was no exception.

Can you guess who the people below were for Halloween? The first person to get all of them right wins a pair of Crystal B earrings. Email your answers to crystalbeutler1@gmail.com
(If you went to the church party, you are excluded from participating. Sorry, but you already know the answers.)

Happy Halloween. Have fun celebrating tonight. I'll be handing out candy and eating dinner in a pumpkin. Let me clarify. I'll be baking my meal in a pumpkin -- I'll be eating it at the table.

P.S. Congratulations to Melissa of Jack and the Cumquat and Brittney Evans who guessed all four within a few minutes of my posting. 1) Kardashian sisters 2) Thelma from Scooby Do, 3) Edward Scissorhands, 4) Professor McGonagall & Harry Totter

Random

2011-10-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

Elphie and I took a walk last night.
Guess who's missing pet photo
was beaming under the erie glow of a lamp post
as we made our way home from the park?
The Pitbull!
Yep, she's on the loose again.
We ran all the way home,
which is something -- for a person who hates running.

It was my turn to make breakfast for the seminary students at church this morning.
It involved cooking lots and lots of bacon at 5:00 a.m.

Do you cook your bacon in the oven?
Way faster than frying,
with half the mess.
And, all the pieces look so uniform.
(Why I care about the uniformity of bacon is beyond me, but I do.)

On my way home from delivering the bacon,
I stopped at the traffic light near the Big Horse Corn Maze.
The sun was coming up over the field
and a huge flock of black crows
were circling above the long green stalks.
It was a beautiful site.
The mystery of The Birds has been solved.

I made an impulsive purchase at the grocery store this week . . .

Have you ever tried this?
If so, what did you think?
I've never had it myself,
but I thought it might be fun to have a taste test
at our annual family Halloween dinner.
Which reminds me,
I need to buy a pumpkin
so I can make "dinner in a pumpkin."
Why didn't I think of that when I was at the store?

And speaking of random,
have you ever seen the movie
Random Harvest?
It's one of my top ten favorites.
If you are a fan of films like An Affair to Remember,
you definitely need to watch it.
Greer Garson is the best.

P.S. I just now took the photo for the Pumpkin Ale,
and discovered the small print that says Buffalo Bill's Brewery.
It's beer???
I thought Pumpkin Ale was like Ginger Ale,
or Harry Potter's Butter Beer.

That would have been a disaster,
serving beer to my teenage kids
and their friends
on Halloween.
Not to mention the fact that we don't drink alcohol.
(We are Mormon, and follow a heath code referred to as The Word of Wisdom.)

I think I need new glasses.

P.S.S. If you want to know how to cook bacon in the oven, instructions here.

Inspired by . . . Linky Party No. 4

2011-10-27T00:02:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week around here.
I thought I was going to get off easy,
and have a week of fun.
Somehow, the calendar filled up faster than I had anticipated.
So my week to work on projects turned into a week of making lots of food for all of the Halloween/harvest parties going on around town.

But, I did manage to get a couple of new items made for my shop.
I was inspired to make accessories for the cloths on my Pinterest board.
I made a few bracelet cuffs.
Like this . . .

Pin It

Come to think of it, this cuff is the perfect accessory
for the Anthropologie sweater my family bought for me last year.
I guess I need to keep one of these for myself!

But, I'm going to give one a way away to celebrate post No. 400!
You can enter to win here.

Now it's your turn. What have you been inspired to create lately?

The Birds

2011-10-25T20:22:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I tried to get my family to watch a Hitchcock film. We all sat down together and pulled up the Netflix menu in search of The Birds, a movie that scared me to death when I was a kid.

Can you believe Netflix doesn't have one Hitchcock listed on their menu?

Not one!

So disappointing when you want to see a good 60's thriller, which aren't all that thrilling when compared to what you see on the screen today. We had to settle for watching re-runs of Psych instead.

It was a blessing in disguise though, because today my yard was a scene from the movie.

I was in the kitchen making cherry pie, when Elphie started barking by the back door. I looked out the window and saw black crows gathering in mass, one at a time. They sat there in silence,

on my back wall,

my neighbor's back wall,

and in all of the trees.

At one point there were at least 60 crows just sitting. No cawing or chirping at all.

It creeped me out big time.

Where did they all come from, the pumpkin patch corn maze? And what were they doing hanging out in my yard?

I'm definitely skipping Hitchcock this year and going back to my good old stand-by,
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.

400

2011-10-24T20:19:00.000-07:00

This Thursday, I will have written 400 posts.
Four hundred!
I can't believe I had that much to say over the span of 3 years,
or that I've stuck with keeping up a journal aka blog consistently for this long.

I have a hard time being consistant.
It's evidenced by my pile of journals with pages that say ...
it's been so long since that last time I wrote . . . I vow to do better.
See . . .

I don't know what is is about blogging,
but it helped me.
I finally did do better.
And I'm so glad,
because now my family will remember
ordinary days,
funny days,
meals,
and things we created,
together.

These are my favorite posts,
I hope my kids appreciate them some day.

About Dogs
Georgia Scissorhands
It Was Naptime
Makeup Junkie
Meanest Mom in the World
Melbourne Street
Paradigm Shift
Tender Mercies and Scooby Doo
The Girl With Her Head In the Clouds
The Miracle of the Skittish Dog
Twilight Zone, Family Feud Edition
Unexpected Lessons
Waiting for Splash Mountain
Waiting in Line Was Hilarious
We Can't Stay Away From "As Seen" Products
Where in the World is Ferris Beuler
You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks, But You Can Buy Her Snow Pants

P.S. On Thursday, I will celebrating 400 over here with a big giveaway. Come over and enter!!

A Day of Rest

2011-10-23T21:37:00.000-07:00

I love Sunday.
It's the day when everyone is home.
We spend the morning worshiping together.
After church, we come home and eat
something really good like Swedish pancakes, or paninis.
Today we dined on tomato soup and grilled cheese,
even though it was a little too hot outside to fully enjoy it.

And then we rest.
Sunday naps are the best.

Prep Work

2011-10-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

We have family visiting this week.
That's a big event around here.
With the exception of Pitbulls, we don't get out-of-town visitors too often.

So yesterday I parked myself in the kitchen to make a bunch of food.
Soup, cookies, ice cream, and Panzanella.
Have you ever eaten this salad?
I haven't, which is why I decided to give it a try.
It's seriously good.
My whole family loved it, especially our visitors.

The picture didn't turn out that great though.
People got annoyed when I pulled out my camera.
So I didn't have much time to create an appetizing display.
You know how it goes when every is hungry.
They lose patience.
Sorry about that.

Now I have to go put my feet up,
cuz I am tired.

Panzanella recipe here.

It Could Have Been Worse.

2011-10-15T18:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday started out promising.
After a week hiatus,
I got into gear and cleaned like a maniac.

I scoured the kitchen,
did laundry,
mopped floors,
moved all my holiday stuff from one storage unit to another unit,
dropped unwanted stuff off at Good Will,
came home and started cleaning out the car,
which included transferring stuff from the car into the house.

In the middle of unloading,
I took a bathroom break,
leaving the front door to the house wide open.

I walked into the powder room which is right by the front entry,
and in a Martha Stewart moment, left the door ajar.
Shocking, I know, but I was in a hurry.
Plus, no one was around, so I felt safe.

You think I would have learned my lesson 8 years ago,
when my 5-year-old neighbor with a Dennis the Menace personality
walked into that very bathroom while I was sitting upon the throne.
He was completely unphased by the fact that I was "busy"
as he said:
Hi! Can I play with Eden's remote control car?
Awk. Ward.

Thankfully, Dennis did not walk in on me today.
He is now a teenager, and no longer visits.
But someone else did stop by unannounced,
A PITBULL!!!!!!!!

It walked right into my house!!!!!!
And pushed the bathroom door open with his nose!!!!

Good thing I was in the bathroom,
going to the bathroom,
or I would have peed my pants!

If you've been lurking here a while, you know I have canine issues,
but what I have not mentioned is that Pitbulls are on my
Top 10 Things I Fear List.

Although I am a dog-hater,
I know all of the dogs in my neighborhood.
This dog does not live around here.
I had no idea where he came from.

I freaked out!
Elphie freaked out too.
She went into attack mode,
all 6 pounds of her,
which make me even more freaked out,
because you never know what two dogs will do,
especially a Pit.

I screamed:
Oh my gosh!!!!!!
Matt, get down here!!
There's a Pitbull in the house!!!!!!!
(He was upstairs taking a break from cleaning.
When he heard the word Pitbull, he came running.
He loves dogs.)

My shrieks set the animal running.
He raced into the living room,
as I ran out the front door,
with my zipper down.

Meanwhile, my two kids sat on the sofa in the family room,
watching Sponge Bob re-runs on television,
oblivious to all that was going on around them.
Which means, I probably yell too much.

When I got outside,
I looked up and down the sidewalk hoping to find the mystery visitor's owner.
There wasn't a soul in sight.
I am not proud of the thoughts I had as I stood there on the grass:

If that dog poops on my carpet,
I am going to have a cow!

What I should have been worrying about
were the two kids on the sofa!
But in my defense, I was not in my right mind.

Within minutes, a white beat up car drove slowly down the street.
It stopped in front of me.
A man in the front seat rolled down the window
and as calm as could be, said
Have you seen a dog wandering around here?

I responded, in a not-so-kind, shrilled voice:

Oh, I've see a dog wandering around here!
He wandered right into my house!!!!

SOooooo NOT COOL, YOU GUYS!!!!!!

GET IN THERE AND GET YOUR DANG DOG!!!!!!

I didn't swear,
cuz I'm not a swearing kind of woman,
but I sure came close,
that's how mad I was;
a strange Pitbull wandering around unleashed.

The man ran into my house calling after his pet
Here Beast . . . . here Beast!
(That was comforting.)

I must have spaced out when I heard the name Beast,
because I don't remember a thing after that.
Weird huh!

The tender mercies in this hullabaloo:
The dog seemed nice, or so Matt tells me.
My family was not attacked.
And a dog pushed the bathroom door open,
not one of my children's friends.
They would never forgive me, if that happened.
I'd end up in an Alexis Stewart tell-all.

I've learned my lesson.
Did you Martha?
From this day forth,
I will keep the doors closed when I take a bathroom break.

P.S. Alexis Stewart, I think you are mean. Twenty years from now, your bladder control will not be as it is today, and when that happens, I hope your daughter writes a book about you peeing with the door open.

Clean is a Good Feeling

2011-10-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

I L.O.V.E. it when my refrigerator is spotlessly clean.
For some reason, it makes me feel super organized.
And I'm not usually organized,
so today is a good day.

Really,
I could open it every hour and feel happy
because I can see everything in it's proper place
and there are no plastic containers
with mystery contents
that everyone is afraid of
including me.

I had to take a picture before lunch
because that's when the locusts descend
and it won't look like this again
until the next time I clean it.

And yeah,
I know,
I need to go to the store. :)

Behind the Scenes

2011-10-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Matt,

This is what goes on when you are out of town.
Everyone takes a cleaning vacation, including me.
It's a good thing you aren't gone for more than a week at a time.
I would hate to think what would happen if you were in the military, deployed for a year.
We might get a visit from the Board of Health.

Love,

Inspired by . . . . Linky Party No. 3

2011-10-13T00:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I have so many ideas swimming around in my head that it overwhelms me.
That's when I stop creating.
It all seems like too much to handle.
So I do nothing.
I hate it when that happens, don't you?

A good friend reminded me that when you feel that way,
it's good to take small bites.
Doing a little bit every day, gets you where you want to go,
whether it's organizing a disastrous room,
saving for a trip,
getting out of debt,
losing weight,
planning a party,
or decorating your front door for Halloween.

Lame, I know . . .
feeling overwhlemed
at the throught of adorning the porch
for Trick-or-Treaters.
But I was.

So, I took small bites,
and in three weeks time,
I got there.

Week 1: I found inspiration on Pinterest.
Week 2: I made a wreath.
Week 3: I re-planted my urns.

The last step was making bunting to hang from the rafters.

This week,
I made a simple fabric banner,
gathered strips of crepe paper on my sewing machine,
and cut a length of pom pom fringe.

The whole thing took about two hours.
So easy a 9 year old could do it.
Really.

Thanks for the inspiration Pinterest . . . and Christine.
You got me off the couch -- creating.

P.S. I have leftover fabric for the Halloween flag bunting you see here. If you want a kit, contact me. I have four left. The cost is $12.00 including shipping. It includes fabric, bias tape, and fusible adhesive so you don't have to sew. You can make this if you have an iron and a pair of scissors.

***

Now it's your turn. What have you been creating?

Change of Plans

2011-10-10T22:16:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in the wee hours of the night, plans for the Whoopie Pie Exchange shifted shape.

I think it had something to do with the fact that everyone had more on their plates than they had anticipated.
Things that didn't include baking.
Several canceled and said they couldn't come.

So in lieu of meeting up at my house,
we went to lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant,
That was ok by me.
I didn't have to spend the morning cleaning.

Those of us who managed to bake brought whoopies.
We sampled them for dessert.
Horrible sugar rush.
But they were all soooo good!
It was hard to choose a favorite.

Julie made pumpkin whoopies with maple cream cheese filling
Chanin made chocolate with buttercream filling
And I made chocolate with peppermint buttercream filling,
and gingerbread with lemon buttercream filling

My whoopies were made using cake mixes, while Chanin and Julie made theirs from scratch.
That was deliberate,
I wanted to compare a mix vs. scratch.
Both were really good.
The cake-mix recipe had a chewy brownie like texture,
while the scratch recipes were more cake-like.
I thought the opposite would be true.
Go figure.

The thing I like about having an exchange with friends is that it gives you an excuse to get together.
You get to sample a bunch of recipes without having to make them all yourself.
Then you can decide which ones are keepers and which ones are not.

I thought all of the recipes we tried today were keepers,
which was not the case when we had a cupcake exchange.

The added bonus:
my kids were so thrilled to have a mountain of good treats
when they got home from school this afternoon.

Thanks to Chanin for spearheading our get-together.
As always, it was fun.

Projects

2011-10-09T23:37:00.000-07:00

Amy and I had good luck on our field trip last Friday.
We pulled red wagons through rows and rows of plants,
and sniffed at the herbs,
and admired the roses.

We found black pansies . . .

and a bunch of other stuff.

We both ended up with a wagon full of plants, even though we had only planned to buy one or two things.
That pretty much happens any time we visit a nursery.
I was a little worried that it wouldn't all fit in the car.

But we managed.

When I got home, I decided that the two urns that sit on either side of my door looked too pitiful to plant. They are old and faded by the sun -- the downside of fiberglass. So I spray painted them with outdoor walnut brown paint, in a satin finish. It took 10 minutes, and they look brand new -- like old iron, even though they are plastic.

I've been wanting to plant black plants for Halloween for some time now -- inspired by the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. If you've been there in October, you know they go all out for Halloween. It's awesome.

Here's want I ended up with. Not as much black as I had hoped, but I really like how they turned out.

I used the black pansies, purple cabbage, potato vine, thyme, and a burgundy plant that I'm not familiar with. I added some birch twigs to give them some height.

Done! Just in time for the whoopie pie exchange tomorrow.
I need to sign off and go clean my kitchen.

Tune in tomorrow if you want recipes.

Field Trip

2011-10-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

I'm on my way down to San Diego with my neighbor Amy,
a field trip to our favorite nursery.
We're on the hunt for black plants.

While I'm gone, you should enter to win a pair of crystal b earrings over here.
The winner will get some additional prizes as well,
surprises they won't know about until they open their package.
Don't worry,
the surprises will be good,
not scary.

Have a great weekend.
I'll be making lots of whoopie pies and cleaning out closets.
What do you have planned, besides soccer games?

Inspired by Pinterest Linky Party - No. 2 {and giveaway}

2011-10-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

While lurking on Pinterest, I have noticed that tons of people are using it for recipes. I hadn't even considered that. So inspired by others, I made a Foodie Board, which has come in handy in my search for the ultimate whoopie pies. Still looking for them by the way.

But during the hunt for whoppie pies, I saw this saw this . . . .

which inspired me to make this . . .

It's not plum jam, it's jalapeno jelly. And since red California peppers can be found in stores right now, I was inspired to make a batch, along with a tutorial, so that you could make some too. Just in case you want to get a head start on your Christmas gifts.

You can download the tutorial here.

Thank you Pinterest. And thank you to all who linked up last week. It was awesome to see what people are doing -- tulle table skirts, custom t-shirts, starts, bunting, wreaths, pumpkins, hair styles, gum ball machines -- wow!

Now it's your turn. What have you been busy creating?

{P.S. There's a giveaway going on over at my giveaway site. You should enter.}

Ramblings

2011-10-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

It's cold today, inside the house, as well as outdoors.
I'm happy that I get wear a sweater.
It's my favorite wardrobe essential.

Look what I found on my computer this morning while I was posting new items in my Etsy shop.

Homecoming photos, that I didn't know existed, since this girl you see posing refused to let me go to the Redhawk waterfall, and take pictures with the rest of the parents.

Thank you to the stranger who shot this.
I enhanced it for you.
Why did you get to go to the waterfall when I was instructed to stay home?
Did you rebel against the wishes of your teenage son?
I should have done that too.

I think I was banned from the photo shoot because I would have discovered that the Homecoming dress looks WAAAAAAAY shorter now, than it did in the store.
That's what I'm telling myself anyway.

I'm making crockpot un-refried beans tonight, and shredded beef, for burritos.
Super easy meal, in case you are wondering.
I was inspired by the Mexican food-a-thon last weekend.
Three straight days of beans, tortillas, cheese and homemade salsa.
Delicious.

To be honest,
my stomach couldn't take another day of burritos,
but I knew making them for my family would be appreciated.
They would eat burritos every day if I let them.
But I won't because I don't want to suffer the aftermath,
if you know what I mean.

{Thanks for the inspiration Lana, Julie, Tammye, Heather, Laura, Lilly, Daphne, LeAnn and Brittney, makers of excellent Mexican food.)

I'm working on an Inspired by Pinterest project today, are you?
If so, you better get back here tomorrow, and share.
I mean it.

Goodnight Moon

2011-10-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

It was one of those nights
I just had to pull over and watch
a glorious sunset
taking place
right before my eyes.

I don't think I would have seen this picture
had I been standing directly below the clouds.
But because I was on higher ground
standing in the distance I saw it all around me.

It was achingly beautiful --
the kind of ache that makes you gasp
in awe.

I was engulfed in brilliant color.
as day faded into night.
It made me feel happy,
to live in such a beautiful world.

A cell phone camera didn't do it justice
but I'm glad I had it with me
so that I could capture this memory
to draw upon,
when needed.

A reminder that gray skys are beautiful
when they are touched by light.

P.S. These cell phone photos were not enhanced -- it really was that beautiful.

Extra, Extra, Read All It - Holiday Magazine Giveaway

2011-10-03T00:10:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the latest issue of Matthew Meade's Holiday magazine will be on magazine stands soon? I can hardly wait.

A little bird told me some exciting news . . .

To commemorate the syndication of Holiday, Matthew is releasing a special keepsake edition with LOTS more pages full of beautiful holiday ideas, recipes, and projects. The keepsake edition will only be sold on the Holiday website, and will arrive directly to your mailbox before the newsstand edition is available.

You can buy the keepsake now!
Today!!!
Right here!
{Not here, here. Matthew Meade website here.}

Get over to Holiday and buy a copy. While you're there celebrate launch week! There are contests with cash prizes, home accessories from Matthew's new home decor collection, and free copies of books and magazines.

I'm going over in a minute, but before I do, I'm giving away a copy of the keepsake Holiday magazine!

Do you want one?
Here's what you need to do to enter:

Share this video with friends by copying this code and pasting it on your blog, Facebook or Twitter account. Then come back here and leave a comment. That's it! Easy-peasy.

Here's the share code: http://youtu.be/-Fs08ocTDFk

Good luck!

My Corner of Chaos

2011-09-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

Want to know what I'm doing all weekend long?
Seriously,
all weekend long?

I'm sitting in this corner and scanning boxes and boxes of photographs.
Then I'm going to fix them up in Lightroom,
and put them in my Drop Box.

It's time.
I've been carrying this stuff around for years,
it's time to get organized.

Oh, and I'm eating candy corn,
because it's officially October,
and that's what I do in October,
eat lots of candy corn.

Don't worry about me though,
I won't be alone.
I'm here,
with these fine folks.

A scrap-a-thon.
But I'm not scrapping,
I'm scanning.

I don't like scrap booking.
But I love paper,
and scrap booking products,
and these women.

Come Monday, I think I might be sick of sitting,
and eating candy corn.

For those of you who will be watching General Conference, enjoy the spirit.

I'll be doing that too.

Inspired by Pinterest Linky Party - No. 1

2011-09-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

I did it!
It was a little miracle that I actually competed my first

Inspired by Pinterest Project

It was one of those days.
Why is it that everything "hits the fan" the minute you pull out your craft supplies?

Behold, the new Halloween door decoration:

I'm pleased as punch.

This is what I saw during one of my lurking sessions.

I actually love the way this looks as shown, but I didn't want to spend a ton of money buying supplies.
When I went shopping, I discovered full skeletons are expensive!
So I modified.

I ripped apart an old black wreath I bought a few years ago at JoAnns with a coupon - $7.00
Bought a bag of cemetery bones at Walmart - $9.00. (Not a complete skeleton, but it worked.)
Made a sign with crepe paper I had lying around, and a few supplies I bought from my scapbooking friend Julie - $5.00.
It was her birthday, and she found time to cut some vinyl for me.
How nice is that.

The whole thing cost around $21.00.

If you want to make one of your own, here are a few tips:

Arrange the bones they way you want them to look before you start.

I did that, but a mystery child un-arranged them, and I didn't take time to redo it.
That was a mistake.
They looked better the first time.

Rig the main bone structure to the wreath with some floral wire as you glue.
I used hot glue, but later found it started to come apart.
So I went back in with some E-6000, and more floral wire.

I cut a hole in the back of the skeleton head so that it would sit nicer on top of the other bones.

Ta- Da!

Here it is again, in case you missed it the first time.

This is a pretty easy project.
Except for the part when I got burned with hot glue.
It's good to keep a glass of ice water nearby,
any time you use a hot glue gun.
I'm speaking from experience.

I feel so accomplished.

Come back next week and see the rest of the front door decorations,
which I didn't finish before the sun went down. {Boo.}

Now it's your turn. Show us what you've been inspired to do.

Link up!!

An Invitation

2011-09-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, it's time to stop dreaming, and start doing.

That's what I decided this morning after I made the mistake of opening Pinterest on my browser when I should have been cleaning toilets.

I have a love/hate thing going on there, do you?
I love looking at all the amazing ideas.
Love it.
But at the same time, it overwhelms me to the point that I don't do any creating of my own.
I hate that.
I hate feeling overwhelmed because I spent too much time dreaming and pinning.
My boards look great . . . but what good comes from staring at virtual stuff?

I decided that I need to stop lurking and do.

To get started, I'm making a few things for October.
And to hold myself accountable, I'm having a party.

Linky Party

Thursday, September 29th

Share something you've made that was inspired by Pinterest.
It can be Fall or Halloween related, or not.
But it would be fun if it was.
Just sayin.'

It would get us all in the mood for October, huh?

Get busy and get back here with pictures.

Thursday, September 29th.

P.S. I'm going to do this on a regular basis, so come back on Thursdays and link up.

P.S.S. Please pay a visit to this site and shop for a very good cause. You'll be glad you did.

Standing in Line with Boris

2011-09-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

I ran into Boris again, the third time it's happened in 12 months. I find it really random that a middle age mom who makes jewelry, and a NASCAR driver keep bumping into each other while waiting in lines. So weird.

I went to lunch with Chanin today, part of our Thursday routine. We go right after bible study, and drag along another friend or two. Dyanna joined us this time, which was fun. She always has something exciting to talk about, like finishing another RAGNAR race, or attending an Osmond wedding {this weekend.}

Any-whoo, we drove over to Campini's, the local Italian deli. We haven't been there in months, mainly because it's just too small for more than 6 people at a time, including your hand bag or computer carrying case. It's problem, especially when you have a line of customers that extends out the front door. Everyone in the room can hear your conversation; awkward, if you are talking about something personal, like what to wear to an Osmond wedding. The crowded atmosphere doesn't seem to stop people from coming here though -- even me, that's because Campinis has incredible food. My favorite is the turkey and roasted red pepper panini. Yum.

Fortunately for us, we arrived before the noon rush and nabbed a spot right next to the freezer full of pizza dough, and lasagna. It was a tight squeeze sitting at a two-seater, but the three of us made due.

I placed my order at the front counter, walked two steps over to the soda machine and there he was. I couldn't see his face, but I knew it was Boris. That head of curly hair was a dead giveaway. The first time I saw it -- the hair, I was standing in a line at the airport terminal in San Diego. I remember thinking: Greg Brady during his perm phase. And now, I was behind the hair again having that same thought.

Boris filled his cup with iced tea while I filled mine with carbonation. As we stood there filling he looked at me and said: Hi, how are you?

I expected him to have an accent, I seemed to recall Matt telling me Boris was French. He didn't though, he sounded American. Come to think of it, he sounded American the last time I heard him talking -- to the Avis car rental lady in Utah. Sort of disappointing. I was hoping to say "I just got back from France, LOVED it!"

Who knows where the conversation would have gone from there. We could have discussed French bakeries, and the Gypsies who play music on the subways. I may have been able to ask for a photo of the two of us -- at the soda machine, which would have made great souvineer for my race-car-crazed husband.

I didn't use the French line though. I would have sounded crazy were Boris from some place like Milwaukee. Instead, I put the lid on my drink and replied I'm doin' good! How you doin? It came out a little New Yorker-ish -- like Joey Tribiani, which was unintentional on my part. I must have been nervous; I normally speak Californian.

He said I'm doing great! See you later, as he walked four steps and joined two gorgeous, supermodel-looking women sitting near the window. I'm guessing they were race car fans. Supermodels would most likely be picking at a salad, not chewing on subs, which was what Boris and his friends were eating.

What brought them here? That's what I want to know. Were they all on their way to Las Vegas for a NASCAR race? Is Boris a friend of the Campinis? Maybe he's opening a K1 Speed in Old Town? That would be kinda cool. The Beutlers love in-door kart racing, except me. I get dizzy driving around in circles, and watching cars driving around in circles -- which is why I've never seen a NASCAR race. I would get car sick, and I hate that feeling.

Next time I see Boris, and I will, I'm going to quip: We've got to stop meeting like this! And just in case he looks confused, I'll hand him a card with my web address and say: Read my blog, it will all make sense. And by the way, can I have your auto-graph? Make it out to Matt.

{P.S. Boris, if you are reading this, I'm just kidding about the hair, you really pull off the Greg Brady look. I'm not joking about the go-karts though. Open a track here!}

Unexpected Lessons

2011-09-20T23:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Eden entered his first official horse show. He looked forward to it for months. Weeks prior to the big day, he spent every spare moment at the Ranch practicing and preparing Rev, his borrowed horse. Eden loves it her like his own.

Every night, he walked through the door smelling like a barn, removed his dusty boots, and went upstairs to do homework. Then he slept. His days were long, but he didn't seem to mind. He loves riding, and caring for horses.

A year ago, I wouldn't have believed that Eden could keep such a busy schedule with school, homework, and early morning bible study at 6:00 a.m. I guess when you are doing something you love, you find the time and energy to fit it in, in spite of life's responsibilities.

Show day came, and at the crack of dawn, Eden made ready doning a white shirt, tie, black coat, and tall boots. He looked like a Ralph Lauren ad. As he threw his gear in the car, wasn't nervous at all, just excited, and hopeful; hopeful that he would win.

We drove to a ranch down the road from Green Acres, pulled into a dusty lot filled with horse trailers, and parked next to next an Easy-up. Eden got out of the car and found his trainer while I visited with the Suttons, our next-door-neighbors who also love to ride. Their daughter Makyla had entered the show too.

An hour later, the first event began as Eden, Makayla and 8 others rode their horses around an fenced arena performing the commands of a judge;

walk,
canter,
reverse walk
gallop.

When it was over, the riders lined up in the center of the field to hear the results. The first place winner was announced over the loud speaker and I saw a girl on a black horse smile. She gave a nod to the judges and excited the ring. Second place came next, and that went to Makayla, our neighbor. She's been waiting 4 years to claim a prize and today, it happened. She rode off beaming with joy.

The announcer went on and on until all the prizes had been awarded, and the last man stood -- rather sat on a horse, alone in the center of the ring.

I wondered why they didn't announce in reverse -- giving the winner all the glory and attention there in the arena. I found it awkward watching that line dwindle down to one last person, who knew he would be on display as the guy who finished last. I sat there wincing as the line got smaller and smaller, while realizing there was a person for whom it was worse -- the guy who sat solo in the center of the ring, Eden.

One of the hardest jobs as a parent is watching your children go through painful experiences -- seeing their face when you know that they are hurting, or embarrassed, while onlookers watch. You ache for them more than you would if it were actually happening to you, which is how I felt watching Eden. Even though he was smiling, I knew by the look on his face that all he wanted to do is get in the car and leave.

He had been so hopeful as he prepared that morning, and now instead of a dream come true, he was living his worst fear -- losing in front of a crowd. There wasn't a prize, or hearty congratulations as he rode off the field, just a few weak claps as people busied themselves for the next event.

When I found him, he was standing with his friends congratulating their success as they gave enrouragement in return: Don't give up Eden, it's your first show, you're doing just great. He nodded, and walked towards me; the bounce in his step, gone. He asked if I would take him to get something to eat, so we got in the car, and took a lunch break. As we drove to the local fast food joint, he broke down. Mom, all that work for nothing. I feel so stupid . . . I have three more events, and just know I'm going to be standing there alone again . . . I am never going to be good at this . . . I hate being last.

I sat there listening, a little worried about what I could possibly say to make my son feel better. Sometimes I lack the skills I need to help my children, and it's usually during moments such as this. I've learned though, that the most powerful tool I have as a parent is heavenly help, that can be accessed any time that I ask. So I said a little prayer in my head and in a matter of moments, the words came.

I can't remember all that I said, but it included: I am so proud of you for working so hard, and putting yourself out there . . . it doesn't matter that you win, what matters is that you love doing what you do . . . ride because it fills your soul with happiness, no one can take that way from you . . . there will come a day when you will remember this moment, and perhaps feel a little more compassion for another guy who finishes last -- that person may be your own child . . . by chance if you you do win a blue ribbon, receive it with grace . . . Sometimes things don't work out the way you had planned, but even when they don't, get back on the horse {no pun intended.}

After a while Eden's spirits lifted. He guzzled down a soda, and we went back to the ranch for the rest of the show.

Two hours later, we were back at the ring. I was a nervous wreck. I think Eden was too. This time, there wasn't a line-up at the end, which was a big relief. Rather, the contestants had to go to the judges area to view the results, posted on a list. I stayed behind and Eden walked over alone. I watched in the distance as he moved his finger down a white paper to find his name. Then I saw it:

Smiling,
jumping,
pats on the back,
and a blue ribbon in his hand.

My eyes teared up. I was so happy for him; that his dream came true, and he got to experience what it was like to succeed.

But, at the end of the day, I think the greater prize for both of us were the lessons learned from finishing last.

I Finally Got Around To It.

2011-09-19T01:21:00.000-07:00

The thing about taking lots of pictures . . . .
it takes forever to edit all of them.
Or maybe I am just slow.

Here are a few of my favorites from Blue Lily - Go Pro photography palooza in Park City.

Love riding the lift in the summer.

It's so quiet,

and so beautiful.

I hate getting off though.

I always worry I'll fall flat on my face.

It's happened before.

Super embarrassing.

Especially when the ski lift guys snicker under their breath.

At the top of Deer Valley, on the edge of a cliff.

I kept wondering why we all had head aches,

then I saw the sign marker that said
9,000 feet above sea level.

Rock posing . . .

made me a nervous wreck.

Especially when someone would loose their balance.

My hands were sweating.

I was relieved when Sandi sat down.

She was performing all sorts of daring stunts.

I loved how small these two looked against all of that green.

If I lived in Park City, I'd want to come up here every day,

just to look at this view.

I loved meeting new people.

Marti was so much fun.

And so was Chris . . .

and the rest of the gang.

I miss them.

I get to see Meg again this week!

That makes 3 times in 6 weeks.

And we didn't even plan it!

When I saw this view

I thought of Julie Andrews.

I had to sing in my loudest voice

The hills are alive . . .

But I didn't twirl around. . .

because I was on the edge of the cliff.

That would have been foolish.

I miss wild flowers . . .

wandering through meadows . . .

and wading in streams.

So. Much.

After Deer Valley,

we rented a canoe,

and drove to a lake.

We saw a family of moose!

{What's the plural for moose? Is is moose?}
Seeing moose is thrilling,
especially when they are the opposite side of the lake.

Wendy looks like a scout on an expedition.

Actually, she was a scout on an expedition.
She wasn't looking at the mooses though.
She was trying to figure out what to do with these guys . . .

I loved this bride and groom.

Did I mention that they were on their honeymoon?

I'm sure they had better things to do than

drive to Kamas,

and paddle around in a canoe,

with thunder clouds billowing in the distance.

I was grateful they were willing to help

an amateur photographer

like me.

The Clock is Ticking

2011-09-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

Hey! YOU.

Yes, you.

The one lurking,
when you should be folding laundry.

Have you registered???

Cuz the registration deadline is on approach you know . . .

October 15th!

And I would hate for you to miss out.

R&R is going to be some kind of fun.

It's all about creating.
Laughing.
And meeting new people.
People who share common interests.

Who wouldn't want to spend a couple of days with

Matthew Mead
Linda McDonald
Reachel Bagley
Sarah Sample
The feminine half of Blue Lily
Lindsey Johnson
Sarah Bradford
The Grub Girls
{and Me.}

Grab a button.

Facebook, Twitter, Blog all your peeps . . .
Invite them to come with you.

The more the merrier.

February 10-11, 2012

Be there or be square.

{P.S. Don't forget! Registration deadline is October 15th!!!}

The Harvest

2011-09-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

Do you remember a few months ago when I mentioned one of the As Seen on TV addicts at my house brought home a Topsy Turvey?

Behold the bounty.

Isn't it lovely?

You really can't gain a full appreciation unless I show you a panoramic view . . .

Did I mention He planted beef steak tomatoes?

Yep.

Now you know.
Topsy Turveys are "iffy."
That or He didn't read the directions.

Thank heavens the Green Thumbs live down the road or I would have missed out on tomato season.

The Weekend

2011-09-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

It was sew fun.

Like spending a weekend in Mayberry,
without Barney and Aunt Bea.

We stayed in this house.

Meg and Kim were the ultimate hostesses.
They put their hearts and souls into everything they did.

The decorations.

The food.

The crafts.

Even the bedrooms were beautiful.

When you attend a creative weekend with 15 strangers,
you don't know what to expect.

Will there be an annoying person?
Will there be awkward silences?
Will you fit in?

All I can tell you is this,
if you ever get a chance to
take a break from home,
and create,
just do it.

It's worth every dime.

You will return home
renewed.

And you will make 15 new friends,
that you will miss,
the moment you walk out the door.

Thank you Meg, Kim and Ashley.

It was magical.

(More photos to come.)

Sunday.

2011-09-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

It wasn't my typical Sunday.
I usually spend the day in church with my family.
Then cooking a meal that includes a batch of ice cream.
If I'm lucky, I indulge in an afternoon nap.

Not today.

I spent the day in airports and airplanes.
Have you ever done that on September 11th?
It felt strange.
And a little scary.

There was extra, extra airport security.
Random bag checks as you boarded the plane.
Ramdom bag checks even after you got off the plane.
People seemed somber and nervous.
Including me.
Even though it was probably the safest day ever to fly.

When I got to Dallas, I sat in the terminal waiting for my next leg.
There was a television.
I saw the beginning of a football game.
Faces of firemen in their dress uniforms.
And a flag the size of the playing field being unfurled.
Then the Star Spangle Banner and faces in the crowd.

It was so emotional.
Sitting in the airport watching that.

Do you remember what you were doing that day?
Thee September 11th?
Then write it down.
Your children and your grandchildren will want to know,
where you were,
and how you felt,
on the day that the Twin Towers fell to the ground.

I haven't done that yet,
written it down.
But on Sunday,
I remembered that I need to,
before I forget.

P.S. Loved reading this post. Thank you Teri.

Houston

2011-09-08T18:03:00.000-07:00

I had a layover.

I don't usually like them.

But tonight I did.

The sun was setting.

A brilliant orange ball that cast a pink shadow on everything it touched.

It was so bee-U-Tee-ful.

Even the escaltor looked charming.

That's what a guy on the terminal train said in his Texas accent.

Look at that sun.

Why that's just beee-uuuu-tee-ful.

Beee-UUUUUU-tee-ful!

And it was.

I don't see sunsets like this often.

I stared and stared.

And it made me happy.

Happy to be in the airport.

Which I don't usually like.

Texans are nice.

And they dress nice too.

Everyone looks so fancy.

I don't see one person sporting lots of tatoos, wearing shorts.

Which is what you see when you are in a California airport.

Am I in the businessmen terminal?

Maybe I'm at the wrong gate.

I better check my ticket.

Cuz that would be my luck.

Flying to some business city like Chicago, when I'm supposed to be traveling to Kansas.

Todo We're Not In Temecula Anymore

2011-09-08T13:27:00.001-07:00

I'm clicking my heels three times and flying to Kansas.
I'm visiting my friend Meg.
Can't wait to visit the barn.
I wonder if Miss Gulch owns it.
Maybe i will get to meet the Wizard.
Not really though cuz that would involve tornadoes and I'm terrified of them.
I will settle for the barn
And good weather.
Definitely good weather.

We All Scream for Ice Cream

2011-09-03T20:30:00.000-07:00

That Chanin.
She's gone and done it now.
She called a couple of weeks ago and said:
Come over, I'm making ice cream cones, and homemade ice cream.
I need you to be the tester.

How could I refuse?

The ice cream was oh so delicious.
But I liked the cones even more.
So much so, that I had to go buy a waffle cone maker of my very own.
Because you know, ice cream at our house is serious, serious business.

I'm not joking.

Matt, Eden and Claire eat ice cream at least 5 times a week, even if I don't have any in the house.
I know because sometimes they come home sporting ice cream mustaches.
Thanks a lot you guys.

To be fair, I think I don't get invited because I don't share their enthusiasm.
I'd rather have a cookie . . .
or a cone . . .
without ice cream in it.

Last Thursday Chanin called again and said:
Hey I need to come over and borrow your ice cream maker.
I have family coming into town and I need to make lots.

How could I refuse?
We have a really good ice cream freezer and it makes ice cream super speedy.
Plus, Chanin and I are ice cream buddies now.

So Thursday evening, Chanin came over and we stayed up until midnight making ice cream and waffle cones.
I hope the ~~Smiths~~ beneficiaries of the ice cream palooza appreciate that.

When my kids found out that we stayed up until midnight making ice cream, they were excited.
Then they opened the freezer and discovered it was empty.
That's because I didn't make any ice cream for us them.
Well, I did make a batch for them, but I mistakenly used buttermilk instead of cream.
Yuck.

So today, I spent hours making ice cream, and cones for the long weekend.
I'm sure it will all be gone by tomorrow.
Sunday.
Which means there will be no ice cream for Monday.

Dang.
I think I'm going to be up until midnight again.

Recipes here.

The Awkward Look.

2011-09-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

Apparently it's the new photo op trend for teens.

Last night, I took lots of pictures at the homecoming game.
Every single time I said "Hey, let me take your picture!" I got this look.

Every.

Single.

Time.

I didn't ask for a funny pose.
I wanted a cute pose.
Teenagers act strange sometimes.

That's ok though.
I acted strange when I was a teenager too.

It was the first game of the season, and homecoming.
Not sure I liked having both on the same day.
But it's not up to me, is it?

School spirit was in the air.
Everyone was wearing red, even babies and small dogs.
Except me.
I was wearing purple.
That's what I get for ignoring all the high school emails.

These guys took spirit to the max.

I'm glad I'm not their mother.
Would you want to scrub the shower, or wash towels after this?
Yikes.
But it's a memory, right?

I loved the energy in the stands.
It was the boys who got the crowd excited about the game.
Some stood in front of the cheerleaders and got the crowd going by yelling chants.
Others ran around the track in weird outfits.
Boys in mass have never done that at the game before.
It rocked.

Somehow when the males get into the fun, it gives a stamp of approval on the event.
When they are pumped, everyone is pumped.
I hope it lasts all season long.

Field Trip

2011-08-30T20:47:00.000-07:00

Four months ago, my friend Chanin and I made plans to take a field trip to Grub, a restaurant in Hollywood, owned by my friend Betty, and her friends Denise and Libby aka the Grub Gals.

Summer got so busy that it never happened.

Until today.

Chanin organized us.
She even offered to drive.

We talked Julie into coming along.
That made it a party.

This morning after depositing kids in front of the elementary school, we made our way up the 15 freeway into the smog.

The drive went fast because we always get into good conversations when we travel.

Before we knew it, we were parking the car on Seward Street and walking through an arbor covered in Morning Glory.

Tucked away on a side street, Grub has a neighborhood vibe, even though it sits in a commercial area.
The patio is enclosed by a fence, covered in green, which gives it a cozy feeling.
Such a nice escape from the daily grind.
I like that.

Chanin and Julie are sampling blueberry lemonade. Yum.

Betty wasn't here today. I'm sad I missed her.
But, Libby came out of the kitchen to greet us.
She is just as friendly and nice as Betty.

Grilled cheese and creamy tomato soup were definitely on my mind as I looked over the menu.
I've been craving it since the Grill Cheese Festival last Spring.
Grub is famous for this comfort dish, and I know why.
It's De. Li. Cious.

After much deliberation, this is what we ordered.
Grill cheese and tomato soup, obviously.

BLT with Bri.

Steak salad.

And croissant French toast with raspberry butter.
I forgot to take a picture of that.

We cut everything into thirds so that we could sample all of it.
Sooooooooo Good!!!!

I have to tell you that the BLT is my new favorite sandwich.
The secret is the bacon.
I detected hints of cumin and brown sugar.
I don't know what they do to it, but it's seriously the best bacon ever.
The Grub Girls make that claim on the menu, and they aren't joking.

If you are ever in the vicinity of Melrose and Fairfax, you need to stop by and have breakfast . . .
or lunch . . .
or dessert . . .
or a glass of blueberry lemonade.
That was really good too.

Grub Gals, your down home cuisine is FABULOUS, and the bungalow feel of your establishment is oh so charming.

I think I'll be making regular visits, so save me a picnic table outside, will you?

P.S. If you ever have tickets to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, Grub makes special picnic dinners just for the occasion. How cool is that. It's my new quest. A James Taylor concert at the Bowl, with a Bri BLT. I'm putting that on the Bucket List.

P.S.S. Did I mention the Grub Gals are teaching a cooking class at R&R. They are! I can't wait. Maybe they will divulge their bacon secret.

I'm Not Pro, But I Like Hanging Out With Them - Part I

2011-08-30T01:18:00.000-07:00

In the words of my 14 companions, Go Pro Reunion was
amazeballs,
epic,
fervor.
Best. Weekend. Ever!

It really was.
Three days of non-stop synergy.

Tyler and Wendy throw one awesome ~~party~~ workshop.
They are ~~party animals~~ great teachers.
I learn something new every time we are together.

Every single person at the cabin was so much fun to hang with.
There wasn't an annoying person in the bunch.
How often does that happen?
Not often.
They were ~~party animals~~ great teachers too.
So willing to share what they knew.
I love that.
There really is enough good to go around.

We had an infant photo shoot.
I struggled with lighting, but it was fun.

This little guy is only two weeks old.
He snoozed while we stuffed him in a basket, wrapped him in a blanket, laid him on a giant plate, and reposed him about 20 million times.
He didn't make a peep.
It was a photography miracle.

We shot children . . . darling, darling children,
with freckles,
and missing teeth.

We shot families that were oh so nice to drive clear up to Heber to be our subjects.

We shot children with animals.
That was hard.
The pig was not having much fun.
He squealed and ran away about 5 times.
I only got one decent picture.
But the pros -- they got some killer shots.
It was inspiring to look at all their work.

This is not their work, it's mine.
The unedited version.
I'll show you the edited version when I get around to that.
It takes forever.
I took hundreds of pictures.
And I can't decide which ones to throw away, and which ones to keep.

We had the ultimate color war.
Ultimate I tell you.

So. Much. Fun.

Curse the rental car.
I couldn't participate for fear of ruining the seats.
I was one of the designated drivers.

But I got to take photos, and that was awesome.

We came home exhausted.
We ate ~~pizza~~ leftovers and ice cream while we sat on the sofas staring into space.
Then ~~someone~~ Wendy brought out a huge bag of glow sticks.

We spent an hour creating outfits.
The party house turned into a g-rated neon rave.

I don't have pictures of that.
I stole these from Kelley, one of the Fantastic 14.
Unlike me, she knows how to take pictures in the dark.

photo courtesy of Kelly Ford Wenzel

You haven't lived until you've watched 13 ~~middle-aged~~ groovy women, and two token men dance in neon.

photo courtesy of Kelly Ford Wenzel

I need to do this for my kids.
They would love it.

I have more pictures to show you tomorrow.
Right now I have to get some sleep.
Its 1:00 a.m. and I am tired.

Melbourne Street

2011-08-29T23:07:00.000-07:00

Summer days in Utah feel different that Summer days in Temecula. The air is dry. The trees are old. There is quiet. Things move at a slower pace.

I love it here.

Sometimes when I come home, I drive down Melbourne Street and visit the house where I grew up.

I did that today.

I drove by real slow so I could take it all in and see what had changed.

The house looked so different, I hardly recognized it. It has a new face. Blue aluminum siding replaced wood shingles once the color of butter. Trees surround it like a frame. It has a friendly look.

But I prefer yellow.

Sitting on the front lawn atop a backhoe was a young guy pushing levers and buttons. From the look of things, he was filling in a hole and trench that ran the length of the property.

I parked next to the curb and walked over to the hole. I didn’t know the guy filling it in, but I felt like I had to say hello and tell him: This is the house where I grew up. My great grandparents were the first owners.

He said: Cool. My buddy owns it now. I’m just here repairing the water line. It broke.

I said If it’s the same water line that came with the house, it is old, 65 years old at least.

He raised his eyebrows and laughed.

I asked him if I could go see the back yard.

He nodded and I took that as signal to go ahead, so I made my way across the lawn as he yelled: The people who rent this place aren’t home, so you are welcome to wander around.

I walked down the cement driveway that led to the back. There was a big wood gate blocking the entrance.

When I pulled on the lock, I secretly hoped that everything on the other side would look exactly the same as it did in the 60's, and that I would be able to climb the cherry tree that in the stood back corner of the yard. But of course, that didn’t happen.

I pushed on the gate and took a peek. A black dog stared up at me. She looked just like the old neighbor dog Patches, my arch enemy. This dog was sweet, she wagged her tail and watched me as I looked around.

What I saw was unfamiliar. A redwood deck covered the space that used to occupy a blow-up wading pool, and metal poles that held a cloths line for hanging up wet laundry. A big tool shed stood in place place of the brick BBQ my great grandfather built. My cherry tree was gone, and so were the violets that grew under a big willow tree. It all looked so small.

It’s funny how different things appear through the eyes of a child. When I was young, this yard seemed so huge. Huge, like it went on forever. I really felt like I was taking a journey when I walked down to the very end, and parked myself near the lilac bushes to look up at the sky. But today, it only took about ten steps to get to the back fence. I felt a little sad.

When I got there, I couldn’t see the elementary school through the chain link, it was completely covered with ivy. I was 4 years old when the school and the fence were built. I still remember playing on the huge piles of dirt after the bulldozers had quit work for the evening. That construction equipment scared me to death, and I would never play in the yard while it was out there moving. Why was I so afraid? I don’t remember now. But I do remember being sad when they put up the fence. It took away some of the magic of the yard.

I turned around and looked at the house. I thought about all the things that had happened in my life while I was living within its walls, and I wondered about all the people who had lived in it since.

How many people have owned this place? Were they happy here? Did they hang out the bedroom window and read by the light of the moon? Did any of their children find the treasure I buried in the back yard? Who tore out the lilac bushes? Why did they do that?

I gave the dog a pat on the head, and closed the gate. Then I walked out to the street and looked down as far as I could see. My eyes filled with tears.

It brought back memories of bustling neighbors and dads working on cars in driveways -- the Newbolds, the Nilsens, the Morris’, the Hamblins, the Capners. I wished that one of them would come riding down the street on a bike whistling a complicated tune.

They used to do that you know. Whistling was big back then. Nobody whistles like that anymore, at least not in Temecula.

It’s true what they say; you can never go back. But wouldn’t it be nice if we could, just for a moment or two?

I would climb my old tree, play Kick the Can with my friends, and sit on the front porch with my family and sing songs while waiting for the ice cream truck. And at the end of the day, I would hang out my window and look at the moon while the curtains in the window blow in the night breeze.

I wish Steve Jobs would stop fiddling around with Apples and work on a time machine.

I volunteer to be the test pilot.

P.S. The girls in front of the house are my sister Hauley, and me, sitting with a family friend. The baby in the wagon is my brother, Lane. The guys working on the car are my neighbor Mr. Hamblin, and my dad, the fix-it man, the year before he died.

Blue Lily Retreat

2011-08-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

This house is amazing.
Nestled in the mountains overlooking Park City.
It sleeps 15 people.

Last night we had a violent game of spoons.
Then we slept.

Today we have all sorts of things planned.

First we had breakfast.
It was delicious.
I made it.
Is that boastful?

Now it's down to business.
Tyler is teaching us about custom white balance.
Everyone here has a camera setup to rival paparazzi.
They know what they are doing too.
Not me.
I have no idea what I'm doing.
It's humbling,
but oh so fun.

Tomorrow.

2011-08-24T15:52:00.000-07:00

Guess where I am going tomorrow??

Guess, I dare you.

It involves a camera, French Toast, friends, a lot of laughing, Aspen trees, a giant house with it's own movie theatre, and the color blue.

I can't wait!

P.S. Eve, you can't guess cuz I know you know the answer. :)

Jack of All Trades

2011-08-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those days that I got a lot done. I like days like today.

I walked 3 miles with the dog.
I cleaned the house.
I did three loads of laundry, folded it, and put it all away.
I snaked the drains in the kid bathroom.
I went grocery shopping.
I filmed a video -- a tour of my house, for a woman who lives back east and can't come her to look at it in person.
I edited the video, added sound, and uploaded it to U-Tube.
I created two t-shirt designs for the high school.
I created a outdoor banner design for an attorney.
I went to a meeting for a non-profit group called The Gingham Project.
I picked 4 kids up from horseback riding and took them to dinner.
And, I made some jewelry.

Once in a while, like now, I like to write it all down so that I can remember I am productive.
Next time someone asks me What to you do all day?, I won't draw a blank.

And when I start to worry that I could never go back to work because I've been out of the job market for so long, I have something to remind me that I've got enough skills to fill up a few pages on a resume. It can be summed up in four simple words:

Jack of All Trades.

About Dogs.

2011-08-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

Let me be clear about my position on dogs.

I like my dog.

No, I take that back. I LOVE my dog.

I hate all other dogs, including your dog.

Period.

I am very sorry if that hurts your feelings, but I thought you should know.

It has nothing to do with you, it's me.

Before you think I'm a big meanie, there are reasons I feel this way.

1963 - Patches the neighbor dog.
In my four year old eyes, Patches looked like the big bad wolf.
He lived with a teenage boy who thought it was really funny to yell sick-em while I was out playing in my driveway.
The wolf loved this "game" and would do as he was commanded.
He came at me with his teeth bared until teenage boy's mother would yell out the window David, knock that off!!!
It scared me to death.
I may have peed my pants a time or two.

1965 - Timmy, the dog who lived two doors down.
Owned by two senior citizens who treated Timmy like the son they never had.
(Actually, they did have a son -- Casey who was 35 years old living in the basement.)
Timmy hated all children, and his basement dwelling brother.
I think he was jealous that Casey got to wear cloths, and he did not.
Once he hopped two fences just to come over and pay us a visit.
Not a friendly visit.
Timmy's mother said Oh, Timmy, you be nice now, as Timmy bit my ankle and made it bleed.
Clueless.

1971 - My very first babysitting gig for a cool young couple with an adorable toddler who lived around the corner.
I rang the bell and Susan appeared at the front door wearing a white eyelet dress.
At her feet, a tiny little white poodle dancing in circles.
He was the cutest thing.

I walked inside and Susan showed me around while Poodle trailed behind us.
I could hear the little bell on his collar jingle as we went from room to room.
As I was standing there listening to instructions, my foot suddenly felt warm.
I looked down and noticed that my white anklet sock was bright yellow.

I was so embarrassed, that I didn't say a thing.
I wasn't brave enough to utter the words Um. Your dog just peed on me. Do you have a towel?

I stood there with one leg behind the other until Susan and her handsome husband drove off into the sunset.
Then, I took my socks off and threw them outside in the garbage can.
I smelled like pee and my pointed white keds smelled like pee too.

I decided right then and there that I would never own a poodle.

This same thing happened every time I babysat for the cool young couple.
I finally had to give up the job -- it just wasn't worth the .15 cents an hour.
Plus, my mother got mad at me for losing all my socks.

1993 - Date with Matt at a co-workers house for dinner.
Co-worker and his Mrs. had a gi-normous Boxer -- their baby.
The dog even had his own bedroom.
When standing on his hind legs Baby was taller than me by at least a foot.
I walked in the door and he jumped on me and knocked me to the floor.
Mr. Co-worker thought that was cute.
The dog spent the entire evening with his arms around my neck (more like a headlock) as we all sat in the living room and talked . . .
for 3 hours . . .
about Baby.

I left covered in slobber.

Did I mention that I had to make the meal because Mrs. Co-Worker cut her hand on a knife and fainted?

Worst. Date. Of. My. Life.

Matt still owes me for that one.

And that brings us to yesterday, September 16, 2011.

Elphie was long overdue for a haircut so I took her over the the Pet Smart Grooming Salon.
I walked in the door and set Elphie on the counter as I gave the stylist all of her pertinent information.

Stylist: Current on shots?
Me: Yes.
Stylist: On a flea program?
Me: Yes.

In walks a lady with a humongous Rottweiler, a dog so large that I thought to myself, there is no way that woman can control that thing on her own.

I was right.

The minute that dog was inside the door, he jumped on my back, and wiped his face on my new shirt.
(Did I mention that I was on my way to lunch with a friend?)
His mother said Oh you scamp, as the dog breathed all over my butt with his crusty nose.
I was most annoyed.

I handed Elphie over to the stylist and turned to walk out the door.
Ever so sweetly, Rotttweler lady said, Be careful where you step!
I looked down and saw my feet standing in a pool of pee.
Not a small pool mind you, a huge one . . . large enough in which to do a load of laundry . . . if it was water . . . not pee.

I ask you, how could that woman just stand there and pretend that her dog did not do that?

Did I mention I was wearing flip flops?

This time I was brave and asked the Pet Smart stylist for a towel.

There's a pee theme running through this story.
I didn't even discover that until just now.
It's sort of like a breakthrough you might have in therapy.
At least I think it's like a breakthrough you have in therapy.
I wouldn't know about that.
But I do know that I hate dogs that pee on me.

***

Three rules that I wish all dog owners should follow:

1) If your friend, neighbor, co-worker has a panicked or angry look in their eyes, it means that they do not enjoy the affection, or dis-affection of your dog. Put him in the other room please.

2) Take your dog for a walk before you get him groomed so that he can do his business in a bush.

3) Pick up the poop you leave on my lawn. I hate stepping in that too.

That's all I have to say about dogs.

I hope you will still be my friend.

The end.

The Green Thumb Garden

2011-08-16T14:58:00.000-07:00

Look what Mr. & Mrs. Green Thumb gave me last night when I paid them a visit. They are so nice to me.

I finally got to see the mystery garden.

It doesn't look at all like Little Shop of Horrors.

It's magnificent with a captial "M."

I'm not exaggerating when I say that either. I really need to take pictures of it so that you can see for yourself.

In fact, when I walked outside into the back yard, and over the little bridge into the side yard, I said Scott (aka Mr. Green Thumb), I swear this garden needs to be in Sunset Magazine. It does!

He laughed, and so did Christine (Mrs. Green Thumb).

But, I wasn't kidding.

I am writing Sunset Magazine a letter and telling them to get their butts out here. The Green Thumb Garden would make the cover.

I rushed home and made tomato sandwiches, and baked squash.

It was delicious.

And I'm not exaggerating when I say that.

Generation Gap.

2011-08-12T22:49:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official. I'm totally "out of it."

This afternoon I made the mistake of saying:

Eden, I had a blast hanging out with you and your friends last week on the way up to Utah. Wasn't it fun?

(Silence.)

He looked at me as he was taking off his riding boots and said: Mom, you have got to stop talking like you wish you were back in the 70's. It's SO embarrassing.

A voice from upstairs chimed in: Yeah Mom, when you say "groovy" and "hip" you sound like some old person stuck in the past who's trying to be "with it." Words like that don't mean anything to us, you know that don't you?

(Another moment of silence.)

Me: You know I'm only kidding when I use those phrases, right? I'm not seriously saying "groovy," it's an attempt at being humorous -- in a Scooby Doo sort of way." You know, the way I sometimes say"Rot-row" instead of "Oh No!"

Believe me when I tell you Eden, I NEVER used the word "groovy" in the 70's. I would have sounded like a total nerd!

Eden: Yeah, my point exactly. Plus, even if you are trying to be funny, it's not funny, it's dumb. You need to get Urban Dictionary and find some new words that people get Mom. We don't say "hip" or "groovy," we say "sick!"

(Crickets chirping.)

I never thought this would be happening to me. I'm cool, right?

Rot-row. I feel like I'm in a Brady Bunch episode when Marsha and Greg break the news to Mike and Carol that they aren't "with it" while Alice (who is definitely not "with it") is bustling around in the background preparing meat loaf. Carol tears up and buries her face in Mike's psychedelic dress shirt and sadly proclaims "Ohhhh Mike."

My kids left for McDonalds, and I teared up, but there was no Mike's shoulder to cry on. Mike's in Brazil this week and I must bear this news on my own.

There was no Alice to make meatloaf either, just a guy in the back yard mowing the grass. But we aren't BFF's like Carol and Alice, so I couldn't talk to him. He might just freak out if I walked outside and said Ohhhhh Manuel!

Here I go again -- "freak out." What do they say now days if you are distraught? I don't even know!

I don't want get with it. Can you just imagine me saying "Dude, that was sick!" to a bunch of teenagers?

Talk about sounding dumb and embarrassing. If I uttered those words, I would look like some old person who was desperately trying to be cool.

That would not be funny.

Not funny at all.

You will never hear me say that . . .

until I have grand kids.

I guarantee you, thirty years from now, it will be hysterical.

Who wouldn't laugh at some 80 year old woman who jubilantly declares in a little granny voice

Dude, that was sick!

My grandkids will roar with laughter.

I just know it.