Thursday, March 29, 2007

Paint like a ballerina, baby

My goal this week (spring break) was to finally get shelves up in my craft room, and get it organized so that I'll be more inclined (and able) to use it. Yesterday I went out (with children in tow) and bought the lumber and brackets for my shelves. Then I realized I would have to paint those shelves. While I was looking at all the mesmerizing paint chip cards, I started thinking about how drabby my craft room was. I realized I was going to have to paint the entire room. Then make the shelves.

NOD came in and helped me for a while:

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Corvallis

We made a trek to Corvallis on Monday, and while the kids and I waited for Wayne to get out of his Appointment, we went to the Central Park Playground, where NOD made an Apple-Cheese-Burrito pie:

Also at this park, which is right next to a church-converted-into-an-arts-center-in-1970-can-you-dig-it-man?, there were a bunch of whimsical bronze sculptures. One of these was this squirrel, perched on the back of a bench:


It totally didn't come out in the fuzzy picture my phone-camera would take, but this squirrel has the greatest "I'm a badass motherf***in' squirrel, motherf***er!" expression on its face.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Shhhhh! It's a birthday present-in-progress!

I just finished her embroidery this evening. I'm very proud of her. There will be updates as she develops more!

(Oh, and she's for Number One Daughter, who wants a mermaid doll.)

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Bleah

I'm now on antibiotics for an ear infection. The good news is, four advils and two extra-strength tylenols do make the pain go away.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Photo Friday: Sentimental



I took this picture last June. They will never be that small ever again. And I loved those duckie pj's. She wore them, too.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

No title

I'm at home with a collapsed eustacian tube, the remnant of the sinus infection I had a couple of weeks ago. The doc prescribed long-acting decongestants, water, and lots of yawning.

The picture of Number Two Son that I posted yesterday (Scarface) reminded me of this one, which I took when Number One Daughter was then just a couple of months older than NTS is now:

Apparently it runs in the family.

Yes, that is a Beluga Whale that she is holding.

Sent to me today

Monday, March 19, 2007

Punk Rock Girl and Bar Brawl Boy

The kids, Debbi...

(she dresses herself, as discussed before here, here, and here)

...And Duke:

Number Two Son got that wonderful facial when he dove headfirst out of a red wagon at the garden center and got his head lodged under a wheel. Really.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Bloomin' Spring!

We moved into this house in September, when all the summer flowers were fading and the leaves were starting to fall off the trees. The gigantic grape vine covering the front of the house had to be cut down to a single vine. Everything was dry and fading.

As soon as the weather started to hint of spring, I noticed bulbs sprouting up *everywhere*. Mostly daffodils (which I associate with the Northwest since my first quasi-solo trip up to Victoria to visit Brian in 1990) but we also had crocuses earlier. I'd noticed tulips coming up, but I've never been really impressed by them - In California they always disappointed. But here's what's blooming by my front porch right now:

Saturday, March 03, 2007

My favorite poem

Binker
by A. A. Milne

Binker--what I call him--is a secret of my own,
And Binker is the reason why I never feel alone.
Playing in the nursery, sitting on the stair,
Whatever I am busy at, Binker will be there.

Oh, Daddy is clever, he's a clever sort of man,
And Mummy is the best since the world began,
And Nanny is Nanny, and I call her Nan--
But they can't
See
Binker.

Binker's always talking, 'cos I'm teaching him to speak:
He sometimes likes to do it in a funny sort of squeak,
And he sometimes likes to do it in a hoodling sort of roar...
And I have to do it for him 'cos his throat is rather sore.

Oh, Daddy is clever, he's a clever sort of man,
And Mummy knows all that anybody can,
And Nanny is Nanny, and I call her Nan--
But they don't
Know
Binker.

Binker's brave as lions when we're running in the park;
Binker's brave as tigers when we're lying in the dark;
Binker's brave as elephants. He never, never cries...
Except (like other people) when the soap gets in his eyes.

Oh, Daddy is Daddy, he's a Daddy sort of man,
And Mummy is as Mummy as anybody can,
And Nanny is Nanny, and I call her Nan...
But they're not
Like
Binker.

Binker isn't greedy, but he does like things to eat,
So I have to say to people when they're giving me a sweet,
"Oh, Binker wants a chocolate, so could you give me two?"
And then I eat it for him, 'cos his teeth are rather new.

Well, I'm very fond of Daddy, but he hasn't time to play,
And I'm very fond of Mummy, but she sometimes goes away,
And I'm often cross with Nanny when she wants to brush my hair...
But Binker's always Binker, and is certain to be there.