We went to the Skirball Center yesterday and hung out with Noah's Ark. The boys had lots of fun and good times.

I know, I know. Now I'm just showing off.

I told them to make a grumpy face. This picture is one of my favorites of them. Can you believe my big guy is turning SEVEN?! It makes me so proud to see what a loving kid he is, and so thoughtful. And it makes me so sad to see how fast he is growing! Already I'm counting how many years left until he leaves the house and it's not enough!

He's nervous about starting public school this year. He'll be in 2nd grade! (deep breaths) I know that it will be more fun than he is imagining, but still I don't know what to do to help with the nervousness. It's not like I'm all calm about it myself...

The first 6 tree skirt blocks are coming along nicely! Just two more layers and then we start the next 6 blocks, which will have darks on the top horizontaly instead of vertically. It's gonna look sweet!








Got the 9 blocks for Mason's lap quilt done. She kept saying she wanted it as big as her bed.... yah that's so not going to happen.

I've got them sewn here horizontally, and I'll put sashing between the rows in that dark purple that you can see in the bottom middle block. Then outline the whole thing in a triple layer sashing of dark purple-white-dark purple. Then I'll need to find a good border and binding. Which I have to go to the store for. Hope to heaven I can find a matching fabric. One of these is bound to be in stock, no?

This is a story about a boy who could not eat anything, anything, without getting it all over his face. This little boy would get very embarrased whenever his mom would mention this Superpower of his. Embarrassment, however, has not stopped food-face-ness from being a fact. A cold. Hard. Fact.

He doesn't mean it. It's not on purpose. So far, it can't be stopped.

Warning to future wife: better start putting cloth napkins in that hope chest now.....

Good grief I said what happened! You can SEE what happened. The kid got stitches!!

alright alright! he was running at the park and slipped on a sandy patch of sidewalk and came down on his left side on the edge of a park bench. pushed his cheek up into his teeth and he punctured himself just beautifully . Luckily for me there was not much blood after the first couple of compresses. I'm sure if I had lost it, he would not have done so well.

Poor kid fell asleep on me after his initial cry - which was surprisingly short. And then the only other time he cried was when they gave him the novicane shot. Doctor told him "if you count to 10 then it will be all over" and so he's screaming at the top of his lungs because of the shot and still trying to count. Broke. My. Heart. He laid very still for the stitching, and got lots of compliments.

Grateful thanks to Nan for taking care of me, Hannah for taking care of the kids, and Rachel for the toy. None of which we could have done without.

3 Years Old
3 Hours in the ER
3 Stitches

Here's the last two weeks' cards. The orange one is from the prompt "Define Perfection", and then the blue is this week's "count them, (blessings that is!)"




My boys, of course, are perfect. :) And it was a pleasant exercise to recall blessings. It was nice to be reminded that I have many many more than I could fit onto a card. Thanks Emily!

We made the trek to San Diego last Thursday-Friday for Comic-Con International. Friday we brought the boys with us.

There were so many people that Connor was a bit overwhelmed but Fletcher had no trouble walking up to any and all persons in costume, shaking hands, and striking up a conversation (poor, poor spiderman....).
Here are some pics from the trip.

It was the 30th anniversary of Star Wars and so that was a big theme this year at the booths. Came home with lots of reading material and spent the weekend recovering from the madness that is Comic-Con. Our waiter at Hard Rock Cafe on Thursday said that he heard that there is talk of moving the Con to Las Vegas, because San Diego cannot handle the crowds that come for the event. (even with 1.1 million square feet of usable space, the place is packed).

This is what happens when Darth Vader meets Miami.

This skirt is my current source of joy and happiness. I made it from an old quilt top that Craig's grandmother made. It was so full of holes and so old that I didn't dare try to put backing on it, but I thought it would be a fun length of fabric for this pattern.

I love how it turned out! I've patched a few spots with muslin and hand stitches, and I'll probably have to dry clean it to keep it alive for more than three wearings.

It's got a straight skirt to about mid-thigh, and then 3 ruffles at the bottom. It hangs great, and is nice and heavy at the bottom, and flips so nice when I walk.

I made 6 of these this week. It's about half of a diamond-log-cabin block. And then I make 6 more and sew them together and it's a Christmas tree skirt! Yay!

I'll post more pix as the project goes on.

It's a good thing I'm their mom or I'd have to kidnap them.

Check out this cover! I don't know which country it's for but it is certainly different from the US version! I gave my dh the book to read first, and then I finished it yesterday just before we had dinner company (naturally, dh had to clean up and cook dinner for said company, since i was nose-in-book) (he did a good job).

I have spoken to some people who did not like the book.

I loved the book. With a deep and abiding love. I felt that it was the perfect ending to the perfect story.

At 12:01 a.m. on July 21, 2007, I joined hundreds of thousands of people around the world in eager anticipation at my local bookstore for the release of the final installment of the Harry Potter series.

We managed to be one of the first people into the store just before midnight, and watched the very first box opened, the very first book purchased.

Did I scream like a little girl?
Well, duh.

These ladies probably had their picture taken more times in those few hours than the rest of their lives put together.

3rd floor view of the crowd around 10:30 p.m.

This lady said she started sewing her Delores Umbridge costume Tuesday night. It was easily the best costume there. I should totally have gotten a picture of the dress under the cape - it was fantastic!

We were entertained by "The Remus Lupins". Above the screaming of adoring young fans, I'm pretty sure I heard the words "going to Hogsmeade" repeated fairly often.

The crowd outside, waiting for them to let us in. We ended up really close to the door, and I was #5 or so to buy the book!!

Mr. Head Man waiting until midnight to open the first box! The guy in the leather jacket there was the FIRST ONE to buy the book! Lots of camera crews and interviewers looking on.

Wear. Sunscreen.

How could I have forgotten?! Thank goodness I was smarter about the kids. Thank goodness this is the only spot on me I missed! We spent several hours at the beach yesterday. Took the kids out on the boogie board. They had a blast. Today? Not so fun.

This little boy handed me the camera and then posed himself. Note the turned leg, the clenched fists. And he NEVER looks at the camera when he's "posing". I can feel Sampson gaining strength! It may soon be time to shave his head again...

week 28's prompt was; goal this week. I've got a lot of goals, a lot of things I've wanted to accomplish this summer and not done. (see week 27, "Summer Reading") :) My list of sewing projects that are half finished is getting a bit rediculous! And this week I had better get a lot of them done because after HP7 comes out this Friday ...well you know.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows



How do you think it will end?

so remember when i came home from nor-cal and broke my foot? Well here is a sampling of the injuries that have accumulated at the Houston House since I departed.









I think the gimpy thumb is my sister Sharon (household photographer) and then the Three Gimpigos on the couch are my grandma, sis nancy, and my mum. Mom and Nancy had surgery on the same day, and Nana had surgery on her knee some time ago.


The best (worst) part? Nana broke her toe the day after I did. The house should come with a disclaimer. "We are not responsible for any injuries received on or near this premesis, or as a direct result of being in contact with the bad mojo following the inhabitants of said premesis."

Dog? No. There's no dog here, Mom. I dunno what you are talking about.


The boys had way too much fun with Dusty when we visited Aunt Lisa & Co. on our way up to Weaverville last month. Connor has since decided that he would be willing to give up the heated pool so we can move to a place that allows dogs.

Yeah. We'll get right on that.

This week's prompt: junk mail. Happily a book club flyer came today (despite my having sent three letters so far, canceling the membership..) so I had some great material!

My journaling on the back says that it's been hard for me to drag myself out into the sunshine with this fantastic list of summer reads to get through.









Last week's prompt was celebrating daughters. I don't have any - but that's all my parents got. :) so I used this photo from sis Sharon's graduation.

"What've you got?"
"A lightsaber. What've you got?"
"A lightsaber. Wanna trade?"
"Sure."

I found something in my laundry today.


It was cute, so I decided to keep it.

The Home of the Brave and the Land of the Free.
Happy Birthday.

This kid can sleep anywhere.

We were at Hannah & Tyler's for dinner on Sunday, until about 10. Connor didn't quite make it, although Fletcher of course was still a little ball of engery.

At the moment, each of the 5 seats at Joss Whedon's dinner table are going for between $3 and $4,000. I asked Craig if I could empty our savings account to bid ( I even went through the trouble of getting pre-qualified -- background check and everything).... but he said no.

nazi.

I'm allowed to wear shoes again!
These.

Not These.

Still, it's something right? I mean, anything is better than the boot!

Monday Recipe

Fruit Pizza

1. Sugar cookie dough (your favorite recipe or pre-made)
2. 8 oz cream cheese, soft
3. 2 tbsp sugar
4. 1 tub cool whip
5. variety of chopped fruit (tip- small pieces are best; if you use canned – drain well; don't use frozen fruit – it bleeds and wilts quickly)

Press chilled cookie dough into either a greased round pizza pan or rectangular half-sheet baking pan. Cook at 350˚ until golden, approximately 12-15 minutes. Allow crust to cool completely, then chill for at least 30 minutes. Mix cream cheese with sugar and spread evenly on chilled crust. Top that with cool whip, then neatly arrange fruit on top in a thin, even layer. So yummy and so fun to decorate!

I got this recipe from Stacie R in a recipe swap. Made it a few weeks ago and it is de-LISH! and very easy. A tip: get a nice thick cool whip, otherwise it may be a bit runny (or maybe that was just me, thawing it improperly....) hehe.