A few reasons why NOT to let your 3-year-old wander around the house with the camera:

1. He will have proof of the unhealthy lunch you made him

2. He will be Disrespectful

3. He will show everyone what a bad housekeeper you are.

But then, you find something like this on the memory card and it all seems worth it:

can you see, just above his left arm on the entertainment center?
yep.
those are pinecones.
We got 2 more yesterday.

"Happy Birthday to yoouuuuuu...." It's on it's way!

My blog does not want to post pictures right now. Be comforted that interesting insights and inspiring images are soon to come. :)

Dear Kelly,

These two subjects are very close to my heart. *assumes lecture voice*

(Reminiscently): Luke, Leia, and Han got me through the torturous years of junior high and high school. I had Episodes IV-VI memorized before I ever memorized my first scripture. I have had entire conversations with my husband in "quotations". I was seduced by the dark side, (episode 1) and betrayed (episodes 2 &3). The boy who was Anakin Skywalker became twisted, and evil.

On another note: after the golden sunrise that was Buffy the Vampire Slayer had its day and melted, smouldering, into the horizon, I searched for new Vampire venues to haunt. You can imagine, there were few that were readable/watchable. Then I stumbled across The Book.
I made all of my friends read it. It spread across the Santa Monica Stake like wildfire.
Obsessions began. Husbands mocked.

I even went to the Eclipse Prom.

Now that I have cited my Background and References:
Kelly! -
How could you watch this scene without wanting to take a shower? He was so CREEPY!

(sing-song valley girl voice): "Oh hi, I'm Padme. Even though I was so mature that at the age of FOURTEEN I was elected queen of an entire world, Senatorship has caused my brain to freeze like a Bothan on Hoth and I somehow find myself in love with a whining, wicked, juvenile wanna-be jedi who is at least 10 years younger than me!"

Did you ever see Under the Tuscan Sun? DID YOU?! Pawel was perfect. Perfect for this role. Sweet. Sincere. Lovable. Adorable. (um, Hot)
Edward:

While your most recent photos prove that HC can sit still in a photo and brood very properly and alluringly - STILL:

Not Edward:

What have I gotten myself into?

that first little pinecone was so cute. but every day, those pinetrees drop more. I had to make rules. 1) no pitch. sticky pinecones not allowed
2) no completely closed pinecones
3) no broken pinecones.
We still find at least one every day. And can I just say that I think my street houses the only 3 pine trees within the Los Angeles city limits? Bugs, rocks, sticks, flowers: all have been abandoned in pursuit of a new pinecone to take home and glitter-fy.
Oh yeah - but Fletch is no longer interested in doing the glueing/glittering. It's Mommy's job now.

At this rate, by the time Christmas comes around we'll have close to 40 pinecones.

Part 3 of "What Makes me Happy/I am Grateful For". This is the last bit. I promise. :)

On our walk home from taking Connor to school each morning, Fletcher tends to find some bit of nature that he cannot live without. Last week this cute little pinecone was the thing. We took it home and covered it with glitter. He was overwhelmed with the byeew-tee-fuw ness of it.

By now you are all acquainted with my obsession. Thanks to Karalenn for these "peace, hope, love" sheep she found for me in Utah!

Another gift from another friend. These elephants from South Africa are actually a calendar, and go by size in a row - one for each month of the year. Thanks Catherine!

Of course, what could make me happier than these little rock stars? Well, maybe their Dad, but he is nearly impossible to catch for a photograph. :)

More Happiness

My Mom quilted this flag for us for Christmas years ago. I love having a flag in the house and I love that my boys recognized the American Flag at an early age.

We got this Knight's Head Ice Bucket for the Harry Potter room off of ebay last summer. It may be the coolest thing on the planet.

It's Autumn now and that means 3 months of Awesome Fun until the end of the year.

Doing a little bit of therapy. Here are some things in my home that make me happy. (my own little version of "Count your Blessings":

This is a granite sculpture that my husband made in college. It's a perfect bookend!

Proof that I am crafty: great storage bins! :)

One of our favorite family activities has been to go up to Malibu and beach comb for fun shells. Every once in a while we find a really cool one. (yes, they are on the toilet in this picture)

Click on the link to watch an awesome:

Buffy/Smallville crossover video!

Pushing Daisies premiered last night and it was everything I had hoped it would be. Yay! It was so so colorful and beautiful and I loved it!!

Hannah and I went to see this movie last night and it was surprisingly good. I mean, I KNEW that I would like it because, hello, obvious, but it was even better than that.

I loved how the characters were not all typical and cliched. I love how two of the characters made really good decisions in their lives and didn't go the way of the world.

I loved that Marc Blucas was in it (RILEY!!!) and that one of the characters even mentions Buffy in a line.

Hugh Dancy was SO GOOD in this! I seriously did not love Ella Enchanted and I hadn't seen him in anything since - he was really fun in this one.

I love love LOVED how they made the characters in the movie parallel the characters' personalities and situations in Jane Austen's novels.

Food For Thought

Spend, Spend, Spend. It's no Way to Happiness.

Just some nastalgic pictures of summer now that the weather has gotten cooler and all of the stores are stocking up on things we'll never really need in Los Angeles.
Does any sane woman actually post a picture of herself in a swimsuit? Call it therapy.

Be afraid, waves. The Fletch will TAKE YOU DOWN!

almost halfway done with the tree-skirt! bummed that my other 6 blocks won't be in the same fabrics, but it doesn't matter a ton, since they'll be covered in presents anyway, right?

(why did we pick this year to do no presents?!)

Well, we thought about it anyway. I think the general consensus was "just one present" this year. Our kids are too spoiled....

Today was the first day of pre-school for the little co-op that I am a part of. I taught the first time. We had a little library, and places to play trains, or marbles, or Little People. We painted wooden A's, and learned about sharing and saying please and thank you. The kids were all really good - better than I ever expected! Thanks guys!

here is my card for this week. I copied penelope's castle as best i could......which, not so good. :)
love the prompt this week!!! "draw something!"

Connor informed me yesterday after school that, because he has to go to church on Sunday, and he only has one day "off" every week, he needs me to tell his teacher that he should have two days off of school every week.

He was dead serious. He did not appreciate my laughter very much, either.

Sometimes blog hopping is bad. Okay, mostly it's always bad. I end up at a place like Present Past Collection that is selling things like this vintage card case here on the right, which I would probably never have a proper use for but have ALWAYS wanted.

Remember, in the Laura Ingalls Wilder series, when it was the big "thing" to have little personal cards with your name on them, and to trade them with friends in town? And how Almanzo and Laura traded cards and it was totally the beginning of their courtship? That is why I have always wanted a card holder, even though it is absolutely NOT in style to do that anymore. Look how pretty! Lucky for me it costs too much to justify. But if I ever go into business and get a business card....

Meg Cabot has this great story on her blog about her experience on September 11, 2001. She was only 12 blocks away from ground zero when it happened, and there are a lot of things I never knew about before I read her entry. Check it out.

haven't journaled the back yet - not sure what i'm going to say. i've felt like my cards have been kinda blah lately so i wanted to make a pretty one and i wanted to use green - so there it is!

ah, the joys of ebay

i could not resist the possibilities on this one. a contrasting waist band! pleats!

we've been trying to keep ourselves busy while connor is at school. today we made a Mr. Grass Head. Fletcher fully expected the grass to grow instantly. :) But he was content with just putting the rest of my nylons on his head, as bunny ears.

to make one Mr. Grass Head:
1 pair nylons or one knee-high nylon sock
grass seed
potting soil
glue and stuff to stick on 'im.
Put some grass seed in the toe of the nylon, and then fill with enough dirt to make a round head. tie a knot in the bottom. glue stuff on for his face. set in a bowl with some water in it. put a little water on the top. set in the sun, and wait for him to grow hair!

Good times.

my card this week is a quick-and-easy one. just put on some stamps from my chinese zodiac set (you guessed it, the ram. my sheep lovin' is deeply rooted) and then wrote on a 3x5 card and glued it on.

and this is why i'm going for not-complicated this week. The Connor has entered public school for the first time, into 2nd grade. All of the anxiety and nervousness I avoided two years ago is visiting me now ten-fold it feels like. What if he loses his lunchbox? What if the other kids think he's wierd? What if he can't write as well? (okay, I know he can't write as well because i've seen the kids handwriting. he should be a doctor it's so bad..) :)

Connor wanted to be standing in the doorway waving for his picture. He was hoping to wave fast enough to make his hand blurry in the picture. Notice the concentration. He was annoyed that it didnt' work.

Went to the "new kids" assembly and then a lady took him and another girl to his classroom. And then Fletcher completely went into hysterics. He had tears running down his face and he was reaching for connor's retreating back and screaming "i need my brother!"

yeah. that was rough.

we get to go get him in 3 hours!

goodbye sweetheart

after almost 4 years of coming to our house 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, mason is leaving us. her mom is so excited to be able to stay home now. it's going to be a big adjustment for all of us!

grandma van dyke visited us for a couple of weeks this month. fletcher really really enjoyed her glasses. "just like harry potter, right mommy?"

uh, yeah.

sure.

we flagged down a beach-walking board seller today and got connor a boogie board.

he ate it quite a few times but before we left he and elle were both pros, and having way to much fun.

Well the people have spoken.
The shoes are ugly.

These shoes are $100 at Gap's new shoestore, whose name I have already forgotten. "Lime" something. Or something-"lime".

Or something.

I cannot decide if these are the cutest shoes I've ever seen, or if they are so hideous they should all be destroyed before anyone can ever wear them. My issue is with the strange piece that changes it from an inspiring gray pump into a slightly confusing ankle boot.

With what would you wear these shoes? I ask you!

Seriously, I need to know. Because if there is something cute enough, that could pull these shoes off, I might have to buy it....

Chocolate = Evil

I've got so many spots on my face that I could pass for a space alien on Star Trek. I wouldn't be as cute as Dax, though. (we can't all...)

Off to get a bit of self control.

After I have another caramel.

I just wanted to post this, and give everyone else a chance to feel the joy that I felt when my eyes beheld this wonder. A woman could not walk out in this dress and NOT feel like a million dollars. The neckline! The kick pleats!

It's on ebay. No it's not my size or obviously I would have purchased it and these pictures would be of ME. It's a 36 bust and 28 waist. (and yes, i DO wish that was my size) ;) There are more pix on the product page, click the picture for polka-dot bliss.

This is a picture of the Hoh rainforest in Washington, near LaPush.
Here there be monsters.

Having another girls' night on Saturday to go to Stephenie Meyers' book signing for Eclipse. It's going to be wicked fun.

And speaking of Wicked ;) I'm taking my mother in law tomorrow! Yes, I get to see it again! Is there a luckier girl than me? Nothereisnot.

sorry the picture is blurry. This is last week's card from Emily's "No Regrets" prompt. I cannot tell you how many people discouraged me from getting married. Everyone said I was too young. I think even my Dad thought so.

But I've always looked at it as the best decision I ever made, since day 1. This man is my superhero.

9 years next month!

Saw Stardust on Saturday and loved it. I am totally sewing Tristan Thorn's outfit and forcing my husband to wear it for Halloween one of these years. :)

I finished the top! Now I just have to pin it. I was going to tie it with tiny purple ribbon, but now I have this huge desire to hand quilt it, but I don't want it to take me forEVER and I totally know it will...... what to do?!