Why I Envy my Children

They have the hair color of my dreams! I've tried and tried to get my hair to an ASH brown color. But, no matter what I do it looks like this. Reddish Brown. It's my Pacific Islander genes. So I pose the question to you....Does anyone know how to get rid of that red?

We've Finally Boarded the HD Wagon

This was my birthday gift to Brian this year. It was either this or a cruise. And since our old tv was starting to get fine white lines at the top of the screen I thought this would be the more practical choice. It's HD. And oh, how lovely it is. We get a kick out of switching the channels back and forth from normal tv to hdtv. Here's the Phillies in hd....but LOOK....here's the Phillies in noormall tv. Ugh. How did we ever survive?!

I went to Best Buy to pick up this tv and had a minor ordeal. Since, of course, I couldn't tell Brian about the surprise, I had to go to the store alone. I pulled the car up to the front where a brawny warehouse employee came out with my tv on a dolley. However, after many attempts we soon discovered that the box was not going to fit in the car. I then had the brilliant idea to remove the tv from the box and slide it in. He then informed me that he could not help me in any way if I was going to take it out of the box. Ugh. So....in front of the store....all 105 lbs of me had to open (without a knife) the box, then lift the 40" flatscreen into my car while all the Best Buy employees stood inside watching the spectacle.

One, Geek Squad guy coming into work insisted on helping me but was quickly thwarted by one of the other employees who promptly ran out and informed him that he could NOT help. I thanked him for being SUCH a gentleman. Overall, I guess I understand why they have that policy but as a customer, is it really worth having people struggle in the front of your store while you all stand inside watching? How must *that* have looked?

Molly's First Ride

Labor Day we all went to Knobels with Brian's parents and his sister, Caren. This was Molly's first ride. And kind of scary for me as she started squirming mid-flight.

The brown have it!

I spent all of Sunday sewing a new slipcover for our futon. The old one (see above) was disgusting. I'm ashamed to say that towards the end, this is how it looked right before I'd put it in the wash (this was the worst and the final straw). Bleach could get the stains out temporarily but within a couple days they were back....with their friends. I originally made the white cover a little over a year ago to match my IKEA armchair and ottoman (which have seen better days as well). I figured after a year of washing and bleaching I finally got my money's worth and bought fabric for a new cover, a more....how should I say....chocolate milk colored cover. The top picture is the finished futon. Looks good. Now, only three more pieces of furniture to go....sigh....

Lily the Lionheart

Brian, Lily & I on 'The Scrambler' at Hersheypark. Lily was quite the fearless four-year-old, asking when she could be old enough to ride the rollercoasters. Then actually riding one (a small one with no tall hills).......though we led her to believe she was in line for this rollercoaster which she happily accepted.

Say 'Cheese Curls'!

Last Saturday my sister and I went to the lake with lily and molly. Lily was whole heartily excited about getting in the water. That is, until she saw the sea weed floating on the surface. She clung to my sister like a rhesus monkey. Molly surprisingly sat in her floaty and had a good time. This picture was taken pre-sea weed swim.

A tisket, A tasket

For a long time I thought fresh flowers were a luxury I could not afford. However, after drooling over 'Oh Happy Day's posts about flower arranging and a bit of rationalizing, I decided that (as long as they last a week and I buy the inexpensive varieties), they were something I could splurge on. I'm no florist so to the amateur arranger my bouquet must look like a tangled tot's coif but to me, any fresh flowers in the house brightens my day!

NEW!! I had a couple people ask where I bought the chandelier. However, I had something very specific in mind when I was decorating and could not find anything even close to what I was looking for. So I made it myself. The only advice I can give is how I did it. I took a regular extension cord, cut off the plug, striped the wires and hardwired it into the ceiling. I bought a ceiling plate at Lowes and screwed four eyelet screws into it so that I had something to hang the black chandelier chains from (also bought at Lowes). From the chains, I hung two 3' wreath frames together with floral wire, then finally wrapped brown christmas lights (which were the hardest to find) around the frame and plugged them into the extension cord which I hid inside the chain. Complicated? It sounds a little but to be honest it was easier than I had anticipated.

Puzzle Sandwich

I saw this on 'the crafty crow'. Isn't this the coolest idea?

New Grosgrain Post

New Grosgrain giveaway!

Lily and Molly turn 4 and 1!!!!

Lily and Molly celebrated their 4th and 1st birthdays on Saturday. Here's a photo summary of how the day went.

My beautiful friend Abi


Lily Blows out her candles.


Me wearing one the prizes.


Lily discovers her big birthday surprise.


Gracie is such a goofball!


Who will be the last balloon standing?


Watch out, Katie's at bat!


Molly opens her presents.


Lily opens My Little Pony.


What a big sister!


Molly's got to wear shades!


My matching babies.