You have GOOD kids! Yes, YOU!

You know when you watch those Nanny shows (go to your NAUGHTY SPOT!), and the kids are such spitting, hitting, screaming monsters that you want to go and wake yours up from their peaceful slumber and hug them for being the perfect angels they are. Well, have I got a doozy for you.


My sister is a nanny, no, not THAT nanny. She started working for a new family with one son last week. By her own description, her 5 year old little charge is a handful - but yesterday, I called her to chat and caught her in a major crisis.


The little boy, just for kicks let's call him 'Damian', had a friend over for a playdate. They were playing in Damian's room all morning, and when they wanted lunch, my sister asked them to tidy the room first. My sister kept checking on them, and the room got worse and worse. The last time she checked on them, the room smelled distinctly like steaming fresh POOP. They both denied having an "accident", and when my sister finally got the story out of them, it went something like this:

Damian convinced his little friend that it would be fun for him to poop, and then (it gets a little fuzzy here) they could rub all of Damian's toys in it, or possibly it was that they could wipe his tush with the toys. Whichever the intention - my sister had to deal with the aftermath of legos filled with excrement! When I talked to her mid-crisis, she was about to lose it, and said she was going to quit, but last night, she had calmed down.


So go hug your great kids, who don't rub their toys in their friends poo, would ya? My sweet kids wouldn't either, and just for hoots, here's a beautiful picture of my two poo-free cherubs.

First camping trip of the season!

Why do we love camping so much? It couldn't possibly be the dirt that gets under your finger nails and stays there for days, or the eau de campfire that is so hard to wash out of your hair. It must be gourmet dinners with a hint of sand in them, the outhouses, and the sleeping bags that don't zip all the way :)


Truth be told, it's the absence of technology, the sights and smells of the outdoors, and sounds of the ocean crashing outside the tent. Most importantly, it's the quality time with the most important people. These three goofballs hold my heart in their hands, there's nothing I'd rather do than build memories of climbing tree roots on the beach with them. And the s'mores of course!





We went on our first camping trip of the season this weekend! Despite my husband's repeated pleas to buy a trailer, we are still tenters; however, our tent measures 12 x 10 feet, and our air mattress sits two feet off the ground - it's hardly roughing it! Our campsite backed out onto a greenspace, and just beyond that was the pacific ocean. Through the trees we watched the sunset on Friday and Saturday night. We spent our time at the beach and around the campfire, and in the evening, I curled up with a book instead of a glass of wine.


Camping, and my birthday are the only times I miss drinking...love you little baby in there. Oh! We heard the heartbeat on Thursday! Sweetest sound ever :) Who needs wine, anyhow?

My Budding Designer

Sydney is usually not very interested in or impressed with my designs, so I nearly keeled over when she asked me to make her a party dress for a birthday party a few weeks ago. I was super eager to do it, especially because she wanted to help design it - but the catch was, she asked me to do it at 8:00 AM, and the party was at 1:00 PM. I managed to pull it off, but was in PJ's all morning, barely stopping to eat.


Sydney picked out the fabrics from my stash all by herself and helped with the design, by choosing one she liked from my portfolio. I am excited to be able to offer this dress designed by Sydney for sale on my blog! I have enough fabric to recreate it at least once. I can recreate it in sizes 2 through 6, and the price is $80, shipping included.

UPDATE: Thank you for the interest - "Sydney's dress" is now sold!

I also listed a new capri set on eBay this morning, check it by clicking here.

I know I owe you 8 facts about me, too...I am working on it, I promise!

Reluctant Little Helpers

I have heard that there are some kids so eager to be just like mommy (or I guess daddy - but not at my house...) that they are right there to spray the windex or scrub the toilet. My kids, on the other hand, give me a polite, "No, thank you!" when I ask if they want to help mommy.





Yesterday, we bought the first corn cobs of the season - and I decided that my two non-helpers were going to be shucking the corn, and that was that! I sent them outside with vague instructions (peel the leaves and "hair off") and a wagon to hold the husks. There was quite a bit of whining to be heard drifting in the kitchen window - but after a time, husk-free corn cobs appeared in the kitchen! I was beaming with pride for them, and...I'm pretty sure they were proud of themselves, too :)


And hey, know who else I am proud of? My friend Sandi - something she made is in a magazine, and she has been interviewed on a quilting website! Check it out on her blog :)


Do you know who else I'm proud of? Why, me! I worked really hard on this new design for the BonBijou Girly launch. Check out my listing by clicking here.


I am going to try to make a second post today. *GASP* My friend Gyl has tagged me, and just like when I was a kid, I am proving to suck at this game - but I will try - I swear.

Question for the blogging moms

This one is going out to all the blogging moms out there. Faced with a day full of dishes, laundry, grocery shopping, and maybe a nerve-tingling stop at a local park, how on earth to you muster up a blog that is not so mundane it brings on tears? I'm not complaining, I am being sincere!

Today is going to be one of those days. We have a long weekend coming up, and I am faced with getting everyon'e clothes cleaned, pets ready for our absence, and countless other completely boring tasks. So what on earth can I blog about? I guess that's the challenge, huh? To find the exceptional in the every day?

What I can post about is my wonderful Mother's Day. We started the day off with a delicious brunch. The good thing about being pregnant and having brunch is that I really got my money's worth! I think I out-ate Matt. And the girls gave me such thoughtful love-filled presents. Sydney gave me a beautiful wallet she decorated with stickers and fabric pens. It was her idea, because my wallet is falling apart - so that wallet is really in my purse, and I really use it. :) Fiona made me a gorgeous green bead necklace, which I have been wearing all week. And..my husband, through an unfortunate miscommunication, gave me my present early: a bright shiny Kitchenaid! I love it! Go ahead, call me domestic. It's not as flashy as lucky Patty's present, but it'll do. Hope you all had great Mother's days, too!

Quick one - new sundress!

This is just a quick post to say I have a new sundress style listed with the fabulous Boutique Gypsies for their I Spy Launch. It was inspired by my retro kitchen cabinets, and is made from the most delicious kitschy fabrics. It is available in sizes 2 through 6, and I can only remake this design once, sorry!


Click here to see my auction.
Click here to see the all the auctions in the Boutique Gypsies launch.


And...yes, I know I have been tagged a bunch to reveal 7 fun secrets - I am meditating on those, and should have them up soon. Most of my secrets are dark and scary - not fun!! I'm kidding...no really, I am, bwa ha ha ha.

Ack - has it really been 3 weeks?

Wow - I really meant to post during the last 3 weeks, but somehow they just got away from me! Sorry to those that kept checking and finding...deafening silence!

On the design front, I have a launch with the Gypsies tomorrow inspired by my kitchen cabinets! Heehee, I'm giggling away again!! Wait until you see the dress, though - it really fits!

I'm excited to be selling some pieces on my friend Whitney's website, The Silly Wagon. They are almost up and running, you can check out her blog here.

I have received so many email asking about my cat, Oscar. Thank you so much for your concern, he is doing SO much better!! We are treating him for degenerative heart disease with beta-blockers, and he is back to himself! It's not a cure by any means, but it is a treatment and hopefully will buy him a few more years with us. I have to say it is a HOOT buying a prescription for a cat at the pharmacy!! Apparently it happens all the time, but I laughed about it all afternoon! I have to refill "Oscar (feline)'s" prescription today, so I know I am in for a giggly afternoon!

Finally, I think spring has actually sprung around here! We are spending more and more time outside just soaking up the sun (slathered in sunscreen of course). The park next door is getting alot of attention from us - we are having picnics and blowing a ridiculous amount of bubbles. It's the best!

Hope the sun is out where you are too!!