Spring Has Broken

I know it is old news now, but before Spring's first hurrah, we had a touch of winter's last hurrah: snow. Giant fluffy flakes that didn't immediately melt upon landing and lasted all day. Tiny snowmen sprung up all over town. [double-click the pic to see the flakes. otherwise this picture is entirely unimpressive snow-wise, I know.]

And then Spring Break was upon us and we celebrated at the Kite Festival (mere days following the snow, I got a tiny sunburn...)

Here's Smith's vintage 1970s kite.

The boys working the strings.

And then we embarked on the *perfect* camping trip. It was not crowded. It wasn't too far away. The days were warm, in the upper 60s. The nights were cool, in the 40s. We remembered all the fixings for s'mores. There were no bugs. No fire ants. No rain or flash floods. No trips to the ER. No rocks under the tent. We could see stars. We could hear the rush of the river below.

We have a new thing in our house.
Those who know us well are really tired of me talking about the sofa because:
a) we are indecisive. (should we get the current one recovered or buy new?)
b) we are spending adverse. (this will make 6 posts in that category)
c) I'm married to an architect. Whereas for most couples there is usually only ONE person who has a strong opinion about things like upholstery, we have two. So there has been a lot of time going to look at them and then sit on them and fingering fabrics. and not coming to an agreement.

so we've been talking about it for at least the last 4 years. Even my mom was astonished when I told her. She doesn't say "Oh...my...gawd" very often.


But our old dear finally bust a seam and was spilling her guts. Here she is in better days.

Not one to let things go (see our walk-in closet) we threw a blanket over her and retired her upstairs to the reading nook. I guess that's the "old folks home" for furniture. Maybe someday she'll get a new coat.  In the meantime, we lounge on this lovely.

She looks so non-chalent, so perfectly matched, that you almost don't notice her.

I suddenly feel like a cat will be landing on our cosmic doorstep before long. this sofa looks too pristine....

Books from People

I love to read, but I don't often buy books (yet have untold hundreds on the shelves.) The library is a fabulous idea, but I get overwhelmed. I wish there was a netflix for books, because when I walk into a library or a bookstore the few books I was hoping to look for fly out of my head and I'm lured in by pretty covers. I walk out with nothing.

It is purely by the grace of my friends that I read anything worthwhile. I thank Sinda for introducing me to Laurie King and Jasper Fford, and by way of Lisa, Dorothy Sayers. Just recently I opened a box from far-flung Lisa with books (and a bird because apparently I am drawn to bird objects) inside.



Isn't she the swellest? I thought of her as I went to Recycled Reads today (the second store for the Austin Public Library.) I was scouting out some world book encyclopedias for $100. Apparently another parent at school beat me to it. But the store was LOVELY! SPACIOUS! and it's price point was right up my alley: $2 for hardback and $1 for paperbacks. I walked out with another Dorothy Sayers.

The Olympics, being Amish, and the best play on words I've ever seen from a 5 year old

Like the rest of the world, we have Olympic fever. The boys sailed up in their "boats" to get front row seats to the opening ceremony:



You may notice something funny about the TV? Yeah, well, that wasn't any photoshop trickery, that there is just a plain old TV set. Usually? we don't watch TV. We rent from netflix and watch on the laptop all cozied up in bed. Saturday mornings might get the occasional viewing of the Biscuit Brothers. But it wasn't until the Olympics that we realized what a sad sad state our TV is in. And this is our "upgrade" from the 12 inch. Our being "behind the times" sometimes gets us the moniker of being Amish (hey - that's an easy group to slander on the internet, huh?) Guilty. I still remember the cable guy in Vancouver coming in and taking one look at our meager set and remarking - "I guess I won't be talking you into a dish..."


And one funny from our summer - it's "Fire Chief! (get it?! maybe you can't see the fringe well enough to "see" the native american-esqueness of it?) and his sidekick fireman!

Month End

January is drawing to a close. It has been a blur. Is it just me? Back from the holidays and then BOOM! It's February. But it has also been productive. (You should see what my christmas gift label maker has been up to in my house! Spices! Laundry room bins! Next stop linen closet?!) To recap:

We were in Angel Fire. Here are the boys enjoying some NanaCakes baked in a VINTAGE easy bake oven.





Nbear went to ski school. Jbird got a taste of snow.



Watching the chair lifts at the ski slopes (I swear they were having more fun than me.)



A lesson of Near and Far... or The Holts, they are a squinty folk




We were in Longmont, CO, visiting Lisa & family. Here is Smith entertaining the children (he's the one in the blue tube...)



Here's J at the very end of his "going for a walk" rope



Foolin' with Lisa's macro lens, 'cause she's all camera-girl-geek now



Then there was a 5th birthday for Nbear. (photos of which are still on the camera.) And Aunt Alex & Uncle Thom came in from the windy city to enjoy our 30 degree weather. A refreshing change from the single digits they said...

I reorganized the laundry room (again) after the complete collapse of a shelving unit on one wall rendered the room an utter pit of despair beyond its usual status of utter pit of despair.

I bought some jeans. Write this one down folks as the last pair of jeans that I actually purchased (Sinda passing on jeans to me doesn't count) was 5 years ago, after Noah was born.

I have succumbed to Sinda's meal planning doctrine; where one actually plans the meals they are going to make BEFORE going to the store. It is changing my life.

And speaking of changing my life, I also reflected on the positive changes in my life from last year at this time. And it feels like most of those changes are going to stick. It's not just a fluke. (and that's good! except for the fact that zero christmas cards got sent. not even to my mother! yeesh.) 2008 has lots of room left for improvement! (someone nudge me in August to get on those Christmas cards. Honestly.)

Sometimes I feel like a REAL grown-up

I finally accomplished the major feat of getting slipcovers for our dining room chairs. There was the difficulties with size, pre-made or custom? fabric offerings out the ying yang and then my general level of being overburden with indecision (and spending a wad of moolah.)

Long story short, our chairs are now safe from the spills, wipes and forays of youth and food. I can just throw these hummers in the washer and poof! like new!

Ain't they purty? (I couldn't decide on the picture, so you get to see all of them and a clean dining room to boot.)

More Happy Birthday To Me

Sometimes it pays to procrastinate.

I have been eyeballing several items in the Boden catalog since, oh, my back went out in January and I stared at nothing but the Boden catalog (I also knitted part of a scarf.) And when ye olde birthday rolled around, I eyeballed some more. And then I had some income from a freelance job and so I said okay! now I will buy! And then I got busy. My shopping cart remained up on my screen for countless days. But TONIGHT, tonight, after J had a terrible time falling asleep, I stumbled up the stairs at the late hour that it is to purchase said items.

to discover that everything was on super sale.

"I saved myself $200 tonight!" I exclaim to Smith who returns a wary stare... "saved?" he says with sarcasm. I hear the echo of my father in that remark.

I should also point out that I stumbled up the stairs to my lovely new birthday present from Smith, all nicely installed and up and running. (except Firefox darnit, so my hotlinks are a no go with safari.) I admit that at first glance, the practical side of me piped up loudly and said "Whoa! We don't need this! We could really use a XXX instead!" (feel free to fill in the blank here with "a refridgerator" or "new plumbing" because I certainly did.) Which, when said out loud, is the best reason NOT to get those things as my birthday present. Smith got me something indulgent (better than diamonds) something personal (better than perfume) something I will use every day (better than that fridge) and something that is all mine.

Thank you sweetie, from the bottom of my IMAC-loving heart.