Good Things

Time sure has been flying by. I thought it would be easy to find a moment to post everyday. Well, I was wrong about that. However, there have been a few different things I have wanted to say and share, so this post is just a compilation of those random bits of goodness.

This is where we’ve been…Last month we escaped the cold up north and headed south, to this funky colored (in a Dr. Seuss sort of way) place. It was like leaving a black and white world for one of color. Sure felt good to be warm. This is where we are going…We are headed to the Lake this weekend, our favorite summertime hangout. The water will still be too cold to swim, but the sandy beach will keep us entertained. And of course, there will be yummy raspberry milkshakes. Can’t wait.

A bargain…I found this quilted throw at TJ Maxx for $10. You can’t even buy the fabric to make a quilt for that price, not to mention the time it takes to put it all together (although I do like the whole putting together process). The colors are some of my current favorites (aqua blues and apple green) - reminds me of summer.

A new project…I love looking for old furniture on the local online classifieds. This dresser is my latest find. I think it has good bones – beautiful detail and I love the handles. This one I am going to keep for myself and use to store all my scrapbooking and sewing stuff. I am thinking distressed turquoise. :)

A good read...I just finished the 5th Maisie Dobbs novel, An Incomplete Revenge. I was first introduced to the series at book club, and became an instant fan. The main character is a heroine to admire. Intellectually stimulating, entertaining and clean (kind of hard to come by). Best if read in order.

And last (but best of all)...

A couple of silly boys. Caught them spiking their hair in the bathroom and just had to grab my camera. Well they thought I was going to take a picture of them undressed and went running. A chase ensued and this pic was snapped when I had them cornered behind a bedroom door.

And two sweet girls. They have something in one another that I never had... a sister. Already I am seeing what a beautiful thing it will be.

Look who just turned 3

Happy Birthday!

You are one "awshum" little dude.

I wasn't going to post this picture, because of the embarassingly pathetic birthday cake. However, it is pretty obvious that he was oblivious to my lack of cake decorating skills - the boy only saw CHOCOLATE. Love this kid!!

I'm dreaming of a white farmhouse...

I have a problem. Actually, I think it is a genetic predisposition. I suffer from habitual house-hunter-itis (& I’m not talking about the show on HGTV). I am always looking at houses, and not just casually, I like to imagine myself living in them. I will email pictures of my latest find to my husband at work and haul the kids around in our minivan to look at them. It all started when I was a little girl and would spend hours flipping through my architect dad’s stacks of house plan magazines. Eventually I discovered model homes and all the fun of taking the tour. Now it has evolved into searching for real estate online, always looking for the bargain dream home that somehow has been overlooked and would be absolutely perfect. I don’t know why I do this, but I seriously think it has something to do with the fact that my parents were the same way – constantly talking about moving, my dad always drawing up house plans, and yet the big move eluded them until after we were all raised. These days, I’ll be driving somewhere with my kids and I’ll hear a little voice from behind me say, “Look at that pretty house, mom”. The next victims of this consuming disorder are in the back seat, and it is not too late to save them. It is finally time to kick this habit and break the cycle. I will always like looking at houses, but I don’t want to go through life constantly daydreaming about something better, when I already have something great. I like our home, and for now I know this is where we need to be. And then this delicious little bit of junk-mail arrives. If I could find a beauty house like this with the big front porch and wooded lot, we’d be outta here (I've got a major thing for white farmhouses with the big red barn out back)! You see, I’m hopeless. Sigh.

Blessed

A Little bit about a little dress…

Last month we blessed our baby. Her middle name is Ruth, after her paternal grandmother. For her blessing, she was able to wear the same dress we believe her grandma Ruth wore 60 years ago when she herself was blessed. The dress was made by Ruth’s maternal grandmother Mayme (her great, great grandmother). It was so delicate and beautiful, with embroidery and crocheted lace along the bottom. What a treasure! I could not have found or made a more meaningful blessing dress. Ruth made a sweet little slip and crocheted a headband to match. The top picture is of Ruth dressing her little namesake on her blessing day.

Here are a few more goodies made for our blessed little one. The first is a charm square quilt made by my mom - very retro and fun (Moda’s London Lawns II). Love it!

The pretty purple and pink striped afghan was made by my mother-in-law. The white afghan with the pink stripe was made by husband's grandmother (Mayme's daughter).

The last one is the crib quilt I made to match her room, mostly from lavender and aqua fabrics in my stash (you gotta love the stash).

That's a whole lot of nesting for one little chickadee!

Merry, Merry Month of May

Here’s what’s blooming on the farm – AKA our ¼ acre slice of suburbia pie: Golden Delicious Apple, Sand Cherry, Kwanzan Cherry, Bechtel Crabapple, Prairiefire Crabapple (my personal favorite), and chives (who knew garnishment could look so grand). Click on the pictures to really see these beauties up close and personal. I just LOVE this time of year!

You go girl!

By Jove, I think she's got it.

Mother's Day

The kids were very charming on Mother's Day. They showered me with treasures they found around the house and yard. Our oldest son(8) picked a lovely bouquet of tulips. Daughter (6) generously offered the gift of 2 pennies (she has been saving all the loose change she can find to buy a pegasus toy - so it really was generous). Our little guy (almost 3) chose yellow marigolds all by himself. And lil' sis (3 months), well just the fact that she is here is gift enough. My husband was awesome too. I am such a lucky girl!

Me and my Big Idea Book

Today I came across one of my favorite notebooks and it inspired a moment of thoughtfulness. In college I changed majors a lot: English, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Horticulture and finally earned a B.S. degree in Geography (emphasis on Cartographic Design and City Planning). This chain of major switching says a lot about me – I like a little of everything, especially if it involves a creative process and design. These days, if the baby is napping real well (and I am not completely wiped out) I might ignore the pile of laundry that needs to be folded and enjoy some me time. I like to to sew, quilt, take pictures, garden and just about any other crafty thing to help feather the nest. I am not excellent at any of it, but I LOVE doing it all. Keeps the mental juices flowing, and more importantly, makes me happy. This little notebook is where I jot down most of my project ideas. It’s my playbook. Over the years, I have had a few different versions, and I treasure them the way I treasure my journals of old. Seeing all these ideas in print is making fingers feel itchy - it's time for some creative therapy.

Maybe not. Baby is crying, 2 year old climbing on my lap... perhaps tomorrow.

Let the Blogging Begin

I am going to share with you a tidbit of information that will let you know just how out of touch with the world I truly am: I recently discovered blogs. Recently, meaning just barely within the last month or so. I have been so consumed with motherhood, and the accompanying fog of sleep deprivation and mommy madness, that I have literally been oblivious to the super cool blogging world. From my limited experience with blog hopping I have come across blogs created by amazing people – even crazy, busy moms like me. I am hoping that by taking a few moments to write down my thoughts every so often I will be more motivated to seek out the magical in the monotonous and mundane, and that through recording the little details, I will REMEMBER.

Who am I?

Natalie, the hideaway girl.

Someone who is more comfortable with my photograph on the back page. It's not that I'm shy, I just don't want to see myself every time I'm playing around on the blog.

I am married to a hard working (blog shy) man who makes me laugh every day, and am the lucky stay at home mom of 4 active little humans ages 1-10. Someday it feels like I am always at home. Most days I am cool with that. We're kind of loud & crazy when we are in public. I have a degree in Geography, and once upon a time, before taking on diapering duty full time, worked as a city planner. I love my family & friends, flowers, fabric, furniture (especially the old, in need of a makeover kind), and farmhouses - I wish I lived in one. Perhaps someday. I find the use of alliteration to be tacky (I am what I am). And...I like to make things.

*updated 1/2010