Sunday, February 21, 2010

Chair-a-licious

Chair.  It is one word.  One beautiful word.  I like to say it - a lot.  I like to look at them - a lot.  I like to imagine them, touch them, walk around them, sit in them, think about them, push them around and covet them.

I. Am. Obsessed.

Truly.

Mock me - it's all been done before. 

For example:  Moving into a 1 bedroom apartment as a grad student, my brother's friends helping, one of them commenting, loudly, "how are there more chairs to bring in?  How many f*cking chairs do you need?  I see one a$$.  One a$$, one chair.  I'm not carrying in anymore f*cking chairs!"  Ah, but he did carry another one of my chairs, and promptly set it in front of the dumpster.  I hope that it found a good home - it was a very clean lined, mid-century modern, low seat, high back chair.  Not an Eames or anything, but truly lovely and comfortable - and living a happy life somewhere, I am sure :)

Now I have something new to dream about.  A chair with this:
 
The room this chair is shown in is kind of icky faux finished feminine California I-have-too-much-money-so-I-hired-a-designer-to-get-my-house-featured-in-an-American-magazine version of "Tuscan"style - I'm surprised the wood isn't white washed...  jealous much (?)  perhaps....  NOT.  Except, of course, for the back of this chair.  I do not want this chair, but I do want this oh so lovely back of the chair to live somewhere in my house.  It is a beyond gorgeous gown worn to an everyday picnic, where bare feet were eventually the only accessory needed.  Or at the midnight dinner and champagne in front of a fire after an evening at the opera in Prague (again bare feet the only accessory needed).  Love.  It.  So.  Much!

I think I need to take a breath and just dream of my little chair - it's easy to get chairried away - oui?

bwyl  *SherryQ*

Friday, February 19, 2010

Manners and a Party!



Benjamin and his ride...  it's how all of the cool toddlers are getting around these days.  It really cuts down on the commute time from the bedroom to the kitchen (stupid D.C. traffic!).  
The placemat is being used!  Benjamin took it to the table and began placing the items on top - so, of course I grabbed the camera - I tried to be really unobtrusive, just to see what he might do on his own - and this is what he came up with!!!  I know - hardly a sign of genius at work, but still, SO CUTE for momma!  Oh, the hat?  Yeah, I was taking back out his little bag of baby clothes to narrow down the "must save" items, and Benjamin saw this hat and immediately latched onto it.  By latched on, I mean, he is now crying for the hat, wants to wear it all of the time, and takes great pride in being able to put it on, take it off, and watch the dog run around with it, then reclaim it with pupper goop on it and reapply to his own head (yuck!)...  crazy toddler!

After fixing his placemat, the baking soda wars began...
 
And painting another morning...
 
  
Just being his own self with a yogurty face :)
Yeah - we wear that shirt a lot - it's from his big boy cousin, Aidan!

Benjamin has been doing some other big boy stuff...
Benjamin's friend, Gerrik, turned 2 (WOO HOO!!!) and had a lovely construction hat cuppy cake party!
 
Adorable mommies and babies!


zip-zip-zooooooom is how it goes in toddler world!


I think that Cadia Rose enjoys cuppy cakes!


The birthday boy appropriately devours his happy birthday delight!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GERRIK!


Mommies discussing important things whilst toddlers are contained by tasty treats!

The birthday party was super relaxing and cute  - we were so glad to see everyone and Benjamin had a great time ;)

 
And speaking of big boy things - Momma, seriously, I'm not sure how much more clear I can be about the signals that I am ready to start using the potty!!!

bwyl  *SherryQ*   xo



Monday, February 15, 2010

The Works

A belated, "Happy Valentine's Day," to you! 

What we did:  Fried eggs breakfast, Octavio gave me some beautiful roses, left for the mall to curb some cabin fever, ended up at Paradise of Fun (uh - not what you're thinking, we went there with our sweet little mister!), and Barnes and Noble, followed by a turkey reuben on a rice wrap from the Common Market, and home to nap - for 20 minutes! 

No joke.  20 Freakin' minutes was all he wrote yesterday.  By 4 p.m. it was melt down central at this house until the little mister finally just tuckered out at 7:30 p.m.  w-h-e-w  What a day!

And how many times have we read these so far...
 
  
If you guessed, "a bazillion," you are probably getting close ;)  Because Benjamin now loves to say, "bippo," for another one of his favorite youtube videos, courtesy of Big Papi...  he LOVES reading the hippo book and all of the kissing (of course) and all of the, "I love you," 's from Todd Parr are a big hit as well ;)


Finally!  And, finally able to be used....
I decided against binding the edges, and just tucked the bottom edges in and straight stiched - the (ahem) rustic stitching wanted to keep the whole project very simple.  Benjamin is having a great time setting his own place and pretending in his kitchen area.  If I can get a good snapshot of him using the placemat, I'll be sure and post ;)

Our new endeavor is to contain the puzzles pieces.  I don't remember which blogger made puzzle bags a few months back, but I am SO copying them for these lovelies:




btw - I did not install the batteries for sound on the puzzles, and will not because I enjoy imagination and will resist, for as long as I am able to, the urge for battery supplied entertainment - in great opposition to my family and husband, but, please remember that I do have a reputation to protect - or is it project...?  ;)

The bags are cut, and being pieced with the liner, which I decided was just going to be the same fabric just turned sideways.  My plan is to have them just pull close with drawstring rope...  we'll see how that progresses...  and then put up command hooks for them to be stored on the wall in the kitchen area near the table.

I think that the little Mister will get a kick out of the bags! :) 

Any other ideas?

Keep warm and safe!  The snow is starting to fall again...

bwyl  *SherryQ* xo

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Coming Home

Concentrating on the happiness in my little family today as this will be the first time I am missing my sweet puffin's (the original puffin!) very happy birthday party.  She's turning five and having a blast at JoAnn fabric with all of her friends!  Looks like watching puffins grow up truly is bittersweet...
 
Tana at 4 months with GDad

 
Tana last month in Puerto Rico

 Quick topic change before I melt into tears (too late!)...

What is it about going to the bulk bins, writing the plu# on the twistie, then coming home and putting all of your goodies into jars and cannisters, that is so lovely and satisfying?


And now I get to use it all up making yummy stuff for my family to eat - and maybe some new momma's too!

bwyl  *SherryQ*  xo

Friday, February 12, 2010

Time to clean it up...

After the snow had a day to pack itself down, and the sunshine came out, we headed to the great outdoors to begin another snowy clean-up.

After my attempt at running myself over with the snowblower, Octavio thought he might give it a try himself...
 
Just like a pan of cut marshmallows! 

 
Thar he blows!
  
s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g...  I cannot reach you, little shed!

 
Trying to figure out how to get the cold wet snow off of his mittens

 
AHHHH!  Help me, Momma!

 Snowbanked Benjamin!

 
Feeling groovy!
note:  I was too afraid to step back and give perspective on how high into the bank he is.
About 5ft. or so off of the ground 

 
Throwing his own self into the stack at the edge of the driveway
and eating snow
 
Octavio cutting marshmallows
That doesn't sound nice (?) but it is a pretty view!

 
Benjamin running up and down in the little path
We couldn't get all of the snow with one pass - it was too deep

 
Hello, baby bear!

 
Snow panted toddler

 
Octavio working hard
 
What? Is it SO wrong to expect everyone to help?!!? 

Octavio is headed back outside now, while Benjamin is sleeping, to use the heavy metal shovel and break up some of the ice.  What will we do when real life returns, and Octavio is back at work everyday?  Little Mister is going to miss his Big Papi!  For some reason, I suspect that Octavio is looking forward to the return...  no one else around here seems all that concerned about Spring Training, although we do find PTI amusing.  Benjamin feels a bond with Tony K.

I think that we will venture out tomorrow - more snow is forecast for Monday.  Keep well, everyone!  This is one thrilling winter season, for sure! :)

bwyl  *SherryQ*  xo

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Snowpocalypse - you know you want more photos of this!

Hello.

An unprecendented, historical (and hysterical) amount of snow has fallen (and continues to fall at the writing of this) in our area.

At the onset, five days ago, we did lose power overnight for about 6 hours.  Although a little chilly, we were just fine and at about 9:20 a.m. we regained power, and have been most fortunate since then - Huzzah, Allegheny Power!!!  I hope that I did not just curse us, as we are in the middle of another thundersnow blizzard storm thing.

 
Getting ready to grab some logs - it will be a chore!

 
Because this is what Snowpocalypse pt.1 left with us

 
And this is where the logs are - way out there in the middle of the photo
Past the gate that cannot be opened because of the snow

 
Poor puppers is confused and does not appreciate the trail Big Papi dug out for him
btw - that is the top of a lawn chair on the right - the rest is underneath the snow

 
Do you see him back there?  That's Big Papi!  
He dug his way from the basement door, up the hill and to the logs!

 
Zooming in on Octavio - blizzard swirling, good effect!

 
This kind of igloo is better suited to us - bears included!
  
hut, hut, hut, hut, 19, 19, 19 months old!!!

 
Poor sweet puppers!

 
Just in case, he went out later for more logs - snow up to his hips!

 
Later on, we conspired... to use the snowblower!
Snow taller than our baby bear

 
It is evening now bc it took me a while to get the hang of the snowblower

I accidentally backed myself into a snowbank.  Used the snowblower to steady myself.  After a second or two of disorientation as I kept squinching further into the bank and falling, I released the stupid snowblower power handle, since it was the instigator in pushing me back into the snowbank.  Well played revenge, snow, well played.  My neck hurts.


 
into the garage for a cleaning - naughty snowblower!

 
snowscape

 
oh! icicles!

 
One lane on the road finally plowed, and my front driveway is almost revealed!

 
Big Papi takes Forest for a walk

 
Someone was not invited this time :(

 
That's ok - Big Papi took us out for a long time the next day!

 
Clearing off as much energies, snow and ice as we can before round two

 
Yup - more soft snow begins to fall ...

 
Uh-oh, did I say, "soft snow?"  Another trip for logs... 
This time, even more difficult!

 
Blizzardy - Take good care, soldiers! 

 
I think that he blames us 

 
Same chair - now completely covered...
That's an 86 lb dog!

 
Logs, logs, logs - poor Octavio had to double over in the wind!
 
Dudes - it's like snowing and stuff

 
hello, little snowy shed!

 
hello, snowed in grill!

 
hello, fence!  Fence?!!?  FENCE?

 
Wow - Nature is AMAZING

 
Just Amazing!

 
Maybe a little too amazing?  Uhh - anyone seen my fence?
 
How about my driveway?  The road?  Anyone?

 
Forget it - we're watching The Duck Song!

Hey, got any grapes?  Yes, because we went to COSTCO yesterday at 9:30 a.m. :)

Keep safe and warm and snuggly!  The worst of the wind is coming through now - hope to catch you on the other side...

bwyl  *SherryQ* xo