They say the best things in life are free

Ok. I know the best things in life aren't things.
But free stuff is pretty cool.

David is on a roll.
He does termite work for HUD housing.
There is always a trash pile of interesting stuff in the empty homes.
He pulled this out knowing I would like it.
I think I officially have a collection now.
This little gray guy makes vintage fan #2.

The key was another trash pile find.
We were browsing Anthropologie while on a date this weekend, and
they had a bowl of (smaller --less cool) keys for sale.
$12.95 a piece.
We took it as confirmation of coolness.

On that same date, we wondered into Williams-Sonoma.

I pointed out the little french tumblers I wanted to buy to replace our

(broken and cracked) everyday glasses.

David said a bar that he services, changed out their glassware and

there was a box of extras.

Sure enough, a box of 30 was delivered to my door...

free!

This last little treasure wasn't entirely free.

But it is an old refrigerator drawer that I spied on craigslist for $10.

And probably because I have an obsession with labels...I think it is so cool.

In my dream pantry it can hold potatoes and onions.

But right now it sits on my island and makes me happy.

Sometimes I wish I had more money for home decoration.

(ok, I wish that a lot lately)

But when I look around my house,

it's the pieces like these that make me smile.

They have a story.

A memory is attached.

They make it home-y.

Ro-bino-ro-botto-ro-baby

crawling.

drooling.

pat-a-cake-ing.

He's so much work when he's awake,

but I miss him like crazy when he is sleeping.

And that right there is the funniest thing about motherhood.

Birthday Boys

Born 24 years and 8 days apart.

Last night we had our family over to celebrate the birthdays of these two guys.

If you can even imagine how exciting it was for little guy to blow out candles with his dad!

They each had a dessert request. David's had fruit of course, in the form of fruit pizza.

And Zachary kept changing his order daily until he finally arrived on vanilla cake-chocolate icing-blue "Z" on top.

David is 29.

It's an exciting year. He's done a lot in his 20s.

I'm sure he's got a few more things to accomplish in this decade.

Zachary is (almost) 5.

That is a big number.

It makes me happy, (and a little wistful) to think about it.

So for tonight and a few more nights...he's still 4.

:)

A little dose of us.

It was nap time and Zach was the first one up. I was cleaning and he wanted to help. Must have been the way that the sun poked out from behind the week of clouds, or the fact that it was comfortably quiet and nice to be in a room with my first born...just us...again. But I looked over at him, perched on his chair washing dishes at the sink, and my heart surged. Such a great age, he's such a kind-hearted boy. I asked if I could snap his picture when he was done, and darn it, I forgot to turn down the ISO, but I love this one. It's his natural smile, his just woke up sleepy face. Oh my, he will always be my little boy.
***
***
Let's switch gears.
I can't make this stuff up.
Last week Zach and Lily came running and screaming into my room,
"Lily just peed a Bambi!" they exclaimed.
"WHaT are you talking about?" I said.
"She peed a Bambi, come here, come here!"
And as I followed them down the hall I mentioned that we didn't even HAVE any Bambi toys.
But sure enough, as I got to their room, there was the pee spot, the perfect little Bambi with four legs, and even a head with small ears. I just stood in the doorway stifling giggles as they jumped around the masterpiece. I told David about it later, and the first thing he said was, "Did you take a picture!?"
Well, um, no. I was too busy cleaning it up.
So he will be excited tonight.
Because it happened again.
Except this time they yelled,
"She peed a turtle!"


And sure enough.
She did.

You know, Lily got an art easel for Christmas because we noticed she loved to draw and color, and seemed to exhibit lots of skill for her age. Little did I know her artful soul would choose to manifest itself in this way.

I'm all for encouraging your children's natural talents, I just hope she decides to change her medium soon.

Real soon.

the following post was brought to you by "36 hours in the car" which actually, was surprisingly enjoyable

We're home after spending a week in Provo. A little business, mostly pleasure.
I haven't been been back since I graduated in 2003. The campus is looking beautiful again (there was a gaping hole when I left) and Kevin gave us a sweet tour of the student athlete building.
Being in Provo just makes me giddy. So many good memories. I will be forever grateful for the impact attending that fine college had (continues to have) on my life. I toured the gallery on the 2nd floor of the new JFSB, and I thought about how wonderful it is that amidst the studying and stress, BYU provides places for enlightenment almost everywhere you look.

Of course I had to take the kids to the Bean Science Museum. That cheesy (some might say creepy) place is so totally awesome. They loved it. Of course.


Zach and Lily are into dinosaurs right now. We watched a 3-d movie in the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point. Miss Lily was cracking me up. She didn't move an INCH once that movie started. She sat there with her glasses on and every so often when a small fish would swim by (the glasses made them look very close) I could see her little hand reach out to try and touch it. Magical.

Mostly, this trip reminded me of all the good people in our lives. Our gracious hosts were Ashley and Kevin, we ate dinner with David's former boss in Midway, and we were able to catch up with our Houston friends who were home for the holidays or have moved back. (thanks Christy for the picture)

Really, I think that is the secret to Provo. At some point you realise it's the people you're with that make it so great.

December 31, 2009

Me.

Scouting a spot for our family photo.

Or, as it turns out, watching one of the last sunsets of 2009.
***

I've been reflecting on this year. It's been a big one. But then again, I feel that way about each year of my life.

***

All I remember about January is that it was a month full of late nights and business plans. We were squeezed into our tiny apartment and most everything we owned was shoved into a garage. But the weather in Houston was beautiful, and many days it was literally what kept me going.

***

In February we said good-by to our Millenia. I was sad to give up my sporty black car with the sun roof and "cool factor". I parked next to a mirrored building in our new family vehicle and my reflection surprised me. I was 27, very pregnant and wearing a velour jumpsuit, with two little kids, getting out of a Pilot. I remember thinking, "oh my...who AM I?"

***

In March we took the plunge. David quit his job, we moved to Kansas City and opened shop. I was too excited to be home, too tired of stressing the "what ifs", and too pregnant to care about the details.

***

April. Roman James Painter. Most definitely the best thing about 2009. He was 3 weeks early. Which meant that it took me May, June, July, and August to recover, unpack and get into my mother groove. David was working all.the.time. Most nights not home until 9 or 10pm.

***

September granted us more time together, and bolstered us with a little confidence. I think we were getting the hang of living with all the changes.

***

And then the holiday season. Pumpkins, falling leaves, turkey dinners, family togetherness, snow, Christmas music and hot chocolate.

***

365 days. I like the rhythm of life. This is a brief and flippant summary, but lurking in between the words are big life lessons. I'm grateful to be learning them, painful and joyful combined.

A Merry Christmas

It really was the merriest of days.

This year we awoke in our own home, which was so delightfully fun.

David remembered with a start that he had forgotten to move our elf Essa.

He tried to sneak downstairs without waking the kids.

But as he passed their room Lily sat straight up and in a groggy voice,

and pointing her finger toward her dad said,
"You tell me if Santa left presents down there!"

And then they were both awake.

Hopping up and down at the top of the stairs.

As they got to the bottom and saw the tree,

we heard Zach say in his adorable 4-year old voice,
"Well, I guess we weren't on the naughty list!"

What a glorious time of year.

I was so happy to fulfill their simple and sweet Christmas wishes

(hotwheels and a watch that glows!)
I love my husband and my three precious children. They are my joy.

They are the best kind of Christmas gift.