It's how we roll . . .

Ah. Innocent, unsuspecting family members.

They all know that I do this.

And, they all hate it when it happens to them. Well, except my Dad in the last one. He doesn't seemed very fazed at all does he.







-dana

Broadway's The Lion King

Four tickets to the Broadway musical The Lion King = $200



L O N G car ride to see said musical = $50



Cotton candy = $6




Awe and wonder in daughters' eyes = priceless

So incredibly worth every penny.

-dana

Sneak peak of my first senior

This young lady was such fun to work with. Beauty and brains. If all seniors are this delightful then I want to photograph them all!

-dana

More Savannah-ness

Nana, Papa, Grandma & Grandpa time

Our trip to Savannah included bunches and bunches of family time.

Boo and Licious absolutely adore Nana.


The feeling in mutual. Their bond is a special one.


And, how about Papa? He is loved and adored equally as much. This trip was especially meaningful for me because Papa is Papa again. He was sick for many years and his most recent surgery (October 2007) has brought him back to us. To spend time with him was easy. Special. Memorable. Downright awesome.



My Dad and Step-Mom traveled to Savannah while we were there too. We don't get to see them much so having them there was wonderful. Boo and Licious got a small taste of how crazy Grandpa is and where their mother . . . er . . . uh . . . I mean their Uncle got it from!



And, Grandma, I couldn't resist sharing this photo. Makes me giggle every time I see it.



Family time rocks.

-dana

Progress

While the girls and I were in Savannah for Spring Break, Razor was here at home working on the kitchen remodel. He was oh-so-gratefully fortunate to have our buddy Blade, Blade's wife (whom perhaps needs a catchy name herself), and their daughter, NatureTot, here to help him every step of the way. Yes, you heard me right. They were here to help him every blasted day while we were gone. I KNOW! Who, I say, WHO has friends like that? Luckily, Razor does. And I do. Even though now I've started calling Blade "Sven". Have you seen that commercial where the family has Sven the Swedish live-in guy that is like their personal assistant? Sven says, "It is going to be cold today. I have knitted you a sweater." Blade = Sven. My girls have even started calling him Uncle Sven. So back to Sven's wife, shall I call her Helga?


Ok. So, we are in Savannah and the crew is here working on the kitchen. At the end of each day they would send photos of the days accomplishments.

Photos like this made me so very happy that I wasn't here with them.





And photos like this made me a little scared.




And, then photos like this made me not scared anymore.


Then, photos like this made me thank my lucky stars that I was eating shrimp instead of sanding, priming and painting.


Look at this total teaser shot. I can see it coming together a bit. I can almost get a sense of what it might be like but not quite.


This one too.



So, now we are home and I have seen the fabulous kitchen with my own two eyes and it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO GREAT!!! I will share photos of it soon. That is once it is totally tricked out with all the cabinet doors attached, trim installed and the like. I'll be spending the next several days getting the toaster out of the play room, the silverware out of the living room and the pantry items out of the mudroom. Oh, and dusting every last square inch of this entire house twice. Sven (the total Slacker) didn't dust before I came home.

-dana

Breakin' free

Lately, I've been in the greenhouse constantly. Now I'm patiently waiting for seedlings to break free from their seed coats.



And some of the plants that over wintered there have already begun to break free from their pots.



We too will be breakin' free. The girls and I are headed to Savannah, Georgia for spring break. Mom, Step-Dad, Brother and Sister-in-Law all live there. And, Dad and Step-Mom will be there for the week too. I've contemplated blogging while there but have decided to live it instead of write about it. Beach going, Low Country Boil eating, pond fishing, lounging and loving all on the agenda. Razor won't be with us because he'll be doing his own sort of breakin. . . finishing the kitchen remodel. (And in terms of the kitchen, I'm using breakin' figuratively. Let's hope anyway. Ahem.)

I'll be back in about a week with photos to share and stories to tell.

-dana

Giddy [gid-dy] adjective

Giddy [gid-dy] -adjective -- attended with or causing dizziness: a giddy climb.

That being defined I think it accurate to say that I am absolutely giddy with fabric goodness today.

I recently completed this quilt. As I say with each and every new quilt that I make, this is my favorite.



This bundle of goodness came from One Shabby Chic. I was a lucky winner in her blog giveaway a few weeks ago. She has the coolest blog . . . and more importantly the coolest life. Living in Hawaii and all. I get the feeling that she is that really cool mom at the beach that I always aspire to be. Coolest pin cushion. Greatest handmade bag. And, a yard of fabric that I have been wanting for what seems like forever. Thank you!



Twenty-two fat quarters of fabric from the new line from Jennifer Paganelli for FreeSpirit called Bell Bottom. Swoon. I'm in love. I have big plans for this thanks to Jacquie at Tallgrass Prairie Studio. She did this amazing tutorial on how to make her fabulous wonky log cabin quilt blocks. Killer blocks. So inspiring. Thanks for the illustrated lesson.



And, one fat quarter from the entire Midwest Modern line from Amy Butler.



Finally, two sets of matching thrifted sheets that will become the backing for the quilt made from the above fabric. I love using vintage sheets for quilt backs because they are so soft and due to the bit of polyester in them they are cool and slippy.



Now if I could just drag myself out of the greenhouse and sit at the sewing machine I'd be in business.

-dana

Fish for chickens

We all want some chickens. None more so than Licious. But, there is just too much going on right now to try to fortify the chicken coop and build roosting boxes and such. Next spring perhaps.

Until then we settled for these.



I tend to humanize all animal creatures. So imagine my delight when I snapped this photo of the goldfish looking right at me. I think we have really bonded. We connect on a spiritual level that fish and I. He (or is it a she) really gets me.

-dana

It's the reason you have kids afterall

The reason to have kids? To put them to work I say.

It was time to plant the potatoes, onions and carrots. We already managed the snow peas several weeks ago but these vegetables require a bit more physical labor.



Boo thought she was merely going to get to run around barefoot in the dirt again. Ha!



Licious was trying every dramatic move in the book to make us feel sorry for her. Pa -lease!



Don't give me that look.





That's better. Now your getting the idea. Take the seed potato from the bucket and drop it into the ditch. Come on now. I think you can do it faster than that girls.





What? Huh? Oh don't you worry about why I'm not helping. My work here is vital to this operation. Extremely important I tell you. Just ask your father. He'll tell you that when it comes to the vegetable garden I am indispensable. I'm the reason we even have a garden. I'm the glue that holds this whole operation together! Well I am.

Ahem. Get back to work!



That's better.

Say, can you girls go get the wheelbarrow please.



NOT THAT KIND OF WHEELBARROW!



Oh, all right. I'll be quiet now.

Love you.

So much.

-Mom