crossword puzzle week.

in honor of the last weekend of american crossword puzzle week. a tribute.
to the great crossword puzzle.

i love doing crosswords. i've done them for as long as i can remember. i used to do the one in the college paper everyday. and now. i do one every night. or. well. i try to do. one. every. night.

the new york times. crossword. to be exact. i don't always finish. they're hard. i tell you. hard. but i always try.

i have a stack of books, too. of the new york time's crossword. i prefer the ones that are edited by will shortz. the brain behind the best crosswords. and featured in the movie, wordplay.



so go ahead. test your brain today. and celebrate american crossword puzzle week.

treasure hunting.

i've been doing some thrifting. or treasure hunting. as i prefer to call it. this week.

and it was a good week. to find treasures. that is.

i'll share. my goodies.

treasures. all of them. in my mind.

a little sixties fire king bowl. perfect for some sweet peas.


some darling linens. some are hand embroidered. a little washing and they are perfect for some little dresses. i'm going to make for little one. more to come on that later.


dick and jane and homer price and a child's book of do's and don'ts.
can't beat 8/$1...


a plate made for me and for my collection. of limoges plates. with raspberries, it doesn't get any better.


and a few new souvenir plates. adding to the collection and the wall display.


and best yet. new places found to treasure hunt. and new friends to enjoy it with!

harold and the purple crayon.

i've always loved the books harold and the purple crayon.

the way harold. who just couldn't ever get to sleep. could just up and draw anywhere or anyplace he'd want to be or go. or anything he'd want to have. or anyone he'd want to see.

wouldn't that be cool? to just be able to create the exact world you wanted?

i'd love to just get out a crayon. green of course. the giving tree. to be exact. because i love green crayons the most. (although i do love the colors macaroni and cheese and purple mountains majesty. but that's mainly because of the names...)and just draw my world.

make everything just the way you'd want it to be. and if something wasn't right or didn't turn out the way you wanted it to, you'd just draw it a different way or in a different path. or if you wanted a cookie or new shoes. or a hug. you'd just draw it. just like harold did.

and harold's paths always ended up. just where he wanted to be. at home. in bed. colored in the color he loved best.



somedays i feel like harold. feel. like. i'm coloring my own. world. and i like it. just. fine.

happy inconvenience yourself day.

happy day to you.

is there anything better than waking up on the first day of lent. after you've given up sweets and added in consistent exercise for six long weeks, to the knowledge that today is inconvenience yourself day?

remember this? i guess i was a few days ahead of myself. writing about convenience and all.

but today is all about being inconvenient. so let's see. how could life get any more inconvenient?

- sick, stay-at-home littles on your one they're-both-in-school day.
- being stuck behind someone on their phone driving waaay under the speed limit when you're late for an already inconvenient appointment.
- slow baristas at my favorite coffee place.
- bank holidays when you need to bank.
- presidential speeches. that you must watch. even though you'd really like to see the shallow, mean, root-of-our-problems - people on the real housewives of nyc.
- day light savings time.
- no peanuts on airplanes.
- no more domino magazine.
- self serve gas stations. remember when you didn't have to pump your own gas?
- the economy. inconvenient right. now. inconvenient.
- running out of diapers and wipes.
- our closest jcrew closing.
- taxes.
- no baskin robbin or orange julius within any reasonable drive time. which i suppose is convenient seeing what i gave up for lent.
- facebook. so convenient, it's inconvenient. if you know what i mean.
- cancelled vacations.
- almost. overdue. library books. that i'm just now reading.
- ipods that die during a workout.
- not having a photo to post with this entry. i hate blogging without photos.
- and running out of time to continue my list of inconvenient things...

those are some of my inconveniences for the day... i should celebrate well. what are yours?

happy international pancake day.

not only is today international pancake day, here in the u.s. it is also national pancake week.
ihop is giving away free short stacks today.

if we're home. we'll be dining on some for dinner. our favorites are robby's from willie s. yum.


and while we're eating them. maybe we'll read a little of this...


enjoy the day. and don't get too much syrup on your chin!

no. martha. no.

i'll admit it. i like martha stewart. i think she has (or her people) good ideas (for the most part).

i've seen her in person thanks to my aunt tillie. i subscribe to her magazine. i read her website (frequently)

i get her daily craft ideas and cookie ideas and recipes. i get way too much from her somedays.

yesterday was one of them.

but let me clarify something.

i'm also sarcastic. very sarcastic. something not always appreciated by others. but it is what it is.

and i've recently found a show that is equal to my sarcasm. it's called whatever martha. it's a hoot. a hoot.

if you haven't seen it, you should check it out. it's hosted by martha's daughter, alexis and her friend, jennifer. the whole premise of the show. it seems. is that they take old martha episodes and rip them apart. make fun. laugh. taunt. all while drinking.

it's priceless.

and yesterday her craft idea of the day. really should end up on the show.

seriously. i love to craft. to make things. but really? who would make these? better yet, who would wear them??


behold. wool wrapped bangles.


the whole idea is to wrap leftover yarn around bangle bracelets.

really? really? is that the best they could come up with? wrapping yarn around bracelets. it seems that this is something that i would have done in girl scouts. a million. years. ago.

sorry. martha. but i don't understand. so whatever. whatever.

fashionable. and. stylish.

so the littles. have taken to picking out their clothes. well she picks her clothes. he picks his shoes. don't ask. just don't ask.

and since she is still in her "i want to be/i am a cowgirl/princess/bride/rock star mode". getting her dressed has become a big challenge lately. everything must twirl, be sparkly, be pink, be a skirt or dress - depending on her mood, be party-like, be ok to dance in, and it seems be from the wrong season (can we say bathing suit and sundress when it's 26 degrees out?). i am fighting. or maybe i've lost. this already. uphill. battle. with a five year old.

so the other day. i just threw in the towel. put on whatever you want. but it has to have long sleeves. that was my only mandate. and this is what happened.

little two ended up in flip flops. (it was 29 degrees when we left home). i'm not sure where the attitude came from.

and little one. decked herself out in her cowgirl apparel. it's hard to tell from the picture, but the skirt is western themed, she's wearing her cowgirl boots, and she has her beaded indian belt around her waist. the pink cowgirl hat came later.



he froze his little toes. but we ran fast when we were outside. and she wasn't wearing her swimming suit or her tank top.

and she said to him. "i am fashionable. but you. you are stylish."

but it's all good. because last night we watched the oscars. and she was right there with me rating the gowns and hair...maybe she has learned something?

happy birthday, george.

did you know? that today is george washington's birthday? number... 277.

i know. most people think that president's day is their birthday. but it's not.

didn't they get ripped off? not only were abraham lincoln and george washington. important. influential. and top of the heap presidents. not only. did they shape this country. have monuments built for them. change the course of history. it doesn't matter.

they don't get their own day.

they have to share.

like us ordinary people who have birthdays on christmas. or a day after valentine's day.

note to husband: it's never a good idea to combine birthday and valentine's day.

but anyways.

today is george's day. his birthday. do you think they celebrate it at the white house? like we celebrate jesus's birthday? do they cut down an apple tree in his honor? eat apple pie? wear fake wooden teeth and joke around in the oval office? eat another thanksgiving dinner (he was responsible for making thanksgiving a holiday)? i mean. really.

he is the father of our country. he led the continental army across the potomac. stood up. took a stand.

does obama and his staff celebrate? how do they honor him? it seems to me like they should. just as the scotch honor poet robert burns - by eating haggis (ugh.)

i think if i were barack. which thank god. i'm not. (in this economy? no way.) i would plan a party. take a re-inactment boat ride across the potomac. eat some apple turnovers from mcdonalds. and plant some seeds. because you know. george's official job. besides being president. was planter.

so. happy birthday to you. mr. president.

single tasking day.

so today is single tasking day. yes. single tasking day.

what exactly does that mean? i know people have been all over multi-tasking for years now.

i think multi-tasking was even recognized as a word. but i'd have to check that. to be sure.

everything is about multi-tasking. everyone talks about it. brags about how they multi-task. similar to how people talk about how busy they are...ugh. enough about multi-tasking.

let's celebrate single-tasking day.

perhaps. by what?

drinking one cup of coffee at a time while not reading and texting on my blackberry.

or not doing laundry, cooking dinner, chasing kids, dusting and vacuuming and talking on the phone all at once.

or not uploading photos, blogging, checking email and watching tv at the same time.

but by doing one thing. at a time. a focused effort on one thing at a time.

reminds me of the sign in my kitchen. simplify.

something that i'm not good at. but for today. perhaps i'll try to take it seriously.

and do one thing at a time.

cookies.

i think i've finally found "my thing". you know the thing that people always want from you. food-wise that is.

the thing they say "oh good. she's coming. she'll bring her dip. or her dessert or her martini." you know. that thing that separates you from the rest. that people look forward to. i've always wanted one. i've tried. i've had some hits and misses over the years. some that people might think are my thing. but i think it's this.

so. you ask. what is my thing? well. it's cookies. chocolate chip cookies. to be exact.

not to brag. which i don't like doing.

but i get rave reviews for them. requests for them. raves.

"what's in these? can i get the recipe? how do you make these? what do you do that makes them so special?"

i almost feel like carla, on top chef. you know. the one. that puts lots of love in her dishes. that's why she's gotten where she is. i love it. but top chef is for another post. maybe tomorrow. especially after last night. alas. this is about cookies...

i make them for my friends. take them to events. give them for gifts. i get requests for them. "i'm not feeling well, i'm sad, those would make me feel better. please? oh please??"

yesterday. i was even offered $250 for the recipe (for real!). the amount wasn't high enough. so i couldn't accept. it was a good offer though.

so. i thought. i'll share a bit of the yumminess with you...

hot out of the oven. can you smell them? and if you really want some. just ask. i'll make you some of your own. for real.

oh fabio. oh fabio. top chef fabio. wherefore art tho fabio?

i am heart broken. heart broken i tell you.

i am a big fan. no make that huge fan of top chef.

i watch it religiously. i watch the reruns. i love it.

but wednesday night. well. well. what can i say?? it's taken a day to compose myself. to regroup. to come to terms.

my favorite chef had to pack. his knives. and go. go.

go to stardom i say. i think padma and emeril and tom colicchio made a big. huge. fat. mistake.



fabio was the best. the funniest. the most interesting. his broken english. his humor. his food. he was the italian chef. ah. need i say more? really? need i?

the answer my friend.

is that we are blowing away here. just blowing away. looking forward to calmer skies tomorrow.

you know how.

sometimes. you know how this happens. your shoes just fall off of your feet. but you just keep walking to where you're going?

sometimes. that just happens.

so. you sit down. you have lunch. you bang on the table. and you get ketchup everywhere. and you also climb under the table. because. well. you know. it's really clean down there. and not the least bit gross.

and then. when you're ready to leave you get up. and start walking away from the table. with one shoe on. and one sock on.

and everyone you're with. spends a lot of time. looking for your shoe. that you seem to have misplaced. in a restaurant. because that happens. frequently. right?

certainly. it does.

so a friend. tired of looking under the table. in the next booth. in the booster seat. under the napkins that are all over the floor. decides to ask. at the front desk.

and what does she find? a shoe. one little lost shoe. found in the middle of the aisle. in a restaurant. that no one. including said mommy. noticed was missing.

one. poor. lonely. lost. shoe.

but now he has his mate back. and he's a happy shoe.

the end.

la dee da

happy birthday to me.

a little self promotion.

but it is my birthday.

thanks to the other yulie for the delicious birthday cake. can never have too many roses! and to diane for the delicious lunch and to work for more cake and suprises! so sweet. all of you.

and this candle. i had one. growing up. you would burn it down for each year. oh how i loved getting that out. on my birthday. every year. as part of the celebration. too bad they don't make them past the age of 21...



thanks to all of my friends for the good wishes.

convenience.

so. i might be dating myself with this. but it really wasn't all that long ago...and a conversation i had with a friend yesterday made me think. we seem to think that everything is so convenient now. but really. is it?

remember when you were a kid and the mailman actually delivered mail to your door? you didn't have to go to a box which you shared with everyone else on your street?

or there were was a milkman? that came to your door and delivered fresh milk in the tin box on the steps?

or. best yet. the charles chips man? potato chips and cookies delivered to your house in a tin.



i don't know anyone that delivers that kind of convenience these days. of course, we can go online and do and see just about anything or anyone we want to. we can chat overseas or across the country at all hours via video or im. we can order food online, we can bank online, pay bills online, send greeting cards online. drive through the bank and starbucks, mail a package without going to the post office, the list is endless.

but is it all that much more convenient? for some reason it doesn't seem to be.

nobody delivers potato chips or cookies to my door.

so. i think i'll take potato chips delivered to my front door over some of these other conveniences.

happy valentine's day.

to you. sweet friends of mine.

creating.

so i've been busy. getting ready for valentine's day.

one of my favorite holidays. i think because it's so simple. well sort of. but so kind of old-fashioned. it's all about sweet and cute and love. does it get better? there isn't a lot of pressure. to do tons of things. get tons of things done. meet high expectations.

but it is a good time to create. i always loved creating my valentine's box to take to school. if i do say so, i was quite often the winner of the best box. i've always loved to cut and paste. loved paper and scissors. loved valentine's parties and hearts and cupids and valentine's made of construction paper and doilies.

and i still do. so it would seem that i would scrapbook. well, i'm not much into scrapbooking. i love to look at what people create. i love to buy the stuff, but i never seem to actually get anything done. i'm better these days at writing here. and saving pictures. and telling stories with those pictures. oh, i'm plenty inspired. i suppose i'm scrapbooking in my own ramshackle kind of way.

so anyway, valentine's day is a good time to dig out that stuff. clear out the brain and come up with some creative ideas. and create.

so this is what i made for valentine's this year. for little one's class and teachers and my friends. i was inspired by some pictures i had seen on line and i took it from there. i had fun pulling this together, digging out all the names in the cereal box. styling the photo, doing the shoot, and then cutting and pasting everything... it was a bit of work. but it was fun. and i think the result was pretty darn cute. if i do say so myself. it had a little valentine's message on the back and she signed them. so sweet.



and then we also needed treats for our party. so i made a batch of frosted sugar cookie hearts. only i couldn't frost them too much. too messy for school. so i held back on the frosting for the school ones. but they were yummy despite the lack of frosting (the best part of course!).

just thinking.

i was thinking today. about the past. i guess because it is president lincoln's birthday and he seems to be making a huge popularity comeback with the new administration. which is good. for sure. but interesting.

so i did a little googling. like i like to do sometimes. about the presidents and valentine's day. and look what i found. a bit of trivia. that i wasn't aware of.

did you know, maybe you did, that teddy roosevelt's wife and mother died on the same exact day in the same house within a few hours of each other? it was valentine's day, 1884. how incredibly sad. it's no wonder that he went west after that.

and look what he wrote in his diary on that day.
i think it speaks for itself.



and i was also thinking about my best friend, the other yulie, and her dad, who past away on this day. i still clearly remember that day (as i know she does) and the days that followed. and i know, that even though it's been many years, it doesn't feel like it, that it seems as though it was just yesterday, and she will always have that hole in her heart for him. and for her i am feeling a bit of melancholy, and a bit nostalgic, but also happy that i knew him and that he blessed me with her.

someone else.

thinks it's soon to be spring, too.

look what i spied in my front yard today. little tulips starting to pop their heads out of the frosty ground.

i'm excited about this development, too.

xoxo.

i found this lovely picture on ffffound! today.

isn't just delightful? doesn't it make you wonder?

where you'd go?

what you'd do?

who you'd go with?

gone.

seems this economy is taking a toll. on many things. many. many things.

jobs. careers. homes. businesses. the list goes on. and on.

and now its hit some of my favorite things.

magazines.

it certainly comes as no surprise. i mean magazines live on their ad revenue. and ad revenue is only as good as their circulation rates and newsstand sales. these things can't be made up. i've lived in this world. loved it. but it's hard. and good stories and editorials and photos and even subscribers only go so far.

but i'm old-school. i love it when i get a new magazine. i remember when was i younger and read seventeen. do you remember your excitement when that double-or-triple thick august issue would show up in your mailbox? we would pour over it. for days. poolside. making plans and getting ideas.

it's still the same for me. i read them cover to cover. save them. reference them. buy old copies when thrifting. there's just something about holding something in your hands. reading pool or beachside or in a comfy chair at the coffee shop. the little tickle you get when you open your mailbox and find a magazine along with the obligatory bills and mish-mash. i know you can go on-line. read there. but it's just not the same. and now these are gone. even on-line.

and so now. it's time to say good bye. good bye to some dear (favorite) friends.

first it was blueprint in 2007.


then it was cottage living in 2008.


and then it was home companion in january 2009.


and now it's domino in march 2009.

eyes wide open.

that's what it says i am.

eyes wide open. even though i feel like they're half shut today...alas.

try this quiz and see what kind of creative type you are.

while i think some of it is actually pretty accurate. i don't know that it's really worth betting money on. but it's fun. nonetheless. just some mindless fun.

quiet please.

a moment of interruption. on a rather quiet and peaceful mid-february sunday.

guess what i just read?

they are a making another sex and the city movie!!!

set for a 2010 release. such sweet. mindless news!

what about you?

i know this unseasonably. warm. pre-spring weather today has me thinking it's almost. almost time. time to go get some pansies.

but. i'm going to hold off. for a few more weeks. because i'm sure mother nature has some more icky winter tricks up her sleeve.

a few more weeks. before i have to give in. and get some of their smiling faces. to brighten up my front steps.

but for now. i'll just enjoy this happy picture. and the warm temps outside.

giddyap.

so today. wow. (i still can't really get my mind around this little fact.)

was. what they call here. in the true heart of america. kindergarten round-up.

is little one really old enough to go to kindergarten next year? is this little peanut ready to be a super big girl and go to school?

am i old enough to have a kindergartner? well. ok. let's not answer that or even go there.

it was a little stunning.

walking into the elementary school. signing in. having her skip off with her "bestest friend" without even a glance back.

i love that she's so easy going. but so absorbent. she takes it all in. but enjoys herself. i've always loved that about her. i could tell from the second i saw her that she was going to be this way. i don't know how i knew. but i knew. and she is. she loves life. loves to be a part of it. and loves "kindergarten preschool" as she has started to call it. loved that they colored and played and sang songs. while we sat in too-little chairs in the library. but that was ok. i love the library.

wonders what color room she'll be in (preschool has rooms named after colors). if all her friends will be there (no. most will go to other schools.) if she goes tomorrow (no. not until fall.) if she can wear twirly dresses (somethings never change.) and if she can get a new backpack. (yes. of course.) ride her two wheeled scooter (no.)

it seemed like such a milestone for me. to have one going to school. i was a little choked up. and it was only round-up... what will i be on the first day?

again.

another reason to love target...

they've brought one of my favorite designers. orla kiely. to the masses. i love her purses. and clothes. i seem to collect them. but now, she's at target. could february get better? i told you it was better than january. by miles.


the apron? too cute. love. love. adore. the tray. so many things i could use that for. i love her fabric and patterns. so sort-of retro. so sixties. so marimmeko.


oh, the flower plates. and the bowls. you know how i am about bowls. i must get to target.

i actually got a piece of this fabulousness yesterday.



the darling storage box in aqua. the whole line was lovely. and i think i've finally decided how to rearrange my coat closet. make it organized and cool...

in.

love.

with a melamine plate.


serious. love. with a divided tray for the littles.

wouldn't a cupcake taste good on that?


and truly. how good would a latte taste in this?


i think i need to get to target.

i wasn't going to.

but.

after the news today. i felt like i couldn't keep my mouth shut any longer.

i'm sure you've heard about the woman in california. that just had octuplets. yes. that's eight kids.

eight is enough, right?

well, apparently no. she already had six at home. where she lives without a husband with her parents and has recently filed for bankruptcy. well duh.

and they're all under the age of seven.

i'm all for science and technology.

but i'm also for it. when it's used responsibly.

and this. is. completely irresponsible.

and to top it off. she wants to sell her story. despite being bankrupt. she has hired a publicist.

sounds like she has the john & kate + eight syndrome. let's sell our kids for profit.

so, here's my thought. what does claire mccaskill think of this??

she certainly has an opinion on executive compensation. and i'm sure she must have one on this, too. i'd love to hear it. i'd love to see this nuts-o woman be added to the pay limits of the recovery package they're trying to pass.

a limit on welfare and food stamps, tax breaks and free homes. tv shows and free diapers, college tuition and all the other stuff these irresponsible families expect the rest of us to cover for them.

you'd better watch out, phil.

ok. phil. enough of the funny joke.

we are done. done. with winter.

and you have to go and stick your nose out of your hole today. and see. your shadow.

why couldn't you have just slept in? weren't you tired after the steeler's win last night? didn't you overindulge? couldn't you just have stayed put?

why? why? why?

couldn't you have looked the other way? isn't that what we're supposed to do? look the other way?

and then. spring could have come. and winter could have gone. far. far. away.

thanks phil.

for ohbeehive...

who dreams of having her own moose head one day.

everytime i see one, i will think of you...and hope that you're on the right end.

it's over!

time to celebrate!

january has officially ended.

i can't be happier. i detest the month of january. always have.

it's gloomy after the sparkle of the holidays.

it's cold.

it's long.

it basically has no redeeming qualities.

and this year it was especially tough. especially.

but it's over.

and there is a light at the end of winter.

february usually seems to fly by, and anyway it's the last full month of winter so spring is on its way.

so january is gone. and it can just pack its bags and stay away until next year.