My Preppy Purse

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T14:39:00.002-05:00

Snow Day

2010-02-09T19:20:00.002-05:00

School is closed... again.

Federal Government employees in the Washington DC have off again on Wednesday. That's 3 days in a row!

Snow is coming down thick and heavy but we are all tucked in, nice and cozy.

Stay warm everyone.

win a Janome!

2010-02-04T07:05:00.002-05:00

Guess what? I know I said I wasn't going to be blogging that much but I've got something to share. For you creative types, there is a new website, The DIY Dish, that offers advice on DIY projects in sewing, crafting, scrapbooking, home decor, kid projects, machine embroidery, hand embroidery, and more!

Here's how to win one of these awesome Janome machines. Go to The DIY Dish and follow the instructions here.

Here are the goods;

Janome 350e EMBROIDERY machine

Janome DC4030 Sewing Machine

2010

2010-02-04T06:54:00.002-05:00

okay, I have been sooo bad with blogging.
My dear friends, I have been busy. Busy with the kids. their schools. Daisy Troop. PTO. my house. work. my friends. crafts. sewing. quilting. photography. digital scrapbooking. and so much more.

My unofficial resolution for this year is to get back into blogging... by 2011. Sorry. I am just going to focus on the above things for a while and when I feel like I'm "caught up", I'll get back to it. It can happen. I used to feel like I could do it all but in the past year or so I've slipped on a lot of the things that are important to me. I think I've missed every single birthday of everyone I care about. I hate that I didn't send cards in time. I mean really, how hard is it? I do place blame on the fact that my birthday calendar was wiped out and I'm trying to cobble it together from emails, facebook, notes and old calendars. So if yours was one I missed, be assured I thought of you and am so sorry I didn't express it to you with a card. In fact, when I get caught up, maybe all my cards will be handmade! Yeah, you're right, that's quite a stretch.

Well, this has been enjoyable but I've got to go pack school lunches and make breakfast for the crew. We've had teacher workdays and snow days all this week and I don't want them to be one minute late for school today. Especially since it may well be only today and tomorrow and then we'll be stuck in the house again this weekend and early next week.

how cool is this?

2009-08-13T13:51:00.001-04:00

oh no

2009-08-03T14:26:00.003-04:00

it's happened. my oldest dd (who just turned 6!) asked me how mommies get their tummies put back together after they have a baby.

i ignored her long enough until she lost interest and went to go color. despite the fact that i want to be honest and straightforward with her, neither one of us is ready for that bit of news.

2009-07-29T09:58:00.001-04:00

It's not bad enough that Sophie has cut her own hair (twice!) but now she has cut her little brother's hair. And with no remorse. I caught them in the bathroom, giggling and preening in the mirror. Fortunately it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Fall Swap

2009-07-28T13:18:00.002-04:00

Hey all,

I'm participating in Hopsy's Fall Swap over at Monograms and Manicures. If you haven't been following her, rush over now. She is the cutest thing. She's hosting a Fall Swap that sounds like a treat so if you are interested, sign up. Hurry, it closes soon though.

2009-07-28T13:17:00.001-04:00

Just testing out my new mobile blogging abilities.

Good ole' USA

2009-06-19T08:07:00.003-04:00

This is the coolest map. You click on the flag and it tells you more about the point of interest.

Tommy Hilfiger Iconic Map

you say tomato...

2009-06-18T12:45:00.005-04:00

setting: living room

me: are you doing gymnastics?

S: yes, but I didn't do a split, I did a splat!

cut to S in a heap on the floor

Happy Anniversary

2009-05-19T06:34:00.004-04:00

me and my sweetie

3 children +

3 dogs +

2 houses +

2 apartments +

5 vehicles +

innumerable memories =

8 years!

2009-04-26T19:31:00.002-04:00

I've been busy baking. Here's what I made for my husband's office. I hope they enjoy it. Death by Chocolate Triffle.

I used frozen Milky Bar instead of the Skor bars though. Yummy!

bangs

2009-04-14T09:50:00.000-04:00

I've reported in past posts that my kooky daughter S. likes to cut her own hair. I guess she comes by it honestly. I got bored with my hair and cut bangs this afternoon. They are crooked and too short but what can I do? I guess that'll teach me! Now I remember why I swore I wouldn't cut my own hair anymore - the last time was in college (over 20 years ago for those of you counting).

Just like Daddy

2009-04-14T09:08:00.003-04:00

Initially I thought it was because he wanted to be like Daddy but after a night sleeping in a chair with my sick son, I realized it might just be in his DNA. When Davis finally relaxed he put his hands behind his head and fell asleep. :

make your own peppermint patties

2009-04-12T05:00:00.000-04:00

I came across this great website that had instructions on making your own peppermint patties. Since I love them sooo much, I had to try.

I suggest you do too, you won't be sorry.

It was fun for the kids to help me roll the peppermint mixture into balls and flatten them. I didn't take pictures of the dipped chocolates but you get the idea. One word of advice; don't put them on a cooling rack once they are dipped!! I thought, "oh, I'll let the excess chocolate drip off and it'll be nice and neat." Wrong. They stuck to the rack and I had to scrape them off, resulting in more shaved peppermint pieces than patties. But next time you bet I'll be cooling them on parchment or waxed paper. Let me know how yours turn out!

ghetto farm

2009-04-08T08:00:00.001-04:00

we went to a birthday party at a local kids "ranch" or the ghetto farm as my friend calls it. It was, in fact, her daughter's birthday party so you can see she wasn't being too critical. The kids all had a great time getting muddy and chasing goats...

There were some cute animals and some animals that were just so ugly you couldn't help but like them. ah, good times.

cherry blossom time

2009-04-02T22:40:00.005-04:00

I haven't been able to go downtown this year so I pulled some of my old photos out to show the cherry blossoms. This is from 2006, I'd just finished the Cherry Blossom 10 miler. It's surprising to me seeing how young my kids look. And this was before we even thought about having a 3rd child! The girls were 2 & 4 here; now they are almost 4, almost 6 and DCB is almost 2!!!

I haven't done any 10 milers since then either. I did the Rock-n-Roll 1/2 marathon in Virginia Beach that fall and my running days are behind me. My knees have had it.

Forgot I was supposed to be posting about the cherry blossoms. CNB works for the National Park Service and shares an office with the Chief Horticulturist, Rob Defeo so we usually get a heads up on when the blooms will be at peak. Still, it's a madhouse downtown and I don't usually drive in with the kids... I will try next year. And maybe I'll get tickets to next year's White House Easter Egg Roll.

Pavlova

2009-03-26T22:05:00.000-04:00

I've always wanted to make one so when I saw Martha's chocolate version I had to start baking...

USS New York

2009-03-25T12:45:00.002-04:00

USS New York
It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center.

It is the fifth in a new class of warship - designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft.

Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite , LA to cast the ship's bow section. When it recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. 'It was a spiritual moment for everybody there.' Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the 'hair on my neck stood up.' 'It had a big meaning to it for all of us,' he said. 'They knocked us down. They can't keep us down. We're going to be back.'

The ship's motto?
'Never Forget'

Vernal Equinox

2009-03-20T20:32:00.003-04:00

doggie pajamas?

2009-03-19T11:53:00.004-04:00

I came across this while I was doing an internet search for a new dog bed for our labrador, Lilly. Maybe it's because I've always had big dogs, but I can't imagine a dog being willing to wear pajamas. It's pretty funny though. Do any of you dress your dogs? or cats? :-)

fabric sale!

2009-03-18T10:20:00.003-04:00

Hey all,

I've been so caught up in reading all the blog from the women who went to the Martha show. It was so much fun reading your posts and seeing you on tv. I've been living vicariously through you.

For those of you who sew, I wanted to share an email I received today. You may already be aware of the darling outfits at Chez Ami by Patsy Aiken Designs. Well, they are having a clearance on some of their fabrics. $3.50 a yard and they are precut 2 yard pieces ($7) That's a fab price and the patterns are adorable.

I'm considering getting some of their tactel/spandex (swimsuit material) to make some bags to put wet swimsuits in. Do you think that would work? Does anyone have a good pattern?

Time Out Spot

2009-02-20T17:37:00.004-05:00

I bought this rug at Ikea for Time Out. It's perfect because it's soft, big and portable. I can put it down on the floor whenever I need them to take a time out breather.

D. thinks it's all a game...

family time

2009-02-19T08:59:00.004-05:00

We had a short but lovely visit with my sister in law, L. this week. She's such a sweetheart and I always enjoy spending time with her. It was nice to catch up and for the kiddos to spend time with her. Whenever we spend time with family it reminds me of how nice it would be to have family members living closer to us. Ever since I left for University, I've lived hours and hours from family. Well, there was the period I lived in NY and was fairly close to my brothers; that was fun. The past 15 years I've lived states or even continents away from my family. My parents are now 3 hours away and I think that's the closest we've lived in ages. I'm grateful that we can visit our families and they visit us and that I have good friends here...and across the States.

A Sweet Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T16:41:00.004-05:00

Well the girls had a great day at school. Sophie wore a pretty pink dress and Katy wore a lovely red one. They both had their 100th day of school parties as well as celebrated Valentine's Day. They came home with lots of little cards and even more candy. lollipops, smarties, candy bracelets, and the like.

The piece de resistance:

Really? Pixy Stix? Am I crazy or does this seem wrong?

I mean they are 3 year olds!!

okay, since you were wondering, we gave pencils.

slow news day

2009-02-12T14:08:00.002-05:00

i'm tired.

i'm sick.

i'm sick and tired.

i'm home with 2 sick kids and another one who doesn't nap.

the dog wants to go out at 3:30 in the morning.still.

i have lots of laundry to fold.

i have to go to the grocery store and i've been putting it off.

my husband is out of town.

he's out of town while i care for sick kids and do 3 consecutive loads of laundry in the middle of the night so the baby will have his blankey and bear bear all clean and snuggly when he wakes up.

he's out of town while i'm changing a crib sheet with one hand (trying not to dirty anything) while holding the baby in the other arm because he's sick and shaking and crying and won't let me put him down.

i've delayed on sending birthday cards to my niece and nephew and now their birthdays are here and the cards are still on the counter.

i haven't made my bed yet, that's how tired i am. i love to make my bed first thing in the morning.

slow news day

good morning

2009-02-07T07:41:00.003-05:00

This morning I couldn't decide which I coveted more: sleep (or pretending to) or quiet time by myself downstairs. It was already 7:00 on a Saturday and all the kids, dog and DH were still asleep! A phenomena! I opted to come down and read the paper and check email in solitude. Bliss.

Well, as any mother knows, solitude is rare. I got the coffee started, realized the canister was low so I filled it. Then I put the clean dishes away and loaded the dishwasher (how do the dirty dishes materialize overnight? Maybe the socks lost in the dryer know.) I let the dog out and then gave her fresh food and water. After I let her in I had to clean up the floor from her voracious lapping. Then I emptied the dryer (didn't fold it yet - that's for later) and let Lilly outside to fetch the paper.

Since the paper hadn't arrived-it's 7:30!! where is it!?! Lilly decided to sniff around and sully the front yard. Soooo, I gathered a few plastic bags (don't start about the environment right now. I NEEDED a lot.) I cleaned the front yard, frost notwithstanding. Unfortunately Lilly's tummy isn't 100% right now so it wasn't pleasant. But, I've been changing diapers for 5 years now so I'm not fazed.

I get back inside, thaw out, wait for the coffee to finish and clean off the kitchen island. It's a clutter magnet and I used it last night to fold my fabric stash (THAT deserves another post).

As I was sitting down with my coffee and computer, lo and behold, I hear little footsteps on the stairs....

S. comes down, blinking like a little mole in the bright light, and asks for vitamins and breakfast. Shortly thereafter, K. comes down complaining of a stomachache. She also visited us at 4:00 am with the same complaints. Considering that kids in both of the girls classes are sick, I'm a little worried. D. is still asleep or maybe he's not yelling in his crib loud enough for me to hear.

Guess I'll go check. There'll be time for a 2nd cup of coffee later.

Hope you all have a lovely, warm and cozy morning.

It's Baby Time!

2009-02-03T09:09:00.003-05:00

We have a new niece!

Emery Charlotte B. was born Jan. 3, 2009

She weighs 7 lbs, 11 oz and is 21.5 "

It's nice because Emery and Katy share the same middle name.

Katharina Charlotte was named after her mother, maternal great-grandmother and paternal grandmother.

Emery is a name that her parents liked and she is named after her paternal grandmother also.

We can't wait to meet her in person.

We also have a new nephew!

Travis Paul L. was born Jan. 30, 2009.

He weighed 8 lbs, 14 oz. and was 23" long!

Both my brother and my sister in law are tall (6'5" & around 6"?) so I'm not surprised that Travis is such a big baby.

Travis is a name his parents liked and he's named after his maternal grandfather.

I only a photo from his birth so I'll post some sweet baby photos when I get them.

We can't wait to meet Travis in person.

In case you're counting, the kids have 3 new cousins within the past 8 months;

Luke V. July 2008

Emery B. January 2009

Travis L. January 2009

What can I do?

2009-01-29T15:49:00.004-05:00

What to do about Sassy Sophie? While I was downstairs, she was upstairs. She shimmied over the baby gate, messed around upstairs and wreaked havoc in my closet. When I went upstairs I could smell alcohol (not the drinking kind). I didn't know if I was going to deal with nail polish or something else. Turns out she put on my whole bottle of fragrance and found some makeup. She climbed on my dresser, reached up to the top shelf where I had her glitter hair gels, etc and pulled them all down. I thought that they would be out of reach up there... sadly mistaken.

She knocked off my jewelry box and all the loose jewelry that was on my dresser. (take note: this is how I lost one of my pearl earrings already.)

The red mark on her nose is from tumbling down the stairs, aided by Lily.

And, because she's not cheeky enough, she just cut a big lock of her hair. She was holding scissors, I asked for them and held out my hand. She said no, reached back and cut the back of her hair! What am I going to do!! She's 3!! I'm exhausted already and I still have 2 other children to raise.

good dog

2009-01-28T11:00:00.003-05:00

My sweet dog Lilly has been plagued by a nasty yeast infection in her ear. She gets it every year about this time. It's been 3 years now. Not the nicest thing to talk about or imagine. Why am I posting about it? Because she is the sweetest, gentlest dog I know. Not only has she tolerated me flushing her ear out repeatedly and poking it with q-tips and cotton balls but she lets me blow dry her ear!!

I recently read that you can use a half white vinegar and half warm water solution to clean the ears and I must say that it works like a charm. Certainly better than the stuff I was getting from the vet. I also read that moisture and warmth are factors in a yeast infection and since a lab's ears are long and floppy, she is a prime candidate. *They* (people in the online world) suggested drying the dogs ears to reduce these factors. One person said their dog didn't like that so they just took lots of trips in the back of the truck to let the wind dry their ears.

Well, I settled in and prepared to put Lilly in a headlock but surprisingly she loved it. She started to get sleepy eyes and kept putting her paw up for me to rub her.

Who knew that dogs like spa treatments as much as ladies do?

The writing's on the wall

2009-01-26T15:25:00.002-05:00

Okay, I guess I see it now. The teenage years are going to be tough. Spunky Sophie likes to do things her own way. She climbed on my bathroom vanity and *drew* on my mirrors. At least it was with soap.

2009-01-20T14:42:00.001-05:00

Lincoln Memorial Inauguration Concert '09

2009-01-20T14:12:00.005-05:00

2009-01-19T22:17:00.003-05:00

clip of U2 at the Lincoln

2009-01-19T22:05:00.005-05:00

Performance at the Lincoln

2009-01-18T13:07:00.003-05:00

Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images - found on AOL's home page

My oh my, C. went downtown to help with final preparations for the concert and to watch. He just called and gave me a quick rundown. He said there are 35 celeb/performers there!! He casually mentioned that he saw Bruce Springstein, Jon Bon Jovi (Hello, Slippery When Wet was my very first concert and I still like him.), Queen Latifah (love her too) and so many others. Casually he says, "oh, you should see what Will.I.Am is wearing today - he's cool." Gee, if I only could see! I'm very envious. Even if I did want to take all 3 kids downtown, walk, brave the cold...and the crowds, I still wouldn't have the backstage access he does. I'd have to hang with the proletariat. Which, by the way, is behaving quite unruly I've heard. C. said there has been a lot of pushing and shoving with a number of small injuries. I don't have an estimate of the crowd numbers yet. He's concerned that the swelling crowd will knock down the barriers by the Reflecting Pool and people will fall in. Although it's only 2 feet deep, it has a thin layer of ice on it and there would be unpleasant consequences.

The concert is scheduled to begin at 2:00 est and C. had to abruptly hang up, seems some celebrity caught his attention. I guess C. didn't hear me screaming "put them on the phone! Whoever it is, let me talk to them!! Find James Taylor for me!!"

He said that his other cell phone wasn't getting service (he called from the work phone), probably because POTUS* was in the area. Word is, when Mr. Obama is in the vicinity, all cell phone transmissions will be blocked. The security on this gig is unbelievable.

C. promised he'd take a lot of pictures so check back later. I've no idea when he's coming home. Some of his colleagues who have to work on Tuesday are spending the night in their offices on Monday so they don't have to deal with getting into the District. Thankfully he doesn't have to report on Tuesday.

*POTUS (President Of The United States)

Presidential Inauguration preparations

2009-01-17T22:34:00.006-05:00

What a week! C. is on the logistics coordination team for the Opening Ceremonies of the Presidential Inauguration and has worked until 11:00 pm or so every night for the past week and a half.

He's starting to reap some of the rewards though; today he got to meet his idol, John Mellancamp. They are both from Indiana. They spoke a bit and DH even gave his family a tour of the Lincoln Memorial! He made some neat connections with U2's production crew - we may even get to go to their concert and backstage later this year! Keep your fingers crossed.

There are so many wonderful performers here in DC right now. Another public figure that C. is hoping to meet is Tiger Woods! C. is a fantastic golfer and admires Tiger (who doesn't?)

He got to hear Sheryl Crow and Will.I.Am practicing for their duet. He also got to hear the Boss but no pics.

What do you think of the portapotties? Is that too much or do you think it's festive?

HBO will be showing the Lincoln concert for free at 7:00 pm EST on Sunday, 1/16. Be sure to watch.

2009-01-13T14:42:00.004-05:00

Let me set the scene.
Cast:
One cranky 3 year old who has to go to the bathroom NOW.
One tired 1 year old who has ants in his pants.
One cranky & tired mom who hasn't peed in about 12 hours because it takes too much time and I'm afraid of leaving my kids alone in the house for more than a minute and a half due to the destruction they'll wreak.

Setting:
Lowe's

Time:
naptime

"Mommy, I have to go potty!" Usually when she says it I have enough time to slide her down the hall and shove the footstool in front of the toilet. Case in point. Today she said, I've gotta go (she announces EVERY time she has to go) and she races to the bathroom. She clamors on the toilet and tells me, Mommy, I peed on the waist of the toilet. Translation: she peed on the seat.

So, I park the monster truck sized shopping cart we are tooling around in - for fun, grab my purse and leave our jackets, items and various bits of crackers and goldfish following in our wake. Meanwhile my DH and 5 y.o. are waiting for me in the paint aisle or somewhere growing increasingly agitated that I must be browsing. (like I need new copper tubing or perhaps some electrical conduit or fence posts?!?)

I decide that since I'm in the bathroom I'll just take that minute and a half for myself. Because he thought he had some free time, my little one decided to make a break for it.

I had my phone in my pocket so I couldn't resist taking these pictures. It's not like I walk around prepared to capture the memories...

Epilogue:

He crawled through to the next stall. My 3 y.o. thought it was funny so she crawled out of her stall, leaving the door locked. 1 y.o. kept crawling back and forth so I wouldn't catch him. 3 y.o. wouldn't crawl back under to unlock her door but after much cajoling, she did. I drew the line at ME crawling under.

Next, picture the excitement of pushing the soap dispenser, washing hands and getting paper towels...

Bling, Bags & Bubbly

2009-01-04T20:33:00.000-05:00

Make a Smilebox photobook

lackadaisical blogging

2008-09-21T20:38:00.004-04:00

I have been remiss about posting here lately. I have been CONSUMED by side projects. One of the things I've been working on is the MOPS Holiday Bazaar and Consignment Sale. My good friend, Kristen, and I have been working every day on this and we are pretty proud of it.

The girls have started school so we've been adapting to our new schedule.

I've been working more with Maddy Moo, hosting parties and organizing online parties.

I also have a NEW job! I work about 3 nights a week and will begin to work on the weekends eventually. I am baking, torting, filling and icing wedding cakes. It's great. I work with Debbie at Cakes By Design. Her cakes are gorgeous. It has only been a few weeks but I enjoy having a creative outlet doing one of my favorite things - baking.

Oh how you've grown!

2008-09-02T17:29:00.005-04:00

My sweet sweet darling. I was fine putting you on the bus and being without you all day. I was so excited to meet you at the bus stop to pick you up from your first day of Kindergarten. What really chokes me up is looking back. In just 3 short years you've grown so much. You are still my dear, my darling, my little girl and always will be.

Love, Mom

Sneaky Sophie

2008-08-31T11:21:00.006-04:00

NONE of my hiding spots are out of reach. My 3 year old manages to outfox all of my baby locks and now this! She didn't think I knew but then I caught her with the camera.

And then there's this little angel...

What dress do you think she should wear?

2008-08-25T12:01:00.007-04:00

Next Tuesday is the first day of KINDERGARTEN!! K. is my first child to enter the public school system; and the kindergarteners go all day. As happy as I am for her to go, I'll miss her during the day. (I needn't worry about being bored, I've got Little S. and D. to chase after.)

I'd like to ask your opinion on what dress K. should wear on her first day. I really want her to look cute and nice and I don't care if she wears it on the playground or whatever. You only have ONE first day. (in grownup terms, you get one shot at a first impression.)

Here are the options... so far. All of the dresses are a little big but the ones that fit well are just a tad too casual. She can wear them on the 2nd day and so on.

I've created a poll over on the side so you can vote but by all means, leave me a comment. I have to take K.'s opinions into this too so don't be upset if I don't choose your favorite or even the one that gets the most votes. Since I'm incapable of making a decision on my own, I wanted to see which way I should sway her.

Pink Daisies

2008-08-24T16:05:00.005-04:00

Well, she did it. Awhile back I mentioned to K. that she could get her ears pierced. What I didn't expect was for her to take me up on it. So, a promise is a promise and she and I had a special day last week. We went together to swimming lessons and then headed to the mall. She had 2nd thoughts when the gals (yes, there were two there thankfully) got ready to go but she really wanted them so she regrouped. It was over before she knew it, all of the tears were in anticipation of what to expect, not the actual piercing (or "getting your ears pinched, as little S. says). She was so pleased!!

We went over to Silver Diner for a late lunch and K. got to order whatever she wanted. That could only mean chocolate chip pancakes. We had a lovely afternoon and she's been showing them off to EVERYONE.

LWV

2008-08-20T09:53:00.005-04:00

I'd like to introduce you to my new nephew! Isn't he the cutest? I just can't wait to go see him and hold him. Sadly I don't know when I'm going to get to go visit and he'll be bigger then. Can I just mention that he looks so much like his beautiful big sister, LJV? Give him lots of kisses from Aunt K. will you Neenee?

Summer Vacation

2008-08-15T21:30:00.005-04:00

We recently went to Tell City, IN on vacation to visit with the B.'s Our visit was during Tell City's Sesquicentennial Celebration and Schweizerfest. Grandpa G. is a big deal in town and basically runs Schweizerfest and Grandma C. ran the Quilt Guild Show. The kiddos had lots of time to spend with their cousins (I didn't ask if I could post their pix so you only get the back of one). We went to Holiday World over in Santa Claus, Indiana. Yes, that is really the name of the town. I think our favorite part was the Lazy River. I didn't really laze though because I was constantly *swimming* to keep up with one of my kids or their cousin K. It was fun, even though I did look undignified floating in my inner tube. We also were invited to take a cruise on the Ohio River on a Riverboat. Thanks Grandpa G.! It was a bit chilly when we started, which surprised us all, but soon warmed up and we really enjoyed our time on the River. I got to see all the landmarks that played a role in C.'s youth.

There was so much going on during our visit but we had a chance to relax and catch up with everyone.

well....

2008-08-15T08:12:00.006-04:00

Sorry I've been remiss about posting. We just got back from vacation (that was so much fun it deserves it's own post and photos) and now we are recouping. Let's see, I've been busy taking care of fevers, tonsillitis, strep throat, cranky kids. We had an awesome house sitter/dog walker! Thanks tons Lindsey. Little Miss S. looks so innocent BUT she got into my makeup TWO days in a row. Before you think, "why didn't you put it away somewhere safe?" I did! I hid it in the far recess of my bathroom and she still found it the next day. What you can't see here is the mess on the rest of her body, on the rug, on the bedding and you can imagine what else. Lest you think this is all she did, the little minx cut her own hair yesterday!! Yes, it's too unbearable to post a picture. The makeup picture is before this travesty. When I came downstairs from taking care of my feverish toddler and nauseous preschooler, I found huge chunks of 4-5" lengths of beautiful blond hair. Scattered all over the front room. Enough to build a bird's nest. Argh. And the start of school is just around the corner. So if you'll forgive me my lax posting, I promise I'll update on all of the wonderful stuff going on in our lives soon.

Have a great weekend.

drumroll please...

2008-08-01T21:16:00.002-04:00

I'll get straight to it, the winner of the Design Your Own Travel Mug is.... Nicole. I'm looking forward to working with you to design your custom mug. A big thank you to EVERYONE who posted a comment and played by my rules. (wink) I was excited to read so much positive feedback and hope that maybe I've introduced you to a new product. If you are interested in placing an order, contact me or visit my website; www.maddymoo.com/kathieb.htm

Have a great weekend! *hugs*

Mabel's Labels

2008-07-30T22:34:00.003-04:00

Christine over at www.fromdatestodiapers.com is doing a cool giveaway. She's offering an ultimate back-to-school combo from Mabel's Labels. These labels are the real deal. I'm hoping I win her giveaway but if not, I'll be placing an order before my big girl goes to kindergarten.

Coach Bag Giveaway

2008-07-30T13:07:00.002-04:00

Okay, as you may know, I'm a self-proclaimed bag lady. I love totes and purses and handbag and tiny coin purses. You get the picture. And if you are here it's probably because you are interested in my giveaway (yea for you.) Well here's another one you don't want to miss. Laurie of LaVieDeLaurie.com is giving away a Coach purse! Yup, you read correctly. GIVING AWAY a COACH purse. I don't want to shout too loudly because I don't want too much competition for my entry but I just had to share (well I had to share in order to get extra points.)

Design Your Own Mug!

2008-07-28T09:00:00.009-04:00

The goods: Your very own custom designed 16 oz Travel Mug from Maddy Moo Creations!

The hook: Visit Maddy Moo and browse through their collection of Design Your Own products. This is my way of helping spread the word about the fabulouso Maddy Moo handbags.

The method: Comment here with your choice of fabric for the mug (don't worry, you can change your mind if you win) AND what style of handbag you'd carry with it.

The fine print: You don't have to be a blogger to enter but you must leave your name and email, I have to have a way to contact you, after all.

Only one comment per person, please. Share the love.

You may enter between Monday 7/28 and Friday 8/1. If the winner does not respond within 3 days of being contacted, the prize will be forfeited.

This giveaway is open only to participants with a mailing address in the USA.

Good luck everyone and thank you so much for visiting my blog and website!

Now, get on back to the Big Bloggy Giveaway Carnival and check out all the other cool giveaways!

Online Bargains

2008-07-21T16:27:00.005-04:00

I realized I had some Pottery Barn gift cards burning a hole in my preppy purse for some time now. After browsing through all of their online stores, look what I came up with.

And at bargain prices!! I ordered the pique Queen duvet cover in pink (see the sham for the color swatch) for $29!! I didn't monogram though because I wasn't sure which of the girls was going to use it and I didn't want to buy 2 of the same. Then I bought golf course pillowcases for $1.99 for 2!! I mean, come on. They were out of the sheets but I'll just put them on when I have the khaki sheets on. Too cute - DH is an avid golfer. The jewelry boxes were inexpensive also. I can't remember how much the large one was but the small one was $4.99! I never get deals like this. Check out Pottery Barn Kids and PBTeen for your own specials.

Old Red Barn Co. Giveaway

2008-07-21T11:06:00.005-04:00

I'll let you in on a little secret. I love entering giveaways. Mostly blog giveaway although I've been known to enter a few company ones also. One reason I love is entering is that sometimes I win!! I know, can you believe it? And I am ever so grateful and my mood is instantly brighter when I find out. And when the gifty comes in the mail. Boy oh boy, do I love the feeling of submitting an entry and crossing my fingers. It inspires me to give things away too. Be sure to check back during the Bloggy Giveaway July 28 - August 1.

Another reason I love it is because I am often introduced to new and unique products (and lovely people) I wouldn't have come across otherwise. I am now an Etsy addict. I've purchased products recommended by others (when I didn't win =) and am making my Christmas gift giving list right now.

So, why all this background into how I while away my time? Because I have stumbled across the most beautiful giveaway. Ever. And I have to share it with you. Well, I don't really want to because I want to keep it all to myself but given the number of other entries, my chances are slim. Still one of us might be the lucky winner and you owe it to yourself to go check out this quilt. And I get extra entries for telling ya'll about it. It is downright fantastic. Dana has some beautiful pictures on there and I haven't even had a chance to browse her whole site yet. I just popped back to my site to share the news. I am thinking this may be a case of my having to buy something instead of just wishing....

I've put her button below or click on any link in this post to see for yourself. So, if you win, will you give the quilt to me? Pretty please?

Now THAT'S a big jellyfish!

2008-07-20T16:26:00.003-04:00

It could be photoshopped for all I know but I don't think so. There was an article about a man who is hunting for the world's largest fish. There were photos of other large sea life including a ludicrously big ray and a giant squid. That said, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near this fella.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-07-16T17:05:00.002-04:00

All Star Athletes

2008-07-06T17:53:00.004-04:00

The girls played tennis for the first time today. They really enjoyed it and want to add it to their other favorite sports; golf & swimming. The Olympics are very inspiring and they've been talking up gymnastics...

Happy 1st Birthday!

2008-07-06T15:13:00.002-04:00

I can't believe my wee one is now ONE.

It happens when you aren't looking.

Here Comes The Bride!!!

2008-07-06T14:42:00.003-04:00

My girlfriend, Miss S., is getting married next year and she just received her dress!! It's so beautiful I just had to share it with you. (Not much of a chance of her betrothed reading my blog.) Notice all the lovely beading. It's spectacular and she's going to make a divine bride.

furball

2008-05-21T07:25:00.002-04:00

look at this guy, isn't he cute? I could use him around the house when it's time to dust :)

Tutu cute!

2008-05-20T17:26:00.004-04:00

I just won a bow holder (maybe it will keep the bows out of D.'s hair!) from Bambina Ballerina. Tricia does such great work and we had a hard time deciding which style to get but this is the one that appealed to all of us. It doesn't match a thing in either girls' room but it's so pretty. I found out about the giveaway at Bloggy Giveaways. If you haven't seen her blog, get over there quick. You might just be a winner like me!

All Dressed Up With Nowhere To Go

2008-05-20T17:16:00.008-04:00

Look what happens when my back is turned!!
The girls decided to dress D. up.
They will only be able to do this while he is smaller than they are...

new edit: at least I know everything is fair game to them.

My wish list

2008-05-15T11:16:00.004-04:00

Isn't this lovely?

I think I have to have one of these prints.
After all, I have three little darlings...

le papier designs

And while I'm making a list, here are a few others.

I like the Lily Pulitzer pink enamel cuff because it has a little bee on it.
And as my kiddies know, I am the Queen Bee!

Self Feeding

2008-05-15T10:21:00.006-04:00

Okay, I would looooovvee to keep a clean house. But how can you when you have children and dogs? D. is intent on feeding himself. And I suppose in the grand scheme of things, I have to let him do it. It's just that every meal ends up like this.

la dee da dee, it's birthday time

2008-05-01T08:06:00.004-04:00

Sweet little S. just had her 3rd birthday! It's been stretched out to become her birthday week - I don't blame her. Heretofore, she's only had 2 in her lifetime. She had a little party at school on Tuesday and a few of the girls in her class come over on Wednesday to share in S.'s princess tea party. We had such a fun time, it was very low key and all the girls had fun. I really enjoy their mother's company also so it felt more like a big playdate rather than the party anxiety I usually get. The girls decorated paper plate crown, paper plate purses and fans. They each took home a little porcelain tea set whose cups are as big as thimbles. It's probably a big choking hazaard and I'm sure they'll break a piece before the month is out but it was amusing for them.

I invited Polly Pocket and all of her accessories into our house so D. has his choice of choking hazards now. Still, the girls are happy and like to spread out ALL of the toys so they can see them in one fell swoop. They have the nerve to complain when D. bear crawls over to take a look. He can only withstand the temptation for about 30 seconds.

This morning we have 25 balloons who've lost their helium lying on the floor and the detrius of a child's birthday party scattered about. For those of you who wonder what I do while both girls are in preschool, the list varies between laundry, vacuuming, mopping and dishes. :)

Congratulations to.....

2008-04-27T07:48:00.003-04:00

Aimee, #102.
I used a random number generator and it was her lucky day. She won a gift certificate to be used to design her own accessory or towards a purse. I'll be sending you an email to discuss the finer points. If I don't have a response to my email within 3 days, I'll pick a new winner.

Thank you to all who participated in the carnival and to those of you wonderful folks who left such glowing comments on my blog. I really appreciate the feedback you gave me on your favorite styles and fabric choices. Maddy Moo takes customer input very seriously and hopes to cover the range of tastes.

For those of you who didn't win, thank you for looking through my Maddy Moo site and keep us in mind for future gift giving occasions or just a special treat for yourself! If you are interested in earning wonderful hostess gifts, consider having a Maddy Moo party. We could do an online party, it's so simple. Contact me if you are interested.

Warmest Regards,
Kathie B

Bloggy Giveaway!!

2008-04-21T10:00:00.009-04:00

It's Here!! It's Here!!

Leave your comments for a chance to win a $15 gift certificate to be used for designing your own purse or accessory at Maddy Moo Creations! These are amazing purses that give you a chance to create a unique, one-of-a-kind handbag. All purses are created in the USA by a team of talented seamstresses and are customized just for you! These purses are lovely and reflect your personal sense of style.

This gift certificate is transferable if you wish to give a great Mother's Day or graduation gift, etc. I will contact the winner by email and you can tell me at that time.

Here's how you can win...
Please go to my Maddy Moo site and browse through all of the lovely design your own purses. Come back here to leave a comment about:
1) Favorite bag styles
2) Favorite fabric or fabric combination

Be sure to notice all the fun options you can do to make your bag more unique and personal.

You don't have to be a blogger to enter but you must leave your name and email.
Only one comment per person, please.

I will be using Violets are Blue's random number generator to pick a winner at the end of the carnival. You may enter between Monday 4/21 and Saturday 4/26 at noon est.

This giveaway is open only to participants in the USA. Good luck everyone and thank you so much for visiting my blog and website!

Now, get on back to the Big Bloggy Giveaway Carnival and check out all the other cool giveaways!

Spring is here

2008-04-13T09:05:00.003-04:00

It's been so lovely outside. All the flowers are starting to bloom and the trees are unfurling their leaves. Another hallmark of Spring, the parks are filling up. I was at our Tot Lot the other day and saw 3 other families from the neighborhood. Usually it's just us and the kids get bored easily. We've got loads of parkdates on our calendar and allergies are in full swing. :)
Ahh... sniffle sniffle

I Want This

2008-04-07T23:39:00.004-04:00

Isn't this great? I think we need one of these.

Time flies...

2008-04-07T22:28:00.005-04:00

Has it really been over a month since I last blogged? I am so sorry to those of you (okay, my Mom and my best friend. I don't even know if my Mom really reads this though.) who diligently check to see what's new over here in our corner of Virginia.

As you can tell by the links, I've gotten very busy with my Maddy Moo Creations business. March was the first month I started having home parties and I've done really well. This is turning into a very fun hobby - I get to help women create all kinds of neat purses. They are lovely and I'm constantly rotating through my selection.

The kids are awesome. The baby isn't so much of a baby anymore. He has 6 teeth and I think there are more on the way. Since Daylight Savings Time they've been staying up later - how can they pack so much play into one day? D. is crawling like a little bear, it won't be long before he starts walking. Oh, but he keeps ME running.

I am trying to teach myself Adobe Photoshop. If anyone has tips, let me know. I really want to become more adept at digital scrapbooking and making other cool things.

We finally have a fenced in backyard! Yea! Of course we are just becoming good friends with the family directly behind us. Now we have to walk all the way around the block to go play in their backyard. go figure. We are considering putting a gate in the back but the fence is too new and I don't want C. to cut it. C. has been busy with projects. He is refinishing a farmhouse table that belonged to my family when I was growing up. It has a lot of character and it's going to be very sentimental to use it with my family for our meals and daily life.

Well that's a brief surmise of the past month. I won't let too much time go by again.
Thanks for staying tuned.

snow day

2008-02-22T12:25:00.000-05:00

Sooooo. School was canceled today. Although we didn't get the snow predicted it was very icy this morning. I made up my mind last night that we weren't going to school, regardless of what the county decided. I had high hopes that I might get to sleep in (this is a relative term in our household. I mean that I'd like to get to sleep until around 7:00 am)

Alas, not to be. Lilydog wanted out at 5 and then D. was up by 6.
I won't even mention the number of times I got up through the night - that'll have to be another post. And I'm off rambling again.

What I wanted to discuss was how creative I have to be to keep my kids entertained. They are all still wearing pajamas which is fine with me. Any day that I don't have to get everyone dressed and out the door is a good one. We've cut paper dolls, put up a tent in the living room
complete with 3 blankets to make a beach. We've played with toys, games and snacked to our hearts content. I just made chocolate play clay and they are currently occupied with making cupcakes and other chocolate goodies. No, you can't eat it. Go through the My Preppy Purse link to the Fun Stuff page for the recipe.

Our next project is to make Key Lime Cooler Cookies because DH likes key lime pie. I had wanted to do these for him for Valentine's Day and here it is a week later. Actually they are called Lime Meltaways and Martha Stewart was kind enough to share her recipe with me (via her website).

Wishing everyone sunny skies.

beachy cool bike

2008-02-19T17:14:00.001-05:00

Yipee,
I'm getting a new bike! We went down to Virginia Beach this past weekend for a whale watching trip. We started talking about how cool all the beach cruisers were and on our way home we made an impromptu stop at at bike store. We walked out of there with 2 custom beach cruisers on order. We have to go back anytime after 2 weeks to pick them up. I can't wait. Fortunately they will accept my road bike as a trade in towards the new cruiser. I'll keep my mountain bike as it is older and probably isn't worth as much. After investing in a racy road bike I discovered (quickly) that it wasn't for me. It's just been taking up space.

Back to my new bike. It's apple green and I am gussying it up. I've ordered the saddle seat you see here and I'm getting new fenders. DH is going to paint them pink for me and I'm going to paint the baby's bike seat blue and sew new padding for him. He needs something flashy too. I have a wicker bike basket I bought in Amsterdam a few years ago. I plan to make a basket liner for it - I've got the cutest green/white hawaiian floral pique just sitting in my fabric bin.

Once I get the bike I'll be sure to show ya'll. :)

has this happened to you?

2008-02-06T14:58:00.000-05:00

We went to the church pancake supper last night with all the little chickadees. The girls had already eaten some pancakes and now I was in line. Knowing how anxious my lasses were for more chocolate chip pancakes (imagine!) I was not surprised to hear them whining, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mooooommy. Mind you, it had been a long day already and I had just finished feeding my fidgety baby (held him in a restraining pose on my lap - his legs wedged between my thighs, both of his hands in one of mine).

Slightly annoyed that they were shouting their requests across the room I turned and said, I'm coming! Problem was, it wasn't my child! Ooops.

Normally I can distinguish their whisper in a crowd of crazed Wiggles fans but not last night. I hope I'm not losing my Mommy Mojo. Whatever will I do without those eyes in the back of my head?

too tired

2008-02-04T14:48:00.001-05:00

I'm sleep deprived,
I've been up all night.
The dog can't wait
for morning light.

Once we're back
and settled down,
the baby wakes up
for another round.

His sister hears
wakes up too,
she wants water,
the other wants
juice.

Tuck everyone in,
reset the alarm,
keeping everyone
safe from harm.

I drift into sleep
by morning's light,
the kids are up,
they're done for the night.

I sigh and get dressed
get them ready for school,
for me there's no rest
this seems the rule.

shopping at Costco

2008-02-01T02:31:00.000-05:00

Today I picked up a little friend from preschool and took her with my 3 chickies to Costco. As I pushed the cart with the youngest two in the front and the two 4 year olds in the cart I was asked no less than 6 times if they were all mine and were they twins and other such comments. Come to think of it, it was more than 6 if you count the man who told me the kids were cute and which aisle did I pick them up on.

As we strolled the wide aisles the kids sampled everything within arms reach. It was a buffet of chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, pizza squares, yogurt and at just the right time - organic apple juice. It was a lovely sightseeing trip for them as I stocked up on paper napkins, diapers and baby wipes.

We decided to have lunch at their food court (great pizza if you haven't tried it) so I parked the cart by a table with an umbrella. The kids insist on sitting at the umbrella tables although I have no idea why they are even there. Since my pockets were full of the fluted cups and toothpicks from the kids samples I threw them away as I stood in line for food. Just then I realized I still had the trash in my hand but my credit card, costco card and receipt were in the trash. No one was going to help me so I took the lid off and went digging through the trash. Yuck! But I got my cards back.

As I stood in line again the kids were goofing off, as they do. Not a real problem but they were pushing the cart with the baby in it! Stage whispers and frantic gesturing were not getting their attention so I resorted to *loud talking*. They still didn't behave so I said, quite loudly, " Can you hear me? I know everyone else here can." They settled down amidst laughter from the other moms and a few understanding nods from the other dads.

All was well until it was time to leave the store. Babyboy had reached his limit and was ready for his nap so we hightailed it out only to be put in purgatory since I didn't have my receipt. They have to check your receipt against the items in your cart before you leave. Yup, mine was still in the trash and I was NOT going back. We were able to get a replacement receipt but babyboy was not happy about it.

All's well that ends well.

cup of coffee?

2008-01-28T20:50:00.000-05:00

If I haven't told you already, let me tell you now. Babygirl S tried to make coffee for me the other day. Yes, that's right, my 2 year old dumped a pound of coffee into 2 mugs, tore open about 25 packets of Splenda and stirred it all up. She even used the filters as coasters. I found her just as she was carrying the GLASS carafe to the table. Did I mention this was in my bedroom? On our new carpet?

She's my little mischief maker. I never know how she's going to surprise me. She is so smart. and so clever. and so darn cute!