Holding the World in a Paper Cup

Show Your Valentine You Love Them: Idea 1

2012-02-11T08:58:00.002-06:00

Yesterday my Mom said something really nice.

She said my blog has love in it.
She's right....my blog does have a lot of love in it.
And it's about to get a whole lot mushier up in here.....
in the spirit of Valentine's Day.

A decade or so ago, I made a rule.

"There shall be no monies spent on Valentine's Day."

This rule originated after once Chuck ignored the holiday completely, thus hurting my feelings, and in an attempt to make his wrong right, pulled over in the Food World parking lot. Said he needed some Pepto. He came out with 45 dollars worth of roses and a golf themed candy basket.

(I don't golf.) (And we were broke.) (As convicts.)

Sweet, sweet man. Yes I know.
Poor thing. He can't win.

So in an effort to help him out a little, I put my expectations out there.
Just put them right out there.

Because I have learned, you can't fault a guy for not reading your mind.

It's just not right.

So now Chuck knows that a massage....a gesture...a love note
means far more to me than any flower he can buy.

And I try, to return the favor. Some years I fall short.

I mean there are just so many years of

birthdays and Valentine's Days before the thoughtful gift idea tank runs dry.

So to help anyone out there who may be running low on gift ideas, I want to share a few with you.

There are reasons why we love them.

Write those reasons down.

Some Don'ts....

Don't over think it.

Don't let it overwhelm you.

Don't try for 365.

Don't take it too seriously.

Some DO's...

Just take a white sheet of paper and start writing.

Cut them out, fold them up, and shove them into a jar.

Here's a few I came up with....

People love you.

You gave me the best proposal story ever.

You can skip a rock further than me.

You love being a good daddy.

You took me mudding and we spun in circles in the Toyota.

You think the word face is funny.

You appreciate me making the house homey.

You told me to quit a job when it was making me unhappy even though it meant not having enough money or any insurance.

You have a nicely weathered face.

You buried Jimmi.

You are an archaeologist.

You don't like Oreo's or coconut either.

You remember what I wore on certain special events.

You are a little bit jealous of my feelings for a fictional vampire.

You pray with me.

You tell me to get out of your kitchen.

You are the only person who told me I could sing and you really mean it.

You can yo yo.

You are an archer.

You feel more alive when you've been active all day and have a little sun on your face.

You write.

You canoe.

You used to notice me at the YMCA. (back in high school)

You encouraged me to sing karaoke and sat up front so I could see you and only you if I needed to.

You believe in my ideas even if they are crazy.

You can ride a bike much better than me.

You loved our Mill Village life.

You make me laugh.

You speak in public - and do it well.

You fish.

You think I am funny.

You brought me 2 frogs home from Georgia.

You dance with me

You go to the 450 mile yard sale with me.

You are a good swimmer.

Your hands are rough.

You give me a lot of credit for Charley's wonderful personality.

You appreciate my warped and disturbing sense of humor.

You think I am beautiful always.

Now I don't want to brag, but this is not even half of what I came up with.

I promise, if you just start, you'll come up with just as many.

Later I put the jar into a bowl.
That way, once he'd read one, he could add it to the bowl.

Each day, before he left for work, he picked one out and read it.

Isn't that a nice way to begin a day?

When you're all finished put the notes back inside the jar.

Keep it forever.

A Fun Space: Summing it Up

2012-02-10T10:47:00.001-06:00

I wish I had taken a before pic of this dresser.

It belonged to my mother-in-law as a child, so we were really happy to get it.

It was brown.

I made it white.

Hope that's ok with her.

I'm a little afraid that it's not.

Moving on!

I found these milk crates out behind my Uncle Sonny Boy's pump house. I said, "Hey Dad, I like those crates. Those are useful crates." He went and pulled them out of the poison oak and handed them to me.

Dad's are pretty cool like that.

Truth is, I could go on and on about this room.

Naw, actually I couldn't.

I think I covered every square inch.

Except for the CLOSET...

I painted and framed the photos back in Alabama.

They were the inspiration for the room.

Who knew there wouldn't be room for them in the end?

I put them in the closet.

Closets need love too.

Speaking of CLOsets...

Here's another one.

We were very fortunate to have TWO closets in this room.

Gotta love a toy closet.

Shoe pockets are a pretty genius idea for extra toy storage (not my genius idea).

I worked hard in here ya'll!!

This room went from this...

To this...

So there.

NOW I have blogged about every square inch.

Souvenir Dirt Collection

2012-02-09T16:16:00.000-06:00

Yes, a dirt collection.

When I tell people that we have a dirt collection, they just laugh and laugh.

But, there is something special about our dirt collection.

It is way more special to us than any trinket,

snow globe, or spoon we could buy at a souvenir shop.

Our dirt collection tells a story.

We generally don't accept dirt unless we collect it personally,

but this Colorado trip so fascinated Charley, we were happy to receive it.

And isn't it sweet for a Daddy to go to the trouble bring home dirt for his little girl?

I remember it was especially hard to find dirt in California.

We had to run across the street and steal some

from someone's retaining wall in Hollywood Hills.

Sometimes we forget to collect it until we are driving out of town. We'll stop at a gas station, jump out and use whatever tool and bag we can find to dig a couple of scoops out of the landscaping.

It is interesting to see how much dirt can differ from one place to another.

And it is nice to be reminded of those places

that will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Details in a Fun Space: A Little Seat Makeover

2012-02-08T15:24:00.001-06:00

My Aunt Sylvia gave us this little bench.

I knew it would be the perfect seat for Charley's vanity.

Only it was wobbly, so I shored it up here and there.

And the upholstery was a little dated...

I pulled off FIVE layers of fabric.

I felt like I was unearthing a time capsule dating back to the 60's.

Then I painted it....almost to death.

And roughed it up a little.

I was so proud of it, me and the seat had a photo sesh.

(Get ready for a major photo explosion.)

Here's how it looks in her room.

The paint was left over...the fabric left over...the seat a hand me down.

I'd say that computes to zero dollars.

Zero dollars ya'll.

Details in a Fun Space: Heart Art

2012-02-07T20:12:00.000-06:00

When I was working on Charley's room, she had this vision.

She asked me to paint a blue bird flying on a pink heart background.

The bird was to have a white belly and orange beak, and should be carrying a ribbon. She was very specific....down to the points on the ribbon's ends.

Since I am not a fine artist,

I put Charley up to commissioning her Aunt Sunny for the job.

I asked Sunny to call it Charley's Christmas present.

The temptation to buy something plastic, something mass produced, something wal-mart....is always present. There is obviously value in these gifts. We appreciate ALL gifts we are given.

But when you have the ability to give something handmade, you should go for it.

Don't feel the pressure to supplement it with something store bought.

Realize that homemade gifts,

even when there is not a dime spent on them,

are valuable!

I'm afraid that simple concept has become lost in our world.

It's these gifts that teach the recipient to appreciate the thoughtful effort

it takes to actually produce something specifically designed for them!

This piece of art is definitely a gift that will be treasured.

Charley won't forget who gave it to her and how

much consideration it took to get it just right.

Details in a Fun Space: Yard Stick Curtain Rod

2012-02-06T09:17:00.003-06:00

I thought these vintage curtains were perfect for my nature loving girl.

These curtains have lining....something my homemade numbers never have....and lined curtains are great for blocking of the slight ray of daybreak on Saturday morning. I like to think lined curtains buy me 10 extra minutes of good sleep.

I wanted to be able to open and close the curtains regularly.

After giving it some thought, I realized I finally had a use for my Nanny's old yard stick.

I've been carrying around my Grandmother's yard stick for many years. I remember Nanny kept it perched on the door framing that led from the kitchen to the hallway. She used it often.

I can still see her clearly in my mind, reaching for the yard stick, demonstrating the length of something she was trying to describe, and placing it back. I only wish I could still hear her voice.

Charley has two windows in her room, so I went on a quest to find a second yard stick with the same worn patina. I thought it would be a challenge, but one day we stopped in at Holly Hill Antiques and while looking around, I mentioned that I was on the hunt for a yard stick. Lo and behold if that sales lady didn't run out to our car as we were leaving with a yard stick in hand. It was perfect.

I found two matching sets of blocks from Charley's collection and used them to set each yard stick off the wall a bit. This way, I can easily slide the curtains open and closed.

It is a comfort to have this yard stick around.
Something as simple as seeing Nanny's handwriting means the world to me.

Plus, it feels a lot less like hoarding when I put one of my treasures to good use.

A Fun Space: Dressed Up Mirror

2012-02-04T07:32:00.001-06:00

Before we got ahold of it, the mirror was real plain.

So a couple of years ago, Charley and I spiced it up a little.

Ok a lot.

We spiced it up a lot.

It began as a Mother/Daughter project where Charley would pick out the doodads and I would use the serious glue to place them. After a while Charley's interest waned, which is understandable since it took about 3 days to finish. SOLID days. Naw. It didn't take that long. Seemed like it though.

When we moved to Alaska, we couldn't take the mirror with us so I hid it safely at Mom and Craig's house!! Surprise Ma and Craig! I am super sneaky. I retrieved the mirror when we left for Virginia. I'm glad we still have it. It works perfectly in this hodgepodge room.

Details in a Fun Space: Treasure Box

2012-02-03T17:54:00.000-06:00

Treasure boxes are a necessity for this little girl.

Normally we find secondhand tins to be the perfect thing for holding treasures, but since I had an old cigar box lying around, I decided to put it to good use. I also had a ceramic horse whose base was broken during our last move. It was a gift from my Grandmother years ago, so I couldn't part with it.

The cigar box and ceramic horse seemed like a good match, so I drilled one

quick hole in the center of the lid and secured the post inside with a nut.

(Alaska Treasures)

Ta DA!

It makes me happy to complete projects, no matter how simple the process.

Details in a Fun Space: A Whimsical Fairy Door

2012-02-02T16:52:00.001-06:00

Aunt Sunny dreamed up this sweet project so that

she and Charley could spend some quality time together.

They worked together on the design.
Sunny solicited Paw Paw's help to cut the shape out and Charley's Granny added the little button doorknob. Sunny did all the painting.

I love projects that develop
by the hands of many family members.

When we brought it home, of course Charley and I

had to add the magic fairy potion so that the fairies can pass through the door.

We mixed baby powder and various shades of glitter.

But it's not so much the mixture that matters.

What matters are the words you say when

you gently blow the magic onto the door.

We now have a portal so that the fairies can come and go at their leisure.

Thanks for helping to fuel her imagination Sister.

You're a good Aunt.

Details in a Fun Space: Floor Lamp

2012-01-31T17:30:00.000-06:00

Hi!

I would love to tell you guys about the floor lamp in Charley's room.

It began life a hat rack. Mom and Craig passed it onto us during our last visit.

There were a couple of broken hooks, but the structure was solid. At the time, we really needed coat storage but no matter where I set it up, it was in the way. After a couple of months, I decided it was time to move on. I couldn't make a coat rack out of a coat rack! How absurd!
I thought about what I really, really had a need for in the house.
And then it came to me.
Lighting for bedtime stories.

I didn't have a shade, but knew I would need something large so that the lamp would appear balanced. I went ahead and shifted things around a little so that the light bulb wouldn't hang beneath the shade.
That'd be embarrassing. (for the bulb)

After I removed the hooks and secured the support piece in the proper place,
I drilled a hole for the socket post.

Then I did something sinful.

I painted an antique, oak, coat rack HOT pink.

Then in not so sinful move, I wired it up.

While Ma and Sister were here visiting a thrift store, they spotted the perfect lamp shade!

So overscale. So Alice and Wonderland.

I just can't get it over it. I love it.

While wiring a lamp sounds intimidating, it's really not difficult at all.

Have you ever wired a lamp? You could do it.

A Fun Space

2012-01-30T09:33:00.002-06:00

I've finally finished a room!

Charley's room was the first. You know....'cause they grow up so fast.

So! For the next few days, I plan to show you the room as a whole (today) and then follow up with room details.

I'll show you how to work what ya got!

Charley's Room!

It's very cheerful in here.

The room color was inspired by a boat with one thick, yellow stripe on a white background. It seemed like a happy stripe. Normally I give Charley the room color say in her own room but, I was ready to venture away from pink and purple, and I know one day soon she'll grow tired of the girly, girl colors as well.

She was very pleased with the color choice.

There's enough shots of pink in the room to make her happy.

Her bed has been a challenge.

Initially, I had it banked under the window with narrow walkways on both sides of the bed. But when we received the white, iron bed from my generous Aunt JoAnn, I was disappointed to find that the footboard blocked the closet door from opening. Turning the bed so that it rests against the wall lengthwise, creates a cozy cocoon-like space. Sure, the bed is really hard to makeup this way, but hey! Who makes up their bed anyways? Oh, you do? Well.

Lots of floor space to play. And that's what kids really want....

Room to play. Room to RUN!

Tins from thrift stores make excellent treasure boxes.

We have several.

The way Charley set her little animals up is one of my favorite things about the room. Wonder where they are all going?

Aren't kid's rooms the best?

What color are yours?

A Dog's Day

2012-01-25T12:14:00.000-06:00

My Friend's birthday is in November. So are the birthdays of 4 members in my very near immediate family. This year My Friend's special day got skipped. I am sure some of those 4 family members would argue that their birthdays were also skipped by the Burns' Family, but we do the best we can...usually. The best we could in regard to My Friend's birthday was a January celebration. He didn't notice the belated-ness at all. He showed no indication of resentment. Shew. (wipes brow)

How to Celebrate a Dog's Birthday

Get some wet dog food.

Let the kid participate in every step, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

Try not to vomit from the putrid-dity.

Get the chunk kind of dog food so to give the kid another activity. (Mushing)

Pretend like you bought the chunk kind on purpose.

Let the dog be involved in the watching.

Shape the dog food like a bone or a log of doo doo. Either or.

Prepare the dog with a hat.

Allow him to take it off.

Only put it back on 2-3 more times. (It is his birthday after all.)

Have a very effeminate man sing Happy Birthday to him. (I have NO idea.)

And allow the dog to finally enjoy his bone.

Take it away when he's halfway through or else there will be certain things on your carpet come morning. I'm not gonna say what. (Doo doo)

And then make cookies for the humans because any excuse, is a good excuse, for cookies.

In addition to a special dog food dish, My Friend was allowed to go everywhere we went that day, which meant sitting in the truck while we picked up a few groceries and also while we went in Lynne's Diner for lunch. Happy birthday buddy.

Actually...full disclosure....This is the first time we've celebrated the dog's birthday. The older Charley gets, the more I see the need to create opportunities for quality family time. I now see the value in celebrating in celebrating every. little. thing.

Hoot

2012-01-23T12:57:00.001-06:00

Me: “This is a bad day for me to have brownies in the house babe. I gotta go back on my diet. I’ll be big as a bus!”

Charley: “So then you can drive us to school AND to home.”

She’s sweeter when she’s sleeping.

Rebel

2012-01-22T22:01:00.003-06:00

In the face of a 12 hour drive, I did something crazy.

I. took a library book. out. of. town.

I did! I am SO wild/reckless.

You see taking a library book out of town
(so to read it during a lengthy trip),
and mailing it back via Media Mail,
is cheaper than purchasing a book you'll likely only read once.

I recommend it.

What I won't recommend, is this book.

After reading the glowing Goodreads reviews, I was surprised to find this book to be rather ho hum. I felt as though I was reading the story of a girl who led a dull life, in an interesting city, during an interesting time. She mulled through an ordinary life and I, as the reader, found myself wishing she would bump into the other, more interesting characters. And she occasionally did, but not near enough for me to give this book more than 2 stars. Though, I will say that the author did a great job of painting a clear picture which made me nostalgic for a time I was never a part of. I finished the book longing to spend time in a big city during 1930’s, which says a lot since I am a country bumpkin at heart.

You Don't Own Me

2012-01-21T18:54:00.000-06:00

You know what finally occurred to me? This heater does not OWN my living room. NO YOU DON'T YOU HEATER!!! The living room is already oddly shaped. I don't need a rusty heater taking up an entire wall. And who needs a backup source of heat? Not us! Nope. I mean that's what friends are for right? Which reminds me, we need to make a few more (friends). Besides, we haven't actually seen the heater work. Plus it was plumbed to a giNORmous oil tank that is dry as a bone. And certainly the tank would remain that way for let's see...oil's 'bout $3.85 a gallon these days and there's a 100 gallon minimum on orders...soooo. FOREVERMORE. It would remain dry as a bone forevermore. It's been over 40 degrees the majority of the winter anyways so we're good. I mean, we're good until the power goes out. Then we have blankets. Soooo, we're good.

What it all boils down to is this...I won. I got my living room back. I also got a 3 inch hole ALLTHEWAY through the house. It's currently being taken care of by a sock and some masking tape. And the heater has been moved to the back porch.

Signed,

Classy in Virginia

Indoor January Activity for the Kid

2012-01-20T12:06:00.000-06:00

Peel the paper off a few crayons ahead of time.

Heat your rocks up in the oven and then place them on newspaper.

Then let the kids hold the crayons to the rocks and watch them melt into beautiful designs!

Plus you get the added activity bonus of collecting the rocks and washing them in soap and water. (If that sounds strange to you then you must not have a kid under 5 years of age.)

Used to, Charley could spend hours washing rocks in the bathroom sink.

Very simple but fun.

Now be careful. Some age groups won't mix well with this craft.

(Charley was 5 years old when photographed here.)

Making it Homey

2012-01-19T20:20:00.000-06:00

The ride back to Virginia much easier than the ride to Alabama. Prolly because we had one less person therefore, more space (sorry sister). It also helped that we actually left in the wee a.m. hours so to minimize the nighttime driving. Leaving early was an absolute first for our family. Strange that it took us so long to get on that sensible bandwagon.

I remember beach trips from long ago, where my parents would carry my sister and I from the bed, while still in our gowns, and place us into the car. We'd sleep the majority of the ride. Come sunrise, we'd be really close to our destination. Smart parental move.

It only took Chuck and I six years to catch on. Though, our kid doesn't sleep in vehicles. She didn't give us even one little nap. Get this...about 2 hours in, she starts asking if we're close. We just laugh (maniacally) and tell her things like, "NO WHERE NEAR!", DON'T EVEN THINK OF IT AGAIN UNTIL IT IS BEYOND DARK OUTSIDE!" "GET READY TO SIT IN THIS TRUCK ALLLLLL DAY!" "WHEN WE GET BACK IT'LL BE PAST YOUR BEDTIME!" You know....helpful, mood lifting, stuff.

As wonderful as our Alabama trip was, it is comforting to be back home again.

Especially now that it seems more like a home than a dorm room.

You see, when we left Alabama, thanks to Mom and Craig, Aunt JoAnn, and Aunt Sylvia,

I felt like we had won the Showcase Showdown.

We almost have a house full of furniture now.

Isn't that AMAZING news??

Hauling it back took another full size U-Dang-Haul trailer and a lot of heavy lifting, but it was totally worth it. TOTALLY worth it.

This configuration of furniture was one of MANY

before we finally found an arrangement that makes sense.

Maybe one of these days I'll show ya'll. But not yet. No way.

Trying to make all of these dissimilar pieces mesh, will be a challenge.

I still have to paint the walls, work up the courage to upholster a couch, and paint a coffee table.

Oh and I am considering doing something extreme to that rug.

Also, I'd love to rip up the carpet and see what lies beneath. I am 98% sure it's hardwood.

I'm also 98% sure it is in horrible condition.

I'm 100% sure Chuck will be against it.

I'm 99% sure I will start ripping it out spontaneously when he's not around.

A Very Merry Photo Explosion

2012-01-19T08:04:00.001-06:00

In order to catch up, I am going to have a photo explosion now.

It’s the only way.

Christmas at Mom and Craig’s House

My new niece Claire with her Great Grandmother GG Ruth

Charley with her new cousin Claire

My step brother Jackson

Mom made those silver ornaments to look like mercury glass.

There’s Craig. He made sure we woke up to a toasty fire every morning.

There’s my sister in law, Katie.

Two red heads

Christmas with the Mabrey’s

Aunt JoAnn

Aunt Sara, Sunny, Aunt JoAnn, Aunt Pug, Me

Aunt Sara, Sunny, Aunt JoAnn, Aunt Pug, Me, Charley

Just the Ladies

Sunny and our cousin, Kelly

Cousin Callie

Siblings

Father/Daughter

Christmas Morning!!!

Christmas at Big Mama’s

That child made his own Santa suit.

Going on a tip from his mother, we bought the boy this Nutcracker costume.

He wore it for 5 solid days.

No kidding.

Combining Families

New Year's Celebration at the River

Me and Santa having a moment

Shew. That was a major photo explosion.

I had to do it.

I must have had a few of those lay-the-camera-down-moments because failed to photograph a few family members. I regret that they aren’t featured here but am very happy to have had the opportunity to hang out with each one of them.

And I would like to say CONGRATULATIONS to my cousin Jill and her new husband Warren. Their wedding was beautifully sweet and I am so glad we were able to be a part of it.

Driving Home

2012-01-12T11:10:00.000-06:00

Now our trip home was right miserable.

And I feel a lot of guilt using the word "miserable" because I automatically think of the literal meaning of the word and how it compares to "actual" miseries. Ok. So compared to other more serious miseries this was nothin' ya'll. It was like a cake walk. But. When it comes to the comfortablity factor of riding in a vehicle, MODERN day, it was pretty, dang, miserable.
All 12-18 hours of it.

When My Friend wasn't panting, he spent his time rotating round and round.

(His kennel wouldn't fit in the truck bed.)

Oh and bonus...

Good times

Nevertheless, every time we arrive anywhere in this truck that has been so far,

through such rough terrain, a weight lifts off my shoulders.

Oh Christmas Tree

2012-01-09T19:59:00.000-06:00

Charley hung just about every ornament as I fed them to her from the tissue paper littered floor.

Later, I added tinsel, after being reminded of it's shimmering beauty from Red Neck Chic.

SO SPARKLY.

And cheap too.

The poor little tree got taken down before Christmas this year.

But I was so thankful not to come home two week old neglected tree.

And so thankful Mom and Sunny were willing to help me put it all away.

Hey and check out the "4" on the "days 'til Christmas" sign.

Awwwwww.

Showing Off Virginia

2012-01-08T23:06:00.001-06:00

HEY YOU GUYS!!!

We are back in Virginia after an incredibly gratifying vacation in Alabama.

It was great.

So....

I'm gonna go way back now and begin with when

Granna arrived in Virginia for her very FIRST visit with us.

The driveway was a happy place while we were waiting on Granna to pull in.

Awww....

Even My Friend got a little love.

Or rather, My Friend gave a little love.

AND, Sister came too!!!!

I think this photograph represents us well...

the photographer...

the frequently photographed.

I mean it was crazy enough to think we were actually getting to go home for Christmas,

but to have Mom and Sister visit us in Virginia after only 5 months away from home was incredible.

We did all sorts of fun things.

Chuck helped us out with that itinerary, you know.

His actual itinerary (contrary to his pretend itinerary) was good, good stuff.

It included a trip to explore the Riverwalk Landing...

where of course, Sunny steered us to the nearest Starbucks right off the bat.

Then she did her level best to be striking in the photo below.

ShaBAM. Dang strategically placed make-up to make the eyes PIERCE through your soul.

Naw, she doesn't try to shine so bright. She just does, she just does...

We call her Aunt Sunny.

We are both big believers in the use of the word Aunt. Uncle too.

Lotsa happy love floating around here...

I felt kinda bad because I rushed her through this, but there were signs

around that indicated that it was strictly a "Waterman's Museum" activity.

Whatever.

If you haven't noticed, I'm against rules that involve property lines of any kind.

I know it isn't logical, but I can't help it.

And I'm pretty sure Sunny shares my feelings on that because while she was here,

she wished aloud that there be an old house we could "explore and/or loot."

Got that wool pea coat in at It's Bazaar for $25.00!!!

Sunny spotted it for me.

It. has. a. velvet. hood.

I. accidentally. left. it. in. Alabama.

Part of our itinerary was to explore the BEACHES in Mathews.

We hit FOUR of them.

Aren't we lucky here in Mathews?

A lil' cold weather beach picnic on Bethel Beach.

And look at this!

Deer and Beaches.

PREtty cool. PREtty cool.

I took everybody on a windshield tour of Mathews and that led to stopping at several of the local consignment/junk/good stuff shops around.

We also hit up CHRISTMAS TOWN at Busch Gardens which was WONDERFULLY MERRY in every way. I elected not to burden myself with the camera while there.

And we sat around the house eating triscuits & cream cheese.

Chuck provided the meals.

Ok, I don't want to hear it from any judgmental women types.

He WANTED to.

Really.

Mama Reworks It!: Teacher Gift Idea

2011-12-18T18:50:00.000-06:00

We wanted to get both Charley's teacher, and teacher's assistant,

a little something for Christmas.

The idea came from an etsy seller whom I cannot find again for the life of me.

After I did the machine work,

I had Charley dictate one sentence to me.

The only thing I had to buy was the magnet clips!

I cut the white fabric from an old drawstring bag I had in the fabric pile.

They're quilted...

with love.

I'll Be Home for Christmas....

2011-12-17T21:37:00.000-06:00

After I became employed, the idea of going home for Christmas was kiboshed. So, we carried on, making the best knowing we would being away from our big family during Christmas, wondering what on earth we would do with our child who is out of school for two weeks during that time. My mom and sister even volunteered to come to Virginia before Christmas to help us out with a week of childcare. Later, I was surprised to hear that my dad and his wife would come the week after! But then some things happened. Some things that caused me to want to sing "Take this job and shove it...I ain't workin' here no more..." So I did. I quit my job. Although I didn't sing that song. I don’t want to go into a lot of detail but I also don't want anyone out there thinking I am just am a sorry quit-er of things, so I will say there was this person, who was really difficult to work for, because of some angry tantrum issues, involving a lot of yelling and I said NO! No more. No more treating me badly. I am outta here. I have never quit a job without having another one, so for me to do this, was a huge deal. I have NEVER been treated SO unprofessionally in all my days. Why on earth there are people who get away with acting like big butt heads at work (or ANYWHERE) is beyond me.

So, the good news is...NOW WE GET TO COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!!!! And the extra good news is MY MOM AND SISTER WILL BE IN VIRGINIA TOMORROW!!! I am super pumped. I miss my family SO much.

My mom requested an itinerary (she's really no trouble, no trouble at all) and Chuck volunteered to set us up. Hearing this news I was really relieved, until I read his last itinerary correspondence:

Man O Man I'm excited. This is going to be great. The final itinerary is

attached. Please review because changes have been made.

I think adding the gun show as an event will really make the season "pop".

You ladies will love it. Too, free deer and fox pp samples will be for the

taking. Sometimes I get tired of cinnamon spice stinking up the house at

Christmas. Don't worry, I'll make sure Charley understands that all the

mounted deer heads are not Santa's helpers. Also, I've added a boxing

match. There is nothing like a bloody nose to add color to the holidays. I

decided to remove the tour of beaches to ensure we can all enjoy the tractor

pull. This year the ponchos, for mud protection, are camouflaged and free.

From what I hear, the tractors are going to rev up to the tune of jingle

bells. Awesome! This will be Bad A$$! I almost forgot, there will be no

quaint shopping or dining or Christmas light viewing because I also had to

fit in the Harley Davidson Biker Santa contest. You know.... This is where

all those rough, beer gutted fellows with rusty, gray and white beards try

to look like Santa and put decorations on their bikes. Warm beer and BBQ

chicken plats costs $15.00. (Only one cup handed out for the keg, so don't

lose it). FUN FUN FUN!!!!!

Breakfast with Santa at Ware Academy

2011-12-17T08:34:00.000-06:00

Being new to the area, I really appreciate friends who fill us in about special events in town. Without them, we probably would have missed Breakfast with Santa and the parade afterward.

If you are "from" the area, reach out to the new family in town. We like it when you do that.

I don't do Santa photos every year.

And no, it isn't because I am a cheapskate.

It's because I believe hovering over a money passing table in front of a Santa scene every. single. year. takes the magic and simplicity out of sitting in Santa's lap. I believe when parents push their kids to focus on the camera, rather than Santa, then that's a bummer.

I don't fault Santa or the photographers. I mean, I used to shoot Santa photos on a regular basis. And Santa's got to feed the elves right? The responsibility falls to the parents to make sure their kid isn't missing out on the good stuff just to cheese for the camera. Sometimes you can have both...sometimes you can get a good picture and a good experience. Just be sure, 'cause I guess I am everybody's life coach now, when the photo taking gets in the way of memory making, lay it down.

Just lay that camera down.

Special Christmas Treats and Put Lights on the House Night

2011-12-16T10:40:00.000-06:00

Lately we've been really into theme nights.

Last night was "Kung Fu Panda Night", where we ate Chinese food and watched 2 rounds of Kung Fu Panda. I highly recommend "Kung Fu Panda Night", even if I did fall asleep during the last screening. I'll also recommend that if you have your own "Kung Fu Panda Night" and are interested in saving a little cash, you can't go wrong with Ramen Noodles. Pair the 20 cent noodles with sesame chicken from Shun Xing and you are good to go. Of course, if you know Po, then you also know we had to order dumplings too.

I didn't get any photos of "Kung Fu Panda Night", but I did get the camera out during our,

"Special Christmas Treats

and Put Lights on the House Night."

All of our theme nights have such catchy names.

I get Charley involved with the cooking whenever I can.

She loves to cook.

Our countertop space is minuscule, so we use the kitchen table a lot.

I pull out all the dishes and ingredients ahead of time.

I feel like I am on a cooking show.

(Got that Pyrex measuring cup at a thrift store. Who throws out Pyrex?)

Chuck loves his hat. It lights up but he hasn't been running it much.

He's trying to save the batteries for Christmas.

My little posers.

"Put Lights on the House" Phase

The weather was so pleasant that night.

Charley did all the lighting up to the point where she couldn't reach.

It was an "all by myself" kind of thing.

I made her jump.

Then I made Chuck jump.

Then I made Chuck photograph me while I jumped.

My picture is small because it is HORRIBLE...my pants are gram-mawed and my face is all contorted but I jumped so HIGH, I couldn't leave it out.

Ta DA!

So bew-tee-ful.

A Full Tree

2011-12-14T16:05:00.000-06:00

Those Georgia in-laws have done it again I tell ya.

This time they sent us two boxes of CHERISHED

Christmas decorations that we hadn't seen in TWO years.

In a few minutes, we went from about 12 Big Lots ornaments to more than our tree can hold.

Our little girl was mucho happy.

Ya'll shouldn't have,

but I am SO GLAD you did.

Just for Kicks

2011-12-12T18:40:00.001-06:00

Last year while getting a Christmas tree....

This year while getting a Christmas tree...

When we got our tree, Virginia wasn't even cold yet!

Chuck's wearing SHORT SLEEVES in that photo!

And really and truly, Virginia isn't even cold now!

I just walked outside in a tank top.

I could NEVER do that in Alaska during this time of year.

Once, I walked out to the truck without gloves, and was temporarily handicapped from the pain.

Seriously.

Last year...

This year...

I just thought of one other thing that is cheaper in Alaska...

Christmas Trees!

They're FREE and EVERYWHERE.

I miss them.

Old and New Christmas Traditions

2011-12-12T16:04:00.000-06:00

So every year when we get a tree, we shoot a picture like this....

I don't know why really.

We've been doing it since before Charley was born.
It's just our thing.

And when she was born, we incorporated her into the tradition.

We used to cut our tree down at a Christmas Tree farm.

We'd still be doing this, but we didn't find any cut your own farms in our new area.

So we got our tree from the parking lot at Food Lion instead.

Since we had to say goodbye to an old tradition, we welcomed in a new one.

Enter KUNG FU PANDA Restaurant

(More commonly known as Shun Xing next door to Food Lion.)

Merry Christmas Ya'll!!!

I am getting SO excited!

Thoughtful Gift Idea for a Teen

2011-12-11T08:42:00.000-06:00

My inability to think of a good Christmas gift for my 16 year old nephew got me to thinking about my sister-in-law's great idea from his last birthday.

To each of the boy's relatives, she sent pre-stamped envelopes containing index cards.

She asked that you give him advice.

You could share anything you thought would be beneficial.

I thought this was a great idea.

Chuck was in Alaska at the time, and I heard his advice was three pages long.

Made in Mathews

2011-12-10T19:18:00.000-06:00

This little town is very proud of their locals.

And one way they demonstrate that is by holding an annual event called Made in Mathews.

During the event you can tour any of the participating studios and see the artists in action.

The artists also stick a price tag on all their wares,

which probably makes allowing strangers to tromp through their work space worth it.

I didn't get a lot of photos since most of the studios were private residences.

Also, art is such an intimate thing.

Breaking out the camera seemed intrusive.

But I couldn't resist photographing one particular place.

I. want. to. have. it.

Love these colors.

This was the home of the owners' of The Poddery

(I know. It is purposefully spelled incorrectly. I don't know what the story is.

Drives me ALMOST as crazy as the one T in Mathews.)

Even their driveway was great.

Thanksgiving in Virginia

2011-12-09T17:24:00.000-06:00

It is nice to have friends who consider that we are away from family on the holidays.

They welcomed us into their home....and yard.

And their family made us feel like we belonged.

So nice.

I didn't get up in anybody's grill with the camera while they were eating, since a few months ago my Aunt Sara told me people don't like that. Oh.

But I DID take some pictures of these apple pies.

That I made.

From scratch.

All the way.

When I bake successfully, it is always a shock.

So I must document.

Am I the most behind blogger of all time or what?

Happy belated Thanksgiving ya'll!!

PARTY

2011-12-08T08:20:00.000-06:00

We are getting a lot of use out of that face painting kit.

Charley painted our faces. Could you guess?

And for the record, that's Chuck's handiwork on Charley.

Her Father's Daughter

2011-12-07T12:56:00.000-06:00

This child...

oh this child...

is a child, custom made for her daddy.

Chuck's a good man.

He was a good boy too.

I think Charley is his reward.

In the beginning,

I think a few family members secretly wished us a boy.

They had Chuck in mind, and knew a boy would suit him.

But what nobody realized was this.....

And this…

Does a mother's heart good.

The alone time is nice also.

Jamestown Settlement

2011-12-03T20:43:00.001-06:00

I am sure most of you know, coastal Virginia is RICH with history.

A couple of weeks ago, we set out to explore

what lies beyond our quaint, little town of Mathews.

About an hour later, we arrived in Jamestown.

We began with a quick reminder of who traveled where and when....

...let it go in one ear and out the other, and moved on to the fun stuff.

Powhatan Village

I told Charley if she would stand in the middle of the circle of Indians,

they would come alive and start talking to her.

She wouldn't do it.

So we don't know whether or not its true.

Though, I did make it up on the spot.

But still, we don't know for sure.

Now Charley HAS to have a reed covered house like one of the ones in Powhatan Village.

I'm all for it.

But since Chuck will bear the brunt of the work, we'll have to wait on him to be "for it" also.

I'm also waiting for him to be "for" an outhouse, a tee pee, and a tree house.

Oh! And a yurt! A yurt Chuck.

Oh, oh, oh! And a dug out canoe.

Charley also wants all of the skins. ALL of them. Killed humanely and used properly of course.

No minks for us.

Study up Chuck.

Into James Fort

The village was built to resemble what Jamestown would have looked like back in the day.

The day of the early 1600's.

Whoa.

I was really impressed.

Dang, those English folks built a whole village with no Home Depot around for miles and miles.

OR a Lowes.

I mean, I have big dreams of digging a hole in the backyard and fashioning a wooden structure around it and I can't seem to muster up the gumption to get that done.

Furthermore, because the woodwork seems so overwhelming to me, I've even resorted to ideas of stringing curtain rods around it for privacy. (We only have one toilet and there is one person who spends about half his life in there. I'm not gonna say which one of us he is.)

They even had to build a wall around their town to guard against attack.

They needed guys like this one...

...though I have no idea what he was talking about or what his purpose was.

I was focused on the light and composition.

I've actually toyed with the idea of becoming one of these people.

I like the idea at working at a place like this.

After all, you know, my sister is an actress.

Which, as it turns out means absolutely nothing in relation to my talents.

If she were to sustain injury I may (MAY) be able to feel her pain through the miles (it's a theory not thoroughly tested) but talents don't transfer like that. Apparently.

But I could try it anyway! I'd have to learn historical things (thumbs down).....but I'd get to wear a big, poufy dress (thumbs up)....that is, in some cases, designed to make one's hips look larger (thumbs down)....but I'd get to spend a lot of time outside (thumbs up).....but would have an hour commute to Williamsburg (thumbs down)....and probably work nights and weekends (thumbs down).

But STILL, I think working at a place like this would be fun.

Unless of course you are the blacksmith.

Who wants to be a blacksmith?

It's hot and dirty work.

And to make a nail! Oh my Lord to make a nail!

It is quite time consuming to make ONE, singular, nail.

Chuck would probably enjoy being this guy.

He'd get to shoot a gun, talk big talk.

Plus, his shirt appears to be totally adjustable, which scores big points in my book.

We found a quite place to rest inside this church.

Did a little preaching (and by preaching I mean standing in the pulpit).

Is it a sin to say I really don't envy the folks who sat through services back in the 1600's?

Since envying is a sin and all?

Just like John Smith's hat in Pocahontas (the movie).

I LOVE this tree.

I have a thing for trees.

The English Flag

Strangely VERY similar to the Alabama Flag

To the Ships

Soaking up knowledge about ship guns.

I said,

"Are you thinking about what it must have been like when

Pocahontas saw all those boats coming to her land?"

She said,

"No. I am pretending to BE Pocahontas,

when she saw all those boats coming to her land."

She stood there a long time.

Imagination is an amazingly, wonderful thing.

NOW, after going to Jamestown so close to Thanksgiving,
Charley and I cannot seem to keep our historical data straight.
(It isn't the same time period.)

We had a good time.

Jamestown Settlement rates high on our family-outing-adventure-list.

Photo Sesh #2

2011-11-27T07:42:00.001-06:00

Fast forward one year.

Here's our second photo shoot.

Hold on to your socks.

2011

Callie, Callie, Bo, Ballie

2011-11-26T19:58:00.000-06:00

While looking back through my blog drafts, I found this unpublished post and I want to share it! Once a year for the past two years, I've had the opportunity to take photos of my 2nd cousin Callie. She's such a beauty; she makes photographing easy. These photos are from last year.

2010

Family Sing/Dance Night

2011-11-22T21:33:00.001-06:00

Once my Dad and his wife, Judy, bought Charley a Karaoke machine.

Well we pretend it belongs to Charley.

Satis-FACTION

And everybody who knows Chuck, knows he loves the mic.

Doesn’t matter that once, at a place called the Econo Lodge Pub, a man named Buddy told him he “couldn’t carry a wet paper tune in a wet paper sack.” (Yes, those were his words exactly.)

The man loves a microphone.

And Charley loves the dance floor.

And the spotlight.

Just like her Daddy.

So, uh, Daddy would you, uh, pipe down?

(This is her, politely directing the attention back to herself.)

She thinks she's the Lord of the Dance. (Is this sacrilegious?)

It seems fitting since she was begat of Shirley Temple's double.

That's me.

MAN, I could tap out a jig at her age.

Never needed nary a lesson.

(sarcasm font all above)

Chuck was later allowed to MC,

if the primary focus was the dancing girl.

After the show, we were both allowed to “get a closer look” of the star of the show. This is where the star (Charley) comes up to each individual at the show (me and her Daddy) and stands really still while we look at her face very closely. “Getting a closer look” was invented by Charley a few years back.

So…maybe were guilty of feeding her ego a little much.

MAYBE

But I'd say too MUCH self confidence is WAY

better than too LITTLE self confidence.

Wouldn't you?

(I mean, provided your note a jerk about it.)

Good Things

2011-11-20T21:23:00.000-06:00

November Yard Camp

2011-11-19T19:49:00.002-06:00

Going camping with Chuck feels a lot like Glamping...except, well, with a lot less glamour. Well, no glamour, really. What I mean is that Chuck sets everything up, gets Charley involved which she LOVES, and he cooks, and cooks, and cooks.

He made taco soup the night prior and warmed it to bubbling on our campfire.

We really need to invest in some camp crockery for the sake of the photos.

On second thought, I may have just misused the word "need".

Of course we also had blackened weenies. The blacker the better, I always say.

And smores are a camping requirement.

Everybody knows that.

How TO make a smore.

Also, I spelled marshmallow wrong.

Also, it is really hard to go back and edit a photo with text.

I am trying to spell out CAMP.

Can’t you see it?

Yeah, it didn’t work. I had the camera on a tripod, set the shutter speed way low, pumped the ISO as high as it would go, and set the f-stop really wide (to allow lots of light to pass through). Since I don't have a remote shutter release, I set the camera to the timer mode (a trick Susan Stevenson taught me). I guess I should gone lower with the shutter speed in order to capture more of the light’s movement.
Try, try, again.

Time for bed.

I'm already freezing.

The kid went to bed with a dirty face and lived.

WAKE UP MY FRIEND!

Washing up for MORE cooking.

Eggs

SAWsage (as Charley says)

I love this man.

Chuck put the sausage and eggs on warmed English muffins,

and this time I remembered the butter.

Because the last time I went camping without it, I wrote it down.

Butter. is. as. important. to. a. successful. camp. out. as. smore. ingredients.

Write that down.

Have any of you been camping lately?

Glory Days

2011-11-17T21:01:00.003-06:00

Blogging about the canoe and living life outdoors reminded me of some of the best days of Chuck's fishing life.

That I never blogged about.

And though, he hasn't said so,

I know the fact that Chuck's very important fishing days didn't make it on my blog hurt his little feelings.

(My blog is a VERY big deal.)

But I never blogged about it because I was focused on

tracking my husband's move from Alaska to Virginia.

After which, life continued to roll on and the photos and the helpful text Chuck typed up got buried.

It's time to dust it all off.

We need to talk about some of....

Chuck's most memorable Alaska days!!!

SALMON: a very big deal

Back in June, Chuck and his friends, Earl and Clint, arrived at Klutina Salmon Charters and Campground and set up camp. Afterward, they set out to fish along the Klutina River.

Around 11:00 ish Chuck caught his first Red Salmon ever.

Chuck explains, "I was very excited about that."

Later, Chuck and Earl cleaned the fish and Clint started a fire.

Chuck used an iron skillet over the fire, and with a little olive oil and seasoning, prepared the salmon for supper.

Ol' Clint brought along some ears of corn

and they cooked them with the fish fillets.

Reportedly, it was a "good supper." (I poke fun in the name of love.)

The next morning the three of them took to the trail and hiked about two miles toward the mouth of the river where the Klutina enters the Copper River.

There they all caught a fair share of fish.

Three times Chuck had salmon completely run all of the line off of his spool. The fishing rods that he brought to use were a little light for big salmon, but he says,

"it made for some exciting fishing."

The fishing continued through the week.

Later, Chuck met up with Earl, Jamie, Dan, and Liz, in Chitna, Alaska for some dip netting in the Copper River.

Cooking up more salmon at Chitna!

Chuck tucked his fire under an embankment

because it served as a break from the relentless wind.

Fine Dining

Salmon and Doritos in Chitna, Alaska

What could be better?

Slow Moving Afternoons in the Canoe

2011-11-13T20:38:00.000-06:00

We search the grass for mysterious footprints and big crabs.

Chuck reels in a few small ones.

We marvel at our new landscape.

Charley lounges.

I soak up some still time with my ever growing baby.

We explore a new island.

And find hundreds of skittering crabs!

Charley and I SCREAM as they run in our direction.

Then Chuck and I decide to let one pinch us so we know how it feels.

Charley opts not to follow suit.

We sneak up on some seagulls on a sandbar.

Chuck paddles close and patiently holds us steady, while I take 100 or so photographs.

I have Chuck to thank for bringing the canoe into my life. Canoeing has always been his thing. His brother, Guy, bought him his first canoe when he was just 16 years old. Receiving that canoe, gave Chuck the same feeling most 16 year olds get when their parents hand them the keys to their first vehicle. Instead of burning rubber on the streets, Chuck made wake on the creeks and rivers. Some of mine and Chuck's first dates were spent on a green Old Town. And after 9 years of marriage and 8 years of off and on dating, I think we can officially call canoeing our thing. The canoe has become our family's main mode of water transportation. And yes, there are times we long for something more convenient, maybe something motorized, but we'd never give up the canoe. It is probably Chuck's most prized possession. The canoe allows us the opportunity to get out in the world, to get up close with all sorts of creatures and landscapes. I hope there will always be a canoe in our life....and these days we've been longing for two, since our little one has been rocking the boat a lot lately. No longer content to sit in the bottom of the boat, Chuck fashioned a seat for her from a small cooler. She's suddenly outgrown that as well, and wishes for the room to paddle without whopping me in the head. I wish for that too. So, we'll add another canoe to the list seems that seems to be growing incredibly fast. Just after the recliner, water filtration system and pump, pressure washer, family vehicle, grill, queen size box springs and bed, full size bed, air compressor, and push mower. Oh and two kayaks too. Oh and I better tack on some bondo and fiberglass for the old canoe because by the time we get around to...oh who am I kidding? We need the bondo and fiberglass now.

Things that crack me up...

2011-11-13T11:19:00.002-06:00

I been holding back on you guys.

2011-11-12T08:03:00.003-06:00

For the past three weeks, I've been working.....outside of the home.....for a paycheck. After 6 years of mom-ing, I am back at work. Now, I have to do things like plan outfits and IRON. Why is there even SUCH A THING as ironing? Who invented that?? Furthermore, high heels! Don't even get me started on high heels. Anyway, so I have this job now. I work as an Administrative Assistant at a Day Support Program. And strangely enough, in this case, that title translates to management. So here I am, suddenly in a position that carries some weight, after all of these years of being out of the workforce. Some days I struggle and other days are good. Each day I walk in, I pray for guidance so that I can help the program to run smoothly and efficiently. Most of all, I pray that God is in charge of my day.

The Day Support Program is a place where adults with special needs can spend their days. They go on field trips, work puzzles, paint pumpkins, play bingo, go out for lunch, shoot basketball, and just generally fill their days with good, beneficial stuff. So far so good. I like them, they seem to like me. The other employees and I get along well. And the BEST part is, when Charley is at school, I work. When Charley is at home, I am at home. I asked God to help me find a job that would suit our family. Man, oh man, did he come through for us on that request. I work from 8-2:30, which means I can take Charley to school and pick her up. Also, her school is located 2 literal minutes from my job. For now this suits our, new-to-the-area-without-grandparent-or-any-reliable-form-of-childcare-options perfectly. I am so thankful.

Family Hike....and more

2011-11-08T20:39:00.001-06:00

Hi.

Here you see us ready to go on a hike.

And while I didn't get any photos of the actual hike,

I did capture this very special moment.

We found this snake see, and though it was completely in tact, it was dead as a doornail.

Granola knows her Daddy has this fear of snakes.

The fear is real. He isn't putting on. I know this, because I too have tortured him with a snake.

Granola took her torture a step further than I,

and took the snake and THREW it on her Daddy.

Then she did it again.

And when she got tired of that stick she was using as a hand tool,

she just picked the snake up in her bare, little 6 year old hands....

...and chased her 34 year old Daddy with it some more.

And some more.

She ain't scared.

To be continued.........
Actually no. This will not be continued.
Chuck eventually got tired of the torture and we had to stop.