My new favorite website

I set a new goal today. In the next few weeks I plan to make every salad recipe from the Neiman Marcus Cookbook. I'll have it for dinner the night of and then for lunch the next day. Not a bad diet plan, eh? Tonight I made the Santa Fe Style Ranch House Salad. It was good, not great. I added poached chicken breast and omitted the chips. Overall, this is an amazing cookbook. The turkey meatloaf is to die for.

My new cushions and pillows came for the den today. Love them. Will have to post pictures asap.

BabyBoy is healing up well. Still a nasty chin but I think he will have a minimal scar. Counting my blessings...

Dr. Daddy is downstairs packing for his ski trip to Banff/Lake Louise next week. Sooo, I'm spending the time internet shopping! I think this is a pretty fair trade. My new favorite website is....drumroll please....The Well Appointed House. Good lord. They have EVERYTHING!

Some of my favorites...

WOULD LOVE TO DO THESE IN A GUEST ROOM



FOR THE YOUNG "MASTER" OF THE HOUSE



FOR THE BACKYARD



TWO OF THESE IN FRONT OF THE FIREPLACE IN THE LIVING ROOM



FOR THE DINING ROOM



FOR MY UPSTAIRS HALLWAY




TWO OF THESE FOR MY MANTLE



Seriously...I could go on all night. Alas, 6:30am comes early. Night, ya'll!

It's EBay Season!

It's EBay season around here and I wanted to let you all know that I have some great stuff listed. Mostly little girl's size 3. A few ladies' skirts as well. I know I have a few friends who wanted first dibs...check out the "Buy It Now" option and let me know if you're interested! I'll be listing lots more in the next couple days. I also have a window treatment listed as well. Click here to go directly to one of my auctions and then click on "View seller's other items" to see the rest. Happy Shopping!

I'm....Confused

Never did I think those two words would illicit such a tearful response from me. Yesterday we went to church and then met some friends for lunch at their club. BabyBoy had gone down to the lower area of the club to look at the koi fish pond. Seconds later we heard him crying. Not bloody murder screaming, just a pretty average cry from the most melodramatic child on earth. Dr. Daddy met him as he ran to the top of the stairs. All I could glean through the sobbing was that he had run into a "pole" and his chin was bleeding. Dr. Daddy took him to the bathroom to check it out and a few minutes later they were back. Apparently, BabyBoy had been showing off to some Middle School girls and was trying to show them how fast he could run. The square pillar in the hallway didn't get out of the way quick enough and he ran straight into it.
BabyBoy was still crying so I took him outside. My girlfriend, who is also a doctor, accompanied me. When we had BabyBoy take the napkin off of his chin we both gasped, which freaked him out a little. There was a through and through gash on his chin that was about an inch from top to bottom with a puncture hole at the top. This in and of itself wasn't too concerning...it was the copious amount of blood inside his mouth that had me worried. Without even thinking about it I asked if BabyGirl could hang out with them for the afternoon so we could head to the ER. We both agreed he probably needed stitches. My friend, God bless her, has four year old twins and an eight year old. Thank goodness we're practically family and they were more than willing to take BabyGirl on.
We got to the ER and after about an hour got to see the doc. Upon further investigation of the injury we discovered he had a gash on his gingival junction? and it had to be repaired lest food get caught in it and rot forever. Gross. We were all in agreement that BabyBoy would have to be sedated to get the job done. He is so freakin melodramatic that there was no way it was going to get done any other way. Of course, this meant that we had to sit around for FOUR hours waiting for him to not have had anything to eat or drink for five hours since this was a conscious sedation and there are risks involved. WHATEVER. You simply CANNOT stick a type A woman in a room with screaming son for four hours with nothing to read. So Dr. Daddy went home to get some mags and books. Finally, they gave BabyBoy the shot in the leg of Ketamine and he was out. Freaky. His eyes were open but he was asleep. Thankfully, he doesn't remember a thing. EXCEPT that he got to play Nintendo for four hours while waiting for the blessed event.
Once they were finished stitching (only seven stitches required) he started to wake up. Poor baby rolled over and looked at me and all he could come up with was a whimper and "I'm...confused". He was so pitiful. He kept looking at his hands like they were foreign objects. Of course, puking ensued which required a Phenergan suppository and more sleeping. We finally got out of there at 6:30 or so. BabyGirl was SO happy to see her big brother and very concerned about his boo boo.
Needless to say, he took an R and R day today and unfortunately, she stayed home from preschool with a cold.
What happened to winter break being over? I don't think we've had a full week of school all January. And my husband wonders why nothing gets done around here...

Fun With Flowers...again!

It's so cold and kind of dreary outside. I thought today I'd do a post about a past event that I helped out with. Each year I participate in an event called the "Book & Author Dinner". It's a really neat event where we have three or four authors come to a dinner and speak about their books. We have it at a large hotel in town and after the dinner the authors stick around and sign their books, which we sell copies of. I've done the flowers for the past several years. Last year was a particularly fun year with the flowers. I kind of left my comfort zone and did something a little more modern but ended up loving it. It was so simple and yet really elegant at the same time.

The first part of the evening takes place as a cocktail/welcoming party. I did one large arrangement and several small arrangements for that.





This larger arrangement was basically floral foam in an urn with tulips, forced quince branches, curly willow and bunches of spanish moss added to the branches. We also threaded some orchids in various spots to make it seem as though it was a live branch that was blooming. The effect was stunning. It was a huge arrangement, too, so only one was necessary.



These arrangements were put on the cocktail tables throughout hte room. Very simple to make. These were rectangular vases filled partially with black river rock and very little water. I then took bamboo branches (it's not bamboo...it's called something else but I can't think of the name. maybe grass reeds?) and tied several together with raffia. I then took three cymbidium orchids and threaded the stems into the raffia ties. The great thing about cymbidium is that it can live without water for about 36 hours without wilting.



This guy was tons of fun to make. I took a large glass cylindrical vase and placed two rubber bands around it. I then cut the bamboo reeds to the correct length and threaded them under the rubber bands. I tied raffia around the rubber bands to hide them. I then filled the vase with black river rock and placed the manzanita branches in the vase. I LOVE manzanita. It's so versatile. You can spray paint it white for fun winter arrangements or coral/red for decorating you house. I love the coral red painted manzanita in a blue and white asian ginger jar. But I digress...
I just kind of placed the cymbidiums all over the branches and they managed to stay in place all night long. This was the centerpiece for the place card table.



Finally, the table centerpieces. I found these glass cylinder vases on ebay for about four dollars a piece. We needed 65 of them so the low price was key. I then just placed four or five tulips in each one and crammed some curly willow down the middle. The effect with tea lights all around them was really fantastic.

Each centerpiece cost a total of $7.50. You can't beat that! And...I still have the vases to use again and again.

Part of a nutritious breakfast?

I realized at about 9pm last night that I had signed up to take a "pastry" for a meeting this morning. Given that Dr. Daddy was at the hospital and the kiddos were in bed, it basically boiled down to whatever was in the cupboard. I ended up making these Pecan Squares from the Southern Living "Our Best Recipes" cookbook. They are delicious. I think they taste like a Praline Bar and they go great with coffee. A pastry? Maybe not, but I think they'll be a hit!



Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup butter
3 tablespoons whipping cream
3 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans


Preparation
Sift together 2 cups flour and 2/3 cup powdered sugar. Cut in 3/4 cup softened butter using a pastry blender or fork just until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pat mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool.

Bring brown sugar, honey, 2/3 cup butter, and whipping cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in pecans, and pour hot filling into prepared crust.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Cool completely before cutting into 2-inch squares.

She uses salted butter and brings the filling to a rolling boil before pouring it over the crust.

Judy Russell, Birmingham, Alabama

Yield
Makes about 28 squares

Judy Russell, Birmingham, Alabama , Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2004

Fag Drama

I had a great time this past weekend in Richmond. Went shopping for trim for my bedroom curtains and found something I'm really happy with. My brother was very kind and patient and tagged along with me for hours. I think we went to three or four different fabric stores. We also ate at PF Changs for lunch and had the chicken lettuce wraps, which are one of my favorite things! We convinced my dad to go out to eat with us for dinner at Escobar and it was fantastic as usual. A gin and tonic and half bottle of wine later I was ready to party with my brother's friends! His buddy Ray picked us up and drove us to a party at a friend's house. Apparently this was a party that a guy was throwing for his 60 year old mom's birthday. We walked in and the room was completely filled with middle aged gay men. I felt like the belle of the ball! It's always fun when you're the token straight gal. Everyone I talked to was super nice and we had a great time. I'm pretty sure I had my last glass of wine at the party. It was necessary, given the MALE STRIPPER I was forced to watch. He wasn't even cute as far as I was concerned. Not even with the wine goggles on. He was way too muscular and kind of looked like a bobble head.
After the party we went to a new club called Infuzion. I was told this was a gay bar but I certainly couldn't tell. It was very nice and chic but the DJ wouldn't play any Britney Spears so that was a no go for me.
Needless to say, and as you can tell from my post title, we did have some Fag Drama (NOT my term but I do think it's hilarious). Overall, though, a lot of fun. I managed to get away from the experience with only a minor headache the next AFTERNOON when I woke up at 12 noon. God bless Dr. Daddy for keeping the kids at home for me! I definitely needed the break.
This morning a friend of mine watched the kids so I could get a microdermabrasion. I do a chemical peel every six weeks but hadn't done this before. My face feels as smooth as a baby's butt and it didn't hurt at all. Just felt like someone was sanding my face off, that's all!
I also invested in some mineral makeup which is supposedly better for your skin than the overpriced Chanel I've been wearing.
Hope you all had a great weekend, too!
P.S. Eric...we missed you!

The Color Purple

You know I love a fabric challenge, so I absolutely had to brainstorm fabric ideas after reading Impoverished Preppy's post about her daughter's new bedroom. First of all, congratulations on all the hard work you've done IP! I love a girl who's willing to paint.
Here were the fabrics already being used in the room.



I LOVE the combination of the gingham and the toile. I also love that the walls are lavender as well. I think sticking with those two colors would be gorgeous. Maybe adding a few splashes of green to freshen things up would be nice as well. Here are two fabrics I found from The Fabric Finder that I think would work great. The plaid would be nice as a valance, and the polka dot would be gorgeous as a bed skirt. You could also use the polkadot as a valance and have the scalloped edge as the trim. So cute!





I also love this apple green velvet fabric from Ballard Designs. This would be great for pillows or to cover a chair or bench.

Invitation Dilemma

BabyGirl has decided that she wants to have a birthday party based on the Fancy Nancy book series. I'm having a bit of trouble deciding which invitation to use. I don't want anything too princessy but I feel like there should be a tiara SOMEWHERE on the invite since that's such a big part of the book. SOOOO, help me out here and vote on which invitation you like best.

A.

B.

C.

D.

Answers

Couple answers to questions:

1. the fabric for my curtains was purchased at a discount fabric shop in my town called The Second Yard. Unfortunately they don't have a website. I believe they also have shops in Charlottesville, VA and Virginia Beach, VA.

2. No, the towheads are not twins. Funny though, I always wanted twins. They are 20 months apart. As BabyGirl gets older she is quickly catching up to BabyBoy in height.

3. I learned how to sew a little from my Mom but mostly through trial and error. Be patient, you can do it!

Hug 'em a little tighter today

I'm usually not the sentimental type. Lately, however, I seem to be weepy about everything having to do with kids. This is not an indication that I want more. I really don't. Dr. Daddy's done the old snippy snip and we are DONE. Which is not to say that I didn't LOVE being pregnant. Every second of it. Right up until the very end. Then I was done. Like...GET IT OUT NOW done.
My stepmom sent me this email and for whatever reason it really touched me. I think it's because lately BabyBoy has really been getting on my nerves. He talks constantly. He must call my name a thousand times a day. For the most part, he is such a good boy but sometimes he just makes me want to pull my hair out! This story could have come right out of my own kitchen...

F A M I L Y

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh excuse me please" was my reply.


He said, "Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you."


We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said goodbye.


But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.


Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My son stood beside me very still.


When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.


He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.


While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,


"While dealing with a stranger ,
common courtesy you use,
but the family you love, you seem to abuse.


Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.


Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.


He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."


By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.


I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.


"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He sm iled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.


I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."


I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway."


I said, "Son, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."


FAMILY
Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company
that we are working for could easily replace us in
a matter of days.
But the family we left behind will feel the loss
for the rest of their lives.


And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more
into work than into our own family,
an unwise investment indeed,
don't you think?
So what is behind the story?


Do you know what the word FAMILY means?
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

See what I mean? Just reading it again right now makes me weepy.
Yesterday, Dr. Daddy came home in a foul mood. He had a gold alert (major trauma) come in to the OR sometime in the afternoon. A mother was driving her two year old daughter and the baby unhooked her carseat strap. Mom (you know we've ALL done this) turned around to get baby back in seat, lost control of the car and hit a tree. Mom was fine. Baby died in the OR of a massive head trauma. Hearing that story made me want to throw up. How many times have you turned around to pick up a toy, hand someone a sippy cup, feel around for a passy? I have gotten better about pulling off to the side of the road to do these things lately but you can bet your ass I'll be pulling off EVERYTIME from now on. That poor mother had to go see her baby for the last time on an OR table. And you KNOW that she was yelling at that baby when it happened and that is her very last memory of her baby. Dr. Daddy said that what got him the most was that she was just like you or me. Nice jeans, put together, cute haircut, etc. Just a Mommy and her kid toolin on down the road with no idea of what was to happen next. So...hug 'em a little tighter today and the next time someone can't reach their McDonald's chicken nuggets PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD!

Bump on a log

I've started to feel somewhat lazy here lately. I'm still in my PJ's. It's almost 9pm and I'm still in my PJ's from this morning. We just didn't have any outside stuff to do today, Dr. Daddy is at the hospital for 24 hrs. and we hung out around the house. My PJ's are so comfy, it's hard to justify getting dressed.
Last night we had dinner and with friends and went to see the movie Juno. It is hilarious. Definitely in the top five movies I've seen in the past year. We laughed our asses off. I loved that it was about teenage pregnancy and yet there was no raucous drinking or constant pot smoking. Just two kids who made an oops. It happens. If you haven't seen it, you should.
I spent today (and most of yesterday) sewing. I'm making the panels for my dining room. These are extremely labor intensive because you have to do the lining and interlining, hem those, then attach them to the fabric, hand hem that and then hand sew the pleats and the trim. I did french pleats, which I've never done before but really like. I LOVE the end result. One down...three to go.
BabyGirl had her best girlfriend over for a playdate. This friend happens to be a twin but the twin was in time out for the afternoon so she was solo today. It was really cute to see their interaction sans twin. They had a great time and it allowed me more sewing time!
Here are some pics so far. It's just one panel but I'm so damned proud I had to take pics.






On top of my laziness I have this massive cyst like thing on my right eyelid that is killing me. We're talking the equivalent of labor pain. Of course, I had rockin' epidurals so it really is all relative but this thing hurts. I don't know if it's an ingrown eyebrow hair or a pimple or what but at this rate I WILL be wearing a pirate patch tomorrow and sucking on a fentanyl lollipop. For real.

Pardon me while I drool...

Lilly Pulitzer's Spring line is out. Here are (a few of) my favorites:



















All available HERE.

Spring Fling!

Thanks to all of you who offered advice on my blogging issue. I think I've figured it out.
Now, onto our unseasonably warm (again) weather! I took advantage of the beautiful weather today and took a nice jog. Then I made my way out to the yard and planted about thirty bulbs that have been piling up in my kitchen. I tend to order bulbs and take forever to plant them.
I LOVE to garden. My favorite plants are roses and hydrangeas. Our old yard was really not condusive to much planting. The soil was awful and the sunlight was sketchy. Our new yard, however, is a dream come true. The woman who used to live here was an avid gardener so there are multiple raised beds with fantastic soil. Unfortunately, the yard has been quite neglected for a few years and has become overgrown. So, come Spring I will have my job cut out for me!
While I was planting my bulbs today I discovered tons of bulbs getting ready to sprout. I had to be careful where I was digging so as not to dig up any mature plants. I guess once everything starts blooming in the Spring I will make a drawing of the yard and fill in each spot as something blooms. I've also started to make a connection with the woman who lived here so I can have her over and have her walk me through the yard. I've made several changes already so I'm hoping she won't be upset. For gardeners, our plants become like our children. We love them so much and hold on to them as long as we can! Unfortunately, we all have different tastes.
I've started a hydrangea garden in one of the raised beds. I planted four large plants in the fall and can't wait for them to bloom in June/July. We just put a bed in beside the garage and I think I will put one of these gorgeous climbing hydrageas in.



In the bed above that and in a similar bed along our fence I plan to plant a rose garden. These are the roses I have chosen thus far:

The Princess Diana



The Pope John Paul II



The Laura Bush



The Ronald Reagan



The Mardi Gras



I also LOVE this beautiful bubblegum pink Echinacea



All available at Jackson and Perkins.

Of course, this weekend it will probably SNOW and I'll be back to thinking about snowbibs and skiing!