Thursday, October 27, 2011

Prepping for Halloween


I am loving today's autumn sunshine. Fall is my favorite season. The crispness in the air, the subtle rustling of leaves as the wind sweeps them gently across the sidewalks and into the streets. Peering out my window I notice for the first time the transformation that has taken place - rust and gold leaves have all but replaced the bushy leafy green ones. On these clear fall days, I always think of my youngest daughter who, at age three upon noticing a backdrop of mountains in the distance, asked "Who painted that picture?" I remember giggling saying, "That's not a picture. Those are real mountains."

We are kicking in to high Halloween gear around here. We're loving the spooky decorations and the promise of candy come Halloween night.

This past weekend we carved pumpkins using stencils to make images of ghosts and owls. The girls were great, digging inside the pumpkin removing guts and seeds as best they could. In the end, as usual, I swooped in to take out any remaining bits of slime.


This weekend we'll huddle around the TV to watch, It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, as if it's our first time seeing it. We'll munch on popcorn and when the show ends, we'll come to a disagreement with them over whether or not they will get to watch it again or watch something else. Jon and I usually give in allowing them one or two more cartoons. It is after all, Halloween. We love the holiday just as much as they do.

If I don't talk to you before Monday, Happy Halloween, friends!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

A Look at AG


Somehow I always manage to get myself on the wrong side of my children. This weekend I took the girls, along with their dolls, to the American Girl store just to check it out. I told them that we wouldn't buy anything and that it was just a trip to look and see. On our way to the mall, Alex asked if we could buy one little thing, and instead of answering with a firm, no, I gave a wimpy, we'll see. Famous last words.


We arrived at the American Girl store and were blown away by the incredible doll displays and overall coolness of it all. This was definitely Jack Pot! central.




After looking and touching and caressing and petting all the lovely items, Alex asked again if we could buy something and I said, no -- to which Alex said, very huffy, "But you said! You said you'd see and now we're here and you said!" I felt a little queasy knot in my tummy because I did say that, and now I was changing my mind. Sammy wasn't quite as vocal but her face said it all.

Look. I don't have to explain to you how outrageously pricey these AG dolls are, so trust me when I say that I really, really wanted to buy them everything their hearts desired, but c'mon. I'd much rather go to Target and buy the knock-off outfits and accessories.


We took our time exploring the store when a friendly AG associate walked up to Alex and said, with raised eyebrows, "Who do you have there? A look alike?" I just had to step in with a, "Eh-hem, it's actually, Molly. Not a look alike." I raised my eyebrows right back at her, I sure did. Alex's doll is the real deal, and I probably would have gotten a little more aggressive with an added, "Oh hells no! She did not just call Molly a 'Look Alike'!!!" Complete with finger wag and eye rolling, but I didn't. I remained calm and moved on -- with a little huff in my step.


It probably wasn't the smartest idea -- taking my girls to the best doll store in the history of ever, only to dangle all sorts of lovliness in their faces and then leave empty handed {wow! That sounded really harsh when I put it that way!} -- in the end, the girls really had a blast and when you're there, you honestly cannot help but fall to pieces over every little detail. Checkout that violin in the image above -- is that not the cutest thing?!?

Monday, October 10, 2011

West Elm - Love

I know it seems like I've all but given up on this blog considering the long breaks in between posts, but I honestly haven't.

There's just a part of me, lately, that feels like living in the real world instead of behind the lens of the camera. I've decided to put the camera down for a bit and just live life. It's freeing, and at the same time, bitter sweet. There have been moments when I wished I would have brought my camera along to capture those belly aching, laugh so hard moments that seem to creep up whenever we as a family are out and about. There are times when Alex is bent out of shape over one thing or another and I wished I'd had my camera to capture her pouty, scrunched up face. Sometimes, as good as it may be, the phone on my camera just doesn't do the moment justice.

This past weekend we went to visit the brand new West Elm in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood. What a remarkable place. Even though for years now I've inhaled all of their catalogs and drooled over their website, I was beginning to think the whole thing was a myth. Now my dreams have come true. West Elm is here and it isn't a mirage.

The store is beautiful, just like I thought it would be. The goods are lovely {and some, a bit pricey}, though not surprisingly so. My only disappointment, it was only one floor. What the what?!?









Is it possible to fall madly in love with an ottoman?



There were several items at West Elm that I wanted desperately to bring home, including these ceramic pieces. The checkout line wound around the store and with the children, I thought better than to keep them waiting in a store full of breakable objects, so I left without buying a darn thing - dang! I said good-bye to my love, Ottoman, and also a "see you soon" to the ceramic pieces. The Ottoman was $600 so I don't think I'll be buying that, ever. I'm now on the hunt for its doppelganger. Eh, love is fickle.


After West Elm, and a lunch break at Whole Foods, we took the -- now don't giggle -- S. L. U. T. {South Lake Union Transit} to downtown Seattle.  




These hats were a big hit with me and the girls, but Jon wasn't having them so these stayed at the store too. In hindsight, I think they are a tad Jerseylicious for a five and eight year old.

Still... so cute. HA!

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Vegas

Only in Vegas will you find me in a photo booth wearing a cowboy hat and apparently throwing up gang signs. My husband was right along with me, joker hat and all. What were we thinking!?


We were in Vegas over the weekend to attend a friend's wedding and boy was it fun. Jon and I are not gamblers so we didn't touch a slot machine or card table, instead we did the tourist thing, walking the strip checking out the shops and hotels. Is it me or is everything just way over the top crazy in Vegas?


I couldn't help taking pictures of everything in our hotel room even though I've stayed in plenty. Don't you just love the light embedded in this mirror? Snap snap!!... had to take pictures of it!


I really dislike having my picture taken. I'm trying to look natural and instead I look like I'm in severe pain. Trust me, I wasn't in pain, I was having fun and loving every moment of our trip.


My Gomer Pyle was in full force, "Gaawwwwly, you can buy alcohol out of a Slurpee machine... in the daytime? (Pickup jaw from floor).



Leave it to me to stop to admire the sweet treats.


Yes, my eyes are closed and that's completely normal for me.


The wedding couldn't have been more beautiful set under the clear night sky, moonlight dancing across the water. Cheers to the happy couple.