dream big

click here to download this wall paper

Okay so the April wall paper I made doesn't even have "April" anywhere on it.  Whatever. Enjoy.

I turn 37 tomorrow. I don't like the number 37. Not one bit.  I don't mind getting older, it's just that 37 is such an ugly number.  Not that I feel that strongly about numbers, but thrity-seven? Blah.

But I'm declaring April the month of April, as in me.  I'm gunna lose a few pounds, I just know it.  My head if filled to the brim with creative ideas.  April is the month to execute them.  I'm going to try to tell my children yes more often.  I'm going to stay on top of the laundry.  

I'm dreamin' big girls.

Maybe you are too?

she's one!

Today my little girl turned one. ONE! I simply can't believe it.

We sang Happy Birthday to her after dinner and she opened a few gifts that came in the mail, but the real shindig is planned for Saturday.

Stay tuned.

swwwwweet!

Yesterday was Sugar Daddy's birthday. He said he wanted to take his kids to Disneyland. The guy doesn't even like Disneyland. How's that for being a sweet guy?

We decided to get a hotel so that we could be at the park when it opened in the morning. When we got to our room at the Hyatt it smelled like gym socks.

And there were no windows that opened.

So I made Sugar Daddy ask for another room, which he did, not because he wanted to, but because he's a sweet guy.

I stood by the elevators with the kids and waited. When he came back, Sugar Daddy smiled at me and said, "I guess it pays to complain. They put us in the brand new family suite."

I said, "Sweet! A Suite!"

Thomas had a room all his own with bunk beds and a flat screen T.V.. He thought it was pretty dope. (That's gangster slang for really neat.)

Birdie christened the new carpet with a big barf and we settled in for the night.

It was seventy-five degrees and the lines weren't too long. We went on every ride we wanted to. We had super sweet and delicious pineapple sundays at the Tiki Room.

Thomas got cotton candy and french fries and I got a charming pink and white lollipop to go with my Christmas decorations.

Yeah, all in all it was a pretty sweet day.

And then Birdie screamed her head off all the way home.

Happy Birthday Daddy.

just say campy

In my book, the very best birthdays aren't the big over blown celebrations involving blow up bounceys and expensive entertainers. No, no.

Birthdays are done better on a smaller, more intimate scale.

Sometimes I think the days of homemade birthday cakes are long gone. I feel so lucky that as a kid my mother made me campy little birthday cakes, perfectly, imperfect. Like the Raggedy Ann cake that will live in my memory as the best thing to ever come out of my mother's kitchen.

Jo invited us over to celebrate little Sam's first birthday. She asked, in that British accent of hers that gets me every time, if I would bring some cupcakes for the party.

I was shooting for campy. I wanted perfectly, imperfect. I was hoping to create nostalgia and not just a huge mess.

They were a hit.

Oh the things a person can do with plastic cocktail accessories!

All the children had a cupcake. Some had at least three that we know of. And then there was Sugar Daddy, so named for more than one reason, he had one too. Earlier in the day he had put dibs on the pink and purple one with the chesty mermaid on top.

It was a wonderful afternoon, celebrating a wonderful child that holds a special place in my heart. Happy Birthday Sam!

P.S. If you think you might like to make the cupcake cones for an upcoming event, beware, they are a bugger to transport.

promise

At two-o-clock this morning, I turned thirty-five. I am extremely curious to see what my thirty-fifth year will bring me. So far, it seems full of promise.

The baby birds in my rose tree have learned to fly and are off to seek their fortune. Yesterday I noticed the tiniest little buds on my kyoho grape vine.

May is going to be big.


And speaking of promise. . .

Anahatna, when are these water bottles going to be available? I can't wait much longer.

Here's hoping that thirty-five makes good on all it has promised.

Top three images by Allison Trentelman and D.S. Brennan.

i got half

Do you see this incredibly handsome and suave guy? Take note of his kind eyes and strong Native American nose. This is my guy. As of today, he has been mine for half of his life.

Happy birthday Stinky Bear. I love you.

birthday season

According to Hallmark, August is the month with the most birthdays. I guess they'd be the people who would know that type of thing.

WIN THIS BANNER FROM

STORIA HOME

It's birthday season around here. The entire side of my husband's family has their birthdays within two months of each other. Ben and I are the lone rangers in December and April. So there is a fair amount of celebrating going on. And gift buying.

It's not that I don't enjoy finding gifts for people. Everyone knows I don't need much of an excuse to hit the shops. It's just that it can be a little overwhelming. Granted, some people are easier than others. For example, you could buy my brother-in-law a garden hedger or a six pack of fancy beer and he'd be as happy as a clam. But some people, they pose a bit of a challenge. I'm not naming names here (mother-in-law), or pointing fingers (father-in-law), but if those individuals would be willing to create a list of items for me to choose from (hint), it would probably help get rid of the pinching sensation I feel at the base of my neck whenever I set out to find just the right thing to give them.

Who is the Birthday Queen? Jerusalem Greer!

I have a new friend on Etsy that makes having a birthday funner than ever. Jeruselum (isn't that a great name?) of Storia Home makes and sells her fabulous party decorations. She has a darling blog and a inspirational website. She has just the thing for your next party.

Here is her personal Manifesto:

"Make Do and Mend!" Taken from a poster from the WW II era this phrase sums up everything for me. Learning to "Make Do" can be the very thing that spurs on great creativity and it can also be a way to save the planet, one vintage find at a time!

AND you lucky people have a chance to win the birthday banner in the first photo. Simply leave a comment on this post and I will use my little random number picker to select a winner on Monday!

I want to wish my good friend Becky a happy birthday today! You look fabulous darrrrrllling!

par-tay

Considering the fact that we were partially comatose and totally out of whack due to traveling on Thom's real birthday, we are celebrating today. We've got a handful of families coming over to watch a movie on our back lawn after the sun goes down. We've got something like 15 pounds of candy for the "concessions stand". We've got popcorn, We've got snow cones. We've got glow sticks and bouncy balls. We're ready.

I made cupcakes instead of a cake this year. It is just easier when you have a lot of people to serve. Besides, I'm partial to cupcakes.

There are several huge advantages to having a boy (faster hair styling, less shoe purchasing and the whole pee factor*) however, cute birthday parties are not one of them. When you have boys, you may be able to get away with cute birthdays for the first two to three years, then things take a sharp turn to the ugly, i.e. Spiderman, Transformers, Pokemon.

I found a loop hole in cupcakes. Boys don't seem to notice if you beautify their birthday cupcakes. Don't try this with an actual birthday cake, from personal experience I can tell you, it doesn't fly.

*There isn't a day that goes by that I don't enjoy the benefits of having a boy when it comes to urinating. This is especially wonderful if you have mysophobia (fear of germs) and public restrooms seem like mine fields. I am all about peeing in the bushes, even outside of Target. Er- I mean Thom. Thom peeing in the bushes, not me. I personally brave the bathrooms with custom crafted paper towel gloves. As a general rule I don't pee outside. I think that would be against the law, right?

five

To see more Maui pics, click on the photo above. It will take you to my Flickr page.

Yesterday my little boy turned five. I haven't felt nostaglic about it yet. Once I go down that road I know I'll end up in a little town I like to call "Poor Me" wherein I lament the fact that his babyhood is gone forever and I may never have another baby again. Instead, I am just happy that I have been given five years with the child of my dreams. He is all I ever wanted and didn't know I needed. He is smart, quick witted, funny and quirky. He has so much spunk and fight in him that at times it startles me. I don't know anyone with as much self confidence as he has. Quite frankly, I marvel that he came from my genes.

I can't wait to see what kind of man he becomes. Well- actually I can wait. He is growing up at an alarming rate. I am trying everyday to mentally hold on to snippets of time we spend together so that when he is grown, I can pull up memories and recall the happiness that I feel just being his mom.

Check this out!

Wordle - Maui

34

Today is my birthday. I really don't feel 34, more like 27 or 26. Thirty years ago and thousands of miles away I posed for this photo in my backyard. My father had just started to dabble in photography and his two daughters, Irish twins at only eleven months apart, were one of his favorite subjects. I'm the one on the right with lighter hair and an impish grin.

I had a magical childhood that I can only hope to recreate for my own children. It's a work in progress.

I have glimpses of magic in the quiet moments with Thomas. Today, as I sat working on a pair of earrings, we had a long discussion/debate on how pill bugs sleep. These are the things that are important to a four-year-old.

I wonder as I look at this photo what was important to me then? Thirty years later, I'm sure the things I value have changed, but it is still the small minutiae of life.

These are a few of my favorite things:

The sound of Thomas laughing

The sun on my bare shoulders and a cold drink in my hand

Getting under fresh clean sheets

M&M's first thing in the morning

Rocking a baby to sleep

Eating Sushi with my husband

Long runs on sunny days

Shopping with my sisters

A streak free kitchen sink

Laying under a Christmas tree

A really good flee market

A secret stash of gummy bears

Picking out plants for our yard

Watching Finn yawn and stretch in the morning

Guffawing with my girlfriends

Fireworks on the beach

Redbull

Except for a small episode this morning that involved laying on the bed to get my jeans buttoned with the peanut gallery (namely one small boy and his dog) cheering me on, this has been a good birthday. I finished these earrings, which I am rather proud of. I think they are romantic.

My Blue Heaven Earrings