RIP Polaroid Film

So they're not making polaroid film anymore, which is just kinda...weird, isn't it?  Not that I own a polaroid, nor have I ever, but I mean, to not be able to buy it.  Ever.  Is weird.  But some clever person came up with this download, and it changes your pics "into" polaroids.  Definitely not the same as holding an actual polaroid in your hot little hands (that weight and texture was part of the appeal) its still a fun little thing.  Here's some of my favorite pictures turned into polaroids.  You gotta love that color!  Makes everything look like the seventies.

The BEST Play Kitchen EVAH

What started out as this:

Became this:

And finally this!:

The "decor" it matches (and Tammie!):

So I've been looking at play kitchens for the kids for a while.  Like a year.  But I never found a kitchen that I really could love, especially since the kids "playroom" is actually one half of my living room.  So the thought of putting a giant plastic primary colored toy in there just made my little designer's heart cringe.  I mean Josh and I are two people who make their livings off of our eye for color and composition.  But, in my search all of sudden all these DIY kitchens started popping up.  Kitchens made out of side tables, kitchen's made out of old dressers, even fabric.  Which got my little crafty wheels turning, and every time I saw one I thought, I could do that.  If only I didn't live in a condo with no outdoor space to speak of, and owned more tools than a couple screwdrivers and a hammer.  If I, say, had the space and tools my dad had.  So I started sending my dad links, look at this kitchen, don't you think we could do this??  I sent him so many, he finally asked, okay, just tell me which one you like and we'll go from there.  And so the great DIY Kitchen of 2008 began.  I intended it to be a group project, you know, I get the stuff and bring it to his house for his tools and expertise, we'd build it together.  But he took the idea and ran.  Oh boy did he ran.  He started with an old TV cart on wheels.  The kitchen is absolutely amazing.  He didn't just make it, he designed it, adding trim and a backsplash, finding paint to match the blue in a print on my wall.  It has a real faucet, a removable sink, an oven, a shelf (you know for all their cookbooks).  My help really consisted of a few design elements, and one day of standing outside handing him tools and complaining about how cold it was.  The kids love it, I've already been treated to some home cooked meals of triceratops soup, chicken nuggets, and a couple cakes.  They feed us, then take the dishes back the sink and wash them.  Parker told me yesterday that we needed to go to the store to get her flowers.  I didn't really think anything of it, but we picked up some daisies, and I put a few in a little vase for her.  She went straight to her kitchen and put it next to her sink.  I almost always put my flowers up on the shelf by out kitchen sink.  So now the kitchen is officially complete.  Its so cute.  There is no way I could have done the kind of job he did and I think its so special to have this toy that was built by Papa.  

All Parker Needs to Keep Her Busy

Is some trash and her babies.  This baby bed was made out of some plastic piece that kept a toy in place while it was still in the box.  I walked into the living room and this little scene was set up in the middle of the floor.  She's also made beds for her babies out of cucumber trays (with the saran wrap as a blanket) and egg cartons.  Every single time I have never given her the trash, nor have I ever suggested she use them for this purpose.  

We bought her little bunk beds for her dollhouse for christmas.  I've only seen her touch it to chuck it behind her to make more room for her babies and animals.  Proof that the cliche that kids will always like the box better than the toy has a lot of truth behind it.

Here's To:

• carpooling to weddings
• a fainting bridesmaid
• a giggling bride
• teasing your baby 14 year old cousin mercilessly
• eighty year old women doing the cabbage patch
• magnetic flashing LED lights
• trading your pops your steak for his carrots
• dancing to EVERY. SINGLE. SONG.
• napkins as headbands
• being related to everyone on the dance floor
• leaving late enough to grab all the cookies left behind

Here's to Jackie and Shawn!!  Congrats!  

Save The Toys!!

As you may know, I'm a huge fan of all things handmade.  I've also, since the lead scares of Chinese made products, become more vigilant about what toys I buy for the kiddos.  Which brings me to the reason for this post.  I can't type eloquently right now with both kids at my knee, so I'll send you to this link, but to sum it all up, congress is passing legislation that would make it almost impossible for small handmade toy makers (including, possibly, my talented lil' sis) from selling their toys (by forcing them to go through very expensive testing).  There is a huge community of people who make their living this way (check out etsy.com if you haven't already), making awesome toys that are personal, handmade, well crafted and unique.  Coming from a long line of craftsmen, and being a small business "crafter" myself, I'm asking you today to take a tiny bit of your time to help.  Because I want to be able to buy this and this and this for my babes!

Dance, Dance and more dance.

Just wanted to get this video up for everyone.

Sweetie Pie SugarBunch

Sweet is a word used a lot when people talk about Fin.  He's a "sweetie pie" a "sweetheart" he has the "sweetest voice" and the "sweetest eyes."  People just can't help but turn into gooey doe-eyed puddles of goodness when they are around him.  Not to say that he is just an angel sent from heaven who only says and does amazingly sweet things.  But there is something special about him, that touches even the most jaded of adults.  

Last week when I picked him up from school, he had a sticker on his shirt.  Everytime I pick him up he has a sticker.  And every time I ask him why he got a sticker, I get the same response I get when I ask him what he did at school.  "I don't remember."  This is a boy who remembers exactly what he wore one year ago to his Christmas pageant, a boy who remembers exactly who went with us to pick out a tree two years ago, and a boy who recognizes the hospital he was born in, though we've driven by it maybe twice.  But he "can't" for the life of him remember what letter he learned about or what book he read that day.  *grrr*  So I've kind of given up on the sticker thing.  I figure he got it because he washes his hands or something.  So as I'm signing him out, his teacher comes over and says, "I have to tell you why Griffin got a sticker today, it was so sweet."  Apparently they had more kids than usual stay for nap time, and were short a few mats to sleep on.  So some kids got mats, and some had blankets.  Well of course all the kids wanted the mats.  Griffin got a mat, but saw that his friend Blake did not get a mat and was upset.  He turned to Blake, handed him his mat, and said, 

"Here, you can hab my mat Bwake."  

His teacher continued and said, "Its stuff like that that really makes my job great, its so nice to hear a kid who doesn't always just say MINE!"  I got all teary and ruffled his hair, and said, "yeah, he's a sweet boy."

Two days later we're at his Christmas pageant and Griffin stands next to Blake on stage.  The entire time, Blake is teary and looks just miserable.  Afterwards, we were watching the video at home, and I said, "Hey Fin, what was going on with Blake?  He looks upset."  

"Yeah, I don't know.  Maybe he's just annoying."

Ahhh my sweetie pie.