favorite things

i am so lucky that my favorite people know my favorite things!!




roses, daisies, forget-me-nots and lily of the valley. ladybugs, cherries and hearts. add a little something to enjoy with friends...mmmmmm lovely wine!



thank you! it made me feel special...and loved. xo . i love you too!!

i baked a cake...

....and had a little party for myself. I turned 40 today... and it's all good.



Spring is trying so hard to get here. I felt it would help it along if I served up a big fat carrot cake.




We had a really nice bunch of friends and family over and they brought lots of little people with them. The house was buzzing with activity, but it was good buzzing. It was a good day, a very good day.

the studio....work in progress...

We're almost there! I think I now have the happiest girls in the world...We have made a special spot in the house, especially created for creativity!! This pink caddy was the jumping off point for us. Luckily everything else we own goes with it. Go figure.

And now Mommy has a place to display and enjoy all of her pretties and littles. The Barbies have come out of their cases and they are dressed in their finest. 

But we're not even close to being done yet...more to come. Stay tuned!

a peek into my life...

this is sooo wrong... and yes, this was the last time he was allowed to wear them. they were his "painting pants". the girls were very embarrassed. we bought daddy some new ones.



the family room is ready for carpet. it's turning out great and we are all so excited to see how it looks finished!

the weather has been lovely and more sunny days are ahead. we enjoyed a hike through the woods on saturday. elsie was the guide and she showed us EVERY path. 55 acres of beautiful forest...really pretty.

i avoided this...

not interested in this kind of winter fun! the wind was crazy...i was afraid the roof was going to blow off so i spent most of the day working on the little project downstairs. you know...when you spend all day painting, your brain is free to do all kinds of thinking. serious thinking. i was making a list of everything i am grateful for. overall i am SO content with my life. sure i have days when i am feeling a little lost, maybe a little down. being a stay at home mom just brings that on once in a while. it's really a waste to think that way. i have a beautiful family, great friends, a home to shelter us and we live in the most amazing place. i am very proud of almost all of my choices and the ones that turned out to be wrong...well they taught me important lessons. carry on girl! don't look back unless its to remember the good times. so even though it looks like all i did was paint the trim...i accomplished a lot more than that. i gave my soul a make-over. I AM DOING BETTER THAN EVER!! 

i got too hot...

I dressed too warmly today. The snow was fresh and the sun was bright! Beautiful...
Should have worn removable layers...silly me. I was pleasantly overheated. I would have looked very odd had I stripped down to my thermal undies. It was one of those days that brought back wonderful memories. Those lovely spring ski days of my youth! Hanging out with friends at the hill.

Full days of fun. Hidden trails, silly skiing and sinking down into a fresh snowbank and catching some rays.....Those days are over. I am too afraid of breaking a leg...so I take it easy and enjoy the view.

somebody needs to put the batteries back in mommy's camera.......

i just got home from an AMAZING afternoon at the ski hill....i think there were only about 50 of us there. we had the whole place to ourselves. no one in line....just up and down and up and down. PERFECT! another bonus...no blaring music! it's great when i have little boo with me, 'cause it gets us in the groove, but today it wasn't missed. i could hear myself think. the trees were swaying in the breeze. the sun was shining and it was balmy out. BALMY!!! but i could see that big grey storm cloud heading our way. it's supposed to be bringing rain with it. so this could be it for the ski season. the whole time i kept thinking i need to get a picture of this...what a view. the lake and the hills, all sparkling in the sun. i am so at home there. really comfortable. no anxiety, no fear just complete happiness. also i was feeling grateful because 2 weeks ago i wasn't feeling too hot. i am all better. winter, i am sorry i dissed you. please feel free to stay a couple more weeks. (i am going to get in SO much trouble for this!)

SO GLAD it's March...

this has been the longest winter ever... and let me add that i AM a northern girl...i love snow and i love this season, but wow...i think we might have another full month of this. we get kinda giddy when we talk about spring around here. our eyes get all sparkly and we make promises to each other. like...i promise....i swear that when the weather gets warmer i am going to do EVERYTHING outside...i promise......




an extra wintery winter has let us get things accomplished around here. we are motivated to get it done so that this summer we can actually take it easy......relax and enjoy it more. emma i am sorry for posting this photo. thank you for your help. you did a great job girls!




other things have been let go for a while. now i have little laundry piles all over the house. most of them are clean clothes. they can wait until the big jobs are finished. i am excited to be done...well not done done. just more done. i don't think this place will ever be totally done. it doesn't have to be perfect to be a home. i love saying that. and i say it a lot..........