31/365 Tea for Two!

Anybody who knows me well knows I have a bizarre fascination with tea pots and tea cups.  They are 

just so darned fancy, which is pretty much the opposite of me.  I just love the utter daintiness of them.  

Anyways, this is the tea set that started it all.  I bought this tea set at a little shop on Grand about 8 years 

ago.  It's tiny, for kids I guess, and so sugary sweet.  When I bought I had every intention of giving it to 

Sophia, but I couldn't even let her look at it, because I love it too much!  So I hid it away where no kids 

could ever find it.  I brought it out again and put it in the Hoosier in my kitchen where I could get visual 

enjoyment from it when I opened the cupboard door.  I am getting better about letting the kids touch it 

now.  That was a big step for me.  Sadie is pretty sure it's hers (It's still mine!!!) and I even let her drink 

tea from it when I have ladies over for fancy coffee.  But I always keep a close eye on it...I guess I can 

share it with you though.

30/365 Little Moments

Sophia was having fun writing on my window.  Since it wasn't really clean anyways, I let her go to town,

plus it made for a good photo.

29/365 Frozen Smiles

These are two of my favorite frozen smiles.  Sophie and her friend Ellie always rock the fake frozen

smile.  It doesn't matter what I say or do, it's just there!  Today I was to tired to get any photos, so just

before sundown I grabbed these two and dragged them outside.  They had makeup on and were

probably up to something, but they came out.  I took probably 20 shots and tried everything still frozen!

28/365 Ice Skating

I took Sadie and her friend ice skating today!  They were both first timers and they had great attitudes!  I 

didn't even get out on the ice with them.  Good thing I don't think I could have helped much.  They fell 

and got up time after time.  My favorite part was when you would look at them through the glass then 

suddenly they would be gone...then pop up again and give you the thumbs up!  Troopers.

27/365 Picking Mandarins with Sadie

Sadie loves to go pick fruit in the back yard the only problem is she picks them if they are ripe or not.  

Today Sadie and I went out to get some and she let me take the camera!  Thanks, Sadie.  The tree is 

short so she can climb up to pick the mandarins, and the tree is almost entirely ripe so anything she can 

grab is fair game.  We are trying to eat more fruits and vegetables and less crud so this is a nice treat from 

the usual winter veggies and fruits you get at the grocery store.  This is probably my favorite fruit tree in 

our yard, they are so sweet and peel so easy. 

26/365 I Love Shopping with Friends

I went to lunch with Elissa and Kristen at the cutest little place in Solana Beach called Claire's on 

Cedros.  All their tables were re-used from other restaurants and unique local art.  Also a very 

nice looking bakery with little valentine sweets.  I thought about taking some pictures, but I felt 

a little weird whipping my camera out at the busy restaurant, so I didn't.  Then we saw a cute little shop 

on the way to my favorite yarn store (Common Threads) on the side of the PCH.  It was called Bon Bon, 

I asked if she minded if I took some pictures, she said no problem!  It is so much fun taking pictures of 

stuff that isn't mine!  This shop had so many beautiful things, classy shabby chic, and antique style, just 

the way I like it.  These were a few of my favorites.

25/365 Love the Sour Moments in Life

I was attempting to get a picture this morning of Sadie in her new Mini Boden coat, because it looks so

delicious!  But she kept making all these faces.  I thought she was complaining because I was taking up

her last few moments of Club Penguin time before school, then she fessed up that she had eaten a

handful of sour Skittles.  We had a good laugh...but I did mention that sour Skittles are probably not the

best breakfast choice.  Most likely the laughing negated that, as always.  But hey Sadie, cute coat!

24/365 More Flowers!

I saw these miniature daffodils at the grocery store and couldn't resist.  I had to have them, even though

they are certain to face a sudden and brutal death, because of my black thumb.  Why do I love flowers so

much when I seem to kill them all off!  Oh well, they're mine now.

23/365 I Love a Good Baby Shower

3I couldn't have been more excited to hear that my cousin Jeri was pregnant!  They have been trying for

quite a while and had pretty much given up, or so I've been told.  What a miracle.  She will be a 

wonderful mother and she deserves all the blessings of motherhood.  I drove to Tulare for her baby 

shower today.  It was lovely.  Aunt Tammy and my sister, Julie threw the shower for her.  Beautiful.  

The little restaurant is was at was cute as pie.  Here are some of my favorite pictures.

22/365 Sugar Pop Done..and Gone!

Last night I finished my sugar pop quilt.  It was the first quilt that I made an attempt at freehand quilting

on my own, no straight lines!  It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.  It wasn't perfect either, but I

think it turned out great.  I love the colors, the front looks good and I love the back too.  It was designed

my melissa@happyquilting.com, I found it on the moda bakeshop website. I made it for a friend of mine,

but I bought extras to make one for me too, of course.  The quilt wasn't even out of the wash and into the

dryer before I had to get to work on finishing a quilt for a baby shower I am going to tomorrow in

Tulare.  I'm excited about the shower but not the drive.  So, I am posting them together, the baby quilt

wasn't washed in time for the photo, but it turned out nice too!  (I wanted everybody to see the back too,

even though the picture isn't as clear, second photo).

21/365 When matching your own clothes goes wrong

I am constantly reminding Sadie that certain clothes are for school, some are only for home (sweat pants

with a huge hole in the knee) and some outfits match...and some don't.  What do you do when an outfit

technically matches but it's just a little too much?  I guess you take a picture and take them to school

anyways.  Sadie decided to wear an army green shirt, cammo pants, army green shoes and socks, and a

cammo hat.  It matches, I guess, but it just looks so...I'mma gonna bag me a varmit!  I don't know.  But she

went with a smile.  Hats off to you Sadie!  (No, really. Miss M will at least make her take the hat off in

class!)

20/365 I love my carpool!

I love my carpool it saves me so much driving time!  I figured out the math, I think it saves me about five

hours a week.  Isn't that a ton of time to save every week?  The Knowles kids are great and Missy is the

best!  It gives me so much extra time everyday to do other things... like work on this quilt!  Today I

finished the quilt top and back, but I didn't get a picture.  I finished it so late tonight that I didn't have any

good light for a picture.  I'll post the quilt on Saturday's post, all quilted, washed and wonderfully wrinkly!

19/365 Sugar Pop Obsessed

I am having such a great time with this quilt.  I was hoping only to do all the cutting on the quilt today, but

I couldn't wait to start sewing!  I ended up getting all the coin sections finished.  I should have the whole

top done by tomorrow!

18/365 I Love Jelly Rolls

My new jelly rolls and charm packs came today.  I have a project I am excited to get started on.  If I wasn't 

going out, I would break into it tonight.  Hopefully it's a project I can get done soon.  This fabric line is 

called sugar pop.  And it is very sweet!

17/365 I Love Baby Quilts!

I love making baby quilts because they are so small I actually finish them.  This picture didn't turn out

very good, but I had to use it because by the time I realized the photo was bad the gift was wrapped!

This is a baby quilt for a friend of mine, Kim, from Pepperdine.  She just had her second daughter, If

they aren't careful they'll wind up like us!  We only see each other a couple times a year, but when we

get together we have a great time.  We are getting together for sushi tomorrow night, for Steph's

birthday, Heidi will be there too.  It's amazing how someone can be put into your life at random

(assigned college roommates) and years later the bond you have forged can still be so strong.  I'm blessed

with good friends, new and old!

16/365 A Day at Grandma's House

Today after church and breakfast we spent the day at my parents house.  We, played uno and visited.

Sadie loves to drag out the easel and paints to the backyard to make pictures. She gets really into it.  With

such a beautiful setting, I had to make these my pictures for the day.  I love the third picture where you

can see a hot air balloon in the sky.

15/365 Beautiful January Days

Today was gorgeous, sunny with a light breeze.  Just beautiful.  I was able to quilt most of the day and I

got a lot done on the gifts I am working on for two new babies.  The girls worked on homework and got

cleaned up.  I think they are all back to normal, health wise at least.  Sophia posed for me for a couple

pictures this evening, even a few with Roland.

14/365 Feeling Better...Almost

Although they stayed home from school today the girls are feeling better.  Still on the sofa, but their

fevers have been gone for hours, I even got a few smiles.  Not all we have to do is catch up on all this

homework.  Luckily we have a three day weekend.

13/365 Moravian Star at Night

After two days of having sick kids at home my one healthy kid (Madison) finally went down.  So with

three kids sick, I had only a few minutes to even think about taking pictures.  Late this evening I decided to

light up one of my favorite things, my Moravian star.  When I was remodeling the kitchen I wanted to put

two of these over the island but Jeremy had other ideas.  I am happy with what we chose, but I still love

this star, it gives off very little light and looks best in a very dark room.  I love how it looks lit up though!

12/365 Pedicure Day

I love pedicure day.  Karyn and I finally got a chance to get away and have a visit and some pampering.

They didn't have my color, so I tried "red velvet."  It may be my second favorite, I usually get Opi Vodka

and Caviar.  I'm already looking forward to next month's trip.  I love that massage chair!  Ahh.

11/365 Who Doesn't Love Cheese Balls

I was too lazy to even get off the sofa today for my pictures, so when the girls came home from school I 

tried to take pictures while they were having their snacks and watching TV.  Not sure that it worked.  I 

got lots of pictures of Sadie's foot right in my lens, while she said "I'm just not in the mood!"  Sophia let 

me take a few as long as she didn't have to smile, look at me, stop eating cheeseballs, and a long list of 

other talent demands!  I actually love the picture of her looking at me but not smiling.  So HA!  I got one 

anyways.

10/365 Winter Can Be Beautiful Too

When it's not too cold, I can enjoy winter.  Today was beautiful and even warmed up a bit.  There is a

tree in our front yard that refuses to grow, but it's also about the only tree that the leaves change on so I

like it anyways.  I wouldn't mind if it decided to grow though.

9/365 Baby Maverick

Sophia's favorite baby is Maverick.  She tries to get all the time she can with him, often to the irritation of

her sisters.  He always looks surprised to see me with a camera, he's just three months old right now.  I'm

sure he'll get used to it soon enough!  Love you Maverick.

8/365 When You Fall Down You're Friends are There to Pick You Up

Sophia was lucky enough to have a friend over the same day both of her sisters had sleepovers at friends

houses!  Sophia and Erica were on the swing set attempting a simultaneous jump off when tragedy

struck.  Sophia managed to somehow fall right on her face.  I was trying to get their jump photo for her

and instead I caught the face plant.  Lucky for her, our lack of yard care meant she fell into weeds and

still damp wood chips.  So she wasn't too hurt, but she'll be sore tomorrow.  It was nice to have her

friend there, she felt better in just a couple minutes.  It's so nice to have a girlfriend to pick you up after

you've fallen down.

7/765 Good Morning World!

I just love it when my kids are all three ready to go to school in the morning, with only minimal prodding,

reminding , and dirty looks.  Today was one of those days.  Missy drove up this morning to pick up the

kids, and found them all on the front steps and ready to go.  They even had their shoes on already, and they

even were a little matchyish.  With headphones on they didn't even complain about the camera coming out.

I think it's going to be a great day.

6/365 I Love My Christmas Presents

I usually ask for electronics and gadgets, but this year I received a few pretty things too.  I got this tea set

from my sister, thanks Julie.  It was one of my favorites, and now I am displaying it on my dining table.

I love pretty colorful things and I love being surrounded by things that make me smile.  Some times the

littlest things can make me smile and think of someone I love.

5/365 I Love Flowers

I love flowers in the spring when they are everywhere, and love them even more in the winter when they 

are unexpected!

4/365 A Love of Sunshine!

Today I was lovin' the sunshine...well possibly more the heat that the sun produces.  Especially as it's

warming my freezing cold house!  Today was the first it's been dry for the last couple of days.  Also the

first day I didn't have Jeremy make me a fire and keep it going all day and into the night.  So when the

sun popped out today I was trying to figure out how to take a picture of sun warmth.  Is that making

sense?  So instead I tried for the sunset silhouette I've been wanting to do.  Problem today was have you

ever noticed how many of your neighbors trees block the sunset?  Lots at our house.  In the end I just

settled for the method being correct (thanks Kristen!) and poses that had a little interest.

3/365 A Love of Little Girls in Rain Boots

It rained most of today, I thought I'd take the opportunity to get some pictures of Sadie in her new rain

coat and boots Grandma Paula gave her for Christmas.  Unfortunately there wasn't much light, Sadie

 moves really fast, and since it was raining I was trying to hold a broken child size umbrella while

 changing my camera settings.  It made for an interesting learning experience. Maybe somebody should

have been taking pictures of me!  The one picture I like most was an accident and I have no idea how or

when I took it... imagine that.