Smoky

Dax has been wanting me to learn how to do a "smoky eye" for a long time now. I gave it my best shot tonight, and while I do not think it's a look suited to me, it did make for some fun black and whites!

Hair

Messy, ratty, curly, straight. Sometimes I want it to take over the world. :)

Kissyface

Quick shot of me and Seraphina. She's on a diet so she's always in a cranky mood. I know how she feels.

Cold Comfort

Yesterday we had our second snow day of the year. Dax stayed home too. While Dax did the fun stuff like building a snow slide in the front yard and taking the kids sledding, I did the semi-fun stuff like going for a walk with Mazzy to bring home Subway for lunch, and making beer bread. (bum knee is really messing with my winter fun!)

So here's a quick shot of me I took while I was starting the beer bread. Then I realized that it might be more fun if I took pictures of the process and included those, but I got distracted and am left with only the first shot.

Beer bread is super easy and super yummy! All that's in it is 3 cups of self-rising flour, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 12 oz of beer. Mix it together and bake at 350 for an hour. Sometimes I make it three or four times a week to go with dinner. We have a kegorator so plenty beer on tap!

Color

I pumped up the red in my hair just a little bit this morning. I think this is probably the most "natural" red I've ever had. I really like it!

What's funny is when I compare this picture to my others, it barely looks different at all. It's redder; I swear!

Birthday Blog!

I turned 39 yesterday. I had a really nice day. I woke up to breakfast *almost* in bed (I was on my way downstairs as Mazzy was on her way up), of sunbutter on toast and skim milk, with a pretty pop-up card...

...had a great lunch with the BFFs...

...and finished off the day with homemade chocolate cake. Yum!

Happy Birthday to me!

Snow Day!

Oddly, we haven't gotten much snow this year, so we were really excited to finally get some! Of course the kids are out of school this week anyway, so there was no official "snow day", and it wasn't enough for that anyway, but it was fun! It was nice just being outside for a good stretch of time. I haven't done that enough lately.

My Mother's Daughter

My mom taught me to knit when I was in high school, but it wasn't until the year before she died that I picked it up again. I was surprised at what I remember, and while I'm still not that good at it, I'm making progress (this is my first experiment with double pointed needles...something I don't think my mom ever tried.) My favorite knitting spot is in my recliner. After my mom died, I would remember her sitting in her recliner and knitting, and I would feel just like her. It was almost like I was channelling her while I worked the needles and in a lot of ways it was a comfort to me.

I'm surprised at just how much I'm like my mother. We don't look alike. She had dark brown hair, green eyes, and always tanned so beautifully. I take after my dad's side as far as coloring goes at least. However, I've managed to inherit my mother's body (although I seem to be missing out on her skinny years!), a propensity for bad knees, countless mannerisms, the way she walked, and the unflattering sounds she made getting up off the floor. My gray hair is even coming in just like hers did...temples first. I'll catch myself "being my mom" and shudder a little bit, because who really wants to be just like their mom? I never did. I loved my mom, but everyone who knew my parents, knew that my mom was the volatile one and that my dad was so easy-going and funny. I always fancied myself more like him. But sitting in my recliner, knitting in my lap, I am my mother's daughter.

Scene Stealer

Today was a really busy day. Either Jack of Dax have been sick all week and while it's hard on them, it's hard on the rest of us too. I've been picking up the slack and after running around all day for kid activities, I'm tired! So I thought I'd try and get some shots from our dining room floor. I liked this one...



but then Kenny decided to get in on the action and pose too.

I like it even better.

Doors and Windows

I was walking past Jack's room this morning and the light was hitting the doorknob in such a pretty way, I had to grab my camera. My batteries for my good camera need to be charged, so I had to make do with the point and shoot. I think it does a nice enough job, and it's certainly easier to manage for self-portraits. So... I love these doorknobs. Dax has wanted to replace them ever since we moved in, but I won't budge. Not all of them even work that well (especially the one to our bedroom), but I don't care. They're beautiful. I know he wants to replace them when we try and sell the house, but I don't think he understands just how great they are.



Did you know that if a lead crystal doorknob is exposed to direct sunlight for long enough, it turns violet?

How pretty is that! This one is also in Jack's room. It goes to the door to the attic/playroom (Jack's own personal Bat Cave). Maybe we should replace the doorknobs. I'd love to take a few of these with me.

And while I was by the window, I stopped for a few shots of me. I think I like this one best because of the reflection on my glasses. I did some with glasses, some without, and I got some cool ones with stripey shadows from the blinds across my face, but this is the one that stood out to me and manages to reflect how I've been feeling this week.

Three Days of Pictures

This morning on my way home after crying at the school nurse out of frustration. After three years, allergy meds (zyrtec, claritin, flonase, and nasonex) and testing negative to everything TWICE, asthma meds (Singulair, Pulmicort, Albuterol...puffer and nebulizer), and no results from any of these things for Jack's post-viral cough, I lost it because they were refusing to let Jack come to the nurse's office for a lollipop when his coughing fits are the worst (the one thing that actually DOES make him stop coughing). I suppose the crying was effective in the long run because I got the Dum Dum lollipops approved. Nothing like wanting to get the crazy lady out of the nurse's office to make them reconsider their policy.

Yesterday morning right after waking up. Jack stayed home with me because of his cough, and missed the Black History Month Cultural Diversity performances (he could have been part of carrying a flag!). He also missed his first day of being Snack Boy for the week. Snack Boy gets to pass out snacks and be Line Leader. He was pretty sad.

No pictures from Saturday or Sunday (crappy weekend anyway. I'd rather just forget about it), but this one and then next one were both from Friday. The one above is Friday afternoon, all made up with a fun new hairstyle. I know it doesn't look fun or new, but from the back it looks different. lol.

And later Friday night at the Family Dance at school with my good friend, Michelle. :)

Overexposed

Get it?

Light

We've lived in this house for 4 1/2 years now, and there's this awesome light fixture that hangs in the entryway that didn't have a shade. It's a very cool vintage metal fixture that hangs from a chain from the ceiling, and I've always loved it, but didn't really know what to do to replace the shade because of it's odd shape, but the bare bulb just wasn't doing it for me anymore. Sooo...this weekend I got out some cardstock and one of those pokey corncob holder thingies and went to work. Here's my pretty new shade!



Aside from errant pieces of tape and a couple of seams somewhat camouflaged by those vertical bars, I think it's beautiful! I love having that light on now and just love looking at it. I'll have to go back and get a picture of it at night too because it's even prettier then!

and...obligatory picture of me on the stairs after taking the picture of the light.

At a Stoplight

...and wondering if the person in the car behind me could see what I was doing and if so, wondering if they thought I was an idiot. :) Anyway, that's me on the way to help with chess club yesterday.