Pallet house.....

This is something my brothers would make. I don't know how to resize the vid, but it doesn't cut off that much!

I just put up my first wreath. Handmade (sort of) by me. I bought a $4 fake wreath and pushed a bunch of real clippings into it. Then I added glitter acoutrements and some red balls. No matter how you phrase it, christmas balls just sounds funny. And you can't say ornaments because that isn't specific enough. They're balls. Christmas balls. Christmas ornament balls. Christmas tree or wreath ornament balls. See what I mean? You are still left with that awkward and sheepish "balls". Anyways the wreath is on my back door welcoming all with a swift punch of Christmas in the gut. Some may call it gaudy, but I prefer the term garish. Sounds much more festive.

From a three year olds perspective........

Surprisingly in focus, wouldn't you say, from a boy who is only still when asleep.

THoughts...

SO I went to my doctor and saw the baby on ultrasound yesterday. The nurse said its still in "Gummy Bear" stage so we don't know what the sex is, but it was so so amazing to see kicking it's legs and waving it's little stubby arms. It's a very active little baby in there, although I still don't feel anything. I started crying, like I always do, seeing it move and give it's arms and legs a workout. It almost looked like it was having...fun. Look, at 10 weeks, this thing is a BABY. No foetus about it. That's a person in there, trying out its legs and growing at an incredible rate. It so trite, but life really is a miracle. Next ultrasound....boy or girl?

I also went to WalMart grocery shopping. I've been craving wings like nobodies business, so Ron and I were in the condiment aisle, trying to decide which sauce to get. Fianlly I shouted:
"Look! Sauce from Hooters! They're known for their great wings!" And then me and pretty much the entire aisle started laughing. I felt like a teenage boy trying to convince his mom to let him go to Hooters. "But Mom, their wings are the best!" Yeah, Hooters is well known, but not for their wings!

THen I was at the checkout and had my 50 lb bag of dog food. The checkout lady was like "I'll scan that but I aint movin it." So I took it off the deal and was trying to shove it in the bottom of my empty cart. The cart was bucking and squealing, trying to get away from that bag of dog food and I was grunting and starting to sweat, which I HATE, when all of a sudden the cart calmed down I shoved that bag all the way on. I look up and here's this guy holding my cart for me. He had long stringy hair tufting out from underneath a stocking cap, was dressed in all black with flourescent skulls, and looked like he'd been dragged behind a Hell's Angel for half a mile. That guy? Angel in disguise right there. I thanked him profusely and he smiled. He had one of those smiles that you don't see very often. Big deep dimples, scrunchy eyes, white teeth. His whole face smiled with him. It was great.

I am full on Holiday spirit over here. To me, November is the buildup to December. If I can get all my shopping and crafting done, then I have a full month to just enjoy the blowout of holiday events in dec. I'm doing pretty good so far. I have found so much great stuff to make for K kids, I hope they like their stuff as much as I liked making it!

We got our first snow and it's perfect Novemeber, over the river and through the woods snow. Just a dusting. Perfect!

The First Craft Fair.....

was a total bomb. We sold next to nothing!! I think at the end of the day K-Tina and I each made $30, which didn't even cover the booth space cost. I feel more hopeful about the next show but it was so discouraging to sit on a hard plastic chair all day, starving and neausous, and try to defend our stuff to people who just didn't get it. It was a bust. AND they served SLOPPY JOES for lunch!! Sick!!

Helloween...

I know its a horrible holiday trying to trick little kids into associating candy with the devil.

However, I choose to focus on the fun of dressing up and getting candy, the most important parts for me when I was growing up. The costumes I remember were: being a crayon, a cheerleader (that one came out of left field) and a vet. I know I participated for 18 years, but those are the only costumes I remember.
Mom? want to fill in some missing years?

Anyways this year started with the daycare trick or treating at all the businesses in town this afternoon.
Chubzie went as a lion:
The costume came from a second hand store and looks like someone's loving grandma sewed it. I think his little face is so adorable!
LB was harder. I looked through WalMart and didn't like anything, and looked through second hand stores which all had WalMart's selection from last year. The costumes are so uninspiring and gross. Who wants to see a 3 year old dressed like a vampire/ weird ninja/ blood sucking ghoul? So I was feeling very strapped for time when all of a sudden I found this hooded shirt that looked exactly like chainmail and it all came together:
It was super cheap to buy an old belt, a sweatshirt, and a shield from the second hand store. A little heraldric work with a marker on the sweatshirt, and we have a knight! Super cute. Super cheap. Loving it!
On Saturday, the Mormons put on a "trunk or treat" where everyone parks there car in the parking lot and loads the trunks with treats. Then the kids walk around to all the cars and trick or treat. It felt a little weird last year, almost like I was doing a black market deal (You want a nice radio, lady?) but I really appreciate how simple and fun it is for my kids, and the big kids with the really obnoxious costumes usually don't come.
Last year's run in with Freddy Krueger didn't seem to make a lasting impression on LB, but still- I didn't like seeing his face as he took that particular costume in.

Can't.....stop......posting....

At the Denver zoo.

Yesterday

Yesterday was down right hot!I was going to take the puppies on a walk (we're leash training) when Ron suggested we load everything up and head to the reservoir. The reservoir is the closest thing we have to a lake- no sandy beaches, but plenty of cold, turquoise water. The hills rumple and bunch up into foothills, and in the distance is a crisp ring of Rockies.
We unloaded the whole crew and the dogs were off like a shot, ears flapping, hunting up old bones bleached by the sun. The boys, Ron, and I made our way down the shale embankment, landslide by landslide. By the time we got down the 90 degree sun had baked its way through our clothes and I was HOT!
We had just returned from Denver, Co, where we had fought monstrous crowds to go see Estes Park and the surrounding mountains. We were chastised for standing on a planting bed to get a picture I later deleted. Two rock chucks had made an appearance at the picnic area and you would have thought Pegasus was landing with all the excitement and picture taking.
But here, in one of my favorite places in the world, there were no sounds. Peace lay like a blanket and there wasn't a house or person in sight. Just a hawk cruising high in the powder blue sky.
I stripped down to my undershorts and tank top and got in the water. COLD! My blood turned to "rootbeer in my veins" as I tread down the scummy rocks to sand.
After cooling off, I sat on some sandstone rocks to let the sun warm and dry me. The boys were happy to throw rocks endlessly into the water. They had tried a bit of swimming, but didn't like the freezing effect on their nether regions.
Eventually life called. We loaded the boys, wet and sandy, into the car, then called the dogs, wet and sandy, to load themselves into the car. We then loaded ourselves and went home, a good place to go.

(pic is the reservoir in winter. We didn't chop ice to go swimming!)

So here's some post Labor Day action....

Kickin' it Meeteetse style!

Don't forget Fido!

Here are some of the things I've been working on for the Christmas Craft Fairs:
Round "cush" beds for the traditional dog
Modern "pillow" beds for the fresh, fun dog
and "swiss eyelet" collars for the....ah.... Swiss dog?

Frame Gottlieb von Koch - Full Cry - Fox Hunting

Frame Gottlieb von Koch - Full Cry - Fox Hunting

Want this for my library....

Sewing right along

Right now I am trying to cram in a ridiculous amount of sewing in my spare time. The second I get the boys down for naps or bedtime I shout "stay in your beds!" while running out the back door to my art shed.
I have three purses not yet started that I have promised my friends. Two are pretty easy, straightforward concepts, but the third is really complicated.
I also am trying to finish up some hats to send to my sister who is selling them at craft fairs this month
On top of that, A friend and I are going to hit a couple of Christmas craft fairs with a booth catering to canines. That means homemade dog beds, collars and leash sets, and biscuits.
Did I mention there is a coffee table over at Ana Whites's site that I really want to build?

All of this would be so much easier to do if I didn't have an actual life.

And so the summer closes....

Well, its been one of those summers... family, family vacations, training a young barrel horse, catching a fugitive, vbs, puppies, new website and business overhaul, bbqs, baptisms, and kids.
Yowza. Maybe one of these days I'll sit down and blog it all, but in lieu of that I think I'll post my favorite websites. Its like a web roll, but not my friends, just websites I love for one reason or another.

Drum roll please!!!

1. fuglyblog.com A snarky commentary on horse abuse, training, poor breeding practices, etc. all rolled together with a liberal coating of cuss words. It's full of mindless drones all agreeing with her, but I still seem to like it and check it every day!

2. knock-offwood.com Ever loved a Pottery Barn coffee table but choked at the price? Ana White has seriously awesome plans for every furniture piece in existence. I have a few marked to build at some point.

3. unhappyhipsters.com Just so funny. And smug. thank you to JoanE Kimball for adding this sarcastic delight to my life.

4. sewmamasew.com always great for a little sewing inspiration

5. howaboutorange.com this is an awesome website dedicated to inspiring and bizarre creativity. She will take you all over the "interwebs" in search of the fun, creative, and graphically pleasing.

6. heatherbailey.typepad.com I visit this one every so often when I need a shot of color and cute

7. cakewrecks.com this site makes me laugh out loud. I even snorted Diet Coke once. It happens.

8. starfall.com they are teaching LB how to read. Parenting is really so difficult.

9. etsy.com Really what else is there to say? HOURS wasted here, trolling for sewing ideas. If you've never been to etsy, you should really question if you are a human.

10. shabbyapple.com for when I need a cocktail dress. or a smoking jacket. or a sense of style.

So have fun wasting your good years on these sites. I always do!

Golden Honey Granola

I'm not a big fan of granola, but this stuff is great! Here's the recipe:
6 c old fashioned oats
8 oz sliced almonds
1 c each: dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots
1 c light brown sugar
1 t salt
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/2 c honey (LB had squeezed out most of my honey into the sink, so I used barely a 1/4 c, and it turned out fine)

Preheat to 350. In a large bowl, toss oats, almonds, cranberries, apricots, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Melt butter in saucepan and add honey. Pour over oat mixture and stir to coat.
Spread granola onto parchment lined baking pan and bake, stirring occasionally, for 35-40 mins.
Cool completely and transfer to an airtight container.

I added semi sweet chocolate chunks after the granola had cooled, but I think next time I will add chips because the chunks tended to over whelm the other flavors. I think I will try whole almonds and cashews in my next batch as well, since I couldn't really taste the almonds and cashews make everything better!

Things I've been making....

I've been sewing up a little storm in my art room- trying to get enough hats made for my sister to sell this summer. This is the completely adorable basic design:For the plainer hats, done in a tan muslin and mocha brown flannel, they'll get a cuting up with fabric yo yos, embroidery, buttons, etc. With such a cute design, the embellishments are just frosting on the cupcake. And the really awesome thing is that I can get a hat done while the boys are sleeping or playing in the yard, or in the evening if I've still got the energy.
I've also been making pads with this padding compound I got online. It's a really fun concept: Just simple notepads, to do pads or the more fun recipe card pads and organizer pads. For example, I made recipe card pads out of tear-off postcard sheets:
Handy for when someone loved a certain dish and wants the recipe, or for finally coordinating your recipe box.The great thing is you can use the backside of used computer paper and any thin cardboard (like what cereal boxes are made of) and have a fun useful notepad for pennies!
This is my fridge organizer. Walmart sells magnetic adhesive rolls, so I cut two one inch sections, stick them to the back of my organizer and wahlah! done. I love this thing.

Some things are better off done in college...

Like trying to watch 50 movies in 50 days. What was I thinking????
Probably what I pretty much always think :
"I'd like to learn how to quilt. I think I will make a king sized log cabin quilt made of clothes that I wore when I was 13."
"I'd like to learn how to sculpt. I think I will try a life sized sculpture of an indian on a horse leaping over a burning covered wagon."
"I'd like to learn how drive stick shift. I think I will drive my friend's car through rush hour traffic in Chicago."

What is it with the inspiration causing me to leap off the cliff of imagination? I mean really?
This part of me is good in that I will try anything absolutely anything once, but bad in that I have abandoned so many things without finishing. So many things.
So many times I would feel guilty that once again, I am not finishing what I said I was going to do, but now I think I am embracing that about myself a bit more. I just need to keep my big yap closed and not make statements like:
"Every Monday for the next three years I am going to complete a work of art and post it here!"
No, Faith, you're not. Why not just do the two works of art you actually will finish and post them? Why make it such a show?
So what have I been doing during the time I was supposed to be watching period films to critique here?
I have been working on a new purse for myself
I finished the breast collar and belt I was making for a friend who trims and shoes Kitten's feet for me
I cleaned and oiled all my tack
I have been making notepads with this padding compound I ordered online
I have been making the cutest hats for my sister to sell this summer
I have been riding Kitten a little bit more, loving her a lot more, and getting ready to start her barrel training.

So, all in all, not bad, huh? I am learning to embrace the flow, and keep those grand "I'm going to..." statements to myself.

#10 The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Costumes 3.5
Scenery 5
Dialogue 3.5
Storyline 5

I watched this movie in the "watch instantly" section of Netflix

Tenant of Wildfell Hall (ahhh, a movie title that makes sense!) Was very intriguing. As in, I couldn't stop watching even though half way through I wanted to! I am glad I watched the whole thing, and I would even watch this one again, but there were several elements that irked me. (probably a sign of a good movie!) The main character is quite the repressed mystery in teh beginnning of the movie. It was clear that the main lead would have to fall in love with her, but I am never quite sure why. How can all that passionate feeling happen when he is rebuffed at every turn? It must be idiocy!
I also liked the little boy but when he is taken by the father and made to endure all of these horrible things 'to become a man' I was overwhelmed with pity and felt so so sorry for him. The poor thing. Even now I feel sorry for him. It could be I overly sypathetic to young boys, but still. I know the author was trying to shine a spotlight on a certain type of father in those days, but it was almost too heart rending. And for her as a mother to stand by and have to watch it happen- Gahhh!!
As th story progressed I found myself really liking the main character. Her character unfolds in the best way as the story unfolds. At the end of the story there is a nice little twist that makes it all better.
Overall I loved the beginnning and end and really struggled through the middle because of the awfullness of the fahter. But it is a good solid story that kept me watching and had some redemption to lift my spirits. Iwould recommend this one.

#9 Under the Greenwood Tree

Costumes 4.5
Scenery 4
Dialogue 4
Storyline 5

I watched this movie in the "watch instantly" section of Netflix.

This movie has all my favorites, an engaging female lead, a choice of 3 suitors, and a really cute leading man. This isn't a deep thinker, this is just pure fun. The supporting roles are funny and rich and this will probably go down as one of my favorites, predictable and enjoyable. The only thing I felt was a slight dissatisfaction in the fact she WAS educated and she married uneducated. Normally this isn't a problem for me and I almost always root for the underdog, but I felt that unless he became really successful, all of her education would be a bit of a waste.

#7 Falling for a Dancer

Ok, so the Easters came and went and I have yet to post the movies I DID watch. So here goes.

Costumes 2
Scenery 4
Dialogue 3
Storyline 4.5

I watched this movie by having it sent to me through Netflix

So what is up with these titles? Falling for a Dancer? There wasn't a single dancer in this whole movie! The story line was really interesting: A young girl gets pregnant and faces the choice of an unsavory unwed mothers home or marry an older man and live in the middle of nowhere, Ireland. She chooses marraige and arrives to find the widower blunt, crude and jealous, and that he has four children from his first marraige. The story is her life, trying to be a good wife and mother, wondering how she is going to survive her basic relational needs going unmet, and what to do with the attentions of other men.

This was interesting, and the main character was one I liked and respected. She made a clear mistake bu then she gave what could be a really horrible situation her best efforts. There is a sex scene, but it isn't lascivious, it shows the lack of intamacy adn understanding between the main character and her husband. The storyline really carried me along. It isn't all torture and despair, her relationship with her children and the mysterious neighbor Massey(plus the really beautiful scenery) show that while her marraige stinks, her life has other joys and fufillments. This even kept my 16 year old niece interested!

# 7 in transit so we'll move to #8 The house of mirth

Costumes 5
Scenery 4
Dialogue 5
Storyline 5
Overall 5

I watched this movie on Netflix "watch instantly"

I have no idea how these books come to be titled. The house of Mirth is definitly mistitled but still a must see. I really liked this movie, despite its tragic end. The whole story follows what happens to a bright young socialite after her reputation is tarnished.
The characters are rather wooden in their acting styles, but the dialogue is so wonderful that I could overlook it. The storyline is kind of a social commentary of high society in the 1800's in America. It peruses the power of a rumor, the strict behaivoral codes of the time, and what life is worth with a tarnished reputation. It also brings into light the swift changes of power in high society. The main female character is very interesting, but I would have liked a little more development. We start the movie off with the understanding that she is a man hunter, a widow, and also a delightful friend and companion. It was hard to swallow all of those character traits on the few minutes explanation in the dialogue. The costuming was fantastic as was the sets in many of the scenes. This movie would be worth listening to for the dialogue alone!

#6 Great Expectations

Costumes 2
Scenery 1
Dialogue 2
Story line 1

Overall score: Deep Six
I watched this via "watch instantly menu" on Netflix

Oh Blah. Blah Blah Blah. Didn't like the book, Didn't like the movie. I was surprised, given that I have been really liking my Dickens experience, to find this movie such a bomb. I just COULDN'T like Pip, even when played by the total crush-worthy Ioan Gruffud. It was all the bleakness without the hope. All gray, no color. The story did not flow well and the characters were just tepid. How did this get to be a world reknown story? Anyways, if you are following along with me and watching these movies, you can skip this one.

#5 Far from the Madding Crowd

Costumes 3
Scenery 2
Dialoglevue 4
Storyline 4

Overall rating Excellent
I watched this movie on Youtube

A young girl finds her fortune made when a wealthy landowning uncle dies and leaves his farm to her. She decides to run the farm herself which she finds easier than choosing between 3 suitors: a shepherd, a gentleman farmer, and a soldier.

I really enjoyed this movie, although I have no idea why it would be called Far from the Madding Croewd. Seeing this movie made me want to read the book. One thing that bothered me: the main character, a determined, courageous, level headed woman is so confused and has such bad taste in men? How could that be? She could run a farm with apparant ease, but was unable to say no or cut off a bad relationship.
I loved the character of Gabriel, of course. I was also surprising touched at the coffin scene by a character I was prepared to despise! I haven't read much Dickens, but I find I am liking him more and more- his characters are so complex and fantastic. I'll be checking this book out of the library to see if I enjoy it as much as the movie.

#4 Ballet Shoes

Costumes 2
Scenery 2
Dialogue 3
Storyline 3

Overall Good
I watched this movie on Youtube, but the quality wasn't that great

A Bachelor Uncle takes in his neice and her nurse before embarking on a world tour. He ends up bringing home 3 orphan babies for his neice to raise. On his last tour, he goes missing. The neice battles poverty and attempts to nourish each of the girls talents: ballet, acting, and avaition. When things get bad she takes in boarders who help pay bills, but eventually she is faced with selling the only home she's ever known.

This movie is cute and well worth watching. The story is pretty campy, but the love story is cute and the girl's have interesting characters. I would guess that the book is better, or at least more in depth, but this is a fun little film. It is set in 1930's London, and the wedding dress at the end is beautiful!

# 3 Moliere

Costumes 5

Scenery 5

Dialogue 5

Story 4.5 I took off a half point because the morals really are bad for most of the movie!

Over all rating of Excellent

I watched this movie on YouTube

A foolish wealthy man hires an aspiring actor to help him win the heart of his lady love. The wealthy mans wife, an intellegent and neglected woman, begins to see through his plot. And a leechy friend tries to hook up his son with the wealthy man's daughter, against her and her mother's wishes.

This movie being french, I thought for sure there would be a bare breasted love scene in which I would try to fast forward through and feel uncomfortable about reveiwing here. However it was not to be. Although the morals of this movie are questionable throughout the beginning and middle, they resolve satisfactory by the end.

I think anyone can relate to seriously losing their way, then through pain and loss, finding it again. This movie had all the right characters: The noble soul (the wife) the fool (jourdain) the villain (guy with long black hair) and the sort of slimy but warm hearted character we all love(moliere).

I think the story is so sucessful because anyone can realate to the characters. I have been them all so I can sympathise with them all. And I think I liked it so much because in the end, the right choices were made. Things worked out ok. I think Moliere would have been happier had he been able to spend his life with the lady he loved, but because he sacrificed her out of love for her, I'm are thankful he didn't(spend his life with her). She never would have been happy with Moliere, but Moliere made happiness with her husband a possibility.

It is interesting the phases of love portrayed:
Selfish love, Jourdain of himself
Young love, Jourdain's daughter
Passionate love, Moliere and Jourdain's wife
Sacrificial love, Jourdain's wife for her daughter, Moliere's love for Jourdain's wife

I also was intrigued by the idea of comedy in the midst of tragedy. This film did well in portraying that, but I think most of us miss the humor when we are experiencing our own pain and screwups. Can pain, in it's very dramatized essence, be funny?

Interesting.

#2 Where Angels Fear to Tread

You know, we all expect four things in a good period drama: Scenery, Costumes, Dialogue, adn Story, So I'll judge on those three things from one to five, with an over all judgement of : Excellent, Good, So So, and Deep six.

Scenery: 2
Costumes:4
Dialogue: 2
Story: 1
Overall: Deep six

This movie is in the "watch instantly" menu of Netflix.

Storyline: A wealthy english widow, hoping to escape her in-laws tyranny, vacations in Italy. While there with a yong friend, she meets, falls in love with, and marries a poor Italian. When she dies in childbirth, the three forces: english in laws, yong english friend, and italian father all struggle over ownership of the child.

My verdict: Deep six worthy. The story was so slow and plodding I had to break it up into two parts to finish it. I love Helena Bonham Carter, but even she could not save this film. The story could have been good, told differently and in half the time, but I was left with the feeling that watching this was a waste of time.
However, there was some interesting points: The widow was trying to find freedom, and thought that marrying a young "boy" that she could control was her vehicle to that freedom. Is our future happiness really in our hands? If she had made a better choice of lovers, would she have truly found what she was looking for? I think she would have been happier a rich widow on her own, but I don't know if the times would have allowed that for her. She did not want to be controlled by anyone, and trying to escape her own culture and family circle simply made her more wretched. Funny how as soon as she had thrown off all the typical "constraints" of her society, she wanted back in to that same society, just in a different culture.
Are we happier with what is familiar and accepted? And is marraige truly a method of creating joy in life, or does it intensify the difficulty and sacrifice of life?
Look out for the extremely awkward milk scene.

I'm affirmed in my choice....

We are dog people, Ron and I. For the rest of our lives, we will have dogs. It's just a given. So when my old darling Barney was showing his age, we thought we should get another dog to help me through Barney's death. We also thought that since we would always have dogs, we might as well have good dogs, handpicked-for-character dogs, rather than the crap shoot of pound dogs. And then we decided to pick a dog breed that we would want more of in the world.
We landed on the miniature schnauzer. What I love: their looks, their gameness- they are a go anywhere do anything breed, their mellowness in the house (yes they want to sit on your lap, but they aren't the crotch sniffing pawers like, say, a lab), the fact that they like you and aren't afraid to show it. (unlike dear departed Barney, whose greatest show of affection was to come sit at your feet, stink up your personal space, and leave after about 3 minutes.)
What I didn't know about Schnauzers is that they are AWESOME kid dogs. Who knew? And how did these dogs get their yapping ankle biting status?
Anyways, Tilly's first litter came January 1st. New Year's Day. She had them all alone in her kennel as we were out all day with friends. (I know, I know, leaving her all alone in her time of need! GUILTY. However I didn't know she was going to pop that day! )
Tilly, I am not in love with. She barks. She is codependant. She is unsure of strangers in the house. However she redeemed herself by being an awesome mother. Totally awesome.
Here are her pups. They were SO cute, and so much fun. They are all in good homes here in Meeteetse!

#1 Princess Caraboo

Characters: Female lead is so so on acting ability, the one who carries it all is Gutch, the male lead. He's awesome.
Sex scenes: none, thank goodness
Story line: creative, good story, held my interest right to the end
Cinematography: typical 80's washed out color. But check out that bed!

This movie I actually had to put on my playlist for Netflix. I couldn't find it anywhere to watch for free, go figure!
I remember watching this when I was a teenager and loving it. Re-watching it, I have to say the plot line was very creative and interesting, but the love story is, sorry Gutch, implausible. The older I get the less imagination I have for the " I know I love you after three meetings" story lines. They just won't make it: He picks his nose! She lies about eating the last of the Doritos! How can three meetings prepare them for those kind of issues?
The story is excellent though, and made even better in that it is true. I'm too lazy to actually research how much of it is true, but it's definitly uplifting to think it could of happened!
This movie is a cupcake: light, sweet, No effort to eat. Two thumbs up.

What to watch when you have no TV.

To be honest, having no TV is pretty awesome. I am a closet TV addict, and if we had cable I'm pretty sure my children would grow up with out their mother. I can spend HOURS on HGTV alone! We do have a TV and VCR/DVD thing to play movies on, but most of the time I watch TV on the computer. My faves are House, Project Runway, and until I finished the last episode of the last season last night, the Australian show called "McLeod's Daughters." And, I have to include this. I'm sorry for those of you that have a picture of a highly intellectual Faith in your mind (Mom? Mom? that's still you, right?) but I love, have loved, and will always love America's Next Top Model.
Ahhhh. Feels good to get that off my chest.

So anyways.... I was wandering around on Youtube last night and there was this list of period drama movies. we're talking 300 period drama movies. Now, you will never convince me that "Pirates of the Caribbean" is a period drama, but she had lots of movies I had never seen before, and some that I have seen and love. So I made a list and for the next 50 days will try and watch one period drama a day and reveiw it here! If I can't watch it for free on Youtube or Netflix then I'll have to bypass it, but I think this will be really fun! Let's go to the movies!
Watch along with me and post your comments! I'd love to hear what you think!

Another post about poop...

You know how young moms are always obsessively talking about their kids' poop? I usually try to avoid that merry go round, but here's one I have to tell:

The other day LB was playing outside by himself. I went outside to check on him:
"Wat're you doing LB?"
"I pooped Mama."
"Oh you did? Where?"
"I show you!"
He was really excited about showing me and took off towards the big pines that line the highway in front. Now in our side yard, there are aformentioned pines, right next to a walled drop off bordered by the sidewalk and the highway. When you are standing on the side walk, the wall reaches to about eyelevel, and then stretches into lawn. This is an important fact- the person standing on the lawn by the wall is at the perfect eye height for passing motorists.
LB takes me past (Oh no, Oh no thinks the mortified mother) the pines. There before me is the deed, right on top of the wall. Basically LB gave every passing driver a show he or she will never forget.
"I think maybe it's time you came inside now, LB."

Training

Training Training Training. It seems like that is all I am doing lately. Training children, training a teenager, training puppies.... It is so hard sometimes to feel like all I am doing is holding the line, disciplining, sticking to my guns, administering consequences. Bleck!
I think that's why the Germany trip stands out in my mind so much. It was a completely self indulgent time. I loved it! I drank and ate what I wanted to while it was still hot and cold, I was inundated with so much beauty without one interuption of my taking it in, I had long and thoughtful conversations with some of the people I love the best, I was touched by God's lovingness during train rides, in castles, on city streets, in one of the coolest apartments I have ever stepped foot in. It was just awesome, Which brings me to my last day: shopping in the more modern sections of Munich and the opera. I really liked the stores we went into- there was a very graphic and fresh feel. I found a mirror that fit exactly into my "bavarian deer acorns and oak leaf" desires. Despite the handle breaking and it tumbling end over end when I was running to catch a bus, it arrived home safe and sound.
The opera was something else entirely! It was a good thing Matthew looked up the story line ahead of time because it was all in German, but the voices, oh the voices... I have been to one ballet and while it was very cool, I think I am more of an opera type girl! The music literally filled the entire building. Amazing.

So that was basically the nutshell of the trip.

Jane Austen's Anne says: "My idea of good company, Mr. Elliot, is the company of clever, well informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company."
"You are mistaken,' he said gently,"that is not good company, that is the best."

How fortunate that I was able to share my Germany experience with the best company I know, my family. And now I have the summer to look forward to!

Day 5

And we come to Sunday- possibly the most mind blowing of all days. We did a lot of train travel on this trip, but I must say that as long as I was facing in the direction of travel, it was pretty pleasant! Well, it also helps to have two guides saying, get off here, it'll be 15 mins, get on here, would you like some of my mom's homemade bread?
The castles. How to describe the castles.
Picture: watery sunlight, fresh but not cold, the alps- tree covered mountains just that much closer to heaven, two pristine mountain lakes-cobalt blue, and perching in two lordly poses above you, two castles. One a buttery yellow, one a swan like white.
Howenschwangau (I'm sure I am spelling these wrong) Beautiful murals, furniture that people actually lived with, ruled in, had their babies in, faced life in. I love castles that help you to imagine what life was like in that time, and this was perfect for that. Lots of small rooms with windows that looked out on breath taking views of mountains, lakes, forests etc. We had a great guide with a perfect dry sense of humor. I liked this castle better than Newschwanstein. It was more real, less of a wild fancy and more of a real home. Well, as real home as living in a castle can get.

And then there was this beauty. Unfortunatly all I caught was this least impressive side. It got too dark too fast for me to catch the other sides. This was a mad king's flight of fancy and it was truly incredible. Part of me wishes that we could have taken pictures inside, adn part of me realizes that there is just no way to capture the feeling of it without being there in real life. Anyways, google it because its beyond my description. All I can think of is a truly lame WOW!

The gardens at Hohenschwangau. Don't we all wish we were as fashionable as this girl?

Oh wait! Some of us are! This is my incredible mom, posing with some German royalty. It's amazing who you run into in out of the way places!

Days 2-4

After our Christmas shopping extravaganza, we jumped on the train for a trip to visit Marissa's family. The more I travel, the more I appreciate hospitality in all it's forms. Marissa's family was so hospitable to us! They fed us incredible meals, took us on walks, let their children smash us in games like memory, and showed us different aspects of their lives. It was a lot of fun and helped me not to miss my own family as much over the biggest holiday of the year. We were treated to different German traditions, including a candle lit Christmas tree and a flaming, rum soaked sugar cube that melted into a pot of hot spiced wine. Glorious, but I had to be careful with that one! We also took in a candle lit Christmas Eve Service and probably the highlight of my trip, the village of Bad Wimpfen. Bad Wimpfen is medieval, Bavarian, castle architecture at it's best. People are still living in this village from the 1300's, which is so cool, but I think I got the best feel for life in the dark ages from this place. I love medieval warfare, and I felt like I could understand it best here.
If only all American kids could take a field trip here during their Dark Ages lectures. I think it
would last in their brains forever!

It doesn't rain but it pours!

WOW! This last week has just about blown me away! First my incredible trip to Germany, then a day of shopping in Billings, then home for a New Years party at some awesome friends, then home to a kennel full of surprise puppies! It's enough to make a girl's head spin.
First off, Germany.

This my friends, was the trip of a lifetime. I'm not even exaggerating. it was awesome! Everything that I had wanted to do in Germany we did and then some. I'm going to have to go day by day or it will take until next Christmas to upload them all.

So I had two day of travelling to get there, and as soon as I left the US it got nightmarish! Because of a mistake I had made on the tickets, I was stuck in Amsterdam feverishly running around trying to get on a flight to Munich. By the grace of God I was able to fly standby on a flight or I might still be waiting there today.

As soon as I stepped foot in Munich however, the fun began. Mom and Matthew were there to greet me and we hopped on a train to Matthew and Marissa's trendy apt. in down town Munich. I got my second wind after we arrived and I unpacked and kissed my Dad so we headed down to a pub for a beer. The pubs in Germany are everything you want them to be: stepping from cold damp air into a warm friendly atmosphere, sitting down to a table flanked by tall thousand paned windows amidst a wood panelled room. The feeling is cozy, and talkative, and there are an embarrassment of good things to eat on the menu!

All I wanted on this trip was to eat soft pretzels, sausage and sour kraut and I did myself proud!

The next day we hit the outdoor Christmas markets. Munich is such a beautiful city with stone buildings built with grace and cobblestone roads that are narrow and winding. Tucked into various courtyards throughout the city are these markets. If it's Christmas, it's sold at the Christmas market!


Mom and I stocked up on ornaments and we were sure to stop at the outdoor sausage stand for some bratwurst and sour kraut.
Then we toured Matthew and Marissa's schools. We walked around town some more, Mom and Dad shared a coffee while Matthew and
I toured the medieval Christmas market. And that was the first day!