My Favorite Pixar move ever!

I LOVED  this movie!  It was really difficult for me to watch some scenes (fear of heights) but the story was totally worth it! If you haven't already seen it, you need to.

When we saw Monsters Vs. Aliens 3D my girls complained about the glasses and how they can't stand 3D movies.  So this time I took squares of Moleskin to the theater to put on the nose piece.  It was perfect. It kept Lucy's glasses from sliding down her nose. It kept Haley and Ruby' s noses from hurting from the plastic seam on the glasses that lands right on the top of your nose.  

Ok, so we all looked like neards... but we were comfortable and happy!

Our new nest

Over the Memorial Day weekend we drove up North, dropped our kids off at my Sister's house then drove up to Oregon to look for a house to rent.

I loved Southern Oregon when we visited back in November, but It was more beautiful then I had remembered. I'm sure Summertime had something to do with that because everything was emerald green and the flowers all looked like they were on steroids.

I can't believe I am going to live here:

... and here
... and have this beautiful backyard

It's such a great house and location.. a little Momma robin decided to make her home on our new front door.  How cool is that?

We are so excited and very blessed to have found this home in the area we wanted.

****Edit*** I failed to mention that there is a small space for my quilting... hooking... and whatever other obsession I acquire. 

Lessons from the ER

Warning- Some content may be inappropriate for children and adults.

After having spent 10 1/2 hours in the emergency room last night, I learned some important lessons about life and our society I thought I would share.

It is actually possible for a 29 year old female to have 7 children (the oldest is 13) and have never married. When asked how you raise 7 kids alone you can proudly explain "My Mom & Dad help... and I have Jesus in my life!".  Just a guess... but I'm thinking Jesus would have wanted you to get married 1st. 

When you are frustrated that your 3 year old is getting restless after several hours of sitting in the waiting room, the proper protocol for correcting his behavior is to very loudly say " Sit your as_ down now you little sh__!". If for some reason that doesn't help him you can try "You are putting me out of my fu___ mind... Sit your as_ down now boy before I beat your smelly as_!". That should do the trick.

If you are a teenager and have multiple piercing and rings to stretch out your ear lobs... it is acceptable entertainment to punch both your fists through a wall at the same time (breaking multiple fingers).  When the Doctor questions you as to why you felt compelled to punch a wall you should look very proud when you respond to him that it was "for fun". 

If you are eating a piece of chicken so fast that you don't notice when you swallow a chicken bone so large it needs to be surgically removed... you should probably eat slower. 

When sitting in an examining room with 7 other really sick people and the news announces that Proposition 8 was upheld by the California Supreme court... You may not want to yell out profanities and talk about how you were a "dike" for years but gave it up 14 years ago because the Bible says "Adam and Eve... not Adam and Steve".   When you see the shocked look on everyone face and jaws dropped open, you will want to explain how you were molested from 3 to 14 and how you loved women because women never hurt you... then you can continue for a long long time about how lonely you have been for 14 years.  This may be too much information for some people and should probably be kept to yourself.  Then again... you can continue sharing and talk about how your veins are all shot from when you used to be a heroine user or the story about when your finger and big toe were cut off. 

If you struggle with obesity,  a sport bra and tight stretch shorts are completely acceptable attire to wear to the ER... and apparently shoes are optional.  Don't worry, if your feet get cold they will give you a pair of  socks... bonus! 

Who would have thought I could learn so much about parenting, eating, fashion, alternative lifestyles, drugs, entertainment and language in one evening.   Good times, good times.

Inherited obsession

My Father was an interior designer in the LA area so I spend a lot of time in this building (the blue whale) as a kid.  I knew exactly which showrooms had the best candy and where the most comfortable chairs were. I knew the showroom that despised kids.  I remember one day in particular that my Dad had me wait outside because I was too hyper to go in that day.  

My favorite part of going to the Pacific Design Center with my Dad was choosing fabric. He would tell me what he was looking for and I would "help" him find it. I would walk up and down the rows of fabric samples hanging and feel each one to determine what would work. I loved the feel of the fabric.  He would critique the ones I choose explaining why or why not they would work for the project then he would check out a few of my samples to make me feel good. Sometimes when there were fabrics I loved he would check them out just to make me happy on the ride home. 

It's no wonder that I love textiles as much as I do.  I was practically put through textile boot camp as a kid.  At a young age I knew what toile, damask and raw silk were.   

So today my friend Stephanie and I drove out to the Laguna Beach Design Center for their big sale.  The last time I went to a design center was with my Dad about 30 years ago.  It brought back so many memories and I found myself once again having to touch everything looking for great fabrics.  We went in the Brunschwig & Fils showroom and they were selling all their floor samples for $1 a bundle.  Most people were buying a couple of bundles, but I bought enough to stuff a large shopping bag to the top.  These fabrics retail for between $60- $200 a yard!!!!

I bought tons of gorgeous fabrics, amazing fabrics that will become pillows, purses and lots of other stuff for...... drum roll please.....

$18.00

 Talk about joy- I was very happy on the ride home!

I cant stop playing with my new fabric... it just makes me happy! I realize I am a little obsessed, but it's on my blood and I can't help it.

Hangin with Sugar & Spice

I had to run by my friends Sandy's house for some hooking business and had the kids in tow since Eric was not home yet. My girls were in Heaven at her house. She has a beautiful yard FULL of flowers, her own orange grove, a nest with baby bluejays and... two tortoise!!!!

Her tortoise are both girls and they are named Sugar and Spice. Sugar was not in a playful mood but Spice came right out and gave us all quite a show. 

Ruby and Lucy could not keep their hands off her... Haley didn't want to to get near her.

I had a hard time getting my girls to leave her house. The whole ride home they were asking if when we move we can have turtles, chickens, a pig and a cow. I gave my go-to politically correct answer... "We'll have to see".

Say WHAT?

5/10/09 Mother's day 1st thing in the morning...

Lucy climbed into my bed in the morning, handed me a pen and paper and said:

"I want to tell you what I want for my birthday.  I want a cake with little lady bugs and a big flower on it. Can you also do polka dots and make a lipstick? I want a candle with glitter. Do you know how to make a mountain, you just go like this (using her finger to draw one).  Can you make snowflakes and a water fountain with water. I also want a little leaf. Can you draw a picture that goes like this - up, up up, up (using her finger to draw scallops). That's all.

(Can you tell she watches Ace of Cakes?)

Then she continued...

"Actually I need to tell you what presents I want. I want a Nintendo DS and a flower from the Richy's yard (our neighbors), they wont notice if you just take one. I want a pink one but if they only have yellow, then get me yellow... oh and I want a bag of Reeces peanut butter cups. "

5/10/09 While sitting in church...

Haley said "Mom, why do you have those circles under your arms?" 

"I'm hot and sweating" Me

"Oh SICK, that's SWEAT???" Haley

"Does it stink?" Lucy as she pushed her nose deep in my armpit

"Ya.. it's sicko" Lucy

"Totally" Haley

5/10/09 ...Still sitting in church

Ruby is playing with my hair and says "It's too bad you don't have that special makeup- it makes you skin all shiny, makes all the bumps and lines go away and would make you look a lot younger" 

5/10/09 ...Again at church

"I wish we had already moved!" What Haley said to the Primary President when she was asked to go up and sing for Mother's day. 

5/10/09 Right after church while eating dinner...

"Mom why did Max have a surgery so he couldn't have babies... he's a boy, he can't have babies". Ruby

"He had the surgery to make him less aggressive and make it so he does not want to try to make babies" Me

"WHAT, he's a boy!" Ruby

"Dad and I will talk to you tonight and explain exactly how babies are made" Me

"Oh ya.... I remember THAT talk."... Haley looking completely disgusted.

"But if you ask lots of questions you can stay up even later" Haley

5/8/09 "Ok... but please don't mess up my lipstick" what Lucy said as she came over for me to help brush her teeth before bed.

4/29/09 "Mom, you can't do that... drinking and driving is illegal!" What Ruby said as I took my strawberry banana smoothy in the car. 

Happy Mother's Day!

My "Grand" Mother Tutu

I thought it would be a fun post for Mother's day to write about my Mother's Mother, my grand mother.  I mentioned here that my Grandmother was a pilot that flew with Amelia Earheart. Here is a little more information on the unbelievable life she led.  First of all we NEVER called her Grandma or Grandmother, I think she would have killed us. We called her Tutu which is Hawaiian for Grandma.  

She was good friends with Amelia Earhart as they were both pilots and there were not that many women pilots at the time. Tutu and Amelia were both involved in the 99ers which was an organization for the 1st 99 women pilots. All 99 women wore matching bracelets (with the 99ers logo) and the bracelets held photos inside.

Tutu used to tell the story about when Amelia disappeared and this is basically what she said happened.  After Amelia had not returned from her last flight and it was believed she was not going to return, Amelia's Mother called my Grandmother Nelda to come over to the house and help her go through Amelia's things. When they opened her Amelia's trunk, her bracelet and scarf we on the top. Amelia's Mother was shocked and said to my Grandmother "She must have known she was not returning, she ALWAYS flew with these."

Having heard that story from Tutu many times, and hearing her tell that she thought there was a cover up for what really happened, so I found it really interesting when I read this quote on the Amelia Earhart web site ( here) it says:

"Earhart always carried her lucky bracelet and scarf with her on long-distance flights, but left them with her Mother when she took her last flight around the world. Now the bracelet and scarf are reverently displayed at the museum alongside Earhart's pilot's license, navigation charts and voice and video recordings. "

Here is a photo of Tutu's 99er's bracelet
And this is the inside. On the left bottom is Tutu and the other 3 are the photos of her children. My Mom is the baby on the right bottom.

She had a busy life outside of flying. 

She was a registered nurse and flew medical missions during the war. However after the war she lost her nurses license for her unacceptable behavior when she flew underneath the Golden gate bridge upside down. I can't believe they didn't take away her pilots license!

Overall she was married 6 times, twice to my Grandfather Bud. He was a super intresting guy you can read about him here. When she was older, her last marriage was to a nice guy named Bob, really the Grandpa that I remember. They lived at Lake Arrowhead, but drove all around in this motor-home. I have never seen a motor-home like it since. Both sides were painted with a race car that had colored plumes of smoke coming off the wheels and said VAROOM! The license plate said LOVEIN. The seats were leopard skin and there was a crystal chandelier hanging over the table. She always had a can of roasted salted almonds near by and a rum and coke. She had two Yorkshire terrier dogs (one was blind) that ran back an forth in the front window of the motor home that my Father referred to as "the cockroaches".

This photo is THE motor-home parked up at Lake Arrowhead. Can you believe that I used have snowball fights on this balcony with that old rickety unsafe railing? My uncle now owns this home (with iron railings now) and this is where we go every 4th of July and to enjoy the snow in winter.

My most memorable trip in this psychedelic motor-home 

One day she decided to drive all the cousins down to Escondido, San Diego to show us where our familys ranch used to be. It was a long drive and I was probably about 6 and my Sister Tiffany was 9. One of my greatest joys was bugging her and it kept me entertained for most of the trip... until Tutu had had enough. Tutu said "I have been asking you to stop, but I guess you need a spanking to hear me" then she proceeded to spank me. I was very stubborn and tried to act like it didn't hurt.  Later on the way home Tutu said to me "You know, you are the only grandchild that I have had to spank!" and I replied "Did you know, you are the only Grandmother that has spanked me?"- She did not find it funny at the time, but retold the story often in later years.

To the gardner who lives here...

Your garden makes me happy every morning I drive by!