too much

i really had no idea these

silly bandz

were such an insane craze...

teachers are banning them from their classrooms

and some schools just altogether

b/c they are so distracting.

no wonder.

they are fun,

and rather addicting,

starting at age 2 apparently.

i discovered them on my sister's

wrists (a very cool 14 yr. old)

and ruby thinks they are super fun

so we got some abc ones the other day.

maybe not the best to have lying around for the little guy.

i just keep trying to collect them all which can be tiresome.

just so many ways to sport them.

family photo inspiration

so ive been thinking alot lately

about a family photo

and doing something different and out of the ordinary.

this one really caught my eye.

i just love the color, setting, randomness

and perfect balance of it all.

now my head is reeling with ideas. i also adore all the food photography this guy does,

from some of my favorite food magazines;

gourmet & donna hay.

i was always so inspired by the photos

and then realized it was the same guy.

thanks to this blog i discovered him.

have a lovely weekend!

picnic-ing in the park

yesterday the weather was really awesome

so i packed up some lunch

and we jaunted over to the park

right by our house.we found a great shady tree

and planted ourselves right under it,

ate, crawled, chilled.

it was nice, and a nice change from eating lunch at home.

as ruby likes to tell me,

in recollection of things we've just completed,

'that fun'

which pretty much refers to anything we do

that isnt groceries, the norm, etc.

i guess it wasnt totally all that fun,

as you can see by the slightly

grumpus face

but i sure enjoyed the shady breeze, snacks and relaxation.

cork

so ive been begging ed to find me some rolled up cork

to conconct a wall in the crafty office room of ours (mainly mine i guess)

and he so sweetly went to find me some today at the office supply store.

even better, he thought of the way to put it together.

we doubled up some posterboard

(but im sure old cardboard boxes would work)

and spray mounted the thin cork on top. the cork did not fit perfectly

so i had to cut it a bit,

leaving me with a lot leftover.

so,

i had a bunch of little frames in a closet

and decided it might be fun to fill them with the exess cork.

here's what i got.

now, after being hung,

its a work in progress.

still need to work in the frames.

the wall of inspiration i have been dying to put together...alas.

slowly but surely it'll come together.

now i just need to make more tacks.
i made a bunch of crazy ones a million years ago,
and hold on to them like they are little gems.
i know im such a weirdo.
its those little doodads that always get me.


do you have any good inspiration walls in your home?
or does the wacky mess make you crazy?

when im all better

ruby keeps telling me that when my eyes are better i am going to be sooo pretty, like a princess.
does she really envision me in a big poofy dress i wonder? too much... what kids come up with. it makes me feel special i guess that she thinks i will be as lovely as a disney princess when my red eyes disappear.
thanks ruby, your kisses are the mostest.

im back, i think

so this past week

has been one of those challenges i would like to forget.

it started with what we thought was pink eye

and rolled into an all out body attack.

it was like one of those scary horror movies like

attack of the killer bees on your eyes

but it just wouldnt end.

today,

the third time at the doc

and i am pretty sure we may have found a solution.

i will keep praying that that is true.

so that is where ive been.now that i am on the up

im going to just soak up every little moment

moments with my kids, my family, cooking, crafting, and taking in the fresh air.

anyhoo, that book above?

just about the coolest.

my mom was having fun in ca and came upon these two great books.

the first: play all day...design for children

has a great quote inside:

life's a game--lets play all day

now if only we could.

we'd make fun things like this
and have mini puppet shows

collect a bunch of pizza boxes

and make some rad forts

set up some mirrors

and do one of my old favortie games.

it never gets old.

and this is the other one:

alphabeasties and other amazing types

freakin fantastic.

a truly fabulous approach to ABC's if you ask me.

i love checking out all the different fonts

while teaching ruby abc's.

good times.

and how cute are the little side illustrations with the letters?

they'd be so cute as little prints in a bedroom.

thats all.

pray i am really actually getting better.

just want to be a good mom again.

down by the tracks

you'd never have guessed that one of our favorite spots

would happen to be down by the train tracks.

many a photo shoot has occured here....engagement pics, squints, and so on.

a while back, brainstorming for a project i am working on with my mom and emily,

i thought, hey, we should have an urban picnic...

just pack up the car with some of our favorite bright colored things,

(i do love color!)

good food,

lay out a vintage tablecloth

and just picnic right in the city. so you never would've guessed it but phx is one happening city my friends.

i found that old bike YEARS ago

at one of my old stomping grounds,

cucumbers

which unfortunately i really only see driving by from the car these days.

lets just pretend we were actually in paris.

this photo could deceive you right?

someday we'll go back to that city of magic and wonder,

you and me ruby...when you grow up.

just as long as youre nice

and say please.

strawberry rhubarb french toast

used to make this at the restaurant

and i've been meaning to make it ever since, as i crave it.

since it has taken me a couple weeks of remember an ingredient here,

an ingredient there, i finally got around to it. deelish.

pretty decadent and rather time consuming when you

dont have people helping you, but worth it for a special occasion,

like monday and your husband being home for dinner. this is the bread we always used,

which can be found at AJ's or at the actual

Simply Bread store here in Phx,

but any good hearty mutigrain bread will do.

and here is a visual of the praline before being broken up.

strawberry rhubarb french toast

1 loaf multigrain bread, sliced

custard

1 c. milk

1/2 c. heavy cream

2 eggs

1 T. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla extract

*combine all ingredients. whisk well. set aside in fridge for dunking bread in later.

praline

1/2 c. pistachios, shelled

1 c. sugar

1/3 c. water

*combine water and sugar in small sauce pan. boil until carmely in color.

*pour hot sugar onto a sheetpan lined with silpat (or sprayed with something such as pam) and

sprinkled with pistachios

*let cool until hard while you prepare other elements, tend to your kids, or sip on your wine.

*once cool, break up into food processor. beware of sharp bits. process to little tiny

bits...crunchies...whatever you may call them.

*keep in container for sprinkling later. also great in salads or on ice cream.

creme anglaise

2 c. milk

4 oz. sugar

6 egg yolks

1/2 vanilla bean

*combine milk and half of sugar in sauce pan. scrape vanilla bean seeds into milk and add the

pod as well. bring to boil.

*combine remaining sugar with yolks in bowl. whisk rapidly until pale yellow in color.

*temper yolk mixture with milk.

*add all back to saucepan, whisking constantly until thick on the back of a spoon. try not to make

scrambled eggs by letting it get too hot, day dreaming, etc.

*strain into bowl over ice bath. let cool. dip a strawberry in it and taste it cause you know you

want to.

compote

1 1/2 c. chopped rhubarb

1 1/2 c. diced strawberries

1/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. water

*combine all in large sauce pan. stir well. bring to boil. let simmer on med heat until rhubarb

is tender and fully cooked. stir occasionally.

*remove from heat and place in desired container. if you have leftovers later, this is great served

on top of panna cotta with cookies, or on multigrain bread spread with mascarpone.

NOW....

*get the griddle hot. soak your toast well in the custard, and slap em on the sizzlin griddle

spread with butter.

*laddle creme anglaise onto plate and add dollop of compote to middle.

*when toasts are good and toasty, place atop the compote and add another heaping dollop of it

on top.

*sprinkle with praline.

EAT.

been busy

busy watching this guy.

he's determined to eat chairs, get caught on things,

try to pull himself up higher onto whatever possible,

and army crawl with all his might and speed.

yes, not yet 6 months (that comes on the 20th) and this guy is on the go!gotta love him.

i try not to eat him up.

and this little lady.
insists on being called 'big' and not 'cute'
b/c apparently cute means little?
not sure.
she is sporting some pretty sweet undies lately.


attending many a bithday party.

never ceasing to make me laugh.

oh, and i finally finished this pillow i was working on.

yikes, dec is not happy right now.

gotta go. be back.

since...

i was pretty sure i wasnt going to make it through today,

what with the dead bird being eaten by a live bird to start it off in my front yard,

kids uninterested in napping,

screaming dec in the car after leaving the doctor and trying to drop off a prescription,

laundry, dishes, messes, unfinished projects,

the spider that wouldnt die when i tried to smoosh it over breakfast this morning,

ahahahahahhaaahahh.

i am now going to just dream of winning one of these

sweet sea bags

the willows

is giving away.

go check it out and enter for yourself!

and i'll pretend im one of those glamorous 1960's women in the old movies,

all tan and lovely

dancing around the beach in this fancy get up.

{via dear golden vintage}

or perhaps
just my old scraggly jeans and these shoes
strolling with my husband...having one of those perfect conversations
filled with ahah moments you never want to end.
{via bootmeister}


now.
back to those dishes.
and sorry ed, the dead bird is still there, in the front lawn.
what is it with me and birds anyhow?

james

so our friend james just recently finished

his first childrens book:

ruby's rainy day

and i just love his bright colored prints.

how great is this poster he recently did

for another dear friend of ours

brendon

a great local musician who also wrote the words for the book.

and here is a page from the book.

its so darn cute.

i know i mentioned it before when it was in the works,

but it is written after our very own Ruby.

too fun.

and its nice and BIG

so it makes for a fun read.

'hips hops'

from miss ruby...to gigi:

thank you for the 'hips hops' flip flops that is.

its her very first pair and she just can not get enough of them.

i tried several times to explain they are called flip flops

with some strong emphasis,

but nevertheless it just keeps coming out her way.

oh well, its funny.

and those little painted, clenched toes are too cute in them.

ever so princessy.

peanut butter sea salt cookies

sounds good right?

so here is one of my favorite peanut butter cookie recipes:

rosie's peanut butter cookies

1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 c. packed lt. brown sugar

1 1/2 c. commercial peanut butter (smooth)

2 lg. eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. a.p. flour

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

*preheat to 350

*cream butter and sugars with whisk attachment on high until fluffy and light. abt. 5 min's.

add p.nut. butter. continue beating on high until incorporated with butter. on low, beat in eggs

one at a time. then add vanilla.

*separate bowl. whisk flour, bak.soda, and salt together. gradually add dry into wet with paddle

attachment or wooden spoon until no flour visible.

*use appropriate size scoop to your liking. i love to use an ice cream scoop so they are all the

same size. press down with heel of your hand (with a bit of flour so your hands dont stick to

dough).

*press with fork going vertically and horizontally.

*bake 18-20 min's for large cookie, 10-12 min's for small cookies.

my version:

sprinkle with this sea salt before baking.

just a smidge. not much.

and this is where the recipe

came from...one of my favorite cook books.



and on a side note:
how cute are those little hands,
all painted hot pink!
thanks vanessa!

now go make some cookies, sit outside with a glass of milk

and soak up this lovely windy weather.

treats

yippee for surprises!

ed was so sweet yesterday to drop me off in front of anthropologie

for moms day and give me an envelope with some cash to pick out my present.

i had one hour, and believe it or not i never left that one store.

too many options and ways i could go.

kitchen goodies, paper treats, clothes, accessories, bathroom stuff?

what to do.

so after being sure they were going to kick me out for reaching my time limit in the store, i settled on this pencil case. this lovely little notebook.

(it says at this moment am i drawing to remember or to erase)
and this one and only pair of red shoes
on the sale shelf.
i figured i should get something fun i would not normally get.
and they are indeed fun,
and oh so comfortable.
thank you ed for such a treat!

i also treated my mom to this bag
i created for her sewing patterns and projects.
it was a simple natural colored canvas fabric with an added white ruffle for good measure.

and i filled it with this uber-fun file folder pockets
that have all sorts of spots for you to write notes/project titles, etc.
i do dig the organizey stuff.
i just get all giddy with excitement when entering an office supply or organizing store.
i know, im such a geek.

and then,

i was graced with these un.be.liev.a.ble.

bunch of peonies

from my own mother.

i can not stop smelling them.

as much as i adore the newspaper wrap i wanted to keep em alive
so now they are living in my favorite white vase on the farm table

creating daily smiles as i pass by them.
really nothing better than giant peonies.