McDougall

Atta Girl Lucia!

2013-11-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

Finally

2013-09-04T13:31:00.002-07:00

Kiss Ars

2013-05-21T16:48:00.000-07:00

Best Sugar Cookie Glaze Ever

2013-05-02T09:58:00.003-07:00

I did it - I won the battle of the glaze! This recipe dries shiny and beautiful and hard in an hour. I'm smitten.

2 1/2 C confectioners sugar (whisked)
2 T + 2 t milk
2 drops food coloring
2 T corn syrup (light)
*tip: dip all cookies in one batch, the glaze hardens pretty fast.

Meter Mole

2013-04-29T08:54:00.001-07:00

Father Daughter Dance

2013-04-27T16:53:00.000-07:00

Charleston SC, Ghost and Graveyard Tour

2013-04-27T16:51:00.001-07:00

Instragram Camera Roll

2013-04-13T08:13:00.001-07:00

Instagram

Lost and Found

2013-03-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

Found these gems while cleaning off the old books in John's office.

Gummy Carrots

2013-03-24T16:00:00.004-07:00

Freeman Louis Mead

2013-03-04T09:17:00.001-08:00

My new nephew. About time I posted a photo. When I'm with this little hunk, I'm too interested in touching him to find the time to snap a photo. In fact, I can't even take credit for this one. Although I think it is my favorite of him so far.

Happy Valentines Day

2013-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

This is love.

Point Defiance Zip Line

2013-01-29T08:51:00.000-08:00

Pretty darn fun. You should try it.

All Tuned Up and Ready to Sew

2013-01-08T17:18:00.002-08:00

My parents generously offered to have my Grandma's old sewing machine serviced after she passed...4 weeks and a small fortune later I am back at it and feel so good about how well it is working (for the first time in 15 years really) I think I need to get back to my etsy shop a bit this year. 0 items for sale is lame. Excited to change that. These three are for some beautiful babies I am expecting to meet this winter.

"How did he know?!" Santaaaaaaaa!

2013-01-01T12:04:00.004-08:00

Loved the faces of awe, joy, glee, sweetness, gratitude etc. this year.

(some new favorites; an oak writing desk from Tookie and Grandpa, Kit Kittridge from Santa, Box of Balloons filled with $ from Meg and Kelcey, and Merry-Okee from Candi (Kelcey's Mom))

Candy Continuum

2013-01-01T11:52:00.002-08:00

One of my favorite Holi-Days this year was our Gingerbread build. A couple of fun friends, a table full of candy and Mom watching sugar highs in real time. Think the continuum was well captured here.

All Mine

2012-12-16T16:29:00.001-08:00

I'm appreciating this little cuss (and the other one) very differently this week. We hope there is peace in your home as well.

A Nice Time

2012-12-11T11:47:00.004-08:00

Best part about vacation in December, coming home to Christmas lights and cookies and class parties and the promise of a visit from Santa. But the weather here stinks. It was a nice time.

Frick and Frack 2012-2013

2012-11-08T21:09:00.001-08:00

This year's mugs are in. Enjoy. Henry did Lucy's hair this year and she insisted it was lovely and so proud that her brother helped her. I didn't have the heart to fix it, even when her teacher asked sweetly that morning, "....and what would like us to do with her hair?"

Tricksters

2012-11-06T07:56:00.001-08:00

Boo!

2012-10-31T13:34:00.002-07:00

Growing Up

2012-10-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

When I lapse from the blog for a while, I usually ask myself, "What have we been doing?" I'm sure everyone has a pretty good idea, they're doing it too. But in reading this story to the kids the other night I really connected to this paragraph about a little girl who decides very early on what she wants to do in life.

I think of this every night now as I pick up their dirty clothes off the floor while they are in the tub, make sure the homework is in the right folder, make lunches for the next day and get ready to read to them.

"In the meantime Alice got up and washed her face and ate porridge for breakfast. She went to school and came home and did her homework. And pretty soon she was grown up."

I hope to God it doesn't come as fast as this with our kids, but somehow I already see it happening. I'm going to kiss the young, round, fatty parts on their face in the morning.

Grandma Freeman

2012-10-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

Bidding adieu to my Grandma Freeman this weekend. She was a very lovely lady. She taught me much:

How to iron and then to sew (the first must be done 'just so' in order for the latter to be done well).
A 'tummy button' is a much more lady-like body part than a belly button.
One must always watch soap operas when home sick from school.
Cigarettes are good (I know I know, but they are! Disclaimer: no, I am not a smoker).
How to make jam (and of course, blackberry was the best).
Children are the ultimate gift (she had 7, although sometimes I got the impression she loved her Grandchildren even more).
Sometimes what's for dinner, is wonder bread with butter and a hamburger patty with pepper, and that's ok.
Ladybugs are good luck.
Painted nails are lovely.
Christmas time is magic.

I will miss talking with her, learning from her and feeling the way I did when she was near. Special. She was special too.

People Please

2012-09-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

I wish I were a robot. How else would I read this?:

I beg you. You've got to stop making me do this. For the love of robots everywhere. Personally, I welcome a few comments from the robot community. Why not? They might have some real wisdom to share.

Back at it again.

2012-09-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

Thank God.