Friday, December 31, 2010

US & OZ

The photo from OZ is pretty scary...have your hands by your eyes just in case you need to cover them.

Are you ready?

Here it is...

I don't think you'll have to look toooo closely to find the little australian murder machine.      
I don't know if that is really a poisonous one, but he sure looks pissed.
                                                                                                       -Kate

EEK...!!!!  A scary spider.  It might even be venomous.  There are all kinds of poisonous animals down undah.  Not sure what the proper scientific name is, but scary spider seems apt.  

Kate's pretty sure she's correct and the proper name is 'little Australian murder machine'.  

come-see; come-saw

Meanwhile, back in Kansas.  

Well, not really Kansas, but since I was talking about OZ it just seemed like a natural segue.  (not to be confused with a motorised 2-wheeled machine).  

Speaking of murder machines (another segue, thankyouverymuch) have you ever observed the tenacity of Blue Jays?  They are fierce, big bullies.  They knock all the other little chickadees off the bird-feeder and then knock all the seeds off the perch until they find the one that they like.  They have even been known to dive bomb little doggies.  My friend's childhood pooch as a matter of fact.  But, that's another story for another time.   

Or, maybe they feel badly for knocking all the chickadees off the bird-feeder and are putting some seed on the ground for them...?  



But, now I have photographic proof that they are the ones making a mess with the birdseed.  So, if I ever corner them and they say,
'who us?  we don't make no stinkin messes.  You must be thinking of those other birds'.
I can whip out this photograph and say 'AH HA!  PROOF!'  And they will sheepishly fly away and leave the chickadees to eat when and where they like.  



And, one more thing.  How about the contrast between the two photographs.  Kate's background is green and colorful.  Lush foliage that should be present in summertime.  My background is bare branches and even a trace of snow on the roof of the bird-feeder.  
  


Wednesday, December 29, 2010

And the Icicles hung off the gutter with care...

and my hope is they won't pull the gutter off the house like they did last year.  
okay, well, that didn't exactly rhyme, but, hey!  
(butt hay...hahahahaha....hay for your butt....heeheehee)
  
ahem.  scuse me.  forgot how old I was there for a second.  

Back to the icicles:

I loved the reflection in the window of this one so I thought I would share.   
We didn't get a lot of snow so I don't feel too guilty about taking pictures and not knocking down the icicles straight away lest they rip the gutters out of my house again... 
Last year the icicles were about twice as long and twice as wide and they just ripped that gutter right off of my house.  
(I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair...)
True story.  

Whilst I was trying to be artistic taking photos of icicles my son was being inventive in his own right.   Trying to sled down the slide.  (say that 3 times fast).


oh boy...this is not looking good.  Should I ask if he is okay,  or just keep taking photos?  
Keep taking photos?  Oh, I am so glad you said that.  

hmmm....mummy's here if you need me darling.  

okay, now, it looks like he has finally righted himself
and....
success!


Ah, to be a child again.  I could laugh when people say but, hey!  and take photos of children in precarious situations without offering aide.  Oh, I already do that?  hmm....well, Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

US & OZ

Sorry I have been MIA.  Busy busy busy...  I am sure we are all singing the same tune.
However, I felt badly enough for neglecting my blog that I stopped on my way to the land of nod to sit at the computer and update it just one more time...
Who knows, maybe I will get one more post in before the end of the year!  Fingers crossed...
 

From OZ:
The girls enjoying one of the "pressies" that my mom sent them for Christmas! 
I let them open one a day early. :)
                          -Kate

From US:

My daughter taking a break from my photo-shoot in front of the tree.  





Thursday, December 16, 2010

US & OZ: December 16, 2010

OZ:
The girls in their sundresses after a day of visiting Santa.


US:
Horses getting a dusting of snow.  Where are their blankets??  




SNOW!

It's finally snowing, y'all.  
I love it!  
I aint kidding--I really really really lurve snow.  
It makes me so happy when I see white falling from the sky.  


Sometimes I think I have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but then it snows and a smile stretches across my face.  


It is my drug.  
It is like sunshine.  
It is better than sunshine.  
It is like sunshine without the oppressive heat.  


Who doesn't love that!?!


It seems I have passed the love for snow on to my children.  There may only be a centimeter on the ground, but they are making the most of it!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

US & OZ: December 14, 2010

OZ:

The Sydney Opera house packed for Oprah's Greatest Adventure.  Kate had some distant photos of Oprah herself, but said she liked this one of the Opera House and jumbo-tron.  



US:

One of my favorite houses decorated for Christmas.  I just love the style of this house.  
I covet it.  I wish it were mine.  Is that wrong?  
I think I may use this for my Christmas card next year ;~))

Friday, December 10, 2010

B is for Burrito

They're good enough to eat...
Isn't that how the song goes?  no?  oh...  


Well, if you know me you know my love for burritos is deep and profound.  I think I could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never get tired of them.  In fact, I WOULD eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never get tired of them.  
If I could.  I would.  I swear.  


So, when I was browsing on Etsy and saw this I just had to get it.  




Just look at that lovely burrito.  Is it not just THE perfect shirt for your little baby?  


It is from an Etsy store called Lala Lu which is an organic baby t-shirt company.  Their stuff is just darling and made with organic fabric.  Perfect for wee little babies.  And, since I have a nephew that should be arriving any day now I thought what a perfect gift from his Auntie who is a lover of burritos.  


It comes folded in tissue paper with the company card on top.    




And if the capital B with the delicious burrito were not enough, just look at the back:

I cannot wait to meet my new little nephew.  I hope he arrives this weekend.  And, I cannot wait for him to be big enough to wear this shirt.  I will definitely takes lots of photos of him with it on and show you just how cute he is!  

Happy Shopping~




PS...I do not know who owns/operates Lala Lu on Etsy.  
I just ordered one if these shirts and wanted to share the cuteness with all of you.  

Thursday, December 9, 2010

US & OZ: December 9, 2010

From OZ:

Today's picture sum's up Christmas-time here in Oz. Summer with Santa hats.
                                                                                              -Kate

From US:

This is what happens when your hubbie goes out for more tree lights.  
He comes back with a dancing M&M.  



Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Y'all. Ya'll.


Since I live in the (almost) Northeast I am not sure of the spelling of the word y'all (ya'll).  My lovely cousin, who lives in Nashville, told me one time and I forget.  I am pretty sure it's y'all and I'm going with my gut...for the rest of the post it will be y'all and y'all can correct me if I'm wrong.  

Now, onto the serious stuff.  I just LOVE the word Y'ALL.  

Ok, so maybe I have been watching too many Paula Deen shows, but that's neither here nor there.  I just love y'all.  As in, all of you, and the word!  See, it's multi-functional!  What a word I tell ya.  I mean, y'all. I am still a beginner and it doesn't roll off the tongue quite as easily as I would like.  But, one day I will be fluent and y'all will think I am that much more friendly.  See, it's a friendly word.  

Sounds so much better than the east coast version which is 'youse'.  As in 'youse guys' a la Joe Pesci in....oh, I forgot.  OH, Lord have mercy.  I can't believe I forgot the title of the movie.  What WAS the name of that movie???  The one with Marisa Tomei???  Come on, y'all know it!!!!  (this is me jumping over to google...)  And the answer is...My Cousin Vinny.  How could I forget that?!??   Classic!!  

Anyhoo, as I was saying...I just love the word y'all.  It's friendly.  It's submissive.  It's authoritarian.  It's all encompassing.  It's not just for Southerners anymore.  Y'all better watch out.  I am on a mission to have everyone saying y'all.  It's formal.  It's casual.  It can be used anywhere y'all.  I'm in love I tell ya, and y'all better believe me!

Until next time, y'all.  
xo 










Monday, December 6, 2010

US & OZ: December 6, 2010

From OZ:

The girls were having dessert in their jammies tonight, and Lara decided to put her "cosi" on over hers. 
And her swimming cap.
                      -Kate



From US:

Bird waiting for me to fill up the bird feeder, but it was just too cold!  Sorry, chickie...

Friday, December 3, 2010

US & OZ: December 3, 2010

From Oz:

December 3rd, third day of summer...
Lara in one of her party dresses, showing me their christmas tree.
                                                              -Kate


From US:

Deer in the Woods
I just love this photo.  If there were snow on the ground I think it would be a perfect Christmas card.  






  

A Day Late & A Dollar Short

Well, as illness continues to make its way through the household it seems I have been forgetting to do some other things.  Oh, like decorate for the season and buy some gifts for my family to open on Christmas morning.  There's only 3 weeks left!


And, to post a photo from Gorgeous Kate down undah.  We are both a little too busy to do daily photographs, but when she sends me one I will post it.  I am looking forward to seeing Australia decorated for Christmas!

Kate sent me this photo yesterday:

Welcome back to Australia, here is a picture of some weird tree goo!! :)
                                                                                   -Kate

I just love seeing everything in bloom!
It is quite a contrast to this one:


berries hanging on to bare prickly branches.  
I am not sure what kind of bush it is, but it is in our back yard and those thorns hurt!





Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Homemade Gifts

I was recently inspired by a friend's Facebook status update to buy homemade gifts for the holidays.  Specifically from Etsy.  As this friend is an artist and sells some of her stuff on Etsy she is fond of the artist community that exists on Etsy.  Another girl I went to High School with sells her wares on Etsy as well.  She is a wonderful artist who combines painting and photography into her portraits.  They really are wonderful.  Check it out...

Every year I say, 'I am going to make all my Christmas gifts next year' and then I end up giving only one or two homemade items, or sometimes none at all.  This year, I am afraid it might be none at all, as it's going to be December 1st tomorrow and I got nothing!  So, I did peruse Etsy and have already found some delightful stuff.  I ordered an item or two and will let you know when it arrives if it looks as good in person as it did online!

So, as we rush out to the stores to get prefabricated gifts made in China, let's stop a minute and think about homemade gifts.  Last year my sister-in-law gave us all a loaf of delicious bread.  I can't remember what it was called, but I do remember the chocolate chips!  mmmm...  It was one of the best gifts I got.  We had it for breakfast Christmas morning.  So, if you think, well, it's not like I can give everyone a loaf of banana bread, uh, YES YOU CAN!!  Bake em, freeze em, stick a bow on em and then hand em out!


mmmmm...who wouldn't want a piece of that?!??

So, get your creative juices flowing, or take a look at Etsy to check out other people's creative juices.  Or, one more thing, challenge yourself to check where the items you are buying are made.  Buy it if it says, ' Made in the USA.'

Good luck!!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Illness

Illness has been making its rounds in our house.

My daughter was sick with a high fever and had to miss a day or two of school.  This made her very upset and subsequently very angry with me.  She said she was NOT SICK and that I MADE her stay home from school.  That's just the kind of evil mother I am....you like school so much?  Well, in that case, you can't go!!  You have to stay home!!  bwah ha ha ha ha...

ahem.

My son contracted strep throat and then kindly passed it on to me for Thanksgiving.

Then my dog (I am guessing this is how the story goes) brought a tick into the house and the next morning I pulled it out of my leg.  A bulls-eye instantly appeared, so it appears I have Lyme Disease as well.

Woe is me
Alas Alack
boo hoo hoo
wee wee wee all the way home

Anyhoo, as it is easy to get down in the dumps when one bad thing happens after another I try to focus on the positive.  I got a nice kick in the pants when I took my son to the doctor's office to be tested for strep and a young mother was there with a toddler and a 2 month old baby who was sick.  I heard the receptionist say to her (as we were leaving) 'you don't have any health insurance right now?' and the young mother shook her head no.  I walked outside and thanked my lucky stars and the God who made them that my family and I had health insurance.  Thankful that my husband is still employed in this economy when so many people are not.  It is so easy to forget this since millions of catalogs are coming in the mail asking you to buy this that and the other.  Sales flyers promoting this that and the other for Black Friday.  And then you see a young mother with a sick baby lying on her shoulder and realize things aren't always what the talking heads are saying.  There may be an upturn for some people, but there are still millions of people who will not feel that upturn for a long time, if ever.

So, I am thankful that I have health insurance, even if I have to be sick to remember to be thankful.  I am thankful that I contracted strep throat, even it was painful when I woke up Thanksgiving morning.

I mean every swallow burned.  
Did you hear me??  It burned!!  

The on-call doctor called in some antibiotics for me and I am thankful for that because when I realized the bulls-eye rash the antibiotics were already working through my system and started sweeping that lymes right out the door.

Apparently, everything does happen for a reason!  






Monday, November 8, 2010

Secretariat

I recently saw the movie Secretariat with my children.

It was wonderful.

Magical.

I highly recommend it.

There is a chance I cried for the entire length of the movie.
I neither confirm nor deny whether or not I did or did not.

(aren't you glad election season is over and we don't have to listen to or watch those ridiculous commercials any more??  gee zoo...)

Now listen, I know I have a special affinity for horses so I am sure that played into my love for the movie, but it really was wonderful.  I aint lyin' people.

You are rooting for the owner (a woman in a man's world); you are rooting for the horse; you are rooting for the trainer; you are rooting for the jockey.  It's just a feel-good movie.

Although, it made me thankful that I was not a housewife in the 70's.
But, enough about that.

Get thee to the cinema!







Sunday, November 7, 2010

An Extra Hour

will get you a nice sleep

will allow your children to wake up happy and rested

will get you a freshly mown lawn

a relaxing breakfast

all of this before noon

the day is still young

love me an extra hour

thank you daylight savings

you have definitely saved my day


Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Right Now

I am battling an addiction to the Sudoku app I downloaded.


Even my photos are being affected.  Don't worry, you're not sea-sick.  I just can't play Sudoku and take a straight photo at the same time.  Soon, one passion will win...

Send help~

Monday, November 1, 2010

Thank you, Kate!

Well, I had a great time participating in the US & OZ photography series.  Thanks so much, Kate, for doing this with me.  I would love to do it again in December.  I hope you are available!!

I loved all the photographs, but I think my favorite OZ photos were from Day 1 and Day 2.  What can I say?  I love photographs of flora and foliage.

What do you think?  Which ones were your favorites?

Sunday, October 31, 2010

US & OZ: Happy Halloween!!

Kate said that Australia just recently started celebrating Halloween and some people don't even know what it is.  That is why it is so sparsely decorated.  Plus, it is spring over there, not fall, so I am sure that makes it harder to decorate with the typical autumnal theme.  I do like the charm of the creative designs though.  What do you think?


From OZ:

the most impressive decoration in town.
                                                                      -Kate



From US:

Blow-up decorations.  I think I prefer the homemade Australian kind ;~)







Saturday, October 30, 2010

US & OZ: October 30, 2010

Let's see what we have on this night of mischief...

From OZ:

I searched and searched for some Halloween decorations and until today there has been absolutely NONE. I finally found the first house with decorations and it was so laughable I had to share it. Supposedly the family I live with has "heaps" but I am yet to see any. Maybe they only put them out on the actual day? We will see.
                                                                                        -Kate



I really wanted to post a photo of Halloween decorations to go along with Kate's, but I just had to share this one...


From US:

Today was my son's last baseball game of the season and look who showed up to ump...Santa Claus!  Just in time for Halloween!!




~Happy Haunting~



US & OZ: October 29, 2010

From OZ:

i saw her hunched over in the yard with her mom's camera...asked her what she was doing. 
"i'm just taking a picture of the poo." 
of course. it was a nice lookin turd.
                                                                 -Kate


From US:

Pretty sure the turd didn't come from this girl.  
She was at the school's Halloween parade.  
I was so taken with her that I couldn't help but take some photos.  
The owner didn't tell me to stop so I just kept on clickin'  
Doesn't she look like she has lipstick and eyeliner on?  
Maybe she was hoping to meet someone special...  




Thursday, October 28, 2010

US & OZ: October 28, 2010

From OZ:
Australia likes to pretend that their economy is struggling just like the States...
but here is some proof. 
There are jobs here! Lots!
                                          -Kate



From US:
Finding a fuzzy caterpillar on an expedition.



Wednesday, October 27, 2010

US & OZ: October 27, 2010

OZ:
Picnic fun in the park. Can you tell Dora is very popular in Australia?
                                                                                                   -Kate


US:
A dark and dreary leaf soaked driveway.  



FIJI, by Kate

Here are some photos that Kate shared of her trip to Fiji.  She took about 872203, and I wanted to narrow it down to about 5 for a blog post, but failed.

Here is what I ended up with:

Isn't it gorgeous? 


This is Monuriki Island where Castaway with Tom Hanks was filmed.  
Wilson!??!!  

Every beach has pesky birds.  Even paradise.  


A village ceremony where they drink a not so tasty concoction.  




Every island I have been to has stray dogs running about, 
and Fiji seems to be no exception:
cutie!

Here is where I would like to relax and read a book:



All photos and information provided by:
Comments by me!






Tuesday, October 26, 2010

US & OZ: October 26, 2010

From the shoeless down under:

People can't seem to hold on to their shoes around here. :)
                                                                                                  -Kate



From the Halloween decorated US:

Frankie, our Halloween decoration.  He has been with us for about 10 years.  
He sings, 'who can it be knocking at my door, go away, don't come 'round here no more'.  The kids love him, and so do the adults!