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!