the sassy shack

happy valentine's day!

2012-02-14T20:03:00.000-06:00

I love Peeps!

I also love my husband who traveled this morning from Waco to Dallas to Chicago to South Bend, Indiana. As much as I wish he was here to celebrate this cheesiest of holidays with me, we had our own Valentine's Day on Sunday and ate an entire heart-shaped box of chocolates. Now that's love!

and the emmy goes to...

2012-02-13T20:06:00.001-06:00

Alex and I received a little surprise in the mail on Saturday: a DVD copy of our episode of HGTV's My First Sale. So we now have proof that the video was actually made, and after watching it three times (Catcher made me do it!) I can honestly say that it's probably the worst episode of this show ever. Nothing really happens and nothing is resolved. My hair doesn't look as bad as I thought it would, but I kind of have a weird southern accent (do I actually talk like that?). I don't know if it ever actually aired, but enjoy this little snippet of the Wheat family in action.

the third time's a charm

2012-02-12T20:33:00.000-06:00

Today is baby girl Wheat's official due date. But (thankfully!) today I am not pregnant, and we welcomed Tillie Alexander Wheat into the world on Monday, February 6th. Weighing in it 6lbs 10oz, she's a little thing who arrived with the best of my two previous deliveries--the pain-free aspect of Catcher's and the rapidness of Scout's. And also like the other two, it took us a while to settle on a name for her.

From the beginning we knew we weren't looking to literary inspiration for baby number three's name because, let's be honest, it could be considered gimmicky at this point. When we found out we were having a girl we settled on the middle name Alexander, but that's all we knew. In the end we drew her name out of a hat two minutes before Alex walked out of the hospital room to go home and pick up Catcher and take him to school. I scribbled down three names on a St. David's notepad that was in our room, told Alex to take off his hat and he picked the name. He later accused me of writing Tillie down on all three scraps of paper, but the other two that made it into the drawing were Romy and Zuzu. Before we got to that point, however, Alex and I couldn't come to an agreement as he lobbied for Sunny and I fought for Fritzie. Both of those names were thrown out of consideration along with Winter (Catcher's idea), Winnie (too reminiscent of Wonder Years) and Ottilie (no one would know how to pronounce it). Looking back it's a good thing we went with the hat method--the other names are silly to me now.

just the two of us

2012-02-03T20:03:00.000-06:00

On Monday we're going to the hospital to have the baby, so this is the last weekend that Catcher and Scout will have with just the two of them. The whole induction thing is new to me and a little freaky when I think about knowing the exact date the baby will be born, but it's nice to know that Alex will be here for the birth (haha!) and it makes this weekend kind of special. We kicked off the celebration this afternoon by first taking turns chilling out in the baby's bouncy chair...

and then wrestling in the baby's bouncy chair:

Later we met a new friend at Freddie's Place for a pre-dinner snack of sweet potato fries and lemonade and terrorized the playscape out back.

groundhog day

2012-02-02T20:29:00.003-06:00

I can never remember if Groundhog Day is one of those holidays that moves around on the calendar or if it's the same day every year. Either way, I'm happy to be living in Austin as the prediction of six more weeks of winter was today's verdict. Since December we've been enjoying unseasonably warm days with highs in the mid-70s. If that's winter, I'll take it!

i can't wait!

2012-02-01T19:55:00.000-06:00

StudioVim, etsy

Catcher: Will the new baby be borned after I go to sleep and wake up in the morning?

Me: Not yet. Next week, buddy.

Catcher: Aw...I can't be patient! I can't wait for the baby every day!

Me: How do you think I feel?

city with a view

2012-01-31T20:52:00.000-06:00

On Sunday the family went out on a little drive and stumbled upon Mt. Bonnell, which overlooks Lake Austin and has the best view of the city. How did I not know about this? I can't wait to go back for a picnic lunch and an uphill hike that's short enough for the kids to manage yet long enough to wear them out for the day.

a classic redo

2012-01-30T22:06:00.000-06:00

In between visits to the children's museum and story times and the park and Catcher starting preschool and Scout's naps and getting ready for the baby, I carved out a little time for a project that I've been dying to work on since I first spotted a pair of Eames LCW chairs in my in-laws' garage. Below is a restoration recap:

[Not pictured: Alex and me rummaging through a box in the garage where we discovered the chairs].

Step 1: Sand...and sand again. After a trip to the Home Depot for some trusty sandpaper (150 grit) I put my patience to the test as I hand sanded the backs, seats and bases of the chairs. I didn't trust myself to use a hand sander because I was worried I would apply to much pressure and completely destroy the wood, so I sat out on the balcony and sanded the hours away. Pictured above and below are the chairs before...

and after the sanding.

Step 1 1/2: Find something to make it stick. The shock mounts on the chairs were in surprisingly good condition, but we had to find the right glue to hold everything together. After googling and researching, I found a guy on eBay who sells an epoxy resin that is strong enough for the job. At $14.99 I figured it was a good deal (especially considering that I read somewhere that Herman Miller charges $250/chair to restore the shock mounts). The glue arrived but first the varnishing.

Step 2: Bring on the shine. I used an oil-based clear coat poly (gloss finish) to bring the wood back to life. Here's a look at one of the bases (above) and underside of one seat (below) during the process.

Step 3: Re-assemble. Alex was called in to mix the epoxy and then glue and screw the chairs back together. He tends to be more precise than I do when it comes building furniture.

Step 4: Freshen up. I applied a final layer of gloss to cover any imperfections that may have occurred during assembly.

Step 5: Rearrange your space. I know the lighting is terrible in this picture, but here are the chairs in their final resting spot. I'm really happy with how they turned out, and I'm already looking for my next project. Do you think there's time before the baby gets here next week?

spies like us

2012-01-28T19:09:00.002-06:00

Our former neighbors in Charlotte sent us this picture of the lot that was once the house of our crazy next door neighbor Andy. It's gone, but our little white house still stands. It will probably be sandwiched between two behemoths now, which makes me even happier that we got rid of it when we did.

greetings from hell's kitchen

2012-01-25T20:59:00.000-06:00

Alex is in New York for 48-ish hours, so he took a moment away from work to snap this photo of our old hood (Alex: if you're reading this and it's not too late, I wouldn't mind a cornmeal lime cookie from Amy's...thanks! p.s. I know you were there for coffee this morning). One of the things that I love about New York is that it's constantly changing yet stays the same. Even though the best restaurants and places to be seen change quicker than a cabbie's shift, the pace and energy of the city are unmovable. This picture could have been taken in 2005 when Alex and I moved out of our apartment or in 1999 when I first arrived in New York. The same could be said about this snapshot of the door to our building (below).

416 West 47th Street is where Alex and I started our lives together--first in 4D and then 2C. In 4D Alex used a mini screwdriver to painstakingly assemble a build-your-own wardrobe from Bed Bath & Beyond. He made deadly margaritas and we ate pounds of guacamole. He once hid in the shower when he heard me clomping up the stairs from work one evening, and I've never been so scared in my life. In 2C we cleaned 40 years worth of grime off the windows and hosted the best Christmakuh party ever. We painted the walls red, green and orange, and I threw my engagement ring at Alex one morning when I wanted to prove a point. We read the Sunday times and listened to CD's while falling asleep at night (on the CD player Alex bought me the first Christmas we spent together). We came up with the name Catcher that we would someday name our future child. We ate the wedding cake that we were supposed to save for our first anniversary the night before we left for our honeymoon, and six months later we said goodbye to New York from the U-Haul parked in front of our building.

We've started a family and made a second major move since that balmy July morning, but the traffic remains and the cabs are still yellow in New York.

mac attack

2012-01-24T21:57:00.000-06:00

Roadfood

When we lived in Charlotte there was this great dive, Lupie's, just seconds from our home that introduced me to the best winter comfort food of all-time: chili mac. Admittedly I can be somewhat of a neophyte when it comes to all things food-related, so cheese (hold the onions) on top of chili on top of spaghetti with a side of cornbread was new to me when we took the plunge from the Northeast to the South in 2005. Three years later chili mac became my go-to comfort food when I was pregnant with Catcher (winter pregnant, not middle of the summer pregnant) and it satisfied my cravings with Scout, too.

This January has been sunny and beautiful in Austin, and I haven't thought of chili mac once...until today. Thus far my late-stage pregnancy indulgences have centered around milkshakes--specifically of the peppermint variety from local burger stand P. Terry's. But today was rainy and cold. I use the term "cold" loosely because it was 62 degrees; however, compared to the 75+ we've been enjoying the past week, it was cold. And I wanted chili mac. I'm sure in the place where chili is the official state food I wouldn't have to look long to find a decent bowl of chili mac, but you can't beat the mismatched dinnerware and mason jars from Lupie's.

three and under

2012-01-23T19:35:00.000-06:00

There you have it: the back of our Explorer with three car seats installed. We have an "optional" third row, but after careful consideration and some real life testing, I decided it was best to keep all the kids lined up in a row behind me. Otherwise there would be no room for a stroller or groceries or anything else one might need to haul on a daily basis (especially with three kids). And would Catcher really listen to me when I tell him to get in the back row and buckle himself in? Although he tends to be a safety guy, there's always the possibility that the three year-old inside will break free and have total reign of the third row...unrestrained.

It doesn't occur to me how crazy I might be until strangers say things like "Wow. Three kids three and under. You're going to be busy." Some people say that the number of kids you have increases exponentially with each one, so two is like four. Would that make three like nine? Others say that three is where things get crazy because your defensive strategy is no longer man to man (thanks for the analogy, Alex).

But then I know people with three--or more than three--who hold it all together somehow. They're the ones that say three is really no different than two, so I'm adopting their (positive) carefree attitude. It's all a guessing game anyway, right? Or am I just crazy?

the waiting game

2012-01-20T20:47:00.000-06:00

Sunday, February 12th 2012 has been on my mind since I found out I was pregnant way back in June of 2011. Although the countdown is still in the double-digits, I've packed my bag and set up the bassinet and brought out all the receiving blankets (I still don't get what those are) and newborn onesies and hats and booties. We still don't have a name, but I'm an "I have to see what she looks like" kind of person anyway. So now we wait. Actually, there are a couple other projects I want to finish up (could it be nesting?) before the arrival, but other than that I'm just waiting. Oh, and I'm also hoping that the birth cooperates with Alex's travel schedule. While he's made the proper arrangements surrounding the due date, you can't control nature. The funny thing about a due date is that the number is burned in your brain, but there's nothing like the birth of a baby to remind us that we're not masters of the universe. With Catcher my labor was exactly by-the-book, and he arrived promptly on his due date. With Scout on the other hand...Well, we all know what happened when she came barreling into this world 10 days early. What will this one do?

making room

2012-01-18T20:32:00.000-06:00

I realize this corner is not my finest decorating moment--the generic apartment carpet and static white walls don't help--but at 36 weeks of pregnancy and counting, I figured it was time to make room for baby. Next on my list is packing for the hospital and then organizing all the newborn clothes I've saved from two previous newborns.

quote(s) of the day

2012-01-17T20:56:00.000-06:00

Catcher: How many are you?

Me: How old am I?

Catcher: Uh...yes.

Me: 35.

Catcher: Wow. I thought you were three like me.

Like parents for generations before me, I'm not the first to be constantly amazed by what a child has to say on any given day. Here's a smattering of what Catcher said today:

- Um. Why are you wearing those shoes? Those shoes don't look cute with your outfit. Take them off.

- Why do taxis have numbers?

- Scout has short hands.

- Don't talk to me.

- If I don't get dessert tonight I'm going to have bad behavior tomorrow.

- Did you start out as a baby?

- I'm going to Oklahoma at 5:00 in the morning.

- Is that baby going to pop out of your tummy? How do you fix your tummy?

just the facts

2012-01-16T20:41:00.001-06:00

Every time we drive near/past the Capitol building in Austin, Catcher asks if we can go inside. I've been promising him for months that we will visit it some day. Today I made good on that promise, and I learned a couple things about this state that I now call home:

- The official state snack is tortilla chips and salsa. I was more surprised by the fact that there's an official state snack than what that snack actually is. By the way, the state food is chili (shocking, right?).

- The state motto is not Don't Mess with Texas; it is Friendship.

I also learned that a guided tour of the Capitol is not possible with a 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 year-old in tow, but we did get to take a peek inside the State Senate and House of Representatives chambers. Catcher wanted to go behind the velvet rope and sit down in the Senate. I told him he'll need to get some constituents to back him up, and maybe he'll have his own seat in here one day:

Below is a view from inside the rotunda looking up. Yes, that's the star of Texas shining down on you.

The Capitol Visitor's Center was a short walk across the lawn where Catcher and Scout got to explore a little Texas state history. The covered wagon was a hit.

sunday at the park

2012-01-15T20:40:00.000-06:00

Today was another beautiful January day in Austin. I'm starting to get used to this.

it's about the chairs

2012-01-11T20:11:00.000-06:00

I'm on a little bit of a mid-century modern kick right now with an Eames molded plywood chair restoration on my radar (more about that later) and I just came across an interior by Joseph Foglia Designs where the chairs made the room:

Another Eames classic, the molded plastic armchairs, in a vibrant vintage blue are the perfect anchor to this neutral space. I want that!

Images from Joseph Foglia Designs.

mall rats

2012-01-09T20:33:00.000-06:00

This afternoon--a hazy, drizzly day in Austin--I ventured to the mall with two kids for a little afternoon recreation. At the Gap, Catcher picked out this pair of sunglasses for Scout and turned to me and said, "Look at how cute Scout is" after he put them on her. Our little stylist...

At Nordstrom he put the finishing touches on a couple manequins in the children's department and asked me "Why are all the girls the same?"

The highlight of the afternoon: balloons! Thank you, Nordstrom, for creating a diversion while I did a little speed shopping for the new baby and keeping us entertained at home until dinner time.

Driving to the mall I had questioned my own sanity about taking these two, but the trip turned out to be fun. All the holiday hustle and bustle has died down, so the place was pretty much deserted. Not having an agenda or tight schedule helped keep the anxiety at bay, and I had two packs of fruit snacks in my bag for potential "emergency" situations (which I surprisingly didn't need). The samples from the pretzel place helped a little, too.

Tomorrow's forecast is calling for rain. Where's the next mall?

lucky number seven

2012-01-07T20:10:00.001-06:00

NYC, seven years ago:

Today Alex and I celebrate seven years of marriage (on January 7th--I think that makes it golden or something). Of course, Alex is in Oklahoma celebrating and I'm here in Austin eating cake by myself, but we have a date planned when he's home for about 24 hours later in the week. Not to sound cliche, but I can't believe it's been seven years. What have we done with ourselves? If you don't count having two--very close to three--kids, making two major moves (NYC to Charlotte; Charlotte to Austin) and buying our selling our first home, we haven't done much. But I think that's how it goes.

party animals

2012-01-04T22:36:00.000-06:00

Since we last visited with Coco and Moppy, there have been some new developments (if you aren't familiar with the duo, they are Catcher's imaginary friends). We hadn't heard from them in a while, but we did receive word that they had moved to Texas. Recently I discovered that they live across the street and drive a red convertible Mini Cooper. Their house has one bedroom with two beds, and they both work (although details on their occupations have been sketchy at best). On top of that, it appears that they are quite the party throwers because for the past two nights--and mornings and afternoons--they have been having parties at their place. Tonight they even brought the party here. The parties involve several "secrets" (which Catcher can't keep) including bounce castles, tree houses, chocolate cake (for me), strawberry cake (for Catcher) and a little cake (for Scout). These guys are crazy! I had to open the door to let them into the apartment while Catcher was taking a bath, and they've been sleeping in his bed for the past two nights. I'm so curious about what they look like. Catcher says Moppy is yellow and Coco is brown--I'm still thinking muppets. I just hope Moppy has dropped the habit of drinking beer in his crib.

two to tango

2012-01-03T20:08:00.000-06:00

Love it!

back to life, back to reality

2012-01-02T21:15:00.000-06:00

One strange thing about being a stay-at-home mom is that when the holidays are over, and January 2nd strikes on the calendar, everyone else is back at work but you're still at home. Although a small part of me felt like I should be doing something revolutionary today to get 2012 rolling, I'm not one to make resolutions or revelations or restitutions for the new year. I don't have a list of all the things I will do or want to do or should do this year, so instead of planning ahead, I focused on my true task today of getting everyone back on track. With no more cookies to bake or gingerbread houses to decorate or lights to hang or red velvet hot cocoas to drink, I found myself wondering what it is that we do all day. [Note to self: if January 2nd falls on a Monday and is a quasi-holiday for the working world, don't take your kids to the children's museum.]

I eventually remembered how to keep the kids entertained (thank goodness!). Following a day back in the swing of our regular routine, tonight we officially bid adieu to the holidays. Catcher asked when it will be the holidays again as Scout was wrapping Christmas lights around her neck and I put baby Jesus back into his little box. That's a wrap!

peace out, 2011

2012-01-01T21:19:00.000-06:00

The last day of 2011 in Austin, TX was 79 degrees and gorgeous. I've officially forgotten the 60+ days of 100 degree heat that we suffered through when we moved here. This is why we moved here. Catcher and Scout enjoyed an afternoon running around the playground, and I enjoyed putting them to bed (exhausted) promptly at 7:00pm. This is a little snapshot of our day, and I think it's a sign of good things to come in 2012. Happy New Year!

the layover

2011-12-29T20:11:00.000-06:00

Traveling from D.C. to Oklahoma City today, Alex had a six hour layover in Austin. We picked him up at the airport around 11:15 and then ventured down South Congress to enjoy this amazing December day--68 degrees! No one is working right now in Austin, by the way, so the streets were crowded and the candy store (my idea) was a zoo. But you can't beat a fun Thursday afternoon with Dad...way more fun than hanging out with Mom all day.

put a bow on it

2011-12-28T19:57:00.000-06:00

Have you ever been out in public somewhere and seen a toddler throwing a fit--the kind where the perpetrator turns red and stops breathing and chokes so hard on his/her own tears that he/she almost throws up? That was my child today. I took Scout to get a haircut, and needless to say she was not into it. I don't know if it was the over-zealous stylist (seriously, guy, you're cutting children's hair...this isn't Frederic Fekkai) or the over-stimulation or the three dum dums she downed while waiting her turn, but something snapped when I plopped her in that firetruck chair.

I finally managed to get her to calm down for a second by sitting in my lap--I wasn't giving up at that point--but her New Year's cut turned into a $10 hack-job bang trim that I could have done at home by myself. There probably would have been just as many tears but less of a sugar rush. I think the people felt sorry for me because they gave me a coupon for $5 off our next cut. I don't think I'll cash in on that one. At least she can see now, and we got to take home a cheap plastic bow reminiscent of the kind they give dogs at the groomer.

texas cactus

2011-12-27T20:32:00.001-06:00

I'm finally taking (a little) time to catch up on my winter reading: the magazines that have been piling up for two months, the library book I checked out three weeks ago. Since every day is a "vacation" (not really) day for me, it's difficult to find and/or take a little break. Or maybe I'm just using that as an excuse since I'm not feeling creative this week and won't be starting any new projects until the new year.

In the meantime, check out this picture of a decorated cactus--is that what it is--that I snapped on our walk around the lake this afternoon. I love the way they decorate for the holidays in Texas. Sixty-five degrees and sunny on December 27 almost makes the two months of 100+ degree weather that we endured when we moved here worth it. Almost.

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we need a little christmas

2011-12-26T20:12:00.001-06:00

Is Christmas over already? Now what?

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thursday night lights

2011-12-22T21:50:00.001-06:00

Tonight we fed and bathed the kids, dressed them in their finest Christmas-themed pajamas and went out for a drive in search of some Thursday night [Christmas] lights (following a quick diversion to the CBTL for a tasty red velvet hot cocoa). Austin did not disappoint, and we were psyched to find Clark W. Griswold's house (above).

The famed Zilker tree of Zilker park.

Me taking a picture of Alex taking a picture of some super fancy lights.

Catcher and Scout both passed out along the way (mission accomplished!).

The big winner--I wish I had gotten a better shot, but the crowd says it all.

cookie monster

2011-12-20T19:18:00.002-06:00

Two days.

Two million cookies.

Two toddlers in a sugar coma.

Welcome, Christmas!

the reset button

2011-12-19T20:59:00.001-06:00

When Catcher was born and it was our third or fourth day at home with him, I joked that I wish I had a "reset" button so I could start the day over--or maybe a fast forward to go ahead and get to the next one. In those early days if you mess up the change-feed-burp-swaddle routine in the slightest, then your day is shot. And forget about sleeping that night. With the magical reset button you would have the opportunity to "put right what once went wrong," (I believe that's a direct quote from one of my favorite early 90s television shows, Quantum Leap).

Today I want a reset button. While there's nothing specific I want to do-over, this morning I woke up to another rainy day in Austin and knew that the kids would be wild. Last Thursday--after an unprecedented five straight rainy days here--I came home from running errands with the kids to find a "lease violation" notice tucked inside our door. Apparently there have been "numerous complaints" due to the "excessive noise" that is coming from our apartment. If we don't correct the situation immediately, then further action (not specified what exactly) will be taken. I have visions of us getting kicked out onto the streets of Austin a week before the baby is due. Although my fears may be slightly dramatic, I can't help feeling on edge. Every time Scout missteps and falls to the floor or Catcher gets excited and runs to the door when Alex gets home, I cringe knowing that someone is just waiting to report us. I guess I'm most confused because I don't consider myself a loud person, and we put our kids to bed routinely at 7:00pm. Most nights I'm home alone tiptoeing around the apartment trying not to wake anyone, and during the day we're in and out while most of our "in" time is spent sitting down eating or Scout napping. I know that mornings can be a little crazy around here, but how do you stop a 16 month-old from running to her high chair because she's excited to eat waffles?

When I last rented an apartment it was seven years ago in New York City, and you were happy to have a place where the toilet wasn't in the kitchen or a crack whore wasn't breaking into your building and banging on doors screaming at 2:00am. Forget about the neighbors who had a knack for re-arranging furniture at all hours or practiced their comedy routine at an ear-splitting volume. You could deal with that. And you could deal with the traffic blaring outside and the "was that a gunshot?" noise you heard every now and again. You wouldn't even notice a 22 lb. child tripping or an excited 3 year-old running to his room to get his firetruck. But I guess expectations are different here, and now we're in the wrong and I'm over-thinking and over-analyzing every noise that crosses through the apartment--is the vacuum to loud? Should I wait until later in the afternoon to start this load of laundry? Can they hear the kids playing in the bathtub?

I know we're not really getting kicked to the curb, but I just want a little relief from the anxiety that this formal notice has caused. Reset.

house #2

2011-12-16T20:48:00.002-06:00

Our second attempt at the gingerbread house this holiday season trumped the first. If you're like me and think you have an inner Martha Stewart, but you can never muster up the patience, resources and creativity to make your own snow globes or paper-plate angels, then I recommend the pre-assembled gingerbread house. One of Santa's little elves sent one to us this year, and all we had to do was unpack it, separate the candy and mix the icing. An hour later we had a house good enough to eat (at least to the discerning palate of a three year-old).

holiday card, plan c

2011-12-15T20:09:00.000-06:00

And the winner is...

I'm not really going to reveal this year's Wheat Family Holiday Card, but I'm happy to report that the design is complete and it is ready for printing/shipping. This is a little hint to where the final photo was snapped, but that's all that I'm giving away:

holiday card, part deux

2011-12-14T20:29:00.002-06:00

Another drizzly day in Austin; another attempt at the Christmas card (which is fast becoming a New Year's card since I'll never get them ordered and sent out by next week). For this round I started out with another good idea but the result wasn't nearly as fabulous as I had pictured it in my head.

Event though I couldn't execute it this year, I still like the idea and I'm going to hold onto it for a little while. At least until the kids are a little older and we can dress them in matching denim shirts and cowboy boots (wink!). In the meantime, I have one more trick up my sleeve for this card thing. If it doesn't work I'll go down swinging.

holiday card, take one

2011-12-13T20:47:00.001-06:00

Why is the photo for the annual holiday card so impossible? I'm not the type to dress the family in matching Christmas sweaters and pose in front of the mantle with a blazing fire in the background, so coming up with an idea that is cute, grandparent-friendly, a snapshot of your life and understated--all at once--can be quite the challenge. Maybe I'm over-thinking it. Either way, I came up with what I thought was a great idea this year by having Catcher and Scout line up in front of a building that is painted with the color bars used in television test patterns. The building happens to be where Catcher got his haircut a few weeks ago, so I took the opportunity to run a few test shots that morning:

Even though my subjects were less than enthusiastic about the photo shoot, I thought I had a decent starting point. This Sunday morning we returned for the real thing. Scout was mad that we took away her toy before forcing her to line up against a wall to pose for a silly picture with Catcher, so she threw herself down in the parking lot and shed a few tears:

I enjoy the candid moments in life, so I knew we'd walk away with some good outtakes if nothing else, but at the same time we're under a time crunch since Christmas is fast approaching. In addition to the screaming, getting the two to actually stand next to one another was another obstacle:

We finally got them next to each other and ended up with a cute picture (bottom)...

...until I decided I wasn't happy with my choice of outfits. Like I said, I'm not matchy-matchy, but a little coordination would make for a better picture. I guess I am over-thinking this, but it's serving as my project for the moment. Stay tuned for the final...if I can ever commit.

P.S. If you're on my Christmas card receiving list, this is not a spoiler. I'm already onto something else.

a shout out to the shorties

2011-12-12T19:41:00.002-06:00

After Alex found our stockings last week, I found the perfect spot to hang them next to our cute little Christmas tree. Having a small Christmas tree has been a throwback to our days in New York for the past several years. It's one of our things. We always felt sorry for the little trees that didn't get sold, and it would be impossible to fit any "normal" sized tree in a 300 square-foot Manhattan apartment (not to mention trekking it down the bitterly cold street blocks and up four flights of stairs into your building). The little guys will always have a place in our home.

I see you: check out the tiny devil in the bottom right corner sneaking from the candy dish...

gingerbread house, take one

2011-12-08T19:49:00.001-06:00

Being true to my word, this week Catcher and I stayed inside on an unseasonably cold day and tried our hand at crafting the perfect gingerbread house--four of them, actually. Please note: these pictures have not been enhanced. View at your discretion--the images may be disturbing for some audiences.

But all jokes aside, constructing a gingerbread house is no joke. Catcher selected the mini village when we were weighing our pre-made kit options, and at the time it sounded like a great idea. "Five mini houses," I thought. "How cute." Not so much. Mini houses are not for the novice. My first mistake was breaking apart all the gingerbread pieces and piling them on one plate. Suddenly side "A" from the chapel looked a lot like side "C" of the classic cottage. With patience abating, I employed my creative license and a "this looks like it goes there" attitude, which somehow resulted in four houses instead of five. Oh well, at least we had the decorating portion to look forward to, right?

Mistake number two was mixing the icing too long or not long enough (I'm still not sure where I went wrong--this part seemed so simple). It was supposed to have the consistency of toothpaste, but I guess ours wasn't quite there. The icing quickly dripped down the sides, dragging Catcher's meticulously placed gumdrops along with it.

I may have thought the project was somewhat disastrous at first, but I have to admit that the little houses have grown on me. Next time, though, we're going to see how we do with one house.

the giving tree

2011-12-07T21:14:00.001-06:00

It's no exaggeration when I say that Book People is one of my favorite places in Austin. In fact, I'm not sure how I would have survived these past few months as a stay-at-home mom on the fly without them. I can count on three story times per week for bookish toddler entertainment, and at least once a month they bring in musical acts or a traveling petting zoo to keep things interesting. We've met children's books authors and Miss Travis County, a local musician and Skippyjon Jones himself, and when I saw their holiday "Giving Tree" yesterday I knew it was our cause for Christmas 2011.

Ever since Catcher was born we've donated gifts to children in need during the Christmas season to teach our own children that it's not all about them (and hopefully instill a lifelong spirit of compassion and giving). This year we're giving books to a boy and girl whose names we found inscribed on snowflakes that Catcher and Scout plucked from the Giving Tree. Catcher picked out one of his favorite books to give to little Gustavo--"He'll be so exciting,*" Catcher said--and I helped Scout select one for Jamalah.

*Catcher sometimes confuses "exciting" and "excited."

After the excitement of picking out books had waned, it was back to business for Catcher, who found a quiet spot for "reading" about fire engines.

two trees and a manger

2011-12-06T19:40:00.001-06:00

Here you see pictured the sum of our Christmas decorations. Catcher and I dragged our box of ornaments and assorted Christmas trappings out of the closet this afternoon, and while I was desperately searching for the stockings--seriously! where did I put them?--Catcher assembled the above.

I didn't realize my decorations were so embarrassingly sparse. I must have downsized when packing for the move. We have a long way to go to catch up with the Griswolds, but here's a look at some real life Christmas crazies (images from Elle Decor):

missing lights

2011-12-05T19:42:00.001-06:00

This weekend there were exactly two tree lightings that I planned on attending with the kids as part of my guerilla effort to bring them the "hap, hap, happiest Christmas ever" (and hopefully instill a lifelong love and slight obsession with the holiday season). But after two strikes, I'm out.

The first tree lighting we missed was Saturday night at the Capitol building. After a cold and rainy day, the weather eased up in the late afternoon; however, Alex was delayed coming home from Georgia and we had to pick him up at the airport at the exact time the tree was set ablaze. (Truth be told, I didn't really want to brave the event by myself anyway). Here's a look at what we didn't see:

Austin Pixels

Last night we missed the lighting of the tree in Zilker Park. Another cold and rainy day, a late afternoon meltdown involving a certain three year-old and an intense 4th quarter in Packer football lessened my enthusiasm for the event. The famed Zilker Holiday Tree, where you did not find us:

Austin Parks & Recreation

Maybe next year...

afternoon remix

2011-12-02T19:36:00.001-06:00

It has been raining all day. I can't--in good conscience--possibly complain about the weather when we're in the middle of a severe drought, but it did make for an interesting afternoon pent up in the apartment. Halfway through Scout's nap, and a quarter way to crazy, it was time for a little furniture remix. My mother-in-law came to visit earlier this week and delivered this chair that had been in her basement, so there was no better time to give it a home.

First I placed it in the corner of our bedroom, which was my Plan A. My thought was that it would make a nice little seat for middle-of-the-night feedings when the new baby gets here.

The chair looked okay, but I wasn't wild about its placement. Having the legs half-on/half-off the rug made it look lopsided and brought out my OCD side, so I decided to try it out elsewhere. Next stop: the living room to replace the lucite chair from the reading corner.

It didn't work. The problem here was the scale--the wing chair dwarfed the corner and looked like an afterthought. After strike two I was running out of ideas. For a millisecond I toyed with plopping it in the middle of the living room (see below), and this is when Catcher got in on the action and started moving furniture around, too. The coffee table, cow and rocking chair placements are courtesy of his vision.

Of course the chair looked ridiculous and out of place with our furniture. Another drawback was the lovely sketch on the back--courtesy of a young Alex--that was clearly visible from this vantage point. So after staring at the room...and then the chair...and then the room...and then the chair again, this is where it ended up:

Sometimes you should just go with your first instinct.

christmas countdown

2011-12-01T20:16:00.001-06:00

Happy December 1st! Let the official Christmas countdown begin. I started the month in a festive way this morning when Alex brought me a delicious Peppermint Vanilla Latte from The Coffee Bean. My first order of business was to get new stockings for the family. Then I remembered that I look for stockings every year but can never commit. And this year is definitely not the year to commit since there will be another family member next year who's budding personality will have to be taken into account when deciding which color and/or pattern suits whom. Of course this dialogue in my head didn't stop me from perusing the internet in search of the perfect Wheat family stockings. I didn't find anything I can't live without, but I did discover a few cute options.

Images from etsy.

Good Wishes Quilts

Hung By The Chimney

Studio Tree

too good to eat

2011-11-30T19:32:00.001-06:00

One of the projects I've vowed to attempt--and complete--this holiday season is a gingerbread house. Although Catcher and I will probably devour all the gumdrops and candy canes before the frosting is dry, I can't wait to spend an afternoon crafting our own little masterpiece. While dreaming of the perfect candy dream house, I convinced myself that a modern spin on the classic cottage is the way to go. The only problem, I discovered, is that this would require me to bake my own gingerbread and cut the pieces into precise shapes following a modern gingerbread house "plan." With my patience plus the attention span of a three year-old, I think I'll pick up a kit at the Target this year and save my architectural adventures for another time. Maybe next year I'll be up to speed with these guys.

Images from Grassroots Modern.

wrapped up

2011-11-29T20:31:00.001-06:00

My sister-in-law snapped this picture of us on the farm this weekend. I wanted to share it as proof of the cold:

one thanksgiving, three ways

2011-11-28T19:25:00.001-06:00

For the past six years we have celebrated Thanksgiving with my family at my brother's house in Maryland. The whole thing started because my brother got the cooking gene in the family--although I'm not sure where it originated--and he and his wife love to entertain. Every year the stakes were raised, the turkeys multiplied and the side dishes became more avant-garde. Another thing that happened every year was either a new addition to the family was present or someone was announcing her pregnancy (or temporarily keeping it a secret as I did drinking cranberry--sans vodka--martinis two years ago). But this we year broke with tradition when we decided to stay put on our new home turf. I missed the Thanksgiving night Christmas movie and our Black Friday shopping excursion with a million kids in tow, but we got to celebrate in a different way.

Thursday morning started bright and early in downtown Austin with Operation Turkey. We lined up with 1,000 other volunteers to help prepare boxed meals to feed the less fortunate. Alex and I weren't sure what to expect, but it turned out to be fun for us and the kids, and it was a great way to start our holiday celebration.

Following our little adventure, it was time to come home and get ready for our own Thanksgiving celebration. Scout conveniently fell asleep in the car on the way home--all the excitement of hanging out at a bar for a couple hours knocked her out--so we had a good excuse to freshen up...and catch the first half of the Packer game on TV before joining up with Alex's family for Thanksgiving Part II.

On Sunday our Thanksgiving adventures took us to another Wheat family gathering on a farm in Luling, Texas. On the drive out there, I felt a true sense of the Texas spirit as we drove past longhorns and cattle ranches, and I'm pretty sure I saw Jett Rink's estate along the way. After spending the afternoon on a wide open Texas farm, I can tell you that 1) Texas is like you've pictured it, and 2) it does get cold here. And windy. Very windy.

Cheers to new adventures!

holiday hair

2011-11-25T19:45:00.001-06:00

Before kicking into the high holiday season, we had to get Catcher ready with a holiday haircut. On Wednesday morning we ventured down South Congress to Birds Barbershop for the kidcut, $17. This place is so cool--I might start going there for the ladybird just for the free Shiner Bock--that I was tempted to have our tatted stylist give Catcher the kid's mohawk. It's only hair, right? Relax. I didn't. Here's one last look at goldilocks before:

And here is he after (below). Catcher had become somewhat attached to his longer hair, so I had to promise him a trip to Big Top Candy Shop to get him out the door. The haircut went well; the hard part of the morning was spending 45 minutes hanging out on Congress waiting for the candy shop to open.

Someone was a little upset and thought that 11:00 would never get there, but once it did $1.27 in mixed gummies made the trip all worth it.

top chef

2011-11-22T19:30:00.001-06:00

Stop me if you've heard this one before: I can't get my kids to eat their vegetables. If they're hidden in a chicken pot pie or presented in the form of sweet potato tater tots, I can usually get away with it, but put a pile of good old-fashioned vegetables on a plate and the coup begins. Last week Scout threw such a fit that she made herself throw-up after I "hid" peas in her macaroni and cheese. I tried the Jessica Seinfeld thing of pureeing vegetables and mixing them into a baked pasta dish, and it works 3 out of 5 times, but today I resorted to the age-old art of bribing with Catcher: "You can't have a cookie unless you eat your veggies for lunch."

He obliged and raised the stakes when he presented his own creation--grilled peanut butter and jelly with veggies on the inside. If you don't believe me, here's proof:

What's more surprising is that he actually ate the entire sandwich (crust included!) and said it was yummy in his tummy! Anything for a cookie, I guess...

punch it

2011-11-21T20:24:00.001-06:00

When assignments were given out for our Thanksgiving dinner this year, Alex and I were handed "beverages." Normally I would relish this opportunity since I'm not much of a cook and not interested in reinventing the mashed potato; however, shopping for wine--because what other beverage is there for Thanksgiving--isn't so much fun when you're pregnant. I hope everyone enjoys the Pinots and the Blancs without me while I'm sipping sparkling cranberry punch with the kids. I think I found a pretty decent recipe, but I suppose the ten-and-under crowd at the gathering will be the real judge.

Incidentally, there are way more tasty-sounding punches with alcohol than without, so this post is dedicated to the drinks I might have made this year (recipes from bon appetit). If you're in charge of beverages for your holiday meal, give one of these a try...and tell me it's not as good as it sounds.

Pomegranate-Champagne Punch

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 750-ml bottles chilled brut Champagne
1 1/2 cups white rum
1 1/4 cups pomegranate juice
1 large lemon, thinly sliced
Pomegranate seeds
Fresh mint leaves
1 ice block

Preparation

Bring 1/2 cup water and sugar to boil in small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Cool syrup completely.
Combine Champagne, rum, and pomegranate juice in punch bowl. Add enough syrup to sweeten to taste. Mix in lemon slices, pomegranate seeds, and mint leaves. Add ice block to bowl.

Napa Valley Winter Punch
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 3- to 4-inch-long cinnamon sticks
- 2 whole nutmegs
- 1 1/2 tablespoons whole allspice berries
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 cups Simple Syrup
- 2 1/4 cups Charbay Rum or 10 Cane Rum
- 1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon Fee Brothers Peach Bitters or other bitters
- 1 ice block
- Lemon and orange slices
Preparation
- Place cinnamon and nutmeg in resealable plastic bag; crack into pieces using mallet or rolling pin. Transfer to spice grinder. Add allspice; blend to coarse powder. Transfer 1 tablespoon to shallow dish; mix in 1/3 cup sugar. Set spiced sugar aside.
- Stir remaining spice powder in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool 5 minutes. Repeat heating and cooling process 3 more times until spices are very fragrant but not burned. Add syrup; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Strain through sieve into bowl. Cool.
- Mix 3/4 cup spice syrup, rum, lemon juice, orange juice, and bitters in punch bowl. Add ice and citrus slices. Rub 1 orange slice around rim of 8 glasses to moisten; dip glasses into spiced sugar. Place glasses around punch bowl.
  
  Or try out the good old Dark n' Stormy since family gatherings tend toward the dark and stormy:
  
  Dark n' Stormy
- INGREDIENTS
  2 ounces Gosling's Black Seal or other dark rum
  3 ounces Barrett's Ginger Beer or other ginger beer
  Lime for garnish
- PREPARATION
  In a highball glass filled with cracked ice, combine rum and ginger beer and stir gently. Garnish with a lime wheel and serve.

christmas in july

2011-11-19T22:31:00.001-06:00

Our first Christmas season in Texas officially began this afternoon at the lighting of a local tree. It was 82 degrees. But there was a fire blazing and marshmallows to roast. Happy Holiday Season!

out of the box

2011-11-17T19:43:00.001-06:00

After finishing the headboard last night and feeling extremely accomplished, today I decided to finally open the box containing my Roche Bobois eBay purchase from a year ago. Now that I've caught this project bug, I'm ready to move on to my next victim. Standing by to help was my [second] assistant Catcher.

After dragging the box out of the closet and opening it, we had to assemble the actual chair (*note: assembly still incomplete). In our first attempt we had the actual seat and the seat back in the wrong places, but we quickly figured it out. Once we had the seat together we had to figure out how it attaches to the base. It was backwards on the first attempt, but we weren't actually screwing it into place, so no stress. Then I dragged out my Chaing Mai fabric to see if it would cover the chair, and I'm no upholstery expert (despite my recent headboard success) but I think there's enough to cover it (yay!). I won't attempt the recovering myself since my skills are limited to a staple gun, so I'll have to find a good source here in Austin.

In the meantime, here's a look at how the assembly went down (these pictures may be out of order because I'm blogging from my phone, but you get the idea).

what took so long?

2011-11-16T19:45:00.001-06:00

The headboard project is complete, and the only thing I have to say is: what took so long [to get started]? After hanging wallpaper, something as simple as lining up two pieces of fabric shouldn't have been intimidating in the least, but I didn't realize how easy the headboard would be. I'll post pictures of the big ta-da, but not until after I find a new duvet because what we have right now isn't working for me. There's so much going on with the Josef Frank pattern that I need to find a simple, white duvet that won't compete with the bold fabric. Our total cost, by the way, was under $100. The bulk of the project was the $64 that I spent on the fabric on eBay. The batting was $16 at Michael's and the plywood was $12 at the Home Depot. Considering the fabric itself retails for $250/yard, I think we did pretty well. Now I get to move on to the fun part--finding a new duvet. Here two of the best (as in simple yet good quality) that I've found:

PB Essential Duvet Cover and Sham, Pottery Barn

Classic White Bed Linens, Crate&Barrel

Below is one last look at my inspiration for the project, originally published in Metropolitan Home. I won't post this picture beside my own "after" since our headboard is about 1/3 the height of this one and not as dramatic, but I like to keep it on hand for reference.

Roseland Greene

candy of the day

2011-11-15T22:24:00.001-06:00

If you ever find yourself pregnant during the holidays, as I seem to do every other year, I advise you not to visit the holiday candy aisle at the Target. While I should have been concentrating on toilet paper, diapers and deodorant I became distracted by the rows of Skittles, M&M's (did you know they make a cinnamon variety?), Reese's and Mike & Ike's all dressed up in shades of green and red. Although Catcher was there to remind me that candy was not on the list, I couldn't resist an old holiday favorite--Brach's Christmas Nougats. I realize the candy is totally grandma and not considered edible by some, but I'm the girl who loves candy corn and Peeps and once ate five pounds of gummy bears in less than a week (gross, but true). I've rarely met a candy I don't like, and today I walked away with three bags of delicious holiday goodness that probably won't last until Thanksgiving. 'Tis the season to be merry, right?

downtown turkey

2011-11-14T19:41:00.001-06:00

For the past five years I've been saying that I want to volunteer to help feed the homeless on Thanksgiving, and this year I'm actually making good on my word. Next Thursday morning you won't find me brining and stuffing a turkey at home--not that you ever would anyway--but the family will be in downtown Austin preparing meals for those who don't have the chance to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. Alex will be hauling turkeys, the kids will be decorating plates, and I'll be dishing out the sweet potatoes (or something like that).

Our orientation for Operation Turkey was at 6:00pm this evening at The Parish on 6th Street in downtown Austin. Here's the funny part of the story: when I got the email saying it was at some place called the Parish, I assumed it was a "church-like" establishment as I told Alex on our way with the two kids in tow. I was wrong. It was at a bar. We were the annoying parents who brought our kids to a bar. And then we got them all cracked out on cranberry juice thinking it would keep them quiet...15 minutes later Catcher and Scout were laughing hysterically while wrapping themselves in the long velvet drapery covering the street-side windows.

Needless to say we had to escape early, but I think we gathered the important information--Thursday morning/8:30am/you're on your own for parking--and I'm looking forward to another fun family adventure. I hope this one goes over better than our trip to the pumpkin patch.

P.S. The Parish actually looked like a pretty cool place; one I would like to visit without the kids (and without a baby in my belly).

Austin Vittles

and for my next trick...

2011-11-10T19:44:00.001-06:00

Could it be that nesting thing kicking in? Six months into this pregnancy, and my brain is flaring with new ideas, which are actually old ideas, of projects that must be done. The first is the headboard. The second is recovering the vintage Roche Bobois chair I bought on eBay somewhere between the first and second year that our house was sitting on the market in Charlotte. The chair was delivered to my doorstep and promptly found its way into the attic where it sat until we loaded up the PODs for Austin. It is now sitting--still in its box--in the kids' closet. I've never even taken it out to look at it, but from what I remember of the pictures on eBay, it looked something like this:

Mine is a charcoal grey--I do remember that much--that I've imagined recovering in my Schumacher Chiang Mai Dragon fabric that was another eBay find. Of course, I don't know if I even have enough fabric to cover the chair. Maybe I should start with taking the chair out of the box...after I finish the headboard project.

birds of a feather

2011-11-09T21:29:00.000-06:00

It's time for a new project. This afternoon Alex took both kids on a playdate, so I was given the gift of two uninterrupted hours of silence. During that time, as I was reading on my bed, I realized (simultaneously) that I need a headboard and a new project. I haven't decorated the apartment because I don't want to deal with repairing tiny holes and repainting walls before our lease is up, so I've been going a little stir crazy on the home front. Maybe my mood is a reflection of my new stay-at-home status, but either way it's time to create something with this amazing Josef Frank fabric that has been folded in my closet for over a year. I found an unbelievable deal on two remnants on eBay and purchased them with the intention of using it to cover a DIY headboard.

The idea came from an article I saw in Metropolitan Home years ago, and I think it's finally time to tackle the project. We--and I say "we" because my assistant Alex is getting roped into this whether he likes it or not--have very little room for error on this one. The total length of fabric we have is about 2 1/2 inches longer than what we need for a headboard the width of our king bed. Basically I'm expecting some serious tugging and pulling and maybe a couple expletives about someone's stapling gun technique (I'm just saying...).

By bringing the fabric out of the closet and measuring it, I've already completed Step 1. Tomorrow I will venture out to Michael's for some sort of fabric adhesive (to attach the two remnants) and batting. Then I'll have my assistant drive me to Home Depot when he returns on Sunday for a gigantic piece of plywood that will become our headboard. Stay tuned, and wish me--I mean us--luck!

furry ghosts

2011-11-08T19:49:00.000-06:00

It rained today. As I watched giant drops of happiness splash off of my ghost chairs, which are temporarily serving as balcony seating, I remembered my idea from the past about how to decorate my dining room in the future. Ghost chair + sheepskin throw = cozy and chic dining for the family. Unfortunately I can't take credit for the idea, but I do know a great source for an inexpensive sheepskin (hello IKEA!). Here's a look at the dining room of fellow Texan Judy Aldridge, where I fell in love with this juxtaposition of textures:

Images from CasaSugar

And while I'm on the subject of sheepskin, here are two other ideas that I found too cute and cozy to resist:

apartment therapy

The Second Rvivl

the most wonderful time of the year

2011-11-07T19:28:00.000-06:00

Switching from daylight saving time back to standard time is a bit of a hoax for those of us with young children. That "extra hour of sleep" is a complete farce. The only extra hour you get is entertaining the kids when they wake up at 5:30am. However, having the sun set an hour earlier reminds me that we're in the throws of the holiday season. And who doesn't love a good holiday season? These are the indicators that Christmas is right around the corner: today I saw my first Starbucks holiday cup and my first Christmas commercial; the Central Market is decorated in wreaths and garland and the Target is stocked with red and green M&M's. I feel like I hardly had time to enjoy the pumpkin spice latte before it's time to move on to gingerbread, but 'tis the season.

lock in

2011-11-04T20:14:00.000-05:00

This morning it was 39 degrees in Austin (no joke!) so I decided to postpone our walk around the lake until this afternoon when we were expecting a high of 70. The weather could not have been better, and a 3:00pm walk is always great for killing time with toddlers. I'll skip over the walk itself and go straight to the good part of the story...

Getting everyone back in the car after our walk is always an ordeal, and today was no different. I secured Scout in her seat and, with Catcher by my side, packed the stroller in the back. I closed the rear door to our Explorer, and the moment it shut I heard a distinct "click." Scout had just locked herself in the car. Yes. I let my 15 month-old daughter hold the keys because she was fussy and cranky and screaming for them as I was struggling to get her to sit down in her car seat. My first thought was "Seriously?" followed quickly by "What now?" My phone was in the car, of course, so Catcher and I jogged over to a nice-looking gentleman who was stretching his legs a few cars away and asked him if he had a cell phone I could borrow. I explained my situation, so he called 311--supposedly they'll send someone out to unlock your car in such circumstances--and he walked back to the car with us as he told the operator our story. I peered in the window where Scout was sitting, and she looked out at me: smiling; keys in hand. For a second I tried a ridiculous sign language move to tell her to press the "unlock" button, but that didn't work (surprise!). At this point the gentleman told me they would have to send the police out to break into my car. Whatever. At least I didn't have to throw a brick through the windshield (and at least it wasn't 111 degrees).

Then Scout pressed the panic button on the car. The horn began blaring and Catcher asked me why Scout did that. I looked in at Scout and she was laughing and waving the keys. When Catcher was just a day old and still in the hospital, I remember a funny cross-eyed look he gave me with his hands up to his mouth indicating he was hungry. I'll never forget that look, and now I have a look from Scout that I, too, will remember forever--those mischievous eyes! Throwing my hands up in exhaustion and wondering when the police would get there--and whether or not they would destroy the lock on my car and how much that was going to cost me--I moved around to the back of the Explorer and "pop:" Scout had pressed the blue button that opens the upper half of the "trunk." Six months pregnant, I wiggled through and grabbed the keys out of Scout's hand in a thrill of victory. I signaled to my helper (who had to walk away to be heard on the phone over the blaring horn) that I had the keys and everything was cool, and I quickly strapped Catcher in his seat with the keys clenched in my fist. How's that for an exciting five minutes?

On the drive home Catcher told me that Scout can't hold the keys anymore but he can because he won't lock the door...I think I'll be holding onto them myself for a while.

coffee on congress

2011-11-03T20:31:00.001-05:00

This morning before taking Alex to the airport, our family took advantage of the quintessential fall morning over coffee and breakfast tacos at Jo's on South Congress. Catcher and Scout got to pet a dog while Alex and I enjoyed the bright sunshine and cool breeze. The chill atmosphere, city scenery and perfect weather reminded us of why we moved to Austin in the first place.

The breakfast tacos were pretty great, too.

monster cookie

2011-11-02T19:59:00.003-05:00

I've been baking the same chocolate chip cookies--Nestle Toll House recipe--since I was 14 years old. Although I've evolved the recipe slightly over the years by using Kosher salt and two teaspoons of vanilla instead of one (there's my secret) I decided it was time to try something else. Last week I came across a recipe from the new book by Momofuku Milk Bar, the cornflake chocolate chip marshmallow cookie, and I thought this could be the cookie to take me through the next twenty years.

My sous chef, Catcher, doesn't like chocolate, so we had to substitute peanut butter for chocolate chips. After two days and two trips to the grocery store for the right ingredients--what is milk powder and how is parchment paper different from wax paper?--we were finally ready to embark on our mission to create our new favorite cookie.

Not to spoil the surprise, but sometimes you should stick with what you know.

The first batch: oops...a little well done. They were immediately wrapped up in the parchment paper on which they were baked and dumped in the trash can.

The second batch: slightly better looking than the first.

Here's a look at the final product, but what what you can't tell from the picture, of course, is that they look better than they taste (which really isn't saying much). When Catcher gave the rest of his cookie to Scout after only two bites, I knew something was up. I tasted the reject and understood his lack of enthusiasm regarding the cookies that took three hours to make. They are too crisp and too sweet. The marshmallow seems over-melted and the butter is a bit overwhelming. Of course I take full ownership of the snafu and do not blame the recipe, but who's going to eat these 11 giant cookies?

halloween, part II: block party crashers

2011-11-01T20:33:00.000-05:00

The Wheats are back! One thing that Alex and I enjoy doing--it's kind of our thing--is going to events or parties where there is free food and free alcohol being served. In some circles this type of behavior could be considered creepy, but Alex has that personable, funny guy Vince Vaughn thing about him, and we don't take ourselves too seriously. We haven't crashed a wedding (yet), but we've weaseled our way into charity events, a going away party, store openings, wine tastings, launch parties, and now we have a block party to add to our resume.

After Catcher's Mach 5 meltdown on the front porch last year, I was ready to write off Halloween until the kids were out of the trick-or-treating stage. But yesterday turned out to be the best Halloween since 2002 (which, if you didn't know, is when Alex and I met). We decided to take the kids to our friends' neighborhood since the candy there would be more reliable than anything you might find in our apartment complex. Although we had no intentions of meeting up with our friends, we ended up running into them--and subsequently crashing their block party--and sealed the deal on the second-best Halloween ever (wink!).

Catcher as the surfer guy--who was quickly dubbed Spicoli--followed by Scout the shark on their way to an exciting night in Pemberton Heights. Spooky!

Smile for the camera! Catcher was more interested in "hitting" his first house than posing for pictures once he saw other kids running wild with sacks of candy.

A quick family shot outside of the first home we visited (the people are so nice here!). Noticeably absent from the picture is Catcher, who thought that we were supposed to go into people's houses after taking their candy. He got an extra piece of candy instead. The mom of the house thought he was a girl.

Scout chilling in the street: she was more interested in rolling around on the ground than going after candy. Occasionally she would roar at the other trick-or-treaters, and a ten year-old girl told me she "liked my shark."

Catcher quickly got the hang of things and began skipping around shouting, "Let's go to the next house! Let's go to the next house!"

The highlight of the night was a giant bouncy-house-slide-thing in someone's front yard: block party bliss. Not pictured are the free beers that Alex happily accepted, the pizza and cookies that Catcher enjoyed and the other neighborhood festivities that added up to way more fun than a fire truck in Chantilly.

halloween, part I: funny farm

2011-10-31T21:19:00.000-05:00

Always on the search for some "good old fashioned family fun," yesterday I dragged Alex and the kids to a pumpkin patch on a Christmas tree farm in Elgin, TX. Sound strange? Just wait...

Fall is my favorite season and since we haven't had much of one in Austin this year, so I decided we could create that quintessential fall experience by visiting a pumpkin patch on Halloween Eve. After visiting the website of Evergreen Farms located outside of Elgin, TX, I decided this would be the perfect place. The site hyped-up the family-friendly Pumpkin Hunt--"a wagon ride into the Christmas tree fields where mini pumpkins are hidden in the trees." Following the Great Hunt, it's suggested that you "enjoy pumpkin painting on the pavilion along with other activities and games." Evergreen farms also listed these FREE activities: wagon ride around the farm, toddler play area, pumpkin recipes, pumpkin play area, petting zoo, pictures with the pumpkins; and the following activities which cost $2.50 each: pumpkin hunt, pumpkin launcher, pumpkin maze, pumpkin slide, pumpkin train ride, pumpkin golf, pumpkin pond, pumpkin spinner, pumpkin face painting.

After visions of fresh pumpkin bread and warm spiced cider, I was ready to embark on a fun-filled family fall outing (even if it was 78 degrees). So we drove forty minutes outside of Austin past an RV park and through two towns with populations smaller than the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse. We finally reached County Line Road where we were instructed to take a right at the "new" stoplight that had just been installed at the intersection. We drove a few miles down a country road until we turned onto another country road and drove down it until we saw the sign pointing us to Evergreen Farms. After a bumpy and deafening drive down a gravel road we finally reached our destination.

Take note of the picture below. At first glance you see an excited three year-old running wild on a farm. But look closely. The yellow tarp in the background is the so-called "pumpkin pond" and the tangled web of shipping pallets to the right is the "pumpkin maze."

Alex and the kids are about to board the "wagon" for the great Pumpkin Hunt. My knowledge of farm equipment may not be current, but the wagon looked more like a flat-bed tractor (if there is such a thing) to me. Judge for yourself--more pictures of the wagon below:

Following a 60-second wagon ride, we arrived at the Christmas tree fields. I suppose this is what Christmas tree fields look like in Texas. It's kind of sad, but at least we shouldn't have any problems finding a Charlie Brown tree this year.

Scout was really excited finding her first mini pumpkin. Just don't tell her that pumpkins "hidden in the trees" really meant scattered about on the ground in front of you.

Since I've been a stay-at-home mom, I've come to expect a certain je ne sais quoi about "toddler play areas," and I have to say that this is not what I imagined when I read the description online. I pictured an open area outside with some pumpkins and haystacks and other nature-inspired climbing things for kids. The play area was located inside the pavilion adjacent to the concession stand run by the local church group, where Frito pie is $2. And I'm not sure what that has to do with "Harvest" (or "food" for that matter).

Pumpkin painting, also located on the pavilion, was fine if you wanted to paint your pumpkin green...or black.

It turns out that the most interesting, and entertaining, part of our time spent at Evergreen Farms was the random tether ball set up somewhere between the pumpkin maze and what I can only guess was the "petting zoo" (if a couple of chickens and the family dog count). For the record, I never saw any pumpkin recipes or a pumpkin train ride or pumpkin golf. I'm not sure what pumpkin spinning is, and the pumpkin pond didn't have any pumpkins in it--just a couple of rubber ducks wearing sunglasses.

But as Alex reminded me on the drive home, "You're not just outside of Austin; you're outside of Elgin."

hello little house

2011-10-27T19:18:00.000-05:00

Alex's travels have once again routed him through Charlotte, so today he took a moment to stop by our first home.

Yep--it looks the same. Actually, the plants and chairs and whatnot on the porch are a little cluttered for my liking, but I'm sure they add to the "curb appeal." The gutters could use a cleaning out (I'm glad we don't have to worry about that) and it looks like the annual accumulation of leaves has begun on the front yard. Looking at this picture reminds me that I don't miss owning a home--or rather that home--right now. I just hope the renters aren't around when Alex pulls into the driveway every few weeks to snap a photo on his phone. They might find that a little creepy; however, I'm sure our nosey ex-neighbors are keeping tabs on his actions anyway, so he might get busted one of these days. I can hear him explaining it to the cops right now, "It's okay. I used to live here."

last days of summer

2011-10-26T20:30:00.000-05:00

Even though the calendar says November is less than a week away, today the mercury read summertime. While others are carving pumpkins and sipping seasonal lattes, we're enjoying on more bite of watermelon and entertaining thoughts of visiting the pool. I miss my wool scarves and boots, but I know the kids will enjoy a coat-free Halloween next week. Today was supposedly our last--as in final, for real--90 degree day of the "season," and here is how we've spent the waning days of summer in Austin.

Digging for dinosaur bones...

Spotting owls...

Eating wood chips at the playscape...

Taking one last bite of watermelon...

back to the box

2011-10-25T20:24:00.000-05:00

There's no shortage of box houses in Austin, and it just so happens that the first one I obsessed over was featured in the October issue of Dwell magazine. Located on a quirky street running through the middle of what quickly became my "favorite neighborhood," I was psyched to see the house in print and learn more about its construction. But I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when I learned that the homeowners plan to live there forever--so much for that dream. At least I can look to it for inspiration when I some day build a sustainable box of my own. That dream is still out there.

Images from Dwell.

in a flash

2011-10-24T19:47:00.000-05:00

Another Saturday.
Another Farmers' Market.

This past weekend my mom and sister were visiting Austin for the first time. They were staying downtown, so Saturday morning we met up and ventured down to the (other) Austin Farmers' Market.

Interrupting thought: what did I do with myself before I discovered Farmers' Markets?

The weather was beautiful, the scones were fresh and the coffee revitalizing. In the midst of our morning conversation and musings on what to do for the day, the song "Yes, We Have No Bananas" began piping into the background from some unknown source. At first we thought it was leading off a dog parade until a motley crew emerged from the crowd and gathered in the open field to perform a synchronized dance. My first flash mob!

As tour guide for the weekend, I couldn't have planned it better myself. The dance was entertaining, and I almost wished I knew the moves. At any rate, the combination of flash mob and pumpkin scones (did I mention they also have live music and the popsicles that Catcher loves?) has caused me to reconsider my Famers' Market allegiance. This Saturday I think you'll find me at 4th and Guadalupe.

eye have it!

2011-10-19T20:56:00.000-05:00

Did I mention that I'm officially a Texan? If you can officially be a Texas without having been born here, that is. The ironic thing is that my husband, who was born here, is technically not a Texan. He still carries a North Carolina driver's license. Long story short: we finally made it back to the DPS--remember it's not a DMV here--with all our appropriate paper work and registrations and inspections and...Alex failed the eye exam. I'm not here to make fun of his old age or degenerating eye sight, but his misfortune did spark a note of creativity when I thought that a vintage eye chart would make a pretty cool piece of found art. Bonus points if it lights up.

Restoration Hardware

alphabetcocktail, etsy

1stdibs.com

spooky hobby

2011-10-18T20:07:00.000-05:00

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays--if we don't count last year's fiasco--but I'm clearly not the crafty type when it comes to costumes and decorations. This year Scout is going to be the shark that Catcher was for his first Halloween. One of the reasons is because he only wore the costume for thirty seconds to take a picture (literally) and the other is that when I was going through Catcher's old clothes to donate them to Goodwill, we came across the shark and tried it on Scout. She made such a pretty little shark that I couldn't resist. The only thing I had to purchase to complete the outfit was a white turtleneck and white tights from Target. Total cost = $7.00.

Once Scout was finished, we went to work on Catcher. We're still working on it. At first he wanted to be a shark, too, but now he wants to be the fisherman that caught Scout the shark. What does a shark catcher (pun intended) wear? Maybe I can convince him to be the surfer that's trying to get away from Scout the shark...

While researching Halloween costumes I got sucked into a world of decoration suggestions and pumpkin carving fanatics. Yes. I have to admit that these people are more creative than I. But does anyone else think maybe they have too much time on their hands? Or maybe I have too much time on my hands because I'm just sitting here critiquing their work. All photos below from Stylelist Home.

market mornings

2011-10-17T20:09:00.000-05:00

For the past month or so we've been spending our Saturday mornings at one of the Farmer's Markets in Austin. With the weather cooling down, the past two weekends have been ideal for a morning stroll. I wish I had the presence of mind to actually do some of my grocery shopping for the week, but with Catcher running around looking for popsicles--which I keep calling lollipops--and Scout bouncing out of the stroller to the beat of the local musicians, making it through the aisles is a big enough chore.

Two weeks ago the weather was cool enough to bring my cowboy boots out of hiding from their box in the closet. Funny that the boots almost joined the Goodwill drop-off party in Charlotte before we moved. And then I remembered that we were going to Texas.

Although Catcher might argue that the popsicles are the best part of the trip, I've become quite fond of the two hippie dudes who plug in their guitars and entertain the morning crowd. Scout loves them, too...even though her style may be a little more Joan Jett than Grateful Dead.

the four

2011-10-14T20:07:00.001-05:00

Tonight I'm too busy playing on my new iPhone to blog. No. I did not set up shop overnight outside of the Apple store to be one of the first with the new iPhone 4S--that's way too Star Wars freaky for my liking. But I did wait for the [regular] 4 price drop and pounce on that. I ordered it 10 days ago, and it arrived as scheduled this morning at 9:00am. I had my trusty iPhone 3G for three years, so this is super high tech to me...even if I can't talk-to-text and the phone can't read my thoughts before I think them. Or can it?

ssr

2011-10-13T21:19:00.000-05:00

Back in my school days (of the elementary and middle variety) we used to have this thing called "SSR" or Sustained Silent Reading once or twice a month for 20 minutes or so. I was a big dork and looked forward to these days--especially when it interrupted my math class--and I thought about it today when the kids and I were leaving the Zilker Botanical Garden and I was craving some quiet time. On the drive home I told Catcher that when we got back to the apartment we were going to have quiet playtime. I told him he could play with his toys or look through his books, but I was going to sit on the sofa and read without interruptions for a little while. He and Scout decided that they wanted to read, too, and here is a look at their room after they had ransacked the "library:"

Although they made a mess, they both helped with clean-up and it kept them busy enough for me to get through a couple chapters of Jane Eyre. Besides, who can complain when your kids are playing with books? I even caught Catcher "reading" to Scout when I thought they were being a little too quiet in the bedroom--he was sitting beside her reciting one of the books that makes her laugh (and quack!).

cravings

2011-10-12T19:33:00.000-05:00

With Catcher it was Teddy Grahams dipped in vanilla frosting--don't judge; it's delicious. With Scout it was tater tots. With number three, I've been craving the Rolo McFlurry from McDonald's.

It all started when we were driving from Charlotte to Austin and we had to stop in God-knows-where Georgia (or was it Alabama or Mississippi?) to get dinner for the kids. The only recognizable establishment was a lonely McDonald's, and it was there that I saw an advertisement for the fast food giant's latest McFlurry creation. I had to try it. Although I swore to Alex it would be my first--and last--McFlurry demand of the pregnancy, I've gone back on my word. I'm now up to about one Rolo McFlurry a week, but I'm going to cut back. I'm trying to cut back. The only comforting thing about craving this abomination is that 1) at least I'm not craving the sausage McGriddle and 2) I tend to OD on my pregnancy cravings and want nothing to do with them after the fact.

Now that I mentioned it, though, a tater tot doesn't sound so bad right now...

can i bring this home?

2011-10-11T21:57:00.000-05:00

Alex is in Houston helping his dad clean out his storage space. Here is a string of texts that occurred between the two of us this afternoon:

Here's a closer look at the deer head mentioned above (I'm not sure who Brian is, by the way, and what he knows or doesn't know about spray painting a deer head pink):

I was half joking when I sort-of okayed the deer head, but I guess the joke is on me because Alex just called and during our broken-up phone conversation he managed to get out the phrase, "So where do you want to put this thing?" We were cut off before I could supply an appropriate answer. Although I've been known to covet a deer head or two for decorating purposes, I've never imagined having a real one in my home. The deer head I've pictured in my space is faux and sleek and modern--a little quirky and not from a hunting lodge. It would look something like this:

It will take some serious DIY and perhaps a little magic to turn our friend pictured above into anything other than a man cave treasure, but I did find some inspiration online. Although these heads are of the faux variety, they give me something to think about.

Not on the High Street

Rachel Denny

Ash and Coppice

apartment therapy

So I guess I have a project on my hands when Alex gets home with the deer head in the back of his pickup.

I realize how Texas that sounds. Wish me luck!

not quite famous

2011-10-10T21:18:00.000-05:00

Today was the day of our big HGTV debut. Today was the day that someone, somewhere was going to see my little house in Charlotte and love its decor and track me down to help them decorate their own space. Or some fat cat at HGTV would happen upon our episode and see my "star quality" and decide that I need my own TV show.

Except none of that happened because our show didn't air. As of last night, we were still on the HGTV roster, but at 10:00am this morning--9:00 central time, by the way--some other family in Charlotte took over our time slot. Alex was home to watch the episode and broke the news to me via text since I was "playing it cool" and going about my normal day by taking the kids to the museum.

And so it continues...the TV show that almost didn't cast us if it weren't for my power of persuasion and pitching skills...the 9 months worth of interrupted weekends that we sacrificed...the takes and the double-takes and the triple-takes...the stressing over outfits to wear and remembering whether or not I had already worn that pair of shoes...the 4 hour shoots that turned into 12...I guess that's the price of fame (wink!).

small screen debut

2011-10-07T19:48:00.000-05:00

It's funny to think that it all began more than a year ago when Scout was four weeks old and I was home watching way too much HGTV and getting crazy ideas in my head about being on TV. In my defense, I was sleep deprived and, at the time, I truly believed it would sell our house. On Monday our episode of My First Sale finally airs, and here is what HGTV has to say about it:

Baby makes four for this Charlotte couple and there's not enough room in their 847 square foot home. They're desperate to sell but when their realtor makes suggestions, the two push back. When their doubts grow, Sarah and Alex fire their realtor. But right away, the second realtor starts giving the same advice.

I know we're totally going to look like a couple of dweebs, but when you think about it do you ever see anyone "cool" on HGTV anyway (Novogratzes not included)? Although I've threatened not to watch the episode, I'm the one who got us in to this mess in the first place, so I guess I have to follow through and watch the "reality" unfold...dumb outfit choices and hairstyles and all...

the thursday times

2011-10-06T19:37:00.000-05:00

I'm quasi-obsessed with the apartment (below) that was featured in the New York Times magazine this weekend. Today is Thursday, and that's generally the day I get around to actually looking through the Sunday paper. I find it outside my door every Sunday morning around 6:30am when the house gets rocking, but it sits on the counter for several days until I have the time (and energy) to open it. I know one of these days Alex and I will go back to the days of enjoying the Sunday Times over coffee and a quiet brunch, but until the kids are out of the house in 18 years or so, my Thursday Times will have to do.

Home of art adviser Allan Schwartzman, photographs by Jason Schmidt.

mmm...pumpkin

2011-10-05T19:26:00.000-05:00

Keeping in the spirit of fall--today's high was only 89--Catcher and I made pumpkin spice cookies this afternoon. More of the batter may have ended up on Catcher's face than in the cookies, and I had to pry his sticky fingers out of the tub of cream cheese frosting, but I can pass myself off as somewhat of a domestic diva when Alex comes home and our place smells like pure autumn. I just have to make sure he doesn't "eat them all gone," as Catcher would say, while the kids are sleeping tonight.

eco DIY

2011-10-04T20:25:00.001-05:00

When I have the time--and a space that's mine to decorate--I love a DIY project. The only thing that holds me back is my patience and amateur skill set. Even though I think I have the know-how to wallpaper a hallway or make my own headboard, the truth is that I've never used a drill in my life, and the last time I touched a sewing machine was during home economics class in the seventh grade. For shame! I'm not saying this will stop me from venturing on to my next project when creativity strikes, but it's nice to have some of the work done for you (kind of like a semi-homemade DIY project).

Meet Spool. When I came across this build-it-yourself modular system that you can use to create a table base or room divider or anything other freestanding structure you can dream up, I had to share.

Other than allowing you to express your own creativity and personality, the system is eco-friendly and made from paper spools upcycled from the Los Angeles apparel industry. You won't see this in your typical West Elm catalog (*disclaimer: I love West Elm).

Spool is available online at Grain.

lesson in lexicon

2011-10-03T20:27:00.000-05:00

Scout has mastered her first word: quack. In fact, she's mastered it so well that she quacks at ducks, which sometimes respond, and also birds and dogs and any animal she sees on the TV. She also quacks when she's finished with dinner or just wants to get your attention in general. She gets a laugh out of us every time, so I guess that's why she keeps doing it. The funny thing about her first word is that it reminds me of how excited you are to hear your child speak for the first time. It's a miracle watching language develop, and somewhere between calling a phone a "pone" and the TV the "ri-ri," you start to mimic your child's speaking until you find yourself in an adult setting explaining why you said "monies" instead of money. Although you may sound ridiculous at times, you encourage their language because you can't wait to hear what's next.

Fast forward two years...

...and you have a three year-old who's favorite phrase is "'cause why?" and who asks you at 5:23 in the morning what nipples are for (true story). But after a long day of exhausting questions, at least I can get a chuckle out of the words unique to Catcher:

- hairplane = airplane

- ga-nilla = vanilla

- Glue's Clues = Blue's Clues

- freh-mote = remote

- ga-noculars = binoculars

- golf park = golf cart

- Chee-yos = Cheerios

- Honey Bees = Honey Nut Cheerios

baby shoes

2011-09-29T19:40:00.001-05:00

Scout just discovered shoes. She spent the first 10 or 11 months of her life wearing just socks (the shoes never fit; they would fall off, and why does an infant need shoes anyway?) and she's been more or less barefoot ever since. The barefoot thing was totally working for us, too, but now that she's started walking a little more freely, I decided it was time to give shoes another try.

In my past experience with Catcher shoes at this age were a nightmare. If you went for the user-friendly velcro kind, well, toddlers find them just as easy to use as adults and you end up with missing shoes (or your kid comes home from school with his shoes duct-taped shut and a note saying "Please provide shoes that tie for your child."). The only problem with shoes that tie is that toddlers are not known for sitting still and it can take 15 minutes of wrestle-mania to get them secured. And then there are no guarantees that the little one won't attack the shoes anyway, so you end up with a knotted mess or tripping toddler.

This time around, the shoe effect is opposite. Scout is the first child I've known who wants you to put her shoes on, and she doesn't try to take them off herself. She brings her shoes to me, holds them in the air and does this little whine-scream thing until I put them on her feet--even before bedtime! She's also known to get a little nasty if you take them off without her consent, and the other day she didn't like the pair I picked out for her and threw one at me before scampering off to bring me the shoes she wanted to wear. Having a boy, this behavior is all new to me. Is this where it begins?

Scout in her shoes relaxing on the sofa before bedtime. *I did manage to remove the shoes before putting her down in the crib.

gaga for babuska

2011-09-28T19:37:00.000-05:00

I came across this picture while looking at decorating ideas for girls' rooms, and it totally rekindled my obsession with Russian matryoshka dolls.

Tangle Tree Interiors

Now I'm kind of sorry that I let this Thomas Paul pillow go for $5 at our yard sale in Charlotte:

I know the pillow freaked Alex out, but I really liked it. Lucky for me, though, Thomas Paul created these limited edition art prints (images from artthatfits.com):

Then on etsty, I found this adorable iPad sleeve...

bertiescloset

...and another piece of art (which is totally cute and more affordable than those mentioned above)

malobi

best friends

2011-09-27T19:34:00.000-05:00

I'm documenting this so that some day--when Catcher and Scout are 15 and 13 respectively and hate one another--I can show them how they were once best friends.

living in central time

2011-09-26T19:59:00.000-05:00

This isn't the first time that I've lived outside of the Eastern time zone. I spent a semester in Spain and following college graduation I traveled and lived in Europe for six months; however, those moves were never permanent, and I always knew I'd come back East. My move to Texas, on the other hand, has catapulted me into the middle of the United States the Central time zone. I told Alex recently that the hardest thing about this move has not been the heat or learning of a new city or moving to a place where everyone is a stranger (or even trying to get my driver's license) but leaving the Eastern time zone.

At first my game was totally off. The kids were waking up at 5:30 every morning, and how was I supposed to remember that the evening news comes on at 5:30pm and Survivor starts at 7:00? While watching the Today Show, I felt like I was already missing out on the big news of the day. But then I started discovering the nice things about Central time. Like Saturday Night Live starts at 10:30, so I can actually make it to Weekend Update instead of nodding off during the opening monologue. And tonight I'll be able to stay awake through the entire game of Monday Night Football.

I'm sure there are other nice things, outside of television, that are nice about Central time. I'll let you know when I figure out what they are.

happy fall!

2011-09-23T19:44:00.000-05:00

Today is was a breezy 92 degrees in Austin, and the 10-degree change in weather almost convinced me that it is, in fact, a new season. I didn't break out my boots just yet, but I did celebrate the chilly morning (67 degrees) with a pumpkin latte (from Coffee Bean, not Starbucks). Yum!

a sister for scout

2011-09-22T20:11:00.000-05:00

The secret is out: today we learned that we're expecting another girl! I never considered myself a girly-girl but ever since hearing the news this afternoon, I've had visions of pink and purple and decorating, oh my! The bad news for Catcher is that he'll have two little sisters bossing him around, but the good news is that he'll no longer have to share a bedroom...eventually. There are so many different ways you could go with designing a girls' bedroom, here's a look at some cute options:

ohdeedoh

Lonny

Domino

this little piggy

2011-09-21T20:32:00.000-05:00

I don't know what it is, but when it comes to decorating, I have a weird(ish) obsession with animals.

Exibit A: the cow chair

Exhibit B: the snakeskin table

Exhibit C: the elephant side table

My latest animal love comes in the form of this little piggy that I just spotted on Lonnymag.com:

AREAWARE

I mean, he has to be the cutest little piggy I've ever seen and he's available in orange chrome (pictured), pink, teal, black, white, silver, gold and purple. The bad news is that owning him would set me back $220, but the good news is that he can hold up to $10,000 in dollar bills. I guess if I had $10,000 in dollar bills lying around I wouldn't mind spending $220 on a piggy bank.

from drab to fab

2011-09-20T19:35:00.000-05:00

Today was a remarkable day. For the first time in our almost seven-year marriage, I cooked Alex meat for dinner (I hope my mother-in-law isn't reading this). It's no secret that I'm not big on the whole cooking thing, and now that I don't have Trader Joe's to rescue me, I'm kind of at a loss. How many pasta combinations can one family eat? So today Catcher and I cooked up a pot roast--recipe courtesy of my mother-in-law, in fact--and by cooking, I mean that we threw a few ingredients into a roasting pan (is that what it's called?) and let it sit in the oven all day.

Catcher with the potatoes.

Yummy? Not so much. I was a little skeptical before it went in the oven.

A few hours in and Scout checks our progress.

(*Scout isn't wearing a shirt because she was sick today and had thrown up; I'm not a total redneck.)

The end result: not too bad for my first time.

The real testament to my cooking experiment being a hit was 1) Catcher ate everything on his plate (he never does) and 2) I ate everything (I'm not a big meat-eater). Alex always eats everything, so he doesn't count, but I know his inner Texan-Midwestern was saying "it's about time the woman cooked a man some meat."

tiny art

2011-09-19T19:54:00.000-05:00

Some day when I have a house that has a drawer--or more likely closet--full of children's art work that I can't bear to part with, I hope I remember this amazing idea that I saw courtesy of Jan Eleni (via Home by Novogratz):

What is it? A print of your children's work, which has been miniaturized and organized into one giant collage. Ingenious, right? I'm not exactly sure of the technicality involved, but this probably isn't an afternoon at Kinko's project. Logistics aside, I love how the end result is personal and quirky and way more appealing than a refrigerator covered in construction paper scribbles held on by alphabet magnets. I don't know if I'm quite crafty enough for this project on my own, but perhaps someday my future home-owning, dinner-making, Martha Stewart-embodying self will figure it out.

the reading corner

2011-09-16T19:43:00.000-05:00

When we moved into our apartment in Austin, one of the first things I did was create a reading corner for myself in the living room. Here's a look:

I loved the idea of my reading corner, where I pictured myself curled up reading Wuthering Heights for the 10th time with a glass of wine (after the baby, of course) perched on the table beside me. But in real life, maintaining a household and keeping track of two kids all day doesn't really lend itself to the quiet reading time I had imagined. By the time the kids are in bed and all my chores are finished and it's "reading" time, the sun has set and the harsh light in the living room is not conducive to a relaxed reading atmosphere. So instead I find myself using my chair mainly for sitting in and checking my email or blogging while Catcher is watching Wow Wow Wubzy or Dora or some other kids' television program I'm trying to tune out.

Catcher, too, has found a great use for the chair. Since we no longer have a dining room table and haven't purchased stools for the island in our kitchen, Catcher has been eating dinner at the coffee table while sitting on the floor. The other night he came up with this novel idea (spaghetti night...excuse the red face):

Not one to be left out of the action, Scout also put her mark on the reading corner when she decided it would be a great resting spot for toys:

rocking chair front porch

2011-09-15T18:37:00.001-05:00

Alex is working in North Carolina this weekend, and his travels just happened to take him through Charlotte. Of course he was going to swing by the old house and see how it looks. Although we no longer own it, I'm happy to report that it looks as if the renters are taking care of it. If nothing else, they've turned it into a true "rocking chair front porch" like they love in the Carolinas and our first realtor suggested. It also looks like they've made a nice little entertainment area in the backyard--another suggestion of our first realtor--so I'm glad they're enjoying the place. But I'm more glad we don't own it anymore.

basement trolling

2011-09-14T20:24:00.000-05:00

When I lived in New York, I relied on dumpster diving a time or two to furnish my apartment. Now that I'm older and more sophisticated (haha) on occasion I go basement trolling at my mother-in-law's house in Milwaukee. In her basement is where I found the inspiration for one of my all-time favorite projects, the "cow chairs:"

We found them a little broken and a little water-damaged. The upholstery had seen its last day, but with a little imagination--or "vision" as I like to say--the chairs have weathered my decorating storm over the past six years.

Today my mother-in-law texted me these two pictures:

She's in the midst of de-cluttering and thought I might be interested in this little gem she came across in the aforementioned basement. I love it, and the fabric is fantastic! I'm sure I could find the perfect place for it in my distant future home. I hope it doesn't mind hanging out in a Milwaukee basement for a little while longer.

miss-ed out!

2011-09-13T21:19:00.000-05:00

I'll tell you where I was not today. I was not lined up in front of Target at 4:00am a la Black Friday waiting for the doors to open. I was not one of the thousands (or perhaps millions) on the Target website causing it to crash. So I missed out on the Missoni collaboration that is rumored to be sold out. I guess that's okay because #1 I'm pregnant and #2 I don't want to run around looking like everyone else anyway. Except those flats were really cute...

just another manic monday

2011-09-12T20:14:00.000-05:00

Two remarkable things happened today:

1) I drove to (and through) downtown Austin alone (and on purpose).
2) I didn't get lost along the way.

Monday mornings at the Austin Children's Museum are the perfect remedy for long weekends with the kids. The museum opens early for tots three and under, and there's a Jo's Coffee one block away for mid-morning (mom) rejuvenation. The kids get to run around and play for a few hours and, although I have to suffer through a never-ending chorus of Wheels on the Bus during music time, I get to enjoy the fact that I won't be cleaning up any of the mess later. You'll know where to find me on Monday mornings.

Grocery shopping for the essentials: watermelon, eggplant, cauliflower

Man at work

Woman at the wheel

Building a city

Trashing the city

The city: before the destruction

never forget

2011-09-11T19:52:00.000-05:00

art.com

I've told the story a hundred times, but I've never written it down. I can't imagine I will ever forget the day, and ten years later it still burns in my memory. I remember my confusion, the sinking feeling in my stomach, the acrid smell of the air enveloping my West Village neighborhood. But to tell my story of September 11, 2001, I have to start with the evening of September 10.

It's remarkable how the mind works. I can't remember what I did this morning, but I remember the evening leading up to the morning of September 11. On Monday, September 10 I left work around 6:00pm and, feeling a little under the weather, headed straight for my apartment. I fixed myself an unremarkable dinner as per usual and tucked myself into bed by 8:00pm. I heard my roommate come in shortly thereafter, and although I wasn't quite asleep I pretended to be because she kind of bugged me and I didn't feel like sitting up having some inane conversation.

I slept well that night and awoke feeling (surprisingly) refreshed. I stayed in bed for a while debating whether or not to go for my usual morning jog on the west side highway, and by the time I made up my mind not to go, I had to get moving to get to work by 9:00am.

The weather was amazing that morning. It was unseasonably warm for a New York September morning, so I dressed myself in a grey a-line skirt from Banana Republic, a white short-sleeve blouse and pink and purple faux snakeskin, open-toe kitten heels (they were cute at the time). I rode the subway to work and got off a stop earlier than usual because it was such a lovely morning and I had skipped my run, so I figured I could use the extra steps. It was around 9:00 when I emerged from underground. I was late for work yet the streets of midtown seemed a little off for morning rush hour. I noticed--and I never noticed things like this while living in New York--a woman on the corner of Park and 50-something crying. I remember thinking, "I wonder what she's crying about." You become so jaded walking the streets of New York that a homeless person peeing in the street seems like nothing, but a woman crying on the still sidewalk of what should be a busy street corner gives you pause. However, like a true New Yorker, I continued on my journey and didn't stop until I reached my office at 60th and Madison.

There was no one in the usually crowded lobby or elevator, but I attributed this to the fact that I was 10 minutes late, so I rode up quietly to the 14th floor. When I opened the door of the hallway leading to my office, I knew something was amiss. Every single office on the floor was empty (they couldn't all be late) and when I walked into my own office, I noticed my message light blinking. As I reached for my phone, my coworker Megan rushed in from the conference room to tell me two planes had crashed into the World Trade Center. My first thought was "What?!" Followed shortly by, "This isn't an accident." Torn between checking my voicemail and rushing into the conference room where my coworkers had gathered around the TV, I dropped my things and joined the group. Both buildings were already burning, and I found myself in a conference room full of "whys, who did this, what is going on, do I know anyone who works there..."

It's here where details become fuzzy and things run together. At some point we learned that flights had been hijacked, that the Pentagon had undergone an attack, that there was another (and maybe another) plane out there, and that the world was coming to an end (at least that's how it felt). I remember seeing people who had made their way up to the observation deck of the twin towers hoping for a helicopter rescue, we saw bodies falling--and later learned jumping--from the burning floors. My boss's boss lit a cigarette and began pacing frantically around the tiny room. My boss, who was pregnant at the time, went white when she made the connection that her husband's flight from Boston was leaving for New York that morning (his plane was grounded before he even took off and he was safe, but now stuck, in Boston). Emotions were flying. Theories were abounding. I sat quietly in the corner, unable to avert my eyes from the television coverage. And then the first tower crumbled to the ground. My heart sank--for those trapped inside, for the symbol that it was, for the lonely tower still standing and for the soul of New York. Still unable to comprehend the enormity of the situation we were in, I was finally able to reach my sister on the phone--she lived in Arlington, VA--and that is when my first tears fell.

We stayed holed up in the conference room until noon when the CEO of our company decided it was time we all go home and reach out to our loved ones. Both towers had fallen. The bridges and tunnels were closed to traffic. Manhattan was a sheltered island. We were all alone yet together in our aloneness. Trapped about 60 blocks north of where I lived in the West Village, I opted to join my friend Megan at her cousin's apartment that was several blocks northeast of our office. Walking out to the street, I felt that we had suddenly become extras in a SciFi movie. There was no traffic on the streets of Manhattan, and I watched as a sea of bodies crossed over the Queensboro bridge. If you looked south, even from this distance, there was no question regarding the damage that had been done as a sea of black smoke spiraled into the skyline.

Late in the afternoon, after pizza and beer and hours of CNN, Megan and I left her cousin's place, and I walked 80 blocks home to my apartment in the West Village. Due to it's proximity to ground zero (were they calling it that yet?) I had no power, so I talked on my cell phone--to my mom, my sister, my brother--until it died and I was forced to try sleep. I drifted off still wondering what had happened and when we would recover. The only thing I didn't question was the spirit of New York and the strength of the greatest city in the world.

opening doors

2011-09-09T20:41:00.000-05:00

Alex will kill me for this, but I just saw a great piece on elledecor.com about how stylish and intriguing door knobs can be--that's what I've always said! That's why I went scouring through the bins at Anthropologie to find the perfect "old" doorknobs when we moved into our house in Charlotte. I was slightly obsessed with finding the right knob for each door. Knobs that would effortlessly blend together yet not match one another. Knobs that could possibly have been original to the house. Knobs that were more form than function, which Alex painstakingly configured into our existing doors with 60 year-old hardware. The end result was a bit humorous. I wish I had counted the number of times I had to tell a guest in our house to be careful when closing the bathroom door because sometimes the knob would stick ("but don't worry--you can't get locked in"). Alex would give me a look and a slight roll of the eyes, but I got a lot of compliments on those knobs. And I'm not going to guarantee that I won't do the same thing if/when we ever find another house to call our own. Especially with these fabulous options (images from Elle Decor).

uncovering ideas

2011-09-08T19:19:00.000-05:00

It's funny what you come across when you're moving/unpacking/rifling through your closet for things to sell on eBay. Today I found these two books in a box stashed under my desk:

Amazon

The sad thing is that I remember looking at these books on Amazon back when I had dreams of starting my own interior design business, but I don't remember actually purchasing the books. I'm sure it was right after Scout was born and I was in a haze of sleeplessness--nothing counts for the first 3-4 months after a baby is born because you'll never remember it anyway. But here they are, and I think finding them might be a sign that I should actually read them during my "time off." Even though my first client sort-of fired me, I can look back on it as a learning experience and take advantage of my time away from the 40-hour work week to pursue what I really love. Everyone has to start somewhere, right?

10.10

2011-09-07T20:55:00.000-05:00

We finally have a date that our episode of My First Sale is going to air on HGTV--10.10 at 10am. Like I've said, I'm sure I'm going to hate my hairstyle or think my voice sounds weird or whatever, but I can't believe we finally have a date. Kind of like the selling of our house, there were times when I thought the filming process was never going to end. I'm curious to see how they spun our story, and after it airs I'm sure I'll be tempted to layout the differences between "reality" and "reality TV" (even though I'm not supposed to give away any secrets...haha). At least that chapter of our real life has a happy ending that brought us to Austin.

hooked again

2011-09-06T21:24:00.000-05:00

It's official--I'm hooked on eBay again. Not the buying kind, the selling kind. Because I'm not working right now, last week I figured it was time I started earning my keep around here (how else am I going to fund my shopping extravaganza next week when Missoni for Target arrives?). But seriously, maybe my nesting has kicked in a little early with this pregnancy, because I'm feeling the need to de-clutter--again--and I might as well make a couple bucks in the process. Of course it would have made sense to get rid of these things before we moved them 1200 miles from Charlotte, but then what would I do with my free time right now?

long weekend

2011-09-05T20:54:00.000-05:00

I think my Labor Day weekend began on August 8 when Alex started work and I, by default, became a stay-at-home mom. When you're locked-up with the kids, the days start to run together into one extremely long weekend. The only thing that changes is the traffic and the number of people in the grocery store or the library or at the pool. But because this weekend was a holiday for everyone else, we decided to celebrate the unofficial end of summer by starting with a splash on Friday afternoon.

Catcher and Scout enjoyed a little afternoon splash time at the Liz Carpenter Fountain in Butler Park. I had forgotten how exciting spontaneous water spouts shooting from the ground could be, and it turned out to be way cooler than the pool. I loved it because I didn't have to walk around in the pool with two toddlers clinging to my swimsuit, and they loved it because who wouldn't love playing in a giant fountain?

On Saturday we visited the Austin Children's Museum, which honestly turned out to be more of a giant playroom than a "museum," but the little ones kept themselves quite busy for a couple of hours and we'll definitely go back. I found it distracting--not due to the dozens of kids running around to all the different activities--because I couldn't help wondering who cleans the place up at the end of the day.

On Sunday we were back at Ruta Maya for our traditional morning kids' music show, breakfast tacos and coffee. The group this week, the Telephone Company or the Cable Guys or something, was a bit odd for my taste, but Catcher and Scout were into it.

Today we tried to go for a morning walk around the lake until we realized the Austin Triathlon was blocking all our routes, so we opted for coffee followed by a stroll where we stumbled upon another fountain, albiet not the soaking kind, where the kids enjoyed the beautiful Austin morning.

We had a great weekend. I just hope I didn't use up my entire bag of tricks to get us through the rest of the week.

marathon turned sprint

2011-09-01T19:32:00.000-05:00

Selling our house started out as a marathon. Let me correct that. Selling our house was like the tortoise running a marathon. On the market for two years, there were definitely times when I believed that the house would never sell. Even when we had an offer and signed the papers and heard from our realtor that the inspection went well, I still had my doubts. Today was our supposed closing day. Last night at 6:15 Alex received the papers from the lawyers (via email) that we were supposed to have signed, notarized and FedEx-ed back for the closing today. As an added surprise, it looked like we would have to bring cash to the closing that we hadn't anticipated--there goes the $300 (yes, three hundred) that we thought we were making on this deal. Last night I went to bed thinking our house wasn't going to sell and we would have to buy the renters a new washer and dryer (after several complaints) on top of everything else. Alex assured me, as he always does, that everything would be okay.

This morning I woke up to a new month and what should have been a new start with our old house behind us, but I was still having negative thoughts that the deal wouldn't go through. Alex went to work and I began furiously going through my closet analyzing the possible eBay value of my stuff to make up for the money we'd be losing every month renting out our house. At 12:34 Alex called, and that's when the sprint began.

12:34pm: Great news! The realtor lowered some of his fees, the earnest money hadn't been deducted from the amount we owed, and we would get our escrow balance back from the bank after closing. Alex had the papers and was finishing up some things at work--before leaving for Florida at 4:53pm--so we could get this deal signed.

1:43pm: Alex gets home with the papers; we head to the bank (with kids in tow) in search of a notary public.

1:53pm: Get to the bank, get two lollipops for Catcher, wait for the greeter woman to tell us that it's a 30-minute wait for a notary. Alex says, "No thanks," and we're out the door. He has a backup. He helps me load the kids in the car then gets in his truck and says "Follow me. If you get lost, just hang a left on Barton Springs and turn into the parking lot of the Hyatt." Ok...

2:23pm: Pull into parking lot of Hyatt. Get the kids out of the car and follow Alex into a strange office complex. We ride up the elevator to the fifth floor and enter a stale office of cubicles and room dividers. Alex asks the first person he sees where he can find April, and she kindly points him the cubicle in the back left corner of the room. I see Alex shaking April's hand as I round the corner with the kids, and two minutes later our documents are signed and notarized. Alex and I part ways. He has to stop by his friend's office--the one who told him about April, by the way--and then drop off our papers at FedEx for overnight delivery before heading to the airport to catch his flight.

2:30pm: Phone call from Alex. There's one more set of papers we have to sign that he just got from the lawyers; however, the good news is we can just sign and fax back so he forwarded the documents to me.

2:41pm: I'm back at the apartment with the kids. I check my email, download, print and sign everything, and take it to the leasing office downstairs to have them fax it for me.

2:43pm: The guy at the leasing office tells me there's some little glitch with the fax/computer/something-or-other system, so it may not go through.

2:46pm: False alarm: it worked!

2:52pm: The kids and I are back in the apartment. I text Alex to let him know that the papers were faxed, and he texted back saying he just dropped the package off at FedEx.

3:35pm: Alex is at the airport with time to spare for a couple tacos. The kids and I are noshing on granola bars poolside.

So the closing didn't happen exactly today, but when all the paperwork arrives at the lawyer's office tomorrow, everything should go smoothly. At least tonight I won't go to be thinking the house hasn't sold.