Things I Want, Just Because.

anna maria horner's new book! because i think i need new sewing projects.

a serger, so my sewing could be better

fresh strawberries, to make my belly happy

rice pudding, again, to make my belly happy

a prenatal massage, to make my body happy

a karmann ghia, for fun and wind in my hair

quepi reci shoes from Louboutin, because they are beautiful

Oklahoma Spring Storms

oklahoma wall cloud

every spring, us Oklahomans have some crazy weather to deal with. spring thunderstorms can be beautiful, but here in the Heartland they often turn deadly. the warm air coming in from the gulf hits the cold air and makes the sky go crazy. it turns ominous shades of greens, blues, and grays and forms wall clouds that may or may not form a tornado. being outside at these times has the oddest feeling of electricity and calm all at the same time. if you are from here, you know what i mean. all over the television and radio there are warnings and doppler radar pictures for us to watch, but most Oklahomans go outside and watch the sky. sirens could be going off, hail coming down the size of golf balls and most of my neighborhood would be out on their porch looking out. not me. i have a healthy fear of the beast we call "tornado". i call it healthy, it's probably not. they scare me, make me shake in my boots. if the sky even gets that shade of cloudy absinthe, i find the nearest basement to camp out in with my favorite possessions. a close friend of mine was taken by a F-5 (the strongest on the fujita scale) tornado May 3,1999. i remember that night, not sure what was happening in and around my state's capital. i was working in the kitchen at a local restaurant, we were all standing out back listening to the radio and watching the sky. we heard that it hit the city of Moore, we were all wondering if we knew anyone in Moore. i didn't think i did, so i felt fine. the next day i found out i did indeed know someone in Moore, Oklahoma. there was optimism in the beginning, we just didn't know where he was, that area was a mess, how could he call to say he was okay...over 40 people died tragically that day including Rusty. i think about him all the time, especially every spring.

the sky outside my house

anthropologie and wisteria

anthropologie is going into utica square this fall in the old harold's space. a space i always love due to the wondrous amount of wisteria around. i thought it was a great space for anthropologie, especially because of all the whimsical wisteria around the entrances.

when i heard they were going to cut it all down, i thought surely they wouldn't do that, it's so anthropolgie. why would someone chop down all that splendor? i thought "ahhh, it will never happen", and let it go. then monday morning at breakfast what did i see, but men chopping it all down. well, i went right home got my spade and a container and marched right back to dig some up.

wisteria is my favorite floral bush ever. i took these back home and planted them. so did my mom. hopefully one of us has some transplant luck.

oh! and i forgive you anthropologie, i'll let it go, this time...

my backyard

our airstream rv

i love my back yard, and the things in it. if i am not working at the scooter shop, i am usually out back. there are many reasons for me to be out back. one, my neighbors. there are about 6 of us that our backyards back up to each other, so i always know what they are doing. we will chat, share a bottle of wine, eat snacks, give gardening advice, or give away extra plants or eggs. i love it. another reason to be out back is to watch the chickens. i let the chicks out to play for the first time today. they were so cute, taking a dust bath or pecking at the dirt. thirdly, being in the backyard is where my garden is, and being in the garden takes up a lot of time right now. so most of the time when i am out back i will be sitting on my tushy digging in the dirt, if not i feel too guilty to do anything else. if it is sunny out i will do double duty and put my bikini on and absorb some vitaminD while digging. reason number four is the kids. they are always in someone's back yard. i know they are okay, but i feel like i should be outside listening just in case...when will i get over this mother hen attitude?!

my lighthouse my Greek gave me for mother's day 3 years ago

the planter i made for the asparagus

the peas, carrots, and broccoli

playhouse/mudpie restaurant/laying nest

the baby girls, well i hope they are girls

wink! he wanted to play.

so, being in the backyard rules right now. as we know i love the front porch, but no rest for me till my chores are done out back.

getting my gardening on

i am so excited about the garden this year. i have goals, new things i have never tried. doing all this new gardening is a lot harder with a little Greek girl in my belly. i have been expanding the garden, and i have learned using a shovel while 20+ weeks is a lot harder than i thought it would be. sneaky me, i got my wonderful neighbor to dig up half of my new garden plot for me:) i owe him some eggs and beer. now the new plot is dug up, i have been sitting in the dirt, shooing chickens away while i weed it out. i love my chickens, but when they stick their head in my weeding looking for grubs it drives me crazy! i have one more plot to dig up and weed so i can plant my corn. never done corn before, and i can't wait to pluck one off the stalk and just eat it. we are going to plant our corn in circles. since we are planting such a small amount we have to have optimum pollination. corn has male and female parts and need wind to pollinate and make kernels. i will be planting the corn on the north so to capture the most north wind. it will be fun to run through with the kids. i also have to build some planters for my asparagus. i am afraid to plant my crowns in the ground and them lose them or something. i feel like i have these fragile plants that i have to baby so i get my asparagus each year. they will be getting special attention mostly because they take too long to grow! but once they are ready in a couple years i will have fresh asparagus in my back yard and a beautiful plant to look at.

since my peas have sprung i need to build a trellis. this is the type i will be building, or rather constructing. i need stakes, nails, and twine. easy as pie. once i get my cucumbers in i will have to make something for them too. for my tomatoes and bell peppers i use some homemade wire cages i have been using for years. i have so much i need to get in the ground! it is so hard for me to bend over because of my belly, so i am always sitting in the dirt. it still hurts my back. but not as bad. it is great having neighbors that help as well. we all plant some of the same things but some different as well. i know behind me they will have basil, jalapenos, and banana peppers in abundance if i ever need them. i can go get chicken wire and and a fresh berry or cherry tomato if i need to at another. they get fresh eggs whenever they need them and a visit from a dog or chicken at their back door when the gate is left open.
i have my berries in, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. i love having a green, thriving backyard. our little urban farm makes me so proud.

It's a...........

GIRL!!!!!!
mini monkey hat by citefuzz.etsy.com

i am so happy! a boy would have been great but i don't know a thing about them.
i know girls! i love girls! a boy would have just scared me. know we can get things!
pink things. pink eames things.

another adorable hat by citefuzz

i think i decided on this mobile from hangingmobilegallery.com
i know daddy's want boys, but my Greek is very happy. i don't think he understands the magnitude of the situation, i guess you don't until the baby is born. he will be hit over the head with the love stick.
i do have fears. fears of fights, resentment, and jealousy between sisters. i don't have a sister, i have 2 kick a** brothers. i hear it's different. i also come from a home without d-i-v-o-r-c-e.
will it be odd between them having a half sister who's mommi and daddy are still together? it's all so odd to me, so many questions unanswered. i want to do the best i can for them. but maybe my fears are just silly deep thinking of situations that will never come about, who knows. all i know right now is that i have the best husband ever, the 2 most sweetest and loving girls i could have ever hoped for, and the best friends and family a person could ask for.

chicken shirt i am dying for from ittikid.com

Happy Easter

remember running around looking for eggs? this is the first year i have ever hid eggs.
i know, i know...juni is almost 7 years old, and i have never hid eggs myself? well, someone has always done it for me. i was quite excited to do this traditional deed. i went to the local health food store to buy "healthy" jelly beans, gummi bears, gummi worms, and chocolates. goodness knows if they are going to stuff their faces with sugar, let it be real sugar. HA!
i hid them at my aunt and uncle's house after church. i cannot believe it was a hard to task, but it was. then we shuffled the kids out with my Greek, his brother, and my dad trailing along to take pictures of the girls. i had to point out what i thought were obvious brightly colored eggs in obvious spots. oops:)

well, 20 weeks is here, and my belly is bulging, even more so after i indulged in the Easter spread my aunt layed out. my little Greek baby is moving around like a synchronized swimmer now. he/she better be cooporative this wednesday when we peek at 'em. my Greek has been inviting everyone to the ultrasound. i am afraid there will be 50 or so people there at the doctor's office waiting to find out the sex with us. he is so excited, as am i. if i have a little girl i am prepared in a way. a little boy is so different and frightning to me. so many people say boys are easier than girls, who am i to know? 2 little girls have been my life for almost 8 years.

my beautiful, healthy, oh so smart, and wickedly manipulative little girls!
maybe a boy would be a nice breathe of fresh air....