Wanted: Bathroom paint color suggestions

Any favorites out there?

Bedroom is glamourous white.

Bathroom has wainscoting on the bottom.

Would like something calm and peaceful on the top.

Have a million things to do.

But would like to get this done...

today?

Candy Bags

Make Halloween tolerable.

Piles of candy.

Times 4 Trick or Treaters.

(Basket of dirty laundry, Old man, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and a Cheerleader)

Equals too much candy in the house.

So....They come home and sort.

And sort some more.

And bag it all away.

Five pieces of candy per bag.

Each Saturday they pick a candy bag when their chores are done.

They can eat the candy from the bag whenever they want.

If they want to eat it all, that's fine.

If they want a piece mid-morning, that's fine too.

But, they only have those 5 pieces of candy.

They won't get any more until Saturday.

Five years ago my friend Susy told me about candy bags in Sweden.

We loved this little Saturday tradition, and it's worked so well for our kids.

The little bags go in the garage fridge, and they have candy bags until Easter.

Now I just need someone to give me some candy bags of dark chocolate.

Then life will be really good. :)

-julie

My Momcave

Is here.

My art studio downstairs.

As in the basement.

It's not this clean right now.

I'm painting.

Sketching.

Painting some more.

Cutting.

Finishing.

14 more days until they need to be hanging.

In a gallery.

Gulp.

I think I can.

I think I can.

PLENTY of time, right?

In between Halloween parties,

baking cookies,

assembling costumes,

helping with homework,

tutoring,

driving around and around town,

cleaning,

making meal after meal....

I need to create.

It's a form of meditation for me.

It keeps me sane.

Back to the depths.

-julie

Sometimes

You just need to laugh.

Here's Linnea and Cody, the weasel.

Hysterical shot that makes me laugh.

That's all.

Enjoy.

-julie

The Fix It Job

Sorry to leave you all hanging on the bad hair job.

The day after two dear friends saw it in person, and said,

"You have to go back to the colorist."

Hmm...and I only thought I needed to go back to a new stylist.

And...

I washed it.

What a difference that made.

The crazy red streaks toned down considerably.

A week later I love it.

The cut?

"Nothing that can't be fixed with another 8 weeks," to quote my stylist.

Lovely.

It's not lop-sided anymore.

The back is still a little goofy,

and the front is a little fringy and weird,

but....

she'd have to cut more off to make that disappear.

So...

I'll wait another 8 weeks and it will all be good.

Thanks Izzy for the pic,

and letting me borrow your spelling words.

As for the 8 weeks,

I have plenty of things to do.

There are always dishes.

Always stacks of paper.

And always a counter that needs to be cleared.

-julie

Sisters

Meet Madison and Java.

Madison is ours.

Java is my sister Katie's.

Four years ago,

a "chocolate lab puppy" sign in Door County

prompted a turn around,

and a life altering decision.

Sure, why not potty train "twins" and a puppy?

I was nuts.

Most days I don't regret the spontaneous decision.

I'm glad I'm not training a puppy today!

Katie and Mike were fresh home from three years in Indonesia.

Three years of my heart aching for her to be home on U.S. soil.

She is now, but miles upon miles away in Seattle.

Things have changed since this pic.

Katie and Mike have two year old Eli,

and are expecting a baby GIRL in March...

and my baby girls are big now!

My dream for my girls is that they'll be close as adults...emotionally and nearby too.

Close enough to hang out and have a cup of coffee together.

I caught these two sipping cocoa on the swing just yesterday.

Today Katie is the big 3-0.

I'm nine years older.

Many times it seems like a lifetime.

For one year we will share the same decade.

Happy birthday Dear Sister.

Sick Day

Nothing like a little soup,

A few cups of coffee,

(side note...I'm really getting good at making it! Just had to slow down and check the steps!)

and a little bit of dark chocolate

to help get one through a child's sick day.

The little pumpkin on the right isn't quite herself today.

I'm using this pic to show her usually spunky self.

At almost two she had no fear of countertops,

and ran so fast I couldn't snap her up!

So today she is resting.

She's always had a knack for falling asleep,

in the most unusual positions and places.

Hopefully tomorrow she will be back at school....

and her three siblings will be too.

Had to postpone the fix-it cut till tomorrow.

Oh well.

I'm kind of enjoying a day in my sweats,

drinking coffee,

eating soup,

and nibbling on dark chocolate.

:)

-julie