Seeing RED !

Everyone that knows me knows I am the queen of PINK. Well everything but my hair anyway!!

Well suddenly RED is my new PINK! Here is my new Anirondak furniture for my breezeway. I built and painted them myself...mostly. The rocking chair should have come with a warning label, do not sit in it alone.....someone will have to pull you out !! Whats with the angles on this thing ! My knees and eyes are at the same level. Well anything can be fixed with a few well p laced throw pillows, am I right?? I made the two chairs with table for my daycare parents to sit down in and write me checks...hehehe...and the matching little size so the kiddos can sit to put on their shoes..or go to timeout! I was so proud !! 20 minutes after putting them out I found Drifter chewing up the arms!!! Well it looked good for a minute.

Now I am definately seeing RED !!!

BOOM BOOM!!.

Space shuttle Discovery and its seven astronauts took a cross country detour and landed safely at Edwards AFB on Friday after stormy weather prevented it from landing in not so sunny Florida. As usual the double sonic boom rocked our house. We always run to thte tv as soon as we hear the booms and watch the shuttle land. That means as the we are about a

minute from Edwards AFB, as the shuttle flys. Always a thrill and even more so today while we are morning the 8th anniversary of 9/11.

Marked Woman!!!

Yesterday was our 8th wedding anniversary. I wanted to mark the day by doing something special to show my love for my wonderful hubby. I have been wanting to get a tattoo and finally decided to do it last night. I have 8 chicken foot prints on the top of my foot (ala Dixie Chicks).

Chickens/roosters have a special meaning for us and always reminds me of my darling hubby and 8 prints for 8 years of marriage. I thimk it is soo cute!! Oh and by the way...ouch!! Top of your foot tattoos HURT!!

Labor Day

My incredible hubby whisked me away for a 3 day weekend getaway and anniversary celebration! Usually when we have a holiday we work on a project around the house. It was great to just go ! We packed up the daughter and 2 dogs and headed north to Bishop, Ca. Bishop is located at the base of the Sierra Mountains. We passed Mt whitney ( the highest point in the continental US) and Death Valley ( the lowest point in the US) and lava feilds ( which daughter is studying in 5th grade ). We walked along lakes, creeks and fields. Bishop is such a dog friendly town, Drifter and Raizin went everywhere with us. We antiqued, shopped craft shows, played at the Tri-County fair, swam, BBQ'd and just RELAXED!

Here are a few pics of our holiday.

Station Fire

La Cañada fire spreading toward Altadena; Big Tujunga Canyon
Originally uploaded by Noob Photographer

Thank you all for your concern about our location and the Station Fire.
We are lucky enough to be about 20 miles North of the Acton fire line.
Our valley is full of smoke and ash. At night we can see the flames and glow above the mountains across from our home. We can feel the big water dropping planes shake our windows as they fly to refill nearby. On of our daycare families have been evacuated. Prayers and praise for all the amazing firefighters out there saving lives and property. Prayers also to the family of a local firefighter who was killed in this fire.

Being Domestic

I have to admit I miss being a wife. Oh, I have a husband, love him with all my heart. He is a truck driver and he has been gone for 7 days this time and it seems like forever.

I have been in a very domestic mood lately.... yes, even more so than usual. It sucks when there is no one to be domestic for!! Decorating, sewing, planting, cooking and cleaning. Maybe because I niss him so much. Maybe it is because school is back in and I need to prepare for the change of seasons and holidays. Yes, I live in Southern California, yes it is 100 degrees today and winter will not be all that harsh...but still I have been fighting the urge to bake and can fruit for the winter.

Today, I lost the battle. I was up at 5:00, fresh linens on the bed, apron on and fresh blueberry strusel muffins in the oven for hubbies return. Then I began sterilizing jars for plum preserves. I don't think I have ever eaten a plum but I have this uncontrollable desire to do this. Here is the reason... I have been reading a new blogs that have inspired me on so many different levels. My domestic side has been nurished by www.sugarpiefarmhouse.com/stocking-up-comfort-and-joy Look at those plums, look at the color, you can almost smell them, they feel like family, comfort and joy. More than a taste I guess I have been craving a feeling.

Oh well!! Too late now, plums are a cookin' and guess what you are gettingfor Christmas!!

I want to write a post on all the new blogs that I have been reading and the people who have been inspiring me but for now I have plums to pit....hey I wonder if I can plant these things???

ABCs On The Chalkboard

ABCs On The Chalkboard
Originally uploaded by Dawna_Deanne

Back to school time already. Summer time is over as my little ones march off to school again. My youngest boy is now a Senior and my baby girl starts 5th grade. How I wish I could freeze time...back it up a few years, maybe 8 years. I miss those times when I didn't have to share my kids with the world.

This really should feel like vacation time for me because not only did I send my two own kids off to school but also 10 daycare kids. 3 that I have had since birth are now in kindergarten. I think I have empty nest syndrome! I still have 5 preschoolers with me during the day but after a summer of 15 kids in the house the quiet ( even with 5 under 4 years) I miss my big guys. ( Let me clarify that my big ones are only gone until 1:50, and stay here until 5pm, so they aren't really gone for good.)

What I really need is a baby. Nothing fills the days more than filling my arms. My littlest one is about to turn 2 and he would rather run and play in the dirt than snuggle in the rocking chair.

Days are not boring with my 5 little guys. They keep me hopping. Todays lesson plan was to be "All About Red". Everyone of them showed up in ORANGE !! Luckily I plan ahead and just switched plans and now our day is all about Orange, carrots and cantelope and big juicy oranges. I wonder were tomorrow will lead us, to the park, the farm or in the kitchen making someting messy.

Everyday is an adventure around here.