I Call it Marble Madness

Jason made this really REALLY cool marble toy last year. Pictures don't even describe how cool it is. It's a toy that Drew asks to play with every day, and Jason and I get caught up playing with as well. The best part is that it was made from scratch of wood, nails, glue, wire, and a little elbow grease. His creativity too. (My help in the paint and design department.)

It's a marble run of two different tracks that begin at opposite sides. Drop in a marble in one of the orange cups on top and watch your marble go through a series of obstacles.



Like this Plinko board. Tink, tink, tink, tink, tink, tink and your marble might end up on either of two runways.

That lead to the final marble house. Which of course has a hinged magnetic door to let out the marble avalanche when full.

Or the swirly vortex of terror. Which Drew thinks her dog might enjoy. (Try not to be distracted by her shirt. Yes I gave in to the licensed character tee...but I argue it is only a pajama shirt.)

Or your marble might run through the forest of windmills or past the mirror wall.

But you can be sure your marble will be watched over by the marble queen.

This isn't even the half of it, guys.

Pros and Cons of Jason Being Done with School:

Pro: I get these two picture mails on my phone of Jason and Drew's big bus ride into the hospital... while I relax and turn another page of my book.

Con: I leave Jason organizing and packing up the closet while I go grocery shopping. I come home to find he has uncovered my old journals and is having a good old time laughing at my expense. He has found enough material to last him for a while.

Fine Art

I have been more interested in art lately. I have been looking at a lot. Confession- not because I want to be more cultural, but because I need more wall art for our new house. I'm not particularly interested in abstract fine art, but one of these pieces in particular really speaks to me. Can you tell which?

Yes. It is this last beauty. Created by up and coming artist Drew Patterson. Story behind the painting- she needed something to do on another cold Iowa day. Her choice of colors and brush strokes tell me a story. Breathtaking.

Guatemalans

I'm really looking forward to mine and Jason's vacation next month. I browsed through all of the photos of our last real trip together, which happens to be Guatemala from four years ago. I loved seeing the sites and tourist locations, but I loved most seeing the way of life of the people. Seeing other's circumstances really popped my little American bubble I have lived in all my life. Here are some shots that might give you a little taste of Guatemala life.

And a shot of the lovebirds 2005.

Photo Shoot

Little did Drew know that when she was born to me, she would forever be my teeny model and tester. We had a photo shoot so I could get some pictures of some skirts that I am going to be putting in my Etsy shop (hopefully today or tomorrow). Just a few of my model...

I originally wanted to take pictures by this really old red barn I saw one day off the road (we have a lot of barns around here in Iowa), but decided against climbing Drew and I over the barbed wire fence. We drove down the gravel road just a little ways more and found this cool turquoise farm building and I loved the color against the dark red gate.

I really wonder how anyone can take pictures of a one year old. She has learned to completely block out any direction I might say to her like, "Drew, turn around and walk towards Mommy." Or, "Go stand by the gate." All of a sudden when I start telling her to do things like this, it's as though she's blasting up the music on the little ipod playing in her head and she can no longer hear me. Nice try shrimp.

I resorted to throwing a rock to where I wanted her to stand and telling her to go get it and bring it back to me. This gave me a lot of great shots, but of course she always has rocks in her hands. You win some, you lose some.

House Plans, part one

Come on over! This is the entrance to our new house. I love that it is not at the front of the house, but along the side. It is more private and cozy. Add some flowers along the sides, lots of plants in the back by the gate, a bench under the tree... so cute. Now I really need to figure out how to grow stuff and keep it alive. Oh, and I guess we also have to close on the house and move in first too.

Easter in pictures

(This is a cold face because it was freezing outside. Leave it to Iowa. And leave it to me to still make her wear her Easter outfit in the cold anyway.)

Purple or Blue

She is a strong willed girl.

A few nights ago after getting out of the bath, Drew and I were picking out her jammies. I said to her, "Oh look, you get to wear your purple socks tonight." To which she shakes her head and replies, "No. Blue." That was cute to me, so I fished through the drawer to find the blue socks instead.

I'm dressing her on the changing table and slipping the blue socks on her feet when she starts violently shaking her foot. "No, no! Purple socks! Purple!" After a day of battles, this was not one I was going to pick. I went back and got her purple socks because it must have been pretty important to her. I dropped the blue socks on the floor.

The next morning I woke up to a very distressed Drew. When I walk into her room, she is reaching through the bars of her crib crying, "Blue! Blue!" She had pulled the purple socks off her feet and was trying to get the blue socks from the floor. Are you serious, Drew?

Strong willed and indecisive. Bad combination.

Was and Is

Was:

My old jewelry/make-up/mirror stand my mom gave me for my 14th birthday. It never made the moves with me after I got married.

Is:

Drew's new piece of furniture! I pried off the outdated little wood design piece on top, replaced it with a cute wooden flower, sanded, painted, ripped out the forest green velvet interior, and replaced it with cute fabric.

Question:
Is shabby chic furniture old news? I thought of shabbying up the new white paint, but just couldn't do it.

For the Love of April

We did a ton of fun things in AZ last week. Drew's new word that she said at least twenty times a day was "outside." The girl was not happy unless she was outdoors scouring for rocks and flowers and soaking up the sun. I don't blame her. She just survived an Iowa winter being locked up in our tiny condo. Let me rephrase that. She is still surviving an Iowa winter because we sat at the window together today watching the snow fall outside. In April. Of course she asked me, "Outside?" Um, no.

This girl is not meant to sit behind a window and watch the snow fall. She looks too good in little shorts and shades for that.

Update

My arms are much tanner.

Drew is more spoiled.

The house situation has been a roller coaster. Still is.

I am SO excited to move to Phoenix.

I miss Jason.

We are flying home to Iowa tomorrow morning.

Forecast says snowstorms.

Blah.