I really am the luckiest. Two nights ago I stayed up late after watching the Real Housewives of NJ reruns and did this. Taken a few months ago in Naples, Florida, I love this picture of my husband and me, but mostly because when I look at it it reminds me of how lucky I am to have him.
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My lovely, sweet friend Vee invited me to come stay the weekend with her and I jumped at it. It had been almost 2 years since we first met face to face, but for awhile before that we'd been blogger pals. She is such a good person, kind, funny and of course talented. We hung out at her house and had cocktails at happy hour at TGIF, walked around DC Saturday and drove through Virginia and had her yummy chocolate chip pancakes Sunday. Her children are wonderful, polite and I look forward to when our kiddos can all get together. ( and I got to sit in the Vee craft space...pretty rad.)
Smithsonian American Craft exhibit, (taken by Vee)
We were so bad, we didn't get any pics of us together and I lugged around my big ass camera and barely took it out. So lame.
Can't wait to see her again soon!
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We went for a little picnic on the beach today in Naples. Dave had to fly to London for work, feeling rather bummed we couldn't go with him this time, we decided a beach day was in need. On the way down we drove through Alligator Alley and I'm not joking that we easily saw 100 alligators on the side of the road in a canal and on the shores. Crazy!! Then we were star-stuck by wild dolphins swimming along the shore at the beach, it was lovely!
It was a good day.
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From my winter Christmas mini album to warmer weather layouts, I finally scrapbooked some of the dolphin swimming pictures from our day in the Keys a few months ago.
Same design, just different pictures, one for little sis, one for big sis. And below, my three favorite people!
I don't know about you, but I am having a hard time keeping up with blogging. Sometimes I think I should just go on a blog vacation. Do you ever feel like that?
Well, I ordered my Project Life album, I'm getting things together to start it hopefully this week. Anyone else doing one?
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So sad, I've been working on this mini (or not so mini, I can't even shut it ) and it's done. From over 2 years ago and moved around through 2 countries, last week I glued in the last picture. Almost a month of European pictures; 11 days in London, 4 days Venice, 5 days in Manchester and ending 5 days in Paris). Whew. But seriously, one of my most favorite times of my life, a vacation of a lifetime, a dream really! Here's a little bit of it.
There's many more pages, I made a lot of fold out pages and pockets for souvenirs and trinkets. I wanna go back and do it all again.
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Yesterday we went down to Marathon, Florida to the Dolphin Research Center for a "dolphin encounter" as they call it. Little sis had said she wanted to swim with dolphins for her bday gift from us, and after asking around about places that have safe, clean and humane dolphin experiences, we found out this place was the best. The DRC is the original home of Flipper and they currently do rehab and house dolphins that other aquariums cannot keep. It's a beautiful little place and you can tell the staff really love these flipper-ed guys and take really good care of them. What a beautiful afternoon! The girls loved it as much as I did! Bear acted as photographer and took pictures.
Little sis started it off with a hand shake, so cute, they come up and stick their little flippers in your hands.
Then they gave us each a kiss on the cheek!
We got a dorsal pull ride and got to do hand signals for them to show us their favorite tricks!
The DRC also has small water park area and some beautiful waterfall and gardens.
After we grabbed lunch at this neat little place on the water (the ahi tuna nachos were delish!). The windows are all open and while it was warm and humid, it was also relaxing. We watched the boats pull up and dock in the back, people coming to grab a piece of key lime pie or a cold beer from the bamboo-covered bar. (And while there was a lot of Tommy Hilfiger tropical shirts going on, but it was still nice...)
(Pretty sure she cheated here...)
and finally, had to laugh and snap a photo of this beauty. I just about peed my pants at this billboard, so fab-u-lous!
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October Afternoon's Sketch Thursday was a great sketch, and it prompted me to grab a couple pictures. These are from our European vacation 2 years ago...I still haven't scrapbooked that trip...or the European trip last year, I am slacking...
Hope everyone has a happy, safe weekend.
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The August prompt over at the Creative Type is Vacation; like in a place you've gone or a place you would like to go. So come play along! This month we're kicking off a new Creative Type, with a couple new designers, prizes, You Tube Videos, and some rad guest designers, so come over and check us out!!
Here's mine;
Even though I've been super lucky to live in another country and travel a good bit of the world, I really, really love the daydream of touring America in an airstream trailer. Stopping off at famous diners and eateries, picking what highway to take as we come to it, going to out-of-the-norm museums, sleeping with the windows open so you can hear the crickets at night, smores at each campfire...sounds so great!!
What's your vacation daydream? Or do you have a picture from vacation you want to scrapbook? Make a mini album and show us!!
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and buggy, but we loved spending the day in Key Biscayne together.
and it doesn't look like it, but behind us was a large, looming dark cloud, then it started to rain. But we were still together.
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In London it's bloody cold this winter...the first 3-4 days were actually not too bad, damp and chilly, but the last 5 were SOOOOO cold! While I usually like the winter cold and really don't mind a brisk day, it had been really nipply...but I'll take it happily. I love this city!!!
We went down to Harrods one afternoon. We've seen it before, but each time we're amazed at the store's grandeur. It goes on and on, one room of designer clothes spilling over into another room of fine gourmet foods. We bought a few trinkets as gifts for family and had lunch at the Chinese counter. 6 chicken-chive dumplings and 3 jasmine blossoming teas=28 pounds....but the experience was so worth it.
The girls also met their British pen pals, who've they've been corresponding with for 4 years. Last year when we were here they were sick and couldn't meet up. But this year we met up at the British Museum and had a lovely day! Big sis and her pen pal are the same age and little sis and her pen pal are the same age. There is a middle sister in their family and little sis and her bonded quickly, now they have decided to be snail-mail pals, too!
On day 6 we went to The Sherlock Holmes Museum located at 221b Baker Street. What an amazing place, all the authentic Victorian items whisked us back in time. The girls loved it, and I must say, I did, too.
We also stopped by the Tate Modern Museum. While most of the art in there is not my favorite type of art, it's still a beautiful museum with many great pieces by quite a few famous artists.
Matisse
Jackson Pollack
Joan Jonas
And a day with my lovely, lovely, lovely pal Steph at the Natural History Museum and later dinner, was fun. Last year we met for the first time since (we're both crafty bloggers and are on the Creative Type DT) at Hampton Court. It was great to see her again!! My daughters adore her and love her "fancy" way of talking.
Can't wait to see her again next year (hopefully it won't be SO cold.) (geez.) (Or she could always come visit me here in the US whn we move back in a month...ahem...)
Another day, London Tower and London Tower Bridge. Dave was free that afternoon to join us! He hasn't been to that part of London for many years, so I was glad he was able to come with us more this time.
In the Salt Tower there are these beautiful, ornate carvings in the walls from the prisoners held there hundreds of years ago.
Portabello Road was fun, too. We looked at many antiques, cute boutiques, bakeries and fun kitschy things. The girls each got a matryoshka for their collections and I bought a Matryoshka pepper grinder. Dave bought me an antique ring as a surprise when I was inside a store, making it even more of a special gift!
The last two days we just sort of went wherever the Underground took us. We ended up at places such as St. Paul's Cathedral, walked over to Shakespear's Globe, back to Big Ben, Hyde's Park to watch skateboarders and ultimate frisbee players, Hamleys Toy Store in Piccadilly and through Borough Marketplace.
It was, as always, a fantastic city to visit. We ate yummy pub food, had fun with new and old friends, toured a lovely city and can't wait to go back next year!
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Hi there new year! I'm glad to meet you...I hope you'll be good to me this next year. I'm looking forward to being friends..And I'm wishing you all the most wonderful year to come! Can you believe it's 2011? Any special wishes for this new year? Mine is smooth transition. We have a lot of big things happening, even in the first 3 months, and I wish, eyes tightly shut, for a smooth transition, free of hiccups and nervous feelings, my girls effortlessly making new friends in a new town in a new school...poor chicas...Dave's new position turns out to be the best ever...I get to shop at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods once again-whoop!....unpacking our little treasures that have been in storage for over 2 years now ( my milkglass, antique camera collection, half of my clothes, cooking gadgets), look for a new home, need to buy a new car, a new couch, find a school for the girls, find a new hairdresser, find new doctors, new acupuncturist, new driver's license, new phone number, pray the girls are happy, poor chicas.... well, you? What's your wish? I hope we both get ours.
Now onto a year in review with pictures...I made 2 mosaics. I thought about doing more, I take a lot of pictures, so 2 was hard to cram in only the most important. Which is hard, because each day is important to me... There's quite a few trips and special times missing, but this gets the 2010 gist across.
Travel, birthdays, holidays, lost teeth, living abroad, meeting new friends, visiting with old friends, crafting, heartache over lost pets, lessons learned, all in all, it was a good year.
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We had a mini-vaca in Valle de Bravo/Avandero this week. A couple nights and days spent sitting by a campfire, eating amazing Mexican food, jumping on a trampoline, playing with some puppies, listening to the waterfall outside our hotel window, as well as hiked up a mountain (literally, I'm exhausted) to see the millions of monarch butterflies that cover the trees and forest floor as they do each winter when they migrate here from Canada. Just amazing to see.
This picture does nothing to show how many there were magically fluttering around. There were thousands and thousands, dangling upside down in trees, so many the weight of them making branches bend. It looked like bright, orange leaves falling to the ground or blowing in the wind. They covered the path and we had to be careful not step on them. They landed on our heads and shoulders, the girls were so excited.
The girls rode horses up the mountain because it's a STEEP 3 kilometer climb (roughly a little over a mile and a half). Dave and I hiked it.
We stayed at a nice, little hotel called Refugio del Salto. Our cabana was next to a waterfall and it was so wonderful to sit out on our balcony or go to sleep at night with the pounding water relaxing us. We ate breakfast in the restaurant overlooking the waterfall and spent a afternoon and night sitting by a campfire with new and old friends.
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Not that I don't love me a dandy sweater, or some fun wedges, or any other piece of clothing...but I love to travel, too. This next 2 months are FILLED with it, too!!! The end of January I will be going here again...
LONDON!! My favorite city in the world!
And then we're going to here...
(photo credit) Barcelona, Spain...que bueno!!!
(photo credit) Madrid, Spain, mas bueno!!
There's a real chance of Argentina, too, but I have to wait to see on that (but crossing my fingers!)
The other places, not as fabulous; Las Vegas soon (sorry LVites)and then later in February to pretty Scottsdale, Arizona. My wonderful husband won a 4 day vacation at the lovely Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa in Arizona. Woo-hoo! PLUS, the most fab-u-lous thing, is March 1st I'm moving back to the US...muchas gracias...more on that later once I have concrete details.
So, like I said, I love a good sweater, but this ain't too shabby either...
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Valle del Bravo is about an hour and a half from my house here in Mexico and I love it there. It reminds me of the area I grew up in the States around Lake Tahoe or areas of Nevada City; clean mountain air, the refreshing pine smell, crickets off in the distance, BBQing in the night, the smell of wood smoldering is very comforting...
Golfing, massages at the spa, swimming, nature walks, horseback riding, delicious food, heaven...
I can't wait to go go back! That place is lovely and reminds me of where I grew up, it makes my heart smile...
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I figured it's about time that I scrapbooked the pictures from our Europe trip earlier in the year. Here's a couple from the 5 days we were in Paris. I'm also starting a mini book of the whole 3+ weeks we were there. More to follow soon...
When I turned 30 (a few years ago, ahem...) I made a list of 100 things I wanted to do in my life. One was french kiss at the Eiffel Tower. This year I got my wish...( blush...) Do you love little sis' sweet, smiling face in the picture? yeahhhh...and I used the last Studio Calico kit for these two, almost all of them, but I can never entirely stick to just one kit when making a LO.
This is across the street from the Eiffel Tower, a fun, old-fashioned carousel...Little sis was all to happy to go for a hair-raising ride!
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I finally got around to finishing my summer vacation mini book. I actually have one page half done (of our San Fransisco trip), but the rest is done. It was a fun one to make, I love minis, I don't know why I don't do them more often...
2 months total away from Mexico on vacation, traveling through the US seeing fam and friends; 9 days spent in an RV on the beach, walks through the Redwood Forest, many photobooth pictures with Dave and friends at my fave bar (the signature Fred and Ginger cocktail was my summer drink), roller-coasters, pink, sticky, pink cotton candy fingers, concerts (General Public in Truckee under the stars and Matisyahu in a hazy, pot-filled auditorium), Saturday morning farmer's markets, DRIVE-THRU Starbucks (!), shopping in San Fran (God I miss UO), clam chowder on the wharf, yummy ice cream from Bi-Rite creamery, ocean waves crashing on the beach, Crafting Wednesdays, Tahoe Mondays (and the occasional Thursday), Forever 21 stops, American tv, annual girls trip to Ohio with dear friends whom I miss the other 361 days a year, Trader Joes (God I miss TJ's...), thrifting, thrifting and more thrifting, BBQs with family, riding my bike along the river, my morning walks through the forest each morning, State Fair Carnival, El Pollo Loco, time spend with my mom (miss her so much!), sand between my toes, sleeping in, hoping summer would never end. I loved making this mini book, all the pictures hold such wonderful memories!
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I saved these from a couple weeks ago when we went to the Xochimilco and visited the island of the dolls (Isla de las Muñecas). Fitting for Halloween, no?
sweater- nordstrom rac
shirt- pull and bear
pants- bought a year ago somewhere in Philadelphia??
shoes- way old dr. scholl's I got on sale at macy's---hands-down the most confotable shoes I have
hat- bought in california, where?
necklace- UO
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There is a part of Mexico City called Xochimilco that is very famous for it's canals and boats rides. One can hop upon a canal boat and take a slow, leisurely trip through miles and miles of canals. This is where Mexico City actually started thousands of years ago. People lived on the canal banks and on the small islands tucked in the waterways. They fished and grew vegetables, used canoes and made barges to cross the water. Now there is a huge population of greenhouse growers surrounding the area. The largest florist market in North America is down from the entrance of the canals.
We took a day to visit the canals and go for a boast ride. I nice man named Lupe steered the boast using a long stick. We asked him to take us to the isla de las muñecas (island of the dolls), famous on many travel chanel shows for the strange, eccentric man who lives there. Many years before he started decorating his very tiny island with dolls; small, big, Barbie, peek-a-boo, with heads, without, all different types...He believed the dolls would ward off evil spirits and protect him. It was the perfect outing to get us into the mood of October's spoooooookiness...(insert a maniacal laugh here)...
Then we headed back down the canal and saw boats with singing mariachis, boats with ladies frying tortillas for sale, a large pig I'm sure on his way to be slaughtered, and a man coming by our boat with a assortment of plants for sale. We bought an ceramic elephant with a plant and a small ceramic pot with some sort of greenery.
We're having a kids Halloween costume and cupcake decorating party the week before Halloween. We have our costumes picked out; big sis is a Grecian Goddess and little sis is a geisha. Dave and I are also having an adults only Halloween party. I was thinking of being Sookie and Dave could be a tall, bloody Eric . I have a vampire lady costume, we'll see about Dave. If you're celebrating Halloween, hope you're getting excited for it! Any special plans or costumes?
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I love that word, wanderlust. Fits me perfectly. I love to travel, go on long trips or short day trips. Visiting new far-off places or just strolling through close-by neighborhoods to look at homes and gardens or see what we can find that's new or interesting. I thought I'd try to start doing a wanderlust post every now and then. Just one or two pictures from an every normal day to neat trips we're on. Sometimes spectacular, other times more mundane.
(picture taken on Prado Norte in Mexico City)
This is were we often buy for our collection of Catrina dolls. Do you wanderlust, too?
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The girls and I decided it would be splendid to spend 8 days on the northern California coast with my mom. And it was. I love the ocean, especially the Pacific coastline. My parents have a new 40 ft travel trailer which I thought might be a pain and tight, but this thing has it all. Bathroom, full kitchen, DVD/CD player, flat-screen tv, indoor/outdoor speakers, comfy beds...made me rethink trailer living... We stayed in a RV park in Bodega Bay, about an hour north of San Fran. It was pretty chilly at night, more so than normal the local people said, but I loved smelling the eucalyptus trees and walking down to the beach and hearing the waves crash against the sand. We loved making smores in the middle of the day and leaving the dishes in the sink until the next morning. (My dad, "Mr. Clean," drove us up there, parked and hooked up the trailer, then left us = fab.u.lous.) We went to an Apple County Festival in Sebastopol (one of my favorite Cali towns from back in my Deadhead days) and ate apple fritters, bought handmade soaps, watched a canning demo, saw amazing crafts, big sis did a beekeeping demo (knowledge from her Philadelphia Homeschoolers beekeeping class) with a Sonoma County beekeeper, and listened to some awesome bands. We walked through magnificent Redwoods, dazed by their grandeur and sublime beauty, all the while looking for gnomes and butterflies and treehuggers. We played in the cold Pacific water and had sand in places sand should not be. We found endless supply of seashell booty and laughed at the boobing heads of sealions peeking at us way out in the tides to see what all the screaming laughter was about. We ate salt water taffy for appetizers at dinner and flew kites and made baby voices at sea lions on a pier. We went to farmer's markets and bought local, organic produce and cheese. We shopped in cute, little boutiques and perused shops with seashells, smoked salmon jerky and retro toys. We went antiquing and thrifting in quiet, shingle-sided towns. We visited the schoolhouse where Hitchcock's "The Birds" was filmed. We visited an old barn that birds lived in. We ate organic, handmade ice cream in flavors like strawberry jubilee and deep, dark secret. We visited local sites and lighthouses, climbing sandy hillsides high above, overlooking the ocean and sandy dunes. We walked along the Russian River and chatted with some people at the Sundance Festival (a gay community festival). We stayed up late watching Glee episodes on my computer and slept in until 10. We played games and rode bikes and ate fish-n-chips three times. It was a good week.
What a lovely end to a beautiful summer. This was by far one of my most favorite summers, visiting with friends and family, traveling a bit, going to Lake Tahoe, crafting, camping in Sonoma, all of it was awesome! We go back to Mexico in 3 days. I'm a little heartsick, but it'll be okay.
(I know this was a long one with a lot of pictures---but it was more for me, so thanks for hangin' in there!)
What was your favorite thing about your summer?
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I'm FINALLY with internet here in Bodega Bay, California...my wireless was on the fritz. I was in Ohio last weekend for our annual all-girls weekend with some of my favorite people as previously mentioned in my last post. Mandi was the hostess with the most-est, we all had a great time hanging out in her so fab apartment and crafting, laughing, drinking way too much, noshing, thrifting and antiquing....I miss them already and can't wait for next year.
Mandi** and Vee**
Pattycakes** and Steph**
watching one of my fave's create...so rad!
as always, Patty got scared and hid in the bushes...geesh!
In Cleveland, at Luckie's Cafe...
(The rest are taken by the other girls)
I bought so much milkglass from the multiple thrift store stops I had to mail it all back...
Jen and me in front of an awesome antique store ( I miss this girl so much!)
This was so exciting-this is when Mandi found out she got a job blogging for Apartment Therapy! We were not surprised, of course, she's uber talented!
And equally exciting was Vanessa found out her plans of opening her own coffee shop/cafe in York was going to happen!!
What an awesome weekend! I miss them all already, each has such a wonderful, lovely spirit, each full of special qualities that make me so proud to be their friend. Next year it's at my place, I can't wait, it's gonna be so fun!(thank you, thank you very much...in Elvis voice.)
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#4 on my summer list; visit a farmer's market...
little sis said, "Mommy, this looks like a nose!" Yeaaahh, fer sure, a nose...
we bought some yummy strawberries...
they were yummy, but tres yummy? Hmmmmm.....
even at a farmer's market there are ninja wars with corn numb-chucks!
Hope you are having a great start to your week!
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I love this idea of leaving a disposable camera somewhere for people to find, snap a couple photos, then leave it somewhere else for others to find and do the same until the camera's film is all used up and they mail it back to you. You in turn get to see where the camera has been on it's exciting little adventure, and with whom. It sort of reminds me of when the girls and I used to do random love notes in Philadelphia (here and here and here). We'd write mini notes with funny sayings or encouraging words or messages and stow them in the sugar packets at Starbucks, in between paper napkins at a cafe, in coin slots of parking meters, eye level in cracks in the walls or bushes. We loved sitting and watching people unexpectedly finding these little word treasures and smiling ear to ear, looking around to see who may have left it. This community photography project makes us excited in a same fashion. I hope people play along and really do mail it back once it's all finished.
So, the girls, Dave and I dropped off a camera in Polanco,a cool little area of Mexico City. We'll see what happens, and we'll post the pictures once it's been returned to us!! When we go home this summer we plan on dropping off a few in different parts of the US, so keep your eyes peeled around you for a small disposable camera, waiting for you to take it on an adventure...
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You can buy amazing flowers here in Mexico City. Large, small, rare, common, all colors and shapes, and, many for a fraction of the price as you would in the States or in Europe. There is a HUGE flower market here about 40 minutes from my house. My neighbor goes once a week to fill her many huge vases throughout her 6,000 sq ft home. I have one hobnail vase that was my Granny-pannies and 3 mason jars, so when I was invited to go with her, my idea of what I would by was substantially smaller than my neighbor's, and I was just excited to take pictures.
gardenia bouquets for 2.50 (or 30 pesos)
garlic flowers
Roses are about 5 dollars (or 50 pesos) a dozen
Catholicism and Christianity are staples to the Mexican culture, even at the flower market there are alters and shrines for Jesus
this little senor dude is making a fun flower sculpture
One part of the flower market has fresh vegetables and fruits, dried chilis, moles and spices. Here is an old mole stand that I found out has been in the family for many generations. Big clay bowls hold a variety of moles and chilis, you scoop out what you want.
I can't wait to go again one day soon!
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Well, David B is gone, but there's enough fab Indian restaurants and museums here in Manchester to keep me occupied. The hotel we're staying at, The Palace Hotel, is absolutely beautiful. It used to be a bank and insurance company, and the architecture and artistry is really impressive.
the doors to the restaurant
Even though it's kind of old and drafty, I love old buildings like these. They just don't make buildings like these anymore and the attention to details, all the nooks and crannies, the archways and hand-carved banisters, these are the things I could stare at for hours, thinking about the things these walls have seen.
the foyer/front desk ceiling
Then we had to wash our stinky rags. A week and a half in and out of hotel rooms, it was bloody time! We took a cab and a stuffed suitcase to a launderette by Manchester U. Here the girls befriended a little sweetheart from Tibet. Her parents are in Manchester to study at the U. She followed the girls around and giggled constantly. Big sis carried her all over and little sis gave her a small draw-string bag she had in her backpack.
We went to a delicious Indian restaurant for dinner (third time here in the UK) and enjoyed our favorites.
and big sis likes to take pictures as much as her "mum" and took this.
self portrait...waiting for Dave to come back from a meeting, bored...
Bored then, well, we walked over to Chinatown our second night.
Stopped in at a Chinese herb store, bought some rash shower gel for little sis' rash on her tummy. Then I got a little 30 minute session of acupuncture, good to do a few times a year to sort of tune-up the body...back at the hotel enjoying my first Brandy Alexander, in appreciation of one of my favorite musicians, Fiest.
Third night , walked down to a town square area, listened to some musicians play. Stopped by the good ol' Urban Outfitters and perused the sale rack, and took some pictures of different people. Let me tell you, punk is alive and well in the UK, LOOOOOVE it!!! The Brits know a lot about fashion, I could sit and people watch all day! People aren't afraid to throw on a fake fur leopard jacket, sport a bad-ass mohawk, rat out that hair reminiscent of a 60's go-go dancer, or wear a skirt that in the States would be considered too short with fuchsia colored tights covering thighs that would be considered too big-awesome!!!!
(and my camera battery promptly died right after this shot, so bummed because I had thought how cool it would have been to do a post of cool UK trends)...sigh...
Manchester was really rainy the 3 days we were there, kind of a bummer. We saw a great Science museum and sat having coffee and tea quite a lot (of course, Indian one more time) and the girls talked on the phone with their pen pals who funny enough only live a short distance away, but ended up being really sick and couldn't make it to meet up with us (bummer, but we hope to be back to the UK next year).The girls have had these 2 sisters about the same age as each of my girls for pen pals for the last 2 years. They are also homeschoolers and are faithful at snail mail letters once or twice a month. They exchange hand-made or unique gifts for birthdays and Christmas, as well as small trinkets from trips or vacations. I think it's so cool the girls at least got to talk over the phone.
And some snuggle time in with little sis. I rather thing I look quite busty in these pics...
Well, off to Paris next!!
Au Revoir!
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Translation; This spaghetti is delicious...
and it was, as is this lovely, intriguing city...Venice holds up to it's reputation as romantic and captivating.
Even with the bitter cold during the day (it oddly enough warmed up just a tad at night) (it was tough at times the days we were there), you still had to admire the narrow, time-worn streets enclosed by the tall buildings with hinged wooden shutters and planter boxes spilling over with greenery wishing for warmer weather. The streets wind around canals and intersect at corner bakeries, cookies and breads traditional in Italy displayed in windows, small coffee shops to order an espresso or cappuccino with no hurry at all to run off, and high end boutiques selling Italian leather goods, lingerie and murano glass bobbles and figurines.
At Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark's Square. What a beautiful plaza, the craftsmanship is remarkable.
It's the major heart of the city. The square touches the water to the Adriatic Sea and allows boats to come in.
Dave was able to join us a lot in Venice in between meetings. The girls love having their dad there for trips and I agree, he's the best to hug close when it's as cold as it's been here in Europe.
Carnivale is right around the corner, so stands street-side offer a wide variety masks for sale,
At one of the restaurants we ate at, this nice owner gave the girls these play horns. They played them the rest of the night, but they actually came in handy when it came time to find some friends who'd we'd lost in the streets. 
Big sis is strictly a spaghetti and cheese pizza eater, while each meal little sis tried something new. here she's eating octopus...which she's actually eaten a few times.
and me loves me some Peroni beer...I "tried" a couple of them...
a street shrine to honor Virgin Mary... and more pictures as we walked
next, off to Manchester...ciao bella!!
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Despite the cold, I love this city. I would move here in a brilliant second! The people are fashionable, polite and uber fabulous! The city is beautiful with quaint neighborhoods dotted with tutor-style pubs and small markets, the history and architecture and cobblestone streets, the so cute taxis that zip around. I am enchanted!
The London Eye
a far off look at the London Eye *** Sisters at Big Ben
waiting for the Metro
we love these neat, red post stands!
there are so many cool, little pubs and restaurants here...
This pub, The Red Lion, was opened in 1432. It was so interesting and charming. The fish and chips were delish, as well!
this one was a funky, little pub on a funky, little side-street...
We walked through Piccadilly Circus (not a circus, but a neighborhood known for their theaters, shows and clubs), Soho (another neighborhood) and Chinatown. 
We went out to Hampton Court Palace, about a 45 minute train ride out of London. It was the home of Henry V111 and Anne Boleyn before he had her beheaded, afterward other wives lived there. It was absolutely beautiful and much of the original paintings, furniture, serving pieces and other artifacts are there for display. It was amazing!! Here Henry and a court servant posed with the girls for a picture.
and here's Henry and Kathryn Parr, his last wife...
This is the dining room for the staff for Henry (Knights, Noblemen). I cannot convey enough through these pictures how absolutely marvelous and breath-taking this room is.
big sis practicing for when she is Queen, but...for today she does not wish to entertain an audience...
Here is a meeting room Anne Boleyn had painted by an Italian painter. It was amazing!
of course big sis and little sis couldn't resist goofing off while I lay on the ground trying to take a picture of the ceiling...
back of the palace, on the way out to the grounds
Anne's game room where she often played games and entertained friends...
and the food in the old English cafe was so yummy. I had winter veggie soup, hearty peasant bread and a small chicken pot pie. 
There are all these neat alleyways and corridors to explore at the Palace.
The topper was we met up with my friend Steph who lives only 15 minutes away. She's on the Creative Type DT with me and she is so sweet! It was great to meet her in person after admiring her work. She spent the day with us at Hampton Court Palace.
Then, the next day we went to Tower bridge, The Tower of London (an old prison and where Anne Boleyn was kept before her beheading).
The entrance to the prison
Tower Bridge
and of course, no trip to London would be complete without tea with the Queen...
Shopping for new shades
There's 3 days in London, I have 2 more days here..on Friday we leave for Venice...
Cheerio!!
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source Love this polaroid... I'll post some pictures every couple days <3
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A couple weeks ago we went to Africam which is a safari park you drive through. Most of it you drive through and half of that time you need to keep your windows up (tigers, lions and bears are walking around), but there is a section you can get out and see the animals up close. The park was remarkably clean and the animals looked cared for and healthy. The caretakers of the kangaroos really watched the visitors to make sure they were being gentle with the little dudes, especially since many of them had babies in their pouches. This one loved big sis and followed her around for like 20 minutes.
this tiger was about 10 feet from my car...
In one part there is a botanical garden that has butterfly exhibit with waterfalls, ancient Aztec sculptures, and of course, butterflies.
Here's a dozing rhino. Most adult rhinos weigh as much as as 12 men. Their heads are as much as 3 men!
he asked, "do I have somethin' in my teeth?"
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We made an impromptu trip to Acapulco this year for Christmas. We've never had a "warm" Christmas, usually spent in Lake Tahoe/Verdi (my parents), San Fransisco/bay area (Dave's parents) or Philadelphia (our house) and it's cold! It was awesome to lay poolside drinking pina coladas or body surf the waves in the ocean...Santa brought all the presents to our hotel room.
Big sis jumping for joy!
me and my big pina colada...
Xmas sunset
and mi esposo...I know, don't be jealous ladies...
Lola, the parrot **** little nutcracker girl **** poolside...
a scene from Top Gun, right? (ha!)
Little sis, so happy Xmas morning after Santa came...
playing with the toys Xmas morning...6 am...
Hope you had a great holiday and have a healthy, happy 2010!!!
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look what we decided to do instead of buying each other another sweater or pair of boots...
yep, we just bought our plane tickets for the 4 of us, 16 days in Europe next month. 5 days in London, 2 in Manchester (to meet the girls pen pals), 5 days in Paris and 4 days in Venice! If you have any suggestions for the off the beaten path type of thing, like other than Eiffel Tower, Big Ben or riding a gondola, please let me know! Big sis and I are excited because she recently was allowed to watch a bit of Amelie and we're hoping to hit up some photobooths! I know, whooooooooo-hooo! Photobooths, big whoop! But we haven't done a photobooth for 6 months now, we're dying! But we're excited, we have plans to do all the touristy things, but plan on doing some spontaneous stuff and just enjoying the sights.
Hope you're enjoying the holidays. We've had 2 posadas this week, maybe another tonight. Posadas are Mexican Christmas celebrations with singing, reenactments, and of course, lots of yummy food. We love going and celebrating with our friends here in Mexico. Navidad is such a festive time here.
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Today we went to Chapultepec Castle, otherwise known as Castillo de Chapultepec. What a beautiful castle and area. It started to be built 1725 by a Spanish leader Bernardo de Galvez and was used as a home to royalty and presidents, as a military outpost, and now as a museum. Similar to Alcatraz, you have to walk up this long, steep hill to reach it. However, unlike Alcatraz it has a regal beauty and luxuriousness that you can soak up. Amazing portraits, artwork and artifacts from Mexican, Spanish and Aztec times are displayed throughout the great halls and ornate salas.
Walking through Chapultepec Parkto get to the Castle. Vendors selling everything you can think of (also called tiangas) are lining the sidewalks.
Cotton candy in vivid colors, as well as tongues...
little sis and me, happy feet
a huge mural by the front staircase, a remembrance of revolution
and another,
and another,
these are actual skulls found at Aztec temples dating from the 1500's. There were 7 men and 7 women sacrificed here. They displayed the skulls on huge sticks...eeewwww...
fashion and photography
then of course, here's your choice of sexy bachelors to choose from back in the day
Bachelor Number 1
He likes bread pudding, dark comedies and eyebrow molding wax
Bachelor Number 2
He enjoys reading historical texts, playing gin rummie and hitting the garage sales on the weekends
Bachelor Number 3
He enjoys riding his Schwinn 10-speed through the park and powdered sugar on his pancakes
Bachelor Number 4
He enjoys baking cupcakes, brownies and strudel and then eating them in bed while watching chick-flicks
Bachelor Number 5
He enjoys roller-blading, chatting on the Twilight fan club site and listening to the Ting-Tings. He claims to be very focused in life...
the gardens upstairs, pretty poinsettias to celebrate Christmas
family portrait, taken in huge golden framed mirror
taking a drink...
then we rode off into the sunset...
What did you do this weekend?
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Well, we're back in Mexico now after 2 weeks in the States. Except for my 4 days in Chicago, I stayed with my parents for 10 days and it made me want to move closer to them...I love being able to see my mom everyday and I love my girls getting to spend time with their grandparents and aunts...
Here's big sis standing on the bridge that is behind my parents house. That's the Truckee River.
and my mom had a party for little sis' birthday. She loved being showered with attention.
my sisters always spoil my girls, I'm so thankful for them!
my fam...wish Dave was with us...
The girls taught their 19 year old cousins how to hoola hoop
my old dog Bodi, what a cutie pie!
Then we went to Virginia City. It's an old western town famous for silver mining, Mark Twain and dangerous saloons back in the "olden" days. Big sis had done a study on pioneers migrating westward to strike it rich and had read a small biography on Mark Twain, as well as other pioneer stories like Little House on the Prairie and Kirsten in the American Girl Doll book. Virginia City is about an hour from my parents, so I wanted take the girls so they could kind of see first hand what we'd studied last month.
The girls did a mining exhibit. While the man teaching the method of mining (we shall refer to him as ZZ Top) was less than hospitable and even slightly slapped little sis' hand for not panning correctly which in turn I thought there was going to be a reenactment of the OK Corral with he, my mom (she's a fiery redhead) and myself.
On the happy note, each of the girls found 5-6 pebbles of gold...enough to maybe buy a gumball, but it was still pretty cool...minus Mr.Happy...
We had an old-fashioned picture taken. Yep, that's my girls, my mom and me dressed up as saloon girls. Corsets, boas, six-shooter pistols and bottles of booze-rad!!!
We watched a guy at a candy store make maple fudge. We bought some chocolate mint fudge for Dave and rocky road fudge for my dad.
I was so excited to finally meet my bf Lainie's new main squeeze, Matt. They plan on getting married next June, can't wait! They make a super cute couple!!! CONGRATS GUYS!!!
Then I went to lunch with my friends. It was so good to see Brit andChandra, Chandra's lovely pregnant belly, she looked awesome! Of course, Lainie and Stef, so miss them!
How's your weekend going???
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It was 4 days of fun for me this past weekend. I flew to Chicago to meet up with some of my favorites. Patty, Jen and Mandi came in from all over and we stayed with my hubbie's BF (and mine) Matty who just moved a couple months ago to Chicago from Philadelphia. He was so kind to let us all stay in his super nice apartment on State Street. We walked all over that area, along the Magnificent Mile, down along Lake Michigan and of course we went to the Renegade Craft Fair. We ate out at historic Pizzeria Due and drank way too many cocktails at restaurants and on his balcony. It was awesome! I can't wait to see my friends again soon!!! It would have been better had Sandy, Heather, Vanessa and Angie could have joined us, but next time, even if I have to come kidnap them!!!
Down by Lake Michigan...
I thought this might be Mexico...
It was like Sisinversary take 2
Patty loves the color orange (or bronzer)
Here's the fab host Matty... (Mandi was on her way, she joined us later that night)
Saturday we headed to the Fair....
Elsie's stickers-Patty bought many... bought a Feist poster here...knitted matryoshka-LOVE!
we stopped by to say hi the the Red Velvet Art booth, met Elsie, I tried on a pair of nerd glasses
LOVE me some Martha!! I was so happy we got to have lunch together and hang out if only a small time. She's one of my favorite scrapbookers! Her friend Sarah was with her (Craft Critique)
skyping Sandy and Vanessa (photo was taken by Mandi)
We went to one of the oldest Chicago pizzeria's, Pizza Due, Saturday night, (deep dish squared!)
of course, there was lots of cocktails and convo...rad view of the city from Matty's apt!
Chicago River
This place had the most delish carrot cake cupcakes!!!
Thanks Matty!!!!
Come visit us in Mexico (and bring my crafty girls!)
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I'm here in Chicago for my girl's weekend (well, my bf Matty is here, too. He's so kindly opened up his swanky State Street apartment to us gals). Patty just called, she's on her way, Jen and Mandi should be here in a few hours. Tomorrow is the Renegade Craft Fair and shopping, dinners, gold coast, cocktails and seeing the Chicago sights! SO FUN!!! Martha is even coming to hang out with us!!!
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In honor of the new Alice movie coming out soon, I made this felt frame this week. Quite simple actually....
the print is from this etsy seller whom I super adore...
Here's the beginning of my wall in my office/craft room. I have 3 other prints I'm making felt frames for and am making a small shadow box with a silhouette of the girls inside. Try to look past the textured walls, I rent here in Mexico, so there's not a lot I can do here.
And so I'm packing and getting ready to take off tomorrow for the States, 2 weeks with my mom, family and best friends Lainie and Stef. Lainie just got engaged this last week, and so I FINALLY get to meet her new man! And then 4 days in Chicago with Patty, Jen, Mandi, Vanessa, Amy and Martha! Slumber party for 2 nights, cocktails, Renegade Craft Fair, cocktails, shopping, pillow fights (ha Bo!) and cocktails. Plus I get to see my old BF Matty. Sandy was supposed to come, too, but she is unable (totally bummed!) and I'll miss her to bits!!! And I so wish Heather (my love..) and Angie could have joined us (double bummer!)...I'll have a 'grita for them!!
Hope you all are having a great weekend! What's your plans????
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We spent yesterday afternoon in Condesa, a very cool neighborhood in Mexico City. It reminds me of Berkeley in California, Portland, Oregon or parts of New York. There's a very laid-back, artsy crowd that lives there. The streets are lined with cafes and neat little stores. There are nice parks around each corner and it had a very calm, casual feel compared to some of the other high-energy areas of the city. Of course the two margaritas I had at Primos Bistro may have helped my mood...anyways, I love it there. I would love to get an apartment there...
I bought this crocheted shawl from a street vendor, I love it... big sis was chilly so I let her wear it...
We ate at a fantastic restaurant called Primos Bistro. SO DELISH!!! I'm craving the Tacos el Dorado now...It's mostly French inspired cuisine, but has some international fusion to it (like my tacos)...
I swear we were having fun...
We went to the best little gelato place after our lunch. I got cafe flavor and it had bits of espresso beans in it, soooo good!
As always there are street food vendors. This one is nice with the oil cloth covered tables and seats for relaxing conversation...
And a Vespa shop (Simona, I thought of you...)
or you can take the bus..
or your trusty VW bug...they are everywhere here.
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This past weekend we went down to the Zocalo, what is considered the heart of Mexico City. It is one of the largest city squares in the world. It has beautiful, massive buildings that absolutely have a Spanish influence in the architecture. Most of the huge buildings were erected in the 1500-1600's, from the days when Spain came to "visit" Mexico and then took over. That area dates back to Aztec times where huge pyramids and buildings stood, it was wiped out and built over by Cortes and other Spanish Conquistadors.
The Zocolo has an amazing Cathedral, I was totally moved by it's grandeur and ornate beauty.
and outside, of course the sidewalks are lined with sales people and vendors of all sorts.
We had brunch at the Hilton Hotel with a lovely balcony that overlooked the Zocalo Square. A little hummingbird came to drink from the feeder.
enjoying tea..."awww...muy exquisito..."
the Cathedral Tower
and the Bell-ringer using my telephoto lens..
awww...my sweet girl...
mom and daughter self portraits...
here is an Organ Grinder, they originate from WW2 when many Germans came over.
getting a ride from dad...
About 30 years ago, Mexican workers were attempting to put new wiring under the Cathedral when they discovered the remains of the Aztec buildings. After years of archaeological work, a few buildings have been unearthed, while not in it's entiretyy because the Spanish used many of the rocks from the Aztec buildings to build the Zocalo. This is walking through the Temple Mayor Museum. 
I couldn't resist getting a blessing from an old Aztec Shaman. It was free and I loved it. Dave and McKaylah decided to do it after me, Ava was scared. The Shaman did a long prayer, some of it I could understand, about having good health, long life, etc. She burned copal (a resin) in a bowl and passed it over you, wiped huge bunches of basil all over you, blew a conch shell horn all around you to ward off the bad spirits and sprayed blessed water over your head (which Dave promptly OCDed on it and made us run to a bano to clean us off).
There were quite a few Aztec dancers who despite the blazing sun (remember we're at 9000 feet above sea level) they danced for hours, sometimes barefoot on the hot, black stone sidewalks.
popular restaurant
cobblestone streets and beautiful buildings
a TaquerÃa with an hombre cutting el pastor for lunch
colorful hacienda
Hope you had a good weekend...
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i can't believe she's 9. where did the time go? everyday we spend together i fall more in love with her. everyday i spend with her i'm so glad she's mine.i love seeing her happy and exploring and seeing the world around her. i want to help her experience so much and see so much and learn so much. but i want her stop stop growing up already. doesn't she know how expensive a 2 bedroom apartment off of campus will be for us, because i'm following close behind. yep...
so we went to acapulco for her birthday. it was a blast. we stayed at the fairmont aztec princess on the beach.
we rented horses for a little horseback riding on the beach...
we played in the surf...frida was scared at first, then she loved it...
we swam in the lovely pool...there's a waterfall with a bar behind the waterfall. the young lady and i had daiquiris together, her's was a virgin of course. there's also a toboggan/slide that the girls went down about 785,457,980 times. and then caves to explore. 3 fun days!
cannonbaaaaaaall!
if you like drinkin' pina coladas, or gettin' caught in the rain...
as always, no matter where we go, pixie is forever the junior naturalist!
our good family friend joined us as well, Tio Troy is always good for a piggy back...
here's the resident parrot...he says, hola, padre and madre...
and flamingos...
and besos from little sis <3 <3 <3
her birthday we asked the mariachi band to sing to her... 9, i can't believe it...
happy birthday sweetness!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
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While I do admit I love scrapbooking and all things crafty, I never thought I'd actually spend money to fly somewhere to scrapbook. But I did and I'm so glad I did. I met the coolest chics around. Many of them I've already been emailing and blogging with, but to meet them face to face, hear about their interesting lives, have happy hour, laugh so hard we had the front desk tell us to shut it, getting lost everywhere we went, talking in southern accents, spending way too much money here and here and here, not getting enough sleep, food or scrapbooking in (but made it up with margaritas), totally worth it all!!! I can't WAIT for next year!!
Patty and Sandy, I just adore them!!!
love me some Big Dinners. Here's BP/BD and me, we made each other Sis yearbooks. She's the sweetest tart ever! 
Here's a picture when Heather kept rubbing up against me...but I sort of liked it...Okay, I loved it...
Patty, we just couldn't keep her out of the bushes...she loves to bird watch...
Coolest gang
Hey! It's Jen Renee, Amy (so talented) and Sandy (Paper Poopies,I mean Poppies!)
here's the layout I did for Amy (her picture-long story). She did one for me, I'll have to take a pic and post it. It's super cute! The funniest thing is I only had 4 photobooth strips at Sis, no real pictures...Who goes to a scrapbook convention without pictures??? Did I mention we had margaritas though?
me and Vanessa, the PA girls!
Me and Martha, here's the layout she did for me (she didn't seem to remember the restraining order against me, so that was cool...)
Amy doing her Beyonce dance, so cute!
(stolen from Jen) doesn't JJ look thrilled to be there with me?
Yes, I take scrapbooking VERY seriously, people! "Now, should I put poop head or poop face, what did Amy tell me????"
me and amy=me happy!!
I stole this from Mandi, my newest idol! Man, she can jump!
Vanessa, AW and Mandi
What did I tell you? I had a problemo,pero nada no mas...
Mandi and Michelle
as Patty said, the 4 Georgia Peaches...
holy crap Big Dinners, put 'em away now!!! Oh, I LOVE her!!!
SHHHHHHHH!!!! Pillow fights in undies happened right after this!
well, right after this, I mean...
do not try this at home!
then it was nighty-night time...
I pretty much spent the entire weekend attached at the hip to 3 of my newest favorite girls (Sandy, Patty, Jen), and totally fell in love with a few more (Big Dinners, Mandi, Vanessa, Amy and Heather). We all mentioned doing another girls weekend sooner than later and I'm totally ready! I can't imagine only seeing these chics once a year!
The last day the fab 4-some went shopping in Nashville at Anthro,
ate lunch and then headed to the airport where we sat at each person's gate, saying good-bye one by one until we all flew off into the sunset (insert sad violin music here)...
This is my famous "deer in the headlights" look, feel free to use it...
Bye Jen!!! And Patty!!! And Sandy!!! Hasta Luego! Until we meet again...soon, oh, yes, verrrrrrryyy soon....
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I'm uploading the Sis '09 pictures right now and will post them tomorrow. I've totally enjoyed looking at everyone else's and reading about everyone's experience there. It sounds like everyone had a great time and will go again next year. I concur. I want to do it quarterly!
Scrap Mojo is back, the newest challenge is "I'm a little bit...and a little bit..." and the second part of the challenge is to use dots, anyway ya want, just use them.
Here's mine, "I'm a little bit good... and a little bit evil..."
she says, "she had not yet decided whether to use her powers for good...or for evil..."-HA! My motto...
I went and saw the new Johnny Depp movie tonight, Public Enemies. Pretty good. He's lookin' pretty good still...in the words of a wise friend, Meat Fest...plus Christian Bale (Chandra, I should tell your story about him?) yep...
I'll do my best to get the Sis pictures up tomorrow! Gotta get to bed now!
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only 3 more days until I'm on a plane for Sisiversary!! I'm so excited to finally meet so many cyber friends whom I've totally enjoyed getting to know! Classes, parties, classes, more parties-it's going to be so fun! Next week I'm sure I'll have loads of pics to share!
I stayed up last night making the atc swap Ally set up. The theme is transparencies. I got cute brown damask Hambly transparencies and did a cupcake thing. Most of my stuff has now been delivered to my place in Mexico, so I had to buy a few things at the store to get them done. I was nervous I wouldn't get it done in time with everything we've had going on, but they are done and I'm mailing them off today or tomorrow. Can't wait to see what I get back!!!
Finally, today it looks like we may get a little sun here in Philadelphia-geez! I was beginning to wonder??? It's officially summer and everything is soggy and while I don't necessarily love the Philadelphia summers with the unforgiving humidity, I wanted a couple pool days here. Anyhoo, last weekend was spent with some of my favorite people. I miss them already!!!
and Uncle Matty, for his b-day, his first ever pedi...
whew! And Cricket needs one, too!
Talk soon!
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Coming up today or tomorrow, Category Stories newest challenge is "shop till you drop." Now, this was a hard one for me, because I hate to shop. Ha! just kidding! I loved this pic I found on the net, someone collapsed on a bench with a ton of bags on top of her. Too funny. Go play along with us!
Well, I've been in Mexico City for over 2 weeks and tomorrow I'm heading back to Philadelphia for a week, then Nashville/Franklin for the Sisinaversary for 4 days. (I'm so excited for it!!) Then July 1st or 2nd we'll return to Mexico City for the rest of the summer. Being here for 2 weeks has been both awesome and trying, mostly awesome though. There are so may things I take for advantage in the states. Communication is one. My Spanish isn't the greatest and everyone obviously speaks very fast here, with their own dialect or slang, often slurring words together, as most native speakers do. Communication for even basic things has been more challenging that I thought it would be, but it has forced me to SPEAK in espanol. I know in 2 years when my hubbies contract is up here and we are heading back to the states, or if Dave has his way Europe, I'll be so grateful for this opportunity. I already am. There are so many amenities here that I know won't get hard to get used to. I love our apartment, like a resort with the beautiful pool and landscaped gardens and lawns, guys serving smoothies and fresh made salsas on the weekends in a gazebo by the pool, like Isacc on Love Boat. The gym here is wonderful and I've been going a few times a week at 1 in the afternoon, it's dead and I'm all alone and love it!! I have exercised more in the last 2 weeks than I have in the last few months. My husband surprised us with a live-in muchacha that has been wonderful. Araceli is from Oaxaca and is rad!!! She's an awesome cook, is from a large family and so she knows all the yummiest dishes-which counteracts my exercise I've been doing, but o'well. She speaks zero english, so it's been challenging, yet fun trying to communicate in a serene environment rather than a busy, overcrowded store. The other night I was standing in la cocina, talking in my broken spanish, watching her prepare dinner (I do breakfast and lunch, and dinners on the weekends, but having her do dinner during the week has been fantastico!!) and thinking what a cool experience this is to meet and get to know someone who comes from such a different life than I've had or has grown up in a totally different culture, and my daughters get to learn Spanish, see a part of the world they may never have otherwise. I felt totally content and at peace with being here.
Another surprise from my esposo simpatico (nice husband) was a puppy. Now, normally I'm a big animal lover and would love a new puppy (he named her Frida- the girls okayed it- after Frida Kahlo), but I was a little annoyed at the thought of taking a 4 month old puppy every hour for potty training down 19 floors from our apartment, but she's so adorable (even though she's chewed up a wooden toy, a shoe and part of our new coffee table)that I'm glad we have the addition. It also forces me out of the apartment and across the super busy intersection into a quiet neighborhood lined with colorful hacienda- style homes and unique boutiques. It makes for daily walks that have provided me with deals on 2 dozen roses for $6 US dollars or some of the best chilies or produce I've ever seen. Muy fresca!!!
I forgot my camera, so I couldn't take any pictures of some of the cool, unusual places we went to this last couple weeks, but I will in the coming posts. These are all STOLEN off Flickr...
Of a few things I'm sure I'll love list: the fresh foods, the friendly people with social niceties such as "Buenos Diaz" from everyone, the luxury of a pool, gym and a helper close-by, the awesome museums and sites near me, endless sunny,pleasant days, fresh flowers that are cheap, avocado on everything (including my new avocado facials), lovely hacienda style homes on winding city streets, old spanish architecture, the beautiful, handmade crafts on each corner or in open markets on the weekends, fun and bohemian-ish clothes, having the opportunity to learn another language...
Of a few things I'm sure I'll dislike; traffic that's never ending, city smog that's disgusting to look at out my tall apartment windows(I can only imagine what it's doing to our bodies), lack of good craft stores (or rather what I like), the huge bonanza of overly dramatic telenovelas, the crazy love of soccer and lucha libres and missing my home in Philadelphia and my family and friends.
and finally, a pretty picture I just love, so I'm throwin' it up...
only 2 more weeks!!!
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well, I'm on my way south of the border (swine flu seems over there) and I'm excited to embark on a new life adventure. It's been a month almost since we've seen Dave so we're all pretty happy about that! My sweet hubby went last week to pick out furniture so when we arrived we'd have a place to park ourselves other than the SWEEEET blow-up bed we've previously used as a couch for 3 months.....long story...
Before I go, I think I'm even a day or two early, but I wanted to tell you about Category Stories newest challenge. Titled, "If I could have any job..." which sounds really easy, right?? Well, I had so much trouble with this one. I honestly couldn't think of anything. So dorky...after I did my layout I thought of a few, but it was after the fact and I was packing and going to a beekeeper field trip and having a 3 day house-guest, etc. So big sis is always talking about her dream to be a fashion designer. She takes private sewing lessons weekly and loves browsing through magazines and cutting up outfits, making inspiration boards, etc.
The journaling reads "When McKaylah took the tour at Free People's design offices, it pretty much clinched it for her that her dream job would be a famous fashion designer." My sweet gal pal Ana is a head fashion designer there and was so kind to give us a tour a few months back and told McKaylah what she needs to do to prepare for the life as fashion designer (pouting, lots of eye rolling and critical tisks-tisks of unknowingly unhip citizens was not part of her advice, but surely it must be so-JUST KIDDING A!!! love ya!!) No, good, hearty advice about getting good at sewing and having an eye for fashion, not being scared to take a chance, making inspo boards to practice, but also stuff like getting good grades, which mommy appreciated. Ana actually works her freakin' butt off, it's for sure a cut-throat biz-ness, and she's stayed on top with hard work and of course, a fab-u-lous eye-rolling eye for fashion. To see that post click here, it has lots of good pics! Of course, Amy's custom made shirts are an inspiration to big sis as well! Awwww, surrounded by talent!
Here's some pics of Ana's b-day party this weekend...pool party with a "Sacred Heart" theme. Dang, I'm gonna miss these people...
the birthday girl, loving her new mirrored bowl ( Kristal and me in the background)
and her Sacred Heart cake, so yummy, from the Night Kitchen Bakery
man, Erin and I need tans!
Kristal and me
me and Sarah
my favorite couple!
Sarah and I (bartender extraordinaires!)
night swim
(happy birthday A!)
And I wanted to tell you about a sw-eeeet atc swap coming up, click here to see what Alli Serrato has planned if you want to get in on this. I just recently became blog pals with her and my girl Euphoria who are making me wish I was back in California. This swap is going to be pretty rad, so come play along!!
Okay, go play at Category Stories and have a great week!
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big sis has been studying insects for a couple weeks now for science. She's read a few books, watched 2 documentaries on insects and has been keeping a insect log. But did you know an insect has to have 6 legs and 3 body parts (head, thorax and abdomen) to be considered an insect? Spiders are not insects. I thought all little creepy crawly things were insects, not so...We've went to a show put on by the Philadelphia Insectarium and went to a local beekeeper today to learn about the process of beekeeping. The beekeeper has this amazing backyard with a beautiful koi pond with a waterfall, a deluxe chicken coop, many raised garden beds and now she's a beekeeper extraordinaire. I dream of a backyard like
this..
I love that waterfall...
homeschoolers enjoying watching the dancing koi fish...
it tickled when they bit on your fingertips
little sis was in love with them
big sis' best friend (with the white sunglasses on her head) was visiting us
then we went and said hi to the chickens
"whachu lookin' at???"
then we went to the the bees-ness of beekeeping. big sis learned about "smoking them out."
(she loved her oh-so-fab hat) (all this time little sis was giggling at the koi fish, she could care less about bee bees-ness)
sugar water for the bees
honeycomb
more gardens beds just built
whew! This is hard work!
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rain, rain, go away
this is a layout I did a week or two ago, with my rainboots on, inspired by kk's pic. I'm diggin' all the spring layouts and pictures I've been seeing people do.
This one was from our Annual Easter Talent Show, my dad LOOOOOVES it! (ha!)
Like this one <3 I am in love with cherry blossom trees<3. One day I'll get the guts and continue my sailor jerry bluebird tat I have on on my back into cherry blossoms and such. Peek...
and this was just for fun...where the fairies live
and I was so stoked to find out that I won the last Creative Type challenge!!!
Thanks ladies-you made my day! I was so excited to be able to order $20 worth of goodies from the Living Room Floor! It was hard to make up my mind!
And just so you know, Scrap Mojo is taking off the month of June, returning to one challenge a month in July. I think a lot of us, especially Marie, are feeling overloaded at the moment. But don't worry, the fun challenges will be back in July!
Big sis started learning how to needle felt in her sewing class. Here's the bluebird she's made this week. I can't wait until she starts making the adorable figures like we have on our nature table.
The last few days have been super busy. Getting ready to spend so much time in Mex, and even though it's taken forever to finalize everything and you'd think I'd be more used to the idea, but many changes have happened, I definitely feel overwhelmed with the upcoming move. I'm having some anxiety over the thought of leaving my home and neighborhood, our friends and the convenience of life here. But the beginning of June we'll sojourn down to Mexico for a the beginning of a 2 year experience. We'll return to the States throughout the year, but the bulk of the next couple years will be lived in a high rise apartment in a super crowded city. I'm trying to see the positive in this experience, my daughters and I learning a new language, living another culture, having some amenities that we otherwise don't have here. But I'm also pretty nervous about things like safety and the inability to just run to the store and grab some yogurt. Everything takes FOREVER there. Or not being able to stop by the organic farm to pick-your-own flowers, or running into Trader Joe's for milk (organic here, finding organic there is difficult), or running into the craft store for glue dots, the craft stores I've seen there are not really geared towards what I've got in mind...It's the silly little things like that that make me feel a bit claustrophobic. So life while we're there will be simplified somewhat. Hard for me, I'm always ready to go, have trouble settling down and am definitely at times a little high strung.
But these pictures are making me smile. Little sis joined a gardening class through Pennypack Farms not far from our home. "Little Sprouts" is a class for ages 3-5 and each week they do some sort of gardening activity and read a book. This week she planted eggplant and peppers, weeded some and picked lots of fresh chives and mint. She is beyond happy with her hands in the soil and digging around. She loves to uncover worms and delicately cover them up again. Big sis liked seeing her friend from gym and swim and they explored the greenhouses and took pictures of the chickens over in the coop while the class was happening.
this place was beautiful, too! Sarah took us here earlier in the week. All the kids had a great time splashing in the water, looking for rocks, minnows and exploring.
lastly, so drooling...
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Whew! It's been a great week, lots of errands and school projects trying to get finished up, lots of spring cleaning and crafts...so TGIF...
Come play along with us at Category Stories, the newest challenge is up,"What's Cooking?" I loved this picture of big sis in her vintage-y lace shirt and pearl necklace, smiling so demurely with her milk-glass cake platter of lemon-blueberry cupcakes. So June Cleaver-ish... Little do you know she was also wearing her rollerskates in the other pictures, which was too funny.
the picture of big sis looks a little dark and grainy here, what about there? I don't think it looks like that on Flickr, hummmm...who knows, Well, she's a doll, take my word for it! Don't you love that Sassafras paper, god, I'd totally wallpaper a room with that!
And speaking of cooking, or eating rather, I can tell this is going to become an obsession for me...this blog has me drooling...
I can tell, this is gonna be baaaaad...I have 2 already, but these cuties are making me want more.
Dave is back in Mexico, I miss him, but we'll be going down the first week in June for 2 weeks. Then I come back (girls in tow, of course) and we pick up our new family member (a South African Boerboel, "practical" for apartment living in Mexico, I said...but I have to pick and choose my battles), then I'm off to Sisinaversary in Tennessee (I'M SO EXCITED---yes, I was just screeching there) with my gal-pals (you know who you are!!)
And lastly, look at what my sweetheart of a friend sent me...Beth Perry, you doll! It was so unexpected and I think it's amazing, just like her. I'm so thankful for our new friendship and I can't wait to party down with her at Sisinaversary!
Isn't it so pretty???
Okay, have a groovy day people!
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For scrap mojo's newest challenge, the Cinco de Mayo inspired theme is so fun, go play!!! What would you do if you had one day all to yourself? A full day of spa treatments? Hike a mountain? Relax on a tropical beach? Go shopping in NYC? Party with your friends or favorite band? Go make something muy bonita and use Mexican or Cinco de Mayo inspired products or decorations..
now now, I hope not to offend anyone here. I mean, c'mon, we're all adults and this is meant to hold a bit of light-hearted humor, but you may want to divert your virgin eyes from the following scrapbook project...
Hola!
(and a close-up for you-ha!!)
Well, as you may have picked up by now, I'm a little (just un poco) bit of a smart ass, and when my friend Sarah gave me this card, I about peed my pants!!! She wrote my hubby's name for the hot lil' enchilada sitting on the donkey, and innocent me playing with my beach ball...
and for NSD/weekend, I managed a few layouts.
Sunshine Smiles
one for each of the girls albums, slightly different...
big sis, keep on smiling, girl. I'm not sure why this pic looks like the layout has a gangsta lean, hmmm...
and little sis, same layout basically, same pp and such...I loved the angle of this one and the slightly blurry, orangy-ness, but it looks like she's got a red spot on her check which she doesn't. hmmm...
and so sweet Amy Tangerine made these little beauties for my girls. Big sis was all about the seriousness of modeling them, awwww, the drama, so her...
we watched the movie Doubt on Sunday night. It was pretty good although yet a little sad, and slightly disturbing. I worked on some embroidery. We made a super spicy arrabiata sauce with turkey sausage and pasta, spinach salad, yum! I indulged in a couple Hoegaarden beers, I LOVE it, with a couple orange slices, delish!!
Oh, and I'll give a little shout out to Seeds of Change Tikka Masala (Sarah, you'll love it!), it's no Tiffin, but hey, it's pretty darn good! I made chicken masala, a spinach salad with a homemade garlic-ginger dressing, brown rice, curried chana with potatoes, and naan Friday night. SO GOOD!!!
now adios!
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