March 3

My mom had to call me a couple days ago to make sure I'm still around, so it must be time to blog :-) Have been busy helping Melissa, her boyfriend and the kids move in to a nice larger home. Madison, at almost two and a half, finally got her own room! So that's done, and now I'm left facing my own hovel of a home. I say 'hovel' because that's how a place ends up looking when you go week after WEEK without cleaning it, am I right?  Here's a cute photo I snapped of Madison making cookies one day last week ( I think! I lose track).

Sweet, huh? Around that same time we also had our first ever real 'conversation'. It bears repeating:

Me: I sure love you.

Madison: you too.

Me: Really? You love me?

Maddie: Yeah.

Me: Awww. That's so sweet. Thank you!

Madison: You welcome. (then, realizing we had just had a conversation); hee hee hee. You WELCOME!

We recently walked into a furniture store wanting to buy a bunkbed for Caleb's new room. They were $1200 without mattresses. yikes. I came home, hopped on Craigslist, and a set had JUST been listed for $300. It took a week to finally get in to the home and buy them (after being in that home I felt much better about the condition of mine by the way). Between the condition of the home and the condition of the furniture Melissa was in shock and awe that I actually shelled out the cash and hauled that crap out of there. Here's a pic I remembered to take while I was refinishing them in  her garage.

The girl on the phone had said the kids had "scribbled a bit on the desk top but it'll probably come right off with Goo-Gone." ahem. There wasn't a flat surface anywhere on the two end pieces or the two beds that those kids hadn't gone crazy with felt pens, ball point pens, and crayons. I sanded for a day and a half, and the rest of the finishing went pretty fast. Here's the 'after'.

Caleb is in love with it, and Melissa and Mike joke that they can probably resell it for at least a thou. ha ha. Everyone's a comedian. ;-) We're using the second bed (made to tuck in between the two end pieces) in Madison's room as her first big girl bed. It's very low to the ground and perfect for her...even if she falls out she'll hardly notice.

Since I seem to be doing a grandchild update (I must bore so many of you!) here's a shot taken last month of Kadence.

We were out having one of our not-often-enough girls-only brunches. Me, the two local daughters and their daughters. Kate, Kadence's mom, was saying "I told her dad he needs to stop sending her home in designer earrings. I'm tired of feeling responsible if they get lost!" I asked, what the heck are you talking about?  "Those! Like the ones she's wearing!" huh? At which point Kadence pipes up "they're joo-see!" Oh, my my. Ain't none of us going to be able to keep up with that one much longer!

On the topic of sweet stuff, I like many have become obsessed with wanting to make macarons. Well, really I wanted to taste a macaron, so it was up to me to make them.  In two years of getting Marie Claire Idees magazine, I don't think they've ever had a issue without macarons in at least one photo. So I finally gave it a whirl this past weekend. I will show you the reason I will be trying again soon.

The little raised up base, called the 'foot'. Very promising!! What I did *wrong* was made them too big. I've now made a template with 1.5" circles on it so I can keep them small and uniform next time. See, you really can't go wrong with the taste. It is made of ground almonds, meringue and sugar. Like a Jordan Almond flavored cookie with a light yet crunchy meringue texture. OMG. I ate almost all of them. WITH a white chocolate ganache filling. SO. The only reason I'm not making another batch this very morning is because I know darned good and well I'd eat all of them too! What really helped a lot was watching 'macaron' or 'macaronage' videos on you tube. The key to success or failure is when you fold the almond/sugar mix into the meringue...watching the professionals do it beforehand totally took the mystery out of it.

Want more sweet stuff? I've also been somewhat obsessed with finding the sweet fabric panels by Atsuko Matsuyama ever since seeing this blue quilt (among other things) in her fabulous Pink Book.

I finally found someone in Tokyo who speaks english well enough to reply "why yes, I have that panel in THREE COLORWAYS, and also some coordinating prints."

OH knock me over with a feather! And sweet prints like this, too.

I may have to go find an actual paying job to fund my future shopping with her, ($45 to ship 8 meters) but it'd be worth it! 

Sorry to make a long post five minutes longer, but I've had the video below linked here in draft form for three weeks now and no matter what your politic nature, it deserves at least one watch with an open mind. Actually, it deserves an emmy in my opinion, and so succinctly illustrates why a) Sarah Palin offends the hell out of me "How's that hope-y change-y stuff workin out for ya?" and b) why I LOVE Stephen Colbert. Brilliant comedy. Brilliant because it's the truth:

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Sarah Palin Uses a Hand-O-Prompter
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Skate Expectations

Comments

[nanette]

Oh my those panels are wonderful. I love them. There is one I've been looking for, too. Not like I don't have enough Japanese fabric. But who can have too much? Lucky you. Fun to see it.

[sharon]

You did an awesome post!! Full of stuff. I can not believe that bunk bed. It was a mess but you made it look like a new piece of furniture.
Love the Joo sheeee earrings. Very cute. The girl has taste at least.
I love seeing the grandkids photos so keep on posting them.
Are you ready for your ME trip?? Your going to have so much fun. The weather here is getting beautiful.

[happy zombie]

MEGA POST full of yumminess! So when did baby Madison grow up so much. SHE WAS JUST BORN! Time flies!

Stephen... he's a GENIUS. Great clip, especially the ending. HILARIOUS.

Atsuko Matsuyama, "the pink book", her fabric... swoon. I have her book too (thanks to Pam). Do you know Atsuko is the designer of Lecien's "Old New Collection 30's"? Yup, she is. She's also the genius behind the darling purse handles Pam showed on her blog. JenDuncan... I think you should start a fan club!!!

I loved GeorgiaPeachz's comment!!!

[dawn]

I love that Sarah Palin gets the libs all up in arms, the bantering is fun. Also, I cannot believe how big the kiddos have grown particularly Caleb...man time goes by fast! Great post!

[Julie]

I'm pretty intelligent and I LOVE Sarah Palin.

[Pam]

Fabulous job on the bunkbeds! You should submit them to Design*Sponge's Before & After:
http://www.designspongeonline.com/

Glad to hear we are on the same page re: Sarah Palin!

[KathiD]

Well, it has been a while, but you made it well worth the wait!!

[Des]

welcome back! yeah, that's a "whoa" on the bunkbeds!! Great job!

[Cathy McMann]

Wow, what a wonderful transformation job you did on the furniture! I would have taken one look at the "before" and said, "no way!"

[georgiapeachez]

I saw that Colbert episode and laughed my ass off. She is just a modern day Anita Bryant. She offends me to no end.
Cute kids! I hope you got a discount on that furniture! It sure did turn out beautifully. xo, suzy

[Diane]

Thanks for the perfect Post, I too think anyone that thinks Sarah Palin is right for politics needs to check their own IQ. Love the grand babies share. Hugs Diane

[sherri]

Was just wondering where you were after seeing a comment you'd left on another post! That Japanese fabric is amazing...$45 is definitely worth the shipping...although...yes, what an expensive deal that is...but wow...you found the fabric from the pink book!!!