Who's Pretty?

Looks like we need to repaint your perch though Lulu.

Sewin' Up a Storm

This is what I've been working on in my little shop lately. Pillows made from reclaimed linen grain sacks and a batch of Buggy Blankets for the new "Amatuer Gardener's Club" in Gig Harbor.

Just Plain Fun

Q: How do you get 3 kids under 3 to leave the Zoo willingly when you want to?

A: Promise dum dums and a dance party in the car.


Although everyone is too tired to dance to my silly songs, they are enjoying the wonder candy that is a dum dum.

2 Things I'm Really Bad At

Inspired by my friend Sarah's post a few weeks ago brilliantly titled, "My 'Monica's Closet' " I guess I'm feeling like a confession today.

1. Cleaning up while making dinner. Bombsite. Seriously.

2. Replacing the dwindling soap bar in our shower. This is not an effort to save soap. Just a lazy moment repeated for at least 14 days in a row.

There, phew, I feel better.

Henry's Bathroom - Phase I

Phase I (Complete)

• new floor


• new baseboard (courtesy of my Dad)


• refinished cabinets

Phase II (Incomplete)

• old mouldings removed


• taking suggestions for wall color

"A Wet Knot is Harder to Untie"

September is a great month for marriage because it almost always rains at least a little bit on the day of your wedding which has traditionally been viewed as Good Luck, and said that a "wet knot is harder to untie". Many of our friends and family have been married in September. Here's to you all and anyone else married in September - a happy month of Anniversaries! (*Especially our parents!)

Jessica and Chris Ebersole - Sept. 6, 2008 - 1 Year

Kathy and Mike Freeman (my Mom and Dad) - Sept. 9, 1972 - 37 years

Rachel and Joel Dontos - Sept. 12, 2009 - newlyweds

Pati and Al McDougall (John's Mom and Dad) - Sept. 19, 1970 - 39 years

Jenny and Sloan Anderson - Sept. 25, 2005 - 5 years

Lisha and Ryan Jacoy - Sept. 25, 2005 - 5 years

Perfect Night in Puyallup

When we pulled the stroller out of the car our tire was blown. We both said "shoot" but knew there was no going back. It turned out to be a perfect evening out with the Torrone's. Henry and Will were totally into doing the rides all by themselves, Charles was so quiet in the bottom of that Phil&Ted's that John didn't even know he was with us until about an hour into our trip, and Miss Lou was pretty much a perfect lady on the loose. I still am not sure how we survived without a stroller for 4 hours, but we did it and even snuck Lucy on the train telling the ticket taker that she was 2. See, I knew having these huge kids was going to pay off someday.

Girls and Their Dogs

Brodie is a common resting place for Lucy. We love our dogs. I actually still have the overalls I am wearing in this picture with my first Dog, Jenny (thanks Mom) and will have to see if Luce can wear them in a another year or two.

Target Hits The Spot

The littluns needed a minor closet restocking for fall, so we spent just a few dollars at Target the other day. Amazing what your money can buy you there. I even bought Metro Henry some very cool long sleeve tees in the girls department. Don't worry Daddy, he still looks manly. However, this is currently the cutest thing in the whole store. Lucious obviously needed to bring it home.

Got 'back'?

I am wiping katsup off most of the surfaces in our kitchen after a hearty breakfast and hear this nostalgic tune playing in my bedroom and head in to check it out. This is what I find. Seriously. The only thing that would have set a better scene was if the water bottle on Jack's night table was a '40'.

Hey Cous'!

There were so many great photos taken by Ali and Pati during our Coos Bay trip last month, but this one takes the cake. My favorite photo of the trip, of two of my favorite dudes. Cousins are so special. We love you Simon.

These little ladies are somethin' else too.

Another award winner.

John, are you ready to buy that camera yet? I'm in.

"Two, Four, NINER, Five, Six, Seven..."

"I can't hear you, you're trailing off and did I catch a niner in there?" - Tommy Boy


Well, he's a beaut he is. And here are his stats:

Charles Friedrich Torrone

Born 9/9/09 weighing 9 lbs. 9 oz.


Amazing. Malia is incredible and looks great. Chris is a proud Diddy again. Will is a little freaked out to see his Mom in a Hospital bed, but otherwise excited he has a "baby broder". And Charles is, well, the most beautiful brick of a baby I've seen.

Waiting for Charlie

Malia is scheduled to go in for an induction Wed. morning. This is in my fridge for anyone who wants to come over tomorrow and either wait for, or celebrate the swift arrival of Charles Torrone. I'm sure Malia hopes I will be drinking by 8:30 AM. Join me if you like!

Consumer Reports - Lucy McDougall Reporting

Everyone in our kitchen LOVES this cereal. Can it really be good for you?

C'mon Baby!

We made Malia spicy chicken wings last night and fed her cookies high in baking soda, balsamic soaked bread and even dirtied her house just so she could expend some energy and try to get Charlie to make his appearance in the world. How nice of us? When I left her house I saw a huge, low in the sky, full, harvest moon. Amazing. I took these pictures hoping to show Charlie photos of the moon on the night he was born...no luck. But I did make the boyfriend leaving our neighbors house very nervous as it appeared I was following his car down the street with 2 kids and a camera after dark. What was he feeling guilty about? You can see his tail lights in this picture, I think he was deciding whether to get out and 'mess with mama' or not. C'mon Charles - get to it!

Hey Tex!

Just completed an emilystreet "cowboy" blanket/baby cloth order. Custom orders are my favorite projects, something about knowing it is for a specific baby. Lots of love goes into this stuff, let me tell you! I think this one is pretty cute.

Missing Meg

My sister is living in Flagstaff now, where she has a super beau, a super job and a super pad. But I miss her all the time. Especially today. I made Brit (our "other sister") a tomato soup lunch when she got home from work and all we could talk about was Megan. Love you Meg - would you hurry up and move across the street already!

How Lucy is Megan, or Megan is Lucy in this one? Man they confuse me.