page 65 & we are bona fide FARMERS

OK, this will be the last time I talk about the chair. The issue of Natural Home that features our chair is on the newsstand right now. The article is titled "Reduce, Reuse, Rethink" and our chair is one a few projects featured. I ran out and bought every copy at our local Barnes & Noble. Our photos are in the photo gallery link online (before and after) but not in the body of the text. Go there if you are interested but you've seen them before on our blog so it won't be that exciting. With today being Earth Day and all, I'm feeling somewhat smart with this little project.

page 65

And in bigger news, let me show you our garden. We are now officially farmers! Matt did such an awesome job, it went in on Sunday and Lottie Sue and I have watered it for two straight days. All of the plants are so small and cute, it's going to fun watching them grow into mature adults. Again, feeling smart on Earth Day.

Here is the back of the car with some of the plants

And here is Lottie Sue in back of the car, she was very interested in the flowers

Let the work begin...

Matt worked his behind off - Best Husband Award!

And here is a shot of the finished product...

We are growing tomatoes (three different types), red peppers, cucumbers, onions, banana peppers, jalapeño peppers and squash

We also have a ton of herbs we're growing separately (chives, cilantro, oregano, thyme, mint, basil, lavender and a few others). We'll use them up no doubt, we're big fans of basil and cilantro.

Oh yeah, Lottie Sue watched/supervised Matt do the work. Here are a few shots.

You guessed it, playing peek-a-boo - as usual

She loves being outside

And here are a few random photos. Lottie Sue and I went to the park one lovely afternoon. I put her in the swing and it took her a while to warm up to it.

The obvious caption: Just a swangin'

And here are two photos of Lottie Sue in her stroller, chillin.

Green is my colour

And let me share a photo of my cousin Melinda here with her two girls, Claire and Jane. They live in South Carolina and both girls just had birthdays. Jane (on the left) just turned 10 and Claire turned 6 - um, how can this happen? Jane has been growing her hair out for Locks of Love and just had 13 inches cut off. Way to go Jane - what a great thing to do! And I hear she's sporting a very cute bob, Melinda is going to send photos and I'll post. Melinda is in training for her second triathlon - yes, you heard me right. She's a machine! Good luck!

Jane, Melinda and Claire after a snow this year

OK, signing off for now. Posting more soon!

I'm Giddy

Our before & after is up today AND on the front page!!!

Click on this image to take you there

I want to thank Grace for being so wonderful, this was so much fun!

Cupid's Gonna Get You, Design*Sponge & Harlan is 11 Months Old

Happy Valentine's Day!

Is this the cutest Cupid you've ever seen or what? We know, it's almost too much. Cuteness squared. Then multiplied by a gazillion. Then squared again.

Ready, Aim...FIRE!

And in other very exciting news for us - our chair is going to be featured on Design*Sponge.

YES, you heard me right. Last Friday at lunch Carrie mentioned that I should submit it to a design blog and I went home and did just that. I received a response from Grace at Design*Sponge a few hours later. She loves loves loves the chair and wanted to use it on her site. I can't tell you how excited I am, I've been on a high for days. I wasn't sure if/when she was going to use it but after several emails back and forth of information gathering they've given us a date.

So tomorrow you will have to check out the site to see our chair - I don't think it will be on the front page but I know for sure it will be on the "before & after" link. And you know I'm going to make a blog post out of it so don't worry about forgetting, I will make it very obvious for you.

And can you believe that Harlan is 11 months old??? I can't. Becce and Mike sent over photos of their growing boy and I've pasted them below for your enjoyment. Harlan is such a cutie pie! And please note that Becce had funny captions and I can't remember them exactly (plus I'm too lazy to go back and look them up) but I'm doing my best.

Tell me, Clarice — have the lambs stopped screaming?

Harlan "petting" Scarlet

Driving without a license

Stinkpot face

Cutie pie H-dub

And I mentioned Lottie Sue's tooth coming in, Matt got a money shot tonight during her Valentine photo shoot. Here it is, it was after her cereal so please forgive her grubby face.

Dear Tooth Fairy, I hope you're a big spender

And speaking of the Tooth Fairy, it reminded me of a "This American Life" that really cracked me up. I think the subject was something about talking to kids and their logic. A woman told a story of how, when she was 7 or so, found out about the Tooth Fairy. She was over at her best friend and neighbor's house one day. Her friend told her the night before she put her tooth under her pillow - and in the middle of the night her father came into her room and put $1 under her pillow! But instead of thinking that the jig was up, she used perfectly valid evidence and arrived at the perfectly incorrect conclusion that her neighbor, Mr. Jones (or whatever the name), was the actual tooth fairy. For years she believed it and would try to keep her cool around him, never wanting him to find out she knew who he really was. That's funny stuff.

Oh yeah, I am soliciting awkward photos of anyone that is brave enough to share. Let's have a laugh, shall we? Listen, I put my Dixie Stampede shot up and it was BAD BAD BAD. I have a really good one of Becce somewhere in this house where she is sporting a mullet "do" while wearing rose-colored glasses (AND a Cosby sweater if memory serves but I can't confirm that piece). I am desperately trying to locate it, I think it got packed away. But I will find it...oh yes...wah ha ha...

Alright, have a super duper Thursday - Friday is right around the corner! Whee!

Cera Makes It To LA & The Love That Dares Not Speak Its Name

Hello all! Yes, Sara and Hayley made it to Los Angles and they are getting situated in their temporary home. They'll be there for a month while they explore the area and figure out where they want to live. Yesterday they were eating lunch and Lyndsay Lohan walked in to the same restaurant to eat, they had to go through the paparazzi when they left. Cera's blog isn't up yet but she sent some photos over of them at the Grand Canyon. Here you go...

Cera at the Grand Canyon

Whoa, this is nutz

Hayley at the Southern Rim

And here is a nude photo of Miss LS before a bath and drying off. She loves baths very much and really plays in the water.

Neked baby

What a pretty flower

And here is a photo after the bath, Lottie Sue on the piano...

Post-bath, tickling the ivories

For Christmas Becce gave me a poster of the Chicago neighborhoods - it is super neat. Matt and I had it framed this weekend. Here is the before photo followed by the finished product, doesn't it look just fab?

We picked the yellow matting, it really popped

And here is the finished product, I love it so much

And now let's move on the photos of your favorite baby, Miss Lottie Sue Mowrer...

Play time with BB

She will chew on everything, she does not discriminate

Nom nom nom nom nom nom nom

She thinks it's REALLY funny to put this lion on her head and let it fall down. You put it up there, and when it falls she'll close her eyes super tight. It's funny.

Eyes shut

And here she is modeling her winter vest...

I like penguins

Kevin and Ernie sleep so much, it's really nuts. But this photo proves how cute they are...

The love that dares not speak its name

Lottie Sue and I met Carrie, Kevin and Kat for lunch on Friday. We did sushi and it was yummy.

Carrie with LS

Kat and LS smile for the camera

Here are a few photos of Lottie Sue in her crib, she really likes her mobile but it's going to have to come down soon. She's yanking it and one day she'll rip it down.

Baby girl in her crib, just chillin

This is an additional photo of our beloved chair, this shows the notion detail - LOVE IT!

This chair is a lot cooler than we are

Here are a few random photos for your enjoyment...

Lottie Sue working those fine motor skillz

Um yes, the three of us are wearing matching shirts - we couldn't be any cuter

I'm signing off with two of Matt's "Giant Pictures" - you get the idea...

Matt in NYC

Tommy puts the squeeze on Megan during one of our Mt. Leconte hikes

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!