Now it's Christmastime

The end.

Where life is perfect

Do real people live in such beautiful flowy white spaces such as these? Because I want to.

A baby bed fit for a cherub.


Or maybe it's all just a heavenly facade.

*Top pic from Marie Claire Maison found via Desire to Inspire

*Next 3 pics from photographer Mari Eriksson found via Desire to Inspire

Tea & Paper

Ever since I experienced a very crazy aversion to my once beloved cup of morning coffee I've been a little sad. Until I found Trader Joe's Spicy Latte Mix. It's so good that it kinda makes me want to cry a little. Maybe it's just me...
I was feeling so good on my sugar high that I decided to use some old paper bags of theirs we had stored away and do a little vintage and recyclable gift wrapping theme for our nieces and nephews (who are probably getting too old to care about the whimsyness of their gift wrapping but alas I do it anyway.)

For some really and truly cool gift wrapping ideas my very talented friend at d.Sharp Journal has it down!
Check it:


I have about two more gifts to wrap so I think I'll borrow d.Sharp's paint chip idea. Pretty fantastic idea if you ask me beings that I have close to a trillion of those things.

Vampires are always in season

Don't be afraid to give vampy gifts for the Holidays...why not?

*Buffy DVD Collection or Tree Ornament

*Dark Shadows DVD Collection

*Little Vampire and Vampire Loves books

*Fang Necklace

Or just watch one of me and P's fave vampire music videos since 1988.

I left my heart in the desert

Death Valley, CA

Trona, CA

Saving the Earth (Tues and Thurs only.)

In Bakersfield people who are seen walking out on the streets are assumed to be delinquent teenagers, crazy druggies, or homeless people. In cities such as these the identity of any respectable citizen is reflected in your car, SUV, or monster truck. It is an unfortunate fact that most people living here are forced to rely heavily on their own vehicle as the grocery store and the doctor's office and work are all a million miles apart. What about mass transit you say? Well, there really isn't any mass transit unless you count the slow-ass bus. (Plus people who ride the bus are deemed just as bad as the walkers.)

Because one of our cars is on it's deathbed we're sharing one car leaving me clean out of a ride to work two days a week. And since G is convinced that I would undoubtedly be run over on a scooter I proudly join the ranks of the derelict (Earth-saving) crazies by walking the 23 minutes to work. But only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The rest of the week I'm a Earth-killing car-loving a-hole.

Double Happiness

This past Thanksgiving will remain quite unforgettable as this is the one we surrealistically told family and friends that we are having not just one baby this June but two! Talk about a shocker. It was only my second routine check-up where we gleefully listened to the heartbeat (yes, just one!) for the first time until the Dr. mentioned oh so casually that I measured much further along than my mere 11 1/2 weeks and that it was possible that I was carrying twins. We stumbled across the hall where she got us right in for a sonogram so as to dispell any twin rumors when low and behold, two little creatures appeared on the monitor side by side, one comfy on it's back, the other not so comfy on it's poor little head. But there they were none the less, moving their tiny hands, sending G and I into a wide-eyed shock. I did however suffer a bit of a laughing fit as I do when I'm out of control nervous. I mean, does this really happen to people in real life? I thought it only happened to 40 somethings in Hollywood taking fertility drugs. In this case it runs in the family as my Grandmother was a twin. She would be beyond happy to know this. We are in fact beyond happy as well. It's funny how quick you can get used to an idea that you have no control over. Now we can't imagine not having two and are in major anticipation of meeting them. I'm also in major anticipation of finding perfectly fantastic fabric for the curtains in their room just as soon as we know what combo we're getting. All we know is that there is some major love coming our way.

I have a dream

I decided that today is the day I go digging through the dusty boxes in the garage to uncover my neglected knitting gear! And right after I do that I'm going to sign up for a knitting class (again) at my fave neighborhood craft store and I'm going to become a knitting machine! Unless I like crocheting better...I can't remember which is supposed to be easier.

At the very least I must make this ninja. Or I could just buy it.

You can find the baby bootie pattern here .

Elephant and Lion here.

Waffles and Fruit here.

and the Japanese flip flops here.

I'm still here...

My brain is refusing to let me think about my little blog or about much these days except for one very life-changing event which happens to be the one where G and I are expecting our first baby. I know, Whoa. It seems a bit surreal yet as I'm only 10 1/2 weeks along but after 7 1/2 years of marriage and 32 1/2 years of life in general (plus G's 38 years), we think we're as ready as we'll ever be. And we're so very excited! And nervous. And at times overwhelmed. But in general, completely happy!

So on that note I wanted to share one thing that has been a small joy to me through this weird time of not wanting (but ironically being allowed by my doctor) my usual morning coffee.

Prince Vladimir Kusmi Tea is so so good and smells so dark and orangey and wonderful. I bought some in a beautiful tin somewhere in NYC which of course I don't remember now (do you, P?) but nevertheless you can order some here.

I want to sit in this kitchen with people I really like and drink tea and eat pumkin pie.

*Kitch image from Desire to Inspire.

The bookshelf of my dreams

When we were fake moving this summer, we packed up what seemed like 982 books from all over the house. There are currently about 746 still sitting in boxes in the garage ready to be unpacked but alas we have nowhere to house them because we sold some bookshelves at our fake garage sale. So now besides coveting wallpaper, and a kitchen makeover (I feel your pain, Erin!)I covet bookshelves. And yes, I want a ladder too.

I would love to not have to resort to Ikea yet again (cuz we sorta have a lot of it already) so if anyone has fab bookshelf ideas for me that are non-Ikea and non-a trillion dollars, please do tell!

*image found via Desire to Inspire.

New Fave

Mad Men is the new fave at our house. So much so that we had to spend the entire day yesterday watching it in our p.j's and eating G's leftover birthday cake.

I also seem to have fallen in love with this headboard.

Words cannot describe

It felt like a dream last night and still does today - such an amazing dream that I keep pinching myself to see if it's all real!

My boss on the other hand is huddled in his office, no doubt drinking whiskey and listening to Rush Limbaugh for comfort. So sad.

But not for the rest of us!!

I did, did you?

The wait is over

After a very long Netflix wait I have now been absorbed into the saga of Meerkat Manor.

I seriously don't know how I'm going to handle Shakespeare dying of a Puff adder bite....

P.S. For those of you who are in the know - don't tell me, k?

Every day is like Halloween

If I were going to a party tonight I would undoubtedly go as my Dark Shadows doppleganger, Carolyn Stoddard.

According to the Dark Shadows quiz, G is most like Quentin Collins.

Although Carolyn was under the spell of Barnabas for a while, it's obvious she and Quentin make a good match.

All is not lost

Another little winged creature was saved from the clutches of certain death by the Drake Street bird rescue. Our back windows have proven to be hazardous to little birdies at times not to mention the apt killer we keep as a domestic pet, a.k.a. Clementine who is always close at hand to snatch them up while they sit in a daze. For reasons unknown G named our little bird Quito. Thank the heavens this story, like Peapod's, had a happy ending.

Notice the killer locked inside showing no remorse.

Thankfully our other beastie has no real interest in killing - Elliott prefers walking around the house in makeshift capes.