bang, bang

Last night we went and saw The Brother's Bloom (many thanks again to aunt Shelby for watching our hooligans so late into the night). It is only showing at the Broadway, which as old and creepy as it is, I secretly love for it's romanticized old and simple nature.

The movie was spectacular and had some of the coolest cinematography and character and costume set ups. I'll admit... I have and will always be a sucker for a twisted hopeless love story. There were moments when I, along with everyone in the theater, was laughing out loud. So beautiful, sad, hilarious and bizarre.

So go see it. It is at the top of my summer movie list.

oh, oh, oh, wilco. wilco. wilco i love you baby.

It's time for the monthly cd mix giveway - and for may, it is all about WILCO. So if you are needing a good summer mix of one of the greatest bands around - be the first to comment, and your mix will soon be making all your summer dreams come true.

please don't you grow up too fast

we took our little family up to heber with grandma and grandpa to spend a day with thomas and friends. jackie's little head almost came off his little body he was so excited. we had a great day thinking about loved ones, eating pizza and playing at the park.

we also thought about jay bennett, and listened to yankee hotel foxtrot.

my greening thumb

When we moved into our house last year, the yard was a jungle. The previous owner had managed to plant every single plant, shrub and flower the nursery offered - and all of it had been unattended to and overgrown for who knows how long. She had placed down weed guard over everything, but then had let the lawn grow over it, along with weeds, not to mention the crazy-a roots from the ugly shrub plants, until there was one massive rug of jungle floor to take out.

All we did last year was try and bring the lawn back to life, and try to make our way through the chaos and tear out everything in our path.

(sigh) Finally I the end is in site. I have a few more shrubs to attack, which could actually be called trees because they are so tall and stubborn. They may require the professionals to remove (may the 6 shovels that attempted their removal rest in peace), but I think I am finally getting to a neutral starting point for the yard.

I have been reading lots of books and trying to get ideas to start the stages of what will hopefully be a hipper front and backyard space. I found this really great book at the last run to the library on succulents. Beyond being very resourceful on what to plant, the photography is absolutely gorgeous. A great designed book if you want some gardening eye candy.



I love succulents - the great patterns, the repeating nature of how they duplicate themselves and their rounded and swollen leaves. They are beautiful. I think I will plant some, along with some vibrant moss, in between the rocks by the roses.

Thanks to Sarah Wiley's green thumb/good advice - my roses are flourishing. They are grass and weed free, and are on a tight schedule for fertilizing, pruning and weeding. I have knocked the count down from 26 to 15 plants, so I am excited for them to have more room to breath and grow this summer.

I have been surprised to find all the weeding and gardening to be extremely relaxing and theraputic for me. I can't wait until I can start putting things into the ground instead of just ripping things out.

popcorn popping

Yes. I purchased this bag because of it's packaging.

I needed popcorn for a church activity and I could not pass up this bag of perfection. I love the icon of the tractor. I love the halftone treatment on the real image of the popcorn. I love the material the bag was in - almost a satin/matte finish. The ampersand (&) is super hip between the type at the bottom - and I just love how simple everything is. No weird cartoon figures, or massive amounts of type and messaging. Just simple, "this is the best corn their is" kinda vibe. It is almost has the feel of a silkscreened poster. Plus - it was 100% whole grain and no trans fat - if popcorn could be sexy - this would be it.

I know, sound the nerd alert. But I was sold.

i love days like these

Today was a great day. My room was a perfect temperature when I woke up. We started sleeping with the windows open at night - and it is heaven.

The weather was warm, but with a cool enough breeze to open all the windows and air out the house. I love the way it feels to have that wind gently whip through the rooms, down the hall and across Cash's little stick-straight hair as he peers out at all the activities that are going on in the neighborhood below.

I got to get my hair done today. I do not know how I managed to ever grow my hair out to these lengths (I am more of a short-haired girl), but when I closed my car door the other day and realized I had half my hair in it, I thought it must be time for a trim. Plus, my attempts to cutting up my own bangs is still a talent I do not posses. I go to my cute friend Jamie's Salon - so the trip is more then a reviving of the hair, but a good chat, a catch up with each other, and good laughs as we look through all the hot gossip magazines and wonder how Angelie will raise all those kids if Brad leaves her... oh yeah, it's called 8 nannies.

Ryan took the boys to the park while I had my girly time. I love when the boys can be outside. I think all the winter months make me want to spend every hour of daylight on slides, swings, walks, and adventures of any kind that involve the sun and the TV off. We stopped for Cash's first slurpee (which we attempted to make Jack share with him - until we realized we had started WW3 over Mega Molton orange slush) and returned home so I could return some emails, finish some design work, and have enough time to tidy up the house, sweep the floor and feel for 2 minutes that my house always looked this ordeally.

Then we packed everyone up again and headed out to Cafe Rio for "Tamale Thursday"... CR's thursday special which is tasty and cheap. I then dumped Ryan off at home for band practice as the boys and I dashed over to Grandma's and Grandpa's for treats, more sliding and swinging, a lot of running, in which Mom can sit and watch while the Grandparent's entertain, and a nice walk around the block a few times. Jack played Thomas the Tank Engine games with Grandpa, rough housed with Uncle Steve, and got in a little arts and crafts time with Grandma in which he created his first self portrait (featured above). I don't really see the resemblence, so maybe he is going through an abstract period.

As soon as we got home, the boys both feel dead asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows, and I got some good time to relax and read my library book about how to create a "timeless landscape design" for my front yard.

May seventh was a good day.

go ahead, you can drool

Ryan finally decided to break out the smoker I bought him for his birthday a year ago. Holy crap, I am not kidding when I say that this is better then anything we have ever eaten at any BBQ and dive rib joint around town. And yes - if you are wondering, the beans were cooked on the smoker too. So, now that we know what it can do... who wants to come over for dinner?

sweet dreams

There is something I really love about basic white sheets. Today when putting away some towels, I found this unopened package of bed sheets I had forgotten all about - so I washed and set them up and felt happier that tonight I would be sleeping in them and all their newness and crispness.

I am not one much for the loud and patterned bed linens, but rather I like to keep it simple and clean. I like the idea of the headboard getting all the attention - especially when you have a king bed - I don't want to draw more attention to the huge block in the room then I have to.

Now that the cold nights are leaving us - I am on the lookout for a great summer blanket. I think a punch of color would be nice. Yellow has been on my mind lately, so if I could find one like this, I'd have it made:

think summer

I've just decided I am going to do all things summer - and hope that the weather gets a hint. I am ready for summer. And what a better way to try and make it happen, then to eat snow cones in 58 degree weather. Jack and I were both catching pneumonia while we enjoyed our Tiger's Blood (mine was, of course, mixed half and half with sour grape) - so eventually we had to retreat to the car to finish them up.

Some of our really good friends, Sean and Sheri, just opened this snow cone joint CUP O SNO - and they have the best ice in town. It is shaved finer - yes... I know a lot about snow cones. I think I am the one who keeps most of these joints in business through the summer.

And even while I felt like turning on the heater on the way home, I still think "make it summer" attempt number 612 was a success and tomorrow will be warmer because of my efforts.

little buckaroo

This entry is mostly for Grandpa ...

Tonight, on the way home from our adventures of the day, Cash was crying - we had obviously kept him out way past his bed time, lost his bink and all he wanted was his cozies and bottle. Suddenly, very quietly, I could hear Jack singing Cash a lullaby.

It may just have been the cutest thing ever. He was singing him a song my grandpa sang to my dad when he was little (My Little Buckaroo), my dad would sing to us at night when we were small, and I sing to Jack and Cash before they go to bed ... but to hear it in Jack's little miniature voice to Cash, was too much.

Man I love those little monsters.

"Go to sleep, my little Buckaroo,
You know the stars in heaven, they shine down for you.
Your eyes are tired, another day is through.
So go to sleep, my little Buckaroo.

wooo - oooo, Don't you know that Buffalo Bill, was once a kid like you.
Your eyes are tired, another day is through.
So go to sleep, my little Buckaroo."*


(*My version is not true to the lyrics - as my memory has not held onto them very well, anyway, I thought you'd get a kick out that Grandpa)