Lust List :: Twin Peaks

Last week, James and I finished watching the Twin Peaks tv series. And tonight, we are going to watch the movie, Fire Walk With Me. To mourn the conclusion of this amazing chapter of my summer, I would like to share some Twin Peaks goodness from etsy. Feel free to gift me any of these. They are all insanely inexpensive. 

 First off is this brooch of Nadine. She was one of my least favorite characters to watch, but I still think this brooch is the bees knees.

 Ahhh, Audrey Horne! What a style inspiration her eyebrows have been to me these last few weeks! I love her attitude and determination. And her wicked bod. (buttons)

 I need these for school. I really do. And I Get What I Want. Only $6 for the set...

 This is the most perfect design. Is it not? But where shall I hang it in my home?

I can't really imagine my future without this shirt. 

Tricking the Kids

They have no idea they are consuming a huge portion of green beans. We hid it well in the midst of fruit and oj and yogurt. LOL.

Lunch

I'm so proud of myself for actually eating right this week. No, really, this a huge accomplishment for me. My schedule during the day is built around kids activities and naps. By the time they are napping, I am ready to rest or work on art. Eating just gets in the way.

This week I made these fresh tacos every day for lunch. Honey mustard and cheese on the bottom. Then whatever veggies I could get my hands on: cukes, tomatoes, green and black olives, roasted red peppers, bell peppers, lettuce, avocado. Maybe not all at once, but some combination.

Yum. Let me say it again: Yum.

Beatrice This Week

This pretty little three year old has given me a run for my money this week. I feel completely drained.

Tantrums, I guess you would call them. But they are usually not over anything at all. For example, one began when she was served a dinner that she was particularly excited about. She laughed until she cried and then just got out of control. The tantrums last from 10-45 minutes. She gets so hysterical that all the normal forms of discipline/consequences only make it worse. She won't be cuddled or hugged. She's fallen and hurt herself during the tantrums and has run into the road. She lashes out at the rest of us.

Today I felt like I was really at the end of my rope. I just held her, despite the thrashing and sobbing. I sang her hymns and rubbed her back. It's heart breaking to want to help your child, but not know how.

Only one thing in the world has worked to calm her down and I'll be damned before I go through that again. (It's telling her a Thomas the Train story that I had to make up on the spot about Thomas delivering sunglasses to all the engines on the Island of Sodor to keep Sir Topham Hat from becoming quite cross. Ugh.)

I'm going to try to get her in to the pediatrician Monday. We are staying home all weekend to work on this. Then I will stay home all next week if I need to. Whatever it takes to get back on a good routine and an even keel with happy, healthy kids.

If you are parent, please share any insight you may have in dealing with this kind of situation.

What I Wore :: Rockabilly Cowgirl

This is another bedsheet dress. I used a vintage pattern for this one. I made it ages and ages ago, but I didn't get up the nerve to attempt the zipper until last week. You know what? Zippers are not that hard.

You know what is hard? Doing a top knot with shoulder length hair. I had to bend over and do an upside-down french braid in back to keep the bottom layer form coming down. BUT, yay for having another style to wear now and again. If I go more than two or three days with a boring old ponytail bun, I will chop every bit of this off. I declare.

Our internet/home phone connection was down for a good 24 hours. I cannot even begin to describe the sense of isolation that I was forced to endure. Thank God it is over.

A Letter From Hudson

Hudson, you newer readers may be interested to know, is the eldest of my five younger brothers. He is one of a number of black sheep in our family. He roughs it up north in a green and wild place. We write letters. Long, almost indecipherable letters. 

(These excerpts were the best I could do. Hard to translate, ya.)

::::::::::::::::::::

Making coffee involves an ongoing mutiny among the ranks -- of a course colander, a fine screen and a scrap of t-shirt -- tastes great with condensed milk but makes a scalding mess first. Or can become so unless cap'n is severe (after aussie bad-boy Russell Crowe fashion, right?) yet patient. I wonder why I don't just buy a dag blamed french press... "This isn't Thailand" I often mutter around puddles of caffeinated, spilt mud. Shucks.

I now have Toby for going around and the like (my little red toyo-truck), a triple feature duo (one of each) Chuck Norris and Bill Murray, a portable chimbly, a dozen sundry splinters (for a while at least), some firewood, an egg (chkn) connection, no mustache, poison ivy (barely, at this point), a good solid though not windproof outdoor shower screen and three magnets.

I love you sisterwoman
Hudson
P.S. I can't read it either, sorry.

::::::::::::::::::::

I'm not sure what pleases me more here, that he got rid of his mustache or that his outdoor shower now has a privacy screen. Either way, a visit is more likely than before.

These are pictures taken by (most likely) Ali last summer. Used without permission. 

What She Wore :: Trailer Trash

So at our parties, we encourage costumes. Lucy embraced this most gloriously the other night. She served Trailer Trash Realness with an uncanny authenticity. Seriously, Lucy, how do you do it? No, really, send me links. 

This is an outfit that will be remembered forever. I can't even explain how much I love it. 

John Waters should see this.

Party People

Okay, so I've been absent for a darn good reason. We threw a party, James and I did. It was the most fun party to date. We had crazy shots and improv, a group picture and lots of costumes. I love my friends, old and new! Wanna see 'em?

I'm pretty sure I didn't take a single one of these pictures. Lucy had the best outfit EVER (she's the one in the long blonde wig), but I'm going to show it to you in an upcoming outfit post. Do you like my orange overalls? 

I have some good looking friends, no?

A Few

Things I'm excited about:

-My brother Cooper and Ali are expecting a baby ANY MINUTE. Phin was due the 10th, so it really is going to happen soon, right?

-James' birthday party is this weekend. New friends, old friends, wine, dressing up...

-Breaking Bad. The season is off to a good start, you guys.

-School is starting back soon. Not even soon enough. #nerdalert

-Not needing any good reason to post an awesome picture. Because it's my blog after all.

Unfortunately, I found this picture of John Waters on tumblr with no linkability. Don't you hate that? That's the terrible thing about the internet. If you find the source, let me know and I'll update. While you are at it, why not find the source for this one of Aaron Coady (Sharon Needles), too.

At Long Last

After battling raging allergies for the past few days, I am going to my own sweet home tonight. Cannot wait!

Despite the allergies, we've had a lot of fun here. There's much more chasing in a house this size and the piano sounds great ringing through the spacious rooms. The kids have slept well. Every afternoon when they wake up from their naps, we go outside and sit on the porch swing to read books. There has been a good deal of thunder during porch time. We read The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl for one.

My family should be home in just a couple hours. I've gotten laundry caught up and the house is all vacuumed and tidy.

House Sitting

We've been staying at my folks' house the past few days. It is a big, old (pre-Civil War era) house with lots of things for toddlers to break. We've only had one casualty so far. My family is at the beach and I'm taking car of the dogs. Really, they just have one dog, but Raleigh's friend dropped off his dog right before we got here. Lovely.

Here is what I've learned about dogs: they produce an excess of dander, they whine at night, they beg for my food, they scratch at doors, they are more obedient than toddlers.

Here's what I've learned about myself: I am allergic to dogs.

Man Buns

Do you like man buns? I do. I have been checking them out on pinterest and I think they are pretty hot. Especially with a good beard. Anyway they look mighty fine on little men, too. James Ambrose sported one the other day. It's not a top knot when it's on a boy.

Painting

Today was rainy and gray. I tried to take the little ones outside, but the mosquitoes got us before the rain did. Oh, well. The bright spot was nap time. Both kids slept, which is a little surprising considering what they had for lunch (chocolate ice cream).

While they slept, I painted. These:

And I watched The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. I love the director Peter Greenaway. His movie, The Draghtsman's Contract, is one of my faves and James loves Prospero's Books. I haven't seen all of that one. I like how he uses tableaux vivants and long, slow shots. His movies could all just about as easily be plays.

Salmon Soup

Today, the kids and I went swimming. We went with my mom and siblings to the pool in a neighborhood where my grandparents used to live.

I remember when they lived there. I was a teenager and I used to go over and help Gramma with housework. I also helped her take care of Great Uncle George.

Great Uncle George came to live with my grandparents when he was in his feeble 80s and could no longer care for himself. So he lived in the spare room. Sometimes, Gramma made me clean his room, even though it made him boiling mad. I found porn. I organized his shoes, all of which had a big hole cut out of the top because it was more comfortable.

He was an extremely ornery man. He had a temper and a sense of humor about him. For example, he resented being brought from Chicago to the heart of the Bible belt, a catholic suddenly surrounded by baptists and presbyterians. So he insisted on wearing a giant wooden crucifix with a gold Jesus outside of his shirt. It took up a good portion of his chest and must have been heavy. But he liked to wag it in the proverbial face.

One time, Gramma made salmon soup. George complained about the smell, but Gramma insisted that he liked the soup. I brought George a tray with a bowl the stuff, a spoon, napkins and a drink. He was sitting in bed watching tv too loud. When I put it on his lap, you know what he did? He picked up the bowl and threw it at the wall. The bowl shattered and the soup went everywhere.  And he made me leave.

Later, when he went out, I finally had the chance to clean up the mess. I've hated the smell of salmon ever since.

The Amazing Braid

I am so proud of myself for not chopping my hair off a few months ago when the urge hit! Oh, I was so close. Plus, James likes me best with short hair. BUT now I can do this ^ all by myself!

I think it is amazing and beautiful. James says it looks like a shower cap.

What do you think? Is it a DO or a DON'T?

Conversation

(riding in the car, James driving)

Lily: Look at those houses. They are so close together that if you were in one and I was in the other we could kiss through our windows.

James: I would buy them so we could do that. And because I'd like for us to have separate houses. 

Lily: I bet you would. Decorate it however you wanted. (scoffs)

James: What?! How do you think I would decorate it?

Lily: Let's see: black and white striped walls and black ceilings and black floors. Big plush white shag rugs. White leather furniture. Glass tables. A bowl of coke.

James: A room of mirrors.

Lily: James! Come on, I meant coca cola.

James: So did I!

Lily: Then what do you want those mirrors for?

James: Why is it in a bowl?

Making Messes

This dress was actually made before the other one. This one ideally would be styled with space boots and gogglers. You know, so I can be a space rainbow?

I didn't use a pattern. It is by pure freak chance that it actually fits. This could not be duplicated. Not by me, at least. There will be no tutorial.