Make it Right!

Just when you think there is nothing more to love about Brad Pitt, he proves us all wrong. Pitt's latest project is Make it Right, an organization dedicated to rebuilding New Orleans after Katrina, beginning in the devastated 9th Ward. I've been to New Orleans a few times, and like B. Pitt, have been in love with the area myself. It is so full of vitality and heart and character that to lose it would be unthinkable.

I love the Make it Right project because it encompasses so many wonderful causes. Not only does it recreate the area and homes for people in need, but they are creating low-income environmentally-sound houses that are BEAUTIFUL! This is a project that will hopefully be copied all over the U.S. and perhaps even the world.

Here is a video of Brad talking about the project and his life with Angelina Jolie and their kids.



Make it Right is starting with raising the funds to build 150 houses in the 9th Ward. As of this writing, they have the funding for 10 of those houses. They are trying to get them all fully-funded in 5 weeks. If you'd like to help out, visit their Donate Now page. You can even "go inside" one of the houses and see what your money will buy. You can select a specific amount attached to something like a low-flow shower head or environmentally safe paints or (if you're a little bit spendyer) solar panels for the house. Or you can just give. This is a great cause. Won't you join us in helping to Make it Right!

And, just for fun, here's a gorgeous photo of Angelina and their daughter Zahara.



~t

Me and MySpace

I have been into mySpace a bit lately. It comes and goes for me. I don't know why. I guess it depends on if anyone is sending me msgs or comments. Ha. Anyway, I've been into it lately. I signed in today and found this video, so I decided I would share. I don't know quite why, but I am fond of it. Enjoy!

Vitalic "Birds"

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~t

Full Moon + Mercury Retrograde = ::SHUDDER::

Well, yes, I did not update y'all that Mercury was Retrograde. Probably because Mercury was retrograde. Ugh. I didn't even figure it out until Loretta IM'd me about it. I kinda did figure it out because I had the most hellacious trip with Zane the weekend it started. Really. SO MANY things went wrong, ending with the stomach flu (or rotovirus, as someone corrected me) for the whole fam damily. Eeeeeek! What about the rest of y'all? Has it been the worst Mercury Retro for you EVAH? Tell me your stories and we can cry in our herbal tea together. Oh, and the moon is full now. Should be fun. When does the fun end? Well Mercury goes direct on November 1st. Expect some Mercurial tricks on Halloween!

~t

All Hail the Massage Zone

Yesterday Kevin and I celebrated our 5th Wedding Anniversary. Yay!!!!!!!

I slacked for quite some time on what to do. We tend to do that. We tend to not have babysitters either. Well, I finally took the bull by the horns and scheduled us for a couples' massage. It was pretty awesome. We got a soak in a hot tub before our 90-minute massages as well, in a lovely surroundings. The best part was that our massage therapists really did a great job applying the right amount of pressure. We both like to really feel a massage and I find that a lot of therapists are just too gentle on me. These were awesome. And did I mention 90 minutes? Ok, I know I did. But I just had to say it again. We even got my mom a gift certificate for her upcoming birthday. Shhhhhhhhh. If you happen to be in the South Puget Sound area, check out The Massage Zone. The hot tubs are really what sold me initially, but they were awesome all around.

~t

A Little Bit of Salaciousness

Hmmm...not sure if I spelled that right in the title. No, it's not about my life. My life is somewhat dull. Somewhat. It's the book I'm reading...



This book has a slight edge of the Harlequin romance, but I am a sucker for historical fiction. The Other Boleyn Girl is all about Anne Boleyn's rise to (and fall from) power, told from the perspective of her sister, who was also a mistress to King Henry VIII. Once I got used to the romancey scenes, I really enjoyed it. I have also read Gregory's other work, which focused on the the time immediately following Henry VIII's death and Queen Elizabeth's rise to power...



It's interesting to see a historical period and figures from an insider's perspective, even if that perspective is a good deal of speculation. The characters really come to life, and it helps me keep my history straight. Ha. If you like historical fiction, check these out, and tell me what you think.

~t

Weird neighbor on the roof photo

I am not going to specify whether the adjective "weird" in the title of this post modifies neighbor or photo. At any rate, our neighbor is always doing some putsy thing around her house. Always. Her house would be in shambles if I lived there, apparently, because I am so not good at putsing. So, yesterday, as Kevin was cleaning up from working on his wall (more on that later), I heard him talking to her. When I went out there, this is what I saw:

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Silly.

~t

The Wall

Nearly a year ago, Kevin had to rip down our side fence because we learned it was infested with termites. If you are a die-hard shameless fan, you may remember me blogging about it here. (You can also see Kevin's last concrete project there.)

Well, it has taken quite a bit of time, some donated concrete, some new tools from a store I refuse to mention because I hope to never shop there again, a lot of waiting on dudes who were supposed to be cutting out stumps. VOILA! Kevin has begun work on the new reclaimed concrete wall that will replace the old termite-infested fence. (We thought he would be doing it all summer. Ha ha hah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!!) Anyway, we're glad it's started. I am officially a reclaimed-concrete-wallmakers widow. (you know, like deerhunters' widows?)

Here are some pics from the other day...

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~t

Self Portrait Sunday

Here I am, self-portraiting. I can't remember if I usually do this here or over on my other blog, but here it is. I'm getting my toes wet with the blogging again.

I just kinda liked my hair today and felt like dorking around online. Unfortunately, there is a whiny 2 yr old who wants my attention, so I don't know how much dorking around online I'll be able to do. Well, at least I'm going to do this.

Here it is (sorry it's a little fuzzy--laptop camera. my regular camera always gives me weird, unattractive angles when I self-portrait. I guess I have to work on that):

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~t

Just a Monday Morning in Olympia before Work

So, this is the upside to getting up at the crack of dawn to get to work, right?

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I love my home. Both Olympia and my actual home. When we moved here, our realtor's slogan was "love where you live". It really does make a big difference. We love it here. Especially the trees.


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~t

Yay!

Hey, Yay! Those pics posted the right size. Whew!

`t

Backyard Picnic

The front yard is mostly secure, so now we have started working on the backyard. Since this is not just "pay thousands of dollars and VOILA!, done in a week" it will be a much longer project. Oh well. Kevin is loving it. We did get a new table so that we can sit on our butts while the little kids play on Zane's new playset. Ahhhh...sitting on my butt. Ha. Here are some pics of our first picnic outside...

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~t

Freakin' new and improved

Hmmm...that pic of me is pretty honkin' big. Before dropshots "improved" itself, the photos sized themselves to the right height and width. pffft. You know I don't want to get technical. Especially right now, when I have 13 minutes to eat breakfast, make a salad, and head out the door. So, I guess we'll all just have to deal with my big honkin' head. Pfft, I say. Pfft.

~t

It's all about my hair

I haven't been blogging for a while because I'm in denial. My other blog has been on the fritz. It's bumming me out. I have to talk to the googlebots or something, and quite frankly, talking to googlebots is not something I'm particularly good at. I need to call in my geeky friends, but even the thought of talking to my friends about talking to googlebots bums me out. Why would the bots be out to get me. So, in the meantime, here's my new haircut. Because that's what really matters. (Or perhaps that I should be getting ready for work?)

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~t

Zane's Camera

You know how kids like cameras? Well, who doesn't? But you know how you don't want your kid to use your camera because it is expensive and he/she is likely to break it? Check this out--Fisher Price has a fully functional digital camera for kids.

It is SO fun! Zane just runs around taking pictures on his camera, and when it is full (about 60 pics or so), I upload them to my laptop. You can also use a memory card, but that's a bit of a pain since it's behind screws. We get a lot of pics of his feet and some other really funny stuff, but he's getting the hang of it more and more. Some of my favorites are the ones where Kevin is crouching down specifically so he gets in Zane's shot the way he has it set up. So cute. Here are some of his photos:


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Not the best quality, but still pretty fun. Keep an eye out for more photos by Zane. (Or sometimes we just use his camera. Ha.)

~t

Curb Appeal

We have been all about the curb appeal since we bought our house last year. Well, even before then, when we were getting ready to buy it. We watched a lot of HGTV. One detail that is sometimes overlooked by homeowners is the look of the mailbox. Of course, details make all the difference, so if you're looking to have some nice curb appeal, it's worth considering the state of your mailbox.

Mailboxixchange.com is a great place to shop for just the right box for your home or business. They have high quality products and a good variety of styles from which to choose. In addition to many different kinds of single and multiple mailboxes, they also carry mailbox components, curbside decor, and address numbers and plaques.

With multiple manufacturers and testimonials from customers, Mailboxixchange, is worth checking out.

~t

The Zoo

We went to the zoo last week. It was pretty fun. It certainly was a gorgeous place, nestled right above the Puget Sound. We always have mixed emotions about the zoo. Because we love animals. Are zoos good or bad for animals? Mmmmm. Mixed emotions. I'm sure zoos do a lot of good and mostly animal lovers work or volunteer there. (Right? You'd have to be, right?) It was fun taking Zane. It was his first time. Lemme see if I can find our favorite picture

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He seemed to like it, even though he was in a weird mood most of the day. I think it was just a lot of stimulation. He did love his fish cup. You gotta take a kid to the zoo, right? And whilst there, they gotta get an animal cup, right?

Well, check it off the list. We did it. My little fish (Pisces) picked out a fish cup. We might go to some other zoos around here, too. Time will tell.

~t

Real Travel

I love to shop online, but sometimes it's hard to know what you might be getting. Therefore, before purchasing any item online, I enjoy reading reviews from actual people who have used the product or service. When you're traveling, it's also hard to know the best places to eat, stay, etc. You can buy a book, but that's just one person's opinion. I like getting multiple viewpoints, and knowing the words are coming from real people.

Real Travel is a website dedicated to bringing travel lovers great information from fellow travelers. I like their slogan: "Real people. Real Advice. Real Experiences." The site brings together information in a variety of ways: featured bloggers, travel plans, destinations, and things to do. There's also a forum and a section with useful deals. The site has great pictures and content from numerous travelers about countless different destinations. Real Travel is attractive and easy to navigate


Both Forbes and Newsweek have touted the virtues of Real Travel. So, if you're looking to get outta Dodge, go check it out. You're certain to get some fabulous ideas and tips.

~t

Baby boom

I seem to know lots of folks who are having babies. A lot of the folks having babies are people who had babies when I had my baby. It seems too soon to me to have another baby. The one I have is just learning new ways to drive me crazy. Don't get me wrong, I love him to pieces. He is definitely one of the best things to have happened to me, but sheesh, are those babies a lot of work. We are ready to be done. So, it floors me when I hear of my contemporaries with kids who are 2 or younger going on one or even TWO new kids since then. I guess I was built differently. I thought about just popping two out, wam bam. And then we decided: naaaaaah. We could just not take it. Maybe we are too old. Or too selfish. Self? What is that? Anyway, kudos to those of you who can take care of a bunch of kids. And congrats to all the new moms and moms-to-be out there. (and dads, too!)

~t

Fuschia on the porch

Well, we've had the idyllic porch for a year and I FINALLY got some hanging flower baskets for it. Ahhhhh. It's very nice. Check out my fuschia:

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Here's the front view:


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We also got jasmine, which we've wanted for-like-EVER. I think it is more prevalent in the West than the midwest. We plan to fill the yard with jasmine and honeysuckle. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Nice to smell ya.


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~t

DYM: Pancakes

Allright. I've talked about Mercury Retrograde here before. It's going on now. I've decided to share my Mercury Rx stories as I feel like it and make a WHOLE FREAKIN' category for them, in honor of Astrological knowledge. I am calling it DYM! DYM is a little acronym that my friend Heather and I use. It stems from her son learning about Mercury Retrograde, having some experiences, and then shouting, fists towards the Heavens, "Damn you, Mercury!"

So, here is my first (official) DYM story:

I am up before everyone in my house today. All is well. I'm getting quiet time as I get ready. I decide to have my new favorite breakfast, silver dollar pancakes. I decide to take it out of the microwave tin and put it on a lovely little blue plate with some sliced up bananas. Also on my plate is a veggie sausage patty. Everything is round. Everything is beautiful. Coffee is brewing. There are not even any 2-year olds awake who want to snatch my limited portions of food. Life is good.

How could it be better? Well, I don't like syrup, so I decide to use some cinnamon on my lovely concoction. We have cinnamon sugar handy on our table, but I decide to be oh-so-good (weight loss) and get the straight cinnamon from the cabinet. I feel fairly certain I know what I'm doing as I grab it and delicately sprinkle it on my lovely little plate of round items.

And then I smell it. An odd sort of scent for the morning. Where is THAT coming from? Oh NO! I look down at the spice in my hand: CUMIN!

DYM!

Here's the thing about DYMs, though. They are usually not the most terrible thing that can happen. It usually turns out allright in the end. Of course, I didn't have any more silver dollar pancakes in the house, but they weren't that bad. Yep. I ate 'em. I can sorta still taste the cumin, though. I figure the must do something like this somewhere in the world. Mexico, maybe?

~t

Mommy Snack vs. Daddy Snack

As he does every morning, Zane asked for a "snack and a drink". So, I got him a sensible snack of milk and a breakfast bar. He asked me for goldfish and cheezits. He always asks for that. Or bar-ga-cue chips. I try to avoid those snacks in the morning. I told him he needed to eat his breakfast bar and then maybe later. He didn't like that answer. Here is Mommy's snack for Zane:

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Then, I went to the bathroom, leaving him with Kevin, who, in his defense, had been out smoking or something when this conversation with Zane happened. When I returned, THIS is what Zane had:


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Oh Sagges.

~t

Zane, with Dirt and Fence

We got our fence put up in the front yard! It's so exciting. It's the first perimeter to be secured. We can now let Zane and Lukie run wild, and is it fun ever. There are also little piles of dirt that Zane likes to play scoop. Check out these pics...

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Caspian also is enjoying, the new perimeter-secured front lawn.


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He's always good for an action shot. Here's one from Zane:


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Looks like a fun summer will be had here. We even had some wandering minstrels walk up with a dog, a guitar, and a harmonica. How 'bout that. (Nastacia, her name was Nastacia. And Jesse. And the other dude. There, now even if I forget it, I can find it. I hope.)

~t