it's decided. i'm in love

with our new macbook pro. this is my very first design board attempt, and you know what? i think it's damn good for wingin' it. i've got a lot to learn but i am thrilled to have figured this much out on my own (along with a mini tutorial from b)

is it too late to choose what i want to be when i grow up?

i choose graphic designer.

this spread depicts mostly what i've been up to this summer.

makin' pickles

for the first time ever, i used my cucs from the farm for something other than cucumber & onion salad. and MAN am i stoked about the results. i used a recipe out of Nourishing Traditions, where there are tons of recipes for fermented veggies.

so these are the real deal. no scortched brine with preservatives such as alum (that is what is in claussen to make them so crrrrunchy). although these beauties still have a healthy crunch to them. especially if you let them sit longer (easy to say, hard to do)

the jars are full of cucumbers, whey (what makes them a probiotic food) and dill, garlic, onion, mustard seed, jalapenos, salt and water. really, so easy! and a great substitute for those over-priced probiotic pills i used to take.

pictures from daddy's iphone

my slow comeback

ok, ok, i know i'm pathetic. because all i seem to have for you anymore are pictures of my babe. but what can i say? she's cute and she pretty much takes up all my damn time these days. (all you at home mommies know what i'm talking about)

i promise you though, now that my morning vomitting ritual is coming to a close i have found more time to venture out with the wee one and spend some time with other adults. like tonight i'm planning to hang around at mars cafe and watch my hubby play some music with his band. now if i could only find someone to go with me...

update

here's nunu, almost 8 months, with her daddy. she's pretty awesome. she's filling out and starting to speak up. she growls like her mama did and studies people like her daddy does.

and by the way, she's going to be a big sister sometime in late february. i know, insane, right? that's what i said.

ungrateful

i'm just gonna say it. i hate kid's birthday parties.

there, i said it. i felt bad saying it all these years, but it's true. why, do you ask? because only on a very rare occasion does it not make a monster out of a normally sweet kid.

maybe it just gets worse as they grow into individuals with expectations of what should happen on their birthday, but regardless, i don't like 'em.

tonight a little girl i'm close to had a birthday party. there was lots and lots of talk about it for weeks leading up to the event, so i can imagine she was very excited. she probably had grandiose ideas brewing in her little mind of all the people and all the gifts.

so when i said goodnight to her as she laid in her bed, still with her 'happy birthday' crown on, she asked me, 'what present did you bring?' with a smirk across her face, not giving me eye contact. i told her i did not bring a present but that my husband and i wanted to come and spend time with her on her special day. 'hmmph' she said.

i wanted to slap her.

fortunately her daddy overheard and put her in her place.

maybe every kid goes through this stage, and maybe i'm being too harsh. but i find it inexcusable. i don't remember my nephew acting like this. i sure as hell don't remember acting like this (mom & dad let me know if i'm wrong). it would have never ever been acceptable.

i dream of having present-less parties until my kids are old enough to appreciate and not expect, but i've heard this is nearly impossible. i guess we'll see.

peace in death

this video on youtube is probably the only insightful interview i have watched since the death of michael jackson. i don't believe he was a pedophile. i don't believe he chose the insanity that was his childhood. he was a product of a selfish, greedy, abusive father. and also a corrupt industry.

it is sad to me the life that this man lead. sad because he was given so much talent and such a beautiful, rare gift and it was exploited. and then what makes it all that much worse is that so many of us point our fingers and call him a freak. shame on us, those that have done this. have you thought for one moment what you may be like if you had a painful, embarrassing disease that changed your skin color or if you had to suffer the constant pressure of being a child star? what about the abuse he suffered? shame on you if there is an ounce of judgement in your heart for the way he 'turned out'.

i am sad that he is gone. i am sad for his life because it doesn't seem like he had a tiny glimmer of peace the whole time. wherever his soul is now, i hope it's able to rest.

genius

can you believe how ingenious these dolls are? a doll dressed up in a bear costume and..

an alterna-punk, angst-ridden, tatooed beauty. i want.

monday lovin'

i'm loving this wood-top table. and it seems like it'd be fairly easy to make. i'd prefer it a bit more 'worn' but i'm sure kids and company could to this pretty quickly.

real life tragedy

i found this story through design mom and i could not believe what i was reading.

click to enlarge

can you imagine? i feel a strong urge to donate to this family. as much as my caution towards hospitals and drugs is sometimes poo-pooed i think to myself after reading this, 'this is why i have my babies at home'. what a hospital calls an emergency a lot of times is no emergency at all. and there is a greater chance for infection after a major surgery than at any other time. is there a better place to get an infection than from a building that houses sick people? i'm not trying to freak you out, but beware and continue to ask those docs lots of questions.

new tunes

this concert poster is one of the most interesting ones i've seen in a while. also animal collective has got me groovin' this morning.

getting ready

i would love to make something like this for my babe. we've got a wedding this weekend & she's one of the flower girls.

got any pointers, b?

in the family

more cool stuff i spotted on design*sponge. i love the mix of colors and textures in this living room.

my husband & i love the idea of a chalkboard on a wall of our kitchen. funny thing is, we may have a redhead to write on it too.

do over

if i had my wedding to do over again, this is the bouquet that i'd have.

like my husband already knows, i will have myself a kick ass party when we're older & the kids {yes, we plan on having more} are less work. this is when i will have all that i could not afford for my big day. including this woman as our photographer.

another one for the dream book

matthew bird

my nunu

that's the goal, at least

my husband's idea of a good joke.  so far she is!

laugh out loud

bots with stuff

espresso never looked so good

this orange kitchen will make into my dream book.  the book with all the ideas that i hope to use in our home someday.

this office space is so adorable and i am digging the combo of the green on white with the zebra print rug.  makes me want to play!

barbara berrada