A few words, A few links

1. I am alive. Yippee! I got strep throat on Friday and I thought I was dying. The worst fever I've ever had/couldn't swallow/barfing my guts out. It was the worst! And the saddest part was that my brother was here from Idaho and I had to miss out on the whole weekend of laughing and reminiscing and attending a presentation by Joel Salatin. The good news is this: antibiotics. Glory glory, hallelujah! It is astonishing to me that just three days after crying in pain on my couch I am doing laundry, cooking, decorating for Easter... So amazing.

2. What do you think of Blue House Tour 2012? Fun? Silly? Interesting? Worth my time? Worth your time? Sometimes I think I am a major nerd for blogging certain things. Weigh in, would you?

3. Finally regained my appetite last night and made this Baked Ziti. Listen here, you need to make this. It is so absolutely delicious, it freezes brilliantly, and my kids love it. Amen.

4. Are you on Pinterest? If you are, I think you'll appreciate this pithy post by my sis, Liz.

5. Speaking of Liz, she linked to this on her blog last week and I almost peed my pants laughing. It may only be funny to you if you watched as much TV as I did in the mid-1980s and/or if you have a pop-culture-steel-trap brain like I do.

6. Speaking of pop culture, should we revive Trivial Tuesdays???

7. If this baby is a boy, I am hosed. I am so out of boy names.

8. My friend, Lesley (Emily Yates, design goddess, I am talking about your mother), just stopped by my house. I apologized for being bra-less and she told me I didn't have to keep folding my arms across my chest. We ate leftover Baked Ziti and talked about children and tulips and Kirtland and the Sermon on the Mount. Then she swept my floor and washed my dishes. It made my day, to say the least. When it comes to my Favorite Humans list, Lesley is right up there.

9. Have you seen this commercial? Oh, Target, just when I thought I couldn't love you more.

10. I think I'll put on a bra now and take my children to pick out some Easter candy for our apothecary jars. Cadbury, anyone?

xo
anne

Blue House Tour 2012: The Exterior

As promised, today starts the Blue House Tour 2012.

So, why am I taking you on a tour of The Blue House (yes, it's a proper noun)?

I've written a lot in the past about what I want my blog to be and how I want it to represent me and my family. I believe in being positive, but keeping it real. In other words, no one wants to subscribe to www.debbiedowner.blogspot.com, but it's also frustrating to see nothing but pretty and perfect on blogs.

I find the same applies to images of homes on various blogs and sites. Anyone can photograph the sweet vignette complete with vintage wooden toys and a homemade sock money in her child's room or the gorgeous hutch in which she keeps all of her cake plates. But what about the other side of the room that no one ever gets to see? I'm going to show you everything--my proudest DIY and decor moments, and also my current projects and my I-just-can't-be-bothered-with-this-space-right-now's. Because that's how I roll.

OK?

OK.

Let us begin.

Welcome to our home!

Things to note:

1. We hate, HATE, H-A-T-E our front door. It's just not our thing. We wish we had a more craftsmany door, maybe something like this. But our door is solid wood and nice enough, so it seems silly and expensive to replace it.

2. I loooove primroses. They are the only color in my dead yard right now. I can't wait until all of the bulbs pop up!

3. Blaine's Godzilla window art. Sure sign that kids live here.

4. My filthy minivan parked in the driveway. On account of 1 vespa, 6 bikes, 1 trike, 2 scooters, 1 Burley, 3 strollers, and a dining room table (DIY project of the month) monopolizing the garage.I just love scraping the ice off the car windows at 7:40 a.m. on my days to drive the school carpool.

5. Dead, wintery grass. Boohoo! Bring on the spring.

6. Our adirondaks are solid wood (which Taylor painted gray) and we got them for a song. Cushions made by me. (I'm obsessed with making pillows because they are so easy, yet so satisfying!) These chairs make our porch a happy place to be and I love them.

OK, now do you want to see something despicable? Our side yards. We actually just had someone clean it up for us (a young man of Taylor's earning money for his mission), but I had to snap a couple photos before he started to document our total disregard for taking care of weeds and my bad habit of chucking shipping boxes and whatever other random junk outside the garage door.

Classy. (Now that it's cleaned up, I have so reformed.)

Is that real enough for ya?

Next up, the playroom.

xo,

anne

my latest mission

{unrelated pic: adventurin' in Ashland.

I think we need to buy two baby backpacks!}

Friends,

Thank you for your kind words and congratulations on Cropper #6! Holy cow--family of 6! To answer a few questions, I am feeling pretty well. Barfy if I don't eat often and very tired, but honestly, I'm doing just fine. I am due September 22nd, which makes me 12 weeks along. Of course lots of people are wishing a girl for me, and I would be lying if I didn't admit that's what I'm desperately hoping for. At the same time, I'm four-square against getting my hopes up, so--as with the last one--I am 100% planning on a boy, and try to not even entertain the idea of a girl. That might sound strange, but it's how I avoid disappointment. Plus, every time I snuggle up with Carter and make him giggle and pinch his soft cheeks, I think, who could be disappointed with another one like this?

The following is something I wrote back in January, the day I learned I was pregnant. I thought you might be interested to know some more about this baby, since most people I announce my pregnancy to automatically assume it was unplanned! As a note, I weaned Carter about a month ago, which has resulted in him sleeping completely through the night-- so things are getting simpler.

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Last night I crawled back into bed at 3:30 a.m. after going up to feed Carter and put him back to sleep. I lay there next to Taylor's warm body, under my fluffy white comforter and quilt thinking, "It should feel crazy that I am up with a baby at night still rather often and might be pregnant. But it doesn't. I feel calm."

I feel the same way this morning after the clearly positive pregnancy test (the one I took a few days ago was very faint and unconvincing). I feel determined to be stoic through the sickness and to work well with food so my poor family isn't starving. I feel excited for Carter to have a close little friend.

I think I feel that sense of calm confidence because I feel like I am answering a call. I acted on a prompting from God and so I don't feel scared or overwhelmed. But only because I know I will have to rely heavily on Him and His power. Often as a mother I have had to remind myself that as a full time missionary I constantly relied on the Lord for strength, and that I should do that more as a mother. With this pregnancy beginning I feel that intrinsically, without needing a reminder. This is totally new and different. This is the smallest space in children we've ever had. This is the first time I have ever been nursing and pregnant simultaneously. And when I look at the whole situation--4 children under the age of six, being sick and sore and pregnant with a small toddler--it does look daunting. But when I consider the scripture that carried me through my mission, I don't feel daunted.

"For I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me." --Philippians 4:13

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The 'call' I referred to in this little journal entry wasn't dramatic. It was neither an angelic visitation nor a visionary dream. It was just me, one day, when Carter was very new, sitting on my bed. 'The next one is coming soon,' the quiet impression came. 'Let it come.'

As a Mormon, I believe in personal revelation. That God communicates with his children. And, in a very simple, small way, I felt him communicate with me that day.

When I told Taylor about it, he was all in. He's always wanted children close together anyway, and there's nothing he wants more than to be a young dad!

So here we are. Some days I feel like this is totally doable--I got this. Other days Taylor has to talk me down off my crazy ledge. But this is what we want and what we signed up for. And we know it is no slight blessing to be granted another child.

XO,

anne

Spring teaser

I know we have weeks of Oregon rain ahead, but today I am sitting on my front porch in short sleeves, eating a peach yogurt, watching my kids play superheroes (and listening to them fight), and soaking up 60 degree sunshine. Glahry hallelujah!

Plus, look! They're coming!

4

So remember when I was sick for so long that I thought I might be dying or maybe even pregnant so I bought an ice cream drumstick for Roger and a pregnancy test for myself?

Well, it turned out it was only a virus.

But, it also turns out that test came in handy.

Dr. Seussing

Green eggs for breakfast

Green egg cookies sent to Kindergarten

Cat in the Hat Whiskers from school

Reading marathon

Movie night

Best day ever.

Valentine's Day Party 2012

This year's Vday Party post is less about cupcakes and party displays, and more about love.

Everything was different this year. We had to change it from Saturday afternoon to Friday evening, which meant instead of an entire morning, with my husband's help, to decorate, pipe frosting, etc., I had Friday to do it. Alone.

Or so I thought.

I woke up Friday morning feeling grumpy, lethargic, a little sick, and apathetic. My house was a wreck and Carter was a grumpy disaster. I'm pretty sure I snarled something nasty as Taylor left for work, which left me feeling even worse.

It took a shower and an apology text to Taylor to start feeling more like myself. I had a party to put on. Now was not the time to loaf!

I got to work rolling out heart shaped sugar cookies, setting butter out to soften, arranging cake plates. But with a grumpy babe, it was slow going and discouraging.

Then, without a word from me--nary an emergency flare nor a smoke signal--the rescue artillery started rolling in.

First it was my friends, who are also my visiting teachers, Jessie and Melanie. They stopped by with a smoothie. Lemon Bliss--my favorite.

Next it was a text from Emily, who I knew wasn't going to make it that night.

'How are you feeling about tonight?'
'oh fine,' I replied.

'I'm going to get H in a few mins, want me to come out there and help ya get ready?'

'I'd love that if you really could.'

'We'll be there there at 3:00.'

Em swept in at 3:00, as promised, and made everything seem possible. She washed dishes, swept my floor, frosted cookies, held the baby, and chatted with me like only an old friend could. (We covered all topics--from politics to babies to 'would you ever get a boob job?' It was awesome.) When she loaded her children up to leave, I felt so happy. So much more than the physical support of sweeping up the crumbs from my kitchen floor, her visit was such a boon to me emotionally. It left me energized and excited, for the first time all day.

And the love kept pouring in. My friend, Stacey, swung by to pick up the chocolate chip cookie dough to bake at her house. Taylor arrived home from work an hour and a half early to help me! He came bearing dozens of cupcakes--all of which my sil, Melissa, had baked for me. And then Jessie called. "How about I come over and pick up your kids? I'll feed them so you can get everything set up without the mess or worry of dinner."

Can you feel the love?

I mean, it wasn't like I was on my sick bed or had a real emergency. It was a party. But these acts of service came from my beloveds who know how important this this tradition is to me. Valentine's Day was seriously living up to its meaning.

By the time the guests arrived at 6:30, everything was clean, set up, and perfect. I felt more calm than I ever have at the start of a party. We had a great time. The children gobbled up treats, than headed upstairs to make mayhem of the toy room. The adults relaxed in the living room. It was mellow and festive and lovely.

Unlike most years, I didn't take many photos. With the party in the evening, the lighting for photos was obviously terrible, so I was unmotivated. The menu was similar to last year. We had:

*Chocolate chippers with milk shots

*Mini lemon cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting and raspberries atop

*Taylor's homemade Ding Dongs (so much better than Hostess!)

*Heart shaped sugar cookies in every color of the rainbow (holy smokes, these were the hit!!)

You know, I think about Cookie every day. On Valentine's Day I was in tears because our mailbox is in a large lock-box with everyone else in the neighborhood, so I had nowhere to leave some chocolates for the mailman.

Cookie's mother, Rose ('Old Nana') passed away yesterday. She was about to turn 100 in March. I felt sad that she didn't quite make it to the centurion mark, but I'm certain she's thrilled right now. And I know Cookie is, too. Love to my 'family' in Ohio. Life without Old Nana will not be the same.

XOXO,

anne