Wine cork bath mat

My dad-in-law is a wine drinking, Harley riding, blackbelt-holding, contractor yogi. And he loves bubble baths.

All of his very varied likes and hobbies make him reeeeally fun to get presents for.

This year I happened across a tutorial for a wine cork bath mat about a month before Father's Day, and knew it would be just the ticket. It's even classy enough to fit in with the pretty new master bath he just remodeled.

taking his new mat for a spin

I love that we had all of the materials for this lying around (with some help on the corks from mom-in-law). Plus it feels really good to stand on.

But the best part of making this was that it meant I got to play with the glue gun. I know that sharing is good and all, but when something is as much fun as a glue gun, you don't take turns.

Love, J

One nice day

We experienced an unprecedented aligning of the stars last Saturday when the hubs didn't have to work and we didn't have anything special that had to get done AND it was 80 degrees outside.


So we played. We spent the day digging around the garden and then he helped me work on the flowerpot mosaic I've had on my to-do list for about 3 years.



Later that evening we brought dinner to step-dad's house for an early Father's Day celebration.

4 sisters
+
their boys
+
baseball in the street on a hot summer night
=
the reason I moved back to Spokane

A few neighbors even came out to sit on their stoops and cheer us on; it was like we were in a Norman Rockwell painting.

When I'm having too much fun to run in and grab the camera and document things, you KNOW it's a good time ; )

Love, J

My favorite sites

These change frequently, but right now this is my list of favorite, must-check-every-day websites (other than all the job-hunt-related ones, of course):

We Heart It is a gorgeous time-suck, and I have great fun trolling through the pretty photos and daydreaming.

Ms. Sayward at Bonsai Aphrodite has at least one tip worth trying each week. And she makes me wish I'd tried harder for a catchy-kitchsy blog name.

I enjoy reading the hilarious musings on Dooce, and seeing Ms. Heather's heartbreakingly beautiful photos of her kids. But this puts me in danger of coming down with a case of baby fever, so I always follow it with a shot of...

Shit My Kids Ruined. Fever cured.

Love, J

Living his dream

I am sitting at the dining table, looking out our front window as the hubs pulls out of our driveway, off to work in the rain.

His patrol car stops to wait behind the school bus paused on our corner. As the kids drop from the bus stairs and file past his car, each one slows down to peer and wave at the policeman inside. The last boy almost comes to a stop outside the passenger window, and waves the hardest of all. When he clears the patrol car, he turns and continues along walking backwards, not wanting to tear his eyes from the man in the uniform.

I'm not wearing my glasses, so I can't make out the face of the officer in the car, but I know this exchange makes him beam.

I am so proud of my guy.

Love, J

Shopping list

In no particular order, and with no relation to one another:

1. Petticoat

2. Grout

3. Book of Bukowski's poetry

4. Vintage glass glitter

5. Spiral notebook (must be sturdy and lovely)

6. DVD of "Sugar & Spice"

7. Cure for writer's block

8. Tire

9. Book I can really get into

10. Clawfoot bathtub
a. With a nice view
b. And peach bath salts

Love, J

Pop quiz

Question: What's the best Disney movie?

Answer: The Emperor's New Groove

Image found here

Bonus question: Where did I put our DVD of this movie?

...

Anyone?

(Sleeping Beauty comes in second, in case you were wondering.)

Love, J

Under the big top

Parachute + Trampoline = Coolest fort ever

I did not make this, but I respect it. It was the brainchild of step-dad and G, and it is even more impressive in person. They tried to sleep out there but I guess it's still pretty cold at night, even though the days have finally warmed up.

As a side note, having a parachute to play with is awesome. Our grandfather sent this to us girls to play with about 10 years ago and we've gotten SO much use out of it. It's very versatile. Who'd have thought?

Love, J