WELCOME GUESTS

Our sad basement bedroom September of 2007. It's our international guest bedroom so I've kept it pretty simple so that they can make it their home away from home while they stay with us. However, the red curtains had to go. Which then became a room redo.


Room redo April 2008.


Cream colored curtains I had stored away for some reason. I freezer paper stenciled the bird and branch.


Our local Ikea helped with the Paris prints.

Now onto the upstairs bathroom!

The animal inside you....

Bryn: We need to learn more about our animals.

Mom: What animals?

Bryn: The animals inside us all.

We were led through a guided visualization by Bryn... a lake with softly splashing water sounds, a small path, an animal in the distance that we can't quite see running through the trees and then an old lady holding an animal. What ever animal we see in the old lady's lap is the animal inside us.

Bryn: Wolf. She couldn't be more right on.

Grayson: Frog. I would have guessed Monkey or Elephant.

Hunter: Bird. I think he's really a bear.

Sean: Eagle. Fits him perfect.

Sarah: Prairie Dog. Seriously, that's what I saw.

When I grow up...

Who grows up and says I'm going to an Elvis impersonator? Cathryn and I flew with this Elvis last year and he was actually very impressive. I've been thinking a lot about what I want to be when I grow up.

Here's what Hunter, Bryn and Gray had to say about their futures.....

My favorite Hunter when I grow up moment was when he told us he wanted to be A Doctor in Space for Aliens. Nowadays it's a Video Game Designer or odd jobs until he raises enough money to open a restaurant.

Bryn has said for as long as I can remember that she'll be a teacher and a Rock Star. A Rock Star that teaches kids their ABCs. Today I caught her singing a Bryn original in her scratchy Rock Star voice, "Save the environmenttttt or they'll be no honey beesssss and no pretty floooowersssss." She froze as soon as she saw my upturned smile. Her song reminded me of the 14-year old Bubird Girls here in Portland. But with a lot less controversy and attitude. But still a teaching message.

Gray is going to be a teacher. But only for first graders.

RRR Challenge adding one more R

Smith Rock, Oregon

What I've been thinking about lately...

1. Skin Care products and their effect on the environment.

2. Disposable coffee cups. Yes we have a Starbucks habit.

3. Paper Towels. Also a family addiction.

4. Recycling non-curb side plastics at the Master Recycling event coming up.

5. A new Portland Blog I've started reading.

6. Adding one more R for refuse. We're going to put our backyard compost to work.

BRYN. What it means.

I received the funniest comment today about our DAUGHTER'S name. BRYN. Frankly, he seemed a little upset that BRYN would or could be girl's name (there were a lot of exclamation marks in his email).

I've never really thought to explain Bryn's name to her or anyone else for that matter. But what a great place to let her know where her name came from and how much we love it.

Bryn, Brynn, or Brynne is a gender neutral name. Tracy, Kelly, Hunter, Taylor, Devon, Alex, Drew, Dylan, Jaime... shall I go on? Brynn or Brynne is the traditional girl spelling for Bryn but I grew up in the era of Ashley with an ee instead of a y so I couldn't bear to add the nn or ne (no offense). So it's just plain BRYN.

In Welsh the meaning is "hill" or our favorite "mount." If you are a Brynmor in Wales it means "great mount."

Eleven years ago while pregnant with Hunter we found the name Bryn in a baby name book at Powell's that listed names by categories instead of in alphabetical order. Bryn(ne) was under the category of feminine but dominant girl names. The name Bryn stuck with me through two pregnancies and I knew that our Bryn was definitely a Bryn from the moment she was born and she most definitely still is. Sean and I couldn't have chosen a better name for our daughter. It fits her personality to a t.

I've only ever known through association a boy named Bryn but I meet people all the time that grew up with boy and girl Bryns. So far no one has said anything bad about a Bryn(n)(ne) they knew so we're taking that as a good sign.

So here's to all the big hairy blokes with beards living in Wales named Bryn and all the boy and girl Bryn's in America. Appreciate and love your name! You are you and we love you for it.

5 Completed Projects

My first RRR Challenge to myself this year was to not buy any new crafty item until I had completed 5 projects with items that I already had at home. This even meant craft glue as I soon learned halfway through the Japan shell project.

Here are the 5 completed projects...


Valentine's Day cards for grandparents.


Shells brought back from Japan now displayed in shadow box.


My Dinner Voila cookbook! The binders, books, and protective sleeves have been sitting around for months and I finally finished compiling them. The cookbook is a collection of Sarah and Cathryn recipes from what seems like another lifetime ago. Now that it's finally assembled I'm having so much fun rediscovering recipes that I haven't thought about for years.


Freezer paper stencil baby gift.


2 Cute Skirts.

It was very satisfying to know I could do it especially when it came to coming up with a glue solution for the shells. There were a few moments while browsing through blogland where I almost forget or was tempted. I held strong and since the completion of the projects this sweet bird stamp is the one item I've purchased so far.



The next item to purchase will be a new pair of sewing shears that I will promptly hide from the kids. I caught Hunter cutting duct tape with my sewing scissors the other day.

what i'm listening to right now

china forbes velvety voice has captured my attention and i can't stop listening to her new solo album titled '78. i have loved the forever glamorous lady for years in pink martini and I am so excited that she gets some solo action. the album was just released this past february and you can hear samples of her original songs here. you won't be disappointed. i promise.

what are you listening to this month?