winter blahs

It has been grey and chilly, blustery and rainy for the good part of a week now and inspiration has seemed very far away. I've moved furniture around and cleaned and baked, but still, the winter doldrums are running high around here. Very little picture taking is going on because it's too dark in the house and too cold (rainy, windy, dark, drippy, freezing - enter your own wintery idea here) outside.

Consequently, I've been on the web doing lots of browsing.
Here's a list of pretty and inspiring things from this week.

I love this sweet bag idea. Perfect for spring.

Thinking about some of the ideas in this.

I enjoyed this post and will certainly be tuning in for the weekly installments.

I'm enjoy the decor8 blog in general. I know it's been around for a while, but I don't think I've even checked it out before. {Note to self: add to blog-roll!}

I've been inspired by the challenge on this lady's blog. A spending hiatus! {Suggestion: scroll to the bottom of the last link and read the 1st three posts}
I have to say that I haven't been on a complete hiatus from spending, by I do understand the desire to cut out "mindless" spending. So, I've been doing my best to shop with my mind fully engaged and to stay away from the places where I tend to spend frivolously (ie:Target!!!) and shopping for good deals on Craigslist and at the thrift shops, which has been a lot of fun. (How is that for a run on sentence?)

I like this sweet pattern and hope to try it soon. You can see a slightly different version here. <3 href="http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/">Nei Nei is back?

I've been enjoying "habit" on a daily basis.

I am inspired after finding this cool lady's blog via her interview on m.writes.

I'm very curious to try this restraunt that a sweet friend of mine introduced me too.
I'm hoping for a double date in the near future. ;)

This rainbow cake repulses me and intrigues me at the same time. I just can't decide. What do you think?

I'm working through my own "closet cleanse" and and found these tips very helpful.

Ok, I know there are more. But I'm going to call it good and hope you find some inspiration of your own along the way. I'm hoping for some good weather coming up so I can take some pictures of my newly arranged living room and school room.

Coffee shop riot

While my grandmother, mother, and little sister were here, we did a little shopping.
And shopping always calls for a drink stop on the way home.
So we stopped at the coffee shop and had a little party by the fire.
We disturbed quite a few people with our giggling and chatter, but there are 6 of us girls when we're together, so we make a bit of noise and take up a bit of space.
So much fun! While we were in there, Rose finally figured out how to sign "drink" and she started saying "thank you" (dank oo)!



I am sad because these are the only pictures I took while they were here.
I wish I had one of the six of us + Grammie's two doggies all sitting on the couch together, or of us standing in line (?) at the thrift store with our discoveries, or of us pinning and cutting brides maid dresses apart to make a queen costume for my sister for the mystery dinner that she's attending this friday evening. But, unfortunately my hands were usually full and my camera not in reach. Next time I will do a better job.

in the quiet

My grandmother, mom, and sister left on this early rainy Sunday morning.
Mike and I decided to skip out on church for a day of rest at home.
He made us a delicious breakfast.
We shared two cups of coffee.
We snuggled on the couch and read books while the girls slept in.
We listened to a bunch of old records that I picked up at the thrift store on Sat.
We danced around to the "Hokey Pokey" and "Bunny Hop" with Olivia.
I did laundry. It's nice to have clean towels and clean rugs and clean slipcover.
Rose and I took a almost 2 hour nap on the couch while Mike and Olivia played
Candyland and hung up Olivia's new calender.
We ate popcorn and bagel sandwiches for lunch.
We watched a movie and snuggled in bed together.
We made cookies from the Martha Stewart Cookie book (Mike's Christmas present to me.)
We called Mike's mom and dad and caught up on all the family news.
We all snuggled on the couch and watched another movie, read books, and ate cookies.
I cut Mike's hair, and scrubbed the girls, then tucked them all into bed and fell asleep.
It was a great day.
I love those quiet restful days.
It was raining and windy and chilly outdoors, but we were warm and loved inside.

10 on 10

10 on 10
January

8:30 - Mike's french pressed coffee.
{Only on the weekends}
9:30 - making pancakes/Rose eating breakfast
10:30 lovely flowers from a friend
11:30 - Christmas wrapping papers and bags boxed up until next year
12:30 - a stash of button Olivia and I found under a chair while cleaning

I had to take a break while Rose took a nap and I cleaned

4:30 - preping for a trip to the library
5:30 - our stack{s} of books
6:30 - dinner cooking
7:30 - a glass of wine with dinner
8:30 - homemade chocolate chip ice cream

Edisto Island

We wanted to do a few fun things while Mike was home for 14 days and so one day we headed out to Edisto Island. It's an hour drive from home, but always well worth it.
Plus we heard about a different place to go to on the island and we wanted to try it out. It was oh so gorgeous. In spite of and probably because of the steady fog that covered everything. And we didn't mind the rain showers on the beach too much. It seems to be Mike and I's married fate to be caught in rainstorms. We think it's fun, but have discovered that we no longer all fit under one umbrella. So Olivia and I are on the lookout for a few more cute fun ones to add to our collection of one.

I hope you enjoy the little photo tour of our visit...

The weekend

On one of the weekends that Mike was home,
after Christmas, we took a trip out to visit Old Santee Canal Park.
It was very beautiful and we had a lot of fun.
Mike looks loaded for bear with the backpack and all,
he was planning on us taking the 2.9 mile hike
around the swamp. But, it was late when we got there,
later still after we went through
both the museum and interpretive center,
and made it down to the river.
Plus I wasn't that excited about being locked
in the park for the rest of the night,
so we only walked the .5 mile boardwalk
through the swap and rice beds.
Not that I was complaining. ;)
I know we will be back some time in the spring
when it's warmer earlier in the day
and all the flowers are in bloom.