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Notes from a workshop

Recently, a friend at work made a comment about her experiences as a mom of three, trying to work and be a good mom, avoiding guilt, all that stuff I believe a lot of us obsess over each and every day. She told me that she finally excused herself and allowed the chaos to take over, embracing it even. She started calling her home a WORKSHOP. She gave herself permission to live in a mess and stopped avoiding her friends so they wouldn't see it. We are a work in progress, after all, and raising kiddos is messy. So rather than scrub a potty or sort the mail I'm just going to share my best and worst moments with you all via my photography. I'll make you feel perfectly relieved to give up on "Mother of the Year" and just appreciate the wonderful, creative, and inspiring little things that sometimes happen when you're usually too busy to pay attention. Enjoy!

Friday, February 11, 2011

Culinary Nostalgia....

Today we made the best lunch in the world- grilled cheese and tomato soup. It brought me straight back to Hammerschmidt School and that feeling of total happiness when I'd get to go to Jeanette Finnie's house for lunchtime-her mom made the best GC on the planet. Enjoy below-I hope I inspire everyone to make this old fave before the cold weather goes away (will that ever happen???) Thanks for the memories Mrs. Finnie!

Seriously...can you smell the butter??

and now that we're Big Girls I highly recommend upgrading on the soup-this one is fantastic!

Thanks Wolfie-love you!

Best lunch date ever---see below. If you don't know about Pioneer Woman yet please check out her site- your eyes and belly will never go hungry again: www.pioneerwoman.com

Next up: inappropriately timed holiday photos and "How to Build Your Own Backdrop"

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Tri City Supper Club

Photos only today- you may need to order a pizza after this......

Too good! Nice work Paul & John!

Next up, we'll get to the Elf debacle. As Livvie says, "night -night!"

Monday, December 27, 2010

The Starons (most of them anyway) Trim the Tree

Some pre-oliday fun. Our little elves were pretty enthusiastic about the decorating.....especially Miss Audrey!

BabyBee really enjoyed hanging out in the tree box.

Mom remembered why Christmas is so super fun, warm, yummy holiday beverages that make the house smell delicious.

Audrey had her special "Super-Decorator" star under her Christmas jammies!

The ladies bonded while daddy wrestled with the lights and mommy just made a zillion photos....driving daddy crazy of course.

Addie J is telling her new 2010 ornament from Daddy how much she loves it! (Toy Story is HUGE in our house this year!)

More chilling. Don't these girls do ANY work???

OK, now we're talking. Everyone took their turn placing the angel on top of the tree....

with Daddy's help of course.

first Addie J

Then Birdie

and last was livvie lou.

this is actually the finished product.

Baby really enjoyed hanging in the box during our

tree trimming experience.

outfit change for Bee.

Addie was not too interested in the tree but read all the

holiday books that had been stored away for the year.

Certainly our #1 little elf, Audrey was putting ornaments on the

tree faster than we could unpack them!

Sweet girl. sweet bokeh.

She studied each one before finding the perfect spot (and then each day after

she would find it a new spot!)

Some ornaments turned your vision red.

When Audrey is near red it just makes her eyes

even more gorgeous.

Daddy surprised her with a Tiana ornament for 2010. This

is a tradition from when his Grandfather brought one to his

mom (Paula) every holiday season.

Baby started getting out of her box and into the fun. She mostly likes to take

ornaments OFF the tree!

Audrey used Addie's bride costume (custom-made

by Aunt Ellen) as a White Christmas outfit. She's been caught

singing carols almost every day since. Santa Baby seems to be the big fave.

And Baby opening up her Daddy ornament 2010. You never saw a dad so excited to share

the holiday with his family. The tree has to be fluffed just right, the lights have to cover every branch, and he'll go out in 19 degree weather just to hang the red bows on the house that his daughter asked of him. Every Christmas I see what a great dad this guy is-and how much it means to him that the

girls have lovely holiday memories. Nice work, Santa!

Love, Mrs Claus

Next up