Boy's Rooms

There are two spectacular houses that I come back to time and time again. One of the two is Jenna Lyons NYC brownstone. In particular, I love what she accomplished in her son's room. It is the perfect combination of whimsical, sophisticated, and cozy. I have this issue of Domino magazine at my house. The ultra glossy pictures in the magazine make this place look even better if that is possible.

And then this little gem. Love the solar system and the star lights. Ohdeedoh is a great children's design website that is worth taking a look at.

Someone would be in the kitchen more...

If her kitchen looked like these beauties...And even then, I would just be sitting in my kitchen mesmerized by the sheer fanciness of it all, there would be no actual cooking involved. Nuh-uh, I wouldn't want to mess up my pristine white kitchen! No dogs, kids and/or husbands allowed. I really have nothing to complain about, I already have a nice white kitchen....Just need a few finishing touches and I look to these pictures for inspiration to finish the job. I must say these people have guts to paint their wood floors white. Not something I would do, but it does complement the room.

You can read the full kitchen inspiration article on decor8.


Can you believe this next picture is from IKEA?!

Love. Amazing. Full article on decor8.

And repurposed Whiskey barrel flooring. The angels start to sing from heaven when I look at this picture. I debated putting this photo up, because I may cry if any friends were to get this before I did. So please don't. Really, that would be the nice thing to do.

I may have to interrupt the regularly scheduled home inspo program to talk about the cuteness that is my son in his Fireman's costume for Halloween. Bear with me.

Marrakesh

I have a computer folder jam packed with home decor inspiration. There are so many wonderful sites out there filled to the brim with eye candy. I thought I would devote a week to home inspiration. First up decor 8, with an ode to Marrakesh. I died just a little when I read this post. This place is amazing. I want to move in. I am packing my bags right now. The ceilings, check out the ceilings people!

December Daily 2010

I have been thinking about doing the December Daily this year, but I don't think I would see it through if I had to create the album on my own. Too much going on these days, and violin lessons are starting up soon. Ugh. Violin homework. I don't know what it is about minis. I start them but never finish. I burn out about halfway in. And the obsesser in me needs to follow through on things I have started, so this year I purchased an album from Evalicious. It takes some of the work out of the equation, and I think I can realistically commit to finishing it for the month of December.

i carry your heart with me

Flight is booked for Chi-town! All this wedding talk reminds me of this poem, which I adore.

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

Thanksgiving

Just pictures for this post. James took the first one before Thanksgiving dinner. I think it is pretty cute.

Firestarter

I try my hardest not to get into altercations with law enforcement. And I have had them. Very weird, bizarre situations that I will leave for another time. Today was not one of my finer adult moments, but the teenager in me is sitting here with a satisfied smirk on her face.

For those of you who don't know, when people with red hair get really mad (and everyone that has ever had red hair DOES get mad), their hair literally bursts into flames. Kind of like Drew Barrymore in Firestarter. Remember how she used to explode into a fire-y fury when she got pissed off? Well I was Drew this morning. Here's the story. I'll summarize when possible. I am sick this morning, I usually drop Rowan off at daycare. Today James drops off Rowan at daycare because I am sick. On his way home he goes straight at an intersection where there is a sign indicating that you cannot drive straight between the hours of 7-9 AM. James drove through it at 8:19 AM. Policeman runs out of bushes nearby and flags him over. Proceeds to give James tickets. One ticket is for having out of date registration. He comes home. He slams the door. Drops tickets on desk in the entryway. Curses as he continues down the hall. I pick up tickets. I read the out of date registration ticket............And all hell breaks lose. This is the part where the red hair takes over, the part where that hot Eric Bana guy starts to scream get out of here before he changes into the incredible hulk.

Suddenly, I don't feel sick anymore. That is the nice thing about adrenaline, although temporary. I slip on a pair of jeans. I grab a hoodie. Screw taking a shower, there is no time. I look in the mirror and take the little piece of parsley or whatever that is stuck in my tooth out, because the hulk has no time to brush his teeth....No, no, no, I need to go find the police officer that gave my husband a ticket that he didn't deserve. You see, I personally renewed that registration less then a month ago, and I will be damned if I am going to get a ticket for something that we don't deserve.

So I drive a few blocks and low and behold I see the police officer in his car. Writing a ticket to a little Asian lady that looks petrified. I wait until he is finished, get out of my car, and walk over to his window. He doesn't look up. The conversation goes something like this.

Me: Can I have a moment of your time?

Him: Make it quick.

Me: You gave my husband a ticket that was not deserved and I would like to discuss it with you.

Him: Technically I am not supposed to discuss that with you.

Me: Ignoring his previous comment, you gave him a ticket for out of date registration, when the registration is up to date.

Him: I told your husband what the problem was...

Me: Well why don't you tell me.

Him: Let me see your permit and your registration.

Me: Hands it over.

Him: You see this sticker? This sticker is supposed to go on the back of this registration card.

Me: OK. So why did you not just tell my husband to stick it on, and call it a day?

Him: Does not respond.

Me: Seriously?

Him: I told your husband all he has to do is come to court and I will drop the charges.

Me: Why don't you rip up the ticket then. This is silly.

Him: Says nothing. Still hasn't looked up at me this whole time.

Me: Thanks for your time.

Him: No problem.

This is the point where I wanted to Drew Barrymore his ass. I wanted my hands to turn into fire ball launchers and set his car on fire. That is what I wanted to do at this point....But since I really can't summon fire on demand, or turn into a big green pissed off monster, I got into my car, drove home, and am sitting here typing this waiting for my red flaming hair to die out. Did I overreact? Maybe....Did I need to drive down and find the man that did my husband wrong....Probably not....Do I feel better that I went down there and told the officer what he did was unjustified and silly. 100%. So, how is YOUR morning going?

Pumpkins

As James and I were sitting on a wagon with Rowan riding around in a pumpkin patch last Sunday, I had an out of body experience. One where Michelle of five years past was looking at me in her super cute high heels, hair and makeup done and choking on her Cheetos at what has happened to the shell of her former self. James and I looked at each other about the same time on the ride and we could tell this is what the other one was thinking.....How the hell did we get here? I have never been to a pumpkin patch, or an apple orchard....all of that stuff seemed like shit before Rowan came along. But I find myself loving what he loves, and smiling when he smiles, and if that means jumping on a tractor that is literally going around in circles while we look at pumpkins and the few odd scarecrows scattered around the farm, so be it. That being said, I am looking forward to a weekend with Rosie in Chicago in the upcoming month. A weekend of fashion, eating, wedding talk and trying on bridesmaid dresses. I am hoping trying on bridesmaid dresses isn't the equivalent of trying on bathing suits. Or I may need to have a few pops before we head down that road.

I am the one that takes pictures of the family about 99% of the time, the other 1% is when I make James take the camera so that I can get a few shots in with Rowan so he knows that I was alive when he gets older and forgets this stuff..I would like to have some more candids, but it wasn't in the cards at the pumpkin patch. It was a little overwhelming for Rowan and for mommy and daddy too. I have come to realize rude, selfish people make rude, selfish parents. Some of these people have no clue as to what is going around them. I notice this every time we go out to a fair, or a public place where there are a lot of kids with their parents. I seriously want to karate kick some of them in the head. But I am a good parent. I will wait until Rowan goes to the bathroom with daddy before any infliction of physical violence. Remind me to bring my ski mask and lead pipe when we go see Santa Claus.

Before Pumpkin Patch...happy Rowan

At Pumpkin Patch....not so happy Rowan

Unicorns and Rainbows

My husband and I have this running joke about "adding sparkle" to websites since we are IT Consultants. Imagine my elation when he sent me this e-mail today.

Hi Michelle,

You remember when I told you about an app that can add Unicorns to any Web Site? Well guess what? They've upgraded their app, and they can now add both Unicorns and Rainbows. How awesome is that? Get it here:

http://www.cornify.com/

Regards,

James

Buahaha! Little notes like these make my day. Just wanted to spread some unicorn and rainbow sparkle your way today.