Low expectations...

The good thing about having low expectations is that it's sort of hard to really

be disappointed or at least surprised when things go south.

The past two storms, Hurricane Irene and a freak March '11  storm,

left most of our friends and neighbors without power for days 

but somehow gave my little family a free pass.

That said, I believe in Karma. 

We're due.

I'm going into this storm stocked up and fully expecting to be without power for days. 

We are as ready as we'll ever be, 

(clearly spaghettio's and ham steak will give us sustenance) 

with lots of great friends and neighbors

 who will be in it with us. 

Oh, and a couple of Superheroes who dropped in to fend Sandy off.

If we're lucky, we'll be pleasantly surprised if she's all bark and no bite. 

In the meantime, perspective is a good thing to keep close. 

Things can be replaced. 

Sandy is not Katrina.

Even if she is horrendous, 

we have the resources to recover. 

Mother nature has wielded far worse to those 

in more dire straits.

To all of you in Sandy's path, be safe and hunker down!

Erin

Design School Diary: Adventures of a stay-at-home mom back out in the world...

So I can safely say that I've got three design classes under my belt. Here's a recap of what I've learned thus far. Not surprisingly, much of this has little to do with design.

1. I look forward to my drive each week.

Traffic or not, 25 silent minutes in the early morning is a rare treat.

2. The best laid plans usually go awry. At least in my house. 

I was so organized and prepared for my first morning of school.

Up and dressed and wearing make-up by 5:30,

 (my kids don't see this too often) 

lunches packed, breakfast table set 

and that's about where it all unraveled. 

Just as the hair dryer started to hum, 

my son called me upstairs. Bloody nose. 

Next it was crock-pot juice on my new big-girl clothes. 

Then as I tried to make my escape to beat the traffic, 

my daughter sent our excited greyhound bounding out the front door. 

And down the street. 

After his collar came off. 

He's never, ever done this before. 

Lesson learned? Relax. 

Even though it was a big day for me, 

it was just an ordinary day for the rest of the world.

3. At 36, I am an unrecognizable version of the student I was 

in my teens and twenties. 

Focused, driven, and organized, 

I actually spread my work out instead of leaving it to the last minute. 

I even retyped my class notes. 

Who am I?

I have no idea what kind of grade I will earn or how I will measure up,

 but so far, I am the best student I have ever been. 

Sorry Mom and Dad. 

I wish I knew this twenty years ago.

4. The challenge of something new, something I've wanted to pursue, something I'm not positive I will succeed at is incredibly motivating.

5. Oh, and I learned that I've been misusing the term couch my whole life.

See for yourself. 

http://www.homedit.com/what%E2%80%99s-the-difference-between-sofa-and-couch/

I knew this experience would be an eye-opener.

What kind of student were you? Any life lessons that surprised you recently?

Have a great week!

Erin

Strolling down Memory Lane, a repost: Easy-Trick- or- Treat bags

Hey there. Long time. I know.

A couple of you have asked me to share the Halloween Trick-or-Treat bags I made

for my kids which I posted about last fall. So, for today, here's a repost to share with you and links to a couple of parties you'll find at the bottom of the post.

I will be back with something new sooner or later.

In the meantime, have a great weekend!

I am always a sucker for celebrating photos of my kids. Last year I decided to showcase their photos on simple canvas tote bags I found at Michael's.  After sharing my photos of the kids with family and friends yesterday, I got a lot of requests for instructions on how to make the bags. It really is such an easy project and quick to update each year.

Materials:

• cotton/canvas tote bag
• puff paint
• iron
• dish towel or pillowcase
• iron-on transfers (I used Jolee's Easy Image, purchased at Michael's)
• scissors
• your favorite Halloween photos of your kids

1. Pre-wash/dry your bag. Be sure to iron all the wrinkles out.

2. Set up a clean pillowcase or dishtowel on top of a hard, heat-resistant surface, not your ironing board.  I used a dishtowel on top of my stove. 

3. Iron the towel or pillowcase to create a wrinkle free surface.

4.Following the directions enclosed with the transfers, print your favorite picture on a transfer page. 

 5. Cut the transfer out in the size/shape you like.

5.Remove the backing.

 6. Place the transfer on the bag, covered by the parchment paper that is included with the transfers.

7. Using firm pressure, hold the iron for about 10-20 seconds all over the picture until the entire image has adhered. Be sure to check that the entire image has transferred, especially the edges. 

8. Let your kids decorate the handles and edges with puff paint or fabric markers and voila, a trick-or-treat bag that has you strolling down Memory-Lane every year. (My kids actually did this step before I ironed the first photo on.)

Please email me or leave a comment if you have any questions!

Erin
I'm linking today's re-post to: Drop by and see what others are cooking up!

Hubby Made Me: Thursday Throwback Party

The Sits Girls Fall Back into Blogging Challenge, 

Day 4: Crafty and Hungry: Fall Back 

Faces...

Today the sky is crystal blue.

The air is crisp but the sun still warm, just like it was eleven years ago.

I remember driving to work that day and noticing how beautiful the weather was.

The morning was humming with sound and activity.

I remember starting the day like every other, unaware of the chaos that was about to unfold.

The rest of the day was anything but normal:

scrambling for a t.v. set to huddle around, 

desperate for any news,

Any signs of hope,

Jammed phone lines,
fear, 

relief and frustration 

as we tried to check on loved ones.

I remember driving home from work mid-morning in a silence that was eerie.

I remember feeling paralyzed with helplessness by the images I couldn't escape from. 

Perhaps of these, it's the faces of 9-11 that are seared into my memory so indelibly.

the faces of those

 who ran from the ominous cloud that chased them like a monster,

who stood watching in disbelief,

of my friends and family grappling with fear and sadness,

the faces of 

the missing and the lost 

the grieving loved ones 

left behind,

the faces of children and heroes.

While my heart is always heavy on this day, and I can't help but remember, I try really hard to look for hope too. It's not easy, but it's the only way I find any comfort.

I found it here in this little man today, who was posing as a superhero in our yard.

Somehow it seems a fitting way to honor the memory of those lost eleven years ago, and all of us who must carry on.

Take care of yourselves and those whom you hold closest to you.

Erin

If you're looking for more reflections on 9-11, hop over here to read what others are sharing.

Big girl clothes...

When my daughter was really little, like this, 

she loved to sift through my retired work clothes to play dress up.

(the shoes are my husband's, I swear)

She called them her "big girl clothes". 

Well, it's been years since I've worn these big girl clothes. 

It's safe to say that since leaving the classroom behind four and a half years ago, 

my wardrobe  has taken a bit of a hit. 

Tees and jeans have replaced most of my heels and skirts. 

My husband's shoe collection now outnumbers my own.

Last week though, I took myself to Macy's armed with coupons 

and a What Not To Wear inspired list of basics.

 I swore to stick to the list and stick to the list I did. 

Three hours and about that many fitting rooms later,  I had the beginnings of a new wardrobe. It's still the wardrobe of a mom, but one beyond the frazzled years of spit-up stains and endless diaper changes. 

Tomorrow, shortly before my kids head off to school, I'll do the same,

 except this time I'll be the student. 

Design school here I come. 

Let's hope my new big girl clothes survive a stain free trip to Starbucks.

 (no easy feat for me)

Anyone else out there in need of a wardrobe update? 

Have a great Monday.

Erin

School days...

Like many of you, my daughter started school this week.  First grade. 

Clearly, she was excited.

Last year? Not so much.

 It is also her first year riding the bus. 

Even more excitement.

Time seems to being going by at warped speed, but it is pretty amazing to watch her read and learn and to see her confidence start to soar as she does.

I hope all of your kiddos had a fantastic start to their new school year. Here's to one filled with great leaps and bounds and lots of good memories!

Erin

P.S. You may have spied this star burst pencil wreath I made last year in one of the shots above. Last week I linked it up to Hubby Made Me's Throwback Thursday Link Party. Stop by and check out Britni's blog and the other fantastic creations  fellow bloggers have whipped up.

Have a great weekend!

Goodbye summer...

Just dropping in to say hello. And goodbye. To summer that is.  

Just after my last post last month, this was the view from my front steps for a week:

A blissful stretch of the Chesapeake. 

All to ourselves.

More or less.

 

We cheated on Cedric with Jesper the Black Lab,

 

nabbed the best table at dinner,

relaxed, 

explored,

 

learned to swim,

 and  soaked up lots of local beauty on the bay.

 It's safe to say that we fell in love with the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Beyond the obvious, I also fell in love with my forced breakup with technology: no wifi, cell phone service, and little t.v. for us that week. It was hard to come back to the land of blogs and Facebook and email, so for the most part, I decided to give myself the rest of the summer off.

And it was heavenly.

Next week the school clothes come out, early mornings and longer days return and our routine will be restored to order. In the meantime, enjoy the last unofficial days of summer.  I hope yours was happy and full of relaxing moments. I look forward to catching up with you all next week.

See ya Summer!

 Erin