Thursday, April 9, 2009

Macy's 2009 Flower Show

Earlier this week, I took Parker to the Macy's Annual Flower Show. This is an event that Macy's hosts every year at the beginning of Spring. I attended the event every year when I lived in San Francisco and it was always quite magical - flowers falling from the ceiling, creating beautiful sculptures...the show in Minneapolis was very pretty, but not quite as fanciful and over the top as the San Francisco show. However, the first garden was very pretty with the flamingo topiary and pretty pink tulips and ferns.


The flower show was held on the eighth floor of the downtown department store. As soon as we stepped out of the elevator, the amazing scent of all of the flowers hit us. I had never smelled anything quite like it. It smelled so good.





I think it would be so fun to merchandise a show like this. Some of the details that were included in the gardens were so charming...like the little cat sleeping in his garden. It reminded me of the cats I had growing up, always laying in the sun.






Parker Met Papa Smurf



This past Tuesday, I took Parker to the Annual Macy's Flower Show in downtown Minneapolis. As part of the festivities, Macy's had a family day with Papa Smurf as the "guest star". Parker was not sure what he thought about him.

The Never Ending Quest for the Perfect Light


I found a light on 1st Dibs that is almost 100% of what I am looking for. It is large enough to hold it's own compared to my other large light fixture in the adjoining room (18" h x 24" w). It is ornate, but not too feminine. I am sure it is out of our budget. Lights like this usually are...that is the problem I am running into. The larger the light, the more it costs (naturally). But it never hurts to ask, so I am waiting to hear back from the shop and see if maybe I am lucky and the dealer is pricing this light below what his competitors are pricing. I am not holding my breath.

I found this light on 1st Dibs as well. Again, I have no idea what the price is yet. If the first light is too much, I might inquire about this one. It is completely different from what I really want, but I think this sort of light could achieve the aesthetic that I am looking for. I have to think about it for a while.

I just can't believe how many lights I have looked at. I have looked EVERYWHERE - Craigslist (all boring), eBay (reproduction chandeliers...a route I can go when I am ready to give up my quest) - I still haven't made it to local antique shops, which I have been told are great around this area. It is hard to shop in those sort of shops with a stroller. Sooner or later, I will get to that if I need to. If you have any suggestions, please share.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

My Early Birthday Present!

Oh my God! I am sooooooooo excited! I have been drooling over this chair for about a year or two now, ever since I saw it. I had made up my mind that this chair would be perfect for our home. It has every color I could possibly ever want to have in our decor. I have been watching it like a hawk for at least a year, waiting for it to go on sale. Well kids, the heavens have opened up and the light shown down on me because it finally happened. The chair is on sale, more than 50% off! I begged Phillip to let this be a ridiculously expensive birthday gift and he agreed!! I have all ready ordered it and it will be in my home soon!! I can't wait!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Not Enough Time



As I mentioned earlier, I (and everyone else I am sure), just can't keep up with how quickly time flies.

By the way, I miss Michael, the REAL front man of INXS...who am I kidding...he was INXS. What was up with that pathetic reality TV show the band did last year? Trying to replace Michael with that wannabe? Please! Michael is irreplaceable. If you ever had the pleasure to see him perform live, then you know what I mean. I have seen A LOT of concerts and he is one of the top 2 most charismatic people I have EVER SEEN perform on stage (the other is Bono of U2).

Wild Party, Baby!


This past Saturday night a friend of ours, whom also relocated from Boise to Minneapolis for a job, hosted a party to "Say Goodbye to Winter". Of course while we were partying it up, it was raining and pouring slush from the sky, but hey, it is a state of mind...right? Anyways, she sent this cute picture of Parker and I from that evening. You can't see it in the picture, but he is also wearing a skinny mod black tie underneath his sweater vest. The boy has style, that is for sure.

Sucked Into a Big Black Hole...and I Can't Get Out


Wow! It has been longer than I thought since my last post. I am sure you all thought that I have vanished into some deep, dark black hole in the blogosphere. Honestly, I had no idea it had almost been two months since my last post. I kept intending to write a quick blurb, but time has just been so slippery lately. I just can not believe how quickly the hours tick by...especially since I don't "go to work" anymore. Let me tell you, days have NEVER flown by as fast as they have lately.

Why so busy you might wonder? Well, lots has happened:

First- I FINALLY finished my window shade that I was making in my class. I am so proud of myself! It ACTUALLY looks like a nice London shade!! I will post a picture for you all to admire. :) That took up a lot of time since there was so much hand work that I needed to do.

Second- Phillip and I FINALLY made arrangements for our vacation. We are leaving in the beginning of May to go to Antigua in the Caribbean! A whole week of high thread count sheets, no baby, sleeping in, and the beach! Complete and total bliss and relaxation. (Heavy sigh) Phillip's parents are flying into Minnesota to watch over Parker while we are away. It is such a blessing that they are willing to do that (though I am quite certain that they can't wait to spend a whole week with Parker), but at the same time, I am working my butt off trying to get the house put together, baby proofed and organized so it will, hopefully, be easier on them. Yikes!! Lot's of work. By the time I am done with all of that, I will most definitely need a vacation.

Third - I joined a book group. Not that I actually have time to complete a book (unless it reads like a teen book like the Twilight series does). I have been wanting to do that for some time, but just could not quite get it together. I remember that I used to read ALL THE TIME (before I discovered New Wave music), and I missed it. I hope that this group will give me a chance to read some of the wonderful books that are out there currently, reread the classics, as well as force me to read books that I would never consider reading before. We just finished reading Manhunt - The 12 Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer (well, the group finished it...I have about 100 or so pages to go still). I never would have picked this book, but I must say, it is quite interesting. I will fill you all in on that once I actually finish the book.

Fourth- Phillip is working his butt off trying to get the family room project completed in the next week or two so that I have enough time to pull the house together and baby proof it before we leave for vacation. So all of his extra time is going to the project, which takes away the extra time I would usually do stuff like blogging.

Fifth - Phillip and I just decided to have someone redo our kitchen cabinets. They seriously need to be redone. We thought that we would have to throw out all of the existing cabinets and get all new (which is $$$$$), but after talking to a home contractor at Home Depot, we have found out otherwise. So now Phillip and I are trying to pull all of that together; picking a back splash and counter top...etc. I will update you on that project as well once it starts gaining momentum.

Sixth (as if the previous five were not enough)- I signed up for another "How To" class. This time I am going to learn how to make drapes. That class will start in the middle of the month. I have all ready ordered my fabric and will update you all on that project soon as well.

On top of all that I mentioned, Parker is starting to take his first steps! So far he can't make it past three steps in a row, but we are working on it. I have also been trying to do different projects with him on a daily basis. That has probably been one of the things that takes most of my time lately. I blame that all on a new baby book I got that comes up with different daily activities for the toddler for every day of the year.

Whew! I am all ready pooped and I haven't even made it to the gym yet (another thing Parker and I do at least three times a week)!! But I will start posting again (she says while holding her breath).