They're here!

The seed catalogs have arrived! I've already marked too many pages – there's just not enough room in my garden for all the new plants I want to try. I need to come up with a plan... and maybe a few acres in the country...

It's not a "doll" house, it's an "action figure" house

Now, don't get me wrong – we are perfectly happy with Walter playing with a doll house. It's just that the dolls that came with this doll house were a little creepy. So Nate dug out some of his old action figures. I'm not sure if we eliminated the creepiness, but we have turned this doll house into one fun(ny) bachelor pad.

I imagine these guys are talking about what toppings to get on their pizza.

And the Emperor is waiting patiently for the fighter pilot to get out of the bathroom.

I don't think I want to be around for the fight that's going to erupt when it's time to figure out whose turn it is to do the dishes. If Walter knew how much fun Mama was having with his toys during nap time, he'd never sleep.

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2010! I love the start of a new year, list of resolutions in hand. I'm not telling what mine are, for fear of being held accountable, but I am excited about getting started.

Completely unrelated – a photo from this morning that just makes me smile. I hope it does the same for you.

We wish you all a happy, healthy, and (sometimes) silly New Year.

Vintage goodies

Several years ago, I bought a Holga – a cheap, toy camera that takes terrible photos – and I absolutely loved it. The photos the Holga takes come out blurry, vignetted, or with light leaks... You never know what you're going to get. Some of my favorite photos have come out of that camera:

Sacré Coeur, Paris, 2005

But once I got my digital camera, I stopped going to the trouble of buying film and processing it. It was too much of a hassle. So the Holga went into a drawer, never to be seen again. I've been settling for high quality for years. But no more! Nate got me a Diana (a plastic lens for my digital camera) for Christmas. The blur is back!

I love the soft focus and the vintage look. It's not quite Holga quality, but it's a good film-free replacement. And what better lens to use when photographing this adorable, vintage sweater! This sweater was hand-knit by Auntie (Nate's great aunt) for Nate when he was about Walter's age. I'm so envious of her knitting. The patterns are so intricate and there's not a flaw to be found. Auntie put so much time and effort into the sweaters she made for Nate and I'm so excited that Walter can wear them too.

Merry Christmas!

Rain and ice kept us home this year, but we made the most of it. We had some cozy days just lounging around the house. Walter got to be home on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought him, and we got to see lots of local friends and relatives. It was a very merry Christmas. We hope yours was too!

Tired puppy

Cold weather means less playtime and less walks, which leads to more digging and more chewing. So, Molly gets one day a week to play with her pals at doggie daycare. And, one night a week, we get an exhausted dog. She will not move from this chair until bedtime, when we practically have to drag her up the stairs to her bed. Doggie daycare – worth every penny.

Saturday

I still love Saturdays...

Even in winter...

How could I not?