Karla's Cottage – Page 244

Heading to Leesburg

antiques/junking, celebrations, Moving to DC, parties

By Karla Nathan / June 14, 2009

What a fun group! Here we are in front of Prom Dress Central, other wise known as the "Anti- Hope Room", (Hope is such a funny person to be with, and she came up with that name, since it is pretty over whelmingly beautifully stocked with froof, and she doesn't care for that stuff)

Pictured in the back row is: Jessica http://www.suchprettythings.typepad.com/

Pamelahttp://www.suchprettythings.typepad.com/

Lori myfaeriewindow.blogspot.com/>

Amy http://www.inspireco.blogspot.com/

Heather prettypetals.typepad.com/>

Andrea http://www.velvetstrawberries.typepad.com/

Front is: Hope http://besottment.typepad.com/

Beth http://bethleintz.typepad..com/

Stephenie justalittlebitpink.blogspot.com/>

and Robin http://thriftymissprissy.typepad.com/

We were at On a Whim, a place of pink polka dot loveliness (that I don't have the web address for right now, sorry). One room there is nothing but vintage gowns and hats. I've been there before and have made the appropriate sqeally noises when I first saw the room, so really enjoyed listening as each new person came in and saw it all for the first time. There might have been a happy squeal or two…

The owner, Donna Trexler has done a breath taking, squeal producing job of displaying her gowns.

And her HATS!!!!! I was in love with the hats!!

What better backdrop for a group photo of this group?

By the way, I am loving my new camera! I'm getting used to it, and learning a few tricks. Plus, I downloaded Picassa photo editing and have had a chance to experiment with that. I'd love to learn how to add tint to a sepia photo, wouldn't it be pretty if I had been able to add a blush of pink to the roses in this one?

The Cottage ( www.cottageatleesburg.com ) was as cute as a bug, just as its welcoming front porch implied.

There was lots to talk about all day, and you might think it was complicated for a big group to shop together, but we all had such similar interests we had an easy time staying together while we poked around here and there in Leesburg. There was time to mingle and talk one on one too, and talking to Amy and Andrea and hearing about thier toddlers helped my homesickness about missing Sugarwings. (only 4 more days till I get to hold my little Fairy Grand Baby again!!)

Here is Andrea, Hope, and Amy. I've met them all at Silver Bella, but never really got a chance to spend time with Hope or Amy till yesterday, and am so glad I got a chance to hang with them both.

This year have been lucky enough to get to visit with Andrea once in April, then again in May, and now here in June. We both have husbands that travel a lot, and she joked that we might see each other more than we see them.

Amy has invited me to come to a craft day at her home when I "head" back this way again. Can't wait.

Most of the things that I was really attracted to, like this statue, weren't feasible for my suitcase. I guess the shopping part of the day was more for social than for buying purposes for me. The stores in Leesburg will always be some of my faves, but on this day, I was too busy chatting to be seriously shopping.

Although, this little guy might have fit into my suitcase…

We did manage to buy a few goodies, and Pamela provided the cutest travel folders filled with pockets for receipts, business cards and custom tags with our names on them to tie onto our shopping bags so we could tell whose was whose. When Beth, Robin, and I loaded my trunk, Beth saw this and said we had to snap a picture of the tagged loot.

If you travel with bloggers, there is one photo op after another!

I'll have some pictures of the little (did I really say little? I meant extravagant and generous) gift exchange as well as the haul from shopping later on.

Thanks, Heather for pulling it all together for us to meet! What a fun group, and a beautiful day.

Happy Birthday Beth!

jewelry, Moving to DC, vintage paper/collage art, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / June 12, 2009

This is another post written before I left for Virginia.

One of the things we have planned while hanging out in the DC area is a big birthday celebration for Beth. She is flying out for a couple of days to visit and we are meeting up with blog friends in the area for a shopping day in Leesburg, but before that, she and I are going to go out for a ritzy dinner with Robin.

I wanted to make something special for as a gift for her, so when I came across this vintage bracelet, that says "Virginia" on it, that gave me an idea for something sentimental.

Its an old ID bracelet, and I'm sure the owner's name was Virginia, but I thought it was the perfect base for a charm bracelet to commemorate the trip.

Well, that's a tiny photo, huh? Sometimes I have no idea what I am doing.

Her birthstone is pearl, so I added lots of genuine pearls to the chain. Another stone for June is a moonstone. I had some sweet little moonstone settings that my Sissy had given me and told me to only use for special pieces. I think this is special. Beth is like my Kansas sister, my real sisses are all the way across the Midwest in Indiana.

This little silver treasure chest is meant to signify all the fun days we have had out treasure hunting together. Plus, I bought it at our favorite flea market in Sparks while on one of those treasure hunting trips.

The Eiffel Tower symbolizes our Miss Frenchie's sale.

Of course, more pearls. And a vintage heart charm, because I know how much she loves old things with a lot of history, that aren't in perfect shape. And also because I just love her to pieces!!

Now, I need to make a card and get it wrapped. Plus pack my suitcase, gather all the goodies I am packing for the other girls we are meeting up with, and get ready to hit the road. Hmm, seems weird writing this before the trip and planning for it to post next week. Well, next week for me, Today for you as you read it.

Do you remember seeing these? When I first showed them, I mentioned they were for a special event coming up. They are the little gifts that I am packing to take to the other blog pals who are meeting in Leesburg.

Some are old friends, some are people I have been wanting to meet. This is going to be a very special day, all organized by Heather, who planned it all and sent out the invitations. I owe her a big thank you for making all the arrangements from meeting places in the morning to dinner reservations that night. Also a thank you for inviting me, as well as timing it so I could be in the area to attend.

I just can't wait! And yes, there will be LOTS of photos. This will be my last "pre-made" post, the next will be in real time and I'll have pix of the trip.

Here is a list of who Heather has gathered up for this party:

Lori www.myfaeriewindow.blogspot.com myfaeriewindow.blogspot.com/>

Beth http://bethleintz.typepad..com/

Andrea http://www.velvetstrawberries.typepad.com/

Robin http://thriftymissprissy.typepad.com/

Jessica http://www.suchprettythings.typepad.com/

Stephenie justalittlebitpink.blogspot.com/>

Heather   prettypetals.typepad.com/>

Amy http://www.inspireco.blogspot.com/

Pamela http://pamelajanes.blogspot.com/

Hope http://besottment.typepad.com/

If you'd like one of these journal/tag books, I am offering one as a gift in my JUNE GIVEAWAY. You enter by leaving any comment on any post.

There are also some for sale in the Boutique.

Crowning Glories

Sugarwings, We're having a party

By Karla Nathan / June 10, 2009

Andrea is asking us to show our crowns. And since I am a crown lover, just had to play along, even though I will be in DC and unable to participate in real time. So, I'm pre-posting this before I leave.

Funny, I never really thought of myself as a doll person, but I look around my studio and seem to have become a doll collector at some point…. Little figurines, statues, toys, all sorts of babies.

And I've always loved crowns, but just didn't realize how much till I went to my first Silver Bella. I think that my crown love was a hidden away secret till I joined a group where crown loving was accepted and common!

Tiaras and crowns were always something I enjoyed, but not really wore, or used much in every day life. Now, they are a big part of my life, and I seem to have an abundance of them. These that I am showing you are from a quick walk around my studio. My home itself is all royall-ed up too. Can you have enough of them?? Not as far as I am concerned.

Especially if they are hand crafted or vintage. This one is both., I made it from a vintage metal trim.

Working on this photo shoot for Romantic Country with my pal, Carol and seeing the darling crowns that she made, was right up my alley.

Carol taught me how she makes these little sparkling beauties from gutter guard wire. I wrote the article and included instructions from her on how they were assembled, then of course, HAD to make up a bunch myself!

This one is sporting a glittered dove.

And my sugared Twinkle figurine wears a crown that once was part of a vintage earring.

I'm not always lucky enough to find old jewelry that is crown shaped, but when I buy vintage pieces I always try to find bits that could be elements to form a crown, like this fairy's rhinestone bauble.

And of course, little cake topper ballerinas come with a crown already in place. I just enhance theirs a bit with a rhinestone or crystal.

You could almost call this fairy's crown more of a hat, than a crown. But in my mind, it is -of course- a crown!

Every fairy deserves a royal headpiece! Sugarwings loves them too. Although she calls them "corns".

Homesick before I even leave, but just ask Beth, I’m kind of a whiner about things

parties, Travel, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / June 8, 2009

Since I'm going to be away for over a week, I thought I would "pre-post" a few entries that would come up while I am away.

As much as I love travel and look forward to meeting up with good friends and having adventures, I'm basically a homebody. I'm homesick already just thinking about being away. So I thought I'd show some pictures of my house. Probably more for me than for you, I'll be able to turn on the computer any time and take a peek at my sweet home and not feel as lonely for it.

Here are the front steps, that I mosaic-ed in a vining pattern. I wanted something organic looking, in honor of my Dad, who was an avid gardener. I was working on these steps while we waited for the test results that diagnosed his cancer.

My favorite place in the house, though, is Sugarwing's room. I'll never forget when she was old enough to talk and she told me, "Grammy has pretty things". I told her, "No, baby, this is YOUR room, these are YOUR pretty things". The look on her face was one of the most special things I have ever seen. I will always treasure that moment with her. Its a joy to me to know that she loves her room as much as I do.

My kitchen is extra special to me, because my son, Sugarwing's Daddy, custom built these cabinets for me.

He is a talented carpenter, but no longer does that work. He has to take good care of his hands now, since he is a massage therapist. Which is also a handy skill to have in a son! Especially when my back goes out like it did last week.

I can still get him to do a special project for me here and there, though. He and I ripped out the old stair way and rebuilt it last year.

It will be hard to be away from my little Dorkies for 8 days too.

But those 8 days will fly by fast, and soon, I'll be walking through my front door again to a house full of barking dogs jumping up and trying to sniff out where I've been all week. And honestly, I have a GREAT week planned, with my best friends and so much fun to look forward to, so I have nothing to complain about. But like I said, I'm a homebody and will miss my house and my gardens, and my fairy grand baby, and all the dorkies.

In the meantime, Andrea will be having a "Show me your Crown" party and there is no way I could miss that. I might have a few around…. So, please join in on Wed. the 10th for that, and please link up and show your royal head gear too.

I've been very lax all week in returning comments and emails. Since I hurt my back, my time in a computer chair has been limited. I've read and enjoyed each and every one of them, sorry if I didn't get back to you. Also, with this trip, I will be even further behind. Please keep in contact, I do read them all, and each is entered into the monthly drawing. This month's prize is a vintage wallpaper covered journal that I made.

A Mermaid’s Tale

Moving to DC

By Karla Nathan / June 7, 2009

Tomorrow, I am going to Virginia for 8 days of fun. Three friends are flying out with me to stay at our apartment in Centreville and we plan on exploring downtown DC, going out to dinners, and just plain old having some girl time away from home.

Before getting packed and ready to go, I was able to squeeze in some creative time, and made a couple of wallpaper covered books. This one is a butterfly. Well, that probably is something that you already noticed….

The cover, is a pretty, pink paper (old, but not as old as most of what I collect) that I turned into a butterfly with inks and markers, then glued some millinery flowers to. I added more old flowers to the soft ribbons and lace that bind it, and tied on a tag too. I drew another butterfly onto the tag, and glued an old butterfly shaped brooch to it.

This one is flower shaped (well, durr). It has the best, old faded velvet rose EVER on the top of it. Both are available in my Boutique. But since I'll be out of town for those 8 fun packed days, I can't ship anything until I get back. Sorry, but if you want one, I promise to send it out as soon as I return.

The three friends who are flying out with me, will be going home on Thursday, then Beth will fly out to join me and to celebrate her birthday there!

She and I will be meeting up with a slew of blog friends for a shopping date that Heather has invited us to. Then, Beth flies home on Saturday and I will have a couple of days to hang out with my handsome husband and enjoy his company. We'll probably be lazy, go to a few movies, sit by the pool, go to the gym, maybe snuggle a bit…

While we are away, my brother-in-law, Mr. Handy, will come over and rip this nasty old carpet out of the baby's room and replace it with laminate flooring!!!!!! That is a dream come true, to leave on a trip and come back to a completed home improvement project. Life does not get any better than that!

Since the carpet was going, and I had the room emptied out, I thought it was a good time to tackle repairing this small hole in the wall.

And while I was at it, I painted a mermaid for Sugarwings. I gave my fairy grand baby that nickname when she was just a few days old, because she just has always looked like a fairy to me.

But that kid LOVES mermaids. She isn't an air creature, she is a water nymph. Maybe I should have called her Sugartail, but then, that sounds kind of creepy, doesn't it?

Her room has a fairy theme, but I figured a mermaid would fit right in with the magical feel of the room. And I really enjoyed wiping my brush on the soon to be gone carpet!

I seem to be about ready to go. The dogs are bathed and have new haircuts, so they won't get anything caught in their fur while I am not here to help them out. I've pre-written a few blogs that will post while I am away. I have little gifties made and packed for the blogging group day, and a gift for Beth. Boarding passes are printed, the suitcase is full.

I might just go sit on the patio with a glass of wine and a good book and enjoy the last few hours I have at my home before I take off. See you when I get back!

All Business

vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / June 5, 2009

Today I made new business cards. My old ones didn't have the Boutique address on them. Plus, my old set of cards didn't have any vintage wallpaper on them at all. Now, that just didn't seem right to me!

For these, I used another business card as a template, traced it onto card stock and with a ruler, draw out the shapes of enough cards to fill the page. (ugh, yes, I had to measure, sometimes you just have to whether you want to or not. All the cards have to be the same size so they can be cut out).

I drew around each shape with a dark brown marker, so that the edges would look "aged" and if they weren't perfectly lined up (even though I did try to measure them) there wouldn't be strips of white paper showing.

I printed all my info on the computer. I made up extras, so I could play around with cutting out different shapes.

Mostly, I used a block shape for the wording, but on some, I changed it up a bit.

These really went quickly. I made up 10 tiny collages, with the text added onto them, and then did some hand drawing with inks. I didn't bother with using glitter, because I knew it wouldn't copy well. Neither does metallic ink.

A few 3-d type pieces work out ok for copies. Like tiny flowers and ribbons, nothing too thick.

This might be my fave. Beth had given me a teeny wallpaper covered tag, and I used it over a pink flowered wallpaper on this card, then added the text and a flower. It was super simple to do.

Now, I just need to drop the page of cards off at the UPS store, they have the cheapest color copy prices in my town, 39 cents each. It will be a bit more for card stock, not much. I'll have the store cut them all out for me, and I'll bet they'll have them done in an hour or so, that place is quick.

One thing I always do with color copies, is to ask for a proof to color check before okaying the job. Sometimes, the copier will need adjusting a bit to match the original.

Thank you all again, for your concern and well wishes for my aching back. It gets a little better each day. I'll be back into Kung Foo Panda style kicking soon.

pages and pages of fairies plus the June Giveaway prize

fairies, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / June 3, 2009

The sketch I showed you last time is finished, and photocopied to use for a swap I am in with a few of the friends who attended En Le Jardin, the art and garden party hosted by Jenn.

This flower fairy (as Jenn called all of her attendees) is inspired by a cute little sprite, Jessi.

This photo by Tiffany, was so adorable, that I had to use the pose and the fountain for my page in the memory books.

I first, cut out card stock paper to the size of the book pages we were to make. Then, I glued vintage wallpaper over that.

The pocket added to the page is made from another wallpaper, that is old, but sturdy and thick. I started out folding the edges of the pockets over and gluing them down, but soon I switched to sewing them onto the page. Same thing with the lace border. On some pages, it is glued, others, it is sewn.

Then, I cut the fairy picture out, glued it down and drew the vining arch with silver ink and black ink. To dress it up a bit, I used a glitter pen on the fairy's wings and dress. (that doesn't show in this picture, but it is sparkly in real life).

Since I don't measure, all the pockets are different sizes, but I figured that certainly didn't matter. They were all okay to put photos into, so all was fine. And it was quicker to not take time to measure. Measuring is always the worst part!

All of the background wallpaper is the same on the fronts of the pages, but for the backs, I used a variety.

It gets boring if each and every one is just alike! Its hard enough to make 12 of the same thing, I had to be able to vary them as I went along.

For the backs, I used copies of logmachy cards from Mary in the initials of the person receiving that page. Its is kind of an inside joke, from a game we played in the limo, involving vintage style flash cards and the alphabet.

Those cards are sooooo lovely! Mary has the copies for sale on a disc if you are interested. I foofed them up a bit with some gel and glitter pens and added the girl's names to each. And since we were flower fairies, I had to add butterfly wings to each picture!

I just can't wait to see these books assembled. We are shipping our pages off to Kim. As soon as I get mine back, I'll be showing you what everyone else did.

Before I go, I wanted to tell you what the gift for June is. And I am actually on the ball and at the beginning of the month with my announcement for once!

As always, all month, all comments count as an entry. Thanks for visiting me, I appreciate hearing from you!

Playing tag

vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / June 1, 2009

Thank you, to all of you who sent well wishes my way for my bad back and for Aunt Caroline's health. There are a lot of caring people in blogworld.

I'm sticking with my recipe for curing the back pain, plus added a trip to the Physical Therapist today. Also, a new addition to my cure, is that Sugarwing's Daddy is a massage therapist. He is a handy person to have around! That guy can stop a migraine before it progresses and has been great for helping out with back aches too.

But I was getting so bored with just watching movies and taking care of the aches and pains. I figured I could do ice and heat just as well from my desk chair in the studio as I could from a recliner in front of the tv. So, I worked off and on yesterday, making these books. I needed breaks to stretch and move around, but was able to get quite a few done.

Yep, quite a few. I think about 15 or so. Some are for a special event that I have planned, and others are for sale.

They were all Beth's idea. I couldn't think of something to make for the "special event" coming up, so she told me to get out my binding machine and make some tag books.

I make little wallpaper books a lot, but these are different. They went much faster for me since only the front and back covers are embellished, the rest of the pages are all plain tags ready for the new owner to add what ever they want, like photos, collages, or rambling notes.

Making these really cheered me up, I always feel better when I play with my vintagey pretties! And it was a great excuse to get out the good stuff. What use is a pile of wonderful things if I don't make it into something? I am a big believer in using all the best items and enjoying them.

I'd love to see one of these finished by its new owner, they have so much possibility and will be cute with all sorts of ribbons and charms tied to the tops of the tags and trailing out. I've listed a few of them in my Boutique for $26 each, if you'd like one. And if you get one, please let me know how you use it!

While recuperating, I also got this sketch started. Its for a swap I am in, and I really am not quite sure how I am going to make it work for the pages, but since I have nothing else to do right now, I have plenty of time to figure it out.

The hardest part of getting my back better is that I can't play with Sugarwings much. If I do, I pick her up, or she dive bombs me and expects to be caught, held, and cuddled. She's a boisterous kid, not one to sit quietly and play, she is a rough and tumble, no holds barred, hard playing, firecracker of a kid. Just going near her is painful while my back is hurt! So, I am taking extra good care of my poor old back, so I can be in shape to play with her. I want to go right back to doing kung foo kicks and leaping in the air, while we watch Kung Foo Panda on TV together. (which is how my back got this way in the first place)

edit- I swear, some times I HATE typepad!!!!!!!!! My screen has locked up 6 times while trying to correct something in this post!!!!!!!

The tag books are $18 not $26, sorry.

Back Pain Relief Recipe

antiques/junking, how to's, show and tell, vintage paper/collage art

By Karla Nathan / May 30, 2009

Before I hurt my back this week while on vacation, I started a few tags. I was thinking about making some tag books, but decided that these wouldn't fit into the binder with all the 3-D stuff on them, I'll need to add doodads after binding the tags, not before.

These colors are a bit different from what I usually pick out. Beth and I have a Wallpaper Pact, when one of us scores some vintage paper, we share with the other. She gave me the border that I used across the bottom, and if went perfectly with a playing card I got in the En Le Jardin swap.

When my back cooperates and I can sit at my desk again, I'll be adding ribbons to these and calling them finished. Then, I'll start over on the tag books. So, this batch isn't exactly a waste of time. I just about always finish what I start and make it work somehow.

This is the statue that I bought from Carol. For now, she is gracing one of the dining room tables in my studio. I might bring her into the living room later on. I already have a couple in there now, and I do think a collection makes more impact when it is grouped together, but on the other hand, I like having my favorite things all around me. So, maybe she'll stay out here in the studio to keep me company while I work.

Last Saturday, at the world's greatest estate sale, I found this punch bowl. I've been wanting one forever, but didn't want to spend much. This one is cracked, so it was cheap, only 5 bucks. I don't mind the crack, since I am using it for something that won't leak, not punch.

There was also a giant box of cushion sized slip covers at the sale, and they were only $7.50! I immediately put some on my porch furniture. The rest got washed up and look even better. The pink background shows up a lot prettier when it isn't dirty. I'm not quite sure what I'll do with the rest of them, its gorgeous fabric, some of the prettiest that I have found. And while it isn't old-old, it is older. Hmm, does that make sense to you? Not antiquey old like bark cloth, but not made all that recently either.

There were a few round pillows in the box too. And I almost didn't buy any of it, I wasn't sure if the size was something I could use, but Beth told me that the fabric was worth a lot more than $7 to have for cutting up. She's right, I'm glad I listened.

Notice these photos are focused only on the chairs? I've not done any planting and my porch looks desolate and lonely without flowers! Of course, with a sore back, I won't be doing much gardening this weekend, so it might be a while before I get plants set out.

Years ago, I fell off a pony and fractured a couple of vertebrae. Now, I wasn't thrown from a horse, I just carelessly slid off the back of a small pony. Like a klutz, nothing dramatic about it.

I had a few surgeries, cortisone epidurals, lots of rest. But, I was in bad shape for a LONG time, till I finally found a Dr. who got me to physical therapy. Since then, I've controlled the back problems by sort of keeping in shape. Not the kind where I look good, but the kind where I stay flexible and can move.

There is also a routine I go through if my back gets sore and it usually works in a day or two, I no longer have months of pain like before. My trouble now, is that my back went out on me while on vacation and I didn't follow my recipe for healing, since, not only was I staying at a hotel, we were sightseeing and hauling around a 2-1/2 year old.

Here is what I usually do, and am doing now. It doesn't work as well if you don't do it right when injured, but it still helps:

Back Pain Relief Recipe

Equal parts of rest, laying and sitting. Do not stay in one position too long.

Equal amounts of ice and heat, taking turns with each.

Walking and stretching in small amounts to start with, then building up to more. DO NOT rest too much, you have to MOVE or you'll cramp up.

And last, anti-inflamatories and muscle relaxers. I use Ibuprofen and Skelaxion, neither make me drowsy.

You will also need a stack of movies to watch. I'm going to go watch Diary of the Dead, it seems fitting, since I have the zombie shuffle walk going on right now.

And for now, I have probably sat too long at the computer, I need to walk and stretch. But before I go, I'll tell you the winner of the Cottage Charm giveaway, my May prize. Thanks, Kim, for hosting this annual event!

And the winner is:

Jenny

By the way,Beth is having a fantastic giveaway full of Victorian scrap! Go enter before its closed!!

Sweet Sioux

family, Sugarwings, Travel

By Karla Nathan / May 28, 2009

We're back from Sioux City, and it was an emotional trip, as well as being filled with all sorts of Sugarwings Fun.

When I was a young, divorced, and penniless, mom with two rambunctious sons, my Mom took us in. She had been transferred to Sioux City, so my sisters packed us up in Indiana, and drove the boys out to her home in Iowa, since I didn't even own a car at the time.

My Mom has been gone a few years now, but I will be grateful all of my life for the help she was to us when I really really needed her. She not only took us in, she helped take care of my wild and crazy boys while I worked and got back on my feet. To do that, she sold her cozy little one bedroom cottage, that was just perfect for her, and bought this beautiful, old brick palace with space for a family.

That house was so stately and special. Going back to see it again was heart wrenching, but was the first thing I had to do when we got to town. The house meant a lot to Mom too, she'd been through some rough times, and not so nice men in her life, so owning a house like this and being able to support us when we were desperate for help, was a boost of confidence for her. She was so proud of how hard she had worked and this house was kind of a symbol of all she had done for herself to get to that point. And was she was even prouder to be able to say that she did it "without a man".

Dear Abby and Ann Landers had been raised in this house. (I'm sure I could have used some of their advice at times while I was a single mom) And it had once been a fantastic neighborhood. But the area seems to be going down hill, now. It made me very happy to see "our" house so well cared for and tended to. It looked like a huge, and multi-generational family lived there now, with a grampa in the garden and babies on the porch. That seemed fitting.

While in Sioux City, we visited Palmer Candy. Sugarwings was pretty happy with that part of the trip….

We bought a case of their Cherry Twin Bings, as souvenirs to give to family and friends here at home.

Down along the river, a monument to Lewis and Clark has been built in the years since we lived in that town. The fairy grand baby figured it was part of the playground equipment.

Since we were doing a lot of driving around and sightseeing, we promised to stop at all the parks we passed for Sugarwings to get out and stretch. My husband's mom is a kid at heart too and she was happy to do more than just stretch when we made park stops.

Traveling with a two year old meant lunches at places like Chuck E Cheese instead of quaint roadside diners my husband usually prefers. Usually, we tryto eat local cuisine, like Iowa loose meats, but for this trip, it was a lot of hotel food and kid friendly restaurants.

Honestly, we didn't care what the meal was, just spending all that time with our little one and doing things she loved to do made this trip one of the best of our lives. Finding a hotel with a water park was the best part of the trip for her, we stayed at a Holiday Inn downtown Omaha that seemed to be empty except for us. We had the whole pool area to ourselves.

And right now, Holiday Inn has a special. Stay 3 nights at any hotel they own, and get a 4th free in August. We plan on going back to Omaha in August for Sugarwings birthday to stay at this one again. I threw my back out on this trip, and didn't get to play in the water park. I sure enjoyed the hot tub, though. When we go back in August, I look forward to splashing around on all the slides.

Since I hurt my back, I won't be going to see Aunt Caroline this week. Thank you all for the well wishes and prayers for her health, it sounds like she is doing well. I hope that I can go to Florida to see her for her 101st birthday in June instead.