Saturday, April 10, 2010

It's Spring up in Here: A Few Pictures

Baby Carter with Pansies

One great thing about babies at this age (Carter is five weeks old) is how easy they are to just stash places. Just set him right there, oh, and we'll move these pansies too so the chips can be in the middle of the table.

Dwell Tablecloth

When she brought my kids home today, their wonderful grandmother made some little bud vase arrangements using my hydrangeas (people, my hydrangeas are blooming again!) and some flowers that had survived my hospital bouquets. Flowers really make me happy. And mixing them up and rescuing still surviving blooms from amidst their fallen comrades is something I like to do.

Hydrangeas in bud vases

Oh, and the tablecloth. I know, would I shut up for one minute about the shopping? And I do have a rich inner life, I swear, but I was at Target (lord I know how predictable and boring I am at this point but indulge me) this afternoon with Matt's mom Betty, and on an endcap I noticed that Dwell now has tablecloths there. This is one of them, and clearly it's a version of the pattern from their Chinoiserie bedding. Which you can see here. And also in my bedroom if you get really lucky. I am the genius who bought the Dwell bedding just before they started doing the lower cost line for Target.

ANYWAY, the point is that I had not been informed that Dwell was now doing tablecloths for Target. Stop screwing around and go look at them! And tell me which one you like best. I like them better than the Dwell for Target bedding--the online pictures don't do them justice. I also got the Suzani pattern one. Go ahead and mock if you must. I know but it's my life.

Mantel

Here I'm starting to get my spring mantel arrangement worked on. I am showcasing another piece of Laura pottery. I think this one was meant to be a self-portrait. Blue eyes, check. Blonde hair, check.

As I said, the kids came home today from their week in Chattanooga, and they have both grown two inches and talk twice as fast as they used to. I knelt down in the front door and Hank just barreled into me with a hug. Even Laura was a hugger and huggee. Hank told me he loved me over and over again. They were both happy as the grass is green. These are the times that you want to bottle up, save, and uncork in the last moments of your life. Then Hank asked if I was all better from my surgery or if I still had a bandage. I told him I was still sore but much better than before. I told Laura about my recuperation in a little more detail, including the fact that I still have my drains, and she nodded knowingly. She said, "Yeah, I held my ear to the phone when Daddy was talking to Grandmommy."

In five short days, I forgot how much energy they take, but also how much energy they give back. Parenting, man.

17 comments:

Meg said...

Glad to hear the kids are back to load you up with love and hugs. Sometimes that is the best medicine isn't it?

LOVE that tablecloth!

The Dental Maven said...

If there's anything more in life than the people you love, I've yet to find it and frankly, I don't care to know.

Pam said...

Thanks so much for all the reports of good stuff at target. I wanted to report to you about Nike's Liberty of London high top tennis shoes. I am gonna get me some today. Here is the blog where I saw them, you have to scroll down to April 8. http://patsloan.typepad.com/
Take care, hope your drains come out soon.

My Kids' Mom said...

Are you sure you have a hydrangea? A "snowball" verbena blooms in the spring and looks much like a hydrangea bloom. Compare the leaves sometime.

I enjoy the blog- sorry that is my first comment! I spent yesterday at the botanical gardens and have plants on the brain!

Michele said...

I love the table cloth. And you can't beat hugs from the kiddies.

Maggie said...

The table and flowers look beautiful. I know you are so thrilled to have the kids back. They really are a source of energy and nothing in the world feels as good as a hug from your baby. Enjoy your weekend. Hugs from Denver

Stephanie said...

There is nothing sweeter than the run and hug.

And, omg, that tablecloth. I've got spring fever for it. The first thing I envisioned was the suzani? pattern on a pendant above my dining table.

Sjn said...

sunshine, kids and hugs...all the best medicines! Take it all in and heal quickly. Thoughts and prayers are still coming your way!

Becky said...

MKM, you're right I think, it's not a true hydrangea. My neighbor called it a "Japanese Snowball bush," and it doesn't bloom in summer like the hydrangeas do. The blooms are a dead ringer tho.

Pam! Thanks for the tip about the shoes'

Keely said...

omg, we don't even have anything GREEN here yet, never mind flowers. There are still rogue piles of snow despite over a week of +10C.

Love from your kids has got to have some magical healing properties. I mean, why else would we even HAVE them? :)

Amy said...

Love the tablecloth, love the flowers, love baby Carter.

Now, let's talk about your mantel. I say this in love--it looks a little busy to me. Too many layers, perhaps?

Jenni said...

Oh, I like the bird cloth the best for sure.

Glad the kiddos are home. There's nothing like being missed like that. Makes me want to send mine away for a few days.

gretchen said...

Hydrangeas - love.
Dwell - love.
Hank - love.
Laura - love.
You - LOVE.

Kimberly, An American Mother said...

I love the random placement of Baby Carter. They are so manageable at that age. Fifteen year olds, not so much! Beautiful flowers and awesome tablecloth...Glad you're moving about and enjoying spring!

Becky said...

Amy, I hear your opinion and agree. The mantel is just a work in progress. I am going to take the other Amy's long-ago advice and group things by shape/color. I'm just a little gimpy right now to be up there reaching and juggling pottery.

Maybe if I get something thrown together that I like, I will post another pic.

delaine said...

Must have that tablecloth! What sweet children Hank and Laura are! I know you missed them.

Amy said...

Oh, the stashable baby days!! I miss them so... too too sweet. Love the toes!

I love flowers too. And yes, real ones from your yard or someone else's, artfully arranged, are the BEST.

And I was going to comment about the mantel, but I see that's already been attended to :) xo