Hoping For Wardrobe Malfunctions

Are you going to watch the Super Bowl this weekend? I have absolutely no interest in watching the game. If they could throw in more wardrobe malfunctions and a little less football it would be so much more interesting.

hello!

I would probably be more excited about the Super Bowl if the players wore these adorable uniforms. 1912 was a very cute year for football!

Some fun facts about the Super Bowl:

The Super Bowl is the top at-home party event of the year, surpassing New Years Eve.

Super Bowl Sunday is the second largest day of food consumption behind only Thanksgiving.

An estimated 14,500 tons of chips and 4,000 tons of popcorn are eaten on Super Bowl Sunday.

The California Avocado Commission says that on Super Bowl Sunday, Americans scarf down eight million pounds of guacamole.

Nearly one in eight or 13% of Americans order takeout/delivery food from a restaurant for a Super Bowl gathering.

Most popular choices of takeout/delivery items on Super Bowl Sunday are pizza at 58 percent, chicken wings at 50 percent and subs or sandwiches at 20 percent.

Sales of antacid increase 20 percent the day after Super Bowl Sunday.

Six percent of Americans will call in sick the day after Super Bowl Sunday.

An estimated 50 million American women will watch the Super Bowl.

Cost of the Vince Lombardi Trophy: $25,000

Who makes Super Bowl Trophy: Tiffany & Co. of New York
(SalemNews.com)

Snow Dome Collage

This is a snow dome I made for my first swap! I also made a little box out of a Candy Land board game so it will stay safe in the mail.

Aubusson

Aubusson Carpet

One of my very favorite things we own is this Aubusson rug we bought at ABC Carpet and Home in NYC.
Aubusson is a region in central France known for their beautiful rugs and tapestries. In 1580 weavers from Flanders (now Belgium) took refuge in Aubusson, their work became very popular in the homes of nobility through out Europe. What I love about Aubusson rugs is the muted colors, lovely designs and durability. They are also known for making some of the largest rugs. Unfortunately my dog Buddy has still has an occasional accident and it always seems to be on the ABC rug! I am often heard yelling "why can't you ever go on the rug from Marshalls???"

Lilly Pulitzer's Party

This was a preppy party I planned with loads of fun activities. The girls sewed pink buttons on their kelly green bucket hats, made grosgrain ribbon headbands and decorated little frames with alligators.

Comfort and Joy

Macaroons from Laduree

Limoncello Gelato from Freddy's in Chicago

Cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery

I woke up this morning and checked the thermometer outside my bedroom window, it read -5 degrees. I don't remember a winter where we have not had a handful of 50 or 60 degree days. These occasional unseasonably warm days help us get through the long season. This winter we celebrate when it heats up to the 20's. Today I am turning to these beautiful pictures of my favorite pretty foods to get me through another day.

Lulu's Take On Home

I found these wonderful photos that my daughter had taken on my camera. It is fascinating to me to see how Lulu photographs our home with shots of details and shapes. I think because I am a collector I always photograph groups of things, which makes for a less attractive picture.
I'm still learning.

16

Artsymama has challenged her readers to post "16 things about me", so I am going to give it a try.

1. I cry like a baby at parent/teacher conferences when teachers says nice things about my kids.

2. I have been buying and saving things for a summer house we don't have.

3. I see at least one movie a week all by myself, my husband stays home with the kids while I sneak away to the movies.

4. I asked our garbage man, and we have more recycling than anyone else on our block.

5. I have gone to the flea market with a fever.

6. I secretly leave baskets of flowers on doorsteps
May 1st.

7. I dance like Rerun from "What's Happenin' " when no one is around.

8. I met my husband when I was 18 years old in college.

9. I keep the house at 63 degrees.

10. I wore a size 7 shoe before I had children, now I wear an 8.5.


11. My hair looks like a wig.(Scary)
12. For my 13th birthday I asked for 13 cans of
black olives
instead of a birthday cake. (Freaky)
13. I have vowed never to wear capri pants.(Dumpy)
14. For two years I was paid to read 30 newspapers a day.(Inky)
15. I have perfected yawning through my nose,
so I don't offend someone who is rather boring.(Flary)
16. I lived in Virginia in 1st grade and left with a southern accent.(HeeHawy)

Cute As A Button

I was so lucky to find this tramp art mirror adorned with little white buttons. I actually love just about anything covered in old buttons. One of my favorite memories is of my Grandmother's coffee can full of buttons. It was so much fun digging through the can looking for treasures, and they all smelled a bit like coffee.

Multitask Studying

Lulu is taking her finals this week and it is bringing back a million memories for me. When I was in high school I would study at the University of Michigan Law Library with my friends. We would put on our preppiest clothes and soak up the collegiate atmosphere. The long tables in the library were rich dark brown and lit with brass lamps and green glass shades. This was an absolutely beautiful place to study. I think I actually did better on my exams studying in this environment. Lulu wouldn't dream of going to a library to study, she has to be hooked up to her i-pod, online and texting, and she still does incredibly well. Have libraries become obsolete to this generation?

Madcap Adventure On A Dime

Swanky?

Sunny?

Sight Seeing?

We are trying to plan a little vacation during spring break, it's a rare opportunity for us to get away while the kids are out of school. School vacations are Gray's busiest times at Super Great Doll Place, so most of our vacations have involved Lulu and Deke missing a week of school during non-holidays. Now that Lulu is in high school we are going to take a vacation like regular people. Budget will be our number one consideration. I don't want to have to stay at the Kabul Intercontinental Hotel, so I am frantically researching affordable places to visit.
Our last vacation was to Paris and London last spring. Did you know that the dollar has the same value as pocket lint? Yikes!
Any ideas?

Oh Happy Day!

I plan on being glued to the television today watching all of the inaugural coverage. I will also make The Obama Family Chili (see below), and try my hand at sweet potato pie. I have two big boxes of decorations for the Fourth of July that I will rifle through to decorate our dining table. We are all a little giddy!!!

One World One Heart

There is a wonderful event going on until February 12, scores of talented bloggers are participating in an enormous giveaway hosted by Lisa Swifka from A Whimsical Bohemian.

The event is called One World One Heart
and it is a chance for the blogging community to make some new pals!

This is open to everyone! Please leave a comment on this post and I will enter you in the drawings for my pencil assemblage and my ruler assemblage. If you don't have a blog please leave me a way to contact you. Click on the earth to check out the many participants and their giveaways. I will announce the winners on February 12, 2009.
Good Luck!
Your Pal,
Linda

****2/12/09****
This giveaway is now closed.
Congratulations to the winners Deirdra and Elma

MLK & BHO

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?"

Martin Luther King, Jr.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Barack Obama with his Mother

Barack Obama with his Grandfather

"Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Move In Condition

Nancy Reagan decorated this bedroom, it has a bit of a Plaza Hotel suite, circa 1960 vibe.

Sister Parish decorated this room for Jackie Kennedy, notice the books on the floor.

I was rather surprised to see these rooms in the White House Residence. I always think of it as having heavy brocade curtains and navy blue or red furnishings. I wonder what impact the Obama's will have on the decor. Will they make their private rooms more casual because of their young daughters?

The White House has:

• A main residence and architectural wings on the east and west sides
• 4 stories, plus a basement and sub-basement
• 55,000 ft of floor space (67,000 ft including the wings)
• 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms
• 412 doors
• 147 windows
• 28 fireplaces
• 8 staircases
• 3 elevators (main, pantry, and a lower-levels elevator under the Grand Staircase)
• several gardens
• a tennis court
• a basketball court
• a putting green
• a bowling alley
• a movie theater
• a jogging track
• a swimming pool