Spring Cleaning

24 pairs of shoes

18 shirts

3 skirts

7 pairs of pants

5 belts

and other miscellaneous object were thrown out of my closet this past weekend.

Refreshing? Yes.

Only there isn't a big empty space, I moved Mr. Dunbar's casual clothes into my closet to make room in his closet for work clothes. My, how times have changed, he gets two closets and I get a half of one. Its okay, I just put 3 pairs of shoes from Nordstrom in my shopping cart online. Shh... A girl has to replenish her shoe inventory.

Feeble Attempt

This is my feeble attempt at some spring decorating.

I hung the blue door above the couch in our living room. (Correction: Mr. Dunbar hung the door up above the couch in the living room 2 months go.) I put the chalkboard on top of it and have been changing the saying almost every week. This week its "Welcome Spring"

I got this idea out of a magazine, although, now I can't remember which one. Anyhow, I took some brown packaging paper that I had, ran it through the shredder, stapled one end, twisted it, tucked it and somewhat stapled the other end. Threw some colored eggs in and Wha-la, instant nest. ( I also tried to shred a Trader Joe's bag, this did not work, at all.)

This is in my entry, the black shelf wasn't feeling very spring'y but I tried. I think I am going to paint the egg carton white, perhaps that'll do the trick. Or maybe the new camera I just ordered will magically make my house look huge, and bright, and airy.

Perhaps.

Sunday Thought

Google Images

Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Psalms 51:66

Why is it?

that when I look online or through a catalogue I am always, and I mean always, attracted to the expensive shoes. It NEVER fails. The Anthropolgie catalogue came the other day. Look at what I chose...

Price Tag: $178.

Price Tag: $198

Pricey, yes. Definitely out of my current budget.

(Just needed to reassure Mr. Dunbar that I understand this.)

Now I know you may be thinking, well it was the Anthropologie catalog, everything is expensive and it is, but man do I love those shoes.

So instead I went to Target and picked up a pair of Mossimo pumps.

$19.99

Easy fix.

No picture, Couldn't transfer it over. Link is above.

When Mama Don't Feel Good

Hey, I'm just keeping it real...

I was way under the weather at the beginning of this week, up until basically today. I was laughing, and almost cried, when I opened my eyes to what my house actually looked like.

Yikes.

But don't worry, its all cleaned up now. And Ms. Nester, if you are reading this please don't believe that my home always looks like this and that I am beyond help. It really doesn't, and I really would have you over for tea and relish all of your ideas if I could.

Perhaps I'll add some redeeming pictures later on this week.

Got it

My mom got this from my dad for her birthday last week.

(Or one of these models... Canon Rebel really expensive awesome camera)

I'm wondering if she'll let me borrow it... like forever, okay well perhaps 5 days a week? She won't want to take pictures of her "clients," I can tell you that. They are not the nicest or most astute people around.
Hmmm... Its worth asking the question, right?

Sunday Thought

Picture by: proviatoes

Let me dwell in Your tent forever;

Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.

Psalm 61:4

Doctor Gone Mom

A few months ago I stumbled upon Life In Grace, right when she was becoming a popular blogger and I just jumped on the wagon. I have to say that I adore Edie. I do. She has a way with words and the love that she has for her kids exudes throughout the Internet. Her decorating style is very eclectic, yet it has a home grown style. I saw a gecko at El Torito last week and instantly thought of her. (Giggle.) I also love the fact that she is a trained doctor gone mom.

Fabulous.

Makes me want to go to medical school so I don't have to call the Advice Nurse at Kaiser. Umm, okay, not really. But there is something about her that I am just drawn to. Oh, and I got mail from her today. Like real, tangible, snail mail. It was the Verity c.d..

Again, more fabulousness.

But it was this post that struck me. Her vulnerability that she shared on her blog about homeschooling.

In her words "My maiden voyage into the tempestuous waters of homeschooling has been a bit akin to when Odysseus left Troy after rescuing Helen. Poseidon, the raging greek god of the sea, must have had it in for me. These waters seemed to toss me about with little regard for the fact that I had never had proper lessons in sailing or fishing and would prefer to decorate the boat to actually navigating it."

How many homeschooling moms relate their daily grind to mythology??? Wow. Now, as a teacher, I have my own views of homeschooling, and well... I have my own thoughts and views...sigh. But Edie is one of the ones that I think is pulling it off just the way it should be. I want to be in her class and learn about ancient Greeks, memorize Latin, look at birds, stage wars, and bake while holding a baby. She has opened up a whole world for her girls as well as for herself.

I enjoy reading about her and all of her posts are food for thought. If you haven't seen her blog go check it out. But you can't leave a comment because she has closed them for Lent. She's one of the ones that seems so real, I just want to hang out with her.

I'm sure you will too.

Wordless Wednesday

Spring is on its way when...

Dodger's pre-season games are on Sunday afternoons.

Spring training.

And Manny's back!

Dunbar's are getting their game face ready.

Umm, do you think this may be why I am a mom of boys?

Its almost baseball season and I can't wait.

Did you think there was going to be pictures of

Spring decorating and flowers?

Come on, now.

He's Dino-rrific

And he's ONE! Bogie had his first birthday.
We celebrated with a dinosaur themed party. It was a nice day and he was surrounded by family.
Here are a few pictures of our day.

With four big chompers on the top, this kid went to town on the food.

They look so happy, don't they?

Bogie discovered dino-buddies and ketchup.

He got this walking toy and took off. Can you see the chompers?

Pond Water and Dinosaur Bones

(bottled water and white chocolate covered pretzels)

Herbivore Salad and fruit

(No pictures of the salad but it was scrumptious. Here's the fruit platter.)

Carnivorous Sandwiches

(Turkey, chicken, or roast beef, Thanks Judy!)

Swamp Juice

(Sprite, vanilla icecream, and some green food coloring.)

Cousins playing on the slide.

Grandma Susie and Cousin (Doctor) Jamie feeding Bogie cake.

Daddy filming.

I wore my Cora Paige pin. It was bittersweet, knowing that I was celebrating the birthday of my baby, who had so many issues before birth and her parents were side swiped with her short life. Cora would have been about a week older than my Bogie.

Do you see the frosting on his foot? That's about how interested in the cake he was. See that blue lighter? That was more interesting. And presents, he didn't get that either, just kept crawling away...it was a good day.

Lots of love and fun.

Dear Bogie,

Happy Birthday, Bogster. I love you dearly. I am so glad that you are one. You make me laugh every single day, even though you are giving me gray hair.

Love, Mommy

The Thief and a wee giveaway

Friday night Mr. Dunbar and I had some much needed adult time. His mother came over to watch the boys while we headed over to El Torito's Happy Hour. Oh how I LOVE their mango margarita. Love it. Anyhow, when we got there we ran into some friends and had an even better time, catching up and eating appetizers with margaritas. It was a great time.

Saturday morning however, I couldn't find my handbag. I looked everywhere for it. You know, tossing sofa cushions, looking in closets, under beds, in the dirty clothes. Everywhere, but to no avail. None. I called my cell phone and it went directly to voicemail. Hmmmm. That was odd, since I had just charged it on Friday afternoon. I kept looking. All of the menfolk around here had headed out and it was just me in the house to look for my handbag. That I had just had in my possession a few hours before.

(The boys on the way out to their Daddy Date Day.)

I called my MIL, asked her if somehow I had left it in her car. (We had rolled in her new Benz over to Happy Hour.) She checked and said, "Nope, its not here sweetie." Should have been my first clue, why was she calling me sweetie?? I continued to look. I called American Express to see if there had been any charges. None. Okay, well cancel it anyway. I looked for another hour. Tearing my house apart. You know with that bottomless knot in your stomach feeling? Ugh.

Something made me call my MIL back. Can you please check your car again?? She called me back two minutes later. "Ooops, sweetie, I must have walked out with your handbag." HUH? My handbag was swiped by my very own mother-in-law. She knew I had all of my earnings from the yard sale the day before and she swiped my handbag with more than $100 cash in it. On accident? I don't think so. So next time you have a monster-in-law story to share, my question to you is "Has she ever stolen your handbag?" True story.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

I adore my mother-in-love. She is the best and we were cracking up for the rest of the weekend that she walked out of my house with my handbag and didn't even realize it. I just kept calling her a thief, asking her what she was going to steal next. My china? It was pretty funny.

Now I know your all wondering about the giveaway. Well its not mine but I'd like to mention it...
Pink and Polka Dot is offering a blog makeover by

Go over there and check it out. But beware. I want this one.

What does your stuff say about you?

Yesterday, my sister-in-law and I had a huge garage sale. Tons of stuff was spread out on my front driveway: clothes, picture frames, home furnishings, more clothes, kitchenware and more clothes. We let a lot of stuff go for $1, $2, even 25 cents. Our mission: Get rid of it!

Most of my contributions to this garage sale were clothes. Tons of it. Bags upon bags were unfolded. My clothes: buy-bye. So many Banana Republic shirts, pants, and skirts. Nordstrom tops and sweaters. Shoes from Nordy's. All stuff. All stuff that isn't part of my life for the moment. I like the saying "we are what we surround ourselves with." Its true. So much of my closet used be stuffed to the brim with nice clothes. Really nice clothes. But its just not me right now. And stuff, is something I don't like to hang on to. When I enter the workforce again, I will definitely help the American economy with my share of a new wardrobe. For now its last years Citizens and this years Target Tee.

It was a bit heart wrenching to let go of baby clothes. Itty bitty 0-3 months sleepers and pajamas. Adorable 3-6 months onesie outfits. Navy stripes. Baby collared shirts. Embroidered monkeys and crocodiles. I loved em. I loved my boys in them. Last week I asked Mr. Dunbar "Should I get rid of ALL of Bogie's baby clothes?" His response "How loaded is that question?" Again, we are what we surround ourselves with. Am I going to be trapped in my longing for another baby, saving bins of clothes, clogging up my garage for a baby that may never come? Or am I willing to let things be the way they are and just get rid of it, the stuff?

My solution: Compromise.

I kept one bins worth of baby clothes. Not the 22 that I had saved from Monkey for my Bogie. We are what we surround ourselves with. Is another baby part of my future? I don't know. Maybe not. Probably not. But if so, that little guy will know that his mom thought he should share in some of his big brothers' things.

I was glad to see my SIL take a bunch of clothes home for her little guy. I will get great pleasure in seeing those clothes on him. My G-Man nephew is worth so much more than a quarter here and a quarter there.

So do you keep anything and what does that say about you?

Almost- Wordless Wednesday

Is this the cutest elephant you've ever seen or what?

Every so often

We have all of my family here in California. Most within a 30 minute drive. We see everyone pretty often. Even most of Mr. Dunbar's family lives here with the exception of his brother. Mr. Dunbar's brother and his family live out of state and we only see them every so often, like twice a year. This past week they came into town to attend Auntie Jean's funeral and they stayed a few extra days to visit. It's always nice to see them, it's getting even more eventful now that they have two kids also.

These two are exactly ten months apart and with differing personalities it will be interesting to see how their relationship unfolds throughout the years.

I was like"Here you hold the chunk (Bogie), I want the itty baby."

Baby Luc is only 9 weeks old.

My Bogie with his ever serious face.

Here is a close up of the baby. I wanted to squeeze him the whole time he was here. He even snorts... like all of the time. His shirt says "Save the planet for me."

Last time they came we all took a picture in front of the fire place. I don't think Bogie was even in it, but its definetely the first time for baby Luc. Amazingly everyone is looking at the camera.