Barbie-sized things.

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One of my absolute favorite things about growing up is how much my mother humored me and fostered my crazy imagination. I'm sure every day was something new for her - "Oh dear, what has Christine come up with now?"

"Hello, Dawn," I would say as I descended the stairwell into the dining room. That was how my mom knew that I was no longer Christine but my imaginary alter-ego named "Kim." She would carry on a conversation with Kim as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. Mysteriously, Kim would always ask questions about me such as, "So, Dawn...how has Christine been doing on her chores? Has she been good lately?" and then disappear before my mom could lift her head up from the vegetables she was slicing for dinner.

This explains a lot.

There was also the instrument I invented called the "Konoto," which was really just a hardcover "I Can Read" book with "strings" drawn on the cover and then held in my arms like an autoharp. {Do you remember "I Can Read" books? Oh how I loved Frog And Toad!}

But some of my most memorable "toys" were all the everyday items that were "Barbie-sized." That means they were just the right dimension to be life-sized in Barbie world. For example, the little plastic white stand that sat in the middle of a hot cheesy pizza from Rocco's. These, of course, became Barbie end tables for my living room setup where a hot pink and black zebra-print scarf was the rug. And how about the wooden toothpicks with red, yellow, green, or blue fuzzy tips that held sandwiches together at 42 Main Delicatessen? Barbie torches, or sparklers for a 4th of July celebration, of course.

Now, as a grown-up, I'm proud to announce that I have Barbie-sized produce in my garden! Teeny inch-long squash, and baby green tomatoes that will soon be juicy and bright red and difficult to hold in one palm. My favorite of all has to be the baby pea pods. You can stare and stare at the vine for several minutes before you see them, and then all of a sudden your eyes adjust, and you realize that adorable mini pea pods are hanging everywhere! We are definitely going to get more than a single cucumber this year; in fact I'll soon show you what we've already harvested. In the meantime, I'm enjoying each and every stage of growing things.

It's not easy to tell in the photos, but not a single one of these veggies is more than an inch long...

yellow squash - if you click to enlarge it, you can see that the surface is fuzzy!


zucchini

pea pod

tomato


cucumber


green bell pepper


sweet peas - these aren't technically veggies but they remind me of four little girls in dresses on their way to kindergarten

On with the imagination! We are never too old, I say.

Meet Heidi!

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I'd like to introduce you to our ridiculously cute 3-month-old Doberman puppy, Heidi! Our Dobie Greta now has a little sister. We've been wanting a "Heidi" for awhile now...and actually Steven wanted a second dog so badly that he said he would - and I quote - "give up his birthday and Christmas gifts and any other gifts for the next 3 years if only we could get another dog." How could I possibly resist?

We'd checked the Doberman Rescue {which is where we found Greta 2 1/2 years ago} but none of the dogs there felt like "ours". If any of you are pet-owners, you know that feeling when you just know. And all the Doberman breeders in the area charged a minimum of $600, which was way out of our budget. So we resolved to wait and let the right dog find us...

Then, completely unexpectedly, Steven and our friend Paul were driving home from the Full Quiver Dairy Farm in Kemp, TX on Saturday, where we go every weekend to pick up fresh dairy for the co-op. They passed the Aggie Feed Store up on the hill as always, but for some reason, this time they decide to stop and get some small starter okra plans for the garden. They drove up the gravel driveway to this truly country establishment that was selling ducks, chickens...and an entire pen of Doberman puppies! Steven went up to the pen where the puppies were and called out "Hellooooo..." and over came our Heidi, who put up her paw to his hand on the other side of the fence. She was the only red female in the entire littler. He said he knew right then - she was for us!

Meanwhile, I was back at home on a seemingly ordinary Saturday, drinking some Enfusia, when Steven called and said he was on his way home to drop off "something" he got at the Aggie Feed Store. I went outside to meet him in the driveway, casually sipping my mug of hot tea, figuring he had some plants or bags of manure or something. They pulled in the driveway, and Paul pulled a saucer-eyed puppy out of the car! My eyes uncontrollably welled up with tears - I was so surprised! She was exactly what I had pictured.

Steven and Paul proceeded to drop Heidi off with me so they could get back to The Movement Studio to deliver everyone's milk orders. I was left with the task of giving her a bath, since she was absolutely infused with the smell of poo. Oooh boy, what a task. This photo is post-bath, and pretty much explains how difficult it was to bathe a scared-to-death puppy with no collar and nothing to grab onto except her slippery little legs. Note the nice smear of mud on my upper arm.


Here is Heidi - all clean...and a little shell-shocked!


Don't you just want to squeeze her? After her bath, I wrapped her in a towel and held her in my lap for a few minutes. She was shaking so much but slowly calmed down and layed her head on my arm for awhile. So sweet.

We introduced Greta to her little sister, and she was SO not amused. On Saturday, she seemed excited at first and played with her in the dog run in the driveway. On Sunday, the reality kicked in that she was no longer the queen bee around here, and she practially spoke aloud, rolling her big brown eyes, "I am SO over this. I mean, really?" Heidi isn't phased at all. She clomps around clumsily like a fawn or a Claymation puppy from Wallace and Gromit, romping back and forth in between Greta's legs. Greta just stands there rigidly, her eyes rolled to one side, completely mortified.

Soon enough though, they'll be licking each other's ears, playing in the sun all day, and completely inseparable. I just know it. Greta and Heidi will be the best of friends.

Our Greta, 3-years-old

Quirky me....

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Well, Shawna tagged me so here we go again :)

The Rules:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog (about their 8 things) and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Shouldn't be hard thinking up some more habits/facts/confessions! Hmm...

1. Growing up, I used to sit on my brother's bed while he was away at college (he's almost 10 years older) and study his 1986 high school yearbook for hours, from cover to cover. Talk about odd. I mean, I would literally just sit there and look at their photos and read all the seniors' paragraphs, complete with song lyrics by The Clash and Billy Idol, longing for a feathery hairdo like Rosalinda Russo.

2. I change which side of the bed I sleep on at a moment's notice. My husband never knows where he's going to be sleeping from night to night - will it be by the wall or on the side by the bathroom? I also have this tendency to sleep in the middle of the bed - OK when you're single, not so much when you're married. Steven usually ends up hanging off the side of the bed by the wall and asks me if I need him to grab anything from the closet while he's over there :)

3. I cooked beets for the first time in my life tonight.

4. I subconsciously start to draw kites all over the paper when I'm in a situation where I really want to escape but can't. I realized this recently...and now I recall drawing tons of kites all over the napkins on various airplane flights, church bulletins, and staff meeting minutes. When I'm happy with my surroundings and listening intently, I usually draw flowers.

5. I always brush my teeth the second I wake up, before I eat anything. Steven thinks it's so weird! He doesn't understand why I would clean my teeth and then immediately get them dirty at breakfast - why not brush after breakfast? But I simply cannot eat until I get that overnight taste out of my mouth. Sick.

6. I really want to go to Central or South America. And our friends who just got married are in Costa Rica right now. Ouch.

7. I have injured my back so many times! The first time was when I was about 8 and doing the can-can on the plywood floor while my parents were renovating the kitchen. I did a kick, my foot slipped, and I totally knocked the wind out of myself. All I remember is my dad running over saying, "What the h***!?!" and then me saying breathlessly, "Daddyyyyyyy....." The second time was when I was sledding in a golf course with my friend Jason and we went airborne and then under a parked car. I'm sure there were other times in between, but most recently was falling down the carpeted stairs that led to the garage in our old apartment while carrying a box of Christmas decorations. I was on the phone with my mom and trying to carry a huge box at the same time, and the phone went flying. I honestly thought I wouldn't walk after that one. And I had to get on a plane to India a week later. I've got 3 words for you: Icy Hot Pads.

8. I have a new obsession with Audrey Hepburn movies.

NOW I'M TAGGING: Suz, Michelle, Tara Leigh, Victoria, Amy, and Lori! And you better do it!

Note about my last list of quirks: I would like to proudly announce that after 10 years, I no longer have to heat my eyelash curler with a blowdryer!! Yes, it's true - since I invested in the Shu Uemura eyelash curler, there is no longer a risk of singing my lashes each and every morning! That's a worthy investment if you ask me!

Berfday Tribute.

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Today is the day my dear friend Suz was born. I'm so thankful that happened so I could get to be her friend. Suz and I met randomly in 2002 (?) through our old boss, Kirby, when she was still in college and helping Kirby with some stuff for Peace Gospel Ministries. I was working at Grassroots at the time. We were put in touch over IM, and I remember thinking she was an older woman because I didn't know anyone my age named "Susan." I was surprised to find out she was even younger than I was! Suz soon moved to Nashville, and I knew I had a lifelong friend. Some of my favorite things about her: her desire to honestly and consistently strive to become a stronger woman in Christ and to embrace her femininity, her ability to speak truth, her love of the beach and nature, her silliness that so easily meshes with mine :), her Sydney Bristow-like bad-assness, and the fact that she always gives up her "cloud" bed for me to sleep in when I visit her. There is a list of about a thousand more things, too! Here are some of my favorite photos with and of Suz.

One of the many times we've played catch in Destin...


Taking the turkey out of the oven one Thanksgiving...


Broken-down with the Cowarts in some random parking lot on the way to Virginia...


Bling'n it at the Walmart in Destin...


Suz in her element - ice cream, sunshine, and sitting under a lovely tree...


Our favorite morning location in NYC - Cafe Lalo from You've Got Mail...


One of my favorite pics of all-time...


A little tradition we have at the outdoor market in Seaside...



Wedding day :)

And another Seaside tradition!


Funny how we've never stayed at the Destin Holiday Inn, but we sure have enjoyed their pool!


Serendipity in NYC...


See, I told you she was Sydney Bristow.


Suz's birthday 2004 in Destin...


At Steak 'n Shake. I just noticed the IHOP sign in the window!


One of our magical evenings going to see our boyfriend Harry Connick, Jr. in concert...


And the crowning beauty of them all...no one else could pull off puffs like this...


Happy Birthday, Suz! Thank you for being my friend.