Nie Nie Day

It's amazing what the internet can do - help loved ones keep up on your life from afar, bring back blasts from the past, and expose you to everyday people you would love to call friends. Sometimes I worry that such a cyber-life can actually be bad for you socially with your real friends. Other times, like now, I am grateful for the way technology can bring you closer to the best of what people have to offer.

Sunday, when I returned from vacation and read of Stephanie from Nie Nie Dialogues and her literal fight for life and all she loves I was heartbroken and touched. I have read her sister's writing for Segullah and her personal blog, but I don't actually know these people.

Yet I feel some connection to the story - maybe it's the number of children - mine are the same genders just a couple years ahead of hers; the pursuit of all things retro and beautiful; the burns; or the unbelievably divine love her sisters (I'm always a sucker for a good sister story!!), friends and family are showering her with. Maybe it's that I love her blog and want to copy 1,000 ideas from it (we are scheduling our own back to school feast for this weekend). I don't know why my heart aches for a total random stranger, but I do know it's good for me.

So, I am participating in Nie Nie Day, a day her friends and fellow blogging sisters have all set up auctions to donate money to her recovery (see Design Mom). 2SiS will be at the Yellow Daisy Festival next weekend premiering our adorable new pleated bag:

I am not one for pushing my product on my friends, so I invite you all to go do some early Christmas shopping following this link. As for me, the first bag at Yellow Daisy goes to Nie.

Godspeed Nielson family. My life and family are better for knowing you (even though it's only cyber-ly).

Our last "Hurrah"

School starts way too early here - summer should not end one second before Labor Day, maybe even Halloween. Except preschool - I could really get behind year round preschool.

So, the weekend before the weekend before school started, we joined Randy at a conference on Hilton Head Island for one last moment.

One last romp on the beach by the boys:


One last splash in the waves - for Stevie and Wally on their "skate"boards


(someone mentioned after watching him - "he's not really afraid of anything, is he?"

One last meager attempt to obey the law, even though we SO wanted to take some sanddollars home:


One last sunset over the ocean:


One last run of my fingers through his sun-kissed curly locks:

(okay, not really my last since I'm still not ready to chop them - is there therapy for that?)

One last sunglasses and hat disguise for me - now I'll actually have to do my hair and makeup :)


But hopefully not the last frolic with Dad:


or not the last friend-making without mom and dad's help or prodding - actually a first for us on vacation!


and, most definitely not the last hand-holding of sisters and brothers:


Good-bye summer, though it's not the last you'll see of us!

Very Personal

. . . well only kind of personal, but still fun :)



Jan sent me this survey, I thought I would share the results (they are from yesterday). If you are reading this, consider yourself duly tagged!!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? yes - hippy '70s singer Melanie (you're hearing her now)

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Monday night

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? yes if I try

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? swiss cheese (sorry I love a veggie sandwich)

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 3 girls, 2 boys

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? love it!

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS no

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? not without xanex!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? kashi go lean

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? strong willed, strong legs, weak arms!

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? chocolate with caramel on top

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? their hair

15. RED OR PINK? pink

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? my insecurity

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my newborns

18. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? my compassion and sense of humor

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? What? In summer?? No shoes. - great answer! ditto

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Doritos & fountain Diet Coke

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? stevie begging me to paint (not a chance)

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? orange

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? new baby smothered in baby magic wrapped in clothes washed with ivory snow and downey

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? mom

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? love her

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? my daughters play softball

27. HAIR COLOR? dark brown

28. EYE COLOR? green

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No

30. FAVORITE FOOD? cheese

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? happy

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? dark knight (batman) - Randy made me and I loved it!

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? off-white

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? summer

35. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? homemade brownie

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Heather

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND Randy (enough said)

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? On Chesil Beach - Holly made me and it's SO good!!

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Don't have one.

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? jon stewart.

42. FAVORITE SOUND? thundering ocean

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Sting :)

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME??? france, except it felt like home, so maybe - Piedmont Hospital on Christmas Day

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I do something best the first time, and it progressively gets worse with practice unless I practice so hard that I master it (which happens very infreqeuntly!!)

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? L.A.

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? All!