who knows?

My popularity in the blogging world is, well, let's just say I have the most loyal handful of readers out there; great friends and family who check in on our little corner of life every now and then.  And I am sure that my small audience has a bigger audience of their own and so on.

 

My point?  I need help.....well, actually, my sister needs help. 

Isn't this picture FANTASTIC?!

source

Today as i was browsing through Country Living online, i found myself daydreaming about how i want to fix up baby #2's room when the time comes. As i was browsing, i came across this picture and my heart skipped a beat. I teared up when i saw the gingham doll displayed in this picture. This doll was my best friend for many of my early years. I even chewed the fabric off her button nose. She also came with a white eyelet hat (and possibly bloomers..I can't quite remember). I had this purple doll, Laura had her in pink, and Mellissa had her in blue.

Here is what i need your help with...Does anyone remember what the name of this gingham cutie is or what company produced her? I've tried several different searches using words like vintage, gingham, checkered, rag doll, and plush doll. I can't seem to find this yarn-haired beauty anywhere.

 Maybe i'm in total nesting mode, or maybe i'm convinced that the little person calling my belly home for the next two months is a girl. Either way, i have a really strong desire to find one of these dolls to buy. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to put this doll in my daughters crib. If we have another boy, then i'll just be happy having a memento of my childhood...plus Chris thinks we are going to have a 3rd someday so there is hope that #3 could be a girl.

Thank-you for your help and for taking the time to read this. I really hope someone can help me.

Thanks,
Emily

So, there you have it!  My first guest post from my big sister.  Please, ask your moms and aunts, pass along the word, or make a post on your own blogs if you are as driven as we are to find one of these checkered cutie-pies.  Thank you!  The adorable, round, nesting sister of mine appreciates it, as well. 

dear friday

Dear wardrobe,

                   

(source....too embarrassed to say.)

It's time we had a talk.  Really.  You seem a little down, like you need some excitement in your life.  I agree.  There needs to be some changes around here.....

 

source

She's even pregnant (25 weeks with her sixth baby and got her suit jacket in the junior department at Macy's.  I didn't know God made people that skinny.) and looks spiffier than ever!  We can do this!  We aren't even dealing with a changing body.  Please perk up soon!

Anxiously waiting,

Mellissa

P.S.  I'll make The Captain a nice supper and bribe him with some sweet talk and see if I can get him to help.  It may be a little challenging to get him to fork over any money for the cause, however, seeing as I accidentally gnarled a green scrubby down the garbage disposal and we have a major backup that he will be spending all weekend fixing.  I need to suck-up big time.

not just a bag

When asked paper or plastic......

the answer is paper!

Well, most of the time.

I choose the material of my carrying apparatus according to the season.

Winter=paper

Summer=plastic

I just do.

Anyway, a wintery activity we enjoy with our free, durable, large, brown (I love brown), paper bags (well, and cereal boxes):

The rugrats had painted some beautiful masterpieces but they slowly morphed into colorful blobs because chaotically slopping paint on paper is fun!  It was hilarious to watch.

We also made these.  I saw them here.

PAPER BAG VALENTINE CARDS

The kids cut out the hearts from colors they chose.  I only sewed the designs.  I pretty much love them.

i dig it

I snuck on the back porch to take this picture.

This is awesome.  The picture and the event.  The kids are old enough to do chores together....I dig it.  But, it's not like I made them.  Doing dishes is fun at their age.  They would have cried if I had told them they couldn't.  Which I could have easily done because I end up washing all the dishes again after they finish.  But I never tell them no and I never let them see me re-wash them.

Either way, it is fun watching Honey Girl and Buster learn responsibility and how to work together.  And, I like having the extra help when daddy works during the evening.

I wish I could have sent them out to feed the chickens and collect eggs after the dishes were done, but we don't exactly have chickens and I don't think you do the feeding and collecting at night.  I need to figure that out!

fashion tuesday

I secretly followed the little lion around the house.

What was the occasion?

Perhaps there was no occasion at all.  Perhaps Emerson just felt a little royal and decided to put on his old Halloween costume and pounce around a little.

Or, maybe he wanted to scare the tar out of his little sister like in the past, chasing her into the bathroom and roaring his fiercest roar, which is more cute than frightening, to only giggle with enjoyment upon hearing her shriek.

Neither.

I followed the lion to his room and quietly watched him collect and sort books.  I LOVE this reason.

I love this picture.  He really wanted to move that huge pile of books.

I helped him.

she is a village person

I saw this and LOOOOVVVVEEEEDDDD it, especially because Ida is such a doll and dollhouse girl.  I made her one.  It doesn't open to a fabulous inside, but we like it. 

dear friday

Dear Chit Chat,
Do you remember this?

Daddy:  Emerson, you are so cute, I want to eat you up!
Emerson:  Well, I'd taste like bones because that is what I am made of and that would taste like dog food because dogs eat bones.
Daddy:  (laughing) And what would Ida taste like?
Ida:  I would taste like a towel because I just ate one!  Just
kidding.  I'd taste like cucumbers because I'm yummy.
Mommy:  Daddy would taste like butter.
Daddy:  Thanks.
Mommy:  What?  I wasn't trying to be mean.  I like butter.  Butter's good.
Daddy:  Mommy would taste like horseradish.
Mommy:  I do like shrimp sauce.

Please visit our supper table anytime.  We love laughing our pants off.  Oh my good Heavens!
Chat soon,
The Mama

what's wrong with grapes?

This snack-time idea came from one of my favorite blogs.  It's a magical and fun way of sneaking healthy snacks into the kid's diet throughout the day.  And, after looking at this picture, I would like to know what's wrong with grapes? 

we love

For the love of buntings, garland, and anything decoration.

We love in this house.

Emerson's art...it's awesome.  Ida refused to try and draw anything.

I made this print and I need to print it at Office Max and then it will go up somewhere in the house. 

fashion tuesday-for the mama

My brother gave me this sweatshirt about four years ago. 

I have outgrown logos.

I needed something for around the house.

I made it a little more my style.

I used scraps from the doll business. 

Made some flowers.

I like it.

I can't help but post a picture of some cool things I found while thrifting.  Can you believe I only spent $6 on this waffle iron and these birds.  Seriously!?   

yankee doodle day

Texas is a lovely state.  We really like it.  I mean really.  The people are awesome, the food is awesome, the weather is awesome (in the Hill Country).  We really enjoyed living there and grew to accept being called Yankees every now and then.  Yes, people really called us Yankees.  I thought it was a joke at first, but it happened more than once after finding out Josh are I are Northerners.  Having said that and getting back to the awesome things, Texas' loyalty is awesome.  I would gladly be called a Yankee a billion more times if it meant we were back in Texas.

We had a Yankee Doodle Day:

These are Emerson's drawings.  He is getting goooood. 

1. giraffe  2. lion  3. bird  4. turkey

5. dog  6. horse  7. frog  8. monkey

9. swan  10. fox  11. pig  12. cow

13. dragon  14. fly  15. snail  16. dinosaur

17. reindeer  18. snake  19. lizard  20. lobster

21. mouse  21. fleas  22. octopus  23. squirrel

 This is Ida's beautiful, hairy caterpillar.

What do you know?  I headed over to one of my favorite blogs, A Room Somewhere, and found that she posted about the beauty of the Texas Hill Country on this very day, as well.  In the mouth of two witnesses, right?  Oh, read my comments, we now have a third witness.

my friend is a chemist and is married to physicist

and that is why their daughter got a molecular dollie for her birthday.  Their daughter's name is Ruthie, which I think it short for Ruthenium, but I have never gotten them to admit that.  She sleeps with a pillow that proudly displays the symbol Ru, which is also short for Ruthenium.....so, see my detective skills?

Now she has a Ruthenium dollie to match!

But, I named her Eunice.

She likes to play jacks and have tea parties.

She also thinks chemistry rocks.

It is fun having brilliant friends.

we got snobbed

Why doesn't the recycle guy like us?  Do you see the empty tub across the street?  He didn't drive right past their gallon jugs and tin cans.  Ours aren't any different!  Sheesh!  Two more weeks of recycling, on top of what we have now, will flood the garage.  Booo!

I also wanted to say that I want this:

    

I will take any piece of furniture in the picture, really.  But my eye is on the big beauty right in the middle.  I found it here.  This will be in my house someday. 

the eleventh commandment

11.  Thou shalt, I really don't want you to but go ahead anyway, play with flour.....

(This picture was taken a few days before Christmas)

for a whole hour while your mom cleans the living room, makes a second round of Christmas cookies (not using that flour), emails her sister, and cooks supper.  The table was a bloody mess after the dinosaurs had trampst, been buried, and dove into "Sand Land", but it made for some happy children and one happy mama.

This is becoming our "go-to" activity.  I save the flour in it's own "used flour" container.  I get so uptight whenever the bucket is opened.  Why does this fun activity involve me washing the flour after every time?!  Answer: Because dirty kitchen floors are gross. 

fashion tuesday

(I swear to goodness I found her sitting just like this while she was playing.)

Since Ida is already dressed like a hobo and is holding a collection bucket, we would love to accept your spare change.  Thank you for donating to the future Fraker farm.

so much thinking

I was a little sluggish in posting last week.  I just haven't felt like sitting down and writing.  It's not because I don't have anything to write about.  I have plenty.  My mind never stops thinking.  I was thinking today while I chopped garlic for the spaghetti sauce about how much I think!  I think while I am in the grocery store, especially while I clean, and definitely when I lie down to go to bed.  I stay awake thinking about how I should be sleeping but I can't because I have so much to think about.  It isn't always worry-thinking either.  A lot of the time I am thinking about the future, imagining what my kitchen would look like with robin egg cabinets, and where I will ever be able to find my dream dining table for under $1,000.  Or how I can convince Josh to buy me a table that expensive.  I sew a lot in my brain, too.  Most of Ida's creations are crafted in my "almost-to-sleep" zone.  Last night I packed Josh an imaginary lunch to take to work with him in the morning in my "think" because we didn't have left overs.  I was feeling pretty bad that he would go to work lunchless.  Not that he is incapable of making his own lunch or taking care of himself, I like doing the little things.  I felt better once I knew he would be imaginarily filled with brisket and cherry pie.  No, that isn't what I normally pack him, but I thought I would think him up a pretty darn delicious lunch.

Right now my mind is consumed with this......

and the awesomest story ever told from a woman who I think is a clone of my own dreams.  This is our dream too, only we want crops and bison.  Oh, and we want to build our house using straw bales. 

So now the plan?  We need to find one of these.................

                         

at a great price to allow us to save up to purchase one of those big operations.  Perhaps we will buy this very one in this picture....the very one we are living in now.  Oh, I'm so excited.  It will happen soon...