Today Clara pointed to Nov. 24th on her pre-school calendar and asked me,

“Why is there a peacock on this day, Mommy?”

Why, indeed!

Today I was hanging out with my kids in their room as they were playing.

Ellis was rolling around the floor, occasionally gnawing a chair leg whenever he could wriggle up next to one, Clara was playing with stuffed animals and Millie was busy in her doll house.

I noticed that Millie’s doll, Polly, was sporting a SWEET set up.

Check it out:

(TV on the left, Polly in her bed, under the covers and propped up on a pillow.)

I enquired as to WHY Polly was getting the royal treatment. You see, the doll house isn’t usually set up this way

Millie explained,

“She’s come down with Lyme disease. A tick bit her and she was too afraid to tell her parents about it. So it turned into Lyme disease and now she just has to rest and take it easy. So her parents put the TV in her bedroom because she was so bored.”

Lyme disease!

I’m thinking of that quote that says something like, “there is a very fine line between inspiration and looking like a gigantic idiot, so what the heck, leap.” (more or less)

This is how I mother, apparently, so perhaps I should track down the actual quote and memorize it.

For example:

Just this morning, as I was putting lunch together for Millie, I had her grab a juice box. There were a bunch of Apple & Eve mini juice boxes on the floor that have Sesame Street characters on them. She got one but hesitated before handing it to me.

“I don’t like these ones very much.”

“Why, Mills?”

No answer.

“You don’t like the “berry” flavor? It’s too small?”

“People laugh at me when I drink it.”

AH, HA! THE TRUTH COMES OUT!

*** Now all you mothers out there will know that this kind of thing STINKS! Nobody likes being laughed at, this is a universal truth, but far worse, is someone laughing at your child.****

“Who laughs at you?”

“Nic.” (name slightly changed to protect the innocent)

“What does he say?”

“He doesn’t like Burt and Ernie.”

***So now what do you do? Moms, back me up here, what? ***

Here is what I did:

“Give me the juice box, honey.”

She hands it to me.

I take out a sharpie and do this:

and this:

(It reads, “Nic, We are cool!”)

“Millie, see if he notices the mustaches and show him that Ernie and Bert are saying, “we’re cool!” and then when you come home you can tell me if he is surprised and what he says!”

Her face lights up and then she says,

“I have an idea for what we can do tomorrow!”

“What?”

“SUNGLASSES!”

I just love Millie’s little heart!

What a kid!

And Nic, even though I want to kick your teeth in (just a little bit) I know you are God’s son, and as his son I am going to give you a chance. And who knows? Maybe this will all turn out awesome?!

At the very least, tomorrow Bert and Ernie will be sporting shades!

Suckaz!

Jan just sent me this link:

http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/10oiuhfvojb23/event/index.html

Click on it and it will take you to the Apple web site and you can see the memorial to Steve Jobs, which was organized for all of Apple’s employees.

It is wondrous.

[SPOILER]

My favorite speaker was Johnny Ive. Man, those Brits, they just know how to express their ideas and thoughts so beautifully. I think they call this being articulate. It makes my heart sing. I would like a transcript of his talk. I think it was packed with truth and full to the brim with love. That is my favorite combo! Truth, love (and throw in beauty) and we’re HOME!

My other favorite thing was watching Chris Martin give. his. ALL! Whatever you might think of the band, you have got to give it to Chris Martin — he gives EVERYTHING he has and he doesn’t hold back. He does in public what we all do when we dance in our bedrooms in front of the mirror. And I loved him for it, especially in this particular moment.

And I could just about tolerate Al Gore, and for me that is saying A LOT!

If, like me, the People Magazine article memorializing Steve Jobs didn’t cut it for you, this will.

My pal Margie has started to take pictures professionally. I’ve mentioned her once or twice. She’s my favorite Catholic (I’m her favorite Mormon, awe, shucks) she is also Scottish (which makes her extra cool) and I love her. She is also a talented photographer and as she is just starting her photography business, so she’s also a bargain.  If you are local and in need of a family portrait (sending Xmas cards are just around the corner, friends!!!) she’s your gal.

I had her take pictures of me and the kiddos as a gift to Jan, for his birthday.

Behold!

It’s us,

dressed in our Sunday best,

hanging out in the park,

when the light is just right,

like it’s so natural and we do it every evening!

(Ellis reminds me a bit of Telly Savalas in the above photo, “Who loves ya, baby?”)

You get the idea. She made us look adorable. To see a few more pictures from our photo shoot go here.

Or better yet, give her “a ring“, as they say in the UK, and have her take pictures of YOU and YOURS!

OR

What NOT to do before you have people over to your home.

Ellis was positively fascinated!

Clara was in heaven!

Doesn’t it look cozy?

What you can’t see is the SMOKE! The entire house smelled like Girl’s Camp. Just what you want your house to smell like before you have a bunch of people over.

Jan had to take one of the smoldering logs out side in a bucket and dumped water on it. And we ended up opening all the windows and air out the house.

I suppose that this was the first AND the last fire of the season.

One day I’d love a fire that doesn’t smoke.

(At least pictures don’t stink!)

Millie has been home sick for the last four days.

On the first day of her convalescence we were giddily discussing her Halloween Costume. At the time I was putting on my make-up and so we decided that she should also apply some, mostly for fun but also to try things out before Halloween.

She looked darling.

A few minutes later she came down the stairs like this and stretched herself out on the sofa.

Man, do I love this kid.

By the way, she is feeling much better.

AND

I can hardly wait to show you her Halloween costume!

Dear Mr. Jobs,

Since the 5th of October I don’t think a single day has gone by when I haven’t thought about you. I have also been thinking of your wife and your kids a lot too. When we heard the news that you were gone a heavy, foggy feeling descended on us. Jan tweeted the picture I had taken of Millie the day after you announced your resignation. And that picture ended up in your local news paper. When I told my mom, she cried.

As small and as insignificant as it was, it felt like a gift to be able to honor you.

So, now you are on the “other side” – I can’t help wondering what you are thinking and feeling as the whole universe has been opened up to you. All the unknowns are becoming known to you. All the people who you have loved and lost are now found. All the questions, the great big ones, are being answered. WOW! My guess is that you are having a BLAST!

Jan read that everyone who attended your memorial service is saying it was remarkable. I wish we could have heard and seen it. Apparently there will be a special memorial for all the Apple employees. That is a lovely gesture.

Jan got me the Iphone 4S. It was a total surprise. As I opened the box, I got tearful. (What is the matter with me??!) I guess I just wished that Heaven didn’t need you more than we do.

But I suppose they must.

I was wondering, if you get the chance, would you say “hi” to my Grandma Lil, Ned Sheldon and William Shakespeare for me? They are some of the people I am really looking forward to seeing when I get to the other side. And if you could give a “fist bump” to Mozart from me, I’d appreciate it.

I’m glad to know and believe that the essential part of you, your spirit, lives on.

Have so much fun! We are going to be okay. But you must know that.

Keep reaching!

(and we will too!)

Thanks for ALL that you gave us.

Love,

Liza

FINALLY!

Holy smokes! It has been HOT here, like 80 degrees hot.

But on Sunday the temperature dropped and we brought out

OUR LAYERS!

I dressed the girls to look like the changing leaves.

Let’s all get together for hot chocolate and cider doughnuts and wear our favorite sweaters!

What do you say?

Recall, if you will, dear readers the playhouse that was built in our back yard a few short months ago.

Ah, so sweet.

Remember how I dropped a roll of wallpaper and tacked it up to the wall?

Like so!

I will be the first to admit, I have A LOT of crazy schemes. But this one might have been one of the CRAZIEST yet. What kills me is that most of the time I have to drag nice people into my schemes in order to make them realities. Really nice people, like Jan Dawson.

Three weeks ago Jan and I stood in the playhouse and we had a talk. It went something like this:

Liza: I want to put up wallpaper in this little house. This means putting up drywall. I know this is a crazy idea. Would you be willing to give it a try and see if you can figure out a way to install drywall? If you can and are willing to drywall it I will do EVERYTHING else.”

Jan listened.

And thought about it.

I waited.

Jan: Dry wall is only $6.00 a sheet. We can try one wall and see how it goes.

Liza: If it is too much, then I will let go of the dream. And I will figure something else out.

And then Jan drove to Home Depot.

Fast forward three weeks.

NO, don’t! Those three weeks we were working HARD. They are an important part of this story. I want to show you what “Handy Jan-y” and his able assistants were doing:

Before I show you the “final reveal” I want to explain that all the work I did (mudding, taping, painting ceiling, walls and floor, wallpapering etc) was done while these two small people were with me.

Sometimes they were strapped to me.

It

was

VERY

difficult.

(This was taken after I’d planted flowers in the flower boxes. He fell asleep, poor little GIGANTIC fella. The kid weighs in at OVER 20 lbs, just so you know)

Can I hear an, “AMEN” from you fellow mothers of young children who take on gigantic projects (and LARGE babies)?

Yes, it’s true! I am insane, but some of you might be as nutty as me! Perhaps, you will give me one?

Anyway, that is enough grandstanding from me.

To recap,

Here is how the interior looked

BEFORE

And here is how it looks

TODAY

I lined the two little shelves on the stove in the wallpaper, to help it look coordinated. And threw in a little pan that is yellow, because yellow is the “accent” color.

My favorite detail is the dutch door lined in the wallpaper. I could open and shut this door all day long!

One last look!

You might be thinking,

“WOW, Beautiful….but WHY? Liza, WHY?”

Why indeed!

Why would I go to all the work and put myself through some very crazy days.

Two reasons:

1. I am totally insane.

2. It was used as a set for a short film we shot last Saturday (more to come on THAT project later).

I think I might have given up if we hadn’t needed it to be darling for the shoot.

Now that it is all over I want to tell you how I FEEL: (dawesome is a place for feelings, after all, especially mine)

I really love and appreciate my man. He is such a good sport. What a guy to help me do this! It took him hours and he did it because he loves me.

I can’t believe we actually DID IT. We had no prior experience, as in ZIP, in putting up drywall. I wouldn’t do this in anyone’s house, but by Jove, I could do this in YOUR playhouse! It turned out to look pretty spiffy!

I feel like I can do ANYTHING! You got some major, hard core, crazy project — BRING IT! I’m ready, I might be able to help you out. It’s fun to accomplish something this major, to try something totally new and it WORKS OUT.

and

I’m SO GLAD it’s over and done.

I need a nap!

P.S.

During the film shoot my brother Cameron, our director, kept referring to the playhouse as “The Cottage” and I feel that it has earned this new title. It’s gone beyond a playhouse, and so, from this time forward it shall be known as, The Cottage… suckaz!