some kind of wonderful.

Last night as I laid in bed with Emma chatting about her day, she told me that she wanted to cut all of her hair off for Locks of LOVE.  I was not ready for this!  I love her long hair.  At the same time, I knew how much she loves her long hair.  She wanted me to get up right then and there, at 10pm and cut it all off.  I told her maybe she could get up in the morning, wash her hair, and then we'd see about cutting it before school...if there was time.

This morning she was the first one out of bed, showered, and waiting in the kitchen for me to cut off her long locks for love.

She has short hair now...and I love her all the more for it...

To donate click here.

fearless. LOVE.

lauren clark and uno. 

Lauren Clark   is a master at photoshop! 

I've learned all kinds of photoshop basic and advanced skills from her...and plenty of great tricks.  To me, she is a photoshop genius...in fact...I'm trying to figure out CS4 and I'm planning to buy this dvd.

You really can't go wrong with  UNO .  I had quite a few people try to teach me about layers and other photoshop techniques and it wasn't until Lauren explained it to me that it all finally clicked.  She has a no nonsense approach in her teaching style that is straight forward and easy to understand.  I love hearing her teach...I learn something every time.

Lauren is one of my favorite friends and so maybe I'm a little bias.  I've been learning from her for over 2 years now and I still keep picking up new ideas and great tips.  There's seems to be no end to her technical knowlege when it comes to cameras and photoshop.  Really...what are you waiting for?  Head over to the  UNO website  and see for yourself!

she's got skills..."like nunchuku skills, bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills..." (name that movie) Okay...so maybe not those skills but she's got powerful photoshop skills!

www.unobylaurenclark.com

simpler. LIFE. 

emma.

Yesterday was wear-your-costume-to-ballet-day.

Emma was a cloud.

Yes.

A cloud.

It was all Emma's idea.  A few weeks ago she got some clothes out of storage.  A gray shirt and some tan pants.  She said, "I look like a cloud!  I'm going to be a cloud for Halloween."

So we made a crown out of cotton balls and white glitter.  We cut clouds out of cardboard and painted them white.  We dumped an entire bottle of white glitter on the fluffy clouds.  We connected them with blue ribbon and put them over Emma's head on her shoulders.

Emma went to ballet.

I love Emma.  She sees the world in an beautiful, fun, thrilling and yet matter of fact way.  She laughs loud and with lots of energy.  She teases.  She's extremely sensitive and nurturing.  She loves to read and is fabulously smart.  She is thoughtful and full of kisses.  She loves a quiet moment and will sit for a very long time enjoying a project.  She'll also be the loudest person in the house.  Emma watches out for the underdog and is a true and dear friend.  She's a dreamer and an artist.  She sings with her whole heart...and loves that way, too.  She thinks of things like being a cloud for Halloween.  Who thinks of that? 

Emma does.

beautiful. LIFE.

Note:  If you are looking for a ballet school in the Charlotte, NC area, we are loving The Belmont School of Ballet...

Oh baby.

Ever since we went apple and pumpkin picking in hopes of getting to have some apple cider donuts...and being disappointed...I have been craving some of them!

I got online and found this recipe randomly posted by a person on a forum that found it somewhere.  My family and I tested and tasted this recipe for you.  It was a difficult job but some one needed to do it...

These were delicious and even more fun to make.  The dough is totally gooey and the kids could hardly move their fingers as they tried to cut the donuts out.  We made some with powered sugar sprinkled on the top and some tossed in cinnamon and sugar. 

You have to try them...they are the perfect gloomy, rainy, fall morning treat...or right before everyone goes to bed when everyone is in their pjs (that's what we did...pjs all around).  The house smells warm and cozy and there is just nothing like an apple cider donut.

Have fun!

Apple Cider Donuts

2/3 c. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
6 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
1 c. apple cider
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Oil for deep-fat frying
Confectioners' sugar or cinnamon-sugar, optional


In a mixing bowl, beat the first six ingredients until thick, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in butter, then cider. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to batter; beat just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Divide dough in half. Turn onto a lightly (we found out that this was more like super heavily...not lightly at all) floured surface; pat to 1/2" thickness. Cut with a floured 2 1/2" doughnut cutter (totally wish we would have had this). Repeat with remaining dough. In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, for 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired or shake in cinnamon-sugar. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

tasty. LIFE.

magic time galore.

ultimate magic time 12:34

I don't know about you...but we have magic time at our house many times an hour...and what seems like 100 times a day.

If you haven't heard of or don't know about magic time...here's the breakdown...

Look at your clock.  Any time your clock's numbers run consecutively...it's magic time.  For example 4:56 or 1:23.  The supremely ultimate magic time is 12:34.

It can also be magic time if your clock's number are an equation.  For example 3:36 or 4:48 or 2:35.  See what I mean?  The possibilities for magic time at your house have just gone up exponentially!

I love hearing my kids yell out from where ever they are, whatever they are doing...driving to a horse lesson, arriving at ballet, making dinner, playing business, riding bikes, reading a book, walking out the door to a football game, talking at the table, picking pumpkins, lounging on the couch, doing an art project, getting ready for school..."It's magic time!!!!"

It's magic time...

Because really...it is.  I don't know if they've caught the double meaning in that but to me it's more than consecutive numbers on the clock, more than math equations, more than an awesome math and science teacher.   It's a reminder 100 times a day that THIS is THE magic time.  This  moment.  This mundane thing I'm doing right now...it's the magic time.

I love magic time...

So...we're going to have a little fun with magic time...this is some seriously silly fun...so you know you have to join in! 

The person that sends me the longest list of magic time (interpret that however you want...actual moment, math, consecutive numbers or whatever other interpretation you want to make of it) either here in the comments or to davina at davinafear dot com and you will win a stop watch.  Send them in before Friday ends...this magic time is 11:59pm ET.

"What?  A stopwatch?!?"  (I heard you say that...)

"Yes.  A stopwatch."

This isn't just any stopwatch though!  This...is a magic stopwatch. 

It can time all kinds of things...not just how long it took you to do a sprint.  It can time how long it takes a person to balance a feather duster on their finger...3.45 minutes.  It can time how long it takes to drink an 8 oz. glass of milk...4.56 seconds.  It can time how long kids can entertain themselves playing businesses...2.34 hours.  It can time how long it takes for a kid to get off the bus, run down the cul de sac and bust in the front door...35.8 seconds.  It can time how long the hug lasts after busting in the door...15.6 seconds.  It can time how long it takes to pee when your bladder is going to bust...30.3 seconds (you know you've wondered).  It can time how long you can bounce a ball before it bounces out of your hands...10.01 minutes.  It can time how long you sit at dinner and listen to best and worst for the day...22.04 mintues.  It can tell you how long it takes to talk to your sister on the phone...1.23 hours.  It can time a good kiss with your lover...12.03 seconds. And...we'll stop there...

You get the idea...

See what I mean? Time. This stopwatch...it's magic...if you know how to use it...

magic. LIFE.