Family

  • Merry Good Cheer & Happy Christmas!

    ByHeather Bailey

    There are kids and cousins buzzing all around and Chopsticks is clanking on the piano in one continuous, clackity loop.  I am determined, however, to harvest enough focus from my buzzy brain to post a Hello and a Merry Christmas.

    Hello!  Merry Christmas!

    60sSanta_HB

    Today I learned that Lindor Truffles are an entirely different texture in cold climates than they are in the Arizona heat.  Did you know this?  It's a different candy.  Better.

    …and that my SIL, Maureen, loves kid-made ornaments and decorations as much as I do.  Her kids' hand-tlered reindeer drawings and construction-paper santas are framed though, and hung throughout the house.  Isaac, be warned, I'm into it.  There will be frames.

    This is the first Christmas we have spent with the Bailey bunch in quite a while.  Our niece, Izzy, is getting married on Tuesday — the first wedding amongst the kiddos.  With folks flying in all weekend, It's one big prolonged party this year.  Serious feasting too.  I'm hoping a good walk each day is enough to combat the bacon, cookies, chocolate, and chips layed out for every meal.  If not, I may need a new dress for the wedding.  This is caloric craziness.

    Case in point: last night's hot cocoa.  It was made with — not water, not milk — but cream.  Have mercy!  Mercy Christmas.

  • I was a Bad-Ass, Droid-Mechanic, Slave-Chick Scientist.

    ByHeather Bailey

    StarWarsRPG_250Or was it a bizarre dream?  Elijah and my younger brother, Ryan, convinced me to play Star Wars RPG with them last night.  All it took was a thick schmear of flattery and a plea for the female perspective.  I packed my sketchbook security blanket and a couple of See's Scotchmallows, then left my smirk at home.  If this didn't win me points with my giant teenager, then I'm in for a World of Warcraft.  The manling is now 1/4" taller than me — as of just last week.  Whatever it takes at this point, right?

  • Conveyed, Potrayed, Hoorayed

    ByHeather Bailey

    I'm home! I've spent nine days travelling to, or through, five states: Texas, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.  It was a surreal to walk through a world painted autumn with my wool coat and ruffled scarf clutched shut. At home it's still flip-flop weather and it can be difficult to remember that the holidays are around the corner. 

    PeopleMover

    My trip was mostly business.  Dinners, meetings, research, hellos.  After I finished up in Houston, I headed to the east coast.  Isaac flew in to attend a couple of meetings with me and then stayed for an extra few days to photograph the cover for my sister-in-law, Wendy Lane Bailey's, upcoming album. I haven't seen the photos yet, but I hear she went for elegant-country-gothic: bustier and gown, gothic architecture, overgrown garden.  I can't wait to see the results — and to hear the album, my goodness.

    Wendy collects fabulous photographs of Old-Hollywood starlets and has a serious thing for fashion, especially shoes.  Beyond the regular good investment, she treats herself to an annual birthday-shoe-splurge – Prada, Blahnik, Vuitton.  I suggest she photograph each new pair to one-day tell her personal history in a book of shoes, chapter by chapter.  2006, The Year of the Coral D'Orsays.  2007, The Year of the Red Peep Toes.  2008, The Year of the Insanely-Awesome Black Strappy Boots.  And so on.  Pcshaa!

    If I'm ever a fiction writer, I might just borrow that idea right back.

    Wendy also collects Art Nouveau era advertising. She has an incredible collection of paper fan advertisements, as well as soap labels, posters, postcards, etc.  I'm on the lookout for the perfect hoo-hah present to send her way.  Any suggestions?

    Speaking of gifts.  My mom deserves serious thanking.  She trotted the kids to and fro and helped them get fed and to bed while we were away.  And my sister too.  Again, taking suggestions — any notable thank you gifts you've received?  Or given?  I've got some work to do.

    Glad to be back home.  I won't forget to post the dragon costume photos.  Miraculously, I finished that bugger up just before leaving town.  And it's a hoot.  Or a roar.

  • Fossil Creek Waterfall

    ByHeather Bailey


    HoldingHands2

    Fossil Creek Waterfall Map
    Wow, so it sounds like there's a bunch of you looking for directions to
    the Fossil Creek waterfall now.  I did a little search in order to
    provide a link, but I could only find maps of an 8 mile hike in the
    area, with no information on the waterfall or how to get to it. That
    won't do.

    Solved!  Here's a quicky-map of the 1-mile trail from the
    parking lot to the waterfall, with driving directions from Phoenix/
    Flagstaff or from Mesa/Gilbert. Click on the image of the map to download.

    Please bring a real road map too — and sunblock.  Be safe & have fun!

  • Whaa-Hoo!

    ByHeather Bailey


    FossilCreek
    FossilCreek250 Who:          The Baileys

    What:     Best idea ever

    When:    This week

    Where:   Fossil Creek

    Why:      'Cuz it's dang hot outside

    Isaac's
    sister Evie and her daughter Maggie came for a visit this week.  Beyond
    shopping, and taking Maggie's senior pictures, their must-do list
    included swimming in the Arizona heat. (Not enough warmth in Washington
    this summer.)

    We packed up the kids and headed to our favorite swimming hole, Fossil Creek, about 2 1/2 hours north. 

    What can I say?  I had a blast.

    On
    our way home, we stopped in Pine for pastries — a little ol' baker-man
    braids bread inside a funny little grocery store — another favorite
    stop.  We still don't know the name of the place; though it's right next
    to the Sidewinders Saloon if you're looking for it. We are
    always too distracted by the pastries, I guess.

  • Yay-Boo-Two

    ByHeather Bailey

    TheWalk

    Wave241 My social butterfly has flitted through her first week of kindergarten.  Her latest friend count is a solid 6 — all 'cute' boys.

    I don't remember counting my friends;  I believed we were all friends
    — except for Matt Bogwater.  (I'll tell you a great school-bully story
    sometime.)  Were the dream catchers and bell-bottoms messing with my
    young mind?

    Here we are early Monday, some of us in our pjs, some of us barely
    out of our pjs.  After hugs & smooches for Charlotte, Elijah and I
    inspected the inner-workings of the Rubiks cube while Isaac sat in on
    roll-call with his giant camera flashing away. 

    And that Elijah up there. I can't believe how tall he is getting.
    Only a meager quarter-inch to go before he reaches my height. Wasn't he
    just born a few weeks ago?  My, my.  I'm feeling the tick-tock this week.

    ClassCollage478

  • Yay-Boo

    ByHeather Bailey


    Daisy470_a
    We received the call this week.  Charlotte now has a spot in school-choice-#1. 
    Tonight is meet-the-teacher night.  We have mixed feelings — as usual
    — excitement and dread, all at once — to send our children off to
    school for so many hours each day.  See, I really like my kids
    and I want them around.  But, of course, without an education, they will
    likely be 'around' for the next 50 years, so that won't work.

    Today,
    I'm wrapping up instructions for a new sewing pattern, only the
    sweetest lunch bag ever.  I can't wait to share it.  Hopefully I'll have
    photos by early next week and patterns in hand soon after.  I do have
    back-to-school on my mind, don't I?  Of course, all of us here will be
    toting our lunches to work in improved style as well.

    Ooo, can't wait (clap, clap, clap).

  • doogadoon, doogadoon…

    ByHeather Bailey

    Oh my goodness!  Hi everyone. 

    I have been interviewing
    for two new positions on my staff while also keeping the
    responsibilities of those two jobs moving along.  There has been just
    enough extra work on my plate to keep me away from blogging for a couple
    of weeks. 

    Vegas1

    A quick vacation to Las Vegas with
    the kids was in there too.  Much needed.  We swam, and ate, and swam,
    and slept.  It was great.  We also sized-up lounging lions, snarfed-up Pink's
    hot dogs    , soaked-in the Bellagio fountains, scouted- out the ice cream
    situation — and averted our eyes on occasion.

    LionsOhMy The only things Las
    Vegas lacked were a monster water-slide park, and a few important
    morals here and there.  The strip sure has fancied-up over the last five
    or six years;  I hardly recognized the place. 

    Tip:  If you get
    the hungries at Vegas-midnight, try breakfast at the Luxor.

    -o-o-o-o-o-

    Boy, am I excited.  I
    painted the studio last week and am moving forward with two fabulous,
    new, cutting tables.  Who knew work tables could be exciting — and so
    much work.  The floors still need love.  I haven't decided what to do
    with them though.  Perhaps wood, perhaps stained concrete, perhaps
    ignore the floors and design fabric instead.  It'll come to me. 

    Has
    anyone ever stained concrete before, btw? 

  • Short Live Long Hair (mine anyhow)

    ByHeather Bailey


    HairTooLong     It's
    a glorious day!  I won't say how long it's been since I've had a
    haircut, but if my excitement is any bellwether, then you're on to me.  Too long!  I'm letting my hair down.  My neck is thanking me. I have trimmed off six inches or more.

    We're designing two new tables for the warehouse this week — out with the old. 
    And finishing up the backyard.  I'm sending in my housewares designs
    and working on business-organization stuff, like training manuals and business forms. 
    Fun!  : /

    The studio is clean, the dogs are bathed, the laundry is
    folded, the lists are made.  I can take it.  At least I'm no longer
    tangled in hair.