Southern Snow

I must admit to being a bit jealous of all the snow everyone was having. Feet and feet of snow. I wasn't quite so jealous of that. I just wanted pretty snow. Pictures of my girls making snowballs. Snowmen. Snowangels. Pictures of the snow in the trees.

I didn't want snowpocalypse. Or snowmageddon. Just snow. No ice. Pretty. Not scary.

And that is what our Southern snow was on Friday. It started lightly. Just dusting the surface.

Starting in the early afternoon. So the kids didn't even lose a day of school.



But it kept snowing.



And snowing. Enough that there were snowballs.



Snowmen.



Snowangels.


Please note. This is a Southern snow. With Southern children. Which means that we don't have the equipment. No snow jackets. We used our rain coats.



No snow pants. Wet jeans and wet leggings make for a cold child. No sleds. We used garbage bags.



Does that make it a redneck snow?

We even had a kitty escape because she needed to check out the snow.



And when we woke up on Saturday. It was like a fairy land. With the gorgeous blue skies.



And the sun reflecting off all the snow.



Magical.

Then. Less than 24 hours after it started. It was practically gone.


So...what about you? How much snow have you had this year? Do you like the snow or are you pining for summer?

Playing with Photoshop

I started this other blog.  It's for Project 365.  With the idea that you take a photo a day.  More often than not.  I get to the end of the day without a photo.  And not much of an idea for what might be interesting to post.  And then I thought I might use it as a spot to play with the actions that I downloaded for photoshop.  Yes.  I have photoshop.  But I have absolutely no idea as to how to use it.  There is not a button to push that says "Make this brighter."  Or "get rid of the blur."  Or even "make it pretty."  How I wish there were buttons like these.

One of the buttons that I really wish I had was "make the ______ part in this black and white picture colorized." I think that with as much as photoshop costs, it should just know where the flower or fountain or bird is in the picture.  And if I want the black and white picture to have a pop of color.  It should just know how to do it.

Photoshop through osmosis.  That is what I really want.  Sigh.  Unfortunately.  It does not exist.  But.  I did find a fabulous tutorial.  And look at what I created today.

Vegas, baby part V

Do you think that I will ever get to the end of this trip? I mean. We went in October. I first started telling you about it in November. Maybe we'll finish in February. And then I'll have to start telling you about the Disney trip we took last September. Did I see you moving to the edge of your seat? Oh. The anticipation.

So. We left off with our visit to the Mirage. And the tigers. And the volcano. And our trip back to our room on the 13th floor.

I was very excited when we got up Friday morning. Cause today we were movin' on up. Leaving behind the regulation hotel room. The perfume soaked hallway. And the 13th floor. All for the fan-cee digs of the Venetian.

We got packed up. Checked out. And grabbed a cab. Cause I was surely not schlepping my luggage on the deuce. And when we arrived.

Oh my. What a difference. I quickly got through the check-in and we headed up to our new room.

We had a suite. With a very comfy bed. And a step down to a living area. Complete with gold sectional couch. We had a couch just like this in the '70s. Who knew they'd make a come back? And the blinds. We had remote control blinds. Flat screen tvs. Including one in the bathroom.

After we got somewhat situated, I called Elena, and arranged to meet for lunch. Elena and her husband Jarom had flown in for the weekend just to meet me. Sort of. I mean the whole reason we went to Vegas was for the SITS blog conference. Which starts this evening. And Elena came for the party. And mostly to meet me. Maybe.

As we head downstairs, Michael asks me "Did you pack my shirts that were in the closet at the Monte Carlo?" Yep. He really asked me that. Uh. No. I packed my stuff. He packed his stuff. Or most of it anyway. So instead of helping me to find Elena, he heads back to the room to see if the Monte Carlo might still have his shirts.

Elena and I had decided to meet in the lobby. The lobby is gorgeous. There is this amazing domed ceiling.

And this.

Um. Hallway? Between the lobby and the casino. Would you call it a hall? So. I am waiting. And waiting. Then Elena calls. They cannot figure out how to get to the lobby. It truly is a conspiracy. The casinos want you to stay in the casino. Not marking the exits. Or making you go the long way around just keeps you there. May as well have another drink and another quarter in the slots.

Anyway. After a few calls, we finally find each other. And it's like falling back into a regular conversation. In fact, I have felt like that with everyone I have met through blogging. Just picking up where we left off. We had a great afternoon. Eating. Talking. And lots of laughing.

And we finally parted when Jarom had to go satisfy a need for chocolate. And I had to go get ready for the SITS conference...

So...what about you? Have you met people through blogging? Would you go to a blog conference?

Catch up on the trip:

our first night with the Bellagio fountains

walking the strip

visiting Hoover Dam

More schlepping the strip and the Mirage

If only I had curly hair

Did you ever perm your hair?

What about put it in those foam pink rollers overnight?

All in that quest for curly hair.

I had straight hair. There might have been a slight wave to it. It had a bump. One. I didn't count that as a wave. It was a bump. And then all of that changed after children. When all of a sudden I got curly hair.

But now. Right now. Madalyn is lamenting her lack of curls. And my telling her to wait till she has children is really not making it all kopacetic. So. For Christmas. I got her some rollers. Who knew this would be one of her favorite gifts?

So she took a shower. And I sectioned off her hair. And rolled it up.

She somehow managed to sleep in them. Even though she was very uncomfortable. And complained. A lot. But taking them out. That was so not in Madalyn's plan.

By the next morning. Her hair was dry. And her curls were set. Right along with her smile.

So...what about you? Did you want curls (or for it to be straight)? Do you style your childrens' hair?

Book Club road trip: Asheville

My bookclub began about 6 years ago. We are a group of about 10 women. From all walks of life. All ages. With a mutual love of reading. We have different style preferences. And I have been challenged to read lots of books that I would not have typically picked. Books that I am so glad that I read. Others. Well. I am glad I tried.

The bookclub took its first road trip about three years ago when we went to Tybee Island. I have no pictures from that trip. Even though we took a horse drawn carriage tour of Savannah. Contemplated eating at Lady and Sons. And did some great shopping along the squares. I wonder if I just didn't bring my camera.

Last year, we went to Asheville. We had a great time. But I was sworn to secrecy regarding the events of the weekend. The wine might have flowed a little too freely. But you didn't hear that from me. No siree. I can keep a secret.

And then last weekend we headed back to Asheville. We went to the spa at the Grove Park Inn.
By we I mean not me. I was too cheap for the $200 massage. So I started. And finished my book in the gorgeous lobby. By the ginormous fireplace.


And thanks to Shannon, we got discount tickets to visit Biltmore estate.



I wish I had schooled our picture taker in the above the hips rule so that you could see the house. Rather than those tree trunks I call legs.

We did a little walking around downtown Asheville. Ate at the Early Girl restaurant (if you go to Asheville, you need to go here). Did a little shopping. Not too much because the weather was biting cold.

We played scrabble in teams. Except for one member who we made play without a partner. Because she has all the two letter words from the Scrabble dictionary memorized. Did you know that "Jo" means sweetheart?

And then the highlight of our weekend was to go back to the Grove Park Inn. To the dueling piano bar - Elaine's.



To be honest. I was not so sure about the idea of a piano bar. I was thinking old music. Show tunes. Songs I had never heard of. Not that there is anything wrong with that. It just wasn't my idea of a fun evening. And now. I must say. I was rather pleasantly surprised. More than pleasantly. It was a great evening.

And I was oh so wrong. They played rockin' music. Everything from mo-town classics. To Billy Joel and Elton John. To country. To Snoop Dog's "Gin and Juice." And the only showtune they played was one our group requested - "Summer Lovin'" from Grease. And they made us sing the girls' parts!

And even with all that...we still managed to find time to discuss our book.

So...what about you? Are you in a book club? What book has been your best discussion (or what do you think would make a great discussion book)? Ever been to a piano bar?

A new blog

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flatterly. So, when I saw that Shannon started a photo blog...I knew that I wanted to start one, too. Our blogs are part of Project 365 which challenges you to take a photo a day. And in typical Kat fashion, I was fashionably late. At least I didn't procrastinate starting until January of 2011.

When I was setting up the new blog...that is when I somehow managed to destroy the layout here. I think I have penciled in my overplucking a bit. But do come visit me at my new digs -- Drops of Sunshine!

Time to celebrate

We had a big accomplishment at our house a few weeks ago. Madalyn got straight As for the first time. I was so proud. To reward her efforts, I told her we would take her out to dinner to celebrate and she could choose the restaurant.

My notion of a reward and her notion of a reward are not in the same league. Evidently. To an eight year old. Dinner out with the family is on par with punishment. Or chores. Or a visit to the dentist. However. Madalyn agreed to this outing if she got to bring a friend. You know. So she could have someone to talk to. So. Last Sunday we headed out as a family. Plus Madalyn's friend Shannon. For the big, celebratory meal. And where did we go? When the sky was the limit? Her choice was...

Yep. Golden Corral. Where she dined on such delicacies as popcorn shrimp. Rolls. A single bite of baked potato. Mashed potatoes. And dessert. Which was best served on a plate and eaten as soup.So...what about you? Do you like Golden Corral? Where would you want to celebrate getting straight As? Where would your kids choose to go?