I think she wants to be a teacher now....

....but back in kindergarten, she was well on her way to be a frnsi dsiner.

Smile

(kiersten, 2nd grade)


(grace, 2nd grade)

It's beyond me where she got her smile. No doubt her overly excited, OMG-I'm-going-to-Disneyland-smile is from her father.

I wonder when that fake smile thing ended for me? I mean, occasionally, I see it in photos but just not as pronounced. It's more of a "take the damn picture" smile. These days, the dog days of summer, there are loads of smiles from my kids. What with the above ground plastic swimming pool and the trampoline, they're in kid heaven. I'm enjoying not having to rush them out the door (except for summer camp days -- god, I love those days) in the morning and deal with all the homework stuff, lunch money that I forget to give sometimes, and fundraisers. I'm still working away in my garage and am prepping for a possible writing/video gig for a very cool online site so for me, it's a bit business as usual. But for them, I see all the tension from the structured life they lead during the school year melt away. It's great when you can see your kids happy and stress-free. I'm proud to say the full-blown open mouth smiles are everywhere but dang it if I don't love the one you see above.

Summer Camp!

So I'm all better now and completely bitch-free, I promise! The life of a work-from-home mom is what it is -- most of the time great, some of the time a real pain in the arse.

The main reason I'm so chipper, you ask?!? SUMMER CAMP. 9am-4pm will be mine, all mine for five glorious days. Work will occur, of course, but I am going to take some time to do very important, high brow, things like see Twilight: ECLIPSE.

YAY SUMMER CAMP!!!

One Moment At A Time

Sometimes perspective sucks. And is very hard to find when you're completely overwhelmed. I was so zen just a couple of days ago but now I'm feeling in over my head with this whole work-from-home thing while trying to parent my kids. Like many parents, today I just bribed them with donuts and then banished them to their rooms for hours upon hours of DSI and Wii playing while I sand-n-saw away in my garage.

I will power through. I will take a shower sometime in the next 24 hours. And I will eventually get perspective back but for now I'm just gonna feel overwhelmed, bitchy, and dirty. Not the good kind of dirty either.

P.S. I'm writing this while on my lunch break from saw dust.

One Day At A Time (Not the TV Show)

You know that feeling where you start thinking about loads of stuff you have to do and somewhere inside, your emotions form a ball that starts rolling and picking up speed and eventually you know that ball is going to crash straight into your husband who didn't know you had this sphere of anxiety and can't figure out why you've suddenly turned bad on him? Maybe it's just me but that's how I feel sometimes when I know I'm faced with a to-do list that unfolds like a scroll. I started to get that feeling last night because we're back in town now after being away for a week and a half. Last night I did something I've never done before whilst in the middle of a complete high-speed downhill run. I stopped it. Not sure how I did it but I suspect is has something to do with pulling that lovely little red emergency bar called perspective.

On our trip, we visited my grandmother, Theda, who is battling lymphoma. To see her struggle to breathe was agony. She's never been sick; never even had a hospital stay. What I saw in her eyes was a mix of suffering and determination. She said she's really just taking everything one day at a time and for a woman who's always planned, plotted, volunteered, and worn out her walking shoes on a daily basis, that in itself is a very big deal. After we had already left, she underwent another procedure which cleared away a blockage so she's now able to move and breathe more freely without exhaustion. Every part of me is relieved to know she's able to now do, or partially do, the things she's loved doing and will have more time to do them before her next chemotherapy/radiation treatment. She'll have a little bit of that life back that she's had for all these years.

So today, I'm going to build some toy boxes, be with my family, and thank Grandma for stopping that damn ball.

Summertime

A few posts back I very sincerely said I'd be writing more on this blog and I really did mean it. Somehow, however, summertime got in the way. And in a very good way, it slowed me down and gave me better perspective. It's hard for me to stay in the moment like all wise people say to do especially since I'm always looking ahead on my production schedule. On a weekly basis, I'm plotting what I need to order, what I need to build, and planning what DVR shows to watch while I'm polyurethane-ing. But lately, I've been swinging on my porch swing, playing in the ocean, and reading books that most people read four years ago. And it turns out, I really like not being on the move every second.

I keep trying to plot what I want to do next with Mod Mom Furniture but every time I get close to making a step towards growing the business, I remember how nice it is to just be. So for now, I'm gonna build a few toy boxes per week, take my kids who are constantly bored despite a trampoline and Wii to see Karate Kid and Shrek, get lots of use out of my new wetsuit and boogie board, and drag my friends who think Twilight is unbearable to see Eclipse. Meet the new and improved summertime Kiersten.

In Honor Of Memorial Day

Last Veteran's Day, I wrote a post about my family members who were in the service. I think about them often and the sacrifices they made in their lifetimes and how my sacrifices seem so small and irrelevant in comparison. I'm so grateful for all the military families both past and present. Thank you for all you do.

From my Veteran's Day post....

Happy Veteran's Day! And a big thank you to veterans, soldiers, and all those amazing military families who miss their loved ones on a daily basis.

I've been thinking a lot about my family members who served today and wanted to honor them in some small way . My mom was kind enough to share some of what she knows about my grandparents so I've included it below. Thanks Mom!

(Juanita Pennington, 1945)

My grandmother, Juanita Pennington was member of the WAVES (Women's Navy) and worked in D.C. during WWII. (Photo above was taken in D.C.) One of her jobs was to decode Japanese messages. She was put on a train with other WAVES. Juanita had no idea where she was going or where she ended up due to the black-out curtains hanging in the train windows. She got off the train at a secret location and worked on the messages. The women would be brought back to their bases the next day.

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My grandfather, Lawrence Pennington was a paratrooper during WWII. He was in Africa fighting Rommel (German) as well as parachuting into Europe where he was one of the first paratroopers to drop over the Ziegfreid line when Americans invaded Europe. Most of the men were killed as they parachuted, but he landed safely and hid under a snow-covered tree. He was discovered and held as a prisoner for nine months. The Russian army liberated him and when he came back home to the US he was sent to the Biltmore House Estate in North Carolina to recuperate due to his poor health.

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(Clifford Parsons with my dad, Barry Parsons)

My grandpa, Clifford Parsons, was in the Army Engineers division who was responsible for building the roads and bridges before the rest of the troops advanced. He fought in Europe and was ordered to invade Normandy. A week before the invasion, his units' orders were changed or he would have been one of the first men there.
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(Charles Hathcock)

Scott's grandfather, Charles Hathcock, also served during WWII. Charles came from a family of six siblings; he was the youngest of four brothers. At one point during WWII, all of the Hathcock brothers were serving in the war. Charles was recruited much later in the war and served in Austria Germany in two main roles. His first role was as a Military Police(MP) officer watching over German war prisoners. His second role gave him the opportunity to explore the German countryside as part of the communications reconstruction team. Charles helped hang telephone lines and open back up communications between German villages. He never had to fire a single shot in either role but instead left the war with an appreciation for the German Austrian people and their countryside.

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My grandpa, Calvin Deeter, served in the Navy aboard the The USS Conklin DE439. There's a wonderful website dedicated to those who served on the Conklin: http://www.ussconklin.org/index.htm.

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If you have more info, photos, or different memories to share, please let me know! I'd love to add them to this post.

Just a few fun photos that say "I have absolutely nothing exciting to report in Mod Mom Furniture Land"

A friend made this for me. I sure wish I knew who that guy was she has me holding. Must be some young whippersnapper. :)



So in between wood stuff, Scott and I celebrated his 39th birthday with dear friends on Saturday. We met at a restaurant all dressed in 80s corporate attire. We even made up name tags with positions. I was lucky enough to be Scott's (who was the CEO)executive assistant. I have to say the silk suit and pantyhose were actually pretty comfortable. I think I'm gonna bring back suntan hose and white heels. Click the photo to reveal the secretary!



Oonagh, our Dir. of HR, and Kierstie, the Exec Assistant to the CEO of our fake company

Elle Decor, A Room Makeover, and OMG MY SON WILL SOON BE A MIDDLE SCHOOLER

I'm starting off with the obvious choice given the title of my post today. Seriously, Elle Decor!!! OK, I really meant to start with the fact that my son is about five weeks away from "graduating" from elementary school. He's almost as tall as me, has an ever-deepening voice and says amazingly witty, spot-on things like, "Mom, as long as you have your belly fat and your good sense of humor, you'll be all right." God, I love that kid. Just can't believe he's almost 12.

Now, back to other important things happening around here at Mod Mom Furniture headquarters. I'll just list them because I've already had seventeen cups of coffee and can't be bothered to eloquently transition from one topic to another. Look! Over there! A bird! See. I'm all over the place today.


Elle Decor: Check out this cool article on Elle Decor's website about The Bertie Box! Here's the text from Elle:

Our animal roundup wouldn’t be complete without a kids-only piece. This sweet and simple toy box made from birch plywood is just the height for little ones but mod enough for the older set. We love the way this bird’s stick legs sit on the side while its orange body lies on top. Plus, its unusual design makes cleanup a bit more fun—kids can lift the lid via the cutout wing and stash stray toys in snap. Bertie Toy Box by Mod Mom, $475; DesignPublic.com



Green Your Decor: Ja' Naya's mom, Jennae, writes Green Your Decor and she contacted me about possibly donating an Owyn Toy Box for her daughter's room makeover. Ja' Naya is battling leukemia at age 4 so the family recently moved closer to her doctors/medical care. Jennae wanted to give Ja' Naya an eco-friendly room makeover and she made it happen! The last piece is the Owyn Toy Box which I will building in June. Check out the article HERE!

More to come on other EXCITING events here at Mod Mom! Crazy amounts of excitement around here like just the other day, I rearranged my workshop to fit a 12 foot high wooden jukebox. And the Fed Ex guy waved "hi" to me from the store across the street. It's a good thing I have my belly fat and sense of humor to help me manage.

Been M.I.A.

(Random pic of me and my adorable niece, Riley Paige McMullen. I know it makes no sense in this post really but I like it -- she's really looking at me and I like that green background color. I think I have a thing for babies and the color green (see Owyn Toy Box))

My blog has taken a back seat lately to sanding, painting and family. But I should be back with more wickedly smart, amazingly poignant posts very soon. OK, they've never been those things but I will write more grammatically incorrect, daily life stuff over the next few weeks.

In the meantime, here are some tidbits for the day...

1. Got a message that Modern Tots (they went under and when they did, failed to pay me for an order) has been taken over by a new owner. So I guess Modern Tots is back!

2. I'm excited to put a new bird toy box on the market. Similar to the one I designed for the Haitian Relief Raffle. Look for that soon...

3. I need to get off this computer and work so I'm ending at number three.

Hope you're all having a wonderful Spring!!!

SPRING BREAK RULES!

...and by RULES, I mean here's what we can and can't do this week:

1. Kids cannot annoy the hell out of me by complaining that they're bored. And then fight about it because they're bored.
   
   
2. Grace is allowed to put make-up on me (with her new make-up kit) so long as I always end up looking like a hooker from 1987.
   
   
3. My precious children are allowed to go with me to UPS to drop off toy boxes as long as Noah, who is 5ft 4 in., lays lengthwise across the floor by the greeting card stand while holding his combination lock above his head for inspection.
   
   
4. Mom is allowed to say "Seriously, (white car or red car or big-arse humvee or _____ car), FREAKIN' DRIVE!!!!" to the slow cars in front of her WITHOUT hearing from kids, "Mom, they can't hear you."
   
   

Barbie Girl in A Barbie World

Early morning cartoons are a staple in our house. That part of the morning before we start yelling, "Where's your backpack? Did you brush your teeth? OH MY GOD you don't have your shoes on yet?!?!" The fun part, ya know. So yesterday, we saw an ad for Dentist Barbie which made me say to my kids, "where's Carpenter Barbie?" And Grace said, "Mom if there was a carpenter Barbie, I'd name it Kiersten." And that's how this whole thing got started....

Today, my husband sent me a Facebook fan page invite to a group called "Fan Page for the creation of a Carpenter Barbie named Kiersten." I about fell over laughing. But I have to say, I do think Barbie could use a few less dentists and doctors and maybe a few more manual labor/artist types. To their credit, after taking a look today at their "I Can Be" series of dolls, I learned they actually held a contest for the creation of the next two career-minded dolls. Apparently, News Anchor Barbie and Computer Engineer Barbie won. But still no Carpenter Barbie. Or Contractor Barbie. Or Metal Works Barbie (complete with the iron welding mask.) Or Landscape Artist Barbie. I could go on for DAYS but I won't.

If you want to join the astronomically huge number (20) of fans pushing for Carpenter Kiersten Barbie, click the link above. Imagine the fun kids will have!?! When the Fashion Model Barbie and Dentist Barbie come for dinner at News Anchor Barbie's house and Fashion Model Barbie accidentally drives her red corvette through News Anchor Barbie's house, Carpenter Kiersten Barbie can patch the hole right up! Framing and furniture are her specialty!!

UPDATE: The kids heard Scott and I talking about this whole Carpenter Barbie thing and they immediately broke out into this little song...in unison: "I'm a Barbie Girl in A Barbie World. My boobs are plastic. It's so fantastic!" God I love them.

Not About Wood: A Plug for My Husband's Play

I know I'm supposed to mostly talk about splinters, dowels, my disastrous hair appointments, and press stuff but I'm taking a break today to promote a play that my husband is in March 12th and 13th - 8pm.

Oonagh Delaney Gottieb is directing Scott Hathcock and Laurel Carini Smith in a very funny comedy about living next to Barbra Streisand on the day of her wedding to James Brolin. The play is written by Daniel Stern.

If you live in the LA area and want a fun night out in North Hollywood (complete with free wine before the curtain opens) then go to the Barbra's Wedding website for information and links to buy tickets. But do it quick! There are only 6 seats left for Friday night's performance and 20 for Saturday.

A Little Sunshine On A Rainy Friday

I'm sitting here looking out the window at gray skies remembering back to the sun we had just a day ago. Then my eye moved to the somewhat decaying swing set I built for Grace a couple years ago....which then made me think back to other stuff I've built plus add that to me wanting it to be summer and you know exactly how I got to this post.

In 2005, my friend Beth Jensen and I threw my husband a luau birthday party in our backyard. It was really the start endless hours in the garage... and the start of an incredible friendship with the Gottliebs, aka the other half of the Gottcocks. We ended up building a bar, a stage, apparently we built a faux sail boat that I don't remember, luau tables and a tall table made to look like a surfboard. Pretty much all from scrap wood and a bookcase. Beth and I tried to keep it a secret by storing our phenomenal craftsmanship in the garage but eventually Scott found out...and then if I remember correctly, he helped with the some of the stage building. We still argue about who gets the most credit for the wall mural. I started it and then he came in to help me. I still say me. All me. And to Beth, I owe you more than the crappy beer and pizza you're getting tonight. There is no way any of it would've happened without you. And that includes Mod Mom Furniture.

Anyhow, here's Hawaii in the backyard of a San Fernando Valley house on this dreary rainy day.

Hope you enjoy!


(Patch, Sam and Michael -- all so little and squidgy then.)


(Scott was singing to the kids. I think it was an Elvis song. From Left: Grace, Michael, Noah, Jack, Katie, Patrick, and Sam.)


(The bar. Beth had the awesome idea to build it from the base of an old bookcase. Smart one, that Beth!!)


(The set-up. I think I made that table out of scraps I found in someone's yard. Classy.)


(The actual party)


(Beth and yours truly singing Hit Me With Your Best Shot. I think we brought the house down with that one.)

* I don't have any pictures of it but Jim, Beth's husband, did some juggling with sticks of fire. And he did well considering he'd been to the bookcase bar many, many times before his performance. Jim, you're a brave man.

But...but...I had to post my doppelganger.....

....so I couldn't do taxes, pay bills, polyurethane furniture, clean my desk, take a shower.

That damn doppelganger game on Facebook. IT MADE ME DO IT. It's now 11:22pm and a nice little Noah Owl Box is sitting next to me pleading with me to slap some poly on it. I think it feels naked. Maybe I will.

Right after I make sure I posted the right doppelganger photo.

(I proudly used the word doppelganger 4 times in this post, including this one.)