So I don’t profess to be a design star, but . . .

I have watched my fair share of HGTV and read enough home magazines that I think I know my way around a room. Well, after a very short trip back to St. Louis and barely sitting down, unpacking a lot of boxes, moving furniture, hanging pictures and organizing, I think we got mom's house to be pretty comfortably situated. Here are some photos:

Moderation in All Things?

Saturday morning was white and cold and required Eric going out with the snowblower to take care of our sidewalks and driveway. It's funny--how I didn't think about the fact that snow removal would be our responsibility when we bought the rental house downtown. But we realized we'd have to take care of that on Saturday too.

So after a quick breakfast, Eric started up the engine on the ol' snowblower and began clearing the snow off our driveway, then our sidewalk. He didn't stop there. He continued around our cul-de-sac and did all the sidewalks. Good for him, I thought as I glanced out through the front window. A good deed.

Then next time I looked out, he was doing the entire driveway of our neighbor on the other side, then continued to go around doing everyone's driveway in our entire circle. I was about to explode. I was sitting in the house with a crying baby and was trying to finish up all the breakfast dishes and fold the laundry, then Bianca kept traipsing in and out the front door leaving piles of snow to melt in the entryway. Next I was trying to get myself and Portia dressed and brush Bianca's hair so we could all head downtown to take care of the snow there.

After what seemed like two hours, he came back in. I wouldn't talk to him, then we started fighting. I'm ashamed to say that I used the term "moderation in all things" when arguing with him. Do you think it's meant that way too? Moderation in doing good deeds?

I know it sounds selfish of me, but I sometimes feel like Eric would help everyone on our street and completely forget about me in our own house. It drives me crazy.

After the fighting was over and we were trying to leave the house--with snowblower safely packed in the back of my car--Bianca wouldn't get up from the computer where she was replaying the "Christmas Time is Here" song from The Polar Express movie that's on my playlist. She was trying to learn all the words and playing the song over and over and over and over. "Bianca, moderation in all things," I told her as I turned off the computer.

I think I'm safe using that term for my own benefit.

If you knew my dad . . .

It's the weirdest thing. I was in Draper at this live nativity, taking pictures for an article I'm writing. Anyway, tonight when I got home, I was sifting through the pictures I took and came across this one.