while i wait.

I've promised my daughter and my friends a trip to the pool today, so I'm hoping that the rain holds off. If not, I'll have a mutiny on my hands. Anyway, I'm waiting for the dishwasher to run so I can take a quick shower. These legs must be shaved before I'll expose them to the world. I thought I'd do a little blogging while I wait.

I think most of you are on Facebook, so you know what we've been up to. Carole's amazing wedding. It was beautiful, and now my very dear friend is a very dear married friend, and I am super happy for her and her "prince." (That's what S calls him.)

Since we've been back, we are finally in the loop about what's going on at the castle. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the progress, but here's a rundown: new windows, new gutters, new electrical wiring, lots of new drywall, ceilings painted, exterior cleaned, and new HVAC system: done. That's a short list, but it's a lot. A lot of work and a lot of checks. Yowsers. The marble shower should be ready in the next week, and the kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity will be ready for install the second week of August. The painter starts Saturday or Monday. The cork floors for the kitchen and breakfast nook, the tile floor for the bathroom, and the carpet for the family room are all ordered. The blinds for upstairs are in boxes in the ballroom right next to the boxes of light fixtures and the boxes containing the kitchen sink, the kitchen faucet, and the stainless vent hood. And I know I'm forgetting something. Probably something important. I'll figure it out later.

In the meantime, I'll have to turn my castle-brain off for a few days and turn my Firefly brain back on as I have a CAD meeting tonight. Then I need to get ready for the mulligan. I'm starting to wonder if our lives can ever just be calm or if we'll be running around like crazed looney-tunes forever. Someone send me a Xanax. Not really. I don't condone extraneous drug use.

on a lighter note.

So, I have spent the last week and a half thinking about and researching grants, it's true. But I've also totally taken the opportunity (you know the "I don't have a festival to plan right now" opportunity) to catch up on some reading. Last Monday I started The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which I'd seen recommended in literally dozens of places, and I so love young adult literature that I couldn't help myself. Besides, The Reading Rock had some extra copies. It was good, but I had it so built up in my head that I was disappointed. The illustrations, though, were amazing. Then I remembered that I had bought a copy of Kurt Vonnegut's A Man without a Country back in the autumn that I hadn't read, and I needed a little Vonnegut fix, so I read that. It did not disappoint. I do so love Kurt Vonnegut, and I am still sad that he died. I finished that while I was visiting my family, so I borrowed Tuck Everlasting from my sister S3. (Me being S1, and the middle sister being S2.) It was a very sweet read. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Also, it took about three hours to read, so if you're looking for something quick to read at the pool one day, check it out. After that, I was very busy seeing Eclipse twice over the weekend, and then watching Twilight and New Moon at home, so I had to re-read Twilight. I still love Edward. Love. Fictional love, Mr. Ouiser. Worry not. Then yesterday, in an attempt to calm my brain, I read Water for Elephants. I usually steer clear of new literature. Especially really popular bestsellers. But, C's mom and some others had raved about it at a shower a couple of months back, and Robert Pattinson is starring in the upcoming movie, so I bought it and gave it a whirl. It was wonderful. I really should read some popular stuff that is meant for people my age. There is usually a reason it's popular. I suppose. So, today I'll be cracking open the first Percy Jackson book on the recommendation of my sisters. I'm afraid if I don't love it, they'll disown me. After that, assuming I can keep myself from purchasing and reading the whole PJ series, I'm planning to pick up a copy of The White Queen.

I love having time to read. Of course, C's wedding is in nine days, so I will have to curtail the reading a bit, but that's okay. I'm so happy for her little job-having self that I almost can't stand it.

So, what are all of you reading this summer?

moving right along.

It's been awhile, eh? Despite my not blogging since the end of May, I don't even have any pictures to offer you. We've been too busy to bother with things like cameras. That means no pictures from Firefly, though there are some on Facebook. So...

...Firefly was great. It was palpably better than last year, and that was encouraging. Frankly, I had gotten to the point that I rather wanted it to flop. I was that exhausted from the planning. But then the festival was so much better that I am actually excited about it for next year. Already. Of course, that brings its own set of problems, and that's what actually got me on the blog. I've spent several hours each day this week researching. Researching grants. Public grants. Private corporations that give grants. You name it, I'm looking for it. Money, that is. Money to make the festival better. And it's wearing me out. My head is thinking of things faster than I can even process the ideas, and I am constantly reminded that I am not really entrepreneurial at heart. Organized? Yes. Efficient? Yes. Entrepreneurial? Not so much. I lose motivation. I get frustrated.

Anyway, I was happily digging into the world of arts grants when I was hit with information about two new grant opportunities that were announced last week through HUD. They are essentially both grant opportunities for creating sustainable communities with some special consideration given to incorporating arts and culture into the plans...and there is an emphasis on not only creating new communities but also working to better existing communities. And I've just got these big ideas. Big, exciting ideas for revitalizing abandoned commercial spaces into green space with public art. I can see it. Every time I pass spaces along the highways throughout the county...spaces that previously housed something...anything...hotels, gas stations, whatever. Spaces that are now empty buildings or empty parking lots...I see them as potential. Potential areas for grass and trees. Sculpture. Fountains. Gardens. Places that are pleasing to look at as you drive by or walk by. And here's the thing. I'm in over my head. Already. I called the head of the county zoning office because (get this) there was just an article in the paper TODAY about how Dickson County is growing and they are getting together a long term growth plan. Hello!! I wanted to know the plan. How far has this plan gotten? Are they even thinking of sustainability? Or are they just planning how and where to build new roads and dig new city sewer lines and all that? It turns out they are having a meeting tomorrow night, which he encouraged me to attend. And I'll try, but there's a debate tomorrow night for the county mayoral candidates that M really wants to attend...and who knows? Anyway, the whole point of this post was to help me clear my head. Help me get a grip on all of this...and to let you know that I'm not blogging because my brain is all filled up with other stuff.

Anyone got any great ideas out there on how I can create my perfect county to live in? Anyone? Bueller?

i really do apologize.

I know. It's been a long time. I know I said that last time, too. I'm just swamped. M is swamped. We are big time swamped. Here's the reason. (One of the reasons.)

For the record, the turquoise shutters and wrought iron trim will be two of the first things to be painted. And just so you know, I'm standing at the base of the front yard...next to the old grass tennis court. Yeah, that's right. Mr. Ouiser is going to have a grass court.

We bought another house. A fabulous house...or at least what will be a fabulous house. It's been vacant for two years. The Colonel and the Mrs (previous owners) passed away a couple of years ago, and it took awhile for their out-of-town kids to get it on the market, and then to lower the price to what someone would actually pay for a house that needs this much work. We've got a big project on our hands, and M has been hard at work knocking out tile and cabinets and walls and tearing up old carpets. And, for the record, we weren't looking for another house. I just happened to find it online when I was looking at a friend's house online. Anyway, that's been taking a lot of our time. We first saw the house about five weeks ago. We made an offer about four days later (after having our builder take a look at it), and we closed almost two weeks ago. We've spent most of our spare time since then thinking about/working on/planning the remodel.

Also, it's Firefly time, and that's kicking my tail right now. There is so much more work to be done this year because we lost most of last year's help. Frankly, I feel like I'm drowning beneath my Firefly To-Do List. However, that'll be all over in one month. Despite how it may seem, I am really, really looking forward to the festival. We've got some amazing artists coming. And, I do believe I'll blow my bank account on this lady's work. Oy.

C's wedding is also fast approaching, and I am worried about something slipping through the cracks. Like somehow I'm going to forget to order her flowers or something. Somebody remind me.

It looks a little puny when it's written out in three short paragraphs, but it feels like I've got more to do than I have hours in the day. I suppose what's going to get done will get done and that's all there is to it.

Lastly, my daughter is still adorable. I was taking pictures of this house for the realtor the other day and she demanded to be in them. So, here's a little S for you. Well, two pictures as I just can't stop myself. I'll regale you with stories of Little Ouiser soon. Until then...

Hambone. Just so you know, that black thing in her hand is the strap to my yoga mat. She's been putting it around her (stuffed) frog's neck and calling it a leash. Also, her jaw is not crooked like it looks. She's just making a face.

I call this one Melancholy and the Infinite Cuteness.

a catch all.

I realize that it's been almost two weeks since I last posted. You have my sincerest apologies. Things have been a bit nutty around here. Last week, I spent several fabulous days with dear C in Knoxville and Asheville, working on planning her awesome wedding-to-be. When I got home there was much (and I mean much) baking to do. Alpine Easter Bread and Banana Nut Bread for a cancer auction. Apple Tarte Tatin, Fresh Coconut Cake, Buttermilk Dinner Rolls, and Sweet Potato Biscuits for Easter lunch. Don't let anyone tell you differently, that was a lot of baking. Lots of flour was used. Lots. Also, fresh coconuts are a lot of work in and of themselves. That feat will not be repeated. Especially since I don't even eat coconut. Barf. We also had a lot of gardening work to get done over the weekend. Plus you know...church. And Easter lunch. And laundry. And life. You know how it goes. So, that was all very busy but everything went well.

Today I was preparing the family to leave on a little trip to Gatlinburg tomorrow. M is presenting at a conference, and S and I are tagging along. Unfortunately, M's dad's dog, the infamous Pretzel, had to be put to sleep this morning. She was just a shade under sixteen years old. She lived a very long and pampered life, and because she was so old, this wasn't a huge shock. We were not, however, expecting to have to do it today. M had to come home early from work to meet me at the vet's office, but it's for the best. We took her out to the farm and buried her near where we plan to live sometime in the future. It's a little surreal to think back on this day and realize that really happened.

Now, we're packing to leave in the morning, so we'll be out of commission for another week. I know you'll be very sad, but I'll leave you with some Easter pictures to tide you over.

Really. She is this pretty.
My loves.
My child...whose hair is almost always strung across her face.
The quintessential L.

wonder.

Ohdeedoh posted a link to this book today, and it got me thinking. I've noticed things recently that have changed about S. Things that indicate that she is definitely growing and developing. I thought I'd share.

• S recently became much more deliberate with her drawing. She still rarely draws things that are actual things, but instead of big, looping doodles, her drawings are now compact...deliberate really is the best word for it.
• She has begun imitating writing. However, she still completely lacks interest in learning letters, which is odd because...
• She adores books and stories. She can recite verbatim many pages from many books. She loves words, doesn't care about letters. We'll get there.
• She has become very interested in pleasing adults. She is the kind of kid that responds much better to praise when she's good than discipline when she's bad. I'm discovering that talking to her about how she's expected to behave before we embark on our daily adventures is very helpful. Then, if she acts up, I can remind her of what we've talked about, and she generally doesn't want to disappoint anyone. Emphasizing that she's done well after the fact and that her behavior has made me proud or happy really works with her. Also, she worries much more about making people sad than mad.
• She is getting faster and stronger all the time and it's obvious. Watch out, world.
• She helps in the garden, but I sense that she realizes that her plastic play garden tools are inferior and I think she finds that frustrating.
  
• She is a great pretender. I love listening to the things that she makes up even though nearly all of her imaginings involve a princess.
  

That's just a bit of Little Ouiser in a nutshell.

props to mr. ouiser.

Remember that dress and those shoes that I was e-drooling over last week? Well. Someone who must love me a lot had them sent to me today. Of course, as I was opening the box I was thinking, "I don't remember ordering anything recently." Then as I was pulling the dress out of the box, I was thinking, "Oh, Lord. My online shopping has gotten so out of hand that I'm buying myself pricey sundresses and not even remembering it! I need help." Then I relaxed and called Mr. Ouiser and sweetly asked if he'd happened to order me a present, which he had. Hooray for surprises. Unfortunately, even though he ordered the sizes in both the dress and the shoes that I would've ordered, they are both too big. They are already boxed to exchange. Also, someone pointed out how cute the dress and shoes would look together, and by jove they look fantastic...even when they're too large. As soon as the replacements are here, I promise a picture because it's just too cute not to share.

All in all, it's been a pretty good day. Haircuts for me and S (her first...adorable), sunshine and a walk with lots of hopping like kangaroos, and a fabulous surprise from my hubby. Good day indeed. Plus, it's my friend die frau's birthday, so maybe she's getting some cake today. Good days all around!!

family movie night.

Simple Mom has a post about family rituals today, and upon reading it, I've realized that the Ouisers started a new family ritual a little over a month ago. On Sunday evenings, after dinner, we have Family Movie Night. There is an episode of The Berenstain Bears that features Family Movie Night, so S thinks it's awesome. Plus, she enjoys cuddling with us while we all watch a movie together. So far, we've watched Lady and The Tramp, Hercules, The Sword in the Stone, Heidi (with Shirley Temple), and Cinderella. So far, the whole thing has been wonderful, and we're starting a rotation to determine who gets to pick the movie each week as don't want to be continually forced to watch princess movies. After we put S to bed, M and I then watch a movie. It's the only night of the week that we really hang out on the couch and watch TV and it's proving to be a great way for us to just chill out before starting a new week.

I just thought I'd share what's happening around these parts. I'll leave you with a picture of S just as we were leaving for church yesterday morning.

29 and the leffrecons.

No, I am not claiming that as my age. I am 30 and proud of it. 29 was my score on the Stress Inventory test that I just took. If we weren't so worried about my FIL all the time, my score would've been a ZERO. I am a very fortunate woman. Anyway, I found the test from this article. I found it all very interesting.

Anyway, I hope you all had a lovely St. Patrick's Day and kissed some Irish folk. We enjoyed our Beef and Guinness Stew, which was really, really fabulous. Oodles better than Julia's Boeuf Bourguinon. Oodles. Better. Plus, I had the realization as I was browning the beef that knowing how to cook properly can be a huge pain in the arse sometimes. Like when you have to brown beef in five separate batches because you know better than to crowd it in the pan. Then the beef browning portion of meal prep takes you over half an hour because as one who knows how to cook properly you know that you need to really brown beef because superficial browning just stews away and leaves your stew chewy and stringy instead of melt-in-your-mouth tender as this was in the end. Anyway. The stew was good.

Also, S had a great St. Patty's experience as a "leffrecon" came to her classroom and stole all the shamrocks. They then hunted for them all over the building. When they came back from the Shamrock Hunt, the "leffrecon" had left them all "money candy," which was chocolate gold coins. I think she may now feel that St. Patrick's Day is the best day ever...but then again, she didn't like the stew, so maybe not.

heels.

I went through a phase in my life where I went everywhere in heels. Everywhere. At the time I was working for a couture bridal designer/social staple in Memphis, and it suited. However, at this point in my life, if you want to see me in heels, you'd best be hosting a cocktail party or an evening wedding, and even then I'll try to find a way to wear flats. Wicked cool flats, but flats.

But.

Yesterday we got the catalog for the new LL Bean Signature line, and I fell in love with these shoes. Of course I won't buy them because I'm a stay-at-home-mom, and where the bejeez would I wear them?? However, I will stare longingly at them. Then of course, I got on the website and ran across this dress, which I also covet. I'm feeling very, very much like I need a big, expensive shopping trip. If anyone would like to donate to that cause, send checks...because you know you can't send cash in the mail.

And on the subject of fashion, the other night I got insanely excited about getting to watch the Oscars edition of The Fashion Police. The next day, when we turned the TV on, the episode was playing again, and I squealed a bit and said, "Oooh, M, look it's on again." He laughed and pointed out that my Achilles heel is shows about dresses. He might be right. I could watch Say Yes to the Dress a hundred times in a row.

I will leave you now so I can think about dresses...instead of important things...

oh. my. awesome.

I just ran across this little idea online, and I feel the need to immediately drag my sick child to the Goodwill for potential tee shirts to hack into. (Goodwill is the best place to take sick kids, right?) I am loving the idea of my precious S in that little dress. Oh, oh, oh!!

Also, it is still raining. It's supposed to cease tomorrow thankfully. I am really tired of gray and wet. Luckily, the wet is starting to make things green, which S and I witnessed today as we were driving around the back roads of Dickson County to drop off scholarship applications at CWHS.

So, to wrap this post up: I want to make a dress, and rain makes things green.

Good day to you all.

a lightbulb.

Just a few minutes ago, a lightbulb went off in my head. This might seem a little ridiculous, but I'm going to share my brilliant thought because, for me, this is ground-breaking stuff. Here goes:

I don't have to be doing something all the time.

It's a tough pill to take...swallowing the idea that I don't always have to be in motion. Realizing that every second doesn't have to be productive is like realizing that I have three eyes. But I realized it just the same. I generally think that all my waking moments should be filled with something constructive. Those constructive things are quite often things that I want to be doing, like gardening or baking bread or painting or something, which is great, but here's the downside: I never stop. A few minutes ago, after I'd swept the floors, dusted the furniture, folded and put away a load of laundry, and cleaned the kitchen, I immediately reached for The Bread Bible wondering what to do next. Then I realized that just because I had the time to make a loaf of bread didn't mean that I had to make it or even that I should. I don't know what I'll do with this new found wisdom, but it is allowing me a little wiggle room in my general outlook on my days. We'll have to see how it goes from here...

For now I'm just thinking about it and realizing how completely un-American this seems. The idea that we can relax...WHAT?!?!?! We don't always have to work. Sometimes we can just enjoy life. Maybe I should just move to France after all. I'm sure I'd pick up the language after a few years of complete immersion, right?

correction.

I was off yesterday. The mailing from the Census Bureau went to 120 million households. So, add five million pieces of paper, five million envelopes, and a boatload of ink to yesterday's imaginary pile of waste. I'm still upset. Can you tell?

S is off to Mother's Day Out, and I'm off to run errands. I just wanted to let you all know about my little mistake. Have a great Wednesday.

a monumental waste.

I know I've already blogged today, but seriously!! We just received a letter from the Census Bureau informing us that we would be receiving our census survey next week and to please fill it out and return it promptly. Really. If you believe the 1995 projection that there would be 115 million households in the United States by this year, then think about that. 115 million pieces of paper. 115 million envelopes with plastic windows. For starters, imagine that pile of paper. Then think about the ink. Now, imagine all the energy and resources it took simply to produce that quantity of mail. Next, think about how much that mail weighs. Then think about it being trucked all over the country by the postal service and delivered to each household. How much gasoline do you think it took to get each envelope to each household? At least at my house the paper has been shredded and added to the compost bin, but I would wager that a vast majority of American households don't even recycle, let alone compost.

Someone explain to me how this mailing by the U.S. Department of Commerce/Economics and Statistics Administration/U.S. Census Bureau is anything less than a monumental waste of resources. Especially since its only purpose it to let you know that you'll be getting another mailing in about a week...

I am livid.

changing the rules.

We've spent four solid days outside. Friday at the playground. Saturday at the zoo. Sunday in the churchyard and the garden. Yesterday in the garden again. Now, we're settling in for rain. Several days of it if you tend to believe things like radar maps and forecasts. The rain is a good thing. It will make pulling weeds in the garden that much easier...and it is going to prevent me from lugging buckets of water to the new garden site to get the peas ready to be planted. I'm intending to spend today doing laundry and poring over garden books and looking through the bread bible a bit...

...which brings us to the post title. Changing the rules. I've made 24 recipes from The Bread Bible so far. And one of the last ones that I made, Cheddar Cheese Bread with Toasted Sesame Seeds, has inspired me to change the rules. I was, as you know, planning to go the Julie Powell route and bake every single recipe in the book. I've changed my mind. I don't like sesame. Having made that last bread, knowing that I wouldn't like it and subsequently not liking it, I've decided not to make recipes that highlight ingredients that I know I don't like. It's a waste of perfectly good flour. (And cheese in the case of that last one.) I will only apply this rule to things that I know I don't like, not things that I suspect I don't like. So, Sesame Whole Wheat Bread with its sesame seeds and sesame oil won't be produced, but some others that I'm lukewarm about will still be made. I feel better having made this decision. There you have it. Now I'm off to decide what bread to make to accompany tonight's scallops.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite pictures from the weekend.

fresh air.

It's just a shade under fifty degrees, and the sun is shining. I can't even find a cloud, and I just looked. We spent the morning outside with S's friend SR. We had a blast. Tomorrow is supposed to bring equally fabulous weather, so we're planning to head to the zoo for a little family time with the animals. As my friend B would say, we're going to get a healthy dose of outdoor-phins. I hope you're all having wonderful weather, and I hope you're all headed outside to enjoy it, too.
FIVE SENSES FRIDAY
Sight: Sunshine.
Sound: S and S giggling.
Smell: Bread baking.
Touch: Warmth. Dirt. Seeds.
Taste: Pineapple. Homemade burger buns.

all cleaned up.

S is at Mother's Day Out this morning, and I have successfully cleaned the house. Pretty much. I'm not messing with the shower today. I am feeling good about things. Of course, S will walk in the door later and immediately start cutting paper and leaving little scraps all over the house, but that's cool. I'm just happy that there is currently a nice, clean slate.

That's not the point of this post, though. I just read an amazing article over on Simple Mom. Check this out: We are much more responsible TO our children than we are FOR them. Read the whole article if you've got a couple of minutes. I really enjoyed it.

Either way, I just wanted to check in and say, "hi." Until next time, here are some shots of the kids. I know you've been missing Otis.

a most amazing day.

Yesterday was just about perfect. Actually, I can't think of anything that would've made it any better, so maybe it was perfect. Alas, I took no pictures of the perfection. M got S when she woke up, and she crawled up into the bed to wake me up. Then M brought in the paper, and we just hung out until time to hit the showers. We went to church and then played in the churchyard in the brilliant sunshine. We chatted. We came home and had a light lunch of crackers, pears, walnuts, and Saint-Andre. We played in the dirt, pulling weeds and raking in the garden. M watched the hockey game. We had Julia Child's garlic soup for dinner. We had family movie night. We watched a little of the Olympic closing ceremony. We went to bed. It really doesn't get much better. Really.

In fact, after M had taken S inside for her rest time and to watch the game, I stayed in the garden, pulling weeds. Every now and again I would just stop and look around and notice my shadow growing longer. I could see the breeze blowing the hair that had escaped from my ponytail. I would play with the mud that was caked onto my hands. And I remember thinking each time, "this is wonderful." Then I would grab another weed and yank. Of course, my knees are still dirty, and my hands are, too. The dirt is so ground in that even though I've scrubbed numerous times, I still keep finding more dirt. And I love it. I also love that last night, as we talked about the garden, S told us that she wanted to "build pumpkins in the garden with eyes and a mouth." I worry that she'll be disappointed that they aren't grown as jack-o-lanterns...

That's it from here, but I'll leave you with a shot of S playing with baby E Friday night.

a little late night resistance.

Last night, after a quick trip to the Feathernesters' house to see the new cabinets (!!!!!), the Ouisers had a little art time. I was very thankful for my husband's willingness to say, "No, S, let's not watch Clifford. Let's just keep drawing." You see, when we got out of the car, S wanted to talk to the moon, so we all looked up at the moon and said goodnight to it. That's when I had the brilliant idea for us to all sit down and draw pictures of the moon and stars. S was into it for about ten minutes, but then she wanted Clifford the Big Red Dog. I would've caved, but M was strong. And it was great.

Ouiser and Little Ouiser art...including a little watercolor resist to look like the night sky.
Mr. Ouiser art. Shooting stars.

FIVE SENSES FRIDAY
Sight: so much sunshine outside right now
Sound: "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Ladybugs came to the ladybug picnic"
Smell: seaweed
Touch: S kissing and tickling baby Jack (I think this is technically a "sight," but I'm using it.)
Taste: blueberries in my Cheerios

now that's bad art.

Inspired by Soule Mama, we hosted a Bad Art Night a couple of weeks ago. Let me start by saying this: I do not believe that there is such a thing as bad art. I don't believe that there are people who are not good artists. I believe that there are people who were told as children that they were bad artists and believed it. I believe there are people who think that unless they are technically proficient in some artistic medium that they cannot be artists. I don't buy it. I believe that if any single person on earth will just let themselves go...will just let themselves draw or paint or doodle or whatever freely...they are achieving art and it will be good in the sense that it was made creatively. I may sound a little hokey pokey, but it's what I think. My husband is a prime example. He sits down to draw with S regularly. When he first started drawing with her, he would tell me things like, "I'm not good at this." Not true. He has a really keen eye for color, and his drawings are always interesting. He's no impressionist master or anything, but from a design standpoint, his work is good. I think people just need someone who will point out the positives instead of the negatives. People need to understand that there is no way that art can be "wrong." I think people worry to much about not doing things right, and it leads them down the "I am not an artist" path. It's crap, I tell you. Crap.

Now off my soapbox.

We called our party Bad Art Night to set everyone at ease. I worried that if I called it something like Family Art Night people might wig out and not show. Does that make sense? It made sense to me. We had a really great time. Lots of appetizers. Lots of kids. Lots of mamas and daddies. Lots of paint and markers and slick stix. It was, without question, my favorite party that the Ouisers have ever thrown, and we've hosted a lot of little parties. Here are some shots...