You know your family...

...has an engineer in it when everyone spends the better part of their weekend playing with a physics tool on the computer to make a Roub Gouldberg machine.

You know you are old when you go into Old Navy to find a new frock and realize you've owned every style featured in the store at some point in your life.  

You know you are old and crochetey when you refuse to buy anything because you already lived long enough to learn - 

A. white pants look good on virtually no one larger than a size 2.

B.  there are few virtuous reasons to wear a gold lame bathing suit.

C.  baby doll dresses look best on folks with no breasts, hips, or bums. Or, well, baby dolls.

You know you have OCD about placement and symmetry in decorating when you  are discontented with how some IKEA storage boxes are looking in the corner of the family room, so you seriously consider an addition for better chi.

You know something is off in the world when you see plenty of normal folks driving cars when you are out on the road - but in the DMV, you are the only one doesn't seem to have a steel plate in her head.

Pink rooms - everywhere you go!

1.0 got her room updated. The theme she chose was "girlie boutique" and let me tell you - while I didn't love the process of painting the furniture...I am sure glad I did! It used to be an ugly stained wood brown and now it is sleek and stylish (click on photos to see them giant-ized - you know you want to know what those shapes are on the bed!) My favorite parts are the chandelier (thank you IKEA!) and the shelves on the wall where she showcases her "accessories."  It's not easy to see in this spread, but there is black and white polka dot (or "polka dotters" as 3.0 likes to refer to them) ribbon everywhere that I am so in love for.

I decided  a theme makes decorating a TON easier, but you have to watch it or you get really silly. At one point, she wanted an old timey cash register to put her jewelry in to complete the look.  Wait - that really is cool now the more that I think about it.  DANG IT!  This kid has better taste than I do!

We framed some Vogue photo spreads on the wall and let me tell you - I love Vogue!  It's been a long time since I perused one, but if you love fashion, it's a dream.  1.0 spent more time squirreled away drooling over the pages than she did helping me paint.

 Now, off to update 2.0's room.  I'm trying to convince her she doesn't want her room to be turrets with dragons popping out of the walls. argh

Can I feng shui with Annie?

OK Annie - here is my front entryway.  Are we carpet twins?

(mama sits with her fingers crossed, and eyes closed, and tries to establish where in her home is the best chi...while she awaits the verdict)