Dana Daily

As a precursor to a blog entry about the trip my mom, my sister, and I took to West Virginia with the three kids (Free Willy, Sarah, and Emily), here is a photo I snapped the morning of our departure. It had been a rough night. Most likely Sarah had eaten something at dinner that did not agree with her and so at 2:30am I was awakened with a "Mommy" in a tone that I know can only mean one thing. She was going to be sick. I was already climbing off of the top bunk when it started. It continued for the next hour and by the time she was resting again, I was wide awake and wired, definitely not going back to sleep this night. A few hours later, assured that Sarah was on the road to recovery and Emily was sound asleep, I snuck out of the room with my camera (just in case) and headed to the front porch of the main house at the inn where we were staying. As I walked from one end of the lawn to the other, I stopped to take a picture across the pasture and toward the mountains ...

Here are my new house numbers. The ones these replaced were dark and impossible to see from the street. This is a big improvement. Aren't they pretty. . .and I love the font too.

I made an impromptu trip to Franklin to retrieve a spare house key and got to hang out with my godson for a little while. Why is it that I have so much more patience for everyone else's kids and my own get the shaft? It's tough to get Free Willy to sit for a picture - seriously, I've never seen anything like it, but here we are. He's trying to escape from my lap. You'll have to excuse the fact that I'm not wearing any make-up. Egads! Did I really post this?

Emmy napping? Say what? She was plumb tuckered out and I couldn't resist capturing her catching her Zs. She didn't fall off the bed, I promise.

Sal likes to bike and while I haven't been on a bike in years (since probably 7th or 8th grade), I used to love it. As a kid I would be gone all day riding my bike around the neighborhood, usually with my friends Tim and Brandy. It was a little strange trying out my new ride today. Of course I hadn't forgotten how to ride, but I was a little wobbly starting out. I found a church parking lot near my house and went for a few spins. As a kid you don't think twice about gravel, cars, or any other hazards - or at least you don't view them in the same ways. There are a couple nice bike trails near my parents that I can't wait to check out again, but Sal and I really looking forward to biking around Gettysburg in July. And thus, number 27 is scratched off on my birthday bucket list.

I started painting Sarah's toe nails when she was around 6 months old. It was one way to get her to sit still, and she would giggle uncontrollably when I pulled out the hair dryer to get them to set. Here are some of the pinks from our collection.

I love to travel so I've seen some pretty cool places, but this has recently become my favorite place . I think it's because I can easily, and inexpensively, return to it. My front porch. I found a great deal on this patio furniture at Kohls and with my 30% coupon, I couldn't resist. It was easy to assemble and pretty comfortable too. I think each chair needs a pillow for decoration too, but until I find some I like or take the time to make a couple myself this is as good as it gets. In looking at this picture, I think an outdoor rug to place under the chairs and tables would look nice too. I'll have to put one on my "nice-to-have" list. I'm going to enjoy sitting on my porch with an adult beverage on hot summer evenings. Maybe Sal will join me from time to time.

I was looking for a spring/summer wreath for my front door and could not find anything I liked. I logged into Pinterst one evening to see if I could find a simple DIY wreath and the idea for this one came up. It reminds me of pink lemonade, bubble gum, cotton candy, sno cones, and summer in general. It's made from a wire wreath form (from Michaels), although a wire clothes hanger pulled into a circle would work just fine. The fabric is scraps I had from leftover sewing projects cut into 7" strips and tied into a knot around the form. ( Note: If I were going to make another of these I'd use a variety of textures: cotton, fleece, corduroy, satin, etc). I hung it on the door using a 3M Command hook.

Stealing this from my book blog: Author: Robert M. Poole Genre: Nonfiction Publisher: Walker and Company, 2009 Pages: 368 Rating: Recommend Synopsis: Created at the end of the Civil War, Arlington National Cemetery has become a part of the landscape as fixed in the national imagination as the White House or the Capitol building. The mansion at Arlington's heart, and the rolling hills on which it sits, had been the family plantation of Robert E. Lee before he joined the Confederacy; strategic to the defense of Washington, Arlington became a Union encampment, a haven for freedmen, and a pauper's cemetery for soldiers dying in the nation's bloodiest conflict. With the passage of time, new layers of meaning were added to Arlington, which would become our nation's most honored shrine. More than three hundred thousand rest in Arlington's 624 acres, representing every war the nation ever fought. Each tombstone tells a story, from the Tomb of the Unknowns, ...

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 This hangs in my living room near my back door. It's a quote we see often enough, but when you read it slowly and really think about what each word and each line actually mean, it certainly gives us a definition of love beyond anything Webster could write. Sorry for the poor picture quality, I took it at night and apparently I don't have the best flash on my camera.

Grass is pretty much the bane of my existance right now. Having a great yard for the girls to play in means a lot of grass to mow. However, that's not the worst of it. Grass has no respect for the boundaries of my driveway and it is slowly taking over. I suppose I should have more limestone delivered, but I can come up with fun things to spend my money on and rocks aren't one of them. Furthermore, there is the issue of having to pack the limestone down which can only be done by driving on it. My brand new car is not interested right now.

or Mom, Mama, Mommy. . . The girls and I enjoyed the somewhat chilly and definitely wet Mother's Day. In between rain showers we posed in front of our recently blooming (halfway dead) rhododendron bush. Earlier in the day we went to lunch at Uno in Cranberry after I decided there was no way I was going to wait with a 5 and 3 year old for 45 minutes at First Watch. I love Unos eggplant, spinach, and feta flat bread pizza. The girls had their standard macaroni and cheese. We did some shopping and ran into an old family friend along the way - one of my dad's friend's daughters (got all that?). I hadn't seen Amanda since her wedding shower at least 10 years ago. She got to meet Sarah and Emmy too which was pretty fun. I so enjoyed Mother's Day 2012.

My new artwork makes me very happy . A woman in Oklahoma painted these and they were a steal. I haven't hung them up yet, but they're going to look great in my living room. I know I don't like trees, but for some reason I love them in art. These are too cute and I love the little cardinal in spring and winter.

I do not love my kitchen . It could stand a good remodeling, but at this point, that is not in the plans. However, a clean kitchen is a happy kitchen and that's exactly what I was in the process of doing tonight. As you can see I moved everything to the center of the room so I could sweep and mop the floor. What a chore.

Since the lilacs have bloomed and faded for the year, we'll have to go with another scent - my favorite body spray, Bath and Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar. I should also mention that I have the body lotion as well. So there you have it, today's advertisement for a scent I'm not even sure Bath and Body Works carries anymore.

I'm taking a break from the Photo-A-Day project, just for the day. Today would have been my 7th wedding anniversary, and all I have to say is. . .thank God it isn't. Incidentally, I didn't even think about it until I went to Target at lunchtime and asked the date so I could write it on my check. There are times I wish I had selective amnesia, but I suppose there's a reason we're not supposed to forget our mistakes. I do regret my mistakes, but I've also learned that I have to own them. I am also a better person because I have Sarah and Emily. I don't know what I'm going to tell my daughters when they are older and dating, or even when they start to ask questions, but I hope I can find the words. In order to turn back the clock to make different decisions I would have to alter choices and paths that were not mine in the first place. The reasons I got married and ended up in a relationship with someone who was so bad for me are bigger than myself. ...

"You" meaning "Me", or at least that's how I interpret #6 on the Photo-A-Day list. I posted a cropped version of this on my match.com profile and I seem to recall Sal telling me this was his favorite of the ones I had posted. This was taken at a coworker's wedding in June 2010.

Sarah made this bird for Easter in 2009. Isn't it adorable? It's been on my desk since the day she brought it home. Also included is my favorite snapshot of the three of us and an origami dragon one of my coworkers made for me.

You won't ever hear me apologize for working full-time. I don't have a choice at this point, but I knew from the outset staying at home would not be for me. A part-time schedule was not all it was cracked up to be either. Truth be told, I am happiest working full-time. It's a balancing act, and one I think I do pretty well. However, it is a fact that full-time, working moms miss out on a lot. For obvious reasons there are many activities available for moms and kids who are home during the day. I know because I took full advantage of some while I was working part-time.  However, Sarah's school has come through for this working mom. The Mother's Day mother/daughter tea was scheduled from 7:45-8:30am. It fit into my schedule and sounded like fun so I made reservations for Sarah and I. I don't often get one-on-one time with either of my children, and this was the perfect opportunity to spend extra time with the little girl who made me a mom in the first place. W...

I had a variety of options for photographs today. I wore a great pair of animal print wedge shoes to work. I've had these shoes for a year and they're probably my favorite pair ever. I chose a new, brightly-colored chevron stripe dress to wear to a concert this evening. I'm pairing it with white lattice work sandals I just found at the Dress Barn this week. They are super cute and would probably photograph well. But, I've made it a high priority lately to lose weight and get toned. I committed to a 3-month gym membership at Defined Fitness in Wexford. A month in I do feel like I'm making some progress. Sal has threatened, um, promised to join me there this summer. In addition, I am participating in a walking program at work and also registered for a 5K race being held on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Therefore, I chose to photograph my trusty pedometer. As you can see it's not easy getting those miles in when you sit at a desk all da...

Here is a view of the Pittsburgh skyline as we raced down 28. And yes, racing is what you must do on 28. Growing up my parents took my siblings and I to Pittsburgh a couple times a year to visit family. After driving through Pennsylvania countryside for 2 hours, seeing the buildings of Pittsburgh was exhilarating. Sadly, having been a resident of the city now for 10 years, I don't get that same rush, but I still love the city and all it has to offer. Since meeting Sal I've enjoyed it in ways I never did before. We just saw Straight No Chaser at the Benedum this past Wednesday. Look them up on youtube. I cannot do this a cappella group justice in words. We've explored the Strip District, rode the incline, dined on Mount Washington, and visited Phipps Conservatory and the National Aviary. Our first date was on the South Side, if you remember. Yes, I sure do love the city.

Peace is a wide open topic and it has certainly taken on a new meaning to me since I became a mom. I'll leave the lofty ideal of world peace to Miss America and settle for some peace and quiet. I came up with a project for Sarah and Emily - initials to hang over their bed. I spray painted huge paper mache letters white and the girls painted them purple. They spent a good hour on the painting alone and it was bliss, or should I say peaceful . Here are their finished projects. They are so proud of their new artwork.