Adventures Ahead

Hello & Goodbye

2009-01-08T07:51:00.003-07:00

Hello, my friends. This last month has flown by and there's so much left to do! We're heading into a new chapter in our lives and I won't have the access or time to post for a while. I've been thinking about the life of this blog and all the times it's seen. It's seen a baby born, loved ones pass, several moves and our lives change radically. I feel like it may be time to move beyond this blog. Updates may come at intervals but because of time constraints and privacy I don't foresee much more activity on this blog. It will be left up and open for as long as blogger will let it. Thank you for over 3 years of reading my rambling posts and commenting.

Peace & love.

Knitting Update

2008-12-09T23:09:00.004-07:00

Now that we have a working camera in our home again, it's time for project pictures! I haven't been idle these past few months and you all have been more than patient. (I say "you all" as if I have some huge following. Allow me my delusions of grandeur.)

Let's start with the most recent knitting projects.

Turn A Square hat by brooklyntweed for my niece, Kayla, for Christmas. These are her school colors and I figured (like every crazy knitting aunt does) that she needed a spiffy hat to accent her awesome letter jacket. Go Kayla!

I'm sure she'll like it and if I have enough time I'm going to try to make matching gloves. My favorite part about this hat is that the round stripes become squares at the crown due to the decreases.

My other recently finished knitting project is a new pair of felted slippers for me. Same pattern as last time (Mohair Ballet Slippers by Bev Galeskas) but in new colors. I think I like my old ones better but nothing lasts forever so when I make my next pair I'll try to find something besides pepto bismol pink.

And that's all on the knitting front that's finished for now. Up next: sewing/quilting update!

Hello, Santa!

2008-12-07T21:06:00.005-07:00

On Saturday night we went to have dinner at the local church with friends and see a special visitor. It really helped me get into the Christmas spirit and I love Emma seeing Santa. It's especially funny to watch her because she had to go back and make sure Santa heard her saying, "Thank you!" Too cute.

I don't think Emma asked Santa for anything. She was so excited about the bag of candy she'd just been given that it's all she could think about. Oh well, at least Santa knows for sure that she's been a good girl. I mean, come on, look at that face.

At Last!

2008-12-03T21:56:00.002-07:00

Today I got the official word that I have been accepted into the Air Force Medical Service Corps! Yay!!
I head to Commissioned Officer Training around January 12th and we will be hearing more about the details of where we'll be stationed when I'm done with training sometime this week (or next, or the week after...you know).

Never let them see you sweat

2008-12-01T13:09:00.002-07:00

I am patient.

There is no doubt that I will be going into the Air Force, it's just a question of time until I get my official notice and orders about when to be to training and where we go after that. My faith is solid and from that comes patience. Even though I was supposed to hear from them November 7th, no wait, 21st, then 24th... any day now. I will not swear with agitation. I will not check my e-mail 23,742 times per day. I will not carry my phone around like I'm waiting for an organ transplant.

I will be cool, calm and collected. Never let them see you sweat, right?

Update

2008-11-11T09:47:00.002-07:00

An update on Morgan's father: he is home early and doing well! Maybe the nurses got tired of him or maybe he was just really good. Either way, Rogerdad is now home again home again and resting. Thank you for your warm wishes and calls. :)

Me? What am I doing? Well, I made Emma new pillowcase and I'm halfway through making her a new quilt with the 5 Funky Monkeys fabric I brought home over a year ago and just found again over the weekend. Amazing things happen when you clean out your craft closet.

Hi

2008-11-08T20:23:00.002-07:00

I finished a quilt and a shirt...but I can't show you pictures. Not because we don't have a camera anymore, our dear friends Ben & Erica gave us a beautiful new one as a sweet sweet gift, but because said camera is on a road trip. Morgan's father had a heart attack (a very mild one) and then open heart surgery (a very big one) so Morgan and Emma have gone to be with him. My heart and thoughts are with them all these past few days and I'm at loose ends with very little to occupy me.

Hence, the shirt making. And then the shopping... I hate shopping. No wait, I love getting pretty happy new clothes and there's no such thing as too many clothes but when I bring them home and half of them don't fit I just want to shove them down the garbage disposal and never look at them again. Really, inanimate objects shouldn't be able to taunt me.

Now it's time for hot cocoa and a movie because I have no idea what else to do with myself.

Brain Lint

2008-10-22T20:04:00.002-06:00

I have this really unique sense of humor, ask anyone who knows me even in passing. This is one of my most favorite comic clips and it's been on my various refrigerators over the last 10 years because it's perfect. Enjoy!

My week

2008-10-17T22:54:00.002-06:00

My week so far has been interesting.

Monday: Cancel training session at the gym. Messed up ankle has yet to heal and I am trying to avoid any unnecessary walking. Students gripe about me not canceling class on Wednesday because fall break is Thursday thru Saturday and they really want an extra day off. I call them all wimps and thumb my nose at them. Besides, if I have to attend a department meeting on Wednesday right before their class, they should have to be in the building, too. It always rolls down hill, doesn't it?

Tuesday: A friend comes over for some wee ones playtime and when I get up to answer the door I twist my ankle again. Shoot. I hear my husband tell friend that if I don't stop hurting myself he will put me in a wheelchair. Children play, friends chat, babies poop and Emma heads to her first swim lessons with her Daddy. They have a great time while I am teaching a night class.

Wednesday: I make it to an early doctor's appointment and have the nice, somewhat handsome young man (who knows nothing about Economics and makes silly remarks to me about the general state of the economy when he mistakes me for a stay-at-home mommy) tells me I have a partially torn ligament in my ankle. Every time I hurt it the clock for healing resets and I have 4 - 6 weeks of resting up to do...each time. Ugh.

When I get home from work husband tells me we are not going camping because, frankly, I shouldn't be hiking and he really doesn't want the hassle. I breathe a secret sigh of relief. Next, dear husband surprises me with a plan for me to spend Saturday with a friend at a day spa with the money we would otherwise have spent on camping. Huzzah!!

Thursday: I sit. I finish quilt. The internets sucks me into extensive blog reading and I go to sleep very late (Friday morning).

Friday: More sitting. Merlot and steak were found for dinner along with an amazing frozen cake thing I am ashamed to say I had four servings of. On Monday my trainer is sooooo gonna have my butt.

Tomorrow: lather, rinse, repeat.

Go look

2008-10-16T23:57:00.003-06:00

Do you ever read something and it totally takes you away from your own little world and into someone else's? I randomly found this blog today and the voice of this young man held me. Bed was calling me an hour and a half ago but I can't seem to stop reading.

Go see for yourself.

Red Red Hat

2008-10-07T09:43:00.003-06:00

Two knitting projects in two days!

Don't be fooled, I'm not knitting at the speed of light but I am finally finishing up projects that have been languishing for months.

Pattern: Urchin by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Fiamma by di.Ve
Modifications: I knit the large size and only did 6 repeats of the wedges instead of 7 repeats. Also, because I was being lazy, I used a three needle bindoff to finish the job. I hate grafting.

I love this yarn but it's been hating me for almost two years now. All my other attempts to knit it into something have failed terribly but because of the colors I couldn't give up. This pattern finally let me put this lovely wool into something wearable and I'm thrilled! My husband hates hats and even he was impressed with how good it looks. That has to be a good sign.

Now, let's see what I finish up next. Should it be socks for me or Emma's sweater?

Socks for Cathymom

2008-09-29T10:37:00.006-06:00

My camera is still out of commission, but I discovered what an awesome camera phone I have! Allow me to present...socks! (Can you tell I'm excited to be able to post pictures?)

Pattern: Niblet Socks by Kathleen Taylor
Yarn: Cascade 220 and Galway Highland Heather

Modifications: My mother-in-law has wide feel that swell often so I needed to make these socks bigger. I started by casting on 60 stitches instead of 45 and when I did the heel I picked up an extra loop on the far side of the slipped stitch and k2tog to eliminate the holes I was getting with the psso. Much prettier.

To add some fun to the top (and use up some pretty scraps) I added some variegated yarn for the cuff and a few stripes. It's the same yarn I used for my father-in-law's slippers' cuffs so now they have matching feet!

I ran out of yarn on the second toe but picked up some Galway Highland Heather that color matched with the Cascade like nobody’s business.

These socks were received with enthusiasm and I have one sock of a pair for myself done. Mine will be red instead of brown and as the nights get chillier I am looking forward to wool socks for me, too.

Happy Anniversary!

2008-09-21T20:00:00.004-06:00

Since I was so peeved when I last posted I neglected to mention anniversaries.

Last post was my 200th (can't believe it's been that long and that I actually have had readers for 3 years) and last Thursday was our 4th wedding anniversary (can't believe we've been kissing and loving for 7 whole years now). How time flies. I realized that next month I turn 27...which means 30 is just around the corner. Just yesterday I was patting myself on the back for being such a well-accomplished 26 year old and as of next month I'll be creeping up on 30. Wow.

To commemorate the occasion here are my top three favorite moments from the last 4 years of my life:

(I was totally going to do a David-Letterman-style top 10 but when I got writing I realized it would be a veeerrry long top 10.)

3. Walking out of the conference room after presenting my research project to my committee to finish my Masters. I worked through some of the hardest times of my life (the deaths of my friend, cousin and sister, the estrangement of my mother and a hard fight to find balance in my relationship with Morgan) and managed to come back to UW to finish grad school. I will always be proud of myself for accomplishing that feat...and I grew a baby at the same time. Go me!

2. The minutes after giving birth to Emma. It was such an amazing moment to have her in our arms that I cried from relief and Morgan squeezed out a few tears, too. Labor was finished! Nine months of waiting to see our new baby had passed and there she was, healthy and real. (Also, the epidural was still working so the pain from giving birth hadn't set in yet.)

1. Our wedding was a happy day but it's almost a blur. The greatest moments were not those in front of friends & family in that church but the quiet times to follow, those times when we have truly inhabited a life together have been my favorite. They were mornings on the porch in the sun with coffee, others have been playing with Emma, and the best tend to be quiet nights that we sit and talk for 3 hours. It's not one special moment, but the accumulation of years of love that have come in precious pieces.

Politics

2008-09-20T08:41:00.004-06:00

I tend to stay away from political issues since this is a sugary-sweet type of blog that deals with nothing heavier than cotton vs poly-blends, but I just read an article and now I'm outraged!

I'm a Democrat and that's no huge secret but this latest bill from the Bush administration has left me seething. The cover issue is that this bill will allow medical providers room to follow their conscience but it will come at a cost. And surprise, surprise - women will be the ones who pay the price. This bill will allow any medical worker in a facility that receives federal funds - receptionists, volunteers, nurses and doctors - to decline to assist in any services they find objectionable. On the surface that seems fine, but let's think about how this will work in practice.

Scenario 1: Doctor or pharmacist decides that birth control is a form of abortion and simply refuses to inform the female patient of options available to her - or the pharmacist refuses to fill her prescription. Who are they to determine who should and should not be allowed to have access to family planning? They are not the ones who will be raising my children that I will have without birth control and not the ones who will shoulder this responsibility. Why should they be allowed to make this choice for me? Who are they to prevent me from having access to health care?

Scenario 2: Receptionist decides that he/she objects to homosexuality and refuses to book an appointment for a man seeking an AIDs test.

Scenario 3: Nurse refuses to administer emergency contraception to a rape victim in the ER.

You can see where I'm going with this. I firmly believe that individuals should have the right to make decisions that follow their own beliefs but what about when that decision is paid for by someone else?

What happens when your rights infringe on mine?

Are my doctors beliefs more important than mine?

Should my freedom of access to health care be optional?

Thank you for reading.

10 minute post

2008-08-29T17:08:00.003-06:00

I am blogging from my office, what a bad girl I am. I have about 10 minutes before I need to head downstairs so I thought I would update the blog a little.

1. I am finally in my new office, having moved around many heavy pieces of furniture all by myself thanyouverymuch. This great feeling of calm has settled over me (stop that laughing, Suzanne) and I think it's because I've decided to stop freaking out about whether or not I get into the AF, I am simply going to act "as if". So much in life can be accomplished with just a little bit of backbone. My current peaceful feeling may also be attributed to the semester having started and my office now being in an orderly fashion. I am such an organizer freak (not that my house reflects it, that's communal space and under a different category in my world) that I need to have ends tied up before I can breathe normally.

2. I am/was training to run a 5K on September 6th. I say was because on Tuesday I ran 2.3 miles and yesterday I stubbed my pinkie toe and ripped it open pretty badly so shoes mean bleeding foot right now. No doubt I look silly going to teach my class tonight in a dress and flip flops, but nothing else I had to wear on my feet would keep the pressure off my gash in my foot. Depending on how quickly my toe heals up I may or may not make that 5K next week.

3. I really need a new digital camera. This blogging thing is getting boring without pretty pictures of all the fun things I've been making lately. *sigh*

...and that's all the time I have for now, folks!

Quiet Moments

2008-08-16T09:53:00.004-06:00

I often am torn between writing a blow by blow chronological account of my life and writing where I am at the moment. If I'm not really in context, will any of this even make sense? Here goes anyway.

An experience that stood out to me this week:

Getting onto a plane, I had a moment when I brushed against how deep and precious life is. It was nothing huge that triggered it, I was just watching all of the passengers ahead of me step through the threshold of the aircraft. We are all being packed into this small vessel and the accumulation of all those lives peeked at me. A wedding ring, two friends talking, a favorite book in hand. Our plane could fall from the sky, a metal capsule brimming full of people who have loves, children, ideas, words, aspirations, strength, songs and years of life behind them. What an aching loss it would be to the world to have even a relatively small slice of people disappear. Life is always from a first person point of view, but for just a second there I saw it from many points of view. How precious and amazing we all are.

Now go listen to this song. Achingly beautiful.

Candy

2008-07-29T18:41:00.003-06:00

While the child is away, the parents will play. Emma went to visit her Auntie and cousins last Friday and since then Morgan and I have been running amuck, staying up way past bedtime, sleeping in, going to movies, going out for coffee, enjoying long morning bike rides and trips to antique stores. Today we made a pretty cool find; a local candy factory!

We were out for a long bike ride this morning and ended up riding right past the Startup Candy Company. They were closed then so we went back a few hours later and discovered this cool candy that only they make (because one of the earlier Startup men invented it around 1900) called Magnolias. They're little candies that taste like flowers!! I am soooo buying some of these for Grandma's birthday. :) They mostly focus on doing wholesale and internet sales these days and their tiny shop front is only open from 12 - 2 Monday through Thursday. If you're in the area or feeling adventurous I highly recommend trying these candies. Enjoy!

Word Art

2008-07-27T17:48:00.003-06:00

Cute! Word art from Wordle generated from this blog. :) Click on the picture to make it bigger.

Peace Time

2008-07-21T14:37:00.002-06:00

Did you all hear that?

It was this massive sight of relief in our household. We caved and gave Emma back her pacifiers and since then she's been napping, sleeping and even eating. Who knew? And we figured out what's up with Miss Fussy Pants. Yesterday I discovered that she has a molar breaking through. Also, after a meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Household we think her "try and make me" attitude has a lot to do with her adjusting to life with Dad home all the time. Mom she knows to a tea and knows just how far she can push me, but Mom+Dad and Dad Alone are whole different animals.

Bottong line: we think she's testing the waters and with a new molar coming in and a lack of sleep she was having a riot in the house. Thankfully, peace has been restored and we are all much more well rested and happy. :)

Seriously.

2008-07-16T21:35:00.002-06:00

I have no idea how to gauge my sleep deprivation at this point. It's been a rough week and Emma is really starting to try on her "You can't make me" and "I'm going to throw a screaming fit every time I don't get what I want" shoes. Holey moley. Oh, and she's not sleeping well and refuses to nap.

I met with my Air Force recruiter on Monday and it was our first face-to-face meeting. She must have thought I was the strangest person she'd seen in a while because I was operating on five hours of sleep and two cups of coffee. Bad combination. In an attempt to compensate for the lack of sleep I went to bed that night at 7:30 with Emma...only to have her throw a screaming fit around midnight so I wound up fully awake in the dead of the night. Boy, a girl can do a lot of filing and paperwork between midnight and 3:00 AM.

Emma's going to go visit her Auntie and cousins for a week pretty soon here and I'm wondering if it would be possible to let my sister-in-law keep Emma longer...like until she starts kindergarten. Because we need the sleep around here and this has to end. Seriously.

Yesterday

2008-07-11T08:19:00.003-06:00

Two great things about yesterday:

1. As we held hands at the dinner table and talked about what we are grateful for, Emma took her turn first and said," I'm grateful for Emma, family," took a short pause, looked me in the eye and said, "and I'm grateful for Mommy who is my friend." I kid you not. Those were her exact words. I had to get up from the table and wipe my eyes.

Her vocabulary is moving at warp speed this week but I was shocked by how well she put that sentence together. The other amazing thing is that these are concepts she came up with on her own. Morgan and I say we are grateful for each person but we don't say family in the general sense. We were both floored and talked about it more last night in the dark before sleeping. Those are some of the best conversations of my day.

2. I went to a baby shower for a neighbor who is due with a little girl in a few weeks. The night before I made this nursing pillow for her.

The pattern I had in my stash was actually for a pillow cover but I improvised a bit and made the pillow itself. My mother-in-law mentioned a cool trick that I used and it was totally worth it. I lined the two pieces with quilt batting to keep the pillow smooth and I basted the batting down so it would stay in place when I stuffed the pillow. It was a very well recieved gift and I feel pretty good about it.

Wild Adventure!

2008-07-10T17:18:00.003-06:00

Last week we went Into the Wild! Well, a bit of wild anyway. We decided (Morgan and I) that the three bears needed to get out and about so we bought a very ugly but cheap camper and headed out. First stop, Northern Utah, close to Bear Lake.

We found an awesome campground next to a stream and Emma had a blast. The next morning we went on a gorgeous hike and I was amazed by all of the beautiful wildflowers in bloom.

On the hike back we saw a deer, lots of butterflies and Emma met a horse. Pretty cool stuff.

Next it was on to Bear Lake and then Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park. Like the picture of the Tetons?

We took it from our canoe...shortly before it capsized. Yep, the water got choppy as we headed back to the marina and the wind combined with a wake from a too close boat tipped us over. The amazing thing is that the digital camera and cell phone both survived the swim after drying out for a few days. Totally crazy! The down side is that with the camera out of commission for the next several days we have no pictures of our trip to Yellowstone. :(

Hope your 4th was great, too!

Slam dunk

2008-06-29T14:03:00.003-06:00

Me? How am I? Well, it just so happens that I ROCK! Thank you for asking.

I took the GRE yesterday as part of my application to the Air Force and let me tell you, I feel awesome. Five years ago I took the test and got a 1200 on it. Not exactly Einstein but not too shabby either. Good enough to get me into grad school and help me secure a stipend. Yesterday I managed to better that score by 30 points. Go me! When I got home later that night I did a happy dance.

What did I do to study for the GRE? A few hours with a book during the week before helped me brush up a bit. The night before and the morning of the test I made this:

The Cotton Shop was having a Shop Hop sale so I went a little wild with the $.88 fat quarters. This is my second Turning Twenty quilt and I love how fun and simple they are. Now all I have to do is sew it up. :) Have a happy weekend.

Past the first checkpoint

2008-06-27T23:10:00.002-06:00

Great news! I passed my Medical Exam that I took yesterday for part of my application to the Air Force. Yaaayyyy!!!

Strangely enough, I think I was more nervous about that part of my application than any other part. The GRE looms ahead, scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, so there's plenty left to do and lots and lots of paperwork ahead. I feel like this is the right thing for us to be moving towards and it's interesting how when your feet are on the right path, the steps seem to come smoothly. Not that everything is suddenly easy, but there is a rectitude in your actions.

I would love to sit and ponder at this keyboard for a while but it's getting late. Perhaps more later this weekend. For now, it's off to get a good night's sleep before I go crack the GRE like an egg. Grrrr!! :)

In the news this week...

2008-06-21T18:33:00.004-06:00

In our world:

*My boss called and offered me 3 more classes to teach this fall on top of the 2 I already have. Not only that, he offered me a one semester contract as a lecturer. Let me translate all that: more work and a whole lot more money! Yippie!! In about 4 months I will make what Morgan pulled in over 6 months. This is great news because his back is recovering but we're coming to realize he may never be the same again and his wrenching days are probably over.

*The pacifiers will soon sleep with the fishes. Daddy and I pulled a fast one with the scissors and now they no longer provide much sucking pleasure for Emma. Our hope is that she will ix-nay them very quickly now that they're "broken". We keep telling her she's a big girl now and big girls don't use pacis.

Emma's big girl room is now done and covered in faeries. Too cute. We spent a few days painting and one late night stenciling faeries. She loves them!

*We just bought new swimsuits today (no pictures, very sorry...ha ha) so next week it's water park here we come!

Enjoy your weekend.

Thank Heaven for Daddy!

2008-06-15T14:34:00.003-06:00

As Emma has grown, so have Morgan and I in the quest to become good parents. Being a family is one of the greatest joys of my life and the times we spend together I will always cherish.

One of my favorite things is to sit back and watch Morgan and Emma play together. He has the ability to point out the new, simple and special joys that Emma thrives on. We went on a hike a few days ago and it was Daddy who took Emma up the rocks of the waterfall. I pointed out a shallow stream and Daddy showed her the best way to splash with rocks. A little green caterpillar crossed our path and Daddy helped Emma hold him gently and then put him back on a tree to go home to his Mommy and Daddy.

Morgan is far more than a father, he's a Daddy. The one who kisses boo-boos, takes her to the potty in restaurants, lifts her high with one hand, lets her play with sooooo many of his tools, teaches her how to make new funny noises and convinces me to buy the Teddy Grahams. He is a wonderful partner and an excellent Daddy.

Happy Father's Day, Morgan!

A little distracted...

2008-06-12T07:57:00.005-06:00

I totally meant to post this about half an hour ago but I got sidetracked by the Summer issue of Knitty that just came out this morning. I can't wait to knit this and this and this. Patience has never been my strong suit so as soon as it comes out I have to tear through the whole issue immediately like a kid on Easter morning intent on eating all of her candy RIGHT NOW!

Moving on...Yellow Duck is done! At long last, he can make his official appearance in all his fully-limbed glory. He was meant to be an Easter gift for Emma but she discovered him before I was done so I lost my motivation to finish him.

When our friends, Ben, Erica & Nick, came to visit (way back in April) Mr. Monkey teased Yellow Duck to no end about not having arms. After that I just couldn't stand to listen to his pitiful little quacks as he begged for arms. He just wanted to be like all the other stuffed animals, he said. Two weeks ago, his day came.

Pattern: Duck from Knitted Toys by Fiona McTague Yarn: Red Heart Sport
Mods: I knit the body in the round and the body and head in one piece to avoid that whole floppy neck thing that sometimes happens when you sew the head onto the body. And, of course, Yellow Duck has a red heart stitched on his chest, just like Mr. Monkey.

Steps

2008-06-04T13:46:00.004-06:00

The future makes me anxious. Mostly it's because I have no idea what is headed our way. Morgan's job has been in a state of change or uncertainty for a long time now. A job that pays you on commission is rarely constant and can be hard on the nerves. With this recent round of medical problems has come many questions about our future. What kind of job does Morgan need? What kind of job does he want? How on earth are we going to get him from point A to B in this career pursuit?

Another opportunity has presented itself and I'm having a hard time deciding if it's a brilliant idea or an insane one.

Here goes. I'm thinking about joining the Air Force.

You heard me. I grew up while my father was in the Air Force and it gave us a really interesting life style that seems even more appealing when you factor in pretty decent pay, great benefits and the chance to travel all over the world while serving my country. Same reasons that I wanted to join the Foreign Service...I just couldn't pass the entrance exam.

The anxiety comes from wondering how well my husband is going to adjust to being a stay-at-home dad and how much I am really going to miss spending my days with Emma. I love her more than sunshine and for the last two-and-a-half years my hours have been occupied by her presence, voice, smiles, tears and hugs. How will I live without that? The mere idea makes my heart ache.

On the other hand, I can learn a new skill set, apply my degree, provide for my family in a substantial way. There is the possibility that my new job could take us far away to travel around the world. The Air Force would give us good enough health benefits to have another child, something we want but are not sure how to get anytime soon. And I can't tell you how nice it would be to have enough leave time and money to actually go on a vacation...all while building a career. Last but not least, there will also be the chance to serve my country, which is no small thing. I can imagine my father would be proud of me for seriously considering this option.

Last night I watched a video clip about Officer Training and when I was walking to work this morning I became aware of how my body moves. I walk with my shoulders back, my eyes up and a firm heel-toe foot fall. This is how my father walked, so distinctive that I knew who had just come into our home by the way the footsteps sounded. This is how my brother learned to walk and how I, too, walk. I realized today that I might as well be marching in formation, for all the way I carry myself. In the echo of my footsteps down the sidewalk, I was sure I heard my father's right beside me.

Cookin'

2008-06-03T11:26:00.003-06:00

We are alive and keeping rather busy around here. Emma's taken an interest in cooking with me these days. We made potato pancakes the other morning and since them Emma keeps telling me "I need to cook some eggs." I gave her a bottom drawer in the kitchen where she keeps all of her cooking utensils and she drags them out daily to help me whip up meals.

While my in-laws were visiting I spent a fair amount of time sewing with Cathymom. Behold, the newest edition to Emma's wardrobe. Emma keeps telling me she needs a black dress every time she sees me get ready for work. Instead of a black dress (a bit warm in the summer, wouldn't you say?) I found her some adorable white fabric with black graphics and topped it off with adorable red poppy buttons. The bottom half is a bit sheer so she has to wear white bloomers under it, but no worries.

So far, it's been given the Emma stamp of approval. The pattern? Er, um, kind of improvised. The bodice piece was guided by a super-old book of How to Sew Clothes for Children and I changed all the rest was made up as I went. Not too shabby.

Until next time. I have at least three more projects to show you this week. Oh, and a test to draft, too. Blah!

All is Well

2008-05-26T19:15:00.002-06:00

Morgan had a very smooth surgery that went down last Wednesday. His parents drove all night to be here a few hours before we went to the hospital so we were very lucky to have their moral and physical support. I feel so fortunate to have a loving and available family who could be here for us.

Morgan is healing but needs to be taking it easy. He's going to be out of work for about 6 weeks but his boss is amazing and we are grateful that he has a job to return to. The funniest part is watching Morgan drop something and the look of distress on his face is quite comical because he realizes he can't bend over to pick it up.

Just wanted to let you all know that we are doing well and appreciate your good wishes!

Deep Breathing

2008-05-20T12:48:00.002-06:00

I'm doing my best to keep busy busy today to keep my mind off current family events. Morgan is having surgery tomorrow to relieve a pinched nerve in his lower back that has been hurting and getting worse over the past 3 months. I'm pretty freaked out and I'm not even the one going under the knife. :::deep breath::: I'll keep you all posted though I am sure the surgery will go smoothly and all will be well. My in-laws are on the way like a pair of amazing angels and will be here sometime very o-dark early tomorrow morning to see us before Morgan goes in for surgery around 7:30 am.

Keep us in your prayers please.

In the Still of the Night

2008-05-17T22:58:00.006-06:00

It's 11:00 pm and the whole house is quiet and still. Today was a busy and fun day with lots of BBQ, cooking and visiting with friends. I'm tired in that satisfied kind of way, but I don't want to go to bed. I'm clinging to today by my fingertips to keep tomorrow from coming. If I go to bed I will wake up tomorrow morning with a test to draft, copies to make and a house to clean. If only I could make time slow a bit more so there is nothing waiting to be done when I open my eyes next...

Random bits:

1. Love listening to music on Pandora. If you haven't heard of it, I dare you to try it.

2. I made a Coconut Lime Cake today from The Cook's Kitchen Bible. It was wonderful and much easier than I thought it would be. The guys loved it and thought it was a nice balance to all the spice of the BBQ.

3. I had to rip back the entire gusset of the Baudelaire sock because I increased on the wrong side of the instep. This will be my first pair of toe-up socks and they're killing me. This yarn and I are having an (off-kilter) love affair that seems to be made to end badly (like those late night cravings for curry) so I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised that the pattern is kicking me, too.

4. I picked out the paint for Emma's big girl room and I have one month and counting to paint the walls, do a tree and a couple of faeries. Stay tuned, pictures will be forthcoming.

5. I miss my father. I miss the way he always hugged me too hard, like I was never too fragile, just too valuable to not be hugged tightly. I miss cooking with him. I miss his advice which was never sharp, given sparingly and well worth every minute. Now that I am a parent I am gaining a greater appreciation of my father in so many ways and I miss his presence dearly.

Good night, my dears.

A Day

2008-05-16T13:45:00.002-06:00

I am having A Day. You know those days. I'm tried and drained and so far nothing has gone terribly wrong, but it's as if the hamster that turns the wheels has fallen off.

If I was 6 years younger I would have spent a beautiful, sunny but blah day like this in the park with tuna sandwiches, a frisbee and a good share of vodka-spiked kool-aid to make it all better. Ah, the relaxation of a misfit youth. Alas, there is to be no vodka or frisbee this afternoon. Us Mommies are made of sterner stuff and must revert to coffee, naptime and cookies. *sigh* Wish me luck...and send more cookies.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-10T14:58:00.003-06:00

Happy Mother's Day to me! My husband loves me so much that he decided to buy me a bike (of my choosing) for Mother's Day. Lucky me!! I am so psyched and this is the one I chose.

Aint she a beauty? I know, she's really pink, but I'm thrilled and I wish I had her right now. The only downside is that the store is out of stock of this bike so I have a rain check and I have to wait until their next shipment. Until then, I'll just dream about bike rides in the warm sunshine and trips to the park.

May your Mother's Day be delightful!

We

2008-05-08T18:36:00.003-06:00

As parents, Mommies in particular, we tend to talk a bit differently than before children came into our worlds. I noticed this when I was pregnant and talking to a colleague who was holding her child. I asked the little girl how old she was and the mother responded for her daughter.

"We're four years old," she said.

My response, "Are we now?" Said with a smile, it was meant as a humorous observation not a mocking remark.

I now find myself making similar "we" statements on a regular basis without a second thought.

"We've been sick this week."

"We're growing so quickly."

"We love M&Ms."

And the truth of the matter is that after having a child we are never a singular individual again. Marriage makes us partners, but being a parent makes you an indivisible part of a unit. The moments you spend alone are almost nonexistent so it's honest to say that whatever happens to one is usually shared by another. It's more than that though, it's the fact that even when your child is not around they are constantly on your mind. Like a limb that is missing, you are acutely aware of it's absence.

The physical reminders of parenthood and that filial link will never disappear either. Emma has a fascination with bellybuttons and when she tells me, "No, that's mine!" I tell her it's mine, too because it is where we used to be connected. Her body will always hold that mark, just like every human will. As a mother, my body will always bear witness to the stretching and aching of holding another human being inside me, cradling the most precious creation I have known.

It's now been three years since she came into existence and it seems like forever that we have been "We."

The Urge to Serge!

2008-05-02T13:33:00.004-06:00

Okay, there really wasn't any serging, but I had to use that as a title just for fun.

Yesterday the sewing bug bit me hard and I just HAD TO sew something. Since Emma now has a dress and nightgown fetish, I thought it would be nice to make her a few nighties from a pattern I picked up...for $.25 at a second hand store. I am so thrifty some times I impress myself. *big smile*

Anyway, the Cotton Shop has their striped and polka-dots knits on sale so we dashed down there and bought three super-cute fabrics to make nightgowns. Emma also has a thing for polka-dots. No idea where she got it. *ahem*

The nightgown is cute and huge. I am pretty sure Emma will be able to wear it until she goes into Second Grade. Based on her excited reaction when she first saw it, she might even try to.

As a side note: my very own cute and handy decorating idea is indoor clothes lines. Two nails and a length of thread make the perfect display set. You can clip pictures, fabrics, ideas or sewing instructions. It's so very handy when you need to free up table space but still have a way of checking pattern directions often. I'm planning to put one up in an empty hall space we have to hang Emma's drawings on. The fridge is getting waaaaaaay too crowded.

Now, if you will excuse me, it's nap time for her so I'm going to go sew myself a shirt. Ta ta!

Green and Growing Things

2008-04-29T13:07:00.005-06:00

The apple tree out back is blossoming as of this very morning.

Emma and I worked in the garden on Saturday and the legacy rhubarb is alive and thriving. You know, the rhubarb plants that came from my Father's home in Wyoming that he transplanted from his Grandmother's farm in Wisconsin. After my father died, I had Morgan bring me some of those plants when I started my garden last year. They were so scrawny I was afraid they wouldn't make it. I can remember sitting in the grass and almost crying, "I know my Dad is dead now but would you at least let the plants live? Please?!?"

Small blessings come every day.

Thank you, God.

Bad News

2008-04-22T11:35:00.002-06:00

My hard drive is crashing. I have been promised a new one since this computer is under warranty but it might take a few more days. I can't even read what I am typing at this moment because my poor computer is so fried. Blah. Will talk with all of you and post more when my computer works again.

coming this week...

2008-04-16T08:54:00.002-06:00

It's Wednesday and already it's been a crazy week. Monday saw a sick Emma, the news that my hard drive is crashing. (Apparently it's in a slow downward spiral. It still works...for the moment.) Tuesday I canceled my day classes to stay home with Emma and make sure she wasn't going to throw up anymore. Oh joy.

For the rest of the week I'm planning:

* To make this dress for Emma in a fabric that matches one of my skirts that she's fallen in love with. Then she can stop running around the house with my skirt that is 23 times too big for her.

* Finish Yellow Duck. He now has two legs, but no arms yet. I'm still knitting the arms.

* Read lots of papers from my classes and finish editing the final exam.

* Bake more bread. The Artisan Bread book is awesome and the Cheese Bread recipe is my favorite so far. Especially with an egg wash. YUM!

* Playgroup on Friday and BBQ on Saturday.

Peace!

Keep you warm

2008-04-09T14:12:00.003-06:00

The dinner went fine and it turns out that I am not the lowliest of the low at my work. About 47% of classes taught at my work are taught by Adjuncts and I now realize that I am surely not the only one with just a Masters degree. And it could be worse, I could be a Yoga teacher instead of an Economics teacher.

Moving on...I knit something!

Pattern: Dolores Park Cowl by Parikha
Yarn: Lion Brand Thick & Quick in Pine
Mods: The yarn I used was a bit heavier than the pattern was written for so I ended up with a much bigger cowl than intended. No worries, that just means it won't muss up the hair as much going on. This is actually for my sister-in-law, Evette, who came out to visit last week with her two sweet girls. I offered to knit her something and when I showed her the Dolores Park Cowl she really liked it so here it is! Now, I just need to mail it to her...

I need to make myself one of these because it is sooooo nice and warm. Only in something super-soft like Alpaca. :)

Turn up the heat

2008-04-04T15:42:00.005-06:00

Freshly baked bread! Homemade apple butter! Few things are as satisfying as those "I-made-it-myself-and-boy-does-it-taste-great" moments. I found this book from this blog and as soon as our local library had it available it was in my hot little hands. Since then we've made fresh bread and calzones. *sigh* It has the stamp of approval from this household. Go on, give it a try. No doubt, you will love it, too.

Other fun news: I'm going to be teaching more! I will teach three classes this summer and two more in the fall. This job is so much fun and a really great experience for me...hopefully for my students, too. Today I'm a little nervous because I have a social to go to tonight for adjunct faculty. I look young for my age and I am young to be teaching at a university so I'll most likely be the youngest and least educated faculty member at this dinner. *gulp* Well, I guess this is when we have to "act as if." My high school class didn't vote me Most Charming for nothing. Wish me luck!

Heaven

2008-04-01T06:48:00.002-06:00

I have married the best man in the world. Emma had her first tumbling class yesterday and it was a very nice 50 minute break from her usual crying, hysterics and whining. I have no idea what happened to my sweet little girl but this new one is driving me nuts! To my credit, I did not lose my temper or cry yesterday...the same cannot be said of Emma.

When Morgan came home I was sitting on the front couch (while Emma was being distracted by a movie thankyouGod!) hunched over a sock, knitting and mumbling. Bad sign. His response, "Can I take my two girls out to dinner?" Perfect. I love this man so much.

I was so exhausted that after we got home from dinner I found PJ's for Emma and myself at the same time. Little girl crawled into our big bed for her story time and then Morgan tucked us both in, gave us a kiss and turned off the lights. That's right. I went to bed at 8:15!

Heaven is a warm bed and a good night's sleep.

Right when they're supposed to

2008-03-31T12:13:00.007-06:00

The daffodils and tulips finally bloomed and I can't tell you how excited I was. It had been weeks of watching the green leaves come up, small buds form and it was agonizing to wait and see when they would finally explode with color. I anxiously asked Morgan when they would bloom and his (wonderful, patient and frustrating) answer was, "Right when they're supposed to."

At last the flowers came, like a sigh of relief, that finally spring might be here.

Pattern: Garter Stitch Silk Slippers by Erica Knight
Yarn: Jager Trinity
For: Holly's (expected) baby girl to match the hat I knit for the baby shower
Mods: none

These slippers have been done for a while, just waiting for me to sew the ribbon onto them and for Holly to come pick them up during our weekly playgroup. Holly was thrilled with them and said she wanted to put them into her hospital bag...especially since the hat was already packed and needed something to match it.

It fills me with such joy to think that a new baby's first shoes and hat might be ones made by my hands. I still have Emma's coming home outfit and whenever I take it out I have to hold back the swelling in my chest. To hold your child and bring them home for the first time is a huge rite of passage for parents and I feel honored to be a very small part of that. Best wishes, Holly! I know how anxious you must be and your bundle of joy will be here...right when she's supposed to.

Hippity Hoppity

2008-03-26T09:14:00.007-06:00

Easter here was fabulous! Instead of the usual egg dying we all painted wooden eggs that we can keep. Emma is especially adept at hand-painting eggs. Next year I'll make a little Easter tree we can hang them on. :)

On Saturday, Emma went on an Easter Egg Hunt in the park for the first time. The anticipation was nerve wracking, especially for a toddler, as she watched them spread the eggs out on the lawn. There was almost a collective wail from all the children 2 and under just seeing all those bright and colorful eggs being flung about that they couldn't go grab immediately. Kind of like in those zombie movies, only whiney-er.

After Emma picked up her five eggs (there's a limit, similar to fishing), the Easter Bunny came hippity hoppity to the park only to be mobbed by hundreds of children. Since it was nippy out we decided we would rendezvous with the fluffy giant at the mall where the clime was more hospitable. Oh. my. gosh. I have rarely seen Emma so excited as she was to go sit with the Easter Bunny. All she could do was smile, hug and ask, "Bunny, what's your name?" Sadly, bunnies don't talk so no answer was given but I don't think she minded.

Sunday was another great day with a picnic in Provo Canyon, bubbles for everyone, a half-finished duck made by Mama (yours truly), a long walk, hidden eggs in our house, chalk drawing on the driveway and lots of love. We hope your Easter was just as nice!

Good Stuff

2008-03-21T20:36:00.002-06:00

Recipe of the Day: Black Bean & Couscous Salad is great with grilled chicken added. Morgan gave it a thumbs up and I love how fast it is to make couscous. High in protein and fiber but low in calories is fine by me, too. Dig in!

Invisible

2008-03-20T08:27:00.004-06:00

This came to me in an e-mail and I thought it was well worth sharing. I wish I knew who wrote it so they could have the credit...though it occurs to me that "taking credit" isn't really the point. The story talks about "Mom" but I feel like this applies to dedicated Dads, too. I hope you can take a minute and read the entire thing.

The Invisible Mom:

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:

'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Odds n Ends

2008-03-18T08:34:00.005-06:00

Hello out there! We are still alive and kicking. It's been a busy week with lots of fun stuff going on. Last week we:

*Went to the Museum of Ancient Life (AKA the Dinosaur Museum) with our good friend, Naomi, who was visiting on her way home to Alaska. Emma thought the dinosaurs were neat but some of them freaked her out a bit. Not surprising considering the "thunder storms" in the produce department of the grocery store scare her lately.

*Made White Chocolate Coated Pretzels. Soooo yummy and super easy. Melt chips in a bowl in the microwave. Dip the pretzels in and let cool on wax paper. Enjoy!

*Completed one sock of a pair. Details when they're both done!

Blah

2008-03-10T13:20:00.002-06:00

I am tired. I keep trying to post something interesting or funny with pictures but blogger hates me right now and after my third attempt to upload pictures failed I decided it all could wait. Or never get posted. Whatever.

This daylight savings thing has thrown me and I'm grouchy because today my trainer at the gym took all of my measurements. Not good. No progress since October...as a matter of fact, I don't think I've really made any progress at all by having a trainer. Note to self: never sign up for a trainer again.

I have all of these crafty projects waiting for me but I'm just too sleepy to want to do them. On the down-side, if I just decide to bag it all and take a nap I won't be tired tonight until midnight, again. Whine whine whine. I think I'll just go lie down on the floor and be grouchy.

Le Bebe Bonnet

2008-02-29T13:36:00.006-07:00

Tell a knitter you're having a baby and you know the first thing they're going to do. My hands hovered over the yarn to make baby booties for Holly's little bundle of joy but when common sense hit there was little else to do. I knit a hat instead.

You see, Holly is having a little girl who is due to arrive in April. Not exactly the wool booties or warm hat season. I remembered finding a pattern that used the same yarn I have left over from a shawl I knit last year. So, viola! An Emli Bonnet was cast on and knit in a few days time.

Pattern: Emli Bonnet by Alison Hansel
Yarn: Jager Trinity (a silk & cotton blend) in a soft pink

I think this baby hat looks like a flower fairy's hat with the embossed leaves pattern flowing down from the top and the picot bind-off gives it that little extra frilly. Absolutely perfect for a brand new baby girl.

I didn't make any modifications to Alison's pattern, I just stopped before all the increases were done because the hat looked plenty long to me. Here's hoping I'm right.

Holly's baby shower is tomorrow and I hope she thinks it's as adorable as I do. Thanks, Alison, for the cute pattern!

Happy Valentines Day

2008-02-14T07:44:00.005-07:00

This year my husband and I decided not to buy each other things for Valentines Day. Sounds fine to me. I figured making a batch of heart-shaped cookies doesn't count as buying anything so that is my Valentine to him and Emma, too.

I thought this might be a quick project and as much as I like to pretend that all these things are effortless and just flow from my fingertips at whim, I have to admit the whole process took me about 2 hours. Good thing Emma takes one long nap in the afternoon!

I also managed to learn something new. You can paint color onto cookies either before or after baking by just diluting food coloring with water and brushing it on. Pretty cool. Next time I'll let Emma help with the painting but after she colored all over the couch with a pair of highlighters yesterday morning I wasn't too eager to give her more resources to color my house with.

May your Valentines Day be sweet and full of love.

Lots of Love!

2008-02-13T18:10:00.001-07:00

Here's a link to Nick's family's blog and it has the cutest pictures of him with Mr. Monkey! Makes me so happy to see that he loves his new friend. :)

Monkey Love

2008-02-12T07:38:00.000-07:00

The super-secret project unveiled!

May I present, Mr. Monkey. I am sure that someday the 1 1/2 year old boy, Nick, who now has him will give him a wonderful and suitable name but for our purposes today he is simply Mr. Monkey.

Pattern: Monkey by Fiona McTague from Knitted Toys
Yarn: Peaches & Cream 100% cotton, 2 balls of Chocolate and 1 ball of Army Tan. The pattern calls for worsted weight wool but this yarn was much cheaper and wonderfully washable. The only downside was that knitting with cotton is such a booger! That's probably part of why this project took me so long.
Mods: My mother-in-law makes sure that all her stuffed animals have hearts inside them so I took her idea one step further and stitched a heart on his chest. I just think it's too sweet! Also, I put magnets in Mr. Monkey's paws so that they will stick together. Much better for giving hugs that way. Oh, and every traveling monkey needs a scarf, too.

I started this little guy last July because he was supposed to be a 1st birthday present for Nick, then a Christmas present and now he's finally there for Valentines Day. I'm pitiful, I know. It's almost like once I put a project down I never pick it up again. *sigh* Either way, he's done now and I think he looks awesome.

Happy Valentines Day, Nick!

Monday, Monday

2008-02-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning feeling refreshed and ready to go! I have one secret knitting project done and a second to be finished tonight. In the works are slippers for my father-in-law, Rogerdad. At this point they've been knit and now they just need to be felted. They look like two ginormous oven mitts. No kidding.

After they are agitated in the washer they will be perfect! Nice and soft, warm and thick. Even better is that when he wears the soles out of these I can simply knit new ones to be sewn onto the bottoms. The last pair of slippers Rogerdad will ever need. :)

More crafting ahead: I'm thinking there will be a few more dresses in the works for Emma since she has decided she must wear a dress at all times. The best part is she only wants to wear the dresses I made for her. I can't tell you how proud this makes me.

Other new stuff: Emma has finally decided to introduce herself on her own. Little girl obviously knows what her name is, but if anyone ever asks her, "What's your name?" she just parrots the question back to them. No response from her. Maybe she was just being coy or playing hard to get. Either way, on Friday, she decided to tell a nice lady that her name is Emma. Now, if she ever manages to say her last name it will be a miracle.

Drunken Squirrel Dancing

2008-01-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

I am well on the road to recovery now and giving Mike the boot! The doctor confirmed that I was indeed suffering from the same stupid sinus infection I caught back in December and that the 10 day round of antibiotics did not kill it the first time. After another two more weeks I will be off the antibiotics (the second time) and glad to be done with all this icky sicky stuff.

With more sleep and more energy, there have been baking and cooking and knitting a plenty. Oh, and work, too. No worries, I am still keeping pace just fine. On Saturday I baked Scottish Shortbread that was nearly as good as the Walkers brand my family used to buy. It was my first attempt at shortbread and I was pretty proud of myself. The knitting project is a secret Valentines one so I can't show it just yet, but I promise I will soon. :) I love being sneaky like that. As for the cooking, I've been craving steak so badly it's not funny so tonight it's going to be T-bones, broccoli salad and a bottle of Merlot. *sigh* Does it get any better?

Oh, and the funniest thing I think I've ever seen was Emma trying to ballet dance this morning. I found a VHS of Beatrix Potter stories done by ballet dancers in costume. Very cute and Emma loved it since she adores animals. Even better was when she started trying to dance herself. Mostly it was running in circles, hopping and falling down. A drunk squirrel has probably done better ballet than my 2 year old, but it was still lots of fun to watch.

Have a great week!

The audience is listening

2008-01-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

I have a cold. Again. When I whined to my husband he suggested that perhaps this is not my third cold in three months but the same cold I have been dragging around in various stages of getting better and then getting worse for three months. He just might be right.

I have a cold. His name is Mike. I figure anything that sticks around for three months must have a name. I also have concluded that my cold is male because (as my husband insists men do not understand subtlety) Mike just won't take a hint and leave. I think this is a slightly funny story. Only about half of my students thought "Mike" was funny. The other half were male and I think I may have offended them with my sexist remark. *sigh* Open mouth, insert foot, Lisa. Almost as good as when I mixed up North and South Korea in a lecture about communist markets. Only 1 student called me on it but at least that means she was paying attention.

Apparently Mike was not amused either because he stole my voice. I managed to make it through most of my two lectures yesterday but as of this morning I can whisper at best. So sad, I was supposed to host a mommy play date at my place but all I really need now is rest.

The interesting thing about not having a voice is how you try to communicate with other people without speaking to them. I feel as if I am acting out Mr Bean's Vacation minus the camcorder. Emma is taking it surprisingly well. She thinks it's a game of some sort but mostly she understands everything I "tell" her. I haven't really thought about how expressive our actions, posture and facial expressions are until I need to use them as my only means of communication. So far we've made it to the grocery store, video store and library all without incident or words. Emma understands when it's time to go, where to sit down, what things she can keep and what she has to give back to me. Funny enough, she still understands from my face and shaking head when I'm saying "no" and "I love you." Probably because those are the two things she hears the most from me. Now that I have no words, I truly understand how much she is "listening" to everything I am telling her, with and without words. Truly something to think about.

I will survive!

2008-01-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

1. I am alive. I have survived the first week and a half of my new job and even though I am exhausted, I am sure I will survive. (And yes, that song is running through my head right now.) Talking with my best friend in Alaska last night, she gave me some great support since she also teaches. It's comforting to know that I am not the only one who has felt lost, stalled for time, had to go look up the answer because I wasn't sure how to explain it and felt the cold terror of 108 people staring at you expecting you to know all the answers. "They had to be desperate to hire me," I say. She says to me, "Nah, you're just a bad @$$ and they can tell." Oh, how she makes me laugh. And smile. :)

2. Emma has decided her New Years Resolution is to learn to use the potty... a lot! When her Daddy decided that she needed pull-ups to properly work this whole thing out I grimaced and went along with it. After all, it's easy for him to talk the talk but I am the one who has to walk the walk with our little girl 90% of the time. We went to buy her some yesterday but the only kind they had in her size were boy's. No worries. My daughter loves trucks and trains so much that she was thrilled with them. To my (very relieved) surprise she's really taken to her new "panties" and is doing awesome. She even went #2 on the potty! A first ever, today!

3. Morgan thinks maybe he should fly helicopters instead of work on cars. Do I know where this is going? No.

4. There has been no knitting, sewing or crafting of any kind in this house. I made cupcakes last week and that's about as good as it gets. All my spare time is spent cleaning or working on lectures.

Of the things that come

2008-01-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

It has been said that those who write down their goals are the ones who go the furthest in achieving them. We all know writing them down is not enough, but perhaps it is a signal of how important these things are to us and how dedicated we are to them becoming reality. The writing is not the catalyst, merely the signal of our actions.

It's been a wild year and I have absolutely no idea what will come our way in the next 365 days. In honor of what has been and what I want to see, I present the 2007 accomplishments and the 2008 hopefuls.

In 2007:

Emma started talking: first with sign language, then with words and finally whole sentences.
Morgan started working at a new dealership.
I got my dream job (and I'm terrified but putting on my poker face).
Emma started giving kisses and hugs.
We moved into a new house in a new city!
Morgan finally got his 2-car garage and a shiny new air compressor to play with, too.
I discovered that some gyms have day care and Pilates is a mommy's best friend.
Morgan and I went to Alaska for a week and had an awesome adventure together.
I've learned that friendship is an amazing gift that we often overlook, but if we are lucky it will still be there when we open the door again.
I've found a new sense of my own strength in what I know I can do and how I can handle even the hardest of things.
I've come to appreciate the intricate workings of marriage and what it means to pledge your life to someone.
I discovered Papa Murphy's pizza and poker nights at home.
I knit my first two sweaters. One for Emma, one for myself and the one for Morgan is underway.
I have sewn three dresses for me and three for Emma.

In 2008:

I will do my best to be a great teacher.
I will help Emma learn and grow into the sweet child I see in her.
I will be the best wife I can be.
I will knit my husband a sweater (or two)!
I will be grateful for the little gifts life brings and be open to them.
I will train to run a 5K race as much as my knees will allow.
I will look for adventures and seek out the new.
I will get my passport renewed.
...and I will not dye my hair.

From us to you

2007-12-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas, from our home to you.

P.S. Then go make yourself a Peppermint Patty. Make a cup of hot cocoa and add a jigger of peppermint schnapps. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Baby!

2007-12-23T22:57:00.000-07:00

Our little girl turned two on Saturday and I'm still a little shocked. Can she really be two years old? Where did the time go?

No matter. Happy Birthday, Emma!

The Net Total

2007-12-12T22:52:00.000-07:00

As Annie points out, there are things we lose along the way to becoming parents. Today I've been thinking about all those little things. They include:
-a belly ring
-red mini skirt (size 4) ~for some reason this one wounds me deeply
-the ability to relax while shopping
-going to movies in the theater
-overnight backpacking trips
-playing pool
-sleeping in on weekends
-sleeping all night, period
-taking showers alone
-never discussing "poop-ey"
-swearing when frustrated
-feeling righteous (instead of guilty) about working

But ho, this list would not be complete without looking at the other side of the coin. Any good analyst looks at the "Pros" along with the "Cons" when balancing a situation. What has being a parent gained me? Let's see...
-an entertainer
-more patience than I ever thought I had
-a fresh take on all the little things in life like flowers, animals, rainbows and snow
-someone to blame when I'm cranky for no good reason (hey, I'm sure she blames me, too when she's cranky)
-becoming one of the most important people in my daughter's life
-a reason to stay home and not have to rush off to a job every morning
-someone who appreciates home-made tomato soup
-an unlimited supply of kisses and giggles
-a reason to buy new clothes every 3 months
-waking up to "Good morning, beautiful" and a hug from my little girl

All in all, I'd say it's well worth the sacrifice. Besides, the only thing on the the first list that I can't ever get back is the red miniskirt. And even if I did fit into it, why would I want to wear it now? I'm someone's mommy.

Get Well Footies

2007-12-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

A while back I bought some malabrigo in this fun colorway, Tigerlilly, to use when I needed a pick-me-up. When I came down nasty with a cold a few weeks back I decided it was time for a bit of fuzzy indulgence and get-well knitting. I finished one footie and started to feel better so I left the second undone. Apparently that was just leaving the door open for me to get sick again (which I did, right after Thanksgiving) so I had to finish the other one to keep from getting sick anymore.

Emma spies me using the camera and must come in for a closer look.

"Look at me! I have to be in the picture, too, Mom!"

Pattern: Cabled Footies from One Skein
Yarn: 1 hank of malabrigo in Tigerlilly
Modifications: I did a short row heel on these and a rounded toe. I think it's called a star-toe but I'm not sure. (It's when you *k6, k2tog* repeat for one round, knit one round, *k5, k2tog* repeat for one round, knit one round...)

I really love this pattern and it's the third time I've knit it. I'm not much for doing the same thing twice but this one is a winner in my book. It's fast, pretty, wearable and warm. When I showed them to my husband he asked me who they were for. "Me!" I said. "About time," was his response. :)

Baby Feet

2007-12-02T17:34:00.000-07:00

I have a serious weakness for baby feet. Always have. Always will. I remember back when I wasn't interested in having children and the two things that always got me were baby shoes and paint swatches. Something about dressing tiny feet and painting children's rooms appealed to a part of me not governed by logic and the desire to sleep.

When Emma was born I can still remember those round little toes, soft soles never walked on and her narrow little heels that wouldn't keep cute little shoes and socks from falling off. I have footprints from when she was a week old that still make me melt.

In keeping with my love of baby feet, I've been busy making Christmas gifts for those little baby feet I see most often.

I found this pattern from the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog and it's so simple yet adorable. The pattern is for 0-6 months but I think it could go a bit beyond that. Not far enough for me to make Emma a pair, but I think it might fit up to 9 months on a small child. This blog has so many cool gift ideas that I need to get crackin' if I want to get a few more projects done in time to mail!

A Snowy Winter's Day

2007-12-01T14:09:00.000-07:00

With a little bit of luck...

2007-11-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

I am seriously the luckiest lady I know. Seriously. Seriously. (And I've been watching Grey's Anatomy, can you tell?)

Anyway, let me tell you my great news! I have a new job and it is quite literally my dream job for this stage of my life. I am going to be teaching 3 classes at the local college next spring and I can't even tell you how psyched I am. And lucky. Because they usually want you to have a PhD before you can teach at a 4-year institution but one of their faculty went on medical leave and they needed someone on short notice. Now I am really glad that I called and "checked in" on my application a few months back. Talk about luck! (At least on my part. I really hope the medical leave isn't a very serious condition on my future colleague's part. I would feel bad if my good fortune only came from someone else's misfortune.)

So, yay! Go me! I just landed my dream job. I've been wanting to teach for years now and this is so perfect. I only have to be on campus for about 9 hours per week, only 7 of them during the day. That means little miss will still get lots of time with me and I can do grading and presentations either when she's napping or during the evening.

What did I tell ya? Lucky. That should be my middle name.

Know Thine Enemy

2007-11-26T16:37:00.001-07:00

It has been a long day. Some have had worse days, no doubt. But still, a long day. The potty training has begun in earnest in our household and it is not fun. And not easy. I suppose part of me blithely hoped (or perhaps fantasized is a better way to put it) that one day Emma would decide there would be no more of this kiddie crap (no pun intended) and simple decide to use her potty chair. As the case seems to be, she is sick of wearing diapers and not yet ready to wear panties. Today, before noon, we had 4 accidents. Bad accidents. It has occurred to me that potty training my daughter is going to be far more challenging than potty training any of my numerous pets has ever been.

When it comes to pets you can simply throw them outside. Rub their nose in it. Scold them. Keep them outside until they behave. With a child? No such luck. Instead I think I will have to work some serious voodoo. A friend of mine told me today that all potty training really is brainwashing. This makes sense. Now the problem I face is that mine opponent is an abnormally smart two-year old with limited facilities. I have tried reminding her every 30 - 45 minutes to use the potty but all that really does is annoy her and stress her out. I have tried putting diapers on her but she simply takes them off. I have bought her pretty panties and that excited her and I think dismayed her more than anything else when they got dirty. (In all reality I think I was more upset about them getting dirty than she was because, well, I am the one that gets to clean them.)

Side note: Oh my heck, I have never seen any child get so excited over Thomas the Tank Engine undies. She literally jumped up and down with excitement. hehehehehe

I shall have to try a new approach. Diapers at bedtime with jammies on backwards so she can't unzip them. Panties during the day at home, an available potty and no pressure. I will win her to the cause (if I can't make her wear diapers I really don't have a choice in whether or not I potty train her) but I will do it subtly. I will let her do it at her own time.

Meanwhile, does anyone know a good carpet cleaning service?

A Little Love

2007-11-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

I made Emma another dress from some really cute corduroy a friend gifted me. I also decided to spice it up a bit this time with contrasting thread, a front pocket and a little bit of embroidery. Keep in mind that I hate hand stitching anything but this went so quickly it was fun and turned this simple dress into a lovely little outfit.

Sometimes I look at the things I make and I wonder if it's a waste of my time. I mean, I could just go buy her these things...but I take great pleasure from making little things for the ones I love. I love to hold her, make her toys, wrap her in blankets I stitched and dress her in lovely clothes I sewed. And besides, someday she can look at them and know I made them just for her.

In an alternate universe...

2007-11-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

In an alternate universe (AKA my dreams last night) I met Patrick Dempsey...

How's that for a hook? Are you drooling yet? Well, if you're female and reading this I bet you are.

Anyway, I dreamed I was Christmas shopping for my nieces in a big mall and I kept getting turned around and going up and down escalators and lost as all heck when the eye of a tall, dark and handsome caught my eye. We kept running into each other as I ran the maze of this giant mall until we finally sat down on a bench and talked for a bit. Me: nervous around a super hot guy even in my dreams. Him: crushingly handsome in that almost floppy-puppy-dog kind of way.

Side note: In my dream I was single, not two-timing the handsome man I'm married to. Besides, doesn't the celebrity rule apply anyway? Hehehehehe

After a bit of stumbling conversation (on my part) and smoldering looks (on his part) I was torn from my dreams by the sound of a screaming babe. Poor little girl threw up twice last night and seems to have recovered today though why she threw up so much last night is a mystery. She is currently in the stage of "Mommy hold you," as she says it. She quite literally grabs my arms and wraps them around her and if I try to move one she grabs it and puts it right back around her. It seems today I will accomplish....absolute nothing. Maybe if I'm lucky she'll take a really long nap and I can go back to my dream. Of course, now I have this strange need to watch Grey's Anatomy...

Crafty Mommy

2007-11-16T13:18:00.000-07:00

This week has just been a madhouse every day it seems. Since I was out of commission and let Emma watch way too many movies I decided this week would be about books, games and crafts instead of screen based entertainment,

On Monday we went to the library and found more Thomas the Tank Engine books. I have no idea why she's so obsessed with trains right now, but she is. It's too funny to hear her go "choo choo" every time she hears one passing through.

On Tuesday we made beads and Christmas ornaments from flour dough that Emma painted after I baked them. They are so cute and super simple. I know Emma's Grandparents will be happy to have little ornaments painted by the Little Miss herself. :)

On Wednesday I made edible PlayDough and we had some friends over for a bit of squishing fun. It was so great! The playdough turned out perfect and the kids had a great time. I put a plastic table cloth on the floor and gave them my rolling pin, some cookie cutters, plastic forks and knives, and a cookie dropper. They proceeded to make cookies, snakes, snowmen, stars, hearts and all sorts of fun shapes. I just love watching kids use their imaginations to play!

Yesterday Emma and I trekked to Salt Lake City to visit with a friend and along the way we visited a store (new to me) called World Market. I finally found the Indian spices I need to make a proper Chicken Makhani. Yay!!

Today has been pretty busy so far, too. This morning we had friends over again and let the moms chat while the kids played. I know Emma's still young, but I really like the thought of her having regular playmates and "friends" around her age. My brother-in-law and his sweet girls should be here this evening so I've been bustling around doing laundry and making Pumpkin Muffins. I hope your weekend is great!

It worked...sort of

2007-11-09T10:04:00.001-07:00

I put together the quilt, finished one footie and made a bit of progress on husband sweater #1. In payment, my new knitting books arrived yesterday!! I loooooooove them and just can't wait to use them. My new acquisitions are Traditional Fair Isle Knitting, Knitting without Tears and The Best of Interweave Knits. There is so much to learn from reading the first two and the third is almost pure eye candy. :)

On the cold front (ha ha!), I am slowly recovering. I finally filled the script I was given on Monday for a decongestant and it seems to be working, except it keeps making me really antsy and a bit anxious. Blah.

Till later!

Held Hostage

2007-11-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

I have come to the realization that the crafting powers-that-be are holding my stuff hostage.

Exhibit A: About two months ago I ordered yarn to make a lovely sweater for my husband. Now, after two attempts to procure it and ordering mishaps, I still do not have said yarn.

Exhibit B: I ordered three knitting books that were shipped over a week and a half ago that have still not arrived.

Why, you ask, would my new stuff be held hostage? What makes me think such a devious plot is underway? Well, I have a theory that until I complete some of the projects I've begun I will not be allowed to have any new stuff. Kindof like a child that hasn't eaten it's green beans, I can't have more until I finish what i have...or at least make a reasonable amount of progress.

In the spirit of cooperation I have been working on the quilt I started last month that is still in pieces on the guest bedroom floor. All I have to do is put the border on and the top will be done.

Now, let's see if my stuff arrives in the mail today....

Send Help and Cookies

2007-11-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

Me: sick, nearly incapacitated (whew, that was a long word), in desperate need of cookies

Emma: slightly sick, very crabby in medium doses and watching movies

We went to the doctor and it's not strep, or infections (yet) just plain old run of the mill sick with a nasty cold, sore throat, headache, ear aches and cranky. When I called Morgan and gave him the news he was as upset as I was.

Him, "What? They didn't give you any medicine for Emma? No chloroform or anything?"

Yep.

Send help...and cookies.

Halloween Fun

2007-11-02T09:00:00.000-06:00

This was Emma's first Halloween trick-or-treating and it was so much fun. There are lots of kids in our neighborhood and it made for a great family event. I have no idea how Emma managed to climb up all those steps, but she did it. She even learned to say, "Trick or Treat!"

Of course, her "Happy Halloween" sounded more like "Happy Queen" but she said it with such enthusiasm you had to smile. Oh, and she was very polite and said, "Thank you" when she was given candy...after she tried to walk right into everyone's houses as soon as they opened the door.

Haircut

2007-10-24T13:14:00.000-06:00

I think it was temporary insanity. I'd been contemplating cutting Emma's hair for a while because it was looking so scraggly when it wasn't put in pigtails, but yesterday morning it happened. I was trimming my bangs and Emma was sitting on the counter next to me, hair wet, playing with some hairbands. Next thing I knew, I'd made the first cut.

Suddenly I thought, "Oh crap, I've done it and I can't stop now or she'll look really funny."

And when her hair dried it (of course) shrank up and ended up being a bit shorter than I intended. *sigh* I feel like a git but at the same time, the more I see it on her the more I like her new haircut. She's just so darn cute she'd probably look adorable even if you shaved her head. What do y'all think about Miss Emma's new do?

(Sorry for the poor picture but it's so hard to get little one to hold still for more than 3 seconds.)

Leaves & Snow

2007-10-24T13:05:00.000-06:00

Fall is one of the few times every year that you can play in the leaves one morning and in the snow the next morning. Saturday was a day of changing weather so Morgan went out to rake leaves and mow before the cold front came in. Emma thought Daddy needed some help so she kindly lent a hand.

The next morning there was snow and Emma has decided she loves snow. I helped her pick a wee pumpkin from the (nearly dead) garden and then Daddy helped her make a snowman just her size. Too cute!! That lucky stiff even got a kiss.

Catching Up

2007-10-15T17:49:00.000-06:00

I am sooo bad. I read everyone else's knitting/life/sewing blogs on a daily basis and I get so impatient waiting for them to post again and here I go not blogging for 10 days. tsk tsk tsk

Anyway, we've been busy at least. There was more canning, this time apple butter and flavored applesauces. I must say, they came out very well and I'm pleased with my results but definitely done canning for this year. It's so much prep work and clean up.

Next came the Lil' Devil Hat for Emma's Halloween costume. So cute and so on the mark at times.

Pattern: Lil' Devil Baby Hat
Yarn: Knit Picks Merino Style in Maple Leaf

I knit the hat in two days but the horns were a bit trickier to figure out the placement of so the project as a whole took me almost a week to finish. Love it!

Also, we had a Pumpkin Party at our house for our meetup.com group. All the wee ones painted pumpkins and I was really surprised at how well Emma did. She held her paintbrush tightly, only painted on the pumpkin, dipped her brush into the colors on the tray and did a lovely job. I'm so proud of her!

And to round out the flurry of activity, my step-mom came to visit. It was so nice to talk with her about my Dad, whom we miss very much and Emma loved seeing her Grandma. It had been a while since we last got together and I was a bit nervous about how Emma would react but she went to Bea like a fish to water. With her she brought some boxes and I now have some old things of his including his wallet, some beer steins he collected from when we lived in Germany and his old military uniform. It's the smallest things that hold the most memories for me and I am glad to have them. His wallet was always with him and I remember seeing it so often that it was like an extension of him to me, this little thing he carried every day of his life. His military uniform is a symbol of his career he was so proud of, and it warms my heart to see it again.

Ok, no sniffing or tearing up. Now look at another cute picture of Emma. Toodles!

Daily Dish

2007-10-04T13:42:00.000-06:00

Today I had the hankering to cook, probably because I didn't cook at all yesterday. On the menu, Crustless Spinach Quiche and Tomato Basil soup. The quiche I've done before and lately I've been craving tomato basil soup. Not that canned garbage from the store but the real deal. The recipe came from Olive Garden's website a while ago (while trying to find the elusive nutritional breakdown of their dishes) but today it just called to me.

If you try it I recommend substituting chicken broth for the wine (unless you happen to be stock full of dry white wines and you just can't resist cracking one open to make soup) and I used 1% milk instead of the heavy cream. Be warned, this soup is very filling and thick so it doesn't need much more than a salad or small nibble to go with it.

The verdict: Excellent! Go make yourself a batch! :)

Sweet Success!

2007-10-03T22:02:00.000-06:00

As I bask in the glow of finishing another project, I happily have nothing left to show for it. This weekend I got to dying more yarn in some lovely colors and I finished putting the last skein into hanks tonight just before Knit Night. I took all my hand-dyed yarn with me and Patty was so enamored with it she bought my two new skeins and Strawberry Patch on the spot. I was so flattered, she said they looked like Lorna's Laces. *blush*

To date I've now sold 5 skeins of multi-colored yarn and I think I just might keep this up. Who knows, maybe this will be my small source of income to help us out. :) Now wouldn't that be something?

We be cannin'

2007-10-02T17:12:00.000-06:00

That's right, today my friend and I decided to venture into the wild unknown of home canning. I must say, I think it was a success. So far we have 12, 1 quart jars of home-made apple pie filling. Be warned, most of it is going to be issued as Christmas gifts so remember to feel properly awed and special when you get one...if you should be so lucky. It took about 6 hours of washing, peeling, slicing, stewing and boiling to make these beauties. I even added a "special" ingredient to these that will, shall we say, "Help spread some holiday cheer." Hehehehehehe

Fall is here!

2007-09-30T17:42:00.000-06:00

Fall is finally here and I'm thrilled. This is my favorite season with sunny, mild days, cool and crisp evenings. This is the season for mulled wine, sweaters, warm stews and a few new distractions this year. First on the list of new things: canning. I've never canned before, but we have an apple tree in our backyard with the yummiest apples...and four boxes of them in our garage! I've decided that apple pie filling and spiced apples will be the fate of most of them and canning is just the ticket. This week I will venture into the wild unknown of home canning. I'll keep you posted!

In the realm of finished projects:

A new jumper for Emma! I love this cute fleece with the Scottie dogs and I bought it before Emma was born to make into a unisex bunting but I never got that far. Thankfully, it's been waiting until now for the perfect project. I lined the top with some spare fabric (love the polka dots!!) and I thought the red buttons were a perfect finish.

An apple pie or two to test bake the apples and try a new recipe. Since I was too lazy to make the top crust I did a cinnamon streusel topping instead. The verdict? Five stars!

A Healthier Life

2007-09-25T11:40:00.000-06:00

Some of you know about my latest endeavors to be a healthier me (physically and mentally), others of you don't. For those of you who have no clue what I'm talking about I'll go through the whole gambit.

The day my daughter was born I weighed in at 213 lbs. Scary, especially considering I am just over 5' 3" tall and was 145 before I was pregnant and 120 when I was still a runner and weightlifter. The bottom line: I gained way too much weight and if I ever wanted to see my body and be proud of it again I had a lot of work to do.

In 2006 my after-pregnancy weight was 185 and I worked hard to take 20 lbs off with a calorie restricted diet and mild exercise. Now comes 2007, 165 lbs, and I had stopped losing weight because your body adjusts to your activity level and caloric intake so I was at a standstill again.

After we finally settled into our new house I decided to take the next step: a gym membership. Starting May 1st I've been at the gym 5 days a week working really hard doing pilates twice a week and cardio workouts three times a week. Funny thing, I've only lost another 5 lbs but I've dropped at least one pant size because I've been trading muscle for fat.

Now I want more, I want my pre-pregnant body back and I want it by Christmas. I have so much hard work ahead of me and once a week I workout with a trainer to help me get there. The biggest secret that will get me there is this: LIFT WEIGHTS!!!

If you've always wanted a healthier you I would strongly encourage you to take a long look at your local weight room and visit a while. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns at rest. As a woman, there's an added bonus: lifting weights can significantly reduce a woman's chances of getting osteoporosis. How about another reason? Exercise releases endorphins that are natural mood elevators. Working out is a natural stress reliever, a chance for my daughter to play with other children in the supervised playroom, a means of weight loss, a chance for healthier bones and increased self confidence.

What more could I need? A better diet...and I'll post about that later.

What are you doing to make your life healthier? Give me your suggestions and ideas!!

Birthday Boy

2007-09-24T11:35:00.000-06:00

Today is, you guessed it, my husband's birthday. This year I even remembered it!!

Don't laugh, the first year we were married I was sick and totally spaced it was his birthday. It didn't help that we had just gotten back from our honeymoon and my brain was totally fried. Worse: it took me a while to figure out why I had this nagging feeling of forgetting something. He laughed his butt off when I figured it out...four days later. *sigh* He married a blond, he should have known I make to-do lists and have a detailed calendar for a good reason.

Anyway, this year my husband asked for a party and a party it was. We had friends over, a hot grill and booze. My god, I have never seen so much beer in one place that wasn't a bar. We had five plus cases of beer, mojitos, vodka tonics, rum in several flavors ("Aaarrggh, matey!"), several bottles of wine, Jagermister and more. Holy moly. Looking through the pictures it totally cracks me up that you can spot the "before drinking" shots because, well, everyone has their eyes open and their mouths shut.

For your amusement here is a small sampling:

Happy Birthday Morgan!

Here's to Us!

2007-09-19T08:50:00.000-06:00

Three years ago we took our vows and toasted a life together as husband and wife. Last night Morgan and I went out for dinner to celebrate our third wedding anniversary and many more to come.

Three years ago we were married and six years ago we started dating. Where did the time go? We opened a bottle of champagne and reminisced about the times we've had and all the things we want to do together in a lifetime of marriage. We laughed and kissed and laughed some more.

How lucky I am to be married to my best friend and the best man I know. So, here's to us.

Up to?

2007-09-17T10:37:00.000-06:00

Oh my dears, it's been too long. What have I been up to? Well...

1. I'm working on a Turning Twenty quilt that I hope to piece together this week. It's my fall quilt and I love it so much. Sadly, my craft budget has disappeared for a while so I can't buy batting or backing to finish it just yet. *sniff sniff*

2. I love garagesaleing. This is my most recent and wonderful find. That's right, a Diane Von Furstenburg pattern of her famous wrap dress. The downside: it's for a 43" bust and this pattern predates the multi-size patterns so there is no way in heaven this lovely creation will ever fit me. *sigh* I'm contemplating selling it on e-bay and hoping some beautiful and talented woman will buy it and make it.

3. We went camping and Emma is almost big enough to fit into her size 2 jacket my father bought her forever ago. Doesn't she looks so cute and ready for fall?

4. It came from my garden. It's so big we contemplated tethering it last night so it didn't come for us in our sleep. What? You've never heard of the attack of the killer zucchini?

Frenchy Bag

2007-09-05T14:20:00.000-06:00

Today was one of those days that started out overcast and even when the sun came out it was still soggy outdoors. When Emma went down for her nap I went into my sewing room and finished up this cute Frenchy Bag by Amy Butler.

I have to say it was much more involved than any other bag I've made because of the lining and interfacing and pockets, etc. I'm really pleased with the result and I can't wait to start using my new shoulder bag. The fabrics are awesome and I think I might even make a few more in the smaller handbag version for nights out. One in black and white and one with reds in it sounds like it would be awesome. :)

Things that make you smile

2007-09-04T12:40:00.001-06:00

This weekend was wonderful and I really wish our little family had more time together than just two days (and the odd evening hours) per week.

On Friday night a wonderful friend of ours let Emma come play with her kids while the Mr. and I enjoyed a nice dinner out at an Italian restaurant. I can't tell you how much Morgan and I have neglected making time alone together since Emma was born. Lately we've been making a bigger effort at finding the time to enjoy each other's company and it's been so nice. I was lucky enough to marry a wonderful man and being with him makes me warm inside...except for my feet which will always be cold. :)

Saturday was a nice day to get out and go to a reservoir up by Park City but it got old as the morning got warmer and there was no shade. Emma enjoyed riding on her daddy's shoulders and as soon as we got back to the car she passed out. Poor little thing was so tired. Next we drove into Salt Lake City to pick out yarn for Morgan's new sweater and then home again home again.

Sunday found us all going north to visit the new Ikea and holy cow do they have a lot of stuff. I especially loved the children's section for their toys. Emma has become obsessed with Thomas the Train and even prefers him over Elmo, so I was pleased to find these adorable train sets for such a reasonable price. I think we can guess where many of Emma's birthday and Christmas gifts are coming from.

Coming home was even nicer because there were rainbows waiting to greet us. It sounds silly but I haven't seen a rainbow in so long I'd forgotten how beautiful they are. Emma certainly seemed to think they were pretty too based on her "wow!"s.

Monday was a lazy day with errands, ice cream, a drive up to the overlook, a stop at the park and snuggling for movies. Aren't they so cute? I hope you all had a great weekend, too.

Matador

2007-08-30T11:41:00.000-06:00

I have a new finished project and I'm not sure how I feel about this one.

I did a swatch and tried to modify the pattern to work with the gauge of my beloved Misti Cotton I bought in Cali about a month ago. I had moderate success and it does fit, but not as well as I'd hoped. My mixed feelings probably have something to do with the fact that as soon as I bound off I showed it to my husband and his reaction was, "Eehhhh." As in "it's not bad but not good either" noise men make in lieu of actual verbal communication. I'll let you judge for yourselves. Forgive the casual attire, unwoven in ends and conspicuous shower curtain that are the trademarks of my photography.

Pattern: Matador from KnitScene
Yarn: Misti Cotton
Mods: Gauge, height and a few mistakes here and there

Back from Vacay!

2007-08-24T12:44:00.001-06:00

So, as if you didn't know, Morgan and I went to Alaska on vacation while Emma went to visit Auntie and Co. in Colorado. We flew into Anchorage on Monday night, goofed off around town with Sally visiting, hiking and eating until Friday night. Then we drove down to Seward with Naomi and her brother, Billy. We had a totally awesome time of adult activities, sleeping in, eating great food, sampling the local brews, hiking on mountains, hiking on glaciers, hiking around glaciers, sea kayaking and other such tomfoolery. :)

Now look at lots of pretty pictures and drool.

It rocked! It rocked so much that I think Morgan wants to move to Alaska. We got back home and he says to me, "It's just so hot here." I then do a double take because my beloved is from New Mexico, land of hotness, and it's only 91 degrees at said time. I totally agree that anything above 85 degrees is way too hot but I was shocked. All in all our good times were due in large part to our friends, Sally and Naomi, who went out of their way to show us what awesome people they are and what a cool place they live in. :) Peace!

Central Park Hoodie

2007-08-11T13:47:00.001-06:00

I have been a busy busy bee this week and this is the last of my projects to show you before my trip...maybe.

My Central Park Hoodie!

And yes, I know I am no good at taking pictures but I do try.

Pattern: Central Park Hoodie from Fall 2006 KnitScene Magazine
Yarn: Cascade 220 Heather in Lavender #2422, 7 1/2 skeins
Needles: US 6 & 8
Modifications: My gauge was a bit smaller than the pattern's so I knit a size 44" bust but it's closer to 40". I knit the body in one piece and the sleeves in one piece so I wouldn't have to seam them. Excellent! I also made the ribbing on the cuffs only 3" instead of 5" because it just seemed like too long of a cuff. The buttons are iridescent shell buttons and I would have preferred wooden ones but I just didn't find any that struck me. This hoodie is probably going to need a strip of ribbon behind the button holes to stabilize it but I haven't gotten that far and I might never. All in all, a lovely knit that went fairly quickly. This is my first finished adult sweater and I am rather pleased with it. :)

Now I'm ready to go to Alaska!

The Seven Year Quilt

2007-08-11T13:00:00.001-06:00

It's done! It's finally done! Hot off the sewing machine I bring you :::drumroll please::: The Seven Year Quilt. No, that's not the pattern name, that's how long it took me to make this quilt. Everything has a story and it's about time this quilt had it's story told.

Over Christmas break in my freshman year of college (99' - 00') I worked at a guest ranch where another girl on the staff was making a puff-pillow quilt in her spare time. I thought it was lovely and since I was missing one of my best friends from high school I though I would make Sally one. Looked easy enough to make. Ha ha.

That January I took myself down to the fabric store and bought lots of fabric to make Sally a quilt. Now I know I really should have asked that girl how she was making this quilt before I dove in head first. *sigh* I botched it up and it was not to be. Over the next 3 years I attempted to will this quilt into being anytime I could steal a sewing machine long enough to work on it. Still, no dice. In 2003 I finally tore the little pillows apart and gave away what I couldn't tear up. In 2005 I was gifted a lovely old Pfaff by my mother-in-law so there was a light at the end of the tunnel. In 2006 I began a new concept and re-made the quilt top. Here I stalled in the fall because I had no idea how to go forward from there and I was terrified of messing it up. This week, with our impending trip to see Sally in Alaska, I bucked up and tied the quilt and just sewed the edges. The saga ends now.

It's a bit of a let-down to have this project over and a relief to see it put together and looking charming. I know it's nothing special to ya'll but this quilt holds some of my soul (and plenty of my pet's hair). Sally is eagerly anticipating it's arrival and I can't say I blame her. At least I know she'll love it and I can tell you, Sally must be the most patient friend there is. :)

Baby Booties

2007-08-11T10:54:00.000-06:00

Pattern: Saartjes Booties
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease (I've been using a lot of Lion Brand lately totally on accident)
Needles: US 3

I've finished the baby booties for my step-brother's new baby boy! They are sooo cute and they just went in the mail this morning. :) The pattern was really simple and only took me two short evenings of sitting and TV knitting. I love the little buttons for Dylan, they just seem so "Little Boy Blue" to me. I hope they enjoy them. I'm always afraid the booties will be too small so I have to go measure them against Emma's 1 week-old foot print just to make sure. *sigh* Was she really that little? As an added bonus, Morgan always gets this cute "baby" smile when I show him baby booties. Just like the ones he used to give me when I was pregnant and he played with the belly or when Emma was itty bitty and sleeping. He still gives her that smile when she's wrapped up in a towel after a bath and just her little pink face is showing. There's just nothing like a baby.

The things kids say

2007-08-08T07:36:00.000-06:00

My daughter amazes me. Lately she's been sneaking into the pantry and taking foodstuffs out and bringing them to me if she wants some. (Peanut butter is now a big hit in this house.) Yesterday she did this and brought me a bag for cereal saying, "Tooties!!" and desperately wanting some. Imagine my shock when the bag she brought me was a bag of Tutti Fruitis and I had never before used those words. I'd never bought them before and they've been sitting in the bottom of the pantry since Friday. I know a 19 month old can't read but this was still the funniest thing. How did she manage to pick the right name for them and call them Tooties?

I also have some pathetic news to report. I taught Emma to cuss. I was trying to give her some medicine the other day and she managed to dribble this pink goo all down the front of her and all over the carpet. "Sh!&" was my response. Sadly, it was also Emma's. The next day Morgan and I are cooking dinner and Emma starts walking around the kitchen chanting her new word. Morgan looks at me and asks, "Is she saying what I think she's saying?" My reply, "I hope not."

You see, Morgan is a mechanic and often his mouth lives up to that expectation. I was really sure Emma would be learning foul language from him since he is, shall we say, not so careful about what he says and I try really hard to watch my mouth around her. But no, the honor of teaching our daughter her first swear word goes to yours truly. *sigh* Someday I might get this Mommy gig straight but by then she'll be ready to move out.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Emma discovered markers...and she looooves them! Just a reminder, unless the package says they're washable, not all Crayola markers are washable. Ask me how I know.

Striking Gold!

2007-08-02T07:15:00.000-06:00

A few months ago I told you all about this awesome find of vintage sewing patterns and pattern books at a garage sale. Now is your chance to share in the bounty, my friends. I went through the whole box and decided to sell whatever doesn't fit me or I really don't have a use for. The result: an e-bay listing of 8 items starting at 99 cents.

I put a link to the listings on the upper right corner of the page, next to my yarn shop link, so please feel free to check it out. Just as a teaser and to refresh your memory, here are some images of what I'm selling. I think the pattern books would make such awesome wall art if you were to take the pages out and frame them. Enjoy the eye candy!

So Much Fun!

2007-08-01T14:33:00.000-06:00

I swear, I really do have ADD in the craft department. After spending all week in California watching the Home & Garden channel I have this desire to decorate and paint and stuff. Morgan doesn't really seem to be on the bandwagon with the whole moving Emma to a bigger room so I can decorate it with all sorts of Peter Rabbit stuff. Right now she's in this tiny room which is okay because she's tiny and so are her bed and belongings and we have this larger empty room that's supposed to be a guest room. The catch is that we don't even have a bed for the guest room and even if we did it would get used like 3 times a year at best. So why keep our daughter in the itty room when I can go wild with stuff I already have and decorate her a bigger room?

What's that you say? Don't I have other projects I should be focusing on? You mean, finishing that Central Park Hoodie, knitting those baby booties for my step-brother's new arrival (Hey Dylan! You're an adorable baby and Auntie Lisa will make you those booties before Christmas...but it's still too warm right now for booties anyway so you can wait, right kiddo? *wink*) and knitting Nick's stuffed monkey for his 1st birthday (Aug 19th)?

Ah, why stick to one project when I can try to do all 3 simultaneously. Besides, I need something to knit on the flight to Anchorage and back. :)

Little Shop of Horrors

2007-08-01T11:14:00.000-06:00

I swear, my garden is something out of Little Shop of Horrors. The rhubarb is in there somewhere but the rest of the garden has been overrun by the pumpkin plants. Seriously, this is a 15' x 15' patch that is covered in pumpkin plants and it's even been branching 4' plus into the yard!!!! I'm even a little nervous to have Emma play too close to it because who knows if it might try to eat her. I have no idea why nothing else is growing in there but I've already been brokering deals with the neighbors to trade their raspberry shoots for some of my pumpkins this fall. I have this strange feeling you'll see me running a road-side stand of pumpkins or maybe a stall at the farmers market. How did this happen?

Summer Sun

2007-07-30T10:01:00.000-06:00

Emma and I are back from our whirlwind adventure in California. It was a great family reunion with some fun outings and a little bit of drama.

Let's go in chronological order. We arrived late on Saturday night and stayed with some old friends of ours. Sunday was full of visiting with them, rides in Ben's new 67' Mustang (do I even have to mention that I'm a bit jealous?) and a nice trip to the beach.

Emma saw the ocean for the first time and loved having me hold her above the waves as they came in so she could squeal with delight. Next it was time for some sand play and sunbathing. Loved it, loved it.

That evening we settled in with Morgan's family for the reunion and it was great. There was good company and good food in a beautiful setting. What more could you ask for?

On Tuesday we went to Sea World and it was a blast! Emma loved seeing the whales and seals and used her big words to express herself. Mainly lots of "Wow!" It would be great to be able to visit there again in smaller time chunks because Emma got so worn out we only saw about 1/4 of the park.

Of course, we had to make a morning excursion to the local yarn store and the most awesome quilting store I've ever seen. I was good and didn't go overboard though I did bring home some souvenir yarn and fabric. The yarn is Misti Cotton (83% Pima Cotton, 17% Silk) in this lovely sage/sea green color and I loooooove the hand and drape of it. I started Matador while I was there, but more on knitting later. The fabric is a bundle of 5" charm squares of, get this, sock monkeys. The sock monkeys wear hats, bounce on pogo sticks, dance around, ride scooters and just generally be monkeys. How stinkin' cool is that?!?! I plan to make Emma a really cute little quilt out of them.

Thursday night Emma had a really nasty fever (104 degrees) for the second night in a row and I totally panicked and we went to the ER to find out poor baby has an ear infection. She's recovering nicely, thank you.

The trek home began Saturday and we finally arrived at Home Sweet Home on Sunday afternoon. *phew* I love to travel but man, it feels good to be home. :)

They grow up so quickly...

2007-07-20T11:28:00.000-06:00

Phoenix is off to a new home. After being available for sale for one day, she was quickly picked from the line-up. Bye-bye baby!

I finished a skirt to take with me on the trip to Cali and I even took pictures...only to realize that I had already packed the camera cable in a burst of energetic packing. Oh well, maybe I'll get real pictures with me in the dress and skirt to put up instead of them on the hanger. Anyway, Miss Emma and I are off tomorrow morning for our week-long adventure. Miss us!

More Lovely Ladies

2007-07-18T11:18:00.000-06:00

Today I have more lovely ladies to show you all. May I present Phoenix and Black Cherry:

Phoenix is a fingering weight yarn that is so bright and breath-taking I might be more than a little in love with her. She loves fireworks and spicy food. :)

Black Cherry is a lace weight yarn in a demure but rich shade somewhere between dark pink, light purple and might be best called "mauve-ish". She enjoys a good book and loves to hunt for antique china.

And no, I'm not crazy. I'm just "unique". Now I'm off to sew some skirts for my trip to California next week. More yarn and sewing projects soon to come. I have another skein of lace weight yarn sitting on the stove cooling and those skirts will be done by tonight. :)

Woo Hoo!!

2007-07-17T11:49:00.000-06:00

Yay! It happened! I sold my first order of yarn today. Birthday Cake is now it's way to a new home. I'm so happy I'm doing a little happy dance. *insert mental image of me dancing around like an idiot with a big grin*

Have an excellent Tuesday!

Emma's Socks

2007-07-16T11:06:00.000-06:00

Because I am easily distracted with my knitting, I made Emma some socks. Very cute socks. *smiles*

Pattern: Toddler Socks from Lion Brand Yarn
Yarn: Magic Stripes by Lion Brand. I have no idea what this colorway is called because I lost the ball band and it's been discontinued. :(
Modifications: I did a short row heel instead of a heel flap and I am so happy with it. I think all my future socks will involve short row heels. Also, I did a round toe instead of a wedge-shaped toe.

Some Goodies

2007-07-10T09:59:00.000-06:00

Still out of batteries for the camera but in lieu of my usual poor pictures I have one from my camera phone. Yesterday I had to bake cookies and drink coffee. Just *had to*. It's all part of my diet plan. And yes, I am doing pretty well. Officially, I have 9 lbs left to go before I get back to my pre-pregnant weight. Whoo hooo!

Mostly, I just wanted to share with y'all the best chocolate chip cookie recipe out there. For ages I used to think that I couldn't bake and after many sacrificial offerings of burnt bread, pies, flat cakes and crappy cookies I have learned I can bake some. This is by far the best simple cookie recipe I have found and I vary it by doing milk chocolate chips, white chocolate or peanut butter and using vanilla instead of brandy. Give it a whirl and see if you like it.

Another good one is this Crustless Spinach Quiche. I made it on Sunday for the third time and everyone loves it. :) Just in time for lunch!