Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Some Christmas Memories

I am determined that I will fit in some quality blogging time thank you! I have just finished going through my bloglines, I can't say I've read everything but it sounds like you all had a wonderful holiday!

Our Christmas was richly blessed with love. This is the first year ever that my husband and I didn't exchange any gifts. We gave each other our love (as sappy as it sounds) and it was more than enough. We also discussed - once we sell our house - the possibility of sponsoring a child in memory of the one we lost this year.

The best Christmas present was my parents and my husband's Mom putting away Christmas dinner and doing the dishes while we sat and watched our son play with his new trains for a very long time. It is so entertaining to watch him play and learn -and did I mention we were still in our pj's at this point (about 5pm) so it was a wonderfully comfortable and lazy Christmas full of love. There you have it!

The picture at the top was taken on Christmas Eve after church - a day we did actually get dressed!

Below Daddy's reading The Night Before Christmas also on Christmas Eve.

This train table was going to be one of my projects but I never got around to it. It is an old coffee table that we've had for about 7 or 8 years now and I was going to sand it and paint it like those cool train tables you can buy but I'm glad I didn't get around to it. Just having the trains set up on it is enough to keep him occupied for hours! I guess it's fitting since my brother, sister and I used to spend hours playing with these same trains as well.

I'm wishing you all a wonderful and happy New Year in case I don't get around to actually posting again this year! Many blessings to all my family, friends and new blogging friends too!

Sunday, December 10, 2006

A Butterfly Christmas

I've finally uploaded pictures of our living room all decked out for Christmas.


Helping Daddy bring in the tree...

Playing with a little pewter nativity - I like how he trys to give tiny baby Jesus a hug.

The finished product (although the bottom third is changing daily) and I've tried so very many times in the last couple of weeks but the angel on top just wants to lean this year!

I usually do something more festive on the mantle but this year I thought I'd keep it simple.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

What time are you??

I saw this over at Linds' place probably over a week ago by now and thought it was fun. I've written about 10 posts in my head this week so maybe if I can just get myself to type faster I'll be able to get everything else done and blogging too! I am very excited with how my first couple of projects have been turning out. I will share some next week and the rest after Christmas.

I sort of find this funny since the only times I'm up at sunrise are to catch an airplane or with a kiddo!

You Are Sunrise
You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary. You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward. Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts. All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Wordless - Me Love Cookies!


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So even though I'm not really partaking in the hustle and bustle part of the season it still seems to be blowing by. Since funds are still extra tight in this neck of the woods many of my gifts this year are from the heart (more like hands) and I realized on the 1st that I'd better get busy if I'm to get them all ready in just a few weeks. I might post about a few of my projects but since real life people read this I don't want to give away everything about their gifts...

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Snow induced giddiness!

My son and I were listening to the radio and acting giddy while we were stuck in some traffic this afternoon. It was snowing and a few songs into our giddy spree "White Christmas" came one - one of my all time favorites - so the giddiness was taken up another notch (and the volume). In between verses I decided that even though it would be close to 5 o'clock by the time we got home we needed some snow play!

I like being the executive at my job so I can veto the semi intense dinner I had planned for one that came out of the freezer as soon as we walked in the door. Hurriedly and full of excitement we bundled up and got out he door. He even put on his hat all by his "delf"!

He's pointing saying "Dat way!!! Play! Kiks!" Boy was it fun and I had another opportunity to be grateful for the snowsuit I found on sale last year that was too big and only worn a few times. It now fits perfectly when it's really needed!!

After about an hour of playing with some friends down the street we headed home for some ovaltine, Christmas music, and to add the finishing touches to dinner.

I just LOVE this time of year, truly the most wonderful!!

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Flushable diapers

I've spoken about cloth diapering before. (And by the way it is so hard to pull up a link to an archived post if there is a typo in the title!!!) The covers I purchased back then are working out very well. While they aren't my favorite of everything I've used, they don't leak, (unless Mom is a slacker) they were cheap and my grocery bill is less $10 a week! Now if I can only find the two missing covers so I don't have to wash them so often.

I was intrigued when I saw these flushable diapers from gDiapers yesterday at my local Fred Meyer. I did some research on their web site and if I didn't use cloth diapering so much during the day they might be an option I'd choose. It’s a washable cover that you insert flushable liners into so that the waste ends up in the toilet. They look so neat so if any of you hve used them I'd love your opinion.

Oh and a blurb about the company that I though was SO cool...

So, we encourage our working parents to bring their kids to work. We have an on-site child development center. If mom needs to nurse or wants some playtime with her baby, gDiapers is set up to accommodate her needs. If a child is sick, by all means, go home. We hope everyone feels better soon. If dad wants to see Jr. in the school talent show in the middle of the day, he has our blessing. In fact, we may come with him.

I love staying home and I would do just about anything to continue to but I wish more companies took on this philosophy since you'd think it would make for happier and in the long run more productive employees!!!

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Opinion Saturday and other ramblings

The frustrating thing about a mouse is that you really never know where they are coming from since they can fit through anything. Ugh. Thanks for your suggestions. My hubby is so allergic to cats that he starts wheezing within minutes so I guess we'll see about some of the other options!

That's enough time devoted to that subject so on to another while my son naps!!!! Have I mentioned that he's back to napping about 5 days a week or so! So on to Mary's opinion Saturday topic.

She writes, "When you think about enlarging your family, what are some of the questions and concerns that come to your mind? Was it or is it a difficult or an easy decision to declare yourself ‘done’ with having children? If your family is already complete, feel free to share the questions you had as you faced the issue in the past. When you decided, did you decide once and for all, or did you find yourself revisiting the question over and over?"

Last night at dinner Adam and I were discussing this topic and he asked our son if he wanted a little brother or sister and our son answered "yes", then he asked if he wanted an older brother or sister he said "yes" again. His last question to our son was how many siblings do you want and our little turkey put down his fork and counted on his fingers "one, two, three, four, five" and then continued eating as Mom and Dad sat looking at him and each other.

Now before you think we are crazy don't worry we aren't leaving this up to our two year old son even if he is very smart. Since he knows how to count to 20 (with help around 15 or 16) he must have had some reason for stopping at five (even just to get back to eating!!)

When we got married and for many years before we thought we'd have two children and just hope for a boy and a girl and then we'd be done. Since my son's birth however we've both expressed interest in having more than 2. I think of the joy that my own sister and brother bring to my life and I wonder if 2 won't be the number we end up settling on.

The first topic that came up last night after the magic number 5 was financials. We are constantly wondering how many children we would financially be able to take care of. How many could we put through college? How many could we have and not have to mortgage our house to fly to visit a relative? (Most live in other states.)

Then and possibly more importantly I think of the days that having one child feels like more than enough. I begin to doubt my motherly skills and admit that I have no idea what I'm doing. The flip side of those days are the wonderful days of parenting when confidence abounds, we play happily and days are going smoothly.

I take comfort in the fact that God knows us and our hearts and only He can open our hearts to however many children will bless our lives.

Since we are not currently "done" I'm certain this topic will come up for us again and again after each new addition.

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I have so many unread items in my bloglines it's not even funny! I'll be around to get caught up soon... I've missed reading about you!!!

Saturday, November 25, 2006

To my furry nemesis....

Dear Fievel,

I first want to say that I appreciate your will to live. The way you have escaped our many traps over the last couple of weeks has been incredible. My husband and I agree that if you can pull off some Stuart Little entertainment you'd be allowed to stay (with an exorbitant amount of rent as well as mandatory housebreaking). However, you wore on my last nerve Thanksgiving morn and I am currently rethinking the very humane traps we have set up for you and considering turning to very dark and desperate measures.

You see, the pantry stores all of the wonderful dry food that my family eats on a regular basis. It is, along with our refrigerator, the mecca of our home. Since we've seen your kind here before I generally keep things very well in airtight containers and/or very well wrapped. Except for the oatmeal packages as you clearly pointed out. I will improve their storage promptly. Ahem, and please for the love of all things sanitary and healthy do NOT attempt to nest in my very nice basket of hand towels again. That was not something fun to find on Thanksgiving morn when they were all clean and ready for mass food prep.

Will you not rest until everything is pulled out and living on the island??

Consider yourself warned, jump in and enjoy your peanut butter demise or you will be finding some very cruel things in the next week.

It may interest you to know in the next house over lives a bachelor and he may enjoy your company more than the Butterfly clan.

Sternly,
Mrs. Mama Butterfly

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Happy Turkey Day!!!

Wishing all a very happy and wonderful Thanksgiving! That gratitude will fill our hearts not only this weekend but spill over into the days, months and years that follow.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Holiday Traditions

For Owlhaven's opinion Saturday she's asking about our holiday traditions...

I've mentioned before that Thanksgiving is one of the most special holidays for my husband and I as our first date was on Thanksgiving Eve ten years ago this year. We always make sure to steal a few minutes together to let each other know how thankful we are for each other and for that first date!

We've had fun over the years playing with traditions and seeing what works, we take it or leave it the next year depending on what we thought. Eight years ago I made fresh Vietnamese Salad Spring Rolls with peanut dressing on a Thanksgiving that my MIL flew in. While not a traditional side they were so yummy that they became a tradition. They are fairly labor intensive so last year they were missed but I'll be up early to get them ready this year.

This week I'll also be making the Christmas roll recipe that have been a tradition in our family for generations. Some wonderful memories and conversations were had while making these as a family the night before a holiday.

A Christmas tradition from my childhood that I plan on continuing is hiding baby Jesus from the Nativity scene and then letting the kids look for him (in a fairly obvious place) then placing him back in the manger and singing "Happy Birthday" on Christmas Eve. My sister even got her sorority sisters to do this with her in college. It is a great reminder wading through all the gifts under the tree from loved ones to the true meaning of the day and one that as a child I remember really "getting".

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Love Thursday

I have really loved the images and stories of love every Thursday at Cookooloonks mine is a bit late this week since my computer wasn't cooperating with me this morning!!

This moment I spent with my son was one of those that I wish could last forever - at least in our memories.

On a recent rainy afternoon (we've been having some cold wet days) we turned on the fire place and snuggled under some blankets to read some books. Little did I know that I wasn't going to be the one doing the reading. My son took the book out of my hand and started to read it to me!

Click here for more Love!

Monday, November 13, 2006

100 Things About Me

I've always enjoyed reading these when others have done them so here's my 100th post! Totally in random order....

  1. I was born and raised in New York (suburbia)
  2. In the same house that my Dad grew up in
  3. But about 3 additions later.
  4. My Grandma and Bobo lived right next door
  5. I loved having them so close to visit almost daily.
  6. I started ballet lessons in 2nd grade
  7. Dancing became a wonderful love in my life
  8. A way for a shy girl to express herself
  9. I also have a love of science - biology and physics mostly
  10. English was my weakest subject
  11. If you couldn't tell from all the grammar mistakes on this blog!
  12. I enjoyed German and French but I hardly remember a thing now!
  13. I majored in Dance in college
  14. The BFA program at NYU for dance was 3 years and 2 summers
  15. I don't officially use my major in my current job!
  16. Unless you count pirouettes and fouettes in the kitchen
  17. While my son giggles and says again, again, until I'm out of breath
  18. If you know me in real life don't ever plan on seeing this!
  19. This Thanksgiving will mark the 10 yr anniv. of our first date
  20. Those 10 years have gone by like a cat nap
  21. We got married near to a favorite scuba spot 4 years ago
  22. I'd still love to scuba dive if I lived near an ocean
  23. I worked at a veterinary hospital for 3 years
  24. I also went back to school part time to get prereqs for Veterinary School
  25. While I was working there I decided that Vet life was not for me
  26. I like the scientific experiments and lab stuff better
  27. We fled in the mass exodus of CA almost three years ago
  28. I have a 2 year old son
  29. I feel like my job as a Wife/Mother/homemaker is the most perfect one I've ever had
  30. I enjoy a good laugh
  31. I can't tell a good joke to save my life
  32. I enjoy a good cry but could handle a few weeks without one.
  33. I love to use exlamation points!!
  34. I love sushi,
  35. Thai
  36. and pretty much any ethnic foods
  37. I love gardening
  38. I also will eat any kind of batter (cookie dough, cake...)
  39. I would consider food my achilles' heel!
  40. My husband and I have planned entire trips to NY for food
  41. Well we've visited family too - not just for the cannollis ;)
  42. My favorite color is purple
  43. I have one sister
  44. and one brother.
  45. I am the oldest child.
  46. I wish we all lived closer
  47. but I know that we're all where we should be for now.
  48. I taught pilates once a week at a church in San Diego
  49. I've thought about teaching again
  50. but my heart's not fully in it yet.
  51. I would eat totally organically if I could afford it
  52. Now depending on our budget I buy mostly produce and milk organic
  53. I experienced "natural" childbirth with my son
  54. It was also a water birth
  55. It was amazing and I'll do it again....
  56. My total labor was about 8 hours - intense but short!
  57. I prayed for exactly that!!!
  58. My son was born on his due date
  59. That date also was my Grandfather's birthday.
  60. We gave his name as my son's middle name - also my Dad's.
  61. I have two dogs (Jack Russell Terriers)
  62. I love them to pieces but they are so stubborn
  63. I don't have very good fashion sense
  64. I just don't really pay attention to what's in style
  65. I almost always ask my husband if I look ok before I leave the house
  66. I hardly ever buy clothes for myself
  67. I love music
  68. I also love movie musicals
  69. I think we would all be happier if we could burst in to song
  70. and dance in the middle of grocery shopping
  71. or walking in the rain or delivering a newspaper :)
  72. I like watching scary movies at home under a blanket next to hubs
  73. I also like action and romatic sappy stories too.
  74. I like to read but I don't do it enough
  75. I'm enjoying reading the Bible more lately
  76. I am a Christian
  77. I have 2 nephews and a niece on the way
  78. I love to bake and cook
  79. Dishes and laundry make me want to cry!
  80. I still do them mostly with a grateful heart.
  81. I've been hospitalized twice.
  82. Once for being dehydrated as a baby
  83. Second for an emergency appendectemy in Jan of 1994
  84. I had my son at a birthing center.
  85. He was born at 8:19pm and we were home at 3am
  86. I fell over a couch backwards, landed on my sister
  87. and somehow broke my right wrist in first grade.
  88. She cried (I knocked the wind out of her)
  89. I calmly told my Mom I broke my arm while she comforted my sis.
  90. I've had tendonitis in almost every joint in my lower body
  91. Mostly in my left patella tendon and my right achilles tendon.
  92. I've had a miscarriage.
  93. That's the first time I've actually written that out on this blog.
  94. I feel very healed today.
  95. I really love life and I love people.
  96. I'm 31 years old
  97. My birthday is in March.
  98. I love learning - I actually liked school
  99. I am learning to be patient.
  100. I wear a size 9 shoe!

Obviosly I didn't have a big finale planned!!

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Thanks for Mothers

Chaotic Mom is away this week and is asking for thoughts on "thanks for Mothers" so here are my random thoughts.

I am so grateful to my Mother for so much it's hard to know where to start. From home cooked meals to carpools to and from dance classes and from kissing owies to playing games. She never questioned (openly anyway) why she paraded me back and forth and paid for 6 or more dance classes a week. She also didn't keep the neatest house on the block.

Her focus was on the things that mattered: God, her hardworking husband and the 3 of us kids. She always made sure that she was available to help with homework and was involved in our schools. She paid attention to who our teachers were and that we worked our hardest at whatever we did. Win or lose, succeed or fail she always encouraged us to try. I remember her patience letting our little fingers plant cucumber seeds in hills and staying up until o'dark thirty sewing our halloween and Nutcracker costumes.

No matter what, her love was always there and always felt. Even now when I think of my childhood home and memories her love just overwhelms me.

I have absolutely NO idea how she really did it all and actually slept.

Now that I am experiencing the overwhelming joy of my son's first two years of life I am so amazed at this journey of motherhood. How much it has taught me to stop and smell the roses. Each day, each hour and each minute is so important to my son.

In just a day he went from an infant to a chubby baby, from a slug to a speed crawler, from pulling up to first steps and from baby talk to singing songs and saying the alphabet. I revel in each hug, kiss and cuddle I can snitch. His great big smile and glimmer when our eyes meet remind me to seize this moment in eternity and be present as it passes.

I'm grateful that my Mom gave me the foundation and I'm grateful that my son is giving me the opportunity.

If you want to share or visit more visit Chaotic Mom.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Thank you!

I am so proud to be the granddaughter of two WWII veterans, daughter of a Vietman veteran, sister to an Iraq veteran and wife to a Navy veteran. I am so grateful to God everyday that he let them all come home!

I'm sorrowful that so many others did not.

Thanks to all veterans and their families for the sacrifices you make for the rest of us!

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Note to self: keep house in a showable state!

This morning we had the second showing of our house since listing it in August. I love that I was just getting out the bathroom cleaning supplies to give our master bath some much needed love and attention when the phone rings...

"Someone wants to look at your house within the hour."

In my head I'm thinking - What! Lord, I know this is what we want but this place needs some help and less than an hour is not enough. You can see me here still in my PJ's right?!

"They can come a bit later right?...12:30 ok perfect."

It's 10:30 now, I can quickly scrub every surface in the bathroom and do some vacuuming and cleaning in the kitchen before they come. The whole time I’m singing Broadway musicals at a fast forward lightning speed to keep up my pace.

God bless my hubby for coming home for an early lunch to blow away leaves and make the outside look great! All the while my son snacked and watched PBS for almost 2 hours straight while taking out EVERY toy he owns. (I try to limit TV usage pretty strictly on the weekdays - 1 hour MAX. So he was loving life.)

I've decided that we have WAY too many toys. I had put some away for a break in September and again last month. Today I shoved more into that same closet and I don't plan on taking them out. The less toys the better I say, especially if I'm going to have such incredibly short notice - two weeks ago I was still keeping the house clean from the first showing but I've slowly let it go the last couple. Now to stay motivated and keep up with it - while praying that today's people thought it a perfect fit!!

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Not much to write about here but if you haven't been following baby Eliot's story what a beautiful tribute Matt and Ginny have written. They are certainly inspiring me through their faith.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Already?!?

For the last week or so my kiddo has a few times said "Mom" instead of "Mommy" or "Mama". Each time I've replied with "that's Mommy to you!"

Today he's said Mommy only a few times and he even rubbed it in at lunch. (With my hub's new job he comes home a few times a week for lunch - how cool!) He sat there saying "Hi Daddy, hi Mom." A seemingly endless number of times!


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Oh, and BTW I did indeed figure out the issue with Mr. Linky. It must be something with the set up of my makeshift desktop. (We have an external keyboard and mouse set up to a laptop so maybe that's the issue.) It worked just fine from my hubby's computer!!

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Here's Mickey!

Or Mr. Mouse to you...

The after math...a glow stick and a scooby doo shaped lolly pop. If you can believe it is the first lolly pop he's ever eaten in entirety. Plus some peanut butter cups also a first. Yeah, we are holding out on you son in the candy department.

Wordless Wednesday: Mr. Serious

Works for me: Toddler mop

My toddler wants to help do everything I'm doing right at the moment I'm doing it. This makes it hard to get some things done, especially when you don't have nap time to get the floor mopped.

I think it's great that he wants to help me but only one of us can use the real mop at a time so my solution...

Take one rubber headed broom - I purchased ours at the fair years ago and haven't used it in awhile. Adjust the handle to the shortest setting for toddler's comfort!

Place mismatched socks over the broom ends, overlap and wrap with a rubberband to hold.

Then, let 'em loose. My favorite thing is that along with feeling like he's helping, he really is. Let them spray water or cleaner on the floor and mop up, just like Mommy! Works for us.

To see more Works for me Wednesday ideas visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer

Monday, October 30, 2006

Perfect.

"To me, every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle." Walt Whitman

I've been around but haven't left many comments due to time constraints (trying to be that Proverbs 31 woman.) My goal for tomorrow is to drink my morning tea visiting my many favorite blogs and maybe even updating some things on my sidebar including my blogroll....Have a wonderful day!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Ramblings, Questions and a recipe

Last night while we were eating dinner I realized that everything (less a few spices) was either homemade or homegrown. It felt pretty neat. We try to make a lot of meals from scratch and for most of the summer many side dishes were grown but this was way cool!

We ate the spinach pasta that the kiddos made, topped with tomato sauce made with home grown tomatoes and garlic. There were some other spices in the sauce that are all store purchased (salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and whateverelsegotthrowninthatday.)

Side dishes included homemade applesauce, homemade French bread, and homegrown beets. I'm now wishing that I took a picture!!

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I have some blog related questions for ya...

**First and foremost does anyone else have issues using Mr. Linky? EVERY time I have used it (on someone else's site) it enters my name in for not one number but two. I promise I don't double click or hit enter twice and I have tried both using the enter key on the keyboard (once) or clicking on the enter button with my mouse (once). I like participating in the fun stuff that goes on around here but I feel like a goof that I ALWAYS take up 2 numbers. Can anyone help? Just curious.

Secondly, did you pay someone to do your blog design or do it yourself? I don't plan to pay for one but I'm just curious. I know what I'd like this blog to look like but I'm limited to my own knowledge, speed of learning and lack of time at the moment.

Thirdly um, never mind. I realized that I had no "email me" button on here like I thought so now I updated it in my profile!

Lastly, when do you find that you spend your time blogging? Now that my son doesn't nap I do a larger block of time after he's in bed and then since our computer is in close proximity to the living area I check in through out the day when I can "steal" a quiet moment and I go down my blogroll a couple at a sitting if I can.

Thanks for answering if ya feel like it!

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For the spinach linguine, we followed the recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. I found a similar recipe online here.

To dry the pasta hang from a clothes hanger or my MIL said that she would just let it sit in loose clumps on a cooling rack overnight or till completely dry. Place in an air tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 8 months.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Wordless Wednesday: Spinach Linguine

My apologies to the meme but wordless this is not going to be!

I think in my self focus last week I forgot to mention that my friend Anna and her kids are coming over each Tuesday and we are doing preschool!

Yeah the kids are only two and we may be a little overzealous but since we like hanging out it's a good excuse!!!

Last week we cut different shapes out of cookies and now my son can tell the difference between a circle and a square with some gentle reminding. I also have a really cool finger painting hanging on the fridge and the kids of course have fun no matter what.

This week we made spinach pasta dough and used her pasta maker to roll it thin. The idea was to make lasagna but we've been eating lasagna for almost every meal since I made one on Saturday so I rolled ours and sliced it into linguine-ish size for dinner tonight. I hung them on the hangers to dry as my son tried desperately to practice self control while looking - and pulling an occasional sacrifice.

I'm having just as much fun in preschool as the kids - maybe more!

Updated because I forgot to link to The Other Side of Dubs whose the host of all this fun. So visit her if you'd like to join or see the blogroll for Wordless Wednesday.

Monday, October 23, 2006

Let the funny's begin...

Yesterday my son was running and slipped on some water. He recovered pretty gracefully then looked at me very concered and stated "Mommy slippers!"

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Christmas card worthy?!

I've wanted family pictures for a very long time so we decided to see if we could do it ourselves. My husband likes to take pictures as a hobby so he took his tripod and remote and off to our little park we went...

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Ok, so the trick is....

...to make sure and put shrimp in the pasta sauce.

Do not feed any of said shrimp to toddler since he might have a sensitivity to them, so pick them out of his sauce.

Toddler is up few hours during the night puking up EVERY thing eaten since lunch time. (He did fall asleep in my arms which made it all worth it!)

Same toddler sleeps in slightly and wakes up very chipper and VERY hungry. So I decide no change of plans are in order and take him somewhere to play for a few hours.

Then the non napping silly guy will conk out on the drive home while singing the wheels on the bus. If only I knew it would be so easy!

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Today.

This morning I happened to read Matthew chapter 6 verse 34: So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. -- I found it very fitting and am striving to focus on today.

Speaking of today I pretty much assumed my son wouldn't nap so we still read books together as usual. Then I let him take a stack full of books into his crib and for about 45 minutes he was talking to himself and "reading". I think it's better than him jumping on the bed the whole time trying to keep himself alert and awake while still giving me some quiet time too.

Added bonus, instead of spending all that time fighting the inevitable, we made homemade blueberry frozen yogurt in our ice cream maker. He had fun helping me mix and stir and especially adding the ice to the bucket.

I realized that it's not really like me to go a week without posting a picture of my little man so I picked out this one from two years ago almost to the day. In memory of naps!

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Finding Stablility in the Highly Unstable

A yoga instructor of mine used to say yoga was "finding stability in a highly unstable situation."

Yoga sure is about finding stability when you are standing on one leg holding your foot behind you leaning forward, wobbly, praying you don't tip over and grab the person next to you for balance with the arm reaching in front of you. Leaning further into Dancer while fighting off a cramp in your shin, you feel your ankle tensing up while fervently yet futilely wishing the instructor would start to loose her balance so she'd let us all release the pose! Yeah, Yoga is about finding stability

In so many other areas of my life right now I desire stability. Getting a two year old to nap short of tying him down and gluing his eyelids shut is ALL about finding stability and peace in a HIGHLY unstable situation. (Yup, today was day 3 with no nap.)

Throwing together a dinner in 30 minutes because the chicken you were going to cook was bad for seemingly the trillionth time this year, and there is nothing else in the house...yet still managing not to snap at your hard working husband when he walks in the door from his first day of work SO qualifies here.

Realizing that I miss my "old" self. The self that didn't have these fragile emotions - the pre-miscarriage Heidi. The happy-go-lucky, somewhat ditsy, spontaneous, old me. Now, I'm teetering in the in-between, the tremendous fun, laughter and games of toddler hood on the one hand and the sadness, grief, guilt and utter loss on the other. I'm teetering and only able to go about my day by gripping desperately onto Jesus with the clenched fists of a newborn at the breast.

These last few weeks my emotions have been on a screaming roller coaster ride whipping my body, my husband and son along with them. I can't say how grateful I am for my friends and family that God put each one of them in my life so that I would be supported. I am even more grateful that we have Jesus. I'm so glad we can forgive each other (so glad my husband is willing to frequently forgive me) and I'm so glad we have Him to be our stability because life is absolutely unstable.

Everything is right in the world because of Him and I'm so grateful that God sent Him for little old me!

Monday, October 16, 2006

That's Me?

Have you ever been in Yoga class, getting settled into Warrior II for a couple breaths, turn your head to the mirror and swear that is NOT your body looking back? Yeah, that was me tonight.

I usually stand where I can't see myself in the mirror but tonight I guess I was just in the right spot - darn. I liked ignorance, it really was bliss. Hopefully this is all the motivation I need to work more exercise into my daily life!

On my way home, I picked up a few grocery's to get us through the week and of course I couldn't wait to try Barkeeper's Friend (remember from last week)so I picked up some of that too. Came home and cleaned my sink which looks fabulous now, thanks Mary. Then I noticed that with the sink clean it really draws attention to the windows above the sink that have water spots and splatters all over them.

If I weren't already starting to become sore and fatigued from Yoga and pining for my internet addiction I might have cleaned them too but nope, another chore for tomorrow.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Big sighs...

It's official...there are two empty jars in my entire house and they can stay empty! I'm done canning!

My husband said to me last night "I wonder how many jars you've done?" and me being, well ME went and counted 101 jars and that's not even counting the 3 I gave away, 1 jar of jam that we've finished, and 2 jars of tomatoes I've used already. Grand total 107! (I guess those two empty's have already been full.) I know this is not all that much considering how much some of you with larger families do but for me it's the most I've ever done.

I guess I can give back my borrowed canner now. It seems ridiculous that I have done all of this with the most wonderful friend on the planet's canner - thanks Anna! I was planning on buying one this year but I never really saw them in the stores. I have found one online that I'd like which will be on the top of my Christmas list!

I am SO grateful that we will now be able to enjoy the fruits (too corny?) of my labor. I'm guessing that this is about twice what I canned last year so I'm interested to see how long everything lasts...

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On to another topic: This weekend we’re going to savor the last two days of Adam's "forced" vacation. Remember this post back in August about me having a jobless husband. And then this post about him getting a new job starting the beginning of September. Well, it didn't end up working out for him to start that job until this coming Monday!!!

To make a long story short, we are SO grateful that he is starting on Monday. They took him out to lunch today and showed him his office cubicle which he says is in a corner with windows. Sounds great to me as we are truly penny pinching this month!

I have really become used to his all day long presence in our home. I love that he takes our little guy to the park so I can can! (LOL Can Can- yup I really am corny tonight!) I haven't brought a toddler to the grocery store for months since I just go during nap time, I like us eating lunches together and all in all it's just been a fun experience - other than the whole not having much money thing.

It has made us rethink our goals and God's plan for us and our family which has brought us closer together. It has also focused us (as have many events of the summer) on just how many blessings we have. I think it really did wonders for Adam and our son's relationship, since for the last year Daddy was hardly ever home for dinner time and sometimes not even before bed time. This seems like a better fit since he'll be able to have more evening and weekend time with us! Yippy! Happy Weekend!

Isn't it nice to be pleasantly suprised

I've been frustrated with cloth diapering for about the last 6-8 weeks. Every time I'd use them they'd leak...sometimes I'd change my son after a couple hours and it'd be completely dry but when he goes now it's apparently more than any of my diapers can handle.

SO, having used cloth 90% of the time since he's been 1 week old I've been feeling terrible about going to disposables. Plus when we do use disposables we use Generation brand which unless they are on sale are quite a bit more expensive than the usual brands that are already pricey enough.

But I'm rambling, back to my point. I realized awhile ago that my kiddo is just not quite ready to be potty trained so the dilemma began. Pay for diapers every week or find something (cheap) that works.

We mostly had used prefolds and covers with much success but he had outgrown those in the spring time. My bestest friend taught me how to sew pocket diapers which I made some more of and used those since they're the easiest and my favorite. I guess the just can't handle the volume! My Mom also knit some terrific and beautiful wool covers that I've used which don't leak even overnight but alas he's shown a small sensitivity to them so I don't use them as often as I'd like.

Anyway, I didn't want to pay and arm and a leg for super nice covers so I ordered a few of these and a package of these on Monday late afternoon. On Tuesday being the anxious person I am I sent them an email since I couldn't find anything on my confirmation email about approx. shipping time. I realized today that I hadn't received a reply email yet but to my surprise they showed up in today's mail!!! Way to go Baby Best Buy!

I guess I still get a bit nervous when ordering from a new website! I really wasn't even expecting them until next week. I used one of the covers and the quality is not the greatest but it didn't leak and I'm pretty sure that it will last for quite a few months if not longer. And for just under $18 for six covers plus shipping I'm sure it's better than disposables!!!

This may be more details about cloth diapering than anyone ever wanted to know but I was excited to get them - maybe I'm just still in a silly mood!

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UPDATED to add...I posted this late last night and I guess my links didn't work...they should be working now! I need to have an early bed time tonight I think!

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Memory Lane

Isn't it funny how a smell can take you back - to the second- of another time in your life.

Last night (taking a break from the commentfest going on at Owlhaven) I walked outside and there was a smell in the air -it happens almost every fall- a crisp smell with a tinge of moisture and a dab of car exhaust and it seriously took me back to NYC. I could have been standing there with my dance bag over my shoulder on my way to rehearsal waiting for a break in cars across Houston St. Funny but even the smell of roasted peanuts was in that breath, the guy standing on the corner with cut off gloves serving them.

As the tears welled up I suddenly thought about how lucky I am to have lived in such a wonderful place but also how grateful I am that I don't have to drag my baby on the subway or carry grocery bags and a baby up a 6 story walk up. Boy do the times change if someone told me then that I'd be living in the northwest, married to a wonderful man with a terrific son I would have told them they were nuts.

This is the second time this sensation has happened to me this week, the first time was this weekend when my Mom brought a gardening book to me that used to be my Grandma's. There were a bunch of markers in it so I opened it to see what one of them was and whosh I was in my Grandma and Bobo's house. Sitting at their kitchen bar eating cookies and chatting. Watching my Bobo place the cards down on the counter in the rows of solitaire and my Grandma watching out the window while my brother played football in our yard just down the hill. The Yankee game muted on the TV and the piles of "junk" on the counter. Even the little red sparkly christmas ornament that hung on the corner of the upper cabinet over the bar (put there after one too many people hit their head). It was a fun place to go back to, they are truly missed.

Just thought I'd share. Now I'm on computer probation until I get enough canning done to take myself off my self imposed restriction!

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Good ol' fun!

If you haven't seen the fun that's going on over at Mary, Mom to many's place Owlhaven come and join in!

Mary posted a couple of days ago about an auction on ebay for 1000 comments on your blog and it ended up going for $90. Some of her friends started in to give her them (or as close as they can get) this morning for free. There were over 100 comments this morning and now she's got 265 at my last visit.

It's been sort of fun to "chat" with some of her other readers and now Mary's put a twist on the whole thing by asking us to comment on the person's blog who left the comment before us to spread the wealth! Anyway, total fun has been had and no housework is getting done and I've met a few new blogs to add to my favorites! If you are in a commenting mood as I apparently am today come join the fun!

Wordless Wednesday:Friends!

"A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature."-Ralph Waldo Emerson



“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Said Christopher Robin to Pooh” A.A. Milne



“Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” Albert Camus

Monday, October 09, 2006

I SO love this!

It's been quiet for too long, thinks my Mommy brain. I go looking and find him reading in his bed room...

Oh, can a Mom fit so much pride in her heart! I am so grateful that he loves to read, at bed time he'll keep asking for "one more book" until I (reluctantly) cut him off.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

What do you do when your parents are visiting, your son is in bed, and your baseball team is just not looking remotely alive during the Friday evening game...put an apple pie in the oven and lure your husband outside to roast you some marshmallows and make smores. That's what! Ah, comfort food and family!

(For the future: no son, we don't always wait until you are in bed to have fun, you were tired out from all the fun we already had!)

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Mommy's big helper

After a pretty busy and fun week it felt nice to spend some time putting dinner in the crock pot this morning with some help. He likes to say "big helper Mommy" in fact today when my hubby took out the trash he said to me "Mommy, Daddy big helper yes!"

We picked

We washed

We peeled

We tasted

We're done!

Monday, October 02, 2006

Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style

Today I'm joining in with Overwhelmed With Joy who's hosting Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style, oh how fun to share holiday recipes! It was hard to pick one holiday recipe since my family has lots of handed down Holiday traditions and recipes. So I've picked two, one family one and one that's become tradition in the last 10 years.

Double-Ginger Molasses Crisps
(taken from The Family Circle Cookbook)

I started baking these cookies Christmas 1995 and it's become tradition each year since. If I don't get them mailed out to my brother and sister I start getting phone calls *grin*. My Gram and her sister both like them so much I made them this June on our visit, they say they taste like ones their Mom used to make *double grin*.

Makes about 5 dozen 2-inch cookies according to the recipe but I'd say more like 3 1/2 dozen

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup dark molasses (I've used light too)
1 egg white
1 tablespoon grated pared gresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1)Preheat oven to 375°F
2)Beat butter in mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in brown sugar and molasses until fluffy. Add egg white, fresh ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt; beat to blend.
3)Combine flour and baking soda in small bowl. Slowly add to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until combined.
4)Place sugar in a small dish. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into sugar; toss to coat. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
5)Bake in preheated moderate oven (375°F) for 7 minutes for chewy cookies or 8 minutes for crispy cookies. Remove cookies from sheets to racks to cool.


Cookie dough can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered for up to 5 days before baking. Storage tip: To keep soft cookies soft, place a slice of apple in the container to prevent them from drying out.

Category: Cookies



Extra Rich Christmas Rolls

This is a recipe that has been handed down in our famiy for generations, I think my Great-Grandmother started it. It has provided a very large part in my holiday memories we'd always make them the day before the holiday, sitting down as a family and rolling the dough into small rolls and then passing them with greasy fingers from the butter into the cinnamon sugar to the bundt pan in little assemly lines. Really fun memories and the most yummy holiday rolls everywhere...I'm suddenly drooling for Thanksgiving!

Ingredients

3 packets of dry yeast (the old fashioned slow rise NOT quick rise!)
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups milk
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp salt
7-8 cups of flour
For drudging you'll also need butter (melted) and cinnamon sugar- I'm not too sure of exact amounts since we always start with about 1 stick melted and approx 2 cups cinnamon sugar but we always need to refill. I just add a couple teaspoons of cinnamon to some sugar until it looks tan and smells like cinnamon.(Mom any other tips, feel free to add them in the comments!)

Directions

1) Mix 3 packet of dry yeast with 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl

2) Scald 2 cups milk and allow to cool to lukewarm temp.

3) Melt 3/4 cup butter and add 3/4 cup sugar, 3 eggs and 2 tsp salt to the pan.

4) Add milk mixture to yeast and stir. Next add in the butter mixture and stir.

5) Stir in 7-8 cups of flour 1 cup at a time kneading until elastic and smooth.

6) Grease bowl and let rise until about double, punch down and let rise again.

7) Carefully "dump" dough out of the bowl onto a large cutting board or other clean surface and cut off dough in pieces to make about 1 - 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll all the dough like this FYI - Kids love this part! Then dip each roll into melted butter and then cinnamon sugar and place in a greased bundt pan. Fill bundt pan slightly more than half way (this recipe usually makes more than enough so we make at least one bread pan too)and then allow them to rise to the top of the pan.

Bake at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes. As I said we usually made these a day or two ahead and stored in foil at room temp until ready to use and then after the turkey's come out place in a warm oven to re-heat and serve!

Tip:While this sounds like a delicate recipe, it's actually very forgiving...if I can do it anyone can. I do recommend making the dough in the morning and letting it rise throughout the day I think we've even punched it down one more time and let it rise again because we weren't ready to roll them yet.


Category:Sweet Rolls

Sunday, October 01, 2006

On Having Faith

I feel like I've had a productive weekend, getting to church always makes it feel like we did "something" especially since we haven't been in a couple of weeks.

Yesterday our son was up early so after a very early breakfast he and I played for a long time just the two of us which was so special. As we were sitting rolling the big green ball back and forth to each other a thought crossed my mind of the sibling we would not be giving him so soon. That when the doctor told me we'd have to wait 3 months before we even start to try for another it just broke my heart and how much longer does that mean I have to be so empty and longing to give my son the gift of siblings. With each giggle and push of the ball, I felt like we waited too long to have children, like we should have started earlier. My husband and I will have been together for 10 years next month and it took us almost six years to get married. Back and forth as we sat sometimes switching to the smaller purple ball or the even smaller orange ball giggling, laughing and letting it fill up the room, the entire house even. Why? What did that time teach us, we were happy and in love why did we wait? After awhile my kiddo tired of the balls and switch gears to playing with some other toys while I watched...then scared of sitting and dwelling I cleaned. Vacuumed our whole house (except our bedroom), cleaned one and a half bathrooms and mopped the floor during his nap time.

During this cleaning fit the song "Bless the broken road" came into my head and I just kept singing it :
I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you.....
It brought me back to the comfort I was feeling during the rest of this past week...
...This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you.

This morning in our Sunday school lesson our Pastor spoke of Moses and the 40 years he spent in the wilderness. Even he said something to the effect of why not just get on with it, why does God "waste" those 40 years. Only God knows when our hearts will be ready for His plan for us. It is so hard to let go of the control we want to take of our lives, the desires we have in our hearts so strongly, but God only knows just what those desires will bring and He is the only one truly in control. He is the one with the master plan of all plans. I look at Moses and think wow if he had the patience and faith to wait all those years. I think that I have the patience and faith to trust that God has more children planned for us one way or another. And all I can do for now is happily be me...a loving wife and mother and faithful servant of God.

Friday, September 29, 2006

Zoo day and a war...

...it's us against the flies. Ever since we picked peaches I don't think I've gone a day without seeing a fly. To be perfectly honest I usually just wait for my hubby to kill them (oh, I couldn't kill a fly - HA!) I lack the wonderful hand eye coordination that it takes to kill them on the first try. Today I launched an attack and I've killed five (I've still seen two more since) The side effects: 2 year old running around the house smacking his little hand on every forbidden surface in the house - TV, windows, - actually picking up the fly swatter and using it on the dog. Ugh!

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Yesterday we went to the zoo and I thought I'd share a few photos, me? post pictures?! only every post lately! It's hard to say what our little guy's favorite was since he liked just about everything... could be the zebra, camel, or leopard - who was pacing the front of the cage with our little guy running, giggling and pacing with it. Mom and Dad were oh so grateful for double fences, we were sure it was drooling! All of us enjoyed watching the moose just gnawing away on a stick. We had the most fun watching the look of amazement on our kiddo's face at every new creature, including the Madagascar cockroaches - gross!

Having fun in the "nunnel."