a wicked happy life

It’s Never Too Late for [INSERT YOUR DREAM HERE]

2012-02-09T20:24:00.000-06:00

There's this thing that I want to do... it's something I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember, but I always put it off. If successful, this thing could parlay nicely into a career that I would adore. Though I've had this dream for years and years (since childhood in all honesty), I tend to drag my feet when it comes to actually taking that first scary step. Lately I've really been battling with myself - trying to decide how to get started and when?

I watched the movie 'Julie and Julia' last week, and it inspired me to do something (in addition to just thinking about doing something- which I do a lot). I was inspired not because I want to be a food blogger or cook French food (I don't); but because the movie reminded me that Julia Child started the career she's world renowned for - later in life. This was a nice reminder for me, because sometimes I get bogged down in the "well, I've come this far and not done it - why bother?" mindset. I need to shake that for good.

So, I was thinking about Julia when I remembered Laura Ingalls Wilder also was a 'late bloomer'... and that made me do a few Wikipedia searches to see what other inspirational stories I could find. Now, I'm only 37, so I am not yet in their ballpark, but I still find this type of success story to be very motivating.

Here are some examples of 'later life' success which I found via that on-line search:

Julia Child didn’t begin to collaborate on her first cookbook until she was in her 40s, and hosted her first television show at 51.

Laura Ingalls Wilder was 63 when she started writing what would later become the first in the “Little House” series.

Henry Ford introduced the Model T automobile when he was 45 years old. At the age of 60, he created the first car assembly line.

Tim Zagat of the restaurant guide fame, was 44 years old when he started the Zagat Restaurant Guide.

Grandma Moses wouldn't create the paintings that would make her famous until she was 76 years old.

Colonial Sanders was 65 when he started the first Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Raymond Chandler was 51 when his first novel “The Big Sleep” was published.

Ben Franklin was 46 years old when he experimented with electricity using his kite. At 47, he won the Copley Award (an early version of the Nobel Prize). Also while in his 40s, he invented bifocals, the catheter, and the Franklin Stove. He was elected to the Continental Congress at age 69. At 70 he signed the Declaration of Independence, making him the oldest signer. When he was 77 years old, he negotiated the Treaty of Paris, which put an end to the Revolutionary War. At 81, he signed the U.S. Constitution.

Sir Alexander Fleming - a British doctor and scientist specializing in the study of bacteria, was 47 when he discovered penicillin.

The average age of the men who have served as President of the United States is 54 years and 11 months. The youngest was Teddy Roosevelt, age 42, the oldest, Ronald Regan, who became President 16 days before his 70th birthday.

I found the above image - as well as a lot of goal setting ideas here.

I'm setting some goals today. I'm starting with baby steps. I know that attaining any goal means hard work and episodes of failure, but what do I have to lose? I'll never forgive myself if I don't at least TRY.

Wish me luck. :)

Some motivational quotes (also found via an internet search) which I liked:

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” –Walt Disney

“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” – Mark Victor Hansen

“Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” - Thomas Alva Edison

“Perseverance is a great element of success. If you knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Mis-Adventures in Grocery Shopping

2012-02-08T20:16:00.000-06:00

We shop for groceries twice a month. Yes, there is the occasional quick trip for milk or baby food that happens on an off day, but our big cart-filling grocery run comes around every two weeks.

I adore grocery shopping. Hubby likes it too. He typically does the bulk of the shopping but at the end of January I said I’d like to do it. He agreed. I went. I came home with many reusable bags filled with all the stuff that we typically buy.

Last night (armed with the knowledge of what had filled those bags only one week ago), I initiated the following conversation:

Me: “What would you like for dinner?”

Little Guy: “chicken nuggets.”

Me: “You just had chicken nuggets, how about a hot dog?”

Little Guy: “Okay.”

Hubby (from the other room): “We don’t have any hot dogs.”

Me: “Yes we do. I bought them last week. Buns too.”

Hubby: “Yes, we have buns. No hot dogs though.”

I began to search the refrigerator, but sure enough no hot dogs were to be found. I was racking my brain, trying to remember if I’d changed my mind at the store, and put them back? Surely not.

Meanwhile, Hubby had retrieved the receipt. Yes, I had purchased hotdogs. Eureka! I was elated (for a moment) because this proved I hadn’t been imagining things. I truly had purchased hot dogs, but where were they? I continued to dig through the contents of our refrigerator and freezer while he began to scan the rest of the receipt. “What’s this?” he asked, pointing to another item he didn't think we had. “Ham steaks” I replied. “And this?”, he indicated another entry. Slowly I closed the open doors. “Pork chops.” I said as realization dawned.

“Maybe I left them in the car?”

He went out to check my car, and quickly returned with the missing bag. A bag full of MEAT purchased over a week ago. Of all the bags I brought home, of COURSE it was this one that never made it into the house. Bags of pasta and canned goods – check. Dry breakfast cereal and granola bars – check. Pudding cups and peanut butter – check. Bread and crackers…well, you get the idea. I only had three bags of items that wouldn’t have survived outside, and I had left one of them behind in the car.

Normally I would have noticed sooner, but that particular day was a fussy one for Baby Boy and when I was maybe half done with putting away the groceries, I stopped to relieve Hubby of baby duty. He then, took over for me in the kitchen. Had I been the one to put everything away, I surely would have noticed and headed out to the car that very afternoon.

Hindsight and all that. **sigh**

I looked it up, in case you are wondering…the “danger zone” for meat is any temp between 40 – 140 degrees. If it sits out for a mere twenty minutes in those temps, bacteria begins to multiply.

If we were having a normal winter, we might have gotten away with the meat being outside (okay, maybe not for a week). But instead of the sub-zero temperatures we usually have in January/February, we’ve enjoyed three different days of 40 or above (two days reached 60 degrees) in the last week. That “danger zone” was definitely in play.

Yuck.

Though the frugal gal inside me was screaming, "NOOOO!" ...into the trash it all went. I’m just thanking my lucky stars there weren’t any big meat sales. I’d only picked up a few items since nothing was all that great of a bargain on that particular day. Another thing to be thankful for (look at me living on the bright side!) is that this didn't happen in summer! Can you imagine the stench that would come with meat left in a HOT car? I shudder at the thought. Yuck again.

So after we’d figured it all out and $15 of our hard earned money was sitting in the trash can…we ate some hamburger steaks with veggies and cornbread. Little Guy ended up having a good dinner (in truth much healthier than the first one I’d suggested), and we enjoyed our dinner too. Hubby didn’t say anything at all about my screw-up (he’s awesome like that), but I have a feeling he’ll do the grocery shopping again for a while.

And that’s okay with me.

Note: Yes, we eat hot dogs (on occasion), and yes I know what they are made of. :)

Noodles!!!

2012-02-03T20:03:00.000-06:00

not my noodles....image from Bing search

Recently I made noodles for the first time. The recipe I used had been in my possession for probably ten years. A dear lady who I worked with back in the 1990s had given it to me after sharing a batch at a pot-luck luncheon. I adored them, and begged her for the recipe. I had every intention of making them much sooner than now…but for whatever reason hadn’t bothered to do it. When I came across the recipe in my little metal box last week, I was sadly reminded that the lady who gave it to me so long ago, had passed away a couple years back. I decided it was high time I gave her noodle recipe a try.

The recipe is pretty straight-forward and was easy to whip up. For some reason though, I made the process more complicated than it needed to be by rolling the dough out on wax paper. I guess I thought that the paper would help the noodle dough not to stick. It did help with that (a bit), but when I cut the noodles – I also cut the paper (into noodle sized strips of course). Pulling the noodles off of the wax paper strips was not fun. Also, it turned what had been pretty uniform noodles into big messy pile of misshapen lumps.

I had very little faith that the blobby dough before me would ever pass for noodles. A less optimistic (and/or less frugal) gal might have tossed them out and given up, but not me. I laid them out as best I could and let them dry.

Earlier in the day I had cooked up a fryer chicken, de-boned it and put it in the crock pot with broth, carrots, onions and celery. By now the house smelled a little like heaven. I wasn’t sure how the noodles would do when added to the soup, so instead of dumping them in the crock-pot, I put them in some boiling water on the stove top.

And then, a miracle happened. The mangled strips of dough began to look like… noodles! Hurrah! I did a little happy dance as they started to bob and float in the boiling water. Once I was sure that they were not going to dissolve or turn to mush, I drained and moved them into the crock-pot. About forty-five minutes later, I dished up plates of yummy mashed potatoes topped with homemade chicken and noodles.

Yes, the carb count on such a meal is crazy high… I.DO.NOT.CARE. Never has there been a better comfort food than this.

The noodles still looked odd – only some having a regular noodle shape - but they tasted wonderful! Worth every moment of effort put into making them, I think they were maybe the tastiest chicken and noodles I’ve ever eaten! Maybe they really were the best ever, or maybe I only thought that because I was enjoying the “fruits of my own labor”…. I’m not sure.

What I am sure of, is that I’ll be trying that recipe again. I didn’t remember to take pictures, but pictures wouldn’t have done them justice anyway (trust me on this). I am including the recipe below. It’s super easy and I think it’s fairly standard as noodle recipes go….but here it is:

Luetta’s Homemade Noodles

4 eggs

3 T cold water

1 tsp salt

3 T soft butter

2 c. Flour

Beat eggs. Beat in water and salt. Stir in flour and butter. Roll out then as desired and cut with sharp knife. Let dry at least 30 minutes before cooking.

{this moment}

2012-02-03T06:32:00.004-06:00

Inspired by SouleMama to share one moment...via a single photo - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...

first sip of hot chocolate....ever!

Time for a Haircut!

2012-01-28T10:46:00.000-06:00

Little Guy has been looking a bit shaggy lately, so we decided it was time for a trim. Hubby cuts his hair at home, and this time we decided to go quite a bit shorter than we had in the past.

Before the Haircut....

and After...

Hubby and I love the new shorter look. Little Guy isn't so sure. His first comment after looking in the mirror was "I don't look like William anymore!" We think he'll come around eventually...probably just in time for the next time he neeeds a trim!

Brachiosaurus!!

2012-01-27T22:38:00.000-06:00

Little Guy goes to a small in-home daycare/pre-school. His teacher is fabulous! She takes time for each child one-on-one, helping them to grasp various topics at their own pace. Our fella is thriving there. He loves going so much, that sometimes he gets upset to find out its Saturday and he doesn't have "school".

Recently he was assigned his first ever presentation. The theme of the month for January has been dinosaurs and Will's assignment was to talk about the Brachiosaurus Dinosaur. We were asked to help him come up with five or six facts about this dinosaur which he could memorize and tell his class-mates. We were also asked to help him create some kind of visual aid to support his presentation.

I took a copy paper box, cut it down with a box cutter and Little Guy and I painted the interior of the box to look like an outdoor scene. Then on colored paper, he drew a sun and trees and I cut them out. He glued those around the walls. We put two rubber brachiosaurus toys that he had in the middle and also added a couple stand up bushes. Around the outside we put a picture of the dinosaur which he'd colored as well as a few other little pictures. I helped him, but he did a lot of the work himself and I'm very proud of him for it.

Today I talked to his teacher (the presentation was yesterday). She said he did great, and didn't need any prompting. She had build a little stage and podium for the kids and Little Guy loved every minute of it. On the way home, he asked if we could build a stage at our house. Ha ha.

Brachiosaurus facts that we've learned this week:

taller than a T-Rex
very slow walker
ate plants and leaves
front legs longer than hind legs
nostrils on top of his head

Mama's Boys

2012-01-25T20:38:00.000-06:00

Sometimes the only thing that gets me through a day at the office is staring longingly at the pictures of my boys that hang in my cubicle. Sometimes when they are both snugly tucked into their beds, quietly sleeping… I have to go into their rooms just to look down on them in awe. Sometimes, I hope the baby will wake up in the night, just so I can get a bonus snuggle (even if it does mean a long tired day to follow).

I never knew that being a mother could so fundamentally change what matters to me, but it did. I adore these two tiny fellas more than anything. They (and their Dad) are my world and I love them so much….

I love that Little Guy looks more like me, and that Baby Boy looks more like his Dad
I love that Little Guy says he can’t wait till his brother is big enough to share his room and bunk bed
I love that Baby Boy watches his big brother’s every move – as if he’s taking notes for future adventures they’ll have together
I love that they each have a very distinct personality – that they are most certainly not interchangeable – that they are wonderful and unique little boys.
I love that when Baby Boy is mad, he furrows his brow in exactly the same way Hubby does when he is mad
I love that the baby now gives me kisses (the big slobbery ones that only babies can get away with)
I love that my three year old still gives me hugs and kisses too (I know the clock is probably ticking on this)
I love that they both smile a lot. They are truly happy kids (hard to tell from these pictures I know, but Baby Boy has figured out what the camera does, and as soon as he sees it he now stops smiling and waits for the flash...then the smile returns. haha)
I love their little toes and fingers
I love the sound of their giggles

I love that my life is filled with dinosaurs and fire trucks and trains and Legos and baseball cards and pirates and play-doh and sand boxes.... and that it will be for a very long time

Mama loves her boys!

Finnegan the Bear

2012-01-21T19:56:00.000-06:00

Close-up

I wanted to do something handmade for Baby Boy for his Valentine’s Day gift, and decided I’d make him a bear. Up to this point, I had not made any critters for our youngest, though Little Guy has several different ones that I’ve made for him over the past few years (though never a bear).

My Mom had recently given me some yardage of heavy brown felt which she didn’t need. As soon as I saw it, I just knew it would be perfect for the bear project I had in mind.

I made my own pattern, sketching out the bear shape I was wanting on a big piece of drawing paper. I cut out the brown felt for all the big pieces. I used doll face velour and scraps of felt for facial features (all from my stash). I did buy a fat quarter of brown stripey cotton for the ears, tail and belly, but everything else I already had. I stitched him up on my machine (except for the tail, and the belly, which I did by hand). The belly part covers the opening I used to stuff him.

He’s cuddly and should be machine washable. There are no buttons or other bits that Baby Boy could choke on. Total cost was $1.99 which is what I spent on the one fat quarter. This took maybe four total hours to complete. Overall, I think he is a success.

I call him Finnegan, and I hope he makes my Baby smile.

Front View

Rear View

A 50 Pound Bargain

2012-01-20T20:13:00.000-06:00

What we came home with....

Everyone has their weakness. Maybe yours is chocolate or shoe shopping or Facebook.

Mine is bargain hunting, and recently Hubby and I hit the bargain jackpot. Our city boasts a “Goodwill Outlet Store”, which we visited for the first time on Monday (we both had the day off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the boys were in daycare). To say we were a little bit leery would be an understatement, but we’ll try anything once – so off we went.

Don’t be put off by the idea of an outlet for second hand items. We don’t know what criteria they used to determine what goes to this outlet versus what goes to the traditional stores, but we know that we are definitely going back again! The quality was surprisingly good. The store was clean. The employees friendly and helpful.

The set up is much different than any other store you will ever visit. Rows of long tables (which are really more tubs than tables) stretch across a warehouse of a room. Each of the tables is full of stuff. Everything is mixed together willy-nilly. Toys, books, movies, dishes, holiday decorations etc all jumbled together. You have to dig for the good stuff.

And dig, we did. By the time we were ready to check out, we each had a cart full.

Instead of being priced by the item, shoppers are charged by weight. There are price breakpoints, so the more you buy the less your per pound price is. The first time we went to the check-out, the (very nice) cashier suggested that we might go back and get a little more as we’d end up saving several dollars by collecting enough to reach the next break point (our loot was just shy of 50 pounds at that point!)

We did indeed go back to the tables and found enough to put us over that 50 pound mark. Don’t quote me on this, but I think we ended up paying 59 cents per pound (before tax).

Are you curious about what we found? Well, here’s a partial list of our take for the day:

Roaster pan

Pyrex bread pan

Projector Lullaby toy

Thomas the Train Wooden Railway pieces: 2 engines, 2 cars, & 18 pieces of track

Fire truck (with lights, sounds, extending ladder and hose that really shoots water)

Toy Fireman bullhorn (siren noises)

Toy Fire extinguisher

Toy Ambulance (w/ lights and sounds)

Fire truck floor puzzle

John Deere tractor floor puzzle

Six children’s books

Two purses

Melissa & Doug cardboard blocks

Fisher Price Monkey toy

Child’s Pumpkin Halloween costume

Christmas ornamental train (lights up – still in original box – never opened)

Christmas tree ornament

Vintage Peanuts Christmas wrapping paper in original package

Bag of embroidery floss in many different colors, all in original paper bands – never opened

"Santa Collector" sign

Baby Bib

Baby keys

Three photo albums

Buzz Lightyear

brown pitcher (pottery – simply lovely)

Bugs themed magnetic book with magnets

Brain Quest: America set

Rubber Brontosaurus

Winter hat for Hubby

So, what are we going to do with all this stuff? Well, we have two little boy birthdays coming this summer, and some of the better stuff is going to be held till then. Other items are going to serve as Potty Training and other Good Behavior reward items. Others may end up on eBay. Some of the items are for us, and we will use them soon (Pyrex bread pan -I'm talking to you). Even if a lot of these items end up in the garage sale we're planning to have this Spring, we'll more than get our money back.

If you live near one of these outlets, I'd highly recommend checking it out. If your experience is like ours at all, you will not be sorry!

Note: The puzzles had all their pieces. Everything that needed batteries, had them and all worked! Every item was in good to excellent condition, many items brand new.

Cookies that ROAR!

2012-01-12T19:38:00.000-06:00

For Christmas my Mother-in-law bought me a big box of cookie cutters (100 to be exact). Every shape and size imaginable was included.

When we got them home, Little Guy immediately wanted to make trains, dinosaurs and footballs (this kid is ALL boy!). It just so happened that a co-worker was having a birthday, and our team had decided to bring treats to the office to celebrate. The guy with the birthday is probably well past the stage where he’s easily impressed by frosted sugar cookies, but that’s what I took.

Dinosaur cookies! They aren’t decorated excessively. I go all out for Christmas cookies, but just didn’t have the time to go crazy with these. I frosted with tinted green frosting and topped with candy sprinkles and an M&M eyes.

Perfect? No, but my Little Guy sure liked them, and I think my co-worker seemed to think that they were okay too.

One cookie cutter down, 99 to go. It will be a fun (and sweet) year indeed.

Cowboy Boots

2012-01-11T19:54:00.000-06:00

The old boots...

Little Guy loves wearing his cowboy boots. He’s worn one pair or the other since he first started walking. We’ve always gotten lucky, finding a new pair just as he started to outgrow the last. Recently we started to notice that he didn’t want to run around as much as usual, and in fact was asking to be carried much more often than was his norm.

At first I thought maybe he was sick, but he seemed to feel fine. I asked if his boots hurt his feet and he adamantly said, “No!” I believed him at first, but soon began to suspect that he was fibbing. He just looked like someone who’s feet hurt.

I think he’d decided that if he complained, he might have to give up his beloved boots, and since a new pair had not yet materialized…he wasn’t willing to take the chance.

We took him to the mall and had his put his feet in one of those things they have to determine accurate size. His old boots were a size 8. His shoe size, according to the shoe store chart, was ten!!

Poor Little Guy! No wonder he wanted to be carried around. His little tootsies must have been screaming with each step. I felt terrible for not noticing sooner. Chalk it up on the long list of mistakes this Mom has made so far.

We ended up going to several stores before finally hitting pay dirt! His old boots featured the characters from Toy Story. That was not a requirement for the new boots, but when we found a comparable pair on sale for half price (oh, and with litghts too), the choice was clear.

When Little Guy walked back out into the mall, wearing his brand new (comfortable) cowboy boots, his smile was electric! Never was there a boy more happy to go shoe shopping than he.

the NEW BOOTS!!!

{this moment}

2012-01-06T16:46:00.000-06:00

Inspired by SouleMama to share one moment...via a single photo - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...

Little Guy and his buddies at school...he's on the far left.

Your Vote Matters!

2012-01-05T21:12:00.000-06:00

When I was growing up, my family was never really into sports. Instead of cheering over a Final Four game or a World Series match-up…my family had politics. Election Day was our Super Bowl, and the caucus – our playoff game. When those big events roll around, you’ll be hard pressed to find us NOT at our local polling places. When the polling is over, you’ll find us glued to our respective television sets, channel surfing between all the news casts, and watching the returns. We bond over this in the same way some families do over box scores.

My Mom and Dad taught me early on to embrace my right to get involved in the political process. They urged me to research the candidates carefully before choosing where to cast my ballot. I was always taught that every vote counts, and every voice matters. I suppose that during my college years, when I rebelled and joined ‘the other party’ for a time, Mom and Dad were a little disappointed. However, they still believed in the system and always encouraged me to get involved and make informed decisions (regardless of my party affiliation).

I live in Iowa, and if you pay attention to US politics at all, you will know that we had our caucus this week. The American caucus and primary season gives the presidential candidates a bit of a sneak peek at how their campaigns are shaping up. As the first of its kind in the presidential election cycle, the Iowa caucus offers its registered party voters a unique opportunity to get involved right at the beginning of what will (undoubtedly) be a long and drawn out contest. In my opinion this is quite an honor.

Though many Iowa residents can caucus (every registered Republican or Democrat is eligible) many don’t. I personally talked to several folks who chose to sit this one out. They chose to do so because they were tired of all the phone calls (granted, there were MANY), or because they thought they had better things to do or because they felt their vote didn’t count.

I disagree.

Even if a person doesn’t believe that the caucus itself makes a difference (and this can be argued – and is, by many – just do a Google search for “Iowa Caucus Relevance”), I believe that involvement is always a better choice than apathy.

I still believe every vote counts.

Over 120,000 voters turned out to caucus in Iowa this year. Yes, I know – that’s a small number when you look at the big picture, but do you know how many votes separated the two guys who came in first and second place?

Eight.

Eight votes!! Eight people!! That’s crazy. All it would have taken was the action of nine “my vote doesn’t count” folks, to bring about a different outcome. Wow! For the record, I’m not saying any of this in an effort to support one candidate or begrudge the win of another. I’m saying it to remind you that ONE does matter. It always matters - not just in politics, but in life as well. It is the folks who choose to get off their couch and DO something with their lives, who have lives well lived.

One vote does matter.

One person does matter.

I am reminding myself of this as I embark on a challenge in my own life. I need to lose weight. I know it’s cliché this time of year to vow to eat better and diet, but I have come to a point in my life where inaction is no longer acceptable. I need to get healthy and I need to do it now. No more “One more cookie doesn’t matter…” or “One more day avoiding a workout won’t matter”. Just like those caucus votes, these decisions (these “life votes”) also matter.

All the little things in life add up to the big things, and I want 2012 to be a year in which I embrace that which I need to “vote” for in life.

I vote for healthy eating, and exercise. I vote for sharing my challenges and experiences with others who know what I’m going through (as well as those who don’t). I vote for my boys to have the kind of mother who feels like running around the backyard with them. I vote for a better, improved version of myself.

I challenge you to vote with me. Vote in elections if you can, but also vote in your daily life. Vote by working toward your goals (even when that road is rough). Vote by standing for what you believe in (even when it isn’t easy or convenient or popular). Vote by taking chances when it matters most. Vote by being a good example to others. Vote by being courageous and loyal. Vote by staying strong. Vote with your faith. Vote with your integrity. Vote with your passion.

Your vote matters. It matters a lot.

Random Thoughts on the New Year

2012-01-01T06:31:00.001-06:00

If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.

~Mary Pickford

I love calendars. I love picking out the perfect one and jotting down all the important birthdays and anniversaries. I love noting doctor’s appointments and other miscellanea of life. By the time December rolls around, my calendar has become a mini-journal of the closing year. I find it fun to look over the pages and remind myself of all that the last year has brought my way.

He who breaks a resolution is a weakling;
He who makes one is a fool.
~F.M. Knowles

I am no better at keeping resolutions than the next person, and yet I find myself making them year after year. This year will be no different though I’m calling it a “promise to myself to change my life in some way...a promise which is randomly coincidental with New Years Day" instead of a “New Years Resolution”. Maybe I’ll succeed. Maybe I’ll fail miserably. Either way, I’ll learn a lesson and maybe gain some insight into my self in the process.

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

I find that each New Year brings an excitement that I can’t quite explain. It is some odd combination of losing the old and venturing into the new; and it fills my heart with joy. Never mind the fact that ‘last year’ has always been good to me too. I have after all, been very blessed.

This past year in particular was quite wonderful. We welcomed our second sweet little boy into the world and he makes our hearts full and our family complete. I don’t regret a single moment of 2011, and yet I still face the new year with the same happy anticipation I remember having on the first day of every school year growing up. The feeling of wonder may fade in the months ahead (much like it did back in the school days of my youth), but today it feels like new teachers and new locker combinations and new friends in new classes. Ah, the joy of the new! What fun we shall have!!

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin

What exactly is that song Auld Lang Syne about? I wonder every year….but not until right now have I ever bothered to look it up. Are you as curious as I was? Check out some background HERE.

I hope you have a fabulous New Year full of good health and happiness. God bless you and yours!

-Wicked Happy Christy

Hand-Made Christmas, Part 3 (Dr. Who)

2011-12-30T20:30:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned in my last post – Hubby and I decided this year to make each other gifts this past Christmas.

In addition to the wall hanging featured in that previous post; I also made a small plush Dr. Who for Hubby. If you don’t know the Doctor, he’s kind of hard to explain. A British television series that has spanned decades, and follows a fantastic and funny time traveler as he has adventures all over time and space. Hubby’s favorite incarnation was the fourth doctor – played by the talented Tom Baker. His version of the Doctor was quirky and fun and known for a ridiculously long scarf, among other things.

I used a photo of the 4^th doctor that I found on the internet as a rough inspiration and free handed the body (using doll face velour). I also free handed the clothing and stitched up as much as I could on my machine. I used a doll needle and embroidery thread to make the eyes and the little smirk. All of the clothes are made from heavy duty felt, except for the vest which was made from a scrap of plaid wool from my stash.

I didn’t have to buy anything to complete this project. It took me the better part of three hours to cut out, assemble and sew the whole thing. I’m very pleased with this, and am fondly calling it “Dr. Who felt art”. Hubby keeps it atop his dresser next to the little ninja I made for him last year (long story there which I’ll save for another day).

Here he is without the little scarf...

and Tom Baker as the Doctor... my inspiration for this project!

Hand-Made Christmas, Part 2 (Wall Hanging)

2011-12-30T09:10:00.001-06:00

My husband and I decided this year to make each other gifts. We did it to save money, but also because there comes a point in life when you usually buy what you need when you need it, making Christmas shopping for one another kind of challenging. There was a bit of pressure in deciding what to make, but in the end I was very pleased (both with what I gave and with what I received).

I received a necklace (he drilled a hole in an old Irish coin and attached it to a long chain). In case you are wondering about the significance, my family first came to the US from Ireland long ago. I should have taken a photo, but forgot so will have to do that soon. He also made me some lovely soaps – melting down the ingredients, adding color and fragrance and putting the whole she-bang into adorable molds. I love my gifts and really appreciate the time and effort put into making them.

In return I made him the wall hanging shown above (original inspiration for this project came from HERE, via my friend and co-worker Sarah). To make my version of this wall hanging, I first painted the bottoms of my boys feet and carefully transferred their footprints onto heavy white paper (John Deere green for Little Guy and International Harvester Red for Baby Boy). I cut out the footprints and attached them with craft glue to a “farm scene” I had assembled using bits of colored scrap book paper. I cut out the wheels, cab and other details from construction paper and glued it all together. I had an old oak frame that I painted with glossy black acrylic paint. I wrote the boys’ names and ages in the wheel wells, and the year in the sun.

Total cost was under $5. I did have to buy a little bottle of the black paint, and two sheets of scrapbook paper. Everything else came from my stash of craft supplies. I like this and it now hangs in our hallway. When the boys are grown, we’ll still always be able to remember their sweet little feet whenever we see this hanging on our wall.

Hand-Made Christmas, Part 1 (Fire Hose)

2011-12-29T20:12:00.001-06:00

Today I was looking through the photos of our boys this Christmas. Surrounded by upended boxes and scraps of wrapping paper, my three year old is beaming over one toy or the other in every picture. As is always the case, he got more than he needed – but oh was he happy! The majority of his gifts were store-bought. The one exception being a fire hose, which I made for him to go along with his new fireman suit (we LOVE fire trucks and firemen at our house). I used scraps that I had on hand, so there was no cost. It turned out to be one of his favorite toys of the day, so I definitely feel that it was worth the time spent to put it together.

I personally adore hand-made gifts. My family has been exchanging them for years (for as long as I can remember really), and those little things made with love stand out as my favorites. Did I love the store-bought dolls and other toys? Of course. But with the exception of my beloved Mandy and Jenny, I don’t have any of them now. The hand-made items though…those are ones I kept. They each hold a special place in my heart and always will. I hope my children will always appreciate things made for them with love, and never close themselves off to the idea that price doesn’t have to have anything to do with value.

The fire hose is made from a long piece of heavy-duty black fabric (which in a prior life was part of a conveyer belt), a plastic drinking cup, lots of duct tape and some blue yarn.

Above is a picture of Little Guy in full-out fireman mode. I found the hat at a garage sale for 50cents, the jacket on eBay for $5.00, and the boots at a children’s consignment store for $6.00. I also bought a ‘fireman accessory pack’ at our local dollar store for $1. It included pretend versions of: an axe, a walkie talkie, a badge, and a mini fire extinguisher.

He loves his fireman gear, but of course as soon as he’d put it all on – he asked where the fire hydrant was? I told him we didn’t have one, so he promptly grinned at me and said, “You can make it for me Mom.”.

Guess what’s on the craft agenda for this week? haha I guess, that at least for now, my Little Guy is just as big a fan of home-made gifts as I am.

Passing It Along...

2011-12-29T19:41:00.000-06:00

Miss TopChelseaGirl over of How Soon is Now is a sweet gal. She writes about the things she loves (vintage, home décor, movies, fashion and travel etc). Her blog is always interesting and a joy to read. She has recently received a “Liebster” award, and in turn has passed one along to me. (see! I told you she’s a sweet gal).

Apparently Liebster" is a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

The Liebster is a way to show a little Blog Love to bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers and I'm definitely in this club.

The rules:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
5. And most of all - have fun!
Less than 200 eh? I’m so far below 200 its laughable. I do believe I’ve had the same loyal 29 followers for over a year now. I press on with the whole blogging thing because though I may not have a large audience… I do love the one that I have. (you guys are awesome!!)

But I digress…I love reading a lot of different blogs, covering a wide variety of topics - but only some fit into this “less than 200 followers” category. Please take a moment (or two or three) to visit these lovely ladies and while you’re there – tell them hello. You won’t be sorry.

Oh, and a note to those I’m passing this award along to: If you aren’t a fan of awards and such, that is okay. No pressure to pass this along, I promise. Just know that you are appreciated and that you (and your blog) have made a difference to me.

Here are the blogs I’d like to honor with this Liebster award:

Zoe at Pennyblossoms

One of my British bloggy friends….Zoe is the sweetest. She is so very clever and always makes me laugh. She writes on a variety of topics that are close to her heart.

Mindy at Double Chocolate Thoughts

Mindy is SuperMom. She runs. She bakes. She takes care of her fantastic family. She does it all with grace and passion. The photos of all the yummy food she concocts will be worth a visit alone. Keep a towel handy so you can wipe the drool off your keyboard.

Jodi at Gumbo Lilly

She writes about her life on a ranch…about her family…about her hobbies. Every time I go to her blog, I feel a sense of warmth. The coziness of her home shines through every post. She is the kind of homemaker I could only wish to be.

Juicy Fig

Another from far away across the “pond”, this gal can make anything, and then she sells it on Etsy. Great pics of luscious creations and clever ideas. If you are at all into crafts with class – visit this blog.

MaryAnn at My Squeaky Clean Blog

Funny, funny, funny….MA is not only a fellow blogger but also a dear friend in real life. We met in a childrens’ lit class in college a million years ago and have been friends since – even though we now live far, far apart. Read her blog about life as a pastor’s wife and mother of three, and you’ll laugh your socks off.

So there you have it.... enjoy.

Memories of the "Little House"

2011-12-28T20:21:00.000-06:00

There’s something about this time of year….this space between Christmas and New Years in particular, that always makes me think of my childhood. Not just generic thoughts of childhood, but in particular listening to my Dad read me the first few Little House on the Prairie books. He read them to me after I received the series for Christmas (the yellow paperback versions – oh how I loved them!). The weather was cold and my Mom was working the evening shift as a nurse. Dad was recovering from a minor surgery and needed something relaxing to do that would also keep an ornery daughter corralled. I was old enough to read myself at that point, but hearing him bring the characters to life was really quite perfect.

Those books offer a glimpse into many of Laura’s relationships throughout her life – not the least of which was that between her and her Pa. My own “Pa” has a really deep voice, and did the stories justice in his animated reading of them. The wind howled on the outside of our small farm house, but inside it was cozy – the fire burned and the adventures of long-ago prairie life danced through my head.

Those memories are sweet and comforting. They warm my heart even when the temperature beyond our walls is frosty.

I am the mother of two small boys, and I adore them both more than life itself. The only time I half wish for a little girl is when I think of those books which meant so much to me. The boys can read them of course, but I somehow doubt they’ll get the full-on joy from that particular series that I did as a young girl.

It’s okay. I may not have a daughter to share the “Little House” books with, but there is still a little girl that lives deep within me - and she will always enjoy re-reading and reliving the adventures of that particular pioneer family.

Later tonight (once the boys are sound asleep in their snug little beds) I’ll open my favorite of the series - On the Banks of Plum Creek. As I begin to read it (for what will seem like the hundredth time), I’ll revisit the characters as if they are old friends – which of course they are. As I turn the pages, and become once again engrossed in the story; I’ll remember the first time I fell in love with it all those years ago.

Those childhood memories (as well as many others where my Mom was doing the reading) are a mish mash of happiness, featuring lovely time spent with loved ones as we read by the roaring wood stove. Maybe I won’t share the Little House series with my young sons, but I’ll find some books that we can share and which they’ll be able to enjoy just as much. For though the stories may wind up being different – it is the memory of precious time spent with a parent that means the most.

That’s something I can pass on, and pass it on – I will.

Appreciation

2011-12-26T06:10:00.000-06:00

Last week the company I work for threw an “Employee Appreciation” event. I don’t usually go to those things. It’s not that I don’t like them. I just tend to have other stuff going on and can’t make it. This year I decided to make an appearance.

The party had a carnival theme, and the first thing every associate had to do when they entered, was pick a little yellow duck out of a small wading pool. Some of the ducks had numbers on the bottom which corresponded to door prizes on a nearby table. In addition to those prizes, there were a few “grand prizes”: A big TV, a Play Station III, and a Kindle Fire.

I didn’t expect to win anything, but here is what was on the bottom of my duck…

I had no idea what a Kindle Fire even was, so when I got home I asked Hubby if we should give it to someone for Christmas? He said I should wait and see if I liked it. He was right. I have been playing around with it a lot. It is so much fun!!! It’s like a junior version of the iPad. I haven’t used it to read any books yet. I have used it a lot for searching the web, and Little Guy uses it to read children’s books, to “play the piano” and a few other child friendly activities.

So, in case you are wondering… I won’t be giving it away for Christmas, and in future years I’ll definitely be going to those appreciation parties.

It feels good to be appreciated.

What it's All About

2011-12-25T07:34:00.000-06:00

Luke 2 (The Birth of Jesus)

¹ In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.
⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Christmas Traditions

2011-12-24T05:29:00.000-06:00

For as long as I can remember, Christmas has been my favorite holiday. I love the decorations, the lights, the happy smiles, the greeting cards, the last minute shopping, and most importantly the celebration of Christ’s birth. Even as a little girl I found myself caught up in the beauty and magic that is this holiday season. Over the years, those feelings have not diminished. If anything, they flourish – especially now that we can share the Christmas magic with our little fellows.

These past few weeks I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about ways that we can make the Christmas holiday special for our boys. For me, this has a lot to do with traditions (both old and new). Here are some traditions that we have at our house:

The Christmas Tree – We decorate ours the weekend after Thanksgiving. We use colored lights and ornaments from years gone by (both hand-made and store-bought). There is no real theme, and nothing “matches”. Hubby and I both had amassed large amounts of ornaments before we met, and we’ve continued to collect them – so every year we put a different assortment on the branches of our tree. We top it with a beautiful angel, which of course reminds us of the message given to the shepherds so long ago...

The Greeting Cards – I love, LOVE Christmas cards. I love sending them. I love receiving them. I love hanging them around our living room on strings that I attach to the corners each Christmas. I love reading the corny letters (and writing them as well). I love seeing all the wonderful family pictures, and catching up with friends and family I don’t usually see. The cards represent fellowship to me. They are a real reminder of those we love, both near and far. Now that we live in the age of Facebook, some might think the Christmas card is outdated. I would disagree...

The Stockings – Hung by the fireplace with care (and a lot of heavy duty twine or else our stocking holders topple off the fireplace mantle), the stockings are filled with little bits of this and that. Smallish gifts, candy canes, little books etc. Each item reminds us that we should be thankful for all of our blessings – even the little ones…

The Magic – I love reading “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” every year. I think it perfectly captures the magic of the season. I love turning out all the lights (except for those on the tree) and sit on our sofa, snugly wrapped in a warm quilt – hot tea in hand. I stare at the twinkling lights and imagine the Shepherds in the field and how they must have felt when the sky lit with a host of singing Angels…

The Presents – I love receiving presents as much as the next person, but nothing matches the way it feels to give a gift that comes from the heart. Whether I spent hours searching the internet for the perfect gift on-line, or if I had an idea I could make myself – the result is always the same. Any time I can give a gift that I think the recipient will love, my heart does a little dance…

The Story – When I was growing up, before even one present could be opened – one of my parents would read aloud the Nativity Story (via Luke 2). The story of Christ’s birth reminds us why we are exchanging gifts to begin with. It offers us a time to reflect on all the blessings we have in our lives and gives us an opportunity to pause before bows and bags and wrapping paper start to fly…

The Memories – Every ornament on our tree reminds me of a person or a time which I hold dear. Every holiday I spend with my family is a time when we can compare stories from holidays long past, and remember the loved ones who once celebrated with us….

I hope that we are able to convey the importance of each of these things to our boys. I want them to cherish this time of year as much as I do, and pass to their own children that same love of this season, when we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

A Star is Born

2011-12-23T06:05:00.000-06:00

Little Guy goes to a small pre-school/daycare that is run by one of the nicest (and most patient) ladies who ever lived. She clearly loves teaching young children, and in turn the children she teaches love her.

This week they had their Christmas Program. The group is small. Little Guy is one of six children (two 2 year olds, three 3 year olds and one 4 year old). They are a happy little band of friends, with only one girl among them. The format of the program was very simple. The children had learned several Christmas songs, and they were going to sing three. Three of the boys were asked to pick the song they each wanted to sing, and then the group would sing the song selected.

First up was Isaac (Little Guy’s best friend). When the teacher held the microphone in front of him, he leaned in and clearly said, “Up on a Housetop”. He then went back to the row the others were standing in, and they all sang (with accompanying hand motions). Next was Little Guy’s turn to choose a song. He was supposed to lean in (as Isaac had done), state the name of his song and then fall back into formation to sing it with the others.

That’s what he was supposed to do.

That’s not what he did.

Instead, he took the microphone from his teacher, announced he wanted to sing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, and promptly began to do so right into the microphone. He loudly belted out the words, standing front and center. Behind him stood his classmates, happily singing along as if they were Barry Manilow’s back-up singers. Little Guy knows all the words to this song by heart, and sang three verses. When he got to the end, he went right back into the third verse again – the other kids all still following his lead, sang along. When he started to sing the final verse again, his teacher kindly took the microphone so the program could continue as originally planned.

Even after the mike had been removed from his tiny grasp, he beamed with happiness. Never has a boy been so excited, as was my Little Guy that night. We are so proud of him, and hope he applies that energy and passion to other parts of his life.

The only downer of the whole night was when I discovered that I had misunderstood the direction for the evening’s “gift exchange”. We were supposed to buy one small gift for each child. I had thought we were buying just one small gift. Needless to say, Hubby went shopping right after the program and LG’s classmates got their gift from him the next day.

Even with that one draw-back, it was a fabulous evening, and a wonderful example of the sheer joy that can come with raising a precocious toddler.

Cards and Letters and Stamps, Oh My!

2011-12-22T20:19:00.000-06:00

Back in 1994 I spent Christmas ‘on my own’ for the very first time. My tiny apartment (actually an ancient single-wide mobile home) was only a few miles from my parents’ little farmhouse, but felt like a world apart. Everything that had always meant so much to me at Christmas time was back home with them. I visited their house, and we exchanged gifts and did all the usual holiday stuff, but it was different not living there with them. Back at my place I did put up a tree that year, but it was tiny and had very few ornaments. I remember thinking that I’d be lucky to get any Christmas cards at all, since most people I knew would be unaware that I had moved out on my own.

I borrowed my parents’ Christmas card list and sent the people on it a card. I included a little holiday form letter, because I’ve always enjoyed those. I splurged on postage and shipped them out. I say ‘splurged’ because (if I remember correctly), I was barely clearing $800 a month, and after paying rent and other bills, was just scraping by. I felt that sending a little Christmas cheer (and letting loved ones know where I was and what I’d been up to) was worth it.

After a few days, the reply Christmas cards started to show up in my mail box. Cards from cousins, and aunts and uncles, from Grandparents, and family friends. Each one brought with it a little bit of Christmas magic, and I displayed them around my living room proudly. With every card I opened, and every letter I read – my shabby little trailer started to feel more like a home. My home. From then on I made an effort to always send Christmas cards when the holidays rolled around each year.

That was long ago, and my card list has changed over the years. As time has passed, many have moved on or passed away. New friends and co-workers have been added. Others have slipped away when cards came back ‘undeliverable’. Every year the list is a little different than it was the year before.

Regardless of the changes it may go through, when I glance through this list is like looking at a who’s who of my life, and it always makes me smile.

This year I reviewed my list (as I always do), and tried to decide if I should trim it down at all. In the end I chose not to remove anyone (and in fact added a few). I wrote a letter (technically it was a little comic strip chronicling the year for our family), signed cards and stuffed envelopes. Just like in 1994, soon the reply letters/cards started to come in.

Cards from our immediate family came first, followed closely by those from dear friends, long ago classmates, relatives from all over, and former co-workers.

It never fails. Photos of children decked out in Santa hats make me laugh. Newsletters filled with highlights from fun vacations and birth announcements warm my heart. The best (by far) are any that include a personal message. This year, a favorite came to me from my very first employer. She runs an in-home daycare center, and I worked as her helper for a summer when I was 15 (over twenty years ago, for anyone keeping track). With her Christmas card this year, she included a three page hand written letter. It was full of news and memories and questions and reminded me fully of just how fun she is, and why she was on my list to begin with. A sweet letter from such a wonderful lady, really made my day.

Personal greeting like that one, remind me why I bother with Christmas cards to begin with. Connecting (or reconnecting, as the case may be) with people from our lives who were (and still are) important to us…. That’s what it’s all about. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t require long letters. I love every card or letter I get this time of year (emails and Facebook greetings are great too). Any contact from special friends, past or present – is priceless to me.

You see, though the list has changed – one (very important) thing remains constant. Each card, letter, holiday photo, and friendly greeting…they all bring with them a little bit of that Christmas magic that I love so much.

If you aren’t on my Christmas card list, let this be my greeting to you! I hope you have a Merry Christmas and that the new year brings you and yours a time of health and happiness.

What is That Smell!?!?

2011-12-12T21:03:00.000-06:00

When I got to my cubicle this morning, I was overwhelmed by a mysterious (and awful) odor… an odor so nasty I could barely think straight. I couldn’t decide if something (perhaps a mouse) had crawled into the ceiling above my desk and perished… or if there had been some sort of pest spray used over the weekend, or something else? I really had no idea.

Whatever it was, it was seemingly worse at my desk than anywhere else, and my eyes were watering with the severity of it. I don’t consider myself all that sensitive to odors usually, but this one was so foul as to not be easily ignored. I asked my co-workers if they had noticed the smell? Some said they noticed it a little, but it became obvious that I was more bothered than anyone else.

I searched my desk drawers, looked in my overhead cabinet and asked the folks who sit nearby if they had any ideas as to the source of the stench. Nobody did, so I sent a friendly email to the gal that works with our building maintenance people. She assured me that someone would be by when he had a chance.. As I waited, I began to think that the smell was actually getting worse. After an hour I began to wonder if maybe it was somehow coming FROM my computer monitor (that’s where it seemed the strongest).

I stood up, and looked behind the monitor. There were some dust bunnies, a post-it-note and a coffee mug.

A coffee mug which to my utter dismay, STILL held a good little bit of Friday's cappucino - now curdled and nasty!! (I know – yuck!)

And just like that, I knew the origin of the jarring odor that had haunted me all morning. I was glad to have solved my little mystery, but I was also quite humiliated. After all, I’d made quite a ruckus trying to get to the bottom of the disgusting smell, when I’d been the cause of it all along.

Moral to this story? Clean our your coffee cup every day before leaving the office… and don’t make a fuss over something that irritates you - until you are POSITIVE it’s not your fault to begin with.

Tessy & Tab

2011-12-11T18:46:00.001-06:00

Last year my folks got Little Guy his very first magazine subscription for Christmas. The magazine is called "Tessy & Tab" and it comes twice a month. Each issue is printed on heavy paper that makes it more of a paperback booklet, than a traditional magazine.

They each follow the adventures of a duck (Tessy) and her best friend Tab (a kangaroo). Each story is written in simple text that will be perfect for early readers, and works very well for pre-readers (as our Little Guy is) as well. At the end of every issue are a few pages that encourage reading comprehension. Overall, the magazine is a big hit with LG. When he gets a new one, he immediately has to read it through. Many bedtime reading sessions include a stack of Tessy & Tab issues.

If you are looking for a children's magazine, I'd recommend this one. For the record, I've not been asked to review this publication. I just wanted to share how wonderful its been for us.

Christmas Stockings

2011-12-10T13:13:00.000-06:00

We’re Boston Red Sox fans, and our family room is all decked out in Red Sox everything. The family room is where our fireplace is, so when it was time to make Little Guy’s Christmas stocking three years ago, and when it was time to make Baby Boy’s for this year…the theme was easy to choose. Both are made of heavy duty felt. The designs on the front were cut from the same type of felt based on a free-hand sketch.

The circle with the sox within did take quite a bit longer than the big “B”. Four nights of my free time (translation: whatever time I have between when the boys go to sleep and I do) was spent working on this. I’m pleased with how it turned out. I wanted something that was similar to LG’s without being to matchy-matchy. I’m pleased with the results.

Note: I did tweak the photo a bit (obviously) to remove the names of my boys. The names are actually big block letters (same heavy duty felt) that I sewed on by hand.

{this moment} bah humbug edition

2011-12-09T17:56:00.001-06:00

Inspired by SouleMama to share one moment...via a single photo - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...

So, I heard you on the Radio....

2011-12-08T10:53:00.003-06:00

Four years ago, Hubby and I went to our local mall’s Christmas kick-off celebration. They had a big tree-lighting, live music, hot chocolate, decorations everywhere and of course Santa Claus made an entrance.

It was a fun night filled with all the little things that make the holiday fun and memorable. As we were walking around the grounds, soaking up the sights and sounds of the celebration (while also attempting to keep warm against the winter chill), we were approached by a man with a microphone. He was from one of the local radio stations, and was doing on-the-spot interviews with folks that walked by.

My husband is a private fellow, and talking to a radio guy wasn’t his idea of a good time. I thought it might be fun though, so I slowed and let the man ask his question. It was a simple one, “What was your favorite Christmas gift?”

In that moment, images flashed through my brain – what to choose? The Little House on the Prairie book series? The cherished “My Friend Mandy” doll? Or “My Friend Jenny” the following year? No, in the end I chose this as my favorite Christmas gift memory:

I was ten, and remember being woken from a deep sleep late on Christmas Eve night. My Dad had been abruptly called in to work, and would not be at home during our normal celebration time (we usually opened our gifts on Christmas morning – after breakfast and a reading of the Nativity story), so they had roused me so that they could both watch me open my gifts. I, of course, did not object.

So, there I was – disheveled and still in my pajamas – opening presents a little before midnight. I probably received several gifts, but I remember two from that night as if they were yesterday. The first was a fuzzy stuffed raccoon. The second was my first ever record player!! (kids – if you don’t know what that is, ask your folks). It was simply wonderful. Looking at that turntable and the detached speakers made me so happy. This was exactly the present I had hoped for, and I couldn’t wait to try it out.

After giving the Radio guy a way shortened version of the above story, we went on our way, forgetting all about it. Until a few days later when co-workers started asking me if I was the Christy from the radio who got a record player? I got a chuckle out of it that year, and the next (when they re-played the same snippet), and again last year. Just yesterday I had someone ask me about it again, so evidently I’m once again in rotation on that local radio station. It’s silly, but fun too…because it reminds me of that memory and brings it back into focus every year.

Someday, I assume that radio station will ask some new people their question and my response will be retired from their play list. Even if I’m never stopped by another co-worker who heard me on their morning commute…. I’ll never forget. That memory has a lot more to it than the gift itself. It was a perfect example of how our little family functioned. We always made the best of every situation, and always did whatever we could – together as a family. That’s really the best part – the togetherness – the fact that my Mom and Dad wanted us to enjoy our holiday. That was the best gift they ever game me – time with them.

Merry Christmas Mom & Dad!! I love you!

The 12 Days of Christmas… Toddler Version

2011-12-08T10:06:00.007-06:00

Below is my adaptation of the classic old Christmas song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and I dedicate this silly version to my sweet Little Guy, who (along with his baby brother) makes our holiday season so much brighter!

On the first day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me…
A sweet Christmas memory

On the second day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me…
2 silly songs
And a sweet Christmas memory

On the third day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me…
3 bear hugs
2 silly songs
And a sweet Christmas memory

On the fourth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me…
4 Mommy kisses
3 bear hugs
2 silly songs
And a sweet Christmas memory

On the fifth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me…
5 tantrums thrown
4 Mommy kisses
3 bear hugs
2 silly songs
And a sweet Christmas memory

On the sixth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me…
6 clothes-a-changing
5 tantrums thrown
4 Mommy kisses
3 bear hugs
2 silly songs
And a sweet Christmas memory

On the seventh day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me…
7 toys-a-breaking
6 clothes-a-changing
5 tantrums thrown
4 Mommy kisses
3 bear hugs
2 silly songs
And a sweet Christmas memory

On the eighth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me…
8 laughs-a-shaking
7 toys-a-breaking
6 clothes-a-changing
5 tantrums thrown
4 Mommy kisses
3 bear hugs
2 silly songs
And a sweet Christmas memory

On the ninth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me…
9 messes making
8 laughs-a-shaking
7 toys-a-breaking
6 clothes-a-changing
5 tantrums thrown
4 Mommy kisses
3 bear hugs
2 silly songs
And a sweet Christmas memory

On the tenth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me…
10 minutes napping
9 messes making
8 laughs-a-shaking
7 toys-a-breaking
6 clothes-a-changing
5 tantrums thrown
4 Mommy kisses
3 bear hugs
2 silly songs
And a sweet Christmas memory

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me…
11 questions asking
10 minutes napping
9 messes making
8 laughs-a-shaking
7 toys-a-breaking
6 clothes-a-changing
5 tantrums thrown
4 Mommy kisses
3 bear hugs
2 silly songs
And a sweet Christmas memory.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my toddler gave to me...
12 board games playing
11 questions asking
10 minutes napping
9 messes making
8 laughs-a-shaking
7 toys-a-breaking
6 clothes-a-changing
5 tantrums thrown
4 Mommy kisses
3 bear hugs
2 silly songs
And a sweet Christmas memory.

Baby Boy's Quilt

2011-11-28T15:31:00.006-06:00

I’m a little behind schedule, but did finish Baby Boy’s quilt this week. This one is similar in style to the one I made for Little Guy before he was born (2008). My original intent was to have this new one done before Baby Boy was born this past summer, but reality smacked me around a bit, and that is why he’s only now getting it when he is four months old.

The inspiration for both quilts is one that was made for me when I was a baby by a dear family friend. It featured an arrangement of squares, each with a whimsical painted animal, and those squares were all bordered by a print fabric. I wanted to do something a little different for the backing on these, so both of the quilts I made are backed with vintage white chenille (think bedspreads from the 1960s). I know it's a little unorthadox, but it turned out pretty great.

For the animal paitings on both, I used Aunt Martha’s brand iron on transfers to affix the designs to white fabric squares. My Mom used Aunt Martha’s brand fabric paint to color them, and then I pieced the fronts. I quilted the pieced layer to the chenille backing (using my Brother sewing machine and a low loft batting). I embroidered a label for each quilt which details the full name, birth year and a special Bible verse for each. The Bible verses were selected by my Grandma (for Little Guy’s) and my Mom (for Baby Boy’s). The labels are sewn to the backs of both quilts.

Aunt Martha's Note... the quilt made for me in 1974, and the ones I made for my boys all share a few of the same animals. Clearly Aunt Martha knows not to mess with a successful design!
The end result is a nice little family memento in addition to being a cozy and warm quilt, perfect for cuddling or spreading over a toddler’s bed.

When I started taking pictures of Baby Boy with his quilt, Little Guy drug his out for pictures too…which is why both are shown below.

Calgon, Take Me Away!!

2011-11-07T17:27:00.000-06:00

no time to relax....

When I was pregnant with Little Guy, I remember hearing detailed stories from seasoned parents about things like: never-ending labor, sleepless nights, ear infections and potty training.

Although usually told under the guise of friendly advice, it seemed that sometimes the intent was more malevolent (think Mr. Burns from The Simpsons… “Excellent”). These types of stories usually started with, “Just wait until [enter bizarre previously unknown event here]”.

Examples:
“Just wait until your baby projectile vomits!” one Mom of four screeched (with glee?).
“Just wait until your toddler says something wildly inappropriate about the person in front of you in the checkout line!” chortled a kind faced grandmother. “Just wait until your baby refuses to sleep through the night for eighteen months!” said a tired mother of (oh wait a minute – that one was me long AFTER Little Guy was born).

You know what NOBODY told me? That I would never EVER have another private moment in my bathroom for the rest of my life. Okay, that “for the rest of my life” part may be an overstatement, but it certainly sums up how I’ve been feeling lately.

There was a time (not so long ago), when my bathroom (and the tub in particular) was my refuge. It offered me the comfort and solace that I needed if life was at all stressful. My idea of a relaxing way to unwind after a rough day? A long soak in a bubble bath with some Miles Davis or Billie Holiday playing in the background and a stack of Martha Stewart Living magazines stacked beside the tub.

The steam filled room (smelling of jasmine and vanilla) became my very own Fortress of Solitude – a place where I could rebound and recharge, before emerging a brand new woman.

Calgon, did indeed, ‘take me away’ from it all.

Sadly, this is no longer the case. All privacy went out the window as soon as Little Guy became mobile. He doesn’t for a minute understand that Mommy might want a bit of “alone time”. A door is made to be opened. If I am lucky enough to be in a bathroom with a functioning lock, he stands outside, relentlessly pounding on the door. “MOM, what are you doing NOW?!!” he yells over and over. Calgon doesn’t make bubble bath potent enough to make that a relaxing environment.

My dear hubby does offer to take the boys and give me time alone, but even that doesn’t work anymore. If I have a half hour to myself at home, I feel obligated to clean the house, empty the dishwasher, or put away laundry, etc. Laying in a bathtub (when unfinished household chores are lurking just beyond the bathroom wall) would be the opposite of relaxing, no matter how many magazines there are to flip through.

This past Saturday was rough. Little Guy is potty training, and we were having a battle of wills regarding that. In addition, Baby Boy was cranky with his first ear infection. I was behind with housework (typical these days), and just having a frustrating day all around. Hubby could tell things were rough, and so he took matters into his own hands. He hustled us all into the car, drove to a nearby bookstore which I love, handed me some cash and (with a genuine supportive smile) said, “I’m taking the boys to the toy store. We’ll be back in an hour.” You may be thinking that an hour isn’t much…but you’d be wrong. It was exactly the break I needed, and it allowed me to clear my head in the same way that those long bubble baths did years ago.

When my men returned, I was able to greet them with a big smile of my own, feeling refreshed and recharged (and with a few new books tucked under my arm). So maybe I won’t get any alone time in my bathroom for a decade or so… at least I’ve learned that Calgon isn’t the only thing that can take me away.

My message to expectant mothers everywhere:

“Just wait till your husband shows you how much he loves you by braving Toys R Us with a three year old and an infant, just so you can have an hour in a used book store”.

Cootie!!

2011-11-02T18:16:00.000-05:00

When I was a little girl, I would visit my sweet Grandma and we would play games like Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders. My favorite though, was always Cootie! I don't think we ever actually played by the rules (rolling the dice to earn a chance to add parts to your Cootie bug), but we always had a lot of fun building our little creatures and giggling.

A few summers ago I came across the same version of Cootie we'd played with when I was little (circa 1949). It was at a garage sale, and probably cost more than the brand new version would have been at Wal Mart. I didn't care. Seeing that yellow and red box just made my heart happy. Memories of happy afternoons with my Grandma came rushing back, and I knew I had to have it.

Our Little Guy has just gotten to a point where he too, enjoys board games. We play Candy Land, Memory, Elefun, Hi-Ho Cherry-O, and of course Cootie! Cootie (called "the ladybug game" by Little Guy) has quickly become his favorite too. We don't follow the rules either (and if you've ever played games with a toddler, you know why), but we do take turns and have a lot of fun building our little Cootie bugs.

Grandma would be so proud!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T21:09:00.006-05:00

Monday marked both the end of October (can you believe how quickly that month passed?) and Halloween. It's not my all-time favorite holiday, but it can be fun, and it certainly was this year.

We dressed the boys up as a cowboy and cow, respectively. Our Cowboy enjoyed his costume. Our little Baby Bovine...not so much.

And imagine my surprise when Little Guy received a surprise package in the mail from our friend Miss Zoe of Pennyblossoms (you are really spoiling us over here, by the way). An adorable little lunch box filled with all sorts of yummy candy and treats that we don't see here in the USA. Thank you Miss Zoe! You are such a sweetheart, and you made our Little Guy very happy!

We took the boys through our neighborhood for 'trick-or-treat' time, and then also went to an event at the local mall. The below pic is of Hubby and Little Guy as we were getting ready to leave. Note that the cowboy hat is not on the cowboy's head.

Autumn Art

2011-10-30T05:28:00.003-05:00

Here's a little project that Little Guy and I worked on this week. We both had fun, and his artwork now hangs on our front door to welcome any visitors who might come our way.

We used his hand prints to make leaves, and LOTS of glue, but it was worth the mess to see how much he enjoyed himself.

We Love Firefighters!!

2011-10-20T21:17:00.001-05:00

Fireman Sam is a wonderful children's
series from Wales. Little Guy Loves it.

At the moment, we are living and breathing all things related to fighting fires. We play with toy fire trucks. We color pictures of fire trucks. We pretend to be firefighters. When we have TV time, we watch Fireman Sam episodes on NetFlix. When we are in the car, we make siren noises. At night we read bedtime stories about firemen. You get the idea.

Last weekend we went to our local Fire Station’s open house/pancake breakfast (lucky timing indeed). As you might expect, Little Guy had a ball! He loved meeting the firemen, sliding down the pole, sitting in the fire trucks, playing in the bouncy house they provided and just walking around the station. Truthfully we all had a pretty good time.

Daddy helping Little Guy slide down the
fire station pole.

Baby Boy wearing his brother's fire helmet

When we got home, we decided to make a fire station for his trucks. We started with a cardboard box (a heavy duty box once used for fruit), covered it in bits and pieces of red scrapbook paper (which I drew “bricks” on). Little Guy helped me arrange assorted paper to make walls, a roof and a big yellow “X” for his rescue helicopter to land on. The resulting “Fire Station” holds most all of his trucks, and has already offered a lot of fun play time.

LG with his cardboard fire station.

And in action

Homework: "H" is for hat

2011-10-18T18:54:00.002-05:00

Little Guy started attending a new daycare/pre-school when I returned to work. In addition to getting lots of play time with his friends, they practice letters and numbers, have story time, and do crafts. Little Guy loves it, and looks forward to going every day.

His teacher asked that we practice printing letters for fifteen to twenty minutes a day. We practice writing and also coloring (as that is something he needs to work on). At first he didn't act all that thrilled to be doing this stuff at home, but now he's really enjoying it. I'm going to start posting a few of our projects every week, so that we can better track his progress.

Below are some pictures from the past week. We did at least one project every night last week, but I didn't always take pics. Here are a few of the things we worked on.

For this project, I drew a big "H" and then cut out letters from
magazines. I piled the misc letters on the table, and LG picked
out all the H's to glue onto the big one.

It's kind of hard to see here...but this was a coloring
page of a Hen. He colored it (you can see why we're practicing
our coloring), and then he glued on 'feathers'.

He loves to use glue!

A Sweet Gift from Afar

2011-10-15T22:19:00.000-05:00

The picture is of Baby Boy and his new softie heffalump, which was a lovely and sweet gift from Miss Zoe of Pennyblossoms. It was promptly named "Wilson" by our three year old. I'm not sure why he chose that name, but it works. Baby Boy already likes to touch the silky soft Wilson, and Little Guy even picks him up for a hug now and then. I have a feeling he'll be a favorite with our boys.

So, a great big American "Thank You" goes out to Miss Zoe. I promise you will soon be getting a little something in the mail from us as well. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and for always knowing just what to say and always saying it with a kind heart. Though we may never meet in person - I feel that you are a dear friend.

Thank you Miss Zoe!!!

No Time for THAT!

2011-10-14T19:04:00.001-05:00

It’s been a while since I really wrote anything of substance for this little blog of mine. I hate excuses, but here are mine: I was pregnant. Then I was even more pregnant (and mildly miserable). Then I gave birth to a lovely little boy (our second). Then I was on maternity leave and for some reason I could not focus on writing much more than a post card. Then Little Guy had his CT scan, and his surgery and Baby Boy was too adorable to ever put down, etc… and then my leave was over.

After I returned to work, it felt like every waking “free” moment should be spent with Hubby and the boys (working Mama guilt sometimes overwhelms yours truly).

So anyway, things like writing and sewing and reading have taken a back seat of late to the crazy little every day stuff that makes my life so vivid and rewarding (and frankly, worth writing about in the first place).

I’m really sorry that I haven’t made more of an effort with blogging these last few weeks/months …. not sorry for you (I know you probably have better things to do than read my silly ramblings), but sorry for me. Sorry because even though my bits of this and that are often silly and disjointed, writing helps me clear the fog from my brain. It soothes me in a way that a bubble bath can soothe after a crazy stressful day. When the world seems out of control around me, writing down my thoughts brings the spinning, surging, stampeding whirlwind that is life… into crisp focus. The rush of it all slows down (though maybe for only a few minutes) and I can see clearly. The stuff that does not matter begins to recede and I’m left with some moments of calm.

And frankly, I can use all the calm I can get right now…so stay tuned. More posts to come.

“Live life fully while you’re here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You’re going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don’t try to be perfect, just be an excellent example of being human.”

-Tony Robbins

Sharpened Pencils

2011-10-13T19:54:00.001-05:00

“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.” – Tom Hanks as Joe Fox in “You’ve Got Mail”

Well, first of all I adore that film – it’s the perfect romantic comedy in my opinion…but I digress.

The reason this old movie quote came to mind, is that (although I’ve never been to New York) I too, LOVE Fall. I love the changing colors, the crisp air and the simple beauty that this season vividly boasts.

I love wearing sweaters and boots. I love hearing football games on the radio (though honestly I am not a football fan). I love curling up under a fluffy quilt with my sweetie while we watch the baseball playoffs.

I love the color orange. I love picking out Halloween costumes for the little ones, and baking cookies shaped like giant pumpkins. I love hayrides, S’mores and steaming apple cider in big ceramic mugs. I love bonfires and ghost stories under a harvest moon.

The wonder and beauty of Autumn is fleeting, and soon the leaves will fall. Trees will be left bare in readiness for the harsh Winter to come. The breezes will change from crisp to brutal, and all those cute sweaters will be hidden under parkas and heavy scarves.

Winter isn’t here yet though. For now, the world is alight with color and the air is cool and full of promise.

If I knew where you lived, I’d send you a bouquet of sharpened pencils… of course being who I am – I’d wait till the school supplies went on clearance and I could buy them at half price. The sentiment though, would still be there.

Wishing you and yours a lovely Autumn.

Little Guy: BIG News!!

2011-10-13T06:02:00.001-05:00

We received great news last week! The mass removed from behind Little Guy’s ear turned out to be only a “skin cyst”. Though not a wonderful thing for him to have had, it was not something which will require further treatment or something which should ever return. We are thrilled beyond words, and so very thankful for such a positive outcome!!

And Minnie Moore!

2011-10-12T18:19:00.002-05:00

When I was a very little girl, my family knew a sweet older lady. I think her name might have been Mary Moore, but for some reason I always thought her name was Minnie. The reason that is important for the purpose of this little story, is that in my neck of the woods it is not uncommon to hear the following at the conclusion of the traditional happy birthday song*:

“And MANY MORE!”

This of course is a wish for the birthday person to live a long and happy life, full of many more birthdays in the future.

But when I was little, I just thought it meant that Miss Minnie Moore got to have a lot more birthdays than anyone else did. I was jealous of that sweet older lady, imagining days of cake and presents with no end in sight.

I say all that, to say this (to my baby brother, for today is his birthday)…

Happy Birthday to YOU, and MINNIE MOORE!!!!!!!

I love you David! You make me so proud to be your big sister.

*You know the song I’m talking about….but I did not want to have to pay royalties for this blog post, which is why I’m not sharing the whole song here. You understand.

Maternity Leave Comes to an End...

2011-10-05T21:06:00.001-05:00

After twelve weeks of snuggling and cuddling, my maternity leave has come to an end. Though parts of my leave were stressful (Little Guy’s CT scan and surgery & a death in the family), most of my time off was really wonderful.

Baby Boy and I were able to bond and spend a lot of quality time together. Nuzzling his chubby little cheeks became a favorite pastime. When I had ‘free’ time (translation: the baby was sleeping), I read books and watched old TV shows on NetFlix. Little Guy continued to go to daycare, as we knew pulling him out for three months would only make going back that much harder. He also started going to a pre-school, which he loves. It’s truly amazing to see how much he’s learning. He is like a hyper little sponge, soaking up new information every day at warp speed.

I went back to the office on Monday, officially ending my time off. Though it wasn’t fun to drop the boys off at their respective caregivers that morning; it was easier than I’d anticipated. Certainly, it was easier than when I dropped Little Guy off that first time three years ago. (Oh the tears! You’d have thought I was never going to see him again.)

I think the biggest reason for the difference is that I’ve been down this road before. I now know that my baby won’t stop loving me, and won’t choose his babysitter over time with Mommy and Daddy. I know that at the end of the day, he’ll be just as excited to see me as I will be to see him.

Baby Boy is now going to the same babysitter we used for Little Guy for the past few years. She’s a great lady whom we trust completely to care for our sweetie pie. Little Guy’s preschool is only a few minutes away, and his new teacher is also a wonderful lady who clearly loves what she does, and the children love her in return. Knowing that my little ones are in loving and capable hands makes a really big difference in my overall attitude toward returning to work.

Part of me would love to stay at home someday, but that is not an option for us at the moment. I can't complain. I am very blessed, and very thankful:

That my little fellows are safe, happy, and thriving - learning new things and making new friends.

That I have a great job to return to….a job that challenges me and keeps me on my toes.

That I had the opportunity to stay home for these wonderful weeks, so that I could spend precious time with the baby.

That I’m married to a marvelous man who supports me and is always there for me, no matter what.

Life is very good, and I am very blessed…with home…with family…with work.

Little Guy Update

2011-10-04T21:03:00.002-05:00

This picture was taken just after
we got home. He was still
pretty groggy.

Little Guy had his CT scan on the 12th of September. They had to sedate him for it, as he just wasn’t able to lay still for the time needed. The results were very promising. The cyst (or mass, as they keep calling it now) was isolated behind the right ear and had not spread under his skull. (Thank God!)

The doctor did want to remove it – so we went in on September 28th for surgery. The doctor was able to extract the entire mass (though appearing quite tiny on the outside, it was actually a couple inches long, having curled behind his ear under the skin). He has some stitches, but after the first day hasn’t complained at all. He’s a trooper.

We get the pathology report on Thursday. We are (of course) praying for good results.

Happy Labor Day

2011-09-04T22:13:00.001-05:00

Here in the United States, we're right in the middle of "Labor Day Weekend". It's the symbolic end of Summer, and most people (at least here in the Midwest where I live) are going to be soaking up the lovely weather while its still here. Soon we'll be feeling the brisk winds of Autumn, and another brutal Winter will follow closely behind, but for now we can still get by with short sleeves and sandals. We can have picnics and go for drives with the windows rolled down, and of course...we can watch the MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) telethon on TV.

For me, the Telethon brings all sorts of warm childhood memories to mind. When I was quite young, my Dad and I always vowed to stay up all night and watch the whole thing. I never did make it till morning - usually falling to sleep after only a few hours. Dad later told me that he too went to sleep, but he always waited till I'd drifted off, and then he made an effort to wake up first, pretending he'd made it through. Clever Dad! What parts we did stay up for though, were always fun. We'd watch entertainers (singers, actors etc) perform. We'd watch the amazing Jerry Lewis host the event (this will be the first year he doesn't since the fifties), and of course the hourly cut-aways to local network folks and the call centers accepting donations. Dad and I usually played board games too, and generally just had a fun gab fest and great Daddy/Daughter bonding time.

The tradition faded as I grew older. Still, those memories are dear to me, and this holiday will always bring them back. I always thought I'd continue the tradition with my own children, but starting with this week's telethon, they've shrunk it to a six hour event. Not quite the challenge the all night show offered. Oh well. Even if I don't have the opportunity to repeat my own childhood tradition, I can still share those fun times with my kids simply by telling them all about the fun I had with Grandpa all those years ago. ...

and now for some trivia:

US Labor Day History... (thank you Wikipedia!) The first big Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland reconciled with the labor movement. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike.The September date originally chosen by the CLU of New York and observed by many of the nation's trade unions for the past several years was selected rather than the more widespread International Workers' Day because Cleveland was concerned that observance of the latter would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair, which it had been observed to commemorate. All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the territories have made it a statutory holiday.

MDA Telethon History.... (again, thank you Wikipedia!) The MDA Labor Day Telethon (previously known as The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon and The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon) is an annual telethon in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The first MDA telethon was during the Thanksgiving Day weekend of 1952 and titled Party for MDA.[citation needed] It has been held annually since 1966. As of 2009, the telethon had raised $2.45 billion since its inception. The telethon was hosted by actor and comedian, Jerry Lewis, from its 1966 inception until 2010. Starting in 2011, it will be seen the Sunday evening before Labor Day for six hours;[3] This edition, scheduled for syndication to approximately 160 television stations throughout the United States on Sunday, September 4, 2011, will also be the first edition without Jerry Lewis as host.

If Mama Ain't Happy...

2011-09-02T11:04:00.000-05:00

...ain't NOBODY happy! Isn't that how the old saying goes? Well, I think it's not like that at all. I think the saying should be "If EVERYONE is happy, Mama is happy".

The past week or two have been trying. Little Guy is going through a phase (or at least we sincerely hope its just a phase) where he's been disobedient and naughty. He's been mean to his little friends at daycare, and throws fits around the house for no reason that we can see.

This has had me tied up in knots. Like any Mom, I want my kids to be happy, healthy and well-adjusted. I want them to obey their parents and caregivers, and be the lovely little joys I know they can be.

Yesterday Little Guy finally came out of his funk a little bit, and is now having a second day of being a great little fella once again. Hurrah!! Now that my boys are both happy, this Mama is happy too!!

Happy Baby Boy (first time I captured his little smile on film):

Happy Little Guy (being his usual silly self):

Mom-dork

2011-08-29T12:06:00.001-05:00

I'm not one of the cool kids anymore. Oh, who am I kidding? I never was one of the "cool" kids... though I suppose there were a few years where I thought I was one, and even now some days when I need a reminder that I'm not....

which brings me to yesterday.

I had an appointment which wasn't terribly child friendly, so Hubby took care of the little ones while I was out and about. It was the first time since the baby's arrival where I was driving my car without at least one of the boys with me.

The weather was beautiful here, so I had the windows down and the sun roof open.

No kids in the backseat meant I could listen to music not written for toddlers, so I dug out an old favorite CD and popped it in, cranking up the volume.

So there I was driving down the road, windows down, hair blowing, music blaring noisily from the car speakers... when I remembered I'm not cool.... not even a little bit.

Frankly, I'm sure I looked ridiculous.

I drive a dusty ten-year old Chrysler with two car seats in the back. I just had a baby, and anyone looking at me would not be surprised to hear it. The music I listen to is not current or popular. Basically, I'm a dork. A thirty-seven year old Mom-dork in an old car, listening to old music that impresses nobody.

But, then I thought about it and I decided that I don't care. I may be a Mom-dork of epic proportions, but I'm a happy one. I have so much to be thankful for, and at the top of that list is the family I drove home to.

Ear Trouble...Again

2011-08-26T10:02:00.007-05:00

Little Guy has had trouble with his ears since infancy. He was only four months old when his left eardrum burst. After that it seemed that the ear infections never really went away. We'd clear one up only to have another almost immediately. Antibiotics were being prescribed so often, that some of them stopped helping. Our pediatrician recommended that we meet with an ear/nose/throat specialist to have tubes put in his ears.

The first round of tubes were inserted in June of 2009. During that procedure, the ENT doctor noticed something wrong. There was a small cluster of cysts on Little Guy's right ear drum. The technical term was cholesteatoma, and left untreated - could have meant hearing loss, nerve damage and a lot of other ugly stuff. Little Guy had a follow up operation in August of 2009. His ear canal was too tiny, so they had to cut all the way behind his ear to get to the eardrum and remove the cysts. The stitches started at the very top of his ear, and curled around the back of his ear, stopping at the base of his ear lobe.

The picture on this post is of the two of us after his procedure was completed. He had to wear the bowl thing so that he wouldn't dig at his stitches.

He healed rapidly, with only one complication. Another cyst began to form within the line where the stitches were healing. This cyst was not cholesteatoma, we were assured. It was not a big deal.

It still bothered me, and I nagged the doctor about it several times. In December of last year, our pediatrician did an ultrasound and confirmed that it was harmless.

Miraculously, the thing began to shrink this spring, and now is hardly noticeable (where once it had grown to the size of a grape). I'm no medical professional, but this seemed like good news to me. However, we went in for a routine check up yesterday and the doctor said he's concerned that the cyst is now growing into Little Guy's head. His exact words were, "burrowing under his skull".

To say that this freaked me out would be the understatement of the year.

We have scheduled a CT scan and after that is complete, the doctor will know more about the scope of what needs to be removed. We have a really good doctor. I have a lot of faith in him. After all, he was the one who found the first little group of cysts when the other doctor had missed it completely. We have good insurance, so the cost will not break the bank. Most importantly we have faith that God will watch over our Little Guy and get us through. Generally, he is a very healthy kid, and this should not set him back much (if at all).

But I'm his Mom, and he's my Sweetheart, and so I'm scared and nervous just the same. It probably doesn't help that I'm still a little emotional after the birth of our second little sweetie. I know that this is not the end of the world, and that there are people out there dealing with so much more than I. I am so blessed, and I am thankful daily for all the wonder that my life holds.

So last night, there I was - holding the baby, and sitting next to Hubby. Little Guy could tell something was wrong, and he crawled up into his Daddy's lap and said, "Let's give Mommy a big hug, all together!" And that's what they did..... and in that moment surrounded by the love of my little family - I felt so much better. It's going to be allright.

Half Over

2011-08-15T11:37:00.000-05:00

Today begins the sixth week of my blissful maternity leave - which means I'm just about half way to the end. Though I enjoy my job, and will be happy to go back... I'll also really REALLY miss staying home and snuggling my Tiny Man.

I've been lax with my posts. Sorry about that. My day to day life has been full of small but wonderful tasks... feeding the baby, diapering the baby, snuggling him and less fun (but still important) things like cleaning and napping.

Here are a few photos of our newest addition. He makes our little family complete.

In Awe

2011-08-01T11:53:00.000-05:00

He has my toes, but otherwise he's a tiny clone of his Daddy. He makes the sweetest little noises when he's eating (which is often). His favorite place to nap is in Mommy's arms. I love to snuggle him and cuddle him and watch him sleep. When he's not sleeping, he watches us with wide curious eyes. When he sleeps, he smiles. I know they aren't "real" smiles, but they give us a sneak peek of smiles to come, and they warm my heart. He's healthy, content and beautiful. He makes our little family complete.

He's still brand new, but he has his Mommy (and everyone else) wrapped around his little finger already.

He is proof that we are blessed, and our thankfulness knows no bounds.

Baby Boy's Arrival

2011-07-12T18:29:00.000-05:00

He's here!! We are very excited to announce that our newest little bundle of joy is here at last.

Baby Boy was born on Monday morning at 10am. He's a healthy little fellow, weighing in at 8lbs 11 oz and he's 20 1/2 inches long.

I was admitted for induction on Monday morning (largely due to the speed at which Little Guy came into this world three years ago). Nobody wants to deliver en route to the hospital if it can be avoided, right? That was certainly my position, and luckily my doctor agreed. Our new baby was born just four hours after that first dose of pitocin was administered. My first experience with childbirth had been fast and relatively easy. The contractions weren't all that bad, and it wasn't the end of the world when I found that I'd missed the window of opportunity for an epidural.

This time was different. The pain was crazy bad, and I caved - asking for an epidural, and getting one - sort of. That's where it all gets interesting. Mid-way through the administration of the epidural, I felt the urge to push. I don't know about other women....but when I feel the urge to push there is no time left for anything else. However....epidurals aren't to be trifled with, so everyone was yelling at me not to move AT ALL. This was difficult since moving was the only thing I wanted to do! I held on for a minute (or what seemed like a year) while they got finished with the epidural. Then - in a whirlwind of frantic nurses yelling for a doctor (mine didn't have time to make it), he was here! A few minutes after his birth, the epidural took hold, so in hindsight...that was a bit of a waste. Oh well.

Our littlest sweetie is darling and wonderful and everything we hoped for. Little Guy is smitten with "his new baby", as are we all. We are thankful for this newest blessing in our lives, and thankful for friends, family and the amazing doctors and nurses at the hospital. God is good, and we are so very happy!!

Love Letter from Mom

2011-07-09T03:32:00.000-05:00

Dearest Baby Boy,

Hello there little one. I wanted to write you a letter before you arrive (and while I still have the time to do it), to let you know how very special you are to us already. No, we haven’t met you yet. Right now, in our mind’s eye we envision only the blurry images shown us via ultrasound. And yet, you are as real to us as the air we breathe. You are our son, and we love you unconditionally even now, before your birth.

Your Dad and I are so excited to finally meet you, and to introduce you to your big brother and the rest of the family. We can hardly wait to catch that first glimpse of your little face, and to cradle you in our arms. We will be so happy to hold you and touch your soft skin and kiss your chubby cheeks.

Time will fly. In the blink of an eye, you will be a toddler, and then a teenager and then a grown man. We will be there for you every step of the way, watching and encouraging you as you grow and change and mature. We will make mistakes, because we are human. No matter what mistakes we might make, remember that we love you. We are excited to see the man you will become, and we will be proud of you until we draw our last breath on this Earth.

As you experience life, you will develop your own ideals and exert your independence. You too, will make mistakes. We expect nothing less. There will be times in the years ahead, when we won’t see eye to eye. That’s just how the parent/child relationship works. I want you to know however, that no matter how much or how often we might disagree, we will always love you. We will always cherish and appreciate you. We will always be here for you. Never doubt our unwavering love and support.

Our wish for you is a lifetime of happiness and good health. Neither are guaranteed, and there will be episodes when one or the other is lacking. No matter the hand that life deals you, remember to be faithful, to be courageous, to be honest, genuine and kind. Follow the Golden Rule and life will repay the kindness and generosity which you have shown others. Keep God first in your life. Be thankful for the blessings you receive. Show those you love just how much they mean to you. Embrace your dreams. Fall in love. Experience adventure. Forgive. Create. Dance. Call your Mom as often as you can.

Most of all, be you. There is nothing better that you can be.

I love you Sweet Baby Boy! Don’t ever forget it.
Mom

{this moment}

2011-07-08T05:23:00.003-05:00

Inspired by SouleMama to share one moment...via a single photo - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...

Keepsake Projects

2011-07-07T20:05:00.000-05:00

Here are a few of the little things I’ve been working on lately to keep myself busy, while waiting for the arrival of our new Baby Boy:

I wanted to make the new Baby some blankets. I’ve put all of Little Guy’s special baby blankets in storage so that he can have them as keepsakes when he’s older. I want Baby Boy to also have plenty of keepsake blankets, so I’ve been on a mission. You may recall the retro rocket blanket I made a while back. Now, I’ve added a dinosaur blanket (orange flannel backing on a basic cotton print – all fabric from JoAnn’s):

And a puppy dog blanket, which I appliquéd “AJ” (Baby Boy’s initials) for a fun fold-down effect. The orange in this picture looks odd. It actually matches the orange “woof woof” printed on the fabric. This one is flannel front and back, so will be a little warmer than the dino one. (The doggy print came from JoAnn’s. The tan flannel has been in my stash forever).

In keeping with the whole keepsake theme…. I also have been re-working the much loved sock monkey from my own childhood, to give to Baby Boy. It was made for me in the 1970s by a dear family friend. This little critter survived years of love and use and moves, but just barely. I’d actually looked for it when I was pregnant with Little Guy, but had never found it. Little Guy did receive a sock monkey which was made for him by a family member (who also happens to be a dear friend) - so he didn't miss out.

By chance, I came across my old sock monkey on a recent visit to my parents’ house. He was floppy, missing lots of his yarn embellishments and needed a general freshening up. I did a little surgery on the back of his neck, added a lot more stuffing and then replaced all the red yarn that had faded or disappeared over the years. Now both of my boys have sock monkeys with great loving back stories.

Before

After

I'm also putting the final touches on the quilt I'm making for Baby Boy. I'll post pics once that is complete as well.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

2011-07-06T17:25:00.000-05:00

The end is in sight. Woo Hoo! We’re counting days now, instead of weeks or months. It’s scary and exciting and frustrating and exhilarating all at once. So far, Baby Boy is ignoring his looming due date. He seems perfectly satisfied to stay in his Mommy’s belly forever.

Mommy, however, would not be quite as satisfied with that result. I’ll admit these last couple of weeks have been hard. I’m swollen and achy and terribly slow. I’m so cumbersome and whale-like that even my fattest maternity clothes seem to mock me. This has been the frustrating part. I am so looking forward to delivery, and meeting our new little fella, and getting back to feeling normal. Tired, I'm sure...but normal!

Until that happens I’ve been trying to stay busy. I’ve been working on a few craft projects (will post about those tomorrow), reading, watching old tv re-runs (thank you NetFlix), playing with Little Guy and generally relaxing. I know that activities like relaxing and reading will soon be difficult to execute.

Hubby is amazing. He cooks and helps around the house and pampers me silly. Little Guy seems torn. He’s excited to have his new brother around, but never hesitates to say that the Baby is not allowed to play with his Thomas the trains, or read his books etc. I think he senses that things are getting closer. He’s been a lot clingier and huggier than usual (no complaints here). I am sure there will be an adjustment period, but I do think he’ll make a great big brother.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we embark on this next exciting chapter. We are very blessed and look forward to an exciting future with our two little boys!

Making a List, Checking it Twice...

2011-06-24T19:31:00.001-05:00

I’m a list maker. It’s one of those things I can’t stop myself from doing. I keep lists at work, and other lists at home. I sometimes think I’d lose all bearing in life if a list wasn’t there to nudge me in the right direction.

This, for the record, is just one of my personality traits for which I probably need therapy.

The other day I lost one of my lists, and it was a doozy. The “To Do before Baby comes home” list was long and only partially checked off. When I realized that it was gone, I panicked a bit. What if I couldn’t recreate it? What if I forgot to do some all important task? My Mom (dear that she is) tried to help. “It will be fine, even if you don’t get everything done. The Baby will not care.” She was right, and somewhere deep in my psyche, I knew that. It was still difficult for me to just let go though, so I went about recreating that missing list.

Truth be told, we don’t have much left “to do” anyway. I’m a fairly organized person by nature and most of the big stuff has been marked off for a few weeks. Still, I felt better when I could hold another list in my hand and mark off all the items that we’d completed.

So, what’s left?
• We need to reorganize the family room (though it’s now known as the “toy room”, and rightly so) to make room for infant related stuff. That’s the room we spend most of our family time in, and we want to carve out a space for our newest addition to enjoy it also.
• We need to go to Wal Mart or Target for a little shopping trip. Nothing extravagant, but we want to pick up all of those little items that we’d like to have on hand, but have thus far neglected to purchase. Those first weeks go by so quickly, we’d prefer to spend as little time running errands as possible.
• We need to find birth announcements. Evidently I’m the only person left in the world who wants to buy the little cards and write the info inside. So far, none of the retailers I’ve visited have carried any at all. Going to Hallmark this weekend. Surely they still have some.
• We have to put batteries in, well…everything. (Note to self: Consider buying stock in Duracell)
• I need to finish Baby Boy’s quilt. Honestly, I’m not sure this one is going to get done in time, but I’ll try.

Other than having the baby and bringing him home, that’s pretty much it. The end is near, and we are so very excited to soon be welcoming home another sweet little guy to hold and snuggle and love. There is so much we want to share with both of our boys…so much we want them to experience and marvel at…so much that we hope they won’t miss…..

Maybe I should make a list?

Almost There...

2011-06-15T21:04:00.000-05:00

this pic is of me
in 2008... still haven't
taken one this time
around...but you get
the idea! :)

I won't lie to you.

I've felt better.

Lately my back aches and my feet look like hams (with chubby sausage links for toes). Everything gives me heartburn. I can't move very fast, and sleeping is a challenge. I'm exhausted all the time.

But, you know what? None of that matters - not one bit. In a month (or maybe a little less), with God's blessing and the assistance of a wonderful doctor - we'll be welcoming our second little boy into the world. I can hardly wait!!

I want to know if he'll look like Little Guy, or if he'll have a dimple in his chin like his Daddy does. I wonder if his hair will be dark or fair and what color his eyes will be. I want to cuddle him and smell his soft babyness and cherish every moment of the wonder that goes hand in hand with having a newborn.

There are other things I wonder about too....will he be healthy? Will he be happy? Will he like to sleep? And will our parenting skills (which are not yet anywhere near perfect) be good enough? Will we be able to show both of our boys just how amazing and wonderful we think they are? Will they know how much we love them?

I'm hoping the answer to all of those questions is "yes". Time will tell.

For now, I'm just enjoying the excitement and the anticipation that comes with the light at the end of the pregnancy tunnel. Every day is a little like the night before Christmas... I know something amazing is going to happen. I just don't know all the details yet.

So bring on the heartburn, the fat achy feet, the sore back and sleepless nights! For, very soon the current discomforts will be nothing more than a memory, and I'll be holding my sweet Baby Boy in my arms.

Nothing else matters. Nothing at all.

Fishing with Grandpa!

2011-06-14T17:40:00.000-05:00

When I was a little girl, my Grandpa took me fishing at a little pond on his farm. I don’t think we caught anything, and honestly don’t imagine my line even had a hook on it, but I do remember having a ball hanging out with my Grandpa and feeling (at least a little bit) grown up.

When Hubby, Little Guy and I went to Kentucky for our vacation over Memorial Day (to see my Grandma), my parents and brother also were there visiting. While we were there, Little Guy got to go to that same pond with his Grandpa (my Dad) to do a little fishing too! They both used some kiddie fishing poles (purchased at garage sales), and had only weights and bobbers on the end of their lines.

LG kept saying, “I have a bite! I have a bite!” He didn’t of course, but the joy on his face was priceless. It didn’t matter that no fish were caught, or that Grandpa had to help throw out the line pretty much every time. Little Guy had the time of his life, and I’m pretty sure his Grandpa did too.

My Grandpa passed away over twenty years ago, but I have a feeling he’d be very happy if he knew that his old pond was the setting for another generation’s introduction to such a fun pastime.

Early Birthday Festivities

2011-06-13T18:50:00.000-05:00

This was the poster that we hung
on the front door to greet out guests.

Little Guy will be turning three in late July. However, since we are expecting his younger brother to arrive in July as well…we decided to have LG’s 3rd birthday party in June.

Saturday was our big day.

We let him pick out the theme, which was trains. I made the invitations (though didn’t take a picture – oops). They turned out pretty cute, I think. I used scrapbook paper to assemble a train on the front, and put a vintage looking picture of Little Guy inside (wearing his engineer outfit of course). We decorated with balloons and bunting and a train poster for the front door.

We kept our guest list small, only inviting Grandparents, uncles and aunts. Little Guy chose the menu “Pizza and breadsticks”. We added salad to the offerings, but in hindsight LG had the right idea. The pizza was quickly devoured, but we’ll be eating salad all week.

I baked the cakes (two 9x13” pans, sat side by side) and then carved the 3 out. The cake itself was brilliant blue – per LG’s request. I froze the carved cake before decorating, which I will always recommend if you are frosting a carved cake. Those ‘crumby’ edges can be pretty frustrating. I topped the cake with Thomas the Train and his two coaches. I love using toys as cake toppers, since they double as décor and playtime fun. We ate our blue cake with a side of chocolate ice cream (another birthday boy request).

the 3 cake

He wanted to blow out candles this year, but I had
to hold his hands while he did that... he wanted to
grab the train off the cake before we got the pictures!

The party was a great success! LG had a wonderful time surrounded by those who love him most, and he was quite the entertainer. He gave everyone a tour of the house, showing off the baby’s room, and his own.

In addition to the outpouring of love and affection showered upon him by family; he received an array of wonderful presents and cards. There were (among other things), some toys, fun puzzles, little dishes (that he can really use in the kitchen), an art easel and accessories, and a Thomas the Train pillow! What a lucky little boy we have, and what a wonderful early birthday party.

When the last guests had left, he turned to me and said, “Aw Mom, I miss my family”. How cute is that??

Birthday Boy with his cake... If you look closely, his
little brother is kind of in the picture as well.

{this moment}

2011-06-10T12:30:00.000-05:00

Inspired by SouleMama to share one moment...via a single photo - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...

Bumper Pad Recycling Project

2011-06-08T16:14:00.000-05:00

Back when I was pregnant with Little Guy, I found an adorable crib bedding set on eBay (gently used) which I purchased for a great low price. It was a brightly colored farm themed set, and it fit perfectly with the design idea I had in my head. It was also pretty gender neutral, which was important to us as we knew we wanted more children, and didn't feel we should need to buy a different bedding set for each child.

This particular set included a crib skirt, quilt, bumper pad, mobile and decorative pillow shaped like a barn. We used everything except the bumper pad in LG's nursery. I know that many people have used them successfully, but having read a few horror stories – we chose to stash our bumper pad in storage. I knew that someday I’d think of something I could do with it.

As we recently began to get the nursery ready for Baby Boy, I came across the bumper pad again. Though we are reusing the bedding and décor from when this was LG’s room, we also wanted to give it a little different look. I had one corner that didn’t really have any wall hangings, and I decided to do something with the bumper pad to rectify that.

When LG got his bunk bed last month, we removed a few framed prints and a wooden shelf from his wall. They no longer fit with the much taller bed in place. I used those three frames and the shelf as the foundation for my new idea.

supplies at a glance

I carefully removed the fabric from the tube of bumper pad batting, and then cut out the shapes of a pig, a lamb and a chicken. I also cut out several of the gingham flowers. Using some of the reverse side of the bumper’s fabric, I made a background for each of the framed pics, then collaged the cut out images on top. The end result is fairly festive and adds another tie-in with the rest of the room’s look.

Ready to hang

Oh, and other than a half hour of my time….this cost nothing. (My very favorite type of project). Also, I’m going to use some of the bumper pad batting to create a bolster pillow for Little Guy. His new bunk bed is placed near the wall, but the design of the bed allows for a gap between his mattress and the wall. For some reason he gravitates to that space while asleep. I’m hoping that this new long pillow (which I’ll cover with some Thomas the Train fabric from my stash) will give him a more comfortable night’s sleep.

End result! The little stuffed critters on the shelf were rattles that we had when LG was a baby, but never really used. They made a nice addition, I think.

I'm Still Here...Just Tired

2011-06-07T20:20:00.000-05:00

so I haven't been washing clothes by hand,
but some days it feels like I have been...

If you are wondering where I've been lately... here's a quick glimpse:

My fantastic Hubby and lovely Little Guy took me on vacation over Memorial Day to see my Grandma and other extended family in Kentucky. It was a long trip, but worth every minute of pregnancy-related travel discomfort. I’ll share more on that trip later this week.

We finished the Baby’s room! Hurrah! The furniture is in place, the curtains are hung, the closet is organized with all those adorable tiny clothes and the itty bitty diapers are stacked in their sorter. This is a small thing really, but it sure meant a lot to mark it off the old "to do" list. We’re ready whenever our new sweetie pie wants to join us.

Though his birthday is truly at the end of next month, we are having a birthday party for Little Guy this Saturday. Next month will be busy enough with the arrival of Baby Boy, and we want to make sure LG gets as much fun and attention as he can before he has to start sharing the spotlight. I still have some general cleaning to do around the house, and will be baking/decorating the cake. Otherwise, we’re almost ready. Little Guy certainly is, but then he’s been a bit obsessed with his birthday for a few months now. We’ll do something small on his true big day too.

Oh, and I’m kind of exhausted. That’s really the biggest reason I’ve been absent from the blososphere. It isn’t that I haven’t had things to say….just no energy left over to say them. This pregnancy is really kicking my energy level to the curb! After the craziness of this week however, I should be able to get back in my usual groove (I hope). We shall see.

I promise to post at least some short bits throughout the week. Hope you are doing well.

Losing My Mind

2011-05-24T19:57:00.003-05:00

Hubby tends to roll his eyes when I blame pregnancy for my utter lack of concentration lately, but I’m convinced that’s the source of my absent mindedness.

The little sweetie pie growing in my belly is draining my brain.

Yesterday (while trying to drive three blocks to an appointment with our insurance agent) I made a wrong turn twice and (after circling the block) missed the final turn-off completely. By the time Hubby called to say he’d taken care of everything and we could just meet at home – I was stuck in traffic – going the wrong way – and on the verge of tears.

I do not like feeling like this.

You see, I’m usually able to complete simple tasks like driving three blocks without getting lost. I don’t usually tell the same exact story multiple times to the same person (this is typical lately). I realized last night that I hadn’t yet bothered to tell anyone that we’re having a birthday party for Little Guy in a few weeks. I usually like to warn everyone in advance in case there are scheduling conflicts. Hubby has assured me that the “save the date” email I sent this morning will tide everyone over till the invites go out in the mail….the invites which I haven’t started making yet.

I have less than two months left, and I’m hoping that when our dear Baby Boy is born, my ability to think clearly will return. I miss it so.

Until then…don’t be shy. If my shoes don’t match – tell me. If you see me wandering aimlessly – show me the way. If you think I’ve lost my mind – it’s because I have, so just be nice…and maybe bring ice cream.

Little Guy's Cowboy Quilt

2011-05-20T18:30:00.000-05:00

Last month, I finished the twin quilt I’d been working on for a while. Technically, if you count fabric selection…it’s been in the works for almost three years. When LG was just a tiny baby I started to buy bits of cowboy themed fabric wherever I ran across it - with the goal of an eventual twin bed size quilt in mind.

This cowboy quilt has been a really fun project for me. I didn’t use a pattern, but chose a basic four-patch design which I knew I could handle. I used a low loft batting and a solid navy blue fabric for backing. I went with blues and reds to accent the cowboy fabrics because they seemed like colors that could withstand whatever wear and tear our Little Guy might put them through.

Someday I’ll do some more hand quilting, but this project was done 100% on my sewing machine. I also tied off the centers of each four-square block. The ties weren’t necessary, but reminded me of the first twin size quilt I ever had (and still have now) which was made by my Grandma.

Luckily for me, I also found some cowboy themed sheets at a garage sale last summer, making the overall look really come together (I think). The day these pictures were taken, was the day Little Guy’s new bunk beds were delivered (giving us time to set his toddler bed back up as a crib before the baby is born).

Look closely... Little Guy is peeking out from behind his stuffed dinosaurs.

I’m never going to win any quilting contests, but I do love the process: from picking out fabrics to finishing the final stitches…it’s like putting together a puzzle that you don’t have a picture or box for. Pure fun, if you ask me.

This is the second twin size quilt I’ve made (my first was a Superman themed one for my little brother back in 2001). I’ve made a number of baby quilts and a lap quilt or two. I’ve never taken a class or had any formal training. What I have done instead, is read a lot of books on the topic, and carefully examined the family quilts which I love the most. Those quilts I have which are most dear to me are what I consider true patchwork. They were assembled with squares cut from old dresses, work shirts and feed sacks. They are not perfectly color coordinated, but they were clearly made with love.

When Little Guy outgrows this quilt, or decides he needs something else, it will be carefully stored away. Maybe someday one of his children or grandchildren will be able to use it too. One of the many things I love about quilts is how they can be handed down from generation to generation, and loved by each.

My quilting focus has now moved to the crib quilt I’m working on for Baby Boy. Then it will be time to start collecting fabric for HIS first twin quilt. Right now…I’m thinking maybe his will have a space theme (planets, rocket ships etc.) but time will tell.

Fire Safety OOPS

2011-05-13T12:44:00.001-05:00

I haven’t begun to “nest” yet. If you were to peek into the nursery, you’d see evidence of just how much I should be nesting (boxes stacked everywhere & hardly anything where it needs to be in just a couple months).

One thing that has been bothering me lately however, has been home safety, so I decided to check our fire extinguishers. We have two. One was Dan’s before we were married. Though five years old, it still has a good charge. The other one we have was there when we bought the house, and hangs in the stairwell to our basement. I took a look at it… and well, you might say that I was surprised.

From a distance....

and zooming in for an eye-opening close-up!!

Yikes!! This fire extinguisher was last charged two years before I was born! Needless to say, a new fire extinguisher became something I very much wanted. My parents just happened to ask me later that same day what we might want for an anniversary gift. I told them I’d like to replace our fire extinguisher. They chuckled a bit (not exactly what they’d had in mind), but said they could certainly do that. And they did. So, now we have a spanking new one hanging where the old one was. I was even able to re-use the old bracket. That’s one feature that was better with the older model. It’s largely made of metal. The new one was 100% plastic, and just didn’t look very durable to me.

Brand NEW!!!

So, now I can breathe a little easier knowing that’s taken care of. The next item on my list? Well other than organizing the nursery of course (haha)…is to get a carbon monoxide detector. There’s such a wide variety of those, and I’m doing some research before making a final decision on brand/model. Any suggestions?

Tulip Time

2011-05-13T12:44:00.000-05:00

Last weekend Hubby, Little Guy and I took a day trip to Pella Iowa for their annual Tulip festival. Pella is not a large town, but they take this opportunity to show off their Dutch roots and their amazing gardens of Tulips.

My guys treated me to this day of flowery entertainment for Mother’s Day. How sweet is that? Though I certainly had the most fun, I think they both ended up enjoying themselves too.

Everywhere we went, locals were dressed in period costumes and wearing wooden shoes. The fragrance of Dutch pastry wafted out of two sweet little bakeries on the town square, and we made a point of stopping for Dutch Letters before heading home. We didn’t stay for the parade, but did take part in various other activities and generally had a lovely day.

Below are some photographic highlights of our day in Pella.

This large windmill overlooks the town. The picture doesn't do it justice.

Red Tulips - Do they get any lovlier than this?? Well maybe, but these are really great.

It's hard to tell here, but the color contrast was very striking.

Little Guy, taking time to smell the Tulips...

A lovely look at part of one of the gardens.

I think these were called "Sensual Beauty" or something along those lines...really lovely.

Probably my favorite picture of the day. He was really having a great time!

Not Tulips obviously, but the blossoms on this tree were just amazing. I'd love one of these beauties in my front yard. Any idea what it is???

Last, but certainly not least....my edible treat for the day: A Dutch Letter. YUM!

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T05:22:00.002-05:00

A special thank you to my Mother, and all the other special Moms in my life (you know who you are).

As I Look Back...
As I look back on my life
I find myself wondering...
Did I remember to thank you
for all that you have done for me?
For all of the times you were by my side
to help me celebrate my successes
and accept my defeats?
Or for teaching me the value of hard work,
good judgement, courage, and honesty?
I wonder if I've ever thanked you
for the simple things...
The laughter, smiles, and quiet times we've shared?
If I have forgotten to express my gratitude
For any of these things,
I am thanking you now...
and I am hoping that you've known all along,
how very much you are loved and appreciated.

Author Unknown

Jelly Beans as Currency

2011-05-07T05:20:00.000-05:00

This is probably not my proudest moment, but I have a confession to make: I’ve been bribing my toddler with Jelly Beans.

Now, before you send me a note explaining how horrible sugar is, and how his dentist would never approve… hear me out. Because Hubby and I have different work schedules (his work day starts and ends way before mine), we split up the daycare duty. I take Little Guy to daycare on my way to the office, and Hubby picks him up on his way home.

In the past, this system worked perfectly. Recently a couple things have changed:

1. First off, Little Guy has developed a love for running from me. As soon as the front door opens, he is off like a shot. If he went straight to the car and waited, this would be fine…but mostly he just runs (he thinks this is soooo funny). He might run into the neighbor’s yard or off to chase birds or hide behind the shrubbery. Some days I couldn’t even get the front door locked before he would start sprinting down the sidewalk. (And if you think a two year old can’t run fast, you clearly haven’t chased one.)

2. Secondly, I’m now in the third trimester of my second pregnancy, and let’s be honest… running is not something I’m great at right now. I always catch him (eventually), but the idea of getting to work already sweaty and tired isn’t how I want to start my day.

One morning last week (as we both stood just inside the front door), I looked down and saw in his expression that he was primed for a hasty escape. I sighed, resigned to another chase, when suddenly I had an idea. I said, “If you wait on the porch while Mommy locks the door, you can have one jelly bean.” I then fished one out of the candy jar and showed him the tiny candy as proof of my promise.

His eyes grew wide, and he said, “Okay Mommy”.

He went outside and patiently waited on the porch while I locked the door (Eureka!). I then took one tiny hand in mine and put the jelly bean in his other hand. He grinned and gobbled it up. We began walking toward the car, and almost immediately he was straining to get away. I held on tight and when we reached our destination, I got his attention again, and said, “If you climb into your car seat and sit there while I buckle you in, I will give you another jelly bean.

Once again, he became quite serious, and said, “Okay Mommy”. Usually he tries to vault into the front seat, or plant himself in the regular seat trying to fasten the adult seatbelt. But, upon hearing another jelly bean was coming his way, he proceeded to climb right into his car seat and ate his second jelly bean while I buckled him in. (Eureka again!)

There was no running. There were no frantic cries of “Get back here this instant!” There were no laughing neighbors pointing at me chasing him. No stress. No panicked rise in my heart rate. No sweaty sprints across the yard.

It was peaceful. It was serene. It was wonderful. It was all thanks to a couple tiny jelly beans.

Vintage Toys

2011-05-06T20:06:00.002-05:00

Hubby and I both enjoy finding old toys for Little Guy which are like those we played with as children. He already has the Fisher Price Record Player, the Fisher Price wind-up radio and Tupperware Mix and Match animals (among others). Recently I found the Fisher Price School Desk (what can I say? We love Fisher Price) on eBay, and bought it at a bargain price.

Little Guy loves his new toy. He wants to “play letters” every day, and can do exactly that for long periods of time. I remember playing with my own FP School Desk back in the 1970’s, and seeing our toddler playing with his – brings back some really great memories.

Oreo-filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-05-05T20:41:00.000-05:00

So, I first heard of this recipe when two Facebook friends posted links to similar recipes in the same day. Then a few days later, Mindy blogged about giving them a try, and THEN my little brother called to say he’d baked some and thought they were a hit.

I’m not a big trend follower, but when the trend involves combining multiple yummy cookie types, I’m a sucker for peer pressure. Last week my office was having a food day, and I decided to take a batch of these sweet treats.

This is the recipe I tried. The one thing I did differently was use mini oreos instead of full size ones, as I’d seen some others try. I was very pleased. These are indeed yummy cookies.

Hubby had a food day this week, and he tried the recipe also. He went with the full size double-stuff cookies from the original recipe, and I must say the original is way better. Of course, eating one cookie feels like main-lining sugar, but the sheer joy associated with biting into one of these sweet explosions makes all the calories and eventual sugar letdown worth it.

If you haven’t tried making this yet…and you love cookies…. Try it today. I promise you won’t be sorry (no matter what size Oreos you use).

Minneapolis Mini-Vacation - Day Three

2011-05-04T17:05:00.000-05:00

We checked out of our hotel after a lazy morning of cartoons and conversation.

We took a scenic drive around some of the lakes (so that Little Guy could get a nice nap before we got to the game), and then headed downtown.

We parked and ate lunch at the Hard Rock Café. It was fun (I’ve been a Hard Rock Café fan since high school, and this was one I hadn’t been to yet. While there, Little Guy started singing the Sunday School song “The B.I.B.L.E.” and we joked that it might have been the first time such a song was sung there. The food was good and when we were finished we headed for Target Field.

We are big baseball fans, and go to as many games as we can. Though our favorite team (Boston Red Sox) was not in town, we still had fun watching the game we went to (Twins vs. Indians). Don’t ask me who won. Little Guy was getting pretty tired (ie grouchy) and we left during the fourth inning. Even though we didn’t watch the entire game, we still had a nice day and perfect weather.

After leaving the stadium, we headed home to relax and unpack and sleep in our own cozy beds.

Minnesota Mini-Vacation - Day Two

2011-04-29T20:51:00.003-05:00

We started the second day of our “Operation Min-Vacation” by going to Mickey’s Diner for our morning meal. Built to resemble a classic Art Deco diner car, Mickey’s has been serving classic diner fare in St. Paul since before WWII. It’s small, but adorable, and has even been featured in a few movies. During our short visit, we enjoyed a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs and sausage, surrounded by regulars and fellow tourists alike. The food was good. The service was about what you’d expect from a tiny, bustling restaurant.

Mickey's Diner - image from their website.

Little Guy, enjoying his toast at Mickey's

From there, we traveled to another part of St. Paul to tour the Minnesota Transportation Museum. Before we even entered the doors, we knew this was going to be a big hit with our little fellow. Retired train cars and cabooses were displayed by the parking lot, as was a refurbished Greyhound bus from an earlier generation. The building which houses the museum is also still an operating roundhouse, which we thought was very interesting. We went in, toured many train engines and cars on display and watched a little railroad movie. Then Little Guy found a model engine which he could play in, and he decided he never wanted to leave! It had been donated by a nearby children’s museum, and was clearly a paradise for train loving children. We hadn’t been there long, when we were told that the turn table and round house were in operation and we could go out on the observation deck to watch the workers move the huge trains around. Eventually we also got to ride a train for a short bit. Our seats were in the cupola part of an SOO caboose. All three of us had fun on that little ride. We rounded out our visit with a trip to the gift shop, and some play time at the Thomas the Train tables near the entrance.

My Guys in the Model Train. Choo Choo!!

LG at the entrace to the museum

This caboose looks like the one we rode in (our seats were in the red part at the top). My camera batteries died, so I don't have actual pictures of the train ride. oops

We grabbed lunch at a little family restaurant, and then went to a few baseball card shops (for Hubby) and the Golden Fig (for me). The Golden Fig is a lovely little shop which features primarily Minnesota wares. Everything from jellies and jams, to cheese and sausage. They have spices, candy, microbrews and various baking mixes (just to name a few of their items). I adore stores like this, and during this visit, I bought some little chocolate caramels and a jar of butcher’s rub spice mix.

We were a bit burnt out on restaurants at this point, so we treated ourselves to a hotel picnic. We had brought snack items with us: peanut butter crackers, granola bars, fruit and juice. We made little hodge-podge meals and enjoyed each other’s company right there in our room. It was a nice break that also saved us a little money, so win-win.

Our second day behind us, we settled down for a good night’s sleep.

Minnesota Mini Vacation - Day One

2011-04-28T20:36:00.021-05:00

Who doesn’t like to get away for a bit? We took a day off recently so that we could have a three day weekend to get out of town for a breather. Since we wanted to take Little Guy along with us, we chose the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul MN) as our mini vacation destination (close but not so close that it didn’t feel like getting away).

We left home early on Day One, arriving at our first stop The Mall of America, just in time for lunch at Johnny Rockets. We ate our burgers and fries while overlooking the amusement park in the center of the mall. To say that Little Guy was intrigued, would be the understatement of the year. We promised him we’d check out all the rides after we’d wandered through the mall.

We are such frugal shoppers, that we rarely even enter the big stores and tiny niche shops that fill such a place. However, we are big fans of people watching and window shopping, and we did a lot of both. We started on the third floor and after circling it, went to the second and then the first. Once we’d wandered through each of the floors we headed for the amusement park area.

Little Guy is still pretty short, and was not going to be able to ride many of the rides (much to his disappointment). Instead of spending $20 or $30 on a “ticket package” that might result in three rides, we opted for a trip to the Nickelodeon store (the park is sponsored by Nickelodeon), where Little Guy picked out a stuffed moose named Tyrone. Tyrone is one of the stars of Little Guy’s favorite non-train cartoon, The Backyardigans. For the rest of the trip, LG and Tyrone were inseparable.

Just after he got Tyrone! So excited!!

Relaxing in the hotel room...

We left the mall (lunch and Tyrone our only purchases), found our hotel and checked in. Then we went in search of dinner. Hubby wanted to try a German Restaurant (Gasthof zur Gemutlichkeit) which he had seen featured on an episode of the Travel Network's Man vs. Food. We got there just as the doors were opening for the dinner hour. We were greeted warmly and taken to a roomy booth. It was one of many which skirted a large (but cozy) room filled with long family style tables. Our waitress was friendly and helpful. She brought us fresh bread and butter while we perused the menus. I ordered a Parmesan pork schnitzel, which came with potato dumplings and a lovely house salad. Hubby went for the challenge* meal that included a meter of bratwurst coiled over a heaping bed of sour kraut - with a side of potato croquettes. Little Guy had (of course) a cheeseburger.

The food was excellent! Every part of our meal was simply mouth watering. And if that weren’t enough, there was live music. A smiling man in lederhosen walked around the dining area chatting with guests and taking special requests to play on his accordion (ever hear Black Sabbath’s Iron Man on the accordion? It’s surprisingly good!). Little Guy was amazed. He thought the accordion music was wonderful (as did we). The musician was a natural performer. He played a variety of requests and traditional German tunes, laughing genially with all of the people he met. When he got to our table, Little Guy asked for “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, which the guy said was a family favorite, singing and playing with gusto. He then went on to perform “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and the Alphabet song for LG, followed by “Can’t Help Falling in Love” for Hubby and I. It was a perfect way to end the first day of our little adventure! We left with big smiles on our faces, and tummies full of yummy food.

*Hubby’s eyes were bigger than his belly on this particular night, and he did not finish his meter of bratwurst – though he made a very heavy dent in it. Though he left without getting the certificate that the completed challenge promised, he still had a great time and a yummy meal to boot.

Pay It Forward

2011-04-25T05:39:00.006-05:00

The sweet and fabulous Zoe of PennyBlossoms has honored me with a little bloggy award. Thank you Zoe!!

As a recipient, I am tasked with forwarding it to some other wonderful bloggers… the catch being that they must have fewer than 300 followers. I love reading the posts of all of my favorites, and it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to a few who deserve an award, but who have (like me) not yet attained the level of 300 followers… (yikes! I’ve been blogging for over a year and haven’t even cracked 30! Haha)

In no particular order…

Mindy from Double Chocolate Thoughts – if you like yummy food…and funny Mommy stories, you will adore Mindy’s lovely blog. Be prepared to drool over her cakes and cookies.

Jody from Gumbo Lily – she talks about life on the American prairie, her faith, and her family. She also shares crafts and recipe ideas. Her blog always puts a smile on my face.

Diane from Heart Shaped – her photos always make me feel like I’m on a lovely European voyage. She tells stories of the places she’s visited, and shares tidbits about her life. Need a break from the monotony of wherever you are? Visit Diane for a quickie virtual vacation!

TopChelseaGirl from How Soon is Now? – another of my blog pals from across the big pond, she loves to dress and decorate on a budget and always manages to come up with the most wonderful end results!

My college friend MaryAnn from You Say - she is funny and sarcastic and irreverent, and always makes me laugh no matter what kind of day I'm having.

This list is not all-inclusive, but it gives you a feel for the variety of blogs I enjoy reading. Pay them a visit if you have the time. If you have even more time...check out the other wonderful blogs in my blog roll! They are all worth a read. Have a wonderful day!!!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T05:58:00.002-05:00

HE LIVES!!

I serve a risen Saviour,

He's in the world today;

I know that He is living,

Whatever men may say;

I see His hand of mercy,

I hear His voice of cheer,

And just the time I need Him

He's always near.

####Chorus:

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives

today!

He walks with me and He talks with me

Along life's narrow way.

He lives, He live, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives:

He lives within my heart.

In all the world around me

I see His loving care,

And tho my heart grows weary

I never will despair;

I know that He is leading

Thro' all the stormy blast,

The day of His appearing

Will come at last.

####

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,

Lift up your voice and sing

Eternal hallelujahs

To Jesus Christ the King!

The hope of all who seek Him,

The help of all who find,

None other is so loving,

So good and kind.

Wishing you all a blessed Easter Day!

{this moment}

2011-04-22T05:02:00.001-05:00

Inspired by SouleMama to share one moment...via a single photo - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...

Feels Like Home

2011-04-21T05:20:00.000-05:00

Today is our 4th Wedding Anniversary. The time has flown by and these first four years have been truly wonderful. I am thankful and honored to be married to a man who makes my heart beat a little faster, even after the “new” has worn off. He is a fantastic husband and father. I am truly blessed, and happily look forward to growing old with this man I love!

Someone once asked me if I regretted waiting till my 30s to get married. My answer was a resounding “no”.

Because, you see…he was worth the wait.

Some couples have a special song they call their own. We don’t really, but this oldie by Randy Newman always speaks to me, and reminds me of how much better my life is because my husband is in it.

**************************************************************************
Feels Like Home
written by Randy Newman

Something in your eyes makes me wanna lose myself
Makes me wanna lose myself in your heart
There’s something in your voice makes my heart beat fast
Hope this feeling will last the rest of my life

If you knew how lonely my life has been
And how low I’ve felt for so long
If you knew how I wanted someone to come along
And change my world the way that you’ve done

It feels like home to me – feels like home to me
Feels like I’m on my way back where I come from
Feels like home to me – feels like home to me
Feels like I’m on my way back where I’m from

With your embrace down a long dark street
And a sigh of wind in the night
But I’m alright ‘cause I have you here with me
And I can almost see the dark feels light

If you knew how much this moment means to me
And how long I’ve waited for your touch
If you knew how I wanted someone to come along
I never thought I’d love anyone so much

Feels like home to me – feels like home to me
Feels like I’m on my way back where I come from
Feels like home to me – feels like home to me
Feels like I’m on my way back to where I belong
Feels like I’m on my way back to where I belong

**************************************************************************
Happy Anniversary Dan! I love you. :)

Catching Up

2011-04-20T20:36:00.001-05:00

The wickedhappy house has been aflutter with activity this past week. I will blame said activity on my lack of posting – it’s as good an excuse as any, right?

So, here’s what’s been going on around here….

I passed that glucose tolerance test I’d mentioned in my last post! Hurrah for me. I will of course do whatever I need to do to keep my baby healthy…but I must admit I was really dreading the dietary restrictions that a fail would have put upon me.

Over the weekend my Mother-in-law came for a visit. It was really great to have her here, and she and Little Guy really had a chance to connect and enjoy each other’s company. They don’t usually get much one-on-one time, and it was wonderful to see how much fun they were having together. I really love to see him interacting with all of his Grandparents. It reminds me of the wonderful relationships I had with my own Grandparents growing up, and that makes me very happy!

On the Quilting front…I finished the quilt top for Little Guy’s cowboy themed twin size quilt (I promise you’ll see pictures soon). My goal is to get the whole thing done by the end of the month. Even if it means a few late nights, it will be worth it to have that marked off the old ‘to do’ list. I bought low-loft batting as I want it to be something he can have on the bed year round. The piecing is always the hardest of course, so it should be all down-hill from here. Little Guy caught a sneak peek before I was half done with the top, and he snuggled it and hugged it and said “MY BLANKET”. So… I think he’ll like it just fine!

Once that one is out of the way, I’ll have to get busy on New Baby’s quilt too. My deadline for that one is more flexible…but I’d like to have it done before he gets here this summer, obviously. I don’t remember having a lot of free time for sewing those first few months after a little one is born.

Little Guy managed to catch a cold…another one. I swear he’s had a runny/stuffy nose since September! Like many little ones, he struggles to breathe with a stuffy nose while laying flat in his bed. The solution (more often than not) is Hubby or I have to sleep sitting up on the sofa, holding our sweetie in an upright position. This helps him sleep…us, not so much. I think though, that after a few rough nights, we are seeing great improvement and he’s almost back to 100%. Yay!

Mood Swings & Chocolate Cravings

2011-04-15T20:17:00.000-05:00

By decree (of my husband), no more local news for me until the baby is born! Last night Little Guy was playing with his trains while Hubby and I were taking in a bit of the 6:00 news. A story came on about the second soldier from our state to die in Afghanistan this week. I was fine until they showed his picture. It always breaks my heart when any of our soldiers (such brave men and women) lose their lives in service to our country, but this boy really struck a nerve. He was so young! I was just suddenly and completely overwrought for his family.

Hubby and Little Guy both stopped what they were doing, and froze – for a moment staring at me in surprise and worry. Hubby quickly changed the television channel and Little Guy found his way into my lap to stroke my cheek, and say, “It okay Mama, I here for you.” That of course made me cry even harder. All I could think about, was that somewhere that soldier’s Mom was wishing her son was still around for her, but of course he’s not.

After a few minutes, Hubby found the premier episode of MacGuyver on Netflix, and it had the desired effect. Eventually, I stopped crying. Soon things were pretty much back to normal (or as normal as things get lately – my pregnancy hormones have really been taking me on a roller coaster ride these days).

The other problem I’ve been dealing with is an insane and insatiable hunger for chocolate. Oh dear. I have never eaten as much chocolate in my life, as I have these last couple of months.

Tomorrow I take the three hour glucose tolerance test (to determine if I might have Gestational Diabetes). I failed the first test early in the week. I failed the first test during my other pregnancy too, but passed the second one. I’m hoping for a similar result this time around.

Keep your fingers crossed for me. If I fail that test, maybe keep your fingers crossed for Hubby and Little Guy. They will need all the extra help they can get if I can’t have my chocolate!

I Heart Garage Sales!!!!

2011-04-12T21:03:00.000-05:00

We went Garage Sailing this past weekend. My budget for the day was $20, and I managed to get home with a bunch of great items, and CHANGE too! What a perfect day.

In the picture you can see some of our goodies. Almost all was for Little Guy (2 pr Osh Kosh jeans, Osh Kosh railroad bibs - to replace the ones he's outgrown, 1 pr Levi's, 1 pr baseball PJs, an Adidas shorts outfit, several pair of other shorts, a Disney "Cars" sweatshirt for fall, several new shirts, including Bob the Builder, Thomas the Train and a Mickey Mouse one!! We also found (not pictured here) a stack of tiny pants for Baby Boy to go with onsies, three infant toys and two childrens' books for Little Guy... as well as a huge bag of brand new diapers in the size and brand LG wears!!!

Can you believe we found all that for less than twenty bucks?!?! Woo Hoo

Can hardly wait till next week.

Just what We Needed!

2011-04-12T05:33:00.001-05:00

Last weekend our little family trudged through a packed flea market looking for bargains (one of our favorite weekend activities – regardless of crowd size). We usually go with nothing specific in mind, and just wait for things we “need” to jump out at us. This time, we did have one item we were specifically looking for: a chest of drawers for Baby Boy’s nursery. The closet in the room he will use is tiny, and extra clothing/bedding storage will be required.

We had only been pushing our way through the crowd for a few minutes when I spotted one that was about the right size for the space we have. It was also a good color (blond wood finish – matches our changing table). It was sturdy, clean and didn’t have a lot of scratches or dents! My heart rate began to accelerate. I pulled out each drawer to see if they were in good working order. They were! The overall look of the thing was a bit dated (60s or 70s maybe?), but I’m not one to worry about things being terribly modern. In pretty much every aspect of my life, I am much more concerned with function, value and comfort than I am with style.

So, after sizing up the chest, and seeing that it would be a great solution to our problem, I nervously flipped over the price tag.

$12.50

Woo Hoo!!! So, we bought it of course, and the seller helped Hubby load it into our vehicle. It didn’t really fit, but the seller gave us a bungee cord which kept everything in place (even with the back hatch open) as we drove home. We put it into the Baby’s room, and it’s a perfect fit there. I gave it a quick wipe-down, and can now mark a big item off our “to do” list for Baby.

Sometimes a bargain hunter has to “settle” on whatever happens to be in the desired price range. We were very lucky to find something we actually thought was perfect, at a truly perfect price!! Now all that’s left is filling it up (and that will be the most fun of all).

Baby Bibs

2011-04-11T05:29:00.003-05:00

When Little Guy was just a wee baby, we used bibs that we had purchased or which were given to us. They were cute, and served the purpose, but none were all that special. This time around I decided to take a stab at making my own.

I took a couple of our favorites that we had saved, traced around the edges to make a pattern, and then used some bits of cutesy flannel that I had in my stash (some adorable Michael Miller and a cute chicken print from JoAnn’s).

I had a quarter yard of each, and with that amount was able to make a large “eating” bib, and a smaller “dribble” bib with each of the three fabrics. I had the thread and snaps on hand too, so this project cost me nothing. It was a lot of fun and I hope that Baby Boy gets a lot of use out of them. I’ll probably make more too, as time permits.

For now though, I need to concentrate on finishing two quilts. One is for Little Guy’s transition to his first twin bed, the other is for Baby Boy’s nursery. I’ve started both (and really am probably half way done with LG’s. I need to get motivated and get them finished. THEN I can maybe make some more cute bibs.

The motivation has been elusive these last couple of weeks, so we’ll see.

Weekend Plans

2011-04-09T05:29:00.000-05:00

So another weekend (much needed and appreciated) is upon us, and we have nothing of note planned. These are actually my favorite types of weekends…the ones with no writing on the calendar. Tentatively, my unofficial (and very flexible) plans include:

• Make (at least some) progress on Little Guy’s quilt
• Clean the house
• Do some art projects with Little Guy
• Find a break in the potentially rainy forecast to get out for a walk
• Take a nap

What are your plans?

{this moment}

2011-04-08T11:30:00.000-05:00

Inspired by SouleMama to share one moment...via a single photo - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember...

Having fun on the slide at the park.

The Apple and the Tree

2011-04-07T20:15:00.000-05:00

As a child, I was what some (namely my parents) would describe as very challenging. Or maybe they’d use words like “ornery”, “mischievous” or “trouble maker”.

What? You don’t believe me? Need a few examples? I once pushed a little boy down a flight of stairs, poured a bowl of chili over the head of another little boy, painted a weather map on my entire bedroom wall, and fed my Dad’s baby turkeys to our German Shepherd… not all on the same day of course – but all before I was eight years old.

Even as a toddler, my folks said I was always getting into trouble, climbing on furniture, drinking toilet bowl cleaner (before the days of child-proof caps) and even running off when I found the chance. As a two year old, I once hid under a neighbor’s house for a while – leaving my parents frantic. For the record, they weren't neglectful parents, and they weren't leaving me unattended. I was sneaky (and fast). They often said all it took was one moment and I'd be gone, or knee deep in my next adventure.

Years passed and I mellowed (thankfully) into a fairly normal teenager and adult. But I still remember a few times during my childhood when my dear Mother would look me in the eye and say, “Someday I hope you have ten children, and I hope they are all just as ornery as you!” She has many times since, assured me that though I was a challenge, I was also a lot of fun and that she wouldn’t trade those years for anything.

But maybe its because she’s had 30 years or so to rest? Or maybe her memories of my early years were numbed by those of my baby brother – who was the perfect and obedient child that mothers everywhere wish they had?

I’m not sure.

Either way, I was reminded of that “ten children as ornery as you” comment yesterday, when the babysitter told me that Little Guy had tried to run down another child at daycare with his tricycle, laughing while the other boy screamed in terror.

For that, he lost all of his trains for the rest of the day (big time punishment for this particular tiny fellow). We don't take this behavior lightly, and hope he never does anything like it again. But who knows? I may not have ten children, but the one I do have so far - seems to be just as ornery as I was. The apple truly doesn't seem to have fallen far from the tree (from this tree anyway). Hubby’s parents have both assured me that he (like my brother) was pretty much a perfect child. We had hoped that maybe Little Guy’s temperment might fall somewhere in the middle of “challenging” and “perfectly behaved”. We’re hoping the same for the New Baby. But even if both of our little sweeties turn out to be chips off this particular old block… I’ll still always count them as the most precious blessings in my life!!

Now that I think about it more…my Mom had it right after all. Though sometimes challenging, Being Little Guy’s Mommy is a load of fun (even when we have bad days like yesterday) and I sure wouldn’t trade these amazing years for anything in the world!

The grey hairs? Now, those, I’d trade…. Any takers?

The Hoosier

2011-04-05T20:18:00.001-05:00

When Hubby and I first moved into our house (just a few months after getting married), we realized quickly that the kitchen just didn’t have enough space for our combined accumulation of kitchen stuff. He loves to cook. I love to bake. Over the years, we have acquired the types of kitchen gear you’d expect.

For the space we had to use, we both wanted something that wouldn’t break the bank, but managed to have some character. We found an old Hoosier Cabinet at a local antique store. It sorely needed some repair work (one of the drawer fronts was badly warped and the whole thing needed a serious cleaning and new paint job), but we were willing to take on the challenge.

My Dad helped us. He built a new drawer front to replace the warped one. While Hubby was busy with other new home projects, I spent several hours cleaning, sanding, and painting.

The end result was one we were both quite happy with. It has become our baking center, and is situated in the heart of our kitchen. Our spice collection lives behind the top double doors. The microwave, my most used cook books and a little basket for coupons and take-out menus go in the middle. The drawers below hold cookie cutters, rolling pins, measuring cups and funnels. The bottom storage area is full of mixing bowls, cake and pie pans. On the very top are more cook books which are favorites, but which don’t get used as often, and the cookie jar.

I walk by the Hoosier probably fifty times a day. It always makes me smile, and other than the fact that Little Guy can now reach the buttons on the microwave…I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s not a family heirloom, but it is a family treasure.

Baking HITS and MISSES

2011-04-04T20:13:00.007-05:00

Last week I was in the mood to bake. This isn’t anything new. I love baking. Pies, cakes, cookies, whatever – I love it all (the eating too, of course). Usually, I am pretty good at it too.

I decided on that particular day last week that I was in the mood for pie, but wasn’t particularly in the mood to make a double crust affair. I found a recipe titled “Impossible Coconut Pie” in one of my old cookbooks. It was super easy to make. All the ingredients were mixed in one big bowl, then poured into a cake pan to bake. During the baking process, the pie was supposed to separate into three distinct layers (crust, filling, and coconut topping).

It was not what I’d call a success.

Hubby, who will rarely turn away dessert had the following to say, “If that pie were on Facebook, I would deny its friend request.”

My Dad always says, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” That is what I’ve now written in the margin of the cookbook where that “Impossible” pie recipe is located. I won’t be trying that one again.

Over the weekend a Facebook friend (and amazing baker, and fellow blogger), posted a blurb about a cake she’d made. It sounded fabulous, so I asked for the recipe. I did something wrong…who knows what? The ending result tasted amazing (really and truly amazing), but it wouldn’t hold up like it should, and sort of collapsed all over my cake carrier and onto the table around it. I take full responsibility for the problem. I’ve been known to make wacko mistakes in the kitchen (and in life) when I’m pregnant. Baby brain drain, and all that. The picture below was supposed to be a triple layer 8 inch cake.

This time Hubby had only good things to say about my latest baking adventure, in spite of the cake’s oddball appearance. I scooped up weird looking hunks of cake onto our plates, and we both ate them happily. It was truly yummy, and I’ll definitely be trying that recipe again. It deserves to be attempted as many times as it takes to get it right.

The coconut pie? Not so much.

A Sigh of Relief

2011-03-28T14:49:00.000-05:00

Little Guy and I have both been fighting a doozy of a cold this last week or so. Nothing out of the ordinary...just the usual runny nose/hacking/coughing/sore throat variety. Yuck! We've been drinking lots of fluids and resting, but hadn't done much else to fight it. I kept figuring it would go away with time.
Last night he woke up at 1:30. He was crying in a way that put me on edge immediately. Moms, you know what I'm talking about. There is a difference between a whiny attention needing cry and one that actually means more. I took him into the living room and comforted him. Right away I could tell two things. One: he now had a fever. Two: his breathing had become shallow and ragged. He sounded like he was on the verge of hyperventilating, even after he drifted back to sleep.

I woke Hubby and we gave our Little Guy a dose of Tylenol and some cold water to drink. His condition remained unchanged. We knew we could take him to the doctor today, but who knows when we would have gotten an appointment. We just didn't like the way he sounded, and decided to take him to the Emergency Room at our local hospital.

We got there at 2:30. The staff were wonderful, and though it took a while to see a doctor, they made sure we were comfortable and everything went as smoothly as can be expected. Chest ex rays were ordered, and I was very grateful we had all went (since pregnant mommies can't be in the ex ray room with their sick little boys, but daddies can be). That made it much better for Little Guy than if he'd had to go in with a stranger. They gave him a breathing treatment and by the time we left (around 4:30) he didn't sound all that bad.

Luckily, the chest ex rays ruled out Pneumonia and other scary problems that could have existed. He needs lots of rest, medicine to control his temp, a prescribed steroid and lots of love. I took today off and tomorrow will be Hubby's turn. We are both hoping that this will pass by Wednesday, but time will tell.

As always, we are ever thankful for God's blessings. We have a strong and mostly very healthy little boy (who will recover quickly), access to wonderful medical care, and good insurance. These are the items topping my "count my blessings" list for the day.

Don't Mind Me...I'll Be In The Garage

2011-03-28T06:37:00.000-05:00

Well, with any luck...I'll be in a lot of them! The Garage Sale season has begun again, and I couldn't be happier about it. So far, I've only been to a couple. Exciting finds so far: An excellent copy of Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book, a tee shirt for Little Guy that shows a dinosaur riding a motorcycle (he loves it), several small silver photo frames, like-new Thomas the Train tennis shoes for Little Guy, and a couple maternity shirts for myself. Obviously, nothing super exciting so far, but it's early. I know I won't be disappointed.

I love saving money (which shopping the sales certianly helps me do), but I also love the chase for the perfect item at the perfect price. It's an adventure.

Each year I go into the season with an open mind. I'll never know in advance what might spark my interest. I almost always find some fun item or the other that I didn't know I needed until it was sitting in front of me, with a 50 cent sticker. On the other hand, I also approach each Garage Sale summer with a "grocery list" of items that we need/could really use. These are things that we'll probably buy new if we can't find them used, but hopefully I'll get lucky and find them cheap.

This year, the items that I'll be looking for are:

cotton pants and shorts with elastic waistband for Little Guy. We are hoping (praying) that he'll begin to show an interest in potty training soon, and I think he'll be more open to the whole process if he doesn't have to struggle with buttons and zippers.
a wooden wall shelf (and maybe a little bookshelf) both for Baby Boy's nursery
a dresser and chest of drawers for our bedroom. We currently have mis-matched dressers which I'd love to give to the boys. My hope is that we'll find something a little better (maybe even -gasp- matching?) to replace them with. A headboard would be nice too, but I won't hold my breath for all that at Garage Sale prices.
a few cute outfits for the new Baby. We have everything he'll really need, but if I see something really cute and inexpensive...I'll snap it up.
Fisher Price Little People (the new chunky ones)....Little Guy is really playing with them a lot, and I'd like to expand his collection. I figure this is something Baby Boy will eventually enjoy too, so it's a win-win.

Even if I don't find anything from my list, I know that I'll have a great time looking! I bet I'll find some fun surprise items as well....

PS I know what you are thinking. My last post was all about getting rid of stuff, and this one is all about accumulating more. I promise there is a method to my madness. I'll be getting rid of things I don't need anymore to make room for stuff that we do need...or at least that I want. haha