Lachesis Looms

growing up

2011-08-07T20:20:00.002-04:00

Happy 2nd Birthday to my Sweetie!

2011-06-22T22:00:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day

2011-05-07T12:26:00.001-04:00

Here is my Mother's Day gift from my children (with some advice from papa). I am so excited to start this project rom Posie Gets Cosy. This will be for Emily's bedroom once completed. I think it will match very well with the quilt I mad her when she was born. Man, I am one blessed mama!

Welcome, Sam!

2011-04-30T19:42:00.002-04:00

Easter & a Delicious Treat Hubby Made

2011-04-25T14:31:00.000-04:00

New Pics

2011-04-09T14:05:00.000-04:00

Stitching a little love together

2011-02-20T22:01:00.000-05:00

I am now on day three of the quilt for baby on the way. It will be in the same style as Emily's quilt with just different materials and color scheme. The color scheme is teal, lime green, yellow and gray. So far, it is coming along nicely. The most difficult thing for me is that I have to move my whole project including sewing machine each night after Emily goes to sleep and then bring it back out again. Some day, I dream of having a dedicated sewing and craft room. I actually thought I had a pretty good place worked out in the home we are in now, but the sewing machine is in the room right above Emily's, and I don't want to wake my precious little girl up as she is such s light sleeper.
All that said, I am really enjoying making the quilt so far. It is such a rewarding experience dreaming up the pattern and choosing the best materials and patterns and then taking the time and effort to sew and iron and piece all of it together.
I have also started working on a family tree for the kids to have when they grow up. My grandma on my father's side, was really passionate about family history preservation. I can't say that I have the same drive, but it is nice to have something to pass down to them about where their family has come from.
And now, I am off to bed. Baby on the way has really been keeping me up at night.Nighty night.

A quick pictorial update

2011-02-19T10:51:00.000-05:00

This is a second Otto Bear made for baby on the way.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T17:46:00.000-05:00

Wishin' I Were Stuck In Lodi Again

2010-12-19T10:15:00.001-05:00

Update

2010-11-21T14:46:00.000-05:00

I am now an officially licensed securities broker. Yeah me! I will be taking a much needed vacation and then will be back up and going in the old blogeroo. I am so excited about Christmas this year. I can't wait for Emily Dear to enjoy the holiday and the magic of the season. Happy days!

The near future

2010-08-20T22:46:00.000-04:00

Not that I am that great about posting anyway, but it may get even more sporadic until December begins. I am just about to start taking courses and preparing for Series 6 and 63 licensing for a bit of an upgrade in my job. I am excited but know it will be a test of will to stay focused. Wish me luck!

Trade In

2010-08-11T22:27:00.001-04:00

So, awhile ago, I posted about my nook and the overwhelming love I had for it. Fast forward a month and a half and you will find these feelings of love have lost their initial shine. The page turning button broke. This was a known problem but one they had supposedly fixed. Yeah, not so much. Other than that, I really had no complaints and thoroughly enjoyed the nook, but breaking after a month and a half is just not acceptable. Luckily, even though my return date had passed, the B&N people kindly gave me a full refund without any hassle.

Since, I now have the opportunity to try the competition, I have decided to take the plunge and pre-order the new kindle (WiFi only). I will have a few weeks to try ti out and see if it lives up to the standards of the nooks other great qualities like ease of use and page turning speed and battery life. The ship date is to be Sept 8th or there abouts, so I will give my comparison review shortly thereafter.

I had toyed with the idea of an ipad as a friend has one and I really like it, BUT I am really wanting to be comfortable reading for several hours and the ipad just doesn't have the same grey screen that makes this possible. Plus, I have a computer; do I really need another one? I did some research and if it actually offered a program by which it converted my handwriting to a text document to take notes in meetings, I could see it being worthwhile but it is just not there yet. I'll save the $400 and wait until they get it a bit more functional thank you very much.

Sorry for the boring post to all non-gadget minded folks out there. I'll try to do something a bit more homey next time.

Emily can read!

2010-08-10T19:08:00.000-04:00

Yep, we are one of those over the top parents who invested in the Your Baby Can Read program. There have been a few days this past week where I thought she might have read a word from the flash cards but tonight was a definite. When I showed her the card "tiger" she made her tiger growling noise. When I showed her "toes" she held up her toes and wiggles them. When I showed her "dog" she said dog and when I showed her tongue and mouth she showed them to me. All of these were without me actually saying the word; all I did was show it to her. Amazing little 14 month old girl!

Emmy's First Swimming Lesson and a Hike

2010-07-10T19:11:00.001-04:00

Emily started "swimming" lessons this week. It is more like, getting in the water without freaking out lessons, but it's a step in the right direction. She is a natural water baby which is no surprise for my Pisces. By the fourth day she was already going under water without too much sputtering afterwards. Friday's lesson was cancelled due to thunderstorms, but we are excited to start back again on Monday. These are private lessons, but in all reality it is just some time with us and her somewhat isolated in the pool so we don't have to worry about everyone else getting in the way.

There is also a sweet picture of Emmy and Papa during a family hike/picnic from a few weeks ago. Boy, do we love Summer!

Happy Summer Solstice!

2010-06-21T22:08:00.002-04:00

Can't wait!

2010-06-12T16:48:00.001-04:00

I fell in love today with Cathedral Window Quilts. I did a bit of research and found a tutorial at Hyena in Petticoats and plan on making this some time in the fall after I have finished Joe's cardigan. I can't wait to get started. I love the beautiful and simple design of this quilt. I am thinking I want to do a full size quilt for our bed. The pops of color are so cheerful and the white makes it all so clean looking. I am constantly amazed at how many wonderful designs and ideas people have come up with to bring joy and beauty to our lives. Thank you so much to all of the creative people who strive to make beauty out of necessary items.

Birthday Pictures!

2010-06-09T22:15:00.000-04:00

From Zero to One in Nothing Flat or Emily Meets Chocolate

2010-06-08T19:08:00.001-04:00

Happy 1st Birthday

2010-06-07T14:23:00.000-04:00

Happy 1st Birthday to our precious girl, Emily. We try to remember what our days were like without her, but I think they must have been quite empty and boring. She lights up everything around her with her quick smile and playful ways.

Thank you for making your momma and papa so very happy, Emily dear.

Heaven

2010-05-27T20:34:00.001-04:00

In case you start to wonder where I have disappeared to...I just got my nook tonight...

Update

2010-05-21T14:33:00.001-04:00

What we have here is a reverse chronological order in case you're wondering. We have Emmy enjoying a delicious bottle before her very first camping trip. It was supposed to be 2 nights but due to a lack of sleep, it ended up being only a one nighter.

We next have some amazingly adorable cupcakes made by Joe himself. Serious skills.

Finally, we have the annually Easter Egg hunt which was, as usual, hurried so that Shadow did not eat all of the hard boiled eggs before we had a chance to find them.

I have been diligently working on Joe's cardigan, my very first, and it is coming along quite nicely although I am having to guess at certain parts of the pattern. Frustrating. Also, Emmy will be having her one yer birthday soon and we are super excited about her present. I will post the details after the big day. Hope you enjoyed the pictorial!

"There are only two mantras, yum and yuck, mine is yum."

2010-04-07T19:51:00.005-04:00

I have just discovered that one of my all time favorite authors, Tom Robbins, was born in a town very close to where I now spend my days, Blowing Rock. I was turned on to Tom by my friend, Holly, years ago and have been an avid fan ever since. If you have a soft spot for the bizarre yet optimistic adventures of very well rounded characters, this is your bag of cookies.

Somebody really likes beets

2010-04-03T18:08:00.003-04:00

As you can tell, we get really dressed up for Easter Egg dyeing...

Co Sleeping

2010-03-29T13:20:00.002-04:00

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Celebrating Spring

2010-03-20T19:22:00.003-04:00

After a very long and miserable Winter (which is really probably not over for us yet), we thoroughly enjoyed our first Spring family hike. Just about a quarter mile up the road from our house, we took these pics. Emily was content to just look around and listen to mom and papa dream about the future family camping trips we will be taking.

Standing Proud

2010-03-14T17:36:00.002-04:00

Here is video of Emily the first time she stood up by herself. Getting so big!

Crawling and stuff

2010-02-13T12:17:00.003-05:00

Emily is crawling around now and we have got the house pretty well baby proof for her current stage of movement. We have all of her board books down at her level so she can get to them any time she wishes. Got to encourage the reading, ya know?

We have so many snowy days recently. On one, we lost power for pretty much the whole day. Joe put together a puzzle which unfortunately was missing a few pieces.

I finished my afghan crocheted from Lion brand homespun. I love that stuff. It is so soft and yet easy to work with and is machine washable...YEAH! Here are some pics of all of these wonderful events.

My first duck experience!

2010-02-03T18:33:00.000-05:00

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

OK, I am crazy proud...

2010-01-25T19:45:00.003-05:00

I actually finished an honest to goodness quilt for Emily yesterday. This the real thing; simple in design yes, but a real life quilt! And it turned out very well. Sure, there are a few areas where my stitches could have been a bit more even and the corners are not perfectly aligned, but it really looks good if I do say so myself. I didn't even use a pattern, just my good old sense of style. Yeah, I'm that good.

I also am about 1 hours worth of work close to finishing my own afghan made of wonderful Lion Brand Homespun.

What is next, you ask? Well, let me tell you...Joe has asked me to make him a cardigan. I am pretty nervous about it as he is a picky person and I have never actually made a garment that has to fit someone, very different than a blanket in which there is no "fit", but I will give it a shot anyway. I will post more on that as I decide what pattern and yarn I will use.

Like mother like daughter

2010-01-18T09:28:00.003-05:00

So, according to my mom, I used to be a real snorter as a kid. Just snorting away whenever I was excited or happy. Well, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree because our baby, Emily, can really give a good snort as well. She scrunches up her face in the cutest way and really lets it go. We tried to capture it on video and only got a brief glimpse of it. She goes for minutes at a time occasionally. Enjoy!

It's rather blustery outside

2010-01-03T08:30:00.003-05:00

We have been enjoying our 3 day weekend at home. We have had about 2 inches of snow and a wind chill of zero. Luckily, we were well stocked on provisions and hobbies.

The wood stove has been crackling merrily around the clock and I have been knitting. I finished a darling stuffed polar bear from Ysolde Teague's Otto pattern. It knitted up in a jiff and is perfectly floppy and cuddly for Emmykins to love on. I am now tweaking the concept some and knitting it in a brown wool yarn that will hopefully felt up nicely. Wish me luck. I will post pics of the brown bear when I finish...probably today with the main body but I will need to go into town to get some contrasting wool yarn for the eyes and nose.I hope you are all enjoying the change from one year into the next as I am. Happy New Year, friends and family!

2010-01-01T18:10:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas! Joe and I have been enjoying the Wii I got him, and you will see the beauty of a ring below he got me! Also, some cute pics of the cutest girl in the world!

This weekend

2009-12-28T08:49:00.001-05:00

Made a ham, sewed on Emmy's quilt, made a coffee cake, started knitting a teddy and polar bear from Ysolde Teague's Otto pattern, played our new Wii, and chopped some kindling. Plus had so much fun with Emmy on her first Christmas!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Our baby girl

2009-12-26T17:28:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas to all!

2009-12-25T16:15:00.006-05:00

IMG00006.jpg

2009-12-08T19:29:00.000-05:00

Yeah!
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Emily talking?!?!

2009-12-06T13:41:00.002-05:00

OK, so this video is just her babbling, but she actually said “Papa” today…twice to make sure we knew it was not an accident. What a wonderful little girl we have!

The Christmas tree went up last night. A friend from Joe’s work gave it to us from there farm for Emmy’s first Christmas. Joe did an amazing job decorating the house again. We have 5 beautiful wreaths and a lovely mantle display of fruits and pinecones and greenery. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas with the snowy blanket outside. I have started writing our Christmas cards which I was wise enough (pats herself on the back) to get on clearance last year after the holidays. I love these cards…you’ll see.

I have picked up my crochet hook again and am working on my own fall colored afghan made of Lion Brand Homespun yarn. I really love the feel and variegation of this yarn.

Joe reminded me that I have more to publish on my blog than just pictures of Emmy so I will make an effort to include all facets (within reason, of course) of our life. Well, off to do some more cards. Happy Holidays!

Emily's First Spoon Feeding

2009-11-29T09:01:00.004-05:00

We gave Emily her first cereal spoon feeding last night. She had been watching us eat dinner and smacking her lips so I thought it was about time. She did pretty well until she choked and threw it up. Better luck tonight! As you can see, she also has a new bouncy activity center that she has really taken to. Really, is there a cuter baby out there?

Gingerbread Apple Upside Down Cake

2009-11-28T13:22:00.002-05:00

All of my siblings made the traditional pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, and while that is certainly a delicious treat, I decided to go out on a limb this year. I made the Gingerbread Apple Upside Down Cake from Smitten Kitchen's blog. Wow. It was perfect...not too cloyingly sweet, moist and easy. Awesomeness in a cake. Of course, I love anything with molasses in it. Really, anything at all.

Emily Pictures!

2009-11-20T16:58:00.001-05:00

A Walk in the Woods

2009-11-14T21:58:00.001-05:00

This afternoon, my family went for a walk in a trail through the woods near our house. Unfortunately our camera is broken so I have no real pictures to show, but believe me when I say it was pure joy. I had Emmy strapped on and she was enjoying herself the whole way. We are going to try to make a habit of it when weather allows.

In other news, 2 of the 8 puppies are spoken for now. They are so super adorable that anyone who sees them can’t resist.

I am looking forward to another attempt at roasting a turkey…not at 450 degrees this year!

Swimming Lessons

2009-11-07T09:16:00.004-05:00

Here is a taste of Emmy being super cute and looking like she is sky diving.

Random Pics

2009-10-26T20:12:00.002-04:00

Mom and Pumpkin

Florisa

Grandpa

Just Emmy

New Puppies

2009-10-13T22:25:00.003-04:00

Shadow had puppies! Here is the baby holding her very first puppy!

Laughing Baby

2009-10-13T21:15:00.004-04:00

We finally got our new computer allowing us to upload our videos of Emily Dear. Yay for technology!

dark but cute

2009-10-09T11:41:00.002-04:00

It's that time

2009-09-26T17:43:00.003-04:00

We had our first fire of the season tonight after a day of house painting while Grammy Val watched Emmy. Yesterday there was some house cleaning done. And some fun with a sleeping cap.Yep, quite an exciting life!

2009-09-22T20:10:00.001-04:00

Happy Autumnal Equinox! Warm cocoa and cozy fires to all!

Fun In and Out of the Sun

2009-09-18T16:20:00.002-04:00

On our recent trip to sunny CA, we spent a lot of time with family. Real Mexican food was eaten and enjoyed. We even made a stop at the Sacramento Zoo; Emmy's first time!

Calling all Austen fans

2009-08-30T22:03:00.002-04:00

Just watched Lost in Austen. What a great flick for anyone who is secretely in love with Mr. Darcy like I am.

A bit of whimsy

2009-08-17T18:39:00.003-04:00

I bought these two items from Etsy today. Doesn't the squirrel look like he'll knock your block off if you take his nut? I just love it! I have decided on a whimsical woodland theme for the kitchen with red walls, butter yellow cabinets with punched tin inlays, and accents of olive green, orange and turquoise. Sound like too many colors? Not if you love color like me! I will be making the tin inlays myself this winter if all goes as planned. I have 12 upper cabinet doors to put them on so am thinking about having each one represent a month in the year keeping with the woodland theme...gnomes, owls, squirrels, strawberries and such. I am super excited. I have never done anything like the tin inlays but can't wait to get started!

Loaf update

2009-08-12T22:07:00.001-04:00

It is delicious! OK, it is a bit crispy on the outside, so I will drop the temp by 10 degrees next time to see how that goes, but wow is it light and moist and fluffy inside. A real keeper of a recipe. I can't wait to perfect it and try some variations! And here is you daily dose of Emmy!

Feed the soul

2009-08-11T19:32:00.003-04:00

Here it is. My first ever 100% from scratch no machine (besides an oven) bread. We have yet to try it as it is still cooling off, but I will let you know! And look who found her thumb!

Random Pics

2009-08-08T14:24:00.002-04:00

Luck

2009-08-08T10:02:00.001-04:00

Wish me luck. I am totally trying this bread recipe today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU

Thinking

2009-08-08T08:03:00.003-04:00

I have been thinking about getting this book about baking bread in 5 minutes a day. Has anyone read or used this book? My bread maker went poof and I am thinking about going Au natural instead of mechanical. Especially if it really only takes 5 minutes a day. Thoughts???Doesn't this look amazing?

House Painting

2009-08-08T07:36:00.003-04:00

Joe and I enjoyed a homemade Strawberry and Banana smoothie last night. We are both focusing on eating less unhealthy sweets and instead getting our sweet tooth satisfied by fruits. It was delicious and super easy to make with the hand blender. Tonight, I'm adding blueberries...yum!

We, or should I more correctly say Joe, is paining our house. Here are a few sneak peeks. I will post the gloriousness once it is all completed.

Happy Two Month Birthday, Emmy!

2009-08-07T13:28:00.003-04:00

This is what happens when potatoes sprout in your root cellar. And your husband cleans them out. Then decides to get goofy.

Two Months Already!

First Laugh

2009-08-01T22:10:00.003-04:00

While giving Emmy her bath tonight, she gave us her first true laugh. It was such an amazing feeling to see her so happy. It made me feel like maybe we are doing this whole parenting thing somewhat OK. We were actually able to capture just a bit of it on camera. She was laughing as I combed her hair while she watched herself in the mirror.

a pretty little pic for your enjoyment

2009-07-30T21:06:00.001-04:00

Here is Emmy while we were listening to some swinging 40's music tonight.

Patty Cake

2009-07-27T13:49:00.003-04:00

Emily and I did some baking together today for the first time. It was not a cake, however, but blueberry muffins...yummy! I am really a muffin freak, aren't I? They are just so convenient in there shape and size for a snack on the go, and we always seem to be on the go. I feel much better about us grabbing something that is homemade with love and we know what is in it.

(pay no attention to the frizzy hair, it is just the camera!)

As you can see, Emily has strong enough neck muscles now to face forward. She loved it but finally fell asleep in the carrier at which point I put her down for a nap carrier and all. She is still sleeping as we speak. Hope you all are having a fabulous day!

Old Salem...no, not in Massachusetts

2009-07-22T20:01:00.004-04:00

We took a quick trip to Old Salem, NC this past weekend as a farewell to my time off from work. The weather was great, but we did not love Old Salem and will probably not be going back again. Anyway, we had fun together and here are a few pics.

Yeah...

2009-07-22T06:38:00.002-04:00

for only being woken up once last night! What a lucky mommy I am.

The Garden

2009-07-12T17:35:00.003-04:00

Here are a few pics of the lovely tasties growing in the garden right now. We had fresh green beans with our dinner tonight. Yum!

stuff

2009-07-09T13:44:00.003-04:00

I spent a few hours painting on the house today, and then made Shadow a second doggie bed; this one for the bedroom. I also bought material to make Emily Dear a quilt. And finally, we are going to try infant massage for the first time tonight after Emily Dear's bath.

Can't wait to see...

2009-07-08T10:33:00.002-04:00

Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince on July 15th

and Alice in Wonderland in 2010

One Month Old

2009-07-08T09:42:00.004-04:00

Emily was one month old yesterday and here are a few pics to commemorate the day...

I know...

2009-07-04T22:18:00.004-04:00

that this is so overly talked about by moms everywhere as to be a cliche...but I am so in love with my daughter. I can just watch her sleep for hours. I thought I would be going out of my mind with boredom during my leave of absence from work, and I was before I had Emily. Now I dread going back. Can't they just pay me to stay at home? OK, obviously not an option, but it would be really great if it were. I was really into my job before and am even waiting to see if I get accepted into this senior leader mentorship program when I get back, but right now the only thing I miss is my friends...the job itself, not so much. Being a mom is much more rewarding.

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-04T09:35:00.004-04:00

Here are a few favorite quotes from founding fathers...

I would rather be troubled by the inconveniences of attending too much liberty than attending too small a degree of it. - Jefferson

Determine never to be idle...It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing. - Jefferson

Those who would give up liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Franklin

Wish not so much to live long but to live well. - Franklin

Labor to keep alive in your chest that little spark of celestial fire called conscience. - Washington

I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most envious of all titles, the character of an honest man. - Washington

can she tap dance already?

2009-07-02T15:57:00.004-04:00

Emily sporting outfit from great grands

2009-07-02T10:29:00.002-04:00

In case there was any question...

2009-07-01T11:16:00.008-04:00

we are definitely in the south as can be seen by the fried bologna sandwich sign at the local fair...

The fair was at a town nearby in TN, Trade, which used to be a Colonist/Native American trading post. We have decided that if we ever need Emily to see what white people pretending to be "Indians", as they called themselves, look like, we will take her there, otherwise, not so much. We did really like the Grist Mill though and will be buying our flour for bread and such from there from now on. Yeah for local organic wheat flour! And here is a pic of Joe and Emily using their handy dandy carrier (mommy uses it daily around the house to get chores done as well as the Maya Wrap has yet to be embraced by Emily Dear).

And finally, you get to see a pic of Emily's first real bath in her baby bath tub. Umbilical cord is all healed and she needed a good soaking. She loved it; she just couldn't stop staring at herself in the mirror and didn't mind being washed at all. The only cries came when she had to get out and got a bit chilly. We quickly warmed her up with a nightie, socks, hat and mittens though and everything was right as rain again.

I replanted my tomatoes in gigantic pots today. They have lots of blossoms and fruit already. YEAH!!! I am so looking forward to home grown tomatoes this year. OK, that's all for now. Oh, the PUPPPS is on the decline which is a HUGE relief...not gone yet but on it's way!

Update

2009-06-19T15:48:00.002-04:00

Well, sorry that I haven't posted much about anything. I have come down with a case of PUPPPS which is driving me out of my mind. It typically happens during pregnancy but one in 100,000 get lucky like me and get it after the birth. I am covered from my neck to the soles of my feet in welts that itch like crazy. I have seen the Dr and done research but it looks like there is no cure but to wait until it goes away and no one can put a time frame on it. If anyone knows a miracle cure, please feel free to share!

A few pics on day 3

2009-06-09T20:43:00.001-04:00

Please welcome...

2009-06-08T15:15:00.002-04:00

Emily to the world! 7 lb 14 oz, 22 in long born at 12:53 am on June 7th, 2009! Pics to come soon.

slow

2009-06-06T15:38:00.001-04:00

still in labor

And so it begins...

2009-06-05T03:31:00.002-04:00

OK, so we are in the beginning stages of labor...contractions are about 8 mins apart. No phone calls pretty please!

More Baby Stuff

2009-06-04T16:42:00.002-04:00

I just got my Maya Baby Wrap in the mail today. I don't know why I am so excited about this thing, but I think it is my favorite baby item we have purchased. It just seems like it will be great to be able to carry baby around and be close but still have the freedom of my hands and arms. I hope it works as well as I am envisioning!

Anyone for more muffins?

2009-06-04T14:48:00.004-04:00

It seems like the only thing I can do recently is cook without getting too tired. I guess I do it to make sure my husband knows I still love him even though all I seem to do is sit and complain about being uncomfortable with this huge belly. So, today I made some more muffins; this time peanut butter - banana muffins. I modified the recipe slightly by making it 2 full cups of flour, 1 and a half tsp baking soda and a quarter tsp baking powder as I have found this is necessary for the muffins to rise properly in my humidity and high altitude. I also added some oats to half of the batch for kicks. Mom says these were her favorites so far. Really, really moist and delicious!

Only one year ago...

2009-05-31T15:46:00.003-04:00

Our 1 year anniversary is June 2nd, and this is a pic from our honeymoon. One year down and doing great!

Garden

2009-05-31T14:10:00.006-04:00

We had decided to not put too much effort into a garden this year because baby will be such a time consuming priority, but as soon as Spring sprung, we both got the planting bug. We ended up with potatoes, green onions, a loose leaf lettuce mixture, runner beans, 2 different types of squash, red bell pepper, hot pepper, 5 different types of tomatoes, blueberries and eggplant. So much for not planting much!

Although we had a cold snap and massive amounts of rain, things seem to be coming up nicely. The pics are from about a week ago. Hope you are enjoying your Spring.

Seriously?

2009-05-28T11:59:00.001-04:00

Yep, still waiting for the little bundle of joy to "arrive".

Lucky me

2009-05-22T17:43:00.004-04:00

So the cooking gods have been smiling on me recently and my creations have been turning out very well. I made another batch of muffins today; this time chocolate chocolate chip for my sweet tooth sweetie. I also made some delicious homemade french bread and some amazing tamale pie tonight for dinner. I am not sure what to try next. Any suggestions? Something maybe to enjoy the seasonal veggies?

In other news, my cat has become the uber hunter. He has twice now captured rabbits and brought them home to us. The first was long gone by the time we found it, but today he brought one like a little baby and it was perfectly untouched. We released it outside as I wasn't in the mood for any rabbit stew tonight.

Baby's due date is Sunday but according to the midwife, it looks like it will be another week and a half before he actually gets here. I am officially off work now, which has helped quite a bit. I have been pretty much taking it easy as I have a hard time when I am on my feet too much, but I have been getting a lot of reading done. I am almost through with The Womanly Art of Breast Feeding. I also have Robin Hobb's latest, Renegade Magic, but it is for after the birth...if I can wait that long.

In gardening news, my runner peas are popping their little heads out of the ground nicely. They are just so cute!

OK, well I don't have much else to say. Have a great weekend!

More Muffins

2009-05-18T15:22:00.004-04:00

This time I substituted the apple sauce I made last fall for milk and used some chopped walnuts and pumpkin pie spice. Delicious!

Tuesday will be my last day working before maternity leave and I am really looking forward to it. The pressure and abdominal pain has become pretty distracting and makes it very difficult to get around. This baby has got to be coming soon!

How is this possibly fitting inside me???

2009-05-13T20:08:00.001-04:00

Well, I'll tell you...not too terribly comfortably; that is for sure.

Mother's Day

2009-05-11T10:28:00.002-04:00

Well, I am not officially a mother yet, so instead I treated my mom. It was the first full day of sunshine in weeks, and I took advantage of it to plant my pole beans, a few tomato plants and some lettuce. This year is a very light garden due to the attention that the new baby will demand.

I also modified my new shower head to remove that ridiculous flow inhibitor so we could actually get clean in our shower.

I made some maple, cinnamon raisin muffins that came out fantastic! My hubby really enjoyed them even after being quite skeptical of raisins in muffins. He said they were the best I have made so far. I have never been very good at baked goods, having difficulty getting things to rise and bake evenly, but I am starting to figure out the right mixture and temperature for my high altitude now. Thank goodness for persistence. I even came up with the muffin recipe all on my own!

Finally, I ended the day with an arugula salad, home made garlic bread and lasagna with home made sauce. It was perfect! I just love when that happens = )

Easter Pics

2009-04-27T18:53:00.003-04:00

Joe and I colored eggs and he hid them for me!

Happy Birthday to ME!

2009-04-15T19:22:00.004-04:00

I have had a wonderful birthday so far. My hubby got me a Serta memory foam mattress pad for my aching bones and a lovely blueberry bush!

Easter

2009-04-14T18:24:00.004-04:00

Happy Ostara!

Projects

2009-03-16T14:09:00.004-04:00

The hubby has been busy painting in the house and I will post pics when he is done; I think he has the daddy nesting instinct in full swing. We bought and mom installed new flush mounted ceiling lights in the living room to replace the existing brass chandelier looking horrors.

Joe installed a magnetic knife holder in the kitchen for my new Paula Dean knives that I absolutely love. Why did I wait so long? I thought good knives had to be really expensive...wrong again, Amber.

Also, I am so looking forward to making my own butter as soon as I can find somewhere that sells real cream. Eventually it will be from our own goat milk; how cool is that?

So, we only had the two possums, thank goodness, so now we are critter free...I think. And the rug is taking longer than I expected, so it will be a project to go back to between other projects. The hardest part is keeping the strands from tangling while you are braiding them. I have also started knitting a darling pink wrap shawl for a friend's granddaughter for Easter. I will post pics when done.

Lastly, we are getting bids for adding a bathtub to one of our bathroom to make kid cleaning a bit more practical in the years to come. Our first contractor is coming today...keep you fingers crossed for CHEAP!

On top of all of that, I am pretty much exhausted all of the time. This baby feels huge, but I am sure I will be even more tired after the baby is here...can't wait and am really nervous all at once.

Critters and Rugs

2009-03-08T20:39:00.003-04:00

So the hubby decided to try the trap again, and guess what...another possum this morning! How many are there under our porch???

Tonight, I am trying my hand at making a braided rug. I am not really sure how to do it, but I am going to give it a shot after reading a few online tutorials. Since I can't seem to find any wool at a decent price, I am going to try cotton and see how that goes...wish me luck!

Surprise

2009-03-07T10:46:00.005-05:00

My hubby thought he was capturing a groundhog that he believed lives under our house...instead this morning we found...

Dream Cravings

2009-03-06T18:45:00.006-05:00

So as all know, I am pregnant and due in May. I have not had too many cravings, but the two strongest that I have had, have been impossible to satisfy. EL Toritos is my favorite place to eat and the farthest east they go is AZ...not too realistic. The other has been the Orange Dream Machine from Jamba Juice...again, closest JJ is in Raleigh, 4 hours away. Well, tonight I got to enjoy the smoothie. The hubby and I purchased a fancy schmancy blender to make baby food and home made fruit and veggie juice. The bonus is that it almost makes great smoothies and we looked up the recipe for the delicious ODM...yummy!

Catching Up

2009-03-04T20:21:00.003-05:00

So, I realized that I never posted a pic of our completed wood burning fireplace insert. Here is the beauty that saves us over a grand each winter...love it!

Then, there are some pictures of last weekend I wanted to share. This was one of those days that makes me look forward to having kids and building snowmen and drinking hot cocoa: snowing but only 32 degrees, so definitely enjoyable!

Finally, I thought I would share a snapshot of the afghan I just completed for Joe. He wanted it long enough to cover his face and tootsies, so it is a few rows longer than the typical afghan, but the hubby says it is just what he wanted...cool!

IKEA Trip

2009-02-23T19:55:00.004-05:00

Charlotte has finally got it's very own Ikea, and Joe and I decided to go to the last day of the grand opening yesterday. We actually spent 7 hours in the store...ridiculous, but I guess when you live in the sticks, you get excited about these little things. We had already planned on buying this bed frame as well as some other bedroom items. Once we get the room all finished, I will post a picture of it, but for now, you can get the sneak peak at Ikea's shot of the frame.In retrospect, being 6 months pregnant and being on my feet for 7 hours was not such a smart idea. I can barely walk today, and my midwife chastised me. I think that will be my last trip for awhile...it really was a lot of fun though. Joe and I managed to make some major purchase decisions without bickering and actually like what we got once we arrived back home, Amazing!

Ennui

2009-02-18T20:24:00.001-05:00

I have it. I want Spring NOW!

New Addition

2009-02-16T18:26:00.004-05:00

No, not the one who needs diapers...my mom has adopted a pet from the local humane society. She is an 8 year old, super sweet Pekingese mix with a dramatic under bite and has been named Lucy. She is fitting nicely into our family and it has only been one day. Welcome, Lucy!

Thanks to Jmae for passing along the Baby Wearer website. I have decided to go with the Maya wrap...wish me luck!

Tonight I am badly with third trimester nausea, so am relaxing watching The Duchess and doing much of nothing. I just love a good period piece.

Take care all!

Decisions

2009-02-10T16:25:00.002-05:00

I am struggling with the decision of which baby sling to buy! Everything I read is contradictory. The Maya Wrap seems like the hanging fabric would get in my way, but it might be nice for breast feeding. The Moby Wrap seems like it would just be too much going on. There are so many others, I won't even start. But I am looking for advice, so if anyone who can shed some light on my dilemma, I would appreciate it.

Baby Stuff

2009-02-02T20:39:00.003-05:00

Well, Joe and I started buying all of our baby stuff. We ended up with a Winnie the Pooh bedding set and these BumGenius cloth diapers. We still have a lot left to do, but are definitely on our way. Everything is pretty much gender neutral as we are waiting for the big day to find out.

Last night, Joe and I had our weekly date night, and went to see Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. We expected it to be really bad, but it really wasn't quite as bad as I expected. Then we enjoyed some good old Outback Steakhouse. Can I just tell you how pleasant it is to be pretty much the only people out, since everyone one else was watching the Superbowl? Wow.

We enjoyed some lovely sun yesterday but today the snow has started again. We are expected to get up to 8 inches over the next few days where I live, but I think this should be the last big hurrah of the season. I am really ready for Spring! I miss my violets and daffodils...