Because It's Spring. Supposedly.

Because I'm waiting for Regan's diapers to finish rinsing so I can go hang them on the line.

And because the clothespins situation at my house annoys me.

A Clothespin Pocket Apron Tutorial

(Photo Credit)

Hello, World!

Oh, my goodness!

After two weeks of being sick (first Reg, then myself), I am finally, FINALLY, starting to feel a little like my normal self again!

Sigh...  :)

Anyway, while I work towards getting our little family back into a nice rhythm and routine around here, I wanted to pop in and share an article that I am really loving today.

"Why 'Living Simply' Isn't Simple At All" is featured today on the Frugal Granola website (one of my favorites).

So, enjoy!

P.S. WHERE did spring go?!  We're expecting a couple of inches of snow here by the middle of the week.  I'm a bit put out with that ground hog.

P.P.S.  When did so many people decide this little, silly, blog was something to be interested in?!  My goodness!  Welcome, though, if you've decided to spend your time here.  :)

Until another day- on which I hope to have caught up a bit with all we've been missing here for the last two weeks- have a happy week!

Have You Heard of It?

(Just a quicky post- 

in the midst of learning to can, learning to make salsa, 

and trying to keep up with the garden produce!)

Baby Led Weaning

(or, Baby Led Solids).

Image from ecochildsplay.com.

We're trying it with Regan and loving it!

So far she's enjoyed spelt pizza crust, peas, carrots, zucchini, cucumber, squash, a de-splintered chicken bone, chicken, spelt pasta, one or two french fries (no salt!), an asparagus spear, roasted lamb, green beans, white rice, spelt bread crusts, the crunchy end of lettuce leaves, and broccoli spears.

Favorites so far are using raw summer squash, cucumber, or zucchini as teethers.

Yummy!  :)

 

Those Crazy Dreams

You'll probably think I'm weird, and pardon me if this is a little TMI for you-

but my dreams lately are driving me (just a little) crazy!

Have you ever had really, really vivid dreams?

The kind that actually wake you up, and leave you surprised that it was just a dream?

I've always been a "dreamer" (the hubby, on the other hand, claims he never dreams)- and I notice my dreams get a little crazy at certain times in my life.  (When I was pregnant, they were nuts!)

But this is a little different.

I have been dreaming, repeatedly lately, that I am pregnant.

Not with the huge belly, just looking like I look now 

(ha! and I said not with a huge belly, didn't I!),

but in my dreams I keep feeling the baby kicking and moving.  

To the point that I'm waking up several times in the night because of it!

Do you put any stock in dreams?

Image Source: http://www.tressugar.com/What-Do-Pregnancy-Dreams-Mean-1794084

It was a dream that prompted me to take the test to find out if I was, or wasn't, pregnant with Regan- the dream was so vivid, and in it I felt so sure, that I just "knew" the test would be positive.

And it was.  :)

But, this time around, I am not "with child" (I did check!).

So, what's with this craziness?

All I know is, I'm tired.  

It's not like I get enough sleep lately anyway- what with a baby that wants to nurse several times in the night and who doesn't think she really needs to go to bed before 10 or 11 p.m. (although, that is progress!).

You'd think the dreams could lay off- really.

:)

Manifesto

Doesn't THAT sound "grand"!  ;)

I found this:

from this site.  

It says "june 2010", but I'm just plain adopting it in general.  

A lot of these have been my "goals" to make happen/ make habit this summer and carry on into the rest of the year.

I'm progressing slowly- but progress is still progress.  ;)

Appreciating the Home Life...

As an inspiration to myself (and maybe some of you out there too?), I'm going to try to post sweet, encouraging, quotes like these- as I find them.  :)

"The ordinary acts we practice every day at home do more for the soul 

than their simplicity might suggest."

-Thomas Moore

Lucky Again!

It's hard for me to believe, but my "lucky streak" has continued!

I was the lucky, lucky winner of another giveaway!

This time, I won some great organic baby goods from Dress Me Up, a wonderful 

little company from Victoria BC.

Dress Me Up (via their website) "specializes in beautiful, organic toys for young children that are gentle and safe, and always art-inspired. We are a mama-made (not factory made!) independent cottage industry located in Victoria British Columbia, Canada."

Regan is now the soon-to-be lucky owner of a Teething Bon-Bon and Leaf Bib, courtesy of the Luvinthemommyhood giveaway.  How great is that?!

(Image from Luvinthemommyhood.)

Perfect timing too- Miss Regan is currently NOT pleased to be working on cutting 

another tooth or two.  

Please do take a moment to check out Dress Me Up and Luvinthemommyhood- maybe you can be lucky too!  ;)

A Little Perspective...

...In the midst of a week of very little sleep.

"To laugh often and much;

to win the respect of intelligent people

and the affection of children;

to earn the appreciation of honest critics

and endure the betrayal of false friends;

to appreciate beauty;

to find the best in others;

to leave the world a bit better,

whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

We Interupt This Program For... A Quick Fashion Note

I must find a pattern to make this hat.

(Thank you, Pioneer Woman, for sharing it with the world!)

Also, there is a very elusive Sock Monkey Wool "Longies" pattern out there somewhere on the net.

Let it be known, I will find you!

Attention Babywearers...

Anyone in need/want of a sling?

:D

(See, we are still around, just kind of "off grid" these days!!!) ;)

I am the proud owner of two very lovely Hotslings-




one in the Ingrid print, and one in Stripe. I love, love, love them, but, alas, my...ahem..."measurements" no longer allow me to fit in them.

At least, not me and my baby. Together. Which, is kind of the point of the whole babywearing thing, you know?

They're both a size "2", which fits like a t-shirt size small or extra small.

So, any takers? Anyone interested?

Free to a good home! Let me know!

:D

(And, I promise to get back to being a regular blogger again someday soon.)

"Cloth Diapers?!"

That's what Pete and I hear a lot when someone finds out for the first time that we are planning on using cloth diapers for our little one.

"What? Are you crazy?!", their tone of voice and facial expressions seem to say. :)

I think that's because so many people still think of the "old fashioned" cloth diapers from 20+ years ago- the folding, the pinning, the hot, sticky plastic "pants" that went over them- if that were still the way cloth diapering was done today, there's no way we would consider it (let alone be excited about it!) either!

But, thankfully, cloth diapering has come a long way since then!

Are you curious?
Because, let me tell you, the savings can't be beat.

Check it out- there's so much to choose from now-a-days! :)

Surprise!

We're PREGNANT!

We were going to wait until we were through the 12th week to share our news (we'll be 10 weeks along on Thursday of this week), but I've been feeling really sick so far (it's slowly starting to improve) and I just got to feeling so bad for Pete- he's constantly have to make excuses for my not being somewhere these days.

We had an ultrasound, saw the baby (the little heart was just beating away), and got to hear the heartbeat when our midwife came for our 9 week visit (she was shocked- she said it's extremely rare to be able to hear the heart beating using just the Doppler that early on), and the M.D.s say that the risk of miscarriage drops to a very low rate (something like 3-5%) once the heartbeat has been confirmed. We've also heard that women who experience morning sickness (not an accurate name for the around the clock nausea I've been experiencing) are less likely to miscarry than those who don't get sick. So, there's the silver lining. :)

So, we decided, what the heck, we're telling!

We're due October 23rd, and we're hoping for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

:)

Family Members (Especially Those Who've Traveled to CA Recently) & Very Closest Friends

Your much asked about Baby Notes update is now available.

We return now to our regularly scheduled programming.

Thank You.

Being Honest

So, I'm going to attempt to continue blogging- not because I have much to say, but because I think it's become good for me.

Kind of like a strange combination of chatting with a friend and journaling.

So, I'll try.

I guess I felt like maybe I wouldn't be able to post anything for awhile because I intentionally work to keep this blog as my "happy place".

But, being honest, we- as normal, everyday people- aren't always "happy".

It's not that I'm particularly "unhappy", it's more just that, right now, I'm really stressed out.

A very large UNKNOWN has been added to our pile with the way our adoption process is currently standing, and it's a very big stressor.

But I'm so, so thankful for the reminders I've gotten just lately that, "it's okay."

Our Sunday morning meeting was so very good and encouraging.

And our Sunday gospel meeting was too.

And because of them, I was reminded that it IS okay- because I have the very best comfort source available.

I need to be even more diligent these days about reading and praying-
because it's so many things- a comfort, a source of peace, a "lifesaver" :), and it helps me keep it in perspective- that my life is just so tiny in comparison to God, and He loves me, and He knows my need. And, no matter how "good" the natural things are I want in life, my spiritual needs must always, always, come first. And, for me anyway, sometimes the natural struggle can get so "up close and personal" that I can forget that.

Plus, as I was so kindly reminded by someone who loves both my hubby and me :),
life must go on.

I've kind of had the tendency to want to put anything "nonessential" on hold until we figure out how our family is going to be added to.

But, life must go on.

And, in the mean time, God will work His plan- and it will be so much easier on me if I don't get in the way! :D

So, to those who do read my little blog, thanks for caring for us.
We really, really appreciate it.

And, I think today is a good day to get right back into the knitting game!

:D

For Ikea Lovers

If you love Ikea, you'll love this!

Holiday Daycare Highlights 2008

Since I'm aiming at a much more handmade holiday this year, I decided to make my main presents for my two daycare kids too.

I made my sweet girl a rainbow colored scarf...

And my cute boy two felted balls from wool yarn.

So far we have decorated cookies every year. This year was no exception- except that I made the cookies in advance to give us more time for a new holiday activity
(which you'll see in a minute).

While I made supper the kids watched "Jack Frost"- a classic (since 1979) holiday movie that I hadn't heard of until this year.

For supper we cut cookie cutter shapes out of bread and made french toast! (Thanks for that great idea, mom!) It was fun and so good too. We had french toast, turkey bacon (crispy, thankyouverymuch!), blueberries and blackberries, and milk for supper.

Then we opened our gifts. Always the best part, right? :D

After that was the new activity- one I'd heard of but had never done before.



We made cranberry/popcorn garlands and dried orange slice ornaments to decorate our little outdoor tree for the birds! It was so fun that I'm hoping to make it a holiday tradition.

After the decorating was done, we warmed ourselves up with some homemade hot chocolate. Yum! We each had a left over sugar cookie, and a Christmas decorated doughnut.

Then we kicked back and read stories on the couch till their daddies came to pick them up.

Such a fun night with two of my favorite kids of all time! :D

All Wrapped Up

A few simple things for my two special daycare kids.

We're having our Christmas Party tonight, and we've got a lot of fun stuff planned.
Can't wait to post pictures later of all the fun we had!

Ho ho ho!

Someday, When I Have the Time...

There are many, many books I would like to read.

Especially about knitting- because I, so far, am absolutely loving it!

Here are some that look interesting...

This is one I've seen on more than one knitter's blog...

I have made one scarf so far. The most basic, simple scarf- it's quick and easy and so versatile, because you can create it in any color or color combination imaginable. It would be fun to learn how to make other cute scarves...

And, there are even knitting MYSTERIES out there to read!
Heehee, I just thought that was funny. :D

I've only seen a handful of this guy's cartoons (yes, a guy that knits!), but they are funny!

I looked through this one briefly online, and it looks like a great "beginner's" book. Lots of tips, tricks, and easy to understand how-to's.

Anyway, I'm just dreaming here. There's no way I'll have the time to even get through one of these in a short amount of time. But, I love books and I love reading, and it's fun to keep sort of a "to read" list.

What's on your reading list?

My Baby Sister

I'm so proud. :D

My little sister is all grown up.

She's married now, and a photographer in the Twin Cities.

Check out her work at Erica's Blog.

Favorites

What Are Your Favorites?

1. Favorite book? Ever? Probably "Anne of Green Gables".

2. Food? Hmm, this is a tough one. Maybe pizza?

3. Item of clothing? Sweats! Warm and fuzzy ones.

4. Hairstyle? Out of my face.

5. Beverage? Maybe hot cocoa.

6. Facial tissue? Kleenex brand, or Puffs without the lotion.

7. Place to sit? In a big comfy chair.

8. Person? Pete, my hubby. :D

9. Animal? My two puppies.

10. House? My favorite house ever? Well, this one's probably a tie- there's one just outside of Grimes along the highway, and there's one on the very edge of Pierson. Both of them are big and white, and combined together in certain ways would make up my dream house.

11. Smell? Um, non-food would be my perfume (Ralph), food would be something like steak or pizza cooking. Oh, and I couldn't forget CHOCOLATE. :)

12. Activity? Well, I'm not a big "action" kind of girl, so it'd be something calm like reading or scrapbooking. I know, I'm boring.

13. Color? RED!!!

14. Day of the week? Friday

15. Time of day? Lunch time, or mid-afternoon.

16. Hot thing? Maybe (just to get off the food thing), a nice hot shower?

17. Cold thing? Ice cream!

18. Game? Umm, any fun board game. Preferably one that I'm good at. :D

19. Hobby? Oooh. Scrapbooking or (very amateur) photography. I've also just started knitting and am liking that.

20. Season? Fall.

And, if you've read mine, I tag YOU to go do this one too! :D