Decisions

Now that we know Andrea's little pea is a boy, I'm trying to decide which blanket pattern I'd like to use for him. I have it narrowed down to two:

I love the texture of this stitch and think it would make a really warm, snuggly blanket. And I was thinking heather gray, charcoal gray, silver mist, taupe & linen for the colors. Of course, I usually end up changing my mind as I'm shopping.

Or this circles blanket. The gal that crocheted this one also did a version with sock yarn:

I love the multicolored look. Not sure if I can get this look without the $20 per skein sock yarn (yummy, but not so practical). I am partial to these kinds of projects because every circle you work will be different and the surprise of each makes it fun.

What do you think? Color suggestions? Maybe something different all together? And Andrea, feel free to chime in with your preferences of pattern and color.

Meatloaf...Perfected

There are few meals that everyone in the house enjoys. But meatloaf is one of them. I was bummed to have to miss out on it, with all those breadcrumbs and eggs. It seems, though, that I have perfected an allergy-free, and dare I say, tastier version.

2 tbs flax seed meal
6 tbs water

1 1/2 lbs ground meat (Any combination of turkey, beef or pork will work. I use turkey when I feel like being good, but 1 lb hamburger to 1/2 lb pork is my favorite)
1 onion, finely chopped
3/4 C oats (gluten free if needed)
3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp worcestershire

1/3 C ketchup
1/3 C brown sugar
1 tsp worcestershire

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with foil.

In a small bowl mix flax seed meal and water. Let set for a few minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, mix meat, onion, oats, salt, pepper, ginger and 1 tsp worcestershire. Form into a loaf shape on the cookie sheet.

In a small bowl mix ketchup, brown sugar and 1 tsp worcestershire. Spread over the top and sides of the loaf. Bake for 1 hour.

I always serve this with mashed potatoes and green beans.

Enjoy!

To start your day

Accepted

We finally received our acceptance letter! Claire has been accepted as a student at The Ambrose School. We're excited for Claire to start school this fall and even more excited to be a part of such a great school and program! And can I say, I'm just the tiniest bit anxious to see Claire in her cute little uniform...

No words, just cute

Indecision

Hard to decide when there's room for two drinks on my mug rug...

Finally.... finished

The monster hexagon afghan I've been working on for almost a year is complete! Considering it's the project that was always second to a number of other projects that came up, I'm pleasantly surprised to have finished it in under a year.

Eleven colors.

196 Hexagons

1590 ends to weave in.

I love it so much... and it's all mine. The first blanket I've ever crocheted for myself.

And a sneak peek and one of my next projects for someone's little angel.

Ta-Dah!

The granny ripple for my niece Katelynn is finally done!

I'm going to have a really hard time letting this one go. It's about the size of the area rug in our living room. 24 skeins of yarn, 12 colors & A LOT of work, but she's worth it.

And here's a little spring...

I forgot to share these little cuties. Claire and I made these for Valentine's Day and she shared them with her friends at school.

And because he's just so darn adorable!

We had a family get together of few weeks ago. Elijah decided he needed to join Claire and Sam for a bath, and of course, Coen couldn't be left out. It was a little crazy, but one life's sweet moments. I'm so glad that Claire and Sam have cousins close in age!

Last night of dreamed of crochet

Yesterday I had a whole two hours to myself. Two hours to watch Bright Star and do a little crochet. I love this movie. The scene at the end, the most convincing crying scene I've even seen, gets me every time. But strange as it sounds, I couldn't keep my eyes off the crochet.

I did a little googling to discover that Sophie Digard created the pieces used in this movie.

The textures, colors, design... divine. So, I dreamed about crocheting pieces as beautiful as hers. All night long. And when I found this pattern, that reminds me a bit of Sophie's work, I just knew I had to add it to my super-long list of things I want to crochet for myself.

I had a great post...

I had a great post started for you. A post full of updates and photos. A llloooooonngg post. A post I'll probably never finish. But here's what I really want to share on Valentines. I saw this quote today, and I just love it. It reminds me of the pre-marital counseling Jeff and I did. Pastor Everett told us that love is a choice, not an emotion. It's that one wise statement that has gotten us through more rough patches than just about anything else. This quote shares that wisdom:

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because, that is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being 'in love' which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."

-St. Augustine

Now we're getting somewhere

Finally... I can see a light at the end of the tunnel!

The day Sam was born I was already counting down the days to having my body back. Losing weight, sleeping well, feeling well, getting back to a pre-baby me. But my road to getting back has been agonizingly slow. No weight loss, still no sleep, feeling pretty crappy and just discouraged by it all. I've been reading books, blogs and websites desperately seeking some answers. I've tried a few different approaches to my diet and have had mixed results. After nearly a month of head to toe unexplained itching (causing me to lose hours of sleep every night) I resigned myself to going to the doctor. Let me tell you, I HATE GOING TO THE DOCTOR! I hate that the usual 5 minute appointment results in a prescription for medications that I really don't want to take. Medicine has it's place, but in general I don't buy into the "A Pill for Every Ill". So, knowing I needed an answer, but not being able to bring myself to make another useless appointment, I searched for a new doctor. An N.M.D. to be specific. I feel so fortunate to have found Dr. Rodgers at Boise Natural Health. Can you believe that our first visit was 2 hours long?! And I walked away with a tentative plan, a few supplements, and not a single medication. Today I had my follow-up visit. What a mixture of being overwhelmed and encouraged. My blood work revealed that I am deficient in Vitamin D (easy enough to remedy with a supplement), but also that I am allergic to... hold on to your hats, people...

• Casein
• Cheese (Cheddar, Cottage, Mozzarella)
• Milk (Cow & Goat)
• Whey
• Yogurt
• Eggs
• Banana
• Cranberry
• Pineapple
• Crab
• Oyster
• Almond
• Lima Bean
• Corn
• Peanut
• Rye
• Sesame Seed
• Spelt
• Whole Wheat
• Asparagus

Yikes! Enter, overwhelmed.

So, I've got some major diet changes to make. Like going dairy-free and gluten-free. This doesn't mean that I may not be able to enjoy some of my favorite foods on occasion in the future, but for now my diet has been seriously reduced. I'm encouraged that I have a defined plan that should have me feeling better (and hopefully, lighter) soon, but holy cow, this isn't going to be easy. If you have any suggestions or great recipes feel free to share :)

Disconnected

I'm feeling a bit disconnected.

I'm feeling disconnected because I deactivated my facebook profile. I'm not complaining. I don't know how you all manage it, but for me, facebook is a major time-sucker. "Just checking" always turned into at least 15-20 minutes of browsing. And not just 15-20 minutes a day, but 15-20 minutes several times a day. Considering how little free time I have these days, when re-evaluating how to manage my time better, it was obvious that my beloved FB had to go. All in all I'm on the computer FAR less these days, and that also means I'm missing out on all the updates from my friends. I miss the days when the only way we knew what was going on with our friends was to pick up the phone or get together.

I'm feeling disconnected because I have to spend so much time at home. It's a mixed blessing. I love staying at home and I don't even mind going days without leaving the house. I'm a homebody and I find the daily routine much less stressful if I don't have to fit in an outing. But I miss the days when it was just Claire and I and leaving the house wasn't a major production that had to be squeezed in between bottles and naps.

I'm feeling disconnected because Jeff is so busy. He's not home a lot more than normal the next few months, and when he is home, he's still so busy. The few minutes of conversation we get each day are usually about his work or the kids and are always filled with a plethora of interruptions. I miss the days when it was just Jeff and I and we had the time (and quiet) for our conversations to evolve and move past "How was your day, dear?"

I'm feeling disconnected because God hasn't been my centerpiece. He's been a lovely lamp. Glowing, warm, inviting, helpful... but on the end table. I miss the days when I was on fire.

I'm missing a lot of things. I'm not complaining, because all the things I miss can be mine. I'm blessed beyond measure but I still want more.

To my dear friends and family: I'll miss your smiling FB profiles, but I look forward to our real conversations. Let's have patience, Sam's baby days will soon be drawing to an end and our play-dates, lunches, girl's night out and other get-togethers will resume.

To my dear husband: I look forward to dates, vacation and kids sleeping over at grandma's.

To my dear Lord: I know you're still working on me.

On the Move

(Click on picture to view video)

Wow, as if I weren't busy before, I'm busy now!

But, busy or not, I've got a new post on the way...

Busy with the little things

I think I've been doing pretty well with the transition from one to two kiddos. But I've now entered the homebound stage of Sam's infancy. 4+ hours of naps, 3 meals and 4 bottles doesn't leave a lot of time to leave the house, and just barely enough to get my weekly and daily chores done with a smidgen of play time thrown in. I'm LOVING that we are out of the newborn phase. It's not that I don't love cuddling a sweet, precious newborn, but I am happy to be done with sleepless nights, sore boobies and not showering till noon.

Sam

(Sam & Coen)

*is rolling over like crazy now (diaper changes are a challenge to say the least).

*can sit on his own for about 5 minutes when he's in the mood for it.

(When the Mum-Mum is gone)
(Peace is restored with a new Mum-Mum)

*ADORES eating (yogurt, bananas, avacados, apples, pears, plums, nectarines, peaches, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots and rice/oat/barley/spelt cereals), especially his Mum-Mums!

*should have a tooth soon. He chews and drools like some kind of monster.

*squeals when he's tickled.

*has definitely formed an attachment to his blankies.


*puts everything within reach into his mouth including his entire fist and his toes.

*just about loves his sister more than his mommy.

Claire

(Elijah and Claire)

*has become increasingly creative. She recently drew her first picture of our family, cut out fish to represent each of us and can't get enough glitter and shimmer paints on her projects.

*always has some kind of pet bug (moths, beetles, roly-polys) and is learning the harsh reality of death as her friends succumb to life (or rather, the lack of) in a glass jar.

*shows me just how high she can jump about 50 times a day.

*is really enjoying swim lessons and does everything the teacher asks.

*loves Sam like crazy and makes me smile every time she calls him "little one".

*has taken to calling me "mama" and I love it.

*picks flowers for me every single day.

Jeff
*work, work, work, works! I love/hate it. I love that he works so hard to provide for us, but I can't say I love being a summer widow. We're lucky to get about an hour at most with him each day.

Bethany
*is still grain-free (except for the Friday night cheat meal). Not to say they don't occasional slip past my lips, but I'm doing pretty good.

(Grain-Free Granola/Soaking Pepitas and Sunflower Seeds/ Sourdough Starter Day 2)

*is attempting my first sourdough starter. I plan on trying to re-introduce some grains into my diet but will start with only soaked or sourdough as they are much easier on the digestive system, more nutritious, and YUMMY. I've been learning more from Nourishing Traditions and attempting to implement more of her food preparation methods. I've tried soaking nuts to try this tasty grain-free granola. (Added some ground flax and cinnamon and it is to die for)

*will be starting P90X! Well, I was able to borrow the discs from David & Summer and did them for two weeks to find out if I really liked the workouts. I do. They're not easy, but effective (lost a couple of inches of my waist), so I decided to bite the bullet and buy the set including the guides (found it used/new on Amazon).

(Solomon sporting one of his bald spots)

*is finally on the road to getting Solomon better. After several doctor and specialist visits and a skin biopsy we've discovered that he has an auto-immune disease of the skin. His immune system has been attacking his skin. He's been scabby and balding and miserable. After a week of high-d0se steroids, a 45 minute grooming session and a bath I think he's finally on the mend.

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend, and hopefully some time with my lovely niece.

Diapers, Dishes & Dirty Laundry

It's hard, at the end of each day, to recall anything I've done that doesn't involve childcare or housekeeping. It is my job, and I do love it, but it's nice to have days I can say I did something outside the realm of stay at home mommy. So I'll bore you with a little of the day to day with a splash of something fun (at least, what I think is fun).


Here's the Apple Cozy I made for Mrs. Dockweiler. Didn't it turn out so cute? It was a fun little "less than an hour" project that was perfect for an end of the school year gift.


You can add this to my "Why I wish the cat would just run away" list. We've had several (hopefully just drug-induced) accidents around the house lately. One involved the bean bag chairs. Chasing light as a feather, static crazy, minute pieces of foam around the house for two hours is not how I enjoy spending my evening.



HOLY COW... this girl is growing up way too fast.

Claire got to spend the night with my mom a few weeks ago. She just couldn't wait for grandma to come pick her up.


Watching a movie before bed-time.


Finally got a chance to plant my pots. I think these are my favorite find. They stay closed until the sun shines on them.


Claire checks her tomatoes every day to see if they're ready to eat.


Claire got to go on her fist camping trip! Jeff, Sam and I went to Spokane to see my niece, Kirsten, graduate. (Congratulations, Kirsten!) We didn't think Claire would enjoy it, so my parents agreed to take her camping instead. She had SO MUCH fun.


I made a batch of orange marmalade for my dad as a Father's Day gift. He loves it, so I figured I'd try making some with agave and raw sugar. I'm still not sure how well it will set up, but it tastes delicious. It turned out a really pretty amber color since I used raw agave and raw sugar.



I've been sneaking in crochet here and there (I rarely get more than a few minutes at a time during the day) and just happened to be working up this hexagon when I noticed that it matched my apron. Just thought it was cute.


Here are the colors I picked out for my niece's afghan. It won't be done it time for her birthday, but I think she's excited about it nonetheless. I'm really excited to try out Lucy's Granny Stripe Pattern.


HOLY COW... this boy is growing up way to fast.

And I can't get the photo to import, but I've been making baby food all week. I've made apples, pears, peaches, sweet potatoes and peas. Green beans and squash are next on my list. So far Sam's not a huge fan of bananas or avacados, but overall he's a really good eater and I just love this age and love trying out new foods.

Enjoy the domestic.