• Monday, January 5, 2009 - New Year
Here's hoping to have left 2008 in the dust. It has been clawing away at us and we feel pretty banged up, the last blow coming just a week before Christmas, courtesy of the IRS. Thanks a lot. We'll see how the recovery goes. Now if only there aren't surprise twins or something...whew.
On the bright side, we went to FL to visit friends and relatives, and thankfully made it home without mishap. Whirl wind trip for sure, but sun every day and wonderful warm temps! It helped to ease the winter doldrums for a while, helped by some quality time with soul mates. I'm grateful to be home, ready to cleanse our house of all the holiday mess and clutter and start fresh. My Dh might deny my attempts, in that I brought home a stash of fabric to add to my collection and need to get some things under control, but I'm working on it, I promise!
Leon has enjoyed all the fun new toys, gravitating towards the ones that make noise right now. I'm learning more and more that Christmas is really about the giver. I may have specific ideas about the toys I want our children playing with, but communicating that is difficult and leaves me feeling alone and misunderstood. (Not to mention coming across like an a-hole.) *sigh* So I will let the plastic stay, for a little bit. (And be very grateful for those who had ears to hear, or at least to care.) When the enamor wears off they will quietly disappear. I just hope that I can gently help people to think about what they are buying and supporting. Why should children and underpaid workers make toys for our rich American lifestyles? It is easy to choose one quality toy that is sustainably made (ie, true cost is reflected, workers paid fairly, trees harvested with long term in mind) verses several plastic toys that won't last, are more than likely made in China, and will end up polluting our lives in a landfill somewhere. I'm so tired of all the crap! And I become more convinced that natural and classic toys stimulate the imagination instead of being limited and manipulating the child, in a sense.
Ok, now I'm rambling on a tangent and not making any sense. Humm.
Anyway, for this year I would like to reduce our trash output, prepare to use cloth diapers on our next child, and put up a clothesline. (The last is a goal from 2 years ago, grrr.) I also need to focus on our food budget because things are going to get tighter than they have been already, and I want to be better at planning a menu. And then the garden this year too - we need to take full advantage of planting early and storing food as it's harvested. We did better last year, but this will be a challenge with a new baby in the mix. Whew!
Oh, just thought of something else. I want to make tempeh more regularly and also yogurt. I can't continue to pay $4 a quart! And fresh bread too. There is a great no-knead recipe here, at Mother Earth News. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-12-01/Easy-No-Knead-Dutch-Oven-Crusty-Bread.aspx It soaks itself and is very easy, as long as you have pots that will go in the oven and can remember to start it a day ahead! I have doubled it with no problem as well.
Alrighty, over and out....
Sweet Boy, no longer a baby but still my baby,
cuddled up to me, eyes dazed as you nurse.
These times are fewer and further between.
I cherish every one
as you lay curled on my lap,
almost too big, but not quite.
Your baby sister? kicks, and
soon she will join us, but for now
we have this time. |
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• Friday, December 12, 2008 - Tis the Season...
...for sickness and crazy crafting/sewing/gift making.
For my baby walking and exploring and getting into everything all over the house.
For being sicker than I have in years. Stomach flu, yuck. The longest 24 hrs ever.
For staying home, gray day one after another, and pouring myself into little things for the holidays.
For nursing and cuddling still, lots and lots. And hearing my little one wake up and say "mama" in the middle of the night. So sweet!
For watching helplessly as my baby got sick, and doing my best to comfort.
For feeling the new life stir within me, and reveling in its strengthening every day. Such joy!
*lol* And for forgetting my tea when I have left it to steep. *sigh* You take the blame this time, Little Guy.
So I can't post pics of my craftings in case someone that they are meant for happens by. Heh. I can't wait til after Christmas when I can share! But I have been sewing up a storm....and I can tell you about the little things I've been working on the past few days. We're doing some simple baskets for all the couples, and I'm making the cutest little bird ornaments to tuck in there. They are so easy to do in a batch, and after sewing a few you'll have them down pat. Only two seams! And a tiny third to close up the tail. Hum, I must take pics, however bad the lighting is. I found a piece of bright red corduroy that is to DIE for!
Thank you, Spool! (And why can I not get the insert link to work? Grrr. I press the "Add Link" and it does NOTHING.) Here tis, copy and paste away. http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/2008/05/16/bird-mobile/
Isn't that just adorable?! I want to go to there. Must. make. one. After the holidays, if I can stand to do any more or get near the sewing machine. (I'm at 20 birds and counting.) Btw, pillow stuffing works much better than the normal stuff - it's already fluffed or something, and pulls out in little tufts that are nice to work with. (Found a brand new small one at the thrift store.) Also, if using thicker material, only sew about 1/8" seam or you'll never get it turned.
Another thoughtful (and inexpensive) gift is rice socks. I bought some lavender buds and also added a few drops of EO to the mix. Heavenly! I must warn - if you attempt these, be prepared for the covers to never seem big enough! It takes some patience to get them on, let me tell you. And in my experience, about 4 1/4 inches seems right for the width, and I use 1 1/2 lbs of rice each. (Found some 3 lb bags at Big Lots for $2.)
I have been so busy on gifts I have done nothing to actually make this house feel festive. (Although clean clothes and the kitchen somewhat cleared does contribute to that feeling, heh.) Besides, we were going to be in Fl for Christmas, and we usually don't do a tree these years. But....things changed with work, and now we're leaving the day after, so I should really clean up and see about finding a smaller cheap tree perhaps. I just miss the SMELL...and the lights too, which I think Little Man will enjoy. Must find some greenery to put up somewhere.
Ok, all sickness GO AWAY so I can get out and breathe some fresh air! |
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• Friday, November 7, 2008 - Finally....
After waiting forever for the midwife to call and come, today finally arrived. I've been so excited all week!
I'm not very big yet, almost 11 weeks, so there's not really anything to measure yet. But she got the doppler out and I was surprised to hear the baby's heart beat, going strong! That is such a good feeling.
And GranMarmee was here and so she heard little Bean too. Yeah!
And very soon, I'll be able to feel Bean kick for the first time...I'll be counting the days. And I'm going to say this one will be a girl. We've had three boys born in a year, so the odds would suggest it's time for a change, lol. I want to buy cute little girl things! We won't find out what it is though....
one of the fun things about a home birth. The first time I really wanted to know,
but the surprise at the birth is just so special, and it's not like we have a choice anyway!
And just so I can have a pic on this post, here's an old one from when Leon was a few months in age.
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• Tuesday, September 23, 2008 - Surprise!!
Ok, I'm going to try to do some back-posting again, if ya don't mind. Life gets so crazy, but there are still things I want to go back and record, especially now that I'm feeling better. *grin* Bet ya can guess now, right?
So, I started feeling weird...and breaking out in hives....and thinking about food ALL the time. Humm....methinks I have vague recollections o this happening before. But surely not...not so soon! Little Man is only 13 mos old and still nursing strong. Speaking of which, things have been weird lately with him - I'm finding dry diapers in the morning and he's nursing ALL the time and it's driving me crazy.
Ok, so after a week of this, I decide I should probably pee on a stick. Only I don't have any of my cheao ones left. *sigh* So I had to order and wait another half week for them to arrive. Do you get nervous about doing those? *lol* I did! Took it right before lunch, before DH was due to come home. And freaked out at two lines. And had to take another one because it was a strip test and I dunked it wrong the first time and thought I messed it up somehow.
Nope.
Aaron walks in and I told him I had something to show him...and upon arriving in the bathroom he experienced the same shock that accompanies these things. Heh.
So Leon is going to be a big brother! I still can't believe it, and since I'm "just barely" pregnant, then it's going to be hard to be patient.
Hum, lesson learned, lol. Just because it takes almost two years to get pregnant the first time doesn't mean anything in regards to more. Once the gates are opened, you must guard them with all vigilance. *grin*
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• Tuesday, August 26, 2008 - Summertime Favorite
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