playing with (and recycling) flowers

The mums and sedum are from my flowerbed.
The baby's breath and asparagus fern are from the flowers hubby brought baby bear for her birthday.

My Dad gave me one of those glass flower holder thingies that happens to fit perfectly in my cute glass bowl. I decided to try my hand at making an arrangement of mums using that glass thingy. It was my grandma's, so I really hope I don't break it.

My mums are not quite as full outside, but now I have a few arrangements to enjoy inside. I even put one in the bathroom, but forget to get a picture of it.

I am addicted to planting bulbs.... there is no cure.

It's not the actual planting that I love, it is the hope of the end result. Maybe it's because my parents have always loved gardening and had fresh-picked flowers available in their yard. Perhaps I got bit by some bug when we visited the Tulip Festival in Holland, MI when I was a girl. I can barely remember it, but I'm sure there were thousands of beautiful bulbs. Perhaps I get some satisfaction from changing the soil in an area, transforming what was full of gravel, rock and chunks of brick from when our house was built into a fertile area. I have to confess I like chucking the rocks down the hill to no-man's-land beyond where the sidewalk ends. At least I remembered to wear my gardening gloves. My hands were very thankful. Baby Bear LOVED dropping the bulbs into the holes. You could see her face glow with pride as she threw them in, whether I was ready for them or not. She also helped me remove rocks from the soil. As long as she did not permanently damage the bulbs as she played with them, and the rodents don't dig them up, we should have a decent little display of various daffodils in the new part of my flower bed.

I took soil out of the cantaloupe pot and added it to the existing "dirt". The cantaloupe plants had died.... whithered away to practically nothing. So that left lots of "extra" dirt/coffee grounds mix for me to put in the ground with the bulbs, hopefully improving their chance to thrive.



I will be very, very disappointed if my tulips and daffodils don't come up in a few months. And hubby will be bitter because why buy bulbs if they don't bloom? Certainly not to feed rodents.

At least the grass seed is coming in, and here's to spring! (Not that I'm in a rush, I just don't want to wake up in March wishing I had planted more bulbs. Been there, done that.)

my new 'do

New looks all over the place...

maybe I'll get hubby to take a picture of my new hairdo. Farm Wife and her brave soul inspired me to get a trim, though mine's not nearly as drastic as hers. It's way shorter than it was in the back, about the same in the front, and blended together. I got it done at the place I get my brows and lip waxed. I really like the girl, and I think she'll get the hang of working with my paintbrush/horse-hair pretty quickly. I wasn't happy with how the last cut was growing out. Anyway, my mustache and unibrow are gone, and my mane is styled, so I feel like a new woman.

I feel pretty, oh so pretty!

oops...

When I switched templates, I lost a lot of links. Please don't take it personally if it takes me a while to track your blog down. I may just leave links in my personal bookmarks and keep the blog "cleaned-up".

I really like my blog's new look. Hope you do, too!

Wordless Wednesday: Child's Play

Halloween Happenings

* On the way to the Kids Karnival at First Evan:
Bear: "Roll, roll, roll your dope."
It's a very good thing she didn't realize what she was singing. With a little coaching, her pronunciation improved and she sang the correct lyrics.

* The main area was a little overwhelming for her. The big bounce house was too noisy for her taste. She liked the bean-bag toss, and digging through fake leaves. She also liked putting swim rings around cones. But her favorite part was Toddler Town, a room where the
A/C actually worked and the kids were her size or smaller. The bounce house in the Toddler Town was smaller and quieter, too. She had fun sliding down the Little Tikes slide, and slideing blow-up animals down the slide. Tech Mom, hubby and I were glad there were chairs set up for the parents. I had to remove her costume in order to change her diaper, and by the time we got home, Bear did not want to put it back on, so no trick-or-treating for us. She did get candy at the Kids Karnival. And she had fun giving the kids that came to Tech Mom's door their treats... except when one particular boy with a fake-bloody mask leaned over so she could put the candy in. Maybe next year....

5 minutes for Mom is going retro for this giveaway!
Head over to their blog and post a link on yours to have a chance to win this pedal car or something else (like an old-fashioned record-player) from their Pedal Cars and Retro Store


Their store has a lot of things I can only dream about getting for my daughter,
so winning something would be awesome!

Good luck!

i love cable tv

****************
Hubby has some work assignments in the vicinity of where his parents live this week, so Bear and I packed up our vehicle and drove over on Monday. I'm not sure which one of us will miss cable more when we get home. Bear is loving the DVR access to Little Einsteins and Dora. I'm enjoying the break from our usual PBS shows.

One of our friends came over for dinner last night. I made a veggie beef soup recipe from a Southern Living Slow-Cooker recipe book. Except Tech Mom's crock pot is little, so I ended up simmering it on the stove all afternoon. It turned out really, really yummy. And there are plenty of leftovers. I supposed it would be pretty easy to halve the recipe to make a smaller batch.

I finished reading The Memory Keeper's Daughter around 1 a.m. this morning. It was a good read. Of course, I am now pretty groggy since my daughter wakes up before I do. She has ben sleeping in until around7:30.

I should be contacting some other old friends and trying to see them while we're in town. But part of me is just really enjoying relaxing. Maybe I'll feel more social after I shower and brush my teeth....

Aahh...

Baby Bear is asleep, following a fun-filled and very festive weekend. We had a big family birthday party for her on Saturday, and I've posted lots of pics on her blog, aka my online scrapbook. I really need to work on her real scrapbook.

You know your 2 year old is tired when:
a) she says "night-night" at the dinner table
b) she practically falls asleep on her daddy while finishing her sippy cup of milk
c) after proclaiming "'all done!" she throws her empty cup on the ground and proceeds to start snoring while in her daddy's arms

...at 5:20 p.m.

She loved having her cousins and some of her aunts and uncles and both sets of grandparents come visit. We missed those who were not able to make it, but hope to see them soon! She received sooo many wonderful gifts. One of the best gifts was the cake which my talented and crafty sister designed and made. She's just begun teaching herself to decorate cakes, but she does it like a pro already. After everyone left, hubby and I took turns taking naps. He slept on the couch while Bear and I went upstairs to play, then he and Bear played while I napped. He even cleaned up some for me! I woke up to a not-crumby kitchen floor, the card table and chairs were put away, and the rocking chair had been returned to the nursery.

Miracles happen...

this is my first time online all day. We ran errands, cleaned the house, and our family has begun to arrive. Tech Mom is reading Bear's library books. Hannah is delirious because it's past her bedtime, but her older cousins will be here shortly, so we're letting her wait up for them, unless she crashes first. She is singing her rendition of "The Wheels On the Bus" complete with hand motions. I have pics to upload from my camera.

Tomorrow's the last day to enter to win a PINK camera!

My Baby Bear is 2 years old today. Where has the time gone?

We're going to have a party this weekend. All 3 of her cousins will come, so it's gonna be wild. Do not be deceived, girls are not necessarily lower-energy than boys. Anyone who believes otherwise has never met Em and Mad. My sis is making her a panda bear cake. We decided on that a while back because of my daughter's nickname. Well, I was looking for panda-bear stuff at the factory card outlet, and Baby Bear decided she had to have a firefighter hat. So the kids will have firefighter party hats. So much for a single theme.

"A Letter from Jesus Christ to the Soul that Really Loves Him"
by John of Landsberg, 1555

One thing I have to warn you of especially is your constant tendency to grow fainthearted under the weight of your faults and oversights and an inclination almost to despair when a sudden lack of confidence reduces your firm decisions to nothing. I know those moods when you sit there utterly alone, eaten up with unhappiness, in a pure state of grief. You don't move towards me but desperately imagine that everything you have ever done has been utterly lost and forgotten. This near-despair and self-pity are actually a form of pride. What you think was a state of absolute security from which you've fallen was really trusting too much in your own strength and ability. Profound depression and perplexity of mind often follow a loss of hope, when what really ails you is that things simply haven't happened as you expected and wanted. In fact, I don't want you to rely on your own strength and abilities and plans, but to distrust them and to distrust yourself, and to trust me and no one and nothing else. As long as you rely on yourself you are bound to come to grief. You still have a most important to learn: your own strength will no more help you to stand upright than dropping yourself on a broken reed. You must not despair of me. You must hope and trust in me absolutely. My mercy is infinite..."

*******

This may have been written centuries ago, but it could have been written today. I found it in a lesson on self-centeredness as a form of idolatry. It hit home. I won't go into all the reasons why it affected me so personally, though those of you who know me well or have even read my blog a while might have some insight into that. It will suffice to say that it seems my heart is finally returning to a point of surrender, of drawing near to Him who knows the answers to all my questions. To Him who is bigger than any fears, and more fulfilling than any dreams.

It's like the fall rain brought refreshment for my soul.

Casting Crowns "East to West"

24 hours straight

That's how long it's been raining here. I'm not complaining, just observing. Bear has asked to go outside soo many times. Today it's just drizzling, so maybe I'll give her an umbrella and put her in her Land's End snow boots.

The grass is already greener, and not just on the other side of the fence. It's pretty cool to see how quickly just a couple of inches of rain can help turn things around. My mums are happier, too. I'm happier. Dragging the hose around the yard gets tiresome in 90-degree Indian Summer weather. It finally feels like Fall!!!!

Bear found some of my books on the end table and is "reading" and patting them. At least they are getting some use!

Looking for a fun creepy-crawly themed craft idea?

Check out Erin's latest post.

A movie that looks worth seeing....

Bella

cantaloupe update....

mr. beaver or woodchuck, whatever he may be, has left my cantaloupe plants alone for the past severral weeks. there are now 5 or 6 tiny cantaloupe (the size of the tip of my pinky or smaller) in the pot. i have picked off several flowers in hopes of sending the energy from the plant to the fruits that are already forming. i seriously doubt they'll be big enough to ripen and eat before the first frost, but it is the south, so stranger things have happened.

maybe i'll bring fresh cantaloupe planted by em and mad to their house for thanksgiving dinner?!?

Thankful Thursday- Here are some things I am grateful for today:

Last night's rain soaked our yard
Bear slept in until 8, and I eventually fell back asleep.
I remembered to put the trash out. It was quite full this week, so the garage would have been really stinky if I had forgotten. (That's usually hubby's job.)
Hubby can stay with family when working out of town this week... and keep Tech Mom company!
We live pretty close to the airport.
my sweet daughter
my loving hubby
God's grace

Bear fell asleep in the car on the way home from dinner... around 6 p.m. last night.

She has been asleep ever since.

Even through the rain.

I am thankful for the rain, by the way. My grass seed needs it. Upon doing further research, however, I hope I didn't plant my tulips too early. Too late if I did.

I woke up with a headache, and the ibuprofen finally kicked in.

As soon as I lay back down, I bet she'll wake up.

I would do some housework, but noises echo and that would certainly wake her up.

Argh.

Good morning, everyone!

Hope your day is off to a better start than mine!

I'm going to go see if my quest for more sleep is futile...

Farm Wife posted a poem for me. I feel so special!!!

Tackle It Tuesday

It's been a few weeks since I participated in this meme. Today's tackle is a work in progress (as are many). It began last week when I bought and planted some tulip bulbs. Since then I have been itching to add some extra soil and mulch to protect them.

Some tulip bulbs are planted along the sidewalk and around the sedum, which will die off after frost hits, providing the bulbs with the full sun they need. Here you can see the faded mulch under the birch (I plan to add fresh mulch there, too) with the new mulch in the background:

Here's the side where I plan to extend the bed to the fireplace. I need to soak and dig up the existing dirt, add some compost, and then split the 2 daylily plants which haven't been split yet and plant the 2 "new" plants in the new extension. Then I will mulch that area. In the Spring, I hope to transplant some ornamental grasses from my dad's yard to hide the meter a bit. I wasn't sure if I had enough mulch for the extension, so I began by working on the existing flower beds.

More tulip bulbs are clustered in front of these 2 shrubs and behind the mum.

I finished this before 9 a.m., then I called Jackie and realized I should have checked my e-mail. Her kids are sick with bronchial crud, and our plans to meet today have been thwarted. I may finish my tackle during Bear's nap. Right now my little bundle of energy is taking Snook the sloth's suggestion and asking to play hide and seek.

2:20 p.m. update:

Tackle Complete!!!!

The undivided day lilies were soo overcrowded along the garage. They were begging for breathing room. I had divided the front 2 plants to give some to my sis, but 2 were still overcrowded. Plus, the "new" plants will provide life for the extension until I decide what else to put there. And I think the extension gets rid of an awkward space between the old edge of the garden and the fireplace.

If you've never dug out a flower bed before... it's hard work. First, I took my spade and stabbed the ground until it loosened. Then I got the hose and drenched the area. Throughly. The initial loosening helped the water go down into the hard clay-ish dirt. That enabled me to turn over the dirt in the whole area before dumping compost mix on it and mixing the old and new soil. Then I dug the two holes where I wanted my day lilies. Next, I took my spade over to the side of the garage and stabbed the day lilies in the middle. I lifted up to get approximately half the roots, and was able to pull the divided plants out with minimal mess. I made the holes a little bigger, added more compost, dropped the clumps of lilies in, and pressed the soil around them. Then I watered them some more. To pull the area together, I dumped a bag of mulch over the area. taking care not to crush the flowers too much. The edging isn't perfect, because we only have a narrow rounded edge spade, but it'll do. The area should be ready for future plantings. After dumping mulch around the base of the birch, I watered my mums, lilies, hostas and tiny struggling mini rose plant with all-purpose plant food.

Now if the seed that hubby put down will just miraculously grow in an instant...

What are you tackling today?

here we go again....

our yard was aerated today. the problem is, it has been so dry that the ground is really hard. so it doesn't look as much like cows have trampled through our yard as it did last fall. we gave up watering the grass when the summer heat continued to be too stifling, so the lawn is in need of some TLC. the lawn guy came and did the work for us for less than it would have cost to rent a push-aerator from home depot. that's a no-brainer. hubby's going to seed and fertilize. i spent 20 minutes picking up rocks after laying bear down for her nap. she has decided the retaining wall makes a fun balance beam to walk on, and i opted not to tempt her today. i picked up 5 gallons of rocks of all sizes which were dug up by the spikes on the aerating tractor. then i dumped them where the sidewalk ends.

it's a breezy day, but still far too warm for this time of year. i prefer crisp fall air. this feels more like a midwestern summer.

you can call me the airport shuttle... i've been there twice so far in the past two days, and will be heading back tonight to pick up someone and thursday to pick up someone else. bear loves looking for the airplanes and going under the runway bridges (aka "tunnels").

ok, after playing outside with bear this morning, then picking up rocks, i think i should shower before hubby gets home.

p.s. i forgot to mention that i get to see jackie and meet her kiddos tomorrow! we're meeting halfway betwen her parents' and our house. yay!!! we graduated from high school together way back when. she is one of my blogging buddies and friends irl. :)

Can you read this? I can.

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, t he olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a ta otl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.

I lifted it off of Barbara Curtis' blog.

Who am I?

It's funny that personality profiling came up in a conversation I had last week. It made perfect sense in the context of the conversation. Well, when my friend FarmWife shared her test results, I decided it was time for a review assessment.

newsflash

I sponge mopped and towel-dried the kitchen floor this afternoon. Hubby kept bear from getting her paws all over my nice, clean hardwood. So no tiny footprints have been left behind.

Miracles do happen.

Got coffee?

So, on our way home from Bec's b-day celebration with the fabulously adorable pumpkin cake with yummy homemade buttercream frosting and a green ice-cream-cone-stem, I had hubby swing into starbucks to see if they had any used coffee grounds. For the first time in the months I've been doing this, they had some all packaged in a pretty silver bag with a sticker explaining the potential benefits. Usually I just get a sack full straight out of the "discard" can.

When I came out to the car, bear was chantimg "coffee!" Hubby said she exclaimed ,"Mama's coffee cup!" the whole time I was in there (20 seconds, perhaps).

If my child develops a coffee addiction, I hold both sets of grandparents responsible. One set for actually making it, the other for the grounds-for-gardening idea.

I'm going to drink a glass of milk and try to get back to sleep. I will resist the temptation to put grounds out in my flowered at 3 a.m. Mostly because our streetlights don't work and the stillness of the night freaks me out a bit. Well, it does tonight. I will not be watching any scary Halloween movies...

Have you ever done this before?

I've been thinking about easier to learn crafts, and Pretty Punch came to mind. It's something me and my sis did as kids, and it's in a box somewhere at my parents'. Dad mentioned it not-so-long- ago and I've been wondering if it could be used to make cute burp cloths and baby accessories. Because an embroidery sewing machine is so darn expensive.

my sister made her own birthday cake

and we get to help eat it tomorrow. (her birthday was the 8th. she's a quarter of a century young.)

it looks almost too cute to eat... almost...

Who am I kidding?

Extending a flowerbed takes a lot of work. I am not sure I am that motivated this fall. Plus, it's far too nice outside today to spend it indoors, cleaning. Upon laying Bear down for her nap, I went outside to plant the tulip bulbs which I purchased at Costco yesterday. Here's a pic of the package label:

I saved a few for my sister, and I'm hoping that we both get a good mix of the colors. I couldn't tell which bulb will produce which color bloom.

While I was at it, I pulled up ("lifted" is the gardening term) 6 of the gladiola corms. See, most of my research says glads are tender and should be lifted. But I found a couple of articles indicating that some people have had pretty decent luck with their glads coming back in this region of the country. My Dad said he doesn't lift his... some return and some die. So I'm experimenting. I lifted some and left some in the ground. I even rinsed the dirt off them and dried them according to recommendations.. hopefully our garage is cool enough for proper storage. Here they are:


See the baby corms on one of the mamas? Isn't it amazing that something so ugly can produce such a brilliant bloom? Oh, and the darker part of each of the bigger corms is the shriveled remains of the corm that produced the blooms this summer. I did have to laugh as I cleaned them, though. I remembered how last Spring, when I told Hubby's Gramma I had planted glads, she had said something along the lines of them being too much work for her and "good luck". Of course, where she lives, they will not survive the winter underground. But I never thought I would see the day where I would be more motivated to do something than Gramma! Plus, these glads were soo pretty that I don't want to risk losing all of them. And if the corms I lifted to survive the winter, as well as the other glad corms, I can plant them to come up later than the others, prolonging the color. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

****
I found these instructions on how to plant bulbs, and the author's writing style amused me. Plus, he kept it simple...

Refreshed

That's how I feel today. Now I haven't started my chores, so that may change shortly. Bear and I spent some time outside after breakfast. A neighbor's friendly kitty was roaming around our patio, and of course Bear wanted to go outside to pet her. We played with her balls that cannot hold enough air to actually bounce. We watched Mr. Yard guy turn on his sprinklers. We waved byebye to her friends as they left for school, and we went for a short trike ride. We also picked up rocks from our yard and filled half a 5 gallon bucket with them. All while she was still in her footed jammies. We came inside and washed our hands, changed her into some comfy leggings and a cute top from her stash of hand-me-downs from em and mad. I noticed her legs are slimming down some. Now we're watching the "Talking Hands" sign language video. She loves it. She is copying the signs and the words.

Oh, and it was apparently 47 degrees this morning and may not reach 70today. Yay!!! Fall is here! The lawn guy is supposed to aerate the yard today, and after he does that, I plan to extend the flower bed. (Well, I plsn to fo th flower bed within the next couple of weeks.) Still debating on whether or not to create a bed around the mailbox. I bought a bag of "ebony and ivory" tulips at costco yesterday... dark purples, whites, and white-edged purple flowers. 60 bulbs for $13. So now I have to make room for them!! I might hold a few aside for part of my sister's birthday present. I think our girls will have fun helping us plant them. They are in that stage where they want to help with everything, and a little dirt never really hurt a kid. Or a lot of dirt, for that matter.

traditions

I hope that the trip to the Pumpkin Patch will become an annual tradition for us. Do you and your family have any Fall traditions?

autumn may not be in the air yet....

but the decor is....

89 degrees

That's the current temp here in middle TN. That means it was at least a couple of degrees warmer during our little outing to the pumpkin patch. We now have a festive fall display of corn stalks, 2 pumpkins, and 3 gourds next to our front door. I predict at least one of the pumpkins will get smashed by our little bear at some point. The stems are already broken off. It seems wrong to have worn a tank top blouse to the pumpkin patch, but it was so warm.... Anyway, Tech Mom and I scoped out the location to see if they were open today. We had passed the sign yesterday on our way down to the Country Ham Festival, where my parents had Dad's artwork on display. Bear got to see all her Grandparents, her youngest Aunt, and her younger cousin all in the same day.

Anyway, all day yesterday Tech Mom had told Bear that she would buy her a pumpkin. And today we found the farm and she kept her promise before heading home.

All these pre-Autumn festivities bring back memories of the first small town where we lived in the Midwest when I was a child. This is the town where my elementary school was in walking distance, and there was an Appaloosa horse farm just a short walk down the street in the other direction. This time of year, we would go on hayrides at the apple orchard in the next town over and watch them press the apples for cider in the mill. They also made fresh cake donuts there. Donuts that put Krispy Creme to shame for imitating such a rich treat. Not that I don't like K.C. I do. But the real homemade cake donuts stick with you better instead of giving you that sugar rush that ends as a sugar crash. Anyway, it was fun to see my daughter's excitement as she tried to pick a pumpkin that probably weighed as much as she does, and when we returned home she played with her gourds and picked up our pumpkins.

After we got back from the pumpkin patch, Hubby cleaned out our car, vacuuming everything and febreezing the car seat. It had been at least 6 months since the vehicle had that kind of TLC.

p.s. I "chatted" with a former classmate from childhood, and she said the orchard is still going strong. Am I crazy for wanting to drive up there for some fresh cider and donuts to dunk?

I should have known I couldn't stay off. Yep my addiction is bad. But at least I am not alone ;->

I got a lot done this morning... a good start. Bear actually played well mostly on her own. Her room is a mess, with blankets all over. And stuffed animals. And blocks. We did take a "break" and go outside for a few minutes. She helped me water the flowers. She actually gets the water on the flowers a lot more frequently. And our little maple tree that is in the part of our yard that is not really our property, but future development. It sprouted from seed this spring and is a tad shorter than her. It's so cute, and it reminds me of Michigan. Oh, I could go for fresh milled apple cider and cake donuts and a hayride in crisp autumn air! Oh, and fresh, real, no corn-syrup added maple syrup. But I digress...

Anyway... it's far from perfect, but so far I've:
washed dishes
swept the kitchen
picked up the living room
put fresh pillowcases on guest bed (the sheets were changed last week and haven't been slept on)
dusted living room and guest room.. you could actually see the dust layer on the tall dresser. ugh.
put 2 loads in the laundry
read a couple of books with baby bear
made sandwiches and introduced my child to hummus with artichokes in it- she liked playing with it more than eating it. she thought it was hysterical when she mashed it between her fingers and dabbed it on her cheeks. at least olive oil is good for the skin.
folded towels and put them away


still to do:
clean guest bath
vacuum carpet
wash kitchen floor
de-clutter counter top (my archnemesis)
fold clean laundry
straighten bonus room (yeah, right... like i'll get to that!)
clean science projects out of fridge

Oh... get this. I just got a phone call from the tutoring center I worked for asking me to administer a test. First call I've had in nearly 2 years. Interesting. Too bad it's for tomorrow morning and I have family in town. (I really hope one of the other people she hasn't called yet can do it.)

Aack...

My house is a wreck. My own fault for procrastinating.
Hubby comes home today.
Tech Mom and Dad arrive tonight. At least their bed is almost ready. (It will be nice to have them.)
I realized I forgot a couple of things from the store... we're down to 4 diapers, plus any in the diaper bag. Coffee. I remembered the biscotti, but forgot to buy coffee. Actually the biscotti was an impulse buy on sale. No shock there.

I'm going to be tired tonight.


I swear, I may just have to have hubby password protect the computer. My addiction is that bad.

If you see me online before this evening, ask me what on earth I am doing here, ok?

the craft bug bit me again

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that the dollar store had fake flowers, ribbon, and cornucopias for autumn. I am not into decorating for Halloween. Though I don't object to trick-or-treating or jack-o-lanterns per se, I don't get into the witches and black cats. Plus, Halloween and Thanksgiving are so close together, it seems silly to decorate for both. I use the term "decorate" loosely. Anyone who knows me or has read this blog for any decent length of time knows that my home decor is fairly minimal. Not many pictures or paintings, knick-knacks restricted to out of reach places, and until today, I used the same wreath on my door for the past 4 years. Season in, season out. I may have put another one up at some point, but if I did, I have no idea where I stored it.

Anyway, I opted to wait to purchase my cornucopia and stuffing supplies until checking out the pre-made things at other places. Just in case I came across any good deals. I didn't. So today I decided to see what I could do with that cornucopia. It is too thick to fit between the storm door and main door, so I hope it doesn't blow away.




Oh, the first thing Bear did when she saw it was say "party hat" and put it on her head. :)

analysis paralysis, anyone?

just checking....

the cat's got my tongue

imaginary cat, that is. or perhaps lola, the cat from down the street who thinks everyone else's garage is her home. there's just not much to blog on here about. the weather? it's starting to feel more like fall. tackles? ummm... does pinning my daughter down to change her diaper count? perhaps i'll find something to post for wordless wednesday. my garden? been there, done that... over and over. but if you really care to know, my mums are finally starting to bloom.

last night we had a bloggy reunion of sorts with Samantha from Mommy University and her hubby and precious daughter Lilly (and some other people). Baby Bear tried to steak Lilly's toys. she got some pics on her camera... my batteries had died.

anyway, hubby's going to bed, and i think i'll join him.


yawn.

teamwork

Hubby and I spent a couple of hours doing yardwork. We began while bear took her nap, which helped us focus. He worked on raking the hillside, removing the netting and excess straw where the developers laid seed because at this point it was choking any more growth. He also raked up the netting along the sidewalk, uncovering a bunch of rocks and trash left behind by the construction crew. No shock there. While he tackled that project, I grabbed the hedge trimmers and whacked the straggly branches off all the shrubs. There is something therapeutic about whacking shrubs. The whacking is followed by more thoughtful shaping. I'm no professional landscape designer, but trimming shrubs is not worth paying someone to do.

When Baby Bear awoke, I gave her the little rake so she could "help". She raked the grass on the hillside, and then she helped me rake up the trimmings. She also obeyed when I told her not to pick the mums. She did pick a "black susan", but at least the Mums are finally getting more than a single bud on them at a time. She also helped me water the mums. They should look pretty soon. Now she is watching her "Talking Hands" DVD, saying the words and copying the signs. It's funny how the simplest things sometimes keep her attention better than other more complex videos.

Hope y'all are having a good weekend.

rainy day

I want to stay curled up under a blanket with a good book (or my laptop).
Baby Bear is watching Sesame Street, occasionally snuggling up against me as she learns about things which start with the letter "B". We have the munchies- the canister of pretzel sticks which someone left upstairs was far too tempting to ignore.

Dinner is planned. Time to go make my list of things to do and transform rainy day mode from laziness into productivity.

Farmwife's new recipe-sharing blog:

Wha'cha got cookin?


She and Ang already have a couple of yummy-sounding recipes posted, and if you want to collaborate with them , just leave a comment over there.

I need Tackle Motivation.

No Tackle-It-Tuesday post for me. I did change the sheets, make sweet tea, and run the dishwasher. I probably should make a list of everything I should do and go back to posting it on my blog, where it will stare me in the face.

Bear and I made a run to the store. I bought part of her birthday gift. I hate buying things in her presence, but I really wanted to get this for her and they were still in stock on clearance. The Little People Ark was not, unfortunately. Figures. She doesn't seem to remember that the little horses for her barn were in the shopping cart. Hope it stays that way.

Anyway, I am feeling better than last week, if still lazy. That's improvement. I am debating joining a gym again... but will I really use it? There's a new place up the road that does not require a contract. I think I'll wait 'til it actually gets too cold to walk outside... January, at this rate.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE:

Good things.. mostly

We went to a good friend's birthday party tonight. It was hosted by her Mom, who is normally an introvert. Another friend brought her kids, and Hannah idolized the little girl, who is 7.

This week has been hard for me to focus on what's great about my life. PMS always does that to a certain extent, even with meds. But it was also a week when I mourned what almost was. But God had other plans.

Watching my daughter run around with a huge smile on her face reminded me that life is good. Very good. Her vocabulary and other expressions grow exponentially, or so it seems. She is so affectionate, loves giving hugs and kisses to anyone and everything if she is permitted. No more than 10 seconds after meeting her new friend tonight, she wrapped her arms around her and planted a kiss on her cheek. Her name means "Grace of God or merciful" and her middle name means "bright and spirited or light". I think God named her, not us. If she thinks one of us is in pain, she immediately shows concern. She is full of life. This week, she told us she wants a brother. Lord willing, she will have one someday. But from now on, when I start missing the baby I never got to meet, I'm going to cherish the child I have with me here on earth.

my 1st clippie collection (improved)

I figured out that I was trying to zoom in too much to take my photos. I am not thrilled with my first bow; I probably should have just made it a singe loop instead of attempting a double. I used the clear goody ouchless bands to hold the center together as my sis suggested, mostly because Bear hates it when I put her hair in pigtails so it makes a good use for them! But I think the bow is wearable, if not perfect. I love the dragonfly collection and the preppy pink.

Separation of church and ..... retail?

I'm on a mission. I am soliciting donations for door prizes for A Mom's HEART, the monthly fellowship for Moms with young kids at our church. We have over 150 women registered, and 139 attended last month. Our kids get childcare while we enjoy brunch, speakers, and fellowship in a small group. So as I was out doing a little bit of shopping this morning, I decided to try to get some more donations. I would like for every Mom to win something at least once between now and May. That means I have a lot of begging to do.

After I spent $30 at the local Christian store, the Assistant Manager was quite receptive to my request and said she'd put something together. That was easy. I decided not to pester Costco because I know they have donated food for the brunch in the past..

There's a new massage place, one that markets more affordable services without all the fluff of full-service spas. I decided to go ahead and ask if they would donate a gift certificate.

Living in the Bible belt, you don't expect to encounter fear of religion. But I did. When the manager found out the Mom's fellowship is at a church, he said he has chosen not to donate to any churches because he doesn't want to endorse them. Now I understand that businesses receive many requests for donations, and they have to draw a line somewhere. I managed a small business, and did a stint in direct sales. The bottom line is there are a lot of good causes out there, and you just can't give to everybody and make a profit. But what was interesting to me was the fear in this person's voice. Fear of endorsing a "religion" by donating a gift for the purpose of encouraging a weary Mom. It's interesting how a polished, professional individual can appear weak simply by the suggestion of something that they want to stay away from. Of course, we all do that from time to time.

Perhaps if someone is that hesitant to donate something, I shouldn't be requesting their assistance in the first place. But I do hope that in our conversation I handled the man's denial of my request gracefully and somehow his heart is touched by Jesus' love and that fear will go away.

And after I left, I headed to the full-service spa which hubby has treated me to in the past and submitted a request there. We'll see how their management responds.

How to make hair clippies

1) Buy alligator clips from beauty supply store (12/1.99 + tax) I could not find them at the superstores or dollar store.
2) Buy ribbon and embellishments that suit your style or go with the outfit you are trying to accessorize for your sweet girl. I used dragonfly gems and ribbon from wal-mart's craft department. They have small spools of 6 ft. of ribbon for less than $1 each.
3) Measure the amount of ribbon you need by wrapping it around the inside of the top (curved) half of the clip, all the way around the top, and about 1/2 " on the bottom. If you want, you can wrap the ribbon all the way around the inside of both parts. I opted to save ribbon, but I might make some with the ribbon wrapped on the inside because it can help reduce slipping out of hair.
4) Pinch open the clip using your non-dominant hand. Using a hot glue gun (I bought the higher temp one for 1.99 at hobby lobby), apply glue to the inside of the top half of the clip. HOLD IT OPEN OR ELSE YOU'LL HAVE A STICKY MESS!
5) Affix the ribbon to the hot glue, covering the inside of the clip completely with ribbon. Apply more glue to the top, wrap the ribbon around, and press to smooth out the kinks.

It really just takes practice. I had strings of cooled glue everywhere, and one casualty clip that had glue ALL over it.
6) Hot glue the embellishments where you think they look cute.

Allow to cool completely before putting in child's hair.

I haven't attempted bows yet, but my sister has. Perhaps she'll post how she made bows on her blog? I imagine you would wrap the ribbon as I described above, then attach a homemade bow to the clip. It's making the bow look cute that is hard for me. When I did the flowers for a friend's wedding, my partner in the project was the bow expert. There are people who sell their bows online and you can get ideas from them, that's how I came up with the basic idea for the ones I made. I think instructions on how to make them are available online, too.

If I can do this, anyone can. You just have to not freak out over sticky fingers or get upset by a few "wasted" materials early in the process. And it's a project that is best done after the toddlers are in bed! Older girls might have fun helping affix the embellishments.

p.s. I have discovered a need to revise my "design" and move the dragonflies down a bit. The pressure on the dragonfly when I squeeze the clips is more than it can handle and I have had 2 break. Thankfully the dried glue peels off and it will be a cinch to replace the broken-winged gem.

where's my photographer when i need one?




I played around with the settings a bit and this was the best photo pair I could come up with. The camera didn't want to focus properly on these things. I am sure it's me... it is a new camera.

Anyway, this is my first attempt at making hair clippies. I did not attempt bows. I need to pick up some fine wire in order to do that. I'm not really sure what Bear has that they will match, but I think they are pretty cute. She does have lots of pink and purple, so I'm sure we'll find something.

one of those days

I woke up sleepy because I stayed up too late last night. It's always hard for me to settle down when hubby travels. Bear awoke around 11:30 p.m., needing her Mommy to rock her again. I obliged. She's got a bit of congestion that seems to wake her up. I probably should think about plugging in the humidifier while she sleeps and see if that helps. I had also put off doing my Bible study lesson, so after I put her down, I did it. I read about Joseph and Solomon and Job and Asaph, how they struggled. Isn't it interesting that while we Christians tend to try to act perfect, put on a facade of holiness or spirituality even when we don't feel that way, the Bible is full of people who struggled and expressed those struggles in very real ways? God drew them back to Himself... soetimes with chastisement, but always revealing His faithfulness.

I've been in kind of a funk, desert, pity party, all of the above for a while now. It's not a permanent state, but it does come and go. I accepted an invitation to join the Gospel Transformation study because it sounded like a great opportunity for fellowship and accountability. It's a study that is opened to people who are involved in leadership of some kind in our church, and it involved digging deep and examining how God's story is revealed in scripture and how it applies to our own lives. God put me in a small group with some amazing women, and I am so thankful. I haven't been involved in a Bible study/group like this since college, perhaps...? It's been far too long. I have also been reading the book Sacred Marriage, thouh I haven't participated in our W@H discussion group. I like it a lot.

Anyway, it seems that being in a funk is a common thread among me and several of my friends lately. I'm praying we get out of this state, soon.

Wordless Wednesday: Sharing

For more Wordless Wednesday images,
visit 5 minutes for Mom or the WW HQ.

where, oh where has my hot glue gun gone?

i bought some ribbon, dragonfly gems, and alligator clips today. i really want to try to make pretty hair clippies, and maybe bows for Baby Bear. but my hot glue gun has disappeared. i have no clue when i last used it... years ago, i'm sure. i may be calling the dollar store tomorrow to see if they have any hot glue guns and glue sticks in stock. the lady at sally beauty supply said they might, and i did not feel like dragging bear back into the dollar store when i thought i knew where my glue gun was stored.

my creative side must wait a bit longer to try something new. such is life.

Please POLL along!!!

I have posted a new poll in my sidebar. I don't know how to make sticky posts, so I just put my surveys in the sidebar. Anyway, I bought a couple of Mum plants last night and planted them this morning, with Baby Bear's help. (Help which required me to strip her down to her diaper before coming back inside. You know how neat a helpful toddler help is.) They are a deep red color, I think. One might be a little more magenta, but it was kind of hard to tell. It's in a pot, the others are planted in the flower bed, so it's ok if its' color is a little different. Bear picked off most of the blooms. I really need to teach her to stop picking all the flowers. At least with Mums, picking or dead-heading encourages fresh growth and re-blooming.



I also hope to buy some bulbs, extend my front flower bed, put a small bed around the base of the mailbox, and maybe do a flower bed in the back around our bedroom window. If hubby will help.

I have a few daffodil and crocus bulbs which I hope will bloom again in the spring, so now I am trying to decide which bulbs to plant. Heavenly hyacinths? Topsy tulips? More daffs? Decisions, decisions. Thankfully it's still a little early to plant bulbs here, so I have time to decide.

What are your favorite things to plant for Fall and for Spring preparation?

Two were in one high school marching band together.
Two were in another, though one marched with a flagpole, not an instrument.
All of us attended the same college.
We lived together, or spent enough time together that we might as well have lived together.
One of these women introduced me to the man I love.
The other two questioned me incredulously after witnessing the affair.
We've shared the best of times, and the worst of times.
These are some of my true friends.

the elusive and naughty Mr. Beaver

Do not be deceived by the tales of the heroic Mr. Beaver in C.S. Lewis classic The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. His antics are not limited to goodwill and guiding the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. Mr. Beaver has such a sweet tooth that he has taken to climbing into my garden pot and nibbling my cantaloupe plants to their stems. He also climbs into the tomato pot, possibly for the view, as I observed him perched inside and drooling at the sight of the neighboring fruit plant. He left the tomatoes untouched.

Of course, by the time I retrieved my camera, he scurried away. But mark my words, Mr. Beaver may be the death of my cantaloupe dreams, not the frost.

i (heart) facebook

I've just reconnected with someone from elementary school. Our families crosses paths in a couple of different churches, and we went to a private Christian school together for about 3 years.

Anyway, while most of the people on facebook are about 10 years younger than I, there is a growing segment in my age group who are reconnecting with people. And I am excited to discover that while I may have felt invisible growing up, there are a couple of people (at least) who do actually remember me.

I am learning that childhood growing pains have passed, and now as adults we have far more in common and are doing our best to parent the next generation. There are struggles (like pregnancy loss) which I would never wish upon anybody, but I am somehow comforted by the discovery that I am not alone, others have faced even more difficult circumstances, and God has given them faith to get through.

I am further convinced that God has plans for each of us, to give us hope and a future. Friends and acquaintances may come and go, and sometimes come back again, and He has a purpose in that. Our stories may appear dissimilar, but somehow we may cross paths again, for some reason. We may never know the reasons, either.

Coincidence is when God does something and we happen to notice.

a trip to the mall was worth it!

i received a coupon in the mail for $10 off a $30 purchase at the children's place. it expires tomorrow.

i am so pleased with what i found for baby bear that i am going to show it off on here:

you can't have 2 many t-shirts with a toddler who likes to eat, color with chalk and paint. besides, when all the following items were rung up, they were (barely) less than the $30 min needed to use my $10 off coupon. gotta love the spend more/save more requirements!

we got this shirt with brown velvet trim, not red

bear wanted to wear this hat in the store, and protested when she had to take it off.
until i told her that she would not get to go to the play area if she did not settle down. It is sooo soft.

this adorable sweater coat...
it might even fit her next year. it's long, and i bought it in 3T. it is fleece lined.

All this cost me less than $22.

more insomnia

actually, i was sleeping quite well and dreaming strange thoughts when i dreamed that as i went to pick baby bear up from the nursery, i could hear her crying from down the hall. then i realized she erally was crying. that was at 2:38 a.m. she had kicked off her covers, and i think she was a little chilly. i changed her diaper, and sat in the rocking chair with her. oh, i am so grateful for the rocking chair we were able to take off tech mom's hands! i draped a blanket over both of us, and for a few minutes, savored the silence, the depth of her breathing, and the fact that though she woke me up, she was able to rest in my arms. a few minutes later, i tried to put her back in her bed. "rock," she asked. i couldn't resist. we rocked some more. "daddy?" she asked. "he's sleeping." "would you like to go to mommy and daddy's room to try to sleep?" "yeah."

so i carried her down the hall. she actually settled in pretty nicely, but after a few minutes of cuddling, became restless. "do you want to go back to your bed?" i asked. "yeah."

so i laid her gently in her toddler bed, tucked her under the covers with her doll and kitties, and wound her musical giraffe.

on one hand, i am annoyed by my insomnia, as 45 minutes have passed since i laid my little one back down to rest. yet i cherish moments like these. moments which remind me that she is still a baby, and there are times she just needs to know her mommy and daddy are there, no matter what. as she grows up, her ways of expressing that need will change. hopefully, we won't be awakened very frequently. but if we are, and insomnia follows after she has been comforted, so be it. for a few blessed minutes, my baby remained my baby, not the little girl she is so quickly becoming before my eyes.

Wordless Wednesday

hugs & kisses:

my baby, my 2 favorite college roommates, & their babies

more kisses- and Caroline getting brave near the steps

We had a great time. My friends are the best. I am still feeling under the weather, and they stepped right in, made themselves at home, and took care of pretty much all the meal prep, too.
Baby Bear loved having a Lhasa Apso AND a not-quite toddler too chase, hug, and attempt to feed snacks which they should not eat. She didn't realize her own strength on several occasions, and became quiet proficient at saying "Caroline". (sounds more like keh-oh-wine in toddlerese). I was pleased by how sweet she was toward her young friend, even if she did knock her down a couple of times. Thankfully, we trimmed Bear's claws, I mean finger nails, last night, so they were not dangerous.

Our (gas) grill has issues and the flame wouldn't work properly, in spite of having plenty of propane in the tank. Good thing Spunky Redhead actually knows how to broil burgers. I confess, I have lived here 4 years and NEVER used the broiling pan until today. I have broiled fish, but not burgers. She also brought the best fruit dip I've ever had- it has amaretto in it. Mmmmm...

hubby's gonna be way outnumbered...

3 of my friends from college (one i actually met in high school) will be here in a few minutes. One of them is in town from out of state, with her 10-month-old daughter, and belly-bean. (Can't wait to see her bump!) The two who live in-state are bringing all the side dishes, we are grilling some chicken, burgers, and hot dogs. Oh, and World's Best Teacher took the afternoon off from her students to come, and her white curly-haired puppy is coming, too. Ian is house-broken, and she felt bad about leaving him all alone because she's been gone so much lately. Ian (the dog) and hubby will be the only males present, as Army Chaplain (one hubby) is away for training (thus his wife's return home for a few weeks), and Spunky Red Head's hubby has to work.

Baby Bear is supposed to be napping, but I think I hear sounds of her playing echoing down the hallway. Figures.

Anyway, I have come to realize that I will never be Martha Stewart. The thought of guests, even old friends who are practically family, almost sends me into an anxiety attack. I realize that if I would discipline myself in home management, I would not get stressed. Anyway, thankfully, I have friends who don't mind my saying, "let's meet here, but you guys bring some of the food!"

A couple of my tackles:

(Compliments of Baby Bear)I forgot to take an "after" pick, but I did get the blue crayon off my white cabinets with disinfectant cleaning wipes from the Dollar Tree.


(My own doing)

cran-grape juice, spilled as i was carrying 3 glasses down from the bonus room... 1 half full.

The result after dousing with carpet cleaner, scrubbing really good,
drying overnight, and vacuuming,

Those are the highlights. Nothing major, but let me tell you, I was NOT happy about my juice spill because I was about to scrub the bathrooms and had yet to wash the kitchen floor. The crayon? Well, it was our first of what will probably be many crayon-on-cabinet offenses, those things happen with toddlers. It did look pretty in her defense. No worse than spaghetti sauce or anything else.

two steps forward, one step back

both bathrooms have been scrubbed. i spilled cranberry-grape juice on the carpet as i carried 3 glasses down to the kitchen. thank the Lord i did not run out of my carpet cleaner until i had already doused the stains. i may just have to post pics for tackle it tuesday tomorrow. i want to vacuum the area after it dries to get a complete view, but i am not about to do that at this hour. baby bear is asleep, which is a very good thing.

hubby's going to go jogging. he poked his head back inside to say it's sprinkling outside, so it will be a short run. i'm impressed that he's going out at all. i wouldn't go out running in the stuff. puddle jumping with my daughter, perhaps. jogging, no way.

i'm lost.
i've gone to look for myself.
if you should find me before i return,
please tell me to wait right here until i come back.

or something like that. i think that's how the t-shirt saying goes. anyway, what i do know is that my role of homemaker has been woefully neglected. the procrastinaholic in me blames it on the sinus issues i've fought for almost a week. the honest person in me knows it's more like 80% laziness and 20% other factors.

so, i am grounding myself from posting on my blog until further notice. and after i check my e-mail and facebook, i will be grounded from initiating any new wall posts, pokes, sending mystery seeds, (fluff) friend petting or feeding.

i've decided that posting my to-do list on the blog will only give me reason to get back on here and procrastinate some more, therefore i will not post it this time.

see you when i've found myself, my bathroom counter, my kitchen cabinet, etc....

Haley just made my day!

She nominated me for an award. I'm not sure what the nomination requirements are, but it sounds like a chance for me to spread the love. I met Haley through one of the memes I participate in a while back, and have enjoyed reading her accounts of becoming a new Mommy.
She also inspires me to get back to working on my scrapbooks. She is indeed a


Now, who to nominate... hmm... this is really hard. Really, really hard. All of my blogging family is awesome. But I can't just choose one. And I am not going to take the time to verify to see if you've already got this award or not, so if you do, just pass it on to someone else and consider yourself well loved, 'k??? And if I did not nominate you, please do not be hurt.

My nominees for Rockin' Girl Blogger are:

Inkling- She's the only rock-climbing girl I know, thus making her a true "rocking" girl blogger. :) More importantly, her blog seems to be a true expression of who she is, what she is wrestling with as she adapts to life in another country and marriage at the same time. MOST importantly, her love for Jesus is abundantly clear, even in the trials. She reminds me a bit of one of my favorite literary heroines, Anne Shirley. Perhaps it's the red hair. She is also the cousin of a girl I was in the youth group with in high school, so I feel like I sort of know her in real life.

crt- My sis in law is the one who introduced me to blogger. (Can I blame her for my addiction, or at least enabling it?) She is an awesome Mom two two very Spirited girls, and the way she comes up with creative science projects and crafts to do with them at home amazes me. She is homeschooling both girls this year, in 1st grade and K-4, and observing the decision-making process she and computer guy have gone through to choose what's best for their girls makes me wish Baby Bear would stay little. She is also a terrific sister-in-law (I am blessed with 2 terrific sisters by marriage and 1 by birth).

Steph@Olive Tree- A Mom of 3 girls under 5, Steph is creative, passionate about her love of her Saviour and her family, and an all-around inspiration to me to try to be a better wife and Mom. She introduced me to another of my online addictions, the Women @ Home forum.

Zann- Zann was the first "old friend" I discovered online, or who discovered me. She tends to be a bit more private on her blog, but when she posts, it's always a good read.

Now, I've got to go make dinner so my daughter and hubby don't starve. Thankfully I have some fresh watermelon cut up which should hold Baby Bear over until the pasta is ready.

reasons i hate insomnia

1) i'd rather be sleeping.
2) thoughts of all the unfinished tasks around my house haunt me, but actually doing them would cause my daughter to wake up.
3) when daylight comes, i am too tired to do anything
4) increased awareness of my sore throat and stuffy nose, which are irritating enough to keep me awake, but do not necessarily warrant a visit to the doctor.

I've been thinking (a dangerous pastime, I know)...

Unfortunately, I will not be able to articulate all my ponderings, perhaps because I'm still trying to figure them out for myself.

I've become reacquainted with several people thanks to this thing called the internet. I have thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship, and feel blessed that many friendships have been rekindled over the past year. Thanks to our blogs or message boards, I have the honor of getting glimpses into their (your) lives.

At one point in my life, I was quick to debate differences in faith with anyone, and in college there were many people with whom I agreed to disagree. Now I find myself wondering what conversations are appropriate to initiate when I have seen glimpses which show me my beliefs and another person's are so very different.

I've always been pretty good at keeping people at an arm's length. I struggle to remember if an old friend was one who I just always kept at arm's length because of my shyness (or fear), or if we did actually engaged in debates so many years ago. I wonder which is more tiring... to engage in conversation when there will most likely be no resolution to the debate, or to just keep the arm out straight indefinitely?

One of these days....

my in-laws' coffee addiction will rub off on me. Tech Dad's here tonight, passing through on business. I had the coffee ground and ready to brew so when we returned from eating dinner, all I had to do was flip the switch. I must admit that good, fresh-ground coffee with milk and a couple of splenda and fresh-baked brownies are not a bad way to wind down.

Baby Bear grew ecstatic when she heard Papa was coming to visit. "And Gamma?" she asked. Papa will have to give Gamma a big hug from Baby Bear when he gets home. She also wanted to go outside to wait for him to arrive. She wanted to go outside, anyway... Papa was a good excuse to get her way.

"seh-wee wabbit"

Or deer, or beaver, or squirrels... whatever it is sure likes the taste of cantaloupe vine.

What a family...

Bear's nose is running, my throat hurts, and hubby feels a bit under the weather, too.

I am grateful because Bear has been letting me sleep in until 7:30 this week.

Learning to crochet is going to take time (sigh). I have to keep telling myself the end result will be worth it. I love the handmade blankets we were given for Hannah (2 of them are crocheted), and sometimes when we use them I think about the person who gave it to us and say a quick prayer for them. There are so many skills which technology can't truly replace; something handmade has that extra personal touch that cannot be duplicated by a machine. Thanks, Ang & Nan, for your encouraging words.

there's no excuse


i have a crochet hook
i have a skein of yarn
and now, thanks to my brother and sister-in-law, i have this:

plus, i have a neighbor who had offered to teach me. it appears as though i will have to wait til bear is sleeping to practice, though. she is currently tapping her leg with my hook and clutching the skein of yarn.

Who wants to learn with me? (Or help teach me, for that matter...)