A Little Bit of Everything

Menu Plan - week of 7/26

2010-07-27T18:48:00.001-07:00

A little behind...

Monday - leftover chili mac (or goulash as my hubby calls it)
Tuesday - tofu stir fry
Wednesday - tilapia
Thursday - meatloaf
Friday - bday celebration @ in-laws
Saturday - chili
Sunday - leftovers

Presenting...

2010-07-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

our newest addition, little Livvy :)
Soon after coming home from the hospital:

At the zoo a couple months later:

With big sister on 4th of July:

She actually watched the fireworks and didn't get scared! It was awesome. Probably the best 4th of July we have had all together as a family. Very fun. :)

FOOD

2010-07-21T16:11:00.001-07:00

I have made some pretty food lately, and I wanted to share. The chicken piccata recipe was SO tasty and it looked beautiful, too. Here is a picture:

And last night I made a tomato/mozzarella salad with basil from the backyard, to go with our leftovers:

YUM! :) Hope everyone is having a tasty week.

Menu Plan for the Week

2010-07-18T18:22:00.001-07:00

WHAT!? Two weeks in a row?? Get out of town! :)

Sunday - Sicilian meat loaf and garlic bread
Monday - chili mac (have to use up this ground beef!)
Tuesday - red beans and rice
Wednesday - Cobb salads
Thursday - at the homeschool convention
Friday - homeschool convention
Saturday - homeschool convention

Last week's chicken piccata was SOOO good. I even took a picture of how pretty it was. When I get my act together more, I will post a pic of that and pictures of my new(ish) daughter! :)

Menu Plan for Week

2010-07-11T17:23:00.000-07:00

Look at me, posting right away again! Making up for lost time...

Sunday - leftover Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes (Barefoot Contessa)
Monday - Creamy Parsley and Pistachio Fettuccine
Tuesday - Chicken Piccata
Wednesday - Blue-Rugula Burgers
Thursday - spaghetti
Friday - Sicilian meatloaf
Saturday - Camp stew
Sunday - leftovers or grilled cheese

Worst. Blogger. Ever.

2010-07-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

I seriously am. I neglect this blog way too much. Sorry Blog! I love you!

Anyway... I just read through my entire blog, from the first post on. The main thing popping out at me is that I have really failed at the whole movement to become more green. Yikes. I had been trying to wean us off paper towels and paper napkins. Yeah... that didn't last very long.

However, I am still using my re-usable bags at the grocery store. That is something I suppose.

And we are back to the whole homeschool debate again. We are attending the AFHE Convention in a couple of weeks. With recent political issues (one proposition that did pass, one that did not), I started reading the current information about public schools and found it disturbing. Large class sizes, not enough resources, etc. And the private schools are really expensive. This school is a charter school (= free!) and looks really amazing. But it starts at 5th grade. So we are pondering hsing until 5th and then sending the girls there. If we do decide to hs, then I will pull N from preschool this fall and use that $$ to do some other activities, like horseback riding lessons and karate.

Speaking of the girls - Nat is doing great. The 3s are (pretty) firmly behind us, and we are loving the 4s. Although, there is quite a bit of drama. If not everything goes her way, then there is a complete meltdown. And our new little one is just too stinkin adorable. I will have to post pictures (when I blog again in 10 years!! :) ). O is now 3 months old and one of the happiest babies I have ever seen. It's fabulous.

Life has been a little hectic, adjusting to two girls. We also have had a family member staying with us for 2 months. But he has moved out and things are settling back down into our new "ordinary" with 2 kids.

Vacation Bible School this week, and then the top priority will be figuring out the whole homeschool thing!

I promise to be a better blogger. :)

Preschool

2010-01-25T08:41:00.000-08:00

So once again, it has been a LOOONG time since I last posted. Being pregnant and having a preschooler really does take up a lot of time. Whew.

I have started looking at preschools for the fall, and we are also doing some homeschooling at home right now. I'm enjoying it SO much!! These younger years are fun - doing crafts and stories and activity pages. It helps that I have energy back after the first 4-5 months of pregnancy, too!

The last two weeks we have worked on the letter A - long A the first week and short A the second week. We are starting letter B this week. I have been using First School for activities to go along with the letters. (Another great source for crafts and activities - DLTK)

I am also incorporating Bible lessons starting this week using this site. We did the story of Creation this morning (with some great printouts from this site) and will be making a Creation mobile this afternoon. I'm doing Noah's Ark later this week (to go along with B is for Boat and we'll discuss A is for Ark too -- I'm really just playing catch-up on the Hubbard's Cupboard weekly plan!).

Natalie has also started a gymnastics class, which she LOVES. She is growing up so quickly, and I can see the end of the "threes" in sight. It has been a rough year at times, with lots of "discussions" about appropriate behavior. :) However, she is starting to really mature and be more agreeable. It's wonderful, but as always also a little bittersweet to see her growing up so fast.

I have 9 weeks left until our baby girl arrives, and then our life will become chaotic once again, in the most wonderful way possible!!

I will try to post more about what we are doing for home preschool in case anyone out there is interested! :) There are some great resources out there, but it does take a lot of time. At least a couple of hours preparing for the week. I may cave and spend $500 to get Sonlight Curriculum sometime soon, so I don't have to keep doing all this work... but so far, it's going well!

Schooling Decision

2009-09-19T10:39:00.001-07:00

So after many months of deliberation and research, we have decided to not start out homeschooling. We are going to send Natalie to the local public school for Kindergarten when it's time. This decision was made based on many factors:

One of my major worries has been how social my daughter is, and wanting to nurture the development of relationships with all types of people. I *loved* seeing all my friends during the day and regularly got in trouble for talking too much. :) I made some wonderful friends at school, and want Natalie to have that opportunity, too. We have a couple great homeschooling groups in town, but it's never felt the same to me.
My other major sticking point has been the tradition of school. This sounds silly, but I loved getting ready to go back to school - the new clothes, buying the supplies, finding out who the teachers would be, etc. And as a parent, I want that tradition for me too - like I said, I know it's kind of silly, but it's been something that has bothered me about homeschooling. We cannot recreate all that at home - there would be no PTA, no grand new adventure of being shipped off to school that first day to learn new things and have new experiences, none of the "going to school" excitement.
B and I also have talked about what a difference parents make in the school system. We will be super involved in Nat's education and make sure that she is getting everything she needs. We will know all her teachers, I will be volunteering everywhere I can - we will be SUPER involved parents. :)

I feel like a huge load has been lifted since we made this decision. I like our decision and I feel good about it. This means that since Kindergarten is 8-2 here, I would also like to do preschool next year (when Natalie is 4) for a few hours a couple days a week. I don't want to suddenly throw her into a 6-hour day away from home with no practice.

So, I guess I'm going all mainstream on the education front. :) I'm looking forward to it, though!

Next big decision -- VBAC vs. c-section?? So many decisions to be made as a parent!

The Past Four Months

2009-08-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

That was a long break from blogging! Lots of stuff went on, some good and some not so good.... in a nutshell:

The bad:

Found out in May I was pregnant, and then miscarried a week later. I never realized how much one's body goes through during a miscarriage, even at only 5 weeks. It was rough physically, but once I got past the initial disappointment and hormonal craziness, I was okay emotionally.

Discovered an odd bump on my nose around the time of the miscarriage, and since I was feeling all doom & gloom, wondered if it was something bad. I went to the dermatologist and found out it was basal cell carcinoma. Felt very shocked and mostly po'd that cancer would dare show its face on my body (lots of cancer in my family, it terrifies me) -- got Mohs surgery and had it removed. Now am going back every 6 months like an old lady to get my skin checked out.

The good:

Took a trip to Illinois & Wisconsin to visit my grandmas and some family - had a GREAT time! It was very relaxing. We were there over 4th of July, the weather was nice and cool, and I got to see family that I miss oh so very much.

Took another trip right after the IL/WI one to California. That was even more relaxing, because it was back in my beloved West side of the country, and because I got to spend time at the OCEAN. Sort of kind of learned to surf, which was all kinds of awesome. :)

The GREAT:

The day we got home from California, I found out I'm pregnant again! I'm 9 weeks and everything is going VERY well. I got an ultrasound today. Here is a picture of our little one.

So that's my life over the past 4 months. :)

Will post more again soon. I need a nap!

Tabling Veganism, Thinking Homeschooling..

2009-04-30T14:59:00.001-07:00

So the vegan thing isn't happening right now. I am incorporating more meatless meals into our menu, but it's really hard to come up with a good variety of cheap and interesting vegan meals! I need to keep building up a recipe base, and hopefully one day we'll be there 100%. I worry about missing out on nutrients and not getting enough protein. I know, beans have a ton of protein, but we are pretty much beaned out right now. I also worry about getting pregnant (hopefully soon!) - I don't know if I could/should be vegan while pregnant? I know people do it all the time, but they are experienced at it... I don't know. I guess I still have fear that I would be depriving my body of something. More research needed! :)

Next topic - Homeschooling. This is something I have been thinking about since moving to Arizona in 2001. The schools down here are not great, and that has been a concern of mine since before we even had the Nat Bug. Now that we are a couple of years away from Kindergarten, and there are budget cuts galore happening down here, I've ramped up my research. I am lucky enough to be on a wonderful message board, and the women in the homeschooling forum directed me to some great articles online and also recommended some books. If anyone is interested, I am reading The Well-Adjusted Child right now - this book addresses the whole "socialization" issue, which is the number one concern *I* have, and the number one comment I get if this topic comes up, especially from older people. So I'm reading it to learn more about homeschooling, to decide if it feels like a good fit, and so I can have some information to give people when the topic arises. Also, do a Google search for homeschooling information - there is a TON of research out there, from all sorts of sources, about the benefits of homeschooling. Also, some really interesting stuff about college admissions people, and their opinions on the homeschooled kids they see entering college. (If anyone wants some links to the articles I read, let me know! One of the sites was jam-packed with info, but it's authored by a lady on my message board, so I don't know if it's kosher to link that here w/o asking her first.)

I also went to a local homeschooling group this week for their park day, and it was so nice. The kids were really respectful and so kind to Natalie, who was a good 5 years younger than the youngest kid there, I think. The ladies I spoke with said they have a lot of families, and they usually have more people at the park days, with lots of young kids Natalie's age. When the weather heats up like this, people don't come as often. I think we may officially join this fall and get involved in all the activities they have. They have camping, moms and dads nights each month, the weekly park days, theatre trips, debate team, etc. SO MUCH going on!!

Right now, I think we have decided to keep Natalie home through kindergarten and see how it goes. I'm going to incorporate some Montessori and Waldorf ideas in the setup of our home, and also start working on letters and numbers more "formally" in the next year or so.

I'm excited when I think about it, but I still have that part of me that wonders if this is too weird. I'm so glad I have a few years to try this on for size to see if it feels right, hanging out with other homeschooling families and thinking like a homeschooling mom.

ANOTHER stomach bug!?!

2009-03-25T09:16:00.001-07:00

OK seriously. This is getting so old. I think this is round 3 of a stomach virus since I have had Natalie. And this is a sneaky one. I thought we were done w/ the stomach part Sunday night, but oh no, 48 hours later it reared its ugly head. Calgon, take me away! I think this is the first time in my time as a mother that I really understand that sentiment and truly GET IT. Oh to lay soaking in a tub or get a massage... right now I'm just thankful that I have so far been spared any illness. I'm thinking that as soon as Natalie is better, it will strike. That's usually how it works.

But I think she's doing alright, besides the horking. She is currently chasing the cat around, trying to get her to eat a cracker. The usual morning-time routine. :)

My garden-planting has been woefully put on hold. I have the wood to create my square-foot-gardening grid, but it's still in the garage. Half the plants have been pulled out to make room for the veggies... by the time I get done with this, it will be too late to plant anything! Oh well, we'll get there.

Despite the stomach woes, I made tofu stir-fry last night. It was delicious, but I could only find the medium firm tofu instead of my usual preference, the extra firm. And it makes a difference. Next time I'll go somewhere else to get the extra firm. Tonight we are having potato pancakes.

I also am perusing some sites trying to get lunch ideas for hubby -- This is a good blog, and this is the site that goes along with it. I'm just trying to figure out what nutritional yeast flakes are, and where to get them, so I can make a really awesome-looking vegan muffin recipe on there. I perused the book at Barnes & Noble a couple of weeks ago, and there are some great kids' lunch ideas. I also really like the alternatives she talks about for lunchboxes and plastic bags.

I think I could do without eggs, but I really don't think I can do without milk & cheese. So I guess that would put me in the actual "vegetarian" slot and not "vegan", yes? So far, it's going well, and I'm not really even noticing a difference. I think we could transition to a meatless lifestyle much easier than I anticipated. Especially if we stop going out to eat (which we REALLY need to do b/c it's wasting $$!) because I automatically order a chicken wrap or salad w/ meat in it. Oops!

OK back to sitting by Natalie with a bowl and pushing the fluids, and hoping I don't see the fluids again!! :)

Vegging Out?

2009-03-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

So in order to continue along my path of becoming a true hippie, I should go vegan, yes? :) I mean, I am already breastfeeding an almost-3-year-old, I'm about to plant a veggie garden in my backyard, I did a stint of cloth diapering, we still co-sleep here and there, I'm a registered Democrat (or more accurately, a bleeding heart liberal, as my father used to say), I've given serious consideration to home-schooling, and my overall approach to parenting is decidedly on the "gentle discipline" or "consensual living" side -- I'm well on my way! I will not stop shaving my pits though. I have to draw the line somewhere. OK, also no cloth TP. So I'm probably more of a mainstream hippie. But still. You see my point. There is an inner hippie that comes out more and more each year, especially since becoming a mom.

Seriously, though -- I watched a couple videos on Peta's web site the other day that had me bawling hysterically. I watched the pigs and chickens and how they are treated before they are made into food. All this after I brought home a pork loin from Fry's. Lovely! (It's simmering now in my crockpot. I figured it was crueler to make his death be in vain and just throw him out. So now he's providing a wonderful meal for a nice family. :) ) ANYWAY -- it got me thinking about this whole vegetarian thing.

I have pondered this throughout the years off and on. I love tofu, hummus, veggie sausage, chik'n patties, vegetables, etc. I think I could truly live without meat. I think. My poor husband. His response? "Could we just get past this phase and move on to your next new thing?" I probably would have gotten mad about that if he weren't spot on. I do like to try new things! :) But this is a lifestyle change.. something healthier, it would cost less, and after watching that footage... I could feel better about the way my food was prepared before it even got to my house.

So I'm online researching recipes to see if it's all something I could handle. Hmm...

February

2009-03-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

Did February really just fly by? I know it's a short month, but woo! That went fast. :)

We have been going to the park almost every day, soaking up the nice weather before it gets beastly hot. I got a jogging stroller a few weeks ago, and have been religiously walking/jogging just about every day -- we do our walk and then play at the park. It's a lovely way to spend the mornings, especially if our walk happens to take us past a Starbucks. :)

Natalie has been working on the letter "A" lately. She is getting quite good at writing the letter, and we talk a lot about all the things that start with A. I think we may move on to "B" soon.

She also is working on her cutting skills. I picked up a Kumon cutting book at Target, and she has a grand time trying to follow the lines to cut whiskers on the dogs/cats, or to cut apart a picture so she can rearrange it to make it look like a boat or whatever the picture is that day. It's a wonderful book - I highly recommend it!

Here she is concentrating hard on the cutting:

I am starting to think about the summer months. Spring is covered with the outdoor play - the zoo, the parks, my moms groups - but summer is a whole other animal. We can't just go run to the park without passing out within a few minutes. So I'm pondering what to do - dance, gym, swimming... getting the piano tuned and teaching her some notes on there. What's good to do for a 3 year old? I want to keep her entertained, and keep the sanity. She and I both go a little crazy when we are stuck inside with crafts for more than a few days at a time. We actually spent a morning yelling at each other (yes she was yelling at me!) at the beginning of January because we were both so tired of being cooped up with her being sick. I would like to avoid that happening again! :)

I also have officially decided - no preschool this fall. So we'll be doing other activities and probably ramping up the learning factor - I got a lot of great books from Target. They have a wonderful educational book section. But mainly, we will just continue with PLAYING. Their younger years go by so fast, they need to play! I'm a big fan of just hanging out while she rides her tricycle, plays in her sand/water table, and quite literally smells the flowers in the backyard. :)

Alright, I'm off to enjoy the weather! This week is gardening week - cleaning out the flowers/leaves and getting ready to plant the veggies!

A Tribute

2009-01-19T15:28:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow will be 4 years since my dad died. I want to memorialize him somehow, somewhere, so I thought I would do it here. Since tomorrow is going to be a day for looking forward with hope, I wanted to take a moment on the eve of his passing to look to the past.

My dad was so full of life that sometimes I cannot believe he is truly gone. It's one of those things that sneaks up on me and socks me in the gut when I am not expecting it. The past couple of months I have been weighed down, remembering 4 years ago, when I was waiting to see what the doctors would find, and then... just waiting. Six months or a year, they said. It was 3 weeks. Barely enough time to even digest how final that verdict was, and not even time to catch my breath. The heaviness that lay over me every day during that three weeks, talking to him on the phone about mundane things like TV shows, wondering if he would once again escape his fate by some miracle. I spent most of my life in fear that my dad would die - he had a kidney transplant in 1980 and beat cancer in 1991. Odds were that he had run out of chances, but part of me hoped anyway. Everything about this time of year reminds me of those days, the waiting, the dread... the tiny amount of hope that should not have been there, but still was.

And then the call that came on January 20th. I wish I had been there and yet I'm glad I wasn't. The trip home, the rituals that we had to go through... so morbid and yet so necessary. Speaking at his funeral - knowing he would have been so proud of me for doing so, for getting through it without cracking, and then breaking down afterwards when that thought occurred to me. Staying behind after everyone else, watching him be lowered into the ground, wondering how we could just leave him there, in the cold, alone. Remembering the conversations we had during those last days, and wishing somehow that I could have made more of them. We danced around the subject of his impending death. I think he was trying to shield me, or maybe he too was hoping that he would again beat the odds. Whatever the case, whenever the topic even remotely came up, he changed the subject. He broke down at one point - one of only two times he even alluded to his death - and said that children should know their grandparents. Every time Natalie hits a milestone or does something I know he would adore, that comment comes back to me. I like to think that somehow, some way, he has seen her, has been able to witness his amazing granddaughter. It's a comforting thought.

My dad wasn't perfect. We had our issues, we had our arguments, he had his demons that he fought... but he was my dad and I love him more than I think he ever knew. He taught me so much, and helped me become who I am today. I have spent the past couple of days playing the "what if" game, a luxury I don't usually allow myself. It's so easy to fall into the "If only he were here" or "What if they had caught the cancer sooner" or "Why did this have to happen?" trap. Imagining him playing with Natalie, still having our weekly Thursday afternoon phone calls, and oh the debates we would have had over this past election! I get sad and angry and immobilized with the devastation his loss brings. But then I realize that he was given two more chances than most people would have had. His life was saved by an organ donor 28 years ago, and he was able to be there for my childhood, drive me crazy with pushing me to be better at sports and school, the joy I saw on his face when he watched me play my flute, and the quiz team at church - so many great memories of time spent with my father doing the quiz team. I would have missed having a father if not for that transplant. And then, when he beat cancer 11 years later, that second (third!) chance at life made it so that we could fight our way through the next 10 years because we were so much alike and yet on opposite sides of every possible topic, and then in my late twenties, we became friends again. Best of all, he was there to give me away on my wedding day. I am so thankful for that, and even though my grief feels overwhelming sometimes, the joy is there underneath it all that I knew him, and that I have all my memories to carry with me.

To preschool or not to preschool...

2009-01-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

When are kids "supposed" to start preschool? I never went, but my brothers did... I think they went the year before preschool. But now, it seems like everybody has their kids in preschool starting at like age 2. N is going to be 3 in June, so I guess it goes to follow that I enroll in her preschool this fall?

I keep reading/hearing about how much kids are pushed in school these days. How early it starts, and how stressful it is from a young age. My daughter is self-motivated and pretty bright (of course I'm not biased AT ALL!), so I am not worried about her doing well at school. I don't think she needs two whole years of preschool to help her adjust to being in kindergarten. Kindergarten, which is now a full day of school. And I guess they have to know how to write their names before kindergarten, and a bunch of other things they are teaching in preschool?? I remember kindergarten - and I think the kindergarten we had was more like the preschools today. I remember the different areas where we could play house, build things, do arts/crafts, etc. I do also remember doing dittos (and copying off my friend's page - maybe that's because I didn't go to preschool!), so there was some work involved, learning the letters and whatnot, but I don't believe we had to know what kids have to know now. (did you follow that?)

I just don't believe that my daughter needs 2 years of preschool. Does that make me odd? I think I'm going to get a book of preschooler activities and do stuff at home with her for the next year and a half and then send her to preschool when she is 4. Maybe we'll do a gymnastics class or something like that instead.

I think this is one of those things where every kid is different and a situation where moms should go with their guts on when to send their child to preschool. It's also partly something that stuck with me from looking into Waldorf last year. I didn't feel like that was the right place for us, but I do like some of their beliefs - the main one being that kids should PLAY. They need to use their imaginations and learn through play until they are 6 or 7. I like that mentality.

Or maybe I'm just crazy and I should have had her in preschool since last fall.

New Blog!

2008-12-30T07:23:00.000-08:00

Here is my money saving blog. No posts yet, but they will be coming soon!

2009

2008-12-30T06:55:00.000-08:00

A new year is looming right around the corner. I can hardly believe it!! I have decided that 2009 will be the year of "me". Not in a bad selfish way, but in the way that I want to take better care of myself. I have 20 pounds to lose, I need to spend more time with devotions/meditation, I need to exercise (I think I can count the number of work-outs in 2008 on one hand, when it used to be that many a WEEK), and I need to just check in with myself more often.

I am working on a loose schedule for each week, to help both me and Nat. She is at an age where she would really enjoy planned arts and crafts. I need to figure out a schedule for work, so that it's just set times and the rest of the week I can do housework/play with Nat/spend more time relaxing.

I also want to get more into the money-saving game. It's time consuming, which is why that comes and goes. But using the Grocery Game, coupons, and learning more about the whole CVS program would really help us financially. Every penny counts!! I am pondering starting a blog that is just for money-saving endeavors. This isn't a novel idea, there are a lot of those blogs out there, but I learn from others, and maybe I can help others too! In this economy (and I don't think 2009 is going to get much better) we all need to work together and help each other out. I'll post a link to that blog if/when I start it.

A look back at 2008 -- my goal in 2008 was to focus more on the positive aspects of relationships in my life instead of obsessing over the negative. Done! I opened myself up to make friends, and I have finally made some friends here in the desert. I have also grown closer to the friends/family that I have in my life. It's amazing what can happen when you let go of the bad and open yourself up to the good.

I also broke my Starbucks addiction! I now make my chai at home each morning, which saves me about $20/week!! Not too shabby.

In the environmental aspect of things, I did join the community supported agriculture, but did not like it so much. It took over an hour to get down to pick up the veggies each week, and the selection wasn't great. There were lots of weird green leafy veggies that I wasn't sure what to do with. So I am not doing that again. Instead, in 2009 I want to plant a vegetable garden in my backyard. I need to map out a plan for that.

Happy New Year to anybody who is reading this! :) I will post later with a new blog address with all my adventures in saving money, planting a garden, etc.

Mother guilt...

2008-12-07T07:41:00.000-08:00

Why do we women feel like we have to prove that we can handle anything and everything? I have been struggling with this lately. I have so many hats that I am wearing right now, and instead of focusing on the joy of being involved with the things I like, I have been focusing on where I might be not doing well enough. I know that I am doing the best I can, and that I am not perfect. Logically I know that giving my best is enough, and that's really all I can do. But I feel like if I don't EXCEL or stand out in every area, then I'm a failure.

I think that's partly my personality, but it's also just part of being a woman/mom. We, for some reason, feel like we need to make everyone happy.

I'm glad I figured out that was going on, and nipped it in the bud, because I was getting *very* drained!!

Back to enjoying the holiday season and all that entails...

On a parenting note - I am looking for preschool-type activities or ideas to do with Nat in the new year. Any ideas? I am off of Waldorf, although I do like some of the concepts inherent in that school of thought. But I think I have decided why it didn't feel like a good fit to me - there is something unnatural about the extent Waldorf goes to be natural. Yeah, wrap your head around that for a moment! :) It should feel organic, and it didn't to me. I'm glad it works for some people, but going so far out of the way to re-create a "natural" atmosphere felt... unnatural! I'm all for more time spent outdoors, but we don't really have woods around here to traipse through. We have a sand and water table out back - and that works! And a slide. Both of which are plastic, but that's what we have, and time spent outdoors is time spent outdoors. Also, my daughter loves to read. She looks at books on her own, and if hubby or I sit down to read her one book, she wants us to read 50. I am not going to stifle that b/c Waldorf thinks reading shouldn't start until 6. Every child is different, and to be truly "natural", you have to do what is right for you and your child. Anything else feels forced. Again, just my opinion. :)

So I am going to incorporate some of the Montessori and Waldorf stuff into the house, but need some activity ideas as well. I guess you could say I'm homeschooling for a semester :) but it's really just giving some structure to our day and more activities for Nat.

The Holidays

2008-11-23T20:17:00.000-08:00

are finally officially here! Thanksgiving this week... Black Friday with all the fabulous sales.. cooler weather (which means mid-70s down here in the desert!), decking the halls, gift-wrapping.. I love it. :)

I baked cookies today and listened to Christmas music. It felt SO good.

That is pretty much all I have to say. Just felt like it was time for a blog post... so there you have it. :)

PS - I'm watching Annie Lennox on the American Music Awards right now, and it's making me feel a wee bit old.

More on gay rights...

2008-11-10T19:24:00.000-08:00

So this is on my mind right now - everywhere I turn I see stories about Prop 8 in CA. We also passed prop 102 down here in AZ, which is basically the same thing. An amendment to our state consitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

I was just doing the dishes and as usual, I had some Yo Gabba Gabba songs in my head. In particular, from the episode "Differences" - "All my friends are different, but we love them all the same" and "Don't be mean to your friends". (Catchy little songs these are!! :) ) Anyway, it struck me that we teach children to love others, to treat others as they would like to be treated, to embrace each others' differences... why is that only applicable in certain situations? The basis of this episode was about someone who got new glasses, and even though he looked a little different, he was still their friend and they still loved him, and about how it's not okay to make fun of him.

This may be a very simple and silly basis for my argument, but seriously. Why is the above episode premise so acceptable and something we all strive to teach our children, but yet teaching them that everyone has the right to love, that no group of people deserves to have their rights taken away -- that isn't something we universally want to do? Why are some differences "okay", but not others? Who makes that decision? So someone who is born with less than perfect eyesight deserves equal rights and respect and love, but not someone who is born gay. Someone who has chosen to create his/her family with someone of the same gender does not deserve to raise a child in their loving home? (Good one, Arkansas!) So, I guess we should I should write to Dora and Yo Gabba Gabba or Sesame Street and request some episodes that explain this to our children. Timmy has two mommys? Well, while yes, Timmy can be your friend, and while his mommies love him very much, they aren't allowed the same rights as we are. Nothing personal, and I'll "tolerate" their existence, but it's just what I believe... Oh wait, that's right - part of the reason this proposition was passed was so that we don't have to explain gay marriage to children, right? Because it would be in the curriculum (because yeah, didn't we all take Marriage 101 in 2nd grade!?!) and we can't have that! We can't actually acknowledge *gasp* gay couples!! Yes, gay people on their own are fine, as long as they don't make too much of a ruckus. But enter into a relationship with *another* gay person?? And act like heterosexuals?? With the living together and loving each other and committing to each other and oh my goodness, maybe even holding hands or kissing in public!?!?? I'm sorry, that's taking it too far.

I am overjoyed and hopeful about the fact that we have elected our first African American president. I loved every moment of cheering for Hillary during the primaries. I get overwhelmed with emotion when I look at my little girl and think about the things that are possible for her. I see how far we have come. And that makes the passing of these propositions all the more devastating to me.

I usually don't like to get too preachy about political matters, but to me, this isn't a political issue. It's a human one. And for those who use religious arguments to support these propositions... how can people who follow Christ, who strive to be Christ-like, think that this is okay? I just do not get it.

I needed to get all that out. It has been weighing heavily on my heart and mind.

Props 8 & 102

2008-11-10T18:19:00.000-08:00

I think this is genius.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

The Grocery Game!!

2008-10-28T08:21:00.001-07:00

Oh I love the Grocery Game. Yesterday I got a trunk full of food for $63. I saved $115!! So that is a savings of what, like 65%??? Awesome.

I got free Powerade (2), free Celestial Seasonings tea, $0.50 Reach toothbrushes (2), and $0.67 Hamburger Helpers (9). I love to save. It's so satisfying to watch all the money come flying off after the cashier starts plugging in the coupons.

I'm trying to get us to $50/week for groceries... getting closer! :) I'm trying to find the perfect combo of Costco food and using the Grocery Game to get great deals each week.

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

2008-10-27T07:23:00.000-07:00

Yes I'm singing that in my head, and have been for several days now. I'm a Christmas freak. I love this time of year - Halloween kicks off all the fun stuff. Probably goes back to my childhood and my Grandma J. She loves the holidays. Decked the halls, baked the cookies, played the music, yada yada -- tons of gifts under the tree, lots of talk of Santa Claus, great big Thanksgiving meal. Some great memories. I am so enjoying re-creating those memories and adding new ones for my little girl. And for myself, if I'm being totally honest here. :) This time of year feeds my soul in so many ways. Maybe it's because of the way people are a little nicer to each other, or the way families reconnect, or how everyone becomes openly spiritual, which IMO makes the world a truly happy place. When we all believe in something bigger than ourselves, we realize we are all connected.

And speaking of Grandma J, Nat and I are taking a trip to visit her in a few weeks. She is 88 years old, and I have not seen her in 2 years. She is in a wheelchair now, and each year her health gets a little bit worse. Nat is named after her, she had such a big influence on my life, and I love her dearly. I am looking forward to spending time with her and I know she will love to see her precious little great granddaughter. My mom and I are also hoping to get a 4-generation picture. While we are there, it will be the 5-year anniversary of my grandfather's death. It should be a special time, and quite emotional.

On to lighter topics -- this week, my little girl will be a bumble bee. Here is a picture of her, when I was trying to make Halloween cards. I got them through Wal-Mart and they blew. So I'm not sending those out! Luckily I only spent $8 on about 15 of them to send to some family. Last year, we got photo books for Christmas there, too, and they were horrible. So no more Wal-Mart photo purchases for me!!

We are going to carve pumpkins Thursday night, and take her trick-or-treating to a few houses on Friday night!! Parties on Thursday and Friday mornings... oh yes, the holiday season has begun! :)

In the world of parenting -- things are going pretty well. Nat had a few mini-breakdowns last week, I think the craziness of the month before finally caught up with her. But once she and I got back into our regular routine, the meltdowns stopped. It's amazing how much routine and stability affect toddlers!

I haven't done any more research on different types of schooling. We do live in a good (for this area) school district, so we may just give that a whirl. We have a few years before worrying about kindergarten, though. I have heard some good reports about a preschool, as well, so I feel like I can sit back until the spring now and then think about whether I want to send Nat to preschool next fall or the fall after. I am going to set some things up around our house after the holidays to do some early childhood homeschooling activities. Nothing too intense, but I know she would love it. I can already tell she has a thirst for knowledge! Loves to play games where B and I quiz her on what color things are, playing the "who am I?" game, etc.

OK this has turned into a very long post, so I'll leave it at that. :) Happy Halloween!

Thoughts on Waldorf...

2008-10-17T09:48:00.001-07:00

Our parent-child classes at the Waldorf school finished up this past week. It was a great learning experience for me. While I like some aspects of Waldorf, I found that I didn't feel like it clicked for me. I think it's a little too out there. I'm learning as time goes on, as N gets older, so much more about myself as a mother and as a person. I think that I am basically a "normal" person with a few "granola" tendencies... so going so far to the extreme just didn't feel right for me.

I have learned about a local preschool where a few friends' kids go - it's cheap, it's at a church, and it's nearby. So I think when we get closer (sign-ups are in February for next fall), we'll go check that out.

It's been fun exploring the Montessori and Waldorf schools of thought, though. I have learned things I would like to incorporate here at home -- mixing and matching those two methods, and some of my own ideas as well.

Back to "normal".. whatever that is! :)

2008-10-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

So my husband got a job here in town. We don't have to move!!

I didn't realize how settled I was here and how much I love living in the land of eternal sun. In spite of the past seven years being lived in anticipation of moving someday b/c of B's job, I have put down roots and really made a little life for myself.

So, while there would be wonderful things about a move to the Pacific NW (cooler weather in the summer for one!), I am very happy that we are settling in and staying put.

Which means that now I have the daunting task of putting our house back to normal. Our garage is filled with packed boxes and personal items are all tucked away and out of sight for any potential house-buyers (there were a whopping 5 people who looked at our house while it was on the market!). So I am going to spend the next few days moving back into our own house.

And then -- it's my favorite time of year, so I am looking forward to all the fun fall/holiday crafts and rituals my daughter and I will be doing! I'll post more with pictures and such.

I'm getting into the swing of things...

2008-09-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

Once again, months have gone by...

2008-09-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

I'm horrible at posting to my blog when life gets crazy. And oh boy has it been crazy!!

Our house is officially on the market, B is officially interviewing for jobs in Seattle, and that means we are MOVING!!! I'm excited but also sad. As I went through last week and did all my little decorating/painting things suggested by the Realtor's decorator, I shed some tears. A lot of great things have happened in this house. A lot of healing, a new life created, and just many joyful moments. But I know a new adventure is in store for us, and better weather too!! :) I am looking forward to sitting down in the morning with the door/window open, and enjoying a cup of coffee while looking out over green and water!!! I have missed both of those things, as well as the brisk mornings.

Ok a little munchkin is sitting on my lap begging for pictures of her friend Gabe (who visited us last month!!! It was very funy :)) so I must go do that.

I will post again soon with pictures of all the work we have done throughout the house and more info about our move!! :)

Montessori & Waldorf & Sewing

2008-07-19T11:32:00.000-07:00

So I have spent much time in the past couple of weeks researching these two types of education. I know it's early, b/c N is only 2, but when I called the Montessori school to inquire about maybe sending her there when she is 3, I found out they have a waiting list for Fall 09!! I always considered myself a Type A overachiever, but I guess I was slacking in this area. :)

We went and observed the Montessori school, and while it was better than I expected (I had done some research and a couple of things didn't resonate with me), it still didn't feel 100% right to me. N loved playing with the different toys, and sat very focused while doing each activity. She enjoyed running around and checking everything out. The director was very nice, and not at all super-rigid with the Montessori curriculum, which fits nicely with my outlook. However, the price was too high, and the kids all seemed a bit... too quiet. They sat and ate their snacks without much of a peep. It was a little creepy to me. (This was the 18 month to 3 year old room.) I left feeling like "Hmm that was nice..." but not super excited. I did like the concept of having purposeful toys around, so I am going to work on that for our house a bit more.

We then went to a Waldorf school to look around, and WOW what a difference. I am in love. I already had good feelings about Waldorf, so I guess I went in a bit biased. Everything I have read really goes with my beliefs and my feelings about education, and as I posted awhile back, I used Little Acorn Learning last year with Natalie, which is Waldorf-based. During our visit, there was a small summer program going on, and the kids were cleaning, but were boisterous and happy while doing so. That felt WAY more normal to me. The layout had a much better vibe, and I really felt great about all the teachers I met.

So we are going to sign up for the Parent-Child classes they are holding this year. It's 2 hours, once a week, and it's to get a feel for the Waldorf school. I'm really excited about getting involved in this, and it feels better to me to be doing a parent-child group at this point, instead of sending N off by herself. It's a good way to dip my toes in, so to speak, and get a feel for the place. I have a couple of years to figure this out, but it will be nice to get involved with a group like this and see what's what.

Here is a link to the Wikipedia page about Waldorf Education in case anyone out there is interested in more about this type of program. :)

So that has been my major project this month so far. I have also been working on some sewing. Here is my first home project - it's a skirt to cover up underneath a desk in our kitchen. It has become a storage spot, so it's nice to have something cute covering it up. Next up -- a skirt to cover under the craft table in my office/project room.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Television...

2008-07-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

So, I love TV. I'm a TV junkie. The list of shows I enjoy is embarrassingly long.

But, it's amazing how much having a child changes you. The main reason my list of TV shows has shrunk is because of how valuable my time has become. When I have downtime, I want it to be filled with things that I REALLY enjoy. The bar has been raised on my entertainment. The only movie I have gone to see in the past 2 years is Sex and the City (SO GOOD!). I just don't have a burning desire to see as many movies as I used to see. Same goes for TV. I want something different, something that truly entertains me. I am no longer just sitting there, checking out, and watching TV for 3 hours a night. The other reason for this is because having a daughter has made me re-evaluate who I am. What do I put into my brain, how do I spend my time, what do I eat, what purpose do I have? It's almost like a revamp of the early 20s -- when you figure out "who you are" or "find yourself". It's a more grown-up version of that.

Anyway -- I have to say that I may need to retire my title of "TV Junkie" when the new season comes around this fall. And I'm not all that sad about it. :)

Along that same vein, I have been letting Natalie watch WAY too much TV this summer. It starts out with a show in the morning and a show in the evening. And then when we get up into the triple digits and can't do much outside, unless we drive to a water park or pool, it becomes a few shows in the morning and a few in the evening, until it feels like the TV is on ALL DAY LONG. So I have started limiting the TV. Especially since my daughter's favorite show right now is "Yo Gabba Gabba". This isn't as obnoxious of a show as I thought it would be, but let me tell you, after hearing the same episode on 5 times in a row, it gets old! :) So right now I'm trying to do some work while keeping Natalie entertained with other things besides the TV. Every so often, I have to stop and draw a choo-choo train or a smiley face for her, and we have "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" playing really loudly on repeat in my office, but it feels way more satisfying than having a little zombie sitting in the other room watching TV.

That's all for today... I have to go draw another train, so no time to review/edit this post! :)

Oh and Happy 4th!

Question for all you coupon-clippers...

2008-06-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

How do you organize your coupons???

Homemade Wednesday

2008-06-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

We made granola bars! They came out crumbly, but they are mighty tasty. Nat helped stir everything together and then helped me "pat pat pat" everything down into the pan.

The finished product:

And an update on Monday's shopping excursions -- I got split bone-in chicken breasts for .97/pound, ground beef for 1.87/pound, FREE Dial hand soap, Cottonelle toilet paper for .40 (for 4 rolls), and toothbrushes for $1/each!! It feels good to not spend so much.

And I am happy to report that there has been no horking since Monday mid-morning. Yaay!

Money-Saving Monday!

2008-06-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, I use the Grocery Game. I went through a brief period where I didn't use it, because it was too much of a pain. But we are reaching that time of year where the credit cards start creeping up on us, and I am NOT going to end this year in debt again!! So I'm back to the GG with a vengeance. Check it out if you haven't yet - basically it's a site where the woman does all the work for you (the coupon clipping/organizing is the part that can be a pain) -- she checks the sales at your local stores (you can sign up for up to 3 stores) and compares it to the coupons that are out there, and lets you know the best deals. It's pretty awesome, and a great money saver. My tip -- make sure you only buy what you NEED, and don't just stock up on stuff b/c it's cheap. The point is to SAVE $$! :) I speak from experience.

So today, our local Safeway has ground beef for $1.77/pound and peaches for 88 cents/pound. I'm very excited about these two deals.

I'll post later after my shopping expedition, to share the savings goodness.

My Favorite New Product

2008-06-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

This thing is awesome. We have a glass door on our shower stall, and it gets all soap-scummy and water-stained. It's very hard to get it super clean. This bad boy did the job very easily and quickly. Love it!!! I just take it in with me while I shower every so often and scrub and rinse while I'm in there. Easy peasy. I'm all for great products that make life easier and cleaner. :)

Rotavirus, how I hate thee...

2008-06-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

This has been a fun week. That sentence was laced with as much sarcasm as possible. (See title of this post.)

N started puking Monday night. B started Tuesday night. I started Wednesday afternoon. Nat was still throwing up last night. It's just a couple of times a day now, but WOW. What a long, long week.

I am putting off Father's Day celebrations until next Sunday.

I am cranky, I am tired, my stomach still hurts, and I am really tired of being in the house. I am snapping at Nat and B about small things, and I am just incredibly short-fused.

I will be very happy when this bug has left us.

Summertime

2008-06-09T14:20:00.001-07:00

It's summer! And I haven't posted in ages.

The wedding went great - I had a fabulous time in my fancy dress. I will post pictures when I finally get around to downloading all my pictures.

My little girl turned TWO last week. We are still nursing several times a day. Sometimes I cannot believe that I am nursing a toddler. I never would have expected to be doing this! We are also still co-sleeping. This all has just been a natural journey, and I have loved every moment of it. There has been some talk about baby #2, but I just feel like waiting a little longer. But it's funny, when you have a child who turns 2, people start speaking up and telling you that it's "time". :)

I haven't done any crafts with Nat in quite awhile, mainly b/c spring in the desert is a wonderful time. We have been soaking up every second of outdoor air that we can before it gets to.. well, before now. :) It is now up to just about triple digits and it's time to hunker down in the AC for a few months. But we had a great time playing at the park, going for walks, and just enjoying the weather. Now it's time for going to the pools, movies, water parks, and malls.

In non-toddler areas - I am very sad that Hillary did not win the nomination. Before last Tuesday, I said that if Hillary didn't get the nom, I was going Republican this election. But I just don't think I can. So I am doing some information-gathering now and trying to get on the Obama bandwagon. I don't know why it's so hard for me, when there are hoards of people out there just singing his praises at the top of their lungs. I guess I have some reservations I need to work through, and to get past my disappointment at Hillary not being our candidate.

That was a very unfocused post - but it was just to catch up and get back on track. Now that I am spending more time indoors, I hope to post more! Oh - my new passion? Saving money!! I am back on the Grocery Game and scouring all the money-saving blogs out there trying to find the best deals. This is partly a necessity b/c we overextended a bit last month, but also b/c everything is getting so freakin' expensive! I even went without my Starbucks chai today, and made coffee at home instead. Seriously. I think they put something truly addictive in there, b/c I miss it WAY too much!! :)

More focused and interesting posts to come...

Teething & Gardening

2008-03-01T15:07:00.000-08:00

These are the themes of our weekend, apparently. :) N is teething hard core - getting her top eye teeth in. The happy part? These are her last teeth until her 2 year molars!! So, hopefully we will have a good long break from teething now for a bit. The last few nights have been rough. We used to have a king and queen bed set up in our room. It was quite luxurious, and we were getting spoiled. The queen bed was my SIL's bed, and she needed it back, so we got N a "big girl" bed. It's a toddler bed and it's absolutely adorable. But small. :) So she is adjusting. Our bed has been full the past couple of nights, let's just say that! :) With the teething, she wants to nurse ALL NIGHT LONG. Two nights ago was horrible. And last night, she didn't go to sleep until midnight. But she slept better! And she finally went down for a nap at 3:00 today. I am looking forward to our post-teething life!

Gardening - ahhh. I love to garden. It's another gorgeous day, so we went to Lowe's to get some plants. I took out the old nasty dead flower carcasses from our front flower bed and replaced them with some Japanese Boxwoods. They look much neater and will make our yard look more manicured. We also got a pot for our front porch, and DH and N planted geraniums in there. It's quite cute.

Tomorrow morning I will work on the back yard, pruning the old and possibly adding some new.

I'm sitting here now (having just finished an hour of Beautiful Katamari - I'm addicted.) drinking my V8 and listening to classical music. It's been a good day. DH is at the movies w/ his folks and us ladies are holding down the fort.

Spring!

2008-02-26T11:35:00.001-08:00

It's spring here in the Southwest. At least it feels like it. The air is fresh, we are getting up to the 70s/80s... I LOVE this time of year!! I just want to spend all day outside.

So yesterday I signed up on the wait list for our local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) organization. It's $200-$300 for either two months or three months, and you get a ton of produce from local farms each week. This was one of my goals about a year ago when I started focusing on being more green. Better late than never, right? These changes take awhile, and they really take some getting used to. I read about becoming more environmentally aware, and I see blogs of people that live frugally (economically and environmentally), and it all seems so simple. But when you are used to being a consumer and using resources without much thought, it's hard to adjust!!

We have been using the biodegradable diapers for a bit now, and I must say that we love them. Seriously, for you diaper users out there, check these out!! I believe diapers take 500 years to break down in a landfill. Each diaper. That is a long time, and a huge imprint on the earth. After I started using cloth last year, and came back to disposables, that really stuck with me.

I'll leave you with a picture of my little doll-wearing toddler :)

Product Line of the Month - my new favorite!

2008-02-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

Cleaning Products

These are amazing - they smell like "real" cleaning products, so I still feel like I'm getting a good deep down clean. But I also feel good about using them. Yay!

Two Months?

2008-02-13T14:30:00.000-08:00

Wow, two months went by without a post from me!

Let's see -- we left on 12/26 for Pennsylvania to go to my brother's wedding, and then N and I stayed there for a couple extra weeks. We got back on 1/16. I had bronchitis for a week, and then we had a couple of weeks where we finally got to go out and enjoy the fresh air. And then N started teething for a week, and now she has been sick for a couple of weeks. She is finally better, but still has a runny nose and a cough, so we are hanging out around the house.

That brings you up to date! :)

I set this up yesterday so N could play outside without us having to go anywhere:

She is really enjoying it, and I'm enjoying being able to sit outside and relax while she plays. Ahhh...

Beyond the kid stuff -- I'm really rooting for Hillary, and I'm getting worried about the numbers!!! So I'm constantly checking CNN on primary days. I'm a dork.

That's it for now. Happy Valentine's Day everyone! :)

Oh, the guilt.

2007-12-19T19:38:00.000-08:00

So I can't take it anymore. The SMELL that emanates from the Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers we have been using for about 9 months now. I have tried *everything* -- and it will be fixed for awhile, but then it comes back. It's because we have an HE washer, I think. There just isn't enough water there to get them clean.

So we have switched back to disposables. I will be contributing to the landfills now. The only consolation is that I got these online, and they are biodegradable. So at least I am still being green, right?

I just so loved using cloth diapers. Boo.

A few odds & ends

2007-12-10T06:27:00.000-08:00

Last week, we got our Advent wreath made:

And made some construction paper ornaments to hang on the tree:

Natalie is doing a great job of participating in crafts. I'm so excited!! She really focuses and gets involved and way excited about everything. I think we'll try finger paints again this week, to make some crafts for people for Christmas.

This weekend, we put carpet tiles in the nursery at church. It's really coming together! I'm so excited about that. This weekend, I may put some paint on the walls. I'm going to look for some wall stencils, maybe with a Bible verse about children. I think that would be really neat.

Here is Natalie helping with the tiles:

I'm also working on Natalie's stocking. DH and I have stockings that my mom made -- my mom made them for the whole family, as each of us was born. I'm recreating that, and it's coming out really well! I'll post a picture when I'm done w/ it.

Today I am mailing Christmas gifts out, and hopefully straightening up this place a bit. It's getting a bit cluttered!!

Oh, and I'm hosting Christmas this year!!! I'm very excited about that. I love organizing and planning stuff, so I'm thrilled. I wanted Natalie to be able to just hang out here on Christmas, and have people come to her. And I also wanted to cook dinner. :)

My girls are coming back!! Hurrah!!

2007-12-06T21:11:00.000-08:00

18 Months!?!?!

2007-12-05T06:19:00.001-08:00

OK what happened here? My daughter is a year and a half today!!!! That can't be right!! :) She just came home from the hospital!!

And here she is last week -- looking a little rundown from her UTI, poor thing. But we got to go outside and have a little fun playing in the backyard.

I have been thinking all year that once my little Bug turned 18 months, I wanted to start some sort of loose curriculum with her -- for a routine to the day, and also to have different arts/crafts to entertain her. So I ordered this the other day -- Little Acorn Learning -- it's nature-based, and seems really neat. I'm going to try it this month and see how we like it. There are a couple crafts for each week - and this week, they are based on the start of Advent this past Sunday and St. Nicholas day tomorrow - and I'm not sure if N would enjoy them or if they are too old for her. We are going to make an Advent wreath today. Also, the curriculum recommends that I get up before everyone else for some quiet time. What a novel idea! :) So this morning I am up. While N sleeps. I haven't done this in ages!! I'm enjoying a cup of coffee, the laundry has been started, and the house is quiet. Ahhh...

We tried finger painting yesterday - we made our own from flour, water, and food coloring, and she wanted nothing to do w/ it. I even tried to encourage the mess-making -- sticking her hand and feet in it, to make hand and footprints... and no. She started wailing. Okay then! :)

It's been awhile since I posted, so brief update:

N and I will be out east for awhile at the end of December/beginning of January.
B still has his job, and is still working from home. We are doing pretty well with that, I must say.
I have been a Christmas cookie baking fiend lately! I have lemon bars, toffee bars, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, oatmeal/pb/choc chip cookies (holy yum!), and peanut butter cookies in the freezer, ready to be given out to friends and Santa. :)

I love this time of year!! :) Ah, she awakes... forgive any typos, I don't have time to proof this!

Update

2007-11-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

B did not get laid off, thankfully. But his entire department did, and they are having him and two other managers work from home now. We're not quite sure what the future holds, but for now everything is okay. :)

Thanks for the reminder, Steph! Sorry I did not update sooner. Things have been crazy -- there was that, and then my mom was diagnosed with lymphoma (waiting on more info on that right now), and then I went out of town for over a week.

My friend is coming into town tomorrow, so I'm in busy clean-up-and-get-work-done mode right now.

Mini-Update

2007-10-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update on me -- nothing too exciting to report.

~We are waiting to see if B gets laid off this week. I'll post more about that later this week after everything goes down.
~I twisted my knee last Wednesday and it hasn't gotten better, so I'm calling the doctor tomorrow to go see what they think.
~The church nursery is coming along quite nicely - everything is organized, just waiting on the carpet I ordered to arrive, and then I'll finish it with that and a big gate to separate the crawlers/babies from the walkers.
~We found a great new park! It has three separate areas for kids, each complete with a different size jungle gym area. There is one that is perfect for N - she can climb all around on it (pretty much) on her own.
~N is really into everything, and saying more words every day. This week's big word is "uh oh!" She went through a day or two where she would throw things on the ground and yell "UH OH!" and be quite pleased with herself. Now it's just limited to when she falls or something accidentally falls. She also said "bless you!" to me (in her own language, but I understood it!! :) ) when I sneezed this morning. Too cute!
~After spending a couple of weeks trying to count points (Weight Watchers), I spent this weekend just pigging out with the stress of hubby's job situation. Not good! I also made the mistake of getting on the scale in the midst of all that, and was not happy w/ what I saw. *sigh*
~I took our screen door off outside. It looks a zillion times better. We were the only people in our whole neighborhood who had a nasty screen door, probably the original one from 1997 when the house was built. Everyone else either doesn't have one or has a fancy one. So now you can just see our wood door. I'm going to add a coat of paint on the wood around the door, and it will look spectacular.

That's me in a nutshell from the past couple of weeks.

Picture of the Week

2007-09-27T16:16:00.000-07:00

Kiki, the Lactivist

2007-09-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought that I would be so into all of this? I guess I just never realized how weird people are about nursing. I'm so thankful I haven't come across the nastiness that some people have, but I just find it fascinating to read about situations that come up, and sometimes, like with the Bill Maher segment, I get all riled up about the ignorance that exists.

Here is a good article on the Huffington Post. Nothing earth-shattering, but it's a follow-up of sorts on the Bill Maher situation.

I guess he's doing his job really well. He's getting everyone riled up by being "politically incorrect." I guess the reason it bothered me was that it's not just him. He's speaking for a surprisingly large group of people, I think.

In other breastfeeding news in cyberland, here is a great article with some awesome pictures of women breastfeeding out in public (gasp!) in the 1940s. So cool!

Shorter hair...

2007-09-20T20:09:00.001-07:00

I got my hair cut even SHORTER. I will post a picture sometime this weekend.

Nothing much going on. I'm just feeling very grateful lately for everything wonderful in my life. My daughter is such a joy. She has reached that age where she is interactive and even though we aren't actually having conversations, it feels like we are.

She gave DH a tough time while I was getting my haircut, though. I think she did it on purpose, because she gave me the most conspiratorial smiles when I got home. What a toot! :) She erased 2 hours of work on his computer, too... oops!! I'm torn between feeling horrible for him and giggling because that's who she is! A little destroyer. :)

Ok off to bake some cookies and watch the Office. Just wanted to check in. My last post was a bit of a tirade and I wanted my blog to move on from that. :) :)

Oh Mr. Maher....

2007-09-15T18:25:00.001-07:00

I am getting SO SO tired of the attitude towards breastfeeding in our society. Luckily, I haven't ever personally experienced negative feedback while NIP. Quite the opposite, actually - I have had several supportive comments, and nobody has ever so much as looked at me cross-eyed while I'm nursing. And overall, I am able to have a sense of humor about most of the things I see. Like that news guy who was caught on camera pretending to lick the nipple of the image of breasts on-screen, when he was supposed to be reporting on breastfeeding. He didn't know the camera was rolling, and I'll admit I laughed at that. Silly things like that don't bug me.

But this... this is just ridiculous. This sums up the way a lot people out there think (as evidenced by all the laughs Bill got during his segment), and that saddens me. Breastmilk is the most natural and wonderful thing one can give her child. It's a bonding experience, it's nourishing, and it helps protect both the mom and child. (reduces obesity and illnesses for the child; prevents cancers for the mother) Those are facts. The AAP and the WHO both recommend that women breastfeed. Even formula companies say that breastmilk is best. So why is everyone so quick to put down those of us who are choosing to breastfeed!?! The bottom line is -- it is our legal right as women, as mothers, to nurse our children whenever or wherever they need to eat. I think it's a beautiful, wonderful thing. I truly don't understand why people are uncomfortable with seeing it. !?!? We have 13 year old girls running around dressed like hookers, but me nursing my little girl is disgusting??? So backwards and strange.

Anyway - here is what I'm talking about (the part I'm referring to starts at 3:14):

Oh Britney.

2007-09-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

Her performance on the VMAs was so sad. She HAS to be on some sort of drugs. It looked like a junior high talent show. There is something very wrong with that girl.

The whole situation is heartbreaking - her poor kids.

The Starbucks Saga.

2007-09-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

So I made it through the week without my iced venti non-fat chai. But I have to admit, it was hard! I missed that little treat each morning. I found myself eating more sugar throughout the day. I'm so pathetic, I know.. but I don't know if I can go all month like this. I need it!!

Hi, my name is Kiki, and I'm a Starbucks addict. Is there an SA around???

15-month appointment

2007-09-06T17:47:00.000-07:00

We had N's 15 month appointment yesterday, and she did GREAT. I did decide to get the MMR vaccine, and not separate it out or anything, and so far she seems okay. A bit of a fever this afternoon, and the usual post-shots clinginess, but overall she is chipper.

She weighs 20 lbs, 7 oz and is 31" long. I was definitely able to tell that she had been chunking out a bit. I was so glad!! She's still in the ~15%, and we figure that's just where she is going to be.

I did have an issue w/ a couple comments the ped made about my continuing to breastfeed N, though. He said that I should think about cutting back, and when we talked about wanting to try for baby #2 in a few months, he said this would be a perfect time to wean. Arrgh. I'm going to chalk it up to him having a bad day & forgetting who he was talking to, and his not knowing that I want to nurse her until she is 18 - 24 months. As soon as I said that was my intent, he dropped it.

I was just really irked with the whole thing, though. Because he shouldn't be pushing for weaning. Even the AAP has come out with information saying that there are immunological benefits for the baby to nurse up to TWO YEARS. That's my ped's organization! I guess it's just the way our society is right now, that nursing beyond a year is strange and unexpected.

He also really pushed the flu shot, and even said that there will be a world-wide pandemic soon, and everyone needs to be vaccinated. Ugh. We are NOT doing the flu shot. We didn't do it last year, and we are not doing it this year. That's that.

We'll see how the 18 month appt goes. If he's still weird about everything, then he and I are going to have a little chat. This was not the norm with him - he is usually so open to what I want, and willing to work with me, and talk to me about what's what w/ the shots and all.

On the positive end of things, he said that N will be an early talker. He was really impressed with the number of words that she can say. I'm so proud of my little chatterbox. (Gee, wonder where she gets that!?!) :)

Curtis Roger

2007-09-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

Last year on May 31, my friend Chantel gave birth to a stillborn baby boy at 40 weeks. His name was Curtis Roger. Since then, Chantel has gotten involved with a foundation called MissingGRACE. They do a lot with stillbirth prevention awareness, stillbirth awareness, grief support, memorial events and other projects. Chantel and her family are participating in the 2007 Kaila and Grace's Hope and Hearts Run, which is put on by MissingGRACE.

If you would like to sponsor Team Curtis, please visit this web site:

http://www.firstgiving.com/ateamforcurtis

Do they put crack in there?

2007-09-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

I am embarrassed to admit how much I am dragging w/o my morning chai from Starbucks. Do they add something to it? Am I addicted? EEK! Only 3 days until I can have another one. It's going to be a long month people. A looooooooooong month.

First day with no Starbucks...

2007-09-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

I did it! I did miss that small amount of caffeine, though. It makes a difference! But my daughter took a much better morning nap, so maybe this will be a good thing!! :)

I got some decaf hazelnut creme coffee at Safeway yesterday and it's pretty good. It did the job this morning.

Nothing too exciting to report today. Even though I am not working in an office, it still feels like a Monday to me. So weird.

It's only 8:20, but I'm exhausted. So I'm off to bed!!

September -- Less Starbucks!

2007-08-31T18:40:00.000-07:00

I have become SUCH a consumer lately. I know that I should probably try to do a "no spending" (beyond the necessities) month in September, but I'm a wuss. I'm worried I wouldn't stick to it. I can think of a handful of things already that would be considered "luxuries" -- moms group, paint I need to buy tomorrow, a haircut, etc. And the holidays are coming... I need fall decorations... and I'm the midst of this "mommy makeover"... excuses, excuses....

So instead -- I am going to make a pact with myself that I will (gulp -- can I do this??) only get Starbucks on the weekends. I know, I know... such a sacrifice! But I have been getting Starbucks EVERY. DAY. That is a lot of money -- $4.15 x 30 = $124.50!! So starting tomorrow, (which, wee hee! happens to be a weekend!!) September will be a weekend-only Starbucks month. Can I do it?? Stay tuned.... :)

A small step...

2007-08-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

So in my quest to be more green --- I have made a few baby steps:

~We finished up our kitchen sponges and we are now using cloths to wash dishes instead. I know that's not a HUGE deal, but that's a tiny bit less trash that we are putting out there!
~Even though we still have another package of paper napkins, we have been using cloth.
~I haven't bought any paper towels since we ran out way back when (despite DH's complaints!). Rags/towels work just as well!!

So those are my tiny steps forward. I also went to the farmers' market last weekend. I can't remember if I posted that already.

Here's a picture of my little punkin to start out the week. When I was little, my dad made me a little cradle to rock my dolls in. Well, I finally took it out for N because she's getting to that stage (she has started dragging around a baby doll we got from a friend), and she climbed right in!! She was quite pleased with herself. Climbing is her new talent/obsession. We got a Little Tykes table and chairs in the mail today, and instead of sitting at the table and calmly coloring - as I had pictured her doing when I ordered it - she proceeded to climb up and stand on the table and chortle to herself. Such an adventurer! :)

The text

2007-08-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

OK I'm a computer dummy. I couldn't figure out how to get the text on my previous post without it getting all screwy :)

Anyway - that's not a great picture of my hair (and pardon the babe sleeping in her Mei Tei in front of me!) because it's in shadow and tucked behind my ears, but there you have it :)

I feel like a kazillion times better! :)

Before & After

2007-08-23T20:00:00.001-07:00

The haircut is in two hours!!

2007-08-23T15:51:00.001-07:00

I will post before & after pictures later today or tomorrow. I'm so nervous!

I think I am going with the "pob" (thanks BT for giving me the correct lingo!):

No-Spend September??

2007-08-22T16:34:00.001-07:00

OK so I am pondering doing something I read about on one of my message boards. Not spending any $$ in September beyond what we need -- groceries and such. Can I do it?? I also really need to cut back on Starbucks, so I'm also pondering a No Starbucks September. EEK! That frightens me...

Long time, no post...

2007-08-19T11:23:00.001-07:00

Holy schnikey I have been a slacker at this blogging thing! (Thanks for the reminder, Geeners!!)

So I met one of my "green goals" yesterday. We finally went to the farmers market!! It was quite small, but that's probably because it's so stinkin' hot out. I got some zukes, tomatoes, and potatoes. I will make some zucchini bread later today or tomorrow and maybe take a loaf to our new neighbors.

There really hasn't been much to write about lately. I have created a playroom area in my office for N, I am working on painting the kitchen/family room bit by bit, and when I'm not working on those things, we are playing or I'm trying to get some of my work done (around the house AND for my paying job).

I've been in the midst of a "Mommy Makeover", too. I am not happy with my appearance lately. I don't put much energy into it, and I end up looking REALLY frumpy. I know have some excess weight to lose, and that's slowly coming off (7 pounds down, 28 to go!), but in the meantime, I need to take care of me. I have a haircut scheduled for Thursday and I have started getting some nicer clothes. I have a pair of shorts, a top, and some pants. That's all that two long days at the mall netted me. This is tough!! I'm making sure to buy things that really work for me, and things that are NICE.

That's been life lately -- oh and also working on the nursery at church. I need to get some quotes on carpet, cabinets, etc. and present it to the Vestry next month. I have organized/cleaned everything really well, and now it's time to really fix it up. We had a new girl there this morning, and I think both the mom and the baby had a good time. So hopefully that is another young family !! She was the only one there besides N, so that gives you an idea about how few families we have. :(

Confessions

2007-07-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

So, you know I have been trying to go "green". I haven't made any great strides in that area in months. The reason? It's too tiring. How lame is that?

An explanation for those of you sitting out there, scratching your heads and saying, "How can it be tiring to take care of the environment? It's the most natural thing!" Yes, yes it is. But, for a perfectionist as myself, it's tiring. We are cloth-diapering, recycling more, yada yada yada -- but there is always MORE I could be doing. Every time I use a paper napkin (we are still working through that stash -- but I am using cloth after they are gone!!), I cringe. Every time I drive a quarter mile to the grocery store b/c it's too damn hot to walk there, I cringe. Same goes for every time I get takeout in a Styrofoam box or toss my Starbucks cup in the trash instead of recycling bin. It's like Pandora's Box - once you start thinking about the environment and make a few changes, you realize how much more you could be doing. And it's tiring.

So I'm confessing to you all -- I have been slacking off with this. I'm hanging my head in shame. Because, logically I know that even if I'm not "perfect" with being green, at least I am doing something and thinking about it. And the more I incorporate all these little things into my life, the more naturally it will come, and the more things I will do. This isn't a quick project that I can cross off my to-do list. This is a lifelong goal that will constantly be improving. And while that is hard to swallow for someone who likes to feel a sense of accomplishment, it's a good learning lesson and very humbling at the same time.

So without further ado -- here are my Green Goals for July:

~Look into better lighting for the house -- light bulbs that give off less carbon and use less energy
~Fill a bag for the Amvets with stuff we can do without
~Check out the local farmers market

Since July is almost over, I'll leave it at that.

:-)

Summer Favorites

2007-07-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

Some things I discovered this summer that I am loving:

Kathy Griffin's My Life on the D-List
Kate Forsyth books
The Grocery Game
Mothering Magazine's website & message boards
HP photo paper
Spa One
FitTV's Namaste Yoga
homemade chai

So. Tired.

2007-07-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness. I am exhausted!
And yet, I couldn't sleep when I laid down by N for her nap. What's up with that? Now that she is up, of course, I can barely keep my eyes open... *yawwwn*

That's all for today. Sleepy Sunday!

Super Saturday

2007-07-07T07:39:00.001-07:00

Happy weekend!

Not much going on here - getting DH packed for a business trip, getting the house straightened/cleaned, and getting some work done! I still haven't closed out June for work yet. N has been pretty fussy with the teething, so that means abbreviated naps and lots of snuggle time.

We also need to get out of the house. We have been closed up in here (except for our daily Starbucks run) for most of the week b/c of the heat outside. I am hoping we can go swimming or something like that today.

Totally random side note -- does anyone watch So You Think You Can Dance? What was up with Jessi going home? DH and I both think something nefarious was at play - that they discovered drugs in her system or refused to take a drug test or something like that. She and Pascha were my favorite couple, and I think she was by FAR not the worst dancer. That one girl spent half of her "life saving" dance stripping! What the heck was that??

That is my TV rant for the week. :)

Vacation

2007-07-06T09:29:00.001-07:00

We had such a great time in California! The drive out there wasn't too bad, which is easy for me to say because DH did most of the driving. We decided to drive overnight, caravan-style with my ILs, so N could sleep in her car seat. She doesn't do well if we are in the car too long during the day. She wants to be out and about, checking things out. So, this overnight driving worked really well for that.

We got there Saturday morning and immediately went down to the beach. It was HEAVENLY. The sound, the smell, the feeling of **cool air**. Especially after the AC being broken -- we were just in paradise. We then went back and the three of us took a 3-hour nap, which was also amazing.

We spent the next few days doing a lot of walking and going down to the beach. DH did some boogie-boarding with his brother and sister's boyfriend. Natalie loved the ocean, as I said in an earlier post. She is truly a water baby. I got very choked up watching her face light up with such pure joy at being in the water and experiencing something new. It's the greatest gift I have ever received, watching this little part of me walking around and soaking up life without any reservation. It's completely overwhelming and I don't even know words to describe it.

Outside of the water, we drove to another beach town and did some shopping. I got a Navajo flute and a really great bag, and of course lots of seafood and clam chowder.

We took a trip to my SIL's house out in the boonies and lost part of the bottom of our car in doing so. There is a little creek right before their house and while driving through it, DH picked up a huge piece of concrete. The ILs brought it home with them, so it will have a place of prominence in our garden. Their property is absolutely beautiful -- about an hour or so from town, which is a little scary, but also so peaceful. I was a bit envious, I must admit.

The next day, we drove a couple of hours away to visit DH's old neighbors from when he was growing up. These are some of the kindest people I have ever met, and we had a blast that night and the next day, sitting around and talking and eating way too much food.

Then on Saturday, we went to my niece's first birthday party, which was a BBQ pool party and very fun. The food was delicious and the birthday girl showed N how to chow down on cake. She must have learned something from her, because since we returned home, N has been more interested in table food. Yaay! Anyway, we left from the party to drive straight through the night again to get home. (Again, mostly DH!! I drove the last 1/3, he drove the first 2/3. He rocks.)

And here we are! I have spent this week getting myself pulled together. Although I am VERY low energy today and wish I had a second chai from Starbucks this afternoon... mmm...

Get me out of here!

2007-07-04T11:15:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year when I want to MOVE! It's a high of 112 here today. For a month or so every summer (July/August), we just close ourselves up inside with the AC blasting and the blinds shut. They even had a heat advisory on the TV just now, saying that you should check on your neighbors and pets and stay inside and drink plenty of water.

Oh what fun!! I miss California!!

What a month!

2007-07-03T16:48:00.001-07:00

WOW. Just... wow.

Since I last posted, DH went out of town for work.
The next week, our A/C broke on the evening of the 13th. It was fixed for a couple of days, and then broken again for 4 days until it could be fixed. We went to live with my ILs during that time.
Then we went out of town -- to California, to the coast.
And now we are back home, where it is HOT HOT HOT. I can't wait for monsoons and fall. Ahhh.

Anyway - it has been insane these past few weeks, and I am working to get re-settled and back into the groove of things.

I have to brag about something - we cloth diapered for our whole road trip! A 12 hour drive there and back, and lots of driving in between. I did it!! I think we used ONE disposable diaper and two disposable swim diapers. That's it. I am very proud of myself, so I'm tooting my own horn on that one. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, and everyone was so supportive. My SIL even asked all about it, and wants to maybe start doing it. :)

Which segues quite nicely into my next part -- I am copying/pasting my efforts to be more green into my blog and doing a little check-in with all of that:

~*~*~*~

Things I am doing now:
~Cloth diapering - CHECK! This is up and running and going strong, so I am removing it from my list, since it's now a permanent part of my life.
~Going organic -- yeah well... I haven't been great at this with all the craziness of the past month. It's expensive and kind of a pain. So I need to get cracking on this again.
~Cloth napkins/rags -- still using cloth rags. We ran out of paper towels and I have not bought anymore. Still using our supply of paper napkins.
~Setting the thermostat up a couple of degrees. HAHA!! Yeah well for a week it was up about 20 degrees. Whew! But otherwise, it has been up a couple of degrees, at 76. I am looking forward to getting our new electric bill to see what a difference this has made.
~Quit going out to eat! Uhh. yeah. With traveling and not living at home... this hasn't been good.
~Making food from scratch and using less pre-packaged products. Until we "moved out", I was doing really well with this.
~Using the library instead of the bookstore. -- Yep, doing well with this. I haven't bought a new book in ages. Oops -- I did get some from my Literary Guild b/c I didn't send the response card in fast enough. But that was a mistake!
~Less TV. (this is HARD!) -- This is way easier now that it's summer.

What I am working to do in the future --

~Grow my own fruits/veggies. -- too hot to even think about. Will work on this over the fall/winter.
~Dust off the sewing machine and SEW!! -- sewing room is now cleaned out -- going to paint the room this month and get a couple tables in there, and get moving on some projects I want to do.

Something that wasn't on my list that I started was a clothes line. I have been using it to dry diapers for now, but I plan on doing more of the drying out there. Things dry really fast here!

~*~*~*~

That's about it for today - time to bathe the babe and start our nighttime routine.
I will post more about our vacation later... FYI - N RAN into the ocean on her own, and had a blast out there. She did not get on a boogie board, but we had a great time swinging her around out there and dipping her in the water. She loved it!! But thanks for all the responses reassuring me that I was not being an overprotective mama.

My sweet baby girl

2007-06-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

Beach!!!!!!!!!

2007-06-07T07:36:00.001-07:00

We are going to the beach for a week at the end of June. I am so excited. Beyond excited. I know it is a different experience when you have a toddler, but that's okay. I know I won't get to lay on the beach all day with a book, but just hearing the waves crash and seeing everything anew through my little girl's eyes will be even better.

Question of the day though -- would you let your hubby take your one year old out on a boogie board, about 20 feet out? I don't know about this idea, but B swears that it will be okay. What would you do???

My new celebrity hero

2007-06-06T19:28:00.000-07:00

I now adore Maggie Gyllenhaal. I love that she is nursing in public and being so blase about it. I really hope it helps breastfeeding become more mainstream.

Here is a link to her recent "exposure". I'm so glad that the hoopla over the last photos didn't sway her from either quitting NIP or hiding out to do it. Go Maggie Go!

This and that...

2007-06-06T06:54:00.000-07:00

While I am out and about, I think "Oh I should blog about that!" but then I get home and sit here in front of the computer and...nothing. A total blank. Hmm...

My little girl turned one yesterday. She also has started walking. It all seems so normal, but when I think back to a year ago today, how tiny she was and how new everything was... I can't believe we are here already! She's such a determined little creature with her own personality already. She is a lot of fun and a really neat kid. I feel blessed. (I say this as she is reaching up to my printer and trying to grab all the papers out... she definitely keeps me busy!)

B is out of town for work this week, so it's just us girls. Yesterday we were pretty lazy, but today we are going swimming with our moms group and then I teach a flute lesson this afternoon.

Oh my big accomplishment this weekend -- I baked a chocolate chip cake from scratch. :) When I was growing up, I had a chocolate angelfood cake every year on my birthday. That was unique and different and special. I don't even know if Natalie will like chocolate (ha!) but I tried to think of something a little different to make for her, and I hope that it will be her tradition. Maybe not, maybe she will like something else, who knows.. but it was so much fun to put extra care and effort into her first birthday cake.

I guess that's it from me for now. The house is still clean from the party this weekend, so I don't have a long list of things to do, and I did all the laundry Monday so B could have clean clothes for his trip. So I am feeling pretty relaxed. :)

My New Blog!!

2007-05-28T16:47:00.000-07:00

This is my first post to blogger.com. Hurrah!

I named the blog "A Little Bit of Everything" because that's my life. You know how most people can be defined by a couple main characteristics or interests? Well, that's not me. I had way too many majors during my time at college because everything sounded SO exciting and interesting, I still don't really know what I want to be when I grow up... and my interests are all over the place. I tend to make decisions based on emotion which makes for lots of different things going on in my life. Some may call that flaky, but it's who I am. I get caught up in lots of cool ideas and projects, which while exhausting at times, is really a lot of fun. I'm an enigma.. ooo... yeah, okay. Maybe not so much. :)

The things going on in my life right now are raising my almost-1-year-old beautiful baby girl with my dear husband, homemaking, working part-time from home doing bookkeeping/HR for a small mechanical engineering firm, being an organization junkie, a quest to be the next Betty Crocker or Rachael Ray, learning more about the environment and trying to incorporate what I'm learning into my daily life, and an array of church, music, and outdoor activities. I'm also a TV and book junkie, when I have time.

So those are the things I will most likely post about. I am not making this private (is that even an option on blogger? I guess I will learn!), so things will be pretty anonymous to anyone who doesn't know me.

Welcome to my blog! Enjoy! :)