Sun and Rain

I can't believe we are more than halfway though kindergarten. We hit the 100th day of school a few weeks ago, which was something I used to wonder what the big deal was and I now know it's just a fun day to celebrate and use for practicing counting :-)

Maggie is growing up crazy fast now that she is in school. She reads really well, as in, she surprises me how well she is progressing through the school year. She will walk through the house holding a book reading or I will find her on a pillow in our playroom reading. She has a stack of books and journals almost always in the car next to her booster seat. She reads so much that Max has been memorizing some of the lines when she reads out loud.

2015 so far has brought our family close. We have been on the periphery of tragedies and hardships and I think when that happens it brings people together. I feel the four of us huddling together, relying on eachother. We said goodbye to our family kitty, Lily, whom I got as a kitten way before Maggie and Max came along. She was a good kitty, especially to our crazy kiddos that cried often making her nervous and chasing after her pulling her tail. We had lots of time to say goodbye. Then within a week of saying goodbye, we welcomed our new kitty Charlotte. I took the kids on a planned-out route looking to adopt a cat or two at the various rescues in our area. I knew our last stop was going to be successful...and it was! Maggie and I immediately fell in love with a little grey kitty that was sitting quietly in her cage. She was being petted by others but I snagged her as soon as I could and they let us play with her in a room. Maggie had that look in her eyes that said "I am not leaving here without her" and I felt it too. It was so fun to say yes to bringing home a kitty. She is about 6 months old now and getting increasingly comfortable at our house, used to the loud sounds and making her own loud sounds in the middle of the night and trying to pounce on our toes under the covers. Maggie carried her everywhere for the first few weeks. I even witnessed her being carried in a tote bag around Maggie's neck and the cat looked perfectly comfortable. Maggie has trained her to love laying in a little cat bed too.

I quickly put in a spring garden last week. We have a couple months until it really gets hot, so hopefully we get some fun stuff until then (lettuce, kale, spinach, cilantro, peas). I'm excited to start seeing things blooming and fruiting, it't almost that time of year!


Seen and Heard

Maggie talking to her Nana about building a fort together on the phone: "Yes, let's do that. It has been ages! (rolling her head back, using the phrase perfectly)

Max calling gymnastics "nastics" and Maggie telling him that he was going to have to do a make-up class because he fell asleep on the way there. For a second (which Maggie and I found very funny), he thought Maggie was telling him that he needed to put on make-up and couldn't figure that out.

I was telling Max that we were going to hand out valentines to our mom's group friends the next day. I mentioned one boy in the list of kids he was going to see and he said "What's his number?" Confused, I asked Max what his number was and he said "2". Oh, his age!

We are in that stage where Max narrates what he just saw, slowly but surely (so cute!), and he says a lot of words starting with "W" like "wips" (lips). If you play dumb or laugh, he seriously responds like, "I said wips! (don't you understand?)"

5 + 2 does not equal 7

Combo spring birthday party!

It's birthday season again. My little lady, who has gotten quite serious lately, turned 5 in March and my little man, who is goofier by the minute, turns 2 tomorrow. It's been quite fabulous really. They play so much together and I love hearing them giggle together while I do chores around the house. They are both taking gymnastics at the same time, separate classes, and it's so sweet when Max looks over the mini wall to watch his sister or escapes his lesson to join his sister's class. Max will ask me after crawling into bed with me in the morning: "Sissy wake?" When Maggie wakes up, Max crawls in with her and they hug.

Max loves his summer flip flops and doesn't want to wear shoes and socks anymore. He calls them "flop flops" or something similar. His vocabulary is exploding and he's saying 2 or 3 word sentences. He is now sleeping in his big boy bed and it took about a week to train him (although recent nights haven't been so easy and he's wanting out or waking up in the middle of the night). He calls out lawn mowers (his favorite), buses, and choo-choo's on the road. He has been telling us thank you for the funniest things, like changing his diaper. And speaking of, he's using his potty more and more!

Maggie is completely infatuated with the movie Frozen and Elsa, the magical sister. She belts out the songs constantly. For Maggie's birthday, I took the kids on a spur of the moment trip to the beach in San Francisco. We enjoyed beach time, the spa, and riding the train through the city. I've also started a special present theme for her that I will continue as she gets older. I gave her an antique tea cup that she can use with supervision but it's something I want to collect and save for her once she's older and on her own. We've christened it with hot cocoa :-) One day she'll have quite the eclectic collection of little tea cups and it's something we can share over the years.

I'm 5!

How old are you? Five (said perfectly)
Who do you like to play with most? Kellen and Kelsey and all my friends at daycare
What is your favorite toy? Ede (sea turtle named after her cousin) and Howie (her little dog that goes everywhere with her) and Snowball (little white rabbit)
Where is your favorite place to go? Lita's zoo (the Sacramento Zoo which her grandma takes her to often)
Why? Because I like the animal hospital and I see "Doc" there (she makes sure I know she means          pretend)
Are you happy to have a brother? Kind of
What is your favorite show? Octonauts and Stella & Sam (and then lists other shows like Caillou, Doc McStuffins, and Frozen)
What do you like to wear most? Dresses and flip-flops
What is your favorite color? Pink and purple and red and turquoise and light blue...
What is your favorite song? Taylor Swift songs, Frozen songs, Tangled songs...
What is your favorite food? Grains and star or princess soup
What is your favorite animal? Turtle
What is your favorite book? Frozen
What is your favorite craft? Coloring ("in the lines" she adds - first child syndrome :-)

I'm 2! (I hadn't really planned asking him questions but he saw Maggie being asked and was giving me his answers too)

How old are you? One (said in his learning-to-talk voice)
Who do you like to play with most? Me
What is your favorite toy? "raarh"
Are you happy to have a sissy? (nodded yes)
What is your favorite show? na-nauts (after Maggie said it)
What do you like to wear most? Flop flops
What is your favorite color? (sounded like "black")
What is your favorite song? "oo-oo-ah-ah" (Matilda the Gorilla)
What is your favorite food? milky

On the Muni in San Francisco on Maggie's birthday

Seen and Heard

Seen and Heard: I cleaned house after Christmas and with a need to purge some things, we also went to our children's consignment store nearby to sell and buy. Maggie is really blossoming into such an independent little girl. It just keeps building upon itself and that is a really exciting thing to watch as a parent. She is an amazing helper, pretty well behaved, and she just loves all of us and shows it. When I told her we were going to this store, she asked if she could get a toy and I explained how she didn't need any toys since we just celebrated Christmas but we could make a deal: if she found something unique or that she needed, something from my "mental list" of things I was looking for, then we could talk about it. Right away, she asked if she could go to the back of the store to explore the toys. I started riffling through the shoes in the front with Max. Maggie brought back various purses that she wanted with stuffed animals sticking out of them and I said no (hard to do - they are cute, I agree!). Then she asked for me to come back with her. After scanning the toys, I suggested a backpack since we've had our eye out for one and they had some hanging there. She starts kindergarten this fall so the need for one is coming up and this is a good way to practice. I found a mini-backpack with Rapunzel on the front and it was pink. Maggie is petite and it fit her just right. She was so excited when I found it and for $2.50, we couldn't pass it up. At home that day, she grilled me on what you put in a backpack for school. She is really into learning to read and write and has started accumulating various notebooks and pens/pencils. She stuffed the backpack full with a favorite DocMcStuffins book, notebook, pen from her gymnastics class, comb, hair clips, chapstick, play phone, preschooler camera, and a new Hello Kitty hoodie. I really didn't think it would hold that much and she happily proved me wrong telling people "My mom didn't think it would fit all of this but it does!" beaming afterwards. Maggie and I have our quiet time together when Max naps in the afternoon. It was during this time that she was filling her backpack and she wanted me to come see the contents once she was done filling it. She quietly said to me after showing me everything with satisfaction "You know mom, a backpack is a sign of growing up." These moments kill me! Sigh. Raising my kids has been one of the best gifts I've ever been given. With Max, I know what is ahead for the most part and it's exciting.

Seen: Maggie getting her flu shot so bravely. I waited to tell her we were going until the night before or day of and when I did, she was so calm. The kids before her and after her were crying and nervous. That didn't affect her...she knew it was fine and was a model for all!

Seen and Heard: Max saying the cutest things, repeating all of us. We've made him repeat "Ewwww" a lot. I'm a happy mama watching him beginning to speak!

Exciting August

Surprise! Life can change in an instant. For us, that means one day we are moving along as usual, the next I am in the ER with my hubby waiting for him to get an MRI, ending up in emergency surgery that night. In the course of 24 hours, he went in, got diagnosed, operated on, came out of anesthesia (hilarious!), slept some of it off, and waited for clearance from many doctors and nurses to go home and recoup for about a month. His stay at the hospital was exciting. Hubby is not one to stay still, so it was a nice change to be the one by his side helping if needed. At home...a slightly different story but after a week, he is being pretty good about not doing too much and I think recovering well. The silver lining to when something unexpected and potentially life threatening happens to you and/or your family: friends and family are there for you wanting to help and make life easier. I appreciate the kindness, it's what makes life so special in the end.

 One of the best and most fun gifts we've received since his surgery is the building of a tortoise pen for Maggie. It was something we were in the middle of so two of hubby's best buds came over to make it happen. It resulted in a day full of laughter between three goofy guys that might as well have been kids back in high school. Maggie somehow ended up on the name Wendy, which evolved into Wendell. It has a back story but the tortoise is most likely a male, so either way, he's covered.

 

 

Our trip to Oregon this summer was brief (sigh) but tons of fun. I was a little worried about Max being a handful in the car and also at night but both turned out really good. We managed to pack in fun activites every day we were there. We travelled with our friends and one of the best parts of the trip was talking over the radio between cars while travelling. That's where we reminisced about past trips (most before kids) and laughed a lot at eachother. We were able to spend a day at Crater Lake and show our four kids combined what it was all about. While the two littlest ones slept on us in ergos, we hiked the Discovery Trail along the rim of Crater Lake. Maggie did great walking 2 1/2 miles. Overall, we got some hikes in, visited a fish hatchery, the guys fished one evening, took the kids on a fun and funky train ride, visited a native american art gallery that is always a must, and made most of our meals at our cabins family-style. All in all a great time.

 

{Kiddo catch-up}

Maggie @ 4 1/2 yrs:

LOVES having her nails painted, tea parties, music and recently Mary Poppins songs (over the movie), her stuffed animals which all have names and they often are being fed with bottles and the like, picnics, and helping me cook.

She tried out soccer this summer and had a good time. She's been asking me what words mean when we're reading books - sly, tricked, cocked (as in "the crow cocked his head" from one of our library books :-). She does not look forward to her hair being brushed but loves ponytails and all types of braids. She is very sweet with her brother. This is one of the best things about having two. Maggie will sometimes mimic us when talking to him and sounds like an adult. They give the cutest hugs and kisses to eachother.


Max @ 1 (16 months):

Max needs a lot of haircuts! He loves to dance, all you have to do is turn on some fun music or he copies Maggie. They like to dance to the intro. of the cartoons Maggie likes. The kids love dancing in the car too while strapped in to their carseats. They made us laugh on the Oregon car ride.

Max gets everything we say to him and gives big nods for yes and shakes his head for no. He says a lot of uh-ohs. He started saying mama at 15 months. Then he started saying recognizable words like turtle, blueberry, and duck after that. He's our goofy boy. Not as dramatic as Maggie but they love to fight for attention at the same time.

Ok, ready for fall and Halloween costumes!

I’m Currently…

Watching…Downton Abbey. It's addicting and quite the English drama. I wasn't sure at first, now I'm hooked. It definitely transports you to another time and place, something that is nice after a long day but the episodes are long and keep me up too late :-)

Eating…breakfast for lunch today? It's another 3 am wake-up morning so looking ahead...

Planning…spring cleaning and wrapping up the new bathroom now that Maggie and Max's party is complete! 


Reading…The Female Brain. Really good book. Found it at a kid's thrift store of all places and I would recommend it to every woman (and man for that matter but not sure that's gonna happen). It's the stuff you wonder about when no one really comes out and tells you specific things about what it's like to be a female during different stages of your life. The author includes fun scenarios to explain her points with scientific evidence to back it all up.

Inspired by…my husband's ability to turn something ugly into something very pleasing in a relatively short amount of time.

Excited about…spring arriving and our new bathroom!

Seeing clearly

I'm happy that 2013 is here. I'm feeling refreshed and I like the number 3. I turned 33 a few months ago and with our two kids in tow, we're on a roll. This year I won't be pregnant or living in the trenches of one of our baby's first year. I don't make new year's resolutions because those just seem silly but I do hope to get in some more exercise and reverse some of these wrinkles I'm seeing. I also am going to develop more quality time with hubby and just have more fun, some of that was in short supply last year.

This year I am going to take a trip (or maybe four). I'd love to go back to Hawaii, but I also want to take the kids to Monterey and I know we'll be visiting Aptos, and hopefully Oregon and Cayucos.

I also want to read more which means I need to stay up after the kids go to bed. Hmm...

Our holiday vacation was full of long days but then it was over in an instant. I got a lot of things cleaned out ("spring" cleaning), and I rarely went outside. Too cold. We spent lots of family time together. I cooked new recipes and a really yummy, moist turkey on New Year's Eve. Maggie fell asleep on my chest that night shortly after I told her she could stay up. I think she was holiday'd out and it was just really sweet to have my baby girl peacefully sleeping on my chest. We went on a NYE daytime date to see this movie. Billy Crystal had us cracking up. We saw the snow but didn't make it past the parking lot (our plan was to snowshoe with the kids and friends). It was a challenging 24 hours but I'm still glad we went. Trying times (or ones that don't live up to your expectations) seem to make the best laughable stories and memories!

{More good recipes to share}

Really awesome chocolate chip cookies - the dry ingredients were gifted to us at Christmas. I let the batter chill for 36 hours.

Comfort food one-pot pasta meal with bacon and butternut squash - I used what I had on hand, so instead of shallots I used leeks and white onion and instead of provolone I used cheddar. I didn't use rosemary because I was too lazy to go outside and clip it and I didn't think I'd miss it.

Leftover turkey pot pie - I have been making this for a long time, I think I clipped the recipe in college (the one linked is similar). This time, I used turkey of course, frozen peas and white corn, fresh carrots and onion, herbs de provence, leftover turkey gravy mixed with country gravy to give it creaminess and water to get the right consistency.

Be Green

Happy St. Patti's Day! No corned beef for us this year. Hubby not the biggest fan and eating leftovers isn't that yummy. This year we've planned an impromptu double date with friends and no kids at a nice restaurant out of town that we've always wanted to try. My friend texted me though yesterday saying to make sure and keep this baby in. Getting tired of the morning Braxton Hicks which now sometimes go in and out through the day (like today). I know it's preparation for the real thing but grrr, it wears on you.

It's been so rainy here all week and I'm glad because we needed it. Last night it really came down. Maggie played outside and rode her trike around with snails in the back.

All I ever do these days is fall asleep with Maggie at night and wake up really early before the rest of the family. Have I said yet how good this rice pudding is when you are 9 months pregnant? My belly is all out front and the past couple days I've noticed while eating that crumbs end up residing on top of my belly.

Maggie is officially 3! She scored on presents...lipgloss, purse, Olivia DVD and book, rocking cradle for her babies, and lots of clothes. When she really liked something, it was fun to see her reaction and excitement! She bounced her way through the night and had a clean bill of heath at the doctor that day.

As with last time around, I was going through this book the other night looking up names as we hadn't decided on a full name yet. We have a good idea now and he'd argue, but hubby won't really give me the go until we see this baby boy. The book has a bunch of "fun lists" and on the Comfy Names list, both Maggie and our boy nickname were listed together. One of our likely boy names is on the Names for Smart Kids. Better than being on some of the other lists titled Old Maids and Grumpy Old Men, Wimpy Names, Future Workaholics, Macho Men, Soap Opera Names, Bad to the Bone/Death Row Names, and the fun lists go on...

The baby room is put together and things for the most part organized (including new paint) in the room, wood chips were delivered, cat got a haircut, carpets cleaned today, lots of laundry done, and homebirth supplies ready.

Things to still do are fun things now - put in the vegetable garden and re-do the front yard area with new plants, touch up the baby room paint trim, have hubby do the belly cast, and have more fun reading and trying to get a hat made for the baby (and a knit rabbit for miss mags).

Medley

Officially on leave after one of the craziest weeks I've experienced in a long time where many things happened spontaneously good and bad, just uncontrollable. So it meant rolling with the punches each day and keeping our heads up.

Today my little one is at daycare on her normal schedule and I'm off mine, which is a wierd feeling as I haven't had a day like this to myself since she was born. It's pouring rain today too so it's stretch cotton and rain boots for both of us today. Lots of things to do in preparation for the baby but also for Maggie turning 3 tomorrow. There are days and moments where I just want to freeze a good moment in time and not let Maggie grow up anymore and keep things just as they are (especially when I know life will be different soon). I've really loved aspects of every stage as Maggie has grown older. She's so good at communicating (when she's not copying baby talk) and cracks us up all.the.time. Hubby and I are often asked or we talk about if we remember what life was like before kids and we do (maybe him more than me but I think we do pretty good at keeping a balance still), but for me, I really do cherish the ups and downs we experience as we raise kids because all the good moments outweigh the other stuff and it's quiet days like this that make me appreciate it even more.

To document this age change for Maggie, here is what she's into right now:

-she LOVES to dance and we try to capture as much as we can on film. She loves singing to our local children's musician Mr. Cooper or Sugarland, the country duo that mom and dad like :-)
-everything Maggie likes is pink "my favorite color!" (and sometimes purple or another color that she will randomly bring up). Not sure if I encouraged it from birth because we didn't paint her room until she was about 6 months old or push pink clothes on her or princesses or whatever girly, she has just taken a strong affinity for girly things as time has gone by.
-we read a lot and check out books every week from the library. She has gotten really good at reading a book a few times that she likes (the Olivia series is in her top 5 right now) and then she can read the book to us almost word for word by memory. It amazes us.
-she loves to snuggle with us in the mornings and tells us it's wake-up time and that she's ready for breakfast. Daylight savings is helping her sleep in a little more this week but we're often up pretty early but we let dad sleep in a little longer on weekends.
-she's constantly hungry and has been saying she's hungry right before we leave her room at night for bed. Pretzels seem to do the trick. 2 nights ago she ate a whole orange with a vengeance in bed right before she fell asleep.
-people still comment that she looks like a walking doll with her curly hair, petite size, good vocabulary and manners.
-she loves the "Sgetti" Factory and eating out at restaurants.
-she loves meat, especially a good steak.
-she loves our cat Lily and has been talking more about pets lately, telling us that she wants a rabbit. Not a super tall order, but we'll have to think on that one.
-she likes gum and thinks it's one of the coolest big kid treats. My mom said sugarless gum is not a battle to fight and I think it just might help get rid of the binky once and for all (that and some recommended reverse psychology).

Helping dad paint baby room

Top of Heavenly in Lake Tahoe - didn't care for "cold feet"

In need of good books

I love to read and my stack of yet-to-read books has left me uninspired. I was reading Raffi's biography which was an unexpected one to find (Raffi is a popular children's singer that generations have loved) but it was fizzling out toward the end and is still sitting on my nightstand. I enjoyed some of his insights, history about his Armenian background, and how he came to working with children, especially since he has no children of his own, but his lengthy commentary on environmentalism was a bit much. So then I picked up The Lace Reader but it's not hitting the spot. The Help is ready for pickup at the library and I've heard this is a good one. I saw the movie trailer and it looks like an inspiring yet sad story.

Recommendations for fall reading? Leave me a comment.

I spent time yesterday uncovering old knitting projects and organizing my craft area as part of re-organizing Maggie's room to make it more toddler-friendly and not just geared toward being a baby. I got my sewing repairs done and now I should tackle my gone-by-the-wayside craft projects before I start anything new.

Ramble

Taking a moment during Maggie's nap to clear my mind that is currently hopped up on too much caffeine. I should have gone decaf this morning when pulling through the drive through to get a latte :-) I knew ordering a medium (2 shots) was not going to go well (because I'm usually a one cup of tea kind of girl) but it sounded so good in the moment! Coffee bought at 10:30 am. It's nearing 4 pm and just now coming off my buzz after a late lunch.

So glad to have storytime back in our lives on Tuesdays. Summer session at the library has started and I'm thankful for it to be added back into our weekly routine. I've had a few nice chats with moms while there over the past year, but generally Maggie and I keep to ourselves...maybe because it's the library and it's a place to practice being quiet :-) I like this storytime though because it's a mixed bag in terms of the types of families that show up. And wow, take a few months off and lots of moms have baby bumps!

Since Maggie became mobile around 1 and eager to get out of the house after ditching the morning nap, I make a point to get out mid-morning to do something just for Maggie on my days home during the week (and to be efficient it's combined with an errand or two). Going to storytime, for example, has been good for so many reasons - change of pace from home play/me getting caught up in chores, providing consistency in terms of what she is learning at daycare (preschool-type lessons), socializing with other toddlers, learning about the library and how to check out books, creating mommy and me time, and playing at the park if the weather is nice and we've got the time. I've found so much enjoyment in watching Maggie develop her understanding about all of this as time flies by. I've really seen all the little things I've shown her and taught her (not excluding everyone else helping in this area) build upon itself day by day, month by month. So far, this has been one of the greatest joys of being a parent because I've seen the time we've spent with her and the time she has spent with others developing in this way pay off in creating a well-rounded cheerful and loving little lady. The cherry on top is recieving compliments from acquaintances that spend time with Maggie and tell me what a joy she is to be around. Keep 'em coming!

Funny moment that our family cannot forget - misplacing Howie, oh my! I knew this day would come, it was just a matter of when. I hadn't put much thought into it happening besides a fleeting thought about how I should possibly find another Howie just to be safe and stash it away for the day that it did. Well, a few months ago, my mom, who watches Maggie one day a week, was going about her day with Maggie and by naptime Howie was missing. My mom was stalling with Maggie as long as she could but she let us know he was missing by the afternoon because we all knew the shiz was going to hit the fan at some point that night if he wasn't found! While my mom retraced her steps, I took action by recalling where we'd gotten him from (mom had bought him for Maggie at Barnes and Noble) and then Michael ran out to find and buy Howie #2. Turns out all his brothers were waiting to find a home and Michael returned with Howie #2 so fresh and clean. In the meantime, I cook up a friendly story for Maggie about how she had left Howie at nana's house that day (I had an inkling that he really was there) and that daddy went to go get him before bedtime. We offer super clean #2 to her hoping she doesn't notice the subtle differences. She doesn't seem to mind or know and quickly tucks him under her arm. We laugh over the evening's events and get the call from my mom that Howie #1 is at her house. So, now we have a permanent backup. #2 quickly became as loved as #1. Maggie does not know she's got Howie twins in the house but now we're set if this ever happens again :-)

Cheers!

Bubbly babe

Maggie is officially 2! As she talks more, communicates better, cries less, sleeps better, eats more, makes friends, and establishes her identity day by day, it feels easier to be her parent in many ways. Every day it takes effort to be the parent I want to be. We continue to make decisions that feel right for our little family and sometimes that takes a lot of work. Money may be tight at times, but I so cherish the tradeoff of having more time creating the life I imagine.

I love our routine of reading books before bedtime in our big bed. We all have our place and snuggle under the covers. Maggie really loves to read and it's especially fun when she reads to us or outloud. Oh, the cute things she says. It's usually a jumble with a correct word thrown in to show she is paying attention.

Michael thinks Maggie eats like a football player/teenage boy. I think he's in for it if he thinks that at 2. She's such a petite little thing, I'm thinking her metabolism must be off the charts. She loves to eat good food, which makes me happy. She doesn't care for bell pepper or mixed foods like casseroles or chili but she loves soup. She also loves her treats :-)

She's potty training for real now. Every day or week is more use of the toilet. She prefers the adult toilet with an insert and step stool over a little kid's toilet. Her latest funny word is "sure" in response to most questions I ask her.

She's riding her trike and we can't wait to get her on a balance bike. She loves band-aids to cover her owies, whether fake or not. Her hair continues to be a little mess of curls. She had her first dentist appointment this month. I was a proud mama when I knew instinctively that she would not have an issue laying down to have the dentist inspect her mouth. The dentist, who works strictly with children, said that at her age, 1 out of 100, maybe 1000 kids will do that for him without freaking out.

We threw her a home birthday party. We lucked out with weather by a few hours and I think she had a blast.





Humbled Domestic Artist

Started reading my new book The Gentle Art of Domesticity: Stitching, Baking, Nature, Art & The Comforts of Home. Very good read, I feel inspired and would recommend this book to all my creative friends and family. The author writes in such a way to where I totally relate. I understand how she feels about being a modern women with domestic aspirations. She's a wife and mother and I feel grateful to read her thoughts about being creative while being a parent, especially because I'm in a stage where all of my creativity is going into my family, not into myself, and she writes about this happenening to her. Thank you to my mother in law who asked me before Christmas what I wanted. This is a book I've been eyeing for awhile but not something I could justify buying just for fun.

Ok, I can't believe I'm writing this but when I voiced this to friends last week and rehashed it with Michael (to reiterate that I was so sorry), now I want to share it here not only for a good laugh but so I can learn from my mistakes. Learning from my mistakes - added to my short list of 2011 New Year's resolutions.

Hubby and I decided to do only stockings as gifts to eachother this year. Throughout December, I would be shopping and pick up something fun and small for myself and tell Michael it was for my stocking (thinking this would help him along). Stockings have always been a big deal to me as my mom made them special each year for my sister and I growing up and she stuffed ours full with fun personalized gifts. I expected Michael to pick up where she left off once we started spending the holidays together but it's taken a few years to get there :-)

On Christmas Eve I stuffed Maggie and Michael's stockings and laid them near the fireplace. I went to bed and Michael stayed up. The next morning I made my way to the fireplace with tunnel vision. I was shocked to see only the two stockings I'd laid out the night before and no other. I also saw the three gifts I'd bought for myself still sitting on the table untouched. I felt heartbroken in the moment. I made up that Michael hadn't filled my stocking yet and that he missed the point after I had stressed how important this was to me. In a quick fit of anger, I picked up my gifts and threw them on the floor, the candy cane shattering. I said some words in anger, all the while Michael is standing behind me witnessing this. It's quiet for a moment and then he calmly tells me "Marin, your stocking is under the Christmas tree." I haven't felt like such a fool in a long time. I composed myself and went to the Christmas tree where Maggie and Michael were. Michael was the best husband I could have asked for in that moment. Turns out, my stocking was full of the best goodies - so heartfelt and personalized, it made me want to cry.

Michael is so patient with me. Lord only knows what he was thinking when I threw the fit (actually, he did mention later that his thought was to go on a bike ride when it happened :-) I am very thankful that he doesn't take me too seriously and that he is supportive and thoughtful throughout our marriage. It has been everything I have needed to counterbalance my personality and traits. I couldn't have asked for a better match in this lifetime.

Comical Christmas

What a nutty week. I woke up yesterday amused by the craziness happening around me. Maybe I was amused because not only are these things out of my control, they are happening Christmas week when you want everything to go as planned. I've been listening to David Sedaris and his commentary is hilarious. It's put me in a good mood because it reminds me that crazy funny stuff happens to us all and it is what makes life lively.

Maggie caught a stomach bug. I've been thankful to be with her so much this week as I originally planned on working an extra day but it didn't feel right. I wanted to be home. Hubby also caught the bug and hearing him vomit in the dark is not something I enjoy. My poor family - I'm hoping I don't get sick and that we have a peaceful holiday. We had to cancel a few things but it was needed. Really, how many fun events can you cram into one week? Sometimes it's too much.

I baked this year. Not something I usually do around Christmas. It seems everyone around me baked too. I've felt energized by it knowing that my friends and family are all out there in their kitchens enjoying the holiday in this way. I had a major winner - Florentine bars. I clipped the recipe from a Sunset magazine. The picture in the recipe looked so yummy and the author said that when she didn't bake them one year for Christmas, she never heard the end of it. They are shortbread bars with a honey-coated mixture of almonds and dried fruit on top. I made almond macaroons for work that turned out tasty but dense. It's basically a mouthful of marzipan. They definitely need a cup of tea or coffee to go with.

Maggie is feeling much better but she had the biggest blow-out of her little life today. Thank goodness I'm prepared for the most part when we go out. This one required a shower afterwards :-)

I'm not mailing Christmas cards this year. Just didn't feel up to it. This has definitely been a year in my life where I'm making choices and decisions that are true for myself and my family. It's been a really good thing. Here are some shots from our family holiday shoot. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Like

*After trying multiple mascaras over the past month to see if my obsession with Aveda could be swayed, I found that it could not. I recommend this mascara to every girl out there. It does not come off during the day and it is not waterproof, so when you do want it to come off, it does really easily. That, and it's environmentally-friendly.

*I've read some really good books lately, see my sidebar. Best one yet? I'm going to have to say The Mermaid Chair by the same author who wrote The Secret Life of Bees. This is saying a lot because How to Make an American Quilt was really good but it lacked depth when I wanted more.

*After cancelling netflix earlier this year and resorting to the occasional Redbox, I realized I could start checking out DVDs from the library too (like older ones I can't get through Redbox). They don't have everything, but they have a lot. I'm also checking out CD's now. Very cool.

*Consignment stores of any kind. My two local favorites are Kids Trading Post and Marla Sue's.

*Coupons. Who doesn't like to save money?

Day in the Life

You know you are having a great day when everything just falls into place. Hubby stayed in with the kiddo twice this week so that I could go out and enjoy some time with friends. So, today he was home doing his thang and I stayed busy with the Magster. We had a suprise visit from his dad and I captured a nice moment, father and son style. The funniest thing happened this morning. Maggie woke up early, which is normal, and we often try to entice her to fall asleep for another hour or so if we bring her into our bed. After doing this and her fussing around a bit, in my half-sleep state I felt her sliding off our tall bed, which she needs help to get off of, but intead of waking up and walking off she layed on the carpet and put her head on the pillow on the floor. It was so trippy. She slept like that for almost a couple more hours.

We hit up Harvest Day at our local horticultural center/community garden. I had Maggie on my back in the ergo and we tasted a variety of grapes and tomatoes grown there. It's an awesome site, with an orchard full of ripe fruit, native/Mediterranean plantings in full bloom, and lots of vegi plants. I picked up some plants for our own garden that are hard to find. Romanesco, dwarf pomegranate, lemongrass, dinasour kale, and other fun ones. You should have seen me leaving, it was a sight. Toddler on my back whining, a full tray of plants in front, and bags hanging off of me. In the same area is our library and we scored lots of books before we left. Maggie is always drawn to the kid computers, not the toys or books. The little girl next to her was being such a sport.

After a few afternoon beers with the boys, some much needed grocery shopping, and a dinner made up of homemade pesto over asparagus ravioli, sauteed brussel sprouts, chicken sausage, garden bruchetta on ciabiatta, and white wine, I'm one happy girl.

Now off to do more laundry and maybe throw some chocolate chip cookies in the oven...

Random thoughts

I wish I could slash a line, like I would on one of my incessant lists, through a couple of the books I started and then stopped reading this year. Neither of these I ended up caring for: Circling My Mother and A Year in the World (both picked up from Friends of the Library for a $1 or so, no loss there). They are going back into goodwill circulation soon. I gave Circling My Mother a chance because it looked interesting but it was quite boring. A Year in the World is one of Frances Mayes newer books (remember Under the Tuscan Sun?) so I thought it would be good but it was hard to stick with. I found her to be a little full of herself. Maybe due to her fame as an author now? It's too bad because the places she goes are interesting in themselves but I had a hard time joining her on her journey. The cover of the book is attractive though.

I'm thankful for state furloughs again. I know many state workers would love a full paycheck, but I also know many of them got used to Fridays off and like having more free time. It just means Maggie gets to be with daddy again and it gives me more peace inside.

Some days I feel left behind, in the "I'm a parent now and have to put my family first" v.s. "I used to be able to get up and go whenever I wanted and it was a breeze" way of thinking. None of the getaways I had imagined for this summer are panning out. It's fine of course because there is always fun stuff to do (and relaxing at home is one of those fun things) but life has taken a different path and I'm adjusting.

I want to make white gazpacho this weekend, which will use up my cucumbers. I'm a gazpacho fan since growing up and enjoying my Aunt Kris's recipe (which she wrote down from her college years in Spain). It's the tomato version though, so this will be interesting...blanched almonds, green grapes... Hubby is not a fan of cold soups. I hope he eats his share of bruschetta and crusty bread this weekend. We have a load of tomatoes in our kitchen. I was so pleased to pick four beautiful heirloom tomatoes about a week ago, I've never had good luck with those. We have more on the way among all of the other tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and herbs.

Iced lattes are the perfect "keep it together" drink in summer with a kid in tow. One of my favorite stops is a coffee hut near our house. I drove up this week, on my way to lunch with a friend, ordered my drink and asked for a mini drink for Maggie. Just ice water, but I could tell when it was handed to her through the window that she felt special. There has been a lot of grunting when she wants a sip of momma's drink and sometimes it results in tears when she can't have the sip. Once she catches on, she might just need a steamer or some chocolate milk.

On a high

I saw Dr. Sears and his wife speak yesterday. I forced myself to go not because I didn't want to but because I got overwhelmed with my "to do" list yesterday morning at work. This happened recently where I had wished I had powered through it and made what I wanted to do happen, so I had that in mind all morning. I drove the winding Placer County roads to get there and it was relaxing and beautiful. The event was held at the Flower Farm, a place I have practiced yoga at and enjoyed coffee with a friend. It's a beautiful site. Strawberries are for sale in the sheds right now, so I stopped and got a few cartons along the drive. It really made me appreciate where I live. Spring is transitioning to summer and it was so sunny and green, with fields of lupine and other bloomers at their peak.

I've blogged about Dr. Sears before, I just love his baby book. Recently, I have been reading his book The Successful Child. I really liked the opening of this book where he talks about the meaning of success and how his view of success is based on nuturing relationships and other more meaningful things, not money, possessions, etc. It's a goodie.

Their talk was about Primetime Health - getting your body on track by moving and eating real wholesome food in order to stay healthy as you age. He talks about 9 essential steps to achieve this. I enjoyed watching him and his wife interact with eachother. They were very open about their personal lives and I appreciated that.

I sat at a table right next to a woman I have wanted to meet for more than a year. Joanne was very warm and a joy to talk to, I felt like we had a special connection from the get go. I snagged a copy of her new cookbook. It is such a beautiful book, I can't wait to share it with everyone! Joanne has been the founder of many things in Placer County and this past year, she invited many guests to her home so that she could cook for them with seasonal produce and other food from the farmers market. On the website, one of the photos that flashes by is my friends from work. I had a spot to go last summer but didn't go and wished I had-what a cool experience!

Foodie reviews

Besides actually cooking, I love reading and watching TV/movies about food and wanted to share a couple personal reviews.

Garlic and Sapphires

This book is written by Ruth Reichl, who in the book is a famous food critic. I came across this author when I picked up one of her early books Comfort me with Apples. I love anything having to do with good food and her writing seemed right down my alley. I read her first book a year or two ago and liked it. It wasn't until I heard her interviewed on NPR that I decided to read some of her newer books. This is a great one because it is the story of how she became the New York Times food critic and how she took on many disguises to do her job. But it's also about a period of her life and the changes that occur. I just find her life very interesting and she is extremely honest and so I love the realness of her writing. Ruth is a very fascinating person with a varied background and she is bold in her writing and in her review of restaurants. It think it would be fun to have a meal or cook with her and cant wait to read more new stuff.

Julie & Julia

This was a fun movie to watch. I am not a fan of Amy Adams but I am of Meryl Streep, who is a wonderful actress and a fellow homebirther in real life to boot. I held off on seeing this movie because Amy Adams was in it and waited for it to come out through Netflix.

My favorite part of the movie that got a good laugh out of me was when Amy Adam's character was boiling lobsters in her kitchen and the lid on the pot flew off which scared her to pieces! Meryl Streep played a very convivcing Julia Child and I'm saying that without much knowledge of Julia Child previously. This movie has definitely made me want to read a Julia Child cookbook or two or maybe try a French recipe. I was intriuged by the real life blog and book that inspired this movie. What I found in the reviews was that the blog was good for what it was but the book was a flop. Lots of foul language, too many strong opinions on world events, and not enough talk about food and recipes. So I guess I'm willing to check out the book still but am not expecting much. I think Nora Ephron, the writer/director, did a good job in taking the good and making a hit on the big screen.

Deals and more deals

I've scored some great deals recently and wanted to show and tell. All on sale, marked waaay down and fitting for our budget.

I'll post more pics if I get the chance:
-a cute quilted halter dress and other cheap clothes for Maggie
-tons of kids books-the cheapest of them being 13 cents!
-Maggie's first dollie for $1 (it's kind of crazy looking, but at this stage they love bright colors, crinkling, and rattling)
-vintage buttons for her first knitted top (super pleased with how this turned out) -scrap fabrics, one a quilted top that is ready to be sewn into a simple baby quilt
-a ball of variegated soy/wool yarn for 50 cents
-vintage linens from a grab basket including a runner for our dining table, apron for me and play apron for Maggie to use for dress up down the road
-a beading book for 2 bucks, and
-a quilted wallet case that will probably serve some craft purpose eventually.

All told, I spent under $40 for sure.

That was last weekend and this week, we scored more used kids books, including a bunch of the Serendiptiy books. They are old school and I particularly remember my sister really being into them. They each have their own moral at the end of the story and the graphics are creative and cute. Maggie enjoyed Catundra this week.

Turns out my mom saved a bunch of our childhood stuff, including my sister's collection. She mentioned it the day I found these. Funny how things work like that.

Elm Creek Quilts goodness

Right around the time I went on maternity leave, at our friends of the library sale I picked up The Quilter's Apprentice. Not until I got to the end of the novel did I realize that it was the beginning of a 13-novel series! I was hooked and immediately started borrowing the follow-up novels from the library. I have been reading them in order and am currently on the 11th one. For the most part, I've loved all of the novels. They are about different women's lives and their families, some present day and some in the past, and they feature some really great characters with true heart that are centered around the art of quilting. I'm not a quilter, but I like crafts, and these novels have definitely developed my appreciation for quilting. I had thought that after reading so much about quilting that I would take a class and try my hand at it, but I recently saw a PBS program on quilting and quickly realized it's not something for me. I just really admire quilts and have been lucky to aquire some with Maggie making her way into the world. One of my favorites is this one.This quilt is a hand-me-down from my family friend Jenny Engleson, quilted by her mother who has since passed. I keep it on our bed and admire it every day. I love the vintage rose pattern on the back and the stars on the front with all of the different fabrics. I am convinced the star pattern she chose has a formal name but I haven't figured that out yet.

I also acquired a baby quilt from my friend Angela. It was given to her son Hank when he was born but she thought it would be better suited for a little girl, so I have it hanging on Maggie's wall in the nursery.

I have two other baby quilts, one that we use as a play mat from my friend Sara that has cute insects all over it, and one put together by Michael's grandma and cousin in shades of white and green.

Last but not least is a knit baby blanket from my Stitch n' Bitch group. 11 knitters contributed to it and one of those knitters designed the pattern, choosing earth colors in a rainbow setting. It's made of washable wool (yea!) and I think it turned out so beautiful! Knitting a unique blanket for a pregnant knitter in the group has become tradition and I think we are embarking on the 6th one right now.