Projects of the week

An organizer is beautified with some paper and a stamp (thanks to Jonesey for the great planner)...

An apron for a friend's birthday (following a girl's night out to see Julie and Julia)...

Some corner book marks for a friend who just moved...

No more projects for me this week. Next week is Organization Week at our house. (My nifty planner says it's self-improvement month. Really? Who decides these things. And we only get one month out of twelve for that???) Everything is getting re-worked. A new schedule to include a specific time for ironing and "school" type projects will be created. I will have a bread-baking day. I've got to get some of this under control so I know the main things are being accomplished (and so I can remember what are the main things). Have a great weekend!

This chick digs them (both)

It's been fun to see some of Coop's old clothes resurface, especially this shirt from Aunt Ludi. I took Baby T's 9-month pictures today, sans the lion, who is in hiding. These first three are of my blonde-haired son and the rest are of Baby T.

And my all-time favorite: Baby T's new naughty face. Whenever I tell him "no" he gives me this look.

All I want for Christmas

are these glass straws. How great is that? No plastic toxins, no waste, and they are beautiful! I have a feeling they are not in the budget this month, but maybe one day.

http://www.glassdharma.com/shop/

Lately

Listening to the Jim Croce station on Pandora. Comforting a teething baby. Putting a nap-skipping two-year old to bed at 6:30pm. Preparing for a stamping class and covering all kinds of things with pretty paper. Making homemade tortilla chips for myself under the guise of making them for my husband. Hand-scrubbing floors with Borax- works like a charm. Not blogging much. That's what we've been doing around here.

This book will change your life

Or at least your waistline. If there is anything in you that longs for fresh, hot, bread with VERY little effort, you need to buy this book:
Now, I'm not one to tell you what to do, especially on such non-essential issues like home bread-baking. (Although bread is a fairly essential part of life, wouldn't you say?) So for me to suggest that you NEED to buy (or borrow) a copy of this book is saying a lot. Here's some bread I made on Saturday... just a few minutes of work produced these awesome looking loaves. They would have tasted as equally wonderful if I hadn't forgotten the salt. We just buttered our bread and then sprinkled on a little salt. No problem. I'll be making it again (tomorrow) so we'll have another chance.

You don't knead. You don't have to perfectly time anything. You make 4 loaves worth of dough at one time and it actually gets a more complex flavor as it sits in the refrigerator, for up to a week (or longer...can't remember...mine never lasts that long). You don't need any special equipment except a baking stone. What a pleasure to have a busy day with a thrown-together dinner topped off with hot crusty bread. I want everyone to experience the bliss! Many thanks to the wonderful Kate, who first introduced me to this book and all the calories that go along with it.

In the words of some other bread-loving fiend:
"Bottom line, I would crawl across a desert of broken glass to hop into their loaf pan.”--Andrew Zimmern, Food Works, Inc.

Down on the coffee lover

Is he talking about me?

http://owenstrachan.com/2009/08/11/shooting-sacred-evangelical-cows-coffee-drinking/

My old pastor used to say we ALL think we are the exception, but I had to laugh because the guy does make a point.

However, I don't plan on removing the mention of my love for coffee out of my sidebar, because while I am one of millions who enjoy a good cup of coffee, not everyone has a husband who knows coffee like mine, and managed a coffee shop, and can make that cute little heart pattern on the top of their lattes. And perhaps I mention the coffee not to set myself apart, but to join myself with the millions? And lastly, (and then I'll hop off) I most certainly DO NOT appreciate poorly roasted coffee. Starbucks would fit in that category (although if you catch me there it's because you can't really taste the coffee once it's mixed with cream, caramel, etc.) but I'm not judging. The man God gave me...he gave it to me, and I did drink...

I though this commenter said it well:
from Nathan

As a card carrying coffee loving Christian I must raise a small objection. There’s “liking” coffee, and there’s liking coffee. For some people, even those who list coffee on their online profiles, coffee is that powdered stuff you add to water and stir. There are those for whom “coffee” means a drink that has been rendered unrecognisable by the addition of syrups, sauces and sweeteners.

For others there’s an obsession that extends to roasting beans at home and owning ex-commercial machines.

There needs to be space for the latter to declare their love/obsession/addiction/snobbery. How do you suggest these coffee savants do that?

Fabric and Fat Thighs

Just makes you wish you were a baby- no cares in the world about having a bad hair day, chubby thighs, a drooling problem, or no pants. What a great life.



Just makes you want to sew, doesn't it?

Cowboy pants

I am blissfully aware of what a carefree season of life we are in with preschoolers and babies. No school= no hard and fast schedule or any "must do" lists for our days. Play, memory work, chores, more play, naps, and meals consume our time. It's a sweet life. Coop is asking for more "school" so I have been working towards more consistency with Five In a Row. This week's book is Miss Rumphius, a sweet tale of a woman who sets out to do three things in her life: 1) see the world 2) have a house by the sea, and 3) make the world a more beautiful place. We will add "glorify God and enjoy Him forever" while doing all those things, but the book has prompted some good conversations about our calling in life...Coop is fairly certain God told him to be a fireman. One with a yellow hat, because they get to drive the firetrucks. (?)

Other activities filling our days...

• Coop sporting his new cowboy pajama pants. The rest of this adorable fabric is in the shop.

• Speaking of fabric- I'm carrying clearance fabric in my shop...hoping to pass on some good deals to those who enjoy sewing. Check it out.

• Heard the boys laughing hysterically one morning before I went in to wake them up. This is what I found:

They've discovered they can play with each other and pass things from bed to bed. The game is more fun now that Baby T is standing.

• I started staying on a consistent haircut schedule by naming the Monday after our monthly church supper Haircut Day. This week, even Baby T got in on the action. He had his first haircut with the clippers (albeit his 5th! haircut). Do you know how hard it is to get a 9-month old to be still for the clippers?

• Lastly, I'm teaching my first card-making class since the move. Here's a sample of what we'll be making...

Blog life and real life

I wrote this post yesterday, didn't end up getting around to it, and so I thought it would be fun to comment on what I thought was going to happen, vs. what really happened. In a blog you can be whatever you want to be; I once had a friend whose husband considered banning her from reading blogs because she would come away from them comparing her life/abilities/funness factor with other women. She now has a blog of her own ;-) but I think the lesson is worth remembering. So what I wrote is in regular type...real life is in italics.

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I have three hours of ironing to do today. I'm not sure how that happened. I'm fairly certain I was caught up at the beginning of last week, but now my husband has worn his last stitch of ironed clothing to work and the pressure is on. I guess I'll just find a really long instant watch movie on Netflix and go to town.

Practice really does make perfect, because I had a huge ironing stack and finished in an hour and a half. I found the never-watched Netflix movie we had waiting to be mailed back, so I watched it. Big disappointment. We've considered going through the AMI top 100 movies list, but after this one (and it was rated PG) I'm ready to give up movies for good. The ironing is finished though, so that's a plus.

But after the ironing is done, I'm going out, as WH told the kids, on a date with myself. Sounds a little convoluted if you ask me. Even so, I'm really excited...pathetically excited. I'm a homebody. I always have a million projects going on, and I prefer to be here.

I've already had the thought, "Oh, you should just take the kids and do it all today so you can be home this evening." Why is there guilt in getting away? It doesn't come from my husband, and my kids are already looking forward to getting a night with dad, complete with these (leftover from the weekend...should have mentioned them in the recipe post).

The guilt about going away in the evening is founded on reality: Sweet A didn't go to sleep until after 9pm (and hour and a half after bedtime) and so WH had to deal with that all alone. He didn't complain, but I know that bedtime with the three of them can be draining, especially when they are popping out of their beds a million times. I say "they" but I should absolve Coop...now that he is not taking naps he falls right asleep at 7:30pm. I can't bear to let sweet A give up her nap, but she just doesn't need much sleep. What to do, what to do?

I also have some birthday money to spend, so I'll be looking for a new lampshade, some Sunday shoes to replace the ones that have gone the way of the dress-up box, and plants for the front porch. My book club book is begging to be finished, and I'm sure there will be some coffee involved.

I had a GREAT time running in and out of stores all by my lonesome self. No kids/car seats= efficiency. My $1.95 lamp from Goodwill has probably cost me 20x that in gas as I drove around looking for an appropriate shade. Did not come home with one. Summer shoes are on clearance, but I discovered that I want neither high fashion nor old lady shoes, and there isn't much in the middle. I shop for most things online, and a night of shoe shopping reminded me that online shopping is still the best option for me. But I had a lot of fun looking (more fun than browsing web pages, for sure.)

I did stop by Starbucks on the way home and ordered a Soy Caramel Macchiato and then forgot to ask for decaf. I realized it a sip into it, so that will be a treat for this morning. There was no sitting around reading during my night out but the rain today will provide a good backdrop for cozying up with Mere Christianity.

So, how often do you like to get out for a date with yourself? What do you like to do?

Oh, and one more recipe

If you can call it that. When I was in Orlando I had the best burger. Ever. We had hamburgers with our company this weekend, and I replicated and improved it. Hmmm...guess it couldn't have been The Best if I improved it. Anyway, here's what was on it:

Toasted Bun
Seasoned Burger
Red Onion
Lettuce
Goat Cheese (it was supposed to be pepper jack but the soft and creamy goat cheese was so much better)
Dijon Mustard (my improvement...I know, I'm really a whiz in the kitchen)

I could eat it once a week, and I'm NOT pregnant.

Worth passing along

Some weeks are busy and we fall into eating the same old same old, but last week found me in the kitchen trying a few new recipes. On date night I even made risotto, which in a house with three little children, is an accomplishment. Twenty-five minutes of my undivided attention is a rare thing around here.

Here are the winners:

From the Pioneer Woman (how can you go wrong with her?)...Cynthia's Spicy Shredded Pork

*We had 21 people to feed yesterday and this was super easy with yellow rice and a big salad. Thanks Sarah M. and Jax for the recommendation!

From Rachel Ray... Apricot Poppy Chicken w/Dill Potatoes

*This was fast and I was in the mood for some dill.

From Southern Living... Baked Meatballs
*These really dress up a spaghetti dinner. They are great to do ahead of time, and they freeze well.

From a friend...Mango Bread

*The original recipe uses mangoes, but I used peaches this last time instead (since we just got 50 lbs. of peaches given to us!) and made them into muffins. This is not health food, but I love the combination of flavors! I'll always love you for this recipe, Elisa. :)

Happy weight-gaining!

The joy of toilet brushes

Now that we're working with more natural cleaning supplies, I don't hesitate to let these monkeys do their share of the work, especially when they come begging to "spray" and use sponges. I'm savoring the Every New Job is So Fun attitude they have at this young age. Baby T doesn't clean bathrooms, he's more into deconstruction and recycling these days.

Next I think I'll get Coop to start menu planning and grocery shopping. That would be a huge help.

All Things Brite- an Etsy shop unveiled

Yes, Virginia. There is an Etsy shop.

Months of thought and a near-compulsive desire to design new pillows has finally led to the grand opening of my Etsy shop. I thought the day would never come! :) It's like I have pillow-vision: everything is a potential home furnishing. My ideas far outweigh my free time so it's really a tiny shop, but stop on by and check it out.


My vision for this business is to provide a creative outlet for me and a way to make old things new again. This includes giving new life to fabric and clothing found at thrift shops, shower curtains and sheets people have given to me, or any item made from fabric I feel is worth conserving. Everything I make is machine washable because I know that if it can't be washed it's not very useful, at least not in my house.

Do you have a bridesmaid's dress or other significant piece of clothing you've been saving for sentimental reasons, but know you'll never wear again? I'll help you preserve it by making a pillow out of the fabric. Then you can feel good finally getting rid of it AND you will have the joy of seeing the remnants in a beautiful pillow. You'll have all the memories plus some extra closet or drawer space. I can make a memorable keepsake out of baby items, children's clothing, or just about any fabric you'd like to see in a pillow.

The term for giving new life to something that would have normally been trashed is called "Upcycling." I'd much rather buy something that has been repurposed or recycled or upcycled than something new (in most cases- I'm sure there are some glaring exceptions). I am excited about being able to carry this concept into the world of home decor and the sky is the limit as to what can be created!

Remember this pillow I made for my brother...the one made from a placemat and two shirts? Keep this in mind if you have a placemat you just can't part with.


But seriously... here's a picture of my sister's flower girl dress (not the best picture from my wedding)- five years later she still won't get rid of it. Now she has a dupioni silk pillow that looks great on her bed, and my Mom doesn't have to store a dress no one will ever wear.



Maybe one day I'll have a full shop but for now it's sparse. I see it as just the beginning.

And We're Back...

Yes, I do have a way with those creative titles.

Our whirlwind trip to Orlando is over and we're gearing up for a weekend of company. Hooray for old friends! (Not that you are old, Laura B.). My time in Florida was not really a "pleasure trip" although I did get to see my grandparents and some family, which was great. I went down to see my biological father who is in an assisted living facility while he recovers from the effects of alcoholism on his body. There is a chance he will recover even more in time. I'm hopeful because 6 months ago he could barely speak and over the weekend his long-term memory seemed great and he was able to help me navigate around town. He enjoyed the two days we had together and we put several hundred miles on my grandfather's car.

It's good to be home again- amazing how all it takes is a few days away to realize how lovely is one's home. Laundry, menus, grocery shopping, birthday planning, and just general Get Back to Normal stuff will fill my week. If I have ANY free time this week my Etsy shop will have a grand opening. It's a goal, that's all I can say. I have high hopes, but I also have three kids. :)

Here are a few pictures from the weekend...unfortunately, we didn't get pictures with all the grandparents and great-grandparents.

Molly and Baby T's first trip on a plane

Some of my siblings met up with us in Orlando...here we are with my grandfather (who now knows how to check blogs, thanks to yours truly)

Molly saying goodbye to her favorite baby

Here is my other sister Megan, who was sweet to take most of Saturday and spend it with us