Life is what you make it

2011-09-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

I've just been antisocial this week. I think part of it is that I've been on the verge of bursting into tears like all week. And the insomnia doesn't help either. I have no reason for why other then it's probably some post pregnancy hormone thing that even non PPD women deal with. Or I suppose it could just be the PPD. Today's pretty bad. I couldn't handle going to church. And though Hazel was delightful all day, I just have no desire to care for her tonight. She ate an hour ago. Perhaps there's another reason for why she woke up and is crying but I don' t know what it is and don' t want to try to figure it out, but I will if her crying continues. I'm not entirely heartless yet.

It's a month until our family pictures (though I realize I have no recollection of when I scheduled them other than mid October) and I'm still way too huge and have no desire to exercise and lots of desire for sweets. Will go walk in the canyon tomorrow while Maddie is at school. Fought tonight's sugar craving with a plum (actually a pluot) and some dried apples. Not exactly satisfying, but I was able to say no to Jordan's gummy worms after wards.

Now I'll go unwrap the baby change her diaper, change her clothes, see if she thinks she's hungry even though it's only been an hour.

2011-09-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

This day started out well. And ended poorly and while laying in bed trying to fall asleep, my mind kept trying to figure out what got me off track. I had started cleaning like I was supposed to..I got teh crayon and pen marks off my bedroom door and then the school called about Maddie's accident. And that's what set the day wrong. I guess. My little girl isn't supposed to get hurt like that. I got more of the story from her and it sounds like she was climbing off the monkey bars, slipped on a rung and fell with her neck hitting the top rung of the ladder. I'm so grateful she's only scraped and bruised. I have to fight crying when I think of anything else that could have happened. It scares me to think that I'm responsible for these little people. Being an adult holds so much responsibility and it's scary and I just shut down I guess. Didn't want to deal with any responsibilities at all. I kept my kids fed, I did do dishes and a load of laundry and that's pretty much it. And my head won't turn off even though I'm tired. Not fun. Hazel is crying now though because I'm not in the bed with her.
I'll go try to sleep again.

YES. GOODBYE CRAFT CRAP

2011-08-29T16:06:00.000-07:00

It bewilders me when people who know me and my lack of organization and hoarding compulsions questions or discourages my getting rid of things. Yes, I have requested craft supplies of a certain kind as gifts, but that's cause those are the things the kids love to use and go through quickly. So when I say I'm getting rid of craft supplies it is not those items. It's the items that are resulting in this that I am sorting and getting rid of. So really, don't question my decision to cut down on the crap. Do you really think I want my kids growing up in a house that looks like this? Five years of it is too long already. And yes, it wouldn't be such a mess if it were more organized, but the point is, there's just TOO MUCH and I'm done having to clean up this much this often or having a house that looks like it belongs on Hoarders.

2011-08-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

Truth is...... I feel like all I do is complain and cry these days, so I don't really feel like blogging or facebooking for fear of losing friends.

Truth is.........today's tears (I'm fighting them though) are inspired by: http://madisonmodel.blogspot.com/

Truth is.......I wish I had lots of time and desire to make cute clothes or money to buy them.

Truth is.......my camera seems to be dying. Or something. Maybe it's just me that's sucking. It's been a long while since I took a good picture.

Truth is........I got my closet almost clean yesterday. It no longer looks like it is vomiting into the bathroom. I can walk into it and both bathroom sinks are accessible.

Truth is..........I know caffiene would make me feel happier, but I haven't found the happy medium for Hazel and I. A triple dose yesterday made her spit up alot. Don't tell me it's normal for babies to spit up, cause ya, it is, but not that much and not since she only does it when I've had certain things. Like dairy or too much caffiene. Thankfully peanut butter turns out to not bother her. Spicy food on the other hand.......

Truth is.........Maddie is having a delightful time making knots in yarn right now. She likes to crochet when I crochet and I was trying to make something to make me feel better but I discovered I'm not even capable of a dishcloth today.

Truth is.......Hazel sleeps on her tummy. so there.

Truth is.......This day is lasting forever.

Truth is......I'm excited for Julianna. Hopefully the hurricane won't disrupt her wedding.

Truth is.......though I mock the teenage girls who are running out to 6 flags today to hopefully run into the Glee Project flunkies (and winner), were I a teenage girl in CA right now, I'd be doing the same thing. Though I'm not sure if I'd be more excited to see Damian or Hannah.

Truth is.........Ava is in a very good mood today. I made her take a nap this morning. And by this morning I mean I put her in her room at 10:30am and she eventually fell asleep and didn't come out until about 1:30.

Truth is......I just discovered a peasant top I seem to have started for Ava at some point. I have absolutely no memory of making it, but it will better suit Hazel now. I'll work on it once I finish things I owe a friend before her toddler is too big for them!

2011-07-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

I'm struggling today. Just discouraged with life. Tired.
I've spent most of the day lying down because I just hurt.
Hazel Mae has cooperated well with this thankfully. She has just slept and slept. I got to sleep some too. I imagine she is going to be wide awake for a long time tonight. I figure I'll read Mother Goose to her after I run out of random things to say.
I want to feel productive though.
I want to sew on my machine.
I want to exercise.
I want to figure out what Maddie will wear for the first day of school.
I want to know if salt and vinegar chips dipped in dark chocolate would really be as good as my head seems to think they would be.

2011-02-28T19:37:00.000-08:00

Being that it's the last day of the month and I had 7 WIC vouchers left, I ran to the grocery store real quick. I used 5 of them, not getting milk with one cause our fridge can only hold so much milk (6 gallons). Anyway, two of the vouchers were the produce ones, so now we have produce again! Apples, bananas, grapes, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and an avocado. I used our money to get some more nori so tomorrow we can have california rolls and onigiri.
Ava saw the bananas and ripped one offthe bunch immediately exclaiming "Nana! Nana!"
Oh happy day!

I worked on picking up the house today. And snuggled with Ava alot. I mended the holes in the dog bed. Ran a load of dishes. Oooed and Aahhed over Maddie's creations.

Ava is singing a song right now. I love her songs. I love her sweet little voice. She's been talking more today. She even said "Yuck" very clearly. (when I was washing her hands after she was playing in the dog's water bowl.

2011-02-25T07:45:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness.
Ava has spent the morning screaming.
The phone rang and it was for daddy, Ava wanted to talk and screamed until daddy called from one phone to the other so Ava could get a chance to talk on the phone.
Then I wouldn't let her eat raw bacon, so she screamed and cried and continued doing so until I put her back to bed. When she calmed down daddy brought her back out. In the hour and a half since then she has thrown at least six tantrums.
I am not liking the terrible twos with this child.
She's been carrying around an empty can of Mucho Mango Arizona "juice" for about 10 minutes now. She screams if anyone takes it away.

Today we will shower at my brother's house and the car will get registered and I'll mail Ava's birth certificate order.

Dog is driving me nuts today too.

It snowed all night.

It's still snowing.

I have lots of laundry to put away.

Ava is now pointing to the window announcing "no! no! Mommy, no!" She leaves off sounds. no means snow.

2011-02-24T11:29:00.000-08:00

Today I just want to crawl back into bed. I had trouble sleeping last night and at 3am Ava realized she was starving (refused to eat dinner beyond three pieces of broccoli). So we got up and I spread some jam on half a slice of bread and we watched 10 minutes of Kipper while she ate it. Then she went back to bed. at 6:30 Jordan decided to try and get a bath going. He filled the tub about 4 inches of cold water and spent the next half hour heating up water in the microwave and in two pots on the stove. At 7am I pulled myself out of bed and asked how it was going. Not really was the answer. So I asked why didn't he go to the gym like he planned. And he then decided he'd stick with that and packed his bag so he could go to the gym as well as have a hot shower afterwards.

My sister-in-law called to tell me we should come over to shower. If the part we recieved today doesn't make the water heater work, the kids and I will definately be going over to do that.

I am not feeling fabulous. I'm just ready for this medicine to start working. A good Thai curry and some caffiene would be nice too.

Maddie is not letting me forget that she did not recieve her requested doll bed for Christmas. I informed her that we dont' really have space for another doll bed. We have three baby doll beds and it's an 18 inch doll bed that she wants. More specifically, the American Girl Feliciy doll bed. We get the American girl catalog, and she loves looking through it. The Felicity line is on it's way to be discontinued, to buy it new it's $108, so to get one in my budget requires ebay and the luck of the bid plus alot of money. As of right now there's only ONE that is less than one hundred dollars. I love American girl doll clothes and furniture. I think the dolls are okay. I do like that since Pleasant Company was bought out, the new owners introduced new hair style for the dolls, most especially a lack of bangs.
Well spending time looking up the current cost of that bed, led me to perusing everything and oogling all the fabulous outfits. (no bidding, don't worry)

2011-02-23T20:28:00.000-08:00

The kids were all super late getting to bed tonight. I had put Maddie in bed but then a few minutes to 7 my co visiting teacher called to remind me we had an appointment that night. So I dragged the kids down the street to her house and they got to play with their friends while we visited a neighbor. And it took almost 2 hours to get Maddie to bed when we got home. Ava still isn't asleep, I can hear her occasionally calling "Mom, mommy? mom!"

I really hope the piece we should recieve tomorrow will get our water heater working. I really want to take a shower. And the girls really want to have bath. It'd be nice to do dishes as well.

I'm looking forward to going to bed. I am waiting for Ava to go to sleep. But it doesn't look like she's going to sleep without me.

I think we should name this baby Echo. I think Jordan has vetoed that name already though. She's started being very active. Lots of little kicks every few hours. I'm sure in a week or little more Jordan will be able to feel the kicks.

2011-02-22T15:03:00.000-08:00

I have been going pretty much non stop today.
I sorted my fabric by type or by whether or not I knew what I was going to do with it, then put the boxes of fabric (7) into my closet (cause I took the walk-in from Jordan since I gave him the craft room).
Then I started on the pile of boxes that had been sitting in the corner of the living room since being removed from the craft room. They got sorted into smaller boxes of sewing, general craft, papers to be sorted, filed and shredded, toys, and yet more bits of fabric or not quite finished projects. As well as trash bags and a black bag to go to the thrift store.
Once I had cleared the corner that had been piled with boxes, I cleaned off my sewing table, moving my machine to the vanity in the master bedroom (which I also cleaned off today, albeit I now have a new misc. box to go through from that). Then I moved the now clear table to the corner where the boxes had been. I will be making a playhouse type cover for it. Under the table is now the bench I made last week (and have yet to share with anyone) as well as Ava's doll cradle. On the bench are sitting five 18 inch dolls rescued from the mess that is Maddie's room. on top of the table are the doll houses and castle that we have been tripping over for months.

Jordan is sleeping so I can't be moving things into and around my closet right now, but I'll be moving the pattern boxes into my closet as well, and then I will shift the loveseat to a new position, where the table had been, and will move two bookcases to where the loveseat is currently. This will cut our long room in half with about 2/3 of it being a play room and the other half being an office/living room type thing what with the bookcases, filing cabinet, computer desk and love seat. Once it's complete I'll share pictures on the main blog. I hope to have it done today, but chances are it won't be. I just like to try and get as much done as I can when I have these rare moments of actually being a live person.

The girls spent the morning playing with toy boxes that were pulled out of my closet. The toys will be sorted amongst three trunks and two trunks will be put into the shed to be rotated out with the third when the kids get bored.

I've also been doing laundry, though not putting it away yet. The clean stuff is currently piled on and next to the couch.

I'm tired. I'd love to take a nap, but it's not an option at this time. I need to figure out dinner. And take out the trash and do dishes because though Jordan did them yesterday we still have no clean forks.

So I have gotten pretty used to not spending money. In the last three months the only non food/household purchases I made were a small trip to the thrift store, during which I was super selective, as in things that were on the need list rather than wants, and I also bought me a maternity swimsuit on ebay because there's no way my old one will fit (6.25 winning bid, 2.50 shipping) and I bought the dog a toy. I feel bad for him, he doesn't get much stimulation, so I was sent to the store for a bone for him (large cow femur or something) and I also grabbed a stuffed animal that looked nothing like any of the girls toys. I have suspected he needed something of that sort. He doesn't fetch, or play with balls, and will only briefly play tug-of-war, but once he got ahold of a cloth Maddie had tied around some batting, and had fun with it until I caught him. And by golly does he love his toy. He plays with it every day. Picking it up in his mouth and shaking it. Tossing it across the room and getting it and making it squeak. It's cute and gives him something to do when the girls aren't interested in playing the laser light with him.

Okay dinner. come up with dinner time. . .

2011-02-19T09:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went through my patterns and pulled out all the baby clothes ones. I'm going to make clothes for this baby.
I'm figuring out photo props for with this baby. Though my camera is starting to show it's age.
At my dr. appointment this alst week I got my zoloft dosage increased. Still waiting for that to be processed by the pharmacy. I'll go in today to see if they have it. I'm hoping it will help me because I'm having a really hard time lately. It's like the medicine isn't working well anymore at all. I've lapsed back in to not caring. Not wanting to get out of bed. Having no interest in doing anything. The small amount of caffiene I had isn't even helping today.

Thankfully the girls are playing nicely together this morning with the doll house and the little people toys.
I found the baby name book I actually like and have a whole list of names made to run by Jordan when he gets up.

I want to use some of my fabric to make a new crib set. I like the one we have, but I really need something bright and cheery rather than lovely and elegant. I'll re sell the one we used with Ava on ebay (where I bought it).

Maddie talks alot. Today she's at least talking, essentially, to herself with pretend phone calls to Namma and her cousin Hollie.

Sleeping is not fun. It's just plain uncomfortable. I spend the night rolling from one side to the other trying to get comfortable. And of course it usually seems that when I finally do get into a comfortable position, I need to pee.

Yesterday Jordan and I watched an episode of Grey's Anatomy where everyone was having trouble with their marriages, and it seemed to strike Jordan in some way because he then wanting to just spend time with me. So we sat in the bathroom (he was freezing and so sat in the shower to warm up) for a hour talking. It was nice and rare.

I'm so grateful for facebook since I have issues talking verbally. People gave me lots of reasons yesterday to be excited about having another girl. And then I talked to Jordan about my lack of enthusiasum as well, and this morning when I got up, I found that I'm excited to have another sweet little girl. Yay! It will be interesting to find how different she'll be than the two we already have since Maddie and Ava are so so different in looks and personality!

Anyway, I'm now going to hunt for my interfacing (okay by hunt I mean look toward my crafting stuff and spot it right away) and trace pattern pieces to start on some goodies for this baby. I'll share name possibilities once Jordan has gotten up and we've whittled down the name list.

Things I would do

2011-02-16T11:36:00.000-08:00

If I could muster up the energy and motivation.

~~Clean out and reload the dishwasher.~~
~~Start a loaf of bread in the bread machine~~
~~Bring the rubbish bin back from across the street.~~
~~Put the bags of garbage into the rubbish bin.~~
Laundry.
Move boxes of clothes that won't fit until probably next year out to the shed.
Sort the kids toys. again.
Put clean clothes away.
Come up with a menu for the rest of the month.
Play another game with Maddie

Okay, so I did do a few things. Think I'm gonna hurl now.

2011-02-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

I didn't want to do anything today. I was awake at 6am, and delighted to discover I'd gotten 6 straight hours of sleep. But I was still SO tired. There was no point in trying to go back to sleep since the girls would be up before long. So I decided I'd just exist today. Then our friends came over. I admit I wasn't super sociable. I feel bad for that, but really I am just only sort of here. So while the kids played I did laundry. And I did laundry. And I picked up the living room a bit. And I did laundry. When they left I swept my bathroom and put the now clean bath mats back in it. Then I gathered the last two months of bathroom trash, discovering that the overflowing trashcan had something molding at the bottom. So I washed it and the other little trash can. Today is sunny so they're outside drying. I then finally took the dog outside. Now I'm sitting down again. Ava is napping. Maddie is drawing or playing dollhouse (switching back and forth between the two). Dempsea keeps barking to come in, but it's plenty warm outside so he can stay there.
I'm very dissatisfied with the arrangement of the living room again. I'm not quite sure how to fix it though. It's too messy to do any rearranging at this time. I have this dream of having half the room a play area and the other have a really nice living room. The trouble with that is it leaves me without a crafting space. I'd really like to build a playhouse in the corner. Ah, dreams. My other dream is to get an Expedit bookcase from Ikea (okay in truth I'd prefer the markor version, but they seem to have been discontinued). and use it to organize my craft stuff (in the same corner that the dream playhouse goes).

I'm actually grateful for December and the money we did not have that month. It really helped us realize how poor we are. It could be worse, but for the last five years, this is the least amount of money we've had to live on it seems. It is a learning experience. A difficult one, but good at the same time. I had more to say on this subject but Glee has distracted me. Even though the zombie make-up makes me cringe.

2011-01-29T09:45:00.000-08:00

And here I am again. I didn't get to sleep until midnight last night because Ava was having a hard time going to sleep, possibly due to having dairy. She wouldn't sleep in her bed, then wouldn't sleep in bed with me, so I put her back in her bed and let her cry for a while, until Jordan got called in to work (hurray!!) and then I brought her back to bed with me and she fell asleep after a bit and I laid there until I was sure she wouldn't wake if I moved her and I put her back in her bed. Then I was able to get to sleep myself.

I want some spicy food today. Spicy spicy spicy and savory. I don't know what to have though so I'll just heat up some squash and carrots and toss some hot sauce on it.

I'm going to make something today. I haven't quite decided what yet though.

Still craving seafood. Only now it's raw seafood (or ceviche style) that I want, which of course I can't have. I'd make some california rolls, but we're out of nori. I think I've mentioned that before. Maybe in March I can get some.

I found my library card yesterday! I was able to look it up online and discovered my fine is only $7.50. That's probably the lowest fine I've ever had!

2011-01-28T19:23:00.000-08:00

Today was just as imbalanced as yesterday. To remedy my melancholy (and I've decided it's not the pregnancy, it's this never ending winter), I just made double chocolate cookies. The baby won't appreciate this, but I need some.
I spent the day window shopping online. It's been so long since I've bought anything that wasn't food or household related (aka conditioner and diapers back at the beginning of Jan.) So many cute things out there it's killing me. I know I should just make something to get me over this feeling, imitate some cute dress or something I saw, but I just don't know what size to make! I really don't want to sew any size one clothes for Ava. I want her to grow! I'm hopeful she'll grow. I've decided to test her this weekend (so Jordan won't have to deal with her if it effects her sleep) on dairy to see if she's overcome it. About this age is when Maddie was able to tolerate cow milk. If she takes to it then I will be thrilled. And Maddie is between sizes right now. I pulled out some size 5 long sleeve shirts and some size 5 jeans and we'll see how they fit tomorrow.
I'm having lots of Matilda Jane envy right now. I have a pattern to make imitation MJC but haven't gotten myself to make them. Trouble is I want to use the exact same fabrics, as they are readily available, but we don't have money for that. Anyway.

Back to my cookies and book and the first half of the first season of Glee(cause it's happy making, and yes I read books while I watch movies).

2011-01-28T11:24:00.000-08:00

Uuuuuuuugghhhhhh.
And yawn.

Jordan let Ava play with his calculator at the beginning of the week. We haven't found it since. Today while he sleeps, I'm supposed to look for it. I looked in this room, no luck. My next room to check is Maddie's bedroom.

Though it's sunny outside today. . .the high is supposed to be 42, it's still yet to reach that as it is 25 right now.

2011-01-26T19:09:00.000-08:00

Why doesn't my Ava grow? She's been acting up lately and we just couldn't figure out why then we realized, she's coming up on "the terrible twos". Really. She's 20 months old now. In 4 months, she will be two. It's hard to realize this because she is still a baby to us due to her small size. She's still in 12 month clothes, if that gives you an idea of how big(little) she is. Her cousin who is half her age is about the same size as her. She still has just wispy baby hair too. It's starting to get thicker. . .on top. Still can't really do pigtails. She rips them out right away too, so that doesn't help. I worry regularly that she'll turn two and STILL be in 12 month clothes. She eats plenty enough I think. Granted it's fruit she inhales the most. And cereal. She loves toasted O's. She has a bottle of milk with her nap and at bed as well (please no lectures about how bad that is for her teeth, I'm trying to make this child grow).

In other news, I'm watching Antony Bourdain: No Reservations the Mexico episode and it's made me oh so hungry for street tacos. I've never had street tacos, but anytime someone has them on a travel show I get oh so hungry. I think Del Taco's taco del carbon is the closest I'm going to get though. I love mexican food. So long as it's not coated in cheese. With the exception of nacho cheese (yes, delicious fake processed cheese sauce) I don't like melted cheese.

I have this dream of creating a false wall/floor so I can have a fancy background for photos. My favorite pictures tend to have a wood floor with a gorgeous baseboard and a plain wall. If I had that also, I could position it infront of a window that gets good natural lighting. I can't afford a newborn photographer but I want to take some awesome photos of this baby.

I've really wanted fish lately. Unfortunately, where we get our food does not have fish beyond canned tuna. I tried to get Jordan to fill out an application for food stamps (I have no shame in admitting such), but he wouldn't. I'll be going into WIC this week or the next. I've been putting it off due to not having Ava's birth certificate, but realized that duh, it won't help her much anyway. She can't have milk. She can't have cheese. She can't have peanut butter. Yes, they can substitute soy milk for cow milk, but she can't have soy either! So Maddie and I will be going in. Since Maddie becomes ineligible soon. It only goes up to age 5 and she turns five (ah!) in June.

If ever I get around to earning money again, I've decided I want to save up for a wheat grinder, preferably a non plastic, non aluminum one. and a mortar and pestle. And maybe a tortilla press.

I really want some plain potato chips today. No such luck. Instead I ate an orange. It didn't hit the spot. it's the only kind of sweet I can really have this pregnancy. This kid does not like baked goods or candy. Two cookies and the nausea either starts or gets worse. On the other hand, this kid loves produce. Thankfully we got food on Monday and have been plowing our way through the fresh produce. Grapes, carrots, cucumber, bell peppers, apples, bananas, oranges, grapefruit. I still have some frozen veggies I got on sale a few weeks ago at the grocery store. I ate an entire bag of green/yellow beans the other night. Tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic and lemon juice. But now that means I'm out of "fresh" green beans. I'm not feeling canned at the moment. Oooo! Sardines. I have canned sardines!! Hurray for some fish!! Got to go find where Jordan put them. Never let your husband rearrange the kitchen cupboards. Mind you I didn't really have the option of him not as he did it one night while we didn't have internet and he didn't have work. Now I have trouble finding stuff. Sardines! I couldn't find the one tin I have in the house so I went out and got the one from the shed. I feel jipped. It was not full. What's up with that?! Usually they're crammed full with little fishy bodies. Now I'm trying even harder to figure out where the other is.

So Long, Farewell

2011-01-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

Okay, I may return here to ramble occasionally, since the new blog is to be far more organized than anything I've done before. But, if you come here and go, where has she gone?! This is where you'll find us:

girls run this show

2011-01-15T11:13:00.000-08:00

I haven't gotten our Christmas Cards out yet. They may be saved until this Christmas. . .Anyway, if that's any sort of sign, it may be summer before we get out thank you notes, so here's a lackluster thanks to those who provided us with Christmas!

Mom & Dad - thanks so so much for the saws (!!) and books. For Maddie's ice skates and Ava's little dolls.
Jacque & Reed - Thank you for the dutch oven cover and stuff to make dutch oven cobbler as well as my pinking shears and the pajamas for the girls.
Shannon & Family - thanks for all the movies and Ava's pony and Maddie's. . . I'll ponder and fill in what it was you gave her (sorry, I have no memory these days!)
Jamie & Family - Thanks so so much for the gift card to the Zoo, we are excited that we will get to go there. We're going to wait for the weather to warm up so it will be a pleasant experience.
Grandma Meservy - Thank you for the Christmas money, we used it for gas and some groceries.
Mystery person(s) #1 - Thank you for the groceries, they kept us going through December and helped save our food storage.
Mystery person(s) #2 - Thank you for the groceries, Jordan was so so excited to have pizza! and having snacks again was wonderful.
Aunt Dee, The Hawkes, The Greens, and various mystery people - Thank you for the goodies on our porch, or delivered to our door. I loved not having to make any treats this year!

2011-01-14T11:15:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time we found a child size armchair at the thrift store for $4. Jordan thought I was silly and tried to talk me out of it saying we had no room in the car for it, I stuck to my desire and bought it. It fit in the car just fine. Fast forward more than a year and we have two little girls now who fight over the chair CONSTANTLY. Looked into buying a new one. . . ya, we got a really good deal. I cannot fork out $75 to $100 for a child's chair!! They'll just have to keep fighting or learn to sit on the couch.

Winter Still-Life

2011-01-13T17:15:00.001-08:00

2011-01-13T14:06:00.001-08:00

659 unread messages in inbox
158 spam mail
about 30 actually worth reading.
Going grocery shopping.

2010-12-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

Different day, same story.

It snowed a touch last night. Just a light coating over everything like a dusting of powdered sugar on a cake.

Ava is leaning down talking to "someone" under the picnic table. "Hi, hi" wave "Uh huh, dooo, zizeow, hi". And now I caught her coloring on it and told her no. She's sitting under the table now grinning at me.

Today's goals:

Dishes
Laundry
Make Jamie's Christmas present
Make gingerbread house pieces
Sort fabric

"Taco soup" in a crock pot. 1 can pinto beans, 1 can black beans, 1 can kidney beans, 2 cups frozen corn, 32 oz "fresh" salsa (two days past best buy date), 48oz chicken broth, cumin, oregano, cilantro, chili powder. We'll see if it's any good.

When will my milk dry up?! Ava hasn't nursed in 5 days and I haven't quite hit engorgement, but it's pretty close. Driving me nuts.

Chow Mein Attempt #1

2010-12-14T11:10:00.000-08:00

For months, Jordan has been asking me to learn to make chow mein (amongst other Asian based cuisines). Up until last month when I guess he got tired of asking me and started saying HE should learn to make chow mein. Today I attempted to make chow mein. We like Panda Express' chow mien the best, so first I hunted online to see if anyone one had a recipe to copy it, there was one but I wasn't overly impressed by it. I decided to use it as a base. Anyway here's what I did, except with changes I'm going to make next time.

1 package instant ramen noodles (whatever flavor you want. We only had one left and it was Shrimp flavor)
3 cups coleslaw mix (or equivilant in shredded cabbage and carrots - sliced celery would be a good addition too)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, split
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
flavor packet from ramen noodles
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

Cook ramen noodles for 2 minutes instead of the 3 listed on the package. Drain well. Add half the vegetable oil to noodles and heat stirring frequently.
Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the veggies and cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage is wilted.
Mix water, soy sauce, sugar, flavor packet, and cornstarch together.
Add sauce mixture and noodles to the vegetables, cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Crushed red pepper would be a good addition as well. You can of course adjust the amount of soy sauce. I always add extra soy sauce to my own portion anyway. I also added hot chili sauce to mine cause that's the way I roll!

And it was really quite good. Good enough that I really am pondering walking up to the grocery store to get another pack of ramen and try again!

2010-12-14T06:35:00.000-08:00

Moan.
Groan.

I'm tired. Apparenly had too much caffiene yesterday and could not fall asleep until around midnight. Then was wide awake when I heard Jordan get home from work at 5:30am. Tried for half an hour to get back to sleep, but couldn't. Spent 10 minutes trying to sneak out of bed without Ava waking up, but every time I'd scoot a little away from her, she'd roll closer to me. In the end we both got up at 6:10.

Sorted laundry to get put away.
Pulled fuzzies from the velcro tabs of the diaper covers. Thumbs sore now.
Wake Jordan up at 8am to go to today's final.
Watch Miracle on 34th Street (original, not remake).
Turn the heater up to 70.

Today's Goals:

~~Do at least 3 loads of laundry~~
~~Put clean clothes away~~
~~Do dishes~~
Finish Maddie's cute Christmas outfit for next year
Find stuff to make another waldorf doll
~~Marinate the pork chops~~
Decide what Ava's Christmas outfit for next year will look like
Gather Christmas presents for extended family, package up for shipping
Beat Nathan's score on Fast Typer 2
Make more Christmas present doll clothes

Instead I started making curtains for Maddie and Ava's room. Only to discover, after one was finished, the curtain bar is missing. Oy.

Want to make Ramen Coleslaw (Sumi Salad, Asian Crunch Coleslaw, etc) but don't have green oinons, think it will work with regular onions?

You know what my favorite thing to do with salad dressings I decide I don't like? Use them for marinade. It uses them up and they usually taste better on meat than on salad! Today I'm going to try the raspberry walnut dressing on pork chops. Should be interesting.

2010-12-13T10:01:00.000-08:00

It's me. Again.
I'm restless now.
I want to sell some stuff on ebay, but what?
I want to sew, but what?
I want to have dreams of not being poor, but I've given up on that. Thankfully, Jordan hasn't.
Caffiene has helped today. Except it's made me restless and I'm still tired. But I'm pleasant now.
Ava (aka Bugaboo today) is down for her nap, HURRAY! Maddie is playing on the computer as usual.
Diapers are washing.
So.
I will now get up, and go ~~do dishes~~. Then I will finish cleaning off the table (halfway there). I will ~~pick up stuff off the kitchen floor~~, it's messy. I'll ~~take out the trash~~. I'll cut out something cute for Maddie. Aging with Grace is lending me inspiration. I'll put on another shirt or a sweater. I'll ~~eat our orange~~. I'll share it with Maddie. I'll get the pork chops out of the freezer to cook tomorrow. I'll mix up some ramen coleslaw. And I'll ~~say a prayer~~ of thanks for the blessings I recognize and ask to be able to see those that are not apparent to me.
But first I'll ~~take my medicine~~.

I'm feeling whiney now. Partly because Ava woke up and she likes to complain more than I like her to.

I'm hungry and don't know what to make to eat.
Ava wanted chips and salsa. She only screamed twice about her tongue being on fire. Sorry kid, they do put jalapeños in it. Maybe I'll have some chips and salsa now. And some tylenol. Head aches.

2010-12-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

Well. . .at least I got out of bed before Jordan got back from his final. About 5 mintues before, but hey, he doesn't know that!
It's a day that needs caffiene. I've actually not had any caffiene in a few weeks. Or I think it's been that long.
I thought today would be fabulous, because when Jordan got home at 5am I realized Ava had slept the night through in HER bed. But no. See, he doesn't be quiet. So I was far too awake to get back to sleep. And then when he got out of the shower at 5:45am, he succeeded at waking up Ava . I tried to get her to go back to sleep, but it didn't work. So we laid in bed until I heard Maddie stirring then Ava ran out to join her. I stayed in bed trying to sleep, and though I dozed in and out, I still had to mediate through voice to them.
I want to be bad and get a McDonald's mocha frappe. Thankfully McDonald's is too far away, so I'll just walk up to the gas station and get some coke or something.

It's a very clear day outside. There's lots of snow on the mountains, but none here in the valley.

I'd say it's a shoot me in the head day, but Jordan hates my use of that. All I mean is my head hurts, I'm tired and I don't want to deal with life. . . .correction, two rambunctious children. It's also one of those days when I want a personal chef. But that's my fault for watching Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. It always makes me hungry for good food I can't have cause I don't know how to make Cuban food or Bosnian food.

Time to get dressed, go to the gas station, then come home and be productive.
Today needs some goals, so:

~~Wash diapers~~
~~Wash Maddie's pajama~~s
Wash my long sleeve shirts
~~Do dishes~~
Start on the fabric sorting
~~Hem Ava's pj pants~~ and ~~matching doll jammas~~
Find the kitchen table
Figure out what to make for dinner. and lunch for that matter.
~~Feed the dog and put him outside~~.
~~Wake up~~ and ~~be happy~~.

Hulu has Hans Christian Anderson!!! Oh happy day!!

2010-12-12T17:50:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy the show Psych. I think it's hilarious. A few weeks ago they had an episode called Dual Peaks, which was obviously a spoof of something. Being curious, I discovered it was a spoof of a show from like the 90s called Twin Peaks. CastTV has all of Twin Peaks available to watch online. So I've started watching it, it's entertaining, even more so finding the parallels between it and the Psych episode.

2010-12-11T06:24:00.000-08:00

Today I have the traumatizing event of choosing just one box of fabric. One 20 gallon tub full of fabric. Instead of six. The rest will be offered to family and friends. Sorry Laurel, if you were closer you'd be in the first group for picking, but there's too much to ship to you. I of course intend to cheat and the things that I know what I intend to do with I'll cut out their pattern pieces real quick. Thanks Shannon for my Christmas present, yes I cheated and opened it already and have used the wonderful thing. Will put to more use today as well. Lots of use.
This is a decision that Jordan and I came to together because we've both had enough of our house looking the way it does. We got one room cleaned up beautifully yesterday and we plan to get the rest of the house that way before the year is over.
I think once I get through the fabric, my patterns will be next. I'll see if I can possibly cut the number of patterns I have in half. Though that kills me even more to say.
Anyway, I must get to work now.
Bye!
And thank you's in the form of Hot N Spicy McChicken Sandwiches, Sonic Real Fruit Strawberry slushies, or Teriyaki Stix Hot & Spicy Chicken and Veggie bowls are more than welcome!

And if this was utterly disappointing because you do not live in Utah and can't take advantage of the offer, Go enjoy some GraceyLu eyecandy.

Now I must get cutting!!

2010-12-10T08:28:00.000-08:00

Well, Ava made it through last night without nursing. She didn't particularly like having water instead, but after a while she accepted it and the cuddles mommy offered instead of breast. She decided, again that 6am was time to get up, but was the only one willing. Even Maddie wasn't up until 6:30am at least. Jorda was kind enough to help deal with a cranky Ava for the hour she was restless in bed with us. The girls have already had two fights this morning and it's not even 8am yet. I can see it's going to be a delightful day. But hey, I did get dishes going! That's a plus.
I just need to keep giving me things to do so I don't just shut off today. I'm tired. It's raining. We have a house full of grumps.

2010-12-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

Clouds are filling the sky, I think we may be in for some more snow.

Ava is RAUNCHY today. Screaming about nearly everything, throwing fits. Apparently what I thought was one short nursing last night was longer because I think that's what's causing it. I had a good amount of cheese yesterday as well as some hot chocolate made with cow's milk.

Let Maddie and Ava put ornaments on the tree. The bottom half of the tree is fairly well decked out. Only the breakable ones are up high because I put them on.

None of us slept well last night. Maddie was up two or three times., I was awake about every hour, and Ava decided 6am was time to get up.

I was able to get a set of doll pajamas cut out today while Maddie was at a playdate.

Made fried rice for lunch.

Maddie has crawled into bed already. I'd love to do the same, but Ava completely disagrees.

2010-12-08T10:21:00.000-08:00

My mom isn't liking my current posts. So I'll try to be happier.

Yesterday I really wanted a Red Robin hamburger. Red Robin is not in the budget, plus I don't even know if we have one in this area, so I put some ground beef in the fridge to defrost. Once I get the table and stove clean, I'll start making hamburger buns and I'll season the ground beef. We'll have hamburgers for a late lunch I guess. My tastebuds are really looking forward to it.

And I can check off another completed resolution for 2010. Making bread by hand. The recipe I'm using isn't for bread machine, and it'd overflow my bread machine anyway. So ta-da, three resolutions were successful this year. I had a good garden. I eliminated the plastic kid dishes from our cupboard (replaced with corelle ware small dishes and enamelware and cheap glass cups from the thrift store. The kids haven't broken anything. Though mommy or daddy broke one cup).

**UPDATE**
So I'd love to say that my hamburger rolls turned out beautiful and taste fantastic. . . but really they're more like a step up from rocks. That's okay though, we'll eat them anyway, and we'll just make lots of tiny little hamburger patties. My kitchen is apparently very very cold cause things just did not rise in the given time. I'll try again another day. Especially since I'm feeling ambitious enough to make a swedish christmas braid this year. I have fond christmas memories of my mom making them when I was little, and how delicious they were not to mention how pretty. So I'm going to try that this year. I'll also be making candy for stockings. Or at least popcorn balls. That's my main goal, jello popcorn balls. My kids love jello and they love popcorn, so combining the two should be a hit, right?

I'm doing okay today, just so you can all stop freaking not, not that I mind the calls. I spent a good portion of the morning just laying in bed trying to regroup myself, getting up only to feed the kids and dog breakfast. It was nice. Hulu has Charlie Brown's Christmas, so I put that on for the girls and they watched it, and then Toy Story on our tv while I just vegetated. Then Jordan came home from school and got in the shower and I started on the hamburger buns. Jordan is in bed now, he works to night for which we are immensely grateful. People of Utah Valley, go to the Orem Target and buy all the bikes! The more bikes they need built, the more hours my husband gets!! That's pretty much all they're having him do lately, just bikes, no night stocking. I do believe his finals are next week, this past Monday he had his last math test before finals. Maddie has been spending far too much time on her computer, but I don't blame her since I'm not exactly present lately. She loves the games at pbskids.org and agkidzone.com . She's gotten really good at navigating those pages and figuring out how to do the games. I like that she works on her counting alot while doing them.
The girls are set for Christmas. Maddie getting the dollhouse and a baby doll and doll carrier and Ava getting a baby doll and doll cradle and high chair. I do need to make clothes for their dolls still though. I'll do that tomorrow while Maddie is at the Primary President's house (thank you!!) and Ava, little Miss Snot Factory, is napping. Maddie's baby doll came dressed, so I just need to make at least one outfit for her doll and two for Ava's. So they'll each have two outfits. The dolls are different sizes, so at least I won't have to worry about Maddie stealing Ava's doll's clothes (which Maddie is notorious for here).

The Christmas tree has made it out of the shed, but not out of it's box. I was going to put it on the kids picnic table, but they use that table alot, so I don't really want them to be without it for a month. So I've gone back to pondering where to put it. Perhaps I'll push the pattern drawers back to back and put the tree on top of it.. Yes, that might just work. It's about the right height as well. I don't know where Maddie's pink little tree is, one of the many diaper boxes in the shed. . .I apparently didn't bother to label it, so we'll have to check them all (yes only like two are labeled, I'm real organized like that).

Photo update:

I finished a good book today, started it a few days ago. Big Boned by Meg Cabot. My sister sent it to me. It was good and once we can check out books from the library again (aka pay our fines) I'll get the others in that series. Assuming the library has them.

And now I'm going to put a cheesy chick flick on and sit and copy recipes while watching. (yes, it's true, I copy recipes out of my own recipe books also, it's not just something I do at other people's houses).

So happy day, sort of. I'm alive. I have no intentions of changing that. And hopefully today or tomorrow I'll find the batter charger for my camera so we can take family pictures and get Christmas cards mailed out within the next 2 weeks. If you'd like a Christmas card, email your mailing address to jordanandabby(at)yahoo(dot)com.

2010-12-07T15:52:00.001-08:00

Dear Heavenly Father,
Are you sure I agreed to this whole earth life thing?
Sincerely,
Abigail

2010-12-06T18:37:00.000-08:00

Glee, great Christmas song selection!!

2010-12-05T13:54:00.003-08:00

Nothing quite like thinking "Everyone should just go away and die." to remind you you haven't taken your meds yet. . . .

2010-12-05T13:54:00.001-08:00

Nothing quite like thinking "Everyone should just go away and die." to remind you you haven't taken your meds yet. . . .

2010-12-05T09:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at the thrift store Jordan made me leave a wooden peg people car. It's still bothering me. It's the type of thing I love looking at on etsy that costs like $30, but it was only $4 at Savers. Killing me here.

I am so congested. Someone please shoot me, It'd be far more comfortable.

2010-12-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

Green.
Snot.
Ick.
Whoa is me.

Ava is completely enamoured with the dollhouse baby. She has played with it constantly for the last week. She's reading it stories right now.

My parents sent presents up to us in a big box. After I took the presents out and put them out of Ava's reach, the kids have spent the last few days playing in the box.

Now the girls are playing with beads.

I'm sitting here trying to feel better and get warm. And trying to decide whether I'm going to church or not. I keep deciding yes, then feel like crap some more and think, maybe I should stay home, but no, I need to go.

2010-12-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

I love thrift stores, really I do. I'm getting 4 books for Christmas now! Jordan is ahead of me on Christmas presents! He found all 4 books of a series I like, way cool. We also got him an Artemis Fowl book, he really liked that series - it's going in his stocking, and I found Hallmark's The Secret Garden on VHS AND Rigelleto on VHS - brand new in plastic. Also Ava now has two pairs of boots that actually fit, or well, fit better than the ones she's been wearing everywhere. On fits just right (size 6-12 months of course) and the other is size 5 so they'll be a bit big, but not as bas as her size 6 uggs.

Oh ya, we also got Maddie two VHS movies. Maddie and Jordan are now watching The Tale of Tillie's Dragon, a Feature Films for Families cartoon. They had a Timeless Tales VHS but it looked like the tape was a little loose, so I didn't get it. Maddie loves our Rapunzel cartoon from the Timeless Tales collection.
And I'm still kicking myself from a few weeks ago when they had the entire Living Scriptures Book of Mormon Stories set there. I decided we didn't have $30 to buy it and have since wished I had gone ahead and gotten them. I know they aren't fully accurate, but they're good and I love the music, and I know Maddie would have loved them. Oh well.

We also went to Target this morning and got milk and cereal. We've been out and I spent last week making pancakes, muffins, eggs, or french toast each morning. It was more work than I wanted to keep doing, so to target we went. We also needed to get a filter for the humidifier, because while Ava has had no trouble continuing to breathe through her nose, I've become a mouth breather. We grabbed a filter then noticed the Vicks Warm Air Vaporizer that claims to relief coughs and congestion. It was cheap, so we grabbed one and will be using it tonight! It doesn't require a filter, so that's nice.

I've decided the Christmas Tree will go on the girls picnic table, we'll have to move our picture of Christ since the tree will block it, but that will be a decent location for the tree, and it won't be on top of Dempsea, though the presents are all piled on top of his crate. It's covered with a blanket anyway, it insulates him, he likes it. If we don't leave the blanket down covering the cage he'll move to the corner that the blanket is completely around and snuggle up there. I switched the blanket to be my snowman blanket, so he's festive too! That's our only Christmas spot in the house so far. I need to put away the fall decorations and get the Christmas ones up now. Though I'm pondering on our "decorative gourds" will they last until next year? or should I throw them out? Any clues?

Okay. Laundry, dishes and cookies. As in, eat cookies. Hurray for Target's sandwich cookies being on sale. They are delicious, preservatives and all.
Oh and I was pleased to be successful, and without a fight, at Maddie picking a cereal that was not colored and did not have marshmallows. Daddy influenced her, but that's okay, she was happy. We got imitation honey nut cheerios, life cereal and honey grahams. Can you guess who picked which?
I also got cream of wheat for heartier morning breakfasts. Cause cream of wheat with brown sugar and vanilla almond milk is fantastic. Or that's what I'm hoping Ava will think.

2010-12-03T09:44:00.000-08:00

I know I tend to ramble when I write. I blame it on a lack of adult interaction. Which I really don't mind. I'm not good at conversations and I avoid leaving the house as best I can.
While the girls have steadily gotten better, Maddie having only a lingering cough now, and Ava being super snotty girl, I've gotten worse. My head feels like it is in a fog and I am horribly congested. This morning I just couldn't get up with the girls. So from 7am to 8am I have no idea what they did, I was asleep. At 8am, Ava had had enough of my not being there and stood crying by the bed until I got up.
We had french toast for breakfast followed by lollipops. That's the way I roll some days. Whatever keeps those munchkins happy. The girls are loving having the living room cleaner than it's been in months. They keep turning on music and dancing around in it. Ava has rediscovered the puzzles and is not quite getting how to do them. She's got the matching the pictures down, but hasn't caught on to rotating the piece until it fits. She gets frustrated with it very quickly. She does like handing me pieces to do sound effects for. I had to get creative with the farmer holding a rake, and his wife who is tossing grain to the chickens. I attempted the sound of the rake and the grain hitting the ground.
It's very frustrating to have medicine for Ava and not know why she's supposed to be taking it. Men don't remember the details of doctor appointments, so I'm giving Ava this antibiotic and i don't know what for. I figure it can't hurt though since she IS sick.
I'm drinking tons of fluids, namely flavoraid, to try and get over this faster. The down side is I then have to use the toilet alot. I can relate with Maddie now and the not wanting to stop what you're doing to go pee.
Instead of sitting here watching Monk, I should be doing dishes, and laundry and changing sheets and more cleanining, That seems like an excessive amount of work today.
I don't know when Jordan will be home from school. They're doing group projects related to finals, so it's not just his usual class times. And he's got a meeting with his English teacher to see what he can do to get a good grade on his final. Each night I tell myself while getting dinner ready that once the girls are in bed I'll get to wrapping their presents, but then I end up so relieved to have them asleep, that I promptly forget until morning, but I can't do it in the morning, because they'll see. Tonight I need to have Jordan get down the doll house for Maddie so I can clean it up. I also need to go to Target and get a filter for the humidifier because Ava and I could really use it at night. I need to mail packages as well. I don't want to leave the house though. Oh agoraphobia, you do make things difficult sometimes.
And now I'm going to go use the water closet, put the stuff that sat in the washer overnight into the dryer (thankfully things don't start to smell overnight during the winter here), and come back to start season 3 of Monk. Ava likes watching it with me. She sits on my lap and dances to the opening song and the credit music and occasionally claps during it. Right now she and Maddie are watching Puss in Boots (the Cannon movie group version with Christopher Walkin as Puss) and disagreeing about something.

Christmas Carols

2010-12-02T08:24:00.000-08:00

Hurray for Diet Coke and Psych. Way to turn my morning around. My nose is still all stuffy, but at least I'm in a good mood now. It is time to fill my Grooveshark playlist with Christmas music and get to cleaning this room so we can set up the Christmas tree (which is hopefully short enough to put on top of Dempsea's crate).

Jordan has worked almost 7 hours each day this week. Well, he will have done so Mon. through Thurs. That's a blessing since we won't get the GI Bill living stypen next month. Finals are coming up in two weeks. We're praying he passes all his classes!

I upped the temperature in the house to 70 because Ava and Maddie were cold cold cold. We've been watching our Christmas movies the last few days. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon version. I refuse to see the more recent one they made), Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, The Santa Clause, and Home Alone. We will watch Miracle on 34th Street tomorrow and the day after that will be Eloise at Christmas time. Then we'll be out of Christmas movies except for Mr. Krueger's Christmas/Nora's Christmas Gift which I refuse to watch. Christmas movies are supposed to be happy. Those just make me want to cry. We'll go to the Thrift Store tomorrow to see if by chance anyone has opted to get DVD versions of their Christmas movies and thus donated VHS that we can buy! Which is how we got most of ours. :) I love having a VCR. Ava has figured out how to work it and is working on learning the DVD. I'm not overly thrilled with that. She is also obsessed with turning the TV on and off.

What are your top three favorite Christmas songs, and by who? My must haves are by Neil Diamond and The Carpenters. They immediately bring the feel of Christmas into the house! Burl Ives is always a delight as well. Nat King Cole is always classic, though it's impossible to find my favorites of his. I may have to beg my parents for the record. Anyway my top three favorite Christmas songs are Candlelight Carol by Neil Diamond, Morning has Broken by Neil Diamond, and It's Christmas Time by the Carpenters.

I have alot of books. I need to sort them and get rid of a bunch. That is so difficult!!

2010-11-30T16:11:00.000-08:00

basic salad dressing:

■1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
■1 tablespoon dijon mustard or 1-2 farm fresh egg yolks (for emulsification)
■3 medium garlic cloves, minced
■plenty of sea salt and black pepper
■1 – 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

1.In a canning jar or bowl combine vinegar, mustard or egg yolks, garlic, and seasonings. Mix well.
2.While whisking, slowly drizzle in about a cup of the olive oil. Taste the dressing with a lettuce leaf and if it is too tangy for you continue to add olive oil.
3.Transfer to a pourable container (or leave in a pint or quart jar) and refrigerate until needed. Shake before serving. Keeps for at least 1 1/2 weeks in the refrigerator.

http://www.simplebites.net/spring-clean-your-body-with-real-foods/

2010-11-30T12:19:00.000-08:00

Hurray for tomorrow being the first of the month!!
This means tomorrow:

Jordan will finally get his act together and register the car.
I'll pay lot rent
We'll get dishwasher detergent that works, sugar for koolaid, and pull-ups so I don't have to wash Maddie's sheets for a fifth time.

I really should take a nap. I'm tired of sleeping all the time. Last night Ava wouldn't sleep anywhere but ON me. My throat to be exact. Finally, I piled up some pictures and slept sitting up so she couldn't get on my throat and she just slept on my chest.

The Natural History of the Chicken

2010-11-30T07:59:00.000-08:00

I've been on a Netflix documentary kick lately. Last night Jordan and I watched The Natural History of the Chicken that was a PBS documentary. Jordan spent all 55 minutes going, those people are nuts! What the crap?! And well, at the beginning I defended the first lady saying she was old and lonely, but no. He was right she was nuts. As were most of the other people featured in it. It was not at all about the history of the Chicken. We decided it has got to be a mockumentary. Though the guy who could crow like a rooster was rather impressive and the last guy was a great story teller.
The only thing funnier than the show itself, was reading the reviews other people had left. Here are some highlights that had us laughing so hard we were tearing up:

"I expected a PBS video to be true to its title. This film has nothing to do with the history of the chicken. It is instead a collection of stories about eccentrics (being politely generous) keeping chickens as pets and using them for entertainment."

"This movie is not about the natural history of the chicken, but focuses instead on humans who own chickens. Even then, it fails to really discuss human/chicken interaction in depth, giving it a cursory once-over and spending most of the time on wacky people who project their own wacky lives onto their poor birds. Like the woman who resuscitates her frozen chicken "mouth to beak" and then hires a psychic to tell her if the chicken "saw the bright light." Or the woman with the house chicken that she bathes, grooms, and insists she converses with. This movie was a waste of time and one of the worst things I've seen on PBS."

"You should always have a crib in the living room because you never know when you will need to defrost a chicken."

"There is no history of the chicken in this movie. If you want to meet a few people who are in need of human interaction, this is the movie for you. . . .This video does not help me show other people why I enjoy chickens so much. It just makes chicken people look crazy."

"The natural history of the chicken has still not been explored. The title is beyond misleading; it's completely inaccurate. The only relevance it has is that the word Chicken just happens to be in it. "

"Although I realize this is PBS and not National Geographic I was not satisfied. I was unable to sit through more than 25 minutes, so perhaps the film gets better. I am OK with never finding this out."

"I was hoping to learn about the evolution and domestication of the modern chicken, but that didnt happen. However, I found this highly entertaining (Im an optimist), and spent quite a lot of time laughing at the chicken people."

"I had never thought about the history of chickens until I saw the title of this movie. The movie NOT about the history of chickens. Not in the slightest. The movie is downright odd. However, the movie is entertaining. Its quirky as heck, disturbing, touching, and funny. If you like the bizarre and obscure, youll love this one."

"It has a bad title, but it's very entertaining and enduring, and I'd say, even spiritual."

"I began watching this because I thought they were going to explain the history of chickens (where and when they began, their journey from the beginning to today, not exploit peoples experiences with chickens. I believe this documentary was titled incorrectly. What I got was stories about chickens. Maybe this should have been called something like The Weird World of Chickens and Their Owners."

"Im not sure if this was meant to be serious or not, but the interviews and reenactments are utterly ridiculous. The slight obsessions with chickens (and possibly slight loss of grip on reality) was unexpectedly funny. Great wtf factor."

"I got through this by believing that they were trying to make these people look insane."

2010-11-29T07:51:00.000-08:00

The layers of snow we have gave away the tracks of the kitties last night. Our mobile home park has a few stray cats that live under sheds and such. Anyway, they were having a delightful time last night as evidenced by the numerous tracks everywhere. And it seems one was checking out Dempsea's doghouse, there were tracks leading right up to it.

The girls are having fights over baby dolls and baby doll clothes today. I'm thinking it's a very good idea to give Maddie that other baby doll for Christmas or even more fights would be likely to ensue. I still need to get making on some baby doll clothes. And I'm going to be hunting thrift stores next month for a doll highchair for Maddie so we don't have fights over the one Ava will be getting.

I'm discovering that after a week of sick children and lack of quality sleep, I begin running low on patience and compassion. Taking my frustration out on the living room. Hoping to get it and Maddie's room clean enough for Christmas decorations.

Sorted our videos this morning. Washing diapers. Made pancakes. Started doing dishes, but discovered half the dishes look like they didn't get washed. Do NOT buy Target brand dishwasher detergent. We have a box on hand for when we run out of cascade and don't have money for more. It almost might be better without. . . .

Had a dream last night that we were living at the house I grew up in, only it had a basement. . .and a 12" diameter pipe leading from the kitchen to the sewer. . .weird. . .anyway, it was being over run by mice and creepy spiders. Like spiders that were bigger than my foot and had hard shells like crabs so you couldn't just step on them to kill them. Needless to say, I woke up in a panic and had trouble getting back to sleep.

2010-11-27T10:11:00.000-08:00

You have $12. You could:
   A. Buy pull-ups so you don't have to wash the 4 year old's sheets every night for the next week
   B. Buy good dishwasher detergant so your dishes come out clean instead of covered with film left by the generic brand.
   C. Buy one meal of delicious and so not good for you Taco Bell food
   D. Go to the grocery store and get some fresh produce and canned cranberry sauce and a chicken or turkey since you've been seriously wanting a turkey/cranberry sauce sandwich.

Oh dilemmas. Easy food, food that requires work, cleaner dishes, or less laundry?! I think food requiring work will win. Maybe Macey's will have some salad kits on clearance. . . .

D won out. Went to Macey's they had Greener Selection salad mixes for $1.00. So Ava and I got two of those, plus a pack of bean and cheese frozen burritos, a block of mozzerella so we can make pizza tonight, 7 packs of ramen because the world comes to an end when we are out, a green bell pepper, three roma tomatoes (cheapest), and. . .three crab legs cause they were reduced price. The girls helped me eat the crab legs. Both LOVED crab as much as their mommy does!
We, the girls - Ava included as she's a bottomless pit these days, had a delicious lunch of crab, ramen noodles, and salad with tomatoes. Jordan had. . . .chips with cheese. Whatever works. I offered to share the crab with him, but thankfully he declined. The girls could have easily eaten the crab all themselves.

Ava kindly shared MY salad with a toy. Holding a piece of lettuce to it's mouth and making "num num num" noises. Made me laugh it was so cute!

2010-11-26T20:42:00.000-08:00

Nothing quite like watching Food, Inc. to make you seriously pondering becoming a vegetarian. Even more though I think realistically we really will become locavores. I just have to figure out how to fit it with our budget. . .
Chickens sound like they're calling help before they get slaughtered. Just an observation. They still taste good.

My question related to soy products now is how do I find any that aren't made with that certain company's beans (they're sue happy, so watch the video to find out their name).

Now to get Jordan to watch it with me so we can be on the same page.

Anyway, I think if you haven't seen it you should definately watch it. It's very well done, I'm impressed and wish I'd watched it before that mcdonald's documentary one, since that put me off of watching another food documentary.

So my goal for next year is to grow more of my own produce, so I can can it and we can have it to eat through the fall/winter. And to hopefully join a CSA, probably Jacob's Cove. And to use one of the local ranches for our meat, and thus reduce our meat consumption to 1-4 times a month. We'll see how well that works out for my omnivore husband.

I'll update more tomorrow on how I've done with my goals for the year.

2010-11-26T09:43:00.000-08:00

Lasst night I had a really odd dream It was a collision of past real life (aka no kids) Glee, NCIS, And I don't remember what other shows. So this morning in the shower, which amazingly I took alone as Ava was eating breakfast, I realized I'd be finished with the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon if I spent as much time with them as I do watching TV shows. So right now I'm downloading the audio of the Book of Mormon and I'll listen to that today as I work on doll clothes, because I'm behind in the doll clothes department. I'm pondering giving Maddie the Madame Alexander baby doll, I'm just not looking forward to the fights that are going to take place between her and Ava over the doll highchair Ava is getting with her presents.

I realized the other day that the baby doll I'm giving Ava looks a rather lot like me as a newborn, haha. If I can find my baby picture I'll show you.

I'm feeling a bit better today. Maddie still has her cough, but she actually wanted to eat breakfast today. She only ate one small meal yesterday. Ava seems to be doing better as well.

It's so cold in the living room that I'm very much understanding why I kept the thermostat at 70 last year. 65 is cold. Even with a sweater on. This week Jordan did plastic wrap our bedroom windows and Maddie's and the small living room's window. It has too strong of a draft though and keeps busting the plastic off.

The only trouble I have right now with doll clothes making is I can't find our copy of Baby Dear!! I wanted to make doll clothes like shown in the book.

2010-11-24T19:10:00.000-08:00

Starting tonight, I'm letting Ava cry it out. She goes to bed wonderfully, but wakes up numerous times throughout the night and needs mommy to get back to sleep. It's not the easiest thing. I don't like letting her cry. But she's a year and a half now, and she's certainly capable of sleeping through the night.
And so here I sit, watching Monk as she cries.

She seems to have stopped. Round one down, and it didn't take too long.

2010-11-23T12:22:00.000-08:00

Dear California,
Having spent 23 of my 26 years within your border, I miss many things about you. I miss 50 degree winters. I miss the autumn winds being warm. I miss the threat of earthquakes (I'm odd, I know). I miss year-round yard sales. But most of all, besides my parents and grandma and sister/herfamily, I miss TRADER JOE'S!!
Oh the deliciousness that is Trader Joe's. I want me some ready to eat meals that have lamb kebabs, or roasted beet salad, or heck, any number of your salads. But what I want most of all at this moment is your Just Bananas. It is the only way I enjoy bananas. I can handle bananas in smoothies, but your dried flattened bananas. . .heaven in my mouth.
Sincerely,
myself.
The end.

Blizzard! Preparation

2010-11-23T08:45:00.000-08:00

I do occasionally check the weather. I use either yahoo! weather or weatherbug. But apparently both are wrong. First there was an email from my mother in law mentioning, "This major Artic storm with blizzard conditions that is scheduled to come through tonight is causing everyone concern. They are telling us to stay off the roads when it hits." And then my Aunt said she'd bring some stuff they brought from my mom over this evening, if the blizzard hasn't hit yet. And on Facebook my friend Mandi said, "Today Iam grateful for technology so we can be warned of this beast of a storm about to hit us. Getting candles ready in case of power outage. Glad the kids prefer to play in the dark most the time :)"

So now I'm like what?! Yahoo! you done me wrong!

What do you do when you look outside and it looks like any normal winter day, yet everyone is crying "Blizzard!"? If you're me, you go "crap, I better get all my shows watched! And second thought is, if we lose power, we're not going to be able to have any hot meals! We won't be able to cook anything! Even our stove/oven is electric!
And thus I put aside my discomfort (we're all nauseous today. We all being Maddie and I) and got the dishwasher loaded and running. Have the washer and dryer going so we'll have clean winter clothes, and clean blankets. I have our rice cooker filled to capacity and going, so I can make rice balls to eat if/when we lose power (or just to eat, they're yummy). There's ground beef defrosting in the microwave that I'll cook and mix with spaghetti sauce and I'm going to cook some spaghetti noodles so I can toss it all together because spaghetti is yummy cold or room temperature. We have a fresh loaf of bread that Jordan made last night, I'm pondering making another because we go through bread fast. We have flashlights and emergency candles (thank you Aunt Dee! Emergency preparedness stuff makes the best gifts!!) on hand, though I'll need to figure out where the matches or fire starter are. I'm going to find some hand sewing needles so if I get bored I can hand sew some doll clothes.

Hopefully it won't hit until after Ava's 18 month check up today.

Abby's tortilla soup

2010-11-22T17:16:00.000-08:00

One can black beans
one can kidney beans
one can petite diced tomatoes
one can diced green chiles
1/3 bag frozen corn kernels
48oz box chicken broth
cumin to taste (aka dump it in
2 tsp jarred minced garlic
chili powder to taste

Stick in a pot over medium high heat, stir, put a lid on it. Run to the store with some cash for sour cream, corn chips, and to see if they have any ripe avocados. You could also add rice to make the soup go longer. Which I should have done but was not patient enough. I hoped there would be left overs for tomorrow.
No such luck.

MMMMmmmmmmm, comfort food.

Almost a white-out

2010-11-21T18:00:00.000-08:00

When we were going through the canyon on the way home from my husband's sisters (two got married on Saturday) weddings, Maddie asked me, "Mom, why can't I see the mountains?"
Jordan and I tried to explain what a white-out was. It wasn't a full white-out though, we actually had decent visibility. The storm seemed to have just barely been rolling into the canyon, so we left at a good time!

It was super cute to see the girls dancing together and with their cousins!

1 photo - 6 ways

2010-11-21T16:00:00.000-08:00

Jordan was an awesome husband this morning and obliged my request to pull over so I could get a picture of this barn in Mendon. I enjoyed playing with it in Picnik.
Which do you like?

2010-11-21T14:12:00.000-08:00

I am giddy to be home. It was a great weekend, but there's no place like home. Maddie and Ava are in the kitchen, Maddie warming up with some hot cocoa after playing outside in the snow and Ava is enjoying some mini marshmallows.

Now it's time for me to get caught up on emails and blogs (oh my there are so so many blogs posts to read!) and of course hulu. Ava really needs a nap, but she disagrees. Done with her marshmallows, she is now climbing on the picnic table which I thoughtfully brought inside before we left, I don't want it to get damaged from winter weather. The girls love the picnic table, so it will be nice for them to be able to use it again, inside now though.

On the drive home Jordan and I put together our Christmas lists, so he can know what to get me and vis versa. I also made a to do list for this week which mainly revolves around getting the house spotless so we can decorate for Christmas on Friday.

Ava just said "Mama, Mmmmnnnnnhhhh" while grabbing her diaper and making a face. I asked if she was poopy and she said "uh huh" and made another face. I told her I'll change her when she's done. Cause she's obviously not.

I also plan to get lots of flannel pants made this week. I picked up 6 yards of 3 different flannels from Walmart's $1.50 a yard fabric so I can have me more comfy pants. I also washed the single yard bits of flannel I have around to make the girls some pants, since we all have a thing for being "warm and comfortable" at all times.

I have pictures to process now while I get caught up on shows. Stay tuned.

2010-11-17T15:06:00.000-08:00

Thank you
to who ever gave us food.
We are grateful for it all! Maddie is especially thrilled for jello, olives, and mac & cheese.
Jordan and I were both ecstatic about the ham, it's a rare treat for us! I'm thinking of all the things it can be used for.
It is very appreciated.
Very.

2010-11-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

I rearranged the living room again. I think this works best of all so far. I now have the loveseat opposite the computer, since that's where we watch "tv". I then have the sewing table perpandicular next to it. It's just about a foot longer, so it doesn't intrude into the room. Then the pattern drawers are along the wall next to it under the window. Of course it's all messing in the middle of the room because I don't clean up before rearranging. I just rearrange the piles as well.

Today I think we'll have meatloaf and mash potatoes with gravy and cooked carrots. Last night I ended up just feeding everyone leftovers. Except Jordan made a loaf of bread that was ready after the girls were in bed. So he and I had fresh bread for dinner. As well as some cookies that he bought at work a few weeks ago and have been sitting in the car. I figure if I use the freezer burned ground veal in a meatloaf the other flavors will help hide any off taste.
Or not. Just discovered meatloaf requires eggs. Meatballs requires eggs too. Back to the drawing board!

I was browsing on etsy, searching for cute things to copy, when I discovered Riley Blake fabrics. Oh my cuteness. I LOVE the sherbet-y colors of this quilt:

And I love the color combination in this quilt. How freakin cute would a boys room be with this?

Look at this gorgeous bag:

Okay, one more. Check out this skirt!!

Murphy's Law

2010-11-16T11:50:00.000-08:00

By Saturday my two little girls need to have new dresses for the weddings of two of Jordan's sisters. At one time I had all required items. The month went by and each piece wandered away.
Sunday - found the fabric
Monday - found the pattern
Today. . . .laid out the cutting board with the fabric, pins, and pattern. Only to discover no scissors. Cleaned up the sewing corner. No scissors.

Anything that can go wrong will.

It's okay though. It's not like we have gas money to get up there.

Have I mentioned how much I'm hating life right now? There is little security in my world, but it's all in God's hands. So whatever.

Some happy news? The wind is crazy today and it's awesome to watch the yellow leaves fly off the trees in a frenzy.
And this morning first thing the girls and I did was lay on the couch together and watch Toy Story. The three of us. It was really nice.
Today's meal plan is quinoa and black beans. Too bad I lack the desire to go cook. Hence why I ate the last piece of pizza much to Jordan's dismay.
It just started raining. And just stopped raining. Crazy weather.

Now I will return to the scissor hunt.

2010-11-15T14:45:00.000-08:00

I am NOT loving our financial situation. This is nuts. I don't get why Jordan isn't trying to get more hours at work. I don't get why he's not upset at the lack of hours. It's not like he's behind in school. He freaking spends all day sleeping or watching anime, so it's not like he's shot for time.

Shoot me now!

By the end of this month, our food storage will be gone, I'm fairly certain. With the exception of rice, flour, and yeast. We have plenty of those.

I want my mommy.

In more stable news. . . .
We had a yummy dinner! Both recipes are from justbento.com

French green beans with carrot and ginger

2 large handfuls of fresh thin green beans
1 small piece of fresh ginger (I used ground ginger and some minced candied ginger)
1/4 carrot (to result in 2 Tbs. julienned or grated - I grated)
1/2 Tbs. light olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbs. mirin
1 Tbs. soy sauce

Cut the tough stem end of the green beans off, and cut the beans into two or three pieces diagonally. (or be like me and use frozen green beans).
Peel and finely julienne (or chop) the ginger.
Peel and finely julienne the carrot. You can also grate it in long strips wiht a grater or vegetable slicer/mandoline.
Heat up a frying pan and add the oil. Add the ginger and stir a minute. Add the carrot and green beans. Add all the seasonings. Put on a lid and let it steam cook for about 3 minutes.
Open the lid and stir around over high heat until any moisture has evaporated away. Cool before packing into a bento box. (or serve hot with dinner)

Very Easy Marinated Chicken Skewers (I doubled this and didn't skewer them, but just grilled them on the george forman)

1 chicken breast
The marinade:
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 Tbs. lime juice
1/2 xiaoxing wine (available at Chinese or general Asian grocery stores; substitute sake or sherry if you don't have it - or just leave it out all together like I did)
About 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger (or ground ginger powder works too)
Red chili pepper flakes, to taste
A pinch of sugar
A few drops of fish sauce (optional; available at Thai or general Asian grocery stores. I love fish sauce. It smells like stinky feet, but gives a great punch of flavor. Sometimes I add it to my instant ramen.)
oil for cooking, about 1 Tbs.

Cut the chicken breast into 4 strips lengthwise. Thread them onto skewers. The trick is to sort of fold the pieces accordion-style, and to skewer them through the folds.
Combine the marinade ingredients. Marinade the skewered chicken for at least 5 minutes, ideally about an hour. You can marinate it overnight.
You can grill the skewers, or just cook them in a frying pan. Here I’m cooking them with some sweet pepper strips. I put the peppers in the pan (with a little oil) first, since they take longer. Once they were nicely roasted I pushed them aside and put the chicken in the middle. The chicken only takes a 2 to 3 minutes per side to cook. Take out the pepper slices, and pour in the marinade to glaze the chicken.
You can take the chicken off the skewers, but I think it’s a lot more fun to eat them off the skewers. I did add quite a bit of chili pepper flakes here, but you can vary the amount to suit your heat preference.

No pictures because it was eaten up quick! You could always click on the recipe titles to see the pictures of it on just bento.

Yum!

2010-11-15T12:10:00.000-08:00

I tried a new recipe for lunch today. It is DELICIOUS!! Like, unbelievably good. Here's the recipe as I made it. Though, while I loved it, Maddie ate her required 4 bites and let me finish hers off.

Zucchini and Chickpea mush (okay the actually recipe calls it pancakes, but doing my version, it doesn't stay together like pancakes, so it was more like panfried mush. So good though, it'd probably taste good deepfried like hushpuppies as well)
4 c. shredded zucchini
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed, skins removed, and mashed with a fork
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Mix all together and fry on a nonstick surface (I used a griddle).

I did end up throwing half the batter into the food processor, hoping that make it more like the actual recipe, but it didn't work and I prefered the textures of it unprocessed.

This would probably be fantastic with a dollup of sour cream.

Actual recipe can be found here: Zucchini and Chickpea Pancakes

Though if you eat the entire batch like me, you may end up with an odd mildly numb tongue.

2010-11-14T17:01:00.000-08:00

I survived today. I'm writing my resignation this week though. I'm just done. I don't care how much I'm told what a special calling teaching sunbeams is. It's getting harder and harder to go to church. 3 and 4 is not an age range I like to begin with. I have spent almost a year getting little to no spiritual up lift each Sunday. So I apologize to those who may be offended by my lack of appreciation for this "opportunity" and if you think I'm not doing my part in the church, well, that's your problem. I'd rather grow and develop my own shrinking testimony than babysit a room full of 3/4 year olds for 2 hours every Sunday. I mean "teach" the "sunbeams" to develop their own testimonies and knowledge of God.

We've survived our first day of not nursing. Ava is having a bottle of breast milk right now. It will be a sleepless night for us both tonight I think. Jordan expressed today his. . well he worded it better, but it all came down to "disgust" with my still nursing Ava at 17 months. So we're weaning. And that's all I'll say about that subject, because I do love my husband.

47 minutes until I can pull out some yummy roasted sweet potatoes and yummy roasted butternut squash to which I will simply add butter, salt, and pepper. And maybe some cayenne.

2010-11-12T10:33:00.000-08:00

I swear, everyone is pregnant. And by everyone I mean two good friends from high school, at least three gals at church, a couple of the blogs I read (and by the blogs I mean the gals who write them) and now my sister as well. If it weren't for the kids I already have being raunchy all the time these days, I'd be envious. But thankfully I've gotten over my baby hunger because kids are demanding and whiney and needy. I know that's a no brainer, but really, it's excessive in this house lately. And what's with everyone having girls?! Okay, so a few people who I know are pregnant don't know yet what they're having, but everyone that does know, is having a girl.

In other news, I found the fabric I'd been looking for. . . but now the pattern has disappeared. Children and sewing don't go together so well. At least not in my house the last week or year.

UPDATE: Okay, I spaced the fact that my sister-in-law is having a boy! And a cousin of my husbands is pregnant as well. I'm sure I've forgotten more. . .

wow

2010-11-11T19:18:00.001-08:00

Cause I know my parents will appreciate this as much as I did:

Okay, all the gibber gabber before and after the song is annoying, but no one has just a clip of them singing.

Freedom!

2010-11-11T10:39:00.000-08:00

Freedom from my head!! Freedom from the thought that I HAVE to keep it because it's useful or good or nice or lovely. Freedom from feeling like if I'm not going to use it, I need to make money off of it. Freedom from feeling obligated to keep it or put it to use. Freedom from storing it and having it hang over me asking what it will be turned into. Freedom from the mess!! (eventually). I have to get working before the spark disappears. I should listen to music from free-er days more often!! Of course it now has made me want to go to Disneyland. . .and sorry all the music videos below are cut off.

2010-11-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

Ever read the book "Strangling your husband is not an option?" It's one of those days where I must rely on it's advice. One of those weeks when I want to send the teenager back to his mother until he grows up and becomes a responsible man.

The one good thing about that is I take my frustration out on the house. My bathroom is nearly clean. clean laundry has been folded, hung and put away. Trash has been gathered and bagged. Book have been put back on the shelf and crayons tossed in the crayon box. Still lots more to do, but Ava has been bursting into tears every 10 minutes.

Happy music for today (okay they lost the happy part eventually and just turned into some of my favorite music videos, the last three aren't really children friendly - just to warn you):

2010-11-10T07:27:00.000-08:00

This morning we were all up at 6:30am due to Jordan's alarm clock in the living room going off. . . .he had already left for school and therefore was not there to shut it off.

Then I let the girls color with markers while I started some laundry and worked on cleaning Maddie's room.

Yesterday my cousin and his wife and kids stopped by before they had to head to the airport. It was great to see them! It'd been around 7 years since I'd seen them, their oldest was just a gorgeous little baby. Their two oldest girls played dress up with Maddie and drew some pictures. They are awesome artists!! Not surprising though because their dad is a very talented artist as well.

It is snowing. Maddie is very excited. I still need to hunt out snow gear for Ava. And locate the mittens. We do have a snowcoat for her. I didn't realize we still had Maddie's! It fit Maddie at 18 months, and it's huge on Ava, but not too huge. She's just so tiny.

Today's goal is to part with some more fabric, and to get the craft corner organized. I also need to work up a menu for the rest of the month. And change the sheets. I also plan to get the towel hooks up in the girls bathroom and make their hooded towels. I kept waiting to do those things until the bathroom is painted, but we are not in painting season, so it's best to wait no more.

Ava has filled her cheeks with certs. I'm watching her closely to be sure she doesn't choke. I'm sure she'll be through with them soon. It's the novelty of something forbidden after all. Though the spiciness of cinnamon gum doesn't stop her from eating daddy's. Neither of the girls understand how to chew gum, and so it's not something we keep in the house. Or wouldn't be. Daddy keeps forgetting.

I need to find the material for the girls dresses for their aunt's wedding. And find the patterns. I'm so disorganized!

At our corner grocery store (I call it that cause it's just up the corner) there are two places I hit. . .in the produce section by the bagged lettuce, they have reduced items. Namely, bagged salads. I love love LOVE it when the Dole Salad Kits are near date and get reduced to 99 cents a bag. One bag is a meal for me. Today they had the caesar salad kits. YUM! And they have 2 days until they hit their best buy date and they're good for a few days after that. So I got 4 kits plus a "very veggie" salad mix bag (it has radishes and snow peas plus the lettuce and cabbage and carrots) and a HUGE bag of romaine. Each was only 99 cents. even the 5lb bag of chopped romaine. The other place I hit is the standing freezers by the meat wall/counter. That's where they put the at date ground beef. They freeze it first and then put it there at half price. so it's like a dollar a pound.
And those are my good deal tips for the corner grocery store. I'm not a day old bread person, because I thing grocery store bakery bread is bland, dry. I used to buy a bunch at walmart but it was just all around not worth the money even at reduced price. That's why I stock up on flour and yeast and salt during "case lot sales" which Utah has a few times a year. 20lbs of flour for $6, sure thanks!
Other grocery shopping bargains I'm trying to get organized enough to do is in regard to Target. At Target, since Jordan works there, we get 10% off. Target price matches. Our Target is a Super Target which has a grocery store taking up 1/3 of the store. So, next month, I hope to be organized enough to price match and coupon our groceries at Target, plus get 10% off everything. We get all sorts of target coupons as well, like $1 off 3lb of produce. It's awesome. I love being part of the Target family. hahhaahha.

And now I must go color with Maddie.

Breakfast of Champions

2010-11-09T03:58:00.000-08:00

What? Isn't this what YOU want to eat at 5 in the morning? The crackers, summer sausage, honey mustard(not pictured), marinated mushrooms, and stuffed green olives are all from the dollar store, and all are delicious! I'm so glad our dollar store is expanding it's grocery section. The mushrooms are spicy garlic Italian marinated. And they are SO good. I was a bit leary of them, but I'm glad I took the chance. I'm not a sweet for breakfast person. I'm all about savory.

Last night I discovered Maddie is finally at a point where she has the attention span and interest in reading. One of the books she picked for bedtime was One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. Which is possibly my favorite Dr. Seuss book. I discovered it in kindergarten and have loved it since. As we were reading the CUP PUP pages the thought came to me (thank you Heavenly Father!) that Maddie could read this. So I read it to her then asked her to read it. She froze for a moment and said she couldn't, so I helped her sound out PUP. That gave her the courage she needed and we went over it a few times. She was so excited. It was very cute. So I think today we'll work on reading that as well as some Dick and Jane. Hurray for me feeling like teaching again! It's been at least a month. . . .

Last night I was so tired. I went to bed at 7pm. Which was a bad idea since Jordan decided to take a nap before work. . . .
Anyway, at 2am when Ava was restless and cranky and couldn't get to sleep, we got up. And played and watched Bear in the Big Blue House and read books and cleaned off the kitchen table. I was going to clean it off last night after putting Maddie to bed, but went to bed instead. Ava likes Pita chips! May have to go back to the dollar store and get more. It's the first snack she's eaten more than one bite of. Besides candy. She inhales candy. Ava is back in bed now, she started getting cranky around 4:30am so I told her she could go to bed, and she's already back asleep.

I remembered last week, that at the beginning of the year I told Jordan he was in charge of Christmas because I was tired of doing it all myself. Hahha. We see how well I stuck with that. He is still completely in charge of my presents, so if I don't get anything, I won't be surprised. He's a last minute kind of guy which I do not understand in the slightest. Maddie's Christmas is complete, though I know Jordan thinks he needs to get her a present himself. And I just need to figure out or make stocking stuffers for Ava. I've decided to not give her the Madame Alexander baby doll, just because it weighs too much for her, and I've found her a new baby doll, which I ADORE!!! Of course it has me hunting for vintage doll carriages now. They're pricey. Shipping wise at least. I may have to find out where antique stores are around here to see if anyone has any baby doll carriages.

I've been enjoying the "classics" on netflix. Mainly Jane Austen type movies and Shirley Temple. I love Shirley Temple. Maddie enjoys her movies too, though doesn't quite understand them. I'm trying to figure out how to convince Maddie to let me put her hair in rags one night. . . .After I make her a baby doll dress of course. Though it'll be a 50s style dress because that's the patterns I have. I discovered yesterday, after actually taking Maddie's measurements, that Maddie fits a vintage size 3, and here I was be moaning my lack of size 4 vintage dress patterns! I do have a size 3 one! I have lots of size 8s, and am looking forward to making those.

I'm on an Eloise Wilkin binge lately. Maddie loves Baby Dear and We Like Kindergarten and We help Mommy. Ava doesn't quite have the attention span for any but Baby Dear yet. Looking up info on Eloise Wilkin resulted in my discovering all the Eloise Wilkin books I do NOT have! We'll have to go thrift hunting soon. First I need to sell some stuff on ebay. not that I did good getting stuff shipped in a timely manner last time. But I'm doing better now, due to remembering my medication and a daily intake of caffeine (sunkist is my drug of choice at the moment).

Yesterday I had planned on taking the girls for a nature walk to gather fall leaves and possibly pinecones, but it ended up raining ALL DAY. Dempsea spent most of the day in his crate because it was raining outside and he did not want to be out (can't blame him) but Jordan hasn't given him a bath in at least 2 months, so I wasn't letting him wander my house, stinky mutt. Hopefully today will be dry and the girls and I can go out. I also need to find my paints, looked for them yesterday but to no avail, perhaps Maddie knows where they are. We're going to paint paper leaves to look like the fall leaves we find. Though I'm sure Maddie will want to paint some bright pastel pink and purple as well.

It is FREEZING. I'm wearing a coat in the house. I'm shivering. I'm pondering what to sew, because I have to sew. I feel the need to send off a package. Apparently I have jealousy issues.I'm pondering the location of all my sewing supplies. The up at 2am is starting to show on me. I want to crawl into bed. No can do. Jordan is at school. And I need to sew. Something FABULOUS. Oh the trauma of rearranging craft supplies and thus not really knowing where everything you want is! My hands are freezing. The thermostat is going up to 70. . .it's 37 degrees outside.

Why roving?

2010-11-07T17:16:00.000-08:00

I decided I'd steal some pictures of the roving I purchased:

Desert sand, melon, evergreen, sky

Here is an idea of some projects I'm going to be doing with them:

Uh Oh

2010-11-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

Two days ago, I was getting Ava's swing out of the laundry closet and a fan fell from the closet and nailed Jordan's laptop. He hasn't used it in like 3 days and it got left on the floor when we replaced the couch (it had been living on the couch). Anyway, it now has a shattered screen. I'm irritated about it. Jordan is asleep and I'm not looking forward to telling him his computer is broken. I don't think he bought the warranty on it either.
So now I'm looking up how to replace a screen yourself. . .

I decided I'd stick with not saying anything. He hates it when I tell him bad news when he wakes up, and since almost any time I see him, he's just woken up, I'll just wait until he asks. Maybe I'll take the computer apart and try to fix it myself following the how-tos I found : http://computershopper.com/laptops/howto/replace-your-laptop-screen http://www.tech-faq.com/how-to-repair-a-laptop-screen.html
He's in a good mood today too, which hasn't happened in a few weeks. So I'm definately not going to screw that up. But he just tried to turn it on and discovered, and now he's upset. I was nice and didn't say anything like "Well, if you'd take care if it rather than leaving it out on the floor." I prefer him being angry with me for not telling him over him being angry at me for telling him. It's taken 5 years to figure that out, but now I'm learning to deal!

A nice moment from earlier today before a scowl permanently etched itself on his face:

The grouchier and more sullen he gets, the harder it is to bite my tongue. Why do events like this make me so defensive? He doesn't say anything accusing to me or well, he doesn't say anything at all. Just silence and frowny faces and arms folded against his chest.

I guess I won't be asking to have the dresser moved into the house today. Maybe I can do it myself. . .

In other news, my sewing scissors have seen better days. Maybe this is the cause of my lack of sewing lately. I can see why my mom has solid steel sewing scissors.

A long shower and a haircut later, he was in a better mood. Hurray! He realized it's not the end of the world!

We finally started moving some things around that we've been meaning to. Like moving the file cabinets from the craft room and putting them next to the computer, since that's where we deal with fileable papers

2010-11-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I just ordered some roving!! I hunted on etsy for a bit yesterday evening, looking at different sellers and pricing, and found some that was really quite reasonably priced, plus I have 10 needles on the way as well. I didn't order a foam pad, because well, they just look like any other foam pad, so hopefully the foam pad that used to be on an ikea foot stool will work fine. If not I'll order a pad after it proves not.

The sweaters felted up beautifully. Albeit the green is a bit wonky, which I think just shows it's handmade rather than machine made.

Anyway, so I still haven't ordered anything from Weir Crafts since their roving is $2 an ounce and on etsy I got 4oz for $10 - mixture. I purchased from 3 different sellers. Sevenyaks, Yancetta which will probably be hear soonest since it's in Denver, and also Dreamcrafter where I got 8 oz of undyed roving for $8.50, we'll try some natural dyeing ourselves. Need to get some alum though.

We planted bulbs today. I'd picked up 5 boxes at WinCo with different pretty bulbs. I know nothing about planting bulbs, so if they grow, we'll be thrilled. Maddie and Ava helped. Maddie claimed the long stemmed tulips as hers. Ava ate dirt clods and unripe tomatoes that were laying in the dirt. Gross. Maybe it'll make her poop since she didn't yesterday and hasn't so far today.

I need to go to the post office. I don't want to, maybe I can get Jordan to do it. . .

Christmas is coming. . .

2010-11-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

The goose is getting fat
Please put a penny in the old man's hat.

I sang that the other day and Jordan said, "Turkey for Thanksgiving and a goose for Christmas, is that it?" I confirmed it. "I've never had goose." he says. Me either! Where can we buy a goose? And a spit to roast it over? Granted he then went into how he'd like to deep-fry a turkey. . . .

Last night I carefully filled the "shopping cart" at Weir Crafts, getting ready to make presents for nieces and nephews and stocking stuffers for my girls. Even being as careful as I was, it ended up at almost $100 with shipping, so I just let it sit there to think about over night and during today. Ava and I went to the thrift store. We found two wool sweaters at decent prices, and a long sleeve shirt the perfect color for doll skin! So I guess I will again be making a non-true waldorf doll, aka with polyester fiber fill instead of wool. And I've got the sweaters in the washer felting up right now.

The felting process had already begun for this gray one. Hence why it was 50% off. :)

I was going to buy two 4-5mm 12x12 inch felt mats to turn into playscapes (one for my girls one for the other kids), instead there's a gorgeous green moth spotted (eaten) sweater that will hopefully work well. Now I can reduce my "shopping cart" to felting needles, roving, and a felting mat. That'll be a big price difference. Next month I'll buy a saw and wood to work on one of the boys present and stocking stuffers for the girls

Out with the old, in with the new-to-us

2010-11-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

Goodbye to our beloved couch. . .

We were it's third owners. . .at least. . .Jordan has been complaining about it lately, I was rather fond of how deep it is. It was snuggle deep. A friend of Jordan's called and asked if we wanted the couch in their basement that they were getting rid of. Jordan went over, checked it out and voted it more comfortable than our green monster.

I'm reserving judgement until I've put the slipcover on it. Right now I think it should be sitting in a church foyer. . . . That being said. . .it IS firmer than the green monster was.

Update:
I like it!

Classic.

2010-11-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

2010-11-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

I'm still getting used to how our income is coming. I about freaked this morning when I checked our account and. . . no money! Then I remembered (about a half hour later) that the VA support comes in check form. Hopefully that will be available today so Jordan can get it deposited and I can get the bills paid.

Jordan is sick. He threw up yesterday, missed work last night and school this morning. He's still asleep. Hopefully he feels better today.

When do we change the clocks? It's so dark out when we get up. This morning when Ava was working on waking up, I heard Maddie crying, so we went in and laid on her bed with her and played games, mostly hide and seek with the blankets. Anyway, Maddie didn't believe me when I told her it WAS morning.

Maddie was upset this morning when I told her it was time to take down the halloween decorations. To avoid a melt down I told her it was time to decorate for thanksgiving and we'd make thanksgiving decorations (cause we don't have any of those either). Of course, who knows if Maddie' be at the neighbors again and run her mouth about our lack of decorations. She did that this month and came home with a bunch of decorations for us from the neighbors. I don't know if we're supposed to return them or not though.

I'm going to buy three storage tubs for Maddie's room. It's chaos in there because she throws her clothes on the floor as she searches for what she wants to wear. And though she still fits her fall/winter clothes from last year, she's in a new phase where she will only wear something if it has pink or purple or "sparkles". As the weather has gotten colder she's been wearing pants instead of skirts or dresses. Though one morning when I made her get dressed she came to me in tears because she she didn't "have any warm soft pants like [her] pajamas".

Candy galore

2010-10-30T22:16:00.000-07:00

The trouble with having a pumpkin fairy, is that mommy ends up with all this yummy candy.
Though daddy gets all the snickers and peanut m&ms since Ava can't have peanuts (and therefore I can't).

I admit lately I feel a little silly anytime it comes out to people that Ava is still nursing. She's almost a year and a half. But I always feel better as soon as I realize it's her main source of nurishment still. She can't have cows milk. Just my drinking cow milk makes her vomit. She'll drink small amounts of almond milk or rice milk or soy milk, but not enough to live off of. She's been eating more solids this last week. She loves infant rice cereal mixed with Almond milk. She likes tomatoes with out the skins, any fruit-minus the skin, cooked broccoli, rice, flour (yes she eats flour straight), pickles, pretzels, beans, chips and salsa (which really ends up as empty salsa bowl with soggy chips), gummy candies, ramen noodles, marshmallows and chocolate chips.

And she loves lollipops of course.

It's cold.
I'm waiting for some ramen to cook so it can warm me up. I'm going to add chili garlic sauce. it will be so yummy.

My aunt gave me some super cute fabric today that I'm pondering over what to create with it.

Farewell Garden

2010-10-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

2010-10-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

Netflix has the first season of Hoarders. I'm watching the first episode and am completely identifying with one of the families. Their house looks almost exactly like ours!! The way the floor is coated with clothes and paper and food bits. And with the husband's desire that things not just be thrown in the dumpster but to be able to be used by someone else. And with his struggle of things that are useful.

Interesting quotes from the specialists on the show:

"clutter is the symptom but hoarding is the disease"

"I think people view hoarding as a behavior that's easier to control than it actual is, as well, just clean it up, or just throw it away, or just stop shopping. It's a pattern of behavior, but it's also a very biologically based. . . .there are a few genes that have been targeted to be associated with hoarding."

Got the living room the cleanest it's been in months!

2010-10-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

Poor watermelon, still not ripe.

2010-10-26T20:43:00.000-07:00

I'm freezing. Think if I use fleece as curtains it will keep the cold at bay? Jordan thinks the snow will stick tonight. Maddie will be mad that I haven't found her snowpants yet. I didn't even look today. I think I'll do that tonight. I need to find Ava's gear as well. At least I know Maddie's snow coat is in her closet. I don't even know where my coat is. At least I know where all the hats and gloves are! hurray for having a "winter" drawer in the linen closet! We also have a beach towel drawer. The other two drawers in there have cloth diapers. Which haven't been used in MONTHS. The club size boxes of 'sposies (hahahha, disposible diapers) at Target last forever. Forever.
Anyway, back to how cold it is. I'm wearing my fall coat. I upped the thermostat to 68 degrees. My hands are ice cold and I'm shivering. I think I'll go grab a blanket. After hunting in the shed for snow gear.

I decided I'll wait until tomorrow to go searching. It's stopped snowing, so who knows if we'll have any to play in tomorrow. Did you know they don't make snow boots smaller than size 5? Ava is a size 3 or 4

I think I'm going to die of asphyxiation. The dog has some horrible flatulence going on.

2010-10-25T22:25:00.000-07:00

The dog was just laying in his crate watching me. Watching me. watching me. I hate that. The one-week dog did that too. And Dempsea just had his walk, it's his bed time just like every night for the last 5 months. So I put a blanket over his crate. Ava was so curious. She creeps over, peeks under and joyfully exclaims "Dee Demee!!" She said Dempsea!! So cute. She is speaking more and more. Love it!! The kid's so cute. If only the dog were so endearing.
Dear mom, you so had something right not letting us have a dog. I feel for you and the 6 months you put up with my having a dog. At least you had the sense to keep your foot down on it staying outside.

Oops

2010-10-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

Can you carve a zucchini?

When it started snowing this morning, I realized I should get what I could from the garden.

Most of the cherry tomatoes were frozen. The snow didn't stay and we have a beautiful sunny blue sky. At the moment.

I got one window plastic wrapped, I'll do another later. It's made a marked difference right here by the computer already.

When I first bought this pattern I thought to myself that the little girl looks a bit like one of my nieces. Today Maddie saw it and said, Mom! That girl looks like my cousin Ayrith Eden!!

I guess it wasn't just me being crazy!

What to have for lunch? I'm not sure. I need to go get food going for dinner. We'll have chicken vegetable rice bowls. Like teriyaki chicken except we don't have teriyaki sauce but will use sesame ginger sauce instead. Into the crockpot it goes! (1 lb. of chicken breast, 3 bell peppers from the garden, half a medium zucchini from the garden, three carrots, all those chopped up into large chunks, plus a bottle of litehouse sesame ginger dressing. Hopefully it will taste as good as I think it should).

Okay, so Jordan is so banished from doing the plastic on the windows. He did it last year, and I really didn't think it made much of a difference, I did the one window today and the room is already so much warmer. I think it helps that I followed the directions. . . .men. . . .
I'm looking forward to doing all the other windows. Who ever came up with this stuff is a genius.

Last week we had 3 pajama days. Jordan was only supportive one day, because he had heard just how much Ava had been up and crying through the night. Anyway one of the days that we did get dressed, Maddie was opposed to it. Finally she went in her room got on panties and a sweater then came out crying because she didn't have any pants that were soft and warm like her pajamas. Making fleece pants for her is now on my to do list. We have plenty of fleece we can use.

I'm feeling super queasy today. If I hadn't just had my "visit from Aunt Flo" I'd be heading out to buy another pregnancy test. I'm not loving this. Does being extremely tired cause nausea?

Today I was watching Say Yes to the Dress! on Netflix which of course made me want to look at wedding dresses. Have you ever seen Lindsay Fleming's designs? I love the Arran dress. The Iona dress used to be my favorite, as in back when I was looking at wedding dresses, but they didn't have the Arran then. Infact the dress my mom made me isn't too far off from the arran dress. I have a goal to fit into that dress again, soon, so I can take pictures in it!
A dress I spotted today and fell in love with, though I doubt it'd look any good on me is this one:

Totallymodest.com has a huge variety and I saw at least 8 others that I liked.
They have super cute prom dresses too!

I cleaned the craft room this past weekend. Not only can you walk in it now, you could lay down! The trouble with it. . . I can't find anything!! It used to be I could walk in and within 5 minutes grab the fabric I was looking for. Now the fabric is all packed away in boxes and I'm sitting here, wanting to make a skirt like this one on ebay. But I don't have the slightest idea as to where even to start looking for a solid dark cotton, not to mention the lace overlay!! Grrrr. Oh for the want of a jumbled pile of fabric on the floor. . .

2010-10-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

I haven't been feeling well lately. I've been nauseous daily for a while. Like morning sickness, but I'm not pregnant, checked that after I got tired of feeling sick day after day. Maybe I'm just not eating right? I haven't been having as many fruits and veggies lately. Or snacking as much as I did a few weeks ago. And eating smaller meals. Maybe my body is just getting used to less calories and isn't thrilled with it.

My second dishcloth is turning out much better than the first. I'm also not following the pattern. I did the first few rows differently so it won't be stretched out the way the first was from the initial chain row.

I'm going to have to make another waldorf style doll soon. The girls have been fighting over the one we have. They like to fight over toys though. They'll want the same princess doll at the same time, they'll want Tinkerbell at the same time, they'll want the princess carriage at the same time. Jordan was getting really frustrated with it the other day and I told him to get use to it. We will be hearing it for at least the next 14 years. I'm actually looking forward to that. It will be fun to watch them grow up, having grown up with a sister of my own who I love very much. Even if she always said she wouldn't be my friend until she was 30. :)
She's 30 now.
hahahahaha.

And now, even though I'm tired, I'm sitting here, getting caught up on Medium and crocheting another dishcloth. If I get good, you know what you're getting for Christmas.
hahahahaha.

Yes I think I'm funny. Or as we said in high school "I make me funny."

2010-10-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

Today at church Maddie spontaneously decided to invite her two girl friends over for a tea party tomorrow. One of them thought it was today, and tonight wouldn't go to bed because she was hysterical that her parents weren't letting her come over for the party. So she called and and me tell Maddie's friend that no, there is not a tea party today, but rather she can come over for a tea party tomorrow.
So tomorrow at 10 am we're having a tea party and we'll make cookies or cupcakes or something.
Children. . . .

Super Saturday

2010-10-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

Our ward's super saturday options were not super. But I jumped at the chance to have some time with other adults. Here you have my Super Saturday project. . .

Yes. That is a dishcloth. I crochet a not quite square dishcloth. Infact I did that at home after my hour there. I spent most of the hour I had there eating lunch (taco salad bar! Where they suck in projects, they did redeem themselves with the food).

2010-10-23T17:42:00.000-07:00

If I could go to school, I'd take an art class and a photography class and a math class, and probably an earth science class.

Window shopping

2010-10-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

When not cleaning, eating, or parenting, I've spent my time window shopping on Pottery Barn Kids. None of things of course will ever be in my home, but it was fun designing the girls room. I am absolutely in love with this bed.

Though instead of the retro pink kitchen underneath, i'd have a toddler bed and this kitchen from Nova Natural.

I'd have some artwork from Periwinkle Sky on the walls. Definately fairies, since Maddie and I love them.

Maybe I'll go take a nap now while the baby naps and Maddie is at the neighbor's house.

2010-10-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling discouraged today. Not quite sure why.
Is it because my projects are done? I can't think of a new project to do. Though I guess I could work on the girls fall coats. The trouble wiht that is it requires getting out the cutting board and pinning/cutting pattern pieces which Ava does not really allow. She's like a cat and decides to sit right in the middle of it all.
Maybe watching Hoarders will inpsire me to do something at least.

The episode of Hoarders did nothing but made me empathetic to those going through the decluttering process. Then I watched yesterday's episode of CSI.
And now there is a clear 4x4 spot of carpet that hasn't been seen in weeks. If you don't want CSI, the episode was called House of Hoarders and involved 5 dead bodies. Very inspiring for clean up.

Naked no more

2010-10-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

I made Ava's dolly a dress, it's reversible.

And to show her freckles (and splotchy face)

Trick or Treat

2010-10-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

Have you seen those fabric trick or treat bags that are getting popular? Old Navy has other ones but their webpage only has two on it, like this one:

Pottery Barn Kids has had them for the last few years, this is the cutest they have this year:

Well Maddie loves them. So much that she has asked repeatedly for one. I kept telling her that we can just use our pillowcases or a bag. Then today she tried to make her own one out of a coffee filter, markers, embroidery floss and polyfil. When it didn't turn out she tried to get me to do it for her. . .using those items. When I refused she rant to her room and cried hysterically for about 15 minutes. I used those 15 minutes to make her dreams come true. Or, well, to get it done about half way. It really took about 45 minutes total.

No longer bald!

2010-10-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

I'm not overly thrilled with Ava's doll's hair, but I know the girls will be fine with it. Maddie wants her doll to be a mermaid so I fairly followed the directions in the Mermaid pattern by Magic Cabin (it was on clearance in the beginning of the year for $2). Tomorrow we'll work on clothes for the dolls. After I took this picture I gave Ava's doll some freckles and that endeared her to me a bit more. I definately will use a doll body pattern next time as I'm not happy with how it turned out. I'm looking forward to making clothes for these dolls to hide their hideous bodies. hahahaha. I'm also excited for Ava to be able to play with her doll because she has tried to steal it so many times as I've worked on it today!

Doll makers

2010-10-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

I just had to keep working on the doll today. So It won't be a Christmas doll. Maddie thought it was fun that I was making a doll and wanted to make one too. I whipped up a quick gingerbread shape out of the leftover fabric and we sewed it up, leaving an opening. Maddie then stuffed it herself, I stitched up the hole and then she drew a face on.

We'll add hair tomorrow to her doll, and mine, which will be Ava's. Ava keeps trying to steal it already. Infact she tried sticking the head on the body herself, she's so impatient!

There is no try

2010-10-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

I'm so not quoting Yoda, but rather a speaker we had in sacrament meeting. The brother made a point of how no where in the scriptures does anyone "try". They do or they do not.

Anyway, so I'm making an effort this week to not try, but rather to do. Hence why the sweaters that I've had sitting here for a year are now 6 gnome hats. And why I scrounged together the items needed to make a waldorf doll! Here's one of the doll hats. . .

Instead of the fabulous natural products (cotton and wool) that waldorf dolls are made of, I used a lonely infant sock, polyfil, and dental floss to form a head following the tutorial at Moonchild dolls. I brewed up 7 tension tamer teabags and some pero (I use what I have) to dye one of Jordan's old undershirts. It will be the skin. I'll use the left over pieces of one of the gnome hat sweaters to make a plush body for the doll. Stuffed with more fiberfill. It will be very a very small doll, 12 inches at most, but I'm very pleased with it so far and very excited also.

If this turns out good I'll try a bigger one using one of Maddie's socks for the head form. The only question is which girl do I give it to for Christmas?! I've come to realize that the adorable Madame Alexander baby that I picked up at the thrift store is too heavy for Ava to carry, it weighs about 3 pounds.
She has to sit just to hold it, and to be honest, it's half her size.

My dinky baby girl.

Then I wonder, should I give it to Maddie for christmas? How spoiled should she be this year? She's already getting a dollhouse, not a fabulous one, but it's big and has people and furniture, I'm the one who has issues with plastic, not her, so she'll like it plenty. Anyway, if I do give it to Maddie, what will Ava's big present be? Should I make her a 16 inch waldorf baby doll and give her the doll cradle and high chair we have for her? I know she'll love that, but I think she'd love them more in a year or two. She can't really tell me what she really wants for Christmas. So what do I get her then?!

More Christmas

2010-10-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

Pondering pondering on stocking stuffers. Purely because we got the new Magic Cabin catalog. Pondering on what to sell on ebay next to get money enough for the nativity sets I want. We don't have a nativity set. I have issues with most nativity sets because what mother is going to sit back while her newborn baby lies in straw coated with horse saliva? This is the nativity set I have asked Jordan for the past two years:

I love this because the Mary and Jesus figurine is SO how I think mothers feel about their babies. Anyway, Maybe this year we'll actually get it.
But that's not something I want the kids able to even reach. So I also really want this nativity for the girls:

Gnome hat!!!

2010-10-18T18:42:00.000-07:00

If you read the post below this one, you'll find a list of crafty things I want to make. The first on the list is a Gnome hat. I realized I had all the things I needed to make one, so following Acorn Pies tutorial I whipped one up for Maddie. I'll get better pictures this week when we go for a walk in the canyon, but I had to try it on her to be sure it fit.

I'll be making Ava a gnome hat too, because I think they're so cute!!

In other news, we got a package from Namma today with the CUTEST matching outfits for the girls. Oh my stinkin cuteness. I will so have to do pictures of them together.

UPDATE: I realized that there was enough of the sweater hem left to make a matching hat for Maddie's dolls. Here it is being modeled by one of my dolls since all of Maddies are in her room where she's sleeping and I'm lazy. I didn't get the back angle right, but I'm pretty sure Maddie won't care.

Talents

2010-10-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

My Maddie girl impresses me more and more everyday with her drawing skill. She's only 4!! Yesterday she decided she wanted to draw princesses. So she drew Belle and Cinderella. Then she made some "little paper" and drew a picture of her holding hands with mommy and daddy. She even gave me curly hair! She also drew herself and Ava s fairies. And a few weeks ago she drew a picture of Tinkerbell and Tink's friends. I love the motion she's able to give stick figures. Doesn't Belle look like she's dancing?!

Speaking of talents I'm extremely jealous today of those who can knit and crochet well. Many of the blogs I read are written by people who are extremely talented in making sweaters and things.
Like the hats and dresses and sweaters and slippers being made at Frontier Dreams
And the knits that Heather has been doing over at InfiKnity
Of course there's also the ever inspiring small things
And because of this, I pulled out my yarn and hunted up as many crochet and knitting needles I could find (one knitting needle, alot of good that does me, and G, I, and E crochet hooks) Then I gathered my crochet patterns and tried to decide on what to make. . . .and now here I am still trying to figure it out.

Some things I wish to make:
Gnome Hat
Gnome shoes(they're near the end of the post)
Knit doll
Waldorf Doll
Nature Table(I don't fully understand the concept of a nature table, but I am enamored with the ones I've seen)
Wooden/Wool peg gnomes
Wooden stacking cut-outs
Wool Felt Crowns
Felted Eggs
Flutterbies
Twirligigs
Felt Food
Wooden Play Kitchen
Window Stars 2
Phoebe's Sweater
Wet-felted stones
Playscape
Leaf Soft book
Pretty much all the crafts here
Door Draft snake
Baby Cocoon
Placemats 2 3 4 5

2010-10-17T09:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Ava and I watched two different versions of The Secret Garden. I grew up watching the Hallmark version and love it. Both of the ones Netflix has are enjoyable.
Today we're watching Little Lord Fauntleroy on VHS. I picked it up at the Thrift Store last month, they actually had two copies of it that day. So exciting!
Francis H. Burnett is definately a great author and the books turn into good movies!

Jordan picked up a eye of round roast at Target on Thursday, and today I threw it in the crockpot with some salsa, some water, and a dry onion soup mix. I'll serve it with tortillas and tomatoes and lettuce and avocado and rice also. But that's not enough vegetables for me, so I'm trying to figure out what kind of vegetable side dish goes with shredded beef. *sigh*. Back in our first apartment I once made a delicious meal of shredded beef on polenta with a side of cooked greens. I don't have any polenta or greens though.

I decided to make a coleslaw to go with dinner. And jello. I used the Picnic Slaw recipe on allrecipes.com, but I used only green onions and put in sour cream instead of buttermilk and reduced the mayo to 1/4 cup and used lime juice instead of lemon and paprika instead of pepper. We'll see how it turns out. I've never made coleslaw before because Jordan doesn't like it.

I walked home from church today. We drove to there, but took the stroller along so I could push the girls home. It was enjoyable, though I'm starting to feel sore from yesterdays core strengthening exercises.

Halloween Decorations 2

2010-10-15T12:46:00.000-07:00

We went to the pumpkin patch yesterday and got pumpkins to carve. It was cheaper than Target or Walmart or Macey's pumpkins. Though I discovered that Winco has a good price on pumpkins, (eight cents a pound) so I may get some more to just use for non carved decorations. Purely so I can stretch out the availability of roasted pumpkin seeds. I burnt yesterday's seeds though. It was a very off afternoon/evening. ANYWAY. I had Maddie draw a picture of what she wanted her pumpkin's face to look like, and then I traced it onto the pumpkin and she cut it out. Or cut part of the mouth, then had Mommy help. Daddy used a cool wolf pattern.

I haven't cut mine yet. Instead, I've started on our glitter skulls. I got the idea for dollarstorecrafts.com of course. Here's the blog that they got it from: Boutique Chic Skeleton Crew.
The glitter skulls were $1 each from Dollar Tree. I had the glitter cupcake wrappers, glue, and silver glitter (for on cupcake wrappers) already. I spent $6 at the thrift store for an old dictionary and two old piano music books. Instead of tissue paper for the fringe, I got some black napkins with a white damask print on them from Target clearance $1.38 for 16 napkins. Obviously I've only gotten two of the heads made. I have two more to do. As well as a few sliver skulls for Maddie to do. One will be a princess, but I haven't figured out yet for the others. I do realize I'm clustering all our decorations in one room, but it's my favorite room. It's the room that I feel is most like a normal house. I'll get a better picture of them when they're all done.

How to Train Your Dragon finally came out on video!! We LOVED it, so we've had it factored into the budget for a while. Jordan got it at Walmart this morning since it's on sale there the day it comes out.

Isn't my gnome adorable?

She LOVES chapstick. Mainly because she gets so proud of herself for being able to take the lid off herself.I just make sure the chapstick itself is screwed down all the way. She also loves being able to get her coat herself. We have the girls coats on hooks they can reach. Sure we seem to be the only people in the state who wear jackets in this weather. At the pumpkin patch yesterday most of the kids were in shorts and t-shirts. I was in my fleece coat.

Oh ya, the girls bathroom is finally up and working again! On Monday we had a plumber come out to fix the main water valve under the trailer. He took a look at the toilet in their bathroom and told Jordan exactly what to do after figuring out what was the likely problem. Sure enough, after Jordan took the toilet off and did some hunting down in the drain, he found, and removed, a toy car. Now it's all working just fine.

This week is letter C

2010-10-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

Ya, we did no schooling last week. Anyway, here is our letter C lesson plan with letter C activities.

Monday, October 11, 2010
C is for Cat and Color

Make play dough
Test color mixing of dough
Form letter “C c” out of play dough
Make cat ears and tail
Pretend to be cats
Sew and count mice toys
Learn “pussy-cat” nursery rhymes
Cat face sandwich
Paper plate cat face puppet with chenille for whiskers

Tuesday, October 12, 2010
C is for Circle and caterpillar

Find circle objects around the house
Cut tree branch into circles
Cut out paper circles
Count circles into caterpillar segments
Draw a circle in the street and scooter along
Play with hula hoops
Play ring around the roseys
Play Frisbee
Sing “Going ‘round in a circle”
Do caterpillar color pattern cards
Glue pompoms along a popsicle stick for a caterpillar use chenille for antennae
Celery sticks filled with cream cheese

Wednesday, October 13, 2010
C is for Cookie and Cupcake

Turn wood circles into play cookies
Sing “C is for Cookie”
Make Cupcakes put frosting C on the top
Count out cupcakes onto plates
Take cupcakes to friends
Do color sorting activites
Use cookie cutters to cut playdough

Thursday, October 14, 2010
C is for Christ and Crown and Coins

Read stories of Jesus
Act out a story or two
Talk about ways to be Christ-like
Visit Temple Square
Make and decorate crowns
Do cornmeal drawings
Count and sort coins

Friday, October 15, 2010
C is for Car and Clock

Turn boxes into Cars
Sing Car songs
Learn some driving rules
Draw a road on for riding bike along
Add & subtract toy cars
Make track for toy cars
Sort cars by color

Other C activities:

Make “books” with “c” pictures cut from magazines
Cottonball transferring
Clothespin color matching

2010-10-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

Milk.

I realized the culprit of Ava's throwing up and discomfort and clingyness.

As I went to pour myself a glass today, it hit me that the two days she threw up (She threw up thursday night too), I had drunk a large glass or two of milk. I guess her allergy is not gone. I was so very hopeful.

2010-10-08T09:10:00.000-07:00

It's a sad day when you're watching Bones and they're talking about the body having excellerated decomposition and as you see part of the facial muscles falling off the skull you think, "Why's that bad? Less work for Zach to do." Sad because 1. You know the jobs of the characters in the show and 2. because Zach is gone.

Jordan is playing with the dog. . . .the kids are therefore sitting on the dog's abandoned bed. . . .

My freezer actually did have room enough for all the strawberry jam.