Keeping up with LIFE

Soooo....I'm not so good at keeping up with my blog (as evidenced by the 6ish months since my last post).  I guess that I feel the need to update when things are happening and lately, well, things AREN'T happening.  Then again, with things like Facebook & email, I tend to keep up with my friends and family in lots of other ways.  I keep saying I am going to keep the blog updated with all the fantastic things I make (either sewing/crafty or foody-wise).  Truth is, there  really hasn't been much time for sewing since the beginning of the year.  I started working full-time and between the hours at work, driving Douglas to/from daycare & keeping up with the housework (or at least making a valiant attempt), well, it doesn't seem there are enough hours in the day for all the fun stuff!!! 


I've made plenty of baby gifts for all the babies that have been born lately, but no pictures.  So I will do my best in the future to do better!

I Love This Kid

My kiddo is truly a kiddo after my own heart.  He decided that he's ready for winter -- the only thing he didn't put on:  snowpants!  He got his boots, hat & mittens on by himself -- needed a little help with the jacket zipper, but otherwise dressed himself & was ready to go out & play.  Too bad it was 70+ degrees yesterday & he got REALLY hot, REALLY quickly & shed his gear shortly after I snapped this photo.  It's good to know my kiddo is as excited about winter as I am!

Trip to IL

I wish I could say I was an expert photographer and that I took lots & lots & lots of photos of my trip back to IL.  Truth be told, I kept forgetting that I even had a camera with me.  I did get to spend lots of time with my sisters & some of my closer friends & family.  I didn't get to see nearly the number of people I really wanted to see but those I did see, I got to spend some quality time with.  I will admit that this trip did not alleviate my desire to live closer to "home".  In fact, it made me want to live there more than ever.  My nieces & nephews have all changed so much since I last saw them and I hate missing out on it.  It makes me sad knowing that the next time I see my newest nephews (Benjamin & Henry) or my newest cousin (Sierra), they are going to be completely changed!

In any case, I loved my trip home and am exceptionally thankful that I was able to go!

Weekend Update

So the yard sale was a HUGE success!!!!  Well, in my opinion anyhow.  I sold about 1/2 of the stuff I brought with to sell & made about $70.  That to me is a great sale!  I priced pretty much everything under a buck and that drew a lot of people.  I think it also helped that I was placed right in between a lady that was selling just kids clothes & toys and another lady that was selling handmade jewelry.  It was a definite draw to people to see the jewelry & the people with kids loved the lady with the kids stuff...and there I was in the middle with all kinds of stuff for sale!  I was pretty flexible on stuff too - I sold a box FULL of VHS tapes for $5...the guy who bought them told me he loathed DVDs & CDs and had several VHS players that he's reconditioned.  Since I really wanted to get rid of the VHS tapes, it was a match made in heaven (so to speak)!  Everything that didn't sell on Saturday has been donated (books & DVDs to the library -- everything else to Goodwill).  So even without selling it, we are going to be able to write it off on our taxes.  A good situation all around.

This week is going to be spent cleaning & prepping for our trip to IL next week.  I'm going to be making skirts for several of my nieces & friend's kiddos too.  It's a good thing these skirts whip up pretty quickly so I can knock them out pretty fast.  I'm also planning to get some new PJ pants made for Douglas & myself & perhaps some pillowcases too.  Then again, this all may be some wishful planning.  I know me & I know that I tend to procrastinate a bit! :-)

Aside from that, life is pretty normal...oh, except that Douglas is no longer "Douglas".  He's now "Dude" and will correct you if you do not refer to him as such. (hee heee heeeee)

Excitement

Every now & then, a month comes along that ends up so jam packed with goodness that I just can't contain my excitement about it.  September 2011 has most definitely been one of those months!!

Let me start with this preface -- back in July, I got a gift card to Barnes & Noble for my birthday and I have done a LOT of book/movie/music shopping.  However, none of the stuff I purchased has excited me as much as this little purchase here: 

 Yep -- that's right.  The ENTIRE Chronicles of Narnia collection.  I've read all the books before but as of now, I only have The Silver Chair.  I've wanted to have the whole collection for several years now, but they were always so dern expensive.  For me, $60 for a set of books is a LOT of money.  You can imagine just how happy I was when I found that I could get this set for less than $25!!!!  I am SOOOOOO looking forward to re-reading these books!!!!


Next in the excitement line-up is a community yard sale!!

  I realize most people kinda groan and "grrr" when it comes to yard sales, but I am totally stoked about this.  We live in a gated community on a road that gets regular use, but this is not a community that "promotes" having yard sales.  So, once a year, they throw a community yard sale.  I have to pay $10 for a site, but I get to put out all the crap...I mean, TREASURES...that I have sitting around in my house & hope that some other poor sap wants what I don't! :-)  So far, I've only sorted thru the stuff I've been hoarding in my bedroom & have come up with a big Sterilite tote full of stuff to sell.  My plan is to get stuff out of the rest of the closets today & my sewing room tomorrow.  After that, I have 2 days to price it all & then it'll be time to SELL, SELL, SELL!!!!  I already feel "lighter" knowing that our house will be less all this "stuff".  If it doesn't sell on Saturday at the yard sale then it is going to be donated to Goodwill.  Bye-bye stuff!!!


And almost the MOST exciting thing for the month is our upcoming trip to Illinois!!!!

Douglas & I are coming to visit as many people as we can fit in an almost 2 week visit.  Friends & family - beware!  Our excitement is almost uncontainable!! :-)  I am so looking forward to meeting all the new members of our family:  Melanee, Benjamin, Sierra & Henry -- I hope you all are ready for lots of hugs & kisses!

I will leave you with this note & this is really the thing that I am most excited and thrilled and gushing to everyone about:  Douglas is learning to spell words!!!  Yesterday, we were watching a Word World DVD (a show where everything is made up of it's letters -- for example, the character "Dog" is made up of the letters "D-O-G").  Douglas went into his room & brought out his letter blocks.  He then set out 3 blocks and said "Look Mahnee - BED!"  Sure enough, he had blocks B, E, and D laid out (and in the right order too!).  He also learned to spell Dog and Bear.  I am so excited for my little man!!!

(My little "Beeza" -- Douglas speak for "Zebra")

Listening to My Body

When I was pregnant, people often reminded me that when a craving struck it was most likely because my body was craving a certain nutrient.  I craved hashbrowns.  Not just any hashbrowns - McDonald's hashbrowns.  Not the healthiest thing in the world AT ALL, but every day I just HAD to have hashbrowns!  I think it was the sodium in them that I wanted, but the more important thing is that now (4 years later) I have been having something similar happen....only in reverse.   Before I was craving something, now I am revolted by something...oh, and before we get too far, NO I am NOT pregnant!

For the past several weeks, I have noticed that I have really NOT been enjoying meat.  It started with chicken.  I'd been making several meals each week with chicken and I think I just got burned out on it.  But lately it's been all meats.  Red meat, white meat, processed meats, lunch meats....ugh, they are ALL just turning my stomach.  Even just the thought of them makes my lip curl & stomach groan.

It has gotten to the point where I have actually been considering cutting (most) meat out of my diet.  I say "most" simply because things like dairy, eggs & some fish (tuna specifically) don't make me feel like I want to gag.  And here's the other interesting part.  I spent a few days last week where I didn't eat any meat -- ate nuts, fruits, veggies, cheese, peanut butter & most everything else I normally eat but just cut out the meat.  I felt GREAT.  My mood was lifted.  I was calmer & happier too.  Then I ate meat for a couple days & just felt heavy & weighed down.

So my thoughts for the past few days have been something along these lines:  I think my body is trying to give me some hints on how to feel better and the first step is to stop eating meat!  I've been craving being a healthier & thinner person but right now, I feel that my focus should be more on eating meals that don't center around MEAT. 

So if you have any great, meatless recipes that are still healthy & tasty, please share!!!

Four and a half months!

Wow -- 4.5 months since my last post.  Jeesh -- is anybody still even reading this blog?  If you are, then I'll start updating again.  Otherwise, I'm thinking it's time to take 'er down!