Crunchy Peas

Rx for a fussy baby

Today was one of those days-- lots of fussing, no napping, plenty of frustration. And for good reason: Ian is the proud new owner of his TWO lower central incisors. My arms were full of baby! After dinner we escaped out to our front lawn. There we made a little nest...

and put our feet up.

Some of us ate tomatoes from the garden (which, by the way, has been a total flop).  Other of us just drooled over them.

 

We pinched and nibbled,

kissed...

and just generally engaged in silliness.  Then we smiled and laughed and went inside, took our baths and went to bed.

*Sigh*  I'm not going to think about the dishes until tomorrow.

Bub in the tub

Ian was not originally a fan of his Spa Baby bath tub. I don't know why, he just didn't like it.  So, up until the last two weeks or so he would take a bath with me.

I loved that! However, it takes two people to complete the operation, and Carl is not always home when Ian needs a bath.  So, I am happy now that he likes his little tub.  It is an important part of his winding down process every evening. I am fairly religious about baths for kids at night- especially in the summer.  I think we all sleep better when we are not covered in popsicle juice and chlorine. When I was little my grandmother never let me go to bed with dirty feet.  Even when we were camping or something- she would always wash my feet with a nice warm cloth before tucking me in.  I guess that has stuck with me. 

An added benefit of this little tub is that it uses hardly any water!  Maybe 1 gallon? 

 

What is better than a nice clean baby? Very little I'd say!

a quick update

Ian is sleeping more, crying less, eating A TON, and....

Now he is smiling.  I'm pretty happy about all of that. 

I did some sewing over the weekend. I just have to take a picture of my finished project. Can't wait to share!

Coming up for Air

Ian is one month old. Time has both whizzed by, and seemed to stretch on forever.

 

I thought that I would have a better handle on things by now...but sheesh, 4 kids is really kicking my butt! It is all good, really, really, good. Just a lot.  A LOT!

 

I don't have a very high level of tolerance for chaos, so the postpartum period for me is always an exercise in chilling out. I am thankful to that I always bounce back from pregnancy and birth so quickly, however, this makes it hard to sit still. I wish I was better at sitting still. Nursing is a good remedy for that! I have to choose/make myself go easy. The messy bedrooms, dishes piled high, sticky floors, and heaps of laundry-- they just have to wait. I have to be okay with that.

Ian is okay with that too.

Other random thoughts:

*For anyone who is considering cloth diapering a newborn, x-small Fuzzi Bunz is where it's at! I am also using prefolds with this cover and this one too.

*It was a nice thought, but Ian doesn't really like his SpaBaby tub yet.  He prefers the kitchen sink (which is a great motivator for me to keep the dirty dishes out of it).

*The Moby has literally saved my life at least 103 times since Ian has been born. He loves it!

*Scouting out good deals on one of these BOB strollers.  Slightly obsessed with procuring one.

*No more babies for us. Carl had a vasectomy last week-- a completely hilarious process. For me at least. Frozen peas, lots of ibuprofen, and a great BIG baby! Good thing I'm the one who did all the childbearing! He's back to his old self now, thankfully.

*Ian looks identical to his older sister Laurel.  Carl and I have both caught ourselves calling him a "her" or "she". Gotta get that worked out right away!

*The weather has been drizzly, windy, cold and cloudy.  Perfect for snuggling a new babe. The girls have been so great at entertaining themselves inside.  Hooray for fun/educational iphone apps, good books, puzzles, UNO, and quick trips to the library.

*I love this blanket, Ian LOVES this blanket.  You should all love this blanket.  Ian is used to sleeping right next to me in bed at night...so during the day for naps it helps keep him safely snuggled up tight.

Okay, that is all I can think of for now, I'd love to be back soon.  Bare with me!

yes please

Nothing like a little fantasy shopping while I wait....

bag

shoes

hat

                 

glasses

dress

today

With my due date in sight, it is hard not to be focused on all that is upcoming. And yet, there is today.  There certainly is a lot to love about today.

Oranges sent to me fresh from their trees in Arizona. Thanks Grandma. And thank you to my aunt who bought me that lovely blue bowl at the antique store.

Piles of freshly washed diapers ready and waiting for baby.

Impromptu tea parties complete with sequined attire.

Leftover lemon cupcakes from my baby shower. Perfect with our tea.

Fluffy cat-naps in the planter boxes on the front porch. This is her favorite spot. Not sure what will happen when there are actually plants growing there.

Laurel's bright and cheery little math assignment.

So you see, today is happy too. Trying to stay in the moment and enjoy it for what it is. The big day will be here soon enough.

It exists!

Just when I was about to lose hope...

The sun came out. Every window covering pulled back, every sunny spot in the house occupied-- we drank it in. More please.

Fake a Glow

Unfortunately, I am not one of those naturally glowing pregnant mamas. So, I've been faking it.  With this and this. Pixie cosmetics- found at Target.

finding color

 For days, this has been the view out my front window.  It usually looks like this.  But lately...gray.  It is really really gray.  Sometimes, gray is nice. It can be soothing, calming, even cozy.  Not this gray. It is downright depressing.

So in order to restrain myself from falling into the depths of despair, I have had to find some color.

 

Yellow.  How I love yellow.

 

Coral is the new pink.  At least for me.  I don't even care if it is too summery.

Grandma-made crocheted rainbows.

Green and turquoise.  My favorites.

I am also hoping hasten Spring by looking longingly at the new Boden catalog.  So, so cute. Less than 100 days now until I can ditch the elastic maternity waistbands. Yippee!

Here's hoping for sun...SOON!

*** Hey, does anyone use iphoto and typepad on a MAC?  I have a couple of questions, email me.

pretty dates

I printed this lovely little lunar calendar off of etsy. I love the "instant gratification" of pdf purchases. 2010 looks lovely! Get one.

An Apple for Breakfast

Savory and sweet! The yogurt and coffee were good too!  So happy to have a working computer.

things I'm loving

I am generally not in love with "things", but it never hurts to have a few lovelies in your life.  Here is some of what I have been enjoying lately.

1. Breakfast.  I took a little 6 week vacation from tasty morning meals.  Basically I survived on bananas and saltines (a few grapefruits too).  Morning sickness is comparatively mild for me- thankfully. Just a bit of nausea. Feeling much much better.

2. Pixi cosmetics.  Especially this cheek stain.  I am a total sucker for packaging.

3. Braids.  Lots and lots of braids.  No shower required :)

4. Squeezo.  Makes canning tomatoes and applesauce a breeze.  Okay not that easy...but easier! No peeling. If you see one at a garage sale, snatch it up!  There are a few on ebay!

 

5. Wuthering Heights on netflix "watch instantly".  Good, really really good.

 

6. The Diary of Mattie Spenser.  A good quick read.  It took me one full Sunday.

7. Lavender.  I bought some from buds from the farmer's market a while back.  I have them stashed in little dishes all around the house.  Smells wonderful.  I've always used this in my bath. 

8. Kissaluvs size 0.  Cloth diapers...they're baaaack.  Keeping my eyes out for some good deals on a new stash.

9. Ghosting.  Hillarious! Hamish and Andy.  Who knew?

10. Pictures by Hannah.  Once a day I let her take photos with my iphone.  This gem showed up the other day.  I think she snapped it when we were waiting for Emma to come out of piano lessons.  I love how it shows a tiny snippet of the daily affection that is mine.  Love those arms around my neck.

Feeling more like Fall

The weather is finally turning.  I am so ready.  Summer was beginning to wear out its welcome.  Cooler temperatures and chilly breezes swooped in just in time.

 

Yesterday we fished out our sweatshirts (I say that as if it was a minor task- it wasn't.  Lots and lots of digging through a very disorganized even hazardous closet) and headed out for a little hike...

out behind our house to the wheat fields

 

I love the way these girls explore nature.  They are becoming so much more observant, so much more appreciative of God's creation.

 

We could see Fall emerging.  It was so subtle.

  

Thank you all for your sweet little notes about the new baby.  I will admit we were not planning this pregnancy. At first- the idea took some getting used to (it took me no less than 20 minutes to convince my husband that I wasn't joking!).  But, mothering these 3 girls has been such a joy-filled blessing and we are privileged to be shepherding their hearts.  I know that baby number 4 will be more of the same, in the best kind of way. 

 

I know it's not offical....

but with the first back-yard swim of the season...

  

 

We welcome you Summer. So glad you are back!

No collar required

 

 

Or shoes,

 

or proper form for that matter.

 

Just dedication,

 

patience (because you are very out of practice and because you occasionally whiff it),

and a field of grass with some lofty goals.

Down for the Count

Several things can make a girl recover more quickly from a massive ear infection: a stack of books, box of tissues, plenty of water, chicken soup, a warmed bag of rice, Tylenol with codeine and Amoxicillin (blech- hate these...but they were absolutely necessary this time! Emma swears that the antibiotics taste like shampoo)....

 

Also, never underestimate the power of Mr. Rodgers and a puppy who snuggles close by. 

The house seems to be quiet for the moment.  I am going to find my way to the sewing machine.  Making this.  See you soon.

May 1st

 So far this month I have:

* Done my 20 laps and 1.5 miles.

*Washed dishes, washed clothes and washed three cute little faces. 

*Made banana bread, made breakfast, and made my bed.

  

*Bought flowers, cut flowers, bundled flowers, and delivered flowers (it was a bit of a flop...no one was home- Happy May Day anyways).  

     

*Made some lunch, ate some lunch, enjoyed some lunch, and ate some more lunch. 

 

Organized seeds, planted seeds, talked to seeds (necessary), and watered seeds.

 

*Read the paper, read a book, read the nutritional information on the package of ice cream bars in my freezer. (decided they weren't worth it)

*Sat with a cup of coffee, sat with my dog, sat with my laptop.

This evening will bring concerts in the park, strawberry shish-kebabs, blankets on the grass, and maybe even some dancing.

It is going to be a good month!

summer preview

What does this 

  

plus this

 

plus this, equal?

 

Yep, that's right, another great reason to homeschool. When unseasonably warm weather (85 degrees in April) descends upon you...pack up the towels, lunch, schoolwork and sunscreen and head to the beach.

 

Which is exactly what we did.  Yes, the river was like a newly thawed glacier...but that didn't stop us from frequent (albeit short) skips and splashes through the water.

 

All the sand toys were restocked (thank you Target and Dollar Tree).  They were shiny and novel and kept some parties entertained for hours.

 

It was such a joy to get reacquainted with this little habitat. I've grown to love the distinct seasons here (where I grew up there were only two: rainy and party cloudy.)  Snow in the winter, hot sun in the summer, and surprise beach days in early spring. 

Felt good to get some sand in all our creases.  We'll be back "secret beach", we'll be back.

Saturday Morning

 

Hope you are enjoying yours!   

New and Different

First off, I'd like you to meet Mulligan.

 

He's the newest member of our family and we affectionately refer to him as "Mully".  After visiting my cousin Jenny last week, we fell in love with her pug named Chip.  You have to know that we don't really "bond" with animals much and so for us to make a connection the way we did...we just had to have one of our own.  So, we found Mully and here he is.  We no longer watch TV.  Just the dog.  He is so entertaining.  We're giggling, giggling all the time.  I am sure that many, many adventures await us.

   

We made some crazy popcorn for Valentine's Day.  It had bites of licorice, hot tamales, and red sprinkles in it.  The girls went nuts!  The recipe came from Better Homes and Gardens March issue.

 

All kinds of other interesting popcorn ideas in there.

I am stuck on this song.  Can't stop listening to anything Ray LaMontagne.

 

I'm taking this picture to my stylist next week. My hair is just about this long and definitely wavy enough. I have an outragously outgrown version of this and am ready for a change. What do you think?

This is by far the greatest crepe recipe I have ever tried.  Made 'em this morning with a cream cheese filling. Yu-ummmy.

My Netflix Queue is almost empty.  I have watched some bummers lately.  Not sure how I even made it passed the first 5 minutes of this one.  Help, all the main characters are dying!  Suggestions for happy movies please!

 

Carl and I attended the Washington Association of Wine and Grape Growers Annual Fundraising Event last week.  He designed a print that was to be auctioned off, so we were invited. The whole dinner was amazing...but my favorite part was the the Cabernet Sauvignon Sorbet.  DANGEROUS!  I must figure out how to make this.  Or, maybe its better that I don't!

Speaking of dangerous...I ate a Big Mac today for the first time in about 5 years. Even thought I knew it was like "poison on a bun"- it was extremely satisfying.

  

I am pretty sure that I am the last person on earth to talk about Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.  It is really revoloutionizing my life.  Imagine mixing the basic bread ingredients in a giant tupperware container (no kneading!!!!) and storing it in your fridge.  Whenever you need a nice, warm crusty loaf just pull out a hunk of dough, let it rest 20 minutes or so, then bake it.  Presto, fresh bread without all the effort.  Love.

Okay, wow a lot of links in there.  Thank you for all your sweet words about the Valentine's pictures.  You really know how to puff up this mama's heart.  Upcoming posts: planning the garden, homeschooling updates, a bit of spring sewing, and a give away!!

Staying on Task

Well, hello there.  I've been missing you!  Its been a nice time away.  Thanks to those of you who were checking in on me.  I didn't mean to be gone so long.  Life is just full you know?  It is all good- just full. 

I am finding that there is great reward in being on task.  I am not ready to give this little space up...but being a present wife, a patient mother, an enthusiastic homemaker, a competent teacher, a reliable birth assistant, a sane person, and a frequent blogger seems to be impossible.  Sometimes, something has to give.  I have been extremely guarded with my time.  Saying no to play dates, phone calls (sorry if I haven't returned yours), and all kinds of other extra curricular activities (including blogging) takes discipline.  In the end, just keeping my nose to the grindstone has been quite fulfilling. When I refocus my priorities and put my energy into blessing my family first (its a blessing to have clean clothes, clean toilets, organized cupboards, healthy meals, and a car that doesn't stink like sour milk) I don't think of all of those daily tasks as drudgery or monotony.  Instead, it becomes a way of making my home a place where relationships can flourish.  And that is a priority. So, staying on task has been my task. 

With that said....

 

 

 

 

I went skiing today :)  Allowable distraction!  Hope to be back soon.

Need a laugh?

This ought to do it.

Sunday afternoon with a bunch of silly girls who discovered my workout playlist on itunes.

10 Happy Things

 

1. Basil growing in my window.

2. I haven't shoveled the driveway in over a week.  No snow!

 

3. "Late-night-after-the-kids-have-gone-to-bed-healthy-dinners."  Conversation uninterrupted.

4. This book.  Several projects waiting in the wings.

 

5. An afternoon with friends sharing paints.

6. Listening to Elizabeth Mitchell while sharing paints.

 

7. Boden spring catalog, and sailor pants, and bright red shoes and belts.

8. Soft boiled eggs . More pretty eggs here.

 

9. Mixed metal jewelry. Gold is the new platinum for me.

 

10. These four faces. Together every day. Growing, and learning and loving each other.  What could be better? (taken last winter... but one of my favs)

**More happy things in the lower left sidebar.  Please don't think of these as things that i am coveting.  I have everything that I truly need.  Just pretty things to look at and be inspired by :)

Meltdown

 

In the space of about 8 hours, we lost almost 18 inches of snow.

 

Crazy, wet, soggy, and destructive weather produced a major meltdown.

My Dad, who came for a visit on "official business" (Carl is working on his website) was stranded here for a few extra days.  All roads leading home were either flooded, washed out, covered in mudslides, or avalanches. 

 

Aren't they cute with their matching macs?  They would like you to think that they are busily working on important professional stuff.  Instead, those guys had an ongoing quest to be the winner of "the longest drive", or "closest to the pin" on their golf game.  There were moments of ugliness.

And, just to show that it isn't always pretty and perfect around here...

 

 

 

 

A little dose of my current reality.  Its been a long week of schooling.  The house has indeed suffered.

I feel another meltdown coming on!!

Hannah's head

 

I always knew it would be her.  I've suspected that one day she would be the child who would need emergency medical attention.  Last night she did a somersault off of her sister's bed (on purpose) and conked her head on the sideboard. 

 

A bit of blood, lots of tears, and two staples later...she is all fixed up. 

Thank goodness for husbands who brave freezing rain and snow at 10pm to make unfortunate trips to the hospital. (it took us a while to decide if we should take her in and who would be the one to go).  I'm totally down with a little blood and being hands on with the process of birth. I've even been front and center assisting with postpartum suturing...but I COULD NOT watch them put staples in my baby's head.  Uh-uh.  Even that photo- gives me the willies!

Light

 

The skies have cleared.  The light is so nice.

 

I have really grown to love the view out of my living room windows.  When it is obscured I realized how much I miss peering out on the wheat fields.

 

In the mornings I find myself here waiting to meet the sunshine. 

 

The ground was all sparkly this morning.  I ventured out in my jammies and slippers to snap this picture- I'm sure the neighbors appreciated that one.

 

Lots of frozen tomatoes out there.

 

In other news, I am the recipient of Carl's electronic hand-me-downs.  Since he treated himself to one of these (web designers = mac snobs)I am now the proud owner of his "old" laptop.  A few technical kinks have kept me from blogging this past week.  I am back on track however, and have missed this space. We're headed out of town for Thanksgiving and I'm bringing my camera and this laptop with me.  Be checking in all week!!

Improvise

When the leaves are wet-

 

 

 

Improvise.

Must Haves

So my friends from high school have been posting their "10 must haves" and I decided that I too would share mine.  It turned out to be harder for me that I thought it would be.  I mean c'mon, if I were making a real list it would have things like: my family, my health, food/water, a house, a car, a dishwasher, air conditioning, and toilet paper. Those are the things I really can't live without, however, they are not very fun to read about or look at.  So I give you the "10 Can't- Live- Without Must- Haves (if my other basic needs are met)" List.  Enjoy.

Number 1:

 

I cut out caffeine during my first pregnancy and after the withdrawal symptoms subsided I swore I would never go back.  For the most part (minus a few 36 hours w/o sleep stretches) I haven't.  However, I do really, really, really love my decaf.  I make it with a stove-top espresso maker and foamy milk.  No latte stand, no Starbucks can rival what I whip up at home.  I love it!

Number 2:

 

Ninety-Five percent of what I cook/bake comes out of this little magazine-- helps me so much.

Number 3:

 

Just recently we have started using a Fertility Awareness Method over other forms of birth control.  I feel so much better being free of synthetic hormones.  This thermometer and chart are vital tools.  See my sidebar to the right for the book I have been reading.

Number 4:

   

Mary Kay Microdermabrasion.  I know what your thinking.  Mary Kay?  I used to think that Mary Kay was for middle aged women in the south who wore tacky jewelry and preferred pink eye shadow (please don't take offense). Recently, my point of view was altered.  I now have a friend who plugs in my hair/skin/eye color to her computer, prints out the appropriate color schemes, assembles them in beautiful compacts, and delivers them to my door!!! Plus, I have the peace-of-mind knowing that my money is supporting a friend's business and not a department store.  It works for me.  Microdermabrasion is a must when you are flaky and old like me.

Number 5:

 

Totally addicted.  Most recently watched this. Excellent.

Number 6:

 

Beco Baby Carrier. Use it all the time.  See it action here. I made dinner with Laurel in it tonight.

Number 7:

 

My bathtub.  I make a beeline towards it every night after tucking the girls in bed. Always a nice little get-away.

Number 8:

 

(Its driving me nuts that the sheets are wrinkly in this picture.  Apparently, I didn't hear the buzzer on the dryer and they sat all afternoon- too lazy to iron them.)

Somewhere along the line I have developed really expensive taste in bed linens.  Why not?  You spend half your life there (well, maybe a little less if you are me).  Oddly enough, my favorite set came from Cotsco.  500+ threadcount required!

Number 9:

 

My rice pack.  Instructions for making your own here.  I have terribly cold feet. All. The. Time.  Not sure that there is even blood flowing to that part of my body.  Carl barricades himself with pillows at night so as to protect himself from them.  A few minutes in the microwave and a couple drops of lavender essential oil makes this pack heavenly!

Number 10:

 

You guessed it.  My camera.

Fruit and Friends

The benefits of living in orchard country: fresh fruit right off the tree! Our friends invited us to come and pick cherries with them yesterday morning. 

It was already scorching outside and it felt wonderfully cool under the shade of the well endowed branches.  Hannah's headband (her creation) reminds me of my Uncle Denny who is an expert in VW van repair and only ever wears flip-flops. Every time I looked at her I had to smile.

Ultimate concentration was required by Laurel who was learning how to spit out the pits.  I hovered nearby until she got the hang of it.

Fruit picking with kids means two things- the adults do most of the picking...

and the kids do most of the playing (and eating)!

But we did end up with lots of lovely cherries to enjoy now. Share your favorite recipes please!!

Prelude

Ahhhh!  A completely, totally, wonderfully relaxing weekend.  It was lovely.  Three whole days of just hanging out.  We did catch the fireworks from our neighborhood perch. Half-way through the show the girls started turning into pumpkins before our very eyes!  No one was feeling very patriotic at that point. The nights just keep getting later and later around here. Yesterday morning Emma and Hannah made Carl and I breakfast in bed.  They served us toast that was buttered then sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and topped with peanut-butter.  A very interesting combination I must say.  Also on our plates were some "circle meats" as we like to call them, microwaved to perfection! It was all very comical as Carl and I used our worst manners and complained about everything in effort to show them how hurtful it can be when the people you lovingly serve are ungrateful.  We had them running back and forth from the bedroom to the kitchen fetching more of this, and fixing that. Lesson learned- maybe.

So I know that I have been a pretty lame/slackerish/lazy blogger for the last few weeks.  I have been pre-occupied with making a fairly big decision- to homeschool the girls this fall.  I would love to tell you all about this new venture and how I got to this point...but I am not feeling super articulate right now.  I am still very much sorting it all out, doing LOTS of reading.  The little free time I have had has been spent doing research. Once I get my ducks all in a row I promise to fill you in.  I also plan to show you around my garden (it is finally growing) and share with you my secret fertilizer recipe.  Exciting I know.  Little snippets of crafting are starting to emerge.  I am re-organizing the family room downstairs making way for a classroom of sorts, also getting a new sewing table.  Pictures of all that to come.  Then, because it just will not go away, I will share my thoughts on being 30 (almost- 5 more days to go).  See, there is lots to talk about and show you.  I promise to get back in the saddle this week!