monday. baby shower preview.

well, the breakfast at tiffany's themed shower for my little sister, steph, was a blast! everyone showed up in their little black dresses, complete with pearls and costume jewelry! awesome food, thanks to one of her girls, jolene; and mimosa's courtesy of amy! i have about 500 photos to sort through, but until then, these will have to tide you over ...
mama-to-be in all her glory ... steph and her 'girls' ... 'special' sisters ... lucky duck first-time grandma ...
veteran grandma jilly bean ...



my baby girl ... looking like she's 20 ...

monday. hot butter rum.

it's that time of year. cold, windy, the promise of that swirly, whirly white fluffy stuff. what better way to get warm than rum? i mean, really? is there any better drink this time of year than hot butter rum? nope. at least not for me!

p.s. this picture isn't what it actually looks like, but apple cider butter rum looked dang good, too! i was lazy and didn't take pictures this weekend. might have to post this recipe later this week!

the husband left on another hunting excursion friday, and i thought i'd make a batch to have ready for his homecoming! have the fire blazing in the living room, steaming hot butter rum, lights turned down ... and the two crazies building a fort right in the middle of it, squealing and running around like little loons. Who wouldn't want to come home to that?!

anyway, hot butter rum batter is way easy to make, and so good. buy extra rum ... this batch makes enough for 100 servings, but stores in the freezer quite nicely for up to six months (recipe from allrecipes.com)!

ingredients.

1 lb. butter
1 lb. brown sugar
1 lb. confectioners' sugar
1 qt. vanilla ice cream, softened
1 TBS ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg

how-to.

1. melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
   
2. blend in brown sugar and confectioners' sugar. remove from heat, and whisk in the ice cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
   
3. pour mixture into a plastic container, seal, and freeze.
   

later in the day ...

1. measure 1 TBS Hot Buttered Rum Batter and 1 oz. of rum (or more depending on the day you've had) into your favorite mug.
   
2. fill your cup with boiling water, stir, and sprinkle top of drink with nutmeg and/or cinnamon.

friday. the long winter.

winter's on it's way. i even heard the 's' word on the weather this morning.

but, apparently, snow's been on my brain for a week now. i started reading, 'the long winter' ... yes, the little house on the prairie book. and i had forgotten how truly great it is. and no, i can't even blame me reading it on my daughter. i stayed up reading in bed last night until midnight ... all by my lonesome.

such a classic. no matter how many times i read those books, which, mind you has been several (thousand), it makes me realize i was born in the wrong era. granted, i don't think pioneer life was really for me, but definitely a time when things were so much less complicated in a different way than they are now.

bundling in for the winter and making do with what you had, spending the days with family, baking EVERYTHING from scratch, working hard for what you have, but also enjoying it just as much because of it. maybe i'm idealizing some of it. and yes, there are beauties to modern life, things i often feel i couldn't live without. and less of a lot of the hardships, but, so much of the things we have today seem to be just because "we can."

so, when i feel like things are just a little too complicated, i turn on my electric fireplace and cozy up after the kids go to bed, and read about laura ingalls wilder. somehow, it makes me feel a little bit better.

wednesday. knitting nell.

nell knits, like, a lot. you name it, she knits it. blankets for new babies, socks and hats and mittens for the children’s home, and scarves for everyone in her family.

i love this book and the fact that it introduces the idea of servicing others. it oozes generosity, and putting others before yourself. nell is super quiet which is a nice change from a lot of characters out there today ... especially when you have a little girl like i do that has a hard time branching out and meeting new friends sometimes.

super lovely illustrations and a super lovely story. only issue? taylor wants me to teach her to knit ... if only i knew more than one stitch!

tuesday. one-freaking-hundred.

holy wow. i looked at my post count this morning and realized that this is my 100th post. who'd have thought i'd have that much to say?

to celebrate, here are 100 answers to 100 random questions.

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, and find line 4. then he became curious about a small aldabra tortoise in the enclosure, toto.
   

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can, What can you touch? an advil bottle.
   

3. Before you started this survey, what were you doing? running on the treadmill.
   

4. What is the last thing you watched on TV? veronica mars!
   

5. Without looking, guess what time it is. 6:15 a.m.

6. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time? 6:22 a.m.
   

7. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear? the air conditioner in my department.
   

8. When did you last step outside? What were you doing? to get in my car and leave for work.
   

9. Did you dream last night? nope.

10. Do you remember your dreams? most of the time.
    

11. When did you last laugh? about 15 minutes ago.
    

12. Do you remember why / at what? myself. i wore two entirely different running shoes this morning.
    

13. What is on the walls of the room you are in? pictures of my family.
    

14. Seen anything weird lately? several things.
    

15. What do you think of this quiz? so far i'm still doing it, so i guess it's more exciting than what i should be doing.
    

16. What is the last film you saw? iron man 2.
    

17. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? on a beach by the ocean, in a big farmhouse, with a loft.
    

18. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy? my house. and then i'd remodel it exactly how i want. maybe move it to the beach.
    

19. Tell me something about you that most people don't know. i drink at least four cups of tea a day.
    

20. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do? take away over-processed foods, fire everyone on the fda and start from scratch. victory gardens would make a crazy comeback.
    

21. Do you like to dance? only with my kids.
    

22. Would you ever consider living abroad? yes. although, the only way i could talk the husband into it would be to bribe him with someplace that offers better hunting than idaho.
    

23. Does your name make any interesting anagrams? nope.

24. Who made the last incoming call on your phone? mom.

25. What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer? a pdf for work.
    

26. Last time you swam in a pool? july-ish.
    

27. Type of music you like most? country, reggae, rap ... there are no limits.
    

28. Type of music you dislike most? polka?
    

29. Are you listening to music right now? nope.

30. What color is your bedroom carpet? beige-ish.

31. If you could change something about your home, without worry about expense or mess, what would you do? add another bathroom, remodel the one we have, and add a dining room off the kitchen.
    

32. What was the last thing you bought? a hot water bottle.
    

33. Have you ever ridden on a motorbike? yes.

34. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? most likely.
    

35. Do you have a garden? yes.

36. Do you really know all the words to your national anthem? uh, isn't that a requirement for being over the age of 6?
    

37. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? crap, it's cold!
    

38. If you could eat lunch with one famous person, who would it be? betty white.
    

39. Who sent the last text message you received? dad.

40. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? anthropologie.
    

41. What time is bed time? 10:30 p.m.-ish.
    

42. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? nope.

43. How many tattoos do you have? none, yet.
    

44. If you don't have any, have you ever thought of getting one? yes, will do so soon.
    

45. What did you do for your last birthday? went to chelan with the husband and went to all the wineries.
    

46. Do you carry a donor card? yes.

47. Who was the last person you ate dinner with? the husband and kiddos.
    

48. Is the glass half empty or half full? half-full today.
    

49. What's the farthest-away place you've been? mexico.

50. When's the last time you ate a homegrown tomato? considering i have hundreds of them in my garden ... pretty darn recently.
    

51. Have you ever won a trophy? in pee-wee soccer, and jr. high track, and high school band. i just got cooler and cooler as the years went on.
    

52. Are you a good cook? i like to think my family doesn't hate it when i cook for them.
    

53. Do you know how to pump your own gas? uh, there are people that don't?!
    

54. If you could meet any one person (from history or currently alive), who would it be? fred flinstone?
    

55. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school? not unless you count my marching band uniform.
    

56. Do you touch-type? yes.

57. What's under your bed? books.
    

58. Do you believe in love at first sight? no. real love's way better than that.
    

59. Think fast, what do you like right now? the iced blueberry green tea i'm drinking.
    

60. Where were you on Valentine's day? probably home.
    

61. What time do you get up? 6:30 a.m.-ish.

62. What was the name of your first pet? kiki. she was a black kitten. and didn't last long.
    

63. Who is the second to last person to call you? steph.

64. Is there anything going on this weekend? yes! dad, karlene, and marissa are heading over.
    

65. How are you feeling right now? ready to go home and bake something.
    

66. What do you think about the most? being home.
    

67. What time do you get up in the morning? i believe we've already had that question.
    

68. If you had A Big Win in the Lottery, how long would you wait to tell people? i don't know that i would tell anyone other than immediate family.
    

69. Who would you tell first? my boss. i'd be peacin' out.
    

70. What is the last movie that you saw at the cinema? eat, pray, love.
    

71. Do you sing in the shower? something like that, yes.
    

72. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? again, already had that question.
    

73. What do you do most when you are bored? read, bake, sew, garden.
    

74. What do you do for a living? i'm a technical writer.
    

75. Do you love your job? i love the security of my job.
    

76. What did you want to be when you grew up? music educator.
    

77. If you could have any job, what would you want to do/be? children's book author.
    

78. Which came first the chicken or the egg? egg.

79. How many keys on your key ring? too many, my husband says.
    

80. Where would you retire to? the ocean ... maybe tahiti, or hawaii.
    

81. What kind of car do you drive? toyota yaris.
    

82. What are your best physical features? strong fingernails?
    

83. What are your best characteristics? patience ... holla to my children for that one.
    

84. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would you go? tahiti.

85. What kind of books do you like to read? all of them. quite literally.
    

86. Where would you want to retire to? what's with the repeat questions?
    

87. What is your favorite time of the day? early morning, on days i don't have to work.
    

88. Where did you grow up? puyallup, wa ... closely followed by spokane, wa.
    

89. How far away from your birthplace do you live now? 400 miles.
    

90. What are you reading now? re-reading harry potter ... 5 more to go before the movie comes out in november!
    

91. Are you a morning person or a night owl? morning.

92. Can you touch your nose with your tongue? pretty close, but not quite.
    

93. Can you close your eyes and raise your eyebrows? yes, but i'm pretty sure i look like someone scared me in my sleep when i do.

94. Do you have pets? 2 dogs, 2 kids.
    

95. How many rings before you answer the phone? as few as possible.
    

96. What is your best childhood memory? eating grandma's breakfast early in the a.m.—best oatmeal ever.
    

97. What are some of the different jobs that you have had in your life? barista, bookseller, coffee shop manager.
    

98. Any new and exciting things that you would like to share? i'm almost done with these questions!
    

99. What is most important in life? my husband and children.
    

100. What Inspires You? see above answer.

100 posts, and hopefully 100 more!

monday. couch to 5K.

i love to run. i know that for lots of people, that means i'm crazy. but hey, crazy's ok by me! one of the downfalls to running, however, at least if you're me ... i have crap-tastic knees. yes, crap-tastic is one of the nicer things i can say about them.

i was a lazy bum for a year (at least in the running department) after my last pregnancy and fell off the wagon for a bit. but, i don't entirely regret it, as i now have a very close and solid relationship with my yoga mat, and a sick love for P90X. unfortunately, i've started from scratch with the running bit, and it was a bit daunting to tie on the shoes and get moving ... until i found couch to 5K.

step-by-step instructions. structure. do-able for ANYONE ... even miss crap-tastic knees over here! it's fail-safe and let me tell you ... i have missed running so entirely i can't even believe that i ever stopped. you don't just get off the couch and run for miles. this program is perfect for everyone scared to just. go. run. check it out, and start today!

join the crazy-train, people—it's way more fun!

friday. stockings.

after a nasty bout with strep throat this week, and upon being plagued with boredom by yesterday afternoon, i rearranged the much-needed living room! complete with carting the lovely electric fireplace up from our room to position as a main centerpiece in the room (thank you mom and shay!). LOVE it! even the husband noticed and agreed that it looks SO much better.

something about the fireplace tells me it's ok for fall to arrive. and with that, i'm starting my christmas projects early this year. yes, i said the dirty word. i'm not going crazy, i just want new stockings for all of us this year!

so, everyone keep an eye out in the thrift stores for me, i need fabric! i'll be doing a tutorial once i get things going a bit. but, until then, here are my inspirational photos.

men's old suits, tweed, wool...


wool sweaters, scarves, shawls ...

yay for fall ... er, christmas preparation?!

wednesday. baked acorn squash.

somewhere around 30 acorn squash currently reside on my garden floor. at least half of them, ready to be picked. who knew six little tiny plants would turn into such craziness ...

with that, i present, the greatest recipe for squash ... EVER. Also, the easiest! (thank you ree drummond, aka the pioneer woman)!
ingredients.

2 whole acorn squash
kosher salt
1-2 T butter
2-3 T brown sugar
pure maple syrup

how to.

1. preheat oven to 400.
2. halve each squash, then scrape out the seeds and stringy icky stuff. place the halves, flesh side up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle each half with salt.
3. add a generous tablespoon of butter to the center of each squash followed by 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of brown sugar. drizzle squash with maple syrup. um, i've started drooling by this point.
   
4. pour 2 cups water in the bottom of the baking pan.
5. cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. remove foil and bake an additional 30-45 minutes, or until squash is golden brown.
6. in the last 5 minutes of baking, turn on the broiler and allow tops to get a little more brown and the butter/sugar mixture to bubble.

my kids detest squash ... and they each ate half when i made this. although, i can't quite bring myself to qualify this as 'vegetable,' it makes an awesome dessert!

friday. blah.

I don't understand the taboo subject of ... miscarriage. it's like on the lion king when the hyenas hear the word 'mufasa' and start shaking in their furry boots. it's like people see it as being awkward for them ... and therefore, make the person actually dealing with the pain, suffer even more by making them feel isolated and alone.

i'm lucky enough to have a few people in my life who, awkward topic or not, are extremely supportive. but, the overall consensus is that it's just not something we're supposed to talk about. and i'm not good with that. it gives me knots in my stomach, and makes me want to yell in the faces of those people that just because you don't know what to say, doesn't mean you don't say anything! just a, 'hey, i heard about what happened. i'm really sorry, how are you?' does wonders! or even a, 'if you need to talk, let me know.' odds are, the conversation will take itself from there. at least then the person feels like you're there for them.

this is still all very new to me. almost a month now. and most of the time, i'm really ok. i have two beautiful children i adore, and a husband that's the most supportive person i've ever met. and i've not given up on a third baby by any means. i'm working on moving on. and, as i said, most days are just fine.

BUT, i'm allowed to have my days. days where i feel robbed. robbed of a life that was supposed to be part of my family. a life to give my babies a little brother or sister. and there's nothing fair about it. right now, i'm supposed to be enjoying pregnancy, worrying about getting the b-monster potty trained before the upcoming due date, and arguing with my husband about baby names. and instead, i have gut wrenching heartache and sadness for the loss of that life ... no matter how small that life might have been.

i don't care who you are. whether your pregancy is planned, unplanned, wanted, unwanted ... it doesn't matter. the minute that test is positive, a bond has started between you and that life. and to go from planning your life around that to having it just ... gone. it's awful, and so very sad.

on another note, just because i miscarried, doesn't mean i'm not happy for pregnant friends and family. i don't sit around with voodoo dolls wishing bad things. and yet, it's another topic that gets avoided, causing even further isolation from EVERYONE. it doesn't help. for example ... just because your grandma died, doesn't mean you don't ever want to talk about grandmas again ... it will make you think of her, yes. but isn't that part of the grieving process? 'hush-hushing' when the person walks in the room because you're talking about babies = BAD idea. not to mention, it's just tacky. if the person isn't comfortable, they will:

a) say something.
b) leave.

ugh. obviously not the best day in the world. at least i can go have a drink after work, right?

thursday. the cove.

the husband and i watch a ton of documentaries. i guess that's what happens when you only get channel 2 on tv and the instant queue on netflix runs amuck.

most of what we watch is decent ... we try to keep our viewings to things rated at LEAST three stars ... we do have standards, you know!

the cove, however, yup ... FIVE stars! and totally worth watching. and not just because it's about dolphins ... which it is. but, really, it's about so much more than that. i wouldn't even begin to call myself an environmentalist, but that doesn't mean i don't care about the environment and what goes on within it. and there are some things that are just. plain. wrong.

here's the synopsis:

'academy award winner for best documentary of 2009, THE COVE follows an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers as they embark on a covert mission to penetrate a remote and hidden cove in Taiji, Japan, shining a light on a dark and deadly secret. utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, including hidden microphones and cameras in fake rocks, the team uncovers how this small seaside village serves as a horrifying microcosm of massive ecological crimes happening worldwide. the result is a provocative mix of investigative journalism, eco-adventure and arresting imagery, adding up to an unforgettable story that has inspired audiences worldwide to action.'

i'm guessing most people, like myself, had no idea that this kind of thing existed. you won't regret watching it. if you don't believe me, just watch the promo video on the website.

wednesday. someday.

upon my little girl having a raging fever the last two days, i got to spend some quality time just her and i ... without the monster. she started feeling a smidge better yesterday afternoon, so we took a quick trip to the library down the street.

so, i made a quick trip to the knitting section and grabbed a bunch of 'how-to' books ... i'm determined to make a go of it! and we wandered to the kid's section, taylor grabbed a stack, we checked out and read on the couch for a few hours. h-e-a-v-e-n!

by far, my favorite book from t's loot was someday, by eileen spinelli ...

i ask taylor (6 yrs.) what she wants to be when she grows up, and inevitably, every time, her answer is, 'a writer.'

why, i ask? 'you get to tell stories.' sometimes it's hard for kids to think past tomorrow, or the next five minutes! and this book is brilliant in promoting the imagination and doing just that.

someday opens up a whole new world when it comes to thinking about the future. she turns mundane everyday stuff into whimsical, elaborate, lovely ideas about what she wants to be when she grows up.

plus, the illustrations are inspiring me to buy some new fabric!

p.s. it makes me want to start over and pick a new career for myself! ... maybe an astronaut? although, i think i'd settle for full-time apron-seamstress/business owner.

tuesday. the guernsey literary and potato peel pie society.

i don't know how i haven't managed to post about this book yet. i think i'm going loopy. i spent the last two months thinking that you all had been enlightened and had this book shared with you. a thousand apologies. but, so you know, i blame, ummm ... hmmmm ...

soooo, anyway ... a co-worker handed me this book and told me i'd love it. she's usually right, and this time was no exception. as a side note, apparently it's a well-known fact that i gravitate towards the following things:

• food.
• books.
• books about books.
• small towns by the sea.
• stories about incessantly independent, yet lovable women who meet collectively to discuss things they love.
• stories about lovely women that seem to effortlessly weave old school tradition into their modern lives.

inherently, the guernsey literary and potato peel society includes all of the above. naturally, i didn't want it to end. (see previous post for the next closest thing i could find that was similar.)
but, i digress ... it's funny, interesting, warm and fuzzy, wrapped up all fresh and new. i read it months ago, and i'm still sad it's over.

loves it!

monday. the beach street knitting society and yarn club.

dear blog,

i miss your face.

i know, i know. it's been forever. but, now that i'm caught up on the harvesting, canning, and storing of the massive garden this year, i have a little more time for you. i promise. it was a stressful, complicated month, and now it's over ... or ten days from being over, which is over enough in my little head!

i found a new-ish book. and so far, it's lovely. i've been missing summer already, and extremely hesitant to get into the fall swing of things. don't get me wrong, fall in spokane is just about as perfect as it gets. it's my favorite season ... even if it only usually lasts two weeks-ish. BUT, this year ... ohhhh, this year ... summer was elusive and ninja-like, what with her not starting until the middle of JULY. and i'm not ready to let her go yet!


the beach street knitting society and yarn club is quick and cozy, and it'll make you wish it was raining and your house was clean so you could sit in front of your fireplace (or if you're like me, you'll sit and hope to get through a page before one of the kids decides that you are not allowed to sit for five minutes quietly ... all while imagining you had a fireplace) and read it from beginning to end in one sitting. it will also make you want to drink tea, open a wool shop, and start using 'bugger' as your new favorite swear word. it sounds a lot nicer than some of the ones that usually come out, does it not?

best part? there's a second book! needles and pearls. totally indulgent fiction. it's not for everyone, all the time. but it certainly is for me, some of the time!

totally makes me want to learn how to knit something other than an endlessly long scarf. like amazingly adorable and totally functional arm-warmers! i feel a project coming on ... i guess i better get on that whole "learning to knit something other than a scarf" thing.

thursday. mellow monkey & 5K.

It's gearing up to the end of summer ... *tear. But, with the end of summer comes some fun things going on in our neck of the woods!

Millwood's 2nd Annual 5K Run is August 21st. And what's even cooler? For all entrants, Mellow Monkey Yoga (if you haven't been to a class with them, GO!) will be offering free yoga for runners after the race to stretch out those muscles at their studio (the race is only a block away from the studio). There will be drawings with prizes, including a GRAND PRIZE drawing of a 1-year membership at BOTH The Mellow Monkey Yoga Studio AND Anytime Fitness!

Count me in! And you should go, too!

tuesday. sunshine & summertime.

aside from living in the garden and the kitchen, here's what we've been up to ... with more camping and fun-times ahead!

boating ... lounging ... oooh-ing & awe-ing ... snorkeling ... ninja-ing ... wandering ... hiking ... watching ... smiling ... huckleberry picking ... swimming ... pondering ... pointing ... sharing ... cuddling ...

monday. garden markers.

other than fall, late summer is my most favoritest time of year. the garden's ready for harvest, pumpkins are getting big and fat and ready for the taking, the husband and i spend evenings canning, freezing, and bathing kiddos after spending the day playing in the dirt.

aside from what looks to be a short growing season, the garden this year is exceeding my expectations—if anyone needs zucchini, CALL. and last time we were over in seattle visiting the fam, my wonderful step-mom had a great project for the kids—garden markers! nothing like fun stuff to beautify the garden even more!

karlene bought a bunch of butter knives (spoons would work, too!) from goodwill, stickers, sharpies, ribbon, etc. and let them go crazy—just spray with polyurethane spray after the creating is done and plug em' into the dirt! Super cute!


my favorite ... and most useful ...

tuesday. the kitchen engine.

awww ... date night!
having never taken a cooking class, last night's Gnocchi from Scratch class at, The Kitchen Engine, was a whole new experience ... and SO. MUCH. FUN! (it's at the flour mill downtown!)

not only do you get to learn a ton of new tips and tricks to make life easier in the kitchen ... it's like watching the food network for an hour and a half, and then getting to eat the food! they have a pretty sweet set-up where they walk you through making everything (the lady wasn't standing there the whole time ... just every time i tried to take a picture! then again, when you're the manager, you can do whatever you want!):


and on the other side of the store is an actual kitchen appliance store with all kinds of fun stuff to look through—complete with 20-ish different kinds of salt you can purchase ... who knew there were that many kinds to begin with?!

the husband and i learned how to make a bunch of new stuff ... AND got to hang out together! what could be better?!

here's what we made:
• bruschetta
• gnocchi ... bathed in butter and garlic
• pesto alfredo sauce (from scratch!) of which we topped the gnocchi with, then added tomatoes, basalmic reduction, and pancetta!

and the visual ...
something new and fun to try ... and they have TONS of class options every week. i will most definitely be returning!