Christmas List 2009

Owen's Christmas List:

Frog Umbrella for kids (so that it's his size, not grown-up sized)

Pink Socks

Pointy Rocket Ship

Though we had the discussion that Santa brings toys to good children and not naughty children, He got very upset, and pleaded why not the naughty children? They should get toys too! Sometimes the "Good" v. "Naughty" discussion doesn't really seem to sink in.

got to make the morning last

Sometimes the days feel to be slipping by so quickly; where I don't feel like I have enough time to get my work done, to clean up properly around the house, to get my Christmas shopping done, Christmas cards, to get something actually organized for Os birthday this year, to plan fun quality time with the kiddos... something more than running errands, with Brian, with self. I don't want to miss a moment, but moments just keep passing by. What gets me about this feeling is that instead of pulling self up by bootstraps, I just get irritable. I see myself rushing around, trying to get stuff done, and see everyone around me working against me. I need to remind myself to just keep swimming, things will get done, can't stop time, can only appreciate it. There, reminder noted. Now go fold that pile of laundry.

pie

Well, we had a great Thanksgiving with the inlaws. I busted out the nice China, maybe the third time in our marriage. Also, managed to make the-best-apple-pie-ever. I've had my fair share of sub-par pies lately, after once being great at all pies, it has been disappointing. What makes it a great pie? Both crusts done, flaky, light. Apples were not too juicy, not dry at all, not too sweet, plenty of cinnamon. Anyhow, thought I'd write down tips implemented to make this work. I have only a sorry picture of the very last piece of pie eaten last night.

Made it with two crusts, butter, done in the food processor, I think this kept the dough cool enough. Three types of apples: Spitzenbergs, a small green, maybe pippin, can't remember, we also had two that were probably goldens that Charlie and Renee brought on their trip but didn't eat. Anyhow, I think the mix was great. Finally, Cook until it bubbles in the middle. Otherwise I just used Mom's recipe for the filling and the dough from Bistro cooking. Oh, and used splenda, I've never used splenda before, but if everything turns out this good will reconsider.

Brian also did a perfect turkey. He put herbed oil under the skin, started it upside down and flipped it at some point. really perfect. I've been living off of the huge vat of turkey jook I made afterwards. mmmmmmmmm. If I could only find some chinese donuts.

must send these

I made a handful of linen tea-towels a while ago. I think they were half-yard lenghts cut in half to make two towels out of each type. Anyhow, hemmed'em, put a little loop on one corner and a button on the other. The intention was to make them apron substitutes, but they are too small for me and too big for Owen. Got the nice idea from weekend sewing. The light ones (below) are lousy for drying dishes, but otherwise nice looking. I am hoping that with time they soften up enough to become absorbant. I haven't tried the dark two that I am sending to my brother.... really, one day soon! I am just going to close my eyes and hope they work well. I washed them a few times to pre-soften them for him.

bitty booties

I made some of these a while ago... I'll have to dig up the pics one of these days. Anyhow, I had been sitting on this awesome fabric that Cascade gave me for, uh, like two or three years. These are patterned from Heather Bailey's Bitty Bootie pattern... pretty easy, though sewing up the heel with the machine was a little tight. Anyhow, the fabric is super soft and fuzzy on the inside and pretty chinese style silk on the outside. Even better... they actually fit (well, with a little growing room).

Just squeezing in a little bit of crafting on the days I'm home with just Grace... and when she can bear sleeping on her own rather than on my chest.

Very Hungry Caterpillar

My first shot at making a costume for Grace, or either of my kids for that matter...(update a lot later when I realized that folks are interested in looking for just such a costume)  This was very easy to make!  There are two greens from the fabric store, not quite batik, I can't remember what it was but a little bit of texture on them.  Anyhow I just sewed strips of cloth together (right sides facing) using elastic thread in the bobbin. This was the first time I tried this and it worked perfectly.  Hand wind the bobbin, don't pull tension on the elastic, it will do that as you sew.  The top was just about 4 rows separated by maybe a quarter inch... maybe less.  Just some small ribbons at the top to keep it up.  The hat was an existing baby hat we had with felt eyes and antennae sewn on.  I hand sewed them so it would be easy to take back out afterwards.

I love how it turned out, and perfect for an infant, except for its incompatibility with the bijorn. Brian made and wore the leaf and apple!

It's Dia de los Muertos... and between hitting a little too close to the heart this year and being a little bit busy (though the latter isn't much of an excuse) we didn't do our offrenda again this year, but I do just want to list the beloved ones that I want to fondly remember today: Uncle Dudley, Grandpa Jerry, Grandma Jean, Gou mou, Tai Gung, Tai pa.

I haven't mentioned it, but Grace's birthday, 22 Sept is the same day that we lost Grandma Jean. I appreciate that Grandpa Em finds life and love on such a painful day.

fun with squares

Okay, maybe its nesting, I don't know but I've been on quite a quilty bender... mostly I wanted to try these pillows and get two kiddie blankets done before, well, baby girl comes along. The pillows were from a tutorial on Posie gets Cozy: ( http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/2009/05/pretty-patches.html )... super fast and easy, I backed them in some off-white corduroy with a basic envelope back. I don't know what I'll do with them, but I sure do like them! I also finished Diane's baby boy's quilt... I got the fat quarter packet from the menonite shop when visiting the in-laws... Diane has always loved vintage winnie the pooh, so I went with it for the blanket... Also backed in corduroy (actually the same one). It turned out pretty well, not the manliest blanket, and I didn't get a very good photo of it... it was fun, and hey... its a baby! I need to photograph the last baby blanket, for my cousin's baby boy, but I'm deciding if I"m really done. Here's my stack-o-quiltiness so far this summer... fun.
Otherwise I'm loving Dahlia season, I get to bring home a couple of bunches when we can make it to the farmer's market. Our garden is doing pretty well, we have a few sugar pumpkins getting all orange on the vine, we had a handful of nice zucchini, but our plant is taking a break and beefing up its leaves. Cherry tomatoes out front are awesome, and we have a few other volunteer squash, I"m still not certain if they're decorative or edible. Totally loving our blueberry haul and our alpine strawberries... we have two white'uns and three or four red'uns... totally delish and doing really well, though we have a few beetles and slugs that find them every now and again. Most exciting perhaps for Owen was digging for potatoes in our wine barrel out front... got two pretty good meals out it! I think next time we plant them much deeper and maybe will get more.

One more good project thus far... I was going to paint the whole room, but talked with a designer at the paint store, and she suggested we paint just the fireplace... as soon as she said it I thought... perfect! In reality I'd like the whole shebang gone, but its too much work right now.
Before (dated, homemade job of a hearth)
After... blends in much better, much less busy, heck even makes our carpet look better!

Thanks Dad! Looks great!