Confessions

40 for 40: week 2

2012-01-15T12:08:00.000-05:00

Quietly chugging along. I love that my 40 for 40 list contains items that are not quick to be crossed off; it means I really will be at it all year. And that was certainly the point. But I do love crossing things off a list; it just feels so good! Some things did get crossed off this week, while other items progressed more slowly. Here's where it stands:

Yoga classes taken: 1

Scrapbook pages uploaded: 21

Pintrest ideas:

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins - awesome
Eveie Peasy Legwarmers - so cute and perfect for Jack
Free Fonts - downloaded and ready for scrapping
Knitterella gift tags purchased and ready for gifting
Sutter's Mill Throw - in progress
Vintage Circus Party Printables - being printed and used for Jack's 1st birthday
Pots and Pans Storage - purchased and awaiting install
New book downloaded and ready for reading

I am still researching retreats for ARK and me. We are thinking New Mexico.

Still no word from the contractor on the closet space...need to bid it out again.

We went to a FANTASTIC restaurant last night, Room Four, which I had never been to before. The seasonal menu is just perfect and the place is not pretentious. Thanks Mugeles, it was so worth the trip.

New Tradition?

2012-01-09T13:21:00.001-05:00

I hope so. I got this ~~wild~~, ~~crazy~~, amazing idea to knit Jack a new sweater every year for his birthday. Let's face it, the kid is growing like a weed, and when your birthday is in February, a sweater can come in mighty handy. And I'd have an entire month after the Christmas knitting to pull something together. Plus, at least for now, knitting a sweater for a baby is, well, not that intimidating. Especially when you can do it with no seams. I know! I give you the Basic Seamless Raglan Pullover pattern by Leisure Arts. For this sweater I used a number of yarns that I'd been collecting because I just couldn't help myself. (For those who need to know, it's Plymouth Encore Worsted.) I'm very pleased with the result, and it only took me a week to whip it up. Not too shabby. At that rate, I can at least keep up the tradition for a couple more years, right?

40 for 40: week 1

2012-01-07T20:12:00.001-05:00

So I'm really geeked about my 40 for 40 list. I've already been working on several of my goals. I've completed 2 pintrest projects and have 3 more in the works. You can follow my 40 for 40 pintrest board here if you have any interest. I've gotten back into the scrapbooking I put down last fall; it looks like I have about a quarter of scrapbook ready to print. And we have a contractor getting us an estimate for the closet project. I'd say I'm off to a good start. It's gonna be a great year!

40 for 40

2011-12-27T08:04:00.000-05:00

Wow, I haven't posted since September?? Yikes! I guess I have a baby around here!

As the calendar year is coming to an end, I have been contemplating this next year a bit more than usual. It's gonna be a biggie. In fact, I'm so looking forward to it, I feel like a kid about to become a teenager, or get my driver's license, or move into my own apartment. I'm gonna be 40 next year. I feel so lucky. It's a privilege that so many people don't get. And I want to be intentional about how I celebrate this fortieth year of my life. It's special.

Inspired by ESPN's 30 for 30 series, I decided to make a 40 for 40 list: 40 things I want to accomplish in my fortieth year. Some are small, some not so small. Some will be easy, some will take time. But I believe this is a reasonable list for a girl like me. And I honestly can't wait to get started! Once I made my list, I realized it fit into 4 categories: Go, Enjoy, Create & Reclaim. I didn't intend for that to be the case, it just happened. But I think that's a perfect mantra for the year. It suits me.

I toyed with how public I wanted this list to be, but then realized that if any of my friends and family wanted to participate with me in any of these adventures, that would make them even better. (And if you're struggling to find a birthday gift this year, why not choose something on the list and we'll do it together? I'd LOVE it.)

So here it is, Amy's 40 for 40 list:

Get ready, 40; here I come!

I Loved The Summit

2011-09-11T22:15:00.001-04:00

Sock summit was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. I loved my 3 hour class in casting-on. I know. I'm a knitting geek of the highest magnitude. But there was (& is) so much to learn.

And for the record, I was not the only person there with pink hair. Not even close. And this particular group of people, the sock knitters, are big sci-fi fans. BIG. There was an actual "sockgate" to walk through. If you know what I'm talking about, you might be a sock knitter too. I really have found my people.

While in the land of the sock people, I found the most beautiful sock yarns. I even found one with real silver running through it. It was the yarn I had been waiting for, exactly the thing I needed to cast-on my first pair of viper pilot socks. And you know what the best part of that is? I actually met the author of the pattern, and she let me make a cameo appearance on her blog! Over the moon, I was.

So without further gushing, I give you my viper pilot socks!

These were definitely the hardest thing I've done to date. And most definitely in my top 5 favorite knits. I'm not used to having to pay such close attention to a pattern. But when the stars align there's nothing to be done but to start knitting.

Here are a few more shots from Portland (my new favorite city).

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

On Finding Calpurnia

2011-09-09T21:06:00.001-04:00

I may have mentioned that my favorite book of all time is To Kill A Mocking Bird. The characters are sublime. And Calpurnia is there with the best of them. She handles the children and the home for a widower who knows he needs her help. Who wouldn't want a Cal of her own?

For me, it seems, there just isn't one person who can take care of it all. And it most certainly is not me. I try, but honestly, I cannot do it. (I have the utmost respect for my grandmothers.) In light of this, we have hired a couple people to make it all happen. First, we upgraded our cleaning lady to an every week situation. And it feels so much better around here with just that change! And then, after a long search, and too many interviews, I finally found someone reliable, who connects to the baby (and whom I love), to watch him a bit during the week so I can get some of those other things taken care of. In fact, I've been able to can San Marzano Sauce, make our own baby food, do some sewing, and get to the grocery all in one week. A-MA-ZING!

So while Calpurnia remains a fictional character, I have found a way to have my own Cal too. And I love having the assurance that I will be able to get more accomplished, so I can enjoy my family even more. I feel so lucky.

The Help (the novel)

2011-08-18T09:27:00.003-04:00

I just finished reading The Help, by Katherine Stokette. The movie is coming out and I confess, it was the tipping point for me to pick up the book (even though I have a strict rule about not seeing movies made from books I've read, as they are always disappointing). I'd been hearing about this book for some time. Diane Rehm had a Readers Review of it last February, and I remember thinking then, "I should read that."

Well, I finally did. And I just loved it. So much of it is what I love reading about: the civil rights movement, the south, relationships among women, "the rules" of living. I think the best part of reading it was getting swept up in their world. I felt like I was there, living in Jackson, Mississippi. I felt like I knew these women and their struggles, their reasons, their lives. I kept thinking about the women in my life and how the different characters reminded me of them (Minnie seems to be well represented). I am always fascinated by those who can write about the universalities of friendship among women; how we make rules about things and think very little about them sometimes; about how we remember the wrongs done to us for forever, even when we wish we didn't; and about how we find a way, even in the worst of circumstances.

And the ending was just right, believable. I won't spoil it for those who have not read it, but it was hopeful, and I always like that. This book will go on the shelf next to The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe; my go to reading when life gets to be too much. Thank you, Katherine Stockette, for such a beautiful piece of writing.

The Penultimate Day

2011-07-25T16:32:00.003-04:00

"Penultimate" is one of my favorite words. We tend to use the more common phrase "next to last" here in the midwest, but "penultimate" conveys so much more I think. There's a sense of the impending end. Today is the penultimate day before travel. Tomorrow, I shall do a final load of laundry ("can you say baby?"), pack the last minute items (such as toiletries, et. al.), and get my hair done (that will have to be a whole different blog post). And then bright and early Wednesday, Jack and I will be on our way to see a dear, dear friend in Portland.

I love to travel and I have never been to Oregon. I can't wait to see it! Oh, and there's this little gathering I'll be attending as well: Sock Summit 2011. And while I won't be participating in the sheep-to-sock contest, I am thrilled to be in a building full of people with a passion for knitting that far out-knits my own. And that's saying something! In fact, the city of Portland has declared this Sock Knitting Week. Seriously - I think I'm in love.

So the blog will likely be dark for a while as I experience sock-love and everlasting-friendship (and perhaps a jet-lagged baby). But at least you'll know where I am & what I'm up to. If I get the chance, I'll try to post some pictures of the Summit while I'm there. Can't wait!

Jiggety-Jog

2011-07-10T07:47:00.002-04:00

The worst part about vacation is the coming home. It's like the Sunday Blues multiplied by the days you were gone, plus the number of miles it took you to get home. It's compounded if you're driving. I call it the Home-Agian-Doldrums. I usually try to stem the tide by making sure we have clean laundry before we leave, and that things are not packed pell-mell into suitcases so that when we get home, the unpacking is as stress-free as possible. If we're driving, NPR helps, and having lots of snacks is always good too.

As you might suspect, my plan was thwarted in the largest of ways.

My darling baby has been fighting a rash for several days. The ride home was fractious, and although my oldest was helpful, the wee one just couldn't stay happy for long. This made listening to NPR rather near impossible, and much yoga breathing was necessary to keep my head from shooting straight off my body. And, perhaps to comfort himself, my eldest ate all the Chex Mix! Now that was just downright dirty. As were the grapes I packed, dirty I mean. Inedibly dirty.

Finally, upon arriving home, we were able to see a doctor - without breaking the bank. (Try finding a pediatrician in rural northern Michigan who's in your plan, or an Urgent Care for that matter.) And thankfully, it's nothing serious, just a bout of contact dermatitis, which means something we used on his skin, or our skin, or in the laundry made him breakout. He is now feeling (and sleeping) much better with the hydrocortisone cream the good doctor prescribed.

Unfortunately, this means I have to rewash everything. Not just the baby's items, which took 2 loads alone. No, we have to rewash all of OUR things as well. I am just now digging out of the 4 loads of laundry it took to rid our household of the mystery chemical.

We are home, and the garden still needs attention, there are random baby items that still need to be put away, the mail needs to be attended to, and the bedrooms have been ransacked by a series of back-to-back sleepovers for the big kid. But the kitchen is clean and the laundry is done and I even canned my kid some sweet pickles today. Perhaps the winds are picking up.

My Sacred Place

2011-07-04T06:39:00.005-04:00

I love it up here at the lake, Up North.

I especially love an early morning with the fog coming off the lake, cool enough to need a sweatshirt with your coffee on the deck. This place is my church. Here is where I feel the presence of God and nature so strongly I can believe I am a part of it. In fact, Up North is really more like Due North, a purposeful direction, pulling me in the way I am meant to go. Up here I become more of myself. I feel more creative, more of an environmentalist, more active, more holistic. I believe more in myself when I am here.

This place is reliable. The sun always comes up with stunning beauty. The sleeping is always good. And the majesty of nature's sculpture is everywhere: the lakes, the dunes, the vast forests, the wildlife. Syncing up to that - it restores me in a way nothing else can.

I wonder if it will be the same when we live up here. Will it still hold that same pull, the same mystery? Will the everydayness lessen that feeling? I hope not. Because I love who I am here, and who my family is here too. I hope that never fades away.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

2011-06-16T07:48:00.006-04:00

Vanilla extract is something we use a lot of around here. In fact, I am a big believer that you should always add more to the recipe than called for. Especially in waffles and chocolate chip cookies. That being said, it's hard to be extravagant with something that costs so much.

A few years ago, I spotted an article in a Martha Stewart magazine with a surprisingly simple tutorial on making your own vanilla extract. You split 3 vanilla beans, drop them in 1 cup of vodka (unflavored here, of course), and wait 3 months. We have discovered that the longer you let the extract steep, the more intense the flavor. Voila! Homemade vanilla extract! But I wondered if we were really saving any money. Here's the break down:

The price of pure vanilla extract can vary widely. I've priced it at anywhere from $0.81 to $3.25 a fluid ounce, with an average cost of $0.88 a fl. oz. Of course, this is one area where I firmly believe you get what you pay for. We spent a total of $33.00 for vanilla beans and vodka. I purchased Madagascar beans this time, which were a bit more than the mexican beans we used last time. We'll have to wait and see if the flavor is noticeably different. So for our $33.00 we got 50 fl. oz. of extract (or will have come October); that's $0.66 a fl. oz. I'd say that's a great deal, considering I know exactly what's in it (and NOT in it). At that price, and with 50 fl. oz. hanging around, I feel like I can afford to be extravagant in my baking. Well worth it.

Strawberry Season & the Plethora of Mint

2011-06-12T14:28:00.004-04:00

So this year we haven't been out picking our own berries. Instead we unloaded the freezer of most of LAST YEAR'S berries and made jam. A perfect thing for frozen berries, I might add. And this year's strawberry jam is a little different than last year's.

We have a mint explosion in the back yard. I hate to call it a "problem," as I love the mint and find it is useful (unlike the grass). But you know how mint is, right? It takes over. Like now. And so I find myself pulling up mint every time I go out into the garden. I've been drying it like crazy, and if you happen to be on our Christmas list, I dare say you might be receiving some mint flakes this year. (We'll try to include ways for you to use it.) Then I had a brainstorm. What about Minted Strawberry Jam? It sounded good to me, so I did a wee little Google search, and low and behold, many others feel the same way! I added a tablespoon of fresh, finely chopped mint to the berries, and oh my word, it's heavenly!

And since it's been a while since I've done any design work, I went ahead and designed a faux vintage label for our jam, a la Trader Joe's:

I'm going to have to start getting the smooth sided jars if I want to keep labeling them this way, and as far as I'm concerned, that's just what I'm going to be doing! *Sigh* I love the start of canning season.

Wacky Wednesday: International Clothesline Week (Not Easy Being Green -5-)

2011-06-08T07:15:00.003-04:00

I love the idea of the clothesline, the wash flapping in the summer breeze, the sun bleaching out the impurities in my linens, the fresh smell of the laundered clothes. But somehow, I never actually get out there and do it. True confession: we don't even have a clothesline in Indy. I'm not sure where we'd put it. And we tend to do our laundry at night; not too conducive to line-drying. And let's face it, if its not convenient, we more than likely won't do it.

But in researching this, and doing the math, in reality, we would only save $9 a month. (It seems like there are other things we could do that would make a bigger dent.) Honestly, it's worth it to me to use the dryer with such slim savings. Especially since I decided to practice Clothesline Week one week early, as we were up at the lake and would have the opportunity. Here's the deal: It took all afternoon (7 hours) for my clothes to be dry and then they were mostly dry. That $9.00 a month seems to be the cost of doing business with all the baby wash we do around here. I can't imagine using the line every day - and what do you do when it rains, or gets so humid your clothes won't dry?

To be frank, I'm more concerned with the impact of using all that energy on future generations. I was recently reminded of the Great Law of the Iroquois - which holds that any decision made must take into consideration the children seven generations in the future. It's a worthy world view, and high time the "white man" take this sort of thinking to heart. What will the use of all this energy mean for those people 200 years in the future? I shudder to think of what the world will look like then if we continue to use our resources as we do now. We could be bleeding ourselves into extinction.

Yeah, it's not easy being green.

Wacky Thursday: Leave the Office Early Day

2011-06-02T10:03:00.004-04:00

Now THIS is a holiday I can get behind! In fact, school is out and we are already enjoying our first week of freedom at the lake. Everyone take a deep breath . . . Ahhhh. I always get to this point in the summer and wonder why our children have to spend SO much time in the classroom when there is so much to learn by being outdoors. It's all I can do to keep myself from homeschooling next year. (I wonder how I would feel about such a decision in February? Would I want to run screaming from the house, or would I be delighted to snuggle in bed and read?) So here we are, having left our "office" for the summer. We've already seen a turtle scurrying to find a home, more birds than Alfred Hitchcock could shake a stick at, and hooked a 14" bass. And we haven't done any "official" hiking yet. I just love summer at the lake.

If you don't have the same luxury of spending the summer outdoors, at least you can take a bit of time today and leave the office behind; tell your boss it's officially a holiday. I won't contradict you.

Wacky Wednesday: Geek Pride Day

2011-05-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

Here at Confessions we were recently discussing the difference between Geeks and Nerds. Yes, this speaks volumes about my family. We decided that while both are quite similar, "nerd" connotes a sort of awkwardness about it, while "geek" just seems to be about the extreme knowledge of something. Whatever the case may be, we're proud to be celebrating Geek Pride Day with you!

Some thoughts for celebration:

Check out Etsy for the perfect gift. There's an entire section on Geekery.
Make some of these Circuitry Snacks:
Take the How Geeky Are You quiz over at blogthings.com (btw, I'm a fashion geek)
Make these iPhone Cupcakes
Have a Star Wars or BSG marathon
Have a Geeky Cocktail Party with this ice bucket and ice cube set:
Give these away to all your friends:

However you pride yourself on being a Geek, may the force be with you.

It's Not Easy Being Green (4) - The Question of Grass

2011-05-20T09:05:00.007-04:00

I have a confession. No, I didn't smoke grass in my youth. But as a girl dedicated to shrinking my carbon footprint, I have a love/hate relationship with the grass in our yard. I like having a place for my dog to play, for me to spread a blanket and enjoy the weather, and I like the color, but the hassle of the upkeep, not to mention the mowing drive me a little wild. Did you know, According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a new gas powered lawn mower produces volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides emissions air pollution in one hour of operation as 11 new cars each being driven for one hour? Yeah, gross. And the EPA also estimates that 17 million gallons of fuel (mostly gasoline) are spilled by backyard gardeners. That's more than the Exxon Valdez spill every year.

So I've made it my mission to remove as much grass in the backyard as possible. (I think our HOA would croak if we tried this with the front.) Over the last 8 summers we have put in four garden areas, planted trees, added raised beds for veggies, put in a patio, and now, I've finally laid out our garden path. I'll be the first to admit, I am hoping the grass will grow up between the stones (as you can see it has on the right side of the photo), but that can easily be taken care of with the weed-wacker, and it's electric. It's been a LOT of hard work to get the yard to this point, but for the first time, it's really shaping up the way I've envisioned it. We still have a sweet potato box to build, and mulch to put down, and plants to get in the ground and pots, but over all, I am so proud of what we have done. It's not carbon free, but our back yard is chemical-free, food producing, and low-carbon; and that is certainly a step in the right direction.

For a more detailed look, click on the photo.

Wacky Wednesday: International Museum Day

2011-05-18T07:02:00.000-04:00

Right on the heels of last week's National Tourism Week, we find ourselves celebrating International Museum Day. I'm a big fan of the Indianapolis Museum of Art (pictured above). It's been my sanctuary since I was old enough to drive. I'd go and hang out on the grounds if the weather permitted, or if not, I'd immerse myself in the art on the 3rd floor. Sometimes my sister would join me, other times, it was enough to be with the art.

Now that I'm older (and living back in Indy) I've become a member of the IMA. It's important to me that I support the organizations that I utilize. I want them to be around for my kids too. This year, I chose an Associate Membership for our family. This not only allows us 6 tickets to every new exhibit, but also allows us reciprocity at 400 museums throughout the country. You should see if this option is available where you live. We were able to go to the Maryland Science Center for free this year! If you've ever met my oldest, you know what a big deal THAT was. We've also seen an Andy Warhol exhibit and the Madeline Albright's Pins exhibit. Both were very worthwhile. Plus we get a discount at the restaurant and shop. The membership has already paid for itself this year.

Wherever you find yourself this International Museum Day, take a moment to visit one of the museums in your neck of the woods. If you're not sure what's in your neighborhood, or you want to find something a little more off-beat, check out www.museumspot.com. You can search by State, Artist or Specialty. You never know what wonders you may find.

Don't Be So Sure (of yourself)

2011-05-17T13:19:00.006-04:00

There are many things about RJH being gone that don't phase me. I can get dinner on the table, get a kid to cub scouts, get a shower, keep up with the laundry, clean and make enough bottles to make it smoothly through the day. It's just not a big deal.

But there are things that shake my part-time-single-mom confidence and they always happen when he's traveling; like when the pilot light went out for the first time; or the time my oldest decided to spray the garage down with water; or all the time I spent battling with the school two years ago.

I had another moment.

Sunday RJH left for a trade show, returning on Thursday. This is some of the longest travel at one time that he does. I'm not bothered by it. Until I start hearing what sounds like a bird building a nest in the eaves above my studio. And then it starts to sound like it's in the laundry room. And finally it sounds like it's somewhere in the foyer. You know what this means. We have a critter somewhere in the duct-work. Shit. If there is one thing I absolutely hate, it's mice. And we seem to stir them up all the time. I'm sure all the digging in the yard didn't help matters.

So I call RJH, because really, I don't know what to do. We devise a plan to call the exterminator on Monday. I barely slept on Sunday night, and I don't mind admitting I brought the baby to bed with me as I had convinced myself the critter was in the kid's room.

Monday I went out to breakfast with some family that was in town and got them all packed up and on their way north. It was great to see them. In fact, I had forgotten all about the little critter. I went downstairs to retrieve my phone and call the exterminator when, I saw it. Dead on the foyer floor, as if it had fallen out of the ceiling vent, was a tiny little grey mouse. Blurg! This means I have to dispose of it (and before my whippet becomes aware that gifts of mice are falling from heaven). I poked it with the broom to be sure it was dead, praying that it wouldn't move. It didn't. It took all my courage to scoop up that carcass and toss it outside. Why do these things make me so wiggy?! But I did it. And there has been no more skittering in the ducts, which means I am able breathe and sleep again.

As RJH said, at least now I know where it is. There has to be an easier way.

Wacky Wednesday: National Tourism Week

2011-05-11T06:55:00.001-04:00

In honor of National Tourism Week, we will showcase a few touristy things you can do in our city: Indianapolis. If you live here, think of it as a stay-cation guide. If not, perhaps you'll be enticed to head our way in the near future. Here is my top 10 tourist list:

Take a gondola ride on the canal. Not that I have done this, but it looks way to kitschy not to be utterly wonderful!
Spend some time at the Traders Point Creamery. Watch the cows get milked, attend the green market, and head to The Loft for some incredible ice cream!
Broad Ripple Village - there is something for everyone there, trust me.
Catch the Naptown Roller Girls and have a screaming good time. Seriously, I never would have dreamed that roller derby could be this much fun!
Attend the Indiana State Fair (Aug. 5-11) this summer. I think our state fair is one of the best in the country. And there is always so much to see, do, and eat! If you haven't been, you're probably not a Hoosier.
Visit the Indianapolis Museum of Art. They always have interesting exhibits, movies, and they have recently installed an outdoor park, 100 Acres. It's a must see.
Catch a performance of Dance Kaleidoscope. You won't be disappointed. This modern dance troupe has performed to everything from Elvis to Puccini. It's breathtaking.
Enjoy a performance at Symphony on the Prairie. It is one of the best ways to enjoy our local musicians and the company of your friends, and the line up this summer is looking superb.
Go see the Indianapolis Indians play at Victory Field. I'd recommend a Friday night game so you can stay for the fireworks.
Make a picnic for your family (or stop at your local grocer and pick one up) and head to Eagle Creek Park for a day of fun in the sun. You can swim, hike, bike, or stop by the nature discovery center for a little information.

Best Mother's Day Ever

2011-05-08T20:33:00.005-04:00

So, I didn't get to sleep in - but I DID get a baby who slept for 9 straight hours. I'll take it!

And even better than that (which is hard to do right now), I got to spend most of the afternoon in the backyard gardening! I cannot begin to tell you how refreshing and nurturing it is to my soul to get out into nature again. So the revised lists look like this:

Done Today:

moved formerly shaded box to new very sunny location
planted 8 tomato plants (will have to wait until freshly moved box is filled to plant the rest)
weeded container on side of patio (which was FULL of taproots!) and planted a dozen Peruvian Wonderflowers.
planted 4 sweet pepper plants
continued to enlarge shade garden under pear trees to original size
chopped out scores of dandelions from the back yard (thank you Richard!) by hand so as not to contaminate our yard (and food) with chemicals
weeded garden area for the asters to get planted

Yet To Do:

plant the asters
plant the beans, butternut squash, and cukes
plant to flowering fern tubers
plant the Virginia Bluebells
weed garden area under the bay window
fill recently moved container with dirt (to arrive by Wednesday)
enlarge garden by the maple tree to include blueberry bushes
weed & spread mulch in said enlarged garden
divide Stella d'Oro lilies and replant around mailbox
find some purple and/or orange annuals to fill our empty flower pots

Not bad for a day's work. Hoping for some more sunny days to see this list dwindle. (Ok, to see it change. There will always be more to do in the garden, and that's just the way we like it!)

Back in the Garden

2011-05-07T11:07:00.003-04:00

Ah Spring. This year you decided to shower us with almost 4 straight weeks of rain. You know I'm getting desperate to get in the garden when I'm out in the rain (as I was this morning). But it's time to get out there and get planting! And this year we are not just committed to having a fantastic edible garden, we are also beautifying and removing more grass. Huzzah!

So far we have:

filled in the herb garden with parsley, lemon verbena (as requested by the 9-year-old), rosemary, and two types of basil, among the already thriving sage, and two types of thyme. Also noticed some wild dill and mint making it's way up!
planted two bottom boxes with onions, Copra to be precise. Should make great storage onions. If you're unfamiliar with raised bed planting, I HIGHLY recommend Bountiful Container, by McGee and Stuckey.
planted a whiskey barrel of beets
planted a whiskey barrel of carrots
planted 2 whiskey barrels with green chiles - hoping for a bountiful harvest to freeze.
planted a complete shade garden under our pear trees which includes: Wild Ginger, Royal Helleborus, and Spiderwort, and removed encroaching grass, putting bed back to rightful size
planted a new peony, Queen Wilhelmina, in the pink garden
planted 6 azalea bushes, two in the pink garden, and the rest on the sunny side of the house
transplanted briar rose from wild common area of neighborhood to our pergola.

Yet to do:

put in 10 tomato plants (which arrived yesterday)
plant two asters we picked up at a garden sale at the local Art Museum
move one of our boxes into sunny spot as our Maple has now grown so tall it is in complete shade.
plant green beans, fava beans, limas, and edamame
plant butternut squash
plant peruvian wonderflowers on side of patio (after that container is completely weeded)
plant flowering fern in front shade garden
plant Virgina Bluebells (from same Art Museum sale) in side shade garden
get and plant cukes and sweet peppers

We've got our work cut out for us, but in truth, I'm just happy to be getting outside! Here's to some sunny days so the work can get done.

Wacky Wednesday: The Great American Grump Out

2011-05-04T06:56:00.002-04:00

The 10th annual

GREAT AMERICAN GRUMP OUT

Wednesday, May 4, 2011.

The Grump Out asks all you sour pusses to suck it up and refrain from getting your grump on -- at least for 24 hours.

That includes no grumping, no frowning, no grousing, complaining, punching, slapping, hitting or killing. FOR ONE WHOLE DAY.

Rock on over to Smile Mania for the history of the Great American Grump Out and other little tidbits on why it was started. And let's just see where a little bit of joy can take us.

It's Not Easy Being Green (3) - Diapering Dilemma

2011-04-28T06:59:00.004-04:00

This is quite possibly the biggest debate in the realm of green parenting: Cloth or Single-Use Diapers? And it's not easy. Are cloth diapers really that much greener, once you factor in all the washing and chemicals used to keep them clean? Do you really want to put enough plastic, sewage, and chemicals into the landfill to take you to the moon and back? For my money, the reality is that using single-use diapers is equivalent to this scene from Mad Men (they won't allow it to be embedded). No one today would dream of leaving that much trash at a picnic site, and if they did, they would be roundly criticized. And yet, the alternatives for diapering are so time consuming (and messy), right?

There is a learning curve, but the use of the hybrid diaper has been the best thing since, well, since the last time we were diapering a child. We use gDiapers. They look like this:

There is a cloth outer pant, and inside plastic liner, and a cloth or compostable soaker. We've opted for the disposable inserts, as they can be composted, or simply flushed. Even if they do wind up in the landfill - let's face it, we will be out and about and not always able to get to a potty - they will biodegrade leaving no plastic or chemicals in the earth. We do find we have a fair amount of laundry with them, but as anyone who has ever lived with a baby can attest, that comes with the territory, with or without cloth diapers.

As I said, this has been an easy decision for us. They are convenient enough for us to use regularly and simple enough to launder that it doesn't take more time than doing the regular wash (you can even put the plastic liner in the washer). I'd recommend this hybrid system to anyone wanting to get away from the single-use system. It's brilliant.

Wacky Wednesday: National Dance Week

2011-04-27T07:01:00.000-04:00

I love dancing. I don't do it too much these days unless I'm trying to lull a baby to sleep. Perhaps it's one of the things that draws me to Glee and the Ellen show. I saw these guys on Ellen recently and just couldn't get enough of them! This video is actually from last year, but they were on just this month. You can check out that performance here. Enjoy!

It's Not Easy Being Green (2) - Greenest Shipping Methods

2011-04-25T06:47:00.006-04:00

I've noticed when ordering from Diapers.com (who is currently having a sale on their green products!) that they offer a green shipping method. So it begs the question, what is that? I did a bit of research and here's what I discovered.

One of the best ways to help the environment stay “green” and become “greener” is to reduce our carbon footprint. As many families know, it is now possible to buy green foods, green cleaning supplies, and even green vehicles. Green shipping, however, is not something we hear much about.

There are several ways in which you can choose greener shipping options. First of all, you can try to reuse packing material whenever possible. If you need to send a package and do not have packing material that you can recycle, try to buy materials made from recycled products. Consider popping popcorn and using it in place of packing peanuts or newspaper wads. In addition, when you need to send a gift that you've ordered online, choose to have the gift wrapped and sent directly to the recipient rather than having it shipped to you first. It is much better for the environment if the package is shipped only once. Finally, you should choose ground shipping whenever possible. Sending packages via an aircraft is harder on the environment than sending them via ground shipping.

After taking all the measures you can to lessen the environmental impact of shipping, you should consider which carrier you should use. The two major shipping contenders in the United States are UPS and FedEx. So which one is greener? Well, according to UPS, its services are greener than those of FedEx. UPS claims that it operates more alternative fuel vehicles than does FedEx. UPS also states that its airline fleet is at least 30% more efficient than that of FedEx. In addition, UPS has set company goals to decrease its carbon footprint including emissions reduction and community outreach.

On the other hand, FedEx claims that its services are greener. In fact, in April 2010, FedEx launched a new program entitled EarthSmart, which was designed to minimize the company's impact on the environment. Since then, FedEx has been working to increase vehicle efficiency, decrease aircraft emissions, and add to its ability to produce and utilize solar energy. EarthSmart can be divided into three separate focus areas: workplace culture, business solutions, and community outreach.

It is not yet known for sure which of these two companies is the greenest. However, it is inspiring to know that both FedEx and UPS are setting goals for reducing their impact on the environment. Each company is attempting to improve the efficiency of their vehicles and aircrafts. They are also both attempting to utilize more alternative sources of fuel and energy.

It should also be noted that many of the smaller shipping entities, including DHL, are implementing greener shipping methods as well. If you choose to use one of these companies instead, simply search its website for information on the environmental impact of the company's practices. Choosing to work only with companies that care about the environment will entice other companies to follow suit.

It's Not Easy Being Green (1)

2011-04-24T10:30:00.006-04:00

I'm the sort of girl who's committed to a greener, healthier, less polluted, more peaceful earth. Our family tries to do what we can to make a difference in reducing waste, reducing the amount of chemicals emitted into the environment, and promoting growth and education within our small realm of influence. Sometimes it's easy, other times, not so much. Let's face it, if it's not convenient, we probably won't do it. In light of all of this, I'm beginning an occasional series of posts entitled "It's Not Easy Being Green." The goal is to share with you the ways our family is attempting to be kinder to the planet, and to ourselves, and perhaps to inspire you to consider being a bit greener too. If you have ways that your family is being green, I'd love to share them here on the blog. Please let me know about them!

Additionally, my summer reading theme this year (and it's been a while since I've been inspired to select a summer reading theme) is Being Green. Big surprise, no? Here are some of the titles I've already purchased. (Yes, I realize it would be greener to use the library, or audio books I can just download. Perhaps I will give myself that goal this year.) If you have suggestions, I'd be happy to add them to my list.

Gone Tomorrow: The Hidden Life of Garbage, Heather Rogers
Green Gone Wrong: How Our Economy Is Undermining the Environmental Revolution, Heather Rogers
Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less are the Keys to Sustainability, David Owen
The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution Can Fix Our Two Biggest Problems, Van Jones

Wacky Wednesday: Look Alike Day

2011-04-20T07:06:00.001-04:00

My son tells me there are at least 43 people in the world with your same face. I'm not sure where he reads this stuff, but he most certainly picks up the most random facts in books. I actually found my doppelganger in Poland many moons ago. We were randomly paired as roommates. As we were walking toward her house, her mother was on the balcony, unsure which one of us was her daughter and which was the foreigner.

In honor of Look Alike Day we're going to play a game. I can't take credit for it; my sister's extended family likes to play this one. It's called "Who'd Play You In A Movie?" To see the postings from her family, check out her blog.

Let's start with my beautiful friend Amy; I say Claire Danes is a wonderful match for her:

And how about my sister-in-law, Dawn? A young Annie Potts (a la Pretty in Pink) would be perfect:

So how about you? Who would play you in a movie?

Wacky Wednesday: National Frog Month

2011-04-13T07:09:00.000-04:00

Seriously. And while I am no expert on frogs, I appreciate the whole"Kiss A Frog" realm of fairy tales and life lessons. In that spirit, I present you with the only real live frog I am convinced was once a Prince - discovered by my niece Eleanor. She is the only person I know who could be enchanted enough to find such a specimen. I swear this frog is smiling.

Wacky Wednesday: New Beer's Eve

2011-04-06T06:56:00.001-04:00

At the stroke of midnight on this day, way back in 1933, prohibition ended. It was finally legal to enjoy your beer. No more skulking about trying to avoid being seen. Beer was out in the open again!

Celebrate today by drinking good beer and finding a craft brew near you. Don't brew your own beer? Don't know where to start? If you have an iPhone, there's an app for that! Find Craft Beer can use your location to direct you to craft beers in your area. Well worth the $0.99. If you don't have an iPhone, don't despair; Craftbeer.com can do the same for you. Just plug in your state and see what comes up.

A Happy New Beer's Eve to you!

Wacky Wednesday: National Cherry Blossom Festival Time

2011-03-30T07:11:00.001-04:00

Having lived in the Baltimore Washington area for some time, I can tell you, the Cherry Blossom Festival is an event to behold. Way back in 1912, first lady Mrs. Taft and the wife of the then ambassador from Japan, Viscountess Chinda, planted the first cherry trees along the tidal basin in Washington D.C. These are the same trees that now burst into a sea of pink and are celebrated for 3 weeks in our nation's capital. In 1935, the first festival began. Today, it too has blossomed.

Peak bloom time is now through April 3rd. There will be plenty to see and do. For the full calendar of events - and tons of beautiful photos - visit the official website at www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.

Wacky Wednesday: Near Miss Day

2011-03-23T07:22:00.002-04:00

On March 23, 1989, an asteroid the size of a mountain, came within 500,000 miles of a collision with Earth. In interstellar terms, it was a near miss. Had it collided with the Earth, it would have left a devastating crater the size of Washington, D.C. It's affect on the planet would have been catastrophic. Today we remember and celebrate our brush with extinction.

How to celebrate? For my money, you could make a moon crater cake like Natalia from Connecticut:

or you could get nostalgic and play Atari's Astroids on line

Or you could watch this video depicting 30 years of astroid observation in just 3 short minutes.

Enjoy Near Miss Day!

Wacky Wednesday: National Wildlife Week

2011-03-16T07:03:00.002-04:00

Celebrated by celebrities such as Walt Disney & Robert Redford, National Wildlife Week is celebrating its 73rd year this week. National Wildlife Week is a signature event of the National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There™ campaign, an initiative to connect families and communities to nature, raise healthier kids, instill a conservation ethic, and inspire a life-long appreciation of wildlife and the environment. Who could argue with that?

Visit their website each day this week to download special posters, find games, puzzles and outdoor activities. And while your there, check out the Garden For Wildlife pages where you can learn to create a wildlife habitat in your own backyard - so cool! As they like to say at the NWF, Be Out There.

Wacky Wednesday: Learn What Your Name Means Day

2011-03-09T07:14:00.000-05:00

I was going to write a new post regarding this, but last year's post was so fun (especially all the comments it received), I decided just to reprise it here. How ironic is it that I chose this photo a year before my little Jack arrived in our lives? And a special shout out to my parents, Mary, "wished for child," and Cody, "son of Otto," on their wedding anniversary!

Wacky Wednesday: Learn What Your Name Means Day

I am all about names. In fact, my husband and I were already talking about baby names before we were certain I was pregnant. Names carry weight and they do mean something. How many people have you met that keep the names of their children a secret until they are born?

And I find it interesting that sometimes the naming of things is easy, like our dog Luna. She was named within 2 minutes of meeting her. And our son Hayes, we knew what we were going to name him, almost without debate. And sometimes the naming of things takes a great deal of consideration, like when my folks were trying to name their lake house. It took us almost a year to make that decision.

So I encourage you to take some time and find out the meaning behind your name. If your looking for a website to learn the meaning of your name, try this one. My name means "beloved". And my beloved's name means "brave power". And my son, well, he was named for his Granddaddy. And that's the most meaningful thing for me when it comes to naming our kids. We get the chance to honor and remember those we love.

Reflections on Motherhood (In No Particular Order)

2011-02-28T08:49:00.005-05:00

Having a second child is a gift I give myself: I am less stressed, more knowledgeable, less strapped for cash, and more flexible than the first time around. I publicly apologize to my first born. We were crazy young people when you were born. We didn't know.
Breast feeding is the single most isolating thing I can think of doing. And as my sister so ironically pointed out, you're with someone the entire time. For a women who struggles with depression anyway, it was a poor choice. I LOVE bottle feeding. And I enjoy the time with my little man all the more for it.
I am a baby-wearer; no doubt about it.
Bed rest is not for the faint of heart. It can break you. Fortunately I have Netflix and Facebook and a new iPhone. I survived. ::Roar!::
There really is an app for that.
I still feel the need to do it all myself. Big surprise. Letting others help has been a learning experience. I shall be happy when I can, in fact, do it all myself. Even if it is an illusion.
Having a baby in February is not too bad, especially when you can get to the hospital without incident. The weather has been crap, but who cares? We can't go outside anyway. And there won't be any pressure to have a backyard birthday party as he gets older.
My children make me a better person.

Wacky Wednesday: National Bird Feeding Month

2011-02-16T07:02:00.000-05:00

February is National Bird Feeding Month. We love our birds and like to keep them around all winter. If you don't already have a bird feeder, here are some really cool ones we'd like to recommend.

Vintage Ritz Feeder

Window Feeder

Gazebo Feeder

Or, if you are so inclined, you can make your own molded feeder like this one:

(instructions over at Totally Tutorials)

Wacky Wednesday: National Green Week

2011-02-09T07:49:00.001-05:00

We all realize (whether we want to or not) that taking care of our planet is a necessity. Here at confessions, we try to do this in a number of ways, recycling (our trash, our old clothing, our used goods), gardening organically, composting and minimizing the trips we make in our automobiles.

This week, the Green Education Foundation is sponsoring Green Week - an initiative encouraging students to be the leaders of their own sustainability program. Actually, this is just the kick off week. Schools can choose any week through April 22 to participate. It's completely free and the Foundation will be posting the results of its initiative at the end of April so the kids who've participated can see what an impact they are having.

If you are a parent, teacher, or concerned citizen, consider forwarding this information to your child's teacher, or implementing the program in your own classroom. Anything we can do to encourage our students to care for the planet is a step in the right direction.

Wacky Wednesday: Star Fruit Month

2011-02-02T06:59:00.003-05:00

My child has a fascination with exotic fruits. He's a fruit lover and after viewing a segment of This Is Daniel Cook on exotic fruits (about 5 years ago!), it was all over. We were on a mission for all the exotic fruit we could find.

So today, we acknowledge the beauty and taste of the star fruit. The CDC has proclaimed this Star Fruit Month. If you are looking for a little more information on the fruit, you can cruise on over to their website for a plethora of information. If you've never seen or tasted one, you should scout your local grocery. You're likely to find it hiding in and among the other imported fruits. The taste is unique but very pleasing. I'm sure we'll be indulging in one today!

Wacky Wednesday: Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement

2011-01-26T07:01:00.001-05:00

Sometimes we run across a story that warms the heart. The origin of this holiday is one such story. And as eHow.com does such a nice job in telling it, let us give you the briefest of summaries, and then direct you to their wonderful article.

Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement is a little-known holiday celebrated each year on January 26. Originally established as a day to connect with others through the heart, it stresses the importance of sharing a kind word with fellow man. Although the name conjures thoughts of childhood storybooks and amusement park rides, Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement is actually rooted in an 1800s-era school house located in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Read more: What Is Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6781531_toad-hollow-day-encouragement_.html#ixzz16sUOIzzj

Time Marches On

2011-01-20T07:23:00.002-05:00

Amidst all the preparing for new life we've been doing around here, there's been another sort of preparation quietly penetrating our lives, spinning circles around our sweet little hats, and booties, and nursery rhymes; aging has been rearing it's ugly head. And ugly, it is.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; I never saw myself as a dog person. Of course I have loved pets as a child, felt attached to them, longed for them to sleep in my bed. But the woman I am today would shock the daylights out of the woman I thought I was becoming (in oh so many ways). Nevertheless, Jezzy is my girl. She is my Paris girl, the perfect companion for my fantasy life in Paris: slim and lovely, head held high, strutting her stuff because she belongs there. She's blended in perfectly with our family, behaved better than any other dog we've owned, converted my son into being a dog lover, convinced my niece she need not be frightened (at least of Jezzy), and comforted both Grandmothers who've known her. And now, she's aging.

I feel a bit like the old woman at the cosmetic counter believing desperately that Ponce De Leon did in fact find the fountain of youth and it has been bottled in that newest expensive night cream. I am constantly reading books, searching the Web, consulting our breeder (thanks a million Mary!) for the next thing to help our girl feel better. We've been to the vet more times than I ever anticipated, first removing some teeth, then to check on thyroid levels, and then again, and again, and finally to confirm that she does have arthritis in her hips. And I am giving my dog medication, a probiotic, changing her food, purchasing her a new bed, lifting her onto mine on the days she's reluctant to jump up there on her own. All with the deep, dark, nagging feeling that this is just the beginning of losing her.

I keep a hawkish eye on her watching as she climbs the stairs (did she trip?), monitoring that she's actually eating enough (did Luna bully her or is she not hungry?), counting her medications (did she get then all?), discouraging her constant licking. And just when I think we've finally addressed everything, something else creeps in and I start worrying about that too. But what alternative do I have, really? I love her fiercely and she deserves the best we can give her to make her comfortable and happy. I realize the inevitable end to this story. I'm not that much in denial. But I wonder how much longer I have with her. I can only hope she and I can both be as comfortable as possible until then.

Wacky Wednesday: International Printing Week

2011-01-19T06:57:00.004-05:00

On this International Printing Week, Confessions reminds you that letter press printing still prospers. It's an older craft, not really renowned anymore, but there are still some beautiful works being created with this older style of printing.

One of our favorite block printing artists, Gwen Frostic, passed away several years ago, but her artwork still lives on. She was local to the northern Michigan area where we have vacationed since I was a little girl. She was a nature lover through and through. You can see her artwork at www.gwenfrostic.com.

And then, there is the wonderful world of Etsy. As you take a look at these lovely shops, don't forget, Valentine's day is right around the corner.

Sweetgrass Prints:

Dempsey Press:

Ruby Press:

First Original Hat Pattern

2011-01-14T07:13:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, I am rather proud of myself for figuring this out! I created this hat pattern using a master pattern and a bobble cable pattern from The Knitting Stitch Bible. figuring out those cabled decreased was not the easiest thing I've ever done! As I mentioned in a previous post, I am trying to knit up several hats for little Jack, as he will be needing them this blustery winter. And I am currently in love with these cabled stocking caps. They are just so sweet!

Being so self satisfied, I thought I'd share the pattern with you. This is the Ravelry link, or if you are just interested in the PDF, you can find it here. And if you do decide to knit it up, please, please, please, tell me how it goes. I'd love to see what you do!

Wacky Thursday: Public Radio Broadcasting Day

2011-01-13T07:13:00.002-05:00

Ahh NPR, how would we live without you? Your intelligent talk and informative news programs get us thought our day. Today marks the first public radio broadcast (1910) of a live Metropolitan Opera House performance. Since then, broadcasting has evolved into a medium that no one could have predicted. And yet public radio still holds a certain charm for us here at Confessions.

For those of you unfamiliar to NPR (could it be?), let us introduce you to our favorite syndicated shows:

Fresh Air

The Diane Rhem Show

Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me

The Writer's Almanac

If you are not a member yet, you should be. Take a moment to find your public broadcasting station, and consider making a donation. We are proud members of WFYI. And if nothing else, listen a little today. It's good for you.

Nesting

2011-01-12T08:31:00.006-05:00

The last time we had a little one, we were living in a one bedroom apartment. This meant that Hayes's space (with all the paraphernalia a little one accumulates) was limited to a corner of our living room and the tiny little coat closet. Getting it ready wasn't really as satisfying as it has been for Jack. This time, we have an entire room for our little bug. Deciding what to do with it has been a lot of fun, and finally, I have some photos of the just-about-finished project:

I used Photoshop to merge several photos, I think you get the idea here. I found a wonderful vendor on Etsy who was willing to comb through her supply of books and send me all the pages she had with "Jack" rhymes on them. I had no idea there would be so many! I originally thought I'd do a collage of some sort, but when she announced she had over 70 pages, I knew I wanted to make a bigger statement. I mean, how many kids have so much written about them already?

So after consulting with many a friend, I settled on this wall treatment. I used pre-mixed wallpaper paste to adhere the pages with very good effect.

There is not a peeling edge, nor any visible sign of the paste on the walls. Exactly what I was hoping for. The older pages required much more paste than I anticipated, but once I figured out the quantity needed, I was off and running. Here's a closer look at the pages:

I couldn't be happier with my decision. Yesterday the electrician came and installed an overhead light for the room. We're ready to welcome our Jack to the world.

Little Newsie Cap

2011-01-06T11:42:00.004-05:00

It occurs to me that unlike my first child, who was born in the blistering heat of an Indiana summer, this baby will have the opportunity to wear lots of cute little baby caps. I thought I might want to address that issue while I still have a wee bit of time. Fortunately, a wee little hat needs very little time indeed! When I saw this pattern, I just couldn't resist. And it took all of an hour from start to finish. I used stash yarn from Grandmom, and the buttons are hers as well (of course). I can't wait to see it on little Jack's head!

Wacky Wednesday: Some Day We'll Laugh About This Week

2011-01-05T07:30:00.001-05:00

We've all been there (perhaps it was all too recently for some of us): those family vacations that just don't turn out the way we expected; the events we've hosted (or attended) that went up in flames; the surprises that were no surprise at all, or worse yet, duds. I've spent my fair share of "couch hours" with the Great And Powerful Oz (or GAPO - my nickname for my therapist - you know, like POTUS) discussing these trying times. Like when we all went to Colorado for that family Christmas and.....

And yet, somehow, I always find ways to laugh about them. Let's face it, the more absurd the event, the more hilarious it grows. And you know what GAPO says? He says if it's not a good vacation it'll be a great story. And he's so right.

Today we encourage those of you with such stories (and we can't imagine this doesn't include everyone) to share them today. Start the New Year off with a laugh. It's good for you.

To Hover or Not To Hover, That Is The Question

2011-01-03T07:37:00.000-05:00

Lately, it seems that there have been a number of instances in my "mama" life that have pointed directly to the question of how much freedom to allow my child; my answer to that question, it seems, is a bit out of the neighborhood norm. It's not all that unusual for me to be in this category, as my parenting philosophy tends to border on the more liberal side (i.e. I should be living somewhere on the west coast) and I live in a rather conservative (read, midwestern) community. That being said, it's still tough to be the family that does it differently.

Recently we've had a parent come to the door tattling on my child, that he was wrestling with another kid (NOT HER CHILD) after the bus stop dropped them off, and she felt it was out of hand. And by the way, her kid was being pushed around by my kid too, just not today when she was there to observe. (I have my doubts, as her child tends to want to dominate my kid, and then seems to lie to his folks to get his way. There's history there.) I think it's reasonable to expect my kid to walk home from the bus stop on his own. He's 9, for heaven's sake.

Then, there is the boy scout policy that insisting we discuss "good touch, bad touch" with our children so they can earn a badge, as well as the safety lesson led by the den mother who told them (4th graders, mind you) to never, never, never open the door when your parents aren't home. Really? In the burbs? At 10 years old? I mean, the odds of someone coming to the door to take them away or politely rob the place are less than them being struck by lightening twice. Seems a bit extreme to me. And really, if you haven't talked to your kid about sex and touching by now, it's a bit late. They are already experimenting. Trust me.

And then there is our policy of not doing much monitoring of our child's screen time. He plays lots of games on line and watches myriad YouTube videos. Don't get me wrong, we have rules about what is and is not allowed, and if discovered breaking the rules, the computer is mine. But we don't use any "computer nanny" software to prevent him from going/doing/seeing on line. Instead, we've discussed what to do if . . . if you wind up somewhere you weren't expecting to be, if someone tries to solicit information from you, etc. I don't want him to think there's something evil lurking just behind that next link.

Recently, all of this seems to be on the "disapproved of" list. And it makes me wonder, what are we trying to do for our kids anyway? Are we trying to teach them to be responsible and make good decisions? Or are we trying to hide them under a rock and hope for the best (a very tempting choice, believe me)? As hard as it is, I'm going for responsibility. And I appreciate those who are trying to hoe the same row. Lisa Greville wrote a great article in the latest issue of my favorite publication, Brain, Child, dealing with this very topic. I highly recommend reading it. It's so much easier to be a helicopter parent, do all the defending and thinking for our kids, but in the end, it just doesn't seem to serve them as well as helping them make good decisions for themselves. So no matter how hard it is for me, I'm choosing to teach responsibility and respect, send my kid out into the big wide world, and be here for him when he needs me.

Knitting Wrap Up

2011-01-01T09:35:00.007-05:00

According to my KnitMeter I knit 104 yards of knitted goods in 2010. Sounds about right. There was much to be done in the baby department, as well as some goodies here and there for myself. It feels good to see them all in one place. I'm pretty sure I missed a couple pair of socks, but nonetheless, here's my 2010 Knitting Projects Photo Collage:

Wacky Wednesday: Pepper Pot Day

2010-12-29T06:55:00.001-05:00

Today Wacky Wednesday brings you a history lesson. In late 1777 the Continental Army (that's us) was fighting the British in a particularly brutal New England winter. Many of the local farmers had sold their food to the British (who could pay a higher price) rather than to the Continental Army. Consequently, they were running low on food - and morale, as it were. It is rumored that General George Washington ordered his cooks to make something hot that would boost the troops morale. Pepper Pot was said to have been the result.

Here's the recipe:

1 pound honeycomb tripe
5 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 leeks, chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 quarts beef stock
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large potato, peeled and diced
2 large carrots, diced
4 tablespoons margarine
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Place the tripe or other meat that you have selected to use in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and turn off the heat. Allow the meat to cool a bit in the water, and then drain and rinse. Cut into 1/4 inch pieces.
In a large heavy kettle, saute the bacon until clear. Add the onion, celery, leeks, parsley, and green peppers; saute until tender.
Stir in beef stock, thyme, marjoram, cloves, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and black pepper. Bring the kettle to a boil, and turn down to a simmer. Cook, covered, until meat is very tender, about 2 hours.
Add the diced potato and carrots, and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
Prepare the roux by stirring the flour into the melted butter or margarine, and cooking for a moment on the stove. When the soup is done to your liking, stir in the roux. Simmer, stirring all the while, until the soup thickens a bit. Correct the seasonings.

Should you be so inclined as to make Pepper Pot today, we'd love to hear all about it. As for us, we'll raise a glass to the scrappy and determined Continental Army of so long ago and celebrate without the Pepper Pot.

Artwork, John Lewis Krimmel's Pepper-Pot: A Scene in the Philadelphia Market

Wacky Tuesday: Look On The Bright Side Day

2010-12-21T06:53:00.001-05:00

For my darling Hayes, who loved to sing along with this from the time he was three. This is my favorite version, from Spamalot - which if you haven't seen is an absolute must! Who could resist Tim Curry as King Arthur and a bunch of tap dancing knights?

Wacky Thursday: National Regifting Day

2010-12-16T07:23:00.000-05:00

You know you do it! Hey, it's green. Here's the skinny direct from nationalregiftingday.com:

In honor of holiday office parties and the “unique” gifts exchanged at them, the creators of Regiftable.com have declared the Thursday before Christmas to be National Regifting Day.

This date is particularly appropriate since, according to our unscientific research, the third Thursday of December it is the most common day for a holiday office party. And, according to our very scientific research, 4 in 10 regifters (41%) target coworkers as the recipients of their regifts.

We’d like to suggest that you bring regifting out of the supply closet and turn your gift exchange into a regifting party. In case you are hesitant to break tradition, you can rest assured that the majority (60%) of people think that regifting is becoming more accepted; the top two reasons are to save some green.

25% believe that regifting is becoming more accepted because it is a way to save on holiday expenses.
14% believe that regifting is becoming more accepted because it is a method of recycling.

Wacky Wednesday: Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day

2010-12-08T06:58:00.001-05:00

We love to imagine playing around with time don't we? I mean, so much has been written about what would happen if you could just go back and do it again, or you could move back and forth between times. There are just so many fun ways to celebrate today:

You could celebrate today by reading one of these time related novels: Tuck Everlasting, The Time Traveler's Wife, A Wrinkle In Time, or A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court (although, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it); or by watching one of these movies: Back To The Future (the trilogy), Somewhere In Time, or Groundhog Day; or you could browse these TV shows: Quantum Leap; CSI: NY - 'Time's Up'; or Castle, 'Punked'.

Go ahead, dream a little. And celebrate today with gusto!

French Press Felted Slippers

2010-12-07T10:38:00.004-05:00

As I may have mentioned, I think these are the cutest darn slippers EVER. And indeed, they have become MY slippers. Perhaps next year I can knit up a slew of them and gift them to my lovely family & friends :). They are incredibly quit to knit up and I was even able to get them to felt up in the front-loader. No hand felting was necessary. And just in time too - our temperatures have taken a deep dive this week.

I used Cascade 220 (don't remember the specific color), which is so economical and so yummy. I did a single crochet trim and used some more of Grandmom's fantastic vintage buttons. Amazingly, I still have half a jar full of those buttons to use! I think these little knights were just too fun to keep in the jar.

Tying Up Some Loose Ends

2010-12-03T09:57:00.004-05:00

I'm really great at starting projects and then letting them linger, almost completed. I get to the point where I can see the finished product and then I just loose interest. Especially if the item will not be used for several months. Exactly what happened to this adorable Double Breasted Seed Stitch Jacket.

I got the entire jacket put together and then couldn't find the right buttons. It sat around until I finally got back to it this week. And truthfully, I think this is my most favorite baby item yet. It's functional, adorable and who could resist these fantastic vintage buttons I discovered on Etsy from AddVintage? Seriously, no boy should be without this hoodie. Can't wait to see our little man in it!

Wacky Wednesday: World With(out) Art Day

2010-12-01T06:50:00.000-05:00

From TheBody.Com website:

Day Without Art (DWA) began in 1989 as the national day of action and mourning in response to the AIDS crisis. To make the public aware that AIDS can touch everyone, and inspire positive action, some 800 U.S. art and AIDS groups participated in the first Day Without Art, shutting down museums, sending staff to volunteer at AIDS services, or sponsoring special exhibitions of work about AIDS. Since then, Day With(out) Art has grown into a collaborative project in which an estimated 8,000 museums, galleries, art centers, AIDS Service Organizations, libraries, high schools and colleges take part on both the national and international levels.

In the past, Visual AIDS has initiated public actions and programs, published an annual poster and copyright-free broadsides and acted as press coordinator and clearing house for projects for Day Without Art/World AIDS Day. In 1997 we suggested Day Without Art become a Day WITH Art, to recognize and promote increased programming of cultural events that draw attention to the continuing pandemic. We added parentheses to the program title, Day With(out) Art, to highlight the proactive programming of art projects by artists living with HIV/AIDS, and art about AIDS, that was taking place across the country. It had become clear that active interventions within the annual program were far more effective than actions to negate or reduce the programs of cultural centers.

The Breville Pie Maker

2010-11-30T10:49:00.005-05:00

I'm not really the chef in these parts. I'm much more the baker. But when I saw this slick little piece of machinery for the kitchen, I was immediately struck with the benefits it would bring our family. Now, I'm not one to be all about the very specific kitchen equipment. I firmly believe that any kitchen item should have at least three good uses or be used for it's one purpose almost daily in order to be allowed admittance into our busy lives. Otherwise, I just don't have much use for it, you know?

However, this little machine just may be the answer to hours spent in the kitchen every Christmas Eve. At our house, we have a tradition of making fried pies - a recipe my grandmother developed - and that process can be very time consuming. This year, we have the luxury of this little machine. And let me tell you, we've already had success with some delicious salmon pot pies, ready in 16 minutes. My hubby the chef was extremely pleased. And everybody gets their own crust. I can't wait for my in-laws to arrive so we can do individual chicken pot pies. If the upside of having a timesaving device for the holidays is also to have a convenient way to serve up supper, I'm all for it. And all for just $80.00. Oh and family, if you're reading this, you'll need to get your own - ours is staying right where it is!

Xmas Gift Sewing (2)

2010-11-29T09:47:00.003-05:00

My new sewing machine is getting a good initiating these days! I think I finally have the basics figured out, and this was a great, simple project to do just that.

I'm a headache sufferer, and there is nothing quite so comforting as my "happy eye pillow." I use it whenever a headache befalls me. It's essentially a silky beanbag, filled with buckwheat hulls and lavender. It smells lovely, darkens the room and puts just the right amount of pressure on my eyes. I love it.

So this Christmas, I decided to make a few of my own from Richard's old ties and some fabric scraps I had loitering about the studio. (If you are not as remiss in cleaning out your closets as we are, you could always scope out the local thrift stores for fun ties and pocket squares.) I found all the filling ingredients at my local, natural foods store - and they were all in the bulk aisle: read, nice and cheap. I estimate each Happy Eye Pillow cost me about $2.00. So not only do I have a green gift, but it was super cheap too! What could be better?

If you are looking for a pattern, check out Amanda Soule's book, Handmade Home. She recommends thrifting for vintage scarves for the outsides. I may just have to try that too!

Wacky Tuesday: Cashew Day

2010-11-23T07:36:00.000-05:00

There may be no better nut in the world than the cashew. I love them. And today, we celebrate the cashew! I'm a big fan of Ina Garten's Spicy Cashews. They are perfect for a party or the football game. And they might just be the sort of munchie your crowd likes before the big dinner on Thursday. Here's the recipe:

1 T good olive oil

3 C whole unsalted roasted cashews

1/2 t chili powder

1 t kosher or sea salt

(I like to add 1/2 t paprika too)

Place a medium-size pan over medium heat. Add olive oil & cashews and toss to coat. Add chili powder, salt (paprika if you are using it) and pepper to taste. Toss until warmed through. Remove from heat and serve. They will crisp as they sit.

Baby Blankie

2010-11-22T07:04:00.001-05:00

I never had a baby blankie. My lovie was my teddy bear. But my sister had her blankie, and so did my son. And I just love a soft blankie for baby. I picked up some double sided printed fleece at the big-box store (there is SO much to choose from this time of year!) and some satin blanket binding, and voila! I have a new blankie to spread on the floor at play time for baby Jack.

It was so dog-gone easy, I am almost embarrassed to say I sewed it. So I'll tell you I put it together myself, and leave it at that. I'm certain there will be another. It's just too easy not to have extras!

Xmas Gift Sewing

2010-11-19T06:55:00.000-05:00

Have I mentioned that knitting gifts this year is not going to happen? I believe I have. So while I still have the ability to sew, I thought I'd whip up a set of fleece mittens and a scarf for the guitar teacher. (Seriously, it's been a long time since I hung out with 20-something single musician guys. It was not easy to figure out what we might be able to give him this year.)

When I saw this fleece in the remnant rack at the local big-chain fabric store, I knew I was on to something. And then when I found the simplest pattern in the world for mittens (and it was free), it was a done deal. So for a whopping $7.00 we have a hand-made gift for the guitar teacher he might actually use. I love it when a plan is inspired.

Birdie Rattles

2010-11-18T07:11:00.000-05:00

More baby sewing is afoot, even with the onset of the gift-giving season. I've been swooning over more of the patterns in Sweet Booties, as mentioned here, and decided that I just had to work on the Birdie Rattles next.

For this project I was able to used repurposed fabric (read clothing I can no longer wear for various reasons) and was delighted to find a color palette that seemed boyish. This, is the (very high tech) recycled material that created the interior rattle mechanism:

I have to admit, the sewing was a little more involved than the last couple projects I've done, but in the end, I think it was totally worth it. I even decided to use my snap setter to attach snaps at the ends instead of tying them as the book recommends - I think it'll be easier once I have a babe in one hand and a shopping cart in the other. Time will tell. And who doesn't love birds? I can't wait to try them out!

Wacky Wednesday: Guinness World Record Day

2010-11-17T07:10:00.000-05:00

What's wackier than the Guinness Book of World Records? It was always the most checked-out book in our school library when I was a kid, and my son is always thrilled when he can check it our of his school library. There's just so much to be entertained by in there. Here are some fun tidbits from the Guinness World Records website.

The fastest time to complete the game of Operation was 21.87 seconds achieved by Maharoof Decibels (India) at the Guinness World Records Pavilion in Global Village, Dubai, UAE, on 28 November 2008.
The world's largest jack o'lantern was carved by Scott Cully (USA) from the world's largest pumpkin on October 31, 2005 in Northern Cambria, Pennsylvania, USA. The pumpkin was grown by Larry Checkon (USA) and weighed 666.32 kg (1,469 lb) at the Pennsylvania Giant Pumpkin Growers Association Weigh-off, on October 1, 2005.
The largest Irish dance involved 10,036 participants at the Dublin Irish Festival organised by the City of Dublin in Dublin, Ohio, USA on August 4, 2007.

And if you think you have a record to set, check it out at the "How I become a Record Holder" page. Have fun!

Bootie Love

2010-11-11T07:30:00.002-05:00

A sweet friend and sister loaned me the cutest book for baby sewing: Sweet Booties! And Blankets, Bonnets, Bibs & More. The projects are just irresistible. I decided to tackle these little newborn booties first, using some scraps from a flannel receiving blanket I made for a friend last fall.

It's so wonderful to be using the fabric in my stash for new baby stuff! And these are going to be so fun on a little pair of kicking feet this February.

Recycled T-shirt Newborn Sleepers (2)

2010-11-10T07:37:00.007-05:00

Remember this post from February? I'm still in love with these practical little sleepers. I've been on the prowl around here for more fun Ts to recycle. I think we're gonna have the hippest baby on the block (well, maybe the only baby, but let's not dwell on that). Here's what's been done lately:

(Curious George, front)

(and back; from men's large T)

(first sleeper, from a Men's XXL)

(second sleeper from same shirt - had to add arms from a different T; I think it looks like a baseball shirt.)

Little Something Extra

2010-11-09T07:37:00.001-05:00

I finished the snaps on the shoulders of the hospital gown this week. I am thrilled with how easily the Kam Snaps pliers work! And since I had a good bit of material left from that project, I decided to make these adorable little pants.

Thanks to Made By Rae's blog, these were a cinch to whip up. These could not have possibly taken me more than 90 minutes to create. I'm sure there will be many more in the future for our little one.

Wacky Monday: Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day

2010-11-08T07:49:00.001-05:00

It's a slow holiday week here in November, so our Wacky Wednesday column is moving to Monday (for today only). And we find ourselves with another food based holiday. Some might say it's not really a holiday unless there's a food to go with it. For Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day, I thought I'd share my newest favorite green chile recipe, from Fix It And Forget It. (Although I have an earlier version I found at Half-Price Books.) I've altered the recipe a bit to accommodate a Mexican-food-loving family and a large slow cooker.

Tastes Like Chile Rellenos

1 large can Hatch Green Chiles

2 14-oz. cans stewed tomatoes (Red Gold is our preferred brand)

1 pkg. shredded Mexican Blend cheese

4 eggs

3/4 C evaporated milk

1/4 C flour

1/4 C cornmeal

*we think you could easily substitute a prepared box of Jiffy cornbread mix for the topping, although we have yet to try it.

Layer chiles and cheese in bottom of crock pot. Pour tomatoes over; mix eggs, milk, flour, and cornmeal together and pour mixture over the tomatoes. Cover and cook on high for 8 hours.

That's it, and it is so good. It does taste like rellenos without all the roasting and skinning and deep frying. My 9 year-old balked at the texture, but he's not a big fan of cheese. I would also recommend adding a bit of tex-mex spice to the mix; go ahead, be bold.

Proof of Pregnancy (4)

2010-11-06T06:59:00.001-04:00

It was bound to happen. It did the last time. At least this time I was ready for it. The inevitable swelling of my extremities has taken up residence for what I can only assume will be the remainder of my pregnancy (three months and counting). I've always been prone to swelling, but my body particularly takes issue with pregnancy it seems. My short little fingers feel like overstuffed sausages, and my feet refuse to fit in anything but my Birks (which I love, by the way). And the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is slowly creeping into my wrists. It makes knitting a little less enjoyable.

Happily, (thanks to my amazing yoga instructor) I've found a little something that helps: Coconut Water. It's packed with potassium and eleventy-million other nutrients that seem to keep the swelling at bay. I will admit, it's a bit difficult to choke down on its own. It comes from under-ripe coconuts and it tastes like it. But mixing it with a bit of OJ (ok, a lot of OJ) makes it palatable enough to drink and does wonders for the extremities. I've been able to find it at our local Trader Joe's, but I understand most health food stores carry it as well. We'll see how long it works, but for now, I can knit on (and sew, and bake, and...).

Maternity Sewing

2010-11-05T07:30:00.000-04:00

I haven't been much into the sewing of maternity clothing. It seems like the pay-off is for such a small amount of time. I just can't get into it. But as I was browsing Etsy (a dangerous thing to do), I ran across some homemade hospital gowns and realized the wisdom of this. All the photos I have of me and Hayes in those first amazing days are of him swaddled in a hospital blanket and me in a ratty hospital gown. I'm hoping it'll be a bit different this time.

I found a terrific pattern over at Lazy Girl Designs. The pattern doesn't specify maternity, but making the larger gown will definitely be generous enough for me, and I would imagine most pregnant women. How do I know? I altered my dress form to give me an idea:

I found some fabric in my stash that won't be too see-though or readily show any dirt/spit up/etc. The pattern was extremely easy to follow and I love the result.

All I have left to do is set some snaps along the shoulders and I'll be ready to go! I have yet to get my snap setter and snaps, but I can't wait to finish this stylin' gown. And the best part is, I will be delighted to send it on to Grandmom so she can use it at the nursing home. (I'm sure I'll need to take it in just a bit before that!) Everybody wins.

Handmade Baby Gifts

2010-11-04T07:46:00.002-04:00

I have been busily working away on a few gifts for a friend who is expecting a girl this month. And while I love, love, love being the mother of boys, I miss the sewing and knitting opportunities that girls offer. So I took the arrival of this little one as the opportunity I needed and here's what emerged:

Another capelet from Leigh Radford. I adore this pattern! And I love how easy the capelet is; no sleeves to contend with. The knitting is quick and the pattern is interesting. A perfect project as far as I'm concerned.

And then I whipped up these little beauties:

I always forget the before picture with a "refashion" - but at least this time you can see the T-shirt they were born from, and how I cut them out.

I've been holding on to this shirt for years waiting for just the right thing to use it for. These little baby britches were exactly what it needed for a second life! I just love it when a plan comes together.

Wacky Wednesday: National Long-term Care Awareness Month

2010-11-03T07:32:00.003-04:00

Long-term Care is something I think most of us are going to have to become familiar with in the future, be it for ourselves, or someone we love. I could say many a thing here on the blog regarding hospice, but none would be so succinct and eloquent as Dr. Atul Gawande in his New Yorker article, "Letting Go." (Many thanks to my well-read husband for sharing this beautiful piece with me.) There was also a fascinating episode of the Diane Rehm show August 24th, if you prefer to listen to Dr. Gawande's sage advice, along with that of several other experts. You can listen to that broadcast here. Bottom line: get informed. You'll be glad you did.

Wacky Wednesday: World Origami Days

2010-10-27T06:53:00.005-04:00

Did you know we are smack dab in the middle of World Origami Days? No? Me either. But I must admit to loving the craft of origami. It's almost as amazing to me as knitting. Shaping a lifeless piece of paper into something artistic and beautiful. There is a wonderful children's book, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, related to origami that I think everyone should read.

And, if you want to try your hand at it, Origami USA has some terrific templates to get you started. Or you can just admire the beauty and intricacies of these origami sculptures:

(origami dragon by Satoshi Kamiya)

(Hippocampus by Ramon Diaz)

(origami city by Wataru Ito)

Wacky Wednesday: Spirit Day, Guest Post

2010-10-20T08:01:00.002-04:00

Today Wacky Wednesday brings you a guest post by Jody Sparks.

I was invited by my sister to do a guest post on her blog regarding young adult books on the same day I was invited by a few of my Facebook friends to wear purple for Spirit Day. This was an event sponsored by GLAAD. From their site: http://www.glaad.org/spiritday

"The idea behind Spirit Day, first created by teenager Brittany McMillan earlier this month, is a simple one, not dissimilar to the idea of "Spirit Week" held in many high schools, and can be summed up in three words: Everyone Rally Together.

Spirit Day honors the teenagers who had taken their own lives in recent weeks. But just as importantly, it's also a way to show the hundreds of thousands of LGBT youth who face the same pressures and bullying, that there is a vast community of people who support them.

Purple symbolizes 'spirit' on the rainbow flag, a symbol for LGBT Pride that was created by Gilbert Baker in 1978."

I hated reading in junior high. I read only three of the assigned books in high school, which were The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Brave New World, andThe Scarlet Letter. Even though I remember thinking the books were interesting, I didn't fall in love with reading until college. When I graduated, a new genre of books had emerged called Young Adult Literature (YA) -- books geared for people 12 and up. Many of them featured bigger topics than Judy Blume's books. Once I started reading YA, I simply couldn't stop. I was impressed with the writing: that the teenage characters were whole people struggling in realistic ways, often without simple answers being offered at the conclusion of the book. These books were talked about as being "edgy" and while that term grew tiresome, I felt that love for reading and stories that I'd missed in high school. I related.

As the young adult publishing industry grows, so does the wealth of beautiful and edgy YA books, many of them which deal LBGT characters, or characters who are bullied. I thought I'd make a short list of some of these books. If these books could wear purple, they would. If you are in a position in which you have influence or companionship with teens, please direct them to these books.

LBGT:

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

My Heartbeat by Garret Freymann-Weyr

A Love Story: Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner

Ash by Melinda Lo

Bullying:

Riding Invisible by Sandra Alonso

Fly On the Wall by E. Lockhart

There are probably many many more. But, this is a good start. And, one more thing I'd like to add is that authors generally keep blogs and love their readers to visit. YA Author Shaun David Hutchinson is openly gay and has written a series of moving posts about his experience as a teenager. http://blog.shaundavidhutchinson.com/

Thanks, Amy, for inviting me to write on your blog.

Super Secret Trip Bag

2010-10-16T07:03:00.003-04:00

SHHH! We are taking our kid on a super secret trip tomorrow. You'll never guess where. I've been super-secretly bursting with excitement for a month! As such, I needed a way to channel my energies without spending all our money prior to arrival :) So without further ado, I give you my WDW Bag:

I designed it myself. Because, while there are many, many things The Dis can do for a dedicated fan like me, try as I might, I never can find the perfect bag. I realize this is a very personal need, so I decided to make one for myself.

First of all, it had to be cute. Cute in that I'm-a-hip-momma-and-I-love-me-some-Mickey-Mouse kind of way. So when I found this adorable Heather Ross canvas (Far Far Away II series) I knew it was the fabric I needed. (Isn't it a fantastic coincidence that Disney is releasing Tangled this Thanksgiving?)

Secondly, it had to hold my Passporter, my Nikon DX40 (protected from other trinkets), my pressed penny books, maps, tickets, pressed pennies, a water bottle and sunscreen (so they don't get other things wet), my refillable mug, cell phone, and an XL sweatshirt. And of course, I didn't want anything bulky. So this is my design, and I am damn proud of myself.

(the map, ticket and pressed penny pockets on the outside for quick access)

(the roomy, and divided, interior)

(the back, and a great view of the print)

(the side mesh pockets for water and sunscreen)

I am in love with this baby! I'll let you know how the trip goes. I may not sleep tonight!

Wacky Wednesday: National Take Your Teddy Bear To Work Day

2010-10-13T07:07:00.001-04:00

Today, in honor of one year of wacky celebrations, and because it truly is Take Your Teddy Bear To Work Day, I reprise for you, the first Wacky Wednesday entry:

Ok, I don't know where people come up with this stuff, but apparently it's National Take Your Teddy Bear To Work Day. And it struck me that I still have my teddy bear. He has stood faithfully by me for 37 years. That's no small task.

Meet Cinnamon Toast. He was dubbed my my daddy. He's been through so much in the time we've been together. He no longer has the velvet on his paws and nose, and the stitching on his nose has been repaired more that once. He's been soaked by tears more times than I care to remember, dragged around on the end of a shoelace "leash" that rendered his neck immobile, had his leg torn off by an over-zealous cousin (and more surgery was required), survived the break-up of several boyfriends, been the pillow at plenty of sleepovers, survived the teddy bear wars of my freshman year of college, and traveled with me from Indy to Michigan, Disney, Muncie, Tennessee, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey and finally back to Indy. It's been a long trip. Neither of us are the people we were when we started out. And he's at work with me every day. He sits on a shelf in my studio sagely watching over my family as we pass back and forth in the daily endeavors of our lives.

It's really all you can ask of a teddy bear, isn't it?

Wacky Wednesday: Mad Hatter Day

2010-10-06T07:37:00.002-04:00

Why is October 6th Mad Hatter Day? Why, just look at that mad hat! Clearly we are meant to celebrate on this particular day of the year. (Although the Brits, in their typically backward fashion have declared June 10th as Mad Hatter Day. The silliness of it all!)

We here at Confessions encourage you to celebrate this truly wacky holiday as any Mad Hatter might: with a ceremonious unbirthday party, complete with tea, jam, and sugar. And if you were to be so lucky as to find your way onto a tea cup at the Mad Tea Party in Disney, we would be extremely happy for you and red faced with jealousy! Enjoy your holiday my dear readers. We certainly will be!

Baby Sweater Vest

2010-10-05T09:34:00.002-04:00

Yet another knitted baby item. They're just so darn satisfying to whip up! No time at all, I tell you. I decided to switch things up by making a sweater vest, instead of a full fledged sweater this time. Hey, spring will eventually hit. And what little boy doesn't look amazing in a sweater vest?

I made this in Bella DK from Universal Yarns. You can find this Cable Vest pattern, in the Bella Babies - Book I, also from Universal Yarns. I've done enough projects in DK weight that I think I am done with it for a while. I've started a hoodie in a burnt orange worsted weight for something a little different. So far, I'm loving it. I'll post it when I'm done.

Baby Sweater IV

2010-10-04T07:43:00.002-04:00

This is another fantastic baby pattern from Leigh Radford's One More Skein. This is Nash's Garter Stitch Sweater and I think it is adorable! I love the button styling on this pattern. I used grandmom's button stash again - an endless supply of fabulous finds. I can see this paired with a little pair of jeans and a t-shirt. What a styling little baby we're gonna have.

De-Stashing V

2010-10-03T11:28:00.003-04:00

More baby knitting has been done, and this all before we knew we are having another boy! This little cutie is called Baby Yeti; apropos, wouldn't you say? It's the perfect use for this fantastic fuzzy yarn. I found this yarn at Hobby Lobby (Baby Bee) a year ago for $2 a skein. So this cuddly little pullover cost all of $4 to create. I love a bargain!

Wacky Wednesday: Banned Books Week

2010-10-01T07:42:00.001-04:00

And so Banned Books Week comes to a close. As promised, here are a few more titles, young adult titles at that, which have been banned at one time or another. I think every American should read them.

1. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone, J.K. Rowling. After hearing a terrific book review on NPR by T. R. Reid, I ran out to get this little known book. I was enchanted! It's the sort of reading you just can't put down. Rowling has a way of creating an entire world that is completely fantastical and yet utterly believable. Don't cheat yourself out of this delightful read. You may just have to read every one of them!

2. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, Mildred D. Taylor. This is historical fiction and I was fascinated by it as a fifth grader. I couldn't imagine that life had at one time been so different, so hard, for black families. It was eye-opening in the best way.

3. Bridge To Terabithia, Katherine Paterson. I remember this book as a magical place; a place to understand how death and dying can affect every one of us, and how we can still survive when it seems impossible to do so. This book helped to shape my understanding of people and how we grieve. Invaluable.

No matter which books you choose to read, keep on reading. And thinking. And enjoying your freedom to read.

Wacky Wednesday: Banned Books Week

2010-09-30T07:28:00.001-04:00

If you haven't read these banned books, may I suggest you add them to your summer reading list? I'll list a few more tomorrow too.

1. To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee. This is the book I would take with me to a desert island. The beauty of this book is so layered it would be difficult to sum it up here. But the movie, as good as it is, does not compare to the simple and stunning story that lies within its pages. It's celebrating it's 50th birthday this year. I see no better time than to pick it up and read (or re-read) this classic.

2. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini. Never having known an Afghanistan not in conflict, this book was a revelation for me. I loved the richness of the settings and the characters, as well as the coming of age story it tells. This is not a light read, but it is well, well worth it.

3. Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck. Perhaps this was a book you read in high school too (assuming your school didn't ban it). I fell in love with this book as a Senior. Honestly, I've never seen the movie, because I loved the book so intensely I was certain the movie couldn't live up to my expectations. This is a quick read, and a very thought provoking one.

Wacky Wednesday: Banned Books Week

2010-09-29T07:22:00.003-04:00

Why not take a few moments a browse the ALA Banned Books Store? I have to say, there are a few fabulous items in there I'd love to have.... Did you see that cool book bag?!?

Wacky Wednesday: Banned Books Week

2010-09-28T07:27:00.001-04:00

It still boggles my mind that we would try and censor literature in the United States of America. As a friend of mine likes to say, it takes all the beautiful people to make the world go 'round. I suppose this includes those among us who believe that banning books is a good idea. (Just remember that Hitler thought this was a good idea, too.)

Here are some interesting statistics, compiled by the American Library Association, regarding banned books over the last 20 years:

on average, there are 528 challenges to books per year
far and away, the biggest reason a book gets challenged is for sexual content
the second reason a book is challenged is for being "unsuitable for the age group"
when a book is challenged by an initiator, it is 4 times more likely to be a parent, than anyone else
when a book is challenged by an institution, it is most likely to be a school, a school library, or a public library.
prisons have challenged books 8 times (makes me wonder which ones!)
The most frequently challenged book of the last decade was Harry Potter, the series

I will just to mention here, that even though the Harry Potter books were banned in a school in which I taught (due to the magical content of the books - yes, really), the students were ingenious enough to still read them in that very school. They simply slipped their Bibles from their Bible covers and inserted the conveniently similar-sized Harry Potter books. I am certain this was NOT the desire of the book-banners. But then, sensationalizing a book is like telling a student they should get their hands on it as soon as possible and read every single word of it.

Personally, I never saw a class take to a book like mine did to Harry Potter. I loved them for it. And I tried very hard never to call on a student who was so deeply engrossed in her "Bible study." We want to take these matters seriously, don't we?

Wacky Wednesday: Banned Books Week

2010-09-27T07:32:00.004-04:00

It's Monday. I realize this. But Banned Books Week is pretty important around here, so we'll be celebrating all week long.

Did you know that books are still being banned in schools and libraries in the United States? It seems incredible, but it's happening. Here is just a sampling from the list of books that were challenged, restricted, removed or banned in 2009-2010:

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America, Barbara Ehrenreich
Anne Frank: The Diary of A Young Girl
A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving
The Bean Trees, Barbara Kingsolver
To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary

How can this still be? There are those who believe that by keeping these works from our communities we are doing ourselves a favor. I couldn't disagree more. Our world is not a perfect place, but the expression of ideas, commentaries on the way we live, and conversations about them are what make us great. Without the opportunity to discuss and think we become mere shells of people, drones that keep the machine moving, sheep mindlessly following their shepherd. What a sad, pitiful world that would be.

So take action this week and find yourself a book to read, preferable a book that has been banned somewhere, and read it. Think about it. Keep the free expression of ideas alive.

Scrapbook Layout #1003

2010-09-26T11:58:00.000-04:00

Could I be getting back into a groove? Hmm....

Happy Birthday To Me

2010-09-26T08:00:00.005-04:00

So my husband knows me, really well. And he knows exactly what this girl wanted for her birthday this year: a zoom lens for my Nikon DX40. I am falling in love with my camera all over again! Check out these photos from the sidelines yesterday. (Our boy is #81.)

I just love it! AND I can't believe how much I enjoy watching these football games. I mean, honestly, it's not like the 8 and 9 year olds are experts in the game by any stretch. But they are so fun to watch. And there is nothing like seeing your kid make a great play!

Wacky Wednesday: Autumnal Equinox

2010-09-22T07:42:00.001-04:00

Ah yes, autumn has finally arrived! It is, after all, my favorite of seasons. Nothing quite matches the crunch and smell of the leaves, the crispness in the air, the search for the perfect pumpkin, and the flavors and smells of seasonal foods. I get sentimental just thinking about it.

You may have heard that today is one of the only days in which you can balance and egg on its end. Around here, we are huge fans of the Mythbusters. Naturally, I went searching for proof that this is so. While I found no evidence that the Mythbusters themselves have ever tried this, I did find an experiment by a gentleman, Wayne Osborn, in the Central Michigan University Physics Department who kindly published his experiment online. The result? Busted. Mr. Osborn was able to stand an egg on its end repeatedly, days after the equinox had passed. Other sites backed up his findings.

So get out there and enjoy the changing of the seasons, and know that you have the inside scoop when those bogus stories start popping up about balancing eggs.

When It Rains...

2010-09-19T20:12:00.003-04:00

Rain. It's a rare commodity in these parts. We're way below the norm and our poor garden is so sad. So today, when I heard the rain outside, my heart soared. Never mind that my headache was a combination of the weather and muscle tension. It was good to have the rain. And then I heard the sound of the sprinkler against the sliding glass door. I heard the the neighborhood kids giggling and screaming and thought it was delightful that they were having so much fun in the rain. It was about time.

And then I heard the sound again. It was coming from the garage. I opened the door to find my child with the hose in hand drenching the other kids in the garage. I was stunned. Who does that?!? The neighbor kids made themselves scarce with a quickness. After chewing my son up and spitting him back out, we assessed the damages together. Half the garage was soaked; some of my art work, some antique furniture, all the sporting equipment, the new crib, him, all of it wet. I was overwhelmed. How could he have thought this was ok?!?

My head was throbbing, my heart was aching and I saw my entire week vanishing into this oblivion of garage cleaning damage control. I came inside to throw some dinner in the oven and calm down. I looked at the dog and screamed, "Can it get any worse?" She promptly threw up. Apparently she ate some pasta with red sauce at some point today. Perfect.

Must Listen Article

2010-09-17T08:35:00.003-04:00

I'm a huge fan (and supporter) of National Public Radio. You know, the sort of dedicated listener who won't turn it off even during the fund drive. So last night, when I heard this story I knew I needed to post it here, so the rest of you could hear it too. Just click on this link and when you get there, click on the Listen To This Story Button. It's so true!

(My favorite part is about the chickens.)

Scrapping Again

2010-09-16T12:16:00.003-04:00

I did manage to get to some scrapbooking this week! (After a full 9 months off the grid - ack!) I am learning the differences between Photoshop and Elements. Not so hard, but just enough to be a bit frustrating. Nevertheless, I am pleased that I got this layout, with one of my favorite pictures of all time, finished! Huzzah!

Wacky Wednesday: Felt Hat Day

2010-09-15T07:45:00.002-04:00

I am a sucker for a man in a hat. (Yes, my husband is well aware of my weakness.) And when I saw this vintage add, I knew it was a shoe-in for Wacky Wednesday. Wear 'em if you've got 'em.

Busy Little Bee

2010-09-10T08:37:00.005-04:00

It's been an exhausting week around here, at least for the pregnant lady. On Monday I decided that whatever else happened, I needed to can some applesauce for the coming winter. Upon finding only 6 apples in the 'fridge (have I mentioned how much I am loving apples right now?), I hopped in the truck and headed for the local orchard.

Upon arriving I found not only 3 varieties of apples I had to have, but also a bushel of #2 peaches. These are the ones that drop, get bruised, don't look just right. Well I couldn't just leave them there now, could I? So I picked them up too.

Needless to say, my week has consisted of making applesauce, canning applesauce, making peach puree, turning it into peach butter, and canning said peach butter. Had I had a bit more energy, I might have been able to sweeten the peach butter, but as it is, it's strictly the fruit and some spices; a bit sweet and tart all at the same time. Which actually will be nice for the two people in the house who can't have sugar. The rest of us can always add it in if necessary. And I swear by the crock pot. That makes the entire "butter" experience so much easier.

And I have been extraordinarily tired from the entire experience. I needed a couple of days just to veg in order to catch up with myself. I'm glad to have finally got some canning in though. We'll see just how long those jars of applesauce really last!

Wacky Wednesday: International Literacy Day

2010-09-08T08:03:00.005-04:00

Today Wacky Wednesday takes a more serious approach. The statistics world-wide are staggering. According to the Global Literacy Project, "Some 774 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 72.1 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out." And the problem is local too. According to the National Institute for Literacy, "More than 20% of [American] adults read at or below a fifth grade level- far below the level needed to earn a living wage. The National Adult Literacy Survey found that over 40 million Americans age 16 and older have significant literacy needs."

What can we do? Well, if you are a teacher, you can explore the Classroom Connections program with the Global Literacy Project. You could also send a backpack to the Global Literacy Project's Backpacks for Kids program. Or you can volunteer with a literacy program in your own community by checking out the National Institute for Literacy Directory. (I discovered 4 programs within 10 miles of my house.)

This is a fixable problem. Literacy opens up worlds of opportunity. Help someone today.

De-Stashing IV

2010-09-03T08:16:00.004-04:00

Before my fateful yarn-buying-spree, I was able to create this lovely little sweater from my stash of yarns. (Baby knitting really is a great way to use up those odd balls of yarn.)

This is done in Berroco Comfort - and even though I tend to be a yarn snob, this Acrylic/Nylon blend is so soft, you would never know it's not a natural fiber. The pattern is the Inca-Dincadoo sweater by Sarah Keller, and it's all in garter stitch which makes it super easy. And I used the buttons from Grandmom's stash; I'm sure they came off a blazer of Gramps's at some point.

The sweater clearly needs blocking, but I was so anxious to share I thought I'd post it anyway. Happy Labor Day weekend everyone!

And I Was Being So Good, Too

2010-09-02T08:58:00.005-04:00

Ah, the allure of new yarn sucked me in and down the rabbit hole! It's not like I need the yarn. In fact, I still have a substantial stash to work through. But in the end, I discovered a new yarn shop in Plainfield, Nomad Yarns, and they had the most adorable book of baby patterns (which I need like I need a hole in my head) and the very yarn called for in the pattern. So I purchased them both to make a cabled baby vest.

Then, my regular shop, Village Yarn Shop, sent out an e-mail that all the cotton and summer yarn was going on sale. I tell you, it's a conspiracy! Of course, I had to go up there and get some supplies for baby knitting, because there's nothing quite so perfect as Blue Sky Organic Cotton for a baby. Of course I also picked up two other cottons. Come on, they were on sale. Oh, and I also signed up for a class to make these slippers (which the Yarn Harlot was nuts about - and rightly so) because they would make such great Christmas gifts. (I keep telling myself that, anyway. Let's be honest; they will most likely wind up in my own closet.)

Ah well, I slipped off my yarn diet. I suppose everyone drops a stitch now and again.....

De-Stashing III

2010-09-02T07:44:00.000-04:00

Still using up that stash of yarn! Here are some future Christmas gifts that will be added to the gift larder:

Still thinking about felting the red one....

Wacky Wednesday: International Enthusiasm Week

2010-09-01T07:46:00.003-04:00

Today is special in our house, as it is my mom's birthday today! (Wasn't she a knock-out?!) So I think it's only fitting that this is also International Enthusiasm Week. If you know my mom, you know she is one of the happiest people in the room. And she is always enthusiastic about the projects I create or what's going on in my life. Even when the projects bomb and the life-happenings aren't so pretty. I so appreciate her constant encouragement. Thanks mom.

Studies have shown that enthusiasm for life helps us to live longer, and stay healthier. So get out there and find something to get enthused about today! You just might surprise yourself.

De-Stashing II

2010-08-31T07:32:00.001-04:00

I have this habit of buying a ball or two of a yarn I find irresistible, and then I don't really have enough of it to do much of anything. I mean, really. How many hats can a girl have? I finally collected enough of these random hanks to make a shawl. And while I don't really see myself as much of a shawl wearer, I find myself reaching for it at night when I am watching TV and the house seems a bit chilly. And it's made up of my favorite yarns. What could be better?

Pattern: Odd Ball Knitting, Triple Triangle

De-Stashing

2010-08-30T07:46:00.000-04:00

I have been on a tear lately to use up my yarn stash. (Probably because the basket is overflowing making no room for any new yarns.) In that vein, I decided to make these adorable little beer cozies. They don't use much yarn at all and I get to feel like I have made the best use of my stash. Win, win. And just in time for tail-gate season too! Notice these are in Colts colors.

I would never have come up with these on my own, but the first time my knitting instructor met my son, she asked him what project he might like to make. He stood by the bins and bins of yarn and thought. Finally he said, "I think I'd like to make a beer holder." Just like that. As if it was the most natural thing for an eight-year-old to say. Thank heaven Maureen is the mother of boys and thought it as funny as I did! So when I found this pattern in a book (Knitting with Balls) at Half Price Books, well, it was as if the Universe was telling me what I needed to do.

I used Jelli Beenz yarn, which is a wool/acrylic blend. Perfect for a wet surface. I also decided to do a different pattern on each one, so they would not only serve as insulators (for the beer and your hands), but also as a sort of marker, so you know which beer is yours. Here are some close-up views:

Perfect Morning

2010-08-27T07:30:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was just the perfect morning. The recipe for a perfect morning, you ask? Fall must be just around the corner. It has to be cool enough (finally!) to sit outside and knit, barefoot, in jeans, with a mug of hot tea. And the mug really should be a mug you purchased in Disney World. It makes the tea, and you, so much happier. And you really should have your old-fashioned, transistor radio, tuned eternally to NPR. And the knitting on your needles would be a darling little baby sweater from the softest cotton ever. Because without any one of these components, the morning would be slightly less than perfect. And that just wouldn't be right, now, would it?

Jail Break Pants

2010-08-26T07:44:00.001-04:00

These pants just might be my favorite baby item yet. I once again raided my stash of yarn - all acrylic hand-me-down, I'm sure - to produce these bad boys. The stripes just kill me! They are so "Oh Brother Where Art Thou," don't you think?

The pattern is from One More Skein by Leigh Radford. She has the most adorable baby things in there. I plan to knit them all by the time February rolls around. I opted to use an I-cord for the drawstring instead of a ribbon, as I felt it gave the pants a more unisex look. But seriously, are they not the most adorable little things ever? Hello, Baby!

Wacky Wednesday: National Secondhand Wardrobe Day

2010-08-25T07:24:00.005-04:00

This holiday is expressly for people like me! (And my friend Amy who has recently discovered the joys of home-made cleaning products. Yes, a how-to date is most definitely in order. But I digress.) There is even an official website for today. This is such a good thing for our planet as well for our budgets. We don't always need new to be fashionable.

I have been purging the house lately, and the closets have not escaped my weary eye. But this time, I have been sorting into two piles, those that need to go to the thrift store, and those that can be repurposed, specifically with an eye toward the baby. And I must say, I have a pretty good stash already in place! And these books are my recent favorites for what I will do with all that fabric. I highly recommend them.

You may also recall that I've learned to make onsies from old T-shirts. You can revisit that post right here. Don't forget the internet. A simple Google search for recycled, upcycled, or repurposed clothes will bring up a host of project ideas.

But even if you don't sew or want the added effort of a project, thrifting can still be a fantastic way to supplement your wardrobe without breaking the bank or filling the landfills with more stuff. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!