thoughts on a page

little thoughts tuesday

2012-02-07T07:24:00.000-08:00

Greetings. I just noticed that my last post was my 200th blogging post! Wow, that is a lot of rambling posted out there on the www!

A few little things I've been enjoying lately:

albums:

Joe Purdy's Paris in the Morning
Black Keys (new cd) El Camino

BUST magazine (picked it up at the gym and am thoroughly enjoying going through it, hard to describe but check it out at your local Barnes & Noble)
Sunset cookbook- I have made several soups from this already and they are all delicious! So many beautiful and yummy looking things.
My iPhone- I never thought that I'd like a piece of technology so much but it truly is amazing. It has an awesome quality camera built in, tons of super cool apps (my favorite being the Amazon app where you can take a picture and then use that picture to search their database and the shutterfly app- prompts me to download the pictures I've taken right to my online shutterfly site.) It is easy to use and has worked excellently so far! Yeah.

It has been a beautiful February here so far (we're only on day 7 though) with near 50 degree temps and blue beautiful skies and wonderful sunsets and pink cloudy mornings. Happy Tuesday.

the romance of travel

2012-02-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Spain and complete my student teaching there. Afterwards I traveled through 5 other countries in Western Europe and was lucky enough to go back once more about 3 years later, to the Czech Republic. I often reminisce of travel, especially European travel. The small cobblestone streets, the pocket cafes and street vendors. The accordion players filling the alleys with their wistful tunes and time travel to centuries past. Small plazas, fountains, squares and walled cities that are not tainted by modernity. I long to hear the sparkling sounds of life in another language and art and history filling my surroundings. We have a totally different landscape here in the US, especially in these Western parts.

When life seems complicated; when I get sick of driving hundreds of miles by car and when I want a quaint but not snobby or stuck up coffee experience or when I simply long for newness set amidst history, I long for my days in Europe.

Months ago I picked up a book titled: Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik. Immediately I was drawn to it since it mentioned Paris, one of my favorite places that I visited. Now, admittedly Gopnik is not exactly writing from a starving artist's perspective (he's a writer for the New Yorker and his wife a screen writer), however, the way that Gopnik talks about the romance of not just France, but specifically Paris, brings back all of my sentimental emotions and totally unrealistic dreams about living elsewhere. While I have only read about the first 25 pages (plus prologue) I was totally enamored by the following paragraph which couldn't have summed up my feeling about travel any more articulately:

"There are two kinds of travelers. There is the kind who goes to see what there is to and sees it, and the kind who has an image in his head and goes out to accomplish it. The first visitor has an easier time, but I think the second visitor sees more. He is constantly comparing what he sees to what he wants, so he sees with his mind, and maybe even with his heart, or tries to....."

It is a beautiful way to explain the perspectives people have on travel, what they look for and feel and ultimately the experience they'll have. If you cannot guess, I am the one who has an image in mind. I scour the travel books ahead of time, read blogs or online articles and google my little heart out. And then after (mostly) everything is planned, I set off on my adventure to fill my heart. Often there are bumps and misconceptions along the way but ultimately a good time is had by all (including me).

Lately, probably since I have a toddler, I have dreamed of Europe and of cobblestone streets and Medovnik cake (honey cake from the Czech Republic). Who knows if and when I will go again but I can assure you that when the time is right, I will have my image in mind and do everything I can to fill my heart.

To all your adventures, both at home and afar.

trying something new

2012-01-26T22:44:00.000-08:00

It is a new year so I have tried to have a positive and outgoing outlook on life for not just the new year but hopefully a bit of a new me. I started with some simple things like a new blog post and a fresh look at my closet (cleaning things out even though I might be emotionally attached to them). Some things worked: got rid of several bags of stuff I didn't wear, need or use and some things didn't: didn't like the new blog template at all! And some things have yet to happen: going through my books & CD's. This is a daunting yet super necessary task. And other things are still up in the air waiting to be decided: where to go, what to do with life, work, kids, etc....you know the little details of life.

You may notice that this is a theme with me this year and that you may notice a certain uncertainty in my writing and my commitment to the future. It seems that a variety of circumstances have brought me to this point and now I just have to combine my courage and my faith, my wit and good sense and a whole lot of other un-namable stuff together to make a concrete decision.

In life, it seems like trying something new can often have as many successes as failures and maybe that is why after so many new starts or attempts at new things, sometimes we often lose the will to try these new things however great or small. For instance, I sometimes buy clothes that seem to be not really "me" but then I think, why aren't they me? I can choose something new! And sometimes it works....and other times the shirt or pair of pants or new dress gets worn once and then sits in its place awaiting another shot....but it is just not me.....so it waits and waits and finally makes a trip to be either returned or to the consignment shop. So the next time I am tempted I may remember my failure to turn over a new leaf (or embrace a new fashion) or I may be willing to fail at this new attempt of style. Whatever the reaction, it can definately make an impression or begin a pattern for the future. Perhaps that is why as you get older (and believe you me I am not making that argument yet) it is harder to try new things. We've fallen, failed or just plain been embarassed by these leaps of faith.

As part of my new year, I am trying to get over myself, and that isn't easy to do. I am trying to let go of the failures of the past and especially the failures that I am picturing may happen in the future and combine the excitement of what can be with the faith that it can be good.

So, if you think of me, think (and pray please, if you do) that God would give me the strength to have faith and to push forward and be willing to try something new, even if I fail. To balance practicality with love and adventure and a willingness to try new things whether super small (like a new recipe) or super big: a move and a new place to live.

Aven, trying something new (pizza counts)

These are my thoughts; my thoughts on a page- a place to mentally ramble, blow off steam or generally brag about my amazingly blessed life. Thanks for listening.

Stationery card

2012-01-26T22:16:00.001-08:00

i *heart* shutterfly

(and hey, they gave me $10 bucks off my next order
by publishing my pic)

facing the new year

2012-01-17T22:24:00.000-08:00

I know I say this every year but it is hard to believe the holidays have already come and gone. This week we were graced with a beautiful snowfall and I have to keep reminding myself that Christmas has already passed! With that the excitement, the travel, the cooking and baking and the ending of one year and the beginning of another have already happened.

For us it was a trip to Oregon to see family, time spent catching up with family and of course baking and eating. It was Aven's second Christmas but the first one she could truly participate in which was fun. Abe and I escaped to California for a night away from dogs and first time we were both away from Aven overnight (thank you Grandma's). With this relaxation brought the craziness and the hecticness of a new year.

For me this year I feel the need to purge my things. I have already gone through my closet twice and gotten rid of two bags of clothes and a bag of kids clothes too. We have taken a few tools and small pieces of furniture to the reStore and I've already thought about how this year could look different.

Another year has begun and with it so many questions. What will this next year bring? Will I finally return to school, being a Master's Program? Will we move away, finally remodel the kitchen and bath? You know, just those minor questions that plague you daily.

I have also attempted to make a conscientious effort to slow down and enjoy the moments. With a toddler and life at high speed, it is easy to miss the little moments that make life enjoyable. It is easy to get caught up in the shopping, bill-paying, chore and errand running and forget to sit down on the ground and play wood-cutting fruit with your daughter or indulge in one more story or sit on the bench in the kitchen and share a bowl of yogurt or a banana together. These moments are simple and in many ways ordinary but they are also the things that can bring you joy and help you to slow down and enjoy the intricacies of life. A good friend (who is also the mom of twins) told me that she sometimes lets things go so that she can spend time with her kids. This advice has left an impression on me. She said, I am never going to look back at this time and think "gee, I wish I would have done more laundry or vacuumed more, but I might look back and wish I spent more time with my kids." I try to focus on this thought when it is my day off and I am looking at a daunting list of chores. Should I just give in and sit on the floor and scribble crayons with my daughter; should I spend some extra time making a meal for my family and sitting with my husband in his shop as he assembles cabinets or should I join the rat race and cram as much into a day, hour or minute that I can?

Don't get me wrong. I am the queen of multi-tasking at both work and home. If I am doing something, I am usually doing another at the same time but sometimes I force myself to STOP and just do ONE thing....or nothing at all. That is also refreshing.

On another note, those of you who know me know that I don't ever make New Year's resolutions. Mainly because I feel that people make them to break them; however this year I am focusing on a few things this year.

slow down and enjoy time with my family
make more food, cook more and use my wonderful kitchen gadgets
finish my book club books (I don't know why this is so hard!)

Just a few things to get myself going. This is a bit rambly but I haven't written awhile and I suppose it is the way my brain is going right now too. And, it wouldn't be a complete blog post without a few pics.

Pic of Abe in Eureka, CA on our way to Fort Bragg just outside of Lost Coast Brewery where we stopped in for lunch.

Ahmah Bates, Aven & Daddy before the long ride home to Bellingham

Aven playing with her Hanukkah gift from Ahmah- only trouble is she fed all of the little candle flames (made of felt) to the dogs, literally....oops!

Aven and Cousin Asha Rose on Christmas morning- very focused on opening their gifts.

Aven and Daddy getting up close and personal with Granddad's neighbor chickens! Notice Abe's face.

I do sincerely hope your holidays were well and that you have started 2012 with a fresh look; that something on your mind or heart is helping to make your life better. Here's to it all! Blessings.

Christmas tradition?

2011-12-06T16:14:00.001-08:00

Well, in my family growing up we always got a "live" Christmas tree so we never went to the mountains or a Christmas tree farm or even a u-cut place. We always had rather small trees that we put up on cinder blocks to be taller and attempt to fill our large spacious and vaulted ceiling living room.

In our family now, we have gotten our trees a number of ways. In fact, just about every way possible. Our first year we went to the mountains outside of Enumclaw and hiked and trudged through the snow and carried a HUGE tree back on our little Honda Civic to Federal Way, where we lived in our first apartment. Since then we have gone to a few u-cut farms, the local grocery store (Haggen), the local growers market (Youngstocks) and we've bought a live tree too that we planted at our apartment after Christmas. This year Aven was big enough that I thought it would be fun to take her up to the snow.

We packed up the car with bundles of clothes for Mommy, Daddy and kiddo including the doggies. We packed snacks and Christmas music and saw and boots and we were off. As we slowly drove up the road it seemed as if we weren't even going to see snow but eventually there were some dustings and then the dustings turned into snow and more snow and more snow. I gripped the door handle as Abe drove us higher and higher into the mountains. Once we went a suitable distance up, we attempted to turn the car around but got stuck. Luckily there were some really kind people (who happened to go to our church) that were parked right by us so they helped us get out (we borrowed their chains). Then we helped them get out too! We wandered around looking for a perfect tree but when you are in the woods you begin to narrow down the definition of "perfect."

Perfect morphs into: not too lopsided, not too sparse, not 50 miles up this mountain! Not down in a gully or up on a mountain side! After wandering around for a a bit and scouting a possible tree, we wandered some more and then back again to the original selection. After getting it home, it is really too large and really too sparse, but at least we had a good time.

Like all family outings especially with kids, I am learning not to expect the perfect moments. I always think things will be magical like our kids first time on the beach (began in tears) or her first chance to play in the snow (began in tears as well). But I suppose this is a good lesson to learn about anything. It isn't the moments that always sparkle and shine but the moments spent together that make memories and tradition.

Geared up and ready to go.

Not exactly thrilled about being in the snow.

Happier when Mom is holding her.

Victory at last!

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. I'll be honest: this year has been a difficult one for many reasons and on many levels but I will say that I am so blessed to have a beautiful amazing and sweet daughter and a supporting, loving and dedicated husband and two amusing and loving doggies that help me get through all the days, weeks and months. Many blessings to all of you during this season.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

months 17, 18 and (almost) 19

2011-11-17T21:26:00.001-08:00

Wow, I cannot believe I am already losing track of how fast the months are flying by. This week will make Aven 19 months and I still surprise myself when I say it. My little smart girl is growing and changing so fast. She is becoming quite the little girl and I love spending time with her and watching her learn and interact with the world and people around her.

17 Months

It is really fun that Aven is getting into doing paints, coloring and general art projects. She doesn't always get how it is supposed to "work" or not to put supplies into her mouth (such as paint or crayons) but she definitely likes coloring and using her hands.

As usual, this little girl loves to read. She grabs books all day long from the shelf and says "book?" She seems to have a pretty discriminating eye for the good ones too. She loves reading anything with animals especially and interesting pictures. So far she knows the following animals and insects by sight: elephant, monkey, doggie, cat, fox, giraffe, parrot, frog, ladybug, horse, cow, pig, duck, goose, chick or chicken, bird, rabbit or bunny, mouse, bear, butterfly, sheep, bee, and fish. She knows the sounds that many of them make too. She can now climb into the rocking chair and we have a little kids rocker too that she sits in and reads her books or plays with her dollies. She loves going to the library and looking at all of the books. She is a good helper and will hand the librarian the card and help check out too. I have to admit, I love picking out little kids books too, they are so colorful and fun. There are some excellent books out there as well. I often find myself gravitating towards some of the older authors like Eric Carle (The Hungry Caterpillar) or Margaret Wise Brown or Lois Lenski.

18 months

Your favorite toys are books, balls and your dollies. You are learning about how to use other toys and as always are creative with things that don't appear to be toys at all. A few months ago you discovered that you could dump the Tupperware out of a box and put it upside down on the floor. This would make a great little toy to scoot around on the floor while saying "beep, beep." You are getting much better at your fine motor skills and using manipulatives. Today you were able to put the cap back onto a highlighter, lining up the tip of the pen and the cap and you have been able to remove and replace a brush in Daddy's shop back onto the nail that you took it off of. Yesterday you collected the crayons back in the box in an organized fashion.

almost 19 months

Aven has shown an inconsistent interest in the potty. She seems to be learning about her body and we try to gently encourage her without being forceful. She has gone on the potty successfully about 3 times but here she is enjoying some more "reading time." She likes her potty but sees it more as a toy. We are trying to figure out how to make it "fun" or interesting without putting pressure on her.

My curious little girl. You are growing in your personality each and every day. You amaze me with how smart and charming and challenging and frustrating and sweet and kind and gentle and funny you are. You love your doggies and are so loving to them. You love your Mommy and Daddy and give big hugs, kisses and good snuggles. You love to learn and try new things and do things yourself. You love to read and ask questions and repeat and touch and run and climb and push and play. Each day teaches me more about myself and about how to enjoy life and enjoy the many many blessings. You are such a big part of that and I truly thank God for the gift of you in our lives and the blessing that you are to and for us.

I cannot believe it is about to be your second Thanksgiving and Christmas only weeks away! You are getting so big and as always I cannot wait to see what is in store.

halloween

2011-11-10T00:30:00.000-08:00

Hope yours was as happy as ours. Aven giving the doggies dinner after Trick or treating.

Our own little wonder-woman, we love you.

first day at the beach

2011-10-20T20:53:00.000-07:00

In August we attended our annual family camping trip. This was the 5th year (I think) that we all got together for a long weekend of walks, hiking, s'mores, campfires and hanging out. Abe's parents and my Mom and her husband, my Dad, my brother and his wife, Abe and I and the assorted family dogs have gathered in a few different locations to relax and enjoy the outdoors. The first 3 years we camped in Silver Falls Oregon, about 45 minutes East of Salem. It is a beautiful area with plenty of walks and hikes and fun areas for dogs to play and walk and of course their humans too! Last year we went (I honestly cannot remember where, I had a 4 month old!) somewhere in Washington. It was extremely hot and I had a very cranky 4 month old baby but we enjoyed ourselves nevertheless. This year we met at Fort Stevens State Park right outside of Astoria, Oregon. It is right on the coast with walking or biking trails close to the beach. It was quite fun as Aven had been walking for about 2 months and she got to see all of her family in one shot. It was a bit exhausting chasing after a 16 month old and trying to watch out for cars and kids on bikes, etc. The weather was much more temperate and we enjoyed reading lots of books and passing the baby around as well as many campfires, s'mores at noon while the baby slept and a new game called ring toss (?). One of the highlights for me was taking Aven to the beach for the first time.

I have to admit, as a parent, I often have several images of what I think something will look like in the "firsts" department. For Aven's first steps, I didn't imagine it would be mostly with my Mom while on a camping trip. I didn't get any movie or great pics, just memories. Aven's first bath was a screeching adventure when she was a little over a week old and many other things often turn out to be the antithesis of what you think they will be. That said, the first time at the beach started out much the same way. Aven started to almost cry when I set her down in the sand to play around. In retrospect, I understand why it might have felt a bit scary, the ground I set her down on moved around and felt completely different from "normal" ground....but her face tells this story as well. By the end of the time though, her mood and feelings had completely changed; she found another little girl with beach toys and buckets and Aven could barely be torn away.

It was a great to spend time with family and I can't wait to start taking Aven each year. This posting is very overdue but I didn't want to forget to talk about it and the funny times we had at the beach.

aquarium 3

2011-10-09T17:28:00.000-07:00

When my Dad was up a few weeks ago, we took Aven to the aquarium in Seattle for the day. This was the 3rd time that I've taken Aven to the aquarium and each time she reacts differently to what she can see and do there. Her attention span is different and her interest in the different activities has changed each time as well. It is interesting to watch the progression each time. We had a good time dressing her in the scuba gear and watching her hold the fins while she kept saying "shoes?" This was by far the most exhausting trip there since Aven was not only walking everywhere but running as well. It definitely kept us on our toes!

a day in the life {2}

2011-10-09T17:19:00.000-07:00

When you are a Mama, or just a parent, every moment can be J A M P A C K E D with stuff to do! Man, I thought life could be busy before kids but now I know it is busy when you have them. Earlier I did a little stint of "a day in the life" and I often think about it when life gets crazy and even the most mundane and basic things take up your whole day or appear to since they are all you are trying to get done.

6:00am- alarm...then snooze...then 6:10 and 6:20 and 6:30- Daddy wakes and starts his day, Mama hits one last snooze
6:40- awake, I guess
6:42 wander downstairs, pour a bowl of total flakes into my fiestaware pottery and pour a heaping amount of milk over, sit at the table and eat between yawns
6:55, the baby wakes
6:57 go in and comfort/cuddle/snuggle the waking one
7:02- nurse her sleepy face
7:20- text my boss letting her know I'm running late!
7:22 let the doggies outside to go potty
7:25- my child squats down and has a concentrated face, she says "poop"
7:26- run to the bathroom, pull down her pants, attempt to rip off a diaper with sticky tabs, realize the pooping is over but put her on the potty anyway
7:28- 17 months of love staring me down while I dangle her over the potty
7:30- "all done"- run into the bedroom and wipe down child and reassemble her clothing
7:35- check text message- no response- call boss on phone
7:36, 37, 38 & 39- feed dogs- am getting ready in the bathroom when my child walks in with a funny face like she ate something yucky and wiping her tongue while saying "drink"- (she ate some of Eleanor's food)
7:40 put child in her bed with books and "o's" to hang out while I take my shower
8:00- get out of the shower and run and get dressed
8:05- run comb through hair, put in earrings and take child out of bed
8:07 pack things for upcoming weekend trip with Dad to Portland- books (check), onesies (check), pacifiers, blankets, pajamas, etc, etc (check, check)
8:20 drop child off at daycare while answering the phone from boss
8:29- arrive at Starbucks for meeting @ 8:30
8:30- sit down for the first time all morning and relax with a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll!
8:31- work meeting...at least I had coffee!

Sometimes I marvel at all the things that have to get done in a day and really how much I can cram in in such a short amount of time. My lunch breaks are typically spent doing laundry, paying bills, unloading/loading the dishwasher, taking care of the doggies, checking the mail and oh yeah- eating lunch. My evenings are just as busy with dinner prep, spending time with my hubbie and my daughter and cleaning up from the day....and then just as quickly, it all starts again...sigh.

my little domestic goddess

2011-10-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

A busy little 17th month old can get into anything if given just a few minutes alone! My cure? Get her involved. This last week Aven helped with the laundry and with making corn bread for dinner. She actually helped stir the recipe and only dipped her fingers in once! She loved climbing up on the stool and throwing he laundry in the washing machine. She even carried a pile of dirty clothes from her room to the laundry room, climbed up the ladder while holding the clothes and dumped them in! She likes to help and loves to be involved and learn new things. We had fun, even if it was just doing some chores.

I heart shutterfly

2011-09-28T12:31:00.001-07:00

Not only does Shutterfly offer great deals on things like this free card I ordered for my Dad's 70th birthday but they also send emails with great deals and boast unlimited storage, If you don't already use them, I highly recommend it.

summer lovin'

2011-09-27T23:12:00.000-07:00

Well, summer is officially over here in Bellingham, Washington. This last two days has brought the rain and wind down hard. We enjoyed an unusually warm September probably the warmest since I've been in Bellingham....didn't turn my heater on until about 2 weeks ago and even then had the windows open several evenings throughout the week.

I am ready for soups and Christmas (dare I say), cider, warm coffees, eggnog lattes, evening candles, snugly movies and books, baking, apple crisps, Thanksgiving and cooking a feast, fall leaves, crisp mornings and cooler evenings and crunchy weekend walks.

I am not ready for rain, lots of cloudy skies, muddy doggie feet, inside babies all the time, rain coats, less time outside, darkness at 4pm, driving for the holidays, winter heating bills, bundling up in too many layers, cold car in the morning, no gutters on the workshop, another summer gone by with not enough done.

Regardless the temperature, the season or the like/dislike- I am thankful for it all. The rainy days remind me to be thankful when the sun shines through and the blue peeks out; the unexpected warmth on a lunch break reminds me that the winter weather will not always prevail and the muddy doggie paws reminds me that even though it creates more mess and laundry, we can always have fun if we are willing to get a little dirty.

Here's to winter, spring and summer, and all that this next season will bring.

words (in no particular order)

2011-09-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

Aven is now 17 months old and I can barely keep up with all of the new words she seems to be learning daily! More to be posted of her at 17 months and some funny pics and quotes to go along.

words:

doggie, mommy, daddy, up (uppie), please (ese), yeah/yes/ya, no, socks, shoes, slippers (slippies or slips), down, drink, bite, bowl (not sure on this one yet), book (bookie), birdie, outside, thank you, help me (yep me), more, blankie, binkie, night-night, bye-bye, what's that, hello (hallo), hi, Amah, Grandpa (Boppa), ouchie, bonkers, hot (complete with hand motion), sip, pet/pat (for doggies), baby

signs:

more, please, all done

family

2011-09-11T21:44:00.000-07:00

This weekend Abe's Dad (Randy) was "shipped" off to Afghanistan for a year as a private electrical contractor. We went down, a bit last minute, to Southern Oregon to send him off and to surprise him with a going away party. While we were there Aven got to spend a little time with her cousin who is 6 months older, Asha Rose. It was cute to see them playing together (and arguing over who got to hold which balloon); making messes and running around the park together on this sweaty warm summer day. It was cute too since Aven had never really hugged someone with her arms around them completely, and she did to Asha Rose in a "squeezy hug." We are so blessed to have people in our lives who love and support us.

We will miss you this next year Randy.

Be safe, our prayers are with you.

words

2011-08-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

Language is an amazing and confusing thing and I am thankful that I cannot remember the process of learning it- it was probably so frustrating! It is very fascinating watching someone obtain language and the process that they go through to decipher all of the sounds, meanings and the very act of saying words.

picture via

Some observations I have made so far, although in no way scientific. One is that we are able to retain and understand language way before we can use it. This is a very fascinating and frustrating thing sometimes. For instance, Aven knows when we are getting ready for bed that if I take off her dirty clothes and hand them to her that she should take them to her dirty laundry basket from many practices and verbal instructions although none of this could she verbally repeat. The next is that there are so many different representations of objects in the world around us, especially in books. When you try to teach your child a pretty basic word like dog, you realize that there are so many different kinds of breeds and each one looks different; there are many different representations of dogs also such as cartoon pictures, drawings, paintings and even real photographs and they are all dogs!

Lately Aven has been picking up new words right and left. Her first words I think were actually "what's that" not even Mommy or Daddy. This has enabled her to learn a lot about the world around her though by asking questions and discovering what things are.

Words she knows and uses now are: up, Mommy, Daddy, doggie, yes, no, what's that, please (ese), more, and sometimes open. Every day it seems like she tries new ones out but then doesn't quite get it so gives up on it temporarily. She does funny things and cute things now like going to the back door and pointing at the shop and saying Daddy? Daddy? Daddy? She will point out dogs in lots of different books and even did it on a bag of dog food this morning. She says "up" for down too and when I say "down?" she nods her head yes, pretty funny. She will adamantly say "no" to certain foods I offer her and when I offer her one that she wants, she clearly nods and says "yes." It is really fascinating watching her figure out the world around her.

summer vacation

2011-08-28T13:31:00.000-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to visit some good friends in Spokane that I hadn't seen in a long time and Aven hadn't seen since she was only 2 1/2 months old. It was wonderful to have the kids play together and to just spend time relaxing and enjoying the sunshine, which thankfully was plentiful.

Day 1:

Went berry picking at Green Bluff, ate tons of blueberries and picked a few as well as carrots and a few tomatoes. The kids ate snacks, picked berries, ran around on the farm, rode in the wagon and enjoyed the sunshine too. It was a beautiful warm sunny summer afternoon.

That night after the kids went down Erik graciously stayed at home and Andi and I went out for dinner at local restaurant Twigs. It was quite delicious and I had a yummy mojito and delicious Kahlua Pork Tacos- they were awesome!

Day 2:

This day consisted mostly of hanging around the house relaxing in the morning and letting the kids play (and Aven taking her nap). Audrey (6) painted this lovely picture while I was there. Aven loved playing on Audrey's bed and with all of her dolls and toys. She equally loved Elliot's books from the library about big machinery and his toy planes organized neatly on his nightstand. The kids seemed to fall into a routine of playing together with rests and breaks between. The mornings consisted of the Mommys drinking coffee and the kids snacking on cheerios while breakfast was made and conversation was had.

By the afternoon it was time to prep for Andi's book club. We ran some errands, picked out some snacks for the get together and dropped off the kids with Erik. Andi and Aven and I went to Home Depot and got a new light switch- I fixed their bathroom switch while I was there (even connected the wires and all!). I felt very handy- probably way more that I normally am at home.

We had fun putting all of the snacks on fun colored Fiestaware dishes and using vintage linens to decorate the new picnic table outside. Aven and I enjoyed the warm evening air as laughter and discussion filled the backyard and the daylight faded and candles lit the faces of these lovely ladies.

Again we stayed up way too late catching up on life and talking about everything.

Day 3:

The last morning we struggled to get out of the house on time. We had planned on going to a bakery on south hill- Rockwood Bakery- and then over to the nearby Manito park for the kids to play. I was planning on hopping in the car and heading out when Aven started getting tired- hopefully around noon. Our 9:30 turned into 10 and then 10:30 and then we finally got out of the door at 11. It was a lovely bakery- very Seattle- like with delicious cinnamon rolls, muffins and coffee. It was embedded right into the neighborhood with no other businesses around it so it really felt quaint. Afterwards we went to Manito park- drove around the outskirts a bit and then found a play area for the kids. Wow, it was busy- even for a weekday! There were screaming kids everywhere climbing and jumping and laughing and crawling and sliding and running- it was busy. Aven kind of just took everything in for a while- it was a bit overwhelming but she finally took to the slide and crawling on some other things as well as swinging on the swings.

Then it was time for goodbye. Andi and I took turned taking pictures of the kids and each other. It was a wonderful time with such a good friend. It has been years since we've really just gotten to hang out one on one and spend some quality time together. It was so fun to watch the kids play together and to catch up on life.

Miss you sweet friend. Wish we could see you more over here on the West side. Many blessings to you and your family. Thank you for your hospitality and friendship.

new babies

2011-08-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome Micah

After a trip to Spokane (to be blogged about soon) to visit a friend, I was reinvigorated to use my camera. Technology has always intimidated me and I don't feel like I naturally figure things out but once I do I love to use them! She showed me some really great tips of how to take pictures in low light and indoors since I have had a lot of issues figuring this out and know that often flash doesn't really make the best pictures.

Armed with this new knowledge, I set out to visit Micah Ross, my good friends' 10.5lb newborn baby!! Here Micah is only 4 days old and he was so sweet and relaxed. It was wonderful to be able to hold such a new baby and to smell that sweet baby smell.

Congratulations Mommy Jess, Daddy Tim and Big brother Kyler- you are a beautiful family.

months 15 & 16

2011-08-23T21:53:00.000-07:00

You have changed so much in these past two months it is hard to keep track of all of the new things. I think it is so cute and funny that most pictures I pulled up to post have you either holding a book, a toy or some sort of food.

You really love reading books though. You have always enjoyed being read to but now you go to your bookshelf and pick them out and bring them to Daddy or me and say "ese (please)" and rub your chest. Then you climb up onto the couch or say "up" and settle into our lap as we read the book to you while you turn the pages. It is super cute to see you reading books to yourself in the car (even if it is upside down) or to the doggies as well on their new bed. They don't seem to mind.

You have been walking for about 2 months now and you are starting to do a little running. You are very good at climbing up onto things but also pretty good about getting down too (especially chairs and couches). You love to go to the park and when you see the play equipment even from far away you start getting really excited and pointing at the slide, etc.

You are still very good at playing by yourself and can entertain yourself for hours with the funniest and simplest things sometimes. After your baptism party you playing in and out of a cardboard box for at least a half an hour and with some shreds of tissue paper.

You really love the doggies and are so good at interacting with them. You love to pet and pat them. You will gladly share your treats with them but when you don't want to share you push them away. You like to climb up onto their bed and play with your toys or read your books sitting right next to them. You like to take them toys on their bed and get extra kisses from them too. Ethel seems a little more interested in interacting with you but the other day Eleanor let you sit on her while petting her!

You are such a good eater. We went to the berry farm when visiting friends in Spokane and you ate so many berries right out of the picked bin and then did a fairly good job of picking them off the bushes as well (mostly ripe ones too!). You are not the most adventurous eater but if Mommy or Daddy are eating something you are often willing to try it too. You are still nursing just in the morning and before bed. You drink a lot of water and like to drink out of a big cup (with our help of course) but you don't drink milk or juice. You love fruit, beans & rice, salmon burgers, Ginger Cats (from Trader Joes) and your little O's cup with snacks in side like Cheddar Bunnies or the like.

You are learning so many words right now and are almost mimicking sentences although most of what you say means nothing specifically to me yet. You know: Mama, what's that, doggie, up, more, please, and book. Sometimes you say duck and Daddy. You know the signs for food, more, please, and all done.

You are interested in all sorts of toys and always of going outside. You seem to enjoy a variety of toys from dolls to trucks, blocks, books and other fun stackable items. You also make toys out of random objects like this cup and car that you played with for probably 20 minutes.

You are learning so much. It is hard to keep track of your leaps and bounds and the ways that you are interpreting the world around you. This last weekend on your 16th month anniversary, you were Baptised. It was a super fun day and we celebrated with family and friends at a big barbecue. You are getting so funny and entertaining. Sometimes I just marvel at what a miracle of a little joyful being you are. You seem to easily embrace any situation, are not afraid of new people or places, you are easily entertained and fun loving. You have such a loving and sweet natured spirit. In some ways you test the waters by having my stubbornness and Daddy's patience (a challenging combination) but it will most likely be these two things working together that help you get things accomplished in life. I can't wait to see what our next adventures will be.

We are so proud of you and love you so much Aven Lily.

my little house

2011-08-21T01:08:00.000-07:00

This month marks the two year anniversary of moving into our house here on Ellis St. A lot has happened since we moved in here. We have added to our family, a change that we found out only weeks after getting the keys to the new place; we have gone through a lot of personal challenges with life, church and work; we have almost completely restored the garage/barn/shop and fully fenced the yard plus other miscellaneous projects (replacing the electrical panel, water pump, added to the parking area, cut down many trees, pulled many weeds, created some border planting areas, etc).

There are still so many things that we want to do and now that we have an active toddler, it seems like the time and energy to do those projects (not to mention the money) seems to be harder and harder to find. Nevertheless, here are some pics of our house. I enjoy finding antique treasures and finding great ways to display them in my 1908 home. I like finding unique items and displaying them in a way that illuminates their lines and shapes. I try to be a purist whenever possible or practical (and even sometimes when its not) when restoring our home; keeping things as original as possible and lovingly restoring or upgrading things but keeping them with the original architectural style or feel.

Our house has also been home to so many events as well from hosting the last two Christmases for all of our families, Thanksgiving for friends last year as well as a Christmas party for friends, a few baby showers, work get togethers as well as dinners with friends. One of the things that we both really looked forward to when buying a bigger house was being able to be more hospitable- hosting more events and having people over more. I feel like we have already built so many memories here. Even though it has only been two years- it feels like longer since it feels like home. The more memories that we make and the more work that we do on this house-the blood, sweat and tears- the more it feels like our home.

I have really been needing to get an update out on the garage and some pictures as well. I am kind of just waiting until things get buttoned up so that I can show the whole progression- even the finished project- not too far away.

I look forward to building many more memories like this weekend: hosting Aven's Baptism party and our having our families visit- my Mom and her hubby camping in the driveway and dinner out back of bbq'd salmon, potatoes and broccoli...then staying up late to bake cupcakes for the next day....

Gosh, where has the time gone?

2011-07-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

This (mostly) rainy (mostly) cloudy and overcast and (mostly) cool summer is slipping by and I have little to show for it so far. Oh yes, I had many plans of camping with Abe and taking Aven a few times. Going on tons of hikes with the doggies maybe even after work in the evenings while it was still light, getting a garden together for this fall or next spring and doing some major overhaul in the yard...just to name a few. I had wanted to spend more time with friends, make more yummy recipes and finish my book club books, start running a bit and eat healthier.

Hmmm, where am I on this list? It seems like it is going so fast and little has been accomplished. I try not to be discouraged at what I haven't done and focus on what I have. I have taken my dogs out most sunny days I am not working. I have consistently mowed my lawn almost every week this summer. I have thrown a baby shower and taken several meals to friends with new babies. I have spent time with my Mom and Bill, with Abe's Mom and with several friends. Life just gets away from us and all the business of life- the chores, the bills, and the kiddos all take precious time. You have to learn to balance and juggle and prioritize all at once. You make split second decisions about what is most important to do: spend time with my husband or clean the kitchen up after dinner....pick up poop in my yard or take the dogs out for a hike? The few precious hours my child sleeps every day I have off are bombarded with these difficult decisions and yet even if things don't get done it is usually okay. I just have to let the little things go and focus on the big picture.

All of this to say, life has been busy. A few weeks ago Abe's Mom came up to visit us. We had a great time and I know she loved hanging out with Aven. She watched Aven for two days while Abe and I worked and she made dinner. She was really trying to win that super Grandma award! On the weekend, we took her to Port Townsend to do some shopping, browsing and general hanging out. She seemed to really like it as there were many fun antique shops, clothing stores and knitting places. We were a bit challenged on time and probably could have spent a whole other day shopping but such is life. On Sunday I drove Ilene back to Seattle to meet up with her friends to go back to Oregon. Aven did well but she spent a lot of time in the car being driven to and fro that weekend.

Aven is now 15 months. She is walking everywhere and seems to really love her new found freedom. She is experimenting more with certain "words" or sounds and is figuring out more and more how she can communicate with the world. It is really cute. She is understanding more things that we say daily and she is able to help pick up her toys a bit, put her dirty clothes in the laundry basket, ask for more, say she's all done and ask please when eating. She likes her new pink shoes that finally fit her and she loves getting into the kitchen cupboards. She is still getting in all 4 molars. They already poked through on one side but the other prongs are now coming through. She is a bit clingy to Mom especially when I take her to daycare. This is a totally normal phase I know but breaks my heart a little every time. She is perfectly happy and as soon as I set her down and begin to leave she drops her mouth wide open and inhales for a few seconds letting out a terrible cry, big 'ol tears followed by alternating screaming and crying. I know she will be fine but it is difficult nonetheless. She really loves the dogs and likes to interact with them when they will tolerate it. She loves watching older kids play and when they like to interact with her. She is really interested in her books and regularly asks me to take them off the shelf so she can read them to herself. She continues to love music, pushing her tush back and forth to just about any music regardless of beat, rhythm or the like. She continues to be a big eater and loves her fruit (berries especially but also pear, apple, etc), carbs and saltier things like cheese quesadillas and salmon burgers. The other night at dinner she ate and entire salmon burger (none of it on the floor) in addition to many other fruits and snacks. It was actually amazing!

Summer is creeping nearer a close and yet so many things unfinished. I realize that this is a busy time in life and I don't want to look back and regret not spending more time with my family only to check things off a list. Here's to getting a few more things accomplished while enjoying life at the same time.

new babies

2011-07-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

Just had to post some pictures of my friend and co-worker, Vanessa, and her husband and brand new baby, Rogue Harrison. I got to go see them a few days after he was born and hold the tiny little guy. Well, in reality he isn't that tiny. He is a pound bigger than Aven was but after having a 1+year old it is easy to forget how tiny they come out (thank goodness)? Mom did awesome. Twelve hours of labor, 13 minutes of pushing and back home in 2 hours. They are all doing well and adjusting to their new lives as parents.

Aquarium 2

2011-07-13T15:04:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back we took Aven to Seattle for her second trip to the Aquarium. For her birthday we took her and decided to buy a one year pass since we go down frequently and that way it would give us something fun to do there as a family. It was interesting to watch in just two months time how much Aven has changed, how her interests changed and her fascination with certain things was different. For example, when we went on her birthday she was really interested in the jelly fish but totally uninterested in the touch pools. This time after I took her to the touch pools, every time I set her down to walk she kept wandering back over to the touch pool area with a grunting and pointing (meaning that she wanted to touch them again). She wasn't afraid of the anemones moving or the coolness of the water, she was fascinated. Like before she was eagerly interested in each tank and the different sea life that was swimming around in each one.

My favorite part was in the entry area with the 2 story tall tank when Aven kept saying, "What's that?" louder and louder, each time with more and more enthusiasm. It was pretty darn cute. We wandered among the crowds of people (4th of July weekend), the double strollers, the kids, the parents, families, grandparents, etc., and took in all the sites. It was a really fun day of hanging out as a family and it was neat to see how interested Aven was in all of the different exhibits and animals.

Afterwards we went to an antique shop across the way and Aven took her first ride on a horse. You remember those ones outside places like Kmart or inside a mall where you put in a quarter and it rocks back and forth? Well, there was a vintage one there outside of the Antique store and Aven thought it was so fun. She had a huge smile on her face and seemed to delight all of the passers by too.

Same tank, July 3rd

On Aven's Birthday April 21st

walking and so much more

2011-07-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

There is so much to blog about and I have a million posts on my mind about the newly renovated shop out back, what we've been up to, life, our 2nd trip taking Aven to the aquarium and good weather but I did want to say that she is finally walking! It happened about two weeks ago when my Mom and her husband were in town. We were camping with them for the night and while Abe and I were packing up our things to get ready to leave, my Mom just kept walking around the campground again and again and by the end Aven was walking on her own- taking more and more steps. It is pretty much the cutest thing ever! She is pretty good at getting to a standing positing from a squatting or sitting position and likes to carry things in both hands while she does. Will post more soon.

14 month update

2011-06-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

eats: everything! She loves pretty much any fruit: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, mango, banana, apple, oranges, dried cherries & cranberries. She loves avocado, black beans, quesadilla, cheese, crackers, plain yogurt and just about anything we eat. She is currently getting 4 molars so it won't be long until she can eat more raw veggies. She is great about drinking water but won't really drink much milk. She is still breastfeeding 2-3 times a day. She is very independent and opinionated when it comes to what she wants (or doesn't).

talks about everything: just because I don't really know what she is saying doesn't mean that she doesn't! She does say Mama, Dada, uh-uh-oh, doggie, and what's that. She now knows the signs for more, milk and all done. Whenever she does figure out exactly how to talk or what she wants to say, look out. The child is always making sounds and talking, pretty cute sounds I might add. She experiments with all kinds of volumes and all sorts of noises.

crawls/goes...everywhere! loves to climb onto anything she can and especially loves climbing the stairs however she only likes to walk down them (with our help of course- reaches out for hands to help her). Only a matter of time until she decides to make up her mind and walk. The most steps she's taken on her own is 11 so far. She loves just getting outside (and has since day one). We go on as many walks as possible and she goes in the stroller, backpack, in our arms or in her new bike. She loves riding in it.

gets into everything...every cupboard, every pan, dish, tupperware, box of cereal, diaper, toy, piece of trash on the floor or dirt, into and out of dog crates, up step ladders, on top of her walker, etc. If she can touch it, she wants to mess with it. (As I am writing this post she pulled out the cheerio box, opened the lid and started helping herself to a snack!). Just yesterday I noticed that she can almost reach the doorknobs.

Our little munchkin is learning so many new things. She is becoming more and more her own person each and every day and despite her challenging moments and expressive opinions, she warms our hearts and brings so much joy to what we do.

sounds from the morning

2011-06-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

On any given day my morning sounds like this:

alarm
turning on the gas stove to heat up water for coffee
coffee grinder
birds chirping and announcing the days light outside
hum of the fridge
restlessness of the dogs in their crates
opening of the back door to let them out
morning sounds of a baby waking up
turning on the shower head
closing the diaper pail
metal lids on the dog bins opening to get them food
8 excited feet running towards their food bowls
squeals as my daughter pulls apart her socks (a morning tradition)
typing on the computer (my husband checking his email)
yawning, sighing parents, frustrated grunts from the baby
whirring of the espresso machine-so lovely
Velcros of shoes
zipping of jackets and sweatshirts
trucks, cars and motorcycles whizzing by in the rush to work
slaps of little crawling hands along the floor
opening and closing of the refrigerator
hurriedly closing the door
locking of the key
starting of the engine
crunch of gravel underneath the wheels
hum of the engine driving us to work, errands, daycare and off to start the day

hope your morning is sounding good

direction & questioning

2011-06-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

A long time ago when I was a little girl ( a longer time ago each day) I had many dreams about who I would be, where I would live, what I would do and what my kids names would be, what I would do during the summer and how my life would look. Today, it is so amazing but so different from that picture imagined so many years ago. And I am still trying to figure it all out. I live a blessed and amazing life filled with love, beauty, and so many things to be thankful for daily. These things are all around me and provide me comfort. And yet I still seek more. Not more money or stuff but I seek a more rooted being. A body that knows it is home, not just unlocks the door at the end of the day. A heart that feels truly invested in what I spend my time doing and really feeling like it is God's work and my gifting coming to life.

There are so many twists and turns in the road and I haven't figured out just which one to take. There are so many possibilities in terms of job, children, house, place to live, etc. And figuring out the balance of it all and the timing seems tricky at best.

So, what am I rambling about? Well, I have been contemplating going back to school to get my masters degree. Originally in teaching but now considering business for the tuition reimbursement from my employer, the dual function of multiple endorsements for teaching or the marketability of having an MBA for future career possibilities at the bank or otherwise. There are 4 different MBA programs at Western: an accelerated 1 year program, an evening program for working folks (9 quarters 2 days a week from 6-10pm), a weekend program in Everett (every other weekend all day Friday & Saturday) and the regular program. What to do, what to do. Originally I was thinking about the "working person's" MBA program but they only start every even numbered year in June and it is so long so I wouldn't be done until 2015 and that just seemed like too long to commit to. Then I thought about the Weekends program but it is still a long commitment to be gone so much and try to work things out with my work. The accelerated program seems good but it would be a tough year and I would probably need to cut down to super-part time and live on loans? Well, this whole MBA thing is just one piece of the big puzzle right now with Abe's graduate degree and possible career opportunities and his woodworking business. We have the little one to think about the the potential of future little ones and we have our location of living and the option of moving in the future.

Well, that opens a whole different can of worms. Where to move to, when, why and what is the main driving force and need? Will it be for a job, further school, family or who knows?

These are just some of my thoughts right now. Just wondering where the future will take us; will it be here or somewhere else? Feeling a little unsettled about what that hazy picture of me 10 years down the road looks like.

More thoughts to come...

family vacation & a few things learned along the way

2011-06-17T00:30:00.000-07:00

Well, we took our first real family vacation a few weeks ago. We went to beautiful Winthrop Washington and spent as much time relaxing in the sunshine and eating to our hearts content as we did playing outside and working hard.

The original plan had included a trip to Moab, UT where we went three years ago and really enjoyed the biking, hiking and change of scenery and weather. We even had a great place booked but as the date loomed ever closer we realized how potentially miserable a 1,000 mile road trip could be with a 13 month old. Then came the search to find a suitable place that wouldn't require 2 days of driving. We wanted a place that could offer us great things to do outside (biking & hiking), sunshine and a place that we could stay with the dogs. I considered and researched many places (Hood River, OR; Bend, OR; Boise, ID, etc.). Finally a friend suggested Winthrop. It was much closer (only about a 3 hour drive-150 miles or so) and typically good weather for this time of year and many options for biking & hiking. Once we nailed down a place to stay with the dogs, we just waited for Highway 20 to open for the season. It got down to the wire but everything was a go.

Day 1:

When we headed out on a Wednesday morning, things didn't look promising. There was a lot of rain on the drive and looming storm clouds above. Then as we wound up the highway towards the pass the snow was piled up on either side. I began to wonder if I had made a mistake. But then after beginning to wind back down the other side, I saw that all was not lost and the greater part of a sunny day lay ahead.

We arrived in early afternoon after leisurely driving Highway 20 from Bellingham, stopping at Que Car BBQ (delicious homemade honey BBQ sauce, and barbecued pork sandwiches). We checked into our cabin on the north side of town and decided to head into "downtown" Winthrop to get the lay of the land. Winthrop is an "old West" styled downtown with wooden sidewalks and mid to late 1800's styled architecture (most of it really is that old). The downtown has several restaurants, gift shops and even a gas station (reminds me of Jacksonville, Or near where I grew up). We headed over to the Old Schoolhouse Brewery for an afternoon pint and a snack.

ESB & IPA- some of our favorites!

Aven, playing the drums on the table.

After sufficiently christening their floor with food castoffs of all kinds ( and the first of many throughout the next few days), we headed out for our first hike of the trip. Went up to the Sun Mountain Trails and took the doggies out for a much needed 4 mile hike while Aven caught some snoozes and Abe and I enjoyed the beautiful view and completely deserted trail.

There were so many unique and beautiful wildflowers growing along this hillside we were hiking along. It was nice to get to see some new flowers & plants.

After all of this we headed to local favorite and staple since 1982, the Duck Brand restaurant. We had a great dinner and got 2 slices of pie to go and headed back to the cabin for our first night.

Day 2:

Well, traveling with a child had many learning moments and our breakfast on day 2 was no exception. It started with a hungry baby, a hungry mommy and an un-caffeinated Dad. If you are not able to do the math, this can equal a real disaster in a restaurant. Needless to say, we all survived and got going with an exciting day of adventures. We headed up to the Sun Mountain trails again. This time Abe and I split up. Abe and Eleanor went mountain biking and I took Aven in my pack and headed out on the trails. Save for a few mosquitoes and one or two bike riders, we again had the trails to ourselves. There was a lovely breeze and I enjoyed the relatively smooth and easy trails. We met back at the car and changed our plans from snacks at the cabin to Abe's revised plan: "take me straight to the brewery!"

We drove down the road about 7 miles to nearby Twisp and sat outside at the Methow Valley Brewing Company. It was the perfect afternoon. After a good hike and bike ride, we enjoyed sitting on the patio right next to the river soaking up the sun, enjoying a few pints and a delicious meal and taking in the relaxing and quiet weekday afternoon. Abe kept saying: "this is the life; I could get used to this!"

Day 3:

The next day started out a lot more promising including a much more satisfying breakfast to kick off the day. We went to nearby Sunflower Cafe and had some delicious Mushroom, Feta Quiche and an amazing Strawberry Scone with whole strawberries in it. None of that spot-o-jelly type thing you typically find. After our leisurely breakfast outside (I loved that just about every place there had outdoor seating available), we headed back to the cabin for Aven's nap and some rest and relaxation for the parents. We sat on our cabin porch, read for hours and relaxed. It was awesome.

One of my favorite pics from the trip, Aven playing with some
pinecones in the grassy area outside our cabin. It was so cute.

In the later afternoon, we headed out for some more adventures outside. Abe went to Buck Lake trail and met up with an outdoor rep who he ended up riding with. I took the girls (Aven, Eleanor & Ethel) and we headed out to Falls Creek Falls. After we hiked the initial 1/2 mile of relatively flat and paved trail we arrived at a misty and beautiful waterfall. I noticed that there was a trail wrapping around off to the right so we headed on for more adventure. We didn't make our way all the way to the end of the trail because Ethel pooped out and we had to leave her halfway on the trail but we did wind our way back closer to the start of the waterfall. It was beautiful and again so nice to be in the warm outdoors.

After meeting up with Abe we hit up the brewery again for another delicious meal. This time it was Friday night and the Methow Valley Brewery was hopping. We voted again to dine outside and enjoy the river going by. Aven caught the attention of many other diners and wait staff when after devouring most of her beans and rice she smeared it across her forehead in battle like fashion. We could have been uptight and wiped it off immediately; but this isn't our style- instead we let her enjoy it, grabbed the camera and shot some pics. What a little cutie.

Day 5:

The last day had us planning for yet another kid-friendly strategy. I voted for a family hike after breakfast, back to the cabin for Aven's nap and lunch and then splitting up for the late afternoon; Abe would bike and I would hike. Well, to go along with the title, the best laid plans especially when it comes to kids, often fail. It started out with a slow start in the morning....followed by a longer drive up a dirt road and then.....

A tree across the road made us stop in our tracks, literally! We climbed out and loaded up Aven in the backpack just to see how much farther the trailhead would be. It was really just around the corner so we started the trek up the hill. I should mention here that I didn't do any research about how long this hike would be, the elevation, elevation gain or difficulty. It just sounded nice: Copper Glance Lake. Well, had we made it there it probably would have been. We hiked a ways and then came across a wide creek with a collapsed bridge. Abe offered to ford the freezing creek, carry the dogs and Aven across to continue on. I didn't know how much farther we had to go or if there would be additional creek crossings so I chickened out. I was a bit sad but the trek had already taken much longer than I thought and we hadn't brought any snacks with us. So, we turned around and headed back.

After a late afternoon nap for Aven and Mommy back at the cabin, we headed out on our last outdoor adventure. While it was scenic and beautiful it was a rather boring walk along a meadow and out to a river. The mosquitoes were out in full force along with their other insect friends and the monotony of the flat land got to us at the end of a long day. We wrapped up the evening with a truly delicious gourmet pizza at East 20 Pizza and of course, the water of vacation life: beer. Luckily this place was across the parking lot from our cabin so when Aven started getting cranky at the end of the meal (it was after her bedtime) I just walked her over and got her ready for bed.

Day 5:

Would be a great Subaru commercial!

On the last day, we woke up when the baby did and got ourselves packed up for the journey home. The sun was out, the pass was beautiful and we felt unhurried as we made our way back home. It was a lovely day and we even had a chance to relax at home and get a hike in at home before the end of the day.

The Highlights & Lessons Learned:

Going on a trip with a baby can force you to relax- there are lots of naps involved in their day, they tend to like to go to bed early and they will always make you late (it can make you anxious or you can let things go).
If you want to have a nightlife with a one year old on vacation, you'll be sorely disappointed.
Trying to plan your day around the moods and naps of a kiddo can be really challenging.
Spending time with your family is some of the best time you can have
Be flexible, always!
Never pass up a good cup of coffee, fresh homemade pastries or a great microbrew
Be adventurous, often it will pay off.
Take lots of pictures, even the ones that will embarass your kids later (Aven discovered how much fun it is to play naked after your bath or shower- we have some super cute pics of her being silly in the buff)
Trader Joes is awesome - be sure to load up on snacks for the car ride
If man can live on bread alone, then why can't babies live on beans & rice, honey wheat pretzels and dried cherries?

what we've been up to lately

2011-06-06T23:05:00.000-07:00

Well, there is so much to blog about I don't really know where to begin. I feel like the time has flown by since Aven's first birthday and I am so behind on blog posts! Well, here is a brief recap of what has been going on in life.

Getting the shop ready!

Abe has been working madly trying to get the shop completed so that he can move his business in- this has included having it completely insulated, drywalled, mudded and taped, installed lights, install all of the outlets, having it painted, finishing the electrical, moving in his tools, scouting out and getting a killer deal on siding, driving to pick up/load & unload the siding, scouting out HardiPlank shingles on Craigslist, picking up said shingles, moving shingles & other building supplies to the attic! And this is all before/after work or on the weekends. I do my best to help out when I can but it is challenging unless Aven is taking a nap or in bed (pics to come soon).

Keeping up with a one year old- seems like a full time job.

With every stage there seems to be a pro and a con. Pro: can feed herself, sit up by herself, entertain herself, etc. Con: has an opinion about what she wants to feed herself, where and when she will sit, and what she does or doesn't want to do to entertain herself! All kidding aside though she is at a really fun and challenging stage. She has the mental capacity to know that she wants something specific but not the verbal skills to communicate it- I hope they come soon.

Planning & Taking a vacation:

Our trip to Moab, UT turned into going to Winthrop, WA. This ended up being a good thing and we avoided 4 days driving in the car and over 2,000 miles at $4.00+ a gallon too. We will make it back there someday but for now it wasn't really practical. Just got back this last weekend from 4 nights and 5 days of hiking/biking and relaxing in the sun (post to come soon & lots of pics).

Reading:

Really enjoying our book club of the month: Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon- book club this weekend- excited to discuss this mystery/suspense novel.

Yard work:

when we're not trying to get things done on the shop we are attempting to work on our yard which mainly refers to keeping the grass down and the weeds out (a super challenging thing right now- see having a 1 year old above). We have many plans of what we want to do it is just a matter of time & money.

Life & Work:

In the leftover time we are attempting to work, eat dinner together as a family, spend time together as a couple & family, go on hikes, relax, and just generally enjoy our lives.

More to come on all of the above soon: pics & details from our vacation, pics and details of the shop status, pics of Aven @ 13 months and next month's book club pic as well.

my new neighbors

2011-06-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

This spring I have been enjoying being outside so much (when it is actually nice) which seems to be an on again off again thing lately. I was doing some weeding and trimming in my yard a month or so ago when I thought I was pulling some spare twigs that had fallen from a nearby tree in my Camellia bush when I discovered a bird nest. Maybe it is the kid inside me but I was so excited. Then I noticed over the next few weeks that a bird would fly back and forth to its little home. Now, I am not a bird watcher nor do I really know my species but it looked like an ordinary robin but a happy one with a house right next to mine. A few weeks later I started to wonder if there were any eggs in the nest and then a few days after that I saw a small blue eggshell broken and laying on the ground. I peeped into the nest and saw a handful of fuzzy little chick heads, so cute! I have loved sitting at my dining room table eating breakfast or dinner or even paying bills and watching the simple comings and goings of this robin mommy (or daddy?) bringing grass and worms and other foods to the nest for the little ones. Yesterday I looked into the nest and no one was home- perhaps they've flown the coop!

Aven's First Birthday (the family get-together)

2011-05-31T10:24:00.000-07:00

For Aven's first birthday we wanted to celebrate with our whole family but since having everyone drive up to Bellingham isn't always practical we rented a house in Portland for the weekend a few weeks after her actual birthday. We had some super yummy meals at Porque No? (amazing Mexican food) and Cup & Saucer (great breakfast food) as well as a good old fashioned Dairy Queen Ice Cream cake to boot (although Aven was so exhausted after a long day of playing with her cousin and visiting the animals at the zoo and opening presents that she went to bed without having any). We hung out as a family watching the kids (Aven and her cousin Asha) play, reading, sleeping and relaxing and the sun finally broke out and we got some reprieve from the rain when we went to the Portland Zoo. It was a super special weekend too since it was the first mother's day that we were all together: my Mom, Abe's Mom, Abe's sister and me! Here is a montage of photos from our time together.

Always the life of the party!

Thanks everyone for coming, it was so good to see you, spend time together and you helped make Aven's first birthday so special.

1st Family Pictures

2011-05-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my favorites from our first family pictures a few weeks ago. All pictures taken by Julie Harrell here in Bellingham. She was so great to work with- very relaxed and fun and had some great ideas for locations to shoot and ideas for props. I am so happy at the fun and natural way that she captured our family for Aven's first birthday. I highly recommend Julie if you have any photography needs here in the Bellingham area. Enjoy.

Aven's First Birthday (the events)

2011-04-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

Wonderful day in Seattle with our little one year old! Started the day early with 1-year check up and 5 shots! After this we made our way to Seattle and enjoyed taking Aven to the Seattle Aquarium. She loved watching the fish and other marine life and her attention never swayed. Afterwards we took her to a few of our favorite haunts: Red Mill Burgers for lunch and then Herkimer Coffee (for us). We enjoyed seeing some of the fun sights at the Aquarium such as: Java the octopus- we were apparently there during one of her more active periods; jellyfish walk through; Northern Fur Seals; seahorses; a variety of uniquely colored and shaped fish and the giant entryway tank. Finished the day with Aven's first ice cream at Bellingham favorite Mallards. Aven had the strawberry, me the rose strawberry ice and Daddy the peanut butter. After all of this it was a quick to bed for the tired little one year old.

part of the touch tank

amazing and beautiful jellyfish

"Java" the giant pacific octopus

beautiful textures & colors

up close & personal w/the fish

a delicious & healthy lunch!

always has something to say

it's my birthday & I'll cry if I want to!

Mommy & Daddy need more coffee

first ice cream- entering Mallards,
a Bellingham favorite

not sure if she likes Mommy's Strawberry Rose Ice

Happy Birthday Aven Lily, we love you.

sneak peek

2011-04-21T23:57:00.000-07:00

In 5 more minutes Aven's first birthday will officially be over!
The house is quiet and all are asleep. More to come soon on how
we celebrated.
Happy Birthday to our sweet Aven Lily

Stationary card

2011-04-20T15:52:00.001-07:00

Grown Up Pink Birthday Invitation

Create the perfect card for Birthdays, Valentine's Day and more.

View the entire collection of cards.

indulging

2011-04-19T21:08:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday was a much needed day for our family. I have had to work a lot of Saturdays lately and the last one I had off was taken up by our annual girls weekend. I switched Saturdays with my boss to give Abe some Daddy time off and for us to spend time together as a family. It started by sleeping in (so glorious) and then throwing on some clothes and heading down to a local favorite Rocket Donuts. I don't know how I managed not to go here for so long, but I did- and I never should have, I am addicted. I am mostly a purist when it comes to donuts: old fashioned, glazed cake, buttermilk bars or sugar/cinnamon twists. I don't go for any fancy sprinkles or gluten-free stuff! But with a cup of local coffee, it feels like a meal. Ironically we took a healthy breakfast for Aven: banana, cheerios and a smile (mini-donuts Abe called the cheerios). It was a nice way to start our day together. When Aven napped I helped Abe in our workshop re-saw some 2x4 boards and I practiced my measuring and cutting skills with the bandsaw. It was a nice day and we had a lot of time to spend together and just relax.

thursday favorites

2011-04-14T14:49:00.000-07:00

Things I am loving this week:

Trader Joes extra-sour English Muffins (so yummy with a little bit of butter- mmmm)
Blood Oranges- I got quite a few in my Dandelion Organic delivery- they are so sweet and yet a little ~~bitter~~ tart but such a different sweetness than regular oranges, they are awesome and so juicy- very beautiful too
Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream French Lavendar flavor- made here in Washington and so delicious- on sale @ Haggen's Grocery Store this week for 1.99/pint and totally worth it.

You?

Annual Girls Weekend (#3)

2011-04-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

In no particular order, some moments from this year's girls weekend.

Aven playing with the vintage toy I found at the Antique Mall.
Super cute with a little squeaky red button on top and fluttering eyes- Made in Holland.

There are this year's ladies (- me)- Nancy, Sophia &
Kari out for a lovely day of shopping.

We squeezed in a little time for Sophia & Aven to have a
play date while Kari went to a wedding. It was cute watching
the two girls only about 7 weeks apart and then
we went to the local Franklin Park for some swinging & sliding.

Sophia & her beautiful blue eyes.

Nancy & Sophia- relaxing for a quiet moment.

Nancy wanted to practice using my camera
and she took this really cute picture of Aven
- so rare for me to capture her smiling in a photo.

On our way to a yummy Sunday morning breakfast
@ Harris Ave Cafe in Fairhaven.

Sweet little miniature bouquet on our table.

Inside of Harris St. Cafe w/some unique oil paintings of
faces lining the walls.

Kari, browsing for fun vintage greeting
cards and other silly memorabilia.

Nancy enjoying a moment without any
kids in her lap on Friday night @ dinner.

Sophia, happy and delightful.

Perplexed at all of the shopping- but so cute.

Nostalgia, vintage clothing - browsed for the perfect
wedding outfit for Kari- Nancy got some
awesome & really sweet vintage skirts.

Downtown Fairhaven, WA.

Super cool light post in Fairhaven.

It seems that one drops off every year- the first year there were 5 of us and we went to Seattle in November- then last year only 4 and we went to Portland in February- this year only 3 and we are in April....hard for all of us ladies to really organize our lives and now all of our babes but we're going to make a better game plan for next year.

The weekend was pretty non-eventful but relaxing all the same. Stayed at a friend's condo in Fairhaven and walked to breakfast, dinner & shops right around the corner. Went to Vietnamese food on Friday night- stayed up late talking and relaxing at the condo- drinking a little wine & eating ginger snaps from Trader Joes. Had a large gathering of ladies @ Milagro Mexican restaurant on Saturday night where the staple order was the big Mama Margarita- chips, salsa and guac. Had a fun time catching up with some ladies I rarely see and getting to know others better. Closed down the place and stood on the sidewalk talking until the rain sent us scattering. Stayed up until 2 am chatting and discussing life, family, God, kids and the like.

Kari and I hit up the Antique shops on Sunday after we ate breakfast @ Harris Ave Cafe in Fairhaven. All that shopping made us hungry so we squeezed in one more kid-free outing @ the Mount Bakery and split a savory & sweet crepe before heading home.

First time away from Aven went fine and it was lovely to just relax, eat out and have no obligations for a weekend. Can't wait until next year!

quick lunch-break thursday

2011-04-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

total miscellaneous list for the day:

How can a restaurant boast "best Mexican food in town"- first off who decides and secondly, how can you put this out if you just opened? I've seen it twice now- weird.

I love Craigslist...put two things on there for free and got rid of them within a few hours! Awesome.

It makes me sad that Aven has reached the stage in her development that she will sometimes cry when I drop her off. It makes me feel awful :( I know she'll be fine but I feel terrible in the moment. This morning when I dropped her at the Y even though she is usually smiling and happy and could care less that I leave, she started bawling- so sad.

Loving the newest Social Distortion album: Hard Times & Nursery Rhymes and the Decemberists latest: The King is Dead. Also eagerly anticipating the newest Alison Krauss & Union Station's album: Paper Airplane (April 12th).

Having a girls weekend this weekend in Bellingham- nights out on the town without men, boys or babies. My first time away from Aven overnight! Can't believe that little munchkin head will be a year old in 2 weeks!

I can't wait until Spring/Summer. I was reading that we get 35 inches of rain annually, over 4 inches a month and it sure feels like it lately. We get a few spare moments without precipitation but it feels soggy and muddy. I can't wait until the afternoons are predictably nice and I can begin to work on hard projects in less muddy soil. Any suggestions on what to do with a baby while I am in the yard and she's not taking a nap?

Have a great day.

afternoon in the park

2011-04-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

Bucket- o baby

She thought it was so funny when she was in the swing with me pulling her legs and playing silly games with her. Can't tell you how much I love hearing her laugh out loud- it is the best.

My sweetie decided to go down head first and did really well at it without any fear. It was super cute- first time going down the slide by herself.

11 months already

2011-03-25T21:52:00.000-07:00

Look at this girl- she is looking so much older to me lately- a whole whopping 11 months. She is still petite- what is new- and weighs in at less than 17 lbs still. I was thinking she'd get to the 3 times her birth weight thing by her first birthday but I don't know if that will happen. So here is a photo recap of what has been happening around here lately and some comments to bring you up to date.

I know that I have a lot of pictures in this pose but it is one of my favorite places to take pictures of Aven because of the natural sunlight and the view outside. My girl is an outside girl. She has loved being outside from day 1. Within the first week of her life she had already been on several walks outside with the doggies and that hasn't changed since. She loved being in the Baby Bjorn and now the backpack or Daddy's bike trailer in the afternoon spring sunshine.

Aven has been crawling and pulling herself up since a few days after her 9 month marker. She is a lot more proficient at pulling herself up and can easily let herself back down or hang on with one hand. She can sometimes stand for a few seconds but she often will drop down and then crawl somewhere. She can kind of walk while you hold her hands although she isn't too quick or steady. She likes to pull herself up onto objects and just stand there talking to herself, holding toys or raising herself up and down on her tiptoes.

Aven likes to play with toys although she doesn't seem to have any favorites or preferences. There are certainly things that she shows no interest in but for the most part she is not picky. She doesn't seem to latch onto stuffed animals or even any particular blanket or toy. She likes her little Baby Einstein ABC table that plays all kinds of fun songs when you press the different buttons. She loves her Green Toys tool set (from Christmas) and likes the Flathead Screwdriver the saw and the hammer. Lately she has been really enjoying music and kind of "shimmies" as Abe calls it. It is super cute and so funny. She seems to really enjoy books and being read to. She will turn the page in her board books and often close the book for me (before I am done that stinker). She likes to touch the pages especially when there are interesting patterns, textures and contrasts.

This girl is very independent. She is so great at playing by herself for long periods of time. Sometimes when I haven't heard her for awhile I am worried she has gotten into something and then I walk into her room or the dining room and she's sitting there looking at something or playing quietly with herself. On the other hand, when she wants something- she is not afraid to show it. It is funny- since she's been very little her patience has been short when it comes to something she wants. She'll be perfectly happy and then within 5 minutes totally break down and be exhausted for bed.

She is also a very independent eater. Over a month ago she pretty much stopped letting us feed her the baby purees I'd made. Most things she doesn't want us to feed her (although she'll still let us feed her cereal or yogurt or cottage cheese). Most everything else she wants to feed herself. And she does a pretty good job of it too- it can just take awhile for a meal (try an hour sometimes if she's hungry).

I don't know if independent or opinionated is the best word but the other thing she's decided she doesn't like is brushing her teeth. At first I thought it was because she was maybe teething or because I was pressing too hard on her gums but now it just seems to be part of her daily routine: crying when I brush her teeth. The whole exercise takes about 3 times longer since I have to keep pinning her arms down while I try to pry her mouth open with one hand and then get the toothbrush in and actually clean something. I have tried many tactics but so far none have worked; hopefully it is just a phase.

Aven is so cute. Her personality is just coming out more and more and she is a fun baby. She is a relatively happy baby most days and goes with the flow. She sleeps well for naps (usually a longer one between 1 1/2 hours and 2hrs in the morning and about 1/2 hour in the afternoon). And I am happy to say that she is pretty much sleeping through the night for the last several weeks. She goes to bed between 7:30 and 8:30 and usually doesn't wake up to nurse until 5:30 or 6 in the morning and then will usually go back to bed for a bit longer (around 7 or 7:30). The only thing I need to break her of is the swaddle blanket. I can't believe I still use it at 11 months. The last few nights I've used a large muslin blanket that sort of holds her tight but that can easily unwrap to try to get her used to not sleeping all night in the swaddle- we'll see how that works.

Back to cuteness- this is an important topic. The girl loves her Daddy and doggies and friends. She plays silly games by looking over one persons shoulder at someone standing behind. She will giggle and laugh if we do funny things with her and she can let out a loud scream of glee if she's really happy about something. For a few months she would point her finger at just about anything- especially people. It was super funny but in the last few days it seems she is moving on to new things. It is funny how something that your kid does can come and go so quickly and a year from now I probably won't even remember something she did for a month or a few weeks (sad, sigh). But the delightful thing is that it is always replaced by something new and different so no need to really be sad because there is so much to look forward to and learn.

Other stuff: Aven and Abe just finished taking a 5 week parent/baby swimming class at the YMCA. She did really well until the last week (luckily minutes before the end of class) she swallowed too much pool water and puked back into the kiddie pool whereupon the lifeguard yelled "everyone out of the pool." Our girl has been fighting a variety of different ailments this past month. First it was the 24 hour flu- then a bad cold with logs of boogers and crusty nights. Then she has had a variety of digestive issues these past few days requiring lots of outfit changes and clean up. I don't know if it was just too many new foods, a particular food that upset her or just a different issue. She is a trooper though and does her best to stay happy all the while.

Birthday Celebration stuff: going to Portland to hang out with our families for Aven's 1 year b-day. We'll go to the zoo and hang out with Aunts and Uncle, cousin(s), Grandmas and Grandpas. Should be really fun and a weekend away from the business here. Planning on doing family photos for her actual 1 year b-day here in Bellingham- any suggestions for affordable photographers? Looks like the going rate is around $250 just for the shoot. Lastly, any suggestions for the one year celebration? Trying to decide if I want to do the traditional cake for the baby thing or not.

Well- so many little changes every day- hard to capture them and remember all of the subtleties. Not a lot of big changes yet (no words or first steps) but so many delightful moments logged daily in photo or memory. Our sweet little one is a treasure and we love watching her grow.

supporting your community & healthy choices

2011-03-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

You have all heard me talk about how I love my bi-weekly Dandelion Organic delivery right? Well, I was reading (in all places the Lowe's monthly ideas catalog) about the website called Local Harvest (www.localharvest.org) to view local options that are sustainable and support your community as well as provide healthy eating options. You can just plug in your zip code and see all of the local business options! It is fabulous. Check it out!

the morphing of tradition

2011-03-15T23:22:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day: March 17th

A few fun facts to celebrate the holiday (courtesy of Wikipedia)

The original color used to celebrate St. Patties day was blue!
St. Patrick, according to legend, was said to have used the shamrock to illustrate the Holy Trinity- therefore this symbol is most well known for its association with the holiday
St. Patrick's Day is a public holiday in Ireland
Although originally a Catholic holiday, it is mostly celebrated today as a cultural celebration of the Irish
Because it is a religious holiday but often falls during certain special days during the season of Lent, sometimes St. Patrick's day is "moved"
St. Patrick's doesn't fall again on a Holy Week until 2160!
The Chicago river is dyed green each year in celebration (and has done so since 1962) and the White House Fountain was dyed green for both 2009 and 2010 to celebrate!
St. Patrick was supposedly kidnapped by Irish raiders (he was from a wealthy family of deacons) at the age of 16 and put in prison in Ireland- (because he was told by God in a dream to break free) after breaking out of captivity, he felt it was his calling to become a priest- he returned to Ireland to convert them from their pagan ways

Hope yours is safe and happy. Now, who came up with Corned Beef and cabbage?

10 months and then some...

2011-03-15T22:58:00.000-07:00

So, I realized today that I have a ridiculous amount of pictures of my little one. Thank goodness for digital archives yet there ends up being an excessive amount of pictures because each one tells a story! I love taking pictures of Aven because she can be so expressive and her personality comes out in every pictures. This one above I caught her mid-clap...she loves to clap and will kind of bob back and forth if you sing a song. I can sing "if you are happy and you know it clap your hands" and she'll usually clap right on cue; pretty cute.

Pictures like this one I especially enjoy because they don't show any awareness of the camera being present at all. She is just enjoying a quiet moment to herself. Hard to believe that this sweater still fits her. It is a bit short in the sleeves but I think it is still a 3-6 month item!

Her is Aven visiting her Daddy at his shop. It has kind of become a pretty regular tradition that on my days off with Aven that she and I go visit Abe at work, take him coffee and often go out to lunch @ Avenue bread together.

This shirt is one of my new favorites by Osh Kosh, it is purple with green stripes and an adorable little gathering up front. It is a 12 month item, go figure.

For some reason the few things that stick out in this picture are my little girl's beautiful eyes and the small piece of food stuck on her forehead from lunch. Should have been a bath day.

Aven is so excellent at entertaining herself. She has toys. But often, like any child, they bore of their "regular" and anything else in the house can become a toy: Daddy's shoes or shoelaces, the recycling, the dog water, the dishtowels, the box of tampons on the bathroom floor, Dad's belt (well, you get the idea). It does show an ability to be inventive and use anything to discover the world.

Probably why I love this picture. This is Aven chewing on the handle (rope) for a little draft pillow. It goes by the back door but it has some kind of weighted beads in it and she loves to pull it around and play with it.

****************

Life is interesting and keeping us busy. Will update you on more quirks later. Enjoy the pics.

fun link

2011-03-09T11:01:00.000-08:00

http://photos.decemberists.com/slideshows/784

I made the above "slide show" from Autumn de Wilde pictures (taken while making the new Decemberists album "The King is Dead) & accompanied by a new Decemberists song. " You can make your own if you visit my link. If you have never looked at Autumn de Wilde or the Decemberists, I highly recommend both! Enjoy if you have a few minutes.

unmotivated

2011-03-08T22:20:00.000-08:00

{sometimes it is just cuter to let the food drip down their face}

Lately (if you couldn't tell from my last blog post) work has been very very hectic. We are getting new computer systems at the end of March and so we are all going through massive amounts of preparation and training. I am actually excited for something new and a new challenge but there is just so much to do to get it all ready! On top of that we are training a new personal banker, trying to interview for a part-time teller and stay afloat on all of our other "regular" trainings and day to day activities. It makes work very busy and every moment valuable and precious.

All that to say that when I am off work, I have really been trying to relax and consequently haven't been doing too much. Just trying to keep the laundry from piling up or the floors from being too dirty, keep the trash and recycle taken out and the dogs fed and happy. We have taken walks, done our chores and been taking Aven to Saturday YMCA swimming lessons (so cute). This last weekend we all got sick in succession (first Aven, then me and then Abe) so our relaxing and somewhat productive weekend ended up not so much. We had a great book club meeting on Sunday where we discussed Cormac McCarthy's "All the Pretty Horses" and everyone else had yummy food while I was recovering from a stomach bug and didn't want to each much of anything.

{does this need a caption?}

{sharing her toy with Ethel}

{visiting Daddy at the shop on a Saturday afternoon}

{Aven playing with her Baby Einstein toy, it is in the corner and when she plays in her room she'll just quietly move over to it and then you'll hear the sound effects going; she really likes it}

Finally downloaded a bunch of pictures so I hope you enjoy these snapshots of Aven...hard to believe she is almost 11 months old and will be 1 year next month. Man it does fly. On the other hand labor feels like an eternity ago (thank goodness).

a day in the life

2011-03-03T22:19:00.000-08:00

6:15 am- alarm goes off

6:30 am- I beg Abe to let me sleep just a few minutes longer

6:40am- I drag myself downstairs hoping to read a few pages of our monthly book club selection that I am [surprise, surprise] behind on

6:42am- I receive a cup of hot coffee from my husband

6:44am- baby wakes up......

nurse baby

change baby

dress baby

eat breakfast

let doggies outside, feed doggies

feed baby "adult food"

take shower

make bottles for daycare

grab snack for midday @ work

brush teeth

grab cell phone

close & lock door

load baby into car.....

it is only

8:22am!

going to be a long day

drop Aven @ daycare

hurriedly drive to work

{surprise, surprise} a few minutes late

get on the conference call

commiserate with my boss until oh...9:20am

have a great morning meeting with the staff...open the doors to the customers and here we go!

I won't bore you with work details but it was busy and there were tons of things to do and piles of papers kept showing up with more and more things for me to do and email upon email of tasks and must needed replies, why does everyone need something from me today?

Interviewed potential employee (it wasn't a great interview and in fact I felt a bit bad for her)

Ahhhh...

finally....

LUNCH

To me these days lunch is just another time to get things done uninterrupted like phone calls, reading, blog posting, catching up on emails, etc.

2:23pm arrived home

2:24 let dogs outside

2:25 started load of laundry and sorted the rest

2:27 cleaned up the kitchen from the morning including small bits of smashed food that are cold and gooey and gathered in the bottom of a bib

2:35 start the dishwasher

2:40 get 4 days worth of mail from the mailbox

2:27 sort through mail and put a huge pile of paper in the recycle

2:36 find "past due notice" from natural gas co (what?)

2:45 log onto online banking and review bill payments

2:49 call natural gas co

2:55 gather up snacks/lunch and throw them in my bag and head back to work

3:05 eat carrot sticks, string cheese, crackers and apples in the car while calling YMCA to pay monthly bill

3:15 still waiting on hold I leave a message for them to call me back

3:25 ATM being serviced in the back room at work, cannot check teeth to make sure I don't have carrots or sesame seeds in them from my crackers

3:26 there is a customer waiting

all afternoon it was NON-stop with one thing after another and as soon as I went to help someone

BOOM...an outlook appointment for my 3:40 conference call popped up (supposed to be 20 minutes, over an hour later I got off the phone)

WORK

work

7:15 everyone else leaves work

7:25 I finally depart

7:32 arrive home,

nurse baby

baby throws up on me /partial outfit change

take Abe to pick up his Bike so he can go study theology

8:00 arrive back home

read stories

brush/struggle to brush teeth

change diapers

take fluoride

nurse & swaddle baby and put to bed

8:30 pm

make dinner, eat dinner, clean up, put laundry in dryer, sweep floor, finish sorting mail from earlier, wipe counters, wipe high chair and bibs, let doggies out and feed doggies dinner

10pm sit down and write this post!

No wonder I feel tired these days
When is Spring coming?

funny

2011-03-01T13:24:00.000-08:00

The Most Exciting Use of Fishnet Since the Leg
I love Rejuvenation products but I thought this catchy phrase on their latest email was really funny. I do love the new lights though! Great period authentic products.

random complaints

2011-02-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

Okay, I really do love "local" and I like to support small business but sometimes I get so annoyed at the details. For instance, I rarely carry cash- I almost always use my debit or credit cards. And working for a bank, I realize that there are fees associated with accepting plastic- for the business. But sometimes I am not prepared with cash or checks (really, who carries checks anymore anyway?) and I happen across a cute little coffee shop or bakery and nothing puts me in a worse mood than a sign on the door saying: "cash or checks only please." So then it is a choice, skip the place or first find an ATM (maybe pay a fee) and then go back.

So, yesterday we passed on the first place just to avoid running to the bank and back again and ended up at another local shop that did accept credit/debit. After ordering two beautiful (coffee art) lattes and splitting a cheese brioche, Abe decided that he wanted a refill. Well folks, I feel that once you spend $3+ dollars on a drink, you should get a free refill. He walks up to the counter and the conversation went a bit like this:

"Do you have refills here?"
"Yes, they are 50 cents each."
"Hmmm, I don't have any cash- may I use my card for the refill?"
"Sorry, no."
"Okay, well....."
"I could probably find you 50 cents" (reaches into the tip jar).
"Okay" (awkward).

So, what is a good ol American coffee lover to do? I just want to put my plea into the world: free refills, please?

just a little bragging

2011-02-23T16:16:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd brag a little about what my husband has been making through his business

Baraa Woodworking

. He took this very cool retro desk chair that we got free on the street corner, had it recovered in leather and then made this super cool wood back that accents the metal and highlights the design. It has really made this chair stand out and I get to enjoy it every day.

This is the reflection from a lovely little walnut mirror showing a reflection of our dining room. Lately Abe has been making mirrors to put in galleries. Currently he has work at Digs (a local mid-century furniture and eclectic fun shop), Artwood Gallery (in Fairhaven) and Northwest Fine Woodworking Gallery in Seattle.

Hop on over to Baraa's site to check out new work and pass it on if you know someone who needs awesome fine custom work. We'd love it!

best intentions/thoughts on valentine's day

2011-02-18T00:03:00.000-08:00

{rare picture of Aven still asleep after being taken out of her car seat}

It is easy to get caught up in romance and commercialism during this time of the year and it is easy to look at others and think they are getting the royal treatment but once you are married you have birthdays and anniversaries and other special days (and dates) throughout the year so sometimes Valentines day seems a bit too planned and contrived. My coworkers received gifts like a new pet (bunny), fresh bouquets of flowers and sweet dinners. I however had to work until 7:30 and knew I would have a grumpy baby waiting for me at home (the previous two nights had been a 2+ hour ordeal to get her to bed). So, on my lunch break I washed and prepared some potatoes and set them on a tray and removed a steak from the freezer and had it defrosting. As the best laid plans often go, my husband got home late and started the oven to preheating only minutes before I walked in the door (and I was starving!). We ended up eating microwave bean burritos and falling asleep on the couch. Not exactly what I was hoping!

The redeeming notes: my husband remembered it was Valentine's Day before I did; he brought me a much needed cup of coffee while I was still clearing the bleariness from my eyes on Monday morning and he also brought me a loaf of Chocolate, chocolate-chip cherry bread at work. The funniest thing was that when he brought this in I thought: "this heart looks a bit odd-shaped, a bit like a butt" (and I even told him this upon his arrival). The funnier part is that he said, "I know that is what I thought too." Aren't we a match made in heaven?

Point is- it is often the little things in life. Sure, it is fun to make a bit fuss, do elaborate gifts and romantic dates but often it is the little sweet things that remind our loved ones what they mean to us and what we mean to them. In my case it was that small cup of lovely coffee that awakened my senses after a difficult second night of getting my almost 10 month old to bed. It was the unexpected surprise visit in the middle of the day at work and sharing an odd observation about the shape of the loaf of bread with my husband.

Don't toss out the romantic notions or give up on grand gestures but don't feel that without them the magic is lost or that you can't still appreciate in small ways the love that you are blessed with. I have a mostly amazing husband who still can surprise me with sweetness and thoughtfulness and a mostly angelic baby who is so cute and sweet and makes me smile and two almost all the time perfect doggies who although would love nothing better than to go on a long hike every day and get to sleep on the couch all night long, make do with what I can give them and give me lots of grace for when I can't do much. I am blessed to have the life that I do, surrounded by family and friends who support me and although each day isn't filled with roses and chocolate, it is surrounded by love.

it is hard work monkeying around all day!

2011-02-14T22:10:00.000-08:00

happy valentines day

2011-02-14T21:41:00.000-08:00

"I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon." ~Author Unknown

* * * * *

{photo credit here}

Hope your day was happy and full of love. I have been loving some different random things lately and I thought I might share them with you!

I have been totally loving using my Nikon D80 digital camera lately: bought this when we went to the Czech Republic and I recently got it out again and started shooting pictures more often. I took the advise of a friend and leave my camera out on the table keeping it accessible for whenever a moment strikes me. Also I have been taking it out with me when I go about the town- ready to snap a pictures when I see something inspiring or interesting in shape or color.
Dandelion Organic: I know that I have talked about them before but it really is wonderful having organic fresh fruits and vegetables delivered to your door. It is kind of like a neat surprise. I love getting gifts and especially love fun mail: this is both- waiting on my doorstep is a bin full of yummy new things to try or classic standards that can be used at any meal. So affordable too: only $26 for the personal bin every other week! Can't beat that.
Fred Meyer honey flavored Greek Style yogurt- 14 grams of protein and no fat- a little sweet but mostly tangy and so healthy! I probably eat one every day.
Making my own baby food. Maybe I am just a nerd but it is pretty easy and I love knowing exactly what goes into the food I feed my baby. My favorite purees were: pear & squash; beet & pear; oatmeal with peach & banana; chicken with sweet potato, onion and apple; pumpkin; pear & apple with cinnamon and broccoli. Bought myself a $7 book from Amazon and checked out a few more from the library and also bought "Fresh Baby" ice cube trays with lids for freezing cubes (portion size) of food after pureeing.
My child finally being able to feed herself! Well at least some things....she can eat Cheerios, cooked chicken, cooked broccoli, peas, string cheese, bananas and she has tried various bites of other small foods. It will be awesome when she can do it all herself! The child loves dairy though: yogurt and string cheese are some of her favorite.
DeVotchka (the band)- very fun eclectic music with symphonic sounds and a haunting voice.
My Patagonia R4 Jacket- I am not one to spend a lot of money on clothes especially not a fleece jacket but this jacket is totally worth it (especially when you get it on sale). I have two now. The first one got a bit um, stretched out, when I was pregnant since I wore it through almost my whole pregnancy on hikes with the doggies. I have a new one now in "bitter chocolate" and it fits me so well. It is surprisingly warm for a thin fleece and I think it is pretty fashionable. I love Patagonia's corporate responsibility as well- they recycle tons of stuff and use recycled plastic to make fleece and they are very environmentally conscious (although their clothes if not on sale cost a ton!).

* * * * *

"Who, being loved, is poor?" ~Oscar Wilde

what Saturdays are made of

2011-02-05T14:17:00.000-08:00

Taking pictures of curious images on buildings in downtown Edison, Wa at

Curator's Shop

The Lucky Dumpster -my favorite place to stop and browse...local crafty things made of reclaimed fabric, cards, wood, paper, vintage fabric, etc as well as fun thrift store finds. Very eclectic collection of items to browse through and friendly locals to chat with while you sip your coffee purchased from Tweets coffee (below)

Great lite and fun vintage sign on turn of the century building

Tweets

coffee & treats, wonderful homemade pies, pastries and coffee- a little overpriced but worth the beautiful drive to enjoy the sights and smells- roll up garage door lets warm afternoon sunlight in and locals roll on through and get their mid-morning or afternoon caffeine fix

Wishful thinking, outdoor seating in Washington....will spring be here soon?

Farm to Market Bakery

amazing pastries and yummy breakfast treats and sandwiches- enjoyed an "odds and ends" cinnamon roll for 1.50 with an unhealthy dollop of cream cheese frosting, polenta cakes saturated in fresh squeezed lime juice, quiche with local eggs and veggies

gosh how I love guilty pleasures....nothing starts my weekend better than a cinnamon roll, latte and my having a date with my husband....

******

hope yours is happy too whatever you do

things I love

2011-02-02T13:26:00.001-08:00

I {heart} these Eric Carle alphabet cards. I especially {heart} the choice for "X"- Xolo, which is a Mexican dog. Great pictures, texture and fun and unusual words. What a great an inspiring artist- fun books too.

now that she's mobile...

2011-02-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

Seems like there isn't much time to blog anymore since my baby went mobile! It happened only a week ago and now there seems to be no area of the house that is off limits! She learned to crawl one day and was all over the place the next. So, other than keeping up with her, hanging with the dogs, praying the rain won't last all winter, watched guilty pleasure tv shows like Glee and Fringe and cooking lots of yummy food, we haven't done too much!

Just thought I'd share some pics of what life looks like with a mobile baby. Aven loves playing with her toys especially her Green Toys "Tool Box" (including hammer, saw, pliers and wrench) and "My First Stacker." She also loves watching the doggies chew their toys on their blanket and they are totally okay with her getting right in there with them- so very cute.

Some quick things of interest:

started crawling on Tuesday Jan 25th
pulled herself to standing without any help from people on Saturday Jan 29th
can use her pincer grasp to give herself small pieces of food
loves dairy like yogurt and string cheese so far
likes her healthy vegetables like carrots and sweet potato
likes chicken dishes like a sweet potato, apple chicken and onion dish I made her, yum!
learned how to cover her face and play peek-a-boo with us on Wed Jan 26th
still loves being outside and taking walks, seems to calm and quiet her and she loves taking naps in the backpack
still loves being swaddled- the Velcro on her swaddle blankets is wearing out and she is almost 9 1/2 months but the other night we tried just going with a sleep sack and it didn't work at all
is a very determined baby so far, when she does or doesn't want something, she seems bound and determined to get what she wants one way or the other
is still a very good nurser and usually only wakes up 1 time a night but often sleeps through
has started really looking at the texture of things like images in books and large dark fonts, notices small dots and pices of dirt on the floor (and there are so many!)
only takes a pacifier when she is going to sleep at night
loves taking baths and showers
is growing and changing so much every day!
is still a small little girl- wears many 3-6 month onesies, mostly 6-12 month pants (for the length), weighs in at only 15.5 lbs, is in the 4-5th percentile on weight and the 25th percentile on height
is a mostly happy and sweet little baby and our very favorite of all

Technology is Amazing

2011-01-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

Just logged onto my computer and installed the new iTunes...noticed at the bottom that it said I had enough music in my library to play for 38 days straight! Wow, isn't technology amazing?

Just when I thought...

2011-01-28T22:26:00.001-08:00

my baby wasn't going to crawl...she did! Just 4 days after her 9 month mark, she make up her mind and did it. The cool thing was that Abe and I were both there together with her at the doctor's office while she was having her 9 month check up and she was sitting on the examination table talking and gurgling and just generally happy when she put her hands down, put her knees on the table and crawled. It wasn't just one or two "steps" but almost all the way across the 6 foot table. Only one day later she crawled from one side of the dining room to almost the back door when Abe got home from work! One day and she was on it. Wow, it is truly so cute to watch her. Little hands, little face and big accomplishments. Yeah!

Milestones: is this normal?

2011-01-24T14:01:00.000-08:00

So yes, I get that at 9 months, it is utterly impossible to be any cuter so we've got that down, thank goodness!

It is okay to have your child play with scissors now that she is 9 months right? Just kidding; put her on the counter and she just grabbed these as I was shooting some photos- thought it was awesome. Grabbing skills are a must when you are a baby to get just what you want: Mom's earrings, hair, full bowls of food that are perched on the dinner table, magazines, books, or anything else that might be within your sphere of reach!

It is totally normal for your child to lick the refrigerator also right? Somehow I just happen to be holding the camera at these strange moments. Really, I do not pose my child this way. We have gotten the step down: everything must go in my mouth so I can figure out the world.

Happy 9 months....more to come later.

dreams & happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2011-01-17T09:11:00.000-08:00

“I have a dream that my [four little] children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

From his speech "I Have A Dream" delivered at The Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, 1963.

Well, my munchkin is almost 9 months old and her character is really starting to come out. I am so proud of her and how she is changing and growing and developing into a little girl.

She is weighing in at a whopping 15 lbs 3 oz.

It is truly amazing to watch a baby grow. No one tells them or instructs them on how to crawl or how to do certain things, it is just instinct. One day they just are laying on the floor and they scoot their knees up underneath themselves and start rocking back and forth! No one tells them this is how you suck out of a sippy cup- you just give it to them and they figure it out. No one tells them to smile or laugh but they do it when they enjoy something or are amused. It is a wonder watching them discover their world.

This picture is so cute to me because Aven is wearing a little corduroy overall set that was Abe's when he was younger.

Aven is really starting to enjoy playing with her toys and she is pretty good at entertaining herself. She will play for a good 30 minutes by herself just talking and jibber-jabbering and banging her toys together. She is also getting really good at moving around. Although she still hasn't crawled yet, she does a good backwards scoot as well as turning herself in circles. Just this last week she transitioned from being on her tummy in a crawling position to a sitting position and back down again. She also really likes to pull herself up if you hold onto her hands. Today she stood while I helped her balance. It is only a matter of time until she can pull herself up onto things without any help.

This weekend was pretty relaxing. I had my wisdom teeth (all 4) taken out on Friday so I just wanted to lay low and recover before going back to work. Abe also decided to take the weekend off after working the last 3 on the shop. It was nice to spend time as a family just relaxing and playing together. It was nice to have a bit of a routine with Aven and eat breakfast together before starting our day. Totally unprovoked, she went in for a kiss for Daddy (above).

Yesterday she had her first taste of chicken. I made her Chicken with Avocado and she ate the whole thing up (pureed of course). Then I also made a beets & pears puree and she ate a few bites without making any funny faces, I was surprised. Amongst the new foods she tried this weekend (chicken, avocado, beets) I also cooked up an egg yolk and let Aven try feeding herself. She did pretty well although most went to the bib, the high chair or the dogs but she didn't wince and she did okay feeding herself.

This week Aven also got to spend some time with Boppa. He was here helping us wire the shop and move the main panel on our house. He gave her a new nickname: scooter and gave her tons of smiles and hugs while he was here. Great to see them interact.

******

shop update- the short version

2011-01-10T23:20:00.000-08:00

Current state of the yard side- windows installed, last bit of papering to do

same view before sheeting and windows, paper, etc.

Large sliding door still installed, existing framing and supports put into place before this wall was rebuilt

view from the alley of the garage (leaning)- with two massive sliding doors and a roll up door on the parking space side, there was little to keep the garage from slowly tilting over!

View from the alley as it sits now- a variety of windows were obtained from the Re-Store, free from a neighbor and some new ones purchased to match the others-as you can see the alley side has some small windows up top for light but to keep the area secure. There will also be a sliding door (using one of the original) on the alley side to deliver and unload materials/cabinets/tools, etc.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

A quick update on our shop. It is a slow work in progress and while I cannot really take any credit, it is coming along. This last month Abe has put a lot of hours into the final push. Thankfully a few friends have donated many hours as well while I watch Aven and cannot really help Abe. The shop has been completely re framed from the ground up including new ground plates. All that really remains from the original framing are the trusses and a few 2x4's on the alley side. All windows have now been installed and the double glass doors that face the yard. Randy (Abe's Dad) is here this week getting all of the electrical done and prepped so that power will be available. The whole shop has been re framed and sheeted, doors and windows installed, 3 sides papered and the floor raised and re framed. As far as the outside goes the alley door will need to be fitted and installed (just in place right now to cover the gap) and siding, trim and paint! We have tons of rolls of insulation for the inside and after the electrical is installed we can begin that process. Then its drywall, trim and bring in the tools and wood. We are still trying to figure out the best source of heat but right now we have a free Fisher wood stove....just a matter of finding pipe that isn't too expensive. It is really exciting to see it all coming together. It is a really cool space. I know it doesn't feel big enough to Abe but I am really excited to have him here on site once he gets moved in and settled. The pictures really don't do it justice of how much work has gone into this project. More to come.

Beautiful Bellingham

2011-01-09T22:00:00.000-08:00

Just enjoying a beautiful yet chilly sunny January afternoon.

these are a few of my favorite things...

2010-12-28T11:06:00.000-08:00

a beautiful handmade scarf from my dear mother-in-law for Christmas with a darling little flower- thanks

Aven's first truck

Green Toys-Recycling Truck made of 100% recycled milk jugs, non-toxic and made in the USA- I want her to have a variety of toys

darling little Hazel Atlas Eggnog cups from my friend Kari for Christmas

another ridiculously cute handmade hat from Grandma to Aven- a little big for now but she'll be drop dead cute when it fits!

Abe's Bible Action figures from childhood- yes please! Most likely Simon Peter, Jesus (in his royal robes of course) and Samson. Can't wait until he has to explain these to Aven.

My sweet girl Ethel on Christmas day, just patiently waiting for some yummy scraps to fall on the floor and watching the babies play, laugh and scream.

Did I mention how talented my mother-in-law is? Here is Aven in her Bumbo with a handmade bib that doubles as a washcloth- so cute.

watching Eleanor share the limelight with babies-Asha was offering her present to Eleanor to help her open it, very sweet

watching the funny things kids do- cousin Asha carrying around someone's slipper at Christmas- who knows why it was so intriguing but it was

of course my little Aven patiently waiting for her Christmas meal in her vintage high chair, so cute!

* * * * * *

Hope your holiday was filled with some of your favorite things. Blessings to you in the coming new year.

8 months & counting

2010-12-22T20:01:00.000-08:00

A * V * E * N

happy 8 months

I love how you are so bright eyed!

You can be really fun and silly :)

I love dressing you in super fun outfits, it is one of my favorite things to do each morning.

I love how you are so interested in the world around you (at times you get very distracted and cannot focus on a task-like eating-but it is neat to see how observant you are).

You really use your senses to discover the world around you: you love to look around (and always have since you started going on walks and hikes at less than a week old); you love to touch (you are especially interested in the zippers on my jacket and the sound that your hand makes when rubbing against certain materials and slapping the floor); you have always been super into taste (or at least putting everything in your mouth, now that you are exploring eating solid foods, this is no exception although your facial expressions range from satisfied to bored or very disgusted!); you really enjoy the sounds that make up your world: doggies playing and yawning, Mommy singing in the shower, Daddy arriving home from work, people talking- you are so alert and always turn your head to find out what is going on- now you will smile when I sing something in a silly way or make a funny sound.

You can be very independent and opinionated. You will happily play in your crib for quite a long time or move about the floor making delightful noises and practicing your consonants. You are quick to let us know, however, when you want something to change: your diaper, your hunger or your entertainment--this window from contentment to dissatisfied is often small so we have to be quick to respond. Patience is a virtue my love.

You look more and more like a little girl every day and less like a baby. Whenever I look back through the pictures I am amazed at how quickly you have changed. I know this process will not slow down; I just try to enjoy each step.

You can be very silly. I think you have learned this from Daddy as he is very goofy with you sometimes. On the day you turned 8 months, I took all these pictures and there were so many that you had your tongue out just like this. You are free to be yourself without worrying about what you look like. I hope this doesn't change and that we can instill in you confidence in who you are.

* * * *

we love you

Merry 1st Christmas & Happy New Year!

my favorite comment about my name/what's in a name?

2010-12-21T09:55:00.001-08:00

When you have an unusual/unique name like Vale, you get lots of comments. Over the years these have ranged from, "oh Vale, is that a family name?" or "how did your parents think of that?" or "were your parents big skiers?" or "did your parents love Colorado a lot?" these are among the top sayings I've heard multiple times. However, this morning after meeting someone at the gym and saying my name I heard (for the first time mind you): "Vale, that's custom! I like it." Just thought if you meet anyone who has a unique name you might want to use this comment too, I thought it was kind of fun.

On the topic of names, I thought I'd just say that picking a baby name can be extremely tough. It is hard to imagine someone's personality and who they will become but in a lot of ways I think we live up to or grow into our name. Picking a name for Aven was tough but I cannot imagine her as anything else now that she is growing into a little girl with personality. The hardest part was picking a name that my husband and I could both agree on. We had picked out the name Aizza (I pronounce this name A -long a- Za) Rose. About 6 months before we had Aven and before we found out we were having a girl, Abe's sister had a baby and named her Asha Rose....which we decided was too confusing and much too close to our name! So, we had to start at the drawing board. I also found out my cousin was expecting a baby about a month before me. When I found out she was having a girl I was excited but she hadn't picked out any names. By the time I heard about the name she'd picked, we had already decided on Aven but strangely enough, my cousin picked Ava Rose (very close to Aven's name and the same middle name we were going to choose originally!). Now, the three granddaughters on Abe's side are: Ariel Faye, Asha Rose and Aven Lily (all A names).

There were several names I liked but Aven was the one I kept coming back to. I really liked flower names like Violet or Rose or Lily or even Camelia, etc. All of these names have really come back into fashion but they seemed a little more common than I wanted. I finally did a google search for "old lady flower names" and somehow came across a list of names that had Aven in it. It immediately struck me because it sounded a lot like Aiden (which I liked for a boy) and Ava which I liked for a girl but was more common. Then I found an alternate spelling which had an Irish/Gaelic meaning of "fair radiance." To me this was a beautiful meaning. The next step was choosing a spelling. While we were tempted to go with a unique and probably more phonetic spelling of the Gaelic word, it seemed to lend to being often misspelled and mispronounced (Abe said he didn't worry about things like this but I had had this problem all my life so I was a little more concerned). Once we decided on the name, it took several weeks to decide on the spelling.

Last was the middle name. While in some ways I agree that a middle name is somewhat pointless and an age old tradition for who knows why....I still wanted my daughter to have a middle name. Abe has 2 middle names so he wanted to just go with a first and last name. I said that I was very open to choosing the middle name (since Aven was my pick for a first name) but that I did want her to have a middle name. It was kind of funny because one of the middle names I'd considered was Lily but I hadn't told Abe. One night he just started running through possible middle names and stopped on Lily. It seemed to go well with Aven and we both easily agreed.

I could go on and on about names. I love names, I love picking names and the sound and meaning of names. Since I was a little girl I made lists of the names I wanted to name my kids. Of course they changed over the years but I have always loved names. So, here we have our little flower girl: Aven Lily (8 months today).

just about 8 months.....

2010-12-19T15:49:00.000-08:00

It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.....

2010-12-12T21:38:00.000-08:00

Well, the official start for many is the day after Christmas. It is the day that used to be acceptable to start selling Christmas decorations and start preparing your home for the holiday cheer. Our season was jump started by about 3 inches of dusty white coating the ground on Thanksgiving. It was a beautiful day. It warmed up and melted that evening and all was back to new the next day. In our house, we didn't bust out the decorations until this last week. Abe and I got a Christmas tree at Youngstocks Farmstand here in Bellingham. While I will admit that it isn't as fun as trudging around in the snow searching for the perfect tree or even going to a tree farm and using their dull hacksaw to cut one down ourselves after wandering the aisles, we do enjoy the nostalgia of getting a tree (as opposed to the fake tree). It was a chilly Sunday evening but we got our complimentary free coffee and wandered around looking for an economy tree. One that would be cute and not too sparse but one that fit our budget too. It was pretty cute because I told Abe I had brought the camera and that I knew it was sort of cheesy but I wanted to have a photo taken with our tree. I honestly thought he would sort of make fun of me but instead he said, "yeah, we are capturing family memories." It was sweet.

The tree sat bare for a few days until my Mom and her husband, Bill, arrived. While we were all supposed to decorate the tree together, Abe said he'd "supervise" which apparently meant fall asleep on the couch while we decorate. Oh well, the lights were strung up, the ornaments hung including many handmade ornaments from my childhood. In fact, there are two simple construction paper candy canes with glitter that I made when I was who knows how small that have survived all these years. Nothing fancy. I do remember hanging them every year growing up though. I get really excited about decorating and someday would love to decorate the whole house! Last year my friend Kari and I came across an antique store with vintage Christmas Post Cards. They were so cute and I loved reading the messages on the back. Some were sentimental, sweet and sappy and some were cordial and plain. I selected two that were postmarked 1908. This was the year that my house was built so in my mind it was as if these were postcards that could have been received by the original owners of the house.

We had an early Christmas with my Mom and her husband and were generously showered with gifts, mostly for Aven. She was thoroughly entertained with the packaging and had to put every single piece of paper in her mouth. It was actually pretty entertaining. She got some Green Toys "My first Stacker," lots of cute books, some snack cups for traveling, baby food storage containers and an adorable plush fish bowl with assorted items that can be put in and taken out and that make fun noises when squeezed or touched. We had many ambitious plans to bake and cook but things take longer than they should and you end up changing the plans. It was so nice to see them and wonderful for Aven to interact and play with the grandparents.

Yesterday brought our annual Christmas Party. We usually do it open-house style to accommodate the large number of invitees. This year we had a great group. Lots of yummy snacks and wonderful people. I made an Olive Oil Citrus Cake from this book and it was super moist and yummy, highly recommended book & recipe. Always good to have friends over and have the house filled with laughter and voices, it makes me happy to have a bigger house to accommodate these sorts of things.

Today was the quiet after the storm. The house was already cleaned and decorated and there were enough leftovers to nibble on throughout the day. Aven was fussy this morning from her extremely interrupted sleep schedule last night but when she wasn't she was an absolute doll. She is starting to wheel herself in a circle and when she can get enough friction, she'll push her bum in the air and try to push forward (these are the precursors of crawling). I don't think she'll be quite there for Christmas but soon after I bet she will.

Well, the sights, the sounds and the smells of the season are about us. Hope yours is shaping up nicely and that you are spending enough time relaxing and having fun and not stressing about that Christmas list.

Happy holidays to all of you.

out of order but still giving thanks

2010-12-07T16:17:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a few weeks since Thanksgiving and I am still thankful for the large group of people that ended up filling our house last minute. It was literally a week before Thanksgiving and my husband and I looked at each other and thought, what are we doing for Thanksgiving? One thing lead to another and we ended up inviting 4 different families that didn't have any extended family here over to our house. The total head count was 19, 12 adults and 7 kids. I was extremely thankful for the last minute snow (see "let it snow" below) the morning of. It provided much needed entertainment for both the dogs and the kids that came to our house. We shoved them outside and they ran around and had snowball fights, climbed our trees and made a snowman. This being Aven's first Thanksgiving I was a little concerned about how much I would need to do while still giving her attention and taking care of her. Luckily I had a lot of extra hands and the meal was potluck style. I got away with only making a few things so it wasn't too stressful. I made my traditional Apple Pie (the "Legend"), Ham (thank you Costco), and Challah bread.

The bread is a family tradition in Abe's family. I have honestly always been intimidated about making it since Ilene (Abe's Mom) is SO awesome at it. I decided to give it a try. While I have learned some tips for next time, overall it turned out okay. I got lots of compliments and well, it was my first time so I will give myself some grace. Below is the recipe. It is a sweet bread that is not guilt free but is full of love and amazing taste. You don't have to even eat anything else with it it is so delicious on its own! Good luck if you try it yourself, and enjoy.

Ilene's Challah Recipe:

2 Cups luke warm water
3 packages yeast
8 Cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks butter (1/2 pound)
5 eggs, beaten (reserve one)

Mix water & yeast. Add sugar & 3 cups of flour. Mix and let rise for about 1/2 hour. In a separate bowl, combine 5 cups of flour, salt and 1/2 cup of sugar. Add butter & cut into flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal. Add eggs & yeast mixture to flour mixture. You can add up to 2 cups of flour if the dough is still sticky. Let the dough rise for 2 hours, punch and rest. Shape the dough into braided loaves (2 large loaves or 4 small loaves), and let rise again at least 2 hours until the dough about doubles in size. Brush on the reserved egg over the top and bake at 325 for about 30-45 minutes until the top crust is a golden brown. Adjust time for size of loaf and desired texture.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ENJOY

mixed bag 2

2010-12-06T23:51:00.000-08:00

I love this pic of the dogs just waiting for Aven to eat real food so that they can catch something!

Aven enjoying a frozen banana treat in one of those "self feeder" things-- big mess but it kept her happy and occupied.

love this girl (and the dress, too cute)- notice the little patch of newborn hair left on the back, it will disappear someday

I love the look of wonder on her face here, so many things in the world to see and do.

Lately I haven't been able to get enough of my little munchkin. Sure she can be trying or frustrating and fussy or demanding or seem to always throw up on the cutest outfits, but usually I just miss her when I'm at work and she's at daycare. If my lunch weren't so busy pumping breast milk or running errands and of course eating lunch too, I would go visit and hang with her every day. The other morning I was almost late because I had put her in this super cute jean jumper with darling patterned insides and bows and her very first pair of tights. I sat her in the window seat and she just talked and chatted and looked outside while I kept taking photos. I'll admit I probably took about 50 because so many were blurry or she was reaching for the camera or something else but these are my favorites so far. She is 7 1/2 months now and is thoroughly entertaining. She has a super cute little laugh when you tickle her, she is sitting up on her own without any problems and she likes to do tummy time and she can turn herself into a circle. She is picking up her hips but hasn't started to crawl. She tolerates eating new foods but doesn't seem too keen on it yet. She's eating sweet potatoes, bananas, rice cereal and carrots. I think she'll be a little happier once she can do her own thing (feed herself). She seems fiercely independent like that! Well, lots more to post later but not enough time now, enjoy the pics.

let it snow, let it snow

2010-12-04T08:16:00.000-08:00

First time touching snow!

First time tasting snow!

Enjoying the fresh snow fall Thanksgiving morning. We got about 3-4 inches of beautiful snow that day. Very festive! Hope yours was happy. So Thankful here.

comfort food

2010-12-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

Some days just call for the most delicious breakfast foods ever. If you are anything like me, breakfast food is the best comfort food and you might like making one of my favorite things: the dutch baby pancake. What is so awesome about this food is that it is SO easy to make and super yummy. Also, depending on how you top it it can also be pretty healthy (although probably not the way I eat it).

So, even if you have no baking skills whatsoever, you can easily master this amazing pancake. Here is all you have to do. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Take a glass pie plate/pan and put a healthy size pad of butter in there (about 1-2 Tablespoons) and place in the oven until the butter is melted. Meanwhile, mix the following ingredients: 3 eggs, 1/2 C flour (mix these first with a fork or whisk) and then add 1/2 C milk and a dash of salt, nutmeg and cinnamon (feel free to add grated lemon peel, orange or 1 t. vanilla- optional). Pour mixture into the pie plate with melted butter and bake for 20 minutes. It should puff up on top and will quickly fall once removed from the oven. Top with any of the following: traditional maple syrup, crumbled bacon & feta, jam, peanut butter, or my favorite: a healthy amount of powdered sugar and fresh squeezed lemon juice and enjoy.

The only hard part is waiting the 20 minutes once you put it in the oven. Serve with a fresh cup of coffee to really enjoy!

family vacation (a double meaning)

2010-11-15T14:01:00.000-08:00

Mommy's cousin Gina & baby Ava; Mommy & Aven

Daddy & Aven in La Jolla/ San Diego, Ca

Aven & Ava with silly hats

Cousin Ava at the park, San Diego Ca

Aven's first slide w/Daddy

Great Grandma Bates

Mommy, Aven & Linda P.

Daddy, Great Grandma Bates, Mommy & Aven

Aunt Elisa, Uncle Bryce & Aven

Aven & Mommy

******

Well, we just arrived yesterday home from our first official family vacation. The trip was filled with lots of firsts.....Aven's first long car ride down to So. Oregon; first flight; first visit with Great-Grandma Bates; first visit with new cousin Ava; also first time sitting up on her own; and first taste of banana. It was a very busy trip but all survived, baby, Mommy, Daddy & doggies.

the itinerary

Sat:

drive to Portland & see Uncle Bryce & Aunt Elisa

Sun:

drive to Medford & have baby meet & greet- stay at Grandma & Grandpa Bates

Mon:

visit with Grandpa Glen and have dinner with Great Aunt Linda & Great Uncle Gary

Tue:

drop off baby with Grandma Ilene and have massages in Ashland, drive to Grandma & Grandpa Grimm's Ranch

Wed:

hang out a the Ranch and then get on a plane bound for So. California; spend the night at Great-Grandma Bates' house

Thur:

meet up with family friend Linda for a snack; having dinner with Great Uncle Guy, Great Aunt Linda and Daddy's cousins Jenny & Sarah (and get lost!)

Fri:

have breakfast with Great Grandma Bates & drive to San Diego, spend the night with Mommy's cousin Gina, hubby and baby Ava

Sat:

drive from San Diego to LAX, take plane to Medford and drive from Medford to Portland

Sun:

drive home!

whew!......we made it.

********

the highlights:

food:

Portland OR: Pine State Biscuits, Random Order Coffeehouse (amazing pie)

Eugene OR: Mucho Gusto (great healthy & fresh Mexican food)

Medford OR: Kaleidoscope Pizza, Senor Sams, Pony Espresso (Jacksonville)

what we loved:

Aven's temperment, although she didn't sleep that well, she was never grumpy during the day because of it (thank goodness)--she was great at being passed around from person to person and being schlepped around and being in so many different environments; also she took some really great long 2 hour naps...almost better than at home!

the sun: gosh, although the home prices are insane in CA and it feels like a bit of a busy rat race, the 75-80 degree weather was awesome....no shoes for baby and guaranteed blue sky every day--we could get used to this although I will admit it didn't feel like November, I did miss it when I got home to drizzling rain

cheap flights: Allegiant air was awesome....$29 tickets each way from Meford to LAX...can't beat that for savings of time and money--1 hr 20 minutes, heck yeah!

family: it was really great to see Abe's Grandma and have her meet Aven--she thought she was so cute and sweet (because she is); it was nice to spend time with my cousin in San Diego and get to know her better & see her baby who is only 1 month older than Aven; always wonderful to see my brother & his wife and they just adore Aven; great to see all of the So. Oregon Grandparents and have them see how much Aven is changing; great to see Abe's sister and her little 1 year old: Asha.

my phone: thank goodness for Sprint Navigation and free GPS on our phones....got us out of a whole lot of binds when we were driving in circles in Orange County, made our trip super easy

the trip: for all of its hecticness, it was a great time to see and catch up with family and well worth the effort of going all over hill and dale to see everyone; that said, glad we are home

what we could have done without?

sleeping so many places, I miss my bed when I am on vacation

being sick, on any given day, one of us was sick--this of course made things stressful and not as enjoyable as they could have been (thanks for taking care of me Abe & Mom when I was sick)

having to get to the airport so early before only a 1hr 20 minute flight! luckily Aven was super chill and this wasn't a problem but it could easily have been another stresser!

***********

Overall the trip was great. It was wonderful to see family and meet new people and catch up with others. The doggies and Aven were super flexible and went with the flow making a busy trip less stressful. Thanks too to all of the family who made arrangements for us and hung out between other engagements just to see us. Happy fall and a happy Thanksgiving to you all.

a few quiet moments

2010-10-31T16:24:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday, Aven's first Halloween and I haven't gotten her an outfit. In fact, we aren't even going trick or treating....am I am lame Mom? I think next year it will be a bit more fun because she'll be able to walk around and I think we'll do the whole trick-or-treat thing. Today has been a bit of a rough day. It is Sunday and Aven slept until about 9:30 this morning. She has been mostly fussy throughout the day unless being thoroughly entertained. She was happy when I was feeding her cereal, when I gave her a bath and when I sat on the floor with her but other than that she has had only moments of being content to not be held or being the captive audience. Right now though I am taking a few quiet moments to post. It is actually very quiet and peaceful in my house. I can actually hear the clock ticking and the refrigerator doing its hum but other than that I am just here. The house is relatively clean, dishes & laundry done; floors are clean and the sheets changed. Time to face the week. Here are some photos from the other day. This is one of my favorite dresses of Aven's. It is baby Hurley and oh so soft and cute. Soon she'll grow out of it but I wanted to document the cuteness of her in this dress before that happened. Enjoy.

i heart fall

2010-10-28T20:42:00.001-07:00

I do love fall. So far it has been a lovely October. The leaves have slowly changed color; in comparison to their quick departure last fall. The days have been relatively warm and sunny and the rain has just started in. Tuesday it hit me as I was driving down Lakeway Drive near the Bayview Cemetery that the trees looks like little pockets of sunshine lined up the street. Some leaves are a dazzling marigold yellow, some burnt sienna, chocolate red or rich marmalade orange but they are slowly changing their colors from rich full greens to the rich colors of fall. I will admit I am not quite ready for rainy days every day and muddy hikes with the dogs or winter heating bills. I am ready to drink eggnog lattes, snuggle under extra blankets, visit with friends and family over large meals and too many bottles of wine. I am looking forward to Aven's first Christmas and baking on weekends. But for now, I embrace my little pockets of color dotting the sidewalks and lining our streets. It is beautiful and we must take note of these details before they literally float away.

6 months

2010-10-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Aven,

My little flower girl. You are already 6 months old! Hard to believe but then when I look through the photos and videos and think about you even weeks before, I realize how much you have grown and changed. Your stats: you weighed in at 13lbs 6 oz one day before the 6 month mark and you are 25"long. You have grown 5.75 inches since you were born and more than doubled your birth weight. Last night I saw for the first time two little white stubs poking through the bottom gums in your mouth. It won't be long until your toothless smile changes shape with teeth.

You still wear mostly 3 month outfits but I have started getting you into some 6 month things. Grandma brought you some adorable leg warmers that you wore without hesitation the next day on our hike and to church. You can now easily roll from your back to your front and you will sit there and push yourself up with your arms and look around at the world. You giggle and laugh especially with Daddy, he can be so silly. You stick to a pretty regular bedtime between 8 and 8:30 and usually get up between 1 and 2 times during the night, sometimes, but rarely 3. You don't seem too interested in food so far but you are a good nurser. You can eat a lot in a short amount of time: speed nurser. You will sit in the Bumbo for a little while but you like to move around a lot more than it lets you. You now use the exersaucer, your playmat and the bouncy chair to hang out on. You also will just roll around and hang out if we lay you on a blanket on the floor. You love watching the dogs and you often smile and reach out for them (they often give you many kisses that you don't object to also). You take the binky out of your mouth now and play with it. Nights are usually pretty easy when you wake up. I feed you quickly and usually get you right back to sleep. You still love going outside and on walks and just in general like looking around at all of the world and nature. You now like watching other kids play and talk to you--especially your friends at daycare. You still like being sung to. I sing to you when I am folding laundry, taking a shower or doing the dishes to keep you entertained; Daddy sings you to sleep at night.

You continue to be obsessed with putting things in your mouth no matter what it is so we will have to be careful. Yesterday you drooled up a storm but then I found your incoming teeth as an explanation. You like taking showers and have taken your first bath that was not in your baby bathtub. You kicked and splashed around for ever! It was quite messy but super cute. The book you seem to really enjoy lately is called Grande Pequeno (it is also in English: Big Small) by Leslie Patricelli. I try to check out books from the library that have other languages like Spanish. That way I can learn some words along with you. We usually read Goodnight Moon every night before you go to bed. You talk to yourself a lot! You are a very verbal baby and often when I am talking you watch my lips and kind of move your mouth at the same time like you are trying to figure out how I am talking. You do some fun screaming but not as much as you did before. Although very cute it can be a bit ear piercing. You really sound like you are trying to mimic adult language when you talk to me or yourself, it is really fun. Our favorite nicknames for you are pumpkin (Daddy calls you pumpkin pants or turnip head) and sweat pea.

You are in general a pretty good and happy baby. You can play independently but you like to be held and read to or played with. I am excited to see what this next month will bring. We will be taking you on your first long car ride down to Medford, Or and your first plan trip to California to visit Grandma Geneva and Mommy's cousin Gina, husband Matt and baby Ava.

Thank you for blessing our lives and giving us purpose so far. I love watching you grow and know you will be an amazing little girl.

an exercise in futility

2010-10-17T13:25:00.000-07:00

An exercise in futility is: trying to feed an almost 6 month old rice cereal- hurdles include but are not limited to......getting her to open her mouth, getting her to swallow, getting her to not press the spoon out with her tongue, not grab the spoon and take it away, not spread the rice cereal all over her face & clothes, not shove her clothes in her mouth while I'm trying to feed her, etc. I cannot wait until she likes what she is eating and takes an active role but hey, it is only the second time she's tried eating anything and we did get through a whole serving (although most of it landed on the bib or all over her face.) Will keep you updated as things get more exciting!

thoughts on a page

little thoughts tuesday

the romance of travel

trying something new

Stationery card

facing the new year

Christmas tradition?

months 17, 18 and (almost) 19

halloween

first day at the beach

aquarium *3*

a day in the life {2}

my little domestic goddess

I *heart* shutterfly

summer lovin'

words (in no particular order)

family

words

summer vacation

new babies

months 15 & 16

my little house

Gosh, where has the time gone?

new babies

Aquarium 2

walking and so much more

14 month update

sounds from the morning

direction & questioning

family vacation & a few things learned along the way

what we've been up to lately

my new neighbors

Aven's First Birthday (the family get-together)

1st Family Pictures

Aven's First Birthday (the events)

sneak peek

Stationary card

indulging

thursday favorites

Annual Girls Weekend (#3)

quick lunch-break thursday

afternoon in the park

11 months already

supporting your community & healthy choices

the morphing of tradition

10 months and then some...

fun link

unmotivated

a day in the life

funny

random complaints

just a little bragging

best intentions/thoughts on valentine's day

it is hard work monkeying around all day!

happy valentines day

what Saturdays are made of

things I love

now that she's mobile...

Technology is Amazing

Just when I thought...

Milestones: is this normal?

dreams & happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day

shop update- the short version

Beautiful Bellingham

these are a few of my favorite things...

8 months & counting

my favorite comment about my name/what's in a name?

just about 8 months.....

It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.....

out of order but still giving thanks

mixed bag 2

let it snow, let it snow

comfort food

family vacation (a double meaning)

a few quiet moments

i *heart* fall

6 months

an exercise in futility

aquarium 3

I heart shutterfly

i heart fall