the art of relaxation (and french cooking)

 
I spent this morning with a good friend of mine, good food, yarn, and who else but Julie and Julia.
It was so relaxing, though she probably can't say the same, since she did have to drive here. We made some yummy buttermilk waffles, washed it down with cold milk (I know,  I know, the little perks of pregnancy during lent) and welcomed in the afternoon by getting cozy on the couch, just us, a lot of pillows, the remote to the dvd player-for those inevitable pee breaks, baby yarn and our collective needles and hooks. It was bliss and soooo relaxing.


And the movie...was pretty awesome too. Kind of inspiring. So I celebrated after she left with a microwaved burrito, pan fried to perfection. With butter. Julia would be so proud.
I found the movie to be quite enjoyable, and really, really cute.

BUT, there always seems to be that pithy little scene, the one that hits you like a ton of bricks, the one you know half the population missed, not out of stupidity or anything like that, just out of unfamiliarity....I felt for Julia and it reminded me of, well me, and I immediately thought of all the people I had hurt and abandoned with similar tears. Though I can't say I'd react the same as before, there is still this overwhelming part of me that still hurts. Hurts from my experience and from reflecting on my disposition, and from knowing that there are still so many women struggling with the emotions of infertility, struggling to live daily life like a normal person, with what it does to their relationships, and to their faith. I feel for them and they are always in my prayers, and I understand because I've been there. As I sat and watched the movie, with my low-key breakfast buddy, I got a little sad. Not because I can't cook as well as I'd like, though almost, but because I was reminded that for a good 5 months I missed out on this....

around here...

The past few weeks have been really busy for us, in a good way. I've been trying to keep house and watching baby M two days a week and Thomas has been busy keeping a roof over our head.

This little guy has been spending more and more time over too. He's at that age now where he can verbalize his wants and needs and from what I'm told, he's been asking to come to "nana's house" pretty often. So we have him over, and he's so much fun when he's not tweaking french doors, bothering the dog, or overly tired. He's just discovered my fish (not George Michael, the imposter fish, Michael George) and his name. He wants to sit on the counter and talk to "MIKELLFISSHHH" (yes he says it with such enthusiasm that it's deserving of all caps!) all the time. He says hi to "mikelfish" everytime he walks by. It's super cute. His newest thing is to tell me and "thomas-nono" (he tries to say Nouno-which is greek for godfather) that we are "soooo funny" or that we are "funny joke". It's pretty cute.

Thomas built us a pretty cool raised veggie bed a few weeks ago. Unfortunately all of my lovely little seedlings didn't appreciate the move to the outdoors. Most all of them turned white, wilted and died. We're going to wait another week or so to see any of them pull through, then were going to home depot and getting some "older and more mature" plants. At least I tried right?

The fruit trees in the backyard have all taken really well to the pruning we did a few months back, as well as to the daily water we've been giving them. They are all looking so good (well except for the avocado) and ALL have leaves and most have blooms! Even little stick tree made it! And look at all the blooms on that lemon tree!

 In other news, the poop desk has come back to haunt me. Some of you may not know, that a few weeks ago I found this little desk on the side of the road and took it home to be my own. I thought it would be a great little sewing desk and since I already had a matching nightstand, I figured, it must be fate. I was a little concerned when I saw some rather disturbing bugs crawling out of it, but I thought "nothing a little bleach, bug spray, bleach, and soap and water can't take care of". So I brought it home and did all those things, twice. Needless to say we had a pretty embarrassing breakout of some rather disgusting bugs for a few weeks. Thomas put it out on the curb so we could get rid of it. I figured all the bugs were in my house and maybe the next person would have more luck. It was gone before we knew it. And now it's back again. Maybe the neighbors didn't like the color. 

Some beautiful yellow ranunculous flowers for the house, in honor of St. Patrick....oh and a 14 week baby belly.

81'

This is one of Joanna Newsom's newest songs from her album "Have One on Me". This song is called 81' and I'm just in love with it, I mean in LOVE! The video is kind of funny...it's not an official video or anything, I don't think she has one. The footage is from a Czechoslovakian film (circa 1970) called  "Valerie and Her Week of Wonders". Enjoy the song...you don't have to enjoy the movie though.

spring...

 

is almost here...and it just feels so...hopeful. The promise of new life couldn't feel more close to home and for that I am so thankful. 

I ordered some catalogs a few weeks back (6 actually, but who's counting?), and I can't stop looking through them and fantasizing about what I'd put here and there (and everywhere). I know Thomas said he wants to be left to the backyard, to design and landscape it how he chooses, but I really hope he lets me have a few spaces and key elements. For instance, I REALLY would love to have a cutting garden. Growing up whenever I wanted to make a bouquet for the house all I had to do was get some scissors and head outside. I'd love to be able to do that, plus everyone loves to look at pretty flowers. I'd like to have a grape vine somewhere too (champagne grapes to be exact), a little shade garden in the corner where the hammock is, and oh, a secret garden too (in the not-so-secret location next to our house). I wouldn't complain if I could have a million potted plants on the patio with a big table and benches, and some rocking chairs. That would be pretty awesome. I wish we had an extra few hundred/thousand dollars to spend on plants and patio furniture to pretty-up our backyard...it's so nice to be able to enjoy your backyard. 

But until then we'll make do with the generous weeds, who have so graciously taken over the backyard and brought in some bright green hues to admire, and all of the fruit trees we're so lucky to have (and the carrotwood tree too) There are little wild alyssums popping up everywhere and some type of weed with really pretty purple flowers. I try not to step on them when I go out there. My potted succulents are doing well and all of our fruit trees seem to be on the up and up. We pruned them a while back and gave them some fertilizer in hopes of leaves and/or fruit this year. When we moved in the poor things had not been watered all summer (and it was so hot!). They all have leaves and buds on them so I'm pretty excited. I'm hoping that Riverside continues their free tree program this spring/summer. They usually mail out a coupon for a free tree, but you can get up to 5 (i think, or maybe even 8?) by just purchasing them and sending in your receipt. They just deduct the amount from your utilities for a few months. It's pretty neat.

Thomas is working hard to make me a little raised garden area for us. We're starting small and hoping to add another one (or two) next season. It's going to be 8' x 4' and not quite high enough to be Emma proof so we'll have to work on that. I've started some seeds inside (they're about 3 weeks old now) and it's been so fun watching them get bigger and has really helped me to feel, well, better/closer, about/to my pregnancy. I like taking care of them. Sometimes I talk to them and can't help but admire how cute they are...so tiny and green, and soft, and twisty.  Seeing something grow from tiny little seeds and beans is pretty fun, though I admit after the "8th day" I was impatiently waiting for them to sprout. But they did, and I think they'll be ready to plant in another week or so, just in time for their new home.

Pictures to come :)

a couple hungry bellies

About a week ago a box of  these went missing. I later found the shredded box without any trace of its contents on the patio. I didn't feed the dogs that day, beacause (A) I was mad that they ate the whole box, and (B) same as A I guess. Plus I figured they were full.

Today while spying on Emma through the window I saw her carrying this dirty bag (the bag is/was bigger than her head btw) and walking over to the compost pile to bury it. She saw me round the corner and frantically shoved her little treasure in the pile, thinking that I wasn't on to her. 

I found the bag, unscathed. 

proof......

 

It's kind of strange that she was saving them, don't you think. I mean, wouldn't any normal dog have just devoured them that instant, in the whole stealing/box chewing frenzy? She's been holding on to them for over a week, and she didn't even ruin my chip clip! Do dog's have patience? 

I wonder if my kids will be this strange. 

Speaking of kids...new baby picture :) 

If you can't beat them.... join them

I know it's not my neighbors fault that I rolled in to California at three am this morning.

It's not their fault that I brought home a sewing desk, with "bugs", that infested our home and caused us to have to bomb the house, subsequently causing me to have to sleep in my car last night.  For a whole three hours. With the dogs of course. Oh Zombieland.

It's not their fault either that I can't keep pickles from barking at the annoying dog behind us or my demon dog from whining and throwing a fit all morning.

But really? Do I really deserve "Whiskey do my talkin" at 9 am?

I'm sure I do. 

Well I'm up, and determined to make the best of it. Maybe I'll go over there and ask if I can join them in their beautiful backyard. Maybe I'll just go and do some yard work myself, or go on a walk with the dogs.

I'm happy to be home :) Even if I'm tired, it is infested and smells a bit strong.....and sounds funny. 

Hope you all have a beautiful week and a blessed Clean Monday.

"D@&#*T", or, "Why you don't/can't share your craft room with dogs", or, "I should have known", or, "that's what I get"

As I rolled over this morning, thankful that I had the remote to Emmas collar, that Thomas had brought it to me before he left this morning, AND that I didn't have anywhere to be or any kids to watch or tend to and for the luxury of being able to sleep through this nausea, I grabbed the covers and got cozy and remote in hand, I fell asleep for another hour or so. Now that I think about it I only remember hearing one or two peeps from her which makes sense now of course.

I spent the morning (in bed) and tiptoeing around the house, so as not to wake up my sleeping patio dogs. I was trying to get some chores done, and I always try to push off our morning greetings until she spots me and I have no other option than to go say hello. 

So this and one guilty looking dog are what awaited me on the other side of the laundry room door. I'm pretty sure my Mr. Pickles had no part in it at all. After all he's not the one that ran away as soon as he saw/noticed that I was upset....That Dog!!!!! 

 My initial findings, she dumped over the yarn basket again (it's up about 3-4 feet off of the ground, and yes that is was her dog bowl. She broke that on Monday. Why haven't I picked it up yet? I'm not sure, laziness maybe. She did move all the pieces around for me though. 

Her initial thoughts: "wait for it, wait for it..."

....and....

"well maybe she doesn't mind so much, she does have that black thing out again"

 

This table is the last of a set of three. They were so cute and stacked and had no other purpose but to decorate my windowsill. She ruined the others a few weeks ago during another room wrecking. (This one was quite good, I came home and the room was pretty much the same, plus a few more bins pulled out, AND she had pulled down the curtains and was sitting in the windowsill waiting for me to get home) She finished off the baby one today. The stacker thing on the left I've had for a month or so now. I made the mistake of filling the bins and sliding them in with her watching me, so she knows that they come out. She's constantly pulling them out and destroying their contents. I also made cute tags for them, and as you can see she's stolen those too. I think she needs to be banished before she notices the glass jars.

 

Some more crap that she got into. The damage, about 25 dirty skeins of yarn (no, I'm not a crazy yarn lady too, most of them were gifted to me, from a dead crazy yarn lady that used to come into my old place of business), 10 of which are pulled apart and chewed, of those ten 8 were for a special blanket for baby ham. Some chewed up knitting and crochet needles, and some ruined rafia.

But....

look at that face!

But....

they're still being exiled to the garage. Sorry Pickles, but you should have stopped her.