I love the weekend. I love that it's 11:00 and I haven't even showered yet. I find it strange and wonderful that even though I no longer work outside the home on the weekdays, the weekends still hold significance. I worried that all the days would blend together once I was at home full time, but I still look forward to the weekends when life seems to slow down just a bit. Today we don't have any commitments and the sitter is coming tonight so Fiance and I can have our usual weekly date night. Tomorrow holds all the promise of a lowkey bbq with friends. I'm already wishing that we were closer to corn season but I'd settle for some good potato salad.
Baby girl is close to crawling and that often has me looking around the house with anxiety seeing as how our house is one of the least child-proof homes ever. Our saving grace... we don't have stairs. Ultimately I watch with anticipation as she climbs up on hands and knees. I can almost see the wheels turning as she tries to figure out how to get moving. I know that one day soon she will astonish us and just do it. Until then it's time to bust out all those safety latches we have and start helping our home to be a little less of an accident waiting to happen!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Blog-Hopping
Lately I've been pretty lazy about writing on my own page but have done a lot of searching through other blogs. There are some that I really like and have added to my sidebar. I've been feeling pretty crafty in the past month and this was partly inspired by sites like Portobello Pixie and U-Handblog. I busted out my sewing machine for the first time in months and made a brand new bag for spring. I found the pattern on Portobello Pixie and I'm in love. It was much easier than I thought it would be, especially since I haven't really sewed much of anything in several years. I guess sewing is sort of like riding a bike. The new bag is almost complete and I hope to post a picture as soon as the camera is back in action.
I've also been frequenting a few wedding-related sites and finding some great inspiration for my own upcoming nuptials. My favorite is Melissa's Smitten which is the blog of an invitation designer who has the same classic taste as Martha Stewart Weddings. Another really fun site is Classic Bride which is mainstream but with a little kitsch added in. Both are great for creative ideas as well as tips on budgeting, DIY, and adding personality to your wedding. I'm all about not having a wedding that speaks to who we are and not focusing on what is or isn't appropriate or traditional for a wedding.
I've also been frequenting a few wedding-related sites and finding some great inspiration for my own upcoming nuptials. My favorite is Melissa's Smitten which is the blog of an invitation designer who has the same classic taste as Martha Stewart Weddings. Another really fun site is Classic Bride which is mainstream but with a little kitsch added in. Both are great for creative ideas as well as tips on budgeting, DIY, and adding personality to your wedding. I'm all about not having a wedding that speaks to who we are and not focusing on what is or isn't appropriate or traditional for a wedding.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Greener Pastures
My very first post was about resolutions and I mentioned that one of mine for 2009 is to make our home more environmentally sound. I admit that I have yet to make any really big strides- the composting machine is on its way... really... But we have made some baby steps and for those I feel like giving myself a small pat on the back.
One of the biggest changes we've made actually happened last year when Baby was born. Fiance drives about 20 minutes to work each way and I mostly drive within a few square miles for errands during the day. Due to this and safety, we swapped vehicles last summer. I now drive the gas-guzzling monster SUV (I can practically see the soccer games now) and Fiance drives the lower MPG sedan. The result is that we only fill the SUV up maybe once every two weeks and not only save money but also contribute one less energy-monster to the daily commute.
A more recent change is my efforts to use less paper towels. We have been very bad about this in particular since Baby came along and we became germaphobes. I tend to find crumpled paper towels randomly discarded on the major surfaces of the house and throw them out in bunches. So recently I purchased some packs of small kitchen towels to serve as reusable napkins, which were much cheaper than actual cloth napkins, and I've been making a concerted effort to keep clean dishcloths available for drying hands and cleaning spills instead of grabbing the usual wad of paper towels.
CFL bulbs have been installed in many fixtures that get the most use and I've switched over to more natural cleaning products in favor of the toxic bleach variety. I'm more cognizant of what can be recycled instead of haphazarding throwing items in the trash. Overall I feel like I've made some positive steps and hope to continue the pattern throughout the year. What are you doing to help greenify your home?
One of the biggest changes we've made actually happened last year when Baby was born. Fiance drives about 20 minutes to work each way and I mostly drive within a few square miles for errands during the day. Due to this and safety, we swapped vehicles last summer. I now drive the gas-guzzling monster SUV (I can practically see the soccer games now) and Fiance drives the lower MPG sedan. The result is that we only fill the SUV up maybe once every two weeks and not only save money but also contribute one less energy-monster to the daily commute.
A more recent change is my efforts to use less paper towels. We have been very bad about this in particular since Baby came along and we became germaphobes. I tend to find crumpled paper towels randomly discarded on the major surfaces of the house and throw them out in bunches. So recently I purchased some packs of small kitchen towels to serve as reusable napkins, which were much cheaper than actual cloth napkins, and I've been making a concerted effort to keep clean dishcloths available for drying hands and cleaning spills instead of grabbing the usual wad of paper towels.
CFL bulbs have been installed in many fixtures that get the most use and I've switched over to more natural cleaning products in favor of the toxic bleach variety. I'm more cognizant of what can be recycled instead of haphazarding throwing items in the trash. Overall I feel like I've made some positive steps and hope to continue the pattern throughout the year. What are you doing to help greenify your home?
Friday, February 27, 2009
It's Official
#1- If I didn't qualify as a mom before, even after 8+ months of pregnancy AND a c-section AND caring for an infant for the past 9 months, as of yesterday I officially fit the bill. Yesterday afternoon I licked my finger and used it to clean something off my daughter's face. And not being satisfied, I then licked the corner of a burpcloth and finished the job. There you have it.
#2- I am officially obsessed with a wedding blog called Melissa's Smitten. It is so fun and has so many inspiring ideas. I love it.
#2- I am officially obsessed with a wedding blog called Melissa's Smitten. It is so fun and has so many inspiring ideas. I love it.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Jumbled Thoughts
I've been MIA for over a week now, partly because Fiance was out of town and my sister was visiting, partly because I've been feeling a little lazy and unmotivated. I have several projects that need to be addressed and yet I can't seem to get any of them moving.
For example... recently Fiance put some shelves up on the wall above the couch (a wide wall w/ a high ceiling- aka my nemesis) for framed black and whites of our family and prints that my sister gifted at Christmas. I have some black and silver frames of various sizes but have hit the wall (literally a few times) because I can't find more inexpensive silver frames for other pictures that I want in the collection. I've hit up all the usual stores and have come up blank. Hence the stopping point.
I really want to get some new pillows for the couch but every time I find some that I like, I bring them home only to realize they are almost exactly the color of the couch. Why does this happen? I'm feeling a little out of sorts because I am running into this same issue over and over again. I think I need to collect my ideas, focus a bit and channel the energy of some of the HGTV gurus.
For example... recently Fiance put some shelves up on the wall above the couch (a wide wall w/ a high ceiling- aka my nemesis) for framed black and whites of our family and prints that my sister gifted at Christmas. I have some black and silver frames of various sizes but have hit the wall (literally a few times) because I can't find more inexpensive silver frames for other pictures that I want in the collection. I've hit up all the usual stores and have come up blank. Hence the stopping point.
I really want to get some new pillows for the couch but every time I find some that I like, I bring them home only to realize they are almost exactly the color of the couch. Why does this happen? I'm feeling a little out of sorts because I am running into this same issue over and over again. I think I need to collect my ideas, focus a bit and channel the energy of some of the HGTV gurus.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Off to the Desert
Today we are leaving for a mini-vacation in Indian Wells (adjacent to Palm Desert) at the Fiance's parents' vacation home with some friends. I am so happy to be leaving town for even a few days to relax and recharge. There's something about a change in location that helps me move past the feeling of monotony that I get during winter. Hopefully this weekend will include some time laying by the pool in the lovely sunshine, but even if it doesn't there is still the jacuzzi and plenty of wine to be had.
Better known as the "Pink Palace" due to its almost universally mauve interior paint job, the house is 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with a shared pool, jacuzzi and tennis courts about 10 yards from the back patio. It rests in a small community inhabited by mostly retired folks which actually makes it perfect as a weekend getaway. We are usually the only young people around so there's no searching for a seat at a crowded pool or waiting to use the jacuzzi. All the blue-hairs are inside by the time we put the kids to bed and move outside for adult conversation so there's no one to overhear the not-so-witty banter that comes out after a few drinks.
I'm stocked up on magazines and the ipod is ready to go. Now if I would just quit procrastinating and pack already...
Better known as the "Pink Palace" due to its almost universally mauve interior paint job, the house is 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with a shared pool, jacuzzi and tennis courts about 10 yards from the back patio. It rests in a small community inhabited by mostly retired folks which actually makes it perfect as a weekend getaway. We are usually the only young people around so there's no searching for a seat at a crowded pool or waiting to use the jacuzzi. All the blue-hairs are inside by the time we put the kids to bed and move outside for adult conversation so there's no one to overhear the not-so-witty banter that comes out after a few drinks.
I'm stocked up on magazines and the ipod is ready to go. Now if I would just quit procrastinating and pack already...
Friday, February 6, 2009
Legwarmers? No, thank you.
Around Halloween, I was in Target and came across a rack of legwarmers in multiple colors. Real actual legwarmers. My first thought was that maybe I should be Jane Fonda the 80s aerobics queen for Halloween. My immediate second thought was "why are there legwarmers in Target?" The last time I owned legwarmers was sometime in the mid to late 80s. I couldn't help wondering if people are actually wearing these hideous garments as a fashion statement or as a joke. I may not be the most fashionably dressed individual in the room, but I keep up with current styles for the most part and let me say here and now that legwarmers will not now or ever again be a part of my wardrobe. This statement may also be applied to boots with fringe, mini-skirts with ruffles, and any sort of colored denim. I've already worn those items at one time in my life and I have no desire to incorporate them into my closet again.
I got to thinking that maybe this is how my mother felt when bell-bottoms and flared jeans became popular again. She had worn those styles when she was much younger and thought it was ridiculous that anyone would want to bring those fashions back from the past. In my delightful teenager way, I simply rolled my eyes and left the room. She looked at pictures of herself in bell-bottoms with the same embarrassed nostalgia that I have when I see my younger self wearing bright colored leggings under skirts, tucked into fringed boots. I saw this exact outfit on a teenager at Noodles yesterday when I was picking up lunch and I couldn't help but smile to myself. I suppose that it's the nature of fashion to be recycled by future generations. Just don't expect to see me wearing pink leggings under a mini-skirt anytime soon.
I got to thinking that maybe this is how my mother felt when bell-bottoms and flared jeans became popular again. She had worn those styles when she was much younger and thought it was ridiculous that anyone would want to bring those fashions back from the past. In my delightful teenager way, I simply rolled my eyes and left the room. She looked at pictures of herself in bell-bottoms with the same embarrassed nostalgia that I have when I see my younger self wearing bright colored leggings under skirts, tucked into fringed boots. I saw this exact outfit on a teenager at Noodles yesterday when I was picking up lunch and I couldn't help but smile to myself. I suppose that it's the nature of fashion to be recycled by future generations. Just don't expect to see me wearing pink leggings under a mini-skirt anytime soon.
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