"Old" Photos

Every photograph tells a story.  I believe that firmly. 

It drives my husband crazy -- my love of pictures.  But I just feel they are a way I hold on to memories.  They have a story to tell.  A story for me to remember.  That pile of pictures pictured there has stories of Marvelous Monday Meals (and the meal that was so delicious yet so fattening and so unbelievably filling that I actually awoke in the middle of that night having serious stomach pains -- I think it was from the 3 or 4 yeast rolls I ate... along with the cheesy potato soup, the salad, and the delicious chocolate peanut butter ice cream pie...), my trip to Savannah with Juliebean, my trip to the Oregon coast with my mommy (with a stopover in Astoria to see the Goonies jail -- and yes, I took tons of pictures).

I can't help but smile as I flip through these pictures. 

I pulled out this box of pictures I printed and never organized (we're talking about 300 pictures) from 2010 to 2011.  One of my goals is to work on the Monday Meals cookbook, and since I had all the pictures printed from our meals, I decided I should see how far I'd printed them. 

But oh what treasures were within that box (in addition to the delicious food pics, of course).  Memories of turning 30 and hanging with Lea in Seattle...  Memories of April's wedding...  Of an *infamous* Sounders game in which certain people posed with a red key -- and ate gray hot dogs...  Of early dating days with my sweetheart... Of eating at Latinos y Mas and watching the servers drool over the beautiful teenager we had with us...  Memories of birthday parties and food parties (like the "back to school" themed party for the nieces and nephews in which gummy bears rode a banana bus with mini oreo wheels...)...  Memories of my first garden from start to finish (including me weed whacking grass that was up to my waist, the lawn chair wind-break, and the fruits -- and vegetables -- of my labors). 

So many memories. 

This is why I take pictures.  It's why I treasure my camera.  I'm so grateful we live in a time when pictures are a thing we can easily take for granted (even if we shouldn't...).  I can't imagine life without all my pictures. 

True story:  I used to consider getting a safety deposit box for all my negatives....  And sometimes I still think we need a fire safe box for my old negatives and our more up-to-date CDs with all the pictures.  Because it would be a tragedy for me to lose all my pictures. 

So I plan to take pictures for years to come.  To cherish the memories.  And to smile at a life lived with happiness and fun.

What are you grateful for today?

Unexpected "I Spy" Quilt Fabrics

One of my goals for this year is to make an "I Spy" quilt for both my little munchkin and for her cousin (who is only a month older than she is). 

Considering it's been 7+ years since I made any quilt (and it was 3 of these quilts)...  And considering I was under the very awesome tutelage of my wonderful friend Donna back then...  Well...  I'm pretty sure this time, the experience will be slightly more daunting. 

Anyway, I'm very excited about these quilts.  I had so much fabric left over from when I made them for my nieces and nephews who were already born in 2005, so I was able to get a good start on it this month.  In fact, my goal was to have all the hexagons cut out from the fabrics I had before the end of the month.  And I did!  But I was still shy about 30 fabrics to reach the 133 hexagons I needed for each quilt (yeah, seriously...).  I bought some last week at JoAnn's, but I am making valiant efforts to live within the budget I created and agreed to; so I couldn't buy everything I needed all at once.  Instead, I bought 10, plus some fabric for the triangles... 

Well, Donna sent me a whole bunch of fabrics in the mail!  And many of them were already cut into hexagons!  Seriously awesome!  Saved me money and time.  (And saved my old-lady back from having to lean over my table as much...).

And honestly, I consider it a little miracle.  Which is another goal of mine:  to find a miracle in every week and make sure I put it in my journal when I write weekly. 

So I'm definitely grateful for these fabrics.  I am ready to start sewing now!  And I'm so excited.  And, as always, I'm grateful for Donna and the memories this project is bringing to the front... of days at Troy University, quilting in the periodicals storage area :).

On another note, I'm way stoked about this goal thing...  I have felt so productive this month as I've set my annual goals and then broken them down into monthly goals and weekly goals.  It feels so great to cross things off the list (or in my case, erase them from the white board) and to see the progress I'm making!!  It's making me feel happier and better about me!

What are you grateful for today?

The Dishwasher

Most days, I wash dishes by hand.  This is because we don't generate enough dishes (generally) to make using the dishwasher worthwhile.  We'll usually need a dish before it's clean, if we go the dishwasher route.

But sometimes, like when we feed the missionaries or have other company over for dinner (like for Marvelous Monday Meals), I like to use the dishwasher. 

And sometimes, I just don't feel like washing bottles (and other dishes) by hand. 

Today was one of those days...  We use the Dr. Brown bottles (because when our girl was an itty-bitty, she had severe sensitivity to gas; and these were the only bottles -- with a PREMIE nipple -- that would allow her to be comfortable).  And Dr. Brown bottles have extra contraptions that are not the easiest to clean (which is what allows them to prevent so much air getting into the baby, so it's a pretty necessary part).  We are starting to try working her off these bottles, but I don't want to do it to fast with bad results.

So, since I made all new dishes for dinner today (and I have to say I was pretty pleased with it:  onion chicken, parmesan roasted cauliflower, and yam wedges with zesty sauce), I had plenty of dishes to merit a dishwasher run -- and include the bottles.

So I did. 

Which was a good plan, since the sweetness had a really rough time going down tonight...  And softie that I am, I can only let her cry for about 10 minutes before I go rescue her.  Fortunately, she went down easier after spending an extra 30 minutes sitting on mommy's lap.

Thank you, dishwasher...  Tonight, you did most of my work for me :).

What are you grateful for today?

Baby Story Time

So I frequent the library here.  Frequently.  And I've obviously become a regular at one of the branches, because one of the librarians started recognizing me and looking for Baby Girl every time I walked in.  Apparently she is the Children's/Youth Librarian, because a couple weeks ago, she told me about Baby Story Time at 1:00 on Tuesdays. 

And I decided that it was time to start taking our sweet girl to the library for her and not just for her mommy to check out books and movies :).

Today was our first time.  Unfortunately, none of the other kids that usually show up showed up today.  But that meant we had the librarian's undivided attention! 

So we played peek-a-boo with some tulle-like brightly colored fabric squares...  We bounced on mommy's lap while singing a song...  We shook noisy shakers...  And we read Peek-a-Moo!  Which was totally cute. 

That all lasted about 10 or 15 minutes, and that was the end! 

So then we went and checked out some baby signing videos.  We're going to try those out :)...  It's funny how having a baby of your own changes your perspectives and opinions of things!  Because suddenly you understand! 

We plan to go back next week -- and hopefully more babies will be there.  Because though it was still fun, I happen to know my little munchkin loves to be around other babies.  And I want her to start gaining her social skills early.  I think they are important.  I also want her to gain a love of the library early.  Because I think it's important!  And because I love them! 

Regardless, though, I'm really grateful for library programs, even for my little bug.  Because it helps me help her learn and grow and develop.  It helps us have fun and new things to do together.  And I'm so grateful!

What are you grateful for today?

Marvelous Monday Meals!

Marvelous Monday Meals is, indeed, marvelous. 

The tradition was begun in 2010 when my friend Lea and I decided to start getting together every Monday and making meals.  It was our goal to try new things -- fun things, crazy things, daunting things.  Delicious things.  We actually managed to do it almost every Monday for about 10 months. 

We had Chinese night with orange chicken, cauliflower fried rice, chow mein, and even home-made fortune cookies!  We had Baked Alaska...  Chicken Cordon Bleu...  Cheesy Potato Soup...  Broccoli Salad... Appetizer Night... and Breakfast for dinner (including dessert crepes for dessert!).  Mondays truly were culinarily marvelous. 

Then life started changing and Monday Meals got put on the back burner a lot, though we sometimes managed to have one every now and again.  But it's been quite a while...  Until today.  Today we had a Marvelous Monday Meal.  And it was awesomely fun!!  And so now we're talking about starting it up again -- not every Monday, but many Mondays.  And I have to say:  I'm excited! 

It's a lot of work to make and prepare (and keep up with a crawling baby!) but so worth it!!!  And I'm definitely grateful for Monday Meals -- both those in the past, and those (hopefully) in our future!  Good food, good friends, good memories.  Mondays have never been so good ;).

What are you grateful for today?

Leftovers

I mentioned before that we try to keep our meals simple around here on Sundays.  And leftovers make that so much easier!

I can't say I'm always a fan of leftovers.  I am particularly un-fond of leftover chicken (that isn't mixed up in a casserole or something), because it tastes old to me.  And sometimes I make a meal that looked good and I wanted to try out -- and I don't end up liking it.  And if I didn't like it the first go-around, when it's fresh out of the oven or whatever.  Well...  It's highly unlikely I'll enjoy it as leftovers.

This is another thing I could have added to my list of reasons I'm grateful for my husband!  He will eat anything that's food.  Or even if it's questionably food.  So that means any leftovers I don't enjoy, he will eat!  And I can eat the "good" leftovers :).  I'd feel guilty about this, except that food isn't an experience for my husband like it is for me, so if it's edible, he's cool with it.

Anyway, I'm thankful for leftovers on Sundays, as it helps us with our efforts to keep things simple.  But I'm also incredibly grateful for leftovers sometimes during the week.  Because when I get to a leftover day, it's almost like I can breathe a sigh of relief that I don't have to make dinner!  And it's not that I don't love to cook and try new things and make meals (because trust me, I do!  Take into consideration Marvelous Monday Meals...)  More of 'the day flies by fast and it's sometimes not the easiest thing to do while trying to juggle everything else'.  And so, when it's leftover day, I don't have to add dinner to my to-do list.  And sometimes that makes me very happy :).  All I have to do is pop something in the microwave and I manage to eat before I put the baby down for the night :) (this is mostly applicable when the hubby is working swing shift).

And the other reason I realized I'm super-grateful for leftovers?  Well, in a way it means we are very blessed in that temporal way.  We aren't trying to scrape together meals every day.  Quite the contrary, in fact.  If we have leftovers, it means we have enough and to spare.  And for that, I am so very thankful.

What are you grateful for today?

My Wonderful Husband Jeremy

My husband's job requires that he works different shifts.  Usually this changes every month.  Currently he is on swing shift (working 2 p.m. until 10 p.m.) 5 days a week.  Which is preferable to swing shift for 4 days a week (which means he works until midnight).  When he isn't working swings, he's usually working days.  But when the project really gets going (or is really pushing the envelope for getting finished on time), I have no doubt there will be a grave shift month thrown in there too.  And I really dread that one.

Generally speaking, swing shift is my favorite shift.  I'm a night person.  I really prefer not to do mornings...  And after I get the baby down for the night, I have several hours that are all mine.  It's a beautiful thing.

Last night was a different story though...  I went to bed before Jeremy got home (which I rarely do) in an effort to get a little extra sleep (Baby Girl has decided to start waking up between 6 and 6:30 rather than 7 or 7:30).  I figured he'd be home within 30 minutes of me getting into bed and I'd hear him come in before drifting off to sleep.  Not so.  11:00 came and went.  Then 11:30.  It's been known to happen that, since there isn't currently a grave-shift working, if something unforeseen happens, swing shift stays on until it's resolved.  So I told myself not to worry -- that he'd be home soon.  I managed to drift off a little.  Until midnight, when the cuckoo clock woke me back up.  I can't say I adore this clock, but my husband does, so I tolerate it ;).  Upon realizing it was midnight and he still wasn't home, I got worried.  I even came out to the living room to find a contact number and call his work.  (I've never had occasion to call him at work, so this was a first).  The phone was busy.  So again, I told myself to go to bed -- that if the phone was busy, it meant they were all still there and trying to resolve some issue.  But I'm a worrier by nature.  Try as a may, I cannot shut off my brain and all the what if ifs (after all, he does walk home late at night, and there are crazy things that happen)...  And so, it was in this state of my crazy mind that I thought, "How awful would it be if something had happened, and I'd never dedicated a "grateful" post to my sweet husband?"

I'm happy to report I finally got through to him at work around 1 a.m.  And managed to drift off into light sleep until I heard him come in a little after 2 a.m.  At which point I completely zonked out.  Because I'm just able to sleep better when he is home.  It just is.

So yeah... Long story about why I've chosen to make Jeremy my grateful for today.  Officially on the blog, that is.  Because I'm grateful for him most days :).  I say most, because there are those pouty days where we have a tiff and I'm being a dork.  But even then, I can still acknowledge a reason to be grateful for this wonderful man I married.  And even on those days, if he didn't come home until 4 hours after he normally does, I'd still be out of my mind with worry.  Because I love him.  Incredibly.

I am grateful for the way he makes me laugh.  Sometimes he drives me crazy with his silliness.  But it does make me giggle and laugh.  And I'm grateful.  Sometimes I laugh so hard at the way he says things with such incredulity.  For example...  Back before the baby was born, we randomly decided to trade the way we slept in bed one night and sleep with our heads where our feet usually are (oh, I think we were trying to figure out if a chemically smell we kept smelling was coming from in the wall by our heads or not).  Jeremy made this whole production of turning the mattress so our head would still be where our heads usually were (on the mattress).  I told him I figured we would just put our pillows on the bottom, not go to all that trouble.  With the most shocked expression (and in complete sincerity) he said, "You mean sleep with our heads where we put our feet!?!?!"  Something about it made me laugh so hard.

I am grateful he does our taxes.  I hate doing taxes.  (This is on my mind since he just spent the last 4 hours hogging the computer to do them ;))...

I am so grateful that he felt as I did:  that it was important for me to be home with our children.  He encourages me and supports me in being a stay-at-home-mom.  What a blessing that is!

I am grateful that he takes his responsibility as provider for our family seriously.  That he goes to work every day to make a living, to supply health insurance, to put away money for our future.  He is a good man.

I am grateful that he is a hard worker.  Not just in his employment and willingness to work to support our family, but also in other ways.  Every time we go to Alabama (okay, so we've only been twice so far), he helps my dad with a lot of projects that require a lot of physical labor.  I know my dad appreciates it.  And I know I do too.

I'm grateful that he is an outside-of-the-box thinker.  Because I am definitely NOT.  He finds resourceful ways to fix things and solve problems.  And I am consistently amazed with his ability to do so. 

I am grateful that he is creative and mechanically inclined and able to build things (and fix things).  Like our bed.  And my can rotation rack thing -- which I still love.

I'm grateful for the way he helps us be prepared for the curve balls of life.

I'm grateful for the way he helps me be a better person.

And I'm grateful he's my husband. 

What are you grateful for today?