Baby Quilt for Thorin

First off, a special welcome home to my Mac which we had to send out to have a few things replaced, and do I ever mean welcome home.  I almost kissed and hugged it when it came back through our front door.  Never knew I would miss an electronic device so much, and get so annoyed at having to use a pc when that's what I used for years.  Moving on...

So I've had this hankering to make a quilt for my little nephew for awhile and finally got it finished, although Brad barely let me give it to them.  He says it's his favorite and wanted me to hold onto in just in case we were having a boy, but I gave it to them anyway.  I ordered the airplane fabric, since I am obsessed with little boys and airplanes.  It was really fun to make.

I just kinda make up the design as I went.  I wanted it so be simple, kind of neat and clean.  Don't really know if that's how it turned out, but I'm pleased.  Hope little Thorin will enjoy being all wrapped up in it!

The Del

Recently, we stayed here.  The Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego.  This was the place for me of many a childhood fantasy.  Brad took me to stay here one night when I was pregnant with Paige, a check off the bucket list of sorts, and I never thought I would have the good fortune of staying here again.  And yet this time, we one upped it, staying not one but three nights, and also staying with dear friends.  Perfection.

I suppose it's a pregnancy perk of mine, since the first time I was around five months pregnant and this time being only around 8 weeks.  Maybe for baby no. three we'll stay for a week . . . ha ha!  Seriously doubt that one.

Did I mention that we stayed without Paige?  It was, well, amazing.  There was beach walking.

There was vast amounts of eating, an example of which was the enormous plates we found set before us at a little place in Hillcrest called Hash House A Go-Go.  We were a little flummoxed as to how we would even begin to eat portions that large.

You are looking at Brad's order, which was a fetching arrangement of bacon infused waffles, topped with a piece of fried chicken.  He made a dent, of sorts.

We even watched a wedding. . . from the spa.  

I miss this trip already, even though it was only a month ago.  I haven't put the little hotel brochure away on purpose, because every day when I sneak a glance of it on my bathroom counter I smile a little.  Just a little weekend of sweetness I'll get to carry around with me always.

Not Labor Day Anymore

My mom said to me today, "You know it's still Labor Day on your blog don't you?"  I know.  It's pretty pathetic.  Do I have a blog or don't I?  I'm well aware that we are barreling through a beautiful fall, on our way to winter, but for some reason I've stopped documenting it.  This picture got me thinking the other day about how I'll miss this summer.

I'm gonna miss seeing little Miss Paige running around in her swim suit in my parents backyard.  And then this reminded me of this picture:

Her chub is dwindling away!  It's awful.  Oh how I love those rolls.  So I guess with each passing season I'll lose a little bit of Baby Paige, which makes me shed a little tear, but Little Girl Paige is one of the funnest girls met and I'm so excited to see what new things she'll do each day.  What a weird and strange thing, missing all the baby things while at the same time anticipating all the new things.  I love her future already, since I'm in it.  And I daresay she has a long life of reaching for m&m's in front of her, if she's anything like her mother.

Labor Day

Hope you all have a lovely Labor Day!  Follow Paige's lead and don't go to work or school, sleep in and arise with a most superb bed-head, read your favorite book and watch your favorite show (with or without food on your face).  Should be a good day!

Back to Reading

This summer I have finally been able to read regularly again since having little Paige.  Oh did I miss it!  I read a few things here and there a while back, but the summer has really been a reading revival for me.  I go to a little book group too, so that helps keep me inspired and makes me read things I wouldn't otherwise read, like what I am reading now.  I'm definitely enjoying it and glad I'm reading it but wouldn't have really picked it off the library shelf, if ya know what I mean.  Ground I've covered this summer so far:

-The Help.  Um, yeah.  Can't really say enough on that one.
-Fablehaven, ALL of them (Ok, I totally lost a week of my life reading these.  I thought they were only for twelve year old boys.  And I thought that fantasy wasn't really  my thing.  Boy was I wrong.  I am totally in love with them)
-The Book Theif, Markus Zusak.  This book is riveting.  Based in Nazi Germany, told by Death's perspective.  Main story revolves around a little german girl, not a jewish girl, so that was different.  Love, love love this book.  Want my kids to read it.
-Black Heals to Tractor Wheels, The Pioneer Woman.  Fun.  Makes you want to make out with your husband:)
-Ivanhoe.  Not really.  I didn't make it very far.
-Plain Truth, Jody Picoult.  Lost another week of my life on this one.  Wow.
-The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

And I must say, our next book is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which I read a long time ago and am super excited to read again.

Shower for Baby Blake

My friend Melissa and I recently got to throw a shower for our lovely friend Jana and her baby boy, Blake.  We decided I would be in charge of decorations with Melissa in charge of food (this is my FAVORITE kind of hosting may I just say).  Anyway, we had a really fun evening together and I think our momma-to-be had a good showering of gifts.  Since a bouncing baby boy was on the way, I kind of freaked out and went all airplane with everything.  I don't know why I just love airplanes for little boys, just do.

Once I heard the idea of moving my furniture outside under the tree and hanging candles in my mason jars, I was sold.  And having a husband that seems to really like me, he agreed to move it all for me and even mow the lawn lower that the landscapers do for added comfort.  I like that guy.  

It looked okay while it was still light outside, but the candles became more visible as the sun set.  I must say, taking your couch outside is extremely comfortable.  I highly recommend it.

Here's some pics of what was hanging in the trees and the big B.  I thought a gigantic "B" would work for baby, boy, and Blake, although Brad told me it was kind of...femmy.  What?  A giant fluffy yellow B isn't masculine?  Hmmm.

Anyway, I really had a fun time and the food was delish.  We had the cutest little mini lemon upside down cakes and chocolate fondue I could've slurped up with a straw.  Seriously. 

It did get a little darker than I thought, so I had to go grab my lamp, but overall having a party at dusk is the perfect temperature and lighting in the summer.  

No more pictures, promise (sorry Sharalee, couldn't resist).

Anyone else have a party I can go crazy and decorate for???  It's just too much fun.

Carousel

Paige had her first carnival experience recently, and you know how carnivals are...kind of sketchy.  She had her first carousel ride while we were there.

She was very, meh.  Not impressed.

Doesn't she look completely enthralled and excited about this new and exciting adventure in life?  Not so much.

That's okay though.  She was just bummed that all the pretty painted horses were taken and we had to sit on a bench...or maybe that was me, and she was getting a headache from the serious overuse of Axe body spray (okay, also me).  Seriously.  Who invented that stuff?  Don't people know you still have to shower?  Anyway, so carousel rides aren't high on her list of thrills :)

Love that girl.

A Baby Shower

What in the world are these, you are wondering?  These paper-mache balloons?  Well, Brad's lovely sister Mindy is pregnant with triplets.  Yes, three sweet little girls are currently on the way.  Can you even imagine that?  Because I can't.  Anyway, when I threw her a baby shower a couple weeks ago I knew I wanted to try to make it special.  Emphasis on try.

I am kicking myself so hard right now that I didn't get better pictures.  I was just running around like a mad woman trying to get everything arranged just so and these are the best that I got.  It really was quite charming though.  I didn't get a shot of the food, which was delicious.  We had brunch, and we ate and ate and ate and ate.  Delicious I tell you!  Belgian waffles, but not your usual belgian waffles.  These were made with a yeast dough that rose overnight and cooked in an extra hot machine.  We served them with several different homemade syrups.  Orange, Cinnamon, and Buttermilk.  Mmmmm.  We also had quiche, yogurt parfaits with granola I made myself (new skill I've aquired) and fresh fruit.  In lieu of cake, we had these.

I thought them fitting for triplets.  Plus, I have a thing for baby birds.  I wish you could see the hot air balloons up close.  They actually turned out pretty cute one all the embellishments were on them (I was worried there for a little while).  I tried to match them up with the colors of her nursery, just in case she liked them...and she did!  She said she wants to hang them up in the girls' room and I couldn't be happier.  I kind of want to make some for Paige.  And you can't really tell, but I used a lot of glitter paper in the decorations.  Have you used glitter paper before?  Heavens me I like that stuff.

I just love a baby shower.  Any reason to celebrate with a mama-to-be and buy baby clothes is a good time to me!

Superman

We are home now (sigh) and back to normal life.  As much as I wanted to stay on a permanent vacation, it does feel good to get back to my own house and my own things (although my pants are a little tighter, darn mexican food).  We had so much fun while we were there, as always.  Don't you just love spending time with family that you miss and rarely get to see?  It's a little slice of heaven.  Paige, or as she is know down there "The Baby" absolutely loved everything about it.

This picture is cute enough and all, other than the fact that I am in it.  Does anyone else have a serious aversion to looking at yourself in photographs?  Yikes.  I might change my mind and remove it if I don't hurry and hit that 'publish post' button.  Anyway...we're cute and all, but check out little man in the background.

Complete Superman outfit.  Cape and all.  He seemed to be guarding the tower while we were there.  He would occasionally climb the steps and yell something out to all us beach-goers.  When the lifeguards rolled my in their SUV, they paused for a minute only to yell out, "Hi Superman!"  No parents in sight.  You just never know what you're gonna find in SoCal.  At least it was a cute little kid and not a weird old guy, which could have just as easily happened :)

So Far

So far we've
-stayed up way too late
-woke up way too late
-hit up the corner taco shop (more than once)
-waved to the neighborhood crazy as she sifted through the recycle bins
-filled up our cart at Trader Joe's (more than once)
-stayed too long out in the sun
-sniffed the hydrangeas
-the pool
-watched several movies
-shopped
-the BEACH

All the makings of a perfect vacation at Aunt Cory's house in San Diego, and we still have days to go.

Outta Here

Busy, busy, busy.  I feel like I've been going on overdrive for weeks now, without a minute to catch my breath or do much of anything besides try to stay afloat.  Ever feel like that?  I guess it's good timing that we are headed out tomorrow to a place where you can see sunsets through the palm trees.  Yipee!  Here's hoping that Baby Paige will allow her parents to relax and let the sunshine in.

Bleh.

Sorry there's been a complete lack of blogging going on over here.  All systems have been on shut down for the past couple weeks (you know...emotional systems, spiritual systems, that kind of thing).  Serious case of the blues that I can almost completely attribute to the weather.

"Hello?  Mama?  You in there?"

Well that and husband having to work a lot.  We are slightly co-dependent I am thinking lately.  You know that scripture about how you are to cleave to your spouse and none else?  We've got that down.  We're excellent cleavers.  Problem is when you're so good at it and then suddenly there's nothing there to cleave to.  Bleh.  I hate long work hours.  Downer, downer, downer.  That's how my head works lately, but I'm sick of it...sick of feeling absent from myself so I'm pulling out all the stops and fixing it.  Attitude-adjusting, perspective-shifting, stop-moping-around-time it is for me.  Or something.  Or the sun could just come back and warm the earth like it is supposed to.  Sorry.  I'm kind of ornery.  Baby Paigey isn't though!  She's got her torn up Toy Story book and Despicable Me dvd case to carry around and she's good to go.  Happy as a clam.  Maybe I should take notes.  Love that girl.