My Longest Year

"what they wear"

If you ever hop over to my photo blog, you know I've joined a photo challenge this month. 

Today's challenge: what they wear.

This is Cam, wearing socks that he's been yanking at all day. 

You'll notice he's also sporting a new high chair.  This is what I'd like to call Third Baby High Chair.  Function over fashion.  The girls used a beautiful Eddie Bauer high chair that I bought for a couple of reasons - one of them being that the wood blended in with the furniture.  Yes, nice.  But this go-round I need space more than anything.  Enter the travel high chair.  That is now clamped to our table and looks more like it belongs in a carpenter's garage than our kitchen.  Besides being easier to move around it, it's also much easier to clean UNDER it.  And the cover simply goes in the wash at the end of the week (let's not pretend I cleaned the other high chair more often than that either).

those blue eyes

I think I was about twenty when I met James.  My car had been hit by a deer (yes, it is my contention the deer hit ME) and had already been in the shop for two weeks.  I was at the mercy of my roommate's social calendar if I wanted to do ANYthing.  I'd just painted my nails, and she was about to make the 25-minute drive to her boyfriend's house and wanted me to tag along and meet his roommate.  Ew, a blind date.  Blech.  "No, my nails aren't dry," I whined.  She rolled her eyes and after several back and forths ("he's really sweet, and cute, and we already told him you're coming; he wants to meet you..." etc after etc), I finally agreed to go. 

Half an hour later, I was staring at the white door of a run-down apartment complex, waiting to see what this guy was really like.  I'll skip to the end first - we didn't click at all.  He was quiet (too quiet), reserved, very Caucasian (the kind that doesn't tan), and quiet. We really didn't like each other.  Looking back, he recalls that I was cute.  But too loud. And direct.  Not very girly.  But something I do remember from that first night was the moment he opened that grungy white door - how very blue and twinkly sweet his eyes were. 

There is nothing super important about that moment, except that now I remember it as the first moment of a night that was really UNspectacular.  An evening we really don't remember much about, but that changed our lives forever. 

I can't tell you how many times I look at my little girls (eta: and sweet Cam) and there I am again - my future husband at the door.  It makes me smile.  How two people at one point in time had NO clue that 12 years into the future they'd share a history of loss, war, several moves across the country, two children, and another pleasant surprise on the way...It tickles me every time.

the bad and the ugly...

 

I recently took meals to a friend (working mom) who was not used to being home with her toddler for long stretches at a time.  I arrived around dinner time, and the house looked pretty normal - you know, a day's worth of toys scattered about the livingroom.  She's enduring a difficult pregnancy so it's exactly what I expected.  She welcomed me in and started to apologize: "I'm still trying to figure out how to care for a toddler and keep the house managed at the same time.  Is this kind of mess normal?"

Christy, are you kidding me?  YES!  Of course, I have a couple of friends who manage to keep the clutter to a minimum because, well, frankly, they spend any time not feeding their children tidying up after the children.  Not me.  I'm too busy - doing other stuff.  Emails, phone calls, bills, photography stuff, research stuff, crafting stuff - anything BUT picking up every single minute.  I've tried that.  And it's just futile.

So I decided to take a particularly messy day to post some pictures that I am hoping will make anyone who has asked the question, "Is this normal?" a little better.  Granted, this was a little extreme of a day - I DO normally keep it to a much duller roar.  But my point is, it happens. 

Counterspace?  Looks like a perfect perch for all the stuff we're trying to keep out of the Toddler's and Dog's mouth to me!

 
Today's groceries left out?  Hey, I've already put my pregnant self through the torture event that is Walmart with two small children. If it doesn't need to be refridgerated, it stays wherever I've dropped it until the Husband comes home (what's that?  there are princess toys mixed in with the groceries?  My girls think the kitchen table is a playroom):

Can you believe this is AFTER I've asked the girls to please pick up?

 
 You wouldn't know it to look at these pictures but I'm actually a pretty organized person.  And this isn't typical, although it's not too far from our day-to-day.  I'm spending my days finding a place for everything, making our space functional in anticipation of The Boy.  And it's actually going pretty well.  I'll be sharing our ideas over the next few weeks.

But for those of you who find yourself at home, with a toddler, and just can't seem to keep the house "guest ready" - take heart.  It's just a season.

happy 33! yes, I just told everyone your age.

And now I'm about to show them baby pictures.  You'll live.

Hold on, James.  It only gets worse from here...

My, you're handsome.  But what is up with that scenic tie?!

Love you.

PS: you can revisit James' 30th birthday video here

"you know...the book with the girl in a skirt on the cover"

Is it just me or are book cover designers suddenly at a loss for new ideas?

I know, I know, this post is somewhat random but I just couldn't help it.   

There's also the "just legs" option:

From a marketing perspective, I'm sure this is done so frequently for good reason - something to do with the target audience identifying with the clothing or pensive pose or relating to the flip-flops or high heels or blah blah blah.  Whatever; it's still kind of obnoxious.

Is it awful that I notice this stuff...and then actually take the time to post about it? 

hibernating

Okay, not really.  It just sounds more fall and cozy than "my computer crashed."  It will be a few more days before my computer is fixed and my software is lined up (and let's cross our collective fingers that my hard drive isn't corrupted), so I guess you could say I'm taking a forced blog-vacation.  I'll be cleaning my house (yeah, right), reading, sewing, baking, and just generally catching up on a few things. 

One related note:  Charlotte recommended Mozy.com for backing up files and boy am I ever grateful.  It's just $5/month for a home license and peace of mind.

And a totally, miscellaneous, random note:  Remember the pink tree?  Our Walmart has a small selection of them (along with white and purple and BLUE) in boxes on a shelf in the Home & Garden department for $20.  They're the perfect size for your little one's room. 

Okay, random post done.  Oh wait - I forgot to say - "Thank you, sweet readers, for all your comments about her purple blankie."  I'd love to reply to you individually but I'm on a borrowed computer right now.

Back after the break!!!

Okay, NEVER MIND.  I am back.  Somehow this post didn't get published and now I"m online again and for some reason I don't want to waste this post (because it's so interesting and written so well).  And my files are fine.  But now the puter is giving me funny messages when I boot up.  I mean, it wouldn't be a true computer fix without another problem being created in the course of things, right?  Back with a real post soon...

i love your blog (updated)

***ETA: ack!  I can't believe I forgot a couple of other blogs you might enjoy.  So I'll put them here at the top.  Someone here mentioned one of them already: SewTakeaHike.  Two of my favorite finished projects of hers: this "fruit salad quilt" that makes me envious and gives me hope at the same time (she made it on her first quilting try, people).  I also love her crazy-beautiful, my-favorite-colors crocheted market tote.

Another good one:  Post Tenebras Lux (after darkness, light).  For those of you who have been reading me since the early days, you'll appreciate this woman's journey through another Iraq deployment. All at once fascinating and almost painful for me (you know, the remembering.  I forget sometimes how hard it all was).*** 

Don't you love the rabbit trails you end up on when blog-surfing?  You start one place, then click on a link to another, and another, and before you know it you've discovered thirty-two favorite new blogs, etsy shops, and contests while your kid has stuck her finger in the socket. 

Anyway, a little while ago, Agnes of Knitting in the Valley gave me an "I Love Your Blog" award (thank you, Agnes).   How timely, since I've been wanting to point out some of you whose blogs I am tickled, fascinated, and inspired by:

First up: Cake Wrecks.  I was turned on to this by my blog-friend Karen (who, by the way, I have met in person, and even stranger still, whose husband now works with mine in the Guard - but that's for a later post).  Here is an example of why I love this blog (to really appreciate how fantastically awful this cake is you have to see what it was supposed to look like):

And along those lines:  It's Lovely!  I'll Take It!  Basically, it's the best of the worst in real estate listings: 

 

And this lady who works magic with ribbon and fabric and color selection.  She had me at "Burlap Summer Bag". Pretty With Ribbons, I love your blog. 

 

I've been following Julie at Jane's Apron for a while now.  I love how she uses old patterns to alter clipboards and lunchboxes and train cases..and she's even kind enough to tell us how.   

 

And then there's House Wren Studio:

 

I've been following Miss Charlotte (who hates it when I call her that) since almost the beginning.  I stumbled on Mo's tagbook and was hooked.  Her blog is full of tea cozies and  mice, and sentiment and heart. That's a lot of "ands," isn't it?  Oh, and her three girls.  I love that she reflects on her girls; it always gives me pause to reflect the present dailyness with my own girls.  Perhaps one of my favorite posts is this ode to her firefighting daughter.  Another close favorite was this one from Mothers Day.  Awesome.  Miss Charlotte, er, Ms. Lyons...okay, oKAY, Charlotte, I love your blog. 

 

There are others worth mentioning, but I didn't get to ask for their pictures.

Andrea of Sgt and Mrs Hub...another longtime blog buddy and someone I've actually spoken with on the phone.  It's kind of hard to believe, sometimes, exactly how far back (in blog years) I go with some of you.  Andrea has fire-engine bright hair.  That I adore.  She also wears three kiddos, and blogs with their pictures just as much as I do.   We were pregnant at the same time, and suffered some of the same post-pregnancy woes.  She's also a hobby photographer and I love seeing the subjects she picks.  Stop over.  She's such a sweet spirit; she'd love for you to visit over your morning coffee.

And if you haven't heard of her yet, go take a peek at Grosgrain.  A woman who designs and makes incredibly creative, precious outfits for her toddler, and then (deep breath) gives them away.  One of my favorites is recent - this nostalgic nightgown.

So, how about your favorite blogs?  Hm?  I'm always looking for new places to visit and since you're here, you obviously have good taste.  I'd love to know your recent faves.

crafting whiplash

This is pretty typical aftermath of any creative endeavor, no matter how simple.  I just can't seem to be bothered with the whole pick-up-as-you-go-along method.  It inhibits the creative process, especially since most of my ditties are pretty much made up as I go along. 

 

[sidenote: in case you're wondering why those pictures/mirrors are leaning up against the wall in that first pic, apparently moving into a house is also a creative process.  Which can take up to, say, a year.]

Usually my sewing is a bit of a fabric flurry - me, frantically digging and pulling stuff out.  And throwing it all over the place in a tornado-like fashion.  And pretty much leaving it wherever it lands.  Well, minus the sharp stuff and itty-bitty fabric threads.  I do have a crawling baby who hasn't learned to ignore the mess yet.  

 

I'm not sure if I'm waiting for a clean-up crew to magically arrive.  Or if I think these things are just going to put themselves away.  But for whatever reason, this is what my house usually looks like immediately following a creative undertaking.  Well, immediately following plus a day or two. 

seven things

Something I love about blogland is how it creates community across miles and miles.  Lisa at Vintage Sweet Peas tagged me for a little "random" fun.  I am sure my good friends could point out far more random or weird things about me, but here are a few:

1. I have an issue with eating ice cream socially. Not because I don't like ice cream, but because I can't stand watching others eat ice cream. Especially children. Something about it melting and getting drippy, or soupy, or even worse - soupy with cake bits in it. Eeeeeeeeeew! I have an actual, physical reaction to it. So if I'm at a table with several people eating ice cream, you'll notice me looking down a lot.
2. I used to play violin. I started at three years old and was trained in the Suzuki method. Yes, they really do have tiny violins for children that young.  And Suzuki prefers you start at around 3.
3. My husband and I had no interest in each other when we met. Our roommates were dating and thought it would be a good idea to set us up, but we were totally unimpressed with each other. We'll be celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary September 1st.
4. I tend to converse in outline format. I guess I'm a writer at heart, and for some reason, I actually organize my conversation the way most of us were taught to write papers in high school: opening statement, three supporting statements, closing statement. I actually say "a," "b," and "c," (or 1,2,3) when I talk. All this while using the words "grody" and "dude" in said conversation.
5. I watch Golden Girls because I find it eerily calming. You know, like comfort food. Something about all that 80's furniture and corny double-entendres soothe me.
6. I am from Montana.  I know - what's so weird or random about that?  Well, at the time I left in 1995 there weren't even a million of us in the entire state.  And when I moved to Nashville, TN, for college I can't tell you how many students I ran across who actually said they really didn't think of Montana as a state (because they'd "never met anyone who was actually from there"); they thought of it as more of a foreign land.  Seriously, people said stuff like that. 
7. I rarely use standard colors to describe anything.  My friend Sarah pointed that out to me whenever we shopped together.  Nothing is red or green or pink.  I'm naturally more descriptive - raspberry, spring leaf, or ballet pink.  Actually, I'm that way with verbs, too (gallop or glide or stampede instead of run, for instance).

If you haven't done this in a while, and you'd like to - consider yourself tagged!

e being good

E. is the true product of a mommy who blogs, and, therefore, takes lots of pictures.  Of everything.  And anything.  Everything is something that could be important.  Every once in a while she'll ask me to take a picture of her.  This is a picture of Evyn "being good."  No, seriously.  That's what she asked for - "Take a picture of me being good, Mommy."  So here it is: Evyn being good.

And here is another very important picture.  Of Ariel, per Evyn.  Actually, I'm quite proud of it.  It's one of the first pictures she's drawn that could really look like someone.  And I love her interpretation - especially that she knows Ariel is basically orange with pinkish red hair.

And since I've now gone down this whole everything-my-daughter-draws-is-important-enough-to-share road with you, here is her roller coaster.  And ladybug. Which she actually hates in nature but wanted to draw.