love thursday

this thursday, I'm loving the hot (95F!) weather, which spurred us to visit the beach one more time....

love thursday

This week I am loving:
-spring weather: not too hot and not too cold!
-little boys missing their first 'toofer':

-spray paint (10 minutes and you have a brand-new item!)
-sending the small men outside to play nerf gun wars
-caramel pecan brownies:

-upcoming date with the Dearest (it's a surprise so he doesn't know where we are going!)
-teaching yoga at a new studio...the students are amazing and I LOVE LOVE LOVE teaching!
-getting together plans for the upcoming summer
-coffee with mexican hot chocolate mixed in

What are you loving this week?

Love thursday, b00b tube edition

love thursday

(a condensed version) this week I am loving....

knitting with good friends....stuffing tummies with corned beef & cabbage + boiled potatoes....hot corned beef sanniches with the leftovers....little boys playing trains together....honey in my tea and on my face. ...playdates at the park....finding my P&S camera after 'losing' it for three days....a clean, shiny sink (even if it only happens once a week)....a neatened pantry....the way Monkey Boy looks like he's dancing when he runs....finding $20 in the dryer screen when doing laundry (finders' keepers!)....Little Man holding hands with his friends as they all go 'hiking' in the bushes next to the park....laying on the lawn with LM and looking up at the blue of the sky....hearing "conjunction junction, what you funkshun" from Monkey Boy....reading books with small men before bedtime....


what are you loving this week?

love thursday & a crafty FO

this week I'm loving-

-the silence that befalls our house after 8pm when the small men are in bed and snoozing (can you tell that the Dearest is still out of town?)

-ice cream 'staches:

day 74 of 365

-linear thinking:

-my new foundation from Meow Cosmetics (try it, you'll like it! And samples are only $1!)

-being blessed with a funny, sweet and supportive extended family

-the local library's online catalog...I can put all my books on hold and pick them up at our local branch. No more searching thru the stacks for me!

-banana chocolate chip muffins....with the banana and some whole wheat flour, these might actually be a little healthy....right?

-my new traveling bag, made in a frantic haste the night before leaving for San Francisco (because you HAVE to have a new bag when traveling! And what possesses me to start crafting the night before I'm supposed to leave???):

the front


the back

I've been eyeing the tape measure fabric for weeks and finally purchased some not too long ago. Love the pattern, but I wasn't sure what to use it for...it turned out perfect for straps and a pocket on this little bag.

The beige twill material is some clearance linen-like stuff I had in my stash forever. It's quite thick and I think it's cotton. I tried to get a good shot of the interior of the bag, which is lined in a contrasting fabric, but the light wasn't cooperating with me. :( There are two large pockets inside- big enough for keys and a cellphone (or BART tickets and some extra change). The lining is lightly interfaced, but I probably could have done without that since the beige twill is quite heavy.

I didn't follow a pattern for the bag, just kinda threw it together. I wanted something quite deep and not too wide so things wouldn't fall out while I was walking around SF. The bag turned out perfect- my camera, wallet and phone fit perfectly with room to spare for a map and bottle of water. We even threw some sticky buns in there while walking through Chinatown.

The big button is vintage from the stash G'Ma O gave me last year. There was a funny pucker at the top when I finished topstitching the bag and I covered it up with the button...which also happens to close up the top perfectly.

I like this bag so much that I've been using is in lieu of my normal diaperbag/purse since getting back from San Francisco even tho it's a bit too small for that. I might just have to make another, bigger one for everyday use.

love thursday (see what i see edition)

day 66 of 365

love thursday

Here we are again- has it already been a week since last Thursday?! Time flies, I guess! This week, I'm loving:

-listening to Monkey Boy & Little Man as we drive down the road at night-
MB: "Monsta! Heeeer come monsta, Ba-wai!" (Ba-wai is his word for brother)
LM: "Don't worry, I'll shot the monster with my golden pencils"
MB: "Shoot! Shoot! Me shoot!"
LM: (turns on overhead light) "This will scare the monsters away!"
MB: "Monsta go! You! Light! Monsta run!"
LM: (turns off light and makes shooting noises out the window)
MB: "Hep! Monsta coming, Ba-wai!"
LM: "Momma can drive faster than the monsters-"
MB: "Go fasta, mommy!"

They only play this little game a night in the car, and it's always started by Monkey Boy. One of these days I'll have to get the camera out to tape it.

-my new iron. We've had the same iron for probably 10 years- it was a hand me down from my dad's house when I moved out. The steam function hasn't worked in forever, and the temp control is kinda wonky (it doesn't get hot enough to press for quilting anymore). So I finally got sick of it and bought a new iron. Nothing fancy, but the new one is a lot lighter and actually produces steam. I sewed up a couple of pillowcases last night and it was so much easier to have working iron for pressing!

-fabric stash enhancement:

-watching the small men play in the local pop fountain last weekend when the temps hit 80+ degress:

-cardboard boxes

-Soulemama's new aprons/smocks

-cookies and milk for breakfast (don't tell the small men)

What are you loving this week?

love thursday

loving-

-the call of "trash truck! trash truck!" every Thursday morning as Monkey Boy and Little Man climb up onto the top bunk to look out the window as said vehicle makes its way around our cul-de-sac

-coming out one morning and seeing this:

evidently, LM was having a 'sleepover' & MB got out his own blanket/pillow to imitate big brother.

-how Monkey Boy can pronounce lots of words really well, but still calls LM "ba-wai" (for 'brother')

-insulated coffee mugs- so I can make coffee in the AM and still drink it hot two hours later (because any mom knows how difficult it is to actually get a cup of warm coffee)

-curbside-to-go at the local restuarant (where they bring the food to your car & you don't have to get out when picking up a to-go order)

-Monkey Boy blowing kisses & laughing when I 'catch' them

-toddler toes

-concentration:

-how Little Man has to read a story out of his children's bible every night, then take the bible up into his bed with him. He sleeps with it next to his pillow!

-how Monkey Boy sees trains everywhere (he even pointed at this screen on my laptop and claimed there was a train on it)

what are you loving this Thursday?

love thursday

loving-

-tomato soup & grilled cheese sandwiches

-small men crafting:


-going to Disneyland in the middle of the week

-watching Little Man picking out his reward Lego set after he finished his chore chart (two weeks' worth of stickers were required for the reward!). He was so excited to go to the Lego store and have his pick of the sets there.

-my new fondue pot- so far we've done cheese fondue and shabu shabu....next on the list is chocolate fondue

-Little Man's skill with chopsticks- he can actually pick up noodles and peas now! Pretty good for a not quite 5yr old.

-Monkey Boy's instant attachment to his new quilt

-the color commentary coming from the backseat, courtesy of Monkey Boy: "biiiig truck!" "bus! bus!" "faster faster" "biiiiig truck!"

what are you loving this week?

love thursday

loving-


this quote:
"Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michaelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children. " Pablo Casals


-the feel of freshly washed quilting fabrics out of the dryer; folding them just so and sliding them into place in the stash:

-new crafty fun:

-chocolate

-peanut butter n chocolate

-soaking in the bath with one of these

-seeing Little Man in the preschool newsletter

-crafty fingers:

what are you loving this Thursday?

love thursday

Oh what a week it's been! Both the small men are sick with some kind of pre-school borne plague. Yesterday we got a notice home from school that pink-eye is running rampant thru the student body (what kids are left after being hit with the current round of illnesses). I've been rubbing my eyes constantly since getting that notice. ugh

Things are looking up, though! Monkey Boy's fever is down under 100F and he's eating and drinking again. Little Man sounds less like an old Ford engine turning over when he coughs. Our household might actually be climbing out of the well of used tissues, 2am wake up calls and requests for sippy cups full of Gatorade.

In that vein, here's what I'm loving this week:

- my new box of goodies from Rebecca in Belgium (sorry for the lackluster pic, this is all I could get with Monkey Boy being so clingy yesterday):

This is all from the Yarn Aboard swap. Lots of fun fiber (including some from a special breed of sheep called the Ossuem (sp?)). Rebecca had the roving in the plastic bag dyed especially for me by Hello Yarn. Sweet! There were also some lovely stitch markers (already being used) and a bar of delicious handmilled soap (also already in use), as well as a tube of yummy smelling hand cream. A little pink notebook completed the package. Thanks, Rebecca! And thanks again to Amanda for running the swap.


- the rovings sweet Chelle gave me for my upcoming birthday. Also the fact that Chelle remembered it was my birthday (cuz I had pretty much forgotten! LOL), and brought cupcakes to LPK last night for everyone.

- my new Chocolate Fatale soap from WyldeIvy. It's like showering with a big bar of chocolate....yuuuuum.

- finally getting my sewing desk in order (almost). I might actually be able to put my sewing machine on top today. yay!

- the Dearest, just because.

the right time of year to visit D-Land

It has been raining for the past couple of days and it looked like rain again this morning. So what did we do? We played hooky from school and work and went to Disneyland, because we locals know that crappy weather = the shortest lines & best times.

Today could not have been more perfect. First, the monorail (or "Spencer train" as Monkey Boy calls it) was finally operating again. So the small men were quite happy and so were the Dearest and I since that means we don't have to walk all the way thru Downtown Disney, or put up with the lines at the entrance. Woot!

The park was so empty that we basically walked onto every ride. The most we waited was about 10 minutes. Plus the employees/cast members were really easy going today. There was a lot of "Oh, you don't have get to get off when we're done. Go ahead and go again." The musical bands were out in force, too. I think we counted three bands in one circuit of Main Street!

Little Man was very interested in going on all the boat-ish rides: the ferry to Tom Sawyer's island was a hit. We spent quite some time on TSI, running over the bridges and into the caves. (LM wanted to know if the caves were haunted. When I assured him that they weren't, he was finally willing to go in.) Then Monkey Boy and LM saw the big Mark Twain steampship and wanted to go on that.

Because they weren't at all busy, we were able to go up to the wheelhouse! The small men were super excited to be '' the way up high". I think Monkey Boy's day was made when he was allowed to pull the whistle. Check out the short video clip:

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

We hit a couple of more rides after that and then headed on home as it was getting late. We're already hoping for more gray and gloomy weather soon so we can go back in the next week or two.

And for this week's love thursday, may I present the photo edition:


::brothers::concentration::joy::


What are you loving this week?

the start of something new & love thursday

Another sweater for LittleMan:

A pirate sweater to match LM's Pirate Hat (click photo to see more info)

...and love thursday (better late than never)... loving:

-the GIANT bubbler I found at le Target:

day 24 of 365

Monkey Boy can finally make his own bubbles without making a mess all over me or himself. Plus this thing is so huge that it holds a whole bottle of bubbles- less time spent re-filling. It's about the size of a 1 gallon paint can!

-when the small men hold hands and walk together (I need a pic of this)

-the anticipation of *finally* getting my hair cut tomorrow

-good, runny, stinky cheese + crackers

-homemade minestrone soup

-handcrafted soaps (you gotta try the beer & honey or the java orange mint)

-hearing LittleMan ask for "hot chocolate & marshmallows, please" before bed

And what are you loving this week?

love thursday

First off, I had several people asking me about my opinions on the Swish superwash yarn I used to make the Drive Thru sweaters for the small men. I'm working on a real review-like post for that, so keep an eye out.

Now onto the things I'm loving this Thursday:

-warm basil beer bread, pungent with Welcome Ale and spread with Plugra

-Monkey Boy's trouble-making ways:

(he was busy "washing his hair" with a bottle of gel while I was trying to take the photos of Veste Everest. No wonder he was so quiet!)

-my new necklace from Little Put Books :

-Top Chef

-sleepy little men:

-watching Little Man set up a bunch of child-sized lounge chairs so he and all his friends could relax:

-time spent with my small men (how can I love them so much?)


-vegging in front of the TV and having the Dearest appear with a Drumstick for me (he's psychic like that)

-sipping hot vanilla creme coffee with milk

-stealing the Dearest's sweater to wear and feeling like he's hugging me all day because the sweater smells yummy like him

-new books to share with the small men

So, what are you loving this Thursday?

love thursday & a request

this thursday, I'm loving:

-coming home to the smell of fresh baked choco chip cookies, especially if I didn't have to make them! (thanks, Dearest!)

-cool winter weather

-Little Man coming home from a playdate with the little neighbor girl, covered in glittery makeup (neighbor girl got play makeup for Christmas!). Hearing LittleMan tell me about how they played dress up and he was dressed 'like a regular person'.

-finding great books by reading other blogs. The small men are loving "Poetry Speaks to Children" and so am I. The illustrations are great fun and there are some rollicking poems in the book. We haven't even listened to the CD yet and the book has already become a favorite.

-on-line shopping! I hit all the great on line stores for after-Christmas sales and got some cool deals. The UPS guy is at my house practically every day now, as the packages roll in. On-line shopping: I can do it while the small men play, in the comfort of my own home and not have to drag them out to the mall. Throw in great deals and free shipping: What *isn't* there to love?

-finishing a project (Little Man's Pirate Hat) and starting another (socks for me). Love that feeling of expectation and excitement when I'm casting on.

-feeling not-sick after a month and a half of everyone being ill

-lunch out with the small men...they are getting big enough now that I can take them both to a restaurant and half-way enjoy a meal.

-playing trains with Monkey Boy:

photo #10 of 365

-the anticipation of an upcoming date night with the Dearest

What are you loving this week?

Oh, and in case you haven't hit an announcement about National Delurking Week anywhere else, here's mine:

(graphic courtesy of Life with 4 Kids)

So you lurkers out there, leave me a comment! No more lurking! At least not for the rest of this week. :)

love thursday

Today is cold and dreary....looks like rain but I doubt there will actually be any. Weather aside, here's what's I'm loving this week:

-recipes off the internet; I've found so many great, yummy recipes by consulting the great Google god. With such a huge variety of recipes to choose from and an almost instant way to sort them, I've pretty much given up on using my cookbooks. Yesterday in a fit of purging, I cleaned off the bookshelf in the kitchen, boxing up all the cookbooks except one or two favorites. Boy there those books dusty. I guess it's been a while since I've used them!

-purging our stuff. It feels great to look over a formerly cluttered shelf and see it clean & organized. Our house will never be model clean, but I prefer 'homey' over 'musuem-like' any day.

-homemade buttermilk biscuits, warm from the oven & spread with Plugra.

-playdates

-taking the boys to get our 'popcorn popped' aka going to the chiropractor. Monkey Boy always laughs and laughs when he's getting adjusted- he says it "twickels". Little Man claims that he is taller when he leaves the chiro's office.

-fresh blueberries

-warm sheets out of the dryer; even better is pulling on a warm pair of jeans out of the dryer!

-listening to Little Man count as he gives me 15 kisses in a row

-my "little helper"; LM has been taking the ornaments off the tree and putting them in a pile to 'help' me clean up:

-hanging out with friends at LPK on Wednesday nights. Great conversations, funny ladies and lots of laughs. The uninterrupted knitting time is a bonus.

-Monkey Boy's fascination with big shoes:

What are you loving this thursday?

love thursday (the holiday edition)

loving-

- making cookies with the boys for gift giving

-listening to Little Man explain to Monkey Boy how the gears on the train set work

-the sweet, luscious smell of top of Monkey Boy's head when I'm rocking him to sleep

-gift cards (new boots for free! woot!)

-being lucky enough to have a wonderful MIL (mother in law) who will watch the small men for a couple of hours so I can hit the mall for after-Christmas shopping

-my new jacket

-the smell of bread baking

-hearing the wind and rain on the windows while I'm snuggled under a quilt with my knitting, watching a Law & Order, CI marathon

-my lil' photog:

-the Dearest (who uncomplainingly put up with my crazy family all year long)

-clean kitchen counters (we'll see how long that lasts)

-my new iPod dock for the van- thanks to the Dearest who was probably tired of hearing me complain about not being able to use my iPod while driving. Love it- now I can listen to audiobooks in the car, too.

And what are you loving this thursday?

love thursday, one day late...

loving:

-cool Fall days and foggy nights

-rainy evenings

-Wendy's Drive Thru pattern (I'll post photos of the WIP later)

-the sound of laughter as the small men chase each other through the hallway

-handknit socks

-finishing my Christmas shopping online (now all I have to do is sit back and wait for the packages to roll in...much better than fighting the crowds)

-Trader Joe's fish sticks & homemade tartar sauce

-how the Dearest bathes the small men every night so I can clean up the kitchen and get some 'me' time

-exuberance:

more photos here

-finding the small men engrossed in their Leapsters after I get out of the shower:

love thursday

-hot matzo ball soup (I pretty much follow this method, but I add egg noddles for the small men)

-hearing Monkey Boy say "yummmeee" when he eats his soup

-getting to carpool pickup at the preschool early enough to catch a glimpse of Little Man on the playground. Love to watch how he plays and interacts with the other kids when I'm not around. So funny!

-Disneyland in December- we visited on Monday and it was wonderful. Lines were mellow enough for us to try two new rides with the small men. The weather was lovely (cool and sunny). And there are enough lights, ornaments and tinsel spread around to decorate a small country.

-garden gnomes:

-sliding my cold feet under the warm quilt at bedtime

-snuggling on the couch with Monkey Boy after he wakes up from his nap

what are you loving this Thursday?

love thursday

The other day I started thinking about how much I enjoy writing my love thursday posts. It forces me to think about all the things big and little that I love and am grateful for. Sometimes it's hard to remember how blessed I am when I'm in the middle of a frustrating moment. So, here's this week's love thursday-

loving....
-hot chocolate with whipped cream on top

-after-Thanksgiving leftovers

-warm-from-the-oven homemade cornbread with butter and honey

-weather cold enough to start wearing sweaters

-twinkling Christmas lights

-the way the sun slants and sets now that it's winter. We get the most lovely soft yellow light toward the end of the day

-Monkey Boy throwing open our door in the morning and coming over to my side of the bed to shout "Hi Mommeeee" as a wake up call

-fresh pumpkin bread with chocolate chips and a cup of coffee

-Pumpkin Spice creamer- yummy!

-reading books with the small men curled up next to me

what are you loving this Thursday?