Category Archives: A Little of Everything

carving out a corner

baby corner

Here’s Eva’s corner in my room– full of things that could each be a blog post in and of themselves.

a new moses basket and hand knits

There’s the new Moses basket I designed that will be my next baby gear sewing pattern (the SweetPod Sleep Spot maybe?), new handknit booties and hat for a fresh head and toes…

newborn diaper stash

the newborn diapers all freshly washed and waiting…

hexagon stripe quilt

a newly slip-covered rocking chair and a hexagon stripe quilt…

On Monday I had contractions every 10 minutes ALL DAY LONG– from about 7:30 in the morning until 9:30 or so at night.  While I could tell that it wasn’t quite the real thing yet I also felt like it could turn very real any second.  I was on a roller coaster of thought and emotion.  I wasn’t ready!  I need this one last week!  My shelves and refrigerator were empty– so a major grocery shopping trip was accomplished and eased some of the unready feelings.  We braved the new Ikea to buy that new dresser we really needed when the last baby was born so we could have a place to keep clothes and blankies.  I think my body was just trying to tell me to get with it, stop dilly-dallying.  There will be a baby coming next week, or the next.  My days with Hunter as the baby are numbered– as are my days of needing help rolling over in bed.

Last night, as the sky looked like this:

FULL rainbow!

I relished in the wonderful day I had swimming with my kids and stocked my freezer with 3 pans of Chicken Enchiladas.  Today is Lasagna day.

And I’m feeling ready– with each day a little more.

 

 

 

13 years ago

13 years ago

We were both just 20 years old.

We were soul mates from the moment we met, so even though we were so young, after 2 years of dating we knew it was time.

It was time to make it real and forever because we really couldn’t imagine being without each other.

And now we’ve lived in 4 states.  We’re waiting for our 6th baby to join us in a few weeks.

When we were both 20 years old I don’t think we had a clue what love really was, what it meant to build a family, what true happiness was and where to find it…

anniversary flowers

but 13 years later we’re starting to see.

And let me tell you– he is even better in every way than I had ever imagined, even in my 20-year-old naivety and idealism.

anniversary flowers

Happy Anniversary Barry.  I love you more than I know how to say.

You are my best.

anniversary flowers

summer, crazy summer

So, I’ve been pretty neglectful of this space.  Barry had most of June off as he wound down from one assignment and prepared to start a command position this past week.  That was such a wonderful break– I never got a chance to make dinner (bummer), only had to deal with half of the poopy diapers, and had time to work on designing a new sewing pattern!  It also meant that I had a hard time figuring out my routine and how to have my own computer time.  Hopefully for the next week or so I’ll have a bit of a normal routine, but then on to swimming lessons and then a new baby…

But, do you want to see what we did today?

sand and water

floating

boys

fast fun

buddies

We went to the reservoir with friends with boats.  Why is it that every time we get to go boating I can’t water ski because I’m pregnant?  I guess since I’ve been pregnant for something like 12 years straight (or at least it feels that way).  It was still fun– my little Hunter just snuggled up as close as he could to me and fell asleep to the hum of the motor, the fresh air, and sunshine.

our exotic vacation to the potato capital of the world

I’m an Idaho girl born and raised– but I didn’t grow up in potato growing Idaho.  In fact, I don’t think I really saw a potato field until I was a teenager.  I grew up in Boise, which is about as citified as Idaho can get.  (And really one of the coolest cities there is, in my humble opinion.  The Denver area, where we live now, is pretty cool, but way too big for me.  Boise is like a mini Denver.)

My brother, however, married a girl from the potato capital of the world and lives there now.  We decided to make this year’s Idaho trip to their neck of the woods.  No matter where you go, if you’re with family it’s the perfect place.  We had fun.

Hone house in progress

My brother and his family spent the winter making this little house, built in something like 1913, livable.  For $19,000 they got some good bones, but had to totally gut it.  The before pictures are pretty scary.  It amazes me how some people choose to live.  The plaster had completely fallen off the walls in some places so you could see right outside through the walls.  My brother and his wife didn’t realize that the black sink was really bright orange enamel until they did a little cleaning before the kitchen demolition.  My brother’s done an amazing job turning it into a lovely home for his family. They’ve just got to build a garage and put siding on and they can say it’s done.

My parents came out too and brought one of my little nieces.

The kids played outside every second they could.

the littlest ones playing in the rocks

We got there just in time to see a baby gecko hatch!

hatching gecko

freshly hatched

 

We went swimming at Lava Hot Springs,

Baya swimming

cousins

too big for the floaty

muscles?

played with Papa at the park,

Papa pushing

and celebrated his birthday.

happy birthday papa!

Did you know that there is an entire museum dedicated to the Idaho potato?

did you know there was such a place?

Well, now you do.  One thing I learned is that potatoes are native to South America.  They were brought to Europe by Spanish explorers, spread throughout Europe, and then were later brought to North America.  So even though Idaho is so uniquely suited to potato growing they’re not from there.  I never knew that.

More importantly, though, the museum houses the largest collection of potato mashers (neatly displayed thanks to some kid’s Eagle Scout project) and the world’s largest Pringle (technically a potato “crisp”).

world's largest potato

There was also some prep for the front walk to be done, so all the boys pitched in to help.

the whole team diggin' in the dirt

Little kids sure love to do REAL work.

dig, dig, dig

It kept them busy for a long time.

I sure love my family and it was so good to visit Tyler and Katie and their cute boys.  Cramming 7 extra people (or 10!) into a little house with one bathroom can be a little crazy– but it was good crazy.  And too short.

(We did venture farther than the Potato Museum– that’s where we saw the bison I posted the other day.  It will take a whole other post to show you that, so come back tomorrow.)