My Sweetheart

Today is my sweetheart's birthday (yeah!). He's getting old. He forgets his age, his phone number easily escapes his grasp, and he's getting gray hairs in his "beard". Yet he can still spout off more details then you knew existed about almost any event in history, he actually knows the answers to all the rhetorical questions people ask, and he can learn anything in ten seconds flat! He thrives on learning and discovery. A science geek through and through. But that's only what you all get to see. I get to see the part that does the dishes I've left in the sink, the side that lets me sleep in even though I know he's just as exhausted, the side that everyday chooses to spend his time doing things I know he'd rather not just because it makes me smile. What can I say, I'm madly in love with him gray hairs and all. Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

hmmm...not so much

So kinda funny story. Yesterday while working on a quilt I decided that I just had to make a skirt. I have this one knit skirt that I just LOVE. I'd wear it everyday in the summer if my kid didn't render that impossible within the first five minutes of the day. So I decided I need to make more. The picture in my head goes something like this...nice simple black knit circle skirt with appliqued red flowers. Well as you can see from the picture (don't look to close, it's really not that flattering) there are no flowers; and here's why. I've never made a skirt in my life, nor have I ever worked with knits before. What made me think I could do this I don't know, probably insanity. It started out okay. I pulled out my favorite skirt (or as I like to call it, my lollipop skirt), used it as a pattern and just started cutting and sewing. Well, it doesn't fit quite right, due to a cutting error, but I at least know how to fix that part, and I wished every other minute that I had a serger, but what gets me is that I couldn't for the life of my hem the darn thing. Is there some secret chant you need to know in order to hem knit? At first I thought that it was the curve of the bottom that was giving me problems. After unpicking the hem twice I decided to just cut it off and have a straight hem. Well I couldn't hem that either, not to mention the fact that apparently I can't cut straight and the hem had a couple "peaks" to it. (Luckily that doesn't show too much.) So way too many hours later, most of which was spent unpicking, which is probably my least favorite activity in the world, I had a skirt that I couldn't hem, didn't fit right and really is basically see through. Sigh. I tried. My dear husband made it a little better with his suggestion of lining it with a fun color and then making those "peaks" more prominent, so it looks like it's on purpose. Which is a great idea, if only I knew how to line things. So really the up shot of all this is 1) I need serious help in the knit department. 2) I should think before I cut. 3) That picture is one I'll stash away and never show anyone ever again. And.. 4) This would be a lot easier if I had a serger. Anybody know where I can find a cheap one, or someone want to donate to my pathetic cause?


PS. Sorry for the long, rambling post. As you can see I have yet to make peace with the skirt. Maybe tomorrow.

Just for Steve

So this post is dedicated to our friend Steve, the Lichen King. Whenever we see lichen one of us inevitably mentions Steve. Last summer up in Canada we saw this specimen and decided to take pictures. We had grand plans to make the pictures into a card and send it to him. We even composed a cheesy, poorly written poem for the inside. Well Steve here's your card in electronic form.

"Thinking of you"

When ever we see a colorful rock
We are filled with a powerful shock

We think of Steve and what he would say
"Why that's a Petraphillaorangea!"

Over the River and through the woods.....

Okay so we didn't go to Gum Gum's (Grandma), but she did come here, along with Bop Bop (Grandpa) and Uncle Onion (Uncle William)! It was a blast! Here our the highlights of their extended weekend visit.....

Of course there was a visit to the train...ah...I mean Zoo.


Reading with Onion and Gum Gum (not pictured)


Playing "hide and seek" Ben style.


Ridiculous looking donuts.
(Yes that is actually bacon on that maple bar)



And last but certainly not least...techno dancing.
Fortunately for all of you what you don't see in this video is that all of us were enlisted to join in the fun, including the flops. But the sight of us all jiggling around would have probably scarred you for life. Consider yourselves saved.

All together a wonderful, but too short few days. Full of good food, good fun, and great family! We even got to video chat with Annie and Aaron, who have now been dubbed Auntie and Uncle Dubai. We only wish Nina could have had some part in it. Maybe next time!

Change is good?

So I decided to change things up a bit with the color/layout. Take the poll over on the left and tell me what you think!

Try and try again....

Like so many red blooded half American parents we got Ben a cute new outfit to wear on Easter Sunday. Also like so many red blooded half American parents we wanted to get a picture of him in his cute new sweater vest outfit. Well like any red blooded half Canadian two year old Ben didn't quite agree, but we tried.....and we tried....and we tried......

....this is the best one we got!

Happy Easter! We wish you all the spirit of the Lord in your lives. He Lives!! And He will come again.

Naked Noodles

We have a long standing tradition in our house of "naked noodles". It originated when a set of new parents realized that it was just easier to strip their children down to diapers then to attempt to revive an outfit after a spaghetti sauce ambush. Below is a clip of a local "naked noodles" expert explaining the intricacies of this superb dish. However the interview is in benglish and we have yet to find a translator. Our apologies.