A Schott of Class

A Blanket for My Mom

2011-05-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

My mom has been wanting me to knit her a throw for a while now and here's the thing about my lovely momma: She is the least and yet the most picky person on the planet. She says she would love anything I made, and I know that she would in a way. However, I know her better than she knows herself and I wanted her to really REALLY love it, and so the choice of pattern and yarn were crucial. My mom likes things a very certain way even if she doesn't like to admit it :)

I wanted to find a pattern that would make a stunning and comfortable blanket that wasn't too plain but wasn't too busy. I also wanted to find a yarn that was washable (very important), soft, and the perfect color. It took a long time for me to find the perfect choices. I ordered many different colors of yarn that ended up not working before finding the exact shade I was looking for. In the end it was well worth the effort. I finally found this free pattern through ravelry.com. I used Patons Shetland Chunky yarn in soft teal.

The pattern wasn't too difficult. It was the first time I had done any cable knitting (believe it or not) so that was a bit of a challenge at first, but as a whole it was a fun project. It definitely wasn't a beginner's blanket, nor was it a quick knit. I didn't anticipate how long it would take, but luckily I finished it just in time for Mother's Day!

I have to say that I'm more proud of the way this cable throw turned out than anything else I've ever knitted! It is exactly what I knew she would want and I was right. She loves it :)

Another fun thing I did for Mother's Day was order cards from shutterfly.com! They have cards that are really pretty and then you can add your own photo and personalize the wording and everything. Anyways, I found the sweetest and most perfect old photo to put on my mom's card. It is us walking through Yosemite hand in hand. I am four and my mom is twenty-six, which is my current age. I remember this trip so well.

Isn't it precious? I'm so lucky to have such an amazing mom and I hope that one day I can be half the mom that she has always been to me. I haven't always been a great daughter, but I'm working on making up for it now so that's what counts right?

The Art of Film - Two Parts

2011-03-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

part 1.

I hope you don't mind if I go on and on today. If you do, oh well, I'm going to anyway :) I've got two things to talk about both related to the art we all love: film. Matt and I have been watching a lot of foreign films lately. I am usually not a huge fan of reading subtitles because I like to knit while watching and you obviously can't knit, read subtitles and watch the movie at the same time. But, lately foreign flicks are almost all I want to watch. I think they are a little more inventive and artistic in other countries when they make their movies. You also get a glimpse of their culture and a feel for the way they live when you watch them, which I love.

Last night Matt and I watched Amélie, a French film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Netflix gave it five stars for us and it received 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, I had put off watching it for a long time because the trailer didn't really appeal to me. However, Matt's cousin posted on Facebook that she and her groom-to-be watched and loved it so I decided we should give it a go. I loved loved loved adored adored adored it! It was absolutely the cutest movie I've ever seen in my life. Everything about it was unique. I hear all of the director's movies are fantastic so I am looking forward to finding out for myself (without any reservations this time).

Now I'll get to my real point; what I got on here to talk about.

If you watch European movies you have probably noticed the contrast between their cultural views on sex and violence on screen, and ours. I was thinking about it today, and the perception over there really makes a lot more sense... Before you go and roll your eyes, hear me out. They are very open with sex and nudity, but very strict on violence, and we are definitely the opposite. Our nation is no stranger to sex scenes in movies, but it is very different. It's hard to explain. Sex doesn't seem to be as glamorized or (for lack of a better term) "porno-like" in most European countries. Love scenes in their movies are more nonchalant and seem to pass as easily through a film as a scene of someone eating breakfast. I'm not saying they are all like this, but it has certainly been my experience with the films I've watched. There may be a lot of nudity in a say a French or Spanish movie but you almost never see a horrific murder scene.

This really got my wheels turning... Why is it that it is so extremely uncomfortable to watch a love scene when your grandma is in the room, but you don't give a second thought to watching someone being shot in the head? Mating is as natural as breathing in the animal world. What is unnatural and what we should shy away from and feel uncomfortable with is violence. I believe it is just so embedded in American culture that we don't stop to give it a second thought.

I really want to try to implement the "European approach" to restriction on television and movies when raising my children. I don't ever want my children to be able to watch a human or any other animal being put to death by a violent act without emotion. Likewise, I do not want their reaction to be excitement over how "action-packed" a movie or television show is due to it's violent content. And, along with that, I don't want to make sexuality and nudity such a huge forbidden issue (when they reach an appropriate age of course). I think it should be more of a open non-issue. I'm not positive but I'm willing to bet they have a lower rate of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases over there than we do. Maybe I'm wrong though. And, I'm positive it is much easier said than done. Like my Dad always tells me, I'll know when I have my own children.

*Please note that I am in no way, shape or form putting down any of my friends or family for however they've chosen to raise their kids. I'm just thinking out loud. Feel free to disagree with me :)

part 2.

Another thing I was thinking about earlier today was music videos. Remember those?? I used to always watch music videos while I was getting ready for school in the morning, but I hadn't seen one in forever until I searched it out. Musicians still make them! MTV doesn't seem to have them at all anymore, and does VH1 still even exist? Where do they air them? I guess maybe they just make them so their fans can watch them online and have an image to go along with their tune. I was delighted to discover that some of my favorite songs to listen to right now also have amazing videos! Yay! Here are a few that make me extremely happy to be alive. They are beautiful and I hope you will take some time to watch :)
P.S. For those of you who aren't computer savvy, if you want to watch the video full screen you just click on the video and it will take you to the youtube website. Once you're there you can click on the four arrows in the bottom right-hand corner to enlarge the video.

Happy Monday

This song had no video, only the audio with the lyrics. I'm still adding it at the risk of people thinking I've gone over the "hippie" edge. I don't care. I absolutely LOVE this song. It perfectly sums up how I have been feeling about spirituality in a catchy little piece of happiness.

Knitting for Babies

2011-02-19T22:26:00.000-08:00

My sweet cousin in Arkansas just had a baby girl. I wanted to knit her a couple things and I thought this super cute little cardigan from Susan B. Anderson's Itty-Bitty Nursery and an absolutely precious bunny beanie that I found in the free patterns on ravelry.com would be perfect.

I added the lady bug from a different pattern book just for a fun bonus. I thought it was cute:)

I had so much fun knitting this sweater. I may even knit one extra just in case I ever have a daughter.

And with Easter coming up soon I thought this would be darling. The ears don't stay up so I was pretty disappointed with that. I used a soft yarn and I should have chosen a wool yarn or something that was a little stiffer. Oh well, you live you learn.

Have a happy three day weekend!!!

A Perfect Day With My Perfect Valentine

2011-02-14T10:25:00.000-08:00

Matt and I celebrated Valentine's Day yesterday. We had a little blast of springtime this weekend. It was about sixty-five degrees and sunny, which in my book is just right. I made pancakes with maple glaze and chocolate covered bacon for breakfast.We read in bed and took walks and got coffee and sat in the sun.

We went and saw a late afternoon movie called L'illusionniste or The Illusionist (in English). It's an animated French film that I've been so looking forward to coming to Davis. I absolutely loved it. Every bit of it. It wasn't subtitled so I had no idea what was being said. That was never much of a problem though as it was practically a silent film. The music was so lovely and the artwork was absolutely stunning. It was such a treat to the eyes. It was simple and romantic somehow. I think watching a movie like that in such an old and beautiful theatre at a time when there's almost no one else there is so fun. Matt loved it too. It was a delight.

For dinner Matt made steak and scallops, herb red potatoes, salad, and chocolate covered strawberries. We ate on the living room floor and lit candles and had wine. It was so delicious. I honestly don't know how he does it but he is like a magician when it comes to food.

It was the best Valentine's Day I ever had, even if it was early:)

P.S. Matt had these cards sent to me in three parts, with the last one arriving today. He's so cute.

Resolutions

2011-01-11T10:29:00.000-08:00

I know the time for New Year's resolutions was over a week ago, but I needed some time to really think it through. Resolutions are not something to be all willy-nilly about. They're serious business. I decided to go with eleven in honor of it being 2011.
For those of you who know me, if you see me straying from this list say something. No one would ever accomplish anything without motivation and people to keep them accountable. Well, maybe some people would but I am definitely not one of those people.

Resolutions:
(I hope you don't mind that I'm going to be speaking directly to myself.)

1. Gossip less. Be someone who never says anything about anyone that doesn't come from a loving place. Don't be petty. Let go of your judgments and become more open, accepting and tolerant. Remember to be kind and generous with your thoughts and especially your words.

2. Start a new book every month, and make some of those books informative about cultures you don't know much about. The more you know, the more you grow. Remember to constantly be changing your worldview. It will make you a better person.

3. Teach Kiddo at least one new useful life skill and one new sign. Remember repetition. Don't get discouraged and keep at it.

4. Lose weight. Not just the weight you gained by eating too much dressing and pie, but a substantial amount of weight. And, lose it the healthy way; slow and steady. Exercise more and implement portion control. Do not set ridiculous, unattainable goals like losing 40 lbs. in 3 months. Remind yourself everyday that your weight loss has to be about a long, healthy life. Do not make it about vanity because when it becomes about vanity you give up. Don't give up. If you eat Taco Bell on Saturday it doesn't give you an excuse to eat poorly on Sunday.

5. Volunteer your time and resources to at least two local organizations. Just because you may not have a lot of money to give doesn't mean you can't give your time. Do not just say you're going to and let it slip your mind. Actually go out and make it happen.

6. Remember your word for this year. (My mother-in-law told me she thinks my word for the year should be "release", which I think is absolutely perfect.) Stop stressing over things that are out of your control. Don't obsess over your future and make so many lists (except this list, of course) and timelines. Release your anxiety and learn to relax. You and Matt will accomplish your goals when you do. Matt will get into school if he's meant to. You will have children when God gives them to you. Just stop and release. Everything will always be okay.

7. Learn to cook. I mean really and truly learn to cook. Watch Matt, find recipes and go for it. Try to think of it as fun instead of your preconceived ideas about how hard it is. Ina didn't get where she is today by sitting around and thinking about how she'd like to start cooking. Get in the kitchen, start out simple and learn it. Then get good at it, but that can be next year's resolution...

8. Knit, sew and paint more this year. Learn new techniques. Find patterns that challenge you.

9. Get closer to God. Remember that no matter what it does not matter what you do or don't believe. All that matters is that you give thanks daily to the One who loves you and created you. Do not let your confusion about religion discourage your spirituality. Remember how much better you feel when you pray. Put your worries into God's hands. He (or She) has it under control.

10. Try your best daily to be a better wife, daughter, sister, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, granddaughter, niece, cousin, caretaker, and friend. If you fail one day, try harder the next.

11. Remind yourself daily of your blessings. Be thankful everyday that you get to wake up next to a husband you adore and go to a job that you love. Be thankful that you are capable of doing all the things on this list.

*Bonus Resolution:
This is more like a wish. Win the HGTV Deam Home. :)

Holidays=Food, & Lots of It!

2011-01-05T10:38:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! School is out, and now I can hopefully blog a bit more often! How was your holiday season? We had such a blast! We spent a lot of in-between time meeting up with friends in from out of town and hanging out with our families. Much of our holidays were spent eating a TON of delicious food. I think I gained something like 6 lbs. in 6 weeks.... I have to say it was completely and totally worth it ;)

Matt and I spent Thanksgiving with his family and we cooked the whole dinner for the first time! Well, Matt's brother Danny did make the green bean bake, but we did everything else. We did it all from scratch; the turkey baste, the dressing, everything. I made sweet potato balls and some gooey butter cake that was amazing, if I do say so myself. Matt's sausage and pecan dressing was out of this world. Needless to say, it was a Thanksgiving where maternity pants would have came in handy. Mona has been making Thanksgiving dinner for 30 years so I thought she deserved a break. To all of you who cook these meals year after year: you are incredible! I do not know how you do it. It is so much preparation and work!

Pretty, huh?

We had a great Christmas too, which we didn't do any cooking for. My mom's dinner was amazing. She made a corn dish that was sooo yummy! I'll get the recipe from her soon and share it with you all:) My parents got us a new TV, which was totally unexpected and awesome! We have been using a large computer monitor as a television for a couple years now so having a real one is like living in another world. After dinner we did our annual dessert and game night at my aunt's. It was hilarious as usual, especially since we played a lot of Catch Phrase. I'm thinking next year we should introduce some charades into the mix!

My birthday, as you may know, is two days after Christmas. Matt and I didn't really do much. I'm always so tired by my birthday. I turned 26... I know to a lot of you it will sound silly, but it was pretty depressing. I'm getting painfully close to the dreaded "30" mark. Which, of course, means that I'm all too close to the "ticking biological clock" stage of my life. That's such a scary thing to say or type out loud, in this case. Matt and I are still no where near ready for children, but as Matt gets closer and closer to 29 I feel a little bit of a sense of urgency about it. It's still okay to produce offspring into your late 30's right? Has anyone ever frozen their eggs, or read anything about freezing them? I'm guessing it's pretty expensive and I'm not really sure at what age you're supposed to do it, or how effective it is. Lately we've been thinking we may want a larger family (3-4 kids) so the rush to get started has intensified.

Moving right along... (Writing about freezing eggs is starting to give me high anxiety, ahhhh!) We had a nice New Year as well. We went to a friend's little party. It was relaxing and fun and sort of pajama party ish. I'm always stoked to go somewhere where real clothes aren't required :) Matt made 7-layer bean dip and I made these pretty and decadent little cupcakes. I got the recipe off of foodnetwork.com so the link to the recipe is under the photo!

Click here for the recipe!

*Note: This recipe says to make these in a jumbo cupcake pan, but I made regular sized ones and they were still yummy.

For our annual Christmas goody-bags we did garlic pickles, strawberry jam, triple berry jam, and two types of candies. We made them for less people and I didn't knit anything so it was a lot less stressful than last year's. We printed out these super cute tags to label everything with too!

Well, I think that's about it! Here's a few more photos of fun, holiday-related stuff. Happy 2011 blog world!

Charlie's first Christmas ornament:)

I couldn't resist...

This was Matt's Christmas-time tee. Can any of you figure out what it means?? If you can't see it very well it is a basil, oregano, garlic, and rosemary saying, "What's new?" "Hi guys" and "How's it going?" (Mona & Mom- neither of you are allowed to guess.)

My Favorite Time of Year

2010-11-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

I love Autumn. I love the colors, the smells, the coolness, all of it. Davis is so beautiful in November. I was inspired by the changing fall colors and decided to change my hair. I am now a redhead :) I've never been one so it is definitely different but so fun! Matt and I also celebrated the new season

with a trip to Apple Hill last weekend. It was gorgeous (and tastey) as ever. It is my favorite place to take a day trip this time of year. I've been snapping photos of the trees around here with my phone and I took lots of lovely pictures in Apple Hill too. I've gone a little crazy with my retro camera application on my phone, so excuse the abundance of them. I think they're rad.

There's something about being in nature, especially in the spring and in the fall that makes me feel closer to God. It makes me feel like no matter how many doubts, confusions, struggles, and unanswerable questions I have in my search of purpose and meaning in life, there will always be this wonderful simplicity and peace in marveling over the beauty that God has created.

Inspiration

2010-10-17T19:05:00.000-07:00

The weekend is almost over. I'm so bummed :*( Our weekend has been wonderful, made even more wonderful by the rain we got today and also by the ultra delicious pumpkin chocolate chip bread Mona made us!! Ah finally fall is in the air. Here in Cali it has been hot and dry and summery up until today.

Anyways, back to why I'm here. I have been literally obsessed with a blog you may have heard of. It's called New Dress A Day! Matt actually heard about it on a podcast and ever since he told me about it I've been checking in everyday. This lovely little lady named Marisa decided she was going to make 365 dresses in 365 days for only 365 dollars! She is my quintessential creative sewing inspiration. The stuff that she finds and turns into the cutest outfit ever, well, I can hardly even believe it. Here's one of her latest creations that I loved:)

Isn't this fun?!

I've been feeling somewhat lethargic on the creative front lately. With school work, work work, family, friends, cats, husband and everything else I just haven't had time for much artistic expression. Today I decided to take some inspiration from Marisa and her pretty blue dress and make something fun for myself! I found this old blue dress that my mom got me years ago shoved in my closet. I picked it out because I loved the color so much but I've only ever worn it once because it fits me weird.

I cut the sleeves off and used the material from the skirt to make a flowy and cute top that I actually (surprisingly) love on me! I didn't even use a pattern, which I am very proud of because Lord knows I am not the greatest sewer in the world. I sewed some vintage lace on the front and I was done! An easy and cute top for free! Hooray!! I will have to post a photo of it on me because it looks a little frumpy on the hanger, but it is much cuter on. I am going to try to make a few more things out of some more unwearable items in my closet soon so keep an eye out for that :)

Here's a close up of the lace:)

Oliver even got creative and used the scraps as a blanket! He takes after his mom ;)

Things That Make Me Happy

2010-09-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

triple berry jam made by amazing husband and wife duos (aka Matt and me)

seeing a sweet little deer family

hot air balloons floating around on gorgeous days

curling up in the sun with Charlie

& Oliver

happy weekend :-)

Knit, Read, Love

2010-09-09T15:49:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've said anything yet on my blog, but I started back to school this semester:) I went to a community college right out of high school and ended up there for three years... I kept changing my mind about what I wanted to major in and ended up slacking off and taking more classes than I needed. You know how that goes (well, maybe you do). Then I decided to stop going because I was just confused and tired of school. Sometimes I start to let myself regret it and then I remember that without my decision to delay my education and move away from home to try to find out what it was that I wanted to do with my life I would have never met my husband. With Matt's motivational push and support I signed up at a community college here in Davis to take the remaining three classes I need to move on and take major courses. I have decided to study English. I'm not exactly sure what I will end up doing with it, but I know myself well enough to know that I would be miserable studying any other subject. Literature and writing are the only academic things that I have any passion for.

The classes I am in now have nothing to do with English but nevertheless I am really enjoying them. Now that I'm a grown up I can actually absorb and appreciate learning without just impatiently trying to get through a class, with my mind constantly on the next social event or how to do the least amount of work and text reading and still get a good score in the class. I am especially loving my women's history class.

Anywho, I have been a busy busy bee. I work before and after my classes almost everyday. I'm out the door before 7 and I don't get back until after 6 so I've been pretty tired. Last weekend Matt and I decided to just take it easy. We didn't go anywhere or see anyone. We just stayed at home and slept in, read, watched movies and vegged out. Most of my time was spent working on Matt's sweater while he read Anna Karenina to me. Those three days were just what we needed to recharge our batteries:)

Here's how far I've gotten with Matt's sweater. I completed the back, the right front and I'm almost done with the left front! There's no knitting in the round on this bad boy so stitching this sucker up is going to be a pain in the butt!

There's my sweet boys:) Charlie is almost as big as Oliver now. People always think I pose them for these pictures but I honestly don't at all. They really cuddle this hard. I don't think there are two cuter kitties on this planet but I'm biased:)

This is the only tomato that we've had turn red thus far.... It's a grape tomato. We got really excited and split it. Isn't that just the saddest, most pathetic thing you've ever heard? We have a ton of green tomaters but I'm guessing it's getting a little late at this point for them to turn red. Well, we tried! Matt says no more porch gardens. We will just have to wait until we have a back yard I guess :*(

I liked what my tea had to say. Tea sayings are insightful and popsicle stick sayings are funny. I like food and drinks that talk to me:)

August Fun

2010-08-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

I have really been neglecting my blog :( Well, actually I've been neglecting all my creative activities. My knitting, sewing and even my exercise routine have been kind of on the back burner this month. Matt was furloughed for a couple weeks this month and Kiddo went on a vacation with his dad so we had some time off together. It was the longest stretch of time we have just been together in... well ever! We spent the time relaxing and reading and just generally enjoying time together. We went to my parent's for a couple days to celebrate my grandma's birthday, which was a lot of fun. Most importantly though, we bought a new car! After a lot of test drives, debates and some serious research we decided to get a new Honda Fit. We absolutely love it! Right after we got it we took it on a day trip to Petaluma with Mom-in-law:)

We had so much fun in Petaluma. If you live in California and you love antiquing you absolutely have to plan a little trip there! There is the most darling and wonderful yarn shop in downtown Petaluma. Of course, Mona and I were like kids in a candy/toy/ice cream shop once inside. I wish so badly there was something like it around Davis! The shop is called Knitterly (click to check out their website) and it is as cheerful and charming and cozy as any place I've ever been. My pictures don't do it justice, but you can get an idea:) We had a great day with Mona and a great time in our new car, which I also included an internet photo of.

This month we also went to Dillon Beach, which is right outside of Bodega Bay to camp for the weekend! It was a weekend to celebrate Matt's birthday because Matt likes to have extended birthday celebrations. Matt's dad, brother and sister went along with a bunch of friends and my little brother and his girlfriend. We had a blast. It was a little cold, but such a gorgeous beach and such a cool campground for big groups. It was nice to have everyone together like that. It's not often we get to be with any of Matt's family and my family at the same time:) It got a little crazy, a little wild and it was one of the most fun camping trips I've ever been on. Granted I'm not much for camping either, but this was definitely a good time. Here are just a couple of the pics from the weekend...

Here is Amy (my brother's gf), Katie (my sis-in law) and me:) Oh, and of course, Rouzbeh made it in the photo :/

Matt and his family minus Mona, who doesn't really do camping:)

My brother aka Arnold S.

This is Matt's friend Eugene and his dog Joe Gold. I had to include this picture because it is just bizarre and weird. What's even stranger about it is how cold and misty it was at night lol! He just tied his mattress up to his truck...

Obviously I had to include a picture of Laura who made it on the last night! Yay!! ;)

So when I say we camped for a weekend it was a three night four day event. Matt wore this the entire time. He said he got to be dirty for his birthday. So gross. Stripes galore. He's an odd sort of guy.

A couple weekends ago we went on another exciting outing. My best friend Andrea's dad Ted has been white water river rafting since 1982. She invited Matt and I to come along to raft the American River with both of them and her boyfriend Gus. Neither Matt nor I had ever done this before so we had almost no idea what to expect. Boy were we in for a total surprise! I'm not sure what I had been thinking it was going to be like, but certainly I wasn't prepared for quite the adventure that it was. It was so incredibly awesome and frightening. Ted was an amazing instructor and we paddled our hearts out through all the crazy rapids. Apparently if you go in earlier summer the water is much higher and thus much faster and more intense than right now. I'm so glad we went when we did because I don't think I could have handled faster waters. It was so peaceful and beautiful and was such a gorgeous day. The last big rapid we went through really pushed my boundaries. I'm a big time scaredy cat as you may know. I don't swim in the ocean, jump out of planes or climb mountains. I very rarely drive at night and I am even afraid of sleeping next to a window (weird, I know). So this was out of my comfort zone to say the least. I was really proud of myself at the end of it all and I would love to go again. It gave me a rush and made me want to try other things that I've been afraid to try. Nothing too crazy though... I'm not going to start sleeping next to windows or anything:)

There was a photographer posted up on a rock near the last big rapid (which was called Trouble Maker by the way). When we were leaving we stopped by the photo stand and bought the disc of photos she took. They were so hilarious and cool. Here's a few I took of the day and a few of us in the midst of the chaos:)

I snapped this photo of the morning sky on the way up there. I just thought it was so beautiful:)

There's Matty, Ted and Gus.

It's funny because when I'm terrified but also having fun I laugh hysterically. I did this the whole time we rode rides in Disneyland. I think it's my way of keeping myself from crying lol. So although I look completely collected I am scared for my life at this point:) After it was over I realized my terror was needless of course. Well people do get hurt so maybe not entirely needless...

Goodbye Andrea and Ashley...

I love this one of Andrea. She got a mouth full of water.

This is a great shot. As much as it appears that we're posing for the camera, none of us knew where the photographer was.

And we did it!! I was still holding on for dear life...

I'm sorry this post is so long. I'm playing catch up:)
Yesterday was Matt's actual birthday. He turned 28. It's hard to believe he was 24 when I met him. It feels like such a short time ago, which I guess it is in some ways. We had a little party at his parent's and Mona cooked chicken divan with rice. I had never had it before and it was so so so so so tasty! YU-UM! I made a peanut butter cake because Matt loves peanut butter like no one has ever loved anything on earth. It was a Paula Dean recipe and it turned out pretty well. I wasn't the biggest fan of it (I don't love peanut butter all that much. Unless it's with marshmallow fluff or jelly, that is.), but Matt said it was the best cake he'd ever had so that's all that matters!
I don't know if I've told you all this before but Matt and our oldest kitty-son share a birthday:) We didn't know until we got Oliver's adoption paperwork in the mail after getting him that they were born on the very same day. Cute eh? :)

There's my Birthday boys! Oliver doesn't look too excited. I promise Matt isn't choking him hahaha:)

Well that's all I'm going to cram in for now:)

Have a fabulous weekend!

A Sweater for Matty

2010-07-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

Matt's birthday is coming up in late August and I was trying to think of something cool to get him. It's hard to buy for someone and make it a surprise when you share an account and live with them so I decided to make him a sweater:) I love how excited he was when I told him. I knew it would be something he would be extremely stoked about and that he would love. I found this pattern in the Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine and knew instantly that it was perfect for Matt. I think it's such a handsome cardigan!

This will possibly be my greatest knitting challenge to date. As you know, I've made a lot of accessories and a few afghans but I've never attempted a sweater. Somehow, knitting an entire article of clothing just seems overwhelming. I think I'm ready for it though, and I plan on making myself something after I've completed this:) We went to my favorite yarn store on Friday and picked up the yarn for it. The pattern calls for cashmere wool yarn that is ridiculously expensive and dry clean only. I got some bulky yarn that is 75% acrylic and 25% wool so that I can wash it and it's obviously a lot cheaper to make. I love how knitting or sewing your own clothing is more expensive than if you just bought it (insert heavy sarcasm). It honestly makes zero sense to me. But, it's more meaningful and heartfelt and I love doing it so it's worth it to me. I still feel like handmade items should be more cost effective but oh well...

The top picture is what I've done so far and the bottom is what it will look like when it's completed (hopefully). I started working on it Saturday morning. Matt took his GRE on Saturday. I wanted to have something to work on because I thought I'd be nervous and anxious while he was gone, but I was surprisingly calm. I knew in my heart that he was prepared and that he would do amazing. Of course, I was right. He is going to kill me for posting this, but I think a wife has a right to brag on her husband:) He got a 1320! That is the average GRE score of the students at Princeton by the way:) Yes, he is a genius and I couldn't be more thrilled and proud of him. He was so worried and filled with dread over the test so I am thankful that it is over and that he is satisfied with his scores, as he should be. He is starting the application process and is applying to a lot of different schools so say a prayer that he gets in. I don't doubt that there will be a school somewhere that will want him for a grad student, but it's so competitive nowadays... I like to imagine that he will wear this sweater when he is a professor someday. Doesn't it just look like a professor's cardigan? All he needs is a corncob pipe:)

In other news our tomato plants have finally blossomed! We are crossing our fingers that we will be eating yummy, fresh tomatoes soon. Does anyone know about how long it takes for the fruit to be ready once the plant blossoms?

Homemade Cinnamon Peach Ice Cream!

2010-07-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

My family came to our humble abode for a little visit yesterday. We had such a nice time. I love seeing my mom and her sisters together. They crack me up:) We went out for a great lunch and Matt thought it would be fun to make them a dessert so he made...... homemade ice cream!!! Not just any homemade ice cream, but cinnamon peach ice cream! He found the recipe on razzledazzlerecipes.com. When we went to his parent's house Friday night to borrow her ice cream maker (and do laundry, of course) Mona busted out the most adorable cups ever to serve them in. I swear there is not an occasion known to man that my mother-in-law is not prepared for! She is armed for any situation with something adorable to adorn it with:)

I cannot put how amazing the ice cream turned out into words. It was beyond words. Rich and yet light and fruity and sweet... yum yum yum! If you have an ice cream maker you have to try this. If you don't have one; go get one solely for this purpose. It had been so long since I'd had homemade ice cream. There's just nothing like it:)

Now that I've gone on and on... I hope you are all have a sweet and beautiful weekend with those you love!

Cinnamon Peach Ice Cream

Recipe:

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. salt

1 1/2 lbs. ripe fresh peaches pealed and puréed

Directions:

Combine cream and milk in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat. When mixture just begins to boil, remove from heat. Stir in half the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla until sugar dissolves. Let cool. Meanwhile, combine remaining sugar and salt with peach purée in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside until sugar dissolves. Stir sweetened milk mixture into peach purée. (May need to adjust sugar depending on sweetness of the fruit.) Chill in refrigerator. Freeze in an ice cream maker 20-30 minutes until frozen.

A Year of Classics

2010-07-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

The other day Matt and I were reading this list of the "Top 100 Classics" and it started me thinking... I haven't read even half of these! Probably half of the classics that I have read were read in middle and high school. There are several that I've read that I hardly remember. I decided to make a list of the ones I really want to read including those I want to reread. Then I decided that I should dedicate myself to this list for the next year! I've also made a little pact with myself that if I read the first 50 pages of any given book and I can't get into it I will put it down and move on. This way I wont force anything, but I can at least try them all. I have a good idea about the ones I wont make it through, but it can't hurt to try:) Matt is currently reading Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy to me every night and I love love love it. It's such a great book. We are almost halfway through it, which is quite a feat because it is a very long story! I also started reading The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway and, although I'm only about 40 pages into it, I really like it so far.

Hopefully in a year's time I can make a pretty good size dent in the list of classics I'd like to read in my lifetime. I'm not delusional enough to think I could ever read them all in a year's time (unless that was all I did all day, everyday), but hey, it's a good start! Below is a rough list of starters in no particular order. As you can see I've compiled a few copies, and I'm on the lookout for more!. If any of you have favorites I would love to hear your thoughts! If you can think of some that aren't on this list please please tell me! I'll keep you posted on my thoughts throughout my quest! It will be interesting to see how far I get by July 2011...

Lord of the Flies by William Golding (I absolutely hated this book in high school, but maybe I'll love it now!)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (This was my favorite book when I was young.)

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (Have any of you read this? The premise sounds a little ridiculous...)

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Hamlet by William Shakespeare (I'm ashamed to say I haven't read any of these three Shakespeare novels.)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (This was also one of my favorites in high school.)

Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Ulysses by James Joyce (I'm not going to kid myself, but I will be happy to make it through 50 pages!)

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

Sophie's Choice by William Styron (I'm not sure if I can handle how horribly sad this is going to be... ugh!)

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Emma by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (I hear it's a little tedious, but I may love it.)

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (One of my all time favorites, but I haven't read it in a very long time.)

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Ana Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (yah!)

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Can you believe I've never read this whole book? I love the movie!)

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (My sis-in-law inspired me to tackle this loooong story.)

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

Whew... Here I go. Wish me luck!

A Berry Good Weekend:)

2010-07-09T16:59:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great time last weekend for the 4th! We had so much fun. Matt and I stayed at his parent's all weekend and barbecued and played games and just had a good time being with family. On Saturday we went to this amazing little strawberry stand to get the absolute most juicy and delicious strawberries ever! We spent the whole day making jam. Homemade jam is hard work and pretty time consuming, but it is so very worth it to me. I feel connected to women from another time, like somehow I'm honoring them by doing something their way.... Dorky, I know, but I truly love everything homemade. It's so much more personal and also way more delicious. It was fun to do it with Matt and the whole house smelt so good like jam.We got about 25 jars of yummy tastiness out of it!

Here's FL Strawberries. It's a tiny place, but well worth your time to go check it out if you live in Northern California. It's located in Davis.

For Sunday we made a simple white cake and decorated it with blueberries and rasberries to make a berry flag! There was a little instructional video on foodnetwork.com by my favorite, Ina Garten. I love her. Anyways, it was super easy and fun to make and oh soooo delectable!

What did you do for the 4th?

The Place Where Plants Come To.... Live!

2010-06-24T16:03:00.000-07:00

Our little patio garden has finally started to gain some ground. Matt has worked super hard on all these little guys. He had to plant seeds several times to get anything in some cases... I hope we get some tomatoes and peppers sometime soon!

The begonias are coming along beautifully:)

The plants in the upsy-downsy haven't died....

The tiny basil plant is the only survivor of the herbs so far...

Gardening is apparently a lot harder than one might think!

Good job Matt:)

New Addition to Our Little Family:)

2010-06-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

Everyone I'd like you to meet the latest addition to the family, Charlie! I've been really wanting another cat. I really just wanted Oliver to have a friend. We keep Oliver strictly indoors, which makes me feel constant pains of guilt. We live in such a busy area that I just don't think it's safe for him to roam around.... I wanted him to have someone to share with and play with and generally cause mayhem with. We finally decided to go ahead and we went to the SPCA and feel in love with this little guy. There were so many sweet little faces in need of homes that it just broke our hearts to leave them all there. You can only do what you can do though, right?

Charlie is a tiny little ball of sweetness and playfulness. He has more energy than he knows what to do with. I couldn't be happier that we brought him here to live with us:) He makes Oliver look like a giant! Oliver was very apprehensive at first. I think he thought we were punishing him or something. He would hardly come near me... After a couple days he really warmed up to him and now they are best friends forever! All is back to normal with Oliver and me and they both fight for a spot on my lap when they're sleepy. They have soooo much fun together. I can't wait until we can move somewhere with more room for them to play in, and maybe even let them outside. Do any of you have cats? What are your thoughts on letting them outside? I go back and forth in my philosophy... This is the last addition until children of course. My dad teases me and calls me a crazy cat lady. I don't really think two is all that crazy...

I hope you enjoy the photos. Happy Tuesday!

Doesn't he look like a baby bobcat?

This one is blurry but I just love it:)

Oliver is such a fatty! They are obsessed with this chair. They do all their cuddling and napping together on it:)

My little love bugs:)

Peach Cobbler and Strawberry Cake!

2010-06-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

Matt and I had a great Father's Day with his family! Dan loves pie and loves peaches. We don't have a pie pan so I decided to make him the next best thing, a peach cobbler:) My mom makes peach cobbler all the time so I called her for the recipe, which was her grandmother's. This cobbler is always a big hit because it's delicious beyond words, and it is so unbelievably easy and quick! You could make it with any fruit and you could make more crust or add a larger portion of fruit depending on your preference:) Here's the recipe and directions. I hope you try it and love it as much as we do!

Grandmother's Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

3 32 oz. cans of sliced peaches (or 96 oz. of frozen or fresh peaches)

lemon juice

cinnamon

1 1/2 c. self-rising flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 cube butter

Directions:

Grease a 9x13" baking dish. Drain and discard syrup from canned peaches and distribute the peaches evenly at the bottom of the dish. Lightly sprinkle lemon juice over the peaches. Liberally sprinkle cinnamon over the peaches as well. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and eggs. Hand knead until the dough is crumbly. Pour dough evenly over the peaches. Evenly place pads of butter on top of the dough. Bake at 375º for approx. 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Eat with vanilla ice cream:)

You may remember the beautiful strawberry cake Mona made Matt and me for our anniversary... I made the same cake last weekend for my Mom's birthday:) It turned out just as delicious but not nearly as pretty. The recipe is a Paula Dean one from Foodnetwork.com. I promised to share this yummy recipe so here it is!

Ingredients:

1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix
1 (3-ounce) box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin
1 (15-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
Strawberry cream cheese frosting, recipe follows
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (10-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
7 cups confectioners' sugar
Freshly sliced strawberries, for garnish, optional
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

For the frosting:

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1/4 cup of the strawberry puree and the vanilla extract. (The rest of the puree is leftover but can be used in smoothies or on ice cream for a delicious treat.) Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Spread frosting in between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries, if desired.

Memorial Day Hike

2010-06-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend! We had such a nice three days off. Yesterday my mom came to Davis and we went on a hike at Cold Canyon, which is about twenty minutes from where we live. It was a gorgeous day and such a beautiful hike. Here are a few pictures from our day:)

There was the coolest ring around the sun. I'm not sure what caused it, but it was sure pretty:)

Cheers to the First of Many!

2010-05-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Matt's and my first wedding anniversary:) It is hard to believe that we said our vows a whole year ago. I feel like I'm still recovering from all the wedding planning! Being married to Matt has been the happiest time of my life. I can't wait to see what God has in store for our future together. I cannot even tell you how many times I heard "the first year is always the hardest." I'm guessing that isn't the truth. The first years are supposed to be the easiest right? I guess living together for the first time has been a bit of an adjustment:) Living with a roommate is quite different than living with a spouse. But, even with all the farting and toilet seats left up I still absolutely love it!

Because we have been so busy lately we decided to just relax for our anniversary. Like pig out and lay in bed all day and listen to an audiobook relax. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest came out last week and we saved starting it for yesterday. We are such dorks, I know. In the morning we went for a long walk, stopping at the Farmer's Market and to pick up a bottle of wine.

Matt's sister brought us the world's best basket of goodies ever!!! Mona (Matt's mom) had baked us a cake, made us dinner, got us a little gift, and the whole family got us a card! Isn't that the nicest thing anyone could ever do?! Literally we didn't have to lift a finger on our special day. It was the perfect gift to us:) Thank you so much Mona. You're the best!

Matt and I ate the top layer of our wedding cake after the wedding:) Our wedding cake we just too good to freeze and save. It wouldn't have been good anymore, and I didn't want to waste it. Our wedding cake was champagne cake with strawberry cream filling so Mona made us a similar strawberry cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting. It was out of control. I don't know if I've ever had a more delicious strawberry... anything!!! It was unbelievable! Yummmm. I will post the recipe she used later so you can all try it:)

And it was pretty:)

I just had to post a picture of our wedding cake! Wasn't it adorable? I loved it:)

Here's our little gift from Mona:) I just love the saying. It couldn't be more true to Matt and me.

Oh, and Danny (Matt's brother) gave us this bouquet of pretty flowers:) What a sweetie!

I love this card. It is totally us when we're old. I wont tell you what everyone wrote inside, but I have to share what Danny put because it was so funny.

"Happy Anniversary, because it's like you spent a year on JV but then the old ball coach picked you to be the star of the team and now you won the State Championship. That's a simile. Go Bayside Tigers! -Danny"

Matt and I were friends for a while before we finally got together so that's what he's referring to. I love the Saved by the Bell reference too. Classic.

Our dinner was crab and shrimp enchiladas and Mexican rice. I don't even have the words. It was like being in heaven. The enchiladas had ricotta cheese in them... I don't even think I need to say more than that. :)

Because your first anniversary is traditionally supposed to be a "paper anniversary" we decided to get a journal. We each wrote a letter to one another in it and then read them last night. We thought it would be a fun idea to make this a tradition and write a letter to each other on our anniversary every year in our little journal. It may seem silly now, but I think we will be so glad we did it in years to come.

Obviously no anniversary is complete without a toast:) We used the same toasting glasses that we used at our wedding. After Matt said all the mushy stuff, as I was about to take a drink he stopped me. He added, "Also, lets toast to Roy Halladay for pitching the second perfect baseball game this year. The 20th perfect game thrown in major league history." I guess it can't all be about romance:)

Drum Roll Please.....

2010-05-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

The winner of my 100th post giveaway is.............

Megan from 1 Funky Woman!!!!!

Hooray! I'm so excited that you won Miss Megan! This couldn't be more perfect because the poor girl had surgery today. Hopefully this will boost her spirits and make her feel a little better:) Also, this is also perfect because today was Megan's 100th post! What a fun coincidence! I hope you will all check out her lovely blog and send her your get well wishes:) She is so hilarious and adorable. I love to read about her life and her family and I know you will too

Many thanks and hugs to everyone who entered my little giveaway. I will surely have another one shortly:)

Until next time...

Summer Lust List

2010-05-26T19:47:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of summer. I never have been. Is that crazy? In Northern Cali it is three straight months of ridiculously hot weather and trying to live comfortably when you're indoors and it's eighty degrees (I like a nice cool seventy). I much prefer snuggling under quilts and drinking hot drinks. That's just me. For some reason this year I am kind of excited for summer... It has been such a rainy winter and spring here though so it will be nice to experience a little heat:) I say that now, but ask me again in a few weeks and I'll probably be singing a different tune.

Anyway, as summer approaches I love to browse for things I'd like to add to my summer wardrobe. I am one of those people that sees something I like and then I visit it online over and over until I convince myself to wait until it goes on sale or that I don't need it. But these are a few things I'm going to try to either treat myself to or replicate in one crafty way or another!

I am in LOVE with this Anthropologie swimsuit! I have been looking for a cute one piece because I am no longer in any position to be wearing a two-piece. Also, I will be doing a lot of swimming with Kiddo so I need something more appropriate and practical. Isn't this retro inspired one adorable? They no longer have my size, and it's also like $150 so it's a no go for this particular suit, but I am on the lookout for a similar one. Have any of you seen anything like this anywhere??? I'd sure appreciate the heads up if you have! :D

I love this swimsuit cover from BCBG. I would probably just wear it as a dress! It's just so comfy looking and summery!

I love this Anthropologie vest for the same reason as the cover. I am obsessed with anything that has a handkerchief hem. I love love love the way it looks. wouldn't this vest be adorable with some boyfriend shorts for summer?!

I have been eyeballing this dress for weeks! I saw it at Gap and I just love it. Matt and I do a lot of our shopping at Gap online because they have Tall sizes (I'm 5'10" and Matt is 6'3"). Almost everything there is overpriced but the great thing about them is that they go on sale so soon. I can't wait for this dress to go on sale! I might even try to make one! It's like the perfect Farmer's Market dress with a straw hat, right? :)

And yes, another lust item from Anthro. I swear I'm so into satchel bags lately that I don't even look at shoulder bags. They are just so convenient and hands free! This one is probably the most darling thing I've ever seen. I need to find something similar and make a big cute bow like that to attach to it!

Last, but absolutely not least on my list is not a summery dress or bag, but a summertime trip:) I have lived my entire life within a couple hours of Napa Valley and have never spent any time there. I am making it a priority this summer! Matt has been a lot of times and he just loves it. We want to go for his birthday weekend in August. Have any of you been? If so, are there any hotels or bed and breakfast type places that you would suggest?

Also, don't forget to enter my 100th Post Giveaway!!! I will be announcing the winner tomorrow at 8:00PM PST!

The Help

2010-05-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

Many of you have most likely already read The Help by Kathryn Stockett. If you haven't, do so immediately! Seriously, run to Borders as fast as you can and take time off work if you have to. My mom-in-law gave it to me to read a while ago. At first I was hesitant to read it because it sounded like a bit of a downer. Mona loves nothing more than a good downer and I usually end up with a puffy face covered in mascara during 90% of my reading. She has excellent taste in well, everything , especially books but sometimes I need a break from the emotional meltdowns I go through reading her suggestions:) She was so adamant though that I pulled out the tissues and started it.

I can honestly say this is easily in my personal top five of all-time most loved books. I couldn't put it down. When life forced me to put it down I was thinking or dreaming about it. I took it with me to the bathroom, if it was waterproof I would have showered with it, if it were legal to read and drive I would have. I was so involved in the characters. It is so well written that it almost didn't feel like reading, but somehow felt like I was listening to the story straight from the mouths of these three women I grew to love so dearly. It is one of those rare books I know I will read again. I was so surprised to find that it was Kathryn Stockett's first novel. What an accomplishment it would be to write something so beautiful.

Oh, and it is a tear jerker:) My face was puffy and drenched with mascara, but I wouldn't say it was a downer. It was sad in many ways, but much more hopeful and inspiring. Read it. You'll love it.

100th Post Giveaway!!!

2010-05-20T10:39:00.000-07:00

This is my 100th blog post on Schott of Class!! Woohoo! I thought in lieu of this oh so exciting milestone I would do a fun little giveaway! I wanted to give a handful of things I've posted about since I've started blogging. These are things that I love; some that I've made and some that are just special to me. All four prizes will go to one lucky lady (or man)! I've included the items below:) I hope you love them as much as I do!

You will get this sweet, little antique necklace. I posted about this pretty thing in my post titled Hidden in My Closet...

You will also get four of my husband's homemade mini chalkboard herb markers! I absolutely love these not just because Matt made them, but because they are handy and make your herb garden look adorable:) I posted about these in my post titled Plant Markers, Seedlings and Earth Hour.

I've include two hand-knitted (by your's truly) waffle pattern dish cloths! This is one of my favorite things to knit because it's so easy and makes such a great gift:) I made one solid yellow and one yellow with a white stripe. I had to include something of my favorite color! I wrote about these in my post titled Knit, Knit, Knit All Day Long...

And last but definitely not least you will get this gently used copy of The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas. I read this last summer and it will always be one of my favorite stories. It is just so heart-warming and delightful. I know whichever one of you wins will love it too:) I wrote about this book in my third blog post ever titled My Favorite Summer Read Thus Far.

To enter simply leave a comment and make sure to include your email! If you would like an additional entry become my follower:) If you are already one of my lovely followers just remind me and you'll get the extra entry!

I will announce the winner one week from today on Thursday, May 27th. Good luck!!!

A Little of This, A Little of That and an Etsy Sale

2010-05-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend! Matt and I are having a very relaxing one. We've been lounging around, reading in the park, watching movies and just generally being lazy. Nothing too exciting. It's nice to have a weekend to do nothing sometimes:)

I wanted to share a few new fun things I picked up on our trip. My original goal was to find at least one old suitcase for Matt's nightstand project... Needless to say, I didn't reach my goal. Actually I found a lot of cool old suitcases, but none that weren't outrageously expensive. Oh well, the search continues!

I found this pretty doily in a town called Orange just north of Anaheim. It was a dollar. I think I might use it for this market bag project I am going to be starting soon!

I also got this lovely little dessert plate in Orange. I might hang it on a wall. I don't know for sure. I just liked it:)

I'm not big on souvenirs from theme parks but I loved this teacup! Isn't it adorable? It's nice to have a little keepsake right? :)

While I was at it I got this magnet because it's adorable. I'll eventually put a picture of us in Disneyland in there when I get some printed out.

I also got this old map in Monterey. I'm thinking about doing a few framed old maps in our bedroom. Matt loves maps. I loved this one in particular because of the colors:)

Also, all the hats at my Etsy Shop are now 20% off until July 14th! Now only $32.00 each. That's $8.00 off! Be sure and stop by:)