Mildly Amusing Musings

I have a dream.

2013-04-17T17:13:00.000-07:00

And that dream is to have a bakfiets cargo bike instead of a second car. Think Emily Finch.

So I'm on day 5 of biking every day. I know that before I can think about buying a bakfiets I need to be fit enough to ride one up hills!

I stalked Craigslist for a good deal on a bike trailer and now I can take the kiddos with me on rides. This is great because it means I can ride when Silas is at work... which is most of the rideable hours in a day.

We biked to the library the other day which is about a mile and half away. I did really well on the way there... but was feeling faint by the time I got home.

It's all neighborhood roads with little traffic so I feel safe taking them in the trailer, something I would avoid in heavily trafficked areas.

We got "The Best Bike Ride Ever" for Gideon to read. One of the authors is from Eugene :)

And I picked up "Bike Snob; Systematically & Mercilessly Realigning the World of Cycling". I haven't been reading as much as I'd like to lately but I'm already almost done with this one.

Gideon loves his helmet but Zeke is not such a fan.

He much prefers riding solo than sharing the trailer with Gideon. I think because Gideon is constantly poking, kissing, hugging, licking, or otherwise touching him.

I made a seat cover for my bike seat since it's being stored outside and I have a gel seat. Note: gel seats do not just dry off. You sit on them and they soak you through your underwear.

After our first family ride Gideon got out of the trailer, climbed onto his trike, and pedaled. For the first time. I have been trying to get him to pedal his tricycle for almost a year! Apparently it didn't make sense to him until he watched me do it.

I'll leave you with these thoughts from Bike Snob.

Saturday means...

2013-04-14T12:00:00.003-07:00

...lounging around in bed with the kids for an hour or two.

...watching Gideon read to himself while I make breakfast.

...drinking coffee slowly.

...organizing bookshelves.

...driving 45 minutes for a Craigslist deal.

...taking my new bike out for a spin in a thunderstorm.

...finishing a quilt. (It will be in my Etsy shop soon!)

...making tortillas for dinner.

...watching Zeke eat his first burrito!

...indulging in homemade sopapillas.

Hope you're having a great weekend :)

Back to cloth diapering!

2013-04-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

After struggling with ammonia in my diapers for a long time while we were in Pittsburgh I stopped cloth diapering. I couldn't get rid of the ammonia and Gideon was getting chemical burns because of it. So we made the switch to disposables. It was an expensive switch but we decided it was best. Sadly, I packed my diapers away in a tub.

When it was time to move to Seattle I just couldn't bring myself to get rid of the diapers. So I brought them with. And recently I decided to do a little more research and search a little harder for a solution. I found that the hard water in Pittsburgh might have been contributing to my ammonia problems.

So I bought some funk rock detergent and soaked my diapers in the bathtub over night. Then I washed and dried them and put them to use. The Fuzzi Bunz no longer fit Gideon but the Bum Genius still work on the biggest setting.

I made a point of trying to change the boys as soon as I thought they were wet. I took the liners out and put them in the diaper pail right away. I made sure to wash my diapers every other day. And SURPRISE! I seem to be winning the battle!

I still have problems with one or two of my diapers smelling but I'm hoping with a couple more soaks they will be as fresh as the others. And on the whole I am very happy with my results!

My wallet is happy that I've saved almost $20 in ONE WEEK by not paying for disposables. AND now that I'm not throwing away diapers all my trash for one week finally fits in my trash can so I don't have to pay to dump extra trash at the dump!

And, I mean, COME ONE, that tush is cute.

Easter Weekend (Picture heavy!)

2013-04-01T14:30:00.001-07:00

This weekend was pretty close to perfect.

It started out bright and early with Gideon's gymnastics class. It was his first of the new session and it was special because it was his first class without Mommy.

I thought he might not go out on the mat without me... but no. He skipped off with his coach without even saying bye.

I watched a little teary eyed from the bleachers as he went about his exercises. So big.

After class we went to meet some of our friends and the UW quad. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and it was breathtaking. Pictures cannot do the scene justice.

Gideon always has his trusty sunglasses on these days. He is not a fan of the sun.

Cuppow! Love this thing. Coconut milk chai latte to-go.

On Saturday the weather was BEAUTIFUL! So we decided to take a family outing to Pike's Place to do our Easter shopping.

We bought fish, flowers, vegetables, fruit and lunch.

It was the first time we didn't take the stroller with us. Usually, I carry Zeke in the Ergo and Gideon rides in the stoller and it's very hard to maneuver with all those people! I was worried Gideon would get tired but he did great!

Silas bought me a vegan chocolate chip cookie the size of my face. And it was delicious.

It was such a clear day! On cloudy days you can't really see the mountains but it was perfect.

I have such a soft place in my heart for street food. I got a lamb gyro and Silas also surprised me with Turkish delight from the Turkish food store. I liked the almond flavor best.

Gideon could probably have stood looking at the sea for hours. But we needed to get home and start preparing for Easter.

These are the beautiful pears I bought to make Smitten Kitchen's Pear tart + cardamom. Spoiler: it was delicious.

I finally got around to making cloth napkins and a table runner for my dining room. I've been meaning to do it for ages and I'm so happy with the result. Now I want to make a million more cloth napkins.

I hid the boys' Easter baskets but Zeke wasn't really into it and Gideon is THE WORST finder ever. Zeke liked his spiky ball and Gideon was enamored with his ring pop.

Annnnd Easter egg hunt in the front yard! But, like I said, Gideon's finding abilities were not that great.

Jelly beans for breakfast, Yum. Now off to church!

We spent the afternoon gorging ourselves and hanging out with friends. I felt so blessed and thankful for all the joy from this weekend that it has carried over into today and I had to share. Hope you had a blessed Easter!

Art and the outdoors.

2013-03-07T20:05:00.004-08:00

Today we went for a walk in our neighborhood. We hadn't really been more than a block from our house in any direction except that required to leave our neighborhood, despite the fact that we've been living here for almost two months now. The weather hasn't been optimal for exploring so we haven't really done it. But this afternoon I loaded up the double stroller and we went!

I love looking at houses and I really enjoyed seeing more of our neighborhood. I found this awesome double lot with two huge houses on it that were attached to each other. It would be the perfect place to start a semi-commune/tribe. As I came home I noticed all sorts of plants coming up in my yard.

Crocuses and daffodils for starters, and if the markers are to believed, someone planted an herb garden by the basement stairs. I was reminded of the verse in the Old Testament where God tells the Israelites that they will harvest where they did not plant and that was His blessing on them.

I'm reminded of what a blessing this house is to us. I get more and more comfortable in it. Yesterday I hung a bunch of art on the walls. I did silhouettes of the boys for our bedroom.

Here's a bunch of different shots of the art I've hung so far. I'm pretty happy about how much of it is my own :)

Peace to you all!

A beautiful day.

2013-03-04T14:26:00.000-08:00

Silas is home from his two week trip to London and is taking an extra day off to recover from jetlag.

The sun is shining brilliantly on my ginormous new backyard.

I went to bed before 10 o'clock last night and Zeke took TWO naps today.

My house is clean and God has been good to me and those I love.

So I'd say today is pretty beautiful.

And I'm thankful.

Quilting Bucket list

2013-02-18T22:50:00.000-08:00

I slip farther and farther down the quilting rabbit hole and I the more I do the more I want to quilt. It's very hard to believe it's only been a year now since I finished my very first quilt. It takes up my every free moment now and I wonder why I haven't always been quilting since it brings me so much pleasure. I've decided to make a list of some of my goals for quilting. Each of these quilts on my list has a new technique or skill to work on which I haven't yet mastered. And I think by the time I finish all of these I will be quite an experienced quilter!

The very last quilt on this list, the Iowa Star, is actually a little overlap in technique from the English paper pieced hexagons but I've included it anyway because of its sentimental value. My great-grandmother, Valarian, made one for my mother as a wedding present and it is the very first quilt I remember seeing and using. It was always on my mom's bed and I have many memories of it being a part of my childhood.

THE LIST

Make a Double Wedding Ring quilt.

Make a Farmer's Wife quilt.

Make a two color quilt.

Make a traditional applique quilt

Make a Cathedral Windows quilt

Make a Dresden plates quilt.

Make an English paper pieced hex or diamond quilt.

Make a whole cloth quilt.

Make a Tennessee Waltz quilt.

Make an Iowa Star quilt.

These are all quite work and time intensive projects so I daren't even guess when I shall finish the list, but I will check in from time to time as I work on any of the above quilts.

Gideonness.

2013-02-08T00:21:00.000-08:00

Gideon climbed onto the kitchen counter by himself the other day. I was sitting on the other side of the room and suddenly I hear "I do it all by myself! I climb mountain!!!" He was so triumphant! He, Gideon Snider, had conquered the world!

I have to admit my heart was immediately filled with equal parts pride and fear. I was happy for him - he accomplished a goal that, I can only assume, he had been harboring for awhile. But at the same time MY BABY CAN GET CLIMB ONTO THE COUNTER! I suppose this will always happen when he "levels up" so to speak. A new ability leads to both greater achievement and greater danger. I worry about what he'll do when I'm not looking. I trust God to take care of him.

Just this evening I went to take the trash out and the moment I was out the door Gideon shut the door and turned the deadbolt. Twenty minutes later, after three of my neighbors had tried to help me break into my house with no success and we tried to talk Gideon through unlocking the door for awhile, he finally managed it. The door swung open and he was so pleased with himself. Again the pride and fear.

We were shopping at T.J. Maxx about a week ago and suddenly Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" came on and Gideon said "This a good song, Mommy. I wike it." Sometimes when we're riding in the car a song will come on that he doesn't like and tells me so. "This not a good song. Change music, pwease?" He loves "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men. He calls it the "Hey Song".

I let Gideon do a 6 week soccer program for preschoolers. He goes and runs around a gym with a soccer ball for an hour a week and it's good exercise. Well this week I forgot the coach said we were going to be outside and I forgot his jacket so I had to borrow one from another mom. And then it was all muddy and wet and his clothes all got soaked and I didn't pack an extra set. But we had plans after so I went to Goodwill to buy him something to wear.

I took off my sweater and put it on Gideon and I just went in wearing my tank top. I put Gideon on my back in the Ergo to try to disguise the fact that he wasn't wear, you know, pants. Next thing I know I hear him "Oh no, need help!" I couldn't really see him because he was on my back but I realized he'd managed to take both his arms out of the sleeves and put them through the neck hole so the sweater neck was around his waist. All while on my back.

Today I packed a bag of extra sets of cloths and a jacket for each other boys in case this should ever happen again.

We play a game when I put him to bed. He gets in bed and I sing "You are my Sunshine" and then as I walk towards the door I say "I love you!" and he says "I love you more!" and I say "I love YOU more!" and he says "I love you Mooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...." and he holds it until I shut the door because he wants to have the last word.

Man, I love that kid.

sewing, china, and stress relief.

2013-02-03T23:17:00.002-08:00

I'm a little stressed out. This always happens when I feel unsettled. And the surest way for me to feel unsettled is to have my sewing space in disarray. Moving into our new house meant that I would have a sewing area all to myself! In our last house my machines were set up in our bedroom and I couldn't even unpack my serger because there was no room in my little corner.

But there is this awkward space at the bottom of our stairs here. At least it would be awkward if you didn't know what to do with it. But of course it is the perfect size for a sewing space.

I have been working so hard to get it set up. I have my tea cup collection displayed, finally. And my Mary Lou Goertzen china. I bought a new vintage place setting as a house warming gift for myself. And I just put down a deposit on a big girl sewing machine; an Elna Experience 740. I promised Silas it is the last sewing machine I will ever own. And I can't wait to bring it home. But I need to organize my space first.

And as soon as I do I will take all my stress out on this pile of fabric and turn it into a scrappy Trip Around the World!

What do you do to relieve stress?

Um... hello?

2013-01-23T23:59:00.000-08:00

Is any body here?

Yes? Oh, hi! I missed you.

Between my last post and this one we moved. It was a planned move in that we wanted to move to a bigger house and we wanted to move in February. Then our dream rental house happened and, well, we moved last weekend.

We also had an ER visit with Zeke (he's fine) and Gideon decided to potty train himself.

Now that I'm settling in I'm going to be posting more. Hopefully I'll finish some beautiful quilts soon since a couple in my Etsy shop have sold. I'm currently working on this Arabian Nights quilt.

I also experimented with some birth art and this is also in my shop.

See you soon!

Happy New Year!

2013-01-07T14:20:00.002-08:00

A quilt for Wendy.

2012-12-09T14:33:00.000-08:00

Some quilts I make start with a pattern I love. Some start with an idea for an end project. This quilt started with the fabric.

I fell in love with Aneela Hoey's A Walk in the Woods fabric line quite awhile ago. Actually, I bought the charm pack I used for this quilt when I still live in Pittsburgh. I kept it. Looked at it every once in awhile. And waited for the perfect project.

We moved to Seattle and the very first Sunday we were here we visited a church that would become our church home. We were invited to join a parish group that week and that's where I met Jane.

Jane is one of the sweetest, most giving people I've ever met! She's always asking how she can help and serve others. Towards the end of my pregnancy with Zeke she brought me a meal just because she knew that the end of pregnancy is overwhelming.

When I learned the name of her soon to be born baby girl was Wendy I immediately thought of this fabric I'd had stashed away for so long. It just seemed to fit the name Wendy!

Wishing you many happy adventures, Wendy!

Advent reflections.

2012-12-03T18:26:00.000-08:00

I've been excited about the Advent season for nearly a month now. I got our little tree. Got out the nativity set. I even wrote and addressed some Christmas cards to go out! A miracle after last year's Christmas card debacle. What? I didn't blog about that? Well... too soon. Maybe next year.

Silas had been making fun of me and all my plans to start new traditions. Plans for sugar cookies, gingerbread houses, paper snowflakes, Christmas shopping at the mall, new Christmas cds, 87 Pinterest crafts and recipes, and MATCHING CHRISTMAS SWEATERS! But you know what he didn't tell me? That the only tradition he cared about was a traditional Advent wreath that his parents do every year and we have never once done.

And you know what happened on Saturday, December 1st, the first day of advent? I injured my knee. The same knee that I injured in high school and required 3 months of painful physical therapy to mend. And then you know what happened when I started getting upset about not being able to make cookies that day? Silas mentioned that we didn't have an Advent wreath. Oh. And we also had to shell out half our life savings to repair our car. (I exaggerate. Some.) Color me very extremely disappointed.

Annnnnnd I had a meltdown. Everything was going wrong. Everything. Here I had planned this glorious way to celebrate Christ's birth and HE had gone and ruined all my plans! STUPID GOD! That's when I started to realize how much of a self centered (and slightly blasphemous) grump I was being. But I denied it.

Then I went to church on Sunday. And of course the sermon was about how we need to leave room in our lives to be interrupted by God's plans because they are so much better than the ones we make for ourselves. FINE, GOD! FINE!!! I'm a horrible person in need of grace! I want Christmas to be about me and all the ways I'm going to an amazing mom to my kids by creating the best Advent ever!

Oh, wait. God already invented the best Advent ever. And it wasn't about cookies and ornaments and nativity sets and 87 awesome Pinterest creations. It was about the glory of God being made into a lowly helpless baby (much like myself at the moment) and becoming susceptible to all the sadness of this life. A little baby who was going to go on and DIE so that I can have the privilege of being a snotty, self-centered little american housewife, and still get to spend eternity with Him.

So today I got in my newly repaired car and went to the Dr. to get referred to an orthopedic surgeon. I limped to the craft store to buy the supplies to make an Advent wreath. And I was thankful. And I am still thankful as I sit here on the couch with my feet up. My sink is full of dishes. My trash is overflowing. And I have about 3 loads of laundry to do later tonight.

I planned this Advent season full of activities but I guess God's plan was for me to slow down and rest. I don't wish a knee injury on you... but I do wish a restful Advent season. Blessings.

Glory to God in the highest!
And on earth, peace, goodwill towards men.

FINISHED!

2012-11-30T17:38:00.000-08:00

For the first time ever... I DID NOT MISS A SINGLE DAY!

Day 1; NaBloPoMo 2012
Day 2; Pumpkin Soup
Day 3; Saturday Bits
Day 4; Dairy-free again.
Day 5; My kids are cute, yo.
Day 6; Gymnastics Stuff
Day 7; Wordless Wednesday; Reflection.
Day 8; You can buy happiness and it's cheap.
Day 9; He's not a tame lion.
Day 10; I have a fabric problem or Help a girl out, Etsy!
Day 11; All's well that ends well.
Day 12; Thanksgiving is a-coming!
Day 13; A writing prompt that devolves into talking about blogging, the meaning of life, etc...
Day 14; Wordless Wednesday; Zeke likes baby toys.
Day 15; I can sleep when I'm dead.
Day 16; Dairy-free Pecan Pie
Day 17; First Row
Day 18; Sick Day
Day 19; The heavens and the earth.
Day 20; Work/Play
Day 21; Me
Day 22; Happy Thanksgiving!
Day 23; It's either win win or lose lose.
Day 24; *heart*
Day 25; The will of God.
Day 26; Holidays + Family = Happiness.
Day 27; Our first ever Christmas tree.
Day 28; Wordless Wednesday; sitting up.
Day 29; A November Poem
Day 30; FINISHED!

A November Poem.

2012-11-29T15:18:00.000-08:00

Did you know when you go dairy-free you can actually lose weight over Thanksgiving?
It might also increase your quality of living.

Did you know that sometimes a quilting obsession
Can take the guise of a profession?

Did you know carseats you can nurse in are a glorious creation
For avoiding stopping at a gas station?

Did you know that a simple grateful confession
Can sometimes stave off bouts of depression?

Did you know children make holidays 10 times more grand
Than well-behaved, boring adults can?

Did you know everyone loves legos, not just little boys?
They're the most amazing toys.

Did you know what forces me to write the most
Is the looming deadline of a blog post?

Did you know all this is true?
Well you didn't, but now you do.

Wordless Wednesday; sitting up.

2012-11-28T23:28:00.000-08:00

Our first ever Christmas tree.

2012-11-27T23:20:00.001-08:00

First tree + nativity set + happy toddler.

What happens when you let said toddler help decorate the tree.

Holidays + Family = Happiness.

2012-11-26T23:26:00.001-08:00

We got back to Seattle today after a lovely week in Eugene. Visiting with our families is always great. And it gets harder to leave. I almost think that visiting more just makes me miss everyone more.

The boys did great on the ride down. We drove it in 5 hours and didn't stop at all. I just crawled back between the two car seats to feed Zeke. Gideon read books most of the way.

Thanksgiving with the Sniders was lovely. And I made that dairy free pecan pie again.

The drive out to my parent's is gorgeous.

I did a fun Thanksgiving craft with Maggie and Walter. Aren't they getting big? Gideon and Tommy made one too. With a lot of help.

Silas helped me get the boys dressed to go to the tree lighting but he was on call so he had to stay at the Sniders :/

Gideon saw Frosty at the tree lighting and wanted to go see him. He kept yelling "Shnoman!" so I asked if he wanted to take a picture with him. He insisted that he did but as soon as we got ready to take the picture he freaked out and ran to aunt Autumn. So this is the picture that got taken!

Happy holidays to you and yours - we're so excited to start advent!

The will of God.

2012-11-25T16:29:00.000-08:00

Today we visited Ekklesia in Eugene for worship. My inlaws go there and while the lack of liturgy is unfamiliar to me they bring the Word. Today's sermon text was from 1Thessalonians and these verses in particular hit me:

Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

It's easy for me to worry about every little thing I'm doing. To over think every situation and opportunity. And there is a place for seeking the face of God in everything and we are to take every trout captive! But it is good to know that in the midst of wondering what the will of God is in any situation that these things are ALWAYS His will.

Happy sabbath :)

heart

2012-11-24T23:59:00.001-08:00

It's either win win or lose lose.

2012-11-23T23:28:00.001-08:00

It's hard to blog on vacation. All I want to do is hang out with family and sleep. When I'm visiting with family I drop off the face of social media. I don't use Facebook or twitter much. The only pictures on Instagram are cute pics of Gideon with aunts and uncles. And, as I previously stated, blogging is hard.

As I type this my husband and three of my inlaws are watching reruns of How I Met Your Mother and lounging on the couch. I mean, the amount of self control required to sit in the next room typing away on my iPad on blogger's crummy mobile platform while good times are happening in the next room is incredible.

You know what. I'm just going to stop here. This is the closest thing to a blog post that's happening today. I love you all but I love my family more. See ya tomorrow... Probably.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2012-11-22T22:58:00.000-08:00

Enjoy dinner with your family!

And the turkey sandwiches that follow!

Peace.

Me

2012-11-21T23:15:00.000-08:00

I haven't had
A chance to sleep
And when I wake
I wake with your dreams
I guess my pillow
Holds some kind of key
To your peace
Your peace

Me
I wouldn't trade your love for all the candy
In this great big world
Me
I feel so crazy blessed and oh so lucky
To be the place you go
When you need to feel safe
When you need a kiss
It's me

I haven't showered
And I tried to eat
But all your tears
Oh they needed me
I need some time, some time to think
But when I hear you
And what you need is...

Me
I wouldn't trade your love for all the candy
In this great big world
Me
I feel so crazy blessed and oh so lucky
To be the place you go
When you need to feel safe
When you need a kiss
It's me

I wash your face
To make room for
All the kisses
Of tomorrow
And every day
That I get to
Be here with you
Is sweet

Me
I wouldn't trade your love for all the candy
In this great big world
Me
I feel so crazy blessed and oh so lucky
To be the place you go
When you need to feel safe
When you need a kiss
It's me

Oh don't be afraid
Cause you'll have is....
Me

Work/Play

2012-11-20T14:59:00.002-08:00

I've been keeping up with all my photo a day posts over on Instagram. Today's prompt is Work/Play. I thought about taking a picture of my boys because, well, they ARE my work and play. But I take so many photos of them every day that it really isn't much of a challenge.

So I took a picture of a quilt I am working on for the shop. Quilting is like mothering. Sometimes it's work and sometimes it's play and when you sit back and see what you've created it's pretty satisfying.

The name of this quilt is X's and O's and I'm planning to hand quilt it over Thanksgiving break. We're headed to see family tomorrow; Exciting!

The heavens and the earth.

2012-11-19T22:39:00.000-08:00

This is a piece of art I did for the book I'm making for Gideon about Christ's birth. Because the story of Jesus doesn't start with the angel appearing to Mary. It starts so long before that! The accompanying text reads:

When God created the Earth He was there. And he was God. And He was part of God's plan to save His people.