Ultimate Blog Party 2009!

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!!!!

5 Minutes for Mom is hosting their annual and awesome blog party for mom bloggers (and readers) everywhere! Last year, I hardly knew what I was doing since I'd only been blogging for a couple of months, but I still had so much fun and met so many great ladies--some of whom I now consider great virtual friends! Please, go check out 5 Minutes for Mom; there's even an awesome prize list, something for everyone!!
Of all the fabulous prizes to win, I'd love to win #7 Ergo Baby carrier by A Giveaway Addicted Mommy, #19 $50 Target gift card by Shoot-Me-Now, and #118 Old Navy gift card byManic Mother as my top 3 picks. If those are taken, I'd appreciate #2, 21, 22, 28, 30, 49, 50, 52, 91, and 106 in any order, or gifts relavant to young babies/toddlers.

I absolutely LOVE to entertain, and have been known to host dinner parties that absolutely stress me out! I wish I could say I were hosting a shin-dig like this one

but sadly, you're more likely to get this right now.

Life can be kind of busy as a stay at home mom to two toddler boys with one on the way! When I'm not chasing Bear and Bunkin around, I can be found knitting, reading, catching up on my DVR'd shows, obsessing over quilting (which I've yet to begin), and in general wasting time being productive on the computer!

While you're nibbling on yummy fruit, let me tell you a little about myself and my idiosyncrasies. I'm a sort-of crunchy mama who is interested in cloth diapering, babywearing and breastfeeding, but who also has plenty of Kraft and plastic toys in my house; we do what works for us! I would love to consider myself a domestic diva, but frankly, I'm just as likely to be wearing Hunny's t-shirts and PJ pants while puttering around the house! (I'm also a mixture of wannabe organized and downright messy, though to be fair, I'd love it to be clean and neat all the time!) I'm a poultry-eating vegetarian because of my recent Diabetes diagnosis (I need the protein), and I'm proud to be married to my Beautiful vegan Hunny. I absolutely love to knit and have recently gotten obsessed intrigued with quilting. (I worry it might go against my whole frugal mindset because there are some amazing fabrics out there.) So, in short, I'm kinda crunchy, kinda disheveled, kinda crafty, and above all, grateful for my sweet family.

If you want to know more about , check out my 100 Things List I wrote for last year's UBP or just browse around my blog; I'd love to get to know you, so leave me a comment so I can stop by your blog! Thanks for coming!

Why diabetes sucks and projects to distract me

Ok, I rescind all that about being fine with the whole diet thing. I was trying to be fine, but I'm not. Can I just rant for a moment and shout out to no one in particular that I HATE DIABETES. HATE IT. I was still encouraged by ranting talking to G (who also has this stupid disease), but after a whole weekend of eating correctly and my numbers still being out of whack, I feel like giving up, or to be more precise, drowning my sorrows in the largest slice of cake I can find. (That would be "happy birday to Edah cake," if it were Bear speaking--he's obsessed with blowing out candles and singing happy birthday to his cousin Ethan since his birthday a couple of weeks ago). While that kind of indulgence is highly impractical, it's also completely wrong, but I'm so aggravated that doing things the "right" way still isn't yielding the results I need. In fact, it's even more annoying given that I have to count calories, carbs, proteins, and all the while try to feed two little boys and menu plan for a family. Oh, and did I mention the whole pricking your finger thing? At first it doesn't hurt, but now every one of my fingers is calloused so I have to use the larger needle size and it does hurt! If you want, you can imagine me stamping my foot in a moment of childish petulance.

Ok, ranting done. Just needed to explain why I've been in a Lurch (again, a la Dr. Seuss; can you tell what I've been reading to Bear?) and terrible food-related mood. Chocolate chip cookies anyone?

However, I have been keeping my over-pricked hands busy today doing a project I've wanted to do for a long time. And that would be unraveling a sweater to recycle the yarn. Yes, I'm that amazing. :) I first read about it here, then read about it here, then was reminded how much I wanted to attempt this after reading she's doing it, too. A couple of weekends ago B and I went to the local Goodwill and there were a ton of sweater choices. I bought 3 for $12 and while I'd hoped to go with 100% cotton or wool, I did get two all-cotton sweaters and one mohair/nylon blend. I took a picture of all three sweaters, but then accidentally deleted it from my phone. I do, however have my first sweater, a lovely butter yellow cotton sleeveless turtleneck:

Following the above tutorials, I got out my scissors and starting ripping away. I ended up having to just cut out the neck because of all the "bad" seams, but I still yielded quite a bit of yarn for the $4 I paid for the sweater! Here's an in-progress shot:

And the final outcome! The only problem is I don't know exactly how much I have, and I can only guess at its gauge (I'm thinking dk or sport weight if you're curious).
This was way easier than I thought it would be, and I've already started my second sweater, which I thought was a beautiful variegated maroon and baby pink yarn; however it's actually two strands: a maroon wool and a baby pink thread. It was a little tricky beginning the unraveling of the sleeves, but once I figured out I was dealing with two strands, it made a lot more sense and went much faster. So far, I've done both sleeves and have two sizable balls to work with.
Now the fun part will be deciding what to make with my cleverly repurposed yarn, eh? The yellow will probably become a baby garment, and I'm thinking the pink would actually make a really nice scarf and hat, maybe some mittens?

Cornucopia

Ok, one doesn't normally think of cornucopias in the middle of spring (it IS spring here in the Big D, even if you are getting cold weather everywhere else!), but I feel like we are in an abundant season, both physically and emotionally.


Case in point, after our typical week of shopping and my first-ever delivery from a local fruit and veggie co-op, we have so much produce on our countertop! Oh, and the picture doesn't show the HUGE potatoes we also scored--after I bought a 5 lb bag of them!!

Funny note: we have taught Bear to call grapes "uvas," the Spanish word, and he thinks all small round fruit are uvas. And don't cherry tomatoes just look so inviting? He sure thought so, but I guess that acidic taste was not quite what he had in mind!!

In terms of emotional security, I was in rather a Slump (a la Dr. Seuss) late last week because I've really struggled with eating well and making other healthy choices and then reeling from the ensuing guilt. However, I got a very encouraging email from friend (yes, G, that's you!) and I got a much-needed kick in the heiney so to speak. I feel much better now, even after a day of eating the right kinds of foods, even if my glucose readings haven't quite reflected that yet. I think I'm finally at a point where I want to do this diabetic diet for Me rather than even the baby inside me. I need it. I want it.

This is going to seem so unconnected, but I cleaned house like mad tonight, and that did so much to lift me up! I'm not sure if it was nesting, per se, but I needed the tops of counters, shelves and all surfaces to be cleaned off, and I made that happen tonight. I feel like I'm in a clean haven, and it's lovely!!! (I should say that Hunny ritually cleans the living room every single night, and it is so nice to wake up every morning and come out to a picked up space, even if it only stays that way for a mere few seconds!)

I've been keeping my hands busy with knitting the romper for Gilia's baby boy, whose arrival should be in a few weeks if he doesn't come home early. I'm not sure it's going to be the going home outfit she wants it to be--it looks huge to me! We'll see. Pics to come.

And one more randomness, we made the yummiest dinner tonight: very easy, very quick, delicious, nutritious, and relatively kid-friendly! (Was that a commercial?) I've had so much marinara-themed things lately that I'm just bored and sick of anything tomato-based right now: pizza, pasta, whatever. I saw this idea on a blog (I'm so sorry, I can't remember where), and thought we need to try it out! So stinking yummy. Seriously. And so adaptable, so if you don't like the ingredients we used, do your own!

Mediterranean Pizzas

whole wheat pitas, your favorite hummus, feta cheese, fresh baby spinach, red onion, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, etc. Take the pita (I got the pocket-less kind), spread with hummus (I recommend roasted red pepper, but Hunny and the boys ate roasted garlic), leaving a little edge for a "crust." Then top it off! Hunny liked all of the above and also included some portabella mushrooms he needed to eat. I ate mine with just spinach, feta, artichokes, and olives (by the way, I made chiffonade with my spinach to avoid that whole one-bite-means-you-eat-all-the-toppings-at-once-syndrome.) I made the boys' version pretty plain: hummus, olives, spinach, tomatoes, and feta. Bear didn't eat much at all tonight, so I'm not sure I can say either way if he liked it or not, but Bunkin approved.

Anyway, I'm back to blogging a bit, after my accidental hiatus. Writing my letters was good for me, but was also emotionally wrought, so I needed space afterwards. And of course, knitting has been taking up a lot of my spare time, so if I'm absent in the weeks to come it's because this romper is making me go crazy! :)

Letters to Myself, Part 4

This is the last letter in my series, and I'm sorry for the delay!

Dear 26 year old Misty,
You are in the somewhat unique and certainly precarious-at-times situation of being a new bride and an expectant mommy. Remember this first and foremost: God is faithful, even when His followers do not seem to be. The Church is full of people just like you who have sinned and who sin against others. Please don't let the condemnation you and Hunny have experienced make you so bitter you lose your trust in Him. But also own up to sin, be honest and real about it, and free yourself of the guilt that you carry. You have been given a wonderful gift-a precious baby boy growing inside of you. You're not going to believe how much life is going to change once he's on the outside!!
Love Hunny. No matter what. Remember how perfectly paired you two are, and seek to serve him in the little things. He loves you more than you even know, and he's going to be a pretty amazing daddy. Times are going to be hard for you two. There isn't much of a honeymoon period when you're hormonal and exhausted, and, um, you're going to be this way for several years. In a row. So rest in your husband's arms while you can before the little one(s) come, and when times seem too hard, pull those memories out and dust them off, display them on the shelves of your heart to remind him, too.
You know how you always compare yourself to everybody? Please quit that. It's not as much of an issue as a bride and wife, but as a mommy, you're going to face the toughest competition if you keep cutting yourself short. You will make mistakes. Plenty of them. But you'll also do some things correctly, and you'll even figure out that what works for you doesn't have to be what other mommies do, and that's okay. Use that god-given brain and mommy intuition!
And having a boy... what can I say? Your hands will be full. You will scream at him. He won't seem to have an off button. You will fall short. So will he. But He doesn't. There will be a moment very early on, where you will get a true glimpse of sacrificial love. Yes, my dear, it will be you doing the sacrificing. And as hard as it is, it's also the truest thing there is.
I wish I could tell you things will be easy and you'll get the hang of it sooner than later. I wish I could tell you that you'll always feel supported and secure. I wish I could tell you you'll never feel lonely. But I think you know why I can't tell you these things.
Just trust. You're not very good at it, but you need to get better. Trust Hunny. Trust the Father.
You've got some amazing times on the way, but I don't want to spoil them!
Love
Your 28-year old self

Letters to Myself, Part 3

Welcome back to my 3rd installment of my Letters to Myself Series.


Dear 20-year old Misty,

Wow, in college, and a Junior! At Rhodes. You are having the time of your life, aren't you? You've made the best friends of your life, been out of the country twice now, and are knee-deep in a college ministry that is central to how you are developing spiritually. You're also not doing so great grade-wise. You really should stop going to The Ugly Mug when you NEED to study; that's what libraries are for, and you know you won't work at the coffee shop! So stop pretending. Your GPA depends on it.



Other than being the best time of your life, you are also experiencing new lows. But they're good lows, I promise; they're the kind that mold you and shape you, your beliefs, and your views of God. I'm so proud of you for talking to Elin and getting some counseling. Talking is good, even when it is hard, and please, keep sharing what you're sharing with Bet. She needs to hear it, even if she doesn't think she does. She's listening, I promise.



Breaking up with John is not nearly as hard as you are making it out to be. I'm sorry he cheated on you, but even when he says he's sorry, don't go back; you need to move on. And don't skip a whole week of school just because life is hard. Damaris will help bail you out of English, but you have two professors who don't care. And that is bad news. This is not the time to do it all yourself. It is ok to ask for help. People love you and want to help. Trust them even when it seems like you've only ever been hurt--you're just thinking that right now because of your depressed fog. Reach out.



I'm sorry to say your relationship with Mom and Dad does not get any easier. In fact, it's going to get worse. They are feeling threatened and insecure, and you don't know what to think anymore. But living a lie is not worth it. Please trust me on that. Right now you just don't want your family life to have been a lie, but it was, and will continue to feel like a lie if you don't get healing and move forward.



You are still struggling with self-worth and external values. Being on the ladies' ministry team is not going to make you feel like you're contributing anything. Being on leadership team is not going to cement you as a spiritual conquistador. Stop trying to be more than you are, and stop worrying about what other people think of you. It's not about them, or you; it's about God. Try talking to him sometime. You'll be surprised.



Oh, and about Canfield. Stop worshipping him. He's a brilliant professor, eh? But don't let him get so much in your head. Grow a little more, take a few English classes by some other professors. However, don't shirk your duty to figure out where you stand on some of the issues he's raised; they are going to crop up later in your life in a way you didn't think possible, and it's good. Oh, it's different than what you're thinking now. Let's just say social justice is possible-necessary?-as a Christian, and you will still have to wrestle with how you marry your brain and your faith.


Unfortunately, dear Misty, you have not seen your end of heartbreak in the relationship world. You're going to meet a guy next year and the summer after you graduate, you will be engaged to him. It's going to be a roller-coaster from here on out, because you are going to make some mistakes. You are going to move to his parents' house, and you are going to think you are going to die sometimes. But you're not. And Meg and Larry will be there in ways you have never known before. You're going to get even more wrapped up in Nick, physically, and emotionally, and your relationship is more dead than you know. You have placed him upon a pedestal where he doesn't belong. When he comes crashing down, your whole faith is going to crumble because of your misplaced idolatry. The recovery is brutal. But you will recover. You are even going to "get over him," I promise.



You have stopped talking to Mom and Dad because they continue to call you a liar, and you will even go through a period where you and Bet don't talk because of it. You will never feel more alone in your life, ever. But God is bigger than you are (you are only now making this your mantra in your life) and He will send a friend to help you, and a real counselor to help make new progress. And he gave you Meg. I know that you are worried that there is no way you and she can truly still be friends, but I promise, your relationship will be sweeter than ever in a few years, and she loves you as if you were her own daughter.



You will get married, and have children. That will seem a lifetime away to you now. But it's closer than you think. You won't join the military (I think you knew deep down that it wasn't going to happen), and believe it or not, you will move back to Memphis (it's ok, Mr. Right is waiting for you). You will feel pretty lonely adjusting to your friends who seem to have moved on without you, but you will make new friends, too. And you will emerge from all of this with a real relationship with Jesus. That is going to rock your world, I promise.

I don't want to leave tips for this entry because so much emotional territory was covered, but I'll write again in a few years.
Love,
Your 28-year old self

Letters to Myself, Part 2

Today is the 2nd installment of my Letters to Myself series. To see the first letter, click here.

Dear 15-year old Misty,
You are in high school now, and it's not all you'd thought it was going to be, eh? (You're going to have a professor in college who will forever embed "eh" in your vocabulary, just FYI.) You won't automatically get a boyfriend, get a car, and get thinner when you're 16 either. Just sayin'. You're in the process of trying to figure out who you are and who you want to be. It's hard at times, and you will second-guess yourself a lot. But please, don't obsess over the ridiculous.

You've already figured out you don't want to be in the "in" crowd, but don't allow that to become pride and a sense of know-it-all; it pushes people away. Gilia's boyfriend is going to tell you when you graduate that he knew a couple of guys who would have asked you out, but they knew you'd say no so didn't bother. Don't let that kind of wall build up around you all the time. I know it feels safer that way, and in some ways, I guess it is, but don't forget to trust. You're going to need lots of practice, and starting younger sure would make my life easier!

Speaking of boyfriends, you're not going to have one in high school at all. But you're still going to go to prom with a huge group of friends , (Bet will be your "date") and you will have a blast, stay pure, and not get into any trouble. And you'll actually remember it, which I hear is a good thing.

Please don't get so caught up in external values for your worth. You do not equal who your friends are, what clothes you wear, how thin you are, or even how smart you are. And yes, you are smart, except in math, and that sure doesn't change. But you have already learned to use words as a weapon, as a way to not feel so vulnerable, and even when you hurl insults at others and it feels good momentarily, you feel worse inside. This is going to take you a while to figure out; you do, after all, have justifiable hurts that lie deep beneath the surface. I wish you believed that God loves you. You tell people He does, but you don't truly trust that yet. I wish you were beyond being just good to being a child of His; there is a difference.

I also want to know that it's ok to be confused about things right now, about family, future, and God. There will not always be straightforward answers, and you're going to realize soon how much of a control freak you are, and how much you thrive on knowing things and having it all together. But you don't. He does. He has a plan for you, including your past, all headed for your future. He is good, even though it doesn't feel like it. And start opening up your ears when you hear the word grace: it's fixing to knock your socks off!

Here are the tips I'm going to leave until the next time I write:
1. Try a little harder at math; it could make your college experience a tad better.
2. Stop obsessing about your weight. You're actually a very normal size, and you will long to wear a size 8 later.
3. Stop trying to compete with Bet. You will each come into your own and you'll survive.
4. Don't alienate Kathy now. She needs you and Bet more than ever.
5. Don't be mad at Mama and how much she's affected by what's happening to Michael right now. You'll understand a little better later.
6. Get a job. Save some money.
7. Don't expect grades to always come so easily. They won't.
8. Sing more.
9. Play a sport or spend time outside. It really is good for you!
10. Cooking dinner isn't that bad; when you are a wife, you will be so grateful you know how to cook!
11. You really should research more college grant applications. You are going to owe a lot of student loans.
12. You will get kissed, I promise.
13. This will be strange to you, but Gilia and Sonny are going to be the only HS friends you keep up with. But treasuring your new-found sense of identity while still being moldable will become important with friends in the next season of your life.
14. You are going to grow a lot in the next few years (read: have some really, really tough times), but go with it. Seriously.
15. Love yourself more. Quit procrastinating. Quit self-deprecating. Quit cheating yourself of the self-love you deserve.

Love
Your 28-year old self
p.s. I'll write again when you're 20

Letters to Myself, Part 1

This is a project with many inspirations. I originally came across the idea at Becoming Me, but Musings of a Future Pastor's Wife, Mama Belle, and Not a bow in Sight all did one. I read them all, and you should, too. They're funny, poignant, and I can relate to various points in all of them. And so, like Angela, I'm going to do a series of letters to my younger selves. I think the original goal was to write a letter to yourself 20 years younger, which puts my initial entry at much younger than some of the above letters, but it's actually a critical age. This first one will probably be my hardest letter to write, as it lays the groundwork for my older selves as well.

Dear 8-year old Misty,

I'm going to say some things and use some words that may not make sense to you now, or that might make you uncomfortable, and that's OK. Eight is going to be a hard age for you. Mama just got married to a man who will sweep your family off its feet, and it's going to seem like a whirlwind. You're going to go from calling him Mr. Richard, to Pops, to Daddy as he encourages you to truly think of him as your dad. You are going to long for his love like nothing you've ever experienced before, and (oh, this breaks my heart to tell you) he is going to hurt you. He is going to tell you he loves you and give you things, and even tell you that you are his favorite, but this will cost you a lot in terms of your sense of self-worth and fuzz out your ideas of black and white truths.
He is going to teach you who Jesus is, and that is a good thing. Listen to your heart's stirrings; you really do want to be a Christian, even though it seems scary, and even though you will feel guilty for being too shy to tell other people about who your new Savior is, a seed of faith has been planted deep inside of you. But your view of God the Father is going to get muddy because you're not really sure what a good father is.
Daddy is going to touch you in places that make you uncomfortable. He is going to want to kiss you in ways you don't like. He is going to ask you to touch him in places that you know is wrong. And this is going to happen for a few years. You aren't even going to know that it's happening to Beth and Kathy as well. You think you are alone, but you're not. And you're still going to love him, because you honestly don't know any better, and because you want better for yourself. And that's OK, too.
You will eventually tell Mama, but she's not going to believe you. You will not know how bad that hurts until you are much, much older. And you're never going to talk about it again after that night until you are a Freshman in college. And by the way, that castle that you see on your way to the zoo? It's not a castle--it's where you're going to college and where some of the best things in your life are going to happen to you!
Chin up, sweet Misty. Be strong. Don't get so caught up in fantasy and reading that you are numb to what is going on around you. I wish I could encourage you to tell someone else, but I think Our Father had a different plan. And one last thing: you will share your story to a girl in China (China!) in a few years, and she is going to love the Lord because of it. So maybe that was the whole reason you're hurting right now, I don't really know.
Now that I talked about some heavy things, I'd also like to give you some tips to help you in this season of your life.
1. Stop being a couch potato. Being outside is a good thing. But wear sunscreen: you will only ever burn and freckle. And yes, you will be called FreckleFace many more times in life.
2. Stop eating junk food so much. You really will get cavities. And a little pudgy. Sorry.
3. Try to get to know Kathy a little better. She's just as much fun as Beth, just in different ways.
4. Don't be so shy!
5. Stop smiling with closed lips; you have a lovely smile.
6. Do enjoy Callie; she's going to teach you that you are a dog person for the rest of your life.
7. Stop eating onions; you're just going to throw up when you eat them, and it's not true: you won't like them when you're older.
8. Ask the librarian for better books than The Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High. There is a whole world out there of classic children's literature that you will love until you are old.

Love,
your 28-year old self
p.s. I'll write again when you're 15.

Nesting

I've had several projects of things to do around the house lined up in my brain (is that a dangling modifier?), and I finally did one of them this evening! I read just recently a report that a woman was never more productive than when she was pregnant, and I get that; I've been a busy bee, and I'm gonna expose the skeletons in my closet... just kidding, but this closet is still pretty scary!

See?


Things thrown every which way....

Just a mess... books not returned when I got them out, pitiful yarn stash tossed aside...

And, yikes... same shelf as above, but with the bottom space: more books, missing glue gun, random candles from a party a year ago; that is some pretty bad organization!

Now?

This shelf is still mildly wonky, but that gives it character, right?

Yum, nice lined up books and photo albums, separated by category (knitting, gardening, quilting, pregnancy/birth, and old journals, if you must know!). Sigh. I just love organizing things, really... :)

Eh, still blah, but a tad bit better than it was before! At least there aren't any dangerous cords lying about!

It feels good to have this closet organized, and now I won't have to call Hunny when he's out of town asking if he's seen my latest knitting book or where I put some crafting supply. Yay!


Oh, one other thing I got done tonight was my Christmas Thank-you cards... yes, Christmas!! Oops... a little late, and I'm usually so prompt! It was nice writing letters and being reminded of the thoughtfulness of others, so hopefully I'm not in too much trouble for being a couple of months behind!

On my mind

This is a post that has been in draft form since October of last year, but many of the things I was mulling over are still on my brain, and since I've been lax about blogging, figured I could at least finish this post and see where it takes me.
I had watched the movie "Freedom Writers," and it deeply affected me, in the sense that I had lots of questions after I saw the movie, most particularly about the idea of social justice and my "obligation" to it as a Christian. Hilary Swank's character became quite dedicated to teaching in an inner-city, underprivileged school, mostly minority school, yet her own life fell to pieces as she sacrificed everything to make sure her students got the best chance at a real education. I admire that (really!), but what about her own husband? To whom did she owe a greater obligation? How does one juggle both giving to others and giving to your family? Is it one of those "seasons of life" things? (As in, right now while my kids are little and need much more attention, is it right and normal to not have a sense of outreach, but at the same time, if I'm not showing by example, how do I raise aware and compassionate kids myself?) I watch movies like this one, or more recently read books like George Barna's Revolution and I get this burning sensation that I want to do and be more. I come from a long line of service and volunteering, and in college it became a part of my identity. I am not really sure how my desire to give back fell by the wayside, but it's been easy to keep at bay with just having a family. While living with Meg, I heard over and over how you need to take care of your own backyard before worrying about others, and to a great extent, I think I believe that. But I don't want to permanently squelch my hope of service and eternally procrastinate or make excuses for not doing what I can. I think another factor that makes me over think things is the idea of barriers: race, class, gender, religion, etc. I tend to be afraid of unknowns and change, but I want to change.. be change (be the change you want to see; isn't that the Gandhi quote?). The other aspect of all of this that I've been considering lately is the idea of community. It pairs well with the above questions when you consider "Who is my brother?" and yet, it's more, too. Hunny and I have had several conversations regarding who our community is. Do we look for it in a traditional "brick and mortar" church, where we do not feel we fit, or do we find a small house or "organic" church where we might fit in just fine but with whom we may not agree with the theology? Do we just hang out with friends (that are as of yet unmet), or do we go create them (er, go out and get them... however you say it!)?
So, basically, I'd love to hear any one's thoughts on these issues, and I'm also just getting it down on virtual paper so that I can clear my head for a little while!

Community

Isn't community the buzzword in Christian churches/circles? I tend to cringe when I hear over-used words or phrases, but community is one of those things that draws me in over and over. The thing is, I miss it. But sometimes I wonder if I've ever had it? It has so many faces, so many different expressions. I have true community with my immediate family and sister and her family, of course, but there are times I miss "the old days" in college when life was crazy in a different way and community was handed to you on a silver platter. That is to say, being part of a great church with a great singles/young adult ministry had its perks. There were a lot of us who worshipped together on a regular basis, albeit a little too caffeinated. I've mentioned before that moving here has been hard at times just because I'm lonely and feel kind of isolated during the day. (Side note: when I say isolated, I'm not kidding...there are days I feel I'm the only one home during the day! No cars, no people out and about, no kids) And, Hunny, if you're reading this, I don't mean you... I mean other moms, other women, other believers. I am not a huge social butterfly by any means, but I do need interaction with others, and I believe that as Christians it truly is vital to our growth or stimulation or just feel-good fuzzies, lol. We have not had great success in finding a church, but haven't worked terribly hard at it, because it's such a hard and long process. I feel like my posts have not been particularly happy sounding lately, and for that I'm sorry. I am happy; I'm just also feeling a bit lonely and wishing that I could find a friend or two here, especially for Hunny as well.

Hello, New Year

So 2009 is here. I'm looking forward to my 29th year of existence (and yes, Hunny, I can say that , assuming in utero is still existing... at least til August, when I really will be in my 29th year!) and as usual, have lots of plans and expectations for a new year. I'm not making resolutions, though, as I plan to continue whittling away at my 101 list. That's enough goals for anyone, dontcha think? :) Besides incubating a healthy little baby, there are a few things that get higher priority: obedience training Sugar and Pele; stop eating sugar so much (especially if the trend continues and I have gestational diabetes again); and there is a spiritual to-do that I'll keep mum here, but it's much on my heart and mind, so if the time comes, I'll share that, too. Anyway, I hope everyone had a blessed holiday season and happy start to a new year! I am looking forward to catching up on all the blogs I've been missing out on (although I must admit the inadvertent bloggy break has been good for me) and trying to be better at updating this little blog that could!

The Lock-Less Monster

That'd be me and my new 'do!
What do you think? I got it cut with the intention of donating my hair to Locks of Love, but I was unable to do so because of the bleached streaks (from when I got purple highlights) and she couldn't separate the blonde out well enough. Oh well, now I get to grow it out again and donate in the future!

Oh, I forgot to post a picture of Bear in his Halloween costume, so here he is with his cousin E and Aunt Bebe (can you guess who she's related to?). Yes, they are both Spiderman, as E told everyone all night. E: "We're Spiderman! That's my cousin!" Over and over.
(Ok, I have no idea why that picture got small...hmm...sorry!)

And last-but-not-least, I have the real monster of the lot: Bunkin! Tell me how cute is his little grin??


(And that is so not my rug, just as an FYI--it was here when we got here, and has been useful, but I loathe pink. Remember that. Not. Mine.)

I was wrong about the last part... While I'm loading up random pics, here is our new addition, Sugar (we decided to keep her name as Bear is able to say it, and I think it would confuse him [not her] if we changed it now).

Sort of MIA

I will not be posting regularly for a couple of (I've always wondered: is it a couple or a couple of?) reasons: I have to go a week with no Internet for my 101 List, and I figure no time like the present, right? Also, I am working on several homemade gifts, and unfortunately I cannot knit and type or read at the same time. I do have a couple of drafts in the works, but I'm going to hold off on those until a week from Monday to show Hunny* the world that I really can go without the Internet for a week! Hopefully, when I return, I will have pictures to post of at least one completed project!
*Hunny does not, in fact, in any way lord over me or how much time I spend on the computer. In my 101 list I wanted to remove the computer for a week in an effort to build relationships with my husband and sons. Bear and I are going through a rough patch with discipline lately, so now, more than ever, I need to be a hands-on parent. Also, I have had a few moments of clarity (mirror-holding as it were) showing me just how much time I waste on here. I just need to step back for a while. :)

Walking in Memphis

Ok, I tried to have the little youtube video of Marc Cohn's beautiful song playing here for you, but I can't figure out how to do it. Sorry, both if you wanted to hear the song, and also if you (like Hunny) hate it and now have it stuck in your head!
I went to Memphis this weekend and got to visit my new niece Skylar and my friends. It was a great visit!
I was musing to a friend that it is amazing the difference experience makes! When I took Bear to Dallas from Memphis, I was by myself and terrified at the prospect of traveling with a toddler and how he would act on the plane and how I would do everything; this time, with Bunkin, I wore him in my mei tai while simultaneously wearing a backpack (that I packed for 4 days for BOTH of us), and I carried my diaper bag in one hand and the car seat in another! Phew! I flew to Little Rock and then rented a car for the last leg of the trip. On the way to Memphis, I think the old gentleman sitting next to me got a peep show he won't soon forget! Timing for Bunkin's nap was perfect for him to fall asleep on the flight, so I purposefully held him off eating until we were on the plane, and I nursed him to sleep. However, I was not wise in my shirt choice that morning and was not able to be very discreet as the shirt had no stretch whatsoever! Poor old guy... he kept his entire torso turned toward the window the entire time! Ah well... at least there wasn't a fussy baby for a seat partner, right?
I stayed very busy seeing friends each day I was there, and of course Bunkin is the biggest ham ever... both in terms of physically large and quite the show-off! He even slept okay in the pak-n-play at our friend Amy's house. My two favorite times were seeing my friend Georgia who sort of mentored me when I lived there--she's just fabulous--and hanging out with my playgroup mommies. I've missed having that social outlet for myself and the boys soooo much! Which means I've GOT to figure out a group of ladies to hang out with here.
Anyway, so now i am back and trying to catch up on all my favorite blogs... so much to read from just a few days of being gone!

First day of Fall!

First day of Fall!
Amber posted her list of 20 reasons to love fall, and since I both love lists and fall, I had to be unoriginal follow suit.
20 Reasons Fall is Fabulous (how's that for some Baptist alliteration?)
1. Cooler temperatures. 'Nuff said.
2. The smell of burning leaves. I'm not sure if you're allowed to do this anymore, but I know growing up, this was one of my favorite smells. Actually, it's kind of a putrid smell, but it makes me think of my mom in a wistful kind of way.
3. Baking baking baking. I mean, I bake a lot anyway, but fall baking is emblematic.
4. People are nicer. Ok, this one probably isn't true, but it kind of seems that way when you're surrounded by pre-holiday comforts; school's being broken up by a few holidays, and temperatures are dropping, and people just seem a little more thankful for these things.
5. Thanksgiving foods are some of my favorites. I have extrememly fond memories of peeling apples with my mom on Thanksgiving morning and then donating the peels to our goats, who then adored me for a day. Good times.
6. Candy corn. I can only stand to eat about 5 pieces before the sugar hits me, but for one day a year, I love candy corn.
7. Martha Stewart Living fall editions. Which is, of course, the precursor to the holiday edition. Much crafting love and yumminess.
8. Baby Halloween costumes. We don't "celebrate" or really participate in Halloween, but big fat babies in adorable costumes melt me every time.
9. Hot chocolate and chai. I'm thinking particularly of Ugly Mug Coffee's versions. The chai is not authentic as far as chai goes, but it is unbelievably scrumptious and supports a fairtrade coffee company, plus I used to work there.
10. Sweaters. I love sweaters, and even though fall is not cool enough to wear them, I can knit them and it feels appropriate.
11. Pumpkins and gourds. I don't know why, but they make me happy. I've never really figured out how to artfully decorate with them, but they're so cute, and even though it bothers me a little that there is a whole harvest of this wonderful food source for pure aesthetics, they are so ... cute!
12. College Football. I NEVER used to be into sports, and particularly not football because I did not understand it (still don't, though I AM getting better), but I have loved to learn the fun and comraderie that happens because of it. In our house, that means WOOO Pig Suie, go Arkansas! But conveniently, Hunny is also a Texas fan, so we can fit in with our new neighbors as well. I remember my first game, and I can't wait for my boys to love it as well.
13. Soups and chilis. I eat chili year 'round because it is a good vegetarian protein source, but I feel particularly justified in savoring it in the fall. I also enjoy all soup options, but particularly those homey, comfort versions: potato soup, corn chowder, etc.
14. Back-to-school. Even though I am long past my college days, I still think of the year in terms of the academic school year: semesters and vacations break up the monotany of every day is the same, so back-to-school brings with it great sales as well as a point of reference for me that Christmas is coming!
15. U-pick farms. I am planning on picking lots of apples for jelly, applesauce, and applebutter endeavors to give as Christmas gifts. I like picking in summer (in fact, can't wait for it), but it's not so hot in the fall!
16. Changing colors. Nothing beats spring green's arrival, but fall splendor is a close second for me. It's just so majestic, like God is showing off, which I am glad to witness.
17. The electricity in the air; along with people seeming a little nicer, they also seem more energized, or that could just be me. But summer lethargy seems to dissipate and things get done. I need to do a good, deep fall cleaning myself!
18. State fairs and arts and crafts festivals. I'm sad to have missed Cooper-Young festival this year from back at home, but I'm looking forward to finding some good local fairs and events to attend. (ooh, just learned TX state fair is this weekend!)
19. Reading. Again, I go through spurts off and on of reading (did I mention I miss reading the Twilight books?), but fall tends to be my serious reading stint... I catch up on Bible reading or inspirational books.
20. I've alluded to it all through this list, but fall means Christmas is on its way!!!
(oops for those of you who read this with all the typos... Blogger was not cooperating earlier!

Sunday ramblings

I've got several things floating around in my head, and I'm trying to remember to blog about them, but I'm still sad that the Twilight series is over. Project-wise, I'm knitting two baby sweaters, one for Helen and one for Joelle. It looks like they will both make fantastic Christmas presents. Shortly after we moved here, I taught sis B how to knit, and that has been so fun. We were so competitive for a while that we held on to our preferred interests, but now that we're older and more mature (!) we actually like teaching each other new things and sharing in those activities. I am purchasing some yarn from a friend that will be a surprise for me--I don't know what it looks like or color, but I have a sweater in mind... I canNOT wait to start working on it!
I'm also working on quite a few handmade gifts that I'm so excited about, and can't wait to share when we get our new digital camera.
Food-wise, Hunny and I went to Whole Foods this weekend and surprised ourselves by actually buying 90% of our items from the perimeter of the store, thus keeping at bay the prepackaged and processed foods. I'm really excited about a much healthier approach to eating, and I'm so impressed that Hunny really has gone off the deep end into veganism. Weirded out, but impressed!
Bear is sick and trying the collective patience of the house the last few days, and Bunkin is trying to stand on his own, so that's also been keeping us on our toes.
And last but not least, I am currently arguing with Hunny that despite an intense craving for salty foods I am not pregnant. I suppse I need to confirm or deny this at some point. I'll keep you posted!

Edited to add:
No, I'm not pregnant! I am saddish and Hunny is excitedish. I still really want to lose weight and if/when we get pregnant again to have a much healthier and "easier" pregnancy, but i've got the itch for some crazy reason, such as wanting a girl.

Excuses

Ahhh, I've been, er, busy for a while. Which when translated correctly means I've had my nose stuck in the Twilight saga books. Yummy. I finished the last page of the last book tonight after I put the boys down, and it was kind of wistful. I hated that I was ending the ... urgency with which I've been reading these great books. When Hunny learned they were "teen lit" he asked if they weren't beneath my preferred reading level. Maybe, but then again, I love children's lit so much, and anyway, I was always that kid with a book in front of her face. And if not a book, then it was the cereal box, a tube of toothpaste, or whatever junk mail flyer was lying on the table. Point being, I've read worse. I'll bet when Hunny comes home tomorrow, he'll do the happy dance now that I'm done, because I need to wake back up to reality and the house that has been needing my attention!
However, I have to confess that it's not just Edward and Bella that have kept me away from the blogiverse; I got sucked into that phenomenon of insanity Christmas crafting. It started with Ravelry and a few great posts of links of homemade goodness, and it spiraled from there. I seriously have a problem now. As if I already didn't have a Martha complex, now I want to be the Cool Crafty Queen for real. There are some amazing ideas out there. I plan to do some. I hope in time for Christmas.
So there. That's what I've been up to.

Labor Day Meme

Rocksinmydryer shared this fun meme about labor, and I thought it was kind of fun, and since I have nothing original to say, thought I'd blog about something!

How long were your labors?
Bear: 18 hours
Bunkin: around 11 hours

How did you know you were in labor?
Bear: scheduled induction date, the devilPitocin started immediately. Much to my chagrin.
Bunkin: water broke.

Where did you deliver?
Hospitals.

Drugs?
Bear: yes. Did I mention the Pitocin?? I held out for about 7 hours, finally getting Stadol and then got my epidural after around 12 hours.
Bunkin: nope! Went all natural for this one. Hurt.like.hell.

C-section?
Bear: sigh. Did I mention the Pitocin? (I'm sure I did!) Yes, I ended up with a C-section, but that is ok.
Bunkin: nope, had my VBAC!

Who delivered?
Bear: Dr. B whom I had a like-dislike relationship with.
Bunkin: My OB was caught in surgery, so I had a stranger doctor deliver me, which I was very very ok with!

If you want to play along with this meme, just cut and paste the questions into your own blog, and leave your link below.*

*I'm not actually sure if you're supposed to leave your link here or at Rocksinmydryer's so I say go there!

Happy Birthdayx3!

I love sharing my birthday. Which is good, because I share it with LOTS of people! As most of you know, I'm a triplet, so you know who my immediate day-sharers are, but we were also born on our father's birthday--weird, huh? I also get to celebrate with Izzy, one of my good friend's sons, and he's probably the cutest of the lot!
B, K, and I are 28, and it's been a roller coaster--good thing we haven't even crested the ride yet!
Since people always have questions about what it's like being a multiple, I thought I'd enlighten you to some of the joys we experienced. :)
Fun facts about our childhood:
~We shared a room until we were 14, at one point even sharing the same bed. Subsequently, is it any surprise that we have a skewed sense of "personal space?" LOL
~Two of us are identical, one fraternal, and as far as nature goes, this is the most common kind of triplet when you break down the odds of producing 1 egg that splits 3 ways (all identical) or 3 completely separately fertilized eggs (all fraternal). Growing up, no one believed that we were triplets because K looked so much smaller and younger than we did. By the way, we were born 8 weeks early and weighed 4 pounds plus odd ounces a piece. Not too shabby considering preemies and multiples!
~Despite our being identical and pretty joined at the hip, B and I have never had the same taste in men, and no, we never pranked our boyfriends! (why that gets asked more often than anything else, I have no idea!)
~We did, however, dress identically and switched places on April Fool's Day in high school. Fun times.
~Don't feel tooo badly for K; she was the purty one.
~And lastly, we always loved sharing our special day. Our mom once asked if we wanted to pick our own day so we could have our own cake and friends and presents and party, and we always said no... it's so much more fun to share!

Busy

For those of you who haven't heard the official news, we're moving to Dallas, TX! I'm pretty excited, and mildly overwhelmed, by the prospect of starting over, but I'm certainly staying busy in the meantime. My house is a disaster zone, between Bear sliding on the stacks of broken down boxes and my half-hearted attempts to actually pack; the good news is I actually folded and put away all my laundry I've let accumulate for the last two weeks!! Anyway, I digress. So, we will be moving near my identical sis, and I'm thrilled about that, as well as the opportunity our boys will have in getting to know each other--I never believed in cousins when I was growing up!
I'm sad about leaving behind my paltry little garden, though..isn't that sad? I have a plant that promises many, many tomatoes, but alas, I will not get to eat them! And Bear keeps pulling off the cherry tomatoes, so I've yet to eat any of those either! :)
I had several blog posts planned (including the cutest pictures ever of Bear's birthday/playgroup party), but I think I will wait to do any "real" blogging til after we get settled... which may be a while. So, don't forget about me; I will be back, I promise!!!