its the little things.

for lunch i went to the farmers market. Sure i needed things, but i knew some friends would be there and I was hoping to see them also. (and by friends i mean the ones i hang out with and would call in case of a family emergency - you'll get the distinction in a moment)

But is it normal to squeal with delight upon seeing your favorite Amish dairy farmer and wish instantly that you could run and pick up your daughter from daycare so she could pick out her yogurt flavor? Like many small markets - chit chat ensued with friends and vendors and the Amish Dairy Man said he was happy to see his local friends again. It made me smile. Friends. While i wouldn't use the term myself i certainly appreciate that he did.

I remember the last day of the market early this fall and he was wearing what i presumed to be his 'Sunday best'. He graciously thanked his regulars and handed out information for how to contact him through the winter. Today he said it was upsetting 'to see the [local] market close for the season. It just seemed like an abrupt way to say goodbye'.

Perhaps its sentimental and cheesy but i totally agreed. I so often think of things as a means to an end.
Organic produce + small business = farmers market.

but my dairy man reminded me its more like:
my family + your family + sustainable living + consciousness of chemicals + my health + your health + animal health + + + + ... = farmers markets.

and in that ~ i am a friend. thanks for the reminder.

Our FIRST Christmas

no really – seriously – OUR first christmas.  Peter and i have been together workin on 8 years now and this is the first christmas we’ve been able to call our own.  and it was WONDERFUL.  No where to go.  No one to dress up for, no meals to make you overstuffed and did i mention, no where to go?!?!  Of course we missed family – but thanks to SKYPE and perhaps being over 30, it didn’t really seem that bad.

For starters i had tried to get all interested parties set up on Skype so they could spy on our x-mas morning should they be interested.  Course no one expected that we’d have this to deal with for soooooooooooo long.  seriously kid.  WAKE UP.  I did everything but jump on her bed at 9am.

But that being said – it was all worth the wait.  This was truly and enjoyable day.  She LOVED it.  (duh, right!)  Unfortunately i didn’t pick up my camera till she had already swapped into new jammies, opened 90% of her gifts, had a new dolly that would not come out of her arms.  Despite the wonderful picture of peter – it was funny watching G open gifts with 1 hand. OK,  for about 5 minutes until i wanted to scratch out my own eyeballs from the slowness of it all.  However, i digress.  Next are the wings.  Ahh the wings.  The wings that were cause of WWIII should they come off for nap time (they did not) ~ nor for dinner either.  But it was good.  We sang and played all day long and no one got out of their jammies. 

I guess i’m pretty lucky.  Every day just keeps getting better!

Havin a cool yule

So clearly i’ve been lacking in the blogging.  but its all for good reason i promise.  DUH – i’ve been BUSY :P

So i’m going to try and pick up roughly where i left off and just get to the good parts.  i.e. like another pic of my new rug and our sofa :)

starting of course – with our solstice celebration.  As i grow up and learn more about Christmas, its true meaning and origin of traditions I wonder more and more why I feel the need to celebrate something entirely made up.  Wanna celebrate the birth of Christ– go for it.  Wanna celebrate the sun – go for that too.  Eight days of oil…game on.  I love latkes.  But what i don’t get…nor care for, to be honest, is when people do things just for the sake of tradition or because its what everyone else does.  Perhaps its the life stage i’m in as with Santa and parenting i’m testing out new waters as i teach and am actually responsible for a lil mind.  Or perhaps i’m just wierd as my father would tell me. 

So what do you do when your brain tells you to celebrate one thing, but your childish dreams  want celebrate something else? Well for now – we do it all.  :)

Starting with the solstice.  We decorate d sun cookies (ok really flowers as that’s the cookie cutter i have) tied up our yule log and made prayer poppers / wish crackers or whatever you want to call them.  G also received a little solstice present.  A nativity scene complete with gnomes, fairy’s and so i don’t get too dizzy when i spiral to hell --  a baby in a rocker. 

 

and just for giggles – here’s a picture of my favorite little gnome-ess in all her feminine glory :)

my endless love

I just wanted to take a moment to introduce you to my newest love. 'sabrina' its what i've named her. my rug that is.

i posted an add on craigslist looking for a persian-ish rug to cover our living room floor. I had xxx i was willing to spend and wanted something about 9x12.

I got one response. from a woman who told me she was SICK to see this rug go but it didn't fit in her new place. The day of the viewing & potential exchange she was kicking herself for agreeing to my price. We had many hobbies in common and i just LOVED her decor. It got to the point where i had to stop saying 'ME TOOO' for fear that i was looking insincere. By the time i left & helped her move some boxes to her car ~ she felt like fate had led her to see my ad and was happy to pass the rug along to a young family for a new life.

turns out its 9.5 x 13 (a lil big for our place, but we've made it work). a semi-antique (greater than 60 but less than 100 years) Persian machad (which means the red is more pink vs orange) with an all-over design (no medallion) -- after the army, her (ex)husband was an importer and she worked with him for a few years so she was able to teach me a little bit about it & how to care for it. Prior to the embargo-life this baby woulda been worth a nice bit, but unfortunately with the allowance of trade & flooding of pottery barn 'fakes' ~ the entire persian & oriental market has suffered.

now..most importantly -- PICTURES

Crafting

So it IS december and I am waaaay waaaay behind in my holiday crafting.  Perhaps its the lack of the FLOORS being FINISHED (PETER!) – or perhaps it’s just general business getting the best of me.

I vote Peter. 

Either way… G and I got some good stuff done last night & I wanted to share. 

And then, we started to make an advent calendar.  I’d like to combine chocolates (since 2/3 of the house are ADDICTS) with nice family activities.   Thankfully i’m doing these with paper, so i can sorta just do 1 a night :P 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'sick' days

So today G was deemed to sick for 'school' - by the powers that be. Sure her cough sounds horrible, but really...its loose and after weeks of a cold now seems to be the dumbest time to send her home ~ but whatevs. I'll take it :P

After a wonderful breakfast ~ we spent the morning cleaning her room in preparation for the floors getting DONE this weekend (& grandpa pete & gramma pat's visit - not a coincidence). I'm on a conference call now and she's sitting in her 'castle' (a great big box) and 'decorating' (coloring the walls with crayons). She was content with watching Jane occasionally - but has recently taken to 'moving' (dragging her castle across the living room floor every 5 minutes)

If i weren't WORKING...i'd be taking pictures. its a lovely day so far.

Where you at?

oh i KNOW where you at!
(that's for you mum)

Last week we spent the most wonderful week in the Outer Banks, NC. I seriously don't know how a single post can do it justice, but i'll certainly try.
- one of my bestests got married
- we crashed her honeymoon
- we saw horses on the beach
- we flew a kite
- i got to take some photos i love
- i celebrated my 31st
- G fell in love with donuts, cupcakes and a ginormous house and i fear life may never be the same.

and so are some photos from the lovely day...i'm sure i'll have more to share once my batteries are charged...say around christmas :P







Clearly a kid who's seen too many drinking games in her day.

The Alcantarians...keeping workplace romance alive since 2004

Thus was the response when i told a friend of ours about...

PETER'S NEW JOB!

Peter will be a technical recruiter with this great lil company i know. Heck ~ a great lil company i work for!

Currently we're a small-ish company (about 150 strong in DC & Boulder) and in the upcoming year we're looking to almost double our full time employees given the amazing contracts that we are gonna win. So peter's job is going to be a busy one. But at least i know it'll be rewarding and the people he'll be working with are ~ hee ~ like family :P

Good luck Pete-a-lee!
(but we will miss you at home)

Family Fun Fridays

I've always loved Octobers. Fall is my favorite season and halloween is SO. MUCH. FUN. I loooove to make costumes. I looooove cooking fun foods. and i Loooooove pumpkin well -- pumpkin anything, but pete-a-lee makes a to-die-for PSL (that's pumpkin spice latte for you newbies out there)

Last friday night we had a blast making dinner & dessert.


And in theory - tonight we'll 'play' a little more AND carve pumpkins.

Mi Casa

es horrible!!! (that means my house is a big ass mess)


So for those of you not in the know -- we're doing a little remodeling. I LOVE our home, but after 4 years i'm kinda tired of it. Since we can't exactly build on ~ why not completely remodel right?!?!

If last time our place was Starbucks Chic ~ this time will be Lake House Lovin.

Floors will be a polished concrete. Furniture eclectic as we find the funds :) And the walls will be toned down to a cheery but super super light yellow. Here's the general game plan.

We've successfully removed the carpet from all but G's room. And interestingly enough...i don't sneeze anymore the hour after i wake up like i used to. And to think ~ i originally researched this for G's allergies. Now we're debating on the floor stain color. I think we have a favorite, but i'm interested in others opinions...I KNOW you all have opinions :P

While peter was visiting the kids the other weekend I refinished the entertainment center. And look forward to refinishing the buffet (crackle) & the corner cabinet (accent color on the inside).

Of course its a ton of work ~ but its fun (mostly) and i can. not. wait. to see the finished project :)

G's first bully.

So this weekend i did not one but TWO things i swore i would n.e.v.e.r. do.
1) put g's living room toys front and center in the entertainment center (pics/post to come)
2) take her to the mall to play. yea. ewe is right.

Anyhoo - we had been shopping all morning, it was raining, and it was on the way home. G was LOVIN it. Just running around like a maniac and going down the slide headfirst like the big kids (but really ~ why do parents let their 8yo play here?!?) But then this 4-5 year old girl really takes a shine to G. Perhaps b.c. she was the youngest & most rambunctious in the group and she wanted to put her in her place?? So this chick follows G around, pushing her off the toys, blocking her from the slide, etc etc. They'd shove each other occasionally and for the most part G really held her own. Until this lil gangster acutally started chocking G and pushing her around. As soon as I stood up she stopped and G came over with giant doe eyes and said "Mommy she's mean. She hurt me" I said i know - but next time she comes near you - you look her in the eye and say "i don't want to play with you ~ you're mean".

Sure enough the second G was more than 3 feet away from me, that little girl was back. G tried climbing up on a mushroom and she blocked her. And what happened next made a whole row of watching parents smile. G glared into this girls face and almost growled the words i told her. Then just to solidify it ~ she finished with a hearty little shove and walked away.

Amazingly enough it worked! We stayed at least another 30 minutes and the girl kept her distance from then on.

One of the dad's commended me on my composure. I smiled and said thanks. But really. I wanted to drop punt the little bitch out of the play park.

:)

Donkey Bites and all that jazz

So yes. I got bit by a donkey. and it hurt. and i'd like to report that G added a new word to her vocabulary ~ but unfortunately she already knows them all.

BUT in other news...

We went to an apple orchard AND got to press our own cider. Ironically two rather unrelated events.
First we went apple picking which was awesome (sans damn donkey bite) G thoroughly enjoyed APPLES from TREEs and running down the dirt roads in her lil house on the prairie ensemble. She loved her new friend ~ "my lil mary". How she got that name is beyond me as Mary is anything but G's or little for that matter. She's my age (ha) and a pretty darn tall svelt lady. So the name alone is joke worthy. Anyhoo we picked apples, got scared by massive pigs and had a great time with some new friends.

Then we went to the CSA farm for our apple cider pressing. Our farmer had 2nd quality apples on hand for us to pick through and an awesome new cider press. What amazed me the most was 1) how easy it was and 2) how many bee's there were. But seriously - not a single sting among us. Apparently honey bees don't really do stinging unless you really tick em off ~ and apparently pete-a-lee was on his best behavior :P We were expecting approximately 2.5 gallons of cider and took home a little over 2 in our mr. beer 'keg' that is happily sitting in our fridge. But not for long as it is SOO YUMMY!

And another one ~ if only cause the bees are soo clear!

mmmm radishes!

So i had NO idea what radishes grew partially above ground. For some unknown reason i just presume they grew 100% under ground like carrots do. BUT THEY DON'T! and...they grow in like 23-25 days. A month. Talk about fun for a toddler (ha ~ who am i kidding, its fun for me. I LOVE a quick turn around)

So Monday we were at the garden weeding and just generally checking in on things (yes more stolen stuff) and i saw these little red thinks peeking out from the dirt under some beautiful green leaves. I was SHOCKED to see how much 'peeking' was going on. And have to admit - i think they're just adorable.


After a whole 24 hours of debating weather or not they are ready to pick or now ~ we finally gave into temptation and went late last night to gather the most assuming suspects from our garden. A little butter, salt & sesame crackers and we had a wonderful late night snack.

Perhaps its the changing of the seasons thats put me in such a great mood, but i really can't express how in love i am with these little radishes.

hee. call me crazy.

One little, two little, three little...

Here she is one morning after breakfast.

And here she was on another day telling her friend not only did she like his 'clippie' but that he had a nice pack-pack as well.

And of course you've gotta sit & have a chat when your drinkin your water after lunch.

For a few days I presume it was the sheer likeness in size that made her friends so appealing. But then one day I heard them talking. I asked what she talked to her friends about and she told me they tell her stories. I asked what the stories were about and she told me 'animals. you know like deer & beer and frogs mommy'. But of course i thought. And though i haven't seen a bear in 10+ years in the area ~we saw one only a few nights later.

Honi Honi

after and awesome weekend in deep creek ~ this has to be my favorite lil video.


For those of you not in 'the know' the Honi Honi is a local bar on the water. Used to be a LOT of fun b4 they 'family-ized' it.

just sayin hi...

CHEESE CHEESE

Now while you heart is melting as i know mine does --- take a look at THIS fun little video taken only a few moments later :)

Stealing is...NOT NICE

Can you believe it -- can you effin believe it.

SOMEONE STOLE ALL OUR RIPE TOMATOES FROM OUR GARDEN!!!!!!!

Tomatoes that i planted from SEED.

pissed doesn't even BEGIN to explain how angry i am.

I DID IT!!! (no really - I did it!)

So i have successfully given away 2/3 of G's clothing.

BAH.

First undies ~ now this. We were on a goodwill / freecycle kick today and i realized we're hoarding 2, 35gallon containers full of clothing ~ PLUS a few more grocery bags full AND an entire adult size dresser. FOR A TWO YEAR OLD.

so yea it hurts and i'm on the verge of meltdown, but no worries I've kept my favorites (including jammies) and am excited to be CLEAR of the CLUTTER.

AHHHH.

(haha - if only it were as simple as getting rid of a few bags of clothing!)

Mama Knows Best

So could this be the beginning of the middle of the end of diapers?!?

I can hardly believe it. She's wearing big girl undies. EVERY DAY now. Is this insane of what?!? MY BABY. Granted she's not 100% yet (and does a lot better with a nagging mommy than a fun and exciting daddy) BUT ~ give the girl a choice and its undee-pants every. single. time.

My mom totally called it. The pull ups / sewn diaper pants were still 'diapers' just thinner ones. Not till we (she) bought real little girl undies did we feel the shift in 'tude.

Still in shock though. My BABY wears undies. BAH.