A time to...

...show off my feet.

2012-02-14T15:26:00.000-08:00

Not only was I able to find my feet today, but I managed to put on toe socks. How festive are they?! Folks at the hospital commented on them. My feet weren't the only ones getting noticed. We've been told that our newborn son has big feet. Yep. He's here. We are so in love with our baby boy. He came in time for Valentines Day. 'Probably our best Valentines Day gift ever!

...go girly!

2012-02-08T20:28:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun making a girly baby blanket for my friend. She is expecting a girl close to Easter. So, I went a little crazy with a pastels and bunnies for her gift. It was a nice break from all the boy stuff lately. Here are the pics:

This may remind some of another baby girl blanket I did with daisies. As much fun as this one was, the daisy blanket is still my favorite.

...wear red...splattered with cheese dip!

2012-02-03T16:58:00.000-08:00

Today is National Wear Red Day to raise awareness about heart disease in women. I was very excited that I had a clean red shirt available to wear this morning. My maternity wardrobe is limited. I usually wear the same outfits every week, and I hadn't set aside any red for today. So, this morning I felt fashionable and timely donning my red. As a Star Trek fan, I should have realized that wearing a "red shirt" would mean I was in for some disaster later that day. However, I went bravely out to run my errands with a smile on my face. Having a forgetful, pregnant brain can be bliss.

My bliss ended at the commissary (military grocery store). While leaving the produce section, I paused to eye a clerk stocking a large display of munchies for Super Bowl Sunday. There were stacks of chips and dip piled high. This young man was quickly moving cheese dip onto the display. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 jars at once! I could imagine a jar falling just before it did. Dumbstruck, I failed to wheel my cart out of the splatter zone in time. The cheese dip splashed an impressive six feet in my general direction. Lucky for me, the glass shards seemed to be held down by the larger glop of cheese on the floor. However, I was splattered with cheese dip!

Shaking some off my arm, I inspected the damage. The clerk was in a panic, but I quickly assured him that I was not too concerned. No glass had hit, and I was lightly splattered at most. I did my best to wipe it off my red shirt and continue shopping with my head held high. After all, I get stuff on my shirts all the time trying to eat around my large, shelf of a belly. Everyone that saw me after probably just thought I had eaten a messy lunch before shopping.

I suppose my "red shirt" experience went a lot better than it does for most folks. I made it back from this away mission. You can bet I'll be on the lookout the next time I wear this shirt. It may not have raised heart disease awareness, but my experience today has raised my general awareness!

...give directions for the duck tape letters.

2012-01-31T09:31:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: This isn't a fancy web tutorial. I don't have any pictures, and the steps may be lacking in descriptions. This is just a simple list of directions for how I made the duck tape letters in my last post: http://www.atimetoblog.com/2012/01/duck.html. Feel free to pass this on, improve upon it, or completely change these to fit your projects!

Here's the skinny on my duck tape letters:

I just found a font I liked and printed the letters out large.

Then, I cut them out and laid wax paper over them (so I could see the letters thru the wax paper.

Then, I stuck the duck tape on the wax paper trying to match the pattern up along the edges and making sure the letters would be covered.

Next, I flipped the whole thing over and traced the letters onto the wax paper with a pencil.

Then, I cut out the traced letters.

The tricky part was peeling the duck tape off the wax paper backing. If you go slow, it works a little better. Ripping it off may leave some wax paper behind if you pressed hard while tracing.

Then, you just stick the tape on your project in strips to reform the letters.

Since it's duck tape, you can reposition a bit as long as you press down lightly at first. I liked how forgiving the tape was. I could pull it up a bit and smooth out any bubbles or wrinkles too.

I think you could do a lot of things with duck tape letters. Plus, at $3 a roll, it can be a lot cheaper than vinyl lettering! That said, duck tape won't come off the wall as neatly as vinyl. So, I guess they both have their place.

...duck!

2012-01-30T12:01:00.000-08:00

Duck tape is not just for fixing things anymore. In fact, I've had a lot of fun with it as a craft. Did you spot the decorative duck tape in my crafting supplies?

Here's the first part of my crafty project completed:

I didn't make the elephants. However, I made the mini bunting and letters from duck tape. It was fun. Now, I'm going to complete the rest of my crafting for our nursery...hopefully before Isaac comes!

...craft.

2012-01-24T20:26:00.000-08:00

I've been inspired to started a new little project. It may take me a day or two to finish. I'll be sure to post the end results. For now, I'll keep you guessing by showing you my supplies. What am I up to?

...make a rainbow!

2012-01-23T15:29:00.000-08:00

It's cloudy and rainy today. So, what do you do when you need a rainbow? Make one!

Okay. So, I've been working on this for a while. I decided to share it today to fend off the gloom from the weather.

It's the blanket I've been working on for our baby boy. I wanted our baby to have something bright and colorful--not pastel.

It might be a bit sensory overload for our little tike. Perhaps it will be a eye popping tummy time blanket. Either way, it's almost done...and it will be waiting on him to get here!

...get well.

2012-01-23T15:12:00.000-08:00

Lucy has been sick lately. She probably had doggie flu or food poisoning from something she ate outside. The vet said we may never know what it was for sure. 'Poor thing. She is feeling better now. We still have her on a bland diet of chicken and rice. She loves the chicken and will pick it out of the rice. That's how we caught her with rice on her nose.

...bean.

2012-01-05T17:54:00.000-08:00

Hey! You guys are good at this. Yep. It's a stack of baby beanie hats. I thought it looked a bit like a modern art textile vase, but that could just be the hormones talking. LOL

I made these hats for the girls in my centering group. I'm doing group prenatal visits, and this time we met on my birthday. So, there should be presents, right?! These were fun to make and give.

...guess.

2012-01-04T22:02:00.000-08:00

What's this?

The answer will come in tomorrow's post.

...feed a giraffe!

2012-01-02T16:40:00.000-08:00

I got to feed a giraffe today. Even though I watched the giraffe while waiting my turn, it still surprised me just how big he is. He was certainly hungry! He used his long tongue to scoop up my three leaves one right after the other. 'Good thing there were more people in line behind me.

I'm glad that we got a chance to visit the park while our car was at the garage. It was nearby and free (since I'm a zoo member and there is no charge for active duty military). Well, it was $5 to feed the giraffe--but it was worth it. The visit made the time pass quickly and got us in a good mood before paying the car repair bill!

...stick your head in a hole and roll around in the grass!

2011-12-22T13:02:00.000-08:00

You probably guessed from the title that this post is about Lucy. It's been a while since I've done a post just about her. Well, I finally caught some of her antics on camera.

I'm not sure how she gets her whole head in a squirrel burrow. She must not think these squirrels are too bright. She spends quite a bit of time waiting on them to come back up out of their holes. They never do. Would you?!

Lucy also likes to roll around in the grass. I'm not sure if it is to disguise her sent from the squirrels or just for fun. Either way, it's part of our walk routine. First, she lays down in the shade and pants for a while (because 65 degrees is sooo hot?!). Then, she rolls around like a goof!

...be apart.

2011-12-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you can't come home. James is stuck out in the middle of nowhere solving a few work issues. He won't be home this weekend, but he sent these. The card says, "I miss you!" I miss him too. He will be home for Christmas! I'm lucky. Even though we heard about the troops pulling out of Iraq in time for the holidays, there are still a lot of military families that will be separated. I count my blessings and thank them for their sacrifice!

...pay it forward.

2011-12-15T19:06:00.000-08:00

I finished another baby blanket. This one is not for my baby. It's not for a baby shower. It's for a military family that will visit the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society like I did. I attended a class there about budgeting for a new baby. It was a good class. At the end, we were given some layette items and a blanket hand crocheted by a volunteer. It's a beautiful blanket. I appreciated receiving it so much that I decided to pay it forward. So, I crocheted one for the society to give away. Here are some pictures I'll remember it by:

...get muddy.

2011-12-12T16:52:00.000-08:00

I knew it. I just knew it! The rain today halted progress on the landscaping. What once was dirt, now is mud. I happens to be right outside our front door--just to the side of our paved entrance way. Lucy needed to go for her walks today and...did you guess it? Yep. She walked thru that mud every time! Ugh! I had to wipe her down after each trip. No amount of verbal correction or tugs on the leash helped. She was like a magnet drawn to the mud!

Please, landscaping specialists, come back tomorrow and cover up that mud!!!

...eclipse.

2011-12-10T09:35:00.001-08:00

Did you wake up early to catch a glimpse of the lunar eclipse? I did. Well, to be completely honest, it was also a bathroom run (small, pregnant bladder). I got to catch it at a few phases as I snoozed. Near total eclipse, I decided to see what I could get with my camera. It's not a good shot using my 18-55mm lens on my DSLR. You need a tripod and nice, telephoto lens to get a decent shot. This is what I got standing in the back yard in my night gown layered with a hoodie. Ha-ha. Are you picturing that?! Good thing it was before sunrise! I don't think I would have had the nerve after dawn.

If you want to see a good photo or learn more about today's eclipse, check out this BBC New article.

...meet a sad demise.

2011-12-09T16:21:00.001-08:00

Well, it's happened. The landscape specialists have killed my geraniums. They left them alone for a long, last week in the partial sun. However, today the deed was done. This is what I saw after the crew left:

Sure. You might say that it looks partially on its way to a well sculpted front plot. On the other hand, the heaps of dirt scattered with plant parts reminded me of a sad little mass geranium grave. Okay. I'm a bit sensitive. I'm pregnant. Hormones will do that. I am happy to say that I didn't cry! I got creative instead:

Now my little flowers are memorialized properly! Rest in peace, geraniums...

...band again.

2011-12-06T14:32:00.001-08:00

There have been a few baby showers during my recent blog absence. I crocheted a few things for them. I love making hand made gifts for baby showers. It makes the gift seem more personal. Plus, it feeds my crochet addiction. LOL

Here are a few pics from what you may have missed:

I had fun making baby girl headbands for today's shower. Since I'm having a boy, I've been more focused on blue things lately. So, this was fun to break out all the girly pink, red, and purple I had in my stash (yarn collection) and go nuts. Here's what I came up with:

I made a few extra flowers for the wrapping. That way she can sew them to stuff or tie them to hair clips.

Just for fun, here's the picture from the baby girl headbands I did back in January. You can see that some look quite similar, while others are completely different.

I'm not sure which I like best. It's nice to improvise a bit...when it comes out well. Well, the girly fun is over. The next shower (in a week and a half) is for a boy. I think I'm going to do a yellow and white mini blanket. I just don't want to go strait back to the blue just yet.

...awe!

2011-12-03T15:44:00.001-08:00

Lucy just might be the cutest dog in the world!

...survive!

2011-12-03T15:31:00.001-08:00

This is what I found as I came home from James' promotion. The tree that was marked for destruction is gone. So are all the paving stones. However, we have some survivors in the back!

My geraniums are still there (minus the middle one I transplanted). I wonder when they will go...

...pin!

2011-12-03T14:39:00.001-08:00

In the middle of nowhere, as the wind pounded sand on the outside of the K-Span (think modern day Quonset hut), while several Marines waited at parade rest (stand at ease), I pinned on my husband's new rank insignia.

Congrats to my hubby for being promoted! I'm proud of him and all he's accomplished in these few years. I have to say it's a very good thing that I brought in those homemade cinnamon rolls. The Marines had to wait around for quite a while as a mock folder was created. They didn't have the paper to read for his promotion because it got sent to the wrong unit. Marines are very ceremonial/professional. So, the proper wording was found, quickly typed up, and read to get things all squared away. Now everything is all official!

If only he can remember to change his voice mail message over to his new rank...

...baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

2011-12-03T13:31:00.001-08:00

We saw this on the way back from the store today.

It's not your average truck bed passenger!

...roll!

2011-11-30T14:57:00.001-08:00

You guys are good! Bethany (blog comment) and Meagan (facebook) both guessed it. 'Good job, girls!

These little yummies (three plus trays) are to be packed up in my little car and headed off to see James. Don't worry. They aren't all for him. They are for his Marines that will be at his promotion ceremony. That's right. James will be promoted tomorrow!!! Sorry. I can't say to what rank on this public blog, but we are excited about his advancement. Soon, I'll be headed up to his work to help pin on his new insignia. Yea! I promise to be gentle. *wink*

Time is running short, so I'd better roll! (Yep. 'Couldn't resist that one.)

...ask you a question.

2011-11-30T14:02:00.001-08:00

What is this? Can anyone guess what my latest creation is? No. It isn't abstract art. It's much, much sweeter!

Hint: This is not it's final form.

Good luck guessing. You won't have long to wait. I'll post a picture of the finished product soon!

...be marked for destruction!

2011-11-28T15:55:00.001-08:00

"I live in base housing."

"I rent from a government contracted rental company."

"The common area outside does not belong to me."

I keep telling myself these things so that I keep my positive attitude over some big changes here. I feel sad over new landscaping because my geraniums have been marked for destruction! Yep. The flowers that I've fretted over--that prevailed over almost certain death, will meet their fate at the hands of our landscape specialist tomorrow. He was wearing a big, straw hat as he told me the news. "My boss says these go!" It might as well have been a executioner's hooded mask.

Okay, perhaps I am being a bit dramatic. I'll let you be the judge. Won't it be sad to see these go?

This little guy is the one that I thought was a gonner back in March. Remember this sad little picture?

I had to save him! So, I scrounged up a pot and some potting soil. I even made sure his good luck gnome went with him to his new home. Hopefully, this little trooper will survive the transplant!

There are some things I won't be sorry to see go. The paving stones protruding from my dead grass will not be missed. My tree that keeps threatening to grown over our little passage between it and the house wasn't good for much more than a place to park Lucy. Here she is keeping watch while I saved the geranium. The orange spray paint (circled) indicates that these have been marked for destruction. The good news in all of this is that Lucy will end up with a fenced portion of our yard. She will be able to go outside for longer than it takes me to tend my flowers or walk her. That will be a big relief for her and me. So, this change is good.

"This change is good."

"This change is good!"

...text my gamer.

2011-11-22T21:01:00.001-08:00

In case you can't read it, the text to my hubby says:

Dear League of Legends;
When you are finished
with my husband, please
have him call me.
Sincerely, Gaming Widow

...get ready for the Breaking Dawn Part 1 open.

2011-11-17T18:58:00.001-08:00

A friend and I are going to a local Breaking Dawn Part 1 opening party. Later, some of the gals will be standing in line for hours to get good seats for the opening show. I will be sleeping! I have plans to see it later this weekend.To make sure the gals have a good send off tonight, we are making and bringing Twilight themed goodies. I made peppermint cream cheese mints in rectangle shapes. I'm calling them "feather pillow" mints. It is a Breaking Dawn reference that I won't spoil for anyone who hasn't read the book. They are yummy.

I've pulled my Breaking Dawn book release shirt out of storage for this event. It's the one I made back in 2008. In my current condition, it sure doesn't fit the way it used to! Plus, the iron-on is a beat beaten up after multiple trips thru the washer and dryer. However, that won't stop me from sporting my tee like a true Twilight geek!

Oh! In case anyone is wondering; I'm not "team Edward" or "team Jacob." I'm team JAMES!

...finish.

2011-11-14T19:42:00.001-08:00

I'm finally done with my large, crochet blanket. Now it's time to fold it up and give it away.

...feel like I got promoted!

2011-11-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

My father retired from the Marine Corps when I was three years old. However, you know that saying, "Once a Marine, always a Marine?!" Well, my father taught me a lot about the Marine Corps and military life as I grew up. One of the things he taught me is "Rank Has Its Privileges" (RHIP). RHIP is true in certain circumstances. At the commissary (military grocery store), the best parking spaces are marked for high ranking military personnel...or so I thought! I've recently discovered that the closest parking spots are for me!!!

If RHIP holds true, I feel like I got promoted!

...bring woodlands back!

2011-11-07T14:59:00.000-08:00

My hubby, the Vitruvian Military Man!

Daylight savings time means a change over in military uniforms. They have gone from the desert (tan camo) to the woodland (green camo) utilities. It's going to take me a while to get used to the switch.

...return to blogging here.

2011-11-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

It's been almost six months. Let's see what that looks like:

Yep. I'm getting closer to finishing that blanket from the last post. In fact, I've optimistically moved my self imposed deadline from Christmas to Thanksgiving. After all, it is a "thank you" blanket. I might just make it in time!

Well, you may guess that I've been doing a bit more than hooking (crochet) these last six months or so. As a matter of fact, I've been up to something pretty big. There are several reasons why I've kept it to myself for a while. At first, there was a lot of uncertainty that it would even work out. Additionally, I was questioning if it had a place on this blog. This blog has been a big help to me. I write it to remind myself about the little seasons in my life that are fleeting. It's mostly about the lighter side of life. Well, let's just say that I've entered a season that is lifelong (or longer)! This season will change everything. I suspect that this season will shape all my little seasons from here on out. So, I've decided to share that my hubby and I are expecting a baby boy early next year!

Don't worry, my goals with the blog have not changed. I will not turn this blog into the typical "mommy blog." In fact, I think it will be good for me to once again focus on smaller seasons. I've been pretty focused on the whole baby thing now, and have missed smelling the roses along the way. So, it's back to fluff for me!

...go purple.

2011-05-08T17:29:00.000-07:00

I've made some more progress on my large crochet project. Aren't the ripples pretty? You can see that I've still got a ways to go, but it's looking better and better.

Lucy got in on the purple action today as well. James got home from church and decided that Lucy needed to wear his tie. You may remember that he did this before. She's so cute, that it was worth repeating.

...follow up on flowers.

2011-04-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report that my little geranium is doing a lot better. In fact, my flower garden is filling in. I got a small fence to keep Lucy out. Now, if I can keep remembering to water it, then it should be looking lovely soon.

...go small.

2011-04-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

I made this little Easter basket this afternoon. It is just big enough for two pieces of Dove chocolate. The small daisy is even a bit big for it. Some of the best things come in small packages...and sometimes the small package is the best thing!

...return to fluff.

2011-04-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

Wow. That shutdown drama was intense! I'm glad that the shutdown was averted, and I will return to the normal blog fluff now.

I think sea lions should be called sea dogs. After all, the noise they make sounds a lot like barking. The babies are called "pups." Plus, this picture (taken at our local harbor) looks a lot like a dog pile!

...explain what the government shutdown means to our military family.

2011-04-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

I feel the need to stray from the usual fluff this blog is made of to address the possible government shutdown more in depth. Don't worry. This blog will still contain lots of fluff in the future. Feel free to skim or skip this post if you come here for the other stuff. For everyone else, here come the details...

A lot of folks have shown concern for our military family facing the possibility of a government shutdown. As this has not been the top news story until recently, some people have questions about what will happen if the government does shut down. I'll try to explain what a government shutdown would mean for our military family.

How would a government shutdown impact military pay?

What help is available for military families?

How else will this impact our family?

What can we do?

Military Pay
First, my active duty husband will still report to duty. No military bases will be shut down. He will not be furloughed. He will get paid. However, we may have to wait on a paycheck. On the 15th, he will receive pay. If the government shuts down and doesn't reopen before the 15th, the pay he receives will only be for the first eight days of the month (prior to the government shutdown). Then, we will wait for the government to reopen before we receive another paycheck. Once that happens, he will receive backpay for the time it was shut down. If this is all over and done with before the end of next week, we could see no difference in pay. However, if things are not settled by the 15th, there will be a space between pay checks. That is where things get a little worrisome.

Will we need to dip into our savings to cover the time between paychecks? We have been saving up for some things that we may need to delay if our savings get slammed. How long will we need to cover things in the absence of pay? Will our savings be enough?

What about the folks that don't have the rainy day funds like we do? Will there be a large demand for temporary assistance? Do we have the means to help out or should we be cautions with what little we have? Or will we be helping out in the future through increased demands on our social services...funded by tax dollars?

Help for Military Families
There is help out there for military families like ours. The Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society is offering interest free loans to military families during the shutdown. They are treating the situation like they would a natural disaster--making these loans available in an expedited manner. You can read all about it on there site: http://www.nmcrs.org/shutdown110408.html.

Other Impacts for Our Family
Are there other ways that a government shutdown may impact our family? You bet! The commissary (military grocery store) may shut down. That would mean extra gas spent on driving to a civilian grocery store where food prices are often higher. Military families have been encouraged to contact their local commissary to see if the store will be shutting down. The official press release can be found at: http://www.commissaries.com/press_room/press_release/2011/DeCA_20_11.cfm.

Another impact of the looming shutdown is added stress to my husband's job. I can't go into details about what he does. However, I'll say that he is still expected to make things happen even though the defense budget (just a portion of the government budget currently debated) is in question. That makes things difficult. Here is what the Defense Department has to say about a shutdown: http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2011/0411_govtshutdown/.

What We Can Do
I've got some answers and a lot of questions this morning. I'm sure time will tell how this all plays out. I believe now is a time to stay true to the things we believe in. We should be neighborly when we can and extend folks the benefit of the doubt when possible. I think the American people will get thru this better if we come together. After all, congress needs to come together. Let's show them how it's done!

...be creative with cereal treats.

2011-04-01T16:06:00.000-07:00

I got creative with some treats this afternoon. I had some chocolate bars and marshmallow that I wanted to use up. So, I melted chocolate bars into the butter. Then, I melted the marshmallow and added the cereal as usual. After I poured it in the pan, I spread on the peanut butter. I topped each one off with a chunk from the chocolate bars.

Yum!

...slam some 5, 7, 5.

2011-03-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

Note: To truly appreciate this sad attempt at poetry, imagine a trumpet playing in the background and Mike Myers spitting out words at near randomness. Yep. Think of the poetry slam scene in "So I Married an Axe Murderer."

Poor caterpillar
sadly met his fate under
my bicycle tire!

Yep. That's pretty much all I have to say about this incident. Except...

...at least it wasn't a chicken!!!

...fret over flowers.

2011-03-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I planted 5 small geraniums in my flower garden area. I have some really nice blossoms. With some promises for more blooms on the way.

With my angel in the corner, it almost looks like a lovely corner garden right outside my front door.

However, not all five of my geraniums look angelic. In fact, three look a bit sad. It was touch and go that I might loose one, but I think it is on the mend.

I'll fret over it until it blossoms like the others. Hopefully, I can post later this season to show a full recovery of my poor plant.

...be amazed at the grocery store.

2011-03-16T20:03:00.000-07:00

Have you seen these?

It's a digital price tag--Or maybe this little ditty has a snazzy tech name. Any-who! I like them. However, I wonder what happens if the system crashes. No prices? Everything marked at 999.99? Groceries could get more expensive fast! He-he.

What if someone hacks into the system??? Ok. Don't blame me if someone does it. I'm sure I wasn't the first to think it up, and I don't have the know how!

...see the tsunami.

2011-03-11T09:57:00.000-08:00

Well, there were a lot of tsunami onlookers at our local beach. However, there wasn't much to see. The waves are just a big higher than usual. Japanese tragedy aside (8.9 earthquake), the surfers are happy today. We will see if the high tide (mid-day) will take away some of the beach. Otherwise, our thoughts are all with the people of Japan today!

...watch it play out in slow motion.

2011-03-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

I'm so hot from chasing squirrels all around this big open field. This marshy water feels so good on my paws. I think I will just stop for a minute and lay right down in this lovely puddle.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"You did not just do that, Lucy! I can't believe you laid down in a muddy puddle right before I need to take you to the vet!!!"

Yep. I stood there and watched her do it. It was one of those moments where things play out in slow motion. I saw what was happening, but I was unable to stop it.

...miss...you know, the other way to miss.

2011-03-09T15:31:00.000-08:00

Lucy sure got into things today! Here's a picture where she got herself down into a squirrel hole. Do you see the irony here? English Pointers are bird dogs. And what do we see up in the right hand corner of the shot?

It's a huge gray heron just a stone's throw away! However, Lucy has her head stuck in the squirrel hole. A fine bird dog she is! Ha!

...miss.

2011-03-09T15:24:00.000-08:00

James had some training out in the field. He was gone a week or so. I wrote "I missed you," on the refrigerator with my letter magnets. He added some to it:

Isn't he sweet?!

...finish Chelsea's run.

2011-03-05T12:14:00.001-08:00

I drove to San Diego in the wee hours of this morning to participate in a 5K - Finish Chelsea's Run. The cause is a great one, so I didn't mind getting up extra early. It was a good event. My time wasn't too bad either: 36:49. So, I did about a 12 minute pace. Maybe I can get that down on my next race.

And, yes. My sunflower is in a Gatorade bottle. I think it works for this occasion.

...weigh in at...

2011-03-04T18:18:00.000-08:00

...-5 pounds! You may (or may not) have noticed that I didn't report in last week. I was pretty sure that I had met my goal, but I wanted to make sure. This week the scale has consistently been 5 pounds less than my start weight. Yea! I won't be blogging about this weekly, but don't think I'm quitting the exercise. In fact, I'm jogging/walking a 5K tomorrow morning. It is to support a cause, so I'm doing the "fun" event that isn't timed. Wish me luck!

...serve strawberries.

2011-03-03T13:12:00.001-08:00

Dude!

I love the farmers' market. My little basket had these biggies in it today. The biggest is almost one whole serving by itself!

BTW, they taste yummy too.

...moto.

2011-03-02T17:36:00.000-08:00

I was waiting for something blog worthy about living on base to reveal that our "move to the other side of somewhere in California" was onto a military base. Since this is still a public blog, let's just call it XYZ military base for now. So, what do I feel is blog worthy on XYZ military base?

Yep. It's the storm drain. More specifically, it's the moto on the environmental message above the storm drain. (Moto is the shortened version of "motivation." For simplicity's sake, the civilian equivalent might be akin to school or team pride.) The moto here is the bulldog, the mascot of the Marine Corps. I've seen dolphins and fish on storms drain message, but this bulldog was a first for me.

...collect.

2011-03-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

I collected some nice shells on my afternoon trip to the beach. I walked back and forth on the beach for exercise. However, I got distracted near the end and began my collection. Before I knew it, I had a hand full of shells. I especially like the spiral, partial shell. If you look closely, you can see several colors swirled in it. Now, what am I going to do with them?

...granny.

2011-03-01T18:45:00.000-08:00

I had yarn left over from the baby blanket. So, I decided to experiment with some granny squares. It's my first time making them. I made a bigger one and four smaller ones. I also practiced crocheting them together.

That's how this pot holder came to be.

...shower daisies.

2011-02-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

I set aside my latest crochet project, (the wavy blanket), for another. I've been working on this a lot over the last two weeks. I love how the colors came out. Here are the wonderful waves up close.

You may have guessed that this is for a baby from the yarn. Here's the little touch that says, "girl."

I love the daisies lined up in a row down the edge of the blanket.

Here is a full shot (taken from above my bed).

Here it is ready to be gifted away tonight at a shower.

Bye-bye, wavy daisy goodness!

...give in.

2011-02-22T15:34:00.001-08:00

Yes. We let Lucy on the couch sometimes. We can't help it. She's so cute!!!

...like to bike.

2011-02-18T15:40:00.000-08:00

Well, I forgot to check my weight this morning. So, I'm not sure if I lost any more weight this week. I do know that I've kept working out. My bike rides have been great. I've put double digit miles on my bike this week. I really like biking because I can really go somewhere. I can get some errands run while I exercise. That's definitely a plus. Have you seen gas prices lately?! I like to bike!

...see red.

2011-02-17T16:41:00.000-08:00

Watch out folks, it's going to take over the planet!!! Yep. It's my hair. So, why did I take a picture of it and post it to my blog? (By the way, it's hard to take a self portrait of just your hair!) Well, it's not just on my head. Lately, my hair has been on my mind.

It's color is what's been getting noticed lately. I was walking home from the farmers' market this morning when a stranger greeted me.

"How are you doing, Red?" asked the man with silver hair.

Red? Really? Is it red? And if so, why do folks seem to feel comfortable issuing strangers familiar nicknames based on hair color? He doesn't know me. But because of my hair color, he has an immediate fondness for me and boldness to address me in kind? My hair color has certainly brought out boldness in strangers of all sorts. People ask me about my temper. People ask me if it is natural. People even ask me about my heritage (am I a stepchild?!).

What's all the fuss? I'm not even sure I qualify as a red head. I do color my hair, but only to cover the gray. It's pretty much my natural color lighted in the California sun. My color is somewhere between blond and brown with some red. I'll agree to a light auburn, but where do all the red comments and questions come from? It's not like I am a "carrot top." Perhaps being a redhead is novel. I wonder what percentage of the population has read hair...2-6% of the US population according to Wikipedia. So, I suppose it is rare.

What do you think? Is it red? Is it worth the fuss?

Honestly, I think my hazel eyes are more striking than my light auburn hair. However, it's hard to ignore a crazy head of hair bent on world domination...

...get Lucified!

2011-02-11T18:47:00.001-08:00

Well, Lucy got the attention she was craving, and I got something else. I got Lucified! That's what we call it when Lucy hair gets all over you. It happens a lot when she rubs against your knees as you pet her. I couldn't exactly catch her in the act. This is the close I could get on camera.

But I got a clean shot of the Licification!

I've been Lucified!!!

...play too long on the computer.

2011-02-11T14:14:00.000-08:00

I know I've played too long on the computer when...

I know I've really played too long on the computer when...I blog about playing too long on the computer!!!

...have a good week.

2011-02-11T13:37:00.001-08:00

Well, the scales have consistently showed around 2 pounds less than before. It's still not very definitive weight loss...meaning, I don't see much difference. My jeans aren't noticeably looser. I think this is all just slow going. But my week was great as far as working out. I walked, biked, or even did some pretty pathetic wind sprints this week. (Oh, boy! Can you say ASTHMA?! Ha! I couldn't breath enough to wheeze out "asthma.") Pathetic or not, I worked out every day. Wind sprints aside, I had some good, long work out sessions. So, maybe it'll pay off. We'll see what next week brings.

...let Lucy exact her revenge!

2011-02-09T17:10:00.000-08:00

Remember my post about the annoying ground squirrel that drove Lucy nuts? Well, Lucy has had her revenge on ground squirrels. She now "hunts" (terrorizes) these rodents on almost a daily basis. Apparently there is a happy little community of ground squirrels that live behind our new place. (At least they were happy before Lucy moved in.) So happy, in fact, that there are hundreds of burrow holes scattered over a few empty lots. Lucy feels that it is her duty to scout out all of these sites. In fact, she is often so busy sticking her nose into one hole that she misses spotting a ground squirrel out in the open.

Here's one that she missed. So, I'll point this one out for y'all. 'Can't let Lucy have all the fun...

...start a new project.

2011-02-06T18:58:00.001-08:00

I've started a new crochet project that is going well so far. It's a ripple blanket. I found a wonderful pattern/tutorial on Attic24. I really like the colors I've chosen. It's an ambitious project. We'll say how long it takes me to finish this one!

...warp back to Friday.

2011-02-06T18:31:00.000-08:00

If I could warp back to Friday, then this post would be on time. Oh, well. It's not a good report this week. I didn't exercise as much as I wanted...unless you count unpacking and lots of cleaning the empty house. However, I did check out the base gym near our new place. It looks really nice. I plan to go there to mix up my work out routine. Now I can bike, walk, and go to the gym. No weight loss to report this week.

...have Christmas in February.

2011-02-04T10:06:00.001-08:00

Some of you know that I can be a little flighty. I don't have the greatest short term memory. This is why I often can't remember your name right after you told it to me. Even so, this trait can be a blessing. Watching re-runs can be fun. I usually don't remember how the show works out, so it's almost like the first time.

Another advantage of poor short term memory I discovered just this morning. I was unpacking a box of breakable items I packed up in paper. Each item was a little surprise as I unwrapped it. It was almost like Chirstmas morning, but maybe a little better. Why? Because I knew I would love everything I unwrapped! He-he.

...make a sandman.

2011-02-02T14:35:00.000-08:00

It's 65 degrees here today. I biked to the beach and ate lunch at a picnic table. Then, I walked down by the water to make a snowman out of sand. I was thinking of the folks back in the mid-west. I know y'all just had a big blizzard. So, I found some shells, seaweed, and sticks to finish off "Sandy," the CA snowman. I hope you like him.

...get settled in.

2011-01-31T14:23:00.000-08:00

We are unpacking and getting settled in. Lucy has been very excited about the new place. There are a lot of things to sniff. She gets to go exploring on her walks. She has already started barking out the back window as runners go by on the trail. There have been a lot of changes for Lucy. I was wondering how quickly she would adjust to the new place...until I saw this:

Lucy made sure she found her spot where the window light hits the stairs.

Lucy is settled in!

...check in.

2011-01-28T12:07:00.000-08:00

I believe I may have lost a few pounds. The scale was a bit lower earlier this week. However, eating pizza during our move may do that in. Oh, well. I figure that I'm burning more calories too, so it may balance out. I exercised 3 days of walking and biking. Yesterday and today I am moving tons of boxes around. Does that count? If so, I got my five days in!

...say aloha.

2011-01-24T07:33:00.000-08:00

Here's the other lei I finished yesterday.

Now I am back to moving mode. It's time to pack up for our weekend move.

Soon it will be time to say aloha. I'm not saying good-bye to anyone because we are only moving across town!

Shhhhhhhhh! Don't tell them, but I made these for the girls I visit teach. They were inspired by a wonderful Relief Society President and friend who gave my a lei when I left the ward. I miss you, Mary!

...crochet on Sunday.

2011-01-23T17:53:00.000-08:00

You may have guessed that I am in moving mode. Most of my time is spent packing and cleaning. So, what do I do on Sunday after church?

I crochet a lei for fun.

I like it.

I think I'll do another...and maybe another!

...move to the other side of "somewhere in CA."

2011-01-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

You all know that we reside "somewhere in California." I don't mention exactly where because this is a public blog. Some of you may know exactly where. If you do, consider yourself in on our little secret. Just don't blab in the comments. We don't need stalkers when we become famous. ;)

Well, we are moving to the other side of "somewhere in California." Yep. It's just across town. Why are we moving? Remember that post I did a while back about California being behind in our economic recovery? The owner of our rental house is selling. It's not a foreclosure situation. Whew! However, we do need to leave soon. So, up and out we go.

The plan is to move next weekend. We have been blessed by the kindness of strangers in making this happen. The folks at the base housing office really pulled thru to get us a spot without going on the waiting list for months. I've picked up boxes from folks I met thru craigslist.org and other internet listing sites. We even have some able bodied men willing to help us load our rental truck.

So far, things are working out. This is out of budget, stressful, and unexpected. So, please send your good thoughts our way. I hope to blog again before this all shakes down. If not, I'll be blogging from the other side soon...

...give the weekly report.

2011-01-21T12:56:00.001-08:00

Well, the scale may say the same old song, but I have more exercise to report this week. I'm now over my cold. Yea! I worked out 4 days this week...5 if you count walking around the safari park on Monday. So, I feel good. I haven't noticed any change on the scale, but I think it is just too early. I don't want to get discouraged when progress is slow. I think I'll just blog weekly about exercise and weigh in on the first Friday of every month.

...see baby elephants.

2011-01-18T09:33:00.000-08:00

We went to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park yesterday. It was a beautiful, southern CA day. We got to see the newest baby elephant (born on Dec 27th). He is so cute! He follows his mom all around. We had a good view, but the new mom kept her calf pretty far from us humans. I only had my cell phone on me, so my picture (above) is not so good.

This picture that I took this morning off the elephant web cam might even be better. You can view the web cam yourself or view a great newborn elephant picture of the baby on the elephant blog.

...report.

2011-01-15T08:28:00.000-08:00

I'm a day late on my first weight loss report, but I'm doing it. I don't have any loss to report. I don't have a gain either. I was getting over a cold this week. So, my exercise has not been stellar. I can only report 3 exercise sessions instead of the 5 I wanted to get done. I think I've done better on my food. I've also determined that it is hard to tell my true weight. I fluctuate about 3 pounds. So, it may not be easy to see my progress at first. I'm still working on it. That may be all I can report for a month or so. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll have more measurable results...

...own shoes.

2011-01-11T10:13:00.000-08:00

This is the favorite part of my closet!

I love shoes! I've had to explain to my husband several times why I have as many shoes as I do. I think he is finally okay with my obsession. Or maybe I have just broken him in over the years...

..."go there" every Friday.

2011-01-07T16:13:00.000-08:00

Sometimes Lucy just won't stay out of a picture I'm taking!

Grrrrr! I really don't want to do this. However, I read an article that said people who blog about their weight loss are more successful with it.

*sigh*

I just don't want to bore people with my little struggles. Yes. This blog is supposed to be about the little things in life. It helps me remember that there are tiny moments to treasure from day to day. The fluff lets me get away from the heavy stuff in life.

Ha! Heavy.

I'm not calling myself heavy. I'm just at a place where I want to focus on this instead of ignoring it. I've been ignoring it for a few years now. "It" being the 5 to 10 pounds that I really don't need. I just want to feel better about myself and be more in shape.

So, here's the deal. The plan is to blog about this every Friday until I reach my goal of 5-10 pounds lighter. If you don't care to read about it, skip the Friday posts. (I won't know.)

I hope to meet my weight loss goal by the time May rolls around. I plan to watch my portion size and be mindful of my calories. However, I'm not going to be super strict with myself. I plan to exercise 5 days a week instead of the 2-5 I've been doing. Again, the exercise doesn't need to be intense. A 45 minute, brisk walk or bike ride will do. I want this to be something that I can continue after I reach my goal.

Since I'm starting today, I only have a 45 minute bike ride to report. I'm not listing my starting weight. (Sorry to disappoint. Make something up if you like. Again, I won't know.) I'm just planning on reporting the weight loss.

Wish me luck?!

...band.

2011-01-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

Nope. This isn't about rock 'n roll. It's more hooking...AKA crocheting. I made some baby girl headbands for a baby shower last night. I made small, medium, and large sizes using the CDC infant head circumference charts. I'm hoping they are a little big so that she can grow into all three. The flowers are really fun to do. I like them because they are so quick. The project didn't take me too many hours...I'm still a bit slow at this. That's okay. It's fun.

...number my years.

2011-01-05T11:55:00.000-08:00

I stole this idea from Bethany. It was too clever not to try for my birthday. Below are some numbers applied to my 36 years. Since this is a public blog, I tried to stay general. This is more of the fun fluff and not an autobiography.

Do we have any numbers in common, folks? Comment so we can compare our numbers.

My 36 Years in Numbers

1 diploma
2 degrees
20 jobs
2 vacations in Hawaii
2 art shows
6 musicals
5 5K races
1 broken bone
1 big wheel
4 bikes
7 cars
1 guinea pig
1 bird
3 dogs
1 husband
0 children
19 nieces and nephews
3 callings in nursery
2 religions
1 missionary call
12 temples
4 houses
1 dorm room
1 duplex
12 apartments

I think there are a lot more numbers I could add to the list, but I'm running out of time. After all, I have 2 loads of laundry, 1 sink of dishes, 3 rooms to vacuum, and 1 baby hat to crochet today! Ha-ha.

...edit.

2011-01-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

I've been editing a picture I took of two swans. I love how the ruffly feathers echo the movement in the water. I kept tweaking until it looked strikingly different from the original. I think this one might make a nice note card.

Below is the original snapshot.

I took a lot of liberties here.
Hopefully it's not over editing...

...make a snowman.

2010-12-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

I crocheted the body on this little guy while I was waiting for our car to be fixed. I didn't use a pattern. I just based it from the little experience I have making the pumpkin and elephant. I finished him up when I got home. I love his little yarn carrot nose! I think he looks rather festive sitting in the tree.

Happy Holidays!

...tag Lucy.

2010-12-15T10:53:00.001-08:00

What brought on this face? Was it the camera flash? Was it because James stuck a produce sticker on her back?

Either way, Lucy was tagged!

So, I've decided to answer a few of the questions I was tagged with as Lucy:

1. If you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family?
Tina and James are my pets. They are my pack family. I even let them watch TV while I lay on them.

2. If you can have a dream come true, what would it be?
Any dream where I am kicking and making muffled barking sounds has got to be a good one to come true.

3. What is the one thing most hated by you?
Baths!

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Sniff it. Then, ignore it.

5. What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?
Playtime!

6. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
You stopped petting me. Pet me some more!

7. What is your bedtime routine?
I know this well! First, I go outside. Then, I run upstairs to my kennel. When I'm inside, I get a treat.

8. If you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner?
'No time for all that when there are lizards to chase!

12. What’s your fear?
If I'm in, it's that I've missed out on what's going on outside. If I'm out, it's that I've missed out on what's going on inside.

15. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Run outside to see what I've missed.

19. If you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?
Crisco!!!

...be tagged to answer silly questions.

2010-12-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

In case you can't tell from my picture, I'm doing this my way (in blue). I don't think even Cari expected me to do this the regular way?! Just remember, you tagged me. ;)

Rule #1: People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.
Tina's Rule #1: I may choose to answer however they like. My blog is public and composed of fluff stuff. So, don't expect any profound thoughts in my answers!
Rule #2: Tag 4 people to do this quiz and they cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by. Continue this game by sending it to other people.
Tina's Rule #2: It's all good. Consider yourself tagged if you want to do this for a blog post. If you don't, that's okay too.
________________________
1. If you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family?
Lucy is a member of our family. That said, she doesn't sleep in our bed or get people food (unless she sneaks some scraps that fell on the floor).
2. If you can have a dream come true, what would it be?
Yes. I'm taking this question literally. Once I dreamed everything in shades of brown. I think it would be interesting to live one day like that.
3. What is the one thing most hated by you?
Lima beans. They are the worst! Remember, this blog is a place for fluff. I suppose there are worse things, but limas came to mind first.
4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
A billion?! My hubby and I have a standing joke for whenever we see a lottery bill board. We could save the state millions because we would be happy with $100,000...$50,000...okay, $5,000. What a deal!
5. What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?
I'll change my clothes sometimes. Strange, huh?! For me, changing my outfit can be like starting a whole new day. If only it were that easy to restart some days!
6. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
Dude! I gotta be honest and go with being loved. You can love and love and love. But if it doesn't love you back, you may not be fair to yourself by hanging on. So, maybe you gotta love yourself first. This may be a "chicken or the egg" question.
7. What is your bedtime routine?
Routine?! I'm an artist.
8. If you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner?
I met him with no notion that we would end up together. I thought he was 18 at the time, so he wasn't even on my radar!
9. If you could watch a creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be?
God. I mean, how does He do it?!
10. What kinds of books do you read?
I read real books. I mean that I read from paper instead of an e-reader.
11. How would you see yourself in ten years time?
Hummm. I guess I would need to borrow Hermione's time turner thingy first. Then, go forward ten years...too literal yet?!
12. What’s your fear?
That there is no one left reading this post.
13. Would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to visit outer space?
I would...if they could make a spaceship that eliminated motion sickness. If not, would it really matter what I ate?!
14. Would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?
Poor (as long as it's with James).
15. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
Try to remember my dream if I was dreaming.
16. If you could change one thing about your spouse/partner what would it be?
I've learned that I can't change him.
17. If you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?
I've already picked a new one. My parents named me Christina.
18. Would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?
I'd like to think so. However, I would give myself time to do so.
19. If you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?
If it was physically possible: yellow mangoes.

...catch Lucy's new routine.

2010-11-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

She has been doing this for a few weeks now, but we finally caught Lucy's new routine on camera. First, she has learned how to lie down on a stairs without falling off.

Then, she will sun bathe in the sun from the window...

...until she gets too hot!

Silly puppy!

...choose jelly, whole, or stars.

2010-11-27T19:01:00.000-08:00

It's the age old question of serving whole cranberry sauce or cranberry jelly for Thanksgiving. I decided to serve both with a third option this year. We had some kids at our gathering, so I broke out a star cookie cutter. Yep. At our house, we had jelly, whole, or star cranberry sauce. Which would you choose?

I believe the star cranberry sauce might just become a tradition at our house. We did go traditional on the turkey. Here's a shot of it right out of the oven.

Happy Holidays!

...sit in the sun.

2010-11-16T14:38:00.000-08:00

Lucy loves to find a patch of sun to curl up in...even if it's on the stairs!

...translate.

2010-11-15T08:35:00.000-08:00

James had duty this Veterans Day weekend. Before I brought him his dinner (chow), he instructed (briefed) me on how to deliver it.

This is what he said: Just come bang on the hatch at 1800.

This is what I repeated back: So, I'll come knock on the door at 6 o'clock.

I think it annoys him when I use civilian speak back even though I understand the military speak. I just don't want him to get lost in the military world. Not everyone understands what he means. After all, Marines use nautical terms even when they are very much on land (for example: hatch). It can all get a bit confusing to those not living the military life.

By the way, my hubby is not out of regulation in this pic. I Photoshopped out the rank insignia on purpose. "Loose lips sink ships."

...earn my sticker!

2010-11-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

Who says I'm too old for gold stars? I get excited about earning my "I voted" sticker come election time. My husband's "temporary" assignment in the DC area had me mailing in my ballots. Now that he has a "permanent" duty station, I get to walk into a polling station. The best part is getting handed your sticker as you leave. It may sound silly, but I love positive reinforcement...getting my "gold star" for being a good citizen.

By the way, my skin looks a little pink in the photo. That's because I walked to the polling station and back in the CA sun. It's currently 82 degrees. I earned that sticker!

Those of you who have stickers may notice something missing from mine. I took off the county info to be on the safe side. "Loose lips sink ships" and all...

...boo!

2010-10-31T16:37:00.001-07:00

So, maybe I have too much time on my hands waiting for the sun to go down. We've had one group of trick-or-treat kids so far. I made James take this shot of me in my very homemade costume. Then, I played with it a little in Photoshop to make it more nocturnal. I'm in a black dress and...can you guess? I slipped my arms thru several tabs on some old curtains. These are even homemade curtains that I patched together from old graduation gowns (from my years working at the college). They aren't pretty. In fact, they are pretty scary! I made them to shade the extra glare that used to block my hubby's video games. (Now if that isn't true love...!) What do you think? Am I a scary witch? Vampire?

And yes, Lucy is wearing a homemade costume of James' design. She's a good sport, really.

Homemade costumes are the best!

...return to hats and booties?!

2010-10-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure if this was something I wanted to post on the blog. It's been such a big part of my life lately, that I decided I would share it. I finished a crochet baby blanket last night. It took about a week and a half of an hour here and there. It's for a Marine in my hubby's unit who just had a baby girl. So, in reality, it's for her!

This came to be after James shared that he hadn't been able to contribute to the flowers fund when the baby arrived. He asked me if I could make something for the new parents instead. I agreed. After all, I've made hats and booties recently. I wanted to try something different. I challenged myself to make this blanket since I didn't have a deadline (the baby was already here).

I feel guilty that I haven't made blankets for all the new moms I know. Honestly, I'm not sure when I'll be attempting another one. This one took me a long time, and I need a break. I'm not saying that I won't do it again...ever. I just might be back to hats and booties for a while!!!

...gather.

2010-10-27T12:36:00.001-07:00

The magnolia trees are still blooming. I guess they just go year round here. I love the bright, red seeds that come out of the fruit. I gathered up a few I found on my morning walk. It reminded me of gathering the bright colored leaves each autumn. I guess it is the closest I will get to gathering fall leaves out here.

...trumpet!

2010-10-18T14:26:00.000-07:00

I finished the pink elephant!

...add and "h."

2010-10-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

I hear a lot of fancy talk in church. We read scripture and say prayers that have "thee" and "thou" words. I haven't given a lot of thought to one of the old words until yesterday. For some reason, the word "O" got me thinking. What is it? Why do we use it? On my own, I figured out that it is an expression. However, I wanted to find out if there was more to "O."

There is more to "O." Nowadays there is an "h." The word "oh" is the later spelling of "O." Yep. It's as simple as that. According to Dictionary.com, folks have been adding the "h" since the mid-16th century.

Well, that explains a lot. It all makes perfect sense. Why didn't I know "O" was "oh?" It seems so simple now. Isn't is funny how the mind will not make a simple connection like that? Maybe it's just me...I wonder how often I miss things that simple in daily life.

Have you ever missed something as simple as adding an "h?"

...show progress.

2010-10-08T16:38:00.001-07:00

I don't usually show my projects before they are finished. However, I'm just glad at this point to show my progress. I have been struggling with this tiny, pink elephant. I wasn't sure this was even going to work out. I had to keep taking out stitches and trying sections over again. I have also decided that I'm not using the best yarn for such an itty-bitty endeavor. Now, I have gotten to a point where this little guy is taking shape. I'm proud that I was able to get this far! He still needs a belly, tail, ears, and eyes. Now that I've got the hard part figured out, I'm feeling confident that I'll finish. So, stay tuned for the picture I'll post when I'm done.

...sleep thru conference.

2010-10-03T11:20:00.000-07:00

Lucy curled up on the couch with us and slept thru this morning's session of the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (on the laptop).

You may remember some past posts where we caught Lucy falling asleep begging or not wanting to come out from underneath pillows. It's fun when we can catch her before she wakes up. She seems to have some sixth sense that alerts her that we are stalking her with the camera. That doesn't stop us from trying to catch her being cute.

She's a cute and often funny sleeper. Sure, she barks and runs in her sleep like most dogs. However, I think the funniest sleep habit she has is finding odd positions and places to sleep in. Here are some of our favorites that we could catch her in before she woke up!

...crochet a pumpkin.

2010-10-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

This is my first try at crocheting something to stuff. I did a pumpkin since it is the harvest season. I got the pattern from a site called "The Itsy Bitsy Spider." This blogger is a very talented crafter who does some amazing amigurumi. Amigurumi is a Japanese craft where folks knit or crochet cute, miniature figures. I didn't choose to go mini since I am a beginner. I used a larger yarn and needle. So, my pumpkin actually came out more life size. Actually, James was calling it a basketball before I shaped it. It's now a little smaller than a basketball and pumpkin shaped. I like how it came out. Perhaps I'll make another in a smaller size...

...go crusty.

2010-10-01T13:32:00.000-07:00

I made two loaves of strawberry bread this morning. I'm bringing it to a gathering tonight, so I sliced it up. Since most folks aren't fans of the end pieces, I set those aside. Then, I ate them for a treat. I love the crust on bread--especially homemade bread. The end pieces are basically all crust on one side. Yum!

So, am I strange? Does anyone share my love of crust? Or do you all cut the crust off your sandwiches?

...catch baby fever.

2010-09-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

A military wife friend of mine had a baby this weekend. ('Rah!) A long time friend from back home had a baby yesterday. (Yea!) A blogging buddy is due in less than two weeks. (Yippy!) And tonight I am off to a local baby shower. (Wa-hoo!) With all this baby excitement, it will be very hard not to catch baby fever.

You may know me better than that. Okay, so maybe I've had baby fever for a while now. It's a chronic condition for me...

*sigh*

*shrug*

...Look at these cute little booties and beanie I made for the shower!!!

...hit 100 degrees today (Sept 27th)!

2010-09-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

It's 100 degrees here (somewhere in CA)! I've got plans to meet up with my sister later and head to the beach!!!

BTW, did you check out the low humidity?! 'Love it.

...see the sunrise.

2010-09-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

Did you see the sunrise? I did. It was worth the wake.

...play Ricky Ricardo.

2010-09-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

Here's Lucy and my hubby playing Ricky Ricardo. "What have we got here, Lucy?!"

Lucy decided to change up the love seat while we were gone shopping. Here are the before (or how it was before) and after shots.

I love Lucy. Don't you?!

...bike to the beach!

2010-09-17T15:27:00.000-07:00

This post looks familiar. It's my toes at the beach again. Well, there's a little more of me that made it into the photos this time.

I decided to bike to the beach today. Yep. I pedaled seven miles of hilly road to get there. Whew! So, I was sure to document my arrival. I made it!

As it turns out, my cell phone self portrait skills are lacking. Yes. It didn't help that I have bike helmet hair and am flushed from the ride.

Did you see the local pier in the background on that first shot? I went to the civilian beach this time. That's didn't stop me from trying to take a shot of a passing 46. I circled it for you in my shot.

Out of nowhere, a giant seagull attacked the pier!!!

What was I saying about my lack of cell phone photo skills?

Well, my trip really paid off. I found a sand dollar. It won't surprise you that the photo I took at the beach didn't come out. So, I used my regular camera after I biked ALL THE WAY BACK HOME. (I'm a little tired now.) Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pics. I had fun documenting my trip.

...tweet.

2010-09-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

I've been dragging my heels about this whole Twitter thing. Do I really have anything to say to the world in 140 characters or less? Is it any different than the Facebook status? Several of you know that mine doesn't get updated often. My blog feeds to Facebook, but I visit there once a week or less. So, why consider tweeting? Could it add positively to my virtual presence? How much do I really want to be "out there?" Do I know anyone who tweets?

If you tweet or have an opinion about Twitter, please share.

...stitch a scrabble sack.

2010-09-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

My mother claims to have never lost a single sock in the laundry. I believe her. She has a lot of determination. I too am determined. I will not loose a Scrabble piece! Hopeless cause?! The old, plastic pouch would not do to keep the pieces corralled. So, I stitched up a Scrabble sack out of an old handkerchief. A-HA! You see, my plan may just work. If nothing else, it was a fun upcycle project.

...do the best with what we are given.

2010-09-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture I took of four houses for sale not far from us. Yep. There are four in a row. I circled the far two signs so you can see them better.

The news reports that California is lagging behind the rest of the country as far as economic recovery goes. Jobs are still really hard to find here and there are for sale signs all over. Are we in a slow recovery? When will we feel it here?

I guess time will tell. After the fact, things look more clear. Perhaps we can look back on this in a few years with greater appreciation for September 2010. Maybe this fall will be the start of things turning around for some folks.

We've been very lucky that things have not been worse for us. The war has given my hubby job security. In fact, his job was the reason we sold our house when we did. It just so happens that we sold right before the housing market crashed. I like to think that we were led down this path that has helped us prosper in a time where so many have been less fortunate (not less deserving). Some day when we look back on these blessings, we may understand why we were given them. Maybe it is so we can do the best with what we have been given.