Notes to self

Cleaning ALL the things!

2012-02-12T19:47:00.000-06:00

This weekend I've been obsessively cleaning my house. Not sure if it's nesting or spring cleaning or both, but it's been long overdue. I didn't cover more than the living and the dining room, but I cleaned every corner and crevice in detail. There isn't a speck of dust or dog hair anywhere. It won't last impeccable for very long, but we'll try our best to maintain the bliss. In addition to cleaning, hubby and I replaced an old lighting fixture in the dining room.

Before

The old 70s fixture had a cool design, but the gold plating has started chipping off at the bottom. We might spray it chrome and replace the light bulb covers one day, but for now, we were just ready for something more contemporary.

After

The new one was on sale at Menards and is more befitting our light, minimalist style. It also emits a lot more light than the old fixture, which is something we needed in this area of the house.

Happy Anniversary, honey!

2012-02-05T19:53:00.000-06:00

I've spent more than a third of my existence with the love of my life. Our first date was on February 5th, 2002. I was 18, he was 17 (a month shy of his 18th birthday). We went to the Des Moines Art Center. I know it sounds cliche and unlikely, but I do remember thinking "this is the one". Granted, it might have been the infatuation talking, but it turned out to be right.

We married 5 years later on February 5th, 2007 at the courthouse (no wedding - just us and parents/siblings), followed by a dinner at Biaggi's (we rented their wine room, where this photo was taken). That is 10 wonderful years together. Nothing but love, support, and companionship. And at this 5/10-year anniversary, we are expecting our first child.

I'm so grateful to have this good man by my side. He is the strong, quiet, but nurturing type - sometimes I think he comes from a different time, a different era. He is definitely one of a kind, and I'm lucky to have him.

Happy anniversary, darling! I love you!

Getting close

2012-01-29T13:36:00.000-06:00

As the due date is approaching, I am becoming more anxious about getting everything ready. We've made quite a progress so far:

Reserved a spot for baby boy in the child development center of our choice
Selected and interviewed a pediatrician for baby boy
Submitted registration papers for the birthing hospital
Unpacked, assembled and put away all the wonderful baby shower presents
Bought everything else we still needed for baby
Gave notice for my last day of work at my part-time job (February 18th!)
Wrote and sent out many, many thank you notes...

So much gratitude

I also managed to quickly knit a super-soft newborn hat for the little guy to match his cardigan.

Soft, warm little hat for my baby

Matching cardigan

Things we are still in the process of doing or need to do:

My wonderful mama is in the processing of washing and ironing all the baby's newborn and 0-3 months clothes (hvala mama!)
Hubby is working hard on getting the bathroom done
Apply for FMLA
Make sure all my work is smoothly transitioned to coworkers (write instructions and train back up resources)
Hubby and I have a couple of more prenatal classes to attend
Start packing the hospital bag
Install the baby car seat and have it inspected at a local inspection station
Clean up the house from top to bottom
More...

Baby Showers

2012-01-26T00:09:00.001-06:00

I love my family, friends and coworkers. They are so kind and caring. I wish I could express my gratitude in a more profound way. Maybe one day I will be able to repay every single one of them with the kindness they bestowed upon me. This past week, I was showered with baby gifts and good wishes. The first one took place on Sunday.

Opening many, many wonderful gifts

Decorations

There were so many guests

Greeting everyone at the door

Presents for baby

My friend B was the photographer

The spread

Decorations at teta Mirjana's house

Beautiful winter day

Party favors: robin's egg scented soap in a nest

My mom prepared everything by herself - the food was delicious

Owls

It was so nice seeing everyone on Sunday. My baby is so lucky to have all these people in his life.

Baby shower at work

Today, there was also a baby shower at work thrown by my gal pals Jenny and Jana. Lots of my favorite coworkers showed up for some cake and punch bringing beautiful presents. I took one picture but then got completely absorbed into meeting with everyone and forgot to take more photos.
I am so lucky to have these people in my life. I appreciate everything they have done for me.

Baby Goodies

2012-01-20T19:02:00.000-06:00

So I subscribed to Citrus Lane - a monthly care package subscription service for everything baby-related. Each month they send you highly rated baby products based on how old your child is. Given that my baby is not here yet, I was curious as to what I would get. I have to say, I was not disappointed. I received some stuff that retails much more than the subscription fee.

I got the following:

Swaddle Designs Marquisette Swaddle Blanket - a large, high thread count muslin blanket
Pearhead Babyprints Tin - just roll the clay out, press baby's foot or hand into the clay, and let air-dry; includes an easel to hold the keepsake
Green Sprouts 2 Pack Organic Cotton Mitts - soft organic cotton mitts for baby bears that like to scratch themselves
Noodle & Boo Soothing Body Wash and Super Soft Lotion - smells like baby powder, so sweet and soothing
Minted Gift Card - $50 off of an order at the Minted website for birth announcements and other stationary
Cloud B Sleep Sheep Rattle - downy-soft, quiet Sheepie rattle
Plum District Gift Cards - $10 off orders at Plum District

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the goodies and can't wait to try them on my babe. It's quite a treat and something to look forward to every month.

San Diego, Day 4

2012-01-18T22:54:00.000-06:00

It's our final day in San Diego. The weather was sunny and around 60 degrees. After class Jeff and I had dinner and then packed and retired early for the evening since we have to get up at 5:30am tomorrow and head to the airport. Unfortunately, my schedule didn't allow us to fully enjoy the city, but we definitely got a flavor of it.

The view at the Gaslamp District

While it was a nice mini-vacation, we are really looking forward to going home, even if snow and cold weather is expecting us there.

San Diego, Day 3

2012-01-17T23:21:00.000-06:00

Another long day in class, followed by a looong walk around the marina and dinner with coworkers and their spouses. Here are a few pictures.

Marina at sunset

San Diego from the bay

Palm trees!

We were here

Boardwalk after sunset

Seared scallops and lobster risotto at Jim Croce's Restaurant

Dinner company

San Diego, Day 2

2012-01-17T00:14:00.000-06:00

Today I had my first class. Jeff joined me for lunch. He then picked me up after class and we went shopping and ate dinner at a nice Indian restaurant. The weather was dreary, cold and windy. Hoping tomorrow is better.

Petco park during lunch

At the Indian restaurant

Waiting for yummy food

Mango Lassi

San Diego, Day 1

2012-01-15T20:14:00.000-06:00

I got a training opportunity at work that took me to San Diego this week. I wanted to take that time and also make it a mini babymoon for my husband and I. So here we are! A nice time to escape winter in Iowa.
The flight was rough and uncomfortable, so we were very beat by the time we reached the hotel. Most of the afternoon/evening was spent resting and exploring the neighborhood a little. Here are a few pictures.

Our room (view from the door)

Bathroom

The view from our window

Warm but not so sunny San Diego

Hotel room (view from the window)

The hotel roof-top bar

The lively streets of San Diego

This place is alive

Our window view at the roof-top hotel bar at night

31 weeks

Tomorrow I'm starting my classes and then I'm spending the afternoon/evening with my hubby. Stay tuned!

Pregnant papa

2012-01-10T23:02:00.000-06:00

Oh baby, you got a sweet dad with a sense of humor. At tonight's prenatal class, he volunteered to wear a belly just to see what it feels like to carry a baby. While he said it was no big deal, he was itching to get it off after a short while.

We are getting closer to having you, little boy - and we are SO ready.

30-Week Update

2012-01-03T16:26:00.000-06:00

We had another ultrasound today to see why I'm measuring bigger than where I should be gestationally speaking. Looks like we have a thriving little boy in there. He is measuring at 32 weeks right now and weighs around 3 pounds (and I have not gained any weight in the past couple of weeks - yay!).

The obligatory duck-face Facebook picture :)

It was fun to see his little feet kick, and his hands move about his round little head. We got another money shot that confirmed he still quite a boy. And when the tech was taking his profile picture he blew us a kiss. All in all, everything looks good, and we are continuing doing appointments every two weeks.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T11:05:00.000-06:00

This year, we were supposed to go out of town with my family to visit relatives and celebrate with them. But the long trip and finding lodging would have been too much hassle, so instead we decided to stay at home. At first, it was going to be just me and hubby, but then my friend S and her boyfriend A c. Their plans for New Year's fell through, so they joined us for some low-key festivities.

We played board games the entire time, and called it a night soon after the clock hit midnight. All in all, it was a very pleasant evening.

Cute visitor

2011-12-31T13:25:00.000-06:00

Today I had the cutest little visitor. My girl B was visiting town and brought my little buddy along. He has gotten so big! And he is soo cute! Look at that sweet face.

He also proof-tested all the toys and furniture in the nursery. And he got along really well with puppy.

B also got me some essentials for baby. Thank you, girlie! That was a sweet surprise! I was so happy to see you both and hope you will stop by next time you are in town. Love you guys!

The Gift

2011-12-25T22:06:00.001-06:00

I love my mom and dad. They have sacrificed everything for me and my sisters. We have lived a modest but comfortable life and never lacked anything. So it breaks my heart every time when my parents give us something so lavish and expensive. They are immigrants who came here with nothing and slowly built a cozy life for themselves through will, persistence and hard work. I hope we can be half as good parents as they have been to me. Thank you mom and dad! I love you soooo much!

So yesterday I received an incredibly luxurious gift from my parents. It took my breath away. It's a Stokke stroller and the best of the best out there. I've only seen celebrities and posh Europeans pushing this stuff around. It is so incredible, I can't quite believe it's ours.

There are two types of seats. One is a newborn carry cot that is so charmingly nostalgic looking, and the other is a versatile seat that carries a child to up to 4 years old.

The seat is adjustable and sits quite high, which is beyond awesome. It's so high, you can use it as a high chair when out and about. It can also face you or away, something that was important to me. I'd like to be able to take my baby to the farmers market or the art festival next summer and be able to look at my sweetie's face all the while.

Speaking of using this next summer, the stroller comes with some other useful accessories (mosquito net, cover for rain, shopping bag). I totally love the neutral and elegant color and the sturdy material it is made of.

The wheels turn a full, smooth 360 degrees, the entire thing is incredibly, surprisingly light, and it's so easy to assemble and disassemble once you know all the right buttons.

This stroller is the best thing I've ever seen in baby gear. I am still in awe of it. Hubby and I have been walking it around the house with baby's toys in it. So there it is, and I guess you can also see our nursery in progress. There is still some decorating and furnishing we need to do, but at least we have all the essentials assembled and ready for use. Baby, we can't wait to have you!

Puerperium Cardigan

2011-12-24T23:35:00.000-06:00

Finished another cardigan for my little babe. It's called Puerperium Cardigan, it's newborn size with buttoning on the side, kimono-style.

The pattern asks for DK weight yarn, and luckily, I had the perfect stuff in my stash - Shibui Baby Alpaca DK that I got on our trip to Oregon. It is incredibly soft & lightweight. The color is mist, and it's a soft white with bluish hints. I absolutely love it.

Now I'm going to work on matching hat and possibly booties, since I have plenty of the yarn left.

New hair

2011-12-22T22:07:00.000-06:00

I've started feeling a little homely lately, so I decided a new haircut was in order. What a difference a small change can make in how you feel! Jeffers took some pics.

Of course, some obligatory belly shots. Despite the largeness in my middle, I still have a droopy butt. :)
We also attended the postpartum adjustments class at the hospital where I plan to deliver. It was interesting to hear from a panel of new parents who told us how they managed after baby came home. Some interesting and scary stuff. But it's good to have realistic expectations of what it is going to be like.

Quick knits

2011-12-21T23:42:00.000-06:00

The yarn shop I work for is introducing a metallic version of its Flounce yarn, so I was asked to knit a sample. This was a very quick knit. It's a little awkward at first, but once you get a hang of it, it only takes a few hours to whip up a quick fun scarf.

I like it more than the first Flounce scarf I knitted a while ago. The sparkles make it extra festive. I also like how the color is lighter on one edge, giving it a frosted look. Overall, not bad, even if it is not something I would wear myself. What do you guys think?

28-Week Pregnancy Update

2011-12-20T22:44:00.001-06:00

This morning was my 28-week doctor's appointment. Here is where we are at:

We are officially entering the third trimester. That's 70% done, my friends. From now on, I'm seeing the doctor every two weeks.

So far in my pregnancy, I've only gained 4.5 pounds - 2 of those pounds is the baby, and I'm not sure how much the amniotic fluid and extra blood weigh. Of course, I was overweight to begin with, but I'm glad I didn't get much larger.

My liver enzymes (ALP & ASP) are awesome. Currently, they are at 14 and 20. They used to be in the 150s before I got pregnant.

My thyroid levels have also never been better. I'm down to 1.4 and normally I strive for 1.5. Baby boy is healing his mommy - such a sweetheart!

I received my Rhogam shot for having Rh negative blood so that I don't build antibodies to my possibly Rh positive present and future babies.

They did a fetal non-stress test for about 20-30 minutes, and everything checked out fine. Baby's heart beat, movement, and reactivity was normal.

The doctor measured my uterus and found that it is larger than what it should be based on my due date, so she ordered an ultrasound for our next appointment. I'm hoping that it just means that my baby boy is thriving. My coworkers seem to think there might be another baby in there. I doubt it, but yikes! Regardless, I want to make sure everything checks out. Plus it will be nice to see my sweet boy's face again.

Potluck and dishcloths

2011-12-20T22:28:00.001-06:00

Gals from my book club at work planned a potluck on Monday. My goal was to make something simple and holiday-ish, so I gathered a couple of recipes: smoked salmon bites from a Rachel Ray book and cranberry raisin orange loaf from the internet.

The salmon bites consisted of pumpernickel bread onto which I spread cream cheese which I mixed with fresh chopped chives. These are then topped with smoked salmon, fresh dill and capers. While it looked and sounded good, it was a bit dry for my taste.

The loaf consisted of fresh cranberries, golden raisins, walnuts, orange zest and freshly squeezed orange juice. To get it to cool, I removed the loaf from the pan and put it on some paper towels on the counter.

Unfortunately, our naughty dog was able to pull on one of the corners of the paper towel and get to it. When I returned to kitchen there was nothing left except some paper towels and crumbs on the floor. Of course, there was some scolding and tears involved. And dog did not get dinner that night (not that he would have cared). I was mostly concerned about what it would do to Wally - not sure dogs are supposed to eat raisins, walnuts and cranberries. Luckily, he survived. What a rascal!

I also finished some easy knits - traditional, 100% cotton dish cloths. These will be a gift for someone.

Sometimes you just have to do some mindless knitting. And it was fun to use up some of my stash yarn. My goal for 2012 is to significantly reduce my yarn inventory. I have tons of it. There are also lots of knitting projects that need to be completed. Hopefully I can make a dent in my work in the upcoming year. However, I know it's going to be hard to resist new yarns and projects. What an all-consuming hobby!

December madness

2011-12-19T20:45:00.000-06:00

It's been too long since my last update. Time to get caught up...

1.) Sisters' 21st birthday - Hubby and I drove over to my parents house to celebrate my sisters' birthday. Got talked into taking a picture by the tree. It's probably my first photo showing my huge bump.

27 weeks

Birthday girls

Cousins

Yummy cake

Mom, dad & sisters

Girls are now legal to drink

Dad spilled Dom Perignon

Cheers

And more cheers

Happy birthday, dear sisters!

2.) Christmas party at the yarn shop - After work on Saturday, we had a little holiday gathering. Love these people.

Food, knitting & good company

Cozy Saturday evening

More knitted stuff

2011-12-04T22:29:00.000-06:00

After work yesterday I stopped by my parents' house to see them. My mom gave me another blankie that she knitted for my baby boy. So sweet. I just love it.

Today was all about laundry and finishing my knitting project - Elizabeth Zimmerman's "Baby Surprise Jacket". It was fun to knit, and I like the finished product. I think it will go great with some wee little jeans and a solid colored tee.

I have enough leftovers of this yarn that I'm thinking of knitting some matching booties. Stay tuned.

Baby's first hand-knit socks

2011-11-29T21:24:00.000-06:00

Just finished baby's first hand-knit socks. They are so small and soft and pretty. Can't wait to see my baby boy wearing them. I LOVE knitting baby things.

Garter stitch stripe

Awww

Cold November Sunday

2011-11-27T21:06:00.000-06:00

Cold and dreary weather makes for some cozy nights. Today was all about family, good food, movies, and knitting. Another great Thanksgiving weekend comes to an end. Tomorrow I am heading back to work.

Family night

In terms of knitting projects, yesterday I completed a chunky baby boy hat, and this morning I started on some tiny little socks.

Baby boy blue

Handmade toys

2011-11-25T17:47:00.000-06:00

A while ago, I made a little monster for my little monster. Then my mama made a sweet bear (wearing a vest!), and now my youngest sister made a beautiful elephant. This baby boy is spoiled.

Monster, Elephant and Bear...all dressed in baby's clothes

Auntie Adji is very talented. I'm so amazed at her creation and very proud of her skills.

Cute!

I've slowly been acquiring clothes for our little babe. We've also made progress in the nursery. Will have to post about it, soon.

Eliminating biggest time wasters

2011-11-11T21:36:00.000-06:00

Today I decided to be disciplined and ban TV and internet after work today - from 5pm and 9pm. No checking or peeking at either one. As a result, I have accomplished so much in that time frame! I'm going to stick to that rule going forward. I need to change some things in my life, and this is going to eliminate my biggest time-wasters. Aside from laundry, grocery shopping, and general cleaning, I managed to bake lasagna for us for dinner.

In preparation for baby, I realize I need to develop some more consistent domestic habits. I am going to develop a plan over the next few weeks that will help keep me on track.

Baby buys

2011-11-09T12:43:00.000-06:00

I just had to share a few super-cute outfits I got on sale at Gymboree. It's so much fun to dress this little guy. The three of the outfits are 0-3 months and will be warm enough for the cool weather in March/April. The playsuit is more light-weight and perfect for the summer days.

0-3 months, onesie, jeans & hoodie

0-3 months - onesie, corduroy pants, button-down shirt, and hat

0-3 months - onesie, jeans & socks

3-6 months - two-piece play suit & socks

Game night

2011-11-07T21:04:00.000-06:00

We don't socialize much nowadays, so when my friend S asked us over to her new place for dinner, we had to oblige. So glad we went. Dinner was impressive and we spent the time playing some fun board games. S, A and D's new place is very nice. They really put a lot of effort in it. We have all become such grown ups.

Shiny new home

Spomi making pita

It's been a while since S last saw me, so she was surprised to see my baby bump, which is getting bigger every day.

The view from above: 21 weeks

Hand-made gifts for baby

2011-11-06T14:28:00.000-06:00

I just finished a fun little hat for my little baby boy. Turned our pretty cool.

Even cooler is the blanket and the bear my mom made. She is so amazing.

Thank you, majka!

It's a boy!

2011-11-01T11:58:00.000-05:00

Dear son,

Words fail me when I attempt to describe the feeling that swept over me when I first saw your face on a sonogram. My love for you is as vast as the ocean. From the beginning, I was sure you'd be a boy, and today it was confirmed. You appear to be healthy and absolutely beautiful. Your ma and pa couldn't believe they could create this squirming little babe on the picture.

My little baby boy

We love you and cant wait to meet you. Until then, keep on kicking, my sweet little treasure.

Love, forever and always,

Your mama

Moving friends

2011-10-24T22:04:00.001-05:00

On Friday I got a chance to see my friend AJ before he moved out of town. We had A Dong's and then visited The Lift, where I tried to take some pictures.

S and the Aaaron J's... creepy

I told them to look normal. This is it, apparently.

On Sunday I also got to go see S, A & D's new place. They are renting a house together, and had a lot of clean-up and decorating to do.

Allergic kid has to wear gloves

Des painting the crap out of the house

Aaron supervising

Before I left them, the house was starting to look good. I'm really digging the colors they chose.

I got a holiday stocking

2011-10-19T20:47:00.000-05:00

Every holiday my hubby puts up our stockings above the fireplace - a big one for Wally, a big one he has had since childhood for himself, and a teeny, tiny one for me. I got mine at an old workplace. It was a 99 cents felted kind, and maybe 3 inches tall. Hubby always teased me mercilessly about it.
Well, no mo'! I decided to knit myself a stocking this year - big and bright and handmade.

2 skeins of Noro Kureyon yarn

Size 8 needles

Nancy's pattern

I expect a big present from Santa this year.

Celebrating fall with family

2011-10-17T13:19:00.000-05:00

In the past 11 years, the region in Bosnia where I'm from has been celebrating fall with a big festival that involves roasting of chestnuts. My parents decided to uphold that tradition in their own backyard. What a fun way to spend time together! And if you've never had roasted chestnuts, you need to try. Yum!

All together

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Removing golden nuggets from their charred shells

Cousin Budo helping out

Beautiful golden chestnuts

My sisters and I also raided my parents garden for some surprise harvest (strawberries and raspberries).

Strawberry!

Going for the refugee look

Love my family.

World Food Festival

2011-10-09T13:32:00.000-05:00

On Friday my sisters and I went downtown to the World Food Festival. There we met up with my friends B, A & S. The food was great, even though occasional whiffs of certain foods made me a little nauseous.

My sisters wearing a python.

Balmy fall night, great company, & yummy food

Women's Leadership Development

2011-10-05T16:17:00.001-05:00

My goal to blog on a daily basis forces me to seek moments of beauty and significance in an otherwise very structured, routine day. Lately my life consists of blocks of times spent working, commuting, and home-bound evening activities. I don't want to say that my life is boring, but it sure isn't exciting in any particular way. Today was such a day. So I challenged myself to find something that made an impact on me today. And luckily, I found it.

My dear friend Ginny invited me to a free session of her Women's Leadership Development Program that she is starting in Des Moines. There I met an exhuberant 71-year old that just knocked my socks off. Barbara Lukavsky is a very successful business owner, consultant and speaker who has served on the board of directors of my company for more than two decades. She gave us some leadership tips and then told us about her remarkable life and read excerpts from her book, "The Road Home - Finding My Way" which is about her personal journey through life's extremes.

We all received a copy, and Barbara even signed it for me. Let's just say that within 6 months she lost her only son and her husband, went to South Africa where she took on a much younger lover and then got shot. And that's just her personal life. She also excelled professionally during a time women had two career options: to be nurses or school teachers. And what a presence! I was definitely blown away. Can't wait to read her amazing story.

Color frenzy

2011-10-04T21:49:00.000-05:00

The appointment today went well. I heard baby's heartbeat and couldn't help but smile. In a month, we are going to do an ultrasound and will find out gender of our little babe. Now all I have to do is wait. And for a person who is not very patient, knitting helps. Here are some projects I've been working on.

Featherweight cardigan

Baktus scarf

Hunter's baby vest

Wiggle wrap

Maybe I'll get a few done before the baby is here. :)

16 weeks

2011-10-03T21:13:00.000-05:00

Sweet baby,

16 weeks - about 38-40% done. Wow! Tomorrow we have a doctor's appointment, and I'm anxious to hear your heart beat. That's the only affirmation for me that you are real. So I can't wait to feel you kick. It should start to happen sometime in the next month, and I'm so eager for you to make your presence known.

Mama's nausea is not completely gone yet, but it has gotten better. I've lost some weight (but gained a bigger bump), and the maternity clothes are still a little loose. Overall, everything seems to be going well so far. Hope the doctor's appointment confirms that.

This past weekend your pa painted your room a prairie willow green. It's very soothing. We decided to go with a forest nursery theme, with trees, birds, deer, foxes, critter, owls, etc. Both your parents love the outdoors and nature. Your mama spent a great part of her childhood in her home country playing in the forest. It's a magical place full of wonder. We hope you like it.

Dad doing some touchups

We also filled a few pages of your baby book together. It was fun recording some of the information in there, including some facts about your parents. Somehow, the limited lines and words felt kind of hollow - they couldn't capture all you should know, including the stories and emotions associated with each entry. But I hope this will be a fun small momento for you.

This weekend we also decided to start thinking about names. We bought a baby name book at a book sale, your dad split it in half, we took two different-colored highlighters, and marked the names we liked. Then we exchanged the book halves and hoped we would end up marking at least some of the same names. And we did. There are plenty of great options to start out with, but we won't finalize our decision until you are here. The name should fit you, and we can't quite commit to something until we can try some on for size. It was both fun and stressful, and we also got some great inputs from family and friends. But it's such a major and final decision, baby! We don't want you to hate your name, we don't want anyone to make fun of it, and we also don't want the name to be difficult to prounouce in either one of your cultures. This has been one of the most challenging tasks yet.

Can't wait to hear your reply in the form of a kick.
Until then, lots of love for you, child.

Your mama

Friday fun

2011-09-24T21:20:00.000-05:00

So, on Friday, I got to see one of my favorite comedians at Hoyt Sherman Place.


This is Demitri Martin

I also had the best company - my lovely sisters. They are big fans.

No flash photography

Yay!

Craft corner

2011-09-21T19:32:00.000-05:00

Since I had to give up my craft room for our dear baby, my thoughtful, handy, and creative husband built me my own little craft corner in the office closet. I absolutely love it, and I love him!

So colorful and quaint

My own little sanctuary corner, built by my love

Hi baby!

2011-09-21T16:17:00.002-05:00

Dear baby,

Up to this point I was afraid to speak of you or to you, afraid that this is all just a dream. Your mama is ridden with anxiety, so afraid of losing you or causing you any kind of pain. For a long time, you were an incredible little secret, guarded by a few people who love you so much - your grateful parents, amazing grandparents and lovely aunties. By now, the news of your pending arrival have been greeted by kind and loving words by friends and acquaintances, and I can finally let go of the thought that keeping you a secret would keep you safe.

You should know that your parents are doing everything to learn how to properly care for you. Your mom and dad are studious folks who read books and attend prenatal classes so we can give you the best care in the world. You should see how well your daddy swaddles a baby!

You should also know how lucky you are to have the father you have. What a wonderful, caring, nurturing, funny dad. We both lucked out! I am looking forward to watching you interact. What shananigans you will pull on your poor mother! Although your dad will make sure you have a ton of fun, don't let that fool you. He wants to keep you safe and healthy. And he means business. He has also already picked out a very special school for you.

What you'll find out, little baby, is that education is very important in your family. You can rest assured that you will get the best education we are able to provide, and we will sacrifice everything to give you a chance to learn and grow and see the world. But most of all, we want you to be happy. We will do everything in our power to help you in your pursuits, no matter what your interests are (given that these interests are legal and safe, of course).

I can't even express what wonderful extended family you have. I could write books describing your family members' virtues. Instead, I will let you discover on your own these people who will surround you in your life. These are some amazing, hardworking, loving people, and I'm beyond happy they get to be a part of your life. You will have so much love and support.

I also want you to know that your mama will love you no matter who you are and what you become. You are perfect in my eyes - you can't do no wrong. Your happiness is my sole purpose in life. I can't wait to hold you, baby. I'm counting down the days.

Your baby book

Love, always and forever,

Your mama

Thank you! And more good news!

2011-09-15T21:46:00.001-05:00

Dear friends,

Thank you for your nice wishes and kind words. Sharing these news for the first time can be a little nerve-wrecking, but you made it all good. :)

We also have some other great news - hubby has passed the bar exam and is now officially a lawyer. I'm really proud of him. We have grown up a lot together in the past 10 years, and are ready for the next exciting chapter in our lives.

:)

2011-09-12T10:27:00.000-05:00

Remembering what's important...

2011-09-11T23:35:00.000-05:00

Today I spent with family. Drove to my parents' house in the morning, where my aunt Senada, my cousins Neira and Budo, and of course, my sisters and my parents were waiting. They went on a big shopping spree yesterday and brought some goodies for me, too. My mom picked for me some beautiful clothes at the Gap. Love them! My sweet sisters bought me a long coveted Longchamp bag. Thank you mama, tata & sisters! I'm very grateful, but you really shouldn't have. Having you as my family is gift enough.

Then cousins, sisters and I headed to Grey's lake for a nice long walk, had some iced tea outside Starbucks while listening to a street performer, and then caught a show at the Science Center (IMAX). Afterwards we had a great lunch at my parents' house, and even got to Skype with some family members in the "old" country. :)

Ami, Budo, Neira & Adji

Daredevils

My beautiful sisters and cousin

At home, my dear hubby and I continued to clean and organize. We are donating a lot of good stuff to the Disabled American Veterans. It's amazing how much stuff people acquire over a few years. We definitely want to downsize and simplify our lives. Plus, we are making some room in our home. Most of you know why, but others are free to guess. :)

Rockin' Robins

2011-08-30T21:58:00.000-05:00

Tonight I had dinner with the girls from my MBA program. It's been a year since I last saw them, so it was really nice to catch up. These gals are busy!

Ann, Emily, Gina, Lisa & Robin

Say hello to Frankie

2011-08-29T00:42:00.000-05:00

Just finished knitting this little monster, and I love him!

Sweetness galore

Hello world!

Air!

2011-08-28T14:52:00.000-05:00

I've been missing in action lately when it comes to everything blog, but there is a good reason for that (more on that in another post). Our house is in absolute disarray, but hubby and I have been diligent. We installed some ultra groovy fans in a couple of rooms where there were no fans before. I'm in love with these new helicopters.

Office breeze

Craft room/guest room/future nursery now also comes with air

Where are the strings you pull to turn on/off lights, change fan settings? Why, these babies come with remotes that you mount on the wall. Swoon!

I'm spoiled

Late summer

2011-08-21T19:54:00.000-05:00

Today was nice. I've gotten rid of an old dresser via Craigslist, and hubby and I got some house work done. A few highlights from today:

Yay for late summer!

Mo' Wall Art

2011-08-14T10:48:00.000-05:00

I received beautiful prints of the pacific coast (Oregon) from my dear friend Belma and immediately put them on the most prominent wall in our living room, right above our fireplace.

She has got an eye for photography. Thank you Belmich! You are very talented.

Wall art

2011-08-07T21:09:00.001-05:00

It's been a long time since my last post. I have no excuses. Part summer craziness, part laziness. Also, I couldn't find the charger for my camera battery, so there were no pictures, either. And what is a blog without pictures? Boring. So were my kitchen and office walls (man, what a segway!) I finally decked the walls with something worth looking at.

First, the most expensive art work of all: my hubby's Juris Doctor and my MBA diplomas. Ironically, neither one of us has a stable job. I'm being laid off and my hubby doesn't have many prospects out there. Sigh...

But at least we are learning how to be frugal. So it's only fitting that we put up the Victory Garden of Tomorrow propaganda posters up to guide us through these tough economic times. (Sorry about the poor lighting.)

Green and conscientious.

"Eat local greens", "You serve when you preserve" and "Grow food on an organic farm"

"Recycling is reusing", "Eat real food" and "Keep them flying"

I do have to give credit to my work pal Amanda for introducing me to these. (How appropriate that her last blog was about her own victory garden! Kismet!)

Birthday wishes for my puppy

2011-07-17T19:30:00.000-05:00

Today is Wally's birthday. We made him a muffin. He waited patiently while I sang him his happy birthday song. I also posed a candle for a festive ambiance (and for his birthday wish, of course).

As soon as I was done and gave him permission to have his cake, he ate it in one quick swoop. It was gone in a golden flurry.

Love you, puppy! Wish I could take you out for a long walk, but the heat is too much for both of us. But there were lots of cuddles and lazy naps in front of the fan today.

As for me, I had some raw gypsy peppers from my parents' garden. Yumm! Fresh & full of vitamin C.

June 2011 Knitting Projects

2011-07-07T15:41:00.000-05:00

Hurray, more stuff got finished this month!

Belma's birthday gift

Footies

Lacery socks

Celebrating "old" and new

2011-07-07T15:31:00.000-05:00

For my dad's birthday, the family went to a pizza place to celebrate. I only had salad. :(

Happy birhday, dad!

On Wednesday, I got a visit from my friend B and her little peanut. What a sweetie pie! We had fun jumping around for a whole hour. I was sore and exhausted afterwards. Well worth it, though.

Cute!

4th of July weekend

2011-07-05T13:46:00.000-05:00

It was a beautiful weekend. First we got to attend the 80/35 music festival where I got to hear and catch a glimpse of my beloved Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. We also made a couple of new friends.

My girls

Alexander

On the 4th, we had everyone come over for a backyard picnic, some Scattegories, food, drink & fireworks on the roof.

Ahhh... summers. :)

Des Moines Arts Festival 2011

2011-06-27T21:31:00.000-05:00

Friday was a perfect day for being outdoors. So my sisters and I decided to have dinner and head out to the DSM Arts Festival after work. Here are a few photos of us enjoying some Irish music.

My dear Ami and my knitting self

Adji!

Music

Little sisters

Oregon - Last Day

2011-06-19T15:55:00.000-05:00

The last day we spent with my aunt, cousin, his wife, and their beautiful two daughters. They were so much fun. We loved every minute of it.

Oregon - Day 5

2011-06-19T15:14:00.000-05:00

On Friday we left the coast and headed to Central Oregon - back to my cousin's house. The views on our way back where breathtaking. Once home, we had a little party with some of my cousin's friends. We had a great time. This is such a beautiful state. I would love to return someday.

Oregon - Day 4

2011-06-17T01:03:00.000-05:00

Words cannot capture the beauty that is the Oregon coast. This is a place of balance, where you will find prehistoric forests, crisp and clean streams that lead you to gorgeous rocky and sandy beaches. This place has it all. This is all topped with charming coastal towns with very kind people. We are definitely leaving a piece of our hearts here.

Oregon - Day 3

2011-06-16T01:45:00.000-05:00

We arrived in Portland last night and checked into our funky hipster hotel. We had dinner and drinks at the Fir Lounge, and then took a walk to the Burnside bridge to look at the city lights.

The next day, we explored Portland (Old Town). This rainy city has quite a few charms. My favorite find is a wonderful little yarn shop. I bought some luscious yarn there and received a 15% discount because it's my birthday! Another one is the Powell's book store. The selection there seemed to be endless. One could get seriously lost there. The rumor is true - the dream of the 90s is alive in Portland.

The beautiful yarn shop "Knit Purl"

Once we had our fill of the city, we headed west toward the coast. The landscape reminded me of Bosnia. We took a break in the Tillamook Forest. This was Jeff's most favorite place in Oregon. It was so incredibly lovely.

Cool houses outside of the city

Further west, we finally reached the sleepy fishing village that just instantly won us over. It's is so quiet and relaxing here. We had lunch in the Pirate's Cove and then did some exploring before retreating to our lovely hotel where we took some much-needed rest.

Estuary - where the river meets the sea

My house with the ocean view

The Pirate Cove

Tomorrow we are going to further explore the area. Stay tuned.

Oregon - Day 2

2011-06-15T01:31:00.000-05:00

The next day, Kerry took Eliza to pre-school, while the rest of us decided to take a trip to the neighboring college town and a scenic park in Bend.

Eliza wearing the outfit I brought her

Jeff (who Eliza calls my "wife") goofing around. The two of them got along very well.

Kenan, Shayla, and my aunt Senada

Precious cargo

I'm taking this one home with me :)

Lots of love

Breathtaking

Amazing

Tumalo Falls

On top of the waterfall

We dropped everyone off back in Redmond, and then hubby and I headed north towards Portland. The views were stunning. We also made a rest stop and I took every chance to capture the beauty surrounding me.

All those sights, scents & sounds made us quite exhausted. We had dinner and then checked into our quirky boutique hotel for the night. Looking forward to exploring Portland tomorrow!

Oregon - Day 1

2011-06-15T01:11:00.000-05:00

It was a very emotional reunion for my aunt and cousin, who haven't seen each other in 13 years. He has since married and had two beautiful daughters.

Kenan and his family live in Redmond in a cozy little house with lots of space for the kids to play. They also keep chickens there.

We spent the entire day, which was Kenan's birthday, hanging out together. At night, we grilled out and played some music.

Kenan and his oldest daughter on the porch

Eliza on her tree house. Can you spot the chickens?

Lovely Eliza on the porch

My aunt getting to know her granddaughters

Sweet Eliza

On the swing - she is a an energetic, free-spirited girl

My hubby, enjoying the view

Party time 2011

2011-06-15T00:52:00.000-05:00

To celebrate my and my cousin's birthday, my sisters being back from studying abroad, my aunt coming to visit, and my hubby's graduation from law school, my parents threw a party and invited some old and new friends. What a blast we had!

Birthday girl and boy - 10 years apart

Fun for all generations

My favorite folk

I guess I got the shutterbug gene from my dad :)

Singing our hearts out

Family and friends are most valuable presents in life

2011-06-15T00:40:00.000-05:00

I received quite a few gifts from family and friends for my birthday. Here are just a few I was able to capture on photo.

An awesome box of fruit and other goodies from my cousin Budo

Swedish designer glassware from teta Snjeza from Sweden

Vichy skin care and lavender mints from my sisters

Tea set from my niece and nephew

A basket of different teas, tea utensils, and candle from my mother-in-law

My friends Spomi and Des bought a couple of goats on my behalf to help families in Africa (heart, be still!) What an awesome idea! My parents presented me with a much coveted Oregon vacation. My hubby cleared my Amazon wish list. Everyone has been so good to me on my birthday. Although all these gifts are soooo nice and much appreciated, the greatest gift to me is that I have family and friends who love and care for me. Nothing matters more.

Yes! They are back!

2011-06-12T00:42:00.000-05:00

My birthday wish came true. My little sisters are back just in time to celebrate with me. I couldn't wait for them to come home. Neither could my parents.

Mom, aunt, cousin & dad waiting anxiously with me

Welcome home, my darlings!

Proud papa, beautiful sisters

We have so much catching up to do! I'm no allowing them to leave me for so long again. They look so beautiful and grown up. I'm so happy they had this wonderful opportunity, but I'm sure even happier they are back where they belong. With their family. :)

Dinner + movie + niece & nephew = fun

2011-06-12T00:37:00.000-05:00

My in-laws surprised me with a dinner at a great local restaurant for my birthday. I received lots of wonderful presents (more on those later). Afterwards, we took our niece and nephew to spend the night at our house. We built a fort in the living room and watched scary movies. We had a blast.

Good times

Our slumber party fort

The morning after

I think we are now officially the cool aunt and uncle. :)

Hail

2011-06-12T00:28:00.000-05:00

Oh, Iowa weather, how weird you are...

Whoa!

2011-06-09T09:44:00.000-05:00

I figured nothing I post today could top this blog post. ::swoon::

May 2011 Knitting Projects

2011-06-05T23:09:00.000-05:00

I only finished one project in May. It's been a busy month. But I have many that are near completion. I have sworn to myself I would finish my projects before I start new ones. But I get seduced by new patterns and yarns every day, so I keep starting new projects and abandoning old ones.

"Cranked" socks

As I'm wrapping up my 27th year on this earth this month, I will try to complete the stuff on my needles.

Beaded Knitted Bracelet

2011-05-29T23:24:00.001-05:00

I decided I needed some bling bling, so when my husband offered to take me to a crafts store (which is right next door to a tools shop), I obliged. There I found some turquoise-ish beads in both shiny and matte finishes that would go with a yarn I had in mind. A few hours later, I had my colorful bracelet.

Jewels

The finished product

Dyed my hair

2011-05-23T14:21:00.000-05:00

Decided it was time for a change. So I dyed my hair a light auburn. I like it.

Fake redhead

The retro getup is a throwback to an earlier time. I was cleaning my house and wanted to look the part.

A night of great performances

2011-05-22T15:18:00.000-05:00

Our little princess Maggie performed yesterday. I have to say, this little girl stands out among her peers. Jeff and I loved it.

She even got to dance with her dad towards the end. It was really sweet. We are proud of Ted for doing such a great job. Here is a little clip:

Afterwards, my friend Belma and I met for dinner and then went to see Ira Glass speak at the Hoyt Sherman Place. He is the host of the radio show "This American Life." I'm a big fan and found this to be quite a treat. Ira is witty and very entertaining.

My favorite public radio nerd

Welcome to Des Moines, auntie!

2011-05-20T21:43:00.000-05:00

I've been logging a lot of hours at work. In my limited spare time, I've been hanging out with my aunt who is visiting from Europe. She is just a whole lot a fun. On Wednesday, we took her shopping.

Mom and aunt, just before our shopping spree.

By the time we were done, it was dark out.

We found a lot of great deals. My aunt was impressed by the wide selection and the grandeur of the mall. Welcome to America! :)

Movie night with the girls

2011-05-16T22:22:00.000-05:00

Work was crazy again, but I made sure to leave early enough to go to my parents' house to see my aunt Senada. She has come all the way from my native country yesterday, and it was a delight to see her. She is really funny and super-affectionate. I can't wait to spend lots of time with her this summer. I have a feeling we are going to have a wonderful time together.

Des, Jackie, Spomi & Belma

After the visit, I met up with my girls Spomi, Desiree, Belma and Jackie for a drink on the patio and then we went to see "Bridesmaids" starring Kristen Wiig.

It's like a better version of "Hangover"

I was laughing and snorting obnoxiously the whole time in the movie theater. Finally a girl movie with my kind of crude humor. Loved it and would highly recommend it!
And now a shower, a bit of knitting and late night TV, and then bed. Wish life was always this fun and easy.

Wine, metal & silver

2011-05-14T23:14:00.001-05:00

The month of May happens to be one of my favorite times of the year. The gloomy surroundings turn green, and the weather is relatively mild. People start to come outside after spending a long winter caved in their homes. Unfortunately, it is already middle of the month, and I feel I haven't really stopped to smell the proverbial roses. Work has kept me extremely busy lately, and then weekends tend to be action-filled. This one has been no different, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

My cosmic sister Jenny

On Thursday I got to enjoy some girl time with my friend Jenny. She is my cosmic sister - every time we interact, we discover some similarities. We used to work together, but now she is in another part of the company so I don't get to see her so often. But we make time for each other. On Thursday, we enjoyed a nice dinner, wine and martinis downtown.

Budo, Yasko & I

On Friday, Jeff, our friends Spomi and Alex and my cousin Budo went to see my kid cousin play with his band. Yasko is a talented guitarist, and he always blows me away with his skills.

Heavy metal blasted my face off

Although it has been a good month so far, everything is not in its place yet. My sisters' absence is still very much felt. I can't wait for their return. In the meanwhile, I obsessively post all their post cards onto my cube wall to remind me that while I miss them, they are having a wonderful time. They also surprised me with a gift (brought by my cousin yesterday). A very luxurious and interesting silver yarn. It is absolutely gorgeous. I can't wait to use it. Thank you my sweet sisters!

A gift from my sisters bought in Luxembourg

I'm hoping that tomorrow (Sunday), I get to shift into neutral gear and just relax and work on my garden. Maybe I'll even catch my sisters for a video chat (thank god for Skype!)

You are the wind beneath my feathered ears...

2011-05-09T22:35:00.000-05:00

I've been seeing lots of these around the mall, and decided I could make them myself. So after a trip to Hobby Lobby and some trial and error - voila! I made myself a pair. I have more supplies so I'm thinking of making more. It's sort of a nostalgic throwback to... I don't know... hippies in the Southwest?

You'll need some countour feathers, wooden beads, fish hook wires and some tools.

Lightweight and subtle, yet dramatic

Native American inspired

I got this from my sisters in the mail... another piece that will be pinned to my boring cube wall.

April 2011 Knitting Projects

2011-04-30T20:38:00.000-05:00

I've been working on a lot of projects, but finished only two this month. These were knitted for my little sisters, and sent to them via my cousin who is visiting them.

Wine and Roses

Milk and Lillies

These were fun to make. Still have plenty of leftover yarn and might be making more.

Fun in plaid

2011-04-30T17:26:00.000-05:00

90s grunge fashion lives on in our household. :)

Lunch Unplugged

2011-04-22T01:03:00.000-05:00

The city had a concert series that allowed downtown employees to attend a concert during their lunch hour and see some local artists. I didn't learn about this until today, which, incidentally, was the last concert in the series. Lee had an extra ticket and invited me to accompany her to see the Nadas, a great local band.

The room was dim-lit and packed. It was a great atmosphere and a nice way to get away from work for an hour. I definitely needed that. (Thanks, Lee!)

First horse riding lesson

2011-04-13T21:25:00.000-05:00

Had my first riding lesson. It was exhilarating.

Grooming prior to the lesson.

Getting mud and rocks out.

Lone ranger.

Babies

It may not look like it, but riding is quite a workout. My legs are screaming. And my sitting parts will be very sore tomorrow.

Horsin' around

2011-04-10T19:42:00.001-05:00

Sunday morning, Spomi and I headed south to the Big Sky Stables to visit Lee and her beautiful horse May.

May getting a bath.

Feeding her carrots.

As soon as she was out, she rolled in the mud.

Lee taught us so much about riding and keeping a horse.

It was a beautiful day, albeit a little windy. I ended up signing up for a riding class. Can't wait!

Bicycles! Bicycles!

2011-04-09T22:37:00.001-05:00

After work on Saturday, I received a text from Spomi asking me if I wanted to join her for dinner. We met downtown at Dos Rios. The food was pretty awful. But we didn't let it ruin our night. Instead, we headed to the sculpture park where we spontaneously decided to rent some bikes and ride to a nearby lake/park. The next few hours were one of the best ones this year.
I took quite a few pictures (much to Spomi's dismay).

Rent-a-Bike

We had these delirious smiles plastered to our faces during the entire ride.

After a satisfying ride around the lake, we headed back to the sculpture park where I made Spomi pose. A lot.

This last photo is a teaser and a clue for our tomorrow's adventure. Stay tuned!

March 2011 Knitting Projects

2011-04-05T21:25:00.000-05:00

I have been working on quite a few projects last month. But I only truly finished two. Here they are:

Coquille shawl

Stripes Alive socks

Fun!

I have also completed some secret projects (which I won't show until next month), plus I have quite a few that are near completion. This goal of finishing 2 projects a month is working out.

Something burgundy

2011-03-28T21:44:00.000-05:00

I just completed a mystery project I will call "creamy delight" and am now starting something titled "luscious burgundy". These are little gifts for my sisters which I plan to ship to them. I won't reveal it until they've received it. But I can't help sharing a little glimpse...

Seductively feminine

Scissors, hammer, and knitting needles

2011-03-21T19:10:00.000-05:00

I cut my bangs. I was getting annoyed with the way my front hair didn't know where to go. Parting it just looks awful, and my face is wide enough that I couldn't have a side sweep without covering my eyes. So I grabbed some scissors, and did it myself. I have to say, I'm rather pleased with the result.

New hairdo

In other news, I scored another print at Target. This one is of a moped (something I'd like to own one day).

Added to the random wall

I'm working on a lot of knitting projects. I won't reveal what they are, but thought I'd give you some clues.

Soft ruffles

I got a feeling/somebody's watching me

Stripey

Waterlily blocks

Projects will be revealed soon. Hope I piqued your interest a little. That should motivate me to finish them.

Girls' night out

2011-03-20T23:23:00.001-05:00

Saturday night Spomi and I grabbed some wine and desserts and headed over to Belma's fab apartment where she awaited us with yummy Centro pizza. We ate and drank and laughed.

Wine bottle to person ratio was rather high

Then we watched movies and talked late into night. It was very cozy.

Maybe a little too cozy. That Spomi - I can't take her anywhere nice.

"Frogs and snails, and puppy-dogs' tails..."

2011-03-15T20:11:00.000-05:00

I had great company this evening. My friend B dropped off her sweet little baby boy for an hour.

Sweet little munchkin

We played with toys, we made noise with Wally, and then we took a short nap. And before we could say "peekaboo", mama was back.

Hello world!

"... that's what little boys are made of."

2011 Spring Cleaning Sessions, Part II

2011-03-14T17:49:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite rooms in the house is my crafts room that doubles as a guest room. Over the weekend, my hubby and I cleared tons of stuff out it. Most will go to Goodwill. We also bought some colorful containers to store all my yarn and fabrics and other crafty stuff. Say hello to the new and improved crafts/guest room.

Everything in its right place

Jeff showing off his work

The wall of random things we like

I thought this was MY room... sigh...

March birthdays celebrations

2011-03-13T20:46:00.000-05:00

On Sunday we celebrated all the March birthdays in my husband's family - his grandmother, his sister, and of course, his own. My sister-in-law hosted the festivities at her house. Grandma has gotten very ill, so underneath all the cheerfulness, there was a somber undertone to the day.


March birthday boy and girls

We ate (steak and crab legs for pescetarians), exchanged presents (and some very touching cards), and had cake and ice cream.

Jeff and his mama - then and now

Bella really wanted some of that cake

Happy 27th birthday to the love of my life

2011-03-13T03:46:00.000-05:00

Happy 27th birthday, honey! I am so lucky you are mine. <3

My stud muffins

I'm craving summer days.

Them Norwegian boys know how to deliver.

Public radio stars

2011-03-07T22:09:00.000-06:00

I have old person proclivities, such as knitting and listening to NPR. Well, tonight I got to see some of these public radio "celebrities" in person at Hoyt Sherman Place. Mo Rocca (NPR contributer, television personality, humorist), PJ O’Rourke (author, NPR contributer, satirist) and Peter Sagal (“Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” host) chatted about current events and Iowa.


I love public radio nerds

Mo Rocca did a one-handed cartwheel.

And then he also sang to us.

In May, I'm looking forward to another radio celebrity - Ira Glass from This American Life. I hope it's just as entertaining.

Happy 26th birthday, Desiree!

2011-03-06T14:58:00.000-06:00

Saturday was Desiree's birthday. Jeff and I went to the restaurant where she works, and were joined by Spomi, as well.

Spomi and I waiting for our waitress, Desiree

We made Jeff feed the birthday girl

"She licked my finger!"

BFFs

It was a fun dinner. Wish I got to see Desiree more often. But she works a lot and goes to school. But I am glad to see my chicka on her birthday.

A thought on friendships

2011-03-02T21:27:00.001-06:00

Those who know me, know that I don't have many friends. I'm not very social. I've always been a loner. Plus, I don't like superficial interactions and feigning interest. But those very few people who I consider friends are extremely important to me. They become so deeply ingrained in my life, they become family. To those few, I'm going to be loyal till the end.

Hmmm... I must have a 'type'

Today I hung out with two of those few people who mean the world to me. I've met my friend S in high school and B in college. Their paths haven't crossed much, but both of them have been solid fixtures in my life. It was nice to share laughs with both of them together. I really love those girls. And I feel that the older we get, the more meaningful these friendships are going to become.
Thank you girls for being patient with my sometime anti-social behavior, and for loving me for who I am. You will always be able to count on me, and I can't wait to see where we all end up when we "grow up". But for now, let's stick with wine, cheese & Netflix at B's fabulous (or S's dumpy) apartment. ;)

February 2011 Knitting Projects

2011-02-27T20:13:00.000-06:00

February projects were short and sweet. I am almost done with the coquille shawl, but it didn't make it by the end of this month. So I present to you knitting that has been completed.

Ballband dishcloth

Flounce scarf for the yarn shop display

Baby genius burp cloth

I've still got plenty of projects on the needles, including the aforementioned coquille shawl, Cecil the monster, baby surprise jacket, Cate cardigan, Milo socks, and another Baktus scarf. And of course, I have acquired more yarn before I used up the ones I have. But how could I resist:

Lovely yarn

Gifts from Vichy

2011-02-25T08:51:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I received some wonderful presents from my mom and sisters. I love every single item.

I'm spoiled.

Hanging from the rail are a couple of figure-flattering shirts, paired with a colorful crocheted scarf (thank you, mom), and a gorgeous silk scarf. On the far right is a tie for my husband, who is definitely a tie collector.
On top of the rail is Vichy facial cleanser. I tried it out last night, and it leaves my skin wonderfully soft and clean. Then there are some Vichy mineral mints (Vichy is known for their mineral water baths and spas). And of course, I got some luscious mohair yarn in my favorite cool colors. Thank you so much for the great gifts. I'm enjoying them thoroughly.

Welcome home, mom!

2011-02-23T20:12:00.000-06:00

So happy to have mom back, even though my heart won't be in its right place until my sisters return.

Mom and dad - the cutest couple I know <3

Mom had a good trip, but her luggage was left behind in Chicago. I'm just glad she made it home safe.

I love my parents

Look at the smiles on their faces. It was beyond sweet to witness my parents' happy reunion.

Incidentally, I also received a post card from my sisters in the mail today. Thank you girls! You know this one is going up on my cubicle wall. Miss you terribly!

Blind hem

2011-02-22T18:44:00.000-06:00

The hem on one of the legs on my favorite pair of dress pants loosened in the wash. I noticed too late this morning, so I used safety pins to keep it hemmed throughout the day. It wasn't the best solution. I could totally feel the weight of the safety pins pulling down one leg. Plus, you could totally tell I had safety pins on. I'd get a flashing glimpse of the tiny needles when I walked. I know, my life is so dramatic.

Booh!

I decided I'd try to do the blind hem myself. I had a brief lesson on this a year or so ago, but I had to reference the internet for a refresher.

It's really not hard once you get a hang of it.

I was successful. The stitching could have been a bit less sloppy, but you couldn't see it because it's a blind hem. See for yourself.

A week ago, my hubby paid $75 to hem five of his dress pants. I don't think he'll have to do that again. I got skills!

The nightly routine

2011-02-20T22:34:00.001-06:00

My mornings are so frantic, I decided to create an evening checklist to keep me on track. And I'm so nice, I'm willing to share my now frantic evening routine in 10 steps.

1. Pick out an outfit for work.
2. Charge my phone and my iPod.
3. Pack clean workout clothes.
4. Pack lunch & snacks (for tomorrow, I got a butter lettuce salad topped with lemon zest tuna and oil/vinegar, plus various healthy snacks)
5. Prep ingredients for breakfast (egg & wedge of Laughing Cow cheese on a Thin Bagel)

Tomorrow's breakfast and lunch

6. Check my purse for the essentials (work badge, car keys, phone)
7. Make sure my daily regimen of medicines and supplements is filled for the entire week.

Various thyroid medications and supplements to keep me functioning

8. Cleanse, tone, & moisturize face; brush & floss teeth; get into jammies.
9. Set the alarm, and then read or watch TV & knit until I get sleepy.
10. Kiss my hubby and my puppy good night, and then hopefully get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

How about you? Do you have a nightly routine? Or am I the only freak who has a list of pre-bedtime activities?

Cuteness galore

2011-02-20T09:17:00.000-06:00

Firstly, let me show you what I found yesterday when I walked into our office where my husband normally studies. Well, he wasn't studying. He was taking a nap, and he wasn't alone.

I caught him sleeping with someone else

Can we get an "awwww"?

I love my boys. They are too cute. But sometimes a gal needs some girl time. Given my favorite girls are in France, I hung out with an old college friend, who totally spoiled me with a wonderful dinner and great company.

The gracious hostess

Food, wine, and great company

All about mawata

2011-02-19T08:59:00.001-06:00

We lost internet yesterday. It was awful. How do people live without it? I felt completely isolated from the world and positively uninformed. But now it's back and I'm surfing it with vengeance. Don't you ever leave me, internet!

So, what does one do without internet? Well, luckily I got the silk hankies I ordered a while ago in the mail yesterday, so I was able to entertain myself with that. These silk hankies, or mawata in Japanese, are literally expanded cocoons. As you can imagine, pure silk is wonderfully soft, and I intend to knit it. But there are a few steps I had to do before I could start.

100% bombyx silk - colorway: fire on the mountain

First, you separate a hankie from the bunch...

...then you start in the middle and start spreading it...

You pull and tug at it until you have a worsted yarn weight.

It looks delicate, but it's unbelievably strong.

You knit it like you would do with yarn. The result so far is unbelievably soft. Can't wait to see the end product.

Comfort

2011-02-16T21:23:00.001-06:00

My ultimate comfort food is this Balkan bean soup, known as "grah". Ever since childhood I loved this thick, filling, hot, flavorful soup accompanied by home-made bread. There are many versions of it online, but the recipe closest to how my mom makes it is here. I don't add smoked meat, though.

My comfort food

I also got a surprise from my hubba today. He has gotten me a book on mastering color knitting. I've been doing a lot of that lately, and there are some unique techniques I would like to master. Well, my dear husband found my Amazon wish list and decided to surprise me. What a sweetie!

Drab winter makes me partial to bright colors

So I've been spending my evening eating grah, reading the book and knitting. Ultimate comfort on a foggy, icky day.

2011 Spring Cleaning Sessions, Part I

2011-02-15T19:17:00.003-06:00

As you may already know, I lead an extremely exciting life, as evident in this blog.
After a productive day at work, I came home and then...

1. Played as many games of McSolitaire as it took to solve one.
2. Then decided to tackle some house cleaning - today's focus: dining room (an often overlooked area in the house). This entailed the following (please note - the only person who'll enjoy this part is maybe my mom):

Taking items that do not belong on the dining room table and put them into their proper place (ahem... tools used to hang up the mirror weeks ago).
Vacuuming the rug and the floors.
Mopping the hardwood with some Bona (biodegradable hardwood floor cleaner) and my Shark steam cleaner.
Wiping clean all the light switches and outlets (4 of them? In a dining room? Why?)
Placing my wilting plant in a more sunlit location in the corner across from the screen door. I also got to salvage that old wooden stand that was on its way to Goodwill.
Removing layers of dog slobber off the screen door.
Wiping the dining room table and chairs with some lemony wood polish.

Nobody is allowed into this room - especially you, dog

3. Then in my domestic frenzy, I also managed to wash and put away a couple of loads of laundry.
4. Ironed hubba's dressy shirt for tomorrow (being a lawyer's wife requires a lot of ironing).
5. Blogged about my accomplished evening. You are welcome.

Bon Voyage, mes petites soeurs et ma chère maman!

2011-02-14T18:59:00.000-06:00

Have a safe flight!

This morning my little sisters (accompanied by our mom for a few days) left for France. They will be studying there for 4 months. I am going to miss them terribly. They have started a blog to document their adventures in France. I know I'll be keeping close tabs on them!

Taking family photos before departure

When I came to work from the airport, I was called down to the lobby, where there was a Valentine's surprise waiting for me. My sister had a couple of students from a local university's choir sing "Til There Was You". It was such a sweet serenade. I had to hug the performers in place of my sisters. I also received a beautiful rose. It totally made me tear up.

Hope all of you are having a happy Valentine's Day. I'm now home with my Valentine, spending the night inside our cozy little home.