Another Shirt, and More Things

I have made it through the first seven days of Me Made May with three knitting projects, three sewing projects, and a screen printed tee shirt.  Daphne even played along one day with a shirt and bag that she made at the Finch.  I will never be able to make it 31 days without a repeat, but I am pretty stoked that I made it this far.  Maybe next year I can make it through the whole month.

I also made another shirt this week.  I'm saving it for a day when I plan to leave the house.  That probably won't be today.

Daphne is sick.  Again.  So we're kinda stuck here.  I need some Me Made Housepants for days like this.

On Wednesday, she was fine.  She even ran a practice 5K in the hot hot heat after school.  

While Daphne was running, I stood on the side of the track cheering and sweating and cursing the summer that is to come.  It was only about 82 and I was miserable.  I keep telling myself "at least there are berries, at least there are berries, at least there are berries."

We celebrated Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with You) with these pancakes:

I had a little trouble with the molds, but they were still delicious.  Next time, I'll get some cooking spray.  Seriously.  Buttermilk.  It's magical.

Daphne is home from school today, watching cartoons.  I have chores to do, but I really want to sew or knit.  Or watch cartoons with Daph.  I think the best plan is to go do some chores now and leave the afternoon free for something fun.

Happy almost Mother's Day to all the good moms out there.  You are all awesome. 

OK, garden...time for a good soak before it gets above 70.

I Made a Shirt, and Other Things

Sigh.

I am never going to be able to catch up on this blog.  That makes me sad.  There are months of things that happened, really good things, that aren't here.  But I think the best thing to do is just start writing again and try to make it a habit, so here goes.

I recently made a shirt.  It is pictured, above, but the color isn't quite right.  It's really more "Harvest Gold" than it is "Kraft Mac -n- Cheese."  It's also a little bit big.  But that's OK.  I learned a lot and I did it with no supervision.  AND, I used French Seams, so take that, Project Runway!

In the world of people who make things, May is a big month.  Me Made May, in fact.  And what you are supposed to do is to try to wear something you made every day of the month.  If this happened in November, I'd be in good shape.  But you can't really wear a lot of knitted things when it's 80 degrees, so this isn't gonna be easy.  I've made it to Day 4.  We'll see how far I can go.

Speaking of Day 4, it's May the 4th, so Happy Star Wars Day to all the cool kids out there who celebrate that sort of thing.  Our little family will be celebrating with Star Wars Pancakes for dinner.

Spring finally happened.  It stopped being cold all the time, the cherry tree bloomed, and we've been eating on the porch a lot.

I have decided to try to learn how to keep succulents alive in container gardens.  First, I have to get a container and some succulents.  So this may not happen until NEXT spring.

I've been working at the Finch off and on, which is good.  The other day, I was walking to work when  suddenly and mysteriously my travel coffee mug started leaking in a few different places, so I was walking and coffee was dripping everywhere and I was making a big mess on the sidewalk and I was worried I would get coffee on my new handmade shirt which I was wearing to work that day for Me Made May Day 2.  But, I was conveniently right across the street from the coffee shop, so I decided to go in and wash my hands, throw away my leaky mug, and get some new coffee to take to work.  But the line was REALLY long, so I would have been late to work if I stayed, so I left and went to work with NO coffee and when I got there, there were DONUTS!  Donuts on the one day ever I have no coffee.  Stick THAT in your stupid song, Alannis Morrisette!  But I guess I figure if a leaky travel mug and donuts without coffee are my biggest problems, life is pretty great and I should just shut up about it.

Daphne is good.  She scored 2 goals at field hockey last week, leading her team to a 2-0 victory, but I missed it because I was working.  She has recently become Led Zeppelin's biggest fan, and last night Kev taught her how to play Kashmir on the Fender, which is cool.  The Girl Scout troop will be spending the night in tents at the National Zoo next month, which is very exciting, and Daphne will be 9 one month from tomorrow, which is very crazy.

Meanwhile, Kev is busy saving the world with satellite technology.  You can see a story about it if you can find video of 60 Minutes from a couple weeks ago.  SUPER cool.  Really proud of him.

I am going to try to blog more.  I miss it.  Plus, I can't remember stuff that happens if I don't write it down.  Happy Spring, everybody!

Embracing the WInter

Daphne is at school today, which is a rare occurrence.  They say it might sleet this afternoon, causing early release.  It also might snow again on Thursday.  I started making tally marks.  Yesterday was Snow Day number 10.  I am thinking we still have one or two more to go.  And that's OK.  I am embracing the winter.  Because no matter how much snow we get, it will melt.  It might be a pain, but it will go away.  Everyone on the Facebook has been posting pictures of the beach..."Oh, I wish I was here!" they say.  Not me.  Snow > Sand.  Snow melts.  Sand never ever goes away.  Plus, it's hot at the beach.  I'll take the snow any day.  And as you can see below, we've had a fair amount of it lately.

Our biggest snow happened when Kev was out of town.  We got about 10 inches.  It was on a Saturday, so it didn't affect school or anything.  One of my neighbors came over to help me shovel, which was great because it would have taken me hours to do it by myself.  I actually like shoveling, though, truth be told.  Don't tell Kev.  But I think it's fun.

We've been doing lots of wintry things.  I took the Girl Scouts ice skating one day.  It was a blast.  I was the only adult to skate!  All the other moms sat on the bleachers.  I don't know why.  Skating was so much fun!  Daphne is getting the hang of it, I'm happy to say.  We need to go back soon.  And we definitely need to go back in summer when it's hot outside.

While Kev was gone, we had some Mommy and Daphne style chili. 

There has been a lot of hot chocolate.

And sledding, of course.

There is a hill behind Daphne's school that is pretty good for sledding, so I took Daphne over there after the BIG snow.  After about 15 trips back up the hill, Daphne was exHAUSted.  I wish I had video of the dramatic slow-stomp back to the car.  Can't.  Take.  Another.  Step.  Too.  Tired.  Need.  Food.

After all that, it was a perfect night for chili dogs and the Karate Kid.  Wax on.  Wax off.  That Mister Miyagi.  So wise.

And we've been doing a lot of hunkering down on the couch to read.  This book (Wonder) is one of the best books we've ever read.  I think all kids should have to read it, maybe in 5th grade.  Required reading.  Daphne and I are reading this together, and we are also reading Matilda as a "whole family" book.  We read a chapter at night if there's time before bed.  HILARIOUS book.  The Trunchbull.  Genius.

On one of the recent snow days, we decided to put on our snowpants and trek through the snow down to the diner for breakfast.

And then back home, past the trail:

So pretty.  

But the best BEST thing we have done to embrace the winter is take a little trip up to Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia to stay in a cabin for the weekend.  It was perfect.  

We got to try snowshoeing, which is hard work, but really fun.

And we got to spend a couple hours on the Awesome Sled Run of Awesomeness.  Up the conveyor belt:

Down the hill:

Over and over and over.  The most fun I've had in a long time, and a much needed family activity.

And then, s'mores.

WInter is awesome.  When it was time to leave, Daphne cried.  Big sad crocodile tears.  Here she is. smiling through the sad.  Poor kid.  I felt like crying, too.  I didn't want to leave either.  Cabins in the snow with my family are my favorite.

Daphne was tromping around outside the cabin, and I took a picture of her.  I kept looking at it because it reminded me of something.  Then, I realized what it reminded me of.

Bigfoot. Buddy. Daphne. Yep.

Well, I think we might get one more snow on Thursday, and then I reckon Spring will start battling to make its appearance.  I am looking forward to seeing colors outside besides white and gray, but still.  Winter is good.  So it's OK with me if it wants to hang around a bit longer.

A Few Quick Hits

I have been craving breakfast tacos.  I didn't think there were any such things in this town, but the People of Leesburg informed me that Anita's New Mexico Style Restaurant serves breakfast, so I went with my friend Chris this morning and got a burrito with eggs and chorizo and a mild green chili sauce which was good.  So, it wasn't breakfast tacos, but it worked.  And now I know where to go when I need a Mexican-ish breakfast.  Yay!

The girls were recognized by the Mayor and Town Council last night for helping decorate the town at Christmas.  It was cool.  The girls were really proud, and our awesome Mayor took a lot of time out to spend with them.  

Daphne has decided to make origami Yoda Valentines this year.  It's a lot of work, and probably some of the kids won't know who Yoda is.  They are really cute, though.  Handmade Valentines are good.

Kev and I got to go out last weekend for dinner at the Wine Kitchen and the Woodshedders show at the Tally Ho.  So much fun.  This band is great.  

I have been working at the shop a lot lately.  I like it.  But it's hard to work and do all the other things, too, so I feel pretty lucky that I don't have to be a full time working mom every day.  

We are smack in the middle of cookie season.  We built a fort with all the cookies.

I started knitting some socks.

I got the piles picked up and generally put away, but I had to take everything out of the cabinets and start over and it took all day and made me sneeze a lot.  I feel so much better now, though.  

Daphne finished her sewing class.

This is my new favorite snack.

I am going to teach a class about how to fix knitting mistakes.  I never would have believed it if you told me that six months ago.

I finished my honey cowl which I love and wish I could wear every single day.

Slowly getting my groove back, I think.  

Woohoo!

The Groove

Today, it's snowing.  There is no school, but not because of snow.  It's a teacher work day and the students are off.  It would be great if we could play in the snow, but there is barely any.  The photo is from the snowday LAST week.  There was barely any then, too, but there was no school.  This winter has been a real disappointment so far.  I want one good big snow.  The kind that shuts everything down and makes it quiet on King Street because no cars are out.  Maybe next week.

All of these snow days and delays and teacher work days and MLK holidays and things are making it really hard to get in a groove.  Even though I got Christmas taken down and put away, there are still piles of homeless things everywhere.  A giant purge is in order, but that will require a chunk of time alone in the house, which is very rare these days.

Daphne is home now, drawing a treehouse while I blog.  But she really wants to play with me.  And how can I tell her no?  It's not like I can send her out to play in this pitiful snow.  So, I think what I have to do is just try to enjoy hanging out with my kid and overlook the piles for a few more days.  

Sounds easy enough, right?  But, this is really hard for me.  When all the chores I feel like I SHOULD be doing are right there in my face, it's hard for me to enjoy anything.  I feel guilty taking 15 minutes to write in this blog.  I can't just let it go.  I live at my workplace.  There is no "going home from work."  I am just always there.  There must be a way to turn it off, but I haven't found it yet, and I wonder if I ever will.  Maybe if everything was DONE, then I could enjoy being home.  But it is never ever done.  Ever.  So, I need a new strategy.  And a groove.  A good normal week with no snow days or holidays.  

Or, perhaps a vacation.  But that would only help temporarily.

Or, here's a thought.  I need perspective.  Because, there are no lions after all.  I have absolutely no reason to complain about anything.  The chores will get done.  The piles will get put away.  There will be plenty of time for ALL of that, and to sit and knit and sew and read and enjoy my family time.  Right now, I am going to go play with my kid.  

Free cookies!!??!!  I am SO in!

We Interrupt This Program...

So, I got myself all in the mood to start blogging again, and we lost the internet.  For several days.  No internet, no TV, no landline service.  Yesterday, we finally got hooked up again.  In the meantime, school kept being cancelled or delayed, so I couldn't get much done around the house.  I didn't want to take down Christmas while Daphne was home because it makes her too sad.  But finally, yesterday, I just had to do it.  I dragged up the bins and loaded them up, undecorated the tree, and tidied up a little.  All that's left to do is take the lights off the tree and take it outside for recycling.  Last year, that was tough.  There were many tears when we said goodbye to "Doug."

This year's tree is called "Fergus."  We got him at Snicker's Gap, just like last year, and made an ornament from his trunk, just like last year.

He's been a really great tree, but now all you have to do is walk by or breathe on him and his needles fall out in giant clumps.  I think even Daphne realizes that it's time for him to go.

Thank you, Fergus, for being an awesome Christmas tree and making our house smell so good!  We will miss you.

I am excited to have Christmas put away because now I can get back into some sort of normal routine, sit and knit without feeling like I should be doing something else, and maybe even read a book.  Does anyone know of a good book I can read?  I need some ideas.  I also plan to improve my sewing skills this year, so I need to make some time for that.  I love Christmas, but it's just all the SWIRLING...by the time it's over, I don't even remember it.  I have to find a way to stop the swirling next year.  Be glad you don't have to spend any time inside my brain.  Especially at Christmas time.  I need to figure out the secret to SLOW Christmas.  Slow is good.  There needs to be more slow.  

OK, I have just a little while before Daphne gets home from school, so I am going to go make good use of the time.  But not in a frantic swirly way.  I may even knit.