10 months! 

It’s time to start thinking about a first birthday party.  I’m totally at a loss for a theme, and Josiah hasn’t really expressed a strong preference for anything in particular.  Ideas?

Since I’m apparently on a once-every-two-weeks posting schedule, here’s what I’ve been up to lately:

• Snow, ice & cold.  Let’s all say it together: winter sucks and I am officially tired of it. How many weeks until spring?
• Vaguely thinking about next summer’s garden… as in, should I even bother since last year was kind of a bust.  But I guess a 15 month old might be a little more interested in it than a 3 month old, so maybe I shouldn’t write it off completely.
• Obsessing over working out but not actually doing anything.  I blame the weather, which has had me completely cooped up, along with a lack of time in the evenings to go to a gym (so I canceled my membership), but I have been a major sloth during the past month.  Compare that with my stalking of summer race calendars and training plans, which has been at an all time high.  Clearly I need to get off my duff and DO SOMETHING, but I need all this snow to go away so I can do that.
• Knitting.  This probably goes along with that whole cooped-up thing, but I have found some time here and there to make some progress on Matt’s birthday (umm… shall we call that Spring Break) sweater and even start a new fun project.  I really don’t have a ton of time to knit these days so I’m going to try to knit down and/or give away all my old stash yarns so if I want to buy something new for a project I don’t feel bad about all the yarn I already have.
• Health Month.  How to describe this… a healthy living online game, where you’re competing against others and winning points for your team?  It sounds really nerdy, but its actually pretty fun and surprisingly motivating to follow your “rules” when you know you’re going to have to report your failings on the Game Wall.  I’m on Team Eating Rules, so our goal is to not eat high fructose corn syrup, fried foods, or refined grains.  It sounds simple but its amazing how one of those three things seems to creep into almost everything I eat.  

See you again in 2 weeks?  =)

Whenever I open up iPhoto, it defaults to bringing up the last 12 months of pictures, oldest first.  So whenever I open it, I get a little window into what I was doing a year ago.  I don’t keep a diary or journal (and let’s be honest – my blogging is not what it used to be!)  This year it’s been fun to look back and see what I did with all my free time before I had a baby. 

Unbelievable as it seems, in only 2 months from today, I’m going to open up iPhoto and see pictures of my newborn baby.  How did that happen?  And – oh crap! – I need to start planning a birthday party!

Wild Turkey

Originally uploaded by amkhosla

This Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for? (I stole this list of questions from Organizing Your Way – I’d love to hear your answers, too!)

What small blessings?

A knitting group that has formed among my co-workers at lunch time.

Vanilla steamers.

Borrowed maternity clothes from my much-more-stylish sister.

The wonder of technology to help keep in touch with the daily lives of faraway friends and family.

What big blessings?

A baby on the way! I’m not one to talk about this much, but this baby is something that I’ve hoping for for a long time. I am so happy that we have been blessed in this way.

And even though it didn’t seem like it during the construction process, I know this new kitchen will be something that I will be happy about for many years to come.

What surprise blessings?

Sunday night dinners, knitting (and solving the world’s problems, of course!) with my favorite knitting friend. 

An endless supply of home-cooked meals from friends as we lived without our kitchen for 10 weeks! 

What trials and hardships?

It sounds crazy to complain about getting a new kitchen, but finding out you have crazy water damage that requires you to gut your kitchen THREE DAYS after finding out you’re pregnant is pretty stressful. I just took things day to day, but seriously, there were times that I thought I was going to lose my mind.  However, I know that my husband and I learned to work together to get through all the little (and big) problems that inevitably come up during construction.  He just didn’t have to deal with morning sickness at the same time, the lucky dog!

IMG_1292

Originally uploaded by kerner

I know some people go to the fair because it’s kitschy, or because it’s fun to make fun of the carnies, or shake their heads in amazement at all the people that apparently still “live on farms” and “raise livestock.” But I actually really like the fair. I love that it’s something that all different kinds of people in the community can get together and enjoy, and I really love the fact that, despite all the flashy rides and yummy fair delicacies, the main event is still about country living – raising animals and vegetables, baking, sewing, woodcarving, etc.

Camo Dress!

Originally uploaded by kerner

That being said, it is pretty awesome that at least one of the
award-winning seamstresses had a bit of fun with this gala-worthy
creation. Look close – do you see it? Yes… that is CAMO fabric!

Other Fair highlights included:

IMG_1251

Originally uploaded by kerner

Saying hello to a very friendly donkey (and I got a classic hee-haw when I walked away. Aww, he missed me!)

Cheesecake on a Stick

Originally uploaded by kerner

Watching my friend Dave devour an enormous piece of cheesecake on a stick…

Beefalo

Originally uploaded by kerner

Learning about a new (to me) variety of cow (hee hee… just saying
it makes me laugh. Beefalo! You guessed it, a cow/buffalo hybrid)

IMG_1279

Originally uploaded by kerner

And last but not least, enjoying a lovely ride on the big Ferris
Wheel (with 2 very chatty children, because apparently the carnival
folks didn’t want to miss out on the income stream of shoving 7 people
into a single car). But hey, it’s all part of the experience. The kids’
dads were both competing in the tractor pull competition that night, so
we got to hear all about how one of their truck broke down (or
something… I’m not exactly sure of the mechanics of a tractor pull.
Does the tractor pull something? Is a person pulling a tractor? I don’t
get it – I would have gone to watch but it required extra tickets we
didn’t buy.)

IMG_1239.JPG

Originally uploaded by kerner

It’s time again for the Ozark Empire Fair! (Speaking of which, Fair City News did a really funny post on the history of the Ozark Empire and the Ozark Emperor a couple of days ago – a must read.)

Actually, it’s been 3 years since I last went to the fair. I love rollercoasters, but I don’t really trust the rides that get disassembled and reassembled every week for fairs all across the country. I stick to the low-speed ferris wheel, the deliciously terrible food, the animals, and the “family living pavilion” – aka the 4-H exhibits.

I was a 4-Her for several years when I was growing up, but I lived in town (no room for livestock) so my fair exploits were limited to sewing, ceramics, baking, photography, etc., as well as a very ill-advised run for Junior Princess one year. (I’m not quite sure how I got talked into that one, since I was a very shy kid.)

Even though I generally remember suffering through most of my 4-H projects (especially sewing), I must admit I’m glad my parents forced me to stick with it for a while. After all those terrible sewing projects (American flag-themed shorts & vest combo anyone?) I am very glad that I have a good working knowledge of a sewing machine, and I could probably follow most sewing patterns if I had to.

Tonight, I’ll just be glad I won’t be entering the family living pavilion with sweaty palms, hoping to see a blue ribbon on my projects. Instead, I’ll probably be ridiculing the knitting projects and in awe of the quilts.

And eating fair food – can’t forget about the fair food! I wonder what’s the strangest thing I can order on a stick?