The Quad Shot

Kitchen Oranization

2011-02-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

My awesome husband recently reorganized the kitchen, lucky me! He's been in bread making mode as of late and was inspired to get the cabinets, counters, and lighting in order. I love the result! What woman doesn't like an orderly kitchen?? He seems to do most of the cooking as of late anyway, so more power to him.

We recently added utensils to our crocks. Most of our spoons and large utensils disappeared in our move, which was about two years ago. It was time!

The espresso maker's new home is on the end of a counter so milk can be steamed. We stocked up on Monin syrups, yummy! I love having my own barista.

Pretty window sill sitters.

Ron wired and installed the old porcelain light from my grandparent's farm. This corner of the kitchen is officially finished.

My lovely tea drawer. It's come in handy these days during cold season.

Ron installed this new red light above the sink and it matches the vintage green one.

Organized counters!

Signs of Spring

2011-02-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not there are some early signs of spring happening here on the northern California coast! I used my new camera for the first time last week and recorded the new blossoms and blooms amidst the sunny day. I think my mom chose the right name for me. I feel very much at home and alive in these springy like days. Here are some pics from my camera's first "test drive." I think she fared well...

Our flowering plum tree is bursting into beautiful bloom

Ornamental Kale. My camera has a zoom, yes!

Someone wanted pics taken of him too.

Out on a stroll through the Arcata marsh I found these beauties wading.

Early Spring how I love thee!

Dance Milestones: First Pointe Shoes

2011-02-07T11:16:00.000-08:00

At long last Sarah got her first pair of pointe shoes! This is a huge milestone for a ballet dancer, and Sarah has worked hard for almost 5 years for them. Her class got to go on pointe last semester, and she was held back because her teacher thought she wasn't ready yet. Finally, the day came and she can say she is officially a pointe dancer. I'm so proud of this girl!

Nothing is prettier than brand new satin pointe shoes!

Practicing at home on our wainscot mini barre

Beauty personified

Breaking in the pointe shoes

Untying ribbons

T'was The Night Before Christmas Holiday Ballet

2011-02-07T10:54:00.000-08:00

Sarah's annual holiday dance production "T'was the Night Before Christmas was quite the show for her this year. She was in a total of 6 dances and had the most dances of anyone in the show, which is over 200 people! She danced the roll of the sleeping child, which was her first special part. She danced with the sugar plums and assists with that class as a student helper. She loves doing it and enjoyed dancing with them on stage. Then she got to be a cat, which has been a dream of hers for a few years now. This was for her student helper class. Her ballet class did a beautiful dance to the song "Holly and Ivy" and she was an ivy. The girls dance in pairs, and she was with a Holly. She just started taking Latin dance this year and their partner dance was called "Cider and Spice." She was "Cider" and I helped make the skirts and the Spice tops. Then she was "Night" for her modern class. They did a beautiful dance to an instrumental version of Silent Night. Then she was also in the finale, phew! She did two shows, had two dances back to back with a super quick change, and did a wonderful job! I'm so proud of my girl!

Sleeping Child

Cat

Ivy in "Holly and Ivy" - ballet

Cider in "Cider and Spice" - latin

"Night" - modern

Fall Dance Shoot

2011-02-07T10:48:00.001-08:00

Every year Sarah's dance school puts out a calendar. This year I thought it would be fun to take some outdoor pics of her. We ended up doing the shoot in our yard and took around 80 pics! These were some of the best. Her teacher ended up choosing the second one down for March, which is one of my favs. Isn't my ballerina beautiful?!

Beginning of School Year and Fall

2011-02-07T10:26:00.000-08:00

Justin started pre-school this year! The first day was rough, (a lot), but after a few days he loved it and wanted to go every day, even on the weekends. He is learning so much, making new friends, and is even starting to read and write! What a big boy!

I decided to be bold and make the kids' Halloween costumes this year. Wow, what a big undertaking. Especially when one twelve year old orders, "An Alice In Wonderland" costume just like the one she wore in the movie, sigh. I did my best, and was happy with the result!

Justin wanted to be "Super J" so I designed and made him a special Super J cape which he still wears around the house so he can fly and do super hero moves. Every boy needs a cape!

Sarah turned 12 in October and in honor of the big day I made a Happy Birthday Banner. I was inspired by Tracy's beautiful banner and didn't realize how similar our banners were until I went back and looked at hers. I guess great minds think alike! :)

Re-cap Part2: Camping and Oregon

2011-02-07T10:12:00.001-08:00

We went to North Bend, Oregon to visit my mom's family in July:

Here we are at the beautiful Shore Acres botanical gardens.

Sunset Beach, OR

We went camping a few hours from home and ended up in an "environmental camp." It was a hike to get there, but we were camped right near a creek and it was awesome!

The kids had so much fun!

Coming Out of the Cave

2011-02-07T09:31:00.000-08:00

Hello Dear Friends! It's been a while...a long while since I've been here. Many factors have played into my five month hiatus: The starting of school, the holidays, Sarah's winter dance performance, and my annual winter hibernation mode.

I recently discovered that I have SAD, or Seasonal Effective Disorder; what a strange sounding condition! Living as far north as I do I don't get enough sun in the winter, or in the summer even depending on the weather conditions for that matter. This summer we didn't really have a summer since we were either fogged in or clouded in most days. When winter hit I felt like a bear going into hibernation mode. I wanted to sleep and eat all day which isn't good for the mind or the waistline. Then every day felt like a monumental task, and everything seemed so over whelming. Right around that time I started taking Vitamin D3 supplements and noticed an improvement in my energy and mood immediately. This got me thinking about the sun, our lack of it, and what I could do to remedy the situation. Then I remembered that my aunt who lives in Oregon uses a little light every day in the winter to boost mood. So I got one, it's called a "Sun Box" and you can order one off of Amazon.com for around $80-$200. It produces special rays that mimic sunlight. You sit in front of it for 15-30 minutes per day and it tricks your brain into thinking it's summer. I just started using it and am noticing a big difference already. I also joined a gym and am starting to work off the hibernation padding. :) Hopefully this year I will become my old productive blogging self!

I also got a new camera finally! My old one broke in the summer and I realized that I am very dependent on pictures for blogging. Really, how can you blog without pictures, right?! So I'm going to attempt to do a speedy wrap up of the past 6 months.

This summer we went camping, visited family in Oregon and had an amazing vacation in Lake Tahoe with my parents and brother. My dad rented a vacation home right near the lake and for a week I soaked up the sun and felt like a queen. We used to vacation there when I was a kid so it brought back great memories too. Right at the end of summer we took a trip out to Boise, Idaho for Ron's Grandma Delphia's funeral. She was an amazing lady who lived to be 96 years old!

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

Boise, Idaho

Lake Tahoe

What's been going on

2010-11-17T16:53:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! I'm back after a 4 month hiatus. The summer took me by storm with many out of town trips. It was fun, and exciting, and exhausting too! Then school started for both of the kids: Sarah is in 7th grade, and Justin is in pre-school. I've been adapting to life as a taxi mom. Yes, you heard that right, my formal profession is taxi mom. I live in my car and I keep telling myself this won't last forever! I feel like I'm finally adjusting to the life of a taxi mom and it's paying off with two very happy and fulfilled kids. I have about three hours to myself while Justin is in pre-school. I usually either sit in my car and read or crochet, take a walk at the marsh, or walk around town and window shop. It's a nice break and my new goal is to join a gym so I can get in shape and have some alone time.

My camera broke at the end of summer, so I haven't been able to take pictures for a few months. This has put a damper on my blogging to say the least! I have been able to borrow a camera a few times and have a few pics to share. I'm going to be doing some "catch up" posts, but thought I'd drop in to say hello and let you all know I'm still alive and well!

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T16:58:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th everyone! Here is a summary of the day in red white and blue. The day has consisted of eating good food, relaxing, doing art and hanging out with the family. My favorite kind of day! Hope you're enjoying your family and freedom as well.

In honor of the French coming to our aide in the War of Independence Ron and Sarah made french toast. It was so delicious!

My mosaic stepping stone made from English bone china. Please tread on me!

Geraniums and allysum I enjoyed while relaxing on the deck this morning...

The prettiest lily in our yard.

Red Cords

2010-06-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't sewn something just for fun in ages, so today I decided it was time. I had bought some navy blue cord fabric to make into pants for Justin a while back but hadn't gotten around to it yet. Yesterday I went out to the fabric store and picked up some red and brown cords and some fun striped fabrics as well. I used my stand by pants pattern "Bloomers and Britches" and whipped these up in a few hours. I like how the cargo pockets turned out and can't wait to make the next two pairs!

A Polly Wog Tale

2010-06-26T18:01:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time a family of four went on a walk in search of polly wogs. They walked through a beautiful redwood forrest...

It was dark and the little boy thought there might be bears in the woods...

But then the trees cleared and it was sunny with beautiful fields and flowers. The place there were supposed to be polly wogs ended up being a disappointment since there were no polly wogs to be found. So the family kept walking..

They spotted a lovely pond with beautiful marshes, cat tales and tall grasses.

The girl stopped to take pictures of herself. This one turned out especially good.

Then they happened upon a very marshy area. The mom thought it might be a good place to stop and look for polly wogs. So they did, and they began to notice little hopping bugs all around their feet...wait a second, there were bugs and there were frogs!!

They hunted frogs to their hearts' content and caught about fifteen of the little creatures. They had just turned into frogs because some still had their stubby little tails.

Then they walked the half hour back down the road...and took a few small breaks along the way.

They got home and the little boy helped his dad with their new frog friends.

The frogs were released into their new home where hopefully they will live for years to come.

The End

Father's Day

2010-06-24T22:55:00.001-07:00

We had one of the most simple yet wonderful Father's Days ever this year! Ron decided he wanted to just relax and unwind here at home, so that's exactly what we did. Some friends of us have loaned us their grill and Ron cooked up some oh so delicious hamburgers which we all ate quickly. Talk about the best dad ever - what man cooks on Father's Day? Not only that, but he helped out with housework as well since I wasn't feeling well. Now that's what I call a great dad! We are such a blessed family to have a loving and wonderful father and husband. He provides for us, makes a beautiful garden, grows food for us, (check out some of the delish veggies from our garden below), and is an all around giving and great person. Thanks honey, and thanks God for the amazing gift you gave me!

Happy Father's Day Honey!

The kids enjoying their burgers. Check out the coincidental matching striped shirts!
Aren't these carrots the cutest?

We're growing three varieties of potatoes this year. Not pictured are the yellow colored ones, not sure of the name but you get the idea!

On Community

2010-06-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

When we moved away from our rental a year ago into our new neighborhood we had no idea what to expect here in regards to a community. We had lived in the previous town for 6 years and so much had happened during that time! We had initially moved there to be close to the university for Ron, and we had also joined a faith community. Our church was right down the street, as was the college, Sarah's school, dance studio, and Ron's later place of employment. Our gas bills were very low back then! We ended up becoming close friends with some of our neighbors which was amazing and such a blessing at the time! We would share food, have barbecues together, hang out and watch movies, take walks together, (I miss those walks Allison!), laugh together and cry together. Two of our neighbors were studying to be nurses so we would get free health checks off and on, and advice when we got injured, (I fractured my tail bone, ouch!) It was a community utopia for a time and I couldn't imagine not having that support and love. In fact, I feared losing it...

Well, all good things must come to an end and when it ended it was over, there was nothing left there for us, and we were more than ready to move on. We moved to the next town over not knowing anyone close by really and wondered how God would knit us into this community. We knew some people a few blocks away, but not well, and at first it felt pretty isolating here. As the months wore on we were amazed to see how we found families and made friends in the area; it was uncanny. We've gotten to know the family we knew who lived a few blocks down. They are awesome people, so full of faith and love. They have a boy and girl just like us and I pass down Justin's clothes to their little guy and we switch off babysitting for date nights. Ron knows a co-worker who lives a few blocks further as well. He and Ron both love to garden and we share our veggies with them and they give us home pressed apple juice and awesome gifts for our garden. We have dinner with them off and on and their cooking is so delicious! I met another family through a friend who lives a few blocks away as well. They are on the same spiritual journey I'm on and "get" where I'm at. I'm so blessed to have found them! So a mere year later, and we have three families we're friends with who live just a few blocks away in our little community!

The other day we had a dinner that was mostly from our garden: Potatoes and herbs, a fresh salad with carrots and peas, and spaghetti flavored with herbs from our herb garden. After dinner we went out and picked some lettuce, spinach, carrots and potatoes, loaded them into bags and went on a walk through our neighborhood dropping off our garden bounty and veggie starts to our friends a few blocks away. It was the most wonderful evening! Our hearts felt full and we were loving our community.

That night has gotten me thinking a lot about the meaning of community. I always thought that community was a place you had to set up - a place that had to be painstakingly planned in every way. The element of fear was always there - what if someone moves away?, what if God takes us away from our support system?, etc. What I'm realizing is that God is fully capable of setting up community anywhere! It's a no brainer for Him. We're the ones who add in the complications and strings to the whole situation making things much more complicated and messy.

I look around us now at the community we're blessed with and I'm in total awe. Community has come to us in such an incredible way and now we get to nurture it and see it grow in beautiful ways. I feel so lucky - SO blessed! I cherish our neighbors more than ever because I feel they're a gift God has given me. I don't feel like I deserve it, but the universe has smiled on us and we're blessed.

The Garden via a Good Lense

2010-06-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

I had to share more garden pics with you because we were able to borrow a good camera! I hope to get one like this soon so I can post good resolution pics on my blog finally. What a difference a good camera makes!

Upstairs Hallway

2010-06-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

Since I was taking pics upstairs I thought I'd get a few of the hallway. I've made a few changes, nothing big but it looks cute...

I bought this hand embroidered fabric imported from India and wasn't sure what to do with it. Then I realized it was the perfect size for the hall cabinet.

When I was doing the make over on my room I moved this shelf out to create more space. It fits under my Eiffel tower pic perfectly.

I got this cute green braided rug at Target for super cheap for the upstairs hallway.

Upstairs Bathroom

2010-06-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted pics of the upstairs bathroom before because it was pretty non descript honestly! You can't do a whole lot of decorating with a postage sized bathroom, but I gave it my best shot. I think the bathroom used to be the end of the upstairs hallway when the house was built. It's a bit of an odd configuration, but it is nice to have an upstairs bathroom. We had the window replaced with privacy glass because the old one was broken and painted...really, who paints a window?! We also had to have the room vented because there was no venting! Someday we hope to expand the bathroom when we make our master bed/bath.

Here it is - don't blink!

We got this cute medicine cabinet at Ikea. I love how it fits perfectly above the sink.

I got this cute Amy Butler fabric at Scotty Dog Quilts to dress up the window a bit. I asked Ron to get me a hanging plant for the window and he got this beautiful fern for it.

Bedroom Mini Make-Over On A Budget

2010-06-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

It seems like the bedroom is always the last room in the house to get decorated, doesn't it? I've been wanting to get mine up to speed since we moved in, and I finally did it! I'm calling it a mini make over because the only thing I made over was the decor. I love looking at room make overs in home magazines, which is where I got some of the inspiration for the room. It's amazing how much you can do with low cost decorations, textiles and vintage touches! This make over was done on a very small budget mind you. I think I spent $40 at most. A lot of the decor were things I had stored away that hadn't found a home for yet. The decorating style is a mix between vintage, antique and Asian themes. I love the result! I feel the room expresses me and is a peaceful romantic get away.

The finished product

The foot of the bed needed something to anchor it, so I put together this vintage suit case and trunk collection. The green trunk is from the late 1800's and was my grandmother's, I found the brown suit cases at a local consignment store for $30, and I bought the yellow suit case at a garage sale years ago. I love to travel, so these suit cases are some of my favorite things.

I bought this hand made vintage Japanese kimono a few years back at a local antique store on the sale rack. Decorating with textiles is simple and classy. I hung the kimono with a satin hanger and tacked the sleeves. You can also use a dowel to hang garments.

I had the landscape print but needed a frame for it. I picked up the frame for $10 at Michael's and added a green ribbon to dress it up. The fruit basket quilt top was hand made by my husband's grandmother. I made the pillow cover a while back for the large pillow from fabrics I got on sale.

My dresser has a pretty wooden framed mirror that cracked during our last earthquake. I could have put it back up but decided to hang my vintage purse collection instead. I have 4 more purses I still might add to the collection...I'm still debating whether they might make the wall look cluttered.

This wall looked bare, so I hung the embroidery, (hand made in China circa 1950, from my missionary great grandma), and portrait of Sarah done by me and added this shabby sheik chair.

I had two vintage quilts and an embroidered family quilt stored away and decided they would be cute stacked on top of my wardrobe. The round vintage print was given to me from my mom and the love birds were an anniversary gift from a good friend - thanks again Tracy!

Garden In Bloom

2010-06-13T20:55:00.001-07:00

The garden is finally starting to come into bloom! We actually had some sun this weekend for the first time in weeks so I took the opportunity to get some pics of the garden. I even managed to get a bit of a sun burn on my face! Goes to show you how not used to the sun we are in these parts. Rain in June has been the norm believe it or not! The rain has caused everything to grow green and lush though - the one very desirable benefit.

The beautiful rhododendron bush behind our pond.

Lamb's Ear and Astilbee color the garden path.

Ron just put in these hanging baskets and planted begonias in them. I love these!

We hosted a going away party this weekend so I dressed up the deck table with oil cloth and a pot of pansies.

Ron put lots of flower pots on the back porch per my request! These are filled with: pansies, lilies, astilbee and lobelia.

Broccoli and poppies

Kale and peas

The rock garden. Not much blooming is happening here yet, but there are wild flowers coming up behind the rock garden that will be in bloom soon!

Our new blue hydrangia planted in the back yard. I love these!

Pink hydrangia in the front yard.

Pretty porch

The lilies are beginning to bloom!

Mom's Group

2010-06-10T14:33:00.000-07:00

Today was my last official hosting day for mom's group. I've been a part of this mom's group since I was pregnant with Justin, so it's been probably about 5 years! I've gotten to know some amazing, sweet women during this time. Some of us are moving on now since our kids are going into pre-school. There is a whole new batch of little ones now taking their places. Today we had a rare glimpse of sun and the kids took advantage of it big time!! They had such a blast being outside, and so did we.

Valerie and Mandy with their new little ones.

Bethany and her kids are holding hands as they leave - so cute!

Jonah asked to have his picture taken with the "gun."

Isaac having fun on the ladder.

Rex was loving playing with the gardening stuff...and a nail.

Sarah gave the kids rides in the hanging chair. Happy Birthday to Bean!

Justin posing with his new wagon.

Good friends

Favorite Pic of the Week

2010-06-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

Sarah's ballet class practicing for their performance this weekend. Sarah is in the front. I loved this picture because of all of the motion and action in it!

Favorite Pic of the Week

2010-05-23T12:49:00.000-07:00

I'm starting a new tradition here called "favorite pic of the week." I tried to start it on Fridays, but every Friday I would forget, so I will post them on random days. Here is this week's fav:

More Yard and Garden Pictures

2010-05-19T17:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I set out to get pictures of the rest of our yard and garden. We have a fence separating our front yard from what I call the "middle yard", below. This area of the yard is wide and open so the kids can roam and play. Then we have the back yard, (more of the garden area), where the raised beds, compost, kids play set, and bunny are. The green house and chicken coop will be built in this area of the yard soon, so it will be a mini farm. Hope you don't mind all of these yard and garden pics! I just can't help it... I love my garden!

The middle yard. I love the deep green color of the grass in this one.

Justin throwing Monkey in the air. He likes to play kick ball here too.

The cute bird bath the kids gave me for Mother's Day. I love it!

A shot of the over flowing raised beds from the back fence.

Broccoli, onions, and a California poppy. Flowers are good for the soil.

Onions, carrots and potatoes in the back ground. I can't wait until these are ready to be harvested!

Excellence Awards

2010-05-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember the news letter I posted this past Christmas about all of the changes that happened in our lives the past few years. It's been a journey that started out extremely difficult and now here we are in a totally different space in our lives. At the time we went through the myriad of changes; the job situation, church situation, move, etc. all we could see was what was going on around us. We had only a tiny bit of hope to hold onto - Jesus. He was the only thing keeping us afloat amidst the rejection, hurt, job loss, and trials. We lost everything, and then we were kicked while we were down. Looking back now I can't believe we survived in tact honestly! But we did, and ever since then we have been amazed to see God's faithful love and blessings.

So, fast forward to life now. The other week Ron was nominated for four excellence awards at his work. He got two awards in one category, service, one in excellence, and one in justice. He was the only one in both hospitals, (of hundreds of employees), to get 4 awards! He was also the only one to get awards in three categories! I'm SO proud of him!! It was a truly healing moment for him I believe, mainly because of all of the hurtful things that were spoken over him and the way he was treated in the past. Now the people at his current job love him. They respect him and look to him for answers knowing he is an honest man full of integrity. They don't doubt him or judge him harshly. All of this is a huge confirmation to us that we did the right thing in the decisions we made in the past.

God has provided financially for us as well. Ron has already been given one promotion after he had only worked on the job for a year. Not only that, but we've been showered with amazing gifts we couldn't have afforded - mainly from Ron's co-workers. God gave us a beautiful house, (for a great price), and garden that we've been able restore. I never would have imagined in a million years that we would own a gorgeous historical home like this! If you know me you know I love all things antique, so it's my dream house in every way.

We've also been blessed with new friends. Friends who love us no matter what, who we can trust. They are supportive and loving and have brought much healing into our lives. They're true friends and I'm so grateful for them!

It's been a few years since our lives imploded, and it isn't until recently that I feel the liberty to speak freely about it all. I think part of it is that I was working through everything, sorting through my feelings and pain, my issues. Only now I can see how God has blessed us for the difficult decisions we made when everyone opposed us, and it is extremely healing. All along He spoke to us, guiding us and showing us that we were following Him. I have to say it's all been worth it when I see how much better our lives are now. When I see my husband loving his job and being treated with respect I feel such happiness.

I know all of these blessings in our lives are because of God's grace. I don't say these things to gloat, or to boast, but to show that God is faithful and true to His word. He doesn't leave us hanging, but He restores our lives in amazing ways. Instead of our lives being cursed we've been blessed. Beauty has come from ashes.

New Deluxe Bunny House

2010-05-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

We were given this awesome bunny house last weekend from one of Ron's co-workers. It seems he's given something great for the garden just about every week, what a place to work! The house has "Rabbit Resort" painted on one side of it and our bunny sure seems to be in rabbit heaven. He has loads of space to run around and he hops up on the little boxes in the back. He hasn't slept in his box even once during the day. We're wondering if he was depressed in his small cage since he didn't have a lot of room to run, jump, etc.

The "Rabbit Resort"

He sleeps on the grass we gave him now instead of his bed box. This is one happy bunny!

Raised Beds

2010-05-18T09:37:00.001-07:00

This past weekend Ron built four more amazing raised beds bringing the total to eight! We're just about to run out of room in the back! A green house is in the works as well, so stay tuned for pics. Ron was joking about doing an American Gothic picture with the two of us...I think it needs to happen.

View of the raised beds from the back porch.

The raised bed on the right has sweet peas in it, (thus the little ladders which hold the string for them to climb.) Dill, broccoli, zucchini and lettuce are on the left.

The three raised beds against the fence are full of tomatoes! The branches will be used for them to climb. Compost boxes are in the far right corner against the fence.

Brick Walk Way Made From Recycled Bricks

2010-05-14T12:43:00.001-07:00

The finished product!

View from the side walk.

I love the way recycled bricks look.

Dad's big helper.

A few weeks back Ron installed an amazing brick walk way in the front yard. The hospital had removed a fire place after the earthquake and were throwing away a ton of high quality bricks. Ron asked if he could have them and they said yes! Now we have a lovely brick walk way made from recycled bricks from the side walk to our front steps.

Herb Garden Mosaic

2010-05-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to make some mosaics for the garden for a long time now. It's spring finally and Ron is slowly turning the garden into a paradise, so it was time for me to get going with the mosaics. My supplies are a bit low, but I was able to find enough to whip up this mosaic for our newly planted herb garden. It's the first time I've done letters with broken shards, not an easy task, but it worked. I want to do a few stepping stones and the mail box next!

Our new wine barrel herb garden. We've planted basil, sage, oregano, cilantro, chives, tarragon and chives. A rosemary bush is right next to the wine barrel on the right. Cooking with fresh herbs is so amazingly yummy!

My Mother's Day Present

2010-05-09T17:26:00.000-07:00

Ron finished the amazing pond and waterfall in the front yard today as part of my Mother's Day present - lucky me! Most of the supplies for the pond, pond border, waterfall, deck and gate were free! He was given the pond liner, pump, etc. from a friend from work. He found the boulders on the side of the road where free green waste is dumped. The reclaimed redwood was from a foundation remodel a few blocks away. Ron made a cute little deck for sitting and feeding the fish and a safety gate out of the reclaimed redwood as well as a border around the pond. He plans to make a bench on the back of the deck for sitting. This all could have cost upwards to $600 or more new, but we were blessed with it for free!! We plan to get coy and gold fish for the pond, put water plants and lilies in it and will need to install an electric fence on the interior of the pond so the raccoons won't eat them.

Thank you to my wonderful husband for this amazing Mother's Day present! I love the fact that it will be here to enjoy for years to come!

View from the top of the porch. We'll plant flowers on the sides of the waterfall rocks. You can't see the waterfall, but the water runs behind the rocks and makes a lovely sound.

Another shot from the porch.

The pond deck where the kids will be able to feed the fish when we get them. Ron is going to make a bench for the back of the deck also so we can sit and enjoy the view.

Hydrangeas in bloom

The new brick walk way and fence/gate.

View of the left side of the front from the pond.

Corners of My House

2010-05-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

I haven't done this for a while, so this morning I got out my camera and starting snapping shots of some of my favorite corners/views of the house. I love how beautiful the early morning light is. Some of the pics turned out a bit dark, but I like how the subtle light shows up in them. I would love to see some of your favorite corners!

Bulb farm lilies on the dining table.

Another view of the dining table.

Upstairs hallway and railing.

Kitchen window sil. Tracy, this is the Christmas cactus you gave us!

The art corner, my favorite view in the play room.

Happy clown cushion and block

Justin's dresser friends.

Justin's plant

Sarah's Russian stacking dolls.

Linen Skirt

2010-04-29T14:15:00.000-07:00

I hosted a shower for a friend of mine who just had a baby girl. It is her first girl, so I decided to make her a little skirt. This is the first time I've sewn with linen and I'm pretty happy with the result. I did French seams so the skirt ended up being a bit less full than I had expected. It's a 19" waist which should fit 6-12 months. I think it will look really cute with leggings since it's a bit on the shorter side. I had a happy accident when making it. My seams didn't line up exactly in the back so I added these cute buttons to camaflogue it. I think they look cute!

Back with buttons

Front

Everything in its Place

2010-04-28T18:08:00.000-07:00

Watch out world - I finally got my fabrics organized and visible! Ron brought home this awesome shelf from work, so it was free! I've had it for about a month now and was seriously lacking motivation to get everything put away, but today I had success. The smaller fabric bits are even arranged according to color. I'm hoping that having most of my fabric out will inspire me to get more made. I'm working on something today, so there is hope!

River Fun

2010-04-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we took a trip down to the river for a relaxing family outing. I'm glad we did because it has rained all week. It seems summer is taking her sweet time arriving! The kids had a great time digging in the river rocks and creating "islands" for themselves. Dad helped with the digging and mom kicked back on a blanket. A great time was had by all!!

Dad and son having a good time together.

Sarah balancing on the rocks.

Do I really have to stop for a picture?

I found this awesome tiffin box at Target the other week. I saw these in Thailand and almost bought one, then regretted that I didn't. You can get metal ones in China town, etc. When I saw this one in pretty bright colors I couldn't resist it!

Landscaping

2010-04-16T13:07:00.001-07:00

Ron has been working on the landscaping since we moved in and now that it's spring he's been going all out and the yard is looking fantastic! He got some free wood chips for the front yard this past weekend to finish off the left side of the front yard. I really should have taken before pics of the yard. Basically just picture the tree....and nothing else and you will have an idea of what it looked like! He's planted about 15 trees including apple, flowering plum, beech, bamboo, alder, maple and more I can't remember. His next big undertaking will be to put in a brick walk way from the front gate to the stairs and a large pond with a waterfall in the front yard - I can't wait!!

Amazingly enough Ron's been hauling around some of his plants for 15 years in pots, just waiting for the day when we would own a home and he could plant them in the ground. We were hardly able to do any gardening at our last rental, (they didn't like plants and flowers I guess), but now he can garden to his heart's content and use his horticulture and gardening skills to create beauty all around us. We've had some iris bulbs for 12 years that have never bloomed until we came here. My theory is they know they're home finally.

The picture below reminds me of a woodland retreat. I'm tempted to do a painting of it, hmmm..

Bamboo plants are along the fence line planted in pots so they don't take over the yard. We also planted an apple tree, butterfly bush, lamb's ear, snap dragons, ferns and lilies on this side.

We plan to do a brick walk way where the bare dirt is now.

Snap dragons and bamboo in the back ground.

I love these wooden pieces that line the path to the bath tub pond. Ron built the fence to the right.

Head cat hanging out on the porch.

Raised Bed Harvest Begins!

2010-04-13T15:19:00.000-07:00

Last night we harvested our very first lettuce from the raised beds and had it for dinner! Ron has built a total of 4 raised beds thus far already. So far the potatoes, onions, lettuce, onions, carrots and kale are planted in the beds. We have tomatoes and broccoli ready to go and will plant them as soon as Ron finishes up the 5th raised bed. We have plans for about 4 more raised beds for squash and other veggies. All the hard work is starting to pay off!!

Potato leaves (4 potato varieties), and onions and carrots in the background.

This boy loves lettuce!

Lettuce raised bed close up

Peas are planted with the string all tied up and ready to go.

Peas in the foreground with cale starting on the left side.

The Farmer's Market is Back!

2010-04-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

Spring isn't really officially here until the Farmer's Market arrives. Today was the first one this year and we had a great time there! It's such fun to go to the market - it's a cultural experience in our area. We get a chance to see friends while we shop and check out all of the beautiful veggies, plants, flowers, trees and other goods. Ron usually likes to look at all of the trees for sale, while I gravitate toward the flowers. The kids like to run around on the grass and climb trees. A fun time was had by all!

I thought I'd try out the skirt/pants look today. I picked up the skirt for a few dollars at the thrift store a few weeks back.

Ron checking out a beech tree he ended up buying.

The market always has these awesome cacti.

Justin smelling some bees wax.

Embroidery Projects

2010-04-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

I've gotten back into one of my favorite hobbies lately: embroidery. I did a lot of it when I was in high school and college, but when I had a family I simply haven't had time for it. Lately it's been my creative outlet since I haven't had much time for sewing. The great thing about embroidery is that you can take it with you anywhere! It's a relaxing and fun textile art. I'm actually getting close to completing the gnome embroidery. I plan to mat and frame both of these and do another one so I can have a grouping to decorate with. I'll post pics of the finished projects.

Mushroom gnome still in progress. I plan to mat it with the cute woodsy floral printed fabric behind it. I got this design free on line.

Sun bonnet girl - I started this years ago and had originally planned for it to be all satin stitched. I'm getting more realistic though and may not fill in the entire design!

Vintage Wooden Window Key Holder

2010-04-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

I've been in need of a key holder for a long time now. I tend to misplace my keys a lot, oy! But I just couldn't seem to find an attractive one, one that fits my style, etc. The other day I was out in the back yard and saw this old wooden window in Ron's window pile which he plans to use for his green house. I had a spontaneous creative inspiration to turn it into a key holder! So I went out and bought some ribbon, hooks, and dried flowers and wa la - key holder! I taped the flowers behind the frame to hold them in place, and laced the ribbon through the holes in the hinges and knotted it. I may end up looping the ribbon through the hinges instead, just to make sure it doesn't come loose. I measured out even spaces for the hooks and screwed them into the wood. Ron got a special hanging device for it since the window is heavy. It's hanging in the hallway so it's hard to get a front shot of it, but I think you'll get the idea. You could also put pictures behind the window, dried leaves, or anything you like!

I got the dried lavender, roses, and ribbon at Michael's craft. The hooks came from Rite Aid and the window is from the back fourty! ;)

Great Grandma Emma's China

2010-04-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

My mom's cousin happened to be driving up to Oregon this past weekend and had some family china with her for my mom. The china was from 1932 and my great grandma had saved up money for it from raising turkeys from eggs and selling them. The China is from Japan and is a hand painted set of 12 with a very delicate design. My mom was thrilled to get it because she remembers her Grandma well and had a close bond with her. Family heirlooms are such amazing and wonderful things!

Ready for Dance Class

2010-04-06T15:05:00.000-07:00

I'm not usually able to get a good picture of Sarah dressed up for dance class, but my dad was able to get a really cute one when he was here this past weekend. Here is our little ballerina!

New Shoes!

2010-04-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

I rarely buy expensive shoes because I just cannot justify it honestly. In fact, the last shoes I bought were a pair of lime green Simples, (hardly worn), for $2 at a thrift store. Yeah, you could say I'm thrifty.

Yesterday the kids and I were out in Old Town for our Los Bagels/pigeon outing when I saw a 60% off sign in a local shoe store. Anything over 50% off must be investigated! After searching through discounted shoes I found these beauties. They are Earth shoes, which I've always wanted, but could never justify paying $140 for! But at 60% off who could resist?

Happy feet

A Sunny Day in the Garden

2010-04-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

The sun is out today so I took the opportunity to take some pictures out in the garden again. I just can't get enough of the sunshine! The house is a mess, dishes and laundry are piled high, but the sun is calling...

I had fun in Photoshop. Justin said, "Mom, take my picture." I love this pose, what a looker!
Head enjoying some peace and quiet.

I keep taking pics of these beauties because they will be gone soon!

This boy could swing all day!

On the "high" swing

Head getting a drink from an empty planter.

A Magical Sort of a Day

2010-04-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

Justin's birthday party was on Saturday and it was such an amazing time! Grandpa and Grandma came up from Sacramento for the big day. It had been pouring rain that morning as it usually does on his birthday, so we were bracing ourselves for an indoor party. But about an hour before the party the skies cleared and it was sunny and gorgeous out much to our surprise! Everyone had such a great time and after cake and presents we went out in the sunny back yard and opened a pinata. The kids had a blast playing on the climber, swinging, looking at our bunny, and running around the yard. Ron gave a raised bed garden tour, (as only he can do), which added to the fun of the day.

I rarely encounter days as perfect as this day was. There is something so amazing about gathering with good friends at your home to celebrate your child's birthday. Everyone was smiling and happy, laughing and enjoying themselves. I felt so grateful for family, good friends, and life in general. The clouds parted for the party, then the rain started up again when it was over. I couldn't help feeling like God had smiled on the day just for us.

Some of Justin's favorite buddies getting ready to dive into the cake.

One happy four year old boy!

The delicious Co-Op carrot cake which had honey in the icing, yuummmy!

Justin checking out his new Radio Flyer scooter.

Pinata aftermath.

Ron gave a raised bed garden tour in the back yard for our friends.

Vintage Linens and Fabrics

2010-03-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

I'm constantly searching for vintage fabrics and linens for my sewing projects. So far my luck hasn't been great and I can't seem to find any at the thrift stores. But yesterday my luck turned and I hit the mother lode! I found two floral vintage sheets, a floral vintage pillow case, some awesome tapestry vintage 60's fabric, and a quilt made from vintage fabrics - score! The cost for all of these? $10. Now, what to make out of them, hmm...

Floral vintage sheets and pillow case. I'm thinking these might make cute little girl skirts.

The retro 60's tapestry fabric. This fabric would be cute made into a bag or purse.

I LOVE the colors in this quilt, and it's in perfect condition. Lately the kids have been making "beds" outside on the grass on sunny days. This quilt is the perfect size for them. It will make a great 4th of July quilt too.

Things I'm Loving Now...

2010-03-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

Justin watering the sunflowers he planted with his new and very well loved watering can.

Our baby veggies are peeking through the dirt finally! This box is holding brocolli, spinach, kale, cabbage, cilantro, basil, and sunflowers. I can't wait until these are ready to eat!

Garden Art

2010-03-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

If you know me then you know if there is something to decorate I will find it! Now that we're getting the garden ready for spring it's time to decorate. I have plans to do some more mosaics to put in the garden, but for now I found some pretty things to adorn it with. Ron hasn't seen my latest additions, so we'll see what stays. ;) I love finding unexpected art in a garden tucked away in random places. What kind of garden art do you have?

Mosaic I found at a thrift store hanging out in the rock garden.

The bamboo fence needed some art too.

One of my earlier mosaics with an aquatic theme in the rock garden.

Front porch - I did a mosaic on the pot and Ron did the stepping stone.

Pretty abalone shell catching the sun in our front yard.

Back porch - I loved these branch clippings Ron brought home from some sort of willowy tree. I used them to decorate with indoors too.

Our flowering plum in the front yard is adorned with wind chimes.

Helloooo Warm Weather!

2010-03-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

We're finally having some beautiful sunny days after months of cold and rain! I'm so ready for spring and sunshine. We've been practically living out in the back yard and loving every minute of it. This past week Justin and I painted our new to us climber/swing set. It looks so much better now!

I just love the fact that even though we live in the heart of the city we can still have a rural yard and garden. The veggie garden is coming along nicely, and the veggies should be ready for picking in about a month or so. We contemplated getting chickens this year, but we're still focusing on getting our yard up to speed so we'll get them next spring most likely. Now that the work on the house is finished we are tackling the yard. It seems like there's so much to do, but slowly we're making headway one project at a time.

Still on the to do list are: A greenhouse which Ron will build out of windows he's collected, 2-3 more raised beds, a low fence separating the middle yard from the back yard, tearing out the concrete walk way in the front and putting bricks in, installing a large pond in the front yard, (complete with a waterfall!), and more. Ron will be doing most of these projects, whew! I'm so glad I married someone who loves to garden and landscape! Here are some pics of the back yard:

Charcoal and Justin having a snack. (Notice the cracker in Justin's other hand.)

I just love these blossoms!

My favorite tree in the yard.

Cool cactus garden a friend gave Sarah.

My big accomplishment for the week!

We're Alive - A Quick Re-Cap

2010-03-02T12:10:00.000-08:00

Dear Blogging World,

My deepest apologies for disappearing for almost a month. There's been way too much going on to keep up with you. Firstly, our construction is officially done - wohooo!! Our house looks fantastic, and I never want to have to do this again. It is well worth it, but quite the process, and has been a part time job for me this past year. Now I almost don't know quite what to do with myself! ;)

Sarah's 6th grade science project took up most of the past week or so. It turned out great and she aced it and may be going to county. Her topic was soil saturation. She has also added another ballet class and she now has 6 dance classes per week. It's hard to keep up with this girl! Ron has been gardening to his heart's content these past few weeks. He put up a fence, made a pond, made another raised bed, and planted seeds. I am a blessed woman! Justin's latest joy is digging holes in the yard with the mini shovel Ron bought him. Our yard is now the holiest yard in the county!

I recently joined a women's international justice group and LOVE it!! We meet monthly to discuss global justice issues. Last week we saw a film on Guatemala's history, and it also discussed a town in Guatemala which grows fair trade coffee as its industry. I get to host next month and can't wait to introduce my topic - more to come on that. I haven't gotten a lick of sewing done lately, (true confessions!), but now that things are mellowed out a bit I plan to get some major headway.

So, that's the month in a nut shell. I hope to be more regular with the posts now!

Here's a few pics of life the past month:

Front shot of our finished home sweet home.

Sarah out at the beach getting a sand sample.

Raised Bed #2 - broccoli and potatoes will grow in this one. Ron gets all of his soil for free now! He found a guy who gets rid of his regularly, wohoo!

Another one of Ron's free scores. A bath tub which he has made into a little pond with a sitting bench. The wood is redwood and he got it for free also from a foundation tear down.

The fence Ron made separating the front yard from the back yard. Now Justin can play safely in the back yard. The kitties have a door they can use to get through the yards too!

Beauty in Bottles

2010-02-09T14:30:00.000-08:00

The cherry blossoms on our tree are starting to blow away, so I decided it was time to bring some of them into the house to enjoy before they disappear altogether. We have a large cherry tree in the front corner of the house and a flowering plum as well. It's one of my favorite times of year due to these beautiful blooms!

Introducing Sergette!

2010-02-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

I've wanted a serger for the longest time, and now, finally here she is! I got a great deal on a Brother serger with lay in threading. Now I can finish my seams and sell my goods on Etsy and locally as well. I haven't taken her for a test drive yet, but will soon! Welcome to the family Sergette!

Tray Find

2010-02-07T15:44:00.001-08:00

The other day I went fabric shopping at the local thrift store and I happened to find an adorable vintage tray for 99 cents! The thrift store I went to used to have a large vintage section, but now they take the vintage items and sell them on line and locally to antique stores. But, once in a while they miss some vintage items, and that's when I score! I'm pretty sure this tray is from the 50's or 60's based on the colors and design. I love trays, and am happy to add this one, for 99 cents, to my collection!

It matches my red shakers too!

Planting Time

2010-02-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

The time has finally arrived to start planting!! I woke up this morning to sounds of joy coming from the kids and little feet pitter-pattering quickly across the floor. Even Justin is excited about planting, this being the first year he can really get involved. I've had a headache all weekend, so I wasn't able to take part, but it was fun seeing the finished product. Now all of the plastic planting containers won't be blowing around the yard anymore!! Every bin is filled with sunflower seeds. Ron loves them, can't get enough of them, and prizes himself on being able to grow some very tall sunflowers! So stay tuned for spring time when these burst into glorious bloom!

The master gardener - I love how he used card board dividers, very cool.

Someday soon these will be towering sunflowers!

Simple Woman's Day Book

2010-02-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

Outside my window...slow drizzle

I am thinking...I love it when the house is this quiet

I am thankful for...my beautifully restored house - from the transformed outside to the tiny details inside

I am wearing...jeans, t-shirt, warm cozy sweater, bare feet

I am remembering...the beautiful way my daughter danced in her ballet class last night

I am going...to have a restful weekend with no meetings, dinners, birthday parties, etc.

I am currently reading...Hmmm, need to work on that!

I am hoping...to see three good friends I've known for 4 years online but never met in person

On my mind...how to raise my kids to be independent, intelligent, loving, and creative

Noticing that...I'm not trying to change how people see me so much anymore

Pondering these words...Children are a blessing from the Lord

From the kitchen...lots of fresh veggies and amazing stir fry

Around the house..warm blankets, steaming tea cups, the kids' crayon art work

One of my favorite things~ brain storming design ideas for my etsy line

From my photo diary:

Going Green

2010-01-26T10:16:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to get healthier I've added green smoothies to my breakfast menu. This morning was the first time I made one and I was surprised at how good it was! When I think of green drinks visions of grossness are seen in my head - not anymore! Believe it or not Justin was loving the green goodness as well. His truck even helped deliver the kale to the blender!

Here's the recipe which is quick and easy (thanks Valerie!):

Basic Green Smoothie

Blend well in order listed

2 cups water or orange juice
2 cups washed, chopped or torn greens (spinach is good to start with due to its mild flavor. If using kale, or collards be sure to remove stems first.)
2 bananas
1 mango, orange, or peach, peeled and chopped

Here are some pics of our green morning:

Yes, cooking green can be fun when you have a toy dump truck helping!
I love the yummy shade of green!

Here's the proof he actually drank it!

Play Room Decor

2010-01-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

The play room has under gone a bit of a face lift in the past few days. I finally made some cute curtains for the small window, and we have an upgraded kids Ikea table and chairs from Grandpa and Grandma for Christmas! Our old ones were starting to fall apart and the seat cushions were ripping so it was time for some new ones! I think this is now my absolute favorite corner of the house. I love all of the bright colors and patterns! It's so nice to have a room like this since the whole family hangs out here a lot of the time.

Ikea table and "kritter" chairs - kids' art station. The doll is mine by the way!

Curtain made from Wonderland fabric. I love that fabric! Coordinating what not basket by Sara of Saraisabee and red and black puzzle ball from Grandma.
My now favorite corner. I love the punches of red and orange here and there.

My sewing area, recently excavated once again.

I organized Justin's toys, mainly so I could play with them, lol! I had to get a shot of the Count riding a tuk tuk and Ron's vintage Mini Bus and car with the cute little people.

Skirt Donation for Craft for Hope Haiti

2010-01-18T20:35:00.001-08:00

I made this patch work skirt for the Craft for Hope Haiti Etsy site. You can find the details for it here on my craft blog: http://aprildianedesigns.blogspot.com/ It should be on the Etsy site within a day or so. I never imagined that the first piece of my line would go to charity, but I'm excited it is! I'm now wondering if it will sell!

Crafting for Haiti

2010-01-17T20:45:00.000-08:00

Since the news of the earthquake in Haiti I've been searching the net for a way to donate crafts to help the victims of the quake there. For those of you who don't know, locally we had a 6.5 quake last weekend. It shook us up, but fortunately there were few injuries although many buildings had structural damage. Our house fared well, thank God. Anyway, in my searching I found this amazing craft site called Craft Hope: http://www.crafthope.com/ The site is dedicated to making and donating hand made items for charity. They feature one item per month you can craft and send to various charities.

Since the quake in Haiti they have opened up an Etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/crafthope You can list items there through them and all of the proceeds go directly to Doctors Without Borders. They also have a children's area for crafts made by children. You don't have to have an Etsy site going to donate an item, just e-mail them at the address provided with pics and a description of your item and you're good to go. What an amazing way to use our talents to help the people of Haiti! Let's get crafting for charity!

Christmas Cheer

2010-01-01T15:45:00.000-08:00

New Year's Letter

2010-01-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

Greetings Friends and Family! Happy New Year!

It's New Year's Eve, and in my usual fashion I am mentally flipping through the events of the past year. I have noticed a pattern of seasons in my life and this year seems to have been a season of re-birth. The year prior was a year of loss: Loss of friends, job, community, you name it, we lost it. This year has been a year of re-building with some change mixed in as well. Change is good, although it can be painful it has brought renewal and hope, and we were so ready for that! He is a re-cap of our past year:

In March we bought our first home after being in escrow for a grueling four months. We had lived in Arcata for about 8 years, so moving back to Eureka was a big change. Just imagine "This Old House" on steroids and you will have an idea of what we were in for! Amazingly, we were able to do the interior repairs quickly, (with help from some great friends and an awesome contractor!), and in the past month we have almost finished the exterior make over. We have spent much of the year working on our house, but it was totally worth it. We love it and feel it was a gift given to us by God. We like having people over and enjoy having a home base finally. Ron loves working on the garden and I turn into the home decorator a.k.a. Martha Stewart, (especially during the holidays!) If you haven't been over yet please let us know. We'd love to have you over for tea, coffee, or whatever suits your fancy!

This summer I went on an adventure to Thailand with a team to help a coffee shop start up. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding trips I have ever taken. Sometimes we need to be taken away from all family, every comfort, and almost everything we rely on to see who we really are. It gave me a greater dependence on God, on others, and in the strengths I have. I fell in love with the Thai people and learned so much from their gentle humble culture. Materialistic things have become less important in my life and people have become more important. I have been to poor countries before, but for some reason this trip impacted me more and I would say this trip was a highlight of my year for sure. I have a renewed interest in travel and hope to take the family with me the next time I take off for almost three weeks!

The last big change of the year was of a spiritual nature. Although some may find this topic uncomfortable it's part of my life and I like to share honestly about myself. I was born and raised in the church and have never known anything different since the time I was little. The past few years I have started feeling fenced in though, and I knew it was time for a big change. So, I left organized religion and haven't looked back once. I feel a whole new freedom and closeness to God I've never felt before. My wings are growing and I don't know exactly where the wind is taking me, but I'm going wherever it leads.

Ron has continued to work at the hospital in materials management and loves it. He's gaining valuable experience and has been part of several special rapid improvement events. He won employee of the month award as well as other awards. He is valued as an employee and excells at what he does - what more could you ask for? Here at the house he has continued working on the garden and is preparing the soil for the spring when he plans to plant a veggie garden. I can't wait to see the magic he will work!

Sarah is doing great in school and made the honor roll this semester! She is a smart talented girl who loves science and reading. Recently she was chosen along with one other boy to go to the geography bee! She is in her fourth year of ballet and is taking a pre-pointe class and a modern dance class. She just finished her fourth winter ballet, "T'was the Night Before Christmas." This girl keeps us on our toes for sure!

Justin will be four in March! He loves playing outside, taking anything apart, using dad's tools and playing with his cars. He likes going to our mom's group once a week and playing with his little friends. His personality is coming out more and more and it appears he has gotten Ron's sense of humor - watch our world!! It looks like he'll start pre-school in the fall which will be a big change for sure!

I've continued doing my sewing and alterations from home. When Justin goes to pre-school in the fall I will probably do more of this and hope to do art once again.

So, that's the Alexander 2009 re-cap! Thanks to all of our friends and family for your amazing support this year! We feel so blessed to know you and have you in our lives. I pray 2010 will be an amazing year for all of you full of God's blessings!

Much Love,

April and Fam

The Birth of a Craft Blog!

2010-01-01T14:19:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Blogging Friends!

I have some very exciting news! I am launching my very first ever craft blog finally! It's been a long time coming, but it's here at long last. After designing my kids' clothing line in the past few years I've been brainstorming my next artistic venture. I enjoyed designing and making clothes for the little ones and it was a great stepping stone for my next step. This new year I am revising and reinventing my line.

For a long time I have thought about using recycled fabrics in my designs and now I'm finally going to go for it! My Grandma used to take me thrift store shopping when I was a kid and I loved treasure hunting with her. As a result I can now spend hours looking through clothes at thrift stores! Grandma was way ahead of her time and showed me the importance and joy of recycling. She also taught me to sew and I have enjoyed it since I was twelve. I majored in art in college and love designing artistic creations. For my new line I am going to take old threads I find in thrift stores, garage sales, or wherever I can get my hands on them and up cycle them into practical artistically made goods.

I plan to create practical items we Humboldt folks can use on a daily basis such as: Farmer's Market bags, totes, lunch bags, clothing and the like. My next step will be to create an etsy store and market my goods locally. So stay tuned for the new line of April Diane Designs!

http://aprildianedesigns.blogspot.com/

Christmas decor

2009-12-10T19:32:00.000-08:00

I love decorating for Christmas, and now that we have our very own house I'm going all out this year!! Every time I walk in the door I feel a sense of welcome and warmth with all of the decorations and the tree greeting me. Here are some pics of the decor thus far:

Our 9 foot Christmas tree which is the tallest we've ever had. I love how it looks in the living room with the high ceilings.

The star.

Wreath with fresh trimmings in the living room window.

The nativity. I love how the kids always make the animals all face baby Jesus.

Dining room decor: Fresh holly branches from our tree.

Close up of the holly.

Entertainment center decorated with nutcrackers and holly.

I taped the snow flakes I crocheted some years back to decorate the door's windows.

Mosaic I made and two vintage angel ornaments.

The vintage Christmas cards I hang each year.

The stockings are hanging in the hallway down stairs. Usually they hang on a wall, but this year I decided to break with tradition. I think I'll add some garland along the wainscoating as well.

Hand Made Love Birds Present

2009-11-25T09:58:00.000-08:00

A few days ago a package arrived in the mail from Texas. I've always loved getting packages in the mail, especially from friends. Inside were these beautiful love birds hand made by my friend Tracy - thank you Tracy! They were a belated birthday present, no need to apologize Tracy, they were well worth the wait! The whole family is in love with them and each of us has a different idea of where they should sit in the house. For now they're resting in front of my tea pots and pitchers on my corner cabinet. Every time I look at them I'll be reminded of Tracy and her little family down in Texas on the farm. Thanks again Tracy!!

More House Shots

2009-11-21T12:20:00.000-08:00

My big accomplishment for the week was staining our front porch! I used Penofin "Sequoia" and it turned out lovely. I still need to do a second coat when it dries out from our last heavy rain. Here are some new pics of the porch and house. We're getting close to completion with only a few things left to do.

Newly stained front porch with gutter. Notice the little black pipe sticking out from the right corner? A chain will attach there for water flow down from the gutter. No more rain dripping on our heads when we walk under the porch now!

The two hours of staining was totally worth the final product!

Front door to be replaced Monday and new porch light is coming soon.

Street shot of the house before the afternoon tree shadow is cast across the front.

View of the left side of the house from behind the trees.

Another side shot.

She's Painted!

2009-11-18T15:02:00.000-08:00

At long last after almost eight months of paper work and red tape our 1875 house is finally re-roofed and painted back to her old glory!! It looks amazing and we all love how it turned out! Still to come: new front door, staining the front porch, new gutters, and a second trim color which is a chocolate brown color. (The base coat is Spanish Sand and the trim is Sierra Redwood.) It turns out that the original paint color was very similar to our base coat color. The entire front of the house was stripped down to the redwood boards! The painters did an excellent job and we are one happy family!! The house is ready for Christmas and we're going to blow it out with lots of outdoor decor. Stay tuned for more pics when the details are completed.

Sarah posing in front of the house.

The bottom two windows are new and the upper middle is new as well.

The porch over hang turned out awesome!! We're getting a new outdoor light soon.

Back porch area.

Side wall

Birthday Gift for a Girl Turning Two

2009-11-11T22:35:00.000-08:00

One of my friend's little girl turned two not long ago and I decided to make her an apron that matched the apron I made her mom. I had just enough left over to throw together this little number. The fabric is Amy Butler that I bought at Scottie Dog Quilts. The pom poms were from JoAnne's. I agonized on whether or not to add a button to the pocket and found this vintage grey one that is the exact same shade of grey as the grey in the "Martini" fabric! I designed the pattern which is just three strips of fabric, a waistband and the apron strings and a small front pocket.

The apron I made her mom for her birthday this year.

Sarah's Chinese Paper Lantern

2009-11-11T21:01:00.000-08:00

We finally got Sarah's paper lamp hung up in her room. I had to go to the hardware store and get the proper cord, etc. but it's done now and it looks great! For those interested, I used a paper lantern and layered tissue paper on the lamp. I used paper glue and applied it lightly so the colors didn't bleed through the layers. You can do even more detailed designs and use an exacto knife to cut out the patterns.

Water lily and dragon fly

Water lily/dragon fly and coy, lily pad and frog

Frog on lily pad and water lily and dragon fly

Turtle swimming away from a lily pad.

Hello, Anybody Out There??

2009-11-10T13:29:00.001-08:00

Just doing a little check to see if anyone is reading my blog lately. Please just say hi or something if you are...doesn't seem like I've gotten many comments since around September so I just want to make sure people are still reading my blog. Thanks! :)

Painting Has Begun!

2009-11-10T12:30:00.000-08:00

The painting contractor started work today and the house is quite a sight! He has already sanded and primed the back of the house. Winter is almost upon us, so they're moving fast. We have 10 feet of plastic around the entire house, caution tape, and lead paint hazard signs. The exterior paint contains lead, so by law they have to put up signs and cover the ground where the paint chips will be landing.

The back of the house, sanded and primed in one day!

Another shot of the back.

Plastic and caution tape on the back porch.

Some areas of the paint are being completely sanded off.

The new roof!

Our lead hazard caution sign. We may not have many visitors until the painting is done!

Front of the house.

Big Wave Day

2009-11-10T12:17:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we heard that 30 foot waves would be hitting the coast. Ron said, "Let's get out to the beach, I won't be denied!" These large waves generally hit only once or twice per year, so when it happens we try our best to go out and catch the action. We went to the beach and the jetty where we saw spectacular enormous waves. On days like this you realize the strength of the ocean, and truly respect its force. Here are a few pics from the day:

Huge waves rolling over the jetty. Normally the water is well below the jetty rocks.

One of the biggest waves we saw.

The dunes leading to the jetty. Lots of people were standing on these to view the waves.

The huge wall of 30 foot waves.

The kids had fun running from the waves.

Beautiful sea foam

Ballet Class

2009-11-06T22:09:00.000-08:00

Tonight I watched Sarah's ballet class and took a few pics. She is doing so well in class and loves to dance! She has come such a long way in just four years, I'm very proud. Here are a few pics of her class:

Catching some air with her leap.

I had some fun in photoshop with this one!

Stretching at the barre. I love the composition of this picture with the girls all relaxed in their stretch on the right and the teacher on the left talking to one of the girls. Sarah is to the right of her teacher doing a split stretch on the barre.

Practicing their choreography for the Christmas show as gingerbread people. Sarah is on the right.

Practicing their dance.

In attitude position, Sarah is the one in the middle on the left.

Roofing Day #2

2009-11-04T12:53:00.000-08:00

Yesteray the roof was almost completely removed along with all of the tar paper and OSB board. I felt like I was in a 5.0 quake for most of the day...nothing has fallen off the walls yet though, phew! Today is much quieter I am happy to report. As Sarah put it, "It sounded like there was a big giant stomping around up there mom!" Here are some pics from late yesterday and today:

The roof to our play room which is below our bedroom and can be seen right outside our bedroom window. These are thick old growth redwood planks, gorgeous!

Another shot from our window. Note the porta potty in the far left corner of the yard. I never thought we'd have one, but lo and behold here it is!

The shingles arrived late morning and were unloaded on the roof with loud thuds. We didn't see hide nor hair of the cats all day yesterday, poor things!

Stay posted for the after shots in the next day or two!

Raising the Roof!

2009-11-03T10:49:00.000-08:00

Today is the day our old roof is coming off! After seven months of planning and preparation the major work on our house is finally under way! The roofers were here at around 7:30 this morning, they don't mess around. Most of the roof should be removed today, and the new one will be installed by Thursday! I'm so glad we're having great weather, thanks God! There's not a cloud in the sky and I'm hoping it will stay this way for a few more weeks so we can get our new paint job done as well!

Justin and I took a walk down the alley and got a few pics of the roofing process.

It's a great day to lose the roof!

Sarah's Thai Backpack

2009-11-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

A very pround girl holding her Thai backpack which arrived on Halloween.

Cute little people and animals!

When I was in Thailand I saw some adorable backpacks and purses. The designs are animae looking and they have cute little faces and animals all over them. I almost got one for Sarah, but changed my mind at the last minute. I was on a quick dash of a shopping trip with our translator Nu, the day before we left to come home. I was picking up an illustration done by a Thai artist of Sarah which turned out so amazing - I'll have to post pics of it sometime. In all the rush and hurry of shopping I didn't pick one up. Anyway, when I got home I told Sarah about the backpacks and she said, "Mom, I wish you had gotten it for me!" So I contacted one of the YWAM leaders we met, (Heather), and asked her to pick one up for me. She hunted for it in the night market and found an adorable one, thank you Heather!! It has all kinds of eco-groovy symbols on it and is perfect for our area - it even has pictures of houses with solar panels on them! Sarah loves it and I'm happy to have gotten her a one of a kind birthday present. It cost only about $10, here it would be much more!

Sunday

2009-11-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

This is what Ron, Justin and Monkey did on Sunday afternoon. Their napping was so cute I had to snap a picture.

And the winner is.......

2009-10-31T21:06:00.000-07:00

Number 11!!!! Congratulations Anna! Maybe it's a sign that baby Davison is a girl! :) Thanks to everyone who entered the contest and posted. It was super fun and I want to do another one again!

Last Chance To Enter The Give Away!

2009-10-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder to all you moms of little girls or those who know a little girl! Sarah is drawing the winning number out of a hat tonight at 9 p.m.! Last chance to enter to win a cute red and green vintage style Christmas apron! Thanks to all who have participated!

Thailand - Part 8 Random Pics

2009-10-27T13:44:00.000-07:00

Temple Bells

An elephant was hanging out at the temple.

Tatey and Dee after a 30+ hour trip, just after we got off the plane in Chiang Mai.

Rowan and Tatey - hugging bears at the frozen yogurt shop.

Jen enjoying the ride in the taxi.

Old city wall

Nu and Tatey became good friends. He wanted to push her stroller everywhere.

Mural at WonGen

Elephants are awesome animals.

There was a place where you could sit by a tiger, pet it, and have your picture taken!

Beautiful orchids at an orchid farm.

Chiang Mai has the most incredible artists! I brought a picture of Sarah and had an illustration done for only about $30.

Some monks at the university during a science fair.

Oils at a local massage shop. I had a massage and wished I had many more while I was there!

The Inter Bar. We hung out there with the locals...not your usual missions trip!

Thailand - Part 7 Elephant Training Camp

2009-10-27T13:06:00.000-07:00

We had weekends off, so one weekend Adam and Deanna and I went to an elephant training camp! For $30 we got to ride elephants, watch them paint and kick soccer balls, had an elephant ride through the jungle and over the river, and got to ride a bamboo raft down the river!

Houses on the side of the river

Our bamboo raft captain.

Hanging out with the elephant. I was too scared to sit on his trunk!

Such gentle animals

The elephants could paint with their trunks! They did paintings of elephants, amazing.

I rode an elephant, (didn't want to pay for the touristy picture though!) We went on a half hour ride through the jungle and across the river.

Thailand - Part 6 Cuisine

2009-10-27T12:54:00.002-07:00

I had heard that Thai food is the best, and I have had my fair share of it here in the states, but nothing could prepare me for how insanely delicious it is!!! Not only is it good, but it is cheap - like $3 a meal cheap!! We ate at the restaurant next to WonGen every day and I got the pad thai almost every day because it's THAT good!! If you go to Thailand for one reason only, the food should be it! Even the food on the Thai airlines was good, seriously.

Eating noodles in the Tai Pei Taiwan airport.

Rowan enjoying some yummy ice cream. Ice cream was great in 100 degree weather!! (I made her skirt by the way :)

Some sort of a chocolate drink

Pad thai baby!

Thai iced tea - yuuuummm!!

Thailand - Part 5 Transportation

2009-10-27T12:34:00.001-07:00

Transportation in Thailand is pretty incredible. People mostly travel via scooter and motorcycle around the university. When I first got there I was hanging on white knuckled, but I got used to the ride pretty fast. Traffic moves quick, and the Thais are good drivers weaving in and out on their scooters. I wish I had gotten a ride on one while we were there...next time!

View of Chiang Mai at night from the back of our taxi.

Tuk tuks were everywhere

Deanna and I had quite the adventure trying to get to a meeting on time. Our driver didn't know where a main street was, talk about frustrating!

We look happy here...smiling only for the camera I can assure you!

Hanging on!

Most people travel by scooter or motorcycle.

Scooters at the university

We rode in trucks that had benches in the back with no seat belts. These two rode on the back most of the time.

Thailand - Part 4 WonGen Cafe

2009-10-27T11:35:00.001-07:00

The main purpose of my trip was to help out a start up coffee shop/cafe called WonGeneration. After we had gone to the university for lunch we worked on the shop. We had a contractor on the team who did some construction and made a coffee bar. There were 2 baristas who did the shopping for the shop and got the espresso machine up and going. We had a few musicians as well who played music in the evenings. My big accomplishment and contribution to the shop was helping grout the rocks on the espresso bar, and I usually cleaned the shop to get it ready for the evening.

View of the mountains from the roof of WonGen.

Our awesome translator Nu, who became a great friend.

Adam and Andrew jamming out some tunes.

An amazing Thai band who played for us one evening.

Menu board, pic taken by Rowan (3 years old!)

Jen the barista tamping some grounds.

Emmi, the owner of the shop (on the right.) Amazing woman, she rocks!

The bar I helped grout. I am still proud of that!

Thailand - Part 3 Chiang Mai Zoo and Baby Panda (Ling Ping)

2009-10-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

Another great highlight of the trip to Thailand was the Chiang Mai Zoo. It happened to be just a short walk from where we were staying, so we got to go a few times. Each time we went we got caught in a down pour so it was a real adventure!! The main reason we went to the zoo was to get to see the new born baby panda, Ling Ping. She is only the third panda born in captivity. Three of us got to see her and even got free tickets from some guy who didn't need his!! I was so happy to get this once in a life time chance to see a baby panda!

Entrance to the Chiang Mai Zoo

Cool bush animal sculptures

I love these elephant fountains. Elephants are the symbol of Thailand, you see them everywhere!

I wish I could have taken one of these home with me!

Here she is, Ling Ping as cute as ever taking a nap in her crib.

We got to view her for about one minute through a window.

Awww, too cute!

Thailand - Part 2 The Temple

2009-10-26T22:56:00.000-07:00

Our first real outing after arriving in Chiang Mai was a trip to the Doi Suthep temple. It was one of my favorite outings of the entire trip. Our Chiang Mai YWAM leader had told us to go and observe what we saw. I've only been to a Buddhist temple once in my life, which was in high school, so it was a very foreign place for me. We saw people burning incense at altars beneath the Buddhas. Whole families came to worship together and many young people came as well. The thing that stood out to me the most was the reverence the people had for this place. I felt that this area was a spiritual gateway to the country. There were so many amazing sights and smells to take in, it's impossible to describe it without actually being there. Here are some of the pictures I took that day:

Temple bells which are rung with prayers.

Some of the many Buddha statues.

These statues are all encased in gold.

The pinnacle of the temple was undergoing construction.

Sitting alone on the temple steps - a picture is worth more than a thousand words.

One of my favorite shots I took. There was a mist rising from the valley that day that created an ethereal atmosphere.

The temple had beautiful architecture and design.

Hill tribe dancers.

Hill tribe family in traditional dress.

Stairs leading up to the temple.

Altar high on a roof.

I'm Baaaack!!

2009-10-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

Hello dear blog world! I took a two month blogging hiatus and am finally back in the land of the living. After going to Thailand, coming back, school starting, Sarah's birthday and a host of other events in my life I have finally returned! I had plans to be organized and go through my 400+ pics from Thailand and pick out the best ones, blog about the trip in segments within the first few weeks of my return, but alas, life closed in. I have since re-evaluated and realized that my expectations of myself were waaay too high, (as usual), and that I will slowly blog about the trip over time.

I had a great time in Thailand and fell in love with the people and the culture. I've heard there is a three week rule when it comes to visiting Thailand. You should stay at least three weeks in order to take it all in, but if you stay longer than that you won't ever leave!! I can see how this is true: the food, landscape, people, shopping, massages, and culture are the best and I can't wait to go back again someday! This is my tiny re-cap, and here are a few pics. I will write in more detail later, I promise!

Hanging out at a buddhist temple in Chiang Mai called Doi Suthep.

The elephant camp we went to. I even rode an elephant!

Beautiful orchids bloomed everywhere!

View of Chiang Mai from the back of a taxi.

The whole team: Adam and Deanna, their kids Rowan and Tatum, me, Andrew and Jen, and Sayuri.

Model Making Day

2009-10-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Ron and I finally cleaned out the play room closet and I was happy to discover some of Justin's birthday presents from last year that had gone missing. Deanna and Rowan, I apologize for losing them!! We had been moved in for only a few weeks when we had his party, and boxes were everywhere, so they got absorbed somehow.

Today Justin had a blast painting the model train and putting stickers on the tee pee. Mom glued the train together and made the tee pee, Justin did all the rest!

Justin loves his tee pee - it has become a garage for his cars.

Carefully painting away...

Can't you see I'm busy mom?!

Yeah, the paint brush is a bit too big for him. :)

The finished product and a very happy boy -thanks Rowan and Dee!!

The Process of Apple Pressing

2009-10-25T18:52:00.001-07:00

I mentioned apple pressing in another post, but wanted to go into the process more in depth because it's SO cool! Ron did another round of pressing today at our friend Russell's house. I took pics of the process step by step so you can see how it's done. So here it is, the apple pressing tutorial!

Apples and pears ready for the pressing. They made apple-pear juice today and it was so delicious!

This is the chipper part of the press. The apples are put into the top of the red box, then ground up via a motor and go into a bucket. I made the fabric bag in the bottom by the way - my contribution.

This is where the pressing happens. The top is turned by hand and the lid crushes the apples down in the bucket. The juice flows out the bottom and the pulp goes into the bag.

The juice flows into another bucket and is sived through cloth.

Russell hand made the press. He and Ron are a great pressing team!

The juice is then heated to pasturizing temp.

Then it's strained to get out all the chunky stuff.

It's funneled into the jars.

There you have it: Delicious home made organic apple juice! We took 4 of these home today!

Give Away!!!

2009-10-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

I've never done a give away, but lately I've been thinking it's time! I'm giving away a hankie apron, made by yours truly, size 2-4 T. It has a cute vintage button on the pocket and would be the perfect accessory for any little girl who wants to help mom out in the kitchen! With Christmas coming up it would get lots of use, or it would be a great gift. I will draw a number randomly from a hat, (I won't peek, promise!), and the winner will be announced on my blog October 31st!! Good luck everyone! (I will ship anywhere in the U.S.)

Boys Love Dirt!

2009-10-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

Our friends Tom and Tracy came out for a visit from Texas this summer. We got to meet their new arrival, Abram Oak, for the first time! He is such a cute little bundle! Their other son, Riley just turned four so he and Justin are close in age. They had a splendid time playing out in our yard. Tracy, Tom and I enjoyed eating lunch and too quickly it was time for them to go. Tracy went outside to get Riley. This is the sight that greeted her:

I hadn't adequately warned her about what Justin does in the dirt...every day. It's a sand box of sorts for him. Just picture a dirt bath...

Riley had to borrow a change of clothes from Justin since they were going to visit more people that day.

Thanks for the great visit Tracy!! The boys sure had fun in the dirt and I'm sure this story will be told for years to come! :) Thanks for the pics too!

My Birthday

2009-10-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

This year my birthday came and went quietly. There were no big parties, no family came to see me, and Ron was gone all day. The kids were both having a rough day and it was "one of those days." At first I kind of felt sorry for myself honestly. I'm not one for a huge blow out birthday party, but usually a friend does something special for me, or we go out to dinner, see a movie, get a cake, etc. None of that happened this year and as I wallowed in my misery I stopped to think. I've learned that in situations like this there's usually a lesson I'm supposed to learn, or a nugget of truth I'm missing out on, and if I sit and let myself have a pity party it will pass me by. I started thinking about the things I did have this day and began to realize this was a special birthday, better than most, and that I was missing out on it! Two friends had given me beautiful hand made cards, (thank you Allison and Mandy!) and Sarah made me a special "mom" card only a daughter could make. Justin had greeted me with, "Happy birtday mom!" in the morning. Allison gave me a gorgeous necklace and ear ring set from the craft it forward I did a while back, thanks Allison!! My mom had sent me a card and some nice presents the day before wrapped up in a beautiful package. That night when Ron came home he gave me this cute fire and light heart dish along with some low calorie ice cream, (he knows I'm trying to cut the calories!) It was a great day, and I think 38 is a birthday I'll remember for years to come! Focusing on the positive things helped me to get my mind off of myself and onto the amazing people in my life and the things I have to be thankful for. Thanks God for the lesson, hopefully I'll learn from it!

My lovely collection of hand made cards my friends and family made and the Fire and Light heart Ron bought me for my birthday.

Fall Decor

2009-10-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love the colors, sights and smells it brings with it and I love decorating the house in the gifts nature brings me this time of year. I found some thistles on the side of the road the day we went to the pumpkin patch. I never thought of them as being attractive, but the lavender color struck me and I had to have them!! I also got some peacock feathers from the pumpkin patch to add to my collection. I love bringing nature inside - it brings life and color into the house. Here are some pics of my fall decor:

Thistles I picked by the side of the road.

Peacock feathers!

Mini squash, pumpkins and fall leaves.

Paper and Silk flowers a top the entertainment center.

Tissue Paper Decorated Chinese Lantern

2009-10-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

I haven't gotten much crafting, art or sewing done lately, but I am almost done with one project finally! I got this idea from a friend and it's turning out so cute. This is a Chinese lantern I'm decorating with layers of colored tissue paper. I cut out stencils then traced the images onto the tissue paper. I found a good paper glue, although it's still tricky to get the tissue paper glued on lightly so the paper color doesn't bleed. Sarah designed the lantern, instructing me what she wanted on it and where to place things. It's one of her birthday presents although it's very belated! When the light shines through the designs it's very pretty. I'll have to post a pic when it's all finished and hanging in her room.

Free Goods & Being Resourceful

2009-10-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

A friend of ours came over the other day to hang out and we gave her a tour of Ron's beautiful garden. Ron was showing her the compost pile, the raised beds he had just made out of free redwood, the arbor he made out of stunning free willow branches, and the awesome free play set one of his co-workers gave us. Noticing a trend here? She then said, "Wow, you guys are really resourceful!" It got me to thinking since that thought had never crossed my mind honestly! Then I began to realize that we actually are way resourceful. Ron is the king of free; he's thrifty, and if it can be found for free he will find it! He's taught me a lot about being frugal and pinching pennies in the almost fourteen years we've been married.

Here are some examples of his frugalness, (that's not a word, but I like it!) The other day he saw some willow branches on the side of the road. He picked them up and brought them home, with a plan to make some sort of structure for the garden. Within a few days he had a design for an arbor which he made in a few hours. He is also making a cute gate which will be below the arbor, and a fence will eventually go on either side. He made a mini raised bed out of the scraps and it turned out so cute! Last week he found some free old growth redwood on Craig's list - perfect for raised beds! He plans to grow a veggie garden in the spring - can't wait! A few months back co-worker was very generous and gave us his kids' old play set! The kids love it and play on it every day. Another co-worker gave us her bunny, Charcoal, who makes great poop for the compost pile. My free find was an adorable 9 patch wool quilt, found on the side of the road in Arcata with a free sign above it. It just needs a new backing, a bit of mending and some tlc and it will make the perfect winter warm quilt!

One of Ron's co-workers, Russel, has a home made apple press. He invited Ron to come over and press apples last weekend. They pressed a total of almost 60 gallons which was a record!! In exchange for the work we get fresh organic apple juice, yummy!!! We hope to eventually have our own apple trees so we can do this ourselves, and have juice, apple sauce and fresh apples for apple pie. Another plan of ours is to buy chickens in the spring so we can have fresh eggs. We want to trade eggs for other goods as well. I used to make my own Keefer but my batch got old and I couldn't find any more live culture to grow it from. I plan to get more though and get that going again! With the economy being tight there are so many ways you can save money, plus have organic healthy food to eat. Please feel free to share any ideas with me as well!

The eclectic arbor Ron made from free willow branches.

Mini raised bed made from free willow branches.

Raised bed made from free recycled old growth redwood. The posts sticking up are for chicken wire to keep the critters out.

Another raised bed made from free recycled redwood.

Charcoal the free bunny.

Free Costco play set.

Free wool quilt.

Russel's home made apple press.

Ron and Russel hard at work pressing apples.

Apples ready for the pressing!

Pumpkin Patch Day

2009-10-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

Today we set off for our family tradition of going to the pumpkin patch. It's a fun time every year, and the kids each pick out a pumpkin or two. The day was perfect and we got some really cute pumpkins! Here are some pics of the day:

Ron pulling our little pumpkin around the pumpkin patch.

Sarah found the perfect pumpkin.

Justin had so much fun! The smile says it all.

The pumpkins in their happy home.

Mini pumpkins and squash for the table decor.

Sarah's Birthday Weekend

2009-10-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

Sarah is 11 now! Her birthday was Oct. 2, and my parents came up from Sacramento to share the weekend with us. They took Sarah out to her favorite restaurant, Arts Alive, and the apple festival! We all had a great time hanging out and being a family together. Sarah had lots of fun with her grandparents of course! Here are some pics of the fun weekend:

Mmmmm, cake!
Arts Alive!

Justin "riding" a tractor at the apple festival.

Family hay ride complete with apple cider!

Sarah's dinner birthday treat.

Purses for Chiang Mai

2009-08-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

After months of planning, my trip to Chiang Mai Thailand is almost here! I leave in only three days and I have tons to do between now and then. One of the things I had to make before I left were these potato chip bag purses. I got the pattern at Scottie Dog Quilts, as well as the Wonderland fabric which I love!! They are the perfect size for passports, cameras, etc. and small and easy to travel with. I made myself one and made one for our fearless team leader, Deanna.

Deanna's purse - fun fabric with a vintage button closure.

Front of purse. I had a time of it getting all of the flowers to go the right direction! The inside of the flap is the same material.

Back pocket

My purse, made from batik fabrics.

This was a fun project! Now off to pack....

Beach and River Family Day

2009-08-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

We decided to head out to the beach today for some family time. We went out to the beach and it was so cold, but the kids had fun. We didn't stay a long time and decided it would be better to head to the river where it would be warmer! Here are some pics from the day:

Dad and son headed out to the waves.

Evidence that we really do live by the beach, a cold beach at that!
Building sand castles.
Sarah ballet leaping over the sea weed.

Justin threw rocks in the river...

Sarah read a book...

Justin laughed each time he threw a rock...

Sarah sat on a big log.

A heart rock Ron found me.

Craft It Forward Batik Baby Quilt

2009-08-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my craft it forward gift! I made a batik four patch/block quilt for Micah Jude Hebert, born July 25th. He and his parents are moving to Niger Africa in a few months, so I thought batiks would be fitting for the quilt. I made the pattern up as I went, and got the fabric from Fabric Temptations and Scottie Dog Quilts. Mama Hebert loved the quilt, and Micah looks cute on it!

The finished size is about 30"X30"

Close up shot of the batiks - I love the colors!

I did a border around the 4 patch and regular squares and added big blocks for the outside border. I did my own binding for the first time, love how it turned out!

Backing fabric

Hand made gift tag

Little Micah on his hand made quilt!

Here is the cute little guy at one week old, sleeping with his sock monkey and lulled to sleep with ocean sounds.

Our Latest Addition

2009-07-25T00:46:00.000-07:00

We have a new family member!! One of Ron's co-workers gave him an adorable floppy eared bunny a few days ago. He has yet to be named, and since Sarah has been given the honor of naming him it may be a while before he has a name! When Ron brought him home the whole family rushed out to see him, it was quite the event. He lives out in his cage in the back yard now and Justin asks to visit him daily. Here are some pics of his arrival day:

Sarah gently holding the bunny, she is so good with animals.

Cat and boy sniffing and inspecting the new arrival.

Park Day

2009-07-25T00:33:00.001-07:00

My mom's group went to a local park this week and the kids had a blast! For those of you who live out of the area, I am blessed to live in one of the most beautiful places in the US, (in my opinion!) Redwood trees abound here, and we can hop in the car and go visit them anytime. The ocean is just a few minutes away as well. One of our local parks has a redwood forest nearby, and some redwood trees right in the middle of the park with slides coming out of them. The kids love this park!! Here are some pics of our outing:

Sarah and Justin hanging out on the base of a redwood tree.

One of Justin's good buds ready to go down the slide.

The beautiful redwood trees!

Friends hanging out under the tree together.

30th B-Day Apron Present

2009-07-25T00:25:00.000-07:00

My friend Bethany had her 30th birthday recently and I made her this apron from the Bend the Rules sewing book. Bethany is a wonderful cook and is in the kitchen lots, so I figured an apron would be the perfect gift for her. The fabric is from Scottie Dog Quilts. I love the "Martini" fabric I used for the skirt part. She looks fab in it!

Doesn't she look great, not a day over 20 in my opinion!

My first ever kangaroo pocket - easy and fun.