Week 1 : 52 weeks

Week 1 : 52 weeks, originally uploaded by NessieNoodle.

So after not making it past day 101 of my 365 I have felt a little sad. I am glad I gave myself permission to step away and take care of myself (I was REALLY sick during Jan/Feb with morning sickness and a cold, I lost so much weight that my regular pants were falling off, um that isn't supposed to happen when you are preggers!). But part of me really wishes I would have stuck it out and continued on the process.

So when Tiffani invited us all to join her for her second year of a selfie (one each week) I decided to jump, go for it and document this year, maybe I can't keep up with the selfie a day, but once a week I think I can handle. (plus I need some motivation to document Deuce-baby belly, ya know?)

I know this year will be full of changes and excitement. In just three short months I will become a mother of two. That alone is a huge shift in routine, in self, in the size of my heart and the amount of time in the day. There are other things swirling that I want to set down as goals for the year (I am a little late to the resolution party, but sometimes you have to wait for these things to come to you) and I hope this project will help me realize a little more, not just who I am, but also who I am becoming.

"I am not what has happened to me. I am what I choose to become." Carl Jung

So here it is, week 1 of 52. Hi!

B2B: Food

me on the left, Angela on the right
I am loving all that green and the thought of fresh, home grown food has me giddy.

This week's word: Food
Next week's word: Flora

in-tents

So I am going to bet that at least of few of you who read this blog are going camping over this fine Memorial Day weekend... and if you aren't then I am sure you have at least one tent sleeping situation planned for the upcoming summer months. No? Well read on anyway...



My camping for the season may be over (I'm not sad, we got to go camping four times since last Memorial Day weekend.  I would say that is pretty good considering we had the boy in tow for each of the get aways and I have been pregnant for the last two road trips .) But, as I get bigger and bigger with this baby belly of mine, I can hardly get comfy in my bed at home, let alone the cot and sleeping bag set up that we have going in the tent. That is totally besides the point of this post (sort of). If we were going camping this summer (it *might* happen, with a big old head nodding no from me) I would totally want to make these shirts. I mean, come on, how cute are they? Making them would mean I would need one of those Yudu gizmos though. (Anyone have an extra couple hund-os laying around they want to spot me? I will make you stuff, promise) Think of the possibilities! I could go nuts with it.



For now I will just have to settle on my freezer paper stencil skillz (see the apron he is wearing? funny, no? I made it...) I think even though my camping season for the year is over I need to make a version of these shirts up, one for each of us int he family. And It think we should all wear them around on the same day, just to be silly like that.
~~~
Oh and if you are going camping this weekend, here's to good weather, minimal bugs and no late night raccoon parties. Have fun and enjoy a s'more for me, would ya?

History

These two, they have history that goes back further than they even know. It goes back 32 years plus a few if you count their grandma's time laughing and living before their mamas were born.



You see, that little girl is my best friend's baby (er, toddler). My best friend and I have known each other since we were born and I remember telling a checker at the local Safeway, "I have a twin sister, only she has a different mommy and daddy then I do, and she has brown eyes not blue and she is lots taller than me." Yep, that little girl's mama and I are know as the giggle twins and we go waaaay back.

And when she found out she was pregnant with that little girl I was so full of joy and when we found out just two weeks later that we were pregnant with that little boy, well to say that I was excited couldn't even sum it up. We were going to not only be mothers together but have our babies so close in age that it was silly.



Over the weekend we were at their house for dinner and beer bottling (the daddies home brew). The kids were being so cute and it was the first time we really watched them interact and play together, talking and babbling in their own little worlds and language. Giving kisses and bouncing balls off each others noggins. Yep, these two have some history, and I have a feeling they will make some of their own as well.

quiet

this weeks B2B, Quiet.



Have a beauty-full weekend friends.

Next week: Food

Knitting Update

Hey! Guess what? I got some knitting done in the last month or so. I have been fun getting my needles and yarn back out again and doing some little projects here and there.
We have had a few new babies born in the first couple weeks of May and it is my duty to make sure they have a hand knit thing or two. For my new niece, a pink Milo.



And for the baby that came from this pretty belly, the Baby Squash Hat- adorable right- that baby girl has the prettyiest kissy lips ever.


Both were easy and fun knits. The sweater will fit baby B. this fall I am sure and keep her toasty warn since it is wool. And the hat for baby H. should be just the right weight for those cooler nights (and days) we are still having around here (what the heck it is almost 80 on Saturday and snowing the next).

Details for both of these projects can be found on my Ravelry, here and here. Next time I do the Milo I will use bigger needles if I use the same bulky yarn or switch up my yarn. I would like to make one in gray for MrO to wear for the summer evenings when we are up in the mountains- I really like that this vest can be worn by either boy or girl. That hat was silly easy and fun to knit. I think I could jump the gauge of needles and yarn and make it a bigger size (or do some math and increase the stitches)- might even be really fun for an adult!

I would really like to make myself something and jump out of my comfort zone of knitting things that are either really small or for the littles in my life. Go big, ya know. The Tea Leaves cardigan is so pretty and I like the February Lady Sweater too. Both have the buttons at the top with an open lower half that will be perfect for my growing belly and for nursing later on this fall when things get chilly but I need easy access to the "girls".

What do you have on your needles these days?

25 week update and a little zen

"Expecting anything just gets in the way of the experience itself. And the experience itself is a stunner." Karen Maezen Miller, Momma Zen
~~~

25 weeks along I should really give an update....
Here's the truth about talking about this pregnancy, I don't have much to say (stunner, me w/o words!). This pregnancy has been so different than the first. Sometimes I even have to remind myself that I am pregnant- this usually happens when I bump my growing belly against something or I get a swift kick from Deuce when I am least expecting it. I am starting to feel 'big', but also know I know I have a long way to go in that department. The spot just above my belly button feels like it is going to be torn open, baby must be laying sideways in there- I am wondering if this is what a rubber band feels when stretched to the maxium. The baby has been moving a ton and last week it was up into my ribs with the kicking or punching. "Already?" I think to myself. This is actually how I have felt for the entire 25 weeks.

We got pregnant so fast this time around (first real try as apposed to almost a year of charting, trying and wishing with O). I was struck with morning sickness just days after I read, "Pregnant" across the little window of the urine test stick. I felt the baby moving much earlier and it seems like I went from normal me in regular clothes to, POP! oh sorry that shirt doesn't fit, that bra is waaay too tight and you can just  forget about buttoning those pair of jeans. I am sure some of this just has to do with the time warp of being a mama to a toddler but is part of it because I have been down this road before?

Just a few notes for myself- feel free to jump down a couple of paragraphs... I was having some pain in my right hip all last month and then realized that I had stopped wearing my orthodics. Putting those back into my shoes seems to really help with my alignment. I did find myself 'stuck on my right side last night in bed though and had to really talk myself into rolling over and breathing thru the pinching pain. Speaking of sleep, I find it crazy that I can still manage to almost sleep on my belly and I often find myself on my back- I do try to not stay there once I realize where I am at but if I am getting sleep, I am getting sleep! I trust my body to know when it is time to roll over or shuffle around.

A few other physical/mental differences this time around, my hair hasn't been driving me crazy like it did with O. I had to cut my hair totally short last time, it was grossing me out and feeling really greasy. But this time I actually don't mind my hair, and as it gets longer and brushes my shoulders and back I smile a little bit at the tickle. I have also noticed that it has continued to "shed" as it normally does- last time I swear I kept every single hair in my head for the entire 9months. My skin has been different too. My back has totally broken out and I feel really dry and a bit like an alligator. I really do need to find some good body butter or something!

I happen to have a shot of myself at 25weeks along with MrO, just for comparison.

Wishing I wouldn't have cut of my back side in this shot so I could see how similar/different I am looking so far.
I like that this little bundle is brewing in there with a lot less worry and invasion from the outside world. Last time there was so much poking and prodding and ultrasounding that I felt like we almost knew so much that we didn't know anything at all. This time around has been so much more quite. I actually had to ask at my last visit, "are you sure there aren't any tests I should be getting, blood work, urine samples, nasty fruit drink to guzzle"? I have a feeling that part of this is because we changed medical practices, but I also think it is the change in me, as a parent.

That quote under the top photo is from a new (to my night stand I should say) book that I am currently devouring.  Last Thursday I was invited to join several women (there were a couple of guys there too) at a "Kitchen Table Tour". Have you ever read Karen Maezen Miller's blog or maybe stumbled across one of her two books- Mama Zen or Hand Wash Cold while wandering thru the book store or library? If you haven't you should check them out. Head out and grab one or both of the books, especially if you are in the market for a parenting book with a little different feel. Mama Zen is a book that you can pick up, open and read a paragraph and then put back down again- or sit and sit and sit, absorbing the words and the moments she describes and nod as you realize many of these were your moments too.
I was lucky enough to be in the room with this calm, sweet soul of an author and just her hug sent a feeling of peace over my hurried self. Thank you Lisa for having Karen in your home and thank you Karen for stopping by our little neck of the woods. Even though I didn't get to hear much of the readings that she did I knew I was in a special place, with some really special people- (if the food that was shared had any indication of the top notch gang that was there, then they were all pretty amazing!)

While Karen read, I was out baby chasing and keeping my boy quite in the back yard. He got a little squirmy after we ate and I took him out to play with the sidewalk chalk so everyone else could enjoy the reading. I would have headed home but I wanted to have Karen sign my book. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to hear experts from the Hand Wash Cold, but realized quickly what a pretty spot Lisa has behind her house. The warm, setting sun on my face and the laughter drifting out from the living room where Karen read was so very sweet. It set me straight and I just swallowed it all down for the moment it was. I found my 'zen' and knew that my evening was supposed to be spent sitting on the blue deck and watching the sun set.

Once back inside I purchased a copy of Mama Zen and Karen was sweet enough to sign it with two words. Two simple, powerful words. That might have to be permanently etched on my skin somewhere as a constant reminder of how to live life. Two simple words that could lead you not just in motherhood thru the world. I have been reading and underlining and writing in the margins every night before bed since last Thursday. And although I usually never read a book more than once, I have a feeling this book may break that rule.

Lucky Seven

photo scanned from our wedding day pictures. I can't seem to find the guys card who did them...
~
Seven years ago, we made it official.
Still happy I kissed that kiss.
Continually surprised and entertained by him.
Amazed at the pair we have become, beyond my dreams.
Really, I had no expectations for a married life-
but if I had he would have blown them all away.

Cal Zones

Last week on Flickr Krista of, This Inspired Life, posted pictures of calzones she had made for her family. (I might add that she always posts amazing recipes and I actually have a section in my cook book of yumminess just from her blog/flickr postings) I knew instantly that part of my weekend would be spent in the kitchen making my own batch. We had some left over cheese, pepperoni and sauce from pizza that I didn't want to go to waste so it was meant to be. I dug out my trusty Vegetarian Planet cook book, found a pizza/calzone dough recipe and put my food processor to work.

While the dough proofed, I grated cheese and zucchinis, chopped garlic and mushrooms and then sauteed them all up. After the veggies were done cooking I threw the pepperoni slices into the hot pan to cook off some of the grease. I knew all that grease could ruin the pockets and who wants all that extra ooze when they eat?

I took small balls of the proofed dough and rolled them out to about 6-8inch rounds, places a bit of sauce and what ever topping,er stuffing mixtures I pleased inside. I need to work/perfect on my fold over method but what these babies lacked in looks they made up in taste.

My initial idea was to make a big batch of these suckers and freeze a bunch for quick lunches and or dinners on the go. We still have a couple in the fridge, but they became second breakfast and lunch for our Saturday. Upon first bite Daddy-O determined these should be put in the regular recipe rotation. I love when that happens!

I would suggest putting down parchment paper on the baking sheet to help make for a quick and easy clean up also a good idea to sprinkle some cornmeal down too. The paper will catch the juices that sneak their way out of the dough and save you some scrubbing in the dish department later.

Here is the dough recipe I used- next time I might try using some whole wheat flour or maybe some flax for that extra healthy good. Once our garden gets going with herbs rosemary or even cilantro could be a fun addition. If you are doing a big batch for freezing or a crowd I would suggest doubling or even tripling this recipe.

Pizza Dough, recipe from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons

2/3 cup lukewarm water
1. pinch sugar
1 1/2 tbs dry yeast (I used one envelope)
1tbls olive oil
2 cups unbleached white flour, plus more as needed
1 tsp salt

proof the yeast as directed on the package, reserving the remaining water
add the flour, salt and oil to the food processor and once the yeast is ready add it and the remaining water to the moving food processor. Run until the mixture forms a ball, adding more water or flour as needed. Process for 15 seconds more.
Place the dough in a deep, oiled bowl and turn it to coate it with the oil. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for an hour or until double in bulk.


On nice thing about this dough is that if you you aren't going to use all the dough you can freeze it for later use or to just have on hand for a when you don't have the time to make the dough but want pizza/calazones.

Use your imagination with the fillings- and let me know how it goes!

can you taste it?

Can you?
It's almost summer time.
I am ready
bring on the ice cream trucks
the splashing of water
the shorts and skirts and tank tops
bring on the flip flop or bare feet
the sunblock and the freckles
bring on the lazy afternoons with a good book
the grilling in the park or back yard
bring on the beer with a squeeze of lime (or fizzy water in my case)
the boccie ball and the horse shoes
bring on the smell of sage and pine trees
the fireworks and parades
all of it, I am ready.
are you?
~~~
I'm ready because I am feeling like I need that sunshine on my face and the time outside with my family and friends. I am ready because it will be the last summer I spend with just three of us in the family, a bitter sweet transition to a family of four. As I feel Deuce-baby kicking away and moving ever higher into my ribs I know that this summer, our 7th summer of marriage holds magic and transition- I was writing in my journal last night wondering if 7 is a magical number for things other than just life (you know how you go thru giant transitions every 7 years of your life) is marriage like that?

We celebrate our wedding anniversary on Monday (actually tomorrow afternoon/night so we can catch a movie and dinner date, maybe some bowling and a hop in the photo booth too). I am in awe of the family we have become. There is a rhythm about us that I enjoy and find wonderfully comfortable.

I guess this post is all over the place, but I have had these things on my mind. Being Friday I am spent from the week and need to get these thoughts into words on a page. As always, thanks for reading.

xo

basin to beach: lake

Week two of Basin to Beach
me on the left, Angela on the right

This week's word: lake
Next week's word: quite

Bubbles!

We had to apply diversionary tactics in keeping MrO out of the tub, he would have stayed in there for the entire 48hrs we were there and been more wrinkled than a prune.
Bubbles and a flying dog seemed to do the trick quite well.

We went camping

We went camping over Mother's Day weekend, headed south on US 395, down past Carson City, Minden, Lake Topaz and Bridgeport. Past the turn off to Bodie and then just after the town of Lee Vinning and the turn off into Yosemite we headed east on 120 and back towards Nevada. After some awesome woop-it-doos along the road (you know those dips that make your tummy feel crazy?) we found ourselves near the base of Boundary Peak where there is a small ranching community and nearby Indian Reservation. There is also an inn and campsites where each room or site has it's own, private hot spring fed tub and lots of room to run around.



Benton, CA is a quirky small town with all sorts of characters (as most small towns are). From the 'inn keeper' who declared he needed a beer to solve his hay fever, to the waitress at the gas station/restaurant/mini mart who hardly gave us the time of day, even when the guys hefted an arm load of stuff onto the counter, wallets open. The entire town's fresh water supply is the warm water from the geothermal springs. The valley is full of green alfalfa and cotton wood tree lined ranches. The mountains jet up to the sky in a dramatic snow topped way that makes you wonder what early settlers must have thought as they stumbled into this wild west geography.



The views from our site were amazing, the water in the tub hot and the wind during the day cool enough to make you forget to slather yourself in sunscreen (um, I came home with a bit more color in my cheeks they when I left). We shared company with our friends D and L, along with their twin boys who are just 3 months younger than O. Cloe even had a buddy, she and Maggie had a great time pretending they were puppies again chasing after birds, tennis balls and guarding camp for us. By Saturday night both doggers where so tired out they put themselves to bed and forgot about their owners who chatted under the stars around the campfire.



Spending time with my boys and good friends was a wonderful way to celebrate mom's day. I even got a chocolate milk shake out of the deal, thanks Daddy-O.

Just Sew, Ya Know?

I was out checking my google reader and from a post on Uncommon Grace I fell into the rabbit hole that is My Sewing Circle. I just spent about an hour adding projects, completed and those I want to make, to my profile. I obviously have more hopes of sitting at my sewing table then I do time, but a mama can dream right?

My Sewing Circle is like Ravelry only for sewers (is that a word?). It is a new (to me at least) site. I would love to see the ability to link directly to my Flickr photos and to related blog posts like you can on Ravelry and I am sure some bells and whistles will be added to it as more people start using it.  I have most of my completed sewing projects in a folder on Flickr, but I love a good organization tool for those 'wish list items'. This is a perfect place to group all those things I want to make in one spot.  Instead of doing what I do now, staring patterns and tutorials in Google Reader and hoping I can find them later.

Check it out if you have a minute or 60.

Open Space

me                                                  angela
click the image to see it bigger
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The lovely Angela, aka LoveGreenDog and I have been working out the details for a photo project over the past few months. It is finally time to share!

Angela and I have been blogging and flickring with one another for a very long time (5 years maybe?); I am not quite sure how I stumbled upon her words and images but I did and I am glad. She is probably one of my first contacts and friends that I have made out here on the internets, a wonderful connection and a modern day 'pen pal' of sorts. She is an amazing mama, wife, and a talented artist.  Her photographic style sings to me, her words have the ability to make me laugh and bring tears to my eyes, all with a knowing nod. Should we happen to meet off screen one day, I am certain we would be able to pick up a conversation and a glass of wine, (cameras in hand) laughing and visiting. It would be a very good time me thinks!
We have both been feeling the need to pull our creativity forward a bit, give aim to our camera clicking. We started throwing around ideas via email and finally settling on the landscape photography. Our goal is to show just how different and/or how similar our worlds and environment are despite the fact that we live on different sides of the country- me in Nevada and Angela in Maine- hence the project "Basin to Beach" was born. (Nevada is part of the Great Basin; Maine is full of Atlantic beach).
Here's how it will work. Each of us have put in 5 words, once a week I will pick a word from the list (randomly) and use it as our guide to where to point the lens. I am beyond excited to see where this leads!

Not only does the photographer in my love this exploration, but so does the geographer in me. I hope you enjoy our journey as much as we will taking you along~

This week's word: OPEN SPACE(S)
Next week's word: LAKE

A new season

Yes, it finally feels like spring around here. Mostly because the lilacs have started to open their tiny petals to the sun and fill the air with their sweet smell, but also because it has been teeter-tottering between 70F and snow for the past month or so. This fresh new season has a hard time getting started in the high desert and often sputters and spits its way thru March, April and often into early May. I am hoping by mid-month we are on a steady climb to consistent warmth, but the Sierra Nevada Mountains can surprise you well into July with snow dusting the hills.




There are other changes happening too around here. Seasons and stages of a little boy are flowing past me faster than the water does from Tahoe to Pyramid via the Truckee River. My baby is starting to put 3 word sentences together with confidence, exert his independence and sing the songs that we have been humming and singing to him since he was born. He is shouting out things like “school bus” or “yellow car” as we drive down the street. Telling us, “rock OUT” and “ic-ic” (music) when we walk in the door for the night (his favorite songs are Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang (or “bang-bang”) and Nine Planets or (“Nine-tirty”). I caught him counting as he stacked blocks the other day, I swear it was to ten. I just sat there in total awe that he knew this sequence. We also found him up on the top bunk of the loft bed we have in the spare room on Saturday. He was quite proud that he had conquered the ladder all by himself, once again “up high” (and scaring the pee out of mom and dad). He has no fear and is his own independent person (sorta like his parents I guess). I like that, but it rattles me beyond words at the same time.

running along side his auntie during her marathon last weekend

On Sunday night we moved O from his crib in the nursery to the neighboring room with a twin bed, his new 'big boy' room. So far he is doing great and although we were on a stretch of full night’s sleep for 6 nights prior to the move (a literal record in these parts, I am thanking the tubes for that), I am back on the night shift again. I totally understand though and am not too worried or upset about the fact that I am up once in the wee hours of darkness to 'nuggle' him back to sleep. The part that I am worried about is, once I get any/much bigger, how the heck am I going to heft myself up from his platform bed to my feet again? I almost got stuck in there last night!

Other big changes in the works, O has been working on his potty skills. He has done quite a few tinkles in the potty, now if I can get him to tell me he has to poop-oo before he goes in his diaper we would be golden. He loves that he is a 'gig boy' for trying and also loves to pull about two feet of T.P. from the roll as he sits on the pot, cracks me up.

It is such an amazing thing to be witness as a person becomes a person, you know? I really do love being a mom, I really, really, really do.

salad(s)

salad, originally uploaded by NessieNoodle.

So, I have been trying to meal plan here and there. Or at least have a general idea of what I want to make for the week before heading to the grocery store and just grabbing random stuff and throwing it into my basket. I decided last week would be "salad" week. Now befor you go and think I was eating only salad greens I want you to think again. I mean look at that picture above, that is not your average salad or 'rabbit food' now is it?

For inspiration and recipe ideas I headed over to Tasty Kitchen (If you haven't been there you should check it out. It sort of reminds me of Ravelry, only for the kitchen nerds instead of for the yarn/fiber nerds). I stumbled on this recipe and it reminded me of a salad I had a a local eatery earlier in April, sp I added it to the list. Plus there was steak involved so I knew Daddy-O would be game.

Let's just say MrO and I have been on a bit of a strawberry kick the past couple of weeks (I think I actually over did it and my tummy was not so happy with me for all those little seeds). Of course when I saw the berries on sale at the store I tossed them into the basket and knew they would be used up in some way or another- they fit in perfectly with this salad, adding just the right sweet to the savory of this salad.

I was a little unsure about making the candied walnuts, but I have to say I was worried about nothing, this was so easy and I could see adding a few other seasoning to them in the future (maybe some spicy goodness?) So don’t let this part of the recipe scare you!

I had this salad prepped and on the table in about 20-30minutes. MrO loved the steak,the 'bob-itties'(strawberries) and the avocado and Daddy-O and I loved the entire yummy mess and felt satisfied and full after one big plate full.

I am sharing my adapted version of this recipe from the original one I found via dagny21 on Tasty Kitchen... (I hope that is the right way to credit someone for a recipe?!) Just to give credit where credit is due, I copied and pasted their instructions with only a few additions of my own- I don’t want anyone thinking I am pirating things from others out there. Thank you dagny21 for sharing your yummy recipe!
~~~


Ingredients:

1 whole Steak, Not Huge
1-1/2 cup Walnuts Halves or pieces, raw
1/2 cups White Sugar
1/2 bags (about 6 Oz. Bag) Salad Mix, or your favorite lettuce (we used romaine because that looked good in the store when I was shopping)
1/4 cups Crumbled Blue Cheese
1/2 English cucumber, sliced into bite size pieces
6-12 fresh strawberries, sliced into bite size pieces
1 avocado, sliced into bite size pieces
Italian salad dressing to taste (I used Newman's Own)

Prep:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lay out the walnuts on a baking sheet and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and put in a bowl. Lay a piece of parchment or waxed paper out on the pan.

Pour 1/2 cup sugar in a pan over medium heat. Allow melting, stirring once it really starts melting. Keep cooking and melting until all sugar is dissolved and the liquid is an amber color. Quickly pour in the walnuts and stir to coat. As soon as they are coated, dump them out onto the parchment paper and quickly separate the pieces. Once separated, I like to let them sit for at least 30 minutes, or even make them a day or two ahead. Once thoroughly cool, place about 2/3 of the walnuts in a bag for another use, and set aside the remaining 1/3 for your salad.

Cook the steak. We grilled ours (because that is how we cook most of our meat, even in the winter when there is snow on the ground) with a bit of salt and pepper on it to medium rare. While it is resting, prepare the salad. Just pour your salad greens onto a salad plate, top with the crumbled blue cheese, and sprinkle with the walnuts and chopped fruit/veggies. Slice the steak into thin strips and place on top of the salad. Drizzle with dressing to taste.

Enjoy and pretend you are eating at a sweet, but slightly pertinacious eatery on CalAve in Reno, NV.