back to school

I'm sure many of you didn't know that I'm going back to school. in fact, today was the first official day of class. now instead of buying notebooks and fancy pens I'll be buying straight edge rulers and pretty fabric! my online home ec class is underway and I couldn't be more thrilled.

there will be twenty-six sewing projects in all, with each building on the last. I wanted to be a part of this class because not only are you creating fun and useful things, each project is teaching you a skill. the course is designed to take you to the next level as a sewist. hurrah!

today's project: cloth napkins.

now technically I didn't make the above cloth napkins for this class. they were a set of napkins I made my sister and her family for christmas. it's like I did homework over the break and didn't even know it.

{more projects to come.}

diy babylegs

the outfit: small paul paul frank shirt, thrifted and still slightly too big for my little monkey;

red thirsties cover over a flat; and a brand new pair of babylegs, via knee-high socks from target.

babylegs are a great thing in any baby's wardrobe. boy or girl. crawling or not. even when it's 96 degrees outside. okay, okay. we're in our cold basement. they work.

but I don't really want to shell out the cash for actual babylegs. I'd rather just make them myself. ya know what I mean? good thing they're surprisingly easy to make. all you need are the following items:

::socks, preferably knee-highs (and upcycling old, previously worn and loved socks gives you karma points!)

::scissors

::thread, coordinating if so desired (but you really wont see any stitches anyway, so it doesn't really matter)

::sewing machine or serger

now I made four pairs this afternoon in about ten minutes. so this is a quick and easy craft you can easily do while baby naps or sits there in the craftroom jumparoo eating the various doo-dads. my son did the latter.

and this is not a tutorial post. because, really, did I take any pictures of the process? no. but I can point you in the right direction. like here. or here. the basic idea is this: take your sock, cut off the toe, cut out the heel. throw the toe piece and heel piece away--unless you can find something else useful to do with them, which I highly encourage you to do. the little piece in between the toe and heel is now going to be the cuff you sew on. just fold it in half with the right side of the fabric facing out. then sandwich the rest of the sock into the cuff piece you just made. all raw edges will be lined up at this point and all fabrics will be righ sides facing out. then get out your sewing machine and sew around the raw edges with a zigzag stitch. or use your serger and just zip around. just make sure all raw edges are lined up as you go. once done, just flip the cuff part up and ta-da! you have made a babyleg. was that confusing at all?

did this turn into a picturless tutorial post? okay, maybe just go to the linked tutorials. pictures are always helpful. sorry.

just imagine

{just imagine this photo was taken out in the wilderness and not in our neighbor's backyard.}

just imagine pj's first camping experience.

just imagine the mini hike around the campground, with a failed attempt up the trail because I didn't want to get my shoes muddy.

just imagine how the little man hogged all the room in the tiny two-man tent. sprawled out and cozy.

just imagine the raging fire started with one match and no paper.

just imagine the failed hobo dinners. two layers of tinfoil really is necessary, it turns out.

just imagine the s'mores in our faces.

just imagine a boy sitting in the dirt, eating rocks. happy and content.

calling all you saved by the bell aficionados!

for your viewing pleasure: the best saved by the bell moment ever.

a little saved by the bell trivia quiz from my friend, who really needs to know:

"what is the name of the saved by the bell episode where zack's teacher tells him he doesn't have to take a test and he gets a B. But he decides that's not good enough so he shows up and gets an A"

if you can figure this out you will win a date with either ac slater or kelly kapowski. and a saved by the bell high-five for being so awesome.

happy LIFE day

yesterday my family and I celebrated LIFE day. one year ago peter was almost taken away from us but was thankfully spared. as he himself said, shouldn't we celebrate every day as life day? yes, yes we should. I often wonder how many times we are close to unfortunate accidents/circumstances without even knowing it. that we are kept safe and think nothing of it. we don't realize what could have been if we just waited half a second longer, or did one thing over another. so be grateful for the blessings in your life. that you're here and that you have loved ones to share the moments with. that is what LIFE day is, a day to remember our love and blessings. let's make every day LIFE day.

side note: not to make things over sentimental, but the shirt that miles is wearing in the above photo is the exact same shirt peter was wearing when he got hit by the car on his bike. it was cut off of him when the paramedics arrived on the scene to take him to the er. luckily, not a lot of blood was on it and I was able to save the ripped up shirt for future use. the style is exactly how the shirt originally was. I love that the little man can now sport one of the bigger man's favorite tee's.

one more side note: today is earth day. another perfect day to celebrate life, no? take some time to reconnect. and let's not forget a little edward abbey love. not really earth day related, but this sentiment seems appropriate for life. happy earth day, everyone.

it's here! it's finally here!!

{the sprayer, via bumgenius}

I can't wait until my son poops. seriously so excited about it. see, ever since we've started solids I've had to do the dunk and swirl in the toilet. not so bad if it's only once a day, really. I can deal. but oh my how much nicer it will be with the diaper sprayer! I don't think I've ever been this excited for someone's poop before. I must be a true cloth diaper mamma.

in fact, I think I want to sneak into the bathroom right now to give it a whirl, just for fun.

oh how I love my little man in the fluff.

buried treasure

healing

we kept joking that the island was going to heal me. well, I still came back with drop foot, but the island certainly did heal my soul.

aloha!

it's hard to wake up early, I know. especially when you have to sit in an airport. as tom petty puts it, the waiting is the hardest part.

but when you get to see big planes back dropped by beautiful mountains sunrises?

it kind of makes it all worth it. plus how can you be too terribly sad when hawaii is your destination? aloha, my friends!

{am planning a little reliving of the vacay -- I know many have been patiently awaiting photos}

holla to the sistas!

hello, today is international woman's day. and to celebrate, this week all my out-of-town sistas are going to be in town. in fact, the first one flies in today with her family. hip! hip!

I've always believed there is such power in a group of strong women. and the women of my family (both bloods and in-laws) are of no exception. I am continuously awed and inspired by their strengths and talents. so much to learn from each and every one of them.

so happy IWD, everyone. let's all rally together and help bolster up the women around us. often times we are everything to everyone else, but what are we to ourselves? it's hard being the mother/wife/sister/friend/chauffeur/maid/cook/et cetera/et cetera and still find time to just be. today let's take a moment to remember who we are. reconnect with yourself. reconnect with the women in your life. do something you always want to do but can never find time to do. as for me, I'm going to go take a hot bath.

oh, and one more reason to love the day

today is national peanut butter lovers day. hip! hip!

so go share a jar with someone you love.
{I made peanut butter oatmeal cookies to celebrate the day}

cute reeses peanut butter cup o' love via

this is fast becoming my favorite day

spring
{in my heart}
is here.

thank you, march first.

the winter felt
long and dreadful.
am glad it's finally over.

{because we all know
it can't be march
and winter
all at the same time}

all we need

so true.

you can buy this tee for your very own self or for someone you love HERE

we're gonna party like it's 1999

my baby parties too hard.

seriously. way too hard.

an ode to our requisite fifteen. {vitamin d is our long lost friend.}

sun salutations, mr miles
with living juice in hand
we walk into the world
living sun ahead
living boy beside
close to me

I can finally see the sky again
finally breathe some air

it's the freshness I imagined
walking with you now

pause to soak it in

life is growing
we are all growing

sun salutations, mr miles
sun salutations

extra virgin coconut oil: my new love.

this morning, as I was telling peter yet another use for extra virgin coconut oil, he looked at me and replied should I use some windex too? eye roll. seriously, evco is my new love and here's why: so many uses.

::cooking/baking::

::diaper rash cream that is cloth diaper safe::

::moisturizer::

::light sunscreen::

::acne treatment::

I'm sure I'm forgetting something. but this stuff moisturizes like no other and also fights rashes like no other -- even yeast. I think it has something to do with the high concentration of lauric acid (which is also found in high concentrations in breast milk, another miracle worker!). I like that it's a natural product, without any crazy chemicals that probably aren't actually good for our bodies. and it smells so great! I put it on my severely dry, rashy hands and practically want to eat it off. it's that good.

twenty-ten: it's your year.

now that january is already half way over here are a few musts for the new year. it is part of the plan of getting back my old self while finding my new self. I think that will be my focus for the year. finding that balance.

green smoothies
I've been making a green smoothie once a day for about a week now. they're easy to make and to clean up (back in our juicing days I loathed cleaning the juicer. so many tiny parts to wash. now I just use my regular old blender, nothing fancy and it's a snap to clean up.) I haven't followed any particular recipe. I'm a fly by the seat of your pants green smoothiest, I think. just throwing in whatever suits my mood. some greens, some fruit. easy peasy.

eat whole foods
this is always a goal of mine. will try to take it further this year. some tips on eating with whole foods: shop the perimeter of your grocery store. and don't buy pre-packaged stuff. this leads into my next goal.

make more
I used to make my own crackers, vegetable stock, bread, et cetera all the time. I need to get back into doing that. I feel that I have more of the motivation to do that now. and the energy. I did make some french peasant bread last week, so I'm on my way.

exercise
find what I can do, when I can do it. seriously, how do mammas fit this into their day? drop foot hasn't made it any easier. my plan was to make a come back postpartum. to become a faster, better runner because that can totally happen after giving birth. thank you drop foot, for no longer making that a reality. now it's all I can do to just find what I can do. I'm thinking spin classes are in my future. and I'm sure the elliptical would work. and I need to try swimming again now that the foot isn't as sensitive. but again, when do I find a time to do all this with the boy? wake up super, super early and go while both boys are still sleeping? I don't know. all I know is that I need to get moving -- stat!

eat locally
this year our garden will be more thought out and get planted much earlier. and I vow to visit the farmer's market this year too. I never go and I don't know why. I am going to become a semi-rawist. {because let's face it, I really do have an addiction to cooked food. and is there anything wrong with that?!}

sew more
I have a problem. I really love to sew, but hardly get around to actually doing it. I think about it all the time. dream up better ways to put my projects together. but when it comes down to it, sometimes I lack the actual motivation to go in the craft room and sew. maybe because it's so cold in there? I don't know. but I need to do it more often. it is such a great creative outlet for me.

read more
I have already read two books this year. born to run and song of solomon. now that I've ditched my laptop, I actually have the time + motivation to read books. it's a beautiful thing. I will have to do a little book club review of born to run because it was so inspiring and amazing.

less tv
don't you hate it when you just sit down in front of the tv for no real reason and it sucks your life away? I do. so I will watch my shows, but nothing more. lost, 30 rock, maybe the office...

less computer
again, ditching the laptop was probably the best thing I could have ever done. it is giving me my life back.

embrace my life with drop foot
I have been letting this drop foot control my life. no more. I can still do things. I can get around. it doesn't hamper my life that much. I should be grateful that I can walk at all. it's slowly getting better and now that it's not so painful and hyper-sensitive it is getting much easier to live with. I won't let it hold me back anymore. this will not define me!

run barefoot
once I can hold my foot up on its own again, I will get into barefoot running. I think this is just what my body needs. to re-learn how to run naturally, softly. am hoping it clears up some chronic issues with my body. my sister and brother inlaw just got the vibram five-fingers, and I'm anxiously waiting to hear how it affects their running. it could be all the rage for the running members of my family, I'm just sayin'. free the feet, free the mind. viva la barefoot!

a preview of upcoming attractions

just a little note to say hello. over the past few days I've been thinking a lot about this little man and how he came into the world. these thoughts are running deep in my mind and need to surface soon.

also, I want to delve a little further into the to-do's for twenty-ten. remember, I am trying to find my old self while finding my new self. I'm sure I can blend the two quite nicely as time goes on.

plus, maybe I will show you some of the things I have been working on. mostly for the little man, of course. and mostly for his bum.

and life would not be complete without the details of our upcoming adventure. sand + surf. a week away from the gloom. hello, paradise, can't wait to meet you.

besides the feeling of january in my life {and the fact that I never go outside} things are pretty dang good right now.

fresh start

I feel like I've lost a little bit of myself over this past year. such things as pregnancy and drop foot and being a mamma have definitely changed the way my life is and the things that I'm doing now. this coming year I resolve to find my old self while still finding my new self. I realize my life is forever changed, and most definitely for the better, but I still want to reclaim some lost bits of who I am.

first christmas

staying up for santa.

merry merry!

we hope your holiday was just as meaningful.
xoxo