Bargains of the Year

I decided to take a trip to town this afternoon. I needed some time to be by myself. I spend quite a lot of time with Jacobey and I rarely get to go shopping. Lack of money, needing to be at work by 1, and a busy toddler do not make shopping trips fun. So I drove to my mom's and dropped her off at her part time paperwork job before heading up to the Springs to visit Ross and Target. I wasn't sure how I was going to fill a couple of hours by myself at only two stores but it turns out that's not a problem. I just make it a point to look at everything in the store. Twice. You just never know when you will find a bargain!

My best score was a set of sheets for $3.48. They are the "College" brand, so the thread count is only 225 but I managed to get a pillowcase, Fitted Sheet, and Sheet for practically nothing a yard. I'm planning on using it to back my quilt, so I saved myself about $30 by getting it. Plus it's polka dots, and I'm not one to pass up polka dots.

I also can't pass up a pair of argyle socks and a pair of peacock socks for a buck each.

Unfortunately, I came home to a baby still napping. At 8 PM. NAPPING. So we will be up until about, oh, 2 AM, I'm sure. I guess I will just leave him with CS to deal with and go to bed at my normal time. So not my problem. But did you know that 4 hour naps make you want to run around in circles before shouting WOOHOO and throwing both arms in the air? Me either!

Apple A Day

We walked down the street from my mom's house to the apple shed on Sunday.

I'm pretty sure the first apple I ate cured me from my Pioneer Day Celebration (if you know what I mean.) We let Jacob and Jayden ride in the wagon at first, but then I remembered that 6 year-olds have functioning legs and made the big girl walk. I'd already pushed her and Jacob in the stroller so I was a little tired. And sweaty.

This farm does spray their apples, so while there were tons of lovely apples it's kind of a bummer to know they use chemicals.

Jayden offered to pull Jacob back to the store, so I let her. It lasted about 20 yards and she was done. But I left Gramma push the babies back home part of the way. It was downhill though, so she got the easy part.

When I took my farm booty home with me, I had 5 peaches and 4 apples to deal with. The peaches were on their last days so I sliced them up and put them in pie. I used this pie recipe, except I left the creme fraiche out. Partly because I didn't have a day to waste to make the creme fraiche and mostly because CS won't eat it if I do. But I love this recipe because it only calls for one pie crust and it has streusel! I also took a hint from these hand pies and added some bourbon to the peaches. I couldn't really tell it was there, but CS said he could.

We still need to get a box of peaches for jam but hopefully we have time for that! Maybe next year I will attempt to can more than just fruit jam. Maybe by then I will have a pretty little house with a pantry to store it all.

Keep dreaming, I know.

Parade

This month we celebrate Pioneer Day here in Fremont County. Did you know, a very long time ago, that they almost made Florence the capital of Colorado rather than Denver? I can't imagine what our part of the state would look like if Florence was no longer the small town. I think Denver is a little bit more picturesque and less desert like, so I would say they made the right choice!

CS, Jacob and I rode in the fire truck for the beginning of the parade and settled ourselves onto the tailgate of CS's truck for the rest of the show once we got back to the station. Jacob ditched us about halfway through to go ride on the 4-wheeler with CS's parents. I should have made him stay to keep me in candy. No one likes an adult to go out there and steal kid's candy. But no one cares when you have a baby with you.

We went to the park afterwards and spend most of the afternoon there. Jacob managed to charm one of the carnival vendors into letting him have balloons whenever he passed by. I let him by a squeaky mallet which he used to pound another child's head in a mock fight with an equally squeaky alien. CS managed to drive me crazy in the two blocks back to the car by incessantly banging it onto his body, the stroller and my legs.

CS and I managed to pawn the baby off on to my mom and we went out to the street dance for a bit. We met up with a few of the girls I hung out with back when I worked at the bar, but they left early. It wasn't nearly as much fun as I would have liked it to be, but at least we got to go out and act like normal adults for a few hours. Plus, when you only have $25 to go out with, you don't come home and get sick before bed and wake up feeling like a bus hit you. Good thing I have the tolerance of a 14 year old again.

Quilty

These are pretty terrible pictures of the quilt I am going to be working on soon. I have one extra fabric that isn't pictured, it was in the mail when I took these. But it's the same sofa print, just in green and blue.

I have cut all my strips out to make this quilt but I'm discovering that I have A LOT of strips. Enough strips to make two quilts. I'm lacking enough white at the moment but I can get more when I need it. However, I can't decide if I should make a monster sized quilt or two smaller ones. I would love to make one big enough to put on the bed this winter. But I'm reluctant to pay for the yardage I would need for the backing. I know I can use a sheet from Target for much cheaper, but I so love the design of this line. Although, the decision might be made for me, since I think Randi will soon be out. I have enough leftover fabric to do big blocks on the back with a solid, so I might go that route. Much cheaper!

But the thought of all the quilting I have ahead of me makes me a little hesitant. I'm already tired of meandering, plus my stitches seem to be looking raggedy and I hate taking them out and trying again. Maybe time to try some straight line quilting?

Mini Quilt

I was inspired by Randi's mini quilt that hangs beside her front door.

Hers is a little smaller than mine, and has a cute little dress in the corner.

But I'm terribly in love with the Tufted Tweets design and I couldn't bear to let the one and two inch scraps from my quilt blocks to go to waste.

So I stitched little pieces together, using the chain-piecing method (so easy and much less wasted thread!) to make myself my own wall quilt. I hung it above my new craft shelves much to CS's chagrin.

Now, if only I had enough white cotton to start my Tufted Tweets quilt! Maybe this weekend...

Life of the Party

When it's your birthday party, you can wear whatever you want. Including your cousin's beach cover-up.

You don't have to look at the camera because you are too busy with your new toy.

But you can look adorable and be happy all day without a nap.

Plus, for every year that goes by, you get the same amount of party girls in matching swimsuits!

The party was a lot of fun, and it seems like I did the least amount of work to pull it off. My co-worker brought the cake (banana cake with ganache, YUM!) and my mom grilled the food while I talked to everyone. Being a hostess does not come naturally to me. I always worry about people who don't know anyone and I try to be talking to as many people as possible so no one feels uncomfortable. There were only seven children and that was a nice number to have. Almost everyone left around dinnertime, but the few that stayed got to eat again and we had a fire! Sadly, the gas station was out of marshmellows and graham crackers so there were no S'mores like I was hoping when we decided on a fire. But at least the huge pile of sticks we have been collecting has burned up! One of our nosey neighbors tried to call the fire department on us but we heard the page that went out for us and CS called dispatch to let her know that there were already two firemen scene. Finally, the fire department pays off for us!

Jacob was awake from 8 AM until after 9PM but as soon as I put him in the car, he was out. We didn't even make it a mile before his little head drooped over. Party Success!

The Markus!

Jayden used to call the circus the markus. We thought she meant market so that's what we call the Farmer's market now.

This is where my piles of fabric went.

10 pretty new Market Bags, all ready to sell.

I might list a few on Etsy, but I'm going to try and sell them at the local U-Pick farm. The owner is a longtime friend of my family, so hopefully he's willing to let me leave a few there.

I don't think I could resist a few of these to take with me when I went apple picking!

Kie-Kie

I have one uncle who has been around for as long as I can remember. We have a long standing tradition of going to the zoo every spring. He's part of the Balloon Classic mornings on Labor Day, and almost always there for holiday dinners. We swap recipes, share new music discoveries, and discuss books, movies, art. He's a great uncle.

So it make me happy when Jacob thinks so too. Occasionally, Jacob releases the apron strings he has permanently attached to my body and remembers that other people can show him a good time. Jacob really liked eating toast at dinner on KieKie's lap and he really wanted to show him his touch and feel book afterwards.

Really, it's the little things!

Kenny has gone by many names. I called him Ninny, apparently. Kie-Kie is Jacob's version.

Shop Notes

I have a few things in the works. I actually finished them on Monday night, but I have to get pictures of the final objects up in the shop! For now, can you guess what I'm making?

Plums

This summer is going to be the summer of jam. I think peach jam and pumpkin butter are next on my list. I'm not nearly as dedicated as my friend Randi but at least I'm going to have something lovely on my toast all winter long.

After the fiasco of my apricot jam (refused to set) I was determined to only use the David Lebovitz gel test to make sure my plum jam didn't remain runny. I'm not sure if it will set as well as the cherry did but it's much better than the apricot. I prefer my jam to taste like fruit, not just sugar, so I refuse to use pectin because the box calls for at least a cup or two more of sugar than fruit.

Full Of Hot Air

Every Labor Day weekend, Colorado Springs has a hot air balloon launch. We have gone for years, waking up at 5 AM to see the balloons launch at dawn. It's an awesome experience watching the huge silky balloons slowly swell with warm air, the heat from the burner warming your face. The balloons usually launch in groups, one cluster of them float off into the sky while you watch the second wave unloading.

Sadly, this year it was too windy in the surrounding areas to launch the balloons safely. I have never been to the Classic when they didn't launch the balloons, so it was a bit shocking to go and not get to see them! Of course, this was the first year Jacob went and I was hoping to see him lose his baby mind over it.

It is was, he was not impressed. Getting up at 6 AM when you went to bed at 11:30 PM is not quite the life of a toddler. Especially when you have to get up and sit in a stroller, wrapped in a blanket and still shivering. He wanted his rocking chair and a cup of juice with his "Mover's" episodes.

Next year, baby duck. Next year!

Instead of watching the balloons, we went to breakfast and a quick stop at the Farmer's Market, where Jacob happened upon a playground hidden from view and full of little blonde boys in grey shirts. Luckily, he was in a bright red Curious George shirt and the messiest bedhead to be found.

He went to bed at 6:30 this evening. I drove home from Gramma's house and he passed out in the first 5 minutes. When I took him out of the carseat, he was already drooling. A trip to the neighbors didn't wake him up. Daddy tickling his neck didn't work. Changing his diaper and putting his pajamas on made him sad but as soon as I picked him up, he drooled on my neck and slumped on my shoulder. I'm sure I'm in for a 5 AM wakeup, but we'll make it through!

TWO!

Jacob turned two today. He celebrated by getting a little cold yesterday, so he slept in until 9 this morning. He didn't take a nap until 4:30 and is currently sleeping!

September 3rd, 2008

Soapy Birthday Boy, 1~ September 2009

Sweet faced boy. August 2010.

Eating basil for breakfast. August 2010.

I never thought having a baby boy would be as sweet and rewarding as Jacob has been to me. My little mama's boy is the best part of my day. Even when he insists on doing everything by himself, even when he's not big enough to do it! He's saying so many things, I can't even keep track. But the best part is that now I'm able to write down the things he says!

Right now, I have to go wake the little prince and take him out for "keem!" to celebrate the last two years. Here's to many more, little boy.