Yay For Babies... And Monkeys.

I picked up this reusable pastry bag and piping tips for a total of $6 at Walmart.


And I made this with those tools! It's a gluten free chocolate cake with pudding in the mix, strawberry frosting. I used canned frosting and just added powdered sugar to stiffen it a bit so it would hold it's piped shape. My freind Sarah from knit meeting is expecting her 4th baby in two weeks. We threw her a baby shower at the knit meeting today. My inspiration for the cake came from Nothing Bundt Cakes. I was really pleased with how it turned out and it was a hit! Everyone had seconds (including me) but one person. I plan to make more cakes like this in the future!


Here's the card I made for it. I even bought some jewelry wire to make the cake poke that it's resting in.


Every baby needs a sock monkey and I knit this one for Sarah's little expected angel, Amy.


I totally forgot to get wrapping paper for Sarah's baby shower gift. So, I wrapped it in a receiving blanket I had and made a chenille yarn bow.

Here Comes The Sun

Now Playing:
Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me
by NPR

Hi everyone! Gosh, it's hard to keep up these days!

Here's a little update before I have to grab a shower and go grocery shopping. Oh, and Happy The Day After The End Of The World Day! =P


I finally got Jack hung up in the new house! (We're SO close to being completely unpacked!)


Little Miss is reaching SO many milestones! Like, holding her bottle...


Rolling to her tummy and holding herslef up. She's even started scooting!


She's also perfecting the art of precise reaching and grabbing. =)

We were introducing her to baby food per our pediatrician, but have concluded that she isn't ready. So, now she just plays with her spoon at dinner time in order to practice, mimick and feel included in the activity od eating.


I also sewed this girly skull bag for my friend Michelle's (from knit group) birthday! With Little Miss, I didn't have time to knit or crochet something. This was way fun to make!

As always with a baby, there are WAY more photos than I can put here. So, please visit my photos for more!

Stu is interviewing for a helpdesk job... cross your fingers!

Until next time!

MONDAY:

Well, not a whole lot has happened today. I just did the grocery shopping and my laundry. Right now, I'm just watching Three's Company and crocheting until it's time to throw the meatloaf I'm making for dinner in the oven.

I almost bought some clearance fabric at Walmart today while I was shopping. I have something in mind to give to everyone as Christmas gifts. But, I've promised myself I won't start any new projects until I'm done with the one I'm working on. I'm doing good so far, but have had some close calls.

Ryn has been feeling sick since yesterday morning. I started getting a sore throat yesterday and Stu said his was getting sore this morning. But, I think mine is subsiding and I've been drinking juices fortified with vitamin C today. So, hopefully, I won't actually come down with anything.


Ryn also fried up some nice chips from some flour tortillas. They'll really good and would probably be quite tasty with some cinnamon and sugar. Maybe I can request some made that way, lol.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

TUESDAY:

Are you effing serious?!?! I just typed a whole day's post and lost it by navigating away from the preview window. Note to self: right click "open link in a new window"!!!

Anyhow, today was a kind of "blah" day. Weather was gloomy, rainy and cold and I was tired and off my game at work. I was just going rest after work tonight to fight of this little bug I've come down with, but Stu took us to Mini's Cupcakes for dinner. I'm not complaining! They have the best boxed lunches and cupcakes!

We all had:

Box Lunch
Includes: 1/2 Sandwich on made from scratch oatmeal applesauce bread; Organic field green salad with locally made chevre; Cranberries; Locally grown pecans & a house made berry vinaigrette dressing; a complementary cupcake.
Talking Turkey -
Smoked Turkey, Swiss cheese, Field Greens, a Cranberry and Crème Cheese spread

For cupcakes...

Stu had


Ryn had


I had


Then, then! The lady sent us home with four other different cupcakes since they were just going to be thrown away as it was nearing the end of the business day and they were "on their way out the door anyway and might as well go home with some nice people." So sweet of her!

If you're ever in the area (address on website link above) you must, I mean MUST go!

I'm also getting together the guest list for my upcoming baby shower. So excited for it!

Well, maybe now I'll try to go rest. Luckily, I'm not feeling too bad, but my OB nurse suggested I get extra fluids and rest just to be sure I kick this bug to the curb! Have a fantastic night, everyone!

FRIDAY:

Whoops, skipped a couple days. I've been sick with a cold or something, plus we've been out in the evenings a lot this week. Earlier this week, Stu took us to dinner at Chili's, bought an XBox 360 with Kinect, he got me a boxed set of all three Toy Story movies (I haven't seen 3 yet) and bought Ryn a couple of books.

Last night at my knit meeting, I got a surprise baby shower! Thanks to all the ladies and my hubby for secretly making sure I went... even though I felt like poo, lol.


Jessica made the cutest girl sock monkey cupcakes!


Presents! You can find all the other pics starting here.

Well, I am starting to feel better and I think I'm past the "mouth breather" stage, ugh. I haven't decided if I'm gonna go crochet and watch Three's Company or just pass out for the night until my hubby gets home from his evening class.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Yay For Babies!

Now Playing:
You Didn't Have To Be So Nice
by The Lovin' Spoonful
on slacker.com


We had a mini baby shower at our knit meeting this week. Jessica is expecting her first baby at the end of this month.

I designed this cake for the baby shower. I actually got the idea from the knitting book Itty Bitty Nursery's Circle's and Stripes Stroller Blanket.








And this little food coloring gnome was around to help me make the cake.


Here's the coffeehouse with the decorations. Peachy brought balloons, Michelle brought the flowers on the table, I brought the cake and Sarah brought (not shown here) plates and forks... and even more table decorations.

And of course, I knit/crocheted things for said baby shower...


A crocheted blanket...


...and a knit headband in matching colors! I just love the puffy petals!

In family news, we registered Ryn for the School of Performing Arts earlier this week, WEEEE!!! Also, Stu's graduation is coming up in June. How exciting!

Until next time...

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

Now Playing:
Satellite
by Guster

Sorry it's been a while. As you may or may not know, Stu has a very, very challenging class this term and needs quiet to do school work, so I haven't been able to play on my computer for a few weeks, which is why I blogged from my phone last time. But, we need pictures now, right? Right!!!

Okay, I have so many pictures, so I'm gonna try to make this a speed post... since I've spent nearly 2 hours getting my photos taken (a couple), uploaded and labeled on flickr, ugh.

We went on a shopping spree a couple weeks ago. It was Stu's idea, it was so fun. We each got a set amount of money to be spent on ourselves-- but you couldn't pick your own stuff, the others do! It was way fun!

Build-A-Bear...and Kitty

Here's my Hello Kitty that Ryn made. She has lots of pink, a cell phone and a chair. I made the camo bear for Stu. He even has bear briefs undies!

Build-A-Bunny

Here's the Bunny that Stu built for Ryn. Complete with puprle (her fave color) clothes, sunglasses and MP3 player.


Stu bought me this belly ring,

I also got lots of lotions, body wash and perfume!

Konad!

I got a Konad nail stamping kit with tax return money... yay! It's so fun!


It's a crappy picture, but do not fret, there will be more!

"He has been chosen"...

...to stand with Spock. My knitting group friend, Michelle, brought us all back a Toy Story alien from her Christmas trip to Disneyland. He's so cute!

Coffee Talk

I bought coffee for Stu at one of my knit meetings and forgot it there. This is what happens when you leave coffee with the ladies I knit with-- it expresses it's feelings. Haha! I love those ladies!

Weeeeeeee!!!

Ryn and I have been going to the library every Saturday, she even got her own card. I've been getting books and queuing lots of projects to Ravelry.com.

Ryn was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society!!!






I really wish the candlelight photos turned out better, but it was the best I could get.





Daughter Knits

Made by Ryn for herself. She's getting SO good at knitting!



Mommy/Daughter Art

Top two, painted by Ryn. Bottom painted by me, but I don't think he's done yet-- the wall behind him still needs some work.







Ding Dong!

This is on our doorbell... because I think it's funny.

Ladies and Gentleman...

...meet my new brother-in-law. This is That Baby's mom's new husband (or my younger sister, Ashley's, husband). While Ashley and I watched Friends, he just layed on the floor with one of those round squishy pillows of a frog on his face... so I took the opportunity. I thought it was funny.

I'm still knitting Stu's robe... it's getting there, slowly. I haven't taken any pictures because there's really nothing to see.

Until next time...

You've Got To Be Kidding Me

Now Playing:
Ghost Hunters
Fort Henry
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I knit a pumpkin hat and orange socks for a co-worker's October baby and she had his pictures taken in them! Cute, huh?

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[Photo property of Caron International Yarns.]

I was making this spider (and plan to make the web too) RIGHT before Halloween, but didn't finish in time. So, he'll be for next year's decorations.

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Our knit meeting this week was interesting... we had three husbands show up! Stu was there, Bruce tagged along with Marissa and Jessica's husband came with her as well. Stu said he had fun, it was nice.

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I'm trying my hand at painting. I'm using craft acrylics, cheap paint brushes and poster board. I'm only a beginner after all and this was stuff I already had on hand. This easel is homemade entirely of cardboard parts and packing tape.


[Clickable for larger view.]

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Happy Halloween!


Our family dressed for Halloween! I made the popcorn and Milk Duds costumes.


Ryn in her dead prom queen costume. The red eyes from the flash seemed fitting, so I left them.


I painted my nails black with orange polkadots! (Geez, I wish I could keep my nails long. I've been having a lot of difficulty keeping them from breaking for about the past year. I really miss my long nails. *sad face*)


Bruce and Marissa came over Halloween night and brought some huge pizza from The Pie. Stu and Bruce played some role-play board games while Marissa and I baked and decorated sugar cookies with candy melts and watched Ghostbusters, then The Nightmare Before Christmas.








I made this Joker cookie espeically for Stu... he didn't understand what it was!

We did have a Happy Halloween. But, on a sadder note...

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I was laid off from my job Wednesday. I never saw it coming... it bites. I thought everything was okay considering that my boss had always said it was great that we were doing good enough to not have to be letting people go, like so many other places have to. I knew things were tight, but I had no idea they were that bad. Another lady got laid off too.

We just had a miscarriage and are trying to start a family-- and now this. I'm trying to put a positive spin on this and actually look forward to some new opportunities. We also do have some options with health insurance that will be good for when I become pregnant, even if it's very soon.

It just would have been nice if I could have kept the same job until Stu graduated college and started working next summer. That would've been very favorable considering that I'd already been there three years and that would have given me some good perks with insurance and maternity leave.

I also got a month's worth of regular pay as severance, so we'll be okay financially. I don't see it taking a month for me to find work again. The only thing that's really bad about this is the fact that I thought I had a stable job, but out of nowhere had the rug pulled out from under me. That's causes very desperate feelings. Plus, I really don't enjoy job interviews, but who does? Haha.

Wish me (and our family) luck. I'm going job hunting tomorrow.

Lesson learned: Make yourself irreplacable and never settle for being the low man on the totem pole.