Joanne Heim

I love autumn!

It's such a treat to head out on my walk every morning and see how much the leaves have changed since the morning before. Emma came with me on my walk again this morning...

We collected pictures of fall things today...

Here's one of the lovely little paths that wander through our neighborhood...

On another note, Audrey's had a hard couple of days. Bad things happen because she doesn't put things away, concentrate on what she's doing, and follow directions. She missed her new best friend's birthday party tonight because she didn't bring the invitation home--or even tell me about it--until this afternoon. She shoved the invitation in her desk last week instead of putting it in her folder and so it got lost and forgotten. Lots and lots and lots of tears. "It's not fair!" But we'd already made plans for tonight and I (obviously) didn't RSVP so they weren't planning on her attending.

It's hard to watch her learn a lesson the hard way and it was difficult not to give in and juggle our plans so she could go. But I talked to my mom, and she assured me we were doing the right thing. I hate it when the right thing is also the hard thing.

The Happy Hollisters

Audrey has discovered my set of The Happy Hollisters books by Jerry West. (I got an almost-complete set on ebay not too long before we moved.) She's curled up on the daybed, tucked under her afghan, reading away.

"This is such a good book, Mom!" she's said at least six times since she started it last night.

I love seeing her love to read. She even brought her book in the car on the way to meet some friends for dinner tonight. I have lots of memories of reading in the backseat as a kid--all across the country every vacation.

Up until now, she's really wanted to read only at bedtime--part of her routine and something to keep her from going to bed as long as possible, I think. But maybe this is the turning point for her...and maybe she's beginning to see reading as something she can do any time and anywhere. I hope so.

I love to read, and always have. For me, reading made my world big, introduced me to lifelong friends, and developed my imagination. I've been praying the girls would love to read since they were born and it's fun to see that prayer answered. (Emma's been wandering the house with her sight word flashcards, even sitting on her swing under the tree going through them one by one.)

I have yet to curl up on the bed in the loft and read an afternoon away; thus far, it's really Audrey's place.

An all-around wonderful day

What a great day I've had...nothing big, nothing fancy, just a day that makes me glad to be alive and glad to be me.

I suppose it began last night. I went to bed at 8:19 since I couldn't keep my eyes open and had read the same sentence in my book about three times. I have a vague recollection of Audrey coming to tuck me in, but I could be imagining it!

(I tend to be a morning person, more than a night person. And since I get up early--5:30 just about every day--I go to bed extra early from time to time for what's known in our family as "reverse sleeping in.")

Audrey had a late start this morning, so we had a lazy morning around here...sitting around the breakfast table in our pjs eating oatmeal with dried cherries, pecans, brown sugar, and milk. Then when Toben took Audrey to school, Emma and I took Daisy on a walk.

Our new neighborhood has something like 37 acres of open space and trails running through it. We wandered across the creek that runs behind our house, jumping from stone to stone. Then we followed the path along the creek, spied three ducks, looked at all the different kinds of pinecones on the different kinds of pine trees, and collected fall leaves to put on the dining room table. We kept going straight where Toben and I had turned the other day, and came out at a huge park! We found two tennis balls along the way, tried to entice Daisy to play ball, and went down the slides--Daisy too. (She liked the curly slide the best!)

We came home, got cleaned up, played Candy Land and Mancala, played in the backyard on the swings, and watched "The Doodlebops."

We all went to get Audrey from school, took the kids to get passport photos taken (we're off to Mexico just before Christmas on a cruise with my whole family), and had a lovely French kind of meal--quiche lorraine, salade verte, and baguette with Nutella for dessert.

The girls are out of the tub, and it's just about time for our betime prayers. An ordinary kind of day that brings joy because of its ordinariness...

And lots of other good things happened too--we got rid of the last of the moving boxes (yeah Craig's List), I had a great conversation with my friend Sarah, the UPS man brought me a box of books filled with lots of great advance copies from said friend Sarah as a surprise, I received an encouraging email from a friend in the Bible study I left behind in California, and I thought of a great Christmas gift for my dad.

Life is good...

Climate control

I am having a hard time adjusting to this climate. Don't know if it's the huge variance in temperature each day (lows in the low 40s and highs near 80), too much cardboard handling, or just the dryness of Colorado in general, but my skin is NOT happy. My hands are dry and scratchy, my poor heels are prone to cracking, and my face is having a flashback to age 14.

Thank goodness for Proactiv and cocoa butter and this really great lotion that Terri bought for me that I keep in my car. But even with all that, I feel like I'm barely staying on top of it. I have thoughts of filling the bathtub with lotion and soaking it all up...but it would take too much lotion, and I imagine that cleaning up afterward wouldn't be very much fun.

Scones and Soup

I've been meaning to share these recipes and finally remembered to bring them upstairs!

Uncle Roger's Meatball Minestrone

2 cans chicken broth
1 can beef broth
1 lb. frozen mixed vegetables
18 oz. frozen meatballs (I like the ones from Costco)
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

Cook all together and serve over pasta. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

Buttermilk Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix flour through salt in food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Pulse to combine.

Next, add a combination of the following: dried fruit, nuts, chocolate. Knead lightly.

Pat the dough into an 8-inch circle on an ungreased baking sheet. Cut into 8 wedges, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven, cool. for 5 minutes, and recut wedges.

My favorite combinations are dried cherries, pecans, and dark chocolate. Dried apricots, almonds, and white chocolate.

Fall Fest!

I am so excited to have been invited to my new friend Janna's Fall Fest. This is something she does every year and something I hear about every year from my sister. And now that I live in Colorado, I get to go too!

This is the invitation for this year--a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils. (One of my favorite quotes from You've Got Mail.) This Saturday we'll be crafting from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.--a whole day of crafting with other crafty women and, for me, a day to make new friends. I can hardly wait.

Every year Janna chooses a project--this year we're making tea towel aprons. The invitation also included a list of all the supplies we'll need--so I'll have to check through my stash and see what I need. I think I'll find a fun tea towel, but I should have all the extra fabric and trims in the basement. (As I've told Toben, I really don't need to buy any more yarn or fabric for a very long time! Wanting is an entirely different thing altogether...)

Janna has asked me to put together a devotional kind of a thing for the day on simplicity. I've been thinking through some ideas and think I'm going to use Psalm 90:12 as the key idea: "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." I love this prayer of Moses and think there's a lot to learn from it.

On an entirely different note, I only managed to crochet one granny square for my skirt today. Somehow the ironing (at least two hours--I hadn't ironed anything since we moved to Colorado and now feel like I have lots of new clothes!) and trips to Wal-Mart and Target for more of the random kinds of things you need when you move took up the whole day. Not to mention hanging a few more things in Audrey's room, filling out more papers for school, and updating our calendars (Toben has a trip next week I didn't know about!)... But after "numbering my day" this morning during my quiet time, it all got done, with a pretty cheerful heart even.

Pie!

Emma and I did our hair up in rollers this morning and then baked pies while Audrey and Toben headed to the golf course.

Emma especially loved the blackbird we put in our apple pie!

Apple and strawberry-rhubarb. Mmmm...

Mom, Dad, Wade, Kristen, Ava, Kurt, and Sharon (Wade's parents) all came for Sunday dinner at 2 p.m. We had Uncle Roger's Famous Meatball Minestrone. Then we sat around the table and played Farkle, per Audrey's request. (Anyone else ever played Farkle? Lots of dice rolling and adding.) Emma won, as usual.

Toben hung the swings in the backyard and we explored the creek behind the house. Daisy was the only one who fell in!

It was the kind of Sunday afternoon I hoped it would be, the kind I'd like to have every week. And we all fit around the table perfectly. I think if my table were bigger, I'd invite everyone I know!

Choosing less

(Before I forget, it didn't snow last night after all. At least not here. My parents did call to say that it was snowing on Monument Hill (about 35 minutes south of us), but we didn't see any.)

So much of moving into this house has been a lesson in choosing less. Before we moved in, we spent a lot of time looking for all new couches, a new oven, and talking about all of the "necessary" things we needed to do on the house. But since we've gotten settled, I've really had fun re-using, re-purposing, or re-thinking the things we already have.

For example, the oven in the kitchen is an older Kitchen Aid double oven. The timer (and therefore the self-clean function) don't work, and the inside was terrifying. But I sprayed it with Easy Off, left it for about 24 hours, and mom spent an hour or two scrubbing it, I spent another hour scrubbing it, and it's now really clean and cooks beautifully--convection baking, even! Still no timer, but I'm guessing I can find one somewhere (or call the repair man). New Kitchen Aid double ovens are $1,000+.

We also talked about new sofas for the family and living rooms. Instead, the furniture in the family room works great--and since it's all my favorite furniture pieces, the family room is my favorite room. The living room couches do need to be replaced eventually (I cannot get them clean anymore!), but instead I've covered them with lots and lots of pillows and am even thinking about making slipcovers--a scary project, I think.

As I look at the projects left on my list, I'm excited to keep thinking about what I already have, the fabric I already own, and how to continue to spend some time thinking creatively rather than running to the mall, to Target, or to Wal-Mart at the drop of a hat.

Granted, some things do need to be redone. The kitchen floor is old linoleum and has served its purpose. But the cabinets are solid and with new hardware or a coat of paint, we can change the look of the kitchen without gutting the whole thing and spending a fortune.

WIP Friday

I think I'm going to join the Work-in-Progress Friday thing...it'll be good to keep me crafty and making progress on different projects. And now that the house is pretty much put together (just a few shelves to paint and hang tomorrow, then all the photographs can go on them and my piles in the living room will be gone!), I actually have a new crafty project in progress!

I have wanted to crochet this granny square skirt ever since my friend Emily gave me the pattern book a couple of years ago. But it didn't seem like something I'd wear someplace where the weather is always perfect (yes, San Diego really is always wonderful, just like you've heard!). So, since it's supposed to snow tonight (yes, really!) it made me think that a wool skirt that looks like an afghan your grandma made you when you were eight might be a good idea.

I love mixing the colors and am excited that this project is so small and portable--perfect for waiting (and waiting and waiting) in line at pick up after school. Plus it's nice to feel a sense of accomplishment so often as I finish each square. I think I have about seven done--only 53 mroe to go!

So, that's what I'm working on...

The other work in progress around here is coming up with a workable chore chart for the girls that doesn't become a chore itself to maintain. I want to give them lots of opportunity to succeed, but don't want to overwhelm them with every little thing like brushing teeth and getting dressed that seems pretty obvious in the first place. We used to give them an allowance, but it sort of fizzled out after a while, but they're getting old enough (and want new American Girl stuff) that it's time to start an allowance "for reals" (as we used to say).

Oh--and one more work in progress is to get a system back in place for planning menus and having what I need on hand when I need it. I sat down after dinner with my cookbooks and planned our meals for the week. Main dishes are pretty simple; side dishes leave me stumped. I've always been of the opinion that a meal should be simple--with one thing that really shines and everything else in a supporting role. As a result, I tend to focus on the main dish, and go with simple side dishes. And while I love oven-roasted new potatoes and green beans with carmelized onions, I think everyone else may be getting a little tired of them--or at least bored by them.

So I'm off to grocery shop at my new grocery store tomorrow, and the girls and I are going to bake some pies for Sunday. Apple pie and a strawberry-rhubarb pie, I think. Mmmm...

And finally, we've had lots of of company the past two days. Yesterday, my new friend Janna and her little girl Anne came for lunch, today my high school friend Ann and her little girl Katie came for a tea party. Emma and I made cranberry-pecan scones (I'd share the recipe, but it's downstairs and I'm up for the night!). It was so fun to use the china teapot that belonged to my grandmother and some of my antique tea cups; I hadn't used them since my knitting group in California ended.

Tonight my parents came for dinner. It was our first big family meal around the new dining room table. Sort of a dry run for Sunday, when everyone (Mom and Dad; Wade, Kristen, and Ava; and Wade's parents, Kurt and Sharon) are coming for Sunday dinner. We're going to have Uncle Roger's Meatball Minestrone.

"I think that what the house really needs is more chickens." --Toben

I kind of have a thing for roosters. I'm not sure when it started, but over the years I've amassed quite the collection.

These roosters sit on top of the hutch in the breakfast nook:

These are decorating my mantle (I do love the painting my mother gave me!):

And this guy is a lamp that Kristen gave me. It has a red shade, and I'm going to embellish it with feather trim and hope that Joey will leave it alone!

There are some other roosters here and there, but that's the bulk of them. Somehow I think I may have enough!

The funny thing is that I'm absolutely terrified of chickens in real life. We once visited some family friends with a chicken coop and I remember feeling trapped with all those sharp beaks and claws. Shudder. My love for them is strictly one of decorating accessories!

Pictures!

The family room:

The loft:

Looking down into the living room from the loft:

The dining room (with all the pictures to be hung):

Emma's room:

Audrey's room:

Our room:

The basement first thing this morning (aaaah!):

The kids' area in the basement several hours later:

I think that's it for now. I've been hanging pictures this afternoon--it's much easier to put holes in the wall while Toben is away and not wincing with each crash of the hammer! So all the bare walls in the pictures are slowly getting filled!

Blah, blah, blah

Blah, blah, blah, boxes, unpacking, blah, hanging pictures, bubble wrap, blah, blah, blah...

I think this process of getting settled is getting a little boring and starting to sound like a broken record. All of the progress I've made today is not very noticeable, so it feels like I'm standing still some.

But here's something I'm really exited about--the basement. I love basements. Houses in California do not typically have basements, while almost all houses in Colorado do. Our basement is unfinished, but divided into two rooms--one for permanent storage and laundry, and one that's (or make that was) empty.

In the main room in the basement, I'm setting up a huge craft area. Cabinets to hold my supplies, a bookshelf to hold my crafty books, a huge table to work at, a big bulletin board to hold pattern instructions and ideas, and I'm not sure what else just yet. The table is piled high with stuff, but tomorrow I'm going to finish getting it all organized and set up just the way I want.

And Emma will play happily while I do, because the opposite corner of the room is set up as a kid craft/play area. I've put a little tv/vcr for watching movies, a CD player for tunes, an easel for painting, tables for crafting, clothes for dress up, boxes filled with Barbies and dolls and puzzles, and glue and markers and colored pencils and crayons and stickers and pads of paper and a big bulletin board to display whatever the girls create.

Hmm...what shall I craft first when it all gets done? A caftan/beach cover-up from a vintage pattern I bought? An outfit for Ava? Pillows for my big window seat in the living room? So many choices!

Tired of take-out

Chick-Fil-A, Burger King, Noodles & Co., P.F. Chang's, Krispy Kreme, Einstein Bros., the Cafe at Nordstrom, McDonald's, Del Taco, Mimi's, Heidi's Brooklyn Deli...and more.

Take-out is convenient, but we're definitely done. Even Toben (who said the other day that he never gets tired of eating out) is tired of eating out. We brought over the last load of kitchen stuff from my parents' house and the kitchen is ready--more or less--for me to start cooking again.

Tomorrow, I'm going to make meatloaf for dinner. Plain old, comfort food, meatloaf. With roasted potatoes and some kind of vegetable. And maybe I'll even drink milk with dinner. And make a pie for dessert. (Well, probably not, but pie sounds just about right!)

My cookbooks are unpacked and put away and I'm very ready to start planning meals and cooking again!

(I did take pictures today, but I can't find the cord that hooks the camera to the printer. I think it's in a bin in the basement somewhere--and the thought of going downstairs and then upstairs again is more than I can bear. As I told my mother on the phone, I sat down to eat lunch and dinner today--and other than that I've been on my feet, unwrapping and putting away and breaking down boxes and going upstairs and down.)

We're getting there...

The family room has furniture and no boxes!

The kitchen is almost done.

My clothes are all unpacked and put away.

Toben installed a chandelier in the dining room today and the china is all unpacked.

The books are on the shelves and I've made up the daybed in the loft. (Audrey's all tucked up in it reading at the the moment!)

Tomorrow I've got to finish the kitchen and get our bathroom squared away. I'll tackle the girls' rooms and bathroom while they're away at school on Monday. Then I'll unpack all my little treasures and accesories and it will really feel like home.

I love it already...

Pictures coming soon!

Boxes, boxes everywhere!

But they're all in our own little house! Mom and Dad helped us move all day; we went so fast and furious that I didn't even think about snapping any pictures. Maybe tomorrow. Just a few more pieces of furniture to go, and all the random stuff in the kitchen, pantry, and fridge.

Time to fall into bed and savor the feel of sleeping in a new house for the first time...

On the radio

Okay, time for a little shameless self-promotion. Tomorrow and Friday (September 14 and 15), Toben and I will be featured on the Focus on the Family broadcast. They are re-airing an interview we did for our book, Happily Ever After, several years ago.

From time to time, I write books. Happily Ever After was the second book Toben and I wrote together. My newest book, Living Simply will release next month. So I've got to get unpacked and settled before it's time to do publicity for it!

We get a truck tomorrow, and will start moving boxes and furniture...

I [heart] primer!

Painting with primer is so much better than painting without. We primed and painted the girls' rooms this morning--well, until 2 p.m. Not bad for two rooms, two coats of primer and paint! We even found tinted primer in the basement that was perfect for painting Audrey's room this morning. (And all without one argument, to boot!)

So goodbye blue (or in the case of Audrey's room, BLUE!) hello Cafe au Lait and Carnation Pink! The rooms look great, but Emma's blue carpet makes the pink look sort of lavendar late in the day. Hmm...we may have to replace the carpet in there. Too bad, because it's wonderful, new carpet, but blue. Why? I ask you. Why?

I've showered and scrubbed with Lava soap and a loofah, yet remain covered in the primer from Emma's room. Kilz does not come off. And it not only covers germs, smells, and old paint, it kills brain cells (I'm sure) and makes you dizzy for the rest of the day. I'm glad it was warm enough to paint with the windows open at least. If not, I'd be even less smart tonight!

Kristen, Wade, and Ava came over unexpectedly for dinner, then we all ran to CJ's for custard. After all my hard work today, I figured I was due a little hot fudge! Then we drove them over to the house to take a peek, since they'd not seen it yet.

And now I'm off to fall in bed and moan like Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally...uuuuh...uhhh....mmhhh...painting is hard work!

P.S. Yes, those are Container Store elfa shelves in Audrey's closet. Emma's closet has them too. Yippee!

New key for my ring

In about 45 minutes yesterday afternoon we signed our names a hundred times, handed over a really big check, and got some new keys for our keyrings. We drove home and wandered around an empty house for a few hours--sorting through paint and other strange things the previous owners left behind.

I really, really love this house--so much character and so much potential. I stood in the living room and envisioned deep, comfy couches, a roaring fire, a pot of tea, some friends, and knitting. Dad's providing the firewood, knitting is always at the ready, friends and couches will come sometime in the future...

And in the way of things, in the midst of being so excited, Toben and I got completely off-kilter talking about where furniture should go and what kinds of things the house needs. I tend to think out loud and say things like, "I think a small sectional would go here and a bigger one there, and a new oven would be perfect (the one in the house is yukky!), and wouldn't area rugs be nice?" All he hears is me spending every last penny we have. I tried to explain that I'm just dreaming out loud, and that I'm not proposing we transform the house in a week like a makeover tv show. But we still ended up on opposite sides of whatever it was that seemed so important at the time, and it colored the whole experience gray.

Why does that happen all too often?

I've been reading Ephesians this morning, and am struck by the idea of unity and peace--something we'll continue to need as we paint together today (another project we approach differently) and move later on in the week. I'm glad God is a god of do-overs, and am praying for a fresh start the moment we walk in our new front door later this morning.

I do love St. Paul. I know he often gets a bad rap, but I see in him a desire for order that I can relate to so well. I envy his vision of seeing things in a broad perspective, an eternal perspective, as I so often get caught up in the narrowness of the moment, my immediate feelings, and the sense that as things are right now they will be forever.

Here are some of the verses that stood out to me this morning:

Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity. (5:15-16)

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (4:2)

For he himself is our peace... (2:14)

And I've always loved a good benediction--and this is one of my favorites:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (4:20-21)

Countdown

We close on our new house tomorrow--exactly one month after closing on the sale of our house in California. Somehow it seems like much more than a month has gone by.

It feels like we've been displaced all summer--since from the time school got out we've been packing, out of town, packing some more, driving across several states, staying with family, moving into my parents' Denver house, unpacking a little, looking for a house, waiting to move into a new house, and now getting ready to pack up and move one last time.

I'm ready to be settled--which I've said before to the point that I'm sure I'm beginning to sound like a broken record.

I feel like we've established some good routine while waiting to move into our own home. We're reading at breakfast, I'm getting the coffee maker filled before I go to bed each night, we're picking out and setting out clothes for the week on Sundays so school mornings are free from clothes crises, I'm getting up early to have my own quiet time before everyone else is awake.

We're not doing a great job of eating dinner at home--despite a freezer full of food. I'm anxious to get my cookbooks unpacked and plan meals more thoroughly. I find I need to know what's for dinner about lunch time, so I can be prepared when Toben asks, "What's for dinner?" and so I can get a headstart on it before the girls come home and we get involved with homework.

I'm also not doing a great job with keeping the house clean. I'm ready for some more structure in that--Mondays for laundry and ironing, Tuesdays for grocery shopping, Wednesdays for vacuuming and mopping, and so on.

It's also time to get the girls set up with regularly scheduled chores. We've tried an allowance in the past, but we always forget and they haven't seemed to care. They do make their beds and keep their rooms cleaned, and they're usually willing to pitch in and set the table and such. But I'm looking forward to being more deliberate about their chores and setting up an allowance--which I'm sure will go to American Girl stuff.

And I'm ready to find a church, meet some people, and get our Sunday routine down. Sunday dinner after church (pot roast, of course!), naps in the afternoon, perhaps a walk, and Sunday night supper.

We do have our bedtime routine down pat--speaking of, it's time to go get the girls tucked in for the night...

Rereading books

I've been thinking about the books that I reread. In addition to the Mitford books, I usually read these at least once a year:

Living Prayer by Robert Benson
all of the Anne of Green Gables books by L.M. Montgomery
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
my Bible
all of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
A Year in Provence and Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle
all the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling
I'm sure I'll add the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon to this list
The Swiss Family Robinson

I'm sure there are others, but since they're all in boxes that's all I can think of at the moment. And now that I think about it, I think I've blogged about this before. Oops.

We're off to the mountains tomorrow--I hope the leaves are changing! Oh, and I finished the beanie while I waited for Toben to get home last night.

Work in progress

Okay, so I know a lot of crafty bloggers post pictures of their works in progress on Fridays. While it's only Thursday, I'm just excited to actually have a work in progress.

It's just a simple 2x2 ribbed beanie, but it has me knitting again after much too long! This wool doesn't actually match anything I own--think I may have mentioned that before--but I figure that since I'll be living someplace with an actual winter I should probably have a wide variety of hats to choose from. And even if doesn't match anything, the thought of wearing a cute beanie may be what I need to get outside and walk the dog when it's cold and snowy.

And speaking of walking the dog, I actually ran part of my walk this morning. It felt pretty good, surprisingly enough--and Daisy had fun chasing me. If it wasn't for the fear that I'll pass out from a lack of oxygen I think I could run much farther/further (can't remember which is correct at the moment, and both my AP and Chicago style manuals are in a box somewhere!).

Remember when Thursday nights were about coming home from work, grabbing dinner with friends, and then watching Friends on television? This Thursday night was instead filled with the girls making dinner--cheese Bobolis, helping Audrey with math homework and giving her a mock spelling test, feeding the cat, and waiting for Toben to come home from Grand Rapids.

Only four more days until we close on the house--three if you don't count Monday itself...

Isn't it amazing...

...how two months of upheaval, no exercising, a custard shop down the street, and one really good batch of chocolate chip cookies can make one's clothes not fit very well anymore?

Argh.

Daisy (my little beagle) and I started walking last week while Toben takes the girls to school. It's a good 35-40 minute walk, but I think I may need to go twice a day and maybe even--gasp!--run for part of the way. Daisy could stand to lose a few pounds too, but it's easier for her. All she has to tempt her is a piece of rawhide. I'm looking at a pantry full of chocolate pudding packs and chocolate-covered raisins...oh, be strong, Joanne!

I need to find a dance studio--and soon!

Reading habits

My taste in books goes to extremes. (I've been an all or nothing, extreme gal for most of my life. I can hear my parents urging "Moderation!" in my ear without trying too terribly hard!)

On the one hand, I love trashy novels. Bodice rippers...preferably with pirates. They're enjoyable at the time, but don't leave much lasting impression. Truth be told, they make me feel unsatisfied with my life--that it's too boring, too dull, too normal.

On the other hand, I love reading great novels. Stories that leave me feeling content, uplifted, and full. Books that give me things to think about--whether historical, spiritual, or psychological. Books that make me want to learn more about a character, an idea, or a place.

I went to the library the other day and found two books in the Mitford series by Jan Karon that I'd not read: Light from Heaven and In This Mountain. I love this series of books. I first read them shortly after Audrey was born--within days of her birth in fact. I remember reading them while propped up in bed, Audrey sound asleep next to me, putting the books down when it was time to nurse.

I love Father Tim's character--his daily struggles, his incredible knowledge of Scripture, his delight in the people who surround him, and his faith in the prayer that never fails.

We haven't begun to look for a church yet. I think we're waiting until we get moved in, settled, and are ready to give it the time and energy such a search deserves. I would go to Father Tim's church for certain, if Mitford were within a 30-minute drive!

I especially love books that make me reach for a pen to underline something. The Mitford books are full of great things to mark in and of themselves, but are also full of wonderful quotes from other authors. I didn't underline in these since they belong to the library, but I did mark a few things to copy down for later:

He'd always rather liked a ringing doorbell. One never knew what surprise or even amazement might be waiting. It was a great deal like mail in that regard.

"If you would tell me the heart of a man, tell me not what he reads but what he rereads." Francois Mauriac

"We're always getting ready to live, but never living." Churchill

"Live deep instead of fast." Henry Canby

"You know, Timothy, you have a gift for doing that--for making people into family again." Cynthia to Father Tim

If you haven't read them, I can't recommend these books enough!

Paris Flea Market wrap up and a knit shop observation

After shivering my way through the Paris Flea Market yesterday morning (about 50 degrees), it was back to summer again today--warm enough to take the girls to the pool for a swim. Crazy.

Here are some of my finds from yesterday:

A wonderful hat covered with spring flowers. I think it will go on my wire hat stand...perhaps in my bathroom or who knows where? But I saw it and loved it and just had to have it.

This rooster flash card called my name. Then Kristen found the wooden block with the rooster on it. (Unfortunately it says "cock" rather than rooster, as in "cock-a-doodle-doo" I suppose!) I used Toben's hacksaw to cut a slit through the middle of the block and now it holds the card. (I think this would be a great idea for a baby gift--wooden blocks cut to hold photos or birth announcements or something...)

I also bought two chairs--no photos yet, but they're wonderful and were such a deal--and an evening gown. I don't know what I'll do with another evening gown, but it was $4 and I couldn't pass it up. It's too big (a good problem, I suppose!) and I'm not sure it would be worth it to alter it. Perhaps it will go to the dress up box, or maybe it could be hung in Emma's room somehow. I'll have to mull it over for a while.

It was fun to wander around on a crisp, fall morning with Kristen, looking for treasures and imagining all the possibilities for the things we saw. She shared her gloves with me, so we each wore one glove to pull our shopping carts, and stuffed the other hand in our pockets to keep warm.

After, I came home to drink hot tea and thaw.

I did make it back out to visit String--the yarn shop I'd discovered earlier this week. They have some great yarn--but they've organized it by color rather than by brand. I've found that yarn shops do one or the other. Noble Knits (Oceanside) and The Black Sheep (Encinitas) organize by brand. Uncommon Threads (Encinitas) and Tricoter (Seattle) by color.

I much prefer yarn to be organized by brand. Yesterday I was looking for bulky yarn to knit a hat; I had no idea what color I wanted and was hoping to pick a suitable yarn and then choose from the available colors. I had a hard time finding what I wanted, but I finally ended up with some Crystal Palace wool--yellows and greens in a variegated yarn. I'm not sure it will match anything I own, but since I don't really have many winter clothes, I guess I can get some new clothes to match my new hat!

I'll have to find the other knit shop I've heard about--maybe they organize by brand...

Feels like fall

After a lovely morning with blue sky and clear mountains in the distance, it's become gray, overcast, and rainy this evening. It's September 1 and feels like fall. I may have to break out a pair of boots to wear tomorrow in celebration.

I do love fall...it's always been my favorite season. I'm excited to see the trees change color, to light the first fire of the season, and to pile pumpkins here, there, and everywhere.

After the girls get out of my tub and all tucked into bed, I'm going to soak with a good book for an hour or so and head off to bed--with the windows wide open. Fall weather is definitely good sleeping weather!

Wade and Kristen came to get Ava (she and I spent the day together) and stayed for dinner:

Guacamole-Bacon Burgers

Grill burgers (mix 1 lb. ground beef, 1 packet of onion soup mix, 1 egg, and 1/4 cup oatmeal) and top with cheddar cheese just before taking off the grill. Build burgers--guacamole (avocados, lemon juice, lime juice, garlic, kosher salt, pepper, Creole seasoning), sliced tomato, burger, crisp bacon--and press down to hold it all together. Enjoy!

Vanilla Custard with Toasted Angel Food Cake and Strawberries

Make sundaes with vanilla frozen custard (ice cream would work too), slices of toasted angel food cake (I used the toaster; the broiler would work too), and sliced strawberries. (Toasting the angel food cake almost carmelizes the sugar on the outside of the slice--just the right amount of crunch!) This would also be good with sliced peaches--or grilled peaches with brown sugar!