My Bag of Insanity ::or:: Possibly my Most Embarrassing Post Ever

I have a very large and very teal bag from Target that I love.  I love it.  But I use it and abuse it.

I've been meaning to clean out my purse for a while now.  Since I knew that I'd be "cleaning it out soon," I guess I didn't feel any need to monitor what was going in or what was coming out of it.  Well, quite frankly, nothing was coming out of it.  

It was starting to feel like I was toting around bricks.  And there were so many bricks in there that the ones on top were never really sure if they were in or out of the bag. 

I needed to do a total purse dump and figured hey, that's a fun blog post!  But really it ended up being an embarrassing blog post.  If the state of a woman's purse reflects the state of her mind, then here you will be given a most unflattering peek into my gray matter......

The weight of my bag before the purge was a back-breaking 9.3 lbs.  I did the old measure self with and without bag on our people scale, and I measured it on our kitchen food scale and got the same answer.  Pretty accurate scales, huh?

So I dumped it all out....

And was reminded about how much I love the inside of my bag...

And I got to sorting it...

The stuff that went right back into my purse...

diapers

wipes

mini pack tissues

makeup bag

lip gloss ($1 lip gloss from ELF is my fave!)

wallet

pack of gum (not random pieces of gum...)

The stuff that was a bit random.  Or really random...

2 pairs Sky Zone socks (haven't been to S.Z. since January, I think...)

plastic baggie with two plastic darning needles

broken candy cane

little baggie of pain killers, which may or may not have been smuggled into the country by a family member

check book

$2.01 (ooohhh!  I actually owe someone $2.  perfect!)

9 pens, 2 regular pencils, 1 golf pencil (probably swiped from church) (would you believe me if I told you just this afternoon I was whining about how I can never find any pens in the house....)

3 mini notebooks (to entertain toddler at Mass, not used since January)

Diabetes related stuff...

notebook w/ notes from a carb counting class that was 10 days ago

paperwork w/ most recent A1C from last Endocronologist visit (early Feb)

random pod (for A's insulin pump)

glucose tablets (not pictured - an oversight on my part)

EXPIRED emergency glucagon injection kit. (EXPIRED JULY 2014!!!!!)  Thank goodness I caught that!

Aaron's pediatric/diabetes specialist ophthalmologist appointment card for this summer (received at appointment last summer)

Books and papers...

half-used pack of HWT writing paper I bought at a curriculum sale (but haven't actually paid for yet...that's what I owe that $2 for...)

The Rule of St. Benedict (some Lenten reading.  I like it a lot :) )

In Conversation with God (tip: daily meditations don't happen if the book is at the bottom of your purse...)

2 checks from the same friend - one from December that I won't cash b/c she forced it on me after our families shared a plate of Christmas cookies from a church youth group sale.  And one from January that I should have already cashed.  Oops.

Evidence of my craft addiction...

(no pic :( )

a 4 mm crochet hook (so that's where that was!!)

Jo-Anns flyers and craft store coupons--

7 expired sales/coupon flyers

2 current

Garbage... 

3 full-size grocery lists

expired grocery coupons

6 ticket stubs to a show from Dec 6. 2015

a pediatrician apt reminder card from October, 2015

string cheese wrapper

15 receipts. The oldest was from last August, the next oldest was only from early January though ;)

After all was said and done, the "after" weight of my bag was 4.3 lbs.  So, a hefty five lbs of unnecessary such-and-such was eliminated!  That's quite the transformation :)

I've shared the (until now) unwholesome state of my purse with you in strict confidence.  Don't tell anyone about it, ok?  It will just scare them off, hehe!  Though I must admit, I was pretty surprised (and proud) that there were no dirty tissues, used bandaids, or bits stale food in there ;) ;) ;)  

How's the state of your bag?  Is it time for a purse dump??

Theme Thursday :: Same Picture, Different Angles

Just a quick pic post from me to participate in Micaela's Theme Thursday photography party.  There's nothing like sneaking into a link-up at the tail end of it...

Last week's challenge was to snap the same picture from different angles.  I'm no photographer, but I had grandiose visions of grabbing my not-a-phone camera and heading out into the world to find a gorgeous photo to call my own.  

It didn't happen.

But I did catch my girls playing Camouflage with some of our animals amidst the glorious soft fibers of our new shag rug....  

Bingo.  Same pic, two different angles.  I'm in the link-up.  Except it was with my phone, so... I still haven't proven myself to be that "legitimate photographer" that I know is inside me just waiting to emerge... 

Just as soon as I learn how to really use my camera.  

And that probably won't happen before the next Theme Thursday, because Thursday is tomorrow...

Don't forget to check out Micaela's photo link-up.  You can get all the details here and can check out all the other "other angle" pictures here :)

5 Things I Do Before Having a New Baby

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes....

(want to try to guess the baby?)

I've had a handful of unfinished baby-related posts waiting around in my drafts folders gathering dust.  There's always the possibility that I won't have any more children, so I figured I had better publish these things before I lose my street cred.  As I've still got a one-year-old under my roof, I felt like I wasn't too far removed from pregnancy, newborns, and postpartum-ness to be taken seriously ;)  

But before I jump into anything super deep and intimidating (like how to recover without shouting obscenities when a toddler jumps on you at "c-section +5" days) I thought I could start with something a little less intense.  How about lists?!?!  Lists are always a great way to ease into a topic :) 

5 Things I Do Before Having a New Baby

(1)

Freeze meals.  
Isn't that everyone's No 1??  It is for me.  But I don't just do that if I'm having a baby. 
I do it every fall, new baby or not.

My meals are prepared and packaged with careful instructions on how to defrost, reheat or cook, and serve - in case I'm not the one doing the dinner prep :)

Ready-to-eat meals are probably the best way to take it easy on yourself when there's a newborn to care for. 
It's also a nice thing I can do for my husband while he's home with the other kids - if he has meals ready to heat and eat, he's less likely to give them pancakes, candy corn, and dill pickles for dinner. 

(2)

Stock up on all the things.

When I have a newborn, I want to stay at home for as long as possible and cuddle my baby, wear sweats, and nap as often as possible.  Or crochet.  Obviously.  I DO NOT want to be making emergency trips to Target.  (I'm pretty sure being in Target post-partum is one of Dante's circles in Inferno.)

I don't want to go shopping for at least a month after my babies are born.

Before each baby, I make sure we are set - in the pantry, cleaning supplies, health/beauty/bath items, and baby items.

It feels so good, so liberating, to look at my stash of food staples, shampoo, toothpaste, and hand soap, diapers, wipes, nursing pads (and all the other pads necessary during that first post-partum month), laundry detergent, dish soap, Swiffer dusters and wet floor wipes, Comet cleaner, and on and on......   We're usually set for the first month after a new baby arrives.  My stash-building skills also ensure that we could be fairly self sufficient for about a month in the event of a nuclear event right around the time the baby arrives.  Bonus.  

(3)

I buy new socks and underwear.

Yep.  Having a new baby about every two years means it's also about time to refresh the sock and underwear drawer.  And I can't lay in a hospital bed or walk around the hospital room in old socks with holes... (shudder) I just can't.  So the timing works out perfectly :)

(4)

I make changes to assist the children already living in the home 

be more self-sufficient and helpful around the house.

When I was expecting Clare (my fourth) I had a major brainstorming session about what could be done around the house that would make my life as a mom-of-four easier.  The answer I came up with was hire a nanny, cook, and housekeeper.  

Er, I mean, the answers I came up with were (1) make it possible for my children to set the table and unload the dishwasher without my assistance.

And (2) make it possible for my children to get their own breakfast ready (the three oldest were 5, 4, and 2.)

To facilitate this change I grit my teeth and bought Corelle Dinnerware for 8.  It's not pretty, but it doesn't break and I wouldn't have to supervise it going into and out of the dishwasher.  We cleared out a lower kitchen cupboard and turned it into the dishes and cereal cupboard.  With that small change, the kids were able to set the table without my help (didn't have to get the heavy ceramic dishes from the upper cupboards), they could get their own bowls and cereal for breakfast, they could put the dishes away when they emptied the dishwasher, and they could get their own cup for a drink of water.  It made such a huge difference and was one of the most beneficial changes we've made toward helping the kids become more independent.

(5)

I try to get to Confession.
Not because I'm super morbid and think "you never know."  But... you never know.  And also, with a clean soul and light heart, I've been able to joyfully focus on the birth without all the gunk of my sin, mistakes, and shortcomings clouding the first few moments and days and with my new baby.
Plus, since I admitted I try to never leave the house for a month after coming home with the baby, making to Confession after the baby's born is probably not going to happen.  (But I do go to Mass .  I'd never deprive the little old ladies at Mass an opportunity to fawn over a newborn ;) )

*   *   *   *   *   *

So that's my list.  Like I said, I don't know that I'll ever need this kind of list again, but you never know :) 

What do you do when you're getting ready to welcome a new little one into your life and home?

Happiness. Lately. March 2015 (vol 10)

first off - Welcome new Facebook followers :)  Please believe me when I say that very soon I will start blogging real content again, so don't go away!  I really will be back with posts other than random tidbits.  Pinky swear.   But seriously.  Welcome!  

You know how I don't blog much lately, right?  My plan was to take a break during March so that I could jump back in on April 1st with a bang, but on April 1st I spent the early part of the morning at the pediatrician with three kids, and then the later part of the morning and the early part of the afternoon at the ER with a dehydrated, ear-infected, miserable baby boy.  That afternoon I took a nap.  And that evening I thought it was best not to blog because it was Russ' and my 10th anniversary, so instead of blogging, I did romantic things with Russ, like eat Red Robbin takeout on the living room floor and chat about how crazy and wonderful life is.  

That crazy, wonderful life?  Yeah - we were living it hard core last night with Russ cleaning up one vomit-y bed around midnight and me getting a vomit-y baby out of his crib around 5am.  We have had some version of illness in the house for over two weeks now.  I'm soooo over it.  But, apparently the germ hasn't gotten the message.  I'm really praying that it's all over by Easter Sunday.  A girl can hope and pray, right?

So here, I am.  But it's not with the "It's April and I'm back!" bang that I had planned.  It's just a brief little photo doc on the past few weeks so that when I look back through my archives I can remember more than just the illness of March 2015.   

(As you shall see, even though it was the middle of Lent, we ended up having a lot of special desserts this month...)

We had our last fires of the season (even if it gets cold enough in April - which it probably will! - we're out of fire wood for the season.)  And we burned our scented pine cones from Christmas.  It was pretty!

I turned 36 and made this decadent cake...

I also got a new phone for my birthday which has increased the quality of my mobile phone photos by a factor of 127.  So, if you're not already following me on Instagram that's good, because you were spared all the grainy photos.  Now's the time to follow me so you can witness my transformation into a world class iPhone photographer (or something like that...)  Won't you join me at https://instagram.com/ordinarylovely/ ?

Most of the snow melted.

Russ bought us a shamrock plant and I made some cookies and we celebrated St. Patrick's Day :)

Russ also bought a sprig of lilies, but then he was out of town for St. Joseph's Day, so we prayed for him, but he sadly didn't get to pray and feast with us.  My mom joined us though!  (She had to bring me the heavy cream for the cream puffs, because the cream in my fridge was solidified... obviously, it had been in there longer than I realized...)  These were the best cream puffs I've ever made.  I was sorry Russ had to miss it :(

St. Joseph's (cookie) tools :)

 Then we celebrated Clare's birthday, even though some were a little under the weather and some were a lot under the weather.

Everyone was way too sick on the first day of spring for our traditional "Welcome Spring" cake, so we had it a week or so later after Russ was home and while my sister in law was here visiting from Australia!  

We've been playing a lot of games lately, which usually translate into lots of family fun...

And in other notable March news, since Russ was gone and lots of kids were sick at the time of a crucial library due date - I now owe the public library even more than I did back when I wrote this post.  I'm a blocked user.  I'm now a repeat offender.  You officially follow a blog run by a good-for-nothing shirker of library responsibilities.  

There was a lot of other lovely and smile-worthy things that happened during March, but this is all I can come up with for now.  

I hope you have a blessed Triduum and a very happy and holy Easter!    

His. Hers. Yours. Mine. Ours. (How we Handle Communal and Private Property in our Large-ish Family)

But first... don't forget to check out Kendra's See Me Homeschool post from today!

Tune in tomorrow and Friday for the last two posts in the blog hop and link up your own See Me Homeschool posts until Saturday!

*   *   *   *   *   *

In our home, stuff abounds.  We have lots of it.   Most of it is stuff we hold in common - food, books, art supplies, toys, and socks (because who has the time to truly sort socks...) 

Things can get a little tricky in a family with a lot of kids when it comes to differentiating between what things belong to everyone and what things are ok for a single owner to keep as "private property."  Even Birthday gifts and Christmas gifts, though often tagged for a single recipient, aren't always a cut and dry case of "private property."   How can we live in a large family where things are shared out of necessity and practicality, but still respect our children's right (albeit small) to owning and caring for their own things?  

Here are some of the general guidelines we try to keep in mind...

* Nothing we have is deserved.  All we have is a gift; it's all part of the particular way in which God has blessed us in the present moment.  All we have is a reflection of God's goodness and *should* be used for our own good (sanctification) and for His glory.  (I say *should* because... well, you know... we're all still working on that one.  Always.)

* Sharing is always encouraged.  But it is not always required.  

* "Equal" and "fair" will not always happen.  You're right, little one.  It may not be fair, but who said anything about fair??  It is what it is.  There are times when a sibling will have something that another doesn't and he or she is not required to share it.  But so will you be in that situation some day, little one.  In the mean time, rejoice for your sibling, and go distract yourself from your sorrow with something else ;)

* You're expected to treat your things well if you expect to continue to call them "yours."  

* Items that are the object of habitual bickering and conflict will be removed from the  home, or at the very least will "disappear" for a while, no matter who they belong to.

* When ownership is called into question, Mom and Dad have the final say.  

Living in fellowship and family with seven people in a house full of stuff means that questions of what's mine and what's ours are going to come up regularly.  The way I see it, for our family, most of our belongings fall into one of five categories.  These are they (along with some examples :) )

(1)

Equal Distribution

This doesn't apply very often, but occasionally I'll get all Socialist and insist that a thing is physically divided and everyone gets an equal portion.  A sheet of stickers for example.  

Also, if a child comes into the possession of a large snack, it will be divided equally and shared or not eaten at all.

We especially do this with candy received at Valentine's Day, All Saints Day (Halloween...), Easter, etc...   Our kids don't keep their own candy, it goes into a communal pot and is shared in equal-ish proportions at times of Mom's choosing.  (this is somewhat about sharing amongst family members, but is actually more about staying aware and in control of the sweets my son with diabetes eats.  To clarify - he can eat it, I just have to see it and account for it, so there's no taking candy to rooms and eating in private...)

When something is distributed equally around here, everyone can do what they will with their portion, but when it's gone, it's gone.  My kids have learned the definition and value of rationing - stickers and food alike - by this method :)

(2) 

Family Owned 

everyone is expected to share or take turns with the things we hold in common

Most food, books, toys, arts and crafts supplies, etc... etc... etc...

In general, we're not the type of family that buys duplicates of toys to placate the masses (the Fisher Price lawn mower has been the obvious exception).  Taking turns is a thing in our family.  It's not always done graciously, but we try to make it happen.

Books are almost entirely communal.  Even if it's received as as a gift.  It goes on the family bookshelf for all to enjoy.  Even if it's something fairly specific - like a book about the life of Ruth.  Just because you're name may happen to be Ruth, doesn't mean the book can be denied to everyone else in the family.  Perhaps as the kids get older this will change, or perhaps Ruth will be permitted to take the Ruth book with her when she moves out and has her own apartment with her own bookshelves.  But for now, our children don't "own" books. 

(3)

"Yours to Share"

 I coined this phrase a few years ago and use it all. the. time.  

For us it means that something has a specific owner and that a sibling must ask to use it.  However, when asked, the owner is expected to share it or lose their own privilege to use the item. 

I really do use this "category" a lot and find it's a practical way to teach Christian charity in the home.  It's a reflection of the concept that just as we have been blessed to receive, so we are called to share.  It respects the right of ownership, and encourages generosity in turn.

For example, there was a lot of drama last year surrounding a coloring book that Aaron got for his birthday.  Everyone wanted to use it, but the gift had been given to him.  In cases such as these, I employ the "it's yours to share" principle.  The other kids were not allowed to use the coloring book without asking Aaron first.  Aaron was expected to let his sibling choose a picture to color, but he could deny their first request and let them have their second choice - for instance, his sister chose the excavator but Aaron really wanted to color it so he was permitted to say 'no,' but had to give her her second choice.  It sounds more complicated than it is.  Everyone "knows" it around here so it usually happens without a hitch... Ruth got paint markers for her birthday, Dominic has to ask to use them, Ruth is expected to say yes.  Someone gets a Lego set or Calico Critters set for Christmas?  They'll get to build it or use the gift first, but after that, they're expected to share upon request.  The owner is protected from others just taking and using his or her things without permission, but he or she is also required to share those things when asked properly and politely.  And if s/he doesn't want to share?  They'll lose their privilege for that item for a while (and the other sibling gets it in the end anyway...)

(4)

Yours.  For now.

This is probably nothing new for other large families.  This covers those things that "belong" to someone for now because they fit - either by size, necessity, or common sense.

Like clothes and bikes.  

And baby board books, that obviously don't belong to James, but there's clearly no reason for the older boys to be taking them out of his room and hoarding them in their own.  Ahem.

Example: "For this summer, this bike is yours, and no one may borrow it without your permission, however, it was purchased with not-your-money and in a few years it will belong to your sister, so although it is "yours" right now, you may not trash it.  You may not lose, give away, tamper with, or otherwise misuse "your" bike that technically is not "yours." "

As for clothes, size often determines ownership at any given time.  But what if you have children who share a clothing size?  This is the case with my older boys.  For now, they are allowed to wear whatever is in the drawer, except for a few things which they've clearly designated as personal favorites, and they have an understanding between them that they will ask before wearing a brother's "favorite" article of clothing.  Clothes are also to be cared for with the understanding that they belong to the family and need to be kept well for hand-me-downs.  (Except jeans.  It's against the laws of nature to expect that boys will not put holes in jeans, no matter how well they "care for them.")

(5)

Private Property 

Means that there is no question as to who it belongs to and that Mom will not require you to share it.  In these cases, sharing is always encouraged, but not required.

There's not much that falls into this category...

These are items that have one specific owner, often because they were gifts, but not exclusively.  It also includes things that the kids made (works of art, craft projects, model airplanes, Lego creations until they're demolished).  It also applies to money that has been earned or was given to the kids as a gift and things they may have  bought with their own money.

Things only remain "private property" if they're cared for properly and are not left laying all around the house after Mom's asked for them to be put away.

Things that definitively belong to one child or another cannot be taken or borrowed without asking, and even then, sharing is not guaranteed.  I don't require the kids to share the things that are specifically "theirs" but often they do.  So that's nice :)

*   *   *   *   *   *

That's the way we handle most of the stuff in our home.  How about you?  How do you manage the issues of community and private property in your home?  

(hehe... I just deleted a few notes that were left over from writing this post.  Embarrassing :)  When that happens again, as I'm sure it will, don't hesitate to tell me.  I could use a good dose of humility now and then ;) ) 

Happiness. Lately. January 2015 (vol 8)

Happiness.  Lately.  January.  My monthly collection of "Happiness" - appreciating God's goodness in the little things and seeing his grandeur in the simplicity of my life and "Lately" - what I've been into and up to...

Happiness is...  

My super readers!!!!!!!!   Aaron and Dominic both accomplished the reading goals I had set for them for the first semester (which ended for us in early January.)  So I finally told them I had enrolled them in Book-It, the reading challenge from Pizza Hut where you meet reading goals to earn personal-size pizzas.  Needless to say, they were crazy excited!  And so was I because they're doing so well, and working so hard, and I got to take them our for pizza (I am their reading teacher, after all :) )

Related... Aaron got his first library card!!

Our new dining room table!  Russ and I had casually talked about looking for a new one, but hadn't taken it any further.  A few weeks before Christmas we were out and decided to zip through a department store after dinner (Indian food!) to look for two specific things... neither of which was a dining room table.  Anyhoo...   we spotted this, we spotted the sign that said "All Furniture 50% off," we spent 45 minutes sitting at it, rearranging the chairs, measuring it, and weighing the pros and cons on a new and different table.  And then we bought it.  It was delivered mid-January and so far, it's true love!   

the delivery guys were so great to the kids!

first lunch at the new table :)

first lesson planning at the new table ;)

The day the Yankee Candle scratch n' sniff catalog comes in the mail!

I'm on Instagram...but don't really know what I'm doing yet and still trying to find my way around.  I think to follow me you go to... http://instagram.com/ordinarylovely/.  I think :)

Pretty snow and pretty pictures.

Mason jar love.  A friend recently Pinned something like 45 Things to Do with mason jars.  I love using my jars, and have quite a few.  So I quickly did two projects to make me a little more smiley in the kitchen!  

a Parmesan shaker and salt dispenser :)

Here are my other favorite pantry-pretty jars (they've been getting a lot of use this chilly January :)  

This cute little sewing project my mom found that I made in 1985, when I was 6!  Isn't it the cutest?!  I'm claiming it as proof that I've been crafty since the beginning and you can't take it out of me :)

Siblings!  

Lately:

The three oldest have started swim lessons up again.  While they're lesson-ing, I take Clare and James in the kiddie pool.  Clare describes our days at the pool as "this being fun!:  I describe it as "I must have been drunk or temporarily insane when I thought this would be a good idea and signed them up."  It is so stressful for me getting them all ready and out the door - there are swim suits and towels and swim diapers and regular diapers and diabetes supplies and snacks and changes of underwear and socks flying everywhere.  And I yell.  But so far, the two days we've done it have happened without anyone getting hurt or too badly scared by my yelling.  It's a big deal trusting the boys enough to take care of themselves and all their stuff alone in the men's locker room - and it's crazy trying managing the girls and James on my own in the women's locker room.  But I'll stop complaining now because exercise is good, learning to swim is awesome, and mostly, once I get over myself and just do what needs to be done, I end up saying - once everyone is home and in bed for swim-lesson-induced coma rest-time - this being fun!

The Sunday Homemade Dessert Project... one of the "things" we're trying this year is to avoid after-dinner snacks and desserts through the week and I will make a homemade dessert for Sundays.  While we haven't yet cut out other snacks entirely, we've had a lot less and I have made several delicious desserts.  I need some new ideas though - easy, tasty baking is my preference - so if you have any dessert ideas, let's chat in the comments :)  So far, I haven't made anything new.  We've had...

Pumpkin Sour Cream Bunt Cake, with cream cheese glaze  (it appears that this recipe has been removed from allrecipes.com, so I'll include it below.  It's good!

Oatmeal cookies w/ M & M's (recipe from a friend) - so good for dunking into milk :)

apple spice cake - I've written about this cake before.  It's one of my family's favorites - both of the girls have already requested it for their birthday cake.  (It was James' cake too!)

brownies and ice cream (not homemade)

carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (yes homemade!)

New to my kitchen...When I was making said carrot cake, I had posted a facebook plea for help - what is an easy way to grate carrots without the risk of loosing the skin off your knuckles or an entire fingertip??? The majority of the answers were "Cuisinart food processor."  So guess what?!  I inherited a never-been-used one from my sister!  Well, we're co-owners now, and with advanced notice she'll get weekend visitation privileges.  So, I have my first ever large and powerful and awesome food processor!!!!  Tell me all the wonderful ways I can use it because I'm afraid I'll use it for shredding carrots and let it sit, unused, not fulfilling it's destiny, if I don't get some tips and suggestions from you!!  Can't wait to hear them :)  

I'm reading... 

Still plugging along with The Dean's Watch, by Elizabeth Goudge for the Stella Maris book club.  I hope I'll finish it on time for the discussion, but it may take an all-day reading retreat to accomplish that...  

Waiting for Jack 1939 and The Cutout to come in through the library.  Both are mystery/political thrillers by Francine Matthews, whose books under the name Stephanie Barron I like very much, so I thought I'd give these a try.

Also reading Noel Streatfeild's, Ballet Shoes (The Shoe Books) to see if it would be a good read aloud for the girls.  I've never read any other them, but every time I hear about them I think of the book store scene in You've Got Mail when Kathleen Kelly is setting in Fox Books crying but it still able to direct shoppers to good children's lit :)  

Soon starting Little House in the Big Woods with the girls as well.  The boys have listened to the audio book several times, and I think Ruth has picked up some of it, but it will be fun to start the series again just the girls while the boys are at tutoring.  

Sooooooo... when exactly do I have time for all this reading.  I really don't.  I say I'm reading books if they happen to be next to my bed or the couch, but picking them up is a completely different story ;)

It's easier to watch Netflix, because then I can crochet at the same time :)  I've been watching Death Comes to Pemberly.  Russ and I just finished all seven season of Burn Notice (which I recommend with a few caveats...) and a friend recently recommended Leverage, so maybe that's next???   Also, watched the movie "Chef" recently - it was good and it's on Netflix now :)

I've been creating...  I finished up some of the yet-to-be-completed Christmas gifts that were looming over me.  Nothing says I love you and wish you a Merry Christmas like a gift that's a month late... ugh.  Also started some crochet projects for myself - the pretty and practical kitchen dishcloths and some cold-weather survival goodies - two  hats - one that I wear around the house to stay warm... (when it's below 10 degrees outside it just saps the heat from our house :( )

a button cowl/neck warmer (which I'll write about soon because it's my pattern and I think it's great!) and this gorgeous cowl....  

"Selfie con baby to show off my awesome I-love-it-so-much super soft and cozy cowl finished this morning (I mean, I love this thing so much I even put makeup on for the picture!)"

"Then baby tore off glasses, lunged out of my arms, and the selfie shoot was over.... Back to real life with kids who have no appreciation for cowls or makeup."

(Instagram drama at its finest...)

Cowl pattern from here.

In sad January news, we just finished all our freezer meals this past week.  It's back to meal planning and cooking for me.  My plan is to double whatever meals I make so that I'll have a few extras ready to go, but no more intense binge cooking and freezing this year.  Well, until next Fall that is :)  

(back in October)

(now.  sadness.
Though I guess we're still doing alright on freezer jam and apple sauce!)

James turned one!  The birthday boy had tortellini soup for dinner, that apple spice cake for dessert, and lots and lots of Birthday hugs!  Love this kid!  And seriously can't believe he's one.  (Wasn't I just on my mini hospital vacation/getaway a few months ago??)  

One snowy day, the kids got out the doorway puppet theater I had made a couple years ago.  They've been having lots of creative fun with it!!  (I've mentioned before how much we love the gift of Folkmanis puppets we received one Christmas!)

Earlier this month I wrote about what it's like when I go shopping for my hordes family.  Christine wondered if my kids were wearing summer clothes in January.  No, Christine, I've just been stockpiling photos in anticipation of a grocery post.  Here's a recent photo with more seasonally appropriate attire :)

A dear friend of mine (our families lived next door to each other for over twenty years) was home for Christmas and the month of January from Mozambique, where she is a full-time, busy and important employee of the Peace Corps.  It was so wonderful to spend time with her and to see my children get to know her a little better!  She and her husband keep up their own lovely blog - I encourage you to check it out for her insights on living in southern Africa and the super cute baby onesies she designs!  

And finally....  what's going on here at the blog??  Well, unless you are an illiterate hermit who lives under a rock (obviously, no, because then you couldn't read blogs and there'd be no power outlet for your computer anyway...) you will have picked up on the fact that I love soup.  The Soup Savvy Page is new and all soup recipes and soup-related things will be there from now on!!  Yay!

Also new are the pages where I'll try to gather posts about my crafty projects, the crafty projects my kids are working on, and posts with books lists/reviews/info.  

If you're not sick of my yet, you're welcome to start following me on Instagram!  hope to check out your Insta-pics too!  That would be fun!  Like I said, I'm still figuring it out... Maybe see you there!!  (lots of the photos here were Instagram repeats, but I promise it won't always be like that!  I don't want to be that blogger that says "here's a new post" and it's all the same things that have already been happening on facebook and insta and all the other places people are...)

And last of all, thanks again to the generous and supportive readers who nominated me for two of Bonnie's Sheenazing awards.  I really was honored - and so happily surprised especially to be nominated for the best lifestyle blog award!  (I'll to step things up around here to feel like I really deserve that!)  Thanks if you voted, and thanks for reading!  Don't forget to head over to check out the winners and runners up :)  It was another great list this year!  

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  Feel like joining me in reflecting on and sharing some of the moments that made you happy and the things you've been up to this last month?  Link up your January list of Happiness. Lately.  I'd love to have you join me!   

Don't have a blog?  Let's chat in the comments!

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Pumpkin Sour Cream Bundt Cake Recipe

Ingredients

(cake)

3 c. flour

1 T ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 c. butter, softened

2 c. sugar

4 eggs

1 c. pure pumpkin puree

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

2 tsp. vanilla extract

(streusel)

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 c. chopped pecans

2 T. butter, cold

(glaze)

4 oz. cream cheese

1/2 c. confectioner's sugar

3 T. milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a bundt pan.

Prepare streusel.

Combine first four cake ingredients, set aside.

Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.

Add pumpkin, sour cream, and vanilla.  Mix well.

Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Spoon half the batter into the pan.  

Use a spoon to create a "ditch" in the batter around the entire bundt pan.

Spread streusel in "ditch," careful not to let it touch the sides of the pan.

Spoon remaining batter into the pan.  

Bake for 60 minutes or until tootpick comes out clean.  Cool for 30 minutes before turning out.

Prepare glaze by mixing all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.  Add more milk if necessary.

Once cake is completely cooled, drizzle with glaze.

Enjoy!