tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352762272024-03-13T12:13:17.481-04:00made in a treehouseAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.comBlogger214125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-17920222546980326622011-10-22T12:07:00.000-04:002011-10-22T12:07:19.445-04:00FallOne morning last week when it was wet and gray and I was feeling a bit miserable, I decided to pack up Eliza and head to our closest metro park, <a href="http://www.metroparks.net/ParksBlendonWoods.aspx">Blendon Woods</a>. There were a lot of wet leaves to glide through, I had a wandering toddler as my hiking partner and we saw wild turkeys in the parking lot. Three things that made staying miserable, pretty much impossible. Even on rainy days there is still so much I love about fall.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjavfnnj8R7FSw2wj-lSDtjQS7MEBJUMHwh1qBHGlyM2FWoOw_bK1m5MGiib7k5-ebyjODL-XfXKXjQIXr8BKD8gJD-LVibrn_enS0hc8f-qYtLY3UqFOnO3h4Rf4f9TlapGuwQ/s1600/IMG_1951.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjavfnnj8R7FSw2wj-lSDtjQS7MEBJUMHwh1qBHGlyM2FWoOw_bK1m5MGiib7k5-ebyjODL-XfXKXjQIXr8BKD8gJD-LVibrn_enS0hc8f-qYtLY3UqFOnO3h4Rf4f9TlapGuwQ/s400/IMG_1951.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666347542777649554" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtYyGnnVIHey4AX5oGQ13bzEvX1N3DSQ8tKvDlcmMinPjvceYi3eWOQjjT8lCKL0QPgQ2nErvvnZ7PfeZkolyN5Qn0oWWC_XkZm1PpmmCaAw-8EzZpW-WO7DOwfXgCCh_CJFKMA/s1600/IMG_1944.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtYyGnnVIHey4AX5oGQ13bzEvX1N3DSQ8tKvDlcmMinPjvceYi3eWOQjjT8lCKL0QPgQ2nErvvnZ7PfeZkolyN5Qn0oWWC_XkZm1PpmmCaAw-8EzZpW-WO7DOwfXgCCh_CJFKMA/s400/IMG_1944.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666348194148873474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtuahRHW1hmkbcDq2GgjryKjjhZzWj5qn0G9bVmRxcFmPKI30x1ZteafaKt98LCu5ug2_mUBrTpDuMwdUDB1lCnHS7q4ePFbibLkdPZqN_sNtWJQkcBnCLTB6MDP2Fz9GZITRiQ/s1600/IMG_1942.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtuahRHW1hmkbcDq2GgjryKjjhZzWj5qn0G9bVmRxcFmPKI30x1ZteafaKt98LCu5ug2_mUBrTpDuMwdUDB1lCnHS7q4ePFbibLkdPZqN_sNtWJQkcBnCLTB6MDP2Fz9GZITRiQ/s400/IMG_1942.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666348190408287026" border="0" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-52360242686794060862011-10-14T00:53:00.004-04:002011-10-14T01:19:15.091-04:00Homemade pantsI made Eliza some pants a few weeks ago. This was my attempt to take some pictures of her wearing them: <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYqaG7X-uSATNGZazMbklfndNiJckiheCneL7ywyqjNi1mJ0zM5rjvTT7Z5hjCdDzGNYZbL3C-VpFBDg78GYyNPhUShRsIWHOAmzWV_x1ukWRnpwvQy1PnQEJhVEAbqwh-ddv5A/s1600/IMG_1869.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYqaG7X-uSATNGZazMbklfndNiJckiheCneL7ywyqjNi1mJ0zM5rjvTT7Z5hjCdDzGNYZbL3C-VpFBDg78GYyNPhUShRsIWHOAmzWV_x1ukWRnpwvQy1PnQEJhVEAbqwh-ddv5A/s400/IMG_1869.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663209692459396706" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZnwV0QmuVkOvjPaCugt6rjDajmiZgG9jiJ6zQSr0Ybb74ulLE5son-w0P8l6NKXucDRjz3X0RxCdm_kwI2cMOBEvyfHadCfWhsuu7WbwdTdyU0aueeG1952XE7pYvGluW0BIvA/s1600/IMG_1868.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZnwV0QmuVkOvjPaCugt6rjDajmiZgG9jiJ6zQSr0Ybb74ulLE5son-w0P8l6NKXucDRjz3X0RxCdm_kwI2cMOBEvyfHadCfWhsuu7WbwdTdyU0aueeG1952XE7pYvGluW0BIvA/s400/IMG_1868.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663209409691185954" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jL5tjkiu711koBCHtoEeWDcWJbkAQSF_GhhFZgp_JuJxwBstlvvrhXLXdpDgiYGxIhU7vioac7JEw4YXi1u8PqqD4HX1wV2pKnWhu_9amsMVZq_2k5LSn8eyycME40DZJb5YAw/s1600/IMG_1867.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jL5tjkiu711koBCHtoEeWDcWJbkAQSF_GhhFZgp_JuJxwBstlvvrhXLXdpDgiYGxIhU7vioac7JEw4YXi1u8PqqD4HX1wV2pKnWhu_9amsMVZq_2k5LSn8eyycME40DZJb5YAw/s400/IMG_1867.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663209393477793570" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GyC68bsBS9D5_WcgOPn26Xl9dcBr4LPev_II_OlHpgeLvNlxUClTyiGQflYZpBwYQ1M9CxCSm030EACEHALtMdAkVM4UofdLibnqSUBSDGrXyiVXl5XDYMfLgKn3KTeGOS3cKQ/s1600/IMG_1866.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GyC68bsBS9D5_WcgOPn26Xl9dcBr4LPev_II_OlHpgeLvNlxUClTyiGQflYZpBwYQ1M9CxCSm030EACEHALtMdAkVM4UofdLibnqSUBSDGrXyiVXl5XDYMfLgKn3KTeGOS3cKQ/s400/IMG_1866.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663209389264774178" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8_vBrriJNQZk2DV9m3q3Szg_CjWQMyqV0wDeYcy07jQeEizeimNkHkWFbQLdnUOVja4UXbDu0WBhOPjW7InlpRuFxzlZVXIJUuVTYC94Xl-tPJzvoUKyX5DND_xJMykO3d9MRw/s1600/IMG_1864.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh8_vBrriJNQZk2DV9m3q3Szg_CjWQMyqV0wDeYcy07jQeEizeimNkHkWFbQLdnUOVja4UXbDu0WBhOPjW7InlpRuFxzlZVXIJUuVTYC94Xl-tPJzvoUKyX5DND_xJMykO3d9MRw/s400/IMG_1864.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663209380167587362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnQysB3WicGsANYcQPNklslilsnigMOL2sdlR4TBqYFJ-cYfyiqp-J0PM4GeFcyJLlt1yjcpR8Xzr9RKaHWbJY3OTI17ZPsydCRyFJaaZXXrQk7aOGKCI2D1H_Gmc6enRF61jqg/s1600/IMG_1863.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnQysB3WicGsANYcQPNklslilsnigMOL2sdlR4TBqYFJ-cYfyiqp-J0PM4GeFcyJLlt1yjcpR8Xzr9RKaHWbJY3OTI17ZPsydCRyFJaaZXXrQk7aOGKCI2D1H_Gmc6enRF61jqg/s400/IMG_1863.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663209369521718050" border="0" /></a>Really, it's much easier to just lay the finished product on the table and photograph, but what fun is that? The pattern is from the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Up-Sew-Liberated-Handmade/dp/1596681624/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1318569200&sr=1-1-catcorr">Growing Up Sew Liberated</a>, which I love. In case you couldn't tell from the action shots, this is how the pants look when sitting still :) <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlW9Vw6I2oLI6yRLpbmk5ShBLLDuzq4PPk-qo3DHJiv0k_qvnqDJm_uyeTTTFnwqazZZF9Xu4QoM_aFbaB-HBZk4kYpmbNpAsBCqySvIt03GssNCmqjLLApXL33SU8UVbq65_3w/s1600/pants.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlW9Vw6I2oLI6yRLpbmk5ShBLLDuzq4PPk-qo3DHJiv0k_qvnqDJm_uyeTTTFnwqazZZF9Xu4QoM_aFbaB-HBZk4kYpmbNpAsBCqySvIt03GssNCmqjLLApXL33SU8UVbq65_3w/s400/pants.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663210084058693058" border="0" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-61704161899955283932011-08-23T22:00:00.011-04:002011-10-22T12:30:10.018-04:00Storytelling<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiErws5sR2icDhscD9YSBm1kdI9CKiOyTGd4nUQrs6BCTGkfO8ciqQFUkt0X8SBMrlhe6aO4C1E34my3MluXKkE572DlF5sg_Cobs0SwTdmmaJ5OSUb69eI4wLWf0cG_Q6h7OIXEA/s1600/Dad+and+train.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiErws5sR2icDhscD9YSBm1kdI9CKiOyTGd4nUQrs6BCTGkfO8ciqQFUkt0X8SBMrlhe6aO4C1E34my3MluXKkE572DlF5sg_Cobs0SwTdmmaJ5OSUb69eI4wLWf0cG_Q6h7OIXEA/s400/Dad+and+train.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666353956988781442" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The other night as I was finishing up reading Eliza her bedtime stories, I started to tell her some stories from my childhood and some stories about my dad. Although we do talk about my dad and David’s dad quite a bit with her, I had yet to tell her an actual STORY. At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to say, I just knew I wanted to tell her a story from my childhood about my dad. I had a hard time thinking of something actually. I wondered, is my memory that horrible?? So I started to ramble about how my dad walked me to my bus stop at Hubbard Elementary School each morning and how he would hold my hand and then later, in middle school, he drove us to a different bus stop, in the parking lot between Thompson Recreation Center and what is now Fifth Ave School and we would wait in the car for the bus to come. I reenacted how there were a couple of nasty speed bumps (or were they potholes?) and we bounced in the recliner together. Then I rambled about how my dad would often get us lost on road trips and tell us he was taking the scenic route although I could not remember any particular trip or details.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Finally I started to remember how there was this time when I was about 13 or 14 and I went to the car wash with my dad. I don’t remember which car wash we went to or any other details like that, but this time as we were pulling out to leave, the horn started going off by itself. Maybe water go into the horn, who knows, but it wouldn’t stop. I mean it was BLARING and people were staring at us. We ended up driving home south down High St. right through OSU campus. I doubt this really bothered my dad much, but I was a teenager and completely mortified! I remember I ducked down in the passenger seat so no one would see me, I was so embarrassed!! We drove all the way home with the horn screeching. It stopped right before we parked in front of our house. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I guess if you ramble long enough you do remember something.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">There I was telling Eliza a story, not just a detail. When I stopped, Eliza said: “More.” It was as if we had just finished one of her favorite books. It felt really good. I also almost cried of course.</span></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I told her the story three more times. We eventually pretended to duck down ‘embarrassed’ when I got to that part. We scrunched down in the recliner and covered our heads. At the second or third telling she asked, “You washed the car? In the bathtub?” She was nodding to me like she really only asked this to confirm that this was the correct answer. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I really love the way toddler brains work sometimes. “No,” I told her. “We went to a car wash.” I went on to explain a car wash with minimal details and told her we would go to a car wash next week so she could see one.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Fast forward to this week. Finally, after two days of asking, I told her we would go to the car wash. I told the story a couple more times and then she asks me,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">“Is Papa Carl gonna be there?” </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And there it was, the first time where I had to in some way explain his absence. I wasn’t expecting it. I cried a little. I hugged Eliza and explained that no, he wouldn’t be there and we could take a picture along with us. We copied a picture (above) of my dad standing in front of a train engine and Eliza carried it with her most of the day. It was a little heart breaking and sweet and it is just how it is. But as hard as it is sometimes, it feels good to talk about him and remember...and above all else just tell some stories about him.</span></span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-4854851207032617002011-08-18T22:19:00.005-04:002011-08-19T21:09:35.283-04:00Every kid needs an apron!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/djminimart/6057480221/" title="Untitled by djminimart, on Flickr"><img style="width: 574px; height: 574px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6057480221_ba3f952128_o.jpg" alt="" /></a>
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<br />Eliza is all about helping us cook lately and I decided it was time for her very own apron. There is just something so sweet and nostalgic to me about a little apron. I made one for her yesterday afternoon from <a href="http://sewliberated.typepad.com/Montessori%20Childs%20Apron.pdf">this tutorial</a>. It was nice and quick too, a perfect nap time project.
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<br />When I finished it, I tried to get Eliza to wear it straight away, but she wanted NOTHING to do with it. I guess she is at the age where I could make something for her and she doesn't like it. I hung the apron up though and today when she helped me get some things ready for dinner, I asked her to go get her apron and she ran to put it on herself. So I guess, for now at least, she still likes the things her mama makes. I hope it stays that way as long as possible! Here are a few more pictures of the apron:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FQDlqPHzaesiY1o3tdpvYJIL_sME4yEKx-bg3TvSZJilJjFF7uZayNgDRoFRVqYFFbvZpiYcoucn8dnIiPICHSXI7KzFVv9HyzSabRs61itVEB64Zk64SH8a2XHYD5lum46e6g/s1600/DSC_0846.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FQDlqPHzaesiY1o3tdpvYJIL_sME4yEKx-bg3TvSZJilJjFF7uZayNgDRoFRVqYFFbvZpiYcoucn8dnIiPICHSXI7KzFVv9HyzSabRs61itVEB64Zk64SH8a2XHYD5lum46e6g/s400/DSC_0846.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642400678576108754" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbvKIxh4QXKNPcAu5dCR7VUHc7YEFWZQoxePgtdgMKCe2W4cyWiX-C8ad8cXwzpaxIwSHtAtTJmiy4YzZW7HE1Ko3B_dRG8GM1v-JdxCxXSD9u5T2v6W2X1RaY3sz8i5d1wMUFw/s1600/apron+hanging+photo+shopped.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbvKIxh4QXKNPcAu5dCR7VUHc7YEFWZQoxePgtdgMKCe2W4cyWiX-C8ad8cXwzpaxIwSHtAtTJmiy4YzZW7HE1Ko3B_dRG8GM1v-JdxCxXSD9u5T2v6W2X1RaY3sz8i5d1wMUFw/s400/apron+hanging+photo+shopped.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642400673591994434" border="0" /></a>
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-72383322227120207322011-08-02T07:28:00.004-04:002011-08-02T07:40:40.512-04:00I'm Open<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHGoqs0kCgIBL_9hbGxc2MyoVV5fT1nJrkV0udsC8XbMSkyT1qJDcpeDIyGVIVgsSYm7jKs62T0H0cB_u9eQxGyOdVPyaTnMXASLk1fvKDz_y0lAg1L-OZnns88gtaYic2z4uGA/s1600/Three+Tag-a-longs.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHGoqs0kCgIBL_9hbGxc2MyoVV5fT1nJrkV0udsC8XbMSkyT1qJDcpeDIyGVIVgsSYm7jKs62T0H0cB_u9eQxGyOdVPyaTnMXASLk1fvKDz_y0lAg1L-OZnns88gtaYic2z4uGA/s400/Three+Tag-a-longs.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636219264273390050" border="0" /></a><a href="http://madeinatreehouse.etsy.com">Made in a Treehouse</a> is open once again. I opened yesterday around 1pm. I am so excited to be open and making things again. Please stop by and take a look...grab some lovely <a href="http://www.weewonderfuls.com/">Wee Wonderfuls</a> dolls for a loved one in your life, or yourself. That's cool too :) I hope to update the shop a couple of times a month so don't be a stranger!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-63923834850970903522011-07-20T09:04:00.001-04:002011-07-20T09:04:00.640-04:00Exciting News<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/djminimart/5954070810/" title="Coming soon to my etsy shop: wee wonderfuls dolls! by djminimart, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/5954070810_3493379210_o.jpg" width="612" height="612" alt="Coming soon to my etsy shop: wee wonderfuls dolls!" /></a><br /><div>Isn't this doll above just the SWEETEST?</div><div><br /></div><div>We call her Lulu...I made her for Eliza, but pretty soon YOU can have one too! I signed up for a <a href="http://www.weewonderfuls.com/licensing.html">cottage license to sell Wee Wonderful designs</a> and I'll be selling dolls just like Lulu in my shop starting August 1st!! I hope to also make some more <a href="http://www.etsy.com/transaction/35426815">owls </a>and a few other things, as time permits. Help support my sewing hobby. Buy one...or two or three...starting in just two weeks!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-55212751874331544432011-07-19T21:03:00.000-04:002011-07-19T21:03:34.862-04:00SpaceI created this little corner for Eliza in our living room recently. It isn't much, but I am really happy with it. I bought this little shelf at a yard sale. It isn't exactly my style, but I like the challenge of trying to make things work anyhow.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnUX-fFOGBp2NIp2XTDtP9tOcNVxgN4TjF4rc-u1vli0nve-LmGAfzzALjLruknnZkoCn8Esfsin9IfcZgxtvwTp24ychkifsT2PHeX_Mu5wCD5W2kARhSwIvHkvs6HQhcbx8vQ/s1600/DSC_0699.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnUX-fFOGBp2NIp2XTDtP9tOcNVxgN4TjF4rc-u1vli0nve-LmGAfzzALjLruknnZkoCn8Esfsin9IfcZgxtvwTp24ychkifsT2PHeX_Mu5wCD5W2kARhSwIvHkvs6HQhcbx8vQ/s400/DSC_0699.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623841544907656866" border="0" /></a>This is pretty much it for Eliza and her toy sprawl. Not too bad, really. One of my goals as a parent is to not have my living room become Toy Palace. <div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfYe7De-8lPtHUfBeT13yMEqrJce7RHK97Jz0ovQymH866GwyrzDqYyfgJSqtQx7eZN3MaRKwNFbF4VWPwTC0Xt1-G9wOb6By6DfeLpSG8bxNHz4O_bzPa4cn7sWdmPtLOWkR7A/s1600/DSC_0693.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfYe7De-8lPtHUfBeT13yMEqrJce7RHK97Jz0ovQymH866GwyrzDqYyfgJSqtQx7eZN3MaRKwNFbF4VWPwTC0Xt1-G9wOb6By6DfeLpSG8bxNHz4O_bzPa4cn7sWdmPtLOWkR7A/s400/DSC_0693.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623842416481461986" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">Something I've noticed now that I am only working part time and in my home so much, is I am more interested in having our living space flow for grown ups and kids. It isn't that easy...especially when I don't want to spend any money. I am trying to find small ways like these to improve our space and make it work for everybody. I am hoping as I get better at being at home with Eliza all the time, I will find ways to improve our space and little by little things will fall into place with the house. I stumbled across this e-course recently on <a href="http://www.playfulearning.com/Playful_Learning/Playful_Learning_E-Courses.html">creating playful learning spaces</a> and I think something like that might be pretty interesting. I could definitely benefit from some professional guidance I am sure! </div></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-20400372309020654482011-07-11T21:19:00.007-04:002011-07-11T23:20:04.898-04:00Painting on Stuff<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tBaZaqt_OPLjBfPWWARFH2ShOqSa5zanxfPyMECJef28nsTQxbEug_Tyx0H-5r_0DSamoXmrtPlCXp3JER4tNCHTUQLIytn_v0KIlAE7fG7kdLl-g_HXL_FNBq2IFTiATQI_AA/s1600/painting+different+surfaces+1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tBaZaqt_OPLjBfPWWARFH2ShOqSa5zanxfPyMECJef28nsTQxbEug_Tyx0H-5r_0DSamoXmrtPlCXp3JER4tNCHTUQLIytn_v0KIlAE7fG7kdLl-g_HXL_FNBq2IFTiATQI_AA/s400/painting+different+surfaces+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628294533374975298" border="0" /></a>I've been wanting to try painting on different surfaces with Eliza for a while now. Actually, I've just been wanting to bust out the paints more, but I don't feel like I have the greatest indoor set up for messy projects. Originally I was going to try this at the kitchen table, but it occurred to me that the reason painting feels stressful to me sometimes is because a toddler sitting in a booster seat is probably the worst set up for painting! It seems so obvious now. Her little arms can't reach everything and the sleeves of her shirt get pulled through the paint. The space to actually paint on is limited by where she can reach. So at the last minute I moved this project outside. I'm thinking about carving out a corner of the basement for indoor messy art projects because I WOULD like to get messier with Eliza, but not necessarily in my kitchen.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVrGdH7laiy3fqWVmNyS8wr3TNUMMOYCtD7CBLS2m8gP7IvbgqHtgyBr-gFkGS4_BCeheYeQtJy4O7WAAJUlo7xTQm89R-UnUxsYoPQlKyUjBl8oobtiHvhILQVbmCenx1GoZ1Q/s1600/painting+surfaces+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVrGdH7laiy3fqWVmNyS8wr3TNUMMOYCtD7CBLS2m8gP7IvbgqHtgyBr-gFkGS4_BCeheYeQtJy4O7WAAJUlo7xTQm89R-UnUxsYoPQlKyUjBl8oobtiHvhILQVbmCenx1GoZ1Q/s400/painting+surfaces+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628294540986382578" border="0" /></a>We painted on an assortment of things I found around the house: a piece of foil, fabric, wax paper, vinyl and a toilet paper tube. Fun as it may look, I don't think Eliza spent more than 10 minutes actually painting. That is kinda how our projects go, 10 minutes of trying out an activity and then back to pretending. Eliza is all about the pretend world these days, which fascinates me so much. Her pretending is so involved, I could write about it for at least a whole other post, if not several!<br /><br />There is a great post <a href="http://blogs.babble.com/toddler-times/2011/07/06/11-art-activities-to-try-with-your-toddler/">here</a> on art activities to try with your toddler by one of my<a href="http://artfulparent.typepad.com/artfulparent/"> favorite <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bloggers</span></a>, which is where I picked up this idea. We've only tried 5 of the 11 ideas listed to date, so this list should keep us busy a while. I think I want to try painting on bubble wrap next though!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-14731897707194751182011-07-02T17:18:00.000-04:002011-07-02T17:18:25.315-04:00Writing and Toddlers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGRvMNiTOa_E1qTIDIQN9iZPieoRGcWqVvSXocquDPmq3brsZgIBdj9pDbeORQTuQ5Lu1X377w4BgXhJDAijgLEzmfoAyoh76xWmzXqiqDmmy6lZ0br03NUcfc2ajdvNAyWpjUg/s1600/mailbox.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYGRvMNiTOa_E1qTIDIQN9iZPieoRGcWqVvSXocquDPmq3brsZgIBdj9pDbeORQTuQ5Lu1X377w4BgXhJDAijgLEzmfoAyoh76xWmzXqiqDmmy6lZ0br03NUcfc2ajdvNAyWpjUg/s400/mailbox.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624090064911953346" border="0" /></a>Around Valentines Day I bought this little tin mailbox from the Target dollar bin. I thought it would be a cute way to wrap David and Eliza's valentines. But I forgot to use it. And later, it got mixed in with Eliza's toys. Then I came across a great book which gave me a great new idea for it.<br /><br />T<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWGTl1Zx92ogXc1H8W9zwvP6q21c-FkF7T7ADdzWDSU2QDH6sYMAb2glEFgF-D30im5U6JuGf9F6cuuKeZWBHMzlwIAaddU4wnxQYbcpdDJyxOulgSOgEODsJ3kDdKQdYgB8iqg/s1600/the+write+start.jpeg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 74px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWGTl1Zx92ogXc1H8W9zwvP6q21c-FkF7T7ADdzWDSU2QDH6sYMAb2glEFgF-D30im5U6JuGf9F6cuuKeZWBHMzlwIAaddU4wnxQYbcpdDJyxOulgSOgEODsJ3kDdKQdYgB8iqg/s400/the+write+start.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624088528579852658" border="0" /></a>he book is <span style="font-style: italic;">The Write Start</span> by Jennifer Hallissy. The author also has a blog <a href="http://thewritestart.typepad.com/website/">by the same name.</a> I really loved this book (and the blog is pretty cool too)! It is 52 ideas for encouraging writing at any age, even two! It starts with ideas that encourage letter knowledge and then builds to activities such as creating a family newspaper and making your own coupons. What I also loved is each idea is broken down by age (scribblers, spellers, storytellers and scholars) so even the youngest of writers have something to do in each activity. For example, I think one of the ideas involved keeping a journal and for the scribbler, she suggests creating a color journal...each day your toddler could pick a color and scribble that color on the page. Totally doable for a toddler and at the same time encouraging writing! There were many more great ideas in this book. Another thing to love about this book, the chapter titles: Learn, Make, Do, Play and Connect.<br /><br />Reading through this book and the blog also had me thinking up some ideas of my own and I love it when a book does that. There was something in there about creating a mailbox...don't remember the idea exactly, but it got me thinking about my tin mailbox sitting idle in Eliza's toy bins. So I set up the mailbox on our bookshelf in the living room and started writing Eliza little notes. Think the kind your mom would put in your lunch box. Then I put up the red flag and told her to check her mailbox for a note from mama. I've only done this a few times, but she was just as excited as when I bring home books for her from the library. Getting letters is pretty exciting afterall, even for adults! And that I am hopefully encouraging a love of writing in the process? Even better!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-45162966837078780952011-06-07T21:13:00.002-04:002011-06-08T00:09:53.028-04:00BerriesI've been thinking a lot about BERRIES lately.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/djminimart/4814420504/" title="DSC_0259 by djminimart, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4814420504_4f6ef77385.jpg" alt="&<span class=" error="" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" /></a><br /><br />Last summer, on our trip to Washington, we stumbled upon some blueberry bushes. We were visiting <a href="http://wanderlustinnepal.blogspot.com/">a good friend of mine from college</a> in Seattle. A friend of hers rented a place that had a long row of blueberry bushes in the backyard. It was July and the berries were ripe, so we ended up heading to his house and picking blueberries in the late evening sun. Then we sat on the deck, ate blueberries and shared a couple pints of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, straight out of the carton. It was just one of those perfect evenings...an old friend, my family, being the northwest, ice cream...and then, on top of all that: blueberries!! I have thought about that night so many times in the last year. Ever since then, I have dreamed about growing my own blueberry bushes in containers in our backyard. Although it won't happen this summer, I do hope to get out and pick some Ohio berries this summer. I've been looking at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Windy-Hill-Berry-Farm-and-Vineyard/198430706866025">Windy Hill Berry Farm</a> for our berry picking adventures. Do you have a favorite central Ohio berry farm?<br /><br />With berries on my mind, I bought home <a href="http://catalog.columbuslibrary.org/?q=blueberries%20for%20sal">Blueberries for Sal</a> a few weeks ago. Amazingly, I had actually never read this classic before. I love the alpine meadow setting of the illustrations. Eliza is very interested in looking for the mama when we read this. She also likes when I make the "kaplink" sound for the berries landing in an empty bucket and of course pretending to eat the berries. We pretend eat A LOT over here. I was pretty surprised she is so interested in this book, since it is quite long, but she loves it. I think her love of blueberries has something to do with it. We have actually been reading this a lot over breakfast, while we eat <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/338308/double-blueberry-muffins">these blueberry muffins</a>, a favorite recipe of ours. When DO the blueberries get ripe in Ohio? Very soon, I hope!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-71362471625144264162011-05-29T22:58:00.003-04:002011-05-29T23:25:48.267-04:00I'm back (for real)Hey there.<br /><br />I'm going to start blogging again, probably about the usual stuff: being me, being a mom, creativity, making things and remembering. I'm having some issues getting my domain back because I let it expire when I was thinking about giving up this blog, but hopefully I will be back to madeinatreehouse.com soon enough. But for now, here I am at my old blogspot address.<br /><br />By the way, something I would not recommend: if you have a domain, do not let it expire because it has been a huge pain to reclaim it! So much so, I started to think about starting a completely new blog, but do you want to know what is more of a pain than trying to get an expired domain back? Thinking of a new blog name.<br /><br />Anyway, just wanted to pop in and post a little something...I'll be back soon with something creative to share. Yay!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-77882903039196102312010-10-10T21:52:00.004-04:002011-05-30T22:52:23.953-04:00Colors<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Ee-_KwLG_hW86PZaFwB8e7E7iqGRJTRcNcOGUHf8-yjFGJ3r9tC-CX86HLGU7jRwVRXkVwqUnuVVXhQKLr_GV2Yrm1wpSXCrktki3ba5tef5PaCo-SDn7NwM0zfkDcFmXyjy4A/s1600/cat+and+houses.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Ee-_KwLG_hW86PZaFwB8e7E7iqGRJTRcNcOGUHf8-yjFGJ3r9tC-CX86HLGU7jRwVRXkVwqUnuVVXhQKLr_GV2Yrm1wpSXCrktki3ba5tef5PaCo-SDn7NwM0zfkDcFmXyjy4A/s400/cat+and+houses.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612707639672434338" border="0" /></a><br />I've been trying to make a conscious effort to talk colors with Eliza lately. I randomly came across <a href="http://readingwithhannah.blogspot.com/2010/10/little-mouse-little-mouse-flashback.html">this post</a> and it reminded me of <a href="http://www.alainnotebook.com/2009/01/flannel-stories-chicken-chicken.html">this flannel</a> which I use often as a children's librarian and have adapted to other themes as well. For Eliza it became a bunch of different colored houses and a cat hiding underneath. We sing:<br /><br />"Cat, Cat, where are you? You better come out we're looking for you!<br />Are you in the red house?"<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Etc</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Etc</span><br /><br />At first Eliza was afraid of this little game, which was funny. She would shake her head and say "No, no, no, no." What a goof! But now she is happily hiding the cat under the different colored houses and then looking for the cat. Colors will come eventually....and it may just be time to make a home flannel board.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-53224198000717619742010-10-04T22:02:00.005-04:002011-05-30T16:09:49.422-04:00Grand Re-Opening<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP80ybcmMpJtAi4O32jeGOz2mFQT3uoKbScs1JetW0QPw7Ld0SIOBZcKlzFVYhO8rmmd01BdNYpWEx47W_CGe9V1LKljUg_FegvmYSfIAiGEXQQYzfEhwk9arn9Z6bktQlrOiXxA/s1600/huggable+owl+pillow.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 362px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP80ybcmMpJtAi4O32jeGOz2mFQT3uoKbScs1JetW0QPw7Ld0SIOBZcKlzFVYhO8rmmd01BdNYpWEx47W_CGe9V1LKljUg_FegvmYSfIAiGEXQQYzfEhwk9arn9Z6bktQlrOiXxA/s400/huggable+owl+pillow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524377098569038338" border="0" /></a>After a nearly year and a half hiatus, I am opening <a href="http://madeinatreehouse.etsy.com/">my etsy shop</a> again. I am finally going to give selling items I've sewn a try. Wish me luck! I've had this idea for a stuffed owl pillow in my head for a while now and about a month ago I drafted a pattern, made a couple of "test" models and this is what finally came out. I've made 6 of them now and the first one is listed in <a href="http://madeinatreehouse.etsy.com/">my shop</a> right now. Look for three more owls to be listed this week. If you are my facebook friend, I'll be posting the links for each new owl as I list them. I can assure you, if you have a little one, they will LOVE these owls. They are 100% Eliza approved.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-18666430651897528782010-09-13T23:32:00.018-04:002011-05-30T16:10:24.459-04:00Moments<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrmUZWsgKUX49GTEsl3Lu5kWlTog-gsljSJA3mh-zLt6cuxaCu0w_ByXLizlEQe9o9d0KTKeVPmwMatHM6DSfNMV44CpPiP1k8_OOZauuuSOJPNFkQt6xmRVARMJuUgpirkuS_Gw/s1600/DSC_0219.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrmUZWsgKUX49GTEsl3Lu5kWlTog-gsljSJA3mh-zLt6cuxaCu0w_ByXLizlEQe9o9d0KTKeVPmwMatHM6DSfNMV44CpPiP1k8_OOZauuuSOJPNFkQt6xmRVARMJuUgpirkuS_Gw/s400/DSC_0219.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516612807815718658" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" id="internal-source-marker_0.71110255582867">It is so easy to get caught up in the rush of life and let the smallest moments of your life slip by unnoticed. We all do it. But I want to try and be better at acknowledging the moment. Even if it is horrible or boring or awkward.</span><br /><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tonight, after Eliza was in bed and after David and I caught up on Mad Men for the week, we lingered on the couch and debated the merits of unloading the dishwasher tonight or tomorrow morning before work. I mistakenly started to say: “Don’t put off until today what you can do tomorrow.” In case you don’t know, I am a rather excellent quote/idiom-butcherer. Finally, I told David I would unload it if he just sat in the kitchen with me. And so I did, and he followed. When I was finished, he started reloading. We were like a machine, our routine completely effortless for all the time we spent putting it off. Then I started to do a very uncoordinated cheerleading routine that was straight-up ridiculous and solidifies me as a children’s librarian, in case there is any doubt. I leaned against the counter and we just talked about this and that. I’m pretty sure there was some ribbing about who is the better dishwasher loader (me, of course). If I hadn’t been so aware at the time, the moment would have slipped right by. And maybe that isn’t so horrible, there is nothing earth-shattering here, but in that moment I just felt really good and content and I just want to remember that because it is so easy to forget, it kills me sometimes.</span><br /><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;color:transparent;"></span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-34517718288914073212010-09-03T20:54:00.012-04:002011-05-30T23:03:08.308-04:00OverdueThere was a time when I was pretty good at this blog...but now, you know, life has gotten in the way. That and sleep and just needing to relax at the end of the day. I don't see how some of my favorite mama bloggers do it, seriously! They are more supermom than me I guess.<br /><br />Check out Eliza reading to grandma and grandpa's dog:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTgy3urx5YDUcHzydIEG_MgGE7F8tVFr9-lDKJdsircq88dssLsYLzo31rQ-t9mDurvAaOnC8zPcIjJoIW62xorwsyBh8e2JQ3u5IMjtHLzfKPluumQr82MeOuWv223fLmKWtfg/s1600/Eliza+reads+to+Cooper.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTgy3urx5YDUcHzydIEG_MgGE7F8tVFr9-lDKJdsircq88dssLsYLzo31rQ-t9mDurvAaOnC8zPcIjJoIW62xorwsyBh8e2JQ3u5IMjtHLzfKPluumQr82MeOuWv223fLmKWtfg/s400/Eliza+reads+to+Cooper.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612710218366870962" border="0" /></a>So I may try and blog here and there this fall. Maybe. I am not making any promises. I'm taking a few 'me' days in September to make stuff, plus I am also making a little something for the <a href="http://www.keepcmlstrong.org/">Library's Levy</a> Launch Campaign. That means I may even have sewing to share again.<br /><br />Speaking of the levy, you should <span style="font-weight: bold;">vote for it. </span><br /><br />Because we have a great library in Columbus. Now more than ever, libraries are needed in our communities, especially the community where I work. Access is a HUGE issue in many areas of Columbus: Access to books, to computers, to help getting ready to read, help with homework or filling out a job application...the list goes on. All of these services would suffer so greatly if Issue 4 does not pass. The <a href="http://columbuslibrary.org/">library as we know it</a> would be gone. This levy accounts for half of the library's funding. As many as half the branches would close. It's that important. For more information, check out the button on my sidebar.<br /><br />If the levy doesn't pass, this is how we will all be feeling:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi556dPT3-ad5UKMkhyen9HOv7q081CgtsZJTUH-nvQyCUBPvQKEePChE-oPdm-51R1EaeDuedJCNp9_sSrYe_VCBINWIMQE3mxMwVrGYeo9_Gb39m6eSSV1441ztmRNvyi183NDg/s1600/eliza+crying.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi556dPT3-ad5UKMkhyen9HOv7q081CgtsZJTUH-nvQyCUBPvQKEePChE-oPdm-51R1EaeDuedJCNp9_sSrYe_VCBINWIMQE3mxMwVrGYeo9_Gb39m6eSSV1441ztmRNvyi183NDg/s400/eliza+crying.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612708712931393026" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/djminimart/4955273019/" title="Untitled by djminimart, on Flickr"><br /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-57652731437295739352010-05-28T21:17:00.008-04:002011-05-30T16:14:18.474-04:00Eliza's Birthday Dress<a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/4631499215_0ab5d38a6b.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 333px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/4631499215_0ab5d38a6b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>I did it...I really did it. I finished Eliza's birthday dress for her birthday last weekend. It was finished 2 days early in fact. Go me! It has taken me much longer to get around to blogging it though.<div><div><br />The pattern is the <a href="http://oliverands.com/patterns/dresses/patterns6.phtml">Oliver + S Birthday Party dress</a>. I bought this pattern while I was pregnant with the hope that I could make it for Eliza's first birthday and I am so glad I did. I am feeling mighty proud of myself for this one too, because making it did challenge me. I found myself over at my mom's house late twice, in the week leading up to Eliza's birthday, trying to decipher a few parts. But it is a great feeling to figure out something hard and emerge a better sewer! </div><div><br /></div><div>I really love everything about this dress: the fabric, the colors, the contrast, the pleats and the buttons, the hem and of course the cheesehead wearing it (see below). That my mom helped me figure out the hard stuff makes it even more special. All the blood, sweat and tears = totally worth it...especially when the big day finally arrived and I got to watch Eliza laugh, crawl, walk and of course eat crackers in something I made just for her.</div><div><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4631500291_68e4302663.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4631500291_68e4302663.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-75421602095713827012010-05-24T06:29:00.006-04:002011-05-30T16:13:58.999-04:00One<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4631509855_48e91bc58f.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4631509855_48e91bc58f.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>My baby turned one on Saturday. This has definitely been the fastest year of our lives, yet it seems like ages ago that Eliza was a newborn. It seems even longer ago that it was just David and I. One of the things that is so amazing to me about when you have a child is how instantly you cannot imagine your life any different.<br /><br />Eliza is doing all sorts of amazing things lately...she is walking about 5-7 steps on her own, she is signing a lot(milk, more, all done and cracker), and she says a few words ('cat' is by far her favorite word). She is developing a since of humor, which I love. She pretends to sleep and even did some pretend crying this past weekend, which was too funny! Another favorite game is "On your head" in which she places something on her head and mommy and daddy announce it, i.e "Book on your head" or "Sock on your head." She loves books and will often sit and just flip the pages of her books completely entertained for several minutues. Already she has some favorites too, which makes this children's librarian mama very very happy!<br /><br />One. My baby is ONE. Still kinda hard to believe...but it takes things a while to sink in with me sometimes.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-2764953581242628622010-04-25T20:53:00.008-04:002011-05-30T16:12:44.746-04:00Pants<a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3046/4552439467_bc99436df6.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3046/4552439467_bc99436df6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Back in February, I bought the <a href="http://www.oliverands.com/patterns/pants/patterns2.phtml">Oliver+S Sandbox pants pattern</a>. Two months later, the pants are finished. Really these pants could probably be completed in a couple of evenings or so, but this is the pace I am working at these days. Oh well, better late than never! Here is a better shot of the pants:<br /><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1342/4553079058_09d1897638.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1342/4553079058_09d1897638.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>It was next to impossible to get a picture of Eliza in these pants that still show off any of the nifty details at all. And Oliver + S patterns are full of nifty details. But I snatched as many actions shots as I could.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1186/4552438369_9de3aea96f.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1186/4552438369_9de3aea96f.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Next up is the <a href="http://www.oliverands.com/patterns/dresses/patterns6.phtml">Oliver+S Birthday Party dress</a>, which I hope to make for Eliza by her 1st birthday. We'll see. I have the pattern cut, but that is about it. I'm not gonna be too hard on myself if that isn't complete by her big day, which ::gasp:: is LESS THAN A MONTH away. How did <span style="font-style: italic;">that </span>happen? I'm not stating anything new here, but man, time flies!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-46745108353813059502010-02-13T20:41:00.005-05:002011-05-30T16:12:59.868-04:00A sweet little sandwich<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2748/4354509341_9473fae4ed.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2748/4354509341_9473fae4ed.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Whenever I see or hear the word sandwich, I always think about how David told me sandwich is the word that made him lose his 2nd grade spelling bee. He put an 'e' on the end of it. So sad. Everyone ALWAYS remembers the spelling bee word they lost on, right? What word did you lose on? Strangely, we never had a spelling bee at my elementary school, but I love learning what words other people lost on.<br /><br />Anyway, that sandwich up there, I made it this week. I started it Sunday and finished it this morning, before heading off to work. And that, my friends, is my first completed object since returning to work in August. It is hard for me to believe it really took me that long and also that I started and finished something and am blogging it even. Wow...<br /><br />I've actually been pretty crafty this week. I probably shouldn't jinx it by typing that on my blog, but I think I may have found a way to be at least a little creative during the week. The answer was to move my sewing machine downstairs and into David's "office." It took a little convincing my husband, but he ended up with a bigger table for his computer out of the deal and it is honestly working out quite nice to be in there together. It seems like we are getting more time together.<br /><br />This felt sandwich was fun to make...it was a nice mix of machine and hand sewing. I got the pattern (which included the felt) from <a href="http://www.lillybeanmarket.com/">Lilly Bean</a>. I can definitely see myself making Eliza more felt goodies (I also have the <a href="http://www.lillybeanmarket.com/index.asp?item=MAKHDOG">hot dog pattern</a>). Making the sandwich got me thinking it would be kind of fun to have a felt food making party at my house...maybe in the spring? Does this sound fun to anyone else? Or is it just me?<br /><br />A BYOF (Bring Your Own Felt) Party. Yeah!<br /><br />Eliza loved the idea. Let me know what you think...<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4355255566_720f71db35.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4355255566_720f71db35.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-42773055876055249452010-01-31T21:43:00.005-05:002011-05-30T16:13:19.300-04:00Come on Get Happy!I've been tagged by friend and fellow blogger, <a href="http://dundeewriter.blogspot.com/">Katie</a>, to list 10 things that make me happy. I am having a lot of trouble keeping up with my blog these days, so I really needed this motivation to write something here. Reflecting on what makes me happy is also something I needed to do. I feel like I've been a bit of a downer these days. I blame it on the weather, but it can be tough to be happy sometimes, especially in winter. Writing down some happy thoughts made me realize I need to take a more proactive approach to happiness. I may need to print this list and carry it with me wherever go.<br /><br />So here you go, 10 Things that make me Happy:<br /><br /><b>1. </b><i><b>Lunch</b><b> at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Nordstrom</span> Cafe </b></i>-It may be weird that I listed this first, but I have found that a quick fix for a crap day is to eat at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Nordstroms</span>, so I decided to list it first...Crab bisque, Caesar salad, bistro fries or the Black Forest Ham Sandwich. These are my happy foods, guaranteed to make a down and out day a little brighter. I haven't eaten there in a couple months...looks like I need to schedule myself a lunch date!<br /><br /><b>2. <i>Family time</i></b> -I really treasure being a family now and I think my favorite thing in the world is to just be at home with David and Eliza, doing nothing at all, just being the goofy bunch that we are. I also love when David and I balance each other out and when one of us cracks the other patches things up.<br /><br /><b>3. <i>Date nights</i></b> -As much as I love family time, I also miss the alone time which I now realize David and I completely took for granted for eight years. I am giddy on date nights. It <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">occurs</span> to me sometimes that it will be a LONG time before David and I will be alone like we used to be. By that time, when it finally happens, we will be a heck of a lot older and we will likely miss family time the way we miss our one-on-one time now.<br /><br /><b>4. <i>Sewing</i></b> -I love love love to sew and I miss it <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">fiercely</span>. I am not sewing nearly enough these days, but I've made a few changes this weekend and I am hoping it will result in more sewing and hopefully more crafty blog posts.<br /><br /><b>5. <i>Remembering</i></b> -I tend to romanticize the past. I can't help it! I love talking about people in my life that have touched me or made me laugh. I often repeat and retell the same old stories, again and again.<br /><br /><b>6. <i>Reading out loud</i></b> -I read out loud a lot for my job and I am thankful for that. There are days when sharing a story with a group of children can stop an unhappy day in its tracks. I love to read a great story, but nothing tops sharing a great story out loud with others.<br /><br /><b>7. <i>Being Outside</i></b> -I think one of the reasons I have such a tough time being happy during winter is because it is my least favorite time to be outside. I spent a good deal of time outside growing up and spent a lot of summers in the state of Washington. I am sure that impacted me a great deal. Sometimes a good walk can clear my head better than anything else.<br /><br /><b>8. <i>Clothes</i> </b>-It's true, when I am wearing a kick ass outfit, I'm usually feeling pretty darn happy. I used to spend a lot more time shopping for clothes, but there isn't much time for that anymore, but maybe, in the name of my own happiness, I need to take myself on a shopping date?!<br /><br /><b>9. <i>Writing</i></b> -I've always been a writer. I don't write nearly enough these days...and I need to.<br /><br /><b>10. <i>Antique/Thrift Stores</i></b> -I like weird old crap. I've been known to wander antique stores when I am having a bad day and I love the thought of finding treasure among so much randomness.<br /><br />So there you have it, ten happy things. I think I am going to use this as my guide, to help me get through the winter. I am smiling just thinking of some of these things. So what makes YOU happy? I'd like to know...that is, if you are still out there reading this long neglected blog of mine!<br /><br />Consider yourself tagged if you are reading this.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-32347983619057654872009-12-10T11:46:00.007-05:002011-05-30T16:13:44.348-04:00DIY Baby Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2583/4173586936_e6596c4d25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2583/4173586936_e6596c4d25.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /></div>We started solid foods with Eliza a few weeks ago. I thought this would be great fun...I absolutely hated it. I had no idea how messy feeding a baby was. It gets everywhere. Eliza gets food in her hair, on her eyes, behind her ears. Everywhere. I'm sure this isn't news to any veteran mamas out there, but I honestly thought the food would just go straight from the spoon to her mouth. Silly first time parent! I also naively thought that Eliza would instantly like solid food, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">after all,</span> she seemed interested enough in David and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">I's</span> food, but again: Wrong.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">A month later, however, and things are swell. We have our routine down: we feed Eliza when <i><b>we</b></i> eat, at the dinner table. Before we even started solids we would sit her at the table with us and give her something to chew on, usually a baby spoon, already making her part of our meal. Now, David and I feed her bites of sweet potatoes in between our own dinner. I've decided to try and make her baby food and I honestly think this has been so easy, which has shocked me. When we started rice cereal (which I did not make) I was sort of panicked that I wouldn't be able to find time to make her food, but I checked out the book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157061525X/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0966034619&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1ACSNVG7823C153X05X0">Feeding the Whole Family</a>, which I think I saw over on <a href="http://www.soulemama.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Soule</span> Mama</a> at some point. The one thing I really took to heart from this book is for each of the recipes, it has an adaptation for 6 month <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">olds</span> or 10 month <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">olds</span>, which is really just telling you to set aside this or that and puree it for your infant. This got me thinking about how I can do this with <i>any</i> meal. So now if we are having pasta and salad for dinner, I am already chopping up carrots so I'll just set some chopped carrots aside, boil them and then puree them alongside all the other cooking we are already doing. In a snap there are five baby meals. Incorporating baby food making into the normal meal preparation has made baby food making much easier. I have done some baby food making (i.e. pureeing) at night too, but not anything painstaking. Very little effort, trust me. And I've pretty much decided to ditch all the baby food cook book recipes, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">except</span> for the basics. Who has time to make gourmet food for your baby? Not me! I'm sticking to one or two ingredients, no more. Another thing that has saved time is I bought organic frozen vegetables to cook and puree. Since these are already washed and chopped, it saves me some steps and seems more appealing than jars of baby food to me (and is actually still cheaper than jarred food).<br /><br />I think as Eliza's tastes evolve, I may need to invest in a food mill too, but I haven't yet researched how these work. Have any of you used one? The other thing I am not all to clear on is when I am supposed to increase Eliza's meals to more than one per day. We are still trying new foods, but lately it seems as if I could feed her at breakfast too, at least some of the time, but I've also heard you shouldn't rush things. So far she has tried only rice cereal, apples, bananas, sweet potatoes and carrots. Are you supposed to be out of the tasting phase before adding a meal? What did some of you all do?<br /></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-31351359648548662232009-11-17T06:54:00.005-05:002011-05-30T16:15:01.169-04:00It's about time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglp2FizR8M7Li8i3S8qAKVOzz3l3eyLPer1ujc4YLQD3XPgykn_ByUDhDax-VkoXbnrGcJrHb5VDeuzShOzsumwxm9bHZD4Q63c6lUxEMWMstdk7-wcc-QdcWCU70Mqpd8G7R6Fw/s1600/poppy+doll+parts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglp2FizR8M7Li8i3S8qAKVOzz3l3eyLPer1ujc4YLQD3XPgykn_ByUDhDax-VkoXbnrGcJrHb5VDeuzShOzsumwxm9bHZD4Q63c6lUxEMWMstdk7-wcc-QdcWCU70Mqpd8G7R6Fw/s400/poppy+doll+parts.jpg" /></a><br /></div>Wow, it's been a while.<br /><br />Coincidentally, my lack of blog posts, began at almost the same time Eliza stopped sleeping through the night. And since this became a regular thing, I have been so exhausted at the end of each day, it is all I can do to watch <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/">Mad Men</a> before going to bed. Yeah, too tired to even watch TV. Sad.<br /><br />I have to be honest, being a full time working mama is the hardest thing I've done in my life. Ever. Couple that with a full time working papa who is also in school and that I usually work two nights per week, it's just hard. And we do not have it all figured out just yet. Things just feel hectic all the time. I've been a little too snappy. And as I am sure many mamas know, the work is never done. I sometimes hate that feeling after I put Eliza down for bed, that the work is only just beginning. The house needs picked up, dinner needs cleaned up and the dishwasher needs run, the diapers and bottles need washed and packed up. There isn't room for slacking off. I think we are doing a good job though, I really do. Eliza does rejuvenate me with her smiles and giggles and milestones. When it is all said and done, I love being a mom like I've loved nothing else before. Eliza has no idea her parents are so beat.<br /><br />I had a revelation this morning that part of my problem is that I haven't had my coming-of-age moment where I accept the fact that Eliza is simply not going to sleep well at night for the time being. I keep hoping that she will go back to being the champion sleeper she was at three months...but we are going on two months of crap sleep and although I hope to God this won't last forever, it doesn't appear to be ending any time soon. I think if I could accept that, it might just make my days a little easier. <br /><br />I haven't really done anything crafty. I've had a few small moments of this or that, but nothing finished. I am still holding on to the hope that I can still make at least some Christmas gifts this year, but we'll see. It might just not be doable this year.<br /><br />The picture up top is one of my works in progress. It's a <a href="http://hopskipjump.bigcartel.com/product/pdf-sewing-pattern-poppy-doll">Poppy doll</a> from the pattern by the lovely toy maker <a href="http://hopskipjump.typepad.com/hop_skip_jump/">hop skip jump</a>. I've been working on that doll here and there for two months! I am not quite working at the in-time-for-a-Christmas-gift pace, I tell ya!<br /><br />I also have the hop skip jump <a href="http://hopskipjump.bigcartel.com/product/pdf-sewing-pattern-jack-rabbit">jack rabbit pattern</a> which I am dying to make. It will happen someday...someday...Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-30471899970945742202009-10-06T15:23:00.002-04:002011-05-30T16:15:22.514-04:00Baby scraps<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/3982977851_b7ae6da24a.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 335px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/3982977851_b7ae6da24a.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Eliza and I got some crafty time in this weekend. Turns out she excels at eating fabric. She is just starting to grab and reach for things, so I spread some of my fabric scraps around her so she could grasp and feel them. Such a simple thing really, but a perfect 'crafty' activity for a baby.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2641/3983740482_c37b44b0d8.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 352px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2641/3983740482_c37b44b0d8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>What more do you need when mama's got a bucket of scraps? I did a little crafting too, about five minutes worth in thirty, but it wasn't really about how much I accomplished. I am hoping this is only the beginning of many, many crafting adventures together. There is not much I look forward to more than making things with my daughter someday!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-54583359972704936482009-09-30T23:02:00.002-04:002009-10-02T07:05:46.417-04:00One Year<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVoeeNQlTr3QD4CU-qpTH-xasuzibyVb3vDowVahyphenhyphen4VFzr8TCEb7VoZVx71sxwQwFXMuOdc4M5crZrXJlM73n4Z64g8y-Vez4UkRJp5A8Sx1QnixszJecxQM_RZku1BmksO16aQ/s1600-h/attachments2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVoeeNQlTr3QD4CU-qpTH-xasuzibyVb3vDowVahyphenhyphen4VFzr8TCEb7VoZVx71sxwQwFXMuOdc4M5crZrXJlM73n4Z64g8y-Vez4UkRJp5A8Sx1QnixszJecxQM_RZku1BmksO16aQ/s400/attachments2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387458874221093090" border="0" /></a>Today, one whole year has passed since my dad died. I've been thinking about a lot of things...about who my dad was, about how he influenced so much in my life, about that horrible day spent at the hospital one year ago yesterday and I really just don't know where to start or if I should write anything at all. How can I even sum him up in a few paragraphs on my blog? It is impossible. There is too much to say, yet I can't help but try to describe him and remember him.<br /><br />Here are a few facts: He still carried his keys on a 25 year old key chain which said "Dad's Keys." One of my favorite times with him was when he tried to haggle at the thrift store for a $5.00 suit case. He used the term "<a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/twofers">twofers</a>." If you haven't guessed from his love of the term twofers or the haggling at a thrift store, he was cheap. He always took advantage of senior discounts once he was eligible. He once tried to fill up two cars with his Fuel Perks discount at Giant Eagle and tried to use me as his accomplice. He got busted by a very sassy attendant. He drank a lot of coffee and he always drank it black. He didn't like to waste. After he died I found about 20 (I'm not exaggerating) <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Styrofoam</span> coffee cups in the kitchen which he was 'reusing.' He was genuine and kind and patient and he really listened and I mean <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span>. He was hilarious. He had a magnificent hearty laugh. He couldn't stand George W Bush. He had a mustache for most of my life. Two of his favorite shows were Scrubs and that Funniest Home Video Show. He remembered things about you most people forgot. One of my favorite things in the world was having lunch with him. I miss his voice and I wish words could properly describe the sound of it. I wish I had a recording of him saying something, even if it were just a voicemail message. I loved his handwriting. He loved Ohio State Football, but he wasn't one of those annoying fans that goes overboard. Two days before he died he took my 10 yr old nephew to his very first Ohio State game. He always bought his cars used. He loved cookies and ate too many of them, especially after he quit smoking. He smoked for 40 years. He was humble and even though he accomplished much in his career, he would still describe himself simply as a social worker. Anyone who knew him knew he was so much more than that. If Carl <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Brauner</span> was the one helping you pick yourself up off your feet...you had landed in the right place. He was more selfless than anyone else I have ever known. He died way too soon.<br /><br />I know I have blogged a lot about my dad this past year...and I appreciate that you have stuck around as I wander through and make sense out of grief. It helps me to write here. I can't help but write about him and I doubt this will be the last time. He is a part of what makes up this blog now and what makes up me.<br /><br />This morning I went to the cemetery for the very first time. I decided to take <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">snickerdoodles</span> instead of flowers to set at dad's grave. At the grocery store, the sign above the cookies read: "Life's Short. Eat Cookies." I couldn't have said it any better.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35276227.post-70475622476527091062009-09-28T20:43:00.009-04:002011-05-30T16:15:50.343-04:00Saying GoodbyeYesterday we headed down to my old stomping grounds, the <a href="http://www.shortnorth.org/">Short North</a>. I grew up there, and as I've mentioned on this blog a while ago, my mom is selling the house I grew up in. I wanted to walk through the house one last time, even though it is empty now, to just take it all in, remember and say goodbye. Perhaps it is weird to say goodbye to a house, but I needed to do it...and I am glad I did. Despite the fact that I cried immediately upon unlocking the front door, it was a lovely day with my family. The only agenda was to walk around the house, talk and take pictures.<br /><br />Growing up we always took pictures in front of the tree out front. My parents planted it when they moved in...I think it might have started out as their Christmas tree one year...but I'd have to check my sources on that one. Here is a picture of me in front of the tree at age 5:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEjgJGfQY1WJQ40IThXbTY0ojDoP1yANMj5v-l2IkGT-U-j0fZOD9IKVn1JRieZuRVM3IHc977N1asBkzIQLWkcoy8ckCEDkNNXr9ea3uTvlZzyfCxct049NJH46JuwrFfZFePA/s1600-h/Tree+859+at+5.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEjgJGfQY1WJQ40IThXbTY0ojDoP1yANMj5v-l2IkGT-U-j0fZOD9IKVn1JRieZuRVM3IHc977N1asBkzIQLWkcoy8ckCEDkNNXr9ea3uTvlZzyfCxct049NJH46JuwrFfZFePA/s400/Tree+859+at+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386697008213487026" border="0" /></a><br />And here I am at age 32, with my little family. Many, many family photos have been taken in front of this tree.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqEtkXCW-kNFqcpZwVBXhfne0VgMVathHaYDZW3F4tgvBnKXMR_lC1FaVU_EjzuS-KYQTDQzUHx9660YaFXajHP2duejclRTx8pOmquqtLY_9hHmgOsUY9oOkFDktcD_r3wNO7A/s1600-h/Family+in+front+of+tree.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqEtkXCW-kNFqcpZwVBXhfne0VgMVathHaYDZW3F4tgvBnKXMR_lC1FaVU_EjzuS-KYQTDQzUHx9660YaFXajHP2duejclRTx8pOmquqtLY_9hHmgOsUY9oOkFDktcD_r3wNO7A/s400/Family+in+front+of+tree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386688513924277538" border="0" /></a>I wanted to take at least one family photo in front of it. It struck me how much this tree has grown in my lifetime...it was once big enough to see over, but not anymore:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTSqArHjSte4t-wvVpP4KycNyhnhoogvVwJWvtzoaJ1wCl4qB-RWbqyBITx_6847zMxnwDjU5CfjHp__xC_Tn8CAR-1MVNofcsVeQa6NBukzhKKgI2VUr4pCok8jqC2fOBUYONw/s1600-h/tree+859+park.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTSqArHjSte4t-wvVpP4KycNyhnhoogvVwJWvtzoaJ1wCl4qB-RWbqyBITx_6847zMxnwDjU5CfjHp__xC_Tn8CAR-1MVNofcsVeQa6NBukzhKKgI2VUr4pCok8jqC2fOBUYONw/s400/tree+859+park.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386696108318045042" border="0" /></a>Here are a few more highlights from our day...oh how I am going to miss that old woodwork!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcqY61ExDSiijhND4QH0pi-MGURughnOI-gxh6y562ViqPaHlio68FkcpeBhNJdpDCJ2FePAAk-V8sAOpmcLl-sd6K33eTce60vxRv81TF5IIDVp7pvjHRk2kv9uqeFGXT8UIiw/s1600-h/porch.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFcqY61ExDSiijhND4QH0pi-MGURughnOI-gxh6y562ViqPaHlio68FkcpeBhNJdpDCJ2FePAAk-V8sAOpmcLl-sd6K33eTce60vxRv81TF5IIDVp7pvjHRk2kv9uqeFGXT8UIiw/s400/porch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386714483726921634" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYC340T2ZUAJmU1H1NhaXMABI2pMQ7IpuGPWihMDk5xlcftXUhEwD0iglOXhyphenhyphenhE9gOJYAP5rGzIt0tU12jIE1IwChiCWdkHkl434tIwyaYylPJupWwF-Yf4_joYMCUOBzL_44ZFA/s1600-h/living+room.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYC340T2ZUAJmU1H1NhaXMABI2pMQ7IpuGPWihMDk5xlcftXUhEwD0iglOXhyphenhyphenhE9gOJYAP5rGzIt0tU12jIE1IwChiCWdkHkl434tIwyaYylPJupWwF-Yf4_joYMCUOBzL_44ZFA/s400/living+room.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386714475347531650" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrnj0IxlGwOCGiCdtl0FpEjjovsAu_VzacdqHbB49pJQE6JE1_RF0If8BdCcDGXRbdV8sEoUbm41F-gsJNV-7l3aLvoa0qYXnIQnnz_eCvTS1S2qHk-rh0vO66M5jYZHy93vKPw/s1600-h/dining+room.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrnj0IxlGwOCGiCdtl0FpEjjovsAu_VzacdqHbB49pJQE6JE1_RF0If8BdCcDGXRbdV8sEoUbm41F-gsJNV-7l3aLvoa0qYXnIQnnz_eCvTS1S2qHk-rh0vO66M5jYZHy93vKPw/s400/dining+room.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386714460948660050" border="0" /></a>A few years ago, my dad taped this note on the storm door...this note is so dad. These are the types of things I miss most about him. I smiled seeing it there yesterday.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRX10zzImZZo3aVeJwsuXFoZcYZr2HLo8ctz7ciOtHDaMFrui-IOWb9jPOXdn3UN_d3REkqbuOz_H0bAdnIZ2MFGXSyepSNuyvmd_quMHvFOwieM8dystOjN7PVqycg2M-83mmaw/s1600-h/kindly+see.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRX10zzImZZo3aVeJwsuXFoZcYZr2HLo8ctz7ciOtHDaMFrui-IOWb9jPOXdn3UN_d3REkqbuOz_H0bAdnIZ2MFGXSyepSNuyvmd_quMHvFOwieM8dystOjN7PVqycg2M-83mmaw/s400/kindly+see.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386714466048798194" border="0" /></a>When we got home, we noticed one picture of Eliza and I is strangely similar to a picture of me and my mom almost exactly 32 years ago...We are even wearing similar style shirts that we both made ourselves.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwBiCU4-3AW28GzEa_Kcz22xxXe3FzDwr7pE3IVfRuUesCWG9e8a_FrwR4Yk5Z4YfORxiHkwsWVAYtU9V6GEHg1e2X4VSbCSu2cnQQFHEkdTlsNHJn5TF_6iKEWtwCMAbhAGYMg/s1600-h/Blog.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwBiCU4-3AW28GzEa_Kcz22xxXe3FzDwr7pE3IVfRuUesCWG9e8a_FrwR4Yk5Z4YfORxiHkwsWVAYtU9V6GEHg1e2X4VSbCSu2cnQQFHEkdTlsNHJn5TF_6iKEWtwCMAbhAGYMg/s400/Blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386720286484063874" border="0" /></a>I think I like how some things can be the same, thirty years later. More pictures of our day are <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/djminimart/sets/72157622468011006/">here</a>.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893124076716484896noreply@blogger.com3