Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Look what I got!

Look what I got!!
An entire basket full of lovely yarns!!! 
See the white and green roving along the top? I'm going to make a blanket with those using the same idea found here, except smaller.
 And I'm not 100% on these amazing colours, but I'm thinking I might make another giraffe or two...

Ah, I could plop all those yarns in a tub and roll around in them and be quite pleased with myself!
Here's to new projects!!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Musical Monday: A Fine Frenzy - What I Wouldn't Do

I heard this song while driving the other day and fell in love with it.
As soon as we got back to the house I went on a search for it and was so excited to find it.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!



Friday, January 27, 2012

Books

It's been awhile since I updated you on what I've been reading so here we go!!



This is more of a coffee table book to me.
I'm not 100% certain but I think the book may just be a series of blog posts published in book form, but I like that. She talks about all kinds of things and finding the beauty and comfort in domestic arts. I've never sat down and read this book cover to cover, but I do so love puttering through it.



The Help
By Kathryn Stockett
I decided that I had to have been the last person on the planet not to have read this book so I picked it up and didn't put it down until it was done. Seriously, such.a.good.book! I loved it. I laughed, I cried, I baked a caramel cake.
It's the story of coloured maids in Jackson Mississippi in the 1950's and the things they see/experience working in white homes.


Shades of Grey
By Jasper Fforde
This book is a little tricky. I quite enjoyed it, but you very much have to get out of this world to get into the story. It is a story of a world based on chromatics. Your place in society, your jobs and your marriages are all based on your colour perception. The story follows a "red" around named Eddie Russett. He is sent on a bit of a journey from his home of Jade under Lime to a place called East Carmine. Eddie has hopes to not ruffle any feathers and keep to himself while on his trip, confirm his high red perception and move up in the world marrying a high society Oxblood. While on his trip however he meets and falls in love with a beautiful but tempermental Grey named Jane. Jane questions the rules of their colour based society and encourages Eddie to do the same.

I enjoyed the book very much once I was able to get my head into Eddie's world.
This is the first book in a series and I would love to read the other books... once they come out...
I didn't actually know it was a series book or else I would have waited for all the books to come out before I started reading it... I'm nutty like that, I hate reading one book and then waiting a year for the story to continue!!

What are you reading right now? I'd love some suggestions to put on my February book list.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

orange yogurt loaf

I made an Orange Yogurt Loaf...
It was tasty.

Orange Yogurt Loaf
1 cup butter/margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
zest of 1 orange
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Glaze
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tsp orange juice

Cream the butter and sugar together then add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Add the yogurt, orange juice and zest, mix until combined. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, and mix. Add to creamed mixture mixing until just combined. Pour into two 8.5"x4.5" or one 9"x5" loaf pan(s). 
Bakes at 350 for 55-65 minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
For the glaze mix the icing sugar and juice until you're happy with the consistency, you may need to add more or less of each ingredient.
Pour over cooled loaves.


adapted from this recipe.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Snow

Last Friday we got a bunch of snow.
The boys were so excited and couldn't wait to play in it. 
It was pretty blowy though and they really didn't enjoy themselves too much, so come Saturday when the storm had calmed they were counting the seconds until they could get out and make a snowman.
I think this is actually their first ever snowman... 
how sad for them...
Zac loved him like a pet and talked to him the whole time I was taking pictures.
"Don't forget to smile Mr. Snowman..." and then he'd chuckle to himself because he thought he was just so witty! 

I love snow.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Musical Monday: Andy Squyres - Cherry Blossoms

This is Andy Squyres, singing with his oldest daughter. 
Makes me turn to mush.
Love everything about this song.

Friday, January 20, 2012

28 Before 28

As promised, here are are my 28 goals to complete before I turn 28!


1. Twelve date nights (1 per month)
2. Complete house updates
3. Watch less TV
4. Crochet 2 things
5. Do weekly crafts with the boys (at least)
6. Complete one soduko puzzle
7. More outdoor family fun
8. Sell our house
9. Knit a sweater
10. Learn to hand dye yarn
11. Learn to use camera manually
12. Reduce our carbon footprint
13. Finish reading my bible (a poorly executed goal from 2011)
14. Scrapbook
15. Be able to run 5K
16. Make a (vintage) pillowcase top
17. Stay on top of cleanup
18. Wear more dresses
19. Learn to play guitar
20. Homemade Christmas
21 Stick to budget
22. Sew a pretty dress
23. Embroider something
24. Buy less pre-packaged/processed foods; eat more whole grains
25. Learn to shoot a gun (does this make me sound a tad freaky??)
26. Ride a snowmobile
27. Help Eli conquer his fear of the toilet
28. Do something that scares me

Have you ever set a goal list to complete before your next birthday? Last year I did a 27 by 27 list and was able to check almost everything off it within my 365 day deadline.
I do so love setting goals... makes me feel amazing whenever I complete them!!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Happy Birthday!

It's my birthday today!
So hard to believe that I'm 27... I still feel like I'm 17 at most. 
I plan on taking it as easy as possible today and spoiling myself by taking entertainment short cuts with the boys. We hit up a play group this morning and then bought something for lunch. This afternoon I'm thinking I may let them paint or set them up with the play doh, which will provide hours of effortless entertainment!
I'm working on finishing up my 28 goals to complete by 28 and hope to post them later today or tomorrow.
Hope you have an enjoyable day!!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

A Knit Giraffe

Do you ever complete a project that you're super proud or excited about?
The kind of project that makes you beam with pride and then send everyone you know pictures of said project? And then post them on your facebook because you're just not sure everyone has seen your super awesome project yet?
...yep...
I just did one of those projects...
A friends is having a baby and I wanted to make her something... I wanted to knit her something!
And I totally did!
What makes this project so wonderfully exciting you ask? Well, I had to use not two, no not even three but four needles at a time!
That's right, this project required the use of 4 double pointed needles (or "DPN's" for us cool kids "in the know") and I did it!!
I'm suuuuuper pumped with how it turned out, I can't wait to do another.

The "Not So Itty Bitty Giraffe" pattern can be found in this book.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Birthday Wishlist

My birthday is this week.
Normally I shy away from sharing my birthday (nothing to do with age issues though... just cuz I guess) and am more then comfortable letting the day pass with little more then a high five in my direction but this year I have decided to fully embrace the day.

In the spirit of embracing turning a year older I even put together a bit of a wishlist and thought I'd share!

1. I Love this dress



2. I would die for this camera lense



3. A subscription to this megazine




4. The Zutter Bind it All






5. A new knitting bag...
I love this one
Photo of Laguna Handbag

or this one
Photo of the Mini Messenger
both can be found here.

What kinds of things are on your wishlist?

Monday, January 16, 2012

Musical Monday: Agnes Obel - Just So

I really wasn't sure about Agnes Obel the first time I heard her.
I've since decided that I quite like her.
I quite like her, a lot actually...

Happy Monday!


Friday, January 13, 2012

A Day In Photos

(prepare for photo overload!) 





















The photos stopped pretty abruptly once the boys went down, but to be honest, so did my day. 
I knit while watching Pan Am and then went to bed. 
What is a typical day like for you?

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Magnets

I am not a fan of magnets on our refrigerator. 
A slightly odd thing to have a hatred for, I will admit, but I find most of them to be remarkably ugly. 
Our family has always given out family pictures with our Christmas cards so this year I decided it was high time to beautify our magnet situation.
 I picked up some magnet sheets from walmart and cut pieces to fit directly on the back of all the pictures we already had on the fridge and the new ones to be added this year. Then all I had to do was take off the backing on the magnet sheets, press the photos in place and voila! 
Instant magnets that are so much lovelier to look at then any Remax realtor could ever hope for!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Parenting

Parenting is a hard and thankless job.
I think as parents/mothers we tend to set intensely high standards and expectations that no one can live up to, especially ourselves.
I have a list of expectations for myself as a mother.
I know the kind of mother I want to be and the mother I want my boys to remember and I often feel I fall short of the high bar I have set.
I love my boys an indescribable amount, as I'm sure any parent will say about their kids, but man-oh man, can they be pains!
We are currently really struggling with Eli.
He can be a difficult and strong willed child, which makes discipline so hard.
My boys are pretty much exact opposites which makes life interesting, but also chaotic. 
What worked for Zac never works for Eli and vice versa.

They have worn me into the ground the last few weeks. 
Neither of them are listening and discipline has become a lost art. It seems nothing I do works, they just refuse to listen.
I'm hoping it's just a phase... and if it is I'm getting impatient waiting for it to end...
All these doubting thoughts about my ability to parent have made me wonder, as parents are we ever really satisfied with the job we are doing? Do we ever do enough?
And if we do, will we ever see it?

**pictures are from a visit to a fire station with my father in law, they had such fun!**

Monday, January 9, 2012

Musical Monday: Tim Halperin - The Last Song, Acoustic Sessions

I could listen to this song over and over and still not get sick of it.
I have listened to this song over and over and I'm no where near sick of it...
Love it.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Things I'm Loving

Today I thought I'd let you see the world through my eyes a bit... 
You're just so darn lucky sometimes!!

Here a few things that I'm particularly enjoying these days...
1. Baking with my boys
 
 2. Our White Christmas Tree. I haven't taken it down yet and am honestly in no hurry to do so... this weekend perhaps.
 3. Candy Cane Hershey Kisses, I wait for these babies all year long.
 4. Snow!!! While I'd love a good dumping of the stuff I'll take a light dusting.
 5. Nail Polish!
 6. Doilies!!! My mom gave me a stash at Christmas and I stair at them everyday with a dorky smile on my face! LOVE them!
 7. My new slippers
8. My boys freaky obsession with all things superhero.

What's making you smile?

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

2012 Goals

As I mentioned, our New Year's eve, evening, was spent pretty low key. 
I'm still battling a nasty bug so the idea of going out or spending the night anywhere but on my own couch was pretty unappealing.

We poured glasses of wine for each other (my mister also made something up that was bit more "manly") made some mozza sticks, ate some fresh bread and tried to finish all our Christmas chocolate. 
We watched Water for Elephants (such a good man I married!) and then watched the ball drop while going from the TV to our windows to see the fire works.
I also tried to master knitting with Double Pointed Needles... that was a bit of a fail I'm sad to report...
It was nice and just our style.

I'm not exactly one for New Year's resolutions, but I tend to set goals. Perhaps they are one in the same, but to me they feel different. 
This year my goals are pretty general, but I think that's the key to actually completing them, not to box yourself in...
1. To be more Active
2. To be more Creative
3. To make more Me time.
4. To be more Positive
5. To have FUN!

Did you set any New Year's Goals or resolutions? I'd love to hear all about them!