Maya's First Gingerbread House

I'm not sure where the idea came from...probably some book that she read. But Maya got it into her head this year that we needed to construct a gingerbread house.

Now I've never done this, and the thought of the effort it was going to take was daunting to say the least. But never fear (a distant trumpet sounds) Sam's Club had these great prefab kits with everything you could possibly need. Well, everything but comprehensive directions.

So after much muddling and winging it. Here it is... the first and possibly only gingerbread house ever to grace our home. Oh, did I mention the net weight is 4 lbs? That's a lot of gingerbread...

Maya's 5th Birthday

The Birthday Princess

Oooo, cake and punch...

Fun, fun for everyone. The party consisted of too many kids, eating too much sugar and given balloons. I think that sums it up. Oh yeah...it was loud. Really, really loud.

Silly Saturdays with Daddy

It all starts out so innocent and loving.

Then the tickling begins...

... and the insanity ensues.


Which involves retaliation of the riding kind.

Until they kill it.

And move on to other more helpless prey.

Can you tell the weather has taken a turn for the worse and we've been house bound all weekend?

Happy Halloween

The best part of getting older is getting to go to multiple parties...

The Local Library with Oma:

School:

Trick or Treat at Meme and Pappy's house with our neighbor:

Fall Field Trip to Metrick's Farm

Maya and her best friend Amber

Looking at the chicken coup

Learning how cider is made

Maya's First Day of Preschool Pictures

No I'm not dead...

...I'm pregnant and working three jobs. Yes, that is why no one has heard from me in months.

As far as the baby it was a total surprise and even bigger surprise - It's a boy. We expect his arrival around February 3rd.

Maya started 3 day preschool in September and is loving it.

Anya is just trying to keep up with her big sister.

I've been working like a fiend.'

And so has Chad.

That out of the way... here are some pictures of the girls enjoying fall.

Somewhere Over the...

Chad snapped this with his phone.

Brag, brag, brag...

May I say that she may be the cutest kid ever? Here she is modeling my latest Etsy creation. A crocheted wool cap.

I feel terrible...

...that I haven't taken the time to post at all lately. The only excuse I have is that I've been so busy. Like "Oh my God it's Thursday again!" busy. (Thursday being the day I teach at school) I spend all my free time making stuff to sell on Etsy, and shipping stuff we've sold, and cleaning, and yard work, and feeding and, and, and... So I get precious little time to just sit in front of the computer and do non business related things.

But please don't think that I'm whining. I'm actually thrilled that things are so busy and crazy. I really don't think I could ever enjoy a life of simplicity...meaning nothing every happens around here. But I do admit I'm looking forward to summer and the end of teaching, and preschool and dance. More mornings to pretend like I might just sit around.

So I promise, really, I'm going to try harder to write more frequently about all the silly things that occur around here. Just to prove it I'll relate the story of Hedgie.

Hedgie is a very small, soft, stuffed hedgehog that Anya got for Easter this year. Just to be silly I stuck it under her shirt. Now, two months later, Hedgie is still riding around under her shirt. She is so proud of her little lump. She runs around patting Hedgie through her shirt and grinning and if he happens to fall out she will frantically run up to me and lift up her shirt so I can stuff him back in there. I can see it now. "My name is Anya, and when I grow up I want to be a kangaroo."

Too cool!

My nephew was born a quadraplegic and has, at the age of 5, already far exceeded what the Dr. ever said he would be able to do! Check out his sled hockey team! My nephew rules!

What am I doing?

I know it's a little late for a New Years resolution, but this isn't really a New Years resolution because no one ever keeps those any ways. This is more of a conscious effort to lessen my families impact on the environment. Here are some ways I am already trying to save energy and money...

1. Attract birds to our yard to work as natural pest control.


2. Use cloth diapers


3. Dry laundry on the clothes line (weather permitting)


4. Bought a more fuel efficient car (my Focus gets twice as many miles to the gallon than my Jeep did)


5. Buy energy saving light bulbs


6. Use a motion sensor on outdoor lights


7. Unplug cell phone chargers when not in use


8. Use power strips to shut off your computer when not in use


9. During the heating season, leave shades and blinds open on sunny days, but close them at night to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows. Close shades and blinds during the summer or when the air conditioner is in use or will be in use later in the day.


10. Wash only full loads in your dishwasher, using short cycles.


11. Clean the lint filter in the dryer after each use.


12. Turn off lights when I leave a room.


13. Try to consolidate my trips to the store.


14. Reduce, reuse, recycle


15. Drive the speed limit (this one is the hardest of all!)


16. Wash all the laundry in cold water (except the cloth diapers)
    

And here are the things I'm hoping to implement this year...

1. Buy a new energy star water heater


2. Plant a garden


3. Recycle rainwater from the new shed to water the gardens


4. Replace the upstairs toilet with a low flow


5. Buy an energy star dishwasher when we remodel the kitchen


6. Replace our old heat pump with a more energy efficient model


7. Composting for fertilizer for the garden
   

There are so many other things I would like to be able to do, but some just aren't feasible. I'd love to get a push reel mower but with 2 acres to mow that's not going to happen. It already takes over an hour to mow it all on the riding tractor. We do try to mow the back acre less frequently. We'd also like to buy a hybrid truck for Chad when we get my car paid off. Because of his business he needs a truck, but with two girls, we need one that we all can ride in. Hopefully in a few years they will improve hybrids and we can purchase on that will really save us money. I'd also like to get a solar water heater but I don't think we get enough sun to power it! We've only had maybe 10 sunny days since Christmas!

I'm sure there is more that I'm not thinking of right now... I guess I'll just have to bore you with another post later!

New Photo Remix

Recycling Car Batteries

While trying to find a place to recycle Chad's truck battery, I came across this fantastic site. It's a terrific reference tool and very informative!

Earth 911 Site

Mr Men are Back!!!

Does anyone else remember Mr. Men? I had Roger Hargreaves books on record that we used to listen to on our Mickey Mouse portable record player. You know, the one where Mickey's arm was the needle?

Well, I turned on Cartoon Network this morning for Maya and low and behold...Mr Men. I was refusing to believe the 80's were coming back, but there can be no denying it now.

Along with Mr. Happy and Little Miss Sunshine, all their friends are back, and I think a few new ones...Little Miss Calamity, Little Miss Chatterbox, Little Miss Daredevil, Little Miss Helpfu,l Little Miss Naughty, Little Miss Scary, Little Miss Whoops, Mr. Bounce, Mr. Bump, Mr. Grumpy, Mr. Lazy, Mr. Messy, Mr. Nervous, Mr. Noisy, Mr. Persnickety, Mr. Quiet, Mr. Rude, Mr. Small, Mr. Nosy, Mr. Strong, Mr. Stubborn, Mr. Tickle, and Mr. Scatterbrain.

Anyone?...Anyone?

A big kudo to anyone who can tell me what this plant is. I've had it for years ( and years, and years) and it's never done anything. This winter I dumped it on the sun porch because it takes up too much room.

It is very cold out there, I run the heat just enough to keep the plants from freezing, so obviously it's some sort of winter blooming plant.

Obviously I do best when I leave my plants to die!

Best Sandwich List

Hey check it out, Pittsburgh's Primanti Bros. made the Best Sandwich list featured on my Yahoo front page today. http://www.esquire.com/features/food-drink/sandwiches

As a veghead I have to point out that their best sandwich however is not the Ham and Cheese, but the Two Egg with Cheese!

If you haven't had one of these yet, you haven't lived. And for all you who moved away, there is now a Primanti's in Cranberry where Blue Fella's use to be across from the movie theater. Make sure to check it out next time you're in town.

P.S. Morgan, there's a restaurant featured from Chapel Hill too...

Puppy for Ankhetperue

Anhetperue this is for you...It's a little puppy from Japan. I don't know how to say awwww in Japanese.

A puppy has been born in Japan with a large, clear, heart-shaped pattern in his coat. The Chihuahua was born in May as one of a litter to a breeder. Shop owner Emiko Sakurada said it was the first time a puppy with this mark had been born out of a thousand she had bred. She has no plans to sell the puppy which has been named "Heart-kun". The long-haired, male Chihuahua puppy was born in Odate, northern Japan.

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Yael Naim - New Soul

Mmmmm...happy song that makes you feel good. Yum!




click on the triangle and enjoy

My baby is turning 1!

I can't believe that it's been a year since Anya made her appearance, a week late I might add. I can't imagine life without her. I can only whisper how wonderful she is for fear the gods will hear me and want her back.

Cradle Song

From groves of spice,
O'er fields of rice,
Athwart the lotus-stream,
I bring for you,
Aglint with dew,
A little lovely dream.

Sweet, shut your eyes,
The wild fire-flies
Dance through the fairy neem;
From the poppy-bole
For you I stole
A little lovely dream.

Dear eyes, good night,
In golden light
The stars around you gleam;
On you I Press
With soft caress
A little lovely dream.

- Sarojini Naidu

Hey, I did something...

While it's not really blogging, I just posted some new pictures to Maya's Art Blog. Check it out on the side bar...

Yes, I'm not blogging

I know, I suck and I'm BUSY. Hopefully more to come.

Happy New Year's!

Thanks to Kami for this picture which shows just how much I had to drink on New Year's Eve. Cheers!