Knitting Zeal

Food for thought

So with the wee one napping and my new laptop mysteriously missing--ok not yet delivered by DHL!!--I decided to bake up some dessert.  A friend had given me three enormous peaches last week and they were just waiting to be put into good use.  I did a quick search on Epicurious for peach desserts, but in the end made an old standby/favorite, peach crisp.  This time I added some dark sweet cherries that I bought frozen from Trader Joe's a bit ago.  It smells incredible and hopefully will make it until Chris gets home to enjoy it too!

I have been craving shrimp fajitas, so I have some peeled shrimp marinating right now for tonight's dinner.  I hate green peppers, so I usually just cook the protein with onions all in Penzey's fajitas marinade.  Very tasty!  Along with some black beans and possibly corn bread, we'll be set with a good dinner for tonight.  Last night I made a turkey and mushroom lasagna that gave us enough for lunches and another meal, so half of it is now frozen. 

I am currently trying to pick out some good books for Andrew's home library.  He received a very generous gift card to the bookstore for his baptism and I want to get books that will be good now and a few for the future.  I have been reading forums on Goodreads to see what other's recommend and have developed a short list of books to check out for him.  The only two books I definitely want to get him are the very hungry Caterpillar and one of the Skippy Jon Jones board books--that Siamese kitty is so cute and funny.  I'm up for recommendations if you or your kids had a favorite. 

Ooo, DHL just arrived.  Off to play with the new toy!

It's all fun and games until the hard drive fails.

Sunday morning we discovered, after a bit of tech support and diagnostic testing, that our hard drive had failed.  As in not working.  Which meant we couldn't access ANYTHING on the computer.  It also meant that we potentially lost all of Andrew's baby photos, since we are idiots and did not back them up since January.  It was frustrating and I was determined to not freak out too much until we could have the hard drive evaluated to see if any data was salvagable.  Luckily, the geek squad rescued all of our data and saved it on our external hard drive, the one we failed to back up on previously.  So a good lesson learned the hard way.  Back up your hard drive--do it now!  

In researching places that retrieve data from hard drives we discovered that some places charge upwards to $1500.  Fifteen hundred dollars!  Thankfully we didn't need to much done and it only cost about $100, but for a while I was wondering just how valuable those photos were.  I imagined my conversation with Andrew in 17 years when he decideds he wants to go to college and we tell him no, I'm sorry, mommy used your college fund to recover the thousands of baby pictures she took of you because the computer died on us.  Here's a flowbee and a shingle--start cutting hair buddy.  (Our ongoing joke with each other is that college will be so costly by the time Andrew is of age that we will end up only being able to afford to buy him a pair of scissors and a flowbee so that he can be a barber.  Not to dis the haircutters of the world, we couldn't live without them.) 

So computerless life was odd.  I use our computer for way too many things--besides email and blogging I pay most of our bills online, manage our banking, have my entire address book on outlook, plan our social life and parties in word, etc.  So thankfully we were able to get a replacement rather quickly.  Dell customer service is wonderful and within three days we had our custom built system up and running.  It came with Vista, which I am still learning about.  So far it is interesting.  The monitor is too wide and pictures all look stretched out.  I'm sure there is a way to fix the display, but I haven't figured that out yet.  

This weekend is my nephew's fourth birthday party.  It will be fun to see Andrew try to play with the other kids.  The last birthday party was in February and he was too small to appreciate it. He can even eat some cake this time.  Four years ago when my nephew was born we were in Disney World on vacation.  It was the time we got "stuck" in Disney because of hurricane Francis and they closed the Orlando airports.  We got to watch the hurricane from the inside and thankfully had no other problems. The day the park reopened we went to the Magic Kingdom, since it was our last day and we had park passes left.  It was the first time the place did not seem magical to me.  There were official employees everywhere inspecting rides and the damage from the winds.  We even got stuck on Splash Mountain because it was overfilled with water.  Someday Andrew will get to experience the mouse, but not for a while.

Have a fun weekend!

Andrew's Sunday excitement

He may be ten months old and almost walking, but he was the cutest boy baptized at his daddy's church yesterday morning.  Despite the service being during morning nap time, he was a trooper and gleefully shouted out at the appropriate moments, such as at the conclusion of the sermon.

The hat lasted approximately eight minutes. 

After the service while we were waiting to have photos taken, Andrew was fascinated with the water--it was the tiniest bathtub or pool he ever saw. 

Later all of the cousins visited and our house became quite lively.  A prelude to Andrew's birthday party in six weeks, I suppose.  The food was good, the cake was yummy, and despite lack of napping on all our parts, it was a nice day. 

Andrew even got to enjoy some of his own cake. 

Chip smashing

chip smasher from Diane S on Vimeo.

Andrew, or "Baby Destructo" as we've now tagged him, has been busy redecorating the house.  Since he is at perfect eye level for many of the bookshelves, he spends much of his waking hours pulling out all of the psychology and cookbooks that he can find, along with his own shelf in his room.  He pulls them out, and I replace them.  Do I have a librarian in my future?  He enjoys turning book pages now too.  Before long he'll be making reading requests. 

Another favorite activity has been stair climbing.  It wears him out for his naps.  He has become quite agile and gets upstair quickly.  Now we need to work on the down part that isn't head first. 

Happy Blogiversary

My blog is officially four years old.  I am surprised at how long I've been keeping this up, since any other form of journal I've started never lasted quite this long.  To think it all started with one small post and the secret pal project when I met Julie and Karrie. 

Since this started as a knitting blog, it is only fitting that I have knitting content here.  I finished two of the three baby blankets I've been working on:  one for the soon to arrive JJ and one for baby twin girl Lilly.  Now if I can get cracking on baby boy Anthony's I can safely move onto one of the many Andrew projects.  JJ's blanket is posted on Ravelry already.  I still have to weave in Lilly's blanket ends and photograph it, so I'll post more on that later.  Maybe now I can finally finish a pair of socks, since it seems my sister won't be producing anyone new and my SIL's next adoption isn't scheduled to occur until next summer. 

diaper cake

I've been on a mad rush to knit up a quick baby blanket for a baby shower for next weekend.  My SIL has been in the process of adoption for years and finally thinks that within three weeks she'll have her first baby home from Guatemala.  So, her SILs are throwing her a baby shower rather quickly--I just found out about it this week.  While the twins blankets are still in process, they can't really use them just now because a: it is stinking hot here and b: they are too little/young at the moment.  I am very close to finishing them, though.  I decided that Baby JJ needs his blankie sooner, since he is about 8 months old and could enjoy it now...in air conditioned rooms.  For the shower I went a bit overboard in shopping.  Not having to be the one to plan/host it makes it much easier to make fun gifts.  I hit my favorite shop for boys clothing yesterday with Andrew and bought some cute pjs and a matching onesie/sock combo. I also made a diaper cake.  My sister had made me one for Andrew, and it was so cool, that I had to try it.  I went overboard and spent too much money, but I wanted to include all of the things that I needed for Andrew but didn't have and ended up running to Target for repeatedly.  (not that making a trip to Target is ever a bad thing!) Included, besides a ton of diapers, are teether's, a toothbrush/paste set, first aid kit for the baby bag, ice pack for boo-boos, baby tylenol, shampoo, hand germ killer, some of Andrew's favorite book titles, a bib, a lullaby cd, and Pooh bear.  I think she'll have fun taking it all apart.  Andrew enjoyed helping make it and even "tasted" some of the diapers for JJ to make sure they were ok. 

Andrew and I went to a neighborhood park this afternoon.  I've been walking him there since he was born and it is usually not busy.  Today it was packed with day campers.  We spent some time on a swing, but most of the playground equipment was too hot from the sun. 

Happy Friday!

Canoli and naked chocolate

Since Chris was on vacation this week I was able to take a day to travel into Philadelphia via regional rail with a friend who was also without child to explore some new and favorite places in the city.   The Comcast Center is a brand new office building with a new marketplace in the "basement" that I have heard about frequently from my husband, who tells me about walking by the Termini Bros bakery every day on his way to the train.  When I ask "where is my canoli?" of him each time he mentions it, he just shrugs his shoulders.  So, I was determined to get a canoli.  We did briefly pause in the lobby of the building to see the gianormous wall of TV screen that projects some beautiful images for a bit.  It was quite clever.  Here is a video of the screens at the building opening. 

 

So we ordered one canoli to share, and watched as the bakery chick filled our canoli fresh with a ricotta and chocolate chip creamy mixture.  It was as amazing as I anticipated. 

Next on our stop was a walk over to Walnut Street to "have lunch" at the Naked Chocolate Cafe.  I had been there once last summer when I was pregnant, but this time not having a baby kicking internally made it a bit more pleasant.  We had Aztec Frozen Hot Chocolate drinks, which was like a giagantic frozen chocolate slushie with cinnamon and nutmeg.  So yummy.  We shared a black forrest cupcake (my favorite!) and a raspberry bar.  On a sugar high, we walked back up Walnut to LUSH, a favorite bath/body products shop.  I was good and only purchased a shampoo bar and one bath bubble bar.  It was fun smelling everything.  The one sales chick was extremely annoying, but apparently she was in training for the Houston store, so we won't have to deal with her again in Philly. 

Then we explored the big beautiful Williams-Sonoma Store on Walnut and I drooled over the cool cupcake cake pan and other baking supplies.  In the end, I decided the cupcake cake would be too small for Andrew's birthday party.  I have their beehive cake, which is a similar size, and it makes a small cake--ok, not that small, but it just serves the family when all are over. 

On our way home we stopped at our local Trader Joe's to pick up pizza dough.  I made a yummy Thai pizza that night for dinner.

Belly dancing, wine, and bad pick up lines...

Mommy’s night out led us to Casablanca. Not the Moroccan city, but the restaurant in the suburbs.  It is a BYOB establishment, so BYOB we did.  It’s been a long time since I enjoyed wine, pre pregnancy I think, so it was a good night.  I think that night was the most fun I’ve had with girlfriends since college.  The food was delicious and I think we all enjoyed just about everything served.  My favorites were the bastilla, the carrot salad, and the lamb with honey and almonds.  But besides the food, there were the funny conversations. The hilarity started with our conversation being overheard by a quad of high schoolers.  We thought it was odd that HS kids would be out at a restaurant like this, since it wasn’t exactly cheap, but apparently the son of the CEO of an expensive crafter’s light that starts with O and ends with TT can afford to take his friends out to eat fancy Moroccan food.  These two very young boys (I think they were possibly 14 or 15) popped over to our table and joined in our conversation, which I believe was at that moment about someone’s pre-teen son having pubes and the shock that their baby was growing up.  I suppose they were more interested in checking out our cleavage and I’m sure they went home with quite a story concocted to tell their friends.  Besides the obnoxious little boys, we also had fun learning to belly dance a bit and chatted up the dancer, who was very nice and offered to teach us at her studio.  Apparently our dancing was seductive enough for the possible future mayor of Lansdale to come over to us to chat.  His opening line was “I hear you crochet?”  Turns out he had been questioning the belly dancer who told him that we were crocheters, which wasn’t exactly true, but close. One of his dinner mates mentioned to us that he was single and looking.  We let her know that we were not.  He was very nice and a conversation about wine making ensued.  On the way out of the place, we saw the father/CEO waiting to drive his cherubs home.  He was in possibly the largest Hummer I’ve ever seen.  I guess he isn’t worried about fossil fuels.  His face looked botox-ed and he actually flirted a bit with us.  Like father like son??  It was a hoot.  Now if only we thought to ask for some free products!!

Twinness

My sister has once again successfully produced human life, this time in the form of surprise twins.  They are super cute and very healthy.  I got to visit them yesterday briefly and hold each of them.  I already forgot how tiny and light a newborn feels, especially after hefting my 21 lb baby around everyday.  This is my favorite photo of them so far.   I can almost hear Lilly thinking, "I am so going to poke you hard Anthony for all those months of squishing me in the corner of the uterus.  I am woman, hear me roar!" Her little smile is adorable and his look is the typical boy look--don't bother me, I'm sleeping.  She was 6 lbs, 10 oz and he was 7 lbs, 12 oz.  Not bad for only 37 weeks.  We grow them big in this family. 

Andrew came to the hospital with me, but they wouldn't let him in to see the babies.  He doesn't know it yet, but next summer will be a lot of fun for him and the twins, since they will be so close in age and able to get into trouble with each other.

I need to get cracking on their baby blankets.  I am halfway through his and maybe a quarter of the way with hers.  I had to replace the size 17 needle I was using for hers because the one I had apparently chipped on the join with the cable and kept snagging the yarn.  I was lucky to find a replacement one at AC Moore.  I so rarely use a US 17 circular that I couldn't justify buying an Addi Turbo this time.  Plus, with my coupon, I paid less than $4! 

Andrew and I went to the local store that sells big giant sizes of everything to stock up on more formula and to get gas.  How sad is it that I was excited to only pay $3.93 today for a gallon of gas?  The last time I was there it was five cents more a gallon.  I have no idea what kind of gas it is, but it is the cheapest in the area, so it works for my honda just fine.  Andrew's latest accomplishment today is roaring and screaming for kicks.  He sits in his car seat and just screams repeately with a smile on his face.  I think he is either testing his vocal cords or my patience.  I ignore it as best I can, but sometimes he just makes me laugh.  As we walked around the nice cold store (it is freaking hot outside here, so a place with icy cold AC was great) he roared.  He doesn't watch TV shows or videos to pick up weird sounds, so this must just be an innate boy sound.  At one point an elderly man turned to him and asked him if he was roaring at him.  Andrew then pulled the bashful act and tried to hide.  It was amusing.  His little personality is really showing now.  He is very adventurous and tries to climb and move in ways his body isn't capable of yet, but his mind wants to try.  Bumps and little bruises do not seem to hinder his attempts.  I can't wait until he walks.  We thought life was over once he learned to crawl, but I see much running in my future.

An afternoon swim, with an unexpected visitor

Yesterday afternoon was beautiful outside.  Hot but not humid.  After Andrew's very long nap, he was rewarded with a dip in his baby pool.  Chris captured it on video, and I managed to snap this cute photo of him chewing on a mini shovel.  It was a nice and quiet afternoon.  We have a fairly private yard and can sometimes hear our neighbors, but not see them.  I suddenly heard a man talking in our next door neighbor's yard.  I thought it was maybe the guy who lives across the street, for his accent was definitely Philly style and not our neighbor, who speaks with a heavy European accent (maybe Russian, not sure.)  Suddenly there is a huge German Shepherd in our yard on a long leash.  (There is a break in our fence where a panel was broken in a storm and we have yet to replace it since it means replacing the entire fence.)  Attached to the other end of the leash was a local police officer, who was talking into his shoulder.  He did not see us, even though we were sitting on our patio and quite obvious.  I startled him by saying hello.  Apparently I watch too much crime investigation tv, for if we were criminals or dangerous in any way, he would have been done for, in my opinion.  Aren't police officers supposed to always be aware of their surroundings?  Even the dog didn't notice us.  Turns out he was searching for a man and woman who were seen running up our street (we live on a very steep hilly street) who had been involved in a stabbing in a nearby park.  He was trying to get the dog to pick up their scent, but I am sure they didn't enter our yard, since access from the street is limited.  (Although apparently access from the neighbor's yard is easy!  We better look into that fence soon.)  Nothing ever happens in our little suburb of Philadelphia.  The biggest crime is usually DUIs, shoplifting, or zoning violations.  I guess the UM police department were in full action yesterday.  I didn't see the crime mentioned on last night's news, and I hope who ever was the victim is ok.  It certainly made Andrew's first dip in the pool a memorable event!

I posted seedlings a while ago that I was trying to grow indoors.  Let's just say most of them did not make it.  I'm not sure why, but this sunflower is the only one that survived. Two zinnias also made it, but haven't bloomed yet, and I think I still have some small rosemary plants that are growing.  I ended up purchasing basil and a grape tomato plant, all which are doing well.  I have to pick up pesto ingredients today so that I can use the basil that needs harvesting. 

Brangelina apparently gave birth to her twins last night.  My sister is still holding out, despite wishing that her babies would evacuate thier current location immediately.  She sent them an eviction notice, but they can't read yet, so they haven't responded.  Let's hope they arrive soon!!

I joined two online social/networking groups recently, mostly out of boredom and curiosity.  Facebook is not as interesting as I expected, but there certainly are a lot of people using it.  There are some fun applications to use and I have connected with a handful of people (mostly knitters!!)  Goodreads has turned out to be very useful.  I received an invite from someone I don't know, but I think is friends with someone I do, to join.  It is a great way to keep track of books and find new titles to read.  I keep discovering books I read a while ago and forgot about. 

Happy Sunday!