Abbow-Mama-Nono-Bye

Bear is talking more and more every day. As he acquires new words he uses them in a variety of contexts, presumably trying to narrow down what the word actually means. For example, he learned ‘abbow’ (apple) and now applies the word to all food items—both solid and liquid.
Bear: “Abbow!” [pointing to the box of crackers]
Me: “Do you want an apple [pointing] or a cracker [pointing]?”
“Abbow!” [grabbing his sippy cup and taking a drink]
“Did you just want a drink?”
“Abbow!” [dropping cup and running down the hall]
It used to be “mama” which meant both mommy and nursing, as well as any other food he wanted. Thankfully now ‘mama’ is only me. Well, ok, sometimes ‘mama’ means daddy too. Or grandma.

He has also been learning about ‘no.’ In his vocabulary, it is not a retort or an angry word, it is more an explanation. For example, the other night I came around the corner to find Bear with a handful of everyone’s toothbrushes. He saw me coming, grinned, and held out all the toothbrushes and said “no no no!” As in, “yes mommy, I know I should not be playing with these!” He does the same thing with the remote control.

“Buh-bye” means ‘goodbye,’ ‘goodnight,’ and sometimes ‘I can’t see it’ (usually followed by “[peek-a]-Boo!”) It also sounds dangerously close to “buh-buh” which is ‘diaper’ (or sometimes ‘bottom’).

I love kids.

8-8-08

Today is 8-8-08, the beginning of the Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

They say the date has to do with 8 being a lucky number in Chinese tradition...that's all well and good, but I have my own theory. After all, some countries write dates in month-day-year format, and others use day-month-year format...so if one chooses the date of 8-8, well, there's no confusion, and everybody shows up on the right day, no matter where they're from!

(these characters are the mascots of the Olympics)

My in laws are in Beijing right now teaching English at a women's college (and also working with humanitarian projects doing things like delivering wheelchairs and building school libraries). They are working as volunteers in the Olympic village--I believe they said they're working at the water polo venue, probably doing all of the non-glamorous things like sweeping and cleaning bathrooms. But they are THERE!
They said that Beijing is a dirty polluted city, but that in the year they have been there, they have seen an amazing transformation--the government has put millions of dollars into beautifying Beijing, including such drastic measures as planting fully grown trees along major streets! My in laws (who are certified master gardeners) commented that the trees were too large to transplant and probably will die next year...but hey, it looks good for now!

Family Travel Log

Some folks collect postcards, or spoons. We collect magnets. And yes, we usually have them in use to hold stuff up. This arrangment was for photographic purposes only.

from top right: Oregon Coast, USS Arizona Memorial Monument (Hawaii), Mount St Helens (Washington), Seattle/Space Needle (where Hubby proposed).
second row: Zions National Park (Utah), Mesa Verde NP (Colorado), Yellowstone NP (Wyoming), Redwoods NP (California), Jade City (British Columbia)(that's the little green B.C. shaped one), Arches NP (Utah).
third row: Olympic Rainforest NP (Washington), Bryce Canyon NP (Utah), (yellowstone, redwoods), Yosemite NP (California), Crater Lake NP (Oregon).
fourth row: Stanley Lake (Idaho), Maligne Lake, Jasper NP (Alberta).
fifth row: Norway (flag), Jackson Hole/Grand Teton NP (Wyoming), Payto Lake, Banff NP (Alberta), Canyonlands NP (Utah), Mendenhall Glacier (Alaska), Glacier NP (Montana).
bottom row: Moraine Lake (Banff NP, Alberta--one of the most beautiful places on earth), Capitol Reef NP (Utah), San Diego Zoo (California), Trinity College Library (Dublin, Ireland), Yukon Territory (it's a gold mining pan).

Obviously we have not gotten very far east yet. That is planned for coming years. But I thought I'd share the fridge so far...and additional magnets will need to be photographed separately because if I add any more to this setup you won't be able to see them at all! (Let me know if you'd like to see a closeup of any particular one!)

Prayer is so Cool!

Last night I took Bear to knitting circle with me as I usually do. Our knitting circle is held at the library (for those of you who've never seen it, the Pelican Public Library is about 1000 square feet, and has a nice little children's section with toys for small ones like Bear). It's roughly the equivalent of two blocks to the library from our apartment, so I held Bear's hand and let him walk (rather than putting him in the carrier). This means he wore shoes.
[cue ominous music...]
We ladies were chatting away and Bear was playing happily when I noticed one of his shoes sitting on the floor near me. No worries, I just set it on the table next to my yarn. A minute later someone said "oh, he's taking off the other shoe" and again I didn't worry, figuring he'd leave it right there on the floor...only he didn't.
When the time came to go, I went to get the second shoe and it was nowhere to be seen. I crawled literally through the entire library looking under shelves and behind chairs trying to find it. We checked through everyone's knitting bags to see if he'd dropped it in there. (Bear, not to be left out, got on his hands and knees and peered under shelves with us. When I asked him if he knew where his shoe was he said "shooo!" and ran and grabbed the one from the table!) 20 minutes of hunting yielded no shoe, and I was literally out of places to look. So I did what I should have done in the first place: I sat down and whispered up a prayer for help. Then I sat very still and tried to open my mind for answers. I re-searched in several places I'd already been, but at one point I sat up (rather than crouching over) and out of the corner of my eye, there it was: tucked into the upper part of a folded folding chair which was stacked by the wall in the corner by the copy machine. This was a place where it could have gone unnoticed for months or years (the extra chairs are rarely used).
Thank You Heavenly Father! I know that prayers are always answered, but it's always a nice little spiritual boost to have an immediate and obvious answer like that!

Caring for Cloth Pads

Several commenters asked about some more specifics on caring for cloth pads... I apologize for taking so long in responding to this.
First of all, if you happen to use cloth diapers, you can throw the pads in with them and wash them in the same ways. Simple!
For those who don't have a cloth diapered heiny in the house, I'll run through the basics of cloth menstrual pad care. There are several basic parts (numbered), and several extra, optional steps (in italics)...so feel free to use these recommendations as you prefer.
1--after use, I rinse the pad out in the sink with hot or warm water, then place soiled pads in cold water in a container with a lid. Most women keep a small tupperware or ceramic pot under the sink or on the back of the toilet. So long as it has a lid, it will not smell. (Some ladies like to put tea tree oil, lavender essential oil, hydrogen peroxide, oxy clean, vinegar, or a little soap in with the water.) If you are out and about, just put the pad in a waterproof bag or pouch, and put it in the water when you get home.
2--refresh water once a day to prevent odor.
3--wash on hot (some ladies swear it has to be cold to prevent staining, but I have never had problems), rinse at any temperature, dry in drier (or hang dry). Do not use any type of fabric softener.
4--if, somehow, something did get stained, let it soak in hydrogen peroxide or oxy-clean for a few hours. It'll come out (at least, it always has for me!)

Pretty simple, huh?

A while ago I saw a pattern for a washable knitted tampon. It was brilliant--it rolled up for use, unrolled for washing, and was knit in pretty cotton colors. I am thinking of doing some experimenting to try to create some for my shop, but I am in no hurry. I (like many others who prefer internal menstrual protection), have a menstrual cup. (I like the diva cup, though there are several brands out there.) I'll write about cups sometime soon.

Last Meals

What's your favorite food or meal? And can you post a recipe of it?

I read an article a few months ago about last meals. The author commented that there are two kinds of people who spend any time thinking about what they want for their final meal: prisoners on death row, and chefs. He then went on to write an interesting article about how almost everyone he interviewed chose some sort of comfort food as their perfect (or final) meal.
The article got me thinking--if I knew I were going to die tomorrow, what would I want for dinner tonight? It didn't take me very long to figure it out:
Grilled chicken alfredo with bacon, tomatoes, artichokes, garlic and peas.
I guess I'll have to post a recipe on my cooking blog, although it's just a simple homemade alfredo sauce with lots of things thrown in. I would say that the simplicity and ease of it is part of why I like it, except that when I'm at a restaurant with a menu full of elaborate options (none of which I have to make) I STILL almost always end up ordering something like it.
I also adore apple pie, *cardamom bread, homemade fruit smoothies (I think strawberry-peach is my favorite), and those brownies I mentioned the other day.

*cardamom bread is a scandinavian Christmas tradition. I'll post the recipe when it's seasonally applicable.

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

What's your favorite animal? I'm generally fond of mammals, especially the pretty predators...wolves, bears, leopards...if you want me to pick one specific animal to adore though, then without question it's my doggie, Koira.
What's your favorite fiction book? (or top 2-3, if you can't pick one) see below
What music do you like listening to? as a genre, I generally prefer mainstream 'contemporary christian,' and I'm also fond of Broadway soundtracks (except for Rogers and Hammerstein which I strongly dislike)...but beyond that, see below for specifics


Months ago I had the idea that I would list off my ‘top ten’ in a few areas...books, movies, songs, etc., but that is harder than it seems. In some areas many options come to mind, in others, I can only think of a few…thus my lists don’t have a finite number of entries, but these are a few of my favorite things. Consider it a work on progress!
Even without parameters (such as coming up with a certain number of entries per category) it’s really hard to try to create lists of my favorites…different things have been significant at different time of my life, and I may have forgotten negative aspects of this movie or that book…but I am going to give this my best shot anyway. I think it’s very telling about a person to see what media they choose and recommend. The entries on these lists are not in any particular order. I’m not trying to say that one is better than another per se, just that these are my favorites…in the movies, for example, some are childhood favorites, while others are more adult…apples to oranges love, you can’t really put that in order. ☺
In creating lists of my favorite things, I have been thinking about WHY I like a thing. What are my criteria? Well, I like a well told story. I like a beautiful dance. I like things that make me think, and things that make me remember. I like things that help me forget. And I like things that make me laugh.
So, without further ado, another brief glimpse into my psyche...

MOVIES
I Am Sam
The Dark Crystal
Life is Beautiful
Newsies
The Fellowship of the Ring (not the whole trilogy, just the first film)
Dead Poets Society
Hoodwinked

PLAYS/MUSICALS
Les Miserables
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Jekyll & Hyde by Bricusse & Wildhorne
The Man of La Mancha
Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespear
Othello by Shakespeare

ACTORS AND ACTRESSES (in other words, if they're in it, I probably want to watch it)
Katherine Hepburn
Nicholas Cage
Robin Williams
Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers (together, obviously!)
Johnny Depp (unless it's a Tim Burton movie, as I dislike most Burton stuff)
Sean Connery (usually)

NONFICTION BOOKS (scripture is assumed, and so not listed)
Birthing From Within by Pam Englund (pregnancy, birth, fertility, working through issues)
Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler (fertility)
Luna Yoga by Adelheid Ohlig (getting in touch with your reproductive/fertile side)
Raising Your Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka (parenting)
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (nutrition + a cookbook)
The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley (attachment parenting)
Fascinating Womanhood by Helen Andelin (marriage)

FICTION BOOKS
The Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis
Phantom by Susan Kay (an adult book, but oh so riveting!)
The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis
Many Moons by James Thurber (children's book)
The Giver by Lois Lowry

POEMS
Ozymandius by Percy Bysse Shelly
The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe
Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

AUTHORS/POETS
Shakespeare (duh!)
CS Lewis
The Apostle Paul
Oscar Wilde
John Donne

CREATORS OF MUSIC
Andrea Bocelli (singer)
Grieg (composer)
Enya (composer, musician, singer)
Howard Shore (composer--wrote the music for "The Lord of the Rings")
The Indigo Girls (composers, singers--I love the tight harmonies, counterpoints, and intelligent cultural references)
Michael W Smith (composer, singer)

HYMNS
Be Still My Soul
Teach Me to Walk in the Light
All Creatures of Our God and King
Nearer My God to Thee
How Great Thou Art
I Believe in Christ

CLASSICAL PIECES
Bolaro by Ravel
Canon in D by Pachelbel
18th Variation (on a theme by Paganini) by Rachmaninoff

Inside My Weird Little Mind

What's the first thing you check on the computer after you turn it on?
I open several windows at once: usually blogger, email, and the NaturalLDSLiving forums. Sometimes etsy too, especially if I'm in the middle of a custom order or something like that. It's very rare for me to only have one window open at a time.

What are 3 of your pet peeves?
*Rude smokers
*People who complain a lot, or who ask for advice but then refuse to follow it
*Calling the facilities "the bathroom." Really, I'm not going in there to take a bath and we all know it! In Canada they call it a "washroom." I guess that's a step up, because I will be washing in there...but first I'm going to relieve myself. I appreciate that calling it "the pooroom" feels rude, even if it's accurate, but surely there must be a better option than BATHroom?! The British sensibly call it a "Loo" and I'm partial to that term myself--it's short and simple without any hoity toity pretences. In France and most of the rest of Europe they just face facts and call it "The Toilet." (Hey Kate or Lynnette, what do they call it Down Under?)

What's your favorite thing to splurge on?
Define 'splurge.' In college it was buying myself a $2 bottle of nail polish. Until we moved out here it was getting a (virgin) daquari and dessert when we went out to dinner. Right now it's probably making (and eating) far too many of my favorite brownies. There's not much to buy here!

What's your least favorite chore?
Oh man, that's so easy: cleaning the toilet. I HATE cleaning the toilet. Is there anyone who doesn't hate cleaning the toilet?! I also dispise dusting. I get tired of doing dishes and sometimes of doing laundry, but I don't hate them the way I do dusting and toilets.
I'm surprised you didn't ask my favorite chore! That's at least as interesting! I love sweeping! I like it because I can see the pile of dirt (and dog hair) and I can see that I'm accomplishing something. I also may or may not have been known to enjoy certain mending projects...

Talents and Skills

What do you consider your talents to be?
I definitely have a knack with hair--I've always had mine pretty long, and I've been able to do lots of interesting things with it.
I think I have a gift with sewing and design--I am able to look at a pattern and a bolt of fabric and visualize what it will look like when it's all sewn up. I am able to make alterations and 'frankenpatterns' by combining the elements from multiple patterns to create what I want.
I have a good singing voice, although it hasn't been used to its potential in some time.
I am a good dancer (with a preference for ballroom) but again, I haven't done much with that since college. I do miss dancing a lot.

What do you think is your biggest weakness?
I'm hyper-critical--both of myself and of others. I usually keep my mouth shut about the other people, but my perfectionism about myself can get ugly.

What do you think is your greatest strength?
I'm very loyal to the people I love. I also have a lot of faith and optimism--I get down sometimes but even then I usually seem to be able to see the bigger picture and all that.

If you could learn any one skill right this very instant, what would it be?
Uhhhhh....teleportation?!
Really, if I want to learn something, I usually just get to work and learn it. I sew, knit, quilt, do hair, cook, bake pies, decorate cakes, can fruit, dance, sing, read music, play with kids, type really fast, act in plays, write stuff that isn't too dull... Off the top of my head, I can only think of one thing I kinda want to learn better, and that's piano. I know the how of it, I just haven't put the time into it to get very good. I'm a slow one-finger-player.

This is Not a Credit Card Ad

1 moby wrap

$35


materials for 2 ring slings
$28


fabric for 1 pouch
$7
(ears $3)


materials for 1 structured carrier
$31

1 Bernina 1008 sewing machine
$598 (on sale!)


wearing my baby everywhere
priceless


There are some things money can't buy...
...for everything else, well, this isn't a credit card ad, but I couldn't pass up the format for a chance to talk about something that I find truly priceless.