improvement

Things are looking up around here a bit. I found out last week that I have pretty severe anemia which could explain my general lack of energy. I'm being treated...taking iron and being aware of resting and relaxing, and I'm feeling a bit better. So, maybe my blogging energy will improve.

I received a very nice present last week...thanks Santa! I've been trying to learn to use it and bake all at the same time. I've had a very successful batch of cookies, one semi successful loaf of bread and one more is currently rising.

I've also acquired one very enthusiastic kitchen helper:
When I asked her what she thought she was doing, she replied, "planting seeds for a garden." Duh, Mama...

I would love any recipes for bread that you've all tried and liked. I'd also love to know how I'm supposed to let bread rise in a kitchen that is freezing cold...I've been trying the oven method. You turn on the oven for a minute and then let the dough rise in the warm oven...doesn't seem to be working. But if I'm totally honest, I think my yeast isn't any good anymore...oh well, lots to figure out and perfect, but I'm not giving up yet!

I've also started sprouting. I know a few people who sprout all of the time and I've finally managed to give it a go. So far, so good.
I've been working on my projects. I've hit a little slump, but I'm hoping I'll be able to get back in the swing of things since I'm kind of working with a time restraint.

I have ideas, I'm just having a hard time finding the motivation to get started...maybe I need to start drinking coffee!

Vacation Cont.

I really want to apologize for the lack of enthusiasm in my posts recently...and this one will be no exception. I've been feeling a little run down and I just don't have the energy to put into it. My lack of energy is by no means a reflection of our last week in California. We had a great time - very relaxing in fact. I just wanted to get up some pictures from that last week so that I could get back to more recent events in my next post!

Baking with Grandma Chase (don't worry, they were dog biscuits!)
The Discovery Museum:

Mission Pie...a great pie shop and business...search this place out if you're in San Francisco!

A childhood dream come true...we went to the Mrs. Grossman's factory...when I was younger, I had every intention of owning a sticker store when I grew up, and just seeing all those rolls of stickers was enough to rekindle that old flame! :)

We did go on outings most days, but really we spent a lot of time at Chase and Brian's. They have a great house, and a nice closed in yard with lots of garden beds and chickens! It was nice to relax in the sun, pet the chickens and poke around the gardens...not to mention that a closed in yard takes a lot of stress off of keeping track of a two year old!

It was a really great visit, and we're hoping we'll be able to make the trip again soon...thanks for everything!

I will try to find some enthusiasm for my next blog...actually it's not so much enthusiasm I'm lacking-it's energy. Either way, I've been working on my projects, so I should hopefully have something new to share soon!

The Coast

There really isn't much to say about the drive up the coast except that there was a lot of driving involved.
It was also very cold...cold enough that we didn't have enough clothing with us to stay warm...which made all outdoor activities miserable.

We did get to visit with Claude and Maggie (I guess they're Walter's step Grandparents) for a day and Estella got to see all kinds of animals and torment their sweet dog, Puppers.

We also spent a few chilly minutes at Denis the Menace Park in Monterrey...a really great park for kids to climb and slide and swing but it was just so cold that we didn't stay long.
Next up, San Francisco, Novato and Grandma Chase!

Sorry for the lack of enthusiasm in posting today...it's rainy and cold and Estella has been asking all morning, "Estella go on airplane to California." and I'm sort feeling like asking for the same thing! We're all kind of missing California...we've come home to some harsh realities here and it'd be nice if we could escape back to vacation mode...

Los Angeles & Uncle Mark

We had a really great visit with my brother, Mark (and Attie, too), in LA. He lives in a great house in Los Feliz in LA...not the kind of architecture you'd find in Vermont...so big and roomy!

The weather was gorgeous the whole time we were there...hot and sunny all day! We did a few fun touristy things-using Estella as our excuse...a trip to Travel Town:

And the La Brea Tar Pits and Page Museum:

The tar pits and the museum we so cool! The museum has a ton of skeletons found in the pits and there were also tar pits all around the property...actual bubbling tar that you could walk right up to and touch! Very cool!

We also went for a visit to Vacation:

And right around the corner...we had some frozen yogurt:

I had to include a picture of the yogurt shop, only because it was so not Vermont!

Estella and Attie loved each other! Estella tormented Attie and Attie kept Estella with a face full of dog licks the entire time!

We had a really great couple of days...hopefully it won't be another four years before we make it out again!

Thanks for a great visit, Mark! Hope to see you soon!

a long trip

Well, we're back! There's so much to catch up on that I thought I'd do a couple of different posts to catch up. First things first...Walter graduated!! with Honors, no less :)

We had a really nice weekend with family and fun and being thankful that it was all over with.
And then two days later, we left for California....but didn't quite make it there as planned!

We missed our connecting flight in JFK and ended up spending almost 10 hours in the terminal waiting on standby. Estella managed to get in a 45 minute nap in a quiet corner:

And since we were there all day long we found all of the fun spots to play and hide:

I won't get into all of the details describing just how difficult the day was, but it was very long and frustrating...and to make a long story short, we arrived in LA safe and sound!

And we managed to arrive late enough to avoid most of the traffic!

I'll post more about the trip later, and I'm happy to report that it only got better! For now, we're off to the Farmer's Market!

Pop-unders

Someone please tell me the secret to making Popovers! I've made a few successful batches of Popovers in the past, but I have no idea what recipe I used or why they were successful. Estella constantly asks for them, and I always grab some random recipe off the Internet, and they never work...HELP! There's got to be some secret trick that one of you can share with me...

We went to the Queen City Craft Bazaar today. It's nice to walk around and see all of the work that some local crafters are doing. Maybe some day I'll have the guts (and the stock) to do the show...we'll see.

We also pretty much stayed inside and watched it rain. Estella really wanted to be outside though, so we spent a little time on the porch until it started to rain sideways!
I couldn't resist Estella's cute little wrinkled feet...and she's clutching her Basil plant. The girl is obsessed with Basil in general and this plant is no exception...it ends up inside in random places, and she throws an incredible fit whenever I try to take it away. I hate to imagine what she's going to do when I actually get around to planting it!

I am happy to say that I'm very nearly done with all of the little random things I need to get done in order to go away and actually be able to relax. It's been a week of crossing things off of my to do list...yeah!

Happy Mother's Day to all you Mamas out there!

making progress

We've been doing a ton of work outside since my last post. The old grass is freshly mowed and the new grass is safely hiding under a layer of straw...we're really hoping it takes this time!
The garden boxes are filled with really nice compost/soil, and the front of the house has new beds with some pretty flowers and herbs. I've been enjoying working outside this year which a complete change from last year. Last year I avoided outside activities whenever possible, but this year I've voluntarily raked and mowed the lawn! Last year at this time though we were getting over a really stressful couple of months and I just wasn't feeling it...

Tonight, Walter is at his last class! He has a week long review for his NCLEX next week, but as for normal classes and homework, he's done! It's been a long three years but the end is in sight!!

Estella enjoying a little painting time...we pretty much figure she's done painting when she starts to use the paint as a hand moisturizer...

I've quilted half of the quilt I'm working on:

I've also been trying to work on some other projects...

I have two shows due in August so there may be a mad rush for the studio after vacation. I think I have two shows...Shawn, are you still doing Potluck? Anyways, I figure when we get back, it's my turn to say I have lots of work to do and disappear for a couple of days into the studio, and Walter can enjoy a little Estella time!

Basically, we've been enjoying the weather, doing some work, I've been trying to convince my hypochondriac self that I'm not going to die of The Swine Flu, and we're really looking forward to graduation and vacation!