(Halfway Through) May Day!

I don't know about you, but time is flying by right now. I have heard this phrase several times since having the Peanut: 'The days are long, but the years are short.' I cannot believe my little guy will be one in just a few short months. However, some nights feel like they are never-ending, depending on how much sleep we are all getting!

Once again, I have too much to say and not enough time to type it out. If I'm lucky, I'll at least finish this post before someone wakes up from their nap. (I didn't...)

Exciting things in our household of late: 

The acquisition of a new coffee maker! 

As you may already know, I love my coffee. I also love frequenting coffee shops, of which there is no shortage in my city. However, it's not always easy to get out the door and actually stay at one long enough to enjoy a beverage. I'm not a fan of getting coffee to go and drinking out of a disposable container, unless I'm actually on a long road trip in the car. 

So, the Sailor and I splurged on a Breville Barista espresso maker. I'm actually drinking less coffee these days because of the Peanut, so I figured that my daily intake should therefore be excellent quality.

We managed to nab it with a sale coupon and we cashed in points on our credit card, so the price wasn't as scary as we initially calculated. Plus, I've already saved on the amount of ah-mazing coffee I've had since we bought it. Best thing about it? The Peanut can be bouncing off the walls and I can still enjoy my coffee without fear of him knocking over a table at the coffee shop, or at the very least, coffee that I had to pay a ridiculous price for.

Drinking outstanding coffee at home in vintage Pyrex is simply a bonus. 

I'm smitten. 

This crochet blanket is still coming along...

The Sailor and I are working our way through our list of recorded TV series. I usually manage to get one or two squares crocheted per show, and now I'm about halfway through with this blanket. 

Friends from a distance visited a few weeks ago and gifted me with this awesome plant for my porch! I may not get much time to sit on the porch these days and admire the other plants, but I can see this one from the living room all of the time.

My little cross-stitch project that I started on our recent trip to South Africa is still in limbo for the time being. I may have to just save and finish it on the next international trip. 

And, I really am working on that cloth diapering post I promised months ago. I know that when I was ready to take the cloth diapering plunge, the Internet helped me immensely with navigating through the many options! I hope to help some other new mom out there with what I've learned. 

Finally, my aging iMac, Walter, fried himself this afternoon, so I'm in the processing of restoring everything (isn't technology a pain?!) In fact, I was about to add the photos to this post and then hit publish right when it all conked out. I had to retake the pics and then use another piece of technology to actually publish this post (isn't technology amazing?!) All that to say... bear with me while I sort out my technological issues! 

Happy mid-May Day! 

Seasons Change

You don't have to tell me that I have neglected this blog for the past few weeks. Every day I wake up and think, 'this is the day that I'll get a post done...'

And then life seems to take over. There are dishes to be washed, diapers to change, meals to make, clothes to clean. Plus the weather is gorgeous, so that means parks to sit in, hikes to take, porches to chill out on.

It really is never-ending. The other day I said to the Sailor that I couldn't understand why I didn't seem to get anything done beside basic survival and making sure the Peanut was fed, clothed, clean and (usually) happy. 

I felt like every other mother I saw was doing waaaaay more than me and still keeping their child fed, clothed, clean and happy. 

The Sailor reminded me that something usually still gives — life doesn't always look as perfect from the inside as from the outside. 

The leaves were just budding as I left for South Africa a few weeks ago. The temperature was about the same in South Africa, but the leaves were falling and there was a slight chill in the air in both the mornings and the evenings. It felt like autumn, as it should in the Southern Hemisphere.  

When we all returned home, spring had already sprung. Spring only lasts about two weeks in these parts, so I had some seasonal confusion. I hadn't yet packed away my winter clothes and I was still searching for non-maternity shorts that I could fit into in my wardrobe. 

I almost gave up on this little spring crochet wreath project, but I had started it before I left for my trip and decided to get it done. (Sidenote: I love, love, love, Repeat Crafter Me's blog. She has the cutest crochet projects and great instructions!) Besides the actual wreath and the green yarn for it, I used up scraps of yarn that I had leftover from other projects (part of my ongoing stash busting), and buttons from my stockpile. I wanted to do the picot edging on the wreath hanger, but ran out of yellow yarn. I figured it was better to improvise and actually get the thing done.

It may feel more like summer here than spring, but the calendar says otherwise. And yes, something 'gave' for me to get this done. Rather than catching up on sleep when the Peanut napped, I caught up on some TV shows and crocheted this wreath. I still feel tired, but at least the outside of the door looks pretty. You'd never know the chaos inside, unless you opened the door, however!

Seasons definitely change, and this is most certainly a different one for me. Hope you're enjoying the weather, wherever you are and whatever season you find yourself in at the moment! 

Happy Earth Day!

 

I took this photo nearly a decade ago (how is that even possible?!) at a small outdoor restaurant along the coast of South Africa. It's an old buoy, but it has always reminded me of the earth. 

The Sailor, the Peanut and I just returned from South Africa, and while we were nowhere near this restaurant, we at least enjoyed the outdoors as well as the spoils from Oupa's garden. We missed peach season, but we still had fresh carrots, tomatoes, onions and potatoes to feast on. We were just in time, since much of the garden was gearing up for the winter.

We introduced the Peanut to grass, which he wasn't too sure about at first. 

He soon figured that grass was great to crawl in, leaves make wonderful crunchy noises, and Dexter the Wonder Dog is fun to pet. 

I got to sit under my favorite tree.

We introduced hammocking to the Peanut as well. 

He didn't stay in the hammock long, 

but I think he liked the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind. 

  
Earth Day might only come around once a year, but I kind of like the idea of enjoying the outdoors all 365 days.

Now that we're back in the Northern Hemisphere (Spring already sprang while we were away) it's time to think of our own garden. This year we're planting tomatoes, okra, peas, carrots and broccoli, plus maybe a few other goodies. 

I'm thinking maybe sunflowers? 

Whatever your day brings, I hope it's full of sunshine, and happiness equivalent to leaves crunching in a baby's hand.

Happy Earth Day! 

 

Journals

I have mentioned several times that I have a slight obsession with journals. I've kept one ever since I was 10. The past few years though, I seem remiss about writing in mine. 

Well, this year, I decided I needed to write more. Not just blog, not just write on my laptop, but actually WRITE... even if nobody reads it, and even if the Peanut is grabbing for the pages and my pen.

Long before it was the 'in thing' to Instagram coffee and food pics, I often took photos of my journal with whatever I happen to be drinking at the time. It helped me keep track of which journals accompanied me on various trips.

This one is from Scotland. I remember because that was the most delightful millionaire's shortbread I'd ever eaten. 

And this is from my favorite little cafe back in my old town in Pennsylvania.

Earlier in the year, I took this photo and posted it on Instagram and said something about New Year, New Journal. I haven't written much in it since, but I've at least scribbled a few things. I'm thinking I need to just make a bit more time during the day to scribble a bit more. 

Oh and that delightful thing atop my coffee? That's a Dutch stroopwaffel. They are delicious cold, but extraordinary when you heat them for a few minutes atop your coffee. YUM.

Books to Read Again (and Again)

I have always been an avid reader. I have my mother to thank for that. I know she read to me when I was little and I remember she always had what seemed to be a War and Peace sized book on the back of the loo. (Now that I think about it though... those brief bathroom breaks were probably her only time to read when we were little!) 

I'm hoping the Peanut reads a lot too. He's on his way to loving books... he gets super excited when I ask him if he wants to read Little Blue Truck. Plus my friends threw me a book baby shower last year, so he is well-stocked for reading material!

I don't have quite as much time as I did before to read for myself, but I still manage to make time in between everything else going on. However, I don't keep a lot of my books because I pass so many of them on to friends or else I donate them to libraries or thrift stores. But there are a few that I have actually purchased multiple copies of because I realized once I gave them away that I wanted to reread them.

I try to read both Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle and Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh at least once a year. I haven't gotten to them yet for 2015, but the year is still young. 

I first read The Hiding Place (by Corrie ten Boom and Elizabeth and John Sherrill) when I lived in England and I remember staying up until the wee hours of the morning to finish it because I couldn't put it down. I discovered an old copy recently and I found myself just as engrossed in it. I was reading it every spare moment I had. I think it took me a whole two days to finish it this time. 

And finally, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith is the perfect coming-of-age story, to be enjoyed at any age. I really need to reread this one soon. 

What are you reading or rereading these days?