Saturday, December 23, 2006

What kind of pirate am I?

I guess I'm up for the day

I went to bed at midnight and I woke up an hour ago. The sprout was kicking me and I couldn't get black to sleep.
I ran all over the place yesterday. I had two doctor's appointments in west county. Both went very well, no ultrasound at the OB, but Sprout has a very strong heartbeat and is moving around like a crazy person. But we knew that, right? I always feel better after my Chiropractor appointments. The sprout likes them too, s/he kicks whenever I get adjusted.
My friend Gabe is back in town, he goes to school in Chicago but has spent the last semester (maybe he's on trimesters?) in Germany. I am supposed to have brunch with him today, and then I think Matt's going to take him to Corral to find some German Beer. I am going to spend my afternoon wrapping gifts and packaging up the rest of the Christmas cookies. I made tons of cookies this year. Each box contains a few of each of these: chocolate chips, iced sugar cookies with sprinkles, iced gingerbread with mint sprinkles, coconut jelly tops (with blueberry and apricot jelly), apricot walnut oatmeal cookies, white chocolate hazelnut apricot oatmeal truffles, walnut truffles, mint truffles and raspberry truffles. I may have gone overboard, but we really are broke, and I do love to bake. Most of the people I love enjoy eating cookies, so it all works out well.
I made most of my gifts this year, more than I've done in the past. I still haven't made anything significantly large for anyone. I don't like to push the deadlines, but maybe a select few will get sweaters from me for Christmas some time in the future. For now I'll stick to small, fancy things.
What with the Sprout coming, I have been giving a lot of thought to how Matt and I plan to celebrate the Christmas holiday, and all holidays in general. Neither of us are very religious, and we both don't like the idea of telling our kid that some oversized elf breaks into the house once a year to dump a ton of toys under a tree. Don't get me wrong, I loved Santa as a kid, but I want to emphasize the idea gift-giving by focusing on the concept of making something with your own two hands, thinking about the person you are going to give it to, showing your love for them in that way. Also, I am cheap.
My good friend Amy has two daughters. Her family celebrates the holiday season a different way each year. The girls pick a country and study how the cultures there celebrate the winter holiday. Most cultures mark the solstice in some significant way, regardless of the spiritual and religious beliefs of the people. This seems to work well, and the girls love it. They make delicacies from their chosen country, decorate the house according to customs and learn about games children in the country play. I think this is an excellent way to teach kids about different cultures and to take the consumerist focus off the holiday season.
Speaking of consumerism, I've managed to avoid the mall this year, and I plan to keep it that way. There is one thing I wanted to purchase, it is a "Really Cool Thing" for Matt, but I cannot seem to get my hands on one. It is out of stock everywhere and I am on several waiting lists. Just so you all don't think I am a huge procrastinator, I have been on several waiting lists for several weeks. It'll get here, just not by Christmas. I hate this idea of "The Ultimate Gift," but this really is the perfect thing for him.
I'm getting "The Ultimate Gift" this year too. My sister is going to be in St. Louis for Christmas. She hasn't been home with us for the holidays in five years. She'll be here for a week. I am so happy.

Friday, December 22, 2006

week in review

The Duff's party was Monday night. I came with Matt and left with Shawna. It was awesome to see everyone there, it was bittersweet too, with Ron absent. He is missed. Annie O. brought pictures from the last five or ten years and we all had a blast looking at them. I remember this time last year, J.J. and Aaron being pregnant, and now they both have HUGE babies. Sprout will be eight months old at the next Duff's party. My lasagne was a hit, Aaron liked the last minute recipe change, and she's the true judge of vegetarian lasagne.
Tuesday I had dinner at House of India with Shawna, Rizalia, Tara and Cindy. The curry craving is still the strongest one and I indulge myself as often as possible. Sweet V was very well behaved in the restaurant.
Wednesday I made cookies with Kate and Eldon. I made ten different kinds of holiday treats, four of them truffles. I love making truffles.
Yesterday morning I worked, we were busy. I ran by Knitorious to grab some cashmerino for a last minute gift, sorry Rachel if I seemed cranky, it was really good to see you, I'm just pregnant and flustered. Thanks for ordering the daffodil sock yarn. You are the best. Mom stopped by with the puggling to pick up the Italian cookies I got for her and to drop off some Christmas stuff. I took the Hel-Kat to practice, she skated her booty off and yelled at me for not starting a kids derby league yet. Anyone with little girls, say six to twelve, interested? I have about four.
I'm headed to the OB and Chiropractor now, double duty if you will.
MY SISTER WILL BE HERE IN TWO DAYS!!!!!

Friday, December 15, 2006

Friday night at home

I usually work on Friday nights, but tonight I decided to let Christine have my shift instead of cajoling the assists into letting me host for one of them. I just cannot physically handle the lifting and running around of assisting anymore. Sprout spends all the time protesting.
So the annual Duff's Christmas party is on Monday and everyone knows what that means, right? Lasagne! I made the sauce tonight and tomorrow I'll be doing the assembly. I sort of freaked at the grocery store because they didn't have the kind of vegetarian Italian sausage I normally use. I found a suitable substitute, but for a minute there it looked like I was going to lose it. Matt managed to calm me down by bribing me with double chocolate swiss cake rolls. I know I shouldn't be eating too many sweets, but I haven't had a swiss cake roll since I was at Webster University. Jason and I used to walk up to Schnucks on Friday nights and do his "grocery" shopping. I was on a full meal plan, so I just went along with him. Looking back, I have no idea how that boy managed to stay alive. He exclusively consumed Chili Cheese Fritos, Dr. Pepper and Little Debbie snack cakes.
On the Derby front, we are in negotiations with the venue in Springfield for our January 20th bout. I am getting frustrated with them because they keep changing things on us. No matter what, we will play the Windy City Rollers on the 20th of January. It's just a matter of where.
Okay. Bedtime. Knitting happens, but you don't get to see!

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Wednesday, schmednesday

I did the dishes. I watched the baby. I got adjusted. I made a hat. I ate felafel. I hung out with Joe. I fed the dog. My life is dull.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

this is turning into the "cute puppies and babies blog"

I am sorry. Knitting has been happening, but most of it is gift knitting for folks who do occasionally read this blog, so I cannot post knitting pictures just yet.
I can however post pictures of all the cute babies my friends have been producing.
For instance:

Bask in the beauty that is sweet V.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

and again

Last night I dreamt I was going to Oklahoma City with my mom to pick up this little number for my sister.
(this is dolly the pug, my sister is adopting her from a rescue group in OKC)
This is not a strange thing in and of itself, I may actually be doing that in the near future. I was hugely pregnant, which will also be happening some time soonish. The slightly less likely part is I dreamt the zombie apocalypse happened on our way down there, and we didn't realize it until we got to the hotel. I was so frustrated with my mother for freaking out and starting to lose it that I screamed at her "Dammit Mom! You are the last person I would ever expect to survive this with me!" Note to self: If you ever want to see Mom turn into Rambo and massacre about ten thousand living dead, insult her. I will never look at my mother the same way.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Restless Cleaning

So I've heard of this phenomenon called nesting. It is apparently something most pregnant women go through. It usually involves cleaning the home, getting ready for the baby. I think I have some symptoms.
Those of you who have been to my place know I am not the most fastidious of housekeepers. I am being really generous with myself here. I'm messy. Not dirty, mind you, but messy. I don't mind clutter or dust, and I tend to have a lot of stacks of things lying around. I am not, however, one of those people who never takes out the garbage, or leaves half-eaten food things about to encourage the multi-legged to shack up in my living space. I simply enjoy slacking when it comes to the more labor-intensive housecleaning practices, like window washing, floor mopping, and bathtub scouring.
Also, I live with five cats, a dog, a Matt and a turtle. There is a slight pet hair issue, which I do try to keep below the "tumbleweed" stage. We are in the process of rehabing an old house, so there is a plaster dust issue, which I try to keep below the "wash me written on indoor surfaces" stage. Matt is great at laundry and dish cleaning, and between the two of us we manage to keep those two aspects of housework under control. My bathroom is always clean and fresh-smelling.
Recently though, I have felt compelled to dust. As in, with a rag and that orange oily stuff.
Now, we have a lot of wood surfaces in our place, some of them on the splintery side. Most of our woodwork could use a sanding and a coat of varnish, but that hasn't stopped me from dusting it. I've also tackled the floor-to-ceiling bookcases in the livingroom, the windowsills, and today I actually attempted to dust the crevices between the molding around the window on the front door.
This is getting out of hand. I may need an intervention. Please send help, get someone to remove this orange oil scented t-shirt fragment from my grip and remove all the Murphy's oil soap from my house now, before I turn into my grandma Buckles, with the toothbrush, scrubbing the dirt off of the quarter-round along the baseboards.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Teaser

Just to keep you comin' back for more, here's a sneak peak of what's in store this week:



Shots from the Chi-Town Sirens/ ARRG bout of October 22nd!



Cute Babies of many shapes and sizes!



Scary ultrasound images, knitting, crafty stuff, Thanksgiving parade pictures,and much much more!

And yes, I am aware that my unborn child resembles the monster from the Alien movies. I am okay with this.