when all else fails...

I really want to sew.  I have this image of myself as a 1950's housewife, canning vegetables out of my own garden, cooking, cleaning, and sewing and crafting in my spare time.  I don't actually know how to do any of these things, really.  But I want to.  I have a sewing machine, and I have made a couple of things.  My husband helped me make padded cornice boards for our windows, and my mom helped me make curtains, but I haven't done a whole lot of stuff on my own.  Right now, I am working on some cloth napkins (part of my 50's housewife ideal, no more paper napkins!).  I think they will turn out ok, but they are just square pieces of fabric, so nothing to get too excited about.

Anyway, today, I was looking for the manual for my sewing machine.  I didn't find it, but I did find an instructional DVD that I never watched.  So, I watched it.  And, wow, it contains all sorts of information that would have been nice to know.  So, now I feel like an idiot, because I have had this machine for like 3 years and never really knew anything about it.  All because I never watched the instructions.  You'd think I was a man!

flowers!

We have some peonie plants in our front yard.  They have been there forever, and my dear husband always just mows over them. So, a few years ago when we were finally landscaping the front of the house, to save money I dug up some of those plants and moved them into the area directly in front of the house.  I didn't know if they would survive, but thought I would give it a try.  I also dug up this enormous hosta plant behind the garage and split it into about 10 different plants to move up front.  Lots of work, but saved us a lot of money!

Well, the peonies are so big they are laying on their side.  I should have gotten out there with some garden fencing or something to prop them up, but I didn't.  But, we have tons of huge flowers!  3 of the four plants have white blooms, and the last one has a beautiful pink.  I was thinking about digging them up and replacing them this year, but this is the most flowers we have ever had.  What a great little treat.  I am going to prune some off and put them in a vase in the house, so I can enjoy them as long as possible.

Another wonderful treat?  My husband is on midnights this week (which is kind of a bummer), but means he is home with us during the day.  So we had a nice breakfast together this morning (french toast, yumm!), then a trip to Target.  We need to put up some room darkening curtains in the bedroom so he can sleep during the day.  Found some that are supposed to block 99% of the light and be super energy efficient for only $12.99 a panel.  Yay!  G is hanging up the curtain rod right now, can't wait to see them up.

hot hot hot

The heat and humidity have come to Wisconsin!  I cranked up the AC in our upstairs so E could nap, it was so freaking hot up there.  Unfortunately, we don't have central air, so just a window unit.  Oh well.  She is naked except for a diaper.  And, she got a bath before nap, because she had her first taste of Chef Boyardee today and holy cow, was she a mess.

Anyway, I want to take a minute to talk about my husband.  G and I have been together for almost 6 years, married for 3.  He is the most amazing, thoughtful, loving, funny, wonderful husband ever.  When he was laid off, he took care of the house, the cleaning, cooking, shopping, laundry, and when the baby came, he took care of her, too.

He thinks nothing of feeding her, changing her, bathing her, whatever.  We are a team, and he has always been a wonderful daddy.  When she was born, I asked him if he was disappointed not to have a son.  He said it was like the difference between winning a million dollars or winning a million and one dollars.  And she is very much a daddy's girl.  I love to see them together, he can make her giggle like crazy.

I'm so thankful that he is back to work and now letting me stay home with her.  I was so worried he would start to resent me for being home, but as long as we can afford it I think we are both enjoying it so much.  And, he is encouragine me to find my dream.  I've thought about going to culinary school, or opening a bakery, or getting a lunch truck.  Something in food service, probably.  And he is all for it.  How lucky I am to have a husband that loves and supports me.

home sweet home

Back from our little visit to the grandparents.  It was nice, but glad to be back in my own bed.  The first night, the power went out, so no night light.  My little girl tends to toss and turn a lot, and apparently wakes up a lot at night.  Since she was in her pack & play in a strange location, everytime she woke up in the dark she got scared and started crying.  Neither of us got a lot of sleep that night.  The 2nd night she slept through, but the TV in the living room kept me up for a long time.  I finally got up (I had not wanted to get up, risking waking E up) to use the bathroom and found my dad sound asleep in the recliner, with the TV blaring.  Turned down the volume and left him there.  Got a little sleep that night, but E was up at 5 am.

Thank goodness we both slept well at home last night.  She was up at 7 today, but down again by 9:30.  Now at 11:40 she is just waking up.  I better go get her and get some lunch ready.  My schedule is all wonky now!  Oh well...more later.