Madison and more

We were supposed to go to Madison last weekend but it rained so we decided to go yesterday instead. It was a beautiful day, perfect for going to the Farmer's Market. The FM there is huuuuge, and so awesome. It's on all the sidewalks surrounding the capitol building. I bought a bag of spinach for a buck, the fattest asparagus spears you've ever seen, some local honey (to combat allergies) and this amazing spicy cheese bread. It was hot out of the oven and filled with melted cheeses. Holy cow, so delicious. We pretty much ate the whole thing walking around.

We got to meet up with my friend Leslie and her husband and daughter, and ate at a place on State Street with some yummy gyros. I was just telling Derrick how I was craving some Greek food, so I was in heaven. And if we weren't stuffed enough, we had to stop at Jamba Juice and grab a smoothie for the road.

Then last night, Derrick and I dropped Summer off at Mike & Linda's and headed to a Brewer's Game. We got there a little late and scored some free parking. Sweet! Our seats were great, and it was a fun game. Lots of home runs, and the Brewers won. We sat right behind a 7-year-old's birthday party. While I attempted to take pictures of my boyfriend JJ Hardy, most of them came out like this:

When they weren't blocking my shots with their foam fingers, they were hitting me with them. Hooray.

Still, a very fun date. Which brings the baby-free date total to 2. And both have been sporting events. How does this keep happening????

Reality Recap

I know I'm overdue, but this past season of reality TV was awesome.

Most recent, Kris Allen. Decent voice, boy-next-door appeal. I tried voting for him for an hour after the finale but could never get through. It could have been anyone else in that position for all I cared, I would have voted for anyone BUT that mangina Adam Lambert.

Next up: Survivor. Always a great show. This season had much less drama than past seasons, but wasn't JT just so darn adorable? That accent, what a doll! I'm so glad he won. Stephen was such a goober. Not surprised JT won with a unanimous vote.


And my favorite by far: Biggest Loser Couples. Would you hit this?

Probably not. But would you hit this?

Hell yeah! Hard to believe it's the same kid! What a little hottie! Even though he and his dad got a little cocky at the end, I still wanted Mike to win. Helen only won because she starved herself I'm sure. She looked so gaunt at the finale. I think Tara really thought she had it in the bag. Her expression when she saw her weight said it all. Too bad, sucka!

I really wanted Margie and Luke to win the Amazing Race, but I was happy with Victor and Tammy. Just as long as those bitchy cheerleaders didn't win. I thought Luke was cute too. But maybe I just loved that he was deaf.


These shows are always more enjoyable when good looking people win. I'm just sayin'.

Weekend Wrap-up

Memorial Day marks the official beginning of Summer around here, with the end being Labor Day. It's usually warm between those months, and everyone is outside to make the most of it. I say usually because today it's rainy and a balmy 54 degrees.

Anyway, we had plans to head to Madison on Saturday to go to the Farmer's Market and the zoo, but when we woke up it was dark and rainy. We scratched that idea and while Derrick and Summer slept, I headed to Old Navy for $1 flip-flips (not a typo). I got there probably 10 minutes after the store opened and the place was packed, the flips were almost gone, and the line wrapped around the store to the back. I managed to find 5 (the max) pairs and got in line. For an hour. Heck, what did I care? I was shopping alone! Woo! While I waited I heard more "mutha" f-bombs than anyone should ever hear. And little kids should NEVER hear it, but more often than not, that's who they were directed to. So sad.

Well, it eventually cleared up, so after naps, we headed down to the lake to the Kite Festival. It turned into a beautiful day so we just walked around up and down the lake front, taking a pit stop to clean up a massive blowout courtesy of Summer. She managed to poop through her clothes, through the straps holes in her car seat and when we took the car seat out to put her in the car, we found a nice little puddle of poo in her stroller. Lovely.



Monday we hit up a Memorial Day BBQ and had lots of fun eating and playing the Wii. We drove by a cemetery that had huge American flags everywhere. I wanted to take a picture of it but when we drove back home, they had already taken them down. Lame.

What else have we been up to? Not much. Just hanging out and having fun!

Misfit

I dusted off my TEVA's and headed to REI a couple weeks ago, which I'm pretty sure stands for Really Expensive Items. This was only my 2nd time inside one, the first being in Denver with my old roommate Alexis and her mom. I know what you're thinking. "Gosh, Karen loves to camp! I can't believe she doesn't shop there more often!" Anyway, I was picking up one of the best water bottles ever for Derrick and as I was parking I couldn't help but notice my car was one of the only ones in the lot that:

• wasn't an SUV.
• wasn't a Subaru.
  
• didn't have ski racks on top.
• didn't have a canoe on top.
• didn't have one of those "Life is Good" stickers on it.

I ignored the girls comparing armpit hair and the dreadlocked guys discussing which flavor CLIF bar is their favorite and headed straight to the water bottle section, where there were none to be found. I spotted them at the cashwrap where they were on sale, since everyone I know now has one. (hooray!) This place is so green the girl doesn't even offer me a bag for it, let alone a "Hello" or a "Thanks".

Guess I shouldn't wear my "Camping Sucks" shirt next time I go there.

Beef Jerky Love

I love beef jerky. I mean, who doesn't? While we were in Seattle this past fall we visited a friend who lives in the same building at Mr. Oberto. You know, the Oberto's of beef jerky fame. He told us he knows him and he's always trying to get our friend to join him on the Condo Association Board.

Well, a couple weeks ago Saturday we were at Sam's Club and there were some Oberto's beef jerky samples, which we happily munched on as we shopped. Derrick texted our friend in Seattle and told him we were eating some Oberto's jerky and thought about him.

The next Monday morning our friend was riding the elevator down with Mr. Oberto and our friend showed him the text Derrick sent and Mr. Oberto said, "If he's thinking about me on a Saturday, he needs some beef jerky!"

Well, lo and behold, today we got that jerky. It was like Christmas morning! This is how it was packaged:

And look at what was inside!!


We'll be eating jerky for months! I feel like I should go on a road trip somewhere so we can eat this jerky, since that seems to be the only time I ever eat it.

Moral of the story: You never know what will happen when you tell someone you're thinking about them!

Balding

Apparently 3-4 months after you have a baby your hair falls out.

Apparently 3-4 months after I have a baby my hair is not just falling out, it's committing suicide. They're jumping ship left and right. I find hair everywhere. In Summer's neck rolls, on my pillow, in the tub. When I wash it I pull out gobs of hair by the handful.

CSI would have no trouble scrounging up a DNA sample around here. Good thing my Dyson sucks it all up like a champ.

In other hair related news, I hate mine. My last cut was pretty awful, and too short. I once got my hair cut but a girl in our ward who does hair and used me as a hair model. I looooved it. Thing is, she charges like 80 bones normally, and I just don't know if I can pay that much for a haircut. Although, is having hair I like and don't curse every morning worth 80 bucks? Probably. Especially since I only get it cut like every 6 months. Which is so weird to me. I have no problem shelling out cash for skincare or makeup. Why does my hair get the shaft? Ha, that's a pun. Anyway, I have crazy cowlicks all over my head, which only adds to my dispair. I don't know why I'm telling you this. Mostly to get it off my chest I supposed. I've been hating my hair for awhile now, but I just don't know what to do. Any ideas?

Domestic Depot

I've been so addicted to crafting lately. All types. Cooking, baking, sewing, anything with a hot glue gun. I'm on a huge sewing kick right now. I tried sewing in high school and even in college during summer breaks with my mom but for some reason I just never quite got it. I like to blame it on the machine. Every time I used it the thing would jam on me. I got so frustrated I just quit. Now I have a nice machine that behaves well and I love it. Here are some recent projects:

Clockwise from left: nursing cover, burp cloths, wipe case, diaper case. All for my friend Courtney who is due in a month!

I made a couple sets of these for some friends having babies.

I started making these for my mom, at her request, like a year and a half ago. They are sooo quick but for some reason I quit after the first one. Well, I finally finished them over Christmas break and gave them to her. But then I forgot to take a picture of them so when she came up in March I had her bring them so I could capture them on film. They're fingerless gloves with a mitten flap, in case you couldn't tell. Oh, and they're knitted.

I've had this project planned since before Summer was born, but just never got around to it. Then during my excursing to Hobby Lobby a couple weeks ago I found these letters and decided to just do it already. I love how it turned out. I got the metal flower thing at HL too.


I also have some other projects in the works but they are gifts and shall not be revealed yet.

On the kitchen front, I've pretty much only been making recipes from Our Best Bites. Favorites include: Creamy Pesto Pasta, Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos, Brazilian Lemonade (which I'm chugging as I type), and Chiptole Chicken Taco Salad. Those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. There are dozens more. And I know one of the girls who co-writes it, which just makes me love it even more.

I've also been wanting to make mozzarella lately. While in TX my cousin Jessica and I were thisclose to making it but the closest rennet we could find was in Austin and we just weren't up to making the trip. But last Friday Linda and Jessica came over and we made cheese. And then we cut it. Hahaha. Seriously though, it was awesome. And delicious. And super easy. And cheaper than buying it in the store.

What's a Cinco de Mayo celebration without Mexican flag inspired Jell-O? That sucker took a long time to make, but it was def worth it.


Remember my disaster trying to make artisan bread? Well, I used the stupid broiler pan like I was supposed to and the bread came out amazing. I totally had a bad attitude about it after the death of my Pyrex, but now I'm totally sold on the method. I had to return the book b/c there was a hold on it, but I think I just may have to buy it so I never have to give it up again. I asked Derrick was he thought of the bread and he said for a minute he thought he was in France. Good answer. Really though, it's pretty tasty.


Well, I think that wraps up the Craft Corner for today. Stay tuned for next time, where we'll be making our own candles. Not really. But now I kinda want to.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary

Yesterday I went to the local garden supply store and got everything I need to plant a mini-garden on our balcony. We live on the top floor of a south-facing 2-story building, underneath an overhang, so our little ledge gets little to no sun. Solution: hanging flower boxes!

I planted strawberries, basil, parsley, chives, Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, and I picked up a cilantro plant at the farmer's market today, along with some garlic, new potatoes, rhubarb, and cheese curd-like "salad toppers".

Nothing like fresh produce that hasn't been sitting in a nasty truck for thousands of miles! Now let's hope my plants don't die. Or fall to their deaths.

I like to think I am a pretty intelligent person. And I feel completely at ease in the kitchen, often preferring to be there than anywhere else in the house. While I'm no gourmet chef, I consider myself to be a pretty decent cook. But sometimes life likes to keep me in check, I suppose. Case in point:

I'm reading a book about making artisan bread, so I decided to try it out today. Instructions call for heating up the baking stone in the oven set to 475 while the bread rests, as well as placing a broiler pan on a lower rack to add water to later. I don't have a broiler pan, so I just used a 9x13 Pyrex instead. I transfered the dough to the heated stone and proceeded to pour hot water into the dish. Yeah...not the best idea.

It cracked immediately. Now, I have long since known the dangers of extreme temperature changes on bakeware. Why this did not occur to me is beyond me. Perhaps my brain is misplaced along with my laundry basket.

At this point I was done with trying to make this stupid baguette and I left everything like it was and left for a friend's house for dinner. I cleaned it up when we got home, and all the glass had fallen into the drawer underneath. Lovely. So I was taking everything out to get out the glass shards, and what do you know, there's a blasted broiler pan.

Sigh.

MIA

How in the world do you lose a laundry basket in your own home? It's not like it can get pushed under a sofa or bed. Yet, I've been missing a round laundry basket for about a week. I have no idea where it is.

If you or someone you know has information regarding the whereabouts of a round white laundry basket, please contact me immediately.

Cry, baby, cry...make your mother sigh....

....she's old enough to know better, so cry, baby, cry.

Lyrics...anyone, anyone?

This weekend I said "ENOUGH with getting up in the middle of the night to feed!" I knew Miss Summer wasn't hungry, it was just habit. How do I know this? Because like clockwork she wakes up at 2:15 am. Her little internal clock just got stuck. So I put my foot, and my boobs, down and decided to let her cry it out until she started sleeping through the night. Because really, she is old enough to know better now. So cry, baby, cry.

Friday night she cried for about 45 minutes at 3 am and then fell back asleep. I drifted in and out of sleep while she cried, going in to comfort her once. I can take the full out crying, but it's the little whimpers that tug at my heart. So sad.

Saturday night I was so tired from being awake the night before I didn't hear her until she was crying, when usually I hear her when she is just making little peeps. This is at 2:15 am. So I go in and comfort her and tell her to go back to sleep, and I go back to bed, thinking I'll go in again in 20 minutes if she's not asleep. Well...I'm so tired, I sleep through her crying and don't wake up for about 45 minutes. I go in to check on her and she's broken through her swaddle. I re-wrap her and she cries for about 5 minutes then goes back to sleep.

Sunday night, she doesn't wake up until 6 am the next morning. She didn't cry once. Can it be that she learned in only 2 nights? Let's hope so. Although she's not so hot on the predictability scene. Still, it felt pretty good to get 8 hours of sleep!! And if you saw me this weekend and I looked like death, now you know why!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to not only my own mother, but to all of my friends and family members who are mothers! I see many many examples of selflessness and dedication to their children and families in my friends and family, and they are constantly an example to me to be a better wife and mom.

I had the luxury of having not only breakfast made for me but dinner as well, and I didn't have to wash a single dish! Everything was delicious, and I even got the red honor plate and place settings. I got a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a card from Summer, who even wrote me a poem and signed the card! I was totally spoiled today, and I loved it!


I'm loving my first Mother's Day, but what makes it so special is spending it with my little family. I love being Summer's mom, and I'm so honored that I've been entrusted by my Heavenly Father to help raise and nurture her.

I hope everyone took a moment today to remember their mothers, wherever they may be.

Happy Mother's Day!

4 month check-up

Summer had her 4 month check-up on Thursday, which meant more shots in those chubby thighs. I made Dad come along this time so I didn't have to witness it alone. It must have worked, because Summer didn't scream nearly as loud as she did last time. She even managed to give me a smile while Dad was holding her. What a champ. Look at those tears.



Here's the stats:

Weight: 12 lbs flat. 14th percentile
Head: 40.3 cm. 28th percentile
Length: 23". 8th percentile. 8th! What a shrimp!

Guess it's safe to assume she won't be the star basketball player in high school.

Flower Power

I have long since debated doing a post on this topic, because I know for a fact many many many of my readers will no doubt take offense. But that is not my intent. I just want to make fun of you. Just kidding!!

But really, this is something I feel strongly about, and when I see instances out in public or online, it just makes me cringe.

The topic I speak of is flowered headbands on babies.

I'm not sure just where this trend originated, although I'm guessing it's somewhere in the Salt Lake Valley. But now poor innocent children have had to be the brunt of a cruel fashion joke. Now, you all know I am a lover of all things handmade and crafty, but a simple 2 minute search on Etsy will reveal hundreds of images of babies forced to wear an entire artificial floral department on their heads.

Now, I'm fortunate enough to have a daughter with plenty of hair. And I do use bows in her hair. Small bows. Bows proportional to the size of her head. Perhaps these users of gigantic flowers and bows feel the need to use them to make sure people know their bald babies are indeed girls. I don't know.

When the size of the flower is bigger than your baby's head, there is definitely a problem. Am I the only one who sees it this way?? I think that I may be, actually. And I'm okay with that. If you are guilty of using bows big enough for an elephant, it's okay. I still like you. I'll still be your friend. But just know I think your adorable daughter looks a mite ridiculous.

Oh, how could I forget the ostrich feathers???

It's a wonder a swarm of bees don't come and attack the poor child.

These Gals with Girls are some of the worst offenders.

These parents really should be turned into the authorities...making her wear this thing while she eats?? I mean, she has no clothes on, but she has her flower on!

Are we channeling Princess Leia here??

She looks like a satellite dish, honing in on some good reception.

This poor girl's head is being crushed by the weight of this thing.

And look, soon her vision will be impaired due to her accessory.

I tried to find reasonable examples of flowers and bows. They are hard to come by, let me tell you. I could only find 2.


I guess I'm just conservative when it comes to my kid's hair accessories. Call me crazy, but I just don't want my daughter looking like Carmen Miranda!

Now, some of these bows would look darling on an older girl, say 8 or 9 years old. But on a wee baby, I don't see her cute face, I see the silk plant staring back at me.

Ok, that's all. Let me have it.

4 months!

Our little peanut is not so much a peanut anymore! I feel like she is getting so big. She has the chunkiest, cheesiest thighs ever. I love them. They're so squishy. A little girl at the scout auction we went to tonite commented on them: "Oh, don't worry, they'll go away. And then she'll get pregnant. And then they'll come back." I was cracking up...she's 11. She has her 4 month appointment next week, so I don't know her stats, but I'm guessing she's around 12.5 pounds.

Summer has the cutest personality and she loves to give out smiles to anyone and everyone. She loves her dad and watches him wherever he is. She's also started to make some pretty funny faces, which we were able to catch on camera today.

She loves sucking on her hands, and will try to cram both in at the same time, often resulting in gagging herself.

She's doing a lot better with tummy time, much to my relief, and I'm sure hers.


She's started to grab and hold onto toys, and especially likes to hold onto Hoppers, her stuffed bunny. (This may be because it's one of the few toys she has, and the one I keep giving her.)


There's really not a lot she doesn't like. She gets cranky pretty quickly if she doesn't get her nap or go to bed on time. She sure loves her sleep, just like her mama.

She is just a fun little babe to be around. I constantly get stopped at the store by people who want to look at her and tell me she "looks like a doll!" or "you must have had heartburn!" or "look at those eyes!" I know we're biased, but I have to agree that she's one of the cutest babies I've ever seen!

Happy 4 months, Summer love!!