When it rains...

It's been rainy spring weather for several days and I am loving it. Windows are flung wide and fans move the air from room to room. It took some adjusting, but so far we have avoided turning on the A/C. Helpful for strained budgets! The baby bear continues to grow and bring moments of joy to our house with her ready smile and wiggles. I was sharing yesterday at our neighborhood group how in spite of everything that is going on I really feel as though I am buoyed up on top of our troubles, and I do. I know we are loved and cared for by the maker of the universe. Pretty great, huh? Here's some moments that have been a part of this week:

Someone finally learned to roll!


As I was drying my glasses last night, they literally broke in two in my hand. They ARE, after all, only plastic and about 8 years old now, but since the Geek still has no job, we have no insurance to replace them and with eyes like mine, thy are VERY pricey glasses ($400 or so)


I happen to have the sweetest little swimmer ever. Here she is rockin' her tankini. (with red cloth diaper cover that was replaced by matching swim diaper bottom AFTER we got to the pool)


And hanging on to her car seat for dear life...(is it really that rough in a car seat?)


And finally, getting tricked into enjoying tummy time. Sneaky Mama! I put her on the back of the chair and she looks out of the window at birds, sky, trees, grass, violets, etc.




Gizmo likes the open window too. Cat TV!!


Add to that cool evenings sitting on the porch with a small girl in my lap who finds stars and twilight skies as beautiful as I find them and you have a recipe for perfection.

Happy Half Birthday, baby!

The baby girl is 6 months old today and in honor of her half birthday, I present...mini-geek.


Our girl is a 'Papa's girl'. Total strangers stop him and say how much she looks like him! I love to see them laugh together. Isn't it sweet? Happy half birthday beautiful baby! And here's one with Mama just for good measure.

This is one of those moments when I'm glad I never got a tatoo

Giggle!

I love this baby.

Days into days

Who put time on fast forward? Seriously. Stop it. My tiny baby is HUGE (relatively) and it all just seems like a blur with one day melting into the next. Has it really been nearly 6 months since she arrived? Have I REALLY been sitting on my butt and not exercising for that long? My brain says no, but my waistline says yes.

I feel like I'm being thwarted on the working out front. First I nearly broke my toe and could hardly walk and now that my toe is feeling better, I have a cold. If I don't want it to linger, now should probably not be the time to wear myself out with a new exercise program. Sigh. I'll get there. I WILL! Now, it's off to the grocery store while the baby sleeps and the hubby keeps her. That is the ONE perk of an unemployed hubby. I don't have to hire a babysitter! Wheee!

Bring on the Produce!

Avalon Acres Farm is starting their CSA soon! For those of you who don't know what CSA is, it stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It means that people in the community buy a share of produce from the farm (or collective of farms in this case) and get a weekly return of produce, meat, eggs and bread (all or some of these, depending on the type of share). We did it last year and loved it! It took some getting used to, since I had to learn how to cook some new (to me) types of produce and I think this year I'll freeze more so we aren't throwing food away. Hmmm. Just think! Homemade baby food from farm produce. That makes me happy.

Anyhoo. We didn't think we could afford it this year, what with the layoff and all, but they are giving us a little extra help since they know the Geek is unemployed! I thought that was so kind! I hope he finds a job soon so we can, in turn, offer them our support. Here's a link where you can sign up! Summer CSA.

As an aside, we are overwhelmed by the support our neighborhood, both local and virtual, has given us. I have yet to have to buy clothes for our baby what with the bags and bags of cute hand-me-downs, a sweet friend (from high school!) send us a large box from diapers.com filled with formula and baby veggies, two other friends bought the baby bear a box of formula, just out of the blue. A childhood friend, that I haven't seen in probably 17 years, sent us a check that helped us cover our mortgage. People we don't know, but are a part of our neighborhood google group, have dropped off formula...the list goes on and on. We are loved and provided for!! I am so very grateful.

(the images in this post were included in emails from Avalon Acres Farms last year. Gorgeous produce huh?)

Photo by request & East Nashville Cooperative Ministry Easter Lunch

We went to the East Nashville Cooperative Ministry Easter lunch (older site here, but with more info) yesterday and there was a clown. I'm a terrible document-er of these things, but I had to take the baby bear's photo with her painted on bow and flowers. I'm so not a girly kind of mama and the last time she wore a bow, it was stuck on by hospital staff. But it was sweet and Laura said 'I want to see a photo of that on your blog'. So here's my little girly girl. With her bow. :)

A little more info about the Lunch. Our church's neighborhood groups partnered with ENCM to bring food for this event. A meal for those in need and more info about what ENCM does. I was a bit distracted, what with having my baby girl there, but the Cooperative ministry does great things and brings together many different types of churches and organizations to help people in need in the community. In fact, this was where we picked up free formula and a food box for our family, for which we are very grateful.

Illustrator's block

I'm working on some illustrations for a children's book my friend is writing. I know I can do it, but I sit down to the paper and I freeze up. I read books to my daughter and I get caught up in how awesome the illustrations look and how I could never make mine look like that! This is my deadliest disease. I compare myself to others.

I am good at a ton of things, but exceptionally good at only a few. It is those things I doubt the most. Why? Because I care too much. What if my friend doesn't like my artwork? Is it the end of the world? No. But I want her to like it so very much. And the fear of her not liking it keeps me from putting pencil to paper.

It's the same with my music. I live in a town full of the most incredible musicians. And when I write (or sing), I compare myself to people who have been doing this professionally for upwards of 20 years! And I want you to like it. I want you to LOVE it. I forget the fact that I love DOING it and get caught up in what you think. So today I write. Today I draw. Today I paint because I love it and I'll shut out that little voice that worries that no one will like my work. It's not truly for you anyway because I would do it even if I was the only person left on earth.

Just as a little aside...go here for a little pick-me-up for your day. I love it when the inside glory of someone shines!

Anniversary Photo Booth!

The Geek and I go every year on our anniversary and take a photo in a photo booth. It sometimes takes a couple of tries to find one that is not out of order, so the photo isn't always EXACTLY on our anniversary, but close. Here's this year's photo!


Here's to five years of 'ups', 'downs', and 'all arounds' with arguably the best man I've ever known. We don't always walk the easiest path together, but we stick it out, no matter what. And since we have been together 5 years, here are 5 reasons (but there are many more) why my husband is awesome, in no particular order.

1. You love me so very well and I've never been anything but beautiful in your eyes. (even swollen up and pregnant!) That is a rare thing among husbands.

2. Your sense of humor keeps me laughing through it all.

3. We made the most beautiful baby this year. Seriously. Could your genes be any better?

4. You love God and you show that in the most honest of ways.

5. You are quite possibly the smartest and most imaginative man I know. I love to see that side of you. I can't wait to have you explain how to play board games to our children!

Pants won't fit...immediate action required!

Picture this...myself, the baby Bear in her Bjorn, the dog, the 38 week preggo neighbor and her dog, stumping around the block (and facing off with collar and leash free neighborhood dogs). Oh yeah. We are awesome!

I am so not fitting in my pants lately. I've gained 20lbs since the Squid was born. Yipe! So I put on my tennies, now that my toe is no longer purple and hit the pavement. It was a good walk! I'm hoping to get more in now that the chill is off the days. Pretty soon I'll be complaining about the heat!

Back again - 5 Years - and other thoughts

A week of the grid was hard! I admit, I cheated. I was supposed to be tech free, but the Geek and I watched a movie for date night and when I got REALLY bored, the baby was in bed, I didn't want to sketch anymore, I had finished my books, and still had nothing to do (and didn't feel like playing my guitar), I watched a show on hulu. I wrote in my journal, I sang to my baby a lot, I resisted going to websites to read. It was good. I realized that I can use anything to escape life and I could remove every possible distraction and STILL retreat into my head. It's safe there!

So no profound mysteries solved, but I did take more time for life, instead of living here on this tiny screen. After awhile, I didn't miss Twitter. I still don't miss it! In fact, I may not turn it back on since we are cutting out all expenses, and knocking our cell phones down to the lowest possible plan (which won't include texting, so I'll let you all know when that starts!) It's good to be back and have the 'interwebs' be a tool, rather than my life.

On to more news...

1. The Geek and I celebrated 5 years together as man and wife. I'll post more about that later when I have a fun picture to show you. 04-03-09. Oh yeah! It happened while I was off the grid and you have no idea how hard it was not to make a post then and brag on my man.

2. Still no job. Hubs had 2 interviews last week and neither panned out. Keep praying! I'm headed to the WIC office on Wednesday - more about this later too.