Check It Out

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Amy

I did a guest post on the CSN Stores Blog today. It’s called “Finding a New Use for Old Things,” one of my favorite topics. Check it out here.

Doing the post really made me want to get out and do some good old junking. I used to get up early every Saturday morning in graduate school (and that was in the days when I regularly slept until noon!), pull out my trusty laminated city map, grab the classified section of the paper and go yard sale-ing for hours. I also made regular trips to the architectural salvage store and various antique and junk shops around town, trolling for treasures. I made some fantastic finds in those days. In fact, I pretty much furnished my entire graduate school apartment on yard sale stuff. Most of it was junk when I picked it up, and I managed to turn it into something fun. Everything was mismatched, but it worked.

Nowadays I still love a good yard sale (they call them “rummage sales” here). I still enjoy a good stroll through the architectural salvage store we have here and the antique stores. Unfortunately, my adventures in junking are few and far between these days. In fact they’re mostly limited to driving slowly by a yard sale to see if it looks like it’s worth getting both my girls out of the car (yes, I’m that person, and no, I usually don’t bother to get out) or cruising through the architectural salvage store when I’m already walking downtown for the farmer’s market and looking for a good spot to get out of the heat for a few minutes.

I have been really feeling the junking itch lately though. One day recently I actually went to a website listing all sorts of local yard sales for the following day, printed a list of those I wanted to check out, consulted my map and planned my route, only to find that the website was pretty much bogus and two of the three “big sales” I tried to go to were not where they were supposed to be. The third one was not big, and consisted mostly of crocheted barrettes, old baskets, and a rack of clothes for an elderly woman. I was discouraged after that and gave up on that trip. However, I am not to be deterred. The next two weekends will be taken up with travel, but maybe I’ll get back out there when we get home. I’d love to score some good junk for my house or for my girls. Heck, I’ll even get out of the car this time.

Grab Bag

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Amy

Tonight for dinner, I tried deep frying for the first time. It was totally easy and delish. Picture it: warm tortillas smeared with chipotle mayo and topped with shredded cabbage, diced tomatoes and deep-fried beer-battered fish. Fish tacos baby. Yum.

I have always shied away from deep frying. For some reason I thought it was difficult. Today my Southern roots came through, and I deep fried that beer-battered fish like I’d been doing it my whole life. I love it when I make a yummy dinner that my hubby loves. Usually I try to make a bit more healthful food, but everyone needs a little bit of deep fat frying from time to time, right?

This time of year is when I feel the need to pull out the macro lens for my camera. I am a sucker for a good, close up flower photo.

I have a lot to learn about photography and editing, but I love these photos.

So simple.

I also love listening to Miss speak. From her adorable two-year-old pronunciations (like “Faiwy Godmuddah”) to her funny little play conversations, I could listen to her all day. Her imagination is really taking off, and one thing she is really into these days is acting out conversations between “characters.” Sometimes she uses her special “fwiends,” which are the toys she sleeps with, Elmo, Bear, Teddy Bear, Big Baby, Big Momma Bear, Owl Pillow, Bear Pillow, and Ariel. Sometimes she takes totally random objects, like a bunch of gourds (or “vegetables” as she calls them) in a bowl at The Farm or a few empty shaving cream cans in my shower, and turns them into a complete family, acting out all sorts of different family dramas between them.

She will have entire conversations between these characters, changing her voice inflection just slightly to indicate that she is doing the voice of a different one. It is so fun while getting ready for the day to listen to her and quietly giggle and smile to myself at the funny things she says.

Randomness for a Tuesday. Hope you’re having a great week.

Dance! Momma

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Amy

Last night, we went dancing.

After a fun-filled day of play date and picnic at the park followed by naps and more outdoor fun, I put on my favorite dancing shoes and my husband and I went to a grown up party.

We ate delicious food, met new people, drank adult beverages, listened to a great band, and most importantly danced ourselves silly. We danced with the completely un-selfconscious frenzy of Those Who Do Not Get Out Much. We danced with joy and 80s moves galore to songs like “Footloose” and “Living on a Prayer.” “Ballroom Blitz” made me nearly pass out (and pee my pants a little). We danced for over three hours straight. We danced until we were sweaty and laughing like fools and dizzy and falling down with exhaustion as the band packed up after playing a fantastic show. We danced like the world was about to end… Rapture indeed.

It was the kind of night that kept us talking about how much fun we had as we dragged ourselves home and into bed. The kind of night that made us feel like we had way too little sleep (when Lass woke up at 6). The kind of night that led to laughing recaps of favorite songs and best moves over coffee and breakfast and Saturday morning snuggles.

It was the kind of night that serves as a reminder that, as much as we love being with our girls and spending time as a family of four, it is great to have some time to be totally focused on each other for a while (even if I was texting the babysitter during the band’s break). I like to dress up and go out with my hubby and have a conversation that isn’t interrupted every three seconds. We don’t make a rule when we go out not to talk about the girls. We don’t need to. Sometimes we talk about them and that’s okay, but we can spend plenty of time talking about anything and nothing. Last night we barely talked at all. The band was too loud. So we laughed and gestured and sang as loudly as we could and occasionally yelled an “I love this one!!” and tried to out-do each other’s dance moves. Speaking of which, last night was the kind of night that reminded me that I am not as young as I once was. I am feeling that dancing today. And it was the kind of night that reminded me that head banging to ACDC = majorly sore neck in the morning. As Miss would say, “Owie.” Just relaxing tonight.

Super Victory and Some Randomness

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Amy

I must start out today by saying, “Yay Packers!” We aren’t die-hard Packers fans in our house. Neither my husband nor I are greatly into professional sports (except maybe golf on his part). I have always sort of liked the Packers though. They just seem to have more tradition and spunk than other pro teams. And since we live in Wisconsin now, well, it’s hard to resist the Packers fever around here. Packers fans are just fun. I mean, what kind of loyal, kooky fans would sit out in freezing cold weather week after week with big foam blocks of cheese on their heads but these hearty, happy Wisconsin folks?

I did dress my girls in green and gold yesterday and today though. And we watched the game. And cheered for the home team. And we’re happy they won. Here’s Miss in her green shirt (Her shirt that is a more appropriate shade of green is too small now). She was much more interested in getting her shopping cart as full as she could than in watching the game. She did say, “Go Packers!” though. Unfortunately she was also saying, “Yay Hawkeyes!” (my husband brainwashed her on the one football Saturday when I took some time away for myself to go to a book club meeting during football!!).

Oopsie-Doozy!! I think she actually said, “Oh noooo!!” when half her stuff fell out.

We just put it all back in (check out the doll’s head).

We do “Cheese Head” a little differently at our house. Go Pack!

Lass wore Packer gold yesterday.

She is getting much more interested in and capable of playing with various toys. I love watching her curiosity.

Now some randomness:

Miss got a new bathing suit for our upcoming trip to Florida. I bought a size bigger than her usual size to make sure it will still fit her this summer, and wanted to try it on her when we got home from the store. Naturally, she would not let me take it off and wore it over her onesie for the rest of the day.

I posted a little while ago about how Lass’s hair stands straight up so adorably. Well, it’s getting longer, and this outfit has a hood that she was wearing up in her carseat, so it was flat for a while the other day. I’m so used to the hair standing up, I think she looks like a different baby!!

Finally, right now my house smells deliciously like banana bread. I tried again to make some this morning. I remembered to grease the pan. I adjusted the oven temp (my oven does not get to the true temp it says it does, so I have to adjust it a bit to try to compensate; last time I had it too hot). And I managed to produce this perfect, yummy goodness.

It came out perfectly, all in one piece even. Slightly crispy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside. Very banana-y. And not too vanilla-y, even though Miss dumped a bit too much vanilla in the batter. I am so proud. I may become a baker after all.

Confession

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Amy

I have a secret. I’ve kept this secret for around 16 years or so. Some of you may be upset with me when I reveal this secret. Some of you may be shocked. I think the best way to get to the heart of the matter is to tell you a story about yesterday. New Year’s Day. I love watching football on New Year’s Day. Have since I was a kid. Yesterday, not so much. Football yesterday was awful. Many of you may think you know why I say this. See, I went to Michigan State for my undergraduate degree. And the Spartans got thoroughly waxed by Alabama yesterday. But alas, after 12:30 CST, I didn’t even watch the MSU game. That game started at 12, but part way through the first quarter, I turned it off. The game hadn’t even gotten painful to watch yet, but there was something else on that I wanted to watch even more than the Spartans. Yes. You see where I’m going with this. I went to Michigan State. Lived and matriculated in East Lansing Michigan for three years. But there was another game on yesterday. Another team. Folks, in my heart of hearts, deep down where it counts, I. am. a. Michigan. Fan. *gasp* There, I said it.

That’s right. My name is Amy, and I’m a Michigan fan.

I can’t help it. I was raised on Michigan football like it was a religion. When the Michigan game was on at our house, you didn’t talk. You didn’t stand in front of the TV. My parents got one of those old head set radios so they could listen to the Michigan games on Saturdays while pretending to watch my brother and I play and cheerlead for little league football. Bo Schembechler (rest his soul) was revered in our family. My grandparents had season tickets to the Big House. Our New Year’s Day celebrations of my childhood always involved watching Michigan’s bowl game, hopefully the Rose Bowl. I spent 18 years as a die-hard Michigan fan.

Then I decided I wanted to go to college with my best girlfriends, and we went to Michigan State. I was there for three years. Went to the football games. Cheered for the Spartans. I became a Spartan fan, but not really and truly. See, when it really counted, when Sparty faced the Wolverines, there was always a little part of me that secretly hoped Michigan would win. Even when I was wearing green in the Big House for the in-state match-up my freshman year. I outwardly cheered for Sparty, but I could never fully put my heart into it.

18 years vs. 3 years. The years in East Lansing could not overcome my childhood love of the Maize and Blue. Now, in the years since graduating from MSU, I have continued to cheer for Sparty. I have come out and cheered openly for Michigan. And it’s never really a problem most of the time. But once a year, when Sparty and Michigan meet, I usually remain very quiet. In the very early years after my graduation, I probably still outwardly cheered a little for Sparty. In later years I just sat quietly, secretly hoping Michigan would win. If anyone asked me who I was rooting for I probably would have said MSU. After all, I went there, so I should love Sparty more than any other. But I could just never make it happen.

As the years went on, I began to cheer for Michigan a bit more openly and I rationalized this by saying things like, “Well, Michigan has a lot more to lose in this game” (since Michigan was typically having a season in which they were a contender for a Big Ten title or National Championship) or “Well, I just want Coach Carr to have a good season.” I always had a soft spot for Coach Carr. He was long-time friends with some of my uncles, and though I don’t really know him personally, I think of him as a good person and always wanted him to succeed as the head coach. The last three years, I didn’t have either of those excuses. Lloyd Carr hasn’t been the head coach, and since he left Michigan has had the worst three seasons of football in my lifetime. They certainly weren’t contending for any big titles, and had no more to lose than Michigan State in their match-ups (much less this year). And yet. And yet. I still cannot bring myself to cheer for any team above the Maize and Blue. Not even for Sparty. My husband called me out on it this last year, and I had to admit to my true love. When you still love a team when they really, really stink, you are a true fan. When Michigan loses, as they have done so frequently in the past three years, it pains me more than any other team. When they are winning, I jump and cheer more than for any other team. This year, we flew the block “M” in front of our house during football season (and a Hawkeye flag, but I had to concede that, being from a house divided). So there you have it. I am prepared for the disappointment from my fellow Spartans. I still love Sparty. Just, not as much as Blue.

Whew, I feel better getting that out in the open. And I’ll leave you with a quote from one of the best football coaches of all time.

“When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing.” – Bo Schembechler

Oh wait. While I’m confessing, I’ll add this. During basketball season, we fly a Duke flag!! Go Blue Devils!!

Warm and Cold

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Amy

Warm – Miss and I finished our paper chain garland this morning. She was so excited to see it hung over our patio door.

Cold – Our weather got cold today. High in the mid 20s. Brrrr.

Warm – While Playing with Miss this morning around the Christmas tree, she gave me lots of hugs and repeatedly said, “I you so much” (I love you so much). I could have melted.

Cold – Our furnace died today. Rather, it was unconscious for a while. After a long cold morning and early afternoon of calling our home warranty company, waiting for them to find someone to come on a Sunday, finding out that they couldn’t find anyone, finding someone myself, and getting them out to revive our old furnace so that it can limp along a bit longer, we now have heat again. For now. I will be taking bids tomorrow for a new furnace. Today Miss was all bundled up in the house.

She had fun when I told her to keep her hood up to stay nice and cozy warm.

She kept putting her fingers in her ears saying, “Keep ears warm. Nice, cozy.” Loved it.

Warm – We have only one space heater. So when it was getting really cold in the house by mid afternoon, I put it in the family room, turned on the TV so Miss would stay parked in front of the heater with Lass and me, and put down our picnic blanket so we could have a “picnic snack” after Miss’s nap. I don’t let her eat or drink outside the kitchen in our house, so it was a rare treat to have a little picnic in the family room. “Nice, Cozy.”

New ‘Do

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Amy

Before

After

Our Weekend

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Amy

We had a nice weekend here. My hubby was on call and had to work all weekend, but we had fun anyway. Yesterday the girls and I went to a local store and cafe where they have lots of toys in a big play area, so Miss had a blast playing with other kids and some different toys. I was a little bit amazed at how long it took me to get ready and get out of the house with two kids, but we made it, only a half hour later than my intended time. And we weren’t meeting anyone, so we weren’t really late, just later than I thought we would get going. We got home just in time for Miss to have a nap. Lass wasn’t tired, so we had some bonding time while Miss slept. We lounged around.

And had a little tummy time.

And we snuggled.

Then Miss woke up just in time to watch the Michigan game. It was a pretty good football weekend. Michigan State and Michigan both won, and the Michigan game was exciting to watch. I didn’t watch the game, but Iowa beat Iowa State, which made my husband happy but my brother unhappy. My hubby went to Iowa for his undergraduate and medical degrees, and my brother went to Iowa State and played football there, so that game never really has a happy ending for me.

Naturally, since yesterday was 9/11 I spent some time thinking about that day nine years ago, the people who lost their lives and all that has happened since then. My brother participated in a cool 9/11 Stairclimb memorial event with other firefighters. Since my brother and my dad are both professional firefighters (dad retired), the part about the 9/11 tragedy that always seemed the worst to me was how many firefighters and other emergency personnel lost their lives running into the towers to save people. So the stairclimb memorial was a pretty cool tribute I thought.

Yesterday was also the one-year anniversary of this blog. I have gone back and read all the posts from the past year in the past week or so. Mostly I’ve done this while nursing Lass in the middle of the night. It’s been fun to see the things I’ve written about and the photos I’ve posted. I started this blog kind of on a whim, but I’m so glad I did. It has been very enjoyable for me to keep up with it and to look back at how much has changed in the last year.

Today was a beautiful day so we just hung around at home. Miss played some music this morning.

And she showed off her sparkly pants

and bedazzled shirt, which she loved to look at all day.

We played outside this afternoon. The weather was perfect and Miss had a great time in the yard as always. Lass hung out in my BabyEtte wrap again. Bubbles were blown, sticks were collected (and crab apples, and acorns. . .), and there was lots of happy running.