Pretty Happy Funny Real: Mid March

{Pretty}
I have been a plant-potting-fiend.  Now that I've found my very own moss supply, I'm snagging glass jars from everywhere and grabbing moss from outside.  I have no real clue what I'm doing.  But it's fun and cheap.  I plan on making little scenes in terrariums and handing them out to friends.  Unlike the dry moss I bought at the store, it does seem that this live moss will live in the jars okay.  The dry stuff looked nice for a minute and then became moldy.

PRETTY moss in my Grandma's tea cup.  Moss in a old Ball jar.  Shamrocks in a coffee press beaker.

{Happy}
I heard on the news that the war in Iraq began 10 years ago!  Whenever I hear about the start of the war in Iraq, I think back to our (rather spur of the moment) trip to London at that same time.  We stayed with friends for free. sleeping on the floor.  We all piled into my little Saturn and drove up to Chicago for the $200 round trip plane tickets Chicago to London.  Apparently, not many people wanted to fly at that point.  The pictures below are from my scrapbook of the vacation.  I was very happy to be traveling around with my best pals.  I do remember really missing Brandon while we were on that trip and wishing that he was with me :)  We were able to visit London on our honeymoon a couple of years later.

HAPPY in Hammersmith

{Funny}
Xavier and Aidan love to play with the printer.  This stupid printer is so not user friendly.  We are super unsatisfied with it but will keep using it as long as we can.  But it's not like I've ever had someone tell me they LOVE their printer.  I think it's funny that the baby knows exactly which buttons to press to get the thing to work.

Funny Boys

{Real}
All of Aidan's pants have holes in the knees.  Even the brand new pants.  Oh boys.  I'm experimenting with these homemade patches.  I used an iron on stuff that I found recommended through Pinterest.  I have my doubts that it'll work.  I have the feeling that I have a decade or so in front of me to perfect my hole patching technique.  It may be worth it for me to learn to use a sewing machine.  Maybe they'll just run around with holes in their pants - why fight a loosing battle?

Finding contentment in the Everyday with LMLD

Five minute Friday: rest

Five minute Friday is hosted by Lisa-Jo. She give us a word to write about, we take 5 minutes and just write what we can. No going back and deleting or editing. Just write. Then we all link up at her site and leave encouraging notes for others.

The word is 'rest.' GO!


Last Sunday, I was restless, grumpy, and tired of being anywhere and everywhere. Nothing sounded good. I had already been given time for a nap - and used it. I had a list of to-dos a mile long and didn't want to start on any of them.

I walked out the front door and checked on the cold, wet dirt that will soon have some flowers growing. I poked around, looking for new growth, hopeful for any sign of Spring. Sunshine where are you?!?

I eyed the moss growing in my neighbors yard enviously, "I should dig up their moss, they don't want it. I want it for my glass terrariums!

Thankfully, before I could be caught digging in my neighbor's flower bed, I wandered around to the north side of my little house. The dreary sunless side. And found that I have my own moss haven. There were several types of moss growing. I recognized one from the garden center in the $6 each pots. What a wonderful gift of this cool late-winter day.

I wondered how to harvest the moss. With my newly polished finger nails, I did not hesitate. I carefully peeled the moss carpet back. Immediately earthworms were squiggleing around below, another wormy thing inched around. I pulled up more moss and more. The whole side yard is carpeted in the velvety green stuff.

I set to work cleaning and replanting the moss in various containers I had hidden away. I caked my hands in mud. I played around in the cool air. I remembered that I need to get outside more often. I cannot keep myself locked indoors all winter long. I rested my mind while piddling around in my garden. I look forward to more days of restful actions outside.

What I've been into: January 2013

We've had a month of new goings ons. Brandon has started back at work, so Xavier has began going to daycare a couple of days a week. Xavier has done very well Witt the transition.

TV watching
We've been watching Parenthood. It's entertaining but there issues are always resolved so easily. I had to break out the Friday Night Lights again, ahh, good tv and my favorite way to watch football. I caught the first episode of Downton abbey season three but have not seen any others. Basically, I don't have the two solid hours to sit and watch the show. I love it but it demands all of my attention. Finally Bob's Burgers is my new favorite show. Love all of the characters, hilarious.

Reading
I enjoyed our last book club book, but I can't even remember the title right now. How's that for a great review?

Work
Busy busy busy. I'm ready to dial back my second job of college teaching online. I'm just burned out and need a break. I'll take the summer off, that should help. Regular work, is regular work. I'd rather spend some time writing rather then teaching.

Baking
I've been trying to do some baking on the weekends. I made a pumpkin cheesecake for a co-workers birthday. I always have issues with the water bath leaking and making the crust soggy. As an early Mardi Gras treat, I made a batch of brown sugar cookies with burnt sugar - best cookies ever. And then I ate about 3/4th of the batch. I also made my first batch of soft preztels. They were pretty easy. I liked the boiling of the dough part. They tasted a little salty. I think I will try again

All very important tasks non?

These two boys are really becoming friends. I love watching them together. Although they should both be in bed right now...