Needs

Flower and Gracie have a love/hate relationship; Gracie loves to lick Flower, and Flower hates it. We all love Gracie when she's sweet, which is most of the time. She's just, well, needy. When she feels left out, she must jump and lick and say "Hey! You forgot about me!!!" In this way, she is very much like most of the O'Kigin clan. When Flower feels a little insecure, she wants to sit so close she's practically on your lap. She may be small for her age, but man, she's too big for a lap. When Mini-me feels sick or sad, she'll push whoever may already be on your lap onto the floor and then climbs right up. She was never a cuddly baby, so I don't mind this so much. Patch has always loved to be held. Even when he's playing, every few minutes he comes over, grabs my hand, and puts it on his head for me to rub. Curly even gets in on the act, especially when I'm trying to stitch. All of a sudden, a head will be on a my shoulder, making any needle movement slow and nearly impossible. The cat's needy too, only she demands things at 2 am, instead of 2 pm like a normal feline. Ah, we're a needy bunch, aren't we?

Monday Musings

I have a Carpenters song in my head: "Rainy days and Mondays always bring me down." Man, would she be depressed today! It is a very rainy Monday. The rain is supposed to stick around all day. What that means for us is a bored dog, a runny nose Patch, a tired Mini-me, and a wet Curly (because he's supposed to walk to work). I am hopeful for a long nap time today, because I have lots to do in my studio. Patch is acting very tired, so I think that will happen.

Earth Week

Now, I didn't really get into Earth Week this year. I mean, I still recycled my Diet Coke cans and bottles, I didn't litter, I used reusable water bottles at the park, and I weeded my garden out back so it would be lovely. Gracie on the other hand, went green.

Check out those paws. That's what happens when you chase the lawnmower, barking madly. The same thing does not happen when chasing the vacuum barking madly. It just proves that you can choose your action, but not your consequence.

Give-away

Fabulous Camille is giving away a quilt. Get out of town! It's one of her original designs, which you can get on etsy or at the Fat Quarter Shop. Go, tell her where you like to buy fabric, and tell her I sent you.

Playing with Photos

I was playing with my HP Photosmart today. I view it as the "poor man's photoshop." But anyway. Check out these pictures:

Before:

After:

I am sure there is more I can do than just click the few buttons I did. This will require much more time, I am sure.

Today, I Garden

Every year I try to garden. I don't mean flowers. I'm doing okay with those, as long as they are straightforward, no nonsense flowers. No. I mean food. I try to grow veggies every year. In the past, I have failed. Miserably. Last year, I stated to see things grow, and then I had surgery and couldn't lift a watering can and they died. The year before that, I started them all in little peat pods and then promptly forgot about them. But not this year. I went to Home Depot today and got starters of tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, basil, and strawberries. Most of them are already potted. But I ran out of pots. I don't want to over crowd, you know. I don't want to waste valuable lawn space for a garden that might not work, which is why I have chosen to pot them. I have big dreams for these little seedlings. I am imagining a day in July where I decide to have caprese salad for lunch, with tomatoes and basil from my little garden. I am picturing a party where I bring the fresh salsa, from my garden. I still would like to get some cilantro and maybe some mint. Come on over this summer and eat of my bounty. Well, unless Gracie gets to it first.

I posted a new recipe over at Recip-Ease the other day. Try it and let me know how you like it!

Funny Face

I had my camera in the car the other day, and turned around to this face:

Could you just die for that face? I was taking pictures as we drove around downtown last week, and that face says "Mom, why are you taking pictures of downtown? You are weird."

And this picture is a sign that summer is just around the corner:

Filling the diving pool at Baker Park! We have never been to the Baker Park pool. We go to the smaller Diggs pool, mainly because it has more shade than Baker. But man, does that look inviting.

I Wouldn't Either

I made lemonade to drink with dinner tonight. Flower was looking at it kind of funny for several minutes. I finally asked what was wrong with it, and she said: "It still has pulse." Yeah, I wouldn't drink lemonade with a pulse either.

I Like Yogurt, by Patch

2 Projects

I made another pillow. This one was very fun and came together fast, when I read the directions correctly. The fabric is chocolate lollipop (purchased semi-locally at Wilson's) by Anna Maria Horner. I think it turned out nicely, don't you?

The next project for show and tell today is a set of placemats Lauren and I did for Colleen's birthday. We made one special "Happy Birthday" placemat and then seven (yes, 7) "Party Time" placemats that had different colored presents. By the end of the year, they will have 3 kids ages 3 and under, so we figured a set of 4 would be insufficient. Hopefully she won't need more than 8, but if she does, she can make them herself.

Is There a Doctor in the House?

I feel most moms should receive some sort of MD. Or at least nursing status. Last night at around 7:45, Mini-me said she didn't feel good and then threw up. All over her bed. I cleaned up the mess, and then put her in bed with a bucket. Let's just say I finally got to bed at about 4 am. Then, Flower woke up this morning with an upset tummy. So, she is home with us today. The Ex will be picking her up in a little bit, to which I say, "more power to you." As a general rule, I don't take upset tummies in my car. That's because I have taken upset tummies in the car, and had to follow the trip by an immediate visit to the car wash. The good news is that Patch is great, as is Curly. I am just a little tired. Nap time will be a glorious time.

2:55

If you have 2 minutes and 55 seconds, check out the William Tell Mom. It's funny 'cause it's true.

Birthdays

Earlier this week, my friend Cherie announced that she is turning 40 this year and expects presents. I love her honesty. Her announcement coincides perfectly with my New Years Resolution to remember birthdays better. I have not hit all the ones I hoped, but am doing better than last year. I think. Maybe not. Cherie has remembered my birthday for nearly 10 years. She's awesome. Today, I got this years present from her. Have I said she's awesome? It's a tad early (we'll forgive her), but it's just what I wanted. I need to make a pincushion worthy of these confections, and will snap a photo as soon as I do. And, no worries, I started working on your present as soon as I got your email!

My El Guapo

I hate an empty fridge. Really dislike it. You know why? It makes me feel poor. I don't like to feel poor. Feeling poor makes me feel out of control, and, well, I like control. A lot. But lately (as in this morning), there has been a bad smell coming from the fridge. Well, not from it when it's closed, but from it when you open it. I decided to face my El Guapo and clean out my fridge. I have an entire empty shelf and two empty drawers. The top two shelves are not full. I could fit everything onto one shelf. But then I might feel impoverished instead of just poor.

We all have El Guapo's. For some of us, illiteracy may be our El Guapo. It's the thing that holds us back. I have several El Gaupo's. The fridge is just the first of many. It was probably the easiest El Guapo to vanquish. Maybe if I tackle an El Guapo a week, I could have them all taken care of by our summer vacation. Then I would be perfect. Some of you don't like perfect people, but that would be your El Guapo, not mine.

Poll

I just added a poll to my sidebar. Do your civic duty and vote!

AI

Oh, Jason Castro. You are awesome!!

A Big "Thanks!"

First, gracias, malo, verdankender to Aunt Becky. She saved my bacon today. Mini-me had her dance pictures today. She was getting her costume today. It was a Very Big Day where she got to wear makeup. Unfortunately, Patch didn't seem to care that it was a Very Big Day, and puked his breakfast up. My tummy hadn't been feeling too great, and that act nearly pushed me over the edge. I called Aunt Becky in a fit of desperation. Luckily, she had a few hours free, and nothing would make her happier than to drive up an hour and take Mini-me for her Very Big Day. So, okanshashemashu!

Monday Morning

I stayed up way too late last night watching Sense and Sensibility on PBS. Even though I took the test and came out as Marianne, I think I am more Elinor, in a lot of respects. I did love their mother, though. She was so steady and constant for her girls who spent the entire 3 hours in a perpetual state of emotional turmoil.

Patch's runny nose is back and it's all my fault. The pest control man, Mike, came today and we had to be out of the house for two hours. It was cold and drizzly, and the YMCA playroom was full. So we walked for 2 hours, stopping in a little shop here and there to warm up. I am hopeful the ant situation is behind us. We asked Mike what we could do until the next spray in 3 months, and he said avoid heavy cleaning, which would wipe away the pesticide. Done and done, Mike!

As I was walking around, I listened the song "Grace Kelly" on my iPod about 20 times. Well, only 3 times, but it could have easily been 20 times. One of the lines talks about all the colors he could be. If you are familiar with the song, could you please clarify something for me? Does he REALLY say "I could be hurple, I could be purple"????? Thanks.

Oops

I tried to upload a video, but kept getting an error message. I think I am the only person who struggles with uploading videos. Oh well. You'll have to leave Mini-me singing "Tell me the Stories of Jesus" to your imagination.

Indulge Me

Patch

He's a keeper.

Pillow

I made a pillow for my mom this week. I am quite proud of it, because not only did I applique the cupcake, ant, and words, but I made the the envelope back and pillow form myself. That's right -- I didn't send it out to anyone. The pillow form, well, there wasn't much of a choice there to be honest. The store doesn't sell 13 1/2 inch forms. They should, but they don't.

Now that I have mastered the form and the envelope back, I am moving on to the next step in pillow making -- the ruffle. Back in the day, my mom and I used to take our finished cross stitches to be finished into pillows by this little Asian lady who had a tailoring shop. Our first time there, she asked if we wanted a "2-inch lubble." After a lot of "huhs" and "say agains," we realized that she did not mean lubble, but ruffle. I'm not even sure what a lubble is.

After the lubble ruffle, I will attempt the difficult zipper followed by a buttonhole dismount. Oh what fun it is to sew.

April Fools

I was going to attempt a fake post, but it's too early and I have nothing clever to write. My older brother has the best April Fools jokes. Part of what makes them so good is that he doesn't do one every year, so you can't immediately pick it off as a prank. In Elementary School, he got the Principal to write him a pink slip, saying he was suspended because he got in a fight. Then, he got everyone on the bus in on his joke. We were to all run ahead while he walked slowly home. He handed my mom the note, while I tried not to die in a fit of giggles (I am not good at secret-keeping, because I have "no filter"). My mom was so mad, she made him call our dad. AT WORK. At this point, I thought he was done for. There was no way he could get out of this one. But he did, and my parents thought it was hilarious.

Another year, this time as grown-ups, he sent an email saying that he and his pregnant wife had just gone for their ultrasound and, gulp, they were having triplets. The email went on to say that he didn't know how they were going to do it, blah blah blah. My younger brother got the email at work, and told everyone in the office "Oh my gosh! My brother's having triplets!"

I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.