The Home Organization Binder

I'm not a naturally organized person, and I REALLY hate spending money when it comes to organizing things. Organization doesn't come easy to me, and I'm definitely not an expert at it. That said, the Home Organization Binder that we made at Mom's Group a few weeks ago has been a big help to me, and so I wanted to talk about it here.

I'd seen similar binders all over Pinterest, but hadn't actually made one because (a) I hadn't seen one configured in a way that I thought I'd actually use, (b) I hate spending money on that sort of thing and (c) I don't have a lot of craft supplies, so it would probably end up being very expensive for me to buy scrapbook paper and all those other goodies necessary in order to create a binder that I wouldn't mind having just sit out on a day-to-day basis. That's the beauty of my Mom's Group--you pay annual "dues" and part of that dues money goes towards providing all the materials needed to do the craft of the day. It's awesome.

Anyway, we were instructed to decorate the outside of the binder however we wanted. Again, my goal was to have something that I wouldn't mind sitting out on the desk all the time. Then, on the inside, we were supposed to create divided sections based on something called a "brain dump" that they had done the previous session. I missed that one, but from what I gather, you basically take a blank piece of paper, give yourself an allotted amount of time, and then just write down everything on your mind until the time is up. The suggestion was that you then review your brain dump and see if there are any themes or categories that might help you decide what your divided sections should be. Here's what I ended up with:

1. Finances: Included in this section are two zippered pouches--one for receipts that need to be entered into our budget, and one for receipts from the month that already have been entered. We enter most of our financial info directly into an Excel spreadsheet, but I also printed out a copy of our monthly budget for easy access. It might also be a good place to keep track of due dates for various bills, interest rates for credit cards/student loans, and that sort of thing.



2. Prayer: I mentioned the Inspired to Action website a few days ago, which includes some great e-books that include monthly calendars for praying for your kids and spouse. I have them printed out and in sheet protectors in this section. I also added lined notebook paper so that when I hear about prayer requests, I can jot them down and (hopefully) actually follow through later.

3. To Do Today: Exactly as it sounds. It's a section of lined paper. I fold each piece of paper vertically, and write two days worth of to-do's on each side. Another great option is the Weekly Overview (again from Inspired to Action) which allows space to write your Bible Study plans, a menu, and a to-do list.

4. To Do Later: This section is also filled with lined paper and is for things that I want to remember, but don't necessarily need to do that day. I also have a few sheet protectors for fliers/brochures, and my brain dump is also here. I really liked the brain dump and I think I may do it more often.

5. Meal Plan: My plan was to print our my meal plan and keep it here, along with a master list of the recipes that I can cook. That said, I'm finding that I actually end up looking on the computer (I keep the meal plan in a Word document and also look on Pinterest a lot) than in the binder, so this category may turn into something else.

6. Toddler Activities: Awhile back, when I was venting about the parenting/cleaning balance, Emily commented that she tries to do three activities with Thomas each day. I really liked that idea, and have implemented it a lot with Lizzy with my own little spin. I keep a list of activities to do with Lizzy in this section. This isn't anything fancy...typically I just take toys that we already have, and couple them with developmental stuff. So, one activity might be to play with Legos with Lizzy, with me focusing on counting as we're playing (or colors). It isn't anything structured--just while we're playing, I make an effort to count the Legos as we stack. Sometimes, the activities are just going to the library or to the park...but the key for me is that it helps me to be more present and to really feel like I have some freedom to clean, or read, or whatever doing the day because I know Lizzy is getting some quality time. And as a bonus, it helps me remember to rotate in books and toys that we haven't read or used in awhile. This would also be a good section to keep lists of free things to do in your area, printouts from places like www.icanteachmychild.com and more.

7. Notes/Other Info: Since the binder typically sits next to the computer, I like to just have lined paper where I can scratch notes as necessary. Justin's been working on an inventory of our DVD collection, so that may eventually go here, as may schedules for baseball/softball, etc.

8. Emergency Info: This will probably just be a place to store phone numbers of our doctors, Justin's work, our insurance agent, etc. Phone numbers that I may need quickly, but probably don't know by heart or necessarily want/need in my phone 24/7.

Other ideas for divider sections that I've seen are things like cleaning, take-out menus, sports schedules, etc. The bottom line is to do what works for you...do the brain dump, identify what is stressing you out, and do what you can to make yourself a bit more organized in those areas. I know, it sounds so simple, right? Well, it's not that simple, and you won't do it perfectly (I don't anyway), but doing something is better than doing nothing I figure!

I know this post is getting long, but I also have to mention that our mail is stored elsewhere (in the living room post, I showed you the inside of the flowered box--it's in there). We have sections in that box for incoming bills, things to be filed, cards/notes, etc. But, all of those categories would probably also work in a Home Binder if you think that would work best for you--I just already had a system going for that and figured there's no sense in messing with what's already working.


Also, does it drive anyone else crazy that when you put things in sheet protectors, you can no longer see the divider tabs?! No? Just me? Okay then....  :)

DIY Knit Kindle Case {A Tutorial}

So, I've been on the lookout for a case for my Kindle pretty much since it was given to me on my birthday back in August since it obviously isn't the best idea to have it just rattling around in my purse. However, I'm pretty frugal cheap, and had yet to find one that I liked but would also be willing to use my precious budgeted pennies on (more on that at a later date). So, I decided to make one over the weekend.

I knit a lined, envelope-style case using the Horizontal Herringbone stitch. Since it's a woven stitch, it tends to be a bit thicker than a lot of knit stitches, which I thought would lend itself to this project nicely. I also used the standard Red Heart yarn, but knit two strands together to make it a bit thicker. I cast on 22 stitches on size 13 needles. HOWEVER, please note that the newer Kindles/other e-Readers have different dimensions. The important thing is that you make your strip just slightly wider than your e-Reader, and twice as long plus 2-4inches. Here's some photos to show you scale:

Then, you need to decide if you want to line your case, and if so, where you want the lining to go. The scrap of fabric that I wanted to use wasn't long enough to span the entire knit surface, so I decided just to line where the Kindle would actually sit, and not the flap that folded over. Then, I just whip-stitched the fabric to the wrong side of my knit piece, using thread that was roughly the same color as my yarn. It doesn't have to be perfect by any means.

Once the fabric strip is tacked on where you'd like it, use a very large needle (I think this is an upholstery needle) to thread your yarn through the needle. Thread a much longer piece of yarn than you anticipate you need to sew up the sides, 'cause it's kind of a pain to get the yarn threaded.

Then, you'll just fold the knit piece so that you form a pocket deep enough to hold your e-Reader and stitch up the sides. I stitched my sides up in-side out (so the fabric was facing out rather than in). Once I stitched up both sides and tied off the ends, I just did a basic whip stitch around the fabric to clean things up a bit.

You can probably see that I chose to whip stitch around the entire edge on the left and right sides, but only around the fabric across the top. This pulled in the left and right edges a bit and created "tabs" of sorts for my buttons. I also whip stitched around the fabric only on the very front inner pocket. {If your fabric reaches the edge of your knit piece, I recommend whip stitching all the way around just for reinforcement and to make it look pretty.}

I decided that I wanted my buttons to be in the back--I was nervous about them resting on the screen itself. So, I just sewed a couple of buttons on the back. I didn't knit button-holes--I found it pretty easy just to slip the button through the knit stitch. BUT, keep in mind that if you line your knit piece all the way to the edges, you'll have to come up with some other way to fasten your buttons since there will be fabric in the way. I have no ideas there, but if anyone else does, let me know!

Finished, from the front:

Fabric Scrap Tu-Tu Tutorial

Last night, I was supposed to be making fabric flowers for our church's annual Christmas bazaar. But then, I saw Lizzy wearing one of the stretchy headbands around her waist, and I had an idea--why not tie the strips of fabric onto a headband and make her a tu-tu? So I did. I didn't follow any particular tutorial, though they are ALL OVER Pinterest. I just did what made sense to me, and I think it worked.

I tried to get a totally cute picture of Lizzy wearing her tu-tu, but she was so excited to see it when she woke up that all I got was a lot of this:

So, these are REALLY simple, if not time-consuming to make. Here's how you do it and what you need:

1. Either elastic, or one of those stretchy headbands that we all use for running/working-out. Lizzy wears both 24months and 2T clothing, and the headband is a little big on her as a tu-tu.
2. 55-60 strips of fabric--about 1 inch wide, and 20-22 inches long. I didn't worry about the edges, but you could cut them with fancy (bunting?) scissors to give the edges a pattern.

First, take a strip of fabric, and fold it in half. Next, you'll knot the strip of fabric around the headband by taking the looped end of the strip under the headband, and then pulling the free ends of fabric over the headband and through the loop.

Continue knotting fabric all the way around the waistband, but try not to pull your knots too tight or the elastic may twist. And TA-DA, you're done. I kept to a pink/purple/turquoise scheme for the most part because that's mostly what I had...but I think these would be really cute even using non-matching fabric.

I keep debating about whether or not to make a few of these to sell at the bazaar as well, but they're just kind of time intensive, and I'm not sure that I could sell them for the $15-$20 that I'd want to in order to feel like my time was worth it. Maybe I'll just make one and see if it sells...

Happy Monday everyone!

Decorating for Seasons

In the time that Justin and I have been married, I've never really decorated for seasons. Except Christmas, but even then, it's pretty much just been a Christmas tree and a miniature nativity set. For one, we just haven't ever had a mantel or any place that made sense to decorate seasonally. Second, seasonal decor was just an extra expense that we didn't need.

That said, over the weekend, we moved the buffet that matches our hutch inside from the garage. We've never had it inside before because the three different colorings of wood between the buffet, our table, and the cabinets drove me crazy. Plus, we had "inherited" the table from when Justin and his siblings were growing up, and it was already pretty big for the space. I've always hated that table even more than I hated the buffet/hutch, but Justin loves/loved it. He did agree to let me paint it, but it still didn't solve the problem of not being the right size or shape for the space. Also, the table is just starting to fall apart--the chairs are losing their support spindles, and the finish is totally worn down.

After the cabinets were painted, we talked a lot about the kitchen/dining area, and I suggested to Justin that if we had a long rectangular table, I thought the buffet would fit inside and free up some garage space for him. And then, I suggested building a farmhouse table. And after a few months, I think Justin is down for that plan, so we brought the buffet inside over the weekend.

And now, I also have the perfect spot for seasonal decor. The only problem was that we're on a tight budget (as always), and I didn't really have much in terms of a base to start from. But yesterday, I made it my mission to decorate the buffet for fall for less than $30. Here's what I came up with:

I'd still like to add something that says "Give Thanks", but haven't found quite what I'm looking for yet. It's kind of funny though--in real life, I almost feel like there's too much going on already, but it doesn't look that way in the photo at all! Anyway, I spent $5 on two yards of muslin for the runner, $5 for the blue and turquoise "bouquet", $10 for the candle holder, and $4 for spray paint to paint the wine bottles. I also made a fabric flower bouquet out of fabric that I already had.

They are so easy to make--you just cut out large circles of fabric, and then use a needle and thread to stitch all the way around the perimeter of the circle. Pull the two ends of the string together, knot, and cut the ends. And, TA-DA, you have a flat flower disc. Then, I just put some hot glue on the back of each flower disc and attached a stick to each. If you want a cleaner look, you can also hot glue buttons/pearls to the center of each flower. I think I may make it my goal to do a new fabric flower bouquet for each season.

And for the table, here's what I'm thinking, but with white benches that could be pushed underneath for more room:

Source: remodelaholic.com via Meredith on Pinterest

DIY Glitter Flats, Cobbler in Mason Jars, & Other Fun

I mentioned awhile ago that I had seen DIY glitter flats on {We Are Not Martha}. Since Justin got paid on Tuesday, I figured it was a perfect time to go get that Mod Podge, glitter, and some flats (which I scored on clearance for $5). While Lizzy was napping, I set up shop.

Not gonna lie, while I was in the process (i.e. upper right hand corner), I was a bit worried that it might end badly. Also, it took me WAY more than the four coats that most of the tutorials I've read have cited...but I think that may have been due to the fact that I used super-fine glitter and also didn't use enough of it mixed into the Mod Podge until about coat 4. I decided not to use all the available colors to do rainbow style, but to keep in the turquoise/purple/pink family (with a little green, silver, and red mixed in here and there). I probably could have taped off the sole, but oh well. A lot of tutorials also recommended spraying them with some sort of clear coat. I figured that I'd start with just a clear coat of Mod Podge (I hadn't seen that recommended anywhere) and see how that works for starters.

I kind of love them.

Justin spent the day sleeping on the couch.



I made Taco Soup with ground turkey for dinner.



And blackberry cobbler in mason jars for dessert. Justin doesn't love when I do cobbler in mason jars, but I like that they're pre-portioned so I eat less than I would if I was scooping it out of a bigger baking dish.

I use this cobbler recipe from {Pioneer Woman}. I just add about 1 tsp vanilla to the batter. Please note though that the recipe calls for self-rising flour--if you don't keep self-rising flour, you can make it by adding 1.5 tsp baking powder and half a teaspoon of salt.


Ladle the batter into the mason jars, filling 1/2 way to 2/3 full. I usually do 6-7 of the jam size (half-pint?) jars.



Spoon blackberries on the top of the batter. If desired, sprinkle the tops with a little more sugar. I baked at 350* for about 50 minutes rather than the full hour, but keep an eye on them after about 40 minutes. Tops should be golden brown and a knife inserted into the middle should come out clean.

Love this idea for summer BBQ's!

And there you have it...my yesterday in photos!

Who Says, Who Says You're not Crafty?

* Title should be sung to the tune of Selena Gomez's new song. Wait, what do you mean you don't know Selena Gomez's new song? You don't have a husband who DVR's every episode of Phineas & Ferb ever made and has watched the latest "new" episode three times in the span of two days? Oh.

Usually, I tell people that I'm not very crafty. Indeed, I have had some crafting/DIY mishaps:
-Worst cake EVER
-Disco Pumpkin

However, I've also had some crafting successes:
-Mary Jane Baby Booties
-Headbands
-Heck, I even made ceiling tiles into wall art, as can be seen in this post.

So, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not inherently not-crafty. I CAN be crafty, especially when I'm following some sort of tutorial or have something specific in mind. I think the real issue is that since I'm only a sometimes crafter opposed to an all-the-time crafter, I just don't have the crafting STUFF.

For example, I am dying to make these glitter flats:

{photo and tutorial from We Are Not Martha}

However, it seems like such a big investment to me because I don't own Mod Podge, I don't keep glitter on hand. When people suggest framing scrapbook paper or whatnot...well, I don't own scrapbook paper. Heck, I don't even own any of those little foam brushes. So while y'all are like, "Hey I made this for free with things I already own!" I'm thinking, "That would cost me $50 to buy the materials...and then what if it doesn't turn out?!" 

Anyone out there with me? 

I think it might be a good idea to slowly start stocking up my crafting supply, because I'm sure that most things (like the glitter and mod podge) will be used again and again in doing crafts with Lizzy. Maybe I should just plan to buy something craft related every month. And actually add craft stuff to my one other recurring item on any holiday shopping list (Old Navy Gift Cards is the other).

I'm gonna do it. Heck, I'm feeling emboldened after painting a newborn cradle turquoise (more on that later). I'm gonna glitter up some shoes. 

By the way--every single person I know calls mod podge "Modge Podge"--but there is no extra "ge" in Mod on the package and it drives me CRAZY.

A Peek Into My House--Living Room

Justin and I live in a modest house--actually, not much bigger than the apartment that we used to rent. But, it's ours, and I think it is plenty of space, especially if we could pare down some of our "stuff" a little bit. For the first year that we lived here, our house pretty much looked like this:

To the left of the loveseat were three bookshelves, and a little walkway that took you to the garage door. There were definitely some things that I liked about this layout, but as always, I found myself itching to change things before long. About a year after we moved in, we switched things to this:

I did like the look of this layout, but we quickly realized that it probably wouldn't be functional for our purposes once Lizzy arrived--we don't have a spare room/playroom, and her nursery wasn't really big enough to store toys in, and certainly not to spend the bulk of our day playing in. We knew that we'd be spending 99% of our time during the day in the living room, and needed a layout that allowed for a little more room to play, and to set up a Pack 'N Play since we haven't been able to find a baby gate that will fit the entry to our dining room/kitchen, and our laundry is outside (which means that I'm running in and out all day). Enter the current arrangement:

The goal for me for our house has always been to have a living room that feels casual--like you can kick off your shoes and hang out. Not have to worry about kids getting into something they shouldn't or breaking something. A space where I can curl up with a cup of coffee, a blanket, and chat with a friend while our kids play. Relaxed. Comfortable. Not stuffy. Maybe a touch of fun or whimsy.

I love that we have so much more room to play, but sometimes it feels a little sparse. I feel like it needs something (other than trim around the door), but I feel like the only place I have to put something is on the walls, and I'm just not sure what to do there. I do have one idea- the frames on the new gallery wall all need another coat of paint anyway (I used Rustoleum's no sanding safe for all surfaces spray paint), and I'm considering painting them canary yellow. Thoughts?

Right side of the room, based on the above photo:

We used to have different curtain panels, but I was tired of them, and they don't match the color scheme that I'd like to go for in this room, so I tossed up some white panels that I already had for now until I decide what to do. Also, this room tends to be a cave and not get much natural light for most of the day, so I wanted to see if white panels made it feel lighter visually. Maybe I should dye THEM canary yellow. I'm kind of liking the idea of yellow right now. It's so spring-y. The problem is that I'm not sure I'd love it come winter time. Overall though, I don't like much about this side of the room. I feel like we need a better solution for the blankets Lizzy is climbing on, and for my computer. I also don't know what to put on the walls by the curtains, if anything.

Left side:

Looking toward the back. Another blank wall.

Man, what I would give to paint that hutch white. Or turquoise. But Justin loves it as is, and he lives here too, so I suppose he does get some say in things ;)

Here's the pillow slipcovers that I made:

I used the heat-bond tape stuff, and even though I followed the directions painstakingly, they are starting to separate in some spots. Grr.

So there you have it. This is where Lizzy and I spend nearly all of our days. And just because I know it makes me feel better when other people do it, here's what our house ACTUALLY looks like most of the time (and this is on a good day):

The Yada Yada clan...

-My sweet husband worked 133 hours in the past two weeks. Suffice to say, we're both pretty exhausted.We're also both pretty thankful that he's an hourly employee rather than a salaried one.

-I am in *desperate* need of some highlights (see the last post for proof). I'm debating whether to go to the beauty school, or to enlist my sister to do the Frost N Glow highlights-in-a-box method.

-The cold-weather garden plants are mostly in. I also planted some iris bulbs this year, and I'm excited to see how those turn out. Also, I pruned one of the big bushes in front of our house last week, and my forearms had uncontrollable spasms for the rest of the day. It was kind of funny!

-Since our local pool is apparently filled with crazy-people who only offer infant swim lessons at 8pm, I've been searching around for an alternative nearby. I think I've found somewhere, and I'm excited. As of late, even your basic bath causes mass hysteria, so I want to get Lizzy back in the pool and familiar with things!

- I got Jillian Michaels's new "Ripped in 30" DVD, which has been awesome during these past crazy weeks where there's no way that I can fit 70 minutes of daily workout in (Month 2 of Insanity), but 20 minutes of Jillian seems much more manageable. Still, I can't help but notice that most of the exercises are veeerrrrrryyyy similar to Insanity. And Jillian even keeps telling me to "dig deep". I don't know whether to be thrilled that I'm not totally abandoning the Insanity workouts, or irritated that the two DVDs are so strikingly similar. On the upside, for those of you who indicated that you'd like to try Insanity but can't afford to shell out the cash, apparently "Ripped in 30" is a good alternative.

-I made a gallery wall. And some pillow slip covers. Both turned out kind of okay, but not perfect, which is pretty much why I hate doing crafts of any sort. I want things to be perfect, or not done at all. I followed all of the usual instructions for making a gallery wall--tracing paper the size of the frames, marking where the picture hangers are, taping the paper to the wall, measuring spacing, nailing in the holes, then hanging the frames. Still, the entire wall appears to be slightly tilted down and to the right. It actually is the same distance from the floor and the ceiling, it just appears to be slanted....I don't know what's up, but it's ticking me off. I might try putting actual picture hangers (opposed to just nails) up and see if that helps? It's the only relatively easy thing I can think to try, since I've already re-done the entire wall four times with no greater success. I kind of think our house just may be slanted. Seriously.

*100 bonus points to you if you get the post title reference.

Goings On

- So, I was at the dollar store the other day and I saw that they had wreath forms. I've been wanting to try out several of the different spring wreaths that I've seen around blog-land recently, so I got one. I decided to try the coffee-filter wreath, and I will say that it's not bad for $1 (I had a pack of wrong-size-for-our-coffee-pot filters already). I'd like bigger ribbon, but I'll make do with what we've already got laying around the house instead of buying something new.




- I am itching to make some decor changes. I want to make things more light and spring-y. I have a gallery wall, repainting our table, and no-sew cloth-napkin slipcovers in mind. However, none of these things are in our budget just yet. They may be soon, but of course, I want do do it NOW. Still, this is a great reminder of the whole wants vs needs thing and self-control (i.e. putting non-essential decor items on my credit card is not a good idea). I'm proud of myself for holding out until we actually have some discretionary funds before I actually buy discretionary stuff.

- I also made this Creamy Taco Mac from Delish yesterday. It was total comfort food, but with using wheat pasta, Neufatchel cream cheese, and light sour cream, it didn't feel too heavy or too terrible for us.

-We started month 2 of Insanity on Monday. HOLY COW. It is ridiculous, and I feel totally uncoordinated just like when we first started. I am not looking forward to today's workout--I have intake for an allergy trial later today, so I can't take my inhaler...which should be interesting.

-I thought I had something else, but my brain is mush, so apparently not! Have a fantastic day!

Snippets + Advice

- First off, I'd love some advice from you other mamas--Lizzy has recently become an extremely picky eater. Her pediatrician warned me that this would probably happen as she got closer to 18 months because babies around that age apparently don't need as much food. See, sometimes I'll make something for dinner or lunch that Lizzy has previously had and eaten no problem, but lately, sometimes she'll just shake her head no, and won't even try it. I never have any idea what she will or will not eat, aside from bananas, which she would eat 10 of each day if I let her. Right now, if she doesn't eat, I don't make her something else (because who knows whether she would even eat that). I have her sit in her high chair while I/we eat, and then she can get down. But the problem is that I don't think she's eaten dinner all week (though she is still pooping/peeing plenty each day). What do you guys do if you have a picky eater? Do you make something else if they won't eat what you've ordered or prepared?

-I finished a baby blanket for my cousin and his wife who have a baby boy due next month. I knitted 4 strands of heavyweight yarn together with size 50 knitting needles. It is so thick and squishy! I would love to make a full size blanket like this for myself, but I think it would probably cost me an arm and a leg in yarn! Anyway, I'm having fun practicing all sorts of knitting stitches on baby blankets...and I'll have LOTS more opportunities--there are SIX moms in Mom's Group who are pregnant and due this spring!

-While most of you have been dealing with Snowpocalypse, we haven't had ANY, until yesterday, when we started getting little snow flurries. This morning, we have an inch or so. My parents have 5 inches or so, I bet. The funny thing? The schools are all on closures or delays!

-I think we're starting a family tradition of pizza Fridays. If you haven't seen it already check out Caroline's Pizza Dough Recipe from Emily @ imperfect. Simple and perfect pizza dough. Last time, I topped with leftover Caesar Chicken, Tomatoes, Spinach, Italian Herbs & Seasoning, and Feta Cheese. It was kind of delicious, and Lizzy actually ate a ton of it, so I'm not complaining. Tonight, J will get his beloved pepperoni, I'll probably do close to the same thing again.

-We've made it though 5 days of Insanity. I'm impressed with our perserverence, and the fact that we even got up at 4:45am yesterday to work out (it was the only time we had!) instead of just skipping it. That said, we are both nursing colds, and I seriously thought I was going to DIE during today's Pure Cardio session. One more session this week and then a rest day!

Snippets

- Well, I've read a number of books recently. I'd really recommend Elizabeth Berg's The Last Time I Saw You. The premise is essentially a group of classmates preparing for their 40th high school reunion. Each has a different reason that they want to attend the reunion (to have a last chance with that high school crush, to show everyone how much cooler they are now, to make amends for bad behavior), and I enjoyed all the different perspectives. It was also just funny. I laughed out loud at this section:

"Hilly's fiance is a doctor. A proctologist, specializing in the wonderful world of buttholes and rectums, but still. Dorothy is working up to asking the question that--come on!--must occur to everyone to ask him: What exactly made you chose this line of work? When Dorothy tried to ask her daughter about it, all Hilly did was get mad. It is true Dorothy could have used a more sensitive approach--what she'd asked Hilly was "Why in the wide, wide world would you ever want to look up people's heinies all day?" Still, Dorothy doesn't see why Hilly had to take such offense. Her daughter had said something like perhaps Dorothy should consider the fact that preventing and treating cancer is a pretty noble goal. But that still didn't answer the question, did it?" (p 6).

- I'm still sort of plugging away on Couch to 5k. Sort of. I'm getting a little bored with running on the treadmill, and it's just been too cold to run outside with Lizzy, now that I have a jogging stroller (my dad found one for $15 on Craigslist, yay!). A friend lent us Insanity Cardio Abs, and Justin and I have done that for the last few nights. It's kind of fun to do something else besides running, but still know that I'm increasing my cardio capacity. It is HARD! I need to get our hands on the whole set of videos. I do want to finish the program, I just don't want to finish and then never run ever again, so I need to get to the point where I'm doing it for the enjoyment of it, not just to finish the program.

-I know that I need to write Lizzy's 13 month letter, but honestly, the last couple of weeks have been REALLY difficult behaviorally with her, and I don't want to write anything that I'll regret later. Seriously, I can't tell you how many times I've been holding Lizzy and she's gotten mad at me about something and tried to gouge out my eyes. I'm not exaggerating. The last time this happened, she had tried to grab my glasses (which were on top of my head), I told her "No thank you, not for babies", and she promptly tried to scratch my eyeball. I set her down, and a 25 minute tantrum ensued. I eventually put her in her crib because she kept throwing herself backwards against our hardwood floors. 25 minute tantrums because she wants my coffee, or doesn't want whatever I've served for dinner are also common. So is her hitting me, trying to kick the cat, trying to bite me, coming up behind me and pinching my legs/scratching me. Or just SCREAMING for no discernible reason. Seriously. I can't tell you how many times I've thought what happened to my sweet child?! Reading a few articles on Baby Center calmed me down a bit. I had to laugh at the title of the 13 month article, which was "A stranger among you?". The article mentioned many of the behavioral issues we've been dealing with, so I guess at least I know she's developmentally on track, ha!

-Seriously though, it's kind of exhausting. Especially since I'm still getting up with her at least once a night due to hysterical screaming. I was thisclose to getting Justin a card for Valentine's Day that said, "Forget chocolates or candy, the best way to show your love to me would be letting me have an extra hour of sleep. C'mon, SHOW ME YOUR LOVE."  I cracked up in the store  And then, and entire shelf of cards and dolls came crashing down on my head. The two 30ish men browsing in the Valentine section just laughed at me and walked away leaving me all by myself to pick things up. Thank you so much, jerks.

-In other news, I'm also on a knitting kick. I've made several baby blankets for friends, and I have several more to make as well. I would also REALLY like to knit myself a blanket with the big size 50 needles. One of the recent baby blankets I made was 4 strands knitted together using the size 50 needles, and it is SO thick and warm and chunky. Too bad it would probably cost more than $50 to knit a big blanket!

Photo Snippets

On Saturday, Justin finally got back from being out of town for a week. I survived, but just barely. Basically, I think I averaged 3-4 hours of sleep a night the entire week he was gone. Not gonna lie, it was hard, mostly because Lizzy was sick, and I ended up holding her basically 20 hours a day.

Also, I obviously wasn't able to get a good run in since I was holding Lizzy 24/7. I didn't get to run yesterday either because I literally had the worst migraine I've ever had in my life, and I'm really hoping I'm not getting this bug that's going around. I'm kind of freaking out about not really having run in a week. I'm already feeling like I've been on Week 6 of C25k forever, and now I might have to repeat it again. Ugh. I know it doesn't matter if I repeat a week, I just want to actually finish this thing for once. Anyway...


Lisa, this photo is for you. Check out this onesie!!! Giraffe + Hippo forevah! I know, it's probably actually a zebra, but I have decided that it's a giraffe, and that's that. The end.

On Friday, she finally felt a little better, and did NOT want me to hold her at all. However, she DID want me to sit right next to her all day, and flipped out if I even walked into the kitchen. I took the opportunity to start knitting a baby blanket for a friend. I used size 50 needles and three strands of yarn, and it knitted up in just three or four hours.



Justin luckily made it home just in time for his band's big benefit concert for a local food bank. I got to practice taking concert photos, which I think is one of the trickier types of photography--you're dealing with very low light, then usually moving colored lights, moving subjects (in very low light) and other funky stuff.



I shot exclusively with my nifty fifty lens, because it's the fastest lens I have, and I was pretty pleased. I wanted more of a portrait-style than the whole band shots because of the venue, and I thought it worked out pretty well.









It was a really fun concert, and we raised enough to fund the food pantry for a month! Not too shabby!