Happy Easter

Look what the Easter Bunny brought.
Two little, sweet Peeps!


These little peeps fit very snuggly in an 11-inch basket.

Cookie likes to nap.


Kiss likes to nap too.

The days are filled with mama's milk, sleepy time, looking around, lots of cuddles, some diddy changes, squeaks and squawks and so much cuteness. Pure joy and good times.

Warning: Gushing & Mush

YAY! I made it to Texas. Everything went well except my luggage didn't make it. What happens that the luggage doesn't make it? Who the hell knows what they do behind the scenes at the airport.

The new mama picked me up in the new family wagon, new car smell and all, and I was off to meet Cookie and Kiss. I got in the house and there was papa holding two of the smallest people I have ever seen with my very own eyes. In my excitement I remembered to wash my hands but I was also a little scared. Little, itty, bitty babies. I knew they were small. 4lbs small, but I was totally unprepared to see how small they were in person. The camera put on a good two pounds on those babies, I swear.

Cookie & Kiss are totally perfect & tiny human beings. They are the smallest, sweetest things I have ever wrapped my arms around. I held both of them at the same time. Plus a couple of doxies climbed in my lap too. It was a total lovefest. I am totally in love! Their fingernails are the size of sesame seeds and I am not exaggerrating. Tiny little perfect fingernails the size of sesame seeds. And long fingers...some gecko, primordial lizardlike trait with matching long toes. They will be maestros at piano or rock climbing. Sweet dispositions. Baggy little knees. Hungry little mouths. Loud tiny bottoms. Just perfection.

I warned you there would be gushings and mushings. I have been completely taken by these very teeny individuals. I haven't even had time to take pictures because I am so busy staring and holding and loving up these babies.

HAPPY SPRING

"Everything is twitterpated in the Spring.
Skunks smell sweet. Rabbits sing.
It's a topsy turvy twitterpated thing when everyone's in love.

When you can't control a grin and your head's inflated.
Love just bops you on the chin. Now you're twitterpated.
Things begin to happen when a boy meets girl, deer meets doe, squirrel meets squirrel.
It's a topsy turvy twitterpated world when everyone's in love."

Around this time of year this little song pops into my head. I believe I had an album of Easter Bunny songs. I can sing Peter Cottontail too. Sing along if you like.

"Here somes Peter Cottontail.
Hoppin' down the bunny trail.
Hippity, Hoppity Easter's on it's way.

He's the King of Bunnyland.
Cause his eyes are shiny and
He can spot a wolf a mile away.

When the others go for clover
And the big bad wolf appears.
He's the one that's watching over.
Making signals with his ears.

And that's why folks in Rabbit Town
feel so free when he's around.
Peter's helping someone everyday."

It's funny the things you remember from childhood.

I hope you enjoyed your Spring Serenade.

Grounded

Tornado + DFW = 720 cancelled flights.
Yes I was supposed to fly off to see Cookie & Kiss, but had to turn around once I got to the airport. I will try again on Friday. Hopefully the weather permits travel. I am sad that I have to wait to meet Cookie & Kiss for another couple of days.

Recently I met another little sweet pea named Oliver.

Oliver, Frank and Joan came out to introduce Oliver to all his SnB Aunties on a Saturday morning.

New babies mean new knit projects. To welcome Oliver to SnB I whipped up the EZ Ganomy Hat. It was a fast project and super cute on him. Here he is modeling and snacking on Annika's shoulder. Look at that face?! He is a cutey through and through. A-DOR-ABLE!



Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool. 100% merino superwash.
Color: Orange
Book: Elizabeth's Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac
Pattern: Ganomy Hat

Debut

Quinn Xavier & Francesca Marie.
3 days old

My hubby thinks they look like house elves. Aren't they cute in their umbilical cord hats? I made them small but I am happy to see they have some room to grow into. Everyone is doing really well and should be going home tomorrow or Monday. Perfect timing for me as I arrive on Tuesday!

Cookie & Kiss have arrived!!!

Cookie & Kiss arrived this morning!

Charissa's water broke this morning and I received an early 5am call that they were off to the hospital. The C-section happened at 8:30am. Cookie, the little girl, came first and weighed 4lbs7oz. Kiss, the little boy, came next and weighed 4lbs9oz. Mama had only a few moments with them before they were whisked off to the NICU. Mama is doing well. She was experiencing some high blood pressure and low body temperature. Unfortunately she is on bedrest and cannot see the babies for 12 hours! I think it's down to 6 hours as I write. All this time anticipating the babies and she can't really meet them until later today. She is a bit bummed about that but also totally joyful and a bit tired and a whole bunch of other emotions. I talked to Daddy and he sounded great. He said the babies are totally cute and have different personalities already. He has been taking pictures of them and then taking the photos to Charissa so you can see them. Isn't that sweet?

Here she is this past weekend


I am very excited to meet my Cookie & Kiss! Going to TX soon!

To celebrate I planted a garden!
I got three varieties of Tomatoes: Romas, Momotaros, and San Marzanos.
The San Marzanos are an heirloom variety of Romas. The Momotaros are a Japanese pink tomato that are said to be sweet and delicious. I also planted 4 basil plants, which is the obvious must have with the all those tomatoes. I threw in a jalapeno with some salsa in mind and then some marigolds. They are supposed to reply pests and encourage good bugs.


TOMATO

BASIL

JALAPENO

MARIGOLD

Tender blooms and little babies...what a wonderful day!

Tea House

This is the Japanese Tea House in Descanso Gardens.
All the previous nature photos were taken on a recent trip to see the camellia forest blooming. The blooms were GORGEOUS and to be surrounded by such beauty feeds the heart.

Nature #6

Nature #5

Nature #3 & #4

Nature #2

Nature #1

Steamboat, CO 2008

This is the Annual Family Ski Trip. There was lots of skiing, some snowshoeing, tons of snow, and lots of love.

Hearts & Flowers

Happy Valentine's Day!






Heart doilies are a valentine favorite.
I found 9 packets of them in my mom's garage.
19 cents! They were in storage for a long time.

Introducing LOVEY the luvskunk.



I made him for my little stinker!


Here are two of my favorite valentines!

Cookie & Kiss Baby Shower

Baby Shower for Cookie & Kiss...my soon to be Godchildren!

Yes, I am going to be a Fairy Godmother! Excuse me while I adjust my crown and set down the wand. Somethings have to be done the old fashioned way like typing & sewing & knitting. The mice are unionized these days and are looking for big cheese royalties.

As for sewing, I was in my workshop whipping up some Bibs & Burpcloths.

These are backed with Minky fabric - superduper soft.


These are backed with terry cloth.


Aren't these duckies super cute!

And then knitted up some Hats & Boots




And then I found some of the cutest things that I couldn't resist buying.


The Hot Auntie onesie was really a no brainer.
There is also the matching "I have a hot mom" onesie too.


Skully booties for a scallywag baby.


Doxy Booties inspired by the family pets.


Check out Miss Pixie with Bratwurst in the background!

We had a Tea Party Shower!

Tea Forté makes a delicious variety of teas in the most attractive way.


Honey


Beautiful Cupcakes in chocolate, vanilla, & red velvet


Muffins...we attempted to make scones and after burning 2 batches realized that the oven was not working properly. The oven was actually a mini inferno. It was off to the bakery but no fresh scones to be found in College Station, TX.


Gluten Free & Vegan & Pumpkin Bread.

Everyone brought a hat, or had one supplied, and we got a bit crafty with feathers, paint, rhinestones, jewels, ribbons, flowers etc...







This was the winner for the Prettiest Hat


This is the winner for the Most Creative Hat.


This is Charissa aka Mommy to be & me in our chapeaus and toting very naughty dogs.

She was actually carrying both pups earlier in the party.

In training for the twins I guess you could call it...a stark reality shift for those pups is a-comin'. Boy is it a-comin'.

The party was really lovely and all her new friends in College Station are very nice. There were lots of moms in the bunch that gave her lots of useful and smart gifts, like bottle chiller/warmers and q-tips. Jeanine even gave her a list of unsolicited mommy advice with her gift. I thought that was a great little touch to the gift. If I were to be a first time mom I would welcome some thoughtful and practiced advice. But I am only a Fairy Godmother/Hot Auntie Mame and have no practical or knowledgeable experience. My role is to swoop in and smother them with love and gifts and fairy dust and spoil them rotten. Which is exactly what I intend to do.

We ended my trip with a visit to the Doctor's office so I could see what my godchildren were up to. They were very rambunctious all weekend with kicks and booty shakin'.

There they are 2 heartbeats (check), 2 heads (check),
and 4 kidneys (What? Where? If you say so Doc!)

How are you feeling Charissa?

Yes that face says it all.

Let's get a scone and tea and drop me off at the airport.
Wouldn't you know it...they sold the last scone to the car before us. Still scone-less in College Station. Apparently no one orders tea in CS either because the poor girl couldn't give us a list of teas without finding someone with higher knowledge at the Starbucks.

Next time I am College Station Kiss & Cookie will be making their Debut!
I can't wait to meet them.

Be the change...

You want to see in this world. ~Ghandi

Make your voice count. Get out there and vote!

To do or not to do

Thing to do when it's 42 degrees out...

Get a Hot Rock Massage.
Aaaaaaahhhh

Thing not to do when it's 42 degrees out...

Get a pedicure.
Can you say popsicle toes?

Love is all we need

This birthday had a rocky start. Not because I was getting another year older but because the thin icy sheet over my reality pond on which I skate, gave way, and revealed a place of hurt, loss, and abandonment. This startling plunge of reality left me a little bewildered and a little lost. I am using the diminutive but the void was deep. I was ready to pass this birthday with little fanfare and try to find a protective cave to wallow in.

However, I have fierce friends, who wouldn't dream of not celebrating my birthday. They took my hand and held me up and made me smile. Carla, my sweet, started banging on pots, making some calls, and sending some emails and a party was in the making. On the actual day of my birthday she took me to lunch at Eat Well (yum!) and then we went shopping at Loehmann's. The post-shopping pick-us-up was a trip to Pinkberry. A small, regular, with strawberries and chocolate chips. It was the perfect topper to a lovely afternoon. Later that evening my friends, Mitch and Joey, took me to a delicious dinner at Cheebo. I was feted and well fed from morning until night in the company of good friends.

The snappy, whipped up soirée took place on Friday night at the Urban Craft Center. We had a class with teachers, Carolyn and Jamie, and needle felted! What is needle felting you ask? You take some wool fluff and a sharp needle, start poking, apply more woolly fluff, keep poking and voilà...you have a cupcake, or an egg, or a penguin.

I have been working on this post for too long. Trying to organize pictures and more importantly my thoughts. You can find pictures and posts here and here.

What I want to say is a big THANK YOU! After a crafty night with good friends my heart was full. I felt loved. I am truly grateful that I have good friends and that they brighten my days. I went to bed very happy and I woke up with as much enthusiasm and good feelings as when I went to bed. We talked about the party for the next two days. We marveled that we made something out of nothing and that it was so damned cute. I also want to thank everyone who called and posted and emailed me good wishes on my birthday. In spite of how it started my birthday was great and it's all because of good friends and people like you.

Big Hugs and Kisses to you all!

41 year ago today...

a baby girl was born.