My Really Little Garden

Mrs. Darling is hosting a Tour of Gardens today, and I thought I would join in, even though my garden is so little compared to everyone else's.

I have squash on the left, zucchini next to it, Roma beans in the middle, and corn on the right. We had a storm a week ago, and one of the squash plants died as a result. It was weird. Anyway, it still had a couple of blooms on it, so we waited to make sure that it really and truly was dead before we pulled it up. Five minutes after I took this picture, John pulled that old, dead thing up and tossed it over the fence. I'm glad it's gone because it was shading one of the zucchini plants. I really planted my things too closely together, but I will know better for next year.

By the way, how do you know when corn is ripe and ready to be picked? I need to know! I have read that you should only expect one or two ears per plant, but each of my six plants have three or four ears. Wow! I cannot wait to eat some sweet corn, but I just need to know when it's ready.

WIP Wednesday

This is how much I have gotten done with my shawl this week. It measures about 14" by 18." It really is working up quickly, although I haven't had much opportunity to work on it.

If only I knew what we were having.... I have some very pretty patterns for baby blankets, but do I make pink or blue?

For more works in progress, head over to the Place of H.

Giveaways

I have two giveaways to tell you about today, and you need to rush over and sign up for both of them.

Small Town Mama continues to add to her Total Pamper Pack; it now includes a candle, some chocolate, yummy smelling soap, and a good book. Go here to enter.

My cousin Angela is celebrating the upcoming birth of her first child with a giveaway. She is adding a new item every day until July 1. Go here to enter.

Where Have I Been?

I really hate to complain on my blog; I know there is little that will keep people from returning like complaints. However, I feel the need to let you know where I have been and where I will probably be for the near future so you don't worry.

Morning sickness. What a misnomer! I feel the best (which isn't saying much) first thing in the morning before I have eaten anything. Of course, I feel weak because I haven't eaten anything, too. Then I just feel yucky all-day-long. Thankfully, I haven't actually gotten sick yet, but I feel crummy until I go to bed at night. Ugh! I know a lot of people, including some of my readers, have had a whole lot worse case of morning sickness, so I try not to complain too much.

My point of all of this is that I don't feel like blogging. What I really want to do is lie on the couch and watch tv. Of course, I cannot do that; rather, I won't do that. There is too much to do, and I have two other little ones who would like some of my attention. Anyway, if I am not here very often, if I don't comment on your blog very much, please understand why. I have completed about eight weeks of this pregnancy, so I hopefully will feel better in five more when I am done with this trimester.

Along with not feeling well, I am tired. I had forgotten how tired being pregnant makes me. I worked this past weekend, and all I did when I got home was sit on the couch. Last night, I warned John that I just was not able to keep the house as neat and clean as usual. He was very understanding which I appreciated. If you come over, please don't look too closely.

In case you are wondering, yes, we are very excited about this baby that is coming. As I said above, I am about eight weeks along. My post-baby pooch has become a baby bump, and that is fun, too. Maybe I will have John take a picture soon, if you're interested.

Again, I'm not really looking for sympathy; I just want you to know why I may not post as often in the near future.

WIP Wednesday

After I finished my last shawl, I found this pattern in my new Crochet Today! magazine, and I just had to make it. You cannot have too many wraps for keeping warm in church, can you? I didn't think so! As you can see, I haven't gotten very far, but I think this pattern will work up quickly since it is a lace pattern made with worsted weight yarn and a size H hook. We shall see how far I get this week.

For more works in progress, head over to the Place of H (I hope she gets her post up soon). You should also check out what Sasha has been making lately.

You know, I think it's time to start making some baby blankets for me!!

Don't Forget!

Don't forget to drop by Small Town Mama to enter her giveaway. At this point, she has added to her Total Pamper Pack chocolate, a yummy candle, and lavender soap. Honestly, I don't know why my readers haven't rushed over there to enter. Of course, if you don't enter, I get a better chance to win!

Surreal Pregnancy

For me, that's what the first couple of weeks of pregnancy are -- surreal. You don't feel pregnant because the morning sickness hasn't hit yet; you certainly don't look pregnant; and no one knows that you are pregnant yet. However, the surreality wore off last Thursday when we told my parents and when I started not feeling well. At church yesterday, I had a good time telling people, and they were all excited. What fun!

Sarah Beth doesn't quite seem to get it, and Daniel certainly doesn't. Yesterday we asked Sarah Beth about "the baby in Mommy's tummy," and she said that there are two. Two? When John asked if they were boys or girls, she replied, "Boys and girls." Apparently, I'm having twins, a boy and a girl. When I clarified with her, and asked if there was just one baby, she said, "No. Two babies." Oh, my! Just in case you are wondering, twins do not run in either of our families!

February 5, 2010

Do you know where you will be on that date? Well, honestly, I'm not sure, either, but I have a feeling that I will be recovering at home with, are you ready for this, our new baby!

I found out that I'm pregnant a couple of weeks ago, and my due date is the first week in February which is incidentally the week before Daniel's birthday. Right now, I am about six weeks along, and the morning (actually, all day) sickness hit Thursday. It's not too bad yet, though, so I won't complain. Yet.

And yes, I shamefully stole this idea of breaking the news from my cousin Angela. I hope she doesn't mind, but it's too late if she does. Don't worry, though, because I won't post pictures of my expanding belly like she does. You don't want to see those stretch marks anymore than I want to show them to you.

Crockpot Chicken Alfredo

When I mentioned this recipe on facebook a while ago, there were several people who were interested.  But I forgot to give them the recipe, so here it is.

I wish I had remembered to take a picture last night, when I made it.  Sorry!  But it was delicious with my homegrown squash!

WIP Wednesday

I finished my church shawl.  Of course, as soon as I did, I found another beautiful pattern in a magazine I got this week, so now I want to make another one.  That's okay, though; it's not a bad thing to have a couple of shawls to keep you warm during church in the summer.  

I have discovered that dishcloths are nice for quick and easy crocheting.  They are very portable so I can take them outside with us when the children play.  I've gotten these two done; well, one is done, and the other is almost done.

For more works in progress, or to add your own, head over to the Place of H.

My Little Helper

Sarah Beth and I baked these buttermilk oatmeal muffins this morning.  My good friend Laura shared the recipe a while ago, but it is one of my staples for muffins because they are so good and fairly healthful.  Sarah Beth loves to help "stir up," and she is pretty good at it.  I enjoy only having to measure and add the ingredients, while she does the majority of stirring.  And, yes, those are my new bowls.  I really like them, and they do make me smile whenever I see them.  But I digress.

Last week, my mother kept Daniel and Sarah Beth for me while I went to the optometrist.  I wasn't having any problems; it was just time for my annual check up.  My mom needed to feed them a snack that afternoon, and she was impressed when Sarah Beth carried her dishes over to the counter.  Of course, we have been working on that lately, but it is another "chore" that Sarah Beth enjoys.

Sarah Beth loves to help, and I am trying to capitalize on it while I can.  I figure that if she grows up always helping her mother, then we will have fewer problems with willingness to help later.  

What do You Think...

is Sarah Beth's favorite color?  This is the outfit I dressed her in this morning.  

She found this "outfit" when I pulled some clothes out of the dryer this morning, and immediately she went to change her clothes.  

My little pink girl!  The funny thing about this is that John hates pink.  When we found out we were having a girl, he said that she was not allowed to wear pink.  Unfortunately, I have a problem with submission sometimes, and I like pink on little girls.  Anyway, I think John's plan for her not to like pink backfired.

My Garden

Oh, my!  I cannot believe how my garden is growing.  Just look at it!  It is almost time for another level of supports for the corn.

I know that summer squash is supposed to be prolific, but I cannot believe how many squash are growing!  I told John that they are uncountable.  No, I don't mean that I have an infinite amount of squash; I just mean that there are too many for me to count!  When I peer under the squash leaves, I feel like I'm looking into a jungle!  By the way, I'm not sure when to pick my squash.  Should I wait until all the green is gone?

I have some little baby beans growing.  They caught me by surprise this week.  I'm not sure what I expected, but that wasn't it!

I also have the beginnings of corn on the cob!  Yum!

How is your garden growing?

Giveaway -- Total Pamper Pack

Sasha at Cherished Moments is giving away a total pamper pack this month.  She plans to add one item a week before giving away the whole thing at the end of the month.  Go here to check it out!

WIP Wednesday

I finally finished this doily last week.  As you can see from the picture, it is not flat.  Hopefully, I can block it this week and show you a truly completed doily next week. 

I have continued working on my wrap for church.  I folded it in half twice for this picture because it is pretty long.  I think I'm almost done.  It is about four and a half feet long, and it is supposed to be five feet long.  When I finish this skein of yarn, I am going to declare my wrap done, regardless of length.

 

Just for fun, I crocheted this dishcloth the other day.  Isn't it a pretty color?

For more works in progress, or to add your own, head over to the Place of H.

May Review of New Year's Goals

It's that time of the month, time to review my New Year's goals.  I almost wish I hadn't started this, but I am also kind of glad that I did.  What's the point of setting goals if you never look back at them to see how you are doing?  On the other hand, I know I am not doing well with a couple of them, and who wants to look at their own failure month after month?

1. Crochet one baby blanket a month.  I sure am glad that I started with an easy one.  So far, so good with this goal.
2. Teach Sarah Beth her letters.  This goal is coming along so very slowly that I may as well say that it's stagnant.  It is not her fault at all; I just don't take the time to sit down with her to teach her.  (Laziness -- that's a post for another time.)
3. Get Daniel to walk.  You will not see this goal again because he is walking.  Thankfully, he hasn't started running yet.
4. Exercise.  Hey!!  I have started walking again in our neighborhood.  Let me tell you that walking up these hills pushing a double stroller is not easy.  Here is one goal that I have not done well so far this year, but finally I am!  I think I deserve a pat on the back.  
5. Getting up early.  Apparently, I have been successful (maybe too much) in getting my internal alarm clock set to wake me up early.  Even on weekends, I wake up about 6:30 a.m., knowing that I may as well get up because I won't be going back to sleep.  Oh, how I savor those few minutes in the morning while the house is quiet.  
6. Hospitality.  This goal is the one that I am doing the worst at, and the one I feel the worst about.  Do you have any suggestions for me?  It probably is as easy as just picking up the phone.
7. Writing letters.  If only I had someone to write.  Maybe I should go through my address book!

How are you doing with your goals for the year?  Do you even remember what your goals were?