Holy Tuesday Temptations

Boo has been just terrible the last week or more, and the effort to manage his outbursts, bad behavior, clingyness, early wakings, no-nappings, and everything else has worn me to a nub.  I do have my regular babysitter to help me out, but Boo is staunchly refusing to do anything she asks him to, and will only do what I ask if he can stay with me all.day.long.  By the time we both get him out the door to the park or wherever (because it has turned into a two-man operation even though I stay home), the screaming fit has been going on for more than 30 minutes, and I just feel wiped out by the effort.  I don't even feel good about the time I have when I get it.  I've got things to do today to get ready for late Holy Week and Pascha, but after this morning's ordeals, all I want to do is curl up with a book or watch a movie and try to recover.  I desperately need and want the space, and I can only take so much of a child who wants to be physically glued to me most of the day, especially with all our stairs.

I feel like crying every time he has an epic tantrum over being made to participate in an activity or family routine that isn't his idea (and these are so so frequent right now).  It also doesn't seem to matter how much time or attention I give him; it is never enough.  He's a great sucking sponge of neediness and he is draining me dry.  I get that he is anxious about the new baby coming, and that we have a lot of non-routine things happening this week with Holy Week and Pascha on Sunday, but his anxiety levels and need for control are just beyond the pale right now.

Add to that the other two kids' increased anxiety and spring upsetting their various sensory issues, and we have a fairly volatile kid-stew lately.  It isn't all bad and there are certainly moments of levity and even some feeling good moments for me, but mostly, I just want it all to be over.  I want them to be older, better, normal.  I want to have my body back, and feel better, and just find my groove again, instead of sleep walking through my days and nights.

It is Holy Week, and these things are here to tempt us, so I guess the best thing I can say in these trying times is: 

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner."

7QT: The Monty Python Boys, a Car, and Evidence of Creative Genius (or something...)

--1--

I mentioned last week my problem with blog writing amnesia; of course, the minute I published my post, I remembered what I was going to write for take 6!  My husband and I have commented several times lately that watching Boo walk or run down the sidewalk is not unlike watching the Monty Python boys on their "horses" in The Search for the Holy Grail.

Behold:

--2--

In other news, we bought a car!!  On Saturday, we took a family road trip into Lancaster County (also known as Amish Country around here) and went to see a man about a car.  We test drove a white Mazda5 that was an ex-rental, had it checked out by PepBoys, ate some fast food and the kids and I browsed a dollar store whilst waiting for the car inspection to be complete.  Considering one of my children *cough*Birdie*cough* is one of the worst car travelers evah, the trip went spectacularly well, and we now own a car that will seat our whole family come June (without having to contemplate who rides in the trunk!)

 

It is technically a microvan, and has sliding doors like a minivan, but it is much smaller so we can park it more easily in the city.  (It is only 9" longer than our Corolla, actually).  It doesn't have much cargo space, but as we were comparing it to the six inches of cargo space in the Kia Rondo, it seems fairly spacious to us!

--3--

Speaking of dollar stores, I usually avoid them for a variety of reasons not worth going into here, but that said, $4 buys a lot of happiness when one is waiting with three impatient little children while waiting for a car to be finished!  They all picked out a $1 pair of sunglasses, and I ran some quarters through a vending machine that dispensed jumbo erasers shaped like birds and between those and the little plastic action figures in the Happy Meals from McD's, everyone was pretty happy for the rest of the afternoon.

 --4--

We have this pretty flowering tree outside our house that looks very nice, but is basically the bane of my existence from April-October.  (It also doesn't belong to us; it belongs to our neighbor).  In the spring, before it flowers, it sends out these annoying little pods that get into everything and stick to everything and get tracked all over the house.  A few weeks later, it flowers, and then the petals rain down on everything and also get tracked in all over.  It is like a flower storm over here!  I'm dust-busting the floors multiple times a day just to get up the petals (and we are shoe-free in the house, so what gets in is what is blowing in whenever the door is open for a minute or two).  Things aren't too bad over the summer as the tree just has green leaves once the flowers are done, but then in the fall the mess starts up again as the tree sheds its leaves and anything else that didn't come down in the spring. 

We've had a lot of viral respiratory illness these last two weeks, and I'm sure all the pollen on that tree isn't helping. On the other hand, the nicer weather means the kids can play out on the back patio again, so that is a bonus.

--5--

Speaking of respiratory illness, I came down with a pretty bad sore throat about a week ago, and my voice has gone from mid-range to authentic Lauren-Bacall-whiskey-soaked-range.  I feel like I should be auditioning for To Have and to Have Not:

My singing voice is total rubbish, and my speaking voice kind of comes and goes, so I can't really get after my kids with any kind of volume, but I suppose that is a reasonable penance for the end of Great Lent.

--6--

As for the end of Great Lent, tomorrow is the unofficial start of Holy Week for us; it is Lazarus Saturday, which makes Sunday is Palm Sunday. Then, we are in the race to Pascha!  I'm so ready for Lent (and this pregnancy) to be done!!  It is unlikely I will post any Quick Takes next Friday, as Holy Friday is always a busy day full of lots of extra church services.  

--7--

I have nothing crafty to share today except the evidence of my creative genius (i.e. a messy craft desk), but I will share pics of my scarf-back-roll hair do that I've been relying on a lot this winter (plus a gratuitous 34 weeks belly shot...because it's my blog and I can do what I want to...).  I used Tasha's excellent hair tutorial, and it really is a snap to do.  Takes about five minutes and voila, an instant vintage hair do!!

--Bonus--

 

 

My boys play with the Little People Farm and Zoo exactly the same way, Every Time. I can't decide if it is some kind of weird commentary on our childproofing situation or the ways in which our house is small.  Either way, it always strikes me as slightly sinister.  But maybe that is just the hormones talking...

Go see Jen for more Quick Takes!!

Foodie Friday: Lazy Man's Veggie Bake with Garlic Couscous

I wish I could take credit for this creation, but I got the original recipe from a friend at church, who in turn got the recipe from our priest's daughter.  I adapted it quite a bit because of what I had on hand, combined with the protein needs of our family.  Oh, and I remembered to take a picture this time!!

Lazy Man's Veggie Bake with Garlic Couscous

Serves 4-5

2 boxes Near East Roasted Garlic Couscous (note: contains soy protein)
1 can sliced beets, drained and rinsed and then diced
2 hearty handfuls of frozen sliced carrots (or two sliced fresh carrots)
1 can mushrooms, drained (or use 16 oz fresh sliced)
1 -2 bell peppers, diced
1 handful sliced frozen peppers (omit if using two fresh)
1 small zucchini, diced
1 red onion, large diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
½ teaspoon salt (I recommend using a large flaky sea salt like Maldon--totally worth the price of admission)

Slivered almonds (optional)*

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place vegetables in a large mixing bowl and add oil, spices and salt.  Toss thoroughly to coat.  Place vegetables in a 9x13 glass baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until nicely steaming.

Make couscous according to package directions and fluff with fork.  Serve roasted vegetables over couscous and top with slivered almonds.  Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired.

*For those who are aware of my very serious nut allergy, I'll just say that almonds are one of the few nuts I can tolerate to have in the house.  Until 2006, I was even able to eat almonds myself, so I tend to keep them around for the kids, since it isn't so dangerous for me to handle them, or to inhale the odors (as opposed to say, walnuts, pecans, or cashews--those are lethal and must never enter the house!)  I do take precautions, however, and am careful not to handle almonds with my bare hands if I can avoid it, and scrupulously clean twice anything that comes in contact with almond butter or whole almonds. 

Oh, Hello!

I mentioned previously that I volunteered to make some boards for a stamping event in June.  The second set of cards I made had to feature one stamp set, but could use any layout or color combination.  I found the best way to go about this project was to peruse the splitcoaststampers gallery and pick 12 cards I wanted to CASE.  (I originally picked closer to 25 cards, but then narrowed it down based on complexity of project and available supplies). I admit, this stamp set wasn't super high on my wish list when the catalog first came out, but it has definitely grown on me!!  I'm glad I got it, because it is turning out to be a super versatile set.  Most of these cards are straight copies, but I did adapt a few here and there a little bit.

Talking Tuesday

I'll admit, I did borrow this quote from a priestly friend's Facebook post, but it spoke to me, as I sometimes feel that I'm sleepwalking through this season of my life. 

“The glory of God is the human person fully alive.” - St. Irenaeus of Lyons (2nd century)

7QT: Catcalls, book repairs and Mama, the Human Train Track

--1--

When you live in a big city, random weird things happen when you are on the street.  This past Tuesday, I was waiting at a bus stop, and this random guy came out of the nearby Wawa, gave me an up-and-down look, clicked his tongue, and said, 

"Mmm, girl, you look fine."  I was flabbergasted (especially as he'd caught me subtly readjusting my clothing a bit), and just looked dumbly at him.  (In my head, I was thinking: "Hello?  8 months pregnant, here??")  

He looked back at me again, and said, "I don't mean any offense or anything, but you look good."  

"Uh, thanks, " I said weakly, never so happy to see a bus pull up in my life.  

In case you still care: 33 weeks tomorrow

I'm still not sure whether to be flattered or creeped out.

*A note about the dress I'm wearing (in case anyone cares): it is a vintage feedsack dress from the late 1930s, bought on etsy last year.  (It was one of my first vintage purchases!)  I bought it big so it does fit now, it's just a little short (thank goodness for ASlipShop slips!!)

--2--

Sad packing tape repairs

We have a book problem in this house.  There is the obvious problem of volume--my husband and I were dual academics before children came along, and had the requisite home libraries of two pretty dedicated bibliophiles.  When we moved in, we had 60 boxes of books.  We've since pared that down, but we have also added a whole new category to our collection: children's books.  I have a love-hate relationship with children's books.  Many of the newer titles are just dumb and painful to read more than once, and the classics can sometimes be hard to come by (although I'm having great luck with the Little Golden Book "Classic" series, which features titles all published before 1955).  I love that my kids love books, and want to read them, but I hate that all the sensory issues in this household mean that our books take a serious beating loving from the kids.  I feel like I'm constantly repairing books with packing tape and it drives me bonkers that they are so hard on these books, many of which are out of print and difficult to replace.  I've always had the most precious books up out of reach, to be read when an adult is supervising (ChildCraft series, I'm lookin' at you, kids).  I know I shouldn't be so attached to books--they are things after all--but I do regard books like friends and it pains me to see them treated so harshly.  

I'm sure no one else has books that look like this inside! (snort)

--3--

He only looks innocent.

 Yesterday, I think I had a parenting first.  Boo was running his Henry train over my arms and legs, using me as a train track.  I didn't mind that until he started running up my neck and into my hair, where Henry promptly got stuck fast in one of my pin curls.  Because I couldn't see how it was tangled, my attempts to disentangle him just made the wheels more stuck, and in the end, I had to give him a yank and took some hair out with it.  After that, I declared all areas above the neck to be train-track free zones.  I did have

a clump of hair in my hand this morning after I took the pins out.  Oh well.  Preview of post-partum coming attractions.

--4--

I wrote several weeks ago on the other blog about my Vintage Seven fashion picks,* with maternity and nursing in mind.  My shoe picks included Dankso sandals, which have been quite fabulous for me in the summers, pregnant or not.  This pregnancy, however, is rewriting the rules on so many different levels, and I suddenly find myself without casual shoes that fit well and it is only April 19!!  I can still get my dansko sandals on, but they are snug, and because of some non-pregnancy related foot issues I'm having, almost all shoes are a little painful to wear right now.  My green AE ballet flats are okay, but not great, so I'm on the hunt for something to wear on my feet for these last 6-7 weeks, as I hope the swelling in my feet will go down.  I'm considering some Blowfish flats, but I have a terrible time finding flats that don't tear up my feet because I have bone spurs and high arches, so I'm hesitant to take the plunge (and mostly, I don't want to spend any money on shoes right now, since I have several perfectly good pairs that will fit again soon!)

--5--

Update on the car drama:  We test drove a Mazda5 last night, and we are sold!  It has more cargo space than the Rondo, I like the captain's chairs set up in the middle row, as it allows easier access to the third row, and I really like the way it handles.  We were able to park it easily in the neighborhood (we borrowed a friend's car to try out), and the kids seemed pretty happy in it.  The blind spots are less troubling than in the Rondo, which I like very much as well.  We decided that it was better to get a car that suited us best now, rather than buying a car on the contigency of another child in a few years.  We can cross that bridge if we come to it, says I.  It is also easier to find a used Mazda5 than a Kia Rondo with the specs we need, and frankly, I just want to check another box on the list of Things That Need to Happen Before This Baby Comes.

Obviously, after driving an old Corolla for so many years, my husband and I will have to get used to driving the bigger vehicle, but that would be true of any car we buy.  There are two potential used vehicles within 45 minutes of here, and my husband is planing to go check one or both or them out tomorrow.  Perhaps by Monday, we will be proud owners of a car that will fit our whole family!  

--6--

Sometimes I have great bloggy thoughts as I'm drifting off to sleep, and I think, "I should write this down so I remember to put it in the blog in the morning."  Then I get lazy about going down a flight of stairs to write something down at my desk and think, "Nah, I'll remember it."  Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I know I thought of a great take last night about Boo, but can't remember it now (and I'm sure it has nothing to do with the splitting headache I woke up with, or the fact that the kids have been fighting non-stop since 6:30 a.m.)  

To be perfectly honest, lately I feel a bit suffocated by my kids.  Boo has always been a clingy kid, and needs lots of hugs and cuddling, but lately, he freaks out whenever I leave the room, and is constantly climbing on me, rubbing my legs and arms, and generally hanging all over me all.the.time.  Piglet and Birdie, who are the complete opposite when it comes to physical affection, have also gotten clingy lately, and it is driving me a little bonkers.  (Not to mention the physical strain on my increasingly awkward body).  

The trouble with having three kids five and under with sensory issues who are also going through a clingy phase is that when I can't give them what they want, they cry and scream and carry on for hours, because not one of them is good at self-soothing.  So even though I've had some good days lately, I still feel worn out by the daily grind with them.  I know it probably has a lot to do with the impending arrival of the babe in the bell, and that things should settle back down sometime this summer, but that seems a long way off. 

--7--

I felt pretty bad on Monday after having to run around after the kids so much on the weekend, and so took it easy that day.  I woke up Tuesday feeling worse, and thought, here we go again.  Then suddenly, around 2:30 on Tuesday afternoon, I perked up, got a second wind, and started feeling much better!  The rest of the week has been smoother, for which I'm grateful.  I won't say I feel fabulous, but I definitely feel better than I did.  I even got a few days worth of stamping work done!  I'm doing a project for my upline, Claire, and this week had me making mini cards, using up some of her old dsp scraps.  I didn't have time to photograph all the iterations, but this is what I made this week:

 

 
Go see Grace and Co. (while Jen is still recovering) for more Quick Takes!!

Foodie Friday: Barley Caponata

My husband loves barley.  I mean, LOVES it.  He will eat it in almost any form: pilaf, soup, plain, you name it.  I made this dish quite often last year and the year before, but it hasn't really appealed to me this Lent (and I'm not tolerating chickpeas very well any more), but it is a good hearty recipe.  You could also use brown rice, orzo, or any other separated grain in place of the barley.

Image courtesy of National Barley Council: barleyfoods.org

Barley Caponata
from National Barley Council

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 cups chopped eggplant (one large eggplant is enough)
• 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 pound small fresh button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves, crushed
• 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, crushed
• 2 cups cooked pearl barley (see cooking directions below)
• 1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes and juice
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives
• 10 drops red pepper sauce

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until golden, stirring occasionally. Add eggplant, bell pepper, mushrooms, basil and oregano; sauté 10 minutes. Stir in cooked barley, garbanzo beans, diced tomatoes and juice, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes. Mix in vinegar, olives and red pepper sauce; simmer 5 minutes longer. Makes 8 servings.

To cook pearl barley
Place 1 cup pearl barley, 3 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Makes about 3 to 3-1/2 cups. (Place extra cooked barley in an airtight container and freeze for use later.)

Talking Tuesday: Memory Eternal

In light of the terrible tragedy in Boston yesterday, I think a prayer from Pascal is appropriate for this week's quote.  Memory eternal to those who lost their lives in the blasts, and Lord have mercy on those injured and traumatized.

"I ask you neither for health or sickness, for life nor for death; but that you may dispose of my health and my sickness, my life and my death, for your glory....You alone know what is expedient for me; you are the sovereign master; do with me according to your will.  Give to me, or take away from me, only conform my will to yours.  I know but one thing, Lord, that it is good to follow you, and bad to offend you.  Apart from that, I know not what is good or bad in anything.  I know not which is most profitable to me, health or sickness, wealth or poverty, nor anything else in the world.  That discernment is beyond the power of men or angels, and is hidden among the secrets of your Providence, which I adore, but do not seek to fathom."

~a prayer, by Blaise Pascal

7QT: Of Headwounds and Early Mornings

 

--1--

This is feeling like the longest Lent evah.  I keep thinking we are much closer to Holy Week than we really are, and by the time I got to today (Friday), I was thinking, it's only been one more week?  Really?  

Last week, I wrote that my husband was in Brooklyn test driving a Kia Rondo.  He went there knowing that the dealership was slightly dodgy, according to online reviews and his own phone experience with them, so his expectations were pretty low.  It turned out to be a classic bait and switch, so he wasted an early morning train ride, plus the hassle of getting out to Brooklyn.  On the upside, he was still able to keep his morning plans pretty much intact and attend the conference he was in town to attend.

On the downside, we still don't have a vehicle that can accomodate all of the children we will soon have, and I can't decide whether this makes me feel incredibly stressed, or whether I'm feeling all Zen about it.  We were hoping to have the car before Holy Week so that when we are navigating all the extra services of Holy Week, we have some options for shuttling kids back and forth.  I guess we might just end up renting an extra vehicle for those few days.  It's really not a big deal, but I was hoping we'd have the car puzzle piece in place by now.  We are also reconsidering the Mazda5, and have the opportunity to try a friend's car this week, so that might influence our decision as well.  I'm just trying not to think about it much.

--2--

In other news, my husband traveled to Washington DC on Wednesday for a moot court, and stayed late to attend the pre-sanctified liturgy at one of the big cathedrals down there.   Around 8:30, I got a call from a 202 area code and a woman's voice on the line told me she thought that my husband was okay, but that they were in an ambulance going to the hospital.  He had fallen and split his head open on the marble floor of the church, and was bleeding profusely.  "Oh, that.  That's okay," says I.  "Head wounds bleed like a crazy and always look worse than they are."  She sounded relieved that I wasn't hysterical.  "Oh, so you have experience with this?"  You have no idea, lady.  As it turned out, my husband required stitches for the laceration on his forehead, has an impressive black eye, a few chipped teeth and is achy and sore all over.  His CT scan was negative, and it doesn't appear that he did anything to damage his neck where he had surgery years ago.  He fortunately did not break his cheekbone or nose, although the bridge is slightly bruised.  The people from the parish were very kind, and the woman who called me accompanied him to the hospital with her husband and they waited with him there until he was nearly ready to be discharged.  The priest from the parish also came to the hospital and kindly drove him to the hotel where he spent the rest of the night.  He came home yesterday morning and spent the day in bed, doped up on painkillers.  He was a bit perkier this morning and even went to work (although he took the bus instead of biking as usual).  I am grateful that he is doing okay, and seems to have suffered no lasting damage.

--3--

He only looks harmless.  That cheeper is a killer.

After all that lovely drama, I didn't get to bed until after midnight on Wednesday night, and then Birdie was up for an hour from 2:00-3:00, and then both boys were up For.The.Day at 5:00 freaking a.m.  I asked why Piglet was screeching to get up when it was still full dark, and he said "The birds are awake."  (Insert expletive of your choice here--birds!) This over a noise machine!  It explains the other day this week that everyone woke up for the day in hourly increments starting at 3:00 a.m.  Today started at 5:30 a.m., so I'm pretty much running on fumes. 

--4--

And now for another TMI post.  I just wanted to update after last week's razor story.  I did pull out the razor on Monday, and it seems that whatever was going on last summer seems to have abated for the moment, so I'm very happy about that!  It may be because of the edema that is currently going crazy in my legs, but whatever, I'll take it.  (A plus for pitting edema!--never thought I'd say that!)  I did buy a hypoallergenic electric razor on ebay last week on the off-chance that it happens again.

--5--

"Let's look all dark and broody, and then everyone will want to buy our album."

We've been listening to 2Cellos and The Piano Guys on the stereo this week, and Piglet really likes several of the faster pieces on each album, and especially enjoys "dancing" to them.  When he was a young toddler, his dancing consisted of something that resembled squats--Birdie dances that way now.  It is hilarious.  As he's gotten older, however, his dancing has matured, and now he does the chicken dance.  To everything.  It is pretty funny.

--6--

32 weeks of sausage fingers

We've also had the weirdest weather this week.  The weekend was very temperate, being in the mid-60s, but Monday-Wednesday, we had a freak heat spike and it was in the mid-80s (April, people, April!!).  I will say I've had my heat now, and I'm done with summer.  The last two days have been much cooler and rainy--I'll take mid-40s over mid-80s any day!  The temperature changes have coincided with my body temperature finally catching up with my hormones.  This has been one of my "cold" pregnancies, where I can't get enough layers on my body, no matter what I do.  I felt like my core was cold all winter and I just couldn't get warm.  (Oddly, my last winter pregnancy was the same way).  Since Sunday, however, when I woke up with sausages for fingers and hams for feet, I've been feeling the heat.  So in with the summer maternity dresses, and out with my beloved cotton tights (although it must be said, I was ready to put them into the drawer for the year). 

--7--

I did CASE this one from a "real" card I saw on some blog, but the other two are all me.

And some cards!  I am participating in a stamping event in June (even though I won't actually be there in person--I'm making samples for the boards).  The challenge was to use one sketch, color combo, or stamp set in different ways.  I ended up doing the sketch challenge with My Digital Studio, and the stamp set challenge using the Oh, Hello! stamp set.  The MDS cards arrived today, and these are three of the twelve.  They are all quite different, but the layout is the same. 

  

Jen is busy tending to her new baby, so go see the always hilarious Grace for more Quick Takes!

Foodie Friday: Hummus Pizza

I admit, this has been the laziest Lent for me, cooking-wise.  In my defense, I'm in my third trimester with my fifth baby in six years, and we have had a ton of sickness this winter and spring, plus my husband is away a lot.  So by the time it comes time to plan the weekly menu, I just lack inspiration and drive to make much that involves actual cooking.  I've been making more assembly-type meals this Lent, which is fine, but not usually the way I operate in the kitchen.  I keep telling myself that it is a season and it will pass when things settle down again (hopefully after Pascha, or perhaps when the baby is born).

In any case, here is this week's recipe, which is far more about assembly than cooking (in fact, it is a good one for those dog days of summer when you can't bear to put the stove on!)

Hummus Pizza

• 4 whole wheat Lavosh (or flat bread)
• 1 16 oz tub hummus (we like Tribe of Two Sheiks)
• Cucumber, sliced
• Red pepper, diced

Toast lavosh or flat bread in toaster oven if desired.  Slather hummus on with a spatula (layer should be fairly thick).  I used about 3/4 of a full tub over the four lavosh.  Arrange cucumbers and red pepper in an arrangement that is pleasing to you.  Cut lavosh into quarters and enjoy!

Yarn Along

This is my first time participating in the Yarn Along, although I have several friends who regularly link up.  I actually have a project going on my knitting needles for the first time since Piglet was a toddler, so I'm excited to play along this week!  I used to knit a ton, but I quit knitting in late 2009 because my hands were so dry and cracked that I was catching the yarn on my fingers and it was painful to manipulate the needles.  I got involved with making rubber stamped greeting cards, and that sort of took over my crafting life.  Lately, though I've been craving knitting again, and I ordered some yarn on sale at joann.com to make a vintage-style cardigan for myself.   It isn't fantastic yarn, but I didn't want to invest a lot in the yarn on the off chance that my hands took a bad turn again and I couldn't finish the project.  So far so good!  The color is a little more muted than I thought it would be, but I still think it will work well with my wardrobe for the fall.

I'm working on the back part.  I ended up sizing up from the pattern, since I wanted to make the sweater slightly larger than the  finished size on the pattern, plus my gauge swatch worked out better on larger needles, so I did the ribbing on size 7 and am working the stockinette on size 9.   I debated changing the stockinette stitch to a double moss or seed stitch, but decided in the end to make it mindlessly easy for myself, especially since I've not knitted for so long.  (It's just like falling off a riding a bike--comes right back...)  I probably should haul out my circular needles, as it is a bit squishy on a straight needle, but this is is the biggest piece of the cardigan, and I figure it is fine, so long as I keep the needles and yarn ball high up away from my kids' questing fingers (Boo already yanked a needle out of my hand one day when I was knitting; luckily I was near the end of a row, and the yarn held its shape perfectly, so I just had to slide the needle back through the loops--whew!)

And my reading list.  I'm a rather voracious reader, so I'm forever looking for a new book.  I read What Alice Forgot a few weeks ago for my book club, and then finished a few more books in between, but I've been slowly savoring The Scent of Holiness by Constantina Palmer, reading a chapter or even just a small section at night before I go to bed.  Usually I devour books, but this book invites one to slow down and read in small bites, pondering the deep lessons contained therein.

The other book just arrived today, so I've not had time to crack it yet, but it is a World War II story set in an English manor.  I'm pretty much all in when it comes to World War II novels, so I think this will be an enjoyable read.

Birthday card for Emmabug

My niece turns 9 (yikes!--where did the time go??) next week.  Her birthday always catches me out because it tends to fall toward the end of Lent or sometimes during Bright Week, depending on the year, and I just forget about it in the busyness of the season.  This year, however, her birthday falls squarely mid-Lent, so I have no excuses!!  I decided to make up her card this morning so that the week wouldn't get away from me and I'm going to try and drop it in the box later this morning when I go out to get my hair cut.  (Don't worry, just a trim, nothing drastic...)

I had in mind to do a fairly intensive card for her this year (you might remember the castle card I made for her last year), but I just don't have a lot of creative mojo (or energy), so I went with a pretty and simple card instead.  She is a girly girl, so I think she'll like it.  I'm hoping to find some stickers or something light and flat to include with the card.

Oh, and I totally CASEd this card from Sandi McIver--she used Regal Rose, I think, instead of Pretty in Pink, but I wanted mine to be a bit softer.

Supplies:

Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White cardstock
Summer Silhouettes, Friendly Phrases stamp sets
Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight, Gumball Green ink

Talking Tuesday

"Medieval imagery (which is almost totally biblical imagery) of light, jewels, stars, candles, trumpets, and angels no longer fits our ranch-style, supermarket world.  Pathetic modern substitutes of fluffy clouds, sexless cherubs, harps and metal halos (not halos of light) presided over by a stuffy divine Chairman of the Board are a joke, not a glory.  Even more modern, more up-to-date substitutes--Heaven as a comfortable feeling of peace and kindness, sweetness and light, and God as a vague grandfatherly benevolence, a senile philanthropist--are even more insipid.  Our pictures of Heaven simply do not move us; they are not moving pictures.  It is this aesthetic failure rather than intellectual or moral failures in our pictures of Heaven and of God that threatens faith most potently today.  Our pictures of Heaven are dull, platitudinous and syrupy; therefore, so is our faith, our hope, our love of Heaven....It doesn't matter whether it's a dull lie or a dull truth.  Dullness, not doubt, is the strongest enemy of faith, just as indifference, not hate, is the strongest enemy of love." ~Peter Kreeft, Everything You Wanted to Know About Heaven (but were afraid to ask)

7QT: Polar Fleece, Big Cars, and Needles

--1--

I bought summer clothes for the boys online last week--Boo is going into the clothes that Piglet wore LAST SUMMER.  I probably could have had them share this year, but Piglet is really on the verge of being out of that size, and it just made sense to size up for him.  So off to Old Navy I went for shorts and t-shirts.  Unfortunately, they did not have suitable summer pjs--is it too much to ask for little boy pajamas that don't have some licensed character on them?  He is five and doesn't even know who the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are (and I'd like to keep it that way for a few more years, thank you very much!)  I found some at target.com at a great price, ordered them, and they arrived yesterday.  And the bottoms are polar fleece.  Polar.Fleece.Shorts.  Seriously Target?  Who does that?  Polar fleece shorts in summer??  I suppose if you live somewhere that is cooler in the summer months, or can afford to keep your house at 55 degrees in the summer time, it would make sense, but even then, I think it is a stretch.  The annoying thing is that Target's online return system doesn't work (even though they say it does), so now I'm going to have to make a special car trip to return the dumb things.  And Piglet still has no summer pjs.  Le sigh.  

--2--

On the upside (or down, depending on your view of cold weather), it is still far too cold here to warrant summer things of any kind, so the need for summer pjs is not so intense right at the moment.  I'm still wearing my down coat plus several layers, although I will say that the sun has been out almost every day this week, and the temps are getting warmer--most days are in the mid-50s, which I think is just lovely.  It is supposed to start edging into the 60s by next week. I'm not a fan of hot weather, but a little bit of temperate would be lovely.

--3--

And now for the TMI portion of our weekly programming.  The main reason I'm not looking forward to warmer weather (our lack of air conditioning whilst living in a swamp aside) is having to bare my legs again after a winter in cozy tights.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm getting sick of hauling tights on every day at this point, but some time last summer I developed an allergy to my razor and spent the entire summer itching a storm.  (I've long been allergic to shaving cream, and have been using hair conditioner or body wash instead, so I feel fairly confident that the razor is the culprit).  I've experimented with waxing this winter, but there really is no good substitute for a razor shave on a daily basis, so I'm girding my loins (so to speak) for the return of the itchies.  

--4--

Right, now that we have the TMI done, let's talk about pregnancy.  31 weeks tomorrow, and I'm making a real effort to take belly shots this time around.  I wasn't able to get any ultrasound pictures except for a blobby one at 9 weeks when they dated everything, and I'm feeling kind of bad about this baby getting short shrift already.  (I have also tried to be consistent about what I do for each child in terms of memorbilia and scrapbooks, and it bothers me that I have so many ultrasound pics from the other kids and nothing for this one--mostly because of an inexperienced tech and a doctor who couldn't be bothered.  I won't say I didn't want to cry at that appointment).  

--5--

Good ol' Murgatroid.  I can't tell you how much I loved that car.

Speaking of babies, we are theeeeese close to purchasing a larger vehicle for our (growing) family.  We've been shoehorning our kids into the back of our 1999 Toyota Corolla since Birdie was born, and there just isn't any more room back there!  (Poor Piglet has exactly 12" between the two little kids' carseats.  His shoulders are getting a bit squeezed).  I mean, I guess we could start tying them onto a roof rack, or figuring out some clever trunk solution, but somehow, I think the authorities would frown on that.  Because we live in the city, and park on the street, and many people park like idiots, we decided that it would be hard for us to manage a minivan at this point.  Larger parallel parking spots can be hard to come by in our neighborhood, and frankly, my husband doesn't drive large vehicles very well.  Personally, I learned how to drive on big cars (my first car was a 1977 Ford Grenada, a steel boat of a car.  I miss ol' Murgatroid). So that left microvans, of which there are not terribly many options.  We are currently in search of a used Kia Rondo, as they were discontinued in 2011.  We've been seeing some okay listings online, but haven't yet found the golden apple of the bunch.  My husband is up in Brooklyn today test driving one that looks promising.   If we can't find a Rondo, we may end up going with a Mazda 5, but that will only seat our current family (including the babe in the bell).  The Rondo gives us one additional seat in case of another addition to the family in the next few years (because you never know...)

--6--

I'm feeling better after my bout of stomach flu+gastroparesis flare, but still prone to tiredness.  I keep thinking that I'm going to get my energy back one of these days, but it hasn't happened yet (although I will say I feel pretty good today--I'll take what I can get at this point).  My mom reminded me yesterday that it might have something to do with not sleeping through the night for more than five years.  Huh.  

--7--

Doing a gauge swatch.

No card today--I had good intentions to make a few more brayer cards, but my lethargy/inertia kept me from my craft desk this week.  But!  I did help a friend at church on Sunday with some knitting, and it reminded me of how nice it felt to have knitting needles in my hands.  I realized my hands are in a good enough state to attempt knitting again (usually they are so dry and cracked that anything wool would catch constantly, and the motion of the needles would cause a lot of pain).  Joann.com was having a yarn sale, so I ordered two skeins to make a cardigan for myself for next fall.  The color is a little more muted than I thought it would be, but I'm hoping it will go with some vintage buttons I have from my great aunt.  In any case, I think it will coordinate with a lot of things in my closet, and I'm excited to have a tactile project to work on while I sit on the couch and catch up on Call The Midwife. 

Go see Jen for more Quick Takes!

Foodie Friday: Turkish Lentil Soup

I can't remember if I've posted this one before, but it is sort of a staple for us, and worth reposting!

Turkish Lentil Soup

• 4 T. canola or olive oil
• 2 chopped onions (coarse or fine, doesn't matter)
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 c. red lentils
• 1 c. bulgar wheat (sometimes called cracked wheat); if you can't find this, rice works well too.
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 8 c. vegetable broth (I recommend Better Than Boullion; we've tried other varieties and the finished product isn't as good)
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper (I tend to use a bit less as I'm not big on the spicy)
• Dried mint for garnish (mint tea bags opened up will work in a pinch)

Saute onions until golden, add paprika and tomato paste, stir to mix.  Add lentils and bulgar and stir to coat in oil.  Add vegetable broth and stir well.  Cover and bring to a boil, and then turn down to simmer for 1 hour.  Soup should thicken considerably and become creamy.  Top with mint and serve with a crusty bread--I am partial to rosemary sourdough with this soup.  For a smoother soup, use an immersion blender to partially puree before serving.

Makes about 3 quarts.

Talking Tuesday #4

“I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time- waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God- it changes me.” ~William Nicholson (paraphrasing C.S. Lewis)