School days are here

Occasionally I remember that I began this blog as a way to document my "30 in my 30s" list. My life is so different now from when I turned 30 four years ago. I haven't looked at the list in a while, and I'm sure there are a few items I'd want to change now. However, I have not forgotten my list and I've recently marked off two major items. One is finding a new home for our family, which on the list is referred to as something like "a family home to live in for many years." This home probably isn't that, but we do love this little place and are having so much fun fixing it up and making it our own. Our new roof was completed today. The house immediately felt cooler and less humid. Here's hoping we'll see a change in our outrageous energy bills next month. I'm anxious to start posting some "after" photos, but honestly, nothing is to the point yet where I'm ready to call it done!

I have plenty of "during" photos! Every project in this house takes on a life of its own. I simply wanted to paint the front door. It resulted in Ben spending 3+ days stripping about 9 old layers of paint off!

Another item on my list was to give Bennett (who was 18 months old when I wrote it) the best possible start in her education, starting with kindergarten. For several years, we wrestled with the options and what we would do. We prayed about it a lot. It wasn't an easy process or an easy decision. I've shed more than a few tears along the way, especially when it came time to actually let her go off to school.

How dare she do this to me?!

Might as well be walking down the aisle

Excuse me. Weren't you just born? 

The educational climate has changed so much since Ben and I were kids. When we were growing up, homeschooling had a stigma of being different and weird. Now, it is so much more mainstream, and I am constantly amazed at the awesome and creative ways people to come up with to homeschool their kids. I admire it wholeheartedly. It has actually been a little difficult for me to admit that it's just not right for our family, at least not at this time. In Christian circles, if you let yourself be over-sensitive (which I probably am about this subject because education is so important to me), you can almost start to feel as if you're failing as a mom if you don't/can't homeschool your kids. I've had feelings of panic that I should be doing it, that I should be figuring out a way to make it work.

For the past couple of weeks, I've really been working on letting that go. Reminding myself that we prayed just as hard about this decision as other parents who ultimately decide to homeschool or put their kids in Christian school. God has a purpose for us here, in this neighborhood, and in this school. We're completely confident that we are right where we're supposed to be, that Bennett is in the school she's supposed to be in, that she has the teacher God wanted her to have. It comforted me when her class assignment was switched a few days before school, and the principal called me three times to make sure he could answer my questions and reassure me about the change. Our confidence grew even more when a school board member stopped by our house to personally welcome us to the district. And, it gives my heart joy each morning when Bennett bounds down the stairs excited for another day at school. She's eating up every single second of it, especially interacting with so many new friends. We've already had several conversations about how she might be able to help a girl in her class who is having trouble adjusting to school. I'm so proud of her. She will have so many opportunities to be "salt and light" here.

I'm planning to go back through my list soon and see how I'm doing. For now, I'm just thrilled that these two big dreams have come true.

Nothing like a good book

It's been a while since I updated my reading lists. My goal for 30 in my 30s was to read 120 books, or an average of one book per month. When I added it up today, it looks like I've read 21 books in the past 3 years, or an average of 7 books per year. So, I'm a little off my pace but I know I'll catch up. 120 books sure doesn't seem like a lot for an entire decade of my life, but as busy as I am with work and kids right now, a book a month is all that's reasonable for me.

I've moved my reading lists over to goodreads.com (connect with me there!), and I have links to them here on the right side of my blog if anyone wants to keep up with me. I love getting good book recommendations from friends and will still try to review any especially good books here if I can, but this just seemed more efficient. I really like the goodreads site and the corresponding app I have for my phone. I've even started a reading list with Bennett to see how many books we read together before she starts kindergarten. I let her rate every book, and she gives 5 stars every single time.

The last really good book I read was The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton. If you like historical fiction or anything set in England, you'll love it. The majority of the action takes place in London during the Blitz of WWII. This book has such a great plot. I can usually figure out what's going to happen, but I didn't see what was coming in this story, and I loved that. Highly recommend!

Recipe Round-Up

I haven't posted any recipes for a while, but I have made several new things in the past few months. I put a new tab at the top of this page to keep all the recipes in one place, and for most, there is a link to the recipe if you want to try it. I will try to note as well which ones are decent or not! Here are a few quick notes on a dozen recipes I have tried recently:

1) Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars- I didn't have high expectations since I am the type of person who feels like a dessert is a waste if it doesn't have chocolate in it. But, these are really good. Totally worth the effort. A lot better cold than warm, though.

2) Panko-Crusted Fish Sticks with Herb Dipping Sauce- Actually, Ben made these. Good but nothing outstanding. Loved the dipping sauce, though.

3) Buckeye Bars- Very good! These are easy to make because you start with a brownie mix. Once again, much better room temperature or cold than warm.

4) Key Lime Coconut Snowballs- I attempted to make these as part of my Christmas baking. FAIL! They tasted good but had the consistency of raw cookie dough. Would not make again.

5) Reese's Stuffed Oreos- Yes, they are as good as they sound. I made them for Bennett's birthday and could.not.stop. eating them. Mine did not turn out as nice-looking as the picture on this blog, but let's be honest, who cares. I am drooling right now just thinking about them.

6) Apple Oatmeal Cookies- These were decent. Again, no chocolate. I left out the raisins.

7) Avocado Chicken Salad- I'm disappointed in you, Paula Deen. This recipe seemed so promising, but was just kind of blah. It didn't help that I couldn't find any good avocados at the time I made it. I would take plain ol' chicken salad any day over this.

8) Overnight Caramel French Toast- I made this for Courtney the weekend she came to visit. Total fail! It tasted fine but was so, so soggy. Maybe it would be better if you used a really thick bread. Would not make again.

9) Caramel Cereal Treats- Yes, I'm realizing there's a theme here, and it's that most of the new recipes I've tried have been unhealthy desserts. I'm breastfeeding, and I'm hungry all the time. Sue me. Courtney & I made these together and they turned out good. Again, not my favorite thing because of the overall lack of chocolate, but Ben took them to work and got good reviews. The recipe calls for Sugar Smacks cereal, which I could not find. Do they even make that anymore? I also had trouble getting the chocolate chips melted to the right consistency in the microwave. We kept adding something to them to make them more pourable, but I can't remember what. Butter or sweetened condensed milk, I think. Either way, super healthy.

10) Quinoa Salad- This was my first experience at cooking quinoa, and it went well. I really enjoyed this salad, because I love all the flavors that are in it- cilantro, lime, cumin, etc. And I love black beans. It was great with tortilla chips, therefore making it a lot less healthy. What can I say- it's my special gift.

11) Fluffy French Toast- Really good mix. We use this every time we make French toast now.

12) Pretzel Hugs- I wanted to make these because they were so simple and it was a project that Bennett could help with. If unwrapping about five Hershey's hugs in under three minutes and shoving them in your mouth is helpful, then she was a huge help. Unwrapping all the Hugs can be a pain, but it is worth the effort. These treats are the perfect combination of salty and sweet. I sped up the hardening process by popping them in the fridge- they are just too good to wait for!

I sewed!

I sewed poorly...but I sewed. The fact that I even found the time to sew anything at all is a huge triumph for me. I wanted to get the girls cute, personalized Christmas stockings, but the ones I was looking at on Etsy were going to cost $70-$80 and I just didn't feel like spending that much. Actually, I was going to spend that much, but I woke up at 4:30 am one morning, and I felt my neglected sewing machine calling to me from the corner of the room, "You should be ashamed of yourself....stockings can't be that hard to make....come on, you should do this yourself...you have no reason to buy stockings when I'm sitting here not being used...." Strangely, my sewing machine/conscience's voice sounds exactly like my cousin Becky's voice.

So I did it. Courtney accompanied me to Jo Ann when she was out for a weekend visit and helped me pick out material. I chose flannel for the stockings and minky for the cuffs. Then, I printed a pattern from the Internet and perused a couple of tutorials. Here's the finished result:

They look fine to the uncritical eye, but I made a few mistakes and I couldn't quite get the heel rounded out enough on Blake's. I did cut notches on the inside seam to try to round it out better, but it just didn't quite work for some reason. I also messed up sewing the cuff onto Blake's and got the seam out the outside- twice. The second time I was just sick of it, so I just left it that way! And told myself, I'll make better ones next year- these are just the practice ones. :) I didn't feel they were embroidery-worthy so I just made handwritten name tags for them (I can't get these pictures to upload straight on here).

So, we'll see if I actually redo these for next year, but at least I busted out the sewing machine and got a little practice. And, as you can see, they served their purpose just fine. :)

Year One Wrap-Up

I suppose, since I've been 31 for nearly a month now, that it's time to look back and see how the first year of my 30s went. If I want to accomplish everything on my list, I have to mark off an average of three items per year. There were only two definites I accomplished this past year- starting a recycling program for our household and joining a church family. I suppose you could make that two-and-a-half if you count the five months I spent growing our second child during the year I was 30. I also made some progress on some ongoing list items, such as reading 120 books, trying 300 new recipes, completing 100 sewing projects, and reading through the Bible twice- but not as much progress as I wish I'd made.

List aside, the first year of my 30s was a pretty good year. I went through some difficult personal and family issues, but also had a lot of fun and really enjoyed life and watching my daughter grow. Some memorable things from this past year included:

• Getting my first e-reader- how did I ever live without it?
• Watching Bennett grow from a baby into a little girl
• Celebrating Ben's 30th birthday with a fun party and a fabulous trip to Cabo
• Praying my mother-in-law through a grueling stem cell transplant- and watching her triumph through it
• Changing everything I thought I knew about one of the closest people in my life
• A super fun cruise with my childhood best friend, Michelle
• Becoming involved in a church family that I absolutely love
• Getting in the best shape of my life (hmmm, seems like a distant memory now...)
• Celebrating my grandma's 90th birthday with a special luncheon for her and her friends
• Spending a week in Atlanta with my cousins- one of my favorite things to do
• Repainting and redecorating our kitchen
• Hosting the family for Thanksgiving
• Losing my grandpa
• Finding out we're expecting baby #2
• Surviving two months of hardcore morning sickness
• A trip to Siesta Key with some close girlfriends
• The daily realities of being a full-time mom while working while being pregnant while having a house to keep up...

There are certainly many days in this past year that I would never want to relive, but I am well aware of the grace that got me through them and I have no complaints about how the Lord has treated me and my family. We are very blessed. 

As I look forward to the next year, I am excited and apprehensive. I know that adding another baby to our family will create many adjustments and sleepless nights, but at the same time, I can't wait to meet him or her and for our family to be "complete." I am working hard to create some maternity leave for myself and to enjoy a few months off with my children. We have been at a crossroads in our family for a long time now, wondering what the next step is for our careers, housing, future schooling for our kids, etc., and I am hopeful that the Lord will show us some clear answers in this next year or so. Can't wait!

Closing in on a year...

I was just sitting here thinking that almost the entire month of April has gone by and I have only posted once. Life has been so busy lately and May is going to be even busier. I can't believe the first year of my 30s will be over in less than a month. I've been thinking a lot lately about what I've accomplished so far and what kind of year it's been. I would definitely say it's been an eventful year, full of highs and lows. I've worked on several of my list items, but I know full well in the back of my mind that I have not tackled any of the really difficult ones, the scary ones, the ones I haven't even yet had the guts to share with anyone, let alone take on head-first.

I'd like to say that the second year of my 30s is going to focus on accomplishing some of these tough goals but realistically, that isn't going to happen. I'm having a baby in about 4 months, and there's going to be an adjustment period, and before I know it I'm going to be 32. I'm OK with this, though. There's nothing on my list that's more important to me than my kids, so they're always going to get the priority. I'm only planning on having two, and I know the next few years of their "littleness" will be tons of work for me and at the same time, will go by so fast. It's not that I won't have any time to work on personal goals, but I just know that time will be limited.

A little while back I posted about how working at home and being a full-time mom was really stressing me out. Things are still kind of frustrating (especially with potty training- any advice is welcomed) but I do have a wonderful friend who is now watching Bennett one morning a week, and I am so thankful! I have to admit that so far I have not even used any of this time to get work done. One week I went to the dentist and another week I spent the whole time straightening up my house for company coming over the weekend. But, it was so nice to have those few hours to myself to get some things done. That little break makes a big difference in my week, and it's great for Bennett to have a change of scenery and another kid to play with as well. So, thank you, "Miss Lela"!

I've also been working hard these past four months- and will be working hard the next four months- to finish all my work for 2011 by the end of August. The baby is due September 4, so s/he better not come early! :) I'm planning to take off September, October, November, and December just to be with my kids and get through the initial transition of 1 to 2. I'm really excited about this. It's a lot of extra work/stress right now, but I think it will be worth it!

In other news, I did try a new recipe recently for Orange Chicken Piccata. While it looked lovely...

...it tasted just OK. Not worth posting the recipe. The sauce was fine, but it turned out tough. Maybe it's the technique but I have yet to find a stove-top chicken recipe that satisfies. I am convinced that chicken is meant to be either baked, broiled or grilled.

I also finished another book- The Last Child by John Hart.

I would classify it as "pretty good but not stellar." I was convinced about halfway through the book that I had the plot twist totally figured out- it focuses on a boy searching for his missing twin sister and the detective who helps him- but I was pleasantly surprised to find out I was wrong. I like a book that can surprise you. However, one of my pet peeves is child characters who are ridiculously mature and insightful and speak in totally unrealistic, adult-like dialogue. I would say the author is guilty of that in this work. 

Back to my busy week! There is a royal wedding going on and it's not for William & Kate. :) Very excited for my friends Tim & Alisa this weekend! Too bad I didn't put "Be a pregnant matron of honor" on my list. :)

Back to the list...

So, if I want to try 300 new recipes during my 30s, I need to try 30 a year, and I'm not doing that great so far. I thought it would be a lot easier, but I guess I'm not as adventurous as I thought, or I just don't take the time. Or, I get pregnant and throw up for a few months and can't imagine eating anything but saltines, let alone trying something new. But even when I wasn't eating much, I was looking forward to enjoying food again and thinking of fun ways to find and try new recipes. I came up with a couple of ideas. The first came by looking at my baking/spices cabinet. This is what it currently looks like:

This picture doesn't do it justice, but it's a total mess. Everything is thrown in there, and it's impossible to find what I'm looking for when I need it. I knock at least four things out every time I look for something in there. It is in dire need of organization! I do have a lot of great stuff in there, though- thanks to my dad's influence and a wonderful spice store we have here in Columbus (Penzey's)- so I know there are limitless cooking ideas waiting for me in there if I just take the time to look. So, one of my goals is to get this cabinet organized and see how many recipe ideas I can come up with based on fun spices and things that I already have. 

My second idea came from looking at the family cookbook. My great-aunt put this cookbook together at least 25 years ago and it features recipes from almost everyone on my dad's mom's side of the family (she was one of 10 kids, so it's a big family). My grandma had a copy for me and saved it all those years to give to me at my wedding shower. I cherish it!

I recently realized that the only recipes I ever really use out of this book are the ones that come from my own little part of the family, specifically my parents. I thought it might be a fun idea to try to "cook my way" through it. I don't know if it will be possible to make every single recipe, though. One of my great-grandfather's calls for at least 30 hens. So that one's probably not going to happen. But a lot of them would probably be great to try, so I'm going to start on that, too.

I've also made a couple of new recipes out of Taste of Home. Ben got me a subscription for Christmas, and it is one of the best gifts ever! I have never made anything out of Taste of Home that wasn't good. Last week I tried this Mediterranean Shrimp Skillet which was labor-intensive but good- thankfully my brother was here to help me saute the shrimp- I always do it wrong and overcook them. I also made these baked tomatoes to accompany the dish- but I was not overly impressed. I love the idea of baked tomatoes, though, so if anyone has a recipe or suggestions, let me know. 

I'm also behind on reviewing books, but I have finished a couple lately. I have to say that I loved, loved, loved Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls.

I loved Walls's memoir The Glass Castle, so I was excited to read another one of her works. This is a "true-life" novel about her grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, who was born around the turn of the century and spent her life ranching, teaching, and raising a family. I love the voice she gave to her grandmother and how she clearly tried to stay 100% true to who her grandmother really was. The dialogue is realistic (something I really love in a book), and it draws you in from page 1- you're instantly transported into Lily's life and want to dive right in. My only complaint about the book is that it ends rather abruptly, and I would have liked a bit more closure on Lily's life. But all in all, I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend it! One of the best books I have read this year. 

A major list item...

When I made my 30 in my 30s list, one of the first things I wrote down was, "Have or adopt another child- or two." I am so excited that this will be happening this year. I found out on New Year's Eve that I'm pregnant, and the new little one should be here sometime around Labor Day. Even though I'm almost three months pregnant now, I think the reality is still sinking in. Like with Bennett, we had trouble getting pregnant on our own and went through fertility treatments. This time around, we used a milder drug with fewer side effects (thankfully!) and it worked on the very first try. I actually felt guilty about it being "too easy." My experience was that getting pregnant should be difficult, it should be physically and emotionally draining, it should be an all-around gut-wrenching experience. It may be hard to understand, but I didn't feel as if I had "earned it" this time. It almost didn't seem real that we could get pregnant so soon and with so little effort. We have been so blessed.

It has also been a different experience in that I have been so very sick. With Bennett, I felt queasy and tired, but that was the worst of it. This time, I have been sick every day, all day, and have been throwing up quite a bit. I'm not going to lie, it has been miserable so far. This might be my payback for being one of those women who just raves about how much she LOVES being pregnant. :) I am still hoping to be able to enjoy this pregnancy, though. I am hoping that when the first trimester is over, I will start feeling better again and get back into living instead of surviving day to day.

I'm really thrilled about having another child, and I know that Bennett is going to be a great big sister! This is totally a "bonus" for me. I never thought I would have her, and having her was a blessing beyond all my dreams. She totally fulfilled my longing to be a mom and erased the feeling that something was missing in my life. I could have been content with just having her. I wanted to have another baby, but I didn't feel the desperation I did the first time around. God taught me through that experience that He gives you exactly what you need, exactly when you need it. I wondered if we would have another child, or if we would be led to adopt, and how and when it would all pan out- but I never doubted that it would work out perfectly, just as it has. And I think I will make the first revision to my list by crossing out or two at the end of this one. I feel a perfect sense of wholeness in having one more child and can honestly say I don't ever want to get pregnant again. (Ask me again when I'm not puking, I guess). Of course, I always want to be open to another child in our home if that's what the Lord wants for us.

I'm looking forward to a quiet 2011 spent mostly at home (though there definitely has to be a short pre-baby trip for Ben & me in there somewhere!) working, blogging, and enjoying my growing family!

Thanksgiving recipe wrap-up

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The planning, shopping, cooking, and cleaning stresses me out a little, but I do love the holiday. This year we had our Iowa family with us, which was a lot of fun. Ben wanted to roast a turkey, which neither one of us had ever done. My family was never very traditional on holidays- our Thanksgivings over the years included everything from chicken to lasagna to BBQ. Anyway, he did a great job and it tasted delicious. He used Alton Brown's recipe (here) and he also added a package of frozen berries into the aromatics. We got a Honeybaked ham as well- I know those are quite a bit more expensive than the store-brand hams, but wow, they are so good and I think they are worth paying extra for.

I've been slacking on my 300 new recipes I'm supposed to try during my 30s, so I thought Thanksgiving would be a good time to add a few. I had actually never made homemade stuffing or sweet potatoes before, so I did both of those and they turned out good. To save oven space, I made the stuffing in the crock pot, and a little while before serving, we spread it out on a pan and put it in the oven so it would be nice and toasty. We also had gravy, cranberry-apricot sauce, rolls, green bean casserole, and mashed potatoes.

For desserts, I made an apple crumble, my mom's chocolate pudding dessert (I'll have to do another post with that recipe sometime), and another new recipe- butterscotch crescents. It was a Taste of Home recipe I found here. Good, but labor intensive and I'm not sure I'd make them again. The frosting was wonderful, though!

Now we plunge into December- parties, birthdays, shopping, Christmas, and traveling! Hopefully a little time in there to also relax and enjoy the season!

Where two or more are gathered

This past Sunday, October 24, was a special day in our lives and in Bennett's life, too, even though she doesn't know it yet. Ben and I officially joined Fellowship Baptist Church, the church we've been attending for the past eight months or so. I can't describe how good it feels to be part of a church family. We both grew up in church, and I kind of think we took for granted how much it enriched our lives. When we got married and moved to Columbus, church was important to us, but it definitely took a backseat to a lot of the other things crowding into our lives- traveling, time with family, etc. For several years, we attended a good church and made friendships there with several other couples around our age, but we never really felt at home and never really got involved. I'm not sure we ever even met the head pastor.

We decided to find a new church at the worst possible time- right when Bennett was born. Visiting new churches is not an easy task with a newborn in tow. I never felt comfortable leaving her in the nursery at a church where I didn't know a single person, and as she got older, she was too noisy to keep in the service with us. I finally came to the conclusion that a small, Baptist church was where I wanted to be- a place where we could really get to know people and where we would really be needed to serve. I wasn't sure what Ben would think- he never attended a small church growing up and I didn't know if he'd like it. I asked if we could visit Fellowship since I knew a few people who went there. After we visited the first time, I knew that I loved it there, but I was sure that Ben would say he thought it was too small and he wouldn't want to go back. To my surprise, he did want to go back and we've enjoyed attending there ever since.

I didn't realize how much I missed being part of a church family or how important it was to me. Now that I have that back in my life, I feel like something has been restored. I am so looking forward to serving in this church and raising Bennett in it for as long as God keeps us living here in Columbus. And yes, joining a church was also on my 30 in my 30s list. Obviously, it means a lot more to me than just an item to "check off," but it still feels good to see my life changing in one more of the ways I hoped it would after turning 30. Two down, 28 to go. :)

I'm still 30...and I made Indian food

Life has been a little better lately. Circumstances haven't necessarily changed, but I've just been making a real effort to be content and to make the best of things the way they are right now. It helps. But life is still going by so fast. I really psyched myself up for turning 30, but lately I'm just feeling old. Then I look in the mirror and my feelings are confirmed. Then I look at my list and tell myself I need to get moving. I promise there are more exciting things on my list than cooking and sewing and reading, it's just a matter of getting to them. I realize that being a working mom is more than a legit excuse for not getting a lot of stuff done beyond the basics. But I also realize that I'm not going to look back when I'm 40, 50, 60 and be satisfied with that reason for not accomplishing my goals. So expect some more progress from me- as soon as I finish this freelance project, catch up on laundry, find the DVD Bennett wants to watch, figure out when I have time to take a shower.......

I did try a new recipe a couple weeks ago. I have no idea if this recipe is truly Indian food or not, but I thought I'd try it. It's another one I came across in Better Homes & Gardens, and you can find it here if you're interested. I love almost all kinds of food, but Indian food is not something I've really had a lot of. I had one homemade Indian dish many years ago, and I hated it. A few years ago, Ben spent about a month in southern India and he loved the food there. He felt good eating it and lost weight. Since then, I've always intended to be more adventurous about Indian food but it just hasn't happened. When I saw this recipe I thought it would be a good first try. I have to admit I cut back on both the curry and the ginger out of fear of the unknown. I also used chicken breast instead of chicken thighs. I really liked this dish- and even more so because it is low in calories and fat- but I didn't go crazy over it. Ben liked it more than I did, and my parents liked it, too. Another plus is that it's a crock pot meal- I love anything that cuts down on prep time.

In the beginning, God

Time to reveal another item on my 30 in my 30s list. It sounds like everyone's typical New Year's resolution- I'm going to read through the entire Bible! As cheesy as it sounds, it's an important thing I want to accomplish. I can't tell you how many times in my life I've set out on this task. I usually start in Genesis, Psalms, and Matthew, and try to read a chapter at a time in each, basically giving myself three different "starting points" so I can get through faster. I usually fizzle out somewhere around Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, and Acts. It isn't that I never open my Bible and read it; it's just that I can't say I've ever read the whole thing cover to cover without stopping and starting over a bunch of times.

So, I've decided that I want to read through the Bible at least twice during my 30s. For the first round, I've decided to just read it straight through, from beginning to end, in Eugene Peterson's version The Message. I'm trying to approach it like I would a novel, just soaking it in and letting it make me think, just enjoying it for what it is. The next time, I plan to read it through it in a study Bible and dig a little deeper, maybe getting some commentaries as well.

The Bible has been a part of my life for the past 30 years, but I'm trying to look at it through new eyes. It's so many things- a beautiful piece of literature, God's letter written to us, a guide for living, a comfort and encouragement through anything we might face, an anchor in a crumbling world. There is no other book like it! If you've never read it, I encourage you to read it along with me. The Message version is a great place to start! I'll keep you updated on my progress here.

Bennett's got a brand new bag

So, if you read my little "about me," you'll see that I call myself a novice seamstress. That might be an overstatement. The extent of what I've sewn is a curtain (under the strict supervision of my cousin, who is also my sewing inspiration), a pillowcase (under the supervision of the teacher at Jo-Ann Fabrics), and a very sad and lopsided-looking pin cushion.

I've really wanted to learn how to sew for a long time now. It always seemed like fun to me and I've always hated buying things that I could make cuter and cheaper myself- if I only knew how. So I asked for a sewing machine this past Christmas, and my in-laws got it for me. I set up a small sewing area for myself in our loft and invested in a few nice tools, like Gingher scissors and a rotary cutter and mat. I went to the library and got a couple books with ideas, then went and bought some fabric and materials. And that is basically as far as I've gotten...until this week.

I just don't have time for sewing; at least, I don't make time. But I know I'm never going to get any better if I don't practice. Right now, I'm still in that "I'm terrible at this and I can't measure anything right or cut anything straight and I think I just sewed this together wrong and I hate this" phase. But completing something, even if it's imperfect, is such a good feeling. I don't really miss going to school, but I miss learning new things and getting better at them. Teaching myself to sew is a challenge, and I need more challenges like that in my life.

To be honest, the only reason I worked on sewing this week was because I had the material to make a project out of a book from the library, and I renewed it so many times I can't renew it anymore, and I'm racking up fines and I didn't want to return it without making the dumb project. I've had this book for months, and when I finally sat down to do it, it took me less than an hour to complete and I actually had fun. And, it helps me with another item on my 30 in my 30s list, which is to complete at least 100 sewing projects. 1 down, 99 to go. Here are a few pics of Bennett's new fleece bag (and yes, this was a project out of a book called Kids Can Do It). You have to start somewhere, right?

It's the little things

The first two months of my 30s have been completely hectic, exhausting, and stressful. Some things I saw coming, others I didn't, but a lot of things just seem to be happening all at once. Life is just really overwhelming right now. But, instead of caving in to the desire to bury my head under my pillow and sleep until life is easier to handle, something in me is telling me to focus and to keep pushing through. Something in me is telling me that things can only get better from here.

One thing I can focus on is my list. Checking one small thing off has given me a boost over the past couple weeks. I'm happy to say that I've finally started recycling. It's pretty embarrassing, though, that it took me this long to do it when it's so simple. I had in my mind that it would be a long, annoying process of signing up for pick-up, buying the proper sorting receptacles, etc. I called for information and learned that it costs $8.25 a month for curbside pick-up. Ben didn't love the idea of spending $100 a year to recycle, so I looked into drop-off locations and there is one at the Kroger right by my house. I never noticed it before, because it's behind the building, but there are a ton of huge containers there, and it's easy and convenient to just drop everything off. I also realized that I didn't even need to spend time and money looking for containers. Nothing needs to be sorted, and I can use empty containers I already had in my garage. I dropped my first "load" off a couple weeks ago, and it made me feel so happy! A completely free and painless accomplishment from my list!

Food Obsession: Guacamole

Forget the banana- I think the avocado just might be the world's most perfect food. I can't believe I spent over 25 years of my life not liking it. Now, slicing up a gorgeous, ripe avocado makes me so happy. My avocado appreciation started a few years ago in Spain. Ben & I had just arrived in Barcelona, and I was absolutely starving. We had no idea where to eat, so we decided to grab a bite at our hotel (which, off the subject, was the weirdest hotel I've ever been in- it was just like those SNL sketches with all the crazy furniture that no one can figure out how to sit in. The shower in this hotel was glass-encased with no curtains and stood smack dab in the middle of the room. I couldn't figure out how to turn it on. When Ben came over to try to help me, he walked into a glass wall so hard it knocked him backwards several feet. Then all the sudden the shower turned on and sprayed him in the face and got water all over the room).

Anyway, back to the avocado. I ordered a club sandwich at this hotel and it came with slices of hard-boiled egg and avocado on it. It was heavenly. I don't know, maybe it was because I was so hungry and so sick of strange European foods (like black cherry soup, ugh), but whatever the reason, it tasted so good. Thus began my love affair with the avocado.

My favorite use for the avocado is fresh guacamole. I love making guacamole, and I make it a little bit different every time. A few avocados, some fresh lime juice (don't even bother with lime juice if it's not fresh, seriously), a little fresh cilantro (sometimes yes, sometimes no), some salt and pepper, a couple spoonfuls of sour cream, occasionally a little salsa (my favorite is Newman's Own black bean & corn), and lots and lots of Penzey's salsa salad seasoning (or any type of taco seasoning you have handy). I pop it all in a bowl and stir it around with a fork. I don't think there's any real reason to put guacamole in the food processor. The chunkier the better as far as I'm concerned. I love making things that don't require the same ingredients each time and don't require exact proportions. (Sorry, Courtney!) I'm sure that I get this from my dad, who cooks this way and is one of my biggest kitchen inspirations.

So this post actually does have a little bit to do with my 30 in my 30s list. One of the items on it is to Try at least 300 new recipes. I will plan to keep track of them here, but I'll try my best not to turn this into a food blog or a list of recipes. Like reading, I think cooking is about the experience- where you were, what you learned, how you remember it. We can't live without food, so we might as well make it fun.

Catching Up

I've made it through the first month of my 30s. So far, so good. I meant to post before we left on our vacation, but time just slipped away from me. Vacation is always wonderful, but at this point in my life I truly believe that the prep work to go and the catching up when coming back cancels out all the rest and relaxation. We are travelers, though. We love to go places, try new things, eat new foods, etc. This was a trip to Cabo San Lucas for just Ben and me. Ben turned 30 on June 12, and this was our big celebration for both our birthdays. This was our second trip to Cabo, and we love it there. The beach is beautiful, the weather is perfect, and the restaurants are great. When we went a few years ago, we said we would definitely go back. This is one of the million reasons I love Ben so much- a lot of people would say they're going back someday to a place that they love, but he makes sure that it really happens. I love you, Ben, and happy birthday!

I will post vacation pictures on Facebook soon. I haven't gotten them uploaded yet. I did make some progress on my book list on the trip, though. I finished three books, and I'll write reviews for them soon. 3 down, 117 to go.

I will also reveal one more thing on my 30 in my 30s list since it is somewhat related to the subject of travel and has become a joke amongst our family and friends. We have never gotten bedroom furniture since we've been married. That's right, for the past 6.5 years, our bedroom has consisted of a mattress/box spring on the floor and a few college odds and ends to put a lamp or an alarm clock on. No bed frame, no dressers, no nightstands, nothing. My closet is a constant mess because I have no drawers. Every time we have the extra money to buy furniture, we take a trip instead. So when I look at our empty room, I think of Cabo, or New York City, or Croatia, or Spain. We've both been fine with this for a long time, but I suppose now that I am 30, it's time to grow up and stop living in a dorm room. Therefore, Buy bedroom furniture is officially added to the list. Who knows when this will happen...probably not this year...maybe not next...but definitely before we're 40. Unless we take that trip to Amsterdam...

Starting on my list...

So, I am on day 4 of being 30, and it still feels suspiciously like being 29. I'm working, changing diapers, fixing snacks, removing my wireless mouse from where it was helpfully placed for me in the dryer, and feeling tired- the usual stuff. My entertainment last night was folding laundry and watching the Biggest Loser finale. Apparently, no matter how excited you are about turning 30, no magic light from above shines down and anoints you to start living a more sophisticated or exciting life. You actually have to get off the couch and start taking action- even if you feel exhausted from your 7:00 am workout and watching Yo Gabba Gabba for the 10th time today sounds better than making any sort of physical movement whatsoever.

I know that I can't waste time getting started on my 30 in my 30s list because- as I said in my previous post- I know myself pretty well by now and I know that I am just the type of low-energy person who loses momentum quickly. My original list is on a piece of blue scrap paper and was jotted down in less than an hour's time. This week, I decided I needed to go over it again and refine some things. I want the items on there to be specific and not lame, like "Be healthy!" or "Exercise regularly." I want to pursue measurable results, such as "Run a 5k." And yes, that is a joke, because anyone who knows me knows that I would never put such a ridiculous thing on my list.

I figure if I do 3-4 things off the list each year, I'll accomplish all 30 things in the next decade. However, as I looked at the list, I realized that 6-7 items are cumulative and I'll have to work on them on a consistent basis. For example, Read 120 books. I know that doesn't sound like a lot for 10 years, but I'm making it a minimum goal because I think one book per month is reasonable. I try to do this, anyway. I have a lot less time for reading now that I have Bennett, but it is one thing I have been fiercely holding on to and making sure I do no matter what, even if it takes me a lot longer to get through a novel than it used to. I have moved my "books I want to read" list over to this blog if you are interested in looking at it (see tab at the top of the page).

Right now, I'm not in a book and not sure what my next one will be, but as I read, I'll track my progress here. I spent some time today researching e-readers and specifically, the Kindle v. the Nook. I was so anti-e-reader when they first started coming out. I'm a purist, I told myself. I love actual books and the way they look and feel. Literature belongs on actual pages that you can turn with your fingertips. And besides, I like getting my books from the library and only buying the ones I really love. But... then I started thinking about next month's trip to Cabo San Lucas and how nice it would be to take a 10-ounce Kindle rather than an extra suitcase full of all the books I'm hoping to lie on the beach and read. So...I'm considering it. I'll let you know what I decide. But no matter what, I don't want to live in a world without books on bookshelves. That would just be wrong.