Thanksgiving & Sewing

Thanksgiving was a real treat this year. We went over to the in-laws and brought a ton of veggie dishes with us. Hal made: Tofurky with gravy, roasted potatoes, & carrots, Waldorf salad, a fancy cranberry sauce with pineapple & mandarin oranges, and a homemade macaroni & cheese casserole. I made homemade zucchini bread. Then, Hal’s family had all sorts of yummy foods there that we could eat. It’s times like these that make it hard for me to imagine not living close to family. I really enjoy the eventfulness of going over there every Sunday and especially the holidays. I mean, I know it seems like I complain ALL THE TIME about my MIL, but really, I’m just venting. I love Hal’s family and really feel they are my own and I am their’s.

There are two main reasons I prefer Hal’s family gatherings over my family’s. 1.) there are usually enough people around that we actually get a break from minding Max. This means we can eat together and enjoy our food as well as rest after we’ve eaten. At my family’s house Hal and I have to constantly keep after Max (who loves to get into everything – as if I actually need to clairify that). Having to keep on top of Max makes for a stressful and less than relaxing visit. And, 2.) my dad’s wife (whom I actually really like) smokes in the house. If it were just Hal and I, it wouldn’t be a problem. I grew up in a house with a smoker so it doesn’t really bother me to be around it every-once-in-a-while. But, I do not want my kids stuck in a house with a smoker – not even for a few hours. I have asked that she not smoke while we are there and I don’t know if she just forgot or what, but the last time we were over she lit one up while sitting on the couch. I mean, it is her house and all, but, still. I’m pregnant! My son is two!

We skipped Thanksgiving at my family’s house this year (not for either of the two reasons above) because it was just too damn much for us to hit two house in one day, plus prepare food, plus make sure Max got his nap. They seemed to understand.

Well, nothing really exciting to report tonight. Oh, except I started to sew my curtains! I decided to do it at grandma’s house so I could call her in the room for help when needed. It’s a good thing I did go over there because she practically couldn’t leave my side long enough to pee before I needed her again. Yeah, I’m pretty inept when it comes to sewing. But damn it, I’m determined! It will take a while but when I’m done, ya know I’ll be posting pics.

Read Full Post »

Crafts & Herbs

I’m going to try my hand at sewing. I got a sewing machine last Christmas and haven’t used it yet. Pretty lame, I know. My first project (and hopefully not the last) will be to sew curtains for Max and Bella’s bedroom. They will be sharing a room for a while so I had to find fabric that was gender neutral. Actually, I prefer gender neutral décor for their rooms even when they do have their own space. When they’re older they can do what they want but until then, momma’s going to keep the gaudy sports and princess stuff out of the house. Here is the fabric and hooks I choose:

And here is a pic of the colors that are in his room already. My friend, Reina, came over to our house before Max was born and put those stars up on the wall. I love em’. We’re getting rid of that dresser before Bella gets here. Notice how Max wisely pulled out the bottom drawer to use as a ladder.

I’m very excited about this project and at the same time scared to death that I’ll suck. I’ve never considered myself to be “crafty” on any level and usually make a big deal about not being as creative as all my friends. I grew up playing sports and wearing Miami Dolphin outfits for crying-out-loud! Sometimes I’m amazed at how I’ve managed to intertwined my life with such creative and earthy people. I also have this problem that if I’m not already fabulous at something I won’t do it. That is something I need to change and this project will be my stepping stone in learning to view the challenges of creating something new as a worth while endeavor.

While I was searching the store for the perfect fabric I got the feeling that this is the hardest part about sewing stuff – deciding on fabric. I went down every isle scouring each heap of prints as Max touched all the fabrics and exclaimed, “I like that! I like that!” Then I came to a small section of kid prints and found my curtains. As the elderly woman behind the counter helped me figure out how much I needed and proceeded to cut the yards I explained how this was my first sewing project. She was excited for me. When I said that picking the fabric was almost painful another woman said, “yeah, but when you find the right one you just know it.” I thought that was neat because that’s exactly how I felt. I shared a true crafty moment.

My other new interests these days is healing and nutritional herbs. After being sick on and off for the past month and a half and managing to not use antibiotics or over-the-counter meds for either Max or myself, something clicked. I realized that there is a whole world of ways in which I can heal our body without drugs. This is something I’ve always known but never pursued. The world of homeopathic medicine always seemed too overwhelming for me wrap my brain around but now I’m really getting interested in it.

My midwife has been a guide to introducing me to this way of thinking about healing. She gave me the best advice ever… she said that I shouldn’t feel the need to overwhelm myself with all the different herbs, roots, tonics, and other good things all at once. She advised to take things one item a time. Learn that plant, then move on to the next one. Simple advice is always the most profound when you really listen.

To strengthen my immune system I am taking Elderberry and Astragalus Root in the form of a tincture. About a teaspoon of each goes into my Oat Straw tea (which I drink once a day). It actually tastes good so I don’t mind. There are a lot of things I need to work into my diet and daily routine but I’m starting with these three things and will add something new when I feel using these items have become second nature.

The Elderberry and Astragalus root I’ll cut out of my routine as soon as I feel Max and I are out of arms reach of all these damn cold viruses. Then, I’ll pull them out only when we start to feel like a cold is coming on. Hopefully I can get Hal into this as well.

Read Full Post »