Instant Gratification

My Valentine's decor consists of a single heart-shaped plate.  So, after convincing myself I have better things to spend my time and money on, I was looking for some simple, yet sweet Valentines-y ideas I could do on my own.  Thanks to Living The Swell Life, it only took me a couple of magazines and a few minutes at the sewing machine to whip this little heart garland together.

Voila!  Instant gratification.

I'd Like to Dedicate This One to Me

• Some people hate it.  Some people love it.  I take great pride in my own.  
• My blog music, that is.  
• In fact, I don't particularly love other people's blog music.  Not that the music itself is bad (sometimes it might be), but mostly just because I want to listen to my own.  
• Not being rude.  Just how I feel.  
• Confession:  Sometimes I'll bring up the bloggie just to listen to the music.  
• Probably really screws up my Sitemeter stuff.  But who cares?  
• So if my music drives you crazy, my apologies.  But it isn't going anyway.  At least not any time soon.  
• You can always hit the mute button.  
• But I will always turn it up.  
• Oh, and I take requests...as long as they're good ones.  

I Concur

(via Old Sweet Song)

It isn't very typical to reach for my journal during The Tonight Show.  In fact, I was a little shocked to hear this come out of Conan's mouth.  Nonethless, I immediately wrote down these words I heard during Coco's final show.  It was nice to see this man who is noted for his irreverent humor speak with sincerity, even wisdom.  He's more than just a funny guy, but an honest one.

Hope to see you soon Conan.

Stamp It

Unique postage stamps are a favorite of mine.  The Eames collection was always a hit, and I'm quite looking forward to sending a little piece of Mr. Pollock in the mail to someone special (no bills!).  

Side note:  I find it a bit bothersome that The Simpsons stamps are readily available, yet I have to wait until March for these.  

I Need Musical Inspiration

I'm a dud.
I need some musical inspiration.
For running.
For the blog.
For everyday.

Fast.
Slow.
Indie.
Pop.

Whatever.

Suggestions welcome.

This Makes Me Happy

Hope your weekend is as good as this.

Double Digits

Winston is 10 months old today.  Gosh he's cute!  He is one clever kid, observant and so smiley.  I can't get enough of him.

**He still prefers the army crawl for its speed.

**He waves goodbye and always claps his hands.

**W has mastered cruising around the coffee table (the corners used to be a little trouble) and continues to pull up and climb all over everything (crib, fireplace, stairs, dog, etc.).  

**He's still grossed out by slimy textures, and won't even pick up a green bean or eat chunks of banana without gagging.  And he is his mother's son because he prefers cereal (the real cereal) to any other food.

**W is quite the people person and will go to just about anyone who extends an invitation.  And he will often have a mouthful to share with you, too.

**To say he loves his dad would be an understatement.  He LOVES his dad.  Tonight when D got home from work, W literally jumped in excitement and squealed with delight.  He also says"dada" incessantly.  First word; so cute.  (Not even hinting at "mama" yet)

**W still loves books.  I keep a couple of books in his crib during nap time.  Oftentimes he will wake up and just talk and sing to himself in his crib.  But the other day I went in his room to find the two books' corners were missing with teeth marks all over.  Turns out he likes to eat the books as much as he likes to look at them.  And speaking of books, he's obsessed with this Shiba Inu book we have (Lucy's breed).  In a whole shelf of books, he will always find this one, throw it on the floor, lie down next to it, and finger through the pages.  This happens daily.  Random.

**After banging up his lip twice, I set out in search of a walker (to save this boy from himself).  It has been one of my best purchases yet.  This toy/apparatus/hazard keeps W entertained on end.  He follows Lucy around and will sometimes get going so fast he'll use both legs at once and throw his hands up wildly in the air like he's riding a roller coaster.  Yesterday he assisted me in vacuuming the house by following me around with the cord.  Like I said, one of my best purchases.

**W loves the dishwasher.  He can hear it the minute I open its door and comes crawling with a vengeance.  Like the dishwasher, W has been fixated on the timer for our floor lamp.  We have to remove him -- for lack of a better word -- from the timer dozens of times a day.  Annoying to say the least, but turns out dangerous, too.  Earlier this week, W was headed for the timer.  By the time I got to him, I noticed one of the pins was missing.  I thought, Oh please no.  Don't have swallowed the pin.  I looked around and couldn't find it.  Stuck my finger in his mouth and couldn't find it.  But he was making a funny face, so I checked his mouth again, this time between his upper gums and lip, and there it was.  Scary!  The timer is now sitting in a drawer indefinitely.

We head to the doctor on Thursday to see if this boy is gaining weight.  Based on the fact that we've probably tripled the amount of food he consumes and I can no longer button his pants, I'm going to guess we're heading in the right direction.

Happy birthday baby boy.  Feel free to stay a baby.  Forever.
xo

Happy Birthday Maria

Happy Birthday Maria!  One year old, can't believe it.  You're the cutest one-year-old niece I have (who lives in OR).**  This is for you.





**I have a really cute one-year-old niece in WI, too.

Homemade Christmas

Pre-Christmas I mentioned that the Waterfalls were having a homemade Christmas this year.  I was nothing short of amazed with the final products each person received.  The gifts were thoughtful, custom, original and, well, fabulous.

  

Pictured above are the applique shirts I made for my nieces along with the apron I made for my sister-in-law. For someone who possesses ZERO craft ability, I was rather pleased with the final outcome.  They were wearing their goods Christmas morning, hopefully an indicator they were pleased with the gifts, as well.

Some other loot included in the Waterfall giving were personal letters with sweet and hilarious pictures, planters, mod podge "Family", screen print scarves, and even a coat/hat rack made from antlers (below).

I also made an apron for my little niece Rees.  I found this cute fabric one afternoon and finished the apron that night.  Being my second apron, I had a little better idea of what I was doing (aside from the pocket that ended up a tad bit crooked!).  I was a little off in my size estimation, so Rees may end up using this apron until she goes to college.

The homemade Christmas turned out better than I expected.  It was really fun planning and creating the gifts, as well as wondering what you would receive.  But I think the best part was the anticipation of giving the gift to the recipient.  I loved it!  Can't wait to do it again.

This Is Me

Here I am.  Me.  In my pink, fluffy robe. The robe I've probably worn EVERY single day since the day I got it.  I never was much of a robe person.  But when I became hugely prego, nothing seemed to fit.  Duh.  But it seemed I was hot 80% of the time, too.  So when walking around the house in my shapely bod, if the heat suddenly came on, I could untie that belt in a second and that robe would fly open for some fresh air.  Not a pretty sight.  Or a pretty visual impression in your head either.  But it's me.  It is what it is.

In response to this and this, I am going to attempt to write a post sans the "delete" key.  Ah shoot, I just used it!  So, aside from using....again!    OK, in this post I will bear all (I'm comfortable with), even those unsightly spelling/typographical errors.  Here we go.

• I am unsatisfied with my blog.
• I don't think it accomplishes what I want it to.  
• But what do I want it to do anyway?  I mean, really? 
• Sometimes I feel like I write for someone out there, whom I don't really know (I just used that blasted key...shame on me!) but whom I really, really want to impress.
• I write to show pics and keep up with family.
• But I don't think that's my goal.
• Sometimes I use the delte (dang it!) key way too often.
• Why can't I rjust write what I feel like.?
• Although sometimes, I admit, I have to use the delete key to lwipe away bad words. 
• Yes, I think those basd words.  
• sometimes a lot
• I am not proud of it.
• But I am proud, or I probably shouldn't say the word proud,
• but I am glad -- how 'bout that instnead -- that I at least erase those words before they are published for anyone and everyone to see.
• Actually, I wish everyone would see them [what I write].
• But everyone doesn't.
• I love thise motherhood gig.
• It
• s fun.  It's a challenge.  
• I love this little man I get to hang out with.
• But lately it's hard.
• I've really tried not to complain about the little things of raising a child.
• it's the reality of it.  I should/need to get used to it.
• But this week it seems he's changed.
• I don't know if I can basque in the loveliness of turning my head every five seconds to find him hanging off the fireplace, lip banged up, and snot/slobber literally EVERYWHERE.
• It's not fun.  I don't like this.  And I will complain about it.  
• Frankly, it's gross.  But it's life.  
• Sometimes it isn't always what I want it to be.  But it is what it is.  I don't have to like it.
• But I can appreciate it.  I can learn from it.  
• But I refuse to learn the beauty of a snotty nose.  I don't think I'll ever appreciate it, either.  
• I don't think anyone who happens to ever read my stuff with ever appreciate that either.
• Nor do I think they should.
• So what would a reader appreciate?
• Since I'm likely related to and/or attended school with 99.9% of you readers, you probably would mostly appreciate pictures of the fam and what we're doing.
• But I'm putting  you to the side for a minute.
• What would I appreciate?  (Selfish, isn't it?)
• I would appreciate reading/seeing glimpses into my life:  Lessons learned, experiences had, funny things, stupid things.  But turning these everyday things into words worth reading.  
• Maybe that's it.  
• I really like to write.  But I really don't like to spend the time doing it.
• Interjection:  speaking of snot, one of my books is being covered in it as we speak.
• Continuing...
• I'd like this blog of mine to be my own.  My own report, if you will.
• My report of turning my everyday into something I'm proud of. 
• Making small things beautiful, cool, unique, mine.  
• Whatever I want them to be.
• Is that what I'm doing or not?  
• I think I'd like to report on how I learn to see or appreciate things from a different angle.  
• Nonetheless, my title is most appropriate, in that I aim to keep things clean and simple, not cluttered and over-complicated.
• Kind of like a list of bullts:  the facts.
• Yesterday I didn't get dressed until 4:00 in the afternoon.  The previous day, although I'd gotten dressed earlier, I looked in the mirror around 4:00 and did a double take.
• Ooph.
• I didn't look so good.
• I wasn't satisfied with how I looked.
• It reflected how I felt that day:  worn out.
• but it was me.  And on third glance, I was OK with it.
• It is what it is.  
• It is to be appreciated.
• I don't think it is settling for mediocrity or "letting myself go."
• It is being comfortable with who I am rather than what I look like.
• We're familiar with the scripture, "The natural man is an enemy to God."
• Does that mean the unnatural (wo)man is a friend to God?
• I don't think so.
• I do think it's the real (wo)man, the tempered, thoughtful, honest one.
• Sometimes I might have to retract or second guess or delete initial words when I write.  But that doesn't mean my final post doesn't reflect who I am
• Rather, it's putting my best, or perhaps better foot forward.
• When I look in the mirror and don't revel in my reflection, I more and more find myself thnking, "You're OK katie.  It's all OK"
• So I aim to be more of me.  I aim to be real.  
• If my blog is reflective of that, I will be satisfied.
• Delte key, pink robe and all.

Christmas 2009 Highlights

Christmas was so much fun.  Too much fun and too many things to remember.  So, here are some of the highlights.

Ugly Sweaters and Friends

My friends aren't ugly, just what we wear.  

The Jackson Twins

My clever grandparents made each of us Christmas cards with a gift from the "Jackson twins" -- Mr. President and Michael to be exact.

Temple Square

Generations

W met his great grandma Lane (and Grandpa) for the first time.  She was so delighted to meet him.  It was precious.

First Snow

First time in the snow!

Skiing

I miss this a lot!

Better captured on video than photo:
Christmas morning
Luminaries
Maria's Birthday
Bathtime Buddies
Marshmellow Mayhem (the final 10 min. of the Waterfall family party -- nothing short of amazing)

Enjoy!

More to come once I finally get organized!

Whew! What a Year

We just got back from spending the holidays with family and I'm trying to get my life back in order.  As I was perusing through some photos from the last year, this one caught my eye.  It was taken our first night home from the hospital.  Wow, how things have changed and really blossomed since then.  The year 2009 was full of full of fun times, lots of first times, some uncertain times, but nothing short of amazing times.
So long 2009.   Welcome 2010.