watch out - she's learned the word NO

Don't mess with me. I have learned the word "NO" and I am not afraid to use it!

new finished knitting project

I am so so so happy with my latest knitting project - a faux wrap tunic for Em. I found the pattern on ravelry and knocked it out in about 5 days - I couldn't put the project down because right away I could see how well it was going to come out.Yarn - Regia DK, 3 skeins

Color = Partie

I can't wait to start another one!

knit one, save one

I am so excited about this campaign - knitters from around the world making newborn hats and raising funds to provide antibiotics to fight infections, immunizations against tetanus, breastfeeding education and training for skilled birth attendants. One of the strongest maternal
feelings I've experienced is looking at my children when they were newborn and wishing that every child that enters this world could be so loved and cared for. So I'll be knitting a sweet newborn hat and sending it off - due date December 31, 2008. If you do one to, let me know and I'll blog a round-up of our success.

beach happiness

We spent the weekend at the beach and lucked out with 60 degrees and sunshine on both days. It was Em's first beach trip since she started walking and she loved running on the sand and meeting all of the dogs out for strolls. The biggest excitement of the weekend was while we were helping E explore some tide pools, a sneaker wave took his shoes out into the ocean. They were long gone within a minute - so we had an unexpected trip to the shoe store. We had a bonfire with smores, made a big sandcastle and watched the night sky for satellites. I can't wait to go back.

pumpkin patch fun

We hit Lee Family Farm's pumpkin patch this weekend with the Cedros clan. The farm was filled with newborn lab puppies, chicks, calves and a foal - E is still talking about the foal. I didn't get a picture of all of the kidlets together (sigh) but we did have a great time, topped off with insanely sweet cider donuts and carmel apples.

first lost tooth

E finally lost his first tooth. It's been wiggly and hanging around for weeks - E was not tempted to twist and pull the way I used to. He's got a lovely gap on the bottom row and is delighting in the 1972 silver dollar (given to me by my Papa) that he found under his pillow. I am tempted to save his teeth. Is that creepy? No comment unless you have a child because I am sure the idea sounds creepy if you aren't a parent.

best friends

E's been missing his best friends from preschool. He still hasn't met replacements for his amigos. We were talking about the similarities between his preschool and elementary school. E said, "elementary school is just like preschool, except without the friends." My heart hurt a little at hearing this but I know friends will come in time.

my purse is here!

When we were back in Boston for my brother-in-law's wedding, part of the bachlorette party was designing our own purse at a super trendy little shop on Newbery Street. OH MY! It finally arrived today and I am in love! I've been gazing longingly at my friends' purses for months now, wanting something more girlie and fashion-y than my very utilitarian messenger bag. Here it is.

I love so much about the bag, but what I think I love most is that it's reversible. I am definitely matching my outfits to the bag from now on.

six degrees of project runway

I love love love Project Runway. I never miss an episode and often rewatch episodes while cooking on the weekends - Bravo loves to replay themover and over . . . last night I roped Tall House, Double Cup into watching the pre-finale with me and just a few minutes into it, he realized that one of the finalists (LeAnn) was the person who won the Mercury's Fashion show that he was in last year with his Safe Sax bags. He spent the rest of the show hope hope hoping LeAnn would mention Safe Sax - one shout out on Perez Hilton drove sales for a month this summer. Alas, LeAnn did not drop any hints of how fabulous my husband's side project is, but he still glowed in the six degrees of project runway . . .

i'm ready to party, are you ready to party?

We celebrated a significant birthday year with Tall House, Double Cup's Auntie Jan and her family. Like every celebration in their family, the night was full of kidlets, great conversation, lots of laughing and fabulous wine. The party was at her son's home - which is a perfect party house - you have to look closely at the pictures - you won't believe we aren't at a bar - it's the ultimate boom boom room.

finished knitting project

My latest knitting project was this cool circular jacket - it is essentially a circle with some arm slots. Add a little toggle in the front and voila - a vest. I may or may not add arms to it - so it's true final version is still up in the air. It's made out of a hand-spun, hand-dyed yarn that my old housekeeper gave to me (not the one who disappeared - two housekeepers ago - yes, I go through them . . .) - I didn't save the information on the yarn - but it's lovely and nubbly. I haven't captured a great photo of the back but the circle tightens in to a really cool wave of blue. My knitting has been slow going since Em was born so this finished object feels like success. I sucked in the compliments at the farmer's markets with glee.

diet coke update

It's been 277 days since I had a diet coke (and since Jonesie has had a cigarette - yes!). I am definitely going to make it the entire year. I haven't given up diet pop completely - just my beloved D.C. I do long for it on an every other day basis - and during one of my D.C. daydreams, I came up with a total million dollar idea!






Every Friday on my way to work, I treat myself to a venti iced decaf americano, extra ice, no room at Starbucks. Here is the part that will creep many of you out. I leave the last inch of coffee in the ice and then add diet coke (this year it's diet dr. pepper). The combination of espresso and icy cold pop is heaven - true heaven. And I can't be the only one who thinks so. So I came up with the idea of Diet Coke Coffee pop! They've done lime, lemon and black cherry D.C., so why not coffee.
My million dollar idea was squashed when I did a search on D.C. and coffee and found out that I had totally missed Coke Black -released two years ago. They haven't gone with a diet version - but I doubt they'll be revolutionized by my idea.

So I am sticking to my Friday routine and looking forward to January 1, 2009 when D.C. can re-enter my life.

road trip

I've been a terrible blogger this past week . . . how do people manage to blog, live on facebook and twitter? It's all a bit much - but too fun to quit.

In celebration of Kids' Appreciation Day at the Seattle Mariner's game, Tall House, Double Cup and I left our kids at home with their grandparents and made a road trip to the game. It was a gorgeous sunny day and we had 10 hours to ourselves - so fun.

It was also mascot day. My favorites included the geoduck and the razor clam. They totally kill the moose and the duck.

our tomato eating girl

Em is a tomato eating queen. She can sit in the garden, eating our yellow jelly bean cherry tomatoes right off the vine. If she's feeling fussy, we whip out the bowl of minis and set her up to her own little veggie bliss.

pikkusisko & isiveli

Our dear friend Roni spent the summer in Finland and sent matching Big Brother & Little Sister (in Finnish) t-shirts for our kidlets. We got to celebrate her return tonight when hosting dinner group. Yeah for "isiveli & pikkusisko."

Lill Studio

My sister-in-law's sister planned such a fun bachelorette party - and the highlight for me was the first stop - at Lill Studio where we all got to DESIGN OUR OWN PURSES! This was heaven! And so much fun.
This picture explains the process . . .











The shapes were lined up across the wall - everything from a wallet to a huge diaper bag. I picked a fairly big slouchy style called the Drea. It's reversible - which I love because it meant I got to pick five different fabrics! One for each side, one for the buckle, one for the strap and one for the pocket.
Once I picked the style, I dove into the fabrics - so much fun! I am almost always attracted most to "fall-ish" purses and I did indulge again this time with a red, brown and cream tweed, a quilted red nylon, a sturdy leopard print for both the buckle and handled and a sweet folksy print on the pocket.

It's currently being constructed in Chicago and will be sent to me in about three weeks. I can't wait to get it! Yeah!

little brother's wedding

We're back from our trip to Salem, MA for Tall House, Double Cup's brother's wedding. It was a whirlwind and so much fun. We kept the kids on West Coast time so they were able to stay up late and party with us. We had the full wedding weekend - bachelor/bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinner, ceremony, dinner/dance, and morning after breakfast. We also did a little sightseeing and had a big lobster lunch out in the sunshine on the coast.
We are all in recovery - E is the healthiest - the rest of us have head colds. But even through our Sudefed haze, it's so fun looking at the pictures from our trip.

children's literature book group

My children's literature book group reads for October:

Picture books
I Get So Hungry (Campbell)
The Black Book of Colors (Cottin)
Say Hello (Foreman)
Adele and Simon in America (McClintock)
Madam President (Smith)

Fiction
The Possibilities of Sainthood (Freitas)
Madapple (Meldrum)

Nonfiction
Painting the Wild Frontier: The Art and Adventures of George Catlin (Reich)

happy birthday tall house, double cup

You are much more than a father but being a papa is what you do best. I love you!

little miss

E's been getting all the blog time with his big firsts lately so I thought Little Miss should get some equal time. Em's been getting great command over her body - walking down steps, climbing all over the play structure and starting to spend a little time playing on her own. We will be debuting as a jr. flower girl next weekend in her first wedding. tra la la!