Category Archives: Evelyn

Jan13

“A Year of Love”

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“A Year of Love”

Something I wrote recently about my New Year’s resolution for 2014 was published over at Home & School Mosaics Blog today. Here’s some of it:

“How would you feel if Evelyn felt the same way about herself as you do about yourself?”

I had an interesting conversation with my husband the other night, in which he posed that question to me. For those of you who know me relatively well, I don’t try to hide the fact that I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety for long periods of time.

One of the big side effects of my issue is that I put myself down. A lot. So often that I don’t have to TRY to slip in something negative about myself. It comes naturally to me to beat myself up mentally. It’s almost as if I am afraid my pride will get out of control if I don’t give myself a daily deluge of mental criticism and put myself in my place.

The night that this conversation took place, my husband, our 18-month-old daughter Evelyn, and I were hanging up Christmas ornaments on the tree. The majority of our ornaments are special to us – dated ornaments from each year we’ve been married, or gifts we’ve been given through the years, etc. A favorite is from when we went to Disneyland on our honeymoon. (YES, that is absolutely what I wanted, and my sweet hubby delivered, even though we were still poor college students!) While there, we got a picture of our faces pressed together with big smiles etched into a flat glass cutout of Mickey Mouse’s head.Family2013

For more, please continue reading HERE!

What are some of your new year’s resolutions?

Nov14

Thankful Thursdays II

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Thankful Thursdays II

What a week! Many of my things I am grateful for are things that suddenly have been in short supply. Nothing like a good dose of change and challenge to remind you to appreciate when things are good.

1) I am grateful for the days that I get a good night’s sleep. I’ve always had a hard time sleeping, but having a child of my own has really brought “sleep deprivation” to a whole new level. Especially when teething, or growing pains, throws a wrench into the nighttime workings of toddler sleep!

2) I am grateful for warm weather. We’ve hit uncharacteristically cold weather for our locale this week, and it reminds me of several  reasons why I prefer the really hot summers here over the very cold (and snowy…yuck!) winters of my childhood.

3) I am so grateful for our beautiful home. Even with all the maintenance (some of which has been taking FOREVER lately!) and random “Oh no!” moments  of home ownership, it is so neat to have our own home to make memories in with our family.

4) I am grateful for Pinterest! How many amazing, cute ideas have I come across on that site (many of which I will never get to replicating), and how many amazing, quick and easy recipes have I come across to spice up our dinner rotations? And I know there’s always that feeling that sometimes some of these people who do these projects are crazy overachievers, it gives me something to aspire to on the crazier days of being a mom.

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5) I am grateful for crock pots. Seriously, whoever made the crock pot, I love you. Not only does my crock pot help me made chicken and pot roasts so tender they just fall apart to the touch,  it makes it possible for me to make dinner while Evelyn is having some down time, usually mornings. Unlike the days where 4:00PM hits and her separation anxiety is so bad that she must be held constantly or else break down into hysteria. And then I end up calling Jared to pick something from Chick-Fil-A because I get anxiety just thinking about trying to contain her wiggles while trying to cut veggies or cook on the stove!

6) I really enjoy the chickens. In the cooler weather, they haven’t been laying as frequently. (Frankly, that is a relief for me- I have been having a rough time trying to keep up with 3-4 eggs a day! 1-2 are much more manageable!) But they have been a lot more fun than I had anticipated them being, and Evelyn thinks that they are hilarious to watch. She’ll run to the back door and sign bird, squealing “Bir-Bir-Biiiiir!” and I know she’s hoping to catch a glimpse of the chicklets. And it’s kind of fun to be a little more “self sustaining” with having them, too. Maybe we need to get a nanny goat next, Jared?  😉 JUST KIDDING. Mostly.

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7) I LOVE Evelyn snuggles. This girl isn’t the most snuggle-bunny of them, and so the moments that I can get her to sit still next to me and cuddle for a few minutes on the couch are PRICELESS. And when it is snuggling with Mom, Dad, Evelyn, and three doggies on the couch? Nothing beats snuggling with the loves of your life!

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Nov7

Thankful Thursdays

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Thankful Thursdays

October was another busy month for us, and so I am sorry for those of you who occasionally check up on this blog here! Evelyn seems to be getting back into a nap groove after a busy month (granted, only one nap a day now… boo!), but it’s something. It seems like every month brings new and bigger changes into our lives, but hey, that’s what we are here for, right?

Anyways, I wanted to do something to recognize an often understated holiday this month, Thanksgiving. But I find daily “Something to be grateful for” posts to be a bit tedious, and with a VERY active 16 month old, a post a day is just way too much for me to keep up with. But I know it IS important to show gratitude, especially when I have so, so much to be grateful for right now!

So, here are seven things I am grateful for from the last week. I think the hardest part is to limit what I want to say to 7!

1. I am grateful for silly holidays that allow me to show off my adorable daughter. Evie LOVED Halloween. She even got to go trick or treating with her bestie, “Q.”, and together they were adorable. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t hold still long enough to get a picture together, so you get to see this pic with Momma, instead.

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2. I am grateful for drastically changing my occupation to stay home with my sweet, beautiful girl. This is the hardest job I’ve ever taken on, but I can’t imagine how unhappy I would be if I had to leave her for the long hours I had teaching. There has been some sacrifices to make it happen, but I know that I am so lucky to have this opportunity with her.

3. I am grateful for my hard working, sexy, adorable, funny, and intelligent husband. While on paper we might not have a lot in common, we just click! And he is such a good dad to Evelyn; he can make her squeal and giggle better than anybody else.

4. I am grateful to be able to foster for IGCA Rescue. Minka Moose is quirky, but so adorable. I’m surprised nobody’s snatched her up yet because she can be so sweet and charming. But part of me is glad they haven’t, because I was able to dress her like this for Halloween.

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5. I am so grateful Evelyn has a love for animals. She loves her doggies and chickens. She sees a bird in the sky and will sign it (she’s finally using some ASL) and excitedly repeat “Bir-Bir-Bir!” Two weekends ago, we were invited to go to one of Jared’s coworkers homes that lives in a more rural area. He had week-old baby goats, day-old chicks, and bunnies. Evelyn was THRILLED. And then again, the next day, when there happened to be a 5 month old Eurasian Owl posing for pictures, Evelyn was in animal lover heaven! Her innocent love for every living thing is so amazing to witness.

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6. I am grateful for chocolate. This goes with the whole “being a mom can be a hard job”. Some days I wouldn’t make it without chocolate’s sweet, succulent goodness. Thank heavens for chocolate for those bad days. And to celebrate some of those good days, too!

7. I am grateful for eternal families. Jared is my best friend, and being married to him and becoming Evelyn’s mother has taught me so much about true love. And we have wonderful extended family that life wouldn’t be the same without!JaredandEvie

How could I live without these two?

Aug24

You Choose Part Two!

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You Choose Part Two!
You Choose Part Two!

So, I have been hard at work crocheting!

The easier projects, that also were something different than I had been doing recently, were the ones from Creepy Cute Crochet.

Griiiiiiim Reaper (Super creepy cute and easy to make!)

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Amazon warrior princess (Not so cute or fun to make… I am not a huge fan of her right now!)SAMSUNG

Buddies together! (One likes to bring death, the other IS Death! Haha!)

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Okay, but DOWN TO BUSINESS. When it came down those cutie animals, it was ALL OVER THE PLACE. I got votes for everything! But, we simplified!

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Which is coming first? The Giraffe, or The Elephant? Which one would YOU want to see cuddled up next to Evelyn?

(Kinda like “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” Which reminds me, I have a chick and an egg pattern/materials that I should get around to making sooner than later, too…)

ANYWAYS…. Please vote soon so I can get started!

Aug12

Next Project- YOU decide!

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Next Project- YOU decide!
Next Project- YOU decide!

Okay, everyone. I have recently acquired some new crochet books, and there are SO MANY CUTE THINGS I want to start making. I really can’t make up my mind. I need your help.

You see, I had my birthday. (Yay, birthdays!) And yes, it was great. Jared went out of his way to make sure it was nothing like last year. Even Evelyn cooperated, and she was much, much sweeter than her acid refluxy little self a year ago. Jared and I even went on a grown-up dinner date thanks to a good friend who was willing to spend a hour or two with Evelyn.

After Evelyn went to bed, I got to open presents. I love presents! (Anyone who has small children can understand why we waited until after Evie’s bed time to open presents. Don’t judge.) Anyways, among these great presents, “Evelyn” and her dad gave me two darling books full of fun crocheted cuties…. And now I can’t make up my mind what to make next.

LOOK AT THESE ANIMALS:

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HOW am I supposed to decide which one of these to make for Evelyn next?

On the “Creepy-Cute” side, we have the following options!

Queen Vampire:2013-08-12 10.43.23

 

Amazon lady:2013-08-12 10.44.16

 

Or Classic Grim Reaper.2013-08-12 10.44.40

 

Do you see now why I need help? Please, oh please, help me decide what to make next! Any favorite animals (That is a pattern you see above, please)? And a favorite creepy? Please leave a comment and help me out here!