tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26362768015980259782024-02-07T14:07:04.710-07:00The ClotheslineUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger317125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-85935820653246986172009-12-20T19:58:00.003-07:002009-12-20T20:02:24.715-07:00Christmas Lights<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qLH1VxrU23qlpz8Gv0bcFM-J6s-JsNEfyH1pOLK_6rMNoyEXK-GfG39Ig8P9Y6s6NuRqz4AAX7vl8Ym6M8dBy59XkYIq3Im2nM-Otz7JjWorMKpI9SKn4RBrGUqKFKr9w-OHmLWybakO/s1600-h/OLYMPUS+DIGITAL+CAMERA+++++++++_0006.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417519174488119458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qLH1VxrU23qlpz8Gv0bcFM-J6s-JsNEfyH1pOLK_6rMNoyEXK-GfG39Ig8P9Y6s6NuRqz4AAX7vl8Ym6M8dBy59XkYIq3Im2nM-Otz7JjWorMKpI9SKn4RBrGUqKFKr9w-OHmLWybakO/s400/OLYMPUS+DIGITAL+CAMERA+++++++++_0006.jpg" /></a><br /><div>A crystalline night.<br />Plastic lights burn hope into<br />Deep into the sky. </div><div> </div><div>Happy Holidays, everyone!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-14834434782045469662009-12-14T20:58:00.006-07:002009-12-14T21:17:25.185-07:00Mommy Guilt Redemption Eludes Me<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggD8CAiDjNQPfYptHbof7QV5asl8D0qyuaqXFnMlsWXAp9VhYSZILtixgPZWYaoiaGa51bGRnmLiZyU6DIBVZz00IreLveYgr5X7oKznboZFcY0bmx9OLRLyiBGLk3lgIKPVE6yTcwLq4Q/s1600-h/OLYMPUS+DIGITAL+CAMERA+++++++++.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415307826500183842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggD8CAiDjNQPfYptHbof7QV5asl8D0qyuaqXFnMlsWXAp9VhYSZILtixgPZWYaoiaGa51bGRnmLiZyU6DIBVZz00IreLveYgr5X7oKznboZFcY0bmx9OLRLyiBGLk3lgIKPVE6yTcwLq4Q/s400/OLYMPUS+DIGITAL+CAMERA+++++++++.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>How do you know when your “mommy guilt” has gotten the best of you? When you knit your son a Christmas stocking, and he tells you to give it to the cat.<br />Last year, I wrote about how I guiltily<a href="http://theclothesline-cathy.blogspot.com/2008/12/semi-homemade-stocking.html"> “fast-tracked” a Christmas stocking </a>for James by buying some premade felt ornaments and gluing them on a felt stocking I whip-stitched together. This stocking took me a few hours to make, compared to the many, many hours I spent sewing sequins on Ethan’s Christmas stocking. James’s stocking had the same glittery impact as Ethan’s, but deep down, I thought it was a sham.<br />Then, in October, I saw a pattern for a knitted stocking, and I had to buy it for James. The stocking took a few weeks to knit, compared to the few hours I spent on James’ first stocking. The amount of time I put into this project helped me write off my mommy guilt.<br />I confidently presented the stocking to James, anticipating his face lit up with joy over my effort. But instead of “Wow!”, I got “Eh.” What’s wrong? “Don’t you want this stocking instead of your old one?” I asked. “No,” he responded. “You should give it to Molly.”<br />I had gotten it all wrong. James didn’t care how many hours I put into a project, he just wanted a glittery stocking like his big brother’s. I should have left well enough alone.<br />So, Molly, <a href="http://cathy-sippycupadventures.blogspot.com/2008/05/happy-early-mothers-day.html">what do you want for a stocking stuffer?</a> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-44902304541924348042009-12-10T10:04:00.006-07:002009-12-10T10:19:25.795-07:00Kitchen Pantry Body ScrubI’ve made body scrubs before using brown sugar and light vegetable oil, but I was never really satisfied with the results. The scrub was sticky and would clump up when I tried to rub it on my skin. Then I found a recipe in Janice Cox’s book, <a href="http://www.janicecox.com/pilot.asp?pg=book_seasons">Natural Beauty All Seasons</a>, which intrigued me. The recipe called for milk along with the usual sugar and oil combination. Here it is:<br /><br /><em>¼ cup sugar<br />2 tblsp light vegetable oil (I used grapeseed oil)<br />2 tblsp fresh milk </em><br /><br /><em>Combine the ingredients. Before you bathe, rub on skin to slough off dry, flaky skin and improve circulation. Rinse off. </em><br /><br />I tried the scrub out last weekend and loved it. My skin felt smooth and moisturized after using it. According to Cox’s book, the protein, calcium and vitamins in dairy products make them good cleansers. They also contain lactose, an alpha hydroxy acid that gently sloughs off dead cells.<br />Plus, the scrub appeals to my eco side because I'm not washing harmful chemical preservatives, which are found in many commercially made products, down the drain into our water system.<br />So during these dry winter months, whip up this simple, eco-friendly body scrub to keep your skin smooth and soft.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-76604868965583942822009-12-06T21:40:00.006-07:002009-12-06T21:54:48.194-07:00Have You Seen This Skunk?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNrQwfqlgNfVstUVjPzwYM4Li5yKYH9eS8qJgm_FmO7dQbHyICTBxOKe3gWsipcGuguTB13SN2BvAa1QnqvrGnGjvc7kTYqDpOmUgZQlEveyGPkwvSNN4DkfZK7VY9kP9kWAvSjp8frGR/s1600-h/OLYMPUS+DIGITAL+CAMERA+++++++++_0005.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412350444465318898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNrQwfqlgNfVstUVjPzwYM4Li5yKYH9eS8qJgm_FmO7dQbHyICTBxOKe3gWsipcGuguTB13SN2BvAa1QnqvrGnGjvc7kTYqDpOmUgZQlEveyGPkwvSNN4DkfZK7VY9kP9kWAvSjp8frGR/s400/OLYMPUS+DIGITAL+CAMERA+++++++++_0005.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Recently, our household has undergone a major tragedy. Someone has gone missing.<br />But before you start checking the news for <a href="http://www.amberalert.gov/">Amber alerts</a>, let me tell you who the victim is—a stuffed animal skunk whose name is Skunkers.<br />Skunkers 1 and 2 became a part of our family a few months ago when we dined at McDonald’s. Ethan and James each got a Happy Meal, which also happened to be the home of a stuffed animal skunk. Of course I let them take the darling creatures home. Ethan and James named their skunks Skunkers, played with them intensely for a few hours, and then tossed them in their rooms’ stuffed animal heaps.<br />Unfortunately, it wasn’t until Skunkers 1 went missing that I realized he how important he was to James. Their fun times came to an end when we bought our <a href="http://theclothesline-cathy.blogspot.com/2009/11/name-says-it-all.html">new couch</a>.<br />See, we not only got rid of Couchy to make room for Mr. Couch. We also got rid of a recliner, which, unbeknownst to me, was the home of James’ skunk.<br />A week ago, James tearily accused me of my crime. I was sitting at the dining room table working on my lap top when he approached me. “Mommy!” he said. “You got rid of Skunkers!”<br />“What are you talking about?” I asked. “Here’s Skunkers,” I said, pointing to a stuffed skunk laying our living room carpet.<br />“That’s Ethan’s Skunkers,” he explained. “We played a game with both skunks and I put mine in between the cushions of the recliner and now you’ve gotten rid of the recliner so now he’s gone!!!” His balled-up fists pressed against his eyes to stop the flowing tears.<br />I swallowed down my panic. “James, I’m sure you didn’t leave Skunkers in the recliner. He will turn up. In the meantime, why don’t you play with this skunk?”<br />“No!” he said. “That’s Ethan’s skunk. Mine is gone!”<br />Over the past week, I’ve hoped James’s accusations were wrong, but Skunkers 1 has yet to appear. So now I’m putting out own version of an Amber alert, asking that if you happen to see a skunk that looks like the one in the photo, please send him our way. It will make one mommy—I mean boy—very happy. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-18514565804674993722009-11-30T10:00:00.004-07:002009-11-30T10:09:41.054-07:00Make Your Own Baby Leg Warmers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJLVACnMVmkVSO0yMLRDU8cb1c6TtsRPOlPvm130Z5V72u8KKPrhjhy03GYcqZh6B1W_1xbzf9bgXee2_b6DNREXiGCI1wQJ_kdoApdZMqymdjobQC2OfJ9jLqcDVRrF0UtMhLzezGoRO/s1600/OLYMPUS+DIGITAL+CAMERA+++++++++_0002.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409943501559681010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJLVACnMVmkVSO0yMLRDU8cb1c6TtsRPOlPvm130Z5V72u8KKPrhjhy03GYcqZh6B1W_1xbzf9bgXee2_b6DNREXiGCI1wQJ_kdoApdZMqymdjobQC2OfJ9jLqcDVRrF0UtMhLzezGoRO/s400/OLYMPUS+DIGITAL+CAMERA+++++++++_0002.jpg" /></a><br /><div>There’s a new baby in my life—my 2-month-old niece, Domenica. I wanted to make her some <a href="http://www.babylegs.com/">BabyLegs</a>, which are legs warmers for babies. They cost $12 online, but are super easy to make with knee-high socks you can purchase for one-third the price at Wal-Mart or Target.<br />This past weekend, I refreshed my memory on how to make BabyLegs by looking over the post I wrote on it a year ago. I realized I added an unnecessary step to make the cuff, so I eliminated those steps in the post. The new, improved post titled, <a href="http://theclothesline-cathy.blogspot.com/2008/11/cheap-socks-make-great-gifts.html">“Cheap Socks Make Great Gifts,” </a>can be found in the right-hand sidebar titled “Tutorials.”<br />I wanted to take a photo of Domenica in her new BabyLegs this past weekend, but she slept the whole time I saw her. And we all know to never wake up a sleeping baby, even for a blog photo. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-27711160801142984912009-11-25T09:57:00.003-07:002009-11-25T09:57:00.375-07:00Music For Black Friday<em>Holidays are on their way, these decorations have so much to say.</em><br /><br />"In The Mall," Weezer<br /><br />I personally don't brave the mobs to hunt down bargains on Black Friday, if you do, may I suggest downloading Weezer's song, <a href="http://www.plyrics.com/lyrics/weezer/inthemall.html">"In The Mall," </a>into your ipod. This song takes me back to shopping days of yore, when my biggest concern was sneaking a box of Mike & Ike's Hot Tamales candy into the movie theater for the premiere of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093779/">The Princess Bride.</a><br /><br />Have a wonderful Thanskgiving holiday, everyone.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-9526468370337785962009-11-24T09:52:00.002-07:002009-11-24T09:52:00.242-07:00American Girl, I Don't Think So<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrAUx4cla4a0sVEWoBcciio9faU72oSONRVT9SAS9TMSPX1WwMfnQVVVNWO9_W4vAhKF89CTA7KDPInZYpKyqnF566jWK8b3dh7rXqVP7PGvYZOgHkV7XIZZRqrjOlneLCl44CVQjOj3W/s1600/PB200020.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407343838394165730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrAUx4cla4a0sVEWoBcciio9faU72oSONRVT9SAS9TMSPX1WwMfnQVVVNWO9_W4vAhKF89CTA7KDPInZYpKyqnF566jWK8b3dh7rXqVP7PGvYZOgHkV7XIZZRqrjOlneLCl44CVQjOj3W/s400/PB200020.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Ordering my sons something for Christmas from this catalog would, in their minds, be the equivalent of putting lumps of coal in their stockings.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-30332594730026777752009-11-23T09:45:00.005-07:002009-11-24T10:09:46.100-07:00I Dream Of Sushi<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEKiS-Ep8BGH_88qytnvhr3UfCwfX9YgmQcZw6PAfCMWro_zIw50Dj-fTrDU627WxVh5vT6mRM1yRdzbsI33zqn0UCBZQ3QQCx-Y1nqNT0R008Om268MuWQ9ES9RrTeT5uLYV1aI3Z23w/s1600/OLYMPUS+DIGITAL+CAMERA+++++++++.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407342034872309458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdEKiS-Ep8BGH_88qytnvhr3UfCwfX9YgmQcZw6PAfCMWro_zIw50Dj-fTrDU627WxVh5vT6mRM1yRdzbsI33zqn0UCBZQ3QQCx-Y1nqNT0R008Om268MuWQ9ES9RrTeT5uLYV1aI3Z23w/s400/OLYMPUS+DIGITAL+CAMERA+++++++++.jpg" /></a><br /><div>The first time I ate sushi was 15 years ago when my husband took me to the now-defunct Hotel Nikko Christmas party in Chicago. My husband worked there as a waiter before he started law school. This was one of the best company Christmas parties I’ve attended. The hotel turned over its immense ball room to its employees—giving us lots of room to do the electric slide. Tables groaned with appetizers, including what looked like a mountain of sushi. I nervously popped a Sake roll in my mouth … and fell in love.<br />After all these years, it never occurred to me to make sushi myself. The sheets of seaweed, or nori, look so brittle, I thought they would crumble when I attempted rolling rice and fish into them. But my cravings finally got the best of me, so I gave sushi-making a go last weekend. I cooked and seasoned the sushi rice and spread it out evenly on the nori. The delicate smell of the seaweed dampened by the rice made my mouth water. I added some crab meat, cucumber and avocado to the middle of the sheet, held my breath, and began to roll it into a cylinder with the help of the bamboo mat. It turns out nori is sturdier than it looks because when I removed the mat, I was pleased to see it had stuck together to make a plump California roll.<br />And now, Jenny, the winner of my sushi set giveaway, can have her own sushi-making adventures! Please email me your address so I can send the set to you. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-86269818983198586242009-11-19T09:06:00.003-07:002009-11-19T09:09:42.013-07:00Snow Day ActivitiesHere’s a fun web site for young and old alike to visit on a bad weather day. <a href="http://www.jigzone.com/">Jigzone.com </a>has hundreds of free jigsaw puzzles you complete online. Each puzzle can be customized to have just six pieces or up to 247 pieces. My sons couldn’t get enough of this web site last Sunday when it was too cold and snowy for them to be outside for very long. And the best part was I didn’t have to nag them to pick up the puzzle pieces after they finished.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-77512521145942947182009-11-16T10:12:00.008-07:002009-11-16T10:33:53.778-07:00Receiving--And Giving--My Favorite Things<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2Ms9gOtZvD8S2Jdfo3GpraPH6GzwIexvsd1LobIS4EvEklD5YeP3WuzRv81MUOQYUAPUYXNefzNAZTADViQsNwed8x6fZNG5qPw0yO35_SlFxL4Uh7oCkX-36c-acQk5mcux3wrmXbSJ/s1600/PB160008.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404752212879428674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2Ms9gOtZvD8S2Jdfo3GpraPH6GzwIexvsd1LobIS4EvEklD5YeP3WuzRv81MUOQYUAPUYXNefzNAZTADViQsNwed8x6fZNG5qPw0yO35_SlFxL4Uh7oCkX-36c-acQk5mcux3wrmXbSJ/s400/PB160008.jpg" /></a><br /><div><br /><div>Last Saturday I received an unexpected treat. A scarf, hand knit in mohair by the lovely <a href="http://hokgardner.blogspot.com/">Hokgardner</a>, arrived in the mail. I won the scarf in a giveaway she did a month ago. It snowed eight inches in Denver this weekend, so I got to try it out right away. The scarf is my new favorite thing—it felt like a layer of down as I trudged through snow to get Ethan to school this morning.<br />Now I’ve got a giveaway for you, consisting of another of my favorite things—sushi. I constantly crave sushi, probably because my kids would never step foot in a sushi restaurant. Plus, I’m hesitant to buy sushi at grocery store since these packages do not list whether the Sake is made from wild Alaskan salmon (good) or farmed salmon (bad).<br />I’m starting to think maybe I should satisfy my sushi cravings by making it myself—that way I can feel good that the fish I’m eating, such as wild Alaskan salmon or Albacore tuna found off U.S. Canadian shores, isn’t overfished or high in mercury or PCBs. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk1SMsLNNT715cwbwiaF82sg8q90zTW_2mtMKsHV8U9Q2tvlo3vGc0FJ42bGtxd1ESzXeDVH9v_mwp3ENNkbPyzmp3ikEExZUbgckp6WJr_vY2fm8gApoVfeWRcEgdYo7sfg9uNqWa7q8/s1600/9+Piece+Sushi+Deluxe+Set.jpg"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404751233390418834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk1SMsLNNT715cwbwiaF82sg8q90zTW_2mtMKsHV8U9Q2tvlo3vGc0FJ42bGtxd1ESzXeDVH9v_mwp3ENNkbPyzmp3ikEExZUbgckp6WJr_vY2fm8gApoVfeWRcEgdYo7sfg9uNqWa7q8/s400/9+Piece+Sushi+Deluxe+Set.jpg" /></a><br />If you, too, are so inclined, enter my giveaway for a sushi deluxe set, courtesy of <a href="http://www.csnstores.com/">CSN Stores</a>. From <a href="http://www.allbarstools.com/Counter-Bar-Stools-C134097.html">counter stools </a>to luggage, this online retailer of home and office goods has more than 200 different online stores to meet your shopping needs.<br />The sushi set consists of:</div><ul><li>one bamboo sushi rolling mat; </li><li>one bamboo sushi rice paddle; </li><li>one three-step sushi maker; </li><li>two dipping sauce dishes; </li><li>and two chopstick rests. </li></ul><div>To enter, leave a comment on this post stating your favorite sushi restaurant—mine is Kotobuki in Chicago—by Saturday, November 21, midnight mountain standard time. The contest is open to U.S. residents only. I will announce the winner on my blog Monday, November 23. Good luck! </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-81257142872262395952009-11-12T19:44:00.001-07:002009-11-12T19:50:54.523-07:00The Name Says It AllMaybe it was the fact that my husband and I are hosting Thanksgiving dinner and need more seating—or maybe we just needed some retail therapy—but a couple of weeks ago we bought a new couch for our family room. We got a big, comfy leather sectional that has a recliner on each end—my husband’s primary requirement.<br />This couch replaces a 20-year-old one my husband bought in college. It’s a couch so worn out I’m too embarrassed to show you a photo of it.<br />I didn’t realize my husband and I were the only family members excited about the new couch until after the movers delivered it. “Come try out the new couch!” I said to James.<br />“No,” he said. Instead he went into the garage, where we were keeping the old couch until the person whom responded to our Freecycle ad for it could pick it up. “Aren’t we going to keep Couchy?” he asked, resting his head against the back of the old couch.<br />Couchy? Who is Couchy? Oh, you mean that decrepid thing? “No, someone else is going to take it,” I said. “Now come in the house and try out our new couch!”<br />“I don’t want to sit on Mr. Couch,” James replied, sulking.<br />Until that point, I didn’t realize that James was losing a friend. Couchy didn’t mind if he and Ethan jumped up and down on its cushions. It also didn’t care if they got Goldfish crumbs all over it, or spilled juice on it. They could take Couchy’s cushions off and build forts with them any time.<br />Mr. Couch, on the other hand, won’t put up with any of that nonsense.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-79663467013260686512009-11-11T07:10:00.003-07:002009-11-11T07:13:15.378-07:00A Worthwhile Freebie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9HnYUeRS1sLgNkhLWY03xoqXHiGMgWgZbgu7QGfMrY_PG3WfBm1RqMPIs8n5-0ad5UwcFbCMeodHrQKafUy4V7v1Yi9p0ISWx3pTB0XL4wjfkRxzo4xAYA6I61SE4fpA7PuhMQrUVK1oU/s1600-h/PB020017.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402848760565487810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9HnYUeRS1sLgNkhLWY03xoqXHiGMgWgZbgu7QGfMrY_PG3WfBm1RqMPIs8n5-0ad5UwcFbCMeodHrQKafUy4V7v1Yi9p0ISWx3pTB0XL4wjfkRxzo4xAYA6I61SE4fpA7PuhMQrUVK1oU/s400/PB020017.jpg" /></a><br /><div>I usually cringe when we get “free” toys with fast-food kid meals, but this one won me over. Meet “Pirate Tot,” a swarmy looking stuffed tater tot that James got with his Sonic Wacky Pack kid’s meal. For some reason, James renamed him French Fry. The other morning, James woke up looking for French Fry, so he could carry him around along with his usual stuffed-animal posse of Eppa, Panda and Blankie. It looks like French Fry is a keeper.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-49229157232017884502009-11-06T07:10:00.002-07:002009-11-06T07:12:39.521-07:00Slipping Past The Issue<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nSAMl43J1uIyTEwQoQegJGQq2giG6QhMkwBndRR8rePgPQ1CUjeAUpr3Wfn4hRUcIAMq9DDAjbnPPs3jWILHn0jyVOYJWNZxJcKcjbG6OxSbngKlegPv9QDPMkJJGyjEDqxIGKIHUO7_/s1600-h/PB020018.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400993049017894162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nSAMl43J1uIyTEwQoQegJGQq2giG6QhMkwBndRR8rePgPQ1CUjeAUpr3Wfn4hRUcIAMq9DDAjbnPPs3jWILHn0jyVOYJWNZxJcKcjbG6OxSbngKlegPv9QDPMkJJGyjEDqxIGKIHUO7_/s400/PB020018.jpg" /></a><br /><div>I promise to teach Ethan how to tie his shoes ... as soon as he grows out these slip-on ones.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-7777359217032113502009-11-03T10:11:00.005-07:002009-11-03T10:30:31.136-07:00Taking A Knitting GambleSometimes, fixing a knitting mistake can take more time and money than it’s worth. That’s what I found out when I turned a hat into purse.<br />A few weeks ago, Ethan asked me to knit him a hat. Since I have currently started more knitting projects than I have finished, I wanted a quick knit. I chose a pattern I saw on <a href="http://a-friend-to-knit-with.blogspot.com/">A Friend To Knit With’s blog</a> —a chunky knit beanie, because it looked like it could be knit in an afternoon.<br />I was right. I knit the hat on Sunday and Ethan wore it to school the next day. I felt like a fiber arts genius.<br />Until my husband told me he took the hat off of Ethan’s head when he got in line at school because he looked weird in it.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbQsXCViNDK0ucjtoQshkmGyd41wP5EOlgRJDu-EHZ3j-r24s-H9SUGvYTF1W8G5lA07lFrrIyVDYjtuMp9p2ZiG0w7rtosOevK9xAje0u-coCAN-6y86vmberqESx4SjQ3ZXPEFZZCW8/s1600-h/PA290034.jpg"><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399926675243735330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbQsXCViNDK0ucjtoQshkmGyd41wP5EOlgRJDu-EHZ3j-r24s-H9SUGvYTF1W8G5lA07lFrrIyVDYjtuMp9p2ZiG0w7rtosOevK9xAje0u-coCAN-6y86vmberqESx4SjQ3ZXPEFZZCW8/s400/PA290034.jpg" /></a></p><br />“That hat is for girl,” he said. “It’s too short to be a boy’s hat.”<br />“What do you mean—it’s a basic, unisex hat,” showing him the picture on the pattern.<br />“Then why is <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/afriendtoknitwith/.Pictures/chunky%20knit%20beanie.pdf">a girl wearing </a>it?” he asked.<br />I realized then it was futile to argue with my husband about appropriate attire for his sons. Now what was I going to do with this hat, plus the three hanks of blue Classic Elite Aspen that I was going to knit into hats for James and my husband?<br />I logged onto <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/account/login">ravelry.com</a>, and amazing web site for knitters and crocheters to share their projects. I searched for projects that used Aspen yarn, which is like knitting with dreadlocks. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t find many projects for this yarn. I really didn’t want to make a giant scarf with it. My best bet was <a href="http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/pdf/CaitlinsCabledBag.pdf">this free pattern for a purse</a>.<br />I didn’t love the purse’s wooden handles, but I did like the cable pattern. Plus, it is 17 inches wide, which is good because big purses seem to be everywhere. <p>Before I could start, I had to order more supplies—a circular needle, fabric to line the inside the purse and the handles—for a total of $41.37. The purse knitted up quickly, and I got excited about using it.<br />But the excitement changed to anxiety as I ran out of yarn before I got to the last row. The last thing I wanted to do was order another hank of yarn for $12, including shipping. I also didn’t want to abandon the purse—those handles would forever haunt me if I didn’t do something with them.<br />I couldn’t bear spending another dime on this project, so I took the cheap way out. I unraveled a hat I made for myself with a gray hank of Classic Elite Aspen and used it to knit the last few rows. <a href="http://madmadhousewife.blogspot.com/2009/09/knitters-fantasy-life.html">My knitter’s fantasy </a>of impressing folks with this purse blew up in my face. No one is going to believe I got it from a boutique with that gray yarn peeking out from the bottom.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk803n0uYnPlGm8wE7Trawne8uqA7JVI3nboc1OnUFvKYtZruOBvCEMBY-p_U_o30zgkL1szojQQvnxqT7SfUitc_vOaqDKn7XKmajziigw3jWZTnClCGnN6wBYcGTnQDI9JqLnT9j8Hya/s1600-h/PB020020.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399926572764046322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk803n0uYnPlGm8wE7Trawne8uqA7JVI3nboc1OnUFvKYtZruOBvCEMBY-p_U_o30zgkL1szojQQvnxqT7SfUitc_vOaqDKn7XKmajziigw3jWZTnClCGnN6wBYcGTnQDI9JqLnT9j8Hya/s400/PB020020.jpg" /></a><br />My husband would love for me to quit taking these knitting gambles, but I’m just too addicted.<br /><br /></p><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-8072272411326684682009-10-29T08:24:00.004-06:002009-10-29T08:33:27.908-06:00Dry Your Own Herbs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqSVahow5f6oGNQIX0HZtNR0eMdlPn6TMQMgDYgNKtjdLRvxClk9d6FLxjNCrslRbmrWlVm2X0u6KBw8d-BeeLAYaGuhdRK9WT9T9SxLdok7HLDu9e2Yb6Q29d5qJ8g-Rjv470rlAH9Wn/s1600-h/P9100157.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398029169834899010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqSVahow5f6oGNQIX0HZtNR0eMdlPn6TMQMgDYgNKtjdLRvxClk9d6FLxjNCrslRbmrWlVm2X0u6KBw8d-BeeLAYaGuhdRK9WT9T9SxLdok7HLDu9e2Yb6Q29d5qJ8g-Rjv470rlAH9Wn/s400/P9100157.jpg" /></a><br /><div><br /><div>Several weeks ago, I came across <a href="http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/newsletter/09/september/dryingherbs.php">this article </a>on the Mountain Rose Herbs web site about drying herbs from your garden. It has a great chart listing which herbs are best to dry hung upside down in bunches, and which herbs are best stripped from their stems and dried on screens.<br />I wanted to harvest my thyme and sage plants in my garden. According to the article, sage must be bunched and hung upside down to dry, while thyme leaves need to be stripped from their stems and dried on a rack. I didn’t have a screen to dry the thyme leaves on, but Colorado's semi-arid climate enabled the herbs to dry on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper in a few days.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWkpt1aqGq8lVzBSRfm1WxeLpqbEa4nrFdtVqnqhXugzyh8nNDY8Ge2Wz0nCL13wWnDsLR2lwTu3t6Bn8GF__3_-k2ZDKcldUMUWCQ9_J67G8U8rR7UHhrPJ_nKdEVh51xqbgYNR6dS69/s1600-h/PA020158+(1).jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398028161495125282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWkpt1aqGq8lVzBSRfm1WxeLpqbEa4nrFdtVqnqhXugzyh8nNDY8Ge2Wz0nCL13wWnDsLR2lwTu3t6Bn8GF__3_-k2ZDKcldUMUWCQ9_J67G8U8rR7UHhrPJ_nKdEVh51xqbgYNR6dS69/s400/PA020158+(1).jpg" /></a><br />For the sage, I tied them in bunches and hung them upside in my basement. It’s taken a few weeks, but the sage dried beautifully.<br />Now I can store these herbs in mason jars and enjoy them in my cooking for the through the winter months. </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-58248473345512439802009-10-26T08:43:00.007-06:002009-10-26T11:14:59.148-06:00A Detour Down Memory Lane<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJBk-UC1shcs2U4rLJGboBG5rWx8jwDwUEqJ1T8_EjoexBqAvspEOSsca2EvLKDGpGHZNJpR49Vj9aIls5kawqCJ0eU5PZRCUgZW0c5YCEDPMVW0OE5FJRIzi4rSZHnD59obBHinDSrhJ/s1600-h/Cathy-Ethan-Lake.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396923143035719426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJBk-UC1shcs2U4rLJGboBG5rWx8jwDwUEqJ1T8_EjoexBqAvspEOSsca2EvLKDGpGHZNJpR49Vj9aIls5kawqCJ0eU5PZRCUgZW0c5YCEDPMVW0OE5FJRIzi4rSZHnD59obBHinDSrhJ/s400/Cathy-Ethan-Lake.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Last weekend I went on scrapbooking retreat at the Holiday Inn in <a href="http://www.estes-park.com/">Estes Park</a>. I’m woefully behind in assembling my scrapbooks. In fact, on this retreat, I focused on finishing my now-4-year-old son James’ baby book.<br />On Sunday afternoon, I regretfully packed up my gigantic scrapbooking bag and hit the road to go back home. I thought I was on highway 36, which takes you back to Denver, but after a few moments of driving I wasn’t so sure. The road went south instead of east. Unfortunately I had to drive quite a few miles on the narrow, winding road before I found a good place to turn around.<br />The road leveled off and on the left-hand side was a sign for <a href="http://photohome.com/photos/colorado-pictures/lakes/lily-lake-1.html">Lily Lake</a>. I pulled into the parking lot before the little alpine lake. Mt Meeker and 14,000-ft. Long’s Peak were reflected in its still waters.<br />I had been here before. When Terry and I moved back to Colorado in 2004, we tried to make up for lost time in the Chicago flatlands by going up to mountains as much as possible. On one of our weekend outings, we came here to picnic and stroll around the lake. Here’s a photo of me, almost three months pregnant with James, and then-2-year-old Ethan, taking in the gorgeous scenery.<br />So much in my life has changed since this photo was taken, but this place looks exactly the same.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-71984233441199280242009-10-21T16:29:00.006-06:002009-10-21T16:36:06.854-06:00His Trusty Advisor<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTx1REbkfBX0UzMbDZRNHq8wXKmWcFJVBtTXkLxf7uCc2MoyA08R7U8PjmVozSz29-njjHGVYu66QOxf941xzj7tzp-8EVEGaJh1mL5_Ow7o1hosT2P0Oc3fMWcQ-bQtqG7hsxQAcp7QU/s1600-h/P9280158.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395184643005013266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTTx1REbkfBX0UzMbDZRNHq8wXKmWcFJVBtTXkLxf7uCc2MoyA08R7U8PjmVozSz29-njjHGVYu66QOxf941xzj7tzp-8EVEGaJh1mL5_Ow7o1hosT2P0Oc3fMWcQ-bQtqG7hsxQAcp7QU/s400/P9280158.jpg" /></a><br /><div>James confers with <a href="http://theclothesline-cathy.blogspot.com/2008/06/eppa.html">Eppa </a>on all the important decisions in his life, like which Transformer he wants for Christmas.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-22023498162479655632009-10-06T09:38:00.005-06:002009-10-06T09:44:37.286-06:00The Upside Of Being Down With Swine Flu<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt85MfpuVS5lKPGUQxAscy_r31MkTSj6Wutjuq73jf2MbMH4z0sm1liA9wNU1G5UGdaXzAcvfP9kDdW7QBFlS50-FCqAOJ9f86gtfL53W4qZcYVjzAzj6zjwyU9teFRQpQuwoDzPTi3CFF/s1600-h/PA040159.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389512356838196258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt85MfpuVS5lKPGUQxAscy_r31MkTSj6Wutjuq73jf2MbMH4z0sm1liA9wNU1G5UGdaXzAcvfP9kDdW7QBFlS50-FCqAOJ9f86gtfL53W4qZcYVjzAzj6zjwyU9teFRQpQuwoDzPTi3CFF/s400/PA040159.jpg" /></a><br />Last week my family was struck with the dreaded swine flu, or H1N1 virus. Thankfully, the worst of our symptoms was low-grade fever, cough and fatigue. We spent the week camped out on our couches. While Ethan and James watched TV, I knitted.<br />And since I didn’t have to drive to and from their schools and the karate studio, I had a lot of time to knit, which was good because I had a baby sweater to finish. My sister-in-law is due this week with a baby girl.<br />I used a pattern called <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-kimono">Baby Kimono </a>by Kristen Spurkland. I bought some <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/rowan-wool-cotton">great yarn </a>for it back in May and have been working on it off and on over the summer. I didn’t think a sweater for a newborn would take long to make. Now I know that even a baby sweater takes a while to make on size 3 needles. But with all the sicky couch potato time I had last week, I finished the sweater and even made a <a href="http://carissaknits.blogspot.com/2007/07/preemie-hats-for-charity.html">little hat </a>for her with the extra yarn I had.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHtWnMQe6hmnXKxcKOfVEZ8_AhPghKEKw3XkWBsVWlAmtIvKDkFSWZq6bXDi5M1kEMe79nWwWwBH0bsk7B7lPkNOFxWi56h63hjh7UUT6qqzsoC4lod3cC7tD7OksJ43FURXI4esyUhtn/s1600-h/PA040160.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389512489101664066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHtWnMQe6hmnXKxcKOfVEZ8_AhPghKEKw3XkWBsVWlAmtIvKDkFSWZq6bXDi5M1kEMe79nWwWwBH0bsk7B7lPkNOFxWi56h63hjh7UUT6qqzsoC4lod3cC7tD7OksJ43FURXI4esyUhtn/s400/PA040160.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I can’t wait to see my new niece in her sweater!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-49361886067445522962009-09-30T21:22:00.011-06:002009-09-30T21:43:12.999-06:00YouTube To The Rescue<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLT7jPNl_ZvQ9oc_7ksOhbY4y0X3mSZ9yPNkWSImqZsYk81aUhP3wGQRoTUqeNNYUYQ03JhyphenhyphenM1T9KSvxaNuNLuAKtSTR2LUf3UqxtkbcTVZ-T3hogEL2VID73riZ-guwvMsZH5GiLSHLMO/s1600-h/P9300160.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387467742302593938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLT7jPNl_ZvQ9oc_7ksOhbY4y0X3mSZ9yPNkWSImqZsYk81aUhP3wGQRoTUqeNNYUYQ03JhyphenhyphenM1T9KSvxaNuNLuAKtSTR2LUf3UqxtkbcTVZ-T3hogEL2VID73riZ-guwvMsZH5GiLSHLMO/s400/P9300160.jpg" /></a> It’s an ambulance!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiVrPMNOMX8B2pdG08RAEDzIWkDfXcmN4_vF0gFpZb5Q2Zngq00X4GJiomuqmR0UoMw_tCZX0yInBkmbe99eh_jnpiyKx8AXd3Rxqj1ugyIli75-jZceRN02S8wuqbUbEtV2YcWyAyPX9/s1600-h/P9300162.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387467549868428946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiVrPMNOMX8B2pdG08RAEDzIWkDfXcmN4_vF0gFpZb5Q2Zngq00X4GJiomuqmR0UoMw_tCZX0yInBkmbe99eh_jnpiyKx8AXd3Rxqj1ugyIli75-jZceRN02S8wuqbUbEtV2YcWyAyPX9/s400/P9300162.jpg" /></a> No, wait, it's a robot!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgya0YqfGkmMzUtZd4G8ELpng1q8HXVs8wd6TNxYPMbyNXeQnElAIIkzvFjhJML9p2Ss-kFmaU5M2gOWv3tw4HGoaCq_GtIPZ6AlFexweD4_jiUL0SssmxnZJgrwp9gOJamubcYdSHAT-09/s1600-h/P9300163.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387468221340292530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgya0YqfGkmMzUtZd4G8ELpng1q8HXVs8wd6TNxYPMbyNXeQnElAIIkzvFjhJML9p2Ss-kFmaU5M2gOWv3tw4HGoaCq_GtIPZ6AlFexweD4_jiUL0SssmxnZJgrwp9gOJamubcYdSHAT-09/s400/P9300163.jpg" /></a>Actually, it’s a mangled mess. </div><div></div><div>The next time your son hands you some plastic parts and asks you to transform them, don’t despair. Go to the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a> web site and search for Transformers. You’ll find hundreds of videos, such as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBNE_ffvBaI&feature=channel">this one</a>, which will show you, step by step, how to transform the robot, Bumble Bee, into a Camero.<br />Yes, there are people out there whom spend their free time filming themselves “transforming” cheap plastic toys from China.<br />And, as a mother of two sons obsessed with Transformer toys, I am eternally grateful to them.<br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-47072951083632966462009-09-28T10:07:00.007-06:002009-09-30T21:43:54.447-06:00It's Raining Gold<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZV8-DwwnC1mRRqvnvpt1wgIhyphenhyphen0g4-mtiE90Sp9FDIUEQdl2lboS2jN8q20DLSo0DGUJRml8n-73B3OMmm0shtzm2SzJ4Mb1uryDHqTiKFyXWUEuPxJ1-hVa9Ofwf64lyshN4nzZDf23NQ/s1600-h/P9270189.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386551521869699330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZV8-DwwnC1mRRqvnvpt1wgIhyphenhyphen0g4-mtiE90Sp9FDIUEQdl2lboS2jN8q20DLSo0DGUJRml8n-73B3OMmm0shtzm2SzJ4Mb1uryDHqTiKFyXWUEuPxJ1-hVa9Ofwf64lyshN4nzZDf23NQ/s400/P9270189.jpg" /></a> <div><br /><div>After last week’s rain, the skies cleared over the weekend. We headed up to <a href="http://parks.state.co.us/Parks/goldengatecanyon">Golden Gate Canyon State Park</a> to see Colorado’s version of fall color—the yellow-leaf aspen. We weren’t disappointed. Aspen leaves sparkled against the bright blue sky. And when the breeze the shook the trees, it showered the ground with golden coins.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkaM_jCyXQ3yhWSeo_Tl6bTZKd6twce1m-m84-UPjaq5R7kUK8Gw59XDb69u4qw0mopXtQgHIVsvPXfx9AkzeovFoF-HOr1lRj4zVI2JKcFi-lVmGfszwjdTiuuTFXfYV3X_emq0m87bi/s1600-h/P9270184.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386550951117659554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkaM_jCyXQ3yhWSeo_Tl6bTZKd6twce1m-m84-UPjaq5R7kUK8Gw59XDb69u4qw0mopXtQgHIVsvPXfx9AkzeovFoF-HOr1lRj4zVI2JKcFi-lVmGfszwjdTiuuTFXfYV3X_emq0m87bi/s400/P9270184.jpg" /></a><br />This is why aspens are my favorite tree.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-90993121083175875292009-09-24T20:39:00.005-06:002009-09-24T20:47:24.779-06:00Smudged<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggJNbj7M7Oxf-ONK7DdcVyzddoekBdycGEWiTS-ohf0Nhla8FbCdAW-hSyCkqwOS2xBW-Rqh7QbfjLpugkV380BpqwYv8MogHcpJZ0FI0EmcHItVBYA7b9AZ_c5-BEd5enWjQxVKNwIUS/s1600-h/IMG00061-20090921-1559.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 314px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385229325437512098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggJNbj7M7Oxf-ONK7DdcVyzddoekBdycGEWiTS-ohf0Nhla8FbCdAW-hSyCkqwOS2xBW-Rqh7QbfjLpugkV380BpqwYv8MogHcpJZ0FI0EmcHItVBYA7b9AZ_c5-BEd5enWjQxVKNwIUS/s400/IMG00061-20090921-1559.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Fall began with a vengeance this week, with chilly rains. A couple of days ago, the clouds were so heavy with moisture, they blotted out the mountains. Hopefully this weekend Colorado will be back to its usual Indian Summer days.</div><div></div><div>Click <a href="http://www.crazyworkingmom.com/2009/09/looking-at-sky-on-friday_24.html">here </a>for more sky photos.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-60804805373115533232009-09-21T20:34:00.006-06:002009-09-21T20:50:29.421-06:00Fall Color Coordination<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBaXki4f8fDiq3PQaAHZ8b5krntwMFq-lmiB49wZmEMLf14-kbH1MnueQzd5_1vzfV5wpoznuJNCVz76DhNLpMsQBxN3Hv_3OhR3zewuLZGGiq_PJNllVPUlYyqsK_384m52V5X3CF5wT/s1600-h/P9190168.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384116174028871314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBaXki4f8fDiq3PQaAHZ8b5krntwMFq-lmiB49wZmEMLf14-kbH1MnueQzd5_1vzfV5wpoznuJNCVz76DhNLpMsQBxN3Hv_3OhR3zewuLZGGiq_PJNllVPUlYyqsK_384m52V5X3CF5wT/s400/P9190168.jpg" /></a>We just returned from a long weekend in south central Kentucky visiting my husband’s family. Since I live in a semi-arid Colorado, where the landscape is dominated by scruffy yellow grass, I can’t help but be slapped upside the face with Kentucky's lush greenness. Only now, as the weather starts to cool, all the foliage is tinged with red, purple and orange.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Z0kZfL0BCdf6emrzWkY_v6ZBtFJYuP-94SUQXsBp3q6s1ujARn2f81d0PODrYe7p4kEAPHEbWELt1YGJKFWO-wqde9M2r8CJhGjzi-lM4Wtubmd1qtMXptlKv0xTVfhadivNt4BCIvbc/s1600-h/P9190169.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384115990564667122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Z0kZfL0BCdf6emrzWkY_v6ZBtFJYuP-94SUQXsBp3q6s1ujARn2f81d0PODrYe7p4kEAPHEbWELt1YGJKFWO-wqde9M2r8CJhGjzi-lM4Wtubmd1qtMXptlKv0xTVfhadivNt4BCIvbc/s400/P9190169.jpg" /></a>Take this vine that creeps up a metal shack at the family farm. The leaves blend from green to burgundy to yellow, punctuated with blue-black berries. But what’s really lovely is how the reds and purples of this vine compliment the shack’s painted green sides. The red leaves bring out the shack’s rust streaks. </div><div><br />Rust never looked so pretty.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-13333926170914590512009-09-15T18:07:00.002-06:002009-09-15T18:17:33.372-06:00Cheap Thrills For Sweet TreatsMy friend and I took our sons to a <a href="http://www.momsclub.org/">MOMS Club </a>outing at <a href="http://www.krispykreme.com/">Krispy Kreme </a>doughnuts. The shop had a display window so you could see doughnuts made in real time. First the doughnuts sat on long metal shelves that rotated in a circle while the dough rises. Once they had plumped up to the right size, the doughnuts were placed on a conveyor belt, which dumped them into a huge vat of hot oil that fried them to a satisfying crisp.<br />James and my friend’s son pressed their faces against the glass, in awe of the doughnut-making process. Then James’s friend pointed to the rotating shelves and said, “Look James, it’s a carnival ride for doughnuts!”<br />At least the doughnuts had some fun before they met their fates.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-81364760187507342822009-09-14T20:25:00.003-06:002009-09-14T20:30:45.571-06:00I Should Have KnownDriving back from my parents’ house last weekend, Ethan uttered, “I hate long car rides.”<br />This statement was no surprise to me. Ethan, whom only stops moving long enough to watch a 30-minute episode of Transformers Animated, complains routinely about being strapped down in a car for more than 31 minutes. Sure enough, 10 minutes later, Ethan stated, “Man, I hate long car rides.”<br />I didn’t respond, hoping that by not saying anything, Ethan would drop the topic.<br />A few minutes later, Ethan asked, “Mommy, do you know what?”<br />“What?” I said.<br />“I really hate long car rides.”<br /><br />=================================================================<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUVZcr-HRWrLXyXFlH700V__Jq-aEjjGDLz_AFQi7hSZ3kUNvwoZdh7G2hJffE1-y8xI-ed9VOs5aiP7DGUo2DCgFPI8A0DhQGsORj4MI5F9R82Ar-qcOWXf4p8k3NKm1jEduuiwUmSlL/s1600-h/Kreativ-blogger-award.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 139px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381515238638935986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUVZcr-HRWrLXyXFlH700V__Jq-aEjjGDLz_AFQi7hSZ3kUNvwoZdh7G2hJffE1-y8xI-ed9VOs5aiP7DGUo2DCgFPI8A0DhQGsORj4MI5F9R82Ar-qcOWXf4p8k3NKm1jEduuiwUmSlL/s400/Kreativ-blogger-award.jpg" /></a><br />I’ve received this award from Tanya of <a href="http://teenautism.com/">Teen Autism </a>for being a creative blogger. Tanya's writings about raising a kid on the spectrum are filled with such honesty, integrity and hope that I can’t help but feel inspired even on my most challenging autism days. Thanks, Tanya, so much for the bloggy love.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2636276801598025978.post-69969275735086800172009-09-10T19:57:00.006-06:002009-09-10T20:04:42.619-06:00A Tear Of Light<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVcjUXv7PpKXcGoGFWWDF092r-PHbZNHRITdAVmSkDnl17xy7ROmk0jMFkhHBiLgdzLrKmlrl1qkO7GT1GLuQyHuc59jiXOtQhxXbjzVasnEV1og70cPYvx_SrkgMuaq8KS4K0rgG8l04/s1600-h/P9080170.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380023534041695010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVcjUXv7PpKXcGoGFWWDF092r-PHbZNHRITdAVmSkDnl17xy7ROmk0jMFkhHBiLgdzLrKmlrl1qkO7GT1GLuQyHuc59jiXOtQhxXbjzVasnEV1og70cPYvx_SrkgMuaq8KS4K0rgG8l04/s400/P9080170.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Click <a href="http://www.crazyworkingmom.com/2009/09/looking-at-sky-on-friday.html">here </a>for more sky photos.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14