Afternoon Nap

It's a bit hard to tell from this angle, but Jake is resting his head on Penny while they soak up a little sunshine together.  So sweet.

Possibilities

I love this big glass jar with its flip-top lid.  Gini & Allen gave it to us filled with brown sugar walnuts, almonds, and chocolate chips.  We polished them off last night, and I've washed the jar.  Now I'm just imagining all the things I could fill it with...buttons, pens, an assortment of chocolates, sea glass, jelly beans, granola, shells, trail mix.  

Have you got any other ideas?

ps. Check out those amaryllis.  They just might win this race.

Ice Cream in a Mug

'cause I like it better that way.

Sunday Baking

This week's breakfast treat is King Arthur's Cinnamon Pecan Scones.  These rival their Double Dutch Chocolate Muffins as my favorite mix.  YUM!

7 Random Things About Me

A little explanation about this post...

I see these lists on the blogs I frequent and really enJOY reading them.  I've always wondered if I could come up with one of my own.  Since I'm really slacking in the blog posting lately (blame it on the end of pregnancy scatter brain I seem to have), I thought that this was the perfect time to try.  So without further ado, here are my 7 random things:

I can't go to bed at night unless the living room is neat and tidy...dog toys in their bucket, blankets folded, pillows propped at their proper angle in the corners of the chair and couch.

Before beginning a new book, I always read the last sentence.  Usually it makes absolutely no sense to me then, but I love the satisfaction of reading it again at the end because I feel as if I've come full-circle with the story. 

I love some combination of these for lunch...cheese, popcorn or nuts, an apple or grapes, and whole grain bread.

My favorite pens are separated into 3 different pouches...one for waterproof letter-writing pens, one for art markers, and one for fine-tipped journaling pens.

I have a hard time concentrating in waiting rooms and restaurants because I very often find myself interested in other people's conversations.  I guess that makes me nosey.

My Amazon wish list is 3 pages long.  I use it as my "to be read" shelf.  It's much cheaper that way.

When I buy postage stamps, I always ask to see everything they have available.  I go for colorful and interesting, in other words, the opposite of the Forever stamp.

Snow Day!

Our first in 5 years, and Penny's first EVER!

The day started out like this.

Penny wasn't too sure about the cold, white stuff.

It felt a bit strange on her paws.

She finally got comfortable with it, though.

Here's how it looks tonight, and it's still coming down.

Almost Ready

The title of this post is a bit tongue-in-cheek, as if she's timing her arrival according to the completeness of our to-do list.  Ha!

Nevertheless, we've been busy and the list is dwindling.

The glider arrived, and we've set up my corner of the bedroom to welcome her home.

 

 

All of her stuff has been washed, folded, and put away...tiny socks and hats, footed sleepers, blankets, towels, and sheets.

Today, we'll install the car seat in the Jeep and hang pictures on her walls.

I'm hoping to finish two last craft projects in the next week.  The first is a knitted hat for a friend's new little guy.  Also, I'd like to decorate my new journal inside and out, so it'll be all ready for the scribblings of this new mama.

Baby Shower by Mail - Part 7

Another fun package arrived today!  The Chocolatini drink mix is something special for mama to enJOY after Baby H arrives (although there is a non-alcoholic recipe on the back which I just might try this weekend).  Inside the Oh Baby! box is a generous gift card from both Erin and Tiara to cover the cost of a pack-n-play.  The girly stickers will most definitely find their way into our girl's scrapbook.

One of my favorite things about these packages are the handwritten (and sometimes handmade!) cards that are enclosed.  Although my craftiness is a running joke with Tiara, she always makes the effort to create a card for me.  T, I'm impressed that you even inked the edges :-)  The sweet note ended with "less than a month till you're actually holding JOY!!"  We truly can't believe it and are so looking forward to sharing her with you.  

Thank you Erin & Tiara!

Baby Blankets

Washed.

Dried.

Folded.

Waiting.

Saved by the Tea

Santa generously filled our stockings, consequently there's an abundance of good chocolate in the house.  I'm having a hard time keeping my cravings in check (hormones, perhaps?).  Rather than spend the afternoon devouring dark chocolate squares, chocolate covered pretzels, nonpareils, and chocolate-dipped grahams, I've made myself a mug of Winter Chocolate Rooibos.  It's all the more fun and delicious with a cloud of frothed milk on top!    

Amaryllis & the Belly

Each year I receive an amaryllis bulb (or three!) for Christmas.  Once unpacked and watered thoroughly, they take 4-6 weeks to bloom.  I was checking the growth of the tiny green leaves this morning and realized that I'm expecting their gorgeous red blossoms right around the same time we're expecting the arrival of our girl.  It's a strange place we've entered in these final weeks of my pregnancy...wondering,watching, and waiting.  The question is, who'll arrive first, the flowers or our baby?     

Our New Toy

After much research on Lee's part, we decided to make the switch and are now the proud owners of a MacBook.  It arrived this morning, and I've been fiddling with it for much of the day.  I haven't begun to figure out all it can do for me (it took me more time than I care to admit to post this picture to the blog), but I'm having fun learning.  

Nighty-Night

Sofa Table

A couple of years ago, Lee and I purchased a small coffee table created from reclaimed barn wood. Santa brought us the matching sofa table this year for Christmas. Since there was no room behind our couch, we set it up on the opposite wall. We are enJOYing having another display surface for pictures and other trinkets. I especially love it at night with all the candles lit.

Baby Shower by Mail - Part 6

Except...this one wasn't by mail. This gift was hand delivered during a yummy breakfast in VA before we headed home from our Christmas travels. What fun to actually open a baby gift in the presence of my friend, Ayren! As you can see I've already been enJOYing the cookie-scented candle, and there are a few chocolates missing from the truffle box. I haven't tried the Kiehl's Grapefruit soap, but it smells heavenly. Ayren assures me that the travel diapering kit is a must-have. I'm sure it'll get lots of use! The outfit is adorable, especially the ruffly ankles, wrists, and neck. Although Baby H can't use Mama's new soap, I know the washcloths will come in handy at bath time.

Thanks Ayren, Paul, Mardi, and Max! After too many years apart, it was such a treat to spend some time with you the other day.

Just a Glimpse

...my birthday...Christmas...our baby shower...
family...friends
...and coming home again...
abundant JOY

click the collage to enlarge