Oh, 2012....

Tonight I am sitting on the couch while the makings for lasagna sauce and enchiladas are cooking away on the stove.  The house smells awesome. I am sick, wrapped up in a robe and antique quilt, waiting for Tiny Beast to make her appearance.

Another year will soon come to a close, and like the past few years, there were amazing highs, and soul crushing lows.

2012 was definitely the year of good bye's. It started with my mother living with me, and me calling the police to have my father committed again after getting a call from a friend that he was walking around the complex incoherent. It would continue, having him recommitted after threats of suicide, and awful panic attacks and delusions. We would go through periods of not talking, overcoming changes in providers, changes in medications, and pulling favors to keep him out of jail and in facilities that could keep him longer than a few days. Constant exhaustion, travelling down to Tacoma to help him, and fear every time the phone would ring lasted until the last call I got, in June, when I found out he had ended his life. Being his daughter was the hardest, but also the most rewarding job I have ever had. I miss him all the time, and there's not a day that goes by that I still wonder if there was more than I could have done. He was, and always be, a proud Veteran and an inspiration.  He was a man who fell through the cracks, and suffered far longer than any of us thought that he would.

2012 also saw the passing of my fur baby Mia. We didn't see it coming, and she was such a trooper, trying to make us happy even in her last moments. She was an amazing pup, and I am grateful for the time that we had.

It wasn't all bad, of course!  There were great things as well.

I made the resolution to write more, and to just put myself out there. I start posting my blog to people who weren't strangers. It was odd to put myself out there, but good to share my crafts, recipes and adventures with people.

My Mom moved into her own place, and started a life on her own as a single gal. I know that the changes weren't easy on her. She handled it with courage and grace, and I am so proud of her.

In early 2012, Nick and I made the decision to start trying to conceive a tiny life of our own. It was scary and amazing, and after close to 4 months, we were able to announce to a very select few that we had hit the baby jack pot, and then started to share the news publicly in July, after we were sure that we'd be able to maintain the pregnancy after losing my Dad.  Here we are 9 months later, about to give birth to our Tiny Beast. I am still excited and scared for everything that she will bring and teach me.  She's measuring around 7 lbs, and I have just over a week to go, in theory.

We travelled!  Our favorite trips were to Montana and Wyoming, where I scared the crap out of Nick by moving bison with my newly pregnant self, which resulted in my promising that I'll be a little more careful. Which was followed up with me dragging Nick through a marsh, chasing elk for the perfect picture. We hiked, camped, and spent lazy days at the beach eating delicious fresh sea critters.

My bestie and I found that small breweries couldn't handle the two of us getting pregnant at the same time, and we saw the closing of our favorite brewery. We powered through pregnancy and made it look awesome. I was and am glad to have had her to go through this process with someone.

We found new love in Kip, an abandoned fur baby, who has fit in perfectly with us. He makes us laugh every day, and I can't wait to have Kip and the baby spend time together. I want every day that he has with us to be so fabulous that he forgets about the abusive past that he had.

Work was also good-I challenged myself to do more, to work harder, and learn more about the role. I took on new projects, and had more fun than I thought I would. I can't wait to see what 2013 will bring for me, the programs I work with, and for the company.

I took on new culinary adventures, pickling, canning and jamming new treats. I braised, I roasted and I baked. I drank my way through multiple countries via wines and beers, and shared toasts with friends.

I am so grateful for amazing friends, the support they have provided, and for all of the good times I have had. I am also grateful for the hard times, as they made the good that much sweeter.

For 2013, my resolutions are to do as much good as I can for those in need, to teach Isabella about her world, and to be strong for her at all times. I want to continue be an amazing partner for Nick, and make sure he knows every day how lucky I am to have him in my life.  I want to strengthen my friendships, now that life is quieter on some fronts. I vow to eat bacon, and to continue my culinary adventures. I want to take on new art projects, and to get in more photography.  I'll try to forgive myself over things I have no control over, and to be ok with the past. I'll continue to blog and share my silly stories with you all.

Here's to all of you, as you leave the last year, and welcome the new year ahead!  I leave you with this:

Best,
Raina

Contractions, and not the grammatical kind

Unless you count a combination of a cuss word and another word. Because I sure do.

I now (in theory) have less than 3 weeks and the Braxton-Hicks have come to visit.  Tiny Beast is still head down, and we have another appointment in less than a week, and the following, until she gets here.

Oh, contractions. I appreciate that you are practice for the real thing. It's like a light warm up before the race. Of course I totally forgot that, and started holding my breath and making faces like something smelly had just sat next to me on the couch. Which, by the way, is not a recommended look while at Babies R Us. Nick reminded me that this is a good time to start practicing my breathing, so that when the real stuff comes down, It'll be second nature.

I started to make squidgy face at him, before I realized he was right (yet again).

So, the past few days have been spent practicing breathing.

Wait.

Not like normal breathing. I am pretty set on my skills doing that. I'm practicing that special, not quite hyperventilating, pregnant lady breathing that you learn in a class. Also, not to be done at Babies R Us. People tend to worry and think you're going to drop a kid right there in the bedding aisle.

Aside from practicing my mad breathing skills, I have also apparently been nesting. Now, this isn't the earlier cleaning and gutting of my house that was more Rambo-style. Oh no...this is 'everything must be in its' proper spot, or I will freak out, and you'll have to do it all over again, if you're the one screwed enough to get stuck helping me do stuff' type cleaning.

For example: I made a quilt holder out of willow reeds, and placed tiny stuffed animals on it, so it looks like a happy little forest wonderland on the wall. From this hangs a banner I made from paper, fabric, letters and dried flowers. It's really a pretty wall, but clearly overly thought out.

When it came time to put the quilt up (a beautiful antique, hand embroidered alphabet quilt), Nick had to do the honors, since I couldn't get behind the crib or close enough to the wall without smooshing my ever-growing belly. Within seconds I realized that the quilt looked horrible, and had him take it down. Along with it, came the tiny forest creatures. Nick put them back up and started to hand me the quilt, only to see the look of "WTF" on my face. He spent the next few minutes trying to rearrange the critters to the exact specifications that I was trying to convey through what can be best described as vague and including interpretive dance.

Sigh. Again, I have an incredibly patient man. I may have also lost my mind.

Along with nesting comes cleaning. Yep. I have Charlies Soap for the diapers, Dreft for the clothes,  organic hippy cleaners for everything that the baby could touch. Clearly companies that make cleaners market to the pregnant freaks...and it works. So here's how I envision me in the nesting phase:

Thank you Hyperbole and a Half for a meme that sums up everything that makes late-stage pregnancy crazy.

Thankfully, the nesting comes in waves, so I can still manage to be a normal human being most of the time. Meh. Less than 3 weeks, and I can transition into a new phase of sleep-deprived craziness. At least I'll have company with Nick not sleeping either.

Here's to cleaning all the things (in reasonable moderation)!
Raina

HA! Who needs Bob Villa?

I don't know if this is a sign that Nick and I are ready for maternity/paternity leave or what, but it made me chuckle and I had to share.

Nick came in to my office earlier today while I was finishing lunch to say, "Did you know screens come in different sizes?" He started to go on, but it was too darn funny to not stop him and remind him that this conversation was awfully familiar, as over a year ago, it was ME asking HIM this very same question (clearly the screen situation never got completely resolved, after a cat decided to chew his way through the screen. Again.)

Not to be deterred from getting in a laugh, I continued; "I remember having this very same conversation with you, and you said 'yes, they do as windows come in different sizes' and something about setting myself up for success! I even blogged about it!".

This wasn't as funny to him as it was to me, as he continued on, super unfazed by my wit, to say that McLendon's has screen workshops and repair events, and that he still has no idea why I was using scissors to fix anything.

Touche.

Either way, it looks like all of the screens on the house will get repaired AND i had a chance to quote my own blog (located: here), even though my point totally fell flat.

I may just have an incredibly patient man.

So here's to letting someone else play Bob Villa, even if they don't appreciate your creative tool usage.

Raina

Current Events...

I posted this to Facebook, and then realized, not all of my readers know me in real life and are on my Facebook page. I'm somewhat political, more so around women's rights, but definitively so around mental health care. A change is needed, and while gun reform is something that is needed as well, it feels...well...like a band-aid. Good to stop the bleeding, but not the cause of the injury. My heart bleeds for the families. It terrifies me to think I could bring my child to school and home from the morgue in the same day.

It terrifies me that shootings happen in schools far too often, but they are in poor, and usually non-white neighborhoods. It breaks my heart that mass genocide happens daily in other countries, as well. There is heartbreak and tragedy everywhere. Does that limit my hurt for the families in Connecticut? Of course not, it's a reminder than we live in a cruel world and that more love and compassion are needed.

We don't just a better band-aid, but a better way to prevent the injury itself.  Do I have the answers? No, but I have enough compassion to say something, to hold the ones I love and to not turn my back on those in need, near and far. To you, dear reader, may you go into the world, help who you are able, and hopefully leave your little corner of it a little better than when you came to it.

The post:

I'm probably going to piss someone off with the post that follows. If that's you, I apologize in advance for how you view my thoughts. This is my stance, and you're welcome to take it or leave it.
1. While I appreciate seeing the faces of the children who died in CT, real change doesn't start with an empty action. We can remember tragedy in our heads and hearts, but taking real action requires more than posting a picture. CHANGE to the status of mental health care in America will guarantee less crimes like this. Supporting parents of severely mentally ill children and adults will help ensure that there is enough energy to go around and that all people get what they need to survive. Call your local government official. Vote for money to be place where it needs to be placed: Social Service.
2. For those of you who have this to say about why the tragedy happened-"This is what happens when you don't let God in", or "God doesn't go where he isn't welcomed" Imagine me pinching my nose and squinting my eyes. My last understanding is that God is all loving, and supportive. That feels like a dick-move and a crap agenda. Again, my two cents on this. My gut says to say "Shut Up", but that's your belief, so I'll let it go.
3. Gun ownership. Now, most people don't know, I am a gun owner. I believe in the right to ownership, but I believe in people having reasonable access, and a boat load of training. I also believe that if you own guns, you better damn well ensure that they don't fall into the wrong hands. Lock it up, protect the key. Use common sense. As far as whether more guns in school would have prevented this: Please see issue #1. 

Cheers
Raina

Inside jokes

Today was potentially my last day working from the office before Tiny Beast gets here. She's been head down for a while, and I'm starting to dilate. In theory, I have less than 4 weeks, but this little bear has a mind of her own. At yesterdays appointment, the midwife suggested more rest, less hours, and working from home. There were other recommendations in there, like pick a day to stop working. She and Nick didn't seem to keen on my answer, "My last day is when I go into labor".

So here I am...

It's odd thinking that she could come any time. It's odd that I get to work from home full time. It's just plain odd that I am no longer in control. I'm trying really hard to let that go, but as it turns out...I suck at that.  Here's to trying.

A few weeks ago, I felt hiccups for the first time. From inside. That weren't mine. It was the most amazing, yet weird experience yet. Movement, I get. Hiccups, just another experience. I do have to say that it makes me giggle now, feeling the tiny jolts that make my belly slightly expand rhythmically. It's nice to know she's doing well in there, and that she and I know what's happening, but no one else does. I'll admit I probably look nuts smiling down at my belly, trying not to laugh.

I also think...man, what are you doing in there that you get the hiccups so often? Who knows.

Outside of baby-ness, things are good. Nick is clocking close to 70 hours this week at work, and we're trying to arrange a guys night for him, and dinner for our friends. Busy days!  We picked up a tree, which is sitting in it's stand, undecorated. Meh-we'll get to it tomorrow. Saturday, my Mom is coming up to help with some house stuff and to cook us a big dinner. We're trying to hang out as much as possible, without me getting overwhelmed/annoyed. Moms are great, just in small doses. We may get in some photography and shopping.

Craft-wise, I have some photos I want to enter in some contests, and there's the food blog that needs updating. I have a few sewing projects to complete this week and next, as well.

Other than that?  It's put up my feet, relax, get in some dog park time and wait. Not a bad way to spend the winter. :)

What's on tap for you all this December?

Here's to the final weeks wrapping up!

Cheers,
Raina

6 months later

I look at this picture, and it still doesn't seem real that he's gone, or that it has been 6 months since he died. In some ways it seems like a lot longer, and some it seems like the time has flown by in the blink of an eye. In some ways, it makes sense, in some ways it still doesn't click that he's gone. Some days I still find myself planning to call him. Habits, I guess.  I don't know that losing a parent ever gets easier, it just gets to be different than it was.

Sunday was the first time I have gone to visit my Dad since we laid him to rest in June. I don't have a good excuse for not visiting. The cemetery isn't that far. I just haven't made it. Work, life, baby, everything has kept me busy, and I really didn't know what to say.  We found his spot, and I stood there, and cried. I didn't have any words, just an outpouring of emotions. I missed my Dad at that moment so much, I grieved for my loss, for Isabella's loss, my mom's...I just hated that he was gone.

When he first died, a friend of mine said, "It doesn't ever get easier, it just becomes different". The happy memories start taking over the bad. I still remember how frightened he looked a few weeks before he passed away- wild-eyed and panic stricken as I tried to find any facility that could take him. That is slowly fading, and his happy dance that he did when I told him I was finally pregnant is replacing it.

I was, and still am, so fortunate to have had an amazing man as my Daddy. He was smart, artistic, funny, and brave. He put others before himself and his safety. He taught me to love travel and to rebel against a stagnant life, to seek out happiness, but not at the expenses of others. He tried to teach me to not take myself so seriously (something I am still working on), and to concoct odd food combinations (kipper snack ramen, anyone?? No?)...He gave me my huge hair, and my love of 80's music (hmmm...the two go well together), and to help those less fortunate than myself.

In short, he made me who I am today, and gave me the traits that I hope to instill in my child.

Again, I still miss him so much, and I loathe the PTSD that took him away from us too early, but I am so lucky to have had him in my life as long as I did.

Here's to you, Dad. You're still so, so missed and always loved.

Raina

Holy Gravy...a blog on turkey, thankfulness, my ever-growing self and caving in.

How's THAT for a title? Impressive, right?

Its been a big week, and it will continue to be a big week, so let's recap it out!

Turkey Day happened, and it was good. If you haven't checked out my other blog, you should-I posted a crazy delicious menu that included wild game, mushrooms and gravy. Oh, and bacon. You can't have a holiday without bacon. You could, but that wouldn't be very tasty. For more on what I ate and ongoing bacony homage, go to: blackberrysage.blogspot.com.

With Thanksgiving comes giving thanks. I am pretty darn lucky, and have a lot to be grateful for. I look back at where my life was a few years ago, and give thanks every day for what I have now. Is it easy? Not always. Is it frustrating? Sure, but whose life isn't? Are there things I would change? You bet your sweet bacon I would. But each of those moments, the good, the bad, the heartbreaking have led me to where I am in life. What matters is that I have love, shelter, food and a career that allows me to make enough to travel and support my craft and food habits.  You can't ask for much more than that.

And my ever-growing mid section. Izzy is due in just about 6 weeks. "They" say that this is the time where everything slows down and the last few weeks start to drag out. So far, I haven't seen that. Things are flying by, and my impending mommy-hood is starting to freak me out. I have so much to do at work, and here at home, that 6 weeks (and that's a ball park, folks; I am a weebly-wobbly time bomb!) just doesn't feel like it is logistically enough time to get it all done.

What you don't always hear is that this is the time that shit starts getting real. You're going to be a mommy. You're going to have a little life, living outside of you. That's some amazing stuff to wrap ones head around. I have to admit, I am more worried that something will go wrong in these last few weeks than I am about having the tiny beast here. So many people that I know have had issues, so many late-term miscarriages have happened. These are the things that pop into my head when Izzy hasn't moved in a little while. I don't know how many times I have drank cold water and jumped up and down to wake her up, just to be comforted by feeling her move (yes, I do realize that is more than likely super annoying). So I am torn between wanting to keep her in me as long as possible to get as much done as I can with the opposite drive to get her out of me so I can see her, and protect her, and not just have to trust that my body can get through these last weeks. Oh, and don't even Google cord complications. You won't want to sleep, or want to roll over. Yep, welcome to the crazy. So between that, and the constant soundtrack of Europe's "The Final Countdown" running through my head, its a wonder I am ticking things off of the list. Meh, it'll all get done.

And the week in store! Phew. Work, and more work of course; baby class tonight (more than half way done!) and lots of Art Events this weekend-South Park Arts Under $100 Art Sale and Urban Craft Uprisings Sale are both Saturday, and I'll be hitting them both.  Should be a fun time! :)

Caving in...A few posts ago I mentioned my disdain for getting my picture taken in a studio. In realizing that I could make this a Christmas present for my mom, I caved in and set up an appointment to get "portraits" done. All in all, it didn't suck, and Nick came with me. Less than 30 mins and a little bit of money later, I have cute Weeble Wobble pics and will be able to give my Mom just what she wanted all along. I'll consider this a win for both of us. And I am pretty sure I win Mom of the Year points, since I insisted that Izzy only get one set of monthly pictures done.

Lastly, Thursday is the 6 month anniversary of my Dad's death. I can't believe that it's already been 6 months. In some ways it feels like it was a lot longer ago, but in some ways it still feels so recent. I'll have another post on that in the coming days,  but just wanted to call that out, since it's also been on my mind.

So I think that is it-bacon, gravy, crazy, busy, art and family...Sounds about right!

How's your week looking folks? Hope fabulously!

And on that note...I leave you with...Europe! This is going to be stuck in your head forever.  The video can't be beat-that hair, the explosions, the synthesizers?  Pure 80's awesomeness wrapped into my maternity theme song.  You're both welcome and sorry.

Cheers,
Raina

A Quick Chuckle

I have a fascination with facial hair. Men should really take more advantage of the groomy-goodness as there are so many possibilities!  I came across this site in an attempt to not get actual housework done, and thought I'd share:

http://www.dyers.org/blog/beards/beard-types/

Read on, and enjoy the facial-hairy goodness!!

Yours in lack of facial hair,
Raina

Fuzzy loves

I don't know if this quite falls under the "relaxation" category, but Nick and I adopted a new fur baby. We've missed having a pup around the house so much, and we found a little guy who needed adopting!   Kip was chucked out of a car and abandoned in Eastern Washington a few years ago and has been in and out of foster care for a few years. He's been living with a great foster Dad for about a year, but he just hadn't found his forever home. We found him a month and a half ago on petfinder.com, but we just weren't sure if we were ready. We missed Mia so much!

A month later, we saw he was still there online....still looking for a home. We knew we wanted a pup in need, one who wasn't your typical dog that everyone wanted (i.e. a puppy).  We started the interview process, to find out that he was adopted. We were happy to hear he got adopted out though!

A week later, we got an email from his foster Dad-he had been returned-it just didn't work out, and the back up family never even came to meet him.  We were up! After many emails and phone calls, we opted to drive out and meet him. It was love at wiggly first site. On the drive over the pass to meet him, I joked that I wanted to give him the nickname of Kipper Snack. When we met him and his foster Dad, we learned his nickname had been Kipper. :)  It was clearly a good match! He was pretty shy at first, but he integrated quite well, and has been doing amazing ever since. He's great with kids, babies, adults, and crowds. He's a big fan of the dog park, and snoozing on the couch!

We're so very lucky to have found this little guy, and we can't wait to give him many, many years of love, snuggles and adventures. Now, without further adieu....Kip!

The first pic is of his first day home with us. You can see, he's pretty nervous. That didn't last long. Less than a week later, he's stealing antique quilts to snuggle under. Can it get any more cute?

Even Iggy had to get in on the snuggles! :)

I am so lucky. I have great fur babies, great friends, and family. Here's to all of us finding our happiness, fur-covered or otherwise!

Raina

Sit down and shut up.

I really don't have any other better title for this blog than that. Date night went from watching the Seattle Sounders to this:

Yep. I got a fabulous trip to the ER. D'oh.  I did get a snazzy preheated blanket to snuggle under while I waited for tests and to have a fetal heart rate test done.

I had originally thought I was getting a bladder infection, which to any care provider means you're probably going to blow up, or some horrible thing. I had also been feeling run down after a few long weeks at work. Izzy had been pretty quiet most of the day, so that had us worried too. After a call to the consulting nurse, we opted to go into the ER and get a check up done. Turns out, I was fine, and the reason I felt like crap was that I simply do too much. Doc's orders:  Sit still. Relax. Let others help you more.

Basically, everything I suck at.

So I have orders from the nurse, the doc, and Nick, and countless others to do nothing. Sleep in, relax and slow down. I have stopped making new to do lists, and am trying to not do everything baby-related right now. It's super hard.

Here's to trying though!  This weekend is set up well to hanging out. I have a book sale to go to, and a baby shower tomorrow. It should be a good weekend. I'll keep you all updated on how that whole sitting still goes. It's now day two, and I am still in my jammies, so I guess that's something!

How do you guys relax?

Raina

Damn you Olan Mills

I hate getting my picture taken professionally. Any time this issue comes up, I instantly turn into a 5 year old, having a screaming ninny fit. The brakes go on, and I am just not having it. Why you ask?

My mom worked for Olan Mills when I was little. She worked there for years, in multiple states, which meant I got my picture taken damn near for free, and pretty much constantly. I lived in the studio (ok, it probably wasn't THAT bad), but after thousands of pictures and what I am pretty sure is years worth of time spent in the studio, and even working there for a stint, I won't set foot in any photo studio.

Let me give you some reference of what I had to go through and why I can't stand getting my picture taken:

At first, it's cool. You're a baby, and clearly clueless. See that? I have no idea that the next 17 years will be filled with this and similar backgrounds. I'm giddy. Possibly medicated, who knows what's going on here!

And then I get to about 1.5-2 years. Props are needed. I am also assuming my Mom or Dad is somewhere in my line of site jumping. I may just be excited to be around a goose....

At this point, I am starting to catch on...See that face? That's not trust in those eyes. That's hesitation. That's a desire to get away!

 By this age I have mastered the art of the forced grin. I had not, however, figured out how to hide my bucked teeth and bad hair and clothing choice.

Yeah, this is me shortly after the above pic, with a costume change and having my hair brushed out. Know why I am smiling??  It's almost done, and I bet ice cream was mentioned. 

 After a few years, my mom started letting me do my own hair and pick out my own clothes. I don't know that I did any better, but that smug closed smile says that I won the battle by choosing my Bon Jovi necklace, Native earrings and half can of aquanet hairspray.

Sadly, I didn't win the war. Later that year PROPS were brought in and photo techniques.  Clearly, that didnt work and I am pretty sure I am giving the finger here, too. 

It was cool though, as this was our holiday picture. This was after HOURS of photos being taken. See that glazed look? Almost as awesome as those Bart Simpson boxers I was rocking. Yep. I so lost this war.

But I was not to be out fought. I brought back-up, namely our portly teacup poodle Odie. I made faces like this in almost every picture I could. I also did my own hair and make up. This was 7th or 8th grade and close to the end of weekly picture events.

So, why the ode to Olan Mills torture?  All my years of fighting to avoid a studio have caught up to me, and have come to a screaming halt.  My mom wants me to get "maternity pictures" done. If possible, multiple photos, from multiple studios, so I can later revel in my belly days, where I can look back and go "awww, look how I look like a Weeble Wobble!"

Sigh.

She isn't letting up, and isn't throwing in any bartering chips. In fact, she's threatening my unborn with picture packages for the first year of her life. She says, if I just get my picture taken while pregnant, then I only have to bring Izzy in once a month to one location to have her picture taken. So I am stuck in a quandry...throw my kid under a bus, or buck up and just get the pics taken. Hard choices, people, hard choices.

Left to my own devices, I would escape to a small foreign country with suitable healthcare. But since I am being forced to do this, I did threaten a pic like these:

Her response? "I don't care, as long as you go. You'll thank me later."

I don't think I will, but I will have a good reminder of why I won't drag Izzy through this crap.

So here's to you, on this election night. I hope you got a laugh and some relief from the tension, but also a damn good reminder of how bitter you can make your kids by taking thousands of strange pics of them!

;)

Raina

Counting it down

10 weeks.

In just over 10 weeks, Izzy will be here. It's odd to think about. There's still so much to do, at home and at work before she gets here. The past 29 weeks have flown by, so I can't imagine the last few will slow down any, either. 

It's scary, the idea that she will be here, but it's also a relief. I'll be able to see her, and hold her, and care for her. It's hard to just let control go and trust that she and my body know what's best. I'm sure once she's here, I'll have other fears than the ones I have now.

I accomplished the goal of getting rid of a third of everything I own. There's still so much! We were able to get rid of closer to 2/3 of everything in the garage. That was a pretty big win.

Everyone has been amazing, and supportive and willing to share in our excitement, which has been great. Those that know me, know that I have been waiting so many years to have a baby, and now that it's this close, I am completely overwhelmed by the love and care from everyone I know.

On a happy note, most of the stupid comments have stopped, that happened about 2 months ago, when I started to show more. I still have a lot of growing to go, but it's not the norm to hear questions about my size, or how the baby is. I do still hear, "you're so small", but it's more in relation to my overall size, rather than the baby. 

I have loved every moment of being pregnant (ok, maybe not the times where I have gone to Ikea hungry and end up miserable with low blood sugar-but I blame that on Ikea, not pregnancy). I have very fortunate to have had minimal side effects, and more energy than most. Every day I am grateful for that too.

Of course, this year and this pregnancy haven't been without it's challenges. I still miss my Dad every day, and I still miss Mia's presence around the house. It's still heartbreaking to think that Izzy won't know her Grampa and get to go fishing with him. In a way though, maybe it's best that she doesn't know who he was before he died and the sheer amount of pain that he was in physically and mentally. I guess it's up to me to share who he was, and to teach her all that he taught me. 

She's really been my saving grace this year-I don't think I could have mustered the strength to get through everything that has happened this year without my tiny beast pushing me. Maybe I could have, who knows, but I am again, so grateful that I have her. She's not even here, and she pushes me to be better, do more, and to be better. 

It's been great.

So yes. 10 weeks. 10 fast moving weeks and I'll have my little bug here and I'll have yet another thing to be grateful for. So with that, I'll leave you with a few recent pics of us:

Fall is in the air!

It's fall here in the North West!  The air is crisp and cool and the leaves are turning. This is my favorite time of year. It's the time of the year for sweaters, and boots and tights, warm cider, chai tea and scarves.

In short, this is my favorite time of year!

The change in seasons, makes me want to do even more crafts, light the fireplace, and snuggle under a blanket with a good book. It makes me want to cook warm cozy meals and go for hikes.

This week and weekend will be spent doing just that!

Today, I picked late harvest blackberries for jam; I'm cooking lentil, sausage and chard soup for dinner, and I'm planning a weekend picnic with Nick, too. I can't wait!

With the change in seasons comes the desire to get things done, and to that, I have started a new food-blog! This gives me a little separation for this blog, which was intended for crafts and my home projects.

If you're hungry and looking for ideas, please feel free to follow my new blog- blackberrysage.blogspot.com.

Yours in fall snuggliness!
Raina
“But then fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since last he saw you.”  ~ Stephen King

Warfare

Someone asked recently if I was nesting from all of the prep work I have been doing for the arrival of Isabella. I can just shake my head. This isn't nesting, that sweet, beautiful, heartfelt work that's done to lovingly welcome your bundle of joy into their new home.

Oh no, this is warfare. I am on a Rambo style mission, guns blazing to rid my house of all of the crap that I have accumulated over the past 34 years, including the junk from my family, the junk from my exes and anyone else who made a pit stop long enough to leave something here on their way through.

Yes folks, hand me the cammo paint, and the holster, cause this means war.

I am currently in the living room, surrounded my boxes, bags, and piles of random crap. All of which is part of my master plan to gut my house. My living room looks like a hoarder-y bomb went off, and I am pretty sure it's all going to go:
1. In the trash
2. In the recycle bin and
3. To goodwill

After cleaning and organizing for weeks on end, I am tired of organizing things into smaller piles to be sorted and filed away, going gently through each old card, letter and random thing. I think I just need to cut my ties and get rid of it all. Thank goodness the whole weekend is ahead of me and I can just plow through it all!

What's your tip for getting rid of things you've held on to for far too long?

Blessings

Today was a mixed bag day. I found out the mother of two men I have known for close to 20 years passed away suddenly. In speaking with one of them, he was lost, unsure of what to do. I remembered that feeling so clearly. It was after all, less than 4 months ago that I lost my own parent suddenly.

It's that paralyzing moment when you realize nothing else will ever be the same, but you don't know quite what to do. So you sit.

I did the best thing I could think to do, which was to send my love and offer a home cooked meal when he was ready for it. I let his friends know, so they could help. The core group of guys I used to hang out with are all over the country these days. It was nice to catch up, especially with those I don't text or talk to very often. It was nice to hear how they are, and how life is better for them since moving away.

It was also a reminder of how much happier and at peace I am than I have been in years. There's no pushing, no hoping, no waiting. Just being. Sometimes that paralyzing moment when something happens, good or bad, gives you pause and makes you re-evaluate your priorities. You don't know what to do, or how to react, so you just stop. And you sit.

And eventually it gets easier, and your path to happiness becomes much more clear.

I hope that path is a fast one for my friends.

I am also reminded how lucky I am to have my little Isabella Grace. There was a day when it was like a switch went off. I was no longer angry at my past, the failed relationships; the hurt didn't matter, being happy with my new life was all that I cared about. I didn't know why, until a few weeks later I found out I was pregnant. I have been really lucky to have her-through the passing of my own parent, the loss of a beloved pet. She's been my saving grace through this, hence the middle name, Grace.

Today, I miss my father, feel sorrow for my friends, and am so appreciative of the life I have now. Here's to you, and chasing your bliss, comforting those who are hurting, and for all the good that life has to offer, no matter how hard it is to find.

Raina

I Hate Contact Paper

I like to think that I am pretty handy. Given the right amount of instruction, the right tools, and a fair amount of time, I can fix/install/build things as well as any guy. Now, given the wrong tools, no direction and a few glasses of wine, I can still get things done. I just may need a little more time. You can read more about my awesome handimanliness here. Oh yes.  But today...Today, I reached new lows...Contact Paper kicked my ass. I'd like to blame pregnancy hormones, or lack of food, but I don't think that is enough to explain the epic fail that I had.

First, let's make sure you know what this EVIL (yet lovely) product is:  Its the sticky backed paper stuff that you put in drawers or in cupboards to make them look pretty. At first glance, it's pretty innocent looking. When I first opened the roll, I saw a ton of directions, and I thought "who the hell needs all these directions???

Isn't it just measure, cut, stick?  Apparently not (and no I didn't read the directions)...

I got as far as measure and cut, but the only sticking happening was me to the paper, and the paper to itself. So after running out of hands, and making grunting noises, I hear from the front room, "Baby... um...do you need help?"  It's contact paper, I am pretty sure I've got this!  So I holler back that I'm good, and try to lay the sheet into the drawer.

And fail again. At this point, I am grumpy that contact paper is kicking my ass, and it's stuck to itself and I'm out of hands. So, I do the next best thing - I use my mouth to hold one corner while I pull the other areas apart. This is all sorts of brilliant, until I go to remove the paper from my lip.

At which point, my skin goes with the paper. Sigh.

It's right around this time that Nick comes around the corner to see me covered in contact paper, bleeding from the mouth, with eyes wide open in awe - as I mumble with a drippy lip, "Contact paper kicked my ass!!". He holds back his giggles reminds me about setting myself up for success (again, see the blog above), and gets me tissue, which promptly soaks through and he sets to work lining the drawer.   Sigh. Apparently, lining drawers is a two person job, and having a box cutter for trim work makes the job run smoothly.

I now have three nicely drawers, a fat, tingly lip and a guy who held back laughing too hard at me as I tried to talk with a wad of tissue stuck to my face.

So lesson learned? Read the directions, and don't underestimate the power of paper to whoop on you something fierce. Oh and don't use your mouth when sticky paper is involved.

What projects (good or otherwise), have you been up to?

Raina "I'm definitively not Bob Villa"

Aw, shucks.

I just wanted to post a quick blog to say "thank you" to all of my readers. When I look at my "audience"-i.e. the list of what countries people are visiting from, I am amazed!  Sweden, Latvia, Italy, the list goes on. It's nice to see people stopping by, and reading about my little world, it sure makes me happy!

Please feel free to follow me via the site, or stop by any time. I'll have more recipes and fun crafts, soon.

Best to you, dear reader!

Raina

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice...

That is what little girls are made of!

Today, I found out that Noodle is a girl. I had been willing to put cash down that I was having a boy, but the ultrasound looks to be a girl!

We showed up early, after drinking a ton of water, just to wait for 45 mins. Sigh.  Noodle was quite active, as she tends to be around 3:30-6, and this appointment was no exception.

The radiology technician chased Noodle around for over an hour, trying to get the shots that were needed, and to try to see what we were having; mentioning, "If this is any indication of what your baby will be like after it's born, good luck!".  I could only laugh. After feeling her do dance routines all day, and then stepping it up into a full bore tiny martial arts contest for 3 hours in the afternoon, I am impressed the gal got any of the shots she needed in.

She clarified, "your baby doesn't sit still much, huh?"  This is clearly my baby!  :)

So, without further adieu, I introduce you to Isabella Grace Anderson-Webber, my little baby bear. As you can see, she wouldn't sit still long enough for this picture, either!

Here's to all the adventures this tiny monkey will lead me on!
Raina

How to piss off a pregnant woman.

Hmmm...So I am pretty sure there's a lot of ways, but I am pretty easy going, and quick to forget, so for right now, there's only one thing...Ok. Two, the other being withholding bacon. But I don't think anyone I know would ever do that to me, so I am pretty sure I can scratch that off my list.

Which leads me to a quick blog on stupidity.

I'm not a thick girl. I never have been. I eat like a wildebeast, but I also try to do things in moderation. I am also pretty awkward and don't like a ton of attention paid to my body, especially by random strangers.  All this to say, that at even 5 months, I don't have a big belly. I don't show a ton, so unless you know me and my normal build, you may not guess that I am pregnant.

This week alone, I have had numerous strangers offer their gaffaws, opinions and thoughts on what I should be doing or how I should look.

"Are you sure?"
"Is your baby ok?"
"YOU'RE ONLY 5 MONTHS?!?!  You're so small!"
"Are you eating?"**

Let me pause here, and go through the check list I use to ensure, that I am, uh...yep. Pregnant.
-Lack of period for multiple months? Check.
-Weight gain? Eh.
-Body changes? Check.
-Initial, monthly, AND MD regulated tests indicating that I am indeed a host? Check, check, and check.
** This is my fave, as it usually comes at a time that I am eating something covered in gravy or made of a slab of meat.

I don't know why, or if I should even be defensive, but holy crap people. How would you like if I came up to you, or butted into your conversation, and offered my two cents on you, your body type, or how you are doing something, etc.
"Wow, you sure don't look smart, sure you should be using that steak knife?"

When I hear these statements, someone getting judgy, or just talking with their unsolicited words... this is what I imagine the person looking like:

Yep.

People...do women a favor. Don't make stupid comments. This also goes for any comments on "normal", "subnormal", or higher than "normal" weight gain, or any of the other random things that come with pregnancy. Chances are that person you're talking to is already feeling awkward and questioning if they're doing even the smallest of things right. They don't need a stranger adding to that crazy insecurity.
Cool?  Cool.

Well, thanks for your time ;) On tap tomorrow??  A recap of crafty goodness!

Raina

Pregnancy Looks

I have been thinking about cute clothes, now that my bump is getting bigger!  Here's a couple cute looks that made me smile. Cute, soft, and just roomy enough :)

New Lives

Today my house smells like coffee, bacon, and pancakes, and am relaxing after a fun night celebrating my friends birthday last night. I have been trying to make a point of getting out, and seeing friends more. It feels good!  My friends Brian and Heather have been pretty busy with work and law school, so after 3 years of chatting on Facebook, it's nice to see them in person!

The week also brought a rousing game of mini-golf (I totally won), a lot of work projects completed, and the realization that I need to get off my bum and get working on the house in preparation for  the baby!

Originally, I had planned to start the nursery and some projects in about 6 weeks, giving me plenty of time to finish gutting my house, setting up a nursery and prepping for baby. But then the stuff started coming, and it was no longer an option. In the next week, I'll have a crib, a bassinet, and a mattress with no where to go, which means it's time to trim down what I have!  My mom, awesome as she is, decided to buy a few essentials for the nursery since base had a crazy good deal AND a 20% off coupon. So between that, and freakishly short shipping time, stuff is on its' way!

Speaking of baby...I started having round ligament pain. Which, if you've never had it...holy crap. This is the reason people need a baby class at, I don't know, week 2. Your stomach/womb/middle of your entire baby storage area starts making these odd pokie pulling motions, and you think-oh holy shit, this isn't good. After a call to the nurse, and a nap, I am feeling much better. Sigh. There's other things that no one seems to mention when you get pregnant, and I'll get to listing those one of these days too. :)

Last weekend, I went to a baby shower for my bestie Jen-Here's a couple quick pics:

This is now one of my favorite pics!  Jen is over 8 months, and I'm just about 5 months. I love that I can go through this with her, and that I get a sneak peek into what I am going to go through.  It's also much easier, when you're main drinking buddy is on a hiatus, too.

This is us again, with a quilt that I made her. I am making myself a matching one as well. SO soft and fluffy!!!

I have decided that Saturday's will be my relaxing and craft/canning days. Nick generally works at least one weekend day, so I get to have some time to play and clean and do the things that most guys aren't super keen on.  Today, I'm debating whether to start cleaning, or do some sewing. It's nice that these are the issues that I am now facing.  I have my other dog Barkley over this weekend too, so a trip to the Dog Park will be in order.  I also have a book release party for a friend later tonight. So, all in all, it will be a good and busy day.

Sunday will be a hike to tire Barkley out before returning him to his Daddy's house. It'll also be good to get out and stretch as well!

Here's to a good weekend!
Raina

Goodbye Princess Mia

Yesterday, I made the hard decision to put my fur baby to sleep. I had no idea that there was a big time bomb in her belly waiting to explode. By the way she was acting, no one would have known. She was the happiest, sweetest, most gentle pup I have ever met, and I am heart broken.

A few days ago, Mia developed a UTI, and I had her started on a course of antibiotics.  Even though her little bladder wasn't working so well, and it was clear she wasn't feeling well, she was still playful and snuggly-her normal self, with a giant smile and a whip-like tail that could clear the coffee table in one fail swoop.

Friday, we planned to go camping, only to find that Chicken Little was sick and looked like she may not make it through. Now, this isn't the first time that Little had been at death's door. We fed her some apple cider vinegar through a syringe and gave her snuggles. It was clear that she wasn't going to be with us much longer. It turns out that was the case-she passed while we were away.

We left to go camping-after all that has been going on the past few months with my Dad dying, I needed a break, mentally and physically. Mia seemed a little tired, but that changed pretty quickly when we let her know it was bye-bye time. Over 7 hours later, we still weren't at the camp ground-traffic had been hellish. Mia feasted on fries, her food and water. She was happy to be out of the car and into a hotel room.

Saturday, we started back out to get to the campground, stopping at Ruby Beach to play. She romped through the waves and played on the beach, wagging her tail and smiling. I had no idea that less than 24 hours later, I'd be making a horrible decision. We met up with friends, and headed back to the campground and we went to hike along the river. She walked the trails, leading the way and played in the water, and laid on the rocks, relaxing while we all hung out. Later that night, we knew something wasn't quite right. She was lethargic and wouldn't eat, and just wanted to sleep. We put her in our tent and let her rest. She came back out a little later to sit with us and rest, but it was clear she wasn't well. We thought that she had been reacting the antibiotics and still had her infection from eating everything in site, but I still worried. That night, we pulled her into the camp bed with us and snuggled her. This was our favorite part about camping with her. It was the rare time that we let her sleep with us. She was restless most of the night, and we kept waking to check on her.

That morning, I woke up early, and it was clear we needed to do something. She couldn't walk, and she seemed confused. We broke camp quickly, and I drove 50 on forest service roads and sped my way to the nearest town to find a hospital. We ended up driving to Olympia, where she ended up collapsing on their floor, too weak to even stand on her own. They rushed her in back and started running tests and hydrating her. A little while later, the doc came in with news. It was just like a shitty dream. You're there, but not 100%. Words were thrown out-cancer, rupture, surgery. And just like that we knew it was bad. I snapped back to reality to see what could be done. She had a tumor in her belly that had ruptured, and she was bleeding internally. It would have happened no matter what.

What did we want to do? I told the doc I have a credit card with a high limit. Do you what you need. More tests were run. More bad news, and I remember Nick and I saying, do whatever it takes. Make her better. The decision was made to get her as stable as we could and drive her to a hospital in Tacoma, as the doc put it, "We are like Community Care, this place is like Harbor View". Traffic was almost at a standstill. Didn't people get it? We were crying, and Mia was in shock, but on pain killers. I drove as fast as traffic would let me, weaving in and out of cars, trying to go faster. We made it to the hospital, where they carted her off and tried to save her. Shortly after, the doc came back in and gave us the news. IF they could stabilize her, and IF they could get her through anesthesia then she MAY make it through surgery. The cancer would come back, based on what they were seeing. She was riddled with illness. The doc gave us an estimate that if we could get her through, she'd be back in this state in 3-6 months, IF we were lucky. So many if's. It came down to if she was in pain. She was medicated, but in shock. She had no idea what was going on, but was clearly scared. We asked to see her and she was in such bad shape. She was huffing instead of breathing, and she wanted to lay next to me, but was too weak to push herself closer. It was clear that we couldn't do this to her. I couldn't do this to her over and over. It wasn't fair to either of us. We made the decision to put her to sleep, and I held her and explained what was going to happen and that we loved her and told her all of the things that a good momma and Daddy should. The doc came in and I held her head and Nick and I whispered into her fuzzy, soft ears. And just like that she was gone. We stayed with her for a long time after that, putting her and holding her, not believing that she was actually gone.

We made our way home, with her collar in hand. The house was and is still so quiet, no toe nails clacking on the hardwoods, or happy grunts, as she took over the couch, or the chair. For the first time in years, I ate a snack without sharing it. Last night, I didn't have a dog come try to tell me that it was time for bed. I didn't have my couch buddy while watching a movie. Such a huge part of my life is gone. I am so lucky to have had one last adventure with her. We had fun, and she got to play in her favorite places. I got to hold her close, and smell her, and tell her that I loved her more than anything in the world. For that, I am so, so grateful. She was truly an amazing pup, and I am so happy that she was given to me, and that I was able to do so much with her.  It's hard to believe this pic was just over a day ago now. To you, Meepers, I miss and love you so much.

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace.” 
―Milan Kundera

Hold your fuzzies close, all.
Raina and Nick

Grrr....

Today, I am grumpy for no good reason. It's just one of those days where nothing seems to be going right, so I decided to throw a roast in the crock pot and sit down for a bit. Yep. I'm calling a mulligan on today!

Yesterday's trip to Portland was a fun one! I opted to sleep in a bit and headed south around 9 am. First stop was Battle Ground for "A Vintage Gathering", a fun antique sale. It turned out to be the highlight of my trip. I scored a giant vintage quilt, AND the seller talked the price down to $35. I'm really happy with it, and its a good replacement for the ones I donated. I went to the Barn House sale. I wasn't very impressed. The event had a small fee, and music, but it wasn't as good as the sale at "A Vintage Gathering". After getting lost quite a few times, I made it to Portland, taking the back roads, which were lovely. The air was fresh and clean and there were pastures and barns. I was in heaven!

I got to Powell's Books pretty quickly. If you haven't been, it's a must go. It's a city block of books, with multiple stories. There's so many books, it can be overwhelming, so make sure you eat, and bring a list of what you want to look for!!  I went there for children's sewing books and found a great book "Growing Up Sew Liberated". It was on sale for way less than the used price on Amazon, so I just couldn't pass it up.

A few stops later, I ended up at Fabric Dept. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!  There's acres of fabric and doo-dads for sewing. I ended up with the sweetest fabric for curtains for noodle's room and I got to play. Could it be any better?   Check these prints out-so cute :)

Today will be spent grabbing lunch with a friend and picking up baby stuff from her, and then getting in some sewing.  If this doesn't turn around a silly day, I don't know what will!  Here's to a good Sunday, and a week that flies by ;)

Raina

On The Road Again...

Just can't wait to get on the road again...Yep. Now you're signing it. Sorry (ish).

I am in dire need of an escape to anywhere that isn't Seattle or Tacoma, or my house (which technically falls in that Seattle bucket). This weekend, I'll be doing just that!

Every year, I see ads for the Barn House sale (http://www.barnhousebh.com/). Tons of pretty, soft things and antiques, doo-dads, and what-not's. And every year, I wake up and say meh. Not this time, oh no! I'll be waiting up at the crack of dawn (ok, probably later than that) and hitting the road to Battle Ground, Washington, just off of the I-5 corridor, and close to Portland, where I will ooh and ahh over lovely things. I have to admit, I am pretty excited to go after all these years. From there, I'll be heading to Portland to go to Powell's books to feed my literary love and then to Fabric Depot for a sale that they are having.


Sunday, I'll be heading to the East Side (Bellevue, no E WA) to see a good friend, to gab about babies and to pick up some baby goodies from her fast-growing, beautiful little girl. 


I'll definitely try not to make this blog all about baby, but I do want to give a quick update!  I went in for the results of my genetic testing quad screen thing and to do a baby check up...Noodle's heart is strong, healthy and loud, and the doc said it sounded like he was just moving all over the place. My test results scored really well and my likelihood of having a genetic disorder is 1:5000. Yes, pretty much nil. Insert sigh of relief here. For my age, the risk of having a baby with Downs Syndrome is 1:1342 apparently. Take that odds. 


So, overall, things are good .I continue to clean and organize the house, and am trying to trim down the 35X35 list...slowly, but surely, things are coming together!  Now, to wrap up a workday and start making some boysenberry jelly! :)

Here's to good weekends, good times, and getting on the road!
Raina

"On the road again -
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
The life I love is making music with my friends

And I can't wait to get on the road again.
On the road again

Goin' places that I've never been.
Seein' things that I may never see again

And I can't wait to get on the road again.
On the road again -
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends.
Insisting that the world keep turning our way [...]" ~Willie Nelson

Hurray for Lazy Days...

I love weekends where the only thing I have to accomplish is getting out of bed. It's been a good weekend, full of running errands, being outside, doing crafts, and making jelly and pickles. Here's a few shots. You'll have to pardon the messy lawn and plants that are in progress  of being trimmed. Normally, my pots look much nicer! The girls are getting so big!  The darkest one is Chicken Little, the one with the black collar is Fern (check out her fuzzy feet!), and the big one is Garbanzo :)

I had a lot of fun making pickles and jam, too. Here's a little before and after from yesterdays veggie and fruit shopping:

Here's to good weekends!
Raina

What not to do to yourself during early pregnancy...

Step 1 of things not to do in early pregnancy:

Go to Babies R Us.

Whole. Lee. Crap.

If you haven't ever been there, this is a giant warehouse of baby crap. It is literally floor to ceiling stuff. Its like a hoarder lived in a warehouse and collected so much baby stuff that you need heavy machinery to bring things down.

Step 2 of things not to do in early pregnancy:
Go to Babies R Us, hungry.

I went to the registry desk thinking, sweet....I'll go in, register and get out.

Oh. No.

They gave me a gun!  Now, before you think-yay!  stuffed animal target practice!!  Pull back a bit. This was a little shopping scanner thing that you walk around with and click on things that you may want.

The gal gave me good advice-"here's a list, and don't just get new born items. You'll have more crap than you'll need". Best advice I heard that day.

I roamed around Babies R Hell, scanning myself into a frenzy, seeing how many dance moves and James Bond style scans I could get in. A girls gotta make this fun, right?  And it kept other people away from me, as I am sure they thought that I was nuts. Meh.

I now have close to 100 things on a registry, most of which are functional and most of which were cute. The best part? Some nice guy saw that I was clearly not having fun, and gave his voucher for a $10 gift card. Score. I got to dance, wave my scanner around like James Bond AND I came out ahead. Not a bad way to spent a Saturday.

Speaking of scores...of sorts...My Grandma got me maternity clothes. Please note: My grandma is, well, a Grandma. She knows I love vintage things, and she knows I am not quite sure what I need. She got me some things that aren't quite my style, but the thought behind it was pretty awesome. She did get me a pant suit made with glitter fabric, that she initially bought for herself.  I'm curious to try this one on, as my Grandma is itty bitty these days.  Here, for your gawking pleasure: the one thing I will be donating (and letting her know that I donated)...While it may look like a skirt/sweater combo with a bacon print, don't be fooled. The pattern actually looks like microtubules:

So how does this story wrap up? I eventually go home, after stopping at 5 more places, which results in patterns for baby clothes and diaper covers, decaf ginger peach tea, stamps for baby shower and announcements, and a car full of bell and hot pepper plants; a flat of raspberries, a 15 lb box of green beans and a case of strawberries.

Lesson learned?  When you go to Babies R Us, you have to locate more awesome things as fast as possible to get passed the craziness that is that place. Mission accomplished.

Here's to finding your bit of crazy and a way through it!

Raina

35 by 35

     I've been sitting on a list of things I'd like to accomplish, and since I am whipping out things left and right this week, I thought, lets wrap this list up and get it posted!  I'm 34, and I have PLENTY of years left in me, but man...why wait to do anything?  I could probably lump some of these together, so I may come back and do some editing of this list, but nothing will come off-just get noted and combined and something else will get added on. This has been an amazing few years so far, why not add a little direction to make it THAT much better-here's to you, all! 

May your next year be fun, productive and adventurous!

   

35 by 35

      1.    Finish all my currently existing sewing projects 

      2.    Make cheese

      3.    Brine my own olives

      4.    Finish my patch quilt

      5.    Learn to knit

      6.    Have a baby-I’ll admit to kinda cheating, since I’m half way there.

      7.    Go deep sea fishing in Washington

      8.    Brew a stout beer

      9.    Make Blackberry Sage Jam

      10.  Have an Etsy shop with my necklaces

      11.  Host a meatloaf throw down-ala Bobby Flay style

      12.  Go to Bacon Happy Hour at Locol 360

      13.  Help strangers more often

      14.  Go to Barkley Bay

      15.  Hike with aforementioned baby

      16.  Remodel the kitchen (again)

      17.  Learn to cook Indian food properly

      18.  Learn to make Pho from scratch (better than before)

      19.  Learn to properly make bread from scratch,  so the loaf is not                    

             actually weapon-like

      20.  Build a craft studio

      21.  Learn to filet a fish without destroying the meat

      22.  Have more picnics

      23.  Go to the Sequim Lavender Festival

      24.  Go clam digging

      25.  Sing. In Public. Sober. (this should be pretty easy, since I don’t   

             drink these days)

      26.  Ride a mechanical bull-sober. I’d like to confirm that I’m as    

             awesome as I think I was

      27.  Stop being so scared to share my writing

      28.  Trim 1/3 of the stuff out of my house

      29.  Complete another painting

      30.  Make pillow case shirts

      31.  Make chipotle cherry jam  Hey look-crossed one off!!

      32.  Go on at least two of the rockhounding trips my Dad planned, but 

             never made

      33.  Learn to make horchata and tortillas from scratch.

      34.  Successfully grow carrots and peas

      35.  Take more craft classes