Weekly Update

So I don't really do a weekly update, but thought I would today. Pretend that I'm a creature of habit and I have a neat little weekly update waiting for you, Monday morning in your _____ (blog reader, email, or just here). Here's your faithful little update:

- This last week Cameron ended up coming home earlier from a trip than expected. I love it when that happens. It doesn't happen too often, but its like a little present when it does.

- Wednesday we went to the Museum of Flight in Seattle with our friends, the Marminos. Because it was Veteran's day, we got in for free. Yay! It was interesting, with lots of info on space travel, Amelia Earhart, WW2 flying, and even the old Air Force One used by presidents like Kennedy and Nixon. I think the Air Force One was my favorite. Smaller than I would have imagined, but I have heard that the current one is much larger and I'm sure much nicer. There was also an old Concorde. Again, much smaller than I would imagine, but I guess when you're only in it for a 3 hour trans- Atlantic flight, space is not a necessity.

- After the Museum of Flight we went to Applebees who was offering a free meal to all military members. Under normal circumstances, I am not a huge Applebees fan, but since it was free, and they were super busy (ensured our food would be semi-fresh and hot, at least), I went along for the ride. Because of a wonderful experience between me and some boneless buffalo wings and a salad, Applebees might just have redeemed themselves in my eyes. Maybe..."then you go and TOTALLY redeem yourself" (10 points to name that movie)

- My family is coming this weekend and staying through Thanksgiving. Yay! I love holidays with my family.

- I'm starting to think through my Thanksgiving menu. In our household, Thanksgiving is always a mix between traditional American food (a turkey, of course, sweet potatoes, stuffing) and traditional South African favorites (roasted potatoes, potato & green bean mash.) I generally don't make cranberry jelly (ugh! or should I say, "open the can of cranberry jelly"...yuck) or pumpkin pie (if you want it, you'll have to bring it).

- Malone cracks me up. She is soo funny right now. Today, she ran up to me while I was cleaning the kitchen and said that it was time to dance. I thought I was just hearing her wrong. She kept on saying it and then she would do a little jig. I thought I was going to die, it was so darn cute!

- Oh, and she has an aversion to changing her diaper right now. Unless of course, she has on her cool, handy dandy, Diaper Changing Hat. Oh yes, my friends, parental creativity at its best.

- My wonderful husband got me some massages for my birthday. I can't wait to use them. Hot stone massage, here I come!

- I'm ordering my 3 1/2 qt. Le Creuset dutch oven tomorrow. It is my birthday gift from Cameron's and my families. Should I go with the red or the kiwi?












- It has been raining here for at least the last 2 years. Will it ever end? I'm not even exaggerating...ok...maybe a little, but seriously, will I ever be reacquainted with my friend, the sun?

That's it for now. I am dying to finish the last 20 pages of Jane Eyre, so I better run.

It's Friday and I'm in love....

10 points to whoever can name the band who sings that song....Anyways, its Friday (or will be in a couple of hours) and I have a couple of things on my mind.

- I'm feeling kinda craftsy these days. I'm "working" on a couple of projects for the upcoming holidays. And by "working", I mean, I will start working on a couple of projects any day now. First, ABC flashcards for Malone. Because I have been given such an incredible gift for art, I will hand make the flash cards. S is for Stick Figures. Second, I will be attempting to make a version of this wreath for our front door and two little ones to hang on the lights on either side of our garage. How hard can it be right?
From Restoration Hardware

- I found this awesome bucket Advent Calendar yesterday. How cute is it? The buckets are only about 3 or 4 inches big, so all in all, it can hang across our mantle. If only it wasn't $70.
From Garnet Hill

- I've been reflecting a lot on what our life will look like the next couple of years. Based on Cameron's career, we do not have much stability in terms of any sort of normal schedule. We can never plan anything ahead of time with certainty that he'll be here. How can I make our home a place of stability for our children? How do I remain steady and stable in my own way? How do my expectations of Cameron when he is home line up with what is realistic? How do we have a normal life? The truth is that I am so thankful for Cameron. His presence just adds so much to our lives. There are moments when its unbearable without him home. Thoughts all running through my mind on a regular basis.

- I'm almost 28 weeks pregnant and have been having way more contractions with this little one than I did with Malone. I don't think I even knew I was having contractions with her. Someone tell me this is normal.

- Its my birthday next week. I'll be 26. Officially in my late twenties. With a husband. And a mortgage. And almost 2 kids. So this is what adulthood feels like?

- We have a neighbor who drives a truck with a dual exhaust and it is really loud. It drives me batty. Seriously, why do you need to let the whole neighborhood know that you are coming and going? People have sleeping babies. And a dual exhaust was cool in 1995.

- Malone was so funny yesterday. She took off all her clothes (how?) and ran around naked for a good while. It was soo funny. She was just a crazy, little, naked baby running around. I guess you had to be there. :)

- I'm loving Jane Eyre right now. Almost done. *Spoiler Alert* I'm at the part where Jane just left Mr. Rochester's, heartbroken, and was begging for food in some random town, and was nursed back to health by the Rivers. What is gonna happen? How is she gonna make a living? What about Mr. Rochester? Will Jane ever find love?

- I'm thinking about requesting a mid-wife at baby's delivery. In our military medical system, I get all my prenatal care on our base clinic, but then will deliver at the Army hospital close by. I will not know who my doctor is until I get there. But I can request a mid-wife. Any thoughts on an OB vs. mid-wife?

- I am craving carob chips. They're fake chocolate chips, but better tasting. Where can I find them? Mid-wives...carob chips...the northwest is getting to me.

Desperate Question

Does anyone know how to get rid of the silly double title on my page? See, there's the main title, but then the silly little one underneath. HELP!

Dream house

Check out this house, featured at Two Ellie.

Its pretty spectacular. I love that there are TONS of windows and natural light. And that bathtub!!! If it were my home, I would probably want it a bit more colorful (what girl from Africa wouldn't?), but maybe the serene lack of color would be nice.

Ahhh....Cameron, do you see this?

These aint your mama's hospital gowns

Look what I found over at Lily & Lou's on Etsy:


They are fully functioning and oh-so-cute hospital gowns. No more lame-o hospital gowns that forces you to walk backwards as to avoid the embarrassing bum view, which doesn't matter in anyway, because they are always so darn light in color (a.k.a. see-through). Oh and normal hospital gowns are scratchy. I'm assuming these aren't scratchy. And even if they are, you look so darn cute that it doesn't matter.

I'm seriously considering getting one.

My favorite things...

One of the very first posts I did was a series on my favorite things...(cue the screaming women from an Oprah audience). It was a short lived series, because soon after one of my absolute favorite things on this earth came along, MALONE! I was thinking yesterday about some of my new favorite things and thought I'd share.

1. Almond Butter- I can't get enough of it. I want to eat it with my Multi-Grain waffles. I want to eat it with a Granny Smith apple. I want to eat it all by itself with a big fat spoon. I can't help myself. I've heard that its really good for you. Is it still good for you if you eat it in copious amounts?

2. Black Skinny Jeans- I don't actually own these yet (although these are from Gap Maternity), but will (not maternity ones). Probably once I have my bebe boy (who is definitely growing and growing and making me feel like my belly button is about to burst out) and lose a little of the baby weight caused by the above mentioned almond butter. I love how versatile they are and will be able to go from casual to dressed up with just the change of a shirt and some shoes. Cute!

3. My new hair- I've been letting my hair and nerves recover for 2 years now after the traumatic "I'm- 7- months- pregnant- and- you- cut- my- hair- WAY- shorter- than- you- were- supposed- to" haircut in Enid. Needless to say, I liked my long hair, but with a toddler and another baby soon to join us, making it look nice took too much work for my liking. So I cut it. And its perfect. For now. Once I do it all nice for you tomorrow, I'll take a picture and post it.

4. Oranges- I think its just a thing I go through while being pregnant. Remember when I wrote this? This time my addiction hasn't quite reached those proportions but I suppose the big bag of oranges sitting on my kitchen floor says otherwise. Oh sweet orange with nodules I can pick apart, I love thee!

5. Baby Signing Time- The signing language DVD series is amazing. It teaches American Sign Language through songs appropriate for babies under 3. As of August, Malone had a signing vocabulary of at least 75 words, most of which she can say now. I love it for the communication opportunities it has given us, but also for the slivers of entertainment it has given Malone so I can get a task completed.

6. Crisp, Cool Washington weather- There's not much to say about why I enjoy this weather so much. Its not soo cold that you have to wear your whole winter's closet to go get the mail, but its not Florida either. Its perfect sweater weather. Ahhhhh....

7. Sleep- Maybe its because I'm preggo. Maybe its because around here it stays dark FOREVER. Maybe its because I'm looking ahead at a time, very soon, when I will have to get up every 2 hours to feed a baby and not be able to sleep during the day when the baby does, because I have a 2 year old to take care of as well. How does all of this work? Can I store up sleep and rest now like a bank account?

8. Baby Sling- I've been researching tons of baby slings/carriers in an effort not to lug a toddler and infant car seat around when little boy arrives. Really, its been one of the only baby items I have been researching this time around. And this Sakura Bloom Sling is the one I think I've settled on. Any of you mom's have experience with slings/carriers?

9. PBS Frontline Documentaries- I think Cameron and I are going to cancel our cable because we are addicted to watching documentaries from Netflix. Mostly, we are watching PBS Frontline documentaries. Balanced, most of the time, informative, clear, and just plain interesting. Some of our favorites include, "I.O.U.S.A" about America's ongoing national debt, "Sick Around the World" about health care systems around the world, and "Inside the Meltdown" about the recent financial meltdown. Fascinating. We are such nerds.

10. Obedient toddlers- Not that I always have one of these, but life sure seems easier when I do.