Re-reading The Hunger Games

I am just starting to re-read The Hunger Games, getting ready for the movie in a couple of weeks. I can't wait to see it! My friend B invited me to go with her and when I told Scott he said I couldn't go without him. Lame. I'm glad he likes it so much, but sometimes a girl just wants to hang with another girl. Oh well. It will still be fun, since it will now be a double date instead.

I couldn't find our copy of the book anywhere since more than 50% of our stuff is in boxes in the basement right now, as we are house sitting for my in-laws. So I got on the hold list for our library last week and ended up in line as number 177! I thought I'd be lucky to read it before the next movie comes out, but it only took a week to get to the top of the list! This copy has obviously been devoured. Pages are falling out, and it looks like it's been at the bottom of a 6th graders backpack for 9 months. Not that it bothers me much. I'll still devour the book myself (once more), and douse my hands in purel as I do.

BTW, have you guys seen the movie trailer yet? It is so intense! It makes my heart race and my eyes leak some sort of salty substance...

You should check it out. You know where I'll be on March 12th!

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Presents (235:365)

Making some of these for someone special (and for myself).

Easy and way cute...may add some to my shop.

Edited Photos (209:365)

In Picasa, there is a button that allows you to edit and alter your photos in an online program called Picnik. That is what I used today for these, and I think they turned out pretty well.  

Here are a few of the pictures of sweet little Ava.

My First Baby Photoshoot (207:365)

My friend Anna and I took some pictures of a sweet little baby today. Baby Ava was adorable and I did my best to capture her adorableness... I hope I got at least a few good shots. Here is one of the raw pictures as a preview.

Movie Night (203:365)

Another $5 girls night movie night tonight! 

Heather, Julie and I went to The Green Hornet.

Yeah, it's not exactly a "girlie" movie but I'm not exactly a girlie girl.

The action was great, there were a lot of funny scenes, and Michel Gondry did the best he could with what he had - meaning, Seth Rogan left a lot to be desired, as usual.

Rogan did have a few good moments, however, for the most part, Jay Chou, the sidekick, was the best part of the movie.

I give it a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars, because Rogan was mostly lame.

Beginnings of an Apron (198:365)

Well, craft night at Julie's turned into the next day, which is when I began this little project.

Using some super cute Moda fabric my friend Ana gave me, I've begun an apron.

More to come...

Nursing Cover (197:365)

Made my first nursing cover today (for a friend, NOT me!) while crafting at my friend Julie's.

I used this amazing tutorial over at Freshly Picked.

 With help from the tutorial, I added a little corner of terry cloth to wipe the drooly baby and a pocket for such necessities as binkys and snacks for momma.

Date Night (184:365)

We met up with some friends in Omaha for dinner at Bonefish Grill. 

I tried Chilean Sea Bass for the first time.

It was good, but not amazing.

Our friends at Wolf fish which was described as an "ugly fish that eats lobster for dinner", so, that one sounded a little too scary for my taste buds. And I just googled "wolf fish". GAG! Just about made me scream. Videos of one eating a crab about made me loose it. I think I will stick with my wimpy fish, thank you. 
Eeesh.

After dinner, Scott and I went to Old Navy and got our growing preschooler some cute clearance size 5 shirts. Then we came home to find that our babysitter had done a wonderful job and had the kids in bed on time and happy! Couldn't ask for more.

Ladies Weekend (183:365)

Today was part 1 of the rockin' mommy party.

We celebrated 3 birthdays, as well as a brief vacation from motherly duties, by shopping till we dropped, eating out in fancy places where kids are not welcome, doing cartwheels down the hotel hallway, and laughing until we cried.

We are all crafty moms, or are aspiring to be such, therefore most gifts for the b-day girls were homemade. Unfortunately I don't have pictures of what others gave, but I do have pics of what I made.

Hairpins made from vintage cabochons.

Rosette hairpin, button hairpin and hair tie.

Fabric wrapped headband with a gold filigree and rose cabochon.

What have you made for someone lately?

Birthday Gifts (182:365)

I've been working on some birthday gifts for 3 of my girlfriends.

No, I will not be sharing what they are because I know you all read this blog.

Hope you like them!

New Friends for Dinner (170:365)

Scott has a friend in his program that is from Ethiopia and we had him and his family over for dinner today. They have two sweet little girls that play so well with Jane. We had a good time getting to know their family and more about their culture. Making new friends is the best!

Sleepover and Thai Soup (156:365)

Tonight I got to party at a YW sleepover at my friend Heather's house. 

Sleeping over, it was me, my friend Heather, another friend Lorena, 

and 8 teenage girls. It wasn't too bad! I had fun playing games,

watching movies, and freezing bras...just kidding.

It was fun though, can't wait for girls camp!

I brought my own dinner to the slumber party and I snagged

a yummy frozen thai soup from Trader Joe's (my grocery bff). 

It was sooo good! Can't wait to buy it again.

Husker Gear (148:365)

Show was a bust, but I had fun with my crafty friends.

Thanks to Julie, Ashley, Jesa, and Cheryl
for your friendship and goofiness. 

Red Ranch.

I made some husker lovelies today for the craft show.

Cute button rings and hair ties (pony tail holders).

(Those are not "z's", but "N's" for UNL yo! It comes out backwards in photo booth.)

Sorry about the awful pics, I just don't have it in me to be fancy today.

Felt Flower Headband and a Photoshoot (144:365)

I got to take a nap yesterday (thanks honey!) 

so I was a bit wired last night.

While wired, I made this at 1am.

I think it turned out pretty cute!

I used organza ribbon to wrap the headband, securing it with my new favorite thing, "Fabri-tac" (thanks Jesa!).

Then I cut out 3 circles for each flower and sewed them like this.

Then I attached vintage buttons I found at an estate sale and some fun orange feathers from Hobby Lobby. On the back of the flower/feather piece, I made loops so I can slide it off and on from my headband, making it interchangeable! Because the worst part of making a headband is covering it. Boo.

I also got to help out on a photoshoot for my friends the D family, with my friend Jesa the photographer. She is really great and was generous to give me many tips!

I had a lot of fun trying to help freezing kids smile ('cuz it was like 17 degrees outside!) and to reflect light back onto those smiling faces.

It was my first time and I learned a lot. Thanks for letting me tag along!

Coffee Table into Shelves and Other Things, Part 1 (143:365)

With the help of my friends Sara and Jacob, I was able to do a little wood repurposing today.

We have a coffee table that was cracked along the bottom support, and which takes up too much room for our newly arranged living room, yet it felt wasteful to just toss out. I knew it still had some life in it somewhere. 

I needed shelves for my out of control fabric stash and crafting zone...

I needed to get a new piece of wood to fix our rocking ottoman that someone manly sat on and broke in two...

To the rescue come Sara and Jacob!

They have a circular saw, and they are super cool and nice, so they let me bring my table over and saw it up into tiny little usable bits!

There was a high of 32° today, but I'm sure it was more like 17° while we were outside sawing up the table. It was so cold, my face went numb, and while I was carrying wood back to my car my hands felt like they were flash frozen! I can't believe how nice my friends were to cut up my wood and do it all out in the frigid weather while their kids were jealous of me taking them away. 

Thanks you guys! I owe you one!

Trader Joe's Baby! (142:365)

Our humble little town has finally been graced with the presence of a Trader Joe's! 

I am in love with that store. 

My friend Heather and I went the minute it opened up this morning to make sure we got all the good stuff before everyone bought it all up. Scott was kind enough to watch our girls and Heather's son so we could battle the crowd childless.

So much food, too little of a stomach.

Today I experienced the grace that is Peppermint Joe Joe's, fresh cooked wild salmon, Goddess dressing, kettle fried pineapple and much more.

For dinner we are either having giant noodles or bulgogi Korean BBQ ribs.

...salivating...

Here we are with our spoils. It was a good day at TJ's.

Cheese is Life (138:365)

Went to visit some friends today and afterward we all had a mom and kid lunch at Godfather's Pizza.

I told Scott and he made me smuggle him some pizza in my purse.

I know.

Anyway, while eating we decided that "cheese is life". 

Why? 

Because it is the perfect snack.

Because it goes with almost anything.

Because it is salty or creamy and delicious.

Why not?

Ask Scott why not.

He's lame about cheese.

Missing out on one of the wonders of the world. That's what I say.

Dinner, Old Friends and Sleep (130:365)

We had my favorite dinner tonight from one of my favorite cookbooks, BGH Cookbook.

Polenta Beef Stew.

Yum.

Super rich beef stew with rosemary.

Pour it on top of some warm and creamy polenta.

With a side of Rosemary dinner rolls that my sister whipped up for us.

Wish I could have dinner twice tonight.

I also went with a friend to visit a couple of old friends that I have missed.

And sleep.

One of my favorite pastimes. 

I am lacking in that department.

Goose is not though. 

She set a personal sleep-in record this morning.

10:15am.

Now, she did wake up at 4:30 am for a while, but I think she was having some #2 issues.

Then she slept soundly until 10:15!

I didn't wake her earlier because we had church at 11 am and she then doesn't get to nap until 2:30 pm.

What a sweetie.

I am a lucky mom.

Ode to Adrianne and Cream Sauce (102:365)

Do you ever daydream about a meal once had and never forgotten?

I often reminisce about one such meal my friend Adrianne made me shortly after she returned from her church mission to Italy.

Peas...

Noodles...

Salty Ham...

Cream Sauce...

Parmesan Cheese...

If your mouth isn't watering right now than your taste buds must be broken.

The recipe for the cream sauce is from my trusty Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.





Then I just cut up some lunch meat ham and cooked some peas, them fried them up with some cooked spaghetti noodles, then put some cream sauce and a little parmesan cheese in the pot and mixed it up until palatable perfection was achieved.

Oh baby.


It was delightful.

Self Binding Baby Blanket (99:365)

I made my first (baby) blanket today.

My friend Kuei is having her first girl and I am excited to welcome her to the club of cuteness that is a baby girl. So, I decided to make her a modern baby blanket.

I found this really great tutorial on how to make a self binding baby blanket.

I followed those great directions to a T minus the monogram.

I think I'll add a monogram next time, it will be a fun thing to try.



Cool stitch I used for my edge, all thanks to my awesome sewing machine, not my rad sewing skillz.