Howdy howdy,
I must say, without Ella around, I have had a lot of time to be with William in a one-on-one fashion that rarely ever happened before.
That, and his continually growing vocabulary, has made for some pretty enjoyable and funny days this past week.
Here is what a typical day with William is like, in terms of how he communicates with me:
- Wake up next to William with him saying "Hi! Hi!" in my face, and then "Pee pee" to mean he has to go to the bathroom.
- On the john, it's "Buh! Buh!" (book) and "Ju-ju!" (choo-choo), meaning he wants me to read him a book about trains.
- When I bring him into the kitchen, he'll say "Pah pah" (puff puff) which refers to the Kix cereal we've been carrying. For some reason he thinks he has to remind me about the "Mih!" (milk) and "Boo" (spoon) that I get him.
- When Daddy gets up, he'll join him for "Wuh!" (wood) and "Boom boom! Ham!" (hammer) and then bring them inside and watch as the fire gets "Hot!" and "Bih!" (big)
- While playing upstairs, he loves to play with his "Bah!" (balls) and have us play "Tah!" (guitar) to him. He has gotten into putting on a "Tutu" to dance to it. :)
- On our stroller walk, before he finally dozes off, he'll point out every "Cah!" (car) he sees and "Chruh!" (truck) he hears. If we pass any "Dah!" (dog), he'll say "Wih-wih, peh!" (William pet) which sometimes happens and sometimes not. When we pass the creek, he'll tell me "Duh! Ee!" (Ducks eat) which refers to the evenings when we go by to feed the ducks.
- When evening rolls around, and he's "Duh" (done) with dinner, he'll happily go brush his "Tee!" (teeth), put on his night time "Diapaah" (diaper) and then go "Nai-nai" (sleep) with "Mama". He'll sometimes pester me for "Mih!" (milk) but usually "Wah-wah" (water) will placate him, and then he's finally asleep.
Phew!
I guess I wanted to record all this to remind my future self what it actually sounded like when he was "talking" to us. As his mama, I speak William-ese, but other people listening in usually have no idea what these monosyllabic sounds are supposed to mean.
Just the other week, while walking with my sister, William was saying "Buh! Buh!" which of course I knew meant that he wanted me to adjust the boots on his feet, which tend to slip off when I carry him. Kathy-neechan remarked that she thought he was saying "book" and was surprised I understand the entirety of the message he was trying to convey with just "Buh!".
And it just goes to show how what can sound so obvious and clear to me is almost always a mystery to other people. Such is your own child's speech patterns, eh?
It's also interesting how at this time of his life, William will not just be satisfied saying his words. He wants me to respond in some way, even if it's just a simple, "Yes, William, that is a dog". Like, he wants that reassurance that I got him.
Most of the time, a "conversation" between us is either, him exclaiming his little monosyllabic sound and me responding with a question like "You want to eat" or "You like that book?". I love when he nods in approval or agreement, even he doesn't take any further action. I think it's one of the few ways he can feel "empowered" in this stage of life. Like, "Yiss! I got my message across!"
Anyway, enough ramblings about William.
You'd think I'd have more photos of him from this week, right? But alas I don't have any that I feel are post-worthy.
Hopefully I will remedy that today.
Watch out for a post on that soon.
Until then, take care and Happy Life With William!!
Friday, January 10, 2014
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Organizing
Howdy again,
So ever since we got back, the combo of Dash being laid up in bed and the house having one less child in it has made for the perfect blend to get some good ol' organizing done!
I have been (re)inspired to tack a tally of our possessions, mainly in terms of what we need and don't need.
It started with just some small steps.
For example, here are two typically disasterous drawers in our kitchen:
(sorry I don't have Before Photos... that would've been so rich!)
There are a lot of reasons why I like organizing/paring down.
Here are some of them:
1) Makes finding things more efficient because you know exactly where things will be, you don't have to sift through distracting things for it, etc etc
2) Makes cleaning up faster. When there is less of everything, and you know where its home is, you don't have to spend as much time cleaning it up
3) Makes moving easier. I have this idea that we'll be moving to Japan or some other such place at some point, so paring down our possessions now, makes it all the more likely and less intimidating if/when it comes around ;)
4) You can give things to others! "One man's trash is another's treasure" is our home's motto. And when going through these two drawers, I found all sorts of items that have no purpose in our home, but will probably find one in someone else's. That will save them the money/effort of tracking it down, and will also save the item from ending up in the landfill if I were lazy and just dealt with it that way.
Some other spots in the house that I hope to hit up (preferably before Ella's arrival are):
1) the back of the TV
You guys know how psychotic it can get back there, mainly in terms of cables, especially when you own as many gadgets as we do (thanks, Dash~)
2) Ella's drawing desk
It feels like this thing is always a work in progress. Like, I just haven't nailed the perfect set-up for her. It's tricky, because she's such a prolific drawer, there are always the vast amounts of drawings to figure out what to do with... Truth be told, a lot go into the recycler in no time, but it's still hard to keep the place manageable and thereby more attractive for her to spend time at in a relaxed and efficient way
3) the cable chest
So Dash has this chest that he found on the curb in L.A. which really has nothing it now but his extensive collection of cables. The exterior is lovely, but the inside is really a huge mess, so I am going to go through it and figure out if a) we need all those cables, b) if things might find a better home elsewhere, c) how to make it more accessible when we do need cables in the future.
Wish me luck.
That is all for now in terms of Dashiell Household Organizing/Paring down.
What really prompted me to do all this, was a chance I had, in Tucson over holiday, to do some fun organizing for my family! One was the cabinet under a guest bathroom, and the other was my nephew's toys. Both resulted in less clutter, tidier order, and therefore more accessibility to use the spaces and the contents within them.
I truly enjoy the order and tranquility that comes from organizing-purging, and how it invariably benefits the homeowner too. I like to consider it my little "christmas gift" to them :)
My relatives were very pleased with my work, and even told me that I could probably make something of a career from it! Wouldn't that be something? :)
I am really going to put more thought toward making that a possibility, because it is something that I enjoy, it helps others, and it makes money. Perfect!!
Anyway, more on that at a different time.
Have any of you guys been bitten by the organize-purge bug? I think the influx of possessions coming into the home a la Christmas gifts is always a good incentive to then move old/unused stuff out.
Like your house taking a nice deep breath. In...and out... I like to keep that cycle alive and well with us :)
If any of you guys have an area of your house that you'd like tackled in terms of organizing-purging, please talk to me! You can be my guinea pigs for the start of my "professional organizer portfolio", eh?
Well, until next time, take care and Happy Organizing!!
So ever since we got back, the combo of Dash being laid up in bed and the house having one less child in it has made for the perfect blend to get some good ol' organizing done!
I have been (re)inspired to tack a tally of our possessions, mainly in terms of what we need and don't need.
It started with just some small steps.
For example, here are two typically disasterous drawers in our kitchen:
(sorry I don't have Before Photos... that would've been so rich!)
 |
| There was so much superfluous junk in here -- duplicates of things, items we never use, etc |
 |
| Everything has a home now! |
There are a lot of reasons why I like organizing/paring down.
Here are some of them:
1) Makes finding things more efficient because you know exactly where things will be, you don't have to sift through distracting things for it, etc etc
2) Makes cleaning up faster. When there is less of everything, and you know where its home is, you don't have to spend as much time cleaning it up
3) Makes moving easier. I have this idea that we'll be moving to Japan or some other such place at some point, so paring down our possessions now, makes it all the more likely and less intimidating if/when it comes around ;)
4) You can give things to others! "One man's trash is another's treasure" is our home's motto. And when going through these two drawers, I found all sorts of items that have no purpose in our home, but will probably find one in someone else's. That will save them the money/effort of tracking it down, and will also save the item from ending up in the landfill if I were lazy and just dealt with it that way.
Some other spots in the house that I hope to hit up (preferably before Ella's arrival are):
1) the back of the TV
You guys know how psychotic it can get back there, mainly in terms of cables, especially when you own as many gadgets as we do (thanks, Dash~)
2) Ella's drawing desk
It feels like this thing is always a work in progress. Like, I just haven't nailed the perfect set-up for her. It's tricky, because she's such a prolific drawer, there are always the vast amounts of drawings to figure out what to do with... Truth be told, a lot go into the recycler in no time, but it's still hard to keep the place manageable and thereby more attractive for her to spend time at in a relaxed and efficient way
3) the cable chest
So Dash has this chest that he found on the curb in L.A. which really has nothing it now but his extensive collection of cables. The exterior is lovely, but the inside is really a huge mess, so I am going to go through it and figure out if a) we need all those cables, b) if things might find a better home elsewhere, c) how to make it more accessible when we do need cables in the future.
Wish me luck.
That is all for now in terms of Dashiell Household Organizing/Paring down.
What really prompted me to do all this, was a chance I had, in Tucson over holiday, to do some fun organizing for my family! One was the cabinet under a guest bathroom, and the other was my nephew's toys. Both resulted in less clutter, tidier order, and therefore more accessibility to use the spaces and the contents within them.
I truly enjoy the order and tranquility that comes from organizing-purging, and how it invariably benefits the homeowner too. I like to consider it my little "christmas gift" to them :)
My relatives were very pleased with my work, and even told me that I could probably make something of a career from it! Wouldn't that be something? :)
I am really going to put more thought toward making that a possibility, because it is something that I enjoy, it helps others, and it makes money. Perfect!!
Anyway, more on that at a different time.
Have any of you guys been bitten by the organize-purge bug? I think the influx of possessions coming into the home a la Christmas gifts is always a good incentive to then move old/unused stuff out.
Like your house taking a nice deep breath. In...and out... I like to keep that cycle alive and well with us :)
If any of you guys have an area of your house that you'd like tackled in terms of organizing-purging, please talk to me! You can be my guinea pigs for the start of my "professional organizer portfolio", eh?
Well, until next time, take care and Happy Organizing!!
Monday, January 6, 2014
New Years Resolutions 2014
Howdy howdy!
Okay, so we're already some days into 2014, but I thought I should let you know how my 2013 New Years Resolutions went...and what is in store for 2014.
Here goes:
2013 Resolutions
[x] read the newspaper(s) daily
[x] be car-free at least 4 days a week
[ ] get Ella to sleep in her own bed
[x] try out a different church every Sunday
[x] keep on top of things better (housekeeping, etc)
[x] blog every day
[x] make a garden
[ ] floss every night
[x] get William out of diapers
So, yeah!
Not too shabby.
Lemme explain the un-x'ed ones:
"Get Ella to sleep in her own bed"
Well, Ella can fall asleep on her own (more or less) now, but as for her own bed... It's a constant struggle with us. Maybe I shouldn't call it a "struggle" because weeks can go by where I do not care a lick that she is in our bed with us. And then there are those nights when I have just had it!
But thankfully, back in early December, Dash and I really worked together to get her used to the idea of sleeping in her own bed -- which I must say was scooted right up against our bed, for crying out loud! It was pretty successful! But then the trip came and we had to share a bed with her every night, so...we'll see what it's like when she is back home from Florida. Ha! Oh well, I have a whole new year to work on getting this one completed!
"Floss every night"
For some reason I just cannot make a habit of this.
Maybe if I'd been raised from a very early age with this being an expected task. But it feels like it just sorta popped in my later years as "something to be done regularly" rather than just "when you know food is stuck between your teeth". At least my dental health is as good as ever, so no repercussions there, though I know I should definitely get on it if I want healthy teeth in the long haul!
In general, I think I stuck to my goals pretty well!
Something that helps (as always) is posting it right on my inspiration board at my desk so that I can look them over daily.
Also, I know that I checkmarked some goals that I didn't exactly accomplish in full (like blogging daily) but it was nearly as good as achieved, so I checked it.
Like William's diaper usage.
Right before our trip, things were looking dismal in that department, as he had regressed to like 3-4 diapers a day.
But on our trip -- voila! He is back to communicating his needs, and we do not have to make a point of pottying him when the clock deems it a good time. He takes the initiative himself!
While in AZ, he didn't wet his nighttime diaper once, but that might have been because of the dry climate, because he is back to having a wet diaper upon waking again. Oh, well. I'll take one diaper a day, no problem! :)
I also wonder how "on top of things" I have been in terms of the house.
I think I've been better at addressing email correspondence and other mail than usual, and the house is kept tidy. But I know I have to be better about the "deep clean" needs like in the bathroom and the kitchen.
That will be one of my goals this year.
Which brings me to my new list!
2014 Resolutions
[ ] jog every other day, do strength exercises
[ ] master the cable knit
[ ] knit some socks!!
[ ] be a savvy shopper (compare prices from different stores, etc)
[ ] keep the house cleaner
[ ] get Ella Rose to really sleep in her own bed (willingly!)
So yeah, these are pretty self-explanatory.
I swear, goals having to do with Ella Rose and her sleeping habits have been on the list every year for the past 3 years, it feels like! Ha!!
And yes, some knitting goals are back. Buya!
Overall, because of the ages that the kids are at, I feel able to craft more again.
Christmas was just a sampling of it, and I foresee much more free time as they learn to play independently, and (better yet) play with each other as playmates.
Yep. 2014 is going to be a good year.
May we have as healthy/safe/happy/productive/fun year as we did in 2013. And then some ;)
Hope you are all looking as forward to the new year as I am.
Let's make it a good one!
Until next time, take care and Happy New Years Resolutions!!
Okay, so we're already some days into 2014, but I thought I should let you know how my 2013 New Years Resolutions went...and what is in store for 2014.
Here goes:
2013 Resolutions
[x] read the newspaper(s) daily
[x] be car-free at least 4 days a week
[ ] get Ella to sleep in her own bed
[x] try out a different church every Sunday
[x] keep on top of things better (housekeeping, etc)
[x] blog every day
[x] make a garden
[ ] floss every night
[x] get William out of diapers
So, yeah!
Not too shabby.
Lemme explain the un-x'ed ones:
"Get Ella to sleep in her own bed"
Well, Ella can fall asleep on her own (more or less) now, but as for her own bed... It's a constant struggle with us. Maybe I shouldn't call it a "struggle" because weeks can go by where I do not care a lick that she is in our bed with us. And then there are those nights when I have just had it!
But thankfully, back in early December, Dash and I really worked together to get her used to the idea of sleeping in her own bed -- which I must say was scooted right up against our bed, for crying out loud! It was pretty successful! But then the trip came and we had to share a bed with her every night, so...we'll see what it's like when she is back home from Florida. Ha! Oh well, I have a whole new year to work on getting this one completed!
"Floss every night"
For some reason I just cannot make a habit of this.
Maybe if I'd been raised from a very early age with this being an expected task. But it feels like it just sorta popped in my later years as "something to be done regularly" rather than just "when you know food is stuck between your teeth". At least my dental health is as good as ever, so no repercussions there, though I know I should definitely get on it if I want healthy teeth in the long haul!
In general, I think I stuck to my goals pretty well!
Something that helps (as always) is posting it right on my inspiration board at my desk so that I can look them over daily.
Also, I know that I checkmarked some goals that I didn't exactly accomplish in full (like blogging daily) but it was nearly as good as achieved, so I checked it.
Like William's diaper usage.
Right before our trip, things were looking dismal in that department, as he had regressed to like 3-4 diapers a day.
But on our trip -- voila! He is back to communicating his needs, and we do not have to make a point of pottying him when the clock deems it a good time. He takes the initiative himself!
While in AZ, he didn't wet his nighttime diaper once, but that might have been because of the dry climate, because he is back to having a wet diaper upon waking again. Oh, well. I'll take one diaper a day, no problem! :)
I also wonder how "on top of things" I have been in terms of the house.
I think I've been better at addressing email correspondence and other mail than usual, and the house is kept tidy. But I know I have to be better about the "deep clean" needs like in the bathroom and the kitchen.
That will be one of my goals this year.
Which brings me to my new list!
2014 Resolutions
[ ] jog every other day, do strength exercises
[ ] master the cable knit
[ ] knit some socks!!
[ ] be a savvy shopper (compare prices from different stores, etc)
[ ] keep the house cleaner
[ ] get Ella Rose to really sleep in her own bed (willingly!)
So yeah, these are pretty self-explanatory.
I swear, goals having to do with Ella Rose and her sleeping habits have been on the list every year for the past 3 years, it feels like! Ha!!
And yes, some knitting goals are back. Buya!
Overall, because of the ages that the kids are at, I feel able to craft more again.
Christmas was just a sampling of it, and I foresee much more free time as they learn to play independently, and (better yet) play with each other as playmates.
Yep. 2014 is going to be a good year.
May we have as healthy/safe/happy/productive/fun year as we did in 2013. And then some ;)
Hope you are all looking as forward to the new year as I am.
Let's make it a good one!
Until next time, take care and Happy New Years Resolutions!!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Back from the holidays!
Hello, everyone!
Pardon the long absence, but we are finally back from the adventure-and-a-half that was Christmas 2013. :)
Last I wrote, we are still in Corvallis, busily crafting for all our friends and families. Well, just short of a week later, we were hightailing it down to AZ in the Dolphin!
Did I ever tell you how back in September, Dash left for a week to follow Furthur on one of their tours...and accidentally damaged the camper! ;_; Below are the initial before and after shots:
As you can see, it was (thankfully) just a topical injury, but still pretty important if we want to keep the Dolphin from dry in the wet, wet weather of Oregon.
Anyway, that was what ate up most of his time before our departure in mid-December, and I want to take the final "after" photo...but Dash insists that he wants to wait until he has painted on the stripes that the Dolphin so dutifully earned on this massive trip. So watch out for upcoming photos of that ;)
Anyway, back to our trip:
The trip down took a "leisurely" three days, during which we read/crafted a lot in the back of the camper, visited my sis, caught up with friends at a Mexican restaurant in L.A. and then joined for delicious buttermilk pancakes in the morning. Yum! We arrived in Tucson in the wee hours of Saturday, and thankfully got to spend the rest of the trip in a relatively constant state of rest and relaxaction. Buya!!
I still had some last minute gifts to complete, which I enjoyed doing late in the evening, as well as a little throughout the day. I was so happy not to find myself "having to run to the store for last-minute gifts" or such nonsense.
So below are some of the gifts I made and gave:
I unfortunately don't have any shots of this cat bed I made for my sis-in-law's cat, but all I can say is that it was upcycled from an unused sweater of Dash's. Simple instructions can be found here.
Oh! I also made a hat for my little niece which was the first hat I've ever knitted!!
But as you can see in the photo, it has a nifty little twist to it ;)
That's right, her parents are Star Wars fans, so they appreciated the little tribute. :D
My friend B.S. was the one who inspired me and even supplied the pattern + yarn. What a sweetie!! :)
You remember me talking about a $100 Christmas challenge?
Well, I'm happy to say that we stuck to it through all this DIY fun, and with shipping costs included, the grand total for 2013 came out to $91.70! Phew!!
I gotta say that the generosity of my community held a lot with this. The gifted yarn, stuffing for the cat bed, and that rigorous day of soapmaking with M.M. to say the least.
I definitely think that homemade soap will become something of a staple gift from hereon out, seeing as how I am next aiming to make our own lye from our wood ashes, further saving money on the process. Buya.
Anyway, it was a great visit, like I said, with much bonding between children and extended family, great food, beautiful warm weather, and even time for me to go out jogging every other day or so. That felt great.
Now to finish up this pair of mittens for Ella that has duplicate stitching of the Triforce. Hee. :)
On the way back, we stopped by Kathy's again, and by now William was showing signs of having...oh, dear... Hand-Foot-Mouth-Disease! Courtesy of my little niece. But besides having unsightly blisters and scabs on him, he's just like he usually is -- only less social on account of quarantining ourselves for others' behalf.
We "celebrated" New Years with Kathy and Martin, which really just consisted of eating Indian food and drinking cheap champagne (my favorite!) because I hit the hay pretty soon after that. Then, came a very exciting event, as we drove Kathy, Martin, and Ella to the airport so that they could enjoy the second half of their holiday vacation - in Disney World!!
That's right, as I speak, Ella is down there with her Aba, too, just living it up in D-World. My mom is a doll and keeps sending updates of photos via phone, so I can "enjoy" the experience right alongside her. Heh.
Well, I am glad we had a safe and awesome trip -- and just as happy to be back home too.
As I've said before, I love the holidays but I also love when they are over.
Even the act of stripping down all the holiday decorations feels great.
Like I am just so ready for a new year to happen!
As is customary, I'll be writing again soon with my New Years Resolutions report, and hopefully will be better about updating regularly as I did (more or less) in 2013.
Well, until then, take care and I hope you all had a wonderful end of 2013, but are Happy To Be Back From Holidays!!
Pardon the long absence, but we are finally back from the adventure-and-a-half that was Christmas 2013. :)
Last I wrote, we are still in Corvallis, busily crafting for all our friends and families. Well, just short of a week later, we were hightailing it down to AZ in the Dolphin!
Did I ever tell you how back in September, Dash left for a week to follow Furthur on one of their tours...and accidentally damaged the camper! ;_; Below are the initial before and after shots:
 |
| He miscalculated the distance from a tree's branches... |
 |
| Gooooo duct tape! :) |
As you can see, it was (thankfully) just a topical injury, but still pretty important if we want to keep the Dolphin from dry in the wet, wet weather of Oregon.
Anyway, that was what ate up most of his time before our departure in mid-December, and I want to take the final "after" photo...but Dash insists that he wants to wait until he has painted on the stripes that the Dolphin so dutifully earned on this massive trip. So watch out for upcoming photos of that ;)
Anyway, back to our trip:
The trip down took a "leisurely" three days, during which we read/crafted a lot in the back of the camper, visited my sis, caught up with friends at a Mexican restaurant in L.A. and then joined for delicious buttermilk pancakes in the morning. Yum! We arrived in Tucson in the wee hours of Saturday, and thankfully got to spend the rest of the trip in a relatively constant state of rest and relaxaction. Buya!!
I still had some last minute gifts to complete, which I enjoyed doing late in the evening, as well as a little throughout the day. I was so happy not to find myself "having to run to the store for last-minute gifts" or such nonsense.
So below are some of the gifts I made and gave:
 |
| New mittens for William, complete with double-stitching :) |
 |
| New dresses for Ella's dolls -- a combo of sewing, knitting, and sock-upcycling. Ha! |
 |
| This was the main gift to most of the family. Homemade soap and knitted washcloths as a set |
 |
| My proudest creation yet. Ella's hands embroidered on a handy tote for - you guessed it - Nana! :) |
I unfortunately don't have any shots of this cat bed I made for my sis-in-law's cat, but all I can say is that it was upcycled from an unused sweater of Dash's. Simple instructions can be found here.
Oh! I also made a hat for my little niece which was the first hat I've ever knitted!!
But as you can see in the photo, it has a nifty little twist to it ;)
 |
| I couldn't get a shot of my niece in it, so here's William :D |
That's right, her parents are Star Wars fans, so they appreciated the little tribute. :D
My friend B.S. was the one who inspired me and even supplied the pattern + yarn. What a sweetie!! :)
You remember me talking about a $100 Christmas challenge?
Well, I'm happy to say that we stuck to it through all this DIY fun, and with shipping costs included, the grand total for 2013 came out to $91.70! Phew!!
I gotta say that the generosity of my community held a lot with this. The gifted yarn, stuffing for the cat bed, and that rigorous day of soapmaking with M.M. to say the least.
I definitely think that homemade soap will become something of a staple gift from hereon out, seeing as how I am next aiming to make our own lye from our wood ashes, further saving money on the process. Buya.
Anyway, it was a great visit, like I said, with much bonding between children and extended family, great food, beautiful warm weather, and even time for me to go out jogging every other day or so. That felt great.
Now to finish up this pair of mittens for Ella that has duplicate stitching of the Triforce. Hee. :)
On the way back, we stopped by Kathy's again, and by now William was showing signs of having...oh, dear... Hand-Foot-Mouth-Disease! Courtesy of my little niece. But besides having unsightly blisters and scabs on him, he's just like he usually is -- only less social on account of quarantining ourselves for others' behalf.
We "celebrated" New Years with Kathy and Martin, which really just consisted of eating Indian food and drinking cheap champagne (my favorite!) because I hit the hay pretty soon after that. Then, came a very exciting event, as we drove Kathy, Martin, and Ella to the airport so that they could enjoy the second half of their holiday vacation - in Disney World!!
That's right, as I speak, Ella is down there with her Aba, too, just living it up in D-World. My mom is a doll and keeps sending updates of photos via phone, so I can "enjoy" the experience right alongside her. Heh.
Well, I am glad we had a safe and awesome trip -- and just as happy to be back home too.
As I've said before, I love the holidays but I also love when they are over.
Even the act of stripping down all the holiday decorations feels great.
Like I am just so ready for a new year to happen!
As is customary, I'll be writing again soon with my New Years Resolutions report, and hopefully will be better about updating regularly as I did (more or less) in 2013.
Well, until then, take care and I hope you all had a wonderful end of 2013, but are Happy To Be Back From Holidays!!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Watch This Video
Hey all,
A friend sent me a great TED Talk video that addresses about something I am rather dedicated to in my life, and that wouldn't hurt for others to consider too:
I find this especially relevant during this Christmas season.
I understand this is a time that many people can go above and beyond their means to purchase things for family and friends believing that it is the only/ultimate way to express their love for them. It is a true reality that people will go into the red while funding their "holiday shopping".
That is why I have adopted a "$100 Christmas" goal for our family these past couple of years (last mentioned here). Excluding the occasional mandatory travel costs, I give myself a $100 limit for all things gift related (items + sending costs). This plan has several benefits including: less stress, kinder environmental choices, decluttering our homes and those of our loved ones, focusing on "presence" over "presents", and putting our money toward more productive goals -- for us it's the education of our children; a gift that truly keeps on giving ;).
As I have repeated a couple of times on my blog, I hope to instill in my own children the understanding that Christmas is not a time of gluttonous consumption. Rather, it's about looking out for others. Expressing our love for others with every stitch we knit, every bow we tie, and every cookie we bake. The time and presence it takes to work on these crafty Christmas projects is spent joyously as a family, honing our skills or learning new ones, and always with our dear ones in the forefront of our minds.
So even if our gifts may be small, they are bursting with love for the recipients and are meant to be something of real use to them. I try to avoid knicknacks that simply clog shelves, and instead aim for something that could get ample use -- hopefully daily! Maybe that's just because that's what I prefer in the objects in my life :)
Anyway, I think that's enough preaching from my soapbox.
I'll get down now, and hope that you have time to watch this inspirational video.
And maybe try the $100 Christmas challenge too.
See if it lightens the load of financial strain, motivates you to revisit an old skill or pick up a new one, and shifts the focus of the season from buying/consuming to making/giving! ;)
Until next time, take care and Happy Videos!!
A friend sent me a great TED Talk video that addresses about something I am rather dedicated to in my life, and that wouldn't hurt for others to consider too:
I find this especially relevant during this Christmas season.
I understand this is a time that many people can go above and beyond their means to purchase things for family and friends believing that it is the only/ultimate way to express their love for them. It is a true reality that people will go into the red while funding their "holiday shopping".
That is why I have adopted a "$100 Christmas" goal for our family these past couple of years (last mentioned here). Excluding the occasional mandatory travel costs, I give myself a $100 limit for all things gift related (items + sending costs). This plan has several benefits including: less stress, kinder environmental choices, decluttering our homes and those of our loved ones, focusing on "presence" over "presents", and putting our money toward more productive goals -- for us it's the education of our children; a gift that truly keeps on giving ;).
As I have repeated a couple of times on my blog, I hope to instill in my own children the understanding that Christmas is not a time of gluttonous consumption. Rather, it's about looking out for others. Expressing our love for others with every stitch we knit, every bow we tie, and every cookie we bake. The time and presence it takes to work on these crafty Christmas projects is spent joyously as a family, honing our skills or learning new ones, and always with our dear ones in the forefront of our minds.
So even if our gifts may be small, they are bursting with love for the recipients and are meant to be something of real use to them. I try to avoid knicknacks that simply clog shelves, and instead aim for something that could get ample use -- hopefully daily! Maybe that's just because that's what I prefer in the objects in my life :)
Anyway, I think that's enough preaching from my soapbox.
I'll get down now, and hope that you have time to watch this inspirational video.
And maybe try the $100 Christmas challenge too.
See if it lightens the load of financial strain, motivates you to revisit an old skill or pick up a new one, and shifts the focus of the season from buying/consuming to making/giving! ;)
Until next time, take care and Happy Videos!!
Monday, December 9, 2013
Snowy Weather
Hello hello!
My what a weekend we've had since I last wrote on Thursday.
It ended up snowing heavily some time in the middle of the night on into Friday and resulted in school closures, slippery roads, and an all together different kind of weekend for the Dashiell Family.
A real Snowmaggedon.
Even as I sit typing here on Monday evening, Corvallis School District has already decided to close school yet again for tomorrow, giving local kids the rare and much enjoyed 5-day weekend!
This hasn't affected us all too much besides the fact that Ella Rose won't be going to school tomorrow and we haven't had the usual high schooler traffic on our street. Phew!
Here are some things that we've done on our weekend snow-in:
- Christmas present crafting
- beating Super Mario Bros. 3D World
- taking walks
- cleaning house!!
- watching holiday-themed Thomas the Tank Engine
- knitting
- attending a fellow Peachy's birthday party
So yeah, lots of indoor time and not so much socializing compared to usual.
What a weekend for the snowmaggedon to come -- so many events I was looking forward to got canceled. ;_; I'm glad I was not an event organizer for anything this past weekend, because so much had to be postponed, rescheduled, or all together canceled. Boo-hoo!
But it was nice having so much 4-person Dashiell Family fun. Dash has been baking up a storm too, with waffles two mornings in a row, pizza, biscuits, and tonight a pineapple-apple pie. Yum!!
Speaking of food, it feels like we've been really raking our pantries to create meals from what we already have (and neglect) instead of going to the store. It feels like we're really reaching the bottom of the barrel of our spoils from all that summertime dumpster diving. Ha! :D
Now to see what we can score when a faction of the students leave once finals are done at the end of this week. Heh!
Dash has taken many a nice shot of the winter wonderland that became our house and neighborhood but most are on Facebook already, so here is a shot of Dash's hair tonight:
He's got aho-ge!!!
Apparently he thinks he needs a haircut, but I think he looks fine.
Oh! And I should mention that the knitting I've done are in the line of mittens!
Remember how crazy I was about mittens a couple of years back?
Well, I am on a roll again making a new set for the kiddos and for the birthday boy on Sunday!
I even got to implement more duplicate stitching, and made little starts on them.
Should've taken a photo!! >_<
Oh well, maybe I'll ask his mama~
Well!
That is all for now.
Hope you are all staying warm and safe in this snowy/icy weather and until next time, take care and Happy Snowy Weather!
My what a weekend we've had since I last wrote on Thursday.
It ended up snowing heavily some time in the middle of the night on into Friday and resulted in school closures, slippery roads, and an all together different kind of weekend for the Dashiell Family.
A real Snowmaggedon.
Even as I sit typing here on Monday evening, Corvallis School District has already decided to close school yet again for tomorrow, giving local kids the rare and much enjoyed 5-day weekend!
This hasn't affected us all too much besides the fact that Ella Rose won't be going to school tomorrow and we haven't had the usual high schooler traffic on our street. Phew!
Here are some things that we've done on our weekend snow-in:
- Christmas present crafting
- beating Super Mario Bros. 3D World
- taking walks
- cleaning house!!
- watching holiday-themed Thomas the Tank Engine
- knitting
- attending a fellow Peachy's birthday party
So yeah, lots of indoor time and not so much socializing compared to usual.
What a weekend for the snowmaggedon to come -- so many events I was looking forward to got canceled. ;_; I'm glad I was not an event organizer for anything this past weekend, because so much had to be postponed, rescheduled, or all together canceled. Boo-hoo!
But it was nice having so much 4-person Dashiell Family fun. Dash has been baking up a storm too, with waffles two mornings in a row, pizza, biscuits, and tonight a pineapple-apple pie. Yum!!
Speaking of food, it feels like we've been really raking our pantries to create meals from what we already have (and neglect) instead of going to the store. It feels like we're really reaching the bottom of the barrel of our spoils from all that summertime dumpster diving. Ha! :D
Now to see what we can score when a faction of the students leave once finals are done at the end of this week. Heh!
Dash has taken many a nice shot of the winter wonderland that became our house and neighborhood but most are on Facebook already, so here is a shot of Dash's hair tonight:
 |
| A little hard to see but it's on the left there... |
He's got aho-ge!!!
Apparently he thinks he needs a haircut, but I think he looks fine.
Oh! And I should mention that the knitting I've done are in the line of mittens!
Remember how crazy I was about mittens a couple of years back?
Well, I am on a roll again making a new set for the kiddos and for the birthday boy on Sunday!
I even got to implement more duplicate stitching, and made little starts on them.
Should've taken a photo!! >_<
Oh well, maybe I'll ask his mama~
Well!
That is all for now.
Hope you are all staying warm and safe in this snowy/icy weather and until next time, take care and Happy Snowy Weather!
Thursday, December 5, 2013
The Poisonwood Bible
Hello, hello!
It probably feels like a long time since I made a post about a book I've read, but it's not because I'm not reading books...just not posting about it or plain not finishing them yet. ;)
The last book I read was Proof of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander.
I read it while on our trip to D.C. for the Leonada (the family reunion on my grandmother's side of the family) back in August/Sept.
It was a lovely read, soothing and reassuring if you choose to believe in the kind of afterlife the author allegedly experienced. Which I have chosen to do. I don't know why I never made a post about it -- maybe it's because I don't feel I can write about it without giving it away or fear of failing to describe it in a way that won't make people roll their eyes with cynicism. Myself, I'm not one to think about near-death experiences or ponder the afterlife, so this book was very different from what I usual read, and one that I am glad I picked up. My mother's recommendation, no surprise there ;)
If you have a moment and are interested in stretching your mind a bit in a direction you don't usually let it go in, then do yourself a favor and pick up this book.
It's a quick read, especially when you read the large print edition which I just so happen to be a fan of. ;)
Now for the most recent book I just finished:
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
The second Barbara Kingsolver book I've ever been exposed to, but definitely not the last. I aim to read every book of hers that our library carries, if possible. Her prose is so beautiful, bordering on poetry a lot of the time, and always touching upon a myriad of issues that strike a chord with me, even if I don't always recognize that they do beforehand.
I am proud to say that I was able to finish this book in four days while knitting Christmas presents, taking brisk walks, bicycling, and working at the college all at the same time.
How, you ask? Because I technically listened to an audio version of it that I got from audible.com.
My first really good audiobook experience was listening to Douglas Adams' The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul which we listened to in the car with my mom on some long roadtrip somewhere in our early teens... I want to say it was when college-hunting, but I think I was too young for that then. Hmm... Either way, that was the first one and ever since that, I've had a deep appreciation for audiobooks.
Another recent good audiobook was The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
Also a library rental and one that Dash and I enjoyed every evening in bed while Ella Rose slept next to us. It was good to be able to enjoy a book simultaneously like that together so that we could discuss it the next day and always be on the same "page" in it. Though it was hardly an uplifting title, phew!
The narrator for The Poisonwood Bible was the perfect choice because either she naturally had a faint Southern accent or was just really good at mimicking one, because most of the characters in the book are from Georgia and she did a great job with them.
There are themes of conquest-submission, growing up and out from under your parents' influence, the hardships of motherhood, and family bonds in general.
It was a very rich read and I look forward to getting another audiobook soon that I can enjoy while walking the dog or hopping the bike for a quick errand. Just a nice little companion to take on such outings. Or, better yet, listening to while knitting on the sofa and such.
Before that, though, I have to finish this collection of short stories by Neil Gaiman that I am borrowing from a friend. I like reading one little story every night before turning out the light. It's so nice reading good old fiction after what was a pretty long stint of non-fiction.
Oh, well! You learn lots from either type, I think.
Until next time, take care, happy reading and Happy Poisonwood Bible!
It probably feels like a long time since I made a post about a book I've read, but it's not because I'm not reading books...just not posting about it or plain not finishing them yet. ;)
The last book I read was Proof of Heaven by Dr. Eben Alexander.
I read it while on our trip to D.C. for the Leonada (the family reunion on my grandmother's side of the family) back in August/Sept.
It was a lovely read, soothing and reassuring if you choose to believe in the kind of afterlife the author allegedly experienced. Which I have chosen to do. I don't know why I never made a post about it -- maybe it's because I don't feel I can write about it without giving it away or fear of failing to describe it in a way that won't make people roll their eyes with cynicism. Myself, I'm not one to think about near-death experiences or ponder the afterlife, so this book was very different from what I usual read, and one that I am glad I picked up. My mother's recommendation, no surprise there ;)
If you have a moment and are interested in stretching your mind a bit in a direction you don't usually let it go in, then do yourself a favor and pick up this book.
It's a quick read, especially when you read the large print edition which I just so happen to be a fan of. ;)
Now for the most recent book I just finished:
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
The second Barbara Kingsolver book I've ever been exposed to, but definitely not the last. I aim to read every book of hers that our library carries, if possible. Her prose is so beautiful, bordering on poetry a lot of the time, and always touching upon a myriad of issues that strike a chord with me, even if I don't always recognize that they do beforehand.
I am proud to say that I was able to finish this book in four days while knitting Christmas presents, taking brisk walks, bicycling, and working at the college all at the same time.
How, you ask? Because I technically listened to an audio version of it that I got from audible.com.
My first really good audiobook experience was listening to Douglas Adams' The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul which we listened to in the car with my mom on some long roadtrip somewhere in our early teens... I want to say it was when college-hunting, but I think I was too young for that then. Hmm... Either way, that was the first one and ever since that, I've had a deep appreciation for audiobooks.
Another recent good audiobook was The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
Also a library rental and one that Dash and I enjoyed every evening in bed while Ella Rose slept next to us. It was good to be able to enjoy a book simultaneously like that together so that we could discuss it the next day and always be on the same "page" in it. Though it was hardly an uplifting title, phew!
The narrator for The Poisonwood Bible was the perfect choice because either she naturally had a faint Southern accent or was just really good at mimicking one, because most of the characters in the book are from Georgia and she did a great job with them.
There are themes of conquest-submission, growing up and out from under your parents' influence, the hardships of motherhood, and family bonds in general.
It was a very rich read and I look forward to getting another audiobook soon that I can enjoy while walking the dog or hopping the bike for a quick errand. Just a nice little companion to take on such outings. Or, better yet, listening to while knitting on the sofa and such.
Before that, though, I have to finish this collection of short stories by Neil Gaiman that I am borrowing from a friend. I like reading one little story every night before turning out the light. It's so nice reading good old fiction after what was a pretty long stint of non-fiction.
Oh, well! You learn lots from either type, I think.
Until next time, take care, happy reading and Happy Poisonwood Bible!
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