born.in.japan

A Little Break

Just wanted to pop with a quickie post to let you know that I’m going to be away from this space for a little while. A week at least, maybe two.

For now we are in between homes. Getting the keys to our new place tonight. Our current place filled with boxes and clutter and mess.

The little man is starting to get a little disoriented by it all, so he needs my time, as does the move. As does this little one growing in my belly.

So many demands at the moment that somethings got to give. This time, it is the blog.

I’ll be back soon, with adventures from the move and all the fun of setting up a new home and making some of our dreams into reality.

See you then!

Around and About

While I haven’t had much time to do inspiring or creative things around here, I have had some time to find creative things that I want to do, there are so many inspiring people and places around and about.

I’m hoping that once time allows (after the move and more of this pregnancy fatigue starts to lift), finding will change to doing and we’ll all be so.very.happy.

Love these little bitty sketchbooks featured over at Ohdedooh. Might mean I never have to buy a Moleskine again.

And these snack sacks by Reprodepot, well, they’d be perfect for my little toddler (or the pregnant lady that constantly has a case of the munchies).

And I can’t get over how sweet this Butterfly Shadowbox is from Clean. Seriously amazing idea.

Maybe I’m feeling the need for a place to put all of my lists, but I also love this notebook, made from recycled papers and such, over at genuine mudpie.

And these fabric envelopes, made by In Color Order, would just be so much fun to make and have around. I still have dreams of going back to our cash lifestyle from Japan, these could be perfect budgeting envelopes!

So, those are some of the things I’m itching to make, how about you? What inspiration have you found lately?

Quiet in Chaos

Despite the chaos surrounding me (boxes, clutter, mess) there still is one little quiet space. One little place where I can go to tune it all out and take a few moments to relax, create, and focus.

My spinning corner.

While I can still see all the chaos from the chair behind my wheel, it is so easy to ignore it all as the fiber travels through my fingers and the steady treadling works to calm my breaths.

Right now I’m working on spinning up a gorgeous brown fleece, gifted to me by a family friend. So far about 350 yards have been spun and plied, bulky weight.

It is light and lofty, the most gorgeous chocolate brown. While not next-to-the-skin soft, it is soft enough for me. Only 350 yards done, a fraction of what I have to spin, but I’m already dreaming about what it might eventually become.

Some strong contenders,

The Hemlock Ring Blanket, a stunning and beautiful design by Brooklyn Tweed. (Photo is his)

In a close second,

The Shalom Cardigan, by Involving the Senses. (Photo is hers) I first saw this lovely little cardi in a post by Soulemama and I’ve wanted my own ever since. It is simple and beautiful. I’d keep it short sleeve, I love the look with a long-sleeve layer underneath and I think it would be the perfect thing to layer over my already-expanding tummy. I’d be the perfect thing to throw on in our new we-have-to-pay-for-heat apartment, wool is going to be a necessity! But, if I want it for this year, for this pregnant season, I’d better get those needles clicking, and fast!

This Moment

Inspired by Amanda over at Soulemama, I’ve chosen to spend Fridays taking the chance to record a single moment from the everyday around here. One moment that I just don’t want to forget.

An unexpected middle-of-the-night trip to the hospital, the second one in our parenting career. I definitely handled this one much better and I’m always surprised by how well we all weather these little storms, especially little Ewan.

Plan B

Today was one of those days. So much work, yet so little progress.

A handful of boxes were packed, leaving the house seeming so.very.cluttered. I can handle dirt and dust, but clutter is enough to drive me crazy.

Phone calls were made, trying to figure out why it is taking well over a month to get our washing machine fixed. Despite a good 45 minutes spent talking to multiple different people, it still remains a mystery.

A quiche was planned for dinner and right from the get-go it was ill-fated. Ewan was underfoot in our tiny galley kitchen (two weeks until a bigger kitchen!!!), the oven was preheating making our steamy apartment even hotter, and the crust just wasn’t cooperating, despite following Virginia’s tried-and-tested recipe.

I threw in the towel, literally, and knew that I had to come up with a Plan B. And, based on the rumblings in that pregnant tummy of mine and the cries from the babe now on my back, I knew I didn’t have long.

A quick glance in the freezer and through the recipe box and the day, well dinner at least, was saved.

My standby pancake recipe with strawberry sauce.

Plan B Pancakes

In the morning or as a dinner, these pancakes do double duty. If you like your pancakes plain, this recipe can’t be beat, the vanilla and cinnamon add just enough flavor to keep them interesting without the usual accompaniments. But if you’re feeling extra fancy (or your day has been particularly crappy), top them with strawberry sauce like we did.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Milk (dairy, soy or rice), until desired consistency

Directions

• In a large bowl mix together dry ingredients.
• Add eggs, vanilla, and oil and mix lightly.
• Add milk, slowly, stirring in between additions until your batter is of desired consistency. We like pancakes on the thin side around here, so we add more milk. If you like yours thick and fluffy, add less.
• Cook on the griddle.
• Top with strawberry sauce, butter and maple syrup, or enjoy them plain. It’s up to you!

So, if you find yourself at that pre-dinner hour in a bit of a jam like I was, whip up a batch of pancakes to save the day. Dare I say that I think my Plan B was even better than the quiche would have been. Yes, I do think that one thing went right today.

Promise

Despite a basket filled with languishing knitting projects (a vest, a sock, a gaiter, and other things yet to be uncovered), yesterday was a day that demanded something new.

A quick dive into the yarn bin, filled with treasures from my pre-Japan days, yielded this little number.

A single skein of Malabrigo Baby Lace. 470 yards of exactly what yesterday needed.

Already cast on into a simple feather-and-fan scarf destined for someone besides me. I’m loving working on it, the simple repetition of the pattern. The fact that I can complete a few rows while Ewan luxuriates in his lunch. The fact that I finally, finally, have the energy to do something a little more than just sit on the sofa while staring at the wall. (Sadly, that has been the usual state of affairs for the past, oh, three months.) Even though I’m loving it, it just so isn’t me. But it will be somebody, I’m sure of that.

And, just a quick unrelated note, this yarn reminds me of all the reasons why I so love laceweight yarn. Among other things, it definitely satisfies my desire for thriftiness. Right up there in the palm of my hand is 470 yards. It will yield a nice, sizeable, beautiful scarf. It is hand-dyed and gorgeous. It will take me a good long while to knit up. All this for about 10 bucks. Can’t.beat.that.

Excuse me now, the babe is napping and I think I might just knit a few rows, or perhaps I’ll take a seat behind my spinning wheel. Oh, choices!

Non Linear

It took us 45 minutes to walk to the park yesterday. The park that is less than a block away. That’s because…

there were light posts, two of them, to look at and bang.

doors to knock on.

yards to wander through.

flowers to smell, and he didn’t leave out a single variety.

houses to visit.

fences to climb.

shadows to study.

gates to clank.

signs to hide behind.

stairs to climb.

and, then, to rest upon.

but, once the park was in sight. It was all business.

he knew just what he wanted.

to play with the gate, of course.

This Moment

Inspired by Amanda over at Soulemama, I’ve chosen to spend Fridays taking the chance to record a single moment from the everyday around here. One moment that I just don’t want to forget.

Spending afternoons inside to escape the “excessive heat” meant that we had to get a little creative around here. A fort was just the thing. Took the living room to a new level and gave the little one new places to explore.

Project 365 – July

(click on the photo to head over to Flickr to see all the pictures)

31 days in the month and only 29 photos above. I’ll blame pregnancy. Fatigue. Haze. Sleeping. There’s less time to take photos when I’m sleeping an extra few hours a day, right?! Right?! Guess at the end of the 365 I’ll just have to tack on an extra couple days, or month, to make up for the loss.

Even still, I’m grateful that I’m thinking about it, that the camera (or iPhone) gets taken out, often, to capture our days. It is good, even if a few days go missing.

So much to capture these days, but much less time to grab the camera. Boy can that boy move! It’s hard to keep up and keep him out of trouble while I grab for the camera. I’m sure it’ll get even harder as he continues to speed up, but I look forward to trying to get his shenanigans documented. They sure are funny!

Here’s a few favorites from the month:

I couldn’t have said it better myself, though with a babe that doesn’t nurse all.night.long anymore, I’m starting to feel the fog of months of interrupted sleep lifting. Nine hours. It is glorious.

His first chocolate cookie and what an experience it was. Some shovel, he savored. Glad to know I have that kind of kid, even if I’m not that kind of adult.

When I’m dressing Ewan in the morning I always tell him about his pockets and how they are a good place for all of his treasures. This acorn, it is the first treasure I found as I emptied pockets to do laundry. I hope there are many more.

We’re already well into August, seriously, where does time go. As much as I am enjoying the summer, I’m also enjoying the fact that it is winding down. Easy to say as excessive heat warnings press down on us. I’m ready to stop sweating.

Moving Out and Growing Up

At the end of June, Aaron and I were deep in discussion about whether or not to renew the lease of our current apartment. The reasons to stay were numerous.

It’s beautiful.
In a great neighborhood.
We’re happy here.
We don’t have to move.

The reasons to move were there, though not quite as compelling. Specifically, it’s small here. Small, but the space works for the three of us.

With pens in hand, and a lease extension before us, Aaron looked at me and said, “This is going to be fine, just so long as you’re not pregnant right now.”

“I’m not pregnant,” I said filled with animosity, “I know my body. I would know if I was pregnant.”

We signed the lease, sealed it up, and sent it off. Ready to stay in our little courtyard place until April 30, 2011.

Two days later, while two very good friends were visiting, I barfed. I knew. I took a test. I skipped to the park to share the news and admit that I had been wrong.

Ever since we’ve been doing a lot of thinking and a little scrambling. Do we stay, do we go?

It didn’t take long to decide that it would be best to sublet our place and hit the road. While we could definitely make this place work with a family of four, I really didn’t want to imagine packing and moving with a family of four. Putting Ewan through two major transitions, a new sibling and a new home, in such a short span of time.

It seemed best, despite the first trimester fatigue, to go ahead and get this done now, while I have some energy and some ability to focus on logistics.

That left the next question. Where do we go?

We live in Ravenswood right now. Within a block there are cafes and restaurants and bars. Down the street there is a little play park. The brown line is less than two blocks away, so the whole city is at our doorstep. It’s a perfect place, and a perfect location. But….

Truth is, it can be a little lonely here. While there are some families in the neighborhood, the majority of residents are young professionals. The play park down the street, well, it’s usually just us. This neighborhood is fun. It is hip-happening, but maybe we aren’t anymore. Or, at least, with a family of four, we won’t be. A change of venue seemed like it may be in order.

We’ve visited the Ravenswood Manor neighborhood before and have always, even pre-kids, been charmed. It has tree-lined streets and amazingly gorgeous old brick bungalows. Filled with one-way roads, angled streets, and the river running through it all, it’s an easy neighborhood to wander and get lost in. With a handful of busy little play parks to boot, it seemed like it might just fit the bill.

We spent the last weekend hunting and looking and wandering and exploring and, eventually, deciding that yes! this is the neighborhood. Even though that decision, by itself, caused a bit of an identity crisis.

Are we those people now?

Are we grown-ups now?

Are we the ones leaving the hip urban neighborhood for a smaller, quieter community (still very much in the city) to raise our family?

I guess, we are. While I still struggle with it. While I still struggle with the fact that I might, in fact, be a grown-up, I think it’s the right choice. And heck, at least we’re not fleeing for the suburbs. So, we still have a scrap of dignity to hang on to.

We’ll be in a new place starting at the beginning of September. It is the second floor of a two-flat with more space than we’ve ever really had or imagined. A two-bedroom with an enormous living room, dining room, separate sunroom, big kitchen (with a dishwasher!), our own laundry, and a backyard. So large that much of it will remain unfurnished, for awhile.

Indeed, this is a space where our little family will have room to grow, stretch, and run about. And when we tire of the inside, the neighborhood has lots to explore. Parks. Nearby bike trails. Cute little old-timey coffee shops.

So, now we must pack. It is arduous and not something I’m looking forward to but I know, this time next month, we’ll be settled into our new home and getting used to all it has to offer. This time next month moving will be done.