Oh My.

>> Wednesday, March 30, 2011





Friend and fellow foodie, Megan, opened the doors to her kitchen and showed me how to make these little lovelies. I love love love macarons, and would unleash my gluttony for them whenever I went down to the city.....buy buy buying and consume consume consuming like a true American.

But worry no more!

Now I can make them in my own kitchen.....

Let the gluttony commence!!

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Scribbles

>> Thursday, March 24, 2011






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Big Bertha

>> Monday, March 21, 2011


Finished the "Rollie Pollie" beanbag chair I found through MADE the other night! Definitely the most grande thing my craftiness has had to tackle. Trying to sew shut the beanbag insert, full of said insert.....was a body contorting adventure.

Such a fantastic place for Quinn to sit/lounge/jump onto/snuggle, right? Too bad she's pretty much afraid of the thing. Squirms and starts crying when I try to put her on it. Crazy girl.

Don't let the size intimidate! It was a definitely a beginner-worthy project. Even got to get my feet wet with zipper sewing. Muah hah haaah.

And, hopefully your kid will enjoy it more than mine. : )





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1 Year

>> Monday, March 14, 2011

1 Year!

It's official, she's one. ONE.

Her birthday morning, she woke up chitty chatty, talking and entertaining herself while Joe and I smiled at each other as we listened to her through the monitor. Joe went and said his "good mOORning!" and brought the Q into bed with us. The normally excited and wanting crawl around Quinn simply laid down and cuddled, just like the morning she was born.

Best cuddle session ever.

Presents soon ensued. Quinn was alllll about the tissue paper.



Then we ate ourselves silly with cardamom cupcakes smothered with cream cheeeeese. Q, loves, cheese. Joe is ecstatic.

A little lunch, then a little nap. Then Joe and Quinn came down to West Point to come listen to friend Sarah and my's recital. Played an original composition written just for Quinn by great friend Mike Reifenberg (they're expecting their first in 2 weeks!) in celebration of her birthday. It was so awesome. SO awesome. Trust me. : )

Post recital, we went out for dinner to the local burger shop Woodys. Ohhhh, the chocolate malts they make.....they are divine. And they're REAL. Like, a REAL malt. MALT I say. When you go to a burger joint, order a malt, and they give you a shake..... this is traumatic. I mean, this is America. This is where malts were born. Please people, know your malt rights.

I digress.

Quinn had a great day as did Joe and I. Can't believe a year has already gone by. Sad to see her baby-ness slowly fade, but at the same time very excited to see her grow, develop and blossom into the person she is becoming.

Happy Birthday Quinn!

















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Help

>> Friday, March 4, 2011


I worked as a camp counselor at a music camp in Michigan the summer of my freshman year. I learned camp songs, sat and ate every meal with energetic middle schoolers, slept in a cabin full of giggly girls, watched a kid totally loose his lunch while playing basketball, played tug of war in a picturesque muddy pit.

Three months flew by, and camp was over.

Carter was a fellow camp counselor. We sat around the campfire together, we sang songs together, we corralled our kiddos together. She, along with a great number of other counselors, we all still keep in touch.

Carter, her husband Micah (a fanTAStic photographer), and their little lady Campbell need your help. They're adopting their next kiddo and it ain't cheap. Like, it-ain't-cheap-it's-going-to-cost-$31,955-it-ain't-cheap. BUT, you my friends can help. If you're in the market to buy ANYthing from Amazon.com, you can help.

Just follow the link below, it'll take you to Amazon.com, find what you're looking for, purchase it, and 4% of your purchase will automatically go to their adoption fund. Easy peasy.

Click HERE

Seriously. Easy.

And just to let you know, there's no confirmation or "you've just donated to the Bell Family Adoption Fund" message that will pop up. The link is legit, your donation will be sent. I promise.


The Bell family would be eternally grateful.

As would a little orphan.



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>> Tuesday, March 1, 2011



Finally finished Quinn's Pixie Hat. : ) Plenty of knit projects I have started ultimately end up laying to rest at the "half-done and forgotten about knitted goods cemetery". Seriously, the gravestone are numerous.

Got the pattern via the blog Sew Liberated, which found the actual pattern, (for free!) here, at Ravelry.

I made a 7"-ish i-chord instead of the buttoned chin strap so I could easily tie the hat instead of wrestling Quinn to button her in.




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