Praying for summer

Do you think getting my toes ready for summer will convince the sun that it's time for summer and that it's ok to stay out for more than one day at a time? 

The Benefits of Being a Pregnant Fattie

Scene: Work party/reception last night (the first one I've been to all year...yay for being able to stay awake past 6 pm!). Packed deck. Me and a group of girls are chatting....likely talking about how they have wine and I have a bottle of water.

Samantha says "Let's go down by the river. It's cooler down there," and she leads the way.

After a minute of not really getting anywhere because of all the people, she turns around and says to me, "Hey fattie!" (which, coming from Samantha, is basically a term of endearment).  "You go first. People will get out of the way because of your belly."

We all laugh because she's being ridiculous and shuffle around so I can be at the front of the line.

I almost wish I was joking, but I didn't even have to take one step before the person blocking us stepped out of my way.

I guess there are some benefits of being a pregnant fattie.

Oh hi, blog. It's me, Leyla.

Oh hi, blog. It's me, Leyla.

It's been a while. I know it's a cliche, but I haven't been ignoring you...I've just been distracted with other...things.

The other "things" are really just one thing....it's called sleep.

No, I haven't turned into a lazy bum who sleeps all day long. There's a reason I crash as soon as I get home from work.

Turns out, plus means positive. And the first plus sign wasn't a fluke. 

I took that test like three days after my last post. I never really meant to quit blogging...I was just too tired. And unmotivated. And scared, and confused, and frustrated. Probably all the emotions that are expected when your husband is unemployed and you live three hours away from your mom and you discover you're having an unplanned baby. 

In a perfect world, Isaac and I would be living in a cute little home in Bend as first-time homeowners, he would have full-time work and I would have a part-time consulting gig. I would carefully document my pregnancy either on the blog or in a cute flowery little journal, and take weekly belly pictures and be as happy and cute as can be in adorable maternity clothes. 

In reality....I haven't written/blogged/journaled one single minute of this pregnancy, and I'm going to slap the next person who sits in my office and tells me "Oh, I loved being pregnant."

Really?! Really??!?!? What part of throwing up, insane fatigue, sore boobs, hating your favorite foods, growing out of all your clothes, having no energy, taking gross vitamins, and crying at the drop of a hat is fun? 

Deep breath. 

It's gotten marginally better. I can make it through dinner now - and it all stays in my stomach. I haven't cried over nothing in more a week, and I've acquired a few maternity clothes that I don't hate. 

Plus, finding out yesterday we can call the baby a "she" instead of an "it" makes it something to look forward to. 

How To: Crochet a Cable Headband / Ear Warmer

So....my aunt-in-law (is that the title for my husband's aunt?) asked me to make a few Christmas gifts for her to give to her daughters. When she said she wanted a "headband," I thought she meant the simple crochet flower or zipper headbands I make. 

I was wrong. 

She handed me a pattern book and asked me to make two earwarmers. After getting super frustrated with the pattern in this book, I finally figured out a way to adapt it. 

It crochets up pretty quickly - it took me an evening, start to finish. 

Gauge

Width should be 4 inches; height is unimportant. 

Stitches

Cable: Skip next dc, working around from front to back, *insert hook around post of dc in row below, yo and pull up a loop, (yo and pull through two loops).* Around post of skipped stitch, repeat from * to *. 

Back Post Cable (BPCable): Skip next dc, working from back to front, *insert hook around post of dc, yo and pull up a loop, (yo and pull through two loops) twice.* Around the post of the skipped stitch, repeat from * to *. 

Supplies

Worsted weight yarn (I used Bernat satin)

Size I hook, or size necessary for gauge. 

Ch 19. 

Row 1) Dc in fourth ch from hook and in each ch across. 

Row 2) Ch 2 (counts as first hdc, now and throughout); work BPdc around next 2 dc, (work FPdc around next 2 dc, work BPdc around next dc) across to last dc, hdc in last dc. 

Row 3) Ch 2, work Cable, (work BPdc around each of next 2 dc, work Cable) across, hdc in last hdc. 

Row 4) Ch 2, work BP Cable, (work FPdc in next 2 dc, work BP Cable in next 2 dc) across, work hdc in next hdc. 

Repeat Rows 3 & 4 for 20 inches, ending by working Row 3. 

Finish off, leaving long tail. Sew seam, gather up tightly and weave in ends. 

*I write down patterns I make up all the time, but usually it's in a shorthand that no one except for me would understand. This is the first time I've tried to write the pattern correctly. If you try it out and run into problems, or need explanations on the Cable stitches, I'd be happy to help! 

Oregon is Awesome: Parilla Grill

*

We spent the weekend in Central Oregon...I love spending time with my family :)

We were out shopping on Monday and needed dinner. Isaac has been raving about the fish tacos from this little taco grill in Bend called Parilla so we decided to try it. 

Isaac had his usual fish tacos...if I liked fish tacos, I would have loved these. 

Fresh fried snapper, spinach, spicy corn salsa, red cabbage and a cool ranch sauce...pretty and yummy. 

My mom and sister and I got fajita burritos. Cilantro lime rice, black beans, chicken, spicy corn salsa, pico de gallo, sauteed onions and peppers. Sounds good, right? 

No flavor. Sadface. 

Isaac knows I'm usually pretty picky [and therefore miss out on alot of potential flavors] so he took a bite and said "Yeah, there's no flavor. You just need to put more things on there so there's more flavor. 

Um...."well, Isaac, you told me the corn salsa was spicy. And I put tomatoes [usually gross] and peppers and onions [always gross cuz of the texture but the flavor is good] on there. Cilantro lime rice usually has flavor. I don't think there were any other flavor options."

Isaac: "Oh. Well, you're right. No flavor. Well, my fish tacos are really good. Sad, babe." 

Moral of the story: If you happen to be in Bend [and there are lots of reasons you should go], and really really want fish tacos, go to Parilla. If you want a fajita burrito, I recommend Baja Fresh. 

Yeah, the chain restaurant. Which, for the record, I love.

*Turns out I really love Oregon. And since we love exploring and trying new things, I'm going to post about them in a new series called Oregon is Awesome.

Fact.  

Project 365: Week 2

People Make Cool Things: Bohemienne Ivy

I know I'm way behind the times, but I'm just now starting to love long necklaces. Ivy of Bohemienne Ivy makes some beautiful ones.

(source)

(source)

Ivy's shop is mostly handmade items, but this vintage purse is so so beautiful.

(source)

Find Bohemienne Ivy online: Shop | Blog | Facebook

Cuddly Kitty :)

If there was an award for falling asleep on the couch, I would win it.

If there was an award for cutest cuddly kitty, Maddy would win it.

So So Proud

I rarely - strike that: I never - write about work. But I can't help it today. Without going too far into the details, I'll just say:

I'm so so proud of this guy.

I worked for this guy for three and a half years and today, he was sworn in as Co-Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives.

Three and a half years of blood, sweat and tears paid off today. (Strike that: no blood, unless you count the hundreds of paper cuts I got from stuffing envelopes.)

So proud.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Project 365: Week 1

After one week, I've learned two things: 

1) Taking photos is done. 

2) I hate editing. 

I can't figure out which program to use, I think I've saved over the originals instead of making copies....ugh. I'm super frustrated right now. Anyway...on to Week 2. 

People Make Cool Things: Mya Bruce Designs

This week I'm featuring Mya Bruce Designs, a mom who named her digital design shop after her two kids. Leah makes super cute announcements and invitations.

I have a thing for elephants...which is probably why this announcement is my favorite :)

Feeling pirate-y?

Um....that's my name. And it's even spelled the way I spell it. Hm.

Find Mya Bruce Designs online : Shop | Facebook

Recipe: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

If one of your New Years Resolutions

1) was something along the lines of "Eat healthier" or "Lose weight" (like mine is....)
but
2) you know you can't just stop eating sugar cold turkey

then this Chocolate Crinkle Cookie is perfect for you. You can have an entire cookie in only one bite. Perfect.

They're the cutest, tiniest, most adorable cookies I've pretty much ever seen.

I was in a baking mood the other night and we had almost nothing in the house. Almost every other Chocolate Crinkle recipe has unsweetened chocolate in it and we didn't have any and most of them required chilling the dough for 2 hours. It's 11 pm at this point and I had no interest in staying up to 2 in the morning. So after a frustrating search online I found this recipe.

Cocoa? Check. Makes 30 cookies? Perfect. 10 minutes in the freezer instead of 2 hours in the fridge? Wonderful.

First, mix dry ingredients.

Use your fingers to mix in the butter...which is what the recipe recommends. I tried to use the mixer. Since my fingers are in the bowl with cocoa all over them...you can tell it didn't work.



At this point, I'm realizing that there is only going to be enough dough for like 10 cookies. At the most. Ugh.

This picture makes me laugh. Gross.

Spread the dough fairly thin around the bottom of a metal bowl and stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes.

So now I'm like, great. At least this is a quick recipe because I'm going to get like a grand total of two cookies out of it.

Then I read the recipe. I quote: "Spoon level teaspoons of dough..."

Most cookie recipes call for tablespoon-size cookies. This is even better. Tiny little cookies?!?! Yay!

Roll each teaspoon-sized cookie in powdered sugar and bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Perfection.

ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg, beaten lightly
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Oh hey, 2011

I'm not usually one for New Years Resolutions. I generally don't like to do whatever everybody else is doing, so if everyone is making resolutions, then I don't want to. Plus I don't like failing at goals I set for myself...so I just tend to ignore the opportunity to set goals for the year.

However...I've been thinking about it and there are a few things I want to accomplish this year.

Here we go!

People Make Cool Things: Chasing the Nuns

Who doesn't want to wear two turkey legs on their head?

Sarah of Chasing the Nuns has several different crafts featured in her shop but my favorite is this turkey beanie:

(Via)

She also makes tote bags out of t-shirts:

(Via)

I  loved Mr. Rogers when I was growing up. Won't you be my neighbor? Dang it, now that song is going to be stuck in my head all day.

Find Sarah online: Shop | Blog | Twitter | Picasa

What not to eat

If you are allergic to milk fat and trying to cut carbs so you can drop ten pounds to fit into your suits from 18 months ago so you can start a job that requires you to look professional, this should not be your lunch.



If, however, you fit into the 99% of the population who isn't allergic to milk fat and/or isn't trying to lose 10 pounds, then make sure to follow this method of making grilled cheese and also use milk instead of water to thin the concentrated tomato soup. Make sure you have lots of butter in the fridge.

What I'm trying to say is...I'm both allergic to milk fat and trying to lose ten pounds...and I had grilled cheese and tomato soup for lunch.

Fail. But so delicious.

PS. The first meeting of the brand-spankin'-new Salem Etsy team was last night! Jessica of DIY Studio wrote about it here. I'm excited to get to know these ladies and introduce Salem to Etsy and handmade. And vintage, of course.

PSS. I've been caring for an invalid today and I must say, I feel pretty helpless. The invalid (aka Isaac) had one of his wisdom teeth removed today. The two dentists he went to today were wonderful - he called this morning to say he wasn't able to sleep last night because of the pain. The dentist got him in for x-rays at 10, and then the emergency tooth removal was at 2. Both were unplanned. I'm pretty impressed that both of those doctors were able to fit him in and I'm super glad he will be able to eat regularly without pain now. Lesson from today: I don't think I'd be a very good nurse. I would feel so bad all the time because I can't fix anything.

At least I'm pretty good at heating up tomato soup.

Christmas in Photos...and learning how to use the Hipstamatic

Christmas at the Oregon State Capitol


My niece is going to be a reader :)

My mother-in-law got me Small-Batch Preserving and Slow Cooker Recipes. We got a new Crock Pot and the one time we used it so far was a flop, so the cookbook will come in hand. I've been wanting to learn how to embroider and this book will get me started.

Postscript to this photo...Isaac is so sweet. We were at Craft Warehouse a few days ago and I was looking at this book but decided not to spend the money to buy it. After we moved on, he told me he wanted to go "look for a pattern" and he ran and bought it for me. Love him :)

The perfect way to end the weekend...Isaac beat me at Skip-Bo (pretty sure he was cheating) and then I kicked his butt at Rummikub.

PS. I have a pretty strict rule against paying for apps (which is sort of funny considering most of them only cost a dollar even though I think nothing about spending three bucks on coffee). I've been wanting the Hipstamatic for a long time. It is a little confusing at first, but I think I'm figuring it out. I got the Williamsburg pack for some extra film and a wide lens and I like it much better than the standard films.

Christmas was fantastic but I think we are all ready to be done...right?

Only my boss....

Most bosses try to motivate their employees. Mine is a bit different. She buys every one in the office "de-motivation" desktop calendars for Christmas.

Hope
May not be warranted  at this point.

Goals
It's best to avoid standing directly between a competitive jerk and his goals.

 

Government
If you think the problems we create are bad, just wait until you see our solutions.

 

Congress
Proudly defending the status quo long after the quo has lost its status

My favorite is the one that will be hanging in our conference room:

Meetings
None of us is as dumb as all of us.

(via Despair.com)

Love my office.