all about windows

Here I am, hiding. I’m not above hiding, particularly when it gets me out of dealing with salespeople.

The time has come, my dh decided, to get estimates on how much it will be to replace our many sliding glass doors with more energy efficient ones (and in one case, make them into french doors). I think the cold has finally gotten to him too.

I’m just really sick of listening to sales pitches. We’ve heard from Andersen, Champion and today, Pella. It really speaks to our differences. I first heard about “satisficers” vs. “maximizers” via The Happiness Project. I immediately recognized that this was describing each of us. Me? I’m a satisficer. I don’t really care about getting the best deal, as long as I’m happy with the product (or service). Not that I’m above hunting a bargain, but I certainly don’t do that for everthing as long as I think I’m getting a fair price to start with. My dh? He is the definition of a maximizer. He always wants the absolute best, rock bottom price. He loves the thrill of the hunt. He often has trouble pulling the trigger on something, just in case there might be a better deal out there somewhere.

Ironically, studies have shown that satisficers are much happier. And boy, do I believe it. Sometimes I’m thankful that he has the perserverence to sit through hours of sales spiels, but he wastes so much of his energy doing it! If it were me, I would pick by the nicest, least high pressure salesman (I kid you not). And maybe that says something else entirely about me?

What about you? Are you a maximizer or a satisficer?

Lovely lotion

In the past, I never would have labeled myself as having “sensitive skin”, but that was before a few years ago. I ended up with many cases of hives over several months, which was no fun at all. It’s hard to tell what the trigger for hives is, but I had my worst case after I switched lotions (and ended up on prednisone before they went away). When we lived in Georgia, I could get away with using just plain coconut oil as a moisturizer, but when we moved out here to a much drier climate, my skin constantly felt thirsty. My “safe” lotion is one without parabens and such, but it is pretty pricey. So, when I saw that Renee of FIMBY had posted her lotion recipe and tutorial I thought that might be a perfect solution — safe and cost effective.

I was a little apprehensive, I’ve never attempted to make anything like that before, but I figured I didn’t have a lot to lose. My only regret now is that I waited so many months to finally get around to trying it! It was very simple to make. I found the ingredients without any trouble, and it is SO nice and creamy, it beats the pants off coconut oil alone. I was going to scent it with the essential oils, but I didn’t even do that because I love the smell of cocoa butter.

A million thanks, Renee!

Uptight

I have a recital tonight (the one that was cancelled from last semester) and I have been doing everything in my power to distract myself. I had class this morning, which helped, but now the dutchkid and I are home for the day.

I’m tempted to sit at the piano and play my piece until I can’t stand it anymore, but that won’t really help matters, and usually the more I obsess about something the worse the result. It’s my Chopin etude, I know it and I know it well… it’s more about holding it together long enough to get through it on stage (how cruel, the mind can be). I’m starting to think those concert artists are mutants.

I think I’m going to go finalize my clothing choice (black, black and more black with a dash of necklace bling). At least that way if I don’t do very well, I will at least look pretty. That ought to be worth something, right? Right.

ETA: It’s over, it’s over! That has to be the longest recital I’ve ever been in, over 2 hours (ugh). I had to play in the last half, and that’s a long time to be nervous! My piece went ok. I wish I would have played a bit better, but I did not have any huge errors that anyone beside myself and my teacher would recognize (at least I don’t think anyone did). And dude, there were a few who played in jeans… and I was dressed. to. kill. I guess the fashion distraction worked after all.

The year

Recently, Army Wife Toddler Mom asked if you felt you had a year that changed your life. An interesting question. I had to think about that a little bit, mostly because while I can think of big events (getting married, having a child, the passing of my father-in-law) the year that immediately came to my mind was when my dh deployed for a year when the dutchkid was about 7 months old.

Not because of the woe-is-me, I’m going to be so lonely, I’m going to be a single parent, I can’t sleep when he’s gone kind of way, but rather in a way of growth. I knew from other deployments before we had the dutchkid, that wallowing in those feelings was no way to get through it. Those feelings come and have their place, but I knew I was going to need a lot more than that!

In truth, I had no idea what I was in for.

And that’s probably for the best! I shudder when I think back on the illnesses alone (stomach flu! ear infections! trips to the ER!). At that time the biggest connection I had was through our church. We belonged to a very small Army unit at an Air Force Base, our FRG was teeny tiny and without the usual resources at an Army post. However, I had just become the church pianist and so I was committed to attend rehearsals and be a part, two services every Sunday. It was scary (I had a new baby!) And I can’t tell you how counter to my nature that is. I am not a joiner, and not an extrovert with zillions of friends.

It was the best thing I could have done. They were a small congregation. They loved on me and made sure that I wasn’t becoming a recluse (which often happens to me when left to my own devices). I, in turn learned how beneficial it is to serve and give your talents, no matter how small, for God.

And most importantly, I learned that when I needed Him, God showed up.

Not that it was all roses by any means. When I was alone before, I could often get through things by my own determination. Having a child changed that. I learned the hard way that sometimes civilians only pay lip service to being willing to help. I learned how when you are in a bind, a fellow milspouse is worth her weight in gold.

Sometimes I forget the things I learned during that year. You can’t read my old posts about infertility and that ongoing struggle and not know that I am far from always at peace with God. But when I look back on it, I wouldn’t trade the experiences and lessons learned during that time for anything. I can’t say I’m looking forward to the next deployment (understatement of the century) but I will say that the possibilities of it intrigue me.

The Birthday creativity

Time for some show and tell!

About five days before the dutchkid’s birthday, it dawned on me that I hadn’t made one single thing for her. Sometimes it would be nice if things sewed themselves, but it was fun to give my sewing machine a workout. I just wish I would have figured that out sooner than less than a week before the big day.

I feel like I have seen these banners/pennants/whatever you like to call them/ everywhere over the past year. I had been meaning to make one for the longest time, but having the party at our house was finally the kick in the pants I needed. I’m thinking I’ll add some letters to spell out Happy Birthday eventually. I actually made two, using a package of bias tape for each. You could sew them together to make a really long one, but this way it fit better where I wanted to hang them.

And it just wouldn’t be a birthday without a new crown, would it? I kept this one simple and I really like it.
The tea party blanket was her big present from us. I saw this idea here quite awhile ago and filed it into my “must do someday” category. We have been playing “tea party” extensively for quite some time. She has all the tea accoutrements, but I thought she would like a designated place to play. Thank goodness for the thrift store here, because I was on a mad hunt for doilies. I would have preferred to use all small ones, but I had to go with what I could find. The cookies velcro to the big plate in the center, just for ease of rolling it up and not having them get lost.

And lastly, I did have some success with making some ice cream cone cupcakes:
I’m still counting this as handmade, even though the cake mix and ice cream cones came from a box! The last cake I made was so sunken in the middle that frosting couldn’t even help it. Living above 5000 ft is nothing to sneeze at, particularly when you are baking impaired at sea level. And you know what? I am ok with that. Next year I’m hoping to be in Michigan for the dutchkid’s birthday and I’m having my fabulously talented sister-in-law work her cake magic. (The cupcake toppers are printable cut paper art from Fog and Thistle). The kids thought they were oh so fun.

For not wanting to do a birthday party at all, I really ended up enjoying it. I guess there’s still hope for me!

Time flies

I know everyone says that, but darn if it isn’t true.

I am now the mother of a newly minted 4 year old. Looking at my last post, I just can’t believe that.

My mom arrived this past weekend and it was great to see her. The dutchkid was thrilled. I am happy to report that I won the birthday party discussion after all. Mostly by default. Dh was gone on TDY last week and we had been waffling for so long I finally decided to just make a decision. It worked out really well, we had just a few friends over for some cake and ice cream, balloons and a pinata. Totally low stress, but enough party to feel like we celebrated. Perfect.

However, I did have some self-inflicted stress because I have been glued at the hip to my sewing machine. I don’t know why all of my ideas showed up last minute, but it must be how my creativity works. I’ll share more about the projects later when I get pictures uploaded (or just plain taken. Dh was in charge of the camera and he did not pay enough attention to the crafty stuff!) I’ll be back. Hope you’re having a good week so far!

Trip down babywearing lane

This one’s for you, Julie! I’m in the mood for some “Awww, look at how tiny she was,” pictures today. (If you didn’t read the comments on the last post, Julie asked me about what sling I had)

Back during the years when we were trying to make the dutchkid a reality, I happened to see someone one day in the commissary wearing their toddler in a sling. It looked so cool, and I got up the guts to ask her about it and she said that it was so helpful for keeping her kiddo happy in the store. I just knew that I wanted to try one. It wasn’t until much later that I read information about attachment parenting, which often goes along with babywearing. I still am a big fan of Dr. Sears.

The first sling I had was a Maya Wrap that I bought online:

We used it pretty much immediately after we brought her home from the hospital. I think this photo is from a trip we took when the dutchkid was about 4 months old. That trip totally made my dh a convert. He thought it was sort of weird in this day and age of strollers, but he grew up in South America where native women routinely wore their children. I have a really cute picture of HIM being worn by his mom. (He would kill me, or I would share it). But he was won over by how much easier it is to not have to push a big old stroller through small stores, find a place to park it, etc.

Here’s a view so you can see how it really looked when I was walking around. The funniest thing was that during that trip people kept on asking us, “What do you have in there? A dog?” (sometimes I would put her more lying down so she looked like a bundle). Um no, that would be a kid.

We got a lot of use out of that sling. Eventually my dh and sang the praises of how we loved it so much, we gave it to someone else. I got a new one then in more of a Mexican pattern:
I think she was about a year and half here. As she got older, I still loved it for having her sit on my hip, but it did get uncomfortable with all the weight on one shoulder. I could carry her on my back, but it took a lot more finesse to get her into that position. Thankfully, I had seen a different type of carrier called a MeiTai:

This one is a BabyHawk. And I used this one until she was over 2, although by that point she really wanted to walk everywhere her own self. I know I’ve posted this picture before, it’s one of my favorites:

Now, if someday we do adopt a child who’s small enough to wear, I think I’m going to get a wrap. My mom got a Moby for one of the newest grandkids and she likes it. But I think I’m going to go all out and get a Storchenwiege. Just because. (shh, don’t tell dh).

The Babywearer is a nice resource too to look at all the different kinds of carriers. I hope that you have enjoyed this trip down babywearing lane, and Julie I hope you can find something that will work for you!

I dare ya

Yesterday, in the mail I got a catalog from a women’s athletic clothing company. While I was perusing it, I commented to my dh how I liked it, but it was a bit overpriced. He looked over my shoulder and glancing at a page with a yoga model doing Scorpion pose said, “When you can do that, you should be able to order anything you want.” And he said it with an implied, “You couldn’t do that.”

Or maybe I imagined that part. No matter.

The bet was made. I don’t have to actually touch my feet to my head. He doesn’t have to witness it, but I have to have photographic evidence. I have no idea if I can really do it. I go to a yoga class regularly, and it’s the most advanced one offered at my Y, but I’ve never tried doing an forearm stand. I am thinking I’ll continue my regular class, and then this summer check in with one of the independent yoga studios in my area. I wouldn’t dare attempt something like this without supervision, but I am definitely one of those don’t-you-dare-tell-me-I-can’t-do-something people.

What’s life without a good challenge? And bragging rights.

Working on those (non)resolutions

It’s been fun for me to watch the growing number of people doing 365 projects this year. It has motivated me to at least try to get out the camera more often (as per my own sort-of-non-resolution). That’s one nice thing about Flickr, there’s lots of different project type things you can participate in if you so choose. So much inspiration there. Since I have some time yet before my classes start up, I was working on something yesterday:

This is a project where your photo must include certain elements. I like these projects, it reminds me of putting together a puzzle. The ones that this one involves are: soap, stone and square format. I’m sure I must have amused passersby blowing my bubbles out there, but the dutchkid and I had a blast. And it was COLD, I think the high temps yesterday were in the single digits. I’m not a fan of the cold, although I can put up with it (growing up in Michigan will do that for you at least). Michigan winters are so gloomy, though, so our here it always makes me thankful when I see that beautiful sunshine.

What I should be doing

I should be neatly rolling up my Christmas lights and stowing them away in their boxes right now. But here I am instead. All this time off from school responsibilities is starting to be a bad influence. If I actually did get the lights ready to put away, I would have to go into my crawlspace, and I hate going in there. There’s this early 80′s orange shag carpet that lines the floor but underneath it is black plastic, and beneath that dirt. It freaks me out, I’m not sure why. Maybe because I have read too many murder mysteries and I think to myself how you could bury a body down there.

Speaking of murder mysteries, I read P.D. James’ latest, The Private Patient. She’s my favorite mystery writer and it was fabulous. I just can’t read her near my crawlspace.

I could do the dishes, but that would be entirely too productive, don’t you think? I was productive all day today, scheduling appointments, getting in some good practice time and just getting organized. I won’t lie, though, I did surf the internetz and read Celebitchy, a guilty mindless pleasure. (See? that tells you I have way too much free time).

Maybe I will curl up with some nutella on toast and read a nice non-murderous magazine. There’s always tomorrow to do the dishes.