it's decided. i'm in love

with our new macbook pro. this is my very first design board attempt, and you know what? i think it's damn good for wingin' it. i've got a lot to learn but i am thrilled to have figured this much out on my own (along with a mini tutorial from b)

is it too late to choose what i want to be when i grow up?

i choose graphic designer.

this spread depicts mostly what i've been up to this summer.

makin' pickles

for the first time ever, i used my cucs from the farm for something other than cucumber & onion salad. and MAN am i stoked about the results. i used a recipe out of Nourishing Traditions, where there are tons of recipes for fermented veggies.

so these are the real deal. no scortched brine with preservatives such as alum (that is what is in claussen to make them so crrrrunchy). although these beauties still have a healthy crunch to them. especially if you let them sit longer (easy to say, hard to do)

the jars are full of cucumbers, whey (what makes them a probiotic food) and dill, garlic, onion, mustard seed, jalapenos, salt and water. really, so easy! and a great substitute for those over-priced probiotic pills i used to take.

pictures from daddy's iphone

my slow comeback

ok, ok, i know i'm pathetic. because all i seem to have for you anymore are pictures of my babe. but what can i say? she's cute and she pretty much takes up all my damn time these days. (all you at home mommies know what i'm talking about)

i promise you though, now that my morning vomitting ritual is coming to a close i have found more time to venture out with the wee one and spend some time with other adults. like tonight i'm planning to hang around at mars cafe and watch my hubby play some music with his band. now if i could only find someone to go with me...

update

here's nunu, almost 8 months, with her daddy. she's pretty awesome. she's filling out and starting to speak up. she growls like her mama did and studies people like her daddy does.

and by the way, she's going to be a big sister sometime in late february. i know, insane, right? that's what i said.

ungrateful

i'm just gonna say it. i hate kid's birthday parties.

there, i said it. i felt bad saying it all these years, but it's true. why, do you ask? because only on a very rare occasion does it not make a monster out of a normally sweet kid.

maybe it just gets worse as they grow into individuals with expectations of what should happen on their birthday, but regardless, i don't like 'em.

tonight a little girl i'm close to had a birthday party. there was lots and lots of talk about it for weeks leading up to the event, so i can imagine she was very excited. she probably had grandiose ideas brewing in her little mind of all the people and all the gifts.

so when i said goodnight to her as she laid in her bed, still with her 'happy birthday' crown on, she asked me, 'what present did you bring?' with a smirk across her face, not giving me eye contact. i told her i did not bring a present but that my husband and i wanted to come and spend time with her on her special day. 'hmmph' she said.

i wanted to slap her.

fortunately her daddy overheard and put her in her place.

maybe every kid goes through this stage, and maybe i'm being too harsh. but i find it inexcusable. i don't remember my nephew acting like this. i sure as hell don't remember acting like this (mom & dad let me know if i'm wrong). it would have never ever been acceptable.

i dream of having present-less parties until my kids are old enough to appreciate and not expect, but i've heard this is nearly impossible. i guess we'll see.