Easter Sweater

This is a long overdue post that I had forgotten about until I just found the photos on my camera!

We spent Easter here in the dorm and Grant's dad made the trip out from California to see us.  Will had a lot of fun spending time with his Gramps and we enjoyed celebrating Easter with friends from church.  It was Will's first Easter complete with egg dyeing (that Gordon and I did most of), an Easter basket and of course, a new knit Easter sweater!

Easter egg dyeing

Will's Easter basket had eggs filled with puffs and jelly beans, the letters spell his name (I have plans to make the whole alphabet as fridge magnets, but didn't have strong enough magnets) and stuffed bunny that I had made a few weeks earlier.  Will's Nai Nai also sent him Grant's old Beatrix Potter books which were some of my favourites as a kid.

(Basket, Basket Liner, Bunny)

I fiished Will's Easter sweater over Spring Break and I love how it turned out.  It fit well but with a lot of room to grow.  It's a little slouchier than I had imagined, but still love it nonetheless.

The pointed hood is definitely my favourite part.  That, and the hand dyed yarn I chose.

Pattern: Wee Austin Hoodie (Pattern is also available in adult sizes: Austin Hoodie)

Yarn: Madelintosh Tosh Merino Light in Betty Draper's Blues

Size: 9 months

The only thing I am planning to change is the buttons.  They are little trucks and I really like them, but they're a little heavy for such a lightweight sweater.  I'll just have to make something else to put them on!

Spring at last!

Spring has finally made its way to Minnesota and we've been enjoying every minute of it.  The windows are open, the birds are chirping and the tulips are about to make an appearance.  I don't think I have ever enjoyed the first days of spring quite so much as I have this year.

Grant had to work on Saturday so in between naps Will and I ran errands and went on a walk to the park.  I discovered that it takes a lot less time to get out the door when I don't have to bundle up myself and a baby (who always seemed to poop right after we put the snowsuit on).

On Sunday morning we went for a our first family bike ride with Will in the trailer.  We made another stop at the park and Will went down the slide for the first time (in our laps of course)

The first batch of cold brew iced coffee has been made.  I used the Pioneer Woman recipe and it turned out.... okay.  The recipe is fine and tastes quite good, but is not the "coffee concentrate" I was going for.   This weekend a friend from Wheaton sent me the recipe I used to use from I Have a Bean (that was lost in the move) as well as another method to try.  It is the best iced coffee I have ever had and I'll be sure to share that when it's time to make the next batch.

Putting the miles on the stroller.

Baby legs in the sunshine.  He just LOVES the sun and the fresh air between his toes.  The view of his feet as we walk is precious as he stretches his legs and spreads his toes, all while chattering away.  Maybe Will has inherited my dislike of socks and my love of the sunshine.  Poor kid has also inherited my need for sunscreen and shade though.

I hope the warm weather has found you too.  What are you doing to enjoy the spring?

Warby Parker

It was time for some new glasses and I decided to try Warby Parker.  I am incredibly indecisive when it comes to purchases like this so the home try on was perfect for me.  You choose five frames you like and they send them to you for a week to try out for free.  You can even upload a photo of yourself to get an idea of what they might look like right from the website.

The five frames I chose.

I narrowed it down to two.  I loved that I could wear them around the house and see how they felt.  I also loved that I could ask for more opinions.  :-) Once I ordered the frames, the glasses came in less than a week and they're very reasonably priced.  I was also pretty impressed that when I called them, a human being answered the phone.  Next time I need new glasses, I know where just where to look.

Phoenix

Last week Will and I went to Phoenix to visit my mom and sister.  Spring had yet to arrive in Minnesota, so we went looking for it, and it was glorious.

Nap time has a whole new meaning with a pool and sunshine.

The little man was so relaxed and happy in Phoenix.  I think the fresh air and sunshine was good for him too.

New summer clothes from Granny.

Flirting with his auntie and sitting in my highchair from when I was a kid.

Delicious desserts (and in large quantity)

New t-shirt (and fitting with the name of the blog)

My sister's house was in the Modern Phoenix tour and a rendering of it was on the poster!  It's a beautiful house and was fun to see it be a part of a home tour.

Favourite Salad

We've been trying to eat more veggies around here so last night we made a salad that we haven't had since the fall.  It is my favourite salad and was inspired by one that someone from our church brought for us shortly after Will was born.  It's super easy, the dressing is essentially homemade and it is delicious.  Here is how we make it, but obviously you can add or take out anything you want!

Ingredients:

Romaine and Iceberg lettuce

Cherry tomatoes

Mini sweet bell peppers

Cucumber

Rotisserie Chicken

Greek Salad Dressing

We make this with rotisserie chicken.  I don't quite understand why, but it is cheaper to buy a whole rotisserie chicken at the grocery store that is seasoned and fully cooked than it is to buy an uncooked one.  We get these chickens often and use them in a ton of recipes like soups, salads, and quesadillas.  

For the dressing we use Penzey's Greek Seasoning.  Never been to Penzey's?  You MUST go and smell the vanilla extract.  Yum!  Anyway, they have a greek seasoning and on the back is a recipe for salad dressing.  All you need is olive oil, red wine vinegar, water and a little of the seasoning and voi la, delicious homemade dressing.  For the two of us, I make half the recipe and it's the perfect amount for two large salads.

9 Months!

Our baby is 9-months old!  

He loves to eat almost anything we'll put in front of him (and in large quantities) except for peas, he is still long and lean (50 percentile for height, 20th for weight), has been on 13 airplanes, hates diaper changes (can't lay still long enough) and loves the tupperware toys that were mine when I was a kid. He is one spunky, determined kiddo.

And.... a little of what these photo sessions are really like these days.

Spring Shawl

The weather over Easter was beautiful and had me wanting a new lightweight scarf.  I have this yarn that I bought a few years ago that is a merino wool and silk blend.  I had yet to find the perfect thing to make out of it but once I saw this shawl and thought it would be perfect.

I modified the pattern a little.  There are several charts and the pattern changes slightly every few inches (a textured ombre is the best way I can think of to describe it) but I liked how the first chart turned out and not the second so I backed up repeated the first chart pattern throughout the whole shawl.

It's now off the needles and I love how it turned out!  It's so light and soft, I'm wondering why I didn't make one of these a long time ago!

Yarn: Heritage Silk

Pattern: Sempervivum by Jerod Flood

Ravelry

Instagram can't always make this look good

I was reading an article today called "Stop Instagramming Your Perfect Life." (In case it doesn't come up clearly, the title of the article is a link to it).

Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend everyone read the article, I did find it challenging.  I look through my own blog at all the posts about things I've made and photos of our cute son.  It probably looks like I have a never ending amount of free time, always have a delicious dinner on the table when Grant comes home or that Will's clothes always match and that he must not spit up all over the place like other people's babies.  The photos I post either have a blurred background or are taken when our apartment is tidy.  The photos don't show the smelly diapers that need to be washed, the never ending pile of dirty dishes, the toys strewn all over the place or the spit-up on sweat pants I wear almost every day.

I think I have a great life but that it's hard too.  I am married to an incredible partner who loves and supports me.  We also have stupid arguments and sometimes feel like we're on opposite ends of the teeter-totter.  I have a the most amazing son who brings an incredible amount of joy to our lives.  I've also never felt busier or more tired in my entire life and the phrase "there's only a little bit of poop on it" actually left my lips as a valid reason for Will to keep wearing a t-shirt.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to show a more accurate picture of my life, including the parts that instagram can't make beautiful.  I want others to know the great and the hard parts, to be known by others and to know them as well.  As a good friend and co-worker used to say, I want others to see the beauty and the pain that are a part of a real life.