Just say no

Luke has added the word "no" to his repertoire. He will often walk up to something he's not allowed to touch, point at it and say "no". Then of course he touches it. Sigh. You know where he learned this word. From me. My life is following him around to make sure he doesn't fall on his head and taking things away from him. Needless to say I am not his favorite person these days. I'm not my favorite person either.

Updates

Today I spent some time updating my photography website. Go take a look! I put on some new music to match my mood, and added a gallery called "Note Cards" to show you exactly what I'm selling at the Farmer's Market. I'm very proud of these gorgeous photos (and so grateful to Celeste for teaching me what quality printing really is).

This afternoon we are heading to the Farmer's Market again with baby shoes and note cards, and we are hoping against hope that it will not rain ... especially since we're not exactly sure we are going to have a gazebo. Cross your fingers.

Luke is feeling a bit better. I'm almost certain now that he has a molar coming in which is giving him a lot of grief. He slept this morning until 9:30 and I had to wake him up because we had an appointment at the bank. I was grateful for the sleep, but a little unnerved! Thirteen hours of sleep is pretty unusual.

Long Weekend R&R

On this long weekend we had a birthday party for Luke's friend Jack. We headed out to the farm and Luke really enjoyed running around with the big boys (Jack's cousins), throwing dirt in his hair, and using his adorable face to scam treats from anyone who would fall for it. His newest thing is saying, "Ca-ca" (cracker) and pointing at chips.


Saturday we stayed home sitting on the deck, working on the house, and BBQ'd hamburgers for dinner. Sunday we went to the beach. Luke loves the water, but he actually preferred this dirty little puddle just beside the lake and spent a great deal of time trying to convince some women down the way to give him their beach ball.


Today we are once again hanging around the house. I have chopped several zucchini and prepared them for the freezer, and Luke is down for a nap. He had a really rough night last night and we're guessing he has an ear infection or else a really big sharp tooth bugging him. So we are giving him all the rest he asks for. This afternoon we will be sewing some more with Katie to prepare for another farmer's market tomorrow. I started crocheting a basket that I'm hoping to display shoes in at the market, or at least store them in at my sewing table. Take a look!

Making Good

I'm making good on my promise from MONTHS ago to show a video of Luke going on the stairs. He's really very trustworthy on them now. The other day at Helene's house I was working on the computer and I suddenly realized it was too quiet. I went looking for Luke and he was in the basement (13 stairs down!) sitting at a Little Tikes picnic table pouring himself an imaginary glass of lemonade.


After that cute story you might like to hear about my disastrous hour and a half yesterday afternoon. Luke woke up from his nap and was Grumpy. I just had about ten minutes left of sewing to do and he kept pulling my cord out of the wall or sitting on my sewing machine pedal, so I strapped him into his high chair with some fish crackers and let 'er rip. He gave me ten minutes of peace, but when I looked up I saw that instead of eating all his crackers he had smashed them into tiny bits and flung them all around the room. Every corner of the dining room and kitchen was filled with bits of cracker. I got out the vacuum and the broom and cleaned it up, then took Luke out of his high chair to clean HIM up. Turns out he had peed through his diaper and his pants were all wet. I stripped him down and went to get a clean diaper and by the time I returned he had peed on the floor and was splashing around in it. I dumped him in the sink, cleaned him off and then started to clean up the floor. While I was cleaning up the floor he spit up on the floor behind me and spread it all around, walking through it and then through the kitchen. I thought, "it can't get any worse" but you know you are always proven wrong when you say something like that.

While I was cleaning up the spit up Luke unrolled the entire roll of paper towels and began shredding them in the hallway.

Oisch. Kids.

Wishing for a cloud

Today I am down and feeling tired to go with it. I woke up achy and with my eyes all stuck together. I looked outside and saw the gorgeous late summer sun and for the first time in months I wished for a cloud. Some days it should just be grey to suit my mood. Thankfully we have very very little planned for today so I am going to stay in my flannel as long as possible and cater to my appetite for grey.

Last night we really enjoyed our deck. Derek put the finishing touches on while Luke tried to play with power tools and threw dirt on his head, and I pulled weeds in the vegetable garden. Then I turned the sprinkler on and we all sat on our beautiful finished deck and listened to the water on the pumpkin leaves. I noticed for the first time that many vegetable leaves are shaped like funnels and draw the water right down to the root. Seems obvious now, doesn't it? I don't take enough time to sit and watch my plants grow.

Lately when I wake Luke up in the morning his first word is "'Raffe!" Luke has a painting by the door in his room of a giraffe and while he's waiting for me to come rescue him from his cage he sympathizes with the giraffe - who is stuck in his frame.

Spaghetti's On

The farmer's market yesterday was a success! Katie sold nine loaves of bread (one to me - yum!). I sold three pairs of shoes, and eleven cards (mostly to family, but that still counts). We are planning on sewing together next Monday to make some bigger sizes of the shoes. Note to self: run by MCC to buy more t-shirts, because the shoes made out of t-shirt material were really popular. Here is our table (aka sawhorses with a plank across). Katie and I took turns holding the umbrella so that her bread wouldn't sweat in the sun. Hopefully next week we'll have an umbrella that holds itself up!

Today I'm brewing a vat of spaghetti sauce. I'm sorry I don't have an exact recipe, I am kind of just throwing things in the pot. But here's where I'm at so far:

I put the (roma)tomatoes in hot hot water for a few minutes and then peeled them and tossed them in the pot. It was about 25 medium tomatoes. I added garlic salt, some onion greens, green pepper, cinnamon, and italian spices (it's actually a bottle marked "italian spices", but I think there's basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary and the like), two cloves of garlic and two bay leaves. Next I grated in about two cups of zucchini (half of a massive one - yellow). If I had red wine I'd add that, but for now this will do. The pot is now simmering pleasantly on the stove top and I am debating whether to add ground beef or garlic sausage. For now I think I will leave it just as tomato sauce so that I can use it for pizza if I want.

Our newest addition to the red wall - Thank-you Aunt Deanna! And thanks to Dad for mailing it to us.

Farmer's Market

pumpkin vines


Today I am a farmer. Katie and I are going to have a booth at the farmer's market! We have sewn some baby shoes (these are just the ones I've done), I made these cards and she is making some bread to sell! I am very excited.

I thought today would be an appropriate day then to show you my vegetable garden. I am making a large pot of spaghetti sauce today so that Derek has an easy supper (the market goes until 7pm), from my very own tomatoes, zucchini and bell peppers. It's very rewarding to cook things from my own garden.