Something’s gotta give

A slightly frustrated Julia came to me on Friday and announced that she needs new clothes. New pants, underwear, socks, shirts, and sweaters in particular. Uhm, really? Considering that she has more than she needs in that department I was slightly puzzled. I asked why she thought she needed new clothes. “Because there’s nothing in my closet mommy! I don’t have any clothes left!” Oh… right. Hehe. Of course. If the clothes aren’t in the closet they must be gone right? Nah. It’s more a case of mamma-get-your-laundry-act-together!

So why were our closets in such a sorry state? And why were both hampers filled to overflowing, and an extra bag had to be brought in to hold the excess? Well, here’s my excuse explanation:

January is coming to an end. It’s the last day. I survived it – again A few months a year are particularly busy. The yearly company Kick Off is an event that takes a tremendous amount of my time and energy in January. It’s undoubtedly the most fun I have at work, and I love every minute of it’s insanity. However, being that busy means that something’s gotta give. I can’t do it all. Nope, it’s true. I can’t. At least not if I want to maintain some semblance of relationship with my children and husband in January.

One of the things that definitely has to give in January is laundry. This final weekend of January has been get-back-on-track-weekend, at least where laundry is concerned. Here’s a glimpse of my weekend fun:

Load after load after load gets washed, dried, and folded. The piles of folded clothes gets higher and higher as each load finishes. When it’s all done it will find it’s way to the closets. No, I don’t put away each load as it finishes. I will not make 5 trips to Julia’s closet with pants, I will make one. That’s the kind of lazy I am – or efficient – or energy saving – or whatever you want to call it.

I believe both husband (though he kindly doesn’t complain) and children are rather happy that it’s all getting done. Personally I can’t wait until it’s all done. I’ll then proceed to enjoy it for about 5 minutes – that’s about how long it will take before at least one basket  is half full again – ha!

The weekend hasn’t been all laundry though! It’s been filled with a visit to my mom’s house where we gorged on amazing home-made cinnamon buns. We also found time for bowling, and a movie. The soundtrack of the weekend has been John Meyer kinda smooth.

Another January will be packed away in a few hours. Here comes February. And a one year anniversary on the 24th… but that will have to be a whole ‘nother post.

Here’s to all my fellow working moms out there – laundry can wait once in a while! As long as everyone has something clean to wear, even though it might not be their favorite shirt, there’s no crisis or shame in taking a break. It’ll still be there when you get around to it. You can take my word for it – ha!

The cake

It appears that I have a “signature cake”… or is it Kari that has one? See any similarities between the following birthday cakes?

I made it for the first time for her 4th birthday. She said: “Mommy I want a rainbow cake!” After making my mind jump through a few hoops this is what I came up with:

Then she was going to celebrate in class and I had to make the same one:

And then her 5th birthday rolled around and look what she ordered for the family party:

Shockingly a slight twist was allowed for her 5th birthday party with friends:

And now her 6th birthday party cake:

I dub this one the “Flower Power Cake”, lol. The traditional rainbow cake with a flowery twist.

I suspect she’s like her mother… she loves traditions

If she asks for it again on her 7th birthday I will make it. As much as I twitch at the mere thought of how boring it is to place all those little colored chocolates on the cake and think “again????”, I also think “Allrightythen!” because it’s a super easy cake to make, and they come out pretty cute. The bonus? People actually EAT this cake too

The way he sleeps

Watching my cat sleep is like looking at a baby’s ultrasound -
it’s hard to figure out what’s the head and what’s a leg! lol

With love in every stitch

A couple of years ago I was sorting through Julia and Kari’s baby clothes. A lot of them were bagged to give away, but many had either too many memories attached to them or stains on them to give away.  If I’m going to keep all the clothes I want to keep for nostalgic reasons, then I will need an incredible amount of storage space available. I don’t. And I would never look at those things either. I would just know that they were there.

One day I was watching the movie “Stepmom” with Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon. Susan Sarandon’s character is dying. As a farewell gift to her children she makes a blanket and a magician’s cape out of the children’s baby clothing and pictures. It gave me an idea. I took Julia and Kari’s clothes and cut fabric squares out of them. I borrowed my mom’s sowing machine (that she got for her wedding in 1967), but found it was broken. For about 2 years these little squares have been stored in my closet.

And then it was Christmas 2009 and my husband got me a sewing machine for Christmas. Today, January 3rd, I finished the blankets. One for Julia and one for Kari. The girls are thrilled. They don’t care that I wouldn’t want any professional quilter within 10 yards of them (lol). The blankets aren’t just full of my memories. They’re full of their memories. I honestly thought I’d put the blankets away and just have them for nostalgic reasons. I got rid of lots of boxes, and yet got to keep pieces of the past. However, Julia and Kari embraced them with jumping joy and announced they will sleep with them every single night! They carry them around the house, wear them as capes, and snuggle up in them when they watch TV.

There is love in every stitch. When the result boasts a smiling mom and happy kids – well then I deem the project a success, crooked seams and all

Kari with her blanket

Julia with her blanket

The blanket being loved by a happy little girl

Growing up

Every year Julia writes a wish list for Santa. Last year she taped it on her bedroom window to make sure he would see it. This year she taped it up next to the Christmas stockings:

It says:

Dear Santa, I want to get a toy guinea pig. Can you draw how you look like Santa? From Julia

I, obviously being slightly retarded, thought that the white paper on the bottom was there to cover up something she didn’t like. However, Christmas morning the face of a very disappointed child enlightened me. THERE WAS NO RETURN MESSAGE! Oh boy. The white paper was there for Santa to draw himself on… James almost ran to get a pencil to draw Santa, but the moment had passed. For one, neither James or I have the drawing skills necessary to draw a Santa that would be able to pass for being drawn by Santa himself. We also decided that we don’t want to perpetuate the idea that Santa is real to that extent.

What a year for my little Julia. It’s been a year full of amazing, fun, and exciting things, friends, family, and events! She has also experienced big loss when her Bapa died. She has learned a lot about friendship as she’s experienced that kids in school can be quite mean. She has learned that the world contains big things like the swine flu, a daunting idea for a little kid. She is quite appalled that thieves stole her  jewelry, tooth fairy money, and baby teeth(!) right before Christmas. Now the 7 1/2 year old is realizing that Santa most likely isn’t real.

I love watching my kids grow up, but I can’t help having slightly mixed feelings when I see the changes in my child’s eyes. She’s thicker skinned. The age of innocence is fading. I am proud of the little girl who stands before me. Behind that wild and wacky personality there’s a strong little girl. You may knock her down, but she’ll stand back up. Merry Christmas Julia! I’m looking forward to spending 2010 with you.

We’ve been adopted, at least for now…

When I got home from work yesterday and opened the door to the house a cat flew out of nowhere and ran inside the house. We left the cat in for about 10 minutes and then took it back out. James went to take the trash out and ‘flash’, suddenly the cat was standing on the dining room table. We let it warm up a little and put it back outside.

Fast forward to this morning. James opens the door to go outside to start the car and ‘flash’ – there’s the cat again. He puts it (we don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl… haven’t investigated ) outside again. I go to open the door to start the car and there the cat is again. I put my jacket on and go to get the cat to take it out, and it apparently figured out what was happening because suddenly the cat was up the stairs and hiding in the bathroom. Cat got carried outside again! Then I open my car door and ‘flash’… the cat gets in the car.  Determined little one!

My neighbor comes driving by to pick up her mail on the other side of the street, opens her car door, and who hops in? The cat. She took it home, sms’ed me that she had “my cat” (she had seen a pic I posted on facebook last night). Julia went next door to pick it up after school.

It’s really a kitten. Lots of fluffy fur, but oh so very, very skinny. Calm, sweet, and friendly. Hasn’t scratched or clawed at anything, and if someone is on the couch (s)he’s curled up on your lap within seconds. Snuggly little one. I’ve never met a cat like this.

Even James is smitten by this little one. The amazing thing is that his allergies aren’t reacting to this cat. How strange? Normally he can’t touch a cat without his eyes starting to tear up.

I’m inclined to keep this little one, but Kari is insanely afraid and screams bloody murder if the cat walks past her… we have to keep them separated. That’s not a great solution. I guess we’ll have to try to find a home for the loveliest kitten ever. For now, we’ll keep her warm and fed.

The ‘Julekalender’ 2009

When I was a kid I dreamed of having a “gift calendar” for advent. In Norway the countdown to Christmas is very important. Every child has an advent calendar with 24 days of chocolate or gifts. I used to have the chocolate filled ones. Sometimes I’d have one chocolate filled one, and one filled with little plastic trinkets that I found annoying and pointless even then. My best friend however had this amazing calendar. Her mom had made it. It was a good 1.5m x 1.5m large and had a big train on it. Each train cart had a number and a gift inside. Oh how I dreamed of having a calendar just like hers!

Fast forward to having my own kids, and I want them to have the gift calendar that I always dreamed of. Last year I wasn’t well so I didn’t manage to get one done, so they got these ready made High School Musical ones instead. This year I found that my string with numbered clips was broken (clips falling apart etc) and it was time for a new one. Of course nothing is fun unless done at the last minute (?? she pretends), so on November 30th I’m at the store looking for a replacement. I couldn’t find anything I liked, and decided to make my own. So off I went and purchased:

• One table runner with a Christmas pattern
• 50 golden rings
• 1 roll of 2cm wide red ribbon
• 1 roll of 5cm wide red ribbon
• Red spool of thread

As James wrapped 48 small gifts I sowed 24 rings on one side of the runner, and then 24 on the other side. (James tried to help sew on rings, but apparently this is not a skill he has even remotely perfected so the rest were left to me. He does get credit for 2 rings ) I added a stick to the back of the top and bottom for sturdiness, sewed on a 40cm piece of 2cm wide red ribbon to hang it from. After it was hung I added a big bow of red ribbon on top, just to give it  that little extra touch. Check out the workshop:

Daddy manning the wrapping end

Mommy manning the sowing end

The finished product

We started at 21:00 and finished at 00:54…..boy were we tired. But it’s all worth it when you’re standing in front of it the next morning with a sleepy eyed kid beside you, and you see those eyes widen, the smile brighten and arms throw themselves around your neck. The first gift was a round chocolate with a picture of Santa on it. Small and sweet little gift to start off the advent season.

Funny footnote: James woke up this next morning and the first thing he said was “I’ve been dreaming of gift wrapping all night!” lol

Happy Advent Everyone! It’s such an exciting time of year!

The hat found its home

Look at Elliot sportin’ his new hat! So much fun that it fit him like a glove!

Wishing you a safe and happy journey back to the US little Elliot!

On it’s way to a baby… near you?

This little hat is a gift for a little baby boy. I finished knitting it last night. If we’re lucky maybe I’ll get a picture back of the little prince modeling it? It will be going on a long journey very soon. Hopefully it arrives safe and sound! Let’s also hope that it will fit this winter season

Super soft grey baby wool with a fair isle pattern

Modeled on Kari's baby doll

My furniture restoration fashion statement

It’s pretty cold on this side of the globe this time of year. It rains A LOT. Combine that with my wish to restore furniture and you realize pretty quickly that this isn’t going to happen inside the house. Especially when it includes sanding, oil paint, and other foul smelling chemicals. Thankfully we live in a house that has a “raw basement”. It’s cold down there, and it’s not pretty, but it’s out of the rain and wind. It’s messy, tiring, and fun work. James pulled out his iPhone the other day – he finds my restoring furniture fashion statement amusing

Here it is:

Notice the iPod strings dangling down, lol. The four panels of white behind me are the side boards of the bed I’m fixing up