Missing You

I used to teach voice lessons in Santa Barbara, so I was singing in my apartment every day. I love to sing. And I wouldn't call myself a pianist, but I can fake it well enough to accompany people most of the time. I love to play the piano even though I'm not great at it.

The piano we used in SB didn't belong to us. We had to leave it behind, so I have been without a piano for six months. Besides singing in Joseph I haven't been using the old vocalizer very often, and I've been playing the piano even less. Lately I've really been missing having a piano in my life.



This is a Steinway & Sons baby grand piano. It is the piano I would buy if I had a million dollars. I would of course be very happy with something less expensive right now. I miss singing every day.

New favorite

I loved these books. I cannot wait for the third in the series.



In my opinion, these blow the Twilight books out of the water.
Until, of course, someone makes a terrible movie about The Hunger Games and all the actors end up in the tabloids and no one can stop talking about the immature, mediocre actors and how hot they look with their shirts off. Then it will be pretty much exactly like Twilight.

She's here!

Our little Gwen Hixon has entered the world! She was so excited to get here, she came 2 weeks early!

November 19, 2009
4:59am
7.1 ounces
19.5 inches long

Shower

My wonderful sisters-in-law threw me the most beautiful baby shower with the most delicious food a few weeks ago at Lisa Janda's home. I wasn't sure anyone would come... I've only been living here a few months after all. It turned out to be well attended and I got some pretty sweet stuff for my little girl that is due any day now. I have the best sisters (who needs that "in-law" part?) in the world. Thanks ladies, and thanks for the pictures!

30

On Monday the 9th of November Dan turned the big 3-0. It wasn't eventful. I asked him again and again what he wanted (gift-wise) and what he wanted to do (party-wise). He is pretty good at long pauses, deflecting, changing the subject, and asking only for clothes.

So we went out to Brio's Italian food and he received a lot of clothes and one book from me. His sister Amy watched Asher while we ate.

We went out again with half of his siblings and his parents last Saturday. This time it was Cantina Loredo ("gourmet" Mexican food). He got another book, a frame and a few more T-shirts from his siblings. He used money from his parents to buy a new magic mouse from the Apple store.

You may think I'm a terrible wife for not doing more on such a momentous occasion. Truthfully, I feel a little bad for not making a bigger deal of my favorite person's thirtieth birthday... but then I remember that I am about to have a baby, and that I tried, and that I got Dan exactly what he asked for.

Really, I could not love this man more.

Mama Ninja

Today I took Asher and his cousin Calvin to the park for a little while. Asher seemed to be a little less careful with his older buddy around, so I stuck close by him when he was climbing things. That park is full of deathtraps for him anyway, he always gets hurt.

He lost his footing when he was five feet up on one of the aforementioned deathtraps... and he was falling head first toward the ground. (This particular part of the park didn't even have sand around it.) With the reflexes of an action hero, I stuck my arm out and caught him by the ankle before his face hit the ground. He dangled there for a few wide-eyed seconds before I could get him upright, and when I had him upright I hugged him tightly. I think I needed more comfort than he did however, because he just went on his merry way toward the slide, without a moment of concern.

He did however avoid that particular section of the park for the rest of our stay.

Procrastination: Dress design for Shabby Apple dresses

Please click the pictures to view details. I promise, everything looks better!
This is the very last second that I can enter the design contest Shabby Apple is holding on their website. So... this is my Dress design for Shabby Apple dresses. I posted it without color so you could see the seam lines. They got a bit covered up when I was coloring in photoshop. Also, I want you to be able to imagine the dress in a blushy pink with white trim where the scallops and flowers are, as well as the blue option.

I think this dress would be great in a medium weight cotton, like this pink pima stretch twill from NY Fashion Center.
I could also see it in a fun blue, with dark blue or white trim around the edges and floral details.



This design just kinda popped into my head, so I figured I might as well try it despite only having heard about this contest a few days ago when I was super busy sewing Asher's Halloween costume.
I was inspired by the shapes of the flower petals I see blooming in the spring (not necessarily in the Arizona, but remember I haven't lived here in the spring yet), and the vibrant colors I see around me in that season. I love vintage styling, and I also love pockets on a dress... who doesn't? And why not make them a focal point of the design?

Even if I don't win, I still might make this dress for myself. I won't be pregnant anymore by spring!

Add to the List

Another thing to love about Arizona: No Daylight Savings.

Seriously, when is the rest of the U.S. going to wise up and join us?

Understanding Halloween

Asher is at that age where he is beginning to "get" holidays... but only after they have passed. On Friday we took him to a church sponsored trunk-or-treat in an empty field with a bonfire and a chili cook-off. We ushered him around the circuit of cars and prompted him to say "trick-or-treat!" and "thank you!" ...but no dice. He was as silent as the grave. I wasn't even sure how he felt about his costume.

Last night was Halloween, and we started hearing a bit of excitement from our little pumpkin about his "Dash coshume." That made me feel good, because I did spend a little bit of time and energy on that. We allowed him to observe kids coming to our door shouting "Trick-or-Treat!" and he seemed to detect a pattern here. You say those words, you get candy, you go on your merry way. He tried it with our candy bowl. He walked up to it and said "Ticker Teet!" and gave himself a candy. We thought he was ready to visit the neighbors.

Next door there were a few groups of kids converging on the porch. He didn't like the looks of the crowd so he slowed up. The kids weren't going anywhere soon, however. We nudged him and pulled him through the crowd to the front door. He was very quiet. We tried to get him to say the correct words, but he didn't. He got candy anyway. We tried to get him to say "thank you" or "happy Halloween" but he didn't. He was a little overwhelmed. The pattern continued down the street. Only once did I hear a very quiet, high-pitched "Thank you!"

Well now Halloween is over. Every time he sees his pumpkin bowl he says "Trick-or-Treat!" and "Happy Halloween!" He talks about being Dash and he is very animated about it all. Oh well, he'll be ready for next year.

(P.S. This is the costume I made for Asher the day of our trunk-or-treat party. There was nothing in the stores for a 2T sized boy that was cute and cheap. Thank goodness for Joannes and the fact that it didn't need to look perfect.)