Six Months

This little guy is six months old today. I can hardly believe it! Happy Half-Birthday Wyatt!

You are so big. Your dad and I were just looking at your newborn photos and it's amazing how much you've changed and grown. You love to smile and blow bubbles. You can mostly sit up on your own, though you are still working on your rolling. Your favorite toy is your set of keys. You've been eating rice and oatmeal as well as sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, peaches and pears. You've been a joy and I can't wait to see who you become!

Spray Paint...my new best friend

I've not really spray painted any large or significant item before. A frame or two here or there, but no real furniture. On Veteran's Day, I made it my mission to update a few chairs that have been sitting in my basement collecting layer upon layer of dust since 2004. Six years!

A Thanksgiving of eight semi-required this action, but I've been wanting to do this for years. Afer some internet blog research, I discovered that a hand-held manual spray paint gun might be my ticket.

Light sanding, a coat of gray primer, and two coats of black satin spray paint later, they look great! Really, I am so happy with them. I spray painted two out of the four chairs and I couldn't be happier. Both are now in my dining room, but could be pulled into my living room when and if needed. In the spring, once temps return to something above 50 degrees, I think I'll give them a light sanding with a super-fine grit sanding pad to clean up a few small drips and then add another light coat of black satin followed by a coat of poly.

Of the two remaining chairs, I have a plan to paint at least one bright yellow for the guest room/office.

(For the life of me, I cannot get that last picture to rotate. And, this post layout is horrific. It's driving me nuts!)

Sweetie Pumpkin and an Apple Pie

It's November already...and not only that, it's the END of November already. I can't keep up. Hmm...the reoccurring theme of my life.

Anyway, Wyatt was the sweetest, plump-est (helped by the cold temps and extra layers of clothes), happiest pumpkin ever for Halloween. What a sweetie pumpkin!

The apple pie was a success. And, it really was easy, no lie. I tasted it too and decided that I could tolerate it after all, though the "before" mixture of raw apples, cinnamon and sugar still tastes better to me.

Easy as Pie

I love baking. It's relaxing and an often needed stress reliever for me. But, I've never made a pie. Never. (Well, I've made frozen pies with purchased graham cracker crusts but this is not a "real" pie.) Mostly, I am scared of the crust making component. I've considered buying pre-made crusts but somehow thought that it might be cheating. Though, if I purchase graham cracker crusts, purchasing a pastry crust is really the same idea, right?

So, I'm going to do it. I'm going to make a pie. A real, bona fide, ligitimate pie. An apple pie at that. I will earn some serious husband brownie points. He loves apple pie, whereas I'm not an apple or any kind of warmed up/cooked fruit pie fan. (Husband thinks this is ridiculous considering that I grew up on a farm in the rural midwest.)

So, I've been purusing apple pie recipies. A Saturday morning trip to the farmer's market should stock me up on apples.

Clover Lane
Whisk Kid
Pioneer Woman / Tasty Kitchen
Smitten Kitchen

Additional apples will go into the making of the little guy's first applesauce.

City Plates

Landscape Architecture + maps + plates on wall = LOVE.

These city plates by Rios Clementi Hale Studios in LA are amazing.

Available at notNeutral (set of 4 for $190) or Uncommon Goods ($50 a pop). Unfortunately, this isn't in my I-work-in-higher-education-and-have-a-mortgage-and-car-payments-and-daycare-expenses budget. Ideas for a DIY version, however, are brewing.

If I were in the market to purchase these, I'd snag Berlin, New York, Chicago, London, Paris, and Montreal for sure.

Weekend Recap and a Few Firsts

Even though it's now almost Thursday, the past weekend deserves a mention. The weather was warm, sunny and generally fabulous. We spent Sunday lounging in the backyard. I think I've only sat on the back patio two or three times this whole summer. We spread a blanket on the grass and played with the little guy.

The little guy had a few firsts this week too. Over the weekend, I think he finally "got" the spoon. So far, he's been able to down some rice cereal and pumpkin. Tonight I pureed some sweet potatoes for him; we'll try those tomorrow. Also, he's started grabbing his feet this week and tonight he finally rolled over (tummy to back) all by himself for the first time.

Summer versus Autumn

Though summer is my favorite season, I find that I am increasingly enjoying autumn as each year passes. I don't think autumn will ever be my absolute favorite since it leads into winter (and winter I'm not sure I will ever love), but it's growing on me.

I came across this poem today and thought it was worthy of remembering in the future.

“I am rich today with autumn's gold,
All that my covetous hands can hold;
Frost-painted leaves and goldenrod,
A goldfinch on a milkweed pod,
Huge golden pumpkins in the field
With heaps of corn from a bounteous yield,
Golden apples heavy on the trees
Rivaling those of Hesperides,
Golden rays of balmy sunshine spread
Over all like butter on warm bread;
And the harvest moon will this night unfold
The streams running full of molten gold.
Oh, who could find a dearth of bliss
With autumn glory such as this!”
     -Gladys Harp

Fill in the Blank Friday

1. Blogging is a challenge for me. I'm a very private person, but some piece of me needs a connection and I see this whole blogging world as one I'd like to be a part of.

2. A current fashion trend I wish I was brave enough to wear is tall boots with skinny jeans tucked in. I'm not sure I'll ever be comforatble even trying skinny jeans on, but I love the look on others.

3. My greatest accomplishment in life thus far is giving birth.

4. If I had to choose between a mountain or a beach vacation I'd choose a mountain vacation hands down. I think know I'd get bored at the beach; I'd rather be hiking and climbing.

5. A talent I wish I had is being able sing. I love the emotion of it and listening to others who are so talented.

6. A talent I do have is baking(?), and of course, being able to eat my baked goods too.

7. This week seemed long, but tomorrow is Saturday and I get to row at a regatta despite being out of the rowing scene pretty much all year.
 
Found this here via here and decided to join in.

Four Months

I missed taking Wyatt's four month pictures by a little over a week, but that's still better than I did with his three month pictures. Today was his four month check-up with shots (which he didn't even cry about). He now weights 16 pounds, 7 ounces.

And for good measure...

Finding Time

I have post-its, notebook pages and brainwaves full of things I want to post/say, pictures I want to share, and more. Yet I seem to have difficulty finding the time to do everything or anything at all. Maybe though, it's not really about finding the time, but rather being purposeful with my time. I need to find some balance and a way to feel like I can enjoy the little guy but also write, create and share.