Birthday Fondue

  • September 30, 2007 8:46 PM

Tomorrow (10/01) is my birthday! I’m 29. On Friday, someone stopped me and asked if I was still in high school. This is not the first time I’ve been questioned about my age. I don’t think I look that young, but if I do, hopefully I’ll just look 30 when I’m actually 40.

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To celebrate my last year of my 20s, a couple friends came over for a fondue party. I haven’t had one for a few years, so it was fun to break out the fondue gear.

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We had cheese fondue with apples and bread, bullion fondue with beef, shrimp, and veggies, and chocolate fondue with angel food cake, strawberries, and bananas. Yum.

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I got this embroidery book with the cutest designs in it. I’m so excited to learn how to embroider. I guess I need to make a trip to the craft store later this week to get some supplies.

After dinner, we all hung out for a while. Bill and Young tried out Thomas’ recumbent bike, and we played some Wii games. I’ve got photos of that too – I just haven’t posted them yet. I’ll add them to that set on Flickr when I get a chance.

Fun Monday: My Shoes

  • September 30, 2007 8:07 PM

This week, on Fun Monday, Pensieve asked to see our shoes.

In this photo, you see:

  • The sparkley green shoes that I absolutely love, but have not had many opportunities to wear them – I tried to wear them with my wedding dress, but the heel was too short
  • My favorite everyday shoes for walking the dog, going to the store, kayaking, etc. – I wore these in the Galapagos and got a funky foot tan from the cutouts
  • My poison ivy protecting, waterproof boots – I wear these while doing yard work and when walking in the creek to fight off the snakes
  • My favorite socks, despite the holes – my friend Georgy gave them to me because they have VW buses on them

Living with Thomas has taught me good Swedish shoe etiquette – always leave your shoes by the door when you come inside.

Good Swedish Etiquette

Another Swap and a Contest

  • September 29, 2007 10:43 AM

Just helping to advertise the next craft swap that I signed up for. It’s hosted by LeahPeah, and though I read her blog, I actually learned about it through Lisa’s Chaos. Anyway, it’s a Christmas Craft swap for November. Go on over and sign up.

And as long as I’m pimping sites, I also signed up for this contest at 5 Minutes for Mom. Yeah, I know, I’m not a Mommy Blogger, but I’d still be happy to win one of the harddrives they’re giving away for photo backups. I do have plenty of photos to protect.

Owl Swap Received

  • September 26, 2007 5:55 PM

I received my package from the owl swap today and I love it! My partners (mother/daughter teamwork) made me a stuffed owl and a scarf.

The daughter part of the team made this small stuffed owl pillow, based on a picture in Country Home magazine. Honestly, I like this owl much better than the magazine’s owl. Isn’t he cute? He is now happily sitting on the window sill next to my sewing machine.

I’ve been told his name is Harold and he has a twin that spontaneously generated after he left. :) I took him out for a photoshoot, and Clover was very curious what he was. She kept creeping closer, but was to afraid to actually get up next to him.

Closeup of Scarf

The second part of the swap package was a scarf from the mother side of the team inspired by a Brandenburg quilt pattern. I can’t wait until it gets cold enough to wear. I actually had seen that pattern at the quilt show a couple of weeks, but passed it by thinking it was too hard for me – I don’t know how to appliqué yet. I’m so excited that I’ve now got a scarf with that pattern. And I love the embroidery and pom-pom details.

A huge thank you to both of my partners! I really enjoyed the swap and am looking forward to participating in another. Sorry I wasn’t able to take a photo of me wearing the scarf, I just wasn’t able to take a clear shot of myself…maybe when Thomas gets home.

Year of the Spider Plant

  • September 25, 2007 7:30 PM

I’m discovering that I’m more of a house plant gardener, than a yard gardener. Each year, I have one variety of plant that does really well – growing enough to split into multiple plants. This year, it’s the Spider Plant. Last year was the Wandering Jew. I now have enough Spider Plants to split into 6 separate plants.

I got some new pots the other day that are designed for house plants that survive on a lot of water. It’s actually a pot with dirt, inside of a pot with water. The water seeps through the ceramic of the dirt pot to keep the plant hydrated. Since I’ve grown spider plants in just water before, I thought I’d give it a try. The white pots in the picture remind me of my childhood bedroom – white wallpaper with little pink flowers. I got two of them so I can take one into the office.