Fake Camping

Ferry ride to Olympic Peninsula.

First kite flying at Fort Flagler. (That's not our tent-we stayed in an RV with T's 'rents, I opted for comfort at 33 weeks!)

Hiking and strolling with family.










Ferry ride back home! We were dirty!

Off to the Post Office

Finally, I can cross some UFO's off my list, I'm off to the post office (okay, tomorrow).

From left: Zigzag scarf for a special friend in France, made with Noro. Sweater is the pattern Darling, one skein (with about a foot left, no joke) of Eco by Cascade and a trio of washcloths in red cotton.

And since no post is complete without a photo of my Butters, here we are in the rain, we took a walk today to splash in the puddles in our very cute frog boots.





Well...I can't play favorites!

Twenty Pounds of Plums!

What do you do with all the plums from 5 trees in your yard?


Make wine! And...invite your friends to come over and eat some...and invite the neighbors....and make jam....and....does anyone else have some ideas?

Killer Elmos, Doras and Thomases

"Don't touch Elmo, honey, it might lead to retardation."

I've been involved in the last three major toy and food recalls involving goods from China. I'm getting tired of trips to the post office, throwing out possibly tainted food, scanning the toy box and (oh yeah) worrying that my house may be filled with lead saturated toys or salmonella in our food! I'm willing to pay more for toys and food if I know where it's made, who made it and if they were paid a fair wage. You'd think at 20 bucks a pop a Thomas engine would be handcrafted by a well paid artist or at least not children in a closed window factory in Hong Kong licking their lead paint paintbrushes adding smiles to cheeky engine faces!

Why can't our government demand that imports from abroad meet the same requirements that toys made in the states must meet? How can Toys R Us and Target and WALMART sell this crap and not have outraged families? Why do toy manufacturers/retailers have to make so much money, when they pass the cost on to us in the form of corporate tax breaks and health care costs?

Well, here's what the little hell raiser in me is thinking. This lasted recall from Fisher Price has an online form and they will send me back a postage paid label for my tainted items. How nice. I won't have to front the postage costs like I did to send in James. BUT, do you know how the pre-paid label works? The company has an account number, the post office weighs the item and deducts the amount of postage needed to mail the item and the company gets a bill that they have to pay. Now, I'm not telling you what to do, I'm just telling you what my cousin's friend's sister's boyfriend heard someone do....and I'm hoping the mail carriers will forgive me! I think I'll send back my Elmo sprinkler with a few rocks, bricks and possibly a dirty diaper. Just an idea, you didn't hear it from me!

Added later:

Here's a better idea, MomsRising has a petition to let Congress and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) know that, "Testing children's products for toxic chemicals must be a priority. No more toxic toys and children's products!" Sign it here!

Weekend Update

I went to the Needle Arts Expo in Tukwila this weekend! This is an event for distributors, yarn store owners and yarn makers and was not open to the public. The owner of the yarn store I work at, Let It Rain, brought us along to look at the companies new lines of yarn/patterns/products. I also got to take advantage of the cash and carry: wholesale to even deeper discounted yarns!

It was pure heaven. I was out from 3-10 pm and I'm probably not allowed to go to another knitting night again, but it was worth it. I got a tons of projects, project ideas and nearly all my needs for Christmas. Plus, yarn to make myself a sweater, which I have never done (you guessed it, the blue Frog Tree silk-cotton blend in the top left corner).

Also this weekend, we got a Big Boy Bed! He's very excited but nap time and bedtime are definitely more....interesting. I also nearly ended up in the emergency room Friday having braxton-hicks contractions because I was so dehydrated. I good reminder to take care of myself. My husband was out of town so I was a little scared, but I promise to call for help next time. Something always happens when they go out of town, doesn't it? The dog peed in the house, one cat puked and the other knocked a plant down a flight of stairs. Lovely.

Les Schwabb Rocks The Hizzouse and Entitlement

I'm not one to offer up a corporate endorsement, but Les Schwab, the tire place, made me feel special on Friday. Butters and I did all sorts of errands, starting with having LS take a look at my leaky tire. B touched every tire in the waiting room, proclaimed some "booful," some big, and some Truck Tires. We must have waited about 45 minutes when they told me it was done, they patched the hole and sign here, No Charge. Really? I don't owe you anything? But I didn't even buy my tires here. The Man Behind the Counter said, "No charge, it will leave you more money for McDonald's." Well, I was so taken aback by the complimentary service, I didn't start into a Why McDonald's is Bad speech, I just thanked him and moved on to the next stop.

I felt special all day. I figured it must be because I was pregnant and chasing around a 2 year old. My husband got home and burst the bubble, they give free patch repairs to everyone, even if you didn't buy their tires!

My shock made me think about entitlement. Because as I was waiting, and there were 3 other people in there, I actually thought, they should serve me first because I'm pregnant and chasing around a 2 year old. When I walk the dog and cross the street, I give the evil eye if you don't stop for me. T and I had an disagreement once and he mentioned my sense of entitlement and at the time I thought he was ridiculous. But I do feel certain things are owed to me and that I should be given certain luxuries. I tend to use the same excuse as if it has no expiration date. "I gave birth to him", "I carried him for nine months", "I stay home and watch the baby" It got me a week vacation in Italy, but I'm not sure if I've used up too many points! When can I stop using aspects of motherhood (and womanhood) as a get out of jail free card?

And, has it earned me a day at a wholesale cash and carry yarn outing with the knitting store?

Last weekend we went to the in-laws and Butters had a blast playing with his cousin. He even at corn off the cob. They grow up so fast, his feet were even smelly the other day! Little babies don't have smelly feet, my boy is growing up!

Be-lated Anniversary

My husband and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary on Thursday last week.

It was a beautiful summer day in Kentucky when we said this to each other:
I promise always to be your friend, lover, confidant and helper and to nurture the bonds that bring us together. I will support you in all of life’s challenges, l hold you gently in thought and in action, laugh with you, cry with you, and delight in your spirit and individuality. I will cherish you, above all others, for as long as we both shall live.

Here is a bit of what our life is like now, and why I'm so happy I married this man! Butters and T were playing on the floor with a wooden breakfast food set. It's a tray with waffles, eggs, bacon, and various breakfast foods. Also invited is a toy Sir Topham Hatt from Thomas the Train (hopefully Lead-free). Here's the conversation, with T in a deep voiced Sir Topham. Sir T is always very supportive and encouraging his engines to be hard working.

Butters: Mmmm, waffles
Sir T: Yesss, waffles, a very useful breakfast carbohydrate
B: Mmmm, want some bacon
ST: Ahhhh, Bacon, champion breakfast meat
B: Yogurt
ST: Yogurt, a gift of the Swiss
B: Strawberries (pronounced ba-bawees)
ST: Yes, keep doing what you do, strawberries. We can count on you.