Living, Loving, Learning

Look what Bruce is getting me for my birthday! We pick him up on March 10th. Soooooo happy!

Who has who wrapped about their little finger? Or is it whom?

Griffin was hard at work this morning on his mathathon workbook. Thanks to all his earliest supporters! He only needs to raise $160 now.

I want to let y'all know that Griffin is participating in Math-A-Thon to support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He has set high hopes for raising $250.00 for this great cause.  Now he needs YOUR help!  St. Jude is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. St. Jude is the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatments that are not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay. You can help Griffin reach his goal by clicking this link www.mymathathon.org/GriffGast   to make an online donation. If you do not wish to make an online donation but would like to contribute, please contact me and let me know. I can make other arrangements with you to obtain your donation. He is so excited to be involved in this awesome project!

Starting a new project.

For Christmas Bruce bought me an awesome book I had been wanting that was filled with tips and designs for hand embroidery.  This is something I love doing but drawing is not a skill I possess so having this book of examples is soooo fun for me!! Of course, I was then eager to begin a project to use some of these designs.  Usually when I sew, I start with some sort of tutorial or pattern as inspiration or a leaping off point but happily, this project is all my own.  I decided to attempt to make an interpretation of old fashioned fabric valentines.  I have been working on my sewing skills enough for the past few years that I actually have some project construction knowledge locked up in that wee brain of mine! So, I had a bunch of muslin left over from some Christmas projects that I traced a heart design onto (the heart I got by adjusting some clip art to my desired size.)  I then cut out the 2 pieces of muslin and a piece of qui...

I love it when she asks me to paint these itty bitty nails!

My new yoga mat came yesterday. Can't wait to kick this nasty cold and break it in!

With Lucy in preschool we don't get to go to story hour at the library very often. We both miss that time with our friends so much. It is such a joy when we are there and Lucy was especially happy to be there for the prince/princess theme last week.

"There were no formerly heroic times, and there was no formerly pure generation.  There is no one here but us chickens, and so it has always been:  a people busy and powerful, knowledgeable, ambivalent, important, fearful, and self-aware; a people who scheme, promote, deceive, and conquer; who pray for their loved ones, and long to flee misery and skip death.  It is a weakening and discoloring idea, that rustic people knew God personally once upon a time-or even knew selflessness or courage or literature-but that it is too late for us.  In fact, the absolute is available to everyone in every age.  There never was a more holy age than ours, and never a less. ---Annie Dillard, For the Time Being Our current book club selection is The Wisdom of Yoga by Stephen Cope.  In '10 I read his first book, Yoga and the Quest for the True Self and loved it, so I am really excited to read this one.  I just cracked it open this morning and that quote was on...

This weekend was a blast! Hilary was super sweet and came over to watch the kids on Friday night so Bruce and I could go on a date. We went to see a movie and stopped at a restaurant on the way home. It was so nice to have some alone time. Then on Saturday night we headed as a family over to the Solice's home to watch An Idiot Abroad an say a final ( for now) goodbye to Holly. Definitely bittersweet. Love the cake they got her though! :) Then on Sunday we hosted the 2nd annual Gasthaus Super Bowl spectacular. So fun! Bruce knocked himself out making an amazing meal...pork loin stuffed with lemon prosciutto and chives, Mac n chz (closest thing to the Unions that I've ever had), thyme carrots, spicy garlic broccoli. Add two incredible homemade cheesecakes by Rhian, delish buffalo chicken dip by Hilary and it was quite a feast! SO so fun. We even broke out the amazing cherry wine by Good Harbor that we bought when we were in Leelanau this summer. It was even better t...

Excited for their Saturday class at the community college about boomerangs!

My dear friend Holly has been home on an extended holiday before she heads back to Sydney to start grad school. Having been introduced for our mutual love of quilting, we felt it was a must that we visit the national quilting museum together before she leaves. We fit it in just in time, as she takes off Sunday. Today Holly, Lucy and I took a road trip to Paducah. The museum was so fun- these are not your Grandma's quilts, but incredible art pieces made by such gifted hands. Very inspiring! Then we had lunch at an adorable little deli/bakery place. Of course we couldn't leave without some treats. I will surely miss u bunches, Holly!

What a gorgeous welcome to February.

Eating his first grilled cheese sandwich that he made himself (with a little help from Papa). Love seeing him mastering important skills.