Etsy Leap

So I set up an Etsy store. www.danichka.etsy.com. We'll see how it does and if I can keep up with orders or if there ARE any orders...thanks to JORDAN!!! for all her help setting it up - she rocks and so does her site on Etsy, Kojodesigns. Just got a pair of her shoes. I managed to miss flashback Friday yesterday, but will try next Friday...it was a glorious day - too nice to be on the computer!
And I know I'm in the dark ages when it comes to mad computer skills, but am I the LAST person on earth to be enlightened by Picasa and it's wonderful traits?? Here is an invite I just did for Max's 4th that I can go have printed at Walgreen's. Love that. And Jordan informed me you can E-MAIL your order there, and then just go pick it up...what dungeon have I BEEN in?!?! Why didn't one of you rescue me?!?!

Halloween, Visits and Injuries

What a couple of busy weeks! There is something about the Fall that is almost literal in the sense that you've reached the middle of the year and you're headed down the slope of the last few months - "falling." At break neck speed around this house. And it is not like we're that busy. I know busier, more important people. Nonetheless, busy.
But not too busy to catch the Fall fever! I'm not talking about H1N1. I'm talking about the holidays. I'm not a decorator. I just can't justify spending money on things that only sit out for a month. I know, call me cheap. My husband LOVES that. But the music (Bing, and NOT the new search engine), the weather - Lubbock, I love you this time of year; 70s and sunshine and no end in sight, the colors, the bustle...LOVE it. No matter where we've been in the world, there is a taste of it everywhere. Even my sweet team in St Pete is catching it, I'm sure (however cold it is getting, get that turkey, ladies, and play your Christmas mix!!!)
Here are some shots of Aunt Carol and Uncle Bob's visit. Despite problems with bags, delayed flights and a long trip, they made it from St. John to see us. Bob is my mom's brother, and we had SUCH a nice visit. They brought a book of the Canadian ABC's - our new household favorite. JUST LOVE my family. Don't they LOOK fun too?
Here is Dash, Darth Vader, and two kitties. One of the kitties (mine) abhorred wearing a costume and screamed most of the time - delightful. We lost the costume about an hour into the festivities. We hit up pretty much every church member in Snyder, Texas (where Greg's dad pastors) and are well along in the teeth rotting process. Don't worry, mommy and daddy stole most of the chocolate and left the pure sugar for Max.
And here is my latest injury. Max stepped/leaped/bounded/pounced on my eye. I was laying on the floor next to his bed, and the next thing I saw was a socked heel headed my way. It popped my contact out, so naturally I'm moaning that I can't see until I realized my contact was missing. It was pretty dramatic and my kids are probably scarred. Silly mommy. Here is a shot of my eye. Really the awful freckles (I mean, I'm NOT six anymore!!!) and the wrinkles detract from the blood spot. Oh the wounds of motherhood...And a small part of me now feels compelled to tell friends/family/strangers that my eye is not a result of a hard night of drinking. SURE, they murmur, in disaproval...

Obsessed

I've been tagged! So exciting. By my friend Steph. And guess what? I am so challenged blog wise (as you can tell by my header) I have no way of making her blog link be her name and fun stuff like that. SO...I will just have to tell you the scoop:
Share five things you're obsessed with, then pass the award to five most fabulous blogs you know. (SO hard)

1. I am obsessed with foreigners. I stalk them in stores and try to guess their nationality. I try to casually strike up conversations with them and be their friends. I am obsessed with making their time in America not be so stressful, probably because ours was tough in Russia. I think I just freak them out. Especially the Russians.

2. I am obsessed with going green. It stresses me out that the new coffeemate containers have number 1 plastic bases, but a new, probably number 5 plastic rim that you CAN'T get off now - which renders it unrecyclable in this part of the country. Every day I have yogurt, I spend a good fifteen minutes trying desperately to come up with a use for those cups. I have been known to drag my kids out to the car, in inclement weather, to grab my shopping bags, leaving an angry mob in line behind me to wait. I also stay awake at night designing reusable sonic cups to introduce to coorporate america to use. All that styrofoam stresses me out. When people stay with me, I go through the garbage when they leave to recycle their stuff.

3. I am obsessed with knitting. I love it. I cannot put down the needles. I lay awake thinking of new hats to make. I have too much yarn.

4. I am obsessed with music. All kinds. I'm very passionate about it and loyal to certain artists that Greg thinks suck. Like the Allman Brothers. And Joni Mitchell. And some that he is indifferent about - but I think, how in the heck could he be indifferent about it?? Like Sarah McLachlan, Dido.

5. I am obsessed with all things Canadian. My parents are Canadian, and most of my wonderful family - so although I was born and raised in the south, I might consider myself an honorary Canadian. If Canada and the US were in a fist fight, I would probably punch the US when no one was looking. Not because I don't like wonderful America - I do, but because I love Canada that much more. I mean, have you TRIED a Nanaimo bar?!?!

some of my fave blogs - so tough.
Cristy Cross photography (holla, little sis!)
Amber Dahle's
the Latvalas in Russia
Cheryl Boyd's
Jen Ferguson's

And again - will I EVER become tech savvy and fix my jank blog and have neat little links to ALL my fun friends' blogs???

Flashback Friday - Halloween

This one is kinda early and lame, but I have five minutes and we've had a LONG week! (but a great one - more on that later) Here are some faves from the past few Halloweens. Greg is going to kill me...
Yes, Max has been that monkey for a good two years now. This year, he will be Dash, from the Incredibles. Fitting. One year, Max and Greg were rappers, and that girl in the center with Tolu's black boots on? Britney Spears, I mean, Greg. I went as a baba bag - these bags that are all over Russia that are OH SO HANDY when moving, shopping, etc. Last Halloween, we went to an awesome party at a friend's house that was complete with trick or treating and a hayride! This year, we'll be in Snyder, and yes, mom and dad will be stealing candy when the kids are asleep...

Happy Birthday, Greg!

What a fun and busy month! Marlys turned 11 months on the 18th, Greg is 33 today, and Uncle Bob and Auntie Carol are coming from New Brunswick tomorrow night. FUN TIMES! I wanted to wish my fabulous husband a very happy birthday today. He is at work, after catching the Giants Saints game in New Orleans this weekend as a birthday present. He brought me back pralines, which I have to hide so as not to consume in one sitting:) I wish he had today off, so we could celebrate him all day, but I'm hoping today wasn't too crazy at work and that he will get off SOON and we can celebrate.
I heard on the radio today that today is also the birthday of the man who penned the hymn, "It is Well With My Soul." It is believed that he wrote that hymn after he got the news he had lost all four of his precious daughters at sea in a boating accident. That is one of the most powerful hymns ever written (at least for Greg and me) and it made me think that Greg's character is much like that man's character. I have seen him go through so many challenging things and come through on the other side an even more loving and faithful husband, father and follower of Jesus. I love you, Greg and am SO thankful to have had these past nine years with you. I am so grateful for the friend, lover, protector and incredible husband God gave me!
Here are some of my favorite shots of Greg:)

Two more

Here are two more hats I made. These are the first ones without a home. I think I'm going to start an Etsy store, but I am kinda nervous because there are already SO MANY knit things on there. And how in the world do you determine that your things are good enough to sell anyway!?!?! It could be like those contestants who try out for American Idol that are tone deaf but convinced they're the next Kelly Clarkson:) And poor Max, modeling my pink hats.

Flashback and forth and back and forth Friday

Max, 2 weeks

Marlys, 2 weeks

I did the math last night. We rock our babies to sleep - we're unapologetic:) I know that it can encroach on our time and be inconvenient, but I don't regret one mile. Here is the math:
In our rocking chair, we probably go about a foot forward - never mind the backward now. We'll just do the forward. On any given night, we average about 100 rocks - I think that might be low, especially when teeth are coming in, sickness prevails, or they ate too much sugar.
Daily, that is 300 feet.
Weekly, 2,100 feet.
Monthly, 8,400 feet.
and yearly, 100,800 feet.
5,280 feet in a mile.
So...for the year and a half we rocked Max to sleep? About 28.5 miles.
Marlys so far? 16 miles.
Just 12.5 miles to go...

(Wish it burned calories)