Basement!

Todd's been working for over a year now on finishing our basement, and today we finally started mudding and taping the drywall. It feels like we're entering the homestretch, though there's the mudding, the priming and painting, the trim work and door hanging, and the floor to install. Still, we've come a long way.
Here are pictures of our layout and progress. These were taken a few weeks ago already, so we have more of the drywall up, but you get the idea.

The big family room with double-sided fireplace. Off to the right is the door into the cap garage.

Family room view from the door into the cap garage. You can see the bottom of the stairs in the middle back.

We're hoping to add a wet bar and an island in this corner. Also an under-stair storage area.

Sorry this picture is so dark, but this will be the reading room, with comfy chairs around the fireplace.

This back corner will be the computer and study space, with a storage closet on the right. Stairs are just to the left. To the right in back is a roughed-in bathroom, which we won't finish yet, and the mechanical room. Apologies on the public display of litterboxes...

And lastly, this will be the spare bedroom/art studio/music room/home office. The bays in the wall are for built-in shelving. We get lots of afternoon light in all the basement windows, and they look out on our fledgling garden, so someday I think it's going to be really beautiful down here. Cosy too, with that fireplace.

Mad props to Todd for working so hard. He's done 95% of what you see all by himself... framing, wiring, lifting all that drywall...

Yum

Getting together with friends is always an excuse to bake. Sometimes I even go for something fancy, like lemon meringue pie. That is hand-beaten meringue, folks. Todd had to take over the last few minutes because my arm was falling off.

A productive day: cinnamon rolls, baked sweet potatoes, and lemon meringue pie!

Meringue. Meeerringuueee.

Other recent goodies include rice pudding, teisen lap, and chocolate chip cookies.

Last week Roo and I tried making these for Valentines decorations, but I was kinda bummed about the project. She wasn't able to help much - the crayons were too hard for her to shave, and then I had to do the ironing and the cutting-out. And they were really quite fragile. Maybe I didn't heat them enough. But at least she had fun coloring with the other crayons in my big box.

That Time of Year

These aren't resolutions as much as notes to myself. Because life is busy and I am working on our daily routine.

Take the time to enjoy at least one bath a week. We have a whirlpool after all, so use it.
Take more photos of the babes. One of them is growing fast fast fast, and the other one is up to such neat tricks nowadays.
Use that wonderful afternoon quiet hour to relax already! And take a nap if needed. In the sunshine.
As always, write more letters.
Maybe start drawing again? And get that fiddle out! Good thing orchestra is starting again in a week.
Knitting, knitting, knitting.
Weekly meal planning? Everyday Food?
Roo loves to help. Why not let her?

Baby!

It's old news now, but hey! we had our baby!

Mica Sievert was born about 6:45am on October 16th, 6lbs 11oz. He's doing great, and we're working on transitioning to a family of 4... and also working on transitioning back to life with a newborn. Holy guacamole are nighttimes FUN. ;)

Thank goodness for dads. And grandmas who come out for a week or two at a time.

Obsession

Over the 4th a friend shared some delicious strawberry yogurt scones with us, and as I have a failed batch of (not-quite-set-)yogurt to use up pronto, I did a little research and found a new recipe to try. And oh goodness, these things are sooo tasty, quick, and more than a little addicting. Think strawberry shortcake in portable form; not so sweet, not so rich, and just right for a morning or afternoon snack. I have 2 quarts of yogurt to use, and so far I've made 3 batches of scones, with no plans to stop now. I'm happily filling my freezer.

The recipe, snagged from here:

Oven 425
Makes 8 scones

2 C flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 Tbsp. butter
3/4 C chopped strawberries
3/4 C plain yogurt

Combine dry, cut in butter, fold in strawberries, then yogurt.

Turn dough onto floured surface and knead a few times. Press out into rectangle, fold into thirds, then double. Press out into 9" round and cut into 8 triangles.

Bake on a flour-dusted cookie sheet, approx. 15 min. or until golden.

Meh

My computer still on the fritz, and I'm using all my afternoon down time to knit and/or stream Wimbledon matches on Todd's tablet pc.

Also it was HOT HOT HOT last week. Hard to do anything when it's 90 degrees out, and 80 degrees in your kitchen/dining/living room.

Another (almost) F/O

I've been meaning to make Roo a doll for a while, now that she's starting to show interest in her stuffed animals and cuddling with things other than rulers and calculators. So I knit her this:

(The second arm is still on the needles and coming soon.)

She'll also get a dress, and maybe eventually a pair of pants and a sweater. Roo likes to pull out her hair.

The pattern is Airy Fairy from Zoe Mellor's Knitted Toys, and Ravelry details are here.

Meep!

My laptop screen is on the out. So I'm borrowing Todd's tablet pc (fancy!) when I can, but posting may be light for a bit.

At least it's forcing me to read more! :)

Anniversary!

Celebrating a very happy number six today! This guy's my best friend, and it's awesome that he and I have each other along for the ride.

And on to a crazy busy week we go!

Roo's pillows

I have another fabulous project to share, and this one was in no way conceived nor executed by me. My wonderful friend Bonnie, who has the admirable and enviable talent of knowing how to crochet, made a set of cuddle pillows for Roo. And oh, are they enjoyed! For a while there she wouldn't nurse unless she was clutching both of them, and they now preside at the top of her bed for nightly assurance and encouragement.

So mad props and big thanks to Bonnie for such a thoughtful gift and for making Roo's bedroom an even lovelier place.

(If only they could magically revive that wonderful, brief time when Roo was actually sleeping through the night!)

Picnic Blanket

My friend April gave me some fabric to make two picnic blankets about a year ago, and I finally started sewing the first one together on Mother's Day. I was totally winging it, making the steps up as I went, and it was my first time sewing with either fleece or nylon, but it turned out okay.

Pretty good, in fact. And I think the second one is going to be even better... if I get around to making it near enough in the future to remember what I learned this time around.

It's already been on two picnics with Roo. Also, I love the umbrellas. April has good taste.

Baby Blue

This was another pattern from the same designer; also perfect for little hands to squish. The body of the bird is a lovely egg shape that tempts me to knit a dozen in various colors for next Easter. Lots of fun to squeeze and toss and pack into an Easter basket.

But anyway, this little birdy was also knit in the round, and I decided on stockinette rather than garter stitch for the body. I thought that the garter stitch wings and tail then made a nice contrast.

Ravelry details here.

Little Lulu

This little darling is made following the suggested yarn for the pattern; the only modification being that I knit in the round to avoid a zig-zag seam up the back of the shell. Plus, it's so satisfying to knit something off the needle and be able to stuff it and move on... Seaming = boo.

He was knit from leftover yarn from my massive spate of summer-weight baby blankets. Roo loved him; I need to make her one sometime. They're the perfect size to be smooshed in small hands.

Same pattern as yesterday's f/o. Ravelry details here.

Fin/Ob Week!

Man, I've been sitting on pictures from some spring knitting projects for a while now, so how about a finished objects week?

I knitted this in record-time back at the end of April for the arrival of a friend's baby boy. The pattern makes a tiny, tiny turtle, about 3" nose to flipper tip, with DK yarn; using super bulky yarn and size 10 needles this big guy has a respectable 9" spread. Much better for grabbing.

Details at Ravelry.