-:- list update

It's that time of year again - time to eat cake, indulge in pretty things, and make another list of things to do in the upcoming year. When I look back on my list from last year, it feels like I left a lot unaccomplished...I still ask Mr. to drive whenever there's a chance we'll have to parallel park on a busy street. I'm not fluent in ASL and our kitchen and bathroom are in the same state they've always been in.

But I've accomplished so much more this year than was outlined in my little list. I'm still doing yoga 4-5 times a week at my studio. Starting that habit was so major for me - if that's the only thing I had accomplished all year, I'd still be pleased. I also managed to pay off one of my student loans and quit coffee. And in place of the two bigger renovations, we've completed many little projects around the house that have made big impacts around here.

This year, I have a bit more perspective on what my life out west is all about. And with that perspective comes a new, updated list of things to do before I turn 30.
(say what?!)

Here's to making my last year in this decade of my life something really special.

xox

-:- busy weekending

This weekend was the first super busy weekend we've had in a long time - but it was busy in the most wonderful, relaxing way. Saturday involved yoga, the Shepherd's Harvest Festival, and vegan Chinese food for dinner. So good.

We cleaned up a bit when we got home from our full Saturday and then Mr. successfully brewed his first batch of beer while I finished those socks and got them blocking. By the end of the night, our house smelled like fresh beer and wet wool - what's better than that?

Today was dedicated to our poor backyard. We pruned and sawed and pulled huge roots from the ground. We raked and swept and planted clover seeds in one of the few places where sunlight is a certainty (it's a special mix for the bees). There's still so much left to do, but luckily, it's just the kind of work we love in these parts.

Very little of what we had planned for our yard today actually happened, but we made significant progress nonetheless. And we did manage to come home with several plants from an amazing local plant sale, which will have to wait to be planted in the ground just a bit longer...

xox

P.S. Happy Mother's Day!

-:- a star wars movie marathon

A couple of weekends ago, I managed to get all three of the original Star Wars movies from the library at once and Mr. and I sat down to watch them back-to-back - which means I can officially cross off #18 from my list of things to do.

And what's a movie marathon without a little themed food?

We had Princess Leia's cinnamon rolls, blue milk blueberry smoothies, Jabba the Hut hummus, Yoda guacamole, and Star Wars cupcakes - and we ate everything from Storm Trooper plates. So good.

//

This movie marathon was like a mini-vacation for us - we both had plenty that needed to get done that day, but once those movies started playing, that to-do list went out the window. Our house was a mess, our kitchen in particular was a disaster area, but it was so fun to completely relax for those few hours.

And, of course, the movies themselves were a blast to watch - I had seen bits and pieces of them before and have always had a love for Ewoks, but didn't even know the name of the first movie going into this whole thing. I'm still not sure I understand the Star Wars cult following, but I definitely enjoyed watching them. Are any of you huge Star Wars fans?

xox

-:- go skiing

I can't believe we're already into the second week of January - it seems like it was Christmas just yesterday. So forgive my late post, but in my defense, isn't 2013 already moving a bit too quickly?

For Christmas this year, my in-laws rented a ski condo in Colorado for the whole family - it was such a wonderful trip - and I was able to accomplish #20 on my list of things to do.

If you are going skiing for the first time and have to rent your equipment, let me give you two pieces of advice that your husband might not think to tell you because he's a boy. When you go to get your boots and skis, make sure to shave your legs and don't wear skinny jeans. Trust me.

picture by Mr.

And I'll give you one more piece of advice - even if you're a natural skier and you learn how to ski pretty quickly, do not go to the top of a mountain after having just a couple of hours of experience under your belt (even if the slopes are all green - ahem). That's what I did - and after that little episode, I was happy to leave skiing to the experts and spend the next couple of days hanging out with my in-laws and nephew instead.

He's pretty stinking cute, right?

It was really fun to be on the road again with Mr. and I hadn't been back to the Rockies since my childhood, so I was happy to see those mountains again. We all ate some great food (thanks to my MIL for planning and fixing), played board games into the night, collectively ate approximately one million Cuties, and I have never been more focused on hydration in my life - my skin thanked me for that.

But the best part was getting to spend time with this crew - and next time, I'll definitely be ready to step up my skiing game. Kokomo, here I come!

xox

-:- make a quilt

Sometimes, when I successfully learn how to do new things, I wonder what took me so long to start doing them in the first place. I felt that way about crocheting, then about knitting - and now I feel that way about making quilts - or, quilting as we quilters like to call it. 

Going into this weekend, I had two things left to do on my quilt: tie it and then bind it.

Getting this quilt tied was a lot harder than I imagined it would be, and only after a broken needle and several blisters on my fingers did I get into a good rhythm. Good thing I was watching (three) episodes of Doc Martin, which simultaneously distracted me from my pain and supplied medical advice in case my quilting injuries worsened. 

My binding technique left a little a lot to be desired - and as usual, my problems mostly stemmed from my blatant disregard for accuracy. (So what if my cardboard template from a cereal box was a bit smaller by the time I was done cutting my squares? And who cares if all of my edges don't quite line up? It would all be okay in the end!)

I loved making this quilt - and I already have big plans for my next one. Those plans, you'll be happy to hear, involve cutting my squares using a quilting ruler, ironing my fabric, and doing other such responsible things to ensure a more finished look at the conclusion of my efforts (ahem).

In the meantime, there is a warm, flannel-backed Weasley-esque quilt to keep me (and Mr. and Louie and Wilbur) warm.

And we love it.

xox