picture updates

Me and my DD @ her friend's bday party


love the face!


Birthday Boy in his DH-made hat and mittens by me


My family at Thanksgiving. (Norwegian sweater by me)

Must... Get... Hemp... Yarn!

I just found out that yarn made from hemp gets softer with every machine wash/dry, never pills (the sweater I just finished is already pilling! grrr), and requires NO herbicides/pesticides to produce! So it's eco-friendly, easy-care, and the results are beautiful for a lifetime? Sign me up! My thoughtcicles are already melting at all the brainstorming going on....

The smallest people have the biggest parites....

Today was one of the DD's little friend's 2nd birthday party. Only in NYC would I be invited to a birthday party at 10 am on a Sunday! We had a good time though. I really like the little friend's parents and the DD and her little friend get on like peas and carrots, despite the one-year age gap. This party was much more low-key than the last two-year-old New Yorker's birthday party we went to, but not nearly as low-key as the DD's is going to be!

We ended up taking a nice long walk up to Columbia University after, until the DD feel asleep. Got an amazing latte at the first not-Starbuck's I've come across up here.

FINALLY put away the Christmas decorations! The DD could not understand why on earth I would put away Baby Jesus, lol.

The DH is at a pub watching the Vikings game. He has even bought a Favre jersey. Who is this rogue and what has he done with the man I married? I hope they win!

Hot Chocolate, Butterflies, and Boutiques

Got up early with DD; we were at the park (via scooter) by 8 am! Normally an 'early' day would be 10 or 11, and often I don't leave the apartment until 3 or 4, which is not good when it is nearly dark out at that time!
NYC is a very different place in the morning! All the dogs were out scampering about. It was actually very beautiful; the air was that ultra-clear air that comes when it is very, very cold. We made it all the way to Hippo Park, and DD wanted to, of course, stop and play, but there were no other kids and she got bored. Having her stop moving was a terrible idea; she didn't dress warmly enough (read: she refused to and I needed to get her out of the house--I didn't know it was so cold!) DD started having fits: she wanted me to carry her and her scooter from 90th st (plus I twisted my ankle carrying her, screaming, from the playground to the street), so I carried her--I tried not to but she refused to move and was waking up the whole street--straight to Broadway and we ended up going to Le Pain Quotidian so that she could warm up. I learned my lesson: must continue to bring stroller, no matter how much I don't want to schlep it around, until she can make it to our destination and back consistently. *Sigh*

DH met us at the cafe (with the stroller!) and we had a nice time. Scones, Belgian hot chocolate, and waffles. Mmmmm. I know that place is a local chain, but that ambiance is so nice--almost addicting. I started to fantasizes about getting the same tables...
After nap we went to the Natural History Museum just for the Butterfly exhibit DD has been clamoring for for ages. Last night I told her we could go, she got a confused, excited look on her face and said, "We'd better get going!" When I told her that the Museum was closed and that I meant tomorrow she started to cry, poor kid.
Anyway, the exhibit was amazing! So fun. We went into a special room designed so that the butterflies could not escape and were surrounded by the hot, tropical air and huge, tropical butterflies. It was called a "Vivarium"--I supposed like a terrarium with animals. My personal favorites were the Blue Morphos--absolutely stunning. DD and I both got a kick out of one landing on my head! She was more interested on spraying water on everything for the butterflies to drink, silly kid.
We got hot dogs (so gross, so yummy) and went to Central Park after the museum closed. It was twilight, but still we went across the street to the Diana Ross playground, the first place I ever took DD, when we came to NYC that first time for DH's interview. We spent most of two days there. Ah, memories.
DH and I have such a good time just walking around the city together. I could do it everyday. We went past a boutique that DD refused to move on from. The lady in the boutique ended up opening the door for her and giving her a necklace. Sheesh. That kid is too cute for her own good. We ended up spending quite a bit of time there. She was having a ball making everyone there fancy--me, daddy, the two ladies working the floor. She has interesting tastes, but is amazingly good at co-ordinating. Perhaps she will be the host of a show like What Not to Wear someday?

2010, Resistance, and resolutions

2010 Came in with a bang at our place! Not really. We "celebrated" by watching three episodes of LOST while knitting (yes, DH was knitting, too--a cowl for me! Yay!) and enjoying some really good wine. THEN we got to really celebrate by changing the linens on our bed where the DD, who was completely wrecked by the excitement of the last two days, had a bit of an accident. Very unlike her, but most kids her age are still in diapers, so I really can't complain.

We had a wonderful Christmakah miracle here! We were gearing up to have our first Christmas without friends and family. I was trying not to let it get to me, look at it as the beginning of our family's own traditions rather than on being far away from everyone we love. The Wednesday morning before Christmas I got a call from my sister. She was stranded at Chicago O'Hare. No planes to MSP due to weather. Could she try to get her tickets transfered to NYC? Duh! She was in building being knocked over by her very excited nice by 2 pm. We loved having her for four short days!

My sister, the DH and I had a really great discussion during her visit about our goals for 2010. Many of my goals have to do with this great book I just read called "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield. I highly recommend it. It is the type of book that came at just the right time, creating a perfect storm and, I think, changing my life. Creating a shokabuku of sorts (I'm not going to even try to spell that). 2010 is the year that I will be conscious of, and fight, Resistance. I've already started to write again. I feel like a new person. I'm doing my 'work.' Even if it doesn't matter to anyone but me (and God), it matters to me (and my relationship with God and others). Therefore it is paramount.

I get so frustrated with the mundane in life. I am an ENFP and suspect I've got a little ADD thrown into the mix. All this to say, I'm not one for repetitious tasks, or the mundane. I'd rather die. Any time I am doing the daily same-old same-old I can't shake the feeling that I am watching my life waste away before my very eyes. But when I get my work done (understand, I mean the work I was made to do, not the myriad things on my to-do list), it makes me feel like the whole day was worth living, dishes and all. The tedious becomes less tiresome.

I want to be more deliberate. More deliberate in my 'work'--my art. More deliberate in my marriage--not letting things slide, letting inertia take over. Making sure to 'date' my DH, even when there is little time or money--picnics in the living room, whatever it takes. More deliberate in my relationship with the Monkey. She is exhausting, and she is wonderful. I can't afford to miss it. I can't afford to miss any of it. Here is to embracing and seizing. And Grace. Always, always, Grace.

Much love and peace to you in 2010. I have a feeling it's going to rock.

Usually the New Year seems arbitrary to me, but this year is different.