Soon

Life around here's been a-changin'. We now have less than a month before we move to Knoxville to start over. Boxes are being packed, every room is a shell; dismantled piece by piece.

Part of me is terrified; terrified that our life won't change enough, will change too much, that we are making a bad decision. I've always ignored that terrified little voice when I've had a chance to visit or move somewhere new, maybe because I've not had that many chances to do so. Now that I have lives to consider beyond mine, are we making the wrong decision?

San Jose, Costa Rica

Backstage at Carnegie Hall, NYC

Annnnnd then the excitement takes over. Living closer (too close for them, probably ;)) to all of Matt's immediate family, closer to my sister and her husband, close to a part of the country that I've always wanted to live... well, that takes most of my concern away. I'm still left with a teensy bit of guilt for taking my parents' grandchildren so far away from them, but even that can't temper all of my hope and excitement.

I've been trying to not get my hopes up, not expect anything, and just focus on the present in terms of moving. Nonetheless, I have no doubt that some of my depression and worries will alleviate with our new locale.It will be so nice to get move on, work towards a stress free point where we can start reaching for our ideas and dreams again.  Matt has been super excited too; he has missed living close to his family. Aly asks nearly every day when we're moving to "Ten'see."

Aly's Birthday

Here is another group of photos I never published. As Matt got fired right after Aly's birthday, our plans to take her and her cousin Hailee to  NOLA's Children's Museum were canceled. Mom graciously took up the reins, and threw a small birthday party for her at their house. Here are the pictures, in no particular order :).

****Sidebar: Someone needs to give me photography lessons, stat. These are just pitiful.*****

February 20

Cake!

Princess Aly and her ladies in waiting

Pretty Pretty Princess ;)

April being attacked at all sides

Yeah, this is a bad picture. But I love the angle and the look on Aly's face

For Lorelei, cake is srs bsns

Our Happiness

A draft I found that I never published. The pictures kept getting all wonky. I think everyone's seen these pictures anyway on Facebook, but here they are again for your viewing pleasure.


Jan.28.2010

A Horse of a Different Color

This year I did something supremely selfish; I spent a bit of my birthday money actually on myself. I'm not being sarcastic or insincere, I truly feel guilty for it. After six months with us getting by on the grace of God and family with no tunneled light, spending money that doesn't cover a basic need  is very frivolous. But what's done is done, and I am trying to just enjoy my purchase :).

My gift was 3 felting kits. After seeing some gorgeous needle felted and wet felted art on Etsy, as well as loving the fulled look of something I've crochet, I was itching to try my hand on it. There is an element of sculpting with felt that can't be done with crochet, or at least takes much more in depth analysis of the stitch mechanics to do so. Needle felting intrigues me more with its wool + needle = felt. Crazy.

Sam the Sophisticated Skeleton by Papermoongallery

My first project was a bunny magnet from Etsy's Hifiberkits. I made him into a red, widow's peak-less Bunnicula from James Howe's series.

 Roving