Love Friday. Love Starbucks. Love Photoshop.

Good Friday morning! I feel like I should be walking in, sitting down to change my shoes and put on my morning sweater while singing a little tune to you internet friends. Sunny Friday mornings are just the bees knees aren't they? What does that have to do with the photo I have posted? Nothing. I just like that guy. I met him on a sunny morning in the desert while I was in Arizona one time. He may actually be a she, I'm not sure. I kept my distance because he/she was a little leery of me. I used one of PW's photoshop actions, then I added more edge burn on my own. I seem to have a heavy hand with the burn tool, but in my defense, I apply it using my laptop with doesn't have a mouse, I just use my finger on the mouse pad thing. I'm sure if I had better equipment I could do better. Regardless, I like that photo.
This morning I'm going to Starbucks for a cup o' decaf. I'm sort of a high maintenance customer, but only because I used to work at Starbucks once upon a time. When it's cold out, I order a (decaf these days) tall, hazelnut americano with cream. It's basically a hazelnut latte, but without the pricetag. When it's warm I love to get iced lattes. Especially iced chai with whip. Yum.
Anyway, just have a great friday internet friends!

I love books

I went to Barnes and Noble Bookstore today just to browse around and wile away some time.
First I went into the "Sales" section to see what's new. Then I meandered into the gardening section. I was trying to find the "writing" section when I stumbled into the "Children's" section. Much like the children's department at my childhood library it was almost magical to walk thru the special entrance. The Children's section is separated by a half wall and the entrance is guarded by Dr. Seuss characters and flying elephants. I was transported. As I browsed my appreciation for classic illustration and simple storytelling was awoken from some dusty place in my brain. I could see myself sitting on the floor of the library at North Elementary while Mrs. Franklin read aloud to us. Mrs. Franklin is a whole other story..but she was really good at reading aloud. I bet if I went back and looked on the shelves my name would be scrawled on the checkout card of a few particular books. All the horse books and one particular Christmas book.
I have always loved to read. I want my daughter to love to read. So I picked up a couple of books for her. One is a cloth book with crinkle sounding pages and soft animals to pet. The other is a bedtime story. I also found some "Llama llama" books that I enjoyed but decided I would tell someone so they can get them as a shower or future birthday gift. There was the cutest stuffed llama that I bought for her because there are two llama art prints hanging in her room. Did I mention I used to own a llama? I'm fond of llamas.
But I'm really fond of reading.

Baby Countdown

Okay, with a little help from my friends on the internet I have installed a "pregnancy ticker." It is located all the way at the bottom of my blog because it's a long skinny "ruler" style ticker. The small square ones that would've fit on the right sidebar were pics of an animated creepy floating fetus. I didn't want to creep you guys out. So I picked a cartoon stork that now flys at the bottom of my blog. It will take some effort to check it, with all the scrolling down and whatnot. In the meantime I will try to search for a cute square one that will fit up toward the top, but I'm particular. I want it to tell us how far we have to go in "weeks" not "days" or "percentages." So, bear with me. By the way, Boo and I went and registered the other night and it completely wore us both out. She's been moving around a lot more in the last few days too. Baby furniture arrives on Monday! Yay!

Report Card

I'm a couple weeks into this "stay at home mom" thing and I thought I'd report how I'm doing thus far. Complete and utter honesty, okay?
First of all, the baby is still in my belly so there is no "momming" to be done yet so I have to find things to fill my day with. The whole idea for leaving my job early was to accomplish a few things before the baby's arrival. I guess I've gotten some things done, just not the meaningful things. We'll get into that in a minute.
Most days I sit on the couch and Facebook/check email/eat breakfast and watch the "Today Show" from about 8 to 10am. At 10 am Hoda and Kathi Lee come on for the final hour of "Today" and I can't stand Kathi Lee. She's just a little melodramatic for me. Basically for two hours I sit on my couch watching the tv or my computer screen. I think this is ridiculous. I expect more from myself and I feel like I'm wasting time.
Then, miraculously and out of a sense of duty I take a shower and get dressed in something other than pajamas. If it's Monday I go to the grocery store. If not I bide my time until it's time for lunch. I have been really good about eating lunch at home. When I worked I ate lunch out everyday. I'm not exaggerating at all either.
My dogs love that I'm home, I think. Mya has a tendency to bark at nothing so I yell at her and Farley doesn't want to hear it so he gets up and goes in the other room. Who can blame him?
Here's what has been accomplished: Home office deconstructed and office desk and chair sold on Craigslist. Score! Spare bedroom moved into former home office. Still needs organized. Pending score! Nursery is starting to take shape in former spare bedroom (pronounced spare-oom in Narnia for you trivia freaks). The rocker/recliner with side table and lamp are in place. Just waiting on furniture to arrive. Color scheme figured out...no matchy matchiness. I hate that. Pending score! Boo built more shelves in hall closet and I put shelf liner on them yesterday. Rearranged both hall closets and threw out old stuff and expired medications that were hiding in the back. Low and behold I found extra space in those closets after the purge session. I have a pile of more stuff to be sold on Craigslist or Freecycled.
So, I've accomplished a few things. But when I began this hiatus I had visions of painting at my easel, taking photos then editing them, or beginning to write that book, or gardening and planting flowers. Nevermind that it's been February and I can't garden yet...maybe when I get the "necessary projects" out of the way I can focus on more fun projects.
Those are the things I had in mind for myself. I have always had a tendency to expect too much too soon. I always hold myself to a high standard. I am 21 weeks pregnant. Maybe I'm doing okay after all. Warmer weather can't hurt my motivation either, c'mon spring!

The other lover....

Dear Blogger and internet people-

I've been cheating on you with Facebook and I apologize for not spending equal amounts of time with you. It's not you, it's me. I don't want to break up or anything, I just need you to be patient until the newness wears off of FB. It's been magical though, getting reacquainted with old friends, college roommates, former classmates, my cousins who live far away and even some folks I never really was friends with. I'm a bit nosy and perhaps voyeuristic because I just browse around peeking into their lives that they've posted on FB. Reading about what they've done with themselves and looking at their photos. Most people either look the same or have put on a few pounds...and most of them have kids in the pics with them so I feel a little behind in my baby brewing endeavors. Frankly, I've been shocked by some of the people that have sent me "friend requests." Seriously, people I never hung out with. Anyway, I promise to make an effort to spend less time there and hopefully more time here. I'd really like to snazz this place up a little bit but I'm not super techy so I don't know how to install a cooler banner or anything.

And, do any of you know how to go about getting a Copyright? Thanks ahead of time!
See you soon internet friends!

Big news and vacation minutia

Hello internet people! I've returned home from my week long stint in Tucson. First I will tell you the really big news followed by a few details of my trip to Arizona perhaps illustrated by some unedited photos.

Mmmmkay, big news! Boo and I went in for our 20 week ultrasound and found out the little bundle of life in my belly is a girl. We will have a daughter and we couldn't be happier! The ultrasound was amazing. The last time we had one we were only at 8 weeks so basically we brought home a picture of a blob. But a 20 week ultrasound is so much different. I didn't realize everything involved until we got started. Right off the bat she showed us that it was undoubtedly a baby girl. Then she began measuring bones, counting heart chambers, fingers and brain lobes. She examined the spine, abdomen and arteries. She checked out things I didn't even know were there. The baby was very active during the scan which startled Boo. She tucked an arm behind her head and opened her mouth so we could see her tongue...maybe yawning? Her little legs were stretching out then scrunching back up. It was humbling.

Now I will shop for nursery items, clothes and names. July will be here before I know it. Regarding Arizona. The weather apparently didn't get the memo that I was visiting because it was less than warm. In all the times I've been there it's never been in the 50's until this time. One day it got to 70. I cherished that day. We went to an art festival and I wore a sleeveless shirt with a cowboy hat...I'll show you as long as you promise not to make fun of me and remember that I'm five months prego.

Although I didn't buy any art that day, I purchased some Prickly Pear Cactus honey. Food is always high on my list. I bought art another day at a different place. I'm a big fan of Ted DeGrazia's art and of his awesome Gallery in the Sun. He is long passed on but his gallery remains open in Tucson thanks to his foundation. He was a pretty cool cat himself...kind of a rebel, took stands for what he believed in, didn't care what folks thought. He kind of reminds me of a friend/teacher I once had named Vito. Although to my knowledge V didn't paint. Here's a few of my favorites of DeGrazia...
And here's a photo of the mission he built near the gallery for himself and the local Indian tribes to worship in... And a photo of him unloading some Cholla cactus skeletons...
He once burned most of his original paintings on top of a mountain to protest the IRS wanting to tax his heirs for the full market value of the art but yet would only let DeGrazia write off the cost of his painting supplies. I love that.

Anyway, while I was out there I also went to the Gem show..it was okay. I won't go again, just not my thing. We went hiking into a wash to see "Picture Rocks" which are ancient native american petroglyphs..that was cool. I also visited my 80 year old grandmother. She's a riot. Seriously, she's the complete opposite of quiet, in the kitchen, grandmother types. First of all she's a democrat, she cusses like a sailor..including the f-bomb, and she's totally unconventional except that she likes to crochet. She has this new thing about thinking everyone is getting fat though. And she wants to tell them. She frequents a certain restaurant and wanted to tell the owner he was getting fat. She thinks Jay Leno is putting on weight and so is my uncle.

My flight home was on Thursday but it got delayed/cancelled because of the weather out east that day. My 20 week ultrasound was scheduled for friday morning. Can you see where this is going? They rebooked me on a friday morning flight and I had to reschedule my scan. I was sooo upset. I believe things happen for a reason though so I tried to think positive. I survived and it was worth the wait.

Leavin' on a jet plane...

Don't know when I'll be back again.....just kidding. I'll be back next Thursday. I'm flying out to Tucson, AZ this afternoon for a little R&R. My friend K 's parents have a condo out there and my grandma lives out there in the wintertime. I'll be splitting my time between both. K and I plan to attend an art festival in a tiny little artist colony called Tubac on Friday, then Saturday we're going to the Gem Show. I've never been to a gem show, but she assures me that there is lots to see and plenty of unique stones, gems (duh) and jewelry to peruse. I'm not a big "jewelry girl" but I do enjoy the southwestern style of burnished silver, turquoise and coral so that's what I'm hunting for. Not sure what the schedule for Sunday is. Monday I'm heading north to a little town called Florence to spend a few days with my grandma.

Probably I'm most excited about the food. At some point we'll make a stop at San Xavier Mission del Bac because they have a little plaza where they sell the best Indian Tacos made by members of the Tohono O'odham community. Absolute heaven...and oh yea, the architecture is gorgeous at the mission. In Tucson there is a wonderful place called Lil Abner's and they have a fantastic mesquite ribeye. I also anticipate lots of food vendors at the gem show. And I would be remiss if I failed to mention the reason I go to Arizona at all....the L & B Inn. Holy authentic Mexican food Batman. It's a quaint family owned place and I just love sitting on the patio near the fountain. Neighborhood cats wind their lithe little bodies between the wrought iron spindles of the decorative fence that encloses the patio while you crunch on chips and homemade, secret family recipe salsa. Can't. Wait.

So, while I'm gone please enjoy a few pics from some previous trips to Arizona...