Growing Up Savvy Posts

So Little TIme So Much To Say

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Crafts

I’m in love! I catch myself sneaking peeks at my new love; I can’t get enough. I can’t get my hands off this new love of mine. Without further adieu, meet “The Brother”.

Brother Love

My new sewing machine. In fact, my very first sewing machine . I finally splurged using the gelt my husband’s grandmother generously sent my way for Mother’s day. I took that, added some gelt of my own and bought “The Brother” and some fine white thread. Fine white thread? What’s fine white thread you may ask? It is some fancy, shmancy thread that costs 5$ a roll. Why spring for the “fine” thread? When reading about modern sewing machines, I discovered that thread makes a difference. The bobbin mechanism is mostly obscured from the user now-a-days and apparently poor quality thread causes things to jam up in there from all the loose fibres. Jammed up bobbin mechanisms cause issues with thread tension and that will make for some ugly sewing. I think $5 is sort of pricey considering the machine was 150 … thanks, Amazon!

Anyways, I have lots of projects in mind and can’t wait to put “The Brother” to work. This spring/summer is shaping up to be a very busy time for me with the garden and now sewing. Oh and did I forget to mention little Sophia and all of her adventures? Have any easy and interesting sewing patterns for kids? Please share… I would love to make something special for her.

Crafts

The thing about life is that sometimes things happen that level the playing field. What I mean is that everyone is equal in sadness and in extraordinary joy. Everyone cries when a loved one passes away and everyone celebrates the birth of a new baby equally.

We are often lost within ourselves focusing on what we want, what we need, frustrated about not getting the best deal, the nicest outfit, the best paying job, and being in the best shape of our lives. It all seems so important until you see the pictures from Moore, Oklahoma and realize the superficiality of it all. Pictures of kids pulled from a school’s rubble and families with infants standing in the debris of what you used to be their home drives home the message that there are more important things in life than just being “me” centered.  When all your earthly possessions are stripped away, nothing matters but the bonds of those who are around you and the helping hand of selfless individuals who help. My own take-away from events such as the recent tornadoes in Oklahoma is clear : live your life as if you did not have much and focus on those who fulfill your every day.

Life

I spend more time outside now-a-days. Most of that time is spent running after Sophia or chauffeuring her around the neighborhood in her happening tricycle. There are those precious minutes, however, that we walk around and smell all the flowers that are in bloom. Thought I’d share what we saw in our yard today.

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I have a tradition I keep for my birthday. This year, however, I had a hard time scheduling my time. Well, I am here to tell you that I finally did it. This past Friday, I used up some of my very hard earned vacation time and went out and about. I got a chance to get lost in my thoughts, to wonder and walk about in the city enjoying the sights and sounds of a bustling D.C.

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One of my favorite neighborhoods in D.C., is Georgetown. It is always full of stylish people, young students, art galleries, boutiques and its streets are adorned with beautiful, old buildings dating to the early 18th century. If you don’t know the neighborhood well, and aren’t willing to get lost off the beaten path, you may just miss its quiet beauty.
photo 2 (1)Houses are at a premium in this posh neighborhood and the amenities are what draw people in. It just happened to be graduation day for George Washington and Georgetown Universities. Seeing all those young people, attorneys, doctors, engineers, architects — all delirious with joy having earned their degrees made the atmosphere electric. It was a perfect, warm, spring day and I am happy to keep my tradition. I returned home re-energized.

 

 

Life

Why is it that workdays are always warm and sunny and weekends seem to be cool and rainy? What’s a gal to do when faced with a rainy day and a toddler with cabin fever at home? Fiery fiesta fare to brighten spirits and warm the bellies.

MexicanFiesta

On the menu was mexican fiesta salad (the recipe here), home-made carnitas (the recipe here),
Jicama Jicama, mango and orange salad,

Carnitas

pickled onions (recipe here), and guacamole. Warm corn tortillas on the side … made for a perfect dinner. Oh and in case you’re wondering: Sophia is a big fan of her Mama’s guacamole and carnitas. We served the carnitas with sweet potato for her. Its hard chewing those crispy bits when you’re working with 7.15 teeth. 😉

Cookery Hubby Cooks Tiny Tastebuds

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I am not at all thrifty … except in one area of my life: time off/vacation. It is a commodity that is in high demand if you’re working. Unlike in those other countries, most Americans get 2-3 weeks off a year. Let me put that in perspective — that is 2 weeks off for every 52 weeks of work. I started working at 12 and I will probably work until 65. That is 53 years of work, 2756 weeks of work and just 106 weeks off (for the average American). I am pretty fortunate that my employer commits to 3 weeks off a year plus 4-5 days of floating holidays. Hubby and I try our best to take full advantage of it. We aren’t fans of wasting our vacation days by taking one here or there just because. We like to make it count and usually take a week or (preferably) more at one time. 1. you can really get away and unwind. 2. you are already paying some cost X to fly or drive or generally get to a destination, so pay it once and enjoy for longer. 3. you can go further if you take more time off. All that said, having a child (especially one like Sophia) is exhausting and sometimes you just need a day off. I’m still trying to decide if it is worth it to take a day off just because.

General Life