Goals

2013 is just three days away and I am so excited! It is going to be a big year for the Linares family. We are moving to our third duty station. Sam will be taking on a special duty assignment as a Marine Corps Drill Instructor, Soren will turn one and Enolah will start her first sport (either soccer, dance or gymnastics...leaving the choice up to her). I never make "resolutions" but I was feeling ambitious this year and instead decided to jot down some goals, with a fun kick.

My goals for 2013:

- read 13 books
- try 13 new recipes
- do 13 crafts for me
- run 13 miles (this will be a stretch)!
- watch 13 classic movies

...and on a more serious note I want to be a better more informed mom and continue to do good.

Happy New Year, may 2013 be everything want it to be.

Oh my quilt.

Here's the story about my new, most favorite, completed craft project. Several months back we upgraded to a king size bed. After browsing for quilt sets online I realized I was going to have to do some bargain shopping. King bedding is rather pricey! Why a quilt specifically you ask? Well, I've learned through trial and error that I'm rather particular about bedding. I don't like that after a couple washes the stuffing in a comforter disperses or that the inner on a duvet always falls to the bottom and quilts,well, are just awesome.

So I started googling DIY quilts and found this tutorial. Made it, lived with it for a few weeks, decided I didn't like it and started over. Then I found this. I was so excited, I bought more fabric that day, 6 weeks ago.

Here's how I saved money making a king size quilt which by the way needs 10-12 yards of fabric, not including the backing or binding. I bought a Waverly sheet set from Ross for $16. I was able to use the flat sheet for backing and the pillow cases and fitted sheet for the bulk of my fabric. Then I found a promo code for fabric.com on retail me not and stacked coupons at Joann's for the rest of the fabric.

I measured 10x10 squares to make it go faster, didn't fuss about lining up the seems or all the wrinkles while I was quilting used this tutorial for the binding and I'm so in love! Now I can pack up my sewing machine that has been living on my dining table for the last month and start going to bed at a reasonable hour, until my next project of course.

Obsession.

noun

1.

the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc.

I have an obsession with obsessing. Sometimes the level at which I obsess over things overwhelms me, stresses me out, makes me excited or down right giddy. I've decided to compile a short list of my current obsessions. Some day when I'm old and live a simple, calm and peaceful life I'll look back at this and probably miss my younger, crazy, obsessed self.

1. Sam coming home.
2. Enolah (in general)
3. Soren (growing too fast)
4. My quilt
5. The design of our master bedroom
6. Moving to South Carolina
7. Where we will live in South Carolina
8. Making new friends in South Carolina
9. Being a full time stay at home mom again
10. My goals for 2013
11. Cloth diapers
13. Finishing all my half done projects
14. My orchid
15. Blogging (more)

It's a lot. Sure, I tell myself I need to sit back, take a breather, relax and let things be. I try, but secretly (well not anymore) I love to obsess over anything and everything. Call me crazy, most do.

Life, according to Enolah

Enolah Yolie is my two year and 6 month (yesterday) old toddler and this is life, according to her. Check out the first edition of this series here.

Here's the latest:

- Enolah answers to her name but refers to herself as Yolie. This has been the case for almost a month. 

- Baby pictures of her aren't her brother anymore they are baby Yolie.

- She starting to be more aware of herself, I guess you could put it. She tells me that "she's hungry" and after eating announces that she has "filled her belly" and "it's not ouchie anymore."

- Her memory is getting too good for me to bribe her to do things with phrases like, "when you wake up maybe we'll go bowling" because she wakes up (as she did yesterday) searching for her "bowling shoes." 

- She's totally into to taking awesome self portraits of herself and leaving them as presents on my cell phone, the iPod touch we've given her to use (yea, we're those parents) and our regular camera. 

- The five days we spent with Sam for Thanksgiving have renewed her obsession with him. Her answer to solve ANY issue is, "don't worry Daddy will help us"

 Me: Oh no, your brother is sad.

 E: Don't worry Daddy will help us.

 M: Ugh, It's raining outside!

 E: Don't worry Daddy will help us.

 M: Ouch, I hurt my foot.

 E: Don't worry Daddy will help us.

 M: Your shirt is stuck on your head

 E: Don't worry Daddy will help us.

 M: The kitchen is a mess!

 E: Don't worry Daddy will help us. 

And lastly, Christmas. She totally understood the whole Halloween bit, thank you nick and disney jr., but still hasn't grasped this holiday. We don't have any decorations up yet but several of the people in our neighborhood do and she's starting to see stuff about it on tv. I've caught her wandering the house on several occasions searching for "Christmas" she tells me she "can't find Christmas." Hopefully after some of the activities I have planned for her she'll understand a bit more! I'll have to deal with this though before we can decorate, thanks Sam! 

Those are our trees, high in the rafters!