hat model

Yesterday I got to sit for a friend who had just finished knitting a certain hat for a certain someone.

Unfortunately, she doesn't sell her things - though, I think if she did, there would be no end to orders and requests!

Anyway.. I get to add this to my new portfolio of modeling.. my daughter will be so proud. ha!

See more, here.

Thanks, Julie! 

she she she

Saying "she" out loud this morning after my appointment really felt strange on my lips. It reminded me of how weird it was to hear myself using the word "husband" right after Mark and I got married.

Well! Let me introduce you to her. Here she is:

As we waited in line to be checked in at Radiology this morning, I asked Mark what he thought, "I'm going to say... girl." Then he asked me. After nearly a full minute, I said, "Girl."

I guess I might have some maternal instinct after all! Every minute we're more and more excited over this sweet little thing. Wonder how different she'll be than Mont? ... AH!

anticipation

I can hardly stand it!

In less than 12 hours, Mark and I will know what (boy or girl) we are going to be having in a another few short months. At least, if all goes as planned, we should know.

The excitement is so overwhelming this time. I was excited to find out what I was having when I was pregnant with Mont, but I guess I've forgotten how exciting it can be. It's similar to the feeling of right before walking in to see Christmas morning all laid out, glistening and glowing before your very eyes... the anticipation is what woke me up every Christmas morning at 3:00 am! I can't stand it!!

For Mont, I keep thinking how fun it would be to have a little brother around for him to teach how to crawl like Mowgli and the elephants: legs straight and speed set to fast. I think of buying two little baseball gloves and digging out my old baseballs (actually, they're already out on Mont's shelves) and letting them go out in the yard to play catch, or dig in the dirt for worms to go fishing with at "Grandpa's Fishing Pond."

... but if I have a girl... oh so fun too! When my thoughts settle on a daughter, I think about when she's a little older and I see us in the kitchen, me showing her my tricks, how to sew like my mother patiently did, coming up with more traditions for our family, because I'm just sure she'd be creative, and also someone to wrestle for the girl team!  - rest assured, she'd be getting a baseball glove too.

10.33 hours and counting!

the boy who is thankful

... For his dad who lets him 'drive' when we're in front of our house. He thinks the blinker and buttons on the steering wheel are pure magic.

And along the lines of thankfulness, I truly feel it - that feeling of happiness and pure gratitude that makes you well up with tears and your nose tingle.

Happy Thanksgiving

lazy busy

 While some things have been keeping me busy, lots of projects around here.. sewing, painting and making growth chart boards for auctions, etc., other things have been seeing my lazy side..

photography - I haven't taken pictures (except this morning) in a very long, long time. I miss it!
blogging - I miss this too.
and my poor journal.. look! it even had dust on it this morning:

Mont has been doing some pretty funny things that I have been storing in my memory now for weeks, and I am determined to write them down today. All apart of being full of thanks. Tomorrow I'm excited to be full on turkey, stuffings, potatoes, and pies.

For today, I write.

bippity boppity boo - quilt

It's finished!! Well... except for the tag, and I need to tack down the skirts and shirts, but that's it. So I'm counting it as done. I "finished" it a while ago, but for the life of me, I haven't wanted to sew for weeks and weeks, about 14 to be exact. But now that I'm feeling a bit more energetic at 17 weeks (not at 100% yet), I've sewed up the tag, and now it just needs to be hand sewn on. 

Here are some more details I like: 

 And here's the last of the 'wordage': 

Flanked by sparkly pumpkins: 

OH! Can't forget the witches' eyes:

And here is the one my mom did when she came back in June, the nose throws off the look a bit: 

And finally, the tag that has yet to be written on and sewn down. I had huge plans for the tag, including an entire pumpkin patch of mix-and-matched sizes and colors, candy littering the ground with a toppled over treat bag, and so forth. But with how I've been feeling, this will do. So I love it: 

Happy Halloween! 

getting my granny on

Every 4th Sunday of the month, a few friends of ours get together to swap treats! It's the best idea in the world and I highly recommend it.

October is our month, and we're getting ready to make some deeeelicious caramel-covered apples. I'm really getting excited for them, since I haven't made them since the Halloween 2 years ago! It's been far too long.

So let me give a big hello to lovely, tart and green, Granny Smith!

way up high

Mont's back side (again) in the Reeder's high chair on our trip to Utah. This was how we held him in the chair so he wouldn't squirm out. Nice! While traveling, this kid was full of some fun surprises.

He slept in my arms (never-ever happens) on the plane rides.
He said "cheese" and someone other than myself heard him! ... though he still doesn't do it on command.
He was a professional waver to all friendly ladies.

a little lonely

He won't be lonely for much longer!

There's another little Reeder coming in April- can I hope for March? ha

I didn't know quite how to introduce this news to my blog. We are so excited, and we were so shocked it happened so quickly this time around. I figure Mont just must have pulled some strings before he made his debut, and had this little one lined up for a quick arrival after his own.

Any guesses on girl or boy? Things have been pretty similar to being pregnant with Mont, though this time around chocolate still tastes good, and I'm not craving candy. More salt this time, please! Oh, there goes my blood pressure..

the glow

This was just two weeks ago! ... with snow falling yesterday before church, I thought I better put these up before ALL the leaves are gone and the snow finally decides to stick around.

Do you have 'the glow' yet? My favorite parts of the day are taking Mont outside and just breathing deep; the yummy scent of fall is so strong here. OH, I just love it!

little sassafras

best pals

Mont has a best buddy in this house just his size. 

Actually, half his size, but Buckwheat's pretty fluffy.. 

a key story

What a headache keys give us! Always going missing when you need them the most. Well.. never for me. Just Mark. He always misplaces his phone, wallet, or keys. But not me. I'm the key master.

Until today, that is!

Lately I have been leaving my keys in a very easy place so I can keep my hands free while hauling Mont out to the car with my bags and paraphernalia. The only thing is... my car must always be unlocked to get to the keys (know where I keep them yet?) I must be getting too used to this, because when I pulled into my parking spot at the church today, I slipped them back into the key spot, and grabbed everything (thankfully, including Mont), locked the doors by hand (which I never do, to ensure that I don't do what is about to happen), accept some shirts from a friend, put them on my passenger seat, then she shuts the door. The ghost of the thought nearly surfaces regarding the whereabouts of my keys, but I brush it off thinking I always have my keys..


As soon as I get inside the church, the thought finally pushes itself to front and center, so I dig through my bag and proclaim, "my keys are in my car!!"

My friend tells me that the cell phone trick works, so Mark tries it from his work, holding the key up to his phone and me standing with my phone to the lock.... no luck! Inside the building again, a friend says her contractor-husband could easily break in, which I pass on to Mark, then I say, "all these options are sounding costly.."

I ask for a ride home... I don't know why I thought my house would be unlocked.. so as I realize this, a friend says she can jimmy the knob lock open with a credit card. She asks, "it's not the deadbolt, right?" "Right. It's only the handle that I lock."

We all hop into Jodi's car, and we start the drive to my fortress. What was I thinking?? It's only the deadbolt that I lock to avoid locking myself out! We don't use the knob lock because that's so easy to overlook as you shut the door behind you on your way out; the deadbolt on the other hand, you have to do from the inside. I'm such a genius. My fortress doesn't even need a moat to keep me out.

We parade around the house and they praise my work of using dowels and locking the doors from the inside.. what a day to be safe. I have no way to get in! "Do you have a garage door opener?" "Yea, it's in my stroller, inside my car.. with the keys."

Good thing Mark is on his way to the church.  We count cars and start a game, to which we all lose, but that's okay, because now I don't have to make anyone treats. HA. This is where he finds us sitting in the nice warm sunshine (great day to be locked out, thank goodness!).

Mark shows up with a smile (good!), and I start to follow him home. When I pull out of my parking spot, everyone starts to point at the ground. My first thought, did I run over a child?!?! 


No. Oh, good.

But I left my sewing machine, cutting boards, and fabric bag on the asphalt. Jodi says, "You win."

I'm going to make myself a treat tomorrow.

apple to mac daddy apple

After a week of it being in the car (thank goodness Alaska summers are only around 60º), I stopped procrastinating and took my little sweet laptop to the Mac Store (an Apple retailer - we don't have the real thing up here). We had to put it on life support, thank goodness for Apple Care! $50 total (I opted for the optional back up).

Nothing per-se is wrong with it, the screen just won't turn on... so perhaps it was just used too lovingly? But the doc said he'd get it up and running in no time. Here's to hoping!

Now who would like some apple pie?

mont-e-pants

Our new question to Mont is, "where's Jesus?" He will always point to the right place. We didn't even teach him. We just started asking him! Tessa says, "That's totally why babies can't talk! They know too much!"

She may have a point. At least, I have fun thinking so.

Hike XV and XVI: Nature Center

*phone picture - can you tell by now? I'm getting lazy!

I went to hike the Nature Center twice, back to back. Once on a Friday with my friend, Nelli (aka: my hula guru!), and the next day I went with Mark who took some stellar pictures for me with a camera that was 'not his own'. Above is from the Friday hike, and below is from the next day. We went a lot further than this, but this is the most picturesque place for a full view of the valley. I love this place! And I sure do love Mont's goofy face below:

Maybe he was thinking about his new fuzzy friend? ew..

happy hiking to YOU!

Hike XIV: South Fork Waterfall

Mont's bummin' a ride from Grandpa R. I just love that bum!

I did this one again with the family. When the Reeders came I knew this was an easy one we should all go see. The mosquitos were the worst, though! I don't remember any from the first time, but we kept batting at them the entire time and all (but Mont) got at least 2. Anyway - it was still beautiful. Gotta keep counting all these hikes!

Hike XIII: Winner Creek

Hiking with this kid is the best. Sure, he's heavy after 6 miles, but it is worth it! Watching him get so excited at new surroundings is what I love the most. When he's having a hard day, all I have to do is strap him on and take him out. He loves it and I love it. Now if only I had tied string to one of his shoes! They were my favorite electric guitar robeez... oh, I'm so sad!

I've hiked Winner Creek before, but never with 25 lbs on my back! Even still, I loved it all. Though, my shoulders were quite sore!

behind

I don't think I've ever felt 'behind' in my posting before! ... kind of hard to get started again, eh?

Ristorante 'R

While looking through all my pictures tonight from last week, I realized this was the only one I had of the three of us, and the only one that had more than 2 people in it! I hope I can see more pictures from our fun, fun week from someone else? 

This was the day after the Halibut Charter that Mark, his dad and sisters went on. It was nice having a day for them to recuperate. In the middle of the table, there is fresh zucchini from the Reeder's garden (they are expert carry-on-ers), my 'White House' salad, red salmon and halibut, and our fancy water substitute for wine (reminds me of the latter-day church!).  My, oh my, it was a tasty dinner. Mont is in the back enjoying his whole milk, cheez-its, bread, and graham crackers... I'm tough on him. 

Dig in!

ps - Mont is such a computer wiz..