juanitas handmade: January 2010

the girls in our new home, for now atleast, little rock, arkansas, with our pug lexi and our new little kitty we got at the shelter here, mr. wilson. =)

Summary of the past 6 months,...left germany (sad, very sad), went home to minnesota for a visit, garrick and brooklyn drove to little rock, cameron and i flew, found a nice place to stay, girls had their birthdays the end of november and i now have a 5!! and 2 year old, got on the waiting list for preschool *yikes, had company for 2 weeks over the christmas holidays- lots of garricks family and my parents for new years, school started last week... i think that about sums it up....I wasn't intending to be gone from blogging so long but these past few months have been crazy and gone by way too fast. I thought that this blog would rob me of time I hardly seem to have these days but I have been stumbling on some great blogs this last week and I just keep thinking that I should keep at it. Sewing is back in nearly full swing. It was going well and then my little Brooklyn started pre-school last week so we've spent the last week trying to adjust to the new and oh sooooo early wake up time.. I am not a morning person. It has been nice though having only one little one at home during the week (for now atleast * #3 will be here this spring). The first day brooklyn was at school I didnt even know what to do with myself so Cameron and I read books and I am pretty sure we sat on the floor being goofy and giggling for a good hour or so. It was so nice to get the one on one time with her, that brooklyn had for her first three years. So now it is Cameron's turn and she is loving every minute of it. I do feel guilty for 'sending' brooklyn away for such a long day and 5 days a week. But she really loves it and was getting soo bored at home. I wish I had the energy to homeschool and to trust myself with their schooling.So sewing is coming along and I have finally gotten back into cooking like I used to. I love trying new recipes and making things, like bread, that I need around the house. I have been cooking up a storm and try to make something big on the days that garrick will be home then on the days he works (24 hr shift) the girls and i eat the left overs or make something simple and quick. I made up this the other day and garrick Loved it. He robbed my leftovers and took them to work the next day. The guys he works with didnt believe that I made it and swore they were leftovers from a resturant. I had a big smile when garrick told me that. I love making his tummy happy even though he blames me anytime he will gain a pound or eat too much. I love flavor and color and soo many things about cooking. I love doing it and letting the girls help with things in the kitchen. I hope they grow up to love being in the kitchen as much as I do. I got a pressure canner for christmas this year from my parents and am so excited to use it. I am a little nervous about learning but can't wait to give it a try. I grew up with my mom canning every summer and I completely forgot that I had mentioned to her that I wanted my own so I could start canning. She found one at an auction that she never intended to go to and I am so happy that she did. I can't stop dreaming of all the wonderful things I can preserve, filling my cupboards with those beautiful jars of my hard work, dreaming of all the wonderful things I want to plant in my garden this summer. Its all I have been thinking about lately. I ordered the Ball's book on home preserving and have been stalking the mailman for a week waiting for it to arrive. I tried to find some books at the library here but they don't seem to have anything so I am going to try the extension service and see if they have anything to help out my gardening also. I have never gardened in the south before and am excited about being able to get things in the ground so much earlier then up north. I want to start seeds this year too and need to get those ordered soon. There is so much I want to write but I am such a scatterbrain and its getting late, making it extra difficult to collect my thoughts. I will just have to leave you with a few pictures of us from the last 6 months..

soo glad to be back.

halloween 2009,