hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week
The white, clean wonderland has puddled into gray slop. People like to talk about the weather around here. Every season starts out hopeful and excited. In the winter it’s I can’t wait to ski and Won’t it be nice to slow down, cozy up and eat soup? and then, sometime around January, the conversations shift to perpetually incorrect meteorologists and the need for a decent tomato.
Montanans bond over this dialog as we stomp our boots in the grocery store vestibule, as we shuffle our feet along the slick riverfront trail.
The Weather has been pushin’ it, as my mom would say. Generally I like all weather, including extremes. But we all have our limits and melty, gray, slippery, home-bound funk gets to me after a bit. When I feel like I can’t walk around the block let alone hike, ski or navigate a parking lot with two small children without looking like a total about-to-fall freak show, I get a bit over it.
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| Amazingly, Margot and Ruby continue to find ways to explore our home. |
nuggets.
:: Really, blech weather wonderfully compliments color.
:: Lately Margot has taken to interpreting Ruby’s grunts and gestures. Usually, Margot says something like, “I am pretty sure she just wants your boob and the milk in your boob.” And then Ruby claps and everyone is happily understood.
:: My mom made Margot a baby carrier that is donned immediately after the first layer of clothing first thing in the morning. It is definitely quite adorable, as you will observe in subsequent photos.
:: We went bowling and I think vow to go more often. It’s cheap and fun and totally acceptable for kids to run and slide on smooth floors, carry and throw heavy bright pink balls, screech, give high fives and eat grilled cheese sandwiches.
Also, people get to invent alter egos in their screen names and then spend a good hour or so living that name. I was Fear Me but, unfortunately, the system abbreviated and F Me is what appeared. My family thought this was quite hilarious. And it was.
Andy’s parents owned a bowling alley way back when and I think it’s in his blood. Check out that form.
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| I bowled much better when Rubes napped on my back. F me. |
:: As boring as it may sound, I am quite excited to get a new car seat for Ruby. And, thanks to a renewed sponsor, it’s on its way! CSN has a pretty vast selection of stuff for home and the like…everything from a car seat to a dutch oven to a round chair. I am definitely looking forward to a forward-facing Rhubarb. Thanks, CSN!
:: Hot cocoa and peanut butter pretzels.
Peeps have been asking for our hot chocolate recipe and here is our very unspecific formula: heat whole milk over low heat. When it is *just* warm, add equal parts cocoa and sugar and whisk. For one cup of hot choc, I’d guess a heaping teaspoon of each. Heat until it’s the temp you want. Voila!
:: Rhubarb.
:: We swept up our Christmas tree needles and made a nest for Margot’s favorite Darker Blue Bird Daughter.
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| Margot mixed glue and dried pine needles in a bowl. Any ol’ clear-drying glue will do. We like Mod Podge. Then, turn a largish bowl upside down and cover with plastic wrap. Pile and shape the gluey needles onto the plasticked bowl and let dry for many hours. We peeled it off before it was totes dry because Margot wanted to add glitter. |
:: Monotone weather does make for great photo light and great opportunity to smooch gram.
:: Twice we managed very slow walks. They were more like shuffles with swears mumbled through exhales. It’s really, really icy here.
:: Mostly we lounged about the house where Ruby balanced on furniture and Margot defied balance.
:: Every night when Andy walks in the door, the energy of our home rolls into him. When he isn’t covered in insulation, he gives in, falls to the floor and rolls with all the creatures who love him so.
:: Even though I don’t work at the museum any more, I still have such pride in that place. I love taking loved ones there. It’s church.
:: Andy makes pancakes several times a week and Margot is getting quite skilled at measuring and stirring, although she surprisingly, still likes to eat baking powder by the spoonful while squealing YUMMY and exhaling white puffs.
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| Ruby can’t wait until she can be up on that stool |
So, the weather’s been bleak and we found fun elsewhere. And then today, a bit of blue and warm pooled light awakened atrophied interests and ignited tired bodies. Amazing, the power of the sun.
happy hump day out there.
ps Thanks for the all the notes about the bum link in Monday’s post. Click here to read generations.
pps Nine new recycled skirts in my shop!
38 Comments
I love the baby carrier! Margot walking down the street with great confidence! :o) I had a Raggedy Ann and Andy room as a child.
Your girls are so precious and beautiful! As the rest of you are too.
:o)
The skirts in your shop are so stinkin’ cute! I wish I had a little girl to buy for. I’d buy them all up!
F Me!
Sister, I couldn’t breath for a full minute!!!
That baby carrier is fab for sure! Super duper cutes! And that Ruby in those jammie pants. Puhleez!
She eats baking powder?! That is wonderful!
And ugh, the weather. I soooo hear ya. Hit mid 30s the other day, and the snow was largely icy clumps, and then slop, and now ice. And gray gray gray. Finally got my snow fix… okiday. Watched my across the street neighbor chop away at the 3 feet of ice hunks the plow deposited across her freshly snowblowered driveway for nearly an hour before she could run the blower again, and get out of her drive. Miraculously, my drive was clear. I guess they plowed the other side today… Jim must’ve been a trooper yesterday while I bathed or something.
Love the pic of Andy and the critters. Floor-rollin’ daddy-dudes are the shit.
That “Ruby hand just sneaking into the shot” photo is oh-so-sweet!
Still laughing at the F Me. Hilarious. And that doll carrier is just fantastic.
I hope you get some sun soon.
We were in the funky muck too, until today: 16″ of fresh powder (don’t let Andy read this)=happy day.
I love the mini Ergo-inspired carrier, maybe she could post her pattern?
Seriously, only YOU would end up as F Me in a bowling match. Still laughing.
Cheers.
Love how you can make even a gray soggy week into such lovely nuggets. Margot’s carrier is adorable, as are the new skirts in your shop… both making me wish I had girls to play with. Though my youngest would probably love that carrier too… is there a pattern your mom used? Or is she one of those amazing free-form sewing goddesses like my mom? And F-me, cracked me up. Bowling is one of those things I love while doing it & think ‘why don’t we do this more often?’ and then promptly forget about.
Oh, and one more thing… I think that Ruby’s eyelashes are one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
xo
Kate
I want to have kids just so that I can have a “gram smooch” moment.
Have a great week, Dee x
Love the hand on the stool. And the red coat wall photo. And everything you do.
this might be one of the best one’s yet…. although i probably think that every week. LOVE Margot’s baby carrier – that photo at the bowling ally is priceless. AND love F-me. i was literally “lol” at these nuggets. thanks.
Oh dear! Where to begin!
Margot and her baby carrier are fabulous.
FMe was just the laugh I needed this morning.
Thank you for the pine needle craft, my kiddos will love it.
I adore how you make the ordinary, extraordinary. Thank you for another great post 🙂
Super cool darker blue bird daughter nest. And the doll carrier is great Terri! I agree with Paige, love the brick wall photo with Terri and the kids. Just another week in the life…simple fun.
Love, love! these nuggets! F Me had me laughing out loud at my desk just now. Love Margot’s baby carrier and the sweet glittery bird’s nest. I so remember those gray, icy days in Missoula. There’s always that collective realization where you can just feel everyone getting SO ready for spring.
Oh Nici, this post came at just the right time for me. A self-proclaimed afficionado of winter, today I found myself feeling genuinely weary of this season I love. Fresh of the heels of a fabulous winter snowshoe/yurt excursion, and before any really good ski weekends could set in, today I got lost in a daydream about cool salads and chardonnay with my husband under the backyard maple tree…warmth of the sun on my belly while cool poolwater runs along my floating backside…fingers in soil and droopy sunflowers. Curtains dancing by open windows.
I feel terribly guilting for cheating on my sweetheart Winter with my old flame, Summer. Glad to know I’m not the only one!
I heart the nest…esp the blue glitter!!
Love it all, Nici! My brother from Seattle came to visit me in Casper, Wyoming, right about this time one year in a post-Christmas vacation. We badly needed good snacks, so we hazarded a grocery run. As we skizzied our way across the parking lot, he looked around surreptitiously, then asked me in a quiet voice, “Dude. Why is everyone kicking their cars?” I explained that this is the time of year when ice, salt and road sand glom up the space behind the tires to the point where the tires don’t have room to make any turn sharper than a gentle, 3-mile arc. The whole mess needs to be cleared from the wheel well if there are any 90-degree turns in your future between now and, oh, June. Hence, the automobile abuse.
I imagine it’s car-kickin’ weather in Missoula right now, too. I’m in the drizzly upper left corner of the country where, if we kicked our cars right now, only moss would fall off.
Your family is lovely, and talented and funny and fascinating, and oh, F me! 🙂
Your first F me. was funny. Your second managed to be even funnier.
Also, I dig your mama’s boots.
And that glittery nest. We’re all over that craft, Clara.
And finally? I couldn’t agree more about the power of the sun. I miss it today.
Oh wait – one more. I want to go to church with you. 🙂
The stool photo = killer.
Love the bird nest!! Made me feel a crafty urg…Would you mind sharing where you get the shirts you applique in your shot? Are they american apperal? Curious as I want to try to make my daughter an original valentines shirt, and the ones you use look like really nice quality.
Wow I totally love the bird nest…. wish I could have thought of something so creative when we had about six pounds of pine needles on our living room floor.
I’ve been bugging my husband about wanting to go bowling with our eldest daughter who just turned 4 yesterday… this just helps confirm that she would enjoy it and be somewhat able to manage!
,,,margot “tucking” her babies in under the blankie, so stinkin’ “sweet”,,,ruby’s eyelashes and 2 stars peeking out from her bottom gum, “love”,,,wanna trade jobs for a day?,,,if i were guaranteed a margot, with all her interesting chatter and sweet ways, i would give it some serious thought,,,for now i get my “fix” from your nuggets,,,the next best thing,,,
,,,p.s.,,,like mother like daughter,,,red lips,,,”gorgeous”!,,,(smile)
Love “Every night when Andy walks in the door, the energy of our home rolls into him. When he isn’t covered in insulation, he gives in, falls to the floor and rolls with all the creatures who love him so.” So vivid & relatable.
Bowling is a hoot with kids. We go often. Man, Andy’s form is almost as great as F Me. Ha ha ha.
xoxo
You summed up our feelings about the weather perfectly. Last night my mil and I were talking about how us midwesterners are so in denial at this time of year- we can’t accept that we really do have at least a couple of more months of this. We’ll say, oh, well Feb is a short month (2-3 less days than a normal month, woopdy doo haha) and then the following month is spring (but really there can still be snow here even in late March). Whatever it takes to keep up morale I guess.
Omg, F ME! Hilar.
I also cracked up for some reason when you said, “stare at each other”. Cuz yup, that’s what we do. 🙂
Goodness, where to start! These nuggets were particularly fun to read and look at.
I love Ruby’s tiny hand in the pancake making photo. Between dad’s legs and the cupboard is a good place to be, I remember that from being a toddler.
I understand about the housebound bad weather funk! From growing up in Vermont it was…actually it was terrible. Ugh. And there were MONTHS of it. But it helped shape the person I became, for reals. I recently wrote a long post about that. Now, in Seattle, as you know, the weather sucks! all rain, no snow, but on the plus side, no ice and no crazy temperatures.
Diffused light and grey background does make for awesome photos, especially when your kids wear awesome colorful clothes like yours do.
lastly, i’m not a mom, but when I become one, we’re going to make those nests. Those are really pretty.
Thanks! hope you see some sunlight!
Melina
http://www.thewildercoast.com
Okay, what was I gonna say? I’m all full of beautiful photos and funny words now.
Oh yeah. My hubs walks in covered with insulation most nights and it’s all he can do to shed his clothes and jump in the shower before the kids have tackled him.
Love the blue glittery nest.
Love the enormous redhead on Margot’s back.
And great to see Rubes getting all up in her sister’s life, as she should.
XO from sunny, freezy Colorado.
You had me at F me. Only you could come up with the Fear Me and the machine decided to out-whit you. I laugh each time that I read it Nici. F me.
The bird nest is so freaking simple, but oh. so beautiful! That’s a must for Easter. Of course with glitter b/c that’s the way we like it around here too.
Glad to see that you had a wonderful visit with your parents – Is that your Raggedy Ann? Alex carries mine with her all the time. Poor old dusty thing. I fear that an eye (ok thread) will dissolve or that a leg will disembark at some point. My poor Ann is getting more love than her heart can handle.
Thanks for the nuggets. Tell me how skating goes. And be careful with your good camera. I didn’t even risk mine seeing that I had no additional help (and the dude taking our shot dropped my little point and shoot twice!).
Peace. Out.
-Jennifer from Annapolis
Just another wonderful chapter in your life.
I can’t tell you how much I love a little girl in cowboy boots. Totally adorable. <3
Have a great week!
I hear ya. Bring on some flip-flop weather!
Ha! F me is hilarious. Bet you didn’t hear the end of that one for a while! We’ve been having the same grey weather up here in Ontario too but finally some sun today. Hope you got it too!
http://www.sheepdairy.blogspot.com
The close-up shots of your baby are delicious! We, too, are experiencing very cold and icy weather …
“F me,” hahaha! Good one. 😀
F Me. Haha. Hilarious.
We’ve taken some S L O W icy walks here, too lately. Trying to patiently wait for spring so that we can plant and eventually have the world’s most delicious tomatoes.
Good luck!
I just discovered your blog and got quite a good laugh reading…love the “f me”!
AND I love that chicken shirt. My oldest gal is crazy for her chickens, I am gonna have to make something like that soon for her.
Nici, You should totally invest in some Yak Trax. They have saved me this winter and still allowed me to get out on walks with hazel during the ice-fest. Sooo worth it. such cute pics of your girls!
LOVING: Margot carrying her baby around everywhere she goes….priceless!! She cracks me up….such a wise, sweet, little old Soul that she is!
xo
Nici, loved the pics of your parent’s visit. I know how special that time is…as you will hopefully know someday when you go to Ruby and Magot’s homes with THEIR kids! We went bowling too when we were with our kids. There they had a contraption for kids to roll the ball down and bumpers on the side. Char loved it. Looks like Margot loves glitter as much as Charlotte does. Your mom ought to sell those doll carriers!! I hear you about the weather….we have about 4 more months of it here in RL. Love you..Aunt Deb