September ICLW: Hobbit-ish Randomness

Hey Humble Readers & ICLW Visitors...

I hope you all have some fun stuff planned for your weekend.  Ours is going to be pretty laid back, with only a few errands on the to do list. 

I wanted to come up with some nifty little intro for ICLW, but I'm drawing a blank, so instead I'm just going to share some random tidbits about me and my family.  If I can manage to come with something that I haven't shared in the last five years. 

1. I am a potato-aholic.  And I'm particular about which kind of potatoes I use for different recipes.  Russets for baking and for oven fries, red potatoes for soups and stews, baby potatoes for roasting, and Yukon Gold for day to day boiling and mashing.  It's a terrible thing given the Big D, but I seem to be making it work.  (Five months in and I'm still using a measuring cup to portion my starches.  I just don't trust myself.)
2. You all, I'm sure, are aware of my love of books, and I've mentioned previously that I cannot be trusted alone in any office supply store (school supplies are intoxicating), but did you know that I love typewriters?  My favourite toy when I was a kid was my red and white typewriter.  I long to start a collection of antique typewriters... they just so rarely show up for reasonable prices around here.  And where in the world would I put them in the hobbit-hole?
3. I have appalling handwriting, unless I'm writing with a fountain pen.  Something about using a fountain pen just makes my handwriting look awesome. 
4. I have blue eyes, and so does Pip.  My Beloved has beautiful brown eyes, and Ginny has the most amazing shade-shifting hazel eyes.  One moment they are blue-green, others they are grey, and even the occasional golden hues. 
5. My favourite flowers are tulips and peonies.  I also like lavender, lilacs, and wisteria.  I don't like dahlias. 
6. I have rather strong toes.  When I was a child, I was known to rip up board game boxes and books (without realizing I was doing so) while laying on the floor playing a game.  I can grip a pen in my toes, but don't have the coordination to write. 
7. Ginny has many words of her own creation including, but not limited to, glansents (blankets), frinkles (freckles) and patos (interchangeably potatoes and tomatoes). 
8. Pippin, when he gets excited (like when my Beloved gets home from work), does this crazy thing where he throws himself backward.  It can get dangerous depending on where he's hanging out at the time. 
9. I can't do spin-y rides, or those ones where you are in a seat that moves to go along with the movies shown on the screen... I will hurl.  I promise.  I love roller coasters though. 

Ok, so that's all I can think of right now.  What's something totally and completely random about you?

Hobbit-ish Potpurri: A Tale Of Two Dressers

Howdy Humble Readers...

First and foremost, if you're here from ICLW, check out my introductory post here.  And if you are looking for my interview with up & coming author, J.R. Vikse, check it out here.  Don't forget to enter for the giveaway of J.R.'s debut novel The Lazy Postman (and don't forget to check back next month for the second part of my interview with him about his new book, The Keeper Chronicles: Playing With Fire). 

*****
I'm taking a break from my prep for the painting I'm going to be doing this weekend (sooooo sick of plaster dust from filling dings and holes), just so I can come chat with you fine folks.  The hallway is completely prepped now... holes filled, sanded, and trim/doorframes are taped.  Bathroom is almost ready to go.  I need to tape the trim and take down the medicine cabinet (I hate the thing.  It's going into the dumpster).  Other than just painting, I'm completely reorganizing our little bathroom, so I stocked up on storage containers for under the sink at the dollar store.  I also bought hooks for our towels (not enough room for towel bars for all four of us), a new towel ring for the hand towel, and a shelving unit for over the toilet.  My Beloved and the wee-lings are heading down south to my MIL's place for the day, so that I can have the hobbit-hole to myself.  Yay!

*****
It's a hazy warm day here in the Shire, I think from the wild fires burning south of the border.  We've actually had a really nice stretch of weather the last week or so.  Warm but not too humid, and cool at night so we can sleep.  A nice change from the majority of the summer, which has either been soggy or muggy.

*****
I'm in a quandary, Humble Readers.  My Beloved and I decided that for our birthdays (his at the end of the month, mine is the middle of next month) we are going to buy new dressers for our bedroom.  Since before Ginny was born, my Beloved has been using a laundry basket for clothes storage, because we stole his dresser and painted it for the nursery.  The dresser I have is a cheapo-pressboard-piece-of-junk that's falling apart.  For quite a long time I have been fixated on a dresser from Ik.ea...

Hemnes 3 drawer dresser - $149.99
image courtesy www.ikea.com

I actually really like the bigger version, the one with 5 drawers, but two of those is not an option budget-wise.  While I was on their website, I came across this...

Tarva 5 drawer dresser - $139.99
image courtesy www.ikea.com

It's bigger and actually cheaper than the three drawer unit above.  I like the general style of it, but it's natural pine, which means I would have to stain it or paint it.  I have never stained anything before, so I'm not sure how good I would be at that.  Painting would probably be a better option because I have done that in the past... but then the issue of where I would paint them, and keep the wee-lings away from them while they dry. 

Any thoughts?  Suggestions?

*****
I have to report that the lack of exercise over the last several weeks due to the lingering crud has taken its toll.  I have gained back a few pounds (of course, I'm too pathetic to record that on my tickers).  Gah!  And to add insult to injury, the new walking shoes I bought  back in June are already headed to the trash.  The insoles are shredded and there are already holes in the toes.  Grrr... I spent a decent amount of money on them.  And the only other shoes I have to walk in are my Sha.pe Up.s, which hurt my toes.  Not exactly motivating.  I am going to have to get a new pair of shoes, it's just dang frustrating. 

*****
Pippin just got his one year vaccinations on Wednesday, only three months late.  He's doing pretty well with them, only a bit of a fever yesterday and some general grumpiness.  He's over 25lbs now, and 32.5 inches tall.  He's catching up to Ginny so fast.  Too fast.  I talked to the nurse about his lack of talking, and she told me not to be concerned just yet.  Because he's a second child, and a boy, it's very common that speech can be a bit delayed.  She gave me some suggestions to help him strengthen the muscles in his face and how to encourage him to talk.  It's apparent that he understands much of what we are saying.  He responds to most directions and comments directed at him.  He dances to music, and he likes to laugh, squeal, make lots of little boy noises.  I guess I just need to be patient.  The nurses also suggested that we hound Dr. B to get Pippin in to an allergist, given the extent of his eczema.  Most doctors around here like to wait until the little ones are closer to two years old before they go the allergist route. 

*****
Well, I should get back to work on the prep for painting.  Pippin has just crashed in his playpen, and Ginny is snoozing in the nursery, which means I have about an hour of uninterrupted work time.  Woohooo!

ICLW: A Hobbit-ish Alphabet

Howdy Humble Readers & ICLW Visitors...

Welcome to my little corner of the blogosphere.  It's been quite a while since I've participated in ICLW, so I thought I'd go old school and let you in on some randomness about me and my family. 

A - Age... 38, soon to be 39.

B - Books... I have a lot of books!  Three Billy bookcases from Ikea full.  That doesn't include my cookbooks, or the bookcase full of books in the nursery.  Former occupational hazard, as I worked in bookstores for more than ten years.  I have to go through them regularly to purge them.  My recently read list can be found on "The Library" tab at the top of this page.

C - Car... we only have one.  Tilly the Toyota.  She's a good car, and gets us from point A to point B efficiently and comfortably.  Always a mess, and if we have the stroller in the trunk I can't bring home groceries.

D - The Big D... yup, I'm type II diabetic.  Started as gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with Ginny.  And then again when I was expecting Pip.  Just before Pip's first birthday I was diagnosed with the Big D, and have been working my weight (check out the tickers on the right) and keeping my blood sugars in line. 

E - Eats... One can't be a hobbit without loving food.  Hence the Big D, right?  I love cooking, trying new recipes, and experiencing new foods.  Life with the Big D is just a different foodie adventure.

F - Family... mine is all sorts of screwed up.  Check out the "Cast of Characters" tab up top to learn more about my truly bizarre, needs a diagram to understand who's who family. 

G - The girls... friends I don't get to hang out with often enough.  But when we do get together, we can talk the hind leg off a mule

H - Husband... my Beloved!  My wonderful ent, who keeps me grounded.  Tall, methodical, logical (aggravatingly so at times), and not easily frazzled, he balances my flighty and irrational tendencies well. 

I - Infertility diagnosis... Recurrent pregnancy loss,  due to a progesterone deficiency and a slightly septate uterus.  Thankfully, I had a wonderful OB as I was navigating the rough waters of RPL.  After our second early loss, he jumped right in with the testing we needed to find out what was going on.  You can see our journey to parenthood on "The Quest" tab up top. 

J - Jeans... none of mine fit.  Again.  They're all too big.  If I leave the house I have to wear a belt, which I strongly dislike.  No new clothes in the budget for a couple of months. 

K - Klutzy... that's me.  I'm known for my ability to hurt myself in the safest of situations.  If I can get a papercut, sprain an ankle, or fall down the stairs, you can bet I'm going to do it.  Currently I'm dealing with a three-day kink in my neck.  Only someone as klutzy as me could go to sleep and wake up injured. 

L - the Library... feeding my new addiction to tv shows that I just can't get through our current cable package.  Shows like Sherlock, Rome, and Game of Thrones (11th on the wait list... getting closer to watching season 2!)

M - Music... I have rather random tastes in music. Currently on my phone I have... Country (Dean Brody, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert), rock (Avril Lavigne), Atlantic Canadian folk (Great Big Sea, Irish Decendants, the Rankins), pop (Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, and of course my beloved boy bands), and novelty stuff (Moxie Fruvus, Captain Tractor).

N - Not a green thumb... I am notorious for my ability to kill plants.  Remarkably I have been able to keep two basil plants, a planter full of thyme, a gerbera daisy, and even a recovering lavender plant alive all summer.  My quandary now is what to do with these plants once the frosts come. 

O - Online... where my Beloved and I met.  Matched on eH.armony seven and a half years ago.  Signing up for their matchmaking service was the best money I ever spent.

P - Pinterest... yes, I'm an addict. 

Q - Quinoa... a staple in my diet these days.  Yeah, I know.  But really how many words do you expect me to think of that start with Q?

R - Roasted Veggies... My new favourite food.  I'm not kidding.  I could eat roasted broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, zucchini all day long.  If I can drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle on a little salt and pepper, I lurve it!!!

S - The Shire... the little city I call home.  On the Canadian flatland, just east of the mountains I love.

T - Tomorrow... something fun and different here at he hobbit hole.  Come back and check it out!

U - Uniquely Useful... my favourite kitchen gadget is my Rachael Ray food mover.  It's a bench scraper with sides attached so that I can scoop up chopped veggies, etc and dump them into a pot easily.  I swear I use it every day.

V - Vacation... A  mini one anyway.  Coming up soon!  Yay!  Just me and my Beloved in the Big City To The South over Labour Day weekend.  My MIL is coming to look after the wee-lings.  This will be our first jaunt without the wee-lings.  I'm looking forward to this so much.  (That sounds absolutely horrible... I really do adore my children.  Honest!)  Four days of good restaurants, fun shopping, and adventures with my Beloved. 

W - Wee-lings... Our wee sweet girl, Ginny, is two and a half (33 months actually) going on fifteen.  Pippin is our wee little man, currently 15 months old, and still not talking at all.  (I'm trying not to be concerned.)


X - Xtra Xcited... (another stretch, I know) I'm looking forward to doing some pseudo-homeschooling with Ginny starting this fall.  We aren't going to be too terribly structured, but I'm planning an hour or so a day to get her exploring new ideas and concepts.  Sometimes it will be letters/numbers oriented, sometimes it will be more about motor skills, and sometimes it will be artistic/creative.  Should be fun. 

Y - Yikes!  Your friendly neighbourhood hobbit is terrified of birds.  Anything with feathers and anything that flies. 

Z - Zero tolerance... for loud chewers.  Dang it, close your mouth when you chew, people!  LOL

So, tell me... what's something random about you?  Pick a letter and spill the beans!

February ICLW: Quick Update & Proof that I Am A Crotchety Old Woman

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope that your week has been going well.  Things here in K-town are going ok.  The service was small, but nice.  After the internment, many of the people who attended the funeral came back to my mom's house just to chat and hang out.  Most of the out-of-town guests left over the course of the day yesterday, and now it's just me, my Beloved and the Wee-lings remaining.  We'll be heading home to the Shire on Saturday... and praying that Ginny doesn't have a repeat of the car-sickness that she had on the way out here (thank you all for your input on that, btw). 

So, now that's out of the way... Welcome visitors!  I'm an IF/RPL survivor, a mom of two hard-won wee-lings (aged 9 months and 27 months) and the wife of an ent.  We live in a small city (the Shire), on the Canadian prairies, just east of the Rocky Mountains.  I'm a pinterest addict, wanna-be novelist, good cook, mediocre baker, deluded crafter, and tv junkie.  I'm a stay at home mom, who loves watching her little ones learn and grow, and is very quickly getting sick of El.mo and singing the Itsy-bitsy Spider. 

A few times in the past, I have done an ABCs of Me as my ICLW intro, and I think I'm going to do that again.  But this time there's a theme.  Things that bug me... (I'm generally a pretty happy person, just been a little on edge lately).  Here are the ABCs of my pet peeves.

A - Asters.  Flowers are supposed to be pretty.  Asters just aren't.

B - Birds.  They're creepy.  They're dirty.  They're icky. 

C - Chapped Lips.  I am a lip balm addict.

D - Downton Abbey.  Not the entire show, just how they ended the third season.  That REALLY REALLY REALLY PISSED ME OFF!

E - Edemame.  I just don't get it. 

F - Fat-phobics.  Especially doctors who are fat-phobic.  To paraphrase J.K. Rowling... 'There are so many worse things a person could be than fat.'

G - Grocery shopping.  It gets me out of the house, but that's about the best I can say for it.  It's expensive and time consuming.  And really, for what groceries cost, there should be someone who comes home with you and puts them away for you.

H - Hate disguised as humour.  Or disguised as patriotism.  Or as faith.

I - Infertility.  In all it's forms.  The way it tears a person down, the toll it takes on a marriage, and the lasting scars that seem to be slow in fading into memory.

J - Judgemental people.  Especially when I'm the one being judgemental.  It makes me less of a person, and no fun to be around.

K - Ketchup.  It's okay in recipes, but I can't stomach it on fries or eggs or kraft dinner (that would be mac & cheese for my American friends). I also can't stand Kraft dinner, but that's another story.

L- Laundry.  It NEVER ends!

M - Misophonia.  This is an actual disorder that is defined by the fact that sufferers have an extreme dislike to certain sounds, even to the point of extreme physical and emotional responses.  For me, it's related to people's mouths (chewing, swallowing, lip smacking, etc) and repetative sounds (like the sound of someone typing). I wish I could tune the sounds out like normal people do.

N - Nylons.  Tights and pantyhose also fall into this category.  A man must have designed them. 

O - Olives.  Yuck.

P - Panties.  Just the word, not the article of clothing.  Please, for the love of pete, just call them underwear.

Q - Queues.  (Yes, it's a stretch).  I don't have a lot of patience for waiting in lines.  And I always, inevitably choose the wrong line... you know, the one that moves at a snail's pace.

R - 'Reality' TV.  Why exactly is Kim Kar.dash.ian a celebrity?  What has she, and her ilk, done that I should spend my time following their every move?

S - Scary movies.  I used to love them.  Now I can't even watch the trailers for them. 

T - Transportation as sport.  Namely NASCAR.  I don't understand how watching cars drive around a track is sporting or entertaining.  But that's just me.

U - Underwear shopping.  No matter how much I psych myself up for it, it's never enjoyable.

V - Varicose Veins.  Just another sign I'm too fat and getting old.

W - Winter.  We've had snow on the ground since Halloween.  I'm done with this season.

X - Xcessively (another stretch) high gas prices.  We are spoiled in the Shire because our prices are some of the lowest in the country, but they're still ridiculous.  And now here in K-town, the prices are astronomical.

Y - Yapping dogs.  My mom's little shi'tzus are driving me nuts!

Z - Canadians who pronounce this letter as "zee".  It's "zed" dang it.

Let me know what some of your pet peeves are.

March ICLW - If I Had A Gazillion Dollars

Good Morning Humble Readers... and ICLW Visitors...

The last day or so has been a bit stressful around the hobbit-hole.  First, we got a bill in the mail from the taxman yesterday.  After some colourful language and some digging, we discovered that one dollar amount got put in on the wrong line on my tax return from last year... **sigh** Presto, we owe the government $300.

Second, when I woke up this morning, I went to fire up my trusty little netbook, and sadly it had decided to give up the ghost sometime during the night.  It's old (for a netbook) and tired, and it's not really worth repairing again (thankfully nothing too tragic will be lost).  So, before breakfast, we had spent another chunk of money that we hadn't planned on to order me a new laptop.  It's just a basic Dell, but it will serve my purposes.  And keep us both sane as we DO NOT share a computer well.

Combine all that with the fact that it's been a while since I've done a fun little intro for ICLW (and if you are wondering what those letters mean, click on the groovy little green box in the column to the right.  Mel explains it best) and, I thought I would play one of my Mom's favourite games... "If I won the lottery" 

If I won a gazillion dollars in the lottery, I would...

• set up an endowment/trust for our church
• pay off our debts
• buy us a new house (nothing too big... A 3-bedroom townhouse or half duplex with a finished basement and a big beautiful kitchen.  If money were really no object, I might go bigger, so long as we could hire a maid.)
• set up college funds for both Ginny and the Halfling
• buy us a second car
• Take my parents and my MIL on a nice trip.  New Zealand, maybe?
• Take this trip with my Beloved.
• Take the children to Disney World (when they're bigger)
• Hire a genealogist to help me track down my family tree
• Possibly get bariatric and lasik surgery... maybe
• Get my Beloved and I brand new groovy computers, cameras, and cell phones

What would you do if you won the lottery?

August ICLW: Did You Know?

Hey Humble Readers!

For those of you who are new here or are visiting from ICLW, WELCOME!  For all my regular readers... thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope you're all having a great Sunday.  I'm super stoked because my parents are going to be here for a quick visit (something that rarely ever happens, even tho my sister lives only 2 hours away... no, I'm not bitter). 

So, I bet you didn't know that your friendly neighbourhood hobbit is a trivia junkie.  Did you know that?  Huh?  Did ya?  :)  I love reading about stuff that I'm reading about.  For example, while I was reading Memoirs of a Geisha a couple of weeks ago, I looked up the term geisha on wikipedia and learned all kinds of things that I didn't know before.  I do the same while I watch tv and movies.  (I know, I'm a terminal geek)

For my intro this month, I thought I would share some of the completely random sh!t that lives in my brain

Did you know...

• the original geishas were men?
• the human body gives off as much heat as a 100 watt light bulb?
• WD-40 dissolves cocaine? (no, I do not know this by personal experience)
• the words vanilla and vagina have the same word origins?
• ketchup was not always made from tomatoes?  Other variants include anchovy, lobster, lemon, and cucumber.
• in the movie "Scarface" the f-bomb is dropped 207 times?  That averages out to once every 1.22 minutes.
• guinnea pigs were originally domesticated as a food source?
• natural red-heads make up only 2% of the world's population?
• there is a law in California that makes it illegal to lick toads?
• Canadians eat an average of 23.5 pounds of cheese a year.

What random sh!t do you have in your brain?

If you have the time, take a peak at my most recent Foodie Friday post.  It was a bit late (ok, a lot) going up, but I'd like to know what you think. 

May ICLW - True Confessions

Howdy Humble Readers...

I honestly didn't mean to leave such a gap of time between my last post and this one.  Every day I thought about posting, but of course we all know what thought did.  Anyway, I've decided to pull my head out of my butt and join in with ICLW this month, in hopes of maybe finding my bloggity mojo again. 

I thought for this month's ICLW intro, I would do some true confessions... nothing earth-shattering, just some random crap about me that I don't think most of you know.  Honestly, it's just a chance for me to talk about me...

1 - I don't use Twitter.  I don't get the point.  But then, I didn't get the point of FB for the longest time, and now I'm a FB junkie.  (BTW, if any of you are on FB and play Gardens of Time, please let me know.  I need more neighbours!!)

2 - I have only recently discovered the wonders of sugar scrubs.  I don't know when these became popular or if they even really are, but I have fallen in love.  I particularly love the ones from Bath & Bo.dy Wor.ks. 

3 - I used to dog-ear pages in my books to mark my place (gasp!)

4 - I don't like bacon (the smell of it cooking is nasty) but I regularly put simulated bacon bits on my salad or baked potatoes.

5 - I'm obsessive about cleaning my ears.  I know you shouldn't put anything other than your elbow in your ear, but I keep the cotton swap companies afloat.

6 - I'm honestly not a sports fan of any sort, but I admit I find myself very excited that the Vancouver Canucks are doing so well in the playoffs.  I have actually been enjoying watching the games (but don't any of you dare tell my Beloved!)

7 - I can't keep a plant alive, and yet every year I attempt to grow an herb garden.  Every Year... futility in action!

8 - I have a love hate relationship with socks.  I love me some stripey socks, but I can't handle wearing them for very long.  I much prefer to be barefoot.  (Perhaps it's part of my hobbit heritage?)

9 - I don't hold a pen/pencil like a normal person.  When most people write, they anchor the pen on their middle finger.  When I hold a pen, I anchor it on my ring finger.  This caused my elementary school teachers no end of angst. 

10 - I have yet to take down my outdoor Christmas lights this year.  They aren't plugged in or anything, but they are still out there... mocking me...

Okay, I think that's enough totally random crap about me.  If the world doesn't come to an end today, then I will do my best to be back with another post tomorrow.  I do have some marginally interesting things to share with you all.

February ICLW - The ABCs of Me (Take 3)

Howdy Humble Readers, and welcome ICLW visitors!

I came across this meme the other day over on Laurie's blog, the Panda Diaries, and I really liked it.  I've done ABCs before, but this one had the alphabet subjects already laid out for you, so it's a heck of a lot easier, especially when it comes to the X, Y & Z. 

So, some randomness about me...

A-AGE: 36... how in the world did that happen?  College seems like it was just last year.

B – BED SIZE:  We have a queen. When we got married and bought our new bed, we specifically decided against a king because we wanted to be close to each other.  Now, four years in, I think we should have gotten a king size.  We're both big people, and my Beloved is a big time bed hog (though he denies it). 

C-CHORE YOU HATE: Laundry!  I hate hate HATE laundry!  It's never ending and it takes forever!

D-DREAM JOB: Honestly I don't know.  I'd like to cook professionally, but it's a brutal industry.  I dream of writing novels, but lack the perserverance.  Own my own bookstore... not likely in this day and age.

E-ESSENTIAL START YOUR DAY ITEM:  My glasses.  I actually sleep with my glasses on.  I have anxiety issues about my vision.  I couldn't function without them.  I've tried contacts, but I've worn glasses for 30 years, and contacts weirded me out. 

F-FAVORITE COLOR: Red!

G-GOAL IN LIFE:  Lose enough weight to be able to shop for clothes in any store I want.

H-HEIGHT: 5'4.5" (with my shoes on)  I always wanted to be 5'5''

I-INSTRUMENTS YOU PLAY:  Does the radio count?  I took piano lessons when I was in college, but it didn't last.

J-JOB TITLE: SAHM right now.  My former job title was ACEM (Assistant Customer Experience Manager)

K-KIDS:  My beautiful Ginevra!  But you knew that... I also have two angel-babies: Emily Hope & Olivia Noelle

L-LIVE: In a small city, smack dab in the middle of two big cities on the frozen flatland.  It's not my ideal locale, but it's home.

M-MAJOR IN COLLEGE: Bachelor of Arts in Youth & Family Ministry, with a minor in Christian Education

N-NICKNAMES: Good heavens... too many!  The ones that stand out... an aunt called me Fred for years.  In college people called me by my first initial.

O-OVERNIGHT HOSPITAL STAYS:  When I had Ginny & when I was 4 I had to spend a week in a childrens hospital for extensive testing.

P-PET PEEVE:  Currently my biggest pet peeve is people who don't shovel their walks!  Grrrr!  I hate taking my life into my hands when I go to the grocery store.

Q-QUOTE FROM MOVIE: I guess my all-time favourite applies to both books and movies, and it's up in the right column up there.  The one from Return of the King.  But I watched "The Color Purple" the other night, and there is a fabulous quote near the end... "It must piss God off if someone walks past the color purple in a field and don't even notice it." 

R-RIGHT OR LEFT HANDED:  Right.  Funny thing about me:  I'm dyslexic, and the only way I can tell left from right is that there's a callus on my right hand from holding a pen.

S-SIBLINGS:  Bio: one sister (33) and one brother (31).  Foster: one sister (35)  I have also had an assortment of step siblings.

T-TIME YOU WAKE UP:  Currently, between 7:30 & 8:00.  Ginny sleeps amazingly well which is a huge blessing.

U-UNDERWEAR: Always colourful

V-VEGETABLE YOU DISLIKE: Okra, lima beans, creamed corn (I can't tell you how much I hated church potlucks when I lived in the South!)

W-WHAT MAKES YOU RUN LATE: I procrastinate, so I end up running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get all our gear together.  Pre-Ginny it was looking for my cell phone or keys.

X-X-RAYS YOU’VE HAD DONE:  A chest x-ray a few years ago, the HSG I had done a couple of years ago, a number of x-rays of my bladder & kidneys in my childhood, and countless ultrasounds

Y-YUMMY FOOD YOU MAKE:  I can't decide... you should check out the Larder tab for some great recipes. 

Z-ZOO, FAVORITE ANIMAL:  Polar bears

October ICLW: Kicking Off A Month Of Posts

Howdy Humble Readers!  And welcome ICLW visitors!

In an effort to improve my bloginess (which has been pitiful of late) I am going to attempt the 30 Day Blog Challenge that several others have done over the last few months.  It will give me something to blog about every day, and I should finish up right around the time that the Halfling makes his/her appearance.

This may mean that I will have more than one post a day (gasp!) or have rambling potpurri type posts where I'm talking about unrelated things.  Please bear with me...  Below are the topics I will be covering (so that I can keep track of what's coming up).

Day 1 - your favorite song
Day 2 - your favorite movie
Day 3 - your favorite television program
Day 4 - your favorite book
Day 5 - your favorite quote
Day 6 - 20 of your favorite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where you live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - your worst habit
Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

*****
So, day 1... my favourite song.

Hmmm...  Music isn't as much of a part of my life as it used to be.  I equate music with driving a lot, but because I don't drive much at all anymore, I don't really listen to a whole lot. 

All that said, I am a die hard Beatles fan.  I love love love 'Dear Prudence'.  But for the sheer coolness factor, I have to go with this version of  'I Am The Walrus' as sung by Jim Carrey.

I'm Baaaack

Good Evening Humble Readers...

My Beloved and I have just returned to our stifling hobbit-hole, and the suitcase hasn't been unpacked yet.  11 hours in the car (including meal and pee stops) is enough to break anyone's spirit.  The trip was good, and I will post pics and an update tomorrow. 

I just wanted to say I will be jumping on the ICLW bandwagon tomorrow, and getting caught up with you.  I have loved reading your comments over the last week and I can't wait to answer your questions (if you haven't asked me any yet, please do!). 

July ICLW - A Hobbit, By the Numbers

Greating Humble Readers... 

I'm so glad you stopped by!  I'm not here right now, but I will be back in a few days.  I hope you find something here that makes you smile. 

About a year ago, I did an ICLW intro that was me by the numbers.  I thought I would update that post, as many things have changed in a year.  (Of course, some things never change)

59 - the number of times I have moved in my lifetime.  It's a bit of a pride issue now.

35 - how old I am at the moment

25 - the number of states I have visited.  I want to visit all 50 before I die.

21 - the number of children in my grandmother's family... she was the oldest.  Great-grandma sure didn't deal with IF! (also the number of weeks pregnant I am at the moment)

10 - the number of years I have worked as a retail book sales.  I love my job, but I am am sooo looking forward to mat leave

9 - the number of nativity sets I have in my collection.  (I really wish I could keep at least one out year round)

8 - the number of my mom's homemade perogies I can eat in one sitting (they're huge!)

6 - the number of parents I have had in my life

3 - the number of years I have been married to my Beloved.

2 - the number of angel babies I have in heaven, Emily Hope and Olivia Noelle

1 - the number of little halflings baking away inside me right now

What are some of your numbers?

March ICLW - A Strange Place To Be

Good Morning Humble Readers...

If you are stopping by for ICLW*, welcome to the hobbit-hole!

Normally, on the 21st of each month I try to come up with some witty intro, but I'm honestly a bit distracted** and I can't think of anything fun and funny.  So, instead I will give you a bit of a tour.

This little hole is my online home, and it has recently been under some renovations.  New rooms have been added and there are more changes coming soon (when I find someone to help with layout options). 

The Quest - Every good hobbit needs a quest.  And while I don't have a ring that needs to be destroyed in the fires of Mt. Doom, I am in search of my own mythical creature, a baby. 

The Library - pretty obvious... I love reading, I love books. 

The Larder - A collection of the recipes I have shared here. 

I hope you wander the halls and find this a comfortable place.

Just a heads up... the Larder is still under construction, but I would gladly whip something up for you if you're hungry. ;)  As a matter of fact, why don't you tell me what you would love to have for lunch today?  I'm a pretty good cook and I always love a challenge.

*ICLW - International Comment Leaving Week... the brainchild of the marvelous Mel (also known as Lollipop Goldstein or the Stirrup Queen).  It's a great opportunity to get to know about a gazillion other bloggers, and have them meet you.  Click the green box to the left for more info.


**Distractions... well, just really big one.  For more info, check out the last few posts.

ICLW February - The ABCs of Me (again...)

Good Morning Humble Readers...

I hope you are all well. I have been a bad blogger of late, which I will blame on dog-sitting, the olympics, and attempting to avoid thinking about the tww I'm coming onto the tail end of. I will get back into things here soon, I promise.

For those of you stopping by from ICLW, WELCOME to my cyber-hobbit hole. Pull up a comfy chair, help yourself to anything in the fridge, and peruse the bookshelves.

A while ago, I did the abc's of me... but it's been six months or so I think, so I thought it would be good to do again, and let you in on some of the more random aspects of who I am.

A - Alberta... my current home. I can't say that I'm a fan of the winters here (they go on forever!) but it's home.

B - Books... A life long obsession. I learned to read when I was 4 and I haven't stopped. I have books in every room of the hobbit-hole. Living room, kitchen, spare room, bedroom, and yes, even the bathroom. Too many to number.

C - Cooking... another obsession. I love trying new foods and new recipes. I'm currently trying to master the art of fabulous fried chicken.

D - My Beloved... my wonderful, loving, patient, funny, smart, wonderful (did I mention that?) partner on this crazy road.

E - Emily Hope... our first angel baby. Her EDD was April 1st, 2009. We lost her at 11 weeks, blighted ovum.

F - Farenheit... what I track my bbt temps in (rather than celcius).

G - Games... the olympic variety. My current obsession and major distraction. Canada isn't doing as well as hoped, but it's not for lack of trying.

H - Homebody... that's what I am. I love being at home, with my Beloved, curled up on the couch.

I - Infertility... it sucks. 'Nuff said.

J - Jesus... my saviour.

K - Klutz... that's me. This time of year is the worst for me. If I am going to injure myself, it's going to be now, when it's icy, but it's melting too.

L - Lima beans... can't stand them! Urgh!

M - Moved... what I have done a lot in my life. 59 times to be precise. 3 countries, 3 provinces, 3 states.

N - Net... the internet. Where I met my Beloved, and many many wonderful friends.

O - Olivia Noelle... Our second angel baby. Her EDD was August 18th, 2009. We lost her at 8 weeks, blighted ovum.

P - Pugs... I love them!! I hope to soon have one as a part of our family. We were looking after a precocious little guy for the last couple of weeks and it has rekindled my need for a snuffling, snorting, fur baby. The breeder we have been in contact with currently has a few pups available, so in the coming weeks we may be expanding our family.

Q - Quest... I'm in search of a lot of things. The perfect recipe for fried chicken, the roots of my family, a baby of our own.

R - Retail... my work, my frustration, my joy. I love being a bookseller, and for the most part I totally love my customers. There are those days tho...

S - School supplies... I am addicted to school supplies. Pens, pencils, notebooks... they all

T - TWW... two week wait for the uninitiated. The time between ovulation and when AF shows up. The insane time when I analyze every twinge, every possible symptom of pregnancy in hopes that this might just be the month. (yeah, right)

U - Unusual... that would describe my family make up. At one point in my life I had 6 parents.

V - Vegetarian... something I could NEVER be. I am an omnivore, and proud of it.

W - Wii... I am a fan of those crazy guys, Mario and Luigi, and am completely stoked that I finally got my hands on Super Ma.rio Broth.ers for the Wii.

X - X-cited... (a bad one, I realize) What I'm feeling about the new Alice in Wonderland movie.

Y - Youth and Family Ministry... that's what my degree is in. And yet I sell books for living. Go figure.

Z - Zealand, New... (I know it's weak) I really want to go there some day.

Well... that's me. Thanks for stopping by!

January ICLW: Your Friendly Neighbourhood Hobbit

Welcome Humble Readers (and any of you stopping by from ICLW)!

Normally, at this time of month I try to put together some sort of witty intro, but I'm all fresh out of witty ideas. Soooooo....

Instead, we'll start with the basics. Our ttc/IF history is in the right hand column. We've been at this for two years, and even tho we've had two solid bfp's (and one iffy one), we still have no halfling to call our own. I'm 35, he's 38. We live on the frozen flatland of western Canada. I sell books for a living, he keeps the books for a living.

Like any hobbit worth her salt, I love simple things... good books, good friends, and of course, good food. My 'to read' and 'been read' lists are in the left hand column. Our menu for the week is also over there. And as for friends... well, this community has become a big part of my circle of friends. I look forward to meeting a lot of new people this week, and I hope you find something here to make you smile.

And now for the other purpose of this post...

Dinner tonight was another new recipe.

Pan-Fried Balsamic Pork Chops

(I got this from my recent purge of my cooking mags. I would love to credit them, but I can't recall which magazine it came out of.)

• Two boneless pork chops, at least 3/4 of an inch thick (I used the kick-a$$ Cos.tco chops)
• 1/4 cup plum sauce
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp tab.asco
• Olive oil
• salt & pepper

Heat a splash of olive oil in a medium skillet. You don't want it to be too much bigger than enough space for your chops. Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper. Brown them on both sides. Don't try to move them around until they have browned well, that way otherwise they will tear. In the mean time, in a small bowl combine the balsamic vinegar, plum sauce, and taba.sco. Depending on how thick your chops are, you may have to reduce the heat and let them cook through. When they are 3 or 4 minutes from being done, pour the sauce over the chops and turn them in the sauce to glaze both sides. The sauce WILL splatter, so be careful when you pour it on and cover them for the last couple minutes.

I served them with my German Potato Salad (yum!) and peas. I think next time I will either cut back on the plum sauce or add a little more balsamic vinegar. They were just a titch too sweet for me. But overall, I think they turned out great, and my Beloved really enjoyed them. Hope you do too!

December ICLW... Merry Christmas!

Good Evening Humble Readers! And welcome to all you ICLW-ers who may be encountering my hobbit hole for the first time. I hope you are all having an excellent holiday season.

Thanks so much for all the feedback on my chart. It's still wonky... FF actually moved my crosshairs to CD 14, which is actually a pretty normal day for O for me, but it doesn't fit to what I see on my chart. Temp-wise, anyway. Who knows... I'll start testing sometime around Christmas, and keep testing every other day until I get an answer either way. Funny enough, I'm feeling pretty mellow about this cycle. We'll see what the end of the week brings.

In other news...

I forced myself to stay away from the blogosphere all day today, until my wrapping was done. I have to say that this was not my best year for Christmas wrap. I will admit, when it comes to gift wrapping, I have a tendancy to channel Martha. I'm a perfectionist, and I will usually happily spend several hours tying beautiful bows out of carefully colour coordinated ribbon for all my gifts. I will make sure that I have gift boxes so that wrapping is easier. Normally, I choose my giftwrap early, find the ribbon to go with it, get all my needed tools, pop in a movie and enjoy the process.

But this is not a typical year. I'm running out of time. I've run out of energy.

Today...

four days before Christmas...

I attempted to wrap a baseball cap...

without a box.

Someone please medicate me.

Oh, and if I hear "Santa Baby" one more time, I might move in with the Grin.ch.

November ICLW - Through the Eyes of Google

Welcome Humble Readers... and all you ICLW-ers!

This is my favourite time of the month! And I'm really excited that there are soooo many new (to me) blogs on the list! I'm still going to try for Iron Commenter status, but I'm not holding my breath on this one.

I got this idea last month from Venting Vagina. I thought it was totally cute! The only rule is that you have to link back to the blog where you found it. That's it. So, for this month's ICLW intro... this is me, through the eyes of Google.

Where I Live - the Canadian Flatland

Where I Work - Bookstore

My Hobby - Writing Favourite Beverage - green tea Favourite Food - hummus (or anything greek/mediteranean)
First Car - 1989 Skoda
Celebrity crush - Donnie Wahlberg
Celebrity look-alike - Sweetums
Childhood toy - toy typewriter
Random picture - A Hobbit Hole

So, that's me. I look forward to getting to know a lot of new blogs, and reconnecting with a bunch of regular ICLW-ers. Spread the bloggy love, people! Comments are the new hug!

Cycle Update, et al

Hey Humble Readers...

Not much to tell today except that it's been a bit of a trying day. Nothing that could be classified as galactic badness, just a collection of irritants that, when taken together, are more than a little aggravating.

In terms of my cycle, not a whole lot to report either. I'm pretty sure that I'm 5dpo (temps indicate it, mostly, but the extra two days of ewcm is throwing me a bit), and the phantom symptoms are making themselves known. The 'girls' are sore, I'm pooped, and there is a hint of cranky stomach (but as previously stated, that could just be ibs).

I'm just trying to get through...

And that's why I'm so thankful that ICLW is almost here! If you don't know what it is, check out the link to the left. It will help keep me occupied for the next week.

October ICLW - Q & A - Part 2

Hey Humble Readers... I hope you are all having a great day! It's been a pretty okay day here on the flatland.


So, you asked, I answer... (and by the way, you guys asked some good questions!)


1 - What is your favorite food and why? I have always preferred savory foods over sweet. I think I am too much of a foodie to have just one favourite, but I would probably narrow it down to one ethnicity... Greek! I love Mediterranean flavours, I love lemon, I love feta, I love lamb... need I go on?


2 - What is your dream vacation? It would be one of two places... first up, heading to the UK with the time and ability to do a whole lot of genealogical research. Second, to go to Tanzania, go on safari, and to work/help at the Masai Lutheran Girls School that my alma mater is affiliated with.


3 - what are is your favorite tea and what is your favorite herb? My favourite tea depends on the day. In general, I prefer spicy teas (chai, Market spice from Seattle, etc) over delicate herbal or fruit blends. That being said, I do have a big addiction to the iced green tea lemonades from St.ar.bu.cks. Favourite herb... that is really tough! As I mentioned previously, I love Mediterranean flavours, so things like thyme, oregano, and saffron are big time players in my cooking, but I use basil almost every day... and lavender is just lovely (altho I have yet to cook with it, except in herbs de Provence). And of the above, the only one I have been able to grow successfully is lavender.


4 - If you could sit down and have a conversation with anyone (famous or not, living or dead) who would you choose and what would you talk about? I would love to talk to my many-times-Great-Grandfather, Frederick Barnes. He is the maker of the heirloom violin I have, and I would love to talk with him about it, and the others he potentially made. He is part of the reason I want to go to the UK. I want to find something about him.


5 - Whats your favorite, can't miss an episode, TV show? Oh my kingdom for a DVR! Again, my favourites change with the seasons, but I tend to get most wrapped up in procedural dramas... Bones, Criminal Minds, CSI:NY (I've grown weary of the others). And of course, I do love the food network. Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives, Iron Chef America, Chef At Home... all have inspired different recipes. Unfortunately, with my ever changing work schedule, I don't always get to watch the shows I love.


6 - If you could be one of the LOTR characters, who would it be and why? Far too easy! I would be Rosie Cotton! She did get to marry my favourite hobbit, Samwise Gamgee! But if you are thinking of a character from the fellowship, then it would probably be Pippin. He makes stupid mistakes, but is ultimately able to redeem himself and shows himself as a loyal friend, a brave soldier, and a good, albeit flakey person. I see myself in him a lot, or more accurately, I see who I want to be.


7 - what is your very best 'no one makes it as well as me' recipe? Hmmmmm... I have to say, I am the only person in my family who can cook lamb. I have a few really good lamb recipes, including the one I used for this year's Easter Dinner. Lamb is a special occassion food for us, as it is difficult to get fresh except for in the spring (and I can't justify the cost of New Zealand lamb). I also make some pretty outstanding tilapia, if I do say so myself.

That was fun! I look forward to future Q & A sessions...

October ICLW - Q & A

Good Morning Humble Readers! It's ICLW time and I'm stoked! I really missed this time of getting to 'meet' new bloggers last month.

For those who are new to my corner of the web, I am a self-ascribed hobbit who resides on the Canadian flatland. I am married to a wonderful man who can be best described as an Ent (very odd match, but it works). We are still hopeful that someday we will be adding some little hobbits and ents to our family. For the low down on our ttc journey, check out the column to the right.

I have seen others do this, and I thought it was kind of fun. Instead of giving you a run down on who I am, I am inviting you to ask me questions... anything you want. Leave your questions in my comment section and I will attempt to answer them in my next post.

Off to check out the ICLW list...

August ICLW - Things I Can't Stand

Greetings Humble Readers...

ICLW time again! For those of you who are unfamiliar with ICLW, please click on the yellow link to the left. The Fabulous Mel can explain it so much better than I.

I wanted to do something a little different this month to introduce you to me and my corner of the blogosphere. I think you can learn a lot about a person by knowing what bugs them (I don't mean things like 'people who kick puppies' or 'bad drivers'... everyone gets annoyed at those things), so this month, here are some unique things I just can't stand...

• when anyone shortens my first name to a single sylable
• the way folic acid starts to disintigrate as soon as it hits my tongue
• the word 'moist'
• baby corn (really, who grows this stuff?)
• the sound of someone chewing
• people who eat while talking on the phone
• the judges on reality tv contest shows
• people who clap too close to microphones
• late night "phone-dating" commercials (as if the women who utilize that service really look like the girls in the commercials)
• bacon
• movies that are filmed documentary style (think Blair Witch or any of the Bourne movies... I end up with motion sickness)
• when a customer comes up to me, whilst I am wearing my oh-so-fashionable work vest, with my crazy big key ring hanging from my neck and my name tag, and asks me if I work there (usually happens when I have an armload of books that I'm about to drop)
• puffed wheat
• Mac and cheese
• when commercials are louder than the show you're watching
• that fake citrus smell that you get in some soaps
• the fact that no matter how hard I try, I can't get my windows clean (they are always streaky)
• my toes
• and oh yeah... infertility!

So tell me, what rather odd things bug you?

BTW, if you want to know about our ttc journey, check out the column on the right!