Leaving

The idea to move to Nashville has been lurking for a very, very long time. I believe we first brought it up two years ago - but even just two months ago I didn't really think it was going to happen. I was in denial or maybe I just really didn't want to break the news to our friends. 

My husband, who pretty much has Reactive Attachment Disorder to everything, is incredibly sad about leaving Washington - and it's surprising both of us. He has, all along, been the driving force behind living in Nashville. And why wouldn't he be? Huge houses at affordable prices, a short drive to his parent's house, the world's best musicians.

I am equal parts "big picture" and "detail" person. When a big idea like a cross-country move comes to mind I imagine a fun family road trip. I imagine myself living in a new house with a [hot!] new climate - and then later I realize what it means to move: to leave your home behind. Not just my home, my life, my friends, my family. It's really starting sink in. Washington, we sure are going to miss you!

My Favorite Movie Scenes, Because: Friday

Warning: this one has foul language.


Also, whoever created this is pretty rad!

Hosting a Toy Swap Party

For months I have wanted to host a toy swap party. Before Christmas would have been a good idea but I didn't get it together in time. The idea is simple: Invite all your mom-friends to collect any unused toys, come over to my house for treats and trade toys! Most toys get "boring" before they wear out so why not recycle them with your friends? Children will play with almost anything so if it's new to them they dont care that it's not actually new. I served some treats and cleared some space. I hung up signs for different categories of toys. I recommend: books, dolls + plush, blocks, cars + trucks, electronics, other.

Here's the best part: Everyone took home less than they brought so I was able to donate all of the unused toys to Tacoma's Toy Rescue Mission. Their mission is to refurbish and recycle gently used toys for disadvantaged children. They are a 501c3 that's been serving the South Sound for over 20 years! Visit their website, toyrescuemission.org, for more information or search for one in your area.

The Day We [Sorta] Became Nashvillians

Fried chicken and waffles from Pepperfire.

Salted vanilla macaron from Barista Parlor.

Free (!) show at Mercy Lounge : The Cardboard Kids.

I do not recommend giving yourself just 3 days to find a place to live in a new city. Actually, do it. But don't even think that it's going to be fun or easy. It's exhilarating but it's frustrating. If you make the time to hang out you will just be thinking, "Why hasn't Mark from Blah-Blah-Blah Property Management called us back?!"

I got into Nashville after an early morning flight from Dallas, after a red eye flight (which left Seattle at 11pm) in which I slept for about 3 hours. I was tired but I was fired up. Somehow stress and excitement take over the need for sleeping or eating. Nashville is an interesting town. Much like Tacoma there are good parts and bad parts in every neighborhood. There's a little bit of "wrong side of the tracks" here and there but you've really go to see each listing and drive around the neighborhood before you consider calling about it. 

The second day in Nashville was warm and sunny and we had much more success. We saw some terrible homes. Just, awful. All the searching made us realize that we really want is: 

Something in a good, quiet neighborhood where I will feel safe when Dan is touring.

A place with ample space for guests but not necessarily a 3rd bathroom.

A place close to the people we know (including my sister) in East Nashville.

.... and we think we found it! A 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath townhouse in a quiet part of town just 6 miles from my sister and 2 miles from the airport. So, we went for it ... but we didn't hear back that night.

The new place!

The Crying Wolf in East Nash.

On the third day we came to an agreement with Mark, wired half of our savings from the West Coast to the South and picked up the keys! We spent our evening planning out where our furniture would go - which is, seriously, one of my favorite things to do. (I always wanted to be an interior decorator). We slept on the floor that night and I left at dawn to catch a flight home. 

Dan's staying for 2 weeks to record an album with his band so they'll be living at the house. I'm home, selling furniture and finishing up my job. We just keep saying, "It's really happening" as though we can't believe it - even though this was our plan all along. Dan and I are both big picture people. We often get ourselves into crazy situations because we don't think about the details or the emotional roller coaster we are putting ourselves on. Well, hop on! It's really happening. We're moving to Nashville! I guess we sorta live in Nashville!

Candid Thoughts on Our Marriage

After ten years of marriage, 2 years of dating and 1 year of pen-palling sometimes it's easy. We have a rhythm. There are still surprises and we don't know everything about each other. (Just almost everything). Marriage is work, a lot of hard work. I forget that when things are easy. Our lives can sometimes roll along, task after task. He does the dishes while I vacuum, he picks up BB from daycare while I prep for dinner. There are always things to do. Things need to be done but, perhaps more importantly, that face of his needs to be kissed, he needs to hear that I adore him and appreciate him, we need to hold hands and sit and talk. With our busy schedule we spend a lot of time talking about where he's going, what I'm doing, what needs to get done. We have to be here and there, then we'll eat dinner, then we'll put BB to bed and wash the dishes, fold the laundry and take a shower and then, only then, will we sit and chat about our day. It's exhausting raising a vivacious boy and working full time and balancing Dan's constant tour dates. Right now I'm in the thick of it. He's been gone since January 2nd and wont return until the 31st. A whole month without coming home and right in the middle of some of the best and craziest times in our life.

I'm so glad I just went for it. 19 years old and totally unaware of how awesome and hard and worthwhile life could be. I knew Dan loved me more than anyone could. I know that he is worth it. He may frustrate me at times, we argue, we disagree, but we always know that we are who we are because of the time we've spent together. I love this crazy, little life we've built. I love the insane, hilarious child that God has put in our care and I want him to know without a doubt that mama and daddy are crazy about each other.

We've made it through a lot. I dont want to forget that. I know we can handle anything that comes our way.

Word of the Year

2014 is sure to be an unforgettable year. We'll be starting a new life in a new place, I'll start a new career, we might get a dog! 2014 is full of possibilities. So, what I want most is to do everything that I do this year wholeheartedly. I would like to make good friends, share my home with people, learn new things, spend quality time with my husband and son, find a good community, volunteer somewhere ... and I would like to do all of this wholeheartedly.

Do you have a word of the year? Perhaps some goals or resolutions? I'd love to hear about them!

Weighted Sensory Blanket

My child likes loves sensory input. Every day we jump on pillows and he gets massages on his legs and back. I thought that we enjoy adding a weighted blanket to his repertoire and instead of paying $100+ for one I made one for about $25.

I used a yard each of coordinating fabrics. BB chose the dinosaurs and we found an orange chevron that matched. I recommend that one side is a basic (solid, stripes or chevron) and the other side as a fun pattern. It's also helpful when sewing this type of blanket if one of your fabrics has a pattern with straight lines.

What you'll need:

2 pieces of fabric

Poly Pellet Beads 

A sewing machine

A scoop

A big table

NOTE: This is not a full tutorial. For a full description of how to create your own weighted sensory blanket, I recommend using this pattern from Craft Nectar.

Poly Pellets were not easy to find. You can order them online but I was too impatient so I went to 4 craft stores before I found what I needed. I got them (on sale) for $2.39/8 ounce bag. How much to by: The blanket should be 10% of of the weight of your child. For example, BB is under 30 pounds so I put in six 8oz bags of pellets to make a 3 lb. blanket.

Then you simply sew your two pieces of fabric together (facing each other) on three sides. Turn it right-side-out and sew 4" columns. I put about 1/3 cup of pellets into each column and then sewed perpendicular (4" so they're squares) to close them off. The blanket starts to get heavy so it helps if the whole thing is on a large table as you sew. The project took about 2 nap times (maybe 4 hours) and I'm so happy with it. It's totally washable and small enough to transport. And, best of all, it really seems to calm him down!

Last Summer, in Chicago

Dan and I love exploring cities. We love hiking, too, but the buzz and excitement of a city is one of my favorite things. We dont know a lot about Chicago. Dan's parents are in the northern suburbs so we rarely get down into the city. We just did what we do best: drank delicious (Intelligentsia) coffee and took copious amounts of photos. 

It's crazy to think that this was 6 months ago! But then I remember how hot it was and how cold I am today and, yes, it feels like half a year ago.

What are your favorite cities to explore?  What do we need to see in downtown Chicago next time?

That One Time We Took a Baby on a Go Kart

This is the saga of the one time we took our baby on the go karts at Wisconsin Dells re-told, 6 months later, by me.

$3.00 Go Karts?! HECK YES.

He's old enough to go? Wow. Okay. I'm sure he'll be fine.

The family waits for Papa to buy the tickets. The other baby is not going.

No line. Always a good sign.

He doesn't look too sure about this.


AND THEY'RE OFF! He's changed his mind. He loves this.


After one lap it still seems like he's loving it...

Nevermind. He's getting on daddy's lap. He is officially scared. Maybe he was crying, not smiling?

An attendant runs over to pull them off the course. You cant stop in the middle of the track, dude!

The only way off this fake mountain is to keep driving. Child hangs on for dear life.

They've made it to the finish line. The other patrons continue to whiz past with squeals of delight. Child may be permanently traumatized.

Or not......haha!

These photos are from July in Wisconsin Dells. We just had our broken memory card recovered so you can expect to see lots of photos from that trip in the days to come. Because, right now my life consists of working and planning our move. BORRRRING.