Four Years

Four years ago yesterday, I married the man of my dreams. He is funny, intelligent, charming, strange, sweet, super dorky, and the only person I can imagine spending the rest of my life with. Luckily, he seems amenable to the idea.

photo by Chris Norris

Presents!

We've been trying to add to our small but growing art collection every year on our anniversary. Because I was quite pregnant last year, and I am the official memory of our household, "we" can't remember what we did for our third anniversary. So we added TWO pieces to our collection this year!

Mother Superior

photo by Marnie Karger

I got this GORGEOUS papercut of Lake Superior for Fred. I found this shop on etsy almost 9 months ago and have been waiting all year to buy this piece! Marnie Karger of Crafterall does fantastic work, incredibly beautiful papercuts of lakes, geographical topology, and abstract work. I knew that this would strike the perfect balance between art (which we both like), and Lake Superior nerdery (which Fred likes).
At my bridal shower, we played a DIY version of the newlywed game; my mom asked Fred a bunch of questions beforehand, and I had to answer them in front of all my family and lady friends. I did really well, one of the only ones I got wrong was "Where would you like to be?" Silly me, I thought he'd like to be with me! Instead, he said, "Lake Superior". Seems a fitting gift for such a one as he...

More Water (am I sensing a theme?)

Fred got me this fantastical collage that we've both had our eyes on for a few months at our local art center. It's by Jodi Rauvala, a local woman with a strange and wonderful creativity, SO much patience with tiny scissors, and an amazing collection of vintage images. She's a relative newcomer to our local art scene, but her work is already selling like hotcakes! Alas, she had no web presence yet (I know! A veritable travesty!), but rest assured I will keep you apprised...

A Sweet Day

My lovely man also brought me two Marimekko dishtowels. Yes, he knows that the way to my heart is indeed through textiles. I have been a bit under the weather the last few days, so we did not go out for dinner, but ordered a fancy bleu cheese pizza from our local Studio Pizza, and topped it off with an apple-rhubarb crisp (which was itself topped with ice cream, of course).
I will admit that the crisp turned out a little weird. It tasted "green". I was just a little worried that I had poisoned us, but my mother saved the day. Apparently, sometimes rhubarb needs a little salt. Yes, salt. I know, it's funny that the ONE THING I didn't salt actually needed it. I guess that'll teach me.

Back to the Important Baby/Sewing Stuff

I made a long-time-coming mental connection this week. It's evolution came about like this:

1. Fred's socks are in TERRIBLE shape. So many holes, for SO MANY months. Bad housewife...
2. A few weeks ago I saw a GREAT tutorial on Made By Joel on how to turn grownup socks into baby socks.
3. A few days ago I noticed that my baby's potato feet do not really fit into his socks anymore. Would we have to GASP! buy baby socks?
4. Yesterday I put together (holey man socks + cutting and sewing = new baby socks!)

Here they are! I love them! 5 loves them, because he can pull them off! Fred has fewer socks! Hooray!

If you have not been to Made By Joel, you HAVE to go. He is awesome. Really. You will have Dad envy.

Yes Mom, I would like a drink of water.

Like all babies, I would imagine, 5 wants whatever I have. It doesn't matter that he doesn't want to swallow any water- if I have a glass of water, he would like some, please now.
After drinking and subsequently spitting out half the glass onto my legs, I wised up, tossed most of the water out, and just gave the whole glass to him.
It was better that way.