Today's blessing that I have recognized is sleep. 

I wish I had something witty to say about it but I really don't.  I am exhausted, stressed out, and not seeing the bright side of life today and the only blessing I can see in front of me (besides my children and husband...and they are topics for another day) is sleep. 

I'll take it in the form of a nap or just a good night's rest!  Funny though, I am napping more now that Logan is older than I did when she was younger.  Hmmm...still haven't figured that one out yet....

Now, if Satan's spawn located in a house seemingly near to mine just stopped shooting off fireworks at 11:41pm I could seriously get some sleep!

I have a feeling that tomorrow I will be blessed by cathartic crying.  Stay tuned.

Today's installment of my daily blessings is brought to you today by the letter "I".  I for Industrial Arts.

Now stick with me here....

When I was in the seventh grade, I was extremely persistent in wanting to take Home Economics class when I lived at Yokota Air Base, Japan.  The eleven year old me didn't know much back then, but I knew well enough that Home Ec. was essential! 

Now, before it is perceived that I wanted to be Miss Molly-Homemaker, please understand that nothing could be further from the truth.  Back then, I wanted to be an archaeologist and Egyptologist.  I did not want to stay home and become a domestic engineer.  I was no budding Martha Stewart.  But I did want to know how to construct things from cloth (I found the whole process magical).  I wanted to know how to construct meals.  I badly wanted to learn how to make things with my own two hands.

So, when we all had the chance to pick our electives for the upcoming semester at school, I always, always, always listed Home Ec. as my number one choice.  Followed by art and nothing else very exciting because I don't even remember.  But Home Ec. was always my first choice.

Before I proceed, I just have to add that I went to a DoDDs school (an American school on a military base for military dependents) that had grades 7-12 all under the same roof.  Or should I say, on the same campus.  Yes, it was a HUGE campus.  And one of the neat things was choosing electives.  And starting in the 7th grade, I immediately chose Home Ec. as my elective.

But alas, it wasn't meant to be.  Yet.

Instead, during every semester at school my seventh grade year, I was saddled with Industrial Arts class.  And when I first saw Industrial Arts on my upcoming schedule, I was so bummed.  Whilst I knew I wanted to construct things with my hands, I did not want to construct things out of wood with my hands.  In my mind, this was a boy's hobby.  It would be too complicated!!  This I strongly thought.  But, God or the computer program in charge of student schedules decided that Industrial Arts would be my one elective for a whole year.  And honestly...it was great.

I discovered a love of working with wood.  I enjoyed taking measurements, using table saws, band saws, electric sanders, and all of the other wood working accoutrement.  I even got a kick out of being the only girl in a classroom full of idiotic boys who would gleek on each other and play paper football while roll was being called.  But in that one seventh grade year of Industrial Arts class, I had a soul stirring empowering experience.  I was shocked in myself that I enjoyed learning how to use tools, how to take measurements, how to build shelves, and other woodworked items.   Taking Industrial Arts class first gave me the confidence to know that I could work with materials I once found intimidating.  And it taught me that even though I was a girl, I could do anything, fix anything, build anything. 

The next year I did get to take Home Ec. class for an entire year, and I did get to learn how to make clothes, cook food, how to read a nutrition label, how to put together a place setting, etc.  And while that has stuck with me and will always be with me (as is evident by my voracious need to knit, cook, and sew), Industrial Arts class taught me something else entirely....

To this day, I am not scared to take the dishwasher out from the wall, disconnect it, find the owners manual for it online, and take it apart to find out why it's malfunctioning (and putting it back together, too).  I am not scared to take the door panel off my Honda Accord's driver's side door to figure out why the window won't roll back up.  I am not scared to disassemble my sewing machine in order to service it myself instead paying $50 for someone to do it for me.  I am not scared of finding the root cause of a washing machine leak that flooded out the pantry of our third floor apartment.  I am not scared of changing the oil in a Dodge Caravan while having half the car propped up on a curb.  These are all things I've done. 

And in that empowerment I first felt when I was eleven, I knew then that I wanted to be dependent on my own skills and not the skills of others.  And I'm so grateful for that.  Because where would I be now if I never learned that lesson?  How would I handle the life I have now?  I have to be terribly, terribly self-sufficient.  A problem solver.  A decision maker.  With Greg's career, there are no options in that arena in regards to being his spouse.  With his job schedule being excrutiatingly complicated, it's either do what needs to be done myself or stress trying to find someone to do it for me. 

I hope that I can teach my daughters this lesson of empowerment and independence as they grow older.  Because I'm not too sure if they offer Industrial Arts class anymore....

So Day 2 of my two week blessings tracker has me discovering that today I am blessed by free will (and not necessarily my own).

Yes, free will.  But while it is a blessing (like today for me), it is certainly a double edged sword and can be a burning arrow in the bum as well.  But the more I started thinking about my blessings today, the more I realized that I am where I am because of free will (of my own doing and from the free will of others, too).

Case in point...I feel blessed by God (because I believe in God) through the gift of my family.  Greg, Emma, Logan.  Even Sadie.  My family.  But they were totally a product of free will.  This is where my point comes in. 

I was once previously married for seven years.  I will not go into any details as to the demise of my previous marriage, nor will I disparage my ex.  I refuse to put that kind of toxic energy into the universe.  But I will say that it indeed ended through the free will of my ex.  And as much as I didn't understand the why's at that time, I knew all too well that it was his choice--his free will--to do whatever he wanted to do.  And back then it was my free will that made me press ahead...move forward.  And as a result, I have the amazing family I have now. 

If I had stayed in that previous marriage, I would not have the life I have now.  I would not have Greg (a man who doesn't judge me, who doesn't compare me to others, who accepts me for my faults and imperfections).  I would not have Logan.  I would not have Sadie.  I would not have made the indelible friendships I have made (the type of friendships that change a person for the better).  I would not have experienced even 1/10th of what I have experienced thus far. 

And for that...a free will decision made by someone else three years ago, I am more blessed in this moment right now than I was in seven years of my previous marriage.

Behold, friends and lurkers alike...I am finally posting again! And I will give you my answer as to why I am posting again after my hiatus. No, there aren't any excuses this time because I am not sorry for my reason of not posting. It was simply life. But it was a month in my life I just couldn't find the right words to use to put my life in the right frame and context. So I'll just let you know that I have been sewing, I have been cooking (in the microwave), and I have been doing a LOT of knitting.

But that leads to me to what has spurred me on to write again. And it's plain and simple. I have accepted a challenge by This Military Mama to document what I perceive my daily blessings to be for two weeks. And honestly, since I accepted the challenge earlier today, I have thought a lot about it. I noticed myself keenly aware of being in the moment...observing the details...ignoring the past, ignoring the future, but instead, being crazy aware of the present.  And in that, I count that as my first blessing for today.  This challenge.  It is a blessing.  It has made me stop and live for right now.  Not live for the future, not mulling around in the past, but being aware of the here and now.  And the awesome thing is that I have found that I am not only a participant in my own life but also an observer of it, too.  Does that make sense?  Maybe not.  But it does to me. 

And secondly, I am blessed by the day.  I can confidently and triumphantly say that today was my day.  Every detail, every speck.  It was my day.  Remember in the movie "While You Were Sleeping" when the father from Everybody Loves Raymond was talking to Bill Pullman over a box of donuts and he tell his son:  "You know what's wrong right now?  Nothing.  Everything is right with the world."  THAT is how I feel.  And here's why...Emma came home today!!!!!  After one challenging month apart, Emma finally came back home from Arizona.  And she's right back to where she belongs.  With her true family.  Her family that knows her manners are impeccable.  Her family that would bend over backwards for her.  Her family that would buy her a memory card for a camera we didn't buy her.  Her family that will get her an "Indian flute" as a present because we know her cues when she expresses and interest in something.  I am so amazingly happy she is home!  And I am blessed by her.  By this day.  By being her mother.

Okay, I may be getting ahead of myself right now.  But these are all things I feel blessed by.  My daily blessings.

And lastly but in no way least, I am blessed by my friends:  Chewy and Michelle.  Today they supported me, loved me, helped me, and loved me even more...but best of all, loved my kids (and continue to do so). 

I'm a mature enough, experienced enough woman to know that not everyday will be like this.  But I am ready to observe my life in a different way for the next two weeks.  I am ready to see even more blessings in my day-to-day life.  Are you?

Here's a little something to tide you all over!

This story made me cry with the gratefulness of knowing that there are people in this world who care about other strangers before themselves.

In a world of angry drivers, thoughtless cashiers, people in crowds that could care less if you breathed or not...and not to mention all the criminals, murderers, rapists, thieves...his story gives me hope for the future.  And not by way of being "green" or saving on energy, but that the human spirit is still alive in some.  I can't help but think that if more people just helped others without being asked to help, then this world might still be a great place for my girls when they grow up.

Please read this.

I have just harshly learned the truth behind the statement:  Always Be Prepared.  Because if you're not, Murphy's Law says that company will come over or, in my case, you'll go out to check the mail whilst wearing a worn out yellow t-shirt, your "fat" jeans, and clean but disheveled hair and have a newscrew in your front yard wanting to interview you for a story for tonight's 6 o' clock news!

No joke!  (I wish it was.)  But that is exactly what happened to me today!

Long story short...the reporter is doing a story on rising gas prices and how it is having an impact on local families lawncare.  Yeah, real important news, I know....   BUT I will not let you all know which channel it will be on because I felt that I looked like poo and was also a bumbling fool!  (I'm not sure which is worse....)  But needless to say, I am still in shock.   i have no idea why an Oklahoma City traveling reporter found her way to my neighborhood much less my driveway, but tomorow, I think I'll have Emma check the mail.

Just read this interesting article with the weirdest headline and I wanted to share it...

And for all of my "anonymous" friends out there...don't get confused and think that I want hybrid cars to kill your kids.  Or that I think it's funny if a hybrid car will kill your kids.  Or that I want anything to kill your kids!  Because...for the record:  I DON'T WANT ANY OF THOSE HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE THINGS TO HAPPEN.  There.  Do not get confused.  There will be a quiz on this later.

 the story

Meet the next winner of the Darwinism awards!

But seriously, I feel bad the guy got hurt but I can't believe this made the front page of the Oklahoma today!  I mean...seriously?  The guy was cleaning his lawnmower in his living room with gasoline at around 11pm!  Who does that?

http://newsok.com/article/3240015/

Okay...I just put Logan in her playpen.  Prior to entering the playpen, the girl was dressed in a long sleeved shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

I just now looked in (no kidding...three minutes later) and the girl managed to get her pants off!

How did she do that? 

Goofy girl! 

Welcome to my first installment of Macro Monday!

I've decided that in my attempt to get material up here as frequently as possible, I will have to interject themes into my week. Not only that, but I enjoy photographs. And I enjoy the perspective other people have when they take photos. I am certainly not a pro by any stretch of the imagination. But I would like to consider myself an amateur with aspirations of becoming much better.

I garner inspiration from other photographers. I don't know many other photographers. Actually, I only know two. One is my Aunt Linda who took amazing shots of nature. She lived in Miami and would go to the Everglades and take photos of the nature there. She was published in a few magazines but mostly took photos just for herself. Unfortunately, my Aunt Linda developed esophageal cancer in 2000 and died from the cancer in 2001. She loved to take macro photos and her attention to detail was impeccable.

The second photographer I know is Brandi's husband, Matt. He has an incredible eye. The way he sees his composition astounds me, and his photos are always crystal clear. To develop an eye like his is what I aspire to. Take a look at some of his photography on Flickr.

Anyhow, I've got to get going for the day so let me wrap it up.

The camera I use is an hp Photosmart R927.

Here's my first installment of Macro Monday!

Yesterday, as I was perusing Amazon.com, I went my my Gold Box page and saw that my Gold Box personalized picks were missing. Yes, missing. Gone! As if someone stole them in the night and decided to not bring them back! So I did what any red blooded American would do...I emailed Amazon.

Here's the message I sent:

04/09/08 07:04:41
Your Name:Allison Jakus
Comments:


Hi!

I just visited my gold box deals and I have no personalized gold box deals! I frequently purchase those special deals but the only ones on my page are those that are for everyone.

Can you let me know why this is?

Allison
---------------

Here's the message I got back (I've condensed it to just the meat and potatoes to spare you the links and their excess dribble):

Hello from Amazon.com.

I'm sorry for this inconvenience caused, you can access the Gold Box page by visiting http://www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox or by clicking on the Gold Box icon at the top of any Amazon.com page. We recommend that you log into your Amazon.com account before visiting to Gold Box to ensure you see all available offers.

The Gold Box page offers four different deals:

- Deal of the Day: A single item or small set of closely related items available at a discount for that day only.
- Our Best Deals: A selection of discounted items and ongoing promotions from across Amazon.com.
- Lightning Deals: A single item paired with a limited quantity of extra savings coupons, available for 4 hours or until all the coupons are used.
- Quick Picks: Products selected every day especially for you, paired with limited-time coupons that offer additional savings.

Best regards,

Sujith
Amazon.com Customer Service
http://www.amazon.com
==============================
Check your order and more: http://www.amazon.com/your-account

Well, I did what Sujith recommended (but I was already logged in already) and still...nothing. So I just ignored it and figured all would be right with the world of Amazon.com today.

Nope.

Here's a screenshot of what I see when I click on the Gold Box today. Mind you, I've scrolled down so that you can see that my Quick Picks are still not there.



I don't know.  Maybe my Personalized Quick Picks are on a lovely vacay.  Maybe they are loving life on some Caribbean tourist page.  Or maybe they are on strike!  Or perhaps they are picketing in San Francisco and dangling off the Golden Gate Bridge carrying "Free Tibet" signs.

I don't know.  All I know is that I miss my Quick Picks.  I need my Quick Picks.

And if my Quick Picks are in San Francisco, I just hope they brought an umbrella in case it rains....

I love to cook!  And I definitely love to cook food which requires more than ripping open a box of something and dumping it in a pot of water.  There is something carnal and wonderful, all at the same time, when I must cut raw chicken or tear apart a veggie.  Unfortunately, it is getting more and more difficult to find something we will all eat which is not a bratwurst, mac and cheese, or spaghetti.  But recently I did find something wonderful that we all loved and agreed upon as being delicious enough to eat weekly...and that is Nigella Lawson's recipe for Chicken Pot Pie. 

I depend on my DVR for a good many recordings that I can't enjoy immediately and one of those recordings is Nigella Express.  That being said, I don't recreate a lot of her dishes.  Mostly for the reasons of a picky eater (Emma) and my cowardice to just throw caution to the wind and just do it.  But I don't know about the next mother out there but I despise...I repeat...DESPISE strife at dinner time.  And for that reason alone, I don't make all that I would like.

But with that all being said, I did decide to recreate the Chicken Pot Pie and to my happiness, they loved it!  I used powdered chicken Maggi (like a chicken boullion) and Pepperidge Farms puff pastry and it was a big hit!  The biggest difference in the recipe I did actually had to do with the cook time.  I followed the cook time on the box of the puff pastry as opposed to what she states in the recipe. 

Watch this and make it for your family!  It really is a hit...promise!

To do (and in no particular order) for the week:

1. find gas mask inserts
2. find 2 extra pairs of glasses
   
3. make menu for the week
4. put away laundry
   
5. fold socks before i get so frustrated that i throw them all out and purchase new ones
6. vacuum, sweep, maybe mop
7. get my posterior out walking
8. finish Cabled Newsboy Cap
9. organize greg's desert gear from normal gear
10. **take a lovely, warm bubble bath**(non-negotiable)

Did:

    This past weekend we had a lovely time going to the Medieval Fair and seeing the Redhawks play.  Not only that, but on Friday I got a little Bob Villa on the house and put in a new shower head in my bathroom and put up a new shower curtain rod in Em's bathroom.  But it wasn't one of those regular shower bars, it was one of those curvy ones that they have in hotels...I've always wanted one of those.

Here are photos from my loverly weekend:

I covet and yearn for yarn.  All types...worsted, sport, DK, aran, bulky, super bulky, lace, fingering...I do not discriminate.  So I'm going to give this a try and start sharing my some of my favorite yarns for you all!   So rest your eyes on this beautiful bit of fiber:

A game going around and I was tagged by Mari

And I have to answer these questions....

4 Jobs I've Held:
Substitute Teacher
Clinique Skincare Advisor
Server at the Olive Garden
Flat Sorter Clerk for the USPS

4 Movies I've Watched Over and Over Again:
You've Got Mail
Forget Paris
French Kiss
Jerry Maguire

4 Places I've Been:
Alaska
Korea
Canada
The Bahamas

4 Places I've Lived:
The Philippines
Japan
North Dakota
Florida

Part A: 4 TV Shows I Watch:
The Office
Grey's Anatomy
Desperate Housewives
American Idol

Part B: 4 Radio Shows I Listen To:
Click-n-Clack (on NPR)
Fresh Air (on NPR)

4 Things I Look Forward To:
my parents coming to visit this year
July
September
finishing the last 4" on this knitting project

4 Favorite Foods:
Chicken Adobo
General Tso's Chicken
Rice
Ice Cream

4 Places I'd Rather Be:
No where...I'm happy being home!

4 People I email regularly:
Michelle
Greg
my Dad
that's about it

4 People to Tag:
my Ravelry Friends:

crazytalk23

clackerdine

pretendingsanity

vhanna26

I consider myself a "yarnie", if you will.  I relish the delicious textures, the rich fibers, the vivid colors, and honestly...the "brands"  of what I consider GOOD yarn.  And I mean, good yarn.  I tend to question the quality of a yarn in which the original retail value is anything less than $7.50 per skein/hank/ball.  So therefore, I stay away from anything I can't purchase in a LYS (local yarn store...or as I like to think of it:  lovely yarn store).  I prefer the offerings available at  L & B Yarn Company  and Happy Cat (if they ever open) in Norman.  But I have also purchased yarn online, too.  My fav online LYS is Tangle out of Grand Junction, Colorado.

But today I was in a funk.  I still kinda am.  But earlier today my funkification was in full effect.  And so I decided to make a trip to Michaels. 

Why Michaels?  I don't know.

No, that's a lie.  I do know why.

But I hate to admit my reasoning for fear of seeming like I'm not a "yarnie" anymore. 

I mean, I honestly would give a mental pooh-pooh when I'd see yarn in Hancock Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Joanns, etcetera.  I wouldn't touch the stuff...I wouldn't even waste my time or yarn taste with even giving "those" yarns a second glance.

But since yesterday, that's all I wanted to do!

Oh for shame, for shame.

See, it all started about a month ago when I saw some pretty awesome ballband washcloths made by some pretty awesome folks on Ravelry.  I mean, these things were funky!  I loved the colors!  The color combinations seemed so now, so hip, so contemporary.  Just perfect for me.  Long story short, the yarn necessary to make these washcloths is a brand/type of yarn called Peaches & Creme.  It's a cheap yarn.  I purchased a bunch from Tangle for $2.25 a ball.  And btw, mention the code "Ravelry" and you'll get 15% off your first purchase.  But anyhow, I just ordered but I'm anxious to make the project now.  I know.  Impatience.  So I also know that there is another brand/type of yarn that is almost identical to Peaches & Creme.  It is called Sugar 'n Cream.  A little competition I'm sure.  But that brand is sold at Michaels. 

Hrm.  So the call of instant gratification started screaming louder and louder in my brain.  Much like the increasing sound of an ambulance as it's coming closer and ever so much closer towards you in traffic.  And the volume just got too loud. 

But there's more....

Oh for shame there's more.

Whilst I was browsing Ravelry, I also saw some patterns made with a yarn from Patons called SWS.  I hadn't heard the Patons brand name in a long time and I had this deep down feeling it was one of "those" yarns.  So I googled it, found it, looked at the Patons website, and saw that it is proudly offered at...Michaels!  But of course, right?

Now, I wouldn't have entertained the thought of purchasing the yarn, but the projects made with that type of yarn were just amazing!!  I love the colors but most of all I loved the availabilty.  See, I have been coveting some Noro Kureyon yarn and L & B and Happy Cat just don't carry that brand.  And I, honestly, do not want to drive out to the city to get some and I am too impatient to wait for an order online to arrive.  So I needed a pseudo-substitution.  In my book, Patons SWS was my choice.

So now my flames are totally being fanned.  And the call to Michaels is now deafening in my head.

And that intense want coupled with my funkification brought me out to Michaels today where I purchased six balls of Sugar 'n Cream and four balls of Patons SWS.  Argh!!  My total was only $30 but...ARGH! 

I'm afraid this doesn't make me a "yarnie"  (read:  yarn snob) anymore! 

I honestly don't know what to do about this!

Put a bag over my head?  Not too practical to knit.

Throw out the yarn?  Well, let's not be ridiculous.  It's here, I might as well use it, right?

Continue to turn up my nose at "those" yarns in the future?  To be honest, my answer, I think, is yes.  At least for me.

I am in the school of thought that my handknit items have taken my time.  And if I am going to invest my time in a project, I will always use the most costly yarn I can possibly afford.  I want my pieces to last forever and get passed down.  I want them to outlive me with their quality intact.  And honestly, I don't want acrylic yarn to be my legacy!

So I think that in the future I will probably only purchase those two yarns at a non-LYS.  I will not purchase anything else.  Mind you, I do have a ton of acrylic Red Heart and No-Dye-Lot brand yarn in the guest room rotting away in a basket.  Actually, it won't ever rot.  It'll outlive cockroaches come armageddon.  But needless to say, I don't use it.  I let Emma use it.

So that being said, I think I am still a yarnie. 

Right?

Anyone else ever have this conundrum or am I just a loon?

Hrm...I don't think I want an answer to that one.