Spring, Renewal, Rebirth and that sort of Thing

The sun was shining today (though I believe it's storming outside now) which was a first for longer than I care to remember.

Amelia's poor face is slowly healing (the wounds were self inflicted--she picks at every little thing until it becomes a big oozing crater in her face. The only way we've been able to keep her from reopening the sores is to tape mittens onto her hands at night).

Pete graduates from BYU next week. Hoorah hoorah hoorah!

We're moving to NYC in July--it's starting to finally feel real!

And I'm slowly getting back into writing. Slowly. I wrote a whole bunch of notes for a new story idea the other day, and I've been bulking out a few chapters on my current project. I'm less overwhelmed by it now but I still need some motivational umph. Reading a good novel should help inspire me; any suggestions?

Anyway, here are some more photos of the babes.







Our local park is not the world's greatest park, there's not much of a playground and no walking paths, flowers or any other landscaping. But, having said that, I am VERY grateful to the park management for finally removing the dead cat that has been stinking up the place for the past couple of weeks. How I love American Fork.

And here's Amelia in her favorite place. Snuggling her Daddy and watching videos on his iTouch.

I feel as though I should update this blog as I (rather rashly) promised to do in my last post, yet I somehow find myself scrambling for anything of interest to write.

I did have an ultrasound a couple days ago and got to peek at my baby (I loath the word fetus and will refer to him/her as a baby regardless of the the current stage of development) which was exciting. But at 11.5 weeks there wasn't much to see, a barely humanoid form with a heartbeat. So I won't post the picture because I can hardly make anything out of it myself and can't expect any readers to get overly excited about it.

I could write for a very long time about food and my tempestuous relationship with it of late, but I can't imagine a detailed history of my cravings and aversions commanding too much interest either. Suffice it to say, early spring strawberries are my salvation and cold cereal has made a remarkable resurgence in my diet.

I haven't really been writing much lately--surprise surprise--or at all actually. I lost the motivation after printing out the first 100 pages of my bakery romance and starting to read it. I haven't allowed myself to do any, I mean any editing on it with the hope that writing right through it would help me to actually finish an entire draft. Instead, I realized how very much work it needs and got depressed. But I didn't bin it and I plan on picking it back up. Soon. Like, this afternoon, maybe.

So, what have I been doing? I haven't been writing, cooking, or doing much exercising or even read anything new in what feels like ages.

Well, I have been hanging out with my girl.




We go to the park--when it isn't blizzarding. We chill at the various BYU museums. We do a lot of coloring, and watch a few movies. Momminess is pretty all consuming for me right now, because it's all I seem to have energy for. But I've been pregnant before and I know things will balance out soon. I'll regain some energy and enthusiasm for life. I will write again, and I know my creative cooking days are just beginning.

So thanks for your patience. In the meantime, more photos of the cutest 2-year-old ever.

Suspicious Activity

Hi, remember me? I used to blog here in this little corner of cyberspace. That was before my child ripped out half the keys on my keyboard and I lost all motivation to share my life and fascinating thoughts with the world and I let the blog go feral for a month or so.
So what prompts my sudden unexpected return to blissful blogging now?
Well, a few things.

Firstly, thanks to a reasonably decent tax return, we bought a new computer. Hoorah, hoorah, hoooorah! We got a Mac, in case you're interested and it has all it's keys. Pete has been converted to Apple for a good long time, and my growing interest in photography, coupled with my sister's zealous proselyting for the Apple cause, convinced me a Mac would be a good investment.

I wish I had captured Pete's face when I casually suggested that we use our tax returns to buy a Mac. He was assuming we'd use the money for something disciplined and responsible, like paying off our credit card, and saving for Amelia's college education. But as soon as I mentioned the magic "M" word, discipline went out the window and he immediately began researching models, pricing and programs. (Note, we did actually put a hefty amount toward our credit card as well, we are not completely irresponsible regarding finances--but it looks as though poor Amelia will just have to get a job someday.)

Another reason I was jump-started back into blogging (remember, that's what I was talking about) is that my Mom called me with a distressing discovery; she had tried to visit my blog--no doubt hoping for a scintillating update that sadly wasn't there, and couldn't find it.

My blog I mean. It had been removed. Gasp, I know. All my interesting and insightful thoughts on life, not to mention my priceless photos were simply, gone. It pains me to think what she, and others who had a similar experience, must have felt at finding my blog to be missing.

Actually, I only know of one other person who noticed, but still, there may have been others. It's possible. So I got on the (new) computer and dug around google until I found a help page.

Apparently, my blog as well as my email had been disabled because there had been some suspicious activity regarding my google account. I never did find out exactly what that activity was, they just made me change my password and called it good, thankfully restoring my blog and email at the same time. So no worries.

And the last reason I've returned to blogging?

Well, I think I've nearly finished throwing up now and might feel more up to it in the next few months. Hopefully.

October 23, 2011. Save the date!