Always playing catch-up

I think I need more schedules and time management in my life. I feel like I get so much more done when I am super busy with all kinds of deadlines and commitments! I used to be so productive and involved and creative in college, when I had no time for anything, and now I'm lucky if I make it to the gym and do the dishes a few times a week. OK, so I can blame it on the baby, but really she's not that much of a time suck compared to other babies, I just get sucked into the internet or a tv show and then I'm comfy and don't feel like putting away laundry or updating the blog. This shouldn't be work; and it's not, really, but it still takes time and effort.

Anyway, Fridays are going to be "Update the Blog" day! Mondays will be "Put away laundry" day but we'll see how that goes; I think the former will be easier to stick to!

In September we had our first Family Vacation. We drove from here in Wiesbaden down to Zurich and then through Italy to the French Riviera the next day. While long, the drive was beautiful (especially Switzerland and the French/Italian coast!) and the baby was very well behaved.

Baby Pic-Spam!

This is the dress I knit for her to come home from the hospital in, but even though I knit it smaller than the smallest size it was still quite wide! It fits her now around the chest, but it's a bit too short for my long Banana Baby!

August in Kaiserslautern! Part Two

My SIL is "deployed" here for 6 months, and we got to hang out with her and go to the Gartenschau, a huge garden/park with playgrounds, a skate park, huge slides, and DINOSAURS! It also has an upper area with kitchen gardens, a chapel made of vines, and a little restaurant with a great view. It was a gorgeous day and we got a great workout!

August in Kaiserslautern! Part One

Joe was gone for all of August, so I went and stayed with some friends an hour away in Kaiserslautern for the month. It was great! So much more fun than staying home alone with the baby! I hate cooking for just myself as well, so I loved having people to cook for, and didn't lose a single pound more of baby-weight :P

Back to Blogging!

Mirabelle plums covering the footbridge


I've naturally been a bit distracted lately...I started this post in July, and here it is September and I'm finishing it.

I realized I didn't even post a picture of the finished Tamarix Quilt I made! (Ravelry link) It took forever and was really boring, but I love the result. It's a little big to use right now, but when we get back to the US and the baby has her own room it will be nice.

Welcome Amelia!

Here she is! Amelia Rose, born May 26th at 9:18am. 7 lbs 4oz, about 21 inches long.




After a lovely day of walking in the fields, doing yoga, and cooking dinner with friends, my water broke at 3am, 3 days past my due date. Amelia was born 6 hours later!
We went to the hospital at 4:30, and I was only 1cm dilated. By 8:30 I was ready to push! Hard and fast, no drugs, no interventions, no complications, no tearing! I gave birth kneeling on my yoga mat. Hubs and the midwife were awesome!
She got 10/10 on her Apgar test, and we spent the next 48 hours getting to know each other and learning to breastfeed in the hospital. German Healthcare FTW!

Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake

So, a while ago I found this recipe online for a Lemon-Blueberry Loaf cake, wrote it down, and have never again been able to find the same one online but it is a FABULOUS recipe! I've made it 4 times for small events and I never have leftovers!

Almost Time!

Blogging has obviously not been a priority this year.


The baby could arrive any day now! Official estimated due date is May 23rd, and first babies are often late, so we'll see. I'm not in much of a rush, as I have actually been sleeping better lately, but I'm still anxious to meet her, and to get my body back!

Baby Stuff

Blogging has not been my strong suit lately! Looks like I have not made a post in over a month. Sorry!

At the end of January J and I were able to go back to Baltimore for a week, and my friend threw me a baby shower! It was totally an unexpected gesture, and I loved getting to spend some time with a large group of my friends all at once, and received lovely, thoughtful, presents! Here's a link to the whole Flickr set, and some highlights below:
The loot! I was blown away! A handmade quilt, hand-designed onesies, thoughtfully chosen clothes and books and toys; everything was perfect!

More Cookies, and a bump shot!

I shared these at my knitting group this week and they were a big hit! One woman said they were the best No-Bakes she'd ever had! Most recipes are pretty similar to mine, but the key is the cooking time, you really have to pay attention! These cookies are really more of a candy, as they have no flour. They are also gluten-free, but make sure your recipient can eat Oats.

Recap-ing the Holidays, mostly in pictures

November and December were very busy months! One of the special education aids at the middle school hurt his knee, so I took over for him for a few weeks. I don't often work every day, and it was a little stressful at first because being a full-time aid is hard work and the kids' schedules are confusing, but I got the schedule down just in time to give it back up to the real aid in December :P What was really great though was getting to spend lots of time with the other teachers. I really love the school community here! Two of the other special ed teachers are also pregnant and due in January and February, so I expect I will be subbing a fair amount in the coming weeks too.