I really don’t find my way into the kitchen much these days. Erik has taken over meal preparation, for which I am deeply thankful. I do love to bake, but I don’t do it nearly as often as I should, or as I’d like to. I need to get back into the habit.

And what better way to get back a little of my kitchen mojo than with a quick-to-throw-together and totally delicious batch of cookies? I found this recipe on the back of a bag of Craisins. Oh, how I love Craisins–thankfully I stopped snacking on them before I had eaten them all up.

Good thing, too, because these turned out to be The. Best. Cookies. Ever.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2/3 cup butter, softened (I actually used ghee that my friend and I made a few months back)
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs (check out the different colored egg shells from my folks’ Araucanas–so pretty!)
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup Craisins
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, mix well. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in Craisins and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes, cool on wire rack. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Warning: It is easy to gobble all of these down in one sitting. They are that good.

This morning, early, as the light spilled in and the coffee dwindled, I sat with Erik and Clara at the counter and knit. I love these moments of silence, fleeting as they are in this house. Today I add another notch to my life, and as I look around myself I see so much evidence of dreams fulfilled and passions followed.

I really am so glad I’m here.

***

In the week leading up to Clara’s birth and, with slightly reduced progress, in the two weeks since, there has been a lot of knitting around here. A lot of knitting of teeny stitches on tiny needles, to be exact–but not all of it has been for teeny tiny Clara.

I originally intended this yarn (Universal Yarn Ditto, now discontinued) to be socks for Erik, but he requested gloves instead, so I pulled out my dogeared Winter ‘03 copy of Interweave Knits for their excellent glove formula. I had the first glove knit half way up the hand before deciding it was too big (my own mathematical error) and frogging all the way back. Take two turned out just right. I spent most of my labor with Clara working on these, and nearly finished the first glove before she was born. I finished the pair a few days later, between naps and nursing.

“Hark! Does Clara call for me?”

You can see this project on Ravelry here.

Clara Lynn joined our family on June 10th and brought the sunshine with her. She is such an easy going baby. We’re all doing well and adjusting to our new routine.

Deadline is over.

Our moving truck arrived.

Olga won first place in the Kindergarten category at her school’s art show.

The baby turned.

* * *

Life is still rocketing ahead, but it’s all good.

Life, you know. It’s like this:

Erik got out of the Marine Corps on Monday and is in Arizona for a few days hanging out with his dad before making his way home in another week or so.

I’m on deadline for issue #124 (July/August 2010).

Our moving truck is arriving from North Carolina sometime during the next week.

Olga’s art in on exhibit until tonight at a local gallery (a student art show) and the awards ceremony is tonight.

The baby is presenting breech right now (35 weeks).

All of these things deserve their own posts, but I just don’t have the time. I mean really. ERIK GOT OUT OF THE CORPS! Yes.

More later. Hopefully.

I really don’t know where the years have gone. Happy birthday, Beautiful.

I’m looking forward to regaining a bit of energy. There are definite signs of spring in the air; the daffodils are in bloom, and the fruit trees are starting to bud out. I want to be out in the dirt.

*Edited to add* I forgot to mention that the baby is fine. He/she shows no sign of distress.

Check this out. It’s Celebrate the Boy month at Made by Rae and Made. They’re going to be lining up awesome crafty things to make for boys all month, and you know what that means…

Look out Gavin, ’cause Mama’s in a make-it mood!

It has been quite a while since I buckled down and worked on a batch of baby shoes. But I’m feeling inspired to make baby-ish things these days (gee, I wonder why?) and I really have been wanting to repopulate my shop a little.

I couldn’t help but pick a couple pairs to keep for myself. I have several more pairs of shoes in various stages of completion, and I am itching to buy some more cute prints.

Shop update