Free time. Right.

Now that I am older and wiser, and now that I have realized that there will never be enough time for me to “get around to” doing a lot of the things I’ve been putting off, I’ve just started doing them, free time be damned. And you know what? I’ve made time. I’ve stayed off the computer. I’ve stayed off the phone. I’ve gone fewer places. I’ve wasted less time.

I was worried that it would take me months to finish hand quilting a big quilt (I am notorious for stalling out on big projects), so I decided the first project to go on the frame would be a baby-sized quilt top that I pieced several years ago. There’s nothing like a little instant gratification to make you feel good about a new endeavor.

The pattern is Lady of the Lake from this book, and it’s for a just born little lady who was lucky enough to get born to one of my most favorite people in the world.

Thanks for teaching me a lesson, Marley.

Red ink, a full calendar, a bit too much coffee, cold weather, a messy desk. My house is in disarray due to construction (I’m finally getting my studio! Yay! But the mess! Boo!), and deadline is upon me again. My fabric is all packed away in the barn, not to return until after the drywall dust settles and the new paint (color yet to be determined) is on the walls.

… turned into this car-loving, curly-head.

Gavin turned five last week, and although his actual birthday day was full of boring stuff like a meeting with his speech-language pathologist and the autism specialist, the after-party totally rocked!

There were cars. (The red Lightning McQueen is from a supermarket in Utah from our last trip out to see my mom a couple years ago. The green dude is Chick Hicks, whom Gavin has been asking for relentlessly for weeks. Daddy gets the credit for finding the same type of awesome toy.)

There were brownies. (“My brown chocolate! My five!”)

And there were more cars. Nana scored the vintage Hot Wheels City at a yard sale a while back. This little driver is certainly going to keep this town hoppin’.

Gavin had so much fun on his big day. It was fun for us to watch him move from one thing to another, too. So often he has trouble with transitions, too many people, and too much activity, but he did great and got through the entire afternoon with nary a tear. I’m very proud of this big boy.

Love you Gav.

That’s how long it has been since I last wrote. Shameful, isn’t it? So much has transpired in our lives since then.

Baby Clara is growing, healthy, and as happy as can be. My only complaint is that she still doesn’t sleep through the night all the time, but she’s such an agreeable baby otherwise, I can almost forgive her for that.

Gavin turns five tomorrow. It’s hard for me to believe. He is starting to read and loves letters and numbers. A few weeks ago he was diagnosed with autism, so we have a lot to learn so that we can help him learn to cope with this big intense world.

Olga is enjoying every minute of life. She’s in Girl Scouts, and gymnastics, and soon her art classes start up again. She is vivacious and cheerful, and befriends everyone she meets.

Erik started college a couple weeks ago, thanks to the Montgomery GI bill. He’s taking a heavy load, and has to commute to school three days a week. I’ve never seen him work so hard. He’s thinking about getting his teaching credentials, but right now he’s just enjoying his classes.

As for me, I’m pooped. I just got off deadline, so I’m going to try to cool my jets for a few days and catch up on some sleep (baby willing). My sewing machines all went to the shop for a tune up and repairs, so I hope to be back in business soon. I’m hoping to get my garage (aka studio) straightened up a bit. Maybe I’ll even get my little etsy shop back online in the next few weeks.

I’ve missed writing. I’ll be back again.

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.