Under Construction

Trick or Treat

The chicken costume only lasted through dinner so we went back to the 2006 costume. Good thing I made it big last year. This girl is 35.5 inches tall according the the docs at her 2 year well baby visit today.

It may be Halloween but I'm thinking about Christmas

Right after I got home from work I realized that tomorrow is Halloween and if we were going to carve the pumpkins, tonight would be a good time.

In case you couldn't tell, that's a "big spider pumpkin" on the right and a "baby pumpkin" on the left. Requested by Biscuit, interpreted and created by mom.  Not bad for 30 minutes before dinner.

Actually, getting the pumpkins was more fun then carving them. This was Biscuit's third visit to this pumpkin patch. We took her at 10 days old dressed as a pumpkin for a photo shoot ;)

This year she wore a dress that I *think* my grandma made but I'm not sure if I ever wore it or just my sister.  There's a homemade, ruffly, orange blouse too but we opted for the t-shirt underneath.

It doesn't look like she's enjoying it but apparently the hay ride was a hit. We were there over a week ago and everyday since she's told me about the "pumpkin catch" and, "my ride tractor." Which translates to, "I went to the pumpkin patch and I rode on a hay ride pulled by a tractor."

She also fed a goat.

Tomorrow, she'll be dressed as a chicken for trick-or-treating. I'll try to snap a photo.

And, about Christmas, I was reading Parent's magazine yesterday and found their holiday gift guide slightly annoying. So I'm planning my own little alternative gift guide to be posted on this here site (you know, once I transfer it from my brain and a collection of sticky notes to an actual, organized format!).

If you have ideas for gifts for children (or parents) let me know. I'm trying to focus on creative play toys and activities that can be made from recycled or common materials. Also toys/gifts from small producers (like folks on Etsy). I have a good list going and would love your ideas: mdhaworth at gmail dot com.

Merry Christmas! Happy Halloween!

Autumn baking

Because baking is the perfect cure for what ails you (unless your ailment includes wheat intolerance or a low sugar diet).

So maybe I should say baking, the perfect cure for me.

Especially baking with such an adorable "helper"

I tried out these "Insanely Good Pumpkin-Chocolate Muffins" from Sundry Buzz.

I would classify them as "Perfectly Passable Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins that Maybe Would be Better if They Were Just Pumpkin Muffins" I don't think I'm sold on the "chocolate with pumpkin" concept any more than Biscuit is sold on the "touching pumpkin guts" concept.

But I've eaten at least 6 so they aren't exactly bad.

This is actually the first time I've made a pumpkin food from a pumpkin (and not from the can of Libby's puree). I must say, peeling a pumpkin is a pain. Much like peeling a butternut squash.  And speaking of butternut squash, dad, here's the link to the recipe I promised so you can use up that butternut squash I gave you. It's delicious, trust me. Trader Joe's sells tahini fresh by the hummus in the fridge section. Don't skip the cilantro even though mom doesn't like it.

Once I had my pumpkin in little cubes I added a little olive oil and roasted it at 425 degrees until tender (about 25 min).  Then I pureed it in the cuisinart.
By this point Biscuit had long tired of "helping" by washing the seeds and pretending they were bubbles.  She was off to play Play Doh with dad.

Back to the muffins: I modified the recipe somewhat. I added 1.5 cups of fresh pumpkin puree (the recipe was a touch confusing on this point)
.
I also substituted apple sauce for almost all the oil and did 1 cup of whole wheat flour and the rest white. I had to add a bit of extra flour at the end as the batter was runny.

Into the muffin cups and into the oven. The recipe actually made 18+ muffins for me and they were a bit underbaked despite a few extra minutes in the oven.

Done just in time to meet some friends for scrapbooking. They said they liked the muffins :)

And I have to agree with Alicia. It is fun to take photos while you cook.

What do you say?

Other than the fact that Biscuit has completely stopped sleeping, things are good here at Casa Haworth. We're tired (well, Biscuit doesn't appear to be tired) but we're good.

All around us things seem to be not so good.

I hope you don't think I'm making light of some really sad situations (I don't intend to) but here's a sampling of the Hallmark cards I could have used this week:

Even though we haven't talked in a decade I was so sorry to hear that your house burned down. I have fond memories of swimming in your pool and throwing spaghetti noodles on your kitchen walls.

I was so sorry to hear about your father; I hope you are able to spend time with him before he slips away.

Glad to hear your baby boy is home from the hospital. My fingers are crossed that he won't need that kidney transplant after all.

I'm so sorry to hear that you'll need surgery; is there anything I can do?

I heard you were in the hospital yesterday. I hope the doctors are able to make a diagnosis before this happens again!

Do they make those Hallmark cards?  Because I am at a total loss as to what to say to any of these friends and family members are are dealing with such tragedies and difficult situations.

Between the lack of sleep (seriously, Biscuit, if you don't sleep tonight I am going to be very disappointed) and useless worrying over things out of my control I've been a bit tired this week. Getting the laundry and dishes done has pretty much been beyond me.  I feel stupid even saying that knowing what people dear to me are going through but there you are.  My life is overwhelming me and I've got absolutely no problems whatsoever.

I'm glad it's almost Friday.  Take care wherever you are.

Maybe I like craft fairs after all

It's a surprising amount of work to photograph (badly) various items. Especially when you have a helper in your one bit of bright light that turned out to be too bright leading to shadows but oh my gosh I am seriously not retaking 40 gazillion photos so Etsy shoppers will just have to deal.

Play doh is not for sale.  Nor are the carefully molded teddy bears. What? You couldn't tell those Play Doh blobs were teddy bears?


Anyway. I did photograph most of the items that were for sale at the craft fair last weekend and are now available through Etsy. The doll beds are for sale but I need to sort out the shipping. Let me know if you are interested $50 with mattress and pillow (plus shipping...).  There are 4 different designs plus several quilt options (priced separately).

So far at Etsy I have uploaded several button cards, a few sewing kits, a few Zip Quilt Kits and two sets of coasters.  I still have scarves, mini quilts, coasters and the doll beds to list.  Thanks for stopping by to check out the merchandise :)

Sorry, I'm busy

What was that I said about an Etsy shop update after the birthday party?  Hmm, maybe tomorrow. Sorry 'bout that. Been both tuckered out and busy catching up.

In the meantime, a photo for your amusement. She specifically asked for the magazine (it's Parents).

Birthday number 2 by the numbers

forty odd cupcakes (vanilla cupcakes not pictured). Recipe found here.

Eleven little frosters

Eleven handmade aprons (that was a bad idea)

20 mini pizzas made by many little bakers (and helpers)

Countless mud pies while the pizza baked


A bucketful of tears just after this photo (turns out Biscuit doesn't like being the center of attention and a round of "Happy Birthday" sent her right over the edge.

8 of the 11 in a group shot of sorts (that's got to be a record). Actually there are 9 in this shot but one wee one is obscured by the blond up front. 

One two story dollhouse made by my grandfather and saved by my mother

And that's about it. The Baking Birthday Party was a success--particularly the mud pie making. 

I'm going to bed.

First fish. Next chickens.

Several months ago I wanted to get some fish. I thought Biscuit might like them and I knew I'd like them. My co-worker even offered me a free aquarium. But at the time, Mr. H was opposed to fish ownership I didn't care enough to pursue it.  Then, out of the blue, he decided a fish would be a perfect birthday gift for Biscuit so the day of her birthday I got the tank and he bought the fish.

Except he got a beta.  Anyone ever had a pet beta? They are the most beautifully boring fish EVER.  One beta in a big tank makes for a veeeery boring fish tank. And you can't get more because apparently they fight.

So tonight we moved Fred the beta into a vase I pulled out of the box-o-stuff I'm going to drop off at Goodwill any minute now.  I also found a container of goldfish food in the Goodwill box (which is kind of weird I realize). Then we went to Wal Mart and got 10 feeder fish for 11 cents each. Except we only got 9 because the fish scooper man was kind of a dud and gave us one dead one :(

I think Biscuit likes her 9 fish. They are really small but I swear they're in there.

And Fred seems cool with the studio apartment.

Win free tools at Refurber

Biscuit had a very nice birthday yesterday but I don't have any photos (except one of the new fish--don't you see him in there?) so I'll save the birthday post for later and tell you instead about how to win free tools at Refurber.  As you may have noticed from the sidebar, I'm an ambassador at a new site where DIY'ers can share advice with one another about their home improvement successes (or disasters).

For the next few months, Refurber is running monthly contests with really awesome prizes. Well, I think they're really awesome because they were chosen by Mr. H. Let me tell you, he knows a thing or two about tools and he said these are awesome tools.  So, if you need an impact driver or a really good stud finder or a Christmas gift for someone who needs an impact driver or a really good stud finder, head on over to this page and enter the contest. Then, to win, you just have to contribute to the site.  Advice articles, comments on other advice, answers to questions, contribute what you can and the best contributor for the month will win.

Last month Paragon Renovations contributed some AWESOME content (and he told me how to fix my running toilet so brownie points to him). Also, Monkey Dad contributed and got a stud finder.

The site hasn't been marketed much yet so let's just say your odds are pretty darn good if you have advice to share. If you don't have advice to share but have questions to ask, submit them to the Q&A section.  My toilet is working great so I can vouch for the Q&A.

What are you waiting for??  Get on over and enter. And feel free to tell your friends.

In which I express shock that my child is turning two because oh my gosh wasn't I just pregnant?

newborn

It's true. By the time most of you are reading this my baby will be two.  As I recall, precisely two years ago I was running around my house dripping as I went (gross imagery, sorry) and arguing with Mr. H over who got to use the computer because it turns out I wasn't going to make it to the Monday meeting at work after all.  This was after my water broke while we were out to dinner at a restaurant and before we checked into the hospital after every other pregnant woman in Sacramento. (hint: never go into labor during a full moon--there's something to that wives tale).

one

And tomorrow she turns two. Tonight I have to figure out a present as well as get ready to have to friends over for dinner tomorrow.

very almost

two

Thanks, everyone for the nice comments on yesterday's post. Ya'll made me so happy and full of warm fuzzies. I appreciate it!