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  • happy birthday to our favorite annie grook!

    That’s right. It’s Annie Grook’s birthday, people.

    At least, I hope I get this posted before her birthday is over. Yikes.

    For (part of) her present, I present (hahaha) you all with these darling pictures of her darling youngest niece modeling Annie Grook’s recent darling yarny deed. I’m typically a complete louse when it comes to delivering pictures of her gifted showing off their gifts, but this time I’m only two months tardy! Quite an impressive gift, huh?

    See, it’s so exciting, Keelah can’t look away.

    IMG_7129

     

    Here’s a nice shot of the whole dress. Can you believe she made it?! I mean, she’s typically pretty amazing and all, but this is really just stupendous.

    IMG_7135

     

    I guess it doesn’t hurt when your model is this cute. There are more pictures over here if you are interested.

    IMG_7150

    Annie Grook, happiest of Happy Birthdays to you! We miss you and can’t wait to see you again. Thanks for all the yarny love.

     

    P.S. Please excuse Keelah’s lack of shoes. She has quite the long skinny feet that are difficult to fit. Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll find something before the first snow. She’ll be fine.

    → 6:39 PM, Oct 3
  • big day

    Well, this has to be fast because I am getting up at five tomorrow morning. FIVE. Sick. Here’s why:

    uniforms + backpacks

    That’s right, the two eldest Higgins offspring start school in the morning. We are very excited. Okay, some of us are also a little sad, but mostly we are excited.

    This is the first time I will be involved in a classroom (not counting junior college…and that was in the hood, so really a completely different sort of experience) since I was seven. SEVEN. I think I’m more nervous than either of the kids.

    For those of you that don’t know (and care), we’ve been teaching Maggie (and Cal a teeny bit) at home, doing our best to give them a classical Christian education. For a variety of reasons (that I may or may not blog about at some point), we have realized that it’s time for them to be in a day school. The quick summation is this - we are fully convinced that a classical Christian education is what is best for the Higgins family and it is basically absurd for us to keep trying to do that on the homefront. It’s really, really hard. And only going to get harder. Like I said, maybe I can expand on that later.

    Providence Classical Christian School has been fantastic so far and we are really looking forward to the year ahead. If you think of it, pray for us as we get adjusted in the next few weeks. We want to be faithful in directing and participating in our kids’ education while we delegate to other faithful believers who are well equipped and experienced.

    Oh, and have you all seen (americanized) bento lunches?! So much fun, and all in a plastic box. And don’t get me started on school supplies. I think I’ve sorted and packed their backpacks four or five different times.

    backpacks

    Good night!

    → 9:18 PM, Sep 5
  • meal plan

    Calvin (while doing unrelated copy work for school), “Do you think that we would have to have lamb in heaven for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day?”

    Me (while wondering why he was thinking about this), “Probably not.”

    Cal, “Yeah, probably chili sometimes too.”

    → 5:44 PM, Jul 7
  • Alright, people. This is not the promised craft post. I’ll mention a few crafts, but you’ll just have to keep standing around waiting to see said crafts.

    Again I’m going to give you two weigh-ins at once. Last week I didn’t hit 153.3 like I wanted, but 154 was pretty close. Yay!

    Then I delivered the baby shower and it was fantastic. The craft post I keep teasing you about will show you some of that. Until then, check out Keri’s post. Yes, Keri decorated the bottom of the Hershey’s Kisses. She’s awesome.

    Then I did our taxes. Yes, I know that it’s past April 15. It’s quite a long, involved story involving Keelah not having a social security number, me being years behind on financial paperwork and finding out that my driver’s license had been expired for six months. Some other things about the adoption tax credit are involved as well. Who really cares about that. (Nerds like me, but it was a rhetorical question.)

    I enjoyed having the taxes off of my plate for about an hour and then realized that we were LEAVING FOR OHIO IN FIVE DAYS. We’re driving there. We have four kids. Ohio is far away. I had done nothing to prepare. No, it’s really far away. Like 2,500 miles or something ridiculous like that.

    As a side note, I was chatting with a friend whose family is also heading to Ohio the day after we leave. I mentioned that I had no idea when I was going to get around to packing. She then mentioned that she was done packing. Last month.

    Every time I relate that story I get stuck pondering that statement. I never really come to any resolution, I just ponder.

    So, then I had another weigh-in. This time I was truly astonished to see 152. Let’s just say I was not tremendously focused on weight loss this week.

    Then I made some back-of-the-van-seat organizers for all the fun we’re packing on our way to Wooster. And I shopped for some of that fun. And we had our van fixed. Twice. In fact, I’m pretty sure it needs a third fix, but we’re just gonna go with it, dinging oil light and all.

    Packing, you ask?

    I’ll get back to you on that. I’m hoping to be at least partially packed by the time we leave on Monday. Well, that’s not fair, I did already hang up the seat organizers and put the coloring books in them. So I guess I am packed a little. But I did renovate the booster and car seats to avoid the numb-butt syndrome that’s been floating around our children after just a couple of hours of riding in the van. And I took tonsil girl to the doctor as it’s becoming apparent that we are mere days away from full blown tonsillitis (again)…probably arriving just about the middle of South Dakota. So now we’ll be packin’ some Zithromax heat.

    Okay, that’s it for now. Need something really great to read? This would be it. Think you don’t need something really great to read? You’re wrong. Read it. Seriously. Rachel is consistently really good on all this parenting stuff, but this kind of reminder is the kind that is needed frequently. I was reminded of the overwhelming (potential) strength we are bringing up in the Higgins oxen. God has blessed us with more life in these four littles than we can handle. That’s not supposed to be easy. Or, more to the point for my current temptations to impatience, that’s not supposed to be quiet. That kind of life is deafening. That post is helping me be excited to take our ear-splitting tent of rejoicing on the road.

    If I could just get us packed.

    → 10:59 PM, Jun 11
  • not a bird or a baseball skill

    Well. Aren’t you glad you moved with me? I mean, with the flurry of posting over here I’m really supplying you with a wealth of viewing / reading material.

    I have a lot of excuses. Most of them involve a baby shower. And I’m not kidding about that.

    So I’ve missed two weigh-ins. The first one (now eight days late) was 156.5. I thought that was decent, seeing that I had definitely slacked off. And then the next week was worse. I really, really slacked off. I’d tell you those excuses, but they are so silly you wouldn’t believe me. So my second weigh in was shocking to me as I was pretty sure I’d be back up over 160. Nope, 156. I guess my eating plan is helping! Yay. I’m back being much more intense for the next few weeks. I’d love to be at 153.5 this week, making it ten pounds total.

    Alright. That’s it for tonight. I am going to squeeze in a post this week showing off the fruit of some recent crafting flurries. I’ve got sort of freaky (but cute) little girl t-shirt nightgowns, a yellow handprint, a few things featuring bunting (both my dad and skh didn’t know what bunting was…do you?) and revised flip-flops for giant toddlers. Oh, and a head full of box braids. Fourteen.

    → 10:54 PM, May 28
  • 157.5 (yay!)

    Yay for my new site! (Thanks, skh, you’re the man.)

    Yay for 157.5! That was six pounds in the first two weeks, and I’m very glad.

    Tomorrow’s weigh-in is probably not going to be quite as happy, but that’s okay. I’m very encouraged and ready to keep on working at it.

    Just to round things out to a nice Trinitarian three, this is a great message from Doug Wilson. Sean passed it on to me and now I continue the favor. “This is what the life of faith consists of - exalting in victories before the battles.”

    → 9:54 PM, May 19
  • has everybody picked a moving buddy?

    Okay. It’s kind of completely not finished at the new place, but I’m moving anyway. No more blogspot in my name! Please join me at www.hobbsandbean.com.

    If you are one of the seventy-seven people subscribed to hobbsandbean, please update your feed. But seriously, seventy-seven? There is no way that is right. I counted up everyone I could think of and I got six. I think feedburner is broken. And to be completely honest, I think you have to update your feed, but I’m not sure. I don’t understand any of that stuff and the ever brilliant skh did it all for me. I just know that that really is the right feed. Cause he said so.

    If you come on over to the new fancy site, you’ll get to finally see my six-day-late weigh-in! I know you’ve been waiting for that. I’ve also got some completed (yes, that’s right, completed) crafty things to show off. But that won’t be till tomorrow. Or sometime in November.

    Kthxbai.

    NB: I lost the comments on my last few posts when we moved…please note the importance of having a good moving buddy. Sorry about that!

    → 9:34 PM, May 19
  • 160.5 and other pinteresting news

    So, I know I said I’d be updating at the end of the two weeks, but I think the added pressure accountability will help me keep moving along. Besides, the original plan was for me to have a weekly weigh in until I get wherever it is I’m going. I lost three pounds the first week, and I’m very thankful and pleased. The first couple of days were brutal, but I think I’m decently adjusted to the plan at this point. I do really like the structure and am finding that I’m thinking about food a whole lot less than I was, which is a very good thing.

    In unrelated news, I am loving Pinterest. It’s great. You can find me here. Pin awesome things for me to admire. skh and I were talking about ladies and social interaction and have noticed that just like in real life, it’s generally better for us feminas to have something to do while we chat. Keeps our hands busy and our mouths less likely to go places it shouldn’t. Ravelry totally wins in this respect for social media for me, but it’s quite yarn specific and Pinterest is doing pretty well in my book. It might be a horrible idea if you struggle with envy, but I love having a place to visually file all the little bits and bobs floating around in my “someday/maybe” list and my bookmarks. And there are lots of people there with really great collections of beautiful things to peruse and be inspired by.

    → 4:17 PM, May 7
  • easter happened

    And I have pictures.

    the winner

    Click on that picture to see a bunch more.

    Kit’s shrug didn’t make it in time. It did get done, but not for Easter. She was very sad. And cold.

    Not really. Here she is modeling her shrug later.

    kit modeling

    Aren’t you impressed that I got an American Girl doll to stand in the grass by herself? I was. Calvin was watching and laughed hysterically every time she fell over.

    I also didn’t get any hair things done for the girls, and both of the men’s ties didn’t get made either. Oh well. Who cares about things like that when this is your pack of kids?!?

    yes, there is spitting going on here

    → 3:58 PM, Apr 30
  • 163.5

    There, I said it.

    Okay, for any of you who are here for cute children, here you go.

    such a cute hat

    Now go ahead and skip this post. Not about cute children. Sort of maybe caused by some of the cute children, but not about them.

    I weigh one hundred, sixty-three and a half pounds and it’s time to do something about it.

    Okay, this is where I typed a bunch of disclaimers. And then I deleted them. And then typed them again. Including this picture of my husband who still registers in some “overweight” categories based on his height.

    skh at shepherd's conference 2008 by Lukas VanDyke

    Not exactly overweight.

    Then I deleted them again. I’m leaving them deleted. Just go with that’s how much I weigh and for me to be in good physical shape to give myself to my family effectively, I need to lose some weight.

    I’m not sure how much I need to lose. I’m thinking somewhere between 20 and 30 pounds. And for those wondering, no, I am not basing this on my pre-baby athletic self. I am, however, basing this on my pre-two-rounds-of-hyperemesis self, so it still may not be realistic. I guess we’ll see.

    Step One. Two weeks of relatively intense (for me) focus on getting rolling down the weight loss hill. I’m bodybugging, staying active and (again, for me) on a tight food plan. A smoothie for breakfast, a Lean Cuisine for lunch and dinner and approved snacks up to 1500 calories. I’m hoping to lose four pounds in these two weeks, putting me under 160. Then I will blog the results, reevaluate with my very wise husband and go from there. Oh, and I do get one freebie meal per week. Sadly, I started this yesterday and used my weekly freebie yesterday on my date night with skh. But today I was very good. And my freebie was yummy. Olive Garden.

    Alright, there it is. My extremely silly post about how much I weigh. Thanks for reading! Feel free to encourage or kick me if I need it.

    → 2:52 PM, Apr 30
  • easter sweatshop

    Femina (love it over there) is hosting a little Easter blog party, and check it out…I’m participating! This will make four entire posts for this year. Maybe this will develop into a pattern! Maybe not.

    Speaking of patterns, oddly enough I have actually blogged two other Easter related posts in previous years. Any sort of pattern on a blog that gets updated twice a year is strange, really. Remember tiny(ish) Calvin who hated his tie? And last year’s skirts?

    Anyway, my original Easter blogging plan was to post pictures of the creations once they were finished, but this blog party sounded like fun, so here I am, taking a break from endless knitting to give a few shots of the WIPs (“works in progress” for you non-Ravelry-ers).

    First up, THE DRESSES.

    dresses

    You may wonder how, exactly, it is that all the dresses are actually completed sewing-wise. It is not 2am on Easter morning, you know. Well, for some reason I thought Easter was at the end of March…no idea why, but I’m glad I did, cause this is the first sewing project I’ve ever had done really early. I likey. But that had it’s own drawbacks…it allowed time for me to decide they needed embroidery. And then decide that the Target sweaters I bought weren’t nearly as cute as hand knit shrugs. And of course we need a matching tie for Cal. And matching hair things. And so it goes.

    (Quick question about the dresses…please weigh in on this vastly important matter. Have I crossed the cute matching line into embarrassing territory? It’s cute to me, but is this weird mommy behavior? Hey, I should figure out how to add a poll or something. Back to the post now.)

    Here is Cal’s tie. And the girls’ hair things.

    tie + hair things

    Just a little left to do there.

    And the shrugs? Here’s Keelah modeling hers.

    teepee torture

    And yes, that’s probably dangerous.

    For any interested parties, the pattern for the dresses can be found and purchased here (proceeds go to the designer’s family’s adoption!), the shrug pattern is here (or on Ravelry - Something Beautiful Shrug) and the tie pattern is over here. And big thanks to Ginger and Sage for teaching Maggie and I how to embroider. Every single time I start embroidering I can hear Mr. Bingley saying “You all paint tables, and play the piano, and embroider cushions! I never heard of lady but people say she is accomplished.” It makes me laugh. If I turned these dresses into cushions, I’d be accomplished now.

    One last thing. Just so you know that I do have the ability to say no, when I stumbled upon these last night, I decided to save them for next year instead of staying up all hours of the night to make fifty gazillion of them for Easter baskets.

    Tiny Baby Bunnies

    Besides, they totally would have ended up in Hallie’s mouth.

    Alright, thanks for stopping by! See you after Easter!

    → 6:10 PM, Apr 20
  • chicken feet

    Yep, chicken feet.

    Chicken feet.

    → 10:31 PM, Apr 15
  • first braids, first bike and...i'm out of alliteration

    perfect model

    Not amazing, but it’s something. Three box braids to be precise.

    ready for the road

    Mr. Brian brought over his motorcycle and let Cal sit on it. Later that week Mr. Brian let Cal play with his sword from the Marines. Calvin thinks Mr. Brian is just a little awesome.

    Hallie accessorized herself. We don’t normally keep ear-warmers on our kids when they are inside.

    → 10:30 PM, Mar 28
  • something

    skh says I need to get over how many things I’m not blogging and just post something. So here is something. Two somethings, actually.

    Hallie is potty trained. Mostly. Yay! I took a couple of pictures of the trainee.

    cheesy smile

    By the way, on a mothering note…it adds an exciting and mind-challenging twist to potty training when your subject doesn’t speak any recognizable language. The listed definitions for “Mo’ mo’ mo’” in the Hallie dictionary are getting out of control, and this presents a problem when one of meanings is a very urgent “I need to be put on the potty NOW, immediately, post haste, hurry hurry hurry, can’t go fast enough”. We’re working very diligently on “peeeeeeepeeeeeee” as her next word, but so far it sounds a lot like “Boppa”.

    Potty princess has a pretty cute little sister. Keekster freakster is 5 months old. Actually, she’s almost 6 months old, but we’ll pretend that’s not true.

    smiling


    You know, every time I post something, I think about how much I enjoy blogging. I really do. Too bad that I can’t keep any thoughts in my head for longer than 3 minutes.

    → 12:41 AM, Jan 19
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