I've done it...

After trying to ignore the Christmas displays in Fred Meyer, Costco, the mall, etc for the last few weeks, I finally decided yesterday that it was time for me to start listening to Christmas music. (Well, it actually started with someone *cough*Senia*cough* telling me I could get a free "Tennessee Christmas" ringtone, at which point I spent a ridiculous amount of time searching online for "free" ringtones, which don't exist but instead all re-route to the same darn $19.99/month membership.) Anywhoo, after listening to Amy Grant's "It's the Most Wonderful Time of Year" ringtone a number of times this weekend and getting gleefully happy during each 10-second snippet, I decided I would just go ahead & start the rest of the music full-throttle. It has been SO great! I can't tell you how happy it can make me, and you want to know something: Hannah likes it too! The first day I played some in the car (via a local radio station because they are already playing non-stop Christmas music), Hannah started bouncing up & down in her car seat and smiling from ear-to-ear. Amazing! My love of Christmas music has already been passed on...It's all very exciting, and although I will still wait until after Thanksgiving to do any decorating, the "glorious strains" are filling my heart with joy!!! (And no, that is not an exaggeration.)

Garlic Breath

A while back I read in my Health magazine that eating a clove a garlic a day will keep you cold-free for this season. (Or any season.) So, a few weeks ago, I tried the theory out when I was sensing a cold on the horizon. It actually seemed to help--either that or it was: a) psychological or b) the 6 gallons of water I chugged that day, effectively flushing the bug out of my system.
Yesterday I was again feeling the scratchy signs of a sore throat & ensuing cold, so today I gritted my teeth and ate some chopped garlic on a piece of toast. I'll tell you something: that stuff BURNS going down! My sore throat is actually (momentarily?) gone, but I'm guessing it is because the garlic sting has disguised the lesser sore throat.
We'll see what happens in the next couple days...besides the fact that Keith will be sleeping as far away from me as possible & that our friends we're dining with tonight will be thinking "is she wearing some sort of garlic perfume?"

***Update: I still haven't had a cold yet this season...however, I did have the stomach flu...Hmmm...

Pumpkin Carving

Last night after dinner, we got Hannah ready for pumpkin carvin'. Following in my parents' footsteps, we stripped Hannah down to diaper only, as that seemed to be the easiest way to handle the inevitable mess.

Although Hannah did take one spoonful of "guts" out, she was more interested in eating the orange goop & slippery seeds than actually digging it OUT of the pumpkin.

After the hard work of carving out the pumpkin (or rather, cheering Daddy on), Hannah decided she needed to de-stress by taking a couple laps around the house.


And yes, that is her diaper she is holding.

Today, though, we finally got a picture of the finished product (with Hannah's clothes ON.)

Dessert Disaster

Last weekend I was asked to bring desserts to a family birthday party, so I thought I would be my own Betty Crocker and bake a chocolate layer cake & a key lime pie. I know. My first cue that it was not going to go well was that I discovered the night before that I did not have powdered sugar. Now some of you may or may not know that frosting of any kind generally requires powdered sugar...and a layer cake is not a layer cake without frosting. I was not off to a good start towards the new Mrs. "BC." Sunday after church we rushed home and I got going on the pie. Crust in the oven--check. Pie filling made & baking--check. Cake made & baking--check....on to the frosting....whoops. Discover that I underestimated the amount of cocoa powder needed; decide to run next door with fingers crossed, hoping they have baking cocoa (they did.) Cooking frosting & notice a faint burning smell. Sniff, sniff...hmmm. Not the frosting. Where is that coming from?! Peek in the oven & open it to see a huge plume of smoke blast out of the oven. Agghhh! Cake has bubbled up over the cake pans & is now burnt to a charcoal-crisp on the bottom of the oven (reminiscent of Senia's latest baking trauma.) Cakes are not baked through; they are still jiggly. I did everything right: I measured correctly, I poured into the correct pans, I made sure the racks were in the right place, I preheated...I guess it will always be a mystery. Pull cakes out after baking for a few more minutes in a cooler oven (Keith's idea--I guess I should call him Mr. BC. :) After cooling, transfer cakes to wire rack...well, "transfer" is a loose term--I threw them quickly onto the rack as they started to crumble. Frosted "cakes" and layered, turning them into one big slanting pile of chocolate. (See picture.) I called it "Chocolate Blob." Surprisingly, it tasted fine (how can you go wrong with chocolate, chocolate cake?) The key lime pie was a success, too, if I may say so. I would even make the chocolate cake again...as long as the smoke alarms have new batteries & the kitchen is well ventilated.

She's Growing Up!

Well, now that Hannah is almost 16 months, I figured I should write a post about her changes in the last few months--and there are quite a few! She is definitely seeming more like a toddler every day, and she has such a good, fun-loving spirit. She now walks 99% of the time (crawling is "just for fun" now & then), and she is close to being able to run. Especially when she goes around the corner to "hide;" then when we say "where's Hannah?" She comes dashing out with a big smile on her face. She is starting to say more words, including ball, hot, beep (when she pinches noses, thanks to Grandpa Dale), and she signs a number of things, including more, please, thank-you, music, bird, & water/milk (she has blended the two together). What I think is most amazing is that she is understanding & comprehending a lot more of what we are saying. For example, yesterday I said "Let's go upstairs & take a bath." She walked right over to the stairs & climbed up towards the bathroom. :) It's nice to be able to talk to her & actually get a response. (Now I don't sound so crazy talking, although supposedly some people still think it's weird to commentate during shopping trips.) I also see the effect of the "human sponge," as the other day Hannah started walking around with her arms folded--apparently I do that more than I think...
With all of these good, fun things, also come a couple struggles. I recently read in my Parents mag that often the "terrific twos" rear their heads at the half birthday marks. Hannah is a couple months early, but much to our dismay, the other night Hannah actually stomped her feet after getting upset about something. :) I smile because it was actually somewhat funny to see this little person displaying anger. (And it probably seemed like something really inconsequential--to me--like us taking away the tupperware for the night.) Since then, she has thrown herself on the floor and kicked her feet (you know the body position), but I definitely caught her peeking to make sure I was watching. Hannah also has a very strong will...like others...and I have no doubt she will be making her opinions known for her entire life (a pattern that seemed to be evident from her first days as a newborn.) My mom mentioned yesterday, too, that she is growing into her role as a drama queen as well, so she & Aunt Senia will have a lot to talk about. ;) (Love you, Seni!)
So that is what is happening in Hannah-land. After all is said and done, though, she is such a joy, and like Afton has told me...there's nothing sweeter than watching them sleep...

Hello, my name is Heather & I am an e-mail addict.

Yes, it's true. I've decided that I probably check my e-mail an inordinate amount of times throughout the day. Like the next person, I usually turn on the computer when I get up and bring up our e-mail soon after that. I'll also check it before going to bed. The OCD part is that I continue to check the e-mail at least 50 times throughout the day--sometimes minutes after I've already checked it. I don't know why, exactly, but I have some theories:

*We have recently had some luck on Craig's List, so I am constantly curious to see if anyone has e-mailed about an item for sale.
*I have a number of family/friends that I keep in touch with via e-mail; i.e. my sister, who is away at college in Duluth (sniff); my cousin & good friend from high school, both of whom are HEADING away to London; friends in Spokane; my mom...who, admittedly is about 2 minutes away from me, but sometimes e-mail is just easier. (You get the picture.)
*I have too much time on my hands.
*I am simply addicted.

Whether it's one of these possibilities or not, I do really enjoy that little thrill I get when I see the words "Downloading 1 of...e-mails" or the e-mails that are bold, signifying UNREAD! (On the off chance my husband is able to get to the e-mail before I can.)
Anyway, that is my addiction. I guess it's better than something seriously life-threatening, although I'm sure decades from now, our children's children will be laughing at how dumb we were to actually touch computers, since that will be found to cause some horrible disease like "computer flu." At that point, people will just wave their hands over little keypads or something, think about an e-mail, and it will get written & sent. Then I would be there, thinking all day, waiting for e-mails to come in...

New Way to Watch--Sooo Funny!

This is great if you know Pachelbel's Canon--which is probably everyone. Just watch. I laughed...a lot!

I updated this post with the actual video "play button," thanks to Afton's assistance. :)