...farewell 2009, hello 2010

...hello friends, let us all scream for joy! The time has come to say farewell to 2009 and welcome to 2010! From now on to be referred to as the year of thirty!! We all know that for me 2009 was a year of exciting changes! The most exciting being the birth of our brand new baby boy! We have never been so happy in our entire lives-things are going great! Our little one has just turned 2months old, he is alert, and aware of the wonderful world around him everyday. His eyes are still a georgous slate blue, he is holding his head up...and smiles and coos when he realizes that people are paying attention to him!!!!

My immediate goals were to get married and have a baby before I turned thirty, I am in just under the wire...but guess what I did it! Next stop a degree, and credential to start teaching!!!

The year of thirty will be a year of change and hopefully the year we get out of debt.
Below I am listing each and everyone of my resolutions, no matter how personal because you friends are the only ones that I know will not judge, and that I can trust to hold me truly accountable! I will be balancing my checkbook each friday, and if it happens that we overspend, I am asking that each and everyone of you call me on it.. if I am not at church (and I know you will see me there) call me on it, and if I am caught eating cupcakes or cotton candy... please dear friends CALL ME ON IT!!! OK without further ado, below are my new years resolutions- 2010 is the year of thirty!!!
On March 8th, 2010- I am turning thirty years old!!!

Helga-Marie’s New Year’s Resolutions

The Year of 30

1. Go to church every sunday

2. Lose 30 pounds

3. Knit 30 gifts

4. Write at least 30 snail mail letters

5. Do not over draw my checking accounts

6. Participate in a 5K

7. Blog regularly

8. Scrapbook 30 layouts of EJ’s first year

9. Surround myself with positive individuals

10. Register, and complete my math requirments with a B or better

11. slow down-and just for fun-only read 30 books!!!!!!

Happy New Year bloggy friends!~!

Introducing EvanJames Peter

14 minutes into this great adventure!

Welcome EJ
October 24, 2009
9lbs 1oz. 21.5 inches

OK friends this will be a really picture heavy post!!!!

As we all know I have been out of the blogsphere for the past while...
well I am sure you are all wondering where I have been and of course
want to see pictures of the baby... so your wish is my command.

in the moses basket

muggin' with aita (daddy)

newborn photoshoot, big yawn~

cuddling with Auntie

jazz baby

see for Halloween I was a tree... and I had a little monkey!

evil genius, or EJ Potter?

kickin' it in the crib

November 8th, Dedication/Christening Day

First Bath, we are NOT

Thank you so much for your emails, texts, and visits this past few months...
I really appreciate the support of all my blogsphere and IRL friends this past year!

qallie-fresh will return in January 2010!
...until then
Merry Christmas

...

I just looked up from knitting and EJ is totally engrossed in his OWLS's

Happy 1st Anniversary Baby!!!

Today is our first wedding anniversary, and I can say today what I said then...
You are my bestfriend. Max I love you, from here until eternity!!!

With this ring (even if it stopped fitting...being 9months pregnant) I pledge my LOVE!!!!

..button button, need to pick a button....

so my actual knitting is on a dark hunter green,
but I have swatched in orange,
since I am trying to learn the stitch necessary...
I need an opinion as to which buttons to use...

Over on HPKCHC: Fall 2009 O.W.L. Proposal

Hello Professor,

I am requesting to do an OWL in Muggle Studies for Slytherin

1. Identify the pattern you will be using (original designs encouraged).

I will be knitting the February Lady Sweater (this is my first sweater effort, as my one other has been a HUGE failures…see project file)

2. Photograph of the yarn(s)/needles/materials involved.

I will be using Red Heart Soft Yarn in Dark Leaf (House Colors) and will be going button shopping as a reward once I get at least 25% into this project. I am excited because the yarn was on sale at Michael’s 2/$5. I have purchased 4skeins, for approximately 1000yards

I now have reason to break-in my brand new circulars from KnitPicks, that I recently received for my 1st anniversary, sizes 4-13 as well I new size8 dpn’s

Notions

3. Two or three sentences describing the planned crafting sequence and analyzing any areas of potential difficulty or new skills needed.

As this is my first sweater, I have hooked up with a fellow housemate to knit along with, as well as enlisted the assistance of my mother (she just does not know it yet). My goal is to have this completed to wear post baby-for Christmas… I am due 10/24 This pattern will be a challenge for me as it includes both a lace pattern, reading a pattern, shaping, and blocking (all skills I have yet to master…far from it even)

4. Photograph of your swatch OR an explanation of why a swatch is not needed. I have photographed my swatch along with my supplies.

Please note that after two attempts I was able to knit to gauge, as well as a practice section of the lace pattern required.

Ok well there you have it, my proposal was approved yesterday, and so will be cast on tonight.

My Goal is to just go ONE instruction at a time... and ask for help as I need it!

I have convinced Mom that she needs to knit this sweater as well, so between her and my "Big" I am pretty sure I will be able to pull this off.

...welcome welcome welcome....

It's official the sorting hat on the HPKCHC has placed me in the house of Slytherin!!

For the next three months I will be participating is the Knitting House Cup over on Ravelry
"Students" will have one month to complete and compete in a variety of knitting challenges.
Time for me to go stock up on some new Green and Silver Yarns!!!

...its been awhile....

I "stole" this from a new blogger friends page (Missie Zee's)

Making : a watchman's cap for my roommate
Cooking : nothing
Drinking : water
Reading: Charmed Knits
Wanting: Rowan KidSilk Haze in jelly to make an invisibility shawl
Looking: for a new opportunity to excel
Playing: in the House Cup
Wasting: time on blogger
Sewing: not my forte
Wishing: I knew when EJ will be born
Enjoying: a lazy morning
Waiting: for my meds to kick-in
Liking: knitting, and watching TV
Wondering: if my son will love books as much as his father and I
Loving: my husband
Hoping: for tomorrow to be better
Marvelling: in the awesomeness of God (thank you Gina for the reminder)
Needing: to trust in God more
Smelling: apple pie (phantom since no one has baked me one)
Wearing: jammies
Following: more blogs then I can keep up with
Noticing: the cat chasing a butterfly in the backyard
Knowing: this too shall pass
Thinking: about my family
Feeling: a bit better
Bookmarking: knitting patterns
Opening: a can of worms
Giggling: not really my style
Feeling: happy to know my son is healthy...though I wish he was not getting bigger daily...

...getting ready for baby....

Etsy has become my favorite place to shop for baby stuff....
look at this great blanket I bought for the babies bed!!!!

Thank you BearHugBabyQuilts

...stage I...

we have started painting the babies room,

still not sure what I am going for
the main theme remains sock monkeys...
just not sure how that's going to play out
and these guys moved in over the weekend....
Penny: an authentic depression era sockmonkey
(or so the lady at the antique store said)


SpockMonkey: discovered and purchased from the Sock Drawer

Cptn' Kirk: discovered and purchased from the Sock Drawer

...post #100....

Post #100...well isn't that monumental!!!!
today not too much to share, just wanted to show you the yummy bread we made.
Zucchini Cheddar Bread....

Thank you to the Barefoot Rooster for the recipe
that she so generously emailed me yesterday!

...we got gauge...

it took 4 four attempts but finally gauge was achieved
...and I am ready for cast on...

this is by far my most ambitious project,
something to wear, that also includes following a pattern, and new stitch techniques

as of last night I was onto the 3rd direction...
here is where TULIP is at now...

...time to start knitting again....

this is the current project with my knitting friends.
the pattern is called TULIP, no idea where the pattern came from.
we are all knitting together, one row at a time.
its an interesting and challenging pattern!

this is my dream project. PLISSE
i have decided the goal is to finish by the time I am pre EJ weight.
seeing as how he is not due till Oct, I have a year.
I ordered it from the UK tonight, and now I wait.

...this lady does it all

me and my bestfriend during the rehearsal dinner 9/19/08
there was a point to this post, but I forgot, so now you just get a picture of us.

love you kimmi.

Happy Birthday Peter

Today is my Brother Birthday!

People always ask if he is my older brother, seeing as how he towers me... well he is actually my "big" little brother, and today he turns 27!

Happy Birthday Pete, LOVE YOU!!!!

Family 4th of July

4th of July started out a chilly day, but around 4ish the sun broke through and we ended up having a great time with our sibs, and niece and nephew.

This is our nephew floating between myself and my BIL Peter, my nephew is soo cute in his wetsuit fully equipped with flotation it takes away the fear, and you will find him bobbing along all parts of the pool, both shallow and deep.



My darling husband Max posing for the camera, at 6'6" he can pretty much stand flat footed at any part of the pool, in this shot I think he is actually sitting in the shallow end watching the kids play.








My SIL Helen, her adorable son and daughter,
hubby making a funny face, and me posing tongue out in my new Maternity Swimmy Suit.

Amazing how much I have found I am enjoying the pool considering how much I normally hate it!


Hope you all had a wonderful and safe 4th of July with your family and friends!

25 Weeks Pregnant with Evan James

So I have not exactly enjoyed pregnancy, but I do like how it looks as my belly gets bigger.
Wow never thought I would say that, here is a snapshot in front of the garden, ENJOY!

Copic Color Challenge 20

Well, I decided that I wanted to try something new...
so here I am trying out the Copic Color Challenge
The Greeting Farm Stamp: Hello Ian
YG23, YR68, E47 (sub E57)
xtras: W1, E00, Y17/38

Red White and Blue Swap!!!!

Ok, so my day started out dealing with this:
Everyone is alright, just damage to the cars.














But it ended with this:





Thank you B from Country Romance so much for the adorable bowls, the signs, the wonderful kitchen towels and all the little things that help to make a day easier. Your gifts helped me deal with some horrible stresses and have made me smile. What a great way to end the day! Thank you Mamarazzi' for hosting such a fun swap!!!!

and the winner is...

Yay, we have another winner!!!!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 5
Pamela J

make sure to send me your snailmail at my email

QallieQ@gmail.com

Happy Fathers Day Aita!

Not a day goes by that we do not miss you! Love you, wish you were still here.
Jeannot Goyhenetche
April 13 1946-November 27, 2006

attention paper crafters....

I just had to let you know of a super generous giveaway going on over at Katie, this woman has "mad skillz", and had become a daily stop on my quest for inspiration so check her out.

The Firstborn by Conlan Brown (review and giveaway)

From Amazon: The Firstborn, those gifted with Foresight, Hindsight, and Insight at the time of Christ's death are divided between themselves. And when an Islamic holy man is murdered outside of his mosque it becomes apparent that one of the Firstborn was to blame. Now, with the threat of a terrorist attack on an unspeakable target the Firstborn are spiraling out of control. Leaders are dying, members are being kidnapped, and unity is being forced. Three heroes, differently gifted and divided must work together to thwart those who would go too far.

Their breakneck race against time plunges them into a world of danger and through a gauntlet across the United States. From the River-walk of San Antonio, where Devin Bathurst, John Temple, and Hannah Rice must protect one another from assassination, to the gritty streets of Washington DC, a paramilitary compound in West Virginia, and ultimately back to our nation's Capital, the Firstborn must unite to prevent an impending atrocity from becoming reality.

My review:
This is a great book by new author Conlan Brown.
From the very first page I was pulled in to the story and could barely put the book down to sleep.
The Firstborn is populated by characters that you learn to love and to hate for all their depth and flaws. The action is fast paced and keeps you wanting to know what will happen next as Devin, John and Hannah must learn to put aside their differences and learn to work together to stop terrorists whose only goal is to kill as many people as possible. Filled with amazing details and depth about the human character, this book reminds us that uniformity isn't always the best for us, or for eachother.

Please post a comment with your email address in the
(at) (dot) format to win a copy of this great book!
Winner will be drawn on 6/21/09 and announced that Monday

..these are a few of my favorite things...

Whew, I am back from my crazy business trip, and YAY when I got home there was a wonderful package waiting for me from the beautiful Mrs McFadden. This wonderful box was filled with lots of her favorite things, (which also are mine, perfect match). Her sons even included some fun stuff for baby Evan, who will be here in October. So thank you Mrs McFadden for making my day, and thank you Mamarazzi for hosting such a great swap!

Red White and Blue Swap with Mamarazzi'

I had such a great time with the favorite things swap, I just had to sign up for another!

So head on over to Our Dandelion Wishes and join in on the fun!

and the winner is...

Yay, we have another winner!!!!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 2

Linda

make sure to send me your snailmail at my email

QallieQ@gmail.com

Copic Creations:1

So recently I discovered these things called Copic Pens, and lets just say ADDICTIVE!!! I love these pens, even if they are $8million dollars each ;)

I already have 40plus... but there are 322 different colors, so don't worry plenty more to buy...

I joined the Copic Club at my local scrapbook store (Krazy Kreations in Novato, CA) and during my first class taught by certified instructors Kara and Karina I created this adorable card.

I have also joined an online club at Funkie Munkie Scraps in South Carolina so that should be fun also, I have not yet recieved my first kit from them, but when I do I will make sure to share.

and the winner is....

Yay, we have a winner!!!!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 5

Domestic Designer

make sure to send me your snailmail at my email

QallieQ@gmail.com

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everyone else, there is still one more chance to win this great book, be sure to enter on the actual review post of

A Passion Denied

Mailbox Monday: May 25th, 2009

Visit the printed page for more Mailbox Monday posts.

Outlander: In Outlander, a 600-page time-travel romance, strong-willed and sensual Claire Randall leads a double life with a husband in one century, and a lover in another. Torn between fidelity and desire, she struggles to understand the pure intent of her heart. But don't let the number of pages and the Scottish dialect scare you. It's one of the fastest reads you'll have in your library.

Raising a Modern-Day Knight: What does it mean to be a man? Moreover, how does a father instill these qualities in his son? Using as an example the process by which a boy moved through the medieval stages of knighthood, author Robert Lewis identifies parallel stages for today's fathers to create ceremonies to commemorate significant milestones in a young man's journey toward becoming a modern-day knight. Beginning with a biblical perspective of manhood, author-pastor Robert Lewis shares a unique approach to shaping a boy into a man by equipping him with three essential elements: a vision, a code of conduct, and a cause (Christianity) in which to invest his life. Complete with ceremony ideas to celebrate accomplishments and ingrain them in his mind, this softcover is as insightful as it is practical in raising a boy to be a chivalrous, godly man.