Christmas Cross Wreath

I love Christmas wreaths on doors, but when I saw a cross made out of Christmas tree trimmings when we went to the Christmas tree farm, I knew I just had to make one!

Super simple, but a lovely way of remembering {and reminding others} of the real reason for Christmas. It's easy to forget when we are surrounded by Santa and pressured to buy gifts {often just for the sake of quantity not quality} at every turn of the head. 

Merry CHRISTmas.

.molly

It's the Little Things

Do you ever have one of those days when you notice all "the little things". Well, today was one of those days. And thanks to our pastor's most recent sermon on Phillippians which talked about God's desires for the local church {be united; be joyful; be gracious; be humble...}, I had a fresh heart of appreciation and grace. 

Little Thing #1.

Do you even try to go for a run with your newborn who has an 0/4 record for sleeping soundly in {or even just politely tolerating} the stroller while you run, or do you try it just one more time... and thank God for the peaceful run as she sleeps.

Don't you just want to stick your finger in that Soothie?!

Little Thing #2. 

Do you ignore {or better yet, give dirty looks to} a dad when he brings his super hungry {read: very loud} baby into the {over-crowded} Cry Room at church as your baby sleeps, or do you give him kudos once he single-handedly {literally} prepares his daughter's bottle and rocks her sweetly in the glider next to you. 

Little Thing #3.

Do you return a stranger's vicious attitude and behavior when she points something out to you that could have just been a simple comment but instead gets thrown into an ugly attack, or do you return her remarks with graceful kindness and hope that she's just having a bad morning {or hope that your response will help her to think about how she chooses to communicate with people}. 

Little Thing #4.

Do you rudely send your {overly} affectionate daughter {I call her "The Leech"} away from your baby who desperately needs to nap, or do you allow her to "tuck her in" and have "the best time of [her] life" and then thoroughly enjoy her incredibly warm smile while your baby miraculously coos herself to sleep. 

Little Thing #5.

After dropping your kids off at a friend's house who kindly offered to watch them along with her own two kids while she makes dinner just so you can go to the grocery store by yourself {yahooooo!}, do you quickly nab the parking spot closest to the store, or, because you aren't lugging a carseat and two young kids, do you take a parking spot further away and hope that that front spot goes to another mom or an elderly person. And when you discover it was a young college student driving a Boxster {what?!} that took the spot, do you choose to get your feathers all ruffled as the cold wind blows on your loooong {not really} walk to the store, or do you smile in your heart and say, "Oh well." {Maybe she was in a real hurry. Maybe.}

Little Thing #6. {And we've all been here...}

Do you quietly whisper under your breath that someone else besides you finally took the kitchen garbage out, or do you genuinely make a big deal and thank your dear husband for being so sweet and taking it out.

Life is full of choices. What we do not only affects our own life, but those around us as well. What are you going to do with "the little things" today?

.molly

She's Here!

I had this grandiose plan to quickly write a gorgeous and giddy blog post about our new arrival - Bridget Molly Trapp - but then life hit me and I haven't had time for sleep let alone blogging!

So, I write to you today with the "short" version of how our wonderful "Bridgey-Bridge" {known to her family} joined us on June 16th. There is a very tender back-story to her arrival, but I will save that for another day.

I had a feeling on June 15th that the 16th might be "The Day", so I snapped one last shot of my incredibly uncomfortable belly before going to bed. Yeah, it was as uncomfortable as it looks.

"OUCH!" is all I can think, looking back on this

The morning of the 16th I came to my hubby in the kitchen at 5:15am - he gets up at 5am every morning {nuts!} - and said, "Well, I think today might be the day!" He replied, "Really? Have you been feeling contractions?" I explained I'd felt them off/on since 3:30am. His reply, "So should I go for my bike ride now?" {Insert grumpy-about-to-pop-pregnant-mommy face.} By the way, you should all know that my husband is quite possibly the best husband and dad ever, this just wasn't one of his best moments.

I took our firstborn {our pup, Ellie} for a walk and returned at 6:30am with very infrequent contractions so yes, I gave my sweet hubby the green light to go for a ride.

Contractions became consistent around 10:30am and by noon I realized it was going to happen within 24 hours! {I was in labor for 29 hours with my first; 9 hours with my second. Word of advise: WALK as soon as your contractions start. It shaved off 20 hours for me!}

My friend Jessica came over and walked around the block a few times with me, then I called my mom to come up from Santa Barbara. I told her she didn't need to rush, but it'd be good for her to leave as soon as she could.

Fast-forward 2 hours and my mom arrives when I'm madly pacing in our backyard, "strongly encouraging" my kids to pack up their overnight bags for their first sleepover, all the while trying to not bite their heads off. My husband was attempting to take a nap. {This blog makes him sound horrible but we agreed he should nap since we didn't know how long the process was going to take and I needed him to be strong. Little did we know how fast things would go...}

By 3:45pm I decided it was time to go to the hospital. With my second, I was in the hospital for 48 minutes before she was born and I didn't want to cut it too close with my third. {Ha!}

4pm is the last time I recorded a contraction on my phone as we headed out our front door. {"Full Term" is an awesome app, btw!} Jessica came and got our kids right as my hubby and I were heading to our car. Mom followed quickly behind. {She was at my first daughter's birth by accident almost - it went so quickly no one had a choice - but I definitely wanted her in the room for this one.}

I made my husband pull over at the high school so I could walk through my contraction and my water broke! This freaked me out as with my second, as soon as my water broke I HAD to push. Fortunately I didn't feel that sensation with this one but I wanted to get to the hospital fast!

Of course we hit every possible red light on the way there, the last of which I made my husband run it {after stopping for on-coming traffic, of course} and as we pulled into the hospital driveway I kindly yelled out the open window, "Oh for Pete's sake just ride your bike!!!" to a clueless young man riding slooooowly across the driveway.

I'll spare you the details of everything that happened in the hospital. I'll just leave it that they rushed me upstairs, and the nurse who drove me in the wheelchair announced, "Third baby, water broke, urge to push!" which brought on a swarm of nurses. I was told I was 7cm and not allowed to push so I had to "hold it in". {Ya, that's quite possibly the worst feeling ever.} Minutes {seconds?} later I was 9 1/2cm and very soon I was able to push. Two or three pushes later, Bridget joined us as 4:28pm.

Gnarly. Elated. Peaceful. Thankful.

I had "the shakes" after her birth, thus all the blankets on me.

Our "biggest" baby at 6 lbs. 13 oz.

I love her!

More on that back-story soon. Oh yeah, and Cookie+Curly business. ;) For now, with a grateful heart, I sign off... For bed.

.molly

Irish Hills

As my belly {amongst other things} grows, I've been hitting the pool two to three times per week rather than my customary trail run. I've greatly missed the outdoors though - as has my sweet pup who continues to gain pounds with me - so we ventured out on a new trail today.

Ever been to Irish Hills in San Luis Obispo? Gor-geous.

The trail map made me super excited to get out running again {patience, patience}, but I also took so much pleasure in enjoying all the little discoveries with my kids and sister-in-law today. So neat.

Sister-in-law gazing over her new neighborhood - Welcome to SLO!

{This must have been the one and only 20-seconds the leash dropped as dogs are supposed to be on-leash.}

Lots of apparently new trails shooting off in all directions - mountain bike-friendly, lots of shade {depending on the path you choose}, and amazing views all around.

get outside. molly

Cheers!

I am not big on Valentine's Day. I mean, I love telling those I love that I love them, but to force a holiday upon people that puts unnecessary pressure on men and women to do something above and beyond - and spend lots of dollars - is just not fun in my book. That said, we still "celebrate" Valentine's Day, but on ground level.

Usually my husband and I give cards to each other expressing love, appreciation, and devotion. Occasionally some flowers show up from one of us. Tonight, we celebrated a little early as work calls my husband out tomorrow night.

Today, the kids and I made homemade cards for my hubby: Little dude listed out 20+ things he loved about Daddy while "Sunshine" wrote "DADDY" out for the first time and mastered her name after learning to write a "D" today. {So proud of my writers!}

I'm not sure a boy could adore his father more.

Did I mention she's just 2?? {Insert proud Mama smile.} THREE this Monday!

Daddy loves fresh fettucini with a hearty, vegetable-heavy Bolognese sauce, finished off with homemade chocolate chip cookies, so that was the menu tonight.

Eager to try out a new, but basic, chocolate chip cookie recipe, the kids and I made these cookies from Allrecipes.com earlier in the day. I tried Yummy Mummy's Kitchen first, but realized I could get lost on blogs quickly if I searched so I settled for AllRecipes's "Best Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies", with a few alterations {agave nectar in place of white sugar, egg whites in place of eggs, whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour, dark chocolate chunks, and reduced amounts of "Smart Balance" - I resisted the urge to add ground flax or chia seeds}.

Dinner was delicious. Conversation was sweet. Then we started a new tradition: "cheersing" with our cookies in front of the fire, eating slowly, and taking turns singing whatever song comes to our head. We had some great laughs.

-----

I *did* find this great recipe for Apple Oat Breakfast Cookies from Yummy Mummy's Kitchen that I look forward to making some time in the very near future. I'll let you know how they turn out!

Wishing you much love in your life.

.molly

Boy or Girl? How Would You Find Out?

Some people just have to know if they are having a boy or girl. It settles their heart. It fills them with excitement. It's a little taste of what's ahead.

My husband and I loooove the anticipation. We didn't find out the gender of our baby with either of our previous kids, and we aren't going to with this pregnancy either. But a little part of me questioned that approach for a bit with a recent customer.

She emailed and said that she was having an ultrasound two days before Christmas and they planned to find out the gender, but they wanted to wait until Christmas to find out. She asked that I make a "boy" blankie and a "girl" blankie, and she came to me with an envelope right after her ultrasound. Inside... was the gender. :)

I felt so honored to be the first one {okay, second, behind the ultrasound technician} to know what she was having. It tickled me even more when I heard her say that she thought she had seen the gender on the screen when she took a peak, and she was wrong. {Double :)}

I wrapped the appropriate blankie in a gift box she provided, and sealed the box. She took it home, wrapped it, and they opened it in front of both families on Christmas day. It's a...

BOY

Did you find out? Did you do it in a fun way? Do share! I'll live vicariously through you.

.molly

When In Doubt...

I saw this sign a while back in a not-to-be-named-but-about-10-miles-south-from-me town and just ran across it again in my photos. It cracked me up when I saw it. Hope you get a little chuckle...

:) molly

Plastic or Reusable?

I'm still astounded by the statistic that an estimated 20 million plastic sandwich bags go into landfills in the U.S. every day. That's ridiculous! Think about what that means for the future of our kids and grandkids. Seriously.

Okay, guilt-trip aside, I wanted to remind you guys that "Kasey Sews" is offering her reusable sandwich/snack bags on Cookie+Curly's website.

To help you ring in the start of a new year (and back-to-school), Kasey's super-useful, environmentally-friendly, machine-washable and simple, practical reusable bags are on sale! 

Four sizes to meet all your needs, and you can choose from either boy:

or girl fabrics.

And each bag has a slip inside letting you know about the fabric's former life - a doll dress, an apron, little boy pants, a tea towel... you never know. They're all made from re-purposed cotton fabric though. How cool is that?!

So, think about it the next time you reach for a plastic bag that will in a short time just get thrown into a garbage bag. We HAVE to reduce waste. 

Play your part. {And take advantage of the sale.} They're great for kids {school, birthday gifts, etc.} but I use them all the time for me too. Really, you just need these.

.molly

And the Dust Settles...

I hope this finds you all sitting relaxed in front of the computer with big smiles on your faces as you think of all the joy and happiness you just experienced over the last weekend. What an honor that we have a Savior who came to give us everlasting life!

Happy Birthday to Jesus!

Some pics from our Christmas...

Daily Advent Tree Treats

Playing with Manger Scene Figurines

Christmas Tree Time! (The belly bump appears.)

Forever {I pray!} buddies. Love!

Our celebrations did not pass without little hiccups {I won't go into the details of how our dog managed to smear my nephews poop all over their bathroom wall, and how much my dad already hates dogs but allows our little Ellie because he knows she's a part of our family... Thank you, and sorry, Dad.}. 

Highlight: We got to spend some really great, quality time with my brother and his family who live in Canada. Cousin time!

We are so blessed! This is the day after Christmas at the warm beach.

Opening gifts.

5 weeks apart, but living MILES away.

I am extremely thankful for Jesus' birth, however I am also thankful that all the hubbub that surrounds Christmas is over. {Insert big, long, relaxing breathe.}

May peace and joy continue to follow you into 2012!

.molly

Let's Just Get it All Out

Okay, so... in case some of you have not already guessed it by now, I shall divulge why on earth I have not been up to blogging so much. I have not had a single extra ounce of energy over the last few months because...

9 Week Ultrasound

I have a little being growing in my belly!

Yep, the fifth member of our family {third child} is on its way! We love the suspense of not knowing which gender is inside so you'll have to be patient with us and wait until mid-June to find out exactly who's going to be joining us.

In the meantime, please excuse my sporadic postings. I hope to have more energy soon as I just started week 13 and the second trimester usually brings more energy, but this one's a whole new ballgame for me {insomnia, car sickness, extreme sleepiness... none of which I had with my other kids} that who knows when things will "normalize"... if at all.

Thank you for your support recently. The Stitch Market was an amazing success and the holiday season has brought many new and repeat customers to Cookie+Curly. 

Thanks for all the love!

Christmas is Coming!

My kids have just been absolutely adorable lately. They seem to have hit a groove that I'm really enjoying. They get along really well. There isn't a lot of fighting or whining {notice I didn't say there's none}. They're just buds and I love spending time with them so much.

Yesterday, we decorated our Christmas tree. My little Christmas buddies helped in more ways than just unwrapping the ornaments. Their genuine enthusiasm for the process of decorating, as well as their desire to hear the story of Jesus' birth over, and over, and over again, is just rejuvenating and precious.

I hope this stage lasts for a long time. And, that you're being blessed by those around you the way I am.

.molly

MIA

I'm sorry I've been missing in action (MIA). That thing called "life" has caught up with me and free-time isn't quite what it used to be. That, and I've been sick for a few weeks now. I'll bore you with the details later.

In the meantime, enjoy these Double Dipped Apple Doughnuts, courtesy of "Joy the Baker". Ridiculously yummy looking!!

I hope to be in better touch now. Maybe a batch of these Apple Doughnuts will help. :)

.molly

You Want Me to Drink What?!

Okay, so this doesn't LOOK terribly appealing {although the orange gives it a little appeal, doesn't it?!}, but it tastes soooo good. And, it's a great way to get your kidlets {or hubby!} to eat some greens.

Ingredients:

* 6 oz light blackberry yogurt

* 1 medium banana

* 1/2 c watermelon

* 1 c frozen spinach {thawed and squeezed to get rid of water}

* 1/4 c ground flax

* 1/2 c non-fat milk

* Splash of OJ

* 3 ice cubes

Really, add anything you want. Cocoa powder would up the antioxidants and totally change the flavor {and turn it into a dessert!}. Blend it all in a blender. Drink up!

I promise: It's good!

P.S. I couldn't resist throwing this picture in. Already posing at 2.5. And yes, she picked out her outfit for a walk downtown. Ah, my little princess...

.molly

Weed Addiction

Again, not that kind of weed. But I do have this strange addiction with weeds. The kind that are obvious, in your face, dead and in need of being pulled. Particularly with these plants.

As I went for a fun, superhero walk with my sweet daughter last week {superhero cape courtesy of her Mimi} and we happened upon this house that struck me.

EVERY single plant outside their house needed plucking! 

It was so hard for me to not just pluck away at every single plant. {Wouldn't that have been a sight!}

Now, as I type this I realize that I sound super anal and you might think me house is completely neat and tidy all the time. 'Tis NOT the case. TRUST me. BUT, when I see something like this with these particular plants - plant after plant - my crazy neat-freak kicks in and I want to do something about it.

As I pulled into our driveway, I noticed that my front yard had three or four plants that had the same dead shoots jutting out of them so I went in for the attack. BUT, I was greeted by defense in the form of a super creepy, get-me-out-of-here spider like I'd never seen before.

Blurry because I wouldn't dare get too close to it as it might jump out and eat me!

So, lesson learned. a) Keep my neat freak zaniness in check. b) Everyone has a reason for their actions - Could be neglect. Could be a preference. Could be creepy spiders. Who knows.

For now, I'll let my husband get to the plants this weekend {and will see if he reads my blog}. :)

.molly

Napkin Ring Turned Earring

So, awhile back I told you about our Gourmet Group's Greek Night my husband and I hosted. {And yes, I still owe you lots of ridiculously yummy recipes from that.}

Well, one of the decorating ideas I had for that evening was to make napkin rings of gold and blue to throw in Greek colors, and a little handmade goodness. These were a lot of fun to make.

Materials:
* gold wire for wire-wrapping {Michael's}
* various turquoise stones
* napkin ring

I wrapped the gold wire around the napkin ring and then made a twist to keep the shape/size needed for the napkin to fit through. Then I knotted, added beads, and repeated over and over, wrapping at the end for closure.

Well, after the party I was stuck with 10 of these which great and all, but we already have a couple of sets of very versatile napkin rings so I thought I'd get a little crafty and turn them into earrings for each of the girls! {Of course, I haven't given them to any of the girls yet so keep it a secret!}

A simple addition of some wire and earring hooks and...

No one ever has to know they were napkin rings! Although it does make for a great story. :) P.S. They are available for $9/pair on my website. Pass it on.

.molly

Why Did the Duckling Cross the Grate?

Okay, this picture {I originally found on Feisty, Frugal & Fabulous} made me laugh, but also made me completely cry.

I hope it was a happy ending!

You're a good mama.

.molly

One Heck of a Outdoor Chandelier

My husband and I have the privilege of getting together with four other couples every other month for a Gourmet Group dinner party. We don't have a fancy name or anything. We just all love making food or eating it... or both.

This month we hosted the dinner at our house and had a Greek theme to the evening. I will get into the food {and outfits} in a later post - it was amazing, as usual - but I have to highlight this amazing chandelier that my husband made on a whim with my branches. 

It's more of a floating centerpiece that doubled as lighting for us.

It was so neat to dine under this with friends and enjoy the warm glow of overhead candles while a slight, warm{ish} breeze blew and God held off the rain for us. Such a delightful touch to the evening.

 

I look at it now and think we could sell these through Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware for $450 or so. What do you think?! :)

Signed,

Proud Wife