All prepared for the NYC trip

Tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. we head to the airport. I spent all day preparing for this trip. I made babyfood for Chloe so Matt will be stocked; I washed my special pink high-top converse tennies in the washing machine so they are gleaming; I did laundry and loads of dishes; I listened to my favorite Harry Connick Jr. cd to pump myself up; and I packed (it's amazing how lightly I can pack since it's just me!) Tonight I'm doing some sewing on Chloe's easter dress (I still don't have the right zipper so I had to stop on the pajama project). Now that I'm almost all ready, I'm getting sad as I think about saying goodbye to Chloe and Matt. Even though it's only going to be 2.5 days and 2 nights it will still be difficult for me to part with them. Chloe is such a precious little thing and such an active part of my life (obviously) that I'm going to miss her terribly. I also don't want to "miss" anything in her development. How crazy is that!?! It's not like I'll be missing her first step. Am I being irrational here?

Since I won't be back to blogging until Saturday (at the earliest), here are some cute pictures of my darling Chloe to keep you occupied in my absence (like all you do in life is check my blog!). I think this post must be a record for my use of parentheses . . .






















My big girl sits in a regular stroller now!
















Chloe using her "exercise" ball.
















Doesn't she look angelic when she's sleeping? She's been scooting herself to the corner of her crib lately.






















Chloe's first experience with Cheerios! She was hilarious to watch as she figured out how to chew. She still can't really get them into her mouth on her own yet but it's a good exercise in developing her fine motor skills.
















Another funny Cheerio face.

NYC suggestions?

Believe it or not, I'm going on ANOTHER trip in just a few days. My life is usually not this exciting; don't get the wrong idea. As a belated birthday gift, my mom is whisking me away to the big apple to see Harry Connick Jr. (one of our favorites) star in the broadway musical, The Pajama Game. Since this week is Matt's spring break, it's perfect timing for him to stay home and care for Chloe. During our quick whirlwind trip we hope to visit Chinatown, walk the Brooklyn Bridge, tour the statue of liberty, and walk through Central Park. We have some unplanned time on Friday - any must see suggestions? Or any must-eat-at places? (Becki, since you're the NYC expert, you need to help me out!)

Chloe goes swimming

We are back from a wonderful mini-vacation with Ben & Diane's family in Novi, Michigan. We all stayed at a hotel together and enjoyed the small pool and hot tub. Though the visit was extremely short, it was refreshing to see them. And the diversion helped our time without Matt to go by quickly.

Thursday afternoon we arrived at the hotel just as Ben & Diane's family was returning from a shopping trip. We immediately hit the pool and Chloe splashed around in her adorable new swimming suit. Chloe took very well to the lukewarm pool water and Zach, Ahna and Paige delighted in sneaking up on Chloe and winning her smile. Next we were off to dinner at a neat Irish pub and more shopping.

The troop had to leave us on Friday as Ben had to get back for work on Saturday morning. After breakfast Chloe and I hit the road for Troy in search of the famous somerset mall. We got a bit turned around after going the wrong direction on Big Beaver Road and didn't pull into the humongous covered parking lot until 10:30. The extra driving proved advantageous as it helped Chloe take a good long morning nap. We were impressed by the enormity of the mall and all the expensive stores. We truly got our exercise exploring the 5 floors of shopping and skywalk. What affleunce we enjoy in America! The rest of Friday afternoon we spent relaxing back in our hotel. While Chloe napped I soaked in the hot tub and leisurely read the paper.

Saturday we were off early to hit the outlet mall in Monroe, MI. Unfortunately, it didn't open until 10 and since we arrived at 9 we drove into the small downtown. We stumbled across a Lutheran church's sale of used kid's clothing and found a few bargains. Then we walked the nearly deserted downtown perusing a bookstore and then settling in at a coffee shop for Chloe's second breakfast. The outlet mall only boasted a few stores but the Carter's outlet was worth the trip. We found pajamas finally! And for only $5 a pair I couldn't resist getting Chloe 4 pairs. Then we hit the Gap outlet where I found lots of treasures for Chloe but resisted buying anything for her. More hours of driving followed and when we finally picked Matt up from the Cleveland airport we were all weary and ready for home.

Here are some photos of our quick trip:















Getting everyone to look at the camera was a difficult task for the photographer.
















Our little chubtart didn't seem to like floating on her back.
















Chloe and I show off our swimsuits.
















Drying off after the swimming venture.
















Diane hoped this picture would be "blog-worthy". Little Grace got to taste lemon for the first time from Diane's water glass. At first she made horrible faces and then she wanted more!
















Zach holds Chloe for me so that I can eat some of my dinner.






















Chloe really took to her Uncle Ben. I'm convinced she thought he looked like her daddy. The hat especially intrigued her.
















Back in the hotel lobby, Chloe and Grace get to know each other. Grace is almost 13 months old now and very small for her age; that explains why Chloe is bigger than her older cousin!
















Grace was very interested in Chloe. I guess she was cleaning out Chloe's nose for her in this shot.
















Chloe seemed oblivious to Grace until the end of this photo shoot when she suddenly put her arm on Grace's back. It was the cutest moment!

Blogging absence

Chloe and I are going on a little adventure tomorrow and won't be back home (and back to blogging) until Saturday night. As Matt is off to Canada to present a paper at a conference, we will divert ourselves from missing him by rendezvousing (not sure if that can be participled or whatever you say to mean -ing) with my sister-in-law and kiddos at a hotel for a few days. We're heading up to Novi, Michigan - a rough half way point between us - to do some swimming, shopping, and visiting. Praise the Lord for this diversion! This will be our 3rd time alone and I was not looking forward to it. A great weekend to all of you!

April recipes

Anyone have ideas about a theme for April's recipes on the recipe swappers blog? Here are my inclinations; weigh in by posting a comment:

* Ethnic foods
* Bread/rolls/pizza dough
* Brunch

I'm kind of blanking out for this month so I'd be happy to hear your suggestions!

Pajama Project: Parte Uno

I have been on a hunt for new pjs for Chloe for the last month. She's growing too fast for me to keep up! Now that she's wearing 12-18 months I've discovered there is a great dearth of pajamas in that age bracket. I'd like her to have footed pjs so that her wittle toesies don't get chilly. (Forgive the baby talk slip. I do spend most of my time with a 7 month old.) So, overly ambitious me bought a pattern and some flannel material and embarked on my first ever sewing-from-a-pattern project. For some reason I was never interested in sewing growing up so I missed out on lessons from my sewing matriarchs. My grandma used to sew professionally for a high-end children's store, my mom and my sister both sewed their own wedding dresses (my sis without a pattern - I've posted a few pictures of her gorgeous gown below), and even my mother in-law is an expert seamstress. So, now I'm on my own trying to figure out words like "slip stitch" and staring at the pattern diagrams wondering where my notches should have been .

My goodness this is a lot of work! Why in the world don't these companies have the pattern pieces cut out for you in the first place? I was all excited to get started and then spent a laborious hour cutting out pieces of flimsy paper. Then came the pinning of the pattern on to the material. After studying the diagram and the various keys, I managed to miss a bootie. Thankfully I had plenty of material to spare! Next, I cut out the pinned pieces carefully - not realizing until half way through that I was supposed to cut notches where the triangles appeared. Boy, that is one lesson I learned the hard way. Notches are your friends. Long story shorter, this evening I finally got through step 10 and the (nearly) final product is in the picture below. I have yet to attach the booties, zipper and elastic in wrists. It's been a rough ride but I am VERY proud of what I've done thus far. And I love my seam ripper. Any commiserating sewing stories of your own?





















Now that the fabled pjs are almost complete I've realized this material looks a tad clowny. Oh well!























A good full-length view of Shauna's wedding gown. Here they were exchanging vows.






















Close-up of the beaded bodice of Shauna's dress. The cake was delicious and topped with my grandma & grandpa's 50 year old cake topper.

















An 8 month pregnant me with my bridely little sister. Isn't she beautiful? (Thought you pregos out there would appreciate the bulging belly picture)

Spa products by BeautiControl

A few weeks ago I attended a spa party where a BeautiControl consultant gave us facials, foot massages, and instant hand manicures. It was vvvvvvvvvvvvvvery (to quote Dr. Jacquot) relaxing and informative! I have never taken the time to care for my skin but now that I'm in the upper 20s and nearing the big 3-0 I am becoming concerned. BeautiControl has an amazing line of skin care and anti-aging products that I'm considering buying(with the help of lots of discounts!). To help me buy this stuff, I am hosting a spa party at my home next Monday night. I really don't know many gals in the area yet (only 1 lady is coming with her teenage daughter) so I thought I'd e-invite my blogging friends. :) Since none of you live near Akron, Ohio you can e-participate in my party by purchasing some products. Check out their website for more info. Totally no pressure involved here; I realize almost all of you are in the same low-budget boat that we are. Just thought I'd throw the opportunity out there for you. Email me if you're interested in anything (aliciahorn@hotmail.com).

Next stop - Thailand!

This week we hosted the Scotts. Duane, Hannah, Elaine & David are on their way to Bangkok, Thailand as missionaries with Baptist Mid-Missions. After 2 years of deputation, the Scotts are now on a road trip visiting friends and family before they venture to Thailand in May. We had a fantastic time visiting, playing rook, chatting, and enjoying our babies. I was (and still am) struck with awe as I listened to Hannah talk about giving away most of their belongings and selling their home this past week. What a loose hold they have on material things! There are still many unknowns to be settled before they embark on the 20 hour flight to Thailand with their two young children. Check out their website and keep them in your prayers. Here are a few photos of the Scott children playing with Chloe:

March recipes

This month's theme for recipes on our recipe blog is main dish salads. So far we've posted the following tasty recipes:
Marinated Chicken Salad
Layered Tortellini Spinach Salad
Hot Ham and Potato Salad
Greek Pasta Salad
Chicken Rice Salad
Cobb Salad

If you have a salad recipe you'd like to share, email it to me at aliciahorn@hotmail.com. Here's to healthy spring eating!

Some recent photos for Chloe lovers

I realized today that I haven't posted Chloe photos for awhile. Here are some new ones of my crazy girl. I've also tried to be witty with my captions. :) Christina Hairgrove is the queen of witty captions so this is just a lame attempt in comparison. Enjoy!






















Thanks for the sweater Auntie Kathleen!
















Mom, don't sit me up - I like playing like this!
















This is the best, you gotta try this, mom!
















Not sure what this thing is for but it's great for chewing.






















Yo homey, wassup?






















Love this new toy, mom! What am I supposed to do with it now?

I'm a little squished, mom!

Chloe wears cloth diapers. I love using them because it saves us TONS of money and I feel that it is environmentally-responsible. The downside is that cloth diapers are much bulkier than slim disposables. Chloe is tall for her age already (7 mos.) so with the bulky diapers she is squished in her 12 mos. pants! Sigh. This weekend I'm off again on a shopping spree for pants and pajamas for our ever-growing girl.

I won't use this post as a soapbox for my pro-cloth leanings because I know they aren't for everyone. I'm curious though - what do you bloggers use on your babies' tushies? Am I the only one using cloth?

Salad recipes for March

This month's recipe swapping theme is main dish salads. So far I've posted one of my all-time favorite salads - the cobb salad. If you've got a great salad recipe, pass it on (email it to me at aliciahorn@hotmail.com) and I'll post it for all to enjoy.

You main dish salad doesn't have to include meat - bean salads would be fine also. And does anyone have a good taco salad recipe?

That tickles daddy!

Matt has been lazy lately and let his stubble grow to ouchy-lengths. Here are some photos of him tickling Chloe with his stubbly face. (He has since shaved and he looks like a new man! I'm so glad - it's no fun kissing a prickly face.)

Is she looking more and more like Matt, or what?!?

Reading to children

Kelly Genn asked for kid's book suggestions in a recent post. I gave her my suggestions but I'd like to hear yours also. Some of our favorites are:

* Guess How Much I Love You
* The Very Lonely Firefly
* La Oruga Muy Hambrienta (The Very Hungry Caterpillar)
* Runaway Bunny
* Animal Talk
* Oso Pardo, Oso Pardo, Que Ves Ahi (Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?)

I must note that I highly recommend Eric Carle books. His illustrations are colorful and creative. And he teaches things in his book by integrating them into his stories. For example, in "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" he writes using numbers, days of the week and foods as he describes what the caterpillar eats. "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?" is a great one for teaching colors and animals.

I am amazed at how bright little babies are! I've been reading to Chloe since she was about 2 months old and now that she's 6.5 months she can turn pages (with my help) and looks at the pictures as I read. That might not seem like a big deal but it's an improvement for her! She used to just grab the books and eat them . . . . she still likes to gnaw on our books so we only read board books for now.

I've also read that repetition is the key to helping babies develop their language skills. So we read "Guess How Much I Love You" every night before bed (I have it memorized). Anything you've read or seen in your experiences with reading to babies?

What are your favorite children's books? And, do you have any good suggestions for Christians children's books?

Prayer

I approached the computer this morning thinking I would post a cute Chloe story but I am sobered by a recent prayer request I read on David Griffith's blog. I don't really even know this couple but by name yet I feel connected to them as a sister in Christ. What a beauty the sovereignty of God is in times like these! I am encouraged by one of my favorite psalms:

Psalm 61
1 Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.

2 From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.

4 I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah

5 For you have heard my vows, O God; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

6 Increase the days of the king's life, his years for many generations.

7 May he be enthroned in God's presence forever; appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.

8 Then will I ever sing praise to your name and fulfill my vows day after day.