Back with Bits

First, thank you for all the birthday wishes. The boys love all the attention and say thanks. They had a mellow birthday weekend. One thing we wanted to experience was the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. And we did. On a Saturday. In 90 degree weather.

Maybe not the best laid plan, but it was fun. The aquarium resembled Disneyland with a bazillion strollers (yep, we were also perpetrators)(with a double, mind you). It was hectic but also fascinating.

The space is not too big, easily accessed and will be loads of fun when the boys are a bit older and we go on a Tuesday. My brother is credited with the photos as we had yet another lens malfunction and relied on our little point and shoot for a few snapshots. (Please send replacement vibes, it is in the shop and we are hoping for a new one as this one seems to be cursed).

Somehow the one year mark has held immense significance for me, it seems like things that have been slightly out of alignment have shifted back in place and I have felt whole in many ways. My belief in my skills as a Mama, my confidence in my choices and actions are all feeling good, and though I know that can change in a heartbeat in this strange and lovely land of Parenthood, I feel like I should just enjoy it for now.

I have been setting little and big goals for this year. I have a feeling time will be marked by the day of their arrival for awhile....New Year's can step aside for resolution time. So, I have decided on a few actions. I am returning to yoga, keeping better track of my health via a few new means (for now I am keeping my new blog private as I only need to be accountable to me), and taking better responsibility for house work, cooking etc. I finally feel like I have the energy to take on these actions.

And in crafting news, I have been playing with the new sewing machine a bit. I love the box bag I spotted on other sites and tried my hand at one.

It was fairly simple using this tutorial with a few modifications found here.
It is also a wonderful use of some of the precious fat quarters I have been stashing for awhile. I like how the simple construction highlights fabric choice.

And I am falling in love with the color teal, as evidenced by zipper and yarn choice. The yarn is from an etsy shop, The colorway something like "He saw her across the smoky bar".

I was sold on the name alone, but the yarn itself is lovely and knitting up easily into Veronik's Lace Ribbon Scarf. So I have knit some things for my sewing and now I am sewing some things for my knitting. A vicious cycle, the craft world.