The Little House

Are you serious?

2011-03-09T15:28:00.001-06:00

March 9th, 2007 I was working as a bilingual teacher at an elementary school in West Chicago. It was Friday, the school day was over, and it was time to go home.(Hallelujah!) I knew I'd be seeing David that night, and was looking forward to relaxing. The day was really mild. We'd had some snow a few weeks before, but that day it was warm and rainy - probably in the 50s - and very foggy. Spring

What She Looks Like Lately

2011-01-27T15:23:00.000-06:00

Abigail loves wearing her hat. She was pretty excited about her snow pants, too. Until we went outside to actually experience her first snowfall. Apparently Abigail shares her parents' feelings about Chicago winters. She loves her books, and her stuffed animals. Here she's reading to her elephant and Oma's teddy.

The Art of Conversation... With Abigail

2011-01-26T15:28:00.007-06:00

Meet Me In St. Louie

2010-09-07T14:22:00.001-05:00

This past weekend we drove to St. Louis to visit with my sister and brother-in-law, Lauren and Nathanael. We figured Abigail needed some time with her aunt and uncle. And we thought a trip to the St. Louis Zoo would be a fun way to spend an afternoon. We think the elephant might have been her favorite.

Lunchtime

2010-08-30T13:50:00.005-05:00

Look at our hilarious and adorable kid. She also knows the sounds for a duck and a snake, but I forgot to ask for those. Oma, Bapa, Nana, & Gragon are her grandparents. So far she hasn't been brave enough to try any other names. Sorry Auntie M and Lauren... and all you other aunts and uncles. We'll keep trying.

Curbside Shopping

2010-08-30T13:19:00.007-05:00

I'm feeling rich and a little bit clever today. A few weeks ago when I was driving home from the grocery store, I spied our neighbors getting rid of a perfectly good six-person patio table and chairs. We've been garage sale-ing for patio furniture for years, and this stuff looked way better than what we'd seen before. I pulled over just as Ed began tacking up a sign that said, "FREE. Please take.

Just a Few More Pictures, I Promise

2010-08-17T21:01:00.000-05:00

After our trip to Ocean City, we spent a long weekend in VA with David's sister. R & S have three kids. Their youngest, Anna, was born just 4 hours before Abigail. It was a blast watching the baby girls play together. David's nephew, Adam, pulled out his guitar shortly after Uncle Vid started strum- ming. Look at how he's trying to play left-handed! Daniel reminds me of Ralphie (from A

A Little Before and After

2010-08-09T20:38:00.009-05:00

The family that bought The Little House has lived here for just over two years now. This is what it looked like the morning we moved in. And this is what it looks like now: I'm pretty proud of us. Since we've owned our home we've redone a bathroom, waterproofed the basement and put in a sump pump, installed an attic fan, replaced every single window, installed central air, replaced the front

Ocean City in Black and White

2010-08-09T20:18:00.001-05:00

More Ocean City Photos

2010-08-08T18:12:00.001-05:00

Steamed crab night. It's serious business, people. David learning to eat steamed crab. Steamed crab is one thing my sister Lauren will eat that I won't touch. I like crab - I just don't want to dissect one in order to get my dinner. Mom and Craig. PopPop and his granddaughter sitting in the shade, having a conversation. Abigail loving the ocean. Abigail and Oma. I used to make

On Holiday

2010-08-02T21:02:00.001-05:00

The trouble with blogging as infrequently as I do is that when I finally sit down to blog, I have too many things I want to say. Like right now. I know I ought to talk about our now three-week-old vacation to Ocean City, MD. But I also want to tell you about David and the Bee, and David vs. That Tree Root. And I want you to hear about and celebrate with me because today I got a "Save the Date"

Long Time No Blog

2010-07-07T14:07:00.001-05:00

All five of you who actually read my blog will most likely already have seen this photo on Facebook, but my first child's first birthday merits a blog post and a photo, don't you think? And she looks so cute. Who would know that only seconds beforehand she'd been crying (and would be again)? Alas, it's true - Birthday Number 1 (or two, really) was rather too overwhelming for the Babblegail.

Two Stories About David

2010-05-06T20:38:00.001-05:00

I love my husband. 1. When I found out I had to get a root canal, I called Vid from the dentist's office to cry a little bit. Later that day, he went out and bought me these: He also bought me a bottle of my favorite Merlot. When I asked him why, he said, "Well, you were sad, and it's not like I could go out and buy you something sweet to eat." 2. Abigail has a sweet stuffed lamb our

Abigail's New Trick

2010-04-28T14:27:00.000-05:00

I naively thought she was napping...

Enough Already

2010-04-23T20:17:00.001-05:00

My husband told me the funniest joke I'd ever heard yesterday. He wants to buy a jogging stroller off Craigslist. So we can jog. Together. Because it'd be good for us. Yeah, pretty much. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I told him if we did, he'd have to start from ground zero with me, because I doubt I can run to the end of my street without getting winded. He told me he was game. So

This Desert Life

2010-04-19T16:42:00.001-05:00

Home again, home again, jiggety jig. Thanks to the time change, Abi-girl slept in until nine AM today. She's napping again now. We just got back from the grocery store. And now I ought to be unpacking. Or doing dishes. Instead I started flipping through the photos of our (wonderful, marvelous, relaxing, lazy, gluttonous) vacation in Phoenix. Here are a few shots of how we spent our time: Oma

The Sweet Life

2010-04-13T09:32:00.000-05:00

The window guys are at our house right now, so Abigail and I aren't. We escaped to Panera to have some breakfast. I ate an egg and cheese breakfast sandwich and coffee. Abigail had some pears and is now working her way steadily through a bag of Cheerios. We're chilling. It's a perfect morning - sunny and warm. Panera is bustling (mostly with old people or businessmen.) Days like these I feel

Arizona!

2010-04-12T20:49:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, Vid, Bubs and I are leaving on a jet plane to visit Oma in her desert-land. We're pretty excited. AZ means some alone time for us, because Oma will be hanging with the Babblegail as much as possible. It means yummy Mexican food and margaritas and sun and swimming and a hot tub and sleeping in (sort of). The last time David and I visited my mom was almost exactly two months before

Wrong Side of the Bed?

2010-03-25T14:42:00.000-05:00

Why do "one of those days" days exist? Today ought to be a good day. Abigail slept for ten hours straight last night. We went to Bible Study at church this morning, which I love, and there was brunch, which I also love (sometimes too much, I'll confess). I loved talking with the women in my small group. We're home now. There's plenty of coffee in the pot. Abigail is playing contentedly, and I

You Are What You Eat

2010-03-15T21:30:00.001-05:00

I am suddenly surrounded by people who are fixated on food. Specifically, fixated on how to eat organically, healthily, & humanely. People who search out hormone-free milk that comes from grass-fed cows. People who want to buy chicken that comes from birds who are allowed to walk around outside before they are... well... made edible. People who compare the prices of organic produce at Trader

On the Move

2010-03-12T16:08:00.000-06:00

Abigail is mobile. She's not crawling, not exactly, but she is "worming" - scooting herself hands and knees across the floor. It's slow, but it's most definitely progress. If she's on the floor and I turn my back on her for a minute, when I turn around again, she's somewhere other than where I left her. And it's usually somewhere rather far from where she was. She works so hard to go not very

Revenge of the Snow Drops

2010-03-10T08:38:00.000-06:00

Last spring, when I was mucho prego, I had a bout of cabin fever and needed to get outside. So I attacked our front gardens, pulling up hundreds of little while snowdrop flowers that had popped up in early March. I literally pulled the bulbs out in fistfuls, making piles and piles of the ugly little flowers. (I hate calling a flower ugly, but really, these were. They have a wussy little white

Messes

2010-03-08T09:39:00.000-06:00

Okay moms - if any of you have been keeping up with the blog - I need some advice. Abigail sleeps through the night - anywhere from 9-12 hours. When she wakes in the morning, she is ALWAYS soaked through. Onesie, PJs, sheets, mattress liner. We tried cloth diapers at first (she wears those during the day and doesn't leak), but she soaked through those. So then we bought Pampers Baby Dry 12 Hour

My New Favorite... and Other Stuff

2010-03-04T14:27:00.001-06:00

Sooo...I discovered last week that Aldi makes these awwwwwwwwwesome "homestyle" peanut butter cookies. They are soft and chewy and pretty much amazing. If you put one in the microwave for 8 seconds, it even tastes fresh-baked. I also discovered that Aldi makes a pretty delish version of Moose Tracks Ice Cream. I was afraid cheap ice cream = low PB cup ratio, but no... it's super yummy. Last night

Lenten Indecision

2010-02-20T12:01:00.003-06:00

Lent is kind of a new concept for me. Growing up, I was Catholic/Lutheran, and not much good at being either. It was in high school, at a non-denominational church, where I first heard and believed the gospel. Being a typical "seeker-friendly" church, they didn't follow the church calendar or any kind of liturgy or tradition. So, in my mind Lent = Bad Catholic Practice Involving Unnecessary

I'm Sure She Was Trying to Be Nice...

2010-02-10T13:12:00.001-06:00

My child is being kind to mommy today and is taking a marathon nap, so I'm grabbing my opportunity to have some "me" time. I haven't blogged in a while - so now's my chance. How far can I get before she wakes up? Illinois is sitting under, what, another foot of snow? Next year, when I hint that I'm looking foward to the first snowfall, someone remind me that I hate February. And early this

My Tuesdays

2010-02-03T13:03:00.002-06:00

And sometimes my Wednesdays, too. Abigail and Benjamin hang out in our living room. As you can see, they have a grand good time together. Benjamin chewed Abigail's clippy butterfly toy the entire time he was here today - an hour and a half. Hey, whatever floats his boat, I guess.

"Paul Newman was tall."

2010-01-27T16:30:00.001-06:00

Have you ever been listening to the radio, only to have the music and/or commercial suddenly cut out and go to dead air? It happens, it seems, especially often on KLOVE (not that I, er, listen to KLOVE). When it happens, I always feel a bit awkward and embarrassed for the station. Kinda like when you're at a party and the conversation is going along trippingly, and then someone who is not as

10 Seconds

2009-12-20T15:04:00.004-06:00

Season's Greetings

2009-12-19T12:03:00.006-06:00

David was SO PROUD of that sugar cookie he frosted, he made me the best Christmas card ever.

Sweet Tooth

2009-12-10T16:18:00.010-06:00

I decided this year to make my first-ever batch of sugar cookies. My family has a recipe, but I'm not particularly fond of it. (Every time I admit it, my mother tells me she thinks there's a defective gene in the pool, somewhere.) My family makes crispy, thin sugar cookies, with sprinkles. I prefer thick, soft cookies, with frosting.I used (and tweaked) the recipe from Joy of Cooking. I thought

Funny Aunt Lauren

2009-12-10T14:12:00.003-06:00

We took this the day after Thanksgiving. (Sorry for the blurry start - I was still getting the hang of things.)

The Animal Kingdom

2009-12-08T16:14:00.001-06:00

Well, Thanksgiving came and went, and I have yet to take and post pictures of what was in the mystery package from Oma. Basically, it was great. It was Christmas in a box. Soon, I will post pictures - and hopefully a video - of some of the fun.In other news, one of Abigail's favorite books is Sandra Boynton's Moo, Baa, La, La La. I am proud to say it is the first little-kid book I have memorized

Temptation

2009-11-24T10:12:00.001-06:00

Oma sent a package. We're not allowed to open it until Thursday.

What Naptime Looks Like in Our House

2009-11-21T16:27:00.001-06:00

How Low Can You Go?

2009-11-20T12:59:00.002-06:00

I am a compulsive list-maker. I don't think I have always been one, but the practice has grown out of my realization that I am extremely absent-minded. Seriously, thoughts fly through my head at such a rate that if I do not write something down immediately, it's gone. It doesn't matter what it is - an item for the grocery list, a task I have been meaning to do, a question for David, a thought for

Peanut Butter Cookies and Coffee for Breakfast Do Not Help Lose the Baby Weight

2009-11-17T09:03:00.005-06:00

But they were good. I overslept today. My alarm was set and went off, but I apparently had other plans. I don't remember my alarm, but I do remember opening my eyes, rolling over, and looking at the clock at 8:30 AM. 8:30. That's ridiculous. I have an excuse, though. Babystyles has changed her routine lately. She's not sleeping through the night anymore, waking up one to three times during the

This Little Piggy

2009-11-16T16:30:00.008-06:00

I have found over and over again in the past year or so that people expect me to know things I do not know. At first it made me angry. But now it's happened so many times, I'm beginning to think maybe I should. At least, the way they communicate with me, I feel like I should. I feel like I have the word "STUPID" stamped in red on my forehead. Take today, for example. David and I need to get

What the Squirrels Did

2009-11-02T08:26:00.005-06:00

Classy, eh? I'm sure our neighbors loved us.

Birthday!

2009-10-29T09:33:00.004-05:00

Happy 4 Month Birthday to Abigail! And when I asked her how she felt about her birthday...

David Thinks They're Cute

2009-10-28T21:03:00.014-05:00

David and I are trying to save money these days. Now that we live on one salary, we know we have to be careful with how we spend "extra" money. (I use that term loosely. There is no "extra" right now.) Among other things, that means cutting down our grocery bill drastically. What we've been doing lately is buying as many groceries as possible at Aldi. David's rule is that we have to try

A Bit of Gloating

2009-10-27T12:58:00.005-05:00

So, I haven't blogged for a while because... well, I haven't had much to say. I could bore you with the small details of Abigail's development, or gush about how she is probably the perfect child... but I know better. I know all new moms probably feel that way at some point. And frankly, though David and I might be enthralled with the fact that she is now blowing raspberries (who knew "phptps"

Why I Hate Jewel

2009-10-07T16:59:00.004-05:00

The expiration date on the Colby Jack said November 2009. When I opened it, this is what I found: Gross. This is not the first time Jewel has sold me spoiled food. You would think I'd learn my lesson. But no, I keep going back for more. What can I say? I guess I have a thing for fuzzy blue strawberries... and apparently, fuzzy blue cheese.

Cast Your Votes

2009-09-24T14:41:00.002-05:00

So my sister emailed me yesterday after my last post and told me that my blog gave her "white ghost lines" when she read it. You know, that trick your eyes play after staring at something bright (or dark) for a while. She said it was hard to read.So... is this template better? Or should I stick with the black?

Disillusionment

2009-09-23T16:13:00.003-05:00

I just took Abigail on a walk. We were strolling along, enjoying the hint of autumn in the air. It's a cloudy day. Leaves are dotting the lawns all around the neighborhood. Lawnmowers are running, kids are walking home from school or playing in their front yards. Fall is lovely now... not the harbinger of doom it becomes in late November with the coming of winter. We came upon two girls playing

I Am That Mom

2009-09-23T13:54:00.004-05:00

I will never be as cool - or artistic - or chill - as I would like to be. I am realizing this. Several factors are working against me. Namely, the minivan. I should have known it when we bought it - I did know it when we bought it. Minivan=Nerdliness. I am so that mom driving around. When all I had was my Nissan, I used to sneer at slow minivans, lumbering away from stoplights, filling all the

First Day Without Daddy

2009-09-21T12:21:00.003-05:00

On Thursday evening Abigail rolled over (back-to-tummy) for the first time. Her accomplishment was met with cheers and applause all around. She was 11.5 weeks old. This morning, David got up and went to work for the first time in 12 weeks. Yup. Today marks my first "real" day of being a stay-at-home-Mom. I can't believe how quickly the time went. It's been such a blessing to have David at

Epiphany

2009-09-16T11:32:00.005-05:00

There is a difference between tidying and cleaning. Perhaps you already knew this. Probably I did too, and have just been deluding myself for most of my adult life. I always sort thought - nay - prided myself - that I was someone who liked cleaning, and who kept a clean house. To my chagrin, I discovered today I do not keep a clean house. I have a tidy house. Tidy is fluffing pillows and

PS Diaper Update

2009-09-15T19:49:00.003-05:00

Some of you have asked what happened with the cloth diapers. Here's the skinny: I like them. They are soft and cuddly, and Abigail doesn't seem to mind the extra fabric between her legs, or the ghetto-bootie they give her. (The diapers make her look like she's wearing a bustle beneath her onesie.) I have not encountered any blowouts, and she isn't getting diaper rash like she was with the

Hmmmm

2009-09-15T19:39:00.003-05:00

So, David left for rehearsal about an hour ago. I puttered around: called my father, dusted a bit, opened up our webcam thinking I would load it onto the computer, put it down, dusted some more. All with a kid in one arm. Finally realizing that my left arm was numb from carting Abi-girl around, I placed her under her play gym, figuring she could chat it up with her friend Mr. Cardinal while I

My Rock Star Husband!

2009-09-14T22:00:00.003-05:00

Check it out, check it out! http://decemberadio.com/tour.php?id=80 I'm so proud!!!

On Jeans

2009-09-07T09:06:00.004-05:00

In my opinion, jeans shopping is typically a horrible experience. I rank it right up there with bathing suit shopping. Really, they may be equally terrible - and incomparable - seeing as I usually buy jeans in the fall and bathing suits in the late spring. Different seasons, you know? Each terrible in their own way. Anyway. I've been wearing my Old Navy maternity jeans since a week after

The Great Diaper Experiment

2009-09-05T16:05:00.006-05:00

The Great Diaper Experiment starts today. Before Abigail was born, I decided that I wanted to use cloth diapers. My reasons were twofold. One, I wanted to save money. Two, I thought it might be better than throwing away thousands of diapers over the next two years. I talked to my sister-in-law, R, and decided to purchase some Fuzzibunz. I liked their name, and I thought they looked fairly easy

Rhode Island Part Three

2009-08-29T15:03:00.014-05:00

More sights from RI On the way to the beach... Warren's Point Beach after Hurricane Bill At the Farmer's Market

Rhode Island Part Two

2009-08-29T13:26:00.009-05:00

Faces...

Rhode Island Part One

2009-08-29T12:19:00.008-05:00

David and I spent the last two weeks in RI. Every summer for the past fifteen years (I think) D's family has had the opportunity to "rent" out a beach house. It's a sweet deal - they have friends in the area who actually live in Louisiana most of the year, but own a summer home on the shore in Little Compton. It's a big enough house to (very cosily) fit the entire family - 7 Yeagers and 5

Being Old

2009-08-07T16:09:00.008-05:00

Our next door neighbor, Andy, is a frail old man we thought was close to 90. He leaves his house daily, backing slowly out of his driveway in a dark blue minivan. (He goes somewhere for part of the day - somewhere like a local Legion or something - for a midday meal.) Every time we see the van leave, we cringe. Yesterday, on his way, out he stopped to talk to David... and mentioned that he was

And Then There Were Three

2009-08-01T08:27:00.003-05:00

Abigail turned a month old on Wednesday. A month. I know it's not much, but it's hard to believe. I've been up since six AM. Abigail woke wanting to eat, so we did. She ate at 11:00 PM, 3:00 AM, and again at 6. After breakfast she was bright eyed and bushy tailed, as the saying goes. And the sun was up. So I had a choice - try to lull her back to sleep so I could climb back in bed next to

The Grumpies

2009-06-26T08:54:00.003-05:00

I got the grumpies yesterday, big time. First of all, the doctor (as I expected) told me Baby Girl wasn't doing much - and that I would probably be back to see him on July 1st. He said at that time they would do a non-stress test, checking the baby's heart rate and amount of space & fluid inside me (through a fetal monitor and ultrasound - nothing invasive). Apparently Baby Girl needs to still

Can anyone tell me...?

2009-06-24T14:29:00.003-05:00

What else am I supposed to be doing? I mean, with my time. I'm not quite sure how to fill it. I feel like I must be missing something. Last week was great. No problems filling the day with cooking, cleaning, getting some exercise, running some errands. This week has been slower. Although I spent Monday afternoon having lunch with friends (which was lovely!) I've been rather wanting for things

Summer!

2009-06-23T08:06:00.005-05:00

I hate bugs. I'm a big bug wussy - very bad at killing them, and very grossed out by most all of the insect world. I can't get over my phobia. I always call on Vid to play exterminator. A few weeks ago, D killed a jibblie bug on our bathroom ceiling. (What's a jibblie bug? It's one of those grayish, hairy, fragile looking millipedes that hang out in damp places in our house. We hate them. When

"Can I have your autograph?"

2009-06-20T19:35:00.010-05:00

Last night my husband was asked that question more than a few times. It was our first taste of what it really felt like for him to be a "performer". DYB's concert/album release party was this Friday, and by all counts, I think it was a success. Despite tornado warnings, rain, and hail, we had about 100 people show up to celebrate with us. I was so glad to see so many people come out. It was

Laundry Issues

2009-06-19T08:44:00.007-05:00

When I went to visit my sister over her birthday weekend, she told our family a hilarious story about hot water in the toilet. Basically, when some plumbing work was done on the house, somehow some pipes were switched, and the toilet was hooked up to the hot water pipes. Consequently, every time she or N had to use the facilities, it was quite comfortable. (No chilly toilet seat in winter, right?

8 Dozen Cookies + 2 Dozen Cupcakes

2009-06-18T15:24:00.006-05:00

= One Hot Mama. Literally. Sweaty. That's a long time in the kitchen. DYB's concert is happening tomorrow night at Naperville Presbyterian Church, and so I am doing my part to help: Baking my portion of a bunch of desserts for the after party, and learning how to use our new portable credit card swiper so that my friend L and I can work the "merch table". Oooh, sounds so professional! I

Mornings

2009-06-16T10:36:00.005-05:00

Yesterday D woke me up with the words, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life." Groggily I wondered if he meant sleeping in, watching soap operas, and eating bonbons. I did, after all, start my maternity leave yesterday (despite the fact that Baby Girl seems quite content to remain in utero). But I didn't say anything. Just smiled and kissed him good bye as he left for work. And then I

Those Neighbors

2009-06-15T17:16:00.008-05:00

Who knew that "Thou shall not covet" could take such trivial forms? I swear, in the past two years of my life, between meeting the man I love, getting married, and buying a home, I have learned more about my imperfect, sinful self than I ever cared to know. Today, I am coveting a pretty lawn. And I am not a gardener. I'd like to think maybe some day I could be, but things aren't looking good. In

15 Days

2009-06-13T17:31:00.003-05:00

If little Baby Girl comes on time, it's 15 days and counting. The bassinet is up, the diapers are ready, the nursery is fairly well organized. I have a list of things I still want to buy (stuff for after the hospital stay) and am hoping to do that tomorrow. We also need to pack a little overnight bag, although some people tell me that the day I go into labor, I'll have enough time to get that

Jai Guru Deva Om

2009-06-12T15:55:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I was listening to the I Am Sam soundtrack. I love that movie, and I love that soundtrack. If you don’t know it, you should go get it. It’s all Beatles covers, done by interesting artists. I can’t decide if Eddie Vedder’s “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away”, Ben Folds, “Golden Slumbers,” or Sarah McLachlan's, “Blackbird” is my favorite. I could list others, too. Anyway. I was on my way

Angelic Choruses

2009-06-11T22:07:00.005-05:00

I think that's what I heard on Tuesday night when Vid walked through the door with two boxes of CDs, a stack of posters, and a box of T-shirts. Yes folks, the CD is DONE. Hallelujah. Here it is in all its glory: Personally, I think my husband looks pretty stinking hot. www.davidyeagerband.com Go buy a CD. You can download the songs or get an actual copy. You can get a T-shirt, or a sticker

We

2009-06-08T20:46:00.003-05:00

Neither one of us is good at being sick. And man, are we exciting tonight. I'm sitting here with my Fred Flintstone feet propped in front of me, trying to slow the swelling that begins the instant I get out of bed in the morning. My belly feels huge, my back aches, and no, to those of you who posted on Facebook, I am not packed yet. Trust me, it's stressing me out. My friend Ann is coming over

Rainforest

2009-06-08T11:03:00.003-05:00

Last night it poured buckets. Buckets. And although it was thundering and lightning out, which made me think the rain would be pounding in through the windows, it seemed to be coming straight down. (Can I take a moment here and say that I hate it when I read the word "lightening" when people mean the other? If you are talking about a storm, I am pretty darn sure that you want to say "lightning".

Reasons Why

2009-06-07T21:33:00.006-05:00

We had a lovely, albeit somewhat expensive, weekend. (I guess that's allowed sometimes.) On Friday: 1. D and I went to the fire station to learn how to install the car seat. It takes up most of the back seat of the car. No kidding. We almost drove to a dealership to look at bigger cars... But we refrained. I'm glad it's done. 2. Dinner at Tapatio's - our favorite authentic greasy burrito joint.

Check it out!

2009-06-04T10:47:00.003-05:00

Cathy Hill, a woman at our church, works for a local Christian radio station as a band/concert promoter. She recently posted on David's latest gig over at Backthird Audio. Take a look! http://countmeinconcerts.blogspot.com/

Day In, Day Out

2009-05-28T20:04:00.005-05:00

I know it's been too long since I blogged, but what can I say? I've been so pooped after work I haven't had the energy to sit down and write. However, right now I'm propped up on the couch watching a bunch of brilliant kids compete in the national Spelling Bee. (I'm also eating a brownie. Mmmm.) These kids are incredible. I feel really, really dumb watching them. While I sit on my duff, David's

So Cool!

2009-05-13T16:14:00.008-05:00

Last Friday David prepared two of the songs off the upcoming album and went and played them at a local songwriters' workshop at a recording studio in Aurora. (For those of you who are curious, he chose Testify and Sound.) Apparently this is something the studio does monthly. The other musicians rate the performances, focusing on the songwriting, and give constructive criticism and/or praise. The

Squirrels

2009-05-12T08:09:00.006-05:00

David and I are trying our hand at survival landscaping this spring. Our yard looks like junk. Our trees need to be trimmed, our lawn treated and weeded, and our flowerbeds redone. I’d love to rip out the bushes in front of our house and plant small flowering trees. I’d love to mulch and put in a new walk to the front door. I’d love to bury the sump pump hose that sticks out from behind the

Something I Like

2009-05-05T21:30:00.004-05:00

I like when my husband misses me. More accurately, I like when he expresses that he misses (or will miss) me. Case in point: Tonight I had a haircut scheduled almost immediately after work. When D called on his way home, I let him know I had to rush home to grab a bite to eat and run right back out the door to get to the salon on time. I told him I probably wouldn't see him before he left for

Gardening

2009-05-04T20:39:00.005-05:00

I am sitting on the couch with my Fred Flintstone feet propped up in front of me. As I type, D is practicing Jill. Over and over again. I hurt. A lot. Not because of D and his song, but because I accidentally worked out yesterday. (Which reminds me just now that I had a dream last night about jogging, and I woke rather concerned that I had exerted such energy, albeit in an unconscious state.

The Martin

2009-04-26T16:29:00.003-05:00

He did it. They were successful. D has a shiny new guitar. I expect to be a guitar widow for the next few weeks.

Decisions, Decisions

2009-04-25T11:38:00.004-05:00

We have a dusty house. I'm feeling good and productive this morning because I got up and straightened the house - but as I look around, I can see the dust everywhere. And frankly, after straightening, doing dishes and folding laundry, the last thing I want to do it pull out a dust rag and a vacuum. I can't keep up with our crumbly old house. Some days I might want to, but not today. It's a

!!!

2009-04-24T14:09:00.001-05:00

It is 81 and sunny right now! Glorious, glorious day!

Oh Blah Di...

2009-04-23T07:16:00.012-05:00

There's nothing like starting a blog to make you realize how mundane your life really is. Stuff happens to us, but is it really worth publishing and making you read it? Here's an updated photo of Baby Yeager in utero. I'll be 31 weeks on Saturday. She's moving around a lot, and making me feel rather sluggish and out of shape. We have some nice weather the next few days, and I am going to find

2009-04-13T08:18:00.003-05:00

On Thursday night David announced he had an unexpected day off on Friday. Good Friday usually isn't a holiday at the bank for him, but last week, his boss was feeling benevolent. D said he'd stay home and work on house stuff. (We're still in the process of getting stuff back to the basement.) So, I went to work, and he puttered at the house. Look what I found when I got home! Isn't my honeyman

Ta-dah!

2009-04-07T21:12:00.005-05:00

For those of you who actually KNOW how to do home improvement projects, or maybe really just love plumbing disasters, here's what we spent all our money on: Thrilling, no? Sorry the pics are leaning to one side... so is our basement. And me, with 21 lbs of baby weight on me, I might occasionally list to one side, too. It's funny. D and I are really pleased this project is done, but it's

Friday AM

2009-04-03T07:29:00.004-05:00

The basement is done! Pictures coming soon. (Lots of new pipes and concrete... oh boy!) It's a little overwhelming - our finished basement is basically unfinished now, and we need to rebuild shelves and install a few new electrical boxes to make space for the sewer/pump plugs, but... at least we can use our washer and dryer again! Now we need to move everything back downstairs...

Cookie Monster and Lost

2009-03-31T07:33:00.006-05:00

When I'm at work, but not actually focused on my job, here are the kinds of things that happen: Andrea and I were at lunch the other day. And Pat (the office admin) brought cookies and brownies to lunch – the Lofthouse super soft cookies with lots of frosting. Andrea exclaimed over the cookies, saying, “C is for Cookie! That’s good enough for me!” I reminded her, “A cookie is a sometimes food.

Basement Pictures Day 2 and 3

2009-03-30T21:07:00.008-05:00

I came home and saw this on our kitchen wall, in the alcove leading out to the backyard/basement. David had warned me they needed "access" to some pipes in order to "vent our downstairs bathroom". I didn't really know what that meant. These holes are bigger than my palm. After seeing those, I almost didn't go downstairs... But I did. This is the sight that greeted me at the bottom of the steps.

Pics of the basement!

2009-03-30T08:18:00.008-05:00

Hi all. Sorry I haven't posted. Internet at home is on the fritz. Here are some shots from Day One: These two show the laundry room, where the majority of the work is being done. It was originally unfinished... but to see this is a little unnerving. You can see here they've dug a trench (in which pipes will go to reroute storm water seepage)... The trench goes ALL the way around the

The Prep Work

2009-03-20T08:05:00.007-05:00

(Warning to Oma: no comments about me writing a downer post, okay? I figure this is important.) And so it begins. Last night David started hauling stuff up from the basement so that we (or rather, our plumbers) can start work on Monday morning. This is what things looked like after about two hours of work. There's still a ton of stuff down there. If I can, I'll take some before pictures, so

Being Preggers

2009-03-18T20:19:00.005-05:00

I noticed something on Sunday at church: My belly gets me lots of attention. Case in point: I decided to wear a maternity dress to church the other day because we are finally having some spring weather here. Over 10 people commented on how I looked (I just did a count in my head.) - and those were people I knew. But what was fascinating to me yesterday was that three women I did not know walked

Surviving on Venus

2009-03-14T10:40:00.011-05:00

So Google tells me that today is Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli's 174th birthday. Apparently, a long, long time ago, he drew a map of what he imagined was Mars, and his work apparently "started a revolution in astronomy." I should probably know who he is. I don't. I bet D and his family do. Google's homepage got me thinking about Ray Bradbury, the science fiction author. Images of Mr.

"Idol"izing

2009-03-11T20:46:00.005-05:00

I'm an Idol watcher. I have to confess, I love it. I know it's silly, commercialized, and probably rigged, but I look forward to it every season. They're cutting the first two people from the top 13 tonight. Jorge and Anoop are waiting with baited breath in the sidelines to see which one of them is getting booted tonight. They have to wait through a billion commercials, and a Kelly Clarkson song.

Ahhhh

2009-03-06T07:48:00.002-06:00

60 degrees and sun. Glorious. If the weather were like this all the time I'd be content. Yesterday I wore my spring coat (a maternity coat given by a friend) and by the end of the day, didn't even need it!I'm being tricked, I know. I know the cold will come back. But it's these hints that give me hope.

Musical Moments

2009-03-03T20:58:00.003-06:00

Is it just me, or does your life feel much more like a movie when you're in your car listening to music at top volume? I've held that belief a long time. I'll put a CD on in the car, look out my window, and suddenly, I'm in a movie. Sometimes the scene is sunny and cheerful, sometimes rainy and pensive. It doesn't really matter. I enjoy it because I seriously imagine that my life has its own

Barns

2009-02-27T07:59:00.005-06:00

It stormed last night, and we had our third flood of the year since May. Thankfully, this was nothing compared to the last two floods. It rained all day, but started in earnest at about 6:00, pounding down until about 10:30. We realized we have more than just a city sewer problem. The groundwater seeps in through myriad cracks in our foundation. Good times, folks, good times. David was kept

Double Whammy

2009-02-26T20:46:00.003-06:00

I'm posting twice today. It must be important, right? It is. David created a band website! Yeah, I know I just told you guys to go check out his blog, but now there's the website. And it's cooler. http://www.davidyeagerband.com Check it out. You can look at photos, download songs, read the band bios, read David's blog - all kinds of stuff. Yes, the blog is fun, but this is the real deal.

Baby Update

2009-02-26T07:36:00.003-06:00

Today was supposed to start with cold, freezing rain. Right now the sun is out and it's about 36 degrees - which feels really mild for Chicago. The forecast is still calling for thunderstorms and cold rain, changing to snow overnight, but I don't want to believe it.Anyway.For those of you who may be curious, yes, the baby is moving, and yes, I can feel her. All the time. She moves when the alarm

Indulgence

2009-02-21T10:08:00.004-06:00

I want NetFlix.David and I have a nice TV, but no cable. It was an easy way to cut some costs when we moved into the house. Unfortunately, we also get almost no television stations. On a good day, I can choose from ABC (which is blurry at best), WBN, Fox, or the WB. Oh boy.I watch a lot of Simpsons and American Idol. And SuperNanny. And in really dire moments, America's Next Top Model. I know we