Up. Up. Up. And, Away.

Two weeks have passed me by in just a blink. It has been a crazy couple of weeks, for sure. The Moore family has gotten some stressful news, but we are handling it really well. Being married to a loyal, respectful, and communicative husband really helps during these times, and I hope I am half as successful at being a good spouse as he is.

That really great husband of mine dragged me out of bed this morning (because I asked him to do it!) so we could drive to Prosser for the Hot Air Balloon Rally. {Locals: it's happening again tomorrow, if you are interested.  :-) } I wasn't really sure if Mr. Moore (or a hundred wild horses, really) would be able to get me moving, but I am really glad we went. Emma didn't remember our previous trip, and she was thrilled to see the whole thing - and so up close! It is impossible to resist taking (and sharing) a million pictures of these gigantic and colorful things. I hope you enjoy these. And, I hope it inspires you to get up early to catch your own local balloon launch.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Birthday Cake!!!

A few years ago, we accidentally stopped making "normal" birthday cakes. I honestly can't remember which cake started this delicious change, but we have been eating wonderful cakes like Red Velvet, Black Forest, and this Mexican Chocolate Cake with Ancho Whipped Cream. 

I used the recipe from our Williams-Sonoma Baking Book. This book is amazing, even if you never actually use any of the recipes! The pictures are inspiring, and the directions are really very clearly written. There are tips or in-depth information on each recipe in the book, as well.

This cake was fantastic. It was not too sweet or too rich, and the chili powder gave it the best smoky-chocolate flavor. It might sound odd or different to you, but I highly recommend it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

I Always Do Worry for No Good Reason

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I volunteered to participate in an event at work. On Wednesday, the third annual Diversity Street Fair was held for a couple of hours in the middle of the work day. Employees and some community members set up tables or booths to display items, hobbies, or cultural foods - or just whatever people felt like sharing. It's a nice way to get people across this pretty big company to get out and see each other as regular people - not just office mates or scientists or managers, etc.  

I got a wild hair one day and responded to the call for volunteers. Deep down, I knew that I would do a fine job of displaying knitting stuff - I certainly have enough yarn, books, and tools to cover a table!  The closer I got to the date, the more I felt some stage fright, which was very silly. Some knitters and some non-knitters stopped and chatted with me. I pretended not to be shy, and I have been invited to join an small group of knitters. I cannot tell you how excited I am about that! I enjoy hanging out and doing crafty stuff with other people!!

Here is a picture of me at my table, courtesy of my friend Nanette:

I can't tell you why I am leaning a little, but it's kinda funny, right?  

I hope you are having a fantastic Saturday!

More than I expected from my mental health hour

I got off work a little early yesterday, which is typical for me on Fridays. Sometimes, I take this opportunity to do something by myself. I found a cozy spot in the lobby of the local library. There are some nice couches and an espresso stand in there, which draws in some hipsters. I saw some kids waiting for parents to pick them up, and a group of people were preparing for a celebration of all things related to Star Trek.

I was lucky enough to find my mp3 player in my knitting bag - hooray! Fueled by Florence + the Machine's Ceremonials (LOVE!!!), my knitting needles and I went to town. I started to look at my watch and was planning to leave to pick up the girls in about 10 minutes when an older couple approached me. I was confused when the lady looked like she was going to sit next to me - there were plenty of other places to sit. The man with her asked if they could interrupt me because his wife likes to knit and would like to chat for a bit. It was so sweet. We talked for a few minutes before I had to hit the road. It was a neat little surprise for my Friday afternoon break.

It made me realize how much I would really love to belong to a group of knitting/crafting people who meet up occasionally. I guess the crafting groups and book clubs probably won't come looking for me - I'll have to break out and find them!  :)

Oh, and Happy Caturday:

I'm a Little Nervous

I did something that is totally out of character for me. And, I am starting to get really nervous about it.

I volunteered (no one forced me to do this!) to show off my knitting stuff and my knitting skills at a social event at work. This is going down next Wednesday, and I think it will be fun if I can just settle down a little bit. I am going to take some yarn, some needles, and some books. I've been told that I can knit and answer questions.

Someone please tell me that I will come out of this okay!

I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, enjoy this little picture of an example of one of my past projects:

Kindle cover for the best father in law in the whole world.

*Pattern via Ravelry: Kindle Cables