Remember how I'm breaking up the 100 Things into 10-thing sections? Remember the 100 Things? Remember me? Well, you need not remember any of the above to enjoy this, the HURRAH edition of my fragmented 100 Things. These are 10 things that make JulieFrick celebrate!
41. HURRAH for baking with kids. Yes, there was flour everywhere afterward, necessitating the use of the vacuum cleaner, which both boys hate with the fire of seven suns, but that is the price they pay for quality time with Mama.
(See the Fricklet there in the reflection? Awwww.)
42. HURRAH for challah! It's my new favorite baking-with-kids project. Why? It involves use of the mixer (spinny!), witnessing the miracle of bread rising (science!), punching and kneading dough (aggression!), and "painting" with the pastry brush (art!). I mean, come ON. Way better than chocolate chip cookie making. (I used the recipe in the Enchanted Broccoli Forest.)
43. Hurrah for handspun! Spinning wool is something I'm keeping at a flailing arm's length for now, but that doesn't keep me from hoarding beautiful handspun yarn and friends who spin. Yes, you read that right. I am hoarding people now. There's no end to my sickness.
Speaking of which, 44. Hurrah for Kirsten! I unabashedly declare myself terribly, undeniably, inappropriately in love with her and her family. She designs such gorgeous patterns and has allowed me to test knit for her a few times. Witness the glory that is a Rectangular Ulmus in Crown Mountain Farms handspun, people:
(More details on the Ravelry page.)
5. HURRAH for nostalgia food. As a kid my favorite lunches were:
a. Kraft Mac & C with cut-up Oscar Meyer hot dogs in it. (No other hot dog brands allowed, to this day.)
b. Stouffer's French Bread pizza, with the triangle-cut pepperonis.
c. Ramen with peanut buttered apples on the side.
Good news! If you eat your nostalgia food on a totally grownup plate, like the fancy Italian pottery you got for your wedding, that makes it grownup food. Promise.
(Note the cheese powder is not entirely stirred in, and the hot dogs were cut and charred a bit. This is key.)
46. HURRAH for kismet. I may have squealed a bit when that appeared on my Google Reader.
47. HURRAH for thank you notes. No, really. If you don't hurrah them, you still have to do them, and then it's just drudgery. I was brought up by southerners, which means that I do thank-you's, because the thank-you's I don't do (and there have been some) haunt me endlessly. Get yourself some pretty, pretty postcards (48. HURRAH for those!). They make the job easier. And shorter!
(I got mine from Moo. They have some lovely ready-made ones.)
49. HURRAH for hanging art! I am horrible at this. Mr. Frick is forever wringing his hands over our bare walls. I'm just so bad at committing. Once it's up there, there's a Hole In The Wall, after all. But my parents gave me a fantastic piece for the holidays and I was so excited about it that I whipped out the hammer and special hardened nails and WHAMMO.
10. And finally, HURRAH for projects that are quick, easy, and oh, so sweet. I love how these scraps Caro sent me have livened up the cover of my quilt-planning molskine! (Idea from Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts).
Have a super-duper bubbly-infused New Year, y'all. I'm headed to the mountains for a couple of days. That's where the macrame owl lives. I promise to steal it take pictures for you.
Oh, how I loved Stouffer's French bread pizza.
Happy New Year!!
Posted by: Adrian | December 30, 2009 at 01:18 PM
Hurrah for ALL those things. Breaking up the big list really is a great way to do this. (Have I mentioned how happy I am you're blogging again?)
Posted by: caro | December 30, 2009 at 01:19 PM
Your mention of kid food makes me want to eat a peanut butter & grape jelly sandwich with potato chips on it.
Posted by: Specs | December 30, 2009 at 01:24 PM
And: HURRAH for JulieFrick blogging! Woohoo!
What a lovely list! What a lovely scarf! What a lovely painting! Etc. (I have the same problem with committing to hanging art).
Yay! Happy new year!
Posted by: earthchick | December 30, 2009 at 01:33 PM
Hurrah especially for thank you notes. I'm a bit southern myself and I know what you mean - they really do hover above you if they aren't done yet (like. right. now.)
Posted by: Hannahbelle | December 30, 2009 at 01:49 PM
Hurrah for all the stuff in this post, especially the mac 'n cheese!
Posted by: grumperina | December 30, 2009 at 04:55 PM
I really love 3m picture hanging strips. I, too, am horrible at commiting - what if I want to change it? Move it? What if I hate it there? Of course, after it's up there, inertia means it'll stay there for at least dickety-three years.
But the picture hanging strips with the velcro bits are strong enough that I have no fear that my lovely art will fall off, but am comforted by the fact that I can change it whenever I can get off my lazy arse.
Posted by: Kate | December 30, 2009 at 05:24 PM
So glad to see you blogging again! Happy New Year!!
Posted by: Melissa | December 30, 2009 at 06:12 PM
Is it bad that I STILL love Stouffers french bread pizza? And may in fact have some in my freezer as we speak?? I thought not. Anywho...Happy New Years!
Posted by: Jen | December 31, 2009 at 06:12 AM
i don't really have anything more to say but what i did on flickr, but as i'm trying to get back in the habit of reading and commenting, here i am.
challah is next on my to-make list, i think.
Posted by: mintyfresh | December 31, 2009 at 06:48 AM
Yay for it all and yay for Thank-you notes and they must say more than just thank-you! And I'm with mintyfresh - gotta make that challah!
Posted by: Patty | December 31, 2009 at 09:21 AM
I'm so glad you are back!!! I have missed you! I am back too, but in a new blog. Here's to reconnecting in the new year!
Posted by: KaKi McKinney | January 01, 2010 at 08:19 AM
Oooohh, thanks for sharing that the challah recipe was in Enchanted Broccoli Forest...I'm making a note to look that one up!
And I had to laugh at your loyalty to Oscar Myer...I try to not eat hot dogs much, but when I do, they are the only brand...I love to scramble some with eggs and I too, sort of char them first before adding the eggs (yeah, weird idea I picked up from living with 3 Hungarian guys on a horse farm in my younger days!).
Posted by: Rachel | January 02, 2010 at 01:42 PM
I totally have some thank you notes hovering right now - there is something so satisfying about finishing them and mailing them all off. I need to get cracking on that!
Hurrah for all your hurrahs! That crochet post made me droooooool - I bookmarked it for future reference. and drooling.
Posted by: Carrie | January 03, 2010 at 04:33 PM
OK, so because of you my friend I am booking a crochet lesson with my bestie Babs at our local lys. I think it was the whole 'stash diminishing' thing that got me...
Posted by: Heather | January 05, 2010 at 04:29 PM
it's so nice to have you back. your blog is both fun to read and beautiful. beautiful! love the first photo so much.
Posted by: Haley | January 07, 2010 at 05:04 PM