7 Quick Takes: Cocktails, Embroidery, and a Cake

Thanks to the miracles of planning ahead a little and a baby who’s happy in a bouncy chair, I actually have 7 quick takes today!

— 1 —

We bought a bag of spinach earlier this week, with this recipe in mind.  Unfortunately, we were at Costco, so the bag is big enough that Maddy could live in it (except for that whole thing about babies and plastic bags, of course).

It was a great deal, but now there are two problems: first, we’ve got a lot of spinach to eat.  Second, I somehow got it in my head that there’s probably a giant spider hiding deep in that jungle of a bag, waiting for me to reach in up to my elbow.  Totally rational.  The options, as I see them, are to shake it out gingerly at arm’s length, or make Johnny do it when he gets home.  Or set it in the kitchen sink and light it on fire, just to be safe.

— 2 —

I made my own birthday cake again this year, but unlike last year, it was a huge hit.  I used this Strawberry Icebox Cake recipe, which seemed too good to be true, but it did not disappoint.  I was able to do it in about 20 minutes, one-handed while holding a baby, and it still turned out well (and pretty, if I do say so).  I imagine that it’d be ridiculously easy to make gluten-free, too, for those who care about that sort of thing.

— 3 —

I made a baby dress earlier this week, for a grand total of 15 minutes, $1.50 for the onesie (thank you, Once Upon a Child), and a t-shirt that I was going to give to Goodwill anyway.  I was so easy, I’ll probably make many more (and I did take pictures of the process, so I’ll post a step-by-step at some point).

— 4 —

Now that the weather is pleasant, Maddy and I have been running pretty consistently the last few weeks.  We’re on week 3 of the trusty Couch to 5K program.  I just calculated that she + stroller adds 50 pounds to my load, so I’m pretty pleased with the fact that it’s still going well.  I realized last year that running with music is less distracting than running with talking, and since being distracted is the name of the game, I’ve been loading up on the podcasts.  Between Fountains of Carrots and Stuff You Missed In History Class, I’m getting my introvert social fix, and learning obscure facts.

I’m also glad to have the opportunity to get out and enjoy the spring sights:

— 5 —

Johnny and I made it out of the house last night for our first date night sans baby (thanks, Katie, for babysitting!).  I wore a dress that wasn’t nursing-friendly, had free use of my arms for the whole time, and ordered a real cocktail (the first time I’ve done that in almost a year!).  I was going to get an Irish Coffee, but we were at a fancypants restaurant with a real cocktail menu, so I decided to step out of my usual rut and ordered a Rickson (well, I ordered the Dark and Stormy first, but they were out of ginger beer.  Outrage).  It was a little girly (see the fruit), but definitely packed a punch.  I’ll have to try to duplicate it at home, but I can’t find recipes online, so I’ll have to do it soon before I forget it.  Darn.

Also to duplicate at home: the fried Brussels Sprouts we had as an appetizer.  Mind-blowing.

— 6 —

Instead of blogging, I should be spending all my free time working on embroidering this maniturgium for a friend’s ordination.  The due date is coming up (it’s hard to forget, since it’s literally right in front of me), but I got a late start on it due to some supply problems.  Luckily, it’s going quickly and I’m really pleased with it.  The idea of making something that his mother will take with her to heaven adds a little pressure, but I’m honored to have been asked, and I can’t wait for the finished product.

— 7 —

And finally, because people demand it one with every post, a photo of the blue-eyed bath lover:

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