Rutabaga Sunset

From Jen's email with Baby Julianna's size descriptor for week 25:

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Had sunshine today!!! It has been a while since I've seen that strange yet vaguely familiar yellow orb in the sky. Of course, it only got up to 45 outside (and the temp is already down to 41.7 and rapidly falling) but it was beautiful to see and feel some sunshine instead of the grey drippyness that has been so constant lately. Pictures are just before and after today's sunset.


Have my weather station all set up -- found a handy nail by the front door to hang the outdoor temperature and humidity sensor and have the wind gauge on the pole I also use for the bird feeder. The nuts securing it to the U clamp are only finger tightened -- when my downstairs neighbor returns home, I'll ask if he has a wrench or some other tool to properly tighten the gauge to the pole.

Baby Corn Christmas

Seeing Jen today reminded me that I had neglected to share this week's Baby Julianna size descriptor:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Had a nice low key Christmas -- talked to Stephanie on the phone while I opened my gifts from her -- love the framed photo of her and the K's, my Maxine desk calendar, the ornaments, and Token's coat (with hood) is too cute. She's having a fun Christmas in southern Kansas at the K's parents' house before they head to the K's sister's house in northern Kansas.

Today, Mike and Jen came over the coast range for a visit and to celebrate but the weather was terrible. They had chunky rain (a snow/rain/ice mix) coming over the Wilson River summit and there was a ferocious hailstorm here just as they arrived. We decided it would be a short visit so they could get back over the pass before the snow levels fell. The summit is 1,500 ft and snow levels were predicted to be down to 1,000 ft by mid to late afternoon.

We had a wonderful visit in a short amount of time. Got to rub Jen's belly (so much bigger) and poke at Baby Julianna Corn trying to get her to kick back at me but to no avail. Jen and Mike got me the cutest bird feeder, a pair of Rachel Ray silicon large spoons that are notched so ya can hook them on the pot rim (eliminating having to use a spoon holder next to the stove), and a way cool weather station (with wind gauge!) and I've been putting batteries in the various components and reading the set up manual. My old weather station died earlier this year and I've been having to rely on online sites for temperatures. My old station was also a gift from Jen many years ago when I was still at the cabin.

No picture up top because there has been nothing but gray drippy skies -- and because I forking forgot to take pictures while Jen and Mike were here. Doh!

Merry Christmas From The Family

Merry Christmas From The Family -- Robert Earl Keen.

From my family to yours... Merry Christmas.

Early Christmas

Stephanie sent personalized Christmas ornaments that she found online this year. She had me open the box when it arrived while we were talking on the phone.

Ohmystars, just look at it! Token has a red collar (like he did when he was a puppy), Baileycat is gray and always looking away, there is a warm fire blazing with the critters on opposite sides as they prefer, and Christmas stockings for me and my girls. I got all misty eyed when I unwrapped it, and looking at it still brings a smile to my face.

She also found the perfect one to send to Jen:


I love that Dublin and Dodger, Jen and Mike's dogs, are in the sled.

The Digital Story of the Nativity

Answering the question: What if Joseph and Mary had Facebook and Twitter 2,110 years ago ... The Digital Story of the Nativity

Mango Sunset

Haven't had much sun this week -- in fact, the pictures up top are the before and after from the only bit of color I've had -- and are from Wednesday. The sun peaked out from below the ever-present layer of clouds just in time to share a wee bit of color before the clouds closed in again.

From this week's email from Jen with Baby Julianna's size descriptor:

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Jen had a doctor appointment this week and the doc said Baby Julianna Mango measured exactly what she should measure at 23 weeks. Wonder what next week's size descriptor will be ...

Squash Christmash

Baby Squash is Julianna's size descriptor from Jen's email:

Here is this weeks update.

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

Stephanie sent me her Christmash Lihst and said I could share. Had me totally cracking up laughing:

Dear Mama Elf (Santa's special helper :D),

I have been really good this year! If you could please, I would especially like an iPad :D I know they are expensive...but it would be nice to have so I can get on the internet anywhere and randomly buy my mommy presents throughout the year, plus you can always dually use it to listen to college lectures and sermons!

Also an iHome would be nice, I'm kind of like to blast music while I'm cleaning my house, crocheting blankets, knitting sweaters and reading my Bible.

It would also be nice to have a Barnes and Nobles/Borders gift card (not an online one since I like to look at books in the store) so I can buy books on Philosophy, Bio-Chemistry, Female roles in the home, and Learning to speak Dutch.

Also, maybe an Oregon Ducks sweatshirt and sweat pants and tee shirt (I like them a lot) you know...simple ones that aren't that shiny material, I don't like those. But, they would be nice to have so I can lounge around the house reading books from my Barnes and Noble gift card.

A new Tom-Tom would also be nice one with a free lifetime traffic update subscription so I can get around without being lost and stranded in mountains for the mountain men and bears to find me.

A Hobby Lobby Gift Card is always nice too, I enjoy that store greatly.

One of These in a size Large.

These in XL? I think...lol

1 2 3 4 5

This in a size 11

Hmmmm, I'm thinking that that is almost all that I can think of. These are just a bunch of ideas :D

Thanks Mama Elf!!

P.S. I've been really good!!!!

Love,Stephanie

Sunset Through My Window

The view from where I sit at the computer. That's the finch feeder Teddy gave me hanging on the pole at the corner of the deck.

The bank of 3 windows -- the center is the best for viewing the bay and sunsets -- the view out the 3rd is mainly the stand of trees you see framing the right side of a lot of my pictures.

A close up of the after sunset glow.

Finally, one that was not taken from inside -- this is from the deck just outside the front door -- showing the last of the fading glow

It cold out there taking it. Scurried backside and stood next to the blazing wood stove trying to warm up.

Baby Carrot Sunset

From Jen's email with this week's size descriptor for Julianna:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

Tonight's sunset -- before, during, and after.