Goodbye For Now

It's been such a long time since I last posted. And the funny thing is, I have no clue where the time has gone.

I've been working hard, teaching three classes this session (Cooking, Creative Writing and Codes, Puzzles and Word Games). But now work is over. This week is the mid-winter break for Easthampton Public Schools, but it's also the beginning of what we can call my maternity leave. Because our program sessions run approximately 8 weeks each, the next (beginning next week) runs into mid-April, which Andy and I thought came a little too close to my due date (May 2). So I opted not to teach this session, aside from substitute work in the after school program (which comes in handy, since I already know I'm working 3 days next week. So even though my "break" has started, it's really doesn't feel like it).

I've also been busy with baby stuff. I still have other interests, I haven't lost my sense of self or my identity (always a fear, I think, for a modern-woman-turned-mama...or at least for me) but I have definitely devoted a lot of my time and energy into reading up on all things baby. But, you know, when you have a living thing inside you, kicking you and reminding you it's there 24/7, it's hard not to be obsessed.

We are still gradually working on our home. Now that we've been living in this house for nearly eight months, we do truly feel like it's home.

Day by day new things are being set up or arranged, everything we can do to make this our home. I suddenly understand how my grandparents' house never really changed. The placement of each piece of furniture or candy dish seemed like it had been there forever (probably had) and would outlive us all (which they all did, for the most part).

As someone who lived in a variety of places growing up, as well as moving between divorced parents' homes, I feel now the amazing comfort in simply setting up my belongings and knowing that I will not have to move them anytime soon. It does make me wonder if you were to fast forward 50 years into the future, would the house would look completely the same with the exception of Andy and I looking 50 years older? While I can see that being depressing to some, it doesn't bother me in the least. The worrywart side of me likes the stability that image implies.

Anyway.

Because I have a hunch that in coming months life will start to become all-things-baby, and because I feel there's a natural line being drawn in our lives, no matter how resistant we might be toward it (life before baby and life after baby), I have decided to retire this blog and move the party over to my newer blog -
Western Mass Mama.

The new blog, as the title indicates, is a bit more baby/family-oriented. I also started it not so much as a personal "all about me" blog (like this one has been) but more of a resource for parents in our area.

When I started looking for information on prenatal yoga in the Western Massachusetts area, I could find very little info. The same goes for other parent or child-related things. So that's the mission of the new blog - provide some resources for parents in the area.

The blog is also pretty new, so now that I'm on leave and moving forward in my pregnancy, I hope to devote a little more time to it and flesh out some ideas. I hope you will check it out, even if you don't live in the area (and aren't a parent).

So, here we are.

It's been a long run.
A fun run, since my first ever blog post - my outrage over "Veronica Mars" being canceled, to my summer of training for the NYC Teaching Fellows to the first of many accounts of our 8 months living in Prague and traveling around Europe, from 2008-2009; and finally, to our moving back to the US and buying a house (and the decorating that followed), and of course, to finding out we were expecting a baby.

Thank you for dropping by, and I hope to see you soon!

Allyn (Western Mass Mama)

Kooky Old Ladies

I'm a big fan of kooky old ladies - are you? Who isn't!

I hope you get as much happiness and joy out of watching this video as I did!

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays!

We are so thankful to be celebrating Christmas with our family, and are also thinking of our family in the Czech Republic, where we had such a blast celebrating Christmas last year.

Have a lovely holiday, everyone!

*AND, if you are looking for something to do with your time off, feel free to check out a great new blog - Western Mass Mama - by someone you're a little familiar with, about baby-related stuff in Western Massachusetts, and pregnancy in general. Enjoy!

The Answer!!

It's a girl!!

We're thrilled!

Baby Boy or Baby Girl??

Tomorrow we have our anatomy scan ultrasound, where we'll find out if we're having a girl or a boy!! Hooray!

Our plan is to have the tech write it down and put it in an envelope. Then we'll go someplace private and open it just Andy and me, and find out what we'll be expecting.

Can't wait!

Holiday Madness Begins!

I haven't written much lately. Truth is... I've been really sick! Like, 1st trimester morning (all-day)sickness and serious fatigue.

It's not pleasant. Especially since I'm nearly 18 weeks pregnant (this Sunday!). I should be feeling better, and I'm not. But I am looking forward to feeling the baby move, which could happen any day now.

But, we go on. Other than that I'm fine, and obviously very obsessed with baby stuff right now, which is the real reason I haven't written as much lately. Oh, and work. That takes my time, too.

On the bright side, it's the day before Thanksgiving! We will be spending the time with family, and it's exciting to realize that next year we'll have an extra mouth to feed pureed sweet potatoes to. Yay! It's also amazing to think that on Thanksgiving last year we were in Prague and went to our favorite Thai place, Noi, in Stare Mesto (I don't have the energy to go looking for proper accents right now, sorry).

Have a great holiday, everyone!

Announcement Time!

Family and friends know this already, but for everyone else...

I'm pregnant!

My mind and focus have been all over the place lately, and I've been very baby-oriented.
Today I am 14 weeks. Today the baby is the size of a 3.5" lemon!

Here's my 14 week picture. I'm starting to show a bit! I wasn't the skinniest to begin with, but I'm fairly confident that the bump that's starting to show is baby and not ice cream and Halloween candy (*I hope!*).

Before & After: Master Bedroom

I'm finally ready to unveil Step 1 of our Master Bedroom Redo!

The redecorating of our master bedroom was no small feat... if anyone remembers, the previous owners had some very eclectic taste which they exhibited masterfully in the master bedroom.

The room was a mix of sponged-on mustard yellow walls and large vertical stripes of red and green fabric separated by gold ribbon a la Christmas wrapping. Hm. Interesting.

What we did: We used Stone 2 by Laura Ashely (from Lowe's) on the walls. I saw the color on a design blog, where it was used in a nursery and I loved it. It's surprising, because it's a pretty neutral color for me (I'm generally a bit more dramatic and bold) but it was so soft and pretty and completely unlike the look of the room that we wanted desperately to undo.

The paint is a kind of pinky-taupe that I think looks amazing with our bed (which I've had dreams of for years and we finally got from Humble Abode). I realize most of these after pictures are bed-centric... but we don't have other furniture, aside from a dresser, and it's not a huge room so the bed really is the focal point.

We have so much more to do to bring the whole room together (Step 2) - curtains, pictures of walls...but for now this is what we've got!

Before Pictures









After Pictures

The Cutest Dog Ever

Vivi Videos!!

Vivi has a wild moment:



Vivi barks and just looks cute:



Vivi tilts her head in response to an obnoxious sound:

Outside Seasonal Decorations

As promised, here's the fall decorations on the front of our house...

Actually, we think we'll leave the crazy weird and slightly scary (and creepy) flying monkey hanging from the nail in the middle of the porch ceiling. This was my dad's and we love it. No matter how weird it is!

Coming Soon...

...My new unhealthy love for seasonal decorations.

Seriously, I don't know who this person is that I've become, but all I want to do is buy, like, twelve different wreaths for my front door.

Stay tuned...

Welcome to the Neti Pot!

This week I got sick.

This was a major drag, because last weekend I was fine, but on Sunday I started sneezing. I figured it was allergies.

I continued to sneeze on Monday. "Damn allergies!" I thought to myself.

I went to work, and then to an after work meeting in Northampton at La Veracruzana, a Mexican take out/eat in restaurant. I was super proud of myself because I drove into Northampton, parallel parked, went to the meeting and then drove home in the dark - all by myself!! (Remember, I'm a new driver, so these were firsts... don't kill my buzz, dude.)

(La Veracruzana Side Note: I took home two Carne Asada Burritos for Andy and me... they were fine, for what they were, and the salsa was great, and I appreciated that I got some limes with the order... but I really find myself missing Burritoville and it's creativity!!)
Anyway, somewhere on the drive between La Veracruzana and my house, I came down with an awful head cold. I was suddenly so congested and disgusting that I could barely be alive. I was sneezing non-stop... it was gross.

A day later I'd had to miss work and was still nasty, so I forced Andy to drive me to Whole Foods where I purchased my first Neti Pot.

A neti pot is a little pot (kind of looks like a mini tea pot) that you fill with warm saline water (you buy the neti pot salt separately and mix it in, or use Kosher salt), and then pour it into one nostril for it to come out the other. Sounds gross, right?

It kind of is, at first, and when I first did it I felt like I'd jumped into a pool... it's just that water-in-your-nose-and-face-cavity feeling. But you get over that.

The whole point is that the saline washes out toxins and mucous and crap that's making you all congested and nasty. And, by Golly!, it worked! It absolutely worked. I've been doing it twice a day for three days now and I feel great. I would definitely recommend the neti pot to anyone. I mean, people swear by it for relief for allergies, sinus issues, everything, and now I know why. I'm a true devotee for life.

Hooray for the Neti Pot!!

And if you have a hard time picturing the process, here's the official how-to video to help you:

New Rug!

Hooray, we finally got a rug for the living room! It finally feels (fairly) complete. We still have some little tables to buy and pictures to put on the walls, but it feels like a real room now.

We got the rug from homedecorators.com, which has proven to be a pretty great resource for us. We also got our TV cabinet, standing/reading lamp from them, and now we're waiting for our new dining room chandelier.

It was also a relief, because we weren't sure what colors would look good...I've gone with a semi-monochromatic look (notice how most things in here are blue?) with highlights of yellowy-gold (the couch) and the complementary color of orange (the copper of the top of the coffee table).

Anyway, the rug looks fab with it all, I think. If you disagree, don't tell me!

I'm a Jerk!

Not really, but I am busy.

With my job...remember, that thing, that job, I got?

It keeps me busy.

Working.

And I'm tired.

That's why I've not written lately.

I work with kids, you know.

And they're young.

Some are, like, five. Years old.

So, I'm kinda beat lately.

But, I'll write soon. Just know I'm alive, just super tired.

I'll be back soon!

New Job

I started my job yesterday.

Back to the world of schools, children and perfecting my "scary" face (a.k.a. my "stop-talking-now-or-I-will-call-your-parents-and-make-your-world-hellish" face).

It was great to be back working. I'm working at two elementary schools here in Easthampton. Today I'll have my first day at a different school than yesterday. I get such butterflies in my stomach anytime I have to start something - anything - new; I just hate it. But yesterday went well and I'm sure today will, too. It's just the getting into the routine process.

It's really starting to feel like fall here in the Pioneer Valley, too. I always sleep with the windows open and there's such a chilly breeze coming through in the morning, it definitely feels like the start of the school year.

You can practically smell October and Halloween creeping up.

I love it.

If you want more...

pictures, of me, Andy, Vivi and Western Massachusetts, click here.

Vacation at Home Reflection

Our "Vacation at Home" has just finished, and we had a great time. Edith was here staying with us for a time, so she embarked on some of these journey as well.

Thursday we went for lunch at La Casita Azteca in Easthampton, my favorite local mole place. Afterward we did a relatively brief (45 mins) walk on Mt. Tom, then we went to the Montague Bookmill, which was pretty awesome.

Friday Andy and I headed off for Quabbin Reservoir, planning to do a nice big hike and give Vivi some great exercise. Of course, as soon as we got there (about a 30 min drive) we saw the sign: NO DOGS ALLOWED. Ugh. So, we'll return some other time (though I did get to snap a couple pictures from the entrance), and instead went for a walk in some off-season fishing and hunting area. Not the same, but good nonetheless. Later we stopped at a roadside stand for fried clam rolls. Yum!

Saturday was rainy and crappy, so we went to Ikea. It was an hour and twenty minute drive, since the closest one is in New Haven, CT.

Andy, Edith and I decided to make the most of it, and stopped to get pizza at Frank Pepe pizza on Wooster St, which is supposedly the greatest pizza ever, but the line was long, we were cold and starving, so we went to a lesser known spot a couple blocks down and surely had lesser food. Ah, well. Then we bought stuff at Ikea, went home and vegged for the rest of the night.

Sunday we all went to some yard sales, but the only thing purchased was a children's book called Tea with an Old Dragon: A Story of Sophia Smith, Founder of Smith College for a buck. We dropped Edith back at home, then Andy and I went to Bub's BBQ for lunch. It was AWESOME. Great, smoky pulled pork sandwiches, awesome BBQ Ranch beans, everything was great. I'm so happy this place is open year round, and in our area.

After lunch we went for what ended up being a crazy steep and semi-difficult hike to Rattlesnake Knob in Amherst, where it was all worth it for the view. Needless to say, Vivi and I were dead for the rest of the night.

Finally yesterday we saw "Inglourious Basterds" which was okay, but I didn't like it as much as so many other people. The beginning was promising, with the conversation
at the French dairy farm that was reminiscent of "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction." ("Pulp Fiction" is also Andy's favorite movie.) But Andy and I both felt the second half (after the scene in the pub) dragged. There was still good stuff, but once again I had high expectations that I feel weren't met (sadly I felt the same about "Julie and Julia"). Ah, well.

The awesome news for yesterday, though, was that we found Banh Mi in the Pioneer Valley!! We randomly went for lunch at Miss Saigon in Amherst and there on the door was a sign that they were making Banh Mi. We are suckers for these Vietnamese sandwiches, which have gotten so popular lately, and after trying them in NY, I had searched and searched for them here and found nothing. And they were good! I'm seriously considering stopping for another one for lunch today. We'll see.

Now, it's kind of back to the grind. Andy's back at work, and I'm prepping for next Tuesday, my first day back at work since June 2008! Weird. And exciting.

How are you spending the last days of the summer?

Day Trips & Fun Spots in the Pioneer Valley

Andy has four days off next week. We'd initially thought we'd make a trip to the Cape at some point, but because of various life things right now I suggested we do a "vacation at home" instead.

So, instead of spending the money to go away and stay in a hotel AND pay for every meal, we'll stay here at home but do vacation-y, explorer-y trips each day.

After all, we've lived here in Easthampton since June and really haven't explored much, like Mt. Tom or anything. We just went to Look Park in Northampton for the first time on Monday!

With this plan we can also actually splurge on a few nice restaurants and maybe even buy some "souvenirs" in our travels, AND get some exercise AND have fun in the nature and towns of the Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts.

I was reading a recent post in a great local blog, in the valley, that has some amazing pictures from Mt. Pollux (click on that link to see them). So, I think we might try that for a picnic one (clear) evening. The sky from that spot just looks breathtaking!

Also on my list is the Montague Bookmill, which sounds very exciting to me, and the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst. Have I mentioned I'm an English Teacher? This is the stuff that gets me going!

(Now that I think of it, Mark Twain's house is in CT... maybe I should see how long the drive is?)

If you know of any fun places to go to see, eat, enjoy - whatever - anywhere here in the Pioneer Valley, please suggest it!!

Found Me A Job!

Time to reveal that I've got a job! I will be teaching Poetry and Newspaper for an after school program here in the town.

Where I live.

Trying not to reveal too much.

Trying to be professional.

Very happy to be teaching again. This program will be quite structured and for this I am thrilled. I am in the process of doing curriculum plans. Nice.

Other than that... I was out of town last week visiting my grandmother in the Midwest. She's in the hospital. It's kind of stressful time, as she's 92 and we all love her so much. That's about all I'll share for now.

We took Vivi to the vet today and she got her rabies shot and took it like a pro. That bitch has got mad skills as toughin' it out through the pain and discomfort. Like her moms.

She also has gained 2.2 pounds, for a grand total of 6.2 pounds now!! She's growing so fast and it just breaks my heart. I can't imagine having a baby, as this puppy's throwing me for a major loop. Ah, well.

Back to my research for lessons now...and if anyone has any tips on producing a class newspaper (like, um, can it be on regular 8x11.5 paper?) please leave 'em in the comments section).

The Puppy!

Click here for pictures!

Some are old but there's some new ones on there.
She just turned 12 weeks yesterday. We've had her for 5 weeks now.