The projects have begun

Gretchen turn your eyes away :)

My sister in law Gretchen had a baby last week, a day shy of her own birthday. His name is Owen Jacob. How cute right? I should have made this stuff months ago, but knew I would have ton of time here in Iowa. So, I tried some more onesies and a couple burp cloths. I think they turned out pretty cute. They are in the mail now, so hopefully she doesn't peek ;)

I thought of the first onesie as I was looking through my stash of fabric. A green checkered fabric reminded me of a snake, so I thought I might try it. I added some embellished detail to the face and the snake goes over the shoulder and twirls in the back. It was a bear to do on the sewing machine but it probably would have taken three times longer to do it by hand.

The finished product.

Turned out pretty cute, I think. I can't wait to meet little Owen once we make it back to Florida. He was  9 pounds, 6 ounces and Gretchen had a natural delivery. Holla! So amazing! I know you are giving her a standing ovation right now.

A nap

He's so sleepy. He needed a nap after lunch. So I layed down with him.

I was playing on the internet, then I remembered the webcam...

I love him.

I was sewing today. I'll show you the finished product soon :) 

The jail

You read that write, the jail. In this little town of Indianola, I had to go to the jail to get my fingerprints done. No, not because I am a criminal, it's because I am a nurse and the state of Kentucky won't let me be a nurse without a background check. Poo. I did this a few years ago in Tallahassee, the state of Texas wanted the same thing. I went to the Tallahassee Police Department, signed in on a waiting list, waited 20 minutes, paid a few bucks and I was done. They only did it on certain days, but that didn't bother me. No big thing. I kind of thought I might go through a similar experience here. I thought wrong. On Friday I called the police station here and this is how that conversation went...

Me: Hello, I need to get fingerprints done for a nursing license, can I do that at your office?
Operator: No you need to go to the jail, here is there number 512--------, click.
(the jail)
Me: Hello, I need to get fingerprints done for a nursing license, can I do that there?
Operator: (huge sigh) well, I guess.....
Me: Sooooooo, are there certain times that are better to come in?
Operator: (huge sigh) well, are you coming like, today? Because it it's today it would have to be after 1pm.
Me: Well, no, actually I was wondering if I could come Monday.
Operator: I guess, still have to come after 1-2pm.
Me: K, thanks for all your help.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

So, today was the big day. Gabe was in the car, I told him I would be back in a few. Went to the third floor of the court house, or the jail. Elevator door opens...sitting right in front of me is a felon with a bright orange suit and a cop asking him questions. It happened to be the smallest lobby in the entire country and I just stood there about a two feet away from the man. I was weireded out, scared, creeped, you name it. Felon walks away, to jail. Another cop asks what I need, I explain, and he was very nice. Took down my information, was a bit confused as to why I was in Iowa but when I mentioned the opera he understood. Another cop comes around and takes me to the fingerprint area, meanwhile shutting all the doors around us.

Cop: If I don't shut these doors, they might start hollering at you.
Me: Great, thanks

Fingerprints are done, thank goodness and I leave. The end. Then I thought, I could write about this on the blog...sorry no pics inside the courthouse. I bet you really would have wanted to see what the felon looked like, right?

Cabaret, all the way!

Here are some highlights from Caberet Night.  The first one's really hilarious!!!!



"Be my friend" or the Facebook song performed by Gabe and some of his facebook friends.



"I'd give it all for you" from Songs for a New World-the camera ran out of memory so we only got the first half.

(proudly posted by Gabe of gabeandchristina inc.)

1 week

(museum district, Houston)

What a difference a week makes. We left Houston last Thursday. Here are some things we miss and don't miss...

MISS

1. Our friends, most specifically the Beetles and the butterfly. Real people, promise.
Our church friends are innumerable. Everyone was wonderful!

2. Restaurants! Gabe would like to point out that he specifically misses any Vietnamese sandwich shop.

3. I miss the malls, The Galleria of course, but also Memorial City Mall. Especially the establishment formerly known as Auntie Anne's which is now a Wetzel Pretzel. I mean, come ooooon. It is sooo not the same.

4. SWIRL! Our most favorite frozen yogurt place. I've heard that there are comparable places in FL. We'll see.

5. I miss my coworkers. I also miss my patients, mostly long term patients that I've known since I started working there. It was so hard saying goodbye to some of them. I received the most overwhelming compliments in those last few days.

6. Something I am obviously forgetting-  

DON'T MISS
1. TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC, especially traffic at 2:00pm for absolutely no reason!

2. traffic

3. Some other coworkers, :) not naming names here

4. Gabe doesn't miss the act of going to school and being a student. Yeah for my husband!

5. HEAT! It's so pleasant here in Des Moines.

Gabe will be performing in a Cabaret performance In Des Moines at 7:30 tonight. I will try and get a video that isn't pasted with the sun, oh and upright as well. That would be good.

Casey's General Store

Ok, so it's basically just a gas station mart. But it's quickly becoming one of my favorite stops here.
I got a 44 ouncer, thats right 44oz fountain diet coke. Several hours later I hadn't even finished it. Note to self, never go with anything bigger than 32oz. I got to the register and the sweet girl said...

"Just the pop?"

and I said with a smile on my face...

"Yep, just the pop."

I am offcially in the midwest. It's nice here. I drove to Des Moines to go to the bank. Wouldn't you know there was a Joann Fabrics less than a mile away. I found fabric for a skirt I have been meaning to make. I've had the pattern for probably over a year and always get too intimidated by it. I will make that skirt. I WILL. I will. I will. I have some other stuff on my to do list as well.

Remember how I told you about the sing through for The marriage of Figaro last night. I decided to go with Gabe. There was a tornado warning, so we were all moved to the basement. I almost bit off all my nails. Where am I going to sleep I kept thinking!  Luckily, by the time it ended the warning was over and we could leave.

Oh, one more thing, my Gram would have been 90 today. Happy Birthday! Miss you!

Iowa day 5

My Day in a nutshell

Wake up shamefully late, because I'm not working, and sometimes I have trouble sleeping. But it's ok, because my lovey is sleeping next to me. And sometimes he wakes up and sees me awake and kisses me.

Blog updates. Don't you love it when you wake up and like 5 or more of the blogs you adore have been updated? I love it. I love bloggy world.

Then I wait for him to come back to our small abode so we can have lunch together. Today we decided on sandwhiches. It was lovely.

Watch the second episode of The Bachelorette on Hulu. Why do I put myself through this. I inevitably get sucked in.

Gym, unfamiliar gym, which makes me uncomfortable for some reason. Looking for familiar equipment and not seeing any. Fear to use equipment as I might appear like a doofus.

A trip to Walmart. That's right. An outing, to walmart, nonetheless. But, guess what I found at walmart, fabric and sewing notions. This made me happy. I know it's so close in case I need something real quick for a project. I just bought essential food items, though.

Back at small abode waiting for Gabe to come back for dinner. Then he's off to a sing through of The Marriage of Figaro, for which he is covering the part of the Count. (For non-singers, that means he goes on if the professional, more experienced singer gets sick or something. It's good for Gabe's resume. He's excited about it.) I might go listen. Or watch hulu again. My sewing machine is here, I guess I just need a push to get me started. I promise you'll see projects soon.

Oh, and I finished Eclipse, again, last night. I could not be more ready for the movie to come out. Seriously.

(view from our room)

P.S. Thanks for reading.