The torture is almost over.

In about a month and a half I get my Airman back! Finally, after 6 months of separation and torture we will be able to be together again and really start our married lives together in our new home!

www.onlinecountdowns.com

Most Christmas songs don't make me cry but...

...This one, as of lately, does. I have to quickly skip the track on the CD before the recordings of the military members serving in Iraq and their family at home start playing. This song has nothing to do with Jesus birth and it is usually not one of my favorites, but the way that this version in cooperates the military is beautiful.



JoJo is only in Washington state and hasn't yet deployed, but... still.
I'll be home for Christmas, but he won't and it is...hard. I would like to hope for next year but...who knows where either of us will be. That is sort of a difficult way to have to live life, but, as always, it is so worth it. For right now I am just making the best with what we've got and counting the days until we (his mom, 2 sisters and I) fly out in February!

It's that time of year- CUSTOM KNITS AND CROCHETS!

Hey everyone. I generally try and avoid posts like this on my blog, but now that I am no longer trying to run an etsy and am only doing custom orders (and am a broke college student who drives a gas guzzling SUV)  I wanted to do a post about cozy knitted and crocheted items I would happily custom make for anyone who is interested!

Crocheted Animal Ear Flap Hats! 

I can do whatever sort of eared animal you desire, with or without felt/button faces. Or simply a ear flap hat, sans animal characteristics if you would prefer. Adult or child sized.

Below are a panda, fox and a sock monkey.

Knit or crocheted BEANIES and BERETS! 

Any size! Any color combo!

KNIT HAND WARMERS/FINGERLESS GLOVES

 These are great alone, or layered over fingered gloves. I have only made adult sizes, but I would be able to alter the pattern to a child's size. You pick your colors! (Perhaps to match your favorite coat. Or a fabulous above pictured custom hat!?)

And these aren't wearable really, but are equally as cozy...

 Crocheted AMIGURUMI STUFFED ANIMALS!

Pretty much any animal, in colors of your choice.

I've done bears, dogs, cats, bunnies, elephants, turtles, pigs, birds, pandas...

Usually around 8-12 inches in height.

Fun stuff, eh? Great for fall. Wonderful for winter. Also, all of these things make great gifts!

Comment, or send me an email at call(DOT)me(DOT)ardent(AT)gmail(DOT)com if you are interested in discussing a custom order or pricings! Thanks everyone!

Tradition!!!

In the pleasant chaos that as the end of December I didn't get around to posting pictures from a shopping trip my family makes every year at Christmas (and Thanksgiving...and sometimes Easter) time.

Whatever holiday we end up celebrating with my dad's (Italian) family always requires lots of authentic, Italian munchables. And there is only one place my family ever gets these traditional eats: D&D Market.

My dad goes every year for Christmas, usually the day before Christmas Eve, and takes a couple kids with him. He is in charge of getting all meats, cheese, olives, bread, and other such things for "antipasto" (meaning "before the meal" food, in Italian). His dad used to go every year, as did his grandfather. It is one of those traditions that has just stuck with us.

This year he took two of my sisters, and I joined in for the sake of photo documentation (and to remind him that we need lots of Sicilian olives, little balls of mozzarella and bags of rosemary crackers.).

Take a looksie (full set on Flickr!)

 all the rich stuff.

 HOLY LOT OF NUTELLA, BATMAN! 

Guess how much that big one was? 

$80! WHOA!

 Dear Buffalo Mozzarella,

You are so delicious. I think I love you more for that it is healthy.

Love, Bella

Dear Water Buffalo's,

HOW DO YOU make such magical cheese? I love you as well.

Love, Bella

 Waiting at the deli.

 My twelve year old sister looks at this (proscuitto rolled in mozzarella) and asks "Is that sushi?"

*BELLA SMACKS HEAD

The sweet, Italian Butcher-man (who has worked there as long as I can remember) offered to take a picture of my sisters and I when he saw me shooting pictures of everything.

I felt like such a tourist...?

D&D Market. It never really changes. Every time we go it is very much the same, and most of the time we buy more or less all the same stuff. I've been many times, but I still like to go when I get the chance. It is just one of those traditions that goes along with Christmas. It has been passed on for so many years that I don't think I can have a Christmas dinner (or before dinner snacks) without mozzarella and Sicilian Olives. And I don't plan I trying to.

**Dear Far-in-the-Future Kids of Bella,

You had better like cheese, olives and lots of bread.

Otherwise you won't be eating on Christmas.

I am warning you now...

 

TWENTY TEN RECAPPED

And yes, I am still alive! No! I haven't died! I'm here! I'm here!

So sorry I haven't posted in a long while. The holidays were busy with friends, family and fun and as soon as Christmas pasted my internet crashed. FOR A WHOLE WEEK! But finally I am back to post again. I am not even sure I can recap all of my year, or even the last 2 weeks. So I think I will just pull some of my favorite pictures/moments from 2010 and post those...

New (converted attic) bedroom!

19th birthday with flaming pineapple

my youth group's (Merge Ahead) worship team leading worship at the Rhode Island Awakening Conference

My sassy, fabulous Ethiopian sister coming home

My hair losing its "virginity"

Seriously good thrifting

 Projects. Creativity. Making stuff.

 Cheering on my team (England) in the world cup

/ watching them lose and the personal agony that followed.

 An amazing mission trip to San Jose, Costa Rica

Finishing off said trip with rain forest zip-lining.

Seriously silly 22nd birthday parties for cool girls

Family vacation to Westerly, Rhode Island

Rebellion.

Bettering myself at photography (more posts on that coming soon!!!!)

Shooting guns.

 Trying to better myself at cooking
(I'm am working my way to up being a crazily well-rounded, multi-skilled individual)

Making this.

 Scrabble-ing at an epic level

Recieving these
(ohhhh yes friends, those ARE red, skull, size boys XL footie pajamas.)

these people. my people.

A lot happened in 2010. Looking back even to my recap of 2009 I am amazed at how far I've come. And I am looking forward to how much further I'll go in 2011. Happy New Year, everyone!