AfricanKelli

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I have a friend who is pregnant, and in true community spirit, we are all praying and cheering and rooting for this baby to arrive healthy, happy and talking about what an amazing stork ride he just had. In trying to honor the privacy of the situation, I’ll just say this — she and her husband have had a gut-wrenching, heart-breaking series of experiences in trying to start a family. They are both amazing folk, the type of people you just know were meant to share their love and joy with a child. As their friend, it has been so hard to watch them suffer. I have spent many a day crying with and for them.

And so, when they became pregnant and she asked for a pair of comfy lounge pants to wear as she hangs around the house, waiting for the sweet arrival of this babe and watching her tummy grow — I knew the project needed to be just right. I selected this bee fabric because, simply, they are a symbol of fertility. They are yellow because you can’t be anything but hopeful in pants that remind you of a warm, sunny day. They are drawstring because that baby is growing, turning and kicking away and this champ is going to need a lot of room.

So — if you pray, or believe in vibes or karma or whatever you want to call it — I would really appreciate you sending lots of great thoughts to my friend and her husband. When this baby is born, we are going to throw one heck of a party. I cannot wait to tell him how cherished he’s always been and how lucky he is to have these great parents.

~K

My new cooking obsession is making root vegetable fries and having them come out crispy. I’ve yet to master this. However, the practice has been fun. In this batch, I took four large sweet potatoes and two turnips. I coated them with a bit of olive oil, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne and roasted them at 350 for 45 minutes. Then I broiled them for 5. The only reason I took them out after five minutes was a couple may have caught on fire…

Little bit of smoke never ruined a fry — or an afternoon.

Also? My first time using the broiler I realized it’s like a boiling pot — best not to walk too far away.

The end of winter is the perfect time to enjoy these sweet root veggies. What’s your favorite seasonal dish of the moment?

~K

Picked up my sewing machine Friday afternoon and it works better now than when I bought it 12 years ago. Seriously. I am embarrassed I complained about having to take it in! And while the clerk was finding it in the back, I took a quick stroll through the aisles of gorgeous fabric. If you are in Phoenix, you know our local fabric selection is lackluster at best. But this shop was anything but the cartoon print material you’d find at Wal-Mart. {35th Ave Sew & Vac on Ray and Rural in Chandler}

Also? I met a local blogger for breakfast this weekend and it was such a delight. T is so kind, and had some pretty great life advice to share.We’ve been chatting online for a couple years, so it was great to put a face to the name. Funny how relationships are changing with the Internet. I’ve met friends through Twitter, am reconnecting with extended family and high school friends via Facebook, and another friendly blogger is coming to stay with me in a couple weeks for margaritas, pool time and knitting.

Ah, Interwebs, you are so good to me.

This week:

Sewing:: lounge pants for Susie, February CRAFT assignment

Knitting:: Scarf for friend

Cooking: Greek — tabouli, babaganoush, hummus, lamb

Gardening:: Time to harvest the cilantro and onions

Making:: Stamped stationery to refuel the correspondence box at my desk

Missing:: My parents and brother. We need a Spring reunion.

Reading:: Reading Lolita in Tehran Just finished,  A Spot of Bother – 3 bananas. Quite entertaining!

~K

If you can’t tell by the fabulous photo*, that’s me and Jimmy Carter. President Carter was in town for a book signing last night and I managed to drag along some friends to pick up my copy. He looked right at Rebecca and said hello to her pregnant belly! Interestingly enough, we realized standing outside in line beforehand that we were both in utero when he was in office. Nonetheless, we fully enjoyed our brief glimpse of the great. I wanted to talk  peanuts and Habitat for Humanity, but according to the Secret Service, JC didn’t have the time.

~K

*Taken with a crap Blackberry camera, hence the blur. Regardless, I owe this shot to Amanda. Thanks!

Link love for the day:

1. Matt and Stephanie got word this week, after waiting FOREVER on a list, that they’ll be adopting twin Ethiopian boys! They are 2.5 months old and on their way to their new mommy and daddy. I couldn’t be more thrilled for this great pair! It will be fun to read about their adventures as a family.

{Sidenote: I’ll probably be writing about my own adopted African kids and our adventures as a family one day.}

2. Ms. Candace has joined the bloggy world. She’s a fellow Phoenician and an artist. Stop by to say hello!

3. Finny is suddenly speaking German. What in the world?

4. This Dude hosts community dinners every Sunday in Paris for the first 50 who reserve on his web site. Seriously. J’taime dude. J’taime.

~K