Camera!

I got my camera! Hurray! I haven't figured out all the bells and whistles yet. My mom stopped by yesterday and helped me play with it and figure some of it out.


I am going to read the manual too. Just like Seth did.


It's soooo pretty. So very, very pretty. A belated Happy Birthday to me! The pictures are so much better. At my moms suggestion, Dan got an external flash for me. It makes a big difference. I kept taking Hannah's picture yesterday. She was like, "God mom, can't you stop." "Ah, no." Click.


I don't have any exciting updates to share. I didn't get the quilt top done yet. Pure laziness on my part. I have been distracted by a book. We're reading The Time Travelers Wife for book club. I've read it before and had no qualms rereading it because it's such a fabulous book. You should read it if you haven't. I will work on the quilt this weekend though. I sat down to work on it last night but I was pooped from the Kickboxing class. I had to miss the last two classes but I intent to go every Friday if I can. I need it and it's free. That's one of my favorite words. But speaking of fabric and quilting I got some yummy stuff online that should be coming in the mail soon. It was all 50% off. How can you say no to fabric at 50% off? I can't.

Oh, Hannah is all in the clear with her braces stuff. She now only has to wear her retainer at night and she doesn't go back for 6 months. Of course in 3 years ish when her adult teeth have all grown in I bet we'll be back there paying for more braces. Maybe not... but probably. Then we get to do the same thing with Simon and Seth too. Oh, they're gonna love us. We will single handedly keep them in business.

But who cares. I got my camera. I got my camera.

New week

Since there is a never ending list of to-dos around here it's always nice to be at the start of a week. I feel like I already accomplished a lot because I got the silly swim classes taken care of. There is only one place for the kids to go without joining the Y and if you don't get signed up within minutes of registration opening up you aren't going to get any classes. SO silly. You'd think they'd figure it out and offer swimming somewhere else, we are paying for it after all and most people like to make money...

Anyway, this week has lot of fun in store for me. Dentist, girl scout outing, our usual TKD and gymnastics, orthodontist, moms club stuff, pto meeting, and another meeting for future problem solvers. Hannah's team gets to go to State this year! Pretty cool if you ask me. I don't think they'll make it all the way to the National competition but they worked hard solving all their future problems so they deserve to move on I think.

We had Said here with us the last two weeks so I didn't use my office as much. I did get the blocks pieced. I'll get the top sewn this week and maybe even get it sandwiched together. Maybe I'll even get started on the quilting...


Another cute one! (Yes, I have made ugly quilts. I don't know if I'll ever show you because it's fugly!)

Dan and I also waved goodbye to his hard earned money and bought our tickets for Denver this summer. Hurray! Who wants to play while we're there? We'll be out for the last 2 weeks of July. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone that I haven't seen in 2 years! I can't believe it's been that long since I've been back home.

One thing after another

Things can get so busy sometimes that I hardly get a chance to sit at my computer for more than a few minutes.

I celebrated my 33 birthday rather quietly last week. No need to make a fuss. After about 25 what mile stones are we aiming for anyway? Old enough to run for president or over the hill. I am however very excited that I am going to get a new camera! Yay for me! You'll know when I get by the shear number of photos I put up!

Friday Simon had his belt test. He's now a High Purple Belt.

I love Master Sonny!

He's really loving it since he joined the Black Belt Club and he gets to do sparring. The mommy in me is all sorts of nervous about him sparring and maybe accidentally getting hit in the back of the neck but I logically know that probably won't happen. I'm still nervous though. He is even doing some TKD moves for the school talent show with 2 other kids. I have to suffer through talent show practice and the show this Friday! Most kids want to show off their singing skills... that they really don't have... it hurts.

Saturday the kids practiced for the talent show for a while then in the evening I got to go on a date with Dan! (Thanks, Said!) We had some yummy sushi and then went to see a movie. The movie turned out to be not so good... it was actually awful. He's lost his movie picking privileges for some time. Yeah, it was bad.

Sunday we got to see Misty!!!! Hurray!!!! She was down in DC for a swearing in ceremony and managed to get her way up here for the day. I feel special. It was so awesome to see her! I miss having her here with me. You have to band together! I'll see her again this summer and more of my fabulous friends too!

Yesterday after running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get too many things done I realized I had a quilt guild meeting that I volunteered to help set up at! God, we had girl scouts and TKD after school, I was befuddled. I hurried out of the house and when I got there I realized we were going to be playing a game. I forgot all about the fun strip poker game! Don't go there, it's just 2 1/2 inch fabric strips not a whole bunch of grandmas taking their clothes off. One of the ladies offered me some of her strips so I could play. It was fun and I managed to come home with quite the eclectic mix of fabric strips since she didn't want them back. Let's face it, if you're looking at losing fabric you won't take your favorites with you. I think I'll make a charity quilt out of all of this.


I have started piecing a baby quilt for my nephew who's due to arrive this spring. The blocks are soooo cute. Slowly but surely I'll get it done.


One last little picture for fun. Sometimes when your butt is too small it causes problems.

Tears of joy

Today I made Simon's teacher cry. I'm such a bully. Just kidding. We had a surprise party for her and I gave her the quilt we made. She loved, loved, loved it!


They all swarmed around her pointing out which block they made. She told them when she is missing them she can look at the blocks they made and she can show them to her baby.

Invasion

We're being taken over by Little Brownie Bakers!


Cookies, cookies, everywhere. Now, to sort them ALL out...

Sledding

It's sooo much fun! The kids and I hadn't been sledding together so I borrowed my wonderful neighbors sleds and off we went after school today. A good time was had by all!

Sliding backwards is fun.

Ready, set, go!

Back up to the top.

Obligatory, smile for the camera picture. Yup, her hair is always in her mouth.

Strike a pose! Isn't he handsome.

Beware a long afternoon of sledding. It'll knock you out cold while mama cooks you dinner...

Snow again!

Before bed last night the kids made sure it snowed a lot by wearing their pj's inside out, putting pennies in the window sill, placing a spoon under their pillows, and putting toothpaste on their little noses. I had never heard of these silly things before. Have you? Some kid told Hannah that this worked therefor it's gospel. I told them that the weather forecast already called for over a foot of snow and that school would most likely be canceled. Of course, now that the school is closed for the day and the snow is still coming down they'll think they did it. It's like the Indian Rain Dance. If you dance until it rains, eventually it will rain...

Dan tried to get to work. It didn't work.

So here we are again with a snow day. I love to be snowed in. I like the big, white, fluffy flakes all over. The only problem is entertaining the midgets so they don't drive me insane. I can't just let them watch TV and play on the computer all day. They probably won't last outside for very long either. Maybe some board games and crafts are in order. I'd like to play with fabric but don't I always want to do that?

Totally changing the subject here...

I really want a new camera! I take pictures and I don't like what the pictures look like. I don't like the direct flash but without the flash it's all grainy from the low light. Grr. I have no control over the pictures. You get what you get. Period. My mom suggests getting a Canon Rebel, any other suggestions?

Flash.

No flash.

The pancakes we had yesterday were very delicious though. I made plain ones for the kids and mixed berry for myself. Yup, there's a reason I don't look like a model. I like to eat!

The kids are ready to go out and play. Let the bundling begin!

Next step

First you put all the pretty strips of blocks up on the wall. Ok, I couldn't put all of them up because my wall isn't big enough. But I could admire the soon to be finished project and try to keep the same fabrics from touching.


Next, realize you have a discount coupon you got at Christmas for machine quilting! If I get it turned in by... the 28th of Feb... which is well, today! Crap!

I did a lot of piecing last night while watching a movie. Then this morning I finished piecing the strips while watching another movie. Are you sensing a trend here? I have to add, my shoulders weren't to happy with me today. I went to Kickboxing class for the first time EVER yesterday and I found out I'm not in great shape. Push ups are hard (whines the girl.)

Hannah and I took in the quilt, about 30 minutes before they closed, phew. She picked out the quilting pattern and thread color. She's very excited to have it on her bed.

Now, what's next...

Next project

It turns out this quilt already has a home. On my daughters bed. She saw the pattern and the fabrics and deemed it hers. Who knew my kid would have such great taste and like retro fabrics.

Guess I should make it a bit longer so it'll fit on her bed...

3 and 35

This was one whirlwind weekend. Phew.

On Friday we drove all the way to Dover, DE to a McDonald's (or Mickey-Donald's, that's what Seth calls it) where we were meeting to pick up Cade. We got home around 9 and let the older kids play for a bit before bed while I got Seth down. I realized on that loooong drive that I really should get a portable DVD player. On the way back it was dark and there were only 2 DS players and 4 kids in the car... hmmm... Simon and Cade shared, Hannah sat in the way back playing on her DS while listening to my ipod, and I gave Seth the GPS to mess with. I knew where I was going and I could fix anything he messed up, I think.

We didn't make any big plans for entertaining the kids this weekend. We just let them hang out and play. They played Guitar Hero, played outside, made their own pizzas, watched a movie... hopefully they had fun.


I totally love seeing Cade. He is such a great kid. If I started cleaning up a mess he just helped. I was dumbfounded the first time it happened! Some kids actually clean without stomping, whining, or being yelled at!?! I didn't think it was possible but it happened more than once. We contemplated sending Simon back in his place. Kidding. Sort of...

Saturday night I went to the schools big Basket Raffle fund raiser. I love supporting the school but I don't like coming home without winning any baskets. I should make Dan go next year. He has better luck than I do. Oh well, I got to drink coffee and eat brownies with some great people AND I didn't have the kids! See, there is a good side to everything.

Sunday we had our little party to celebrate my baby turning 35 and son turning 3. Tee, hee. It was fun to get a few of our friends together. Eating cake and getting presents runs a close second. Seth loved all his presents and Dan did too. No one complained about the home made cake either. Who doesn't love chocolate cake?

Dan was okay with me not putting 35 candles on the cake. I didn't want to set off the smoke detectors!

Oh! Whatever is in the bag must be super cool!

During the party I looked down and this is what I saw. A dirty little 3 year old boy.

After the party and a quick dinner it was time to take Cade home. :(

Hannah came with me on the long drive to take him back. We were sad to take Cade home but happy to have had him here even for such a short time. Hannah was exhausted when we finally got home just before 11. She brushed her teeth and went straight to bed.

It was quite the weekend...

Happy Birthday to my husband who loves me unconditionally and to my youngest son who amazes me daily. He isn't much of a baby anymore. Although, they will all be my babies forever.

A little catch up

It's been a whole week since I posted! Sorry 'bout that. This week just slipped by. I don't really have anything overly exciting going on. We all made it through last weekend without getting really sick. (YES!) Simon got sick again on Monday so he missed a day of school... and I did a bit of laundry. We've also been dog sitting for my mom this week. The kids really like having a dog here but we've been there before and I don't want to do it again.

Since we couldn't get Cade last week we're going to go get him today. It'll be a short weekend but we really want to get a chance to hang out with him. He's such a great kid. Besides, this way he'll get to be at Dan and Seth's birthday party. Not a big party or anything but we have to celebrate my husband being half way to 70 and my littlest guy turning 3. When you ask Seth how old he'll be on his birthday he says 5. I told him he has to do his time first. 3, then 4, and then he can be 5.

I got the baby clothes quilt all bound. It's one of the cutest quilts I've made. I'll just give myself a pat on the back real quick.


AND I was commisioned to do it so I'll get paid for it. Holy cow! Usually I just spend money on quilts and give them away. I wonder what I should do with the money I get?

Dan told me this means I am a professional quilter... I don't think getting paid to make one quilt makes me a professional. Also, there is really not a lot of money in this business. Just a love of doing it.

Valentine's Day and well, vomit.

Our weekend plans abruptly changed today and there is a strong likelihood that I'll be cleaning up lots of puke.

We were getting all set for Dan to take off to Delaware to go retrieve our nephew for the weekend when Simon threw up ALL over the kitchen floor. Dan was sick yesterday but if you know Dan then you just don't think it could be the flu. The guy gets sick easy. Simon, well, he only gets sick if he has the stomach flu. I hate to puke. Hate it! I'd clean up after the hole family all day long if it meant that I wouldn't get sick. Of course that means that you've be totally exposed and you'll most likely get it too. Please don't let me get it. Pretty please, with a cherry on top!

I felt awful calling at the very last minute to cancel but there was nothing else to do. If we are all sick this whole weekend then we wouldn't be any fun and we'd send Cade home sick. Wouldn't that have been swell? They'd never let us take him again.

Ok, on to better things.

More fun things.

Like cookies!

The kids and I made lots of cookies for their class Valentine Parties.


Seth wasn't very helpful. Well, he helped himself. He only got to decorate one cookie before he stuck the butter knife in his mouth. Then he ate his pile of frosting quite happily while we frosted about 50 cookies.



In quilt related news... I got nothin'. The teachers quilt is in the process of being quilted and I still haven't gotten down to the quilt store to pick up the baby quilt. It's been a busy week full of half days, parent teacher conferences, book fair, bake sale, valentine parties, baking, playgroup and more baking.

Quilting update

I feel like I owe a quilting update to you all. You could all be my imaginary readers but I like to think you are out there somewhere, you read my blog, and you care about my quilts just like I do. Imagination is a wonderful thing.

Seth's Jungle Quilt is done! Ok, ok, it still needs a label but other than that it's all DONE! Maybe now I should focus on the fact that his birthday is only two weeks away and I have made zero plans for a party...


I got all the blocks back from school last week and spent yesterday putting the top together. Seth hung out in my sewing room for a while and let me sew. Then I finished it up after the kids were in bed.


I hope the teacher likes this. I think it's really cute. I didn't try to do anything fancy. Although, the next thing I make won't be squares with sashing. I need something different. I love the outer border fabric with the giraffes on it. I've had it in my stash forever!


The only thing I bought for this project was the white muslin for the squares and some more fabric markers. Dan did have to point out to me that all the fabrics in my stash were purchased at one time.

Oh, and I got a call from the quilt store about the baby clothes quilt. She was going to put it on the machine this weekend! It'll be done next week. It's goint to be so. stinkin'. cute. I'm excited to see it!

I just realized that it is eerily quite downstairs.... I better go check...

Squirrels

There are squirrels in our attic. Technically they are living in a vent pipe from the bathroom fan so they aren't roaming the whole attic chewing holes and mucking things up like the last time we had squirrels up there. There used to be birds living on the outside of the pipe and I didn't mind them so much. I felt like I was sheltering the cute little finches. The squirrels bother me though. Maybe because while you're sitting on the commode you don't want to hear a squirrel chatter.

What if they have babies? Seriously, this can't be good...

I want them to move out but it's terribly cold outside and if I block off their house now they'll die and that makes me a squirrel killer.

This sucks.

Although it is funny to be sitting here in my office and overhearing a loud fight going on over the warm vent in the house. There is a bird that thinks it should be theirs and when he/she lands on the entrance the squirrel starts yelling and the bird squawks loudly. The bird sat on the tree branch and read him his rights today for quite some time.

I think I need to evict my tenants.

Maybe I'll wait until spring.

Snowman and socks

What a strange day so far. I just dropped the kids off at school and now it's almost 11. It shouldn't be this late in the day already. It's almost lunch time and I still have to get to the store at some point today. Maybe I'll just go tomorrow instead. Who needs fresh vegetables. I'd have to take off my comfy pajamas to go there anyway. God only knows what the neighbors thought of me as I shoveled this morning in my really loud pajama pants. I drove the kids to school AND got out of the car. I will totally embarrass my kids without shame. I look forward to dropping them off at High School and yelling after them, "Make good choices!" Bet they'll opt for taking the bus.

I am an awesome mom.

The kids had a 2 hour delay this morning because of the snow we got yesterday. There was real snow folks! You know the kind you can play in. No ice pellets, no rain, just good ol' snow. I love it! After school they played in the snow. They started making a little snowman while I shoveled. I love it when they work together. It's so rare.


Seth did try to knock down the snowman a few times but he is prone to that kind of behavior seeing as he's a toddler and all. He also learns so many things from his siblings. For example they showed him how to eat snow yesterday. Ok, fine. We've all eaten a bit of snow but they didn't bother with explaining only eat the untouched snow. The kid tried to eat the snow off the bottom of his boots for crying out loud. Hannah and Simon laughed... grrr.

Totally unrelated- I thought this was cute and obnoxious at the same time. Seth found my sock drawer the other day. He apparently likes to play with them...

It's hard work being a sock monster.


It's actually exhausting.

Yeah, I've got some ugly socks. I like how the cat decided to sleep on him. He's safe to be around when he's asleep.

Monster trucks, massage, and quilts

What a weekend...

Dan got FREE (I'd never, ever pay for this, um, like ever!) tickets to go to Monster Jam. Yeah, monster trucks. Wee. I think I have enough white trash points scored up in my past so if there were any doubt now my fate is sealed. GAH.

The boys however were very excited to see the monster trucks.


I did think it was neat when they brought out the motorcyles and BMX bikes. Other than that my favorite part was this.

Tee, hee. He fell over!

Saturday I had a massage scheduled. It was a Christmas gift that I hadn't used yet not a reward for enduring a night of Monster Jam. It was wonderful. I love getting an hour long massage. Going home to the kids makes you wonder why you went in the first place but hey, I had an hour of quite while someone paid attention to just me. The tension comes right back though when the kids argue constantly. Maybe that means I need massages on a regular basis!

To ensure that all the knots that were worked out of my shoulders came back I machine quilted the Jungle Quilt yesterday. Once the kids were in bed I got it trimmed and the binding sewn on too. Nothing like progress on a quilt to make me happy.