happy birthday

before and after (x 2)

yeah man that's the good stuff

When Tyler was changing Lily's diaper this evening

she told him,

"You bless my heart."

~

That girl is a treasure!

Her Papa is pretty amazing, too!!

please, Sir, may I have some more?

Lunch

- as it often is -

was a group effort.

I was scrambling the eggs

while Ton' was mayonnaising the bread

while Brandon was dealing out the strawberries.

Apparently

they didn't realize I was working on lunch, too

'cause

Lily put her two mayonnaised breads together

as Josiah asked - in all innocence,

"Is there anything we can have on our sandwich

besides

mayonnaise?"

7 quick takes in March

The Master of the house

is quite bothered by the fact that the woman

hasn't bothered to post in an entire week.

Figured I'd best remedy that;

I like to keep Master happy

~1~

Sickness in the house again.

It's become a more-than-monthly affair

and frankly - I'm tired of it.

Fortunately, nothing too serious this time around.

~2~

We've come up with a house plan that we really like;

now

we just have to shrink it a bit.

or

maybe a lot.

~3~

Lexi is now a wearer of

not only shoes

but socks, too.

but only on cold days.

Really.

She has no use for them otherwise.

And

if we ooh & ahh

she'll keep a bow in her hair for about 8 seconds.

She's also adding to her vocabulary daily

and becoming quite fun.

when she's not a crab, that is.

~4~

Speaking of '4'

this four-year old boy has turned a corner!

He is becoming such a nice, self-controlled young man.

Josiah - Momma is so proud of you!

~5~

I found a 20" x almost 5' space

to use as a 'sewing room'

so I'll be able to have my machines out

and at the ready all the time.

(never mind where I'm putting what was filling up that space)

That makes me happy.

Trying to organize my stuff

doesn't make me happy;

it makes me crazy.

When you are dealing with mere inches,

placement is very important....

~6~

We bought a new vehicle today.

A 2000 Excursion.

It's hard to part with hard-earned cash.

~7~

I'm coming up blank here

and Lex' just might be ready for bed.

Come to think of it

I just might be ready for bed, too.

but of course, I'll have to get my exercise in first...

ohhh

I thought of a #7

my fabric!

It's here!!

And I love it as much as I thought I would.

And now I'm all stressed trying to figure out

just

what to do with it.

I thought I knew;

but now I'm second-guessing myself.

and now - the girl is

most definitely

ready for bed

this just makes us smile

I always said she was a doll-baby

THAT

was some dark

jujumagumbo

~

The boys let me sleep in ridiculously late this morning

and still

I hadn't managed to wrack up even close to 5 hours of sleep.

For the first few hours of the night (morning?)

my mind wouldn't shut off;

I was designing houses and a quilt back

but beyond that

oh my goodness

the girl

just

could

not sleep

unless

sorry - my boob was in her mouth.

And frankly - I get a bit tired of that!

and it kills my shoulder.

and my back.

By 4:45

I'm pretty sure

I hadn't slept a wink

but I was so exhausted, I may be wrong...

She has been sleeping poorly for quite some time

but this was extreme.

Somewhere during the 5 o'clock hour

Tyler said

"That girl is wired!"

~

Umm

that may have been me.

It had been a long day

and in the quiet of the house

well - the relative quiet - machines were all going...

I had a half-a-cup of GFIC french vanilla cafe.

I've looked & looked for the decaf version

but can't find it anywhere.

I've tried the vanilla bean latte

and I just don't care for it as much.

If I'm gonna have the calories, by golly,

they ought to be good ones!

It wasn't an oversight;

I really gave it some thought

but figured

how much caffeine can really be in it?

I mean

it's mostly sugar

and hydrogenated oils.

Apparently,

more caffeine than one would think.

That was some dark jujumagumbo!

it's my

collection

I have wanted this fabric

ever since Ashley posted about the quilts she made with it.

When I couldn't find it online anywhere

I boldly wrote the designer

asking where I might purchase some.

I know.

I felt like a stalker.

She very kindly wrote back

and gave me a list of shops that should have the fabric.

And then

I hesitated.

Designer fabric is not cheap.

Nor is it inexpensive....

But

I have never before

laid eyes

on fabric that I liked so much.

A whole collection - just begging to made into a quilt.

Large blocks, though

because the fabric is so very lovely

~

After many hours over the course of months

of scouring the internet

and finding a piece here

and a piece there

I finally found

someone

with the entire collection.

And I bought it.

with my 'Moma' account.

~

Thanks, Hon!

play all day

That's what we did here.

play

~

Daddy surprised us

by taking a half-day off

just to play with the kiddos.

Nothing fancy

just

fixing (and eating) food together

reading

and

creating

~

It's a good life.

the last word

We were talking about

'what does 'love' look like'

during dinner.

The kids shared some good thoughts.

Then

Jeremiah wanted to share what it didn't look like

by telling about a time today when Josiah wasn't loving.

I told him that love covers a multitude of sins

blah blah blah.

Every couple of minutes, he'd try again

to tattle.

Finally, Tyler asked him

if he could share something that someone did that was loving.

I just knew he'd figure out a way to get it in there.

Sure enough, he said,

"Well, Brandon was loving today when

he helped get the swing back for me

after Josiah took it away."

the new challenge

"I never realized money would be such a motivator for you."

That's what he said last year

after issuing my post-baby fitness challenge

(which I wholeheartedly embraced)

I haven't had my own spending money since I was 18!

Sure

I've gotten a bit of birthday and Christmas money

but

quite honestly

up until a few years ago

that money just sort of got absorbed into the household.

Nearly a thousand dollars

all to myself??
Oh yeah, I was all over that!

I finished the challenge Feb 16th

- not as strong as I would have preferred -

exercising 309 out of 352 days.

And now

I have a Momma Account

(actually - the teller spelled it wrong - I have a 'Moma' acct.)

with 927 smack-a-roos.

~

While I'm developing some good habits,

I thought another challenge

this year

might help those habits

really stick.

Tyler lovingly obliged

but not before adding up how much money he might be out this time.

~

Oddly enough

the Olympics

really messed up my exercising groove.

The irony isn't lost on me.

Anyways.

My new challenge begins today

and will be

- well -

more challenging

but certainly not unattainable

which is just how challenges should be.

~*~

exercise will be a combination of cardio and strength-training

120 minutes per week = $5

Every week with 180 minutes = a bonus of $1 per day exercised

(a 'day' is a minimum of 20 minutes to qualify for bonus)

a minimum of 42 weeks with 150 minutes

(which is the real goal, here. 150 minutes, not 42 weeks...)

gets me $12 per week (instead of just the $5)

1 hour/day maximum

meaning

I can't make up the whole week

on Saturday and Sunday....

~

27 minutes down

123 to go

woo-hoo

3rd place!

although, honestly

judging from the response of the audience

we thought he would've been #1

Lily iceskates

well

sort of.....

I don't think she realized - until last night

when she saw a video of Rachel Flatt

ice-skating when she was 3 years old

that little girls could ice-skate, too.

~

a trip to the Jones Center may be in our future

got talent?

Ton' does!

He's in 2 acts in a local talent show

this Friday at 7:00

~
tickets are $5 per person / $20 max. per family

wanna come?

~

I need to wrap up dinner - gotta keep the talent happy and all

turns out

Lexi

isn't big

on

water parks

thinking about

this

and how it relates to parenting.

It's especially interesting

in light of the all the verses that come before it;

God had absolutely had it!

"Even now," declares the LORD,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning."

Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.

Who knows? He may turn and have pity
and leave behind a blessing—

I really like that last part - 'Who knows?'

Lexi and the giant blueberry

here's the first of my reconstructed thrift shop finds

this ensemble

used to be a $1.50 ladies turtleneck

and $ . 28 of ribbon and elastic

I love how the blue brightens her eyes.

I only hope she doesn't feel like she's

incarcerated in a giant blueberry

~

I enjoy the challenge of re-purposing clothes

but

- cost aside -

I think I prefer the 'clean slate' of unused fabric

a little help, please??

I bought a shirt from the thrift shop

but it has sun-bleached streaks on one arm.

I passed it up when I went last week

but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted it

so I went back today to get it.

I asked if they'd let me have it for half-off since I'd have to fix it...

so I got it, and the tank that goes with it for $2

(isn't this the coolest fabric?)

How do I fix it??

Can I just dye it?

I like the color - I'd want something close....

Do I need to remove the color, then dye it?

What do you think?
Help!

~

I also picked up a few shirts to reconstruct.

I was showing the kids,

"I got this to make a dress for Lily

and these to make tight little pants and maybe shirts, too for Lex'..."

Lily grabbed a sweater and held it up to her chest,

"Is this to make a dress for me?"
"No," I chuckled,

"that's actually just a sweater for me to wear as is."

"Too bad." replied Tony, "Looks like it'd make great leggins"

playing with fabric

I had some fabric left after making a new pad for the highchair

so I made these

it's not too weird to have clothes that match furniture

is it??

Even if it is

I like 'em anyways

~

As I was dressing Lexi this morning

Jeremiah asked me if I made Lexi's sweater, too.

I told him it was either knitted or crocheted

and I didn't know how to do those.

He said, "Well, maybe some lady

who knows how to sew with yarn

can teach you."

Good idea!

in the middle of the night

I snuggled close,

my nose mere centimeters from her satin cheek.

I breathed her in,

Perfection.

Her eyebrows

Her mischievous blue-gray eyes, closed in peaceful sleep

That button nose

Those round cheeks

Oh, how I love those cheeks.

And I am amazed.

(again)

How could I

have anything at all

to do with such exquisite beauty?

~

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well

Psalm 139:13-14

iiiit's groundhog day

If the thought of six more weeks of winter

has left you pining for Spring

head on over to the TNfarmgirl;

she can fix you up with the perfect remedy.

Aiden's aunts and uncles are teachin' him

that

the only proper way to end a movie

is

to dance with the music

as the credits roll

music to a momma's ear

"I'm working hard"
"I like helping with lunch"

"Guess there's not much work for you to do today"

this is the music that makes a momma's heart sing

~

thanks, My Sweets, for your happy help

baby, it's cold outside

dessert?

We were finishing up lunch

(mushroom cheese scrambled eggs & biscuits)

when Jeremiah said, "Mmm, this tastes like dessert."

as he downed the last of his biscuit

slathered in homemade blueberry jelly.

Which reminded me....

~

AQ Chicken House was one of our favorite restuarants.

We didn't go out to eat very often

(still don't)

so anytime we ate out, it was a treat.

Kids ate free on Tuesdays

so

it must've been a Tuesday evening...

Tyler went on and on

during the meal

about

dessert

and how much he was going to enjoy it.

Dessert?!

We never ordered dessert!

Lana wanted to be sure to save plenty of room

for this fabulous extravagance

so she gave away her dinner roll

and probably some of her dinner, too.

Imagine her dismay

when she realized that the roll

with honey on it

was dessert!

~

Poor little 7 year old sweetie

oh my!

Swimming suits are so much fun to make!

We were supposed to be in Branson today

whooping it up in the nice warm water

but

the hotel called us Tuesday evening

to say, "Sorry - water park will be closed 'for maintenance'"

which really just means

they weren't going to have enough guests

to make it worth opening today.

They aren't even going to give us any kind of a deal

for when we go in a few weeks.

Bummer!

But

looking at the bright side:

I got to try my hand a suit-sewing!

This little girl

has got to be

the very sweetest in the world!

mom:

(the not sweetest mom in the world!)

"Lily! You just spilled Mommy's pins!

You are not supposed to mess with Mommy's pins!"

"Momma, I know you're frustrated with me.

I'm sorry. I know I'm the one that spilled them.

I'll pick them all up."

~

"Thanks for my skirt, Mom."

"Well, Lily, it's not done yet - I still have to do the hem."

"Well, thank-you for it anyways."

~

If only I could be half as kind and loving as that girl....

what is it

about this book?

~

I wasn't going to use it this time around.

Oh

it worked well enough with Brandon

but I just didn't really care for it.

Problem was

we weren't really making any progress with my method.

I'm perfectly okay with a child being a 'late' reader

if

that is what is best for that child.

But Jeremiah was getting frustrated with himself

for not 'getting it'

and I sure didn't want a six-year old boy

thinking he was a failure

when we were just at the beginning stages of formally

'learning to read'

So

I pulled out the well-worn (if not well-loved) yellow book

and within one lesson

things began clicking!

What is it about this book??

everyone needs to take one of these

swimsuit shopping!

"Oh, Momma - you look beautiful!"

the kindness of strangers

Monday

I emailed these gals

after googling 'swimsuit sewing'.

You know me - until I've attempted it

and it's been proven otherwise

I pretty much figure I can do - well - anything.

Renae sweetly answered my questions

and then some.

And then

Renae sent me another e-mail;

she had a homeless little suit

that just might fix Lexi.

And she wanted to send it to us!

I don't think

Lexi

has much of a future as a swimsuit model

but she's all ready for the water park next week!

~

Thanks, Renae!!

more than ONE way to skin a cat

I handed Lexi the green block,

"Can you put the block in the bucket?"

She took off the lid

put the blocks in

and went about putting the lid back on.

yep

I guess she can.

~

Happy Birthday

Precious Girl

~

next on the agenda:

dessert!

just as soon as our family gets home

my good helper

She came in the kitchen

right after I'd reached up high

and grabbed the red container.

"You makin' oatmeal? I'll help!"

"Well, actually, I'm just about done;

I just need to finish stirring."

I'd responded kindly enough

but really I was thinking

"No, you can't help.

I just want to get these made quickly

so you kids can get to bed."

She grabbed Tony's chair to drag it into the kitchen

talking all the while about how heavy it was

and how big of a girl she is.

They are heavy chairs;

Josiah usually asks for help moving them.

As she climbed on her chair

she noticed that I wasn't making oatmeal;

I was making oatmeal cookies.

Her eyes lit up,

"That looks like cookies!"

I'm ashamed to admit

that I'd also had the thought'

"I bet you want to help so you can eat the cookie dough."

She didn't even know it was cookies;

she just wanted to help me.

I'm so glad I didn't insist on finishing up on my own.

She had such a good time helping

and I enjoyed listening to her chatter

while we worked.

Turns out

she's a pretty good cookie-maker, too.

~

gotta go eat some fresh from the oven cookies

cheerfully made

by the most helpful big little girl I know.