More Birthday Goodies :)

Our newly 3 year old was so excited when he opened the package his Grandma sent. He yelled, "CARS!"

And notice those sweet cowboy boots? I took him to The Cowboy Shop with some of the money he was given from Grandpa and he picked out these boots.

I liked the red and brown ones they had, but he kept saying, "NO red boots!" They didn't have the red ones in his size so I had him try on these for the size, and he just kept telling me, "These mine boots!" I had him look at several, then tried to say, "How about these boots?" and showed him the red ones again. But he was very insistent that he did NOT want the red boots. So black it is :)

While we were at the Cowboy Shop, I let him ride the horse. Remember these? You hardly see these anymore. At least I hardly ever see these. He did great until I put a quarter in it. HA. Then he was screaming, "I need you! I need you!" Aah, my brave little man...

He had a much better time examining the horse from the ground. :)

I got home to find the baby with a balloon attached to his foot. He really liked it though, and it wasn't tight, so I let it stay.

The Happiest Birthday Ever :)

Yesterday was the most fun! Our two year old turned three, and you've never seen a happier kid :) We had such a fun day!

His sister made him this great "buggy cake" as he called it.

Ever since his seven year old brother started collecting insects for a homeschool project, he's been thrilled with bugs. He would touch them while the seven year old would scream and run away. He even squished spiders with his bare fingers. So we knew he would love this cake.

He was so excited! It was such fun to watch him :)

We showed him the cake first thing in the morning, but made him wait until evening for his party - cake, ice cream and presents with Bugga and Papa.

See his finger? He had just tried to touch one of the plastic bugs, and then jumped back and squealed.

He was so silly! This little character is so much fun every day. He just makes me smile all the time :)

We had a special lunch based on something I saw on Pinterest. We stuck uncooked spaghetti noodles through chunks of hot dogs, then boiled them.

Here they are all ready to go into the pot.

The rest of the hot dogs were cut to make octopus bodies, then thrown into the same pot.

I think together they look like octopus and jelly fish. Whatever you want to call them, the kids had a lot of fun eating them. One of our other daycare kids shares this birthday (except that he is a year younger). He wasn't so thrilled with the lunch. He pulled every piece of spaghetti out of his hot dogs and only ate the dogs. Normally he likes pasta, but he certainly wasn't thrilled with the combination ;) When I saw this project on Pinterest, I wondered if the pasta inside the dogs would cook. It was definitely al dente, but the kids liked it. I even specifically asked the seven year old about it, and he said it was great. But then, he was eating them pretty fast and I'm not sure he even noticed the texture. Hot dogs are not my thing, so I didn't try them.

I found these cool dump truck balloons at the dollar store the other day (in the town 100 miles away). I bought them and asked that they not be aired up, then took them to our local grocery store's gift shop to get helium in them today. What a fun idea. I could have just gotten him the balloons! I bought four, and gave the extra one to the daycare kid who shares his birthday, along with a regular balloon. His dad is a Caterpillar mechanic, so it seemed especially appropriate :)

He "drove" them around (after he figured out how to get ahold of them. That was a funny sight in itself.) He was going to "ride" one, but I stopped him just in time before he sat on it and popped it.

Papa brought him a stick horse and handed it to him when they walked through the door. He was so excited.

It took a long time before we could get him to put it down and stop riding it so he could open his presents.

It was kind of hard to open presents and hold the stick horse at the same time.

He had Papa help him open a taped box. I love how the baby looks in this picture. He's really paying attention to what Papa's doing.

Of course he got all sorts of fun stuff, including this Cat loader that came with a power tool wrench. You can take the whole thing apart and reassemble it, but he just thought it was a gun.

And he got a Bronco's football helmet to match his brother's. Good thing. Now they won't have to fight over the one. This kid loves helmets :) I missed getting a picture of him playing with the Zhu Zhu pet (a toy hamster that runs around and makes noises) that Papa and Bugga brought him. He's a little bit afraid of it, so he will push the button to make it go, then run all the way across the room, jump up on the couch, hide behind someone and laugh while he watches it. It was so funny!

He was so excited in this picture because he had blown out the candles all by himself. This is the first year that he wasn't afraid of them, and did the blowing all on his own ;) But then, I guess after his Dad's bonfire earlier this month, three little candles didn't seem all that intimidating.

A little chocolate cake and Rocky Road ice cream...

He was so proud of the mess he had made. But actually this is the cleanest he's ever looked after a birthday party :) He still insisted on taking a bath though. It was such a good, fun day! Happy Birthday, Little Man!

Cabinet Bulletin Board and Another Washcloth

This is the inside of my baking cabinet door. It used to have our most often used recipes taped onto it. It had gotten to be quite a mess. Some of the recipes were ones we no longer use, but they were all taped onto each other so it was impossible to easily get them down.

I liked the idea of being able to put recipes up like that, keeping them out of the way but still easy to see. So when I saw this idea on Pinterest, I knew it was one I had to do. I just had to wait until I could get to Walmart (100 miles away). This was easily the simplest Pinterest project I've done yet. All I had to do was remove what I had taped up, apply the adhesive tape to the back of the corkboard squares, and press them into place. The cork board only cost $5 and some change, and I still have two more squares. I'm thinking they may go inside my craft cabinet door for ideas or patterns I'm going to need right away.

Much better, don't you think? Now I can pin up any recipe and put it away when done. And the best part was that I was able to complete this during the time it took my husband to shave this morning. Very quick and easy. My kind of project!

I've also been bitten by the crochet bug... again. This time I'm making up some washcloths (after being inspired yet again by Pinterest.) I bought a large cone of this color combo, and should be able to make several sets of these washcloths. I did this one in the car today while we drove to the next nearest town (well the next nearest with a population over 100 anyway), which is a 40 minute drive ... or longer when you're stuck behind a snowplow spitting gravel at your brand new windshield... We decided we weren't in such a big hurry that we wanted to chance getting a chip only 24 hours after replacing the windshield. Anyway, we went to a craft fair over there, then had lunch. Once we got home my husband took the older kids over to see his parents and I stayed home so the baby and 2 year old could nap. It's been a good, lazy, and surprisingly productive Saturday. :)

Out and About with my Little Man :)

The littlest man and I got to hang out today. Not that we don't get to do that every day. But today we drove 100 miles to get our windshield replaced - just the baby and I. We had an hour and a half at the repair shop to visit and play.

I almost didn't go at all. We had to leave here by 6:30, and since the temperatures have been in the teens and twenties, I went out to start the truck so it could warm up. When I stepped onto the sidewalk I got a shock. I knew we had snow, but I was surprised by how deep it was. We had roughly 6 inches and it was snowing heavily. I went back inside, checked local webcams and decided it was only right here at home, so we went ahead. I had to shovel to uncover the truck, and to get everything loaded before we could leave. The roads were only bad for the first 30 miles though, and once we got to our destination, it was in the 40's and beautiful But by the time we came home, the bad weather had spread to most of the drive - at least 3/4 of the way home we were in snow and had slick roads - snow packed in some places and black ice most of the way. I saw two separate roll-over accidents that had occurred shortly before we went by, but thankfully we were safe. Tis the season...

While I was waiting on the windshield, this is what I accomplished. Another check off the Pinterest board! I actually started this yesterday, and worked on it a bit last evening. My daughter, seven year old and I, went to a local production of The King and I, which featured several of our good friends, including the leading lady, Anna. It was very well done. I heard a rumor that they're considering doing Fiddler on the Roof or The Wizard of Oz next (I hope they do Fiddler!). I might be tempted to try out for a small, non leading roll in one of those :) Anyway, I worked on this washcloth while waiting for the play to begin, and then again during intermission. We live in a very small western town, and we're very informal here, so I wasn't breaking any social rules or anything. I put the finishing stitches in it while waiting for the windshield to be installed. It would have gone a lot faster had the baby not been playing catch with the yarn. He must have thought I was teasing him. He kept giggling and grabbing the yarn and the washcloth. We had fun together anyway :)

Organizing my Sewing Projects, Baby Talk, & Cinnamon Roll Waffles

I recently decided to commit to sew on the days I have an extra early daycare arrival - about 5:45 am - yikes. Not being a morning person, I have to keep moving or I will fall asleep. So it seemed like the perfect time to get in some sewing. Problem is, my sewing room is in the garage. And it's been COLD. We're talking temperatures in the teens this week. Where did fall go? I have one sewing machine I brought into the house. Not that we have room for one in the house, but if I didn't do that, I would literally never get to sew as my presence is always required in the daycare - even when they're napping. And there's never time in the evening. So back to the point. I tried to accomplish my new goal of sewing in the morning this week and found that I was constantly having to run back out to the garage for supplies, and that I couldn't find anything I was looking for. It's been a long time since I was able to sew out there and things have just gotten mixed around enough that it's impossible to walk out and pick up what I need. So yesterday I spent some time sorting and organizing (while wearing my heavy winter coat and gloves. How many of you have to clean your sewing room dressed like an Eskimo?

Anyway, this is what I ended up with. A big crate full of individually packaged projects - you're looking at a whopping 15 of them here. 15! 15 projects I am either in the middle of or have planned enough to have all the supplies for (well, I do need to pick up a couple things - buttons, black felt, etc.) Anyway, they're all packaged in a gallon zip lock bag and labeled. They have the extras - things like elastic to finish my small ironing board cover - tucked away in the bag with them, so hopefully I won't have to run back out to the garage at dark-thirty anymore. I really ought to include a spool of thread and a bobbin while I'm at it. Hmm. Gonna have to do that.

Some of the projects are quick and small. I need to make a cover for my small ironing board. The old one is nasty. I need to finish a stocking for the new baby. I made western stockings for the whole family last year, and had just found out I was expecting again, but wasn't telling anyone yet. So I just cut out an extra for a boy and an extra for a girl so it would be the same as everyone else had. Now I just need to run the pocket down to the embroidery shop and have his name put on it and I will be able to put it together. Some of the projects aren't so small. I have the makings of six quilts in this basket, with two more in the cupboard in the sewing room. They are in various stages of completion. Some just need to be quilted and others haven't even been started. Better get moving! At least now I have a designated time and an organized space. That's half the battle done already. I don't expect to finish many quilts right away. I've got Christmas sewing to do, and most of those projects aren't even in these bags.

In other news... Good morning! We're talking :) or at least we think we are. The baby has gotten very vocal lately. Mostly it's a crackly sounding "ah ah ah" but he gets so excited when we talk back to him. I'm sure he thinks we understand what he's trying to say :)

He also likes to chew on his blankets now. He's not attached to them or anything, but he definitely likes to play with them. Mostly it consists of throwing them on the floor while he's swinging :)

Here's a picture of the caterpillar onesie I made last week on the baby. I love it. The onesie is a 6 month size and it's big on him, so it should fit for quite awhile. I bought a package of four of them, so I need three more ideas, if you have any suggestions. I've seen a lot of freezer paper stenciled ones but I just can't imagine paint would be very comfortable. I'd really rather sew something on it. I'll have to think... or maybe google or pinterest can help.

He's really good at playing with his toys now too. His eye hand coordination has greatly improved. And he's all over the place when he plays on the floor. One minute he'll be laying this way, and the next he's turned completely around with his head where his feet were. He also rolls over both from belly to back (he did that several times two days after he was born, before we even left the hospital) and now from back to belly. He used to hate being on his belly, but now he's getting more used to it.

Well, here's my latest Pinterest project. Someone posted that you can make refrigerator cinnamon rolls on the waffle iron, so I figured I would give it a shot.

So the verdict is that yes, technically you can make them on the waffle iron. There are several problems though. Number one being that they stick to the waffle iron even when you spray it. Maybe it was the kind of rolls I bought - mine had a cinnamon sugar on the end of the rolls that just burnt and stuck fast.

They do look and smell wonderful. But they taste burnt because the sugar leaks onto the griddle and burns.

Oh yeah, and they're crazy messy. Those squares in the "waffles" hold pools of sugar and when you bite into them, you either have to eat it one square at a time, or it runs. I was so busy trying to keep it from dripping off the front of the roll that I didn't even notice the icing running out the back and down my hand. So if you make these, plan on eating them like a waffle ... with a fork. But overall, I wouldn't recommend them. Yes, you can make cinnamon rolls in a waffle iron, but my question is, why would you want to? Well, I guess there is the fact that they cook pretty quick. Oh well. It was worth a couple of bucks to give it a shot. On to the next project!

Diaper Pouch

Here's my latest quick project. It's a pouch just big enough for two diapers and a slim to-go pack of wipes.

Remember how I made that extra infant car seat cover for the friend whose sister was expecting a baby? Well, she is a Miche representative, so instead of cash, I asked if she could pay me in merchandise :) I've wanted one of these purses for a long time. If you aren't familiar with them, the outside (pretty part) attaches magnetically to the inside bag, which has pockets and card organizers and such. That way, you can change the shell instead of having to move all your stuff if you want your purse to match your outfit. I've never cared about that, but I love the bags, and thought I could probably make some covers of my own too ;) Gotta think like a crafter, you know. Anyway, this is a huge bag, so I knew I wanted to be able to keep things somewhat organized. When I carry this big of a bag, I don't like to carry a diaper bag too. I figured when I'm out and about, I can keep the diaper bag in the car and just have the ability to do a quick diaper change in the purse.

So I made a simple fold-over pouch. It's the perfect size for a diaper for the baby and one for the two year old (hoping to not need those much longer) and the wipes.

My daughter shared a philosophy she learned from her jewelry sales business with me. Basically it's that you can't accomplish anything in your "spare time" because it will never get done. In other words, you have to plan to do things if you really want them done. I figure this is why I don't get much sewing done. I don't have one set time to work on stuff. So I decided to remedy that. I have one daycare kid who comes about 3 days per week at 5:45. I don't normally have any other kids until 7:45. If I don't work on something specific, I get really sleepy. So I'm now using that early morning time as my sewing time. The only trick is that I have her lay down and sleep until the next kid comes, and the sewing machine is near enough that full lighting would keep her awake. I'm still working on the solution to that problem. It's pretty hard to sew in the dark. But at least I'm getting some sewing done now!!

One other thing of note. I won again! This time I won the My Memories Suite scrapbooking software. I'm looking forward to playing with it. I really don't have a clue what it will be like, but I'm excited to get to find out.

Projects! and Inspiration

So I actually have been accomplishing a little something...

I finished another of the Birdie Stitches blocks. I think this was from March, though I'm considering it April's. You know, "April showers bring May flowers" and the May block is full of flowers.

I also finished the November block. This one seems a little plain to me, but I'm sure it will be fine with the rest of them. I really want to add some leaves or pumpkins or something around their feet though. Might still do that. It might help disguise the fact that I traced my pattern on crooked (I'm assuming I did anyway, as the little bird doesn't line up with the base of the turkey.)

I am especially pleased with the feather in his headband though. I put together one thread of each - red, orange and yellow, then stitched the feather. I think it gave it a really nice effect, and I'm sure I'll use that technique again.

Then there's this little project. I added a button caterpillar onto a long sleeved onesie for the baby. I think it's adorable. I saw this project somewhere online and decided to make it. I've recently gotten into using Pinterest, and it is so inspiring! I'm definitely addicted to it. But I think it runs the risk of making me think I'm being creative, while really I'm only admiring the creativity of others. So I decided to try to do at least one project from Pinterest each week. This ought to be fairly easy. There are recipes too, so in a pinch I'll just do one of those :P But the point is, I'll be creating new things I otherwise wouldn't have. I figure that's a good thing.

As for this onesie, I used a technique I've heard about but never had a chance to try. Once I picked out all my buttons and had the layout as I wanted it, I used a glue stick to fix my buttons onto the onesie. Once it was dry, it was a breeze to stitch them down.

Brothers... Sweet, sweet brothers :)

Ahh, the two year old... He gave him kisses. Then kissed him right on the lips ;) I'm sure someday when he reads this in our family year book, he'll love me for recording that!

He does love his food too. Two-fisted lunch. :) He loves apples right now. He'll eat the whole thing except for the stem.

Must have had food on the brain. He's trying to feed the baby the plastic toy food.