Saturday, December 19, 2009

One of my latest projects

I got this idea form my friend's blog who got it from here.
I know, I copied right from the blog but I already had the fabric and the felt so it worked out. Pretty easy but I ended up doing the letter and the bird twice because I didn't like how they turned out the first time. So much better now. This is for my 3 month old nephew for Christmas so don't tell him....


I have a few other projects I've been working on but they are also for Christmas and I'll post after I give them away.

Friday, December 18, 2009

For Grandparents Eyes Only

Yes. I am a true Mommy Blogger now that I have actually put our son's piano recital up on a post. So, for the sake of everyone else, I have warned you that this post may be for grandparents only. But, if any of you are so inclined, feel free to give a listen to Lucas' incredible rendition of "We Three Kings" and "Oh Come All Ye Faithful." You might be moved to tears...






Lucas' best friend started taking from the same teacher so they had fun sitting together. These two do everything together...soccer, basketball, piano. Great boys.



Lucas started piano about 9 months ago and has been plugging along. He likes to learn songs but practicing gets old and more than once during his practice time do we have to redirect him back to the keys. Boy, do I remember those days. My parents suffered through 4 years of piano from me before they let me quit. My mother said I would always regret it. And of course, she was right. Luckily Laurie, Lucas' teacher, is a wonderful beginner teacher, very patient and great with the kids. She is also a dear friend. We got to know each other when we worked together in our Stake YW's presidency, and then when I admitted the error of my younger days, I myself took piano lessons from her for a year or so until Jonah came to town. And I didn't complain once during my practicing this time around. It's amazing the maturity 20 years will bring you.

Random Jonah

Jonah has taken to sleeping with his bum in the air. None of us can imagine he could be comfortable at all but Jonah seems to prefer curled up on his face every night. And Lucas may disagree with me and call it for himself but I think I do the best impression. Of course I don't look nearly as cute as he does.
It's taken a while but this kid finally figured out the sippy cup. It helped that I changed brands. And with that he discovered apple juice. From the moment it worked for him Jonah guzzled that juice nonstop until it was gone literally chuckling the whole time. We're going to have to keep an eye on this drinking thing of his.





Jonah had stopped saying the word "doggie" right about the time the grandparents came into town. Of course. And for a few weeks, nothing. But a few days ago he started up again and I got it on camera. Not the best but everyone knows kids won't perform on cue. He says "Dada," "Mama," and "doggie" and we're working on "Lucas." If Lucas has anything to do with it, Jonah will be saying it by the end of the year.

Random video of JB crawling and a good look at those little jowls of his.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Decking the Halls

I'm not a big holiday decorator. Surprising I know:) But half the decorations I have for any holiday come from my mother who sent them to help decorate my dorm room in college. I may pick up an item here or there at the half-off after the season sale or like this year, actually make something. See wreath below. Or the three wooden snowmen our whole ward made at Enrichment years ago. The most decorations I have are for Christmas and even then it's not much to look at. Aaron is of the opinion, why put up Christmas lights on your house if your just going to have to climb back up a month later to take them down? But we do put up a tree, a few nativity sets, and a random Santa Claus here and there. This was our first artificial tree, which we bought at a half-off after sale last year, and even I have to admit it was nice just putting the three sections together and calling it good. No, there isn't that wonderful pine smell that fills the house for a few days, but it was nice not having leave the house. (Another sign of getting old.)

The tree may be small but it fits perfectly in our little living room. I do love putting up the ornaments because most of them have a story or memory behind them.



I have to find a new tree skirt that will fit the different kind of stand. Again, the after-the-holiday sales is where I will find the cheapest, I mean, perfect one.


Each year Lucas has picked out a new ornament for the tree. Whatever he wants. One year it was a Spiderman, another year a snowman, another a random metal key. This year we discovered a new store, Wights, well, new to us since it's been around for years. But a wonderful Christmas shop with hundreds of ornaments to choose from. I loved adding Jonah to the tradition and finding just the right ornament for his first Christmas. I don't know how much Lucas and Aaron liked it since I took "FOR-E-VER" (Sandlot reference for Lucas) trying to find just the right one. I think I was looking for something to sum up all of what Jonah's first wonderful year has meant to us, the miracle and joy, his spirit and life. Tall order for a Christmas tree ornament. So I finally just picked one. Simple and perfect.





Lucas picked a fuzzy penguin.



We may not go all Griswald in our decorating, but don't think we're scrooge. We have enough Christmas traditions - pinatas, talent shows, Secret Santas, gingerbread houses, nativities, the list goes on - that any child or adult would get excited for this wonderful season.



And we do. Merry Christmas!

Random comment

Early this morning while Lucas, Jonah and I were huddled in bed...

Lucas: The dog's breath smells like the Thanksgiving turkey.

Me: Hmm........great.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Getting my craftiness on...

My friend Ali came over last week and we made these burlap Christmas wreaths found here. (My first link. Man, I am getting fancy.) It was fast, inexpensive and super easy. The burlap made a mess but I think they turned out pretty cute.



I hung it up on the door and for the rest of the day every time I walked inside I grabbed the scissors and gave it a little trim. Looks so much better with the haircut. Maybe some more off the bottom...



Last week I painted the door, just on a whim. For years I've just been putting layers of polyurethane over the wood as it got worn down. Didn't look spectacular but it was cheaper than having it completely refinished and I loved the wood color with our blue house. Before Thanksgiving I realized it needed another treatment, but this time the finish dried clouded and white instead of clear. Maybe it was the cold or the rain, not sure. I sanded it down to try again but it only made it worse. So I whipped out the primer I was already using for the cabinet I am refinishing and went for it. I went through our shelves of left over paint and grabbed colors that might have worked. Out of the McDonald's yellow, navy blue or grey we had on hand, grey easily won out. We'll keep it this color for a while, see if we like it. (I love Cotton's little face peeking out the window.)


Keeping Jonah entertained so we could work. He LOVED the chocolate graham crackers!


More projects to come...

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Do lots of pictures make up for not writing for 2 weeks?

I've been working on a lot of Christmas projects this last week, thus taking my attention away from posting. I'll post about the projects I've been slaving away at once I post lots of pictures of our wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. Aaron's parents, Tom and Lois, came from Utah and his brother, Brant and family, came up from Vancouver. It was quite cozy for all us in our little home. I know, I need to just get over how small our house feels when we have people over and stop apologizing for it. I love having company so I'll just have to deal with a little "coziness," right? Thanks fam, for putting up with it. Anyway, it's is so fun to get together with family.


Cute picture of Lucas and his grandpa.




I've made pork roast for Thanksgiving before since turkey isn't my favorite, but this year I decided to go for it and ya, browned a little uneven but I thought it tasted great. If I do say so myself.




Olives anyone?



Yummy eating... (see the crown molding? We've finally gotten it up after 2 years. Kitchen is D.O.N.E.) Except for the water pressure in the faucet, one sunken outlet and a gap in the counter....okay, so we're almost done after 2 years.



What's Thanksgiving without a gigantic drumstick?





We had Jonah sleeping in our room for the week. Getting a little shut eye at 7 in the morning after a gloriously fun play time from 3-5am.





Cousins played together, read together and had almost no fighting. Loving the maturity thing.




A throwback to my childhood when we would make Oreo turkeys.




Cute, right? Well, they may not be appetizing but it was fun/messy making them at least.




We are definitely going to have to keep our eye on these two. Two peas in a messy pod.




Sean taking a break from his non-stop exploring in his sweet mama's lap.




Grandpa teaching Jonah the finer points of the IPhone.



Happily chewing and...yes, spitting it back out. I debated putting on some of the other more graphic food photos but I figured you can just use your imagination with the mess he creates with with his masticated food.




Williams visit = traditional man time birding. Aren't they all so cute with their "matching" binoculars?




As you can see stomachs were stuffed, birds were watched and many hours were spent relaxing and talking. Thanks for coming. It's WAY too long between our visits.
Love you guys!