chrissmarie5

And a Surprise New Year!

2012-01-09T15:00:00.000-08:00

My cup runneth over. Andy and I weren't planning on more babies. We were happy with the blessings that we had been given - and we love them more than we can say. But, a couple of months ago, I started feeling really lousy. I went in for testing....and the results of that testing weren't what we expected! God had other plans for our family! Meet the newest member of our family. We won't get to hold him/her for a few months, but we love that baby already! I am at 11 weeks, and the nausea has subsided, while the anticipation has grown!

We had our first doctor's appt yesterday, and Mama and baby are both healthy, and doing well - and from the ultrasound I saw today - there's going to be another feisty, opinionated little one who is going to enrich our lives even more!

We told the munchkins last night - now that we know things are okay, and had pictures to show them. They were really super excited! We told the kiddos that they had some jobs to do - they had to help Mama, and they had to help us pray for a healthy baby. They are already great helpers. But, at bedtime last night, they all prayed for a healthy baby - then R wanted to pray again. "Dear Jesus, please let it be a little girl." And the war was on. How do you explain that you shouldn't fight via prayer?!

And to prove to them that life would continue as normal, Andy took them all down for an hour wrestling match! How long do you think he will be able to take all three of them?!

W is concerned that Mama will have to go to the hospital, B doesn't seem to0 concerned, and R is VERY concerned that the baby is currently 'naughty nudy!' They do make us laugh!
And I just couldn't resist the above picture! As a treat, Andy let them all 'drive' in an offroading game! They were having a ball!

My due date is July 28th, and I have LOOOOTS to do before then - so I am off to get busy! I am sure there will be more updates to follow!

Merry Christmas!

2012-01-03T07:29:00.000-08:00

So, I am a bit behind in posting...but better late than never. One of my goals for 2012, is to get a bit better at keeping up. It seems like life gets in the way sometimes! :-)
Twas the Night before Christmas...and all through the house, the yells of three VERY excited munchkins could be heard! The milk is ready for Santa - now to bed before he arrives!

One of the traditions I enjoy most at our church is the Lighting of the Advent Candle by the littlest in the church. All three kiddos did it this year - but somehow I can't find the boys pics! The Princess has her turn - in the same dress that was worn by both her aunt and cousin. To make it even more special - her Great Gram is the one that sends the kids down the aisle - and it was special time for each one of the kiddos with her.

And finally, here we are at Christmas morning....WHAT could be hiding under those blankets?

Daddy picked this year's gift - and I think it was a hit! About 40 degrees outside, they were in nothing but their pj's, but they drove for about an hour!!!! I don't know who was having more fun - Daddy or the kids!
R's turn for the car - and B is looking for the break on his side! I think she is going to be a better passenger than driver! LOLAnd lest you think I am doing absolutely nothing - some knitting has been happening! The boys needed new hats, desperately. They asked for camouflage hats. I found some camo yarn (MUCH easier said than done, by the way!) and made two hats. The morning W wore his to Nonny's house, my little 9 year old nephew sidled up to me and said 'If I had a camo hat, I would wear it." Now, how do you, as a knitter, resist that? I didn't - and his was under the tree! :-) And as I am working on what I thought would be the final hat, Andy looks at me and mentions that I must love everyone else more than him, because he would wear a camouflage hat. So, yep, that necessitated another one! I am SICK of camo yarn! hehehehe BUT - the boys are all wearing their hats almost every day - including Andy! And I have orders for more all around! Nice to know my work has been appreciated.

I think this has been long enough - but I already have my first project of 2012 finished, and there is big news ahead, so stay tuned!

Tractors and Princesses, Oh My!!!!

2011-10-10T13:18:00.000-07:00

I know I have been incommunicado for the last couple of months - but below is my excuse! When the kids were born, I refused to have 2 nurseries, and so there was one baby room, and Mama's office. Well, when we hit their 4th birthday, Mama and Daddy decided it was time to work on some modesty, and separate the genders. So, Mama's office got a complete going through - which necessitated finding places for the important things - like my yarn stash!!!!!

Finally - after 2 months, the entire house has gotten a going over, cleaning out, Goodwill received about 6 loads, and then new coats of paint in all three bedrooms!

And now - for the finished product!

A reading corner fit for a princess. The top 2 shelves are books for when she's older - Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, etc - all the best! But the bottom two shelves are all hers! Even better, this was originally my Granny's bookshelf - R's great, great grandma!

A Princess room for our Princess! Yes, that wall is "HELLO! pink!" but she loves it - and it does set off the Princesses well. The wall skins were only $17 on ebay - and they make the entire room!
And the boys got a whole new look, too! John Deere tractors - W's favorite color is g'een, and B's is yellow - so this way, I incorporated both their favorites, made it very boyish, and they are pretty happy! I LOOOOOVE the fabric my Mom found for their valance!
Tractors and boys - what could be better?!

R's bed and 'friends'. This is the first time the kids have slept apart since I was pregnant! Mama and Daddy had a hard time the first night - and they have already had sleepovers in each other's rooms! We do not want to isolate little Miss - but want her as close with her brothers as possible.

I also read 'The New Strong-Willed Child' by Dr. James Dobson. We had been struggling with one of our munchkins who is the epitome of 'strong-willed.' We put into place some of the recommendations in the book - giving him no win/no loss choices, praying with him after an 'episode' and that has helped the entire house SOOOO much. The episodes are much shorter, farther apart, and we aren't having a battle every day. The peace is so much nicer! If you have a strong-willed child - I highly recommend it!

As far as knitting - well, with the painting project, and catching up the scrapbooking - hmmm, I think I might have forgotten how! But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel - so soon, very, very soon!

And a Little Child shall Lead Them.

2011-06-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

Mr. B is my strong-willed, stubborn, independent child. Tell him no, and he will push just to see if you reaaaaaally mean it! A couple of weeks ago, we were talking about Jesus, and asking Jesus into your life. I asked him if he wanted to pray the prayer...."Nope!" was the quick answer. I was a bit disappointed.

Yesterday, Miss R preached a sermon in her breakfast prayer. "Thank you Jesus that you died on the cross because I do naughty things. Thank you Jesus that you came into my life. Thank you Jesus that you are in heaven, now." After she finished, Mr. B announced "I am going to pray that prayer now. Jesus, please come into my life. Thank you, Amen."
Then he called me at work, and told me what he had done - and he KNEW!!!!! My Bubs is another true child of the King. What an amazing and awesome blessing...and his sister got the ball rolling! The Bible says that a little child shall lead them - and in this case, it was proved true!
Mr. B is now off on the ride of his life - but never alone again. Thank you, Lord!

Another One Bites the Dust!!!!

2011-06-27T23:12:00.000-07:00

Mr B has been bugging us to ride without training wheels...and this weekend, camping - he did it!!!! He fell twice, took off, and hasn't looked back since! Yep, I was crying - where did my baby go?!!!
And finally - both boys have a sweater made by Mama! I finished Mr. B's on the camping trip!
He was so happy to finally get his sweater! What a ham!
Still don't love the pattern - but I learned while I knit it, and I think the next one will be better.
And off he goes!!!!!

One Down!!!!

2011-06-19T21:22:00.001-07:00

It's DONE!!!! One down, one to go....
I think he likes it!
HATE the pattern - part of the reason it took so long is because I had to re-write half the pattern. But, I LOVE the Spud & Chloe sweater. W picked the color - of course, it had to be 'geen!!!'
His favorite part...'It has pockets, Mama!" And - I finally finished a sweater for my boys...now Mr. B is bugging me 'Do you only have one more row left on mine, Mama?' Guess I better get busy!

Spring is here - and with it...Progress!!!!!

2011-06-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

We know spring is here when the gardens can be planted! This year, we went to Great Grammie's house, and helped to plant her garden. The rototiller is a HUGE hit - and Graypa figures a couple more years of training, and he won't have to use it again!!!!
We also took our annual Memorial Day trip to Seattle to see Great Gram! There were lots of cuddles, as we hadn't seen her in a very long time!
This picture is just because I couldn't resist...my sweet boy sleeping with Tigger under one arm, and Tiger under the other! I think this picture signifies peace - and all is right with the world.Now that spring is here it's time for a bit of spring cleaning! So, out came all of the scrapbooking supplies to clean up the piles of pictures again. The 'normal' pics aren't so bad - but I have 4 Disneyland albums to do! That could take a while! My goal is by the end of the summer....Great Grammie has been planting gardens for years, and she has some unique things that she let the kiddos try out - R had never had chives (at least, not that she knew of! LOL) and she decided those were pretty nummy!

And now, for the progress.. This is 'Ruffle my Feathers' by Caryl Pierre. Barely started - but hey, it's on the needles!

The boy's sweaters - which I'm not even going to link the pattern. It's a lousy pattern, poorly written, and I have had to fix numerous things as I go. I won't be using the pattern again - but I need to finish these. I am now out of yarn - for the second time - and I had bought one more skein to begin with when I started!!!!
The Traveling Woman - FINISHED, blocked and I love it! It's not really my color scheme, but I wanted something totally different. This is - and I can't wait to wear it. The problem is, it's now 85 degrees! Oh well, something new for Fall!
And finally, another FO. The ruffled scarf from Churchmouse Yarns. The pattern was super simple, and quick, but it makes a great accessory.

So, off to see what else I can get done!

There's a New Name!

2011-05-15T16:00:00.002-07:00

Written down in Heaven. And it's MINE!!!!!! During Sunday School this morning, our little girl asked Jesus into her life, and to help her live her life.
For three and a half years, my biggest prayer has been for the salvation of my three children. Today, the Lord answered that prayer for Miss R.
And now, she really is royalty - a child of the True King. Praise the LORD!!!!!!

Happy May Day!!!!

2011-05-01T14:49:00.001-07:00

Happy May Day! When my Mom was a child, she started delivering May Baskets to her neighbors. My brothers and I continued the tradition when we were kids. Last year, we started the tradition with a third generation!

The tradition is to drop May Baskets at a door, bang on the door, and RUUUUUNNNNN! You aren't supposed to get caught. W enjoyed the running!
R didn't mind the running, either! Each kiddo got three houses in the family to do.
R wouldn't do it without 'help' though. This time it was Daddy's turn, and she made him knock for her!
Mr B enjoyed every portion of it. But with his sweet personality, the giving of the flowers made him pretty happy, too!
My sweet boy with his flowers, so excited to give them away.

It is a fun tradition, and is a way to enjoy a day that is hard for the whole family. It is a good way to remember the good times.

2011-04-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

Family Vacation Time! We headed to Disneyland for Daddy's birthday trip, and spent some time in the Happiest Place on Earth. It was an amazing trip, and we had a fabulous time! Our first day in the park, and the kids met Mickey! There wasn't a line for him, so he even spent some time playing with the kids and walking through his house with them! They were thrilled!

Then the kiddos met Daddy's favorite character - Goofy! The rides were fun, and they all had their favorites, but the characters were what made it special for them this time!

W fell in love with Tigger on this trip, and he was one happy boy when he got to meet Tigger, get hugs and pictures, too!

B decided Pluto was the dog for him, and he was thrilled to get to meet him at breakfast one morning!

And finally, our little Princess met several Princesses, but her favorite was definitely Cinderella. That is one happy little girl!

I only took 631 pictures! But these show you the favorites for everyone. It was one amazing trip that will supply memories for years to come. Can't wait to do it again! But that means no knitting got done...maybe next week!

WIP Wednesday

2011-03-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

I have just a few WIPS on the needles right now. I am usually monogamous with my projects....start one, finish one, and then start the next one. I am still not sure how I got this many going at once! So, here is the ongoing list!The Traveling Woman Shawl. I deliberately chose a color that isn't usual for me, in the hopes of branching out. And I LOVE what it is doing in this shawl! I can't wait to wear it!
The Suri Scarf. I am really enjoying an easy, repeating, lace pattern that I can pick up and put down when I need a brainless project.
Um, yeah, STIIIIIILLLLLLL working on the boys sweaters. I am glad that I went up a size when I started them, not knowing how long it was going to take to finish them. It has been 9 months! But, I am one sleeve, and two hoods and the stitching away from being done. So, we are getting close....
A Blue Moon beaded bracelet.
A Rock Candy Beaded necklace. Pattern for both of the beaded items is Sivia Harding's Moonrise Necklace, and kits by Earthfaire. Have I mentioned that I am in obsession with that website?

MUST. GO. FINISH. SOMETHING.

Finishing Friday!

2011-03-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

First thing finished - rewards for 10 days without accidents (don't you just LOOOOVE potty training?!) Their very own peanut buster parfait! Yep, they considered that a pretty good reward!
I have been doing a LOT of beading lately. This is a plainly strung necklace and bracelet set.
A Moonrise Necklace by Sivia Harding's pattern. I ordered the pattern from Earthfaire - and I am TOTALLY in love!
These are two bracelets from the same pattern - different colored kits. I am now working on the necklaces to match!
Another plain beaded bracelet - it's hard to see in this light, but it is purple crystal...and it goes with half of my closet!
I-Cord Necklace...pattern also by Sivia Harding. I am not as much in love with this pattern. It seemed fiddly, and hard to follow. You really had to make sure you laid the thread juuuust right to make the necklace look good. But, I do love the finished product.

I don't remember the name of this pattern -but it was from Earthfaire, too. LOVE that website - and it can be too tempting - just ask my credit card company!
And finally, two necklaces that I crocheted with wire. I found the kits at my LYS, and really liked the finished result. Totally ruined my crochet hook, though!

I also have some WIPs on the needles - maybe next post. I figured this was enough pictures for this one! So, off to work on some of those WIP's!

Scrapbooking continues!

2011-03-12T19:35:00.001-08:00

It's the project that never ends. Yes, it goes on and on my friends....
Scrapbooking will never end. Yes it goes on and on my friends...
At the beginning of the weekend, I had 4 books that were through Nov of 2010. Now, that doesn't sound bad,unless you consider that I started 2010 2 months ago. It has been a marathon!

This is what is my desk looks like... 4 piles of pictures...Dec 2010, Jan 2011, Feb 2011...

Now, it may not look like a lot...but then check out all of the 'help' that I have!
I have three munchkins that LOVE to scrapbook with me! They get all of the pictures and stickers that I am not going to use, and they have notebooks and scissors from The Dollar Tree. They cut, glue and stick to their heart's content, and thoroughly enjoy themselves! W asked me this morning 'Aren't we going to scrapbook?!'

But, I did take a bit of a break today to head to a Mary Kay party, and I took my baby girl with me, too! She got to try on all of the makeup, clean her face, and have a great time being spoiled! Here she is displaying her 'green eyes!' I have a girly girl on my hands!

I have 2 pages per book to go - but am waiting on the pictures I ordered to get here! Next weekend, I should be DONE! And then I can work on the knitting and beading that are stacking up! I do have pictures of some WIPS and FO's, so stay tuned!

Snow Day - and a bit of knitting!

2011-02-24T19:12:00.000-08:00

So, I have been a very bad blogger. Blame three three year olds, birthday season, church, tons of OT at work, and over all, a crazy life. But today, I was given a blessing. In Oregon, everything shuts down for snow. We get it so rarely, that no one moves until it is gone. I have a safe vehicle, that I refuse to drive, because I really don't know how to do it safely! So, my blessing today was waking up to three inches of snow on the ground, and getting to stay home and play with my babies. Unexpected, unplanned, and thoroughly enjoyed!

Mr B loves the snow. He just enjoys life - to it's full extent. I love his exuberant personality.

My three munchkins, just chillin' and lovin' life. We played outside for about an hour and a half. This was towards the end, and they are tired, wet, and cold, but happy!

Prince Charming with his crown and smile. W has been another blessing lately. He has a lot of my brother's personality. Jer could make me laugh, smile, and was always there to encourage and cheer me. I miss that. I used to call him when I was having a bad day, just because I knew he could make me laugh. There have been several bad days lately, and no one there for me to call - which makes the bad day worse. W has been picking up the slack. Sometimes that brings more tears, but often, it is a special reminder. Bittersweet.
Miss R. has quite an arm, and isn't afraid to use it. Notice the snowball in the middle of the picture, and the leg action?! We may have a pitcher among us!And I have been knitting. There is lots to show, but not much that has had pictures taken of it. This is one of the bracelets that I made for Christmas presents! I have two sweaters for the boys almost finished (1 sleeve and a hood apiece away!), two scarves, two shawls, and two necklaces on the needles. Then, I have been working on catching up the scrapbooking! I promise to be a better blogger, and get more pics up soon. For now, I plan to enjoy the rest of my blessing day.

I hope all of you have had an unexpected blessing lately, too!

Deck the Halls!

2010-12-05T22:20:00.000-08:00

Today was a busy day in our family. First up, the kiddos first ever Sunday School class. They were finally old enough, and they had a ball. We reviewed the Bible story before bed - and they knew it! I have good memories of Sunday School growing up, and I pray they do, too!

Then, they got to watch as Auntie S lit the first Advent candle at church. They don't get out of the nursery during church much, so this was a special treat!
After church, it was off to the Christmas tree farm to pick our Christmas tree. This is the first year we have thought they were old enough to go cut a tree...and they had a ball. The P'incess directed traffic all over the farm! Then it was home, and time to decorate. Amazing what 3 kids with no patience can do...the tree was decorated, start to finish, in 20 minutes flat!This was Andy's 'help' with the decorating. He has a bit of a puffed chest after yesterday's win, and today's announcement that Oregon will be playing in the BCS Championship on Jan 10th. More pictures to come from that, I am sure!And our 'nice' picture! The halls are decked, most of the buying is done, and the Christmas letter is written...so, wrapping, (UGH!), addressing (UGH!) and a few that I am making is all that is left! Not bad for the 5th of December!

Merry Christmas!

Family Pic!

2010-12-04T22:04:00.000-08:00

I was putting together some calendars of family pics for Christmas, and realized just how long it had been since we had a family picture! That necessitated a trip to my favorite photographers! Oh yeah, that was easy, since we were already heading over there for the Oregon/Oregon State Civil War. Considering the way that we are dressed....we were very happy at the end of the game, when the Mighty Oregon Ducks soundly defeated the lowly Oregon State Beavers (sorry Dad! LOL) and they are now #2 in the nation, and slated to play the Auburn Tigers in the BCS Championship game on January 10th. And yes, we will once again display our colors!

Swimming Lessons!

2010-11-13T18:32:00.000-08:00

One of the things about living in Oregon is that there is a lot of water...everywhere...lakes, rivers, the beach, swimming pools. Andy and I thought it was important for the kids to learn how to be safe - and have a lot of fun! - in the water. So, this year was the first time they were old enough to sign up for swimming lessons, and we did! 4 weeks of being gone Tues and Thurs nights is wearing on us, but the kids are having a blast!

Waiting on the side of the pool for lessons to start...I don't know whether they really like to practice their kicking, or if it is just good fun to watch Mom panic when they get the camera wet! LOL

Mr B is a little fish...he has a grin from the time we get in the car to head to the pool, until he gets out of the pool. He LOVES to swim, and enjoys every second of it.

W isn't quite as enthusiastic. The water scares him a bit, but he seems to be overcoming it, and is now not only enjoying himself, but willingly putting his face in the water, and floating on his back.

P'incess loves swimming lessons, and loves to direct them as well. I feel sorry for her teacher, as we can often hear her telling her brothers whose turn is next, and what they should be doing! A born leader...if we can just channel it!

These have been some tough weeks for us, as Andy's truck is having issues, and we have learned that W has some hearing problems that we need to address. The swimming lessons have been good for giving us a reason to smile, and something for the kids to look forward to.

Go Ducks!

2010-09-04T10:39:00.001-07:00

Football Season is HERE!!!! The whole house has an undercurrent of excitement, thrill and expectation!
And, of course, it is ALL for the Oregon Ducks!!! GOOOOOO DUCKS!!!!!

This means more knitting time for me, and since I have two sweaters for me, and a sweater each for the kids, and a vest for Andy to hopefully finish before Christmas - I had better get busy!!! Football season is tooooo short!

When one is sick....

2010-08-15T12:41:00.001-07:00

Mr. B is really sick. He has a runny nose, cough, fever, and is refusing to eat - you KNOW he's sick! So, he was on the couch after baths last night with a pillow, blanket (in 95 degree heat!) and a cool cloth on his head.

This made someone else a bit jealous, and little P'incess decided SHE needed a pillow, blanket and cold cloth! See the grin when she gets her way?
After about five minutes, W looks around, and realizes that he is missing out on the spoiled routine. See the look on his face when he gets a little attention, too?

Daddy has a hard time believing that Mama is such a sap as to turn his living room into a sick bay just to make kiddos smile! LOL However, he was chuckling, too!
And all of the attention made our sick boy smile, so it was worth every bit of it.

I love these sweet memories - the days go by too fast!

Now we areThree

2010-07-25T22:21:00.000-07:00

I admit it - I have been a bad blogger recently - but I have been trying to keep up with these three, who are now three! Yes, they have now left the terrible two's - that weren't very terrible, actually, were pretty great, and have now entered the realm of the terrific threes.
They are sweet, smart, funny, loving, and I thoroughly adore them, and try hard to enjoy my time with them. Therefore, things like blogging, knitting and scrapbooking are a bit behind...but hopefully, these three itsy bitsy's know that Mama loves them, and would rather spend time with them, than do just about anything else.

A new Mom I know just went back to work...and hates leaving her baby. I can sympathize and commiserate. My advice to her was to be grateful you have a job, but try hard to spend your home time on your home life - involve your baby with EVERYTHING! That is what I try to do with these guys...they pick what fruit we buy at the grocery store, which 'color' of shampoo, and what chips Daddy would like in his lunch (not always a success! LOL) I remember the big trips that our family took when I was little - but I remember the daily stuff more - and that is what is near and dear to my heart. I pray these three will have the same memories.
The oldest by one whole minute - Mr. W has the sweetest, easiest personality. However, he has a bit of an ornery side! Actually, he can be a downright tease. He keeps me laughing - but he also melts my heart. One of his favorite phrases lately is 'Mama, I want you.' That means he is in need of a hug, kiss, cuddle, or all three. I am thrilled to oblige. And he whispers in my ear... 'Mama, I love you.'
Mr. B - stubborn to a fault, strong willed, but thoroughly adorable. He is the kindest boy I know - who loves to help his brother and sister - and dictate a bit. His memory is amazing, and he talks to me about his day and his feelings already. Something I am trying to encourage. I hope he can always talk to me. The other day, I was getting out of the shower, and they were all playing together. B was trying to teach them 'the game.' He was getting a bit frustrated, and after a couple of times of trying to make his opinion known, I heard him say 'Fine! You aren't listening, so I am done!" Then he walked off....hmmm, I have NO idea where he would have heard that! LOL
And my baby girl. She is holding what used to be my cabbage patch doll. She got it, and all of the clothes that my Mom made for it for her birthday. She loves to dress it, cuddle it, and occaisonally, sling it across the room! Sweet to me to see a precious item of mine being loved again. R is independent, and loves to do things herself. She already has her own knitting bag! and carries it quite often. Currently, she likes to unroll her balls of yarn, wrap them around her crochet hook, and then call me to untangle her mess! I don't care - whatever it takes to get her interested and involved with me! She is showing a huge love of cooking. The other night, she passed up time in the pool with Daddy and the boys, because she wanted to cook....it isn't my favorite activity, but she is content to just help with dinner, and does almost every night, now.

My three blessings. My pastor was talking in his sermon today that Jesus told us to go out and be fishers of men...I am not saying it nearly as well as he did...but to bear fruit, and to let our lives show why we are Christians. My earnest, and daily prayer for my three precious three year olds is that I will model what a Christian should be, that in raising them, the Lord will help me with three precious catches. Praying daily for their salvation....

Growing up!

2010-07-05T15:33:00.001-07:00

Thanks to garage sales and Goodwill, we now have three two-wheeled bikes - with training wheels - for three munchkins to work on. We took them out two nights ago, thinking this was going to be a couple week long process, and they should be ready for our church campout in about three weeks.
WRONG!!!! They all got up and GOT! Within 10 minutes, all three kids were riding around, yelling, "look at me!!!!"
Miss P'incess got it first, and literally rode circles around her brothers. Much to their annoyance! She was a happy girl!

Daddy says "Hey, I LIKE it this easy - you do know that they take after me?" :-)And for the 4th of July, a certain little princess got a special treat. She matched Mommy's toes!
First ever toe nail painting. A patriotic red for the parade and fireworks. And everyone who came into contact with her, had to admire those toes! LOL

10 year anniversary trip

2010-05-31T21:56:00.000-07:00

Meet our home away from home for 7 days. For our 10th anniversary, Andy and I got away on a cruise for 7 days - just the two of us! We got to sleep in, talk, hold hands, relax, and just enjoy each other! It was absolutely amazing - and a true gift. So, where did we go?

Alaska!!!! We hit Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria. Look at the awesome scenery. Andy's comment to me was "and He only took 7 days." How true is that?!We saw BEARS - 8 of them!We saw WHALES - Humpback and Killer!We saw scenery that brought tears to our eyes. This is the South Sawyer Glacier. We had a private balcony, and spent many hours out there together, enjoying breakfast! and just watching the views go by.Of all of them, I think this was my favorite stop, however. Andy surprised me 10 years ago with a trip to Victoria, Canada for a honeymoon. We actually visited the Buchart Gardens while we were there, and we enjoyed every second of it. Victoria was our last stop on the cruise, and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to go back. It brought tears to my eyes several times to realize how far we have gone, and how much more I am in love with Andy!Tulips are my favorite flower, and they were what was in bloom last time we were there. This time, it was a myriad of rhododendrons. However, I was blessed in that just one set of tulips were still in bloom for my enjoyment.I am so blessed to have Andy in my life. Know the saying..."I love him more today than yesterday, but less than tomorrow? That covers it.

We missed these guys a ton - and brought them lots of presents - including these pj's that they are so proud to show off!
And I got a brand new kitchen floor while we were gone! We had a bit of dry rot that we had fixed. Isn't it lovely?

Spring is here!

2010-05-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

What does it look like? I am washing the car!

Being Daddy's big helper, of course. He LOVED all of the help.

That is, until we washed a side that he had already finished. We told him "you missed a spot!"

But, I really think the draw was that three munchkins got to play in the water!
However, you might ask, "Where was Mommy (besides behind the camera! LOL)

She was finishing R's Tulip Sweater in Dream in Color Classy!!!! An actual, finished, knitted project!!!! Woot Woot!!!!!! I DID it!!!!! And, since I never blogged about it - this was actually my first knitted project! A little shrug for Miss R to wear for Easter. Her dress was pink with purple flowers, and the shrug was purple. She was happy - she got pink and p'uple for Easter! I now have yarn for 2 boys sweaters, since a very sweet Mr. W came and leaned against my knee while I was working on finishing the Tulip Sweater, and asked "Mommy, where's my g'een 'weater?" I ordered the yarn the next day! :-)

My little tough guy!

2010-04-28T23:11:00.000-07:00

We played "Tug of War" for the first time in Cubbies tonight. Mr. B is one tough dude!!!! The game was 1 on 1, and the winner took on the next Cubbie. Mr. B was in the first round, and won every round. With a HUGE grin on his face, too! He was quite proud of himself. I remember being in Awana with his Daddy, who did the same thing. Like Father like Son. I think Daddy's chest was going to burst with pride when I told him! Sweet memories.

No longer stashless!

2010-04-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have drooled for the last two years, hearing my Mom describe the local "Shop Hop" where participants ride a luxury bus for 1 whole day, visit numerous local yarn shops, get great discounts, and raffle prizes, and come home thoroughly tired, but with lots and lots of yummy yarn!

This year, I was ON that bus!!! Yeah! My mother likes to tease me that I am stashless, so I have to "shop" hers. No longer is that the case!

Stash enhancement was the name of the day. Yummy Dream in Color and sock yarn, here. I bought enough for four sweaters, three shawls, a pair of socks, a stole and 2 patterns!

Mmm, mmmm good. Yep, that made my day!

And here was my welcome committee when I made it home. They missed me as much as I missed them. And in the best news category - little miss pink and p'uple "helped" me unpack my bags. And she already has pretty good taste in yarn! My new Madelintosh came in for "I like that yarn, it's vewy pwetty!" However, she is going to make do with the fuchsia (washable!) Dream in Color that I got her :-)

A day all to myself....to buy yarn...now THAT is what a day off should be! And - I am no longer stashless. A little poorer...but not stashless....

Happy April Fool's Day!!!!

2010-04-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

I told the kids we were having dirt and worms for dessert. They looked at me like I had lost my mind, and Mr B told me "Mommy, that's UCKY!!!!"

They changed their mind a bit when they got to make the "mud" - aka chocolate pudding!

Then they crushed "dirt clods" - aka Oreo cookies! (Graypa will be so proud of his little gardners! LOL)

And after that, we ate worms....big, fat, juicy ones!

It was a good laugh and stress reliever to have some family time on April Fool's Day! Hope you laughed and enjoyed yourself, too!

Happy Birthday Andy!

2010-03-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

We decided to do something different for Andy's birthday this year. We decided to just get away the five of us. I have been going through some medical stuff, and with feeling ucky, it has been a rough and emotional couple of months. The getaway was one of the best decisions that we have made. This is Andy at the end of the weekend. Relaxed, and thoroughly enjoying a wild and stormy Oregon Coast Day!We headed to Newport, OR for the weekend. We visited the Newport Aquarium. The kids were SO excited! This is at the entrance...

And this is the way three kids saw every single exhibit - noses pressed to the glass, excited, and pointing! We spent 3 and a half hours there!!!! They insisted on seeing every single glass case and exhibit, and then we revisited many of them a second time!
There is a Passages of the Deep exhibit, where you walk through a tunnel through a fish/shark/eel/ray tank! The kids literally laid on the floor and watched the fish swim below them! The sharks were tons of fun for them!

And of course, the touch tanks!!! Daddy had his hand on the back of sweatshirts to prevent falling in, they were so into it!

And of course, a walk on the Beach so Mommy could breathe. Daddy stole the camera for this shot! We chased seagulls - and the kids would get within about 10 feet, then the seagulls would fly off! I loved watching W. He would watch them fly off, turn around, and giggle "Mommy, they cheated!"
This is a beautiful little girl - inside and out - who is turning out to love the ocean as much as I do. She sat here for quite a while, just watching and oohing and aahhing at the waves. (The hat is one that her Nonny got in a swap that she loves - and so does Mommy!)

And check it out - I am KNITTING!!!! Here is most of the yoke of a sweater for my soon-to-arrive new niece! I am loving it, and am thrilled to figure out that I can do it!

My first lace project has been ripped out three times, and is now languishing. I will get back to it - very soon. However, I am a bit scared to try again!
And, we had our first ever yarn crawl here in Portland 2 weeks ago. I only got to one store, but I found the perfect yarn for a perfect pattern. I am really excited to start that after I finish my niece's sweater! The yarn is more of a rose color - not sure why it looks red in the picture! I also have about 10 other projects on the to do list now! So, I guess I better get busy!

Look What I Found!

2010-02-06T22:38:00.000-08:00

This is my office. It is the first time in over a year, where you can see the floor. Why? Notice the bottom row of books. Those are the kids scrapbooks. They each have their own color, and their own shelf. ALL of those books - plus ones you can't see for the family got put together in the last year. Rough guesstimate, about 10,000 pictures! Hey, I like pictures!

Did you know there is a windo in my office? And a heating vent? I just found them! Everything is now put away in the closet, and I could actually run a vacuum in there!

I celebrated tonight - and painted my toenails for the first time in 3 months! Tomorrow, I am going to knit during the SuperBowl. Life is looking good!

However, scrapbooking is not the only thing I have been doing. We have been enjoying the spring weather here in Oregon! Jumping in mud puddles is a huge favorite! :-) My philosophy is they are only kids once, and a little durt and mud never hurts!

Having the time of their lives!!!! And I got plenty of enjoyment out of watching them, too!

When it really is just too wet to go outside, indoor pursuits consist of puzzles, painting, and lots and lots of books. Life really is good! And now that the scrapbooking is caught up - I might actually have knitting to post soon!

2010 Resolutions!

2010-01-09T19:23:00.000-08:00

I am being ambitious this year.....let's see how it goes!

1. To stick up for myself. I don’t want to worry about the future, and the what-ifs. However, if something comes up, I give myself permission to say no, or that it won’t work, or even that I don’t want to. I am tired of trying to make everyone else happy, and making myself unhappy in the process.
2. To make my husband a priority. We have been so busy, and 2009 was such a rough year, that I really need to spend some time focusing on him. Not easy with three toddlers, but we have joined a couples archery league at our church that should help. (Pray for me – I have never held a bow in my life. This is waaaay out of my comfort zone!) And, since this year is our 10th anniversary, we are hoping – and saving – for a week long trip to Alaska, just the two of us. I am not sure about leaving the kids for that long, but am really looking forward to some away time!
3. 52 books in 52 weeks – and to FINALLY get my nightstand cleaned out – and off! I also still have a bunch of devotional, study type books that I think I could really benefit from. I want to make it a priority to read one a month!
4. Scrapbooking – does this sound familiar? Well, in 2009, I completed all of 2007, 2008, and am up to December in 2009! That means it is doable in 2010 to catch up, and stay caught up!
5. To learn priorities – what is important, and if the list doesn’t get done, but I get time to play with the kids, or cuddle with Andy – that’s better!
6. To make Bible reading/devotions and prayer a priority.
7. To lose weight. I have been really bad about allowing myself to eat wrong, to not exercise, and to basically become lazy. I am feeling it physically, emotionally, and mentally, which isn’t fair to me, or my family. That has to stop! There will be no more junk in this house!
8. I did learn to knit in 2009. I know the basic stitches, and pretty much what I am doing. Now in 2010, I would like to finish a project - or two!
9. Another new thing. I have been fascinated by bobbin lace, and really want to try it this year! There is a big convention in Portland in 2010, so it couldn’t be better timing!
10. Finally – Andy and I dug a bit of a hole financially while I was unemployed. The hole is almost filled in, but I want to be out of debt, have a good savings account, and get the three projects (kitchen floor, roof, and flowerbeds) done this year!

Wish me luck!

Santa visit!

2009-12-14T23:34:00.001-08:00

Yep, he's a bit disappointed in me. It has been way, way, way too long since I sat down and updated my blog. Oops. Blame life, work, kids, whatever it takes - it's all true at this point. (In all actuality, though, he wasn't disappointed - I think I was embarrassing him at Starbucks with an itchy camera trigger finger! LOL)

I have waited TWO YEARS for the following picture. The first year, the babies were under quarantine. The second year, there was a massive snow/ice storm that kept us house bound. So, without further adieu - at the age of 2 and a half! Our very first SANTA pictures!!!!!

Two happy boys, one not so happy, drama queen! Santa thinks she's funny! Mommy!!!!!! Do you think she made the naughty or nice list?

Afterwards, we could do no less than a stop at Starbucks for hot chocolate. What better way to end a picture taking session with Santa? I think in this picture I am looking at a future corporate executive!

Those tears miraculously dried! Mmmm, chocolate!

My sweet boy, who savored every bit of that hot chocolate - as is evidenced by the caffeine rush he was having when I tried to put him to bed! Sweet memories!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T23:04:00.001-07:00

Our first Halloween Trick-or-Treating adventure! Meet Spiderman, Batman, and Snow White. Two superheroes to protect a princess, according to Daddy!
Batman is ready for the adventure....

Spiderman likes his new muscles!

And a profile pic to see just who owns those muscles.

A pretty Princess Snow White who is carrying her new trick or treat bag, ready for some candy!

And let the adventure begin! First, knock. Second, wait for them to open the door, third say "Trick or Treat!" Fourth - get candy. They got steps 1, 2, and 4 very well. 3 - well, we tried! LOL

And all the cousins at Aunt 'ean's house! What a cute bunch! A fun night was had by all, and to top it off - the Ducks CREAMED USC! Daddy was a happy man, too! We now have three exhausted children with enough candy to get them through to the new year - and we only went to six houses!!!!!!!!!!!!

Football Fall!

2009-10-24T21:55:00.000-07:00

It was a perfect fall day today: crisp, clear, sunshiny, the leaves were in full color array! The kids and I spent the morning at the playground - and after that..... the QUACKIES were on TV!!!!

They all insisted on having their "quack quack shirts" put on, and the boys pulled their chairs up beside Dad's to watch the game. And they really WATCHED!!! Boy oh boy, was Andy a happy man!

R hung out on the couch with Mom, watching the crochet hook fly. I think she wanted one of her own, from this look....

However, it was getting close to nap time, and she soon moved to this pose - she watched, but comfortably! And the Duckies won - even better! I LOVE Fall!

God Made....

2009-10-14T22:30:00.000-07:00

These three are a bit young for the Cubbies program at our church (a kids group for 3-4 year olds). However, since I am the director AND there is only one child that age group this year - and that child happens to be my niece - these three graduated up a bit early!! They love it and look forward to 'chuch' and 'ubbies' each Wed. night. They also are memorizing Bible verses, and really getting a tiny taste of the stories. We have really been hitting creation hard for the first of the year.....

Tonight, the story was God made flowers. My little flower is very proud of the flower that she made during craft time. We sign their verses, too, as another way of learning sign, as well as helping them memorize the verse. She is really good at the sign, and seems to enjoy it.
W likes game time best. Graypa does the older kids game time, and that isn't Mommy's forte. So the man with TONS of patience corrals 6-7 2 through 4 year olds for half an hour and gets semi-organized games going! Relay races are NOT run the way they normally are - but they are sure hysterical to watch! Pictures of that might be forthcoming!

Mr B. - He loves approval, and he is my most vocal one. Here he is with his "flower." A bit smushed - but God loves even the wilted flowers. I know he loves me - and I know I don't always act like a rose! He worked so hard on this flower, I just had to get pictures of it. And he was SO proud of it, too. Notice the smile. However, Mr B made me cry yesterday. He was sitting in the window, watching it rain, and I asked him; 'Who made the rain?' He told me - GOD made the rain! Today, reading books in his crib, he was pointing things out and saying...'God made the moon. God made the sun. God made the clouds...' Thank you Lord for the innocence of a child, and the fact that they are blessed to learn at a young age. If you think about it - pray for my Cubbies on Wed nights. 3 of them are my babies, 1 is a beloved niece, and 2 others are much loved as well. May they all grow to know God as their personal saviour!

A trip to visit Great Gram

2009-10-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

We decided to take a trip to Seattle to visit Great Gram. But before we could do that - we needed a new family picture to take her!!! We all had leather jackets, so what better then a picture with a hot rod?!!!!!!!!!!!!

B LOVED the 'cycle with Daddy. They were off to hit the open road......

R wasn't too into the 'cycle. That was noisy, and all for a guy. But....

Gramps' '38 Chevy made a great family photo op as well. I LOVE that truck! The kids especially loved the radio he had installed...play a button, and some of his favorite tunes play. The theme from 'Rocky' was the favorite!
It was Great Gram's birthday. It was great fun. She let us help her blow out her candles - on an ice cream cake to boot!

Then Great Gram let us help her open her presents. Those breakable dishes made a great clashing sound!

Great Gram also read books to us....

And gave us Kettle Corn! We had a good time with Great Gram....

In other news, Mom is working on a knitting project! Yes, she is knitting! This is a scarf with fun fur - just to practice. But - there were purchases made at the Oregon Fleece and Fiber festival. Wait for future pictures! Now, vacation is over, Mom is tired, and an early bed time is in order!

Growin' up

2009-09-18T12:46:00.000-07:00

My babies are growing up. I don't know that I am ready for this yet. They got bikes, helmets and knee pads for their birthday - all of which they are in love with!Although they look adorable in all of the "equipment," I am not too sure I like the grown up look! However, the conundrum is that we would like them to grow up just a tiny bit more, so they can pedal their own bikes. I can tell you exactly how many steps it takes me to push them from one end of the deck to the other!There really isn't anything wrong with the color in this picture. They LOVE to help - with everything. That can be good - ie dusting, but that can be bad......

We made s'mores the other night in our fire pit, and the kiddos decided to "make fire" on their own! SCARY!
Ragamuffin #3 who saw me coming, and RAN!!!! Smart girl!

We have pictures of my brothers at about this age after they played in my grandparent's burn barrel. I guess the apples didn't fall too far from the tree!

And I had to include this picture for a laugh. Notice the feet? We have been having a war with Mr. B lately, who does not think that 2 is a baby anymore. That means, he tries to stay up until Mom and Dad go to bed. Two nights ago, Andy and I were in the kitchen, and came out to the living room to spy the feet. We promptly went back into the kitchen until the chuckles were gone (whoops, still not gone - chuckling again!) and then, went BACK to the living room to discipline and send back to bed appropriately. Got to give him credit for thinking!

In other news - Andy surprised me with a night out last weekend for my birthday just the two of us. No pictures, but the Olive Garden for dinner. NUM! I think I gained ten pounds! Then, we couldn't find a movie we wanted to see, so we headed home, and spent the night on the couch watching the OR Ducks game. Not only did they win, but I got half of a market bag crocheted. Fabulous!

Works in Progress

2009-08-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well hey there! It's been a while! Mommy has been soooo busy lately, that I thought I should help her out and catch you all up on what is going on in our world. It has been very busy, and kind of crazy, too. We are all trying to adjust to a new life, and not doing too well at it. Mom and Nonny say the new family motto is "One day at a time." But today has been a pretty good day. At Mommy's new job, she works 4 10's. Whatever that is! But that means that Fridays are our days! We get to go grocery shopping, run errands, clean the house, and spend time together. We also get to sleep in, which Mommy says is her favorite part of the day!

However, Mommy is trying to get some other things done, so I thought I would show you her works in progress. There's a lot of them! This is an afghan she is trying to get done for a wedding present. I kind of like it! And it is cleaning out her stash. That makes Daddy happy, too!We thought that picture was kind of boring, though. So, the next time, we helped enliven it a bit! R wears her hat like a girl, and I am trying to fix it for her. This is a baby sweater. There is a church baby shower in a couple of weeks that Mom wants this done for. She better get busy, quick! R and I helped her with this picture, too. She can take some very boring pictures if we don't help her out.Mommy got really upset when we tried to help with this picture. No gratitude, I tell you!She made a lace tablecloth a long time ago - before I was even born! She loved doing it, and is working on another one. No idea how long it is going to take her, but I think she might have bit off a bit more then she should chew right now! Oh well, she is enjoying it!Mommy says these are her best works in progress. I don't quite know what she means. We are being good in this picture! We are all playing with our kitchen and just loving being home on Friday.

Look! We are playing with our new birthday road! We love our cars and road, and play with it all the time. Fridays are fun, 'cause we don't get to play with our home toys the rest of the week. We get Nonny's toys, instead!

A better shot of our road. I am going to the grocery store for Mommy, but B thinks that the park would be more fun. Speaking of which, Mommy said as soon as I was done with this, and she had the house clean, we could go to the park for reals. Well, I think the house is clean enough, and my little fingers are getting tired. So, to the park we go. I want to 'wing!

Church Campout and Birthday Party!

2009-08-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend was our annual church campout. We hadn't yet celebrated the kiddos birthday number two, so we thought that this would be a good time, since the family was all together. The three mousketeers enjoyed their first hot dog roast!And, since we were camping, they had birthday s'mores, rather then cake! I can honestly say - no one missed the cake! LOL And the kids thought this was FANTASTIC!!!!We DID blow out candles, though! Puckering up! And BLOW!!!!!Excuse me, does anyone realize that my parents are encouraging me to play with FIRE at the tender age of two? Someone STOP this madness!!! R was not too into the candle part!

The fantastic road with all of their favorite places that my Mom made for the boys cars. It was a HIT!
An old Model T pedal car from Papa and Gram Gram. Definitely fun!
Lots of vehicle toys this birthday - that even Great Gramps was sweet talked into helping with. FYI - helping meant pushing them around, while they sat there!

Our campsite backed right onto the playground. Lots of fun to be had on the swings....

....concentrating on going down that slide carefully....

....and letting it all go, as we flew down the slide as fast as we could go! Whee!!!!

Wow! All this camping wore us out. Three VERY tired birthday babies!

And here is the car, after we got home. B and R wanted a turn - W didn't want to share, so they figured out how to do their own "traffic stop!" W was SO happy with that turn of events. Mom and Dad were laughing, and kind of proud of B's inventiveness! Um, another five minutes and we DID take it away for the rest of the night! LOL

Master!

2009-07-27T22:23:00.001-07:00

Are you paying attention? I have been waiting for this day for a VERY LONG time!!!!I am officially, now, a MBA in Business, with a specialization in Accounting. I DID IT!!!!! I wasn't sure that I actually wanted to go through with the ceremony. A bit too much going on right now, and my thoughts were elsewhere. However, Andy told me that I had worked too hard and long, and I deserved it - and my parents were on his side! So, I walked the walk! I am glad now that I did. Even in 90 degree heat in a black robe!!!! (So, I really have 8 more weeks of school, but this is when the ceremony was!)My best friend, my best support. He never minds if I have to stay up late, or lock myself in the office to write papers. He just tells me not to kill myself! I think he will be very glad that it is done, though! We are planning a get away trip just the two of us. I think it will only be the second time in our marriage that I haven't had to take homework along!!!!!The three tired little munchkins who were more interested in going inside and eating, rather then taking yet another picture! They definitely made it a bit more challenging - but it was worth it! And yes, Daddy is making Mr. B smile, 'cause he told him he had to be excited for Mommy! My original Principal and teacher. (AKA, Dad and Mom!) They were the ones that instilled a love of learning, and a desire to further my education. Mom taught me to read - and is already working on phonics with my three. Kind of cool they could be there today and see where it got me! I am blessed.

Lots of support went with me - grandparents, parents, husband, kiddos and in-laws. I am blessed in my support! Of course, they all enjoyed the first "choo choo" ride with the kiddos, too. They weren't too sure about it at first, but soon discovered this was more fun then they had originally thought!

And after all of that - the best moment of the whole day. My favorite job - being mom!

What a brother!

2009-07-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

Saturday was Jeremy's memorial service. Jer was a casual guy. Dressing up gave him hives! So, in honor of Jeremy, the family asked everyone to dress casually. And the family made a statement of their own. Jeremy was a diehard Oregon Ducks fan (he and Andy got along GREAT!!!!!). In honor of Jeremy, his entire family wore Ducks jerseys for him. The front pew was a showing of love, honor and support for a husband, father, son and brother that will be greatly missed. Jer was much of the glue that held our family together. He made us all laugh, and he enjoyed doing it, too. I am honored that I can call him my brother and my friend.

Mom wanted to do a slideshow to show that Jeremy lived. There were pictures of family vacations, family time at home, and the fact that Jeremy was a man that was loved. The service literally had standing room only. That many people came to show Jeremy that he was loved, and will be greatly missed. I am awestruck by what a man Jeremy was, and how many people wanted to show him that. I pray that the words that were said regarding the fact that Jeremy also lived his faith, and now resides with Jesus will resonate in a heart that needs the truth. My prayer is that Jer's death was not in vain, but that God's word will not return empty. I may never know it, until I get to heaven, but I hope that someday I meet someone who was better for the fact that I had to lose my brother. I cannot wait for that reunion! I miss him so much!

I will see you again.

2009-07-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

My brother, Jeremy, died in a car accident on Saturday. He was one of my best friends. I love him and miss him so much. I know that he believed in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, and I know that I will see him again in heaven. However, this leaves such a huge hole in our family, and in our hearts. Please pray for us, his wife and 4 children, and the rest of the family. I miss you Jer, I love you. When I get to heaven, I want a big hug, 'kay?!

Time for a little R&R

2009-07-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

So I now have a job. Thank you Lord! However, Mom and I have been planning a trip to the beach for THREE months! We needed to breathe! Life kept interfering. Finally, we decided this was it - 'cause next week I can't! So, Tuesday we packed up the kids and headed out. We were so excited to go! First up, a stop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. The kiddos had never been, and I figured it would be a five minute stop (plus ice cream cones!) The kids shocked me. They had a ball, and we were there for over an hour, watching them package cheese.

Next it was time for some two year portraits. I am blessed - I have a photographer in my Mom whose motto is "Have camera, will travel." So, I wanted something a bit different for this portrait session. And what could be better then sunglasses and the beach?! Our little bathing beauty. Excuse me, you are in my light.

Momma's boy. He started giggling and dancing from the second he got on the beach, and had to be dragged off screaming. I am so glad he got that part of me!

My little mountain goat. There were other pictures that showed more of him. However, this is a pose I see so often at home - on chairs, tables, the entertainment center, cribs....etc that I just HAD to pick this one!

And we are all true Oregonians. We were at the beach - shorts and sweatshirts, but we still dipped our toes in the ocean! W and B dipped a bit more then their toes, however! They did a couple of nosedives, giggled, and got right back up. A fun day for all, with great pictures to show for it. Can I go back tomorrow?

Now we are TWO!!!!!

2009-07-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

First, an important birthday breakfast!!! Pancakes and bacon! Then Mom got to wash the syrup out of everyone's hair!

W - 9:34 am!

B - 9:35 am!

R - 9:37 am!

3 miracles in the space of 4 minutes. We are blessed!

Fabulous Fourth!

2009-07-10T21:42:00.001-07:00

The fourth is my favorite holiday of the year! I don't know what happened to the pictures - but they are here, even if they are tiny! This is our newest tradition - the first annual CAT (cancer awareness and treatment) walk. It is actually the 9th year that everyone else has done it. We have seen it go by every year, saying "we should do that!" This year, we remembered ahead of time. It was a blast!!!! SOME members of our team were a bit lazy and expected to be pushed - not that I am mentioning any names W, B, and R!!!!! But, that just makes for better exercise for Mommy!Afterwards, it was our very first parade. W cuddled with Great Gram, until he realized, "hey, they are throwing CANDY!!!" Great Gram says she didn't see him the rest of the time! LOL

B was having a ball from the second the police officers showed up on their "oom oom" (translation, motorcycles) to do the flag ceremony!!! That boy didn't stop moving the entire parade!R sat on my lap most of the time, but here, transferred to Nonny while I was busy. She is not a noise, people person, so didn't enjoy it that much. Mommy LOVED the cuddles, though!

Next was a big family barbecue at Grandma's house. She had gotten out a bunch of cool toys, and everyone fed them fruit and ice cream. I had three very happy babies!

And our very first fireworks!!!! Dadddy did the honors of lighting them. They weren't too sure about the big ones - but sparklers were a hit!!!! W watched his very intently!
This is the look I tried to get all day; B is saying "OH, COOOOHHHH!" (translation Oh, Cool!) He said that quite often during the day! Too, too cute!

Once again, little miss wasn't too thrilled with the noise of the fireworks. And she was very concerned that the sparklers she was holding were on fire!!!! However, towards the end, she concentrated more on the fun, then the noise, and started to have a smile! What a wonderful day!

Here are the kiddos watching Daddy light off the big ones. Not sure why this pic is bigger!!! There have been a few fireworks around here lately that the kids have been on the sidelines for! Daddy came through his knee surgery very well. He gets to go back to work next week, and both he and Mommy are thrilled. His cabin fever is driving the whole family nutso!!! LOL Also, Mommy got a job!!!!! Thank you all who prayed. It is full time, which is not what we really were prepared for, but this is what the Lord gave us. So, we are going into it knowing He has a reason. Prayers for Mommy's sanity would be appreciated, now!!!! I have two weeks before it starts, and have already written the list of what needs to be accomplished between then and now.....so, enough playing. There's work to be done!

We're havin' a Heat Wave!

2009-07-03T15:07:00.000-07:00

It's too hot to sleep! We can't rest in this heat, so instead, we held a party in Miss R's crib. W and R are supplying the music on their combs, while Mr. B dances! Mom was a little less then enthused about the party, 'cause it caused grumpy babies when they got up. So, she enlisted Daddy in her diabolical plans!

Mommy had Daddy set up the sprinkler. The boys are inspecting Daddy's work, and trying to figure out exactly how this is supposed to work. Mom helps them figure out how it is supposed to work!!! Squeals of glee!!

W decided this was thirsty work, and took a drink while he plays!

B wants you to know that water is "COOOOOLLLLLDDDD!!!!!"
The little princess decided it was a bit too chilly for her liking. Nothing less then 70 degree bathwater for this girl, dressed appropriately and adorably or not! Daddy's lap looks like an appropriate seat to watch the proceedings!

However, her mean hearted Mom wasn't putting up with that. R was forced to dip her toes. The whole time screaming "AH DUN MOMMY, AH DUN!!!!!!"

Andy's knee surgery went well, and he is recovering nicely. Looks like he is headed back to work in a couple of weeks, which will be nice on the budget, since his truck refused to start today. Continued prayers would be appreciated!

Tomorrow is Independence day, my favorite holiday of the year!!!! My family has so much fun together, and we are trying something new this year. Pictures soon!

2009-07-02T21:08:00.001-07:00

I've been given an award by: http://katididscreations.blogspot.com/
I'm honored! I love reading her blog, and admiring all of the knitting that she gets done. One of my favorites is when she plays in the dye pots!

So, now what I am supposed to do.....

1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award.
2) Share "ten honest things" about myself.
3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me

4) Tell those 7 people that they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving it.
Thank you Katidids!
In all honesty:
1-I am an organized, detail freak, who likes to plan things way in advance and make sure that everything is going to run smoothly. I sometimes think the planning can be almost as much fun as the actual trip, day, etc.

2-I grew up wanting to be a Mom. I knew I would love it. What I didn't know was just how much I would love it. When the skies seem dark, I can look at my kids and see their smiles, and know that God still exists and loves me.

3-I have quite a few hobbies. Crocheting, knitting, scrapbooking, crosstitch, beading, etc. But my real downtime is spent when I read. Reading is my escape and my relaxation time.

4-My family is a self-contained unit. We are interdependent, independent, and all know that we can always count on the others to be there. We don't need (or want, usually) other people to join our trips, bbq's, or other fun times together. We rarely fight, and when we do disagree, we always listen to other's opinions respectfully, and if needed, agree to disagree. This can be hard for others to understand, but I think the Lord has given us a real blessing, and we need to nurture that.

5-I describe my husband as my favorite teddy bear. His growl is worse then his bite, and he is all soft and cuddly, until he is riled up. Then the grizzly comes out. And food is definitely the way to his heart! LOL

6-Sleep feels like a waste of time, when there is so much else that can be done!

7-I am a Christian, and I make no bones about the fact. I am not perfect (my husband will tell you that!) but I am trying! My personal times can get neglected with everything else going on in life, but I am really trying to make these more of a habit.

8-One of my favorite times of the day is right after the kids have their bath, when we have their Bible story and a glass of water. Smelling them all clean, and snuggled up for their story has to be one of the best things in life!

9-I HATE shopping!!! Give me the internet any day of the week. I can be persuaded to browse a yarn store, a scrapbook store, craft store, and even (very rarely) clothes. But I can think of a million things I would rather do first!

10-I said my family is a self-contained unit. Within that self-contained unit, my mom and I are even more self-contained. My husband occaisonally asks what we find to talk about all the time! We had our issues growing up - what mom and daughter don't? But, now, I am glad we weathered the storm, because she is definitely my best friend. Our relationship has only deepened and gotten stronger since I was in junior high. We were trying to figure out yesterday when the last time we had fought was - and neither of us could remember!!!! I am blessed!

I made it! That was harder then I thought! Now.....7 others.....

http://usefulhandsandheart.blogspot.com (she has ADORABLE grandmunchkins that she blogs about!)

http://bryantfam.com/

http://marileemarks.blogspot.com/?zx=4cd657d06af1bd06

http://raisingbentsarrows.blogspot.com/?zx=2ef186090c65e60

The last three are cousins that live at a distance that I LOVE keeping up with this way.

And now I have to think about it!!!!

My brother is MARRIED!!!! (AKA - I have a new sister!)

2009-06-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my brother's wedding day! We were so excited for Mr. J - and to add his new bride to the family! Her daughter is also a welcome addition to the grandkids. We feel that the Lord really blessed us! (oh yeah, and Jas, too! LOL)

As the family of the groom, there was LOTS to do! Decorating was LOTS of fun at the church - grandparents joined in on the fun, too!

And I didn't attend empty handed - three little munchkins did their share of "helping!" They also entertained the work crew!

Jas asked me to be the wedding coordinator - an honor for me! Not to mention, I had the chance to order everyone in my family around. What more could a girl ask for? :-) Here I am - dressing my 30 year old brother! He had a few issues with his tie!

The whole gang - all dressed up in our finest. A great looking family, if I do say so myself!

And this is where the original travesty started - my parents, their four children, and the bride! Does she know what she is getting into?!

And it wouldn't be me, if I didn't grab a family shot (or two, or three!) I had to get proof that all three of my guys were in ties! I think this one is frameable! Appreciate your prayers for Andy tomorrow - he goes in for knee surgery. We are praying that everything goes well, quickly, and the healing is as painless and quick as possible! From one fun to the next!

WWKIP Day!

2009-06-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

This is only the second year that we have had a WWKIP day locally. Last year I couldn't go, with my hands full with the kiddos. This year, Daddy stayed home with the boys - hurt knee and all, he braved it for me! And R and I headed to the fun. We met Nonny and Auntie S there, and 4 generations enjoyed coffee/tea/hot chocolate, yarn, meeting other yarny people and the free prizes and goody bags! More pictures to follow - but this one a friend took and already e-mailed to me, so I couldn't resist!

Solaris Shawl

2009-06-12T14:35:00.001-07:00

I wanted something new and special to wear for my brother's wedding in one week. I went stash diving, and found "A Taste of Glitz" in purple - which happens to be the wedding colors. I also went closet diving, and found a dress that I never wore. I bought it right before I got pregnant - and then gained enough weight that I couldn't wear it until now. This is the Solaris Shawl pattern by Kim Guzman. I lengthened the edging to add a bit more drama, and I LOVE the result!

The dress is black, with white flowers, so this should go really well! I actually finished on time, too. A big bonus!

A little of this, a little of that....

2009-06-03T21:06:00.001-07:00

Notice the knee wrap? On Memorial Day weekend, Andy fell on the play structure we took the kiddos to in Washington. Unfortunately, it hasn't healed, and instead has gotten worse! He has been off for two weeks now, and had several doctor's appointments. We head back to the orthopedic surgeon tomorrow, and we are pretty sure that the surgeon part of that title is going to get put into play! NOT fun! So, we are amusing him in any way possible.....that red hat sitting next to him?That would be baby girl, trying to hide from Mommy at bed time. She thinks she is SOOOO funny! And even though Daddy looks innocent - he was involved clear up to his neck!

The yard work goes on - with lots of help. This is the "jungle" that I admitted to earlier. Looking better, huh? Well, it is done - except for the fact that I ran out of rock! Guess another trip to Lowe's is in my very near future.

The boys worked HARD to help me! W was very diligent at pushing the rock around with his Dollar Store rake!
B has management in his future. I was doing all of the carrying and hauling of the bags of rock from the garage clear to the back yard. As soon as I got to the flower bed and dumped it, he would point his finger and yell "MOH!" (more!) at me!!!!!
As you can imagine, it has been a little rough around here. Andy literally can't walk, and does good getting between the bed and his chair. So, there has been lots of extra to do around here. All of this, plus school, looking for a job, the regular stuff, helping with my brother's wedding in 3 weeks, and all of the doctor's appointments. Needless to say, I have been a BIT overwhelmed. I was having a VERY rough morning the other day, and ran to get a shower without folding the laundry. I got out of the shower to find two adorable little boys who had tried to help, and had "folded" all of the laundry for me. I know the picture is dark, but it was worth including! And do I need to mention that the tears flowed? Sweet boys!

Good news about doctor's appointments - I am trying to find a silver lining! - is that I am stash busting and working on some ponchos for gifts in the future. This is a big favorite that I have done before.

This is a new pattern, with a hood, that might become a new favorite. Actually, it might become R's!!! LOL So, that is a little of this, a little of that. Keep Andy in your prayers if you would - he is not looking forward to a possibility (almost definite) of a second surgery this year.

Memorial Day Weekend!

2009-05-25T19:32:00.000-07:00

We headed north for Memorial Day weekend to spend the time with Andy's Grandma! A 4 generation picture at the park we went to play at. We also had a picnic lunch!Great Gram was lots of fun to dance with!She also spoiled us with ice cream bites! Yeah!And baby girl had to get ice cream, too!Daddy and B at the park with the slides. I can't decide who had more fun!

And the lake was a BIG hit with the boys! W decided to stir it up with sticks. B decided to rearrange the ground, to make it a bit more even! I think all he did was make a mess! But that is a Mommy's opinion!R, who is our fish in the bathtub, did not like the lake! Papa made her try it, and she was most displeased with him!

But, barring the lake, we had LOTS of fun with Great Gram, Aunt Beth and Uncle Ray! So much, that we have decided to make this a Memorial Day weekend tradition! Looking forward to next year already!

Accomplishments!

2009-05-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this afghan since before Christmas! My brother is getting married next month to a sweetheart who's favorite color is purple! So, I made them this afghan for her shower. I love the way it turned out, but weaving in all of those ends was a real PAIN!!!!

It is the Simple Yo Yo Square pattern by Chris Simon. It is a GREAT way to use up scraps - if I had done that! Ha ha!

And here is my most recent stash busting! With all of the weddings that we have had, I figure I had better get a head start on baby shower gifts. So, I made a little hat and sweater set. It is in one of my personal books, and I made it for R, and she wore it. I got so many compliments on it, I figured it was a safe shower gift!

Here is the sweater up close and personal.

And the whole set together. The scrapbooking is still plugging along, too. Maybe I will catch up next month! But, we are headed to Seattle this weekend, all of my projects are done, and I haven't figured out what I am taking yarn wise. MAJOR issues - got to run!

Greatness at work!

2009-05-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

My Gramps decided that he hadn't been to the zoo in WAAAY too long - think 20+ years! And, thought it would be fun to experience the zoo with all of his great grandkiddos. So, we yanked kids out of school, hopped in the car and drove to the zoo last week. What a fabulous, marvelous, God-given day. Not many people are blessed to have their grandparents still around, and I intend to take full advantage of my blessings.A simple thing, right? Gramps, 8 greatgrandkids, and one picture. Ah ha, he can cause chaos no matter where he goes - even with something this simple! LOL

Grandma was smarter - and preferred one child at a time! Here, she and B check out the otter den.

Grammie and Warren thought that the fish were more interesting! He wants to make sure she really sees it!

Graypa went along as chief kid corraller. He wasn't too sorry to take the day off work to do it, either! The three kiddos and Graypa thought the giraffe getting fed was a very interesting sight to see!

And Granny (pronounced Nonny, according to B) went along as chief photographer! And snuggler, hand washer, sidekick, etc. She wears many hats!

R, W and B are so blessed in their great grandparents! A trip like this is a memory maker. One that we plan to do many times again!

Flowers for Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

Flowers are often an expected gift on Mother's Day. Three years ago, I didn't know if I would ever get to celebrate Mother's Day as a mother. God answered our prayers abundantly more then we could ask or think, and we were blessed with three babies. These are my flowers. All I wanted for Mother's Day was to spend the day at home, with my flowers, enjoying their fragrance.I got a little more then I asked...we did some family grocery shopping, then Daddy and babies did some yard work for me. I made strawberry jam - a family favorite, and even took a nap when the kiddies did!

W reminds me of a crocus. He is quiet, reserved, and a real snuggler. He often sits in the background, watching everything that is going on. But when he does bloom and laugh, he is amazing to see.

R is a double-delight rose. She has two sides to her personality - the vibrant, excited, laughing part, and the quiet, snuggly, reader side. I love both sides, and she is a double delight to me!

B is a daffodil - vibrant, exciting, and hard to miss. He makes me laugh, makes me so frustrated at times, but always beautiful to see.

W always loves to please, and is so excited to help with anything he can.

My beautiful little girl

One more flower - my absolute favorite flower is a tulip. My husband - all the colors of the rainbow, as he lights up my life - especially in what a wonderful father he is. He is the one who sent all three babies running to me with lilac offerings for Mother's day. I am so blessed in my Mother's day flowers! I hope all of you other Mom's out there enjoy your flowers - both kinds. I am going to go spend some time reading books with mine.

Spring Yard Work

2009-05-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

Come on W! Hurry up, finish that breakfast! We have plans! Things to do, work to accomplish. Mom and Dad have really let this place go to pot for the last three years - okay, 'cause of us, but STILL! Now that we're here, we are going to crack the whip, and get this place into shape!

Last year was the year of repairs - new windows and a new deck. This is the year of the flowerbed! This is how it looked at 9am this morning.

And this is how that same flowerbed looked at 5pm this afternoon! Quite a difference, huh? I am SOOOO happy with it. We dug 2 inches out of the bed, put down the weed stopper canvas, and then covered it in with rock. I shouldn't have to weed again - ever!!!! Yeah! Our flower beds always looked trashy, 'cause weeding is the one job I will procrastinate until I can't do it. Enough of that, time to do something about it!And another angle - doesn't it look neat and clean?! YEAH!!!!!

Daddy came home and helped, then mowed the lawn - to the interest of three little supervisors!

Happy dance, happy dance, one flower bed is done!!!!!

This is the next jungle, ahem, flowerbed that we are going to tackle next week!

At least the inside never gets to the condition that the outside currently is! We take care of that religiously. After all, Mom does believe that cleanliness is next to godliness - and practices it!!!! Speaking of which, there is laundry to fold and dishes to do! Until next time!

Not Knitting, Not Crocheting, but WOW!!!!!

2009-05-04T08:49:00.000-07:00

Meet 2008 in pictures!!!!!! Yes, that is 5 albums - one for each of the kiddos, and the family album expanded into 2 albums this year!!!! Each kiddy has a color-coded album that will remain their color forever, so they know immediately which album is theirs! Yes, I am the crazy woman who decided that one album wasn't enough, and each child needed their own!

I have been unemployed for 3 months. In that time, every nap time has been dedicated to scrapbooking our pictures. 2007 was done, but the 2008 pictures hadn't even been printed! 16" worth of scrapbooks in three months!

To do the math another way - that is approximately 150 pages per book, average of about 5 pictures per page, times 5 albums. Total number of pictures - 3750 total pictures. Oh my word, I just did the math, and I can't believe it!!!! That is 3750 pictures!!!! Oh WOW!!!!!

But just so you know, scrapbooking is not without its pain. Notice the bandaid. I sliced my finger wide open last night with my razor cutter. FYI - 1:30 am, trying desperately to finish, and being dead tired - not a good combination! My finger hurts!

And, so what am I going to do now? Well, still no knitting or crocheting on the immediate horizon. I am 4 months behind in 2009!!!!! But hey, that's only 4 months worth of pictures. I can do this!!!! After that, I might remember what hooks and needles are for!

Woodburn Tulip Festival

2009-04-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

Two adoring grandmothers asked me about taking their grandbabies to the Woodburn Tulip Festival for a day of beautiful flowers and photo ops. Who am I to say no, when my camera doesn't know what the "off" is for?!!! So, we loaded up on a perfect spring day - about 80 degrees, sunshiny and beautiful. Aren't the colors of the tulips amazing?!

Auntie Jean and Savannah packed up to come along with us as well. Auntie Jean and I are both unemployed, and so we are bound and determined to enjoy the time that has been granted to us with our babies as much as we can! This day completely lived up to our expectations.
Here are the four little darlings - not one of which wanted to sit still for the pictures. Our motto for the day was snap, snap, snap, and pray we got a good one!
W is my little thinker boy. He stands back and takes it all in, then decides which way he wants to go. This picture so shows that for me. I love the way his personality came out, and it is more then just a picture among tulips!B is more determined and leaps before he looks! Takin' off to check things out is just the way he does things!
Although this picture doesn't show R's personality like the other two, I chose it for a very special reason. If you notice her hand position, she is signing "purple!!!!!!" We have been working very diligently on learning our colors, and the signs that go with them. My hard work is paying off!!!! Yeah! R got about 90% of her colors when we would ask her to point to a specific color of tulip. The boys were at about 50/50!!!!! I was SOOOOO excited! Now that means I can move on to the alphabet! Can't wait until they are reading!!!!

And this picture was for Daddy. He wanted the boys in something besides flowers!!!! And R has to do whatever they do!

As Granny said, we didn't tiptoe through the tulips, we ran, dashed, stomped, tore, and played through the tulips!!!! It was lots of fun. And, I have been doing something in my unemployment. Just wait until you see where all my time has been spent. Stay tuned!

Easter Morning

2009-04-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

Well howdy! Thanks for stopping by. I am at church right now, Easter morning, and about to go blind from all of the flashing! You see, our church has an Easter Egg hunt for young'uns on Easter morning. And you would have thought the paparazzi had shown up! But, at least with all of the cameras, some great pictures were gotten!

My big brother. He loves his Tiger. Sleeps with it, would eat and bathe with it, 'cept Mom won't let him. And to quote the famous nursery rhyme 'Everywhere that W went, the Tiger was sure to go!"

Aren't we snazzy all dressed up? Our Great Grandma got these before we were born, and they fit perfect for Easter. She and Aunt Beth sure have good taste. 'Course, I am just plain cute!

This is my family all dressed up for Easter on the front porch of the church. My Dad says that my Mom just uses holidays as an excuse to take pictures. In 21 months, I have learned that he is right. But, she doesn't need a holiday - she takes them all the time! Notice that there are six members to our family - Tiger HAS to be involved!

Mom spent hours on a matching shawl set for her and R. She was thrilled with the way they turned out. And I got to admit, for a sister, R is pretty!

This was a fun picture - all 7 of Granny's grandmunchkins. We have lots of fun when we get together. But things can also get really loud, really fast. That's why we had to take this picture outside!

R is such a girl - she had to stop and check out the flowers on the way to the pictures! But Mom wanted me to put the picture in because she said that it was a great picture of the shawl. And I have to do what Mom says. 'sides, she is in charge of the Easter candy! That's important!

This is my big bro, W. One whole minute older, and he still won't let me forget it. He looks pretty cool in his suit, doesn't he?
And finally, R says that in a day or so, she will let you peek at the Easter Egg hunt. Bye for now! - Mr. B.

Coloring Easter Eggs!

2009-04-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, we have reached the crazy - officially - category! We decided to color Easter Eggs with three 21 month olds, and see how it went! It actually went really well. We colored 42 Easter Eggs in the matter of one hour, no major catastrophes, and we had fun! If you notice, even Daddy started to color - he couldn't let the kiddos do it all!

B had his own way of doing things - dip, stir, lick, and then repeat! His mouth is now brown and orange!

R was a bit more dainty in her philosophy. She enjoyed it, and I think she is going to be crafty!

W did the most eggs and when the eggs were gone - he worked on coloring his hands!!!!!

All done!!!!! Showing off the finished product!

And, I couldn't resist showing you his face - after the deck was hosed down, they got washed up, and a change of clothes! Wonder how long before he looks like normal? Hopefully before Easter pics next week! This was definitely a hit, and something that will go in the scrapbooks. Count yourself lucky - I took 91 pictures!

I have been gettting something done!

2009-03-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

Even with trips to the ER, I have been getting something done around here - I just haven't had time to blog about it! So, here is a stash buster baby afghan. Round ripple afghan in variegated acrylic. Nothing spectacular, but it was a brainless project I could do while sitting on the floor with the kiddies!

My Eva's shanwl finally got done! I am very happy with it, and now little Miss R. and I will match for Easter. Hey, I figure the boys always match Daddy, it is Baby girl and Mommy's turn, especially since they were finished on time!

Another view - it was done using acrylic yarn that someone gave me, made in Israel. I was stashbusting! And, it actually turned out both soft and warm. This was a perfect pattern for it, because it didn't need to be blocked.

And, my favorite, the Garden Party Wrap by Kim Guzman. It was done with Knitpicks Shimmer Laceweight - color Happy Dance. I absolutely love it! (and yes, that was the yarn I won. I couldn't finish everything else before I used it!)

I can hardly wait for Sunday to wear it to church!

Something to brighten my day.....

2009-03-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

Tulips are my favorite flower. We forced tulips for my wedding, just because I couldn't imagine using another flower (and we got married at the wrong time of year!). Yesterday, my Grandma brought me this bunch of tulips. Now, why would I need tulips to brighten my day?

Because of this poor little guy. Mr. B has been diagnosed with croup, and wound up in the ER on Tuesday night (happy birthday, Daddy!). He was having trouble breathing and keeping anything down. It was NOT a fun night! Yesterday, he spent the day either on my lap, or on the couch.

Little Missy is developing her maternal instincts. After I got out of the restroom at one point, she was patting B's head, and rubbing his back. Too cute! I had to run for the camera!

When I was holding B, the other two did soooo well at entertaining themselves. Puzzles are huge hits around here!

W tried to rip B's blanket off a few times and make him play. Puzzles were a good distraction for him! Guess he doesn't have too many maternal instincts! LOL

Poor guy is feeling better today, but still not great. We are going to follow up with his pediatrician today. Hopefully it is on it's way out!

Happy Birthday Andy!

2009-03-24T08:31:00.001-07:00

Andy turns 32 today!!!!! We celebrated last night at his parent's, and had great food, great conversation, and lots of fun, too! We are so grateful for our family. For the next five months, Andy is a VERY OOOOOLD man! After that, he ain't lookin' too bad! I am so blessed to have him in my life. And speaking of blessings, here's how the munchkins celebrated Daddy's birthday.....

R got away with murder - since Granny was there! The sweater got taken off right after dinner. It was a mess! However, she had a great time, and LOVES jello!

Mr. B is suffering from croup, and wasn't feeling too hot. So, he spent most of the night looking pale, and drinking anything he could get his hands on. Grandpa was happy to indulge! BTW - he didn't drink out of that cup again. Something about crumbs floating!!!W wasn't into that kid stuff - there was serious business at hand - there were dishes to do! He and Aunt Kris had a fabulous time!

R has a new love - find a blanket, find a book, find a lap that will read to her. We aren't sure where the blanket came from, but we now have two in our living room for her to use! Too cute!

We are so grateful the Lord put Andy into this family! We are going to celebrate again tonight!

Spring means Softball!

2009-03-22T18:28:00.000-07:00

Our niece is a catcher for girls fast pitch softball at college in Washington. Her team traveled to a tournament in Vancouver, so we packed everything up for a day at the diamonds! Here, Makenzie is up to bat.

Some of us were there to spectate and cheer....

Others were supposedly there to cheer, but had other things on their minds! Exploring the woods and playing with the dogs in between games ranked high (naps did NOT, which made the last game more interesting!)

Check out the new ball that Makenzie brought her youngest fans - one apiece, so there weren't any fights! They were so excited!

B carried his around for the rest of the day, and as I write this, is hauling it around on his dump truck!

R wanted to play catch with anyone she could grab! The balls were a huge hit - I can't wait until the "mini mitt" fits R - we will really have some fun then!

The weather was perfect - sunny, but a bit on the cold side. So, W got this sweater hand delivered the morning of, before we left. Granny finished it that morning. It kept him warm, and he looked adorable - I have already ordered one in B's size!

R congratulate Makenzie on a job well done! We had a great day, although we came home dead tired. Hopefully we can make some of Kylie's games this year, too!

The weather was yucky....

2009-03-16T12:45:00.000-07:00

The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house all that cold, cold, wet day. Welcome to Oregon in the spring! It has been pretty miserable the last two days, so except for a trip to church where we ran between the car and the door, we have been pursuing indoor activities. Today, I got brave.....Out came color crayons and color books. How do you think it went?

W had a great time....but he was more interested in switching colors every five seconds then coloring....B was a study in concentration. He really tried, and seemed to enjoy it, until he realized the paper peeled off the crayons....

And then little R....it will be a LONG time before she wears makeup, considering her talent and color choices. Purple could be found on cheeks, nose, and between her teeth, too! Guess we have some work to do on the coloring! But, their first pictures are on the refrigerator!

Another Beautiful Friday!

2009-03-13T14:01:00.000-07:00

This morning it was just toooo beautiful to be stuck in doors. So, I called my Mom, who I knew was watching her other grandmunchkins, and told her we were on our way over. Get your shoes on, and lets go watching. Two adults, one "Auntie Gestapo" and six kids for a walk. Yep, it was interesting! But, we had a great time. After the walk, we ate lunch and played outside. Then, I got my courage up. The boys have needed haircuts for a while. I have been cutting Andy's hair since we were dating. Did I dare save us a little money and attempt the boys, too? Oh, heck, hair grows!....So, what do you think?!

B liked it when it was all done. He wasn't too thrilled about the actual clipper part!W still isn't looking at me. Of course, I did nick his ear a bit - but HE moved!!!! I didn't get fancy like the barber shop, it is just one length. But, it saved us a bunch of money now and in the future.
R couldn't be left out, and so she got her bangs trimmed. And I use that terminology loosely! However, it made her one of the gang, and she was happy. Now, all three are sawing logs, the laundry has been started. Sounds like it is time for some scrapbooking!

Housecleaning Friday and a Serious Case of "Startititis"

2009-03-06T12:19:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful, sunny, spring day this morning. I decided it was time to do a bit of spring cleaning.....

I had LOTS of help with windows....

Dusting...

And when the kiddies got bored with that, they ransacked my "to read" pile while I put clean sheets on the beds. FYI - they seemed to like Dee Henderson, Karen Kingsbury and Brock and Bodie Thoene. I am training them right!

But the favorite of the day was the vacuum!!!! Here, R shows off the new toy. Now, if you want a good laugh, come by my house while I run this beast. I have R on one hip, holding the cord for me. B is helping me push it - so we are moving kind of slow - it's HEAVY for a little guy! and W has found the highest ground he can as far away from it as possible!

B tries to get me to do a little more - that was FUN!!!!
Now that it is off and quiet, W will do a little exploring - but notice he still had his tiger for comfort!
And as to why no projects have been posted lately.....this is the stack of pictures I have been working on getting in the scrapbooks. I have one done through June 0f 2008, one through March, and two that haven't even been started. And yes, there are still THREE boxes to get through. I think I take enough pictures of these guys! But, other projects have been ongoing. I just have a serious case of "startititis." Usually I start one project, finish it, start the next. Lately, well, judge for yourself.....

My garden party wrap in the yarn I won.... I LOVE it!The shawl that I plan to wear to my brother's wedding in three months - not a great picture - and I had really better get busy on it!
A Christmas present that I might be stupid for even attempting to do. Besides, it is so gorgeous, I might want to keep it. I also have a sweater for R on the needles, a stash-busting baby afghan, and .....

For a little variety, a crosstitch project! I think I had better get busy! Enjoy the beautiful spring out there!

A little life...

2009-02-23T21:09:00.000-08:00

Hmmm, let me think about what has been going on around our house lately. Notice my hat - we have decided that Daddy's closet is a fun place to play!

Daddy is also a good toy when he is trying to take a nap. I really don't think he needs a nap. After all, I never need a nap, but Mom makes me lay down anyway!We have been doing lots of reading books and having literary discussions. We have also learned - kind of - how to get a long! Our literary discussions involve a lot of colors, sign language, numbers, letters, and of course, our favorite, the different sounds that animals make!We use tape measures when we do numbers. R is already showing her tendency to knit and crochet - like any good knitter, she makes sure that she has her measurements!

We have also worked on our climbing skills. Mommy inserts a big UGH! here. For some reason, we never seem to be in the same crib that we were put in when she comes to check on us. Daddy is working on a solution to that problem that does not involve a bigger house and separate rooms! LOL

Daddy works on our lessons, too. He is teaching us to whistle!

We think this is great, but so far, all we have managed is wet fingers, and drool running down our chin. Oh well, it is great fun to try. And some day, we can all give Mommy a headache!

R likes to intrude on our guy time! We let her know how we feel about that. B is a bit more forceful, I just whine until Mom takes care of the problem.

She also tries to whistle, but Daddy says she might be handicapped in that area - just like Mommy - she only tries to use one hand. Mommy says it is because her other hand is busy with a book, but Daddy isn't buying it!

Hope you enjoyed a glimpse of what our life is doing....stay tuned. There will always be more fun and games in our house! Mom taught us to "exercise" tonight, so there might be more pictures soon!

I WON!!!!!

2009-02-08T09:23:00.000-08:00

I belong to the Christian Book Club on Ravelry, and absolutely love it. The group has introduced me to some great new authors, series, etc, and really expanded my book horizon. We alternate between a non-fiction and a fiction book, so I am learning, too! January was a choose your own non-fiction book. I went through my shelves, found one I hadn't read and got busy. Then, everyone who posted a review got put into a hat (aka random number generator - after all we ARE in the 21st century!) and my name got pulled out. Please don't drool on your computer screen over my yarny numminess. Now, what shall I make that is ALL FOR ME?!!!!

And because no post is complete without my kiddos. Mr. B was having a hard time going to sleep last night. As in, he had been playing in his crib for over an hour. So, I melted to his giggles and talking to himself, and got him up. He spent about 30 minutes snuggling on my lap, until Daddy and I noticed he was really watching the boxing match that had Daddy enthralled. This necessitated an immediate change of lap, and Daddy introduced him to the sport of boxing! This is right before he decided he was tired. He kissed Daddy, crawled off his lap, dragging both blankets, and came and stood by me with a big yawn. I picked him up, sang to him, tucked him in, and he was out in about 5 minutes! What a sweet doll! And a very precious memory!

Manners and a finished object!

2009-02-06T14:54:00.001-08:00

So, along with slave labor, we have been working on using utensils, and practicing table manners around here. I will let you judge how it's going! W really likes his spoon - enough to hug it! B at least has it in his mouth - not the right way, but hey, we are making progress. Have I mentioned that they LOVE spaghetti?

Ahhh, R has managed to get the right end in her mouth. Too bad she dumped her plate all over her tray!

And, R's Easter cape is FINISHED!!! I FINISHED something! I am soooo thrilled!

The edging made it a bit longer then I had planned, but that just gives her growing room, right?!

Oh, and the best feature - she likes to take it on and off herself! She's growing up too fast, sniff, sniff!

And Life Goes On!

2009-02-03T08:16:00.000-08:00

Life proceeds around here. Sometimes we aren't sure which end is up and which end is down, but a good book (and a cup of tea for Mommy) are the best ways to relax, unwind, and regain energy! Now the bad news is that Mommy got laid off on Friday, and now has to join the ranks of the job hunters. The good news is that there is more time to spend with the kiddos!

So, in these uncertain times, we are pinching pennies, and arriving at secondary uses for everyday items. For instance, when Mommy is tired, and takes off her nylons, they make great pirate headbands!

They also work as chew toys! And for all those who wonder - no, the nylons were NOT salvageable!

We have also instituted a slave labor policy in our house. Hey, my parents had one! Three 18 month olds are now deemed old enough to pick up their own toys, and take their own laundry out to the basket - and they DO it!!!! Occaisonally, they even help with mopping!

And, I am still being crafty. Meet Renae's cape for Easter. Mom is going to have a shawl in the same pattern, and same yarn.

My brother announced his engagement a couple of weeks ago. The family is thrilled, and we love his fiancee! This shawl is going to be worn to the wedding by me! I absolutely LOVE this designer's work.

Done in this yarn! I have had this yarn for a while, but haven't had the perfect project. Now I do - and the wedding colors are purple. How well does that work? Not to mention, I didn't have to buy anything!!!

And finally, I'm knitting, I'm knitting, I'm knitting!!!!! Sometime in the next century or two, this is going to become a sweater for Renae. I have already frogged it three times, and it is taking A LOT of brain power, but I AM KNITTING!!!! I am also doing lacework. Nothing like choosing an easy pattern for my first try! But hey, I like to dive in with both feet. Speaking of which....back to the resume!

18 months!

2009-01-20T23:13:00.001-08:00

Please! Help! Let us out!!!! This HAS to be child abuse. Mom got out church clothes! Granny got out her camera! This can only mean one thing - PORTRAITS!!!! Help!!!!You can dress me up, make me sit here and give me my Tiger, but that doesn't mean I have to like it! Go ahead, make my day!

R and baby sat quite nicely - like the little princess she is!
B was having a bit of a pillpot day. In other words, he wouldn't sit, he wouldn't smile, and that was the way it was going to be!

But, Mom prevails. After all, she is the keeper of the cookies! And when it comes to portrait time, she does not hesitate to stoop to bribery. Fair warning - in these three's hearing - SPELL cookie. They know what that word means!

W at 18 months. What a doll!

B may have been bribed with cookies, but he is ALL boy. Notice the way he is sitting! Yep, why sit in a chair right if there is a different way to do it?!

R at 18 months. Daddy's Princess. Mommy's clone. All girl. 'Nuff said.

Ugh. It's finally over. I really need a nap!

On the other hand, R thinks that was fun. Can we do it again?!

Like Father Like Son!

2009-01-04T16:20:00.000-08:00

A thinks pizza is one of the seven wonders of the world. He could exist on pizza for the rest of his life! We were in the living room, and realized that the boys had gotten quiet........meet the rest of A's lunch....quickly disappearing!

Half of B's piece was gone!

Ooops, here comes Daddy - I am in TROUBLE!!!!

Please, please, don't take the pizza!

2009 Resolutions....

2009-01-03T13:46:00.000-08:00

I don't usually do resolutions....really I don't. But, in 2009, there is much to accomplish, and a list needs be made. My Dad calls me a "list-maker." He really wouldn't expect much different. And it doesn't do to disappoint your dad! So....Peekaboo!Glad to see you in 2009!

1. To read through the Bible in 2009. It has been a long time since I have done this. One of my friends set up a reading plan for his church, and e-mailed about it. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. So, here is my copy of the reading plan. 2. Meet my office. Yes, it looks like a war zone! Every room, drawer, closet and cupboard in my house has been cleaned out organized, and made ready for 2009. Three trips to Goodwill, and this is the only room that needs to be dealt with. 3. A large part of my office mess is my scrapbooking. I am just about finished with getting 2007 in the album. Yes, I said 2007!!!! The above stacks are from 2008. By the end of 2009, I want ALL of my pictures in scrapbooks. That means that 2007 gets finished, 2008 gets completed, and I keep up on 2009. Now, that might not sound like much - but I am doing FOUR albums - one family, and one for each of the kiddies. So, I basically have 8 years of scrapbooking to do. Wish me lots of luck!

4. Meet my new friend - Mr. Gazelle! Mr. Gazelle is not a new member of my family, but he is going to become the most used. I am not into "losing weight" resolutions - and this isn't a resolution to lose weight. This is a resolution to get into shape. I can do this. Mr. Gazelle and I have a meeting set up three times a week. My biggest problem with this - Mr. Pillow and I is a relationship I treasure!5. Meet my stash. Yes, one crate. That is my ONLY stash. And, most, if not all of it, is earmarked for projects. By the end of 2009, the only part of this stash I want left is an empty crate. This is DEFINITELY doable - and a great excuse to make a resolution in 2010 to buy yarn! Yeah! But, I also have about 8 cones of thread to deal with after that. Which brings me to...6. This is the oldest WIP I have - about five years old. It is also the only WIP that is not in my immediate "to-do" bag. It is also for me, all for me. I want this table runner done and on display for the 2010 New Year.

7. To read. Now, for those who know me, this isn't a major accomplishment. I already do this. But, there are three reasons this is on the list. First of all, the above is 5 stacks of 10 books apiece. I was the recipient of two full sacks of books in December. I want them all gone! Part two - I also joined a 52 books in 52 weeks group on Ravelry. (Notice the list on the blog!) I don't even have to buy a book to be two books short!

7b. This is a separate stack of books. It is 13 devotional books that I have bought or been given over the past couple of years. I want to read one a month, and only have 1 left in 2010. By my count, that gives me 63 books for my 52 books group, without buying a single book! That is A LOT of unread books in my house!

8. Isn't this pretty? When my DH and I got married, I made us both Christmas stockings. The plan was to make Christmas stockings for our kids as they came along. Then I had to have 3 babies at once! The Christmas stockings aren't done. So, this is Mr. B's stocking. He gets his first because his is the only 2007 album that isn't done. Fair play! I want this one done by Christmas. One a year for the next 3 years. That should satisfy my crosstitch desire!

9. To learn something new. I have my Christmas present on order. A made me order it - smart man didn't even try! The Options set of needles from Knit Picks. I am going to learn to knit this year! And, I have all of the stuff for beading, so I am going to give that a try, too. If I don't like the beading, it will get cleaned out. The knitting is here to stay! But, this will give me two more hobbies. Just what I need!
So, there you are - 9 resolutions for 2009. Keep peeking back for up dates as to how I am doing, and book reviews, too!

Happy New Year!

Finally Christmas Afternoon!!!!

2008-12-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

We're rockin' now!!! W takes his brand new rocker for a ride!The kiddies are blessed to have grandmothers who each do unique handmade gifts. A's mom spent the last month with a paint brush in her hand every spare moment that she had...the results were worth the effort!
Each rocker was individualized for the grandchild - and the boys were in Oregon Duck green and yellow. Daddy was happy! Carolyn had looked up the meanings of their names, and did the design according to the meanings. Each chair also had a Bible verse for the child, that related to their name meaning as well. A lot of love and time went into each one of these.

The looks of delight were all Gram wanted to see! And the fact that they are getting lots and lots of use!

R's is NOT green and yellow, but a very feminine pink and purple, with a little extra detail and color! Absolutely adorable. And each chair has stuffed animals, and things that they play with in their lives painted on them to help the memories as well. Pretty special....

R is loving to "ock, ock, ock" all around the clock!

Christmas Morning

2008-12-28T09:44:00.000-08:00

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care....in hopes that Saint Nicklaus soon would be there.....Stockings were the first order of the day Christmas morning. Mr. W was less then impressed for the first minute. You see, when Daddy and I were packing up stockings the night before, we weren't putting all of them in the same order, even though they all got the same stuff. So, B and R had M&M's at the top of their stocking. Mr. W had SOCKS!!!! He saw the other two pull out their M&M's, looked at the socks in the top of his, and the lower lip stuck out a mile!!!! He wouldn't even touch it!!!! Daddy and I were rolling on the floor! But finally, Daddy took pity on him, dug through and found his M&M's. Order was restored to the world. A smile replaced the pout, and he was ready to see what else was in there! After breakfast came presents. B was really into ripping the paper, one piece at a time!

Books were the order of the day for quite a bit. After all, these are my children! And I am happy to say, they seem to be enjoying all of them!

But what is Christmas without a truck for a little boy?!!!!! B opened his first....

Then W wouldn't rest until Daddy dug HIS truck out!!!! If you notice the boys feet, too. I found Crocs for them at Joann's on clearance. They didn't take them off all morning!

And if the boys get trucks, then R gets her first baby doll. She was thrilled, and kept taking the hat on and off, and it now gets carried all over the house, and must be in bed with her at night. It is so adorable to see her sleeping all curled around her doll!

And what is a baby doll, without a snuggly blanket to wrap her in? I finished this two days before Christmas - and it wasn't on my original "to do" list! Not too bad.

Daddy got a cordless drill for Christmas. Not worth a picture - plus, because of the snow, UPS didn't deliver it until the day after!!! Oops! But, he liked it anyway. What did I get? Well, stay tuned....

So, we still have Christmas afternoon to remember....coming soon!

Christmas Eve Sugar High!!!!

2008-12-26T18:13:00.000-08:00

In our family, Christmas is split into three separate sections. Christmas Eve is with my family, Christmas morning for just the five of us, and Christmas Afternoon with A's family. We like it because we get to spend time with all of the family, and enjoy different traditions that we grew up with. This was the first year that the kids were actually "into" Christmas. one of the best traditions is handmade gifts, and Granny made all of her grandkids PJ's for Christmas Eve so that they would be cute opening gifts Christmas morning. Mommy likes that! So, Granny made the gifts, and Grandpa spent most of Christmas Eve sneaking the kids candy! So, by the time we got home, we had three kids that were an hour late for bed time, on a major sugar high! They were ready for Santa!

I'm not sure if Miss R. was more happy with her jammies, or the fact that she had so much candy. Either way, she looked pretty cute!

Mr. B wore off his sugar high exercising in his new pajamas. From the living room, to the kitchen, to the living room. He had quite a treadmill going!
Mr. W is my sleeper. Here he is, just waiting for Mom to pick him up and put him to bed! I was happy to oblige. After all, Santa still had work to do!!!

Stay tuned for Christmas morning and afternoon pics. There were just too many for one post!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it SNOW!!!!

2008-12-23T02:10:00.000-08:00

Here in very green Oregon, we are lucky to get a dusting of white once or twice during the winter. However, this winter is making up for it with a bang! As of this morning, we had 14 inches on the ground, a little ice in the middle, and most everyone is house bound! Yesterday, my SIL came over and took a family picture for us. We don't figure this will happen again until our kids have kids of their own - so we had to get the family pic!
And here, R and I are enjoying the moment! We prayed for a baby girl. We didn't pray that she would be opinionated and stubborn - but, oh boy, we got that in abundance. However, under all of that, she is a very sweet, and cuddly little girl, that I just love to be around! My DH would say that we got a little girl just like her Momma! Run and hide - another one like me on the loose! Of course, I can say with pride, that two of the things that fascinate her the most are books and yarn. I am doing something right!

Cabin Fever!

2008-12-21T13:17:00.000-08:00

Here in the Pacific Northwest, cabin fever is catching. Why, you may ask? Well - that would be because of a foot plus of snow on the ground. That may not sound like much to the Midwest. But it is the inch and a half of ice on TOP of the snow that makes it a little dicier. So, the kids and I have been cooped up inside. So, what can we find to do indoors? First of all, R is turning into a little Daddy's girl. Here, they are cuddling!

B got inventive, and figured out how to reach light switches. He LOVES doing it while I am in the kitchen (other side of the wall) trying to do something - and wham! It goes dark on me. Then the giggles start!

And, we can help! The other night, they all got rags, and they cleaned up the floor after their dinner mess! R is so dainty, she had to be careful not to get her clothes dirty!

B found a particularly tough spot, and went over and over and over it!!!

W rolled up his sleeves and went right to work. He is a GREAT little helper. The other night, he started pulling pots and pans out of the dishwasher and put them away in the right cupboard! How cool is that! By the time we finished "helping" wash the floor - he had all three rags, and was still diligently scrubbing!

And here is WHY we have cabin fever. This was last night - before it turned to freezing rain! Notice the wheels of my Tahoe are half buried!

B thought it was absolutely amazing. You have to love the look of wonder and delight!

And W wants us to know where it is coming from!!!! We are going to have a White Christmas we think! Wow!!!! Merry Christmas!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!!!

2008-12-14T13:07:00.000-08:00

When 3 little munchkins arose this morning, there was a big surprise for them. The world had turned white while they slept! There was a lot of excitement at first...
but then their minds turned to more prosaic things - like breakfast!!!!

So, after being fortified with pancakes, we braved the cold (it is only 28degrees out - at 2 in the afternoon!) and headed out to check out the first snow fall of the babies!

W couldn't shake it off of his hands, and was very puzzled. I finally got him to eat it - didn't like that either! Not sure what this white, powdery stuff is!

B was giggling from the second he put BOTH hands in it! He liked the cold, and spent a lot of time running around making footprints in it!

My dainty little girl poked one finger in it, giggled, and stuck it in her mouth! Oh, did I say dainty? There was lots to explore, and explore they did - to the tune of lots of giggles and chuckles...

And then R realized it was COLD outside and wanted to go in. She wasn't shy about making her opinions known, either! So, inside we went. Daddy is feeling better, so we might try it again this afternoon. After all, this is Oregon, and we had better enjoy it while we got it!

And for inquiring minds - you know who you are! - that want to know how we are doing a Christmas tree with three little, adventurous ones running around - I present to you our Christmas tree. Notice the fact that it is only decorated three feet off the floor and up! That is how we are doing it! They are allowed to touch the lights - just not pull on them. So far, so good, knock on wood! From our house to yours - Merry, merry Christmas. And now, three babies are down for naps, so it is a good time to wrap gifts. Wish me luck as I make a list and check it thrice!

Getting there.....

2008-12-14T12:46:00.001-08:00

I had five gifts left to make at the beginning of this weekend - I have managed to finish two of them! Like I said, I am getting there! This is a poncho/hat combo for one of my Cubbies - I love the way it turned out - and since her Mom happens to be my SIL and this is one of her favorite colors - I am ahead of the ball game!

Second poncho/hat combo for Cubbies. This little girl has made sure I know every week that purple is her favorite color - all of her pictures are colored in purple! So, I think she will like it.

This set is for one of A's cousins. She and her husband just adopted a little girl from Ethiopia, and I had the other two in process, so I finished this set in two days! The great news - all three sets were stash busters!!!! I didn't have to buy a thing. Yeah me!!!!

The BEST time of the year!!!!

2008-12-06T17:15:00.000-08:00

When we woke up from our afternoon nap today, Mom and Dad had a GREAT surprise for us! There was a tree in our living room! And it had colored, blinking lights on it!R couldn't stop giggling and had a great time running around and around the tree, pausing to touch bulbs, admire, and run some more!

W wasn't too sure about it. It surprised us, because he has been the one that most loved the Christmas lights on the house! However, as A said - he was the one that was scared of grass! B just stood and stared, then used one finger to push at a bulb, giggle, and do it again. He was a giggling machine! He had a ball.Once W had spent some time on Daddy's lap, he warmed right up, and had a great time with the lights. Here, he is adjusting them to just the way he thinks they should hang.

Once we had admired the tree and had dinner, then we got to decorate the tree. W's turn....B's turn... Notice the little girl hanging on my leg....she definitely wanted her turn!R helped me with most of the tree - she was loving every second of it! She cried when it was over! I think I have a helper with decorating for holidays from now on! We also got out a few, unbreakable, decorations. R has already figured out how to turn on the Hallmark toy they got from Auntie Donna last year!
Just because she got it to turn on didn't mean that she wanted to share it, however!But once B had a turn, he was a happy boy! This is definitely the best time of the year - or so they think. We shall see what happens when we visit Santa for the first time! Stay tuned! I doubt the faces will be so happy!

Buttefly Success!

2008-12-01T11:19:00.000-08:00

So, I actually finished something! This is an afghan for my niece for Christmas. The main portion worked up pretty quickly, and I really liked it. Then I got to the butterflies! Talk about a fiasco. I tried the butterflies that came with the pattern about six times, and gave up in disgust!
I found this butterfly as a bookmark pattern, did it in a different weight yarn, with a different hook, and loved it! The picture is a bit dark, but it is actually a bright purple in the middle and edges of the butterfly, and the contrast came out really well! I love it! Only one more afghan to go before Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2008-11-30T17:21:00.000-08:00

Thursday was Thanksgiving Day. Last year the kiddies weren't doing much - this year, they were our little helpers!Here they are "helping" make the salad before we went over to Papa and Gram's for dinner. They decided that my tea bags needed reorganizing. First, we throw them all on the floor, so then Mom can pick them up and put them away very neatly! Somehow, Mom managed to get the salad done at the same time. Of course, with all of the taste-testing, there were a few less tomatoes in the salad as well!

Since Mom and the kids cooked, Dad was part of the clean up crew!

My camera wouldn't work during dinner - of course, so here is R after dinner, relaxing and rocking! We discovered she loves cranberry sauce, didn't care for sweet potatoes - MY DAUGHTER!!! LOL
W stole the rocker, and managed to rock right into the wall! No problems with dopamine for him! Guess all of the whip cream on his jello, and the jam on his roll counteracted it!

B loved being at Papa and Gram's. Not only did they have some cool new toys - he LOVED the duckie! But, they also had a big dog that he got to pet and follow around. Although he had a good time, I think Sara (the dog) hopes he doesn't come back anytime soon! (Side note - yesterday was the Civil War. Daddy is a DUCK! Ducks beat Beavers! Yeah!)

I have never seen R attach herself to someone that fast! She really liked her Aunt Christine, and spent a lot of time playing with her. Aunt Christine didn't seem to mind, but I was really amazed! R is not usually my people person! As a matter of fact, beyond Mom, Dad, and Granny, she really isn't into anyone else!

And, a Thanksgiving tradition! On my birthday, I get a family picture. On Thanksgiving, I get a picture of the kiddies with their grandparents. That will alternate every year, so I am guaranteed to at least get a picture of kids with grandparents every other year! This picture came out really well, I thought. And, as for why B is wearing his hat? He loves it! Notice he also has a Duck in this picture? I think Daddy has already got him going the right direction! It was a very nice Thanksgiving Day. I didn't have to look far to find FOUR big reasons to be thankful - I was blessed when God put A in my life, and even more when we were given W, B and R!

Something to be thankful for!

2008-11-24T21:04:00.001-08:00

Wow! This has been quite a prolific week for blogs - but considering the season, and the occaison, this just seems to be one that needs to be posted. Meet my Gram - she turns 75 on Tuesday. Yet, she still works in the kitchen at our church, goes camping with us, and most importantly, is always ready to pray anytime we need it - and even if we think we don't. A and I are blessed with grandparents that are still living, and that are a very special part of our life.

Grandma is the perfect place to rest a tired head when you have an ear infection and are just tired of camping. She lives less then a mile for me, and has been known to clean my house, and cook me dinner when I was pregnant, and now she swings by for a "baby fix" and to let my husband and I go out for a night!
A's Grandma moved to Seattle this year. A rough adjustment for all of us! But, that just means we will have to take some trips North. A has some great memories of her, and I am very blessed that when I married him, she adopted me right into the family!
And lest I forget - meet Gramps! I am the only one of his "Grandbrats" to so call him. I am the only one he lets get away with it! When I am 75, I hope I can keep as current in the world, and as active as he does! He is always for a good, intelligent conversation. Of course, he is always good for a laugh or two - or a practical joke. Pizza anyone?

This year, as we celebrate 2 75th birthdays, and an 80th birthday of our grandparents, A and I are especially thankful for the grandparents that we have, and that we still have them around to talk to, laugh with, and camp with. They are one of the many blessings that I will count this Thanksgiving. Happy, happy birthday!

Wow!!!! We LIKE Christmas Lights!

2008-11-24T18:14:00.000-08:00

B has something he hasn't seen before - at least not that he remembers! Daddy spent a good portion of the day on Sunday mowing the lawn and putting Christmas lights on the house!!!! After it was dark, we took the babies outside to check it out. They were quite excited!

It looks really nice after A did all that work!

Daddy let all three of the babies explore up close and personal. Here, W gets his turn.... After we brought him in the house, W spent a good portion of the night pointing out the window and yelling! He was very excited!

B was so enthralled I couldn't get a good picture - he moved from one light to the next, to the next. Most of the pictures were a blur! He was loving it.

Daddy and R share a laugh. She thought this was the best. She has this nervous little laugh when she is afraid that she is going to get in trouble - and we were hearing plenty of it. She also has a new best friend. The little wolf she is clutching goes everywhere with her lately. To bed, to church, and if we let her, in the bath! She howls with the best of them, too! Pretty cute!

Mine, Mine ALL Mine!!!!

2008-11-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm W - also affectionately known as "The Terrorist!" Here I am waking Dad up from a nap. He had had enough sleep! Hey, as the oldest, by one whole minute, I have to keep this family in line!I am known as "The Terrorist" because the grass is always greener on the other side - or, in my definition, the stuff is always better in the other crib!Almost there....almost there....

Ah HA!!!! I got it!

Now I have B's dog - and he is just out of luck! SOOOO much better then the tiger that is laying right behind me! That's mine, and what's the fun in that!

I am attempting to broaden my horizons to adults now - B and R have become easy targets. If I don't like what they are doing, I just bite them! Oh yeah, I forgot, my nickname has now expanded to "The Piranha Terrorist!" Here, I think Aunt Christine really should just hand over her phone. After all, aren't I cute enough for her?

And Mom has even gotten in on the selfish mode lately - he he he, I am rubbing off! Here is a lapghan that she did all for herself. She still hasn't finished all of the Christmas presents, and here she is wasting time on something for herself. How selfish can you get? She told me to mention that it is a Round Ripple Afghan done in Red Heart Casual Cot'n. But, from personal experience, I can tell you that it is warm, comfy, but light enough I can pack it all over the house. Oops, got to go, R just ran by with her wolf. Things to do!

My Mojo's Back!!!!

2008-11-16T17:43:00.000-08:00

I have gotten very tired of afghans. Especially since I only have two left, and both have been giving me fits. So, this weekend, because it had been a looooong week, I put the afghans down, and worked on some hats for my Cubbies. They came out so cute, guess who got one?Yep, little Miss R. models her new hat - and she seems to like it! She also has one in white to match the Christmas coat that Granny is working on!

She even shows a side view! She loves to be in front of the camera!

And so the boys don't get neglected....Like I said, I had a rough week. So this morning DAD got up, and let Mommy sleep in a bit. I woke up to find he had changed them, and was feeding them breakfast. They got fruit, and french toast.....

....and on the french toast - peanut butter and syrup! Needless to say, I had three happy babies on a sugar high all morning! But, they think Dad can feed them breakfast any old time! They haven't ever eaten that much breakfast, either! Guess oatmeal just doesn't taste the same!

Indoor pursuits!

2008-11-08T12:09:00.000-08:00

Hello, anybody out there? hello, hello, hello....Ahhh, thank you! Now that I have your attention, I have a few things to say. First of all, read my shirt - I am proud to be an Oregon Duck. As a matter of fact, we all be Ducks! R is the cheerleader, I shall be the offensive tackle, and protect W as he throws for the winning touchdown. At least, that's the way Dad has it mapped out! It's a good thing that we are Ducks and have webbed feet, 'cause it's been kind of rainy lately here in the Great Northwest. Therefore, we have been having to find more indoor pursuits.

Ahhh, Dad got up - now we are free to explore his chair. Do you know it can rock, tilt, and makes a perfect bridge to the window - where I am not allowed to go? And hey, I'm big enough to crawl in it on my own now!

Uh oh, we been caught! I'll let R and W try to charm him. If I ignore him, and grin cute at Mom, perhaps I can get through this!

And please notice the new haircuts that W and I are sporting. Mom made us go last night. It's only been 6 WEEKS!!!! Man, how often does she think we need to do this. She was muttering something about 2 and a 1/2 inches cut off my hair, but it wasn't totally blocking my vision yet!

Oops, here she comes, and I am still on her computer. I am going to be in SUCH big trouble! Well, affix the halo firmly in place, smile cute and weather on! See you next time Mom is distracted!

Happy Fall Y'All!!!!

2008-11-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the pictures of R in the fall leaves. She didn't want to sit still....But she did want to do plenty of exploring. These fall leaves make fun noises, and crackle quite nicely!

Yesterday was Halloween, and Granny surprised the three munchkins with Fall Cookies for dinner time!W thinks the frosting is pure bliss! He ate all of the frosting off first, and then, reluctanctly, ate the cookie part. So much like his Mommy!B dove right in - the whole enchilada tasted nummy to him! So much like his Daddy!

Aren't I cute? Isn't there another cookie somewhere for me?R is her own little person. She tore off pieces and ate it a bit at a time!
But now, there are more fall leaves to play with. Things to do, places to go, people to see!

So, until next time, Happy Fall Y'All!!!!

Brothers, brothers, brothers!

2008-10-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

Is there anything more boyish then little boys in overalls and flannel shirts? Granny got the boys these matching outfits, and although they don't usually dress alike, they were SO perfect for a fall brothers picture! Too, too cute!

The boys even seemed to enjoy the attention -we were hearing lots of giggles. Of course, they just LOVE being outside!

But there were serious moments, too.W is loving it!

B is scratching his head - not too sure what pose he should strike next. All in all, a successful photo shoot, and great memories of brothers.

Happy 80th Birthday!!!!

2008-10-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we took a trip to Seattle to celebrate A's grandma's 80th birthday! The whole family took the trip, and since she just recently moved to a new house with her daughter, she was thrilled to have us all visit and get to show us around! She had been cooking, cleaning and baking for DAYS before we came - to which the way we ate could attest!

B says enough of the background - let's PARTY!!!!

Great Gram was especially thrilled to see the great grand munchkins, and spent lots of time playing phone....

cuddling from the big mean dog - notice small dog on top of lap at the first picture! But B was sure that it was big and mean!Being serenaded to....R added her own "movement" to big cousin Nick's piece! The church also had a surprise party for her. The lies were inventive - but we got her there, and she WAS surprised! One of her grandson's, Nick is extremely musically talented, and as things were winding up, he was playing. R was fascinated - and Nick loved the little flirt!

But AFTER the party - the kiddies got the balloons! They had died and gone to heaven! The balloons kept them entertained for an hour! W doesn't know which one to grab first!

B wants to know if he really can have these. Usually fun stuff like this are no no's!

R was in delight - hope you had a FABULOUS birthday party Great Gram. Can we do balloons again?!

I am tired....

2008-10-21T13:31:00.001-07:00

of afghans! I never thought I would say that, but there it is! Here are two more that I just finished...
These aren't my colors, but my new niece who's Dad married into the family has her bedroom done in these colors. Actually, I really ended up liking it - and it is SOOO soft. Probably a good thing it wasn't done in colors I like - I might have kept it!

These are more my colors - and this is for a may be a niece soon - depending on what my brother decides to do.

I only have four more to go by the end of the year. I have the yarn, I have the patterns...now, do I have the time?

Look what I can do!!!

2008-10-21T13:21:00.001-07:00

Being the only girl in the family (besides Mommy) I have the tendency to be the Princess - especially Daddy's Princess. But I don't see ANYTHING wrong with this. Here, I am sharing with you a bit of what I do see!
I am already a daughter of my Mommy - I can multitask! Play the XBox and ride the pony!
I can charm all the men in my family - without even trying!
I am a contortionist! I got in here - but I need Daddy's help to get out! He didn't mind!
I take as my due being pushed around on B's tractor. B labored for 10 minutes pushing me all over the living room.
Back and forth we went. I was giggling and having a great time. He is a good big brother!However, after all that work, he needs to realize that Princesses still don't share! So, that is what I can do...

Portraits

2008-10-04T11:35:00.000-07:00

The nice weather was running out, and I had never gotten year-old portraits for the kiddies. So this past week, I decided it was time. Following are the results. I think they came out great! W thinks this is fun!

B wants to know if he can have the camera if he smiles nice?
R is more interested in the flowers then having her picture taken! But the picture was beautiful!

Of course, not all of the results were good. W wants you to "Make my day!"B never takes a bad picture - he was just more serious in this one!
And then there was R. I could do an entire post on her BAD pictures! Notice the smug look in this one - you can't make me stay if I don't want to!!! Ha, ha, ha!!!!

Goose Egg

2008-09-28T18:57:00.001-07:00

Last night poor B was climbing on the love seat, and trying to get to his slide. He didn't make it, and instead landed on the floor - but not until after his head made HARD contact with the coffee table. Poor Baby wanted to be cuddled for a while.
Daddy obliged with the cuddling, and an ice pack. W was jealous, and as soon as B was done with the cuddling - W was climbing up for his turn! Of course, he ended up eating the ice pack instead!

A wet Sunday!

2008-09-28T18:40:00.000-07:00

So, we went from a Sunny Saturday to a wet Sunday - but not weather wise. It was mostly due to "man with gun!!!" It was so beautiful, and we knew that there wouldn't be many more days like that in Oregon for this year! So, the kiddies ate dinner on the deck, and then I started hosing off the mess. A came out to "help" and the rest is history!!!
W is getting it here - and having a ball!!!!
B's turn and giggling all the way....
Even Daddy's baby girl came in for her share of the water!!!!
The soaked, but happy, threesome. They were shivering, so A stopped, we took off their clothes, and started to move them into the house, and they started to cry! I think they are going to LOVE running through the sprinkler next year! Of course, A might not get a sprinkler, if he thinks that he can get away with hosing them off again. The really funny ending - A dropped the hose to turn off the faucet, and help me undress kids, B picked up the nozzle and pointed it right at A. He just didn't have enough strength to pull the trigger!!! LOL They learn fast!!!! Serves A right, since I got a bit wet, too!

A Sunny Saturday

2008-09-27T17:04:00.000-07:00

A Sunny Saturday, and it is time to do some yard work before the fall begins!It's never too early to start training munchkins to help with the yard work!B was pretty diligent about picking up the pine cones and putting them in the bucket. Of course, he thought it was a game, and I didn't dissuade him! LOLOnly a FEW more buckets to go! Can you tell we haven't gotten a lot of yard work done this year? If you are wondering why - I can give you THREE reasons! We had our own private cheerleading spectacle as well!
R also decided to check out her boundaries, and follow the example of Abner and Gladys and do a bit of spying on our neighbors!
Grimy but happy - taking a well deserved rest - with Mom's water - after all the pinecones were picked up!
W and R found different pursuits to pass the time. Here, they are cleaning out the bird bath.

W looks for mischief - and he found plenty!

There won't be too many more sunny Saturdays. Fall is almost here - so we enjoyed this one! And for those who didn't notice - all three were dressed appropriately for a Duckie win - actually, it was a blowout. Too bad the outfits didn't last past the time to go in the house - they were pretty filthy Duckies!

Our Night Out!

2008-09-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

A and I don't get out just the two of us very often - wonder why? - I can give you three reasons! However, my cousin got married Friday night, and it was an adults only wedding. So, without any arm twisting, my MIL and a friend of hers watched the kiddies, and we headed for Oregon City, a wedding, dinner and dancing. We hung out with my parents and siblings all night, and we all had a ball. Lots of laughs, stories, talking, and just catching up. We haven't had an adult only night in a couple of months, and we both had a blast! We never made it out on the dance floor - no slow dances before we left, but we got to hold hands, talk on the rides to and from, and enjoy each other's company, too. Hmm, I have another cousin getting married in two months - I think we might get a babysitter again!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-09-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

Reluctantly, I must admit that I am getting older - I mean younger. Last year my SIL and I made a pact - we didn't want to turn 30. So, instead, we are counting down. So, last year I turned 29 a second time, and this year I am turning 28. Our goal is to hit the terrible two's and show our children just what they put us through. I can hardly wait! Temper tantrums at church - see below - whining, waking THEM up in the middle of the night...and so on, and so on....Anyway, I forced my family into a family picture last year at my birthday party, and I think it is going to be a family tradition - especially when they turn out so well!
The smiley one on my lap threw temper tantrums at church yesterday. The only one that could calm her down was MEEEEE!!!! I am the favorite! And so glad that everyone knows it. She refused to leave my lap at all yesterday - even at Granny's, and even for any of her grandparents or Daddy! Not usual. Oh well, I got lots of cuddles for my birthday - and loved every second of it. B woke up early from his nap, and spent about half an hour cuddling me, too. The perfect present. Hopefully I get some cuddles from W today! Anyway, after our family pic, A walked away, thinking three babies would follow - they didn't, so we got a Mom and kiddos shot!
My Mom decided to steal my tradition - and got a shot of her entire family, too. Dad forgot to move the ladder - yep, he's in trouble, but I actually kind of think it adds to the whole orchard aura. Auntie S has her little Warren - they are both happy!
And then there were six. The original group that started the whole menagerie! No throwing of tomatoes, please!