Liliana Kate

6 lbs. 14 oz of Sweetness.

"Peek-a-boo"
"She has dark curly hair, just like me!"



First diaper



You are loved!

Up in the Air

(This last balloon is that of our Dr.'s nurse and her husband.) We all got up EARLY, and went to the morning's balloon launching. There were something like 36 balloons participating, and we were able to go among them. It's fun watching them be filled with air, and then the air being heated with hot gas flames. The kids loved it, as each balloon would levitate into the air. We all enjoyed this morning much more than last night. After the launching, Jim took us all out for breakfast. It was a fun time of visiting. A ride in a hot air balloon is one of the things on my "bucket list." I think it would be amazing to be up in the clouds, with the only sound....the swoosh of the flame. Someday.....

Night Glow 2011

I called Sarah awhile back, and asked if they would be interested in joining us this year for the Art and Air Festival. I thought she would enjoy a photo op. Tori thought it sounded fun, and has wanted us to take them to it, ever since she found out we had taken Josie and Matthew a few years back. Sarah and the kids met us at Costco, and we all had a "spendy" supper! The nightglow this year didn't seem as good to me, as when we had gone before. There seemed to be lots more people, noise, and alcohol consumption. The actual balloon night glow portion didn't seem to last as long, or seem as dramatic. We kept an ear open for a call from Anna saying "it was time for a baby", but it never came. My favorite part of the night was listening to Josie and the girlies singing pop songs together in the back seat on the way home. The couches and beds were full as they all spent the night.....short as it was.

Farmdale Blossom in Gray

I've been on a quest for this fabric. Googling, emailing, visiting quilt shops, sending out my "personal shopper" (Dot) to visit quilt shops.....no one seems to have it anymore. The company; Alexander Henry, offered to put it back into production if I wanted 3,000 yds or more...... That's a whole lot of fancy ironing board covers, I'ma thinkin' :-) Even if I am runnin' a "sweatshop"

If I had a Hammer...

And you had a nail..... I would be sooooo happy! For years I've been at a loss on a good storage place for the cutting mats and rulers. Duh! look at what one scrawny little nail accomplished!

The newly painted end on the sewing table seems like it was just made for this.

The drawers all got a coat of paint too. I had reconciled myself to keeping the old hardware, but after breaking a handle trying to remove them for painting, I ended up replacing them after all.

I really like these we picked up at Ikea last Saturday.

Things are progressing in the craft studio. One half of the floor is done, including the polyurethane topcoat. I was forced to do it this way, due to the formidable size of the sewing table. It was just too cumbersome to move out of the room. Now it's moved to the finished end of the room so that I can finally complete the rest of the floor. I am sooo ready for this project to be over. It's going to be wonderful when it's done, and everything is organized, at least that's what I keep telling myself. There's just so many other things I want to be doing outside right now. Our weather has been so pretty lately. It has helped aid in the floor drying though!

Gotcha!

I know what ya mean Violet. A million years ago, He captured my heart singing to me too! Saturday, while we were Kate's, Violet was fussing. Jim was holding her, and started singing to her. She calmed right down and just stared into his eyes. We got to watch the kiddos play on their new play structure. They're going to have so much fun with that, so happy for them.
We went to IKEA earlier that morning, had breakfast (love to get tender Swedish pancakes) and picked up some things for the craft studio.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Anna and the girls were here for supper last night. We had roasted chicken, zucchini, and fresh corn on the cob from the farmer's market. For dessert we had homemade ice cream sandwiches.
I had made Cowboy Cookies, and the Little Farmgirl and I made homemade vanilla ice cream. (the quick and easy recipe)

VANILLA ICE CREAM
2 cups half and half
1 cup heavy cream
1 (14 oz) can condensed milk
dash of salt
vanilla to taste (we used 2 tsp)
Mix ingredients together and freeze according to your particular ice-cream maker's instructions.
When it's finished, place it in a plastic container in the freezer til firm. (Overnight is best)

Cowboy Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together butter and sugars til light and fluffy. Add beaten eggs. Mix. Add soda, baking powder, and salt, mix. Add flour and oats, mix. Mix in vanilla, and stir in choco. chips.
Drop from teaspoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 F.

Up Close and Personal

Some of you have asked about seeing a closer view of the floor. Here are a couple of shots from the first day of "wood" painting. I've tried to give each "plank" it's own personality. After several days off, I'm back at work on the craft studio project today.

Weekend Wonders

We went to my folk's this weekend. It was a fun time of garage sale-ing with Dad, and a relaxing walk through the garden with Mama. I love love love the aqua blue melamine cup hanging on the tree. It's from our family dishes when i was a girl. In the summer we would pour kool-aid in the cups, stick spoons in, and freeze 'em for popsicles.

"New" old floor

The craft studio has the most uber ugly linoleum ever. It's from the 60's, a smooth vinyl with beige and grey chips and gold glitter. There are a bunch of holes that have been patched at some time with wood putty. I didn't want to cover it with carpet, it needs to be easy to clean and not a venus fly trap for sewing pins and needles. I wanted a light colored wood or laminate plank in there, but the budget for that was nil right now. It called for looking at the floor as a smooth blank canvas, and checking out our existing product stash.
We already had sandpaper, deglosser, primer, some paints to mix together, pecan polyshades, and satin polyurethane.

So..... here are the results ..... Sore rear, sore knees, sore back, this picture was at the end of day 2. Day 3 was yesterday, so it's further now, but there is still a ways to go. (I took a break from it today) It's slow going, but I'm pretty happy with it so far. Tori keeps coming in and encouraging me while I'm working..."WOW!" "It really looks like wood now!" I guess she feels like she needs to smooth my wimpy hurt feelings and ruffled feathers....Her first reaction when I was only a few rows into painting the faux wood strips onto the base, and asked her if it looked like wood or not, had been..."No, it looks like you slapped paint down on a clean floor." Out of the mouths of babes. The projected week I had allotted for this project is waaaaaayyy past. And to think I have the nerve to scoff at the people on "Renovation Realities" and their unrealistic deadlines! This one is kicking my rear. I just keep reminding myself how great everything will be when it's all done. Other bits and pieces for the craft studio are coming together a little at a time. I picked up a curtain rod, and found a brand new little IKEA peg rack at a garage sale today. It will be worth it....won't it?

"Brilliant"

Last night we went for our date night of the week. We picked up some Costco dogs and pops, and headed to the park. I love the lamps and beautiful hanging flower baskets in this park. There were so many instruments on stage, you would think there was a group band coming up. We were treated to a talented DUO from Scotland and Ireland;

"Men of Worth." They were musically gifted on all of the instruments (love me some good bodhrain playin'), harmonized wonderfully, and were witty and a lot of fun.
There was plenty of toe-tapping, hand clapping, singing along, and kids twirling and jiggedy jiggin' around. A couple and their little girl; Isabelle, sat next to us. She didn't just have a great sense of rhythm, but a cute jacket too!

Playing Doubles

Saturday, i drove to Kate's and spent some time with her and the kiddos. It was fun having lunch and playing outside with the older ones while Kate and the babes napped. Later, after Kate had fed the babies, she took the older kids to the park. I stayed home with the twins. I thought...."sure....I can do this." I would've done better if I wouldn't have been so concerned about trying to get them both asleep at the same time, and not wanting either of them to be crying when she returned. I was a like a bobble-head bouncing each one and popping binkies back into mouths. I would get one to sleep and the other one would fuss....back and forth it went. Oh Kate, how I admire you!! Super woman!!

(note Buster, the protector dog, parked behind the bouncy seats, between the babies and the door. He guards them.)