Ta-da!

So here is the finished product. I lined the stockings and added the top trim and hook.

I can now put away the last of Christmas!!

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happiness these days…

…even though we can’t play outside much because of the cold (it doesn’t stop Luke, only Nat and Mom!), we are still finding plenty to do around the house. like see what one might look like with a red beard…

a little too red for my liking!

…most of the times we just explore the forgotten toys, scatter blocks, try and get Natalie to laugh…

 

…which usually isn’t too hard, but if we are boring… she finds her toes!

She definitely doesn’t like to be left alone. She knows a toy is just to distract her from being put down and she doesn’t like it!

…and it’s hard not scoop this little girl up!

She has been eating cereal all week and loving it.  It’s always such fun to begin food with the baby.  I can’t believe she is old enough! She is almost 6 months old.  I am sad that her hair has been falling out, glad that she still has quite a bit, and hopeful that it will stay more brown like mine (I think that’s why she looks more like me).

She is a lot like Luke was with the sleeping (or lack thereof), but we are working on it, always working on it.

On a side note, separate from my kids, I just want to say that I am loving studying the Old Testament. I don’t go to Sunday School because I am in Primary, but I am following along at home and for some reason I am just getting a kick out of reading it.  I am just enjoying these stories that I’m familiar with, I’ve heard more, I’ve read before, but never really read them like this! Oh to be a 100 and having kids… crazy! Glad I’m doing it a little bit younger, more energetic, I think.

And yes, I’m working on my new sewing machine and loving it. Pictures to come soon. No laughing at the simplicity of my projects though, remember my children who love to be held and have all my attention?!

Just another fun collage…

When Natalie wakes up from a nap, Luke has to climb in and play with her. Makes for some startling awakenings sometimes, but she mostly loves it!

(I am loving Picasa 3 and the cool quick edits and collages you can make. …especially since I haven’t been able to use my scrapbooking software that I got for christmas b/c I don’t have a DVD driver now that we have windows 7…rrrrrr, can anyone help me with that?!)

 

p.s. I was reading my friend’s blog today, and loved the comment “it made for a funny journal entry,” I think I need to do a little more of that… journaling. my journal is way more neglected than my blog and for the few readers we still might have, you know that is bad! I’ll add it to my to do list… I’ll let you how it’s going!

Super dad!

I just wanted to take a minute to thank my wonderful husband for being such a great dad! He is busy all day, but when he comes home he immediately takes a kid out of arms, or off my leg, to give me a break. Luke and Natalie love him! He gets the biggest smiles from her! He jumps right in to help with dinner, pick up toys, or vacuum away the crumbs.  He helps with bedtime, timeouts, playtime. He doesn’t just sit back and watch the show.

Thanks hon!

story: the other day I was calling for Darin, “Honey where’d you go?” and when Darin came in, Luke said, “Hey honey. There you are honey!” and thoroughly enjoyed laughing with us about it!

Let’s Explore!

Winter is kind of a drag, being inside so much, but Luke loves exploring… especially where he knows he probably shouldn’t go! I love him though. …and that sly grin he gives to get out of trouble!

A Few of My Favorite Things…

I think it’s time to check in on Luke.

He finally got to play in the snow that been hanging around for almost a week! He loved it!

(except sledding down the hill with Daddy, or when Daddy slid him on his back!)

A few of his favorite things right now include…

food… any treats, mac and cheese, and yogurt

color… BLUE

drink… hot chocolate, and milk

bedtime song… Happy Birthday (Grandpa, Grandma, and Lauren always make the list) 

activity… watching Luke movies, shooting baskets, and playing with Natalie

Mommy time… cuddling at bedtime and when she tries to leave he says, “Come back and check on me!”

Daddy time… horsey rides, chase, and play basketball

He is growing up so fast… LUKE, we love you!

Space

What a great way to start the year off. after vacation, we get sick with the flu and Darin had strep on top of that. and the kids ears were being affected. then, when things were looking on the up, I get sick again, fall down the stairs, bruising the right side of my body and getting whiplash. but we are the mend now. i think. i hope. we all seem to be.

as I think about these past few weeks, my thoughts wander here…

For those of you who have been to my house, you might not believe this next statement, but it’s true.

I like space.

Empty space.

Clear countertops, clean floor, clear table and desk, empty kitchen sink. everything in its place (and the place decided probably by me) I was one of those teachers who couldn’t go home until everything was put away and my desk was empty. (there aren’t many of those). And my desk was big, because it was actually a table. Even after having Luke, and wanting to rush home, I had to clear my desk. Now I have a husband who thinks an empty counter is for putting  things on and a son who thinks an empty floor needs lots of toys. Which is fine, but by the end of the day, things have to be put away and I have to have organized space, space that makes sense to me. You can judge how my day has been by looking for such “space.” So for those of you who have been to my house lately (which I think has just been my mom, thank goodness for her)  would know that my life has NOT been going well.

But I am happy to report, the kitchen sink is empty!

YES!

dishes washed, put away. Kitchen counters clean.

I’m still working on the rest of the house, but you can see some small empty spaces, some small organized spaces, and soon I’ll have my life back. yes, we are on the mend now.