Simply Made

Math-ew

2011-08-26T12:28:00.001-04:00

Wow. So, Matthew was playing Mario bros and wanted to know if he had enough star coins to open a new area... I showed him where it said he had 3 coins and then I showed him where it said he needed 5 coins.... He paused a second and then said "so I need 2 more coins?". I know it's a basic thing, I was just terribly impressed... maybe 'cause I'm his mom... :)

Beach fun

2011-07-25T12:20:00.000-04:00

"dad!! I made my own toilet!!!"

2011-07-25T11:08:00.000-04:00

What to do on an over cast rainy day?

2010-11-16T16:13:00.005-05:00

Take a long late nap of course

and then make mom stay up with you late into the night.

Josh

2010-09-20T11:06:00.001-04:00

pardon the absence, but big plannings have been underway 'cause see that guy up there? He's gonna join the family officially in March... and we're thrilled.

and Matthew 'learned' to fish.

2010-09-06T22:15:00.001-04:00

and he got credit for catching a fish, but this was about as close as he actually got to a fish....

beautiful bubbles

2010-09-05T22:13:00.001-04:00

because curls = bubbles you know...

ATV ride

2010-09-04T22:10:00.000-04:00

Matthew's hair blew up and STAYED up from this fun ride...

making bread

2010-09-03T22:00:00.003-04:00

Pappap's 90th

2010-09-02T22:13:00.000-04:00

in PA. It was a whirlwind weekend... but also a blast.

love these kids

2010-09-01T22:12:00.000-04:00

how could you not?

Old Time Photos

2010-08-31T22:10:00.000-04:00

Matthew had a blast- Sophia was sleepy and therefore would have none of it. Maybe we'll try again next year for her-or maybe well wait until she's 4...

Happy Birthday Sophia

2010-08-30T21:23:00.000-04:00

It's been more than a month since we celebrated with "Red, White, and Blue, Sophia's 2!"
I was on a no blogging kick then...

but here's to remembering that fun weekend when we celebrated, and that AMAZING Day when she was born! :)

help me daddy!

2010-08-29T22:00:00.000-04:00

Matthew likes the "army park"

2010-08-28T22:00:00.000-04:00

sunny days

2010-08-27T22:00:00.000-04:00

dance with me

2010-08-26T22:00:00.000-04:00

Sophia requested the music on this morning, and then told Matthew "Bubbie, hold me like a 'frincess and dance me."

(breathe, hold back the sweet tears)

'Dear Lord, may every man that encounters this sweet and lovely girl as she grows recognize her for the sweet princess that she is, may the man you have made for her dance her through her grown life and care for her in every way.'

nasty little buggar

2010-08-25T22:00:00.000-04:00

when I spied this from the back door, I was ready to seal up the door until winter... luckily we have a 'hunter-gatherer' here who ran for the windex and spray bleach. this huge spider didn't drop dead, he ran away, but hopefully he found a peaceful resting place shortly after.... ICK. I don't even think you can fathom the hugeness of this guy from the picture. It certainly doe not do him justice, but I was NOT getting any closer for a picture. no way.

learning about density

2010-08-24T22:00:00.001-04:00

It floats, but when it fills with water, it starts to sink. How can we fix it? "With tape?"

better solution found to stop the filling up, and then "it needs a 'repellar' you know, a thing on the back to go round and round." luckily the sour cream container was an acceptable solution.

*Matthew chose his boat parts fro the recycling bin after a D&D night... I myself would have went for the empty two liter, but Matthew likes the color green.

SILHOUETTE MACHINE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-08-24T12:32:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the new Silhouette machines? no? well get theee over to grosgrain for the SILHOUETTE MACHINE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!
These machines look amazing! there seems to be so much you can do with them for endless creative fun! I'm just imagining the extremely fun projects Matthew and I could cook up together- especially since he's so into this crafty/ learning phase right now!

if...

2010-08-23T22:35:00.000-04:00

If I had a camera like Carrie's.... I could do this for-eva. :P

Though I'm sure I still haven't managed to find a deal good enough to talk Erik into spending the money on it right now....

indian brave

2010-08-22T22:02:00.000-04:00

the best thing to do after a nap

2010-08-21T22:25:00.000-04:00

pretend to take another nap, of course.

peg people painting

2010-08-20T22:21:00.000-04:00

this is Stuart.

family trip

2010-08-19T22:24:00.000-04:00

from the last week in July...

cute kids

2010-08-18T22:23:00.000-04:00

from a few weeks ago, but still....

potty practice

2010-08-17T22:20:00.000-04:00

suprise visitor

2010-08-16T22:19:00.001-04:00

fun rides

2010-08-15T22:18:00.000-04:00

summer evenings

2010-08-14T22:17:00.002-04:00

for the dungeons and dragon's crew

2010-07-25T12:18:00.003-04:00

Erik has found a great 'filed trip' for your next gathering:

Shabby Apple Queensland Swimsuit Giveaway

2010-05-27T11:20:00.000-04:00

How cute are the swimming suits you can choose from this give away:

Shabby Apple Queensland Swimsuit Giveaway

way too cute!!

Peg People

2010-05-25T08:30:00.000-04:00

Once I saw these online, and especially some of the beautiful ones online at etsy.com, I knew I had to make my own...

I didn't think I could make some as cute as some of those that sell for higher prices, but knew I was creative/ crafty/ talented enough to make some that were cute enough for me... and I'd read from other blogs that having/ making/ collecting these little buggers was addictive, so I bit the bullet and bought sets in bulk (which is totally the cheapest way to, strike that, the most economical way to buy.).
These aren't sealed yet, which I plan to do.

Also, when I was looking at them online, Matthew spotted a Batman and Robin set and flipped a lid with excitement... so, I'm sure some super heroes are coming soon, along with princesses, and extended family members...

the Pleated Poppy

2010-05-24T08:30:00.000-04:00

not too long ago, I actually WON one of those giveaways that popular blogs get to do....

The store I won from was the pleated poppy- and let me tell ya- Lindsey has so many beautiful things in her shop, and some of them sell out so fast... it was difficult to pick something!!

I ended up with this lovely notebook and cover- perfect for me because I'm always making lists in one of my numerous notebooks and then- loosing it. This is one notebook I won't misplace- it's beautiful pattern and colors make it stand out among all the other paperwork! :)

coffee cozy

2010-05-23T13:36:00.000-04:00

I made this to give to Erik's sister, Elissa, for her birthday. We visited her this weekend so we could go see her show, Forbidden Broadway. I made this for her for her birthday so we could gift it ala noodlehead.

see the iced coffee in the cup that's modeling?-I made that too...YUM!

night dress

2010-05-22T08:30:00.000-04:00

I made this night gown for Sophia out of a pilow case from our old sheets that were oh so soft, and/ but loved so much that the fitted sheet wore through.

I just used one of her dresses as a 'pattern' and some homemade bias tape... nice and soft and great for sleeping... though tight to pull on over her head.... she won't get to wear them for long....

making stuff

2010-05-21T08:30:00.000-04:00

I've been keeping myself pretty busy this week making stuff for upcoming summer trips. like the other day, I started and finished one travel pillow cover (that followed us home from WV) and started another that was finished the next day.

it really is amazing what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it... and when the kids play well together- with scrap fabrics nonetheless!!
Not perfect by any means, but I'm a sloppy seamstress....

dentist

2010-05-20T09:12:00.000-04:00

I took Miss Sophia in for her first dental appointment last week. Erik and I believed she had a bad rotten tooth that would need a major filling, or might need to be pulled. It looked rotten to the core from what we could see.
Turns out the tooth wasn't rotten. She didn't have a cavity in that tooth at all. She instead has enamel hypoplasia... and a cavity in ANOTHER tooth... just a small one, but they took care of it right away any how- she was already upset, may as well get it over with, right?

It was a really traumatic experience- one I'm sure she is over, but I still cringe to think of. They had to use a papoose board. enough said.

I immediately took her to Target and bought her a princess toy. I know that was more for my peace of mind than hers, but, ya know.....

dad

2010-05-19T08:58:00.000-04:00

sometimes he brings suprises too.

Aunt Susan

2010-05-18T08:56:00.000-04:00

we love it when she comes and brings us treats!

and I'm going to love it in June when she's off of work and can come over and we can learn domestic things together- like canning or making bread from scratch or something... we ARE still on for that, right Susan???

fun in the backyard.

2010-05-17T08:52:00.000-04:00

Is it wrong of me to post this last photo? Probably, but to me, it's just too darn cute.

beautiful

2010-05-16T08:51:00.000-04:00

visiting

2010-05-15T08:47:00.000-04:00

when we visited my grandma last week, she had quite a few BEAUTIFUL Irises blooming.

gardening

2010-05-14T08:31:00.000-04:00

We went to WV to visit a week ago,and /Mia sent us home with some tomato plants.

Yesterday I noticed that they were starting to look a little sad, so while we were out, we picked up some pots and dirt and spent some of the windy afternoon transplanting our tomatoes.

I'll have to admit, I was less than patient when Matthew started pouring our bought dirt on my foot and the patio. Other than that though, it was a nice experience.

I was thinking about digging up a small plot of land and starting a (slightly) raised garden bed this summer, but after planting the tomatoes, I decided that I'd probably be better at container gardening- at least this year. That way if I turn out to have a black thumb, there will not be a big, nasty, weedy, grass-less section of yard next year. I'll be looking for large pots this yard sale season... unless you have some you want to hand over? :)

at 'the cabin'

2010-05-13T08:17:00.000-04:00

Last week the kids and I went to my mom and dad's property, AKA: 'the cabin'. We had a blast having a picnic and running around while Poppie mowed (with Matthew's help on the tractor) and while Me-mee painted.

Matthew's hat blew off of the tractor at one point (it was a windy day upon that hill!) and went right under the mower.

He was pretty upset. Poppie offered to get him a new hat- But Matthew would have none of it "But. I like this hat" he replied, choking back the tears.
Luckily the biggest damage was the bill of the hat being torn 1/2 way off- and I was able to sew it back on by hand the next morning.

oh yeah...

2010-05-12T08:15:00.001-04:00

hope you had a happy mother's day.

our horse

2010-04-28T11:06:00.003-04:00

we 1st made a hobby horse from one of Erik's old pant legs... and that horse was a Clydesdale!

to make our horse a little more Derby, we had to take it apart and sew up the sides of his face- so he was a bit more slender.

yee haw! Ride 'em jockey boy!

Get your derby on.

2010-04-24T08:41:00.002-04:00

Is that one of the tag lines they came up with? I have no idea. at this point they've all become very ingrained in my head...

any how, Derby week has started as far as I'm concerned...
I began looking for kid's derby crafts and was shocked at how little I found... a few tutorials were out there- but none with pictures!! we'll have to see how creative I can get this week with the kids. I'll be sure to share whatever we come up with. In the mean time- check out Lier's horse (she links to the tutorial here). You can craft some horses for your little jockey's to ride next Saturday. :)

happy anniversary- a rough weekend, but counting blessings

2010-04-11T16:45:00.007-04:00

This past Friday Erik and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary. Erik planned a night away from home, just the two of us. He arranged for his parents to come to our house and watch the kids while we went to Indianapolis. Earlier in the week, Erik was feeling a bit ill, but I believe that by sheer will he MADE himself feel better so that we could make the trip.

We had a great time walking around the downtown area of Indianapolis exploring the city- and had an awesome dinner at Fogo de Chao (click the link to read about how this restaurant is different)... afterward though, Erik was having major stomach pain and issues. Believing that this was due to eating too much meat, we walked back to the hotel, changed clothing and then walked to the movie theater where we saw 'date night'.

The next morning we were formulating our plans to head to one of the many museums in the Indianapolis area after breakfast (even though Erik's tummy wasn't back to it's normal self)... then we got a call from the hotel front desk... our van had been broken into:

BUMMER!

I don't know what I expected a "broken into" van to look like- but I was a shocked by all of the broken glass.
Luckily the thief only took our roadside assistance kit and my super awesome leather backpack turned diaper bag.

I went through a lot of the stages of grief... with anger being the strongest... although it really only played out in me wishing to be detective like- spotting our diaper bag on the street where the thief would have thrown it having realized the contents- or me seeing the thug and clobbering them with the roll of duct tape we had to tape cardboard to our van.
Luckily our state is one that requires no deductible for broken glass on a vehicle and Erik's stereo (one of his Christmas gifts) was still in the van. Our only true loss will be that of the time and energy to get everything fixed.
Still feeling a bit sick, Erik decided we should head home (and I readily agreed, I was missing my kids).

When we arrived home, my parents hosted a nice pizza dinner. Then we went home- we were exhausted, and so were the kids from all their fun playing with Mia and Bebop.

thinking that was the end of the bumps in our weekend, we went to bed.

Then... at 4am, Erik woke up with a great pain in his side... he dealt with it for a few hours, but then as morning came, and the pain worsened, he decided he'd like a doctor's professional opinion- so we headed to the ER.
Thankfully Erik's parents were still here so we didn't even have to blink and eye to think about where the kids would go.
At the ER, blood work was done and a scan was ordered- there was talk about surgery for his appendix which appeared swollen and a surgeon was sent in to talk to us about either admitting Erik to the hospital for observation, or sending him home with the thought we'd come back in on Monday for surgery if the pain worsened. Then the blood work came back and we found that luckily Erik had "only" picked up a nasty virus~ we were sent home with prescriptions to ease his pain and nausea.

By this time my parents had already picked up the kids to take them to (my) Grandma and Grandpa's house for the belated Easter celebration there... so luckily they get to have another fun day of play- although sadly I'm stuck here missing them, wishing I could remember all of the things that are always on my list of things to do~ you know, the ones a mom of young kids has a hard time accomplishing because the kids want to help? yep. funny sometimes how that works uh? we always want what we can't have....

so- even though I'd like to say this was a really bad weekend- I'm trying to count my blessings
*Erik felt well enough we were able to enjoy the day of our anniversary and have a great dinner and even catch a movie
*we only lost a bag and some clothes from our car break in deal
*Erik's parents were here to seamlessly cover the care of our children while we rushed off this morning
*Erik does not have to have surgery
*the kids get to have another great day being doted on, Egg hunting, and visiting with their extended cousins, Aunts and Uncles
* I have some alone time~ in which I'm realizing that no matter the circumstances, the to do list will remain and so I should just enjoy life fully every day and forget my endless list of things and wishes do be done. I can learn to just sit and be content.

If you've stuck with me though all of this, thanks.

(the kids- egg hunting on Easter Sunday)

crayons

2010-04-06T15:51:00.001-04:00

somebody doesn't like the paper on their crayons....

insulin resistant

2010-03-11T17:15:00.002-05:00

that's me...found out today... no biggie though, it could always be worse, right?
anyhow, in looking for a few recipes that'll be healthy for me- I found this one at bettycrocker.com
not a perfect recipe in terms of IR healthiness, but much better than the sweet potato casserole recipe we've made in the past. Other than the brown sugar (which I might lessen and add some cinnamon instead) it's pretty good. I'm looking forward to trying it out tonight....

Make-Ahead Baked Sweet Potatoes

Stuff the skins with seasoned sweet potato filling ahead of time and bake just before dinner. Saving time never tasted so good.

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 1 hour 20 min
Makes: 6 servings

6	medium sweet potatoes (2 1/4 pounds)
1/4	cup sour cream
2	tablespoons milk
2	tablespoons packed brown sugar
2	tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/8	teaspoon salt

1.	Heat oven to 375ºF. Pierce sweet potatoes with fork to allow steam to escape. Bake about 45 minutes or until tender.
2.	Cut thin lengthwise slice from each potato; carefully scoop out inside of potato, leaving a thin shell. Mash potatoes in large bowl until no lumps remain. Beat in sour cream and milk. Beat in brown sugar, butter and salt until potatoes are light and fluffy.
3.	Place shells in ungreased rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches. Fill shells with potato mixture. Cover and refrigerate no longer than 24 hours.
4.	Heat oven to 400ºF. Bake uncovered about 25 minutes or until potato mixture is golden brown. (If baking filled shells immediately after mashing potatoes, bake about 20 minutes.)

un-toys

2010-02-18T10:57:00.002-05:00

ran across this post about un-toys a few days ago... it really got me (re) thinking.
We'll see what new things around here we can add into our play (besides the normal spoons, cups, and pans that Sophia drags out...) :)

He's a lego maniac

2010-02-16T08:21:00.004-05:00

Our Matthew has turned into quite the Lego maniac as of late.

For Christmas he got an Indiana Jones Lego set and he played with it quite a bit, then took a break... but these past weeks, it's the first thing he asks to play with in the morning, and the last thing he's playing with before bed time. Matthew has become quite creative.

He's adapted it to include his new favorite theme: Star Wars (more on how that came to be later- maybe tomorrow)

This is Darth Maul with his double ended light saber (life saver if you're Matthew, though I fail to see how those things have saved too many lives). And, when those poles aren't connected, each is a light saber for other characters.

Susan's boyfriend, Josh, showed Matthew how to use those apple baskets as backpacks/ capes, but the rest of it he's come up with all on his own.

Naturally, with so many little pieces, some are bound to be lost (currently Indiana J's hat, the guy in white, among other pieces). That does not deter Matthew- he finds a random building piece and ta-da! You have a battle droid.

He's even made a y-wing

I need to call the Lego company, we need to get a commercial deal. :)

* I feel the need to explain that Matthew has not seen any Star Wars movie- he received a toy, found an old poster and then began asking many questions. He's been shown a few select movie clips by his dad and they've played some Lego Star Wars "together".

hair bow organizer

2010-02-10T12:39:00.002-05:00

After seeing Carrie's bow organizer, I decided it was time Sophia had one too. I was glad that Carrie thought a larger one would work, because I had this 16 x 20 frame in the basement. I'd already painted it white, though I don't know what I'd previously planned to do with it...

I cut wood for the back of the frame and then layered batting and fabric on top, because it was what I had on hand and because it would match Sophia's room (I've previously made curtains and a cushion for a little seat for her). I then evenly spaced ribbon down the length of the board and attached it to the frame with the prongs that were intended for the back of the frame (missing, along with the glass). I think this look would also be adorable with a few small frames with various fabric hung together as a collage...

no pictures of the process or it hanging with bows on it because my camera is broken. nice huh? Luckily my sister has her old camera that shes going to let me use until we get a new one (Susan, I need to get that from you), which will be... Christmas maybe?

again- I'm linking up... because that cupcake tower looks awesome.

toy box

2010-01-27T13:32:00.008-05:00

After reading about how Melissa at The Inspired Room does the "Meh test" I walked around my house and tried to see things with a fresh eye. Granted I do this from time to time any way, but lately my focus has been on what needs to be cleaned, not necessarily what I can or need to do to room to make it feel fresh, to make it feel beautiful to me (and those who see it).

After reading that post and walking around my house, I realized that most of our day to day living spaces were... well, they were fine. There was nothing WRONG with them, but nothing terribly exciting either... and so- I decided it was time to start freshening things up, so that when I walk into a room, I feel happy and inspired, and I'm not saying "meh..."

project number one: a toy box.

I've been wanting to add some toy storage to Matthew's room for a while now, we've had a wall that's felt empty ever since I moved the changing table out to the living room to employ it as a small desk and to freshen up THAT room this past fall.

First I thought I wanted the Hemmes storage bench from IKEA, but then when I saw the new pottery barn catalog, I was inspired (as it seems so many are out there today) by their new toy box:
But again- I didn't want to pay $200...

My mom had a toy box in her basement that she and my dad had rescued from the garbage. She told me that if I'd find something else for her to store the stuff that she'd been keeping in the topless toy box, I could have it....

Soon after, I brought it home:

I quickly got to work on this project and finished it in a week, a week- that's fast for me, especially considering we had a birthday party that weekend for our special soon to be 4 year old!

I lightly sanded and then painted it white
and then using the method as described by Layla at the lettered cottage, I added Matthew's name

the cost? well.... free! can't beat that!

I have more plans for updating our decor, 3 projects which I know won't cost me a dime. I plan on accomplishing those before I beg Erik for new curtains and blinds in our room... :)

too cute not to share...

2010-01-02T09:36:00.003-05:00

had to share a picture from our morning of pumpkin muffin/ donut making....

more of what we've been up to later in the week. :)

ever had one of those mornings?

2009-12-10T11:04:00.004-05:00

The kind where the kids are playing quietly in the bedroom while you make some phone calls to stores about an important Christmas gift... then you go to check on them and this is what you find:

the big one has taken off the little one's clothes and diaper, they've dumped out all of the toys, gotten into the baby thermometers, nail clippers, and baby wipes.... and then when you kneel down to put a diaper on the baby, and your knee is wet?

yeah... looks like it's going to be one of those days....

every woman's dream

2009-12-06T11:09:00.000-05:00

I hemmed my pants

2009-12-04T11:02:00.000-05:00

granted this was in the begining of October, but still a notable achievement.

Kids in the closet

2009-12-03T10:53:00.001-05:00

This is why you don't let your kids play in the

closet.... or maybe why you should have the lid on that fancy wrapping paper container.

getting in the making mood

2009-11-24T13:48:00.004-05:00

I've been making a lot of things this past few weeks.... birthday stuff, hair bows, plates.... While I do love making stuff, I felt exhausted and wanted to STOP!!

Then I saw this.... and my heart melted!
Usually Matthew when wants to make cookies or something, he'll help add a few ingredients, and then he's done... have fun finishing up and cleaning up mom, I'm off to play super heroes.... but ya know, he's older now, and those turkeys don't require as many steps as making cookies from scratch- the bonus is, you can stop when the kids are ready to stop- no need to feel like you're being wasteful if you don't finish" all of the ingredients are eatable on their own (which is also a bonus for little workers to keep working and snacking....).

Still, just to be sure, I had some assistance with lunch today:

He did great- the best cheese ripper I've worked with in a long time (hardy har-har)
So intensely was he working... I was even told that I'd better stop taking pictures because I was messing him up... :)

While I think we'll try a variation of the turkey cookies Shi mastered, I'm excited that my little guy is finally ready to try to create something again... I'll bet even Sophia will get in on the action...

I think we'll plan on making these on Thanksgiving day and ringing some to Erik's Aunt and Uncle- if the attention doesn't divert to super hero stuff right after the first cookie is made. :)

just awesome

2009-11-24T07:34:00.002-05:00

Apparently, you're never safe....
Cribs recalled
No- that's not the type of crib we have though.

I remember when we were searching for a crib, I was hoping to find one with the metal brackets for the drop side, but they weren't making them any more (wonder if that was 'recalled' too). Susan has mentioned that it's difficult to raise a baby over the rail- wonder if a non-drop side crib would be easier... if not, I'll hold on to my drop side until you have kids Susan, and they can be just as unsafe as we were (apparently) when we were kids.... :P Livin' on the wild side....

Thank you Frances!

2009-11-16T21:38:00.003-05:00

A star is EXACTLY what the plate needed.... I LOVE it.

I've been really busy trying to get Erik's party together, and now gettin ready for a craft show at Erik's work- really excited and nervous... :)

Birthday wishes*

2009-11-04T11:09:00.006-05:00

Erik mentioned to me that he'd really like for someone to fix or pay for someone to indefinitely fix our drippy shower or the refrigerator that seems to have sprung a small leak on the bottom- as his birthday gift!!
Can you believe it??
He usually has a list of games and movies, but now he's wanting practical things!! He really is getting old(-er)... (and I'm secretly thrilled... now I won't be the only one with things like "Lowe's gift card" on my Christmas wish list... :P)

guess I should clarify: he still is wishing for
the New Super Mario Brother's game
the Zelda game for the DS
and Ratchet and Clank but that's a lot smaller of a list than it was a few years ago.

*because someone asked, though I'm not saying who...

swinging

2009-11-02T13:42:00.000-05:00

have I mentioned how much we love our swings?

or more so how much I love pictures of the kids swinging?

so dang cute. even when they do their cheesy smile... which by the way, I love.

Hope you got lots of candy!

2009-11-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

And that you are treating yourself to a wonderfully delish breakfast this morning. :)

layin' on the floor

2009-10-30T13:33:00.000-04:00

Ever heard the sweater song?

Erik (and I?) I have a version we started singing to Matthew about his diaper when he was a baby- and now we sing it to Sophia- Elissa has been witness to our amazing tallent....

anoy how- Sophia must have taken it quite literally because I'll catch her laying on the floor like this- a few times. usually she's in the kitchen in front of the refrigerator. She must like the sound of it running. it's pretty cute, but then again she's still so small that most of the things she does are still cute... :)

fun dip

2009-10-29T13:31:00.000-04:00

the zoo had some great treats this year- one of them was fun dip- Matthew really enjoyed his once it was explained to him how he was supposed to eat it. :)

reading

2009-10-28T13:29:00.002-04:00

Sophia likes to read books too now (sometimes, if she feels like sitting still enough to listen).

Bonus: When she looks at books herself, she hardly rips a page any more... not that I trust her alone with our books...

Sunday Sophia

2009-10-27T13:27:00.001-04:00

I'm lovin' dressing her up in her cute church dresses....even if she looks grumpy about it.

for Mia

2009-10-25T15:02:00.001-04:00

we went trick or treating at the zoo, and Matthew had to get a picture with Dorothy for his Mia... it's her favorite movie after all.... :)

gotta love his smile.... :)

talking girl

2009-10-23T09:14:00.001-04:00

I'm pretty sure Sophia said 'bird' and 'Grace' this morning... it's about time she started adding words to her vocabulary. :P

You're wrong about that...

2009-10-12T12:59:00.002-04:00

Me: When you are finished with that sucker, put the stick in the garbage can...
Matthew: but you are wrong about that... I'm going to put it in the be-cycling (recycling) bin.
Me: I don't think you can recycle a sucker stick
Matthew: but my friend Will does that every day- and I want to do that too and be like my best friend Will because Will is my best friend and he does that every day...

candy corn

2009-10-06T14:12:00.002-04:00

Done! and before Halloween week even!
Granted I don't think it turned out as cute as it looked in my head, but I'm happy I tried something new.
Found the shirt on clearance at Target for about $1.50- and though I wish it were white, plain t- shirts are hard to come by, especially in the fall- so I went with it. Only used what I had on hand (awesome!) and had it started and complete within the evening (even better.). Seems large on Sophia- but maybe she'll be able to wear it next year too.... if she decides to stay where she's at for a while and quit growing so much bigger than she "should" be. :)

zoo

2009-09-28T15:05:00.006-04:00

just got back from the zoo- boy did the kids have fun.

Matthew was thrilled that they had a little potty for him:

I mean, Look at it- so cute and little, who wouldn't be thrilled (well, me for one if I had to use it...)

Sophia wore herself out on the small playground...

she did so much running and playing...

she's asleep in her crib now- like a rag doll when I laid her down....

That girl has no fear. When Matthew was little, he'd be so cautious, you hardly had to watch him- he's like that still... you can't even coax him to go down the slide (though in the past he's loved the slide).

Sophia though, she'd walk right down the slide if you'd let her.

She's a thrill seeker....

in other news, we got a really great view of the tiger today:

Bourbon festival

2009-09-26T23:07:00.003-04:00

We took a little trip to visit Sara and Stuart and to enjoy the bourbon festival this weekend... Matthew had a lot of fun bouncing in the castle. He was lucky- he got a lot of time in it for his turn- our timing was perfect, and he even got some time in all by himself.

other fun stuff? Riding the turkey of course....

Even David Michael got in on the fun...

(ok Sara, so maybe it isn't the best picture but I think it's pretty darn good....)

Matthew can...

2009-09-25T01:45:00.000-04:00

Finish his star chart!

Sunday after Church, Matthew completed his star chart that we started a few months ago. He could have finished it sooner, but it got moved to the side of the refrigerator and was forgotten about for a few weeks....

Matthew is very excited to have his costume... and it appears that we couldn't have planned a better time. With Halloween around the corner, Matthew was asking to be a dragon, but now, he's certain he'll be Wolverine.

It's my job to do something to "fix" the mask. Darn thing hurts Matthew's sensitive eyebrows!! Poor eyebrows... they're so prone to aches and pains. :)

Sophia can...

2009-09-24T13:46:00.003-04:00

Walk down the steps...

on her own...

with out help.

She loves to practice this new tallent often and prefers to go unassisted- and while she's getting pretty good at it, I'm still not keen on the idea of my baby falling down a flight of steps (ok, 1/2 a flight since we have the landing and the bend 1/2 way down....). It hasn't been that long since she recovered from a black eye (her brother gave her a tackle hug and her eye landed smack on the knob of our dresser one Sunday morning), and I don't want to go there again... :)

on our back porch this afternoon...

2009-09-22T13:09:00.002-04:00

While Matthew and I were downstairs this afternoon while Sophia slept- one of these walked past the sliding glass door. Wow. it was pretty exciting. I did my best to get Matthew to the door soon enough, but I think he looked right past the ground hog and on to the squirrels playing by the sandbox. Let me be clear though- it was cool because the critter was on the other side of the glass, if I'd have been outside too- then it's have been- more exciting, but in a different way...

on the schedule for tonight...

2009-09-09T20:37:00.002-04:00

more bow making! I just can't stop!
Sophia will have to grow more hair or stop pulling the bows out- we've already lost two....

homegoods give away

2009-09-07T12:36:00.011-04:00

Despite the fact that I haven't won any of the blog giveaways that I've entered- I can't help but try. :)
A new to me blog that I've fallen in love with, the inspired room, is having a give away for a $200 gift card to home goods (at TJ Maxx).
Know which room I think could use a lift? Our basement/ tv room... that's which one....

all hand me down furniture, which we are very grateful for... he side tables do need lamps now due to a re-do in the living room upstairs where I used what I had to make the rom look different, and while we do love our Steelers, I'm sure we could find a nicer throw for this space. :)
oh, and check out that artwork....

It is an original piece.... by college students at a retreat that my husband and his roommate led when they were in college.....
I think we may have outgrown it's.... uniqueness....

another corner of this room houses some other unique art...

you need a closer look you say?

I mean, really, who doesn't love Moscow (I've never been there, so I don't know....), but do we really need to display it so prominently? Erik had a great time there as a child and so this is a treasured piece for him... but I'd rather it go... somewhere else... in the closet perhaps? (Sorry Erik... I'd never really do that because I know how much it means to you.... by closet, really I meant computer room... really I did...).

We also have these curtains over the sliding glass door- which I think are great... but the hardware for them could use an update. I'm thinking something with those rings and clips that are so popular these days...

Our ceiling is low and our curtains needed to be hung high- no room for the finials that were included with the current hardware. :(

Continue around the room and you'll find yourself at our entertainment center:

While I don't have a HUGE beef with this part of the room, I've always been dreaming of a look more like this one, I don't think the $200 would cover it, nor do we have enough space currently. I think I could work with what I have here- I need to be creative with some other sort of baby proofing, and get rid of the speaker stands that are for the speakers we no longer have...
the one thing that would need to be purchased for this section of basement? a window treatment!! I mean- VERTICAL BLINDS still? are we living in the 70's or 80's or something???

if there were any money leftover, I'd splurge for a rug to cover up the plain ole carpet and add some warmth for the winter and fall...

I even know I'd be willing to paint the walls if I were to win... and do some re-hab on the wood pieces in the room.

so PLEASE PLEASE pick me- I'll be sending those starbucks gift cards to your house ASAP. :)

ps- I've never realized how sad this room looks as a whole until now... I really need to win now so I can get to work on it!!

last day to save is tomorrow...

2009-09-04T08:39:00.002-04:00

deals brought to you via streaching a buck
at Target today and tomorrow you can use coupons from here in the top section to get a free .99 gerber baby bottle (with the $1 off a gerber feeding accessory coupon) and a free .97 Johnson's bath buddies bar of soap (with the $1 off any Johnson's baby bath product coupon).

even if YOU don't need these items, they'd be a good part of a gift for a baby shower or kid's birthday- and you can always donate them.

hair bows

2009-09-02T15:40:00.007-04:00

Erik bought me some clips so I could make some hair bows for Sophia... this is the latest bow... what do you think?

here are the others:

as I thought up the clip with the buttons, I wondered why I'd never seen anything like it before- as I was gluing the buttons on though, I realized that it would be a HUGE choking hazard- maybe I can use it in my hair.... I'd look very fashionable, no?

I think that the orange and black bow will need a few more curled ribbons added to it, or at least that future bows of that style will have more ribbon.

what do you think though, 'cuz that's what really matters.... :P

ps- don't let that picture up top fool you, although Sophia normally does 'request' that bows be put in her hair, she wont keep that one in- she just can't keep playing with it and trying to figure it out...

Go Steelers!

2009-08-24T21:42:00.002-04:00

In order to gear up for the upcoming football season, we had

to pull out our team gear... we were oh so lucky that Matthew's 1st jersey fit Sophia wonderfully. it's amazing how much some clothing can be worn.... Matthew was wearing this jersey when he was learning to walk- though last football season, and not little sis is able to get some use out of it! Matthew of course was thrilled and had to put his jersey on too- and then later wanted to share a spiderman shirt with her when he changed... so they could play together, 'cuse you know your play mate HAS to somewhat match what you're wearing. Sophia, of course, didn't mind one bit.

Sophia's birthday party

2009-08-22T12:37:00.000-04:00

We threw a party to celebrate Sophia's 1st year... and I lost my camera that day... well, I didn't really lose it, it was just put away in a special place that I'd forgotten about.... until after the party was over. :(

as a result, if you didn't see it yourself, you'll just ahve to believe me that everything was beautiful and that I wouldn't have been able to do it with out my party helpers....

and if you were there and took a picture.... can I get copies of those from you?? :)

the little church

2009-08-21T12:33:00.000-04:00

when we were on vacation, there was a TINY Church that we would pass on our walks, we'd tease Matthew that we were going to take him there and that he'd have to say Mass because there would be no room for anyone else in the Church....

a few weeks later, he asked when we were going to go to that tiny Church. ... :) His memory amazes me sometimes. :)

Fire Aunt Will!

2009-08-20T11:58:00.002-04:00

a little transformers mis-communication....

Thanks for the gift!

2009-08-19T11:51:00.000-04:00

Another little tradition that's gone on this week is the sharing of toys with dad for work time use.

let me explain....

Just before Erik will leave for work, if we're awake, Matthew will find a toy and give it to his dad to borrow for the day, you know, so he can play with it at work when things are slow...

imagine Matthew's delight when dad came home with a gift for him...

that's right- not only did Erik bring back the truck that Matthew handed over that morning- he also pulled a used sandwich container and a picture of Matthew as a baby out of his backpack. Matthew was over the top thrilled, he rushed the gifts to his room, where they stayed until he fell asleep that night.

Erik didn't mean for these things to be 'gifts', but I guess when you love someone that much, it doesn't matter what they hand over. If you perceive it as a gift from the heart, it's as good as gold!

Yum

2009-08-18T11:21:00.003-04:00

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are good.

We made these by request of Matthew, who likes to take a cookie back to his room after dinner so he can sit with Dad and "talk about our day".

needless to say, Sophia has to eat her cookie in the kitchen in her high chair.

So cute how little things become traditions....

we're out of the cookies now, so maybe we can swap in an apple....

us

2009-08-17T11:47:00.000-04:00

here's a self portrait of us. in most that we took, Sophia was smiling way more than this, and Matthew was looking off to the side or making a funny face. silly kids. I love them so much. :)

masked vigilante

2009-08-16T11:59:00.001-04:00

Sophia found it quite fun to join in the super hero fun last week. She cracks me up with some of her little "requests"- for a bow in her hair or some other accessory. It amazes me how she can communicate to well with hardly a word.

tomato

2009-08-15T11:55:00.001-04:00

Matthew was thrilled to pick his first tomato from his plant this past week. unfortunately, he got a little excited and pulled off the whole branch.

two posts in one day?

2009-08-14T11:59:00.002-04:00

wow- I'm really stepping it up here....
had to though because I found that this gal is giving away a set of these herb crates that are topping my wish list.... check it out!

shoe girl

2009-08-14T11:51:00.001-04:00

Sophia loves to wear her shoes. I'm not sure if it's the footwear that excites her or the fact that she knows we go outside most of the time after she puts them on. Frances can be my witness- she kinda says "shoe"... I'm going to credit Frances with teaching her this one- All I've taught her is baby- or "do da" ha!

step, step, step

2009-08-13T12:07:00.004-04:00

by request: Sophia walking.

Kiwi

2009-08-12T11:44:00.003-04:00

Sophia tried some Kiwi yesterday- and despite the look on her face from her initial taste, she really did like them!

She also got to try some blueberries on Sunday at a friend's birthday party- she'd have eaten them all day if I'd have let her.

big girl

2009-08-09T20:10:00.002-04:00

We reciently moved Sophia's car seat to forward facing.
I know the AAP or whoever now says that it's safer to leave them rear facing until they're 2.... but all along they'd been saying rear was the safest and they should stay that way for as long as possible... and I'm a bit of the mindset that a happy baby makes a safe driver- so we're going with that.... :)

all with in a two weeks span, Sophia learned to walk well around the house, had her first birthday, had her car seat turned around and decided she'd like to walk around the store when we shop.... she's growing up way too fast.

love it all.

2009-08-05T11:16:00.002-04:00

check out this new online shop- everything there is so beautiful!

the lettered cottage home

I'm ready for a room renewal.... :P

1 year

2009-07-25T14:58:00.004-04:00

it's hard to believe that one year has gone by since Sophia was born.... what an amazing story that was!

she so big now- crawling up the steps so fast you can hardly catch her...

walking more and more each day....

loving on her brother and bringing such joy to our lives.

trouble on the farm

2009-07-21T13:59:00.004-04:00

Mother: "Let me out! it's dark in here!"

Voice: "No Moder! We want to keep you!"

Mother: "I can't believe it!"

pause in conversation

Voice: "Ok.... here. you can keep dis"

Mother: "but I don't have arms!!"