planning a trip

grandopening, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

AT only 2 hours away- this is one trip I do plan on making this year... it'll be the closest IKEA to us... next closest being wither PA or Georgia...

The sweetest thing I just heard

"daddy... pay tractor me, oh-tay?"

playing tractor, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

our *new* kitchen

through the door, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

as you walk through the door of our kitchen, you'll now be greeted by a bright color!! Thanks to many of our friends, our kitchen was treated with a fresh coat of Birmingham Cream this past weekend. The cabinets had a trim added to them, and all new hardware. It's amazing what a difference it makes!

kitchen, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

here's another view of the kitchen cabinets. As you can see, the cabinets are only a few shades lighter than the walls, I love it. I think that the kitchen can be called "finished" for now- but not yet complete. We still have to figure out some of the little additions to make it even more welcoming... curtains, 'artwork', small area rugs?? So many possibilities still.

a corner of the kitchen, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

this message board was a new addition to the mix- a nice little place to display some of the photos, notes and artwork from our little friends. This once all covered the refrigerator, but now finds a home here.
We still haven't re-hung the under the cabinet can opener... and I think I might like it that way... maybe a little laziness here and there isn't such a bad thing, it helps you find new happiness.

Thanks again to Frances and Lee, Mary and Bernie, Bob and Mary Jo, Stephen and Lillian and to Sara, who jumped in to help after a previous appointment fell through (or maybe it's just that she was trying to keep up with someone else...?)

Bengal's baby blanket

Bengal's baby blanket, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

Sent to a little friend of ours far away- Can't wait to meet you in person Thomas, you're really cute in the pictures we see!

his and her's kleenex boxes

his and hers Kleenex boxes, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

Just what we needed this weekend.
Erik and I both suffered from terrible colds that left us achy, cold, stuffed up and coughing. Luckily Erik's parents were in to entertain Matthew while we tried to sleep it off, unluckily, we'd planned a work weekend on our kitchen and enlisted friends helping hands to get the job done. We'd already torn up the kitchen to prepare, so there was not much of an option of turning back.

From all of our great helpers comes a great looking kitchen, sadly not picked up enough yet for a good photograph... it's hard to keep things looking nice when you don't want to move a muscle.

a great big thanks to all of our helpers- we REALLY could not have done it with out you!

AN ICE STORM???

Looks like I was missing the snow a little too much... now they're calling for an ice storm! What we've seen so far is nothing like a few years ago, but still keeping me indoors! Glad I went to the grocery on Tuesday- we're all set for the weekend.
-thanks mom for picking up my persceiption while you were out- IOU $10.

looks like there's a change in lunch for Saturday- Chicken salad sandwiches, some kind of beef, and maybe mashed potatoes... I'll still be making the potato soup though... I'm wanting it something fierce now... :P

missing the snow

snow baby, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

With this freezing weather, I'm wishing there were still snow on the ground... it'd at least seem worth it then, all the darn cold... and there'd be something nice to look at while watching matthew play outside. With the cold air, and such fearce winds, we're not braving the great outdoors much these days...

reading

reading, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

precious are the moments like these, the moments you wish you could live in and remember forever.

work weekend

yep. we had one... and not only did we HAVE one, we're having ANOTHER one this weekend!! if your day is open, stop by with yuor paint clothes for some fun, friends and... soup I think. Yep, seems like the weather will still be cold enough that soup will be a good meal.

worry not- the not fun stuff of sanding was taken care of this weekend.

THANKS STU!

(oh yeah- and to my wonderful husband too, who won't ever get his fair share of praise for all of the wonderful things he does.)

another valentine's treat

heart cookies, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

brought to us on valentine's night- these were delicious... and are GONE. :)

She is a Super Dooper Pooper!

Though that anyone that got the chance should see Matthew's new favorite video.

A LOOK! LOOK!

wow! look what I got from Mia!, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

Matthew was pretty excited to open his package from the mail "man" and see this puppy (arrived a day early... don't let my lateness in posting this make you think that Mia isn't on top of things...).

"walk mom- he walk", originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

the dog, of course, had to go for a little walk- he does have legs you know...

shoes mom! shoes!, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

and then of course- there was a slight problem... no shoes or socks! How terrible. "oh no!" poor dog, he'd been "outside" and everything- and no shoes. "oh man!"

free paper dolls

avaliable for download at simplicity. I have no need of them- but they are a cute free thing for someone out there with a girl. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

chocolate face, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

From our house to yours!

that's the way the day goes sometimes.

our toilet is clogged- there's a ton of TP in there. I've been accused of using too much TP on more than one occasion, and so I'll take the full blame here... although I think I got enough of a bad wrap from Erik about it yesterday night.

this afternoon, I was making another attempt to 'fik' (fix) the potty... here's how the conversation went:

Me, as I’m plunging the toilet again, “Matthew… I think this is going to make me throw up… ya know??”
Matthew, “daddy halp”
Me, "yes, It’ll be daddy’s turn when he gets home. Hopefully we can fix it by then… did you put something in the toilet… like a toy or something??”
Matthew, “nooo”
Me, “are you sure??”
Matthew, "uh huh”
(hum… he must be telling the truth if his no was followed by a yes… he has to be listening to what I’m saying then huh?)
Me, “oh man- this is going to make me throw up! The toilet paper has like made the water really thick like”
Matthew, ”daddy TURN!... Daddy fik it!”
Me, “you think so- you think dad can fix it?”
Matthew, “uh huh.. daddy hammer, daddy fik it, a daddy tooos”

so glad it's 'daddy turn fik it'...

yesterday's snow day

melting ice, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

When we woke up in the morning, there were tons of tiny icesickles shining in the sun, hanging off of the trees and such. They were really pretty and I was looking forward to the picture opportunity... well, we didn't get out early enough and this is what they looked like when we finally did get out...

it's ok- I can get up on my own (and he did), originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

Matthew saw his dad pull the trycicle out of the shed in order to look for a snow shovel (we really thought we had one!!) so up the hill he headed- determined to ride his "bik kick kle" in the snow- falling didn't even seem to bother him,,, he just looked over his shoulder at me and then hopped up- in all that snow gear and everything!!

foot prints, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

I've always loved prints in the snow. When we were younger we'd try to follow them around. These tiny foot prints were no exception- adorable and perfect... and irrisistable to follow.

I thought I wanted to ride my bike, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

Matthew finally did make it to the bike, and then decided right away that it wasn't as fun as he thought it would be.

oh no! I fell!, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

and just before we headed in Matthew fell again (for about the 5th time). This time he was not going to get up by himself.. he did not have mittens on. Why? you ask... Because mittens get wet, and then they are not comfortable, and though they are better than not having mittens on, Matthew did not believe us until this point. Then he demanded for them to be put back on- right then and there, even though we were headed into the house any how.

snow day

are you following me or something?, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

just a quick picture of the snow today- more tomorrow about the fun we had.

blood pressure update

a friend (A FRIEND!! I have a friend that blogs too!!) asked how my blood pressure woes were-- I never told you guys did I?? Man- Hate it when people leave me hanging on big things! :P Guess you've guessed that things are either ok- or that I've been hospitalized or something...

I went back in for a check up a week later and the BP was lower again... because I'd been taking it easy- so I was told to continue taking it easy... and sadly had to 'drop' my fun on Thrusdays and Fridays... No more Lillian. Matthew misses her a lot too... he's started telling me storries about her- one day last week, she was "night night" in his big boy bed...

So all's good and well.. I got to cancel my 2 week appointment... but then, yesterday afternoon, I began to have a terrible spell of dizziness that would come and go- mostly comming and sticking around until I laid down, and then coming back again as soon as I so much as turned my head. Erik stayed home today and we went to the doctor- meeting with their nurse practitioner... I pretty much felt like she said "ahh- all your complaints are normal pregnancy stuff, but I'll order some blood work just to make you feel like I'm looking into it."

Well, come to find out later- the tests she ordered (she just gave us fancy letters for it) were to find out if I was anemic. Plus she did ask that I come back in a week- didn't explain why or anything- just come back... um ok.

Another beef of mine for the day? We were there for TWO hours. The waiting room was a ZOO! They'd pulled some chairs from a storage room or something to add to their waiting room. Some of the placement seemed a HIPAA violation to me... and the wait times were crazy compared to their office when Matthew was born. I loved the fact then that it was 'in and out' and on with your day back then... now, maybe I've been spoiled by our family doctor office and the low wait times and the attention and explination that goes into each visit, but it seemed to me that they've possibly taken on too many patients. I just don't know how I feel about going back to that office after today (much less to go back to deliver a baby- "The wait will be 20 minutes, we have other women here to deliver babies too, ya know..."). I suppose all I can do is wait and see how the next visit or so go, make it a point to attend the talk being given by Dr. Yeung and decide then.

eta [I forgot ot mention that Erik's awesome Boss told him he should stay and work from home tomorrow too considering the snow and ice storms they're calling for... How awesome is that?? How often does your boss tell you to work from home so you can stay near your family should they need you?? awesome awesome man.]

Make up man

Make up man, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

he was so proud to have found the correct area of his face to apply the mascara he snuck out of my room...

FINALLY FINISHED!!

Wee turtle, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

this Wee Turtle has been waiting for his crown to be made for... months. Started for Matthew when he learned to say 'turtle' it's now just sitting in the shelf- with kids you have to jump on things, or the time passes...

made from a Wee Wonderfuls pattern. Sold here.

helping 'fix it'

helping 'fix it', originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

Matthew is quite a fixer and a helper these days. Here he is trying to help "fix" a bookshelf that my parents made him for his soon to be big boy room. "How was it broken?" you may ask... it wasn't hanging on the wall silly!

new bookshelf, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

thanks mom and dad- it looks great!

for your convenience

you can now post comments 'anonymously', meaning that you don't have to create an account or sign in to do so... just sign your name at the bottom of the comment if you want me to know who you are. :)
thanks.

oops- we spilled the butter!

oops- we spilled the butter!, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

Baking with a todler is fun. As soon as you add that melted butter and turn your back, expect to hear the whirl of the mixer on high speed.

mom! I wanna help!

mom! I wanna help!, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

Matthew has been quite the helper these days- he wants to help with EVERYTHING! He was really upset with me when I didn't let him help Daddy and Be-Bop move the bookself downstairs to make way for a book shelf for Matthew's soon to be big boy room (now the computer room). What a look.

little helper, originally uploaded by SIMPLY.MADE.

aah. that's better... :)