Kumquats and Peanuts

Best Buds

2011-12-06T21:02:00.001-06:00

Thought I would also post a few photos of M & A and what they've been up to...

We do lots of art projects in our house, when I am desperate to kill time we go to the art room and find a project... Yes that is a hole in the wall, the art room suffered some demo when we remodeled the dining room...

Mason was really into Halloween this year, Avery had no fear - she went right up to the door and dug into the candy bowls. Mason was more brave after watching her and they scored a lot of candy for Dad.

The first snow, I haven't figured out how to turn photos on here. Mason was in heaven because he has new boots and a new coat, Avery wore Mason's old snow pants and could barely walk.

Rainbow Rice!

I highly recommend this activity, they loved making the rice and love digging it in and finding treasures. Mason makes birthday cakes with it in the cupcake pans and puts candles in them. Avery is working on keeping it on the table. She loves to dump and pour it. Then Mason loves to use my vaccuum and clean it up :)

Make sure to scroll down and read the next post devoted to Blake!

Have you met Blake?

2011-12-06T20:35:00.003-06:00

This is Blake. He is the third child. It has taken me almost 5 months for me to post his sweet little face. His day 1 photo is on the right of the page, but has probably gone unnoticed since I haven't updated for so long...

Blake Fredrick Miller was born on July 12th and looked just like his big brother. Now he looks just like a Wilson, thats what I think anyway. He is the sweetest baby in the world and has brought pure joy into Mason and Avery's lives. They adore him!

This is Blake's personality. An incredibly laid back handsome man that smiles all the time and is VERY ticklish. His Dad teases him that his ears stick out but I think he is perfect.

Since this photo he has graduated to the big tub upstairs and lays on Mason's leg to get his bath. He is a patient little man and doesn't mind occasional water splashed in his face. He also likes getting his hair combed... Don't laugh, he really does have hair up there.

Mason wanted to be a scary bat for Halloween. Blake's cousin Isaac had a scary bat costume for Blake too.

Currently Blake is grabbing things and will sit up by himself for a little bit. Of course my hands are there just in case he tips, or Avery pushes him over.

I'm not going to lie, I was incredibly overwhelmed and a little freaked out when I found out how close Blake and Avery were going to be in age, but he has been the biggest blessing so far to our little family and I am convinced God's plan is so much better than anything I can come up with on my own. Hopefully there will be more photos before he turns 1!

Oops

2011-04-12T21:49:00.002-05:00

Almost forgot to mention!!! Its a boy! We decided to find out ahead of time to mix things up a bit. July 8 is quickly approaching and he is cooperating nicely by not making himself too noticeable (in comparison to the other 2 kids that chose to really stick out quite nicely and make mom's clothes not fit and weigh in around 9# each). So far he is helping mom stay comfortable and putting up with his brother and sister's antics. We'll see how he does when he joins us this summer!

Scroll down for some new photos and updates on previous posts....

Spring Photos

2011-04-12T21:37:00.003-05:00

Lets just say this is how the photo shoot started out. I can see it in their faces. Why does our Grandma have to keep taking our picture?! We came to play in the sandbox and with trains and the dog. Not to smile at that camera again...

Eventually they warmed up to the idea...

I love this photo because it definitely shows their personalities... They are such goofballs together!

Scroll down for some birthday posts. I have been a little preoccupied with kiddos and playing OUTSIDE and don't get around to posting very often!

Happy Birthday Avery and Bridgette!

2011-04-12T21:28:00.004-05:00

Avery celebrated #1 with her "twin" cousin Bridgette. We borrowed a bouncy castle from a friend to keep all of the cousins (and adults) entertained...

Not sure what this sweet girl will think of a new baby in the house, but for now I'm still getting used to her not being a baby anymore!!

Happy Birthday Mason!

2011-04-12T20:42:00.004-05:00

I'm finally posting some photos from birthdays. Mason wanted a football cake with gummy bears. I did my best with an ice cream cake and now have a lot of respect for cake decorators...

Snow Days

2011-02-16T20:03:00.005-06:00

We've been snowed in since December, and last week it was too cold to go out in the 15+ inches of snow we got last week, so it was time to bring it inside. Mason liked it, Avery was not a fan...

I think this is the most pathetic snowman I have ever made. Mason wanted to make a snowman last Thursday and the snow wouldn't stick! So this is all we got... I thought the blue food coloring would somehow make it better. Mason was proud. Micah made a much taller rounder one for him on Sunday when the snow was melting...
The big news today is Avery FINALLY has a tooth! At 10 1/2 months its about time! Three more look like they could pop through tomorrow. I'm looking forward to a photo shoot with a big toothy grin!

Monkey Joe is 3!

2011-01-31T16:56:00.004-06:00

I rarely buy anything, let alone furniture for myself. For my art room. But I found this desk with lots of drawers that would be perfect for organizing my gobs and gobs of art supplies that don't get used because they are hidden in random places. No more! Now they are tucked away in drawers and easily accessible for the time I will have to make to USE them. If anything now Mason can use them now too! I even took all of the art storage out of my old dollhouse in there and now the kids can play with the furniture and toys there too. What fun it is to see your child playing with something you have so many memories from your childhood as well. It was certainly a flood of small memories when I unpacked the furniture and little cups and plates and imaginative accents I added to the dollhouse when I was a kid. Its fun to bring those toys out at just the right time when you know your child will appreciate them. Mason had fun rearranging everything and wishing for bunk beds in HIS room just like the ones in the dollhouse. I love coming back later to see how his little imagination has placed things in certain places and seeing how he was thinking. I am excited for year #3 with my little boy!

This little monkey will be 3 tomorrow! My mom and I took Mason and Avery to Monkey Joes in Davenport last week and it was so much fun! I joined him on the bouncy slides and crawling thru the mazes until I realized my belly really shouldn't fit in such small spaces and the baby was not appreciating it. I will definitely be going back again next winter!

Disclaimer: this painting is not done. Just thought I'd share what I've been up to when I get a spare moment out of the kitchen and away from the train table...
The block below IS actually done, and I'm not sure if I'm willing to part with this one or not... It looks pretty good in my dining room :) The colors in the photo are not true to life, it got a little washed out with the flash...

A little update

2011-01-19T22:24:00.003-06:00

I realize its not Halloween anymore, or 2010, so its probably time to hand out a few updates on whats new at the Miller's. I'll keep it brief...

November:
We now have GRASS! If you had been to our yard this past summer you would just be amazed at the photos below, gone are the mountains of dirt from excavation and piles of broken cement and ugly rotten birdhouses leftover from the previous owners... sod is a beautiful thing.

Mason and Avery were so excited for a yard. Mason was running around barefoot at the end of November, Popsicle in hand. He was literally running laps around the yard. And a tackle for his sister seemed appropriate as well.
Also in November we found out about #3! This photo is NOT up to date (FYI, I am not that big yet!) but is from when Avery was just a little peanut, but since they will be so close together I'm sure it won't take me long to get back to that size... Baby 3 is due July 8!

Updates on the cousins!
Millers
(Avery, Sydney, Jude, Bridgette, Lilly)

Wilsons

Happy New Year! I hope to have more updated photos sometime soon!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T21:21:00.003-05:00

My Sweet little LadyBug

Our little Jungle friends....

Enough Said...

2010-10-09T23:05:00.001-05:00

2010-09-07T22:12:00.002-05:00

I realize I do not update this nearly enough since Miss Avery was born, and this photo is from a month ago. I still had to share it though! These kiddos are the new Millers since December, yes 5 of them! All of my sister-in-laws were pregnant together at Christmas, and little Lilly (on the right) was the final baby born! The 4 older boys aren't in the photo, they are running circles somewhere else... (Avery, Jude, Bridgette, Sydney, Lillian)

Aren't they precious?

Sydney was born in December, Avery and Bridgette were born on the same day in March (!!), Jude was born in June and little Lilly was born in August. We are so thankful for these little blessings!

3 month pictures / 4 month stats

2010-08-01T16:02:00.006-05:00

She is such a happy girl! Avery had her 4 month appointment this week. She weighed 15# 6 oz. and was 25" long. She is changing quickly and is ready for her exersaucer as soon as Mom puts it back together.

She sits!

2010-07-23T07:12:00.002-05:00

I don't have a photo right now, but Avery started to sit on her own yesterday already! She is really into her toys now and also loves Mason's new fire truck from Grandma, especially the wheels. They are just fascinating! She loves to lay on her tummy and watch Mason play and reach for her toys. Sometimes I even catch her up on her hands for a few seconds. She is very sneaky :) As of now she is upstairs with a cold and sleeping the morning away. Poor girl! I hate to see my baby under the weather.
We are spending time with Grandma and Grandpa Wilson this week and Mason is having so much fun. Within the first few hours he managed to bounce his head off the pavement (ouch, I heard it....) because Monty the Corgi was pulling him a little too hard. Other than that, the hose, sprinkler and Grandma's book are keeping him very happy.

Happy 4th!

2010-07-05T07:48:00.002-05:00

Cheese!

2010-06-11T14:06:00.002-05:00

Don't you just want to give this kid a hug?

2010-06-09T21:56:00.003-05:00

Wow, I am worn out. Who knew two kids were so much work! Well, a lot of you already knew that. But you also know how much more you rely on friends around you and most importantly realize that you cannot do it all, especially not alone! These days are challenging me to look deeper into my relationship with Christ and rely on HIM instead of my own strength. I'm certainly far from perfect and am realizing it daily. Needless to say, I am so thankful that I can stay home and love my kids through serving them and changing lots and lots of diapers. Lots. And lots. But that doesn't last forever.
Avery is growing fast, smiling and laughing are so much fun to watch. I forget how fast these milestones happen and want to enjoy each one of them. Mason is developing his independence more and more daily, he insists on getting his own water for bedtime and making his own "chocate miiiiiilk" (sometime he draws out his words so much you would swear he was from the South) :) He also loves to help me cook and eat everything as I go. He has developed a taste for most raw vegetables and even loves to eat raw mushrooms.
Avery had her 2 month appointment last week and weighed in at 12# 12 oz and was 24 inches long. She loves to watch Mason play and would rather sit up and watch everything going on around her. Like her brother, she is very observant. Unlike her brother, she likes her naps and is sleeping pretty well...

Sloppy blog layout, I know. My creative energy is being a little stifled today...

Better late than never

2010-05-16T12:31:00.003-05:00

7 weeks have absolutely flown by! Avery has really grown and changed and is now smiling and "talking" quite often. She has given us a few nights with 6 hours of sleep which has been GREAT, maybe because she is putting on the pounds quite well. We'll see how much she weighs in a couple of weeks. This weekend we are in Illinois spending time with family. My brother graduated from law school so we celebrated with a big Texas BBQ. The kids had a lot of fun and are worn out today. Mason got to sleep in his new Cars sleeping bag at Grandma's house which was very fun, once he finally fell asleep... Here are some recent photos of "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", as Micah likes to call her.

~ 1st week home ~

~ 3 weeks old Big Yawn!~

~6 weeks old~

~ 7 weeks ~

A few more pics for you

2010-04-09T14:18:00.003-05:00

Mason and Grandpa Wilson had some "man time" while we were in the hospital. Mason loved seeing the fire trucks at the station and Grandpa had fun corralling Mason during "nap time...."

Mason got to visit us twice in the hospital. He was very proud of his sister and insisted on holding her and giving her kisses!

Grandma and her first granddaughter at 2 days old

We walked down to the Easter egg hunt in town last Saturday. Mason loved "hunting" for eggs with Dad. He even did a few practice runs at home with Micah to insure he would fill his basket.... ;) Monty the Corgi joined in on the fun.

This is what happens when Mom and Grandma play dress up... :) Avery had lots of photos taken by Grandma Wilson when she was here. This dress was mine when I was a baby so we had to be nostalgic. The bonnet may be a little much. Sorry Avery, but its just so darn adorable we had to do it.
Enjoy !

A very proud welcome!

2010-03-30T15:31:00.002-05:00

We are so excited to welcome Avery Eden Miller! She was born Sunday at 7:06 pm and weighed 8 lbs. 15 oz. She is a sweet little girl with a big appetite :) More to come when Mom is feeling up to it...
Mason is very excited about the baby, but a bit shy.... He saw the car seat before we dropped him off Sunday afternoon and said "Baby Sister!" very excitedly. He was right!

Countdown...

2010-03-22T23:04:00.003-05:00

38 weeks is here tomorrow, and the baby will be coming no later than March 30th! Still no girl name to speak of so if you have any thoughts please let me know... I have a list but none that are jumping out at me. They boy names seem to come much easier, so we'll see! The nursery is done and finally has doors (which Mason figured out how to open this week) and curtains. Hooray for the little things :) Today was my last Dr. appt. and he measured me at 42 weeks. Seriously?!? ! I really don't think it seems that big, and the belly casts I made of Mason still are too large. But alas, this baby is proving to take up a lot of space.

We took Mason to Dubuque a few weeks ago to the waterpark and for a fun overnight as a family of 3. He had lots of fun on the waterslides (with Micah) even though every time he said he didn't want to go down, he always asked for "more" when they were done. He is still excited for the baby, and also for Grandpa to come visit him next week!

I probably won't post again until after little Miller is born, so until then I am hoping for a low stress week with minimal bending and lots of love for little Mason. Its so hard to believe he will be the big brother! Time sure flies...

Out!

2010-02-16T20:25:00.002-06:00

"Out Baby! Out!" - This is Mason's new phrase, guess who he learned it from :)
I had my 33ish week apt. today and everything looks good, still a little worried I will have another 9 pounder, but we won't know that for a while. Micah and I got the baby room painted and he put up the crown molding tonight. Now a little bit of trim and a chair rail and we're done! (Then of course there is the hallway to finish so I will have a handrail and not fall down the stairs with this big belly) I'm excited to put everything away and get my furniture back in place. I ordered 3 GroBaby diapers to test them out this time. I still have some more diapers to order, there is something very satisfying about new diapers that are nice and clean and pretty in their place. (They won't stay pretty for long, but it is also satisfying to know you won't run out)

On a Mason note, he is enjoying being two and is talking like crazy. He knows all of his colors and about half his letters and loves to practice them. He loves to help me in the kitchen and is in charge of dumping ingredients and pressing buttons on all the appliances. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen since I don't have the energy to take him outside at this point. He is a helper with dad and loves to use his shovel to scoop snow. Eating the snow is also very tasty. We are working on staying in the "big bed" and he has gotten the idea that the crib is for the baby. He has only fallen out once and luckily he doesn't remember.

I have been craving a chocolate milkshake for over a week now. Just thought I'd throw that in there. Because now that's all I can think about. Happy Tuesday.

Soap Recipe

2010-02-04T20:48:00.005-06:00

Enjoying a little pre-birthday ice cream - Mason's favorite food.

Micah built Mason a train table for his birthday, I still need to paint it but that may not happen for a while... Mason helped assemble it and is now in train heaven.

Since my big belly won't fit, I had Micah try out the Onbuhimo I made. Its a baby carrier similar to a Mei Tai but with rings instead of an extra waist strap. It was fun to make, but I couldn't stand not trying it out!

Soap Paint Recipe (approximately...)

-Half a small kids bowl of liquid baby soap
~ 2 T cornstarch
Ice cube tray
Food Coloring
Paint Brush

Enjoy! Run the water afterward and get a beautifully gray bubble bath after mixing all the colors :)

2010-02-03T21:29:00.003-06:00

We've been spending lots of time being creative this winter since we do live in Iowa and the snow isn't going away anytime soon. Mason loves play-dough and painting, especially in the bathtub! I highly recommend using this method, very easy clean up and a nice long bath for the boy. Use some baby soap, corn starch and food coloring and TaDa! Great cheap homemade paint that cleans itself up at the end.

I had to post this photo of Mason showing off his new tractor for the camera. Notice the beautiful Christmas in the background... The fireplace has been hard at work this winter and is heating the house great since Micah insulated the house this fall.

Less than 8 weeks to go until this baby arrives! Mason is in love with his new sibling and insists that it is a boy. Its driving me crazy that I don't know, so we'll just assume he knows :) I went through baby clothes today and am trying to get things somewhat ready around here. The baby room will hopefully be painted next week, any last ideas will be helpful - I am still up in the air about it and would honestly like a little pink in my life somewhere :) I'm at the point where I need to order more cloth diapers and am again overwhelmed by how many choices there are out there. I hate researching these things so if anyone has any wise thoughts on this topic send them my way.

Merry Merry Christmas!

2009-12-29T20:08:00.000-06:00

Winter Wonders

2009-12-09T15:21:00.002-06:00

We spent yesterday bundling up with boots and mittens and walking in the snow around the yard (this was before the actual blizzard arrived). Mason loves his new boots and brought them to me this morning with those big blue pleading eyes. Sorry buddy, not today. I am worn out! We snowed, painted, played with play dough, hung Christmas lights, then topped the night off with decorating the tree and a 9:00 walk around the block in the blowing snow. Today I will spend inside. On the couch. I am realizing my limits at 6 months pregnant are a bit narrower with an almost 2-year-old in tow. I can't carry 4 loads of laundry up two flights of stairs and lift a little boy at his leisure (as much as I would love to keep holding him). Micah is being very gracious and reminding me that he is in charge of the laundry, but sometimes you just want your jeans clean at that very moment. I tried to stare really hard at the furniture upstairs hoping it would move itself into the other room, but I have no desire to help Micah lift it. We finished Mason's new bedroom (very exciting!), but now have to move our furniture back in there in order to finish OUR bedroom so then we can work on the baby room... I am still working on a paint color for our room and am at a loss. Inspiration? Anyone?

Here is what has inspired me this last week... maybe this year I will revert back to an actual working journal.

Grandpa's Railroad

2009-12-04T10:38:00.004-06:00

Grandpa Wilson finished his airplane and sold it, so he needed a new project... Tada! The garage has now been turned into a little boy's dream equipped with switches for the boys to turn and lights to turn on and off. We get updates weekly and Mason now won't leave the computer alone! He always is asking to see Grandpa's choo-choo. The Lionel trains are the ones my dad grew up with under his Christmas tree, so it is fun for him to see the grandkids have so much excitement for them too. When we were kids my dad had a model railroad in the basement with smaller trains but eventually he gave the whole thing away to a collegue for his kids. Mason and Thomas spent a lot of Thanksgiving weekend pushing cars and unloading freight cars, Christmas should be even more fun since new things are being added all the time. Like the junk yard....This is a photo of the "bare bones." I think an airport is going back there somewhere.

With Christmas fast approaching I'm reminded of how much more important time is to kids than any other gift we can give them. I'm sure these boys will have fond memories of their Grandpa beyond any gifts that could be left under the tree.

Happy Birthday Dad! We love you!

1st Photo

2009-12-02T15:56:00.002-06:00

21 Weeks, they said baby was about the size of a pop can...

Random bits of fun

2009-11-15T20:35:00.003-06:00

I went a little crazy making birds this last month, and still have a few left after the open house. They will make great ornaments this year on the tree if I don't sell the rest by Christmas. I also made a few sewn tags out of tape transfers and fabric for the open house. They are so much fun to make and decorate with. I am itching to decorate for Christmas already but am determined to wait until after Thanksgiving.

We will be celebrating with Turkey 3 times this year, since turkey was such a good deal at the grocery store this year Micah and I bought our own to make (Micah's idea, but I'm sure I will end up in charge of cooking it). We are headed up the Sumner next weekend to this great B&B with Micah's family, then headed to the Wilson Thanksgiving the following Thursday. What a great busy time of the year! I love the holidays, but am determined to keep things a little simpler this year. I wanted to make it a handmade Christmas, but I don't think I planned ahead enough to do that for every one this year.
I did find a great new cranberry jam recipe to try making sometime in the next week or two. Poke around on the site, she has some great ideas for food in jars.

On another note, this baby is kicking like crazy and is measuring a little large at the moment. I'm 20 weeks on Tuesday and feel like I am 7 months pregnant. Tonight I was watching FB with Micah and nearly fell off my chair, it felt like an electric shock kick, this baby is strong and could possibly be very fiesty. Watch out. We did the old ring test on the tummy this weekend and it showed "boy" which I am more convinced of every day.

A few favorites

2009-11-06T10:33:00.005-06:00

In the few minutes here and there I've been able to spend time at my cluttered desk adding more to the pile and actually finish some things for the Open House next weekend. I finally bought some more ink and am having fun playing around with it. These are 4x4 canvases so they are very doable in my spare time. These could go in Mason's room if I don't sell them next weekend, so either way I will be happy :)

I scavenge around the garage every once in a while to see what treasures Micah has been storing in HIS piles. I grabbed a few boards and thought they would be perfect for some mixed media collages and drawings. He also has some great trim that I haven't gotten to yet, not sure if he's ready to give it up yet...
(Pine board, found papers, gesso, acrylic, pencil, chalk, not sure what else I used... a little of everything)

These little houses are yet to find a home, they are in process and I'm still contemplating what to do to them next. Mason arranged them on the window with his little person looking at them. Priceless.

On another note, today is "take your son to work day" at the Miller household - which means I am home alone until tomorrow when I join the boys at the farm. Micah took the truck, wagon, a load of shingles and Mason up to the farm to do some roofing and combining with his dad. My mind was spinning this morning after they left at all of the possibilities I have to do until tomorrow. I haven't had this much time to myself since before Mason was born. A little bizarre.

But how could you want to leave these beautiful faces???

Happy Friday!

Pumpkins and Mr. Spooky

2009-11-01T16:04:00.002-06:00

Its hard to believe it is already November. We were pinching ourselves last night as we took the kids trick-or-treating, are we really parents taking our KIDS doing this? It still seems like we should be the ones dressing up and going door to door. Time goes by so fast. Mason went trick-or-treating with his cousins Thomas and Tristan and they were very enthusiastic about the entire experience. Mason loved dressing up in his costume and quickly figured out the perks of ringing someone's doorbell and knocking on their door. A few times he even tried to go inside! Fearless. He did get called a girl 2 times, but we'll blame that on his eyelashes.
Mason's Grandma Miller grew Jack 'O Lanterns for all the kids, so we brought that and two of our little pie pumpkins from our garden to carve with the family. Mason and Thomas were more interested in the markers, but Mason did help dig out his pumpkin.
Mason and Thomas call Grandpa's computer the Choo Choo box. YouTube has some great videos with trains and everytime we visit thats the only thing they want to do. So when the boys got back from trick or treating they crashed and watched the ChooChoo box and ate raisins.

I hope everyone had a safe Halloween! It was so much fun to see Mason running from door to door, he even had the "Roar!" down for a tiger. What a fun holiday!

Please Join us!

2009-10-29T12:40:00.004-05:00

Keri Speidel, Andy Gael and I are having an open house in November and we would love it if you would join us to browse, shop, or stop and say hello! We thought it would be a fun way to show some of our work and get us motivated to keep working through the holiday season. I will post some photos soon of things that I have been working on so you can get a taste of whats to come. Check out Keri's site too, she has some neat windows and things that will be on display. Hope to see you there!

Happy Fall

2009-10-09T13:12:00.002-05:00

I am stuck with my apples. Any ideas? I have made applesauce, apple butter, pie, crisp, etc. I need something new!

SO apparently some of you caught on with my last post... If not, the big news is baby #2 is on the way! The "official" due date is April 6, which seems a long way away but the past 14 weeks have sure flown by. Mason likes to say "baby" and give my tummy a hug, and then refuses to give ME a hug. Stinker. I think he will be a great big brother!

Just a little sketch...

2009-09-08T13:24:00.000-05:00

Productivity

2009-09-02T20:35:00.003-05:00

The sewing bug has returned, just when I had the art room almost in an orderly fashion I delve right in again and make a mess. Currently my table has layers of collage paper, acrylics, bobbins, and sewing patterns piled in such a way that causes me to just ignore it and continue with the next project. I did find that "someone" had gotten into the pins earlier this week as I found them scattered everywhere. I have yet to really childproof that room (hence the plastic bag of items such as acetone and turpenoid, etc. sitting on the floor that is supposed to be on the top shelf).
I have never attempted a sock monkey or any sock-type creature, but this week I had to get rid of the wool socks sitting in my drawer since my Colorado days. Mason's monster is almost done, it actually looks a bit like a bunny with large lips, but he likes it. I also found time this week to make the cutie booties from Amy Butler's pattern that I had fabric cut for since last winter. Something made me just finish it this week. I'm trying to actually finish something around here, since cleaning and organizing is so daunting and never ending. I can't give the booties away because if you look too close they are quite amateur and my sewing needs a bit more practice. But I am glad they actually turned out quite adorable.

Mason's new word is no. He is very proficient in using it and is turning out to be quite strong-willed about certain things. Like food and wearing clothes. He also says "mmm-hmm," meaning yes, which is very helpful in decision-making throughout the day. We are working on using words now instead of sounding like a monkey when he wants something. If you've been around him you know. Kind of like a whining monkey. This is just a phase. We are working on yes please and no thank you, but I'm sure that is far into the future. Thankfully if you ask for a kiss or a hug he is willing and doesn't say no. That really brightens my day :)

Have you seen this book? It is a treasure and on my list. So many great ideas!

Weekend

2009-08-24T12:45:00.002-05:00

Micah and I watched Diving Bell and the Butterfly this weekend, a French film that was very well done but also a bit depressing. Last weekend when my parents were here, my mom and I got to get out for a while and see Julie and Julia, a wonderful film (although as usual Julia Child's book was a much better read). It had been over a year and a half since I had even been to a movie theater!
We are finally starting another room in the house, so this weekend Micah and I fixed all the walls and are hopefully closer to painting. We have yet to put up trim in the dining room, but it will get done sometime.
We are taking Mason camping this coming weekend for the annual Lehtola/Glew/Miller campout. I think he will really love it this year. He just got some new sneakers from his friend Becca and is running pretty fast in them. He loves picking up leaves and sticks and just discovered mud puddles last week at the park. Now we just have to find a tent that will fit a pack & play for sleep. Our 2 man tent just isn't going to cut it anymore.

2009-08-14T09:21:00.003-05:00

Finally a day to relax as a family! Little Thomas had his birthday party at State Farm Park in Bloomington this year, I can't believe he is already 2 years old! That means Mason's birthday isn't far behind. (wow) We had such a good time in the HEATED pools and Mason loved going down all the slides. As you can tell by Micah's expression, he really needed a vacation. :) Poor guy has been working his tail off this summer sometimes until 11 at night. I can't wait until Fall when maybe things will slow down a bit. We already have a pumpkin turning orange in the back yard (although it also had a worm coming out of it, so that could be why...)

Our garden is doing splendid this year, Mason is helping by eating the beans as I pick them and picking all of the cherry tomatoes. He keeps me on top of picking and is getting the hang of only picking the red ones now. That and mowing with his JD mower are his favorite activities outside lately.

Check out the new Etsy listings I finally have posted on the left of my blog. I hope to be posting more soon. We'll see how well the internet cooperates.

A few Summer Pics

2009-07-25T11:42:00.005-05:00

Mason is building his vocab this month with words mostly recognizable only to Mom and Dad. Here are a few: Car, Truck, Dad, Mama, Clock, Balloon, Choo-Choo, Kitty, Thanks, Boo!, Wow!, Peas. The rest is said by "nn, nn, nn!" (as in pointing and wanting something and not knowing how to say it) He definately gets his point across when he wants to be heard.

Summer is flying by with not too much hot weather to report. We were in sweatshirts at the farmer's market last weekend as well as for the Fourth of July. Mason had his swim lessons at the pool this week and one day the water temp. was 69 degrees. Am I am cruel Mom for taking him anyway? He lasted 3 minutes in the water, then we went home and played in the bathtub.

Mason loves his cousins. Apparently he was feeling protective of Henry.

A little update from Iowa

2009-07-01T19:06:00.002-05:00

Nothing extravagantly exciting has happened in the last 3 weeks other than I have been far far away from the internet and (mostly) TV. Summer is great with a toddler and I intend to enjoy it as much as I can. We successfully picked 20+ lbs. of strawberries with Mason picking and eating and roaming the rows (well, mostly he clung to my leg and back like a monkey, but we did get 'er done). Micah has been swamped with work and this week I have been putting up some siding with him while Mason delved into every snack I could bring to keep him busy. He really wanted to join us on the scaffolding, and you have to watch him because he knows exactly how to climb up the ladder.
Tonight the boys are on their own as I am at the library for some down time by myself. Most likely they headed to the store to buy heavy cream to make yet another batch of homemade ice cream. Unlike many families I have heard from in the last few weeks, ours is far from cutting out the dessert ritual (much to my pleading). I do give in and make cookies or brownies on occassion, but Micah is the one buying all of the chocolate in our house. Yet another reason to love your husband.
No photos tonight, I left my computer in the car. One of these days I also DO plan on putting some things on Etsy. It could be next week or in 5 years, I've decided its way to much stress to give myself deadlines on these things. For now we are playing in the kiddie pool and having picnics and wagon rides, because that is what I really want to be doing.

A little farm fun

2009-06-09T21:09:00.004-05:00

Mason is walking everywhere now and loves his new independence. Today he got to play with his friend Becca's house in her new pool and he LOVED it. I'm not sure what he liked more, being naked for that long or the water. Either way it was a tremendous morning. I also signed him up for a swim class at the pool in July and I'm really excited. I'm sure we will be at the pool a lot before then. At
We were up at the Miller farm a few weekends ago, so I thought I'd share some of Mason's adventures. Enjoy!

Chalk the Walk

2009-05-09T13:17:00.005-05:00

I know many of you have seen pictures already from Chalk the Walk, but for the rest of you I will post my photos for your enjoyment. Keri and I did another piece together this year, its much more fun when you have a partner. We both showed up with some sketches this year, no real plan in mind. Its more fun that way, and it was fun to see what it turned out to in the end.

Day 1 - the weather was so nice! A lot of people were perusing the streets.

We filled in all the color the first day. The next day was for details and adding some fun textures.

Details...

Mason spent the two days with Dad, but came down to visit when we were done.

I also sold one of my copper-framed birds from that weekend, now I need to get busy making more work to take to Illinois in June. What a great way to be busy!

Tasty Treats

2009-05-08T15:28:00.004-05:00

Two excellent recipes. A little taste of summer...

Hummus

Homemade Ranch (you will never go back to Hidden Valley)

Mango nectar popsicles are in the freezer and the garden will hopefully be planted tomorrow, life is good.

Mason thinks toads are fun. He tried to shovel it up himself but he kind of stabbed it.
Don't worry, we saved him.

2009-05-07T22:03:00.003-05:00

Here are some quick shots of our vacation, since the computer is cooperating tonight...

Lets just say we don't always take the easy way out. One car ride, three train rides and an airplane and we arrived in Portland... Like I said, Mason was a trooper.

Meredith and I outside her school. I don't think we look much different than 10 years ago standing outside good 'ol GHS. She was a great tour guide of Seattle and found us some great sushi. Mason even liked it.

Classic Seattle shot in front of the Market...This is an awesome photo. This little kid just came right up to Mason and started loving him. It totally looks like Mason is getting beat up though, too much love... He really was quite friendly...Ferry to Bainbridge in Washington. Mason loved it, especially watching the cars load and unload below. Obviously it was a bit windy.
Space Needle. We didn't go up, just looked.
Mason really took to his cousin Tim.
Aunt Karen reading Peter Rabbit to Mason. He sat still for about 1 minute. It was the thought that counts.
My Grandfather helping Mason walk. We had such a great visit with him, I always love talking to him and hearing his stories. He has had a fascinating life.

Hello Again...

2009-05-06T21:53:00.002-05:00

Hello May, Hello Sun, Hello Flowers. Goodbye internet...

If you don't hear from me much this summer its because the internet isn't working. It also means I am out enjoying the sunshine with my boys instead of sitting inside on this blasted computer which I often despise.... My photos aren't uploading tonight, so I won't show you my photos from our lovely vacation this evening. But I will tell you we had a fabulous time in Portland and Seattle and Mason was quite a trooper.
Chalk the Walk was this past weekend and Keri and I had a great time. The weather was beautiful and it was great to get dirty in the middle of the street with chalk. I will also try to get photos up of that when I can.
Boring post I know, pictures to come.... Mason is walking, THAT is something to celebrate!

My Creative Space

2009-04-02T15:00:00.005-05:00

Gloomy snow and rain combined with a sleeping little boy is a wonderful recipe for inside alone time in the studio. I can't bear to waste paint so I used my leftovers to paint some tags I had laying around. They lovingly remind me of my Kindergarten classes last year and how much fun circles can be. I found these monsters yesterday and thought it was such a fantastic idea. Children's artwork is very inspiring and fresh. Oh to be that free! I finally had Micah cut me some shelves for my fabric so I could see it all lined up and know what I have. Once I cleaned that up I was ready for something else. The tidiness never lasts long. More creative spaces here to get your juices flowing.

Mason and I went to story-hour at the library this morning and he did so well! He was especially interested in all the boys and girls sitting near him and loved pointing out their noses. He also thoroughly enjoyed pulling the baby's feet next to him and smiling at her. Oh, and the stories were great too.
Micah has requested I use up the cream cheese he bought in bulk (no surprise there), so tonight I will make this wonderful Lemon Cheesecake and hope for Spring. So good....

14

2009-04-01T21:39:00.004-05:00

Despite chilly temps, we still get outside. Its always fun to meet other moms at the park. Its also good to show Mason how all the other pumpkins are running around, not crawling... (ahem...) Yes, I do love his quick-as-lightning crawl, but I think life would be so much more fun for him if he figured out those feet! Tonight Micah had him walking holding one hand, I wish I could post the video. It was stinkin' cute. Red sweats, red sweatshirt, bright white Velcro shoes, he was styling.

14 months old today! Yesterday he took a step all by himself in the kitchen in those jazzy white velcro shoes of his. He did not enjoy it and quickly reached for my hand. One day he will just take off... for now he is staying close, and for that I should be thankful.

Bonus!

2009-03-25T20:18:00.004-05:00

We went to the Dick Blick outlet in Galesburg today and I found this great easel for Mason. I know it was for 3 and up, and he can't hardly reach the boards, but I couldn't pass it up. It was marked down to $27 so I had to get it. Score! We tried to go to the park today and get some photos, but the poor kid almost flipped off the slide. He doesn't really like grass, but he loves the pea gravel at the park. He also ate an entire bowl of peas for dinner. He eats them one by one. Its a very animated process.

Mason at 1 week. Sleep well my Sweet Pea, sleep well...

Do you like to fly?

2009-03-24T22:43:00.002-05:00

Then check out my Dad's blog, a little snippet into our family world of adventure...

I'm in Illinois this week with Mr. Mason. So far no sign of the sun, but we are still enjoying ourselves with family. I highly recommend the movie Miss Potter. Very inspiring and endearing, all the while wanting a British accent of my own...

More Plastic

2009-03-20T23:24:00.006-05:00

Back

Front with top flap

More melting plastic adventures from Thursday. I had some teens over and showed them this technique (here's a good tutorial if you are interested). Then I kept their scraps for my own projects. The back looks much cooler in real life. I'm not a photographer. That's my Mom. I also made an iPhone cover for you Christy, we missed you!! My sewing skills really could be perfected, but I'm getting there. On some things I am very haphazard, and on others I am very much a perfectionist. Sewing is somewhere in the middle, but perhaps I need to lean towards the latter.
I also found this perfect little Easter basket today. Maybe next weeks project...

Feed Me

2009-03-16T21:36:00.002-05:00

2009-03-16T21:26:00.002-05:00

On a Roll

2009-03-11T13:58:00.007-05:00

Ok, this is the 3rd post of the day, but I had to do this while I had time. Thought I would also post some images of what I've been working on in my spare time. In light of the Springish days in the past few weeks I began making some small birds with the leftover fabric and felt I have. I have SEVERAL now floating around the house and more cut out to make. I'm not quite sure what I am planning on doing with them, but they are fun to make. I also have made yet another attempt to organize my art space, and as you can see the organization doesn't last long. Micah is snagging me some shelves this week though so I can store my fabric more easily.
I've been trying to work SMALL so that things can get finished. The paintings below are indeed that. Very petite, but I really like them. Keeping it simple.

d
And of course, more birdies... (bad lighting, sorry)

Happy almost Spring! The fireplace is on today, hopefully the last day until Fall....Brrrrr.

These are a few of his favorite things

2009-03-11T13:29:00.006-05:00

Mason is a silly boy. He loves to do silly things. Like shake his head really fast and copy his dad, who also is very silly.

Here's a few more favorites...

1.Stacking blocks and knocking them over.

2.Hugging his stuffed animals, especially his big soft bear.

3.Sitting in the rocking chair all by himself.

4.Riding and pushing his Wheely Bug. Today he rode all by himself. He made it 6 inches.

5.Eating his food with a spoon and fork like a big boy!

6.Walking anywhere, as long as he gets to hold on to your fingers.
7.DAD, Dad is his favorite at the moment, he does not like it when Dad leaves for work and gets very excited to see him at the end of the day.
8.Going down the slide at the park
9.Exploring the yard and picking up berries.
10.Picking up endless supplies of orange ladybugs and handing them to Mom. (I'm so thankful he's not eating them, YUCK)
11. Dogs. He looks out the window everyday at the neighbor dog and points at them on walks. He even has learned how to bark!
12.Making a whistle sound with his mouth.
13. Blowing when something is hot.
14. Wiping and blowing his own nose with a tissue (this can get pretty messy folks)

I could go on and on, this little boy just loves LIFE, what a great example to the rest of us. You only live once!

Recycling is Fun

2009-03-11T12:46:00.002-05:00

Crafty Saturday!
We had a great time fusing plastic grocery bags (and other found plastics). The material is so flexible and works great in the sewing machine. Below is what I made Saturday. I can't wait to keep experimenting!

Front

Back

My next thought is to use transfers from contact paper and sandwich them into the plastic. Then I could use photos, etc. The possibilities would be endless... Thanks for the photos Kirsten!

Happy Birthday Micah

2009-03-03T21:00:00.002-06:00

Micah and I went to Devotay tonight to celebrate #29. I love experiencing local dining and am becoming less and less fond of chain restaurants. We had some friends watch Mason for 4 hours and headed to Iowa City where there are some scrumptious places to eat. Plus it was 1/2 price wine night, so that was a great bonus. Everything was great and it was nice to reconnect as a couple and not just as parents. I spent my afternoon making a Boston cream pie for Micah but I didn't quite pay attention because my filling ran out of the cake. It is still tasty, but I need to find a way to use the rest of the filling because it won't all fit in the cake.
We stopped into HomeEc workshop while we were in IC and I was SO impressed with their selection of fabric, yarn, books, bags, etc. This weekend I am learning how to make fused plastic bags out of grocery sacks there and I am so excited! I'm always up for learning new techniques.
Have a great week! I really am hoping to put some new photos up soon. I'm just a slacker lately...

Monday Morning

2009-03-02T13:53:00.002-06:00

Mason woke up at 8 today, what a treat! Then he came downstairs with me and saw the muffins on the counter and got very excited. Pointing and breathing heavier, saying babababa (when he really wants something that's what comes out...). I love breakfast with Mason. He eats with no abandon, shoving it in and wiping his mouth with his sleeve just to make sure it all gets in there. Then when Micah comes down he gets excited because he knows Dad will give him some of his breakfast too. He is totally motivated by food.
Then came the tantrums. Yes, they have started. Right now I am trying the ignoring tactic because I think he just wants my attention. The problem is that he slams his head back and/or forward and has a tendency to hit something with it, which he also doesn't care for. This too shall pass...
I've been working on some birdies to hang for Spring, they just need their little tooshies sewn and they will be all done. Last week I decided to put away all things Winter and get out anything that remotely looks Springish. Its March! Even if its not even 30 degrees yet today... Don't forget to wish Micah a Happy Birthday tomorrow if you see him. Hes shy about his birthday but I know he likes it :)

Quickly

2009-02-23T19:58:00.004-06:00

While I have time I will jot a little note. Mason is now weaned and I am very excited. Tonight he went to bed after reading several books and kissing himself in the mirror. With his little alpaca teddy bear wrapped in his arm and his head on my shoulder all was right with the world. He really is a big boy now! Last week he helped me make muffins and he even will let me vacuum without holding him now. He got to spend the afternoon with Micah on Sunday so now he won't let him go to work in the morning. He even held the cell phone up to his ear and said "da-da" today. What a boy. I am working on putting the last of the baby toys and blankets away, and a haircut will definitely be needed soon...

Watch Out

2009-02-15T09:25:00.002-06:00

Ear Infection = Amoxicillin. Amoxicillin=Lowered Immunity+ 1 week of the flu + unexplained rash over the entire baby + sick Dad. And all that adds up to Mom going crazy and seeking God's grace and sanity. Once again I'm brought to my knees and hoping I can leave the house next week.

Down and Out and Back at it Again

2009-02-12T22:16:00.003-06:00

Mason hardly got sick last winter, but I suppose thats because at this point he was only 2 weeks old and beyond that we never went anywhere. This winter he has had the same runny nose for almost a month and is on the mend from some sort of flu. I really am not complaining though, he slept almost the ENTIRE day yesterday on the couch, in my arms, on my shoulder, and in his crib. Then slept the entire night! You would think I would have accomplished gobs of cleaning and crafting but no, I just watched him sleep, made dinner and did the dishes. Dishes when he slept on the couch because he really could have just rolled off. But really, I had never ever ever seen him sleep that much. Even when he was brand new. Today he was a brand new kid! I think somewhere in that 24 hour slumber he figured out he is a toddler now, not a baby. Example - I KNOW he knows not to bang on the screen. He looks at me, gives a very sly smile, raises his eyebrows, and continues. He also KNOWS not to throw food off his tray - "Hey Mom, I'm dangling a handful of rice just over the edge of my highchair, I'm looking right at you, giving you a mischievious look (which I know all too well) and am now flinging it while still keeping eye contact. Aren't I sly?!" Yes Mason, you are just so amazing aren't you :)

So I had this flashback today from when I had been home with Mason for about a week. I remember thinking I will never be able to cook a meal again or do anything remotely on my own, even go to the bathroom (and if you are a Mom you know I don't just mean alone). Then I realized that today I made some lovely valentine decor, made truffles, cleaned the bathroom and kitchen and made Tikka Masala for dinner (don't buy the Target Brand of that sauce by the way, way too spicy...). All with a 1 year old hanging on my leg or in my arms (and with a nap in there somewhere). I think its just important for me to see something come to completion in 1 day, because tomorrow and the next day and the next I am working on something that is never ending, being a Mom. Oh, and now I can say I've actually stayed in the same job for over a year. The only one that ever really truly mattered to me.

1 Year Stats

2009-02-04T13:30:00.002-06:00

Mason went in on Groundhog's Day/Uncle Scott's Birthday for his 1-year check-up. Below is his info ---

Height - 31" (80%)
Weight - 22# (45%)
Head - 49 cm (90%)

He's always had a big head :) They also found an ear infection so I guess I saved myself a Dr.'s visit later on.

Happy February!

2009-02-01T19:59:00.002-06:00

Mason's real birthday is today, actually he was born at 8:19 tonight so by the time I get done writing this he will be 1. Blogging is so much easier than delivery... Today Mason, Scott, and Grandma Nancy celebrated their birthdays together at Granite City for brunch. They all ate ice cream to celebrate and Mason thoroughly enjoyed every bite. We then watched Mason go crazy as he discovered what sugar can do to that little body. He climbed stairs A LOT today. Tonight when I laid him down for bed he pointed at his owl and laid down very happy. I quickly caught a glimpse of that newborn look in his face, and remember him laying in his bassinet in the hospital with his blanket just looking at me, the exact look I got as he went to bed tonight. Its a very trusting look, very humbling, knowing he still depends on us for so much. We are so blessed and thank the Lord for providing such a sweet little boy.

Happy 1st Birthday Mr. Mason!

***

2009-01-31T22:49:00.003-06:00

Hard to believe this little bundle was just waiting to join us 1 year ago. At this time last year I was in the hospital for a false alarm, then at around 12:30 I was BACK! Then Mr. Mason shone his beautiful face into our world at 8:19 the next evening. What a ride this year has been. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Cake face pictures coming soon... We had a wonderful party with family and Mason was quite a gentleman.

~What a Squirt ~

Click

2009-01-21T12:14:00.003-06:00

on the link Creative Genius to see Elsa. She is one fancy bird.

Day of Small Things

2009-01-20T20:22:00.003-06:00

Shout out to Alli Rogers. Her music is very inspiring. Plus she is from Iowa and has a song about it. Who doesn't like that? Thats all I've got today.

Back to Normal

2009-01-19T11:39:00.002-06:00

We had quite a week last week and are ready for a very dull uneventful above 0 degrees week. Mason and I hardly got to leave the house since the temperatures were unbelievably ridiculous (-30? Come on, its Iowa). Then Wednesday Micah and I both got food poisoning so we were out of commission for the rest of the week. TERRIBLE. I really have lost my appetite for food in general, but chocolate still seems to sound pretty good... its a good thing Micah stocked up after Christmas. We still have probably 20 bags of various candy in the cabinet (not kidding).
Mason luckily missed the bad milk we had and was a very good sport last week. He played by himself for an entire day it seemed like and is thankfully now napping more than 45 minutes a day. This weekend he started stacking blocks on his own and its so fun to watch. I love to watch him think and figure out how to accomplish tasks, its hard to believe he will be a year in two weeks! We are finally painting the dining room this week so I will try to get some photos up when I'm done. Finally a room with color!

MIA

2009-01-13T12:11:00.003-06:00

I know I've been slacking lately and not writing, but I am motivated by photos and have really slowed my computer down by putting way too many on here, so its time to print, burn (cd) and delete to make room for new ones.
We have gobs of snow here and are supposed to get more tonight. I actually am enjoying shoveling so far and have volunteered to do most of it. I don't get out of the house much since Mason can't walk around in 14+ inches of snow with ice underneath. But I am so thankful for the sun today! Winter really is a beautiful season until the snow melts. Right now our living room is loaded with firewood which is spilling over in order to heat our house this week.
I realize we are half way through January (gasp!), but thought I would share some of the things I would like to accomplish this year...
*Get out of bed before Mason wakes up. Before I hear the giraffe playing lullabyes in the room next door I would like to be showered. This also would help me prepare my mind for the day.
*Finish the dining room! Okay, this really should get done within the next month or two, but its driving me crazy and I want to see it painted with a newly finished coat of poly on the floor. Nice and clean. Lets hope.
*Take a vacation - which is already booked for April! We are headed to Oregon and Washington to see family and my great friend Meredith. I am so excited for this trip and am actually looking forward to the flight. We'll see how Mason does :)
* Organize, paint, and USE my art room! If anyone wants to help me get that room in order I would be grateful. I also want to do art with other people because its so much more fun that way! Check out my friend Keri's page of her artwork, she is my art buddy around here and is very inspiring. I am hoping to post more of my work on there as well.
Photos and videos of Mason will be posted as soon as I clean out iphoto.... Happy January!

Christmas '08

2009-01-03T23:26:00.000-06:00

2008-12-21T14:25:00.006-06:00

My feet are freezing, but the caramel corn is baking. I don't know if it is above zero here yet today, and as I stood in my kitchen making treats for this week I noticed a toe-biting draft from underneath the oven. BRRR. Luckily Micah has the fire going - unfortunately it is a game to him to see how warm he can get it, so he turns the heat down to 60 and waits. I'm still waiting... (1 hour later I am revising this because now its 70 degrees. Toasty!)
I can hardly believe that Christmas is this week. I also can hardly believe that Mason is almost 11 months old. We had our five year anniversary yesterday and I saw wrinkles under my eyes. Seriously, I'm only 27. Wrinkles? I will just say its because I'm so wise.
I learned this week that if the only creative thing I'm doing is making dinner every night then I will drive myself crazy. I absolutely have to have a creative outlet (outside of the kitchen) in order to survive this winter. This week I finally finished some burp cloths (so easy!) and started some small paintings. NO, I have NOT finished my postcards yet (no remorse, I will finish them eventually - my interest level is at a 1 in that category at the moment) but I did get a good handful sent out a few weeks ago. I'm thinking about making them into fabric recipe cards...
Thought I would grace you with a wonderful cookie recipe I had last weekend at the Pennington House Bed and Breakfast in Sumner. Micah's dad's cousin owns it and is a wonderful host. She puts on a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend for us every year.

Sandwich Cremes ~

1 c. butter, softened (no substitutes)

1/3 c. heavy cream

2 c. flour

sugar

filling

1/2 c. butter, softened (no substitutes)

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 t. vanilla

food coloring

In mixing bowl, combine butter, cream, flour. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle. Divide into thirds; let one portion stand at room temperature for 15 min. (keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll out) On floured surface, roll our dough to 1/8" thickness. Cut with a 1 1/2" round cookie cutter. Place cut-outs in a shallow dish filled with sugar; turn to coat. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Prick with fork several times. Bake at 375 for 7-9 min. or until set. Cool on wire racks. For filling, in a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla. Tint with food coloring. Spread about 1 t. of filling over half of cookies. Top with remaining cookies.

B&B Pics ~

Mason wants to be big like Peter. Peter wants Mason to be big like him so they can wrestle.

Merry Christmas! I hope you and your family have a Christ-filled holiday ~

Whats for Dinner?

2008-12-12T15:58:00.002-06:00

Stromboli! Thought I would share it because it is soooo good. Also found a great soup this week from my Moosewood cookbook (yes, its vegetarian, but Micah still eats it and enjoys it) - Cauliflower Tomato Cheese soup. I couldn't find the recipe online for you, but if you really want some I will make it for you and have you over. I know you are drooling right now at the sound of it. Yum, cauliflower. Seriously, it is great. Mason ate it for lunch three days in a row because we had lots of leftovers. He's pretty much sick of it now. On another note, hes pretty good at climbing my leg now, but can't use his feet to step - which means I have this little squirrel stuck on my leg with my fingers covered in whatever I'm cooking and can't pick him up. He also is still a little skittish about sitting from standing so he freaks out and just HAS to be picked up. Cute, until about the 20th time. Ok, still cute.
Predicament - to cut or not to cut. I go through this every time I go to my hair salon. Short or grow it out? Just don't leave it like this because I hate it. Medium length hair is not my cup of tea and I just don't know if I am patient enough to grow this mop out to look good. Annie, I know you can relate. (Except her hair always looks good, so scratch that) Got a good look for me? Send it my way because its cutting time. Whether I like it or not.

I can get up, but I can't get down...

2008-12-11T15:21:00.003-06:00

He's a pro now, a little shaky in the beginning though. :)

Mason Update

2008-12-08T21:47:00.003-06:00

(pictures will follow soon)

Last Wednesday - decided to start pulling up and standing on everything!

Saturday - climbed an entire flight of stairs at Grandma Wilson's (she promised him ice cream if he did it... guess she forgot :)

Saturday - stood a little on his own with Grandma and fell asleep on her shoulder when she put him to bed. (awwww)

Monday - Likes to stand on his own and balance, then learned how to plop down on his butt. This is a fun trick and he likes to do it a lot. I think his butt would hurt if it wasn't for the cushy cloth diaper.
He also got to stay up and watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special. More interested in the buttons on the TV.

Whats for Lunch?

2008-12-03T15:07:00.003-06:00

Turkey. Whats for dinner? Turkey. Seriously, its time to end this. Freeze it. Put it away. I love leftovers, but something about reheated meat all on its own just does not sound tasty to me. I made a rustic turkey tart from Cook's Country (which NEVER has a bad recipe) and it was gross. Micah even agreed. Today I made Turkey Tetrazzini. That went over better, but every time I taste the turkey I think of it on the cutting board and Micah pulling it apart. I really think I would be on the verge of being a vegetarian if I hadn't married a farm boy. He nixed the veggie burgers and bulgar chili years ago. Sorry Mom.
This week was the annual Wallace shopping trip of which I take part in every year I can. Unfortunately Mason got sick Monday, Diane got sick Tuesday, now Micah is sick today. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and stay home. Fortunately I was able to nap twice yesterday (thanks little guy) AND go to bed before 10 last night - which in our house NEVER happens. So today I am rested, even though my house now needs an overhaul after being neglected for two days. TWO DAYS! I know what you're thinking, but a house can really get taken over in that short amount of time with a kid who loves to feed Monty the Corgi on the floor even when Monty is not here (thanks for that new habit Grandpa) :) So with trails of cubed carrots and toys strewn about, receipts needing to be filed and floors needing to be swept, I am further neglecting by doing my Merry Christmas shopping online. Thank you very much winter bugs.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T20:10:00.007-06:00

Salt pork, cheesecloth and foil can really make a great turkey. Isn't she beautiful! I had so much fun making our Thanksgiving meal this year, it was great to see it all come together. Even more important was that my family and part of Micah's was able to come together and celebrate this holiday in our home. What a blessing it is to have a house this year! I really am SO thankful for that.
We've come a long way in our dining room remodel, we were even able to eat in it - despite the lack of paint, trim and refinished floor. Micah has promised it will be done in time for Mason's birthday. Never the less, no one minded the unfinished room and a good time was had by all.

I am also really behind on posting on here, so I thought I would at least post some photos from the last month or so...

I thought a fun activity would be to play with spaghetti. Mason HATED it. He couldn't handle touching it and it kept sticking to his fingers. Hope this doesn't mean he won't like to play with clay and paint!

The boys with Uncle Scott on Halloween. Don't they look like cousins!

If you want your crawler to stop moving, put him in a snow suit. It was about 10 degrees that night and we wanted to walk to some friends house. Thats a lot of bundling for a 3 block walk.

Spectacular.

2008-11-13T21:53:00.004-06:00

Being a mom is just that. Someone told me on Sunday that the perfect age is the age your child is TODAY (or us for that matter), and that is SO true. I've never been one to look ahead and wish for crawling, walking, talking, etc., at least not too much. But I do tend to wish for those days of sleeping in every once in a while. But wait.... would I really want to sleep in over meeting my little boy in the morning as he crawls so expectantly towards me in his crib? No way. Those times are precious. Even when hes crying really hard because he woke up too early from his nap (and I tried to wait to see if he would go back to sleep). I pick him up and he is at peace. What a blessing to have that effect on a child. To bring comfort and security to their big big world. What an honor to be their keeper for this little time they have on this Earth. I am so thankful for having loving parents that gave me the gift of security and love as a child. I want to do this for Mason, to make him feel like he is spectacular too.

My little man. I love him.

So cute!

2008-10-30T21:00:00.005-05:00

Baby Pie.

Crawling Baby Turtle.

Baby Turtle Feet.

Mason's 1st Halloween Party. Such cute babes!

Happy Halloween tomorrow!

6

2008-10-29T22:22:00.002-05:00

I've been tagged to list 6 exciting things about me (thanks Sarah M...) so I thought instead I would tell you 6 exciting (somewhat) things that happened on vacation!
1. First stop in Wisconsin was Mineral Point. We drove around this and other small towns as part of the Fall Art Tour. Mason rode on my back in the spitting rain and we walked and talked to local artists (some we cared for, others we didn't... but lots of fun eye candy).

2. Day 2 we traveled to Milwaukee for some tours. We started out at none other than the Miller Brewery. We met some great folks from Oklahoma and drank some really crappy beer. I only went for the name, lets just say I asked for a lemonade - it was that bad. (Yuck on cheap beer)

3. DIRECTLY after our Miller tour we headed towards the river to Lakefront Brewery.
We found the brewery and a long line. Apparently they give out lots of beer, and most people don't want the tour. I, on the other hand, really didn't want the beer, but Micah wanted to go, so we stood in line. (poor little Mason was getting his cold that day, he was a snotty mess). After they cut the line off about 5 people ahead of us, we snuck in line anyway and got in. They did have good beer.

I left the tour halfway through because Mr. Mason decided to pee all down the front of my shirt (twice) in the Moby Wrap. Luckily they are cleverly designed and no one knew.

There's the guilty man himself in all his glory.

4. Day 3 was my day to choose what we do, so we went to the Milwaukee Art Museum. I was impressed with their collection but not impressed with the contemporary art installations. Seriously, I think we can move on from the whole conceptualism movement into something a bit more meaningful. I was excited to see a Joseph Cornell piece and the Milton Avery collection.

5. CHEESE! We bought a lot of it at the Wisconsin Cheese Mart while Mason slept in the car. (poor kid was getting sicker and sicker) No we did not leave him in the car alone. I was also SO excited to find a Spice House across the street.

6. Mason got way too sick that night so we headed home. (Plus I ran out of clothes for Mason and me because they all had vomit on them) BUT, we did get to stop in Monroe and buy MORE cheese on the way home.

Yes, I know these are not dairy cattle. But Micah wanted to stop and look at the cows. Iowa boys....

Random thoughts

2008-10-14T21:27:00.003-05:00

Not sure how many apples we picked this weekend, but the tree was loaded this year. We went two times down the lane, once with Micah climbing the tree and the other with the extension ladder. Three boxes returned with us, the rest stayed home. Now I just have to make time to take care of these beauties before they go bad. So far I've made apple butter, apple sauce, and apple crisp. These will be repeated, I'm sure, but we also will have to make some food to take with us on VACATION (!!!) - which is way overdue - Any other apple recipes that are excellent please let me know

We didn't have any wood for our wood burning stove, so Micah found a little. :)

Working with Dad on the car.

Male Bonding.

Dining room. This is after we "cleaned up." See the haze? Thats the dust that seems to be taking over that part of the house. Since the photo was taken, you can at least now see the floor again.
I realize this post is all over the place, but thats my head these days. Last night Mason woke up around 2:30, and I thought, "why won't he go back to sleep, theres chicken noodle soup in his crib and people to feed him, why won't he just eat it?" Then I proceeded to think I was feeding him pepperoni. Thats when you know its time to get more sleep. I never knew you could dream when you were awake. Makes me wonder what the heck was in that pizza last night....

Weekend

2008-10-05T20:46:00.003-05:00

Work work and more work was this weekend's motto; but in the end it was very rewarding. I finally finished taking down the lovely drop ceiling in the living room, so this weekend we took down the trim and removed almost all of the plaster and drywall from the walls. Sounds easy enough, but hard to get a lot done with a child thats on the move and plastic over the doorways (hence not being able to see Mason and what hes getting in to). SO, I tore out plaster while Mason played in the garage with Micah as he tore apart his car. (which actually got put back together and is working great now, good job hubby)

Things Mason ate/sucked on this weekend: Dad's wrench, big greasy car part (oops, Dad wasn't looking and Mom was inside....), hackberry leaves, and a communion cup in church (this one he actually ate part of... HEY, I was actually trying to listen to the sermon today and we really didn't think they would break) .

Paint update: I bought the orange roasted squash. You all were wrong :)
Mason update: Figured out how to crawl on wood floors. Time to break out the childproofing info I put away... somewhere.... ??

The Clapper

2008-10-02T12:01:00.002-05:00

Disregard the singing, I quit choir in High School and took Art instead...

8

2008-10-01T11:20:00.000-05:00

Mason is 8 months today! Wow, that was fast and slow at the same time. Hard to believe it but he is sloooooooowly trying to crawl, er, scoot (wood floors) and is scaling the cupboards, leftover boxes (still waiting to be unpacked) and whatever else that won't tip over. I promise to post some pics tomorrow of our little man. Its too late tonight.
Happy Birthday Mason!

2008-09-17T21:07:00.003-05:00

I really am here, just without any internet. Or pictures, or videos, or anything exciting exept my rambling. We have moved, unpacked (mostly) and I am working on the whole organization issue with my brain. I'm also picking paint colors, even though we probably will not get that done right away. When I brought up paint, Micah brought up texture on the walls, new trim, baseboards, etc.... THEN paint. Ah details... We'll see if the busy contractor fits me in his schedule. :)

Mason update:

Weekend - Picked up several "puffs" and ate them off of his high chair -unassisted.
Tuesday P.M. - went to bed at 10:30 pm :( - this is because I had the night OFF, and Micah put him to bed, oops, I mean tried but Mason KNEW he wasn't Mom so he refused to go to bed until I got home. Sweet, but not acceptable little man. We will do this again soon, without the late bedtime of course.
Wednesday P.M. - almost ate a purple hosta flower - finger sweep was neccesary. Clapped his hands numerous times, especially to the beat of a song I was singing (so cute! I will post a video later)

It really is amazing how excited I can get about this stuff, but when its your child it really is a lifetime accomplishment.

Newsflash: 3 cloth diapers appeared at my doorstep this afternoon. Micah is very sneaky. If you are a CD user and have any advice for me I welcome it (and YES, I know it takes more than 3 diapers)

2008-08-28T20:16:00.004-05:00

Mason learned all about counting today from Keith Haring's number book. We were procrastinating from packing again (a.k.a. Mason was wining all day and I couldn't get anything done). He also sat and took blocks out of a container for a while, which is a new skill just today. I was pretty impressed. When you're a mom you are impressed by the smallest things your child does that no one else would notice. Except maybe Grandmas. Mason and I are getting very boxed in here and there is limited space to play. Tonight we took some things over to the garage and walked through the house. We won't move until Saturday since Micah and the boys will be doing a lot of the moving. If you are a boy and would like to help us move by all means join in on our fun :)
Tomorrow I have two hours to MYSELF because it is my week off for our playdate. I keep thinking of all of the things I SHOULD do - laundry, clean the apartment, keep packing, etc. But then I think about all I will be doing this weekend and I just want to disappear for two hours and do nothing. The only problem is I haven't done nothing for a long time so I don't think I can remember what that feels like. Maybe I'll look at paint colors instead.

(You'll need a taco neck to watch this one. Oops.) Mason gets up on his hands and knees now, but he wouldn't do it today. Oh well, it's still cute anyway.

Big Boy goes Camping

2008-08-26T21:25:00.004-05:00

I failed to take any worthy photos on our yearly camping trip this year. Camping you say?! With a 6.75 month old?! Yes, it can be done. I was a little worried my little sweetie would awaken the entire campground the second night after he soiled his pack-n'-play, but all was well and we were back to the drowning sound of cicadas in no time. Granted he was rolling around and flapping his arms on the air mattress while I quickly tried to find a replacement sheet (an unwrapped sling worked great) and I swore he was wide awake - but after killing my back trying to place him back in his bed (have you ever tried to stand on an air mattress with a child...?) he went right back to sleep. He just loves being outdoors. Thanks Christy for the tent and air mattress, we couldn't have done it without you :) Our previous camping adventures have been done in a two-person tent, which in reality only sleeps 1.5. You can only sit up and slide yourself out of the door if you need to get out. That was obviously without Mason.
Speaking of our big boy, we had his 6 month appointment last week. Actually it was more like a 7 month appointment since he will be 7 months on the 1st. Here are Mason's stats taken on August 21st: Height: 27.5" Weight: 19# 12 oz.
This week Mason has been chewing on boxes and pretty much everything he can find. He coughed up a potato peel yesterday (Dad must have dropped that at lunch...) I swear I do vacuum, but at this point I give up until we move. His bottom two teeth are in and his top two will be soon to follow.

p.s. We're moving this weekend!

Are you kidding me?

2008-08-14T20:36:00.004-05:00

In so many ways I have been asking that question lately...

1. We were in the process of buying a house from April to July, in the end we backed out. (Are you kidding me? We're NOT moving???)

2. My postcard deadline is approaching quicker than I thought it would, with no space to sew them. 24 postcards... sewn... by someone who pretends to know what shes doing on the sewing machine...

3. Micah and I went on a date two weeks ago, only the second real one since Mason was born (Comments from other people - "Are you kidding me?") Yes, that is WAY too long. For those of you without kiddos yet, EMBRACE your date nights. Have lots of them.

4. On our date we propose to have a house by October no matter what... Yikes, are you kidding me? We've been looking since last summer. No way Jose.

TADA!

5. Long story short, we're MOVING! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! FINALLY?! Yes Folks, we are moving... *sigh* And no, my friends, its not to the "fixer uper" (for those of you that were aware of that fiasco). And THAT, my friends, is why poor little Mason is stuck in a BOX.

Why is Mason in a Box?

2008-08-13T22:33:00.000-05:00

2008-08-12T23:12:00.003-05:00

"Get me out of here!" - Mason's reaction to the train-

The Millers rode the train in Boone this weekend, then Micah and I headed to the fair on Sunday. The train was HOT, which is why Mason is topless- I think we were all feeling this way by the end of the ride.

I finally got my sewing stuff out again, it was driving me nuts to not have something to work on, plus I only have a month and a half to finish my postcards and I'm losing motivation. (inspiration??) I made another elephant last night and realized I really need to learn how to make 4 legs, two just looks funny. But two is easier so right now thats what you get. I'm not looking for perfection here. I'll post some photos when I finish the other one. Maybe I'll even let you name them.

Our little Cyclone ~

Here fishy fishy fishy...

2008-08-04T11:48:00.008-05:00

This was my kitchen last Wednesday night. Micah made me a cake for my birthday.... Then he cleaned up. I can't decide which I liked better, the cake or the cleaned up kitchen. I will choose the cake because it lasts longer... (as I write this I am procrastinating... I still need to do the dishes today)
-stopped, did the dishes, now I have a clear conscious... sort of...(and now its 4:45)-

Mason got to go swimming this weekend with his cousin Thomas, the water was VERY cold, so I'm impressed they weren't hollering at Carrie and I as we tossed them in (ok, no tossing, Mason was very cautious about this big bathtub. He did get up to his waist though). Thomas had no fear though, by the end he was crawling right into the water down the handicap ramp - its so fun to see the different personalities these little boys have.

Do not comment on the hair, I'm a mom. Although some days I look gorgeous, this is not one of them. You are supposed to be looking at the cute little boys.
Tonight is walleye night. Micah's brother and his wife caught tons of fish in MN this summer so they shared with us. We brought home the fish when we were at the farm a few weeks ago and didn't have a cooler. We figured we were coming home right away and it really doesn't take that long...(2 hours, plus a stop at Target...) We got home, threw the fish in the freezer right away and it was fine. The next three days I couldn't figure out why the car smelled like a dumpster. Was it the lumber in the trunk? Was it a dirty diaper in the back seat? Was it *gasp* Mason? After three days of trying to ignore it (I have always hated cleaning out the car, my dad could tell you that) Micah gave in and checked the trunk. Since it was still full of Micah's work supplies I let him take care of it. OOPS, forgot that the fish had been in the trunk. Sloshing around in our upside down frisbees and onto the trunk mats was 4 day old fish juice that had been COOKED in our marvelous Iowa heat. Micah dared me to smell it, but I told him only if we got a house in the next two weeks (HA, I knew that wasn't going to happen). After about an hour of scrubbing, our car now smells sweetly of carpet cleaner. Tonight we eat the fish. :)

Blah Blah Blah

2008-07-30T19:55:00.005-05:00

I realize my last post was quite negative and very out of character - I am feeling much better now, thank you. We have been traveling every weekend for I don't know how long, this weekend we are going back to IL for Grandpa's 90th birthday bash. I am so excited to see all of my cousins and for them to meet Mason. I love hanging out with my family and Mason loves hanging out with his cousin Thomas. We plan on taking the boys swimming since its going to be SO HOT (for you local Galesburg folks, the Lincoln Park wading pool is now chlorinated - this eliminates all of the nasties from what it was like when we were kiddos...) I am not a germiphobe, but that was just gross when we were little.

Mason ate his first rice cereal on Monday and seemed to enjoy it. He took it very seriously and took several breaks to suck his thumb. He wouldn't look at me, he just wanted to follow that spoon wherever it was going. Since he will be 6 months on Friday (!!!) I figured we better get going on solids.

I met with the new art teacher at Lisbon today and it was fun to see his excitement for this school year. I will miss teaching, but am so thankful and excited to be spending time with Mason this fall. If anyone wants to get creative with me or wants some fun art time with their kids let me know, I love that stuff - and Mason isn't quite ready for paint yet....

Don't ask Why, ask What.

2008-07-23T20:46:00.004-05:00

What What What What What.

Breathe.

Okay, I haven't posted for a while, but we had a great weekend at the farm. Peter and Mason got to hang out as cousins while I got to hold little Henry. Its nice to know I can quiet an infant, it really gives you a sense of accomplishment as a mom. Now we're home and getting ready to go to Illinois again this weekend for TomTom's birthday party. (Carrie, I know, I just can't help but call him that)

So about the above statement.... this summer I have tried my darnedist (sp) to not be asking God "why" when things are not going my way, but instead asking "what", as in what should I be learning from this? (no this was not my thinking, but a much wiser woman in my church whom I would love to have a heart even half as clean as hers) But lately it is just not working. I don't know what I should be learning, and frankly sometimes (like tonight) I don't really care. BUT, I will keep asking, and hopefully I can be more mature about it tomorrow. But for now, I JUST WANT TO MOVE OUT OF THIS APARTMENT. Okay, I'm done. Really, its not a big catastrophe - no one is sick, Mason is a sweet little(big) boy, I'm not flooded out, its all good. I'm just cramped and we can't find what we are looking for.

HOWEVER, I do have a completely adorable photo of Mason that my mom took last weekend that I will share with you. He really does just make you want to smile when you don't feel like it.

Note - I can see two teeth now on the bottom!!!

Sold.

2008-07-16T17:31:00.003-05:00

No, not a house. We did not buy a house.

But I did sell this on Etsy. Mason helped.

We had a fun weekend in Illinois. 5 Quarts of blueberries on the way there, 5 Quarts of blueberries on the way back. I would say we were successful pickers. Beyond berries, I got to see my friend Ingrid at her beautiful wedding reception and meet her new hubby, as well as catch up with friends I don't keep up with very well. I even got to go OUT at night ALONE and enjoy some adult conversation and WINE. Man, what a great weekend. And to top it off, Mason is back to sleeping through the night (mostly). It really is a treat to visit the burg. More photos will come compliments of NWP (Grandmama).

Things I am Thankful for...

2008-07-11T09:45:00.004-05:00

Being able to see fireworks from our front lawn last night
Mason sleeps thru the night again (first time in over a month...)
Blueberries (todays the day!!! make room in the freezer!!!)
Air Conditioning (heat index 100+ today)
Hugs from M & M ~ one of the sweetest things in the world is a hug from your baby (& Micah too of course)
That I am not alone in this mothering thing, and I don't have to have it all figured out. Praise the Lord for THAT.

Its finally Friday! Have a great weekend...

New Cards

2008-07-08T21:47:00.004-05:00

These cards were made using dyed paper towels and other materials. Much more fun and colorful! I just can't stick to fabric... (Lila, the skirt is just too short! A little modesty please.)
This one is much more interesting in person, the photo is out of focus and the lighting in the kitchen is bad at night. You get the idea.

I will leave you with a cute little diddy of Mason.
Nothing special, just some cuteness and a lot of drool.
Happy Tuesday!

4th

2008-07-07T16:09:00.003-05:00

We had an excellent 4th of July celebration this year at Twin Lakes with Micah's family. Micah's Aunt owns a cabin there and it was a beautiful setting and great weather. We spent the day admiring our new nephew (Henry) and just relaxing. Mason loved all of the attention and Mom loved being in a clutter-free environment with plenty of hands to hold Mason. (No, thats not Mason running down the dock, its Peter - geez, hes not that advanced!)

Mason has a new favorite - pop cans...

Oh wait, theres still some in there.... (notice the massive protruding belly)
Mason: Dude, give me back my pop.

We have moved on to sitting up now unsupported (except for the occasional wobble to suck on his toes and a bonk on the back of his head... oops). He still hasn't even wanted to roll from front to back, and now hes lunging forward on his stomach. I think this little guy is going to be doing the army crawl before long... Yikes!

Busy Busy Busy

2008-07-03T13:45:00.004-05:00

Who knew I would be this busy when I wasn't teaching? I think I am busier now than ever before - but I am enjoying every minute of it (okay thats a lie, but the majority of the time I am enjoying myself). So with that I will announce, I am no longer teaching! It was a hard decision to resign from Lisbon - I loved my job and enjoyed the people I worked with a lot - with that being said, I love Mason more :) SO, onto my next endeavor and phase of life. As Micah says, I can always return to teaching, but not to this phase with Mason (husbands are great).
(so with that I must post a cute photo of our little man)

He insists on rolling over in the crib before and after naps, good job buddy! But buddy can't roll back... enters Mom with camera. :)

So besides taking care of Mr. Mason, I've been working on my fabric postcards. I've only made two this week, so I better step it up a little in order to get these done in a reasonable time!

#1
#2
#2 back
Okay, I'm letting you in on my hideous secret - my kitchen table/office/sewing station/counter top. I put the leaf in thinking it would clear some space... no. We fill it right up. We can't fit anything else in this apartment!!!!

Pie.

2008-06-24T21:04:00.003-05:00

(Tired from making pie...)
note: Mason is under crib arrest. He is only sleeping in the crib. Bye-bye carseat. Bye-bye pacifier. Hello Thumb! (Praise the Lord) It is by His strength only that I am gaining patience with our little sleep-fighter. Prayer is really a cool thing.

So I made a pie. I love to bake and cook, but pies are not my forte. If you go to my brother's house, now he can make pie. Its all about the crust, and he will redo the crust until its right. Sweet potato, buttermilk, fruit, whatever. He is the pie man. I am not. That is one way we differ, if a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour I dig that measuring cup into the canister and whatever comes out goes in the bowl. My bro will spoon out the flour and recommends weighing it to get it more consistent with the recipe. A teaspoon of vanilla is never measured in my kitchen. Its just poured. BUT, I will say my pie turned out just fine - nothing fancy, no beautiful edge (actually no edge, I forgot and cut the edge too short), but in the end it was a good (somewhat underdone) pie.

Micah requested strawberry shortcake. I will not use Cool Whip in my house. Yuck. We went for the real whipping cream. SO, now I have an entire pie and strawberry shortcake in my kitchen and only two people. If you want some dessert, don't be shy. Seriously, come over, Mason and I need company. We'll give you the shortcake - its more worthy of company.

I also made jam. (can you tell we have lots of berries?) Thanks to mom for the recipe. Its like Smuckers but better. Now I have to wash, hull and freeze the rest of the pickin' for the winter. It sounds like I'm living in the prairie days or something... (3 more weeks and I am hoping to be picking blueberries in Illinois...)

Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention I signed up for a fabric postcard exchange. A group of 25 people across the country (and Canada) will be making postcards out of fabric and sending everyone one. I love snail mail. It really beats email by a long shot. And to get art in the mail? What could be better? Now to find a place to make these, and how do you make a fabric postcard??? More to come....

22 Pounds!

2008-06-21T21:17:00.005-05:00

No, not Mason, the strawberries weighed that much. We picked and picked and picked today up by Independence to stock up on summertime. Happy first day of Summer! Micah wasn't as thrilled as I was to get up early and drive halfway to his parent's place, but I had been looking forward to strawberry time for MONTHS - and I can't pick berries and hold Mason at the same time! It was a beautiful day to be outside and well worth the drive to just get the smell of strawberries as you broke your back to pick them.

Micah eating strawberries...

Diane doing most of the work....

Okay, so now is the time when I wish I could post a video, because Micah got a HILARIOUS video of these ladies in a cat fight - see those ladies standing? They were pushing and shoving and really going at it. I didn't know strawberry picking was so brutal!

Mason is ready to call it a day, he had a nice nap in the strawberry patch.

A tasty little treat I call Dinner

2008-06-18T21:30:00.003-05:00

So I said cooking didn't count for creativity, but it still needs to be done - so why not make it fun? I'm trying not to look at my pantry and exclaim "Theres nothing to eat!" when really I am just not that enthusiastic about what I see. SO tonight's dinner was Asian Chicken Salad using what was around the kitchen. I actually found a pretty good recipe online. Even though I didn't have everything it called for, it still turned out mighty tasty. Here it is...

Ingredients

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
8 ounces dried rice noodles
1 head iceberg lettuce, rinsed dried and chopped ( I used a leafy green, much better)
4 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
3 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

Combine the brown sugar,soy sauce,sesame oil, vegetable oil,and rice wine vinegar To prepare the rice noodles heat a skillet with a few tablespoons of oil and break off a little bit of the noodles and add them to the skillet and fry them.
As they begin to puff up remove them from the skillet and drain them on paper towels.
be sure to cook them long enough as the under cooked noodles will be like eating needles.
Once cooked add them to the salad mixture.
In a large bowl combine the lettuce,chicken,green onions,and sesame seeds.
Let chill about 10 minutes and just before serving add the cooked rice noodles.
Serve in salad bowl and offer the salad dressing in a pourable container so your family can add as much dressing as they want.
you can also pour the dressing over the top of the salad, toss and serve immediately.

I didn't have the sesame oil or seeds or green onions. But I used other veggies and it was great. Let me know if you make this and what you think. Its really easy!

Mason note: 101.1 fever today and drool + chewing. I think the chompers are coming.....

One Track Mind

2008-06-17T08:14:00.004-05:00

So I started to feel slightly guilty today about only posting about Mason; Mason's pictures, Mason's stories, MasonMasonMason. But then I remembered... thats what I am DOING all day, what else do I have to talk about? So if you want to know more about whats happening in the Miller household, I will do my best to share, but its more fun to talk about Mason than washing dishes and the bathroom that doesn't get cleaned enough. I DO plan to make more books and mixed media pieces this summer, then I will have that to discuss too... if you would like to motivate me please do - because I need that.

Diane's Goals...

make time for creativity (cooking doesn't count)

patience patience patience

not be so darned obsessed with naps - its not the end of the world if that boy isn't sleeping when he's tired (although he makes it sound like it sometimes)

Get out of this darned apartment SOON (as in MOVE) ;)

I digress. Have a great Tuesday. Its beautiful here today!

Happy Dad's Day!

2008-06-15T13:30:00.006-05:00

Mason made his dad breakfast this morning... I guess it was a hit...

Check out these baby blues

Back in Business

2008-06-11T21:43:00.004-05:00

Kind of...

Nap status: fell asleep peacefully in his crib on his own today - slept over an hour. (yes!) Small accomplishments really do make your day .

Computer status: video camera is not compatible with our Mac unless we use iMovie08; iMovie08 not compatible with our Mac. No videos for now... (highly annoyed with Macs)