Art Project...

...gone totally awry.

Looking forward

Matthew is already looking ahead to Valentine's Day and making a huge chain to decorate the whole house with. We've been talking together about making 70 valentines to give out at our various schools. And in my own head I've been wondering why it feels like everyone around me is pregnant. At least 2 moms at school and 3 people of blogs I read. I know that isn't close to everyone around me everyday, but it does touch on the biggest question in my mind. To get pregnant or to never be pregnant again, that's the question. One that I don't know if I'll ever get the bottom of.

Dr. Seuss's Birthday

We went to story time today, and in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday, we read 1 fish 2 fish red fish blue fish. Then we made a red and blue fish in a fish bowl for our craft. I don't think it will last long, as the glue and water is corn syrup with a drop of blue food coloring in it, but it's pretty cute. How are you celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday?

Storytime love

We went to the 3rd storytime of the week! Today they played balloon toss, read 3 books and...

a patriotic streamer in honor of President's Day Monday!

Unfortunately, we lost a sticker before we got far and had to go back for a replacement.

Here's what he's made the last 3 weeks!

I didn't win

But that's ok, because I got something much cooler. You see, if I'd checked my email sooner, I would have discovered that Jessica had already sent me a free asymmetrical hipster hoodie pattern for commenting on the original post! And if I wasn't so suspicious of good fortune, I wouldn't have thought it a prank and an attachment that was a virus. I wouldn't have had to email her to ask if she'd really emailed me a pattern, because I didn't believe it. Luckily, she was very gracious and told me that it would indeed be ok to open the attachment because it really had come from her! I am so LUCKY!!! Yea! So go check out her blog if you haven't already and if you already did last night and are ready to buy that pattern, go here.

It's just another cold day here. Matthew and I are enjoying spending time with Phil. Matthew was having a ball grossing his Dad out by licking him.

And little animals are just trying to stay warm.

Ohhh, that reminds me, if you'd emailed us and never heard back, it's probably because I thought it was spam (which I've gotten alot of, like Princess Mary would email me). So make it clear in the title you aren't spam and I'll respond. :)

Crossing fingers

I've entered a contest to win a hoodie pattern that I think rocks! Cross fingers for me and in the mean time, if you are interested in sewing go take a look at the talented Jessica's site Running With Scissors. She makes me want to be the fabulous sewer that my mom is.

Us? We are just trying to stay home. It's very cold here. Normally the very lowest low is in the teen's and it's our highs. EEEKKK! Our house has single pane windows so the glass ices over on the inside. Our water heater and washing machine is in the drafty garage, so I worry about frozen/broken pipes. This morning the power companies couldn't keep up with the demand for power due to increased heat usage, so they made rolling blackouts several times. It is interesting in Texas!

Winter blahs have arrived

Isabelle pretends to not like Matthew, but then I turn around and she is cuddling.

We've done more painting.

My hibiscus bloomed. I can always count on it to bloom when I get the winter blahs. It bloomed just in time.

Maybe I'm just starved for color and spring, but I thought this bloom was particularly beautiful.

Because I have finally gotten the winter blahs, I've started adding Valentine's Day color. Matthew and I went out and bought the cutest heart tablecloth at Target. I normally put heart picks in my wreath, but I left them behind, so Matthew and I used our new heart punch to make paper hearts for it.

I rather like the effect.

Matthew liked using the heart punch so much, that he used the heart and circle punch this morning. Once we get a new glue stick, we'll start working on Valentines.

Matthew thought I ought to paint with him, so I did. He decided that I hadn't done a very good job, so he improved my artwork. At one point it was raining pink rain. Another, lots of pink flowers were blooming. The black might be a train track. He had stories for everything he did.

Night shot

My blogger friend Kirsten at Thanks for the Lemonade, took the most amazing photo. I just had to try to take one too. I have no idea how to take photos manually, but I flipped on manual and away I went. Now, mine didn't take as well. Obviously I can't hold still for that long well enough, but I'm thrilled with my first attempt at a long exposure nightshot! Mine's alot darker then hers, but I am amazed at how much color I got. I'm ready to try my hand at a full moon. Not that it will be tonight with all the clouds...

By the way, that's a night shot of the bird feeder Matthew and I made out of an OJ container today.

Christmas craft

Today Matthew and I made a holly wreath from Crayola's website. Matthew and I both colored. Matthew chose all the colors and helped me cut it all out. Matthew decided how we'd glue the holly leaves on and in what order. I think it turned out pretty cute.

More Christmas decorations

The light master went to work today making his annual masterpiece.

I love that there was extra lights because that meant my hibiscus could be lighted as well. The front windows are our bedroom, in case you hadn't realized that.

Matthew and I have the tree decorated. Isabelle keeps trying to mess with it, but the action has slowed ever since the tree talked back one night. (I got an ornament that tells you to go away, no peaking at gifts, if the tree is bumped.) It scared Phil and me as well to hear it loudly go off at 11pm.

Another decoration in the making. Anyone know what it is???

I have alot of Matthew photos. I'll post them later or tomorrow. Stay tuned. :)

Gobble Gobble!

In a kids craft book, I saw a project about making a turkey out of a stuffed paper bag. We don't have any of those at the moment, but we did have a full bag of brown plastic bags. In another project, the turkey's tail was made out of construction handprints. So Matthew, Phil, and I traced our hands 3 times and made a tail for the turkey. With our nifty printer, I blew up the head for pinecone turkeys and voila! Matthew colored it a lovely green (and one side of the beak purple.) Tomorrow I plan to write what we are thankful for on our handprints.

Matthew and I are pretty proud of how it turned out. Happy Thanksgiving!

Hot water part 2

They came yesterday and installed the new water heater. This time they put it in a neat rubber tray that has a spout. The spout allows the water to exit at a safe spot in the garage. It's so nice to have hot water again. Just in time for laundry and all the dirty Thanksgiving pans.

And here is Matthew's latest project. I'd show exactly what it is, but it's a surprise. I, of course, run the glue gun.

New project

For years I wanted a big frame of family photos, to hang on the wall, that Matthew could look at. Especially of Phil's side, since we don't see them often. My dream is coming true. Here is the one for Phil's family. We have another frame exactly like it for my side. I love Hobby Lobby's 50% sales. I could never have afforded frames this size otherwise.

Preparing for Halloween, in August

Ribbit, Ribbit! Matthew noticed his frog costume in the closet today. He insisted on putting it all on. He wanted to wear the "frog shoes" and "frog hat" all day long. I had to force him out of it when he wanted to go outside and play. I think he has decided to be a frog again for Halloween. Sorry Phil!


A picture of the wreath transformed in a summertime mix. This conclusively proves that the wreath can effortlessly go from V-day to the end of summer. Love it! I'm working on my fall wreath as I type this. Once it is done I'll have a wreath for every season. And almost every holiday, except for maybe the 4th of July.

Spring break

Wreath transformed for Easter festivities.

A little man who decided to decorate himself with sunglasses. Sorry about the diaper-he did this before I was able to clothe him.


Friday, our family got up early to drop the brat kitten off to have a little womanly change performed. The wonderful part of it was that the after effect is that she is still slowed down. The pets have all had a peaceful weekend for once. While we were there, we picked up a bed we're borrowing from my Grandmom. Yes! No more futon! I worked Friday, so the 2 guys hung out all afternoon together.

Saturday, we all hung out together on the 1st official day off spring break. For my birthday, Phil got me Season 2 and 3 of Everybody Loves Raymond. The family has been having a marathon ever since. In the afternoon, we all went and got family haircuts again. Last night we put the bed together and it was so nice. The futon is breaking, so it isn't capable of laying flat well. That has meant that we have to drag the mattresses onto the floor to sleep. When it's just me, I sleep on it like a couch. But unlike a couch, it slants and it doesn't work so well for me.

So far today, it's just been more marathon watching and laundry. As well as cleaning and packing. We'll all journey to KC to spend the week with Phil. Matthew has been so excited to hang out with his dad. He refused to spend the 1st 15 minutes up anywhere other than our bed, because he was hoping that his Dad would get up. (Didn't work. His dad didn't even budge when he was smacking the site of the family jewels.) I normally hear "Hi, Hi, Mommy, Mommy, HI!", but this morning I heard, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy."

Wrong way to travel down the stairs

"Back, back, back, rock, rock, rock" Matthew's version of Grandpa's famous tune that goes "Rock, rock, back and forth."

The 3 caps Matthew stacked. He was so proud he had to come say, "TADA!" Then we had to come admire them.

Trying to yank Grandpa's cap off the chair.

Piling the caps on our head.

The acorn hat returns...


It was an adventurous weekend for our family. Friday we had planned to spend the night at my parents, but Mom wasn't sure if she was getting sick or not. I erred on the side of caution and stayed home. Saturday we were supposed to get up super early and take off to see my one of my best friends, Audrey. At 6 am, I discovered it was snowing and decided to go back to bed, so I could see how bad it was in the light. By 8 am, I was discussing the situation with Mom (who felt fine) and almost decided not to go. Around 8:45 am, I decided it would be ok and flew around getting ready. By time we left the house, I should have already been to my friend's house. I dropped all the "kids" off with the grandparents and took off. I made it in time for lunch. (Thank goodness because I skipped breakfast in favor of speed.) We had a great time chatting, drinking our mandatory marg, and doing a little shopping. All too soon I had to leave. I made it in time to my parents for a slightly late supper. Matthew was finally feeling fit again and had a blast with them. Dad was so tickled by something Matthew did. It went like this: Matthew kept doing something he wasn't supposed to and Dad kept telling him no. After several go-rounds, Matthew went to do it again, only this time he looked at his Grandpa, shook his finger, and said, "No, no, no, no!"

We had a very peaceful evening and I put Matthew to bed around the normal time. About 10 pm I went to check on him and he was sitting up, so I brought him back down to cuddle. He chose to cuddle with his Grandma and fell back asleep. Close to 11 pm, I took him back up. The stairs creaking woke him up, so I decided it would be best to try and go back down quieter. This was a mistake. I put one foot on the edge of the step and went to take another step. Next thing I knew my little socked feet were sailing out from under me and I was going down. Then 3 mind numbing jars, as I bounced down another 3 steps, before coming to a halt. It felt like I sat there forever. This of course made much more noise than just walking down the stairs would have. In fact it sounded so bad to Matthew, he started crying. I limped down the rest of the stairs to meet both parents at the end. I managed to hurt one side of my rump, as well as the elbow on that side. I'd landed on it before, so it's super painful. On the other side of my body, I managed to catch my toe that I broke 3 1/2 years ago. It felt numb until I managed to limp back up the stairs to bed. Good grief. If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all!

Today we hung out and Mom and I worked on some projects. One was an advent quilt we got 3 1/2 years ago and the other were jeans that needed mending (some for as long as maybe a year?) It was great to get my jeans mended. Matthew worked on being really cute and expanding his vocab. Here are the highlights: "I drop, uh-oh" This was repeated several times as he attempted to pick up the books he dropped. "I do teeth." Obviously he wanted to brush those teeth. Dad said, "Boo" to him and he put his finger to his mouth and said, "shhh." Dad worked with him on holding out his hands to caught a ball, but he would only hold out one and he used it to point. It was fairly ineffective. We'll keep working on it.

Hope everyone is staying warm. At least all of you not blessed with a beach nearly in the backyard! And everyone cheer, Phil scored a 98% on his first test! Yah!

A weekend in pictures

Spring is coming...hyacinths are sprouting.

1 small boy has been very busy building towers...

and taking them apart.

Pure delight.

1 small boy requests everyone due their part to feed his need for reading.

The block tower built...

And down.

It was glorious weather...

3 little dogs enjoyed their freedom...



1 little man vacuumed a soybean field...



A new hat was found.

The acorn "hat".

A new wreath was thoughtfully made.

New shoes were tried...


And pronounced to big.