Saturday, January 30, 2010

My Hubby Rocks my World

I can't believe that I didn't post this with the Christmas post, but somehow, we didn't get a picture of it. It deserves it's own post anywya. I showed my hubby this and told him that I wanted one for Christmas. So he set to it. He made it a bit different and a bit improved. He angled the board so that it wasn't just straight up and down. I am so it love with it. It is so nice to have my recipe cards up off of my counter. You know that you are totally jealous.Then he painted it to match what little kitchen decor I have. Here is a picture of the back so that you can better see the crackle finish that he put on it.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Strawberries

Mostly this post is about Paisley's hair clip...lol. I just had to share because I love it so much. One of my really good friends sent us this cute outfit for Paisley when she was born. It has cute little strawberry pockets and an appliqued strawberry on the jeans. So I couldn't help myself. I just had to make her a strawberry clip. It is just felt with a little stuffing, but I think that it turned out super cute.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Daddy's Boy

In honor of Jason's birthday yesterday, I thought that I would post this for him...

Benny is the definition of a daddy's boy. First thing when he wakes up in the morning, he comes in my room and asks where daddy is. Sorry, buddy but the answer is always the same, at the hospital. When we head to the gym every morning he makes sure to point out and wave to "daddy's hopital" as he says it. Which is almost always followed by, can we go see daddy at daddy's hopital? And when he hears the garage door open he is beside himself running to the garage door screaming, daddy daddy daddy. I try to believe that he would act the same way if he were away from me most of the day, every day. Alas, I don't really think that it is true.


One particular day, he was missing his daddy pretty bad. He was moping and I laid him down on the couch so that he could "rest". He decided that he needed a blanket so he went to the ironing basket and picked out a pair of daddy's pant and one of daddy's shirts to snuggle with. Silly boy and his love for his dad.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Photography Skills

Tab is getting much better at taking pictures. I'm actually completely in the picture and nearly centered! Surprise, I've been captured in picture once for the year. Don't really plan on it happening again...lol.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Movie Night

After being loyal Redbox customers for several years we switched to using Netflix. We have quite enjoyed the change. We have gotten a system going where every other movie we get it one for Jason, one for me. And we plan it so that ever now and again we get a "kid" or "family" movie on a weekend.

So last weekend we got Night at the Museum 2 as the boys loved the first one. We planned a night for it. We made pizza, popcorn and got some soda for the boys. They even got spoiled by having "sippy cups" since we were in the basement and didn't want disaster. As you can tell they were enthralled by the movie. They wouldn't even glance away for a picture. "Hey, I'm turning my face mom, do I really have to look at you for the picture?"

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Oh Happy Day!

I just love when this girl smiles.You can't really help but smile too.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Paisley's Hat

I made Miss P a little hat to "match" mine.Isn't she just the cutest?

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Hiro

A while back I made a bag out of an old pair of jeans for Tab. Benton has started to fight with Tab over said bag. So it was about time that I made Benton his own bag. Benton loves Hiro, a Thomas and Friends train. So I finally got around to making Benton his bag. What do you think? Think he likes it?And a close up.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Smiles

I love when Paisley wakes up from her long nap. It is the happiest five minutes that she has all day.
How could you ever resist the gummy smiles.

Friday, January 15, 2010

The Love of Brothers

The boys are the best of friends... and the worst of enemies. They play so well together.I couldn't resist taking a picture of this mid-afternoon snuggle session.

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Christmas Outfits

My mom pointed out that in that massive post, I neglected to post pictures of the kids in their Christmas outfits that I made for them. The picture actually doesn't show the fabric very well. The vests and the overdress for Pais are made of a red with glittery red swirls. The boy's ties and the underdress for Pais are made from a silver Shantung. I also made the flower on Pais's bow and her shoes out of the fabrics. I think that they turned out really cute.I couldn't help but post this picture. Tab loves holding his sister. You can see her little bloomers here too.

Camping in Ludington

















































We spent a few days camping with out best friends, the Guymon's this past summer. The boys immediately turned some branches into guns and rocket launchers.Bekah and Keturah were kind enough to keep Paisley occupied in her chair with a hoard of rocks.Soon after settling in, we were greeted by quite a few deer. (Can you spot the 4 in this picture?) Working on dinner.The men helped to shuffle the babies while we all ate our yummy tinfoil dinners.Since this poor girl was still refusing to walk, she was restrained to the chair for much of her time.One of the best parts of the trip was a hike that we took with 7 kids under the age of 6. We realized part way into the trip we were dumb. Alas. It was still awesome.

A few minutes into the hike there was a little dock. The boys thought we had found our destination. Little did they know, we still had a couple of miles. Opps.Paisley spent most of her time on my back. Though Benny did spend a little time in the back pack while Paisley rode on my shoulders. (Don't worry Jason was carrying other kids.)I think she was happy there.Keturah happily settled into her seat as well.
Tab and Alex had a lot of fun making up stories while they plodded along.
Tab carrying the water.We were hiking toward a lighthouse, so a bit of the hike was sandy. Ugg.After what seemed like forever, we reached our destination. We love lighthouses, so it was worth it.I think they liked it too.We also spent some time at the beach nearby.The girls playing in the sand.
The men throwing the football.
Sarah and I hanging out. Don't mind the hair, it was really freaking windy.That wasn't the worst that my hair got. Jason was sure to document that for us. This is why I wore a hat 99% of the time. And we had fun making some jiffy pop corn with the kids.Whew, what a trip. It was a blast!

Monday, January 04, 2010

The Holidays...aka a massive post

Blog? I have a blog? What's that you say? I've been neglecting it? Well, If that is the way YOU feel, than you should enjoy this post. It is extremely picture heavy and long.

We'll start out with Tab's letter that he wrote to Santa. It says: Santa
Hiro, Victor, Spencer, (and then he got tired of writing and made me write Sodor Steam Works and Megatron). Signed by TabGetting ready to go to the mailbox.Anxious to get his letter to Santa.Signed, Sealed, Delivered...Jason made this wreath out of the branches he clipped from our crazy tree. I just forgot to post it before and he was pretty proud of it, considering it was held together with just some thin craft wire. I took the picture after it had hung on our door for over a month, so excuse the somewhat ovalish shape. I was quite pleased with it as well. I have never had a wreath before.Oh yeah, also leading up to Christmas... I think Jason got sick of getting after Tab to eat his lunch and stop horsing around, so Tab got tied to the chair. Tab was clearly quite pleased.As our present to the kids, we took them to Great Wolf Lodge for a few days before Christmas. I dare say we had as much fun as they did. It was so nice to get away as a family and focus on enjoying our time together instead of getting "stuff" done around the house.

The boys were absolutely thrilled by having a set of bunk beds in their "own room".
Of course, the main attraction was the indoor water park. My biggest kid of all enjoyed in thoroughly.Tab was surely not disappointed. Tab loved coming down the slides.There was also a fun kiddie area. Benton really loved floating around on his dad's back.Just playing in the water.One of the big things is this massive bucket that dumps 1000 gallons of water over the entire "fort" every 5 minutes. Tab would go running for it whenever he heard the warning bell.Here is the "fort". Behind this is the other half of the park with 3 big water slides, 2 pools with various "things" in them and a lazy river.And a family picture.There was also a "cub club" at the hotel, where we took the boys to do crafts and play and just be out of the water for a bit.Then there was the arcade! They really had a blast there.
Notice Tab clutching his tickets. That was um...well...special. He was actually getting half decent at the Skee Ball.There was a fun roller coaster ride at the arcade that the boys loved.We really enjoyed our game of air hockey too.
Paisley, well, Paisley finally slept! Wahoo. She doesn't really nap when we are out and about unless she is in the carrier. I have to say that she actually was quite well behaved as she was being carried the majority of the time.Just hanging out.The boys after their "wolf walk" in the morning. They had a guide come out and talk about different wolves and bears as she pointed to the different stuffed animals that they had mounted in the lobby.
And I have to share this picture because I just love Tab's face. He has the funniest grumpy facial expressions.Back at home after our trip we did some baking.The boys had fun helping me make some yummy gingerbread cinnamon chip biscotti. Isn't my mixer sexy?As Tab's one request was that we make gingerbread houses, I couldn't say no. So here we are kneading the dough together.Rolling out and cutting out the gingerbread house.Assembly and decoration.Jason was quite pleased with his mailbox.
Benton's contribution: Tab's contribution:Who want's to open a present before bed?
I made the boys Pajama pants to wear to bed Christmas Eve.Pais, all ready for bed. And yes, her face is pretty much always orange like that. Baby food tends to stain pretty good.
And I stitched their names onto the bottom of the leg so that they would know whose was whose and which side was the front.Tan was super excited Christmas morning.Benton, not so much. The poor kid was sick. He had had a fever off and on and we had to give him some Tylenol at about 4 AM.The boys digging into their stockings.
Benton opening his transformers.He was a very happy boy.Lucky thing for us that Grandma and Grandpa got Tab a transformer because it might have gotten ugly.Pais was happy that Grandma and Grandpa got her a present since mom and dad didn't, sniff snif.Over break to get out of the house we went to the local Children's museum. The boys spent most of their time at the sand table.The train table was also a big hit. Man alive do those boys love trains.They had an awesome bubble area.Jason and Tab played at the drive up bank for FOREVER!Paisley was a big fan of the mirrors.Apparently, Jason found some mirrors that he enjoyed as well.
The boys enjoyed cooking for us in the huge play kitchen.
It isn't a trip out without a potty break. Jason felt the need to take these. All I can think is...ahh, blackmail photos.Hey, at least he washed his hands right?
They loved the magnet table too.For Christmas my sister bought me a pattern to make this hat. I love it.
Jason insisted that I put the maryjane strap on it. I think I like it better without it. What do you think?And this is the only picture I took at the New Year's party that we attended. The boys sat by the older boys while they played Wii. The older boys were nice enough to let Tab and Benton hold some of the controllers and pretend that they were playing.Oh yeah, and I did more baking.And last but not least, what would this post be without mention of the latest Home Depot project?

It may seem like our break was crazy and packed full, but mostly there was a lot of this. And this is the part I enjoyed the most and will miss the most.Phew....congrats if you made it through this entire post. I barely did...