Guest Blogging!

My dear friend Chelsea recently asked me, along with a few other friends, to write a guest post on her beautiful blog. Mine is up today, so go check it out! And while you're there, take some time to browse around on her amazing blog. She is a wonderful, creative mama to two adorable little boys. Thanks for the opportunity, Chelsea!

Christmas Re-cap

We had a lovely, busy Christmas this year. This time of year is so magical for me, and I hope that my boys catch onto that spirit as well. There are, of course, a few things I will do differently in the future, but not many. I think that instead of trying to talk about everything I will just share a few pictures.

Dressed in their adorable Christmas outfits from Gram.

All of us dressed up for celebrating.

The lovely glow of the tree on Christmas Eve, after all the presents are in their places.

This photo is actually from today, but we did indeed have a beautiful white Christmas this year.

Merry Christmas!

One Week to Go!

One week until Christmas Day. We have been counting down the days around here with the boys' advent calendars, but I am still a little surprised that it has come up so fast. I have all my gifts bought and I am generally ready to go. Except for all the wrapping I still have to do, but that will happen. Still, I feel like it can't quite be Christmas yet. I have enjoyed the anticipation of it this year. Plus, I still want to spend a few more nights knitting in front of the tree. But I know Christmas will be here before we know it.

It will be so fun, though. They boys really get the whole concept, and they are so excited. We have lots of fun family activities planned (three sets of grandparents to visit, aunts and uncles in town, and our own family celebration as well) and I can't wait to watch the boys enjoy the festivities. Our next few days will be pretty mellow, but on the 23rd things start revving up here and we will be in full go-mode until the 27th. So, if I don't make it back here before then, have a lovely Christmas!

Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas made a visit to our house Monday. I have been wanting to start the tradition of celebrating Saint Nicholas day since Landon was a baby, but every year it didn't work out for some reason. This year I was determined to make it work, and had gifts ready to go a few weeks ahead of time. The boys set our their shoes Sunday night, and woke in the morning to find a few chocolate gold coins inside and a wrapped package on top. The packages contained books, and we set about reading them right away.

They were excited to have something small to celebrate before Christmas, and I had fun starting a new tradition. Although, next year I do think Saint Nicholas will have to bring some winter or Christmas books. I just think it will add to the feeling of the season a bit more. Also, I would like to do something like Chelsea and maybe make some handknit socks for them too. But that's the fun in starting a new tradition - you can change it a little bit to make it work for your family.

We have also been doing small Advent calendars (the ones made of paper where you open a little window every day), and it's been fun to talk every morning about which day it is and how many more days until Christmas. I have tried in the past to do much more elaborate Advent calendars, and they just didn't work out for us. Too much work for me and the kids didn't really care about them. I think this year we are doing it just right for their ages. It is so fun to see them getting caught up in the wonder and magic of this time of year!

Breakfast with Santa

Last Saturday morning my mother-in-law and I took the boys to breakfast with Santa. It was held at a very nice hotel in town, so we got all dressed up. The boys got served hot cocoa as soon as we sat down and they got to add their own marshmallows, sprinkles, and whipped cream. That was followed by a nice pancake breakfast. During the meal Santa came out and waved at the kids from a balcony. Landon was enthralled. The Spokane Childrens' Choir sang Christmas Carols throughout the meal, and I think that was Coleson's favorite part. After we were done eating we got in line to sit with Santa and have pictures done. Landon was in awe of being able to sit with Santa. The magic of the whole season was written all over his face when he got to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas. Coleson was not interested at all in sitting with Santa, but he did admire him from a distance. Landon was worried that Coleson didn't get to tell Santa what he wanted, but I assured him that Santa would know anyway. The experience was great, and I hope we can make it a yearly tradition. What a special morning!

Playing Together

Just in the last week or so my boys have really started playing together. Not just playing in the same space or with the same toys, but actually engaging in games together. Coleson has long adored his big brother, and probably would have loved to play with Landon long ago. But Landon has just recently realized that Coleson can play with him, not just get in the way. Yesterday and today they have chased each other around the house pushing large trucks, "radioing" each other, and occasionally smashing into each other and then laughing wildly. Landon "read" Coleson some of his favorite books yesterday, after graciously letting Coleson pick which ones to read. Today, Landon decided that they should play some of their favorite games that Tyson plays with them. He took Tyson's role, chasing Coleson around the house and tickling him if he caught him.

So, with all this playing going on around me I have been free to sit and knit, or to finish my coffee, or to browse through the magazine pile that grows steadily in my kitchen. It's nice really. I feel like they are really growing into neat little boys, and I feel like I am doing something right if they will play together like this. It's so fun to see them become brothers.

Advent

Here it is, the first day of December, and the fourth day of Advent. This morning I gave the boys their own little Advent calendars where you open the little windows each day to reveal a little chocolate inside. They were pretty thrilled. But at that moment I realized that in addition to those cute little calendars, I really should have also gotten out the nativity scene and the Advent wreath too. I want my boys to know that there is more to this season for us than little chocolates every morning (although I wouldn't complain about that either) and Santa with his band of reindeer (although they are currently quite fascinated with the reindeer aspect of Christmas).

So, while I was waiting to start the Christmas decorating until we could all do it together on a weekend, I think that while Landon is at school tomorrow Coleson and I will get out a few of our decorations. And when Landon comes home from school we will talk about them, and talk about our beliefs about Christmas and what it means to us. I love that they are so excited about Christmas and Santa and presents and reindeer but I want them to have the knowledge, too, that Advent and Christmas are a special time for other reasons.

I have struggled since Landon was born to piece together traditions for our little family from the traditions that Tyson and I each brought from our own families. Things that I thought would be fun or meaningful often didn't sit right with us (or completely failed). So, this year I want to keep it simple and let the kids and their excitement and awe about everything guide us. But I also want to start showing them and talking to them about how this season is more than getting gifts and looking at pretty lights. I don't know that much of what I say will stick this year, or even next year, but I feel like I at least need to do what I can to make this time of year magical and meaningful for our family. And I think this year I may finally get some things right with this whole Advent season.

The End of NaBloPoMo

NaBloPoMo has come to an end. I think I only missed a day or two all month! It definitely made me realize that I make blogging out to be much more time consuming than it actually is. I suppose if I added pictures and such it might take more time, but this format is working for me for now. Hopefully I will be able to keep up with regular posting, even if it isn't every day.

Today was another snowy, snowy day. At this point in the winter, I still love the snow and how it makes everything so beautiful. We got studded snow tires on our new van yesterday, so now I feel a bit more comfortable venturing out in all the whiteness as well. Because of all the snow, we stayed inside all day. Landon went to school while Coleson and I ran some errands, but then we played in the house all afternoon. The boys played together so well today. It was a nice glimpse into the future when they will hopefully be great playmates. I will say, though, thank goodness for playdough and lots of playing in the sink. Those two things alone saved my whole day today. I did promise the boys some time outside tomorrow, though.

And now I am going to work on a new knitting project. I have been waiting to cast on for this one for a long time and today I decided to take the plunge. I can't wait!

The Night Out

Saturday afternoon, Tyson and I packed up the boys and braved the snowy roads to take them to my mom's for the night. Now, this was the first time that Coleson had ever been away from us all night. Really, it was the only time he had ever been away from me for more than about five or six hours. I was nervous about it, but everyone else was quite excited. Mixed in with being nervous, I was excited too. It would be the first time I had spent more than a few hours alone with Tyson since Landon was born over four years ago.

After dropping the boys off at Gram's house, we headed back into town. We stopped for coffee, we went shopping, we checked into our hotel. Then we did more shopping, had drinks and appetizers at a couple different restaurants, and had dinner at an hour when our kids have usually been in bed for a while. We had a nightcap and then slept all night with no nursing babies, no children crawling into bed in the wee hours of the morning, nothing but sleep. It was lovely. Then in the morning we treated ourselves to brunch (If you live in Spokane and haven't had brunch at the Davenport, go. Yes, it's expensive. Go anyway.)

So, it was about 24 hours without the kids and we can't wait to do it again. Of course, I was excited to see my kids the next afternoon, but we will be having some more nights with them at Grandma's house. We just might skip the hotel and stay in our own bed next time.

(Oh, and for the record, Coleson did GREAT at my mom's for the night. He didn't cry for me all night or any of the other things I had been worried about. Thank goodness!)

To Bed

I was going to blog about our nice night out on the town last night. But I feel like I am coming down with a cold so I am going to try Chelsea's suggestion of warming socks and go to bed on the early side. I DO NOT want to be sick.

Wonderland!

It is such a winter wonderland outside! We probably got almost a foot of new snow just last night alone. And we are about to head out into it to drop the boys off with my mom and then spend a night away from the kids at a nice hotel having drinks and sushi. Yippee! Hopefully we won't get stuck in the snow first!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I am most thankful for my loving family, especially my husband and boys, and my lovely friends. I hope everyone out there has a lovely holiday, and gets to eat some amazing food!

Lazy Day

This morning the boys asked if they could stay in their pajamas all day. I couldn't help but say yes. What else do you do when the high for the day is forecast at 13 degrees? So, in pajamas they stayed, all day. It made getting ready for bed quite easy, actually. We spent the day watching movies, making paper airplanes (thanks for the book, Ivory!), popping popcorn, and generally being silly. Honestly, it was one of the best days I have spent holed up at home in quite a while. I finished the day by picking Tyson up at work, going out for beers while the kiddos visited Grammy, and then making Thai food for dinner. What a wonderful Thanksgiving Eve!

It's cold out there!

It sure is cold outside today. Apparently the high was supposed to be 13, but at our house it managed to make it up to 23. Tonight it's supposed to get down to -1, before hitting another high of 13 tomorrow. Brrrr!

Despite the chilly temps, I did let the boys play outside for a little while. They wore about four layers and they still got chilly. I shoveled snow so we could stand a chance of staying on top of it when we get more snow in the next couple of days. I love being outside, and my kids do too, so I'm glad we made it out for a little while today.

Coleson skipped his nap today and went to sleep immediately upon laying down this evening. I am looking forward to a long evening of knitting and wine drinking. First I have to go let the cats in, though, so they don't freeze!

SNOW!

I have always loved the first snow of the year, and often I love the snow even after the 10th snow of the year. It makes everything look so magical and beautiful. I think I get just about as excited as the kids do when it snows. Luckily, we are experiencing quite a bit of it in the last few days.

Tonight, though, it is supposed to get pretty cold and stay that way for a few days. A few minutes ago I went out to make sure the chickens were warm enough under their heat lamp and the outside thermometer said 18 degrees. Brrrr! Plus, the wind is blowing pretty good tonight too. I hope my cats make it inside!

I'm off to curl up under the electric blanket, knit, and watch some Bizarre Foods. I love that show and they just added it to Netflix watch instantly!

Kid Humor

Landon is at an age where he is finally starting to get some jokes and word-plays. Sometimes he will tell me a joke, that he has obviously made up, that makes no sense at all and he will still laugh and laugh. Today, though, he had a good one.

Me, looking at what he had put on to go to church: "Landon, you can't wear those pants to church."

Him: "Why not?"

Me: "Well, they're sweats and they have a hole in the knee and you just can't wear them to church. Sweats are too casual, and we don't wear holey clothes to church."

Him, smiling slightly: "But, Mom, you just said they are holy!"

We looked at each other for a second and both burst out laughing. I love it when these facets of his personality come out.

Not to leave Coleson out, he has been really adorable lately about watching TV. He loves to watch train shows, especially ones that also feature construction vehicles. So, asks often to watch TV.

Coleson: "Mama, watch TV-D."

Me: "Do you mean watch TV?"

Coleson: "No, TV-D. A show." (Show is said very long and drawn out, like I'm pretty dumb and need all the help I can get.)

Me (I can't usually help myself because his little voice saying TV-D is just too cute): "Wait, you want to watch a DVD?"

Coleson: "TV-D, please?"

Then I usually give in because he is just too cute.

Happy 4th Birthday, Landon!

My boy turned four today. It is so cliche to say, but the time has gone so fast. Landon has turned into such a dynamic little person. Among other things, he is sweet, tenacious, funny, a fantastic big brother, persistent, smart, a mama's boy, generous, loving, and so strongly him. At four, Landon loves trains and running around, he is starting to get jokes, and he makes me laugh at least once a day. He constantly wants to spend time with his friends, but he sure does love his family too. I have loved being his mama for the last four years, and I can't wait to see what lies ahead of us! Happy Birthday, sweet Landon, we love you so much!

Landon at three weeks.

Landon at 14 months.

Landon at two.

Landon just before turning three.

Landon two months ago at the fair.

Loved This

I really loved this guest post over on Kyrie's blog today. It summed up so wonderfully many of the thoughts I have on the importance of being a mother and a housewife. Thoughts I have been struggling to express to others lately, mostly because I feel so strongly about it. Somedays I get frustrated with my kids or annoyed that the floor won't stay clean, but there is still nothing in the world I would rather being doing with my days at this stage in my life.

Gearing Up

Landon's birthday is in just a couple of days and with his birthday comes "the holidays" for me. I am gearing up for a busy three months or so ahead of us. All of our birthdays fall between now and the end of February, sprinkle in Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and Valentine's Day and it gets a little crazy. I am looking forward to all the festivities this year with kids who will actually be really excited about it all.

We made our first batch of sweet treats today, to be Landon's birthday snack at school tomorrow. I also found a couple other recipes I want to try for the holidays this year. But with me and Tyson eating no grains, and our whole family eating very little sugar I am debating whether or not to even make anything sweet this year. Maybe I will just rely on other people's treats. Although, I love to cook and bake so I don't know if I can forgo it completely.

I used to have all my Christmas shopping done before November, but this year I have only bought stuff for the kids and knit a few things. I have no idea what I am getting most of the people on my list or how in the world I am going to find time to buy it. I may do a lot of internet shopping, which can be fun.

Mostly, I am just looking forward to everything. Sure, I get a bit overwhelmed at times, but this is one of my favorite times of year and I know I will enjoy it. So, taking cupcakes to Landon's school tomorrow starts another round of the holidays. Here we go!

The Most Important Person on Earth

A few years ago my mom gave me a little holy card with a beautiful picture of Mary holding baby Jesus on the front. On the back is a lovely quote about being a mother. I usually use it as a bookmark, and I thought I had lost it a few months ago. I found it the other day and was encouraged again by the quote on the back. It reads:

"The most important person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral - a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body.

"The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God's creative miracle to bring new saints to Heaven. Only a human mother can. Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creatures. God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation. . . What on God's good earth is more glorious than this: to be a mother?"

-Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty

Somedays I just need to hear that I am doing something really worthwhile, even when it doesn't feel like it. I'm glad I found that little card.

Parenting

Lately I have been feeling out of sorts as a parent. I was snapping at my kids, yelling, and generally just feeling frustrated with everything. After some soul searching, I realized that there was a disconnect among the parent I wanted to be, the parent my children need, and the parent other people think I should be.

There are so many great ideas out there on how to be a "good" parent and it is easy for me to try to integrate all of them into my life, despite what my children actually need or what really works for my family. Plus, the things that come naturally to me as a person aren't necessarily what my children need from me. I've had to work on focusing on their needs and stepping out of my comfort zone. I've also had to give up on some things that just weren't working for us, despite how wonderful they sounded in a book or on a blog.

But I still feel like I could be doing so much better. I would love to be a calm, super-confident mother who never yells and whose children always do as she asks. But I guess that's not realistic, and when I think it should be is when I get into trouble. Still, there is so much room for improvement. For now, I am planning on doing my best to see the positives in my children and the way that I mother them. I am hoping to be patient with myself, but also hold myself to certain standards in my interactions with my children. Because I think they deserve a mom who is patient and kind and loving, and does her very best to teach them about this great big world and their place in it. Because they really are wonderful little people. And I'm a "good" mama.

"New" Van

Tomorrow we will be getting our new-to-us van. We didn't really plan on getting another vehicle this soon, but my mother-in-law's friend was selling a van and we couldn't pass up the deal she was willing to give us. So, as of tomorrow, we will be proud mini-van owners. The boys are excited to have a van of our own (they love riding in Grammy's), and I must admit that I am looking forward to having more space. We need to have a few things done to the van, so I think we will spend a good chunk of the day tomorrow driving around town getting that stuff done before Tyson has to start his new job on Tuesday. Yep, I'm going to be that mom. You know, the sexy one shuttling her kids around in a van.

First Snow

Today it snowed, just a little bit, for the first time this season. They boys were excited, but none of it really stuck around. Coleson even said "snow" and "snowman" for the first time today, too. Hopefully we will get some real snowfall soon. They boys are so excited to play in it, and I love how beautiful it makes everything look. Although, I would like to get a bit more winter preparation done on the yard and flower beds first. But I hope to get that done tomorrow, so then the snow can come whenever it wants!

This afternoon we also had a visit from our friends Kyle and Ellen, with their sweet baby Linnea. It was fun to see them, and we are actually meeting them this evening (minus children) for drinks and a casual celebration of Kyle's birthday. Speaking of which, I need to get going because my in-laws will be here soon and I should be a little more ready than I am!

Lunch Date

Today I took Landon out for a lunch date. His behavior hasn't been great lately, and I realized that I hadn't been spending much time alone with him. So today we made a lunch date. I took him to Red Robin, where he got to have pop with lunch and they gave him a balloon. After lunch, we went to Toys-R-Us at his request, where he played with the train table for as long as he wanted and then wandered around the store for a while. I didn't hurry him along and let him really enjoy being there. Then we ran a few other errands while I told him made-up train stories every single time he asked for them (which is really hard, by the way - my imagination isn't up to par!). I think it was pretty successful. It reminded me what a sweet boy he is and how much I enjoy the little person he is becoming.

Five Things

I'm not feeling very positive this evening, and I'm not sure why. So I decided to do a "five great things about today" post to get my thoughts going in the right direction again.

1. I got to take a long, very hot shower this morning. I even shaved my legs.

2. I was able to go to Mindful Mamas and be surrounded by my friends for a while. Sometimes that is exactly what I need.

3. Coleson went down easy for his nap and Landon spent that time over at his grandma's house.

4. I got to make a fantastic dinner while Tyson took the boys out for a while.

5. I got a lot of knitting done today, and more planned for this evening.

Ok, so lots of good things did happen today. I was just having a hard time seeing it.

Now, on to the knitting . . .

New Job

Tyson has the next five days off from work, and on Tuesday he starts a new job here! He is excited about it, and I am excited about him having a new challenge. The only problems are that he will no longer be working from home two days a week, and he will go back to working 8 to 5 instead of 7 to 4. But it was time for a change, and we are both looking forward to it. I know a few of you readers out there either work there or have a spouse that works there, so say hi to Tyson on Tuesday!

"I Baby"

Coleson frequently reminds us that he is still our baby. Sometimes he adds that he is big, but still insists on being called a baby. Mostly, he uses it to call dibs on sitting on my lap. "Nee?" he will ask, his word for nursing. "Nee, mama, nee. I baby!" Today, though, he was a bit out of sorts and being very whiny (I think he is still feeling a bit off from being sick last week). Every question I asked him was responded to with, "I baby."

Me: "Coleson, are you tired?"

Him: "No, I baby."

Me: "Coleson, are you hungry?"

Him: "No, I baby."

Me: "Are you sick?"

Him: "No, I baby."

I think that was the only straight answer I got out of him all day. I can't tell if it's his way of telling me he needs to be babied, or if he is just taking me way too literally. Either way, it's pretty cute!

Finished!

I finally finished Coleson's Christmas stocking!

I started it in September 2009, and it has been haunting me ever since. Last year at Christmas time I had it about halfway done. On Christmas Eve I finally gave up on trying to finish it, pinned the back on it, and hung it by the fireplace for Santa. This year I vowed it would be done with plenty of time to spare, and I did it! Landon has a stocking that is from a similar kit. They are, by far, not my favorite crafting project but they do turn out nice. They are just a bit tedious. I am really pleased with how it turned out, and very relieved to be done. *happy dance*

The Really Late Halloween Post

I never did the necessary Halloween post, so bear with me while I do it over a week after the fact. My boys both had a few costume options to choose from, thanks to their mama and their grandmothers.

Coleson chose to be a chicken, but he hated wearing the cute little hat that went with his costume. He was adorable anyway.

Landon chose to be Iron Man. He slept in his costume for about three nights leading up to Halloween. It ended up being the perfect choice because it was easy to dress him warm under it and sleek enough that he could run around easily while trick-or-treating.

I tried getting a really cute picture of them together in their costumes, and this was the best I could do. Yes, that is a wad of chocolate in Coleson's mouth. I don't think Landon was pleased that I was holding him back from running ahead with his friends.

They got a decent amount of candy, but not too much. They traded the bulk of it for toys from the Candy Fairy, and seem to have forgotten about the few pieces I let them keep. Coleson keeps asking, "Tee-Teet 'gain?" so I think he liked the whole experience. Overall it was a very successful Halloween.

Date Night

Even though we had to cancel our overnight get-away this weekend, Landon still wanted to spend the night with my mom. So we sent him off with her this afternoon. Then for dinner we made plans to drop Coleson off with Tyson's parents, and we were able to go have hamburgers and beer at a local pub while we watched some football and actually finished conversations with each other. It was really nice. After picking up Coleson we rented a movie and came home thinking we would put him straight to bed and have a nice quiet evening.

Well, that was about two hours ago and Coleson just fell asleep. So much for a quick bedtime and long evening together. Good thing I'm not opposed to being up until midnight watching a movie. After all, there will be drinks made and Tyson even offered me a foot massage. Date night resumes!

Budding Photographer

Landon is really interested in taking pictures lately. So much so that we are thinking of getting him his own camera. If I leave my camera laying around he is sure to snap a few shots with it. Usually they are blurry or close-ups of the furniture, but every once in a while he gets a good one. And it's always interesting to see things from his perspective. Especially when you realize all the shots are taken at hip-height, and you never realized that was really what that segment of your body looks like. And then you vow to go running more. Ahem. Anyway, here are a few of his more recent photos.

Coleson playing before bed.

A slightly blurry family portrait. The only one where my head wasn't cut off.

And, of course, the requisite hold-it-out-and-take-your-own-picture picture.

Sicky

All of a sudden, Coleson is sick. He's had a runny nose for a few days, but he's also been teething pretty hard-core (four incisors at once). Then this afternoon he woke up from his nap with a fever and a nasty cough. Poor baby. He spent all afternoon napping in my lap. He rallied a bit to eat dinner and play a little, but I know he will pretty much pass out again any second. I think tonight may be a rough one.

I hate it when my babies are sick, but this time it has another downside. Tyson and I had been planning a night away from the kids at the Davenport Hotel this weekend, and now we are going to cancel it. Luckily, we are going to reschedule for another night in a couple weeks but we were both really looking forward to it. Oh, well. Landon is still going to spend Saturday night with my mom, so maybe we will have a few drinks and have a nice night in.

Coleson is asking to nurse, again. Hopefully he falls asleep fast and gets some good rest. Poor baby.

Not the Greatest

Today wasn't the best. And I knew it would be a long one from pretty much the second I woke up. Landon and Coleson woke up about the same time and were being so cute giggling and being silly together. I was laying there thinking that I just wanted them to be quiet. Not a good start. That was pretty much my attitude all day. Although, I will say it turned around a bit right before Tyson got home. I finally got both the kids outside and playing in the leaves and then it was nice. Thank goodness tomorrow is another day. Hopefully my attitude will improve because I think my kids might like to have a nice mommy for a day.

Sunshine

Oh, sunshine, how we needed to see you today. I was in a funky mood yesterday, and seeing the sun come out today made it all just disappear. Landon went to school this morning and Coleson and I spent almost the whole two and a half hours he was gone enjoying the autumn sun. I went for a long run/walk (partly to take our ballots to the library drop box) and then Coleson played with his outdoor toys for quite a while. We spent some more time outside after Coleson's nap, and Tyson even joined us at the park before dinner. Lovely. Just lovely.

NaBloPoMo

So, Ivory's blog reminded me that it is once again time for NaBloPoMo. I have done it before, and actually blogged almost every day for a month. Since I would like to get back in the habit of blogging (was I every really in the habit, though?) I guess I will give it a shot again this year.

Oh, and how the heck did it get to be November already?

Our Very Own Candy Fairy

I read this yesterday and was inspired! We are totally having our very own candy fairy come visit after Halloween. She is going to leave the boys small gifts in exchange for the bulk of their Halloween candy. They will, of course, be allowed to eat some candy during and after trick-or-treating. But after a visit from the candy fairy I won't have to fight with them on an hourly basis over whether or not they get to eat the rest of the candy. Brilliant!

The Orchard

Recently, with Landon's preschool class, we went to a local orchard for some apple picking, pumpkin selecting, and a tour of the orchard. We had a really good time, and ended up spending most of the day there.

The boys each got to pick an apple. I got one too, and they were so good! We learned how to pick them properly so that we don't negatively impact the crop for next year.

Coleson showing me his apple. He was pretty excited to hanging out with all the "big" kids in Landon's class.

They also each got to pick out a pumpkin. I loved that the pumpkins were all little enough for them to carry out of the field. They currently reside on our dining room table, and are frequently colored with markers. You know, to decorate them for Halloween.

Landon grabbed one right away, but Coleson took his time choosing one that was just right. It actually says quite a bit about their personalities.

Landon ate all of his apple, and helped carry his pumpkin to the car. After we left, he held the pumpkin in his lap the whole way home (about 45 minutes) and talked to it. A few times I asked him if he was asking me something, to which he would reply in all seriousness, "No, mom, I'm talking to my pumpkin."

Before we left we had to play in the pea pit. It's like a huge sandbox, but filled with dried peas. My boys were in heaven because they had all kinds of digging trucks and stuff like that. I think they played for almost an hour before I finally convinced them to get out and go home.

We definitely have to go back again soon and get some more apples. I'm just hoping they still have some. I have yet to make my yearly applesauce. Considering that Landon ate four bowls of my mom's batch at her house yesterday, I think I'd better get right on that!

this month

This month we have . . .

. . . spent a long weekend at the lake.

. . . had Tyson home on vacation for a week.

. . . sent Landon to his first day of preschool.

. . . gone to the fair.

. . . picked up milk at the local dairy.

. . . played trains. A lot.

. . . preserved fruits and veggies for winter.

. . . put up bunk beds for the boys.

. . . gone swimming for the last time this summer.

. . . started planning for the holidays.

. . . said goodbye to summer and hello to autumn.

(I keep hoping to make it into this space more often to post, but it hasn't happened yet. Maybe with the cooler weather keeping us inside more?)

today

Today we are . . .

. . . running errands.

. . . starting new knitting projects.

. . . sitting on the patio.

. . . having leftovers for dinner.

. . . going to play with friends.

. . . picking flowers, daisies to be exact.

. . . wearing a white sundress, fully expecting it to be dirty at the end of the day.

. . . loving summer weekends.

summer

It's been so long since I posted. The last post says the beginning of April. Where did that time go? I suppose we have been busy with summer stuff, but I don't feel overly busy. Ah, well. We celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary, took a trip to Olympia and Seattle, went berry picking, worked in the garden, worked a lot in the yard, rode bikes, took walks, played at the park, and many other fun things over the past three months. And now I am hoping to get back into this space to post more often.

Let's start with this.

Outside my window... sunny and 80 degrees. Perfect for summer.

I am thinking... that I don't know how I want to spend Coleson's nap time with Landon gone too. So many choices.

I am thankful for... my sweet boys, even though they drive me crazy sometimes.

From the kitchen... wondering what to grill tonight and if we should have it with salad from the garden or greens from the garden.

I am wearing... denim shorts, a new girly blouse (with polka dots even!) and a white tank top.

I am creating... a lovely Christmas present for a family member.

I am going... to have to run to the store when Coleson gets up from his nap.

I am reading... The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson.

I am hoping... that we can have a relaxed afternoon.

I am hearing... Coleson's even breathing over the baby monitor.

Around the house... still trying to get things in order from our trip last week.

One of my favorite things... preparing good, healthy food for my family.

A few plans for the rest of the week: a trip up to my mom's, friends in town for the weekend, and a tie-dye party!

Welcome Sweet Baby Girl!

My wonderful friend just had her third little girl. Welcome to the world, baby Rebecca! We are so excited to get to meet her. She is the newest baby in my sweet group of mama-friends, and I know she will be welcomed with open and loving arms. Congratulations, Ivory and family!

Sweaters!

I have been knitting, and crocheting too, a lot over the last year or so, and not really posting any of my finished projects. I have been working on many things (socks, shawls, hats, baby things for friends, toys, mittens, etc.) but I got on a bit of a sweater kick, and knit about four of them. All for me. One was done at the end of last winter, but in the past two months I have completed the other three. So I finally decided to take some pictures and get them put up!

This is my February Lady Sweater, that I actually finished at the end of February last year. I made it as a knit-along at my local yarn shop. I really like how it turned out, but I wish I would have made the sleeves a bit longer. The sweater is actually a nice green color - these pictures don't really do it justice.

This is a more up-close shot of the lace stitches.

This is the sweater I finished this week, the Heather Hoodie Vest. I think it is one of my very favorite finished products ever. It knit up really quickly and it looks great. The first picture is the more accurate color.

Here is a more detailed shot of the great cable panel.

This next sweater, Sedum, didn't turn out quite how I wanted but I really like it anyway. The yarn I used has been pilling too much for my taste, and makes the sweater look more worn than it is. The picture isn't great, either (me and my sideways stuff), but it is a nice, everyday sweater. Hannah is the one who inspired me to make one, and hers is way more gorgeous than mine but that's ok. I will just continue to envy hers even while wearing mine.

This last sweater, the Tangled Yoke Cardigan, is probably the most time-consuming thing I have ever knit but I learned so much in the process. If I was doing it over again (which I won't) I would have made the next size up, as this is very fitted on me. I get a ton of compliments on it, and I know it will last forever, and I am so pleased with the way it turned out.

The cable panel intimidated the pants off me, but it all turned out nicely in the end. That is, despite a desperate phone call on a Saturday morning to a knitting guru friend about my cables being off a stitch for half a row three rows back and how to fix them.


So, there are all my sweaters from the last year or so. I am quite proud of myself, considering I learned to knit three years ago solely to make baby hats and wool soakers.

baby chicks

Tyson and I decided to get ourselves some chickens this year and raise them for the eggs. So, last week the boys and I ventured out to Big R and bought ourselves some baby chicks.

We will have four and we are raising two for my mom and step-dad until they get big enough to go live at their place. We got a Rhode Island Red, a Black Australorp, a Barred Rock, and a Silver Laced Wyandotte. They are growing like crazy and Tyson is planning to build us a coop for them soon. They are currently living in a large cardboard box in our garage until feathers replace their soft down, but then they will be moved out to the back of our yard near the garden.

The boys are so excited about them. Coleson loves to watch them and pet them gently with a finger. Landon is big enough to hold them himself (after I place them in his cupped hands), and proudly shows them off to his friends.

This will be a fun adventure, and I am beyond excited about having our own eggs. Nothing beats eggs fresh from chickens that are well tended. Yum!

Theo turns ONE!

Over the past couple days we celebrated the birthday of "Baby Cousin" Theo, my brother's little boy. Hasn't he grown into a cutie?

We hosted a rather large party at our house for him on Sunday and then spent the day with their family yesterday. They are in town visiting from San Diego and we are planning on seeing them one more time before they head back home. The boys have had a blast playing together, and we hope someday they will move back to Spokane so the boys can really get to know each other.

Happy First Birthday, Theo!

Happy Birthday to me

Today I turned 29 years old. It was a lovely weekend-long celebration, orchestrated largely by my sweet husband. Events kicked off with lunch with my mom and step-dad on Friday, followed by a surprise massage appointment in the afternoon. Yesterday I had a manicure and pedicure (also a surprise) followed by two hours of child-free knitting time at the yarn store. Today I got to sleep in, then my fabulous friends took me out for breakfast (along with another friend - it's her birthday tomorrow!) . Tonight brought a family party at my in-laws house, complete with some of my favorite foods, delicious Red Velvet cake, and "Happy Birthday" being sung by everyone but most loudly by Landon in his sweet little voice. I love birthdays, and I think that this one ranks right up there in my favorites of all time. I just felt so thought-about and cared-for all weekend. It sure is nice to feel so special.

Valentine's Day

We had a nice Valentine's Day weekend. Chocolate, flowers, sweet cards, good food, and a little bit of furniture rearranging. I got to sleep in twice and Tyson got to stay home from work for President's Day. Nice, nice. Hope yours was full of love too!

Under Construction

We've been remodeling our front bathroom for the past few weeks, and it's an amazing process. My step-dad has been here almost every day working so hard on it. We are so blessed that he is willing to do the work for us, and do such a nice job. Walls came down, floors were torn up, cabinets were removed, and then it was all put back together. Now it is almost finished except for a few finishing touches and some tile work on the backsplash, and it looks amazing! I don't have any pictures of the finished product yet, though. It's a bit addictive, however, and we are now thinking about what else in the house needs a bit of work.

The boys have also really enjoyed the process. Mostly, they love seeing Papa Dan everyday and helping him with his fun tools. Landon, especially, has had so much fun helping and learning.

Tearing out the walls.

Learning how to use tools.

This was one day when everything was completely torn up. It all went uphill from here.

The boys watching Papa work.

I'm so excited to have a really nice bathroom. Now, if we can just get him to do the master bathroom too . . .

firefighters

Landon has been so creative lately in his play. I love watching his imagination come alive. He takes many of my household items and turns them into what he wants them to be. I mentioned the other day how he uses my salad spinner as headgear. Shortly after that, he pulled out my air popper for popcorn and one of my belts and asked me to strap his "fire extinguisher" to his back. Of course, the cord

made a perfect hose for spraying. So, he was running around for hours with a salad spinner on his head and a popcorn popper on his back playing fire fighter. He even got his friend in on the whole thing:

Some days I wonder why we keep any toys in the house at all.

Then again, his toy fire trucks have gotten a lot of action lately. This kid is all about responding to emergencies. If Coleson cries, Landon comes running, usually yelling about emergencies and how the ambulance is on the way. Coleson has started running along behind him pushing his favorite truck, too. They are too cute together! I can't wait to see the games they will play when Coleson is just a bit older.

February

I am glad it is February. The month of Valentine's Day and my birthday. There are fun things being planned for this month and I am so looking forward to them.

I have some great pictures to share tomorrow (ok, maybe in a few days, we all know how I am) of Landon and his newest game involving kitchen gadgets. He cracks me up everyday, that one. Also, frustrates me to no end but that is a whole other topic.

Speaking of Landon, I just heard a huge thud but no crying. I went into his room, found him laying on the floor still asleep, put him back in bed and left. It's the second time he has completely slept through falling out of bed. How does one do that?

To bed with me, I just had to share a bit of randomness.

weekend adventures

We are off to the water park today! We went last year for Tyson's birthday and had so much fun we decided to make it an annual winter event. What's more fun than swimming suits and water slides in the middle of winter? Plus, the price is really reasonable. I think we will stop in Coeur d'Alene for a while to hit a few stores there and then head to the water park for some bowling, mini golf, arcade play, and of course some water slides. Happy weekending!

imagination

Today I spent about two hours listening to and watching Landon play while Coleson napped. I love to watch his imagination come out in his play. He uses different voices for the various characters, comes up with dialogue, and often quotes movies, TV shows, and me with amazing accuracy. When he is so deeply engrossed in his play I try not to disturb him. Which is largely why my morning errands did not get run and he got to stay in his pajamas until almost noon. I just love what he comes up with and chooses to do with his toys. And my household items, for that matter. Today his favorite props were the pieces of my salad spinner, which served mostly as a race car driver helmet, but also as a fireman's air mask and a bike helmet. We even took it with us when we did finally go run errands and visit with friends. I feel like watching him play this deeply gives me a bit of insight into the way his brain works and the things he finds important. And, it makes me realize that I really need to be super-aware of what I say around him.

Happy Birthday, Coleson!

A year ago today we welcomed our sweet Coleson into the world, and he has blessed us every day since then. He is such a happy little person and so full of joy. Over the last year he has grown so much, and learned so many new things. It's amazing to look at the transformation.

(Coleson, about 10 hours old.)

(Coleson at his birthday party.)

He has gone from a sweet, sleeping baby to a walking, almost-talking toddler. He loves his older brother and gives him a hug every morning as soon as he sees him. He smiles at EVERYONE and people comment all the time on what a happy boy he is. He is mellow and loving and we are so thankful he came to be part of our family.

We didn't do anything really special today, just loved on him a bit more than usual and gave him a cookie after dinner while we sang "Happy Birthday." But over the weekend we threw a birthday party for our families to attend, and we have another small, casual party planned with some friends tomorrow. At his party on Saturday, Coleson was way more into working the crowd and smiling at everyone than opening gifts, but he did have fun playing with some of the wrapping.

He actually slept through a little more than half the party (that's what we get for scheduling it during nap time) but he woke up in a great mood, ready to play.

Here's to another great year to come. Happy 1st Birthday, Coleson!

New Year

So glad to have the holidays behind us. We are settling back in to a routine and I am thankful. In the new year I want to exercise more and keep from getting overwhelmed with keeping house. Nothing big.