To my Baby Girl,

Happy birthday! I can't believe you are a year old. I love you so much.

She's got the look

Here are some of the looks Baby Girl gave us during lunch the other day. She is so funny; no words yet but she seems to be able to get her point across! I love that she can lift one eye brow (#5), but I think my favorite is #9!
What is your favorite? (Click on the picture to see it larger.)

Lent

I know I'm a bit late with this post seeing as we are already a few weeks in to the Lenten season, but I ran across this post and wanted to share it. It's written by a Baptist preacher, and it's about the practice of giving up something for Lent. As a Catholic I was curious to see if his review of the practice would be positive or negative, but I was truly touched to read his beautiful, simple explanation of the tradition. It captured my feeling perfectly, and I loved reading how this practice affects people of a different faith.
I have chosen to give up sweets for Lent, anything that doesn't provide more nutritional benefit than sugar. This means no cookies, syrup, sodas, ice cream, etc. (a few of the things I'm really missing at the moment!) I chose this because I love sweets, so it's really hard and it also give me the motivation to kick a bad habit. What have you given up, and why?

Marshmallow Ghosts?

We have been keeping a little bag of marshmallows in the bathroom to reward the kids for having dry pants (why I have to reward my four-year-old for not wetting her pants is a whole other topic for a whole other time), but tonight the kids came running in to my room to tell me that a ghost had eaten them all! I was shocked that our ghost would do such a thing, but the kids told me the whole story. They said that while they were cleaning their room the ghost had flown into the bathroom, taken the marshmallows, hidden behind the rocking chair (hmm, that's the same place the kids like to hide), and eaten them all. They had seen him and heard him, because he was very rude and Wooooed while he ate (you shouldn't Woooo with your mouth full, you know). They said that we should warn others that there is a marshmallow eating ghost that is going to come and eat there marshmallows too, so consider yourselves warned! I suggest that you all keep a close eye on your marshmallows. I, in the mean time, have to go and check the teeth of two very spirited children.

Re-purposed Purse

This is a cute little purse I made out of my four-year-old's jeans. I actually made it a while ago, but just got around to taking pictures.

I love re-purposing things I don't like into something "new", but I always feel a little guilty cutting up something that is perfectly good; something that someone else could use.
I decided that in order for me to re-purpose guilt free the item had to be:
A. ruined in someway (holes, stains, etc.),
B. save me a lot of money by transforming in to something that I need (like this skirt), or
C. be more useful to me re-purposed than it would be to someone else in it's original state.
Luckily this adorable pair of jeans had holes right above the front pockets, and the pretty pink lining peeking through was a pair of baby bloomers that was missing it's matching dress, so they were both fair game.

I absolutely love the embroidery on the back of these; little girls jeans are so cute!

This is the lining made from the bloomers. I sewed straight acrossed the bottom, sewed in the pocket (made from the bottom of the pant leg), and then hand stitched it arould the top.

I really like your picture.

What comes to mind when you see this picture?

Shame on you!
No, really that's what I thought too. So when we got home from our activity I had to ask my four year old about her lovely picture. Here is the conversation that followed:

Me: I love this picture you made; what is it?
4yo: It's an alien who is a noodyboody (our word for no clothes). He is silly; his arms are on his head!
Me (thinking Uh-Oh): Really?
4yo: Yea, his mommy is mad because he is going to school without his shirt on. you can see his bellybutton! (laughing, and pointing at the green circle scribble on the "tummy")
Me: Is that his bellybutton?
4yo: Yea, and that's a tongue (pointing to the green drawing on the right); I was showing Claire how to draw one.
Me (relieved!): Oh, that's a very good tongue. I really like your picture.
4yo: Thanks Momma.

So that's the story behind her lovely picture and the most lovely part is that she had no idea that it might look like anything other than an alien and a tongue.

Added Note: DH says he didn't see *cough* what I saw. Hmmm, maybe I've had weaning on my mind...

Painting

The kids and I were painting shamrocks (made from egg cartons) for our St. Patrick's Day Celebration, and I found a crafty little solution for holding their paints. Medicine organizers!

They happen to make wonderful little compartments for holding paints, and while I'm at it let me share that their paint smocks are Daddy's old white T-shirts put on backwards (so that it covers their collar. Yes, they get paint that high!).

Actually I didn't get any pictures of the shamrocks (maybe later), but these pics are of the kids painting some coloring pages after the shamrocks were done.

The age of One-der

One year olds are so much fun, and a hand full! From morning till night her entire day is spent exploring, every drawer, every shelf, every basket, and anything else she can get her little hands on. It is both amusing and frustrating to clean up around here. She will follow behind me and pull out everything I have put away, enjoying every minute of our "game".

A "new" skirt

Here are the pictures of the "new" skirt I made at the sewing workshop on Saturday. The workshop was called Going Green. (I love to re-purpose, so it's great to see that it's actually in-style now! :)
I thought I only had some jeans from DH, so I was going to make a bag (I just didn't think he would use a skirt), but at the last minute I found a new pair of jeans a friend had given me. I had put the jeans in the give-away box because they were uncomfortable to sit in (if you know what I mean), but they fit me perfect in the waist, so I nearly squealed with excitement when I found them! I knew they would make the perfect skirt! I have never sewn clothing for myself before, so this was kind of a treat.

The waist is kind of high, but I don't tuck my shirts in, so it doesn't really show. It's kind of nice too because I don't have to worry about it slipping down when I'm running after the kids :)

It just looks darling (if I do say so myself), and was a lot easier than I thought it would be! It took about three and a half hours from start to finish, and I was going really slow on the sewing part.

The end is not hemmed, so after a few washings it should fray nicely and look pretty cool. I think DH liked it more than a bag ;)

The Hair Cut

It took me a year, but I finally got up the nerve to cut Mr.s hair. I was so worried that I would butcher it that I had been taking him to the barber shop while the razor just sat in the closet.

But no more!

Yes, this poor child (with the bald spot on his temple) has just had a hair cut from Mommy.

Mom helped me over the phone, and the best part was that I didn't have to pretend to care when he started crying and fussing. (I always feel so bad for the barber when I have to present him with a cranky three year old.)

The other bald spot is behind his ear.

It turned out better than I expected considering I had to work with him squirming around the whole time, and that difficult cowlick (he got that from me :).

Cuties for the Cutie

I could just eat him up!

Smile for the camera

As you can see I once again have the ability to post pictures, so in honor of this wonderful new computer I figured I would post some smiley faces.

The little pizzas were very good and smiled to the last; even while being eaten by a bear, which is not easy.

Smiles all around. :)

Standing!!!

Baby Girl is finally standing and well on her way to walking! Not that I am in a hurry or anything; I'm not, but it is exciting to see her get up on those wobbly little legs. :D
It went like this:

Daddy supplied the ice cream.

She stands!

and falls.

Then repeat.

So Cute!