spring

The beauty of weather that is downright heavenly.
This week, especially, has been such that I want to capture it in a bottle.
I'd like to open that bottle in July or August.
For now ... I'll enjoy the fact that I don't need to water flowers twice a day!

 

Then there is the other part of spring.
The headlong rush that is bringing us into summer.
Very. Quickly.
The patio is stacked with projects to refinish and redo.
Projects to piece together ... change the color ... add some color.
Make it into something someone will love.
And I want it all done before I have to wipe dripping sweat from my forehead every 10 minutes.
All I really need is about 4 good long days and I'll have a handle on it.
Hubby got hijacked into working with me last Friday.
He really is a team player.
He's the one who said, "let's go to Home Depot" when I suggested going to pick up pallets.
He had a new power tool delivered here on Thursday for me.
Then he proceeded to join my team.
Gotta love the man!
We took 2 of these chairs out of the pile and made it into what is going to be the cutest bench!
Just needs some finishing in the way of sanding, paint and fabric.
Wait until you see it!
I'm hoping it is as adorable in real life as it is in my mind's eye.

 

The door below was a find one day when Tia and I went junk pickin'.

People ask me where I get my ideas.

It use to be magazine pages torn out and hoarded with ideas of things I loved.

Now it is Pinterest. Even the links on Facebook bring me to drooling sometimes.

It is an idea that gives birth to another idea.

The idea snowball gets running and it ends with a patio full of furniture waiting for rebirth.

Furniture rebirth will need to wait.
I think I only have 4 available days in April to spend woodworking.
I guess that is all I asked for somewhere up a paragraph or two.

We are camping this weekend.
Our annual April camping trip is only several nites away.
We are trying out a new place this time and the weather is beautiful!!
Sweatshirts and shoes need to be packed ... and we aren't even heading to the mountains!
Can you say fresh air, camp fires, little boys, crochet hook and fabric strips?

Happy last day of March!

the age of ultrasound and pinterest

I knew the sex of each of my children before they were born.
One time they were wrong, but that doesn't count for much.
He was still welcome even if he was going to be a she.

Those days were long before Pinterest and the boatload of ideas for "baby reveal" photos.
I really can't call the baby by its chosen name until it is born.
Not only because, in our world of many babies, someone else might really like the name and use it first.
Maybe it is a superstitious thing.
I don't know.

My ultrasounds were long before Facebook, Instagram and Twitter were even thought of.
Not that I know how to use Twitter and don't really use Instagram either.
Like, really, how many social media outlets does a person need in their life?!

Way back when, I don't remember if I shared the sex of my baby before it was born.
I don't have a clue if I kept it a secret.
I just know that had Pinterest and all of its ideas been around back then ....
I'd probably have been doing what we did on Sunday.

Anna had her ultrasound on Tuesday of last week and passed the envelope, unopened (she seriously has more of something in her than I do) to her sister in law.
The dear sister in law took and ran with it.

This was the result.
Somewhere under this delectable sugary frosting substance lies the answer.
Will this be a brother or a sister?
Another son or a reason to shop for pink and lace?

Isn't anticipation a delightful thing?
Maybe not for Wyatt. He had no clue and was woken from a nap to share in this special cake.

And .... the color is ...

blue for boy!

 

After that slice she was told to try and cut the other side of the cake.
I don't know what happened to my camera's focusing ability here, but the other side yielded pink!
No, there aren't twins cooking ... just suspense building.
So we had cake!
Really yummy cake.

After which, came the rest of the deal.
Wyatt "held" the sign that we could all see, but his parents could not.
Gosh, but I love that part!!

And like clouds opening up overhead ... it rained blue on the family who is going to be blessed with another little boy.

I'm so excited for them.
Either way, we would all be excited.
My boys were 6 years apart and really didn't have much in common until they became adults.
These two little boys are going to be run circles around their parents!
I can't wait to watch!!

last weekend

It was a busy week this past week .. it was.
Monday/Tuesday are my longer days at work. Normal stuff.
I love shoving all the work into the front part of the week.
Makes the downhill slide wonderful heading into a weekend.

I actually only worked those two days last week. Then it was on to vacation.
Spring break week for the doctor we work with ... means spring break week for me as well.

Which leads me to the rest of the week.

Alyx & Sebastian spent the night Tuesday night.
Alyx, Tarron & Jari were heading to Missouri Wednesday morning for four days.
Being as I was home and not working, I got the first round of babysitting.
I don't know what we did, but it is really easy to work (power tool kind of stuff) with this specific 2 year old around. And that we did!
We went to Bible Class in the evening and served up coffee.
I don't think he saw a church pew. He was a bit busy investigating and running around with his cousin.

To be honest, this is the first time I've had a grandkiddo spend the night!
Downright shameful.
It went extremely well. He snuggled with me all night and we slept like logs.

Thursday Wyatt joined us for a while.
Oh my goodness can those boys set the world ablaze!
There isn't any crafting business going on when the two are in the house.

They dump cupboards and play hide and seek in the empty cabinets.
They tussle over toys. They tag team other things.
They act like they're 6 months apart and quickly approaching their second birthdays.

 

 

Both boys think they're big kids now.
And they sorta are.
They are growing up way too fast.

Big enough to sit at the table and eat, but maybe let's just keep the blankie. Just in case.

Still not fully awake and ready to have at it again.
Let's get back into full motion slowly following that delicious nap!

I really do love the month of March.
My camera finds hands to hold it again.
Files of photos show up on my computer again.
Love March.

Anna took the boys home with her on Thursday and I started playing woodworking nana.
Saws and sanders probably keeping the neighbors awake.
Now I look around and wonder why it took so long to accomplish a few things.
Why on earth does it always take longer to get things done than one anticipates?!
Friday was more of the same. A lot more of the same.
Trips to Ace Hardware for spray paint that was on sale.
Another trip there for a new blade for the sawsall .. I finally learned to take pallets apart the easy way.
Paint got splashed around, stain was applied, some projects completed and others halfway.
I even managed to shred the 2015 paper piles that needed shredding.
Tax day is looming and I wonder if I'll make it.
I'd much rather be creating something than working on books.
Maybe it will be another extension again this year.

Saturday Sebastian came back to me again.
I think he was ready to see his parents again and be back at home.
He did awesome being away from them for his first time and I'll gladly take him again.
The look on his face when mom and dad were picked up at the airport ... priceless.
Pure happiness.
Nonstop smile.
Nana may be good, but there ain't nothin' like mom and dad.

We are camping several two weeks from now with these charmers .. and their parents.
There are limits to what I'll do without parents at this stage of the game!
It will be fun to follow them around with a camera.

Let's hope I can capture some fun things.

And if time is friendly and allows ... I'll be back to show you a few crafty things end of the week.

Happy Monday!

it has taken 18 months

but he finally lets me take a picture of him.
I really wondered if I was nuts for buying all these little cars.
Nope.
He was busy and I got some shots.
Well worth that ten bucks.

 

There is no title I'd rather have than Nana.
I am going to speak for the Papa that lives with me.
I think he really likes his label too.
It comes with the sweetest of companions.
It comes with the sweetest of hugs and kisses.
It comes with the most beautiful smiles and nonsensical ramblings of speech.
It comes with pure love and joy.

Makes me want to just drive over and squish him up a little bit more.

pizza nite

I'm thinking this is becoming an annual fundraiser.

The price to attend went up this year and the number of attendees did as well.

If they went home anywhere close to as stuffed as I did ...

I'd sign up next year too!

Nathan made his pizza oven.

I've added one to my wish list. Right behind sliding barn doors.

The fire was burning when we arrived to work.

Pizza dough for over 100 pizzas was bagged and waiting to be worked.

I know Mandy (the hostess) had been a bit stressed out.

Uhm. I wonder why?!!

The tables were decorated ...

Order sheets for the pizza of each individuals liking waited to be filled out to order.

And the boys got put to work.

Dough duty was happening outside while vegie chopping, and all that good stuff, was

going on in the kitchen.

No photos there. My hands were occupied with knives.

Nathan ... the pizza master.

I think this is a good indicator of what happens in this home and on this patio!

They're a lucky family.

The guests arrived.

They visited.

They ate. And they ate. And they ate.

While the men worked to serve up some mighty fine fare.

Gotta love even the order slips that float down the line!

 

Not only did I have to try multiple kinds of pizza, artichoke dip and yummy salad.

Then I had to sample desserts, following singing around bonfires.

One. After. Another.

Desserts that is.

If they'll welcome me on the committee putting this on again next year ... I'm in!

So much fun to do and, to be honest, I think I've spent today still in a food coma.

finding smiles

it has been delightful!

If I'm absent for a while, it usually means that I'm a wee bit busy spinning circles.

In the past several weeks, we finished getting everything ready for the craft sale.
He might pretend to grumble once in a while, but he really is the biggest help ever that hubby of mine. It is amazing how fast you can go from an empty tent to a full one with a few willing hands.

It really was a lot of fun. Lots of visiting to do with shoppers coming in and goods flying out the door.

At times, tho', I have to say that I felt my age. I'm not 20, 30 or even 40 anymore!

A financial success and an excuse to keep on being creative. 

And ... I'm on to crafting for the next one!

We also had an opportunity to meet our newest little love who turned 2 months old while he was visiting. 

Don't you just love that little belly of his?

Hair that loves to stand up when freshly bathed. A little man that just tells stories and chats up a storm! I know that my children will have to do what is best for their lives and families, just as we did. But ... I would love to have him closer to us so I can watch this little charmer grow.

Check out those eyelashes!

Now go take a peak at your own in the mirror. Do they reach nearly to the curve of your nose?

Such a good little munchkin.

I was so worried that he would catch the flu while they were here. The big bad ugly flu has made itself know around these parts and is running rampant. Anna, Wylon & Wyatt all tested positive for influenza A. Yuck. The problem was that this new little guy was getting loved up left and right.

They made it back to NoDak without sickness, safe and sound.

Very thankful.