Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Halloween 2017

Halloween definitely ranks very high in the hearts of my children. All year they make lists of what they want to be for the holiday. Boy Howdy finally landed on Blood Monster. He even drew me a picture of him trick or treating in his costume.
I had no idea how I was going to recreate his vision. It honestly kind of stressed me out. Eventually I asked and he agreed to let me make his costume like his ghost from last year. I made it for him, thinking I would alter it to better fit his idea. Nope. No more fuss. He liked it the way it was, but decided he would be a blood bat instead. Not quite sure what a blood bat is but as long as my boy is happy I am happy. Win-win.

Cheeks eventually settled on cotton candy. I found some inspiration on Pinterest. It mostly made it through the trunk or treat at church. She even won a medal (for her pink puffy mystery costume - they were unsure if she was a loofah or a cloud). She wore the medal proudly for the next several days. Sadly I didn't take a picture of her in it because it didn't really make it past that evening. The fluff kept falling off the shirt and I had to diligently follow her around the church with a can of spray glue to put her back together. By Tuesday she had reconsidered her cotton candy costume and decided instead on being a butterfly. I tried getting her to put on some makeup to add credence to her costume but she was against anything of the sort. So my children may look as though their mother doesn't care about them at all; but I promise I really did try.

Monday, October 30, 2017

Pumpkin Carving - 2017

Every year the kids get more involved in pumpkin carving. Boy Howdy actually cleaned out his pumpkin very well. And Matthew interpreted his vision to extreme satisfaction (his is on the right). Cheeks, while excited for the overall activity, was not very interested in the particulars apart from taking the seeds outside and burying them in the yard. She didn't even care to have a say in what face he had. Matthew was left to use his own judgement (hers is on the right). Mine (in the middle) was carved using a drill. My absolute new favorite way to carve a pumpkin. Such nice neat circles and made so fast too. 

Matthew decided to put some undies on his "bumpkin" and call it good. Another successful pumpkin carving family home evening.

Sunday, October 29, 2017

Cheeks has an Owie

Poor Cheeks has been suffering from a cold sore for the last week or so. It hasn't really healed because . . . well, she is a small child. Last night it started bleeding and she asked to have a bandaid put on it. I couldn't help but giggle at her mustache. She was adamant that it is NOT a mustache but I can't look at her and not laugh. I just can't take her seriously. She tried to take it off this morning so as not to draw laughter from people at church but the pain in taking it off was more of a deterrent than having people ask after her mustache. Oh how I love this little chica.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Boy Howdy Loses a Tooth

Boy Howdy lost his first tooth at school today. They were so prepared. They sent him to the office to get his protective tooth necklace to make sure it made it home safely.

A few days ago when it first became loose the kids told me all about the tooth fairy and how she brings money to children who lose their teeth. I'm pretty sure I have never told my babes about the tooth fairy and yet somehow they became educated on her exploits all the same. That's fine. Whatever. When I asked how much money she paid for teeth, Boy Howdy put up both hands and proudly answered, "Ten!"
"Ten whole cents?" I asked incredulously.
"Yes!!"

I was amazed at his excessively low expectations. Wahoo!!

On the day the tooth in the necklace came home, Boy Howdy had started to express his doubt in the reality of the tooth fairy. Was she real or just a fairy tale? He even expressed his concern in his prayer that night. I was touched at his sincerity. Though I couldn't decide if I was impressed with his reasoning skills or the lack of magic I have provided my boy.

Without mentioning the tooth fairy (because I just couldn't bring myself to do it, I have similar issues with Santa and the Easter Bunny) I left him 10 dimes (get it?!?) certain he would be so excited that his expectations were most definitely exeeded. He wasn't initially very interested the next morning (being sleepy will do that for you) but once awake he was over the moon with his good fortune. Ten whole dimes. In addition to the money he received for his jogathon, he was pretty sure he was now a rich boy. His enthusiasm for school has finally started to wane, but this excitement had him running to the bus stop to share with anyone who would listen.

My babies are getting older. In some ways it is sad, but I'm pretty in love with this stage too!

Saturday, October 21, 2017

10 More Miles

After my first 10 miles, I said, never, no never again, will I try doing that again. But then after a month I thought, huh, maybe it would be good to run annually. I made the mistake of telling this to my running partners, one of whom, I'm pretty sure would run 10 miles every Saturday morning, most likely at 6 am. With my acquiescence she won me over to run sooner than later. That sooner would be just 2 and a half months after our first jaunt. And you know what? I didn't die! Again! I still keep praying to enjoy running. Some days are better than others. And I'm pretty sure I will never find my happy place in the exercise, but I am happy to say that I haven't given up my progress I've made. Small joys.

Friday, October 20, 2017

Jogathon 2017

Boy Howdy, and by extension our whole family, had our first jogathon. The day started cold and super rainy but by the end of the day when they had the kindergartners running, the weather was mild and sunny. Perfect weather for small children to run laps. Boy Howdy had a great time, and Matthew and I had a wonderful time cheering for him! Boy Howdy especially enjoyed the money we paid him -  $0.25 for each of his 17 laps. Yay Jogathon!

Monday, October 16, 2017

Pumpkin Patch 2017





For family home evening tonight we went to the pumpkin patch. I think it was Matthew's first year in since 2013 to accompany us since we have always gone during the day. But with Boy Howdy in school, we had to adjust. Matthew's leg has been bothering him for a while now so I don't think he was super into the experience, but the children were so excited to be there and to find pumpkins almost as big as them. I was excited that it was such a gorgeous day to share this fun fall family moment. Despite his pain, Matthew was excited to find a pumpkin that looked mysteriously like a human tushie.

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Boy Howdy Loves School

It's been a month since Boy Howdy started Kindergarten. Oh happy day, he LOVES it. For the better part of the last two years I have fought him with getting out of his PJs or having him cling to me as I dropped him off telling me he didn't want to stay. It was a bad place, he told me. He didn't want to miss me. They weren't nice. They were weird. It was boring. These are the excuses I heard more often than not. I was so worried that after the initial excitement wore off from Kindergarten and riding the bus we would be back to the fighting that plagued us before.

Yet a month into it, knock on wood, he still gets excited to go every day. He's nicer to his sister when he gets off the bus in the afternoon, he isn't cranky, he doesn't even seem to mind me waking him up in the morning. I am supremely happily surprised. I feel so crazy lucky that so far so good. I am almost worried I am living in a dream that will come crashing down very soon. But right now the biggest drama is not passing some level at school. I'm not even sure what it means or how to fix it, but it hasn't killed his spirit yet so we are still good.

Cheeks is also thriving in her second year of preschool. Last year she struggled with wanting to listen to her teachers. I have every indication that she acted at school much the way she acts at home. Very pleasant and happy until asked to stop playing or clean up. Then she can get feisty and blatantly disobedient. I'm not sure she had more than a small handful of great days last year. But this year, apart from one pretty bad day, she has been really good. It may have something to do with my incentive of earning a show if she can be a super duper good listener. Even still I am happy to see progress.

What's also amazing is her sudden interest in learning her letters and numbers. I thought for sure this girl was going to make it to Kindergarten only knowing A. But she knows more than she lets on and actually initiates pulling out our fabric letters and numbers to work on them. I am again, shocked and delighted.

Hallelujah!!! Here's hoping it lasts!

Friday, October 13, 2017

Family Pictures - 2017

My darling friend and I had a brilliant plan that we would exchange services in what could be the most brilliant bartering ever. I quilted a blanket for her and she took our family pictures. Awesome. Definitely mutually beneficial. Love it. Here's what I got out of the deal. Definitely the better end. 

This is a good family. I'm so glad I get to call them mine for all eternity!









Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Commissioned Quilt

I haven't been very good about posting my quilting projects, but I'm pretty proud of this one. What I love most about this piece is that a few months ago I happened to be looking at fabric and absolutely fell in love with this collection. I don't need any new quilts (especially when I have four quilts made almost entirely out of scraps) but I really wanted to use this material somehow.

So I posted it on Facebook asking if anyone wanted to commission a quilt. Matthew's aunt Tracy, wonderful woman she is, decided to patronize me once again (I already made her grandson a quilt). I'm so glad she did. Not only is she incredibly generous in her payment, but she makes me feel amazing in her lavish praise.

I will most likely never make a living sewing quilts for others, and I'm okay with that, but I am grateful when I can work and sew at the same time.