Table for 5

Celebrating My Dad Today

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Sun, 6 Mar 2016 20:36:00 -0800

Happy Birthday, Dad!

3/6/1944

My Mum and Dad today. They look good, right?

Today we celebrated my Dads birthday. I know some people really hate their age. Mostly because at some point we realize that we are no longer wishing to be older. We've accomplished all of the fun milestones and we feel content and happy with the 30 something age group. I'm not sure why, but the number of my age has never really bothered me. Maybe it's because I've never really looked my age, and now I take it as a health challenge to not "look" my age. Whatever that really means. At some point, people stop looking an age. They either start looking older or don't seem to age much.

So today, my Dad turned 72. I know this number should seem old but when I see my dad I don't see someone that fits that age description. He has shown me that age really is just a number and not one that should define you. I wish all of you could get to know him, but that might be a challenge. My dad is an introvert and takes a little time to get to know but once you do you would see what I see and how blessed I am to have him as my dad. He's not perfect but he's been a good dad. I think I'll keep him.

For his 70th birthday, a couple of years ago, we (my brothers and I) each wrote him a letter about who he is to us. It's funny how even though you grow up in the same house, you can have vastly different experiences and memories. I thought I'd share with you my letter to my dad. It's my way of showing you what a great guy he is. So Happy Birthday , Dad! And I'm sorry if this post embarrasses you. I wanted everyone to have a glimpse at your awesomeness!

Dad,

Todays standards of what makes a man are probably the most blurred as they have ever been. There are always “those people” that will criticize and judge your actions. Everyone has in their own mind, what they view as a hero. If you look at history though, people have revered those that have remained strong during adversity, have known when to allow their moments of weakness to show, to

be the voice that they can hear that leads them, to know when to be the calm in the storm.

I'm sure when you saw me those 40 years ago, you thought “Wow! She’s beautiful! Look at her! Oh my!” and then followed by maybe a little bit of internal panic and “Holy smokes what am I going to do with a girl!??” Don’t worry. I’m ok with that. Just keeps you on your toes!

Here just came your storm! Just kidding. I was the easy one!

You became a dad to a girl and with a little help, started to figure out what that meant. Now this isn’t going to be about a dad who had tea parties or played dolls with his daughter, but about MY dad. You. I never really liked playing dolls anyway!

I think we figured out early on that the way we can talk to each other is through sports and your work as a veterinarian. Now, this isn’t saying we couldn’t communicate about other things, but that this was where we connected. I loved throwing the ball around with you. I loved playing on the same team as you. I loved watching you play ball. I loved working with you after school. To this day, when I see the International Coffee ads it takes me back to working at the clinic. Remember how stained those coffee mugs were? Huh. Anyway, I digressed. More recently, you became my running partner and then my Crossfit partner. I can’t tell you how special that time was for me. Running with my dad. Lifting weights with my dad. That’s not something you had the time for when I was younger, but now, now is a new season. I have loved this season with you. I was always proud of you, but now, as an adult I realized something. I think that even though I am the girl you weren’t sure what to do about. We get each other. I think with sports and hard work, we are more alike than what I thought. It didn’t become clear to me until we were doing Crossfit together. Thank you for that. Thank you for that tenacity and perseverance that you have shown and that you have given to me. Some people may call it stubbornness but I choose to see the better side of it! :D

My dad WAS,

the person that taught me the right way to throw a ball.

the man that made sure to tell me he loved me almost everyday.

the one that was my calm, quiet place.

the one who shared his love for the outdoors with us.

that taught me to change my own spare tire.

that taught me that I can take care of myself. I didn’t need a guy to rescue me.

the one that demonstrated to his children his faithfulness to God.

the guy that knew just the right words to say to make me feel safe.

the one that wrote me my first poem.

my example of a Godly husband.

the one that could crush me with the 3 words, “I’m disappointed in you.”

but also made sure to tell me, “You’ve done good kid” and “I’m proud of you."

My dad IS,

still someone that tells me he loves me.

someone that I am proud of.

Someone that I am in awe of.

my workout partner

the guy to call to talk about baseball/football

the one that is still a calm quiet place.

A great Papa.

My Friend.

My Hero.

You have faced adversity and struggles in life and while maybe you’re not perfect (you’re not? jk), you have remained steadfast and true through it all.

You have been my calm in the storm more times than I can count and I’m sure you were not really all that calm in my early 20’s but you had me fooled. Your voice is what lead me out of darkness when I was lost and broken. And YOU can climb a rope, run, lift weights and do Double Unders at the young age of 70! You didn’t let the diabetes define who you are. You fought for your marriage and showed us kids what the vows mean.

Dad, you are MY hero. This. It’s so short, when I have a lifetime of memories and thoughts and it’s impossible to tell you how much I love you.

So, a toast to you. My dad. My hero.

This is my Dad, people! This was his first try and he made it to the top. It takes me longer to tie my shoes!

Our Birthday Present For Dad

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 11:24:00 -0800

Happy Birthday to the greatest guy that I know! Happy 40th Birthday!

http://youtu.be/dCsOkbx1G4s

GO to this link to see what the kids and I did for Jeremy for his birthday today.

First Annual Table for 5 Scavenger Hunt

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Sun, 27 May 2012 19:51:00 -0700

OUR FIRST ANNUAL TABLE FOR 5 SCAVENGER HUNT!!

I promise, we didn't tag this ourselves!

Most families take to the roads this long weekend. They spend their time together hiking, camping, barbecuing or something along those lines. I hate camping on these long weekends. Everyone seems to be out on the roads, campgrounds are loud and crowded. Honestly it doesn't do anything but put me in a crabby mood. Camping with a toddler who can't sleep due to someone partying it up at the next campsite over isn't my kind of fun!

The hubs is going to be heading out of town today for 5 days so we wanted to spend some quality family time before he left. I have always loved scavenger hunts. Really! It's also been a great way to occupy the time of my older kids when I just need a break. Each of my kids has a camera so we do picture scavenger hunts. I have sent them out in the snow to walk around the block to take pictures of various things and actions that I have quickly jotted down on paper.

Today, since it's a holiday. Memorial Day weekend to be exact. I felt it was a time to put some of our hometown things on film. We will be moving away sometime soon, (we don't really know when) so we went on a photo scavenger hunt so the kids will have pictures of places that they have been to or that have been a part of their lives the past 6 years.

The hubby and I took a lot of their pictures because one of my requirements is that they be in the photos. Although there is the occasional, ok often, picture of the random car or grass but I'm not going to post those! So here goes. Enjoy our Scavenger Hunt. It took us 3 hours, one lunch break, one trip to a museum and a whole lot of pictures!

First stop. Our front door!

Someone is so excited!

Second stop. Where the kids have their sports and sledding hill!

Where they both learned how to ride their bikes. Around and around the track.

Ok, so we throw in a simple find too. They needed to find some flowers. Lilacs!

Next clue was to find the steam plant. The kids were stumped until they caught a glimpse of the tower. Do you see it? Peanut took this pic.

Along the way. Ok, I asked them to hug each other, but at least they are still smiling!

Not to be left out.

They found it!

Whoo Hoo! They all took turns standing on this guard rail.

Even Sweet T

Next stop. The Hall on campus that Peanut had her dance recital.

1 of 2 sculptures they had to find.

Historic Arch. Did you know it's only a replica and not the original? It's only 3/4 the size of the original. I guess I was expecting the original. Still really cool though.

Not the historic arch. But fun to climb through!

2nd sculpture they had to find

Next on our hunt was the Conner Museum. Pretty cool!

Next clue was: Through something you can see the sky. Looking in to the skylight. I love that I can see my little photographer in this pic.

Martin Stadium. Another stop.

Last destination. The Cougar. Yay!

And another picture of another sculpture. Why not?

We had a lot of fun and arrived back home tired but had a great time. No fighting and lots of smiles!

Here are a couple more pics of our adventure.

To My Sweet T

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 21:27:00 -0700

Things that I want to remember and I know that I will forget. The things that make up who she is right now. The funny sayings and quirky sense of humor she has.

All of these things I have sworn with each of my kids, that I will NEVER forget. Then time passes and I have found it interesting to hear my husbands stories of each child. I sometimes wonder if I was even there because some of the stories sound so foreign or like they are someone else's life. The very things that I promised I wouldn't forget are lost somewhere in the recesses of my brain. Maybe due to sleep deprivation or just the simple fact that, as much as I want to cling to everything that makes them unique and absolutely endearing, it's just not possible.

Sweet T has made our family complete. The missing link in our family. The fine line between the yin and yang that makes the differences in her older siblings meet. She is a true blend of all of us in the family. She is sugar AND spice.

I want to remember how smart she is at almost 2. How aware she is of what is going on around her. When the rest of us would be scrambling all over the house looking for the lost object and then she would inevitably bring it to us or point it out to us. How did this 1 year old know? Is it because we still think of her as our baby? Yes, OUR baby. All 4 of us has laid claim to this little girl.

My son adores her and makes her laugh, but it's what she does for him that makes me admire what this 2 year old can do. Unlike her older sister, she can get her brother to willingly ask her to play with her dollhouse with him. WHAT? Yes, my son, my Lego building boy has uttered this sentence a time or two. "Want to play with your doll house with me?" Ah the power of a 2 year old. Her face lights up and I'm convinced that is all that it takes to bend him to her will. I've never seen it before. He is not a child that I have EVER been able to make to do something, but our two year old can.

My 6 year old daughter loves having a playmate to play dolls with and dress up. She is teaching our Sweet T the fine art of pretend. The rules of the game. To just "pretend" to eat the fake food. Don't really eat it. Playing house and zoo. This is a game that I love to watch. My Peanut is fantastic at it and she has quite the imagination. We have a lion costume that I picked up after Halloween a few years ago. One day I hear Peanut yell, "Oh no!" I had to wait for the rest of it, I was concerned until I heard, " The lions have gotten out at the zoo! They are running around everywhere!" To my surprise, my 2 year old was running through the kitchen and dining room growling and roaring. I laughed so hard! Oh my! When did this toddler get to be a kid? Where did my baby go?

I wish I could give you a view into what I get to see everyday. My kids are amazing, funny and creative. Here is what I want you to know about Sweet T. The things that I don't want to forget.

Sweet T

1. When you are looking for someone, you cup your hands around your mouth and holler. Yes holler, "Are you?" It's so cute. As in, "Where are you?"

2. If someone is crying, particularly one of your sibs, you rush over to them to kiss their owie.

3. You are seriously funny! We laugh all of the time because of your humor.

4. When we ask you how old you are, you hold up 2 fingers and say, "9"

5. You are outgoing and say, "hi" to everyone.

6. You give smooches. Lip smacking smooches. It's really cute.

7. You love LOVE Yo Gabba Gabba!

8. You have a big stubborn streak and have been throwing tantrums since you were 14 months old.

9. You are also easily distracted so when you are throwing a tantrum I can usually get you interested in something else.

10. Your vocabulary is unending. You will try any word. Play and Pray are the same sounding word and we have been known to tell you no, to Praying at bedtime because we thought you were asking to play. PAY.

Freshly bathed and in matching outfits Nana made. Look at these 3! Ah, I love them!

I don't know what to say about this one!

We had a yogurt bar at her birthday party. Birthday Parfait and some juice.

So excited that she now has her own dollhouse!

Legos from Gramma and Grampa. They Skyped in on the party.

Yay! A dump truck!

A little unsure of the candles. But can't wait to eat the cake!

Yummmm!

Still eating. Still Yummy. Coconut cake with mandarin filling. SO good!

Finally, on this day, April 14, 2012, I want you to know that you are loved. You have Aunts and Uncles, Grandparents and a cousin, Monkey and Peanut and Mama and Daddy that love you SOOOOO much!

We love you, Sweet T! Here's looking forward to this coming year! Don't grow up too fast.

Easter Stickiness

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Mon, 2 Apr 2012 23:10:00 -0700

One week until Easter. I have to say that all of the Easter prep is always a lot of work for me. Maybe it's because it usually falls close enough to several birthdays that it's about all I can do to buy the ham and get the girls their dresses. I must confess that it's been a few years since we have colored eggs. *gasp* I know! What kind of memories are my kids making? So in an effort to make some sort of moment and also to find another activity for them to do on Spring break, I tried making fondant.

Getting our hands very messy and greasy with Crisco and powdered sugar!

I love the look on Monkey's face! He hates to get his hands messy. He even hates the feel of lotion!

This may seem bizarre. I hate to bake. I do it when my husband drops enough hints that he would really like some warm chocolate chip cookies, but he usually makes them himself. Sometimes I think about it, but I really don't like to bake. I bake the kids their cakes or cupcakes for their birthdays and those I do willingly and I find that I like doing that for them, but really that is it. So, I will NEVER be the one that offers to bring a dozen cookies to the bake sale. Ever!

Look at how much fun they are having!

So back to the fondant. My Sweet T is going to be turning 2 in 2 weeks and I have been thinking about what do bake. It's something that I start thinking about months in advance so I can gear myself up to it. I have been on Pinterest so much lately looking at these amazing fondant cakes and cupcakes (www.pinterest.com) and they look so fun. I thought that maybe the big kids would like to help me make it. So this week was the test run. Kind of fun. A little like play-doh.

As the cupcakes were cooling off, I rolled out the fondant. We, (the kids) had decided to try a light orange or peach color for the fondant. I had thought I was using my round cake pans for the cakes but then realized that they were in storage. (When staging your house for a move you eliminate all but the necessary!) So the cake became cupcakes.
I decided that it might be cute to make the cupcakes into individual eggs and the kids could decorate their own "eggs". Kill 2 birds with one stone! Wahoo!

So here is the collection of our creations. The older two kids and me and then the hubby had to make his own. Don't mind the cupcake that is an eyeball, the other two are truly Easter related!

So with 5 days left until Easter, I have started on the decorating track. Now, something for tomorrow that helps the kids remember what the meaning of Easter really is. Not the Easter bunny. Oh, I saw this picture on pinterest.

Next year I am so going to do this. I think it's a pretty center piece. What do you do for Easter?

Dad's Away the Kids will Play...Maybe

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:52:00 -0700

This is the first day of what starts the kids Spring Break. Some people may groan when they think of a week where their children are home all day, every day 24/7. I love it! I love lazy mornings and an agenda that is all our own.

Tonight we started it with me saying, "yes". Monkey asked if he could play his DS. I said, "yes". Peanut asked if she could have a piece of her candy, I said, "yes." Sweet T asked for milk, I said, "yes". When he came down asking if they could play the Wii, I said, "yes." See the pattern? I was being the cool mom that wasn't in a hurry to get dinner on the table. No game or dance to hurry to. Bedtime was a way off so it just didn't matter. Cool right? I thought that this evening would be so great!

The Wii may have been a bad choice on my part. The next sounds I heard were not happy ones. Bummer.
What do you do when you have a meltdown and two of three kids wanting to lay into the other one? Well there are actually a few options here. Laughing isn't really very effective when dealing with them in this stage. Sometimes a glass of wine and letting them figure it out on their own, but not tonight. I also realized that they were starting to get hungry so, I grabbed the kids and got things out for them. They were so intrigued by this change of events that the fighting and tears stopped. I gave them each two eggs and bowls. I told them to crack their own eggs. Who knew that the smiles I would get from these two would come from cracking their own eggs and making their own dinner?? I let them make it and cook it. Sweet T wanted in on the action and so she was in there making her dinner too! No complaints at dinner. None!

Wahoo! Mom-1 Kids-0 Love my kids! Love how I can redirect them and have a good evening. They were so proud of their dinners and were actually kind to one another at the table. They deserved a movie night with popcorn and lots of butter. Yep that's how we roll when dad is out of town!

See how cute they are? All 3 of them in on the dinner action! Love these kids!

Live. Laugh. Play

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:19:00 -0700

Somedays I have to laugh at the absurdity of life. I think all moms can relate to this. You go around and pick up the house and fold laundry, do dishes and you feel really good about your clean house (ok, semi clean) . Then you realize some little person, in this case my soon-to-be 2 year old, has gone behind you and undone everything. Ok. She didn't undo the dishes but she does pull out all of her clean sippy cups and fill them with dog water from time to time. Her favorite thing to do with the laundry pile is to jump in it. Let me also say that this doesn't matter if it's waiting to be folded or just been folded. She also sneaks up to her brothers bedroom and finds his stash of markers and draws purple all over her lips and cheeks. (It's blush and chapstick don'tcha know). Talk about defeated. You just want to throw in the towel and start drawing on the walls too!

Days like this, I grab my roll of butcher paper and let her think she is drawing on the floor. I let her play in goop. Cornstarch and water. If you haven't let your kids play in this, it's totally worth it! But I definitely have to hide the lotion and chapstick. This little girl is addicted to the stuff. She loves to put it on but eats the chapstick and paints the carpet and the cat with the lotion.

This little girl is the biggest little joy for both of my older kids. I am so thankful that we decided to have one more child, if for no other reason than to see the relationships develop between the siblings and her. Her older brother makes my heart melt when I listen to him make her laugh. When her older sister plays house with her it's just sweet.

The other night when tucking T in to bed she was not wanting to go. I told her that she needed to get to sleep so we could play after she woke up. That worked and she went to sleep. That little munchkin woke up the next morning at 5:30 and the first words out of her mouth were, "Pay, Pay." "Out, Pay."

Guess what. She woke up wanting to play outside. Seriously? Ugh! I was able to hold her off for a while but soon bundled her up and went outside. The kids have all played on the bouncy horse that was all of my siblings and probably doesn't meet any safety guidelines. It's still fun and it's now an outside toy.

My kids motto seems to be, "Live, Laugh and Play!" Not a bad one to follow, on most days.

Maybe I need to try it more!

Thought the bathtub would be a good place to play.

The Spring time

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Thu, 8 Mar 2012 21:10:00 -0800

This week we have had some incredible Spring like weather. It's hard not to scowl when I see snow in the forecast. I mean, it's Spring, right? Oh, right, a couple more weeks and THEN it will be Spring. Well for today I am looking at it as Spring.

It was 55 degrees and sunny today. My yard had robins and magpies in it. The crocuses were popping up and just this past weekend and we planted primroses in my flower boxes. It felt like Spring! What does Spring feel like to you?
I
was in deep thought and contemplation as I drove to pick up my older two from school. Sunny days can make me do that. Or maybe it's just that it's a change and change can make people retrospective.

A forsythia tree!

Back home we would see calves and foals in the spring. I love seeing the forsythia trees in bloom because it means that Spring is here. Spring is a time for regeneration, new beginnings and life. In winter the world seems darker and a little browner. Ok, let's just say it, dead. Spring feels like a breath of fresh air. Maybe it's because I am actually allowing fresh air to blow through my windows instead of having the heated air being pumped through my house. Or maybe it's because scientifically you can breathe easier due to more green and all of that. (Nope, not a scientist so don't challenge me on that theory. Please?) Whatever the reason, Spring makes me happy. If you were to ask me what my favorite season is, I would tell you Autumn then Summer THEN Spring and finally Winter. So Spring comes with rain (not my favorite) and let's just face it, Spring is often like a hormonal teenager. It can't make up it's mind and tries to throw every kind of weather at you.

But back to my retrospection. I was thinking today that I feel like we have been in a Winter season in our lives for a very long time. Reminds me of a Laura Ingalls Wilder book The Long Winter. Ok, not at all how my life is really. But the long part is that we have been looking for over a year and a half for a job for my sweet hubs. He was still in school up until Dec. but knowing that it would take a while to find one,we started looking early. I say "we" because it really has been a team effort. I do the internet perusing and send him the jobs, he looks at them to see if he is qualified and then spends the 6 hours it takes to fill out one application. YES! Can you believe it! 6 hours to fill out an application! He has his PhD and is applying for positions that take a PhD which require essay questions as well as the regular stuff. I have NEVER had to go through this before in my life! I have gotten every job I have wanted except maybe one and then there was another one waiting for me so really, not a problem. I may have been a bit naive about the job process in this job market when starting out, but now, with my eyes WIDE open still nothing to see. I could go on about the various reasons the jobs are scarce and so on but really who wants to hear ALL of that?
Anyway, our long winter has got to be coming to an end. I am confident that our Spring is coming. We need that breath of fresh air. The excitement of the unknown is there. God has big plans for us. HUGE, I'm sure of it.
I guess what I am saying is that I am ready for SPRING! In every way possible! Looking outside at the reminders that Spring is coming tells me our Spring is coming. For now, I will enjoy our winter. Our lives are snug and we know how to do winter. If you see me around town and I look like I am suffering from cabin fever, please forgive me! I know Spring is coming and I can not wait!

For now, I try to rest in His promise. I try to recite it daily.
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Amen to that. That verse is my forsythia tree. It is my sign of Spring.

Valentine's Day Love and Craftiness

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:53:00 -0800

I love Valentine's Day. I love that it makes the whole nation take stock in what you love in life. Who you love. I love making shirts and special things for my kids. Last year, I made the girls matching outfits, this year I didn't feel up to making them outfits. So I threw together a couple of shirts for all three kids. It's difficult to come up with something for Monkey. He is a boy after all and almost 9. To make him something too cute could be the death of him at school. The girls are way easier. Cuteness is still acceptable for a long time.

I decided to make the kids Valentine's Day pillows. I got this great idea from this website. http://www.howdoesshe.com/why-i-love-you-pillows-tutorial
Super cute. My pillows are a little different. I honestly didn't want to spend a ton of time on them since I had to make 3, but I wanted them to like them. I also did a zipper pocket, because let's face it, kids like zippers. It makes things seem more secret like. Here is a picture of the pillows I did.

I started with a trip to JoAnns. I have to say, it is so much easier picking Valentines material out for girls. Someone should invent heart fabric that is more masculine! So my Monkey got a pillow with red flannel and red gingham. I stopped into Michaels and saw these great felt words on their Valentines clearance. Yay! For $1.50 I got all 3 and can I just say that they had the one red and two pink, so I think it was meant for me! Monkey's says LOVE and the girls say XOXO. I just stitched those on and made a pouch with a zipper and sewed it onto the pillowcase, stuffed it with the pillows and they each have their own little Valentine pillow! I had thought about having these done by Feb. 1 so I could put a note in them everyday, but, well, next year.

Last night at 9p, I was thinking that it would be nice to have a Valentines shirt to wear. For the kids. I have a dresser in my craft room that has one drawer that has only t-shirts in it. I found a white shirt for both girls and grabbed the red t-shirt for Monkey. I have been wanting to try this reversable applique that I saw on this link here
http://darnkat.wordpress.com/reverse-applique-tutorial/
Valentines Day isn't a day that screams masculinity so I was trying to come up with a way that I could do something for my Monkey without embarrassing him. So, I cut a piece out of an old plaid shirt and made a small heart in the bottom left corner of his shirt. Here is the final.

It looks pink but it's really red.

For the girls I just cut out a couple of hearts out of a fabric that has cute cupcakes on it. I did a regular applique on theirs.

So it is about 9:30 now and my ADD is now satisfied with the completion of their shirts. I think I am done!

It's morning and now I have my kids line up do display their treasures for me. I have such great kids! Monkey was moments from heading out the door and didn't really want to take the time to do this, but he did it anyway, for me. Love these kids!

Happy Valentines Day!

Losing a friend and growing up...a little

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:35:00 -0800

It's been almost 2 weeks since I had thought about writing about our dog Dixie. It's just a sad story. So don't read anymore if you want to read an uplifting story. It's not this. Sorry!

Two weeks ago, this Wed. started off like any other crazy school day morning. Monkey let the dogs out to do their business and then he started laughing so hard. The baby was still asleep and I was whispering loudly to be quiet to not wake her. He was whistling too, at least that is what I thought he was doing. I quickly went over to him and asked, "Why are you making that noise?" to which he responded, "It's Dixie, mom!" I looked out the back door and saw our chocolate lab scooting on the patio and looking very concerned. Ok, let me just add in here that even though I am a vet's kid and blood doesn't bother me, going out to find out what was wrong with our sweet girl was my husbands job. I hate surprises. I don't like not knowing what I am up against. I know, fun right? Anyway, I had my dear hubby go out to see what was wrong. Shooing the kids away and trying to get them ready for school and dialing my dad's number was my job next. I handed my husband the phone so he could talk to our on call vet, (thanks Dad!) and tried to distract the kids. Very VERY difficult to do!

Speed up an hour.
We are on our way to the vet hospital. We live in a town that has a University Vet hosp. This can be a huge benefit! After a quick (45min) exam, the neurologists decided it was on of two things and by the way she was acting it was probably a fibrocartilaginous embolism.
A what? Simply put, a spinal stroke. She ran out the door and it dislodged a clot that then paralyzed her from the waist down and was continuing to affect her front legs. To confirm this they recommended we spend $1500 for an MRI and then discuss treatment from there. We were looking at spending thousands of dollars for a dog that we rescued and to hope that it worked. Ah Crap! Being a grown up Sucks!

We decided after 3 days of much deliberation and crying, to let her go to doggie heaven. There is way more to the story, but let's just say it was exhausting. After telling the older kids, we took them to say good-bye.

I guess, I had thought that they would respond the same way we did growing up. Knowing it was a fact of life and you hug them, cry and say good-bye. What I didn't expect was my sweet Peanut draping her body on her dog, crying and saying that she would stay with her dog at the hospital so she wouldn't be sad or scared. What I didn't expect was my stoic 8 year old to be standing next to his dog and then saying, "Mom, my eyes are sweating!" "They're hot!" What I didn't expect to see was my husband and I looking at each other with tear soaked faces. I kept thinking, "This is a time when I want my parents and I don't want to be the one handling this."

One week later.

Peanut's comment "It seems like it was a lifetime ago, mom." At times, I forget she is gone and other times it does seem like, "a lifetime ago". Monkey forgets to feed our other dog daily now since he doesn't have his Dixie reminding him when it's breakfast/dinner time. Dixie could talk just like Chewbacca. No joke. The other dog, didn't eat for about 5 days and he was afraid to go into the backyard like he knew that something bad had happened. The baby would run around the house with a flashlight looking for Dixie. (she would chase lights) Small reminders of a big void in our daily lives that she isn't coming back. The kids will be okay. We will be okay. She was a good dog and yes this whole post has been about our DOG.

Bye Dixie girl!

Snow adventures and faith building

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:30:00 -0800

Finally, we have our snow! We have been below our normal for so many months now with the lack of snow fall that I was beginning to wonder if we were every going to experience our "normal" winter.

One of my favorite things about the snow is, waking up in the morning to find a whole new world blanketed in the powdery white. It's breathtaking. When it's still dark and everything is covered with snow, it's easy to feel romantic about it. Everything takes on a glow and the world is quiet. The buses that go by our house are even quiet. All you can hear are the muffled crunch of tires on the road. When daylight comes so does the reality of what more you have to do to get your day going. Shovel the sidewalk, wipe my dogs paws off, make sure that the little dog makes it off of the patio to do his business instead of stepping just outside of my reach and taking care of it on the patio, oh and because we have no garage, you can add sweeping the snow of the cars too. The thing is, even though these are inconveniences, they are small when you consider the gift that this white stuff can be. Like listening to my kids laughter as they come sledding down the hill, or the cold rosy cheeks of my kids as they sit around the table cupping their hot chocolate, or building snowman or snowforts. Oh, I know many people that curse at it and grumble about it, but really, there are few magical moments in this world and I consider a good snowfall to being one of them.

I have to also clarify that I have an amazing husband that does all of the snow clearing for me so I can sit inside with my cup of coffee watching him. I have spent my time clearing sidewalks and cursing the snow, but for now, I have a husband that does it for me so I don't have too.

This is Baby T's second winter but really her first experience with the snow. Last year I put her on a sled so I could get a picture of my 3 kids, which she then fell head first into the cold stuff and ended her wonderful experience. This year, when she sees my older two get their snow pants, she runs to the bathroom to grab hers. She points to her head and says, "hat Mama", and her feet and says, "Boots". She knows what is required to go out into this cold and wintery world. I love her enthusiasm. Her excitement to go out and eat the snow. She saw her older sibs playing and making snow forts today. She wanted to be a part of it, until I set her in the 12" snow. Then she looked at me and cried. She felt stuck. "Uppee, Mama!" Sure, I'll pick you up. It has to be so comforting to know that no matter what someone is always there for you.
This past winter I have been wondering what our plans are going to be. Questioning everything. Wondering where are the jobs that we were led to believe would be waiting for us when Jeremy graduated. I mean, a PhD should get you something, right? I think of my kids and then think of God. Our kids rely on us to carry them when they can't walk or crawl. Our kids rely on us to be their guide when they can't make sense of a situation. God wants us to do the same with Him.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Ok. I get it. Instead of asking questions about why is it not working out the way we had envisioned, I should be relying on God. Well, here goes. " Uppee God!"

Being goofy with my Peanut!

Baby T showing off her smile

Helping Daddy shovel snow. Maybe just supervising!

It's too deep! "Uppee Mama!"

Showing me the snowflakes on her eyelashes

Happy New Year!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Fri, 6 Jan 2012 22:30:00 -0800

Welcome to the future! When I think about this number I feel like I should have a robot maid and a computer that makes my food. Then I think, I'm the maid and do I really want a computer making my food? I think that 2012 has been this number that for the longest time seemed so far away, and now it's here. Why this year and not last or next?
2012. 20 years ago we graduated high school. 20 years. A lot happens in 20 years. As an 18 year old in 1992 20 years seemed like forever. I remember the Dr. telling me to take it easier on my knees or I may have a difficult time walking when I am 40! As a 17 year old hearing that, well, I think my comment ran along the lines of, "40! I'll be old and won't care how my knees are doing!" Oh naive, silly girl! I also remember when I was in 5th grade and having a conversation with a friend about the song by Prince, 1999. I remember trying to figure out how old I would be in that New Year. Every year we get older, unless you happened to be vacationing on your birthday which was Dec. 30 on the island of Samoa this past year. (They skipped Dec. 30) It is going to happen, we get old.

Every year, as I look back and have more years to compare and look back on, I can't help but feel nostalgic and optimistic. I have been feeling lately like I am racing against a clock. One that I don't know when it will stop but knowing it eventually will. Maybe, it's because of the many family members and friends that have battled with cancer this past year. Maybe it's because I am realizing now that my kids will outlive me. If they follow the natural order of things. Which I have told them that they must! Whatever it is, it is making me take stock in how I live my life, how I love my family and what to be grateful for.

Need I say more? So grateful, so Blessed. Looking forward to see what God has in store for our 2012!

Save the Neck For Me, Clark!

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Thu, 5 Jan 2012 17:29:00 -0800

I am terrible about finishing my posts. I'm not a great writer like others in my family and I have 3 kids that tend to distract, not to mention an attention span of a gnat so I am going to post a couple of posts today because I feel like they are still good posts. A little belated but still worth reading.

Dec. 19
It's so strange how you can experience highs and lows so frequently in such a short time. I guess that is what is meant to happen. In Ecclesiates it reminds us that there is a time for everything. A constant juxtaposition. There cannot be one with out the other. Life and Death, Joy and Sorrow, a time to speak and a time to be silent, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to weep and a time to laugh. They are the constant. Nothing would hold it's value without the other. If there were only rich and no poor, then there would be nothing to strive for. If there were only Life and no death, the celebration of Life would not hold as much value. I feel like my family has experienced a few of these this past month. So when the highs hit, we are celebrating, and when the lows come, we mourn.

Backing up to Thanksgiving.
Jeremy's family was able to join us for Thanksgiving. Hooray! Celebration! His sister, met her youngest niece for the first time. His mom, now cancer free, was actually able to enjoy more food and beer than she has been able to since her surgery last September. More celebration! Jeremy turned his dissertation in on Wed. before Thanksgiving which meant he was stress free for the time that his family was visiting!
All of these were great celebrations!
Now in December...
Jeremy's mom came back up to watch him present his PhD. dissertation and stay for graduation. During that time my mum and I planned a graduation party to celebrate this HUGE accomplishment. Did I mention, HUGE! I mean, I wouldn't be able to do it. He managed a 3.9 through all of it and still finished his program on time, with a wife and 3 kids. I know he didn't do it all on his own, but still. HUGE accomplishment! We had a great time with Jeremy's mom, my mum and dad, my brother Bobby and his wife Jenny and my niece Jordan, who all came to help us celebrate Jeremy and his PhD.
After graduation we had a party/open house. It was so great to celebrate! So many people that came that I was able to thank personally for all of their prayers and support these past 5 years. Thank you, thank you!
We were feeling optimistic, joyful and full of thankfulness the week after, looking forward to Christmas and celebrating (again). On Dec. 17, my mum sent me a text. It was a fairly normal Saturday morning. Lazy and full of chaos in our house. The text basically said, "Your cousin was killed last night in a car accident." The happy sounds of chaos in my house became a white noise and my phone became a foreign object in my hand. How do I process this? I called my mum. The other kicker was, Saturday, Dec. 17 was his wife's birthday. My heart broke. I wanted to cry for his wife and 2 kids. I wanted to cry for all that were left behind. I wanted to cry for my cousin, Cameron. I wanted to cry for my aunt and uncle who were on a cruise and still had not heard the news. I just wanted to cry.
The question most asked is, "Was I close to him?" Honestly, the answer is sort of muddled and hard to give a simple yes or no to. No, he was 8 years older and he was a boy. In my house growing up, we were divided by our gender. My cousin, Michelle and I were paired up and all the boys were together. My mum's family was the closet geographically to us. My dad's family was all over the U.S. My mum has one sibling, a sister and growing up we spent our Christmas and our Canadian Thanksgivings going up to Vancouver to spend it with my aunt, uncle, cousins and my Poppop and Nana.
Cameron was older than my oldest brother and was always doing older guy things. I have my memories of him though. Cameron was a funny guy. He always wanted to be the life of the party. The guy with the punch lines and practical jokes. At least this is how I remember him. The last time I saw Cam was at my younger brother's wedding in 2009. He came down from Kamloops to come to the wedding, bringing his wife and 2 kids. That's not a short trip. So when you ask if we were close, the point I'm trying to make is that no, I couldn't tell you his favorite color or his favorite food. BUT, my family is fiercely loyal. You can call on any of us and we will be there. He came for my wedding, he came for Bobby's wedding in Vegas and he came for my little brother's wedding, why? Because that's what we do. We are loyal and close in that way. He was 45 years old with a wife and 8 year old daughter and a 3 year old son who are going to miss him so much. His funeral is Friday Jan 6 in Kamloops

During Christmas, we often pull out our favorite holiday movies. Jeremy's favorite movie is National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. I'm sure you are wondering how this is segueing from the bit about Cameron. Well, if you've never seen it, you should. The family dynamics I think everyone can relate to on some level! Cameron was nothing like cousin Eddie, my family may be wondering where I am going with this. Cousin Eddie was the comical family member and the one that said the most unexpected comments like Cam would. When I watched the movie I laughed. It is so healing and good to laugh. I've spent so many holiday dinners with our family gathered around and the comedy that is our family and it's dynamics and inputs from people at the table. The dinner of the Griswolds on the movie feels normal to me.
So to quote a line from Cousin Eddie, "Save the neck for me Clark." You will be missed Cam.

Soccer Saturdays

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Thu, 3 Nov 2011 12:46:00 -0700

Saturdays at our house means that the mornings are all about soccer! This isn't all that different from when I was a kid. I played soccer for more years than I can really remember. I gave it up when I got busy working, with the hopes of being able to play later. Well, now my knees remind me that I played and probably shouldn't take it up again. So what is the next best thing? Coaching my littles. I didn't think that it would be something that I would like, but really, it is the most fun that I have had with them in a while! Right now, I am coaching only Peanut and her team but if Monkey wants to continue with it, then I may take that up too.
I put my blogging on hold while we went to Monkey's game. This is a kid that likes soccer but really only can give you about 20 minutes of good playing time. He just hasn't caught the bug, and he may never get it. But then today, something clicked. My little Monkey made 4 goals and didn't let one ball go by him when he was playing goalie! My heart soared! He felt the pride and pure joy of making a goal and protecting his team from losing the lead that he helped them acquire! I apologize for not having any pictures of Monkey playing soccer. I have to find some. The problem with coaching one kids games and not seeing all of the other ones.
I don't know if he will keep playing soccer, and really I don't care what he chooses to do, but for today, I am thankful that he felt that joy that comes with the Whooping and Hollering from making a goal.

Peanut made a goal today! The look on her face after she did it, was priceless! She looked over at me kind of embarrassed but with pride as if to say, "How'd ya like that?!" She is the kid that the other teams underestimate. She is little, but quick. Quiet, but fearless. She is right in there with the biggest boys trying to get the ball, and quite often she does. The kids and parents on my team call her, their "secret weapon." She has the makings of a great midfielder. We'll see. I am just glad that she is enjoying it for now.

Summertime and the living is Easy, or so they say...

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:03:00 -0700

How can it be the middle of August? Our summer started with the last day of school in early June, but the warm summer weather didn't appear until after the 4th of July! Now our days are warm but the mornings are cool and my two older kids are starting school next week! Some days, summer is too long and others, well it can't stay long enough.
The kids are bored or so they say. The activities that I provide are short lived and I can tell that school needs to start. I have started having them do workbooks so that their brains aren't bored. I have realized a difference between "home" school and there public school. They both flit around on various pages never completing one and then in 10 minutes they are "bored." At school they both can sit and do their work and love it! Problem is, they don't view me as their teacher. I have heard that this is one of the biggest problems with new homeschoolers. Now before you say, "what? is she homeschooling her kids?" I will just say a very emphatic, "No!" While this route is definitely the right one fome, I have found that at this point in my life it would not work out for me or my kids.r so
Life has been crazy and a little hectic lately but this past month or should I say, last couple of weeks, it has slowed down to a reasonable pace.
We finally finished the basement (insert huge sigh of relief) and listed our house July 1st. We had hoped to get it listed sooner, it just didn't happen. We have been averaging one showing a week. No takers yet, but it has made me keep the house really clean! Kind of nice. We have tried to play with the kids now that we aren't spending all of our free time finishing a basement. So we have found some new parks, gone swimming in the river, bike riding and just enjoying our kiddos. It's been nice!
School starts next week. Monkey is going to be in 2nd grade and Peanut is going to be in Kindergarten. Monkey is really looking forward to having his younger sister at the same school. When he asked if she was going to be at the kindergarten there and I said, yes, his reply was, "Yes, I'll get to see her everyday!" While my first response was to say, "You see her everyday at home and I am positive this is never your response!" I didn't say it. I chose to embrace this moment for what it was. It was an older brother excited to show his younger sister the "ropes" of the elementary school. To introduce her to the world of recess and school halls. To be able to talk to her about her teacher. The same one he had 2 years before. To see her in the hallway to make sure everything is ok. It warms my mommy heart to know that even though they can fight like a couple of featherweights, they still like each other. I think that Peanut is feeling a bit more confident knowing that her older brother is going to be there. I get it. I've been in her shoes. I've been the younger sibling looking for that comfort of home in a crowd of people that you don't know. I get that and it makes me so proud of my Monkey. To know that something is working out right.
The older kids went to play at a waterpark with some friends today. Baby T woke up from her nap and wanted to go play outside. It's 84 degrees but feels like fall. It's hot, but I am wearing jeans and a T-shirt. It feels like fall. I love this time of year. It's absolutely perfect. I strapped on Baby T's Teva sandals and out she went. Exploring. She is 16 months and she loves to explore. She had to give me her running dialog of all that she hears and sees. She communicates with some words, a lot of baby babble but I have taught her to sign. And the more she squawks about something the faster I am to look up the sign and teach it to her. So here is a typical conversation with T. She is looking around outside and hears a bird, "Oh!"(signs bird.) Trees are rustling in the breeze, (signs trees). She looks down at the ground and says, "Oh!"(signs bug) sees a flower and does the baby sign for that too. "OH!" she says and then signs butterfly. She sees our dogs and then pants. She then turns in circles looking around and meows. It's to say, "where is the cat? I have seen everything else, but where is the cat?" Then she signs milk or eat. Yep, it's snack time. I love this time with her. I love her sense of discovery.
I am going to miss my time with the older two when they are in school, I am looking forward to this one on one time with T.

How do I know who to Marry?

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:44:00 -0700

This was the question that my 5 year old daughter asked me the other night. As I was snuggling in bed with her, waiting for daddy to come up to say goodnight, Peanut quietly asks this. "Hmm..Well, that's why I pray for your future husband. So that when the time comes you will know." She processed this and then asks, " What if you like 2 boys and you don't know which one to marry?" Oh boy. "And what if you love a boy, but he doesn't love you as much as you love him?" Well, "Or what if a boy loves you more than you love him?" I think I said something like, "Well, you need to pray and ask God to show you which one is truly the one that He would want for you." And to answer the other two, it was something like this. "Then you should end the relationship to be fair and understanding of their feelings."
My chirpy little girl then kept on dreaming, during the snuggle time, of her future wedding.
Statements coming out of her mouth like, "I want my wedding colors to be Purple and Pink and definitely Blue." "Mama? Who will be my flower girl and ring carrier? We don't know any little kids!" To which I answered, " Maybe Monkey will be married and have a kid so they can be your ring bearer/flower girl." "Yeah, that might work. But what if it's a baby? A baby can't do that." I then said, "Well, one of your bridesmaids could bring the baby down the aisle with them." Peanut processed this. "Ok. Baby T will be the one carrying the baby down, since she is going to be my bridesmaid." "I don't know who else will be my bridesmaids though. What if I can't think of anyone?"

Phew! Did I mention that this is an actual dialog that I had with her? She is 5 not 25? When Monkey came into the room she told him her plans to have his children be in her wedding.
It was difficult not to laugh at some parts of this conversation, but the whole time I just kept praying. "God, keep her dreaming. Prepare her for the man that is going to be her helpmate. Prepare him to be the man of God that she needs him to be. I pray that she listens to You and sees the man that you have prepared for her. "
I love this girl with all of my heart. She keeps me thinking. I wonder what Peanut will be like when she is ready to walk down that aisle to the man that she has been dreaming about most of her life. Thank You, Father for this amazing and beautiful person, thank you that you have given her to us.

June 10 on 10

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700

1. Good Morning! My little snugglebug waking us up this morning.
2. Monkey and his Best Buddy on the last day of school!
3. Monkey and his teacher.
4. Strawberry plants
5. Rhubarb, yummy!
6. Peanut
7. Playing in the sandbox
8. Tree swing
9. Monkey and his buddy playing the Wii
10. Polly Pocket or racing car? Hmm..

The month of April

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:46:00 -0700

April started with the 1st. As does every month. But we know that it is April Fool's Day, and until you have kids it is a day that gets a little forgotten. My older two kids are now truly understanding the "Fool" part of the day. Starting off the morning with a "Mom, there is a horse coming down our road! Come look!" Let me set up the scenario for you. We live in town and on a road that is a main bus line. So while this may seem like a gimme in the "I'm fooling you" department it wasn't. Just 2 summers ago we had a moose that was roaming through town and we see the occasional coyote too. Oh, and may I just add that this was done BEFORE my morning cup of coffee! So, both Jeremy and I went to look out the window and before we could say anything we heard the snickers of Monkey and Peanut going on behind us. Then they both loudly said, "APRIL FOOLS!" "WE SO GOT YOU!" Yes you did, my dear children. Yes you did. When did they grow up? I can remember trying to explain jokes to them and it not really registering in their little minds. Now I am thinking about all of the future April Fool's Days that we have to look forward to! I am hoping that they are all as benign as this past one. Somehow, I doubt it.
We have also been madly finishing our basement. This is a huge time vacuum. It is almost there and this requires a whole post on it's own with pictures. Maybe another time.
As the month progressed I was thinking about T's birthday. She was turning 1! In all the preparations of that I nearly forgot that my own birthday was the day before. I said nearly. I didn't forget and neither did my wonderful husband. Sweet baby T and I shared our cake, because really, how much cake can one person eat in a week! Ok, don't answer that! My folks and one of my brothers came over to help celebrate an eventful weekend.
After the birthday celebration weekend we had a fairly low key week before we celebrated Easter. I love Easter. It is such a great reminder of why I am a Christian. I am so humbled to think of the love that our Savior has for us, for me. Mind blowing really. Anyway, the Saturday before we had our town egg hunt that even the baby was able to participate in. Then Sunday, the kids donned their Easter outfits and did quick Easter basket hunt and then we were off to church. After church we were invited to some friends farm for Easter supper and egg hunt. It was fabulous! Ever have one of those friends that when you walk into their home you immediately feel as if it's your own? Physically, it was so different than our own families, but the energy, chaos and warmth felt the same. There were ALOT of kids running around, which was so great! And plenty of grown ups to just hang out and be together. We had an amazing time and I am so thankful for these friends of ours. We love them!
Now this week, we are slowing down and having a quieter week. I am thankful for the eventful month that we have had. Next month looks to be a little less hectic but then we have to gear up for Monkey's 8th birthday at the end of it! How is he going to be 8?

Peanut, in the brown sweats and white shirt, loves soccer.

Sweet Baby T, 12 months old.

Monkey wanted his hair cut into a mohawk, until he saw what it looked like and then he had me shave it off! The idea appealed to him but he isn't a boy who likes to experiment with hairstyles.

Peanut and the rest of the town at the egg hunt.

Going through their loot at the egg hunt.

At the farm on Easter.

I hope that everyone has had an amazing and blessed April!

April 10, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 21:26:00 -0700

With this morning starting with church it can be a little challenging to get my pictures when I am supposed to be listening to our pastor. I had my camera out at one point, because I thought it would be a great picture to take of everyone praying, but my husband nudged me and told me it was a bit inappropriate. Ok. Maybe so. I was just trying to get my picture for the hour! So, later I made a trip to the fabric store and also went around looking for signs of Spring. With all of that in mind...
Here is my April 10 on 10!

Table for 5: March 10 on 10

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:38:00 -0700

Table for 5: March 10 on 10

Sweet Baby T

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:01:00 -0800

Sometimes we joke about the "T" meaning, 'trouble', or 'tenacious'. She is those things and more. I see that in her looks and personality she is a blend of both the older two. Determined is another word to describe this sweet baby girl.
Our morning usually starts off around 6:30 +/- with me going in and getting the little babe. Nursing her and trying to coax a little more sleep time while I nurse her. At about 7 the older two come down to start their day. Before I can let T roam around, we have to make sure the baby gate is closed and the dog water is up. If either of these things aren't done, our sweet little one will find out about it and head for one of the two. It's inevitable!
At 10 1/2 months she has 6 teeth and when she hugs us she also bites. While this wasn't a bad thing when it was all gums, it's now proving to be a bit painful. The saying, "Love hurts" has taken on a whole new meaning!
T also loves my hair. And I don't mean just in a hair pulling kind of way, but she likes to put it in her mouth (yuck!) and when she is nursing, she plays with my hair instead of her own. If it's in a pony tail she searches around until she can find it. Even if that is my bangs!
She loves her older brother and sister so much! The squeals that she gives them is so cute!
Her walking around is getting surer and more confident as the days go by. Just this week we have seen her go from walking only in one room to walking through all of the rooms!
T is also quite the snuggler. She will be so busy roaming around and then you turn around and she needs to be picked up to get a hug and kiss and then she is off again on another adventure. What a blessing this little girl has been to our family.

Baby T 10 months old

Catching snowflakes

Hmmm....do I dare?

(Notice her princess castle? I love my new Slice machine. It's like a Cricut, but it was not as expensive. You can use both machines for fabric! Who knew? But it's a custom shirt made for her by me!)

That is a day in the life of our sweet girl.

March 10 on 10

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 20:51:00 -0800

I saw this on a friends blog. Every 10th of every month she posts 10 things in her life that day. Well, here are 10 of mine.
There are more exciting days but as you can see, we are having a very gray and dreary day. Mud, mud and more mud. Monkey is growing his hair out. I'm not sure why since he hates to brush it, but oh well!

My craftiness

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Wed, 9 Mar 2011 13:46:00 -0800

Ok. Since I mentioned my comfy, cozy sweater pillow, I thought I would post a picture. You can go to www.eddiebauer.com to see theirs for $55, but like I said before mine cost me $3! It was just a practice one and there are things that I will do different next time, but for now it's great! The kids fight over it and my other new pillow I made.
The other pillow is inspired by one that I saw on another crafting blog called Cluck Cluck Sew. She did her pillow with red felt, but I didn't have enough red felt and I had PLENTY of fabric scraps, so I used those up and an old pillowcase. I wasn't going to waste a good fabric and spend money if my idea went bust! So here are the pictures. I had fun making them and they were easy to do in an hour or in between chasing Sweet Baby T around.

What to Do

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Mon, 7 Mar 2011 21:39:00 -0800

Our basement is nearing the final stages of completion. It's been a long road to get there but FINALLY, we will have a room for Sweet Baby T instead of having her sleep in our room and us sleeping in the living room on our futon. Is something wrong with that? Hmmm.... I am looking forward to having my own bed again! Not only are we going to have a room for her, we will also have another bathroom! If you haven't experienced potty training with only one bathroom, well let's just say it's an interesting experience and more stories than I have time to write about. But maybe some day!
Oh, another reason I am looking forward to this basement to be finished is, (drum roll please) my CRAFT and Sewing room! I am so excited! Finally a place that I can have my sewing out and finish without sticky syrup or jam ending up on it.
So what to do when the house is in a state of chaos? Well, Sew! Have you ever wanted to start something and have it be finished, quickly? I had 2 projects that I had been thinking about and today was the day to pull them from my brain and make them happen.

I had been perusing various websites and saw a pillow on www.eddiebauer.com that I thought would be really comfy and so instead of paying $55 for this sweater pillow, I went to my local Goodwill and bought a Large sweater for $2.99 and cut it up and made my own sweater pillow. It looks a little different but it is comfy and you can't beat the price!

Another thing that I did recently, is signing up to be a pattern tester. It is a great way to get free patterns and especially something that I may not purchase if not asked to make it. I was sent my pdf pattern via email, on Friday and they asked for those participating to have it made with pictures by Thursday. I was able to start and finish it today. I think it's a cute purse and it made me feel like I was in school. Sort of.

The carpet is getting installed on Monday (can you say, Yipee!), so this week will be tiling and cleaning up the basement. Not as much fun, but the end is in sight.
So for now I will try to upload a couple of pictures of my cute purse. If you want the pattern go to www.Ithinksew.com and it's the Roxanna bag. Too cute!

Fall so far

noreply@blogger.com (Table for Five) — Thu, 4 Nov 2010 22:16:00 -0700

Halloween ~ Jango Fett, Little lamb and a Barbie Princess

Sweet Baby T 6 months and all dimples!

Monkey's first Grand Prix pinewood car!

A tired Baby T after trying to crawl!

Monkey without his mask on, heading out to school.

Peanut at her school party.

Sweet Baby T all ready to go to Peanut's party.

Peanut's Fairy Tea Party birthday

Monkey and Peanut on their first Big kid ride at the fair. They had so much fun!

Monkey wanted to go on the Zipper and I went with him. His shoes fell off and were hitting us in the head the whole time. I had to put an arm around him so he wouldn't go flying out from under the bar. When the ride attendant asked him "How was it?" Monkey's response? "That was the worst decision EVER!" Man I love that kid!

Peanut's new love...Soccer!

My Girls!

Apple picking at the apple orchard

It's hard for me to believe it's already the first week of November! The warm days of August seem like it was just last week, but the falling leaves on my lawn are showing me that it is more like a distant memory.

I love summer! I love how my kids wear their tank tops and flip flops and go running out into the yard laughing and smelling of sunscreen. But when the leaves start to turn color and the air takes on the crisp smell of autumn, my heart lifts and soars. I LOVE fall! I love the crisp, cool mornings that break into warm afternoons. I love apples and the cider that we press. I love pumpkins and harvest. I love getting my children ready for Halloween. I love celebrating Peanut's birthday and our anniversary. I love Thanksgiving and celebrating my amazing husbands birthday. There is only one thing that I don't like about fall. It is the rain that starts and is never ending and the gray that comes with it.

My kids love fall too. Thankfully! They love the leaf piles and all the bugs that they find. They love the cider and apples and school.

I am thankful for autumn and it's change. The breath of fresh air that it provides.

Here are some pictures of our adventures and the fun that the kids have had.