After we sent Daddy off to Austin for his college roommate's wedding, we headed to Gigi's for a few photos.  I wanted to get a few Halloween shots and I'm starting to learn how hard it's going to be now that I have two smiles to coordinate.  These kids can sure wear a mommy-photographer out!

 But then...even though Alaina isn't looking, I'll capture a shot like this one with Joseph's sweet expression and it's all right.

I fell in love with Josh's eyes when he smiles back when we started dating.  I can tell he is going to smile before his mouth even curves into one.  That little puffy wrinkle under his eyes starts to form it's own smile first and is so endearing to me.  Joseph inherited that same little puffy eye-wrinkle smile and this picture totally captured it.

Gigi's backyard is always such a fun place to wander around, with her love of gardening.  We like to scope out all the flower beds and see what there is to see.  And the colorful jingling suncatchers and chimes are fun too.

 I can never pass up a good profile shot.  It's one of my favorite photos to capture.

But then Joseph gets tried of having the camera in his face and starts giving me photos like this.  I can't tell you how many pictures I have through the years of him holding a berry, or flower, or stick, or some other found object right in the lens.  Thank goodness he's as tolerant as he is...and I have a great collection of fun little treasure pictures!

Jack-O-Lantern'ing!

I love a good crafty project and pumpkin carving is no exception.  I haven't mastered those crazy, intricate 'Martha Stewart' type designs...haven't even attempted them to be able to master them as a matter of fact...I like a good ol smiling jack-o-lantern!

 Joseph didn't really remember our previous carvings so he was really into it.  He was really curious about what was inside the pumpkin and stared at the inside of the top "hat" really checking it out. 

We were sending Josh off after this to a wedding in Austin and he would be back Monday, just in time for some trick or treating.  Joseph was a bundle of excitement getting ready for it!

 

This was about the point where Joseph started to lose interest in the carving process and asked me...again...for the 100th time...if we could put the candle in it yet. 

Then I had an idea and decided to put the biggest candle I had in our guy so you could REALLY see him from the street.  That's when I figured out that  I didn't cut the top quite large enough and it was really hard to light the candle from the inside.  I tried the light it first and drop it in real gently method with no luck.   But once I got it lit....

 

...boy was it an awesome jack-o-lantern!  Hey those other melon heads look just like me and Joseph!

Halloween at School

Halloween was a big deal this year!  Joseph was old enough to go Trick or Treating in our neighborhood so we started hunting for a costume early enough to allow for any set backs.  

Ha...famous last words.   

Joseph has been wanting to be a tiger since an event this summer where he had his face painted like one.  But oddly enough, no one sells tiger costumes!  I hit store after store and nary a tiger was found.  I took my search online and only ebay came through, so some place sold tigers at one point!  I ordered one and even though the the size was for his age, it was so small I couldn't even come up with some way to rig it to fit.  

I dragged my feet all the way to two different fabric stores, determined (as you can well tell) to make my baby his first choice Halloween costume.  I only found one suitable (suitable = no sequins or glitter and not silk) choice of material and it was ug-ly.  I dragged my feet back home and Josh and I fomed a game plan  to tell Joseph he had to pick another costume.  We were fully prepared for WWIII since the little guy has been dreaming about this since July.  When we told him, he looked at us for a minute kinda puzzled, then said "ok".  

What?!  No flopping around on the floor?  No crying and pouting?  I offered to buy him tiger ears and a tail and a "cool" set of orange sweats for a really-really-really home made style costume, or take him shopping for a second runner up.  He voted for hitting the stores.   

   

When we came across the winner, a fabulously brave policeman, there were swords right next to it.  Alas, our Brave Policeman has handcuffs, a shiny badge, and a wields a sword.  Don't mess with him, he'll get medieval on you.

(And how CUTE is the pumpkin patch on the wall in his class room.  We love his pre-school! The owner is super creative and constructed a HUGE (fiberglass or drywall?) 3-D tree in the corner of his room which they decorated with bats for this time of the year.)

 A few of Joseph's buds let me snap some shots of them all dressed up.

It was really really hard.

Everyone was looking everywhere and being crazy and I think I should win an award for this one by the way.

This is more par for the course - I think it's a rule among pre-schoolers that for every five pictures, in only one can they all being looking at the camera.  It's a small way they can maintain a little control over their parents.

Looks like Captain Jack Sparrow found himself a pearl necklace treasure!

I made the kids Halloween shaped cookies and took icing for everyone to decorate one.  But I had the easy part of that project because I dropped them off his teacher's hands and took off.  She was the one who had to coordinate the execution of the decorating!

I think this is just a precursor to the fun weekend ahead!

Sometimes when Josh has a rough day at work, he comes in, builds himself a little blanket tent, crawls in and takes refuge from the day. 

Ribbons and Bows and ...Dinos?

Not so long ago (pretty long ago in July) in a land far far away (Kristen's house - not so far after all), there was a sweet new baby Princess named Alaina (that's the honest truth).  Two brave and handsome knights were always found by her side, guiding and protecting the future Queen.  Their names were Ethan and Joseph.  Ethan and Joseph were known across all the land as the very best dragon tamers (because in this kingdom we don't slay, you know).  

Luckily, as Alaina lay helpless on her royal blanket, the brave knights were not far (this I know because one can hear the brave knights "protecting" a mile away) and came to rescue her from the horrible dragons (that happen to look like dinosaurs - but can't be because dinosaurs roamed the Earth way before the Days of Knights).  All was right and good in the kingdom thanks to the honorable knights. 

Or more likely, I'm all wrong and these were not knights but actually boisterous, crazy three year olds.

And the dragons were actually dinosaurs.

And the taming was actually roaring and roaming awfully close to a sweet helpless baby. 

That's ok, they're helping Alaina build character...

Hoody Towel

If I ever need a good reality check on what I do and do not enjoy...I just need to challenge myself with a good sewing project.

Enter:  hooded towel tutorial for Miss Alaina.  Type in that Google search (minus the 'for Miss Alaina' part) and a million of them will pop up.  I perused the first few I came upon and settled on one to try out that looked super cute and had super clear instructions and matching photos.  

So there I went - picking out cute pink towels, digging through my fabric scraps, running out to Hancock Fabric to find matching ric-rac, and plopped down in front of my sewing machine with our laptop poised just right to follow the steps to a T.

Stupid hoody towel. Sewing through terry cloth: NOT enjoyable.  

I did really enjoy my first experience with ric-rac (the zig zaggy light blue "ribbon" shown in the picture above - for the crafty layman).  It was fun and easy and turned out way cuter than I expected.  Plus I can sew a mad straight line, yo.  It's all that other curving, hemming, fancy jazz that gets me.

Ric-Rac: Enjoyable.

 

I got pretty frustrated with the attaching of the hood to the towel.  Who ever heard of sewing a wad of terry cloth to another wad of terry cloth without using a factory-style heavy duty upholstery machine?!  Certainly not me.

Unfortunately...I stole this idea from a friend who has mastered the hoody towel beautifully - so between her and the million of tutorials online, it can be done.  I assume, and it's just a guess, that when I got overly confident and veered from the pattern to attempt to make my seam less bulky and try something I've never tried before, I probably made it a little harder than it would have otherwise been.  I'm surprise I didn't break a needle.

Stupid stupid hoody towel.  Attaching of the hood: NOT enjoyable. 

Overall, the darn thing turned out nicely and I might even try it again.  Or I might just go visit the  inspiration website that started it all for me and buy one of Leticia's.  She and her mom started up a hooded towel venture and I've purchased several of her towels - which I've loved so much I figured I better learn how to make these cause it would be so much more cost conscious of me.  Sorry about that Ticia...

Alternatively, if you have a super cute model who thinks his new "cape" is pretty cool and twirly, it might just make it all worth while.

Watching son twirl in flowery pink towel:  definitely enjoyable! 


*Pssst! Go see Ticia's creations at http://inkydinkdesigns.com or http://inkydinkdesigns.etsy.com

Brotherly Love

Right before Alaina was born we purchased a new camera. One of my favorite things to do these days is just sit around with the kids and play with all the settings on it. This day I was trying out the different f-stops while Joseph played with blocks and cars next to me.


I snapped a few here and a few there and would compare them on the screen. My subject was enthralled with the ceiling fan and as beautiful as always.


Growing like a weed and getting chubbier by the minute, her smiles are never ending and this little lady couldn't be more loved.


Then Joseph decided he was going to come on over and see what was going on. These two are so sweet. I can't believe how her face lights up when she sees him. It's become common for Josh and I to find Joseph when Alaina starts to get fussy because he can always calm her down.


I think he is just as enamored with her as we are.


What a couple of sweeties!


I know they'll have fights and hit rough patches in their sibling relationship, but I don't have to worry about any of that yet.


For now it's all pure and simple untarnished brotherly love.

Love is...

...having a PILE of half finished projects that wait oh so patiently for you to make your return.



...accepting me and my pile of half finished projects because we're a package deal, and that's just how I roll.



...knowing that even though I have a huge pile of half finished projects, they will get done and they will be fabulous.



...having faith in my ability to get through my pile even if it takes SIX MONTHS.


Love is a super cute yarn-wrapped Valentines heart wreath with Cupid's arrow...COMPLETE...just in time for fall.

Through the Eyes of...a Water Filter?

We have a faucet mount water filter in the kitchen. I frequently find our Rock Star (Joseph) grabbing it like a microphone and wailing out a few notes into it. He sings into it like it's going out of style. If I'm lucky he'll let me join in and be a back up singer or drummer. But if I'm really lucky, the camera will be close by and I'll be able to snap a few shots of the show.


I remember the first time I caught him standing over the sink making faces. I didn't know what the heck he was doing at first, until upon taking a few steps closer I could tell he noticed his reflection in the water filter. That was pretty darn funny to him since his reflection was convex.


Since Rock and Roll has been his new "thing" lately, this combo microphone/fun house mirror couldn't be any better. Talk about easily entertained! I'll be standing next to him getting just as big of a kick out of it as he is.


From here on out I'll always have nice shiny water filter attached to my faucet just waiting for a nice goofy smile or a good rock song. I just hope nobody catches me singing into it...

Peek A Boo...

...I've missed you!

I've got so much to catch up on I just can't wait. I've always loved writing and although I'm no respected journalist or prize winning editorial writer, I find myself composing stories in my head most of the day and while laying in bed at night. I've been like that for as long as I can remember. Oh dearest blog, we're going to burn it up!

So I've been away for too long...but raising these kiddos is becoming more and more time consuming and I'm a mommy first, pretend journalist second. And being a mommy is getting better and better these days. Let the blogging commence!

We picked up a new pet awhile back. Joseph really liked this guy, and no matter how much I tried to convince him that we should let him go, he was determined to make him a nice Ball Jar home. I already had one handy with holes poked in the top from our last "pet" roly poly. How convenient.


This was actually the second of three little worms we found that weekend. The first one was a larger one and the bugger climbed out one day while I had the lid off because I was sure he needed some fresh air. Not sure if he really needed fresh air, but regardless he saw his chance and made a run for it. We couldn't find him anywhere.

I also was sure that if I put a few drops of water in the palm of my hand this little guy would drink from it. Now call me crazy (you already have I'm sure...) but I swear he did drink. It made me feel very Jane Goodall-ish. Like I should have an animal of some sort on each shoulder and be whispering to horses.


Inch worm number two also didn't care for his Ball Jar and he climbed out twice! Both while I was airing out his jar. You'd think I'd learn, huh? And twice Joseph actually found him inching along on the floor! It was pretty wild that he saw him.

The third member was an itty bitty inch worm, undoubtedly a juvenile so Joseph had a whole family at one point...a "daddy, mommy and baby!" It was kinda cute even though we would certainly be the cause of their demise. That's the circle of life. Even Jane Goodall could accept that for the sake of a blue eyed super cute little boy.

I always get so tickled when I turn the corner and find something crazy looking or out of place. Joseph keeps it lively around here. How mundane it would be without an active 3.5 year old running around.

And how much cleaner.

I thought this car tower was particularly cool. And since I just got a new lens for my camera I had a great scene to play around with.


A hot summer day isn't complete without fuzzy bear shoes to keep one's feet warm. (Agh, are you standing on my pillows?! Pick that up!)


I had to do a double take on this find.
Me: Wait a second...something...looks...kinda funny there.


But I'll tell you what, pal - if you're not paying attention and reach out to grab the door knob, and something grabs you back - you can guarantee there is a little Joseph behind it.

Boys: verb; noise with dirt on it.

Starlight Baby

I was hesitant to borrow Summer's baby swing because Joseph didn't care for his when he was little bitty, so I didn't have much hope for Alaina liking it.


I was just about to give it back when I saw a little glimmer of pleasure one day in Alaina's face. Then she got really still. Before I knew it, her eyelids were getting heavier and heavier. It was quite a landmark day for me!


Over of the next few times we tried it, she noticed the mobile. These little soft pink and brown shapes were really catching her eye. So instead of getting stuff accomplished because my arms are free, I find myself plopped down in front of her swing talking to her about it.


Then this ol mama thought that perhaps she would like it actually turned on. Ha! I hadn't tried that yet (one step at a time, right?!) and her eyes lit up when the light started turning and shining all around.


Not only does she love it, but I get to see her bathed in this beautiful soft pink light. It makes my pretty girl even more sweet to look at.


She grabs the pillow and sinks in for a nice relaxing ride. This is pure contentment, folks.


Now if I could put down this camera for two seconds, I could probably get some things done around here.