Joy in little things.

Once again I am full of randomness. If I could just get on here more often it might help but I think I am finally catching up. This should mean that if I am able to post again any time soon I can start telling you about some of the other things going on here, like in my head, however that is heavy and not all sorted out yet.

That can wait though because I just want to get the photos updated and share the fun stuff!

We will skip the daily struggles and little fights and mess and just focus on the joys right now.

So....

A few weeks ago we got to meet a little friend and his mama (also a blogger).

This guy is almost a month younger than Hudson and bigger. Well taller anyway and a bigger head too, though Hudson has all the plumpness going on!

We stuck them on the floor and watched them roll around and giggle as they checked each other out. Little people are soooo cute, I am just in love with them!

And then there was a birthday or 5, but this birthday was for my cousins little guy and she was going to be in town from Idaho for it.

My Aunt called and wondered if I could make a cake, cowboy theme. Oooo, I love to make cakes so I started to come up with ideas.

Of course they all involved fondant and lots of color and little detail and well .... I had never worked with fondant before and wasn't even sure where to get it. I had watched quite a few cake competitions and cake making shows though on Food TV, how hard could it be?

Ha, ha, not as easy as it looked!

For my first attempt I think it turned out fine, but I know what I would do differently next time, there is a learning curve for sure!

I was a little nervous about it, I could just see the imperfections and seams and yikes, how would it even taste?! I am soooo not a professional!

And then I remembered that there had to be something messy for Tucker to dig into and get all iced up and covered in cake, this was his first birthday after all and his first cake experience!

He wasn't so sure of the whole thing once he saw it.

And then wouldn't have anything to do with digging in and getting messy. He wanted to be fork fed! It was a hoot watching my cousin beg him to just dig in already!

And then there are paintings. A few more completed and this time dropped off at the store.

They are up for grabs still if anyone is interested....and they are over here for more info.

And Hudson. He cut another tooth yesterday and has had a few whiny days this week. Not what we are used to at all but totally understandable once I stuck my finger in his mouth and felt that second sharp little tooth.

Explains all the drool too.

However this does not explain why suddenly he doesn't like his car seat so much anymore.

Hmmm......

"Cheeeeese!"

Ha, ha, Ethan. This is his painting face. Kaitlyn has her thing where she opens and closes her mouth with ever chomp of the scissors on paper, but Ethan, he has a painting lip that he flaps as he paints.

I seriously cannot get enough of it!

And Em. Don't you love catching people off guard with crazy shots that you can use at their wadding, I mean wedding?

And then she tries to redeem herself.

First snow day! We went over to a friends parents place to play on a fresh snow hill.

For a cold day it was still worth it.

There is no better way to take advantage of the white stuff!

Now skipping on to the next thing and I cannot think of a graceful way to get to this.

Ever take a shot like the one above. Where your colour is all off?

I used to always plop photos into photo shop to fix but over the last two years have been doing the easy stuff in iphoto.

Before-above.

After-below.

Edited in iphoto.

Princess.

And over a week ago now we headed out to another relatives place...my second cousins, who is only 10 days older than Kaitlyn! I know, weird, but we have some generation gaps here.

Her mom, (my friend) made them edible peanut butter play dough to play with and eat. It was funny to watch because my kids just could not grasp the idea of eating play dough.

In other news around here we have been getting ready for Christmas still. Slowly.

It has been a bit of an experience, even the whole idea of the celebration and the decor and the stories. I understand why some families do not celebrate at all, I also understand those that do and the whole range in between. What a lot to think about and sort out mentally....or just not think about and have fun!!

So we got to work with polymer clay building teeny tiny little animals and people and a manger, which had the star broken off of it right away before it was even cooled completely and snatched up by little hands.

I had the idea of giving the children one each day leading up to Christmas as an advent type of adventure instead of chocolate.

The idea lasted one day and they were swooped away before all the faces or eyes could even get painted on.

They are just too much fun to play with every day as a set.

The tree got set up and decorated.

Hot chocolate and stories by the fire soaked up.

And of course there have been a few tragedies including collectible ornaments. At first we were upset but quickly realized that they are only little material possessions and although we find them pretty and fun they really do not mean much. So the playing ensued. And that is so much more worth it! Getting to play with special things that you only get to see once a year is well, special!

The rooms have been decked out with lights.

And sleepovers have been....interesting.

A few nights ago Dave ended up in Ethan's bed and all three children were in bed with me. Every time I woke up I was between different children. It was kind of strange and not so fun and I had a very stiff neck but it was snuggly and I won't complain about that!

The manger scene has had many interesting and colourful visitors.

And Hudson again, look at those legs. Munchable!

Village painting with a lot of help.

I have yet to complete one piece since having children, but have about 20 started ones with very colourful splatters all over them in an box.

Another painting completed and delivered.

A few favourite ornaments.

And the seasonal sewing has begun. Last year I was on an owl theme and this year for some reason we have ended up with monsters instead.

And they are going over well.

And that is it. We are into the seasonal swing of things. Not sure exactly what I think of all the aspects of these holidays but for now am focusing on the fun things we can do and making memories with the children. Right now it is all about them and being at home....and I am loving that!

Happy season folks. Whether you celebrate in one way or another or avoid the whole thing and just relax, enjoying the Lord and thinking of His birth and life and death and what it means. However the children keep reminding us that Santa is going to come out the "fire pit" and Ethan asks every other day or so if he came yet, because "he will!''

Ahhh, and then I just want to have fun with the whole thing and watch their little faces!

So I think I will.

Now I am going to light a fire, my fingers are numb and the children have finished rearanging the newly set up village, time for hot chocolate and some snuggles!

Walkin' back through time cause that is all I can do...

...while my husband takes apart the pipes connecting to our tub. I for one am glad this is happening, it has been days since my last bath and I am dying to hunker down for a good soak with a good book. You see for the last few weeks, or month or so the tub has not been draining well. It seems to take at least 6-8 hours to drain and then the sludge left behind from soaps is disgusting! I was able to clean it and flush it with a cup or two of water before the water would come back out the drain and this worked for a while. Until I did a body scrub with a detoxifying mask and then there was no hope. The sludge from the mask, ugh!

So finally tonight Dave...he just came back upstairs now from working on the pipes and he is carrying the rankest bucket with a spoon and a washcloth in it. Whew, clearing the house!! Wow, I cannot believe a cloth that got sucked down could cause such a problem, but now I have a bath again, yay, I can hardly wait to clean it!

Anyway, on with what I was stalling with while I waited for the bath.

More photos from the archives. These were taken on my birthday and ones I also forgot about and meant to include in the last post. I had forgotten that it was one of the most awesomely warm almost t-shirt weather days in the middle of November! 17th to be specific.....I just might quiz you on this next year;-)

The afternoon sun beckoned so we headed out for a little stroll down the alley. Don't ask why but this is just what we do. Well, ok. We are alley walkers. Sometimes I like to find treasures that people kindly leave next to garbage bins but really it is just nice to have the room to run and no traffic. Also seeing homes from the back end is kinda like looking at personalities. You can see more what people are like from their back yards. If they collects junk, and cars and wood and bags of stuff or if they have flowers and benches and a garden and compost. Ornaments in their trees, gnomes or fairies, silk plants....yah. You know they are old then, like really old and probably single.

Totally sidetracked. Sorry.

Back to the lovely walk.

I like to get attractive photos of my children, especially when they can't fight me!

We (I) decided to take a few family photos with our Christmas card in mind.

Thank you fence posts and garbage bins and the self timer for these.

Now skip ahead 6 days.......Yes I had walked away mid post to have my bath and didn't make it back for 6 days.

So fast forward to today.

Ooops. Tub is still fixed, yay!

Anyway.....(also on a side note. I cannot find my address book so your card might be sitting on my table for a while, sorry.)

Now back to my 'anyway......'

Ya, we had a few outtakes. Blame it on the stinky compost corner post that I wanted to run from rather than hang around and fiddle with the camera on.

And then we had one that we could use. This is not the colour it ended up after printing but I am saving that outcome for when and if the cards ever get delivered. Oh, and I kindly photo shopped my showing butt to have jeans on it.

You are welcome!

And now on with Christmas preparations and the COLD temperature outside.

A great excuse to stay cosy and warmly wrapped up in blankets by a fire all day. Which is what we do since our house is so poorly insulated. Ok, ok, not all day, but how nice would that be!!

Ethan has a heater in his room now since it gets so cold there, his blankets freeze to the wall. There is ice three inches up the windows and cold drafts and a pop can sitting a foot away from the back door (inside) exploded because it froze. However like a friend stated to me earlier tonight, it is so nice to be able to make and enjoy tea whenever you want!

Not only that but it is so pretty out there with the snow and the frost and the crisp air and the heated seats in our new (not working so well right now) truck.

I am embracing it this year baby and am going (to try really hard) to see God's beauty and humor in the whole situation.

Some of our gift ideas are coming to life. Home made bath soaks have been brewing and a few other goodies too. Now then they might just end up sitting here too if I cannot find that address book, or I suppose I could make a few phone calls;-)

I have great help. We may be a few vials shorter than I had planned but the extra mess was worth it.

Gonna go publish this finally, night all!!!!

I had a birthday...

...and somehow the photos got shuffled and I forgot about posting them!

I celebrated more of a birthday week and now I wish I could do that every week but then it would get old and wouldn't be so special and there would be no clean dishes or laundry and that is already a stretch on normal days!

So....

Dave has a way of making me feel, well, special. Yes, this is part of the reason I married him, but there is more to him than that, trust me. On my birthday he took the day off, let me sleep in, made breakfast, helped the children make me a massive card with sweet secrets all over it and then sent me to the spa for a hot lava stone message followed by dinner out and then dessert at my parents.

Then to round out the week he stayed home while I went out with a few girlfriends to celebrate my last year in my 20's.

Thank you my dear friends for the awesome night and Dave.....love you!

(And if you wonder why this photo is so blurry......mr. waiter, you don't need to mess with the focus when it is in auto!)

sorry for the sap...it was a gooder and you (I) just need it every once in a while!

Pictures and prayers

No more custom orders, well, almost none! I have only two left to complete that I have committed too and then I am scott free!

See what I have been up to here. There are a few missing still but they are on the camera still sooo.....you know.

I feel like a burden is being lifted with them in a strange way. Even though I love to paint I am excited to dig back out the sewing machine, it has been nearly a year!

So how about something light tonight!

Pictures of our offspring's will do?

OK!

Going way back to batches of photos that have been sitting around for a month.

We like to dress up here, no occasion needed!

We also like to crank the tunes and get our groove on!

You know this though.

We also like to snuggle.

And hang out.

And we really like babies.

How can we not!

He is the happiest baby ever!!

Never cries....unless he hasn't eaten for hours and then it is a whimper as he waits and then he will just suck his hand.

But even then he is distracted easily by a smile.

Oh, and on the news front.....he cut his first tooth today!!!

And of course he is always getting loved...

by a few certain other little people.

Now if we ever get bored then of course there is entertainment, thank you E-man!

Or there are crafts to work on with friends.

This was part of our memory tribute for our little day of the dead get together.

And if all else fails we paint.

And then sometimes I have to sit back and just look at my little life. OK, more like go back through my archives here, but same thing. I am so grateful. And blessed. Sometimes we don't realize how much we really have until we step back and look. I should never complain!

(smacking myself upside the head now) However I sure have my moments where I feel like I am going to explode. They are far outweighed by the awe moments though.

I want to remember these moments. All of em. For ever!

Cause they go by so fast! They put what really matters into perspective!

I can hardly remember what it was like to hold Kaitlyn as a baby and now we are working through workbooks and puzzles. And discussing why it is NOT ok to swear!

And Ethan is showing his independence and watching him try to be brave is the most precious thing.

Ahhhh, motherhood and the crazy moments we get to see and commit to our hearts and memory banks = priceless!

~~~

Now on a very serious side note I have a relative who is extremely ill. Clinging to life with little hope and she is in her early twenties. She needs desperate and fervent prayer!

Here is a link to read a little more. There are more complications too but this will give you a little info. Any prayer is appreciated. She is one sweet girl.

Thank you!