Spring Break 2012

Just a little peak at what we've been doing here this week. My nephew and his girlfriend are staying with us until Thursday. (You'd never know she was here by the picture at the top. The boys have been playing a lot of video games!) 

The weather has been wonderful so we decided to go look for mushrooms tonight....still must be too early. Joey, Simon and I had a great time in the woods. Except for the snake we saw. Ek. Still gives me the heebie jeebies to think about it. Simon tried to tell me it was ok. It was just a "Gardner Snake" and that he was nice....but I wasn't buying it! In the woods we were in we came across an old barn that had collapsed and noticed a cool water pump. Joey (and Simon) pumped away and actually got water! Had a sip and it tasted just like well water. Even more amazing than that is that the pump came from Flint and Walling in Kendallville, Indiana...my last home was right down the road from that factory!

Little bit of ninja action, little bit of lego building, lots of sleeping in and just being lazy. Which if you ask me is the best way to spend Spring Break!

A Picture (Almost) A Day

One of the perks around here of being in 4-H is being able to go to a Women's Michigan State basketball game. Sunday was the big day. Alex, me and Simon went along with a friend of mine and her two boys. I drove the school bus to Lansing with about 45 other 4-H members, parents and friends. We stopped at Old Country Buffet on the way...had way too much food, then went and enjoyed the game. It was hard for us as this is not our "team" but you would have never known by the excitement in Simon's eyes. He had a great time. [Alex and I have been 3 times now so it's old news to him.]

Blogger is not a good idea

because I always come across stuff I want to do. Even though I have several other things started and a family to keep up with I am going to do this.....

A Lego Quilt out of all my scraps and stash.

{But after clicking around I found I think I'll like doing it this way better with bigger pieces. Plus hopefully it'll get done quicker. Either way Simon says I need to do his Lego quilt right now!}

Cute cross stitch Dessert of the Month

[I haven't cross stitched in a long time but think these kawaii guys are adorable! And @ $10 for a year full of patterns I think it's a good deal.]

A Photo A Day

Just some healthy snacks to introduce

All that mixed in with a self-diagnosed Sinus Infection and added Teacher Aid hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the school I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to get this accomplished. I actually work better under stress/pressure. These past few weeks just sitting around letting my rib heal has been killer on me. I'm ready to get doing something.

Plus I am on the lookout for new dishes. I really like the way my aunt has a mix of china plates. I visited a few of the local antique shops yesterday and found a few plates and glasses I liked. Now I'm eager for garage sales and auctions! Can't wait to see what I can come across. Anything I feel is pretty, and that I like, I'm going to add to my collection. That's what my aunt does! She scours Goodwills and thrift shops, never spending more that a couple of bucks even for the prettiest of plates. I guess getting a good deal must be in my blood.

Well I'm off to the bed. I really can't afford to be sick so I'm going to force myself to go rest...AGAIN! Book time, maybe a movie, and a nap. Have a great week wherever you may be.

Now it's time to diet...

We officially finished up our holiday season on Monday with a big ol' family gathering at my aunt's amazing home.

My mom along with 3 of her 4 sisters were there, with 8 of 13 cousins, and lots of babies and more kids. And most importantly my grandpa and his wife. It was a great time. This was our 37th Annual [I think someone just pulled that number out of their behinds...we've never kept track before] Christmas gathering with our 1st Annual Soup Cook-Off. [My mom won! With her Chili recipe. There was some gooood soup! Over there she is with what she is dubbing as her secret recipe. She did later admit that there is no real recipe, just a little of this and a little of that.]

I didn't take any soup as I had been visiting with with family for 2 days prior, but I did make yummy Peanut Butter Swirl Bars. I also did up cute little hot pads for

my aunts and mother with the recipe and a photo of my grandmother on them. The hot pads and bars were both a big hit.

New Year's Eve we spent at my sister's. Had a good time with the kids all being together. Really wish her house was a little bigger so they could have ran around more. My niece was confused about what it meant for the "ball to drop". She kept asking if it was time for the ball to fall. We ate at Pizza Hut for dinner came home and made a little Cotton Candy, and played with the baby.

Got up and headed to my aunt's house and spent the day there with her and my mom. Helped

get ready for the family Christmas and just had a good time. Her house is amazing and it always makes me want to come home and clean and change things up here. She had a huge collection of old dishes that are all so cute. Makes me want to hit up the Antique Malls and get some of my own. She has recently added a sun room for all of her plants and I loved it. Only thing I'd change is I would have a chair and little table for book time.

Since I have such a wonderful photographer [my 13 year old son] I'll share more of our fun weekend.

Hope everyone's New Year is off to a great start! After eating way too much over the past 2 weeks it's definitely time for me to get back to eating healthier.

Me any my baby boy. My New Year hug!

Simon playing a card game at Aunt Sally's house.

Me on dish duty...check out the kitchen! I love it!

Mom playing for the grandkids.

Aunt Sally

In December....

I always get sentimental about things.

I always feel that I have neglected my blog.

I always wish that during my Christmas break I would have done more than just sit around.

I always start to get eager for warmer weather.

I always spend way too much time on the computer and not enough time reading.

This year is no different.

My dad passed away in 1998 and he would have been 58 years old this past week. I felt very sentimental about it this year. Having 4 grandchildren now would have made him very happy. He would love 'em all. It's sad that these kids will never know their 'real' Grandpa.

My last blog post was August 24th and it was just a book review. Nothing exciting about my life or the drama we have with 3 teenage daughters 1 teenage boy and a 5 year old. There were many days I felt that I should blog....but just didn't.

December 12 Simon and I were racing up the basement stairs, I tried to keep from stepping on him at the top and fell back into the door frame thus fracturing a rib in my back. I am going to use this as my excuse for not getting anything done this Christmas break. I was unable to drive the bus the last 3 days before Christmas break started and I have been home since then. I'm starting to get cabin fever. I just want to do something away from this house and town. I did get some of the decorations down with Alex's help, but the tree and outside lights are still up.

I can not wait for summer. I like winter until New Year's Day....then it needs to warm back up. Unfortunately we haven't gotten much snow here yet so I'm afraid it's going to hit us hard until spring.

I don't know what it is about Facebook and their games but they are so addicting. I could play Frontierville all day and have several days this break. I did however get through 2 chapters of my current book today [One Mississippi by Mark Childress] {Love it BTW!}.

So that's what I've been up to, or not up to. I did manage to sew a little the other day. Have been really enjoying my new HE washer and dryer. I always like to make 'goals' for the new year but feel like a failure when I don't accomplish them, so I'll just end with a see ya next time....no promises as to when that will be. :) [maybe tomorrow;)]

Re-purposing

I had the joy of spending last weekend with my mom. Alex had finished up band camp and my mom came along for the 4 hour drive to pick him up. To keep herself busy she worked on her wool rug hooking. She has done some really cute things.

We enjoyed his concert and stopped at a few fun places along the road on the way home. One of which was a metal art dealer, The Columbus Tree on US-127. This guy has all kinds of cool stuff out in his front yard. Some real heavy duty things painted and protected with a clear coat. I splurged and bought a hen and a daisy. To go along with my daisy I used rings from an old barrel my mom had and did up a little circular display in our front yard.

Another quick stop at Uncle John's Cider Mill and we were on our way back home. Spent a relaxing Sunday morning at home with the boys then all went to church. After a "traditional" lunch out to eat my mom and I went to the Antique Mall. (And I say "traditional" because way back when I was growing up Sunday Dinner was typically the only time we would go out to eat. Kids now-a-days feel the need to stop for fast food every time they pass a McDonald's or such.)

Anytime my mom and I go shopping we usually are at a thrift shop, antique shop, or someplace along the road. The conversation always turns into, "Oh you could_____with this and then put it_____and it'd be really cute!" [ok after re-reading this sounds a little dirty, but definitely not intended that way :)] Well when my mom and her sister were in Alabama this spring they came across a lady who makes glass totems. I tell ya what, I'm gonna have to try it! Yeah it's just a bunch of old junk glass glued together but something about it is so neat. So I've been checking out the paper for garage sales, and auctions this week and am ready to stock up on glass.

Well anyways when we were at the Antique Mall we got some more ideas for glass totems and saw some flower things made out of stacked plates and then attached to a pole. There was even an angel bird feeder make out of old plates. I knew I should have taken a picture because words can't describe it. It was really a cute idea. So now I'm on the lookout not only for old sheets for quilts, but glass! :) We even dubbed a new phrase "Junk for Joey" because my husband just LOVES it when I bring home junk to re-purpose.

Yesterday had to be the best day of summer yet. Sunny all day and not to hot. The boys and I trimmed up the bushes and trees in the front yard and rewarded ourselves with ice cream from town.

Back in the spring I bought and old picnic basket, complete with, dirty I'm sure, dishes from the last picnic 20 some years ago and a pack of cards. The previous owners had used a permanent marker to write their name on it so I got out my craft paint and added our name to it. I love the way it looks now and can't stop admiring it.

So that's what I've been up to. Looking forward to more 70 degree days and lots of sun.

It's amazing how a little rearranging can change your whole mood.
We are on week 2 of yucky, rainy weather here. I need a little boost. So what better to do that change it up?

I went to my first auction of the 'season' this past Saturday and was able to get a cute plant stand for $2. Who says plant stands have to hold just plants? When I bought it I had intended to place all plants but the little shelves didn't want to move to positions I wanted. I was afraid it would be uneven with it's weight so I added a few of my favorite smaller items. You can't make out the photos that well but the top black and white is my favorite old, old family photo. It has my great-great grandparents, along with other family members. The bottom, color photo is my mom and her family when they all were younger. I just love 'em both.

When my husband built our house 12 years ago the building plans were for this area to be a closet. He chose to leave the doors off so we have a cozy little area by the front door. I just added the wooden stand, which is my mothers sewing machine table.The white chair belonged to my grandmother. I repainted it last summer and redid the cushion.

Its an oak chair but she had painted it blue and the paint was getting very faded. I love the fact that both of our hands played a part in making over this chair. The coat hooks are metal shoe hooks I came across at a flea market. I attached them to a piece of wood my mom and I found while "picking" in my grandpa's barn. Hopefully visitors will feel welcomed when they come in the front door.

This area gets the most use in our home, our dinning room.

I moved the plants around and added a couple more family photos to my hutch. The hutch has a china cabinet that goes on the top of it. When we repainted, we decided not to bring that back in. I really like having an area to display my plants, and they love all the light they get from the patio door. The

hutch belonged to my husband's grandmother. And the plant in the blue pot belonged to my great-great grandmother (the one in the picture earlier). She gave a start to my great grandmother, and each generation it has just been passed along. I love it! And it's so easy to take care of.

Stuck in among the plants are a couple more photos of my grandparents and great-grandparents on my father's side. I just love having a piece of history mixed in with our everyday life. Simon enjoys telling everyone that the picture on the right is his "great-great grandma and great-great grandpa and that they are in heaven now because they died".

I have gotten hooked on the whole vinyl lettering thing. These 2 phrases came from Simply Said. My mom has the stuff all over her house...in a nice decorative way...and I love it. I can't wait to get a little more money saved up to add something else to the house.

I hope that everyone had a great Easter weekend. We had my in-laws over for a late dinner/early supper, and an Easter egg hunt. I am so glad that the rain held off so Simon could have fun with the hunt. Sounds like rain the most of this week (again). Can't wait for the May flowers that are surely in our future....right??!!

I set a goal today and accomplished it!

I got in the bloggin' and quiltin' mood last night. While I was browsing the internet I came across Freda's Hive. A cute little blog that includes lots of quilting and cute other stuff. I really can't remember the friend I have on my blog roll that got me there but there was a link to her tutorial on how to make Doll House Pot Holders.

They are all so stinkin' cute so I had to give them a go today. So after many adjustments to my machine's tension and such I got 3 of them out today.

This Monkey House was the first one I threw together. The picture looks much better than it does in real life. But he's still cute. I just need to get some Mylar batting so that my little patties don't get burnt when this bad boy is put to use.

Here's a shot of all 3. The other 2 were made from a stash of fabric that my aunt gave me. I thought I might give these 2 to her. Just because. They are very fun to make and I already have ideas of how to make each one more unique than the other.

Tomorrow I plan to work on a quilt that I started a few months back. My goal was to start and finish a quilt. Didn't happen. It's a quilt for just me. Love a quilt I can keep and use myself.

March Recap

After reading Amy's (of A Commonplace Life) post i remember march I thought I'd follow suit and look back at the pleasant things that have happened over the last month that have made me happy. I am so tired of the yucky weather. I have seen enough snow and brown grass to last me a lifetime! I am beyond ready to plant my flowers and get some sun on these white legs. March has been a slow month, which is a good thing as April is beyond busy for us. Simon turned 5 this month and my reflection revolves around that. These are a few of my favorite photos from March 2011.

For his breakfast birthday Simon wanted pancakes. 5 to be specific. Alex was brilliant enough to snap a picture of me lighting the candle.

For his cake he wanted a Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtle cake. Being the ever so crafty {{wink}} {{wink}} mom that I am I made this beauty. The green blobs are each of the Turtles complete with their respective colored ninja eye things.

I found out that my puppy-nephew likes to beg, via his daddy's shoulder, for birthday cake...or maybe there is something good on the iPhone?? Who knows?

Simon was so greatful for all his birthday gifts. His best Buddy got this big hug after getting the best gift of all, a Kingdom Hearts game for his Nintendo DS. I hope his daddy is always his best buddy.

Since this week is our Spring Break I am going to try and spend more time with my blog and crafts and quilting. I am going to pray for no snow tonight. There were big ugly flakes this morning...hopefully that is the end of it.

Remodeling and Peanut Butter and Jelly

I'm so excited! We are finally starting on our remodeling. Kitchen's first. Here are the colors for the kitchen and living room, and the kitchen counter top. This photo doesn't do any justice to the true colors. I had green, blue and yellow in my head so when I saw these 3 together in a booklet, I knew it was it.

The new counter top will be here in a couple of weeks and the kitchen will be done. The living room will be painted and carpeted this summer.

Hurray for a new-ish house!!



There's nothing like making the "best lunch in the world". Even if it is just a peanut butter and jelly at 5 in the afternoon.

Simon gets so excited about everything. Today we moved all of his toys to the toy box in the basement. Best day ever. He was so excited to have his "new" room. Better yet it is by my sewing room. He had to tell me several times that his room was for boys only and I needed to go to my room and work on someone's blankie. That's what girls do is work on someone's blankies.

Once upon a time there was a sweet little boy. He was born 8 days before he was supposed to be. His mother had the days to March 20 counted down on her calendar, she really didn't like being pregnant. Especially with this little character. He just kicked and tossed and turned in her belly all night. There were several times when he seemed to be trying out his Ninja Turtle moves and tried to kick through her stomach--she could see his foot print he was kicking so hard.

Well, this little boy's mommy and daddy decided to do some shopping on a brisk, early spring afternoon. This required a lot of walking for the mommy. During all the walking she had a funny feeling something special was going to happen. It was almost as if she knew it was going to be time soon. When the mommy and daddy got home the daddy was tired so he went off to bed, but didn't get to sleep very long. The mommy had to wake him up because she was right, it was time for the baby to be born!

All that night the mommy and daddy anxiously awaited for their little boy to be born. The mommy was in a lot of pain so had to have some special medicine to make here feel better, but a nasty, mean ol' lady gave it to her and didn't do something right. The mommy felt better for a little bit but not for long enough. When it was time for the baby boy to be born the mommy felt like she was going to explode. But finally Simon Cooper was born.

Oh how happy the mommy and daddy were. And Grandma Carla timed it just right and her and Grandpa showed up just a few minutes later and got to share in the excitement of Simon Cooper's birth. Simon's brother and sisters got to stay home from school that day and were all so excited (when they got to come see him of course).

But by this time the mommy wasn't feeling so good. You see the nasty, mean ol' lady had punctured a needle into her spinal cord and she was leaking spinal fluid....which gave her the worst headache she could ever imagine having in her life. She was so sick she couldn't feed her baby boy the way mommies should feed their babies. She didn't even want to hold him or have him in her room, because she couldn't take care of him. The mommy was very sad. She felt like she was the worst mommy on the planet.

But finally a nice doctor was able to come see the mommy and fixed her spinal cord. She felt like she was taking a dip in a nice warm bath tub. The pain miraculously went away. It was the best feeling in the world. The mommy was so happy. She finally got to see and hold her baby boy like a mommy should. The baby boy and mommy never did get the feeding thing to work out though, but they sure did try.

After Simon Cooper came home his aunt Staci and cousin Marker came and stayed a few days. Aunt Staci took some very cute pictures of the sweet baby boy. The mommy was so happy to have them around. Except, all the mommy wanted to do was sleep because all the little boy wanted to do was eat every. three. hours! That's a lot of snacks in the middle of the night. The mommy started to get real cranky and the daddy wasn't really sure why. He thought the mommy was sleeping all day with the baby, so how could she be tired and cranky? What a crazy daddy.

Well, some time has passed since that day. Now this little boy, Simon Cooper, is 4 years old. His mommy and daddy love him so much. He is so funny. You can't be around Simon Cooper without laughing and having a good time. If you haven't met Simon Cooper yet, hopefully some day you will. He is definitely worth having as a little buddy.

I don't know what we'd do without our dinning room.

Last week Simon went to his first ever dentist appointment. I have held off on taking him because I was afraid of how he'd act. And truly, deep down I'm just not ready. I don't want my baby to grow up. It has been tougher for me since Simon is the baby. The last baby. I am more secure in my life, and [somewhat more] financially stable. I think being home with his has created a tighter bond, sometimes we both just scream at each other which then leads to laughter and I'm really going to miss that come this fall. The dentist visit was kind of the icing on the cake, that he really is growing up. They took ex-rays and in those ex-rays I saw his big boy teeth. I almost broke down in tears right there in the exam room. I just could not believe it. He really will become a big boy. Teeth and all.


The place we spend most of our time during the day is in the dinning room. He loves to pretend. He loves to make a "house chair". He watches cartoons. He eats his delicious lunches that I make. He plays with play dough. I spend numerous minutes on my laptop. I just enjoy watching him be a kid. He has the best imagination. And he loves to dance along to the cartoons he watches, of course he's in his underware, it just cracks me up. I don't know what I'll do with myself all day when/if he goes to pre-school next fall.




Wait, I know. I'll finally quilt! And finish my works in progress. I love that Joey put up this bar for me, except it gives me a place to put my things and I sometimes don't come back to them for a while. I did sew a little this past week, but I just don't have a desire to do that or anything right now. Could be the lack of sun. I can't wait for spring.






I don't share too may pictures of our fur babies so I thought I would today. Simon actually snapped this picture of the crew. We had to trick them and ask if they wanted a treat. They all came running to the kitchen and sat on the rug. Little did they know we are out of treats.