My wish list

There is this amazing giveaway going on over here and it makes my heart pitter pat. 

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

- What 5 items are on your holiday wishlist this year?
 1.  a cool watch
 2.  some great maternity jeans and perfect sweater
 3.  The Magic Bullet - it makes everything!  And makes it look sooo simple.
 4.  Season 2 - 7 of the Gilmore Girls. Or just a couple here and there.
 5.  A personal chef.

- What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?
 I don't know how to narrow it down!  Too many talented people around me.  Gotta think about it.

- What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?
 I want to knit a complex sweater or scarf.

- What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?
 Everyone knows I have the worst memory but it may have been the Beatrix Potter paper playhouse.  Or my   first stereo.

- What is on your kid's wishlist this year?
  Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympics for Wii, Caroline wants something awesome (that is all she has said)

- What is your favorite holiday food?
  Peppermint Ice Cream or homemade caramel

-  What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?
  I can't say, they are gifts!

-  What is your favorite holiday movie?
  A Christmas Story, Charlie Brown Christmas

- Favorite holiday song?
  What Child is This?

- Favorite holiday past time?
  Just soaking it all in or drinking warm cider

From their site:

"Our “sleigh” is a Madsen Bike filled with gifts and goodies from Provo Craft to help you create those handmade projects including a Yudu screen-printing machine, a Cuttlebug, a Cricut Expression Machine, a Your Story thermal book binder, and a Knifty Knitter loom set. That’s not all - we’ve got treasures galore - a Dyson Blueprint, an Easy Walker Sky stroller from MamaBargains.com, two Sidekick baby carrier bags from Kemby and an Amber Alert GPS unit and a full year of service."

That’s over $3,800 in gifts!
I need a kick in the pants where creativity is concerned and this may be just the ticket.  Plus I need something to peddle me back into shape after this baby, so the bike would be beyond wonderful!  I'm crossing my fingers, all the time, everyday!  I should probably tell you you can enter too.  Go here.

Caroline's Talent Show

Everyone had to share a talent at preschool. One boy dribbled a ball, another sang, one girl played the piano for the first time, artists, lego builders and Caroline. I barely had enough time to start my camera, she was up and going before I knew it. Some girls from Eli's 2nd grade class were there and asked Caroline how she did that - quite the star. Sorry for the shaky camera work, my friend was laughing so hard I could not keep still.

Brought to you by the letter B

B is for baby. The baby that is currently cookin' in me right now. The baby that will be chillin' with its brothers and sister hopefully by the third week of May.

letter b found here

Halloween

I made the mistake of taking Caroline with me to JoAnn's while getting tulle and such for her costume that I was making from my own little head. She never imagined all the things like patterns that she could choose from. So $40 later and a pattern I never wanted to do, we left. I knew I couldn't manage the pattern so luckily my mom graciously accepted the challenge. I did do the hat - a small contribution.

Eli's was fun. Last year we went store bought so I had had a year off. A few years ago he was Sonic the Hedgehog, which was fun to make. This time he chose a bunch of different Pokemon characters that I couldn't even hope to eek out but then he settled of Silver, Sonic's friend.

After 3 cans of silver spray paint for the clothing and hair, lots of felt to concoct the gloves and boots, and some messy fur, we had a great costume. Eli was so excited to wear it he couldn't sleep the night before his school parade. It was fun to have him that excited.
It really was fun to make. I love Caroline's hat. Her whole costume was a hit with all ages. Thanks Mom.


Joey was a bat. Yes, the same bat as last year. He refused to be the lion costume we had. That is just fine. He was a great trick or treater. So fun to watch and I laughed when he would accept 2 treats when offered. Like he needs more candy. He was especially pleased when they had hisfavorite - M & M's. Why do I forget that carving pumpkins consists of me gutting and cleaning pumpkins, having the kids draw their pics, then me carving the pics, then me lighting and placing? Joey's was Rolie Polie Olie - our favorite round friend. Caroline's was a nice witch, Eli's was a scary Jack-O-Lantern. I carved Dave a longhorn. But my favorite is the toasted seeds.

Joey Flips Out

Joey is our little voice in the family and by little I mean he is actually our loudest voice. And he has turned into quite the tease. He knows when Caroline doesn't want him touching her and so he does his best to have at least part of him touching her at all times when she is in this mood. And he is persistent. Like a little puppy who wants to be pet. It is somewhat endearing and sometimes a bit... not.

This is what I found when I heard laughing coming from the living room. He threw up about on hour later - but not from the flips, from a bug that is circling our home lately.

Today at church Eli had already eaten the fruit snacks, the pretzels (or prencils as Caroline calls them), and some goldfish. He was insisting that he was starving. Has anyone else seen a snack bar at church? Should there be one that is supported by tithes? In any case, I told him to go and get a big drink of water. He insisted that he wasn't thirsty, but starving! I told him his only option was a drink of hunger-quenching water. He kept whining. I told him that I was going to march him out and call Dave to come and get him, he would go home and right to his room - this was after much complaining.

"What?! You are going to send me home and to my room and never let me eat again? You want me to DIE?!

No, E, I just want you to stop complaining and whining, realize that I can't do anything but what I am suggesting and sit quietly.

"What?! You really want me to DIE?!!

So now everyone who sits near us in church thinks I want Eli to die or that I said something to Eli to make him think that I was trying to kill him.

My friend asked me later what I had done to make Eli so mad when he stomped out of Sacrament Meeting (she had seen him stomp out). I am only guilty of wanting him to live! I had finally convinced him it was in his best interest to drink up.

-----

Tonight, playing this new fantastic game called Pickleball, (thanks for the new addiction that we can't play immediately Shorts) Eli was great at it but not sharing the court time with any of us adults. I tried to explain to him the rules, going to a certain point, sharing the court - yada yada yada - "What?! You don't want me to play with you ANYMORE?! You don't want ME anymore?!

When we got home, Dave spent some time talking to him about his behavior. He was sent straight to bed but asked if he could write something down first. This is what we found, taped to the sheet next to him in bed:


Did I tell you about the time in Target when I let him open a pack of Pokemon cards before we paid for them? After they were opened he came across some Mario Galaxy Cards. He decided that he wanted those instead. I told him that we had already claimed the opened cards and had to buy them and because of that we would not be getting the Mario cards. While hanging his head in deep sorrow he said, "I make the worst choices, I am such a bad decision maker!"
After we had checked out and were at the car he said, "You all get in first, I don't deserve to get in before any of you. I make such bad choices. I deserve to be last."

Let me defend us. We don't say things like this to him. We try to never generalize with Eli. We do say things like, " You are right, you were too impatient and didn't make a very good choice in this instance." or "Yeah, you are being naughty RIGHT NOW but you aren't naughty all the time. In fact, you are pretty awesome most of the time." Where he gets all this negative talk and crap I do not know.

Someone, please help. I really don't know what do with this sweet boy who has a great disposition all the time, but apparently rarely when I am around.

Here we go again!

Here we go again. Eli has his first day of 2nd grade. 2nd grade!!! What happened to kindergarten? E was excited for school to start. A class of 27 (way too big!), 17 are boys! There were many joyous reunions that morning. Friends he saw only 2 days previous greeting each other like it had been 2 years. I don't know how bones did not get broken.














We are still trying to find our groove, but my expectations for that are not high. I don't think that we ever found our groove last year - when to do homework, when to veg, when to play and when to eat.















It is weird not to have him around all day. We all miss him. Not that he is ever around long - he is a social butterfly.

So far so good. He likes his teacher, likes what he is learning and loves to be with all his pals.

How can you not love this 2nd grader face?














Caroline began a new dance program. She calls it her "temporary" dance. Contemporary. She asked how she was supposed to keep up her ballet and tap skills if she would be going to dance with bare feet from now on. I don't know. I mean, what if SYTYCD 2022 doesn't think she has good enough technique? But she loved it her new dance.


She is also beginning soccer. She is so excited and has practiced every day. It is her fallback to SYTYCD, I guess she can always try out for the USA Women's Soccer team.







We bought some soccer cleats with pink in them but there were too big. I asked her to try on Eli's old shoes and she said, "That is a good idea and if they fit we won't have to buy new shoes!" What? This coming from a kid who threw a HUGE fit in Target that day over something ridiculous that I would not buy.

















She was showing me her jumping skills. Who knew that cleats helped you jump? Joey came out in E's cleats and had to get in the jump action. He actually has an impressive vertical for a tiny sport.

















Many of you know about Caroline's lack of pants and short wearing. She hasn't worn them in 2 1/2 years - excluding leggings that go under dresses. Thus the skirt at soccer practice. I asked her if we needed to go shopping for a black skirt or if she would wear soccer shorts. She said she would only wear Eli's old soccer shorts and only for soccer practice and games. She also asked that I don't ask her to wear shorts or pants any other time.


btw - I have new plaques that are about to go up in my shop. If you want to take a look, go to we chirp.

He would have laughed at blogs

Lindsey and I were talking the other day and she started laughing at the thought of what Joe would think of blogs. We both agreed he would kindly mock them. I've been meaning to call her all day so that we could laugh and inevitably end up crying over the anniversary that is today. What do you do with a day like today? I'm ok. I know what comes next and what I have to do to be there. He's with us every day.

He is in little things my kids do. He is in their simple kindnesses to each other. We say his name, which has become my son's, many times a day and it is like a million little sparkles in the air. Sometimes my kids do things and I think, Joe taught you that in Heaven, he knew it would bug me so he did it to tease me. Or he knew something would make me happy, so he taught them that too. I love that, because then I think of him. He knows I need to lighten up. I want my kids to be like him in a million different ways. I love that E loves snowboarding and seems to be a natural at it. Now, if only someone could teach him, Caroline and Joey how to skateboard... Caroline might be the best at that. Dave and he would have been good friends.

I miss him. He was happy and kind. He was happy and thoughtful. He was happy and fun. The kid was the best. Is the best. He was a great example to all of us of how to treat others. He wasn't perfect but he was good.


We went up to his grave today. I have never thought he was there. I used to pour Dr. Pepper on it, just for him. My kids know about him, but what do they really know? It is such an abstract thing to young kids. But they know that they love him and they know he loves them. Is it morbid to show his headstone? I think it is beautiful.

He had a lot of favorites. He liked music. Did you know that he loved Michael Jackson? Loved him when he was little. He loved chocolate rice crispy treats and made them better than anyone, even Grandma. He loved his family, all of us. He would love playing with his nieces and nephews. He loved his friends and spent time doing who knows what with them. I remember he would skate up on the U campus a lot with them. He would love where they are now. He had many friends but then there are those really close ones that I am grateful for. They are a part of my family, you know who you are. He was always having fun. He had the goofiest grin. He was working on his six pack, slow to lose his baby chub. He loved his accidental sideburns. I think he thought he was related to St. Nick. He loved his cousins. Especially Ben and Bry. He'd be proud of them. He loved skateboarding and snowboarding. He loved "Bo Knows Bo" so much he read it every year for 7 and wrote a report on it each year, lazy bum - I don't think he loved reading. He loved back-to-school clothes shopping. He loved Mexican Pizzas. He loved his Saab. He loved that his eyes changed colors with whatever color he had on. He loved O-town. He always had something cooking, some big plan. Or little plan. Or mischievous idea. He had friends every where we went because he was good to everyone.

I love when people tell me stories about him. I knew a lot of his comings and goings and his adventures but not everything and don't remember everything. Did I ever tell you that he thought his name was spelled G.I. Joe when he was little? Or that he made a collar of cardboard and named himself Spike, telling us this was his new name? Or that he had my mom make him and his friends fleece hats that he designed that were all spiky and shapey for snowboarding? I think there are pieces of him everywhere, for everyone.

Love you Joe.

Friends, Romans, Texters, lend me your ear...

There is this place, oh it is beautiful. It is a place that seems like a dream or somewhere long ago This place is a place of color, of laughter and hellos. There are words, actual words. Not just letters like "u", "r" and whatever else can be shortened to represent an actual word. People actually spelled out words and took advantage of Spell Check to make sure that they were spelled correctly.

It is a place with proper nouns like Ben and Liz, Seattle, and Chuck E Cheese. People used capital letters for them, no matter where it is placed in a sentence! And complete thoughts - so hard to come by these days. Now it is all staccato and thoughts cut down to the barest form. Whatever you do, don't. use. words. unless. you. absolutely. have. to. Don't.

And punctuation. Remember that? . , ! ; and so on. They doesn't always get used properly (especially here) but they get used. They help break up thoughts, run on sentences and random ideas that should probably be placed in separate sentences, maybe even paragraphs. It takes years to learn how to use them properly, and even then people with the best intentions (me) who used to use punctuation properly (me) still have trouble - but at least they (me) try.

It's this place where people actually carry on conversations. Conversations with laughter - that you can hear - actual laughter, not LOL and not haha or hehe. Where you can hear someone smile as they talk because their voice changes its tone, and you don't have to see ;). You can actually tell if someone is serious or kidding because of their voice or the way they say their words, not just by a simple JK. Ah, those were the days. You can tell if someone really isn't having a great day because - - - wait for it - - - you can hear it in their voice.

Texting isn't all bad (and I include Im'ing in this). I'm sure I would love it if I did it more. It is the way that I contact most of my sitters. Oddly, it is rare that I get a response to my phone call, but text them and within minutes I have my answer. And now that I think of it, texting is at fault for that, too. Kids would rather text than speak. It's true. Another positive? I know a friend who has a quick question for a husband who is in a meeting and so she texts and he subtly responds. And sometimes you don't have the time for a full conversation but would like a quick answer to something. I get it. There are positives.

There are things about it that just don't sell it for me. The decline in good grammar habits, spelling habits, conversational skills, etiquette. I went to lunch the other day with some gals and both of them kept checking their phones and responding in just a quick sec to the text that they had received. Why is that acceptable? I find it a bit rude. And don't get me started on texting and driving. But maybe I am just back in LaLa Land. And this just IMHO, but what do I know?

***post edit: I don't hate texting/im'ing. I love the convenience, I just dislike the decline of actual human interaction and the whole grammar thing get under my skin a bit. I think that we are doing amazing things on the communication front, but those achy thumbs come at a price.

The many faces of Joey

Joey. Our 2 year old. Our little boy with a big voice. He gives great hugs, throws great fits, sings songs with a great loud voice, he dances like robot, he adores his siblings and can't get enough of Eli.


Joey is following in his sibs footsteps, climbing everything. If he sees his brother or sister do it, he can do it. This is what I found looking out the window. As soon as Joey saw me he yelled "I did it!!" We hear that often, which is usually great.

Happy Joe.

Joey found some old underwear of E's and wants to wear them over his diaper, and preferably only his big boys and diaper. And he doesn't want his picture taken.

~~~let me add a fantastic story about Joey that happened yesterday at Target. Joey has perfected selected hearing. So Target is not a great experience. Either his is furious at me containing him to a cart or people can hear me cajoling him with "Joey, Joe Joe, Joseph, JOSEPH!!!" Today, within in minutes of us being here he had given himself a bloody nose. Luckily we were in the school supplies section and they had little tissue packets, so I cleaned him up best I could but still he had smeared blood all over. Then he found some oreos and opened them, ate some, then spilled them. I took them away. We walked away and I *gasp* gave him one that had been on the floor because he wouldn't quit complaining. Did I mention he is LOUD? Then, I wouldn't give him any more. He them grabbed Caroline's face, trying to conjure one out of her mouth, he is screaming MO MO MO MO (NO NO NO NO) at the top of his lungs, Caroline is crying, Joey is rubbing his bloody, oreo crusted face on her dress which infuriates her even more and then I grab him out of the cart, a little less than gently, and I hold him close (actually gently) and speak right into his ear, "joey, quit yelling at me, quit yelling at Caroline, quit yelling. Enough, done, stop now. He calmed down, but during this whole episode, a sorority sister of mine, one that I know fairly well, pretended she a) didn't know me and b) didn't hear us. EVERYONE HEARD US!!! JOEY IS HEARD, or else. My face was red, my heart was pounding and I just wanted to walk away - from everyone. But in the end, he just held me. He had a rough day.

Peas please

Funny thing about peas. There are many different kinds and apparently Joey loves them all. Before we get started, let me tell you about my first call to Poison Control. We grow the kind of peas that are edible, but near them we also grow Sweet Peas, the non-edible beautiful type that have flowers and then non-edible pods grow after the bloom has faded. It has been a week or so since I pulled out all the edible peas and I was pruning the sweet peas. Joey got a hold of the pruned pods and started eating the non-edible peas out of them. Get the picture? Apparently, when eaten (in a larger quantity I hope, but you know Joey and his love of hospitals) they can cause muscle weakness, irritability, and other not so great things. We checked it out with poison control, who checked with us an hour later, and all is well. But I have to be extra good at pruning away the poisonous pods. And Joey just kept saying "peas pleeease, peas pleeeease".


Above is the aftermath of my kids' feeding frenzy. For the month of June, we eat a lot of peas. They never make it past the swingset club house which is about 3 feet from the crop, and we can't wait each day to eat more and more. I'm going to replant for a possible fall crop.


Caroline, running out to check for new ones.





Eli and Caroline know all the tricks to finding some new edibles.

About Eli... he's 7

E's birthday was a few weeks ago. Why is summer so crazy that I can't even blog about it? Anyway, this year was the no friend party year. We only do friend parties every year, which is kind of wonderful. I think Eli was more than thrilled to be 7 but it was an off day for him. I hope it isn't indicative of what this year will be. He was delighted with his toys and gifts. There is no better boy for sincerely being excited about gifts or the people who give them. He is a lover. He was delighted with the plans for the day and with seeing his Oma and Opa and phone calls from Papa and Grandma (wish they were here!).

The kid is great at smiling and being excited.

He wanted cupcakes. Really big ones, super decorated, super sugary. Happy boy.


Eli obviously got his skills from his daddy. Not me. And apparently his Oma bowls a mean game too, she beat Dave. Eli bowled a strike. A legitimate strike. No bumpers, straight down the middle, STRIKE!!! He was a little upset though because he thought it was the last one he would ever get. Okay.


Oma, putting on the Ritz bowl.


Caroline is terribly cute when she bowls. She taps her feet and wiggles her hips and then jumps gleefully where ever the ball falls. Very entertaining.

And this is how the day ended up. Mario Galaxy Trading Cards (thanks Josh's Aunt Jane for introducing us to yet another thing to collect, how can I repay you?) in hand, falling asleep mid-look. Sweet boy. He is wonderful. He tries hard, helps other, is sensitive, kind, loves to wrestle, give hugs, smile big, play with friends, loves competition, kills the soccer ball, eats chicken, hates loose teeth, loves his family, wrestles with Joey and plays with Caroline. Best big brother and first son I could hope for. Love you like crazy E.

Test Sewers

Hi all, my mom and I are looking for test sewers for our new nursing apron pattern. If you would like to do one, or know someone who would email me at piccalillitoo@gmail.com. Come on, it will be fun!

Agents and Roberts

Caroline and I just finished watching last night's SYTYCD. She calls the dances fashion dances, fancy dances or comtempo dances when she doesn't know the names. The one that won her over for the night was Brandon and Janette's Wade Robson number. I told her they were robbers and she insisted that they were agents because it was definitely agent music. They must be looking for the "roberts". So all you roberts out there, watch out.



On another note, I had Eli's portrait taken last week for a gal's photo project. Stacy is turning 28 this year and as a spin-off of Justin's 30 strangers dealio is doing a portrait a day of age 1 - 28. I love it. Eli was her age 7. How lucky for us he just had his birthday! Check out the photos here. I highly recommend Stacy and her photog abilities.

The Haps

I am slow but steady. Between editing patterns and all the other necessary things to do around here to keep the house at least looking as though it is running I have been working on more plaques.

New nursing apron pattern in our etsy shop.

I try to not like birds but it just isn't working. I like them. They are quirky little lovelies. Are they so last year? And something is wrong with my camera. See the blurriness in all the pics? What is wrong and how do I fix it?