It's beginning to look a lot like...

Spring!

I love the spring. And this winter felt very long. It has been good to open the windows and doors and air out my house. I love to get outside and I am figuring out what I will plant this year. I love to watch spring sprout and grow and blossom. Here are a few pictures of early spring!

More friends

I watched a friends little boy this morning for a few hours and learned a few things.

1. At two a shopping cart that is just your size is lots of fun. And worth fighting over.

2. So are cell phones. Plastic ones that play music, bonus.
3. Third children learn to share MUCH sooner than only/oldest children.
We had lots of fun playing. Even with the occasional frustrated cry of MINE!!!

Sleeping with Daddy

Today I put Stella down for a nap, but I knew it wouldn't last. (sigh) She was crying as soon as the door was closed. Shortly after that she calmed down, and Sid got home. Then her door slammed closed and she started to cry. It wasn't a pain cry so I was going to let her cry for a few minutes. Daddy has a harder time with that and decided to go check on her. "I'll make her stay up there," he said 20 minuted later it was silent. And Sid still hadn't reappeared. I thought I'd go check on them. I grabbed my camera before I headed up the steps, expecting them to be asleep on her bed. They weren't. So I checked my bed, not there either. So I looked closer into Stella's room and this is what I found:

Too Cute. Both of them out cold on the recliner. I love my family!

Friends

It's so cute to watch Stella develop friendships. Especially with my friends kids. Here she is with Taylor. They really got along well.


Most of the time. Two two year-old first children are bound to head-butt every now and then!

Stella's New Favorite Activity...

"cooking food in my oven"

Linking up to Wordless Wednesday.

It's Done

I did it. I finished Stella's quilt. And she is enjoying sleeping under it in her big girl bed! I am pretty happy with the way it came out. Not perfect, but I'm happy. My backing fabric got a little off when I was basting it so it was hanging over on one end and not long enough on the other, I guess this is a live and learn kinda quilt. Here are the pictures.

She loved it and I couldn't get her off of it!

She doesn't sleep with the pillow, but it made the picture cuter! It has inspired me to do more quilts, yay.

Is That For Me?

Stella making sure there is nothing left in Aunt Joey's present.

Linked to Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom

What a Joy!

To hear your little one say "I read the Bible, Mommy. " And to walk into your living room to see this:


Yes, that is my two year old with an open Bible on her lap. There is nothing better in this world than that!

Playing in the leaves!

Stella Playing in the big pile of leaves in the side yard.

Linked up with 5 Minutes for Mom's Wordless Wednesday.

Ja Wepum

That's "you're welcome". so cute when she says it!

We went camping!

well, sort of camping. We went to a state park and rented what they call cottages. It is one room with 5 beds, a table and chairs, and heat and electricity. So it was cheater camping.

We still had to cook outside, and use the campground bath-house. But we did get to go walking thru the woods, and seeing wildlife, and getting out in the canoe (at least Sid did). We went with friends from church and had a great time. Stella loved getting to play with the other kids, and getting to be outside so much.

Sid had a great time being outside and teaching the boys how to chop wood and sharpen knives.



The cottages were right on the lake and we had gorgeous views from them. The trees were starting to turn, and I really don't know how people can spend time in the woods, or on a lake, and not believe that there is a Creator-God who loves beauty.

Pop-Pop and the Birthday Cake

Here's Pop-Pop eating birthday cake and wearing Stella's very pink bib.

Check out 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wenesday .

Two

This past Saturday, the 10th, was Stella's second birthday.





She is getting so big. She is starting to show signs of an imagination, trying to change baby dolls diapers, going shopping with her cart, and having tea parties where she brings everyone a cup or glass and "pours tea," which we all have to drink. It's so much fun to watch. She loves to take her purse when we go out (today it held 5 matchbox cars and a lollipop). She likes to play with mommy's "tam moo"(camera) and takes lots of pictures. She tells me what she is going to do, and what she isn't, which can get her in trouble. She has an infectious smile, and the cutest little giggles.

Stella is a mommy's girl, and loves to play with Daddy. She loves the phone and usually wants to talk to everyone I talk to. She loves apples, and apple juice, and Pizza. We can't eat too much pizza for Stella. She is starting to be much more free with Hugs and Kisses, though it's still fun to say no when I ask for a hug, well, it's fun to say no. At least she thinks so, Mommy and Daddy, not so much.

Stella loves to read. Always has, all books, all day. Her current favorites are Oooh Puppy (actually called Snuggle Puppy), Cows Dance (Barnyard Dance), and Hupo's (either The Belly Button Book or Hippos Go Berserk). She also loves Moon, Moon (Goodnight Moon).

She has a large and ever growing vocabulary. I love the way she pronounces things, Doggies has gone from Goeys to Doeys, Shirt still doesn't have an 'r' in it, Neither does anything else for that matter (think trucks, forks, etc.) She loves cars and buses, and being outside to watch them. She loves to stop and smell the roses, or any other flower available for smelling. She will pucker her lips and sniff and snort. Too cute!

Stella loves her PoPs, and Mom-Mom, and her Uncle Henry, and loves her Grandma and G.G.!
I love my Stella-Bella Gummy-Bear!

Good bye Jorge.

My car met his unfortunate fate this week. It was an accident. Jorge, my car, was sitting, parked, in front of my house (like he so patiently does when not in use) when he was violently attacked by a larger car. The driver fell asleep and swerved right into my car. Everyone is fine, but both vehicles were badly damaged. My little car is old and not worth very much according to Kelly (of blue book fame). So I fear the worst for poor Jorge. He will be totaled and I will need to find a new car. My friend said that you should be awarded emotional damages when your car gets totaled, because you can never find quite what you need with the amount that the insurance adjusters decide your car is worth. Jorge was old, and he had his moments, but he was a good little car. I'll miss you Jorge.

Friends!

Taylor trying to give Stella another kiss, The first one was well received, after that, not so much.

Stella and Taylor "sharing" Taylor's toy car.

Sew Busy

Check out 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday.

Tackling my first wearable skirt!

Late last week I completed a tackle I'd been wanting to do for a while. I made a skirt. My grandmother gave me a lot of fabric when they moved this past spring. I had been wanting to turn this
beautiful black and white fabric into a skirt for myself, and I finally tackled it. It was not without its challenges. I didn't use a pattern, I just guessed at how it should work! Here are the pictures! The waist is slightly wonky but no one will really see it, so I don't mind.


And I used a hem facing for the first time. I am a big fan. The fabric frays very easily. I'm not really sure what kind of fabric it is, but this holds it all in place, and was easier than a rolled hem. Sorry about the poor picture quality.


I am one happy tackler, with a new skirt!
Ignore the date on the pictures, my camera reset itself when I replaced the batteries and it took me a few days to catch it!

Head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom, to see what others are tackling this week!

Dancing with her Daddy

Dancing with Daddy before work today!

Check out 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday!

Tackling a baby quilt

This weekend my Husband and I were able to join my Parents, Brother, and some friends we hadn't seen in a while for dinner at my parents house. My parents invited us to let Stella spend the night at their house that night so that we could stay and enjoy our friends later than we would normally be able to. It was a wonderful little gift (Thanks, Mom!).

Stella has started sleeping with a blanket, and I had been slowly making one for her. I had the top all done and ready to go. I had the backing cut to size and ready to go.

I even had the batting! But I was procrastinating on the actual quilting of it. Knowing that she would want a blanket to sleep with at my parents was just the kick in the pants that I needed to get it done.

Instead of trying to hurry and bind it after I quilted it, I made my quilt sandwich inside out and sewed all my layers together around the outside, leaving a hole to flip it right side out. Then I quilted it very loosely with a few wide straight(ish) lines. I may still add a few, but she had a brand new quilt that was just the right size.

I think she likes it!

Head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom, to see what everyone else is Tackling this week!

Works for Me Wednesday

Today I am joining Works for me Wednesday, hosted by We Are THAT Family.

What works for me is walking with a friend. The friendship and exercise combination definitely works for me! I like to walk for exercise. It's way better than a video to me. Add in a friend to talk to and I'm a happy camper! I have a few friends that I walk with and also my Mom (hi Mom!). It works for me because I get to get out of the house, take Stella, and have a good adult conversation. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures, because I am too busy walking to take any.

So walking with a friend Works for me!

Head over to We are THAT Family to see what works for other people.