Nihonteki

The Chief got a fun outfit from our friends in Japan (thanks Dai!). The Japanese have a very distinct style when it comes to their kid's clothing. It reminds me of the stuff they are selling in Target now. He's stylin'.

A Home Is Where The Fun Is

Lizard and her dad spent some quality time building a fort last week. She was bummed when it came time to clean it up, but felt better when I told her she can always build another one, which she did the next day.

What's Your Therapy Of Choice?

The other day I was sitting with The Chief and started to feel very sad. It bothered me that I was feeling sad because I didn't think I had a reason to be sad (if you don't count the fact that it's freezing cold and gloomy, there has been at least one person sick in my family at any given moment for the past two months straight, and I'm not in California anymore). 

"What is the cause of this sudden sadness," I thought, and then it hit me. I hadn't sewed anything for almost nine months. It was time for a project or two...or three....or...

*As a side note, I did not neglect my family, I just didn't sleep much.

My first attempt at a stuffed animal. I found a free pattern for a whale, but it would have been flat so I altered it to have a back and a stomach. I thought he turned out pretty cute.

I bought this skirt at Goodwill for $3.50 and turned it into a lace pencil skirt using some clearance fabric. $5.50 total and a few stitches later I had the lace skirt I had been wanting. My pattern was tracing over a skirt I already had.

I also bought this sweater for $3.50 at Goodwill and turned it into a knit skirt for Lizard. Re-purposing is so much fun.

 I didn't have to alter this pattern. I had bought this fabric because it was cheap and I liked it. It was just waiting to be turned into a Scotty dog.

This is my first doll. I made it for a one year old's birthday present. I couldn't find a free pattern that I liked online so I made up my own. I looked at a ton of different dolls and chose the parts I liked best from a bunch of them. It's not perfect, but it takes practice right? I'm having fun learning.

This is my second doll and I'm starting to figure things out. I have four more dolls planned out and I'll post them when they're done. Looking at them is voluntary. ;) This is all fabric I have on hand and need to use so it's great.

Look Mommy I'm Pretty

Even though I don't wear make up I still have some on hand just in case. Some of it is very old and I came by most of it through promotional offers. In the beginning I didn't wear the stuff because I thought it was a hassle, but my primary reason for not wearing it now is because it irritates my skin, even the eye shadow! Little Bird's skin didn't seem to have any problem with the lipstick she applied with a shadow brush.

These are the moments that you wish you took a picture of but usually don't because your too busy doing damage control (at least that's how I am). I'm glad I was able to laugh at this while it was happening and not just after.

 Little Bird's hair hangs down in her face and until I have time to do her hair I put it up with a clothespin.

 Looks like she had another rough night. I'm not sure how her fine hair manages to get so ratted up...she must move a ton in her sleep.

Hair Visor

Blessing Day

January 6th was the Chief's baby blessing. It's a tradition in our church to bless a baby in front of the ward a few weeks after they're born. He was 11 weeks old, which is a little older than normal, but we wanted our parents to be able to be there and that date worked for everyone. It was a very nice day. The Chief enjoyed it immensely.

Look What We Made

Lizard made a cute gingerbread house out of graham crackers at an Activity Days activity (she has activities twice a month with girls her age at our church). I made an ice cream cake for the company we had on The Chief's blessing day. It was a cold day, but the ice cream still tasted good.

The cake is surrounded by cut up ice cream sandwiches and has a Peppermint Joe Joe's crust with peppermint and vanilla ice cream and whipped topping. There is also a layer of homemade fudge. You could do any number of combinations with a plain Oreo crust. Can't wait to make the next one.

A picture just isn't enough when it comes to Little Bird, so here is some more video of her in action.

She says "da" before a lot of her words (used to be da da but she shortened it) so when she's with The Chief she is saying da-mouth, da-cute, etc.

Lizard Decorates

I let Lizard decorate her room with a small tree this Christmas. She did a good job I think.

Lizard "Demonstrating Her Awesomeness"

Hubby created a ramp out of snow so Lizard could go over our fence and into the golf course. She needed some help getting over it in the beginning, but was able to do it on her own after a while. She didn't do it in the video, but there were a few times she caught some air. 

Dads are so fun!

I like the way kids think.

Little Bird got a toy phone for Christmas and in the box there was a little book with funny things kids say. I thought you might enjoy a few of them. Kids really say the darnedest things. I wish I remembered to write down all the funny things my kids say.

Maddy: "What does it mean that it's Election Day?"

Mom: "Today everyone picks who they want to be the President and run our country."

Maddy: "Oh, I hope they don't pick me."

- Maddy age 4

"Soda is not good for your body. You drink it and then you want more and more. The next thing you know you are smoking. " 

- Alyssa age 5

"Mommy you're the most beautiful women in the whole world I ever saw before I left the house."

- Callie age 2

"If the day I came out of your belly is called my birthday, what is the day I went in called?"

- Rio age 4 

Such Good Manners

Whenever Little Bird wanted something she would just point and scream so we worked on teaching her to say the word please instead. 

WE'VE CREATED A MONSTER.

She thinks that the word please says it all and becomes frustrated when you ask her what it is she is saying please for. Most of the time she screams and gets upset that we're not understanding her, but at least she is polite.

Gutter Trouble

The day after we got that 8 1/2 inches of snow I was sitting at my computer working on my blog when all of a sudden I heard a loud banging noise on the front of the house. I looked out the window and what did I see...my gutter hanging precariously. (Pathetic Popcorn Popping reference) Okay, that was bad, but it really was my gutter just hanging there.

This photo was taken from my bedroom window. As you can see the gutter is only hanging by a couple of inches of metal. The ice that was in the gutter came sliding out, but luckily it didn't go through our neighbor's window.

This pic was taken from the front porch. The downspout hit the window frame and if it had struck three inches to the right it would have come through the window. Phew.

We were really blessed to get the gutter fixed the next day. It took calling eight companies to find someone who could come out on short notice (the Friday before Christmas) and they installed a 45' gutter in order for it to be a seamless repair. Little Bird stood on a chair and watched them from that window on the right.