So cute. Pepper is growing HUGE very quickly. She also seems to be hungry ALL of the time. I think we may have adopted a puppy great dane by mistake.
What I Designed Today: Drafts for Dorothy Keddington’s Book Covers
Two more book covers to get done and then it’s VACATION time!!! I’m not loving any of these but here’s what I’m working on today.
Jack’s First Swim Meet
My kids teach me something every single day. Although most days it’s just a new level of patience! Today, though, Jack taught me to not underestimate his ability. He started swim team not knowing anything about swimming and today swam across the pool both freestyle and backstroke – and shaved nearly a minute off his time for each. While I had been worried about him participating because he’d surely come in last (and, truth be told, he only beat one kid), he was concentrating on what mattered most — getting there. He said, “I just got up on that stand and wanted to WIN!” He said he was at the other side before he even realized it so he didn’t have time to think about holding onto the ropes. Nothing like your own kid teaching you to have a winning attitude — whether you win or not! And, yes, that is a marker smiley face on his belly button. Small pleasures, people.
Oil Ranch Farm
Saturday, we spent the day at Oil Ranch Farm and it was lovely! Hot and humid, but lovely. The kids got sunburned quickly – I remembered to pack a cooler of ice water but forgot the sunscreen – doh! There’s surely some kind of mother award for that maneuver. Anyway, the kids each had favorite things: Ben’s was riding the ponies, Jack’s was the waterslide, Gabe’s was riding the train and Cole’s was the free food, drinks & snow cones.
Owl Bibs – What do you think???
I love knitting but I’m VERY new to crochet. I crocheted these owl bibs. I did a newborn and a toddler size. I changed the closure for each one and like the closure for the newborn bib best. I put all the details of the project over at my Ravelry page. I don’t have many friends there so if you are on Ravelry, let me know!! These bibs are made of 100% cotton so they are washable and would clean very easily – the same yarn as used in the infamous dishcloths. So durable! But, what I’m wanting to know is this something you would actually use and like to receive or is it 70’s afghan ugly and I’m just too biased because I spent hours making it???
Pepper the Pound Puppy
Introducing Pepper, the pound puppy. We adopted her last Saturday on a whim. We have been wanting a puppy for awhile – mastiff, rottweiler or german shepherd but when we saw this brindle boxer / black lab mix at the pound she was so sweet and we couldn’t leave her behind. She’s just shy of 5 months old and it’s taken a week but she’s starting to come out of her shell. Welcome to our home, Pepper!
Catching Up & A Glimpse of Summer
The big news for me is this past Sunday I got released from serving the women in our ward. Whew. I am so excited – my schedule just got MUCH more clear! I feel like I finally have time to clean up the house and finish moving in. We never really settled since I received that calling about 8 weeks after moving in. So, what have I done with the past 3 days? The kids started swim team and even though nobody has had even a lesson, they are doing fantastic and adjusting and, most importantly, enjoying themselves. Here’s to a glimpse of summer!
Happy Birthday, Dear Ben!
My baby is 4. And he’s not a baby (hasn’t been for awhile but I’ve been blissfully ignorant). He has taken THE. LONGEST. TIME. to potty train. All of my other boys were trained before 3 or at least right when they turned 3. I know boys take longer but aaaaaaaah! He’s finally got it…almost. We’re still working on #2 but he is doing so very good at staying dry in skivvies all day. He picked out a dragon birthday cupcake-cake and we all had green frosting everywhere for the evening. Bennie is such a joy. I just love to kiss his freckled face and squeeze him for hugs. He is a delight. I’m so glad he’s mine.
Ben’s Eye Surgery: Before & After
The bed so generously given to us by a good friend – thanks, Becky! Pre-surgery but anticipating his new accommodations in Mom & Dad’s room!
It’s been so long and I haven’t been able to write out the details. So, you’ve been spared, dear reader. However, things went perfectly well. The cyst was about a half an inch long when it came out and the surgeon said it looked like a calcified cyst. A normal overgrowth of cells that most likely is not cancerous or anything dangerous or recurring, though they did send it off for tests but told us that we probably wouldn’t be hearing anything (which, knock on wood, we have not!). He still has the tape on them but the incision and stitches look good – they will dissolve, eventually. He is a trooper!
Knit Baby Bonnet
From the DROPS Alpaca baby bonnet pattern available for free. You can link to the pattern and other information about it at my page on Ravelry. It is such a cute pattern. Last time I worked it up in the recommended alpaca and it was very soft but this time I did it in sunny yellow cotton and I like this so much better with more distinct stitch definition – plus, I’ve had a bit of practice so it looks better all around. I haven’t finished the seams or picot edge but I wanted to try it on Megan’s cute little head – isn’t it – I mean she – adorable???
Gabe’s Pinewood Derby Car
When Gabe said he wanted to make a Duracell battery, I thought…well, okay, if that’s what you really want. I should have known better than to second guess this creative kid. It is adorable and a very cool looking car! He came in 2nd and 3rd in most races – and I think Gabe had a really fun night. Great job to all the boys involved: Don, Cole & Gabe! They all had fun making the Duracell car. I think we’ve started a new tradition because next year they want to do a Coke can, then a bag of Lay’s chips, then a Kleenex box. I sense a recurring theme here…
Madsen Cycle’s Cargo Bike
Have you seen these cargo bucket bikes from Madsen Cycles? I want but cannot afford! Maybe after next year’s tax return!!!
Spring Things – Polyphemous & Luna Moths
Polyphemous Moth.
Luna Moth.
The kids are on a moth kick ever since the huge polyphemous moth we found coming home from dropping Cole off at youth conference. This is a dead and quite dry luna moth that Don found for them. So pretty for a moth! That cute, chubby hand holding it belongs to Ben.
Spring Ideas – Growing Wheatgrass with NO SOIL!
This little bit of green on my counter keeps me cheery for a good couple of weeks each spring. Isn’t he cute??? Easy to grow and the kids love to cut his hair. It’s almost as good as your own Chia Pet…remember those? We grow it by crumpling up wet paper towels and sprinkling a thick layer of wheat berries on top. Cover and place in the dark (I was too lazy even for this – just put it on my counter!) and about 5 days later, sprouts had begun. No soil. No mess. Easy!
Happy Birthday, Gabe!
Gabe turned 9 today. I did not spend the day in tears like I did when Cole turned 10. Maybe next year. I am sad, however, that the time flies so very quickly. I remember the day he was born as if it were yesterday. He was such a chubby baby! 9 lb 1 oz. As they carried him across the surgery room, his chubby arm flopped over the towel and it looked like I had a toddler! I was nervous because he did not cry. Just opened his eyes and looked around. They laid him near my face so I could see him – even though my arms were strapped down so I could not hold him — and he just laid there and looked at me for the longest time. I think I got to hold him in the surgery room for more time than any of the other boys.
Today, he is still an observant yet quiet kid – until you push him too far. He’s the one who can ride in the car without too many arguments with his brothers (except he is our carsick-easy kid). I love this about him. He can be engrossed in just being outside, or a book, or a movie and is completely content.
Some of my favorite things about Gabe:
1: He lounges. The pic above was at Hermann Park. Everybody else was climbing, running, getting hurt and Gabe was lounging. The arms behind the head is a sure sign of Gabe’s favorite position. He is a laid-back kind of guy. I love this!
2: He loves cold things: ice cream, popsicles. This is my kind of kid. Ayurvedics call this vata, I think (or is it pitta?)…whatever. It’s his area of expertise. He can devour cold things like nobody’s business.
3: He is kind. When I offered to take him alone to see “How to Train Your Dragon” the first words out of his mouth were a soft but surprised, “But I don’t want to go without my brothers.”
4: Gabe is smart. He was his 2nd grade teacher’s favorite student. He continues to do very well in school. He is so imaginative that he has to work on concentrating but watch out when he applies himself, the sky is the limit.
5: He is funny. He has an amazing sense of humor – better than most adults that I know. Gabe has been making us laugh since before he was born. He tried to grab the amnioscentesis needle TWICE as the doctor reinserted it in different pockets of fluid. He could sense a disturbance in the force. It’s no wonder he’s a Star Wars fan. He’s a seriously funny kid – even at 2 weeks old. I was singing in the temple choir for Winter Quarters and had to buy a nice dress (2 weeks post baby!) for the dedication and we were in a nice department store and Don was holding Gabe outside the dressing rooms. He tooted so loud and so often that it sounded – no joke – like an adult. EVERY single woman there thought it was Don and he was trying to pass the blame to Gabe – a 2 week old baby (yeah, right!)…but it really was Gabe. We used to say “Gabriel won’t you blow your horn?” when he was so very tiny. Thankfully he grew out of this stage very quickly.
Gabe is many more things – I could never cover them all – but today, he’s 9. One more year we’ve been lucky to have him in our lives. We love you, kiddo. Love, Mom & Dad