handmade just for them...

I love, love, love making clothes for my children. It makes me feel so good to be able to take clothes that would otherwise have been donated or thrown away and turn them into something useful for my family. I'm going to post pictures of some of the clothes I have made for my children in hopes that people come to realize how easy it truly is and maybe we can reduce some of the waste we generate and save ourselves money in the process...

Home...

Looking around my house it seems crazy to remember what this place looked like when we bought it. I would have NEVER thought the crazy mess of a house that we bought would one day seem so peaceful and cozy. Now we are trying to sell it and I get so sentimental about places I've lived with my family that looking around I'm already getting sad at the prospect of moving. This kitchen was a labor of love and turned out so old-fashioned I could pretend I was standing in an old farmhouse on acres of land while I prepared meals...

The mess I made trying to paint the bathroom vanity...

decorating the nursery for my little girl...and then for my little boy...
the hours spent in the rocking chair rocking little ones to sleep. All of the arranging and re-arranging of furniture trying desperately to make more room in our little living room. Countless hours in the backyard garden discovering I do not have a green thumb...
Then I'm reminded Home truly is where your heart is...and I look forward to turning another house into our heart's dwelling place

Looking forward to Christmas!

Well they have the snow, the presents, the cowboys :) And A.R. can't seem to understand why we can't go to New York to enjoy it already...Oh to be young and ignorant of things like money, jobs, and bills...
She is really excited about christmas this yr. though, and it's been a lot of fun watching the excitement continue to build. It does bring a whole "magical" aspect to christmas to see it through childrens' eyes.
She's been watching a cartoon version of the christmas story and now when her and J.D. play she tells me that he is the King of the Jews (lol) and she is Santa...I guess clarity will come with age...lol. I am not anti-Santa..but i have to admit it's been really hard to bring christmas back around to the true meaning with Santa lurking in her imagination. I realize it's innocent fun, but it's such a special time of remembrance for the christian faith and I don't want to squander all the time on make believe things when the real story is so amazing all on it's own. I hope we all have a chance in the craziness of shopping and preparing to remember the true meaning and to share it with the little ones around us. Merry (almost) Christmas

Craft Fair gone bad...

So I worked really hard getting things ready for a craft fair last Friday. I don't think anyone sold anything. It's a shame too because there were some really cute things there. The pictures are of "crayon rolls" they're so cute and I thought it would be an easy way for kids to carry around their crayons and doodle whenever they got bored. I made 15 and sold none. I do have some orders from relatives for stocking stuffers, so if anyone is interested, let me know. A couple of my other items were sippy cup leashes (they strap onto the cup and the stroller so when the kids drop them they don't get left behind)I made some pacifier clips and Onesies with a tie applique on them...(I put the picture of this at the bottom b/c I thought it was soo cute I wanted to show that too. I made some reusable notepad covers too (it goes cute with the crayon rolls). Well I had fun making this stuff and there are always craft shows to go to (just not before the holidays) but that's ok. I'll plan better next winter.

Happy Thanksgiving!

What a crazy fast fall this has turned out to be. I'm not sure where these months have gone. I suppose this is why we start celebrating Christmas in October, if we waited until after thanksgiving it would feel like the christmas season lasts only a few weeks (oh... I guess it does) well there's no fun in that is there?!
We will be spending thanksgiving at my mom and dad's house this year. I tried a really yummy dinner roll recipe with cinnamon butter - sooo yummy. I also am bringing some home-canned gherkin pickles and apple butter. I made the sweet potatoe casserole (always a hit...thanks to my MIL :) ) I'm hoping that today is less about all the yummy food though and more about what we really have to be thankful for. I think it's hard sometimes to be thankful for tangible things because on some level we feel like we have earned them through hard work and ambition. But, I was reminded last sunday that it is only by God's grace that we are allowed the very life that leads to our "success". So, while it is easy for me to be thankful for God's eternal gifts for me I will be trying to gain more perspective on how to be grateful to God for the tangible blessings and not just for the fact that we have what so many others do not.
Happy, Happy, Thanksgiving.

So the boys went to get their hair cut today...it was so cute! J.D's very first cut. D.H.was a bit more hesitant than i was, but the experience and results were great!


My Uncle did a good job working around J.D's jumping, jiving, little body.


And Tada... What a real little man he is now...his eyes look even bigger now:)

A.R. got beautified while we were there. She kept saying she wanted her hair pink, so my Aunt obliged in the most temporary way possible. (little pink glitter strings that get tied in to your hair) and she is the happiest princess in the world now with her pink hair.

Canning Accomplished

My first year canning seems to have been a success. I had a lot of fun and found some yummy recipes that I will probably do yearly. I also found some recipes that just aren't worth it..(ahem apple butter) It made a big mess and came out VERY cinnamony (not sure that's a word). Overall it was fun to learn some new things in the kitchen and save some money in the meantime. I couldn't resist putting this picture up of J.D. licking his lips while playing with some canned cherry peppers. My heart literally aches when I think of how much I love my little ones. "Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow..."