The venture of baby food!

Now that Christmas, New Years and all those snow storms we've had are over, we finally got around to starting Eleanore on some food. I knew once I started, I couldn't go back. I make my own food and boy is it yummy! The hard part is taking the time to get it done & using these ice cube trays. I have no plastic ones and these are bit more challenging.

The regulars are sweet potatoes, bananas, and peas. The carrots, broccoli and apples are in between. Eleanore is enjoying every bite! I am working on ripening some avocado's too and looking into the next step of what to introduce. My baby food cook book is pretty handy and a few good resources on the web. Take 'em or leave 'em but here is one and another. For you mom's out there starting up or getting ready for baby to come, it's worth the look, even in advance so you can mull over it and decide for yourself what way you'd like to start your baby out on food!

1/10/2011

Isn't she just a cutie? Love this girl!

A new year, a new do!

A little unsupervised time for CMW equals an adventure in hair styling!

I couldn't quite figure out why she looked different even though her hair was out of her face. Then I realized and said 'oh! my!, look at what you did!'. This isn't the first time she's got a cut, a little boy cut her hair when she was about 18 mos. and then later in 2010 she had given her self a side burn on just one side. How cute right? After finding the missing strands, we picked up the large chunks, vacuumed and call the stylist!

And here's to a new year and a new hairdo!

To put the puzzle back in the box or not?

I usually show off my sewing but I've been talking with a fellow blogger about this idea and decided to post about it. Putting a puzzle in a frame for wall art. When we first moved in I had 3 coffee cup framed prints that I had in our dining room and then I found this puzzle. I was just going to put it together like any other puzzle and then I got the idea to put it on the wall. But Lexie has to be original and had to do it a little bit different. I bought a section frame for custom fit, a piece of foam core board, glass, took out some edge pieces and Waa-Laa! A new piece of wall art.

If it was the right puzzle, would you put this up on your wall or is it just to much?

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And I was also talking with a friend about mixing decorating styles such as modern & Victorian or country & traditional. We decided that we can do this if there is a common denominator such as matching chairs with different fabric or one room could be one style while the next different.

What do you think, yes to mixing styles or no?

Snowmen, the best thing about winter!

Jim and CMW were out shoveling, enjoying the snow and building snowmen! This picture includes her family and she continues to want to build more, 'how about g'ma and g'pa?' she said. Jim said, that's for another day.

Jim says 'she wants an army out there'.

I don't blame her, why wouldn't Claire continue to have fun, as long as her dad helps in building. :-} He was a little short on coal for the eyes and buttons, but with a little imagination, you'll be good to go!

Claire wouldn't look at the camera, but this is 'Claire' the snow-lady!

She says to me, 'Mom, I need a carrot for the nose!', I said 'alright'!

We continue to get snow, each day a little here or there and the wind continues to blow. Our street also continues to be slimmer and the sun peaks out every now and then. And i guess we look forward to more snow and of course, building more snowmen!

Claire's new bed

My dad, the carpenter that he is, took my picture from off the internet to make this bed. And I requested the bookshelf at the end. :-) Claire's Papa does some wonderful work and we certainly are blessed by him. He's even making plans to make one for baby E, maybe. CMW now has this great bed that will serve her for a very long time, 18 years maybe?

My parents delivered it mid October, we got the second coat of sealer put on and hauled it in and waa-laa, Claire loves her bed and thinks it's so neat to have a 'big bed'! Now all that is left are 6 fabric bins, similar to these for storage that I am going to make.

So here's the bed we've been waiting for and I've taken way to long to 'introduce' it to others. Isn't she lucky?

yes, that's a mighty large bear...

A few New Year resolutions even though I think they are pointless

I don't do new year resolutions but i am going to try to put into practice a few ideas. I am a big one for starting over at the beginning of each month or each week, not necessarily each day or year. A year is way to long and a day is to short.

While we were stuck inside for to many days due to the blizzard, I was thinking of how I am going to improve my life or attempt to anyway. Here are just a few. :-}

- More family & less sewing (some to make sure I keep my sanity)

I think I just do to much for myself and not enough for my family and this needs to switch. I think I'd have a cleaner house, better schedule (lyz, I am going to try you note card method, wish me luck), less time wasted feeling overwhelmed by all this stuff that needs to get done. Jim is going to help me with this!

- Continue with Dave (more on him later)

- A 'No Spend Month' or maybe two and my inspiration is from here

I love to create and I always have new ideas in my head of things to make. So for January & beyond I have a very long list to complete and I am excited! For one I will be spending nothing on crafty stuff, staying home more, spending more time with the girls and sewing in my spare time (which isn't much). I am so excited about getting projects done that have been waiting but get pushed out of the way due to other people and my lack of 'saying No'. I'm sure some of you know how that goes. :-)

- A better prayer life and I am inspired by our great friends Paul and Krisanne

I also think this will help with my feeling of being over whelmed. And allowing myself to know I am doing the best I can with everything. But also to have a better connection with my God. To really know I have a relationship. This also includes keeping up with bible study which is usually not a problem as long as I take the time.

- Jim = fixing van & what ever else he wants to do.

For some of you, you know what it's like to stay home with your kids for days on end and then into the evening. Well I am not always the best mom at continuing into the evening with my girls and Jim after a days work gets to hang out them and put them to bed. And I do know that I work just as much as he does but he doesn't have the luxury of being at home and getting things done in between naps and quite time. So, we worked out a schedule for the evening to make sure he has time to get his stuff done. Now all we have to do is make sure we are following through. So far we are doing well and it's been about 3 weeks. And the van is getting closer to being drive able. More on this later as well.

So, I hope I can follow through with my ideas and will be praying & encouraging myself each day with positive self talk! Wish me luck and if you think of it say a prayer!

I wish you luck on your new year resolutions or ideas or goals or what ever you call them to help yourself full fill them. :-}

Gift Giving, one thing I LOVE.

So, yes I love to give gifts and if I find something that I know someone would love and appreciate, it's hard to resist either buying it or making it. These are a few of my latest projects for others in the form of a gift.

Claire and Eleanore are giving their cousin G a ice cream play set for her birthday and I decided she needed an apron too. It might be a little long but I think she is going to like it.

It was so fun to just make it and not need a pattern.

Coasters I made for my SIL for Christmas. This was on her list and I thought I'd make her some since she didn't specify style or medium. So when she's done with them she won't feel bad about pitching them out. :-)

Cousin J got a doctor kit from CMW for Christmas and I thought he needed a bow tie and some glasses. So, I found the 'how to' at this site. It was so simple and fun to make, even if it does get lost at the bottom of the play bin.

What I don't have pictures of are the capes I made 3 special boys and the 7 pairs of mittens.

Friend Sarah gave me a pattern for mittens with a flip top to allow the fingers to be exposed without the whole hand. Similar to these. And I made 20 recycled feed bags for other people to give as gifts. These are not my favorite to make anymore but I am done for a few months. :-) Jim is actually going to help me make a new style with different handles and I am excite about this. He says "I need a something new for people to continue to want them.' . He is such an entrepreneur... I also made these diaper bags and covers for friends who are expecting babies. So fun! And this bag too. The fabric was hand picked by the one who is using it and it turned out great.

Now I am done, on to a new year and new projects. Now that is exciting!

Friends since Elementary

We have been friends since elementary and we are still stuck.

Lexie (baby E), Sara (23 wks), Becky (26 wks), Sonja

We have a picture like this when Claire was about 6 mos. :-)

A group effort to pull off this baby shower was in effect and a great turn out for the day after Christmas! Friend Sara is from MT and this was the only time she'll be back to the area before baby is born. Becky is from our home town so it was making sure she'd be in town not out of town. Sara's sister planned a few great games and that's a plus coming from me since I don't like shower games. Home made lasagna was made by mom and Sara's mom, and extras brought by others. There even was good punch!

It was so fun to re-group and between Sonja and I, we picked the fabric out for the diaper bags and nursing covers. It was so fun to sew for these girls, one of my projects I really loved creating this Christmas season.

A basic messenger style bag with pockets inside and out! This is a very fun bag to make especially since I custom pick my fabric.

Nursing cover material, they turned out cute, I just hope they are not to hot. They seemed really thick since they reversible.