I Love You Because...

Please Don't Let Things Change.

from 3pm to 6pm these are the arms you're bound to find him in. She loves her baby brother and he already adores her.... I hope it stays like this forever. 

JJ

Hiking w/ Grandma

After being cooped up in a hospital room all week we're enjoying the beautiful Springtime weather with a Sunday afternoon mini-hike with Grandma... and it's making me excited for Waterton this summer! 

 

Changes, or not.

March 19, 2007- Lorali and her Cinderella Book headed to the front porch to read....

March 14, 2012- Lorali and her American Girl Book perched on the back porch for the afternoon. 

Surprisingly not very much changes in 5 years.  

Have a good Monday!
J 

Isn't it ironic...

It hasn't been enough time at our house for me to be able to laugh about it quite yet but, I can now at least see past the anger and see the irony of posting this and the next day disovering our Little Miss did this....

Good thing her Grandma has some amazing home-fixes up her sleeve because otherwise we'd have a daughter grounded for life. So how exactly does one get out ball-point pen out of heirloom quilts (or any other fabric for that matter? Good question. According to Mom you soak it in hairspray for 10 minutes, then scrub it out with a cotton rag and repeat until it's gone then you wash it as usual adding a splash of vinegar to the load... guess what? it works! 

Now the quilt is clean and the punishment begins.... this little girls room makeover I mentioned last week has been put on hold until further review of her behavior.

 

oh the joys of motherhood, right?
Joanna  

 

The Countdown Begins....

Less than 30 days from now she'll be able to kiss him instead of my belly. I'm not at all ready but everyone else is and I'm using every ounce of energy I have to cross off everything on the to-do list before then. 

Lorali's Quilt - Dardanelles

In an effort to get every room in the house settled in before Baby Cameron comes, this week we're focusing on Lorali's room. We have big plans in here for both organizing and decorating but we're lucky because we have some key pieces to the room that are perfect and staying just the way they are. Her Quilt is another amazing  treasure we have from Grandma that we're designing the entire room around so I'll start there. It's my favorite quilt pattern ever... Double Irish Chain in just pink and white. The details on this one are just as amazing as the details on The Hudson Bay Quilt. The fabric Mom chose is white/pink flowers and pink/white polka dots and so the quilting is daisies (another favorite) in each block. Mom alsop names all of her quilts. This one is named 'Dardanelles'.  The Dardanelles is an area in Waterton, Canada that we go to often to picnic or for a quick hike, my favorite memory of the area is going for Canada Day with my Grandma when I was about 8 or 9. It's an area known for the amazing wildflowers growing in the fields and she walked me through the fields teaching me/quizzing me on all the names of the different flowers growing there. It's the perfect name for a perfect quilt for a perfect little girl! 

Valentine's Dinner

I love, LOVE this little tradition of spending Valentine's Night with my cute family. The presents we gave the kids were summer shoes for hiking and the foor? This year it was all pink and red. Glazed Salmon, Strawberry Asperagus Salad, Homemade bread and Raspberry Smoothies (and to top it all off I loved spending it in my newly painted dining room! Thanks Husbandface!) 

ps- yes, I did get my love note. It was the best! 

JJ

Happy Valentine's Day From My Lil' Valentines

A few weeks ago the kids picked out some Valentine toys online (because I pretty much hate bulk candy being brought into the house) and the minute they arrived the kids started pestering me to get working on the classroom Valentine's (I love that they get excited for cute little projects like this.) We spent Sunday morning puting them together. 

Ethan picked out some foam airplane kits.... surprise, surprise, right? It's a cute little obsession he has with airplanes and I love that he wants to share it with everyone because of course he thinks they will love it as much as he will. Adorable. 

And Lorali chose Valentine's Kazoo's. She is our little music maker through and through. Hers are my favorite. They were a little harder to design but once I had the colors just right, I knew she'd love them. 

So what am I hoping for this Valentine's Day? Just a simple little love letter like THIS from my sweetheart.

Happy Valentine's Day!! 

J

 

Read

I love it when she reads to him..... LOVE IT. 

 Never, EVER Shout in A Zoo   By Karma Wilson  

 

She has always been my little reader. 

 

Missing Grandma

My Mom was in a pretty serious accident this afternoon and it's times like this I kick myself for living so far away. I hated getting random updates and not hearing her voice. I hated myself for not being able to jump into the car and head to the hospital to sit by her side. She is my best friend in the entire world and I honestly don't know what I'd do without her. As much as I hated all the bad news and scary thoughts pouring in, I LOVE that it has all ended with some great news. She is okay! A few cracked ribs so she's in pain but it could have been WAY worse! Her car is totaled but at least she will be home soon. I can't wait to talk to her and make sure she knows just how much we ALL love her!