Oh dear, my last post was a bit of downer… and I put my blog address on our holiday cards this year so I really must update! We still have been sorely lacking in the sleep department. But our super secret room re-do for the girls (from a Tuesday only bed on the floor room to a both girls with a bunk one) is in the works. Maybe that will help? Our dear friend helped me pick wood out today and brought it to my house. Yes I do realize it is only six days until Christmas. Hmm. I think it will get done though. It has to right? I also have a box to get ready to send to Alaska, and one to California. Those will be cutting it close as well. I set myself up for these things, but ah well I sure have fun attempting to get it all done!
I did finish the advent calendar I started two years ago. Carmen and I each made ornaments and swapped.
I do like how this turned out. And Tuesday got to put 11 ornaments on the first day, so win win!
I used all kinds of special buttons from our family. I think I need to make some kind of label on the back before we tuck it away next year.
I’ve been making with the girls. Trying to be in the moment and let go of certain things (i.e. the house is a mess, really).
Bennet. Oh Bennet. She’s totally find until she decides she’s done (with food, a project, anything) and then it all starts flying. I highly recommend this giant roll of paper. Amazon is the only way to go on this because of the free shipping, the thing is heavy! (affiliate links) And this is the holder we got. Seems flimsy but once the heavy roll is in there it’s pretty solid. We’ve been making our own wrapping paper. In the corner here you can see our attempt at the bubble style of painting.
Tuesday had a blast with this (Bennet would not have understood to just blow). This is not the pretty Pinterest approved way (you’re supposed to lay the paper on top), but it sure was a hit. Still experimenting with the right kind of paint to mix in with the dish soap and water. Tempera (poster) paint flakes off pretty bad after it’s dry, which is a bummer. And liquid water color gets too diluted. I’ll keep you posted.
My mom won’t get her present wrapped with those though:
Sciarrino actually gave me this paper for my birthday. It’s vintage. And man do I love it.
Hope your holiday gifting is wrapping up nicely! I found (and made) some super great presents this year I can’t wait to share!
Celebrating crafts, kids and the everyday through photographs.
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I found this photo of Bennie on my phone. She took it of herself while Bj was holding her. I was reading Big Susan to Tuesday.
Bennet has a been up for hours. Luckily this the first time in a week that Bj has been able to help in the middle of the night. He’s been sick and banished to the twin in Tuesday’s room (she’s on a makeshift bed on our floor). We’re doing the classic 30 minutes on 30 minutes off. It’s brutal.
Ugh this nasty cold/virus/whatever! First Bennet before thanksgiving. Then we traveled to Bj’s parents for the holiday. Came back and Tuesday was getting sick. Bj’s mom came to stay a few days later and she got really sick (like really, my father in law had to dive a truck down and take her home, towing her car). Then Bj. I can’t get sick, moms aren’t allowed right? Oh but I admit it doesn’t look so bad when I see them laying on the couch watching TV. “Bob the builder, can he fix it.” How I hate that show after three days non stop.
I’ve managed to get in little bits of holiday crafting here and there. We did a very limited decoration, there just wasn’t anytime. I did finally finish an advent I hope will be used for years.
This is where a picture would go, but my phone doesn’t want to cooperate. I also made my first paper pieced block, a pretty sort of star.
What have you been up to?
Now it’s 2:08, I think I’m going to attempt a lay down. If it works good, Bj’s snoring away (stupid cold is hanging on)… He just fell asleep, and I think that’s the worst time to be woken up.
Did I mention Bennet has taken to waking up between five and six in the morning? -
I have apparently been absolutely terrible at taking pictures lately. I have to remember some things though, so here it goes.
-I’ve been trying to get Tuesday to wipe her own hiney. So I bought those flushable wipes. People they are not flushable. We had a water in the basement situation as a result. Ugh. But yay for Flor tiles that we could individually remove and dry out. Also for brothe’s who get up out of bed to bring us a dehumidifier very late at night. And neighbors who let us traipse in and out of their house all night so we could use their bathroom. Everything was resolved with much less expense than we anticipated and nothing was ruined. Phew. Lesson learned though, we’re getting an overflow alarm!
-November work out a day. My friend put a group together to motivate each other, and it’s working for me. I’ve done some form of exercise every day (save for the one we were dealing with cleaning carpets and drying things out). I go to Zumba one night a week, we’ve done family walks, and I’m doing the Jillian DVDs. The girls love it, they try to work out along with me (there was an unfortunate finger smashing with weights incident though). I wrote this a few weeks ago and fell off the exercise wagon, have to get back on it!
-This led to me biking the girls to dance… without stoping to walk the bike! First time people! I’m so happy about this, I still bike about as slow as someone walking, but it’s progress. Not to mention it was done in the rain.
-We got back out the beans. They haven’t been in this box the whole time. I put them in another plastic tub up in the garage for a few years. They saved great, and continue to be a big hit. Just like with Tuesday Bennet has tried a couple and doesn’t think they’re any good so I’m not worried about her choking on them. I think we are just about past the choking phase at 16 months. Thank goodness!
-We drove down to Eugene to see the visiting Harlem Ballet. It was fantastic. It was a Bj, Tuesday, mama date. Love, love, love. Some of her homeschool buddies were also there some rows ahead. Very cute to see her and Z sticking tongues out and waving at each other.
-I was driving and there was a piece of wood in the road I had to swerve around. I looked back in my rear view mirror and a guy I saw smoking a cigarette looking all shabby on the sidewalk jumped out and pulled it out of the street. So kind. I must watch myself with those stereotypes and quick judgements. A good reminder to always assume the best of everyone.
-Bj fixed my old fashioned telephone.
-Bj installed a 240 outlet (and cleaned up our breaker box) so we could put in a level two charger for the car. He told me, “I think I could be an electrician!” No doubt he could. He also did all our outdoor wiring. I do get a little nervous when he says stuff like, “I’m going to flip in on, stand there with the fire extinguisher in case something goes wrong!” But so far, so good.
-Bj put a new boot in our washing machine. The old one (and it was already the second) was all moldy and gross. Short of cleaning it out fastidiously between loads how do I stop this from happening? I never NEVER close the door when it’s not in use. A side note it took the professionals THREE HOURS and THREE GUYS to do this last time (it was under warranty then). Bj did it alone with only a few minutes of my help to hold something. YouTube for the win.
-And the best thing. We had my dear friend and college roommate Taro to came to visit! This time with his lovely wife and baby.
Update soon!
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