Jolly baby

Jared had this Monday and Tuesday off work because his aunt and uncle were in town. We spent wonderful time with them both days they were here. But mostly we stayed at the house and relaxed (as much as you can with tooth pain). 

 I am so thankful that Jared was home this weekend and Monday and Tuesday as I am battling an abscess tooth and the boys both have had digestive problems. When it rains it pours. I am so grateful for a husband that cheerfully handles whatever is thrown at him. It wasn't the best way to spend a vacation. :) 

This is a photo of the very moment that the lady at Chick-fil-A told us that, "she looks just like her older brother". 

I just love the baby's face in this one. 

We have ESL, a harvest party, helping someone move, and a baby shower in the near future. So, I won't be blogging much for the next two weeks. 

Sewing - nautical girls bibs

My sister had her first shower last night at church. I made two bibs and a teether doll (Both boys have loved munching on the legs of the one I made them). I didn't have time to quilt the bibs, so I embroidered some little details on them while Jared and I did devotions Tuesday evening. 

It is funny how the boat turned out to be the nose of the doll. 

It is so great to be sewing again! 

A prototype - shoe rack

I plan to make a less rustic one from dowels in the future. I have been planning to make one for 4 or 5 years now. 

I like it. It helps clean up the space. 

I left enough space under it for the boys' shoes or my flats. 

As you can see we had a lot of sticks in the backyard. They are all from one tree. All those games of playing "Indians" in the backyard as a child came in handy.  It was a beautiful day to be outside this afternoon. 

A new recipe

I don't often have recipe fails and often I can repair a mistake easily. Not this one. I failed in so many areas yesterday with this cake: it didn't rise, it stuck to the pan, it was crumbly, the icing melted, I got crumbs In the icing, and the cake tried to split and slide off the plate (since it was made from broken pieces). A complete disaster. But it was too late to make anything else, so I brought it to Sunday evening dinner.  

The chocolate flavor was amazing! 

This picture was taken after we came home because I was in such a rush leaving for church. Poor three layered chocolate cake. 

Two hundred and forty

I have so many thought rolling around my head that could be blog posts, but they require a real keyboard to type up. It just doesn't work on a phone. 

So, instead you get a sneak peak of my latest quilt. 

I have had to cut and draw lines on 240 of these little squares. It was a daunting project that I finally finished today. Now I just have to sew all 240 of those squares to bigger squares. :) 

Happy Friday! We have company coming this weekend. I have been de cluttering my sewing room. It feels so good to put stuff away or throw it away. I also listed 19 books on half.com that have been sitting in a pile for two years waiting to be sold. I am glad some of them were worth something. 

Swing

Dear children,

Aren't you glad your mom is an engineer? :) 

Love,

Mom

P. S. Maybe we'll build a tree fort next summer. After we finish the chicken coop in the shed. 

Random ramblings

I love days where we have nothing to do (nothing can include grocery shopping and cleaning). I guess I mean days where we don't have to see anyone or be anywhere at a certain time. If you had asked me several years ago if I enjoyed just hanging out at my house, the answer would have been, "no!" During college I loved going places and doing things. Not now. Give me a sewing project or a good book or a favorite recipe! However, on the other hand, too many day without people and I get antsy. But too many days with people and I am worn out. I am split, but not evenly. Maybe 70% introverted and 30% extroverted or maybe 80/20.  I feel like so much of my life doesn't fall evenly into a category. Does anyone? Or are we all odd mixes of a bit of this and that? 

Moving on. I am so thankful when we can have the windows open!

Martin is "cooking". As long as the food stays in the containers and he puts everything back I don't have a problem with that. 

We woke up early this morning, went to the grocery store, put away all the groceries, made chili, unloaded and loaded the dishwasher, made a lasagna as a meal for someone, vacuumed, cleaned the bathroom, and put away clothes so far. 

Still to do:

Make bread dough

Work on my newest quilt 

Go outside and play

Cook dinner 

Grade labs (that is probably overly ambitious).  

Bump

They were both looking out the back window so nicely when I left the room... I came back to find the youngest one being slowly squashed into the clothes bin. 

These two. They keep me on my toes.