J is for...

Oh the JOY!!! Sometimes I see some textiles that take my breath away. I've almost cried over fabrics...I get that twirly feeling in my tummy and--just can't even stand it! There's my embarassing secret. 2 things can overwhelm me emotionally--the kids and fabric. :) SO, when I saw this:

Well...surely you understand! ;) Unfortunately, it's $120 at Urban Outfitters. Right. So, I've officially begun the hunt for the right fabrics to give the same feel. There's more satisfaction in doing it yourself anyway, isn't there?!

The relative success of my Etsy shop has allowed for (squeal!!) a rash of guilt free fabric buying! These were today's acquisitions:

Don't you LOVE them?? I know you do! The pink version of the green one was featured in the October issue of Martha Stewart Living...another one of those "take your breath away" moments...it was a feature on pieced and quilted crafts, by Joelle of one of my favorite online shops, PurlSoho...see how beautiful?

I think part of the Take Your Breath Away Factor has to do with the "I can DO that!!!" feeling. Knowing that I can really make something THAT wonderful, with these very same hands that are usually shackled to the monotonous tasks of dishes and diapers.

I also found this:

on clearance at Urban Outfitters...those are little mod-vintagy birds pirched on those leaves! Fantastic! I swooped that sucker up faster than you could say Jiminy Cricket! Haha! Last one too, or so said the "availability checker"!! Hmmm...not sure what its extreme makeover will be yet--maybe some throw pillow covers, possibly a skirt? Part of a quilt? Oh, the possibilities!

This was also a super-score today from Fabric.com...a jumper for Abs?

Ahhhh...that feels better! Bj just says, "I don't get it." when I'm spouting joy over fabrics/textiles/craftiness. But when I put it here, I can at least imagine that someone is reading and appreciating along with me--maybe even feeling a little twirly?

So, thanks to my Etsy shop for all the J is for Joy!! Go check out Etsy and buy handmade!

That Time of Year...

Colors are all so much brighter in the fall--the sun is so gold, the trees are all decked out in their finest, the air is so clean! There's always such a promise of change, something new around the corner--fall is laced with anticipation!

We took a trip to the orchard this week--the weather was absolutely perfect. Alex started out like this:



But it didn't take long for him to wake up! We had such a fun time--feeding and petting the critters, sampling the apples, browsing the shop, playing on the tractor, the maze, just enjoying the day!!

These guys are so friendly and nice! We enjoyed them lots!


Such a sweet puppy!!



"He really likes you, Mommy!"

The sheep however...not so friendly. Didn't even say "hi".

And this is me after waiting for Blogger to upload all the pictures!!

Everybody have a great weekend, full of bright colors, crisp air and anticipation!

I've received some complaints about the banner still being too wide...sorry about that! I'll edit it as soon as I get a minute!

I is for...

I love you.

Alex says, "Mommy! Aye ya yoo! Daddy! Aye ya yoo! Nana (his version of Abby)! Aye ya yoo!" He practices his "I love yous" a lot in his crib before he falls asleep at night.

Abby says, "Mommy, I love you this much." (holding her thumb and little finger just a half inch apart) I say, "Abby, that's not very much!" Stretching her arms out wide, she says, "Ok, I love you THIS much!!"

In the car, Abby wriggles out of her carseat straps...I threaten to pull over if she doesn't get them on immediately...she says, "Oh, because we have to be safe? Because you love me?" I say, "Exactly." She says, "Daddy loves me too."

Can't ever have too many I love yous.

H is for...

Home...there's no place like it, and we're glad to be here. Can you tell where we've been?

IGS had work in Duluth, so we and the DuMonts packed up and headed north! We found a 3 bedroom suite...who's the 3rd room for? Only our fantastic sitters--how lucky are we?!

"The Girlies", as Bj and Abby have dubbed them, came along to be extra hands and to let us have a little more freedom. They were so handy to have, and we appreciate them so much!

Hmm...here are those fat feet again...

Good friends share rocks...

H is for Handsome...
H is for hand-scrubbed...which is how I found the kitchen floor when I came home from work last Tuesday. Scrubbed with love by my Handsome Husband...

A little too much fresh air for Abby? My only theory for this expression...

What can we find??
pinecones...

and sticks!

Good friends share horses too...

We arrived Sunday afternoon...the boys worked on Monday, leaving Tuesday and Wednesday for whatever! Having the girls along allowed us to enjoy dinner sans kids twice, and Michelle and I got to spend the afternoon strolling, site seeing, shopping and chatting while the boys worked! The kids enjoyed being together, seeing new things, playing by the lake, climbing on rocks and swimming in the pool.

H is for...How the Heck did Abby grow up so quickly? We've got her preschool screening coming up in November already...suddenly school decisions are staring us in the face! Public school? Homeschool? Some of each? Can we afford any of the private schools around here? The thought of sending her to school terrifies, saddens and excites me all at the same time...now that it's a reality, I've been spending a lot of time mulling over the options, pros and cons of each scenario, puzzling over what is best for her...I just don't know. I suppose just like everything else in parenting, it just comes down to trial and error...

In other news, Alex is becoming a lot more verbal! His favorite is "NOoooooooo!"...cute the first, second, maybe even the third time--but it's quickly losing its adorability and moving him from cute to annoying at a rapid rate. Good thing he's also come up with "Mommy! Love you!"

Is it really Thursday already? Well...H is for Happy Hunting! Have a great weekend!

G is for...

uh, Gutters, of course! Gutters pretty much run our life around here...here's a job Integrated Gutter Systems, LLC completed recently...



Note the precision on the hand mitred corners? The seamless beauty? I must say, the quality of craftmanship is unparalleled! ;)

More Fair...

Here's Alex grooving to a band we watched a little of...he looooves music!

F is for...

French Fried Mushrooms and Cauliflower!

And Fruit Smoothies!

It's the FAIR!!

The Great Minnesota Get-Together...food, animals, food, rides, food, music, food, free stuff, food!! The kids loved the animals, especially the Miracle of Life exhibit--this barn is full of pregnant mamas giving birth and brand new baby animals...

Abby says the baby cow was her favorite part of the fair! He was so very sweet...so soft, his breath all warm and milky!

The horse barns were also fun! Away from the hot sun and crowds too!

The kids both had their first tastes of "rotton candy"...it was a hit!

Abby's been shopping for a pink cowgirl hat (I kid you not--no idea where she got the idea?) for quite some time...now this little lady can deck herself out in true cowgirl fashion with her pink hat and pink cowgirl boots...

We unknowingly went on the fullest day of the fair...look at all the people! Can you imagine? Bj claims that I don't see that many people in an entire year--he might be right!

It was hot, and busy and full of sooo many people, but we had a fantastic time! The kids were exhausted by 1:00, so we certainly didn't get to see even a fraction of things, but it was enjoyable none the less!