Easter prep

Our Easter prep has been pretty low key around here, but we did dye a few hard-boiled eggs earlier this week. Lachlan enjoyed watching the eggs change color, and we even tested a little color theory by dipping one in yellow and blue to make green!
It was also a good excuse to use our little egg slicer before we ate them, which is one of L's favorite things.
Yesterday Lachlan insisted that we make more Easter eggs, this time with red dye (vinegar + warm water + food coloring). We used some of my extra sticker letters to decorate the eggs before we dipped them.
I stitched up a little label for Kenley's Easter basket, inspired by the one I made a couple years ago for Lachlan's basket.
Oh, and the Easter Candy Bark! We made it yesterday, then this morning I cut it up into smallish pieces. I have to admit that I hardly even want to eat it, because it looks like sugar overload. Hopefully I can unload it on my family tomorrow!

Wishing you all happy Easter celebrations!

a bunch of new layouts!

I was able to spend last Saturday scrapping away at the "Get Inspired" event in Des Moines (thanks to grandma and papa's excellent childcare). It was so fun to visit with the other ladies scrapping with me and I got more than a dozen pages done. Yay! These are some of my favorites:

Kenley at 10 months

Another fun month with you, Kenley! We took a trip to Decorah for Aunt Bethany’s photography exhibit and you were happy to be passed around and held by all the college girls. We also spent a weekend in Des Moines and you spent lots of time with grandma while I scrapbooked and Lachlan played with papa.

You are cracking us all up with the way you hold things between your feet and play with them. Carissa reports that you hold your bottle in your feet when you drink it. Grandma says you should be in the circus!

Still no progress in the crawling department, since you barely tolerate any time on your tummy. You’re always reaching and moving, so we know you think you have places to go – it won’t be long!

After weeks of bulging right under your gums, your first top tooth popped through today! Now you have 3 teeth and we expect the other top front tooth to make an appearance soon.

You still love all kinds of fruit and vegetable purees, but you have started to eat many other solid foods this month. You gobble up yogurt, pasta, Cheerios, peanut butter toast, and one day even a leftover piece of pizza! You are also starting to sign “more” whenever we’re not feeding you as quickly as you desire!

I’m enjoying watching you become more social. You inspect everyone seriously when you first encounter them, but then you are generous with smiles and snuggles. You’ve also been “singing” when we sing to you and during music class. It is so sweet.

Kenley's new dress

I sewed a dress for Kenley! It's pretty cute, if I do say so myself. Of course, I'm not showing you any detail shots or the wonky back that I will have to alter if she is actually going to wear it, but... it was a good first attempt.

This project started with Dana's great tutorial, then a fun Threadless hoodsie that was stained and getting too small.


I decided to stitch around the colored letters before I added it to the dress for an extra detail.


I used the fabric from my new Mac and Cheese shirt for the dress fabric. I've never really sewed with knit before and I have lots to learn. The yoke part around the top was very frustrating because it curled so much that I couldn't iron it properly or keep it straight. In retrospect, if I had cut the strip against the grain of the fabric instead of with, it probably would have worked better.


I made Kenley do some modeling after her nap. It is still pretty big, and needs a little tweaking, but hopefully she'll have fun toddling around in it this summer.

What's the deal, lady?

Gimmee that camera!

Ok, cheese!

She's not standing on her own yet, but I managed to prop her up well enough to take a quick picture!

Happy 2nd Birthday Sadie!

You came to us about a year and a half ago, Miss Sadie, and you've been keeping us on our toes ever since. We were thinking about getting a puppy, but your special situation forced us to make a decision quicker than we planned.


I think most people would say that the puppy years are over after 2, but apparently labs have a longer puppy-hood than most breeds. Even so, I can see you maturing in the way you carry yourself and the way you interact with our family. We still have a long way to go in greeting new people *calmly* and approaching other dogs without making them feel anxious.


I'm so glad that you and Lachlan will be able to grow up together. You are gentle with both kids and watch them closely, especially when we are playing outside. Lachlan loves to feed you and take you for walks and especially to set you free from your kennel. Kenley gets so excited to see you and waves her arms like crazy - then usually cries when you leave the area.


Bill gives you a hard time, but he loves it when you slowly creep up until you are sitting up on his lap - all 50 lbs.


We love you, in spite of all the hole-digging, couch-sitting, wire-chewing and craziness you bring to the party. Good girl, Sadie.


Ha! I had forgotten all about the Story of the Frog until I went back looking for photos in my blog archives.


Sadie and the Snow

(p.s. Lachlan suggested we have a robot party for you, but I convinced him that you'd enjoy a new toy more).

So, a funny thing happened on Twitter...

A couple weeks ago, I was tweeting about what was for dinner (you know, pretty much the thing that everyone makes fun of Twitter about)...
and I was swiftly tweeted back by the Twitter account of @kraftmacncheese. I checked out the link, entered my address (it seemed like a legit website)...
and I received this link from the site to retweet on my account. Then I forgot about the whole thing until...
I received this package in the mail! It had 5 boxes of Mac & Cheese (5 different varieties for our tasting pleasure), the card explaining the #MacJinx, and this hilarious tshirt. Now *that* is some quality internet marketing, if you ask me. The shirt is big enough for me, but I have every intention of reworking it so that L can wear it instead.

Lately

L insisted on pushing Kenley in the stroller when we went for a walk the other day.

• Feeling a little deja vu after Lachlan had another scary episode of breathing trouble and Kenley's birthmark that ulcerated last year is having some complications again. They are both fine and both issues are under control. Also feeling thankful that they are generally healthy children and we don't face worries about their health on a daily basis.

a few more pages on Flickr

• Made an 8x8 scrapbook with photos and a few words from our spring break trip to Florida. It was a quick book to put together since I kept a simple layout for the pages and repeated it throughout the book. We (especially Lachlan) are enjoying reliving the sunny moments on the beach and family fun.

at least part of the garden will be inspired by this book

• Dreaming about Spring, just like everyone else in Iowa. I bought some seeds and plan to start some of them inside this weekend. The garden has been cleared of last year's overgrown grass and weeds and is ready to be tilled (now to find someone to do the tilling...)

Fun birthday wreath here

• Birthday party planning and started a new pinboard for kids' party inspiration on Pinterest.



• Enjoying some new-to-me blogs like Iowa Girl Eats (now I think I need a donut pan!), Katie Licht (inspiring art journals), and Lisa Leonard (jewelry designer, but I love her all around style).


• On pins and needles waiting to find out when the new iPhone will be released. Rumors are out there that the iPhone 5 won't be coming in June (like previous models), but later in the year. I'm holding out with my shattered screen until I can get the latest & greatest, so come on Apple!


• Browsing my newest craft book Big Little Felt Universe and planning some felt food making. This book is full of adorable felt ideas - and not just food - laptops, camping gear, tools, plants and more. It is quite hilarious and adorable.

Oh, and I downloaded Martha Stewart's egg decorating app. I just couldn't resist. Only $.99!

What have you been up to lately?