Snug as a Cuddle Bear/Bug in a Rug

 This morning was one of the few times that my investigation of "too quiet" yielded a favorable return.  I walked into Eli's room (which, at the time was pitch dark, in spite of the fact that it was around 8am...gotta love those black out shades!) to discover N&E snuggling in the glider.

 I told them not to move, and dashed off to get my camera.  (Sibling rivalry has been one of the themes of the month, so I wanted to have photo documented proof that they aren't always at each other)

 When I asked N what they were doing, she said, "Well, Eli said he was cold.  And I said I was cold too, so we decided to snuggle.  He's my cuddle bug, and I'm his cuddle bear.  We're BEST buddies!"

Be still, my beating heart.  (And no, you may not see the photos that I didn't take of them fighting over the green car behind the chair just moments later...you'll just have to take my word for it that these were much sweeter!)

N and E have been really enjoying each other's company lately.  It warms my heart to watch them growing to be good friends.  Jason and I were pretty skeptical when they asked if they could nap together.  We thought there was no way they would actually get any sleep.  But, they proved us wrong by sacking out in less than 10 minutes, with nary a peep!

 In other news of note...Eli recently decided that he didn't like sleeping in diapers (he's been going without them in the daytime for almost a year, but I'd been nervous about letting him go overnight), so we've been diaper (and accident) free for a little over a week now.  Free at last!! 

With his new-found transition into "big boy-dom", he has also begun trying to dress himself...

He still has a little bit of trouble telling the front from the back on his shorts...but I have to give him an "E" for effort.

(And please note his new "high and tight" corps cut.  Norah wasn't sure how she felt about his "almost bald in the back" hair cut...but after I showed her how soft it felt, she was sold.

N: "Buddy, I like your fuzzy bunny haircut!"
E: "Sank you, Norah."

Side note: Almost any time she compliments him, Eli will reply with a solemn and serious, "Sank you Norah.", coupled with a single nod of approval.  It is so cute.  I can already tell how much he values her opinion.

Another side note--the pillows in the background of the first photo of E are some the fruits of my latest sewing efforts.  I cranked out 10 new throw pillows for the couch, recliner and love seat last week using black and white fabrics, with a little bit of green as an accent.  The silhouette shown is Eli, and Norah's is on the other end of the couch.  The kids are pretty proud of them, and think they are "their" pillows.  I hope to finally banish the aqua vertical blinds (that came with the house) in favor of some damask drapes sometime in the near future.

Cow Appreciation Day 2010

Cow Appreciation Day 2010

I've heard the commercials for Chick-fil-a's annual "Cow Appreciation Day" for the past few years and always been slightly intrigued.

Does anyone actually show up dressed like a cow?  I wondered.  So, this year, we decided to give it a try, and I must say it lived up to all the hype.

We all donned our white t-shirts, then added our "spots" (black construction paper held on with some trusty duct tape).  The cow head hats we actually had...we're weird like that.  

Norah smiles, while Eli revels in his ice cream

Actually, they were generously donated by Chick-fil-a to Children's Story Time at the library a couple weeks before, and since I'd heard that Cow Appreciation Day was just around the corner, we held on to them for the occassion.  (They also had free hats available at Chick-fil-a on Cow day, for anyone who happened into the restaurant without a costume.)

Now, if you aren't familiar with Cow Appreciation Day, you might be wondering, "Why in the world would anyone want to embarrass themselves by dressing up like a cow?"

"Moooooooooo!"

The answer, dear blog friends is simple: Free food!
The more decked out you were, the more free food you were rewarded with.  For example, if you showed up with no cow gear and just picked up a free cow hat on the way in, you got a free entree.  If you were completely cow-ified, you could pretty much have anything you wanted off the menu.  In our case, we went all out--at least by Chick-fil-a's standards (I wish I would have taken full-length shots of the kids...we all had on black shorts, and N was wearing white converse sneakers, and E was wearing black ones.)

2 kids meals, 1 adult meal, and ice cream...$0.00!

As a result, 3 free combo meals for us!  (Plus ice cream) Now, you may notice from the receipt, we only saved  $10.42.  A small token for dressing like a cow in public.  But honestly, how often does a restaurant chain feed an entire family for free?

Would I do it again?  Absolutely!  We had so much fun!  There were some really creative costumes.  Our personal favorite was a table of high schoolers who all came in together.  They were all cowed-up (face paint, tails, ears, etc.), and 2 of them dressed up as a 2-man cow, each providing 2 legs, the rear person being the body (he was bent over at the waist, holding on to the guy in front) and the front person being the head and chest.  They walked everywhere in unison, and even wore a cow bell.  So funny!  (I know, I totally slacked on taking their photo...sorry!)

And, in case you were wondering, 95% of the people who came in the restaurant while we were eating were decked out in cow gear.  And the looks on that rare 5% of street-clothed folk  were priceless!  (A mixture of  confusion, annoyance that they had to pay and everyone else didn't, a small bit of remorse at being "left out" of the fun, and of course amusement at how funny the "black and white" restaurant looked) Most people who weren't dressed up took their food to go...I think they felt a little awkward/out of place.  Probably wished they had just used the drive through.

It really wasn't the least bit embarrassing because "everyone was doing it" and it was good, clean (free!) family fun.  I think we'll make it an annual tradition, and maybe even try to get a group of our friends together next year!

Life Imitating Art Imitating Life

 

This drawing was one of the products of N's recent art lessons.  I literally laughed out loud when she gave me her explanation of it.  The pink girls with the full skirts are Norah and Mommy.  (please note my super awesome platform heels and the giant, pink bows--two accessories which, anyone who knows me well can attest that I never leave home without.  And Norah wanted me to clarify that her shoes aren't showing because her "dress is touching the ground so you can't see her shoes") 

The blue guy on the right is Jason, and the blue guy on the left (in the flower-covered hat) is Eli.  What made me laugh about this picture was that Eli really has taken to wearing Norah's floral tea party hat on recent multiple occasions and Norah felt it important enough to capture in her own, personal artistic rendering.  (As I've mentioned before, I think he mainly does this to get a rise out of Norah, because she gets SO upset if he dons anything even remotely effeminate, partly because she's territorial, and partly because she thinks it completely unacceptable for boys to wear girls' attire)

 Not long after showing me her drawing, Norah called me into my room, urging me to bring my camera.  It seems she wanted to do a partial real-life re-creation of her art work. (I didn't even realize it until after I took the photo, but she even has her arm in the same position as it was in her drawing...funny girl!)  I'm telling you, some days, I laugh ALL day-long. 

First Swim of the Season, and More of Norah's Art

While Gramps and Granddad were on their way home from a weekend trip, we sneaked over and had our inaugural swim of the season.  (Sorry, Gramps...but we did scrub the pool while we were there as penance for our sneakiness)

The kids were beyond excited.  They have been asking for WEEKS when we could go swimming.


They even humored us by posing for a few photos before we hit the pool.

We picked up the life jackets at a Walmart near South Padre last summer.  The first time we used the, turned out to be our last swim of the season (it was September and starting to cool off here).

Norah was thrilled to get to wear hers again.

And Eli was  just happy to be doing what Norah was doing, as is usually the case.

Norah also graced our fridge with some new artwork today, so I thought I'd share.  Things that I love about her art these days:

1. Excellent use of color.  Sometimes it is imitation of real-life color, other times it is completely fantasy-inspired...either way, she has a great eye for color.
2. Stick figure gender can be determined by a)whether or not said figure is wearing a dress or b)whether or not said figure has eyelashes
3. She can work a single piece of paper for HOURS (remember those flamingo pictures?).  Lots of details which are SO funny to hear her explain if you ask.  (Like today, she drew about 20 female stick figures and when I asked why there were no boys, she  explained that "they all died", as if it were no big deal...have I mentioned she is pretty anti-boy right now?)  This is a big improvement over the  previous phase of thinking she needed 20 sheets a day, sometimes only putting a small circle in the center before labeling it "done."
4. All "finished" pieces are put (by the artist, herself) on the fridge.  I love that she knows the refrigerator is our "gallery", and proudly displays each work of art.  (Plus, it sure beats finding tons of loose leaf on the floor or spread out all over the table.)

Alright, that's enough for now...I will try to be back soon with the big reveal for the "top secret (non baby) project" I alluded to earlier, so stay tuned!

What's Going On Around Here

I know I've been slacking on the updates. Sorry about that. So here is what you've been missing in Robinson County...

Norah is still doing great with her reading (and is LOVING sharing her new-found skill with her brother). I walked in on them the other morning and found Norah reading Eli his favorite book in his room. So sweet.



I have been sewing...a lot. Norah chose some wild peacock fabric and asked for a "twirly dress". I paired it with a tank top, which I cut off, using the cut-off lower portion to make ruffles down the front, and made the rest of the dress up as a went along. Not my normal style...I'm usually a pattern or at least tutorial kind of girl. But I think I am in love with making my own rules for sewing, so there may be more to come!


Mom and I have been churning out lots of cute dolls and other sewing projects for the Pigtails and Puddles esty shop (which I hope to open pretty soon...I just wanted to have a "semi-full inventory" at least in the beginning, so I've been holding out on some of what I've been up to...but if you're really interested, feel free to check the Pigtails and Puddles blog for a few hints)


Jason and I did a little landscaping in the front yard, and I am LOVING it. We planted 4 pink (I say they're red) knockout rose bushes, 3 "iceburg" (white) tea rose bushes, some sage (which, although it is blooming wonderfully, I disappointingly must report that it does not, smell anything like perfume), and some white verbena...which, so far, has been the only plant that does not seem to be absolutely thriving (I'm hoping after it gets established it will take off...verbena is supposed to be one of the easiest plants to grow around here).

I've been amazed at how quickly I've delved into gardening. (We'll see if it lasts once the summer temperatures hit). I love getting out early in the morning to water and weed, dead-heading the rose bushes and watching, with wonder, as they put out new growth (the red leaves) and (best of all) new buds.

The white and red roses have been alternately blooming. One week we have all red blooms, and just as they fade, the white bushes start blooming up a storm. Occasionally they will both have a few at the same time. I love having flowers to watch out my window, greet me when I get home, and tend to each day!

In other news, Norah's flamingo obsession....er...I mean, interest, continues. These are just a sampling of her portfolio (there have been many other flamingo art sightings in Robinson County. (I'm just holding my breath til she asks for a "Flamingo Costume" for Halloween...wouldn't that be a hat trick?).

And we have one other big project (it is NOT, I repeat, NOT another baby) that I hope to share photos of soon, so stay tuned and maybe I'll update the blog again soon!

Snow Day!

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to photo (and blog) document the biggest snow I've ever seen in my hometown in all my 30 years.

Yesterday we received between 1-2 inches of snow in Robinson County. (Yep, that's our biggest snow in three decades...impressive, huh?)

Norah was ecstatic. We've been talking a lot about the frequency of Christmas, and how it only comes once a year, just like her birthday, and that it has only been 2 months since Christmas, so she'd have to wait 10 more months until it would come again. And then, it snowed. Of course, she thought that the blankets of white stuff depicted in every Christmas movie she's ever seen, and to which a multitude of carols have been devoted, meant that Jack Frost had renigged and was sending her Christmas a little earlier than promised.
N: It's snowing!!!! That means....it's CHRISTMAS-TIME!!!!"
Thankfully, the fun we had in the snow cushioned the blow of reality that Christmas was still, in fact 10 months away.


Eli was excited about the snow too, but mainly because he gauges his expected responses to life on Norah's. (Well, that, and because the kid next door was eating a huge chunk of it, and Eli's always up for a new eating experience)





Even Jason indulged me for a photo-op. After going from vacationing in Colorado for at least 5 years, solid to quitting cold turkey when we had the kids, we've missed our time playing in the snow together. (Granted, we didn't pull out the skiis/snowboard yesterday, but with the Winter Olympics running, it wasn't like we hadn't considered it for at least a second)



We made our first legitimate "rolled" snow men. It's pretty sad that I didn't know until yesterday that snow could actually be rolled into balls the way they do it in cartoons. (And yes, I did mention earlier that I've been to snowy Colorado at least 5 times, but those trips consisted more of skiing and packed snowball fights)



I think Jason thought I was a little crazy when I emerged from the house with a bag of fruit and some scrap fabric. But judge for yourself, they look SO much cuter with faces and scarves! And these might very well be the only snowmen our kids ever have a picture of in their own front yard, so I didn't want to skimp!


I loved that just a little snow brought the neighbors outside to visit. Mr. Leslie from 4 doors down came over and asked to take our picture (to send to his daughter to prove it really did snow here). We were thankful to have him take one our camera too. (Incidentally, Mr. Leslie is a very cool neighbor. He plays the bagpipes in his backyard from time to time, and is really good! )
This photo was about 30 seconds before I took Eli inside. He decided pretty quickly that snow was for the birds, and he wanted to be warm and inside.

So, we brought everyone indoors, and the kids consumed their obligatory post-snow mugs of chicken noodle soup.



The soup did the trick and de-iced Eli's personality (and funny bone).



Mmmm mmmmm good to the last drop!

My New Favorite Photos

It was mid-December and I was bustling about in a feverish attempt to tie up loose ends on my many sewing projects, in hopes of making my Christmas deadlines. The house was quiet. Too quiet.

I paused and listened for the usual commotion that accompanies the children playing together, but to no avail. So, I stalked down the hall, assuming I'd find them buried in a heap of some dismantled closet, upended toybox, or amid a parade of stripped bedding.

But, as I neared Eli's bedroom, I heard it. The gentle, soothing, precious sound of a child (MY child!) reciting a beloved nursery rhyme, which just happens to be Eli's absolute favorite book right now.

Quite certain that Norah wouldn't be reading aloud to herself, I crept back down the hallway, retrieved my camera, and in-so-doing, captured my new favorite photos of the kids together.

They were so engrossed in their book that they hardly noticed my presence at first.(Giving me the opportunity to bask in the overwhelming joy of having two children who are best friends and love each other...at least for this perfect moment)


Norah read with so much expression, and Eli hung on her every word.

And then, the rhyme was over, and the official camera mugging began. Sure, I might have missed the rare opportunity to sew, uninterrupted for 5-10 minutes...but that would have been a lousy trade for the memory I'll always have of Norah and Eli reading together, at will.

Thank you, God for the blessing of two, precious children, who love each other!

'09 Costume Reveal

For the two of you who eagerly await my annual Halloween Costume Reveal, the wait is over!

Eli was a Garden Gnome, Travelocity Roaming Gnome, David the Gnome... or if you asked him, a "Hi Ho, Hi Ho!" We've been watching a LOT of Snow White around here, so I couldn't blame him for thinking he was a dwarf. (Norah also referred to him as a "Garden Wizard" before she got the hang of the word "gnome"...I think the pointy hat threw her.)

I think this is my favorite costume I've made to date. (Ok, never mind. I can't choose. I loved the Baby Mermaid, King Kong, and Madame Peacock, an aweful lot, too). And of course, the late night sewing sessions with Gramps in preparation for Trunk or Treat are always something I look forward to!

Please notice his super-cute leather pouch...and those crazy fuzzy boots...Jason was about ready to strangle me for this one. But I figured it was the last year I could get away with it. I'm quite sure E will have a strong opinion by next year, and it's likely to be very masculine, so Jason needs not fret.


After a lengthy affair of waffling between Ariel (which I shot down because I don't like doing costume "remakes"...mean mom, I know), a flamingo, "Martigan" (her favorite of Uncle Grant's goats), a ballerina, and a princess, Norah finally decided on "Little Bo Peep". I thought it suited her to a tee. She is all about ribbons, lace, and most importantly, PINK.

Papaw bent her her very own shepherd's crook from some metal pipe, and Jason painted it white. (I added the bows, because everyone knows that pink ribbons on a shepherd's hook are as completely practical as a tiny shepherdess bedecked in ten yards--yes, I said TEN yards of lace)







The kids had a BLAST at A&M Church's Trunk or Treat. The weather was beautiful (not a scorcher like last year) Eli kept his entire costume on for the duration of the afternoon/evening with nary a complaint. (I think once he figured out costumes= lots of attention and candy, we were golden)

N LOVED checking out what all her friends' costumes were, and she was very quick to compliment them all. ("I LOVE your cape!")

Here she is with "super" friends, Isaiah and Phoebe.

She also "LOVED" Zoe and Shelby's pink fairy costumes (which Shelby informed N was "actually a BUTTERFLY...See the wings?")













Jason caved some pretty awesome pumpkins to decorate our trunk.

Tinker Bell for Norah






And "Mee Mouse" for Eli




















Eli LOVED the fishing booth. (And doesn't it just LOOK like something a little gnome would be doing?)


But the favorite activity of the day was definitely the bounce house.

After about 10 minutes of trunk or treating, Norah said to Jason. "Dad, I really think I have enough candy." I looked at him incredulously--was this MY child? Doesn't she know there are people giving free CHOCOLATE away out there!? Jason, seeing my disbelief, smiled and said, "All she cares about is bouncing."

Eli loved the Bounce House too. It was his first time in one. For the first few minutes he was just fascinated that he could see me from inside, but still maintain his freedom. Then, he cut loose and bounceed to his heart's content.







My favorite quote of the day was from Norah.

A: Norah, who had the best costume at Trunk or Treat?
N: Me!

Ok, so maybe we need to work on humility a little... but it still made me pretty happy.

Photoshoot Fun...Until Somebody Gets (their feelings) Hurt

N & E have been infatuated with our tripod for a few months now. I don't know why they love it so much, but I'd wager it has something to do with those nifty telescoping legs.

One morning while after folding laundry in the back of the house, I decided to check things out because the kids were being a little too quiet.


This is the scene that greeted me. N and E had set up their own little photoshoot on the fireplace.





E wasn't sure if he was supposed to "shoot" or "chew", so he covered his bases.





























They traded off, cooperating with professional courtesy, and smiling for eachother like little pros. (Note the beanie baby prop...they thought of everything...well, except the camera, I guess) Naturally, my next thought was, "Hmmmm...they never want to take pictures for me. I know! I'll do it now, while they're in the mood!"


Shot #1











Shot #2....and we're done.