8 months already

So, at 8 months old, he:
- still doesn't have any interest in crawling, but will roll himself anywhere he needs to be. (you know, like how just about any kid rolls down an available grassy hill)
- loves ice cream and brownie (thanks, daddy) but then cries ALL NIGHT because his tummy hurts.
- whispers "Dada" to anyone but Kevin.
- has to have his own menu at a restaurant, just like Daddy.

- sleeps well through the night, although sometimes it's just too hard to get up in the morning.
- likes to play Superman with Gennie's cape and let her take pix of him in it.
- can stand for quite a while if he has something to hold on to. He pulls himself up on the sides of his toy basket so he can be up where the action is.
- has outgrown most of his clothes and is wearing 12-month stuff now mostly for the shirt length. (The belly-shirt went out in 1985 and really wasn't a good look for boys to begin with.)
- still loves to smile at anyone who comes near and we love to see it!

Easter 2008 part I

Okay guys, it's Easter and we're going to get at least one photo of you together.

Gennie, sit still so I can put your brother on your lap.

No, don't squeeze him, he'll poop. Wow, the red-eye. I'll be Photoshopping later. Okay, let's try that again. Josiah, look at Mommy!

Now what are you looking at, Gennie? Don't hold him so tight. He can sit still on his own. Okay, again.Good Boy, Josiah! That's a nice smile, Gennie, but let's try it again without you hiding behind him. And WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT??? Look at Mommy!And there's my keeper!

but before I get to Easter photos . . .

So, this year Kev and I decided to play rec league volleyball. Good exercise, something we can both do together, etc. We play on a team made up mostly of our homegroup friends with some additions now and again when they can come. It's only B league so it's not tooooo competitive but still fun. I took these photos during the first 2 games when I couldn't play because of my random wrist injury which is why I'm not in any of them. Just pretend you can see me, okay? Kev's in the gray shirt and black/white shorts:



This first game I kept the kids with me at the rec center but now that I'm playing they go to a babysitter. Josiah was completely engrossed in examining my camera bag:
And Gennie danced around on the sidelines cheering and yelling "Good hit, Babe," everytime I did.
Good times.

I guess we all need a good kick in the pants at one time or another.

So I was going thru my usual blog-lurking list this morning . . . my little ritual of me-time before I have to go back to life . . . and I found this old post from Kelly McCaleb. I don't know her but one of my friends is friends with her and I got her blog link from my friend's blog . . . as if you really care where I found her. Anywhoooo . . . she is a mom in Utah and she makes homemade quilts and kits and stuff for her Etsy shop and I just like to check out what she's currently working on, etc. Today she made mention of an old post she did last year about her dream job and I stopped to read it. Wow. That's about all I can say. Now as I hear the boy screaming and the dishes are calling my name from the sink I guess I can admit that I do have an amazing full-time job.

on blooming where you're planted - by Kelly McCaleb

i tried to save this cupcake till tonight when i could enjoy it in the bath with a book and some tea, but the temptation proved too great. as i took that glorious bite, i got to thinking about the place this perfect little cupcake must have come from. then i got to thinking, wouldn't it be the best job in the whole world to own a really sweet and pretty bakery? that made oversize cupcakes and little tarts and cheesecakes and breads? that had the most fabulous party cake designer around and sold little girls aprons and mixes and handmade goodies all along the walls? then i thought, the only better job in the world would be to have a yarn and fabric store with every delicious yarn and gorgeous fabric, both new and vintage imaginable in wonderful colors and big comfortable couches where you sat and knit or hand sewed and tought people to knit or hand sew all day. oh i just don't know which one i'd like more! but then i considered that another really really good job would be to organize and design happy spaces for people in their homes. to teach people how to get rid of clutter and live with inspiring things around them. and design beautiful rooms and cozy beds. or maybe a photographer, wouldn't that be exciting! but even all the creative careers in the world surely can't match the intoxicating thrill of running a corporation, i mused. that would truly be a one in a million life- fast paced, lots to do each day, in charge of so many important things. oh but it would be fun, i dreamed, to be like a personal shopper. who got to pick out all the clothes and shoes and stuff she loved for someone to wear. shopping all the time! what fun! then again, teachers get to mold a whole new generation- that is amazingly rewarding work- so much sacrifice, so much fruit. that would be a saint's job. "WAIT!" i thought, "i've got it!" the ultimate most wonderful job that takes the cake! being a mom, who can make her home inspiring, clean, and inviting...who can fill it with fragrant smells of cupcakes and bread baking and throw fabulous parties.. who can sit on a comfy couch and knit when the days duties are done...who can take pictures of her family and life any time she'd like, who can learn anything at all that she'd like to do...who is responsible for clothing and fashioning her little family...who runs her little company with hard work, saving, and all the wisdom of the best corporations- in charge of molding the most important things and people in her whole world. why, yes THAT would be the most perfect, the most fulfilling, the most rewarding job (with the most fruit). and would you look at that? i have it.

Enough said. Time to get going!

So, I'm busy de-cluttering . . .

. . . and finishing up a few projects I've had spread about the house for the last few weeks. Kev's been really understanding but when the mess starts to annoy me I can only guess how badly he wants to just scoop it all up and toss it outside. Don't get me wrong, he is fine with me having projects and hobbies . . . he says it keeps me out of trouble . . . it's just that I tend to spread it all out so I can see what I'm working with and then life steps in and I don't get it all cleaned up right away.

All that to say I'll be back soon and I promise more photos. I'll leave you with this one for now, made for Josiah:

More to come!

a little randomness for friday

So, since I don't have all the photos I want to post on here ready quite yet, here's a taste of what we've been up to. I'm ready for the weekend.

Gennie was sick Sat night, beginning with "mom, I think I threw up in my bed" and ending 12 hours later with her falling asleep on the toilet with her head propped on the "barf bucket":

Funny how she can take a 3 hour nap and then wake up as if nothing went on at all. Too bad I didn't get to catch up on sleep while she was - I've gotta remember that.

Josiah had his friend Ethan over for a while on Wed. Ethan is crawling and Josiah spent the time alternating between being fascinated by Ethan doing circles around him and yelling at Ethan because he couldn't keep up. At least they aren't fighting over toys -- yet.

Josiah tried out his shopping cart cover this week. He is finally out of his bucket and in a regular car seat so he got to sit up and look around at the grocery store this time. As you can see he was enthralled by it all.

Gennie and Kev made brownies last night. She was all decked out in her gingerbread man apron from Auntie Ruthie and even got to help put in the ingredients. By the end she had batter from ear to ear . . . and I cleaned more off her when she got up this morning . . . but they had fun!And while they did that, I did this:Josiah is getting teeth numbers 6-8 all at once and has not been sleeping much these last few days/nights. I finally got him to take his evening nap . . . he gets up around 9:45 every morning (unless we have to be somewhere) so he doesn't have a morning nap, just afternoon and from about 7pm-8:30pm . . . and rather than sit there doing nothing, I've found a way to work on the Project Linus blankets while I'm holding him. Not that I don't love holding a sleeping baby but on weeks like this when I don't get much else done because he is having such a hard time at least I can accomplish something.

Have a great weekend!

birthdays, sans wrist brace

So, I'm back. Wrist is better . . . the pain left as abruptly as it came although I still can't put any weight on it . . . so I'm back on the computer. As promised here are some photos from our birthdays. Kev's was first so he gets to go first:

He wanted diner french toast for his birthday breakfast . . . is anyone really surprised? We went to the bowling alley restaurant . . . sorry the photo sucks . . . all I had with me was my camera phone. I got him a poker table top for poker nights and it came with a bunch of chips and cards and dice. The guys meet at different houses each time and no one has a real man-cave set-up so he can take the table top with him wherever they are. He was thrilled!
My parents came over for enchiladas and Blondies . . . like a brownie but made with butterscotch . . . and gave him a Third Day cd, some plastic cards you can use outdoors, in the water, etc, and golf tees.

The next Sat was my big day. Yes, I'm older. Anyway, I wanted Golden Corral for lunch because I love their Bourbon St. Chicken and lucky me, they had it that day. I also love their Lemon bars and brownies for dessert.
Krista sent me socks from that LittleMissMatched place and I got a scrapbook tool organizer from Kev and a gift cert. from my parents to the scrapbook place here. Yeah! Perpetuate my habit!! Gennie swiped my camera and took photos during the presents, although she didn't take any of me. Anyway, Happy Birthday to Us! Here's to Many, Many More!

clearly blogging will be light this week...

So, since i am currently restricted to this lovely bit of fashion:

i can't do much on the computer this week. we're hoping it's not the early onset of carpal tunnel syndrome that happens to weave its way thru my genes. just started hurting last thurs and hasn't stopped . . . no indication as to why or what happened, no swelling or color, just immense pain when i move my fingers. probably shouldn't have pounded away on the piano for church yesterday . . . often they have to turn the levels for the piano down to about 1/8 on the sound board because i play so hard . . . since i knew something was wrong and when i went to sit down after the music my hand was shaking uncontrollably and screaming with pain. kev says he is going to fix me a stick about 8 inches long with a "finger" on each end so that as long as i can make a fist to hold it, i can still play. funny, funny guy.

but honestly i do have b'day photos to post and i'll get on it as soon as i can move my hand. pinky swear!

and yes, i typed this all with one hand . . . don't even ask how long it took me. i'll be back soon.