It's That Time Of Year Again...

...when I have to buy eggs in the store (dyeing brown eggs is not as glamorous) and break out the food coloring and vinegar!

 We started early this year because little Nelson needed to replace a friend's decorated egg that he smashed open (super excited, thinking a hard boiled egg was hiding inside...our kids love hard boiled eggs...).
I decided to blow out the insides this year...haven't done it this was in a long time...but we are starting early this year, and Nelson has a knack for hiding things!!

Amya loves colors!...combining them, matching them, finding their "partners" (colors that look good together)...so it was super fun this year talking about how to make new colors for our dye baths.

 We even did some swatches! :) (which didn't really work, but it's pretty, isn't it?)

 It is easy coloring eggs and talking about the Easter bunny with kids.  Harder, is explaining the Christian reason for Easter Sunday celebrations.  But it is super important to us.  I struggle with what is appropriate at what age.  Jess has some great ideas and links this year.  So we might try some of these ideas.

 I have a feeling there is another dozen eggs at the store with our name on them!!....too much fun not to do it again.....

A Gentleman's Game

Amya has expressed an interest in playing games lately.

 So, we busted out Connect Four. 

 Nelson thought this was a fantastic idea!

He, however, has no need for "rules" or "turns", so the game turned into dropping checkers as fast as they could!...this made Nelson get a little frisky and competitive...

...until it was just Nelson playing Connect Four, all by himself... 



This Is What Happens...

...when you give the babies your phone so you and your wife can have an uninterupted, five minute conversation about designing the new garden...

Happy Birthday...

...to the 2 year old with the best head of hair!

Happy Birthday, Violet!  We can't wait to see you!!!



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Violet's BFF & Violet



Meet Gina...

...the beautiful wife to my cousin, Todd.  Loving mother to daughter, Shaelyn.
Gina is fighting for her life right now from stupid cancer.  Check out Gina's website to read more about this family. 

St. Patty's Day...In Pictures...

...in the order they were taken...

Happy Birthday Grandpa Rusty!

We hope you have a great birthday!  ...can't wait to see you!!

The kids painted this picture for you today!

B-Abby

 Meet Abby!  She comes over to our house once a week for a couple hours to play with the kids while I get some work done.  The kids adore her!

Nelson snuggled up on her today and fell asleep!

(truth be told, Nelson is in love...he talks about her all week long.  He only has 12 words that he is willing to say.  "B-Abby" is one of them)

And.....

...how did THIS baby get to be THIS big?!

Happy Belated Birthday...

...to the beautiful and talented, Miss Willow!

You are an amazing kid! 

We are so lucky we get to be related to you!

Been Sewin'

I've been too busy to sew lately.  So, of course that makes me want to sew.

Last week I set some time aside (when I should have been doing a long list of other stuff) and sewed and sewed and sewed.  Amya helped me find "ideas" on line and then we did our best to copy them.  Amya usually looses interest shortly after we've picked out the fabric...but she enjoys the results!

 We got inspired by this post.  And tried to copy the idea of a "smocked" neck.

 It was super fun and pretty easy, so we made some more!

 A mistake in the hem of this dress, was fixed with a cute bow!  We love happy mistakes.

This one is made out of knit fabric...super cozy!  We thought it would make a great swim suit cover-up for summer time (hard to believe that will ever come when we keep waking up with snow on the ground!).

 This dress is a size 2, but Nelson was not available to model....glad to know it works as a shirt on a 5 year old!  Hopefully it will get years of use!

 We loved the bow so much, we did it again, but in a contrasting color!

 Amya was all about this dress when she saw the picture.  I explained to her that her Momma is NOT the talented Jess (are you kidding me?!), but that I'd give it my best shot!

 This is my first attempt at sleeves!!...not as hard as I was imagining it to be!

 The best part of this tutorial is that I learned how to do a button closure!...also not that hard.

 It was a fun week of sewing, but like all good things it has come to an end!  The sewing room door is closed, and the laptop is open!   My nap times for the next few weeks will be devoted to work!

Hats

Doesn't it feel like we wear many hats sometimes?

   On my head it is "mom", "wife",  "housekeeper", "seamstress", "gardener", "researcher", "chauffeur", "chef", "peace negotiator"....

 The kids were playing a game today.  When they put different hats on, they changed their mood....angry, silly, adorable....
They kept switching hats and magically became new people.

Do they make a "relaxing by the side of a sunny pool with a cocktail in my hand" hat????

Yes

Nelson still points with his middle finger and loves to dress up like super woman (and always has a vehicle in his hand).