Showing posts with label pictures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pictures. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

First Day of School 2011

It seemed like a late start this year, but we finally had our first day of school today.
Elijah complained that his handwriting wasn't nearly as good when writing with chalk, but I convinced him it was worth the picture. He is my perfectionist 2nd grader!

Alli did not complain, but she is about as much of a perfectionist as her older brother.

I had a couple of fun surprises for the kids on their first day . . .
including a package of Pop Rocks. My kids had never experienced the strange candy sensation that is Pop Rocks, and they did not fail in exciting them tremendously!

Elijah woke up to a new place mat with the solar system, as we will be studying astronomy this year in science.

Alli got a place mat that has instructions on how to set the table. She was so excited to use it for dinner tonight, and mommy was happy to allow her that responsibility!

Overall a good first day, even after a pretty rough start first thing this morning. The kids belong to a home school co-op that also met today, so they were excited to see their friends and attend the classes. With the fall weather we've had these past few days, it really felt like the start to a new school year. Let's hope and pray that we continue to go strong.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Elijah's 7th Birthday

Somehow, beyond any reasonable explanation, we now have a 7 year old. I don't know how that happened. There is something about 7 that sounds soooo much older than 6 . . . *wiping tear from eyes*. Even though he battled the stomach flu the day before his birthday, we still managed to have a great day and celebrate this momentous occasion!All month long we had been teasing Elijah that his only present was going to be a box of vegetables - even Alli joined in the teasing! At least now he can't claim we were lying!


A Lego cake for a Lego birthday . . .
Just one of the sets he received.
A few days later, he had his friend spend the night, and conveniently his friend has a sister the same age as Alli, so it was sleepover central for Elijah's birthday. His birthday dinner was postponed until the sleepover because his stomach couldn't have handled the waffles and pie filling supper he requested.

It was a fun week to celebrate (except for the vomit) and we are still in awe that he is 7. I think 4 or 5 fits him better . . .

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Monday, December 20, 2010

December 13-20

The stomach flu hit our family this last week, and I promise you don't want to see pictures of that, so in lieu of a picture each day, I'm posting some of the best shots from my family Christmas, celebrated yesterday. Enjoy!
Alli started off the gift opening and was quite excited about a new tea set.
I love this picture. It's my dad's "you shouldn't have, but I'm glad you did" face. My brothers and I went in on an ice-fishing tent for him. That should give him something to do now that he lives in the frozen tundra of WI.
Mom was equally shocked and excited about her Kindle. I am a bit jealous. It's really cool.
Elijah wanted equal billing with my Dad for the pearl earrings he picked out. He referred to them as "marble" earrings, and was quite proud of choosing them for Grandpa to get Grandma.
Cool kid.
Alli made and decorated a cupcake.
My niece, KaraJo, got her graduation present early. I made this quilt for her and couldn't wait until May to give it to her. I reminded KJ that she had to graduate, or I come and take it back!
Another pic of the quilt. I loved making this.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

December 7 - Gift Idea

My day was made the other night when we were at The Machine Shed and I came across this product: Beer BandsA few years ago, my mother-in-law received a gift of small colored plastic tabs that fit on your drinking glasses to differentiate between otherwise identical glasses. It was perfect for the weekends the whole family descends on the homestead and we have drinking glasses scattered throughout the house. It also cuts down on dishes, since we could drink out of the same glass all day.

My sister-in-law, Noelle, found these ingenious markers at Crate and Barrel, and a couple of years later, when I finally decided to get myself some, the workers at C&B had no idea what I was talking about. I've been looking for something similar ever since.

Fast forward to last week when I spotted these in the gift shop of a restaurant. Intended for beer bottles, because they stretch and give like a strong rubber band, they are perfect for drinking glasses, also. I snatched them up immediately.
Each package comes with 12 bands (2 were missing for this photo) all stamped "mine". Of course, after coming home and checking Amazon, I found them for a dollar or so cheaper than what I paid, but I'm supporting local business, right?! Here's the Amazon link if you think this would make a great gift, or perfect for a stocking stuffer!

December 6

Watching the snow (albeit flurries that didn't stick around too long).
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Sunday, December 05, 2010

December 5

Pink cheeks mean she's too cold to play outside anymore . . .
while this one's pink cheeks shows the fun is just getting started.

Friday, December 03, 2010

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

December 1st

Inspired by my friend, I'm going to **attempt** to post a picture each day this month to remember our Christmas traditions. Here's December 1st - the Advent calendar is loaded and ready for the countdown to begin.


Monday, June 21, 2010

Happy Birthday, Allison


To my baby, Alli, on her 4th birthday:

Sweetheart, I cannot believe that you are 4 years old! You still seem to be a toddling 18 month old in my mind. The years have gone too fast. You have grown up so quickly and are becoming quite the little lady, with your preference for dresses and all things princess. I love your willingness to share kisses and hugs and for saying you always want to be my baby. I love your friendship with your brother and how you often call to him for help before you call for me or Daddy. I love how you want to be around me and help me clean or cook or weed the garden. I know God has a perfect plan for your life, and I pray that you will always be sweet and submissive to His goals for you.

I love you, Missy Moo, have a glorious 4th birthday!

Monday, August 31, 2009

First Day of School

Elijah in Kindergarten
With his proud papa

And his teacher


And his little sister, intent on getting in on the action.




Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Spring Sewing

More completed projects, which seems to be more and more rare as the days warm up! Summer sewing might just be an oxymoron. I decided the leftover material from this project would make a fun, spring-y purse. This was the first time I constructed a purse without any sort of pattern and I found that it is the perfect size (for me, at least!) There may be more of these down the line.
This is the quilt I made from a class at my local quilt shop. It was a beginner class, and focused on constructing different, classic blocks to join into a sampler quilt. I chose some more modern fabric, which makes for an updated look on a classic pattern. It took me a few months to get the whole thing pieced, and then I waited to quilt it until I felt brave enough to do it on my new toy . . .
my Pfaff Hobby Grand Quilter on the Next Generation frame. I understand that means nothing to all of you non-quilters out there, but basically it is an industrial sewing machine that sets on a frame where you roll your quilt layers (top, batting, backing) and you move the sewing machine around to "draw" on the quilt top and secure those 3 layers together. I'll have to post pictures of it soon. It was a dream of mine to own one, and everything fell into place for a speedy, affordable purchase, which I share with my quilting friend, Debbie.
Here is an up-close of the quilting. It's sort of a loop d' loop.
That's all for now. Stay tuned for pics of Alli's homemade birthday presents!




Monday, June 01, 2009

Boston, Day 3

It was Friday morning. Our last day in Boston. With no business meetings to attend and no schedules to keep, we arranged for a late check out from our hotel and ventured off into the city to do some more sight-seeing. But first I had to eat.

Ever since we arrived in Boston, Dan and I kept noticing Dunkin Donuts on every corner. Walk up the stairs from the T and invariably there was one on the corner. They were more abundant than Starbucks, and that's saying something. But wouldn't you guess it, the morning I'm looking for a quick breakfast that travels, we couldn't locate one anywhere. So we headed back to the hotel before I fainted from hunger and caffeine withdrawal and went to Starbucks.

Okay, then we were off again. First stop: Fenway Park Dan assured me that Fenway is historical, so that's the only reason I agreed to this outing. As we walked around the perimeter of the field, I felt like we were actively betraying our Milwaukee Brewers. And then Dan mentioned the unthinkable - he wanted to buy a Red Socks t-shirt. He explained to me that Boston is not a division rival to Milwaukee, so it was okay to root for them. I couldn't handle it. I was just about ready to make a teary call to Miller Park just to offer my apologies, when Dan saw the prices of the t-shirts and decided against the betrayal. It was a close call.

Next stop: Boston Common, America's oldest public park. We had started off here on our first day, as this is where the freedom trail begins, but we didn't spend any amount of time exploring the park, so we came back to enjoy the scenery and do some serious people watching.
This is a picture of a monument. I'm sure it's historical.

I parked myself along the edge of the pond in the middle of the park. People were feeding ducks and I just sat in the shade and enjoyed the rest. All this walking was wearing me out. Dan wandered around and took some more pictures, including this one of the famous swan boats.
And what is a day in the park without grabbing a hot dog from a street vendor? Dan likes to take pictures of me eating. He's strange, I understand that now.
Stop #3: The Boston Public Library. This was actually just across the street from our hotel, so we decided to stop there after we checked out of the hotel. I checked my email and we wandered a bit.
This giant lion reminds me of our local library. What? You mean your local library doesn't have stories-tall paintings on the walls surrounded by gargantuan lion sculptures resting on marble blocks? Too bad.

This area reminds me of our children's library. Rows and rows of dust-free tables, not a whisper audible, with people absorbed in reading books or working on their laptops. What's that you say? Your children's library is loud and has tables strewn with books and puzzles? I feel sorry for you.
The Boston Public Library has a courtyard in the middle with cafe tables and a fountain, just like my public library. Actually, now that I think about it, the Boston Public Library is almost identical to our local, small-town library. I'm not even sure why we took pictures of it.

We ended the evening walking along the wharf and Dan rested while I took another picture to prove he came along on the trip. Apparently wearing a "Boston" t-shirt signaled to many that we were tourists. We were asked where we are from a few times. But only in the nicest ways. The locals are friendly.We ate dinner at the Cheers Restaurant, a duplicate of the television show. Apparently the bar that inspired the show is tiny and only a watering hole, so we skipped that on our tours and stopped here to eat.
And whatd'ya know? We got a picture of us together!
We returned to the hotel and collapsed, with a 4AM wake-up call scheduled. It was an enormously fun trip, and I would suggest it to any couple looking for a fun get-away. Although we'll wait a few years before we go back with the kids.