family fun

We spent the holiday weekend out at Camp Davey...our family cabin just outside of town. John's parents and his brother and his family were there as well. It was a lovely weekend filled with rain, fence pulling (for the guys), yard work (for the ladies), fishing, lake time, relaxation and good food and company.

We attempted roasting marshmallows with the children one evening, trying to squeeze it in quickly between two developing storm fronts. And while doing so - I tried out a night time shutter setting on the camera. I managed to get great shots of all the kids...except of the little man. Well, let me just show you what I'm talking about...

For example, in one shot there was...

a flaming marshmallow...

and then a roasting skewer...

and then an arm.

Owell- good thing its only the start of summer vacation! I'm sure by the end we'll get a shot of the little guy covered in the ooey gooey goodness of melted mallow!

Seriously!?

Can this week drag on any slower!? It is the girls' last week of school and its feels like its just going and going and going. I can't tell how much I'm looking forward to a lazy summer. No big cross country trips. Only one child participating in a sport (Pucca in softball...and I'm totally going to have to post a video of her grand slamming that ball in the front yard! Serious power!). A smaller more condensed garden to tend. And only one week of camps (we were lucky enough to be able to schedule all the girls' camps in the same week!).

This summer couldn't be anymore low key! And I'm not the only one looking forward to it! I asked the girls what they had planned for the summer...

Kynna: "I'm going to try and do a little exercise everyday" A perfectly responsible Kynna response

Kwynnie: "I'm going to read, listen to my ipod and hopefully get a tan." A perfectly typical Kwynnie response- realistic and understated.

Pucca: "I'm going to try my best not to annoy you, play with my friends and get ready to be a big sister- cuz that's serious stuff you know!" A perfectly adorable Pucca response

BRING ON SUMMER ALREADY!!!!

baby #4...It's a GIRL!

So we will soon be the parents to FOUR wonderfully talented, beautiful lovely ladies! We are super excited! Good health and no birthing complications are really all we were hoping for with this pregnancy...so far so good!

So nursery ideas...

here's the color palette I was thinking...

These fabrics will be used on the crib bedding (a blanket and bumper). One will be used to make a cushion for the antique wooden rocker. And maybe for the curtains...but that's not for certain yet.

The dresser is a 4 drawer chest of drawers we bought at a rummage sale a few years ago. perfect height to attach a changing cushion to the top and make a changing station. It will be painted dove gray with white print numbers on the right side of each drawer front numbering them 1-3...and on drawer #4, we'll spell out 'four' in script font. A little nod to the little one's place in the sibling order.

I also have an antique rectangle mirror that will go above the crib. I'm sure there will be some fabric pendant banners looped around the room as well. Origami cranes (about 50) hanging at different heights above the crib and the girls' artwork hanging in a collection on one of the walls.

The walls are already the perfect shade of gray...so we lucked out there! I did find a really neat vinyl wall sticker that would go from floor to ceiling...a white silhouette of a tree....thinking that would look rather smashing in there as well!!

SO that's what's been floating around in my noggin!

by the way...anyone want to show us how to make origami cranes? Better yet...anyone want to come over and help us!!!! (jess, we're already counting on your help!)

Its better...finally!

I'm finally getting out of my pregnancy slump. You know the one where you are dead on your feet- so much so that you could sleep away an entire day and still go to bed before 9pm. And the ones where your mornings...and afternoons....and sometimes evenings - are plagued with nausea and hovering over the sink or toilet knowing with out a doubt that death HAS to be better than this.

Anyway- I think I'm finally rounding the curve (second trimester my a*#!). I'm now starting to think about and plan the nursery. Still haven't bought anything- though. Not quite there yet. Still scared and paranoid and just wanting to take it one day at a time.

BUT that doesn't mean my head hasn't been full of fun projects and ideas for the nursery! SO I took a huge step (at least for me)....I made something for the baby's room! A photo collage that I framed and will hang near the artwork project the girls are making.

What do you think?

I used a simple black frame with a thick white double mat. I'm thinking gray, white and butter yellow for nursery colors- but will add pops of color through out. I think this picture will be perfect!

Now for painting the dresser, buying a crib (and mattress), making the crib bedding (found the cutest fabric...I'll share in a future post), painting the cradle (and possibly raising it), finishing up the girls' artwork, making about a gazillion origami cranes in lieu of a mobile, getting a carseat, clothes, stroller, and..and...and...

And now you know the rest of the story....

Typical me...I have a wonderful, totally awesome idea, however I don't quite think it through before jumping right in!

I had this idea for our Mother's day cards this year- I was going to have the children spell out "I heart u"! They could lay in the yard and I would climb up the ladder to the necessary height and VOILA! A 'Happy Mother's Day' card that was completely original!

I was super excited about getting this done and getting in the mail...that as soon as everyone returned home from school- I hurried them out into the front yard! My ladder plan wasn't going to work because it was WAY TOO WINDY and I thought I would blow over...ladder and all. So INSTEAD I climbed up on the courtyard wall. It wasn't by any means graceful, but simple enough.

So there I am standing on the wall, when I notice that I can't get the whole set-up in the shot! NOT even when I held the camera WAAAAAYYYY over my head and prayed for the miracle snap.

Well, as luck has it our courtyard wall has pillars in it- which would give me another two feet in height. That may just work! So up I go...another two feet onto a pillar that's not more than 18" by 18". Phfew! I made it! Still not tall enough but I had to make work! So once again I held the camera WAAAAYYYYY above my head and started snapping random shots, hoping and praying one was usable! Then the wind picked up even more, our fabric heart started blowing everywhere and I was getting wobbly. Time to get down!

Anyone see a problem!? 18"x18" pillar...lots of wind...imbalanced pregnant lady...5 1/2 feet off the ground. I had no idea what to do! Kynna suggested I jump. Kwynn asked if we should call someone and Pucca told me to "wait it out" until dad came home.

Just as I'm sending the girls in the garage to get the ladder, John gets home from work and saves the day! He didn't even looked surprised- he just shook his head at my craziness and helped me down. I had just finished explaining the whole story- beginning to end, and asked him if he had anything to say (fully expecting to be reprimanded or the receiver of sarcastic criticism)... "I hope you got the shot." and he walked in the house.

Well, luckily I did! And I love it!

BTW I'm totally hoping one of our neighbors got it on video- because it would definitely go viral on Youtube! :)

To all the lovely ladies...

I 'HEART' U...all!

To mom: YOU are amazing and we LOVE you very much! I couldn't have been born to a more wonderful lady and our children couldn't have a more wonderful grandma! Thank you for the many qualities you instilled in me...strength, confidence, love and kindness. I think the big man upstairs knew I was going to be a stubborn, head strong and opinionated handful...and we were put together so you could show me kindness, patience, and seeing past 'right this minute'. Thank you for being my mom!

To Nancy: YOU are wonderfully superb in so many ways! Thank you for raising such a kind son- he's the best husband and father. I know we had you worried in the beginning, but thanks to you and Jeff (your tough love, support and example) we've made an amazing family! You are an excellent teacher- you've taught me how to cook, keep house, fun crafts and projects with the kids and how be organized...mostly just by example. Even John's surprised at how far I've come! :)

To Gma Scarborough: YOU are a blessing! I've always loved you...I think you won my heart when I was 4 and you let me dust all your 'pretties'! OH! how I looked forward to coming over and rearranging and playing (and dusting) all your glass and crystal baubles. You helped raise us- and to this day macaroni in a mug is the ONLY way to eat it! As I've grown older- I've come to admire your dedication (your flowers are always gorgeous!), your devotion (to mom and family) and your strength and grace (your battle with cancer).

To Gma Tillie: YOU are my SUNSHINE! I love you, woman! I love talking with you, laughing with you, listening to your silly (and sometimes dirty) jokes and stories, and watching you light up when the grandkids come to visit. You've always welcomed me and made me feel apart of the family and I will never forget that! Getting you as a grandma- was the best wedding present I received!

To Gma Hoskins: YOU are my rock. Through your stories and our conversations- I've learned what a strong woman you are. In so many ways, I think I'm most like you. BUT even so- I'm no where near the woman you are! Your posterity is amazing...and how much we all LOVE you is incalculable. You gave everything for your family, put the needs of other's first and stuck to your convictions in trying times. You were a hardworker- doing what needed to be done no matter what. These character defining traits are portrayed time and time again in all the stories you've shared. Your honest and candid- which I love! I'm so thankful to have you as the matriarch of our family!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Easter 2011

I'm really don't like spending holidays at home- not that I don't love my family...because I DO! But there is just something about having family together for holidays and lately we haven't been able to do that. Spent Thanksgiving at home...I had to make the meal and clean it up-blah! Spent Christmas Eve at home...we woke up and were like "huh!? so its Christmas...now what!?" and now an Easter spent at home...we didn't even dress up...I didn't even buy the girls Easter outfits.

We still had fun and made the holiday our own. We slept in late and had yummy fruit topped waffles for brunch. Ran over to redbox, rented a few movies and family movie day. A quick Easter egg hunt for pucca (for which we used camouflaged eggs- and hid them super well...it took awhile to find all of them...even the Easter bunny forgot where they were hidden!) and a confetti Easter egg fight between the girls.

The day before Easter we did run back to GI town and had lunch with my grandparents and little brother. That was nice! We were going to have this big fishing derby - because my brother seems to think he's a better fisher than I am...HA! Well, it ended up being a really crappy day for fishing- too cold and nothing was biting. He caught 2 and I caught none...zero...zilch...not even a nibble. He kindly offered me a rematch this summer. SO ITS ON!

Here are a few pix of our family fun!

and here's one of our apple trees blooming...so pretty!