favorites of the week 3-25

this week will showed more kindness to phoebe than he has in all her thirteen months put together. one time he brought her baby doll to her. a few times he would hold her hand and lead her to me. gently. and for the first time i heard the words, "phoebe, come play with me!"

phoebe made someone's day at the fountain. and that someone had a camera! random, and sweet. phoebe is so social. this was a total stranger she was smiling at. see pictures above.

hubby cut the backyard grass - we've been enjoying the backyard a lot.

watched courageous - great movie about fatherhood

favorites for the week 3/18

just keep pedaling...just keep pedaling. i've watched too much Finding Nemo recently.

this was last saturday at yellow river game ranch. she loved the chickens!

curls!

here's the list for this past week!

playing at the fountain with will and phoebe

watching will write his name

lee's excitement about his class on leadership

the dogwoods have bloomed!

using a coupon from the dry cleaners for some of lee's clothes!!!

the hubby and i making decisions on our new bathroom! (now if only we could find a bathtub that we love - we don't have much space at all - our bathroom is the size of some people's walk in closets. we can only fit a 60 x 32 tub and we want a sloped back like the one we have that broke. last january! i am so ready to have my tub back!)

phoebe trying to imitate animal sounds (she loves dogs)

being outside!

and i think we've finally adjusted to the time change. (the kids are finally going to bed before 9:00 and sleeping past 7:00)

favorites for week 3/11

favorites of the week:

ella's kitchen and buddy fruits (i've been having problems getting fruits and veggies into phoebe)

will's love for the movie 101 dalmations (a.k.a. the doggie video)

will wanting to read make way for ducklings every night
phoebe pushing her baby stroller in the driveway for the first time

a friend who takes my son to monkey joe's and lunch at mcdonalds afterwards

phoebe in a sunsuit! (it was warm here in georgia! 82 degrees today)

amish country

anybody want to go visit amish country with me?
doesn't this look awesome? - lancaster quilt shopping

i really love the primitive furniture, and of course the food.

i have such a fascination with them. maybe it's the artist in me - the need to make everything. and i like simple. i'm not saying i could live like them because i could not or i would not choose to, but i am so intrigued by their lifestyle - work ethic - craft.

loving today's letters

discovered a new blog that i love

today's letters

it reminds me of so many things i love.

and inspired me to write notes to my husband again - like this one!

dear sweet beard (a.k.a. so many other names!),

i know you will read this.

you are my favorite. you are calm, but crazy. you help me with everything. you eat leftovers. you listen. we make cute babies. let's go to the mountains again soon and go on a hike and find a river and listen to some live music and smell dirt and wet leaves.

love,
me

will "reads" spot bakes a cake

this is W at 3 1/2 years old.

this age is just too cute.

a song for a book

presence - kathryn scott

just finished reading the shack. around the same time someone shared this song with me - presence. when i really stop and think how big and beautiful, simple and complex, sweet and powerful and personal God is, i am overwhelmed with something that feels like a mix of sunshine, excitement and peace.


you are just so beautiful - i love your presence, God.

she's walking

i love watching them walk when they've just learned how. awkward, stumbling, determined, and just plain funny. not to mention - cute. phoebe started walking more than crawling last friday - 11 1/2 months old. she's walking almost all the time now - even trying to run out of her room when she knows it's about to be naptime or night night.
she's walking a full month earlier than will did. she is cutting her fourth tooth right now, but at this age will had 5 teeth already. she is still learning how to use a sippy cup and at this age will was totally off the bottle. they are all so different.

phoebe's schedule at 11 1/2 months: (for future helps)

wake - 7:00 (sometimes 6:30 and sometimes 7:30, but mostly 7:00)
eat and play
nap - 10:00 (sometimes 9:45 and sometimes as late as 10:30)
generally takes 1.5 hour nap
lunch around noon and then play
this is often when i will run some errands too
nap - 3:00
bottle - 4:30 or when she wakes
supper - 6:00 or 6:30
bath by 7:30
bed around 8:00-8:15

i'm trying to get her to finish eating/drinking by 7:00 but i'm always afraid she hasn't had enough so sometimes i'll keep offering her bottle until bedtime. i'm trying to get away from that. trying to move her to eating meals with us - we're getting there. she eats some table food, but we still do a lot of babyfood. i offered her quick oats this morning and she hated it. i think i've spoiled her by always adding formula or milk to her baby cereal. she seems a lot pickier than will was and is, but will eats almost anything. i switched her to milk last weekend - no more formula and she is doing fine. i'm trying to remember to brush her 3 little teeth everyday and read to her a little more. she does enjoy looking at books. i was so much better about all of this with will when he was a baby. i can tell having an older sibling is teaching her a lot too though. even the horribly dramatic crying. oh, dear. what strong personalities in such little bodies.

toddler and preschooler books we love

these are some of our favorites. i have a 3 1/2 year old boy and a girl who is almost a year old. most of these books are my son's (and my) favorites since my little girl hasn't had much time to decide the ones she loves yet.

I Love You Through and Through

Bless Us All

Truck

Freight Train

Spot series

The Snowy Day

The Snowman - picture book by raymond briggs

The Polar Express

The Little Red Caboose

The Little House

make it simple

sometimes i forget it can be this simple:

crescent roll and little smokie pigs in a blanket (on fine china!)
canned green beans with grape tomato
canned corn heated up in the microwave

dear simplicity - i want more of you in my life!

what's cookin part I

sometimes i get in a rut in the kitchen. i have no idea what to make. it helps me to record things to remind myself of what i do.

above is a tomato basil salad. okay this is a version of my friend christina's recipe. it's not nearly as nice as hers but it's what i had on hand.

grape tomatoes
mozzarella cheese
olive oil
salt, pepper, basil

sweet potato bread.
one of my favorites.
so good right out of the oven with some butter.

1 cup baked sweet potato
1 cup self rising flour
shortening size of an egg

cut shortening into flour. mush up sweet potato with fork. add sweet potato to flour mixture and stir. bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes

when lee is gone in the evening for whatever reason this is what will and i often will eat.

fried rice!

sometimes if i have leftover ham or chicken i'll add that to it. this time i didn't so it was leftover rice, egg, bell pepper, and onion.

saute green pepper and onion in oil
fry egg
add cooked rice and egg to veggies and cook a few more minutes

this was sooo good the other night.

pan fried squash
twice baked potatoes

we had some leftover roast

cut up squash and put in ziploc with about a T or more of olive oil. sprinkle seasoned bread crumbs and shake bake. put it frying pan with a little more olive oil.

will helped me make this apple cake. i had some granny smith apples that i needed to use. i used my new (to me!) kitchenaid mixer from my sister in law ashley! love this gift!

the dough for this cake is delicious by the way. this cake was a hit.

1 cup cooking oil
2 cup sugar
3 cup flour
2 eggs
1 c. chopped nuts ( did pecans)
1 t. baking soda
2 t. vanilla
1/2. t. salt
3 - 4 c. chopped fresh apples, peeled

combine cooking oil and sugar. add beaten eggs and vanilla. measure and sift together flour. salt and soda. add dry ingredients to first mixture. stir in chopped fresh apples and nuts and combine thoroughly with above ingredients. pour into greased tube pan and bake 70 minutes or until done at 325.

will (who is 3 1/2) enjoys chopping the nuts and sifting and pouring whatever i get brave enough to allow.

keepin it real

3:30

baby not happy in crib but mostly quiet

boy in his room listening to veggie tales christmas cd

dirty dishes

mommy not motivated

must buy coffee - soon

laundry folded but not put away

manger scene still on the mantel

guest room exploding in christmas

humidifier going

considering mcdonalds with playground for supper

cold cold cold outside

floors mostly clean

iron pants

repair pants

clean up christmas so i can get to the pants and my sewing machine

wondering if i should put will in preschool next year.

be nicer to will

practice guitar

find mouse to this computer

does will have his sense of smell? how do you know if a kid can smell? he never talks about smelling anything.

i have the cutest kids

i hope phoebe doesn't have an ear infection

plan a date night

i will always remember you

today i remember sebastian

i will always remember you

your sweet life

6 months in your mommy's womb

beautiful baby boy

consider it joy

but it's so hard

i will always remember you

all about phoebe

okay - have to write some stuff down about my phoebe. she is 11 months old tomorrow.

biggest smile i've ever seen
loves to be part of the party
reaches out for a hug - esp. to hug brother
climbs up and down the stairs
has taken three steps but not walking yet!
constantly finding crumbs and other things on the floor to put in her mouth
claps
waves
sounds like a baby chewbacca
only 2 bottom teeth
loves any fleece blanket
loves to take off her socks and play with them
loves wooden blocks
does not watch baby einstein (like brother did at this age)
cute tummy
longest eyelashes
eyes still blue
loves her bath!
not fond of the sippy cup
plays peek a boo with bunny
dances to music
loves daddy but she's a mommy's girl
love bug

trick or treating

halloween!

will loved trick or treating. he wanted to go everyday that week.

subway and airport

a few weeks ago lee took will on his first subway ride. they rode it to the airport to watch the planes. just because.
will likes airplanes and he loves trains! he came home and told me he rode the elevated train. i love that he is at the age where fun is so simple. just a ride on a subway train and walking around an airport and watching planes was so wonderful in his eyes. i hope he will always be excited about life the way he is now.

coffee mug paintings

jake, they're about done. might need to de-Christmas some of the colors. wanted you to see.

baby talk

clapping

monday pics