In sickness and health

“How much of human life is lost in waiting.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

For those of you who have checked periodically for a new blog and been disappointed, I apologize. Both kids have been sick FOR WEEKS!! First Rebecca had an ear infection, then Patrick got sick, and now Rebecca's ear is "growing vegetables" AGAIN!

But today is your lucky day... Because I'm not waiting anymore!










Patrick was about to take over typing the blog as he and Grandpa have worked on his computer skills over the last few days. He was sure that I wouldn't ever get around to it!











What have you missed in our lives? Patrick started solids. We noticed that he was very fussy at meal times while everyone was eating. He would watch us and open his mouth wide with each bite. He would try to swipe at food off our plates. He was ready! So we made the cereal, presented the spoon, he opened wide and....

YUCK MOM!!!

But now he has grown to like it! He will easily finish off 2 Tablespoons, leading me to believe that he will be a 30 pound 1 year old!!! :)







Rebecca has been a busy girl too! Granny and Grandpa and Maggie arrived. Besides the usual highlights of playing non-stop 24-7 and being spoiled rotten she was so excited about some Kinder chocolates Aunt Marta sent from Canada!! YUM! She has the "treasures" from inside stored in her special box. It reminds me of Cracker Jacks only a heck of a lot tastier...








Also for the first time in our family history, we had a GARAGE SALE. Actually it's on-going. Stop by tomorrow 7am-noon for deals! :) Our first customer was waiting on our doorstep at 6am. Yup, getting here an hour early to wait. We opened early and sold like gangbusters. I was surprised that people bought junk, but haven't taken any of our nicer stuff... I guess maybe that's not what garage sale-ing is about! We are co-hosting with neighbors across the street and the competition for whose kids can misbehave the most or be the sickest during the sale is on-going! Check out Rebecca and Patrick trying out some of the wares...






So we will continue to enjoy the spoiling of Granny and Grandpa and Maggie.... Check back soon for more photos!

Band Aid addiction

"Just stitch me up, slap a band-aid on it and send me home." Meredith Grey, Grey's Anatomy

So no pix today, kids are under the weather and looking scurvy... but a great story...

If you were at our WalMart today, you heard 3 year old screams of rage coming from aisle 3. Little Miss Rebecca was throwing a tantrum over bandaids. She is addicted to bandaids- round, rectangle, squre, decorated or plain. Every "ouchie" (except those that are for real) need band-aids.

Once we caught her with over 10 on her person. We have stored them on the top shelf and she finds a way (or steals them from grandparents)

So, suffice to say we are out of bandaids. And there are cases- real and imaginary- when band aids are needed. So we bought same today... But not enough to qualm the bandaid craving beast. Apparently a 60 pack only goes so far...

What $36 buys you

"He ain't heavy, he's my brother" the Hollies

So today, we decided to finish the headboard... Thanks to everyone who voted, and God, we decided on the floral fabric. I decided to make a bedskirt to match and there was no more of the plaid fabric left at Joann...

Eric and I finished the headboard while the kids napped today. I love being married to a surgeon! When it came time to "tuft" the headboard- which is fastening the buttons blindly through holes in the plywood- Eric said no problem and the project was finished in 10 minutes or less. Not to say that the "sutures" or knots to us commoners are tighter than you can imagine. The headboard is healed!

We are not ready for a full guest room reveal though- mommy still has some sewing to do (how I love a project) so stay tuned!



And yes, although I have a tendency for exaggeration in the extreme, this project- materials and labor- cost only $36!! Pretty cool since the same headboard retails for over $299- do an internet search for tufted upholstered headboard... You'll have to let me know how it sleeps!

Fort Imagination

Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were.

But without it we go nowhere.

Carl Sagan

Today was a busy day at our house! Besides the "regular stuff" the kids and mom went shopping for fabrics for our new upholstered head board in our "guest room." Yes, I know you need pictures! :)

Rebecca built a great fort off her little table and chairs and spent the whole rest of the day hiding out and reading books in the fort. Patrick joined her for a little while but went to bed early so didn't make the pix!

Rebecca's fort earned her a trip to time out on the way to dinner as she got caught on a "D*MN string" on the way out... Being hard of hearing, I asked her three times what she said. And she repeated the swear word all three times. Not something you want to hear from the mouth of your three year old.

Eric and I are debating regarding the head board. I stumbled into a 90% off sale and bought both. So please help.

Register your opinion on the first ever barefoot poll.

Your choices are flowered and plaid ... Vote away...!

Rain, rain go away!

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head

But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red

Cryin's not for me

'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'

Because I'm free

Nothin's worryin' me... B.J. Thomas

Today was a rare rainy summer day here in Colorado. Rebecca was very excited to use her rainboots and umbrella to stomp puddles on the deck...

Patrick and dad practiced giggles in the house....

Happy Thursday!

Rebecca in motion

Believe it or not, I can actually draw.::: Jean Michel Basquiat :::



This is Rebecca's first distinguishable attempt at a self portrait. Please notice the all important feet, belly button and hair. She states that she has a crabby face in the picture because she is not happy with the way it turned out.



Also in this series were portaits of mom and dad- not pictured here... Mom had arms and "super curly hair" and Dad had a hairy belly button. Not much gets by her...



We also wanted to post a cool video of Rebecca's newest love, roller skating!! Her Grandpa took the video on his recent visit and forgot that you can't flip videos like you can digital images. So turn your head or your monitor sideways and get ready!

So have a happy Wednesday! See you soon!

Patrick the Audiophile

"People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one."
Leo J. Burke

So Patrick's latest skill is talking. And when I say talking, I should say SCREAMING! He makes noise from sun-up to sun-down. The louder you talk, the louder he talks. I think he talks just to hear himself sometimes. It is the first thing I hear around 5am and the last thing I hear around 11pm.

Neighbors say they hear him when the windows are open.

So we thought maybe you would like to too!

Let me know if this video works for you!

Hope it's peaceful where you are!

So Hard to Say Goodbye

“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.” Dr. Suess

So Eric's family leaves today. Some highlights of their trip were white water rafting down the Poudre River, spending time with Grandma and spending the birthday money Eric's Aunt Pam sent Rebecca on roller skates! We can't wait until they come back again soon!

After the Fourth

You may be a redneck if... your lifetime goal is to own a fireworks stand. Jeff Foxworthy

Well, last night was a record. Rebecca got to stay up until 10pm to watch her first fireworks. As usual from our house we saw three different fireworks displays-

one west, one east and one north.

Luckily God had his own firworks show in thunder and lightening so all three displays went off at separate times.

For those of you who didn't get your share of hotdogs and potato chips, we had plenty. And Rebecca and Eric made a birthday cake for America. Rebecca thought that America was mommy's friend who was coming for dinner. No amount of explanation could make it clear. Oh well, America was certainly present at dinner for her cake.

Eric, Kirsten and Terry went whitewater rafting on the Poudre River in the afternoon and had a blast. And we had our usual display of a gorgeous sunset.

So all in all the 4th was so much fun, Rebecca and Patrick may end up opening their own fireworks stand. That would be okay with me!

America the Beautiful

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed his grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

Katharine Lee Bates

We hope whichever side of the shining sea you are on that these Fourth of July greetings find you and your family in health and happiness.

Be watching for more pictures of our little firecrackers!

Happy Fourth of July!

Mr. Big Second Year

"The only way around is through." Robert Frost

So today is the first day of Eric's second year! Yippee!!

He started his day capturing a gynormous moth for his sisters biology project.

Where it came from and why it blessed us we are uncertain. However we are pretty sure a high school biology teacher will be impressed!

On being there...

To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there. ~Barbara Bush

Eric's family arrived yesterday! We are so happy to have a visit from Grandma, Grandpa, Kirsten and Toby (the dog). Rebecca pulled a shy act when they first got here, but warmed up upon receipt of her new "princess shoes" and fancy dress up clothes! Patrick spent the better part of the day napping today making up for sleep lost last night. Mommy and daddy viewed the world through blurry caffeine filled eyes.

Hope you're enjoying your family! Gotta scoot...