Why?

While perusing through the news of the day, I came across an article headline; Elin Nordegren gets $750 million.  It seems disgraced golfer Tiger and his wife have reached an agreement for a divorce. Whatever.  I realize this settlement is not 100% cash based, but she would be set for a hundred lifetimes or more.  While I really don't care about the personal business of these people, I know there are a lot of other people in the world with this level of wealth also.  So my question is, why are there still people who don't have clean water in this world?  I don't begrudge those who do well in life, but it's astounding to me that there are individuals with so much excess while far too many go without the basics in life. To me, there is just no good reason for this to happen. None.

Does YOUR dog have chocolate shoes?

Last night while little Estella was sleeping, Isaac was carefully observing the features of our little furry friend.  When his inspection was finished he proclaimed Estella does not have doggy paws, she has little chocolate shoes!  Good to know, Isaac.  In other dog news, Isaac is still insisting he needs his own dog.  However, he doesn't want a little "girly" dog; he needs a boy dog!  When I asked him what kind of boy dog he thought he wanted he gave me a very detailed description: big and blue. Mmmmk then.

Go shopping!

Why buy handmade?  For starters, the quality is often better than what you buy at a big box retailer for nearly the same price.  You are supporting a local business.  You can sometimes request a certain color or theme, which saves you time not having to hunt it down yourself. You never have to worry that some poor 6 year old Chinese child had to slave over a machine to make your item.  I could go on, but let's just get to the point:

Couture Bug

This is a new online store created by a local mom.  She is currently specializing in custom crib sheets, but may be offering other baby goodies from time to time.  Here is a sample of her work:

She made the crib sheet, burp rags, and bib in this picture

This is not an official store photo of hers (I stole it off Facebook), but I thought it showed off her work nicely AND thought you should know the picture of these items is all the way from Spain!

If you click on the link above, you will be taken to her blog.  From there, you will also find a direct link to her Etsy store.

Happy shopping!!!!!

*Just to clarify, this is not my store, I just wanted to advertise her new venture*

apples and pears, with a few polka dots thrown in too

I know that pretty much every sewing Sally and her aunt Milly has made something from the apples and pears fabric, but I tend to be slow to pick up on trends.  Regardless, I love this fabric!  To me it is the ultimate "little girls in summer" fabric.  I love this skirt for Bella.  It's just sort of whimsical and fits her personality. (plus, it was super easy and fast to put together!)  It's so fun to have little girls to sew for!

Kindergarten? Kindergarten!

As the kids are finishing up books from our last school year, and I'm sorting through everything and making plans for next year, I've come to a big realization- Isaac is ready for kindergarten!  I really believe children should not be pushed into formal academics until they are really ready for it.  Kids are born with an amazing hunger for learning, and nothing kills that hunger more than being forced to do something they are not ready for.  Over this past year I had a stack of Kumon books for Isaac to work out of because I knew he would want to participate in school as much as possible.  He did letters, numbers, tracing, colors, shapes, cutting, etc....  He also sat in on our history and science lessons. (and much to my amazement, would ask wonderful questions like "what is a pharaoh?" and "where is Mesopotamia?")  He's starting to read and spell, and already has handwriting as good as Bella's.  He'll turn 4 in August.  It's exciting to be taking this step with him, and, to be honest, a bit overwhelming to be adding another schooler and another baby right about the same time!  Luckily, my girls love to play teacher and will lend a helping hand without me even having to ask them to. Kindergarten, round 4, here we come!

It isn't just me, right?

Some days I look at my kids and think; You are amazing.  You really have the potential to do something great in this world and leave it a little better than when you entered it. 

Once in a while though I look at my kids and think; who are you and where did you come from? You are not my child because I think you are destined for a life of flipping burgers, living in someone's basement, and spending all your spare time with a game controller in your hands saying "pew-pew-pew"

Totally normal parenting thought from time to time, right?

coloring: it's serious business

It's noon people!

I'd like to introduce you all to the newest president of the Phi Beta Lazy fraternity:

and the vice president:

If you'd like to pledge, just stop by anytime after noon........ better make it after 1pm actually, to be sure the boys have in fact rolled out of bed.

Can you imagine how dull it would be if we had stopped at 3?

Isaac recently informed me that our puppy, Estella, walks around the house at night while we are all sleeping, saying "booyah".  He also says when he visits grandma's POND, he gets chased around by crazy mean crabs. (I should state for the record he probably hasn't been to grandma's pond for at least a year)  Is it OK to call your 3 year old a liar, or must I just give him the gentle label of "storyteller"?  Either way, he's full of jelly beans.

Something I love

I love office supplies and school supplies.  I'm a list maker so pens, papers, folders, etc... all have a special place in my weird little obsession with office supplies.  My number one though-

Sharpie Markers.  I love them. LOVE them!  I love the way they write, the way they smell (no worries, I don't sit around and sniff them; I just consider the scent one of the perks to using them), and the way they make everything so........ permanent.  I recently discovered how handy they are for my sewing projects too. (those water washable fabric pens can be so darn hard to see!)  I love them so much that even though Nahshon recently got ahold of one and colored all over my favorite chair in the living room, I didn't consider getting rid of them- I thought I should have a brown one because then it would have at least matched a bit.  Today I finally broke down and bought the 8 pack.  To be honest though, the one I really want to get is this:

Unless of course someone knows of an even larger pack? (supposedly they come in 39 different colors.)  What could I possibly need 30 (or all 39) different colors of Sharpie markers for?  I have no idea, but I'll bet I can think of a use for them. Off the top of my head, they would further help my color organizing of the kids!  (In our house, each kid has a favorite color, and I often try to buy according to their color so their is no confusion or fights about what belongs to who)  For now though, I think I'll use my new rainbow of wonderfulness to make a "honeydo" list for Jeremy. (aren't you excited hun?!?!?)

A wonderful birthday

Yesterday was my birthday, number 27, and what a great birthday it was.  Jeremy let me sleep in late, and I woke up to a clean house and a birthday brunch of french toast, hash browns, fresh strawberries, and apple pomegranate sparkling cider.  Yummy!

A couple months ago I planted flower seeds in the garden, but for a number of reasons, they didn't turn out.  The kids decided to buy me some new seeds, and tomorrow they will be planting them, along with vegetable seeds for me.  They also decided to get me the Topsy Turvy Tomato Tree, and bought a bunch of tomato and basil plants to go in it!! 

I'm very much looking forward to having fresh garden tomatoes this summer. (photo is from the internet, my plants don't have fruit yet)

Jeremy and I have birthdays that are only a few days apart, and we usually celebrate together.  This year my mother in law treated us to dinner at one of our favorite spots, Claim Jumper.

She also stayed at our house and watched the kids so we could enjoy a long awaited date night, bonus! 

Since Claim Jumper is right at the mall, we decided to make a quick stop before we headed over to my parent's house for dessert

Picked up a few new tank tops and a dress because I know I won't be lucky enough to have this cool, rainy weather all summer

My mom made one of my favorite desserts for my birthday, crème brulée! My parents also fulfilled one of our biggest kitchen wish list items:

A shiny red Kitchenaid Stand Mixer! I LOVE it! So far today I've made chocolate chip cookies with it, and blueberry banana bread.  Tomorrow we plan to try a couple of our dough recipes, can't wait!  (this is one of the huge perks of having birthdays so close- awesome shared gifts!!!)

Jeremy also surprised me with a movie

Charade with Audrey Hepburn and Carry Grant.  Honestly, these are two of my favorite classic actors, I have no idea why I've never heard of this movie!  I'm so glad Jeremy found out about it though because it was fabulous!

It was a wonderful, wonderful birthday.  Couldn't have asked for better.

♥ ♥ ♥

hmph

What in the world is that a picture of, you ask? Well, it's a couple of our spoons.  On the roof. Of the house behind our kitchen.  There is a window right above our kitchen sink, so it was rather obvious that "someone" tossed them out there.  My guess was going to be Nahshon, because he just looooves to throw stuff out of the kitchen windows. (like the time I was cooking, had all my ingredients lined up in little bowls, and he just lovingly started tossing them out the window. He's fun)  I asked the kids if anyone knew what happened, and to my surprise, Genna fessed up.  Here's the kicker though, she claims this happened on two separate occasions!!! Genna, you mean to tell me you accidentally tossed something out the window when trying to land it in the sink, it landed on the neighbors roof instead, and then you did it again on accident? Yeah, sure hun, I believe you.  I don't know the people that live there, and unless they are planning to de-moss sometime soon, I'm guessing they'll never even know.  I however, get a lovely view every time I'm at my sink to remind me of how angelic and perfect my children are.