Fresh Air..

Do you ever just want to open every window in the house & feel the breeze whisper around you while you lay & watch the day go by? I'm in need of open windows, warm sunny spots & fresh air. Jackie's been sick & I feel like spring cant get here fast enough.

My First Dress

Another sewing afternoon...yay! Thanks Yaya for helping!! I did the sewing & made my first dress for Maddie...does the fabric look familiar?? it's reversible, and still needs buttonholes & buttons, but not bad:)

Around the house...

2005 & 4 years later...

I was looking through old pictures today & saw this april 05 one (Mad- 2 mos & Jack almost 3). I remembered taking this thinking it'd be fun to take a pic each year of them side by side to see how much they grow. I havent been good about this until today. jack is so long & Maddie is catching up:) I sometimes wonder if she'll be taller than Jack. Sandy & I are about the same height now, but she always felt taller growing up:)

Apron Making..

Today Bernie aka Yaya..came over for our playgroup & brought all of her sewing gadgets for a little "apron making class." It was fun hearing the hum of the sewing machines & seeing all the fun fabrics becoming aprons. Most of all it was fun to hang out with friends & do something crafty.

My apron still needs ties, but Fancy Nancy's got finished thanks to Yaya:)

Pretzel Making

I got an itch to make something new this week for snacks. I like to bake, but didnt have many ingredients on hand..so I came up with trying a pretzel recipe from a cookbook I got for my bday. It seemed easy enough & a warm pretzel sounded really good for a snack. Easy it was not...I made the dough & then the rolling began. The recipe suggested making 14" ropes with your dough & then forming them into pretzel shapes. This was by far the hardest part. My dough could stretch out to 14" but seemed so elastic it didnt stay at 14" very long. my pretzel shaping became a creative improvisation...suddenly pretzel sticks/balls didnt sound so bad:) all in all i probaby spent atleast an hour rolling & blanching & baking these DAMN pretzels...The good news..they were really yummy..even though they turned out more like a hybrid pretzel (pretzel/bagel). Some suggestions were to brush with egg & sprinkle coarse salt...did that, brush with honey before baking & then glaze with a cinammon glaze..& one I didnt try yet was sprinkling with what the kids call "shaky cheese" aka parm. I have a whole other batch to bake in the fridge, so maybe I'll try the cheesy ones tomorrow. J&J&M LOVED them & I guess they are semi-healthy as for afterschool snacks, but after these disappear...I think I'll stick with the frozen ones for awhile:)

Dreaming of Bike Rides...

I can't wait to take my bike down & get the trailer out again!!
5 weeks till spring!!

Man on a wire..

...a documentary following the life of philippe petit...a high-wire walker & performer who walked across the twin towers in 1974. yes...he walked across the rooftops of the twin towers. I watched this sat. & was amazed at his life & talent. I'm terrified of heights...so I was fascinated. It was so beautiful to see.

So you want to be a pirate...

Lately, we have been reading alot about Pirates. I'm not sure why the sudden interest, but Madeline has decided that she would like to be one! Jack just enjoys learning about them. We found one book that list pirate rules..one being no girls allowed on board. But Mad was happy to read in another book that yes, women could be pirates.. despite the fact women were not allowed on board. Anne Bonny was a pirate during the 18th century & was put on trial for piracy in Jamaica in 1720. J&M thought it was pretty cool that most pirates didn't bathe or change their clothes very often, usually went barefoot & obeyed no rules!

Honey Dip...

After a really yummy dinner at Akai Hana...we went out for doughnuts last night for Valentines Day:) The kids got red & pink sprinkles..their favs. I've never been to "Honey Dip" before...it reminded me of the old "Dunkin Doughnuts" that I went to as a kid. The whole place was just as it was probably when it was first built...a long time ago...pretty cool.

Spring Teaser...

After school today...

New knits...

I've started knitting baby slippers for a present...here's what pattern I'm using & what I have so far. I like how short & simple the steps are & how deliciate the first one turned out. I also taught a knitting lesson today for a friend's daughter who is a 2nd grader. It was SO fun...I can't wait till J or M want to learn.

A Million Valentines....

I'll cut a Valentine
Just for you.
I'll cut out one,
I'll cut out two,
I'll cut out three,
I'll cut out four,
I'll cut out five-
or maybe more.
I'll cut a hundred
A thousand too.
I'll cut a million
Just for you.
A million million
Are too few
To saw how much
I love you!
-Robert Heidbreder

Bond & Baby Dolls...

Maddie ask me to come look at Bond today & this is what I found....He is like a big stuffy:)

playing...

"I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you..."
ben folds

Having Fun...

One of their favorite things to do....

Sculpting...

Today we visited the art museum downtown http://www.columbusmuseum.org/ for their first sat. program. The focus artist today was Tim Lewis...he carves these amazing things out of stone. We had so much fun making art with foam! Jack made an abstract piece & Mad & John made a bunny.

Maddie & Moo Part II

Moo & Maddie bear...

Surprisingly, Moo loves the attention he gets from J&M...it almost seems like it would be torture for a cat to have two kids following him around trying to get him to lick them, but he seems to take it all in stride. He's become Mellow Moo in his golden years. Here he is tonight with Mad in bed...most nights you can find him listening to violin & stories & then snuggling down for a long cat nap.

Waiting for Madeline 4 years ago....

Whenever February rolls around...I always think of Mad's due date, Feb 25, 2005
She wasn't coming on her own, so I was induced March 7, 2005.
Here are a few from 4 years ago...waiting for a little sister.

February in Ohio...a look back

It looks like it was snowy last February too. It's fun to look back at how much they have grown up right before our eyes.

Winter Bird Watching....

We finally got a little thaw today, high 40s!!...it felt sooo good!!

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."
albert camus