no purpose but to look

just because i love these kids.

Made in the USA

***The hooks homemade...not the jewelry.***

Supplies bought in West Virginia with Andrea

Painted and assembled in Kentucky with Jordan

Finally hung up in Utah with Ellie

surviving the CUTEST diva in training

Heaven help me!!!!

 

I have THE cutest, most determined, stubborn, sassy, angel/devil 2 year old who insists on wearing her swim suit every single day!  This morning, I went to the bathroom.  Meanwhile, Ellie found her suit, got in the garage (with the help of a 4 year old accomplice), opened the garage, pulled out the swim pools, and was ready to splash...all before I had a chance to flush!

She also loves to take her unders off during nap quiet time because she pees in her pull-up.  She poops in her underwear during play time and takes off her unders to dump the poop in the toilet ALL BY HERSELF.  Helpful child, she is!

Heaven help me!

Or at least give me super human powers.

And remind me not to say "flippin' shower" because Ellie will then request to "get in the flippin' shower".

I have to say, though, she is really quite helpful with the laundry.  She loves to gather her clothes, and Dallin's, after they have been folded and put them away in the drawers.

googly monster

Googly Monster.

I finally set up my sewing machine and had to see if it still worked after the move for insurance purposes.  Unfortunately, it does.  

I will say this:  I have the cheapest, crappiest machine out there.  

I will say this:  To send it some positive vibes, it has been a champ as far a straight lines go.

(Anyone want to advise me on the best sewing machine under $200???)

Back to Googly Monster.

Dallin asks about 1 billion questions....what are you doing/sewing/why/what is a pattern/what is this string/can I make a pattern????????????

I fugure the best way to answer all his questions was to let him help me make something.

We drew a pattern and cut it out, pinned (complete with blood), sewed, stuffed.

He watched me sew and heard me cuss at my sewing machine (I kept it rated PG).

Dallin (complete with tool belt) has a new best friend.

He is currently sleeping next to Googly Monster because he is afraid of the dark, too.

Preschool Graduate!

{Dallin, Miss Gia??, Miss Andrea, Miss Shay}

Dallin graduated from preschool today! 

This is such a huge milestone (for me, at least) because I feel like this little guy has been in preschool for a long long time!  We were sad to leave Dallin's amazing teacher in Kentucky, but we were lucky (super lucky) enough to get him in Miss Andrea's class for three months while we were living with my parents.
The best part?  While we still have some minor concerns, Dallin does not qualify for speech or OT (just OT consult, which I won't explain).  This is a GOOD thing!  We are so proud of all the hard work that Dallin has put into learning how to talk and we are so grateful for all the wonderful people that have been put in our path to help perform miracles on this kid!
 

With all this preschool talk, I can't help but have this song stuck in my head:

oh! do either of you play the organ?

That is what we were asked when we told a neighbor that we were bringing this puppy home.

 

Paul and I are now the lucky caretakers of Grandpa Castleton's organ.

None of us play, but hopefully, one day, our children will........play more than the earsplitting beautiful music that they know right now.

We are so happy it is here and hope that Grandpa Castleton will send some of his amazing musical talent from heaven!

The Challenge

Nothing new.  Nothing "thrift shop" new.  Nothing craft new.To make a dent in the mountain of stuff that I just unpacked, of course.

Except paint.  In our moving "rules", the moving company stated that they would not ship anything flammable.  Sadly, I gave all my paint away.  Bye bye spray paint, and all the little sample sized colors.  Bye bye.

Ironically, the movers packed the propane tanks that come with our mini camp stove.

Should have kept my paint!