Happy and Thankful

I feel very lucky to be mama to this little guy.  So thankful he is here.

And happy to be having fun with photo editing software.  And happy that Ivan has a cousin friend so close to his age!

Isn't that hat cute?  I wish I could talk Ivan into keeping the hat on  his head!  

In other news, happy for new places and adventures with people long important to me.  

Ivan and Grandpa

Happy birthday to my Dad!

 

We love you Dad!!

Lots of this going on

Support Small Business! I try.

Supporting local businesses is important.  A month or so ago I came across this one. 

The important things

I've decided that things like doing the dishes are much less important than playing cars with these boys. 

11 years old! Happy Birthday Skunk!

Last month marked the 11 year anniversary of when I became a mom.  My big grown up 5th grader turned 11!  And to mark the occasion here is his list of his top eleven favorite things in the world right this minute.

1~Hunting
2~Mom
3~Dad
4~Ivan
5~guns
6~meat
7~noodles
8~Call of Duty Black Ops
9~Hunting games
10~psp
11~Mt. Dew

Oh yes, this list speaks of my boy right now.  If I'd asked for a longer list I'm sure Metallica would make the list, and camping, and watching The Simpsons.  And of course his grandparents.  And football.  And his dogs.  Probably Lego, and Matchbox cars too.  And a couple of uncles, some cousins.  Laughing, family movie night, playing card games... Eleven is a bit limiting when you are trying to name your favorite things isn't it?

We're oh so busy

Busy crawling, busy getting into everything, busy learning the mechanics of standing and taking steps.  And mama is oh so busy cleaning up everything I'm helpful enough to pull out and 'sort' for her.

Happy 31st Uncle Stanton!

A big gigantic Happy Birthday to one of our favorite uncles, and one of my favorite brothers.  Happy Birthday Uncle Stanton!!!  Too bad he's out of town for his birthday, I know my boys would love to celebrate with him.  Well, Ivan would love to just stare at him with his eyebrows all scrunched up, because thats what he does.  Yep, Ivan has quite a way of communicating with Uncle Stanton.

River of Chocolate

Spencer wanted to take Ivan fishing.  Spencer wanted to fish.  Spencer always wants to fish.  The snow was crazy so the fishing wasn't great as early as my boy wanted it to be.  He had fun trying to catch him some fish.  And I felt like we were in the Chocolate Factory.  Doesn't that water look like the chocolate river? 
Much fun for these boys, and their mama to be outside, to laugh, to take pictures. 
Ivan did not catch any fish on this, his first time fishing.  Here's to next time.

Ease

S

As I look at these photos from a short visit early this summer I try to think of words that come to mind.  Ease.  The easy way summer evenings unfold into adventures.  The ease of Childhood to live in the moment and enjoy everything that is in front of you right now.  The ease of childhood to really feel and express emotions as they happen.  The ease of laughter.

I *almost* didn't go enjoy this evening, I almost didn't agree when these kids decided to go hunt down pillows because they thought a pillow fight would be fun, I almost didn't find the motivation to get out the camera and go take these pictures.  I almost missed out.

Favorite yard sale finds from today

Found some great things at yard sales today!  Here are a few of my favorites:

 

How cute is this set of skillets?  I heart them.  I am pretty fond of fun bright colorful kitchen stuff.  I'm positive cooking will be all that much more fun with these!!

I'm also really very fond of old (or old style) dishes.  These plates I think are pretty groovy.  And a set of 5 for ten cents total?  Yes please.  Thank you! 

Really?! This awesome salad set for $4???  I was awfully happy to give it a new home!

And it doubles as a set of baby toys!  Perfect!

A couple of old fabric books for the littlest of my boys.  A set of Rings for that same little guy.  ( I already had the baby by the way, I didn't find him at a yard sale).

And something for the bigger boy...

Spencer has decided he collects glass bottles.  Notice I did not say old bottles.  Just glass bottles.  It is his new "thing".  So far his collection consists of a couple of Jones soda bottles, a rootbeer bottle, a whiskey bottle his dad gave him from fish camp, and our most recently emptied soy sauce bottle.  Yep, not picky.  Just glass bottles.  Soon I'll get photos of his collection and let him write about it.  I love that the soy sauce bottle made the cut.  Hopefully when he gets home from his big long cross country adventure he's on with his grandparents, he'll like these 2 new bottles to add to the bunch.
So all this stuff, and a few other things... for less than $20.  Oh how sad it will be when yard sale season ends.

Let's both win Pink Kitchen Aid mixers!

http://sweetopia.net/2011/08/raspberry-ice-kitchenaid-mixer-giveaway

Go to the link above to enter this contest.  For a Pink Kitchen Aid mixer!!  If you tell them you heard it from me we could BOTH win one!  I think this mixer (in any color:)  is what I've been hoping to find under the Christmas tree or wrapped up for my birthday for years now.  I think it would be so stinkin' fantastic to win one! 
If I win one I'll make you cookies.  If I like you.

Oh yum

Grandpa enjoyed this as much as Ivan did!  I wish this was a video instead of photos.  The thing missing is Ivan chatting and talking about his food and Grandpa laughing and laughing. 
Another milestone.  Food that comes from somewhere other than mommy's breasts.  Ivan started having rice cereal on June 10.  And had Sweet Potatoes on July 3rd, since then some other veggies and fruits and oatmeal have been added to the list.  He is getting more used to the idea, but still mostly a milk guy.

memorize the moment

This morning I was holding my sleeping baby, thinking that I should put him down and get some other things done as he'd be asleep for a while this naptime.  Before putting him down I tried to memorize the moment.  Really feel the weight of him laying on me, really smell his baby smell, feel the soft soft skin of his hand holding my finger and really listen to his breathing and watch his eyelashes flutter. 
Listening to his breathing is but one of the happy sounds my little one makes that I'm caught by.  I spend my days listening to the greatest happy sounds I can imagine.  He is the chattiest baby I've ever known, he coos and talks almost constantly.  So much to say!  And laughs so easily~ one of his aunties says he's a very outgoing baby.  A friend of mine pointed out that he can't resist a smile, even when he is sad or tired or trying to be grumpy about something, if someone smiles at him he can't resist and has to smile back and talk a little.  And oh those smiles of his!  They are full body smiles, they start in the eyes, work themselves all through him down to the toes and then back up again.

I know that if offered a time machine a mommy would sneak back to these moments once they have passed.