Around the house

Last weekend I got together with my little sister to take her senior pictures. It was raining outside, so we decided to do indoor shots until we get some clear weather...which will hopefully be tomorrow! That day made me realize I haven't picked up my camera in what felt like forever. The battery was dead and the memory card was almost full. After some charging and downloading/deleting files we were ready to go. It got me thinking though about the convenience of phones these days.  More often than not I accept that my phone camera will do and that I don't need to haul around my big heavy Nikon. Yes, it is more convenient to just have my phone when we go out on adventures, but the picture quality, control, and creativity you get from using a SLR camera is incomparable.
            So this morning, I pulled out my camera, and just took some simple photographs around the house to please my heart and my itch for taking pictures WITHOUT my phone. I tried so hard to broaden my subject this morning too! (It is so hard to NOT take pictures of just my kids...they're so darn cute!)

getting ready to make leather finger cuffs for Jeremy to wear when he is using his woodworking files

blooming...and dusty

Sick days and wood piles

Hey everyone! I’m here, stuck at home with two sick kids, and a cold myself. It’s gloomy and rainy outside, which has made this transition to fall quick. With this cold though, I’m already making loads of warm tea and snuggling up under my Pendleton with two kids and a book. So it makes it worth it! Jeremy and I always check in on Ruby and Shepherd before we go to bed, and lately we’ve been amazed at how big they are getting. The other night, we found Shepherd on the floor next to his bed, cuddled up with his blanket still on him and his teddy bear he calls “baby.” We are not sure if he fell out of bed, or just decided that was cozier, but it sure was cute! We decided last night could be a special night where they both could sleep in the bed with us…turns out we can’t all fit. Shepherd kept slapping me in the face or kicking me in the stomach. I had to quietly move him back to his room. Somehow when I woke up this morning, there he was, squished right between Ruby and I on the bed (such a sneaky boy!)

Aside from our sleeping stories, Jeremy has been keeping busy with collecting wood and creating things from his collection. He keeps bringing home small scraps of wood that he couldn’t see go to waste. The past few months he’s made cutting boards, a wooden knife, fairy wand, a desk, a mallet, and wood handles for a purse I made. I love that he can escape into his shop for a few hours and come out with something he free form sculpted.

Well, I’m off to make another cup of tea…and go brake up a fight.

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Shepherd!

Today is the day, two years ago, that we had an impatient little boy join our family. I will never forget the grace and provision God showed us that day. With all of the unexpected medical emergencies, we welcomed a healthy baby boy, three weeks early, on my mom’s birthday!  Two years later, Shepherds personality has grown immensely and he already has a strong interest in skateboarding, music, and dancing. The moment you turn the stereo on, he comes running out of the room and starts dancing. Then usually yells “louder, louder mommy!” 

A few other phrases he says often are:

“dat cool mommy? Dat cool? ( usually after he jumps off something or does a trick)

“Skateboarding!” (pretends that all his toys are skateboarding)

“I sorry Ruby” (this is said quite often in one day!)

“cer-ro-rol mommy? Bowl? Spoon? With milk mommy?” ( every morning J)

 Happy birthday baby boy! We love you!

 

 

Looking forward to what this year will bring!

summer days

Our only plans this summer were to go camping ALOT, and designate July weekends to installing our new windows…so far we have not fulfilled those plans yet. I never realized how many summer birthdays there are in our family…I think I’ve counted 8 so far! We have already celebrated my birthday, Ruby’s, my father in-laws, and my nephew’s, but there are still four more to go! When we are not occupied with birthday fun, you can always find us outside enjoying the sun while we have it.

       It has become a bit of a tradition to walk across the street to the park after dinner. Ruby rides her scooter, Shepherd obsesses over the baby swings, and we all stop at the skate park to watch the skateboarders. Shepherd has begun to develop a love for the sport. Although he doesn’t have a board of his own, he pretends all day by jumping off of things, yelling “skateboarding!” A few weeks ago Jeremy went to roll around the skate park, and put each of the kids on the board with him as he went around the park. Shepherd’s eyes just lit up as they went up and down the ramps. He definitely is turning into a mini Jeremy!

 

 He is always following Ruby at the park. It definitely pushes him to try things he might not be quite ready for...like the big rock climbing wall. After I took this photo, he wanted down immediately!

 

The kids love to run around the bases on the field. They also like making sand angels,  which makes for a very satisfying bath time!

 

 

I can already predict needing to buy about three more workbooks for this kid this summer.

 She doesn't want to stop!

 

Every morning, after Jeremy heads of to work, I get about 15 min. to myself, 30 min. if I'm lucky!

I usually grab my book and some breakfast and sit on our front porch soaking up the silence. Then I hear my queue to come inside..."Mommy! mommy! cereal! spoon!" Those are Shepherd first words every morning :)

 

     

 

 

A birthday for Ruby

4 years ago, we were lucky enough to welcome Ruby Jeanne into our family. She has grown into a very independent, artistic, and smart little girl. A few months ago I let her pick a movie out on Netflix to watch. She chose a documentary on giant colossal squid! From then on, she has been in love with squid and always wants to hear stories of colossal squid being captured. So it was only appropriate to have a squid party!
        We made a squid piñata, and Jeremy even piped a squid on her cake! It was pretty impressive considering he had never done it before :-) And since it was my 26th birthday the same day as the party, we included little bits of things for the adults like a big pitcher of Jeremy's refreshing take on a whiskey ginger, mini roasted vegetable galettes, mini fruit galettes, and a giant cookie made by my mom, which brought back a lot old memories!
         Sunday my sister in-law gave me the gift of watching the kids ALL DAY, while Jeremy and I went out. We ate a delicious lunch at The Sexton and I also went and got a tattoo for my gift from Jeremy. Overall it was an amazing weekend with family and friends and I look forward to celebrating another birthday with my Ruby!

The day of her official birthday...getting ready to open the present from mommy and daddy!

She got a scooter and purple helmet!

Like the big pile of trees we cut down recently in the yard, pretty huh? (j/k)

two arrows, a ruby at the end for Ruby, and the other in the shape of a shepherds staff for Sheppy.