Not Family Related

Pardon me as I digress for a moment from my usual 'bloginess'
This blog was started to share the boys growing years with all of our family. I don't often share much about Jacob or myself. Today I am going to share a little something about me.
I was taught to sew at a young age. I remember watching my mom as she sewed various clothes for us. I still have several quilts my grandma made for me. One has had the backing replaced at least three times. I literally loved it to death. I had never really tried much sewing myself. A few potholders, shirts, pajama pants, etc.
In high school I discovered quilting.
I love quilting in my spare time. Spare time?? I'll wait for all your laughter to die down as you ponder spare time for a stay-at-home mom of two boys under two years.
I don't make many quilts. What I do make is usually baby quilts for my friends (and occasionally a family member, sorry you don't get included in that very often).
I love getting online and looking through various fellow quilters blogs and printing out pages of inspiration. While browsing my favorite quilting websites I kept coming across this
Blogger's Quilt Festival

They are offering prizes and the only rule to enter is you have to post about a quilt you've never posted about before. That's easy enough, I don't often, if ever, post about my quilts. I have never won anything. There are almost a thousand people entered already, oh well, I would still love to share this with you.
I would like to show you my first quilt.
At one point I had written this story down so I could always remember what went into this quilt. This was typed out on a long gone computer, I don't think I ever printed a copy, which I am forever sad about.
I made this when I was 17. I was in an advanced sewing/quilting class. We were supposed to put together one quilt before the end of the school year. There was a quilt show for all the students and parents at the end of the year.I call this, 'Safari Hunt'. The fabric has giraffes, lions, elephants, zebras, and in french says things like 'meet me on Safari'
My mom helped me find a book with this pattern called 'Stack n' Wack' I knew it was the one. We went to a local fabric shop and I picked out my perfect fabric. I learned the art of cutting, the importance of accuracy in all details of quilt making, and the fun of creating.
When I got everything sewn together it was time for one of the final steps, quilting. The classroom had a big quilting machine that all us students were supposed to use. Being me, who likes to do things the hard way, I wanted to do it by hand. I stretched out the quilt on my moms frame and worked diligently to complete my quilt before the end of school. At one point my mom called in some help. Grandma, aunts, great-aunts, sisters, we all gathered around this quilt to add some love and stitches. I don't remember now if it was one day or an overnight thing.
Needless to say, I didn't quite finish the quilt - I was so close! I ended up completing it over the summer.
After this experience, I was hooked. I thought it was amazing that you could take a simple square of fabric, cut it up, sew it back together, and create something new. I love how you can change the feel of a room just by throwing a different quilt on the bed or couch. I love being able to give a gift that is truly unique and full of love. And I especially love being able to wrap my loved ones up in something that is, in a way, a part of me. I hope they will always feel my arms of love wrapped tight around them as they sleep under my creations.
The quilt is still on my bed. Now I get to share it with Jake, which makes it even more special.
I am so grateful to those who patiently, and lovingly taught me such a valuable skill that I hope to pass on to all of my kids. Kaleb loves to sit on my lap while I am at my machine or quilting frame. He's learning early!
I hope I can forever use this talent for good to create warmth, light, and love for those around me. I can testify, a simple quilt can do a lot to raise ones mood and spirit of happiness.
Thank you for allowing me to step away and talk about myself for a moment.
Now back to my regularly scheduled cute boy pictures! They will be coming in the next few days!

Boy Love

Not much has been going on this week. A lot of the same ol' everything. The boys are growing and learning new things every day. Kaleb's vocabulary is quickly increasing. It's so nice that he can tell us what he wants and needs. Now if we could understand him, that would be nice.
My sister and her husband were here for business this past week. We were able to squeeze in a little bit of time and a few dinners with them. It was great to see them.
Not much of note is going on around here so I'll just end and leave you with this image...
Yes, that is the roller ball that goes in our computer mouse. I wonder why it's so scratched and chipped?

Chocolate [Cookie] for Breakfast

First off...a huge congrats to my sister Emily and her husband Johnny. They welcomed their 3rd this past Saturday. A daughter named Sadie. I can't wait to meet you Sadie! I don't know specifics but she was itty-bitty weighing in at almost 7lbs and 20 or 21 inches long.

This past week was Jake's birthday - happy birthday to my wonderful husband. You are such an amazing and wonderful husband and a perfect father. I am so thankful for all you do to support us, especially for working hard enough to let me to be home with the boys. Thank you for being the best man in the world in every way. I love you.
Jake was able to take a few days off work so we could take a much needed vacation.
I was able to reserve a small cabin at Lake Arrowhead for two nights.
There was a BBQ so we were able to enjoy all our meals outside. Jake's birthday dinner was fillet Mignon and corn on the cob.
For his cake I made Mississippi Mud Pie. It was good and actually made the 2 hour drive without being too melted upon arrival.

The next morning Kaleb woke up to a real treat. Daddy gave him an Oreo for breakfast. I believe this was his first one. He loved every crumb of that cookie...and then logic intervened and he also had to have scrambled eggs and oatmeal.





















The next night we did kabobs on the grill with left over steak and shrimp, and veggies of course.
I loved being able to eat all our meals outside. I loved that the loudest thing we could hear was us crunching our chips.

It was a gorgeous weekend in the mountains.

The highlight of the whole trip was the ducks. At the main local village, where the lake is, they had ducks. What I didn't realize is that the lake is all privately owned by the different homeowners so it is completely blocked off. I was hoping for some beaches and toe dipping. But, feeding and chasing ducks was even better.














Kaleb's first word was duck. Duck has always been a very recognizable thing to him. This was his first experience with real ducks. He couldn't have been more excited. As soon as he saw them gliding across the water he went running, and screaming "duck!, duck!, duck!"
He started throwing them stuff off the ground (we later realized was duck food).
This lady walking by handed him a chunk of bread. He looked at it, popped it in his mouth. Okay, that works, I guess.
We soon discovered the local shops sold a bag of duck food for .50 cents. The best .50 cents we've ever spent.
This is where we spent our two days. Making a little boy as happy as he could be.
Hearing his laughter was the best present.













He could have stayed all day. It was hard to pry him away

Saturday the fun was over and we had to get back to life.
We stopped at a park close to home to let the boys run around and to eat lunch.










It was so much fun to spend this time together as a family.
I guess I should put down the keyboard and go pay attention to the boys. They are extremely whiny and needy today.

Life Goes On

I have been trying to post some videos for the past few weeks but Blogger isn't letting me do so. It's very rude! The videos are of Xander crawling (kind of) and babbling and other such fun things. I do hope I can get them to work eventually.

I guess cute pictures will have to do.
Life is about the same around here. I spend my days with theses amazing guys, and I love every crying, screaming, messy, giggling, laughing minute of it.

I came across a poem today that really touched my heart. Here it is with a few tweaks from me...

What Did I Do Today?

Today I left some dishes dirty,
The bed got made around 3:30.
The diapers soaked a little longer,
The odor grew a little stronger.
The crumbs I spilled the day before
Are staring at me from the floor.
The fingerprints there on the wall
Will likely be there still next fall.
The dirty streaks on those windowpanes
Will still be there next time it rains.
Shame on you, you sit and say,
Just what did you do today?

I held a baby till he slept.
I held a toddler while he wept.
I played a game of hide and seek,
I squeezed a toy so it would squeak.
I pulled a wagon, sang a song,
Taught a child right from wrong.
What did I do this whole day through?
Not much that shows, I guess that's true.
Unless you think that what I've done,
Might be important to someone
With deep blue eyes and soft brown hair,
If that is true...I've done my share.


I feel so blessed to be a mother. Sometimes it's the hardest job and I moan "why, me!? who would choose such a thing!?" But, it doesn't take me long to realize why...
When my toddler throws his messy arms around my neck, I can only smile at the dirty handprint he leaves behind. I will miss this little hand when it doesn't fit in my palm anymore.
When the baby looks at me and bounces with glee with a huge grin spreading from ear to ear.
When the boys are giggling with each other, I hope they will always be good friends.
When the toddler finds the greatest joy just in throwing the leaves into the wind, or a rock, or anything he can find really.
When the baby cuddles into me dozing off to sleep. I will miss when he doesn't fit on my lap anymore.
Everyday I am reminded why I have the greatest job in the world and I know I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I realize Jake and I may not have much on the material side, but, we have everything. We are so richly blessed, and I feel like the richest person in the world.

Last night was one of those really tough nights that had Jake and I banging our heads (and me going home from church after an hour because I was dizzy from lack of sleep). Even after such a horrible night it doesn't take much to remind me why it's all worth it and how much I am going to miss this small moment in time. When my baby boys are men I know I'll reflect on the times I stayed up all night sitting in a rocking chair next to the crib holding a toddler who was having a hard time sleeping. I know I'll miss it and wish I could do it again. So, no, I wouldn't trade these long nights either.
I feel so blessed to be here to comfort my boys, love my boys, and hold their hands for awhile, and hopefully their hearts forever.