Poor Darlin' Girl

Doesn't she look so sick?

Don't let that grin fool you- she has been running a temp for several days now, poor thing, has been sleeping horribly at night ( and yes, this was the baby that absolutely hands-down SPOILED me with her fantastic sleeping habits), and would not stop crying yesterday morning until...she spied the "munny rabbit" shirt in the box of winter clothes (that I had no intention of emptying and sorting) and flat out demanded that she wear that shirt.

Normally, toddler tactics don't really work on me- I'm way too headstrong (and I like things my way- talk about toddlerhood, right?); today, however, was the rare exception. I did finally manage to make her ask nicely at least.

So the bunny brought smiles and more energy than I'd seen in days. So much energy that naptime was essentially nonexistent. Must I face all my battles in one short day? Really?


Oh, did I forget to mention that she found the ears in her closet to complete the ensemble?

My daughter is one smart little cookie!

She is pointing out the bunny on her shirt. So sweet.

On a different note, it is time to begin planning this little girl's big girl birthday party. I'm going to make her dress for portraits, or for her party, and it will be either butterflies or ponies (why settle on holiday themes just because your birthday falls right near Christmas?), so yes, I have totally thought it all out! Ha Ha!

And I'm always open to suggestions, too! :)

Jonah's Night Out

I'm sure I've posted about this before, but for those who may not know, for the past several years we make it a point to take one child out for a special date night during the holidays and throughout the looooooong winter. No siblings. Just that child and Mom and Dad. And of course, something really fun!

Last night was the first date of the season. Jonah had asked and asked about going to see the Granite State Symphony Orchestra (we took him to their Holiday Pops concert last December). Honestly, I love that he is so interested in chamber music and such- I mean, really, how cool is that?- however, I didn't want him spending his date night doing something, well, not terribly exciting. Just as I'd anticipated, he yawned, wriggled in his seat, fidgeted, yawned some more. The show began at 8, which is bedtime for him, so I cannot blame him at all for being tired. Of course I would never admit that Bill looked over to see my eyes closed and head to the side more than once. Nope.

We lasted just over an hour and a half, which is pretty good I think. There were probably only 20 or so minutes remaining, and although Jonah reassured us that he had a great time and was happy to go, I can only anticipate how this memory will look to him in a few weeks, after hearing about his brothers' trips to go bowling, to make something at the pottery place, to go to the movies, or to eat out somewhere. That's not the greatest feeling. To honor your child's wishes only to then be accused of never doing anything fun or of favoring the siblings...I'm sure that's a completely normal part of the growing up process and I shouldn't take it to heart so much, but that kind of thinking rarely benefits anybody, and it continues year after year after year, which is part of the problem we are now facing with Jonah. Perhaps it's time to tip the scales in our favor and make a few suggestions of our own, gently coaxing him towards something he may find a bit more, well, fun!

What would you do?

Here is our handsome little man
ready for the symphony

Oh how I pray this night helped to reassure
him of how treasured and loved he is

Thanksgiving Traditions

It's time for another week of fun hosted by Kelly's Korner. Click here to read about Thanksgiving traditions and recipes!

Fall is such a great time of year! There is such nostalgia in the air when I smell fresh bread baking in the oven and cider warming on the stove; there is such hope when we recount the year's blessings and express gratitude for all that we have; there is a collective desire to do things for others, to be generous, to help out, to make someone's world a little bit brighter, if even for a day.

Truth be told, I'm finding it hard to balance practicality, generosity and specialness with my own growing family, as I adore a beautiful table and unique decorations all the while remembering that there are families without homes, without meals, without warm clothing. Without. I suppose this just further emphasizes the importance of thankfulness and generosity in the midst of all our celebrations.

We have had a fun tradition for a couple of years- family and friends come to our home later in the afternoon for dessert. Oh my gosh is it fantastic! You can hardly see the table through all the pies, cheesecakes and other yummy desserts! Awesome!

Here is a recipe (from my Nestle cookbook) that offers a fantastic twist on the traditional pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin Pecan Pie
(affectionately known here now as Mama's Thanksgiving Pie)

PUMPKIN LAYER

1 unbaked 9" deep-dish pie crust
1 egg
1 cup Libby's Solid Pack Pumpkin
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

PECAN LAYER
2/3 cup light corn syrup
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp butter or margarine, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pecan halves
**aboslutely delish with good ol' Hood vanilla
ice-cream or whipped cream**

For Pumpkin Layer:
Combine egg, pumpkin, sugar and pump. pie spice in medium bowl. Spread over bottom of pie shell.

For Pecan Layer:
Combine corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in medium bowl; stir in pecans. Spoon over pumpkin layer.

Bake in preheated 350F oven for 50 minutes or until filling is set. (If using metal or foil pan, bake on preheated heavy-duty baking sheet.) Cool on wire rack.

Oh, and did I mention my super helpers in the kitchen?

It's a good thing this adorable little girl has had some fun lately...







...because here she is today.

Poor baby.



I really am quite grateful- this is the first fever/sickness that Isabelle Katie has had since we've been together, June 2008. Amazing!

So today I will be extra sweet, extra tender, extra patient because my poor baby needs me.

Breath of Fresh Air

Our poor boys still aren't feeling 100% better, and when they awoke hacking a bit on Sunday, we opted to avoid the crowds at church and instead head outside on that gorgeous sunny morning. Sunny, yes, warm, NO! We were freezing! After a few minutes of hiking, exploring, discovering, and my favorite- the boys bursting out in spontaneous worship songs- we were warmed up and really enjoying being together and being out in God's creation.

I saw my boys laughing, with each other, for the first time in a long while.

We witnessed a rejuvenation of their little bodies and souls.

There was kindness, concern when someone inevitably took a tumble down a steep rock, joy, and loving attitudes and actions.

My heart was so very happy that morning! Here are some pics...

My usually- okay self-portraits just weren't happening today! Ha!
But I love them anyway!

Our local Audubon Society just had a make-over last year, and it is really awesome! Even though the buildings were closed (it was Sunday morning, afterall) we were still able to walk through the outdoor bird sanctuary, where this sassy fellow was leering down on us. So hard to tell through the cage, but it's our 'pet' Bald Eagle, truly a majestic creature in person. We have seen a handful of these beauties in the wild, even a Golden Eagle, but mostly other hawks and falcons. It amazes me every time!

Have a blessed day!

Happy Halloween!

We had a great Halloween! There was so much excitement in the air- it was kind of a dark, cloudy afternoon, which lent well to the feeling of Halloween, but I will be the first to tell you, we are not into the whole fright and spook thing! We love to dress up and have fun, and of course, get loads of candy, right?

So here we have the Chef, Cub Scout, Snowboarder and Ladybug...

What a challenge it is to get happy faces! At least they are all looking forward!

A sweet friend lent me these wings and antennae- it really completed the outfit!
I didn't want to make them, and I could not find suitable (not tramp-like, absolutely disgusts me what they put on the shelves for children to wear, but that's another whole story...)wings, so I think these were just perfect! Thanks, Megan!

Someone is getting into the fun now!

Bill had such a fantastic idea of sprinkling flour on Jonah's nose and cheek!
Tough day in the kitchen!

Funny thing, later in the evening it began to rain, so Jonah found out for himself that flour plus water make PASTE! He had it all over- ha!

Today my parents and parents-in-laws stopped by to see the grandkids all dressed up and to have some birthday cake with me- it was a lot of fun!

It's hard to see, but Isa is wearing the cutest little "gagoo" Halloween skirt (you can click on the pic if you want to see it bigger).
The top I made her is way too big and will have to wait until next year, but I think the skirt is adorable!

Me and my favorite boys
What a great year this is going to be!

FYI- that's sparkling cider from Asturias, as place I visited (and loved) when I lived in Spain

Birthday Brownies and Date Night (part 2)

My boys came home from school and wanted to do something special for me, so...they made me Birthday Brownies! They are very responsible in the kitchen and they love it when I set them free in there. They did a great job! Thanks, boys!

Then, it was time for my special date with Bill.
I was ready for 6 o'clock....how do we look?

We were kind of nervous as we headed down to the restaurant, mostly because we don't go out very often, and we really don't get dressed up to go out. The restaurant itself was a bit of a shock, not what we'd been hoping for, but it grew on us and the food was great, so....it was a very nice night out for my 35th birthday.

Funny story, I can't believe I'm being brave enough to share! I've been struggling with my weight since Caleb was born, and I get in serious panic attack mode when I see photos of myself below the neck. See how brave I already am by sharing the pics above? Aren't you impressed?

Anyhoo.

I decided to take matters into my own hands and double up on the control undergarments, ie, control top hose paired with an additional shaper over the top of those. It was nothing short of aerobic activity to get said items fully up and on and staying in place...I cannot believe I am admitting this to the world! I suppose if you're not comfortable with the truth at 35 years old, then when will you ever be? So, eventually everything was sucked into place, as long as I didn't breathe mind you, and my dress slipped on easily. Whew. (I had been making my dress, perfecting this spot and taking in this while letting out that, for the past couple of weeks.)

And do you know what I found out? After eating appetizers, and then half of a very generous sized (delicious) portion, and then yummy apple crisp cheesscake for dessert, plus the 2 1/12 glasses of water throughout the evening, control shaper items do stay in place nicely until you remove them to use the ladies room. Then, you're toast! People must have wondered what in the world I was doing in there as my elbows whacked against the wall, I was trying to suck in as I pulled up making adubile sucking-in gasp-y noises, and kind of praying out loud, 'c'mon, please please please get up there!' I was fighting with those things for a good 5 minutes in there! It reminded me of Thelma on Mama's Family, with her little knee highs rolled down around her ankles....let me tell you, I could totally relate at that moment! Once those suckers start to roll down, well, stopping them isn't pretty!

Eventually, I won.

With everything firmly in its place, I smiled and walked out into the crowded room to Bill, who had been waiting for way too long by now, ha! If only he knew! He does now, but still, can they really understand?

So, I had a wonderful birthday! Happy Birthday...to Me! :)

Happy Birthday...to Me

I was greeted by 'Happy Birthday Mama' (s) and sweet hugs from my boys this morning. I am a lucky girl.

It wasn't all good...someone was having a very rough time of it getting ready for school, but I tried not to let it get me too upset. I dropped off 2 at the first school, then zipped over to Caleb's. Ah, the day stretched out before me. What to do, what to do.

Snapped about a million pics of Isabelle Katie looking super cute in her new poncho/shawl.

We went shopping, met up with a friend at the mall, and found a cute new pair of jeans and tops for the birthday girl.

Someone liked dancing in the fitting room.

Then we had some lunch at Panera's. Yum.
Yes, Horsey ate too.

Not a bad shot, if I do say so myself, scrunched up in those big booths!


We just got home from a fun morning out and I just had to post these pics of my cutie! Of course, she is watching Caillou while I edit and play on the computer, so it's all good. ha

And tonight?

Tonight my husband is taking me out, has childcare taken care of, and I must be ready to go by 6 sharp. That's all I know. That, and he's wearing a tie.

Smiles.

Trick or Treat

It's so much fun to look on past Halloweens and see the excitement in my little ones' eyes and faces..and it amazes me how quickly they grow! Though I have GOT to get myself a scanner because I think the best costumes were when they were very small- maybe next time you'll get to see those ones.

I decorated these basic bag years and years ago, and the boys still love them! With so much going on last year, I never got around to making Isabelle's...until now- I think it's pretty cute! It amazes me how user-friendly that puff paint is, because I am definitely not an artist, ha!

Trick or Treating at a friend's house, 2006

My 3 are to the right- Caleb was the cutest little Spiderman I ever saw, and that's the first costume I ever...bought, gasp! I know, I know, I'm a costume snob! Ha!

Hee Hee

Buzz Buzz
With an extra-large stinger, as asked by Jonah
(even though Caleb is modeling here)

My 2nd ever store bought...why attempt to outdo the "real thing" ie, built-in muscles?
Oh my gosh! They are the cutest things on little bodies!

We share/recycle many costumes here, hope that doesn't scar them for life!

This was last year's Halloween
I LOVE how Ethan's Minute Man costume came out, though it's hard to see the flounce on his shirt and the cute hat
My very first Halloween with my baby girl home...and I didn't even have it in me to make her a new costume- that's a well-recycled bunny, but she looked absolutely precious in it! She did refuse to wear the headpiece with ears, so I found a headband with ears at Target for a buck. Nice.

This year...
I've been working on this:

Guess who's going to be the cutest little LadyBug ever?
The boys are making it too easy for me...
a snowboard 'dude' - check
a chef - check
and a cub scout - check

Very.Nice.

Happy Halloween everybody! For more great costumes and festivities, be sure to visit Kelly's Korner!

Girly Girl Stuff

So we've had some changes in the past couple of weeks

We lovingly said goodbye to Isabelle's cribby

Someone got to camp out for a night while we transitioned and were waiting on carpet to be installed the next day

We excitedly welcomed a big girl bed into the foyer-turned-nursery-now-turning-big-girl-room, VERY excitedly- ha

I sadly realized I couldn't afford the Pottery Barn (not even clearance, folks!) bedding that makes my heart skip a beat

My heart smiled when I did finally find a very pretty (and bank-friendly) quilt to put on the new bed

Somebody adores being a big girl, but I love how teeny tiny she looks in that great big bed

And of course, the bedding has now changed (typical I'm afraid) but we LOVE it!!! I'm looking for one more thing to complete the new room...stay tuned!!!

A Full Day

We are thrilled that our boys are feeling better, and that Isabelle didn't succumb to illness, but we were completely rained out all day Saturday, and it was a long, long day if you catch my drift. Nerves were frazzled, spirits were less than pleasant and trouble was lurking everywhere. I'll be honest, I have a hard time recovering from days like that.

But today...today we were blessed with sunshine and blue skies! Okay, so technically yesterday now. We all were able to go to church this week, and then we had an hour to kill before heading down to Mass. for Uncle Jon's 35th birthday party, and then straight back to church for our Life Group meeting. Whew! Not something I'd care to repeat on a regular basis, but it was sure was fun for one full day!

Of course the forecast predicted upper 60s, and as you can tell in the photos, we weren't feeling it! ha! Isabelle Katie had on the cutest little polkadot dress, and her big brothers all had shirts with orange in them...oh well, I was willing to work with what I had- sunshine, healthy kiddos, and even smiles!

What a great shot!

Isabelle wasn't too keen on the idea of taking her picture sitting on a pumpkin




Okay, maybe if I can pick one up...

Look, Mama, I did it!

I thought it would be so cute to plunk her (ever so gently) in the bin of pumpkins, but she wasn't too crazy about the idea...until Daddy came to the rescue AGAIN and handed her another pumpkin for the other hand. I tried to have her lay down all over those little pumpkins but she would have nothing to do with that! I can't say that I blame her!

Ethan, Caleb and Jonah happily munching away on their gigantic chocolate chip cookies atop the bird watching tower

Me and my girl

Isabelle is all about besos these days, so I happily obliged, although I'm a bit alarmed that I always look like a monkey whenever I do a smooching pose, sigh

With adorable Caleb

And my handsome Jonah- can you tell it's a bit....WINDY?

Now that we're back to a more normal week, boy do I have some shopping, housekeeping and sewing to get back to! Whew! Happy happy Monday to all!

Autumn Fun

**Sorry All- apparently I'm a linking idiot, as even my second try did not work!**

Autumn is such a great time of year here in the Northeast! It's such a beautiful respite from a dry and hot summer (yes, we're babies about what constitutes HOT, ha) and offers the excitement of all that is to come, especially the first snow! Kelly is hosting another fun week for all, devoted entirely to...Fall. Thanks for stopping by!


This little desk is in our foyer, right as you enter our home. My favorite things are the hand-painted pumpkins from 2 of my boys, and the little kitty my daughter swiped from my dear friend Beth our last day in Guatemala...Beth, I've been meaning to get that back to you...

This is atop our armoire in the family room, simple but fall-like. My boys adore the spooky house candle, not typical of their Mama!


And what fall decorations could be better than these?????

Aren't they the most gorgeous autumn 'accessories' ever!?!? :)

God's Beauty

The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1

...They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 61:3

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.

Psalm 36:5-6

Thank you, Lord, for giving us such amazing beauty!

No! No! No! Not the flu!!!!!!!!

Thermometer covers, that is.

No! No! No!


Poor Ethan woke up yesterday feeling sick enough to skip his soccer game. That is BIG- we knew he must be feeling awful. I was so hoping he'd sleep it off and feel better today, but alas he has spent all day in bed, fighting chills, fevers, nasty cough, and yup, vomit.

The Lysol spray came out of hiding in an attempt to keep germs at bay. It didn't come out soon enough.

Jonah now has a fever and feels about as good as his mismatched jammies look.

And Caleb, not one to be left out...just look at the flushed cheeks. Ethan's face has also been like a sunburnt raccoon. My poor, poor babies.

And Isabelle, you ask?

Yeah. After a full dinner (the others hardly touched their food, and Ethan has not eaten since morning), she enjoyed a powdery donut hole. This girl has an immune system of steel! I'm very thankful.

And this is how I will be looking for most of the week, tending to sickies and using up energy I don't really have to be extra sweet and extra vigilant about cleaning things. Don't get me wrong, of course I'm saddened that my babies are ill, but that's really hard on the Mama too!


More self-pity.

Okay, enough of that. Time to go kill some germs!

And just to be clear, I do not know if this is a regular flu or THE flu that is getting all the crazy media hype, but needless to say, no, I do not regret skipping the shots and taking our chances, and I do not feel that I have put my children in harm's way by doing so. Much the contrary. I will care for them like I always have and be on the look out for complications, like I always do. Common sense has kept us alive this far, and I suspect this time won't be any different.

But if you're so inclined, please pray for my little guys and for a speedy recovery. Thank you so very much!

Stay healthy!!!!

My Creations- What I Make

I haven't participated in one of Kelly's blog hops for quite some time, and I was thrilled to see the theme for today's- What Do You Make? Sewing clothes and costumes for my children, and for friends' kids, as well as selling some, is something I love to do! I used to sew adorable outfits for my 3 boys as well, but that was long before the switch to digital was made, so I don't have photos of those on hand (and we've also had some pretty awesome scaly dinosaurs, skunks, pirates, puppy dogs and a host of other costumes over the years!). I'll include a small sampling of things for my daughter, Isabelle Kate, plus Caleb's karate outfit. My mother used to create special clothes for me, and it feels wonderful to have a daughter of my own for whom I can sew special things!

Here are some recent items, including one adorable little ladybug in the making for one adorable little girl!

Thanks for stopping by, come visit again! I can't wait to get back to Kelly's list and check out all the other talented people out there!

Happy Friday!