The Tiny Garden

We (meaning me) are making a tiny garden in the back yard.


It's plants are still quite small and maybe too subtle...moss from a shady flower bed, "chicks" from the front yard, and bugle weed (since I have it in abundance - It's a ground cover, not a pest.)...but they'll grow and bloom.


Cozy likes to play hide the tiny bench. We're diligent seekers, since we'd rather not mow over it.


I'll have to bring out her little people. They might like to sit on the bench. Then they could hide in the grass too.

Planning for Beautious Fun

Oh, I'm making all sorts of fun plans for someone's 1st birthday, and even Wal-Mart is cooperating with me, making all sorts of fun woodland things for Easter (which is conveniently scheduled right before said birthday).



It's like they read my mind.

And check out my gorgeous dollar store flowers!


I love having total creative control. If only my other daughters would surrender it, they could have the cutest parties ever too. But, no.

Other things I've been working on...

...using up my last couple of tiny pillow-forms. Looks like it's time to stuff a dozen more.


I've also finished cutting out a gorgeous wedding present. Yes, I know it looks like a big pile of scraps, but it's going to look like the nicest quilt ever. I tried to make it not too girly...in deference to the groom.


Will post progress shortly.

Troublemaker

Lance (known for dissecting electronics) came to visit with Grandma, and I think he's had a very bad influence on Cozette.



Just kidding....this happened before he even came over. It's the touble-maker gene...and Cozy has it in spades.

Slightly Modified

I adore clearance. Since long-sleeved season is (thankfully) over, this $1.50 shirt (already in Sof's favorite color) only needed slight modification.


I chopped off the long sleeves, leaving some ties and making a "keyhole".


I think they look pretty cute. No sewing required.


Sofia would only let me cut off the sleeves if I promised to let her have the remnants for stuffie clothing.

I did...because she's a pretty brilliant seamstress for a 10-year-old...and very creative for an any-age-year-old.



Don't ya think?

My Saturn Day

Wasn't yesterday lovely? It was just relaxing and beautiful. Tony was lucky. He had checked off my honey-do list on Friday. Plum tree planted. Yard edged (way better than I do it, but with less clean-up at the end. Maybe he's counting on rain?)

So we went to foodie Saturday at Cosmos, where I got some {rice} gelato. Yummier than rice pudding.


I bought some glass dessert plates for all of the pies I've been making.


This was the pear and dried fruit pie. I think I could have done without the dried fruit, but liked the ginger-pear. What is a good, non-alcoholic substitute for rum? ...in pie. I made the pumpkin pies for the kids. ...and that was the end of the shortening.



While restocking our shortening at Costco, I bought some frivolous sedums...and followed some signs to a garage sale (that's how nice it was outside!) where I found something I had been looking for...


...a kitschy deer! Yes, I know. That's a weird thing to have on your shopping list, but I was honestly considering buying one on ebay.


I promptly painted it pink. The details will be added later.

Our Loving Homes

We are NOT good about having family home evening...mainly because it makes us want to harm the children. I don't know why, but the very term "family night" seems to trigger rowdiness - extreme rowdiness. Maybe it's in anticipation of the o-so-fun game (normally "sardines") at the end? Whatever the reason, the result is chaos.

Lately I've been trying to spread out fhe assignments to various children, in hopes that they'll be preoccuppied with their responsibilities...too preoccupied to jump from the chair to the ottoman and from the ottoman to the couch. I gave Sofia the lesson (How to build a loving home), Annika the music, and I assigned Anthony to sit on Jonathan and James (so that they could stay in one place for 10-15 minutes). It went pretty well and freed up my time, so that I could throw stuff together for an activity/treat at the end.

We made...and ate our own loving homes. They were cup-cakey good, if I do say so myself!


Sofia's house.


My house. I thought the roof in particular was adorlicious.


Annika's house. Such modern lines! I had pictured her as more of a cottagey type.


Anthony's. My favorite.


Jonathan's house was voted "most likely to impail the foot of a careless giant."

James went straight to eating cupcakes, candy, and cookies. He thought the "loving home" construction was a big waste of time. How efficient of him, nicht?

Multipurpose

They're nothing if not innovative.