Skating

We took the girls ice skating yesterday, and despite only having skated once before (last year) Maya rocked it! She flew around that rink, and left her sisters in the dust. They were impressed that she was so fast (and a little jealous) and wanted to know why she was so good at it. She skated with her friend Noah who is going to play hockey in April (see his cute gear?) and she ha now decided that she might like to play too. Now the question is whether or not I can be a hockey Mom.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Valentine's Day

I have never been a huge fan of this holiday.  Will and I rarely do anything to celebrate it.  I think that every day should be the day to tell and show people you love them.  Why should one day be special?
That said, I do do a little something for the girls.  I only do things that I probably would have anyway, but it was nice to have an extra reason to stay up late sewing paper hearts together to make garland for their room, and paper heart necklaces for them to wear today. I cut their sandwiches into hearts to send in their lunches and left a few small gifts on the ends of their beds, as well as a love letter for each of them, and they were happy.  When I got back to the grocery store, there was a letter in our mailbox, stamp and all, addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Our last name.  It was from Lilly.  They are working on letter writing at school, and she had written us a letter that made me tear up.  Her cursive is gorgeous, but her words are something that I will always remember.
 
"Dear Mom and Dad,
                            I love you because...
you're always there for me when I need you. When I get scared you cuddle meand tell me it's ok.  I love you because you make me laugh. I love you because you tuck me in at night and spray sweet dreams spray over my head to scare away the bad dreams and nightmares.  I love you because you're you.

                         Yours Truly,
                                    Lilly

P.S. Here is the key (picture of a key) to my heart (pic of a heart)

Seriously, I am so very lucky to have this girl in my life.  I share this letter because I want to have it always and here it can be preserved should anything happen to the real one. 

Love Note

Allie wrote me a love note on my hand last week.  I do this for her when she is having a hard time leaving for school in the morning.  It's something that helps her through the day if she's missing me.  Mine says (yes its upside down) "I love u with all my heart. xoxoxoxoxoxo"  I have to admit, it was sweet to look down and see it there all day.  Love that girl.

Bridget

My friend Bridget is having Brain surgery today. Brain surgery. She is a great Mom to two wild and awesome little girls. Please say a prayer, think a good thought, do whatever it is you do to keep Bridget in your thoughts today.

Passing it down

I taught myself how to sew, or maybe I actually learned in home ec in middle school.  Regardless, I love doing it and love to have new babies to make quilts for. I have always quilted by hand.  Sewing machines were endlessly frustrating for me, so I painstakingly did every stitch by hand.  I loved doing it that way.  This fall I borrowed my Mom's sewing machine and set out to learn to use it.  Wow, what a difference.  Easy peasy.  I really love doing quilts now! 

Lilly has been asking to learn to sew for a while now, so I figured yesterday would be a good time to teach her.  We made a tiny pillow for her doll, by hand.  It took about thirty minutes.  Then I took her into my sewing room and taught her to make one on the machine.  Less than ten minutes.  She was very proud.  She actually likes sewing by hand better as she said she feels a little out of control woth the machine.  I completely understand.  I made her her own little sewing box and she is happily working on a new pillow all on her own.  She is asking if we can make a quilt together.  I would be thirlled to do that with my daughter.  I can't wait to start.

This was taken a few weeks ago before we were assaulted by snowstorm after snowstorm, so there is a lot more snow on the ground now, but this light at the end of the day makes me so happy.

I am fairly certain that all of us are about to venture into our first colds of the season, so that will be fun.

We have a birthday party to attend which is at a super fun place with those bounce houses.  This further cements my opinion that colds are definitely coming. Those places are like little germ factories, having been bounced on by, well, little germ factories.  I'm sure the kids will have fun no less.

My cat gives legitimate hugs around the neck.  It is bizarre. And she is extremely insistent.

I am always looking for occaions to bake, so if anyone needs anything baked, let me know. I think I may want to open a small bakery.

The end.

Still here, and a name change

So I decided to change the name of my blog to better reflect this time in life, and since without fail I always find glitter when I am cleaning out the lint trap in my dryer, I thought it was appropriate.  Plus, as hokey as it sounds, I try to find the good in everything. Even if that good or bright spot is actual glitter among all the gross laundry leftovers.

We are still chugging along. It is way too cold here and the snow banks are too big to see over, but everyone can put on their own snow clothes and enjoy a good sledding expedition, so everything is good there.  The girls have been enjoying the many snow days we have has as of late, and I have been enjoying having them home (and not having to do the morning scramble).

Lately we have enjoyed; jumping really high, forcing each other to smile, sharing hugs with our naughty dog, and reveling in the aftermath of "accidentally" unrolling an entire roll of paper towels.

We've got some exciting stuff coming, and we are thrilled about it. I cannot wait to share more.