{PHFR}

Thank you for visiting my {PHFR} contribution: Motley Edition

{pretty}

Fall is here! (sort of). September is always a mixed bag temperature wise, but we have had some lovely fall-ish weather and I pulled out my fall wreath. Well, It's really two wreaths I stuck together and added our initial. You know, in case anyone driving by is wondering what our favorite letter is or something.

{happy}

MaryClare in our fabulous cul-de-sac, riding around, and around and around-you get the idea. I am so thankful we have this flat, low-traffic area for our kids to ride and play. It really is awesome. We are outside so much, the cul-de-sac is like an extension of our home.

{funny}

Saw this book at the library earlier this week. Isn't it hilarious? It's actually very well done. It's easy to read as in the regular D and J, but there that element of dark humor. There's some tension, but it's not scary really and it has a happy ending.

{real}

We painted some wooden peg people this week. Sara and MaryClare painted some newspaper too!

I used to do lots of crafts with the kids, but it's been months since we pulled out the the stuff. With the pregnancy and newborn, I'd say it's been at least a year since we did something like this. The kids were thrilled. Even the big boys who in general aren't fans of 'arts and crafts' participated and enjoyed it.

I really, really struggle with perfectionism in arts and crafts and it is always an internal battle I wage to just let them do their thing without stepping in and taking over their projects and trying to perfect them. I did well this week I feel. They love all of the family they created, the more detailed people mingled just fine with the blurry folks. Hmm-maybe there's some deep meaning in that....We ended up with about 15 people and the kids have asked me to pick up some more blanks to add to their collection. We haven't made any of the saint dolls that I have seen about the internet, but maybe we'll work on that one day. For now, they are intent on population a large wooden block city and castle and the dollhouse.

Thanks to the Lawler ladies hosting PHFR!

Sunday Night Wrap Up

I know Sunday is supposed to be the first day of the week for some reason. It just has never seemed that way to me. I love Sundays because they are a blessed day of rest after a full and busy week and a needed reminder from my Father not only to honor and worship Him, but to rest in His peace with my family and friends. All of that seems to happen as a finale to my weekly life, not a prologue really. I'm not sure if that's theological sound or not but oh well. :)

As Sunday evening rolls around I find myself thinking the upcoming week. What is it going to be like for us? Travel for Lee, practices, dinners with family, doctors appointments etc...? I also find myself remembering the past week, what worked and what didn't. Too often focusing on the 'didn't' and not enough on the 'did', truth be told.

Maybe if I write down a sort of weekly wrap up I can spot trends and also learn to savor and focus more on the small, precious moments that add up to the big panorama of our family life...

Here goes!

Last week.......

We: visited with my Dad and step-mom Carrie who were in town to babysit my nephew, W. They came over Sunday morning and again on Tuesday. W is reminding me so much of Jake. He has gorgeous blond hair and blue eyes. He is 18 mo. and boy is he pushing the limits! Carrie was a bit frazzled and said, "I don't know how you do it-and make it look so easy!" I did let her in on my secret that having more kids is actually easier sometimes! Helpers and playmates abound and not to mention just plain old experience.

I: spent a disgusting amount of time on the phone working on insurance stuff for Jake's dental care. The folks on the phone were generally nice, but it was so time consuming and the lack of communication between various departments leads to so much wastefulness!

Nina: has moved from just sucking on her fingers and hands, she can now grasp a rattle and she brings it to her mouth to chew and lick! She also is getting very vocal, cooing and laughing

deep belly chortle.

Sara: more coloring on unapproved items. Carpet on the stairs, our bedspread. *sigh* I have to remember to take some snaps of all of the things she has 'decorated' around the house and have a special post dedicated to that. She is so full of life and so engaging to everyone. Such an active girly girl. She loves to ride her tricycle and chase down her brothers with their nerf swords!

We: went to the park playground twice this week. Unprecedented! The weather was just so nice...the boys tried out the skate park and it was very cool. Ryan is just a natural at the ripstik of course, but Jake is getting it too. He'd like his own board though...

The kids: did well with school despite lots of interruptions. Luke is a dream student, but everyone made at at least some progress. I've got to tweak some curriculum stuff though-not looking forward to that after a year of sticking to one thing, but I've come to believe it is necessary. We aren't dropping anything, I just might need to supplement.

Yarn Along 3: Baby Bonnet!

I am thrilled at how this bonnet turned out! It was a free pattern from Annelise at Aesthetic Nest.

I've been crocheting off and on for a bit over a year now. I'm self-taught with lots of help from You Tube! This is one of the first more complicated patterns I've been able to read and complete and I just think it's so sweet on my Nina's fuzzy baby head.

Oh and that bright blanket in the background? That is the 'happy blanket' I made while pregnant and on bedrest with Nina. It's based on the granny stripe design from Attic 24. I love the bright colors on Lucy's blog and in her designs. It was wonderful to work with this design last winter and bleary spring while I waited through a very scary third trimester. It really kept my crazy pregnancy self on this side of depression. With looming uncertainty about the baby, I just couldn't bear to work on any baby items at all and the blanket was a great family project. The other kids named it the 'happy blanket' because of the great colors.

Now, months later, Nina and I are here and healthy and I am thrilled to be making some baby goodies for her!

As far as my reading is going, I am as usual, reading several things. I've got War and Peace on the Kindle, the third book in the Outlander series by my bed, and the second Game of Thrones on audio on my phone.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you check out some more great projects over at the weekly Yarn Along!