...flake

If you want you can add this to What Stay at Home mom's do all day... hehehehe

I like to do fun things with Olea and today I remembered a site that lets you virtually cut snowflakes. I had to have Olea give it a try. I discovered it years ago... high school or something and it's still going strong. Make a Flake

Olea's first flake
Olea's flake with a little direction from me
Another Olea flakeand then of course I had to give it a shot... or two. Try it. It's too fun. And no mess. You can also undo if you clip off too much. ;)

What do stay at home moms do all day?

Some husbands have the gall to ask... Thankfully not mine.
and apparently some working women too...

My sister sent me this link, and it was well put,
and just short enough I had time to read it.
It's a question and answer column so don't let the first part confuse you. :)

Every day is different.
Every day is a challenge and a joy.
Every day I try.
Some days I excel.
Some days everything
fallsfallsfallsfallsfalls
apartapartapartapartapart apart.

That's life, that's motherhood.

we'll just follow the instructions

The other day Olea and I read ZuZu's Wishing Cake. She was excited with the creativity of the little girl in the book and the "instructions" and wanted to make some of the things in the book that Zuzu did. She ran around to all the bathrooms looking for almost out toilet paper rolls... no luck, paper towels... no luck. So I suggested a few of the other things Zuzu made... Sunglasses and a purse. Olea was stoked. Zurich was down for a nap so we headed down to the studio. I dug up some old blank negatives and brought some yarn and found a paper bag. And Olea set to work with the book there as her instructions. Super fun.

Motherhood

Today I regress
I confess...
I can't understand.

Thinking I've got it--
mostly,
under control.

Systems worked out
rewards and incentives
disciplines and chastisements:

Expected behavior.

Suddenly,
is missing...
I am nonplussed.

Today I regress
I confess...
I have no notion
of what I am doing.

snippets and stuff

Me and the kids in our "jammie shoes" what are they really called? Olea coined the phrase and it has stuck since.
Zurich feeding the baby. It's innate. He and Olea were having a pillow fest on my bedroom floor while I worked on pictures.
Zurich and I having a who has the biggest belly contest, Gary had stuffed a ball in his onezie. It seems I could add "stuffing things in clothes" to the list as a favorite past time for Gary...

Olea sports her "Hannah Montana Hair" which she recently earned. She really wanted it and when she finally earned it she was all shy to wear it. It was pretty cute.

Yes, friends, that is Gary, cleaning bathrooms. It's true, he loves me that much and he did a great job. Olea likes to bring her table and chairs into our room to play. Gary and I were reading and she brought this in and set up her doll house items. She handled it well when Zurich kept tipping the table. Oh, No! it's an earthquake! Zurich's favorite doll house pieces are the toilets. No comment.

We've been looking for a new job for Gary. Like most people we've taken a hit with the economy. Gary and I worked together to re-write and arrange his resume and then I took a design hand to it. We're both quite pleased with the presentation. He called today to announce a first interview tomorrow. He's been looking for another job for years since he knows he's on the titanic... but the Lord's time is the Lord's time and we're just trying to keep our heads up. Things are good, but I just know there is a company out there who would better value what he is capable of and trust his judgment. A first interview is just that, but still at least things are circulating again.

Play time

Lately, Olea really likes the swords that her dad made for her. She wears a belt and sticks the sword in the belt. Blame it on the Chronicles of Narnia... or Prince Caspian. It's pretty cute though because she knows the look she is going for is a belt over a long shirt. The other day after getting Zurich up and changing his diaper I didn't bother to put his legs back in his jammies and zip him up so he was just running around for a while with his jammies trailing behind him. Olea, with her imagination decided that he was the king and his jammies were a kingly robe. She was the prince, the son of the king with her sword fighting the "evils." Zurich running around with the dragging legs was laughable, esp as I though of "The Emperor's New Clothes" and how much it made him look froggish just like his froggy jammies. The rest of the morning he was the king and she was the prince being obedient to her little brother's whims (who knows what they were since he doesn't really talk).

People

I really appreciate people who think of others.
The little things.
Like today a neighbor came by to bring me info about kindergarten registration because she noticed the info on a paper from her first grader. It worked out we got to chat for 2 hours while the kids played, Olea was thrilled with this because she has been begging to play with this friend. Or when Gary who, like most husbands doesn't like the chore of watching kids while his wife clothing shops... brought me to a clothing store he knew I'd like and watched the kids, just because he knew it would make me happy to find a good deal and nice clothes. Or when he brings me a real chocolate bar, just because he loves me. Or my sister calls just to share in curiosities etc.

I decided today that the HR lady at my husband's work is one of the most ill equipped people to work in the Human Resources field.
I know it's not nice,
but if people had the same interactions with her as we have... you'd understand.

I quite enjoy personal emails.
So blogging has it's perks
but I really get a kick out of comments because
sometimes it's the closest thing to a personal email.

I think personality quirks are fun to watch for.
In my children, my siblings, parents, husband, friends.
I like to find something that is all them and them alone. The way they hold their face, talk with their hands, smile for real or for a picture, or raise their voice when they get passionate about a subject. I like to watch for what makes each person their own.

How you raise your kids is your business
until it interferres with my kids, and my life.
Do I really need to say more? oh, I could but I shouldn't, so I won't.

Tiny teddies and Zurich

So a while ago I took on the challenge of crocheting something from a pattern... I have only just learned how to crochet and never worked off of a pattern. I finally finished the little tiny teddy bears I was making for my niece and nephew who were soon to have twin sisters. The twins are now over two months old. So it took me a while. Part of the problem is I can't count. Anyway, they finally got done and I sent them off. It sounds like they have been received well. I had to take a picture of my first completed pattern project... the purple one was first... I guess it sorta looks like a pig... be nice. They are only about 5-6 inches tall. Olea really wants one now though.

Zurich, oh my little boy. He is so cute. I love the age he is at. When he eats he sporadically puts his hands behind his head like so... very cute, except for the fact that his hands are usually dirty and it gets food all over in his hair. Still I have to smile.

And a little risky business moment after church while Gary and I were making lunch... okay Gary was making lunch I was getting the camera.

Do my arms grow out of my head?

Lately I have been watching Olea's drawings and figured that it was time to teach her something... or at least point it out. So Saturday we went down to the Studio to do some exploratory drawing. I had Olea feel her face. What's on your face? and have her draw it. Then we moved down her body talking about neck and shoulders (which is where your arms grow out of, in case you were wondering). She really enjoyed it and was excited to draw a girl since I was drawing a boy and she wanted long hair on her girl etc. After we were done she named them both. The boy I drew was Workard and the girl she drew was Kensenda. I commented that my boy had monkey arms... Then I let her draw something on her own. And reminded her to get all the right limbs growing out of the right places. She drew a baby, with a big hurt toe and lobster hands. The lobster hands made her laugh pretty hard, except she called them "aligator hands, no not alligator" and then she signed crab. I love that I can share my hobby with my little girl. We have a good time. While she drew some more I moved on to her latest request. Mermaid fins.

On the way home from watching Bed Time Stories (movie) which had a mermaid in it. Olea asked, “Do sew clothes break in water?”
I had to have her repeat the question a few times till I could figure it out, “Not if they are made out of the right kind of stuff.”
“Ok. I want you to sew me a mermaid tail so then I can crawl in the bathtub and swim like Hairial.” (Ariel)
“Ok, I might be able to do that sometime for you.”
“Here’s the kid deal, tomorrow while daddy is working I can swim in the tub with my fins.”
“I can’t make them that fast Olea. But I will put it on my list.”

I drew a sketch up the other day of how to accomplish workable "4 year old mermaid fins" and Olea likes to come into my room and look at it for a while and then ask about the progress I am making on them. So far I have made and cut out the pattern... We'll see how it goes. She was pretty upset at first though that I had drawn it so her feet stuck out. But then I explained that otherwise she would fall and stuff because I couldn't make her into a real Mermaid. Heavenly Father wanted her to be real girl and so he gave her feet instead. That made good sense to her thankfully.

PS I got my new memory cards for my camera. Life can continue now. ;)

Make my Logo Bigger

Because I am a designer... and because I think that infomercials are humorous.
Take a moment to understand the humor of a designer.

Thanks to my Gertrude who knows me and the industry, and knows why this is so funny.

... late intro

No, I will not be posting belly profile pics of myself.
But here is a little peak at our coming addition. A girl. Coming April 16th... in theory. So that makes me somewhere in 6 months along. It's funny. With baby#3 it's life as usual for the most part. It has gone pretty fast because I have the two other little ones and Gary to keep me busy. Before it started getting icy I did go running and that was great. I'd like to have a pregnancy where I did that the whole way through... or at least attempt it. So in the mean time Yoga is doing happy things for me. For those who want the math, her and Zurich will be about 17 or 18 months apart. Exciting, yes, I know.

And yes, her name is picked out and if you think it's weird, don't tell me because I don't care. Her name has been solid since we were pregnant with Zurich and didn't know yet that he was a boy. We pick different names, but they all have meaning and purpose to us and so I really am not swayed when people hear them and their face changes. To avoid questions: her name is Genève. Like the city in Switzerland. Her middle name will be in memory of my German Grandmother, a little modified since her name doesn't sound great in English.

We're excited. Esp with all the events of the past year and the uncertainty it caused.

adults

"one of us has to be the adult here..." -coretta
"congratulations."-gary

something I feel smart about

I have kids...
What?
you didn't notice?

well moving right along then.
who's children know how to load their own DVDs? Who has lost (meaning had a DVD ruined) a DVD due to their independent children? It sucks doesn't it. You spend 20ish dollars on a DVD and no one wants to do that twice. Did you know burning a copy of something you own to keep as a back up is not a federal offense. In fact it's recommended in some form or another. Disney has a thing to protect against kids ruining DVDs. It's called their Disc Replacement Program. If you haven't registered the disks you own... you should. You have to register... obviously so they can keep a list of DVDs you have purchased. My only problem with this is it still costs "a nominal charge of $6.95." It's still a good thing though... but in my opinion, even better is the cost of a burnable DVD.

So I did some research and found a way to back up my DVD's (for free... except for cost of DVD+R). I keep the original copies in a safe place and put the burned copies out for the kids. I still try to teach them proper care of DVDs but at least my stress level is less becuase I know I have the original safely tucked away.

Want to know what spurred this little thought? Oh the fact that I let Olea touch a DVD before I backed it up... and I'm not totally sure I can get it working again... So I feel smart about the other ones that I did protect from her not so careful hands.