Embrace the Boogie Love

My sweet baby Boogie is feeling crummy today. So today's Embrace the Camera is all about him. Even with the crud, he's still the sweetest thing. He's a chipper little chatterbox. He's got a fabulous sense of humor. He's compassionate and empathetic...mostly to himself. But still.

Por exemplo, all week he's had a little cut on his finger and it gets stuff in it when he eats and it stings. He holds it up to me and says, "My finga. I'm so sorry."

Also, when he coughs, he asks himself if he's ok. Classic.
He is going to be the best big brother. This is not one of those times when I rationalize saying one of my children is better at something than the other. He will definitely be a better big brother than Eli. Just ask Boogie, who, to save time, cries when he sees his big brother coming. I have noticed Eli's getting a little sweeter and gentler with him lately. Thank goodness.

But I think Amos will be passing on some of that empathy down to his lil' sis. That classic middle child care-giving instinct has the potential to serve them well.
So, today, we celebrate the Boogie, the Boog-a-Lou, the Amos Mouse, the A-Man. Feel better soon sweet thing - and until you do, I'll try to keep Eli at a safe distance.

This post is heading over to the Anderson Crew for the Embrace the Camera Thursday feature:

And you really should click over there and jump back a few posts. They brought their daughter home from Ethopia this week and the whole thing is just dreamy.

And don't forget to come back tomorrow with your Peek of the Week! To learn what that is and how to participate, read all about it and come back tomorrow to tell us what you've been up to!

Departure

Boogielicious and I have been working on a different kind of project lately. We've taken a decal departure. I've ventured this way a few times before (like here, and here, and here). Except for owl decals, which can be purchased in my etsy shop, these projects are usually reserved for friends who make a special request, as is the case in this instance.
So I ordered up some vinyl decal paper (love the stuff)...
and went to work.
I love it when I have to pull out all different tools and dust off my exact-0 knives.

And here they are! Eight sassy butterflies for a sweet little gal's room.

That one there...she's my favorite.


And arrrrgh, pirate decals for the little bro.
All this has got me planning for lil' sis's room. It's a reeeeeally small room, a hybrid dressing room/closet just outside our bedroom. It kinda screams nursery, but it'll need some work to really make it sing. All this decalling has me swimming in fun ideas to spruce up her room. At present I'm thinking of making an elaborate picture window out of decals and putting a beautiful meadow and all kinds of whimsical stuff outside of it. Then I can make elegant little drapes for it.

What fun!

Follow. That. Bus!

We spend nearly every Saturday over the summer at a fabulous Farmer's Market in town.

Now, you may think we go for the produce, the flowers, the local goat cheese, but really...it's for the bus.

Specifically, the Biscuit Bus.

It's hard outside of the south to procure a good biscuit and glass of sweet tea. In the south you can't swing a bag of cats without hitting a biscuit (they say that there. But they have biscuits, so we look past it). But it's hard here in the midwest to get your hands on those.

But here in our town, there is bus that drives around with delicious big-as-your-cat's-head biscuits and honest-to-goodness sweet tea.

And on Saturday I had the genius idea to track that sucker down.

You wanna know where I found it? Sitting right outside the Biscuit RESTAURANT. I no longer have to try to track by gps the mysterious whereabouts of roving biscuit-serving bus. I can procure said biscuits any old time I want (during business hours) at the brick and mortar home of the bus.

Hot diggety.

We were euphoric.
We ate our fill of biscuits and then I'm pretty sure Baby A wriggled his way into some sort of Biscuit Bus movie.

There was some filming going on on the bus and apparently, if you're trying to get into a movie about food service, be really cute and toddle up to the guy in the white chef's coat.

Stumped

Hmmm....what to blog...what to blog.
We still haven't figured it out. 'Til we do, enjoy your Monday!

Because Ten is the Perfect Amount

Ten cute faces for your Saturday morning...








Enjoy!
Compliments of the Lazy Blogger.

Peek of the Week - March 25, 2001

It's Friday! I feel like peekin'!


Our new Friday feature - the Peek of the Week - is all about you. I want to hear (and share with my readers) what wowed you this week. It could be a cool finished project, a work in progress, a personal accomplishment, a cute kid moment, or something that surprised you.

If we could peek into your week - what would you want to show us?

Gotta think about it? Ok. I'll start.
This week's peek is kind of a milestone.

Today...this very day...is the one year anniversary of my etsy shop and this humble blog which began with a charming little post about springy crafts. Now how 'bout that?

I had no real goals or expectations for the whole endeavor. That being said, these two projects have seriously exceeded my expectations. I made friends, learned new things, got to follow my passions and made a little money at it. Expectations surpassed.

So, to celebrate, I made myself a present. Remember that little thing Mama needs?

Mama got it:I finished my Amy Butler bag made from fabulous finds from Fabric Bliss (the new shop that carries amazing fabrics and Happily Home Sewn goodies, in case you forgot).
I customized it for all the things that live in my purses. Phone and sunglasses pockets on either side, and inside pockets for wallet, diapers, wipes, keys, and dedicated no-spill spaces for three, yes three, sippy cups. Just thinking ahead.

As an aside, the patterns in this book are arranged easiest to hardest and this is the first one. Considering that and how long it took me to complete, I may not be that good a seamstress. True confessions.
Mama loves.

And for a bonus peek into my peek - I took these shots on Thursday - the day I keep two extra kiddos - and I have pregnant face, so I had to splice together a couple of photos to get one where all parts of me looked human and awake. Secret's out.

Ok...now you! What's your Peek of the Week?

Here's how it works:
1. Each Friday I'll post my peek of the week, and give you space to link us up to yours.
2. Blog about your Peek of the Week - whatever it is. Whatever happened that made you proud, laugh, smile, inspired, excited, or just plain happy - now that's worth sharing.
3. Include a link to this blog or put the Peek of the Week button (on the sidebar) in your post.
4. Link your blog post using the InLinkz button below.
5. Visit some of the other linked posts to see what folks are glowing about this week.
Leave them some comment love and expect some to be coming your way.

If you don't get a chance to get here on Friday, feel free to link your post up later.
The InLinkz button will be active for 5 days.

Embracing Two Until it's Threee

I love a Thursday no-brainer. Let's embrace the camera, shall we.


Lil' Sis has been getting a lot of love here this week, since we got to peek in on her and are half way (HALF WAY!) to meeting her. So, for today's Embrace the Camera I want to spread the boy love.

Here are a few of my favorite shots of just the boys and me.



For the next twenty weeks I plan to cherish to pure delicious boyishness around here. We'll play cars and trains, dig in the dirt and construct 'til our hearts are content. We'll do some crafting and other stuff too, but we're going to eat up the locker room vibe until August when lil' sis comes and mixes things up.

We're also planning to cherish the two. I'll be honest, three is terrifying. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait until she's here, but how is this going to work exactly? No really, I'm asking.

Have a lovely Thursday. I'm off to play some trains.

And don't forget to come back tomorrow with your Peek of the Week! To learn what that is and how to participate, read all about it and come back tomorrow to tell us what you've been up to!

Good Things

Baby Tummy:
Tummy Baby:

The Sweetest Peek

This couldn't wait til Friday for the Peek of the Week.

We took a peek at this little sweetie today at our 20 week ultrasound. Each time we look in on our children I feel so very blessed to be the boring patient. It does not escape me how lucky and blessed we are to have uneventful pregnancies and healthy children, especially when I see them on ultrasound. I am struck in equal measure both by how unbelievably happy and thankful I am and by the fact that I have in no way earned this most precious of gifts.

There are beautiful, kind, mothering souls out there who have never had the boring ultrasound. Every time we have the boring ultrasound, I think of them.

And I am even more thankful to see our healthy little thumb sucker (see her up there?) resting comfortably and growing like a weed.

Categorically Random

And by that I mean completely random...while also allowing for some categorization.

First category: Loot. Look what my lovely Gillian sent to me! She made it herself! She is my guru of style, so I'm super thrilled to adorn my self with anything she touched. Thank you Gillian!

Category Two: Figure Drawing 101
Today Eli branched out from name writing and squiggle drawing and composed his first figure, complete with eyes, ears, mouth, and legs. I am super proud.

Category Three: HHS Models
Sweet Elsa Belle came over the other day all decked out in her HHS wear and she was to.die.for. This photo is funny for a couple of other reasons too - 1) she's totally giving me her model stink eye. 2)Amos in the background already over the fact that girls get all the camera's attention. Sweet Boogie, you'll always be one of my favorite subjects.

Category Four: Amos is Cute

I want those curls. Even Eli can't help snapping his picture.


Category four: Dizzy Sleeps.
Now, I've heard of sleep walking and sleep talking, but the other night Eli sleep scammed me. He worked me over for a snack trap full of honey nut cheerios and a cup of chocolate milk, all in his sleep. I know this because as soon as I handed it to him he curled over on his side and continued sleeping.

Snuggled around Elmo and Friends - love it.

And then there's yesterday's nap where apparently the super cool race car bed just would not do because we found him asleep in the hamper.

Categorically most excellent.

Coming soon to bookstore shelves...

...keep an eye out for this sweet photo, sure to grace the cover of my friend Jodie's Mother/Daughter cookbook that she simply must write now that she has this little piece of photographic perfection for the cover.

That's the same face I make, sweet Caroline, when faced with a pile of cookies. Well done.

You two are the absolute sweetest. Thanks for showing me how cute you are in your HHS aprons! It made me smile super big!

If you wanna read more about the incredible Jodie and fam (trust me, you do), click here.