winter's popsicle

During the winter if my dh doesn't clear the snow off the roof fast enough our quaint character home ends up with icicles hanging from it.  We were pretty much icicle free up until last week when it snowed again and again.   The icicles are very pretty and if it were up to me I would just let them hang, but the weight of the hanging ice really isn't great for our new eaves troughs that we had installed last year.  Before my dh got a chance to break off the ice, I thought I would bring a couple into the house for the girls to explore. 


At first I'm not sure they knew what to make of these icicles.  The combination of extreme wet and cold in their hands was very odd.  Miss J seemed very happy while Miss A was seriously examining this cool item.
   

I wonder what these things taste like?

I remember breaking icicles off as a child and doing the same thing, licking the water goodness from them.  I don't even want to think about what else went into that icicle from the structure it was hanging off of  *yuck*    But kids don't think about those sorts of things, thankfully.  They've got plenty of years ahead to become paranoid  & worried about the environment.  As a parent though, I couldn't watch the girls lick the icicles for long until I encouraged them to put them in a container to "watch" what happened next.  I made a decent trade with them offering them freezies to suck on instead of icicles.  They couldn't have been more happy. 

   

smock

I made a smock, well actually three smocks out of the lime green, green, green fabric from a couple of posts back. It's amazing how many completed projects one can squeeze out of itsy bitsy fabric. That would also explain why I have a terribly hard time throwing out any small bits of fabric.



They turned out really cute. They are open on the sides but have ties to keep them closed. I added two pockets which the girls love to carry crayons in.  I just barely managed to get a photo of Miss A wearing hers. I prefer taking photos of them in a more natural pose, when they are busy doing what it is that they do. However Miss A had other ideas, she kept trying to "pose," but couldn't seem to hold still long enough for that so the picture is blurry. Ah well, such is life.

behind in my posting

Where did the time go since my last post? My busy weekend started with a day to myself on Friday where I spent a couple of hours sitting in a coffee shop with my big sister, before I headed to a fabric store to pick out some lovely fabrics that will turn themselves into spring dresses for the girls and a matching skirt for me, at least that is the plan for now. Saturday & Sunday were spent doing things with the kids and celebrating my nephew's 15th birthday. I was hoping to make some headway in getting over this bronchitis this weekend, but I am still feeling bouts of fatigue. After a weekend full of activity I was feeling pretty low all day yesterday. Perhaps this week will bring refreshed health & new energy.

On Thursday evening I did manage to start the projects I was planning with the whimsical fabric from my last post. I knew exactly what I wanted to make and that is always helpful. My 6 yr old ds B loves to help.  He loves being directed and being involved. Often when I am preparing lunch or dinner, he will come into the kitchen to be with me. It's a tricky thing having kids "help." I don't mind the involvement, it's the safety issues that get me. What age is a good age to get them cook over a hot stove, handle knives and other sharp objects? We aren't talking about making cookies here.  Time for mumma to let the wee ones take on more responsibility and trust that things will go well for them. So B has been cutting up vegetables for our salads. To help him play the part he needs the attire. A kitchen apron, made to fit and active boy approved.
 

He even has a couple of helpers hanging around him. Do you think they are gleaning & learning? Or just stealing the red peppers that he cuts up?



Once the pattern was created and the boys measured up, it was an easy sew. The most time consuming part was making bias tape with the fabric. The one thing I'm very glad I added was an elastic into the strap that goes around the neck.



That way the boys don't have to worry about the apron untying when they are wearing it, or having to tie it up for that matter.

As for the other fabric, I still have to take photos and see if Miss A & Miss J are up to trying their surprise on...did I say to much? You guessed it, the next project was for them.

surprise finds

I took a quick jaunt over to the fabric store the other day. I was looking for some particular fabric which I couldn't find :( While there I took a peek at the remant bin and found these cute little bits begging to come home with me. It was not a day of big spending, a few dollars later and I was on my way.

The first fabrics are so sweet, fruity and lime green, green, green. The other fabric looks very boy-ish & non-feminine; all about the play. I know exactly what I'm going to make, but I'll keep that a secret until I complete the projects which will hopefully be tonight. First I have to create the patterns.

I didn't end up getting much done yesterday, I spent my free moments curled up in a chair with a hot cup of tea & my cozy throw reading. That's where my hubby left me when he went to work and that's where he found me when he returned. What a treat, something I don't do very often, but once in a while it is so nice to just sit and do nothing but read. Especially when dinner is well taken care of cooking slowly in the crock pot, the kidlets are busy playing with each other and no one notices that mumma's lap is empty, except the dog. Have I introduced you yet to my shadow? He follows me day and night, room to room. He is half shitzu, half lhasa apso. His name is Spencer and he has been a member of our home for the past 3 years.



My dh purchased our cute little boy back in January 2004. We thought the timing was perfect, the boys were 6 & 4 years old, no longer babies they would be a great help in the care of our new pet. Little did I know that Spencer was not the only new baby in our house. It was only a week and a half later that I found out I was pregnant! Of course once you purchased a puppy, it is very hard to return a puppy. Especially when you have two boys excited and attached to the newest member of the family. I admit I was pretty attached too! So Spencer remained and grew up along side my ever growing belly, though it wasn't until many months later that I found out my one baby was actually two babies. But I'll save that story for another time.