Linder Farms

Man, I've had quite the lack of posting. But I have a good excuse :)

 I sure love this picture of Veda snuggling grandma. She's the sweetest baby ever.

 We went to Linder Farms last Saturday. Here's the family-- squinting into the sunlight.

 Grandma and Quinn. Quinn has been in heaven-- a roommate, plus someone who will play with her 13 hours a day.

me and my mom. It's crazy how much we look alike. 

 Hendrix riding a tractor.

 And looking up close at a sheep.

 Me and Veda. Look at those blue eyes!!

 On the hayride (in the wind)

my mom's here!

My mom's here!! We've been having lots of fun. Too much fun to take pictures I guess... And out of the few I've taken, only these two turned out. 

My birthday was awesome. 

We had cheese fondue for dinner

I went to dessert with a great friend

My mom got here

We made delicious caramel brownie sundaes (instead of cake---when we celebrated with my mom)

My mom and I had a night out shopping

My mom and I had our traditional dinner at cheesecake factory

Dave and I get to go on another date

Plus-- we've got five more days of hanging out with my mom!

The kids are having fun too:

Birthday and Crafts

isn't dave the best? nothing says "i love you" like my kid's pictures and potty humor :)

but seriously-- he's the best, sweetest husband ever for making me feel so special and loved.

And i've been busy making stuff and being with my kids-- so here's some pictures of both:

a video. more of veda nodding. because it's just too cute. (and yes, I was making her mad. I've asked her a LOT today if it's my birthday. And she always nods yes...) :)

I made veda a swaddle blanket patterned after this one (the velcro kind):

 Yes-- I still swaddle her. but just from her chest down so her arms are out. It keeps her all nice and warm and snuggly. Plus it's a sleep cue for her.

 Hendrix thought it was for him. (Even after showing him that he didn't really fit in it). I didn't get a picture of Veda in it, because after I took this off Hendrix- he took off with it and threw it into his room. But it fits her great-- even though I just winged it while sewing it. I need to get some girly fleece and make her more :)

Last night I hung out with some friends and made this candy corn banner. 

Why didn't i just hang it up? ...

 Because my birthday stuff is up!! :)

We also made these wreaths. The picture doesn't do it justice.... it's pretty cute.

 And this little doll. Gosh I love her. It's amazing that she lets me kiss her 1,000,000,000 times a day. Literally... that many times. She's at such a fun age. And see that hair sticking up?! There is nothing I can do about it. I even try and paste it down with baby mousse. It just sticks right back up. Good thing her face is super adorable. And her little dimple. And blue eyes. She's just the best :)

And THANK YOU for all your sweet birthday wishes. I've had the best week ever. EVERYONE should have a Julie. (my sister). She is the most thoughtful, creative gift giver ever-- and she sends me a huge Amberfest package every year.  I don't deserve her :) and NEXT birthday-- we will be living in the  same place, it doesn't get any more awesome than that. And oh-- my mom comes tonight!!!!! woo hoo!!! Life is good.

HAPPY AMBERFEST!

Yup, today is the culmination of AmberFest 2011. On this day, 28 years ago, our dear Amber was born. A glorious birth. In a shed. In the woods. During a snowstorm. Well, not really that last stuff, but up to the glorious birth part is absolutely the truth.

I'm well aware that my lolkellz™ had some hits and some misses. and as i fail to pull through with the Lexus-in-the-driveway-like-in-the-commercial-that-always-makes-you-cry gift for another year, i mostly wanted to remind you of the 3 best presents i've given you. namely:

...there may also be some chocolate and some other stuff involved. Now for some graphic BDA (blog'y display of affection):

Am, we love you. Seriously, like, way a lot. You are the best wife/mom ever. And we really did a statistical analysis using a random sample of subjects with a median child/mother ratio that included a substrate of ...  

I love you because:
1) you make me laugh. mostly when you try to dance.
2) you sit through most crazy indie movies that only I want to watch (and are usually long/boring).
3) you love and nurture our kids with everything you have.
4) you are smoking hot (and i get to see you in a swimming suit sometimes).
5) because you consistently smell nice.
6) i can't imagine life without you.

Quinn, Hendrix and Veda love you because: 
1) you provide fruit snacks.
2) you are a rock to them.
3) you know how to turn on their movies.
4) you eat a lot of candy, which in turns means there are always treats (and candy-flavored milk for Vaydz)
5) you know just how to hug the best after owies.
6) you teach them love by showing them.

So now, everyone who reads this blog, let's hook this wonderful lady up with some birthday comment love on here (or on the Facebooks) eh? And with that, I'm leaving you with a whole buttload slash grand finale of lolkellz™:

Day 5.

bean bag

I know that Dave is hilarious and all, but I thought I would post too. And don't even try and tell me that you didn't laugh out loud while reading Day 3. 

Thanks for all the sweet Amberfest wishes. I'm having a great week. Even my kids are loving this Amberfest stuff. They get to help me open presents every day and they know which bowl has 'Amberfest treats' in them. (Even though I change the bowl every  day to throw them off...) :)

The very best thing I have ever made for my kids EVER is this bean bag. If you don't remember, I made both the kids bean bags for their last birthdays. Here is when Quinn got hers.

 I made it around the time that THIS pattern came out. I saw it and knew my kids would love it. I debated for days whether or not I should buy the pattern. I didn't. I still maybe regret it? Only because the cover on Quinn's is coming apart a little-- even though I did french seams. I might still buy the pattern someday just to make a new cover for Quinn's. We'll see.

 But my kids play on this thing for a long time-- every single day. They not only enjoy jumping on it and being thrown on it-- but we read books on it every day (and every night at bedtime). And it happens to match Quinn's big girl room perfectly-- even though I didn't plan it at all.

 Veda likes it too- -it's the perfect height for her to pull herself up on.

 So everyone should have a bean bag-- it's seriously the best toy ever. And oh-- if you make one-- I filled Quinn's with half poly-fill, and half memory foam (cut up into chunks). Hendrix's  bean bag doesn't have memory foam in it, and doesn't seem quite as squishy.

 And this picture cracks me up. I told Quinn to point to her pumpkin. And she pulled the thumb point. Priceless. She went to the pumpkin patch for preschool last week and got a pumpkin. (And Aunt Julie sent pumpkin decorating stickers in my Amberfest package)

This is quinn's hiding spot. She uses it every day yet she still thinks she's being sneaky? Every other time we go up the stairs together, she runs ahead and hides by the bookcase. And just giggles since she 'tricked' me. She's been hiding there for at least a year and a half. I love kids.

Day 4.

Day 3.

nodding

she fails to prove it in the video-- but you can tell by the look in her eye that she really can say 'mama.'

Day 2.