when your 18 month old and 4 year old share a room...

you never know what strange things you will find in the morning.

Like this odd overnight growth I found on Emmy's belly when I was getting her dressed.

Apparently her sister put this doll paci in her onesie the night before and she slept with it in there!

Another time Emmy's Seahorse was sleeping next to her... with a helmet on.  And more than once I've checked on the girls before I go to bed only to find Addie asleep on the changing table.  Silly girls :)

addie is 4!

Adelaide turned 4 last week!   I am soaking up these days where she still willingly holds my hand in the parking lot and will curl up in bed for a good snuggle.  Although I sometimes wish that she would let someone other than mom do anything for her, I secretly love how much she still needs me.

Unfortunately she woke up on her birthday with a fever and feeling pretty miserable.  Turned out she had Strep and an ear infection- not a very good birthday present!

By the afternoon (with the help of some medicine) she was feeling a little better and we actually got some smiles and giggles out of her.

This little girls makes me smile :)  Happy Birthday, Addie!

in between illnesses

I found a few days where no one was too sick in the past month to do a couple room makeovers for the girls.  They are not totally finished, still things to hang on the walls and curtains to be made, but the painting and and carpet removal is done.  Here are a few photos of both rooms...

Regan and Tallulah's room

Here are some before pictures of both rooms and another after we got the bunk beds.

Adelaide and Emmaline's room

Here is the progression of the stripes from this to this and now the gray and white stripes.

i didn't mean to be gone so long!

We spent 10 days in Maryland just before Christmas.  I had planned to blog while we were there, but then it didn't happen and when we got home, on Christmas Eve, I got sick... and then the rest of the family got sick, and then we all got sick again, and some of us got sick a third time, Ugh! So, a month later we are all finally feeling better and I am ready to start blogging again! 

Here are just a handful of photos from our time in MD...

Tommy came along with us and got into all sorts of trouble at Grammy's house.  Here he is hanging with the Ladies in the doll cabinet :)

Emmy loved to climb up in this rocker. I have countless photos of her sitting in it.  The painting in the back ground is one my grandfather painted of my dad sitting in that same rocker when he was a boy.  Because of where the painting is hanging it was hard to capture this photo the way I really wanted to... 

There is much debate about weather Regan looks more like me or her father... what do you think?

No bathtub at Grammy's, but the kitchen sink is plenty big enough :)

There were lots of presents...

And a whole day spent with the family.  This is all the Grand kids.  We are finally adding some more girls to the group with two of my nephews getting married this summer!

We spent an afternoon decorating ginger bread houses with good friends.

The month before we left for MD was a whirlwind of craziness, so it was really nice to relax and visit with family for a week... and then spend some more time "relaxing" when we got home and all had fevers :)  More about our extended winter break soon! 

11!

Micah turned 11 this week!  At his request I made egg casserole for breakfast and then he opened most of his presents by the Christmas tree.

Grammy and I went in together to get Micah this just released Lego set, which was delivered mid day by our friendly UPS man :)

We rounded out the day with friend chicken and Oreo ice cream pie (yum!)

Happy Birthday, Micah!

When I woke up the other morning, surprisingly Tommy was still sitting on the shelf!  But when I came home from dropping Addie off at preschool this is how I found him, silly elf!

new purse

Tommy decided to do something productive last night instead of getting into mischief.  He's helping me finish up a stack of aprons - this one is itty bitty toddler sized, as in it fits Emmy who is 16 months. Super cute!

Here is the new purse I made last week.  I drew my own pattern, but it was inspired by this, this (from this book) and this (phoebe bag) and for the most part I followed the instructions for the phoebe bag when making it.

I did not take pictures of the inside, but it has 3 large pockets on each side.

Here is the back.  I love, love, love this fabric line.  I am pretty sure I will be buying more of it :)

great wolf lodge

Before Thanksgiving we met up with the kid's cousins (and aunt and uncle) at the Great Wolf Lodge for a few days of water slide fun :)

Everyone had a great time.  The big kids went down the Tornado something like 36 times!

There was much debate over weather it was more fun in the dark (at night) or when you could see where you were going.  I think it was a 50/50 split, but between you and me, it was MUCH more exciting in the dark :)

It wouldn't be vacation (for me) if I didn't get a little sewing in... yes, I brought my sewing machine and this new stack of fat quarters.  I started a new purse for myself, sewing and watching HGTV while Emmaline napped.  I finished up the purse the other night.  I'll post picture of it soon!

Adelaide got hurt while we were at GWL (don't worry, nothing major) and they gave her this stuffed wolf at the first aid station.  Her brother bought her the tiny hedge hog in the gift shop and she's been sleeping with them both every night since we got home. 

Here's the motley crew all together just before we left to come home.

Can't wait til next time :)

*I had this post all written yesterday, but somehow forgot to post it!  Anyway- this is where we found Tommy yesterday morning- scaling the advent calendar!