Card Table Cover

My Mom is amazingly talented with a sewing machine and a little fabric.  She started making card table covers back when I was a little girl.  She keeps improving the designs and making them more and more impressive (and complicated to make).  They are now 2-sided and have so much detail... most of which is completely lost in these pictures.  

Lake, boating, fishing... That fabric is actually woven pieces... amazing!

Our home, animals, college, etc....

"I SPY" ...

Travel...

Top of the table with roads... great for his 243 matchbox cars :)

Monkeys ... includes fabric book

Eric Carle...

School/education...

 Dr. Seuss...

There are 2 openings for him to crawl under and play... the Monkey/Travel side flips up and the I SPY/Education side have streamers to go under.  He LOVES it.  If you look really closely, the amount of time spent is incredible.  The house has so many details that blow me away! 

Thanks, Grandma for this priceless creation!

Frame Updated

When my Grandmother passed away we spent days going through all of her things.  Some items were highly coveted, others were sent to charity.  No one in my family wanted this amazing painting.  I thought they were crazy!  This original oil painting was bought a long time ago (maybe 50 years?) at the Plaza Art Fair.  It is huge - the canvas alone is 4'x2'.  It hung above the sofa at my Grandparents home for as long as I can remember.  Unfortunately, they smoked in the house for years... the mat had yellowed and the frame was dated.  

I finally got around to updating it.   I love the result!

Before:

 After:

snOMG

SNOW SNOW SNOW.... and then some more SNOW!

I do love snow and the first storm was a lot of fun but I could have done with out the rest!  We got about 10 inches last Thursday.  That was a huge amount of snow for us.  We haven't had a storm that big in a couple of years.  Luckily, a very nice neighbor loaned us their snow blower and Joe made quick work of the mounds.  Kam loved watching him.

Over the weekend there was quite a bit of melting due to some gorgeous sunny days.  Kamden loved playing outside in it.  Unfortunately, I had left his coat with Aunt C and he lost a glove at daycare.  So he was sent outside with 3 layers and a couple socks covering one of his hands.  He didn't care... he was out of the house and happy!

He LOVED sledding in the front yard!

 

4 days after the first storm we got NINE more inches of snow.  This time around it was very heavy and wet.  During naptime, I shoveled one lane of the driveway.  It was exhausting but I was glad it was done.  Just to make things more fun, we got a few MORE inches overnight.  I think when it was all over, we had about 22 inches in less than week.

Wednesday the W family was getting a little stir crazy from being stuck in the house.  They came up to play for the afternoon.  Luckily, they had some extra gloves and a coat for K to borrow.  He got pretty frustrated because he couldn't walk in the snow but they definitely still had fun.

 

Duke loves the snow as well!

 

 

 

Shake the Sillies Out!

Kamden loves Yo Gabba Gabba.  It is basically the only show he watches but he definitely gets hooked fast.... probably a little too fast.  I have to admit, it is awfully handy when I have to get something done, like shovel the driveway for the 3rd time in a week (but that is another post altogether).

Last week Kam had a playdate with his Aunt C and friend M.  Miss M has ALL the YGG stuffed animals and has graciously gifted Kamden a few as well.  He really enjoyed playing with them and just had to have ALL of them in his hands at once.  (Photo by Aunt C).

Last weekend Kamden rocked out at his first concert.... Yo Gabba Gabba Live!

He was quite overwhelmed but had a really great time.

Sorry for the awful phone pictures!

Hi ... Hi.... Hi

This video was taken of k talking to himself on the iPad screen.  I thought it was pretty darn cute and had to share!

My Valentine

Valentine's day was off my radar until the teacher sent home information about the number of kids in the class and that this week kids were supposed to wear pink and purple.  Kamden doesn't have many things that are pink and purple :)  I did find one light pink polo that my cousin had handed down to me.  It was size 6-12 months.  Joe said I couldn't dress our son in a midriff, skin tight, pink polo!  I found a dark pink polo that fit a bit better yesterday...

 

Valentines that Kamden painted and sent to some family members

Trail mix treats that "we" made for his classmates

The Perch

Kamden needs to branch out a bit.  He doesn't play with other kids often enough and only spends time with family members.  Now that he is 18 months, we started him 2 days per week at a local Montessori School.  I love it... he isn't so convinced.  The first day didn't go too smoothly.  I was a bit frazzled with dropping my baby off, bringing all the supplies, and asking a few more last-minute questions.  I put his backpack containing his lunch, coat, and doggie in the wrong place so he didn't have what he needed for the day.  He fell asleep at the lunch table but then only took a 30 minute nap.  It is quite an adjustment to sleep on a mat with other kids around.  They didn't mention how much he cried but I am sure it was significant.  I know it is for the best but the adjustment isn't easy for anyone!

His backpack is just about as big a him.  

When filled with everything for the day, he doesn't exactly stand up straight :)

Report from the first day