Auction for Two Little Ones

Claire and Benson Skinner were both born with an a rare genetic mutation in their liver. It is called Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1. Claire had been on dialysis her entire life for three hours a day. She is waiting list to receive a kidney / liver transplant. Benson will need transplants soon also. They are trying to raise the $500,000 that is needed for the procedure.

When we found out we were moving my computer crashed, complications started with Ruby and chaos ensued. Than is when I put Etsy on the back burner. Off the stove really. But when I see a great effort like this one , I want to contribute. The great ladies of BLOOM are putting on a great auction for them. I am auctioning my two most popular prints at today and tomorrow. Please come participate! To learn more check out http://cotaforbensonandclaires.com/ .

A taste of parenthood

Look at what my brother is doing in Africa! He is helping to save at risk baboons. Does this picture look strangely familiar to you? It does to me. Looks like what I do everyday.

\

why oh why?

I have wondered this for about five years and I have yet to figure it out.

How does a child ever get the idea to eat one of their boogers? Really? I mean do they pick and think...mmm, tasty! Children have been doing this for as far as I can tell...forever. Did the practice originate in times of famine and then passed on from generation to generation? It is not something unique to the U.S. I saw a little boy in Chile eating one of these tasty morsels on a bus and once a little tot at a bed and breakfast in Edinburgh and of course my own little ones have tried this delicacy.

On Friday I went to the Thanksgiving festival in the Kindergarten room.  We have the most wonderful teacher for kindergarten. She is the reason we bought our house!  She puts on magnificent productions for every occasion.   There sat Middle Mac, beaming with pride. He belted out each number, his hand actions so big that they precluded his neighbors from doing theirs. Then in the tradition of feasts, he had his own little feast in the middle of a stirring rendition of "Deep and Wide".

Possibilities

After a crazy morning-showers, scriptures, breakfast, teeth brushing, hair combing, clothing decisions, homework gathering, library book searching and book bag hunting, my two little ones and I feel just marvelous as we shut the door behind their older siblings and hear...nothing. It is beautiful. It only lasts a minute though and then my youngest son begins his prattle. "Mom, can I have hot cocoa and read a book and go on a walk and go to the museum and do my workbook and look at my chart and go to the Thomas store and watch movie and go to he park and play in the sandbox...." and so on and so on. I feel just the same way. Three glorious hours of possibilities. I can go to Winco, go pick up that soil at the nursery, bake some bread, return that shelf to Walmart, go to the park, shop for my husbands birthday, go walking, do some laundry, work in the garden, read to the littles, clean the bathrooms, clean out my car....and ao on. I only dream of the day where sew, draw or decorate are back in the running. So there I sit. Making lists as I nurse the baby and the world is my oyster. And then my ADD manifests and i spend the next three hours flitting from thing to thing, stopping occasionaly to play blocks or wipe a bum. All the while getting nothing done, but working up a sweat anyway. Before I know it we are buckling up in the car to pick up middle Mac. My youngest son fights the buckle--"NOT YET...it isn't time yet. PLLLLEASSSE." My sentiments exactly. Now on with the homework, projects, practicing, cooking, baths and bedtime. We will try again tomorrow. Hope springs eternal.

Tahoe

outnumbered!


Beautiful Tahoe! I want to go back already.

(my husband always asks for me not to write about him- he never said anything about pics!)

busy doing what

one of my favorite pieces- because I need a rest and I love Picasso. But mostly because I need some rest.


I have very OBSESSIVE children. My three year old is infatuated with Thomas, red and the letter O. My five year old has thoughts of deconstructing and rebuilding objects instead of important issues like what to wear, eat or flushing for that matter. You can actually see him look at everything in the house with a look that says, "how can I take that apart or what kind of experiment could I conduct on it?" It is very frightening as a mother.

From the time my seven year old was four, he has wanted to be one of two things. That was either a filmmaker or a doctor. I think you can guess which way I tried to nudge him. So naturally, he wanted even more to be a filmmaker. He is mostly obsessed with Star Wars. Funny though because I didn't even let him watch it until he turned six! As he explains, it was in his DNA. He read some of the books, studied the characters and watched "the making of Star Wars" and other documentaries.

Then, one day when his Nana was babysitting, she let him watch Indiana Jones. Oh man! Now it wasn't just Star Wars, it was George Lucas. He even rented a film making series from the library that interviewed him and he would watch it over and over. He writes scripts and had "directed" four short films. He is frustrated though that he hasn't figured out a way to get them into theatres. He would have been a great only child! I guess I just hoped he would move on eventually.

The other morning I was lying in bed, it was after all 5:30. He came in talking, LOUD, as he always does bright and early. Of course asking questions, as he always does bright and early.

"Mom, if George Lucas called you today and asked you to work for Luca Films, would you?"


"No honey, I am a little busy doing something else right these days." I tried to answer without really waking up.

"What?"

I gave no response. Still hoping maybe he would give up and go back to bed. No such luck.

"Oh yeah. Nursing."

Good Friends

One day I was having a particularly hard day. My oldest had been teased at his new school and was missing his old friends, and I was too. I pulled up to my house to find a package in my mailbox. Katy, an old high school friends had sent me a completely unexpected package. If you know me well you know there is nothing in the world I like more than surprises, I love getting them and giving them. I am worse than my kids.

I was so thrilled to find this tiny ensemble! I love it. The blouse might be the cutest little one I have seen. The hairclip is from my sweet friend Karen who made me a bunch to match different outfits.

The funny thing about both these amazing women is they each are mamas to five YOUNG children. They both sew like professionals and do it all. I love reading their blogs, they inspire. I love them and Ruby is far more stylish because of you! Thank you for brightening my life!

Kel- I can't wait until the little shoes you gave her fit! She is getting close. I also regret not having any pics of the darling outfit Aunt Becky and handsome cousin Wyatt sent! We didnt have a camera for awhile. It was from a company called tea clothes that I have always drooled over but never owned! If you havent, check out these darling clothes.

The Great Debate: What to be for Halloween

My favorite hallooween costumes this year can be seen at Marilyn's blog. I wish my Halloween had gone so smoothly!

The week before Halloween we went to a party. The boys wanted to be knights in shining armor protecting the princess from the dragon. They raided a friend's costume box becuase I was still in the processs of making the Star Wars costumes.

First they wanted her to be a pumpkin. I rarely get these two in focus.

This one wanted to be a cowboy.

He came up with a match on fire. Upon anouncing this his dad responded, "of course you are going to be a match, what else?" It fit him perfectly.

Hmm... Big Mac was Black Beard.

Next they changed her outfit to a zebra/bug.

The match costume was complete with a great mask he found at the thrift store. He was "on fire" when he found it.

After all that, she ended up a pea.

Halloween Part #1

The kids decided they wanted to all be veggitales characters. I made many thrift store trips looking for pieces I could use to put together these odd vegetable parts. One day they found an adult Darth Vader mask for dad they changed their mind. Now we would all be Star Wars characters. That was easy enough. We had many pieces, I would be princess Leia, the baby an ewock, Little Mac- Yoda, Middle Mac-a cone trooper Big Mac a Jedi. After working on a little Ewock, assembling my costume Middle Mac pronounced that he knew other people who were going to be Star Wars characters. He wanted none of that. He brainstormed and I think succeeded. I saw no other matches at my door this year. So back to square one. Everyone raided what I owned to put together their perfect costume and I decided we would not try to plan in advance next year. No utterance of Halloween in our house until Oct. 30.

In the spirit of Jayne's keeping it real, I will post what I ended up being. Even though it really grosses me out. I had about ten minutes to get ready before the church party I was I charge of. My Leia costume wasn't finished and I ran out of time so I threw on some "extra flesh" to extend my nose and give me some warts. I really needed an eyebrow pencil but I don't own one. The painted ones were a little much. When my husband came into the bathroom he gave me a look that could wither a rose. "I am not trying to look good," I defended , myself. "Oh, thats good." I should have stuck with Princess Leia.

PS. Jed, I am linking!

If you want to commiserate check out www.cwelton.blogspot.com. It will make you smile.

celebrating 3 years of mischief, (and fun).

It has taken me forever to post this but Happy Birthday to the sweetest little guy I know.

Buddy to everyone.

He was only an accomplice in this effort.

Always quick to smile, always has a joke, contagious laugh. Always has something on his face!

Getting some crucial potty advice.

Bored in a car seat.

Nie and Oprah

This is one of those times I wish I had T.V., not the only time! Nie is going to be on Oprah. Her story is so inspiring and her family so strong. I hope I can find a way to view it. I certainly want to root her on!

A blog worth following...

Why, you might ask, is your header finally centered? Because my awesome friend Jayne and her bodacious hubby Jed fixed it for me! Just a R.A.A.M. , (random act of aesthetic mercy). Yes I am a computer idiot but at least I have smart and talented friends. I can't BELIEVE how much better it looks. If you want to partake of his talent and read her witty posts go to http://www.jayniemoon.blogspot.com/.

Now, Jed, next question, how do I link a word to a website? I know this is html 101 but that is where I am folks. Thanks guys!

This is Jed and me in Kindergarten, I have rubbed elbows with some major talent!

This family picture is one of my favorites! It is from their Christmas card. It is one of the highlights of my holiday season to get their cards, they are award worthy.

My SINGLE brother and the world's best dad

Can't wait to have you home from India Dan!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Sarah Jane

Have you met my friend Sarah Jane? She needs no intro from me. She is SO incredible! I had the chance to be roomies with this mega talented girl in college and I have never been the same. Oh the fun we had! We were to peas in a pod. She was a dance major and I was skipping from major to major, art, early childhood ed, English etc. in true Jenny form. We would stay up at night talking about dreams and ideas and her missionary Kenny.

Now "Kenny" is her husband and she is a mother to 3 darling children, Addie, Ian and Ella. Our dream was to start a business together but we never lived close enough to each other to do it.

About two years she just took off and soared with her illustration business on Etsy. If you haven't seen this artists work you are in for a treat. Her art has so much charm and whimsy, perfect for a children's room. Take a look. http://www.sarahjanestudios.com/ Congrats on two years Sarah! This reminds me of my boys. My very favorite. Her book!

This reminds me of my boys.

Her book! Her book!

My very favorite.

voices in my head

How come throughout a single 24 hour period I can feel invincible, like a failure, lonely, like I need some time alone, like a perfectionist and then a slacker, like I want 12 kids and twenty minutes later like I need to sell a few?

Picture Wall

Carrie took the most amazing photos of all the families, (all 10 of them), and made a picture wall for my parents! Can you imagine how much patience that took? How cool for my parents though to see all of their posterity, (so far), on one wall.

My sister Carrie took the most darling pics of Ruby. She is such a talented photographer. I would show more but they aren't exactly appropriate for the Internet! Thank you so much Carrie. You totally captured her and I can't wait to blow this one up! If you live in Utah you can take advantage of her talent. She books up fast though- Check her out at http://www.cwelton.blogspot.com/
Aunt Becca- please refrain from making comments about my weight. Big is beautiful and I am proud of my rolls and ripples!

Pros and Cons

Not having internet

Pros: Better self esteem- am not comparing myself to others and feeling inadequate

Cons: Can't keep in touch with all these people I admire

Not having full length mirror

Cons: Am gaining weight since don't really know what I look like.

Pros: Don't really know what I look like

Using my in-laws internet for 5 minutes while kids drive mom-in-law crazy

Pros: They are not driving me crazy

Cons: I write like English is my second language to save time.

miss you all.

i