Here are a couple of cute shots of the kids taken Saturday morning. I'd told maggie I'd get her some pom poms to cheer henry on at his soccer game, and whipped these up. I like how serious she looks as she strikes her version of a cheerleader pose. And the one of the two of them, Henry look so handsome. Who wouldn't want him for an older brother? (Especially if it meant we would be your parents!)
I whipped this up yesterday and gave it as a gift to some friends of ours who just had a baby. (Hello out there!) I like the use of orange and purple and blue here.
and this is also, clearly, the best way to photograph a quilt so you can see the whole dang thing in decent light.
Here it is, ain't it purty? made of the softest flannel ever. What a treat to work with, that flannel was. Here it is on the guest bed in the cozy/play/tv/sewing room (in order of order of room makeover), and here it is in outside at the farm. THANKS MOM for all your help!
I made this apron for Lanie for her birthday, and Jeff brought it up there for her this weekend. A couple weeks early -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY LANIE!!!
There's a farm up the road from us, where the "Ladies" live if you know what I'm talking about. (We thought it was a dairy farm, so we called the cows there Ladies. They're beef cattle, actually. I guess we should call them Dinner now?) over the weekend they had a bucket of pears off of their driveway with a sign saying to help yourself. So we did and boy were they yummy. Here is Maggie enjoying a pear while watching Henry at his first soccer practice of the year.
... at Henry's soccer practice.
How cute is this picture. This weekend Jeff and Maggie are going up to Maine, leaving me and mom and henry behind. Henry was pretty excited to be staying behind once he realized he could practice his knitting. When he came in to the kitchen to show me his progress, my first words were "hey, cool. you know, Brian knits." I was very pleased to actually know of a dude that has knitted on occassion, as issues of what a girl does vs. what a boy does are of great importance to henry. So thanks Brian, if you're reading this, for being a dude that knits! it gives Henry permission to knit.
Here is a great picture of our kids. We were all in the kitchen when they came walking in just like you see here. luckily I was able to grab a picture. Henry is such a great big brother. yesterday maggie became very freaked out and upset by a spider and he was just so comforting and understanding towards her.
He's also really opening up to his grandma. He likes to work next to her and gradually shares details about his life with her, which is really sweet. yesterday he was telling her what to do if you're being bullied on the playground. (stick around the part of the playground that has teachers in it.) I guess they are imparting that info to the kids as part of an overall behavioral improvement campaign or something. Anyway. it was real cute to listen in on them as they sat in the kitchen working on their seperate projects.
I am a quilter. Yep! I am nearing the end stages of my first ever quilt! it's a beautiful thing. My mom is helping me with it, and I am positive I wouldn't've have made it this far without her. (I am speaking of more than quilts.)It's a full size quilt, all flannel. Gorgeous colors too. I'll post a picture soon!!! It will eventually be Maggie's quilt, but right now I am so thrilled with it I want it all for myself. So let's just say that one day it will be Maggies.
I am having a great time with my mom. She had a cold over the weekend, but is feeling much better now. We are just hanging out, sewing and crafting and eating and watching tv -- all the good stuff! I think she is very tickled with the children. They are very cute with her too. She's got a different sort of style from their other grandmother (hi grammi!) and I had been wondering how they would perceive the differences in style. if they'd think she was a stick in the mud or whatever (no offence mom! hi again grammi!) but what I'm observing is that while she may not be like their grammi, she is an awful lot like their mom. They are very comfortable and happy to have her around. JUST LIKE THE REST OF US!
Jeff had a very quiet weekend, mostly laying very low. He got out a bit yesterday with the kids so that Mom and I could go to a quilt show in Townsend, MA. That was great fun for mom and me. I picked up a new craft - Needle Felting it's called. You take a little ball of un spun wool, roving they call it and place it on a square of backing and then place that over a block of upholstery foam. then you jab the hell out of it with a felting needle, which is a needle that has little barbs on it to gradually attaches the roving to the wool fabric. Here is an example of needle felting that I found online somewhere:
Mom brought me a lot of fabric from her stash pile, so I imagine I will be jumping in to that pretty quick here. I want to finish the quilt I'm on right now first of course. All I have left to do is the actual quilting of the layers together and then put the binding on. I really cranked through it this weekend.
Also I watched HBO's new series "Tell Me You Love Me" and I really liked it. Talk about your spicy meatballs as far as the sex scenes go though, good heavens! But there are other reasons why I liked the show. ;-) Anyway, now that stupid Big Brother is wrapping up I happen to have room in my schedule for better quality television. So I'll keep tuning in.
talk to you later blog!
Big Brother: Yankees Win!
The good folks over at TVgasm have written up a very satisfying and highly accurate analysis of last Thursdays Big Brother. Those two Donatos. I hate that they'll win it. Daniele is the worst.
...if by happiness you mean satellite television!
we flipped the switch to the boob toob pipe back on yesterday. It feels great to have options again for watching TV again, although I wish I didn't have to actually be at work paying for the dang thing. Here I am at my desk, when I could be home rotting in front of the television! Oh well. That's the way it goes, I guess.
This weekend we went to Canobie Lake Park as part of a end of summer thing thingie at Jeff's work. It was real fun, although real hot. The heat always zaps me of my energy. The kids had fun though. Henry was up for riding the most jarring ride possible, and Maggie enjoyed the little kiddie rides best. She was a trouper and joined us on the Boston Tea Party, which is a short log flume like ride, with a big wet splashy finish. We all went on as a family, and it was so cute to see her little body crammed in between Jeff and Henry. WHAT AN ADORABLE FAMILY WE ARE.
My mom arrives tomorrow morning! I am so excited to lay eyes on her, even more thrilled to have her in my home! Can't wait to see you momma!
FIRED UP, READY TO GO!
Henry and I marched in the Labor Day parade with Barack Obama on Monday! I even got to shake the man's hand! He was very casual and warm and friendly, full of energy and charisma. A total rock star. 
This is the crowd that was set up to walk behind him. The organizers had created big homemade letters that spelled out "OBAMA 08" and I got to wear the final "A" and Henry was the space between the name and the years, and as a result, we literally led the pack! Henry can be found in the front of the crowd of people in this picture. Can you spot him?
The man himself pressing the flesh with those of us marching with him...
This is probably the best picture of many I took over my shoulder. There had been a lot of confusion at the start of the parade regarding where the letters ought to be. In front of Obamas car, behind it, between his car and the secret service SUV's (the secret service agents weren't crazy about that), up ahead in front of the car, etc. etc. Very confusing and a lot of shouting and running into position at the start. 
Ultimately we ended up leading Obamas car, and it was very cool. We shouted various OBAMA specific chants (Henry really enjoyed that part) and basically led the way. At different points, Obama would hop out of the car and go shake hands with the crowd and we would have to stop and wait for things to move again. 
This is us coming around the Oval in Milford. CROWDS of people. Obama was like a rock star, I tell you. People would totally surround him, tons of news camera and press following his every move. It was pretty incredible to be a part of. 
And here is just one view of the crowds of people that came out to see us. Do you recognize anyone?!
It was a great day, so fun to be a part of something big like that. And to share it with Henry. That kid didn't complain once, and let me tell you, there was a lot of sitting around under the broiling sun! I was so proud of the high quality of his companionship that I promised him ice cream after, PLUS $10! That kid is terrific. I know he loved being a part of the excitement and leading the whole thing off (we lucked out carrying those letters, let me tell you) and seeing other kids he knew while we were on the parade route. He is a great kid.
Here we have the latest version of the cozy room. Moved the TV back to the living room, pulled the red couch out and brought in one of the (two) twin beds I had out on the porch. This is where my momma will sleep!
I'm most excited about my sewing corner. I'm hoping that by containing myself in the corner I'll accomplish two important things: 1. my sewing related flotsam and jetsum (thread, scraps, pins, etc.) will be better isolated and not wreck the whole room. 2. little visitors to my sewing corner might be more inclined to stay where I want them (around the perimeter of the sewing corner please!) I also like how I can see out both windows now, and my desk can be accessed from both sides, which will be great for cutting. I need a full sized ironing board, and to throw the doors back on the whole ball of wax and then that oughta do it!
