Ramblings

 About one of the cutest things ever that Isabel does, is that her little hand rests on the back of your neck- she does it when you hold her, when she cuddles with you, whenever she's in close contact.  Melts my heart!

 As a rambling thought, my kids are growing like weeds.  It's getting harder and harder to get all 3 to fit into the same tub.  Granted Aaron's getting old enough that pretty soon I should start separating them, but it's faster, although much more water gets splashed EVERYWHERE, to wash them all at once.  I also love this picture because it's a good match to what my kids are like most days.  My boys being totally crazy, and Isabel doing her best to imitate, and one up them on the being crazy.

And as a farewell to this quilt... I washed it and "hung it out to dry", aka on my space heater since we've just had another 18 inches of snow recently.  Friends should be coming by this week to pick it up and take it to the states to give to a friend.  So I lovingly washed it, and am preparing it for a long trip.  It's my favorite quilt I've made so far, and it makes me even happier to give it to someone I love to death.  But I'll be honest and say that I've already started cutting up every piece of fabric that I can get my hands on in order to make another one in the near future.  It's fun to have projects in mind.

Finished!

 Here's another double hour glass, smaller, that I just finished up for a little niece that was born a month ago. It's 36x42 inches.  I did echo quilting (the reason why I was able to finish it).  I did a scrappy binding from my left over fabric, but it's not my favorite binding ever.

 And a piece of flannel that I had for the back.  It really doesn't match at all the fabric on the front, but it's warm and cuddly, and that's why I used it.

 As a bonus, Jordan asked me last night to help me wash the dishes.  He was so sweet!

tripple spoiled

So last night was another rough one for sleep.  Isabel cried a lot and I ended up wrestling holding her for over an hour last night.  After I had just gotten back to sleep, Jordan got up. Then I got up a few other times last night with kids.  Rough kind of night. 

When I got up with the kids, on the kitchen table was breakfast ready, and a hand written note to each of us from Papa` telling us that he loved us.  It made the bad night not feel so bad after all.  Double blessed- to have a husband/father that loves and supports and gives when life is hard.

Then..... I got ANOTHER package in the mail.  This time and envelope from my friend Kati.  She happens to be another quilt and fabric lover like myself and we used to go to a quilting group together.  She's also a great friend (and not because she sends me packages).

Kati also happens to be a much better quilter than me, and I admire the things she's done.  She's had a few quilts published lately, and I now get to have my own copy!  Thanks for the fabric, interfacing, and good reading!  Triple blessings!

Mail

 I am about one of the most spoiled people that I know.  I've gotten so much love and support since moving here, and I've had numerous packages, but can I just say that nothing warms my heart so much!  I really mean it warms me to the center.  Plus I got some beautiful fabric, and the kids got some fun toys!  We are so spoiled and I couldn't be more grateful.  So thank you, thank you, thank you Traci (and Kati for helping with the fabric)!

 Aaron pointed out that she looked like Santa Claus (one of his fixations) with the yogurt around her mouth.  Yesterday she started getting into my silverware drawer.  I had to move the knives and grateful she didn't cut herself on the one that she managed to get before I could stop her.  She also climbed onto a kitchen chair all by herself - which means she can get onto the table by herself, and eventually fall off all by herself.  She's keeping me on my toes.

don't always give your toddler what they ask for...

 We have the nicest neighbors on the planet.  They gifted us the very last of their Italian version of persimmons ("caco)".  It's basically like a huge persimmon, and inside it's mushy and sweet like honey.  Paolo let Isabel eat one, and she LO-OVED it!

 So did Jordan. :)

 Well, this morning while I was attempting to eat one myself she pointed at my and screamed with all of her lungs.  I said to her: "what?  you want this?"  She nodded her head vigorously and so I gave in.

So here's the lesson:  don't always give your toddler what they ask for... or you may end up with this, and some good pictures. :)

quilts waiting to be quilted

Pinwheel quilt side 2

side 1 pinwheel quilt

I've got a couple of quilts that are officially basted and waiting to be quilted (waiting for either a new sewing machine or to borrow one in order to quilt them).  In no particular order here they are:

Pinwheel Quilt approx 42x60 inches

double hour glass front

 Double hour glass quilt 42x60 inches

wonky log cabins front

 Wonky Log cabins 45 x 60 inches.  This one I made one very, very similar for a friend's baby, but made enough blocks to make one for Isabel too.  I love the wonky blocks, but think they're easier to do in a bigger sized block than the one I did.

wonky log cabins back

snow and carnevale

Paolo pulling Isabel on the sled

 It snowed on Monday and we got about 6 inches.  We're a lot like New England here- everything freezes, traffic is impossible, and it feels like life comes to a stop when it snows.  Gratefully I'm not really on the east coast because I saw some pictures of wicked amounts of snow!

Aaron making a snowman

at school, celebrating Carnevale

 Carnevale is the big holiday where kids get to dress up in fun costumes and it's in February.  Aaron and Jordan got to go to school in costumes!  They were adorable, but they were much less adorable when it came to getting ready for school.  The whole morning was filled with screaming over how socks, pants, shirts, etc. didn't "feel right" and it was crooked, etc.  By the time we were able to leave out the door to school I felt like exploding.  Gratefully I didn't explode and by the time I walked home, I felt much better.

I did learn a lesson: put the costumes on AFTER you get to school (or wherever it is that you're going)!

the world's CUTEST thing ever

 While my kids have done some gross things lately, Aaron and Jordan do about the cutest thing in the world (to the eyes of this mother).  They now hold hands walking/running to and from school.  It's about the sweetest thing ever.  They're such good buds (when they aren't punching each other)!

 I think they were pretending to be captain Hook (one of Aaron's fixations).

 When we moved here a year ago, the number of foods that Aaron ate was less than 10.  The only vegetable that he ate I think were carrots.  Green was excluded from anything we ate.  Since going to school and eating school lunch, with the help of peer pressure and his occupational therapy, he's started eating vegetables.  We can also get him to eat a few bites of spinach, because "it makes his muscles strong" and with those strong muscles he always wrestles with dad after dinner to see who's the strongest.

Aaron had a "first ever" and decided to fill his plate with broccoli instead of spaghetti, so that he "could be the strongest of everyone".  And he did it.  He ate a huge plate of broccoli!  So much has changed in a year.

 He's still picky about food, and if it's "broken" meaning not completely whole or is missing a corner, or if a cookie is broken, etc.  He can't touch it.  Apparently it's no longer edible in his little mind.  Maybe in another year... or two...

And of course Jordan.... he's the best pasta eater ever.  I'm grateful that this little guy eats most things offered to him. :)

the world's GROSSEST thing ever!

I've learned my lesson.  I should put a post that starts with "nothing special is going on around here."  Apparently it's just asking for it!  Because then one of your kids does something spectacular to change your mind.  Isabel was my child.  Aside from breaking more dishes, she did about the world's GROSSEST thing ever!

I was alone in the house with her waiting for the boys to come back from their music class.  I had walked into the bathroom to pull out the laundry to hang up to dry.  Isabel had followed me into the bathroom.  After I had walked out and hung about 2 things I realized that she hadn't followed me out of the bathroom.  At that same moment I heard noises in the bathroom.  I said to myself outloud: "she's going to be doing something totally gross."


Indeed she had.  As I was walking the 4-5 steps to the bathroom I heard slurping noises, like drinking from a cup.  I found her with the toilet brush container, drinking her "tea", and then she smiled at me really big.  Trying my best not to vomit, and holding in the gagging, I washed her hands and promised to never kiss the cutest face on the planet ever again (or at least not for 24 hours!).  

Try not to loose sleep over this one tonight folks. ;)

Putting out fires

There's not a lot of anything special going on around here.  It's just the daily grind of convincing my kids to take turns, brush their teeth, not to punch each other to death, to remember to say please and thank you... In addition there's the rule of no splashing lots of water out of the bathtub.  For those of you who have never lived in a cement only house where 100% humidity prevails and seeps in through the walls, it hard to keep my bathroom dry, despite the heater in the bathroom.  I always have to wipe down the walls and floors because there's constantly water/dew on them.

Well yesterday I walked back in the bathroom after stepping out for 4.3 seconds and the floor was already covered in water and Aaron was spouting water from a toy whale ALL OVER.  I asked him what on earth he was doing.  He answered me "but mom!  The water's on fire!  I'm putting out the fire."  There was indeed mist coming up from the water, a mini fog (because of our high density humidity).  Despite being a little annoyed about all the water on the floor, I had to laugh!  So we had a little talk about mist verses smoke from fire.  Sigh.