Big Sister in Training

I came into my bedroom the other day to find this sweet little lamb fast asleep on the floor all tucked into a perfectly made bed.

And I found this sweet little girl keeping watch over him as he slept.

Ellie has named this little lamb 'Baby' and she takes care of him all day long making sure he takes naps, goes potty, eats well, and has plenty of toys to play with. It's just so cute. If this is any indication of what she'll be like as a big sister then this July baby is one lucky little girl!

I'm Such A Nerd

We got our taxes done today and we found out we were getting much more than we had originally thought. So what did I do? Like any good American I went right home, got on the internet and spent some money. I ordered these bad boys for the little babe-to-be.



What is so special about these you ask? Well, we used cloth diapers on Elliett from 4 months old until she potty trained last July and these are wool soaker pants used over certain kinds of cloth diapers. When Ellie was younger, these pants were absolutely impossible to get and I mean impossible. One person in the world knit them and there were very few available. I know some (admittedly crazy) people who paid over $200 to get some in their hot little hands (that is not nearly what I paid in case you were wondering). And of course since they were so hard to get and so irresistably cute I really wanted some for Ellie but I was never able to get any. But now the girl who designed and knit the originals has hired Peruvian women in a Fair Trade Co-Op to knit them so now they are more widely available. Now my nerdiest dream has come true.


Oh and for those of you who don't know what a fanatic I am, I love cloth diapers and I'm very excited to use them with this next baby so you'll probably be hearing about them quite often in the coming months and years. I've included links in my post about cloth just in case you were curious :)

On July 15th...

We will have a new baby GIRL! We just got back from the ultrasound and it was great! She looks healthy and very wiggly :) Ellie is excited to have a baby sister although I'm not sure she gets the whole idea yet. Rob and I say to her, "Mommy has a baby in her tummy." And she'll say, "Me too!" I know she'll be beside herself with joy when we bring the baby home - it will be so much fun!

Tooting My Own Horn

I know it's frowned upon to brag about yourself but today I can't help it. I just finished refurbishing an ottoman my sister-in-law, Jana, found for me at a thrift store and it turned out so much better than I imagined! You see, my brother and sister-in-law generously offered us a wonderful rocking chair that they no longer needed. I love this chair and I pictured myself rocking and nursing our new little baby in it but being as short as I am I knew I would want a foot stool or an ottoman of some kind to go with it but I can't exactly throw down $200 for the one I want so...I bought an ottoman looking like this for a whopping $8:

The foam was ancient and two of the four springs were shot so when you sat on it you nearly fell to the ground.

I got new foam and Rob and I unhooked the springs underneath, re-stuffed it, re-covered the foam, and replaced the springs by putting the good two in the middle and the looser two on the sides so then it looked like this:

And you can actually sit on it now without falling through!

But wait -- there's more!!


Then I pulled out my trusty sewing machine and put together a slipcover. It took some work but there were surprisingly few cuss words which is rare when my sewing machine and I collaborate on a project.

Attaching the piping

My trusty go-to sewing guide (second only to my Mom)

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn to sew and who doesn't have a Mom like mine who knows everything. I got this at a thrift store for $1.50 and it has been a great resource when my Mom isn't available.



The finished product! Isn't it lovely?



The ottoman and the rocking chair together like they were made for each other.
I think one of the reasons I am so excited about this whole thing (aside from the fact that it actually turned out like the picture I had in my head) is the fact that I finally finished something. I'm one of those people who accumulates various things with a grand plan for each and every one of them. The huge old grange doors that were supposed to be a table, the inherited Corain counter top and sink that were to become a part of a cozy potting shed, the cigar box that would become a sewing notions organizer. You name it, I probably have it in my garage just waiting to become something very stylish, useful, and/or awe inspiring. So if you're bored and looking for a project - feel free to come visit me and my stuff :)

Jellyfish, Toads, and Sharks - Oh My!

We went on a little family trip last weekend to Utah and we had so much fun! We went with Rob's brother and his family. We stayed at a great hotel and went swimming. We went to Ikea and Cabela's and to visit Rob's aunt and uncle in Spanish Fork. We also went to the aquarium in Sandy which Ellie just LOVED. She was so enthralled by everything she ran from tank to tank to see all the fish and frogs. We got to pet a sting ray and see sharks, jellysfish, starfish, and an octopus. She loved it so much we had to go through twice :) Now that we're home Ellie keeps asking to "go to da Salt Lake and see da jellyfish." It's so cute. I can't wait till it gets warmer and we can take her to the zoo to see the monkeys and elephants.

I love Ellie's cheeks in this picture - I just want to kiss 'em.

Ellie and her cousins Ali and Addie checking out the tropical fish.

Elliett and Addie counting toads.

Our favorite fish.

Who Stole My Happy Little Girl?

I've been asking myself this question quite often lately. Actually I ask nearly everyone who witnesses her newly found attitude. Where the heck does this stuff come from? She used to be the happiest most easy going kid and now she sulks, pouts, folds her arms and says, "Hmf!" When I ask her to take her muddy boots off in the kitchen she would rather sit on the rug for a half an hour than do what I ask. She knows pouting and disobedience and the like are not allowed in our house. I've tried time outs in her crib, on a chair, taking away privileges and toys. Nothing has been working lately. Anyone have any more ideas? Don't get me wrong, she's not always like this. Only a few times a day if that, but it still drives me crazy when I've been used to her being so obedient and eager to please.

Proof of the pout - if only I could get a picture of her face.

Proof that you should not allow your toddler dress herself in the winter. At least she remembered the hat and gloves - wouldn't want to get cold...

Family Picture

I just wanted to share our new family picture. I figured it was about time to get a professional one done. The quality is lacking a little because it is scanned from the original but you get the idea. Isn't Elliett a cute little stinker?