tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14841341317847784212012-01-04T20:05:53.216-08:00Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.comBlogger1881100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-33518981402012918822011-12-30T10:10:00.000-08:002011-12-30T11:17:12.752-08:00

I am not posting as much as I used to. I'm not sure what changed, I definitely have things to say. I am feeling as if I am talking to myself these days. Perhaps it is working by myself that is doing it. I am spending so much time alone that I don't need to write notes to myself, too. I need to find an outlet that involves real people.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-73289779608332997742011-11-23T11:17:00.001-08:002011-11-23T14:47:01.570-08:00

Princess dinosaur HatAuntie Sarah gave Big N a dinosaur hat when he was three. He still loves this hat and it miraculously still fits now that he is almost 8. Little N tries to steal it on occasion, which never ends well for her. However, I can see her point. What is not to love about wearing spikes on your head?Big N wearing his hatWhen I spoke to Little N about making her a dinosaur hat, she

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-40325607885900167922011-11-18T21:53:00.000-08:002011-11-19T13:17:51.494-08:00

This jam is awesome! I make this from the apples off of our tree in the fall. The jam tastes like an apple pie in a jar. It is delicous on toast, delightful on ice cream and to die for as part of your glaze on an easter ham.Enjoy the recipe! It is best made with fresh apples from a fruit stand. Stick to the apples that are good for baking. Golden delicious and Brauban apples are wonderful in this

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-3236623526656225862011-11-15T22:08:00.000-08:002011-11-15T22:14:35.780-08:00

Little N is in half day kindergarten. I pick her up just before lunch to drive her to day care on the days Pete is unable to. On some special occasions, we have taken her out to lunch. It is fun and I enjoy it because I know we won't have this opportunity next year.One day when I picked her up, she asked, "Mommy, can we go out to lunch with Daddy?" I wasn't able to that day and told her no. She

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-34742030163581555492011-09-27T20:44:00.000-07:002011-09-27T21:12:41.350-07:00

Little N is now in Kindergarten. She was very excited to start on her first day. Her big brother walked her to her classroom, even though she already knew how to get there. She got right down to business when her teacher suggested that she go play, she did just that! She also was very good at picking up her toys (never her favorite task at home).She was fine when I left, barely looking at me as

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-18890718132453647562011-09-09T07:27:00.000-07:002011-09-09T07:58:49.875-07:00

We visited the bird sanctuary in Mysore. Here you get on a boat and float around the lake looking at the birds. I wasn't surprised when no one had to wear a life vest, but it was pretty obvious why you wouldn't need them when you saw the giant crocodiles.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-58623631116175299482011-09-07T20:13:00.000-07:002011-11-19T07:50:31.132-08:00

I really have to thank Renee for lending me her camera when I saw something and then letting me have copies of all the photos on her camera. Thanks, Renee!This was some ladies selling flowers and fruit outside a temple in Mysore. We didn't go into the temple due to the lines of thousands of people. It was super crowded.The grounds at the summer palace of Tipu Sultan.Renee, Wes and I at the summer

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-88506605130848735662011-08-23T06:12:00.000-07:002011-08-23T11:40:52.105-07:00

I recently spent the last two weeks of July in India for work. On this trip we were able to get out to see some of the sites while there. I had some fantastic food, too. This is our driver, Giri, who spent his Saturday driving us from Bangalore to Mysore. This photo overlooks the city of Mysore. Giri is quite the tour guide. He will talk endlessly about the different sites and temples. He

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-42838693365464035072011-08-21T17:26:00.000-07:002011-08-21T18:40:51.830-07:00

One of the first places we visited in the park was the mud volcanos on the west side of the park. Both kids loved hiking through the mud volcano site. Little N listened well and stayed on the path, which made our lives a lot easier. Big N was pretty thrilled using my old digital camera to take his own photos. Little N was not a fan of the sulfur smell that was prevalent at the geothermic

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-90490766953883858932011-08-21T08:37:00.000-07:002011-09-09T08:00:16.858-07:00

This summer en route to the family reunion in North Dakota, we drove through Yellowstone National Park. We left on the morning of June 18th and arrived in the park on Father's Day (June 19th).We camped in Bozeman, Montana the night before and entered at the West entrance on Father's day. The drive into the park was beautiful on its own.From what I have heard about trips to Yellowstone, Father's

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-84974613389546174252011-08-20T11:16:00.000-07:002011-08-20T12:27:58.051-07:00

I owe the blog a number of posts. We've been so busy this summer, I feel like I am just now starting to catch up. At the end of June we went to my family reunion in Rock Lake, North Dakota. It was nice to see everyone and to meet my cousin's baby, G. His smile could warm anyone's heart. The kids got to see cousin A, who is walking up a storm More photos of baby A at the Family blog It is

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-32198921512095721472011-08-18T09:10:00.000-07:002011-08-18T13:21:13.789-07:00

Big N spent a week at the prep strings Summer camp here at CWU. Big N had the option to play the violin or the cello. He selected the Cello. He was been begging to play this since he attended the camp last year. He was disappointed that the early beginners during the school year only allows the kids to play violin, but he is holding out to play the cello next year. I was very proud of my little

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-31855927513831208622011-08-08T18:55:00.000-07:002011-08-08T20:23:57.242-07:00

Three weeks ago, I flew off to Bangalore for work. I flew home a week ago and Pete left for Boston the day after I got back. Needless to say, I am looking forward to talking to Pete when it doesn't involve first figuring out what time it is where the other person is. In honor of Pete coming home, I'm making one of his favorites. It is actually more of a recent favorite I've put together based

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-66154784395272885172011-08-06T19:30:00.001-07:002011-08-23T11:40:31.726-07:00

We recently signed up for a 1/2 share of a CSA produce delivery. At our pick-up, the nice lady in the booth at the Farmer's market slowly went over everything in the box, pulling each item out with the love and care she had put into growing it. I took the box home, placed the contents in the refrigerator and immediately forgot what she told me. We were on the way to Big N's concert and I was in

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-18265433681765062682011-07-17T23:10:00.000-07:002011-07-18T06:10:18.298-07:00

Today Thomas the Tank engine came to visit Seattle, well, Northbend. The kids were thrilled! The major hit of the day, other than the ride, was the garden railroad display at the railroad museum. Big N would have stood there all day if we had let him.The second big event was having Thomas run over some pennies. The kids thought that was pretty cool.We are convinced that this may be the last year

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-11272623316042472462011-07-09T12:35:00.000-07:002011-07-09T12:45:34.615-07:00

I had planed a long detailed blog post of our vacation, but we sadly came home to find one of our cats was no longer here. We're not sure how or when she got outside, but she has now been missing for three weeks. The house sitter never remembers seeing more than two cats in our home. I remember checking that all three cats were safely sleeping on the bed before we left. At some point between my

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-26542835956995732022011-07-01T07:35:00.000-07:002011-07-05T18:25:10.197-07:00

We have taken a two week vacation! I cannot remember ever taking this much time off in my adult life, other than maternity leave. We started off heading towards Yellowstone National Park. After a few days, we headed to Rocklake North Dakota. After the trip to North Dakota, we headed to South Dakota to visit My Rushmore. It has been a whirlwind trip. Overall this has been a very positive family

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-56375591899143034972011-06-14T06:32:00.000-07:002011-06-14T08:57:18.422-07:00

Big N has been participating in the CWU early strings program. He's really enjoyed it and we've all enjoyed seeing his excitement. Granted, there have been days where the last thing he wants to do is practice, but he is still happy to participate. He received a medal for his 1st year of involvement at the last concert just last week.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-66597118599863515152011-06-13T18:29:00.000-07:002011-06-13T18:29:00.136-07:00

Big N received a train from his Uncle Brian for his birthday. We let him take it out on special occasions because it is more fragile than anything he normally plays with. This occasion warranted a song and dance. Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-51386295929376387162011-06-13T07:52:00.000-07:002011-06-14T12:06:28.460-07:00

I caught Pete working on the fence yesterday... Its a little hard to see the orange line on the fly rod, but this was a break to practice casting a fly rod. To his credit, he has been slaving away at this fence for weeks now and he just received this fly rod.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-81115044437980356842011-06-12T20:03:00.000-07:002011-08-20T22:55:07.585-07:00

You would think that this wouldn't be my first pie recipe post, but it is. Today we are celebrating Father's day a little early. In honor of the day, I am making one of Pete's favorite desserts, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. The recipe grew out of suggestion to saute the rhubarb from a friend of mine and my strawberry rhubarb jam recipe. I use the perfect pie crust recipe for all my crusts. I

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-37242739043451640802011-05-31T21:50:00.000-07:002011-05-31T22:01:31.303-07:00

The tooth fairy came to visit Little N while she slept last night. The tooth fairy left five dollar coins in Little N's borrowed tooth pillow. However, Little N's wild sleeping habits sent the pillow flying and one of the dollars disappeared.Little N was disappointed, Big N was convinced her tooth must not have been clean enough since there was only $4 in the pillow. Big N had received $5 for his

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-81388580367340442432011-05-31T05:49:00.000-07:002011-06-13T15:55:13.271-07:00

Little N lost her first tooth yesterday evening! I was horribly unprepared, expecting her first tooth to come out much later using her older brother as a reference. Once again, I have proven to myself that by having two children all I am really sure of is how completely different they both can be.Luckily for me, Big N jumped in and offered his monster tooth pillow for the tooth fairy visit.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-32545683201907836502011-05-30T10:37:00.000-07:002011-05-30T10:52:09.029-07:00

My latest project has been a swim suit cover-up for Little N. It had to twirl and it needed a hood for wet hair. I also thought a pocket would be nice. The cover-up is loosely based off of one I came across on crafterhours blog. I used a sweatshirt to build my pattern and added a big front pocket. Little N could not have been more thrilled with the outcome. She wants to wear it as a dress. I

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-41823237836961574482011-05-14T20:15:00.000-07:002011-05-29T01:02:56.930-07:00

What is the definition of predatory Lending?DefinitionAny of a number of fraudulent, deceptive, discriminatory, or unfavorable lending practices. Many of these practices are illegal, while others are legal but not in the best interest of the borrowers.Sallie Mae is by definition a company with a number of unfavorable lending practices. At this point, let's disregard the fact that a student loan

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-74163701098420048452011-04-27T07:30:00.000-07:002011-04-27T08:45:28.023-07:00

I try to put on a smile and explain how great my working situation is, but in reality the silence SUCKS! I think it was tolerable when the kids were here with the nanny a few years back. It was a bubble of happy noise that wafted into the office during the day. Now, there is nothing. If I'm lucky I can hear the creaks and groans of the house on a windy day.It doesn't help that the group

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-15080764153232669592011-04-05T19:02:00.000-07:002011-04-05T19:25:31.441-07:00

Big N has been chewing on his hands for weeks. He finely determined that his lower front tooth was lose. Once we informed him that meant the Tooth Fairy would come to visit, he began to work on loosening the lower tooth every chance he got. His efforts resulted in a positive result this morning. He found his tooth in his bed and has been bubbling about it all day. We are now waiting for the Tooth

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-90351232476431418872011-02-01T18:55:00.000-08:002011-02-01T19:14:58.007-08:00

I picked up this cute cupcake fabric because it was adorable. At the time, I had other intentions for the fabric. I saw it as a cute bag, but around Little N's birthday I thought it was a future little girl dress.Little N is in love, she spun and would not hold still. This means I have met her criteria for a dress. If it doesn't spin, she will not wear it. I also love this color of blue on her

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-83101814542578096862010-12-06T20:33:00.000-08:002010-12-06T20:35:34.249-08:00

Big N tried on the tie and promptly made faces for the camera. He did look very cute in his Christmas bell tie.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-79625282870691282542010-12-05T19:21:00.000-08:002010-12-05T19:46:33.178-08:00

Big N has a violin concert, his first, tomorrow evening. In honor of the upcoming concert, I killed a tie. Sorry, Mom, this was a tie my mom gave to Pete a few years ago. He hasn't been wearing is because it was always a little too short. I put it to a much cuter use. I planned on using a tutorial I came across on hideousdreadfulstinky's blog. The tutorial is really well written and I finished

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-8333840970991966702010-11-30T06:02:00.000-08:002010-11-30T09:09:12.357-08:00

I am still playing catch-up on posts, and this one is no exception. The coat was finished on September 13th.Last spring, I made Big N a fleece coat with Clifford on it. Little N also wanted a coat, with princesses on it. I made the same size for both kids, so I wanted to finish Big N's first, to make sure it was done before it was too small. Little N was very patient, waiting for her princess

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-4240351974063775982010-11-29T18:17:00.000-08:002010-11-29T18:17:31.390-08:00

I recently had the pleasure of going to a baby shower for my friend M. In honor of her soon-to-be-born baby K, I knit a very fast sweater. This is one of my go-to patterns and it seems to be a hit for all the new moms. I also knit the buttons into the sweater. It is safer than sewing them on as far as I am concerned. The only way the buttons will come off is if the sweater completely falls apart.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-34365705442370732512010-11-28T21:13:00.000-08:002010-11-29T13:09:13.489-08:00

Both the Ns and I made cookies on Saturday. The kids had wanted to do a rolled sugar cookie using cutters. I decided to try the recipe on the back of the last bag of sugar. I haven't found a sugar cookie recipe I really like, so this one appeared to be as good as any other. There was a slight problem in that the dough was a drop cookie dough, not a rolled cookie dough. The kids were having no

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-45055913448057911442010-11-27T12:43:00.000-08:002010-11-27T12:45:34.843-08:00

Shhh.... don't tell the office manager where I work, but I gave my son a pad of post-it notes out of my desk. He is making great use of them, leaving love post-its all over the house. I didn't know how much I could appreciate a pad of post-it notes.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-7086963927276418772010-11-26T15:36:00.001-08:002010-11-26T15:40:59.995-08:00

Big N has been taking the preparatory strings program at CWU and he's really enjoying it. He seems to find issue with the holding still part, but hopefully he will grow out of that at some point. He really loves listening to violins play, but prefers the music that also has someone singing.Practice this evening

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-59088010854946127722010-11-25T20:32:00.000-08:002010-11-26T15:35:44.369-08:00

We had a great time with all our guests. Happy Thanksgiving!

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-35927519346921550472010-11-24T16:52:00.000-08:002010-11-24T16:58:38.056-08:00

It snowed over the weekend and continued through Monday. Tuesday morning, we woke to 4+ inches. It has been an excellent week to take a few days off. While Big N was at school, Little N and I took the opportunity to play in the back yard. Little N is officially an excellent snow angel artist.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-65706177602217037392010-11-23T16:46:00.000-08:002010-11-24T17:16:22.790-08:00

I'm slightly behind on this post, considering this is the week of Thanksgiving.I made Little N's costume this year, perhaps I should use that as the excuse for not posting since August considering I've been sewing since August. Little N wanted to be a purple and pink princess. These are, of course, the only color options she would consider and the brighter the better. I had a lot of fun sewing

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-75217755182795211682010-11-19T08:05:00.000-08:002010-11-19T09:02:22.762-08:00

Some days are harder than others to be a working mom. Its hard to not see your kids all day and to realize how your own impact on what they see and learn is lessening every day.Did the Feminists of my childhood lie to all of us little girls when they said you truly could have it all? I'm not sure if I have it all. I have a fulfilling job and the student loans to show for it. But, am I missing out

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-28414679400190845352010-10-15T06:42:00.000-07:002010-10-15T07:47:59.513-07:00

I am convinced that local businesses really don't want to do business in town. Stores close at 5PM some even before 4PM. If you work a traditional 40 hour a week desk job, forget being able to do ANY business locally. Unless you are looking for a good bar or restaurant, THEN you are set.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-27873128687580941712010-08-05T07:46:00.000-07:002010-11-26T15:41:16.658-08:00

Big N is participating in music camp through the local University. He is having a blast!I love how he moves his knees while he moves.Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-1855006713155050422010-07-20T19:10:00.000-07:002010-07-20T20:52:54.052-07:00

The kids spent an entire week at Grandpa and Grandma's house. They were able to go to Vacation Bible School at Grandma and Grandpa's church in Everett. Pete and I took advantage of the quiet and went on vacation!Pete and I drove to Winthrop over the Cascade highway, starting in Everett. We spent a few days at Sun Mountain, horse back riding and hiking. It was gorgeous! I have never seen so many

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-33630355869769122762010-07-18T18:00:00.000-07:002011-07-09T12:46:45.858-07:00

We will miss you, Molly.2008 with Little NHanging out in a sun spot in my officeHer favorite spot to sleep

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-44111813548559991732010-07-04T20:59:00.000-07:002010-07-04T21:04:54.781-07:00

Little N made her first pie!She rolled out the crust using the scraps from the larger pie we made for the fourth of July dinner. She managed to roll out the crust, and place it into the mini-heart-shaped cake pan. She filled the crust with apples and then rolled the top crust, all by herself. She managed to place the crust neatly on top of the mini-pie. She needed a little help sealing the two

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-81901491335419315992010-06-09T05:21:00.001-07:002010-06-09T05:22:02.315-07:00

The second nightie and she loved it! I made the ruffle longer to show the pig print better.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-51080920472321305192010-06-01T17:45:00.000-07:002010-06-01T18:38:08.249-07:00

For Mother's day, the kids picked out a beautiful hanging planter for my front porch. I have been watering it every evening. In the span of one day, the planter went from a flower pot to a bird home! We moved the planter to the ground to discourage its use for a bird's nest and so far the birds have not been back. Unfortunately for the birds, right next to my front door is not an ideal location

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-69386833808572420682010-05-30T20:54:00.001-07:002010-06-12T08:47:07.265-07:00

Little N picked out the fabric for her nightgowns. This is the first nightie of two. I actually made this one in a size six, but shortened the gown considerably. When it does finally fit, it will land near her knees. She actually sat next to me at my sewing machine while I worked. She wanted to wear it to bed this evening and insisted that I finish it as soon as possible. Little N appears to be

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-2064093896613764272010-05-04T08:11:00.000-07:002010-05-04T08:22:27.209-07:00

It is pirate day at Big N's kindergarten and he put a lot of thought into his outfit. He was a little disappointed that I couldn't sew him a striped shirt this morning. The boy has high regard for my limited skill-set with a sewing machine. He was ok with a plain white t-shirt, but only after reading his teacher's letter twice on the detailed description of what a pirate wears. He did insist that

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-91753999459406129122010-04-27T19:58:00.000-07:002010-04-27T19:58:00.443-07:00

Apparently, the easiest way to make your man happy is to suggest he cooks a chicken on top of a beer can on the grill. Chicken + beer + flames out of the side of the grill = A very happy Pete

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-84063221361298561922010-04-22T14:15:00.000-07:002010-04-24T20:00:52.813-07:00

Little N loves dresses. I've sewed at least 4 for her recently, but she complained they didn't spin. I have made simply A-line tank style dresses so far. I decided to get creative and go off the pattern, or off the reservation. I visualized it with a large skirt and thought I could simply make a series of ruffles. I guessed at the amount of fabric, assuming 1/4 yard per tier. Then 1/2 yard for

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-54005257919085083182010-04-21T13:35:00.000-07:002010-04-22T13:41:32.300-07:00

The kids and I had a picnic the other day. It was 70 degrees out and the wind was mild. We drove over to the west Ellensburg park and sat down next to the play structure. Both kids had a blast. We watched the kites, played on the play structure and blew bubbles. It was a great day. By the time we got Little N home, she took a 2 hour nap.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-60418688853602326482010-03-27T22:09:00.000-07:002010-03-29T22:27:45.395-07:00

I had a bright idea as I looked at one of Pete's shirts destined for the rag bag. The front was stained beyond what I would allow him to wear in public, but I thought that the shirt had a better future if I could re-purpose it. I cut off the sleeves and modified an existing pattern for a little boy's shirt to work around the stains and pen marks. The last photo is Big N in the finished product

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-19728915244328114882010-03-25T19:07:00.000-07:002010-03-25T11:14:55.136-07:00

We spent a day and a half in New York City and we were able to take the kids, my parents and my sister Jenny to the Natural History Museum. Little N was looking for the dinosaurs and she had a blast. Big N wanted to find the space ship. I think we were all completely worn out by the end of the day.Little N's dinosaur teethBig N and PeteTrying to find the space ship

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-61274397223789680972010-03-16T06:56:00.000-07:002010-03-16T15:33:37.158-07:00

Little N and I had a tea party the other day. It was a lot of fun for everyone involved. She enjoys real tea with milk and sugar. I have to agree, what's not to love?We also had snacks with our tea. Little N made one type tea sandwiches. I sliced some cheese for her and she made crackers with cheese sandwiches. She suggested that we serve fruit and strawberry jam sandwiches, too. She especially

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-73159680685053525742010-03-15T22:45:00.000-07:002010-03-15T22:54:40.450-07:00

I have been sewing up a storm lately. I broke my New Year's resolution and purchased some fleece for a jacket for the kids. Big N saw the clifford fabric while we were picking up thread for something else and begged me to make him something. It did not hurt that it was on sale, so I bent my rule a little bit and made him a coat. I managed to cut out the alternating Clifford dogs such that ALL of

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-13065222391281237692010-02-28T20:43:00.001-08:002010-05-04T08:26:15.544-07:00

Birthdays have become a week long festival in the Richmond household. First there is the party at kindergarten. This involves cupcakes and a poster all about Big N! Big N filled out all the questions and then spent a considerable amount of time going through photos to figure out which ones should be included. Teddy bear made the cut in 2 out of the 5 photos. A few days later, there was another

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-4650276749336536462010-02-23T21:17:00.000-08:002010-02-24T05:02:32.751-08:00

How would you like to find THIS in the mail?Uncle Brian and soon-to-be Auntie Barbara sent a package in the mail and the kids made good use of the box. It was hard to get Big N out.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-55924861465481946292010-02-23T19:32:00.000-08:002010-02-23T19:32:00.177-08:00

You could not tell that it was February this past weekend. The coats weren't really necessary and the sunshine was fantastic! The dogs played fetch, the kids played on the play structure and the sun shined. If it wasn't for the winter color to the grass, you would have no idea the photos were taken in was February!

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-39012753658616524662010-02-15T22:27:00.000-08:002010-02-16T08:16:34.130-08:00

Little N can accessorize anything!

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-38719539035038751932010-02-15T19:01:00.001-08:002010-02-15T19:13:13.748-08:00

Big N expressed an interest in playing T-ball. Sign-ups were last week, but playing doesn't start for a while. Never the less, Pete wanted to make sure Big N was ready with a mitt. He also wanted to practice with him outside, especially now that it is so unseasonably warm.During Pete's day off, he took the kids to get a mitt for Big N. Little N wouldn't leave the store without one for her, too. I

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-10238445910038948462010-02-14T20:31:00.000-08:002010-03-02T09:11:59.238-08:00

Just in time for Spring, we have snowflakes! Little N wore this dress to church this morning. As I mentioned earlier, my New Year's resolution has been to use up what I have, as far as craft projects. I purchased a beautiful blue corduroy fabric with white snowflakes before Big N was born. And, yes, that was 6 years ago. The plan had been to make overalls out of it. After Little N was born, I

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-23277216382221352732010-02-11T22:10:00.000-08:002010-02-11T22:32:04.931-08:00

I have a recently finished project, and I will admit I was finishing this hours before I gave it as a gift. Photos were taken in the hotel shortly after weaving in the last end.The pattern is called the Pea Pod Baby Set. I happened to come across the pattern a few years ago and decided to print it out on the off chance that I would have someone to make it for. I loved the cables on this pattern,

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-75169588220628240852010-02-11T18:03:00.000-08:002010-02-11T18:04:30.152-08:00

It has been a while since I have posted and I have been meaning to talk about the recent... or at this point, not so recent, cross country flights to Auntie Jenny and Uncle Chris's wedding.I am fairly certain I am not alone in this, but flying with your kids is scary. You pray that the kids won't kick the seat in front of them for the entire 5 hour flight. Perhaps they will fall asleep shortly

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-61991275652960299962010-01-01T00:46:00.001-08:002010-01-01T00:56:06.765-08:00

Good morning and Happy New year!Big N decided that we should have a family New Year's party. His idea of a party involved making a cake. I agreed, a cake on New Year's is only a good idea.Big N helped me make 2 little cakes while Little N was napping. I have four mini cake pans in the shape of a heart which seem more appropriate for an Easy bake oven than a normal oven. The pans are about the

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-895803084235054072009-12-31T07:35:00.000-08:002009-12-31T12:38:46.530-08:00

My new year's resolution is to use up some of the fabric and yarn I already own and make some things. It is New Year's eve, and I've already made a small dent.Here we have brand new flannel jammies pants for Big N. He loves them, and not just because they match the sheets I made him a few years ago.Instead of using a pattern, I based these off of a pair of pants he loves. I made them narrower, as

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-21029055733878657012009-12-29T14:48:00.000-08:002009-12-29T16:38:50.118-08:00

Little N on her first birthdayLittle N just turned 4 this month. This birthday, she was slightly less into her cake, but not by much. She had a birthday with friends from her day care room. We had cake as a family the following weekend. Neva was pretty excited about her birthday party. She really wanted to wear her dress up clothes, but decided she wouldn't want cake all over them.She had fun

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-38508140575411243392009-12-28T14:46:00.000-08:002009-12-28T14:47:37.260-08:00

Big N's kindergarten class put together a recipe book full of their favorite recipes for Thanksgiving. I was very proud of Big N for selecting Apple Pie as his favorite. He really liked being able to pick the apples for his pie. An acquaintance cut this out of the local paper for us.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-65949069191671093862009-11-25T17:27:00.001-08:002009-11-25T17:45:15.085-08:00

Ever since the city of Ellensburg announced the cut to the kindergarten program it has been apparent that the kids are truly the ones losing in this situation. However, it is surprising just how much they are losing.If you do not have a kindergartner in Ellensburg, you may not be aware of what the budget cuts have done. The city proposed 1/2 day only kindergarten with no bus service in the middle

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-68787309513585793532009-11-09T15:25:00.000-08:002009-11-10T00:26:27.780-08:00

Big N has recently learned how to take the bus from school to the house. I made a trip to the school office, filled out the paperwork and was assured that he would only do this when a note had been sent from home. Pete was not happy with this decision. He was concerned that Big N would somehow manage to get onto the bus to the house without a note and end up at the house when no one is home. I

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-35349343846542439612009-10-05T14:34:00.000-07:002009-10-05T14:42:40.875-07:00

The dogs were barking like crazy this afternoon, so I walked outside to see what was going on. Lucy is on her front paws just barking and barking at this little guy. It did occur to me AFTER I took a quick photo and brought the dogs inside that perhaps leaving it in the backyard without knowing what it was, let alone whether it is poisonous, might not have been the smartest thing I've ever done.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-10698139784007095152009-09-28T20:59:00.000-07:002010-04-17T15:56:08.337-07:00

They have gone two evenings in a row and Nate is hooked. He likes to play while Pete watches the bobbers, but seems pretty thrilled to get a bite. This evening he caught two!

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-47519871202407822252009-09-23T21:13:00.000-07:002009-09-23T21:42:19.942-07:00

I happened to make a comment to a friend of mine that the puppies have not been as destructive on our home now that they are not puppies. We've actually taken to letting them have the run of the house when we aren't there, which is a huge change from last fall.Most days I find them basking in the sun, leaving my house alone. However, they puppies haven't completely given up their puppy hood. The

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-59400739701058078322009-09-20T20:46:00.000-07:002009-09-20T20:48:49.547-07:00

A photo montage from the fair over labor day weekend.Little N didn't bother to wait for daddy or Big N before jetting down the big slide.Big N LOVED the bumper carsBoth kids LOVED the airplanes.The hit, the toddler obstacle course ending with a giant slide

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-70868609508419086682009-09-16T22:11:00.000-07:002009-09-17T07:24:43.243-07:00

The kids have been guinea pig sitting for almost a month now. Well, really they get to give the guinea pigs carrots or celery and I get to clean out the cage. Big N surprised me on how well has has done with the animals. He can be very careful with them. Its been nice to see how well he can treat the guinea pigs.Petting the pigs has almost become a morning ritual. Once both kids figured out that

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-63495339861751724462009-09-15T19:52:00.000-07:002009-09-15T21:34:54.397-07:00

Big N is has started kindergarten. Today was actually his second day of school and his first day on the school bus. He was so excited to take the bus. I'm curious if he actually remained seated on the ride considering his legs were more like little springs as he bubbled over with excitment.After the bus pulled away, I waited a few minutes before driving towards the elementary school to watch him

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-55927617931476082422009-09-13T13:38:00.000-07:002009-09-13T13:40:05.902-07:00

Lucy LOVES puddles. You can't tell from this photo, but her legs are usually white.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-71326430976837190062009-09-10T06:57:00.000-07:002009-09-10T11:59:54.112-07:00

There is one, solo fact that seems to be omitted from any working-from-home description, you will be in isolation-ville. In my case, here in Ellensburg, it is Isolation-burg.I am spending my life in silence (since my stereo speakers finally kicked the bucket). It is a deafening silence, without the office clatter of your co-workers or the occasional eruption from my boss in the next cube. Its

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-9768836272482772102009-09-02T22:32:00.000-07:002009-09-02T22:43:34.462-07:00

Our good friends came home for a visit. They brought baby Davis out to stay with grandma and our happily embracing their new title of Davis' mom and Davis' dad.We were glad to meet up with them over breakfast at John's childhood home. Big N enjoyed playing with John's childhood cars and plains. Little N was quite happy rocking on the giant Llama. They did not hesitate to make themselves at

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-33214700754530236872009-09-01T21:15:00.000-07:002009-09-01T21:15:00.840-07:00

My sister recently came out for a short visit. While she was home, mom pulled out her wedding gown for Jenny to try on. Little N had a blast helping Aunt Jenny with the train as a nightgown-clad bridesmaid.Little N has decided she is ready to get married.The blushing bride

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-42229533698987434292009-09-01T19:09:00.000-07:002009-09-01T19:10:04.357-07:00

August has a little known distinction. It is the annual give-your-neighbor-giant-zucchini month. This holiday is very well know to anyone with a neighbor, co-worker, friend or somewhat casual acquaintance with a garden full Zucchini. Giant Zucchini are somewhat intimidating, but we are making a huge effort to use those two ginormous yellow zucchinis our neighbor so kindly bestowed upon us.We have

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-91145537713875653852009-08-13T19:47:00.000-07:002009-08-13T19:47:00.671-07:00

In Teddy Bear years, Teddy is aging very, very well. He seems to have a birthday every week and sometimes twice a week. Big N will announce that today or tomorrow is Teddy's birthday and we need to have a party. Teddy is typically pretty happy with a Lego cake, but I thought Big N might like a real cupcake party.I came across a fantastic vanilla cupcake recipe and had the bright idea that 9PM on

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-79400950875697530462009-08-13T18:49:00.000-07:002009-08-13T18:56:57.648-07:00

They say the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, but in some cases perhaps what they should say is you just need to invest in a good sprinkler and run through it a few times on a sunny day. In that case, you wouldn't have to look over the fence.Our front yard

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-20051604401677108492009-08-05T19:39:00.000-07:002009-08-14T10:12:46.837-07:00

The lake has gone to the dogs. Lucy is much more of a fan of jumping into the water than Max, but Max is not shy about stealing her toy once she does get close to the water's edge.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-29760036660859804742009-07-30T21:00:00.000-07:002009-07-30T21:21:30.264-07:00

My entire family fears voice mail, and I will admit that does include me.Instead of leaving a message, we hang up, usually within seconds of hearing a third ring. When I am the recipient of these calls, 9 times out of 10, I tend to just come across the portable phone in time to hear a dial tone. It doesn't end here. With the dawn of the cell phone, the caller can go through the entire list of

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-21455801777968367362009-07-27T20:45:00.000-07:002009-07-27T20:47:27.513-07:00

How many engineers does it take to figure out that the GFI plug in the garage flipped the power off to the water filter?Apparently, two engineers is not the correct answer. It actually only takes one nice technician from the water filter company. On the plus side, the other problems with the filter will be fixed, soon.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-64332069369655424712009-07-26T10:45:00.000-07:002011-06-13T09:35:42.378-07:00

I love to cook. Anyone who knows me will agree to that. Whether I cook well or not is debatable, but I do enjoy trying new things.My latest cooking experimentations have included peppers. In particular, spicier peppers. I've grilled peppers as a side dish and added them to mango salsa over shrimp. My most recent attempt was an oven roasted pepper dip. I've made this before with only sweet peppers

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-50761569224074391862009-07-22T22:09:00.000-07:002009-07-28T21:38:57.733-07:00

I am fairly certain that whomever said "Silence is golden" did not live with a three year old.Sometimes silence can mean that mommy will be very busy cleaning in the very near future.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-56282803306964079702009-07-15T21:31:00.000-07:002009-07-15T21:51:19.071-07:00

Last Saturday was the day out with Thomas at the Northwest Railroad museum near snoqualmie falls. It was a bit of an early morning trek and the kids really didn't want to get out of bed until we mentioned who they were going to see. We managed to get on the road about 20 minutes late and made a mad dash for the train ride at 9AM.Big N and little N did fantastic on and off the ride. We have

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-45959216780759141552009-07-14T22:07:00.000-07:002009-07-14T22:26:40.439-07:00

Little N is very particular about her hair. If she has a pony tail in, it will be out in 20 minutes. The hair will also be in her eyes and she will not be happy. It appears that long hair is not something she appreciates all that much. Before:After

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-40762616739647340012009-06-06T02:51:00.000-07:002009-06-06T02:56:51.879-07:00

Little N climbed into my bed and hid under the covers.Grandma and Little N during a recent visitRunning from the sprinklerApple budsBig N's beautiful eyelashes.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-90402524228990159502009-05-29T23:02:00.000-07:002009-05-30T11:33:02.119-07:00

We've had some plumbing issues lately. Really, Pete has had plumbing issues, because I leave the pleasant surprises for him once they go beyond my level of capabilities.Aren't I a wonderful wife?More than once, we are surprised by a mass that will not flush. It has been discouraging to try to figure out what is going on. My poor daughter has suffered most of the blame due to the timing of her

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-12426775174224541922009-05-28T18:22:00.000-07:002009-05-28T20:22:09.942-07:00

Our trees are blooming... They are beautiful and a reminder how fast the winter has flown by. The days are getting warmer and longer. We are once again able to enjoy the lingering sunshine on the back porch after dinner.About two weeks ago, on one such evening, the kids were playing on the slide and I noticed the blossoms. The light had a pink cast to it, warming up everything in view. I

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-39466544016191825902009-05-27T23:20:00.000-07:002009-05-28T11:33:01.819-07:00

Wordless Wednesday after a long hiatus of life just being too busy.Time to find the lens hood. Oops!

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-31674242359482240462009-04-27T22:14:00.000-07:002009-04-27T22:35:08.824-07:00

Seattle has a very moderate climate for weather. In fact, I can remember two thunderstorms in the 10+ years I lived there. I've always missed the big thunderstorms that we used to get late in the summer on the east coast. We had a storm this evening. Not a big one that rocks and rolls, but enough to scare the dogs and make the kids cuddle in close. Right before the storm started, I noticed a

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-42911929336301415142009-04-26T16:06:00.000-07:002009-04-26T19:52:55.127-07:00

We had planned on hamburgers tonight for dinner, that is until my daughter was napping and Pete was somewhere in the land management land with the dogs AND I realized we didn't have hamburger rolls. Big N and I decided we could make some because there was no way I wanted to wake up little N to drag her off to the store on a Sunday afternoon.The rolls smell fantastic. I had enough dough that I

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-73942359951119312412009-04-13T21:36:00.000-07:002009-04-13T21:36:01.274-07:00

Here is Big N in his finished Christmas Easter Vest!The completion of the vest hit a few snags. First, when I had originally finished it on December 23rd, the neck was too small for Big N's noggin with the neck band attached. The other problem is the size 4 was great around his mid-section, but beyond too short on his belly. This observation resulted in removal of the neckband, and the poor vest

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-68091767354870391932009-04-13T05:44:00.000-07:002009-08-14T10:13:30.118-07:00

Big N and Little N colored eggs on Saturday. We used regular food dye to color them and the colors were really nice. You also have a lot more control over how deep the color is then the little tablet packets. Not to mention, you don't spend anything extra on a one-time use item.The kids had a blast making a mess! My kitchen smelled like boiled eggs and vinegar for the rest of the night, but no

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-68829937989166630132009-04-12T19:57:00.000-07:002009-04-27T07:28:02.206-07:00

You might never know...The bread we served was especially delicious with the strawberry rhubarb jam we made last summer.I didn't bother shaping it into a loaf, instead making a rustic loaf baked on the pizza stone.

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-70116415013165035882009-04-11T18:05:00.000-07:002009-04-26T17:11:05.083-07:00

Little N was watching me make some bread dough. I am planning on proofing it over night and baking it tomorrow before we have dinner with Pete's mom and sister.Little N reached into the bowl and yanked off a piece of dough. I didn't stop her, there weren't any eggs in the recipe and I had sampled it myself to make sure it wasn't too salty. I turned around for a second and looked back to see her

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484134131784778421.post-66712476168844964942009-04-04T15:23:00.000-07:002009-04-05T15:45:50.345-07:00

This week the pass has been dumped on with snow, but today the weather was beautiful. This morning we tossed the sled into the car and took the kids up to the pass to see if we could find a spot to sled. We finally ended up at one of the ski resorts. The summit had closed for the season. It was a bit of a hike in, where Pete and I would sink to our knees in the two feet of fresh snow, but the

Melanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03987982201826397987noreply@blogger.com1