3 things to share Monday.



photoshoot props

1

We were busy a couple weeks ago taking our Christmas photos.  Not an easy task, but out of about a 100 clicks - we did get one that will be on the front of our cards!  Here's a sneak peak @ our photoshoot props!



Hawk, me, and Mr. T

2

 Hawk and Mr. T both love to sit in my lap when I read them a book.  They both assume that they get the prime spot right in the center of my lap.  It's really cute to watch!  And even cuter, that they don't fight about it.  They both fit just perfectly - there favorite book right now is The Little Blue Truck.



Mr. T and Mr. C

3

Mr. T loves to help.  Thats Mr. Ruff Ruff on his right and that's Mr. C (aka daddy) on the right.  Mr. T was pivotal in helping get our Christmas Tree just right in it's stand.  I love this photo!

What is your favorite book you reading with your kids now?

Have you sent your cards yet?

How many photos did you snap before you got the right one!?

My own writer's block.

I am in a writing block.  I am certain it comes from having too much to say and not knowing what I should write about first!  Here's everything I can think of that I've wanted to write about but haven't:

1. I am turning 38 on Thursday! 
2. My parents come into town next week for a much anticipated visit.  They haven't seen the boys since November - they've grown a bit since then! 
3. Nika is signed up again this year for our local college's basketball camp.  She's hoping she won't be the youngest this time.
4. Elise is signed up for Ballet camp and will be performing her first big stage performance in June.  She is just a little bit excited!
5. Our home is under a mass regorganizing and orderizing process.  We felt bogged by the way it's been organized, even the way the furniture has been laid out.  With the boys a little older, it was time to really get things under control inside.  It has been wonderful - it really makes a difference :)
6.  We are almost done selling Acorn Cottage.  We've been carrying two mortgages and are grateful to finally be able to have just one.  We are going to miss it though.  The sale of it, really is the last thing left from our time in Montreal.  It was so wonderful to have it.  I have some great posts from their.
7. I finally finished the boy's room. It's been over a year since we intended to get it finished, but with wallpaper and sanding and filling all the holes - it took a year...I am going to make a full post on it soon.
8. I've been doing some sewing and alterations to the clothes I have to refurbish them and try to make some of them more modest.  I am loving upstyling and recycling right now.
9. I still feel great about going private.  I do, however, wish my years of posts about crafting and other things I want to share with the public could be available.  Other than reposting all of it - I think it's staying put.
10. We just got a new bishop in our ward.  Our RS presidents husband!  This means my calling as 2nd counselor may change and the boy's are now in Nursery!  Can you believe it?  They are now 18 months.  Life is flying by.

I hope to come to your blogs soon- thanks everyone for your support :)

Here are some photos of what we've been up to:



Nika at our town's garden club sale hanging with the Llama!



The boys in my favorite PJ's helping Craig get their wagon built.



This is my modest dress project.  It's an old navy dress cut below the bustline,
then sewn together with a shirt I had.  I have more details on it here.





There it is!


Do you like to repurpose clothing?



Week-Ends and Book-Ends

 I get in the habit of only show the "best" photos on this blog.  Why?  Because I want too!  Here is a look at what happens when four kids (mainly the two littles) just don't want to take a photo...

...won't sit still, screams, and refuses to let me take a photo...

 ...oh look, much of the same...

...and now it's time for the forward move.  I gave up!  Next time, Right?

I have been taking what I like to "Flash Family Photos"  randomly every Sunday.  Whatever we look like, whatever our moods, I randomly pick a moment, set up the tri-pod, and push the 10 second timer.  Whatever we get - is what we get!  It's fun and captures that moment on that Sunday!

i heart pajamas.

I am loving these cute little bums.  They are both sporting there own Old Navy (consigned!!) PJ's in the shortie style.  There is something so sweet about little babes and their pajamas.  It must be because, one - they are so cute in them, and two - it's our snuggle time.  The end of the day is one of  favorite times.  When everyone is calming down.  When it's bottle time and I get to hold them and put them safe in their bed.    But before it's bedtime, these 17 month olds (can you believe it?!) are...

...spinning wheels....

...and finding balls to bounce....

Do you love PJ's?

Cici and Nini's California Beach Room.

Cici and Nini have settled nicely into their attic room.  It has been turning slowly into their own California beach paradise.  Part of their dream is to road trip it to Cali to live and work at Disneyland.  Surprisingly, this dream  of theirs hasn't changed since they were four.  So it wouldn't surprise me if they do end-up on the beaches of the west soaking up the sun and working at the big D!    A few details about the decorations include a $12.99 beach sign from TJ Max, surfer wall art from Michael's at close to $30.00,  $10.00 (with removable cover) body pillows at Walmart, $1.00 beach bag stuffed with their beach-themed stuffies, recycled rainbow fleece, 99cent butterflies from Micheal's, recycled from my own collection - a Target Eiffel tower lamp, and an old desk we found in our barn.  This is a slow decorating process - so keep tuned for more posts about Cici and Nini's Beach Room!

Are you dreaming of warm beach sun?

Moving Furniture: When it finally fits.

The moment I saw this hutch - I loved it.  The woman that owned the house before us what an antique and reproduction dealer and this was one of her pieces.  Fortunately for me, with a little negotiation- it is now mine!  I've had it in several places, one being the wall below:


I asked my husband weeks ago if he could help me move it and he always chimed "later honey" (I'm not positive there was even a honey thrown in!).  It was driving me crazy and shutting off the kitchen, until inspiration hit me.  I just new it would look the best in the kitchen nook.  The nook is not a large square foot area, but it had an empty wall and enough space for my treasured hutch.  Ahh.

Do you fret over furniture placement?

Isn't it just a relief when you find the perfect place!?

Brothers and Sisters.

I came in with bottles for the babes bed time and this is what I fell upon...

moments like these make it all worth it.

What else do I need to say?!

Teaching my children the art of embroidery - I hope!

  

I was completely blown away by the girl's excitement about this little project we've started for someone in our family.  Ok, more then blown away.  I was hoping to teach crocheting to them, but for the sake of the children - I opted to teach them something I thought I would have more patience teaching!

Did you know that there are five (5) main embroidery stitches: cross stitch, straight stitch, diagonal stitch, composite stitch, and looped stitch.  You can use this site here for your expert definitions on these different types of stitching.  I used the simple straight stitch  on this lesson by drawing one of my mystryoshka doll patterns (later post) on a pre-made needle point bookmark.  The hardest part really was learning how to thread the needle (the whole patience thing).  The concept of the straight stitch was very easy for them.  They needed help, sure, but they are enjoyed themselves.  I even heard one of them say I could do this all day!

They didn't do it all day but for an hour and half I was in home economic bliss, my friends.   I will produce the end results once these little beauties have been delivered to their owner. 

Do you work well when teaching these types of projects?

A floor love story.

Painted stairs and landing in our home

I adore this floor on most days.  Creative are the colors and stenciling, all indicative of it's 19th century time stamp.  I often wonder who walked here?  Who played on it's floorboards?  How many times was it wept upon or stomped on?  There are a few days when I see it's age.  I see the lines and cracks and faded paint.  Those days come and go as I am inspired by the history this floor has seen. This floor reminds me of life and it's ups and downs, the weathering of our bodies through time and the memories we create with each step. 

When to give-up your me time.

What exactly is me time between us moms?  Is it the honor of going to the grocery store on our own – to shop for the family?  Doing laundry without children in the room?  Doing finances during naptime?  Me time 95% of this time is doing something for my family.  Normally I don't mind.  Do you?  It's a part of who I am right now and what needs to be.  But, sometimes mama (me) needs a little real me time.  And so I tried it today.  On my way home from Hawk's doctor appointment, I ran into Subway to get my favorite sub and headed home.  I put the boys to bed, popped on some TV, and hoped to read a library book called Homemade Marketplace....

But, guilt set in.  I had a messy office that needed organinzing.  So I ate my sandwich watched a little TV and hoped to finish the office and still find some of that me time...

 Enter, Mr. T.  He had dutifully fallen asleep at noon while his brother wailed and played in his crib for an hour and a half.  He was awoke by Hawk and although he went to sleep for a little more - he was wide awake when I went to check on them.  Hawk was asleep and I pulled little T out of his crib.  My time had officially ended, but I had something better in mind. 

My me time became a much beloved play date with my first little boy Mr. T.   Moments like these do not come along very often, moms with twins - you know what I mean!  Well, lets be honest, all moms know what I mean.

 We got to work making homemade whole wheat pizza crust for our dinner.  We had a blast getting messy together.  He spend most of the time giggling at the sound of the mixer and putting flour in his mouth and then gagging - and laughing.  At the end of the day what's important to me is being their for my kids.  I get enough time here and there that can equal as time for myself - for now!

We ended our little date with a kiss!

Do you believe in mommy me time?

When was your last date with your little man or little lady?

What age should parents start having these individualized dates?

Four kids, and snow all over the ground, will lead to a few bad days.  I was pouting woe is me less than a month ago, when I was having a particularly bad day.  To find something to be grateful for I said to myself at least my children are healthy.  This isn't to say I don't have more to be grateful for - it was just one of those days.  Not a day later, or it seemed, Hawk was throwing up everywhere, and then it was everyone elses turn - except mine, gratefully.  Saturday night, Hawk became sick again.  Right now I am watching him for dehydration and hoping that his little nibbles of food and the liquids I give him are enough.  I am grateful that he is not worse and that his little spark is slowly returning. Admittedly, it is harder to find my gratitude on days like today; but on a day like today, is when I need gratitude the most. 

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quiet Tippity Taps.

Grandma and Hawk look out as the girls throw snowballs at the window.

Quiet Tippity Taps

There is snow on top of us

snow on the sides of us

snow underneath us

and snow falling from the sky.

It whips and whirls

when the wind blows.

It sticks to the roads and the trees.

Inside he waits for his big Sis

who smiles at him from the white outdoors.

Something white comes his way, he flinches.

It hits the window with quiet tippity taps.

He giggles at the sight and waits for more.

His big sister blushes at the joy she bring him.
Throwing snow, again and again.
Inside and Outside there is brightness and warmth
as the snow continues to fall.

to Cici and my little Hawk.

The Lone Icicle.

I walked outside mid-afternoon one day last week and walked down to get our mail.  I came back and fished around in our van for a couple of items and returned to our front entrance way.  I turned around to look at something and was momentarily captured by a bit of confusion.  There before my eyes was a large icicle hanging in the center of our telephone wires that cross our property to our house. 

It was quite a sight!  During a brief interruption in cold and snowy weather, New England a day that rose above freezing.  This icicle, which originally surrounded the power lines on the corner of our home (top right) broke free and slid down the line. It has since fallen to the ground. 

There first snow day...



{Mr. T crawled in all that white fluff first
but then realized that he could walk in it!}



The girls with the Hawk
{check out how much nini and cici look alike!}



{Mr T. takes it slow in the snow.}



{The Hawk is quick and loved every minute of his first snow day}



{Cici and Mr. T sledding}



{Me and Mr. T}



{Family SPT's are really difficult with 4 little peoples and 6 total!}



It was high time we took the boys out for their  first experience in all this crazy snow we've been having over the past month.  It took about a 1/2 hour to get them dressed (of course when does it not!).  I was certain (based on the girl's first snow experience) that there was going to be a lot of crying and cold fingers!  I was wrong!  Those boys loved the snow for about a good 20 minutes...eventually, their gloves started to come off and Hawk had face planted in the snow.  It was a nice break from all the sickness we've had in our home.  It's been a long week of throw-up and nausea, but we are all on the mend.

Do you have snow?
Or are you soaking up the warm weather?!

Keeping it real.

a sweet Christmas moment.

 

Every year, Mr C. and I tout that we will keep the holidays simple.    On Christmas we realize that we bought too many things, ate too much, and complain that we didn't keep things simple.  There's that word again!  Defining what keeping it simple means to our family was an important role in realizing this goal.  It isn't realistic to think that by adding baking, gift giving, party going, decorating, and the rest of our Christmas activities to our normal everyday life will somehow bring a more simplistic lifestyle to our holiday season.  This holiday has been more about keeping things real, then simple. 

Somewhere in the midst of diaper changes, bottles, and feedings is time to cuddle and tickle my little ones.  Somewhere between getting the girls to school and putting them to bed is a chance to watch them grow-up, to laugh together, and to spend time together.  Somewhere between obligations and appointments we come together as a family, playing games, decorating, and enjoying the smells, sounds, and tastes of this Christmas time. In the midst of all this season brings, we remember that Jesus Christ must be in the center of everything.  It is his birth and life that gives us, our family, the real joy of this Christmas time. 

A one year milestone in twos.

Happy 1st Birthday to my two very handsome boys!  This year has been amazing and an experience I will never forget.  Thank you to all who were instrumental in helping our family adjust during my bedrest, those first few weeks of their birth; all who's helping hands have touched our family.   I am completely overwhelmed by your love and friendship. 

Michelle

Saying good-bye to A HappyHeart Blog.

Michelle

When I went off to college I was certain that I wanted to major in the violin. I thought I loved to play it and I felt that I was good enough to be a great teacher someday. I played in the symphony, practiced hours and hours a day, and failed most of my other classes. It only took the 1st semester to realize that I didn’t like the violin as much as I thought and that I was wasting the hours away when really all I wanted to do was play the piano.

And so it is with my blog. I thought that I could keep up my blog, that it would have the same passion and joy in it that I had when I first started it in 2007. But like the violin, I don’t like my blog as much as I like my family and I definately don't want to fail - like I did my classes! I have loved posting on here and will not shut my blog down. I will be updating my blog through my blog header with recent photos or places we've been. I hope to come back to it someday when my boys have grown-up a bit and they don't need my every minute.

I still need to share with you the girl's baptism day photo which in true fashion, isn't the best photo - but certainly true to a long day and cranky babies.

I am certain that this is the right thing to do right now. I will be updating my blog header with photos I take of our family. I may also update my craft blog Crochetingagarden- just in case I get some crazy craft idea! You can also find me on facebook and through my email address at shecalledme@gmail.com. Thanks so much for all your wonderful comments and the beautiful friendships that I've made through this blog.

Goodbye, for now!

Michelle

Birthdays: No more cake please.

Granddad lighting the birthday candles

This month there was a blitz of birthdays in our family and one big special event (which I will post about next)! To say I am tired of planning birthdays and making birthday cakes and cupcakes is an understatement. I am, however, a little bit shocked at finding ourselves at this big event so quickly. When I started this blog, the girls were four and half. Whew, time flies and life changes quickly. We started the month with the girl's 8th birthday party bash with their friends from school and church. The theme this year was singular, as I couldn't find the time to come up with two different themes for each girl - so we agreed on a beach party theme.

The party decor.

This room, the dining room, is too far off the kitchen to really use it on a regular basis. When our home was built the kitchen was right through the space where I took the photo, with a large fireplace for cooking. A modern kitchen was added in the 20th century and now the dining room and kitchen two rooms away from each other. We've declared this room the party and game room, and the once in a while special meal room!

Surfboard cupcakes

The dessert for the party was made with funfetti cake mixes. Blue frosting as the ocean, gum cut out into surfboards, and lifesaver candy - made for a fun beach themed cupcake. You could also add swedish fish (a cute idea a friend mentioned to me after they were already made!)

Tiny beach bag party craft.

We had several outside games and a quick tiny-tote beach bag craft. Using stencils and spray paint, I helped the the girl's friends make totes like the one above. The spray paint is a bit tricky though, practice first!

Beach Party favors.

In the end, everyone went home with some party favors and all the kids seemed to have a good time. A special thanks to Kirsten for sticking around and being such a great help! I really need to have these parties away from home. I have a hard time fronting that much money for a party away from home - is just me on this? But, there is no clean-up!

Craig's birthday cherry pie (1 candle per 10 years)

Next up was Craig's big 40th birthday! His favorite, Cherry Pie, was a hit at his family birthday get together. I also found a great recipe for English Meat Pies that I'll share soon - they were really good! The cherry pie was simple with a can of cherries and pre-made pie crust.

Blowing out candles on Craig's 40th birthday.

Some may cringe at this photo with the g-u-n on his lap, but I promise it wasn't loaded. He received new gun handles for a favorite old revolver he's had since he was a boy. He is very proud of this and like a good dad - takes good care to lock it up. It wouldn't be a party without Craig being a bit silly and this year, sporting a pink lei on his head!

Decorated for family party.

Next-up was the girl's family birthday on their actual birthday. We had my parents and my MIL - together-under the same roof for an entire week. I will say, it went better than I thought. I can never round my parents up to take photos with them, sad really. But, the girls had a fun party and both received the cheapest Ipod's we could find.

Present and Cake time!

I decided to make their cake this year and had a lot of fun decorating it! It was just a box cake-do I make anything else!? The girls each got their own scriptures and covers for church. It's my parents tradition to buy them scriptures with their name on it and my MIL found the covers. They also received the cheapest Ipod's we could find as their gift from us!

I am so thankful that birthdays are over! It was way too much for me to take on with the boys and in toe the entire time. I am learning, slowly, to take it easy, cut corners where I can, and not worry if things aren't perfect.

VINTAGE PHOTO SHOT

This photo was taken the same year I started this blog on the girl's fifth birthday! It is one of my favorite photos - ever!

When was your last taste of birthday cake?

Do you fret about birthdays?