First Tooth!

Much to our surprise, we found a loose tooth in Wesley's mouth! We didn't think that kids lost their teeth until they were older, but some quick googling found that they can start losing them at 5, though it's usually on the early end, and depends on how early they got their first baby teeth. Well Friday evening his tooth came out after he attempted to eat an apple. I'm not ready for this - he's still my little boy, and he's growing up too fast!!

Spring is here! Spring is here! It's the best time of the year!

Wesley's Daffodils

I've caught the gardening bug... had it for a little bit now. It's hard waiting the extra month or more for the last frost here in MO. Since we can't dig up the yard here or put in raised beds on the lawn, I'm venturing into container gardening. I'm not so sure how this is going to turn out, so I have a bit of a backup plan. I came across an ad from someone who was looking for a co-gardener. She has the yard and will supply everything, but needs someone to help with the garden and building a coop for her chickens. In return we'll split the produce and recieve eggs. So I responded to her ad, and she chose me and another guy to join in on this together. I'm sooooo excited! Nothing like fresh organic produce, fresh eggs, and the spirit of community!


Diesel's Tulips

Back to my container gardening.... I managed to score a large number of pots from Freecycle, and I plan to make some of my own self-watering containers as well. I have peas, onions, and lettuce in pots outside and they are finally peeking out. Inside I've started brussels sprouts, basil, chives, cucumbers, and snapdragons. I have more seeds on the way and will start those inside as well as probably buying a few starts to get a jump on the warm season veggies. The boys have had so much fun watching the seeds sprout and grow. It's so rewarding to watch them myself!

Lettuce


Peas


Onions


One of the Brussels Sprouts that I decided to repot and try outside


Basil, Brussels Sprouts, Chives


Two varieties of cucumbers - both bush varieties, one for picklers


More Brussels Sprouts & Chives, and a bunch of Snapdragons (one of my favorites)

February

In February there are days,
Blue, and nearly warm,
When horses switch their tails and ducks
Go quacking through the farm.
When everything turns round to full
The sun upon its back -
When winter lifts a little bit
And spring peeks through the crack.
~Dorothy Aldis

Some more pictures from our trip

"Mommy, please, I want to play now, enough pictures"


Granmama & Wesley


Wesley wanted to pose and asked me to take the picture.


Brothers.


Who can resist those baby blues?

Happy 5th Birthday!

My little boy turned 5! I can't believe it's been five years since I first held you, counted your fingers and toes, and held you close as you nursed and nursed and cried and nursed.... and cried...and nursed.....

I love you with all my heart and soul Wesley.

We decided to drive back to Chattanooga to visit Granmama and Grandaddy for his birthday. We had a nice time and Wesley enjoyed seeing his grandparents. We used to live across the street, so it's been hard for the boys to go so long in between seeing them. When we moved to St. Louis they asked if Granmama and Grandaddy were coming with us.

We all had a wonderful time and such a nice celebration. Me and Granmama made his favorite food - fried chicken - for dinner. And of course a brightly colored sugar bomb of a cake featuring - Wall-E! All he could talk about after that was "His Beautiful Cake" - he savored every last morsel of that thing, and we even had to take the last two pieces with us on the trip home. He held it on his lap, until he just couldn't resist anymore and finished it off!



Wesley adores Wall-E and anything to do with space and robots - so I made him a special robot t-shirt just for the occasion. Mommy & Daddy gave him a small R2D2 which he had been asking for, and you can just see the excitement on his face. Granmama & Grandaddy gave him a Wall-E desk/table, that unfortunately I did not get good pictures of. Nana & Papa in Canada filled his biggest wish - TriBot.

Merry Christmas!

Peace, love, and joy!

We are enjoying the holiday this year together. It's the first time ever that I have not spent the holidays with my parents, and I do miss them terribly! But we are having a wonderful time with just our little family :)

Last night Santa came to visit...





The boys went to the mall to see him (no pictures) and Wesley asked for a "James" (a train from Thomas and Friends that was recalled over a year ago, so we had to take it away from him), and a Baby for Diesel.




We made cookies last night, with the boys doing most of the work, and they were thrilled to see that Santa enjoyed his cookies and milk, and that Rudolph was happy to get a carrot as well!



Then they inspected their stockings where Santa left a couple furry finger puppets, Wall-E cups, chocolate santas, and of course an orange in the toe! I crocheted Wesley's stocking this year, and will do one for Diesel next year. I just ran out of time! Oops!



Grandmama & Grandaddy sent three wooden construction vehicles, Eve from Wall-E (goes with the Wall-E we bought a while ago, they communicate with each other and the boys are beyond thrilled!), and a "not" wood train that is made from foam (Diesel has been having a blast with this!).

Nana & Papa sent them the Wall-E Movie and a couple sets of reading software with their favorite movies. They also sent cash for us to spend on them, and we decided we would take them on a train ride to Chicago in the Spring. They are going to love that!





From Mom & Dad they got some wonderful handmade items such as wooden rolling elephant & zebra, a wooden tangram set, shirts embroiderd with robots, and a robot wallet... They also had a couple store bought items such as a Mini-Tribot, the Wonderpets Fly Boat, and Leap Pad (bought used!). They are absolutely thrilled with their loot, and keep thanking us and letting us know how much they love us.







My wonderful husband saved links I'd sent him and did some handmade shopping for me.. I got some beautiful crochet stitch markers, and a gorgeous purple patchy purse.




I was able to get my husband a polo shirt w/ some lamborghini embroidery on it, and I handstitched him a little felt penguin ornament. Each year I get him a penguin of some kind, and we have several ornaments, it's tradition!

We are so thankful to be together this holiday season, that we are happy, healthy, loved, and secure. Happy Holidays to everyone - may they be merry and bright!

Winter Solstice

"And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everwhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling,
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - Listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise awakens in the sleeping land;
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace,
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year,
Welcome Yule! "

~Susan Cooper

The first day of winter is when we put our winter and holiday decorations. The boys were excited to get the tree up, as it means Santa will be here soon. We put up the tree and the boys had a blast decorating it. They did a surprisingly good job too! As high as they could reach, the purple and silver bobbles and crocheted snowflakes were hung evenly around the branches. They picked out little wooden ornaments that I remember decorating our tree with when I was a child, and I think those are their favorites. James and I hung the more fragile and special ornaments higher on the tree, and I'm working on some more snowflakes, since we don't have nearly enough in my opinion.



Then I cut up a couple of felted wool sweaters and the boys strung them on some twine - which we then tied off in a circle to make a wreath. They are just the perfect touch and we love the new addition to our winter decorations!



We needed a place for all the holiday cards we've recieved, so the boys and I braved the frigid cold and blasting winds to gather a few sticks. I arranged them in our vase for the table's winter centerpiece, and hung our cards from them with ribbon. A nice touch and it brings a smile to my face when I see it.



Only a couple more days until Christmas! From our family to yours - we wish you peace, love, and joy!