happy easter!

Before church this morning Avery received a little basket of goodies to bring in the day with lots of yay!  A set of sharp pencil crayons, a bag of mini eggs, and a sweet new bunny that I made for her. 

(I have to admit that my bunny is totally based on the ones over at Hop Skip Jump.  I didn't have time to learn a new pattern or make such a large bunny (they seem large anyway), but they're just the most perfect toys!)

We've been having an otherwise very quiet weekend around here.  It's so sunny today and to sit outside with a book and actually feel warm is just the greatest feeling.  We're looking forward (immensely) to a visit from my parents next weekend - and my Mom is even willing to teach me how to make paska so we won't be missing out on that glorious Easter treat!  

Happy Easter, sweet friends and family!

college sisters

I usually get Avery dressed after Ava arrives for childcare days, and being as these two have the same t-shirt I declared today twin day!  It was also, evidently, bed-head day, but that's generally an everyday thing. 

They reminded me of college roomies, giving the best squeezy hugs and rolling on the bed laughing over some inside joke.  Living in sweats and tees after class hours, pots of noodles divided up for late night snacks (and eaten with whatever could be found clean in the kitchen), commiserating over the freshman fifteen or that particular guy who just isn't getting a clue.

And what doesn't scream 'college besties' like the classic self pic?  They need to work on it a little bit yet.  I'm so glad Avery's had this little girl for a college sister!

here comes the sun

Can't seem to get this song out of my head this week: (listen here)

"Little darling, it's been a long, cold lonely winter

Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

and I say, it's alright.

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces

Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

and I say, it's alright."

dolly sue

I've started a big project this weekend that's keeping me busy.  I've been commissioned to make ten little dollies for a friend who will keep them on hand for baby gifts.  Avery was pretty sure that one of them must be for her, so I brought out her own little dolly in hopes of satisfying her, but she still figured a new one was coming her way.  I've since cut out and added an eleventh dolly to the line so she'll have a little surprise at the end of it all.

Avery liked the idea of putting together the dollies, matching hair with face and body, so I made her some paper pieces to keep her fingers out of my assembly line.  Her new paper dolly was cut out and named "Sue", which is likely after Avery's middle name, which she thinks is Sue.  (It's not.)

Here's the unfinished line-up!  Now I'm onto hand sewing eyes and cheeks and smiles.  Feels like I'm getting back in the groove of making things.  My mind (and various scraps of paper) are filling up with a list of "to-do" ideas.  Some would be perfect for Easter, which is coming up super soon, but a little pressure always does wonders with me!

Something else from my sewing stash is keeping us busy these days.  I saw this really simple idea on a blog recently and wondered why I hadn't thought of it already.  Avery's been loving my jar of colourful buttons.  The colour sorting only goes well when I stick around and keep prodding, but it is helping her begin to recognize the names of colours and which ones are the same.  On her own, the buttons become the filling for pies, lots and lots of pies.  While I'm feeling confident that we're out of the 'eat and swallow' stage, we did have a wake up call to remove the really small ones after Levi had to rescue a little blue button from Avery's nose.  It was way up there!

their fortieth

Happy 40th Anniversary to my wonderful parents!

I'm not good at sentimentalities, and the wordsmith in my house is definitely not me, so I will simply say that this fortieth day of my parents marriage has me feeling stirred with thanksgiving.  I like to think I can imagine how they're feeling on this day, but all I know is how I have been blessed by their solid example of a committed, God-centered, respectful, patient marriage and I am grateful.  Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!  We love you!

happy things

 :: Sunbathing - in gloriously warm, long forgotten, patches of sun.  Avery lay down and told me "I just takin' a break, Mom".

 :: Juicy red grapefruit - one of the few things that really satisfies right now.  For a while it was pickles, and then ginger ale, and then salt and vinegar chips.  Now the requirement is simply cold and juicy.

 :: Sunshine in flower form - a gift from our friend on the news of our birdie-to-be.

 :: New colouring and drawing books for the little girls.  No sharing necessary.

:: Favorite books becoming well worn.  For a little while, reading stories was getting the shrug from the little people, but they're taking an interest again.  I'll go through book after book for as long as they'll sit ... and sometimes I go on reading even when they don't.  Avery loves to read each book aloud after I've had my turn, and that's always fun to hear her take on the story and what she remembers.

 :: A bigger surplus of candy than we've ever had in the house.  Sour gummy worms (which Avery calls "sour creams"), fuzzy peaches, and jelly beans have been the ticket to getting Avery motivated in the potty training challenge ...

 :: along with stickers.  Success!  This little chart was the first creative thing I'd done in eons.  I've been dragging my heals around in this first trimester, car-sick slump and haven't had a creative stitch in my body ...

:: except for the creative stitches needed to sew up these two little dollies.  Sewn and posted to a new baby girl and her darling big sister.

Since we're on the topic of 'happy things', I interviewed Avery yesterday as we sat together with some books.  I asked her "What makes you happy?" and this is what she came up with:

- Daddy make Avery happy

- Mommy and Daddy help me up

- George make me happy (meaning Curious George)

- Jordan ... George and Jordan (her special college girlfriend ... and Curious George again)

- Aubun makes Avery happy (her other dear college girlfriend, Autumn)

- My kitchen at home

- Doctor's say "beep beep" in mine heart

- Doctor's office ... baby toys (the big enticement for all these new doctor visits)

- Lollipop ... Mommy sing it (yes, she's talking about The Chordettes, and yes I sing it)

- Avery's doctor makes happy me

- A baby toy makes happy me

- Jelly beans

- Butterflies in the sky ... bees in the sky ... bees in the clouds

- Clouds in the sky makin' honey cake

On with the weekend!  Hope you're surrounded by happy things ... like honey cake!