"He likes it!"

I didn't need to worry about the youngest's reaction to his finished quilt. He liked it.

And here are the boy's quilts side by side. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.

A Backpack and a Boy

The youngest is convinced that he is a big kid. He wants to do things himself (until he has his feelings hurt or something like that) and plays with his big brother at everything. The other day we were preparing to run an errand and his older brother had pulled out his backpack. The youngest was in heaven. He tried putting the backpack on himself . . .


. . . then I helped him get the backpack on correctly, and he grabbed his father's hat . . .

. . . and he was ready to go.

Since then, though, he has been going crazy with the backpack and anything else he thinks he can put on himself.

Catching up on life

Okay, you would think that in a few short weeks (think two) too little would have occurred to justify a "catching up" post, but think again.

March 30, my dear husband successfully defended his dissertation. Their were oodles and oodles of compliments and, thanks to some wonderful friends, I was able to hear them all.

April 1, my dear husband turns in said dissertation and is all ready to graduate.

April 2, after a day of babysitting, I get a wonderful, beautiful, amazing, heirloom crocheted tablecloth from my mom for my birthday (which is this same day). When my oldest was reminded that it was my birthday, he tells me, "Mama, I need to make you a birthday cake." So he does: sand cakes in mini pie tins abound all day long. He also helps (with one of the babysittees) make the birthday cake. My dear husband buys me flowers. I get to talk with my siblings. And my great in-laws surprised me with a wonderful gift (which I am still deciding). All in all, turning 33 isn't that bad--especially since I've been convinced I was 33 for months.

April 3, we decide on a realtor and have the first discussion with a loan officer. We also find out that we're getting paid more this summer for teaching because my husband will have graduated.

April 4, we get to go to church together (I know it seems a little odd, but for the past three months I've only been able to go to church with my husband sporadically because of his church assignment.)

April 5, we make dinosaur cookies for my dad's birthday. Isn't he lucky?!

April 7, my husband takes the boys to Delta's airplane museum for the oldest's preschool field trip so that I can work all day on my prospectus. I come home with dinner on the table.

April 8, my husband takes off with the scouts for Okefenokee Swap--alligator swamp--the initial reports indicate no alligators were causing problems.

April 9, the boys are troopers as we go to the zoo, the fabric store, the park, and a birthday party.

April 10, the boys and I arrive at church at 8:05 for our cleaning assignment, then choir practice (9:00) and then an ensemble practice (10:30). We have to do a little bit of cleaning after all the practices because our snacks were crumbly, so we get home at 11:30. A black eye, received at the Delta Museum when he inadvertently bonked into something, is clearly apparent. I finish one crib sheet for my sister's soon-to-be-born baby and have the other partly ready. My husband should arrive home soon.

The oldest sings songs and makes up stories. The youngest torments his older brother. Both are crazy for dinosaurs, trains, and trucks. All in all we're doing great.

I'll try uploading pictures and such soon.

My Brithday

I thought I would share some pictures from my birthday, including the amazing tablecloth from my mom.

The youngest signing "more"--guess he liked the cake.

See what I mean; isn't this amazing!

When I woke up in the morning and my husband told the oldest that it was my birthday, the oldest said, "Mama, I need to make you a birthday cake." He certainly did help: making the cake and putting on candles and singing.

Learning

I am going to make a confession here: I love to learn new things. When I was in school full-time (and when my husband was taking classes), I would read everything I could about the topic. (My husband jokes that I read all of the textbooks for his medical anthropology class before he did. And can I tell you they were really interesting!) Sometimes it was really hard to stop reading and start writing. Now that I am (still) working on my prospectus, I am still dealing with this dilemma. My advisors told me to stop reading and start writing. And then, they told me I needed to read again.

But last night I was reminded why I read.

I was going to babysit for some very good friends while they went to a lecture by a prestigious archaeologist on Egyptian mummies (and pyramids and sphinxes and grave robbers and raising a new generation of archaeologists . . . but I get away from myself). My friend ended up very sick and they had to cancel my babysitting services, but offered us the tickets to the lecture. Unfortunately for my husband, he had work to do, but I was free to go (because my husband was willing to put the boys to bed and let me abandon him for the evening). It was amazing!!! He was working on DNA sampling to figure out the familial relationship of the mummies (there are some Pharaoh impostors out there) and CAT scans to make sure that mummies aren't being falsely accused of murder (there are some of those too). He thinks he has an idea of where Nefertiti's tomb is and Cleopatra and Antony's tomb too.

Unfortunately, I can't transcribe the lecture on here for you, but I will tell you to watch out for some amazing discoveries coming out of Egypt this year. Maybe some as early as next week.

Hmm, maybe I need to pick up some books on ancient Egypt.

Is this cheating?

Is it cheating to post a pay it forward craft on a private blog so few of the WWW actually get the chance to participate? I guess it doesn't matter. It only increases your chances of winning.

So, here's how it works: the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year a handmade gift from me. What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going (or copy and paste like I did). Then come back, let me know you're going to play and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gift! Just the thought of receiving something in the mail that isn't a bill is delightful! Come and play!!

Since I anticipate that only three people check the blog with any regularity, I can anticipate who I will be sending things to. Will I be right?

Watch out, Martha! Here I (slowly) come.

When people think of crafty, capable people, they often first think of Martha Stewart (or her aides). Why? Because she can get something done so quickly. I mean, think of it. When she shows you how to make something she has some light-speed something that completes in minutes what takes normal people hours, day, weeks, or months to finish. An intricate quilt using a piecing style she has never used before--15 minutes, including the commercial break; Danish pastries--10 minutes, including the sampling at the end; lounge pants out of left-over fleece made without a pattern--2 minutes and they would fit perfectly.

Watch out, Martha!

I have finished the youngest's baby quilt. (No really. I promise. I am almost done. The binding is sewn on one side and pinned on the back, and I will have it done before I go to bed tonight. No really, I promise!)

I made pastries on Friday/Saturday for a friend's baby shower.

I made fleece pants for the oldest (he doesn't like snaps or buttons) on Saturday night. I have more pants cut out and I am going to start the infamous boys sweaters--or one of them--tomorrow. And I'm making dinner for my family, keeping the laundry up, doing the grocery shopping, learning about our future city, writing a prospectus/dissertation, and playing with the boys.

I'd like to see Martha Stewart try to do all that.