Nest of Praise

Mar. 19, 2009 - Welcome Olivia Jane

Straight from the gifted hands of Little Jenny Wren, into the fond embrace of our adoring Maggie Rose.

Thank you Jenny, so very very much.

Feb. 26, 2009 - Thrifted Matchy Sister Dresses

Thanks to Challice for the sweet little dress on my grubby (but HAPPY!) little mud hen on the right. :)

Feb. 26, 2009 - A Modest Garden

This is our garden, and our dog, Charlie.

This is what we actually have growing. :) We planted some seeds last fall, watered for about a week or so, and neglected it over the winter. After my husband cleared out the majority of the jungle last weekend, this is what we found!

On top is cabbage...we think. Bottom left is a lettuce mix. We think the veg. to the right of the lettuce is cauliflower...maybe. And we don't really know what the purple-y stuff on the right is. Another kind of lettuce, perhaps?
If you have a better idea than we do, please let us know! :D

Sep. 3, 2008 - The Nobility of the Commonplace

Kim's post asked her readers, "What does the nobility of the commonplace mean to you? Do you have any photos to illustrate it?"

As a matter of fact, I have a few from last evening in the front yard which seem to me to fit the bill beautifully.
See what you think.

A girl playing her 4-year-old brother's version of hopscotch.

A boy and his new scooter.

Bunny love.

A sister is a Friend.

I'll ask the same question of you, friends: Do you have any photos that speak to you of the "Nobility of the Commonplace"? Please leave me a link in the Comments section, I'd love to come see them. :)

Aug. 25, 2008 - Shed Threads Fashion Show

We have some very crafty ladies over at the message board where I am a member. My little girls' wardrobes benefit greatly because of it. ;)

Sophie's sweet smocky-top is by Ericka, over at Paisleytot.

Eyelet-trimmed seersucker skirt by Mobunny, at The Rabbit Hutch

Cutie-pie criss-cross back.

One of my older girls commented, "But Mom, they don't match."
My reply, "I know!! Don't they look CUTE together?" :D
I think so.

Oh, did I mention? Ericka makes all of her smocks reversible.

Double your pleasure, double your fun!

Aug. 25, 2008 - Chubby Bunny Cabbage Bum

This tee was Emma's when she was a toddler...thirteen years ago!

A ruffly floral diaper cover, in just the right colors. ;)

My sweet Lucy Bee at fourteen months (August 21st).

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Aug. 8, 2008 - Locks of Love From Maggie

Before (above)

During (below)

After!!

Jul. 24, 2008 - A Girl and her Wellies

Jul. 24, 2008 - Birthday Blossoms

Tuesday was my birthday. See the lovely roses my thoughtful husband brought me? Can you see that some of them have a bit of red around the edges? Gorgeous! And do you see the card with the birds on it (I adore little birdies), in the aqua envelope (aqua is one of my very favorite colors) ? He's awesome that way.

Do you know, I don't just get roses for my birthday, I get them for each of the childrens' birthdays as well! He tells me, "Thank you for making me a father." Does is get any better than this? Oh, okay, maybe it does--I forgot to say that he can never remember my favorite color of roses (chuckle chuckle chuckle), so he blesses me with a different color every time. Actually, I don't know that I have a favorite color, I just consider myself fortunate that my husband goes to the trouble to bring me flowers of any color! :)

Jun. 28, 2008 - Breakfast Brilliance

I've been thinking about serving the same thing (yes, the very same thing) for breakfast every day for a week, and then changing it up come Monday again.

I figure, it cuts way back on menu-planning, and on the inevitable "Mama, what's for breakfast?" and who wouldn't appreciate that?

Of course, being Mom, I still reserve the right to serve them oatmeal for four days in a row and then spring pancakes on them on Friday. ;)

What do you think? Is this something you think would work for your family?

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Jun. 7, 2008 - Before and After

Remember that pic of Libby and Emma laughing together after Emma's graduation? I asked Stan about it, and wondered why I hadn't figured it out for myself. See if you are more perceptive than I was.

Before:

And after:

Did you see the difference?

Stan (who took the photo), said that he saw Libby, who is about 5'2" and was wearing flip-flops, apparently standing on tip-toe in order to appear closer in height to Emma, who is 5'4" or so, and was wearing heels.

Then Emma noticed too, and began slowly to s-h-r-i-n-k down to where Libby was LOL!

Are they just the cutest or what? Makes my Mama-heart go all warm and tingly just looking at them.

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Jun. 7, 2008 - A Day at the Park

There is a charming little park about twenty minutes out of town. Clean, plenty of things to do, a restroom, and there's usually nobody there...just the way we like it.

An oasis of green in a desert of brown.

First we stopped at Taco Bell to pick up some lunch and some water,

And after some fancy spray-on sunblock, it was on to the swings.

Papa got off work early and was able to join us for some Big Fun.
Little people climbed trees...

And big people climbed trees.

The grass was mighty prickly

But we had fun anyway.

Apparently, it's good luck to rub a baby's head. No one fell out of any trees, so I'd say maybe she's on to something.

Emma smiled for the camera after climbing a tree

But was feeling a bit shy later on.

Mama recieved presents: a sackful of pinecones...

And a fistful of flowers.

Ham that she is, Mama is always happy to pose.
Particularly when there's a cute baby on her hip.

Afterwards, Papa took us for some shakes at Snow White (banana chocolate--yum!), and to Kmart for some games (Battleship and Scrabble). They'll have to wait for tomorrow, though, we were too tuckered out to play tonight!

Jun. 6, 2008 - Goodbye, Junior High!

Tonight was Emma's 8th grade graduation.
Dress? Check. Hair? Check. Shoes? Check. Robe? Check.
She's wearing a "Gold Medallion" for getting Honor Roll all four quarters of her 8th grade year (go, Emma!), and the Black Hills Gold cross that Stan got her for Christmas. Also, the pearl earrings (that you can't see) belonged to my great-Grandmother, her great-great-Grandmother.
Here she is receiving her diploma.

Here, from left to right, are me (proud Mama), Lucy, Emma, Libby and Amy.
(Sorry I don't know how to fix the red-eye.)

I like this next one of the girls, it's more spontaneous than some of the other shots we got. Don't know what they're laughing at, I'll have to ask them tomorrow. Probably some secret "sister" jokes. ;)

And here, Emma with one of her dear friends, a lovely girl that we've know since before the girls were in school. My, where has the time gone?

Tomorrow begins the summer holidays, and then on to high school, a very big adventure for our dear miss. I am so looking forward to enjoying these weeks of vacation with her... just getting to know her again-- reading, baking, playing with the babies. A precious time of knitting our hearts together before it's time for her to go back out there again, out into the wide world and the next phase of her young life.

Stay and linger, summertime. Come slowly, school days.

Jun. 4, 2008 -

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/save.php?file=output%2Fmosaic1583082.jpg

1. robin's egg hat, 2. hmpf! what do you mean you don't have any bread?, 3. Poorhouse - Mathias WV, 4. 82/365 is this thing on?, 5. clown, 6. Hoover Cold Water Valve, 7. ticket to ride, 8. grilled chicken caesar sandwich & adobe chicken chowder, 9. Couch Full O' Babies Front, 10. Contentment, 11. The Fruitful Family, 12. mamalama_hoodie

Jun. 3, 2008 - Tell Me About It

Yeah, I know. No mosaic.
How 'bout them Dodgers?

Jun. 3, 2008 - Mamalama's Mosaic

1. Robin 1, 2. Italian food 1, 3. KHSD board unanimously OKs new school boundaries, 4. Robin's egg blue, 5. Oh, The Hugh Manatee, 6. tea, 7. Ohio, 8. Espresso Hazelnut Brownie Sundae, 9. First comes love..., 10. Into the light, 11. The Fruitful Family, 12. mamalama_hoodie

Many thanks to Hind's Feet
http://hindsfeet.blogspot.com/

The concept:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker).

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name .

Above is my Flickr mosaic.
Try to guess what my answers are before you look at the key.
Please make sure to credit the photographers if you decide to play along. :)

Jun. 3, 2008 - From Baskets to Bookshelves

See this little pixie? She's playin' possum.

See? What did I tell you?

Jun. 2, 2008 - Sewing Stuff

I finally figured out how to take a pic sans flash. Aren't I clever?

Well, these are not in the order I wanted them in. Hmmm...this blogging stuff can be a bit fiddly at times.

Look at me, trying to be all Artsy. ;)

And here's one for Heather...who knows all about sweet little girl-babies.
Dress (no, not Laura Ashley, but darling just the same) courtesy The Rabbit Hutch.

May. 30, 2008 - Five Good Things

1. A new, tinted picture window, where previously there had been only a gaping hole for three weeks;
2. Getting to set up my new work table and new--and still unopened!--sewing machine in front of aforementioned window;
3. Re-scheduling an out-of-town appointment that had been made for tonight, so that I was able to stay at home with my family instead;
4. Our stimulus payment, that is currently making itself t' home in our savings account; and
5. Cranford in the mail from Netflix! Whoo-hoo!!

Not bad, not bad at all.