The List

I really an not much of resolution maker but I do have a list of things I would like to get accomplished this year.  Here it is...

1.  Finish my first quilt!

2.  Start knitting again.

3.  Convert Sully's room into a toddler room.  I have already started collecting items for this and have an idea for adding some quilt strips to a plain twin comforter.

4.  Re-decorate our bedroom.  This was the first room in our house that I painted and decorated.  It has been 6 years and it needs a new identity.  I plan on using the quilt I am making on our bed.

5.  Replace both sets of sliding doors in our house- they suck.

6.  Run Crazy Legs again.

7.  Take at least a 3 day vacay with just my hubs.

8.  Make and install shelving in our dining room and Sully's room.

9.  Get to a Brewer game this year.  I can't believe we didn't make it to ANY last year!

10.  Enjoy my family, my life, myself.

Ok, than last one is a bit lame but sometimes I need to remind myself not just to check things off of a list but be more present in the everyday and not be in such a rush.  Live in the moment and not just hurry to the next big thing.  Do you have a list?  What is on it?

Grandma Groth

Yeah, just call me Grandma Groth.  Why?  I am making attempting a quilt.  Up until very recently, I would not have thought twice about a quilt.  Not even considered trying to make one (or even buy one for that matter).  However, as I age grow wiser, I am finding that I am starting to appreciate and like a whole world of things I have never thought I would be in to.  Also, I have truly been inspired by other hip, young mamas out there who are just so damned crafty.  I am jealous of their talents and their creations.  Such as this one here.

In typical Tara fashion, I told myself, "don't just sit there and be jealous of their talents, teach yourself how to do it."  Because, in my own head, I really can do anything (slightly delusional?).  If I can't find a book around with the instructions I need, I just head to the next best thing, Google.  So Google and I are going to attempt this quilt thing.

I had a bunch of fabric fat quarters as I would occasionally buy them when I saw some I liked in the fabric store.  So I (and Google) decided to go get a rotary cutting tool, ruler and cutting mat. And I started cutting away.

I am using 4 1/2" squares.  Google and I looked up lots of potential patterns but I decided we would just do your standard patchwork squares for this one.  Obviously, I am not a fabric hoarder so I did have to order some fabric online.  And let me tell you, it is awesome getting fabric delivered to your door!  Anyway, the fabric in the above pics is the stuff I ordered.  What you see below is the fabric I already had that I cut and sewed into strips before I even got the above fabric.

Yes, there are lots of different patterns and colors but I love all of them and I wanted the quilt to be lively.

So there you have it so far.  I hope to have a decent final product to show you soon.

Also, don't you think January is the best month to make a quilt?  It is just asking for something cozy.

Harper update

Harper made it through the surgery and she is doing great!  Thank you for all the prayers and positive thoughts, it must have helped as she did fantastic!  Now she is in the recovery stage.  I have a feeling she will really come alive now- laugh harder, eat more, grow faster, breathe easier and even cry louder.  Get ready Kaiti and Andy, she will keep you even busier! 

Here is my favorite pic of Harper:



Isn't she a doll?

I will be back later with a post about quilting.  That's right, quilting.

Harper

Hey, this is Harper.



I just stole this from her mom, my friend's, fb page.  She may not need your help because she is quite the little fighter but why don't you help her out anyway?  You see, this little bean was born August 30, 2011, to my friend Kaiti.  You can read her birth story here.  She is a very special girl in so many ways but mostly because she is my friend's baby bird and she makes lots of people very happy.  She will be having open heart surgery tomorrow to fix a heart defect that she was born with.  Even though, the odds are in her favor to make it through the surgery and recovery process alright, that is not enough.  I don't think that would be enough for any Mama who is having their little 4 month old have open heart surgery...

So if you are a pray-er, please say a prayer for her.  If you are a positive thinker, please think positive thoughts for her.  Please think about her and her family tomorrow.

Harper, I know you will do great.  You are such a fighter.  I only hope your Mama and Daddy can make it without too much worry and anxiety!  I will be thinking about all of you tomorrow!

Twenty twelve

We rung in the new year at home and it was perfect.

This was just minutes into the new year, just after Clayton's new year speech involving pets and other randomness...

Happy New Year!!

Goodbye, hello!

I know 2011 has not been such a good year for everyone. But for us, it has been pretty darn good, all in all. It has been a special year of firsts for my little family. Sully has learned so much this year- eating solid foods, crawling, stair climbing, talking, pointing, throwing and the lists goes on forever. For the hubs and I, we have a whole year of parenthood under our belts so we are basically aces now...

I will miss 2011, but like all good things, it must end. I still have all the memories (and lots of pics) from this special year that I will carry over to 2012 with me. I won't forget and I am forever grateful to have had it. I don't see how it can get any better but who knows what life still has in store for us?  For anyone?

Well, off to celebrate the remaining hours of this amazing year and welcome what the future holds for us...

And from NYE 2004...

7 years ago...

Seven years ago today,
we were getting ready for our big day.
To celebrate with our family and friends
as a new year begins and the last one ends.
Getting ready to start a new year
forever joined to you, my dear.
But I knew years before
that we would have marriage in store.
Only I didn't know how long it would take you
to also decide it was the right thing to do.
But you took my "hint" which was not so subtle,
straight to heart, lickety split, on the double.
The scene was set, Christmas Eve 2003,
you popped the question in front of my family.
A date was quickly set,
and straight to planning, I did get.
I was determined to plan the perfect party,
getting all the services lined up, can't be tardy!
And you, in typical Clayton style,
planned a speech about farts all the while.
So that on this date, seven years ago,
we were all rehearsed, set and ready to go.
I didn't sleep well that night,
nervous, hoping it would all go right.
Turns out, I didn't have to worry,
you were ready, after that pull of Jezy.
And I would do it all again, a hundred times more, become your wife,
marry you again, chose you as my partner for life.

Happy 7th Anniversary Babe!!!!

Toeses

I was going to blog about all the projects that I have lined up.  And believe me, there are a lot of them in the planning stage.  It is always depressing to look around my house after I put away Christmas and see all the large cavities that their absence has left.  So I will be filling the void with lots of projects.

But some snaggle toes caught my attention....

Here is a classic shot of the snaggle toes on Christmas morning...

And then tonight, I come home to them again...

I am not going to lie, I am not one for feet but these are just irresistible.  And they are soooooo soft!  It is hard to believe that these slightly stinky baby feet will some day grow into really stinky teenage feet and then into snarly adult feet.  He will play sports on these feet, run on these feet, dance on these feet. 

These snaggle toes are one of the first things I noticed about my baby boy.  He even had them as a newborn.  So uniquely him, so imperfectly...well...perfect.

So that was Christmas

 Luring Santa to our house...

It worked!

Oh what fun!

And contrary to what most would think, the kid loved his pillow pet...

Sully thoroughly enjoyed his 2nd Christmas.  We got to spend lots of time with family.  Hope your holiday was very merry as well!

Cookie Crazy

Yesterday was our cookie baking day with my MIL and SILs. 

These cookies in the last picture were finished off with a dollop of chocolate and an almond.  I had more pictures of the cookies but you get the idea. 

We did have to compete with some cookie monsters running around...

There was a lot of fighting over a remote...

Oh, these boys are going to have so many years of "sharing"...

Mod Podge

If you have not heard of this product or used it, go get some now.  For reals.

I makes any crafting project infinitely better, less DIY-y.

Here is the house warming gift I crafted for the Shagers.  I took some close up pics of some of the unique features of their new house and Mod Podged them together onto a piece of cardboard.  Then I placed that in a frame and actually Mod Podged the glass/plastic that came with the frame so it looks more like a canvas than a picture just stuck in a frame. (I think this project would have turned out a bit better with my new lens)

Have you ever gotten a present with the most fantastic wrapping paper that you could not throw the wrapping paper away?  Me too.  Just yesterday, even! 

I took the paper, Mod Podged it to a canvas and then Mod Podged over it and stuck it in a frame.  Instant winter art. 

So easy!