Monday, March 29, 2010

Disney on Ice: Nemo Edition

Last weekend (yes, i'm tardy with this post), Nana took the girls to Disney on Ice.

I accompanied the above lil cherub while Trav watched Keely (at a restaurant watching Bball, no less) as she recovered from a cold.

I just had to show off Keagan. Isn't she growing into a beautiful young lady?

The colors were stunning. Here's Nemo and his school friends.

The "Sharks Don't Eat Fish" support club.

The luring of the ugly skeleton-turned-lighted-fish to shed light on the mask's address.

The dentist's Aquarium. See the hanging plastic sheet? That's the sides. Genius! They even had 2 skaters mirroring each other's movements on either side of the Aquarium to represent the fish that was quite close to her image in the movie. Took me a minute to get it, but I did.

And, of course, the cutie-patootie 'lil turtles. SO adorable!
Overall, good show guys. We enjoyed it, it sure gave Adalynn something to talk about for the weekend!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

K-nitter Extraoidinaire, kinda.

So I knit a special something for a babe that's due to arrive soon, but can't post it here yet for obvious reasons.
But I can show you this.

To replace the skirty I so rudely sold out from under Keely's tush, I knit a replacement.

This color and fit works seamlessly with our rough and tumble lifestyle.

I just love this lace pattern at the bottom of the shorties. It's a 'lil embellishment to bring girly back into a boyish colorway.

Now, onto my next project - gardening or knit?


Step 2 of 9725...We've got an address, we're official! Now we just need an impressive wrought iron structure (complete with curly q's, of course) at the entrance announcing you're arrival to "FarM". (Farm 'M'...get it?!)

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

ABD's

Playing the same CD over and over and over and over and over again in the Jeep has paid off...Here is Adalynn and her ABD's. She may have missed a few, but she does them better than a drunk on a sobriety test. Oh, and of course, a bonus feature of our little run around midget Keely.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

FarM. Cause it's been a while.

The girls and I are home sick today, so I figured why not take this opportunity to pull out some photoshop and update y'all on the happenings on the FarM. Believe it or not, we've made progress in the last couple of months. Briefly, here's a rundown:
1. We are not leasing the property for corn this year. As I am unable to reach the farmer who has planted it the past quite a few years to determine what the land has been treated with under his care, we will most likely let it sit for a year before planting. As if it has been treated with nasties, the land may repulse anything we plant on it this year anyway.
And please, if anyone with more experience in turning a corn field into pastureland is listening, jump in and speak up!
2. Two nice people have given us estimates for a driveway/2-track for access from the road to the field. We are discovering the positive side of keeping it local; the second person we spoke with lives right down the road, literally, owns an excavating company, and knows the Allegan County people we need firsthand. As in, has their personal numbers saved in his phone. Because of this, we have a quote we can afford, a permit for the driveway, and allowance from the county to use the road easement directly to our north to place the driveway at the top of the hill. This will be much safer than the bottom, which before was our only choice.
3. Trav and I, while staking out a path for where we thought the driveway might go, decided on a building spot. We are going to build at the edge of the woods - probably ending up half in and half out. It's going to be beautiful, we love it, and that's that.
Looking from the back of the property, it will look like this:

We're also getting quotes for modular homes, although we're still debating between stick built and modular. This also allows us to see many different home plans, and we've narrowed down our search considerably.
Barns and garages are always in our minds as well. We've received quotes for Coverall style barns, although we most likely will not act on constructing a barn until after the house.
Next up? Excavation of a driveway/2-track and purchasing a Tractor. We think. :)

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

St. Patrick's Day #1

Adalynn moderately cooperated with me this morning, enough to snap a couple of pictures of the St. Patrick's Day outfit she chose to sport.

She's liking the shorts I knit for her, which surprises me in a good way.
Today, we are snotty and restless. But a 'lil of God's good greenness and sunny sunshine after naps will clear us up and clear our crabbies.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Hi, Guys!

I want to stand up. I want to stand up and walk soooo bad, that I pull up on everything. EvErYtHiNg! And, sometimes, I am even successful. YeS!

And just cause I'm a cutie-patootie:


I am just way to fun to take pictures of. There's no way to turn this cuteness off though, no-sir-ree. I gotta keep movin' cause I'm too hot to handle!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

With Sadness...

I'm writing this post, asking for prayers for a co-worker of mine. I learned this weekend that one of his daughters, Bailey, is very sick, and is expected not to make it much longer. She's just one. Please. Pray for their family, themselves, and their other children. Thank you, God, that they have You to lean on through this. Please, be with them.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Happy 3/4 Year!

Keely's 8month Dr. appt revealed a healthy, happy, bright, and growing baby. Of course, we already knew this, but it feels pretty good to have these facts verified by a credentialed person.

8 Months.
19 lbs and 1 oz.
29 inches.

This places her in an elite group - taller than 97% of other kids her age, heavier than 70some%.
Just like your sista.

These days, you're madly army crawling. Always on a mission. Tackling hills and mountains with fierce tenacity. Or pillows and dogs, as the case may be in our house.

You share love, grins, smiles, and drools freely.

Girl, your smile lights up the room.

We are so blessed. Love you, baby!

Monday, March 8, 2010

The rest of the weekend

Thank goodness, finally (it seems) the sun is wearing down the snow a little day by day. We enjoyed the great outdoors, hangin' out and wandering. Trav started our signature bonfire.

Adalynn conned him into hauling the slide from the garage to the fire, only to slide twice before announcing an urgent need to pee.

Finally, I'm not shivering at the mere thought of venturing out for a walk. The girls are ecstatic!

And I finished this skirty this weekend. It'll be traveling to a new home tomorrow, but I'm enjoying it today. :)

Gotta run, one of the chillun's isn't laying down for her nap! (surprise!! :)

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Home and Garden Show 2010

We just returned from the annual Home and Garden Show at DeVos. Our heads are rumbling with ideas and plans and what-ifs and we-wanna-dos, our hands our busy shuffling handouts, bulging bags, and goodies.

Our supercute girls garnered much attention when they fell asleep in the stroller. T and I wanted to start charging, we coulda brought at least $100 smackers. In the end we decided to share the love for free.
They actually had some good kids activities. Adalynn planted a pansy and constructed this adorable little sailboat with T. We might have finally convinced Adalynn it won't float, but she's determined it will.
Soon, I'll try to list our current thinkings for this land and future buildings. I know you can hardly wait.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Ends of February

FarM update:
A couple of weeks ago, while Travis attended a Landstar conference in Detroit, I conned my dad and brother to come assist in clearing some wood to make way for a quad path.

And guess what, it worked!

The girls, Trav, our neighbors, and I ran out to the property with a quad and a snowmobile to pack it down. Adalynn LoVes "The Pwopety". I have to admit, we're partial to it ourselves.

I finished my first knitting project with the Marr Haven yarn I ordered. Another first, this project was the first time I knitted Without a Pattern. I'm proud to say, the shorties fit perfectly.

Definitely an adequate tushie cover while running around outside this summer. (summmer, summer, where art thou warmness?)
Currently, I'm working on a skirty on hand-dyed organic Gaia yarn ... super cute, I'll take pictures of it today when the SUN wakes up. AND, the first project I started on Marr Haven, a cute pair of capris that started out Keelys and ended as Adalynns. Who knew that wool stretches more than cotton? And seed stitch stretches more than stockinette? Enough to make a 7 month old's clothes fit a 2 year old! Now? I do.