Happy Inauguration Day!

A big day! I just wanted to say that whether he's your man or not, he's about to become our President...so stop what you're doing, pull up one of the many means of listening/watching and enjoy the big moment. This isn't a political blog, so I think that's enough. :) We're all decked out in our Red White and Blue over here...I'm DVRing the whole day to watch with Joe tonight, but I'll be turning it on for the actual moment. I've watched every inauguration I've been alive for (the first one I remember is Clinton's first), so I don't want to miss this one! My plan is to contain Jenny with her high chair for an early lunch...we'll see how it works!

I hope you all have a blessed day,
Mackenzie

CHRISTMAS!!

hmmmm.... so, I'm about to update my template, and in so doing...well, I lost my links. So, I guess they needed an update anyway, but I hadn't planned on redoing ALL of them. :-S Anyway... here are pictures! Pay close attention to the background and you can see a bit of my painted living room! :) More pictures to come soon of that...Joe's making shelves for the little ones' toys, and once those go in we can get all neat and organized!

Here's what I did for Joe... I don't paint often, but I'm thinking I might have to more often...I don't know that I'm particularly good at it, but it sure was fun! If anyone cares, I will elaborate on how I did the shaded sky and grass... but other wise I'll spare you. ;)
The two doves represent us...

and then the toadstools represent, well, the toadstools. ;) I will add more of them as needed. :-D And the heart "carved" into the tree has a J+M in the center, but it's hard to see that from the glare...

Jenny found her stocking sitting carefully in this lovely little stroller. It's not a "forever toy", but she will love it while it lasts!

my adorably fat Little Man's first Christmas!!! He was very annoyed that we kept taking the paper away from him...

He has since become more interested in the tumbler...but at the time he didn't even notice it! Silly baby...doesn't know a Nova toy when he sees one! lolplaying with Christmas goodies! Anthony got a little wooden spoon in his stocking (to go with his new dishes!) And you've already met the stroller. So....how about that paint color? And my wreath! :)

um, fairly self explanatory :) My grandmother makes these...my mom's collection fills an entire book shelf! :) (and that's my fireplace...doesn't the color look like melted chocolate? It's called bon-bon lol)

My mother-in-law asked for a tea cozy for Christmas...something sort of ivy related to go with her teapot. I was more than happy to oblige! I just "wung it", and really like how it turned out. I did line it, but I didn't put anything between the layers. I think it will keep the tea plenty hot, but I think next time I might add a layer of flannel, just for the "feel" of it.

a close up of the trim...I put two pieces of lace back-to-back, and then put the skinny trim down the middle. You can see it better if you click on the picture (all pictures are clickable btw)

*ahem* meet "Bea"... I'm not sure that the name will stick, but that's what I was calling her while I was making her. :) I pulled my (2yro.) sister Zelie's name in our family gift swap...so she got this lovey. They look very much alike I think...which is why I went with Bea....as Jenny calls her "Zelie-Bea". Isn't she darling? I used one of the Magic Cabin waldorf doll kits.

Her dress is actually more like a robe...but it was very late, and I was to tired to read the instructions for making the dress...so I took the pieces and just made a garment. All those years of sewing came in handy! I did promise to make her more (lovelier) outfits.

My (7yro.) bil Thomas's pj pants...

My bil (7yro yep-twins) Mathew's pj's

My bil (6-actually his birthday was on the 20th, but I didn't get them done in time...) John's pj's

I put little ribbon loops in the back so that they can tell front from back. :)

Mama and her babies! (This also counts as a picture of my new dress on me and my new hair color!) Please also make note of Anthony's SHOES! Yes, I finally found a pair that fits his cubes, er I mean feet. He's 7 months old tomorrow and they are SIZE 5!! Jenny didn't wear 5's until this summer! :-O

only the cutest two Christmas babies ever! He's so big (and she's so tiny) that they almost could be twins, huh? lol sigh....I'm so blessed!We girlies just love Miss Jenny's dress...I found it at Once Upon a Child....it's red velvet...she kept running her hands on the skirt all through Mass!Daddy and the littles... :) Okay, I tried not to mention the obvious, but how ridiculously cute is Anthony's Christmas outfit?! I love the sweater vest. :)

That's all for now...I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful Christmas season! Joe is home until the Monday after New Years, and we're planning a huge de-clutter and organizing!
Much love,
*~Tilly~*

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year!

Jenny has a new job. Pushing "play" on the cd player whenever Michael Buble's Christmas cd stops. :) We've been playing it over and over all day...Jenny's started singing, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!". She has also learned a new "rule" if you will.... namely, never, never, never touch the house alarm control. You see, we conveniently have one for our key chain...well....long story short, it takes the nice police men 5 minutes to get from whereever they are (around here it probably has to do with doughnuts) to my house. Another 1.5 minutes to NOT express amusement that I'm in my pj's at 6:00, and to confirm that all was well, get my name and phone number etc... and then another 2 minutes to walk around my house to make sure. On the one hand...very reasuring that they can be here this fast...but at the same time....well let's just say I was mortified. My house is well....not exactly ship shape, and we all have colds. Sigh...oh well. At least it was a "false alarm".

In other news, I am close to being done with Christmas gifts. We've kept things simple this year, and pretty much all of it is homemade. I got Joe's gift done today! I haven't even taken pictures yet, just incase he uses the camera. ;) So, naturally I wont say what it is here either...but it turned out SO GOOD! Well enough to even use poor gramar. ;-) And I will share the same hint that I shared with him (because Tony needed me before I could finish cleaning up!)--Acrylic paint. I have four more things to sew, but they're all cut out and ready to go....an hour or two tomorrow at most.

We're going to Mass tomorrow night...is the plan. But the babies and I have a nasty cold, so there is a chance that either Joe or I will take Jenny to the 5:00pm, and then the other one will get the treat of going to the Midnight Mass. Which is my favorite, but I imagine that Tony will need me. I can't wait to get the babies all spiffed up for pictures! Then on Christmas we go to my familys' for brunch, and after naps onto the Haydus' for dinner. Fun! I'm off to share some pictures...'cause I feel like it and haven't in a while. :) Merry Christmas everyone!

Snagging From Other Places...

Okay, so it might be lame, but I've found lots of neat things that I want to show you lovely readers....first I *SO* want this for Jenny...
It's a magnetic advent calendar...how cute is that! I found it here at The Catholic Shop's website. I'm thinking it will be on the perfect level for Jenny...getting to choose which piece we put up each day...I'm hoping to get it this weekend so that it will be here by the time we get home from our time with my grandparent's.

Next, I have to draw your attention to a few blogs. First and foremost...I am in awe of Miss Sarah Jane over at Romantic History, who made her own dress form. No, not the funny lookin' ducked tape kind, but, well, go look for yourself. Her sewing is all beautiful, so perhaps you can take a minute and look over her other sewing. I can't wait to try this!!

Lily over at the wonderful, Block-a-day blog is doing a giveaway...I probably should have brought this up before, but it didn't occur to me until today. So, go over answer her question and get a chance to win...or don't, and my chances will be better...either way. ;-)

Pictures!

For the 4th I made matching t-shirt dresses for the three little girls. My mom found cute 4th-inspired t-shirts on sale in the boys department and she had coordinating red, white, and blue star fabric in her stash. They were so cute running around and playing together!-I'll see if anyone got a picture of the three of them...or at least a full length shot! I also squeaked out the time to make Miss Zoey a dress. It turned out so cute and fit perfectly! :)

Jenny giving Zoey "lovins" her way of showing affection. :)

Here's a good shot of Zoey's dress. I really like the four little pleats at the neckline and that bias band at the bottom! Isn't she too cute?? (and that's my new wrap skirt there by her foot! you can see a bit of it in the other picture too. )

We all went over to my mom and dad's about 4:00 for our family party. Joe had been slow roasting spare ribs all day and I made 3 of my butterfinger pies (they ate two of them!). Heather brought some of her amazing snikerdoodle cookies-fresh from the oven!! :-D My mom made a new coconut cake recipe that was just outstanding...she even did the berry flag on top! Somehow all 18 (counting babies!) of us squished in around their dining room table and had a nice family meal. After that it we all just hung out and visited until about 10:00!! My mom found a funny idea in the Family Fun magazine that we tried...you soak as many t-shirts as there are men (and boys!) in water, then fold them up and freeze them solid. Then each guy gets a frozen shirt, and the point of the game is to see "Who's Hottest"....the first person to get the shirt on wins bragging rights as hottest male for the next year. :) heehee, it was so funny! Even 5yro. Max played! My dad won this year... Next year will be even more fun with three 3 year olds and two 1 year olds!! There's even talk of a carnival theme...with all sorts of games and activities. :) I think we had the best fourth ever...no TV or alcohol in site!

Happy 4th Of July!!

The Star Spangled Banner
by Francis Scott Key

Oh! say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze o'er the towering steep
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam;
Its full glory reflected now shines on the stream;
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh! long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is the band who so vauntingly swore,
'Mid the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country they'd leave us no more?
Their blood hath washed out their foul footsteps' pollution;
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation;
Blessed with victory and peace, may the Heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
And this be our motto, "In God is our trust":
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

My Lovely Mother's Day

Today has been a lovely, stormy day. I was to out of it with my allergies to make it to Mass, but Joe did take Jenny. We're trying to be more consistent with getting her there each Sunday (instead of trading off at different Mass times), and she's just about to the point of getting through the entire thing without needing to go to the back.

In baby news, it seems that Mr. Anthony has (finally) dropped. He was getting lower on Friday, but by Saturday the bump had noticeably dropped...and it looks even lower tonight! They say that
with non-first pregnancies that the baby drops shortly before labor starts...so maybe soon!! :)

My Mother's Day has been lovely. It really started yesterday morning with a girly outing with Ducky (Heather) and Miss Zoey. Zoey couldn't have been any more splendid...she fell asleep before our breakfast got to the table, and stayed asleep until half way through lunch...about 3 hours! We went to a cute little country diner for breakfast and I enjoyed their blueberry pancakes...but next time I go I'm going to try the french toast that Ducky got! After that we went to visit the newly relocated and expanded yarn shop. It is *so much fun* to wander through the place feeling all the yarns. It always amazes me...the basic stuff comes from just a handful of animals, but there are so very many different yarns...I like the alpaca/silk combinations...it feels like a cloud! I found some 70% cotton/ 30% rayon yarn that was on sale for $2.00/skien...I got two in a lovely yellow, and one in white. I'm already nearly finished with a soft star toy for Anthony. I'm basing it on a knitting pattern, but I "tweaked" it for crochet. I'll be sure to share pictures when it's finished! After the yarn shop we visited a new consignment shop that has opened up on Main Street. Ducky found jeans for Miss Lottie to grow into and I found an adorable pair that will fit Anthony this winter...hard to think of him that big, but I know I'll be glad to have them. I will definitely put that store on my list of places to keep an eye on! And as I declutter our things I may even see about selling some things there...50% of the price they sell the item for! We wandered through another favorite shop, "The Three French Hens". That store has changed allot over the years, but it is always fun to peak. We finished up the day with going to the new Ft. Valley Nursery (it used to be in the end of a tiny building, but now has a very pretty new garden center just outside of town). There is even a "garden cafe" in it, which is where we had lunch. Shortly after our food came, Zoey woke up and got busy smiling enough to make up for the time she was asleep. ;) She is so outrageously cute! (Pictures at the link for Heather's blog!)

Joey and Jenny surprised me with a pretty new stained-glass barrette, and (the best of all mother's day gifts!!) a new apron. It is a pretty blue with pink and yellow flowers printed on it. I told Joe that so long as he has a say in mother's day, I would be perfectly happy to get a new apron each year! Wouldn't that just be lovely? Think of the possibilities!

This afternoon we went up to visit with Joe's family. His mom's birthday was Friday, his youngest sister's is on Tuesday, plus Mother's Day and a special Pentecost dinner. She made a 12 fruit salad (for the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit), (insert word I can't remember here...) game hens for the dove (symbol of Holy Spirit) and a neat cake; 2 angel food cakes for the two angels present when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles and Mary, with a lovely lemon icing (hehe, I don't think there is any symbolism there! but it was *so* yummy), decorated with "tongues of fire" made from smushed gumdrops...it was very fun!

I had allot of fun making her birthday/mother's day gift this year. I found a pretty apron at Target that I used as the base of my gift. The colors were a pretty light brown and robins-egg-blue. I crocheted her two new washcloths in those colors, and made her two pot holders. I haven't made pot holders before, so it was a learning thing...I'll probably make her another set now that I know what I'm doing...more than with that set at least! I'll be making some more for my kitchen at some point here, so I'll share details then...once I get the bugs worked out! :)

Well, I'm off to eat a late dinner and try to get some cleaning done...between nesting fits and hormones (extra testosterone thanks to baby being a boy!), it's rather amazing that Joe is still willing to let me be in the same house as any and all other human beings... I must say that I really wasn't expecting how different the hormones would be with a boy! It results in, instead of teary, irrationality that comes with a girl (estrogen...much like PMS); with Incredible Hulk like fits of temper over the tiniest little things...I suppose it is to give me some sympathy for when he gets older...I only hope I can still remember!

Easter Pictures!

5 Years of Marriage...

Well, not for me, but if you take the 2 years and 7 months that Joe and I have reached today, and the two years and 5 months (busy summer!) that my brother Zac and sweet "bonus sister" reach today, that's 5 years! :-P So I thought I'd share a picture or two, and wish Zac and Heather a happy 29 month anniversary! :-D

Heather and Zac August 13th, 2005

Me and Joe (evidently the only picture I have on the computer) June 13th, 2005


And just for fun, here are pictures of our almost-two's (sniff, sniff)
Miss Charlotte Anne
Miss Genevieve Elaine
And just because, this is my *very favorite* picture of Jenny...she was 26 hours old. :-)

Christmas Pictures!! (long)

Jenny was at first adamant that her stocking was a hat...

I made this stained glass candle holder while I was at my grandmother's after Thanksgiving. It was my first ever glass project, and not only did I love it, but I love how this turned out!

These are the Elves that Jenny and I made. She did the heads (with surprisingly little guidance from me!), and I did the bodies while she napped.

Two of the ornaments we made...these two were gifts to Jenny's great-grandmother...aren't they cute? :)

For Joe's borther I made this fun little tin...he likes to have his friends over for poker nights, so I thought this would be perfect. It's just a regular Christmas tin, spray painted black with cards glued on the top.

Inside were 6 homemade coasters, two sets of chips, and to packs of clear playing cards...they're really neat!

This is a better shot of the coasters I made...I glued four dominoes together, then backed them with black craft foam. A bit of glitzy red trim around the edge and I think they're pretty cool! :)

For the grandfathers we made special t-shirts (to be added to each Christmas, as more grandchildren appear!) This one is for Joe's dad, he'll get foot prints...

And this is for my dad, he gets hands...

No, Jenny only has 5 fingers... :)

And here's my niece's little hand..isn't it cute? :)

Reading "Twas the night before Christmas"...the night before Christmas! And Jenny's very first hot chocolate!
Hanging her stocking by the tree (next year we'll have to mantels to choose from! :)
Once Jenny went to sleep, Joe and I brought out our gift for her...a kitchen set!
Isn't it just darling? :)

8 Hours Left! :-)

We're almost into Christmas (!!) and I'm feeling pretty good about what I've gotten done!

Make sister's Christmas skirt ~ COMPLETED!
Make daughter's Christmas ensemble ~ COMPLETED!
Make several more toy balls for the various "under 2" people on my list (*so* much fun!) ~ Will have the ones for the girls done by this evening...ones that need to get mailed will be finished and mailed by Saturday!
Make grandfather's gifts (should be quick and easy!) ~Done by this evening!
Finish making bil's gift ~ About 1/2 done...done by this evening!
Gift for my Mama (no hints!) ~Completely out of time, but I'm making a pretty "gift card" for it and will work on it as soon as I can! :)
(going to be late!) gifts for some sweet friends ~Will be worked on and mailed out by Saturday!


While it might not *look* like I've gotten that much crossed off, I've met all of my deadlines thus far, and will have everything done on time! :) Jenny's Christmas dress is *so* cute! I used the extra fabric from my sister Eliza's skirt, so I'll be sure to get a picture of the two of them all dressed up together! Thank you Sommer, for that pattern you sent me this spring...it worked perfectly for her dress! :)

In house news, we looked at two yesterday and fell even more in love with the one we thought we'd like. :) It is in a word, perfect, and we will be putting in an offer by the end of the week hopefully!

I'm going to scoot and do the next round of paint and glue on various gifts, and just keep plugging away! I'll update with lots of Christmas pictures by the end of the week, but if I don't pop on here tomorrow, have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!! :)

~Tilly

Some Progress!!

Before you get terribly excited, I'm afraid I don't have any pictures to share at the moment...partly because I forgot to get pictures before I wrapped certain items, and partly because I haven't taken pictures of others. ;)

I've made good progress with some things, but then I need to really play catch up in others...for instance, I have several gifts completed, and wrapped, but I haven't even started on Jenny's Christmas outfit...which is mostly because I have no idea what to do...I had a great idea, and the fabric for it, but now I'm not sure I have the right type of patterns...even with some tweaking. Plus, seeing as she and I each have colds, there is always the question of if we'll even make it to/though Mass. I'm already planning on staying home tomorrow...I really don't want to share this cold!!

I'm sure I will be done with everything on time...it's just a matter of doing it! I'm hoping that the house shopping will go quickly tomorrow, and that we will have good luck. :) Want to know what projects I have left? Lol, I'm sure it will make you feel better about your lists!!

Make sister's Christmas skirt
Make daughter's Christmas ensemble
Make several more toy balls for the various "under 2" people on my list (*so* much fun!)
Make grandfather's gifts (should be quick and easy!)
Finish making bil's gift
Gift for my Mama (no hints!)
(going to be late!) gifts for some sweet friends
hmmm....I think there's something I'm forgetting, but oh well, that gives you an idea anyway! :) I'm off to keep working...in case it sounds like I'm going crazy, I *am* having a fun time with all of these projects...it's just that with this cold, I'm not making the progress I would normally. But I'm having a blast making these little toy balls! Off to stuff more... :)

I know...it's not Christmas time yet...BUT...

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate...egg nog is great, but generally only a small glass on Christmas/Eve
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? at our house, Santa wraps gifts for the stocking, with one peaking out the top...
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I prefer white lights, but for now we have white lights outside and colored lights for the tree...
4. Do you hang mistletoe? hmmm....I wonder if I could start doing that...anyone know where to find it???
5. When do you put up your decorations? right after thanksgiving, and in bits throughout Advent...
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? lol tacos :D
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? getting up at 11:30 to wrap the many, many quilts my dad had gotten my mom...he had wrapped them each individually earlier in the day and hidden them in my room. Then once she had gone to sleep, I got out the giant TV box and put them all in, then wrapped the whole giant box. :)
(Number 8 omitted for Santa reasons ;)
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Well last year Joe and I opened our gifts for each other that night once Jenny was in bed, then did Santa and Jenny's gifts the next morning, but I'm not sure if we'll do that again or not...it was so much fun! :)
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? With lights and lots of fun ornaments we got our first Christmas...I think this year though, I'm going to try to make some, and have Jenny help with some, so it's a little less nerve racking if she knocks it down! :)
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? LOVE IT!
12. Can you ice skate? no :(
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? um...I don't know...I've gotten so many great ones!! Probably my very first flannel "grownup" nightgown when I was about 10. But my first sewing machine is up there too!
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays For you? I know this is the part to say it's celebrating the birth of Christ w/ family and friends, BUT my very FAVORITE thing about the holidays would have to be the smells....the food, the paper, the boxes that come in the mail, the candles, the cold, etc. etc. etc. :)
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? oh goodness, I have no idea
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? the decorating
17. What tops your tree? a pretty glittery coper star
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? giving
19. What's your favorite Christmas song? I really like "The First Noelle", but I love almost all of them!
20. Candy Canes? eh, sure why not?
21. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized? Or Is it still
magical for you? both :)

*Ahem*

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOOOOOO YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOOOOOOO YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR EEEEELLLLIIIIIIZZZZAAAAA!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOOOOOOOOOOOO YOUUUUUUUU!!!!!

Yup, this Sassy Thing is celebrating her 17th birthday.

And to celebrate the day, we found her this wonderful, right up her alley thing....
I love you cutie, and I'll be over to do my part with your cake later!!