3 months

Owen turned 3 months last week and I have officially given up saying his age in weeks...because yes...saying 13 weeks sounds foolish.  Anyways he is the same little man; spitting up after every feeding, crying his heart out every time he is put in his car seat, sleeping with mama, nursing every 1-3 hours and always has that same look of concern that comes along with those big eyes.  He loves chatting and gooing with his sister and his newest trick is rolling over from his back to belly...and then belly to back...each time rolling onto his belly triggering a little spit up and goofy grin of course.

We all just arrived home last night and are recouping from our travels and soaking up all this lovely sun!

Aaron had a blast in Utah (managed to work in some skiing of course) and we had a wonderful time in RI (as usual)!

rhody spring cleaning

Well it seems RI never really got winter this year...unless you count the one or two snow storms that never amounted to much... and well I know that my mom and many others aren't really complaining about the mild winter...they are most definitely not complaining about the glimpse into spring we are experiencing at the moment!  Mid 60's and flowers blooming...can't complain about that!

mattie aka "cone dog"

giving the plants a hair cut

the subarus...first kevin...now ryan...my brothers totally want to be like me 

Owen & friends

Here are a few pictures of Owen and his friends taken recently...

Raeleigh, Owen, & Nivi (all born within i think 2 weeks)

Elias & Owen

and of course his best bud sissy...(such a sad face when moments before he was smiling away)

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We are in RI for a while visiting so posts will likely lack...  we are soaking up the sun and enjoying family & friends!

longer days

It's happening, slowly, but it is happening.  The days are getting longer, ice fishing shacks are being hauled off the lake, grass is poking through the snow, and mud is being tracked through the house.  Soon enough spring will be upon us but for now (or at least yesterday anyways) we enjoyed the winter scenes.

aaron found a surprise set of hand me down kids sized skis by his desk a few days ago

Owen bundled up and tucked into the carrier

a few more sled rides

signs of spring

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I don't want to jinx us...it is only March and we are in New England...so more snow could be on the way (actually it is snowing right now).  But with this so far "winter" I am not so convinced that we will be sledding again this year.

crafty genes

While organizing and reorganizing my craft space (which is a tupperware bin, a sewing box and three card board boxes.....oh yes i dream and some day i will have a "real space") I came across my stash of collectables - a few items that were among the piles of crafting tools that were my grandmothers and likely her mothers.  I love to dream of what they made with them, where they crafted, what they thought about while they crafted - mostly who were these women who used these tools?  Don't get me wrong, I knew my grandmother, but she had a brick wall around her - a hardy New England type - that chose carefully what she shared about herself and seldom gave up an ounce of real emotion.  I wonder if these women itched for their free time to sit alone and use their hands to knit, crochet or make a rug or did they use these tools to merely pass time.  I don't know for sure but I can only imagine that making a lace doily or a hook rug wasn't just to pass the time.

For me, crafting is a time where I can be in my head - it might be brainstorming my next grocery list, brooding over a disagreement, or relishing in a fond memory - but it is important time for me to connect with myself and reflect.  And in some ways working with my hands helps me feel connected with these women and that maybe I know them better than I think - and that I still have so much to learn from them.

my latest cast off - a sweater for Owen

pattern can be found Here

thanks again Jess for the yarn- a perfect baby/mama gift!

moving to the wicked country

That's right, we are crossing the border and moving to Vermont in two months!  Thank goodness this move will be for at least a year- I am tired of the packing and unpacking... but I think this place will be a much better fit for us...Aaron knew the search (which never really amounted to a search as this was the first house we looked at) was all over when we pulled into the driveway and in the back there was a barn with a horse in a paddock...and a landlord that said "this is wicked country out here, you'll love it" five times.   We will have the luxury of a large garden space, the thumbs up on chickens and a dog, and a dead end road surrounded by forest.  Yes this is all very exciting and we are starting to research our plans for a chicken coop, how many chickens to get, should we get a thanksgiving turkey too?, what veggies we will grow and all the fun we will have this summer.

By now you might just be thinking...(like my husband)...so what about the house?  I suppose it could have been a teepee and I would have been ok with it...but not so much Aaron.  The house has been newly renovated with two bedrooms, one which has a loft play space, kitchen (with a gas stove!), full bath, living, dining room and a sunroom.  The sunroom is large enough and heated so will double as a guest room for when you all come to visit us!  So while we had started to entertain the idea of buying a house in order to have a garden, dog and chickens...this will do just fine until we are really ready to buy..... whenever that might be.

sooo excited for the move...and chickens!

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side note:
do not run out of butter when making granola bars and substitute with vegetable oil.  but if you do...like i did...mix with vanilla yogurt for a delish treat!

sunday morning

I love these babes of mine... here are a few snapshots from Sunday morning.

can't quite keep that tongue in her mouth

the stare off...

gnomy

eating his hands