I am in love!

Since the first day I met him, I knew that Jesse would be a great addition to our family, but I never thought that I could love him this much!  He has made an undeniable impression on every life he and his story touches.  He is curious and smart with the most amazing facial expressions, and I feel blessed to be his Mommy.  He is the funniest thing I ever met, and I wanted to share some of his Jesse-isms with you.

*  Tylenol is "tiny lol."

*  Chocolate pudding is "chocolate penguin."

*  When he meets new people he says, "Glad to meet you," in his sweet squeaky voice, and shakes your hand.

*  When I asked him where God lives, he stated, "In a castle."

*  A couple of weeks after visiting with my family for the first time, Jesse was in the bathtub playing with a fishing game, when he grabbed up a green fish, held it tight to his chest and stated, "I just love Robin!!!"  (my little sister)

*  My mother-in-law told Jesse that we were going to hike when we go camping.  He grabbed my hand and said, "Mommy, let's close eyes and pretend we hike through Disney World." (his current obsession)

*  Jesse held onto this little heart-shaped rock for weeks after he found it on a nature walk.

*  He hates ice cream because it's "too cold."

*  If we're ever outside after dark he always warns us saying, "Watch out for the lions!"

*  He called us "Mommy" and "Daddy" from the day we got him.

I hope that you have a little love in your life, too, that makes you smile and brightens your day!

a new year...just a little late

OKAY.  I know that it is 21 days into the new year, but I've been running just a little late for everything lately.  Thus I think that this post is more than fitting for my recent state of mind/life. {smile and sigh} I have been thinking and puzzling things over in my head regarding the start of a brand new year.  So many things have changed in my little world and I am enjoying them!!!  My adorable new (soon-to-be-officially-ours) son is the most amazing change in my life.  He is both a blessing and a challenge! (Why does he feel the need to rip books, lick counter tops and shopping carts, and pull the pee guard off his potty seat, sending a yellow liquid trajectory all over my clean pants ?) {another giant smile}

Which brings me to the real reason for this post - my promises to myself for this new year! (otherwise known as resolutions...but I really dislike that word...it always makes me want to quit before I get started...)

1.  I will spend more time laughing and less time getting frustrated.  (This includes pee on my pants that I didn't put there.)  I will let go of having an immaculately clean house, perfectly folded laundry, and a tidy craft room.

{my embarrassingly messy craft room}

2.  I will be more conscious and conscientious in my daily life.  This includes taking some important stuff seriously -  reading my Bible and praying, investing in friendships, playing more and fretting less, and getting healthy.

  

{sunflowers}

3.  I will make something every day.  I get in funks where it's hard for me to be crafty, even though I love creating.  This year, I want to have a pile of goodies on hand to give away and sell.

{happy craftiness}

I hope this new year finds you well, and with a whole new perspective on your life, too.  Happy (21 days into) 2009!  

two blogs in one day...what?

Yes, I know that's it's out of character to post twice in one day, but I finally caught up with some email tonight, and I found the most wonderful "present" from Angeline waiting for me!  She has been added to a very fun blog/zine at heart handmade, and included little sheep felt in her Christmas wish list.  Thanks, Miss Angeline!

A new addition to our family

It has been quite a long time since I've posted anything on this little blog.  My world has been turned up-side-down (in a good way) over the last couple of months.  My husband and I have been trying to start a family for almost 3 years, and after many trials, medications, poking and prodding, paperwork, waiting, and more waiting, we finally received our little boy in October.  We decided to use the foster care system to start our family, and we are hoping and praying that we get to adopt him some time next year.  God knew exactly what he was doing when he gave us our little guy,  and we feel ridiculously blessed to have him in our lives!

oh how sweet!

Carolina Gudanowski, of From Tiki with Love,  posted the sweetest blog about my Little Sheep Felt.  Thank you, Carolina, for your sweet words!  Check out her etsy site, where she posts THE CUTEST bird prints, paintings, and greeting cards.

the lazy river and wool roving

I love being a nurse, but my days off have become a much-needed rest from the real world.  My sweet friend, Kim, invited me to come to the pool with her, and as we floated around the lazy river, we contemplated answers to the pressing issues in our lives.  Ah.....there's nothing like the leisurely solving of life's biggest problems!  And then, I finally got my act together and posted the wool roving and beginner's felting kits on my etsy site.  Hooray!  Another step closer to crafting independence!
 

it's done!!!!

After nearly nine months of felting/refelting and writing/rewriting, my little felting book is finally finished!  HOORAY!  Check it out here.  Oh...and I cannot finish this entry without thanking my amazing husband for doing all of the layout and printing.  He is amazing!

bunting and bird's nest

Oh!  How I do love summer - trips to the beach, sprouting garden, summer craftiness, and now a little bird has built a perfect little nest in the Confederate Jasmine on my back porch.  And not only is there a little nest, but also 3 little shiny blue eggs!  What a lovely surprise!

I am so privileged to have formed a friendship with the very talented Angelina Tsao.  Her company, Cake and Milk Paperie, has become one of my favorite sources of artistic and business inspiration.  She has a new line of graphic cards that just make me so happy!  Her bunting cards are so sweet, and to celebrate her new card line, I decided to make some bunting of my own.  (((BEAUTIFUL work, Miss Angeline!)))

an end-of-week tea party

I had a very long workweek!  When I'm not being crafty, I am a nurse on a very busy medical/surgical unit, and recently my patients have kept me ridiculously more busy than usual.  Between patient and family requests, medically necessary tasks (wound care, dressing changes, assisting patients with ambulation, giving out meds....) and the insurmountable amount of paperwork, I feel like most of my day is spent chasing my tail.  So, on my day off, I decided to have a tea party.  My friend, Lizzy, came over on her lunch hour and we got to share an assortment of tea sandwiches, scones, desserts, and of course - tea!  It was a lovely break in the week to indulge in something so girly, not rushed, and not ruined by the lingering smells of body fluids, that often haunt my workweek lunches.

the beginning

I have been busy in my studio lately!  My time is consumed with writing a short instructional manual on needle felting, and trying to increase my inventory.  So far, the progress has been slow-going, but I'm inching closer to this life that I want to live (thus a blog entry - finally!!!).   I am not sure where this little venture will take me, but here I am....willing to make this first step in this journey.