He still loves football

That's a bonafide three point stance folks.  It just looks funny.  He will do this and will pretend to throw and catch a ball. 

Running from a tackle or possibly a victory dance?

Reading to himself in his room.  Usually when he reads he says "no, no, no" from time to time, especially with the three little kittens.  Do you think he hears me say "no" a lot?

Flying horses beware

C did it.  He really did it.  He conquered his fear of carousels.  My frequent readers may recall pics of C on carousels before.  His first time was at Grant's Farm.  He was really scared and tried to get off most of the time, so he held onto Scott instead of the horse.  His second time he got on the horse, but then got scared and had to switch to a bench where gpa could sit next to him.  He also tried the horses like at grocery stores w/similar results, but last Wednesday we had success.  He saw the carousel and kept asking to ride, and he did.  He actually held onto the horse and let me back away to take pictures.  You can't tell by the look on his face (which seems like sheer terror) that he was actually enjoying himself, but not the laughing giggling kind.  I think he's still cautious, but we're doing better.  I'm not sure what he was looking at that caused this look, but check out the death grip on the horse's post.

Give the boy some water to put out fire

C got to go to the fire house down from Scott's parents today.  Sarah's father in law is a firefighter at that house and was delighted to give a tour, so G-pa, Uncle Mitch, and daddy were escorted by Steve, Mitch's dad.  Scott said the thermal detectors were the coolest, but C thought the water fountain in the firehouse was the coolest.  I guess it was pretty low b/c it looks like he can about help himself.

driving the engine

hanging out on the front

Here are the projects

Got most of them done.  I still have to sew the back onto my baby blanket, but it's ready to go finally.  I got my artwork completed (see picture above) as well as the diaper cake (complete w/lamb rattle peeking from the top--didn't take a pic).  A friend is helping w/ the standing sheep, and the mobile is a definite no go, but now I'm thinking banner. 

this is a light pink color for the blanket back-really similar to what is on C's favorite blanket.

Close ups of the art work.  Debating about whether to put titles in black letters on the pieces.  I don't want it to get too busy, but I want it to be obvious what they are.

I'm starting to think little bo peep's sheep look like they're poodles wearing choir robes instead sheep w/ bells. 

so ideas are coming too quickly

I actually had time to think about shower decorations, and I've got some ideas.  One will count as a gift and will double as decoration.  I'm drawing/using paper to create artwork depicting nursery rhymes w/sheep.  I plan to buy a three opening frame and in each opening will be the artwork: mary had a little lamb, baa baa black sheep, and little bo peep.  I hope it all comes together.  I have my sketches, but I'm unsure how a couple will translate with paper.  If you've ever seen my try to draw you should be afraid.  My students everywhere shuddered any time I attempted to draw anything on the board.  We'll see.  I'm decent if I can look at a picture/drawing and copy it, but like I said not sure how sketches will translate to collage type style.  My blanket is coming along.  I have the top almost finished, but still need to get the rest of my supplies.  I don't dare enter a craft store in search of fabric w/C.  I've officially learned my lesson (for the next 2 weeks). 

I'm also going to make these standing sheep that I found on family fun.  You use a boiled egg, pipe cleaners, paper bags, and cotton balls.  If I get really ambitious I might try a mobile.  I don't forsee this happening, but you never know.  I live for the stress of it--what else do I have to do, right?  I think I might do a diaper cake as well, w/one of the layers a play yard sheet.

Baby quilt

So, I'm trying to make a small baby blanket/quilt.  You should at this point begin nodding your head and saying, "don't do it, Gina--you know nothing about this stuff."  I made a small quilt top out of random scraps of fabric from my aprons. Evidently I made them too random at first b/c piecing was too difficult, so I went w/more measured pieces, which is still difficult when you're going for a piecemeal/nonsymmetrical look.  I almost have the top pinned together.  If these were quilt blocks I might be able to figure out how to piece it more efficiently, but b/c as I stated it is non-patterened it is a booger to piece.  So I had to pin the whole thing together, and tomorrow I will sew it together to have a top that is in one piece.  I had my cozy fabric (for the other side of the blanket) and ribbons (for the touchy feely part) picked out at JoAnn's today, but the fabric cutting line was huge, and C was in a tantrum throwing mood.  Did you know that the last 3 times I've been to JoAnn's C has thrown a major tantrum.  It's like he knows it's a girly place and he should flee as fast as he can.  I don't know if it's the way it's set up, but he freaks out if the trip lasts more than 5-10 min, no matter what I do to try to distract him.  So, plan is to get the top part finished and then get to a fabric store this weekend and buy needed supplies and finish before next Thursday.  We will see if I make my deadline, but it's a real deadline--a baby shower, so I'm going to get it done.  Any cute baby shower decoration ideas that are simple for a very small shower (like 8 people or so)?  I'm running dry.  The nursery will be pink, green, and khaki w/ sheep.  I'm drawing a complete blank.

Second Showing

Tonight we have a second showing. PLEEEEEAAAAASSSSSSE pray that these people want to buy our house.  This would be amazing.  It would be really amazing in spite of the annoying small leak in our basement (which is currently leaking, so they should be able to see it).  We have had this leak worked on 4 times.  We keep thinking we have it fixed, but it's very persistent, and very small.

Garner family Christmas photos

So clearly I didn't get near as many pics as I thought.  I guess I was busy cooking or something, but here are a couple cute ones of the boys and my brother's family.

If you're interested I made an amazing stuffed pork loin for the xmas dinner.  I stuffed it w/spinach, onions, mushrooms, bread crumbs, ham, and a small amount of swiss cheese sauce.  It was delish!

Are ya serious, Clark?

As you can tell by the look in this photo C is feeling crummy--just a cold, but icky still.  Side note: my college friend who lives in Seattle got him this cute Seattle Sounders jersey.

So it's one of those days that started out okay, but spiraled out of control.  I got a full night's sleep (first all week due to C feeling funky), so that was good.  We had a play date--obviously good.  Around 4 I went out to clear off the snow/ice/slush from our deck since a lot of melting occured today.  It was coming off easily.  Yipeee!

Bad #1: I noticed where the deck looked bad before I restained it this summer now looks worse than ever--so much for restaining.  This was just annoying.

Bad # 2: I kept heard a funny dripping noise.  I look up at the sound, and I discover part of our gutter has separated from the siding, and water is just dripping straight down over the flashing--this is REALLY BAD!  We need this fixed asap, but I don't know who to call. 

Bad # 3: the basement guy still hasn't come to try to fix the basement (yet again)-which he came over before xmas to discuss. 

Bad #4: C was acting out terribly tonight--he was throwing stuff, kicking furniture, crying to watch tv (his new obsession). 

Bad #5: I discovered my eye seemed gooey all of a sudden while I was getting C ready for bed.  I thought I just had an eyelash in my eye or something.  As soon as I cleared it, there was more goo.  I went to take out my contact, and as soon as it came out my eye felt like sandpaper.  Either I've got a cut eye or a killer eye infection.  I haven't had an eye infection for 10 years, but the last one was a killer--I almost had corneal problems b/c of it.  Now I've got to figure out if I can get in w/the eye doctor tomorrow before I leave for St. Louis--plus I have to get the house amazing for our open house. 

Virtual gripe: this sucks!  And it's really getting old.  Plus my eye hurts like hell.  I think there's a person shoveling ice from it.  The other one's starting feel funky, too.  AHHHHHH! 

On the plus side, I snapped a couple cute photos last night and tonight. 

All bundled up in his new hat, scarf, and gloves.  I got new ones so they would survive playing in the snow. 

My little soccer star. 

Way Fun Weekend

I will have pictures to follow, but I'm too tired to upload them right now.  My parents and my brother's family came to visit for the weekend to celebrate our family Christmas.  It was mucho fun (divertido I believe).  C loooooved having his two cousins here, both boys, so they played and played.  Usually C prefers to play alone or parallel play near others.  Not this weekend.  He was really into playing w/Wyatt, his 3.5 year old cuz.  He played w/Nic his 8 yr old cuz as well, but not w/the same gusto.  Whatever Wy did, C wanted to do.  They all played so well together.  Much sleep was missed by all, but hopefully we'll catch up this week.  The house felt like it might burst at times w/9 of us in only 3 bedrooms.  The parents and nephews camped out in the living room.  We survived a very clogged toilet, 4 big meal--feeding 9 meals, providing snacks for 3 very hungry, growing boys, Wy and C looove fruit and crackers and N loooves meat of any kind.  To top it off people 3 different times wanted to come and look at the house.  We declined twice, but we got the house all cleaned and showing ready by 1:30 today.  There were four of us working like fiends on it, and trying to avoid C undoing all of our work. 

We so need a contract on our house and to be able to live together again.

Dear Earth,

Did you forget what you normally do?  Why is it so freaking cold!  I feel like I'm living in the heart of Siberia instead of the heart of America.  We are expecting 5-6" of snow today, and the snow from last week hasn't even completely left our yard.  I'm so tired of this cold weather.  Usually the cold doesn't last so long, but it seems we're in for the long haul.  The last time Scott and I were apart the weather really bad, too.  I told him he needed to get a snow shovel so he could dig himself out of his apartment since he doesn't have a garage.

Please, please, please warm up to above freezing some time soon--I really want my family to be able to come this weekend.

Thanks,

Gina

Fun in the snow

here's randy.

sledding in the tiniest amount of snow

Pre-christmas fun.

Enjoying fun with the sheep from his Little People Nativity--and a dog toy.

Enjoying his blinking snowman

Playdate with AJ and Elise.  We couldn't get Elise to sit with the boys.  As soon as she got up on the couch, C had had enough. 

Christmas

Maybe he'll help clean up next year.  He just liked the bag used to collect the discarded wrapping paper.

Enjoying his new veggies and fruits--they peel and slice!

After we opened his new easel he sat on top of the box.

In awe of all the presents--we've already started, too.

Christmas Eve

Here we are in front of Scott's childhood church's Christmas tree after the Christmas Eve service.  C got to help light the advent candles.  He did really well.  He made it through most of the service, but Scott had to take him to play in the nursery during the Lord's Supper.  He also went up for the kids story time, and he sat on this stool and would flirt w/these high school girls in the first couple of pews.

Here's a look into the chaos

So amongst the craziness of Christmas and New Year's with the usual sickness passed about, our dog Kona decided to add to the excitement.  Some time early on in the 2 weeks I was in St. Louis, Kona split his toenail lengthwise.  We evidently didn't notice it--he must have an amazing pain threshold.  We did notice it about a week ago.  We tried to doctor it, but it looked infected by last Monday.  We took him to a vet in the area.  They anesthitized him and cut away the nail--ouch!  He had a bandage all over the lower part of his back left leg.  He was pretty out of it that day--we thought he might fall over several times.  He required a plastic baggie over his foot when he went outside, to keep it dry and clean.  So this was an added inconvenience.  The vet had given him painkillers, which evidently made him sick.  I was awakened early Wed. morning/late Tues. night to vomiting.  He vomited all over Don and Brenda's house(my in-laws)--he vomited in four rooms--two with carpet.  You might be wondering why I let him puke in so many places.  It all happened within 10-15 min.  I no sooner got the first two cleaned up, and I went downstairs to wash my hands.  He ran down the stairs and puked right in the living room.  I could have killed him.  I cleaned vomit for an hour.  The next morning we were still working on the carpets.  I'd never seen so much vomit.  So we make it through the vomits, but we have 5 days of the pseudo-cast and plastic baggie thanks to all the snow and rain.  We remove bandage on Sat.  Scott decides it needs to be rewrapped b/c Kona won't leave it alone.  This proved to be a terrible idea. 

On the ride home yesterday--he licked the tape off of his foot as well as the hair on 2.25 of his toes.  He looks like a monkey.  So as soon as I got home I discovered he'd done this.  He must have licked his foot the whole way home.  I almost puked when I saw the damage he'd done.  I tried to put a sock over his foot, but he just licked through it.  I had to break out the cone from his tail docking/neutering. 

It's much grosser close up.

I took him to the vet today--I had to wait 45 min. w/ C and K in a cone (he's hard to control this way).  C did well while we waited, but as soon as the vet came in, he was ready to go.  He was fascinated that the vet rubbed salve on K's foot, so he wanted to help. Once he discovered he wasn't allowed to help--he wanted to leave immediately. 

This would be so much easier if Scott were here.