Hi, my name's Joanna...

and I am addicted to craft blogs. I thought it was time to come clean. There must be a 12-step program out there for people like me. Anyway, incase you were wondering why I haven't been updating the blog much lately, you can see why. Here's what I've been working on.

Portable DVD player bag - based kinda off Ashley's

Jill's Cozy Car Caddy (made especially for the plane ride to Florida)

Baby Legs (made using Auntie JuJu's old Sweater) - Ashley's idea again

Crayon tote - for a special 3 year old friend of Ellie - Pattern

Little Quilted basket - I actually made three of these (for my mom's group christmas white elephant and both of Ellie's teachers...unfortunately, due to the snow her teachers will have to wait until after new year's to enjoy.

I only wish I could come up with this stuff on my own!

Snowed In

Almost two feet of snow. And here we thought we had moved to the south. HA! Too deep for the kids to play in. I think we would have lost Ethan. That and he doesn't have snow boots. The aligator rain boots are super cute, but didn't work so well. So, we've been hanging out inside...letting our library books get more overdue, waiting for the plows to clean the streets, and working on creating some holiday cheer.

Oh, and yes...Ethan is eating the playdough...yum.

Ethan @ 16 months.

Just a little update on our not so little man.

Some new words...

"KA" - car...I put in caps, cause he doesn't say it, he shouts it whenever he sees one. Since our neighborhood is pretty packed with houses and our front yard is a parking lot, we hear this often

"All Fall Down" - yep, Ellie taught him how to play "ring around the rosie"

"Peas" - please..only once or twice now, but we are working on it. It's much better to hear than "AHHHH" when he wants something.

"Tap" - or somethimes "Top" - Thomas, i.e. Thomas the Tank engine. As well loved as santa in our home.

"Kuku" - cookie. Mama's been making a lot of these lately.

"Door"- yep, he's got that one just about perfect. It's lots of fun when we walk around our block (with about 25 houses) and he stops at each one, points and yells "door"

"Boo" - let's just say this one is Tim's favorite and we hear it whenever I am holding Ethan and his hands are trying to find their way down my shirt...I'll let you use your imagination.

His favorites are still Dada, Mama, Maa (more), and ah do (all done)

He is climbing everywhere (thankfully not out of his crib yet), loves to hug and wrestle with his big sister, says good night to the front door everynight, and loves to pull the ornaments and garland off the christmas tree. The lower branches are just that, branches...not many needles left.

Chaos!

Sorry for the messiness of the last post. Not sure why blogger isn't letting me comment below pictures or align the pictures up nicely. Oh well. Don't have time to figure it out now. I have some christmas presents to finish making and need to start packing to head to NJ tomorrow for the family christmas gathering. December sure snuck up on us and it is flying by!

Christmas has arrived!

Ellie is enjoying my favorite Christmas Decoration. I am pretty sure this came from Mom Mom and I am so excited that it's mine!

We picked up our tree from the boyscouts last Saturday morning - in the freezing rain and ice - it took me almost a week to decorate. I can't wait until they are older and can help more.

Watching the first snow of the year. Too bad it turned to an icy slushy mess before we could play.

Timmy is pretty excited about the tree too. Glad he doesn't read this...he'd kill me!

Kids seeing the tree decorated. Ethan didn't last long...he's getting up to attack the ornaments!

Late Fall Picnic

Just enjoying this warm weather before winter sets in. Although last year we were at the playground in January, so hopefully "winter" will repeat itself.

Sticky Fingers

Ethan is giving this saying a whole new meaning...and it's not just fingers, but hair, face, ear...he decided that his plate of pancakes and syrup would be better on his head than on his high chair. Sweet dreams all.