Reading Comes Naturally

**Note - I forgot it was Friday!  Linking up to Happily Home Sewn and her peek of the week!




I know I've said it before... but these kids are awesome. 



I'm just so proud of how well Fisher is reading!  This video was taken a few weeks ago at Nana's house.  They got tired of waiting on me and raided the book basket.  It's amazing.  This is so much fun!

Magic. A day in the life of Pipey.

Some of you are not on facebook.  And if you're not you may not know that my daughter is frequently out in public dressed like this...

At Baskin Robbins

Flapping around the ice cream.

Riding the horse at the grocery store.

Eating dinner at Applebees.

Playing at Aunt Carly's house.

My "unicorn sightings" have become quite popular on facebook.   I couldn't deprive those who aren't my facebook "friends".  They don't just happen out in public though.

They happen in the living room.

By the block basket.  Complete with fancy shoes.

At the breakfast table.

Sometimes being a unicorn is really hard work. 

Piper LOVES being a unicorn.  It's sort of her thing.  And honestly, everyone else loves seeing a unicorn.  It's a magical thing to brighten someone's day.   I (for one) will be really sad when this sweet little outfit is too small.  Maybe she'll find some other magical thing to be.  I sure hope so.

There are already days when the unicorn sighting has given way to the "princess sighting".  Slightly more common - but it still brings a smile.

At the fabric store.  I should note here that if I didn't KNOW for sure this was Piper I would swear it was her cousin Ida.

Princess Piper at the dentist.

Here's the thing.  I love that my children love this stuff.  They believe in fairies, unicorns, and magic.  And you know what???  I hope they always do.  As adults I think we could all use a little more magic in our lives. 

I saw this very appropriate quote this morning (on facebook of all places).

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.  Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." - Roald Dahl.

I hope you do find it.

Can it be?

Can it really be?

This is just after we started cloth diapering.  Look how tiny he was!

After almost 7 years.

She'd finally grown into hers.

Am I really done with diapers?

Yes, I think I am.

And yes, that's totally bribe candy in her hand.

Pipey's been doing a fantastic job during the day with underwear for probably 6 months or so.  We, just this past week, let go of the diapers at night.  Woot!

Oh happy day!

Creative Thursdays...On a Friday.

I love creative Thursdays.  They don't always happen on a Thursday though.  My favorite part is watching my children "hatch a plan"...

then carry it out.  Then plans almost always stem from their creative play ideas.  This day they were playing with stuffed dogs.  Well, Piper had a dog.  Fisher had a lion cub. 

They think things through in great detail.

Here Fisher is cutting up "dog food" and putting it into the homemade "dog dish".

Sometimes these days require a tiny bit of help from me.  Like cutting cardboard or yogurt containers.

Most days the only thing I do is sit back and snap pictures.

The results are always amazing.  (and sometimes the mess is too)

Just as soon as they were dry they were filled with blankets food dishes and stuffed "dogs".

They are still playing with these.  And when they aren't anymore we'll recycle them.  We can always make more.  That's sort of my "lets recycle it now" mantra.

Creatively yours,
Fisher and Piper

** Seeing as today is Friday I'm linking up to the Peek of the Week over at Happily Home Sewn! **


 

 

Go check out her sewing room makeover.  Amazing as always!

Fly Tying

One of my goals this year is to learn to really use my camera.  (not just leave it in automatic and pretend I know what I'm doing)  That said, one night I was playing around with different lenses and settings while the boys were learning to tie flies.  (note to self: nightime = not so great lighting) Some of these are blurry in ways I didn't really want them to be but they're cute all the same. 

First things first.

Keep it tight.

This is so fun Mom!

Not sure what this face is about but it's funny.

Things are starting to come together.

Again with the funny face?

He loved that he was able to really participate.

Concentration

I think it's almost done!



Can you stand it?



Fisher was so excited to be able to learn with his daddy.  These boys of mine and fishing.  I think I've heard everyday "I WANNA GO FISHING"!  They are cooking up a little ice fishing trip (which I will NOT be going on so you may never see pictures of it) sometime in the next month or so.  And Fisher has declared "I'm going to spend all my money on hooks and other materials for fishing".  Yes, he really said materials.  So funny.  Again, we named him well. 

Deckin' and Trimmin'

A crafty one for you!

We have had tons of fun this last month deckin' and trimmin' our little house.  Some of these projects are from years past but we love them so much we keep bringing them out, and some are new.

Like this one... 

I made a yarn wreath for our front door. I'm totally loving this color combo for Christmas. (I think I'll make some pillows in these colors too.)  I added a couple of beeswax ornaments to the middle. 


We made quite a few of those too.  Beeswax ornaments I mean.  They smell so delicious and warm when the sun hits them.  I have a string hanging in the kitchen window.

We've made paper chains, and placemats, and gum drop trees. (I'll try and get pictures up of those - awesome)

And a few strings of lights.  These were really cute.  We used glittery craft foam, binder clips (from the office supply store), and some yarn.  I think I saw it in Family Fun magazine.

And here is a Christmas quilt I made a few years ago.

We made cookies at Aunt Carly's house.  If Fisher looks guilty here it's because he was just busted eating a handful of sprinkles.

And these stockings were made the year Fisher was born.

Piper's was made just before she was born.  Mine was made by my Mom when I was little. 

One of my favorite ornaments from my childhood.

Last year we made these dried orange slices with clove and cinnamon.  I LOVE these.  They still smell yummy even a year later.

Fisher has taken up finger knitting.  He knitted this cord for our tree.  It's my favorite new decoration this year!

The (relatively) finished product.  We've continued to add little bits here and there as creativity strikes.  Notice the popcorn string!  This is our first year with that too.  There are all these gaps where little hands have picked off popcorn.  I'm looking at you Pipey. (and we couldn't go any lower or the dog would pull it off)

Another lovely.  She makes me happy.

The kids and I made all these great paper snowflakes that we taped in the windows.  It's so beautiful when the sun is setting and lights up the window.  The shadows cast on the curtains are just magical.

We hope you have a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Love,

JKFP and Bob

I think I'm going to kill two birds with one stone here and post this on Sewtastically Made too. I'm also linking with Happily Home Sewn! 

A Big Day

Piper and her daddy have been talking about this for a couple of months and today it happened to work out.  Can you guess? 

Getting ready.

X marks the spot.

Patiently waiting some more.

 OUCH!

How sweet are these little ears!?!?

She did cry just a little bit.  Long enough to get the wrapper off the sucker and then she was fine. 

Such a big girl.