road trip to albertville mall cont.

jack's first birthday is in 2 weeks. i am throwing a large family party. there is a cowboy theme. the gymboree outlet had some cute cowboy clothes and this adorable cowboy hat, but my mom had already given him a cowboy hat... so we didn't get this one. i don't know. i kind of regret it. he was so cute in it. she did get him a cowboy shirt. it has horseshoes on it and white pealized snaps.

road trip to albertville mall

friday i went on a road trip with my mom and jack. we had a terrific time. we spent a lot of money. we had a lot of good food (panini, hostess snoballs, pastries), good drink (iced vanilla coffee, green iced tea with passion fruit, chocolate shakes), and jack and his mommy got to ride in a firetruck with ernie and bert.

jack was going nuts on this thing. he was making all these motor noises and was spinning that steering wheel as fast as he could. poor dear cried when he had to get off to let the next child play. jack has a thing for steering wheels.

cowboy background

this is the background for the invite for jack's 1st birthday party. it is a work in progress. i decided to keep the backdrop really sparse. i was going to add bushes, maybe a sun or trees. but i think i won't need that. i am going to put my "cowboy" right in the middle and he needs the focus. this is a work in progress. will post finished product.

jack's "baby"

here is a recently finished piece of "folk art". i did not make the dolly. it was a 90's cast-off from my mom. i saw it and thought jack might want a baby. it was originally a girl doll. with a dress. i thought jack (and dan) would prefer a boy "baby". so, i painted clothes on him. the face was already drawn on, but i altered it. it took me 2 hours on a sunday afternoon. i think my husband was watching bob ross paint "happy little trees". (scream) jack loves this baby. he likes to suck on his head. i named him "patrick" because i think a boy i knew at pcc named patrick had burnt orange pants.

patrick is chillin' with my indonesian chickens.

grocery boy

jack is growing up so fast. i love his new milestones, like riding up front in a shopping cart. he loves to ride in the cart. i don't love keeping him from sucking on the cart handle. no, not so much.

this day we were shopping at the local supermarket. i grabbed the camera on the way out the door because jack is soooo cute in his peruvian sweater, and i knew the grocery store would make a colorful backdrop.

notice the sun and the red chicken on the sweater. there are also clouds, rain drops, and a lamb. could you just die?

a walk with jack

today is gorgeous. jack and i went outside. jack has been walking about 2 1/2 weeks now. he started down the driveway, pushing his tonka truck. we got about halfway to grandma's and jack was tired of walking. so, i sat with him in the dirt and we petted the dog and kitty.

i spotted some mayflowers in the woods and i took jack to see. we picked 3 for grandma. when i was leaving the woods, i stepped in a hole that was camoflaged with dead leaves. it was about up to the top of my calf deep. i fell to my knees. i felt like my vertebre were seperating and smooshing together again! it kind of hurt. jack was scared and cried a bit. we weren't really hurt. we continued on to gram's.

at gram's we sat on the patio, then we had some cake and coffee. i borrowed some sugar and promised i would bring gram some of the carrot cake i am going to make from scratch. then, jack and i went home for lunch. it was a tiny little adventure. just another great day in paradise.

Church photo album

i borrowed 3 photo albums from the Church library.

i wanted to scan the photos. i just love modern technology. here we have a photo of me in braids in sunday school. i'm the kid at the top. i think the other girl might be amy hallda. we also have a classy black/white

photo of a beautiful chandelier... and my greasy dad!:) wow. 1979.

61 steps

jack was standing in the foyer and i wanted him to stop playing in there. so, i sat on the couch and shook his container of gerber puffs. jack grinned, and walked 61 tiny steps to me. he did not fall down once. i am so proud. it is amazing.

more... and a happy May Day to you!

jack said a new word today, "more". i have been trying to teach him about "more" and "done" while feeding him. i would rather he tell me than push the food away. i can't tell you how many times i had baby oatmeal cereal batted onto myself or the floor. augh!

today i put jack in the high chair with some puffs while i did the dishes. i realized that jack was saying a word over and over. i thought it was "mama" at first. then i looked at his tray and realized he was saying "more". he was communicating! it is very exciting. jack will be 11 months on the 8th of may.