Run Frank Run!

 I don't have to tell you how crazy my life is... But I'm going to.

Almost 3 weeks ago, we took on Leon's twin siblings.  Each 1.5 years old.  Well, one think she's 16.  Not sure when they'll go back to their mom.  It depends on events this week.  

Ryan is currently not working, so the timing is perfect and he is proving what a great dad he would be for more toddlers in the house.  He's doing a bulk of the caring of them.  I currently have my feet up and am working from my garage office, where it's quiet and I don't have kids climbing on me for attention or passing gas in my lap.

Today is the first day of school for Leon, so he's juggling the kids inside right now while Leon gets to work on his online classes.  Not a lot scheduled today but he does have a live lesson via zoom in a little while.  Hopefully the noise barrier won't be broken by the twins while he's on.

Here are his first day of school pics featuring a mask he made last semester and treasures.  

He holds it on by biting a bit of duct tape attached to the inside...

The kids and I rented a cabin a couple weeks ago and I'll tell you about that another time.

We're making new memories and creating a new life in memory of Robb.

He's always in my thoughts.

Oh, the reason for the Run Frank Run title.  The twins LOVE Frank the cat that lives here too.

To death...

Run Frank Run!

Babies and 7 year olds

A couple weekends ago, Robb's brother and his wife came to stay.  Mainly to visit with their son who goes to college near here, but also to fix our cars. :)

One of their girls came too with her husband and little baby!  

We all got our baby fixes!!

Meri

Josh and girlfriend

What a precious baby!

I have a new theme song when I see him now.  His name is Dean.

And of course, it's Shaun Cassidy...

Then onto Leon since then...

This little turkey has gotten in a few scrapes.  

I think a day or so after  this pic, he got in a fight on the playground, right in front of me.  When you hear the words FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! you look up.  Unfortunately just in time to see your grandson in a headlock and being slammed to the ground... twice.

I may have driven closer, honking my horn like a maniac and yelling at those boys that I was going to report them all.

Leon was mortified!

Found out the WHOLE story the next day after I emailed his teacher and principal.  I should have looked up sooner because my dear sweet grandson had started it...

DARLING!!!!  WHY???!!!

There have been lots of talks since.

AND then the day that Leon wanted to do the melty beads.  He grabbed the container with both hands and was looking around for the molds for it.  AHA!  THERE they are!  He let go of one hand as I called out in slow motion USE BOTH HANDS... NOOOOOOOO...  his other couldn't hold the container...  spLASH!  Melty beads everywhere.

He picked them ALL up under the direction of his dad.  I was going to vacuum them up when I got home so whew!

AND breakfasts.  I got sick of rattling off a whole list of his favorite foods that didn't include a hotdog, so I made him a menu.  It's on the fridge to this day and here he is studying it intently before making his selection.

"I believe that I'll have the #4 Grandma."

I believe you know how to use the toaster!  Go for it!

I love that kid to pieces and he's growing up.

Anywho, there's the latest.

Back to your regularly scheduled program.

Sew Translatable

I was digging in all my sewing things for the FrayCheck glue.  I've got a few things that need it before they go to the fair.  

So while I was digging and putting items where they're SUPPOSED to go, I found a dressy maxi skirt that never got finished!  In my sewing circles, this item would be called a UFO.  Unfinished Object.  

It needs some hand work done on it!  WOOHOO!  This might the replace the purple skirt in my State Fair lineup.  It's more impressive...  BUT maybe I'll find a category where I can send both...

Not sure.  I still want to make a new tunic top and a jacket for Leon and then I'll have 10 things. 

My State Fair tickets haven't shown up yet though either...

Robb is marching in a parade tomorrow!  It's the same one that Sluggy came with me to a few years ago.  And she was my first imaginary bloggy friend that I'd ever met!  

Wow was Leon little!!!

Speaking of Sluggy, go visit her blog!  She is amazing...  I've *virtually* met MOST of my readers from her blog.  She's the lady with the most coupons and can leave a grocery store with a cart load of free food and they gave her $5...  An exaggeration  I'm sure... But not by much.

I pulled Robb's bagpipe uniform out of the closet and I think he just needs to decide which shirt to wear with it.  He is going to be wearing his kilt and wool socks on a day that is over 100 degrees...  I'm going to find a shady spot and do hand sewing on whatever needs it.  A hem and a few other things, while I babysit a kid's wagon loaded with a cooler, which is loaded with lots of cold bottles of water for the band when they get to the end of the parade.  I'll be waiting...

There is a sewing meeting that I'll be spending my lunch at on Monday and will show as many things as I've got done.  And some that I won't have done.  

Who am I kidding!  This will be a PRODUCTIVE weekend and I'll have it ALL done!!!  

Bwahaha!!

again... who am I kidding?

Oh!  My niece's baby was born yesterday!!!  He was supposed to be born on my birthday but decided he didn't want to be a namesake for me...

I'll forgive him. He's a cutie!

I think Dean in some countries translates to McVal.

Weekend Whining

Guess what?  It's SPRING!!!!

The trees are finally budding out except for that one tree that we suspected last year of dying on us.  It does have tiny nubs on some of the branches, but I'll bet we have to cut it down by next year before we have another catastrophe on our hands.

I'm slowly getting the mulch spread out onto the landscaping.  As much as I use the gloves, my finger tips look like my mom's always did when she would stain and varnish something.

And guess what else?... It was a busy weekend.

On Friday, I took Leon to his mom's as Robb wasn't getting back from his trip until a little while later.  After I dropped off the boy, I called Robb and they were just driving through the same big city as I was in!  Yay!  They met me at a Casey's somewhere between us and I got my hubs back!  We let Tom leave by himself from there.

On Saturday morning, Meri went in one direction for choir and band, Robb stayed home and got unpacked as well as got some worky work done and I headed to my hometown alone.  A nephew's wife was having a baby shower in her honor and I wanted to attend.  

I got into town early enough to pick up my dad and then my mom for an early lunch.  Dad chose a burger joint that he would take us to whenever we went to the dump with him.  It had ice cream cones, seriously, a foot tall off the cone itself.  They still do!

I reminisced about how after school, all of us kids would whine that we were dying of thirst as Mom drove through this section of town.  Look!  There's the 7-11!!  They sell pop!!!!  As soon as we turned the corner past the Catholic school, all the whining would suddenly stop.  It was all residential from there until home so why bother?  Mom didn't remember that at all but laughed at our childish ways to attempt to get what we want.

The shower was really nice and Vianna got a lot of nice things for their first child.  

There were lots of games too!  I won the first one for having guessed how many animal crackers fit in the giant baby bottle!  There were 220.  And for my efforts I won a spa basket, complete with a bottle of wine!  Woohoo!  I was hoping this wasn't the kind of game where you unwrap the gift then give it to the lady of honor.  Because that would be awkward.  

Um... here... You're not supposed to be drinking this.

But I got it and took it home.  I've got plans for it.

 

And how ironic!  My BIL had just posted on FB about a cruise that he and his family had just gotten off of and said that the "Bahama Mamas" that will be enjoying a cruise next January will enjoy this view!  And at that instant I had just won this Bahama Mama basket!

  

So I suppose my sisters and myself are now known as that for this trip!  I'm down with that!

Another game consisted of everyone getting a cup of water with a tiny baby frozen in an ice cube.  As soon as the baby broke free of the ice cube, you were supposed to yell, MY WATER BROKE!

Well, I was thinking it was a longer game and left it sit there, but other ladies were poking it with their pens and being grabby with their hands in the cup!  HEY!  NO FORCEPS ALLOWED!

Ah well, I'd already won something, so I didn't care.

Below is my grand-niece, Maddy and Matthew's flower girl.  She still has the poses down!

So after eating so many chips, salted caramel candies, lots of pop and good food during my drive there and back, I've gained 3 pounds in one day.  I'm drinking lots of water today to flush it out of my system.  Wish me luck!

Back to work!  Lots to do, Lots to do...

Wrapping things up

I forgot all about Science night last night after dinner...  ARGhhh...  Robb was going to help me out but I think we both forgot.  We were going to do the dancing cornstarch/water mixture on a speaker with the boy.  He's not available tonight or tomorrow so I guess we'll do it next week instead.  

However I did complete the bridesmaid dress alterations and some curtains.  Then Meri got home from work and while she ate, she and I went through her new year book from last year, that just got passed out yesterday.  

Leon found some masking tape and made himself into a ninja with it as well as wrapped up the furniture and our legs....  

Bring me that roll!!!

He was so adorable and creative with it that I won't add the tape to the list of things he'll have to pay me back for someday...

:)  I don't really have a list, but once Robb and I tallied up how much one of the kids cost us in one year alone, birth not included.  yikes!!!  That was a bad year...

We'll just pretend that's an orthodontist bill or college... 

When Ryan was born, I had started a little diary and only kept that up for about 1 day.  But in it, I did write down how much everything baby related had cost so far.  

Kind of a time capsule thing.  NOT a bill!!!  But he took it as that when he found it much later.

Hmmm.. If he wants to pay us back, then okey dokey!

Anyway, I don't know where I was going with this post today.  But I'll wrap it all up now before it sounds like I'm a vindictive mother.

So here is Leon this morning, with Oreo, the neighborhood cat that every kid claims for their own.

Quote from another kid down the street who yelled to us one morning when Leon was playing with Oreo at the bus stop.  "HEY!  SEND OREO OVER HERE!  I've known Oreo ALL MY LIFE!"

Yeah yeah...  then why isn't Oreo over there instead of HERE licking Leon's hand...  I didn't yell back but I COULD have.  Oreo spent some time the next day over with the other kid before the bus came and Leon was all out of sorts that day.

Actually that was the first time we learned the cat's name!  Before then it was "friend".

I'm just glad Oreo hung out on our sidewalk today.  Whew!  I could do with less tears this week...

NOW I'm wrapping it up!  With masking tape.

Movie Madness on a Thursday

Got the shower video done yesterday but may be adding a couple more photos of family if I get them before Sunday.

Was trying to upload the video on this post, but yikes!  An hour later and I think it's just hung up...  I've cancelled twice now.

Oh well.  There is a video.  I can't upload it to Youtube or FB because they won't like the music I put on it and might cancel my account.  It made the mother of the groom cry so far.  I sent it to the moms to proof it last night.  I MAY have the wrong twin in a few pictures.

Meri rescued 3 baby bunnies from our dogs last night.  They sit in a box next to me this morning and I swore to her that I'd attempt to feed them every two hours.  Only one is eating anything that I try to feed it in an eye dropper.  The others either aren't hungry or don't like what I'm serving.

We'll see how this plays out.

Back to work.  Sorry no video!

Swarming Bacon Lovers

On Sunday, immediately following church, a LARGE swarm of people attacked one my bestest friends house for a barbeque/potluck.  Ada is mostly housebound but enjoys visitors immensely.

Robb made his bacon blast and I made a huge container of potato salad.  Left about 3 lbs of the leftover for them and we're going to be eating the potato salad for the next several days I think...  It was a big container!

Oh the bacon explosion/blast went really fast.  It always does!  Come on!  It's BACON!

The kids ran around in the yard and had a great time with the younger set of adults that attended.  I mostly sat inside and visited. 

There were mosquitoes out there...

One of the babies of our congregation was REALLY animated talking to his grandpa about the door, so I grabbed my camera and videotaped some.  Didn't realize how loud we all were until I watched it.  Not anything that will go viral... but if you need a baby-fix, here you go!

Gearing up for Ryan's birthday tomorrow!  Planning a cookout.  BBQ is ALWAYS good!

Like Father, Like Son...

When this little boys father was in school and it was picture day, I can't tell you how many of those photos came home with a thin lipped smile.  In fact, one year, on the little photo packet with the payment, I wrote a note for the photographer that I wanted to see teeth...  He laughed about it and Ryan smiled however he wanted to anyway...  

They both have beautiful smiles. with. teeth...

But nowadays whenever they see a camera, this is what they do.  

 

Apparently it's genetics...

Or just that Leon now has 5 teeth and he likes to grind them together...  eewwwweeee....

Wielding Power With Abandonment

  This little guy is a BIG part of our days!  Whether we plan for it or not.  Whether we have time or not.

He's excellent at making a "drop what you're doing and pick me up" moment at any point of the day.

Many a sewing evenings turn into a "Let's play with Leon" night.  I think my girls are worried that I won't get some dresses done that I promised them...  7 months from now...  

And frankly I'm a little worried about a dress that I need done in 5 weeks.  I cut ONE piece out last night before Leon called my name. 

Yeah, He wields more power in his laughter and smile than the most powerful earthly kings.

He needs to learn use it wisely...  But for now, I'm totally ok with it!

Adorable Memories... that smell.

WHAT???  Dad just put me in this bouncy thing and I thought I was going to GRANDMA!!  

 

Oh!  There she is!!!  But why isn't she picking me up this morning??!!! 

Look!  I'm being cute!!!

 

Here's what I did  this morning before spoiling Leon within inches of a nap!

 I was washing a book-bag...  For some reason, one of my girls book-bags got set in something wet yesterday morning.  We "thought" and "hoped" it was just some water that had gotten spilled.... 

I mean... I cleaned it up, but I wasn't going to taste it...

Then found out last night that her bag had smelled all day at school.  YUCK!

I figured, I've washed a wedding dress by hand and it survived!  How hard can a book-bag be?

Literally... a snap!  Don't be afraid of plastic people!!!

But if you see liquid on the floor, be afraid... 

Be very afraid!

Babies, Birthdays and Tiaras...

They just seem to go together!

My birthday was yesterday.  I celebrated 32... again... 

*It's my birthday-tide and I can lie if I want to...*

And at my age, I now get to be a Princess!  

Ignore the open cabinets.  It's my birthday-tide and I don't have to shut it.

Leon sat next to me hamming it up for my Ipod camera, since my camera batteries were dead. 

Tiffany took a TON of pictures trying to get his first teeth photo.  No good...  This is as close as we got.

Later on that evening, I took Leon for a walk in his stroller which he got sick of half way around the usual loop.  I had to carry him the rest of the way back or the neighbors would think I was kicking the stroller or pinching him...

Also later on that evening, Ryan got a couple more gifts of their own his and her and his lawn chairs.  The only one to try out his was Leon.  The parent ones were NOT Hippo chairs...  He seems to like it!

Ignore the stuff on the couch.  It's my birthday-tide and I don't have to pick it up!

I enjoyed watching the family do dishes as I sat with my crown, munching on some birthday candy...

This Birthday-Tide stuff is pretty sweet...

Sitting with Pooh...

Well... The ad goes in the paper hopefully today.  These pups need to get OUT of here! 

I mean... they're cute and all...

But their cage is a complete mess every day.  Every stinkin' day I have to bleach out their blankets and I need a clothes pin on my nose and use the handle of my mop to get the blankets shoved in the washer.

*shudder* 

And my levels of cuteness are completely saturated already by you know who...

Last night, Meri and I sat on the swing and watched the puppies run around the back yard.  It's easier than the front because you don't have to worry about them running into the street.  And the front grass needs a break!

So back here, the dogs of course relieve themselves here and there.  What should the cutest little runt you ever saw sit in?  Yep...  Aloe sat in poo.

UUUGGGHHH!!!!! I love you each dearly, but may you each find a home that loves you almost as much as I was disgusted by you!

Meri is giving them all baths this morning before they visit the vet for some shots.

12 dogs are really enough.  I could do a reality show but... there are probably too many out there already...  And to be quite honest, "I" don't watch them... Why should you?!

I just want to do normal laundry again.  Yeah - you heard me.  I want to do laundry!

SEW professional, if you squint.

 Report of my sewing adventures.   These items may not appear all that glam from a pic and hanging on a hanger, but they look very cute on the recipient for which they were made.

The striped dress above is based off of the dress below.  I have some handwork to do on the neckline yet, binding to put around the arm holes, an invisible zipper and hem to put in.  I know what I have to do just not exactly when I'll get to do it.  Maybe a little more over lunch today. 

Tiffany loves the style of it but when Maddy jumps up and down whilst wearing it, Tiffany's eyes start to hurt.  She wants a dress similar anyway...

The above skirt picture was taken too close to the window and pinned to a hanger.  There are no spots on it.  Honest!  I'll be making another of these in black to round out another outfit for Mad.

The skirt has a nice kick pleat in the back so she can move!

The fabric below matches the above skirt nicely and will be a shirt made with the tutorial I told you about yesterday.  Made from silk scarves but in this case silky fabric squares, then hemmed.  Then Maddy can belt it, wear a jacket over it, whatever.  

Maddy came home from a friends yesterday with one of her dressy jackets.  I think we have almost one outfit put together now... well, as soon as I finish the black skirt!

And to round out the blog for my non-sewer friends.  Here is Leon sleeping in his daddy's arms while Ryan plays Diablo 27.  He's three months old now!  How did THAT happen?!  And he's teething.  His daddy was an early teether too, popping out two teeth on his 16 week birthday.

As for today.  The kids are awake, dishes are done, laundry moved ahead, puppies are still kicking.  I'm just hoping for a quieter day at work.  It's been heck...