And The Winner Is.........

I'm pleased to announce that we have a winner for the lurker award. Talia, Elliot, and Miles came over tonight to witness the drawing. I wish there didn't have to be only one winner, but without further ado...the winner is CHRISTI KURTZ! You really are lucky with this sort of thing! We loved your comment. Christi and I (and our husbands) all went to undergrad together at Warner. She just ordered banners to help with a contribution to our adoption and we are very grateful for every contribution, so I'm very happy to present Christi with this banner. Please visit Christi's blog and send lots of prayers and good thoughts her way...we sure are! Christi and Jeff are wonderful parents and have three great boys. They do so much for others and they deserve so much more than they have been handed.

I was asked to make a thunder bolt for a little boy who lives in DC...he is going to be Zeus for Halloween. I had to bribe Rhett with M&M's to try it on for me. I hope Amory likes it...

Pumpkin Patch Part 2

This time we went to our favorite farm...Krueger's with Aunt Anne and Uncle Ryan. Too bad the pumpkins were slim pickens...

Lurker Give Away...*edited*

It may be presumptuous of me to assume that I even have any lurkers, but I thought a give away may convince any lurkers out of hiding. Please leave a comment and on Monday evening Rhett will help me pick a name at random to receive this Halloween banner.

Thanks to all you loyal readers or thanks to the three of you I know read this blog!

*Give away is not just for the lurkers! Even if you are a regular commenter and friend, please leave a comment to be in the running.*

I Was Tagged

Ugh...tagged.

So, you may remember from my last tagging...I'm not a huge fan of the tag, but in respect for the awesome lady who tagged me and so she will continue to let me hug and kiss on her child...I'll comply. Although I will not be passing on the tags. I hope you understand, Lori. I have to share 7 "interesting" things about myself...



1. I have never eaten a fast food hamburger in my life. As a matter of fact, after I read Fast Food Nation, I can not eat red meat. The thought, sight, and taste of red meat makes me think of horrible images of cows in the slaughter house. Don't even get me started on a rare steak...yikes. Sorry, if that is a little dark. From this comes a little obsession with meat. I like knowing and respecting where any meat I eat comes from.



2. I hate cleaning my house. At the same time a dirty house drives me a little crazy. So, throughout the day we like to get out of the house. Out of sight, out of mind. I just have different priorities in life. I would rather play a game with Rhett than do dishes. I would rather knit a Christmas present or sew a pair of pants for Rhett during nap time than dust. One day we will have a house cleaner just to save a little sanity.



3. This leads to my crazy obsession. I think I may need therapy, actually. I have to be constantly sewing or knitting. I have a really hard time sitting still without doing something...knitting, embroidering a baby doll face, cutting out letters...
This obsession has grown over the last year to an embarrassing level. It started with friendship bracelets in middle school, then to beading, moved on to hand sewing, next was sewing with a machine, and now knitting. I'm now at the crazy point that I would rather make myself and Rhett's clothing than buy anything and make a gift rather than buy it. This results in some crazy hours at the sewing machine. I do have to convince myself that it is really good for Rhett to see that his mama has other interests. I must say that Dan is the best husband ever and understands the need I have to create, but I blame him as an enabler...



4. I hate to buy things for myself at full price. I will if it is birthday money, but otherwise I shop for everything at Goodwill that I'm not making. Like jeans...I wear through jeans like crazy, because that is all I wear. What would you rather pay...$58+ or $4.99? Sure, under the black lights while golfing, the jeans I was wearing had a slightly weird stain on them, but really, unless I'm under black lights there is no way of knowing where my jeans have been.



5. While pregnant I gained 60 pounds (over half my weight)...due to my Pho (obviously the chicken Pho) and frosted wheat cereal cravings, I guess. I was also about 55" around...this was due to the monster baby inside...9lb.7oz. For all of those pregnant ladies out there, don't let your Dr. tell you to put a limit on weight gain. I obviously needed to gain that weight to carry such a monster baby. Now, because of the crazy weight gain and crazy monster baby I still get mistaken for being pregnant on a regular basis...even though I have lost all 60 pounds.



6. Dan proposed to me in Venice, Italy and we went to Paris for our honeymoon. That's interesting, right?



7. I'm not really a huge shoe person. I pretty much wear just one pair shoes per season. During the Summer and warmer months I wear the same pair of Chacos I've had for 4 years and during the Winter months I wear my Sauconys. Although my Sauconys got sunscreen sprayed all over them while camping this year. They got pretty gross, so I had to get another pair of shoes for those occasions I want my feet to look a little better, otherwise I really am not a shoe person.

Rhett and My Little Bear Obsession...*Edited*

Little Bear has been a favorite of ours for a good year and a half. There was a time that the first words out of Rhett's mouth after he woke up were..."Little Bear?" This was before he was 2 and he still slept in our bed. I didn't have to encourage this love for Little Bear too much, Rhett just has good taste. I'm not going to lie...there has been a horrid Mickey Mouse video that was obsessed over, but thankfully that obsession has ended, and Little Bear still remains. Now that it is Halloween time we have been loving these videos.
I particularly love the ghost raccoon jug band.

This Little Bear episode may be the most charming one...I love it.

*When Rhett was going through his slightly naughty phase to other kids I would ask him, "Rhett, what would Little Bear do? Would Little Bear hit his friend owl?" He took that very seriously until another kid got in his "personal space."

WWLBD...What Would Little Bear Do?

Weedend Update

Not to be confused with this weekend update...

In all the Halloween books we have been reading there is mention of bobbing for apples. Rhett is always very curious about it and says, "I want to bob for apples sometime." So, we said ok. Here is Rhett watching Daddy after his first attempt made him a little upset...

Finally, With a little success, bobbing is fun. The bites taken out of the apple makes it easy to bite out of the water.
Rhett likes bobbing for apples now.

We thought we would try something new...blacklight miniature golf. Very interesting...

Rhett's first golfing experience.

Ruby invited Rhett to her bowling party. There is nothing like a good bowling game where the balls are bigger then your head, the ball gets thrown down the lane, and goes so slow that you get tired of waiting for it to hit the pins.
The sweetest little bowler...Dot.

I call this...large family dinner at tiny table.

Everyone came over for Mimi's birthday.

It was a good weekend...I'm ready for a great week.

Still Waiting

Here is Rhett one year ago. We had just started the whole adoption process and I remember thinking...next Halloween we will have another baby to dress up. Oh, well. I have learned that things don't go as planned and I have learned a lot about patience.

Today marks 6 months waiting for our referral. We are getting a little itchy, but we know it will happen...very soon, we hope. Chances are she is out there, now...waiting for us too.

Shout out to you...April R. I'm thinking about you...waiting for your baby 6 months today also.

We Love The Library

Does anyone else have 102 books out from the library?

My cookbooks from the library.

My sewing and knitting books.
Rhett's pile of books by the "reading chair."

Books on tape and CD in Rhett's room.

Dan thinks I'm a little crazy. I think you would be crazy not to.

No, I have never lost a library book

The First Pumpkin Patch Trip

This morning we went on a trip to the pumpkin patch with Rhett's preschool. I'm so lucky to be on memory book duty, because it gives me a really good excuse to take a million pictures of all those really cute kids. It was very cold at first. Notice Rhett's red nose...like mother like son. There was a boat ride, a pumpkin patch, a train ride, a wheat lesson (in the spirit of Little Red Hen), a visit with a few animals in really small cages (yikes!), and a really cute group picture of all the kids with their teacher. Here are a few pictures of the adventure.

This patch had everything. Even spouting sharks and dragons on the boat ride....?

Here is a little sneak preview of Rhett's Halloween costume...an astronaut.

You Asked...I Answer

The banner patterns will soon be available for purchase at my ETSY store! So, now all you crafty ladies can make a banner of your own.

Thanks for the inquiries.

For Your Enjoyment

As promised, here is the sweater on Rhett. He won't leave it on very long, but constantly tells me how much he likes the sweater I made him and how soft it is. He also can't keep his hands off the buttons...his new skill.

I hope you can read Rhett's story that goes along with the "guy" he drew. He handed me this "guy" and proceeded to tell a story about him. I just happened to be at the computer (I swear I don't check my email 20 times a day checking for referrals...there was one today!), so I started typing word for word what he was saying. It turned out pretty cute, so I framed it and hung it in our family room.
I feel the need to explain the "Rhett for Obama" post a little more. You should know we do NO McCain bashing in our house. We respect both political parties, but Rhett does know who we favour. Kids tend to lean towards who their parents follow, right? It is normal for him to say, "We are voting for Obama." If only Rhett could vote...

Now, the funny thing about what he said was the perfect comedic timing of it. We were eating dinner listening to the debate when Rhett heard McCain's name. He looked at me with that face and said, "John McCain? Nice try, dude." I would like you all to know we do not talk that way in our house about anyone...well, almost anyone.

Done and Done

Finished! Knitting project #4, Rhett's sweater...

I'm so happy with how it turned out. Rhett hasn't worn it yet. I'm a little afraid it will all fall apart the first time he wears it. I'm sure it won't, but it just took so darn long to make. It also hasn't gotten cold enough for a sweater yet. It will soon, and I'll get pictures of him wearing it.
Here is yet another jacket from this pattern. This is the class I'm teaching next month, so I wanted to practice. This one is for "baby sister."

Rhett For Obama

I know, this picture again...it just fit, because this is what he looked like when he said the following quote.

While watching tonight's debate...

"John McCain? Nice try, dude."