What a Fine Looking Family!

Was searching through old stuff last night (and not finding what I needed) but did come across this and thought I would share. I do'nt remember when it was taken but it has to be around 1982 or so ... so maybe 25 years old? We really did clean up nice!

Another fun new website

Jessica keeps finding these fun and whimsical websites.

Today it's The Monster Factory.

Some of these guys may show up in some Christmas packages this year .... (shhh!)

Happy Birthday to Me!

My birthday is next week, and to treat myself I bought myself something that will allow me to get something back in my life that I have dearly missed since moving last February.

I bought myself the opportunity to listen to my children play the piano. A real piano just wouldn't fit in our townhouse, but this keyboard is perfect.

Right now they are having great fun trying all the different sounds and effects of the keyboard - there are 500, Ben tells me! I'm sure we will all be discovering our favorites in the days to come.

First Snow!

I wish this was the view out my front window but alas, it is not. This is my parents' view, though, after the first snowfall of the year on the northern shore of Lake Superior.

Beautiful!

Mitting Knittens!

This weekend I took a mitten-knitting class ... or, as I keep saying, a knitten-mitting class. I took the class with my friend The Knitting Queen, and I was feeling quite proud of myself last night. In the actual class, I finished the first of my pair of mittens. Yesterday, I made the second one, and started a new pair, getting mitten #1 about 1/3 done. Man, was I feeling accomplished!

Then I got an email from The Queen, saying in that same amount of time she had made 53 pairs of mittens in 16 different sizes, while standing on one foot, and with one eye shut. But that's why she is The Knitting Queen and I am but a lowly novice.

Anyway, I like mine and will keep making more - albeit slowly - and will post the results!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEN!

My first-born is a teenager now.
Wow, that hardly seems possible. I remember so clearly what life was like when it was just Ben 'n' me, hanging out at home or ECFE or strolling the Mall with Sharon & Sylvia. He was always such a radiantly happy baby. I only remember two times ever that he cried seemingly without end ... both were in the wee hours, and one time I was in his bedroom with him and the other I had him downstairs ... eventually whatever it was ended ...

He was a beautiful baby. The kind that could be dressed head-to-toe in blue and strangers would approach us at the mall - regularly - and say "What a BEE-YOU-TI-FUL little girl!!!!!!!!" Once, after I explained that my baby was, in fact, a boy, a grandmotherly woman retorted "oh, but he's much to pretty to be a boy." Whatever.


Trucks, construction sites, trains, and "The Hammer People" were his favorites. "The Hammer People" was his name for "Home Time" - the home remodeling show still on (now hosted by a friend of mine's sister!)

When Ty came along, Ben was still his cheery self, he never asked that the baby go back, and never was mean to him. It probably helped that Ty "brought" Ben a present in the hospital! Gradually Ben got taller, began reading, became interested in Legos, and then more technical games. The levels of his books, games, and Lego sets have all increased in complexity, but those three things remain his great loves in life!


I don't really know how I feel about being the mother of a teenager, it is certainly strange to contemplate. The first 13 years have been wonderful, so I guess I am excited to see what the next 13 bring!Happy Birthday, My First-Born!

Cool New Website to Explore

WOW. I just was led to this site - an online marketplace purely for handmade items. I am having a ball just browsing. Here are some of the things that I am finding fun :-)

Could be a dangerous site to spend too much time on ... on the other hand could be a great place to do my Christmas shopping this year!

Really didn't like that brown

Well, I decided that brown template was not for me. I'll try this one for a while and see how it feels.

Just too busy and uninspired to write much these days. Will try to do better!

November - new look and new tear-jerker

Today is November 1 and I was so happy to be done with the pink - it's for a good reason, but I get tired of seeing that color! So now we are into a fallish, harvesty look.

This morning got an email from a friend with a YouTube link, from "Britain's Got Talent" -- it is worth finding time to watch. A real feel-good, tear-jerker :-)

Happy November!