I DON'T SEW!!!

Anyone who knows me knows that I do not sew.  My mom and sis can sit down at a sewing machine and make just about anything, well, not me.  However, I saw this little guy (pictured) on the web and immediately fell in love with his quirkiness.  So I purchased the adorable little pattern from BedBuggs thinking "I can make this".  I've had the pattern for about 8 months but today I decided I'd tackle it.  If I'm being honest I made two, but the other "Tweet" had a cone head --lessons learned, slow down on that pressure foot when you're sewing a soft curve :).

 The heart on his wing was not part of the pattern but I added it cause I like hearts.  He's pretty cute don't ya think???  I still need to master stitching up the poly fil hole but he's sitting on it so who sees it anyhow!

A Q Tip Trick

I discovered something today.  I have often been disgusted with the lint that collects in my hair dryer.  Today I figured out how to easily remove it. It's called a QTIP.

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Randomness

I took a few pictures of our crab apple trees yesterday because they are only "really beautiful" for a short period of time.  I keep thinking it's going to rain really hard any day now and knock off all of those stunning pink buds.

It's official, we are trailer owners and my hubs couldn't be any happier!  He's wanted a trailer for what seems like forever and today he finally bit the bullet and bought my dad's old trailer.  Yeah for us, we can haul mulch and leaves and well, anything we want to.

On Saturday, May 4th Steve and I went to the Indie Arts and Vintage Marketplace in Indianapolis.  If you like modern, vintage, shabby chic, chippy, rustic or eclectic the Marketplace is the place for you.  There is a great mix of vendors and food truck eating is well "the bomb".  It only runs one Saturday a month from May to October but I highly recommend making a visit....or two. I purchased this cute little garden bug at one of the vendors - I think I'll call him Buzz :)

 

It's time for family pictures!

I love it when my kids ask me to take their pictures.  This morning I spent a couple of hours in Union City scouting out the perfect back drops for Tyson & Carrie's family pictures.  Considering the overcast skies and chilly air I think the pictures turned out pretty good.

My Parents

I said, 'dad, look at mom and smile"

well, we had a little trouble keeping a straight face

I love seeing them like this.......full of love and laughter.......what a wonderful family I have.

Ryan

Taking them shopping for their birthday, just me and them, a little one on one, that's a tradition I have started with my niece and nephew. Ryan just turned 7 this December, we had our night out and it went something like this....we are loaded in the car ready to begin our adventure....(me)"Well Ry, you ready to go shopping?" (ry)"yea but I dont' have much to say", (me)"that's ok"...not 3 seconds ticks by (ry)"Aunt Tonya do you know who Christopher Columbus is and do you know why he came to America?"  That was the first question to a series of questions that didn't stop, not for the 3 1/2 hours that we spent together.  Ryan read every billboard we passed, he asked about all the gauges in my car and what they did.  He expressed his love for Menard's and his supreme dislike for clothes shopping. We ate a Steak n' Shake (because he wanted a shake) and we sat at the bar, much to my dismay, but Ryan quickly showed me how to fold my coat so that it would fit perfectly on the bar stool, yes, we sat on our coats.  I think Steak n' Shake was a big hit, he got a paper hat, a paper car, he colored and he ate every bit of his meal, including sucking down the last drop of that M & M milkshake :0  Kids are so funny and I so enjoy this individual time I get to spend with them.  Ryan is exhuberant, witty, charming, sweet, ornery, intelligent (beyond his years) and my nephew.  I love you Ryan Matthew!

A Card, A Visit, A Phone Call, A Realization

the card.....
I came home from lunch today only to find a darling card in the mail, to me, from my mom:)  You know how it feels when you get those much needed mid-day surprises, well, the card from mom was my mid-day surprise. 

the visit.....
Thad stopped by for dinner, he has the most uncanny ability to pull into the driveway just as I am plating supper.  I don't mind, in fact, I love it!  Dinner time at the table has and will always be an important time of the day for me.  I grew up knowing that dinner would be on the table every evening and it was a time we all sat down and re-grouped as a family.  When my children were born I kept that very same tradition, we always had dinner as a family, every night.  So, now when Thad stops, it is only for dinner but once again it's our time to chat as a family...how was work?  how's the apartment? and so on, it's charmingly fun!

the phone calls.....
First, sis called, I knew it was her when the phone rang, I didn't tell her so but, I knew - funny how that works.  We chatted, not long but we briefly caught up, I could hear a little bit of her household in the background (that always pleases me), I can hear her being busy (we are multitaskers, its in our blood), I can hear the critters (kids and pets), like I said, it pleases me.

Then Monte called and again, I knew it was him when the phone rang.  He was on his way home and I was his sounding board/radio on his drive home.  We chatted, not as long as usual but long enough to know that he and Tracy have been busy but are doing fine.  I wished him a Happy Thanksgiving, secretly wishing he was close enough to share it with us but knowing he's where he's happy even if that is hundreds of miles and many states away.

a realization.....
I just may feel closer to my mom, son and siblings at this very moment in my life than I have ever felt.  Something happens or at least something happened to me once my son finally realized he was no longer a boy but, a man and all the responsibility that comes with that title--we can finally relate as adults and as friends.  He finally gets it and as parents, that is all we really want for our children, we want them to grow up happy and healthy, doing what they love and be a contributing citizen to society - I am very proud of Thad!  I feel a connection to my mom that has been a long time coming and I feel a supreme sense of happiness just to hear my sister and my brother's voice, wow, I am feeling really lucky about now!