Santa’s workshop

For Christmas this year, we made a felt board for each of the kids with three different stories and some people, paper-doll style. I found silhouette images online, printed them out, cut some templates, and went to town.  I never usually work with felt, but this is fun!  Matt made the boards with thin plywood and we glued the green felt backing.  The only sewing required were the pouches in the back to hold all the pieces.

Three little pigs:
Three billy goats gruff (does everything come in threes?):
Little red hen (OMG she has three little chicks!  totally subconscious):
Dress-up! 

each felt board has a pouch in the back:
     
playing with the boards on Christmas day:
They were getting creative, mixing and matching the pieces.  Dean thought that the wolf and the dog should play together, the people should live in the house with a cat, and the little red hen story needed a pig. 
I am such a fan of homemade presents.  I also somehow managed to sew three pajama sets for Dean, a knight tunic (Matt designed the special “D” shield), and a skirt for Fiona. 
    
Is it nesting?  Last year we cranked out a kitchen with a cart, a faucet, some door knobs, and leftover marmoleum from the kitchen floor – all of which was collecting dust in the basement.  That was all Matt’s creation, though I sewed some play food with leftover fabric scraps.  Check out the spaghetti, bacon, eggs and pancakes with butter!  I think we just like pretending to be Santa’s workshop.
  (see how little she is!)

I’m definitely back in my sewing and crafting groove for now – one last hurrah before baby is born.  Now it’s time for more curtains.

toddler species

I-need-it-saurus!

Fiona exclaimed the other day as she pointed across the counter for a toy dinosaur just out of reach.  What a great common name if the dinosaur toddler were its own species.

Merry Christmas!

Santa came early this Christmas - we finally swallowed hard and bought a mini-van for our growing family.  Since it had to be done, I lobbied my way into heated seats and an entertainment system.  The kids are pretty excited (though we haven't shown them the DVD player yet).  Dean wanted to fill it with books and toys as soon as he noticed that his door had the built-in pockets for all of his stuff. 

This photo was taken Christmas Eve, after our inaugural ride.  oh, what fun!

Merry Christmas!

November Album: Maui

Some time ago, I received a divination from my favorite Vietnamese pho place.  I actually forgot about the fortune, but I guess I kept the hope alive because I found this little piece of paper a few days ago. 

And we did.

Matthew and I celebrated 10 years of marriage with a trip to Maui, leaving 40 degree, rainy Portland for this beautiful tropical island.  Oma and Papa watched the kids back home, and we were on our own!  The entire experience is highly recommended.
Our resort’s lobby was an oasis,
 
and the beach was right at our doorstep.
 
We drove the beautiful highway to Hana:
   
Stopover at the Ke'anae Peninsula:

We visited the old Banyan Tree in Lahaina, which was planted in 1873.  It was only 8 feet tall at the time, but now has 12 trunks and covers 200 square feet, at least.  This tree is a-maz-ing.  Can you see Matt? 
 
Me, in downtown Lahaina.  My entire wardrobe was provided by my sister, Rita, by the way – I had no reason until this trip to own summer maternity clothes.  Rita, your clothes had a wonderful time.

We lazed around at this fabulous Napili Beach – reading, swimming, and watching these paddle surfers – something I’d love to try when I’m not so equilibrium-challenged.  Look at this incredible scenery!

One evening, we dined on Makena Beach at sunset to celebrate our 10 years – it was a beautiful evening, and the restaurant sent our table a platter of happy anniversary chocolates at the end of our meal.

Of course, no trip is complete without the luau, which was also in Lahaina, and very tasty!  Open bar, so lots of smoothies garnished with pineapples and orchids for me.   My new favorite: the lava flow, a pina colada with blended strawberry on top, which I guess resembles a volcano or something.  Mmmmm.  Wonder what it’s like with rum?
before the show, we had an opportunity to gaze at the sunset and get our photos taken
 
hula!

 
A small day trip to La Perouse Bay to see the last lava outflow, some 200 years ago.

Shuffle boarding at the resort on our last morning – we were more evenly matched here than at putt-putt.  I’m guessing that the forward vs. sideways stance and my baby bump has something to do with it.  Plus, Matt’s just better at putt-putt.

our happy second honeymoon – a refreshing and romantic getaway! 

Hawaii dreaming

Have I mentioned that we’ve been married for ten years as of August 12?  To celebrate, we are hopping over to Maui for five nights after Thanksgiving – sans kiddos (well, except for peanut).  Thank you, Oma and Papa, for keeping watch over our little ones and giving us this chance to reconnect and get centered in our marriage!  I am so grateful for this time together – unplanned, just plane tickets, hotel and car reservations, travel book, and time.  Less than one week to go. 

   8.12.2000

    9.10.2010

Fiona turns 2!

For Fiona’s birthday, we decided to highlight her two favorite foods: ice cream and noodles.  Matthew made her a beautiful and delicious ice cream cake (shaped, somewhat like a noodle), which also featured my homemade strawberry rhubarb jam.  It was a hit!

   

We hosted a birthday noodle party the next day, which featured LOTS of noodles – Matthew bought boxes of noodles from our local cash-n-carry (we are seriously set for the year at least, if we can stomach more noodles after this event).  We dyed some of them over the week to ensure that we had lots of colorful noodles to make noodle art and jewelry, and we also created a noodle table to explore, dig, measure, and pour noodles.  At one point in the party, Matthew made noodle maracas and led a march around the house!  It was festive. 

    

Of course, we served pesto bow ties, homemade mac and cheese, and baked ziti.  Our sweet birthday girl, for much of the party, stayed in one spot, first eating several courses of noodles and then making a necklace and artwork.  It wasn’t until after cupcakes that Fiona finally got up from her chair to socialize with her friends.  She loved the noodle party!  

    

   

And now we can finally take a deep breath as we are through with birthdays for 2010.  Enter holiday season now.

p.s. though I’ve fallen behind on most extra-curricular activities lately, I actually managed to finish Fiona’s baby album just before her second birthday!  phew.  Now if I could just get back to our wedding album…