the big 1::0

So the eldest is ten tomorrow. How did that happen? It seems like just last weekend we were bringing her home. A little piece of trivia...it has snowed on January 28th for the past ten years without fail. Abby is pretty aware of this bit of trivia as well. She has been glued to the weather channel for the past week. We have a chance for flurries in the morning, so I think we are safe for another year.

Can I tell you how loud 13 nine and ten year olds are? My ears are still ringing. We went swimming early in the evening, then had 6 of these sweet gals at our house overnight. Will wussed out when they started talking about boys...went to the bar! My sanity (and my hearing) were tested and we came out the other side with "the most awesome birthday ever"! Happy birthday sweet Abby.

family genes

I think baby charlie looks a bit like his mom...don't you?

let it snow!

After church yesterday we decided to take a few moments outside with the kiddos. Will taught Parker how to make snowballs, then promptly threw one in my direction! You can see the flying ball of ice heading toward me the picture below! I ducked out of the way just in time! It was warm enough to shovel the walk and play in the snow with a bare minimum of snow garb on. My favorite way to play in the snow. It is never quite as much fun when you feel like your nose could fall off any moment!Abby and Morgan made a snowman while we shoveled and such. Abby really loves the snow. I could barely keep her inside at all!

This is what I saw first thing yesterday morning. I love the purity of snow. You know, before it get all dirty and the kids stomp through it! So much peace in snow. So much.

charles thomas eddy

Charles (Charlie) Thomas Eddy was born this afternoon at 2:18pm. He weighed in at 7 pounds and 9 ounces. This wee babe is 18.5 inches long. And I dare say, he is one of the cutest babies EVER! He has his mamas dark hair and eyes, but he has this look on his face that reminds me of his father. Mother and baby are recovering in Kansas City. Dad, who has a wicked cold, is recovering as well!

Clark and Kerry...you guys will be a blessing to this child now and always. He could never have picked parents who would love and care for him more than you. Congratulations...job well done!

abby's star project and a bit of good news

Abby put together this board last night with very little help from her mother. Goes to show how much simpler her tastes are. No color...just the pics, some comments, and lots of straight lines! I loved sitting on the living room floor with her and picking through all of the old baby photos. She will be 10 next weekend. Started tearing up a bit, watching her look through her own baby pictures. What a grown up she is becoming. And I love her even more now than I did in those precious baby pictures. Never thought it would be possible.

On another note, I have been excited by the possibility of Barack Obama running for president. The more I listen to him and read about him the more I feel he could change the way politics are run the Untied States. His passion is obvious. His sincerity clear. He gives me that sense of what politics and leadership are really supposed to be. Servants and leaders...not back stabbers and bitties.

quilt for the Kims

Sorry the color is so dark on this pic, the square for this quilt is actually light green and yellow. I finished my square for the Quilt for the Kims project just in time. It went to the post this morning! It's been fun being a part of a project on a national scale like this. Knowing that these quilts will somehow embrace those sweet little girls with the love of dozens of mothers makes me feel a bit better. There is so precious little we can do in situations like that. Empathy, love and prayer. And maybe a little quilt love thrown in for good measure.

delurking

After seeing a growing number of my favorite blogs participating in "National Delurking Week" I thought it would be a fun time to really find out who reads this blog anyway! Its a bit scary...what if i only get one comment?! I know an awful lot of family and friends read without commenting, and that's just fine! Please drop me a line and say hello! The picture above is me with some of my family. I'm in the white tee on the left. I am the photographer, so there just are not a ton of pics of me.

I would adore hearing from you crafty gals too! I love reading your blogs each day. They inspire me!

a little snow...time to sew

The weather here finally turned bitter. I knew it would show up sooner or later. I really do love living in Kansas. We have definite seasons...and it is definitely winter. Snow and ice and wind...oh my! But what better to do on a snowy, blowy day? Make baby blankets for wee ones to stay warm! First I finished a quick patch job for a friend. The tush hole was a bit too much...even for a college student. She found the fabric and I fixed the hole. The rest of the fabric could have gone into my pile o' scraps, but a sweet little pouch with a vintage button will be going her way instead.

You have to understand, there are 7 babies due just from my hubby's group this spring. I have 3 that are going out this week and the rest are a head start on that crew!

Kerry, if one of these tickles your fancy I may show up with one in tow this week sometime!

inauguration

This is a post with a ton of pics, but we sure had a grand time at the inauguration of Kathleen Sibelius on Tuesday for her second term as the Governor of the state of Kansas. My mom was very active in her campaign, and my dad prayed at the event! The kiddos were out of school and we made a whole day of it!

Abby and Parker in the Rotunda.

Parker loved all of the new touches and the beautiful color.

Abby was cold, but really enjoyed the music and the festivities.

And here is the old man in full dress blues. What a handsome guy! I promise...more words later!

saint david's update

I was able to enter the sanctuary for what will likely be the last time today. The fire that destroyed our beloved church has changed our lives in ways I would never have imagined. We now attend worship at the Temple Beth Sholom (a local synagogue who has opened their doors to us). The hospitality and support from the entire community has been overwhelming. A friend of mine said recently "we lost a building and found the church". So true. People have been amazing and the spirit has truly embraced us. Dozens of other churches have offered support, organizations we have given to for years were there for us in our time of need, and even the local pizza place designated a day and gave our Resurrection Fund 15% of their profits for the day. The kids made cards for the firefighters (all but one house answered the call on that day...unheard of) and we were so teary about the whole batch we color copied them all and lined the walls of our temporary office. I cried so much (and I'm not a crier) that first few weeks I would have sworn I was pregnant. Which of course I'm not. It still hits me now and again that we won't be in our blessed space ever again...they are tearing her down within the next few weeks. But we move on. Discovering what it really means to be the church on fire...not just the church that burned down.

a new camera and a bit of crafting

Once my dear husband finally got out of the hospital last week, I got one of the best Christmas presents I have gotten for years. We picked out this. My old camera was ok, and will still reside in my purse for quick pics, but I have been wanted something with a bit better definition. 10.1 mega pixels should do it. The strap was a bit plain (basic black) so I decided to tweak it. Some of my favorite fabric, yo-yos, and buttons from Melissa in New Zealand. Now we're talking!

I have been able to sew a bit today. In other words, I have had a few minutes to myself. Much needed! Made a few Kleenex Cozies and have a few more in various stages. May as well try to make these colds and sneezes stylish! More baby blankets to come soon. I swear, everyone at my husband's work is pregnant! Luckily, I have a few months on all of them. Hope your New Year has been good so far. Best wishes for the next 363 days.

a big girl and a new year

I don't post about just one child very often, but this has been a big weekend for a little redhead. Morgan took her first communion from her grandfather in Wichita this morning. She was so excited. The poor thing has been so patient. She wanted her Grandpa to serve her first communion, and this required waiting until he returned from Iraq. There simply is no relationship in this world like that between a granddaughter and her grandfather.

This precious little redhead has more hugs than any one person I know. At almost 8 years old, she still readily finds a lap and a snuggle. This could be one of my favorite traits of hers! Her pureness and sweetness of heart makes me hopeful and happy about the new year. Thanks for everything my wee little red.

life as i know it may return soon!

Christmas has come and gone, and can I say that I am sorta relieved? I feel like such a grinch saying that. As some of you know, my husband Will was hospitalized for Ulcerative Colitis for 13 days (which included Nutcracker and Christmas). We are thrilled to have hime home, but it has been an interesting Christmas season to say the least. I suppose it really focused us on what is really important. The absence of a family member at this time of year was stark to say the least. Thank goodness for family. We will be celebrating a belated Christmas with Will's family this weekend, and my family still got together on Christmas day. Just wasn't the same. We really want to thank those who sustained us through the holidays. The visits from clergy at St Davids, good friends, and co workers.

And I did manage a few crafted gifts! Not as many as I was planning, but a few. Blankets for the girls and a handbag for a friend. Made another bag for my mom, but didn't get a pic before it went out! I can't wait for the rhythm of our lives to come back. Chaos has ruled the day lately, and I am a creature of rhythm. Our normal lives are busy, but its a sort of controlled chaos. Rhythm...life...normal...the joys of my everyday chaos!

a year in the life

Here we go. Thought I might try and do something fun! Beki, who has inspired me a great deal lately, had this idea first. So wonderful, I think it needs to be repeated. It has been an eventful year in the Wise household. With Will's illness, it continues to challenge and focus us daily. The changing of the year gives me the chance to look back at what was important, funny, and just blog worthy. Here are the first posts from each month of this year!

January: Welcome to 2006!

February: There is nothing better in this life than playing in a blanket fort with your three year old son.

March: We had a fabulous time at our church last night for Shrove Tuesday

April: What a weekend! It was amazing! We have been blessed the past two weekends with our families.

May: This is one of the funniest commercials I have ever seen!

June: The Clematis finally bloomed!

July: We had a great trip to Ashland Nebraska this weekend.

August: Just got home late last night from our vacation in Colorado.

September: When pipe cleaner crafts go horribly wrong!

October: Happy birthday small boy!

November: Can anyone say sugar hangover?!

December: On the first day of Christmas...

Sooooooooo there you have it. Some funny stuff, some serious stuff, some boring stuff. Life.

quilts for the kims

I don't know about anyone else, but this story really got me. I was glued to the tv and the reports for days. I got this helpless feeling, wanting to help but not knowing how. Then I came across this site while reading Beki's blog. What a perfect way to wrap those babes in care from all over the country. I think they are looking for a few more folks to make squares, so all you crafty gals should take a peek over there! Even if you are not crafty, there are other ways to help as well.

nutcracker preview

The Nutcracker season will be over in a few short days, so if you are in the area...come and see! Dress rehearsal and pictures were tonight. Its hard to explain the enormity of this production. The kids are a part of the auxiliary cast. There is a company professional dancers for most of the major roles, but the expectations on the aux cast are just as high.

This is a pic of Morgan with a buddy who has been in the past 4 Nutcrackers with her. If you look closely you can see that his hair is every bit as red as hers! He plays the trumpeter during the battle scene and Morgan is the mouse who wakes up Clara (Sarah below plays Clara).

Just wanted to add a brag shot to a disjointed, tired and rambling post. Morgan's hair has to be "just so" to fit under the hood of her costume. A bun makes them look like cone headed mice! She got a kick out of the braids, and I think they will last for a few days. Well, off to bed. I have ringlets to curl in the morning and the show must go on!

a busy weekend

Twas a few weeks before Christmas and in Kansas...I HAVE NO CHRISTMAS PRESENTS DONE! Ok, I feel better now. That was the feeling before the weekend. Those precious few days produced toe warmers for ballerinas,

rice and lavender filled flannel neck wraps (these can be warmed or cooled and smell heavenly)

and a brown and green bag. This is the first of several I have plans to complete this week. I like the pattern for this bag so far. It's simple and durable and stylish. The brown and lime green combo is one of my favorites as of late.

And did I mention that the girls had their liturgical ballet recital on Friday night? And Nutcracker practice? May be going a bit crazy over here. The recital was amazing though. Abby's group pulled off a very difficult dance flawlessly. Morgan is the youngest member of this group, and the general consensus was that she stole the show. She is just so tiny and the choreographer played to the cute factor.

Back to the sewing machine for me. I only wish there were elves upstairs cleaning my house and doing my laundry right now! I can handle the crafting, its the other stuff I could use a whole army of elves to help with this time of year!

hail the conquering hero!

He's finally home!!! Can't believe it. Thirty pounds lighter and quite a bit tanner. Seven months in Iraq will do that to you. The kiddos were beside themselves with excitement for the week leading up to him coming home. Morgan told people from school to church to the mall parking lot that her grandpa was coming home. I want to thank all of you out there who prayed for him on his deployment. Your support and concern have touched us all. So now we just have to fatten him up a bit and get on with being a family. Welcome home pops.

waiting

Its a funny thing...waiting. As hectic as my life is these days, it seems to be full of waiting. Waiting for the girls to get out of school. Waiting at the dance studio. Waiting for the copy machine at the church. It was really starting to annoy me. I have a hard time with idle waste of time. I could be sewing, cleaning, or even doing laundry. I get antsy having to wait all of the time. The last week I have looked at this time a bit differently. Today is the 6th day of advent. We are waiting for the birth of our Lord. That's a way to put it in perspective. I'm trying to this time of waiting and make the most of it. I can sing a song with my little man while we wait for the bell to ring at school. I can work on my Christmas cards while I wait on the rehearsals for Nutcracker to be done, and think about how grateful I am to have all of these wonderful people in my life. So here I am, waiting and thanking God for all of my blessings this day.

costumes

This is my first year helping in the costume department for Nutcracker. THAT is a job I will never want. I have enjoyed fixing hems, sewing on buttons and adding sparkling doo dads. This production has hundreds of costumes, and that just doesn't sound like fun.

This one was a dress from the party scene. Uh oh...better run. Nutcracker practice in 15 minutes. And so it goes!