More Jonahisms

We went up to Unicoi State Park today to enjoy the leaves and celebrate someone's birthday. We had fun hiking at the park, playing on the playground, and stopping for fudge in Helen. The leaves were very colorful regardless of the drought conditions, and we had a blast.
When we were walking along this particular path, Jonah tripped and fell, and said, "Oh no. I broke my crown." For those of you who might not recognize it, "Jack fell down and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after..." :)
And, GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jonahisms- Spiderman Shoes

Jonah, playing outside in his bare feet, sits down as he begins to mess with his feet and says, "Mama, I think my Spiderman shoes are on the wrong feet. I have to switch them."

Well, okay! :)

We visited the fire station today with Jonah's preschool class. We learned how to call 911- yippee- and how to throw our toys out of the window if there is a fire, so that the firemen know which window we are in- WooHoo. So tomorrow morning when the cops show up at my house and find the driveway littered with toys, I will be able to blame it on the firemen, right?

You can see how well Jonah is paying attention above, and then you can see him driving the engine to the left...

Talking to God

Jonah's prayer-

"Dear God, thank you for this food... thank you for this day... thank you for the spiders that build the webs... thank you for loving us. We love you, Amen."

God is probably thinking... "Finally someone who is appropriately appreciative for spider webs. I made them for you. Thanks, Jonah."

:)

Jonah and Grant

Buzz LightyearS

Backyard Star Wars (yes, the capes are towels).

Home Depot Escapades

We went to Home Depot several weeks ago, and while Chris and I were shopping, we look over and see Jonah walking away from this display toilet pulling his shorts up. Did he, or didn't he? That is the question...

Jonah's Guns

As hard as we fought to keep Jonah from playing with guns, this is what we ended up with... He eats his grilled cheese sandwich into the shape of a gun...

My high heeled shoe is a gun...

The classic lego gun...

And finally, Chris conceded and "built" Jonah a gun out of scrap pieces of wood.

Bible cover

I decided to make a cover for my Bible. It was super easy, so I am posting the directions that I found online here:

From SEW NEWS December '82/January '83 IssueBook covers to make for everyone Carol Nanninga

If you don't have a prayer of completing Uncle Avery's half-finished sweater before the holidays, a sew-fast book cover may be the answer to your Christmas traumas. This quick gift can be made in about a half hour, using fabric scraps and trims leftover from other sewing projects. The instructions below specify lace for the trim and ribbon as the tie closure, but use your imagination to customize your gift to the recipient. A birdwatcher would enjoy a cover of coated pack cloth for a well-worn manual. Instead of a ribbon tie, use nylon webbing that slips through two small metal loops or a buckle. A suedecloth cover with -an embroidered monogram in the corner makes a dignified-looking cover for a Bible or prayerbook. For a cook, use lightweight, plastic coated fabric--without interfacing--and slip it over an exotic cookbook. Dress up your mother's worn address book with a cover of synthetic leather or suede. A little girl would love her favorite book of fairytales covered in a Strawbeny Shortcake print, edged with lots of pink trim. Cover a school notebook with a sturdy denim cover piped with orange trim. Or make it from an old pair of jeans, with a back pocket centered on the front to hold pencils or notes. Use the piece of waistband with the snap closure in place of the ribbon closure. Half-hour gifts for the whole family Most paperback books are 7" in height (top to bottom) but vary in thickness. If planning to cover a specific paperback or hardback book, you'll need the height and wrap-around length--the measurement from the edge of the front cover, around the spine to the edge of the back cover.

Instructions

Materials 1 cover, the height of the book plus 1 1/2 ", by the wrap-around length of the book plus 1 1/2"

1 piece of lining the same size as above, in the same or contrasting fabric 2 inside flaps,

4" wide by the height of the book plus 11/2"

1 piece fusible interfacing cut to match the main cover

2 pieces of fusible interfacing cut to fit the inside flaps

2 pieces of ribbon, about 10" each, for tie closures

1 piece of ribbon the height of the book, for a bookmark Ruffles, piping, lace or other trim, as desired

1. Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the cover and the wrong side of the inside flaps.

2. Press under 1/2" on one long edge of each of the inside flaps, and machine stitch along the pressed edge.

3. Pin and baste the ruffle or piping along the edges of the cover, easing extra trim into corners, and matching the edge of the trim to the cut edge of the fabric (Figure 1).

4. Baste ribbons to the edge of the center front and back, so the loose ends trail to the middle of the cover. Baste the book marker slightly to the right of center on the upper edge of the cover (Figure 1).

5. Pin the right sides of the flaps, sewn edge toward center, to the right side of the main cover. Pin the lining over all. (Figure 2) Using a 1/2" seam allowance, sew only the upper and lower edge seams, keeping trim free. (Figure 3)

6. Turn inside out so the cover is on one side, lining and flaps on the other. Press. 7. Flip only the inside flap so its right side faces the right side of the main cover. Pin edge, keeping trim free. Stitch the end, using 1/2 seam allowance (Figure 4). Repeat on other side.

8. Trim corners, turn and press.

9. Trim ribbons to desired lengths. Use Fray-Check on ribbon ends to prevent raveling.

Soccer pics

Although he wants so badly to play football (and he has tackled a couple of players), Jonah is playing soccer this fall. The real clencher is that Chris is his coach. I think that they are having a good time. :)

Here are some of my favorite photos from the first game...

Starbucks fall Line Up

I have recently (this morning) realized that I am more excited about the fall line up at Starbucks than I am of the holiday line up. Ask me again in three months, and my answer might change. J The pumpkin spice latte and pumpkin cream cheese muffins arrived at our Starbucks today. Woo Hoo!!!!!! I thought that you might want to know. I was also inspired to try to find a great recipe for a starbucks-like muffin.

Here is one that sounds good, although I am going to mix some sweetener into the cream cheese.

Almost-Like-Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese MuffinsRecipe

by Sheila at musings of a mommy.blogspot.com

**BIG PUMPKIN CAN (29 oz) VERSION***

4 ½ cups flour

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

1 ½ tsp nutmeg

1 ½ tsp ground cloves

5-6 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Generous pinch of cardamom (optional)

1 ½ tsp salt

1 ½ tsp soda

6 eggs

3 cups sugar

3 cups cooked or canned pumpkin (29 oz can)

2 cups vegetable oil

8 oz package cream cheese

Chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans) (optional) * or toast some pumpkin seeds- called pepinos when toasted- just like Starbucks!

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients together except cream cheese and nuts. Fill muffin tins (greased or paper cups) half full. Put 1-2 tsp cream cheese in the middle, pressing down. Sprinkle with 1 tsp chopped nuts. Bake at 350 for 20-25* minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the muffin part (do not touch the cream cheese!). Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely. Do not touch the cream cheese until it cools, as it is very very hot. Makes 24 regular size muffins with cream cheese and 24 mini muffins* without cream cheese.*The mini muffins are usually done in 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven and if you bake everything all at once. Check with a toothpick and remove as soon as they are done in the middle.

I saw another online recipe that instructs you to roll the cream cheese into a log in wax paper and freeze it so that you can cut perfect slices to place in the middle of your muffin. Mmmmmmm...........

Napping in the Closet

Daniel obviously had fun ransacking the closet before he passed out for his nap. Zzzzzzzzzz....

Lunch with Raliegh and Camden

Raliegh and Camden Queen (and their mama, Rea) came to play with us and eat lunch today. They played dress up. Jonah was a pirate (and Buzz Lightyear, and Superman, and Mr. Incredible- he changed a lot), and Raliegh and Camden were princesses. They had to wear slips out of my closet because I did not have any little girl dress up clothing. :) Here is a picture of Jonah with the girls.

Speech Aerobics

Ms. Mindy and Mr. Scott
Jonah with a couple of the other kiddos (and Daniel sneaking into the picture).
Jonah just completed a six week speech aerobics class at Greater Atlanta Speech and Language Clinics. He loved it. He was in a group of 8 kiddos with a Speech Language Pathologist and a Physical Therapist. The class combined movement with speech and social skills. It was awesome for Jonah, and I really feel like he learned a lot. We had to trek all the way to Duluth (and only got stuck in one major traffic jam on I-85). Not too bad for good ole ATL. We also had to eat supper at Sonic on the way home each week. Yummy!!!

Brodie's haircut

Brodie pre- haircut
After haircut (she looks a little ashamed, doesn't she?)
Since Brodie does not like to be brushed, we decided to have her shaved for the summer. She looks like a chemo patient. Actually if you just look at her body, she looks like a yellow lab, but then you look at her head and tail, and it gives her away.

Speech therapy with Ms. Deborah

Here is a photo of Daniel having speech with Ms. Deborah. She comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week until Daniel's third birthday...

More Hippotherapy

Daniel got to ride a big daddy (or mama) horse last week named Pebbles. He was the first child to have therapy on Pebbles, and she did a favulous job handling him very gently. Spunky was temporarily lame, and we are not sure who we will ride next week, but Daniel sure did look like a big boy up on Pebbles.

Premier Designs Rally

Four "generations" of Premier...
"My Girls..." Tuesday, Tammy, and Marsha.

I had a blast at rally in Fort Worth, TX again this year. The new jewelry line is fabulous, and I was reminded once again of what an awesome company I have the opportunity to be involved with.
I am often asked if I am going to a "rah rah- sell-some-jewelry" convention. In my seven years with Premier, I have never heard Andy Horner, our president, encourage us to sell jewelry. His focus is always on serving. One jeweler described rally so much more eloquently than I ever could... She said, "Premier rally is like a Billy Graham crusade meets The Price is Right."
Here is an article that ran in the Fort Worth newspaper while we were there:
http://www.star-telegram.com/226/story/168857.html

Mowing the Lawn

Jonah helping Daddy mow the lawn in his "ear plugs like Daddy."

With his new haircut and growing maturity, he is a constant reminder as to what a big boy he is. What amazes me is how he can continue to get older, and yet I stay the same. Funny how that works, huh?

Marsha's Luau Surprise

My mom, Marsha's 60th birthday was on June 6, and we successfully pulled off a surprise party for her before she left for Phoenix for two weeks. She was truly surprised, and she had a blast. We had a lot of fun with our backyard surfing (check out the photo of Doc Sue and Heath) and more food that even Daniel could eat. Happy Birthday Marmie!!!

The Snorkle Mask

Jonah saw a kid with a mask at the pool a couple of weeks ago, and had to have his own. We found a cheap one at Kroger of all places, and this is Jonah's day with the mask- notice that there are no photos of hime wearing it at the pool...