Life In Our Village

Marie Villa's blog Life in Our Village is one of my new favorites. Aside from her fun ideas and beautiful photos, she just seems like a person I'd like to hang out with. I'm especially fond of...

her summer treat idea,

their summer wish list, and

this fabulous rainbow cake.

Dreamy

I'm in love with the amazing photos over at A Field Journal. Major eye candy over there.

First Ever Sewing Project: Pennant Banner

I have always wanted to sew. I've been taught...ish...by my Grandma Mason, some of the youth I worked with at church at one point, and a very patient church friend here. But I just couldn't get the hang of it. I became resigned that I can't sew!

But then I remembered learning to drive a stick shift. I found it impossible and intimidating and overwhelming. And then I remembered a particular school friend. Two grades above me, but I tutored her in Geometry. Sweet as can be, talented in many, many ways, but not the brains of the operation. And she drove a stick shift. If she can drive a stick shift, I can drive a stick shift. And of course, I learned eventually.

And so! I am surely not the least capable person to learn to sew. I have (some) brains! I can read! I know how to cut! Surely I can sew. So Maya and I headed to the fabric store recently and I bought up some fat quarters (I learned much new vocabulary while I was there.), determined that I would make one of the lovely pennant banners that I've seen all over the blog o' sphere. It can't be that hard! So I created a triangle in Photoshop, printed it on cardstock and cut out a bunch of fabric triangles. With my trusty sewing machine tutor beside me (That would be the handsome Chris. And may I say that the machine is really the hardest part!) I set to work sewing together triangles. A little bit o' quilt border, some pins and voila! My very own pennant banner. Well, Maya's very own...for the Fancy Tea Party!

I'm actually surprised at how high the satisfaction level is. Seriously. So stoked about my little banner. In fact, I set straight to work making a cute little drawstring bag from a free pattern I found somewhere online, and it was simple, turned out cute and was darn near just as rewarding.

So sewers...direct me! I'm most certainly not ready for something complicated, but if you know of some free, simple online patterns and/or directions, do share! I'm excited to tackle another project...

Health Camp

I love that one of the best burger dives between here and Dallas is called Health Camp.

Ooh yes, very healthy indeed. But awesome, nonetheless.

My peanut butter chocolate shake was to die for, and the burger wasn't half bad.

Mason helped me out with mine. Maya had butterscotch and Chris had peach...also delicious. (Don't think Mom & Dad had shakes...are they crazy?!)

Don't even think about sneaking a taste of Maya's shake.

She's watching you.

Well, this guy probably could have gotten away with it, but he doesn't love shakes. We like to give him samples anyway, because he makes the most hilarious cold face you've ever seen. Ah, the poor 3rd kid is the subject of much abuse.

Snuggles from my big boy!!

Notice the dope jukebox in the background. That place is classic, seriously.

Good thing I wore my Thanksgiving pants i.e. sweatpant shorts. Hey, we were roadtrippin'! Forget traveling in style, I prefer comfort.

Monster Truck Bash

My AMAZING friend Darleen threw this fantastic monster truck party for her little boy's 3rd birthday. Totally fabulous!

Deep In The Heart of Texas

Chris took hundreds of pictures at the Cottam family reunion, so it was hard to pick just a few to sum up the weekend, but here we are...

Adam with the reunion sign - Quinn doing the Diet Coke dance - Audrey & Jessica - Uncle Sambo with Slimey - Megan & Susie lovin' it up

Cottam boys...

Cottam siblings: Chris - 33, Sam - 32, Adam - 34, Megan - 28 - The bros lift their baby sister...who is pregnant...careful, guys! - Mock brawling, per usual - Not the most flattering picture ever taken of me, but I do love these ladies! - Cottam boys

The whole fam'!

Pizza night! - Susie digs into her Rudy's breakfast taco - One of my cool brothers in law, Adam, about to become a daddy for the first time any day now! - Sam digs the tacos - Sam & Jess snuggle

Waiting in line at Schlitterbahn for the Boogie Bahn - We loved the 'bahn! - Chris feeds Slimey his lunch - Simon was such a great sport, hung out on the front of me conked out for most of the day - Mason almost closed down the park, but eventually, just crashed

Sundae bar! - On the slides at Schlitterbahn - Chris on the Boogie Bahn - More Sundae bar, yum! - Maya models the whipped cream

Maya & Aunt Jess - Simon in the grass - Maya & Sienna with Grandma & Gramps - Megan & Simey - Uncle Quinn and Mason doing piggyback races...this was HILARIOUS!

Q models the chef hat & aprons - Maya & Grandma wait for everyone to arrive - Mason in a pants-off dance-off - Cottams are famous for their dog-piles! - Good looking boys!

Simon models his groovy bib...Chris' mom made aprons for everyone, and a bib for the baby - so cute! - Maya & Aunt Audrey - Masey models - We got reunion tees for everyone with their nickname and age on the back...Smooth Dog digs his! - Chris looks good in the apron and chef hat!

Susie made the cutest lunch bags for our picnic at Schlitterbahn - More piggyback races - Ken & Susie - Nice, Chris!

Seriously, the piggyback races were so funny. Sorry to everyone who had to carry my nearly naked boy around on their shoulders. Yikes! Somebody put pants on that boy! - There was an intense Monopoly tournament...Chris won out in the end! - Daddy & Masey - Mama & Simon - Candyland!!

We had so much fun! So much food, so much hanging out, so much chit chat. We did Schlitterbahn which was...so fun! And tubing the Comal River was...wait for it...SO MUCH FUN! There's nothing quite like hanging out with family. We're excited to do it again in 2 years. Oh, and that we won't be in charge for 10 more years. Which I pointed out to Chris means that we'll be in our 40s, yikes, and that we'll have a 15 year old daughter, double yikes. And I'm sure it will be here way too soon!

Clearing Out My Phone...

Every now and then I like to clean out my cell phone pics for your...okay, my...viewing pleasure.

We found a mini-Thomas to ride up in Dallas. Ooh, that reminds me. I still haven't done my Dallas update. Geez. So behind. Anyway, mini-Thomas.

The kids were pretty stoked, as Thomas is their whole world at the moment. (Nothing like blurry cell phone shots. Seriously, they're like the new Polaroid...for me, anyway.)

Riding in Clarabel was a once in a lifetime moment for Masey.

There we go...5 teeth, see that?!

Crazy girl!

She's getting a major gap up top...one of her top teeth is ready to come out. So crazy.

Maya and her buddy Gracie...such cute, funny girls.

Joe Cool.

My friend Brooke is amazing...made this Diego cake for her little guy's 3rd birthday. I had to snap a pic...too cool!

Yes, Please

Have you seen the coverage on The Free Wedding over at Once Wed? Ah.Ma.Zing. I particularly love the bridesmaids dresses...the same dress made in different floral fabrics. I will take one of each, just for my every day wear, please.

{The link just takes you to one post...there are several, and you'll definitely want to check them all out!}

Art of a Tantrum

Maya was the queen of unreasonable tantrums. Daily, hysterical, uncontrollable. Fun times.

Mason takes a more subtle approach. His tantrums are more of the brokenhearted variety. Being asked to clean up his toys might result in some major waterworks, followed by "That makes me CRY!". Or tonight, for instance, after Maya, in her bossy way, told him that he couldn't leave the table until he finished his dinner. Cue the saddest tears you've ever seen: "I'm SO SAD ABOUT THIS!". It makes me laugh.

Luckily, he's easily coaxed out of his sadness, usually by kisses or snuggles. Sometimes it takes a cheese stick or a cookie. But for the most part, hysterics are kept to a minimum.

Of course, he finds other ways to be a stinker. Biting his brother, for instance, as he did this evening, spells M-A-J-O-R T-R-O-U-B-L-E for him, and he's been in time out more than once lately for saying "Stupid Baby". Of course, said baby was probably crawling up and down the train-tracks, perhaps gnawing on Thomas a little bit, but we prefer "Silly Baby", you know.

I do like that kid.

{Extreme close up by Maya, of course.}

Grassy

This room is pretty much perfect all the way around, but I think what I like best is the grassy green rug. Um. AWESOME!

{Via Design Dazzle.}

ModCloth

I tend to forget about ModCloth. Then something or someone will remind me of it and I'll once again be delighted at their adorable (and pretty reasonably priced) offerings. Such as...