Maddie's Blanket

 Madeline finished her blanket!...Here is her "TaDa"

Still need to show her how to weave in the ends, but for tonight, she is snug in bed w/ her baby and her new baby blanket!

A Sunday Hike

We are having beautiful weather here in the Northwest corner of the US. We usually get a week of sunshine around now, but then, can't count on seeing the sun until about July.
So, after church, we headed to a local lake for a quick hike around. Emily took her camera and got some great pictures...

I love the rosy cheeks and outdoorsy look!

Our Twinkles....forever friends!

Benjamin and Emily are showing the blank space that Sarah has left....well, only temporarily left. She is in  Texas w/ my parents and her young cousins until next Sunday.

Em snapped this great shot of our 4 boys...chatting up a storm - as usual! I love this picture because it is such a good representation of their relationship....our boys enjoy visiting w/ each other ALL THE TIME! Such a priceless common occurence at our house.

Hope you had a Blessed Lord's Day!

Make it Monday

Today's Make it Monday ...............

 

 

is going to feature Madeline.

 

 

I was not able to work on a project this week....lack of sleep and helping Rachel care for preemie lambs. (Which are both still living, one looking quite well, and the other...we're still waiting....improvements every day!)

Meanwhile, Miss Madeline has been knitting up a storm. Sarah and I are hosting a little knitting group called 'Knit and Natter' for some young ladies ages 6-9. It meets once a month. They are working on little squares that are samples of some basic knitting stitches.  They will make 12 squares and sew them together for a dolly blanket. Madeline has completed 8 of the squares. She has actually made at least twice that many, and taken them out because of mistakes. Her perserverance has been amazing! So, without further ado, here she is with her work......

 

 

 

Lambs in Turtlenecks

These cute little critters were born Tuesday morning. They were early I think....both weighing in under 10 pounds. Neither of them would nurse or stand up, they were a bit hypothermic. (Our climate isn't too cold, they are just too small) So, we (and I mean Rachel when I say we!) had to learn to tube feed these babies. She has now done the procedure about 7 times, and may have to do it a few more times yet...The larger of the two finally made it to his feet around midnight last night, and the other is now standing quite unstably - but at least on his feet. We were given the facts about their unlikely survival - I don't think anyone expected them to live thru the night -, so we keep tending them and hoping. They seem to be improving, but are still not able to keep warm or nurse.  We found this sweater at our local goodwill and cut the sleeves off to make a covering for them (the suggestion of a fellow sheep person - one MUCH more experienced than us)

We will enjoy them for as long as we get to. Snuggling and bottle feeding (attempting it anyhow) is a pleasure.

This is only the 2nd year we have had the privilege of lambing. We have another ewe that will hopefully wait a bit longer to give birth! It is a fun experience even if we end up shedding some tears. 

Make it Monday

  

Well, though this is supposed to be a "TaDa" today...I did not quite finish the project. I still need to make the cording and pom poms that go at the top of the slippers.  It is a bit of a disappointment that I somehow managed to make these two slippers not matching....they did not felt the same and one is quite a bit...roomier than the other...I may try to remedy the situation, but as soon as I get the cording and pom poms finished this project will go on the back burner for a bit. (Ah...well, famous last words....I also would like to try to apply a "slip proofing" on the bottom of each of the slippers I have made....will let you know if that happens and how I like the product I chose.)

We (my girls and I) all really like this pattern - the error is definately mine, not the pattern (as the first pair I made came out just fine!)

Make it Monday

I'm linking up with Kirsteen for her Make it Monday! .....

For Christmas, I made Rachel this cute pair of slippers...When you make them, they are very, VERY big....before they are felted.  After the felting, they are snug and warm. I wanted to include a picture of an already finished pair....but my Make it Monday project is in progress....

 

I have one slipper made for Sarah, and the other started. I won't felt them until they are both completed....but as it is, I can stick both of my feet in the one...and rather feel like a monopod from C.S. Lewis' "Voyage of the  Dawn Treader"

Hopefully, next week, both will be completed and felted....

A New New Year's Tradition

Our children had a grand scheme...

 ....to host a regency era ball....in our living room....w/ about 50 people....

It all came to be.

 Here are some of the pictures that were a result of that evening....January 1, 2012.

There were definately little people involved...very cute little people....at least a dozen people whose ages are in the single digits! Our littles all learned the dances beforehand....well, basically learned the dances....

Lots of dancing (I use the term loosely, but I will say that nobody was injured, and by the end of the evening, we rather looked the part!)

Though I think it will be a new New Year's tradition, I don't think it will be limited to that single day! I hear mutterings of a summer time shindig in the makings! You can look up these fun dances on youtube...and do them with your family, too! They are very fun!

May the Lord bless you all in the New Year! as you seek to follow Him!