{this moment}

There is a project going around the craft blogs I read periodically, 'this moment'. You're to post a picture from your week - no words - that captures a moment. A moment that you want to pause, savor, and remember. Mine is {this moment}.


What was your {moment} this week? Feel free to share - link if you have one.

A Boy and a Hat

While at the farm there were plenty of people willing to care for Calder. Change him, hold him, play with him, love him, everything except nurse him. Piper also had plenty to do with plenty of people. This all left me with a bit of free time to sit and knit.

I started and finished an 'Aviatrix Hat' for my littlest little. I have to say, the hat (and baby) are just too darn cute.

After a group dig through my mama's buttons, we found the perfect wooden button. We've decided that we can classify it as vintage, since the button collection came from Calder's great grandma, his Gigi.

I've cast on to make my other little a coordinating hat. Her's too will be finished off with a vintage button from Gigi's buttons.

I Think...

Zac brought us all something special from Colorado. A nice surprise. I may be biased, but I think mine is the best of all. My sweet man knows me so well. I *think* he loves me.
The best surprise by far was coming home to clean house. From top to bottom, floors and all, clean. Pizza ready to go in the oven to boot! Oh, yes, I *think* he loves me.

Home at Last

We all at home, safe and sound. Zac returns with tales of adventure and near miss. We're glad to be at home together in our own beds. We've all returned with treasures of our travels; used books, new books, clip on earring from Gigi, beef, potatoes, eggs, fresh baked treats, and so on.

Piper, Calder and I will miss our mornings spent in the kitchen with Grandpapa and Marmar, nursing or playing near by. Breakfasts almost always consisting of Grandpapa's good eggs.

Photo by Gabriel

Photo by Gabriel Photo by Olivia

Big family dinners, with lots of non stop conversation and much laughter. And usually a bit of crab from a certain overly tired little lady from her day of play. Dinners of amazingly good home cooked food. Food so good you can taste the love and hard work that went into its making. Followed by an equally amazing homemade treat. A game of cards and a beer. Or some free time to knit and a beer.

Most of all we'll miss our family and the mountain of love they come with.

Where We Are

We have had our feet firmly planted at the farm, since dropping Zac at the airport Saturday. Since we've arrived so have two new babies, we've played a lot, knit a bit, and visited a lot.


We've met our new cousin/niece three times already. And have decided, 'I love her.'

Took a group trip out to visit with the cows. Quite a few of those girls out there.

...and a quick stop by the horse.

And I think Calder has been held by one person or another the majority of our time here. Snuggled in tight to one person or another's chest, enjoying the setting sun.

We hope you're basking in these ever growing longer sunny days.

Our Thanks

We had an awesome support team through the duration of our stay in the NICU. Emotional support, help entertaining Piper, bringing us weekly meals, and most importantly help caring for Calder. For those people we wanted to give a special thank you. We place great value on hand work in our house and wanted to craft something for those we could. I set out to make simple things; a scarf, dish cloths and most recently, the last of our thank yous, a hat for my sister, Camille.

After much, weeks, of deliberation Camille picked the same pattern I'd knit Zac for Solstice. Over lunch and yarn shopping at Lakeside Fiber she settled on a purple and green combination. Although leery at first, it turned out nicely.




Hope you're enjoying your weekend.

New(ish) Bag

I've been known to say that a trip deserves a new bag, our upcoming adventure should be no exception. Zac is heading out west soon for a snowboarding trip. Piper, Calder and I will be spending our days at Ninepatch; meeting a new cousin, eating well, moving cows, and just enjoying the company. I thought Piper needed her own bag this trip. On a recent trip to Happy Bambino she saw a backpack that she liked. I saw the perfect opportunity to up-cycle my old Jansport, which I've had since high school - wow those things last, for her. Its a bit big for her, hanging down her back almost to her knees. Big enough, however, for a weeks plus worth of gear for the farm.

I made a few flowers from fabric I appliqued together. Then Piper and I went through buttons to find flower centers and some to fashion into a 'P'. A 'P' on a square of purple fabric, one of Piper's two favorite colors. Pink being her first, how that happened I don't know. We try hard to let her indulge in her likings as much as possible, even if that means a mama who's not a big fan of pink and purple making many things in this scheme. Nothing on the bag is permanent so if and when her tastes change we can make adjustments.

We are all excited for our trips and apprehensive of our long time apart. Maybe just maybe a special bag of our own will make the trip just that much more fun.

Cozy Bolero

I've been knitting. Not on what I should be. Even putting aside the sewing in the works for my first niece (on my side), a beautiful baby named Sylvee. But I've been knitting. I turned two of these:

Into this, a cozy bolero:

It's not my typical type of sweater. But it is warm - which I always like. This was my first knitting project resulting in something larger than a baby top. Only my second sweater. First was one I knit for Two, didn't like and discarded almost immediately. I'm thinking I may add a button, so I can close it if I want. Or maybe just because I like buttons and it will look cute. Zac has put in his request for a sweater now too. As daunting as that seems, I'm looking forward to it. To the challenge. And really he deserves it.

Morning in Pictorial

: : dancing queen: loud and wild and luckily to a kids CD I actually like and don't mind getting stuck in my head - You Are My Little Bird by Elizabeth Mitchell : :

: : Success! Finger and/or thumb in mouth : :

Bowled Over

We had family night. Well to be accurate we have family night most nights. But this night was a reprieve from our normal family activity. We had a bit of snow that kept us home all day, we needed to get out and have some fun.

After a little pregame loving, we ventured out to our local bowling alley. Who could resist the lure of half price Tuesday. Not us. We got our gear congregated at our lane and set to showing Piper the fine art of throwing rocks. Much to the delight of all the adults in a three lane radius - who thought she was just the cutest bowler ever to enter the alley. And she was.

Piper would have liked to take every one's turn. But was equally excited when Papa threw his ball fast, and with the hand dryer (I mean heater), the shoes, the balls, and oh yes - the lemonade.

She did well, better than me. Papa still won, he has something against letting his two year old beat him. Even if he, and I, knows its on purpose. Calder fell asleep shortly after we arrived and slept through it all. How with all that noise is beyond me.

This might just be our weekly reprieve from the longest shortest month we call February.