get away

We ran away to soak up one last summer weekend in the mountains, and since I was wanting rest and relaxation we decided to forgo the tent and sleeping bags and coolers and try something new.

YMCA!!

We hiked in Rocky Mountain National Park,

and the Sweet-pod got some extensive testing.

I must admit, though, that my favorite place on our trip was the Craft and Design Center.

Big windows, open spaces, shelves and shelves of paint, wood, ceramics– everything you could ever want to make, make, make all day long. Just the kind of place I dream of running myself someday. Come in, pick your project, take a class, or just have at it.

Some day.

The kids all painted a wooden toy and loved it. If only we had had more time…

Next time we go I am totally weaving a basket.

creek school

The weather has been beautiful, but too hot to just play outside without something cool and refreshing, so we declared this week Creek School.

We’ve journeyed down to the open space with buckets and intentions to stay all day.

Logan had the camera for a while. There were lots of pictures of feet

because shoes were too big of a hassle.

I think my very favorite thing I heard was, “Mom, let me introduce you to Grandpa Tweezers.”

Grandpa Tweezers! Well, can you think of any better name for a crayfish? Grandpa Tweezers is the embodiment of everything whiskery and pinchy. I guess there was a Great Grandpa Tweezers, but he was way to fast and tweezery.

But someone’s littered socks did a lot of finger protecting.

Hence the bucket full of grandchildren.

Hope you have a great long weekend and squeeze every last drop out of what is left of summer!

introducing the “Sweet Pod”

I am a baby wearer. With each baby it has become more and more necessary, but this baby– he practically lives on me. For little babies I love wrap style carriers like this pretty one my friends in Ohio gave me, and this buttery soft one I made using a tutorial by Jessica (of course). Now that Hunter is way too heavy for those, I love my Ergo baby carrier, but getting baby on and off my back is a bit precarious in parking lots and rocky hiking trails. I’ve been dreaming of getting the Beco Butterfly II with its cute fabric and internal panel to make swinging a babe onto your back a cinch, but just couldn’t justify spending the money. So, a couple of orders of buckles and webbing from Seattle Fabrics later, I did the next best thing– I made one!

Introducing the “Sweet Pod” :

(drum roll please)

I made it with the same Joel Dewberry fabric as my diaper bag , some army green twill, and lined it with a pillowcase we had because it was just the color I was looking for. The sleeping hood tucks into a hidden pocket with an invisible zipper. See?

Having an internal panel does make getting him on my back much easier with the added bonus of making the carrier more adjustable than my Ergo. The whole thing has been taken apart and put back together several times. At first my waist belt foam was too squishy, then the body was too short, but now? Now it seems just right.

Hunter seems to think so too.

I’m working on putting together the pattern because, well, I think the world of crafty-babywearing-mamas needs it. I mean, I would have bought one if it already existed. I’m thinking I’ll make it a downloadable PDF and sell it from my Etsy shop. What do you think?

I’ve got another one on the cutting table.

a little decorating

Sorry again for the absence. I know I need to quit apologizing and just get to work.

Do you want to see what I made? Isn’t that what this blog is all about? Well, look–

After nearly a year in this house I’m finally getting some favorite photos up on the walls! The silhouettes were something I’ve wanted to do forever. After seeing the ones my friend Jodi made and how quick and easy they were to make, I set out to make a set of my own. In just one afternoon Barry spray painted my wooden ovals white, we snapped a quick side view of each of the kids, I printed them out using Pages (our desktop publishing program) making sure all their heads fit nicely in a 5 x 7 rectangle, set those printouts on some dark grayish-brown-nearly-black cardstock, traced around their sweet heads with an exacto knife, then Mod-Podged those little heads onto the white wooden ovals. Whew! Just about as instant gratification as a craft project can get.

I love how they turned out– especially the hair on my boys. I just can’t get over Hunter’s fluff. I just want to freeze time.

He certainly doesn’t. This guy is on the move and in a hurry. I’m constantly finding him in the corner of the laundry room or wedged under the piano bench. But I have just one request of that hair that can’t lay flat and those squishy rolls–

Please don’t go away– ever. Okay?