Brown Paper Packages

one year ::

How did this happen? 

How did my newborn babe . . .

become this bulldozing little girl? 

This little girl that reads books . . .

and entertains herself with whatever she can find to play with . . .

is this my baby?  The girl that:

::  says "uh-oh, sgay-os"
::  giggles and laughs with such delight
::  lights up when her Daddy comes in the door
::  crawls like a little bug
::  smells so sweet and soft
::  is such a snuggly sleep-mate
::  wants to do everything her big brother does
::  loves to be outside?

Yep.  I do believe that's my girl.  My baby girl. 

{Happy first birthday, Ruby Eva.  We love you.}

sibling sweetness ::

I don't think this post needs words . . .

a windy day project ::

This momma has really been using her creative juices this winter, keeping small hands busy when it's too cold, and in particular, too windy to play outside. 

And so today, August made a train.  Want to make one, too?  Come along!

:: First, it's good to pick out the fabric you want - if you're not sure what you want, we have an in-house fabric selection expert that can help you out.

:: Once you've drawn your train on the fabric with your momma's "disappearing ink pen" (which is quite coveted, by the way) you cut out the fabric.  Momma will help you with the sewing machine and then you cut out pieces of felt that you want to iron onto your train. 

:: Like so:

:: Then you'll stuff your train with wool.  (That's from a sheep, you know.)

:: You could also have a friend help you with the stuffing.  This one will hand you small bits of fluff.  (And what a small bit of sweetness she is!)

:: Then you'll need to sew up the seam . . .

:: And then you'll have a train!  Voila!

:: Tune in another afternoon for a sequel.  It seems the engineer is now wanting to make a dump truck.  But first, it's time to do laundry. 

   

my little summer Ruby ::

She's getting so big and developing such a personality of her own . . .

Sometimes I think about all the things in the world that she has yet to discover - things as simple as the funny smell of a geranium or the prickly feeling of grass between her toes.  Things that we don't think about because we've seen or touched them hundreds of times before . . . they are all brand new to her. 

And then sometimes I just think about how incredibly adorable Ruby is.  How sweet her feet are and how very kissable those little soft spots on either side of her rosebud mouth are . . . and how happy I am that she is my little girl.

Summer is sweet. 

a story about a little boy learning to fish ::

A present . . .

and a boy.

A grampa willing to teach  . . .

and a boy wanting to learn.

The perfect setting . . .

and, thankfully, a fish!

And that's the end of the story about a little boy learning to fish. 

For now.