Crafty crafty

 I have been having so much fun crocheting!  Seriously, it's awesome, maybe part of the fun is in the giving?!  Although they are fun to actually make =) 

 Hair twisty flowers for the girls

 Headband I made for Emily and later crocheted a flower and attached it.

 

 

 

 My scarf!  This was easy and fun to make.  I'm throwing around making a crocheted flower "button" to use with it and have a few different varieties made I'm testing out, I'll have to post which one I decide on.

 The girls and I made pillows together.  I thought it would be a good introduction to sewing.  I taught them about the sewing machine which they thought was awesome, but a bit scary at the same time=)  I guess that will wait till they're a bit older! 

 They picked out the fabric, I sewed the seams, they flipped it right side and stuffed it, then I let them hand sew the opening closed.  I think they liked it =)

Meri especially has got a new hobby--creating and sewing =)  I think it's awesome, she created a pocket out of a few pieces of fabric and I helped her tie the knot and let her go to town sewing it! Nothing like a new project to keep the kids occupied!

Hunting Week Happenings

 Early morning snuggle with Cocoa.

 Emily getting in on the fun.  Cocoa is so very tolerant.  I love how the kids can play with her, if she has enough she just gets up and goes and hides under the piano.  She is such a sweet dog.

 Twister fun on a cold cold cold hunting day.

 Jake got a deer!!!

 Little boy loves to be in on the action

 Painting time!  I found ceramic (?)  plaster (?) animals for the kids to paint.

Aaaaaannnnddd--Lego time!  James is just starting to get into building with them. 

We've been keeping busy while  Joe & Jake are out in the woods, we're hoping they get a few more deer.

My mighty hunters!

Heading out to the tree stand ....

And, tomorrow is the first day of rifle season, so good luck to them =)

Keeping us busy on winter nights!

 The kids new obsession: finger knitting!  I found a link to a tutorial on pinterest, and did a scarf, they wanted to learn, and caught on really quickly!  Little boy had to be in on the fun =) 

 Her first scarf--pretty long!

 Finished products

 For the longest time I've wanted to learn how to crochet...I remember visiting my Nana when I was growing up and she "always" was crocheting something.  I remember picking out the yarn for an afghan she crocheted me and I still have it...love the picture in my mind of her crocheting.   The past few years I've tried to learn from books, but no luck.  So, I found a video on youtube and it was just what I needed to learn.  And I'm "hooked"  ;-)  Above is my practice stitches

 Finger knitting cousins

 My first headband, no, not perfect, but fun to make

my first washcloth, love love love it!

I have orders in from my kids on what they want =)  So I'm working on headbands for them and hope to eventually make a couple scarves and an afghan!  Yay!

Apples galore

The kids had fun pitching in  with the applesauce making process.  Little boy loved turning the crank, it was his official job =)  All in all, we got about 18 quarts of applesauce--yay!

Pumpkins

One of Jake's birthday presents was a dart board.  The kids have loved playing with it.  However, James is turning out to be quite the little pro at throwing darts.  Seriously, he practiced for at least 1 1/2 hours this morning!  He LOVES it!  Meri was keeping track of the numbers he got and writing them down on a piece of paper, and James kept on "Targeting" as they call it =)

Sillies

 The scene:  We had a pack of Swiss Rolls, little boy wanted one for a snack.. They come in packs of 2...so I told him he could have 1 and give the other one to one of the other kids.  As I walk by a bit later, I find little boy under a blanket with 2 of the swiss rolls, he'd already eaten 1 1/2 of them...thought he wouldn't get caught this way I guess...no, not suspicious at all =)

The scene here:  A girl who loves shredded cheese a bit too much....found an easier way to eat it faster I guess =)

The kids never cease to amuse me =)