A new lens...

I am loving the new lens I got for my camera. It's a 50mm/1.4. I just put in on AV (aperture priority) and just let auto focus work it's magic! Here are some recent pics I have taken of the little people.

Lu just learned to do her own pony tail.

Lu just after school.

Rubes in the Big-Butt Baby Pants I made for her. The pattern is from Made-By-Rae. I love her patterns!

Finding Your Spot

I was just reading in The Creative Family, by Amanda Blake Soule about "finding your spot", a place that you have a connection with in the natural world. So I was trying to think if I had a spot? I have had different "spots" throughout my life. I can think of the beach as a child and being at the lake in wisconsin throughout my life. I definitely have deep connections with those places that I can immediately conjure up even when I'm not there. I think these days I'm so focused on watching the little people I care for interact with the world that I don't pay attention as much as I would like to the natural world around me.  But...after thinking about itI have thought of a few ways I connect. I notice the sky a lot. Mostly while driving, or above the heads of the little people. I love the clouds, as my blog name makes known. I also notice the trees a lot in my neighborhood and just out my window. We have amazing huge lace bark elm trees and old oaks trees and magnolia trees out our windows. I love watching them change throughout the year. Anyways, I was thankful for this idea being put into my head, because I am going to try and find my "spot"...somewhere I can connect with nature and I will wonder about what Lucy and Ruby's "spots" will be. 

               Lucy running in the rain last week!

Lucy picking blackberries in Wisconsin this past summer.

Swimming in the lake this past summer!

After running in the rain...

a kitty in the tree!

Ruby discovers mud!

eventually she did taste some! : )

Ruby loves being in the grass, I think Mike does too. : )

Ruby is on my favorite blog!

Here is the link... http://www.janetlansbury.com/2012/05/dont-help-this-baby/

Xmas and some recent pics!

Well, I can't believe another xmas has come and gone! It was a very special one with the addition of our sweet little Rubykins! She slept through most of christmas, but it is just so nice to have her around. Lucy had a great time and got soooooo many presents. We should have asked Santa for a toy storage shed! She is having so much fun with her new toys and the new guitar she got from Santa. It is baby blue with a mermaid on it. For some reason we have no pictures of it yet! But Mike tuned it to the key of G (Uncle Brian suggested that...) and it sounds great and Lu has been playing it a lot.

Mike, Lucy, Ruby and Sally reading bedtime stories tonight...

Going to the Ballet Austin Nutcracker!

The night before christmas!

Lu and Rubes...

Mike and Ruby

Ruby getting a smooch

Lucy helping Ruby exercise!

Lucy getting ready for a tea party with her friend Olivia

Our xmas tree!

The house decorated!

at the Invincible Czars Nutcracker show...it's like a heavy metal/polka version of the Nutcracker Suite! Kids just dance around and go bonkers!

Welcome Ruby Jane!

Miss Ruby Jane was born November 17th... She is a sweet sweet sweet little lady. She looks a lot like Lucy did as a newborn, but she has dark hair and she has my feet! Lucy has Mike's feet. Her personality already seems very different though. She doesn't cry very much and she sleeps a lot too! We are even managing to get some sleep at night...phew!

sally in the window...

I just had an urge to document Sally's daily routine of sitting in the sunny window in the living room. If the drapes are closed she huffs at me to open them and move her pillow closer. We call it her 'stinky pillow'. At around 2pm she moves to the back window to go in the sunny window there... Oh, and it was my birthday today. Mike and Lu made me cupcakes! And breakfast! It was such a nice day...I definitely felt special, between calls and texts and packages from friends and family.

made the flags with a blank notecard and toothpicks...

100 degrees at Mayview Park

Despite being 100 degrees outside and being pregnant I needed to go on a hike yesterday... In the class I am taking over the next year I have to take a nature walk in the same place once a month. This way I can observe the seasons and get to know one place well enough to see the changes. I really like this idea. I chose Mayview park and nature preserve, because it has a pretty low key 30 minute hike that I think I will even be able to handle when I'm about to have a baby! And it is really pretty and shady. I think it is my favorite place here in Austin and it's just 10 minutes away. And it has peacocks! And the coolest koi ponds with lily pads I've ever seen!

the gate that leads to the hiking path.

little puffy clouds

showing off!

huge lily pads!

navigating the rocky path...

so pretty, i love the stone walls...

heart cactus : )

my little garden!

We had a planter that I wanted to change the plants in... there were these lovely horsetail reeds, but they needed lots and lots of water. So I wanted to plant things that weren't so thirsty. My new plants need water every few days, but I only need a watering can rather than hosing the planter for 5 minutes! I am so happy they are doing well...I usually have a black thumb! These plants are pretty hardy! Here are some before and after shots. And a few of Lucy...because she's cute!

Before

After...2 months later

Miss Lu... I was forcing her to pose, so I could practice using the digital SLR that we inherited from my dad! I finally got a new battery that holds a charge, so I think I'll use it a lot more now.

my blue toes with a chalk drawing Lucy and I drew of the ocean with sand and sunset. Lucy even thought to draw the reflection of the sun on the water.

Potato Printing

We worked on this project today for a few upcoming birthday presents for Grandparents! It was so fun! Lucy and I really had a good time working on it together...

I got a kit from Lotta Jansdotter (for 50% off!!) that included these carving tools. They can be used for lino block printing too.

You just put fabric paint on the potato stamp and stamp it on...

Stamping...

This was one of the stamp ideas in the kit!

Lucy designed this stamp and I helped her carve it out.

Hanging out to dry in the 100 degree heat.


I'm planning on making more for our house and also some burp cloths for the baby!

Recent Craftiness...

Just thought I'd post some pictures of some of projects Lucy and I have been working on. Lucy has been hand sewing. Her teacher has burlap square with stitching projects at school, so I made her some for at home too. I have also had a sewing bug lately...and I also have been crocheting a bunch!

A little dress I made for Lu with an American Apparel tank top.

I bought a pattern on Etsy for this cute little dress and used some fabric that I have had sitting around forever!

Here is the full dress! I think it turned out pretty cute and better yet, Lucy actually wants to wear it all the time since it's comfy!

Crocheting! A baby hat and wash cloths. I really like crocheting...I just started crocheting again this year and I think it is so much easier than knitting and I love the way it looks.

Lucy's sewing projects!

I made a few of these sewing kits as bday presents for Lucy's friend's.