March is

National Craft Month.  Did you know?  Did you celebrate?  I did. 

After we finished the basement last year, I had great and grand plans to move my craft stuff downstairs as it was overflowing the extra bedroom.  I'd gotten lazy about putting things in their place and cleaning up because I closed the door and no one saw it.  Only... now you know the truth. :) 

For my birthday (six months ago) Brent promised me a shopping excursion to get all of the things I'd been dreaming about.  Yes, I dreamt about baskets, peg board and shelving.  Along with the shopping day I got a whole day of Brent to help me hang things, move things and playing-with-Lucas-time so I could get things in order.  It is so great to have a designated space for everything; I just love it! 

It took a year, but it was worth the wait!

a boy and his boots

He loves them.  Why wouldn't he?  Daddy wears boots every day.  Papa Richard and Papa Steve wear boots every day.  Mommy wears boots, too.

It started with the brown cowboy boots... that was seven months ago and he's only taken them off to wear the other pairs.  {Okay, we can usually get him to wear dress shoes to church. Usually.}  When it started snowing he wore the blue snow boots to school every day without hesitation.  A few weeks ago, I was out of town for work for most of the week and I brought home the blue rubber boots for him.  The boots were hardly out of the bag before they were going on his feet. 

This little boy, and these little feet, love boots.

Potato salad

Brent made his grandma's potato salad a few days ago. Yes, it is homemade. Yes, he really made it all himself. He is an active part of the kitchen in our house. Well, except for unloading the dishwasher :) He is a great cook and makes at least half of our family meals. 

Anyway, back to the potato salad. I can't divulge which Grandma this recipe comes from because there could be a Perry vs. Lehmeier dispute on the comment page. Potato salad is taken very seriously in this family. Brent's recipe was actually a combination recipe that would make both grandmothers proud. They would also be proud he is cooking in the kitchen so much!

Personally, I usually pass on potato salad. Only because I'm a picky eater and I would hate to taste it and not like it and then just leave it wasted on my plate. But Brent's potato salad - this stuff is good. We shared it with friends during a recent dinner and everyone raved. The other wives were doubly impressed with Brent's skills.

Does it make you think summer BBQ?
 

Mr. Clean

While working on a project this weekend (stay tuned for pictures) my best little helper did some cleaning.  First, he used a wet towel to do some washing.  Then, he asked for a paper towel to dry it.  The motivation may have come from being able to climb on the step ladder, but I like to think he wants things neat and tidy.  He does a good job of picking up his toys and putting laundry in the hamper.  I don't expect miracles - he's only two!  He also helped Brent sweep the garage this weekend.  He never passes up an opportunity to get his little hands around a broom. 

Blast from the past

In a recent closet-cleaning I came across some old memorabilia.  One was a photo collage frame that hung in my college apartment.  With all of the things you can do with digital photos now, I'm not sure if you can even buy one of these.  Each picture brought back a whole bunch of memories and stories.  Some are just left to my memory, but I wanted to share a few. 

This is my roommate, Megan, her boyfriend, James, Brent and I.  This was at a social establishment (People's) in Ames to celebrate Brent's fraternity class graduation.  James and Brent were mistaken for each other a lot back in those days.  They both drove green trucks with ISU license plates, same size/build and hair color, each had a super-cute girlfriend... I'm pretty sure that our apartment building manager thought Megan and I dated the same guy. 

P.S. We both married our college sweethearts.

My baby nephew, Caleb and I.  He's not a baby anymore.  He's 9.  Nine and a half, actually.  Since this picture was taken, I have two more nephews and three nieces.  And much better hair. 

I don't remember this specific picture of Megan and I, but I can tell it was taken at her parent's house.  We weren't old enough to go to a social establishment, but I have a suspicion wherever we went involved boys. 

This, as you can tell, was the 1999 Iowa State Fair.  You can't tell from the distance of the picture (and if I got a close up, it would be too fuzzy) but I was real mad in this photo.  Just minutes before this picture was taken I was showing this heifer in the show ring when a ring helper's cell phone rang.  The heifer went crazy and ended up twisting around my body and kicked me square in the stomach and sent me flying through the air.  I landed in the sand and was fine.  I had a nice black and blue mark to show for it a few days later.  The part I was mad about?  The ring helper not being cautious enough to shut his phone off or turn off the ringer.  It didn't matter that I was covered in sand or bruised; showing cattle was always a rush of adrenaline for me.  Make the animal look its best to be the perfect fit for what the judge was looking for.  Every once in a while it was exactly what the judge was looking for, but I had so much fun doing it.

A funny side note to this is that Megan and two of our "town" girlfriends came to the Fair that day to watch me show.  I'm pretty sure Melanie and Sarah thought I was dead when I flew through the air. 

Aww, those cute lovebirds.  We did not always dress alike. 

If they are reading this, I'm pretty sure I might get harassed at the next family gathering.  But I'm brave.  This is my brother, Brian, my sister, Karen and me.  I have no idea where my sister, Ann, was for this fabulous photo shoot.  I think it was 1996.  I needed a makeover.  Bad.  So did the orange curtains. 

It was fun to find this collage frame, although, I did not keep it.  I just don't think I have the right place to hang it in our house.  I love a good blast from the past to conjure up fun memories.

Unexpected package

I came home a few days ago to an unexpected package at our front door.  When I shop online and get deliveries, I get excited about opening them.  Even though I know what it is (after all, I did order it) I still love the anticipation of opening it.  This unexpected package was not something I ordered, nor was it for me... or Brent.  You know what that means - Lucas got mail! 

First, he opened the card.  It was a Cyclone note card, so he didn't even need the rest of the gift; he was in heaven with getting Cy.

Can't you just hear his gasp?

He just stared at it... in awe. 

He pointed out all of his friends... Nemo, Dori, Marlin and Gil

Then, he rolled over and over and over...

Thank you Lane family!  Lucas loves his new Nemo blanket.  What a special and unexpected package to receive! 

Projects

I like projects. I love making lists of what needs to be done and love it even more when I can cross things off the list as it is accomplished. What a great feeling! A year ago we started a big project – remodeling/finishing our basement.

Before: poured concrete walls

After: finished walls and egress window (same corner)

Before: support poles in middle of room

After: no poles and framed storage closets

Complete: bar

Complete: family space

Complete: storage closets

Complete: bathroom

We have a full basement below our main floor and this doubled our living space, plus added a third bathroom. Fortunately, this project only took about seven weeks and it was finished just before Easter 2009.  It is hard to believe we've been enjoying this space for a whole year - it is already chuck full of a certain little boy's toys.  

I've got a long list of projects for this spring... stay tuned.   

Spring fever

It was 41 degrees yesterday and the forecast for the next week is mid to high 40s.  Yippee!  I thought it was decent enough to get out for some fresh air, so I bundled Lucas up and we went out for a run/walk. Translation: Mommy got some exercise and Lucas enjoyed goldfish. It was a "thumbs up" ride.

A messy spring ahead.

Brent used the skid loader to move snow away from the house in anticipation of the snow melting. There has been a lot of slow melting and staying on that pace would be nice, but just in case, we don't want a really awful surprise of a wet basement when the snow starts to disappear.

                            

Cardinal and gold goes green

Over the weekend we met up with some friends and went to the Iowa State women's basketball game.  Hilton Coliseum is a big place to a two year old. 

We enjoy lots of Cyclone sporting events, but this one was special; it was 4-H night at the game.  We enjoyed a tailgate party before the game with a yummy meal and everyone got a green I-State shirt.  Our seats were in a sea of green.  But the extra special part was that we got to meet up with a 4-H friend of mine. 

Nicole and I were in 4-H together, many moons ago.  We had lots of fun on trips, chasing boys at county fair and county council.  We were even pen pals for a few years (this was before email, if you don't know what pen pals are - google it).  Her parents built a new house that changed her school district, so freshman year of high school we went to the same school.  We both ventured to Iowa State after high school and now live close enough to show the next generation how to love the green clover and ISU. 

                           

Claire (4), Gabe (2), Lucas (2)

Lucas got to see Cy.  He and his buddy, Gabe, had fun pointing out Cy wherever he was in Hilton Coliseum.  He gave Cy knucks and high fives, but wasn't really interested in giving him a hug.  So we gave him a group hug. 

And, we won!

Huntin' deer

First, Lucas got a camouflage outfit from Grandma.  Then, he got to see daddy's deer that he shot during deer season.  For his birthday, Uncle Brian gave him a wooden pop gun.  (There is a cork on a string that "pops" when you slide the barrel forward.)  Ever since, Lucas loves to hunt deer.  And of course, he must wear his boots while he hunts deer.

So it was no surprise when he was drawn to this arcade game.

I love his "wow, look at this" reaction in this photo.

I wish you could hear his little voice when he and daddy proclaim it is time to go huntin' deer. He does not say the 'g' on hunting and the 'r' on deer sounds like a 'w.' Plus, he says it in a deep voice and the word 'deer' has multiple syllables.

As a motherly disclaimer, Lucas does not point guns at people, play with real guns, or have an unsafe obsession with guns.  He's simply all boy and I love it.