Snow!

This past week I was in Atlanta - avoiding all the snow that Columbia was hammered with. With that also came some traveling complications - but if you know anything about my travel experiences in the past, it's just standard procedure for me.


Here's a picture out on the back deck - you actually probably need to add about 2 more inches of snow on top of that to round out the weekend.


On Saturday night I actually finished Megan's quilt (and washed it and it survived) so here is Abby giving the quilt to Megan - because it is from her - I was just the labor to put it all together. Megan has had it with her pretty much since then, it even had to come to church with us on Sunday. I am very happy with how it turned out. I am learning a couple tricks of the trade with the whole quilting bit, but still have a long ways to go. I have yet to even take on any of the hand quilting part (other than binding), I am more of a quilt by machine in straight lines type of quilter currently.


Here's a better view. I really love the colors and how the green boarder brings it all together.

This week we are at home and will hopefully have another weekend at home. Tim had to work this past Saturday and Megan has a mean cough that will hopefully go away and not be shared. If anyone has any ideas on ways to help with the cold, please email me! We tried some honey this morning and have already done the cool mist/vicks warm mist humidifiers as well.

Weekend Projects

This past week along with the snow and canceled school we were plagued with a couple sick girls (not that you can tell from the below photos though) so we spent most of the weekend at home. So with that I started a couple new projects - you know, with all my free time :)

Here was my helper, who was a little too helpful so had to be put down with for a nap so I could get things actually done.


Project #1 - Abby thought Megan needed her own quilt so she would stop wanting her Grandma Papke quilt. Abby and I went to the quilt store and she picked out this pack of squares to make into a quilt (very simple sewing, which I loved). She also helped me pick out some fabrics for a couple other projects, but as I know my sister-in-law reads this I will not be posting any photos until after they receive them. But Abby was very helpful as usual, and can't wait to give Megan her quilt, which if you ask her "It's from me, but Mommy had to make it."

Here is the almost finished product. I still need to do the actual quilting and put the binding on. The binding will be the same green as the small stopping I put on around the squares. I thought it helped the colors pop a little bit. I'm pretty happy with how it looks - Abby says it has too many flowers. But it's a little crazy, and so is Megan sometimes.

Based on the expected weather we might be having another weekend at home, which is fine, we have plenty to do.

Let It Snow

The snow finally arrived on Monday so when Tim got home from work and a quick dinner the shoveling and sledding began.


Abby wasn't so much in to the shoveling. She wanted to make a snow man but it was to powdery so she settled for small snow balls and making snow angels in our yard and for our neighbors.

Megan was content to help shovel - and walk through big piles of snow, which created more shoveling. Last year she didn't really get to enjoy the snow only being 10/11 months old but this year she is all over it.

After the shoveling the sledding began. Last year Abby was a little afraid of sledding, but this year with fearless Megan to lead the way they are all about sledding and had a great time.


An action shot at the bottom of the hill - all smiles!

Then Tim surprised me with some roses - 11 years ago we had our first date. I think the girls were just as surprised and as excited as I was to see them as Tim hates buying flowers for anything. Abby and Megan spent about 5 minutes just smelling them and then helped me get them in a vase. Hard to believe 11 years has gone by this fast.

Just a weekend at home...

This weekend we had a leisurely weekend at home. We did get the Christmas decorations down inside and outside and switched cable (DirectTV - if you want to use us as a referral and save money email me!!). We also had some visitors on Friday night. My cousin Christine and her boyfriend Joe came up for the evening. So Tim and I got a babysitter and we went out to Shakespear's and then to the Black and Gold. I don't think we got home until 1 AM (way late for Tim and I). So our Saturday was a bust, lots of lounging around and eating. But we had a great time with Christine and Joe so it was worth it.


Abby wanted to make Great Grandma Powers' chocolate chip cookies with Christine so we did that on Saturday morning.


Megan was helping too, of course.

Licking the batter was the best part. I think Megan had more batter than she put on the cookie sheets. Her shirt and Christine's pants were covered in cookie dough by the end of it. But they tasted great and were worth it!


Saturday morning we also had to finally put together Megan's Barbie ATV that was a Christmas present from Uncle Andrew and Aunt Rebekah. Megan had pulled the box in to the living room and was trying to open it with scissors. So Tim assembled it, and it had to charge over night. So Sunday after church/brunch/grocery shopping Megan finally got to try it out. I promptly called Andrew to see when he would be up here to give a lesson on turning and breaking.

Getting a little help from Abby and running in to the coffee table. It needs a brush guard!

We spent the rest of Sunday just relaxing and somewhat preparing for the snow storm that was supposed to hit on Monday. It's supposed to be a cold week!

The Booster Seat

Abby has been asking for a booster seat for quite a while now. I'd keep her in a 5-point harness until she was 8 if I could but she is "getting bigger" as she likes to tell us. So Tim and I broke down and ordered a booster seat and it showed up last night so I installed it in the car and this morning was the first official ride in the booster seat.


To say Abby loves it would be an understatement. Since it's a lot less wide than the previous one she has room for her bags on the side and it even has cup holders. She loves to be buckled and to be able to undo it herself. Our biggest problem now is keeping Megan out of the seat. She wants to be in the seats for Abby that she is not tall enough or heavy enough to be in. She pitches a pretty good fit every time so far. We'll see how the booster works when Abby falls asleep.

We're slowly adjusting to actually having to work a 5 day work week, and the kids having to go to daycare/preschool all 5 days. Everyone seems to be tired. The weekend will be a relief.

Happy New Year

Well here it is, 2011 already. Christmas to New Years went by in a flash - and I was even on vacation which should have helped it drag out a bit, but it didn't. I started my vacation out with Megan's ear drum bursting so that put a little damper on the "to do" list as we had a doctors visit, prescriptions to get, then monitoring of the fever. She had a miserable day, but we eventually got everything done. One of the projects I am most proud of is the quilt I made for my nephew Theo. Tim's grandmother, Doris Schmidt, would make baby quilts for all the great-grandchildren. She passed away 2 years ago and the last quilt she completed was the one for Megan, so Theo did not have one. I figured - how hard can it be to make a quilt - I have a sewing machine, I can follow instructions.....and so the project began. Thanks to the nice ladies at Appletree Quilting who helped with step by step process and questions, and of course for having toys for the girls to play with so they didn't destroy the store.

The quilt was finished on the 23rd and washed on the 24th and still in one piece! I think it turned out really good for my first quilt and hope Theo enjoys it (and it stays in one piece!).




Christmas Eve we packed up the family and headed to Collinsville, IL for the Dietz family Christmas Eve party which is held at Tim's aunt and uncle's house. Good food and family, and of course gifts that the girls loved.

Here is Megan and Abby scoping out the presents - trying not to get caught.

Abby also discovered Great Aunt Val's iPad which had great kid games on it for her grandchildren that Abby enjoyed playing all night. You'd be surprised how well she can use an iPad.



Our effort to get the kids (that were left) in front of the tree in their PJ's. It was getting pretty late at night and time for bed.


Christmas Day over at Betsy and BJ's house. We did manage to eat brunch before opening presents even though it almost destroyed Abby and Megan to just have to look at presents for 45 minutes.

Our family photo with Gracie before opening presents - as you can see Megan is ready to be opening, enough with the photos.

Grandma and Grandpa Schmidt tried to push a photo in too, and you can see how Theo and Megan are enjoying it - they want presents!

Here's Abby with her favorite present - she has played this game quite a bit. We're already on our second set of batteries.



Here is Megan's favorite - other than trying to steal her sister's Leapster Explorer. Tim had to assemble this immediately.


Here I am with Theo and Betsy after he opened his quilt - we'll see if it becomes one of his favorites down the road.

A Sit N Spin - classic.

And drums - they are actually Megan's but are shared well. They are downstairs now to help contain the noise - Thanks G&G Schmidt!

Sunday we headed back to Columbia to see if Santa had remembered where we lived and if we had good little girls or not - we did of course!



Abby with her loot.


Megan with her pile of presents.


Towels with their names on them from Aunt Colleen and Uncle Tony.

A princess piano - Megan likes it as well.

Rollerskates for this years broken bones to come - Abby has a pair as well.



Then another classic - the Fisher Price Record player - I had this as a child and G&G Papke got this for the girls. It gets played daily and fought over daily as well. Megan is a little indecisive to say the least on what to play.



Our first Mizzou basketball game of the year as well. The cheerleaders were the highlight for the girls I think.

New Year's Eve we went to KC to ring it in. Friday we went to Emporia, KS to lunch with our friend Leann who is due Jan. 7th with her daughter. They are moving to Canada in February so we had to take advantage of seeing her one last time as they will be gone for 2 years.

Here is Jenn's truck breaking down in the parking lot and Tim fixing it.........

Then our adult dinner (with Allison) at Fogo de Chao - a Brazilian Steakhouse - Tim's one request of the trip. All you can eat meat - it was awesome. We had a lovely time and spent over 2 hours sampling all the different meats.

We safely are back in Columbia and in recovery mode from the Holidays and hope to be back to normal by this weekend.