January Tidbits

Liesel: And next is Ariana Knockoff Grande!
Brigitta: AAAaaaAAAahhhhHH! I'm SUCH a good singer!

Speaking of Gita, have I mentioned she has stunning blue eyes?

They are a little harder to see when she is mischievous (which is pretty much all the time).

Now and again she can be caught in a pensive mood and there they are, like two jewels.

I overheard Liesel singing really loudly in her room so I quickly opened the door and sang loudly back at her. She was pretty startled... and annoyed- haha!

Sydney and I set a New Year's Resolution to read A Light in the Attic and Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. This one feeds my soul:

While I was slaving away on her baptism quilt, Sydney kept my morale up by beatboxing:

I saw Liesel run into Gita's room and grab her Dakota pillow. When Sydney ran in after her, Liesel screamed, "You wouldn't hurt Dakota, would you?" Apparently then Sydney punched the pillow and apparently before this whole episode Liesel "accidentally" threw food in Sydney's face.

Some fire hydrant installation art courtesy of our hilarious neighbors!

I mentioned to Liesel and Ireland that they don't draw me pictures anymore, ask for stories or play with their American Girl Dolls anymore. 
Ireland: That's because her doll is mean.
Me: Liesel's DOLL is mean?
Ireland: *dead serious* YES!
Liesel gave no explanation or defense. She just quietly agreed. 

I texted my friend Malcolm about how black holes make me sad and asked if they make him sad. He said, "No, but I've never encountered one. If I was getting torn apart by one I guess it would." HA!

I read Way to Be by Gordon B Hinkley and as a descendant of Vikings, was charmed by this:

Brent received a voicemail on his cell phone purporting to be the NYC sheriff stating that now he's arrived in the city, he needs to quarantine for 19 days. Brent's first thought? Spam. My first thought? Maybe it was Joey making a prank call...

Nothing brightens a dull, winter day like sharing a cheerful box of colorful macarons! The lemon and raspberry were favorites.

Since we were already at the mall, I couldn't resist these Up themed face masks- they're just so bright and happy.

I had planned to work on Sydney's quilt by the fire but when the girls wanted to make s'mores, that plan kinda went out the window- especially since we had little peppermint patties which is my favorite!

Not that I'm complain, mind you.

In the end it was a win-win. Win.

Brigitta was obsessed with the odd shape of this marshmallow...

...which she promptly burned to a crisp.

It was a nice distraction from the mammoth task at hand.

We've had this adorable shamrock frame for Ireland for ages and I finally found the perfect pictures to fill all the spaces.

I especially love this one of my Dad with the girls when they were younger. The election created many rifts in many a family and I'm grateful for this reminder of what's really important.

Me: You are destined to live an extraordinary life! I don't know what you are going to do, but you are going to blow everyone's mind someday.

Gita: Welll... I don't know what I'm going to do either!

For one breathless day (pun intended) I had all the masks located, sanitized and hung up. I think it should be recorded that did, in fact, happen, even if just once.

The Nielsen family gift rotation needed to be updated for the next decade so I took a (blessed) relief from quilting and created new magnets.

When I got wind my parents don't do stocking stuffers for each other, we made one tiny adjustment. Everyone is supposed to buy for them and then one sibling but once a year, one of the siblings will just buy stocking stuffers for Mom and Dad.

Love my family!

I never get tired of these sweet drawings from my sweet Sydney. As previously noted, I've been a mom long enough to know they stop drawing them as they grow up.

The girls were hanging out on my bed after a particularly bad day when I ran to Portillo's and even though they'd eaten, they were looking longingly at my spoils.
Me: This is my sad food so you aren't allowed to have any.
Liesel: I'm OK with that!
Ireland: I'm OK with that!

Gita: *sneaking a French fry* I'm not OK with that!

Brent received a generous Target gift card from his boss at work and put it towards a new bike for Brigitta. She suffered with a beater bike all summer and I insisted she also get a basket on the front. She had duct taped a red Solo cup and darn it all that thing worked for her all summer long. No more duct tape cups for this girl!

Love her self confidence!

After the inauguration the Bernie memes were a bright spot in a rather depressing month. These two were my favorites:

My friend Becky sent me this one in anticipation of Girl Scout cookie season:

This picture of these cute girls in their vests helped sell some boxes- thanks to all who supported them!

I finally finished Sydney's baptism quilt!!!

I'm so tickled that the lily of the valley flowers are quilted with lily of the valley fabric. Katrina generously talked me through it when I needed someone to cheer me on and when she heard I was having a hard time finding the perfect backing, she dropped everything and headed to a great quilt store near her home in Utah. 

Not only did she track down the perfect backing, but she used her birthday discount for my yards, even though she had fabric of her own to buy. She also sewed it together and shipped it to my quilter. She was heaven-sent as I wrapped up the very last baptism quilt I will ever make! I tossed all of my templates and heaved a HUGE sigh of relief! I'm so glad this one is done!

Liesel's Girl Scout troop played a game where they have to answer questions that begin with a specific letter. One ground was I and the question was Reasons to Get a Divorce?

Intentional stinkiness

Idiot

I don't like you anymore

Ink on shirt

Then they did the same question with K

Kause of you

Knew all your embarrassing stories

Killed my favorite kayak- how dare you!

Liesel was rolling.

Liesel: What's up with the girl who took an hour to eat a donut?

Me: Do you know how long it takes you to eat sometimes?
Liesel: Yeah, but not a donut!