marker | life with three boys and a splash of purple!

January 2014

When the weather is very cold outside and the boys still need to get out, the barn is one of those places.

After Christmas was over I started trimming branches off the tree to burn in the wood stove. I slowly trimmed the branches and when it was time to take the ornaments off I continued to burn branches in the wood stove until it was a manageable size for a big boy to carry outside.

Charlie carried it down to the burn pit and I started it on fire.

Nola Mae carrying a box down to the burn pit to burn.

My Dad and Lynn came to visit us for a weekend.

Almost every day Nola Mae puts on someone’s ski boots and tells me “skiing!”

I bought 40 pounds of grapefruit this winter. This was the biggest one.

The boys went away for a weekend with Jack. Jack took these (and many more) great photos, these are my favorites.

I got this idea from my friend Sarah. I filled these balloons with colored water,

and decorated our igloo with the ice balls.

Nola Mae photos:

She enjoyed playing with my cake decorating tips by making towers with them.

Henry did this to Nola Mae while I was doing some laundry.

Nola Mae just reading (warms my heart).

Another “heart warming” photo, when one sibling sweetly kisses the other.

I told Nola Mae to watch me out the window while I fed the dogs, started the car and checked the skid steer’s hydraulic fluids. This is where she was when I came in. Usually, she stands on the shortened chair so I was a little surprised she found this good seat in the window.

We had a great month of skiing.

This winter two kids in the sled is a heavy load! I got a good work-out and a nap out of both of them.

Breaking a new snow shoe trail during a snow storm…Nola Mae wasn’t happy when the sled tipped over because the trail wasn’t wide enough for the sled. Eventually she fell asleep and she didn’t notice when it happened.

Upcycle projects:

This upcycled trivet made with denim and scraps of yellow and orange fabrics., inside lining is fleece from an old baby blanket and the backing is two pieces of corduroy that were given to me. This was my contribution to the Art Exchange for the Vater family Christmas.

Jack’s Art exchange item:

Jack made two other cigar box guitars. If you have facebook you may be able to view a video he made click here to see the video.

In my research for a upcycle project I found a denim rug that I wanted to make for my kitchen. I have used this wool rug, weaved by Jack’s aunt. I like a rug under the sink area and have always thought that I needed a rug that had an angle for that spot.