Tale of the Piggies

We have a little girl in the house who has been struggling with static electricity all winter. One day I was fed up and decided to try putting her hair up in pig tails and much to my delightful surprise I realized her hair had grown a lot since our last attempt.  I can now easily put pig tails in her hair and they actually stay in all day!  And as an added bonus she looks super cute!

This one has nothing to do with pig tails, but it does document her curls (not sure where those came from) and she is starting to look so big!

Sawyer Sayings

Some of Sawyer's recent funny comments:

Mom, I tooted in my mouth! Followed by maniacal laughter
Translation: he burped

After I repeatedly asked Sawyer to help Nora get a sticker he replied,"mom I don't want too, can Jesus help her?"

Sawyer (out of the blue): daddy kiss momma!
Kyle willingly obliges.
Sawyer: good job dada!

And we haven't done a video in a while so here is one we took the other night...Kyle has been teaching Sawyer some trash talk. Here he is in action (disclaimer: slight wardrobe malfunction :)


Sawyer trash talking from Kristen Schenk on Vimeo.

Handmade Christmas Ornaments {tradition}

I may be setting myself up for failure but I try to make the kids an ornament each year. It's not going to be a hard and fast tradition. If I'm too busy to make them one year I will buy them, but I really want them to have a new ornament each year so when they leave the house they will have some ornaments for their own Christmas trees.

Ironically, I finished their Christmas ornaments from 2011 about 1 week before Christmas 2012. Oops, just one of those projects I started and never fully finished. I actually did 2 "last" year: onesies with their names and a silhouette.

This year I was a little more on the ball and I made their ornaments as we traveled to and from Kansas. I had lots of time to hand stitch :)

 The matryoshka doll was made using a tutorial from My Sparkle.

The Elmo I drew free hand onto felt pieces.

Cousin Play

So my BIL and SIL and their family are moving :( They too are in the coaching profession and have taken a new job opportunity. We are excited for their new adventures but sad to see them go. Their time in Canton is short so we are cherishing every moment especially when the kids get to play. Gracie and Sawyer have been like brother and sister since we moved here when Sawyer was 8 weeks old. And then we each added another little person and now they are finally old enough to all play together and boy do they have fun!

Craftapalooza 2012

In December some friends and I had a day of crafting to get all our Christmas gifts ready. I love crafting with friends it's always so refreshing! Here's what I accomplished.

a crayon roll for my niece, Morgan

a birthday tie shirt for a friend

Sawyer's fort kit (printables from armommy), I sewed the bag and the ties on the sheet

ribbon and bow holder for Nora

I will have to update Nora's accessory holder with a picture now that it is being used. Quite cute if I do say so myself. Wish I had taken a before picture as it started out a gold and black frame with an ugly picture.

And I didn't make this project on the craft day but this was Sawyer's birthday present. A Sesame Street pillow case. He goes with me to JoAnn's quite a bit and sometimes to appease him we walk down the character fabric aisle. He loved this fabric but I would never buy any because I couldn't think of a project to use it for. I was talking to Kyle about it one night and he immediately suggested a pillowcase and I thought it was a perfect idea. Plus Sawyer needed a new pillow anyway.  I think he likes it because the other day after nap he said I got to sleep with 10 Elmos and 10 Grovers, and 10 Oscars...what a great way to look at it :)

Pillowcase made using the tutorial from The Cottage Home. It was super easy! This was also my first time doing french seams and once I got the hang of it it was easy. I realize the fabric is going the wrong direction but I don't think Sawyer cares and I'm cheap and didn't want to buy more material so it could face the proper direction.

Learning to Ride

After Sawyer saw his bike he had to take it out for a spin in the freezing cold :) He struggled at first he kept pedaling backward which puts the brakes on. Towards the end of the experience he caught on and was pedaling all over the driveway. However, he still needs to work on his steering skills.

We can't wait for the weather to warm up so he can pedal all over the neighborhood.

Daddy giving him instruction

Kansas Fun

Besides celebrating Christmas with several family members we had lots of Kansas fun. We went to the farm, played in the snow, went shopping in the metropolis of Downs, painted paneling for 2 days, relaxed, watched a lot of people fall ill and ate too much.

Here are a few more pictures from our days in KS:

my snow bunny

Sawyer and Gracie enjoying the snow

Sawyer couldn't wait to sit on Santa's lap, Kyle set Nora down and she literally jumped back into his arms

Nora's rosy red cheeks and Aunt Audi reading

Uncle Jake and cousin Koen

our little techies playing on the ipads

Kyle and I celebrated our 7th anniversary on New Year's Eve. We were actually driving that day so we celebrated the day before. The kids got some good quality time with the grandparents and we went out to dinner. We ate at an Italian restaurant we had never been too. Then we walked around a few stores. Nothing too exciting but it was very nice to get out alone with each other :)

Happy Party {Party Decor}

While it was a small affair you know I had to do a little decorating. When I asked Sawyer what he wanted at his Happy Party the same answer kept coming forward. I'm going to be 3 and I want red cupcakes. So I decided the theme of the party was "3." Everything from the decor to the food to the games related back to the #3.

For dinner we served 3 cheese mac'n'cheese, triangle sandwiches, 3 carrots in a cup, 3 grapes on a stick and triple berry punch. For dessert we devoured red cupcakes shaped into the number 3. I didn't do much in terms of decor but I decorated the mantle with 3 balloons. Sawyer wore a shirt I made with the #3. For the game the little ones had a 3 leg race. And as a party favor we gave bags with three 3 Musketeers.

I loved finding creative ways to bring in the number 3.

3 Musketeer favors

red cupcakes (Sawyer's request) in the shape of a 3

all food had to incorporate the number 3

Happy Party {Sawyer's 3rd Birthday}

We interrupt all the Christmas posts for Sawyer's birthday.

This year we decided to forgo a big birthday party in favor of a small family party and it was perfect. Sawyer did get one very special treat...his best friend and cousin is moving away soon so we decided it was a good time to have his 1st sleepover!

Once all the guests left Kyle constructed a fort for Sawyer and Gracie. They sat in the fort with their popcorn and M&M's watching Toy Story. Once the movie was over so were they :) The whole idea of sleeping in the fort was proving to not be very effective. So we let them lay down in the guest bedroom together. They talked and conspired for quite while. In the end the excitement was too much for them to handle and at 11 pm I laid down with them. Gracie quickly fell asleep but Sawyer just couldn't shut his eyes. He requested to go to his own bed where he promptly fell asleep. I guess they are a little young for a true sleepover but I think they had fun :)

helping to ice his cupcakes

the 3-leg race

Sawyer and Gracie quickly caught on and worked together

he got really embarrassed when we sang Happy Birthday

 but he was a pro at blowing out candles

 I think the red cupcakes were a hit

he loved opening gifts...finally :)

jumping around in their fort

watching a movie together

movie, popcorn, and M&M's could it get any better?

I think Sawyer would agree that his 3rd birthday party was a success!

A 3 year update will come soon. I'm waiting until after his 3 year well child visit.