Is it a leopard or is it Emeric?

Thursday of last week Emeric started getting a rash all over his torso (front and back), his upper arms and the back of his neck.  By bedtime it had spread down his arms, around his neck and on his knees.  We went to the urgent care and they said give him benadryl and watch him.  The next day everything from the first day was a yucky purple bruise color and there was new red rash spots.  It was all over his head and face and thicker on his torso and there was more on his legs.  We saw the doctor that afternoon and she said it was a type of allergic reaction.  She thought it was his bodies way of responding to a virus he must have encountered.  She thinks it is viral because he was the second child she saw that day with the rash.  Saturday all of the purple spots were the yellowish/brown color of an old bruise, his red spots were purple and he had new red spots.  Sunday things were looking a lot better.  Now today he seems to have all the bruise colorings gone and just a little bit of red, but it is still all over.  Here are a few photos in chronological order.

Charlie Brown

I have never seen A Charlie Brown Christmas, but we do have a small kids book about the movie.  It seems he has a bah humbug spirit and that everything seems to be going wrong for him.  That is how it was for me earlier this week. 

Our Chrismas tree had been set up and decorated.  We put a gate around it so that Emeric would not bother the tree or ornaments.  I guess I should have gotten a bigger stronger gate that would have kept Connor out too.  I guess he decided to climb back by the tree to get a toy or look at an ornament (I really am not sure).  All I know is that one of the tree legs broke and the whole thing fell over.  After having Angela help me retrieve all the fallen ornaments we proped it over until Brian could help fix it.  That evening he tried to fix it, and it fell over again (stand it up, pick up more ornaments).  He tried fixing it a second time, and it fell over (repeat - stand it up, pick up ornaments).  This time he stood it up, with only three legs, and tied it to the banister.

But now due to the force of gravity, and I am sure little hands it is leaning again.  

I am hoping that it will at least last us until Christmas. 

Block-A-Palooza

I learned this morning from Vanessa at V and Co. that John from Quilt Dad is the mastermind behind a new quilting venture that will start in January 2011.  It is called the Blogger's Block-A-Palooza and it is featuring a new line of Moda fabric.  You will make two quilt blocks per week and then they will tell you how to piece them all together to make a festive Spring like quilt. 

I have only made one quilt and it was the t-shirt quilt I made right around my high school graduation.  If these blocks are simple enough, I might just give it a try.  Otherwise, I guess I am just passing along the information for this fun activity.  I am sure it will help some people pass along the dull winter months.



November - Photos of Kids

Wow - I didn't realize that it had been so long since I've posted anything.  Here are some pictures of the kids from November.

Angela:
She was being a slide for Connor since her jammies are so slick.

Connor:

Playing on the slide at the Children's Museum.

Searching for one of his birthday presents.

 Wearing his new birthday hat.

Emeric:

Playing with a toy carrot at the Children's Museum.

 "Look at me, I can climb up on my brother's bike all by myself!"

Sauerkraut

Tuesday night I opened up my crock of sauerkraut and boy did it stink (in a good sauerkraut sort of way).  I got five quarts when I canned it.  I wanted to do pints, but Brian said bigger was better and that way we would have them for BBQs and when we have company over.  I am really please at how pretty they look, but I was a little disappointed that I never got to hear the "pop" of the lids sealing.  I guess with some of the new lids that just doesn't happen much any more.  At least I know that they did seal and it sure will taste good on some brats or sausages.

Connor is * 4 *

On Sunday the 7th, my baby turned 4.  It is absolutely amazing how fast time can go.  I remember people telling me to enjoy the baby times because they would soon be gone and now four years later I wonder where they went. 

That morning I woke up and went to relax in Emeric's room before anyone else woke up.  Once I heard everyone else stirring I grabbed Emeric and we headed out.  I met Brian in the hall and he asked me where Connor was.  I assumed he was in his bedroom, but when we checked it was empty.  I was afraid that he was downstairs getting into his cake so when quickly headed down, calling his name.  We looked around downstairs and could not find him.  About the time just after feeling uneasy and just before panic we noticed the basement light was on and the door was slightly open.  We went down there asking if he was downstairs.  Sure enough he says yes.  We had hidden unopened present in the basement and he had seen it the day before.  Brian told him he had to wait.  So that morning he grabbed the kitchen stool and headed down to retrieve it.  It was too funny.

We had a good breakfast of waffles and went to church.  Our thought was to have lunch and then open presents and have cake and ice cream.  We got lunch ready but there was not waiting to eat it.  He was so very ready to open his presents.  He got some clothes, cars, a movie, books, a lamp, a castle and a video game.  He spent the entire afternoon playing with all of his toys. 

His birthday cake was an adventure all in itself.  I have a birthday cake book and I usually let the kids pick from there what they would like for their birthday cake.  It is super easy, just follow the directions.  Connor, of course, can't do it the easy way.  He tells me about a month before his birthday that he wants an Optimus Prime cake.  The night before his birthday, Brian (as my coach) and I spent about an hour making his cake.  I had one of Connor's toys spread out and I did my best to replicate it.  He was really please with it; especially after he put the balloons into Optimus' hands.  All in all it was a good birthday.



Madison Children's Museum

On Thursday November 4th, we took the kids to the Madison Children's Museum.  There are three levels of fun activities for kids and parents to enjoy.  The first level had a younger kid's area that Connor had a lot of fun running around in.  Emeric had fun crawling around there once it cleared out a little bit. 

The second level had a huge climbing/slide toy.  Angela played in there almost the entire time.  After Connor tried it a couple of times he was hooked too.

The third level is on the roof and it was quite cold that night.  There were chickens that were put away in their roost, but they graciously let me pet them.  Then there was a little hands on nature room.  It did not hold their attention too long.  The second floor also had a great art area with a very cool paint wall.  I am trying to figure out how to get one of those at our house.

I am sure there is a lot we missed; I guess that means we will have to go back again.  

October - Photos of Kids

October seemed like a busier month for the camera - so here are some photos to enjoy.

Angela:

Taking a break from home work in the car to smile for the camera.

"Do you like my new haircut?"  (Which was followed up yesterday with, "Mom if I ask you to cut my hair again, tell me "No" so that I can grow it out.")

"The inside of a pumpin feels soooo grooossssss!"

Connor:

Always posing for the picture.

Is it Connor or a pile of leaves or both?

Helping Dad work on the truck.

Emeric:

Look at him in his "big boy" carseat.

"If I stand up in the back of the car and stick my head out of the window, what will I be able to see?"

Trying hard to cause trouble before he gets caught.

Costumes

This year for Halloween all three kids had quite the time coming up with their costumes.  Angela wanted to be a ballerina, so we bought a bunch for tulle to make her tu-tu.  Last week she decided that she and I did not have the same vision for her costume and she did not want to do it.  She was told that she had to come up with something that would not cost anything since we had already spent a bunch of money for the other idea.  She ended up being an office girl.

Connor wanted to be Batman.  That never changed, I just ran into some sewing machine troubles as I was making it.  In the end it turned out fine.

Emeric was going to be Spiderman, because I had found a free costume on CraigsList.  Unfortunatly the person who listed it never followed through on meeting me.  I had a friend loan me an old costume of her son and so Emeric was a pumpkin.

Carving Pumpkins

Carving pumpkins has been a very rare experience in our home.  It is not something that I am overly fond of so we tend to not do it.  After talking to a friend Thursday evening and being presented with two free pumpkins the decision was made for me.  We purchased a pumpkin carving kit and on Saturday evening, Connor and Angela went to work (with Dad's help).  

Connor made a nice smiley face.

Angela made a scarey vampire.

They thought it was a lot of fun!

Oops

When I have a vision of what I am going to create in my head and I take a cut and immediately say oops, it is never good.  When I am cooking it is fixable because I can just piece the food back together and make it work.  When I am sewing I can just sew it together or buy a new piece of fabric and everything is okay.  But when I am cutting Connor's hair, and the first cut is directly in the middle of his forehead - it is not fixable.  You just have to keep going making an even bigger oops.  I guess it is a good thing that hair grows! 



Five Jamisons and . . .

. . . A Canoe!

We went out a week and a half ago, on the canoe, all five of us.  Angela and Brian paddled, Connor played and I held Emeric.  It was a lot of fun!  The best part was - no one fell in.

Sauerkraut

This past summer when I went back home I got to do something fun and new. I learned how to can sauerkraut. My mother-in-law is a wonderful lady and she is the one who taught me how to make and can the sauerkraut. I am not sure that I like the stuff, but Brian really does so why not learn how - right? It was a lot of fun and it didn't taste too bad, I think it might grow on me.

Since I wanted this skill to stick in my mind, what better way than, to do it myself. This past week Brian and I tried our hand at making it.

I got myself a new toy for making it, a cabbage shredder.

With that and four heads of cabbage, we were ready to go. I decided to do four, because I thought that was what we did this summer and it made quite a bit. Also, because it was not too much and I still do not know how much my crock will hold?

Brian spent his time with the shredder,

while I spend my time mixing the cabbage with the salt. There is not as much salt in sauerkraut as I would have thought there would have been.

I stuffed it deep into the crock and you could hear it popping and sizzling. It was almost like the snap crackle pop of Rice Krispies. It was such a fun sound to hear. It also had nice foamy brine on top. I was so excited to see how it was looking. Even though I am not sure if I really like the taste of it, I did like the look of it.

Lastly we sealed it up with a bag of water and now to wait. I have a month (or so) to wait and then it should be ready to can.

September - Photos of Kids

Here is September's edition of the kids (just a little bit late).

Angela:

Rollerblading on the newly paved alley.

Playing in a laundry basket with Emeric.

Connor:

Riding his truck down the newly paved alley.

"Hello"

Emeric:

Playing in his tunnel with Connor.

Sitting in a diaper box being carried around by daddy.  It is kind of like Oscar getting carried around in his trash can.