oh the joys...

We went to the park again today and after mommy and daddy enjoyed a nice walk on the path (complete with singing provided by our son), Timothy enjoyed some more swing time. He also enjoyed watching some big boys on the teeter totters. Weight as of Friday: 16 lbs, 7 oz. :)

the results...

of picking apples? Homemade applesauce and apple butter! mmmm....

While I have been busy slicing apples, Jared starting working on my greatest yard sale purchase yet. A dresser. I paid a penny for it. Yes, that's right, a penny. This is what happens when you go on the last day of the sale, it is drizzling, and they are desperate to get everything sold. Everything was a penny. My total bill totaled a nickel. I way overpaid with a quarter. :)

It was in really sad shape though. I couldn't open any of the drawers because it had been sitting in a damp basement and was sealed shut. The lady who owned it apparently tried to strip it already and ruined the finish on the top. But the grain was beautiful and it was sturdy, so Jared took it on. We figured that it would have to sit in the garage over the winter to dry out, but after a couple of weeks, Jared was able to get the drawers open. He has got the stain stripped and has been sanding it the last couple of days (nothing like a project to get a new tool out of the deal!) and it looks better already. We will never be able to stain it a nice light color, but with a coffee color stain and satin finish, it should turn out really nice. Pictures will be posted as the process is continued...

And here lies our cat...not the most flattering pose...right before Jared let a moth in and she went berserk trying to catch it. :)

picking apples

It doesn't really feel like fall until we head to the orchard and spend some time picking apples. Yesterday we took Timothy for his first time, although I was 7 months pregnant the last time we picked apples. It is kind of hard to believe that he is already 9 months old! Anyway, it was chilly, but the wind wasn't bad and we had a great time. We only grabbed a couple of pecks, but we will get some more later when we visit Spearfish next month. Timothy also enjoyed gnawing on a slice this morning when Grandpa and Uncle Eric visited (sorry Eric, I have no actual proof that you were here). :)

busy days

The weather was noticeably cooler this morning, sparking long-sleeves and singing "brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?" Unfortunately, it will be one the last times he gets to wear these slippers as his toes are pretty squished. We are also sticking our tongue out every time the camera comes out...not sure why, but it is sure cute! :)

I have started a new project to give our new house a more fall-ish feeling. We have a wonderful fabric store and quilt shop here in town and a very active quilting guild. This weekend is their big quilt show and I am looking forward to going and maybe end up joining the guild. This may be the year that I learn how to move beyond yarn-tying all of my pieced projects...

I added a couple more pages to Timothy's quiet book, although most of them I am still working on. I am finding out that many of my pieces need blanket stitching around the edges so they don't fray later on. If someone knows of a different edging stitch, let me know...I am starting to burn out on all of the edging...

traffic light with matching lights

The left page will have cars traveling on the shoelaces....the right has movable blobs of paint and a brush for pretend play (pattern from here).

snap balloons

I have been freezing zucchini and squash as I get them...either from our garden or from church members' gardens...

9 months

Happy 9 months Timothy!

Weight: 16 lbs.

Height: 26"

(officially back on the growth chart in both categories!)

Pickles anyone?

9 pints of refrigerator pickles ready to be eaten..in two weeks time. They need to be eaten by December, but considering my hubby has plowed through 2 quarts already in the past week and a half, I don't think that will be an issue. :)

Timothy, almost 9 months...

We were supposed to have our nine month check-in today. However, our doctor was on call at the hospital for the ER and she was called away right before our time...oh to be in a small town. :) We did get our weight checked today and are looking forward to seeing our doctor next week...closer to when he actually turns 9 months anyways. Thanks to being able to now add rice cereal into his feeding bag, we put on some significant weight since last week. I am hoping to say goodbye to fifteen next Friday...

Current weight: 15 lbs, 9 oz :)

Quiet Book, first 4 pages

Construction of the quiet book is underway. I am really enjoying the process so far and I will have mad sewing machine skills by the time it is done. The buttonhole has been conquered! :) I am participating in a quiet book sew along, which is really helping motivate me to keep going. I think we are going to bust it out at church this weekend to see if he actually likes it, although most of the activities are going to be beyond him right now. But he'll grow into it.

Cover page

Back of the cover page (perfect-sized pocket for arch books), Front of page 2 (velcro frog attached with a ribbon)

Back of page 2 (more velcro fish are in production now!), Front of page 3 (whole bunch of stuff behind plastic)

Back of page 3 (mailbox that opens...letters coming, pattern here), Front of page 4 (buttons!)

Back of page 4...clock with moveable hands...more pages coming soon!