Baby Lincoln Update

My sister, Carrie, and Baby Lincoln are doing a little better today. At least Carrie is, Lincoln is still pretty much the same. She posted about yesterday and today here and here. My dad posted about it here. They are waiting now for Lincoln to go into surgery to detach his esophagus from his trachea and (hopefully) re-attach it to his stomach. The pediatric surgeon is hopeful that this will happen because Lincoln is full term. He won't know for sure until he actually has Lincoln in surgery. If he's able to do that, then Lincoln will spend the next few weeks in NICU learning how to eat and being monitored. If the surgeon decides Lincoln's esophagus isn't big enough, he'll get a feeding tube and be sent home soon and they'll reassess in a few months. The surgery was originally scheduled for 1pm, but due to some scheduling conflicts it's been pushed back. I'm just waiting around for the call that they've taken him to surgery. Carrie and Shane are getting to spend a little time with him until that happens in the NICU.

He's just a little doll, isn't he?


In other news, I am FINALLY finished with the Kindergarten Quilt for Eli's class! There were moments when I didn't think I'd finish in time, but I stitched the very last stitch just a few moments ago. I can't wait to hand it over to Mrs. Riggle tomorrow morning for the Fall Festival on Saturday. It's hard to tell, but my model lost another tooth today at school. Grandaddy told him over the phone that he was only going to be able to eat chocolate shakes because he couldn't chew anything...so that's what we did. At least for snack!


It will be auctioned off at the live auction Saturday night. I hope two different families love it so much that they get into a bidding war and it goes for lots and lots of money and makes a *huge* contribution to the school. The McCall's will not be one of those families because I hope to never see this quilt again.

Because Facebook Is Being Difficult...

Facebook is having issues tonight and won't let me post this on my sister's page. So I'm going to post a link and that will work!


Lincoln Neill Nimz arrived at 12:20pm, 6 lbs. 14 oz., 18 inches long. Carrie is doing fine, but Lincoln is the NICU due to an incomplete esophagus. (Her sister is writing this.) Carrie and Shane (and cousin Amy) met with the NICU doctor and nurses earlier and everything else looks fine. They will meet with a pediatric surgeon soon to find out the timetable for what happens next. Best case scenario: Lincoln's esophagus is formed enough that the surgeon can re-attach it in the next few days. Worst case scenario: Lincoln's esophagus isn't formed enough and they'll do surgery when he's a little older. Carrie and Shane are doing okay and should know more late tonight or tomorrow morning. The doctor is hopeful that this issue will be resolved soon and Lincoln will be good as new in the next few days. Carrie is on her way now on her way to the NICU to spend some time with Baby Lincoln. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.


Here's a picture she sent me earlier today. Doesn't it make you just want to reach through your screen and cuddle him up?

I Just Wasn't Quite Ready For This One

As moms, we are the keepers of our children's stories. We remember the first funny words, what their first favorite food was, where they were when they took their first steps, the first time they called 911 (oh wait, that doesn't happen to everybody?). I had a friend in college who had lost her mom to cancer just a few months before she left for college. I remember her crying and struggling with the fact that the person who knew her the best, who knew all her milestones and achievements (even the ones she thought were unimportant) was gone and no one else would remember. It broke my heart then and it shatters it even more now. We remember the things that no one thinks important and we treasure them in our hearts...the funny sayings, how they sneeze, which socks are their favorite. I think it comes with being a mom. We wait and we watch and we anticipate all those firsts. Sometimes it comes as no surprise. The first cry in the hospital room. The first roll-over. The first time they say Ma-ma. The first time they hold a spoon. The first, long walk down the kindergarten hallway. And sometimes they come as a complete surprise. Happening so fast that it takes your breath away to realize how fast their time with you is slipping by. Like today.



I picked Eli up from school and he was proudly wearing a "I Lost A Tooth At School Today" sticker and proverbial tooth-shaped-tooth-holder necklace. He was ecstatic! I was shocked! He'd been telling me for weeks (maybe even months) that his tooth was loose...mostly because he just wanted to lose a tooth so badly. It never was so I always told him to stop messing with it and get on with whatever it was he was supposed to be doing. I guess I should've listened a little more carefully. Now he just looks like a snaggle-toothed little boy. Soon he'll lose more and then the permanent teeth will grow in and he'll just be that much closer to being all grown up. I just like to have a little more time to process these big moments. Having them thrust upon me is a bit discombobulating and thought-provoking.

The tooth next to it is pretty loose, as well. I guess I better get over feeling sad about a little-bitty baby tooth. He's going to lose them all eventually and then we'll be on to braces. Have you seen the gap that boy's sporting?

Maybe losing his teeth isn't so bad after all.

One...

Last...

Hurrah!

Summer has officially ended, and for the most part, the weather here in Amarillo has been cool. Last week, we experienced highs in the 60's! I made soup! I scoured the children's dressers for long-sleeved t-shirts and jeans! I traded my flip-flops for ballet flats!

Then today's temp was in the 90's. I'm not sure if that's technically an "Indian Summer" (does it have to come after the first freeze? or just after the official start of fall?), but we decided to take advantage of it anyway. Eli had a friend over from church and then then the little boy from next door came over. An impromptu party that quickly involved little sisters! Brad finally let Eli get his Slip N' Slide out on the new grass and they had one last hurrah before it gets too cold. (For the record, I did feel the water, and it was waaaayyy to cold for me! Phoebe agreed because after two runs, she came inside for Princess snacks.) However, it was a huge improvement over the boys trying to catch bugs to eat, (thank you, Bear Grylls) and it did convince me to make them chocolate shakes for a snack...no bugs!


And what were Brad and I doing during this little Indian Summer Party?


Cleaning out the garage and folding a mountain of laundry.


Ya-hoo.

Craft Closet: Before and After

I am in the process of organizing my craft closet and craft armoir. Actually, I'm moving all the children's craft stuff into my craft closet and making the armoir just for games because here's the "before" of the armoir.


It's a mess, I know. I had originally planned on storing all craft supplies and games in this armoir, but after several marker "incidents" I decided I needed to rethink that. Now, I'm going to store only games in this armoir and move the children's craft stuff to my craft closet. I'm also going to encourage them to only do their crafts downstairs on the kitchen table, but I needed something for them to store their craft supplies in that could be easily accessible, portable, and age appropriate. The Art Boxes were born.



Each box has age-appropriate supplies that they can use independently. (We'll save the finger-paint for a mommy activity!). Eli's has crayons, markers, scissors, tape, glue sticks, and water colors. Phoebe's just has crayons. They sit low on a shelf so they're accessible and in proximity to the plain paper, construction paper, stickers, and coloring books. Each child also chose a sticker to represent their box because "we don't get into each other's boxes"! Can you guess who's is who's?

It made my armoir look all pretty and neat.


I'm not quite finished with the craft closet, but pictures will be coming soon. I still need some pizza and cereal boxes to finish! :) But like all good organization projects, it got the creative juices flowing and my children immediately wanted to sit down with their art boxes and create.



It just warms the cockles of my heart!

I Have A Love/Hate Relationship With Legos

I love that legos use all the "math-y" parts of your brain in construction.

I hate that when they end up on the floor and you step on them, it really, really hurts. Sometimes you even say a bad word!

I love that you can either be creative or follow someone else's directions to create all sorts of things.

I hate that once you build something and then your little sister pulls it apart, it breaks your heart.

I love that the directions do not have to be read.

I hate that they are serious choking hazard.

I love that Eli gets engrossed in his legos for hours at a time. Like today when he worked on an airplane from 3:30 to 8:00, only stopping to eat dinner and take a hurried shower.

I hate that I don't think of super-glueing them together until they are almost completely finished and then it seems like a major task to un-do everything and start over.

I love that when you vacuum one up into the vacuum it means there is one less lego in the world to step on or clean up.

I hate it when you vacuum one up into the vacuum and you immediately feel a deep sense of guilt because you have probably ruined Darth Vader's TIE-Fighter and you know you aren't going to fish it out.

I love that Brad steps in to help Eli with his complicated lego projects.

I hate that they hurt like the dickens when you step on them.

I love this picture.



Did I mention that it hurts (a lot) when you step on them?

The Newest Member Of Our Family: The Family Book

Sometimes enough is enough!

I remember when I bought my very first family planner. Eli was a baby and I needed something to help me figure out this whole stay-at-home mom thing. So I went to Wal-Mart and bought this little handy-dandy planner. It had always lived in my kitchen, next to the fridge, in front of the phone. I used to meal plan, make daily to-do lists, fill in my calendar, make grocery lists, and keep track of the daily doings of the McCall family. I loved my little planner. It made me feel so grown up and organized and "mommy-ish". It suited us just fine for years and years. And then, all of a sudden, it wasn't good enough anymore. Papers were spilling out all over my cabinet and onto the bar where we eat breakfast. I missed some appointments. Dinner was a thrown-together mess and I kept forgetting things at the store. As I looked around my kitchen, I realized that my handy-dandy planner just wasn't cutting it anymore.

We needed something bigger and better and more comprehensive and more suited to our family and...well...cuter!

And then I remembered a post from blog-friend several months ago. One where she made a family book that held all kinds of interesting and relevant things for her little family. But I remember thinking at the time, "I don't need that, I have my handy-dandy planner!" Well, now I needed it and I needed it yesterday!

So spent a few days figuring out what I needed in my family book and then another day getting my supplies together. (I just love going to Office Depot with a two-year-old!) Then I spent a two days or so making all my dividers and punching holes and asking Brad to print about 3,195 documents because my laptop wasn't speaking to the printer at the house. He was thrilled, I tell you, just thrilled.

And then it was finally finished and it. has. changed. my. life. I'm just so darned proud of it that I show it off to all my friends, who then make family books of their own! Unfortunately, these friends are more creative and gifted than I am and theirs have clever little names and much cuter pages. However, I'm still proud of mine and I'd like to take a moment and show it off.


I've since added a little plaque at the top that says "McCall".



My first divider is our monthly calendar. I used this website to print them off. Well, actually Brad did and he printed me a calendar for every month until December of 2011. So if you're planning on inviting me to your Martin Luther King Day Party in January of 2012, I just don't know if I'll be available.



I keep my daily to-do lists here. The one that I write in pencil (in case I need to just take something from the day) and cross things off as I complete them. It gives me such a sense of accomplishment!



This is my menu-planner. I plan a week at a time from Tuesday to Monday and there are four weeks on a page. I'll just include a picture of the menu-planning page, too. (I told you I was proud!)




My grocery list divider underwent a major overhaul recently, too, due to the remodeling of the nearest Wally World. The nice thing about this is that it's laid out by how I walk the store. So easy and convenient...and just a little OCD!





Each child has a divider for all the "stuff" they bring home from school: calendars, handbooks, teacher info, lunch schedules,...the list goes on and on!



While not an avid coupon cutter, I do find it frustrating when I can't find my Gymbucks or the free student pass to the fair. Hopefully it will never happen again.



I'm still working on this divider. So far all it contains is a medical release form. I plan on putting an emergency plan (who keeps my children until family can arrive in an emergency), emergency phone numbers, and anything else I can think of in here, as well, but I haven't figured it all out yet.

I also added a divider labeled "Other Important Stuff" for all the other stuff I need to keep track of, but that don't fall into the above dividers. I forgot to take a picture. Sorry.


It already feels like a member of the family!

What Time Is It?!

Bushland Blackhawk Time!


(This is what the students yell every morning during announcements and sometimes at home while riding their bikes in the backyard.)

We are now officially Bushland Blackhawks. It's taken a few weeks, but we are now completely outfitted with a Blackhawk car decal, t-shirts, bows, and noise makers. Here we are, ready for Fab Friday (the elementary pep rally that occurs every Friday morning). Don't we look spirited?!



Phoebe had to wear these books because 1) they look very sassy and 2) all our other black or white shoes have "squeakers" in them and I didn't want to completely disrupt the day while we were making the class pumpkin.

At Fab Friday, the t-shirt I ordered for Phoebe came in and we decided to change then and there.



If only we had a bright gold football helmet temporary tattoo to wear on our forehead! The really good kind that doesn't wash off for days and days and requires turpentine to remove.


Oh wait.

Why I Haven't Blogged This Week

This is the class quilt I volunteered to make for Eli's kindergarten class. Each kindergarten class donates a quilt with everyone's handprint on it that is auctioned off at the Fall Festival. While not a particularly hard project, it's causing me much angst and worry. Rumor has it that kindergarten quilt last year was auctioned off for just under $500. The pressure is really on. Not that I expect the quilt I make to bring in that much money, but I don't want it look like it was made by somebody who didn't really know what was going on...whether that was the case or not! Did I mention that I'm re-printing all the handprints because they didn't look quite right?



Since I'm co-Room Mom, I'm going to make this pumpkin look like this character for a fundraiser. All the (un-carved) pumpkins are lined up in the cafeteria and the children get to vote on the one they like the best. One penny = one vote.

At least I don't have to sell smelly candles door-to-door.




While I didn't actually construct this table, I did haul it home last Monday. I was going to come back Sunday, but due to the 10 inches of rain, I didn't drive home until Monday, putting me a day behind. Then we (and by we, I mean Brad) had to seal it with polyurethane so my children can smear their dinner all over the top and spill milk without me having apoplexy. It just means my table was "under construction" since Tuesday.

And by the way, I *love* this table. I have been wanting a farm table made from reclaimed wood for years and we finally found an exceptional deal on one in Canton. The legs are made from old porch posts and all the other wood is from a VFW in Arkansas.

I've also been to Jo'Ann's twice this week for quilting supplies, patterns and fabric for Phoebe's Halloween costume (it's going to be A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E), and a pattern to make this (or maybe for my mom to make it).

Notice I'm not showing you pictures of my dirty house or my neglected children, but we did have these for dinner and they were fabulous!

She's Having A Baby!

My baby sister, Carrie, is having a baby (that's right, folks, she has her own blog). And she's not just a little pregnant, either. That girl is about to burst! Phoebe and I traveled down to Dallas this last weekend (we should've have brought our boat!) to attend her baby shower. I gave her the baby boy goodie bucket pictured above. Her nursery is all blues and reds and so adorably cute it makes me want to re-decorate something! It's even more precious and preppy in person.

Carrie's due date is Oct. 6th, but she's not going to make it that long. Mostly because little Lincoln (or Baby Wink-on, as Phoebe calls him) is breach and her doctor will probably do a c-section.

She's hit that stage where you feel like you're going to be pregnant forever and you don't even remember what it felt like to be "normal." Ah, the joys of pregnancy. Here's a good picture to represent just how pregnant she really is...and I just love that hers and Phoebe's expressions are identical.


They also shared a cupcake together.


I'm not sure how much of it Carrie actually got to eat.

This girl loves her cupcakes!


We can't wait to meet you, Baby Lincoln!

(I hope you finally get a middle name when you get here.)

I Might Have Bitten Off More Than I Can Chew

I have always wanted to learn to quilt. Actually, I've always wanted to learn to piece a quilt and then have someone else do the actual quilting, but that's beside the point. It always seemed like there was something else going on, like work or children or life, that prevented me from actually doing it. So I just kind of muddled through life, making very simple baby quilts and the like. Then I met my friend, Dixie, and she is an amazing quilter. Of course, she thinks she isn't, but she is. So I was inspired and decided it was time I learned to quilt.

Let me give you some insight into why "inspired" is just the right word for quilt-making. I believe that quilters are artists. People who need to create and make beautiful things. Women who see fabric and color and are drawn to it and the shapes and end up buying (way too much) fabric because they just cannot leave it at the store. Tammy is an inspired quilt artist. She's the mom of one of Dixie's high school friends and she's a pretty darn good quilter.

She says it's just a hobby. Right. Like Michelangelo painted the Cistine Chapel as his "hobby".

But I digress. Tammy was more than happy to give me a mini-quilting lesson to help get me started on Thursday morning. In a word, the experience was life-giving. You know, it charged all my creative juices and made me lie awake that night and think about colors and patterns and all the wonderful quilts I would make. But first, I have to get started on my first one (I'm going to use this pattern).


I'm using a jelly roll from Moda called Recipe For Friendship. In case anyone was wondering.

These were just a few of the many, many (and I mean a couple hundred) quilts that Tammy has made. She had several displayed in her house...these were my favorites!



Did I mention that she also hooks wool rugs? This is the one Tammy is currently working on.


This is the piano seat that she made from her father's housecoat. Pretty green, huh?


In all of this awe, she actually did do a little teaching. This was my first cut on my pretty fabric.


And I even pieced three whole squares. Only 67 more to go...



As for biting off more than I can chew, when I told Eli's teacher that I couldn't volunteer on Thursday (that's my usual day) because I was taking a quilting class, she got all giddy and excited. The kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade classes all make class quilts for the silent auction at the Fall Festival and she needed someone to make her class quilt...like somebody taking a quilting class. Apparently that somebody is me. I guess I know what I'll be doing at all hours of the night until October 3rd.

Sheesh. Me and my big ideas!

Too Good Not To Share

I got a little ambitious this morning and made this for breakfast.



Doesn't it look nice in my new-ish cream bowls?

I found the recipe for Baked Oatmeal here (and if you haven't wasted some time browsing around this site, then it's high time, my friends), but didn't want to make quite so much. So I halved it...at least, I attempted to halve it. Then I threw out the first batch (because I botched it) and started over. This time I paid attention and, OH. MY. HEAVENS. it was delicious!

Baked Oatmeal (My Version)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1-2 tablespoons milled flaxseed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into an 8 inch pan and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with sliced strawberries and peaches. (I sprinkled a little sugar on my fruit and let it macerate while the oatmeal baked.)

Seriously folks. This is divine. Phoebe, who doesn't eat much breakfast, had two bowls and Eli had one big bowl.

Feast your eyes upon on the fruity, oatmeal-y, warm-y deliciousness.



It's an excellent way to use up oatmeal when you've bought oatmeal at the grocery store the last three times you've been because you think you're out. Not that I ever do that. Ever.

Brad MADE Me Do It!

Brad really wanted to have a Labor Day Bar-B-Q. Growing up, the McCalls always had a big blow-out bar-b-que to end the summer. I'm talking over a hundred people, four-wheelers, volleyball, and mountains and mountains of food. It sounded like fun...in theory. When Brad suggested we have our own, I was a little underwhelmed by the idea. Especially since he made it Sunday afternoon at lunch. (Honestly, he made the suggestion a few days ago, but I really didn't think he was serious.)

Apparently, he was.

I wasn't too keen on the idea. I wanted to spend my day sitting around in my pajamas, eating a big pancake breakfast, and keeping my nose in a book. You know, being highly un-productive.

But when Brad gets an idea, there's just not much stopping him. So last night around 9pm, he starts inviting people. (Oh, the beauty of facebook...does anybody make any real plans anymore?) I figured no one would show up. I mean, who doesn't have plans on the Sunday night before Labor Day?

Apparently, quite a few.

After a quick trip to Wally World and a little time shoving all miscellaneous items into closed closets, we had ourselves a Labor Day BBQ! Hamburgers and hot dogs and baked beans, oh my! Everybody brought something and I'm pretty sure everybody had a good time. We had 14 adults and 13 children and I really and truly meant to take pictures, but in all the hustle and bustle, I forgot. I'll try to paint a picture for you: men playing horse shoes, little kids jumping in bounce houses (provided by the parents of most of the children), big kids playing Rock Band, women visiting, lots of lawn chairs, even more food, and a beautiful evening to enjoy it.

Good party, Steve. (Name that movie.)

Thanks, Brad, for making me jump out of my comfort zone. Even if I threw a hissy-fit about it this morning.


Since I didn't get a single picture at the party, here's one of Phoebe from Sunday morning. She's wearing a vintage pillowcase my mom whipped into a dainty pillowcase dress before she smeared pink toothpaste all over the front and threw a major fit and wrinkled the entire front. I'm not sure why I bothered to iron it in the first place...

In The Blink Of An Eye

Does anybody know when this


Turned into this?


Thursday morning, Phoebe started her first day of pre-school. (In trying to re-create first day pictures, I took the pictures on the porch. Unfortunately, the days are getting shorter and it was still a little dark.) She was sooooo excited. For days she's been talking about her backpack and lunchbox and school. When I told her she was going to school on Thursday morning, she put her backpack on and wore it around the house despite the fact that it was almost as big as she was. (It had to be since it has to carry her lunchbox, her paci, a change of clothes, a pull-up, and her blanket...she's high-maintenance already!)

After a few more pictures, we were off to Kid University.




Oh, and we stopped for donut holes on the way. I had about 10 minutes to kill between dropping Eli off and when Phoebe's school started so it was the only logical thing to do.


We missed Meet The Teacher because Phoebe had a little stomach bug on Tuesday so this was her introduction to Ms. Jenny


and Ms. Michelle.


And then she just "drove" off without a backwards glance.


I only almost went back to get her three different times over the course of the day.

When I picked her up that afternoon, the note in her folder said she had eaten most of lunch, took a nap, went to the potty three times, and was an did "very well" at clean up time! All in all, I think that's a pretty good start.