Nothing Better... Gratitude Friday

Than coming home, sleeping in your own bed, and finding packgages from friends. Thank you Shari for your wonderful gifts! I know its not the best picture... but its the best I could do.

Being loved.

Lying on the couch and watching movies.

Good books and magazines.

Lots of art supplies.

Remembering....

My sweet time with my 14 month old nephew and what he is doing at this age:

1. The sound of his happy voice always got me out of bed in the morning. I just had to see him!

2. His delightful sense of humor.

3. He learned to put his pointer finger to his mouth and say "shhh!" with a twinkle in his eye. He'd do this when we'd pass by loud dogs barking.

4. We both love the book Jamberry.

5. His nighttime streaking from bedroom to bathtub. Elbows bent, high stepping, fist clutching and squeals of laughter from all of us.

6. His cool head-bob to music or songs that are sung. I still have songs like ABC and Wheels Go Round in my head.

7. He loves Itsy Bitsy Spider and knows all of the hand movements. He claps before were done as if he is telling us what a good job we've done.

8. We loved playing ball together and he would laugh everytime he caught the ball.

9. His signing the word "thirsty". (He's not deaf... his smart parents taught him sign language to reduce that toddler frustration of not being able to express their wants).

10. How he would really listen when I told him there was a bird singing.

11. How he would bend his elbows, palms up, fingers closed and wrist touching when he wanted to be picked up.... so very, very sweet.

12. Sliding down the steps, like a plank, on his stomach.

13. And lastly, at bedtime he would want each of us to hold him and give him his bottle.

Easter

We had a very successful Easter... with 12 kids under 2 and a couple of older ones... and about 23 adults! Everyone had a great time. And, I did get the 70 degree weather... but yesterday, on Monday. For Easter it snowed! We "hid" tons of Easter eggs and candy in small adorable little nests we created with plastic grass (which my brother and sister in law will be finding for a long time), but the kids really surprised us. Instead of taking the entire nest, which we thought they would do, they just took a candy or two from the nest. So adorable!

My nephew is so utterly adorable... and I am hopelessly and forever in love with this boy! We took him to the park yesterday and he is so fearless! He climbs and comes down slides face forward (with his auntie holding onto him of course). And then we took him to the aquarium. We all enjoyed his sense of wonder. There is nothing like watching a child ooohing aaaahing in delight!

I come home tomorrow night and I will be so sad to leave him!

DJES!

This morning my newphew started making loud noises indicating that he was finished with breakfast and ready to get down from his highchair. I asked him if he was ready to get down and he responded with a loud DJES! It was adorable! We hadn't heard him say yes before. He answered several other questions with yes too... like are you ready for a nap! He is one remarkable, happy, smart boy. His parents are doing an awesome job raising him.

I took their great, greyhound dog Max out for a walk this morning. We had a lovely time. Its cold, about 20 degrees, and overcast. There is ice on the naked tree branches with the fatest robins I have ever seen! I am going to go back out to try to take some pictures. Its really a winterland right now. Of course, for tomorrow, I am hoping for 70 degree weather for the Easter Egg Hunt!

Oh, and did I mention they have HGTV???!

Boulder!

Wow, how can the whole week have gone by and I didn't blog! Thanks for reminding me Gail .

This week has been a whirlwind of finishing things up at work so I could fly yesterday afternoon. It was an easy, very cramped flight, but I am safely here visiting my brother, his wife and nephew in Boulder. My brother wa a total sweetheart coming to Denver to pick me up last night. My nephew loved his bunny, by the way. I gave it to him this morning and he likes laying his sweet head on it.

Its great to be here. Although I didn't plan on SNOW! I was here in November and didnt have rain or snow... so I just didn't think. And, when I checked weather.com the other day it didn't mention it. Fortunately, my bro and sil have everything I could need... if need be.

Sunday they're having a big Easter brunch with lots of adults and lots of kiddos... I am really looking forward to it. It'll be noisy and fun. I love Easter Egg hunts, dont you?

The Pursuit of Happyness

I just re-saw The Pursuit of Happyness. Its such a good movie! Its based on the real story of how one man slipped into homelessness. This took place over 25 years ago... I would hope that the safety net would have tightened between then and now, but it hasn't. In fact, the holes have gotten larger and its much easier to slip through the cracks now.

I love that the movie uses extras from the Tenderloin, the TL, as we affectionately call it. One gentlemen today told me that he was in one of the scenes outside of Glide. There were definitely some familiar faces. The first scene of the people waiting in line to get into the shelter touches me every time I see it. Today, the lines are even longer.

Finished!

As promised, here are pictures of the two projects I finished this week: cleo's clutch from Spun Magazine and the bunny tutorial from BetzWhite.

I have to say that I am feeling a bit of a loss without these projects. I am casting around as to what to do next... especially with all of my new felted sweaters.