The Dragon's Den

Winston is quite the child. He keeps us laughing and smiling, and then makes us want to pull our hair out at other times. He knows what he wants, and when he wants it, even if he does have a hard time communicating it to us at times. He loves to get dressed and change his clothes (one morning he wore 3 different pairs of jammies), and play dress up! Yesterday he wanted the dress up clothes down, and the boys were having quite the blast in them. When I went to go sing to him for bed (as Matt had already gotten him put in there) he was dressed as a dragon. I had to laugh! I tried to get him to take it off, but he wasn't interested. I was curious if he'd even fall asleep wearing it, and sure enough he did.

It was so cute, and I love how he's cuddled up to Woody, and all his stuffed animals in disarray around him. (His mattress is now on the floor after too many times of the boys jumping on his toddler bed, which is actually the crib, and it broke the base. It will be easily fixed, but I don't want the crib broken anymore. I hope to get him a toddler bed after the first of the year.)

Earlier in the day as he was being frustrated trying to put on the ninja costume, it all of the sudden became quiet. He zonked right out on the floor all decked out as a ninja and in fighting pose! (I don't know why I didn't bust out my real camera, but I did capture it with my iPhone.)

When Matt was trying to wake him up, he picked him up by his feet and he just kept on sleeping! Silly boy!

The 2nd Grader

Malcolm had his first day of school yesterday! I can't believe he's in second grade. Man do I feel old! He's getting too big and it's all happening too fast. I think I'm starting to move into the old mom group and I don't like it. I'm in denial that when my kids get older, so do I. 

The day before school started we were able to go to an open house and meet the teacher and drop off school supplies. It was a comfort to me to be able to get a feel for where he'll be before he went...so I'm sure it was for him as well. I got thinking, that Malcolm has been in a different school and state for every year! Hopefully he'll be at this school for a couple years. He's brave and never seems scared of the changes. What a trooper!

Mack Attack by his desk...with a little Win in the background checking things out. I think almost every year we've had to correct the teacher on how his name is spelt. Everyone wants to spell it Malcom, how it sounds, and that's actually how Matt wanted to spell it. But since he's named after my great great Uncle Mack (Malcolm Young), I liked it spelt the same and that's what he gets to deal with I guess. (I've always had the same problem.) I should mention, it wasn't his teacher who misspelled it, it was misspelled on the roll, so the office entered it wrong, and I know I spelled it right on the paperwork. :)

His teacher took a picture of him and then asked if his brothers wanted a picture as well. Even though this isn't a great picture, I love how Win is trying to reach up and put his arm around Malcolm too.

Malcolm with his teacher, Ms. Taylor. She seems really nice and sweet. I think I will like her and have a good feeling from her. It's her first year at this school, but has taught in the district for 13 years and been a teacher so long, she says she doesn't even count the years anymore.

First day of school, first day of school! We've kept the tradition I got from my SIL Melanie and did "initial" pancakes for breakfast, we had eggs too, and I even used the ketchup bottle trick to make them this year. Even if it looks like a W upside down, it is an M. I love the messy bedhead picture too. I think I'll always have to do that! I don't ever comb hair until they've done everything else.

My big handsome boy! I hate that he's a big 2nd grader with big teeth. He looks to old!

Of course I have to take like a billion picture. I should name this post, "The many different smiles of Malcolm". He is a Bushman and therefore get the unnatural smile syndrome.

Quinn wanted a picture with his brother. They are a cute pair and I hope they get to spend sometime at school together.

We live like 0.4 mile away from home, so I'm hoping we walk all the time, expect if it's raining, but it does mean we have to give ourselves more time to get there. He was so nervous to go play on the playground before school.

LOVE this picture of the boys. It's not technically the greatest picture, but I love all the boys in it. I love how Winston is looking up to his brothers.

Mack is really taking it all in and doesn't quite know what to think I guess.

His nervous playing with his backpack strings picture. I just love this sweet boy!

Ms. Taylor is explaining to him that she wasn't able to change his name on his stuff yet, since she was so busy the day prior. He doesn't care, he's a sweetheart!

They do the Pledge of Allegiance on the playground and welcoming announcements. I wonder what they do when it's raining.

Cute nervous boy about to head in.

And he's off for his first day as a 2nd grader! Good luck on your school year bud! You'll be awesome!

I Feel Crafty, Oh So Crafty!

Pinterest has totally inspired me in so many crafty DIY ways! (And I'm totally obsessed with the site.) If I had more money, I would be redoing and making so many fun things! :) I've totally been loving all the yarn wreaths I've seen and every time I've seen them I've thought they were so cute. I loved googling them and admiring different kinds and checking out tutorials on them. So I decided to make one! It was fun to make and pretty easy, though it did take some time. I'm not a really crafty person, so if I can do it, anyone can.

Trying to make it as cheap as possible, I made my own wreath out of an old swimming noodle we had. It worked pretty good, I just duct taped the ends together and it made a nice sized wreath, and it was only a dollar at the dollar tree when I bought it. I made rolled flowers, which is fun in itself. I bought some 97¢ fabric at Walmart nothing that was too cute, but you wouldn't notice once made into a flower. I also found the cute yellow polka dot ribbon marked down at Walmart. After making a bow with it, I decided to make a few flowers with it as well, and it worked great. Originally I had no plans to add the navy polka dot flowers, but it needed something more, and I LOVE them on it. I got that fabric (and a whole bunch of other vintage kinds) from Matt's grandma Hardy a few years ago.

So easy to make, so cheap to make, and so much fun. It totally got me out of my down mood too! I'm pretty proud of myself for actually doing a craft all on my own. Now my front door looks cute, and I'm ready to make more. I wonder if I could hang one on all my inside doors too.......:)