Quiet Morning

The Niblet has decided to nap a little earlier this morning. The husband is napping with her. Olive, the black lab is here with me by the fireplace. Gypsy, the Pomeranian-Tasmanian-devil is napping too, thankfully.

There's just me, a pot of coffee, my sewing machine and a little Charlie Brown Christmas creeping out of the speakers. I'm looking forward to getting started on my Christmas to-do's.

I hope everyone enjoys their Sunday too.

Keeping off the wet grass & still enjoying the outside

And yes, that's her naked teddy bear in the pen with her. He's been undressing himself for a while now. See back there...with the diaper around his ankles?? Recently, she picked up on the behavior. Backs turned for a second and she'd dropped her pants. Next thing you know, diaper cover is off! Hopefully, it'll be a while before she figures out the Snappi.

Growing So Fast

Why didn't anyone warn me how quickly the changes happen?! OK, maybe you tried. I can't remember. Alls I know is that the Niblet is growing so fast and changing so quickly! If I weren't so busy chasing her around and laughing at her in the evenings I might find the time to cry about it all.

In the past three weeks she has:

*Learned to crawl - and wants to do it ALL THE TIME...or else (see last note).

*Pulled up.

*Then promptly began letting go. Like, the same night she pulled up.

*Taken a step. What a brave girl. The fall was impressive, but no tears shed. And yes, I laughed. What?? Flat on her face...that's funny stuff. Besides, she laughed too. That's my little trouper!

*Gotten a tooth!! Bottom right, for those of you wondering.

*Started picking up her bread bits and feeding them to herself! I shudder to think what will become of the pups when they realize she's the source. She lives for their attention.

*Started yelling when she doesn't get her way. At first, we wondered if another tooth was on the way and thus the fussies and whinies. I think we're realizing now that she may be going through 'a phase'. Yikes.

Either way, how on earth can you stay upset at this little gal???

Showing Off

Pretty often I find myself entering contests on different blogs I follow. Well, a few weeks ago I actually won!!

Rosie, from The Fabric Shopper, was featuring an Etsy seller and a giveaway. Material Gal was offering Christmas fabric and I was the lucky winner of 3 yards of Riley Blake's Be Merry Christmas collection!! Here's a quick peak at my winnings...

I'm planning to make new stockings for the lot of us. Completed pictures to follow in, well who am I kidding, about a month. In the meantime, if anyone is looking for a great place to make fabric purchases online, Stephanie has a wonderful selection so pop over and check her out! Thank you again, Material Gal!!

Next up, as promised to K, here's the homemade crocheted coat that I picked up for the Niblet at this year's Woolly Worm Festival. A woman and her mother from the area work together to create each and every coat they sell. There were so many choices there that were so beautiful, but this one called to me. The Niblet looks really great in it...like a tiny little autumn elf!

And here are some pictures to enjoy from our recent vacation to the mountains of Virginia.

Here's the Niblet and her Papa having a bit of fun at our waterfall. (Ours, not because we have any amount of money invested in it, but simply because we stop there every year and have sort of staked our flag of claim over it.) A is decked out for the Sleepy Hollow party we attended that evening. I whipped up that cutesy little dress before we left last week from Tanya's tute on her blog, Trey and Lucy. Her instructions were so simple to follow and I literally stitched it together in the 30 minutes it took A to nap!!

Views from Clinch Mountain. In the past we've taken picnics up there and were hoping to again this year with A, but unfortuantely it was a little too damp to sit with the tiny one outside for too long.

So instead we admired the scenery, checked out an old house that Chris lived in while working on a grouse project several years ago and briefly considered searching for the new owner, buying up the place and moving our new little family into this tiny town looking out over the gorgeous Virginia mountains.

But alas, we're back home and I'm back at work. This'll have to do for now...

The Perfect Place for a Surprise

On the start of vacation (to our favorite place we come back to every year!) the Niblet turned 8 months old. Yesterday, she started copying noises that we make...and tonight?!

Tonight she started CRAWLING!!!

My goodness. It's been a busy weekend! All this has taken a toll on the Niblet too though. She's been a bit fussy today and we're thinking that probably she's ready to get back home to our own beds and our routine.

Who can blame her? There's nothing like sleeping in your own bed.

On our way... (finally updated)

Heading to the mountains now to enjoy the Woolly Worm Festival and possibly see a few snow showers...

Pictures and update of our time to follow!

......................................................................

Well, it was indeed a cold ride up the mountain. Actually, the ride up the mountain was pleasant...we were in the car, with heat and NPR's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me! So it was very nice.

But the weather was cold. And snowy. But we didn't let that stop us. Oh no! We went to see woolly worms, by George, and that's what we did!!

I couldn't believe the turn out, even with the cold and snow flurries. I was briefly feeling like a bad mother for taking my Niblet out, but my mind was quickly put to rest when we ran into a friend from the local coffee shop who made rather short work of my concerns:

Me: Christa, am I bad and selfish for bringing her out? I mean, she seems to be enjoying herself. (Insert one Niblet kicking and laughing at Christa and her kiddos.)

Christa: Hell no!! She's having fun. And nevermind she's warmer than you right now with you wearing her around! (Goes back to playing with the Niblet and ignoring me. Do I even exist anymore??)

I did find the vendor from last year and made good on my promise to get the baby a hand crocheted jacket with a long, pointed Zelda hood. I have a few pictures of us, but thought you'd enjoy seeing what the view looked like, snow/frost topped mountains and colorful leaves.

Sweet Autumn

Delicious Autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot

I look forward to this day so very much every year. The leaves are already starting to change around here and daily now I find myself driving through a small pile of droplets on my way out of the drive. It's refreshing.

I'm so glad you're here, Autumn. You make my heart a little lighter and give me strength...