Was that a surprise yesterday or what? Well, it is still sinking in over here and I will be able to fill y'all in on the deets as we learn and plan some more. Don't think the usual making, kid, family life posts are coming to an end while we figure things out. I couldn't mange as well with out all that.
question- Now. What do you do when your husband becomes increasingly serious about this fire thing and decides he has to obtain MANY certifications IMMEDIATELY. Then sets his heart on doing it as an actual-real-life-grown-up job?
question- Then. How do you handle it when he becomes certified and trained and ready for a paid position and he is offered not one, but two, and he chooses the risky one because he feels it is right?
question- (Last one, I promise.) Then, when he finally has two possibilities for a great career in front of him after over 70 letters and almost as many applications and tests and heartache and waiting and the one we all wanted and hoped for doesn't come through?
We had made Mad Dog a while back and he has taken up permanent residence near Sully's pillow. He is pretty cute. So wonderfully cute that we decided he needed to have some offspring.
Introducing Mad Dog Junior! He is properly stuffed with stuffing instead of fabric scraps. I like the fabric scraps idea but Junior is so much more squishable.
Sully really likes to be in charge of the sewing machine and he is getting pretty darn good. I am feeling like the machine is his main interest in making stuff with fabric because he loses steam once that part is done. No prob. I helped with the hand sewing and he took over with the cuddling and playing. I will never tire of finishing up our little projects and I hope he will be able to look back and remember we did all of these projects together, no matter how small.
Unforgettable.
Today I surprised the boys with a trip to the skate park. It was a surprise because every time we go I swear that only Dad will take them from now on. I just can't handle it. It can be so frightening for this old ma on the sidelines. Too many wheels, so many big kids, too much speed, my sweet little helmet clad kids trying so hard and Minna wanting to be in the middle of it all, oh it's enough to make me pass out. Maybe I should wear a helmet there too.
Well, my fears were validated because the second my bigger boy stepped out there he injured both his knees in the deep-down-bone-bruised kind of way. He sat on the sidelines and observed for a while then reached into his endless reserves of courage to try that pesky drop-in again. Was I ever that brave? Or coordinated?
When it got too busy and crowded (and terrifying) with much older skaters I lured them away with the promise of the best ice cream ever.
They got their faves and mixed 'em up milkshake style in their bowls. So good. My nerves and Sully's knees were so very thankful.
(w.w. cheat - for those unsure, this isn't us. but i sure do love 'em a bunch. i took some shots of them and they took some of us. then we had supper. aren't we lucky to have friends like that?)
I dragged all the furniture into the grass and dusted and sprayed and sprayed and wiped and dried. Spiders really like our chairs. I really prefer NOT to have spiders liking our chairs. I wish all the spiders went away with the gnats but they didn't. I can sweep and blast the webs all day long and the very next day they are re-built, strong as ever. Frustrating.
It was all going to be worth it though for a nice dinner out there. Alas, the chilly wind came up and kept us indoors. No matter, because the days of worrying about spiders in your food or crawling up your skirt are gone! The dusting and wiping will be a daily ritual now in preparation for that perfect summer evening outdoor meal. A candle and some flowers on that "tablecloth" (unfinished length of Ikea fabric) will be just the thing...
Of course in between the measurements and nailing, Jeff had time to help build some other little custom masterpieces with his junior carpenters. 
To the left of the THREADLINGS stuff is the blue paper bowl the boys and I made last winter and I have all my patterns, instructions sheets and templates in there. 
Here is the cabinet to the left of the cutting table. I painted the glass on the doors so you can't see the mess inside. The kids knitting jumble is in there along with other crafting stuff. Our stationary and greeting cards that we save for re-use or collage are tucked in there with our stamps. The boys just started carving their own stamps and I think they will likely be doing more and more of that in the future.
Here is my modest fabric and craft book collection. The bottom row that's hidden is full of books too. Minna likes to thumb through them and say "Oh, cute! Oh!". Little maker in the making. There is an art gallery there to the left and on top is a framed strip of old-time computer labels with my fashion drawings from age 10 or so. I remember my Dad letting me take as many sheets of those things I wanted. I must have drawn a thousand ladies in dresses with names like, "rich-ness" and "ball gown!". Even at age 10 I was abusing that exclamation point. I like having some of my young-Natalie creative stuff mixed in with grown up-Natalie stuff.
And here is Minna's desk that she staged by herself. Notice she is not sitting in her chair even with the best lighting in the room. She is much too busy on the other side with her fingers in the drawers and pulling down books and trying to take bites out of my erasers. The boys spend time in here too even though they primarily use our big dinning room table that is right next to their bigger kid craft cabinet. 
The next day I went to the grocery store and came back to...
THIS! The distinct skeleton of a teardrop! Do you see it? I have to say I was pretty excited. I think Jeff felt good about the progress he had made after his grown-up job had to go and get in the way of building time. It happens.
Sully is constantly geared up and ready to help wherever he can. He did a lot of drilling today on the frame for the wall that will go between the cooking and sleeping area. Neat! He is too cute with his gogs on.
