Book Sharing Monday

Because it's Ingrid's first birthday tomorrow, we went for a book called The Birthday Presents by Paul Stewart, Illustrated by Chris Riddell. It's about a bunny and hedgehog who give each other presents they think the other will like. The hedgehog thinks the bunny's burrow must be gloomy and dark, so he gives him a bottle of moonlight. The rabbit thinks the hedgehog must be frightened by the noisy, bright space he sleeps in, so he gives his friend a box of coziness. Each one feels he doesn't need the gift given to him, but they find other ways to use them.

The rabbit drinks water from his bottle so he'll never be thirsty again.

The hedgehog uses his box to catch slugs so he'll never be hungry again.

It's a cute story with even cuter pictures!

Ingrid's Party!

We had SO MUCH FUN today! It was my sister and her family, my mom, Brendan's parents and our friends Brian and Alaina. We ate food, talked, watched a little Wall-E so everyone knew what the cake was from, and the weather got nice so the kids could go outside!

Here she is with her chair made by her Great Grandma and Grandpa:

Here's the birthday girl all gussied up (in a mama-made dress!)

Here she is with Aunt Corie and Mama:

Here's her Wall-E cake and her eating it (she LOVED it!!)



And here's messy Team Liddle. She grabbed my face right before we took this so I also have frosting all over my face/neck/and tshirt :)

Birthday party today!

We're having friends and family over for Ingrid's first birthday today. It looks awfully cloudy, I really hope it clears up enough for Ingrid and her cousins to go to the park and play outside. Otherwise, sugared up kids and nowhere to play may spell disaster... Pictures to follow soon :)

Thank you, thrift store gods!

I've been trying to remember that I don't need to buy new stuff. I would like to look at second hand or consignment stores for things as much as I can. It's both cheaper and better for everyone involved--I get a deal, someone got to clean out their closet, no one had to make another item or use up anymore resources, and usually the money goes to a good cause. However, I sometimes forget. But after this week I think someone was trying to tell me to check the thrift stores first!!

I wanted to get the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom for Ingrid and when I went to Salvation Army, there it was! In a big huge bin where you could pick as many books that fit in a bag and pay one small price.

Then I saw this old timey top toy and wanted to get it for her, and when I was at Goodwill today, guess what was there!! For 50cents!

Also, I noticed our sheet was ripped and thought, oh great, I have to buy a stupid sheet set. I hate buying sheet sets b/c we don't use the flat sheet and I have loads of pillowcases. I only need the fitted sheet, really. But if you buy the fancy ones that come separately, they cost a fortune. Again, I go to Goodwill today and there is a perfectly nice Marshall Field's yellow queen size fitted sheet for $1. Sold!

I just think to when I've needed something and 9 times out of 10 I go looking at a thrift store and can find it. I love that! Ingrid loves her thrifted items, too :)

Random Stuff

These are some pictures of Ingrid from the past couple weeks that I haven't yet shared with everyone.
Here she is reading in bed.

Here she is teasing Cody with his tennis ball.

Here she is trying to climb up to see Brendan.

And here she is at the park today. It was cold and windy!

Book Sharing Monday

This week we went for Wee Willie Winkie by Salley Mavor. It's the classic rhyme but with these amazing pictures. All the scenes are done from felt and beads and embroidery. I took some close up shots so you can see all the detail. It's beautiful!

Tulip Time '09!

It was Ingrid's first Tulip Time this year! We went on Friday to meet up with our friends Michelle and Jan who were coming from Colorado and Iowa. Day one was doing the downtown Holland thing--Centennial Park, tulips, Dutch Dancers, the Peanut Store (yum!)


Day two was Dutch Village. We got Ingrid some cute little wooden shoes with her name on them, we saw some more tulips, and Jan and Michelle even walked some goats! Ingrid was so busy all weekend that she was in a daze for most of it. She totally crashed last night after we got home!

Picnic!

Tuesday we went to a park in Ann Arbor for a picnic with our friends. Ingrid ate some sweet potato fries and then was off to explore. She just crawled right away, didn't care at all where I was...

She had fun in the sandbox, swinging, and playing on the play set.


I looked away from her for TWO SECONDS and she was climbing a ladder. That girl, I swear!! She's going to be trouble!

Ingrid's New Dress!

I got crafty today and made Ingrid a new dress. I love going to etsy and getting inspiration, which is where I saw this dress. Then I got out my sewing machine and made this little number!

Paper Shredder

Last night before her bath Ingrid came into our room and crawled under the desk to get into the paper shredder (just the box, not the actual blade part!) I had just stuffed a bunch of paper in there and never shredded it, so she sat for a good half hour taking all the papers out, looking carefully at them, and then, to our amazement, she started putting the paper back in! Pretty soon maybe she'll start putting her books away after she throws them all around!

It was all fun until Brendan took her out of the room for her bath and I actually used the shredder. She burst into tears and wouldn't stop crying even after I'd stopped and Brendan held onto her. She isn't a scared baby but man, when she does get scared, she gets terrified!! So along with Gramma's blow up mattress, the shredder will not be used ever again...