Trendsetters

Sometimes it's hard to resist my natural impluse to force my children to dress a certain way. But I have to remember that if I did impose my fashion will on them, I would be missing all this awesomeness:

And... Instagram!

Thanks for the Snoopy Halloween socks, Grandma. No, really, thanks a lot. ;)

I Was Worried He Would Choose Pink

The first Fear child to break a bone is ...

(drum roll, please....)

Dexter!

Congratulations, Dexter! You win a cool black cast and a new Transformer. Way to go!

Broken wrist courtsey of a game of "farmers and turkeys" on the trampoline. Dexter was playing the part of a turkey, naturally. He only has to have it on for four weeks, and he is being a trooper (for the most part). :)

But Who's Counting?

Just two more months until we're at the Happiest Place on Earth!

(Picture from our last rainy trip to Disneyland. Yes, Instagram has made its way into my life)

We are counting down in style: paper chain, baby!

We are all very excited. (It's possible that Jay and I are more excited than the kids...who am I kidding, we *are* more excited!) What the kids don't know, though, is that Grandma is coming with us! Shhh! It is her first time to The Big D in about 35 years, so I think it's going to be an exciting trip for all. I have a list of things to accomplish while we're there, most of which includes eating a lot of food and getting Betsy on the Tower of Terror. MuHahahaha!

Now if only I could make time go faster ...

Goodbye, Summer!

Well, the first day of school is crossed off the calendar, and Day 2 is in process. So far, so good. The only unhappy person is Dexter, who did not enjoy watching his sisters get school clothes and supplies, while he was told that he had to wait until next year. Well, he did get a Linus shirt on clearance, but it wasn't the same. Poor thing.

He doesn't look too sad here, though:

Bea is starting 2nd grade ...

...and Natalie is in 4th. Upper classman!

As for me, it's been nice these two days to have more time alone with the boys. I think we might even attempt the zoo tomorrow now that the summer crowds are gone. I sense that Fall is not too far away and I am very happy about that! Bring on the sweaters, the pumpkins, and the cool air! I can't wait!

Modern Art, Fear Style (AKA: Cheap!)

Hello friends! We're alive, we promise. :) It's just been a very lazy summer, and I haven't had much to write about. School starts in a week and I'm ready to get back into some sort of routine, though. I don't know how the girls are going to feel about waking up before 9, but we'll deal with that on Monday.

Jay and I have been playing too much Words with Friends lately, so I've been seeing Scrabble tiles everywhere I turn. During one of my Scrabble-laced visions, I told Jay we should make an art piece out of our non-virtual Scrabble board. And so we did. It is hanging up in our living room, and I love it.

(Sorry, my pictures are not great - blame it on the lighting in that corner and my old digital camera.)

The board is mounted on wood and hung with clear fishing line

The Fear family represented, and we only had to use one blank tile! (And there is only one non-family related word ... can you see it?)

Extreme Close Up!

Next on my crafty to-do list (besides more doll clothes, of course) is a version of this awesome Hardware Store Wreath. Perfect!

Ahh, Summer!

So much has been happening this summer!

The kids had swim lessons at our local rec center, and are now all nice and tan. Well, everyone except Bea. I'm afraid she got my pale French-Canadian genes.

We went camping at Whiskeytown, and it only rained for 1 1/2 days straight!

(We managed to have a good time anyway.)

Natalie turned 9 at the end of June. Jay made a solar system of cakes to celebrate. (Including Pluto ... who cares what the scientists say?! Besides, we needed one cake for each year.)

Natalie choose to eat earth all by herself

And then, Jay and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary with a romantic picnic, followed by canoeing on the lake. The 10 years have truly flown by. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I simply wouldn't want to be on this adventure with anyone else. Jay is perfect for me. (Notice I didn't say he was perfect....) :)

Then:

Now:

Happy Anniversary, Schmoopy.

Nana and the Quilt

Right around the time Calvin was born, my mom stopped by my house with a box of things that my Nana (my mom's mom) wasn't able to use anymore due to her poor health. The box contained a lot of fabric, which was exciting to me because I was starting to do quite a bit of sewing. As I looked through the box, I came across some quilt pieces. These weren't just any quilt pieces... they were lovingly embroidered by my Nana with the names of her and my Papa, and all their children, and their birth dates and places. It was family history, but it was in pieces. I knew in that instant what I needed to do.

So with a newborn baby at my side, I started piecing together the quilt. As I worked, I thought of my Nana. I thought of how, despite poor physical health, she was still quick as a whip. I thought of the many times we would visit her and Papa at the big house in Vermont, and what an adventure that always was. I thought about how she and I would go, by ourselves, out on the lake in a little rowboat and just spent time together. I thought about a million other memories that all added up to one thing: how much I loved her.

A few weeks later, I handed Nana and Papa their Christmas present. I was so excited, I could barely contain myself. Somehow it ended up that there were only a few people in the room when she opened the present, and I was selfishly happy about that, because, to me, it was a special moment that I didn't really want to share with anyone else.

Nana unwrapped the paper, and confusion, then recognition crossed her face. "I made this..." she said, her voice trailing off. "Yes, and I finished it for you, " I answered. Her eyes filled with tears as we laid out the quilt for her and Papa to see. She was so happy and surprised, and I felt the pure joy that comes from making someone you love happy.

My cousin broke the silence. "Man, now all of our gifts are going to look like crap!" I had to laugh, because it sounded just like something my nana might say.

Yesterday, June 20th 2011, my sweet Nana passed away. She left her broken body and all the pains that came with it, and joined her Savior and her loved ones that have gone on before. I'm sure it was a joyous reunion, and I am happy for her, but I also already miss her very much.

I was so blessed to see her on Sunday, the day before she passed. I held her hand and told her how much I love her, and shared with her some of the wonderful memories I have of her. She was so ill that she could not respond, but I know she heard me. And I know that when it is my turn to leave this life behind, Nana will be there on the other side, waiting for me with a big smile and open arms (and maybe a crockpot of meatballs).

I love you, Nana.

Ruth Jean Crosby D'Entremont

June 26, 1925 - June 20, 2011

(back row, pictured with her brother James and her mother Eleanore and father Howard. What a handsome family!)

The X-Man Works, Too

We saw this car outside of Taco Bell and just had to take a picture, since we have our very own D-Man. I'm pretty sure Dexter thinks this will be his actual car when he grows up.

Happy Friday, every one! I hope you have a fantastic weekend.

To start your weekend off right, check out this sweet (and short) video. I'll admit it, I cried.