Arkansas weather

Yesterday: 72 degrees! In February!

Tomorrow: 30 degrees and snow!

Go ahead...

make yourself comfortable

in the middle of the kitchen floor...

Hopkins is known for curling up and sprawling out in the strangest of places, usually somewhere involving heavy foot traffic.

No. I don't usually keep a blanket on the kitchen floor. The blanket was on the floor for Liam to have a warm place to play with some toys while I made dinnner (our tile is cold in the winter...). Hopkins stretched out while we were all sitting at the table.

Stacking blocks

Liam loves stacking his blocks. He's very precise about it, and it makes him so very excited. And he gets upset when it doesn't work quite like he wanted. He seems a tad bit OCD sometimes. Hmmm...I see traces of myself here.

Samantha, how I've missed you...

Liam and I have both been sick with a nasty head cold the past few days. Taking care of a baby while you're sick is no fun. Taking care of a sick baby is terrible. The two combined is just awful.

At least Liam has been napping more and for longer periods of time, which gives me time to medicate myself with extra knitting.

A certain friend's baby is expected any day now, and I decided to try out a baby bootie pattern I've had my eye on. They didn't turn out quite as expected.

disclaimer: in the pattern photo the cuffs looked plush, cozy, and merely gathered, suitable for a boy or girl.

problem #1:

They are RUFFLED.

The gender is a surprise, but I suspect they're having a boy. Ruffles will not do.

problem #2:

They turned out teeny tiny despite being sized for 0-3 months. These booties are clearly not meant for tall-person genes.

So I decided that these booties will go on Etsy instead. Amy, don't worry I'll make more, and they will be different so the surprise isn't entirely spoiled.

And then I had a realization: they seem just the right size for my Samantha doll.

So I got her out of my closet smoothed her dress and hair, then slipped them on her feet.

I was right. They fit perfectly.

Isn't she stylish?

Encouraging blossoms

I've seen Martha Stewart and other crafty sources go on and on about the joys of forcing early blooms, but I never tried it. Maybe it was because I was afraid that my cuttings just wouldn't work, or perhaps it was the barbarity of the term: I didn't want to force my plants to do anything. Then I realized that was just plain silly. I wouldn't really be forcing my plants into anything they weren't ready to do; instead I'd be giving them the opportunity to get a head start on what they were planning to do anyhow. I'd be encouraging them in their springtime efforts.

So I did it. And the results are fantastic. An early peek at spring above my kitchen sink.

Here's how I did it:

Take clippings of any spring-blooming shrub or tree. I used forsythia.

Stick them in water in a sunny location. Change water periodically until blooms emerge.

That's it! And look how beautiful they are: So, for some early spring time blossoms, encourage some clippings on your window sill.

For more Thrifty Green Thursday ideas head on over to the Green Baby Guide.

First sprouts of spring

Last week, I planted a flat of seeds to get a head start on our spring planting. The broccoli wins the first-to-peek-through prize!

Favorite new foods

Grandma Hall will be happy to hear that Liam loves Grapefruit, and Grandpa Hall would surely get a kick out of how much Liam enjoys raw onion. He happily munches away on it!