S-T-O-P

When did this Baby grow enough to...


Cosette 21 months

Fit this baby's clothes???



Gianna 2 1/2 years

My Sweet Valentines

A love of Crafting...

I saw something like these a while ago on a TV show and I've wanted to make them ever since.
I was inspired by Jon and Kate plus eight. I just wanted to get that off my chest.




THEY had them as little mailboxes and it was cute from Pottery Barn. Side note- did you know you could ask Google "bags on chairs for Valentines day on Jon and Kate" and it will tell you?
I wanted to put my spin on it and put the pantry challenge to the craft room and just use what I had. I took some red and white felt that I had leftover from Gianna's cat in the hat-hat and some heart material.


I loved how they turned out. Each front is different and each back is different. I used my sewing machine for the stitching and embroidered their names on the front.


They open up in the middle and I'll fill them with cute, fun, Valentine things. Kinda like a Valentine stocking.
Gianna asked where Daddy's was. I said truthfully that I was out of material.
She said- Maybe next year Daddy, you'll get a Valentines heart if you are nice to Mommy. ;)

And one of my favorite verses that inspired me:
1John 4
7Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Winter- Our light dusting of snow that we got really excited about

Snow- we were excited on Friday to have a snow day! That meant Daddy stayed home with us and played on the snow too. There was ice under the snow so no one wanted to venture out too much. But we HAD to make a snowman. Gianna was determined to make a snowman and name him Frosty and he HAD to have boots.


So we bundled everyone up and of course I couldn't find any gloves for the babies and only one snowman hat. So we used socks for E and C and they survived. How is it that we have hats, gloves, and scarves for the 50 degree days, but when it's below freezing everything went to the "missing sock black hole?" And Northern mommas- how do you do it? I was beyond exhausted wrestling the babies into the jackets. But they did stay outside longer than it took to put on everything!



And this is our beloved Frosty. Complete with pink boots.


We had to get all the snow from the car to have enough to pile into a mound. Note the wheelbarrow. While we were getting the snow from John's car, I may or may not have started an epic war of snow tossing. You see another reason our "Frosty" is in a mound- is not because we only have snow once a year and are therefor uneducated in the art of snowman making, no it was because this snow refused to be packed. Do you call it a powder? Not sure on the politically correct snow terms. Once a year. That's all.
Any way snow tossing occurred and all the Ludlow ladies ganged up on the Ludlow patriarch. And much laughter and smiling occurred. Then we got cold (babies sock mittens)


We went inside and had hot coco and chocolate chip cookies. Elizabeth really got into it.


But we warmed up by our space heater. Our regular heater went out last Tuesday night and they are still waiting on a part. But the good news is we are still under that one year warranty when you buy a house. And that we have many many good friends who let us borrow their space heaters so we are warm. We have two units so only half the house is space heaters.
So if you are a Texan who reads this blog- did you get more snow than this?
If you are not- how many pairs of mittens do you own?

Little Moments

I don't have the pictures of the epic snowstorm from Friday uploaded yet but I just couldn't resist sharing this one.




My girls all helping cook. Sweet. Sisters. Helping. Serving. Loving. Not crying.

Joy in this mommies heart.

Where's her bow?

This question is almost tied with, "are they twins" and the ever popular "you must have your hands full."
Yup-Where's her bow is asked to us daily. So I thought I'd offer a pictorial answer to
1. Save me time and 2. Cause it's worth 1,000 words right?







A wwwwwwwwww so cute!
(note the wet shirt-teeth I think. Or she's just leaky)




Less than 3 seconds later


.00005 seconds after that
And all the way gone.
Y'alls I don't have time in my life to put her bows back in her head more than 5,000 times a day. So I draw the line at 5,001. And were both ok with that. She still asks every day for a bow just like her sisters and I still put it back in, knowing that it all will be taken out by the time I turn around. Besides, I need that extra time after 5,001 to make sure I wear my shirt right side out. Like today, when I did not notice my "new style" until lunch time. Well after bible study and dance class. AWESOME.

21

How far away you still are from 21 years but how big you both are getting!

Sadly, this is as good as picture taking gets these days. You both have entered the refuse to sit still at all costs stage. Here you were distracted by helping daddy. And eating the pump and sand and dirt. Awesome.






Elizabeth- You must be getting more teeth because EVERYTHING you wear gets wet. In fact this is your second shirt of the day. You have recently discovered how to wave and it's so cute! You give sweet baby hugs and always say Thank You! You love milk and want to use a napkin at every meal.


Cosette- You are so serious. You have this look you turn on and it cracks us up because you are so determined to be serious even when we try to make you laugh.
Your new love is purses and bags. You love to fill them up and take them all around the house. You often repeat the last word we say. Along with your favorite word ever- nooooooooooo.