Easily Entertained

It sure doesn't take much to make a toddler happy.

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Lights

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Useful

Finally, they are shaping up to be of some value. If they turn out to be good workers we will make 10 more.

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Well Lit

I bought this lantern at Walmart (a place I normal avoid due to work-related issues) for only $5. It works great and they also had fat jugs of lamp oil for only $5 too. Got to love cheap Chinese crap.

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Oh No.

The Truth

Izzy, my 2 1/2 year old daughter, was just flipping through an Allure magazine when she saw one of the models with absurdly large hair and neon blue eyeliner:
"Oooohh! She's going trick or treating Dada!"

Spartacus to Clive Cussler

Its raining....again. I miss outside. I guess if I'm going to get any work done I am just going to have to get wet. The temperature is in the 20s yet we still only have rain/sleet mix. Get cold up high already! Snow is so much better than this crap. On the bright side, I don't have to go to work today. So, I am envisioning a day filled with watching Spartacus while the family is gone to Stroller Strides*, followed by lifting weights and a 45 minute ride on the exercise bike**, then some house cleaning, and I will wrap it all up by sitting on my rump the rest of the day reading Clive Cussler.

*Nocona, my wife, is an instructor. Sign up and I think she gets some money.

**We bought connecting rubber flooring mats and turned a previously unused awkward space in our house into an exercise room. So far so good, I have actually been exercising on a regular basis.

***And just so I could have a 3 star footnote, I ordered a new HTC Aria phone for FREE from Best Buy which will be here in a few days. I'm not the biggest techno guy, but I am excited about it.

Frozen Turtle Toes

This morning was spent directing traffic for 5 1/2 straight hours in freezing drizzly rain. It was kind of like being one of these turtles except now make the water freezing cold and have a zillion speed boats zipping by in all directions and make the shell not waterproof. It sucked.

The Toddler Creed

Anything he has she wants!

The Toddler Creed*:
If I want it,IT'S MINE!
If I give it to you and change my mind later,IT'S MINE!
If I can take it away from you,IT'S MINE!
If it's mine it will never belong to anybody else,No matter what.
If we are building something together,All the pieces are MINE!
If it looks just like mine,IT'S MINE!
If it breaks or needs putting away,IT'S YOURS!

*by Dr. Burton L. White

Nice Try

Here is my significantly inferior version of the watch. Nathan hates it.

Man Parts

My daughter's first 2 1/2 years of life saw a ton of homemade stuff from dad. There has been furniture, toys, purses, clothes, pencil bags, dolls, etc. When it comes to arts and creativity girls are easy, but what about the boy. I know you are saying, why the crap are you wanting to make a bunch of sissy homemade junk for the boy. I say, because I like to make sissy homemade junk! If you have a problem with it then we can just step outside and settle it real quick. OK since that is settled lets move on. When you look around at all these clever little crafting blogs and websites all you can find is girls' stuff. What's that you are saying...they are filed with girl stuff because only chicks are into making sissy homemade junk? And I say, do we need to step back outside and have another reminder that I fight for a living. Actually, I agree. For the most part making homemade stuff is primarily a chick pastime, but it makes me happy. I was raised by a dad and a mom. In the same way the rumbling thunder of 20" 55cc gas powered chainsaw brings a joyful grunt from my gut to my lips, I also find joy in creating something as painstakingly intricate as a whole new set of felt foods for my daughters kitchen. I no longer feel the need to force myself into a hyper-masculine gender stereotype. I am both a kick ass, gun-toting, power tool loving man, and a loving, pretend play, cooking/sewing man. So, if you still have a problem with that... Anyway, I discovered these awesome felt watches for little guys over at Made. They started a new annual tradition last year called Celebrate the Boy, which hopefully they will continue this February, where they give a ton of great ideas for little guy creations. Tomorrow I will try to make Nathan one. Now to all you guys...go ask a girl for some help, sew a little craft, then walk to the bathroom, shut the door, pull your pants down and I assure you your man parts will still all be there.

*Photo from Made

Slurpee Outside

Since it is a freezing Super Big Gulp Slurpee outside I haven't really been able to start many new projects, so here is a little end table I made a while back. This baby has stood the test of time and babies. It has survived milk spills, teething, bangings, bashings and an abnormal amount of drool. It is made almost entirely out of wood left over from the custom cabinets installed in my grandparents house.

I found a pair of old rusty metal chairs down in a pit at the back of my property which I am attempting to restore. I want them to look like the little orange chair in the corner here...

Casa Poquita

The girls are enjoying their new digs.

Cold Mud then Warm Dirt

When Christmas is over and the decorations come down, I start looking to the next brightest thing. And that is definitely planning the garden. The timeline is being made. Soon, seeds will be purchased, and a truck load of compost will be dumped. I cannot wait to get back to the dirt. All winter I feel like a greedy consumer with zero use to society, but spring brings production. In spring, there are no weekly trips to buy produce shipped from Mexico and Argentina. There are no frozen bags of peas or blackberries. The garden is me providing for me (and my people). I know spring is still a couple months of freezing snow and cold fronts away, but I see the winter season following Christmas as bright and clean. We always try to cheer up the dreary winter doldrums with a fresh start in the house. Make things shinier, brighter, different...change the furniture around, make new pillows, swap comforters, build a new desk or just paint something happier. We are going to start a new year with new smiles. When the weather outside is frightful, I hope your home is delightful.