Someday... Christmas Lights

I love the Christmas season! I was listening to Christmas music early this year, waiting and waiting for it to get here. I can't wait to experience this joyful time of year with Micah. This isn't his first Christmas, of course, but it IS the first year he's going to be very aware of what's going on. I have a feeling he's going to take all the ornaments off the tree and get into the presents. I can't wait!

David's out of town this weekend for a church retreat, so tonight Micah and I went for a long drive around town looking at Christmas lights. He still sits rear-facing in his car seat, so he couldn't see most of the pretty houses, but when he could he was very excited! I love driving around and hearing him talk to himself in the back seat, laughing and chatting up a storm. I also love looking at Christmas lights. They're so pretty and blinky and they make each house look festive or elegant.

Each of the three years that we've lived in this house, I've wanted to put up Christmas lights. The problem is that the house has a power line that goes to the corner of it, and I'm afraid that we'd touch it and get electrocuted.  I think I'm going to at least decorate our front porch, so we can look a little more festive without dying from the scary power line.

It's been a little while since I've done one of these 'Someday' posts, but they're back! Someday, I hope to have a house without a power line to the corner of it, so we can decorate full-on! Until then, here are a few pictures of Christmas inspiration!

I love the garland with the lights in it, and the white icicle lights on the house.

I'm really into Christmas garlands this year, and I love this front door set up!

We don't have a vineyard, of course, but I love how this looks - I wish I could drive around through these grape vines!

I know this really doesn't have much to do with Christmas, but it's lights! I think these little lighted hedgehogs are adorable, and I think I'm going to use my old pumpkins from Halloween to make a hedgehog in our front yard. I'll put up a picture soon!

You can find all of these pictures on my Pinterest 'Christmas' board.

Crafting Away

This morning, I led a craft at our church's 'Make It and Take It' craft day. It was a great time - fun crafts, fellowship, and some delicious food (Thanks Robin and Jolene!). We made some cute little Mod-Podge'd candle holders with tissue paper, and some miniature yarn wreaths, similar to this one that's been on my front door:

Then, this afternoon, I've been working on some new sets of coasters for my Etsy shop! I have a pretty Christmas set and a vintage-y victorian looking set that are freshly added to the shop. If you're in need of some coasters for Christmas, check them out. I can do custom orders too, of course, so if you have an idea and don't see it, let me know!

Tonight I'm selling my coasters in the Nice Girl Notes Cute Stuff Sale on Facebook. I have 8 sets to make in the next couple of days, so for the rest of the day, my house will look simliar to this:

It's a fun day! Have you done any crafts lately?

He's Growing Up

Before our eyes, Micah is turning into a little boy. Sometimes it seems like he was just born and I can't fathom how he can be nearly 15 months old. He really is changing quickly, and every couple of days he learns a new word or skill. It's amazing how quickly he absorbs information!

So, here are some recent pictures and some of the things he's up to!

He loves books! He has two small cloth baskets that hold his picture books, and there are many times when both baskets are nearly empty. His books will be spread all across the floor, some open and some closed. Micah loves to look at pictures!

Micah's still not walking, but I'm not worried. He's climbing on everything he can, including Maverick! (Doesn't Mav just look thrilled about it? He may not always love having Micah crawl on him, but Maverick is the most patient dog - he just licks Micah's face and lays there.)

He makes all kinds of animal sounds. His first was dog, then cat, cow and elephant. He's working on more of course, and I think he just figured out monkey but we'll have to try it out a few more times to be sure. I'm amazed at how he has been learning new words so often - he's saying all kinds of things, 'dog', 'ball', 'Hi' (it's kind of like aloha - it means hi and bye!), 'mama', 'da', 'What's that?' is 'isat?', 'Nana or Anana' for Banana or Anna, "Ma' for Maverick, and more. I really think Micah's a smart little boy!

Micah also loves his little cousin Anana, as he calls her. He's always gentle with her and he's interested in what she's doing when we're all together. Soon enough, she'll be on the floor crawling around after him.

He loves hiding under his clothes, and also trying to put them on. In the next picture he's trying to put on his jacket. He laughs and laughs when he does this. He really has a great sense of humor - any time someone is laughing, he starts to laugh too. He's started throwing his head back when he laughs, which is so cute!

Micah really is a sweet, funny little boy. He's changed our lives and we're so thankful! Every day is enriched by his presence, and that just makes me excited for all of the fun times to come. 

Spooky Roo

We're not big on Halloween over here at the Wattenburgers' house, but we did have a good time last weekend. I've been meaning to post pictures of Micah in his cute little costume but time has gotten away from me. It must have something to do with working, being sort of sick this week, and having a child to take care of.

Maverick's a big fan though:

Anyway, we had a nice Halloween, starting Sunday night at our church. We had a Harvest Party, with games for the kids and lots and lots of candy. The kids were encouraged to dress up in a creative Bible-related costume. There were some great costumes there!

Micah, of course, was a little kangaroo! (I don't know why that would be 'of course'...)

He got to go fishing for a glow stick, chew on the tossing rings, and crawl all over the church while the kids played games. He had a blast, even though he didn't really know what was going on most of the time.

On Monday we went downtown to our church and handed out candy for trick-or-treaters at 'Treats on Main." Most of the businesses downtown participate, and it was packed! It's a great way for little kids to dress up and have fun trick-or-treating, but also be in a safe (and not too cold!) environment.

After handing out candy, we walked down the street with Daniel, Marci, Anna the Banana, and Barb (aka Gram-B). We got to visit with one of Micah's Papas (the other one is my dad, up in Everson), and Micah was given a wonderful surprise!

A balloon!

This boy loves balloons, and he was overjoyed! He shook it all over the place while laughing and bouncing it off of other people's foreheads.

Micah ended the night with some fun play time with Anna's toys.

Hope you all had a great Halloween!

What's In YOUR Bag?

Roo, over at Nice Girl Notes is hosting a link-up party this week, where fellow bloggers and readers can share the contents of their purse. I've enjoyed seeing what others have in their bag, so I thought I'd share what's in mine also. I'll also get entered in a drawing to win a beautiful Elliot Lucca bag, which I could definitely make use of!

I carried a diaper bag for a while after Micah was born, and didn't use a purse, but now that he's older I tend to take my purse and fit what he needs in with my stuff. He has a tote bag that we put a change of clothes and his food in, for when he stays with someone during the day, but for a short trip we put a few things in my purse.

This is my purse - the black hole, as I think of it. I can never find anything in there, maybe it's because it usually has all the things shown below, plus 12 crumpled receipts and a bag of candy that has spilled all over the bottom. 

So, here's what I have:

1. Gum - I love Orbit. :)

2. My diaper/wipes carrier. I was given this by a friend and didn't use it for quite a while. I just recently realized that it's amazing and so convenient! I just stick in a small pack of wipes, a diaper and the changing pad that came with it, and we're ready to go. It's made by JJ Cole.

3. A first aid kit, thanks Good Shepherd!

4. Pens - it seems like I can never find one when I need it, then today there are four in there!

5. My side pocket always holds Micah's immunization record (so I don't lose it!) and a pair of earrings. I wish it was because I was so stylish that I was going to put the earrings on, but it's actually because earrings bother my ears and I have to take them off. :(

6. Hand sanitizer and a Shout wipe - I'm constantly spilling on myself and forgetting to use these wipes. I don't know why I even keep it in my purse.

7. Deodorant.

8. Candy - it's always in there! These are left over from Halloween at school yesterday.

9. My wallet, made by me! It's small but it holds the cards I need. The rest are stored away somewhere else, and when I need them I don't have them. 

10. A spare battery for my camera.

11. My calendar - from Target - complete with pictures of Micah, David and I. It also holds an appointment card for Micah's next well child appointment, and a sweet note from my David. Can you read it? It says, "I love you Mrs. Wattenburger." Such a sweet reminder all the time!

12. Twelve is my unlucky number, so I skipped it, kinds of like how some buildings don't have a 13th floor. (Just kidding - I'm just distracted by watching Parenthood!)

13. Costco coupons, stamps and my checkbook. I want to get a Pleated Poppy checkbook cover, but just haven't been willing to spend the money yet. Maybe soon! (I really could just make one, but I'd have to actually do it...)

There you have it! Usually my camera's in there too, but I was using it to take the pictures. You can just imagine that it's there. :) It's small and old and shiny.

I'm linking up with Roo, check it out! Also, while you're over there, take a look at the top advertisement... that's my new ad, starting today ~ Laughing Turtle Design!