i've got my work cut out for me.

Like the naked butt? Jude is working on using the potty.

On the docket for this week: Captain America, Batman, and Caterpillar costumes, plus 3 monogrammed jack-o-lantern bags, if I have enough time.

What costumes are being made/acquired this week in your house?

note to self: don't take yourself too seriously.

My loving husband sent me this McSweeney today.
I had a really good laugh.

a morning off

I had the morning to myself, and enjoyed doing some of my favorite things:

{knitting outside a coffee shop}

{one bootie, almost complete}

 I found a few goodies at the flea market:

{vintage Pyrex with an "autumn" theme}

{cornucopia basket for $2, pictured here with the gourds we got at Shlagel Farms}

{pumpkin basket, upper left}

When I arrived home, I set up a little fall-themed play area on one of the side tables (above). Felix woke up a few minutes later and tried it out, sporting the one finished bootie:

I'm excited to see what Jude does with these things tomorrow, since he's the one who is really into filling, dumping, and hiding.

How did you spend your Sunday?

{simply ten good things}

I have a lot of little tidbits I want to share, so I decided to borrow an idea from (who else?) SouleMama. So, here goes my first try at simply ten good things...

 {making our own italian seasoning using spices we had in-house}

 {a vintage skillet I found at the flea market on Sunday. It makes the most divine eggs I've ever had, and is the perfect size for warming up a portion of leftovers for lunch}

 {brothers playing together at Hard Bargain Farm on Monday}

 {Felix and Jude loving the swings}

 {a hat knit for a friend's new baby - my first hand-knit gift}

 {the transportation exhibit at the National Museum of American History}

{Jude learning to pedal his trike all by himself}

{a $2 bus found at the thrift store today}

{a $20 thrifted toaster oven that looks and works like new, and warms up my favorite lunch: chicken pot pie}

{a set of thrifted baskets that I'm still not sure what to do with...any ideas?!}

It was warm and sunny this morning, but as I composed this, the air shifted and there is definitely a chill in the air. I am lamenting the fact that I do not have more knitted sweaters, cowls, booties, and vests ready to go...I'd better get to work! Hope you and yours are enjoying this fall season...please share your own "simply good things" here as well!

keep that tummy warm

There's something completely adorable about little boys wearing vests. I think vests are great for toddlers because bulky sleeves from sweatshirts and sweaters seem to get in their way, especially when they're eating (which they almost always are), and doing important work like digging in sand or dirt. So...here it is, the snappy shoulder vest for Jude:

 

I actually made the vest first, and used the leftover yarn for the hat. He picked the colors; on two or three separate occasions he walked over to my basket and handed me these yellow and blue skeins. He was especially enthusiastic about the yellow. I think it might be his favorite color. I just love how soft and cuddly he is in this vest!

to the pumpkin patch!

On Sunday, we made our annual trip to get our carving pumpkins and have some good old farm fun. This year we traveled to Shlagel Farms and had a wonderful time.

One of the highlights of the trip was the corn maze, which ended with a slide:

{the Schlagel bees}

{we made a scarecrow while Jude and Felix played in the "corm box"}

{the petting zoo}

{setting up the scarecrow in our front yard for all to see}

{our harvest display!}

The National Book Festival 2011

September 24 (the first day of my hat-knitting frenzy!) was also the day of the National Book Festival on the Mall. We all biked down together; Dan took the little ones home after a bit and Henry and I had a blast spending the rest of the day there together. This is without a doubt one of my favorite events of the entire year. I might get more excited about this than Christmas. I know, I'm a complete nerd.

{a book reading, followed by making a stagecoach bank}

Now that is the face of someone who got to spend the whole day with mama all to himself!

a hat for every boy

On September 24 (the Saturday of the Reading Festival - the topic of tomorrow's post!), I checked the 10-day weather forecast and discovered it would only be in the 50's and 60's the following weekend. I decided everyone needed a hat and began knitting furiously. Only the little boys' hats were finished in time; Dan's hat is still on its way. These are the first 3 hats I've ever made. I started with my firstborn and worked down from there.

Henry loves his hat and wears it at every opportunity. It made this mama very happy to see him grab it out of his backpack when heading out to the playground with his preschool class last week.

Jude wears his hat because Henry wears a hat. For Jude, everything Henry does must be done as immediately and as often as possible.

Felix prefers holding his hat to wearing it. He also figured out that I want him to wear it, so he teases me by pulling it off and laughing boisterously at me. I need to add some ear flaps and ties.

I am also thrilled to report that the sweater and booties I knit for him last spring still fit!