Ice Castles 2021

Last year we scored tickets to the Ice Castles in Lake Geneva and it was one of the last things we did with my parents before COVID hit.  I'm so glad we have those memories to look back on!  We had such a good time - we even ate in an outdoor plastic igloo before that was a thing every restaurant was trying to do!  We went on a Friday evening and grabbed dinner beforehand so by the time we arrived it was already dark and the ice castles were bright and shining in all their glory!

Long story short, we had a great time and even though I thought we'd likely not go back again this next year, when the opportunity came up to buy pre-sale tickets, I jumped on it.  The opportunity to do anything, literally anything outside with friends was too much to pass up.

You could tell they were doing things much more different this year due to COVID.  It was MUCH smaller, and there was much less to do and explore.  No food vendors inside, no fire pits or benches to sit on.  And really only one little slide for the kids to slide down.  We also arrived earlier this year - before dark.  It was cool to see the ice in the daylight, something we missed out on last year, but really, I think my favorite part is seeing it all light up and rainbow colored.  It was honestly like a magic fairy land when we went last year.  

That's not to say we didn't enjoy ourselves this year though.  I mean, how could we not with this fun group of friends and family?  We grabbed lunch at a favorite brat house we found a few years back near Country Thunder....we explored the ice castles and when we weren't quite ready to go home...we landed ourselves at a good old fashioned Wisconsin Supper Club!  

The kids were troopers - it was COLD and the girls play SO well together with Ro.  I think we were all excited to get out of the house and do something different.  Next time we'll take along sleds for sure because spied more than one great sledding hill on our way into the Ice Castles!  Had we known we could have made a longer day of it.

We left for home just in time.  This was a few weekends back when a big snow storm hit overnight into Sunday so we had a slow drive home but we all made it safe and sound and the next day we spent time playing outside again! 

 

Snow Day

 

It's been snowing, and snowing, and snowing around here these days.  We have a few back to back storms that dumped 6-8 inches on us back to back and now, it's frigid cold, but still snowing!  Ryan looked at the forecast this morning and he said we're set to get about an inch each day for the rest of the week.  An inch in and of itself isn't a lot, but and inch on top of an inch on top of an inch adds up! 

We had one warm-ish day last week sometime and Ryan was smart and decided to spend some time pushing the show back from the driveway because we've got no where to push it to these days!  That time was well served because now I've got some space to work while he's in Dallas in the coming weeks.  

We're all day dreaming about spring and warmer temps but for now we're doing our best to try and enjoy the winter - it doesn't last forever!  This year the girls are LOVING all things snow, which is good, because each day I bet they spend around 2 hours outside at school between mask breaks, recess and gym, they are out in the snow for a good part of the day....which, makes my heart happy!  

They are outside so much now that I even upgraded all their snow clothes to warmer, better, stronger stuff.  Since kids grow so fast, I've been content to just pick up the stuff at Target and Walmart in the past, but this year we needed better stuff.  Believe it or not, Feb is NOT the time to buy snow clothes though!  LOL!  In just another day or two they'll have new gear that hopefully stays dry longer.  

A few weekends back, we got one of our 8 inch snows on a Sunday and it was really so lovely!  Nobody had anywhere to go, and nothing to do so we played outside in the snow with the kids for hours!  Erin and the girls made this cute snow man, Ryan piled the snow fort HIGH with new snow and we used it as a small sled hill....but by far the biggest hit is the awesome sledding path Ryan made with the girls.  It's near the corner of our house where we typically sled.  The hill itself isn't very steep, but Ryan groomed the sled path perfectly, added to it some FREEZING temps, making it slick and fast, and some snow steps to "climb" back up and we've got a pretty good sled run these days.  The kids play on it a few times a week and are dying for Stella and Lucy to come over and play on it with them.  

Knitted Bobble Baby Blanket

Another handmade craft finished a few weeks back.  When I saw this pattern on Purl Soho (one of my favorite yarn and pattern shops) I scooped it up right away and got to work!  The pattern sample was shown in a beautiful pink and yellow making it look like a glass of lemonade straight out of summer.  But, I chose these more muted colors.  Its hard to see here but it's a very light lavender with a burnt orange color for the boarder.  

The pattern itself is really quite easy for the majority of the blanket - you straight up knit for rows and rows and rows.  But, what gives it it's character are the adorable bobbles around the outside.  These were NOT so easy!  Those rows were slow going, but I think it is totally worth it.  I was a little unhappy with how the corners turned out, I'm not sure why they didn't line up better making a full square, but that's what you get with a handmade item!  I little extra character.

This blanket is going to Greg and Meg's new baby due sometime in May.  It's so lovely to have some things stockpiled and already finished a few months ahead of baby showers.  It's so much less pressure!  We'll see if I'm able to maintain my head start this year.  

Valentines Cookies

 

Back in the spring when Coronavirus first hit a baker friend of Erin's (from high school) saw a huge drop in business as weddings and celebrations started being canceled left and right.  She pivoted and started selling the most fun cookie kits. Erin and I learned a lot from her after order more than a few kits.  We learned about piping and some tricks to decorating with toothpicks...and a few other things a long the way.

Fast forward to our Christmas baking and we tried incorporating a few things at the very end, but decided we'd do some solid testing in 2021.  So, the first holiday after Christmas is Valentines Day.  And, after the sugar crash after the holidays we must have been feeling like we needed cookies in our lives because we decided to follow up our Christmas baking with Valentines, and added a double batch of dough and a triple batch of frosting for good measure.

We added almond extract to the dough, and rolled some cookies thicker to try and get softer cookies.  We used bigger cutters than at Christmas, opted to pipe all the frosting instead of "painting" and in typical Sadie and Erin fashion we way over did it.  HA!  We decorated until we didn't find it fun anymore and then we wrapped everything up and called it done.  But, the kids enjoyed the process and we had sweet treats to share with some of our favorite people!

Next time we'll only make one batch, that for sure!  And we're on the lookout for better piping bags.  We have Easter cookies on tap next and we plan to use what we learned from this batch to make that batch that much better.  First up...make fewer cookies!  

But, at this rate, we'll be experts by Christmas...and likely weigh 20 lbs more than we do today - fingers crossed we can find people to share them with quickly before I eat them all.

1 Family x 12 (Jan)

 Sneaking in our January family photo just a day or two into Feb - but, just as cute as always!  This month's photo brought to you courtesy of the Lake Geneva Ice Castles this past weekend.

More Baby Quilts - Flannel

 

The funny thing about quilting for me is that it comes in fits and starts and it's almost entirely driven by fabric or pattern inspiration.  It seems like there will be times when I can't stop snapping up new quilting projects and other times, like now, where there isn't a project in sight.  Late last fall I came across this fabric and pattern combo and I knew it would be perfect for both boy and girl babies.  With no babies in sight, I grabbed enough to make two quilts and figured it would all sort itself out later.

Fast forward to early January and both these quilts are already planned for two new babies.  The first quilt went to my friend Lindsey and her new baby boy born in early Jan and the other is a secret for now.

The quilt is perfect for those winter/spring babies.  Its made out of Robert Kaufman flannel and it's soft, snuggly and I love the cascading rainbow pattern so much.  Both quilts measured 56x72 and we quilted both in Diagonal Plaid.

For backing, I used these quilts as an opportunity to use up some big sections of fabric I've had laying around from other projects.  Sometimes I want a nice, solid pattern on the back, and other quilts, like these for kids are more fun when you add some fun novelty fabric.  Novelty fabric tends to have more fun patterns and colors and I find that baby quilts are a great opportunity to use them up.