Meet my little Gracie!

SO...here is the middle child, second born Gracie Diane, named after my mom, Diane, aka Oma (means Grandma in German). She is 4 going on 18. We have always said she smiles with her whole face as you can see above. She has always lit up the room and there is no need to pay for entertainment when Gracie is around.

Gracie is the biggest farm girl diva you have ever seen. She would do farm chores 10 times a day if you let her in her cowboy boots and princess dress. She takes dance lessons, and loves to ride the horses. She has a favorite farm cat, Yellow. Bet you'd never guess what color he is. She can really melt your heart.

Gracie loves Taylor Swift. Gracie and I are going on a date on 08/08/2008 for dinner and a Taylor Swift concert. We are so excited. She starts pre-school this year, look out! She gives the best hugs and kisses and gives lots of them. She can really push her brother's nerves who actually has the patience of a saint. She treats her baby twin sisters as her own dolls and I'm sure will teach them many things. GOOD and BAD. UGH!

Oh how we love our Gracie... there is never a dull moment!

My First Born, Cowboy Wesley

This photo was taken about 4 years ago, but is one of my favorite photos of Wesley. It needs no words to describe the love for his horse "Wasp". Wasp made it to 28 and we just had to bury him about two months ago. We were all heartbroken especially Wes.

Wes is now 8, almost nine, will be in 3rd grade, loves to read like his dad, ride horses, play baseball, basketball, listen to music and is seriously the best big brother to three little sisters. He is an amazing boy and I am able to be a better mom because of him. He melts the hearts of everyone he meets. Can you tell I am so proud? He has recently started learning to sew, and recently on a trip to Oma's house, my mom, he made a book bag all by himself made of cowboy fabric. He received a wonderful cowboy quilt for his log bed this past Christmas and he adores it. See my Flickr photos for some pics.

Wesley has become quite a little rider and is currently training a small pony with his dad for his little sisters. He wears cowboy boots every day and doesn't believe in wearing shorts (Just like his dad).

I love to watch the joy in his face as he rides. I look forward to watching him grow to a young man. I must disagree on the song, "Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys", because I love it!

Grandma's Apron

The History of Aprons. That beauty in the middle, with an apron, Grandma "Lizzy"

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears . From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner. It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that "old-time apron" that served so many purposes. Send this to those who would know, and love the story about Grandma's aprons.

REMEMBER: Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

Reminds me of simpler times, oh how I long for those days in today's busy world. I so wish I could have been in that kitchen listening to those ladies laugh! Love you Grandma!

It would make Grandma smile

Oh how I loved Grandma Schell's smiles and hugs. Grandma (Elizabeth) was a good German lady who really knew how to hug. Grandma raised 6 girls however one passed on at a young age due to a terrible accident. She then lost her husband to a farming accident. Grandma moved from the farm to Bismarck, ND, remarried and raised her 5 girls. My mom, Diane was the baby of the family. Grandma taught her daughters to sew, knit, crochet, cook and so many other crafty things.

Grandma passed a way a few years ago and was deeply affected by Alzheimers. She was able to meet some of her great grandchildren which she absolutely loved. Grandma was an unbelievable cook and always used fresh eggs from the farm, lard, and real butter. She made food in batches and didn't know how to make small portions. I can still picture, Grandma, a stout lady, standing in her small kitchen with an apron on making some of her German recipes including kuchen, knoephla, spaetzel, among so many other wonderful things. Grandma was the oldest of 12 kids and most her family and friends called her "Lizzy".

My mom married young and had my brother and I. My mom and I have always been not only mother and daughter but also the very best of friends. While growing up she would make many things including clothes, pjs, blankets, knitted items, crocheted items, stitchery, baskets the list could go on and on. Pretty much any craft she did she did it to perfection. Everyone has always said how lucky I was to have all those wonderful handmade things. I didn't quite understand that till I was a Mom myself.

I have since been blessed with 4 wonderful children of my own. Wesley is 8, Gracie is 4 and Natalie and Hailey are 10 month olds twins. My mom now spoils my children terrible with all the wonderful homemade goodies. I love telling people, "My mom made it". My mom has now taught me to craft and sew. I haven't gotten into all her other niches, but I do love to sew. We began collaborating making clothes, hats, aprons, quilts etc. for my children and her other grandchildren. She is the expert seamstress and I guess I'm the creative one.

So it started... a boutique style store, "Lizzy's Biz" featuring aprons, big and small, childrens clothing, personalized items, kids bags/purses, blankets, plus whatever else we may dive into.

So here we go...we can't wait to get started. We just have to decide where to begin. We started on our Etsy site, http://lizzysbiz.etsy.com/ . Now we just have to get all our stuff we are working on there. Please feel free to contact us at anytime for special requests and custom orders.

All I can say, this would make my Grandma smile :)