KCW Spring 2013 Day One

I whipped this summery dress up real fast this evening, so I would feel I completed a sewing project although it needs some straps as it slips down as she runs around.  I've got the perfect ribbon to use for straps, but I have to get her to be still long enough to get the length right!  Not so easy.  It was quite hard to get her to be still for a picture, too.  I did do some pattern piece cutting today, so hopefully more will be done tomorrow.  Not sure there'll be a finish on Day Two, but definitely some ironing and most likely some sewing!  This is pre-smocked fabric from Hancock Fabrics that is at least two years old.  I just wrapped it around my model, marked the fabric, and sewed.  Easy peasy and gave me some momentum:)

Yarn Along February 29

Going to try to at least keep up weekly yarn along posts, with a bit of what I'm up to thrown in. Visit Ginny for lots of other yarn along fun.

Reading: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Knitting: A gift for a little friend

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is a wonderful book. It's one of those that is soothing to read but not at all boring. It keeps you interested but not preoccupied. I thoroughly enjoyed it (I've just recently finished) and highly recommend it. I don't believe you'll be disappointed.

There's much I'd love to write about, but, as usual, no time to chat! I will say, it's the last day of February, and I am very happy to see this month go. Come on Spring!

Yarn Along February 8

Going to try to at least keep up weekly yarn along posts, with a bit of what I'm up to thrown in. Visit Ginny for lots of other yarn along fun.

Reading: Simplicity Parenting but since it was in the car, I took a picture of what I've been reading to my oldest: James Herriott's Treasury for Children

Knitting: (Again) Earflap Hat from Knitting For Baby by Melanie Falick & Kristin Nicholas

So I made a little progress in my knitting, but I spent most of the weekend holding a feverish baby who was diagnosed with an ear infection on Monday. She is not happy. At all. So hoping she will be back to her usual self soon.

Treasure Hunt Finds (from long ago)

Over at Small Things -, you can see some interesting items found during treasure hunts. Reading that post made me remember this bottle. I got a little frantic when I didn't immediately find it under the sink (where I was sure it would be), but further poking around revealed it was there, just further back than I looked the first time. I found this bottle buried in the ground when I was a little girl. Unfortunately, I don't remember the exact place, but I do remember thinking it might be a genie bottle. It doesn't have any writing that reveals what it once contained. If anyone recognizes the bottle, please leave a comment. Typing this, I'm starting to think I found it on my grandparents' land in a wooded area when walking with my daddy. I like to use it as a vase for daffodils now.
The small rock is what my daddy called a "jack rock." My brother said you can google jack rocks, but I didn't find anything... maybe I need to go through more results pages. When we visited my daddy's parents, there was an old dirt road where you could find lots of these cube-shaped jack rocks (this one has a corner broken off). For my brother and I, finding one was a big deal. So, there's some treasure from my childhood.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt. 6: 21 KJV)

Yarn Along February 1

Going to try to at least keep up weekly yarn along posts, with a bit of what I'm up to thrown in. Visit Ginny for lots of other yarn along fun.

Reading: The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (and still reading Simplicity Parenting)
Knitting: (Again) Earflap Hat from Knitting For Baby by Melanie Falick & Kristin Nicholas

Starting over on the Earflap Hat for M as I have not been able to make it to my LYS to ask questions about shrinking this one. Not likely to make it there very soon as both of my boys have colds.

Not letting the colds get me down, February is here which means only 48 days until the first day of Spring according to my calendar. I even have a couple of yellow crocuses blooming in my yard now. Creep in, beautiful green Spring. I see you pushing the daffodils up, slowly now but surely.

Reading The Penderwicks after learning about the series at Thimblenest. It's a series for children about four sisters who've lost their mother to cancer and have a botanist father who quotes Latin. I've really enjoyed it. Sometimes I like to lose myself in children's books. The pace keeps my attention yet allows for the many breaks that are required when taking care of little ones. I also love to read about the busy play of childhood with days that stretch on forever with possibilities and no media intrudes with bad news. I don't know how many times I've read Elizabeth Enright's books about the Melendy children or the Little House series. They are comfort food for the mind and soul.

Hallelujah

The sun shineth! (We've had several straight days of rain.) M's hood has ears, hence the little "bear ear" in her shadow.

Yarn Along January 25

Going to try to at least keep up weekly yarn along posts, with a bit of what I'm up to thrown in. Visit Ginny for lots of other yarn along fun.

Reading: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and Simplicity Parenting
(Contemplating) Knitting: This scarf for me

Last week's knitting project was found to be too big (again!) At least I didn't completely finish it this time! I'm trying to decide whether I can somehow shrink it (I know nothing about blocking, etc.) or if I should just start over in a smaller size. Is there a place on ravelry to get the low down on patterns (like do they run big? etc.)?

I also ran across this scarf on ravelry. Love that. If only I had that exact yarn in my stash... really should not buy more yarn... but what if the scarf used up the whole skein, then it wouldn't add to the stash... This is exactly how my rationalization works:)

I've been on a cinnamon toast kick (for myself). Making it the way my daddy did, yum. Savoring it while reading blogs alone during M's nap, so relaxing, BUT I really need to be working on paperwork/bill paying and sewing!

A first step on working to thrive and not just survive: prioritize to-do list or maybe throw the list away. There needs to be clearance (in my mind) for (sometimes) missing baby's nap and just going or doing what sounds fun. We have so much that needs to be done around the house, but it hasn't been done so far, so why spend time fretting about it? Fretting doesn't get it done, and it doesn't help me thrive. No fretting, okay? 'kay!

Yarn Along January 18

Going to try to at least keep up weekly yarn along posts. With a bit of what I'm up to thrown in. Visit Ginny for lots of other yarn along fun.
Reading: The Paris Wife
Knitting: Earflap Hat from Knitting For Baby by Melanie Falick & Kristin Nicholas

I've now finished The Paris Wife. I really enjoyed it. It was my pick for the book club I belong to. If you enjoy Hemingway's novels, this is an interesting look at his early life before he became renowned. My favorite part of the book? When Hadley knocks on his studio door, he asks, "Who is it?" and she replies, "Your wife!" I could hear the angry vehemence, but also the anguish in her voice as I read it.

Knitting a sweet hat for M, hope to get it done while there's still a need for a warm hat.

We're just busy with life, and I find it's much easier to read blogs than write one. I am concerned that we are surviving and not thriving. I've voiced the concern to my husband, but we are not sure how we go about correcting... Can I blame it on winter? I want to, but I know it's more than that. At least we are thinking on it.

Better go join a sweet boy for breakfast.

Not IRL But IMH

I read a lot of blogs, A LOT, but I don't comment often. Mostly because I'm using my iPhone which makes it a little harder, and I'm busy with three young ones. An Inch of Gray is one I am always checking in on. Anna often makes me laugh, and I can tell she struggles with a lot of things I struggle with myself. She is honest and open and funny.

When I got online Saturday morning, I just happened to see Kate had a post titled "Loss," and I was a little worried. I know Kate's mom has battled cancer. So I clicked over and read the tragic news that Anna's son was gone. First, I felt disbelief, I'd just read about their summer vacation, seen their first day of school pics. Then, the tears came. I told my husband what had happened, and he asked, "Now who is this?" I answered, "Anna, from An Inch of Gray blog, you know her husband in pre-marriage counseling noted that two things he wanted her to know were 1) I like clean counters and 2) I am not the enemy." My husband nodded. We'd laughed about that, it sounded like something he would've said to me.

So, no, I don't know Anna and her family IRL, but I feel that I know them In My Heart. So as Marinka noted in her post, I do not for a second think that the fact that [I] know Anna through “blogging only” diminishes [my mourning for her family] one whit. If you are reading this, please pray for her and her family, send them thoughts of peace.

You may visit Kate's site for a link up of posts for Anna and information about donation.

Outside my window...the sun is shining, but it's not yet warm (they are making big promises for the weekend).

I am thinking... about trying to do a photo shoot of baby girl this weekend, wonder if I can make one of those tutus?

I am thankful for... not having to go anywhere today (besides school pick up).

From the learning rooms... lots of writing this weekend as we get Valentines ready for my kindergartner's class.

From the kitchen... spaghetti tonight, then we can eat leftovers this weekend.

I am wearing... my robe (still, hey at least I got a shower).

I am creating... lots of projects in my head, not much in reality.

I am going... nowhere and I'm glad (see above).

I am reading... The School of Essential Ingredients (re-reading actually, it's my pick for our book club, so I'm trying to take notes and be all bookworm-y).

I am hoping... to get busy on some sewing and knitting.

I am hearing... the dryer, Caillou, and little baby breaths.

Around the house... we are being overrun with mail and paper work! Aargh!

One of my favorite things... finding blogs that are soothing to read. Hope to post about that soon.

Happy weekend!

Not quite a half year

A half year break from blogging that is! I've just been busy living, and if you're still reading this, please don't think I've not been reading your blogs. Trust me, there are plenty of feedings that are great opportunities for reading blogs via iPhone. This is going to be a mish mosh of thoughts and links as I'm short on time a lot these days!

Glad to know that other moms get overwhelmed http://samstermommy.blogspot.com/2011/01/mommy-pills.html I'm not taking any medication, and I think I'll make it without needing something. However, I completely understand what she's saying. Read the comments, too! One of the first comments mentions how most moms today don't have the support that our grandmothers had. I hadn't really thought of that. Amen.

Christy said this:
I've decided/realized that getting out of the house on my own REALLY cheers me up, so I'm having sitters visit us more often, and it's good for everyone.
Amen, again.
You can read more of her wisdom here.

I recently helped host a baby shower and was talking to a gal I've known since before kindergarten. She mentioned that a gal who went to high school with us who has eight (yes, 8) kids said that the hardest transition was from two kids to three. Thank you, I needed to hear that. With so many saying two to three is so much easier than one to two, I thought maybe I was doing something wrong! Don't get the wrong idea. I love having my three. It's hard work though, and there's not a lot of time to do every day things that really need to be done (cleaning and organizing around the house being the biggie for me).

Despite having zero time to sew, I went on a mini-buying spree a couple of weeks ago buying three new patterns (one for a tunic for me:) I keep telling myself that one of these days very soon, I'm going to have a bit of time to sew. When I do, wouldn't these elephants be fun?
I've noticed I have a thing for elephant prints.

So, I'm still here, just having a hard time finding time to blog, clean, sew, and the like :) I'll try not to be a such a stranger around here.

Welcome to the World...

Baby Girl! M joined us two weeks ago.
We just love her.

Sorry it's taken so long to post, but I've been quite busy (diaper changes, breastfeeding, getting ready for H to start kindergarten, breastfeeding, celebrating W's third birthday, breastfeeding).

Quick version of the birth story: I woke at 3:30 AM with contractions, started timing and decided it was time to head to the hospital. Only 4cm when I got there, but contractions were steady every three minutes. After about an hour of pretty strong contractions, the midwife checked me again. I was 8cm!! Time to get ready to push. She arrived a little after 7:00 AM. It was not easy but at least it was fairly quick, and I'm glad I stuck with my natural birth plan. 7 lbs 10 oz! Happily, not too big :)

One more sweet pic.Yes, I am still super-paranoid about pictures of my children on the internet, but I think babies just sort of look like babies, you know?

Waiting...

... for baby girl to be here to snuggle in this cocoon...and pose in a shrug and don some hats.

Less than a month to go, and yes, mommy is feeling it. Below is the first cocoon (deemed not girly enough by me, have I mentioned that this pregnancy has left me so indecisive it's just ridiculous? I have knitted a couple of items, only to decide I don't like them once they are complete). The cocoon is a free pattern get it here.

Below is my second Itty Bitty Baby Dress from Made By Rae (free here). You can see my first attempt here. I've gone back and forth about adding a little something to the top, like an embroidered flower, a friend suggested baby's first initial (um, we don't know that yet, no agreement between me and C, probably won't know until forced to decide by her arrival and even then, I'm thinking it's going to be a tough decision).

An awesome wet bag for cloth diapers (or anything wet, like bathing suits). I did not make this. It's a gift from a friend who (along with Mel and her husband and some posts from Tasha) has really encouraged me to try cloth diapering. Isn't the fabric great?!?

This past week, C and I went to a free cloth diapering class put on by a local store that carries lots of cloth diapering gear as well as breastfeeding supplies and slings, wraps, etc. We purchased a few prefolds and a Snappi, and the same friend who gave me the wet bag has loaned me a few newborn size covers. We are going to give it a try.

So about the waiting...
we are also waiting for...

-me to use up all the regular detergent, so we can "treat" our washing machine to start laundering cloth diapers

-the paint in baby's room to dry, so we can see if any touching up needs to be done

-the painting to be done, so we can put all the *girly* crib bedding on, set up the bed and put the quilt my aunt made on it, move all the shower gifts in, decorate... Aieee!!

-for me to finish her coming home outfit (requires a bit more sewing and a try at freezer paper stenciling... Aieee!!)

Notice a theme here? To top it off, I'm having some contractions as I type this (I've been having them off and on).

Knowing me, the next post will hopefully be all about baby :)

Are We There Yet? No, But I Got a Great Shower Haul

We were using the boys' wooden blocks to mark each month, but the block set only goes up to 7 for some reason. We can turn 6 upside down for 9, but this time, we went with the magic eight ball.

The baby shower my fantastic friends gave was wonderful! So excited to get little dresses and pink goodies:) Here's some of the haul after I'd sorted through and tried to organize a bit.

Now for the clothes, this is most of them!


See that one down toward the right corner? That's some handmade Mel-specials!


That bib is reversible (the other side is the chicken fabric on the dress!) I know Mel's amazing (both at sewing and friendship). Check out her (better) picture here.

And about those chickens, I love this one. I want to dress up in that bright red with a blue flower in my hair. I mean really, none of those chicks around her can compare :)


Hope to post some completed projects soon! Woohoo!

Father's Day Foibles

We decided to go out to eat last night for Father's Day. C loves Outback, and since I've recently learned I'm borderline anemic, steak sounded good to me too. Now we knew there would be a wait, so we called to put our name on the list. We still had about 25 minutes to wait when we got there, so the boys stayed in the car with the a/c with Daddy while I got the little buzzer and braved the heat. Don't worry, I was in the shade and had a book to read. Although it is super
hot with support hose, those few minutes sitting alone, reading were really a gift to me.

We are seated, and both H and his daddy need to use the restroom. While they are gone, our drink orders arrive. I have concocted W's Sprite and water mix and am starting on H's, when I turn my own water over and it spills all over my pants. It was a full glass. I was sitting in puddled water. Since, I don't bring a spare change of clothes for myself just the boys, I dried off as best I could and decide to grin and bear it.

C and H come back from the restroom, and my husband announces that he thinks he passed two kidney stones while in the (public) bathroom, and he has them. I think my eyes probably rolled back in my head as he explained that he, "used some MacGyver type skills" to "fish" them out of the (public) toilet while my 5 year old looked on. Apparently, the whole time he is fishing them out, he's telling H he should never do this and that he will explain why Daddy IS doing it when we get home. When he got to the part of the over-the-dinner-table story about how, "they're in my pocket," I had to ask him to stop the conversation before I hosed him and H down with Purell from across the table.

So while I'm riding home, sitting on a plastic bag (because my clothing- including support hose and undergarments- are still soaked), I'm thinking: Maybe we should have just ordered online and picked up?

Hope all the dads in your lives had a great day!

Vintage Dress

Can I call it a vintage dress if it's at least as old as me? I think I'm probably vintage by now.

Sometimes, being a pack rat pays off. I remember putting this dress on a doll named Mrs. Beasley (apparently from a TV show called A Family Affair, I don't remember the show, do remember the doll). Anyhow, it needs a little repair, but I love it! The picture is from my iPhone, so not the best quality. The main fabric is navy blue with tiny white polka dots. Edited: I meant to explain that I think it was a cousin's or aunt's dress, that we later dressed the doll with. I think it's probably sized for a three year old.

I am still in a flutter, adding to my crafts for baby girl list way too often! Hopefully, I'll have some more finished projects to post about soon. Just wanted to prove I'm still here!

A Hitch in My Giddy-up

I really, really want to be doing a whole bunch of sewing for the coming baby, but my aching legs make the cutting fabric and ironing parts of sewing difficult. Here is my first finished project for baby:
Itty Bitty Baby Dress tutorial from Made by Rae (free!)

So, my varicose veins have really put a hitch in my sewing giddy-up as well as my giddy-up in general. I am hoping to go tomorrow to get some better support hose that the midwife actually wrote a prescription for. Maybe that will help me get going on my ever-growing list of projects for baby.

In other news, things that are making me happy:

1) Only one more week of school for the boys! Hooray! Can't wait to wake up and not have to rush around like a mad woman.

2) A shower for baby! Great friends are hosting a shower for me and baby next month. I have been having so much fun registering for pink clothes. Mel, wouldn't it be cool if you could register at fabric.com??

3) Aunt J and her husband are visiting us today! They are in town for the week from their home in London.

4) Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles Recipe from Smashed Peas and Carrots go here! Dangerously yummy!

5) C has agreed to paint baby's room if I take the boys away from the house for a full day :)

Hope to be back with more sewing projects soon! Maybe between the new hose and no school, I'll be giddy-upping:)

What's a Quarter of a Century Where Excitement is Concerned?

My husband and I just got word last Friday that H had the opportunity to attend kindergarten at a school that is at a nearby university. The program is excellent with national accreditation and not easy to get into without being a professor at the university or having attended yourself (yes, it's been in existence a long time). So after talking to the folks we know who have had children attend and going for a visit ourselves, we decided to enroll H. It's farther from home than the school he was going to attend and is more expensive, but we feel like it will be worth it and our younger children would have the opportunity to attend there in the future (there are programs for 3, 4, and 5 year olds).

We go later in the week for orientation where H will see his classroom and meet his teacher (he didn't go with us for the visit).

With all that said, we (C and I) are so excited! You'd think we were confident kindergarteners-to-be! Maybe because we saw the classroom and observed (from the observation room, yes they have one) or just because we really feel this is the right decision, but we are looking forward to orientation! I was feeling kind of silly and so told C "I know it's funny, but I'm excited about kindergarten." Imagine how tickled I was to hear him say, "I know, I am too!"

So whether you're five or thirty something, it seems learning is exciting!

How Tough Is It?

So I was asking my husband this weekend, how tough is it, this having a baby? I mean I know how tough the actual birthing part is, despite all that "you forget it" stuff, I remember my 8+ lb-er (W). Pretty vividly. What I mean is the no sleep, nursing part. C responded with, "Pretty tough." I continued about how I knew it really didn't get easier after a month or six weeks (like so many people tell you). It really takes more like three months to get into a groove (at least, for us, maybe we're slow compared to others). C looks at me and replies deadpan, "Let's just say, we may not want to have a fourth." I love my husband, love that he makes me laugh. I've been cracking up over that comment for days :)

Week o'Fun

The boys were out of school this past week, so I decided we should have a fun thing every day (I sort of didn't decide this until Monday, though). However, our fun needed to be indoor fun because the pollen is crazy (check out Tasha's post about it), all of us seem to have allergies, and I don't want to take a bunch of medicine with the little bambino. Now Monday's fun was just a visit from their grandma which isn't that out of the ordinary, but it's all I had to offer. Tuesday, we went to our local county museum which has a water table to teach about water pollution, how rivers were and are used for transport, etc. It was the hit of the museum visit, and the covered wagon toy that you used a barge to float across the river fit perfectly with our start of Little House on the Prairie. They could have played at that water table for hours. We took in a planetarium show while there, too. Wednesday, we went out for ice cream after supper with Daddy. Ice cream = fun. I had low fat but should have gone ahead and gotten a mix-in of Butterfinger (it would just have been a wee bit). Thursday was another museum trip recommended by Mel. This one had some bears to see (which H is really into right now), but the biggest attractions turned out to be a puppet theater where H could put on his own puppet show with two bear, an eagle and an otter puppets and for W, the fish tanks. Maybe a trip to a big aquarium will be on our vacation to-do one day. We ended the week with meeting Daddy for lunch on Friday.

It really was a fun week, and I am proud of myself for taking the little guys out on my own some. I even did my exercise DVD four out of the five weekdays (go me! and yes, I am getting a little worried about my weight gain). I really enjoyed not having to spend four mornings rushing around trying to get everyone ready for school, nagging everyone to get moving, feeling my blood pressure rise because we are late again. It's strange, but I almost think I might have gotten more done than during a school week. Maybe it was just more done around the house. Still, it reminds me of how I actually find school days harder than just keeping the children at home. I have been wondering whether I really want to send #3 to preschool at age 2. I know lots of children really enjoy and get a lot out of it, but it costs $$, it stresses me... Just not sure. H is to start kindergarten this fall (a very short time after my due date!), but I have thought some about homeschooling. I'm just not sure I could do it. Or maybe that we could do it. H is not the easiest child to direct, and I am not pro-active about anything social (you know, making sure he had interaction with others his age, sports, etc.) I read a great post about one woman's decision to homeschool that has me thinking. For now, though, I think we will plan to give kindergarten a try.