big foot

I just took Jack to get new shoes. He is 9. He now wears the same size as me. Any guesses on how big his feet will get and how tall he'll be?

I was lazy today, but then I made up for it

This morning I hung out with Dan until 10:30. Then I called my bff from 20 years ago and we talked on the phone for an embarrassingly long amount of time. When it was almost time for the kids to come home from school I figured I'd better get something done today.

So I built a shelf to go under my sink, cleaned the bottom shelf (I have never cleaned it in 5 years of living here, but Dan probably has) and organized all the stuff under there. There's even extra space!

After all the stuff had a place to go I cleaned the bathroom! It is my most hated job of all time, but I did it. It may never happen again.

Then I decided that the broom closet/cleaning closet needed some cleaning and organizing. So I cleaned it and organized it. Amazing. It looks so lovely (as lovely as a cleaning closet can look).

Finally, I made dinner for the boys (thank goodness for frozen burritos - I'll have to get some more of those.) Have I told you how Charlie requests "brocamole" nearly every day? That's all he ate.

I got even more stuff done after that, but I can't show it to you yet.

I feel like this post needs a photo but I can't think of a good one. Sorry.

Next up

Now that I've finished a quilt, I feel justified in starting another one. Technically, I should probably finish another one (since I've just recently started Luke's dog quilt) but, you know, I'm just not really like that.

These fabrics have been staring at me for the last few days (because I left one of my boxes out and open and these happened to be on top). I am going to make a quilt like this one with them. It's going to be so great! I even got a few squares done today.

wonky star quilt finished (finally!)

Remember when I showed you this quilt top? Well that was way back in August (just before my surgery). The other day I got it out and finished it! Quilted it. Bound it. Washed it. Photographed it even. Amazing. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with it. So I'll keep it in a safe place until I figure it out.

Quilting inspired by this quilt (though mine was not nearly as nicely done).

Wonky stars inspired by this quilt.

Binding is Heather Ross lightning bugs stripe. I love a striped binding.

destashing a bit

I was looking through my quilting/sewing books today and found a few I could part with. So I've listed them in my etsy shop at some great prices. I haven't been making much jewelry as of late, but there still are several goodies in there. Go on over and check it out!

Chess

When I was little my grandma taught me how to play chess. My brother and I would take turns playing with her when we went to her house. I'm pretty sure she always won. Or maybe she let us win sometimes.

She was just telling me about how when my grandpa came home from work he'd unwind by playing a few games of chess with her. She even beat him sometimes.

Chess is hard. And strategic. And you have to think. I've taught my boys to play and they've taught Dan to play. Sam LOVES it. He's always asking if someone will play with him. If you don't know how to play, he'll be happy to teach you. And then he'll beat the pants off you. He's beat me a few times lately. He is a thinker and he's getting really good.

Here are the rules of chess, in case you'd like to look over them.

And here are my chess-playing grandma and grandpa (stole this photo from my cousin's blog).

loving this fabric

Today some of this fabric came in the mail. Isn't it beautiful? And it was only $4.99 a yard. Go here if you want to buy some of your own. I did some more looking around today too and it came in a few other colors. I know of at least 5 that I am missing (a bright green, a bright turquoise, another yellow, hot pink, and lavender). Do you know of any other colors?

new quilt and chocolate cake

So I have started on Luke's twin quilt (since he now sleeps on the bottom bunk with Charlie and is no longer a baby sleeping in his little crib.) I have gone back and forth and back and forth on which fabric to use for this quilt. When I found those stripes for the binding I knew exactly what to do. I love those Heather Ross dogs so much.

Here are all the fabrics. I even used some of my Flea Market Fancy stash (but only a little). And there's the binding again on the bottom. The finished quilt will look something like this or this.

I made this lovely chocolate cake for Dan's birthday. It sat untouched until just before we were ready to cut into it. And then Luke did this to it. (The recipe I used is the one on the Hershey's cocoa box but I substituted Cadbury cocoa for Hershey's cocoa. Not sure it was necessary.)

When I saw him doing it I yelled, "Luke!" He jumped and then held up his guilty hands.

adoption help

If you read this blog through a reader, I just wanted to let you know that I posted a new link on my sidebar. It is for my cousin and his family, who are looking for a baby to adopt. If you click on the button, it takes you to their blog. If you ever hear of any babies looking for a good home, I hope you'll consider this great family. Thanks!

getting along

A few days ago I taught Jack how to make his own scrambled eggs with cheese. The next day he was in there teaching Sam and Charlie how to do it. Everyone had a job and they all cleaned it up after!



Sam grated the cheese.

Jack and Charlie both cracked eggs. Jack stirred and Sam and Charlie sprinkled the cheese in.

Sam and Luke sitting in front of the heat register. Everyone loves to sit in front of it when it's blowing warm air, but it's most often Sam. And he usually has a blanket too.


Charlie and Luke laying in Luke's bed. Charlie's reading Luke Little Critter. He has ALL of the Little Critter books we have memorized.

p.s. These results are not typical. But who wants to see them beating each other and screaming at each other on the blog?

I may have figured it out

After I got done posting my last post (about feeling blah) I thought, "what if I were more thankful?" I'm sure it would help. So I started a gratitude journal (something I've been meaning to do for years.) The ideas came too fast to write down. I got to 55 things in no time. And you know what? I had a really good day today. I mostly worked on the taxes like Sara suggested. Which I wasn't too excited about. But the whole time I kept thinking, "It will be so great to get a return" and it made it so much easier to do. I even got them finished!

Here are a few samples from my list:

1. This print (on the front of my new journal)
2. The winter cold because it lets me have tulips in the spring.
40. Warm blankets
41. babies
43. blue and orange together
47. butter
48. cheese
49. cows
50. dairy farmers

I would like to keep writing in it every day.

As for what I did today - I did not really get outside (except to get into my friends car to go to a meeting). I did eat a salad and some sweet potatoes, so that's good. No sewing, no reading (maybe after this). Did not read with Sam, but did play Go Fish with all the boys. And scripture study did not happen (maybe before I read tonight.)

So thanks for the ideas and the validation. I'm sorry anyone has to have the winter blahs but it's nice to know I'm not the only one.

blah

I have been feeling so blah on and off for the last month or so. Maybe it's just from everything being grey and cold, but I'm getting sick of it.

I'm always telling the boys that they were not put on this earth to spend all their time playing video games and watching TV. But sometimes I sit here wondering what is the best thing I could be doing with my time. I don't spend much time on TV (though I do spend lots of time on the computer). I spend much of my time making things in an effort to do something that makes me happy. But it sometimes backfires and doesn't make me happy at all. Of course, I also spend my time keeping house, hanging out with the hubs, playing with the kids (chess and scrabble junior lately). But I feel like I am missing something entirely that could make me happier. Is it exercise? Studying? Dusting off a former talent (like drawing or playing piano)? Laughing more? Spending more time with friends? What is it?

Maybe I need to get outside, maybe that's the problem. Or maybe it just needs to warm up.

Because of the blah I really have nothing to show you. Yesterday I got everyone in the car to take the kids to school only to find that my battery was dead. I got it jumped fairly quickly and then spent a while driving around.

Later on I was off to meet a friend for lunch (with kids) when I ran into a curb trying to do a U turn and punctured my tire. It was only 7 blocks to the tire place so I drove there. It took about 10 minutes because I had to go so slow. It turns out that if you have 4 wheel drive you can't just replace one tire because it messes up the gears. So I had to buy all 4 tires. Awesome. Luckily my lunch friend came to get me and we still went to lunch (and the kids were perfect).

When I got home I thought I'd do some sewing. So I started on the church bag I've been wanting to make. I used a pattern and tried to change it a bit. It turned out awful. Too long, not wide enough. I don't even think I can reuse the fabric for the bag. I'll have to start all over. So after that I just read blogs all night until bed time. In a bad mood.

When I woke up this morning I wondered what I should do today. Here's what I came up with.


1. Try to get outside (even if it's just down the block and back).

2. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits (instead of cookies and junk, which always make me feel worse.)

3. Sewing? Not sure. I kind of only want to do something familiar that won't get me frustrated.

4. Reading? Maybe.

5. Already did the dishes. That's good.

6. Read with Sam (who is home sick).

7. Do something with Charlie and Luke

8. Scripture study.

Maybe those things combined will make me feel a little happier. Maybe you have a good suggestion. If so - leave me a comment - I'd love some more ideas.


p.s. How could I be feeling blah when I get to be married to this guy? Partly because he's out of town and I miss him. But certainly happy he's coming back soon and that he has a job.