Healing fast

It's surprising how quickly pride wounds heal when you are faced with things that actually matter. A cousin of Kevin's just lost their premature son.

It is nearly impossible to dwell on menial events in your life when family is dealing with true hardships. I cannot even imagine how hard this is for them, but what a beautiful testimony.

The best stories

You know, the best underdog stories are the ones were someone has a dream and every time they try and realize it they get turned down or metaphorically punched in the gut only to persevere until finally their dreams come true. Very few people, who have great success stories, are without a few gut punches.

Consider my gut punched.

As opposed to taking a month to decide whether to accept what I offered, they took 5 minutes.

I am TOTALLY new to this industry so I wasn't completely naive to think that I had completely nailed it, but I thought I was pretty darn close. Maybe just a few helpful tweaks here and there. The message I got, in the 10 whole minutes spent with me, was that I was no where near anything they would even pretend to consider.

What is the industry you ask with baited breath?

Please let us in on the secret, you say, so we can collectively form a mob and demand them to reconsider (just kidding.....I generally resort to humor at times like this)

Fabric Design

Yup. The thing that has been keeping me up at nights, and burning my soul with a drive I have never felt before, is a need to create a fabric line.

And they hated it.

All 55 pieces.

It was too geometric.

That's how I designed it. I like the geometric look.

She couldn't see a main pattern design.

That would be the one I created very first and patterned subsequent designs after. But it was too geometric and she could not get past that.

I am still really proud of what I created. I wish she would have been able to see the potential, but she didn't and I can't dwell on that too much.

She did invite me to submit other designs.

For now, I will submit my current designs to a few other manufactures around the country. In January I will resume designing a NEW line and go from there.

The punch hurts.

And I've had a good cry. I really thought I had something not just good, but great to offer them. To not have even come close it what stings the most.

Still, I have given myself a year on this journey. Hopefully, not too many more punches, but if that's the road I'm on, I'll take them with pride.

Now that YOU know the road, I'm sure to be more free with all the ups and downs.

Do you want a sneak pick of the designs?

You do?

Here you go......


There are many, many more, and the colors are a little more vibrant than in the picture, but I don't want to give everything away.

Someday I will have a fabric line.

I just need to wait for my stomach to heal a little first and then get back into the ring.

Crossroads

Today at 2:00 I have an appointment.

It has everything to do with this.

I serioiusly thought I would never get to this point. I hoped and dreamed I would, but it seemed too big, to far away. At yet, this afternoon, I will be given my shot. This could ACTUALLY happen.

I can't believe I have been given the chance to actualize a dream. A real life, bonified, nothing short of hard work and divine guidance, dream. And let me tell you, I'm finding I dream big.

The best part of this whole situation is I started with nothing but an idea, a hope, a drive. It's something I wanted in my life and it just.very.well.may.happen!

I have felt very pushed in the right direction and I know Heavenly Father has been very active in all of this. Things have literally fallen into place when I thought I had run into a huge wall. And not just fallen into place, but practically handed to me on a silver platter in a murky fog.

I have decided that after the meeting today I will spill the beans. I won't know for sure whether everthing is a go for another whole month, however, I do feel confident that I have given it my all, 55 pieces all, so success or failure I am ready to share it with everyone with my head held high.

I am thrilled at what I have been able to make from nothing.

I can't wait to share!!!

Ps maybe say a little prayer around 2pm this afternoon.........

So far so good

Things seem to be going well with the chore sticks. I still need to make some chart thingy I can slip the sticks into to keep track of who picked what, but I am mulling over ideas and have a horrible sickness of not being able to decide on just ONE idea. I'm sure it will be another week or two.

Yesterday was a bit trying as it was our first go at bathrooms. Still intact bathrooms that is.

Still I am happy to announce that if you happen to come to my house today there will be a clean place for your tush to reside should the occasion arise in which you will be in need of such a seat! Success!!!

Also, Beckham has been the most cheerful helper. AND he is getting a kick out of doing his chores before I even ask him. After breakfast today, he got up and started sweeping (his week long chore) and said, "Hey Mom, are you so happy I'm sweeping without being asked? I wanted to surprise you!"

Yes I am, Beckham. Yes I am.

He then told me, "There are two things I love; piano and chores."

Sweet. And by sweet I mean that's totally WICKED!!! Rock on Beckham!

Tennyson likes that he is part of the big kids and does a great job wiping chairs and the table top.

Karaia is proving to be SUPER slow. She gets it done, but not without a bunch of reminders as to what she is supposed to be doing instead of twirling and making google eyes at the cups, or the toy bears, or the blocks.....you get it.

They voted on receiving allowance and I have already heard talks of how much money they are going to get. Not so much on what they are going to buy, but how they can get more money.

Nothing wrong with starting young as a Super Saver.

The best part of all, it's 9 am and my house is pretty much clean! Hooray!

Enough is enough

I am tired of doing all of the household chores myself. Seriously tired. Household chores are not a talent of mine. I have a hard time cleaning up after just me. Add 5 more people who think I'm responsible for their mess as well (Ok, Kev is pretty good) and that spells disaster. I mean that in the most literal sense of the word. My house is a disaster.

Tonight for FHE I introduced the chore sticks. It's a bunch of Popsicle sticks that have chores written on them. Some are everyday chores, once a week, only Mondays, etc.

I really hadn't thought it all the way through or discussed it much with Kev. So as I was explaining the individual chores I got to bathrooms and realized it would be easier to divide up all the jobs need to complete one bathroom instead of one person doing the whole room. I was thinking out loud and said, "Well, I think for the bathroom, we'll break it up."

To which Beckham immediately asked for clarification, "Why are we going to break up the bathroom?"

At least I know he was listening.

They seemed excited.

I'll know it's worked if when I hear the doorbell ring I don't have to hurry and clean before I answer it.

School life

Karaia had an SEP (parent teacher student) conference on Tuesday. Can I just say that I LOVE her teacher! She is one of those teachers you hope and pray your child will get.

Mrs. Pickett teaches the 1st/2nd grade split class. Karaia loves being in with her friends as well as some older kids.

But back to the conference.

I am so proud of my little girl I could just burst! For documentation sake, she is reading at a 3rd grade level and has just been moved up to 2nd grade math. Her comprehension skills are wonderful and she does very well on tests. She does need to slow down when she is writing so that other people can read it, but Kevin heard the same things growing up. Perhaps it is genetic?

Beyond all that, the thing I am the MOST proud of is that her teacher said she was very sensitive to the other student's needs. If someone needed help she was the first one to offer it.

That's all a mother needs; to know her child is growing up to be a functional, driven, kind human being.

Way to go, Karaia!

Bad mood

During dinner each person gets a turn to tell one happy and one sad thing about their day. I usually know what each kid is going to chose, but as they grow older I think this could be very insightful into their daily lives.

Today my sad thing was that I was in a bad mood for no reason. I asked the kids if they had noticed. They hadn't. Whew.

But I could not shake the mood until I whipped out some cleaning music for the kids....a good ol' get your heart moving standby,

Praying for daylight by Rascal Flats.

I bought this when I was in college. I can't tell you how many times my roommates would go home for the weekend leaving me the whole place to myself. This inevitably lead to me cranking this song up as LOUD as it would go and dance and sing how the music moved me too!

At some point I would love to be able to dance. You know, be able to keep your body's movements in conjunction with the actual beat being heard.

As it stands now......nope.

Not a chance.

Doesn't stop me from doing it, I am just highly aware of the fact that my appendages are most likely flailing all on their own desires.

Tonight was no different.

The music started. I turned it up louder.

The kids eyes got bigger.

And then I danced and twirled and head-banged. I peaked briefly at my kids at one point only to realize that they were copying/mocking my dancing. They would repeat exactly what I was doing saying something like this, "And then she was doing this....." demonstrating my mad, mad dancing skills, followed by intense laughter and much rolling on the ground.

Ah well. At least my mood improved :)

A few more weeks

Do you remember this post?

Well, I am happy to say I am only a few weeks away from spilling the beans!

EEEEK!

There have been a lot of ups and downs, but I have been so energized about the whole thing recently, that at this moment I am very optimistic about the future.

It has been an amazing experience for me. I can't wait to share it fully!

Car seat Canopy

See this fabric?
(The dark color is actually a really deep chocolate brown, but it is looking very black on the screen...but it's brown)


I was drawn to it too! Doesn't it just scream,
"Hello! You've found me! Something you can use to make something for a boy!"

That's what it said to me anyway and I had already been on the hunt for an hour when I rounded the corner and spied it across the quilt shop.

Why was I on the hunt for "boy" fabric?

1. Because I am always on the hunt for cute, modern, non-babyish/non-little kid, boy fabric

2. Because my sister was pregnant with her forth, due any day, and she mentioned that she had recently seen these car seat canopies and thought it would be delightful to own one.

So I found the fabric. And after MORE searching found the coordinating fabric, in flannel, and I made her this

I love the buttons I found for the straps.

It was very simple to make. I used a pattern that my friend had, but could have easily figured it out without one. My sister-in-law made one with an oval pattern that is also very cute. I was slightly worried that this rectangular style would drag on the ground, but thankfully it has quite a good clearance.

My sister had her cute baby, Davis, on Tuesday, a week overdue. Mom was able fly out that night so Annie received her canopy Wednesday. She loved it! Hooray!

I loved it too.

After I completed it I put it on my car seat and brought everything in the house. That way I could look at it throughout the day and feel that extra boost of happiness that certain fabric designs give me.

I love finding fabric that has that magnetic effect on me.

Absolutely love it.

Congratulations, Annie and Mark!

Ghoulish Grabs

I really should have posted this one BEFORE I posted the 8 month update, but whachagonnado?

I was asked to help out with Karaia's class/ 2nd grade Halloween party. I wanted to do the spook boxes ( you know the ones you stick your hands in a feel something yucky that is really normal, but because you can't see it, it becomes extra gross) and began researching all of the ucky things I could stick in there and what to call them.

Procuring the boxes from Costco, I set to work figuring out how to cover and label them. Thankfully, black garbage sacks did the trick nicely and Photoshop, once again, made things so easy. Plus, my mom has these fantastic spider-web table clothes. Add a fog machine and some spiderwebs and we were set.

This is what we ended up with.

Goblin Guts
(cooked spaghetti noodles)


Monster Scabs
(crumbled tortilla chips)


Witch's Eyes
(green olives still floating in the juice)
This way by FAR the thing that grossed the kids out most. Success!

Ogre's Skin
(Tortilla wraps with olive oil on them)

The kids loved it. More like they loved to hate it. But the repeat customers who brought their friends because, "Dude, you just HAVE to feel that!" tells me it was well worth the effort.

Karaia had a blast.



She was very grateful I got to be there and help out. She is keeping a tali of how many things I have NOT come and volunteered for; field trips, big craft days, etc. It's a very big deal to her. I don't remember feeling like that. I'm glad I was there too!

8 months, only a few days ago

At least I am not nearly a month behind this time!

Sanders turned 8 month November 2. He rolls EVERYWHERE! I thought crawling was hard, but this rolling business is crazy. Being the extremley efficient roller that he is, he can go from the middle of our family room, down the hallway, and back. Turning corners as he goes. It very entertaining to watch.

He ADORES his siblings and love whenever they give him attention, which is always. He prefers fruit to veggies, but doesn't complain too much if it is veggies on the menu.

He still likes to be swaddled to sleep, but recently switched to only liking to be half swaddled.

His two top teeth are just starting to poke through which in turn has led to more night time visits needed from me or Dad. Plus lots of pain meds.

The hang from the molding door jumper we have is his most favorite thing of all. If you are holding him he will use you as a jumper instead.

He has started to get up on his hands and knees and rock. It's only a matter of weeks now before the crawling begins.

Hooray! Just before we put the Christmas tree up......

Tinkerbells, and skeletons, and spiders,....oh and an elephant.....OH MY!

Halloween has come and gone. But this year marks a difference for me. This is the first year that I made costumes.....huge chance it's the last. Not because I didn't enjoy it. I adored making something flat into something 3-D, but it is cheaper to buy the costumes......unless I start in June and hit all the 50% off sales. So, OK, there might be a chance I make more next year. BUT anyway.

I made Karaia's Tinkerbell costume.

Nobody recognized her in that wig!

And Sanders' elephant costume.

Can you believe I made that?!? I can hardly believe it myself!

I really loved making both. The fabric on Karaia's spoke to my girly-girl side, but the pride of actually completing (and doing a good job of it) the elephant could just make my heart burst.

It was the first time I had read a clothing pattern from start to finish without any outside help. Well, if we are honest I did look up a few crazy-pattern-language terms on line, but once those where translated I totally got it. All by myself!

Beckham LOVED being a skeleton. I love that it is the simple things that tickle his fancy.

This is the face he gave me when I asked for his scary skeleton face......hmmm I know I don't want to be in the same room as him when he is making that face, but not necessarily because he is scaring me. It's more of an olfactory issue.

Tennyson was going to be Lighting McQueen but decided against it at the last minute. Luckily we have many dress ups that he was able to chose from. He ended up going with Spiderman and could not have been any happier.



Except for when we asked if he wanted to wear the mask.


This is the only way he would agree to such an audacious request and then, of course, he would NOT be posing for any pictures.


We went to the Pumpkin Patch on Halloween because Karaia had not been able to go yet this year. Beckham had already gone for Pre-school.


Yes. I am aware that I am missing a child in these photos. Yes, he is prone to running away, but thankfully this was not the case here.Tennyson fell asleep on the way down there and we thought it best not to wake him up for the photo shoot considering the amount of walking and the scheduled late night he had later on.

Grandma Candace grew just enough pumpkins for all of her grandkids this year! The kids were a little bummed about not picking a pumpkin at the pumpkin patch until I reminded them of this little fact.

Actually, we didn't even carve the pumpkins before Halloween. Kevin was out of town the week before and Halloween day became too busy. So we carved Welcome-to-November Jack-o-lanterns last night for FHE.



The great thing this year was we got one of those pumpkin carving kits and Karaia and Beckham carved their pumpkins all by themselves! Thankfully my mom was there to help the too, too tired Tennyson figure out what to do while his older brother and sibbling got to use a saw that his mean ol' mom wouldn't let him use on his own. Thanks, Mom! I forgot to take pictures last night of their cute pumpkins, but I will do so tonight. They turned out darling.

Plus it means we get to smell pumpkin roasting over an open flame which is one of my most favorite smells and mean fall is officially here......now that it's almost winter.

Anyone else feel like they are always days behind?