Sunday, March 31, 2013

Early and Late

I got Karaia's dress completed at 2pm yesterday. Hooray!

Sadly, I was up until 4am this morning finishing the boy's ties. Kevin and I doubled with our friends in the evening and then the sewing gods were not on my side last night. I am exhausted, but everything looked so wonderful today.

I would do the ties differently next time. They were a little too wide under the collar and the little boy's were way, WAY too short. There was barely any tail left after we tied it the correct length. Ah well, next time will be better!

Now pictures!










See how short the end of the tie is on Sanders' tie. Tennyson's is the same.











Saturday, March 30, 2013

First project

I'm sewing my first project with the Mary Jencks line. Karaia's Easter dress!

Considering I have one full day left before Easter and I only need to add one more bottom section  and sleeves I'm going to call myself ahead of the game.

Although the zipper about did me in!

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Progress

I springafied (totally a word...that I just made up) one of my flower beds today. AKA removed any signs of winter and weeds. It's been gnawing at me. It took me about 3 hours. I was being really picky.  Such a nice feeling to have it done!

I got all the trimming I need for Karaia's Easter dress. Holy cow, it's a surreal experience to be making something with your fabric. Crazy cool, but surreal. I still can't believe this is my life. When I was at the cutting counter at Joann's the lady asked me what I was going to use the trim on. I said, "Actually, I am making my daughter an Easter dress using fabric that I designed." And the thing is, that whole sentence is true. I know. It's weird.

We finally, read Tennyson, changed our chalk board sign in the front. Sander's bunny hat gave me a perfect excuse to document it. OH, and Sanders was too cute for words in his hat. (the sign reads it's Spreeg---It's Spring---I love phonic spelling! Also, he did bring the eraser out with him. I'm not sure why he just crossed out, "Let" and left the snow flakes, but who am I to argue with art?)










Tennyson decided today was the day to learn how to skate. That kid was pro.tec.ted! Knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, and a helmet. He loved it.







I told him, "You are going to fall. It's probably going to hurt, but I've given you as much protection as I can. You will be ok, just get up and try again."

I wonder if that's the last bit of advice Heavenly Father gave us before we came to Earth?

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Fluffy, smooth, fluffy

I didn't post last night. Mostly by choice. Fatigue played a bit into it as well. I like to be involved in a lot of things. My plate is rather full at the moment. I have expressed multiple times lately about feeling unbalanced and giving a little attention to everything, but not enough attention to anything. So last night I gave myself permission to let the blog slide.

It's not that I was doing anything else in particular, but it felt good to not stress about not meeting that expectation. I've always suspected there's a bit of perfectionist in me. It's a talent in some areas, a hindrance in others.

That seems like a good segway into talking about my cat's tail. What? You didn't see it? Believe me, it's perfect.

Anyway, about 2 weeks ago Ferb got something stuck in his tail. Or so we thought. It kind of felt like a barb, but was at a weird angle. We decided to just sit back and see if he could work it out seeing as any attempts made by us where met with extreme resistance.

On Monday I noticed that he had removed all the hair from one spot on his tail and there was an open wound. Time to take him to the vet.

Turns out he had been knawed on by another cat and the barbs that we had felt were actually dried blood in his fur. To get a good look at the wound the vet shaved a band in the middle of his tail.






It is doing much better now. We have to give Ferb an atibiotic, a pill, by mouth twice a day. He loves it as much as you can imagine a cat loving a pill shoved in his mouth.



The kids think Ferb's new tail is hilarious.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Gracie Grayson

Yesterday was one comedy routine after another. I continually found myself being grateful I had the presence of mind to appreciate all that happened in it's full, humorous, context.

Tennyson has been a bit constipated since being so sick. It's a natural thing. Sunday I thought I might die sitting next to him. He kept tooting ( yes, that is the word we use in our home...even Kevin). They were the silent but deadly type. We took him to the restroom multiple times, but we should have just started passing out gas masks.

Hillarious!

We think perhaps he just needed space to think. He started a book that  he says he is going to work on every Sunday called, " The Princess and the Angry Mustard Bottle". One can only imagine our suspense for each week's addition.

Sanders told Kevin, " I want to write letters that aren't numbers OR ABCs". Maybe Tennyson will use the new alphabet for his book.

A little boy escaped his mom. I snagged him and decided to entertain him. The mom was at church without her husband and I have always been so grateful for everyone who has helped me with my little ones. I was beyond thrilled to pay it forward.

Sanders was insistent about find out his name so he walked back and asked his mom. She whispered it to him. He informed us it was Gracie. I suggested that perhaps he had misheard as Gracie is usually a girls name. "You go ask her. You'll see it's Gracie."

Instead he went and asked again. Turns out it was Grayson. Sanders thought it was hilarious that he had misheard it the first time.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

The spy that never was

The morning started out with mild panic.

I was supposed to teach the Beehives and I had not read through the lesson. I also taught last Sunday and try to only prepare one lesson at a time which meant I had 6 days to get this one ready. I tried. I opened up the lesson multiples times during the week, every time I had a free second. The problem with a second is it is a very, very short frame of time.  Each time I'd think, "Whew, let's get this lesson going," and pull it up something or someone would demand my attention.

Sigh.

We have 9:00 church and after the expo this weekend and prep for it the beginning of the week, my body was overly tired and I am just lucky I woke up in time to even be only 10 minutes late. No time to read the lesson.

I prayed. Man did I ever pray. As I sat in front of those sweet girls, I had never read the lesson. It was on the atonement so I felt confident about the subject...but still.

So we started off OK. Then we opened the scriptures. Mathew 26:3 -10 We read about all the spiritual and political powerful men meeting to figure out a way to kill Jesus subtly so as not to make him a martyr. I think three verses after that it talks about a women pouring ointment on Jesus' head. The verse right after that one tells of his disciples catching her in the act and becoming indignant and calling her out on it.  I should have kept reading. Also, I should have read that last verse more carefully.

Instead I hopped up out of my seat in effort to really bring these scriptures to life for the girls. We talked about the men meeting. And because that was such a secret, evil meeting, that's where my mind went. Next thing you know I'm acting out how this women subtly walks past Jesus and without him knowing puts ointment on his head...I thinking that maybe it was poison the powerful men had planned to use to kill Jesus with. ( Yes, I had never heard of that story either, but at the time the verses seemed to point that way. I've never claimed to be a scriptorian) After I had acted the whole sneaky thing out I went back to the scriptures and read the next  two verses.

Turns out she wasn't some spy trying to kill him and Jesus praised her for her actions.

What the....

"Oh. Um, actually, girls, she wasn't an evil spy. Um....yeah. Just forget I even said that story. She was doing a good thing.  Jesus had been trying to tell his disciples that he was going to die and they were having a hard time believing it 'cause they'd seen him do miracles and stuff. He was trying, yet again, to let them know he was serious by praises the women for understanding what would be happening in the next few days. Anyway.....so, um, right. No evil spy. Well, Judas was evil, for a second...and a spy...but not the women...she was good...and in no way a spy."

Are you kidding me? It was hilarious!

Luckily, the rest of the lesson actually went very well. How could it not? Anything is good after that fiasco. 

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Long Day

Just getting done for the day. Another full expo day. I stick have to prepare a lesson for tomorrow. Goodnight.

Friday, March 22, 2013

First pine wood derby

Beckham had his first pine wood derby tonight. He named his car Destroyer. The organizers did an amazing job. They had music and flashing lights and a spot light and introduced each boy and their car as they raced through the "tunnel" (from the foyer to the gym with streams in the doorway). The boys loved  it!

Grandpa Jim guided Beckham, with Kevin, as he bought his car. Grandpa Jim left the country before the derby so Beckham wrote him an email all about it. He typed it himself without any help.

Here's Beckham's report on tonight's Pinewood Derby:

Hello grandpa, tonight I went to the Pinewood Derby. The first time I raced I came in first. then the next time I came in second and then second and second and second etc;. Then I came in third then second then second then second etc;. Then at the end my friend Matthew came in first out of thirty four. I came in seventh out of 34. My friend Austin came in 8th out of 34. Matthew can clear the track in 3.59 seconds. The second place winner Brenden can do it in 3.75 seconds. some of my friends didn't get to go to the finals. It's o.k though it happens some times. Hope you can come to the next Pinewood Derby.

   Love,
      
Beckham

I didn't know he know the phrase, "etc." He's a great kid. Way to go Beckham!

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Expo

Today was a set up for expo day. It's a long, fun process.

Here's the booth as we left it tonight. We still have a few tweaks tomorrow. But it's a really good start.

I am so grateful for my mom and Meghan and Alex for helping with the kids today!  Mom even went on the weather walk with Sanders at preschool which saved at least one psychology bill in the future. Thank you!

Annie and I rewarded our hard work with sushi tonight at the Mikado. Have I told you how much I love sushi? 'Cause I do.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Pause to readjust

Today was wonderful. I was early to every appointment. The T.V. segment went well. I didn't get to say everything I wanted, BUT I didn't say anything I wish I hadn't ;)

Then I came home and volunteered in Beckham's class and dropped the two little boys off at my awesome friend, Nicki's, house. That was SUCH a blessing.

I spent my kid free time preparing to teach the Young Men and Young Women an Etiquette dinner. I was even on time for that! Amazing!

The etiquette dinner went really well. The kids had great questions and did a good job trying to correct some of their habits they didn't know they shouldn't have ;)

Now, I am gearing up for tomorrow. PYP is part of the Scrapbook USA expo this weekend. I'm in charge of organizing and helping with the booth set up and then doing some expo shifts on Friday on Saturday. It will be really cute.

I would look forward to resting on Sunday, but I teach the lesson in YWs. ;)

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Preparing

I'm doing a short TV interview on Fox 13 tomorrow because Pick Your Plum and Downtown Tape will be at the Scrapbook USA expo this weekend.

I'm knee deep in preparations and I have to be to the studio at 6:45 am tomorrow.

Barely remembered to blog.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Cutting Brick

Dave came over tonight to cut into our brick to see how exactly we would be attaching new joists to the house to expand the deck. 








It was messy business to cut into the bricks and the cat totally freaked out over it. It was hilarious! 

Our brick completely cut into




Beckham wanted a silly face picture.

Dave, seeing how far we will need to go.

I made them stop planning so I could take a picture. They were thrilled ;)


and now we have a hole in the side of our house. Don't worry, we put a piece of board cut to size in the hole so no critters will try and make their homes in there.

We are so close now! We just need to get bids for supplies and then order. Hooray!

Thank you Dave for all you help with this!