Sweetness

Last night as I was cooking dinner and getting the kids ready to go to the basketball game with daddy, I noticed that I could see both of their cute little heads over the top of the bar.  I guess I had not noticed that before, but it made me sad.

I asked both of them to please stop growing and stay my little babies.  (Yes, they are 6 and 4, but they will always be my babies.)  And CX said every so sweetly, "Momma, even when I am grown up and an adult with kids of my own I will still be your baby."  Um, choked up and teary eyed is what followed after that. 

Then I get this from CX, "What is wrong with you?  You are so weird, mom!" 

Yes, I know.  One day you will be weird like me, as well. 

I had to share this because you think that you will remember all of the cute and amazing things that they do and say, and honestly, you don't.  It's not that it's not important, it's just that we have such a limited space of memory.  But if I can only remember the sweetness of each of them and how they smile at me and how they look so sweet when they are asleep, I think I will be good.

God has blessed me beyond anything I could have ever imagined with my husband and my children.  I never dreamed that I would have the life that I have and I thank God every day for all the blessings He has given to me. 

Ruffly Scarf (Updated!)

So I am trying to be frugal this year for Christmas with presents for everyone.  So far I haven't gotten that far on my list, but I am starting to make a dent.  I wanted to show you my latest creation. 

I was inspired by this scarf over at ~Ruffles and Stuff~.  Disney is very talented and inspires me every time that I visit her blog. 

Anyway, I had some material lying around from Christmas presents that-were-to-be, but never created.  I took a half yard of linen like wool....I'm sorry, I don't really know what type of material it was.  I'll try to keep my stash a little more organized for the next time I do a tutorial.  I was wanting t-shirt material, but since it is hunting season, my big burly man is off trying to provide for his family and my kiddos are fast asleep in my bed.  Of course, even when my husband is away I still can't sprawl out all over my bed.  Sorry, getting off subject.

I cut 4" x 4" squares out of the material.  I didn't know how many to cut, so I just cut it all, the whole 1/2 yard.  Now, in hind site, that was probably too much.  But it is my first time making this.  And Disney said she cut 64 squares.  Alrighty then, I'll shot for that as well!

I then pressed out all my little pieces and pinned them all together.  Taking the middle of  each square and overlapping it onto the next.  Sorry, if you don't understand look at the picture.  I am more of a visual learner and don't do well explaining things.  But I can show you!

So, once the pinning is all done I hopped my happy little tush down into my craft room and sewed them together.  I made straight seams from one corner of each square to the next.  Working all the way down until you get to the end.  And that's pretty much it.  Now, I used a zigzag stitch and I also used elastic thread because I wanted it to have a really ruffly (is that a word?) effect, but it was my first time using elastic thread and I don't know if I need it on a larger stitch or not.  But it didn't give me quite the effect I was hoping for.  I'm going to do some research on elastic thread for my next project. 

Well, I am still very pleased with the results and honestly, I don't want to give it to my SIL, but I guess, since that is who I had in mind to make it for, I should probably go thru with it.  I am definitely going to make one for me.  But probably not quite as long.  I think 64 squares is a little much.  I'll have to do some experimenting for the next one. 

I think that this wouldn't have taken me near as long as it did if it weren't for those really bad movies on Lifetime.  Those things just suck me in and I don't know why.  I can figure them out in an instant yet I keep going with the punishment of those brutal movies.  It's a strange and sad addiction that I have. 

 

Tell me what you think.  You like?

Updated!!

Well, I tried out the scarf today.  Well, I was going to, but that thing is soooooo darn long.  Seriously, I think it is about 8 foot long.  A little much for a scarf, no?!?

So, as I had mentioned earlier, I wanted to make the scarf originally out of t-shirt material, but my kiddos were asleep in my room, blah, blah, blah.  Well, I grabbed a t-shirt before they headed off to bed.  This is the one that I grabbed.  Kind of has a little silver shimmer and print to it.  Thought that might be a little fun. 

This time I decided that I would make my squares 3" x 3".  And I cut the whole shirt up and only got 42 squares.  I also figured out how to sew with elastic thread and the second time it turned out much better.   I am liking this look a whole lot more.

It also didn't take near as long to make it....no sappy movie on LMN tonight.  I am still thinking that I can tweak this more.  It definitely turned out more ruffly than the first time.  Yay, I learned a new talent!  ;-P

Handmade Christmas

I just stumbled onto the most adorable blog and had to share it all with you!  And right now she is hosting 12 days of handmade Christmas tutorials.  I just got done looking over the first 4 tutes and let me tell you, they look super cute and super easy.  I am trying to figure out what all I am making and who I am giving them to.  I might make some things for me as well.  You might as well, you already have all the supplies and everything out while you are making them, right?!?!?!  So, if you are in my family or a close friend, which as of right now, I know that is pretty much all I have as followers, (I love you all!  Thanks for keeping up with my lil ole blog!) let me know if you see something you like and give me a hint!  ;)  Now if only all the men in my life would like some of these cute gifts!  Men!  They are so stinking hard to shop for.  Let me know if you try one out, I would love to see how your crafts turned out. 

Go over to Life In Grace and check out her blog.  She is a mom of 8, not a typo, yes 8 and still finds time to do great crafty things.  I have got to get my crap together, I only have 2.

Yum Yum!

So after a flop of a dinner last night, I decided that I needed to make something that the whole family would like.  Well, I have been trying to make a dinner menu for the week and I came across this recipe for Beef & Broccoli Lo Mein.  I was going to make it as the recipe instructed, but instead of using the beef, I decided to put shrimp in it.  The kids loved it!  Which, if they like it, then it is a huge success.  I will definitely be making it again.  Try it out, it is easy and yum yum!

Challenge, week 1

Okay, so I mentioned in a post earlier that one of the blogs I follow is hosting a recipe challenge.  Well, I tried one the last night, the Maple-Walnut Chicken.  Okay, I didn't follow the recipe exactly as instructed.  I am not a big one for cooked spinach, unless it is in a casserole or something similar, so I nixed that right off of the bat.  I made the chicken as directed, with a side of french style green beans and mushroom rice.  The dinner looked very pretty and smelled pretty good.....BUT it wasn't all that great.  My kids ate it, but with ketchup and country Bob's sauce.  Lil sis said that it even was spicy, really?!  So, I am not that impressed with it.  You can try it and might like it.  It really wasn't that hard to make at all or that expensive.  I had the majority of the ingredients in my pantry, except for the fresh thyme leaves.  I think that I am going to try the Banana Sour-Cream Cake.  I should have listened to my gut and gone with my first pick.  I think that it will be yummy.  I'll keep you updated.

Voting

Yesterday morning I was watching the news while getting ready for my normal routine of getting kids on the bus and myself around when something they said caught me totally off guard.  Okay, get this, it was voting day and they were taking a poll to see how many people planned on going to the polls to vote on the issues at hand.  Well, get this, seriously this drives me bonkers and I can't hardly comprehend this, but more people said that they weren't going to the polls to vote.  That's not really what thru me.  It was the fact that they would vote online to tell people that they weren't voting, but wouldn't get off of their tushes to actually vote for something that would affect them.  Wow!!!  Are you kidding me?!?! 

That is what is wrong with the United States right now.  Everyone expects everything, but nobody wants to get off of their tushes and do anything about it.  Jeez!!!  Sorry, I am ranting, but really, are we that spoiled?!?!?  People in other countries are dying to get the right to vote and to help make these important decisions, but we actually have the right to vote and we don't?  No wonder other countries don't like us.  I don't even know if I like us. 

I did vote and there was only ONE question or issue on my ballot, so it wasn't a huge deal, actually it was.  But the fact that however many people taking that poll yesterday morning, over 48% said that they weren't going to vote just blew me away.   I guess it shouldn't surprise me, seeing as our country is in huge need of repair and don't get me wrong, I have no idea how to fix things and I am not saying that I do, but maybe if we looked at ourselves in the mirror more often we wouldn't be in the situations that we are  in right now. 

Okay, I am getting even more peeved right now.  I am done and will now get off of my soap box.  Sorry if this offends anyone.

Behind closed doors

I was on the phone the other day with my Mimi.  We were on the phone for a good 40 minutes or so and the kids were so good at being quiet while I was on the phone.  That is one rule that we really enforce in our household.

Well, I get off of the phone and I am walking down the hallway to put the clean laundry away when I catch a whiff of baby powder.  Hmm....I don't recall getting that out anytime recent.  Well, Lil sis had gone to the bathroom, I thought to poo, but apparently she had other ideas.  I slowly open the door and find that I can only open it about 6 inches.  I hear a giggle and then the door opens all the way.  Behind the door I find this...                                                

"Momma, I'm a spooky ghost!"  Yep, you sure are little girl!  How can you get mad at a face like that?!?!?!?

A challenge

One of the blogs that I follow is starting a new challenge for the month of November.  And since I have nothing else to do with my time, yeah right, I am going to join in on this challenge. 

If you are interested it is a recipe challenge.  You visit this blog site and she has three different recipes for you to try out.  You can try one, two or all three of them, but she wants to know how you liked them.  If you liked them and if there was any difficulties or what-nots. 

I checked out the first set of recipes and they looked pretty yummy, so I am going to join in.  If you are interested in it, check it out here.  The blog is called somewhat simple and the recipes look just that, somewhat simple.  I think I am going to try the banana sour cream cake.  It looks yummy.  Let me know if you check it out and if you try a recipe.  And while you're there, grab a button as well.

I'm Done!!!!

Okay, I know that it is after Halloween and that I haven't posted on here in what seems like forever, but I have been busy.  With the flu swarming my house, soccer games, bowling and MOPS I finally finished the costumes for Halloween.  YEA! 

Lil' Sis wanted to be Pebbles Flintstone, so Jeff and I were Fred & Wilma and CX did NOT want to be Bam Bam Rubble or Barney Rubble.  He wanted to be a Shadow Trooper.  Great, and I am sorry, but I am cheap and I was not about to spend $60 on a costume that he was only going to wear one night a year.  Holy smokes that is crazy high!

I made Lil' Sis's first and it was pretty easy.  No I didn't use a pattern, I just basically made the hand towel dress but tweaked the arm holes and neck line a little.  I also made her a little bone for her hair.  You can't be Pebbles without a bone in your hair.

Next, I made Fred.  Fred was pretty easy as well.  I just cut two pieces of material and sewed up the sides leaving room for the arm holes and then sewed the shoulders leaving room for the head hole.  Sewed a little felt collar onto the head hole and then I sprayed painted a few black dots onto the costume.  I already had a fat, blue tie.  And there you have it, Fred Flintstone.

I decided that I should probably work on CX's costume because mine wouldn't be that hard and his I really didn't have any idea how I was going to make it.  Well, I bought a black pair of sweatpants and a black long sleeve shirt.  I also bought a black beanie and a pair of black gloves.  I got all of this at Target for less than $12.  I thought that I would buy some shiny material that would make the pieces on the shirt and pants look like it was actually a shield.  And honestly, I had no idea what a "Shadow Trooper" looked like, but I know what a "Storm Trooper" looks like, so I basically pictured that but only black.  I cut out pieces of the material and sewed them directly onto the shirt and pants.  I thought that they would look more realistic if i put a little bit of stuffing under the material.  Well, apparently, I stuffed it too much because my poor little boy all of a sudden got a really good size package in his pants thanks to his momma.  Needless to say, I got rid of the stuffing and decided to just go with the material. 

Then came the fun part of his costume, the mask.  I new all along that I was going to do a paper mache mask but I had no idea how I was going to do it.  I bought some plaster material from Micheal's.  It is material that already has plaster dried onto it, so all you have to do is get it wet and then go from there.  I bought some balloons, even though I only needed one and blew it up.  I then took a cheap mask from Wal-mart or the dollar store and placed it onto the balloon.  Then I began applying the plaster.  After it dried, I added a toilet paper roll to tweak the mask.  CX said that it looked right, I had no idea, but if he thought it was good, I was okay with it.  Then I baked the mask to make sure the plaster was completely dried and spray painted it black.  I painted a little bit of silver details onto it and there you have it.  A shadow trooper.  CX thought that it was awesome, but didn't enjoy wearing it that much.  Said that it smelled funny and that little bits of plaster kept getting into his eyes.  Without the mask he looked like a cat burglar.

Then came me, Wilma.  I made it one night very late at night and man, if you have never sewn with fur (faux) don't, it is a furry pain.  I had white fur floating all over the place.  It was in my hair, my eyes, all over the place.  I kept trying the piece on, pinning, taking it off, sewing, trying on, pinning, taking off, sewing......You get the idea.  I don't think that I could explain how I did it, I don't even know that I was completely awake when I was working on it.  Anyway, I was pretty pleased with how it turned out.  I hadn't made the necklace yet, but a friend of mine said that she had the perfect necklace for Wilma.  So, here is a picture of all of us.

 I was pretty pleased with the outcome and Lil sis is already talking about what she wants to be for next year.  Well, if she comes up with something soon I will have plenty of time to get it done before next year.