25 days until Fenna leaves us. But, I'm not counting down. I refuse!
What an amazing year! It isn't over yet, this is not a goodbye post nor a recap at the end type of post. Just a reflection and a wish that the last month will stretch into long happy days that will become wonderful memories.
We did a lot this year, and we would have done these things anyway but having an exchange student to share our experiences with made all of our adventures much more enjoyable. I'm trying to think of all the places we went and I know the list is pretty long, but just winging it here I know we hit up quite a few tourist spots and places of interest.
Disneyland
Knotts Berry Farm
SeaWorld
San Diego Zoo
San Diego Safari Park
Queen Califia's Magical Garden
Balboa Park
Oceanside Beach
Mission Beach
La Jolla Beach
Scripps Birch Aquarium
La Jolla Mall
Escondido Mall
Temecula Mall
Lake Elsinore Outlet Mall
Dos Lagos
Corona Crossings
Seaport Village
Lake Skinner
Pumpkin Farm
Blueberry Farm
Lots and lots of parks and playgrounds
And, of course, our big roadtrip to Las Vegas, Montana and Wyoming.
We are not done!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
New Addition to our Family - A Grandpa!
On our recent visit to Wyoming (seems like ages ago already but it was only a month ago), Libby adopted a Grandpa. We're all very excited for her and for him too! It's not easy to find just the right man to be an adopted Grandpa, but she did a mighty fine job.
One of the highlights of our trip was a visit with the host-parents of Fenna's mom. In case you missed the connection earlier, Fenna's mom was an exchange student in my high school during my senior year and we became friends. Of course I know her host family, everyone knows everyone in a town that size! The town is actually kind of large as far as Montana towns go, population is right around 3,000 and it sits on 1.5 square acres of land. Yup, a town like that, nobody needs nametags.
We were invited to lunch in Fenna's Mom's Former Host-parent's home. Let's just call them Ron and Katy and make the storytelling easier to type. Ron asked us about our trip and I told him we were going to see "The Grandmas" later that day. The Grandmas are my mom and my grandma. Libby said something about seeing Grandma and Great Grandma. Somehow or another conversation rolled around to mentioning that The Grandmas are Libby's only grandparents. She told Ron that she doesn't have a Grandpa.
Ron and Katy have a wonderful family of their own with lots of grandchildren. If I remember what they said, most of their grandchildren are teenagers now. They are people with big hearts and welcomed Fenna and Libby into their fold.
Fenna fits in as their grandchild since Fenna's mom was their "daughter" for a year. The connection was easy enough. Libby piped up and said Fenna is her sister. Ron was all smiles as he offered to be the Grandpa for Libby and Fenna. Katy was beaming too. He got down on Libby's level and asked her if she wanted a Grandpa, he would volunteer. She was super excited! The rest of our visit, she called him Grandpa every chance she got. Every time she said it, he beamed even brighter!
Now, Libby has a Grandpa. He made sure that I wrote down our address and her birthday so he could fulfill his Grandpa duties from afar. Fenna has a new set of Grandparents too. What a great visit! Lunch and grandparent adoptions all in one!
One of the highlights of our trip was a visit with the host-parents of Fenna's mom. In case you missed the connection earlier, Fenna's mom was an exchange student in my high school during my senior year and we became friends. Of course I know her host family, everyone knows everyone in a town that size! The town is actually kind of large as far as Montana towns go, population is right around 3,000 and it sits on 1.5 square acres of land. Yup, a town like that, nobody needs nametags.
We were invited to lunch in Fenna's Mom's Former Host-parent's home. Let's just call them Ron and Katy and make the storytelling easier to type. Ron asked us about our trip and I told him we were going to see "The Grandmas" later that day. The Grandmas are my mom and my grandma. Libby said something about seeing Grandma and Great Grandma. Somehow or another conversation rolled around to mentioning that The Grandmas are Libby's only grandparents. She told Ron that she doesn't have a Grandpa.
Ron and Katy have a wonderful family of their own with lots of grandchildren. If I remember what they said, most of their grandchildren are teenagers now. They are people with big hearts and welcomed Fenna and Libby into their fold.
Fenna fits in as their grandchild since Fenna's mom was their "daughter" for a year. The connection was easy enough. Libby piped up and said Fenna is her sister. Ron was all smiles as he offered to be the Grandpa for Libby and Fenna. Katy was beaming too. He got down on Libby's level and asked her if she wanted a Grandpa, he would volunteer. She was super excited! The rest of our visit, she called him Grandpa every chance she got. Every time she said it, he beamed even brighter!
Now, Libby has a Grandpa. He made sure that I wrote down our address and her birthday so he could fulfill his Grandpa duties from afar. Fenna has a new set of Grandparents too. What a great visit! Lunch and grandparent adoptions all in one!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Color Blocked Tshirt Dress
Gracie's cute little red-headed friend just turned 5 and had her birthday party. The night before the party, my brain kicks into gear and I realized that I totally forgot to get a gift! Actually, I have a purple princess sundress cut out in her size and was just going to sew that together for her, but I forgot that I did that too. Forgetting can be disastrous, but in this case it was just an opportunity to get creative and fast.
Recently, I bought some cheap Tshirts at Walmart, some were on clearance and some were just cheap Tshirts from the boy section. I looked through my Tshirt stash and decided to make the birthday girl a dress to play in. I chose a black Tshirt and a bright lime green one. They looked loud and happy together.
I cut the black Tshirt up the sides and gave it an A-line dress shape, then cut sleeves from the lime green. I cut four strips off the green to be used as a ruffled skirt and sewed it all up on the serger. The serger is complicated to thread and I had white thread in it, so I made a lazy but time saving decision to make this dress with white thread. There won't be any doubt that it is handmade and not from the store!
I don't know if I like the end product. It looked too big even though I cut it down to a size 4. I feel like the ruffles could have been spaced better and the colors suddenly looked awful by the time I was done. My husband said he loved it and he suggested that maybe I didn't like it because I don't like that color of green. He's right, I don't like this green color one bit. But, it matched and it might look pretty good with her strawberry locks.
When the birthday girl opened her gift, she loved it! I was so glad that she did. I still don't love it, but I'm not going to wear it so my opinion shouldn't really matter. Hopefully it will fit and she can run and play and get dirty in a fun and comfy Tshirt dress.
Recently, I bought some cheap Tshirts at Walmart, some were on clearance and some were just cheap Tshirts from the boy section. I looked through my Tshirt stash and decided to make the birthday girl a dress to play in. I chose a black Tshirt and a bright lime green one. They looked loud and happy together.
I cut the black Tshirt up the sides and gave it an A-line dress shape, then cut sleeves from the lime green. I cut four strips off the green to be used as a ruffled skirt and sewed it all up on the serger. The serger is complicated to thread and I had white thread in it, so I made a lazy but time saving decision to make this dress with white thread. There won't be any doubt that it is handmade and not from the store!
I don't know if I like the end product. It looked too big even though I cut it down to a size 4. I feel like the ruffles could have been spaced better and the colors suddenly looked awful by the time I was done. My husband said he loved it and he suggested that maybe I didn't like it because I don't like that color of green. He's right, I don't like this green color one bit. But, it matched and it might look pretty good with her strawberry locks.
When the birthday girl opened her gift, she loved it! I was so glad that she did. I still don't love it, but I'm not going to wear it so my opinion shouldn't really matter. Hopefully it will fit and she can run and play and get dirty in a fun and comfy Tshirt dress.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Home made baby carriers
My daughter, Katie, made her own baby carrier. She's been using it often. Baby Hank is very comfy and she says it is easy and comfortable to wear. Awesome!
Katie made her carrier out of a beach bag and an old sheet. She held the beach bag up to the baby to measure the seat and then she made the straps as long as the sheets were. No measuring in inches or any standard measuring unit, she eyeballed it and just went with what looked just about right.
For winging it, she made an awesome carrier!
Katie and little Hank came to visit and she forgot to take her carrier home with her. Ah ha! I have a pattern! Unlike Katie, I'm not so great at just eyeballing things and winging it. I like to have measurements or at least some idea of what I'm doing. I measured her carrier and figured out how she attached the straps, in which direction each strap came off the seat, etc. And then I went searching through the house for supplies.
I found one of my husband's favorite lined flannel shirts, which is old, faded and too small, plus the lining shrunk funny and it's crooked inside the shirt. It'll do nicely! My husband might not think it's a good idea, but he will get over it sooner or later.
I cut the back of the shirt for the carrier seat. I made it 18.5 x 20". I decided to take one of the front pockets and place it in the upper center of the seat just for fun.
For the straps, I dug into my stash. I was hoping to find some light denim or something that I could use. I was afraid I'd have to go to the fabric store for a couple of yards of coordinating strap fabric. Luckily, I found 2 yards of something I've had forever. I can't remember when or why I bought it. It is a heavier broadcloth with a ticking pattern. It isn't heavy enough to be considered ticking though, nor is it denim, but it was in the stash and it was going to match up enough. Stipes and plaid? Ohhh, yeah, baby!
I serged around the edges of the seat and the pocket to keep the quilted flannel nice and neat. Then I sewed the pocket on just along its edges. I added some length to the straps; Katie's straps were 80" and I made mine 100". I cut out three pieces of 9" x100" of the stripes. I ironed the folds and sewed the long straps on.
My three year old wanted to help sew. Never too young to learn a great hobby!
Katie used a beach tote for her carrier so the top edge of her carrier seat was already finished. I wish I would have thought of that before I put the straps on, but I didn't have that kind of foresight today. I realized it after the straps were on. I made a piece of bias and a long belt-loop and sewed those across the top of the carrier. It would have been nice to have the top bias tucked under the straps but I think it's ok just butted up to each other since this is an experimental project. The loop is for toys or a pacifier or whatever the baby wants to bring along. My kids are famous for dropping stuff and I usually groan because I don't want to pick it up.
In less than half a day, I was done! This included inspiration, gathering supplies, cutting and sewing! Amazing!
To test it, I had to stick my little helper in and give her a ride. But then, I thought I'd really test those seams and that old fabric. I put my 53 pound 6 year old in the carrier and gave her a ride on my back too. It was amazingly comfortable! She was comfortable too, although she was nervous at first. I didn't leave her in it long, just long enough to gallop around the house like a horse for a bit and step outside and take a picture in decent light.
I think little Hank will enjoy it and Katie might like having a spare. I enjoyed a sewing day.
Katie made her carrier out of a beach bag and an old sheet. She held the beach bag up to the baby to measure the seat and then she made the straps as long as the sheets were. No measuring in inches or any standard measuring unit, she eyeballed it and just went with what looked just about right.
For winging it, she made an awesome carrier!
Katie and little Hank came to visit and she forgot to take her carrier home with her. Ah ha! I have a pattern! Unlike Katie, I'm not so great at just eyeballing things and winging it. I like to have measurements or at least some idea of what I'm doing. I measured her carrier and figured out how she attached the straps, in which direction each strap came off the seat, etc. And then I went searching through the house for supplies.
I found one of my husband's favorite lined flannel shirts, which is old, faded and too small, plus the lining shrunk funny and it's crooked inside the shirt. It'll do nicely! My husband might not think it's a good idea, but he will get over it sooner or later.
I cut the back of the shirt for the carrier seat. I made it 18.5 x 20". I decided to take one of the front pockets and place it in the upper center of the seat just for fun.
For the straps, I dug into my stash. I was hoping to find some light denim or something that I could use. I was afraid I'd have to go to the fabric store for a couple of yards of coordinating strap fabric. Luckily, I found 2 yards of something I've had forever. I can't remember when or why I bought it. It is a heavier broadcloth with a ticking pattern. It isn't heavy enough to be considered ticking though, nor is it denim, but it was in the stash and it was going to match up enough. Stipes and plaid? Ohhh, yeah, baby!
I serged around the edges of the seat and the pocket to keep the quilted flannel nice and neat. Then I sewed the pocket on just along its edges. I added some length to the straps; Katie's straps were 80" and I made mine 100". I cut out three pieces of 9" x100" of the stripes. I ironed the folds and sewed the long straps on.
My three year old wanted to help sew. Never too young to learn a great hobby!
Katie used a beach tote for her carrier so the top edge of her carrier seat was already finished. I wish I would have thought of that before I put the straps on, but I didn't have that kind of foresight today. I realized it after the straps were on. I made a piece of bias and a long belt-loop and sewed those across the top of the carrier. It would have been nice to have the top bias tucked under the straps but I think it's ok just butted up to each other since this is an experimental project. The loop is for toys or a pacifier or whatever the baby wants to bring along. My kids are famous for dropping stuff and I usually groan because I don't want to pick it up.
In less than half a day, I was done! This included inspiration, gathering supplies, cutting and sewing! Amazing!
To test it, I had to stick my little helper in and give her a ride. But then, I thought I'd really test those seams and that old fabric. I put my 53 pound 6 year old in the carrier and gave her a ride on my back too. It was amazingly comfortable! She was comfortable too, although she was nervous at first. I didn't leave her in it long, just long enough to gallop around the house like a horse for a bit and step outside and take a picture in decent light.
I think little Hank will enjoy it and Katie might like having a spare. I enjoyed a sewing day.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Happy Birthday and Happy Mothers' Day
Happy Birthday to my grandma! A few days ago she turned 104 years old. She's amazing. She still lives independently on her ranch in Wyoming. She has a good life and I hope to be as healthy as she is when I'm 50.
104 years old is hard to comprehend. When my Grandma was born (in the same little town where she lives now), Teddy Roosevelt was President and the Ford Model T went on the market.
She shares a birth-year with Jimmy Stewart, Buddy Ebsen, Ian Fleming, Milton Berle, Max Grundig, Helene Boucher and a long list of other long gone famous favorites.
When my grandma was just 4 years old, the Titanic sank. Mother's Day was declared a national holiday, and the Girl Scouts was founded.
She was 12 years old when the 19th amendment passed and women were granted the right to vote. When she was 19 the first talking movie, The Jazz Singer, came out. A year later, Mickey Mouse's first movie "Steamboat Willie" was released.
1930 was the year she got married to my grandpa. Great guy and a lucky man. The rest is history as they say.
Happy Birthday to you, Grandma!
Happy Mothers' Day too! I am always so busy being a mom that I am not a very good daughter. I have Mother's Day cards sitting here but I didn't get them to the post office. I doubt they will arrive by yesterday if I haven't mailed them yet! My appreciation for my mom and my grandma is not lessened by my lack of postal skills.
My mom is amazing. I remember as a kid that she worked, and she worked a lot, but she was always home with us. Not sure how she managed that, but it is every mama's dream to balance it all and I feel like my mom did but I cannot for the life of me figure out how. After years and years of waiting tables she became a librarian. Now, she's a retired social butterfly.
We were always busy. My mom had more stuff for us to do than any teacher I ever had in school. We had projects and activities all the time. Mom had a special tablecloth; it was a plastic picnic cloth with Raggedy Ann and Andy printed on it. It was also covered in paint, glitter, glue, and all sorts of stains from our fun. You just knew it was going to be a good day when Mom got out the Raggedy Ann tablecloth!
My mom and my grandma are both widows now and they pal around together. They are always busy going places, meeting with friends, visiting, celebrating one thing after another, and planning more fun. We're all pretty excited to go visit again this summer. We'll celebrate birthdays, Mother's Day, and Christmas all at once on a non-holiday. Every day is a good one with my mom and grandma!
104 years old is hard to comprehend. When my Grandma was born (in the same little town where she lives now), Teddy Roosevelt was President and the Ford Model T went on the market.
She shares a birth-year with Jimmy Stewart, Buddy Ebsen, Ian Fleming, Milton Berle, Max Grundig, Helene Boucher and a long list of other long gone famous favorites.
When my grandma was just 4 years old, the Titanic sank. Mother's Day was declared a national holiday, and the Girl Scouts was founded.
She was 12 years old when the 19th amendment passed and women were granted the right to vote. When she was 19 the first talking movie, The Jazz Singer, came out. A year later, Mickey Mouse's first movie "Steamboat Willie" was released.
1930 was the year she got married to my grandpa. Great guy and a lucky man. The rest is history as they say.
Happy Birthday to you, Grandma!
Happy Mothers' Day too! I am always so busy being a mom that I am not a very good daughter. I have Mother's Day cards sitting here but I didn't get them to the post office. I doubt they will arrive by yesterday if I haven't mailed them yet! My appreciation for my mom and my grandma is not lessened by my lack of postal skills.
My mom is amazing. I remember as a kid that she worked, and she worked a lot, but she was always home with us. Not sure how she managed that, but it is every mama's dream to balance it all and I feel like my mom did but I cannot for the life of me figure out how. After years and years of waiting tables she became a librarian. Now, she's a retired social butterfly.
We were always busy. My mom had more stuff for us to do than any teacher I ever had in school. We had projects and activities all the time. Mom had a special tablecloth; it was a plastic picnic cloth with Raggedy Ann and Andy printed on it. It was also covered in paint, glitter, glue, and all sorts of stains from our fun. You just knew it was going to be a good day when Mom got out the Raggedy Ann tablecloth!
My mom and my grandma are both widows now and they pal around together. They are always busy going places, meeting with friends, visiting, celebrating one thing after another, and planning more fun. We're all pretty excited to go visit again this summer. We'll celebrate birthdays, Mother's Day, and Christmas all at once on a non-holiday. Every day is a good one with my mom and grandma!
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Embarking on a New Adventure
I am going to begin a new sewing venture. I've had so many requests from friends and online friends and passers-by about the princess costumes and sundresses that I've made for my daughters. The girls love their pretty princess dresses, and they've held up pretty well. After some thought, hopefully it was rational thought but it's probably not, I decided to sew for fun and profit. Shocking, I know!
Ever since I sewed bridesmaid dresses (plus others) for my sister's wedding back in 1998, I made it a rule to never sew for others. That wedding did me in! I said yes so quickly and the project was bigger than I imagined. Sewing for others, especially for money, makes me very nervous! Luckily, my sister let me sew the dresses as a wedding gift and I didn't have to worry quite as much (I was nervous enough as it was!). If I sew for someone who is paying me, I want every stitch to be perfect, the fabric to hang just right, all the seams and corners to match up, and I want the person buying to be happy with what I can do. See, I am crazy for thinking I can make a buck sewing princess costumes and sell them!
After cruising around through etsy, an online home-sales shopping site, I see that a lot of people are sewing for profit and honestly, I think I do just as well at the sewing machine as most of them.
Let's face it, I am motivated. Our Disneyland passes expired and I'm having withdrawals. I love that place! For the cheapest passes, we have to fork over $700. Ouch. I can't do that without guilt. But, if I earn the money making and selling cute little princess dresses, I can shed that guilt and get passes again! I think I can!
First, I need to buy a big fat pile of pretty fabrics. And, I need my sewing machine and my serger serviced. They both need work on the timing and tension, who knows what else. This isn't a cheap thing to have done and it is supposed to be done annually.
Hopefully, I can at least make and sell enough princess dresses to cover the startup costs and the servicing of my machines. Then I hope to have lots of spare time (while my kids are happy and my house is clean) to sew up enough dresses to earn Disneyland passes. I'd like to get new passes at the end of August after the season pass summer blockout is over. Plus, I really would love to spend more time making and designing pretty dresses. I have some great ideas! Sounds ideal, right?
Now, I really think the hard part will be finding the time to fabric shop, cut and sew the costumes. I am pretty sure I can sell them since I have been encouraged to do so for years so I'm not too worried about that, a little bit, but not too much. I am worried that people will be happy with the price and the fit and the fabric and the whatever... Every business has their grumpy customer, maybe that's what I'm afraid of. Knowing me, I'll take it personally if someone isn't satisfied, but I have to remember that it is sure to happen at least once just like in any other business.
I've convinced myself to go forward with this crazy idea and actually do it! So, what should I call my little dress-making business? Hmmm.... I'm thinking. Suggestions are welcome.
Ever since I sewed bridesmaid dresses (plus others) for my sister's wedding back in 1998, I made it a rule to never sew for others. That wedding did me in! I said yes so quickly and the project was bigger than I imagined. Sewing for others, especially for money, makes me very nervous! Luckily, my sister let me sew the dresses as a wedding gift and I didn't have to worry quite as much (I was nervous enough as it was!). If I sew for someone who is paying me, I want every stitch to be perfect, the fabric to hang just right, all the seams and corners to match up, and I want the person buying to be happy with what I can do. See, I am crazy for thinking I can make a buck sewing princess costumes and sell them!
After cruising around through etsy, an online home-sales shopping site, I see that a lot of people are sewing for profit and honestly, I think I do just as well at the sewing machine as most of them.
Let's face it, I am motivated. Our Disneyland passes expired and I'm having withdrawals. I love that place! For the cheapest passes, we have to fork over $700. Ouch. I can't do that without guilt. But, if I earn the money making and selling cute little princess dresses, I can shed that guilt and get passes again! I think I can!
First, I need to buy a big fat pile of pretty fabrics. And, I need my sewing machine and my serger serviced. They both need work on the timing and tension, who knows what else. This isn't a cheap thing to have done and it is supposed to be done annually.
Hopefully, I can at least make and sell enough princess dresses to cover the startup costs and the servicing of my machines. Then I hope to have lots of spare time (while my kids are happy and my house is clean) to sew up enough dresses to earn Disneyland passes. I'd like to get new passes at the end of August after the season pass summer blockout is over. Plus, I really would love to spend more time making and designing pretty dresses. I have some great ideas! Sounds ideal, right?
Now, I really think the hard part will be finding the time to fabric shop, cut and sew the costumes. I am pretty sure I can sell them since I have been encouraged to do so for years so I'm not too worried about that, a little bit, but not too much. I am worried that people will be happy with the price and the fit and the fabric and the whatever... Every business has their grumpy customer, maybe that's what I'm afraid of. Knowing me, I'll take it personally if someone isn't satisfied, but I have to remember that it is sure to happen at least once just like in any other business.
I've convinced myself to go forward with this crazy idea and actually do it! So, what should I call my little dress-making business? Hmmm.... I'm thinking. Suggestions are welcome.
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