Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Pumpkin Patch

Garrett & Gracen got to go on a field trip in October to the Pumpkin Patch. I went along for fun. Here is a sampling of the photos...











Garrett's 2nd grade class...

Gracen's 4-year-old preschool class...



Losing Teeth

Not only is G. losing teeth, but so is the Girlie!

Gracen has had a couple of loose teeth for quite a while now. Finally, one was lying on it's side so she asked Grandma Marsha to pull them for her. (I think they were getting in the way of her sucking her thumb!) I was substitute teaching that day so I didn't get to see it, but apparently she was a VERY brave girl. Only two tiny little tears when Grandma pulled the tooth that wasn't as loose as the other.

Grandma is the only "dentist" I know who PAYS her patients! She gave Gracen $2. Gracen also received $1 from the Tooth Fairy--$0.50 for each tooth. Gracen is so happy to have the loose teeth out of her mouth. I secretly think it's because she now has the perfect slot for her thumb. :o)


Saturday, October 25, 2008

The Crappiest Blogger Award Goes to...

ME! Yeah, I suck at blogging. Seriously. There's nothing all that interesting or exciting going on in our lives it seems. That's probably good because I really don't care for a lot of of upheaval. A boring life makes for a boring blog, but oh well! All the daily stuff takes up most of my/our time so there's not much left for other stuff. I'll get you caught up anyway.

Garrett is almost 8 and in 2nd grade. He's doing very well in school and seems to like his teacher. She's a pretty tough cookie and really seems picky about keeping the kids in line. That's good! Garrett is a really good kid.

Gracen just turned 5 last Friday. She's in 4-year-old preschool every afternoon 11 to 3. I take her at 11 for lunch and she's old enough now to ride the bus home from school. Saves Mommy an extra trip to town! Yay! She's so funny. She says she can't recognize certain letters like "r" and "e" even though they are in her name which she can write really well! Doesn't make sense to me, but maybe she's just being stubborn and silly. She loves going to school so that's great! She already has two loose bottom teeth and one of the bottom permanent teeth coming in. Garrett was almost 7 before he started losing teeth. Gracen is a good kid, too, but she sometimes has those "I want what I want when I want it" moments that kids her age often have.

We're in the midst of harvest right now...except it keeps raining so there's not much harvesting going on! Matt has been roaming the house the past few days bored out of his mind (he kept the kids for me yesterday but I think he was bored even though he did stuff with them). Harvest is something he's always excited to tackle and likes to keep the momentum going so it gets done. Hard to do when you don't have control over the weather.

Me, well, I've been so busy with everyday stuff that there's not much time for extras. I don't seem to accomplish much between taking Gracen to school and the kids getting home except for eating lunch, doing Bible study, and showering.

My mom's group is doing a very interesting, intensive Bible study that takes some time every day. It's Beth Moore's A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place. It's just...WOW! I definitely recommend it.

I have been completely lax on sewing anything lately! It's so sad! I have a couple of projects I'd like to do, but I just haven't had the time and gumption to start them. It's pitiful. Maybe I'll get back in the swing of sewing later this fall and winter when it'll be more difficult to get outside. Whenever it's been nice out, I've tried to get the kids outside to play and ride their 4-wheelers because I know that time is running short for that stuff.

I've been trying to work on my photography knowledge and skills, but it's slow going. I really should make a better effort at posting my photos here for feedback as I know that would help me. I'm rather lazy about getting my photos onto the computer and getting them processed in a timely fashion. Heck, we went to Maine this summer and I'm still not done editing them! Ugh! I'd really like to have an album made with those photos.

I've done a few casual photo shoots with the kids lately, although Gracen isn't really gung-ho about being my model. My sister and brother-in-law also graciously let me take their portraits last weekend when they were here for Gracen's birthday. I'll show you a few of some of the better ones. Feel free to post your opinions!





I hope your autumn is going wonderfully! Blessing to you!

Monday, May 5, 2008

A Boy & His New Toy

Not much time for blogging lately, so this is a quicky. Check out what Garrett got yesterday...



He LOVES it and has taken to driving it like a duck to water! Gracen is dying to ride with him but we want him to have more practice on it first. I've taken her for several rides so she's gotten her turn. It's a fun little thing!

Monday, April 28, 2008

Can't Live Without It

We are such a TV-watching family. It's ridiculous really. We only have two TVs, but do you think we could live with only one? Nooo. A couple of weeks ago the TV in our living room died on us. We promptly went to Wal-Mart that same night and bought a new one. Kinda of pathetic that we can't even go overnight without a TV in our living room, but it's the truth. We bought a 32" flat screen LCD TV and it's very nice.


The new TV didn't fill up the hole in the entertainment center, so I, of course, felt the need to get something different. We stopped by a local furniture store and lo and behold! The exact thing I was wanting! I love this new console! I need to find some better boxes or baskets for our DVDs, but here's what it looks like. (Please excuse the photo, it's not the greatest, but you get the gist.)



Friday, April 4, 2008

Gauchos!!

The gauchos are finally done! It's about time, huh? Let's have a little parade to celebrate. LOL!



This is a Threads Magazine Collection pattern for boot leg pants in two lengths, city shorts, wide leg pants, and gauchos. The sizes are misses' 6-14 with a petite alteration option. The pattern includes "perfect fit techniques" as well. I liked the waistband of these pants as well as the bootcut look, so I made View D, the gauchos and used the petite length.

Having never made pants before, I agonized over what size to cut. I finally decided to cut a size 12 waistband, a size 12 for the top 3 inches or so of the pants, then tapered to a size 10 at the low hip and legs. In hindsight, I possibly could've pulled off a size 10 or even a 12 may have looked nice. I ended up taking in the waistband quite a bit more than I expected and it is still quite roomy. I wasted too much time trying to decide what size to make when probably either one would've been OK.

I made these gauchos out of some black cotton wrinkle-resistant pant fabric I found at Wal-Mart. I'm sure I'll have to deal with lint, but you almost always do with black pants anyway.

These pants went together surprisingly easy! I was surprised at how good the pattern instructions were. They didn't assume you know everything about sewing pants and were pretty darn good about leading you through step by step. The waistband pieces can be confusing, but if you mark which side is which, etc. you should be OK. (Also, don't take 5 months to make the things and you won't forget where you're at in the process!)

I did have some problems with the fly. The instructions for making the fly and inserting the zipper were pretty good even though I had a hard time seeing how it all fit together before doing it. However, once I was getting toward the end and was sewing the crotch/back seam, I ran into problems with getting the bottom of the zipper to lie flat and not pucker. I don't know about you, but I don't particularly need to draw attention to my crotch with a puckered zipper! So, after many seam-rippings and rebastings, my mom suggested that I take out part of the top-stitching on the front of the fly--basically the curve at the bottom. Then, I resewed the crotch/back seam and voila! A flat fly front! Next time, I'd like to try Sandra Betzina's flat fly front zipper directions, but at this point in the gaucho-making process, it just wasn't possible.


I'm happy with how these came out. I hope they last and I'll get some good use out of them. I have a blouse to make that just might look pretty darn cute with these, so sometime I'll get a good full-body pic of me dressed in them.

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Playing with the New Camera

I've been playing a bit with my new camera. Bottom line: I have a LOT to learn! I'll just keep studying, K? In the meantime, this one turned out pretty good...enjoy!


Cardio Coach Rocks!

I've been meaning to give a review of my new fave way to exercise--Cardio Coach! What is Cardio Coach? A quote from the website sums it up best:

Cardio Coach™ is an audio guided workout program designed for anybody, at any fitness level and for any type of exercise machine (running & walking too).

I first read about Cardio Coach on a Yahoo group for Firmies quite some time ago. At the time, it sounded interesting, but I didn't own any type of cardio equipment, no iPod, and just couldn't do that sort of thing while pushing kids in a stroller up and down hills on a gravel road.

As you know, I recently got a treadmill AND bought an iPod Nano, so I took the plunge and bought Cardio Coach's Volume 1. I LOVE having this guy in my ear telling me what to do! It has encouraged me to push myself to see how fast I can run during some of those challenges. It's great to have focus during my treadmill workouts instead of just walking along at whatever pace I choose (and that would be slower than what I do with Cardio Coach). This guy is better at pushing me than I am at pushing myself. I also get a better workout in a shorter amount of time and as a busy mom, you know I'm all about getting my workout over and done!

Click to see specific info on Cardio Coach's Volume 1 workout. This includes time duration, type of music, equipment suggestions, and descriptions of each track (warm up, steady state, challenges, cool down).

The music is OK. It's all instrumental, sometimes inspirational during challenges, but nothing I'm really excited about. That's fine with me because listening to the music isn't really what I'm focused on anyway. It is as it should be--background that goes with what I'm doing at the time.

I'm still Firming, but I've been using Cardio Coach on the treadmill on one of my cardio days instead of doing a Firm DVD. I definitely think there's room for my ole Firm faves and my new Cardio Coach fave!

If you're getting bored with your current workout and would like to try something interesting, check this out! I highly recommend it and I'll definitely be buying some more Cardio Coach, too.

Friday, March 28, 2008

New Camera!

I have wanted a DSLR camera for SO long and I finally got one! I bought a used Canon Rebel XT from someone I know online using the money I earned by substitute teaching. I've had it since Tues. (today being Fri.) and I haven't had much time to play with it, but here are a couple of decent ones I got of my cuties.


Matt and Gracen have been sick again this week. I don't know why we can't shake the sickies, but it's getting really annoying!

I've actually done a bit of sewing! I'm getting ever-closer to finishing those gauchos. I had to have some help on the fly portion, but I think they'll work. Need to finish up the closures, then hem them. Don't you worry! I'll be posting some pics and a review once they are done!

We hope you have a wonderful weekend!


Friday, February 22, 2008

Winter Blahs or Laziness?

We have had ENOUGH of winter here in NW MO! We have hardly seen bare ground since December. It's been so snowy and cold here that no one can accomplish anything outside. Heck, I can't seem to accomplish anything inside either. We're just all seriously lacking motivation. But maybe we're just lazy! LOL!

What's been going on here?
  • Illness--We all got the respiratory flu, or something like it, during the first full week of February. I have not been that sick in a very long time. It was awful and lasted a full week for the kids and I. Matt came down with it first on Sat., then the kids and I had it on Mon. Poor Matt had to take care of the rest of us even though he still felt fairly bad, too. Almost 3 weeks later, we're *still* recovering from it. I was even sick on my birthday and we were unable to celebrate. Oh well, I'm probably past the age where birthdays are really necessary to celebrate. LOL! Luckily, Garrett didn't miss much school because we got some snow that week as well.

  • Eyes--I've had a roller coaster month with my eyes. I'm very, very nearsighted and have worn glasses since 2nd grade and rigid gas permeable (RGP) contacts since I was 11. My last pair of contacts were 12 years old and were starting to bother me. I looked into participating in a study for P-IOLs (phakic intra-ocular lens implants). This is similar to cataract surgery, but the natural lens is not removed from the eye and another, corrective lens is implanted to improve vision. I had decided to go for it. Eye surgery requires that contacts not be worn for several weeks prior to surgery. For me, I had to be without my RGPs for 3 weeks, have an initial exam, have a 2nd exam a week later, then plan the surgeries on my eyes--so up to 7 weeks in glasses. The eyes need to go back to their natural shape, esp. when you've worn RGPS for as long as I have.

    I spent the week we were sick in my glasses. It was TERRIBLE! I couldn't see worth a darn and felt like my glasses were keeping me sicker than I ordinarily would've been. I gave up on Sat. and put my contacts back in. I decided that it's not worth the torture of wearing glasses I can't see with or drive in. I've gotten along with contacts just fine for most of my life, so they aren't that much of a hardship for me. Plus, I think I was jumping into the surgery too quickly.

    I went to the eye doctor the next week and was told that the reason I can't see with my glasses is because they are TOO STRONG! Huh?! I was totally shocked, but it makes sense why it seemed so hard to focus on things far away. Crazy! Currently, I'm trying out some extended wear soft contact lenses and I'm liking them. The first set I wasn't getting great vision with, but this second set that I got this Thurs. are great! Great vision, but I can feel the left one a little bit too much sometimes. Have another appointment next Wed. to see if these are going to work for me and then the eye doc will write me a Rx. Lots o' driving to Chillicothe for this, but I'm sure it'll be worth it in the end.

    I haven't completely given up on eye surgery for sometime in the future, but I just don't think now is the time. We'll see what technology brings down the road.

  • Substitute Teaching--I've been substitute teaching a bit this month. I'm saving my paychecks to possibly purchase a Canon Rebel DSLR. Since I don't have all the money for a camera yet, I'm trying to learn more about the operation of DSLR cameras and more about photography in general. I'm reading Quick Snap Guide to Digital SLR Photography. Study, study!

  • Visiting Family--We visited my family last weekend and had a lovely time. My parents bought the kids bunk beds so they wouldn't have to share a bed anymore. They are sleeping so much better because they aren't kicking and pulling the covers off of each other. LOL! Gracen's loud thumb-sucking one night ran Matt out of the bedroom (the bunk beds and a double bed are in my old bedroom, so the kids, Matt, & I all sleep in the same room) and to the couch! I thought it was pretty funny!

    My parents, sister, & BIL got me some new FIRM workouts that I asked for. I haven't done them all yet, but I like them so far! Thanks, folks!

  • Treadmills & iPods--Since this winter has been so yucky, I have been stuck inside to workout. I love my FIRM workouts, but I do like to walk/jog every now and again. It's been either too cold/snowy/windy or too muddy to get outside for exercise. Plus, the kids together will weigh too much for the double jogger stroller once the weather gets better. Garrett is just too big for it anyway, but he's not yet experienced enough to ride his bike alongside me on our hilly gravel roads around here. Now would be the perfect time to get a treadmill. After much research and looking around, I had decided on a one. The very day I was going to go pick it up, Matt called and said that his aunt and uncle will give us theirs! We're supposed to get it this weekend. How wonderful is that?!

    To go along with the treadmill, I've been looking the past couple of weeks at MP3 players. I tell ya, there is a dazzling array of these things available. They also do a lot more than just play music if you spend only a tiny bit more money on them. First, I bought a cheapy ILO brand (or something) at Wal-Mart. It wouldn't even turn on! Returned it. Then, bought a Memorex at Target. Got it home and saw that it got awful reviews on Amazon and Target.com. Gonna return it. After researching and agonizing and agonizing and researching, I bought a 4GB Apple iPod Nano. It's more money than I originally wanted to spend, but I figure the whole family can benefit from it--we can listen to audiobooks in the car on long drives or the kids can watch videos on it. I plan to use it when I'm on the treadmill. I'm going to purchase Cardio Coach to do some training. I haven't tried CC yet, but I've heard good things. I also miss listening to Dr. Laura since she's not on the radio around here anymore, so I'm going to try subscribing to her podcasts. I'm also going to start exploring the wide world of digital media--there are lots of free mommy podcasts on iTunes, podcasts for kids, videos, movies, music--lots of stuff! It'll be fun to play with the iPod.

That's the majority of what we've been doing, I guess. I have a bag order that I need to complete before next Wed. I've had no time to work on my other sewing projects though. Thus we come back to the main question: Is it the winter blahs or laziness?

Friday, February 1, 2008

Photo Bag

Finally! My photo bag is finished. A client requested a photo bag to give as a gift this past Christmas, so I decided the best course of action to investigate the possibility was to make one for myself. I created the outside and was pleased with the results, so I went ahead with my customer's bag, and just recently finished my personal photo bag. I'll be adding the particulars to my Bumblebee Bags website in a bit here. Check out the pics:




In other fun news, we got broadband Internet access! It's fabulous so far! Hope I can post more often here.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Sad Times

The world's worst blogger award goes to me. I can't believe it's been almost 2 months since I've had a chance to blog. I wish I could say that the time has been happy and filled with fun, but it hasn't.

Previously, I asked for prayers for my ailing father-in-law (FIL for those who don't know these abbreviations). As many of you know, unfortunately, his illness was too great for him and he passed away on Monday evening, December 10, 2007. MIL was by his side and DH and his brother had spent the weekend with them. MIL says he went very peacefully just a few hours after being transferred from the hospital to a hospice in Kansas City. Basically, as the doctors were finishing up tests for the transplant, they found cancer at the last minute (Thurs., Dec. 6). They didn't know where it had started, but it was beginning to spread and that meant the transplant would not be possible. FIL refused dialysis on Friday and was gone by Monday. It's very bittersweet--we're glad he's not suffering anymore, but at age 59, he was entirely too young to die.

So followed a whirlwind couple of weeks. The weather was awful--icy, snowy, cold--and all MIL wanted was to get home. DH & her BIL got her home and we began to plan the memorial service. FIL asked to be cremated and his ashes buried in the cemetery, so that's what we did. We picked out a nice wooden box with a deer and mountain scene on it for the ashes and guest book and programs with a farm scene.

I tell ya, I've never helped plan a funeral before and it was a very odd experience. I knew DH needed me there with him and I was happy to go with them to the funeral home. In this particular funeral home, there is a whole area upstairs with urns on display, casket samples, guest book choices, etc. It wasn't too difficult to pick things out and we were pretty open as to how the service would go. Then, MIL had to pay for the memorial service and the other services being provided by the funeral right then and there! I was surprised because I figured that surely they would send you a bill later when everything is over and done with, but that's apparently not how it works. I'm not knocking how they do it--they are a business afterall--but I was just surprised that the bill had to be paid right away.

Once the memorial service was planned, we went to work finding photos to put on large boards. Since there was no body to view, we thought people would like to look at the photos. I thought I was going to have to do most of it, but FIL's sister flew in and did a much better job than I did. She was a lifesaver! We spent the rest of the week before the service visiting with family and friends, receiving TONS of food (and I'm not kidding--TONS of food!), and cleaning the house and garage. We were busy every day and one of those days our electricity was out for the entire day (that was an awful day for me, but I won't go into that)! Like I said the weather was awful and we were really lucky that our power was out only one day.

FIL's memorial service was Sunday afternoon, December 16, 2007. We had lunch at MIL's before the service. DH did pretty well during the service, but DS cried the entire time! Poor kid! I guess it wasn't very real to him until we were actually there. Afterward, we all went back to MIL's and visited with family and friends which was very nice.

We are all doing OK. DH & BIL know they can handle the farm themselves so that's a worry off of them, but it will take some time for it to really sink in that he's gone. I'm sure it's hardest on MIL who took care of him and was with him for almost 24 hours a day. We will all make it through because we have to. There are no other alternatives. And I know that we all will appreciate having MIL around more because she's the guys' right arm, my left arm, the kids' grandma, our babysitter, friend, and general good-sense-giving person!

Our Christmas was pretty subdued. We usually go to my parents' house for Christmas, but we decided to stay home and they and my sis & BIL came here. That was probably more work for me, but it was OK. We had a good time.

Once we got past Christmas, we've been bumps on a log. We haven't accomplished a darn thing really, but I suppose that's OK. We all needed some downtime. We have gotten more snow every few days and we've taken advantage of that when we can. It's been way too cold and windy to play outside the past fews days, although it's going to start warming up tomorrow and into the weekend. I don't think we've seen the ground for almost 3 weeks! The kids go back to school tomorrow and I think we're all anxious to get back to our normal routine.

I'm taking January off from bag-making and I hope to get caught up on some of my personal sewing projects. Still need to finish those gauchos, make a jacket, and I want to make a bag for myself for a change! I'll try to keep you updated.

Our family thanks all of you for your prayers, support, food, and anything else you did for us during the year FIL was ill and after his death. It really means a lot to us. BIG HUGS!!