Monday, January 28, 2008

Monday weigh in

Another 6 sticks of butter... I 'm sure being sick helped this one... I only exercised once this week!


Sunday, January 27, 2008

DAMMIT

I'm going to have to start vacuuming more often now!





Actually, this is about as far as he's gotten, he mostly is stuck in reverse and scooches himself backwards.



And falls over and rolls around....



He looks so shocked himself at his progress!




This has been a rough week.
Jimmy was sick. Mommy was sick. Jimmy didn't even want to "cheese" for the camera.



Joey was OK for most of it.


Quite cheerful, in fact. Happy boy as usual! * he just had a messy breakfast- hence the nekidness*


Seeing as we will need to vacuum more often, it is a good thing Jimmy conquered his fear of the machine and asks to vacuum, the freak! He even picks up his toys first so we can vacuum. Believe me I am riding this wave for all it's worth!


Jimmy also supervises Daddy vacuuming!



And then Joey got sick. Happy boy ran out of happy...

*Come on Joey, smile for Mama!*


See, Jimmy smiles for me!


Smile! Cheese! Cooochie coochie coochie!



Please baby, smile for Mama!



This is all he would give up. Scroll back up for Happy Boy and hope he feels better after his nap!

Friday, January 18, 2008

Kids? What kids?

Seriously, I haven't taken many pictures of the boys lately...
Jimmy is potty training and therefore bottomless most of the day and Joey has a cold / is teething and very cranky lately! Not good for pictures!

But I did complete another sewing project with my new machine. Without any swearing at all!
My kind of project.

Two taggie blankets for the two upcoming arrivals in the family.



Of course, Jimmy tested out the tags before they were sewn to make sure they were kiki worthy.

Can you tell I had fun buying ribbons?

Monday, January 14, 2008

More craftiness and potty training

I have been using a lot of pins in the quilt making endeavor and didn't have a very satisfactory place to store them.
I had been using this sheep tape measure, feeling baaa-d about every time I shoved another pin in his wool!



I don't remember where I got this idea, but I copied it quickly.

I even got all uber-sappy about using Grandma Rose's mug. In hindsight, she probably would have been laughing her butt off at me trying to figure out the sewing machine. Bobbin thread is a pain- I'm just sayin'.


Here you can see how I pinned some extra batting around the base of the tomato to keep it securely shoved into the cup.

We don't really need to mention the fact that all the pins are in different sections of the cushion by color, do we? No, I didn't think so!


Jimmy has been progressing very well with his potty training!
He enjoys sitting with the flapper up and getting a reward.
It only took a few days of pee-ing on the floor uh-oh's before he got it.


I usually remind him every hour to try to use his potty, but today he went on his own without being reminded! Big step!
Here is the reward pail for using the potty. I like the underpants stickers and the t.p. one too!


For a reward Jimmy gets his favorite candy. 4 for a #1 and 6 for a #2.


*I still use a diaper*


Jimmy also has to wash his hands before he gets his reward. An excellent excuse to buy this neat product. It's called squid soap and leaves a dab of ink on the palm that doesn't wash off for 15 seconds of rubbing. And I'm a sucker for anything that comes with a free toy!

Actually, deep down I want to be just like Lady M!


More crafting!

Yesterday I painted up a gift box for Mae's present.

I hope she likes it, when she gets here! I know her Mommy will!


The box was just the right size for her quilt and a copy of Big Red Barn for her.


Close up of the barn centerpiece of the quilt. You can also see that I didn't paint the inside of the box.

I painted the inside of this box for Alaina's Christmas present, and discovered that the lid stuck quite a bit... lesson learned.



That's all the crafting for now!
I am busy re-doing Brian and Katharina's wedding present. The first one had some issues...
I will post pictures when I finish it of course!

Week 2

Another 10 sticks of butter!


Saturday, January 12, 2008

Alright! Enough about me already!

Here's what you really come for!

Joey is getting really good at sitting up by himself.

He's also very close to crawling (Lord help us) and is mastering picking things up with his finger and thumb.


We had a nice day so I sent Jimmy out to play. He found his chalk.
First he had to organize it.


Then he had to wait for inspiration to hit.

Unfortunately, rain and hunger struck first.
He came inside to help make lunch.


Always have extra food if Jimmy is helping...

Friday, January 11, 2008

Best diet ever!

OK...
Just so you don't think I was cheating on my challenge with Tracy...
I thought I would share the secret to my success!
On top of the well balanced meals, drinking lots of water and going to the gym 6 days a week, I've been on the root canal diet!
Here's how it works:
First, have a couple of kids and don't get your sorry butt into the dentist for a cleaning while you are pregnant (apparently body with fluctuating hormones is a great environment for tooth decay).
Get at least one good cavity that is too deep for a regular filling.
Find a great dentist like mine (Dr. Ireland ROCKS!)
Eat breakfast the day you are having your root canal: be sure your appointment is around lunchtime...it is going to take all afternoon, so just skip lunch.
After you leave the appointment, you won't eat dinner, either because your jaw will be too sore, or the painkillers will have put you to sleep.
For the next few days, you won't be eating as much because you have to be careful to eat on the opposite side from the sore temporary crown...
There you go! The Root Canal Diet! GOOD LUCK!

Monday, January 07, 2008

Whoo Hoo!

Weigh in day! One week down!
I feel awesome! 5.5 pounds! That's 22 sticks of butter!



This ticker will change, it is a running total.



I hope these results continue! Jeff has been pushing me pretty hard, but I'm loving it!

Saturday, January 05, 2008

It's genetic...

OK. enough of my monthly craftiness! I am glad I finished the challenge so quickly though. I have been able to get a lot done while Jeff has been on vacation.

I can attest to the genetic nature of retentiveness...
I, like my father, love when things are organized and in their proper place. Those of you that have been to my house, stop snickering...

I took a day to organize my floss before the end of the year and was very pleased with the results. Just looking at the boxes makes me happy. I mean, look at all those pretty colors all lines up and pretty!


Jimmy is the same way! He likes to line up his food, books and everything else before he plays with them. For Christmas he got a set of eight race cars and already had a puzzle with eight pieces. I watched him line the cars up very carefully by the knobs on the puzzle... completely focused on it...



Well, I'll let him explain what he was doing.



He's not very talkative in the mornings...

And it is inevitable that within half an hour of a laundry basket being emptied, it will be appointed a car and sat in.


Jimmy wanted Joey to go for a Jimmy-ride.



OK, more craftiness. This is one of the major projects I have in the works...
It is my first quilt I am making all by myself. It is based on one of our favorite books, The Big Red Barn.




"Enough crafting! I'm hungry!!!"




As I said before I have gotten so much done because Jeff has been home and does fun things like cook dinner with Jimmy. They made Brunswick Stew.

First Big Chef and Little Chef need to wash their hands.


And then they carefully chop up chicken and onions.


I don't cook the food, I just eat it!


Everything in the pot.


Measure out some sauce.


Stir it all together.



Wipe up all the spills you made stirring!


Joey supervises, too.


The stew was very good, and we will all have a big change to make when Daddy goes back to work on Monday! It's been very nice having him home!

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Take It Further Challenge January

Here is my completed contribution for the Take It Further Challenge for January.

I knew that I would have to do something quick and easy this month since I have a couple af big projects in my lap right now...

This will be the most in depth look into the creative process I will do unless I get good feedback to continue...
I have decided to try to do as many of the monthly challenges using nothing but my stash of supplies, and make things for me once in a while since almost everything I make I give away.

The challenge theme was admiration and the color scheme is below.



I couldn't really think off-hand about how to translate admiration into a workable piece, so I decided to make myself a towel . Joey helped me pick this one out of the stash.


I set out my standard supplies: my favorite bowl, mechanical pencil, paper and a washable marker.


This bowl is the perfect size for a great "one-hoop wonder" monogram that I have used several times. I first trace the bowl and then decide how to decorate it.


This is how I usually do this decoration.


I have done this pattern several times, here it is on a gift bag I made for my niece.


I decided that doing a pattern I have done before wasn't really in the spirit of the challenge so I tried sketching out something else that would be just a s quick and still use the color scheme.

I really liked the swirly loose nature of this one and may use it in the future. You can see that I don't erase my lines, I mark them out and keep going.
The calico cat still voted for the classic pattern.


As I stewed about it further, I called to mind a quilt that I would like to do before I die that was in a great book Camas gave me for Christmas.


I could make a pattern based on the quilt and still keep some of the swirly bits from the second sketch. I traced out the hexagon of the right size and cut it out.


Joey approves and supervised.


The hexagon was then traced and cut out of heavier paper.
It was completely coincidental, but cutting it out of the flap with the sticky part proved beneficial as it stayed put on the fabric on its own while I traced it.


I traced the pattern onto the fabric- sorry, it's hard to see.


I used the washable markers to freehand the swirly bits.


I got this all stitched up in two short sittings. Here it is all finished and ironed.
The Grandmother's Flower Garden style tea towel.


Here it is with the only other piece I have made for myself.