Instead Of A Hat

So, I bought this pattern to make Girlfriend a yellow sun hat for the summer...& ended up making her an outfit & a shirt instead.  I'll get back to the sun hat someday soon.

I have never sewn with a pattern before.  I am a self-taught seamstress...

"seamstress" kind-a insinuates that I know what I am doing...

I don't.  

I fumble through my projects, making many mistakes as I go...curse at my sewing machine, constantly reach for the owner's manual, rip out many stiches...

it is an intense process for me.

(notice the pattern says EASY on the front...humm)  Maybe seamstress is too generous...not sure I'm in the seamstress league yet.

The good news is that the pictures & directions in the pattern are starting to be less confusing to me as I go & Abby is too young to notice my sewing imperfections.

Maybe one day I will actually know what I am doing...until then I will just keep playing.

I'm Smitten

I am so in love...

with my new pillow!!!  

It just arrived...& 

I have to say I am a bit disappointed...

that I didn't order two!

One for my guest bedroom:

AND

one for my bedroom:

!!!

It is such a bright, fun-spirited treat to greet you when you walk into a room!

I want to sprinkle my entire house in all things Little Bit Funky!

Visit her blog for your daily dose of refreshing inspiration as a parent, as a crafter, or as a Christian!

Visit her etsy shop to pamper yourself with an embellished hand towel, coffee cuff, silhouette, or buy the perfect gift of a crayon roll, perfectly hand embroidered onesie, or pillowcase dress for all the kiddos in your life!

Too Stinkin' Cute!

Sleeping Beauty & Train Painting

Girlfriend played till she passed out with exhaustion in the Baby Einstein's ExerSaucer today!

Too cute!

AJ was walking around me in circles of boredom this afternoon...

his usual toys just weren't cutting it & didn't want to go to the park in the heat...

so I combined two of his passions for a new activity & it was a hit!

I just got out some butcher paper, some old trains, & paint & let him go to town painting train tracks!

A new & exciting activity that didn't cost a thing...

but did result in an afternoon bath much to AJ's joy...

trains, paint, & water...he was giggling with delight!

Score 1 for mom...now if we could just master potty training...

Curtains & Pajamas

After my week of attempting to wrangle two kids as a single parent in Missouri,

my amazing husband gifted me with setting up taking AJ & Abby to daycare today so I could have a day to myself.

He even got them up & took them so I could sleep in!  Wow!

I am blessed!

So what did I do with my free time?!

I spent it with Thomas & my sewing machine of course!

AJ ended up with curtains...

& pajamas!

Click here for a toddler shorts pattern & simple directions.

I think the curtains need a red valence & tie backs...perhaps a weekend project...

Girlfriend's Sweater & AJ's Thomas

Aunt Jess knit Abby this adorable sweater!  

Wow!  A great road companion & a talented crafter too!

Thanks Aunt Jess!  We love you!

Aunt Recca gifted AJ with a fabulous Thomas ball pit!  

Something every Thomas fanatic needs!

He hasn't left his ball pit since we got it out...3 &  1/2 hours ago...

this thing is better than his sandbox!

Tis The Season

For great Giveaways!  

Swing by Haus Of Girls to get in on this great Giveaway!

It Wouldn't Be A Great Vacation If...

1.  The cousins didn't have taggies to play with together...

2.  I didn't get a flat tire...

that required removing children, car seats, & car seat bases in order to get to the spare in 95% humidity...

3. I didn't go on a great back country road with sharp gravel adventure to find scary bridges

4.  I didn't drive across the said scary bridge...only to realize that I had a flat tire on the other side...

5.  There wasn't lots of fishing around the family pond...

6.  We didn't have great fish stories such as a fish taking off with dad's fishing pole before he could react...gone forever...lost in the deep bowels of the pond... 

7.   Tim didn't actually catch dad's fishing pole moments later...WITH the fish still on dad's hook!

8.  We didn't ponder who gets credit for the 8 pound catfish...dad because it was his pole or Tim because he caught dad's pole?

9.  I didn't get to watch the menfolk around the pond...

10.  We didn't get to experience doing yoga pondside...

11.  I missed watching Kaesi kick himself in the head...

& had to wonder how he discovered such a talent?

Yet Another FaBuLoUs Giveaway...

Check out this fun giveaway Little Bit Funky is hosting!

GrEaT GiVeAwAy

What a fabulous way to start day!  Swing by Joy's Hope to participate in a fun funky giveaway!  

Crafting It Up With My Sis

Recca & I spent the evening making her first taggie!

We had a couple glitches along the way, but it turned out!

A Groundhog, A Turtle, Fish, & Cousins!

This little guy popped up from under Grandpa Jim's deck today to say hello.

Apparently it is the resident groundhog...

AJ was looking for it the rest of the day...

The groundhog never resurfaced, but Grandpa Jim did find AJ a turtle.

AJ was pretty fascinated with his little friend.  

Here are Abby & her cousin LB.

They were born within 24 hours of each other!

Grandpa Jim helped AJ feed the fish at Bennett Springs State Park.

This is AJ only moments before he striped down butt naked & streaked the near by fishermen...great...it was a lot of fun convincing him that clothes were in fact necessary in a state park.  Can a two year old be charged with indecent exposure?

AJ wrapped up the day splashing around & playing with his cousin Jenna.

It was an action packed day & simply saying that I am exhausted would be an understatement.  Being out numbered on this trip is taking its toll...I will never take Andy for granted again.