Checkbook cover

Like all projects--I'm not completely satisfied, but it was a learning experience.  I've got to get better at estimating seam allowances.  Math isn't a problem for me, but when sewing is involved I seem to forget a seam to calculate for or don't have it quite figured out how I will assemble.  So frustrating.  Definitely took some reworking and improvising.  It's cute though if not perfect. 

back view

inside view

I hope to be able to find it easier now in my purse since it's not black. 

Pictures of our weekend--aka the carnage of 2010

Friday night: chicken souvlaki on pita w/homemade white bean hummus and my tomato spin on tzaziki sauce (my cucumber had gone bad--so I improvised)  backyard fun, mowing w/daddy, quick trip to farm and fleet store for mower problems, and ended w/ ice cream.  C to bed, we started Pride and Prejudice.

This shirt was white once upon a time.

Sat: bike ride on the trail--super fun.  C loves his new "bike." Which is really a trailer he rides in behind Scott.  Big score on Craigslist.  This is the first time I've ridden a bike post C I think.  We rode about 45 min.  Leftover spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and more backyard fun. C in bed--continued Pride and Prejudice. Scott fell asleep during episode three for a while and then I fell asleep during final episode.  Didn't finish.

Do you notice a frequent theme in a lot of our pics.  C is obsessed w/hats.  He loves to wear one and thinks we should wear one, too. I think if I were to caption this pic, C would be saying, "yea, I'm tough--what of it"

Sun: tried a new church--C was very excited to go see "kids" he kept telling me; then we cleaned out/washed both cars w/C's help.  He kept saying.  "Dirty, messy, wash.  All done."  He loved helping daddy.  He would listen to me, so he pretty much helped daddy exclusively.  He was a very wet boy and grumpy when were finally all done.  Naptime for C--sewing for me and playing soccer for Scott.  Then we made a meatsapalooza for dinner.  Well we started it the night before I guess.  We had steak, baby back ribs, and grilled corn. 

Check out the carnage.  I should have taken a picture before we ate.  Pretty gross. 

C loves corn on the cob

I took Cos and Kon for a very long jog which resulted in me dragging their sorry behinds most of the way.  Then gave C a very much deserved bath and finally finished P & P.  Drank entirely too much coffee which results in sleeplessness and this very long post!

Church Visit #2

I can't sleep so you will see a series of blog entries from tonight.  First off--about the church we visited today.  Our overall feeling is we probably won't go back.  There were some real pros to the church, but not in the areas that are necessary. 

This was a mega church--complete opposite of what we visited last time.  I have no idea if they're affiliated w/any denomination, but it reminded me of Southern Baptist.  They used NIV and seemed to place an emphasis on works.  Here were the pros.  Lots of people (4000 attend), so lots of programs and opportunities to get involved and serve.  Awesome kids programs!  The cons: I could have preached the message.  It was lacking any meat whatsoever.  The general idea was very true, but didn't really teach me anything.  It was a passage in Luke where Jesus talks about Herod as a fox.  That was what I got out of the message.  It was never tied together.  At the end of the service the pastor didn't pray or have a benediction.  He just said see ya' later, God Bless.  Very strange.  He almost forgot there was a baptism at the end of the service--not a real biggie, but really?  He forgot someone's baptism--he wasn't doing the baptizing thankfully.  The worship was like a concert.  We sang the same words of the first song over and over--not like a prayer just singing.  They videoed the performers during the service and had them on the screens w/the lyrics under their pictures.  Like I needed to see the performers as much as the words.  I just felt like the emphasis was WAYYY off of God. 

Not the worst church by any means, but probably not the best place for me and Scott to grow.  Good for C possibly, but not for us.  So the search continues. 

I hate looking for a new church. 

Shorty apron

This is not only a pic of the apron, but of our scary 1/2 bath.  Consequently--even though the door doesn't shut all the way it is the best crapper in the house.  It has the newest sink and toilet.  Go figure!

can you see the box pleats?   fun to do, time consuming, and takes me 3 pins per pleat-approx 28 pleats in this 24" skirt. 

no plans for this one--just trying out something new.

This morning

His face after breakfast.  Yes, I gave him chocolate for breakfast.  It was nutella and pb on toast.  When I was sitting at the table w/him he was clean.  When I came back from unloading the dishwasher this was the site.  He's very proud of himself--I showed him his face in the mirror.

While I finished cleaning up b-fast I could hear him talking to himself.  I walked in to see this.  So sweet.  He "reading" and talking to the animals in Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

I love summer

Spring and Summer are by far my favorite times of year.  I love being able to be outside and how light it stays.  We've been enjoying outside a lot with our new yard.  We also checked out the Constitution Trail yesterday.  It's 20+ miles of paved trail that runs right down the center of town connecting Normal and Bloomington.  Parts of it are really shady.  When you get to the streets to cross though you're out in the sun, so it's important to get out on it early.  It's very busy there, so it's very safe.  I grabbed C and the two dogs and we went for a jog yesterday.  The boys were awesome and C fell asleep at some point in his stroller.  He got to eat pretzels and drink juice and see lots of bikes.  He was very happy.  Then we played outside lots more yesterday.

watering the grass

I think he looks like a blonde version of scott in this pic.

playing w/the boys

cos has found a new lease on life w/this ball we found under our deck.  he LOVES it!  the jog yesterday made him and kona even more playful then they were worn out last night and today so far.

"horsing" around

"fixing" his lawnmower-tonight they are going to mow the lawn so hopefully I'll get some cute pics

Today other than being a little sore--looks to be another beautiful day.

I tried a new technique on another apron yesterday.   I think I'll finish it today.  Can't wait to share the finished project.  Still no progress on any other projects, but I'm getting ready to work on invitations for C's b-day.

Who wants an apron?

So I cut this apron out for a particular sister-in-law.  Not sure if she wants it or not.  If you do, lady, post a comment, shoot me an email--whatever--and it's yours.  If she doesn't want it--you never know.  You might just open your mailbox and get a sweet surprise.

Having to get creative w/taking the photo

 close up of fabric. it's kind of beige w/aqua and dark/army green flowers and chocolate brown outlining.  The polka dot fabric is chocolate brown. 

I've really got to figure out something else I like to sew.  I'm going to attempt a checkbook cover.  I just have a plain black cheapy, and I can't ever find it in my purse b/c my purse has dark lining.

Oh and I think I've figured out what I'm going to do w/my giant corkboard.  Hope to work on it tomorrow or Friday.

Weekend photos

a very sweaty boy after playing baseball!

Hugging!

All the above photos are from playing with the our friends from St. Louis before they move to Alabama. 

I never let C run around naked, but I did on Sunday.  Scott took had him in the hot tub in the morning, so when I got him out when I stripped him I just let him go.  He didn't seem to even notice.  Definitely no inhibitions yet.  He just had to be a bit more careful sliding and scooting around on things.  Here he's pretending to drink like the little boy on the fountain.

Non-C photos

I hardly ever post photos unrelated to C, but here we go.

Check out my awesome hair last week.  Can't do much w/it right now.  I mostly have it up, but it often slips out b/c it's so fine.  This was after a long day of cleaning--no I'm not wearing a mu-mu though this pic is deceiving.

Me and Sarah at Brenda's retirement party Friday night.  I have some really creepy ones I will save from you-nostrils and crossed eyes abound.

Just a little creepy from the boys.

Craft project

I'm not sure what I want to do with this, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  I've had this picture board for over 10 years.  It was in my first apt. in college.  It is all my college friends.  It brought me great joy to look at it in our kitchen/dining area every day.  I think it's time to move on though.  Take the pics down-put them in a scrapbook and rework the cork board. 

Any ideas?  Be afraid if you're one of my college friends you are probably on this board.  Unfortunately I can't seem to get blogger to accept a turned image even though I've edited it in Picasa twice.  UGHHHHHH!

New house: basement part 1

This is the side we don't really use.  It's a guest room/junk room.  C's train table (which is turned over on it's side) will be set up in here after his b-day.  I have to go through here to get to our storage/utility/laundry room. You can see the curtain pulled over in the right side. 

This is my craft room/work room/future bar/storage/workout room.  I have yet to workout down here, but I have done a couple sewing projects.  Where the bar stools are is a cut-out window into the family room.  We want to put counter top here and make it like a bar. 

The family room isn't pictured much--memory card full.  This room needs help.  Right now it's a play room, tv watching area for when I'm doing laundry.  Here's the couch.  I like the slipcover and I made the pilows. 

I will repost some basement pictures once we get it all the way we want.

New House: upstairs

                                                                                                                       c's bathroom below

left: the office reading nook

bumpouts in office- above

office bump out 1--this will eventually be Scott's workspace once we find a second desk.  We want to paint both desks white.

office guest room area

C's room view 1

view 2

view 3 w/his play area

view 4 our reading corner

view 5 his sleep area

sorry for the poor picture quality in some of these.  not sure what was going on

New house: main level

I will do three posts over the three levels of the house.  I don't have many pics of the basement.  A couple of reasons: it's depressing, not the way I want it, and most importantly my memory card is full and I need to burn a cd of the pics so I can start afresh.  I should take a photo of the outside, but right now it's raining.

I'm always complaining about our house--I know. It could really be a super nice house if you could sink a lot of money updating it.  Bathroom makeovers-new flooring in some areas and new trim, windows, and doors.  Nothing seems to be level--like our basement bathroom-you can't close the door--not a lot of privacy there.

The house is big--but split up very funny.  Lots of smallish rooms--not tiny rooms, but just awkward.  No celing fans--and get this--we have the original double paned windows.  We literally have two window--you have to open both to get the breeze in.  Strange!

Living room two above and bottom left--blogger is driving me crazy w/the formatting.  I don't think you can really tell--but the trim in our living room is painted the same color as the walls-green.  The doors are painted that color, too--back of the front door and the closet door.  All the rest of the trim in the house is white.  What were they thinking?

dining room above left--my favorite room we never use.  we walk in to get our wine glasses and alcohol.  scott also keeps all of his dress clothes in this room's closet b/c it's supposed to be a bedroom.

kitchen above.  this looks better in pics than it is.  this is my least favorite room.  we spend so much time in there, but can't figure out how to make it really work.  i keep moving my dishes around as well as anything else that's not bolted down. it also gets really hot and doesn't have enough lighting after the sun moves around.

It's pretty much wall to wall furniture in here, but it works. 

this is our main bathroom--also know as the "master" hah.  the blue is finally not alarming to me.  i don't love it, but i can live with it.  it's not just blue though--it's got a lot of rust and damage that can't be removed.