Daisy

Audrey is a Daisy.  We thought she needed some more girly activities to balance the boy heavy household we live in.  She marched in her first parade last week for a local High School Homecoming parade.  I marched with her and refilled her candy bag to toss to the kids.

Here in the "city" we marched down a side street then onto a four lane road where they blocked off ONE LANE for us.  The cars were whizzing by at 40 mph.  I felt some heat from the exhausts, which was kind of nice because it was cold and rainy.  The boys came out to see Audrey.  She put some extra candy aside to throw to them.


I've been busy making dozens upon dozens of sugar cookies for Audrey and Hudson's birthday celebrations at school.  Here is a container of the cookies for Hudson's class.  I didn't take pictures of Audrey's.  She wanted yellow baby chicks with little brown eyes.


My sister-in-law commissioned me to make a baby gift for one of her girlfriends that just had a baby boy.  I made the blanket and owl for her.  I think they turned out adorable!


Hope you have a great weekend!

Crafty

I've been making a lot of things, but have failed to post them here.  I hear some of you say, "Thank You."  I know they are not the most exciting posts.

Due to my extreme guilt of putting my youngest into pre-school I made him the school bag he is proudly holding here:


I also made him a large zippered bag with his name on the handle.  I made him a little pillow case that matches the bag.  His name is on that too.  I don't think anyone could mistake Marshall's stuff for anyone else's.  He picked out the Captain America fabric himself.  Audrey wanted a dress up Hello Kitty doll for her birthday.  We got her the doll and the Hula Girl outfit she wanted.  I thought Hello Kitty also needed her own kitty dress.



I've also made tons of baby gifts and skirts.  No pictures to show though.

Hope you have a great week!

Random Pictures

Here is a recap of our last month in pictures.

The Thunder Drome in Detroit!
When we first got to this event we saw some test runs. This may be Audrey in a few years!



We saw pedal bikes race, scooters race, small motorcycles race and then go carts.  The best race was the go carts (seen above).  It was a fun, but chilly day.


Our sports season has started. Hudson is playing soccer again and Audrey is playing t-ball for the first time. She is the only girl on her team and is super excited every time she gets to play.





Made and gave another tote. This one was for Marshall's pre-school teacher. She loved it.


I'll be off the grid for a few weeks as we are getting ready for some fun in the sun!

Busy

I've been busy.  I know everyone says that they are busy.  I was busy doing the following:

More pics to come of this fun, yet potentially dangerous spectator sport:


Hudson started soccer and Audrey is playing t-ball.  Will post pics at a later date.

Made Audrey's Student Teacher this tote/wallet combo. She loved it, now 6 more to go before the end of school.


I threw this fun baby shower, made all of the food, minus Costco cake & 12 Costco choc chip cookies (it was supposed to be 2 dozen, but I dropped 12 in the parking lot).  I followed our cousin's lead of a dessert celebration.  I don't think I'll ever serve sandwiches again at any function!!  Everybody just eats the desserts anyway.  I did all of the decorations including an adorable diaper cake with little booties I finished the night before.  Procrastination...I love it and I believe it is my middle name.


I joined a gym.  A real - smells nice - they provide towels - they have a daycare and a SPA - kind of gym.  I like it a lot, but now Marshall has a yucky cold.


Told the kids that we were heading here very very soon! I'm packing and trying not to freak out that I don't really know what is there or what to ride.  My OCD hasn't kicked in yet so I'm not on the ball with all of the planning.


So, I've been a little busy and I didn't post anything last week.  I'm sorry.  Please accept my apology with my promises of boring family pictures from Walt Disney World.

Have a great week!!

Flash Back

Once I left High School I didn't really keep track of my friends from Coldwater.  In the last few years I've started to reconnect to some girls on Facebook.  That is the one nice thing about that time sucking application...I have been able to see what my classmates lives are like now.


One of my friends from school is Alicia.  Here are some pictures of us. Can you tell which decade these are from?  One time we went to Chicago and could take a friend.  I took Alicia.

My Mom let me have friends over before dances to get ready together.  Please note the awesome hats, bangs, and our Halloween costumes we rented from Tibbits Opera House.  My hair is not permed.  I used to enhance the curls with a tiny curling iron and a can of RAVE!



Anyway, Alicia and I found each other on Facebook.   She lives out west now, is married, and expecting her first baby in June.  She and her hubby are not finding out what they are having so I was challenged in finding some gender neutral cute fabric. Audrey and I headed out and we found the owl fabric.   How cute is this little set?  The little booties would look cute with blue jeans or frilly socks.  She just received this present last week so I had to share.  



Here are my new tennis shoes...you like?  I wanted to flash back to college so I bought myself a pair of Chuck Taylors.  I wanted blue, but only found black at the store.  I think they are pretty awesome, but I also thought my hair was sweet in High School.



Thanks for indulging me in my Flash Back moment.  It was fun going through my old photo albums.  The kids had a kick looking at all of the pictures from my High School days.


Have a great week and congratulations Alicia!!!  

Hanging Out

We haven't been up to very much.  We did go up north for a birthday party this past weekend.  It was our friend's son's first birthday.  We picked out some fun birthday presents for him.  A little boy must have a bag to put his treasures in so I made this for him.  It turned out so cute!  I didn't take a picture of the lining, but it is adorable!

I made this monster for his older brother.



Before we left for the party I was searching for my sunglasses.  The kids then decided they must have theirs also.  Here is the chaos that ensued.


Me: "Can you all just stand there and let me take your picture?"
Them: See below...bunny ears, antlers, then Marshall running away.


Did I mention I gave up on the knitted animals?  I will have to take a class because I can not seem to do it.  I did pick up a crochet animal book from the library.  That I can do.  Here is Audrey's owl that she picked out.  Hudson wants a lemur and Marshall picked out an elephant.  Once I get those done I'll post pictures.  This owl was a quick and fun little project.  I put some beans in the bottom of it so it makes a great projectile also...which is also fun.



Next week is Spring Break.  We aren't going anywhere, but will be getting together with some friends we don't see often.  

Junk I've Made

Here are a few more things I've whipped up in the past few weeks:


I met one of my girlfriend's out for lunch.  She had a little boy a few weeks after I had Marshall.  I thought a two year old should have a nice big bag to drag his stuff around in.  Here is what I made for him.  Just incase any other little boys have the same bag, I embroidered his name on it.  Just so there was no confusion.



You may not know that I have two pink couches in my living room.  We call it the pink room for obvious reasons.  My Mom had these couches and gifted them to us.  The price was right (free) and they fit great in our little suburban ranch.  They are just SO pink.  I've tried different techniques to try to do something with this room.


This was taken in 2008 right after Josh knocked the wall down between the kitchen and pink room.

Notice the pink floral pillows and rug with pink in it.  I was trying to match the couches. I have since decided to fully ignore that they are pink.  My brother, with an eye for color, would not like my new found love for colors that do not match.


Here is a before picture of my "updated" look that I put into place right before Marshall was born.  I have since gotten tired of the patterned pillows.  So last week I made some pillow covers and suddenly I love the room again.



Here is a close up of the little pillows and then a picture of the envelope opening in the backs.

It only took me 1 nap time to make four pillow covers.  I think it seems to take away the "pinkness" of the room.  It also makes me yearn for spring.  I write this as I look at the snow outside.  


Have a great weekend everyone!

Don't Tell My Mom

You may not know that I am a follower.  A cult leader's dream.  I hate to be left out, left behind, or left in the dust.  


You must NOT tell my Mom that we bought this yesterday, for ME to ride.  Yes, my first motorcycle.  Audrey is just modeling it for me.  

I can now join in the fun on our camping weekends in the summer.  


Is it irresponsible?  Maybe
A little dangerous?  Yes
A lot of fun?  Definitely
    
The same day Josh told me to memorize the owner's manual so I could change the oil... I took off with Audrey to the library.  I know Josh secretly wants to change the oil himself.


I always visit the "Crafty" section.  I saw this book:

 Audrey and I ooohed and aaawwed over the sweet little projects.  The only problem, the patterns called for knitting.  I can't seem to master the art of knitting.  Though somehow those library florescent lights blinded me to that fact.  I checked out the book with the illusion of making something adorable within the three weeks that I have the book.  

Now mind...that the projects call for using three needles (knitting in the round) and I can't even master knitting with two needles.  

Knitting has become my nemesis.  I can crochet so I can use a stick with a hook and yarn to make things.  I wouldn't have thought that I would have such a hard time knitting.  Perhaps I should take a class and not rely on You Tube for my teachings.  


Perhaps instead of aggressively pulling out failed knitting stitches I should figure out how to adequately kick start my bike.   


I hope to figure out both new "hobbies" before spring.  Wish me luck!!   


And...REALLY don't tell my Mom.  I will tell her when I've fallen off of the bike and broken both of my legs.  She will then have to move in to help me around the house and with the kids...only then will I tell her...


Thanks so much for your cooperation!

Junk I've Made

I'm posting some items I've recently made.  The reasons why I'm boring you all with these posts:


1.  Gives ideas to family and friends what they can request for holidays/birthdays.
2.  Makes me feel as though I've accomplished something other than the typical motherly/housewifely duties.




Junk I've Made: #1


Hudson has a fabulous teacher second grade teacher.  He loves her...I love her....


One day while volunteering in her class a little girl had a crocheted headband on.  I asked Hudson's teacher if she had seen them around.  She laughed because she had just bought one, but her dog had chewed the flower.  I asked her to send it home with Hudson and I'd reconstruct one for her.


Little did I know that hers was knitted...I do not knit.  I would love to knit, but I can't figure out what to do if I drop a stitch.  I mainly just cry and unravel whatever I'm working on.


She wanted a blue one so the top picture was the one she bought and her dog used as a chew toy.  The bottom one was one that I made.  I came up with the pattern myself...while watching bad tv at night...not while ignoring my children during the day!

Here is the back, it is one piece, no button closure. Audrey is modeling it for me.

As soon as Audrey saw it she wanted one to match her coat. I whipped up this one over the next few nights with yarn I already had. It is smaller and fits a little girl's head much better. She calls it her ear warmer and LOVES it!!  Don't mind Hudson's monster hands in the background.



Junk I've Made: #2
Here are a few little critters I made for Joni's kids. Both of their birthdays are in February. The flower is a hair clip. Audrey and I assembled 15 of them for Hudson's class store a few months ago. Then we made enough for Audrey to keep, for the cutie neighbor girls, and for Katie's birthday!!  Every little girl should have a big flower bling for their hair, don't you think?



I'm working on baby presents right now so once I've handed them over to the mommas then I'll post pictures.  Thanks for indulging me with these posts.  

Blizzard 2011

I've finished up a few more projects!  I wanted to keep better track of what I've made over the year.  I thought this would be a perfect outlet.  So please indulge me while I post my creations.

I made these two little guys for Marshall and his cousin Owen.  They were born four days apart.  The  doll's little clothes were outfits that Hudson, Jack (Owen's older brother), and Marshall wore.  I know Owen will love his little guy.  Owen's is the one on the left with a note attached to him.  

I had volunteered to put together a mini surprise baby shower for Audrey's Kindergarten teacher.  She is having her first baby in a few months.  I collected money from the parents that wanted to contribute then I purchased the basket and books for her from the entire class.  She was surprised and very thankful.


Audrey and I made her a little gift also.  Audrey picked out the fabric for the blanket and helped me stuff the little owl. I crocheted the booties. Oh my goodness they turned out SO cute. I want to have a baby just to make them for a new little one. Josh doesn't think that is a good enough reason to have a fourth child....


Ahem...moving on....


The polka dot basket is the one I put together. Another parent made those cupcakes to the left.  They were cute and YUMMY!!


We will now transition from my craftiness to the weather:


I love the media!  The weather man had me going this week.  I went to the grocery store to stock up on milk and bread.  I bought more windshield wiper fluid, filled the van up with gas and our gas can for the snowblower.  I thought of fun things to do while being cooped up inside for DAYS.  I was prepared.  Then it snowed.  I was surprised to be able to get out of the house.  I was fully expecting to be snowed in.  No such luck.  We had one snow day then it was back to normal.


We did have fun that one snow day.


We painted, wore boxes, and played outside TWICE!  The first time Hudson didn't want to join us, something about his DS, Pokemon Battle, and not wanting to get out of his pajamas.  He then became a lookie-loo out the front window when we were outside.


The below pictures are a mishmash from our whole day.  Enjoy!!







We are probably going out to a local lake to watch Josh race his motorcycle on the ice with his buddies on Saturday.  I'm sure to have pictures of that. 


Have a great weekend!!