Material and More

Apple Tree

With the matching ruffle pants

Bubble pants

Abby and Beau enjoying coloring in their new Halloween coloring books with stickers and crafts that Austin and Lola sent for them. A big thanks for the sweet package Niki!! Another big thanks to my mom for the Halloween treat tins you sent. The kids loved em'.

Beau and Toby on one of these many recent mornings that we have woken up with this particular child in the bed with us. As much as I can't stand how I fell after getting up several times a night, it does make an awfully cute picture!

I am thinking about making a separate blog for my sewing projects - may be easier than posting this stuff on the personal blog. Above are a sampling of some of the materials I have on hand to work with. I am about to start working on some Christmas shirts, so stay tuned!!

In other news, Abby and I went to see HSM3:Senior Year (High School Musical for those of you not there yet) last night. It was opening night, but the theatre was not totally full as I thought it might be, which was nice. It probably helped that we went to an earlier showing. I'm not sure that Abby breathed through the entire movie. She came home telling Toby all about the different songs, hairstyles, dresses, make-up, etc. etc. etc. etc..... She is already asking me when we can buy the dvd. She is definitely 4 going on 14. It was really so much fun to go on a "girls date" as she calls it and watch her enjoy something so intensely and fully. I thought the movie was every bit as good as 1&2, in case ya'll were wondering...

Today Toby had the WHOLE day off (a true rare treat) so we decided to take a day trip to Tyler, TX (about 90 miles away) to go to the zoo there. This was Toby's attempt to console me for not being able to make the 13+ hour trip to Pigeon Forge to spend a weekend with our families shopping, eating and going to watch UT play. It is a really fun weekend we have been doing yearly for about 3 or 4 years now, so I was bummed to miss it! However, the zoo was tons of fun and the kids loved it, so all is good. We were home by 3ish in the afternoon, so the kids still got a good nap and we are getting to watch UT get spanked by AL right now! C'mon Vols. Seriously. I will post pictures of the zoo soon - maybe tomorrow...

Sorry for the rambling flight of ideas post...

Selling My Sewing

So, after several months of different ones of you asking if I am selling my sewing, I have finally decided to give it a go and try. Maybe some of you are looking for some fun, unique clothes for your kids or some holiday gifts. I have posted pictures of several of my projects on the blog. I will try and refine this over the next week or two with more pictures, etc. I wanted to go ahead and get this price list out there. I have tried to make it reasonable and affordable for anyone who wants to buy, but still worth my time. I am definitely not going to make a million, it is more just something I enjoy doing! Please give me honest opinions and let me know what you think!

Ruffle Pant - $28 ($20 if you provide material yourself)
Add embellishment (ric-rac, pom-poms, ribbon, etc.) - $2 and up
Long-sleeved shirt with appliqué of animal, shape, letter, etc. - $15 ($13 if you provide material yourself)
Lounge Pant - $22 ($16 if you provide material yourself)
Lounge Pant and appliquéd shirt - $35
Ruffle Pant and appliquéd shirt - $42
Lined A-line Jumper/Dress - $40
Lined Jon-Jon - $42
Lined Longall - $45
**Any item can be monogrammed with a name or single letter for an extra $4**

What's Your Name?

So, I went to bed late and then Beau proceeded to get up 3 or 4 times last night and come into our room, get in the bed with us, toss and turn for a half hour each time, and then go back to his bed...or be taken back to his bed. I got up at the usual early hour to get Abby up and ready for school. Toby took her, so at least I did not have to get dressed. We are all somewhat sick, though I venture to say that this is not why he is getting up as he is very cheery and ready to talk and play. The only problem is it is 3am!!! The magic pink liquid might have to make an appearance tonight...
Anyways, I have been sitting at the computer for a good 30-45 minutes trying to wake up (coffee is brewed, but I am literally too lazy to go in there and get any). I came across a link on Parents.com for the meaning of names. I then proceeded to look up my entire immediate family. I am crazy. What a waste of time. I figured since I have gone that far I might as well put them on the blog so I can remember them...
Toby - God is good
Ray - protecting hands (love that)
Karmen - fruitful orchard
Danielle - judged by God
Abigail - a father's joy (love that, too...)
Renee' - reborn
Beau - handsome, beautiful
Michael - who resembles God

So, I pretty much knew what the kids' names all meant prior to naming them that. I think names are so special when somewhat purposeful, and/or when they are a namesake of some sort. I like my name meanings the least, of course. Fruitful orchard? Ok. Anyways, they made me smile so I thought I would pass them on. If you don't know what your name means or your kids names mean, look em' up! It may make you smile!

I'll post new pictures soon. I caught one of the boys asleep in the our bed this morning. I have more sewing projects to share, too, of course! Meg - the pants are done - I just need to iron them- I am mailing them today if I get out of my house!!!

Pumpkin Patch and More

The newly exposed, about to be gone fireplace in our bedroom

Another attempt at applique' - so much fun to do when I have time (whenever that is...)

Abby posing at the patch

Beau taking a spin on a tractor

They had these huge bins full of corn for the kids to play in, which they loved.

The hayride took us out to the pumpkin patches. It was really neat - you got to go pick your little pumpkins right off the vine, and pick your bigger pumpkins and have Daddy cut it off the vine. The kids just loved it. The weird thing for me is how flat it is here compared to Tennessee...

Scarecrow Abby

Mommy and Abby on the hayride

Beau and the farmer that drove the hayride - Beau told him he had a boo-boo on his hand so he is checking it out.We had a fun weekend going to the pumpkin patch. We managed to squeeze it in on Saturday evening despite Daddy being on call and working A TON of the weekend. The patch was neat with lots of fun things to do. The kids loved everything with the exception of the corn maze. They complained (per Toby) the entire time they were walking through it, and Beau insisted that Toby carry him. (Mommy was paying for the pumpkins and sadly had to miss this experience.) I told Toby afterwards that Abby is way too Type A to take into a corn maze anyways - no direction, no plan, etc. Not her idea of a good time at all. We got to watch a pig race, play in corn bins, swing, hayride, ride tractors, pick out pumpkins, etc. etc. Lots of fun. We have been staying fairly busy here. We also (finally) started trying to redo our bedroom. Notice in the top picture the newly busted out fireplace!! We are getting rid of that thing and reclaiming about 1/4 of our bedroom! Yay! Also getting rid of the green and yellow crackled walls, new carpet, etc. I am very excited, so stay tuned for more pictures!