The winner of the set of Thank You Cards (according to Random Generator.org) is Shelly!!

Thanks to everyone who entered!  Keep your eyes out, I finally came up with this years free-valentine printable!!  Will hopefully have it ready in the next week or so.

I will be thankful if I am able to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family instead of in the bathroom!

It started on Friday with the 2yo old, and a trip to the ER yesterday with the 10yo. Even Aaron and I have succumbed. Only the 7yo seems unscathed!

There is lots of TV time going on around here. I guess I should add netflix and amazon instant video to my gratitude list!

Also…Aaron accidently confused a laundry soap pack with a dishwasher soap pack.

Any suggestions on cleaning it out? We’ve rerun it multiple times and the bubbles are still there. How do I rinse all that soap out?

I’m tagging along on my husband’s business trip this weekend. We’ve been planning this for a while and my 7yo refers to it as our “romantical kissy smoochy trip”. Cracks.me.up.every.time.

It’s been 5years since we’ve taken a trip alone together. Fifteen years with this guy and I still get giddy about spending time with him!

I’m looking forward to some good sushi, uninterrupted dinner conversation, holding hands, exploring a new city, the ability to think without distractions from little people. Simple pleasures!

The littles are safely wrapped in their Grandmother’s sugar laced arms. I think they might even have more fun than me!

Elsie Marley is hosting kids clothing week again, while I haven’ t been following the rules of sewing an hour a day, I did manage to squeak out a pair over “short-alls” for baby.

I tried in vain to get her to stand still for a full length shot but she was having none of it!  I used Butterick 5713, the fabric is Wild World, the pocket print is from Joann’s.  I have used this pattern many times in the past and the sizing is all screwed up!  I cut these overalls out (I shortened them to shorts) in a size M, which according to the back makes them for about a 6-9 month baby.  Well, my very tall, well proportioned 16month old is SWIMMING in them.  They are way too wide, and the straps are probably an inch too long.

If…IF I make them again I would cut the sides out as a XS, with everything else as a M (and take an inch off the straps).  I might raise the pocket too…

Next up, I’m going to make vintage Simplicity 9513, one for baby and probably one for the shop.  Are you sewing for Kids Clothes Week?  What are you making?  Want to be inspired- check out the flickr gallery!

Do you sometimes get tired of hearing all about how great the Nikon DSLR’s are, or maybe you covet the Cannon rebel GT?  Me, I do.  What about those of us with point and shoots?  In fact my camera give me FULL manual mode- I just can’t switch lenses.  Well, Jessica, over at Pioneer Woman put together a post about giving up your flash for lent (I don’t actually use my flash anyway).  In her post she shares all sorts of great tips for getting great shots with a point and shoot!!!

I made cookies for the kids yesterday and I played around with shutter priority via Jessica’s suggestions and look- I TOOK A GOOD PHOTO!!  I’m so excited, so I had to share.  Now, click over there and read for some great tips yourself!!

tomorrow I will:

-sweep up the little brown crumbs all over my floor

-fold the 3 loads of clean laundry waiting in the laundry room

-empty the last “junk” out of the christmas box

-remember to buy bleach

because today:

-I am going to bed early, really early.

3 kids is exhausting.  Will you think less of me as a mother if I confess that my one-year old is still not sleeping through the night?

That is the lovely thing about today….there is always a tomorrow!

Can you believe it?

I sure can’t, where pray tell, did the time go?  I miss my tiny snugly newborn whose head I couldn’t stop sniffing, or kissing!

I’m not going to let myself feel guilty that her birthday cupcake comes from the grocery store (ie isn’t made by me).  In my defense I went to Urban Cookies today only to find they were closed, same for Honeymoon.  I promise to make cupcakes from scratch when we have the big family party next month.

p.s. yes, I made the party hat.  I could put a tutorial together if anyone was interested…..

Last Friday I took my oldest daughter to the Nutcracker- for the first time.  We both wore vintage.

I borrowed my dress from Jaylee who raided her mothers closet.  Her mom has the best collection of vintage dresses, I regret that my ribcage is not smaller, there were other CUTE dresses in the stash that I simply couldn’t zip up.

I took my daughter to SAS and let her pick out what ever shiny fabric she wanted for a dress.  She chose this iridescent pink taffeta.  I used Advance 8279, a vintage pattern from (I’m guessing) the early 60′s.  The only changes I made were to replace the buttons with a zipper and add a sash instead of a belt.  Personally I thought she was the CUTEST dressed girl at the entire theater!

I really enjoyed sharing the nutcracker experience with her and I hope its something we make a tradition.  She was very attentive to the performance until after intermission where she fell asleep, and snored just a little bit!  Next year I think we’ll try the Saturday matinee.

Saturday morning I had plans…we were going to hit the Farmers Market, garage sales and Earth and Space day at ASU.

Then I saw this….and my plans seemed lame.  All I wanted to do was close my eyes and be at Jennifer’s house…listening to weekend edition with her, sitting by a fire and embroidering next to her knitting.  sigh…

But, I went forth and did my best to enjoy the 80+ degree fall we are having. What about you, how are you enjoying fall?

p.s. On a side note…I died my hair a few months back and kept forgetting to take a picture, but I finally remembered after I had my roots done on thursday.  The profile pic is now updated.

10:18am,

“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.”
Edgar Allan Poe