Costco Conspiracy Theory

Why can't I go to Costco and spend less than $100?

Em's Drawing

Here is a picture that Em drew today. Our Dr. said Emily is very advanced for her age in drawing and writing letters. I didn't think much of it because Mya was the same way. But now I have paid more attention. All Em's pictures have a story to go with them. Today she drew a picture for each person in the family and put it in their rooms. She likes to ask us how to spell words. I am very proud of her. She uses her left hand to write. For a long time she would switch back and forth between both hands and her writing was almost identical with each hand. But now she favors her left but she can still write with her right hand if she decides to. I think she gets that from her Dad who is very athletic and is very coordinated with his right and left. Grandpa S and Aunt Kim are also left handed.

Mya on the Piano

I love listening to Mya play and I really enjoy listening to all the students at the recitals. Ballerina and Em are pretty well behaved for having to sit for more than an hour because the music is either soothing or entertaining. DH couldn't go with us last night because he had a mandatory meeting for one of his classes. Mya sounds wonderful and she is making excellent progress. She also wrote a song for her recital called Smooth and Easy. I really appreciate that she works so hard. Grandma and Grandpa L and Great Grandma L also came. That is her piano teacher sitting next to her and we LOVE her. She is a lot of fun.

Quilt Block 4 JT's Star

Here's Anth telling me how good I did on my latest quilt block. We decided we aren't in love with this one but it was very easy. We like blocks 2 and 3 the best and we think they would make a beautiful quilt with the same pattern repeated throughout. So we found another reason for liking this class because we get to see which patterns we like and don't like. I have to apologize for the poor quality pictures my camera takes but it'll have to do for now.

Freaky Valentine's Day

Every year DH gets something creepy from one of his Elementary students. This year did not dissappoint. We couldn't figure out the reasoning behind making such hideous thing. For all of you who want one just like it we are pretty sure it came from the Dollar store. Or you can come to my house and I will pay you a dollar to take it. I am pretty sure this will show up in one of my nightmares.

Quilt Square 3 Spinning Star

Well I just couldn't wait till I finished quilt square 4 to show off 3. I made a few mistakes on this one because I was focusing on correcting my mistakes from the last two. The finished square is supposed to be 12 1/2 inches but 1 and 2 were closer to 12 inches. I was making my seams a full 1/4 inch which I should have been making them a scant 1/4 inch to leave fabric that is lost when the seam is pressed flat. I was so focused on that I didn't always make my points match. So I will try to remember both. My pressing skills are obviously wanting but that is something I will need to work on later. Plus I think my stitches are pulling a little which I am sure only a very trained eye would notice. I really like my stitches to be perfect and the seams to press flat without puckers. In a perfect world that would always happen. But for that you need the correct needle, correct tension, and quality thread. Or if I had tons of money I would have a sewing machine that automatically corrects that but I am not even sure they make a machine like that.

The Prize!

Today Becca brought me a prize for winning the endurance contest last week at play group. Even though I felt bad she spent money on me I feel like a real WINNER! I ate one on the way home and I plan to eat the rest as the day progresses. Happy Valentine's day to me...Break me off a piece of that kit kat bar.

We decided since there are so many pregnant ladies at church right now we should have a Pregnancy Olympics. Maybe one of the events should be bending over and picking things up.

Big Girl Bed

We got this Toddler bed from some friends and Ballerina is so excited. I am not sure how we will feel when she can get out of bed by herself. I think at first it will be so fun she will stay in at night but I imagine she will find out it will be cool to get up whenever she feels like it. It will be nice to not have to get her out of the bed in the morning when we want to sleep in. Some Saturday mornings we let the kids watch movies (zone out) while we sleep in. I zoned out on TV almost every Saturday morning growing up and I turned out okay.

Christmas Quilt Block 1 and 2

This is the Christmas Quilt Block #1 that I am making out of some Christmas fabric I got for projects in 2008. This one turned out a little too busy for me but I think I just need to get some more solid colors of red and green.

The blocks get easier to make once you get going. Blocks 3 and 4 are going to be the same methods we used before but a different patern. So Anth and I are really excited to see how they turn out.

Christmas Quilt Block #2. I really like how this one turned out. I haven't decided if I will make a whole quilt out of this or just a table runner. I could make a pretty tree skirt too. We'll see.

Sense of Smell

At play group yesterday I offered my friend Becca a tictac. She declined. But asked how come when we were engaged we never noticed if our husband (fiance) smelled bad. Then I said now they always seem to smell bad. She laughed and agreed.

With each pregnancy my sense of smell was really strong. Especially in the first trimester DH's breath was horrible and everyone else's was too. And I didn't have to be that close to smell it. Opening the fridge and that little old lady smell almost killed me. Now everything seems to be back to normal.

Parenting 101

Sometimes I still feel like a beginner when it comes to mothering. Today Em and I had another large dissagreement. I helped her get dressed and I wanted to fix her hair because it's always in her face. I put it in a pony and put one of her new headbands in which she promised me that she would wear if I bought them. She started screaming and pulling everything out of her hair. I thought I could exert my authority over her and tell her she had to wear them. She ran into her room and started a chorus of screams to see how loud she could get. I was getting really angry and all the things I wanted to do I knew I shouldn't. But Ballerina was watching the whole thing so I knew I needed to do something so that Em would know that this was not okay. So I went in and took off all her clothes and took all the stuff out of her hair. I told her if she didn't like the way I do things she can do them herself. (You have to know she does not like being naked for very long, Ballerina would have thought being naked as a reward) She immediately stopped crying and screaming. I left the room and she managed to get her underwear back on by herself. But in the process of getting her undressed the clothes got turned inside out. I was in the kitchen and I could hear her start to whine and cry some more, then there was silence for a minute. Then she asked me to come back. I went back and sat on the bed. She didn't say anything at first. I know she was expecting me to dress her. Finally, she asked me to turn her clothes right side out and she put them on herself. She thanked me every time I helped her with something. I didn't do anything for her unless she asked for my help politely. I put two clips in her hair and then she was pretty pleasant for the rest of the day.

Quilt Squares 1 and 2

Here is Block #1 and it is called a Shadow Star. Anth and I signed up for a block a month class at the local quilt shop. Actually I signed Anth up and told her she had to come with me. We found out it's a 2 block a month class that goes from Jan. to June. Which I think I prefer. Anth and I have similar colors but I have the cream and she has the white background. My Aunt is also taking the class and she is the one who kept telling me I should sign up. She told me a great idea would be to make another quilt at the same time by using my own fabric colors. I started a Christmas one and I'll add those pictures as soon as I finish block #2.

Here is quilt block #2 it's called Solitaire Star. I don't know where they come up with these names but it makes it more interesting anyway. When we went to the first class to pick up our packets ladies were showing all their other projects. They were showing everyone another class where you could make a quilted jacket. Everyone was oohing and aahing over it and Anth and I were trying not to giggle. I guess that's just not our thing. I am excited about these colors because they will look nice in my living room and I will likely use it as a lap quilt because it definitely won't work in my bedroom. My aunt said it's nice to use flannel as the backing if I make it into a lap quilt. I thought that was a good idea. I also need to decide if I am going to tie it, hand quilt it, or pay to have it quilted. I am cheap so it will probably be one of the first two choices.