Jammies

After our fun adventure in Target on Saturday, we went to Joann's. I love the fabric store. (I love it even more when Lino is with me to watch the kids, or when I can go by myself!!) The purpose of our trip was to pick out fabric for Christmas jammies. Maggie spotted some she liked, and tried to describe it. We wandered around the holiday fabric section for 10 minutes before Lino spotted it. Sparkly, sheer striped fabric; not quite jammies!

So, we looked at some more, and then found a good one that we all like! We wound up getting the whole bolt (8 yards and a few inches)

I also found some super cute bear fabric for a project!

Now I just have to cut and sew it all to gether for our family Christmas jammies. The fabric is just for pants, we will have white tshirts that I will paint? or somehow decorate Similar to last years for the kids:

Those were from fabric I had in my stash. I had enough to make pants for the girls and the top and pants for Nate. Green background with white snowmen heads. I was able to paint the snowmen heads on the girls' shirts. They picked the scarf colors. Green for Maggie and pink (surprise!) for Cassie.

No witty comeback....

Yesterday we went to Target. The girls asked for popcorn, so Lino went to get some and the kids and I waited by the dollar spot. As we were waiting (Maggie and Cassie in the shopping cart, Nate asleep in his stroller), he waved at the girls and they waved back. Well, three older ladies (maybe 50-70) were walking by and thought Maggie and Cassie were waving at them and stopped to say hi to them.

Them: "OH, you have your hands full!"

Me: (smiling) "I am very blessed."

They repeated that a couple of times. I hate when people imply that twins and/or 3 kids is such an awful thing. Yes, I am busy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. At least they didn't start with the 'double trouble' that people usually say when they see that Maggie and Cassie are twins.

Them: " oh, your hands are full. Are they all yours?"

Me: (thinking WTH??) smile, and say "Yes"

One of the women "And another one on the way, too."

Me: (still smiling, but barely) "Nope"

Her: "OH, you're not pregnant??"

Me: "Nope"

Now, the girls are with me, so its isn't like I can be rude and say, 'Hey, thanks for calling me fat, not once but twice.' But it would have been nice to have some sort of comeback.


Then, one of the women asks if the girls are twins. Yes, I say. She told me she knew it, she could tell. She asked Maggie how old she was. Maggie told her. Then, she asked Cassie how old she was, and honestly seemed surprised that she gave the same answer! "Oh, really?"

Apparently she didn't quite grasp the whole concept of twins.


At this point, I am trying to maneuver the cart and stroller away from there, to get away from the crazy people. I told Lino, and he said I should have said something. Alas, no witty comeback, and we didn't see them again in the store. (Probably a good thing though, because he would have. )

"Atta Girl"

Today is my Mom's birthday. She would have been 64. Sometimes it doesn't seem as though it has been 8 years since she passed away. So much has happened since then. So many things I would have loved sharing with her. She was a fabulous cheerleader, always giving an 'atta girl' when something good happened.

I was fortunate in that not only was she my mom, she was my friend, too. I only hope that I can be as good a mother to my children as she was to me. Her patience, and wisdom. My late teenage years were 'challenging', and I had a very stubborn independant streak. My mom was relentless, though, in keeping her heart in my life. For that, I am thankful. We got through the 'challenging' times, and we became friends. For that, too, I am thankful.

None of us knew how sick she was the summer of my wedding. She had frequent bouts with pneumonia, but we didn't think much of it. About a year before she died, she was diagnosed with emphysema, but convinced us all it was 'fine'. The day after my wedding, she was admitted to the hospital and eventually diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer. She had a softball sized tumor that was wrapped around her heart. She died 3 months after, November 11th.

I miss her immensely.

Where to find time?

There are so many projects in my head...Halloween costumes for the kids, a skirt for me, outfits for the Christmas picture, matching family jammies for Christmas, and other fun things I want to do--sewing and embroidered.

Just a couple of extra hours in the day....when I am not too tired or the kids aren't needing things 'right now'. And when the chores are all done so I don't feel guilty wanting to take over the kitchen with my projects. (If we ever win the lottery, the new/renovated house will have a fabulous sewing/craft room!)


How do people feel about homemade gifts? Do you find them to be special? Would you rather have something store bought? Do you appreciate the time and love that goes into something that is made from hand (either mine or my kids'? )